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xp_logsA name Crystal never expected to see again catches her eye. She is less than overjoyed and Forge isn't quite thrilled by the result of her initial reaction.
Attilan Date: February 4, 2008
"Obrigada." Crystal took the offered folder, which contained the latest batch of student application forms. While she was sure that some people viewed the voluntary mutant registration form with mistrust, she hoped most mutants were fine with it, especially since it was now public knowledge that the royal family had been, and still was, comprised of mutants. While humans still greatly outnumbered the mutants (Maximus must be fuming somewhere), there were definitely enough mutants, both children and adults, to warrant a school. Even if there hadn't been, she would have wanted the school anyway.
After sitting down at her desk, Crystal began to read through the papers. The application questionnaire was brief and to the point: name, address, powers, first known date of manifestation, comfort level with abilities, etc.
One last form and then she was taking a break for lunch. Crystal looked at the next paper on what was left of the unread stack. Nome/Name: John Henry Forge. Endereço/Address: 13 Estrada Do Oceano, Attilan. Abilidade Do Mutant/Mutant Ability: Hypercognition mecânico intuitivo. Cidadania/Citizensh... wait, what? Crystal stared at the name on the application. No, it couldn't be. Someone was playing some sort of a joke. But... why? Why write Forge's name? Crystal flipped past the next page and looked at the attached photograph. Impossible. She stood up abruptly, the chair screeching as she rose. Holding tight to the questionnaire, she left her study and moved quickly to the nearest phone.
"~I need someone to assess a potential hostile threat.~"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Forge looked back and forth at the two guards in their purple uniforms standing to either side of the only door into the room he'd been brought to. While he hadn't been handcuffed or read any rights, the entire experience bore a striking resemblance to the one time he'd actually been arrested, only with less talking annoyance and more silent annoyance.
It had been almost three hours since the Royal Guards had escorted him from the fishing dock and to this facility, and he'd yet to hear anyone explain why he was sitting in the featureless room. "~Look, friends,~" he began in halting Portugese, "~I do not know why I am here. Can you tell me what I am here for?~"
"~Perhaps, Senhor Forge, they need someone with, what did you call it?~ 'Intuitive mechanical hypercognition' sim?" The door remained shut, but the female voice was heard in the room.
Forge's head snapped up. "I know that voice," he said in English. Standing up, he rubbed his arm where they'd taken a blood sample earlier. "It's 'Princess' now instead of just 'Lady', is it?"
"'Just' Lady? You are as eloquent as ever, I see." Crystal's voice had just a hint of amusement in it. "You are not a shapeshifter, but I am not convinced that you are who you say you are. Why are you here? Is this some sort of an illusion? What do you hope to gain from doing this?"
"Gain?" Forge arched an eyebrow at the intercom. "I want to find out what's caused this. I want to go home. I've had six months of working on a fishing boat, which is a rather humbling experience and admittedly I'm living with wonderfully kind people, but I would like to go home to my lab and my friends and my job where I can horribly offend foreign royals by daring to offer them a paycheck for their volunteer work. Now pretty please can you have these wonderfully polite fellows open this door and get me out of here, your Highness?"
"No." The intercom shut off, and then there was only silence.
"~Vai á merda!~" Forge exclaimed, slamming his hands down on the table. "Dammit, Crystal! It's me!"
Hearing no answer, Forge slumped back into the chair, head falling into his hands. "I don't know what to do, all right? Is that enough? Fine, I'll admit it. I don't know what's going on!"
A few minutes later, the door opened and Crystal entered the room. "You were supposed to be off the island!" she said, giving him a slight glare. "Why did you not go home with the others?"
Forge looked up at Crystal, stopping for a moment to look at the first familiar face he'd seein in six months. He scratched idly at a week's worth of stubble on his cheek and shook his head. "I had the later flight, I was going to Muir. I was in the airport when... when everything happened. They wouldn't tell us what was going on, not for days. And when we saw that you were alive, you and Medusa and Blackagar - I tried to get into the palace to see you, but I got the bureaucratic runaround."
"'They' did not know what was going on," Crystal replied. "Unfortunately, 'they' still do not know." She motioned to the guards. "~Leave us.~" Once the guards had changed their post to outside the door rather than inside, she let out a small sigh. "We do not know what happened, Forge. I did not know that you were here. I believed that all of the party guests had left by the time..." Crystal shook her head, then grinned a bit. "You are what all that fuss was about, then? You are lucky that you were not tossed into the dungeon."
