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Post by Lady Christianna on Dec 8, 2017 15:17:55 GMT
 Kabule approached Hope, while never turning his back on Ira, and said quietly to Hope, "This fuckin Brazilian Militsiya man needs to be disguised as a WOMAN clown, and he will be my assistant in my knife act. I need help findin him an outfit and doin his makeup. He may not like it but I will be present the whole time and if he touches you or makes you feel uncomfortable, tell me and I WILL end him. I do not know where you are from, but I have learnt that most Militsiya are not to be trusted anywhere I have been. I do not see why Amer'can Militsiya would be any diff'rent and I KNOW this Brazilian can NOT be trusted at all. So DO NOT ever be alone with him. Of course if I were you, I wouldn't trust me much more than we can trust most militsiya. So I would understand if you prefer to get your Doughboy to be present while I am helpin you make this ugly Brazilian into an ugly Doll clown.... But first you should prob'ly talk to the Jap Doll, Moira, as she seem to be our new Ringmaster for now, and may want you to do something else instead. If so that be fine, I do not like the way he be actin once he seen you anyway. So I can make the ugly Brazilian into an Ugly clown doll myself if you or Moira want, though it will be extra ugly as a be no good at the makeups." Hope listened intently to Kabule and her smile grew as she did replying, "He's not my Doughboy silly - just my friend! But don't worry about me, I've dealt with big galoots like Officer Ira my whole life! My parents died when I was just a toddler, born and bred in the good old U.S. of A. They were circus performers and our wagon caught fire and I was the only one who survived. I guess I didn't have any relatives so the other performers took care of me - at least as to being clothed and fed. I used to move from wagon to wagon to sleep until Sarge offered to share his wagon, even giving me his bed as he slept on a cot. He even tucks me in and tells me stories at night and doesn't get mad at me when I sometimes sneak out later to do my 'experiments'. Sarge is even teaching me to read and write and even do sums. He's a true friend, like I said. Anyhow, we always get guys like Officer Ira as temporary roustabouts who think they can take whatever they want but I'm too nimble and too fast for them. Once the Ringmaster would find out, he'd give them their walking papers and they would be gone, lickety split! If he didn't find out, they still would disappear... after awhile." Hope splayed out her cards holding them up to Kabule and with the exaggerated smile on her painted clown face growing wider she said dramatically, "Pick a card, any card!" Kabule did and held it out for her to see, the card being the ace of spades, whereupon she hopped up pulling him down by his jacket's lapels to her level before whispering, "It suits you. You're dangerous - but you're my friend too. My special friend!" Then Hope kissed Kabule hard, full on the lips then when he reeled upwards in surprise she exclaimed still smiling, "Oooooh, my lips are all tingly! Better go see Moira, like you said! Bye for now!" "Wait! Your card," Yelled Kabule after her as she turned to go. "Keep it, I got lots! Plus its something to remember me by!" Shouted Hope over her shoulder. Hope skipped away to find Moira leaving Kabule to watch the small clown go until she disappeared into the throng of circus workers preparing for the show. When she found Moira, Hope thought Moira looked like a ringmaster and certainly acted like one as she gave both performers and roustabouts orders. As Hope skipped up, Moira said pensively, "Police officers don't make good crime investigators. At least not in crime novels. Maybe we should remove them from the investigation process." "Should we feed them to lions?" asked Hope sort of hopefully for she had never seen a person eaten by a lion before. "No need for such drastic measures," said Moira quietly. "Although it sounds tempting, I must admit. I think that our Russian Bear can use his imagination to eliminate the Furious Looking Brazilian Clown from the picture until the chapter is over. Keep him busy or something. And that means that our Russian Bear should take care of the make up. But the cop can't accidentally stumble on a knife because we already have one dead body too much. And...and....maybe we can sell our police forces to the Keystone Company after the murder is solved? They are still popular, you know, and Mr. Sennet would be happy to have such a colourful add-on to his films.* That could also solve a problem of protecting the society from service men like these." "Whatever you say New Ringmaster," Replied Hope then querying, "You want me to take care of the handsome detective or the fat policeman?" Then Hope looked up at Moira with a twinkle in her eye and a big smile asking, "Or should I go back to Kabule - you know, just to help put makeup on the policeman clown? Unless Kabule also wants me to do other stuff!"  In the Ringmaster's wagon, Detective Robert Pride meticulously examined the crime scene. He noted the open safe and the initials on the murder weapon still sticking in the Ringmaster's corpse. From his desk, he picked up the Ringmaster's ledger that held a complete list of the circus personnel, their occupation, and the date of initial hiring noting that Kabule was just hired yesterday which at least confirmed part of his story. Still, the open safe evidenced a robbery and Kabule looked like the type of brute that would rob a man and not want to leave a witness - but then why stick around after the deed was done? Anyway, only one name matched the initials "M.M."and that was Michael Murphy, the strongman." Detective Pride stuck his head out the wagon's door and ordered Officer Gula who was standing guard there eating a pastry, "Gula find the Strongman and put him into custody. Use your baton and even your gun if necessary - and get rid of that donut! I'm going to visit the freak show to question the Ringmaster's girl friend and that electric wizard." Meanwhile back in the Big Top, Sarge gestured to Sophie to follow him behind the bleachers where he told her, "I've got to leave right after the opening parade. I recognized the knife in the Ringmaster - it's mine! The coppers are bound to think I murdered him and it's only a matter of time before the bull fingers me for it. But I had to tell you before I left: I've loved you since the first time I saw you," Then he enfolded her in his strong arms and kissed her passionately afterwards saying sadly before he turned to leave, "I just wish I had told you before this, when its too late. Too late for anything." Elsewhere under the Big Top, Amber the Mystic watched Dinara prepare for her performance asking her, "Do you get the feeling we are all being played or fools? All we want to do is keep our home but I get the idea there is some big puppet master orchestrating things and we are his puppets in some bigger scheme. Who killed the Ringmaster? Who has the motivation? I wish I knew what was in the papers Moira took from his safe. I'll have to talk to her after the show. God, I need a hug." Amber embraced Dinara and held Dinara tightly as if her life depended on it whispering in Dinara's ear, "For the first time in a long time I haven't a clue what the future holds for us, but I just know we and our friends are in danger. Please be careful out there Dinara as I can't see you when I look into our future and it scares the hell out of me!" |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Dec 9, 2017 12:32:17 GMT
In the Big Top, Hope splayed out her cards holding them up to Kabule and with the exaggerated smile on her painted clown face growing wider she said dramatically, "Pick a card, any card!"
Kabule did and held it out for her to see, the card being the ace of spades, whereupon she hopped up pulling him down by his jacket's lapels to her level before whispering, "It suits you. You're dangerous - but you're my friend too. My special friend!"
Then Hope kissed Kabule hard, full on the lips then when he reeled upwards in surprise she exclaimed still smiling, "Oooooh, my lips are all tingly! Better go see Moira, like you said! Bye for now!"
"Wait! Your card," Yelled Kabule after her as she turned to go.
"Keep it, I got lots! Plus its something to remember me by!" Shouted Hope over her shoulder.
Hope skipped away to find Moira leaving Kabule to watch the small clown go until she disappeared into the throng of circus workers preparing for the show. As Kabule admired the skipping girls' little backside and enjoyed her flavor lingering on his lips, he couldn't help but hope that meant that she had been offering herself to him, when she called him her special friend. he also thought to himself, "Extremely dangerous, more so than you know, but I can be extremely fun too. Perhaps you will see just how much fun later, my cute little clown doll!"
Once she was out of sight, Kabule turned to Ira who was staring angrily at him and reply, "Told you she is MINE! So keep yer hands off 'er. Now let's go find you a dress or something to wear! Then we can pick out your wig an' work on yer makeups."
Elsewhere under the Big Top, Amber the Mystic watched Dinara prepare for her performance asking her, "Do you get the feeling we are all being played or fools? All we want to do is keep our home but I get the idea there is some big puppet master orchestrating things and we are his puppets in some bigger scheme. Who killed the Ringmaster? Who has the motivation? I wish I knew what was in the papers Moira took from his safe. I'll have to talk to her after the show. God, I need a hug."
Amber embraced Dinara and held Dinara tightly as if her life depended on it whispering in Dinara's ear, "For the first time in a long time I haven't a clue what the future holds for us, but I just know we and our friends are in danger. Please be careful out there Dinara as I can't see you when I look into our future and it scares the hell out of me!"
