Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Mission Monitor Board Ab Aetas Principium (Roleplay)

An All-Points Bulletin goes off over the omni-coms of every Security Officer on Legion World. Though not quite alarming enough to send an automatic message to the larger roster of Legionnaires that live on Legion World, it is still easy enough for any member of the LMB to ensure they receive these messages.

"...Reports of a Pyramid appearing on the western edge of Legionnopolis. All on-duty Security Officers are ordered to proceed to the structure immediately. Investigations are underway. Stand by for further orders."

Outside, Cobalt Kid could hear a commotion in the streets. Something else else was happening. Something else else unusual...and for this planet, that said something.

"All units, please listen for additional update. We now have a suspect wanted for questioning relating to the appearance of the strange pyramid. A girl, black hair, olive skin, teenage in age, has been seen wandering the streets of Legionnopolis in strange clothes. It is believed she exited the pyramid and is now walking around Legion World. We need all available units to proceed with caution, under orders to find the girl and put her in quarantine. Please contact your superviser immediately for additional information".

Could it be? thought Cobalt Kid. Is it starting at long last?

He put on the rest of his uniform and looked out the window his high rise apartment. I'll need to see Ex immediately. But first...this girl...she may have the answers I need...

Cobalt Kid flies down to investigate. It's only been 7 minutes...but why the hell does it feel like 7 days?.

Suddenly, the pyramid is gone.

Long gone, as if it never was.

The panic in the streets continues and the security officers and Legionnaries do their best to get a handle on things but it will be a long while before any one figures out.

Except Cobalt, who knew exactly what it was before it appeared.

There was a brief window to figure this out. To get into the pyramid and understand. But we blew it. All of us. We have to be faster.

Onwards to Rond Vidar then, to see what he thinks of this.

And in the meantime...I have to find that girl dammit. Black hair, olive skin, teenage in age. Whoever gets her first will determine how the board is set.

Cobalt leaves now, more in a rush than ever. When did The War truly start, he wonders? In a way, it's been raging a millennia before he was born. Yet in another way, it doesn't really start for some time.

Although perhaps, when thinking back on this in his later years, he'll come to think of that moment when the Pyramid appeared and then dissapeared as the moment the beginning truly began.

As Angdar flew towards the pyramid, he wondered why he felt fatigued. He caught a glimpse of Cobalt Kid ahead of him and was about to call out to him when the pyramid vanished.

What the hell?

He urged himself to fly a little faster to catch up to Cobalt Kid.

Inside of the Legionopolis Interplanetary Spaceport

"Where is are ride? Are you sure this is it?" A young man questioned.

Emily Sivana answered, "Well, not quite. Remember, we have to get on a connecting flight in three hours. We have to get to the island where the LMB Academy is located."

"That sounds wonderful," A young woman replied.

Another young man ignored her and asked, "When do we get there?"

"I...um..." Emily's omnicom began blasting as it received the signals of the emergency.

All Flights are currently delayed, A voice echoed over the intercom. Emily's heart sunk, she was hoping to drop these students off at the island and quietly substitute Rond Vidar's classes. Then she was going to return to her old high school, Colorado Academy, and teach their students as part of the exchange program.

Emily said, "You kids wait here. I will see where we are going next. That includes you, Elysion."

Cobalt say Angdar Fell flying towards him. While confusion was rampant in the streets below, up in the sky where the two fliers we're was a little more subdued and private. Cobalt knew Angdar from various interactions in the last year plus since the Oval War but he didn't really know him. Thus, old feelings of mistrust and secrecy crept into his mind.

Do I tell him my real purpose? Or play dumb, pretending to react like everyone else?

Angdar arrived and Cobalt suddenly made up his mind. It was a different decision than he would have made in past years. "Cobalt," said Angdar grimly, "any clue as to what is going on?"

"Perhaps..." replied Cobalt, eyeing his fierce companion. "Though too much of is conjecture and supposition at this point. A pyramid flashed in and of Legion World just now. But that's not my primary concern."