That got a small smile. "You really have a dungeon? Cool." Just as quickly, Forge's expression sobered and he rested his head back in his hands, staring at the table. "There's nothing out there, Crystal. I've built drone submarines to explore out and come back, and there's nothing. The other sailors tell me that the stars say Attilan's right where it should be. But nothing else is. No radio transmissions, no GPS satellites, nothing."
He remained silent for a moment, then looked up at Crystal, an unfamiliar expression crossing his face - one of utter helplessness. "We're alone here," he said quietly. "There's nothing out there."
"We are where we should be and yet we are not," Crystal replied, sitting down in the chair across from Forge. "I knew there was something different when I woke up that first Tuesday morning. Our teleporter did not return. Anyone who leaves finds only water, hits a storm, or does not come back. I... the rest of the world cannot have disappeared. There must be something preventing contact, keeping us out of contact with the outside world."
"Occam's Razor," Forge stated. "All other things being equal, accept the hypothesis that seems the simplest. The rest of the world hasn't vanished. We have. Telescopes can't even see the mainland coast - not even from the highest vantage points on the island. Continents don't move."
With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back to look at the ceiling. "Paulo tells me that the reserves of fuel for the fishing boats are almost exhausted, in two months they won't be able to head to sea except under sail. I'm working on a solar energy conversion plan, but I don't have the materials for it." He tapped his fingers against the table, then looked right at Crystal. "If I could get access to a full machine shop, I could ensure that the fishing industry keeps going. I could even adapt the process for any number of power plants, wind and tide-driven generators that could ensure that Attilan doesn't grind to a halt when petrochemical resources run out."
Crystal nodded. "I can see to you getting whatever materials you need. But... how have we vanished if the stars are right? Continents are not supposed to move, true, but neither are island nations with populations of over 100,000 people!"
Forge spread his hands in exasperation. "I wish I knew. I can't figure anything out, and I'm tired of trying. If there's a solution... I'm not likely to be the one to find it. I have had to accept that. I just have to trust that the rest of the world - wherever they are - is making more headway. But... it's been six months."
Crystal nodded again. "This, whatever 'this' is, seems to be permanent. If anyone was capable of reaching us, I am sure that they would have done so by now. I am sure that they tried to reach us. I thought at first that perhaps they could see us even though we could not see them, we could not see anything through the storms, but the storms are gone now and there is... nothing. No sighting, no word from anyone." She leaned forward slightly. "I will need a list of the tools, machinery, and other items you require. You will have what you need by the end of the week."
Forge paused, then nodded to Crystal. "Thank you. It's just... I'm not giving up hope. But if this is permanent, then I have to think about what I'm going to do. As interesting and humbling as piloting a fishing boat is, I kind of think my skills lie elsewhere."
"Your intuitive mechanical hypercognition skills, you mean? I can think of plenty of ways such skills could prove to be invaluable in the fishing industry," Crystal said with a light smile that bordered on being a smirk. "We would certainly hate to disappoint Cristina Castellanos, yes? Reports say she was rather distraught when you were brought in; surely you would prefer returning to the Castellanos home to coming to live in the palace with a figurehead of a king who obviously is not able to run a country simply because he cannot speak."
Forge winced. "Okay, first off, I knew that was going to come back to bite me in the ass one day. Second, wow, your security guys are thorough. I will admit, I didn't think that a monarchy in this day and age... I mean, it did seem rather backwards. But with the deaths in Parliament, and the people - I tell you, Crystal, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but your people love them. You. The whole royal family. You can't command that kind of loyalty, it's just there. It's fascinating."
He looked around for a moment, then down at his hands. "I don't want to accept charity. If there's anything I've learned over the last six months, it's to appreciate working for what I get. If you're going to offer me this - I want to work for it. Tell me what I can do."
Crystal raised an eyebrow. "Did I dream the part where you told me that you are working on a solar energy conversion plan and can also create various power plants and generators so that Attilan can continue on even when our other resources run out? If that is not working for your stay in my home, what is?"
Forge smiled. "Crystal, that'll take me all of maybe a week, seriously. I... okay, this is kind of humbling to say. I want a job."
"Oh, you do not wish to keep yourself busy by studying at the school? That application was simply a way to attempt to see me in person, yes? Congratulations, you were successful. " Crystal looked at Forge, amused. "I am sure we will be able to come up with something for you to do. You can always come up with ways to improve fishing boats now that you have had extensive experience with them."
"Well, I doubt the palace needs a security specialist, but..." A strange look crossed Forge's face, then he smiled slowly. "I think I know what I want to do, your Highness."
