Tearing Gods Asunder

[Pukk]

Pukk looks around and scratches his head. "I don't think there are any grocery stores around here... I know!"

He flies up to Kaieka and sprinkles some fairy dust on her head.

[Zhuge Liang]

"Quite good, my lady. I have been getting more sleep since the machine god seems to be too busy to do much damage. I guess I have the rebels to thank for that."

[Lady Blue]

I blow a long blast on the ship's whistle as we round the Long Island sound at 35 knots. Despite it's age the ship's preformance is still remarkable. I know that back at the harbor in New Jersey the last turret is being repaired, and ammunition and supplies for six months at sea is being prepared. The ship will need to refuel before that, but that's what the coaling ships are for. Below deck work is nearly complete on converting the ship's bunkers, and final repairs are being made on all secondary systems. Within a week the battleship will be as good as new...

[Kaschei]

"What should I do about Kaieka? I feel an irrational attachment towards her." Kaschei explains to the talking skull.

"Go to the future and see what becomes of it." The skull replies.

"Why didn't I think of that? Thanks" Kaschei says, feeling idiotic.

"That's what I'm here for. That, scaring visitors, and sneaking into your bedroom at night to watch you sleep." The skull replies.

"Hmmm..."

Kaschei feels uncomfortable and teleports to the future to see what he should to about Kaieka.

[Kaieka]

The little bird sprinkles something on me and I drift off to sleep. I curl into a little ball right where I am on the floor, and start to dream and twitch a little bit.

[Lady Violet]

"I am glad to hear it."
I look up at him and smile nervously.

"I have been so busy I can hardly think straight, but it is always nice to see you."

I struggle to think of something to say to him.
"Lin-Sat is taking a more active role in government affairs. Yet, I feel even more stressed since he is keeping a closer eye on me."

[Zhuge Liang]

My lips tighten slightly.

"What has he been doing that has you so worked up?"

[Pukk]

Pukk wraps his arms around Kaieka's hair, and pulls as hard as he can, flapping his wings as hard as he can. He drags her to the foot of a bed, and can't move her anymore than that.

He wipes his forehead, and tugs the blanket off of the bed, and puts it over her, tucking her into the floor.

[Steve Fox]

Steve's fist pounds against the cement wall for the thousanths time, the impression of a fist worn deep into the compressed sand and rock after so long. He had to train everyday to keep his hands to their strongest. Eve one missed day, and it might throw off his ki's balance.

Steve didn't look it, but he was a serious believer in the power of the human body, of the union of spirit and body. Most major fighting sports fighter were.

Stepping back, rolling his shoulders, Steve shakes his head, sweat dropping off his forehead, catching on the hood of his sweat shirt and socking into the material. Steve hops on his toes for a moment, punching the air a few times, cooling down after the final workout part of the day.

After a few tries he'd managed to find work, bouncing at a local 24-hour bar. Seems they were in need of a day guy, had plenty of night ones but no one for the daylight hours. Steve took the morning shift. Left the afternoon for training and the night... well, maybe he'd find a nice club or something.

Wiping for forehead he walks out of the alley and starts to jog back to the apartment. It was almost sunset, he wanted to be back before then.

[Lady Violet]

"I won't worry you with it. It is really nothing that I am not used to. He just seems more hostile than he used to be. I used to be able to reason with some shred of goodness with him. Now it appears I have lost that ability."

I nervously fold my hands on top of my desk.
"It stresses me greatly, but nothing can be done about it. I just have to do a better job."

[Gen. Vlad Kolov]

I look at my reports for today, and notice that a heat bloom has been detected inside the engineering plant of the USS Iowa, which has been moored in a little known harbor in New Jersey for centuries. I pull up some realtime sattelite images of the area, and notice the ship is gone. I immediately send a FLASH priority message to the Ministers of Defense, Terror, and Information, as well as to Lin-Sat and Lady Violet.

[Cynthia]

Cynthia leans against the door, and counts the money. Wow he tipped well... Not like money has been much of a problem as of late anyways, but still, it's nice to have something to spend.

She walks into her room, and slides out her lockbox from underneath her bed, inside the wooden floor. She places the money inside, locks it, and puts it back.

[Lady Blue]

The ship reaches the other end of Long Island, and I order it turned around, to sail between the island and the Mainland. As we approach Capital City I blow the steam whistle again, causing enough noise to get the attention of everyone in the city. Soon we are away from Long Island, and I set a course for 090, due east and out to sea...

[Zhuge Liang]

"The best job in the world would not appease him, I am afraid." I reply sincerely.

"You try too hard and expect too much, my lady."

[Lin-Sat]

I look at the FLASH message with annoyance.

General Kolov, report to my office immediately.