Angdar knew of Cobalt's reputation. He was a man of secrets. For every Legionnaire who loved him, another was equally as apprehensive. "Go on," said the junior LMBer, as if he'd worked with the legendary hero all his life. But that was Angdar's way: never afraid, never hesitant.

"There's more. Reports of a girl, escaping from the pyramid. Possibly wandering the streets of Legion World. Don't ask me why...yet...but I believe this is the more important item. We need to find her ASAP."

"You know this girl?"

"...maybe. I'm not entirely sure yet. But if I'm right, she is incredibly important to much grander games being played. Either by accident or purpose, she's landed here. She's a teenager, black hair, olive skin. And I suspect purple eyes. We need to find her."

Angdar was both wary of games being played yet pleased to be taken into Cobalt's confidence. "Why do I get the feeling you're about to tell me to keep this secret?"

Cobalt smiled an honest, wolffish grin. "For now, it's best if this one stays off the books." Then, pausing, his face became serious again. "I could really use your help."

Angdar nodded. "Then you'll have it. But eventually, I'd like answers."

As the two flew off, Angdar wondered what the hell have I often myself into now..?

LMB Academy, Headmaster's Office

Val Armorr enters and sees Headmaster Paladin on the floor, disoriented.

"Anthony!" Val yells and takes a knee next to his friend. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm? Val?" Paladin says in a daze. "Dunno.....passed out, I guess."

Val is incredibly worried. "Crap! Have you had a check-up from Dr. Gym'll recently?"

"Yep....just last week. Flying colors and all that."

Val helps Paladin to his feet and drapes his friend's arm over his shoulder to help the shaky man walk. "I'm going to take you to Rond's lab. C'mon....easy does it...."

And the two make their way gingerly to see Rond Vidar.

What neither of them know yet, but would soon discover, is that Lardy's episode started and ended precisely with the appearance and disappearance of the pyramid.

Seeing Karate Kid and Paladin preparing to head into Legionnopolis, one of the Legion Academy's most recognized students jumps at the chance to speak up.

"Hey Prof! Mind if I catch a ride to the city?" asked Ayla Ranzz. She used just the right balance of being sweet and pushy.

"Ayla, now is not really the time," started Val.

"Aw, please? I'm dying to get in to see my brother while he's planet side."

Paladin, perhaps not wanting to delay any longer as he still felt a little thrown for a loop, decided there was no harm in it, as it was their day off. "It's okay Val. As long she promises to be back on premises before sundown and makes her own way home."

"You got it Prof!" she said enthusiastically. She hated playing the Ranzz sibling card; that was the reason she was so well known and it drove her crazy. She wanted to make her own way. Buuuuuuuut...sometimes in order to get what you want, you had to use the tools available.

Val, smiling since both he and Paladin liked Ayla a lot, added "we're leaving in 3 minutes."

Ayla ran off to grab a few things. Once she was out of earshot she said aloud "talk about timing! Off to the city we go!"

Hidden in Ayla's pocket, shrunken down to 6 feet, Salu "Shrinking Violet" Digby smiled widely.

LMB Academy, Rond Vidar's Office

Rond turn the key to his office at the Academy, an arm full of books and files.

(His vintage electronic key tuned over the electronic lock and he stepped from the noisy hall into his office)

Rond loved his office at the Academy. Nice and quiet and filled to the brim with omnicoms, omnipads, old fashioned paper files, random bits of different memory storage devices, and actual books that smelled like the fungus of the ancients.

The door slid shut behind him.

"ahhhhh" Much better than the lab with a load of eager graduate students asking questions.


He plopped his armful of files on the desk.

Rond loved his office. so quiet …


BLING!!!!blannnggg DINGCHIMESSSSSSRinnnggg!!!!!

"AHHH!!!!"

"AHHH!!!!"

It took Rond a second to remember he set these alarms! Especially with them all going off at once!

He pressed his time watch and then …


"ahhhhh silenncce"

"What alarms were those for again?" Rond was always setting alarms for himself to help him remember things and he was always hiding things to keep them safe so he wouldn't lose them but then … he always forgot where he hid them. Anyway …

Maybe he needed a vacation. With teaching at the Academy and his personal research and his special and ongoing projects … and keeping tabs on "cough" "gag" Harmonia .. he was super busy … even for his intellect.