Dinara hugged Amber back tightly and whispered, "Hey no talking like that! You are supposed to be the tough one in our relationship! Besides, I am NEVER leaving you! Even if you can't see me, I am still there, promise! Remember I am related to Kabule so I do know a thing or two about surviving. Him and our other brother did teach e some things about protecting myself and disappearing in the shadows when needed before they were pulled into the War and....and...Kabule came back even meaner and angrier than before and poor Atty never came back! However he was always so good at disappearing I wouldn't be surprised if he is just in hiding for some reason.
However I got a feeling that somebody is trying to play us as well. As for who killed the Ringmaster, I don't know. I didn't like the guy and was always careful not to be alone with him, especially since he kept implying that he could 'fix' me with just one night in his tent; which he can't cuz I'm NOT broken, I just love who I love and that's that!; but I don't know who would want him dead or why. However Hope did say some scary guy was trying to force the Ringmaster to sell him the circus. So I am guessing the scary guy had something to do with it, and obviously there is something about OUR circus that he wants so bad he is willing to kill for it and frame the murder on those he doesn't think he can manipulate or is maybe afraid can stop him, whoever he is.
Hopefully the answer is in the papers Moira has and that you can look at them and figure it out, before anymore horrible things happen to our family! I know Kabule and Sarge didn't touch our Ringmaster, but I know my brother and know it is only a matter of time before that creepy cop guarding Kabule, or somebody else, pushes him too far and he does kill them, and nobody will see it coming cuz he prefers to strike when least expected. His favorite saying, when translated to English is: Revenge is a dish best served cold.
However the thought that we would be without each other scares me too, but what scares me most is seeing you scared, as I didn't think anybody or anything could scare my Tough but soft in just the right way, and amazing Amber-baby! Just remember I love you and will ALWAYS fight to be with you, even if that includes me having to hide in shadows and watch you in secret for some reason. I hope that doesn't happen as I prefer being in your arms and watching you close up ... very close up, but I prefer that to be the possibility for your vision, instead of what you are thinking.
Now while we have a moment 'alone', please just shut up and kiss me and I promise I won't stop holding you until you tell me to."
On the Bridge of the Vigilant, Tasha Yar got a communication from Kaj Oenfer aboard the Riot requesting permission to dock. Tasha responded with, "Kaj we are having some technical difficulties in the Hangar bays, but almost have them fixed, but engineering is running some diagnostics to ensure those issues don't happen again. They just need ten more minutes. So you will be able to dock at that time."
Kaj replied with, "Good thing we are still a little over 12 minutes away then. Just make sure Commander Batman knows we will all be there soon."
Back in the Brig I received Tasha's communication saying the Riot was only 12 minutes away, so they would be docking soon.. After I was done talking to Tasha, I said to Belle, "It sounds like the Riot will be docking in about 12 minutes. As Sandy is still preparing for the away team, would you like to accompany me to the Hangar to meet them? I am sure the twins would love to see their aunt Belle."
12 minutes later I was already waiting just outside the Hangar bay, with any others that wanted to greet the Riot and it's passengers (such as Kara and her two children as they were just as anxious to see Kaj, as I was to see my children), when the doors opened for the Riot to dock. After the Riot docked, and it was clear to enter the main hangar, I opened the door and we all walked in just as the Riot lowered it's ramp and opened it's main hatch. As soon as Kaj stepped out of the Riot, Kara's daughter ran to and hugged the giant purple man, with her mother following right behind carrying her baby brother. I nodded to Kaj in greeting however my attention was still on the Riot as I waited for those that I was here to retrieve personally. Just moments later Stephanie pushed a twin stroller down the Riot's ramp with her husband by her side. Once they saw me, they wheeled the stroller over to me. I looked in the stroller and both of Lady's and my children were sleeping, with Caprice cuddling the stuffed creature Lena had given her and Cosmin protectively clinging to the blanket from Lena, even in his sleep.
I told Stephanie that she could take some time to relax and I would watch my own children for awhile. Then I informed her husband (and our EGO expert) of our issues with our EGOs and the comatose of our three Synth crewmembers. Then told him to report to Lena Marr in the infirmary right away.
Meanwhile Attila had built the device that Lena wanted for despite how advanced it was, it turned out pretty simple and straightforward to build. So he contacted Lena and informed her that her device was built and ready for her. After she responded, He grabbed a toolbox and the device. Then he went to meet Lena where she had told him to.
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Dec 9, 2017 15:27:35 GMT
"Mmmmm....," said Moira thoughtfully to Hope after she told about her adventures. "I guess that means that the world is about to lose another innocent person. The rest of us in this circus are more or less adult. Adulthood usually means loss of innocence. Word "adultery" seems to be derived from "adult" and believe it or not but there is always a major lack in innocence in this world. You are only child around here and I was hoping that you won't grow up too soon...And perhaps share the stage with me. But it's our expectation that fail us, not people."
Small tear appeared into the corner of her eye and she turned her face to the side to hide it. What she saw there made her frown because she saw how circus strongman Michael was about to be taken into custody. She saw how police officer ruthlessly tore Sophie - she was the equilibrist in their circus - off from strongman's neck because she refused to let her arms go and pushed her so hard that she fell to the dusty ground, ruining her costume and probably hurting her deciding the look on her doll face. That kind of injustice and brutality was something Moira couldn't tolerate. She stepped decisively there and begun to protest about police violence. All she got from her attempt to defend her circus friends was a smack with the police baton which flung her to the ground as well...
"Don't tempt me to use my gun," hissed police officer. "I was told that I can use it when it's necessary. And now I really feel that the long awaited necessity just arrived."
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Marcel Lestrange was staring at the table. He had troubles with his head lately - there wasn't a voice in his head any more and despite the fact that Moira usually disagreed with him in almost everything, he was used with her presence and her mockeries. Now he missed her presence because even when he considered himself a superior human being, he followed ways of Romans who had someone to warn them about thinking too high about themselves. Actually he missed her voice in one more reason - lack of her voice in Marcel's head didn't meant absence of other kind of sounds. Wherever Moira was gone, she left a record on a player (probably just to annoy Marcel) and now it repeated one track over and over again and it was maddening. Even when he received Lena's message and wrote her that he loves and misses her even more, the track didn't went away...Merde!
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Post by Belle Starr on Dec 9, 2017 22:14:06 GMT
Belle Starr got up, wiping the tears from her blue diamond eyes as she stepped out of the Vigilant's brig cell but by the time Atticus Batman's EGO communication with Lena Marr had ended, his aura was once again growing an angry blue, which could be evidenced by the fact that the lenses in his helmet were now projecting a very eerie blue glow from them. Not to mention, Atticus angrily struck the very durable barred wall of Belle's cell to relive some of his pent up anger and stress but making Belle's eyes go wide as she jumped back in surprise as she had been moving forward to accept his proffered hug. Atticus now probably needing a hug as well although that was always a fact that he had a hard time admitting to anybody except his wife. Still, now Belle was wary and the moment for hugs had passed even though there couldn't be two people more in the universe who needed some comfort at that moment. Sandy Bell and the security guard had run in guns drawn hearing the noise but quickly holstered them when they saw the situation was safe. Both Belle and Sandy accepted Atticus' invitation to greet the Riot's arrival in the shuttle bay. Once there, Sandy quickly went inside the Riot to begin it's preparations for the long space travel to Pluto, nodding at Kaj with a grin in greeting as she passed him. Belle on the other hand leaned against the wall watching Atticus's happy reunion with his twin children as well as his niece and her children. Instead of being glad for her friend, Belle instead felt more alone then ever. Belle felt a twinge of guilt for that selfish feeling but she had been alone too long transversing a universe for the guilt to last longer than a moment. For now she felt like she was watching a movie in which she had no part in and soon slipped out the shuttle bay making her way to the mess hall. Once there, she ordered a bottle of champagne and sat in a empty shadowed corner of the dining hall sipping directly from the bottle watching people coming and going and wondering if somewhere along her travels she had truly lost her humanity. Whereas Belle felt less than human, Lena Marr never felt as human as she felt in that moment working on a problem she felt for sure she was the only one smart enough to solve. This was an unusual situation for Lena always thought of herself as a talented minion not the genius mastermind she usually worked with, which included her present lover Marcel Lestrange. Despite loving him unconditionally - at least as much as she was emotionally capable of - Lena always felt like the muscle and not the brains of their criminal enterprise; the second banana in the diabolical duo despite how much he tried to convince her that she was an equal member of their partnership. However now with the voices silent in her mind, Lena could think more clearly and apply her high level intellect to the problem at hand without distraction. Lena had moved her center of operations as well as the three comatose Synth Sisters to the infirmary in general and Lady Christianna's large room in particular. Under Doctor Quinn's critical eye, Lena had her equipment moved in and began putting electronic sensors all over Lady's naked body. Lena had just placed two sensor's over Lady's nipples when Dr. Quinn could not hold her back the irritation at Lena's treatment of her patient any more. "Are you sure you know what you are doing," Began Dr. Quinn then continuing in a strident tone, "My equipment here is perfectly adequate in monitoring Mrs. Batman's condition and I'm not sure all these new sensors are necessary - especially those last two!" "Hey, who's the genius here, you or me?" Replied Lena with a wicked grin, "My equipment is much more sensitive then your's and calibrated to find a specific type of energy and