Ricardo:
((are we logging this?))

Tien:
am now.

Aerlyn:
((Sure))

Tien:
::Tien approached the group with the stranger in tow::

Ricardo:
((dang, Brother Aricus is not here))

Tien:
Lord Richardo. ::Bows::

Tien:
((What was your name again?))

Ricardo:
Well that wasn't too long.

Aerlyn:
((Aerlyn Decados))

Ruiz:
((What do you look like?))

Aerlyn:
::tall red headed woman, extremely beautiful with green eyes wearing the generic black body suit of a Knight of House Decados::

Tien:
My lord, I have heard the confession of this believer and have consulted with the Pancreator about penitance. She will be traveling with us until her sins have been absolved.

Tien:
Her dutiy is to serve this ellowship in the up coming struggles.

Ricardo:
((that could mean she's stuck with us forever))

Aerlyn:
:::slightly bows::

Ricardo:
Do you have any special training?

Tien:
May I present to you all, lady Aerlyn Decados

Aerlyn:
Yes... I have.

Ricardo:
Combat? Court? League?

Aerlyn:
I've had years of combat training.. and other years of study in the church.

Ricardo:
the Church? Orthodox?

Aerlyn:
Orthodox...

Ricardo:
Has Tien informed you of what we are facing?

Tien:
The pancreator has sent her to bolster our strength in the fight against the unholy.

Tien:
::Tien seems to kring a bit at this statement.::

Aerlyn:
Some of it... I know a little of what you have gone through, and what you are to go through.

Ricardo:
How familiar are you with Vera Cruz?

Aerlyn:
Not very... I deposited here without much knowledge of the place.

Tien:
We should continue on the way to your cousin's estate. The unholy have enough of a lead on us as it is.

Ricardo:
Yes. I think that would be the best idea.

Aerlyn:
As you wish.

Ricardo:
((unfortunately I don't see us going much farther than this))

Aerlyn:
((Thats true... arg... =) ))

Tien:
Aerlyn, please enlighten us as to your vision that brough you here to us.

Tien:
((This way I have a good understanding as to follow your lead))

Aerlyn:
The Pancreator came to me one evening while I slept... he informed me of my purpose in his plan... he told me that I was needed to protect his chosen children who would be confronted with the darkness.... when I awakened I was here, in this place. Then I heard a prayer and knew it was my sign.

Tien:
And thus you have sworn to serve this fellowship. As one of the swords of Lextius.

Aerlyn:
Correct

Ruiz:
::looking at Aerlyn, assessing her::

Ricardo:
A Sword of Lextius?

Tien:
Would you be willing to bare the symbol of the order?

Ruiz:
((Tom, you know about them, right?))

Tien:
Yes, my lord. One who has chosen to serve and protect members of the clergy during their trips abroad.

Aerlyn:
Yes, of course.

Tien:
Very well, I will see what I can arrange the next time I am at mass.

Ricardo:
((Yes. Mostly they are penitant nobles sworn to protect members of the Church clergy))

Tien:
Well, Aerlyn, I will tell you that I have entrusted my life to these my fellows many times. We are closer than family. Closer than bllood.

Aerlyn:
That is good to hear... something that special is hard to come across in these dark times...

Ruiz:
::in a low voice, almost a whisper:: And we have lost some of our family, which makes us doubly careful.

Tien:
Yes, the blood from our viens have been spilt on many worlds. But most deatly on the last.

Tien:
((Dearly))

Aerlyn:
I'm sorry to hear that... I understand what its like to lose someone close.

Ruiz:
::eyes close, slowly:: Then you will also understand why we are so weary now.

Tien:
To lose one person is a tragidy. To lose three is the all but crushed.

Aerlyn:
Well I hope to carry some of your burden, or at least make sure no one stumbles along the way.

Ruiz:
::eyes open again, quickly-- In a snapping tone of voice:: There is no way that you can carry our burden, Lexitus knight. You have not bled with us, you have not toiled with us.

Tien:
::Placing hand on Ruiz's chest:: Easy brother.

Ruiz:
You do not know us. And so, you cannot know our pain.

Ruiz:
::looking at Tien:: She.. Cannot... KNOW... Our.. Pain..

Aerlyn:
No... I have not, and no I don't know you. I don't presume to... but I know pain... and never... NEVER assume you know how I feel... or what I can do.. Don't use your pain like a crutch... make it drive you.

Tien:
Pain is the one universal truth that all of mankind knows, brother.

Tien:
Life itself is pain. Suffering, falling. But then we are redeamed by the grace of the Pancreator

Aerlyn:
Don't let it cripple you... it should drive your cause even more than anything ever did... wallow in pitty and the darkness will consume you

Ruiz:
::turning quickly to Aerlyn, eyes burning-- turning away quickly, moving to the door::

Tien:
((We are in the street))

Aerlyn:
I know you've lost.. ::voice is soothing:: and there is nothing I can do to change that and nothing you can do to bring them back. I'm sorry... I truly am.

Ruiz:
::opening the door, looking over his shoulder:: Another told me that, once.

Ricardo:
Ruiz! There are very important matters that take precedence now.