Vacation? "BAH!" He said out loud.

HE'S NEVER BEEN HAPPIER!


now what were those alarms for … again ….


it came to him like an electric shock: "AH. The super danger time alarms!"

"Frack me." He bit his lip in true frustration.

Rond started to rush out of his office, he fished for his keys, stepped out of the door and locked it behind him. He started to run out towards whatever new time disturbance this was …


His foot was stuck on the floor. He lifted it up slowly … peeling it from the floor.

"What's that … ew GUM! Who even chews gum anymore."

Frackin kids these days … and he stalked off towards the time disturbance.




He checked his time watch to see where the disturbance was, where he was going ...

"Oh crap!"

If this is a super danger time circumstance ... Rond might need some equipment.

Rond went back into his office to rummage for tools.


The first thing he grabbed was a big canvas bag to shove lots of time baubles and gadgets ...


"new where was the ... "

Suddenly, Rond's Omnicom flashes a message....

*breep*

Rond! Meet me and headmaster Paladin at your lab in Legionnopolis--STAT!

-Val

*breep*

Rond was digging through a bin of gadgets when …

*breep*

"Val … My lab … Yes that sounds like a good idea … a few things there to pick up too!"


Rond presses a button on his lapel.


Light spins around him and he disappears. Beaming him away to his lab ...


"Teleportation is easy time travel. It's like half time travel." He smirks to himself as he reappears in his large loft in Legionnopolis.

Big and small pieces of time equipment are littered around the huge open space. Rond always liked spaces like this, the old industrial space filled with state of the art time gadgets. It was outside of time … like himself.


Rond went to his control centre. "Better fire these up". He pulled a sheet away from a huge array of screens.

With an archaic push of a button … they lit up! Screens and panels lit up swirling around Rond … data on each of them flashing across the screens.

Rond processed the intense amount of information and data swirling around him with a thoughtful "hmmm."

Any other person might have a nervous breakdown, if they could understand it at all.


Rond fished for a pen … and tapped it on his lips … and then as if returned from a reverie:

"oh dear. They'll be here soon. I'd better put some tea on."

A half hour later, Paladin and Val arrive at Rond's lab in Legionnopolis. Lardy is now walking under his own power but looks visibly drained.

"What's wrong with HM Pal, Val?" Rond inquires.

"Don't know, Rond, but he passed out earlier. He's had a clean bill of health, so I thought maybe your gadgets could scan his energies and the like."

Rond adjusts his glasses. "Certainly! Paladin, have you ever experienced something like what happened to you today?"

Paladin mutters, "yeah, something familiar. Can't put my finger on it..."

"Well, follow me over here," Rond directs. "Feel free to have some tea!"

"Have a seat." Rond said in a quiet way. Rond sat himself on a simple chair across from Paladin.

Oddly they chatted about simple things. Yet, small orbs full of sensors floated around Paladin surreptitiously taking readings … diagnosing Paladin.

Little did Val or Paladin know, the results and the readings from the sensor orbs where being transmitted to the inside of Rond's glasses. He was diagnosing Paladin while they chatted.

Finally a few whispered words. "What's this … what's this … almost Eqyptian …"

He reached out and touched Paladin, Paladin flinched a bit surprised at the unexpected gesture.

Micro sensors within Rond's finger prints took more information from Paladin's body to Rond's glasses.

Rond squeezed a bit on Paladin's arm, sucking in more data.

Finally Rond released him and Paladin took a long drink of tea.

"You're looking well Val" Rond said in an off hand way as he thought about what to say.

Beast Boy walked through the alley. He had followed the trail this far and thought he almost lost it in the overwhelming odor of the garbage strewn about.

"Nice try," he said.

A man bolted from behind a garbage pile and Beast Boy sighed. "Why do they always have to run?"

He glanced around quickly and his form began to change. Very quickly, an Omnibeast flew from the alley and arced towards its prey.