monitor shifting energy bands that your's cannot. These new sensors are necessary to correlate that data with even the tiniest change in Lady's life signs - well most of them anyway! Those last two were because I wanted to see what Lady would look like with pasties!" Before Dr. Quinn could voice a further protest, there was a loud quick rap at the door whereupon Lena quickly but gently removed the sensors from Lady's nipples before covering her up with a bed sheet and yelling, "Come on in before you knock the door off it's hinges!" Attila Constantine came in with the device Lena had requested he make which made her squeal in delight as she quickly took it from his hands looking at it closely before turning it on and squealing once more then kissing him on the cheek before exclaiming, "Perfect! I never would have thought you could have made it so quickly! You know, I was a little worried you wouldn't find on board the Vigilant that special Votan gem I needed for the lens but you really are a miracle worker! In the old days, I would have given you a free shag for the great job but that was before I met Pooh Bear sooooo that's out of the question! Instead I'll just give you a enthusiastic handshake and hearty congratulations on a job well done!" True to her word, Lena shook Attila's hand vigorously before turning off the room' lights then turning on the device which shined a small purple spotlight on the ceiling causing Attila to mutter, "You made me construct an incredibly complex flashlight?!?!" "Wait for it silly!" Replied Lena with a wicked grin as she flicked a small switch on the device and the spotlight widened to encompass the whole room in a purple gleam revealing dozens of undulating strands of translucent energy leading through the walls, ceiling and floor into the back of Lady's neck precisely where her EGO was located. Lena knelt by Whitney pointing out that one slowly waving strand of energy linked Whitney's head to Lady like an umbilical cord, then pointed to each of the Synth Sisters who were similarly linked to Lady before concluding, "With what I call my Purple Rain Device I see one of these energy strands leading to your neck Attila and I bet you see one leading to the back of my neck too although I don't see one going to Dr Quinn! I'm betting we if we followed each of these strands they would lead to each person on the Vigilant who had an EGO device attached to the old spinal cord - and one going into Lexy's main server!" Lena stood up then took a small bow while proclaiming, "Thank you, thank you, I'll be performing here all day! Be sure and tell your friends! Now help me turn Lady over on her tummy as I've got some probing to do! Don't look at me that way, I just want to get at her EGO device with one of my little tools." Atilla helped Lena turn Lady over being careful not to disturb the covering bed sheet as Dr Quinn opined, "Ms. Marr, I'm not sure you should do anything more until we get her husband's permission to - " "To late, in for a penny, in for a pound," Exclaimed an exuberant and grinning Lena as she focused a thin beam of purple light from her device in one hand on Lady's neck then precisely stuck a small pointed tool with the other hand into her EGO. Suddenly lights began flashing and alarms began clamoring on all the machines around them as Dr Quinn quickly went to one of the monitors exclaiming in apprehension, "We're losing her!"  |
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Post by Lady Christianna on Dec 10, 2017 3:33:26 GMT
In the Big top, Moira said thoughtfully to Hope after she told about her adventures. "Hmmmm..., I guess that means that the world is about to lose another innocent person. The rest of us in this circus are more or less adult. Adulthood usually means loss of innocence. Word "adultery" seems to be derived from "adult" and believe it or not but there is always a major lack in innocence in this world. You are only child around here and I was hoping that you won't grow up too soon...And perhaps share the stage with me. But it's our expectation that fail us, not people." The tiny clown looked up at Moira with wide blue eyes as her smile grew bigger and putting a small hand to the side of her white grease painted face to make a stage whisper, "Oh silly Moira, I'm not nearly as innocent as you think I am! You know that fire that killed my parents? I set it. Shhhhhhh - it's a secret!" Suddenly both of their attention was focused on the commotion as Officer Gula tried to arrest Sarge the Strongman. They saw how the police officer ruthlessly tore Sophie - she was the equilibrist in their circus - off from the strongman's neck because she refused to let her arms go and pushed her so hard that she fell to the dusty ground, ruining her costume and probably hurting her deciding the look on her doll face. That kind of injustice and brutality was something Moira couldn't tolerate. She stepped decisively there and begun to protest about police violence. All she got from her attempt to defend her circus friends was a smack with the police baton which flung her to the ground as well. "Don't tempt me to use my gun," hissed police officer. "I was told that I can use it when it's necessary. And now I really feel that the long awaited necessity just arrived." Hope ran up to to the fat police officer kicking him in the shins, then ducking from his grasping hands and running away disappearing into the gathering crowd. Sarge took the opportunity to step between the officer and the two women on the ground, giving the officer a roundhouse punch with his huge right fist knocking the policeman to the dirt as well. Having dropped his baton, the police officer pulled his revolver and shot once hitting Sarge in the calf. After their kiss and like so many of the performers, Dianara and Amber had run up to see what the ruckus was about and Amber noticed a portfolio next to the fallen Moira. As Dinara helped Sophie and Moira up, Amber picked up the bundle of papers guessing it was those taken from the Ringmaster's safe and hid them into her flowing mystic robes. When she could tell that the two women were unharmed, she surreptitiously faded into the shadows then made a quick exit from the Big Top to the wagon she shared with Dinara. Just minutes before, Detective Robert Pride exited the dead Ringmaster's wagon having completed his investigation but as he stepped down from the last step of the small ladder leading from the wagon's back door the morning sun revealed something under the wagon. His first inclination was to ignore it having resolved to interview the members of the freak show, in particular the tattooed snake handler that had been the victim's girlfriend and the electricity exhibitionist. However Detective Pride was a naturally curious man. Furthermore, he prided himself on his keen mind and he was sure there was something in his notes about something or someone being underneath the Ringmaster's wagon last night. He removed his notebook from his suit jacket's inner pocket and quickly perused its pages. Written there in his notebook was his interview with the small juvenile clown, no last name, first name Hope, when she had said that she was under the wagon goldbricking earlier in the evening before the Ringmaster was found dead and heard him vigorously arguing with a stranger which frightened her so she left to find her guardian the Circus Strongman. Hating to dirty one of the three suits he owned, he put his handkerchief on the ground and knelt on it. The morning sunlight allowed him to see perfectly well under the wagon and what he saw frankly shocked him. Under the wagon was the freshly killed carcass of a black domestic cat. Killed was too simple a word thought the detective for the poor creature had been obviously vivisected and not by one who was doing it for the first time. The animal had been stretched between the two rear wheels of the wagon with its forelegs tied with long rubber strips to one wheel and its back legs tied to another. The perpetrator of the horrendous act had then surgically cut open the cat probably when it was still alive surmised the detective because of the thrashing marks on the ground under its body. Whoever had done the terrible deed further systematically removed each of it's organs placing them carefully in order to the side. Detective Pride had seen many dead bodies in both his career as well as his time as in the Great War but for some reason the small cat body he looked down on now disturbed him more than any of those of corpses he had seen previously. It wasn't because he was a pet lover - which he wasn't for they took too much care - but the way the animal had been deliberately dissected while alive chilled him to the core. Detective Pride was about to investigate further when a gunshot caused him to spring up and make a mad dash to where he thought he heard it come from which was the Circus' Big Top. When he entered the Big Top he pushed himself through the crowd and seeing the gunshot wounded Strongman silently writhing in pain on the ground immediately went to his aid. The detective whipped off his belt using it as a tourniquet on Sarge's leg to stop the bleeding before yelling for a first aid kit. Then Pride looked at the now standing officer Gula with his smoking gun still in his hand. "I-it was self-defense! He hit me!" Stammered the fat police officer, adding in a defensive tone, "You told me to use my gun if I needed to!" "Dagnab it, I meant as a last resort!" Pride countered angrily, "Where was the donut usually in your hand? Never mind, help me get him to his wagon people! I was a medic in the war and can stabilize the wound - at least until a real doctor can get here!" Meanwhile, Amber hurried to her wagon anxious to examine the purloined documents. Amber was sure that the true killer of the Ringmaster and the motivation for his murder would be revealed somewhere there. She told herself that Dinara would forgive her for her abrupt departure if it exonerated their friends of murder. As soon as she got to the circus wagon she shared with Dinara, she raced up the steps to the back door and entered. Quickly lighting an oil lamp on a small desk to one side of the wagon, she opened the portfolio spreading the papers before her. Most of the papers related to the business of running a circus and a quick examination of them reaffirmed her belief that the Starr Circus was in deep financial troubles. Among the papers was a small black book embossed in gold lettering that simply said, "Starrgazer" and that caught her inquisitive eye. "This looks promising. Looks like some kind of a diary," Thought Amber to herself as she quickly thumbed through the book until she came upon an earmarked page. Amber's jade eyes narrowed as she read through the page, then read through it again in disbelief of what her eyes beheld, her lush lips pursing before gasping, "No! It can't be true!" "I have to tell the others! If this is true , we may all be in dan- " Muttered Amber before her jade eyes widened and a small gurgle escaped her dusky throat before she fell forward her hand knocking the lamp to the ground where it broke starting a small fire. In the flickering flames of the growing fire a hand grabbed the small diary before it's owner quickly left the burning wagon, leaving Amber's body alone with one of Kabule's knives sticking out of her back.  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Dec 10, 2017 12:10:32 GMT
"I have to tell the others! If this is true , we may all be in dan- " Muttered Amber before her jade eyes widened and a small gurgle escaped her dusky throat before she fell forward her hand knocking the lamp to the ground where it broke starting a small fire.