Attilan Date: February 4, 2008
"Obrigada." Crystal took the offered folder, which contained the latest batch of student application forms. While she was sure that some people viewed the voluntary mutant registration form with mistrust, she hoped most mutants were fine with it, especially since it was now public knowledge that the royal family had been, and still was, comprised of mutants. While humans still greatly outnumbered the mutants (Maximus must be fuming somewhere), there were definitely enough mutants, both children and adults, to warrant a school. Even if there hadn't been, she would have wanted the school anyway.
After sitting down at her desk, Crystal began to read through the papers. The application questionnaire was brief and to the point: name, address, powers, first known date of manifestation, comfort level with abilities, etc.
One last form and then she was taking a break for lunch. Crystal looked at the next paper on what was left of the unread stack. Nome/Name: John Henry Forge. Endereço/Address: 13 Estrada Do Oceano, Attilan. Abilidade Do Mutant/Mutant Ability: Hypercognition mecânico intuitivo. Cidadania/Citizensh... wait, what? Crystal stared at the name on the application. No, it couldn't be. Someone was playing some sort of a joke. But... why? Why write Forge's name? Crystal flipped past the next page and looked at the attached photograph. Impossible. She stood up abruptly, the chair screeching as she rose. Holding tight to the questionnaire, she left her study and moved quickly to the nearest phone.
"~I need someone to assess a potential hostile threat.~"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Forge looked back and forth at the two guards in their purple uniforms standing to either side of the only door into the room he'd been brought to. While he hadn't been handcuffed or read any rights, the entire experience bore a striking resemblance to the one time he'd actually been arrested, only with less talking annoyance and more silent annoyance.
It had been almost three hours since the Royal Guards had escorted him from the fishing dock and to this facility, and he'd yet to hear anyone explain why he was sitting in the featureless room. "~Look, friends,~" he began in halting Portugese, "~I do not know why I am here. Can you tell me what I am here for?~"
"~Perhaps, Senhor Forge, they need someone with, what did you call it?~ 'Intuitive mechanical hypercognition' sim?" The door remained shut, but the female voice was heard in the room.
Forge's head snapped up. "I know that voice," he said in English. Standing up, he rubbed his arm where they'd taken a blood sample earlier. "It's 'Princess' now instead of just 'Lady', is it?"
"'Just' Lady? You are as eloquent as ever, I see." Crystal's voice had just a hint of amusement in it. "You are not a shapeshifter, but I am not convinced that you are who you say you are. Why are you here? Is this some sort of an illusion? What do you hope to gain from doing this?"
"Gain?" Forge arched an eyebrow at the intercom. "I want to find out what's caused this. I want to go home. I've had six months of working on a fishing boat, which is a rather humbling experience and admittedly I'm living with wonderfully kind people, but I would like to go home to my lab and my friends and my job where I can horribly offend foreign royals by daring to offer them a paycheck for their volunteer work. Now pretty please can you have these wonderfully polite fellows open this door and get me out of here, your Highness?"
"No." The intercom shut off, and then there was only silence.
"~Vai á merda!~" Forge exclaimed, slamming his hands down on the table. "Dammit, Crystal! It's me!"
Hearing no answer, Forge slumped back into the chair, head falling into his hands. "I don't know what to do, all right? Is that enough? Fine, I'll admit it. I don't know what's going on!"
A few minutes later, the door opened and Crystal entered the room. "You were supposed to be off the island!" she said, giving him a slight glare. "Why did you not go home with the others?"
Forge looked up at Crystal, stopping for a moment to look at the first familiar face he'd seein in six months. He scratched idly at a week's worth of stubble on his cheek and shook his head. "I had the later flight, I was going to Muir. I was in the airport when... when everything happened. They wouldn't tell us what was going on, not for days. And when we saw that you were alive, you and Medusa and Blackagar - I tried to get into the palace to see you, but I got the bureaucratic runaround."
"'They' did not know what was going on," Crystal replied. "Unfortunately, 'they' still do not know." She motioned to the guards. "~Leave us.~" Once the guards had changed their post to outside the door rather than inside, she let out a small sigh. "We do not know what happened, Forge. I did not know that you were here. I believed that all of the party guests had left by the time..." Crystal shook her head, then grinned a bit. "You are what all that fuss was about, then? You are lucky that you were not tossed into the dungeon."
That got a small smile. "You really have a dungeon? Cool." Just as quickly, Forge's expression sobered and he rested his head back in his hands, staring at the table. "There's nothing out there, Crystal. I've built drone submarines to explore out and come back, and there's nothing. The other sailors tell me that the stars say Attilan's right where it should be. But nothing else is. No radio transmissions, no GPS satellites, nothing."