*interlude*

Back at the LMB Academy, Headmaster Paladin's office

A mysterious figure rifles thru Paladin's office and files looking for something unguessed. Paladin's security has somehow been completely circumvented by the figure. The figure completes the search within ten minutes and leaves no trace of their presence. Whether or not the search has borne the desired fruit is unknown....

*end interlude*

Kinetix swiveled around in her chair to face Invisible Brainiac. "Okay, now what, Chief? All available Security Officers are at the scene of where the pyramid WAS. Now what are they supposed to do?"

IB made a show of tapping his lips.She had told me things would be happening soon. And of the things I have to do to help Earth. But I can't tell anyone. Not even Blaze.. "Let's head on down there and see for ourselves. Come with?"

Kinetix smiled. "At last! All this coordination has been getting OLD!"

"Great. Blaze will meet us on the roof. Let's go."

Rond's Lab

Rond stood up swiftly and ran his fingers through his thick and messy hair.

"Hi" He said to Ayla, one of his students, noticing her for the first time. She was staring off in a corner.

She shyly waved a hello to Rond, a bit put off by being in her teacher's home. Teacher student relationships were always weird, for both sides.

Ayla, seemed to be standing apart, afraid to touch any of the exotic artifacts around, some seemed ancient some seemed from the far future.

Rond turned, speaking to Val. He always liked Val.

"it seems there were two major time anomalies this afternoon." Poor Rond was trying to impress Val.

"One … was the appearance of a large pyramid … the other …" He waved theatrically.

"… was around Paladin!"


"Fortunately, they appear to be localized in the time stream, so far, just a blip at a specific moment. The real mystery is wether this phenomenon is reoccurring and wether the connection is also reoccurring. Sorry, but there really is too little data at the moment to conclude more. "

Ayla, Val and Paladin all looked downcast.

… Rond concluded "It will take some time but I can run some probabilistics to determine if a) this extreme time event will reoccur and b) if it will remain connected to Paladin."

Ayla piped up impetuously … "but but … what do you think?"

Rond remembered to speak in the way he needed to speak to people. They always wanted answers but … science was always both/and … either/or …in certain cases yes … in others no. He hated making conclusions. It was the most un-science thing he could think of but … these were his friends and he had to advise them properly.

He spoke to all three "I think we are on the edge of a mystery, one that is connected to Paladin and I don't know how yet but I will find out, and I bet this is only the beginning."


"In the meantime, we are not without some tricks." Rond pulled out a few devices the size of ancient Roman coins. He tossed them to Paladin.

Paladin caught them gingerly.

"Keep these on you. They will keep you grounded to the present. Also, if it happens again they will give me some vital readings to help suss this puzzle out. "


"they should help with the nausea too!"

Angdar had split from Cobalt Kid and flew higher into the sky. He slowly moved allowing himself wider arcs from where the pyramid had been to search the surrounding area.

He trusted Cobalt Kid, everythign he had seen and heard of the man told him that he was worthy of his trust. He knew of the deceptions, but also understood that sometimes, not everyone needs to know everything.

"Well, it was awfully nice of the airline to put us in this hotel," Emily Sivana commented. The four of them were sitting at a table on the balcony of a pizza restaurant. Her three students had blank expressions, matched perfectly with the crisp white shirts of their school uniforms.

"Shouldn't we be trying to figure out what is going on? Something else else about a pyramid?" One of her students asked.

"As much as I would like to help, Thom, I was told to stay with my students," Emily replied.

Elysion asked, "Don't worry, Thom. It is probably just a publicity stunt."

"You really think so?" Thom asked in surprise.

The female student turned to Emily, "Speaking of Egypt, doesn't that girl look like she is from there?"

Emily looks down, "Indeed, Virus...we got to get you a better codename...but after we go down and see why she is dressed like this. Perhaps Elysion is right and this is some sort of publicity stunt."

Rond's Lab

Paladin rolled his eyes and thought to himself, it wasn't nausea, egghead! But he didn't want to hurt Rond's feelings, so he kept quiet.