In the flickering flames of the growing fire a hand grabbed the small diary before it's owner quickly left the burning wagon, leaving Amber's dead body alone with one of Kabule's knives sticking out of her back.
Not far from the Wagon, one of the 'freaks' was rummaging through some storage bins to find a part that he could use to fix some of his electrical equipment. He didn't see anybody run past his direction, however he did smell smoke nearby. So he looked that direction and saw smoke coming out of the Mystic's wagon. Liking the two women that shared that wagon and not wanting anybody hurt, the giant of a man quickly ran to the wagon. Seeing the door open and smoke billowing out, he gazed in and saw Amber's unmoving body, so the man clad all in blue stepped in, and seeing the knife in her neck carefully but swiftly lifted her and moved her out of the trailer and set her on the ground nearby.
Meanwhile in the Big Top after Detective Pride had gotten everything under control, Dinara looked around and didn't see Amber. However it wasn't like Amber to disappear while getting ready for a show, and without telling her. So Dinara went to find her Love. Of course the first place that she thought should be checked was their trailer. So she nimbly slipped through the crowd and made her there. As soon as the trailer was in sight she could see it was up in flames. So she screamed in horror and with tears streaking her cheeks she quickly ran toward the trailer. By that time some of the other sideshow freaks were already there trying to put out the fire. However as she got closer what caught her eye was that Sazri Kakusi 'The Electric Man' was kneeling next to an unconscious body while he and another 'freak' were trying to see if the person was alright. Dinara knew who it must be, so as she ran towards Kakusi, she screamed, "Sazri! Pulease tell me my Amber-Baby is alive! PUHLEASE!"
Sazri Kakusi glanced her direction and said, "I am afraid I can not tell you that, as I am not a doctor. I do know I got her out before the trailer went up in flames, but there is a knife in her back. So we need the Circus doctor and need them fast to know for sure."
Dinara hearing what had been said, dropped to her knees and now clutching one of Amber's hands, pleading through tears, "Puhlease don't leave me Amber-Baby! Puhlease! I love you and we are supposed to get our own Circus, and grow old together like we talked about! So you can't leave, cuz you are NOT done yet! So please come back to my voice instead of going to the light! Puhlease!"
As one of the 'freaks' went to retrieve the doctor, Kakusi saw the symbol on the knife in Amber's back and said, "Odd symbol on the knife. A bat-winged beast. Somebody you know?"
Hearing Sazri Kakusi mention the symbol, DInara's face went pale and she screamed, "NO! Kabully wouldn't of done it! He wouldn't! He promised he wouldn't interfere with me and Amber! ... and and... and he is bein guarded by an angry Militsiya man! SO it couldn't of been him! Somebody must of stolen one of his knives! They must of! Amber-Baby puhlease wakeup, puhlease! I can't lose you! .... and now I am going to lose EVERYONE that I love because there is no-way anybody would believe Kabule didn't do it! PUHLEASE COME BACK TO ME AMBER-BABY! PUHLEASE!"
Then she burst into a complete storm of tears, as one of the 'freaks' returned with a Circus Medic. (Medic Jameson's EGO psyche).
Meanwhile on the Vigilant, after I had retrieved the twins from the Riot, I wheeled their stroller to the Medical Wing so that I could check in on Lena and see how Lady was doing. However as I opened Lady's door, without knocking, I heard, "To late, in for a penny, in for a pound," Exclaimed an exuberant and grinning Lena as she focused a thin beam of purple light from her device in one hand on Lady's neck then precisely stuck a small pointed tool with the other hand into her EGO.
Suddenly lights began flashing and alarms began clamoring on all the machines around them as Dr Quinn quickly went to one of the monitors exclaiming in apprehension, "We're losing her!"
So I snapped, "Lena! Just what the hell did you just do?! If you killed Lady and Amber, then it is your LAST mistake!"
That of course startled both twins awake, and got them crying. So I glanced around the room and seeing Attila standing in the sidelines, I snapped, "Attila take the twins to the Mess! Calm them and feed them! If you need help, notify Stephanie or have one of the Mess staff help you!"
Attila, knowing I was already unhappy with him, knew better than to argue at the moment. So instead he moved to the door and stepped outside to the stroller as he said, "Will do Atticus. However I hope you don't mind if I ask my sister to come give me a hand, and I will notify Stephanie if we need her help."
I took a deep breath and said, "Fine, just take good care of them."
Before Attila could say anything else, I shut the door to Lady's room. Then I turned back to the room and looked around without saying anything else as I had interfered enough. Not to mention I also wanted the medical staff and Lena, to do all they could to save both Lady and Amber. (my instincts telling me that this time it definitely wasn't all Lena's fault, even though I wouldn't tell Lena that as I wasn't ready to let her off the hook in any way). Next I silently walked over and took Lady's hand and clutched between my big hands as I silently watched everyone work. I also prayed silently to my gods and my dearly departed sister for help.
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Post by Attila Constantine on Dec 10, 2017 12:53:48 GMT
As soon as Commander Atticus Batman had shut the door into Lady's hospital room; Attila, who was trying desperately to calm the screaming young children, contacted his sis Atika and asked her to meet him in the Mess Hall because he suddenly found himself babysitting the screaming Batman twins and wanted her help.
Atika took a moment to get Tasha Yar's permission to leave the Bridge, then she told her brother that she would meet him in the Mess, then hung up. Attila sighed, then he wheeled the stroller containing the still screaming infants out of the Medical Wing and towards the Mess. Atika was already there when the flustered baby-sitter and his still fussy (but no longer screaming) charges arrived. Seeing his sister, Attila sighed a breath of relief at having her there to help him. Then he pushed the stroller over to her table.
As Atika worked on calming the babies, she sent her brother to retrieve the babies' formula from the kitchen staff. Then as she calmed the twins she saw Belle across the room and said in a friendly tone, "Miss Starr would you like to join us? You look so lonely over there. You can even hold one of the twins. After all holding a cute little baby always makes me feel better, so it's worth a shot. Besides you are their aunt, so I am sure that you have that right whenever you want. However I understand if you would rather continue to be left alone to your thoughts."