He remained silent for a moment, then looked up at Crystal, an unfamiliar expression crossing his face - one of utter helplessness. "We're alone here," he said quietly. "There's nothing out there."
"We are where we should be and yet we are not," Crystal replied, sitting down in the chair across from Forge. "I knew there was something different when I woke up that first Tuesday morning. Our teleporter did not return. Anyone who leaves finds only water, hits a storm, or does not come back. I... the rest of the world cannot have disappeared. There must be something preventing contact, keeping us out of contact with the outside world."
"Occam's Razor," Forge stated. "All other things being equal, accept the hypothesis that seems the simplest. The rest of the world hasn't vanished. We have. Telescopes can't even see the mainland coast - not even from the highest vantage points on the island. Continents don't move."
With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back to look at the ceiling. "Paulo tells me that the reserves of fuel for the fishing boats are almost exhausted, in two months they won't be able to head to sea except under sail. I'm working on a solar energy conversion plan, but I don't have the materials for it." He tapped his fingers against the table, then looked right at Crystal. "If I could get access to a full machine shop, I could ensure that the fishing industry keeps going. I could even adapt the process for any number of power plants, wind and tide-driven generators that could ensure that Attilan doesn't grind to a halt when petrochemical resources run out."
Crystal nodded. "I can see to you getting whatever materials you need. But... how have we vanished if the stars are right? Continents are not supposed to move, true, but neither are island nations with populations of over 100,000 people!"
Forge spread his hands in exasperation. "I wish I knew. I can't figure anything out, and I'm tired of trying. If there's a solution... I'm not likely to be the one to find it. I have had to accept that. I just have to trust that the rest of the world - wherever they are - is making more headway. But... it's been six months."
Crystal nodded again. "This, whatever 'this' is, seems to be permanent. If anyone was capable of reaching us, I am sure that they would have done so by now. I am sure that they tried to reach us. I thought at first that perhaps they could see us even though we could not see them, we could not see anything through the storms, but the storms are gone now and there is... nothing. No sighting, no word from anyone." She leaned forward slightly. "I will need a list of the tools, machinery, and other items you require. You will have what you need by the end of the week."
Forge paused, then nodded to Crystal. "Thank you. It's just... I'm not giving up hope. But if this is permanent, then I have to think about what I'm going to do. As interesting and humbling as piloting a fishing boat is, I kind of think my skills lie elsewhere."
"Your intuitive mechanical hypercognition skills, you mean? I can think of plenty of ways such skills could prove to be invaluable in the fishing industry," Crystal said with a light smile that bordered on being a smirk. "We would certainly hate to disappoint Cristina Castellanos, yes? Reports say she was rather distraught when you were brought in; surely you would prefer returning to the Castellanos home to coming to live in the palace with a figurehead of a king who obviously is not able to run a country simply because he cannot speak."
Forge winced. "Okay, first off, I knew that was going to come back to bite me in the ass one day. Second, wow, your security guys are thorough. I will admit, I didn't think that a monarchy in this day and age... I mean, it did seem rather backwards. But with the deaths in Parliament, and the people - I tell you, Crystal, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but your people love them. You. The whole royal family. You can't command that kind of loyalty, it's just there. It's fascinating."
He looked around for a moment, then down at his hands. "I don't want to accept charity. If there's anything I've learned over the last six months, it's to appreciate working for what I get. If you're going to offer me this - I want to work for it. Tell me what I can do."
Crystal raised an eyebrow. "Did I dream the part where you told me that you are working on a solar energy conversion plan and can also create various power plants and generators so that Attilan can continue on even when our other resources run out? If that is not working for your stay in my home, what is?"
Forge smiled. "Crystal, that'll take me all of maybe a week, seriously. I... okay, this is kind of humbling to say. I want a job."
"Oh, you do not wish to keep yourself busy by studying at the school? That application was simply a way to attempt to see me in person, yes? Congratulations, you were successful. " Crystal looked at Forge, amused. "I am sure we will be able to come up with something for you to do. You can always come up with ways to improve fishing boats now that you have had extensive experience with them."
"Well, I doubt the palace needs a security specialist, but..." A strange look crossed Forge's face, then he smiled slowly. "I think I know what I want to do, your Highness."
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Date: 2007-07-13 06:20 pm (UTC)Even as often as the arrogance becomes an interpersonal problem, it really drives home where it comes from -- and also the other side of it, that he doesn't just quit or take it for granted -- when it's "Hey, I can convert Attilan completely to renewable energy if you give me materials and take my advice. But that'll only take me a week. What else can I do to earn my keep?"