Then, as he processed what Rond had said, he snapped his fingers. In his excitement he dropped the 'coins' Rond had tossed him. "Time anomalies....temporal energy! THAT's why the sensation was familiar. Back when we took on Phineas during the Thyme Crime case, and I--"

Then, suddenly, Paladin disappeared.

Ayla spit out her tea. "Where'd the headmaster go?"

"Did he teleport?" Val speculated, nervously, already suspecting the answer.

Silently, Rond waved his hand in the space where Paladin had been and watched as data streamed in front of his eyes.

After an appropriate dramatic pause, Rond announced, "No....he's travelled thru time!"

Cobalt spoke into his omni com. "Angdar. The girl. Wherever she is, it's somewhere where people are drinking booze. You check Shakes. I'll try my Lounge. Those are the two closest places."

Angdar prepared to simply say 'alright' but the intel was too odd for him not to say anything. "You seem sure. A weird supposition."

He could almost see Cobalt smiling on the other end. "The planet told me so."

Angdar didn't reply. Cobalt is more than a little eccentric...

"You know, IB, there's something weird about the pyramid," Blaze mused.

"You mean, besides it appearing and disappearing like an open bottle of silverale in front of Hrun?"

Blaze rolled his eyes. "I mean, it looks different from the ones we saw back on Earth. It's definitely in the Egyptian style, but..."

IB's heart skipped a beat. He thought only a handful of individuals would have known or noticed. What she told me is right... Maybe it's starting."

"Maybe this pyramid is from Meroe in Sudan. Or from a group of pyramids besides Giza or Abu Simbel. But you're right, that's a good observation. I'll have Marvin look into it."

"Already had someone save copies of the holos," Kinetix smiled.

"Good. Now, let's go get some organization going." IB switched on the channel to address all Security Officers. "Outdoor Miner, Kairos, head to my location please. Space Ranger, Arachne, Caliente, please lead crowd control."

I'd better keep Kairos close by. Her time powers may be helpful... and who knows if she'll be affected by this?"

Rond's Lab

"Well?" Val presses, "Where has Anthony gone, Rond?"

"'Where' is irrelevant--the correct question is 'when'!" Rond corrects Val, to the other's annoyance. Then, Rond pauses. "Well, actually, 'where' could be relevant because of Paladin's teleportational capabilities. Theoretically, this would enable Paladin to travel in space and time, assuming his own power would react involuntarily...or even thru the guidance of some unseen hand or--"

"ROND!" Val yells and shakes Rond to snap him out of his revelries. "Do you have something that can find him or NOT?!?!"

Rond looks shocked for a moment, then smiles. "Why, of course I do! Why didn't you say so before?"

Val face-palms himself.

"Now where is the--"

Suddenly, a flash and a voice says, "--was able to see and do stuff with time...even took ol' Phinny out in the end!"

Ayla yells, "Headmaster Paladin!"

"Yeah?" Paladin replies. "Say, how'd you guys move to different places so fast?"

Suddenly, Paladin feels a powerful wave of nausea roll through him, and he vomits. Unfortunately, Val had run right up to his friend and ends up with the contents of Paladin's stomach all over him.

"Oh. Now I'm nauseous!" Paladin says with a smirk and then collapses to the floor.

A few minutes later, Paladin wakes up on Rond's couch.

"You okay, Anthony?" Val greets him.

"Yeah, val. Er...you shoulda seen the other guy. Sorry about my barf all over you."

"Not the first time," Val winks.

Rond interjects abruptly, "so you travelled forward in time twelve minutes and thirty seconds. I assume it's because of some residual energy from your previous incident."

"Makes sense," Val adds.

"In fact looking over the data, I think you time-travelled the first time precisely when a pyramid appeared in Legionnopolis."

"Pyramid?" Lardy says without comprehension. "What's he talking about?"

"There was a pyramid that appeared and quickly disappeared right when you had your first spell," Ayla explains.

"In fact, my chronometer had some interesting additional findings," Rond adds. "It seems you've got a total of three hours, nine minutes, thirty eight seconds of missing time."

"What do you mean?" Val presses.