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Post by Belle Starr on Dec 10, 2017 15:11:54 GMT
"Lena! Just what the hell did you just do?! If you killed Lady and Amber, then it is your LAST mistake!" Atticus Batman' bellowing voice echoed through Lena Mar's brain as his towering armored form filled the suddenly small patients' room in the Vigilant's infirmary and Lena's hands went instinctively to her sheathed Bowie knives. His interchange with Attila was just background noise as she slowly backed into a corner of the room opposite to the room's door. The door was the only way in - and out - of the room, and Atticus was between it and Lena. Like a cornered animal, Lena began to panic not seeing anyway out of the situation she found herself but to fight her way out. "This wasn't supposed to happen," Protested Lena tears of fear and frustration beginning to flow from her unblinking sky blue eyes as she grasped tightly the hilts of her still sheathed knives with each hand, "I was supposed to be the hero here... at least once in my life I was supposed to be the hero of the story!" Before Attila could say anything else, Atticus shut the door to Lady's room not realizing this made the animal in Lena feel even more trapped. Then he turned back to the room and looked around without saying anything else as he silently walked over and took Lady Christianna's hand and clutched it between his big hands as he silently watched everyone work. Dr. Quinn and her nurses toiled incessantly over Lady and although the alarms turned off the lights on the machines still blinked with urgency. Lena's sky blue eyes nervously darted from Atticus to the door and back again. Dr. Quinn said calmly without looking up from her work, "Ms. Marr, I could use your help here. I've called for the ego specialist who just arrived, but I still need help in stabilizing the patient now. My expertise is on the medical side and not the technical and the problem here involves both." Mad at herself for showing weakness by crying Lena willed herself to stop then she wiped the tears off her pretty chalk white face with the back of her left hand while her right remained clutching the hilt of one of her Bowie knives as she replied belligerently to the doctor through clenched teeth, "Depends on the Irathiant Bozo! I did all I could to help Lady and what do I get for it? Threats on my life! Atty-baby knows I'm no hero! He knows I'm not even a very good person!" Then Lena turned her icy stare to Atticus saying vehemently, "This is your fault not mine Atticus for ever thinking I can do anything good knowing who I am and where I come from! That still doesn't mean I'm going to just turn my back to you so you can kill me easy, no way, no how! You want to kill me, you're going to have kill me to my face, right here, right now!" "That wouldn't be prudent," Coolly interjected Dr. Quinn, "For my patient or my staff. If you two are going to have a death duel, please have it outside this room. Right now if you aren't part of the solution you're part of the problem." Unsure of what to do, Lena stood looking like a doe caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, not sure whether to flee or stand her ground but sure of her death either way from the oncoming metal juggernaut. At the same time in the mess hall, Atika Constantine calmed the Batman twins as she saw Belle Starr across the room and said in a friendly tone, "Miss Starr would you like to join us? You look so lonely over there. You can even hold one of the twins. After all holding a cute little baby always makes me feel better, so it's worth a shot. Besides you are their aunt, so I am sure that you have that right whenever you want. However I understand if you would rather continue to be left alone to your thoughts." Belle sat for a moment staring at the young girl that once had thought Belle Starr a hero to be admired and wondered how far she had fallen in Atika's estimation since she had returned. Belle certainly didn't feel she had done anything since she arrived back into Protectors' space to warrant Atika's continued faith. Still the girl seemed sincere in her invitation and maybe it wasn't too late to save a semblance of her former heroic image so Belle smiled at her with false confidence as she grabbed her quarter empty champagne bottle and moved over to the the twins' table. Soon the bottle, her image, and even her problems were lost as Belle cooed at and bounced on her knee a laughing Caprice. After playing with the Batman twins for a little while, Belle realized that despite the inevitability of doom in the future, there was a lot to be said for enjoying the present moment. Maybe - just maybe - that was a good enough reason to fight for the future just so such present moments could continue even a little longer. As she laughed and conversed with the Constantine twins, Belle thought to herself that maybe - just maybe - she could muster herself to be a hero one more time, not for herself but for the future generations sitting at the table with her.   |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Dec 11, 2017 12:06:34 GMT
Mad at herself for showing weakness by crying Lena willed herself to stop then she wiped the tears off her pretty chalk white face with the back of her left hand while her right remained clutching the hilt of one of her Bowie knives as she replied belligerently to the doctor through clenched teeth, "Depends on the Irathiant Bozo! I did all I could to help Lady and what do I get for it? Threats on my life! Atty-baby knows I'm no hero! He knows I'm not even a very good person!" Then Lena turned her icy stare to Atticus saying vehemently, "This is your fault not mine Atticus for ever thinking I can do anything good knowing who I am and where I come from! That still doesn't mean I'm going to just turn my back to you so you can kill me easy, no way, no how! You want to kill me, you're going to have kill me to my face, right here, right now!"
"That wouldn't be prudent," Coolly interjected Dr. Quinn, "For my patient or my staff. If you two are going to have a death duel, please have it outside this room. Right now if you aren't part of the solution you're part of the problem."
Unsure of what to do, Lena stood looking like a doe caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, not sure whether to flee or stand her ground but sure of her death either way from the oncoming metal juggernaut.
Still standing by Lady's side, I temporarily released her hand. Next I removed my helmet to reveal my masked face. Once Lena could at least see my eyes and some of my facial features, I took a deep breath. Then showed the palms of my open hands said calmly, "Eseneziri Lena, calm down and help Lady like you said you would."
When Doctor Quinn glanced at me with a slight look of disapproval, I took an even deeper breath then continued with, "Fine! Lena if you really need to hear it, then here it is! I know whatever happened wasn't your fault and you were trying to help. As for how you and I feel about each other, that doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is that Lady needs your help right now, and I know you are the best qualified for it, otherwise I wouldn't have given you permission to examine her as you see fit. Besides Lady sees something good in you and considers you her best friend, and I have seen it a couple of times recently as well. So I am .... I am sorry for yelling at you when you did nothing wrong. Now please help your best friend and my wife. However I can't promise to control my anger as we all know I can't always control it. As I would prefer to stay in here and keep holding Lady's hand, I will do my best to keep quiet and out of the way. However if I need to wait outside so all of you can help her, without me and my anger in the way, then I will."
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Post by Lady Christianna on Dec 11, 2017 13:56:25 GMT
Hope the little clown hugged herself tightly and continually rocked herself as she sat cross-legged on the top of Kakusi the Great's wagon watching and listening to the tragedy unravel below her. Her blue eyes blinked incessantly trying in vain to clear her blurred vision of the tears that just kept coming no matter how hard she tried to stop them. Every few minutes she would shake her head vigorously in denial and mumble, "Not my fault, not my fault, not my fault!" as her mind dwelled on these most recent events. Earlier Hope had watched impassively as Kakusi the Great had run in and pulled Amber's body from the burning wagon but Hope herself remained unmoving from her "balcony" seat believing there would be no use in doing so. She watched as a crowd of circus artists, carnies, and roustabouts had gathered around Amber's body while others were already forming a bucket brigade taking water from a nearby cistern to keep the fire from Amber and Dinara's wagon from spreading to the other circus wagons. Still Hope sat and watched without emotion. It wasn't until Dinara arrived on the scene and screamed, "Sazri! Pulease tell me my Amber-Baby is alive! PUHLEASE!" the flood gates on Hope's emotions broke and her tears began to fall as she watched and listened to what happened below her. Sazri Kakusi had glanced in Dinara's direction and said, "I am afraid I can not tell you that, as I am not a doctor. I do know I got her out before the trailer went up in flames, but there is a knife in her back. So we need the Circus doctor and need them fast to know for sure." Dinara hearing what had been said, dropped to her knees and now clutching one of Amber's hands, pleading through tears, "Puhlease don't leave me Amber-Baby! Puhlease! I love you and we are supposed to get our own Circus, and grow old together like we talked about! So you can't leave, cuz you are NOT done yet! So please come back to my voice instead of going to the light! Puhlease! As one of the 'freaks' went to retrieve the circus doctor, Kakusi saw the symbol on the knife in Amber's back and said, "Odd symbol on the knife. A bat-winged beast. Somebody you know?" A sudden chill went up Hope's spine when she overheard Kakusi's question. Hearing Sazri Kakusi mention the symbol, DInara's face went pale and she screamed, "NO! Kabully wouldn't of done it! He wouldn't! He promised he wouldn't interfere with me and Amber! ... and and... and he is being guarded by an angry Militsiya man! SO it couldn't of been him! Somebody must of stolen one of his knives! They must of! Amber-Baby puhlease wakeup, puhlease! I can't lose you! .... and now I am going to lose EVERYONE that I love because there is no-way anybody would believe Kabule didn't do it! PUHLEASE COME BACK TO ME AMBER-BABY! PUHLEASE!" Hope's worst fear being confirmed, Hope's thoughts went in every direction but with one being dominant being, "NO! THEY CAN"T BLAME HIM!!!!" As Dinara and Hope both burst into a complete storm of tears, one of the 'freaks' returned with a Circus Medic, Doctor James Jackson, smelling of old whiskey and stale cigars. Fact was that Dr. Jackson had his medical license removed because of his alcoholism that began in 1918 when his wife and preteen daughter died of Spanish Influenza which went on to kill almost three times more people than the 17 million soldiers and civilians killed during WWI. Despite being a depressed drunkard who blamed himself for his family's death, the Ringmaster had hired him because drunk or sober Dr. Jackson had excellent medical