Ruiz:
((ops.. lol make that "moving to a store"))

Tien:
::Tien's eyes snap to the lord with such a commmanding voice.::

Ricardo:
Would you have the sacrifice those... that they made for us to go without purpose.

Aerlyn:
I know I've never bled with you... but give me the chance... my life for yours... ::looks around:: All of you

Tien:
::Walks over to Ruiz, tries to pull his head to my shoulder so that I can whisper in his ear: Love is eternal brother. As long as we live, so do our loves.

Ruiz:
::nods, then motions Tien away:: You do not understand, Tien. Neither do you, Lord Ric.... None of you do. ::hangs head again::

Ruiz:
Maybe she does. ::looking to Aerlyn, voice tremulous:: Tell me, lady, what is greater--

Aerlyn:
Greater than what? ::says softly::

Ruiz:
The loss of duty, of not having a purpose in life? Or the loss of life? Can one live without family? Can one live without duty? Can one subsist entirely in one, and forget the other?

Aerlyn:
Duty is not some things that is here :::points to her head:: Its hear ::points heart:: Duties change

Tien:
You must understand, brother, They are one and the same ANd yes they live in y9ur heart

Aerlyn:
There is a duty you have, in there ::points to his heart:: You forget it and you are lost with the others. And Nothing can bring you back either... I may not be able to bring you back from grief, but in understanding you, I can join you.

Ruiz:
::turning to Tien, to Aerlyn:: Then you must understand why I grieve. It is not the loss of duty, nor the loss of life that pains me the most.. It's the loss of balance.

Ruiz:
It is the loss of choice.

Tien:
Tell me , brother, what if the teaching that relations between men and women sperate you from the creator but the love between men and women are the purest forms of love betwen mankind and the Pancreator.

Aerlyn:
You never lost the ability to chose, you've just forgotten how to do it... we all do from time to time

Ruiz:
The choice was ripped from me the moment the explosion happened, Aerlyn.

Tien:
ANd it was not my choice to return to the ship with you all. I had chosen to stay with those on the planet. But, I gave up my choice because It was for a higher purpose.

Aerlyn:
No... its still there. Your just not looking hard enough... so caught up in what happened that you won't understand... won't come to grips that even though a part of you died... something else was born that day, in you

Tien:
I thought that dying on the planet was my test of faith. But hte harder task was to continue to live and do as the Pancretor wills. You have that same power even now.

Aerlyn:
Something that makes you the master of your own fate, something that can take you above it all

Aerlyn:
Omnia Mutantur Nihil Interit.

Tien:
::Tien smiles::

Ruiz:
what does that mean, Brother Tien?

Tien:
::Looks to Aerlyn:: Tell him.

Aerlyn:
Everything changes, but nothing is ever truly lost.

Tien:
Yes, very true indeed.

Ruiz:
::sardonic, sarcastic smirk:: Tell that to the ones immolated in the hellstorm.

Tien:
Brother Ruiz, you are indeed on the cusp between the light and the dark

Aerlyn:
Gladly...

Tien:
To allow hatred to fill you will leac you to the dark. Please let us all help you bare this burden.

Ruiz:
Hatred? Oh, no, Brother Tien. There is no hatred at all in my heart.

Tien:
Then what is it? Name it for me.

Ruiz:
There is nothing. Nothing at all. As I.. As those of my order have been taught. My heart is empty.. There is a saying my mentors had us memorize...

Tien:
Your order has lied to you or have been deceived. There is all within the nothing.

Aerlyn:
Then I am glad they aren't here with you now. ::shakes her head::

Ricardo:
::Touches Tien lightly:: Careful, Tien. Let the man speak his mind.

Tien:
::Nodes to the DOn.::

Ricardo:
What did they teach you, Ruiz?

Ruiz:
::eyes glow with determination:: "Arm your body in storm; your mind, like lightning, and your soul like air."

Tien:
A good saying, brother. But where is the nothing? "Your mind, like lighning," Yes.

Tien:
"Your soul like air". Neither of these are voids

Ruiz:
My body is as a force of nature, to be directed against my Enemy. They taught us that until we have time to truly understand and cope with our loss, we are to be like air; to let our selves dwell in the now, completing what we have to do, and let nothing else stand in the way. Not walls, not people, not anything. Drift around the obstacle, as air does.. But dwell only in the now, and leave those whom we have lost for later.. If there is a later.

Ruiz:
::long sigh:: I had hoped to forget that part of my life.. To let it go, much like the air in the old saying..

Ricardo:
He speaks of the void, Tien. Not as in the dark between the stars, but the feeling of utter freedom that perfect balance leaves in a man.

Ruiz:
::turning to Ric:: I see you understand.

Ricardo:
It is the sum of his strengths and weaknesses. Together they make him whole and nothing.

Tien:
Yes, my lord. I understand.

Ricardo:
He is more then capable because he allows himself to be all he is. He is nothing in that he has blended perfectly and serenely with the world around him. In theory... at least.

Tien:
Then there is not a void, but an inbalance.

Ruiz:
As I was trying to explain earlier.