"What I mean is that headmaster Paladin spent some time somewhere and somewhen else. In other words, he didn't travel immediately from point A to point B as we all apparently witnessed, complete with him apparently finishing his sentence. Between your two travels, you aged over three hours."

"But....I don't remember being any other place...or time."

"That is....worrisome," Rond decides. "For now, I've made a necklace out of the special 'coins' I gave you. They should keep you in the here and now."

"What's next?" Val presses.

"More tests of course!" Rond is practically ebullient.

A trio of groans greet him in reply.

The Beacon, Legionnopolis

Legion World’s finest dining establishment, the Beacon, was enjoying a very busy night. It would take a minimum of 45 minutes to be seated and reservations were highly recommended. But anyone who had ever been to the Beacon before should already know that.

Among the many patrons, tucked away in the back, were two famous citizens of Legion World: the Legionnaires Shark Lad and Oracle, also known as Lolita. They were enjoying a date night out together—their first in quite awhile—and were purposely “tucked away” so Shark Lad didn’t have to be too near any of the other patrons. He was in a handsome black suit, though he looked incredibly uncomfortable wearing it.

Lolita, of course, knew he was wearing it to make her happy since she ordered it for him. She was in a sexy black cocktail dress with 4 and ½ inch stiletto heels. For a long time now…too long…she had been caught up in some of the spy work she did on the side which Shark Lad pretended not to notice or be concerned about. This dinner was long overdue. And thus far, it was going great. He was cracking jokes in his usual gruff way and she was laughing at every one, as her eyes sparkled beautifully and stared into his.

They were both lucky to have one another, and each of them thought that a lot. Yet…lately their mutual business was causing a strain on their relationship. Neither would ever use the cringe-worthy phrase “working on their relationship” but that was what they were doing.

And so it was with this setting that Cobalt Kid promptly ruined their date night as he strolled into the Beacon in his LMB issue uniform, disrupting everyone’s dinner as they stopped mid conversation to follow him with their eyes, and approached Lolita and Shark Lad’s table.

“Oh Cripes, here we go…” muttered Shark Lad as Cobalt walked towards them.

Lolita simply sighed deeply, unable for the minute to find the words.

“Sharky…Lolita…really sorry to interrupt,” he said. He was sorry, of course—but not *that* sorry. “Something else else has come up.” Now, turning to Lolita specifically, he added “I could really use your skills Lolita.”

Lolita looked at Sharky, feeling embarrassed and then back to Cobie feeling angry. “Couldn’t this wait, Cobie?”

“Not really,” replied Cobalt, either missing the not-so-subtle hint or simply choosing to ignore it. “There’s been an odd disturbance in downtown Legionnopolis. A pyramid appeared out of nowhere, and then suddenly—“

“Yeah, we got the memo, Cobie,” interrupted an annoyed Shark Lad. “I’m a Security Officer, remember? Zoe sent me the update when it all happened. But I ignored it. ‘Cuz I’m off duty!” he roared the final words, emphasizing the point.

Cobalt took a second to respond, perhaps biting his tongue or perhaps feeling guilty and then deciding to press on anyways. “Understood,” he said simply to Shark Lad. “And I’m sorry, Sharky, I really am. There’s an added complication to it all, and it really can’t wait. A girl is running around Legion World and she needs to be found before…someone else finds her.”

“With this guy its always a girl,” muttered Sharky.

Lolita sighed again. She looked at Cobie and her eyes said it all. You’re killing me. And its not fair.

He didn’t show any change in expression but she could see in his eyes he was saying I’m sorry…but this is important.

“Can we please finish dinner first?” she said.

“Sure,” said Cobalt and then unable to help himself, added “justice always has time to wait for the main course.”

Shark Lad moved to sit up and Cobalt held up his hand, smiling. “I’m kidding. Here is the file that I put together which will tell you all you need to know and what is to be done. I appreciate your help on this, I really do.”

And as abruptly as he entered, he suddenly turned to exit and began to walk away. However, a few steps later he turned around. “I’m sorry Lolita,” he said. He truly meant it. “I…I didn’t know who else to ask…” he added.

That was all it took for Lolita to feel better and she nodded.

It only made Shark Lad more angry, though.