skills particularly in diagnosing ailments and prescribing treatment. Dr. Jackson opened the old worn leather bag that he always carried with him and took out a stethoscope placing it on Amber's chest his lips pursing as he listened for her heart, then gently tilted her body so he could examine the knife wound in her back without removing the knife. The gray haired doctor turned his rheumy grey eyes to Dinara knowing her relationship to Amber and informed her, "Madame Amber is still alive but not for long I fear. The wound is a fatal one. I probably can wake her up with some smelling salts so you can have some last words although she will feel intense pain. Or we can let her pass on peacefully in her sleep. She's a goner either way. As I understand it, you're the closest thing here she has to next of kin so I leave it up to you." The little clown didn't wait to hear Dinara's answer for she immediately climbed down the back of the wagon she was sitting on top of then ran towards the Big Top as fast as her short legs would take her muttering all the way, "No, no, no, no, no, no..." When Hope entered the Big Top she made a beeline to where Kabule's cage and motorcycle were being prepared for his circus act. She knew Officer Ira had been assigned to watch Kabule as he was already a prime suspect in the Ringmaster's murder so she sought to somehow separate Kabule from the policeman. She didn't need to for luck was with her as Officer Ira was busy admiring his clown makeup and costume in a large full-length mirror brought into the big top for that purpose while Kabule was left alone to work on his motorcycle in his "Cage of Death." Hope slipped into Kabule's cage with him as he was on his side with a socket wrench working on the motorcycle's engine. Hope smiled and laid in back of him spooning him while covering his eyes with two small hands asking cheerfully, "Guess who?" But then with a mercurial mood change removed her hands and with a frown exclaimed in a low tone, "Never mind, no time for silly questions! Amber's been murdered and one of your knives was found in her back! We don't have time before they come looking for you!" Kabul had turned on his back to listen to her and suddenly Hope jumped up straddling him before leaning down and kissing him passionately on the lips as she reached down with one small hand and began massaging his crotch before lowering her face so that the tips of their noses touched as her blue eyes gazed intently into his while she ardently proclaiming, "I love you and they are going to take you away so I never see you again or even kill you! Let's get rid of the big sap watching you, jump on your motorcycle, and ride of into the sunset far away from here to live happily ever after!" Hope put a tiny finger to his lips before he could speak and said with a wicked grin as her lower body undulated in what she hoped was a sensual manner, "Baby, it doesn't matter if you don't love me. I love you - and I'll do whatever you want me to whenever you want me to to whoever you want me to! I'll be you're sexual servent! I'm small, so I don't eat much and don't take much room and I won't even say anything if you don't want me to just please, please, please take me with you!" Removing her finger from his lips as her smile literally turned upside down before she whispered, "But I'll understand if you want to travel light while you'e on the lam - although I don't weigh much either! Just... just if you are going to leave me, don't leave me a Bug-eyed Betty! Just before they give you the bum's rush, before you go, please, please, please make love to me! I know I'm no Sheba, but I beg of you don't leave me a virgin! You don't even have to give me a line! I know you're a cake-eater but I don't care! I really, really want you to be my first if I can't have you be my only! After that, if you decide you don't want me around, we're copacetic! Promise!"  Detective Pride noted the small clown racing into the Big Top but was too busy staunching the blood flow from Sarge's leg to wonder why but after a bit proclaimed, "Okay, I've done all I can. We need to get a real doctor here pronto but until then lets get him to his wagon where he can rest!" Actually Pride was more concerned with getting Sarge into a more controllable environment than Sarge's well being for some of the circus people were grumbling about the shooting incident. One of the performers told Pride that they had a doctor on the grounds of the circus while several others volunteered to help carry Sarge to his wagon so Pride sent the former to find the Doctor to have him meet them at Sarge's wagon while taking up the latter on their offer. He chose two strapping young men who wore costumes similar to that worn by the young aerialist Whitney Synder to carry the stretcher carrying Sarge. The dark haired younger of the two was also one of the loudest of the performers complaining about police brutality so Pride took the opportunity to keep the young man occupied reasoning that "idle hands are the Devil's workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece." Pride hoped the assigned work would keep the man too busy to use either hands or lips protesting - at least in the short run. As a small parade exited the Big Top headed to Sarge's wagon, Pride turned taking off his hat and saying humbly to Moira and Sophie, "My apologies ladies for Officer Gula's actions but he was arresting a suspected murderer. However be assured that Gula's actions will be reviewed by the Kansas City Police Department when we get back, but until then... " Pride pointed to the bleachers where Lexy, her father and her mother, a rather pretty but aging flapper who looked medicated to the point of falling asleep, were already seated there along with several rough looking men in suits with their families before commenting to Moira in a low voice, "You better get this show on the road. Mr Avarita is the new owner of the circus and he's here to see if he should cut his losses and just sell its assets or not. Oh and by the way, Mr. Avarita is also know as Big Louie, the head of the biggest mob in KC so... be careful and good luck!" Detective Pride grabbed Officer Gula's cuff dragging the fat man with him out of the tent whereupon Gula said, "You sure you should of told her that! You know Mr Avarita wanted to be here incog - incos - you know, didn't want nobody else to know he was here." Pride sighed before replying, "Applesauce! I felt I owed that oriental bearcat that much after you unnecessarily knocked her and her hotsy-totsy friend to the ground! Listen, if they're trying to give their best performance for the boss then they're out of my hair while I try to find out who really murdered Mr. Starr. Mr. Avarita doesn't like the spotlight and wants this case marked solved as soon as possible. I've got a good suspect in Sargent Murphy, but I still lack a motivation and I don't like loose strings. The boss may not care who we finger for the crime just that we do it fast but I pride myself on tying up a case in a nice neat package before I close it." |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Dec 12, 2017 5:08:41 GMT
"Recent line of events brought me second thoughts about the circus business," said Moira. "I think that I will be resining my post as a Ringmaster. And as a circus artist. That wasn't an easy decision but it had to be made. It's for the best. If you excuse me, I have some private business to do. And yes - I am aware that until the case is closed I have no right to leave the territory."
"I screwed up," explained Moira to Sophie. "In every aspect of my life. I realised that. There are people who try to keep things going and work hard hoping that their efforts won't go unnoticed. And there are people who just appear and get the best things in life effortlessly. I am the first kind and it seems to me that it's the worst kind of class to belong into because I can't do even that decently so its pretty hopeless and perspectiveless situation for me. Sometimes the feeling that you are trying to make good deeds is not just enough. Even charity must pay off and for organizers it usually does - they get the cream and charity objects get what's left. I feel like a complete burnout with loads of effortless attempts to improve the situation and that is why I am removing myself. I can't be seen in public in the state like this. Nobody deserves to see a failure. Best luck to you and Michael. Knowing you, I am sure that you are able to solve the murder mystery by yourself. Don't worry, I still send you some postcards...if I remember to do it. "
She turned around, tossing her whip and the top hat to the dusty ground. Although she told to the detective that she was aware about her free roaming restrictions during the murder case she didn't promise that she was going to obey those orders. Since she was innocent anyway, she decided that it brings along only a temporary confusion so she was free to sneak out and disappear from peoples lives. As a circus artist Moira was used to travel light and she didn't had much mundane possessions. The only stop she made was by the lion cage where grumpy male lion did what lions usually do - was laying on the cage floor doing absolutely nothing.
"Sorry Marcel," said Moira when lion turned his head towards him after hearing familiar footsteps. "From now on you are on your own. I tried to make the world a bit better place but realized that the world might not want that at all and everybody will find their path and they don't need me to walk with them."
After that short conversation, Moira changed her circus clothes for different set of robes and now she looked like another girl who was hired to keep the place clean and received few bucks and a free ticket for her effort. She had no problem with leaving the circus territory because nobody paid attention to a cleaning lady...
_________
"Ooh, you home at last," sighed Marcel from relief when he heard sounds, telling him that Moira was back. "Would you be so kind and turn that record off? It is just as annoying like you are. Then you can explain me where were you and what took you so long?"
"No speak Engrish", replied Moira. Those were only words from her. She closed the door, threw herself into her bed without bothering to undress and begun to stare the ceiling. Her EGO hideout begun to wrap itself into the dark grey grim looking mist...
PS. She left the record playing.
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Post by Atticus Batman on Dec 12, 2017 13:18:42 GMT
The gray haired doctor turned his rheumy grey eyes to Dinara knowing her relationship to Amber and informed her, "Madame Amber is still alive but not for long I fear. The wound is a fatal one. I probably can wake her up with some smelling salts so you can have some last words although she will feel intense pain. Or we can let her pass on peacefully in her sleep. She's a goner either way. As I understand it, you're the closest thing here she has to next of kin so I leave it up to you."
Dinara said quietly, "Don't want her leavin me, but definitely don't want her suffering either. However I'm not sure what to do! She may know who did it, cuz I don't wanna believe Kabule did it, and I want to tell Amber-baby I love her one last time, if you are too incompetent to save her!! I really wish Sophie or Moira were here to tell me what I should do! Since I can't ask my Amber-baby what I should do without hurtin her more!"