Tien:
We all morn. Not a day has gone by that I have not cried from our loss. It is how we bring ourselves back into balance

Tien:
Mourning and prayer.

Aerlyn:
Then I understand what you have become, but I there is one thing that you must think of... empty or not... because... I know... it will haunt you until you die.

Aerlyn:
Is this what they would have wanted?

Ruiz:
::turning slowly to Aerlyn:: I finish grieving in my own way. Later.

Tien:
We must carry on, anddo thise things that we are to do.

Tien:
((those))

Tien:
It is how it is to be. ::Voice getting softer:: How they would wish.

Ricardo:
((excellent. Should we cut it here?))

Tien:
((Yes))

Aerlyn:
((yeah))

Ruiz:
((cool with me. How about y'all?))

Tien:
~OOC~

Tien:
I missed something that stevphen was saying when I got dumped

Ruiz:
He was saying that it was up to us how the campaign goes...

Aerlyn:
I'm kinda starting to like this new character

Ruiz:
He has some plot hooks and things, but mainly it was up to us.

Tien:
i.e. "we need to get moving or the plot will happen without us"?

Ruiz:
I'm liking your new character too, Cam... :)

Ruiz:
I don't know about that, Lee.

Tien:
OK. Then how do we help get the ball or quest, rolling?

Aerlyn:
I think its more of a thing where we are going to really going to be the ones deciding what happens from here on... no more plot will jump into our laps

Tien:
In that case, we really need to get cracking on mister "Unholy" and fast.

Tien:
I believe that he is the central and main adversary.

Ricardo:
Alrighty then. Hopefully we'll have Step for longer than 30 min. next week.

Aerlyn:
yeah... hehe really

Tien:
lol, yea

Ruiz:
lol hope so..!

Tien:
WHat do you all see as the next step then?

Ricardo:
we've got to find out where the terraforming units are.

Ruiz:
we have to find out exactly where they're going to strike, yes.. :)

Ricardo:
maybe Brother Aricus needs to pray for a miracle of guidance to send us in the right direction

Ricardo:
kind of like Inigo in the Princess Bride

Tien:
Hey, I have that too, Just because I colour it a little...

Ruiz:
I'll tel you this much.. we don't lack for drama, huh? lol..

Aerlyn:
No.. no we don't hehe

Tien:
Well, character developement happens when a new character enteres the game.

Tien:
((I wish that I could type))

Aerlyn:
that is true... I had a hell of a time thinking what I would make next.. I wanted an ascorbite I think that how they are spelled, but I don't think it would have worked..hehe

Tien:
Well, we did noeed more religion

Tien:
Hello?

Tien:
Is that a negative on the religion?

Aerlyn:
I don't know.

Ricardo:
we need more direction

Tien:
I take this notable silence as a yes.

Tien:
Direction, that the Don's job.

Ruiz:
lol ::shrugs::

Ricardo:
No. We have no solid goal as a whole.

Ricardo:
It seems our goal is: To do stuff

Tien:
"To stop the baddies" To save the world. Yea, to do stuf.

Aerlyn:
I've got a goal... follow you people.

Tien:
Tien's goal is avenge the husband's daeth and now all of our friends deaths

Ricardo:
But there is nothing that we all agree is as a fire under our behinds

Tien:
Exploding terraformig engines?

Ricardo:
maybe if we happen to be sitting on them

Tien:
And Vera Cruz is not a major terraformed planet. It was ostly earthlike from the start.

Ricardo:
It has been terraformed by Doramus though

Ricardo:
Just like Pentateuch

Tien:
I take that back. That is SUtek that was not terraformed much.

Ricardo:
I must admit these terraform-terrorists are the closest thing to a unified goal our group...

Ricardo:
has had in quite a while

Aerlyn:
Yep... we could never agree before

Ricardo:
I say we find out where to start searching for these maniacs and make sure we don't get cut

Ricardo:
out of the picture

Tien:
Agreed.

Ricardo:
Adam? Cam?

Aerlyn:
Sure...

Ruiz:
sorry.. PC froze.

Ruiz:
I agree whole-heartedly.

Aerlyn:
Can't really make decisions in game because I haven't been given the facts yet

Tien:
I also think that we need to let the planetary governor (duke?) know that the machines

Tien:
might be targets.

Tien:
May I suggest that we talk more during the up coming week? Trade ideas?

Ruiz:
I agree with that, too. How about Thursday, or Friday?

Ricardo:
I think if we start with Don Pablo's family we can get to the Duke through them

Aerlyn:
Sounds like a plan... hmmm.... either day is fine by me.

Ricardo:
Both are bad for me.

Tien:
I was thinking about mass emails, but yes, either would be fine with me

Ruiz:
okay, that would be okay too.

Aerlyn:
E-mail is good

Ricardo:
send them to Tom Rybak as I rarely sign on with RicardoHaz

Tien:
OK. Will do.

Ruiz:
okay, will do.

Ruiz:
lol..

Tien:
Guys, we have almost stayed on or a normal session?

Tien:
for a normal session

Ruiz:
really? It's been that long?

Ricardo:
ok, g'night all

Tien:
good night all.

Ruiz:
night..!