Dinara then broke down into tears yet again.
 
Kabule had turned on his back to listen to her and suddenly Hope jumped up straddling him before leaning down and kissing him passionately on the lips as she reached down with one small hand and began massaging his crotch before lowering her face so that the tips of their noses touched as her blue eyes gazed intently into his while she ardently proclaiming, "I love you and they are going to take you away so I never see you again or even kill you! Let's get rid of the big sap watching you, jump on your motorcycle, and ride of into the sunset far away from here to live happily ever after!"
Hope put a tiny finger to his lips before he could speak and said with a wicked grin as her lower body undulated in what she hoped was a sensual manner, "Baby, it doesn't matter if you don't love me. I love you - and I'll do whatever you want me to whenever you want me to to whoever you want me to! I'll be you're sexual servent! I'm small, so I don't eat much and don't take much room and I won't even say anything if you don't want me to just please, please, please take me with you!"
Removing her finger from his lips as her smile literally turned upside down before she whispered, "But I'll understand if you want to travel light while you'e on the lam - although I don't weigh much either! Just... just if you are going to leave me, don't leave me a Bug-eyed Betty! Just before they give you the bum's rush, before you go, please, please, please make love to me! I know I'm no Sheba, but I beg of you don't leave me a virgin! You don't even have to give me a line! I know you're a cake-eater but I don't care! I really, really want you to be my first if I can't have you be my only! After that, if you decide you don't want me around, we're copacetic! Promise!"
Kabule responded quietly with, "Not sure what copacetic means, an' still not sure what love is as I never stuck around near one person for long before. How'ver you be cute and I do love the idea of my own lil' lightweight doll around, 'specially since I am always alone, an' with you sittin there doin what ya be doin, I don't wanna move anytime soon, an' I think when I do move, the first place I be wannin ta go, is somewhere quiet with you, to take you up on that firs'time lovin offer.
I agree that I should run, but not sure I can do that to Dina agin. Specially if her Otto be dead, as I already left her alone too many times to count, even if she does hate that I be alive, while my good twin be dead.
So I think I be stuck fer once. Can't stay but can't go. Given how trigger-happy these damn Militsiya be, wit them shootin the Doughboy; once they hear the bike start, they would be openin fire on us. Don't know why, but don't wanna risk you gettin shot for me runnin, an' don't wan'em takin it out on Dina. How'ver if we can find a way to get us an' my bike outta here without 'em shootin at us, or takin it out on Dina, then that sounds like the best idea. Damn I wish Atticus were here! The damn good twin ALWAYS knew what to do... well 'til he didn't and disappeared cuz of it! 'Course he probly woulda jus' turned himself in an' I ain't gonna do that! No way! Offered to once already today an' once be more than enough for me. So never wanna do that agin, specially since I doubt that Jap doll will be willin to help talk 'em outta arrestin me agin.
How'ver that Militsiya man Pride be adamant that the show must go on. So if it really does happen, then the easiest idea would be for me to do my act. It supposed to be the last one of the show. So if you be waitin just' outside the cage outta sight, then as soon as I ride out, you can hop on back an' we can slip out durin the commotion that always accompanies the end of a show, even a private one such as this. By the time they realize that we be gone, we will already be outta town. How'ver if the Otto's death makes em cancel the show, then we must wing it, and just hop on the bike and ride off, an' hope they can't hit a movin target. 'Course if that happens, I think you be safer wearin the heavy leather jacket over there in my bag to lower your chance of a bullet hittin you, as well as the only helmet I own. Can't let my perty clown doll screw up that perty face and tiny lil' body anytime soon after'all. A'least not til after I grow tired of ya."
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Post by Lena Marr on Dec 14, 2017 10:22:05 GMT
When Doctor Quinn glanced at Atticus Batman with a slight look of disapproval, Atticus took an even deeper breath then continued with, "Fine! Lena if you really need to hear it, then here it is! I know whatever happened wasn't your fault and you were trying to help. As for how you and I feel about each other, that doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is that Lady needs your help right now, and I know you are the best qualified for it, otherwise I wouldn't have given you permission to examine her as you see fit. Besides Lady sees something good in you and considers you her best friend, and I have seen it a couple of times recently as well. So I am .... I am sorry for yelling at you when you did nothing wrong. Now please help your best friend and my wife. However I can't promise to control my anger as we all know I can't always control it. As I would prefer to stay in here and keep holding Lady's hand, I will do my best to keep quiet and out of the way. However if I need to wait outside so all of you can help her, without me and my anger in the way, then I will." Lena Marr frowned, then a wicked grin graced her pretty chalk white face as she exclaimed, "Shatko Batman, you really are pussy whipped!" Then she laughed hysterically so hard she doubled over almost falling on the floor in her mirth before she regained her composure and replied, "Okay, okay, I'll help - but you'll have to pay me time and a half! Pooh Bear would be sooooo upset with me if I didn't charge you extra! Oh, and one other demand!: Have somebody find Marcel and ask him respectfully to please come here to me. I miss him terribly and I'm worried about him and when I worry I can't concentrate and when I can't concentrate I tend to get upset and when I get upset I tend to start breaking things and people and we wouldn't want that would we? As Lena bent down to pick up the device built by Attila for her, she purposefully wiggled her shapely derriere at Atticus to tease him further but with her unblinking sky blue eyes never leaving him in case his anger took hold. Then she examined the device carefully to make sure it wasn't damaged as she dropped it when Atticus suddenly arrived threatening her life. As the Harbinger of Death, Atticus the legend had always petrified her, who was usually fearless, for he had made his name in Paradise killing criminals like her, many in very painful ways. Atticus the man didn't scare her as much, for his love for Lady and his family was his Achilles heel making him much less frightening although he still scared her shit-less. Atticus still scared Lena - but now in a way that also excited her, getting her Adrenalin going and being an Adrenalin junkie she couldn't resist waving the red flag at the bull. In this case, Atticus was the bull and Lena's curvaceous rear end being the red flag! Once Lena was satisfied the lens in the device wasn't broken Lena' long lashed eyes grew wide as she pursed her lush lips before proclaiming, "Okay, playtime's over! You want to see something really cool!" Not waiting for anyone to answer, Lena turned a nob on her device to wide band bathing the room in an eerie purple light that revealed dozens of umbilical cord like yellow beams leading into the comatose Lady Christianna' as she explained, "Lena's Lens of truth - I'm still trying to think of a good name for this doohickey - anyway, Lena's Magic Box - no, people might think I'm talking about my nether region and we can't have that - Lena's Wonder Widget, yeah I like that! My Wonder Widget shows and tracks different energy bands and each one of these are flowing from everyone with an EGO device on board the Vigilant to Lady. I think they are EGO psyches trapped in Lady's EGO, why I haven't a clue!" Lena frowned again muttering, "Huh, there seems to be one less beam then there was. I wonder if my tinkering with Lady's EGO somehow released one of the EGO psyches. I'l have to check into that later," Lena twisted another knob on her device and all the yellow beams disappeared and a single blue umbilical cord went from Atticus' chest to the pendant around Lady's neck as Lena tittered before remarking, "This is your Grid energy that you have allocated to go to Lady - Yeah, I know you do that, don't ask how - and as I surmised, your close proximity to Lady is stabilizing her so better stay put here for now." Dr. Quinn was focused on her medical equipment monitoring Lady's condition and affirmed, "Ms. Marr is right about that. Lady's condition has indeed stabilized." "Now I think that whatever is keeping Lady a Sleeping Beauty and a prison for nearby EGO psyches is an outside energy force so if I readjust my Wonder Widget to search," Lena said as she twisted the device's nob slowly reveal a blood red beam coming through the wall and into Lady's EGO in the back of her neck as Lena turned to Atticus with a raised alabaster forefinger and said, "Now before you get all excited and roar 'Then just block the beam Lena or I'll murderize you' know that tinkering from this end might just kill Lady and neither of us want that. We are going to have to trace the beam back to its source and stop it there. I would say easy-peasey but it isn't. Lena's Wonder Widget doesn't scan very far, but it has shown me that its coming from outside the Vigilant from somewhere in space. I don't know for sure where but I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count!"   |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Dec 14, 2017 12:02:11 GMT
Lena Marr frowned, then a wicked grin graced her pretty chalk white face as she exclaimed, "Shtako Batman, you really are pussy whipped!" Then she laughed hysterically so hard she doubled over almost falling on the floor in her mirth before she regained her composure and replied, "Okay, okay, I'll help - but you'll have to pay me time and a half! Pooh Bear would be sooooo upset with me if I didn't charge you extra! Oh, and one other demand!: Have somebody find Marcel and ask him respectfully to please come here to me. I miss him terribly and I'm worried about him and when I worry I can't concentrate and when I can't concentrate I tend to get upset and when I get upset I tend to start breaking things and people and we wouldn't want that would we?"
I glared angrily at Lena, then grumbled, "I suppose not. You'll get the pay and I'll send somebody to get Marcel, once you tell me just what you are doing with that daking contraption and all the sensors on Lady. ... and Attila if you saw her naked, then you ARE getting locked in the brig after I bust your nose!"
As Lena bent down to pick up the device built by Attila for her, Attila gulped down a breath of air, and replied, "Of course I didn't. I would never take advantage of her trust or yours like that. Besides, Lena and Doctor Quinn made sure Lady has been covered completely the whole time that I have been in here. So I really hope that means there is NO reason to bust my nose."
Once Lena was satisfied the lens in the device wasn't broken Lena' long lashed eyes grew wide as she pursed her lush lips before proclaiming, "Okay, playtime's over! You want to see something really cool!"
Not waiting for anyone to answer, Lena turned a nob on her device to wide band bathing the room in an eerie purple light that revealed dozens of umbilical cord like yellow beams leading into the comatose Lady Christianna' as she explained, "Lena's Lens of truth - I'm still trying to think of a good name for this doohickey - anyway, Lena's Magic Box - no, people might think I'm talking about my nether region and we can't have that - Lena's Wonder Widget, yeah I like that! My Wonder Widget shows and tracks different energy bands and each one of these are flowing from everyone with an EGO device on board the Vigilant to Lady. I think they are are EGO psyches trapped in Lady's EGO, why I haven't a clue!"
Lena frowned again muttering, "Huh, there seems to be one less beam then there was. I wonder if my tinkering with Lady's EGO somehow released one of the EGO psyches. I'l have to check into that later," Lena twisted another knob on her device and all the yellow beams disappeared and a single blue umbilical cord went from Atticus' chest to the pendant around Lady's neck as Lena tittered before remarking, "This is your Grid energy that you have allocated to go to Lady - Yeah, I know you do that, don't ask how - and as I surmised, your close proximity to Lady is stabilizing her so better stay put here for now.""
Dr. Quinn was focused on her medical equipment monitoring Lady's condition and affirmed, "Ms. Marr is right about that. Lady's condition has indeed stabilized."
"Now I think that whatever is keeping Lady a Sleeping Beauty and a prison for nearby EGO psyches is an outside energy force so if I readjust my Wonder Widget to search," Lena said as she twisted the device's nob slowly reveal a blood red beam coming through the wall and into Lady's EGO in the back of her neck as Lena turned to Atticus with a raised alabaster forefinger and said, "Now before you get all excited and roar 'Then just block the beam Lena or I'll murderize you' know that tinkering from this end might just kill Lady and neither of us want that. We are going to have to trace the beam back to its source and stop it there. I would say easy-peasey but it isn't. Lena's Wonder Widget doesn't scan very far, but it has shown me that its coming from outside the Vigilant from somewhere in space. I don't know for sure where but I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count!"
I snapped, "Murderize? Good word. However I prefer the acronym: MDK. Anyway, the obvious answers would be either Pluto, the daking drones, or that daking deep-space portal Belle made. However I am not guessing which one. That is your daking job to figure out! I'll notify Sandy of the situation. Then she can decide if you and her team will follow the signal before continuing with her planned mission; or if you, Volodja and Dameron should form a team led by Volodja and take a shuttle to follow the daking signal."
I sighed and continued with, "Attila go find Marcel and inform him that Lena needs his presence here. Then report to Sandy. I believe she has decided the Riot is the best choice for the mission. So check there for her. However I suggest you check in the Mess for Marcel, before you check his quarters. Unless Lena thinks you should check somewhere else for him."
Then I put my helm back on so I could use it's built in communicator to contact Sandy and Volodja. Once they both responded, I filled them in on the situation with Lena and the two away team suggestions that I had mentioned to Lena.
After Attila had asked Lena for suggestions on where he might find Marcel, if he isn't in the Mess or Marcel's and Lena's quarters, Attila headed to find Lena's lover and business partner. His first stop being the Mess, where he saw his sister and Belle with the Batman twins. So he walked over and gave Atika a quick kiss on the lips as he said, "Fancy seeing you here enjoying a break with Belle and the little Bat-kids. Sorry can't stay, I am busy but saw you and just had to get a kiss."
Then Attila left the table and went back to looking around the Mess for Marcel. Of course if he didn't find him there, he was to check the Diabolical duo's quarters next, followed by a list of several onboard locations that Lena thought Marcel may go to if he wanted some privacy or something.
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Post by Lady Christianna on Dec 15, 2017 13:34:24 GMT
Dinara said quietly, "Don't want her leavin me, but definitely don't want her suffering either. However I'm not sure what to do! She may know who did it, cuz I don't wanna believe Kabule did it, and I want to tell Amber-baby I love her one last time, if you are too incompetent to save her!! I really wish Sophie or Moira were here to tell me what I should do! Since I can't ask my Amber-baby what I should do without hurtin her more!" Dinara then broke down into tears yet again. "You should let the Doctor use his smelling salts," Said a confident voice in back of her. All eyes turned to Detective Pride standing with his arms crossed behind Dinara and who continued calmly, "It's your decision of course, but in terms of finding her murderer she might know and can tell us but... probably more importantly, if I were fatally wounded, I'd want to have a chance to say goodbye to my loved ones!" Detective Pride believed no such thing only wanting to get the young girl to give permission to wake her girlfriend for he had no loved ones and only wanting to die quick in the line of duty or, he thought to himself, "Death by a sudden heart attack in bed with two satisfied Shebas using their big bubs as pillows with a bottle of giggle water in my hand and a gasper on my lips also sounds good!" Meanwhile under the Big Top, Kabule remarked, "How'ver that Militsiya man Pride be adamant that the show must go on. So if it really does happen, then the easiest idea would be for me to do my act. It supposed to be the last one of the show. So if you be waitin just' outside the cage outta sight, then as soon as I ride out, you can hop on back an' we can slip out durin the commotion that always accompanies the end of a show, even a private one such as this. By the time they realize that we be gone, we will already be outta town. How'ver if the Otto's death makes em cancel the show, then we must wing it, and just hop on the bike and ride off, an' hope they can't hit a movin target. 'Course if that happens, I think you be safer wearin the heavy leather jacket over there in my bag to lower your chance of a bullet hittin you, as well as the only helmet I own. Can't let my perty clown doll screw up that perty face and tiny lil' body anytime soon after'all. A'least not til after I grow tired of ya." Hope smiled as she looked down on the handsome Russian while she straddled him thinking to herself, "Then I'll be a homeless pet too like I sometimes find wandering on the circus grounds! I just hope Kabule gives me one last living thrill before putting me out of the misery of being un-owned like I do for them!" but merely answered him cheerfully, "Okay!" Hope quickly wiggled her rump one last time into his groin before high kicking one short leg over his prone body demonstrating how truly agile she was before jumping up, going over to his bag, pulling out his heavy leather jacket and putting it on then doing a pirouette and saying cryptically with a big grin and crazed wide blue eyes, "Now I have my owner's collar and I'm not a stray pet - until you grow tired of me! I'll just make sure you never ever get tired of me, till death do us part!" Hope skipped out of Kabule's sight moving from behind the curtain cordoning off Kabule's cage to the main stage of the Circus' Big Top. There she saw Moira's abandoned whip and top hat so she bent her legs at the knees staring intently at them. For a moment she thought about putting the hat on and picking up the whip and cracking it while playing Ringmaster but her attention was diverted when a large metal circus cage was wheeled into the tent with a huge male Mountain Gorilla in it and a brightly painted sign affixed to the cage's top proclaiming in large letters, "Gorgo, the Ninth Wonder of the World" then in smaller letters "Beware the Man Killer." Gorgo was enraged flinging himself against the bars of the cage as he roared menacingly but Hope thought Gorgo was always angry, never cooperating with any of the animal trainers having even pulled the arm off one several years ago. However, Gorgo was a big crowd pleaser as people loved to be thrilled with the idea he might escape endangering them of life and limb so the Ringmaster had not put him down after the incident. Hope smiled mysteriously as she thought about the secret only she and Gorgo knew then suddenly spotted a scared eight year old Lexy in the bleachers with her family. It was obvious to Hope that Lexy's parents couldn't or wouldn't see the fear of the beast in the little girl's eyes so Hope honked her horn continuously capturing Lexy's attention. Hope then made a beeline for Lexy only stopping once there to make various rubber balloon animals for the delighted child.   |
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