The Five(IC)

[Donsehan]

"You don't sound very convincing." I turned in the seat, making sure that I was mostly supporting myself instead of the chair. "I have very little choice in almost everything I do, but I have never seen anyone try to even stop the catastrophes that have happened around me and I don't see how your squat little company can even be so influential all over the world.

 

[Morgoth]

Atriel smiled at Seki, showing pearly teeth. "Mr. Kazramagumo, you are mistaken. If you saw catastrohpes, there's a good chance my- how did you put it, 'squat little company'- was probably responsible for them. Let me put it simply. I don't need to sound convincing. You and the others at the table are just possible Seekers. Believe me when I say I have several hundred already employed, and a few more to be interviewed later on. However, your group is by far the most talented and promising. As to the second part of your concern, let's just say that having the right influence in the right places for an extremely long time-as well as having almost unlimited abilities with the correct Gifted deployed in the correct situations- has given Sinmussen an unseen, unfelt hand in directing world events. Let's leave it at that, for now. After all, I can't just expose all my trade secrets at first meeting, can I?" asked Atriel, the grin finally fading.

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvie

I pondered over his responses before asking my next question.
"Pardon me if you went over this before, but what are these Seekers you talk about? What do you want us to do?"
I took another drink of coffee, greateful for its warmpth.

 

[Morgoth]

Atriel smiled again, less fiercely this time, and to Sylvie. "Great question. You see, in Sinmussen, we've got nicknames for all positions in the hierarchy and for those outside the hierarchy, too. For example, a Holder does his best to ensure that the Earth dodges any celestial bodies that might hit it. They do this by giving a boost to the speed the Earth moves in its rotation of the sun, and therefore, this boost, when applied correctly, can give the Earth just enough momentum to be missed by a lethal asteroid or meteor. So, a Seeker fills a position mush like the Holder, but one much more broad and varied. In fact, Seekers, aside from Executives, may very well be the most important arm of Sinmussen. The main goal of the Seekers is to make sure that what Sinmussen wants done is done. Now, this could mean anything from setting up diplomatic ties between several nations to finishing a war, from bringing down criminals and maniacs to loosening police control so a new gang can gain power, from triggering genocide to distributing relief aid. Seekers are alone only in a few rare cases. In general, they operate in close-knit teams that work together, relying on the benefits of all of their gifts to achieve their goals. If you accept my offer, in most likelihood, the group gathered here will be formed into a team. A healer, a spiritualist, a psion, an environmentalist, a dodger, and a sage. That makes it a very balanced team indeed. Strange there hasn't been a brute to join for some time, and we might send one to your team at one point or another, but in general, a good, steady balance of powers. Anyway, I hope I answered your question", he said.

 

[RoneLith]

The others gathered seemed to in awe of the man before them. They seemed to give him respect just for having a big important title. They were week to have been ruled over so easily. He smiled to himself at their weekness and the man's ability to easily step over a question to answer those that were easier and weeker then him.

What he had said about Holders intreiged him, he remembered a time when he was younger when he had met one. He had stopped a car from hitting him with only his hands, it was at a time when his powers had first started to come into his life, it was also the time when he first began to withdraw from the world. The Holder had told him that he did not want a potential member killed so early in his life. He remembered shaking the man's hand in thanks...the truth hit him like lightning, memories of the encounter came rushing back. Almost as if he was shaking the man's hand again. All his fights his power every conflict that man had ever had in his life flooded back to him. Jandar gasped when the visions reached this very room at this very spot looking at the same man before him now. He had never gotten his name, but told him that when they came to ask him to join he would eventually find him.

He owed him a debt of honor that should be repaid. He needed no more questions, he had learned all that their was to know from the Holder. He did not know if he trusted this Atriel man but he knew he was honor bound to the Holder for saving his life. It was time that he stop trying to run from the world, from his gift, and start embrassing it and life. He stood up and spoke in a new very confident voice. A vision of the man who he had forgotten about his true self.

"I don't know if I trust or respect you yet," he said to Atriel. "However I do trust your company, I'm in. I have no more questions for you when you are ready and finished with these others you will know where to find me." He nodded his head once to all those gathered. "If you will excuse me." Jandar walked to the door, wondering if it would be unlocked.

 

[Morgoth]

Jandar
The doors opened for Jandar with a quiet ding. While he was shocked to see a long hallway, rather than the elevator that belonged there, a part deep down inside of him had to say that it wasn't too surprising. Nevertheless, an arm reached out, hooking his elbow and pulling him inside. The doors shut as swiftly as they opened. Jandar found himself standing next to Alfred, who had already managed to lead him down half of the hallway that he could see. Silent, Alfred turned suddenly, leading Jandar down a new hallway. Jandar reeled. He hadn't even seen that hallway, and his senses and instincts were so much better than the average man's. By the time these thoughts had occurred to Jandar, Alfred took yet another sudden turn and Jandar found himself in a small, yet neat conference room. It was decidedly plain, with no decorations to speak of. In fact, the only furnishings in it were the large, circular coffee table and the multitude of chairs, most fairly cheap and of dubious quality and comfort, clustered around it.

 

[Donsehan]

Hmmm . . . I thought as I was listening to them talk. Then I noticed the man standing went to open the door. A look of shock spread over my face as the doors opened to reveal a hallway. I turned to look at this man with newfound respect, "I don't think you all will like working with me though. I'm a walking bad luck charm, but I'm in just to see what happens."

 

[snasu]

Marie

"Why now?"
"The company has obviously known of all of us for many years. You could have trained us to be exactly as you would have wanted us to be. You could have avoided the whole idea of not trusting you, by being the only place or entity that we knew. So why now? "

 

[Morgoth]

Atriel Nezram
Atriel replied smoothly to Sylvie's question. "Why does anything work the way it does? Why do negative charges attract positive? Why do people form mutual attractions? It's the way of the company. It's an old, ancient law. It would be an unprecedented nightmare to subvert this unspoken, unwritten law. Sinmussen does not bend or twist people. We present them a choice. It's just the way this works, like the rest of nature's laws", said Atriel, then, without breaking stride, turned to Seki. "Yes, we know of your apparent curse. Nevertheless, your skills and talents are invaluable assets, and you are, of course, welcome."

 

[Donsehan]

Taken aback, a look of sheer shock, I heard someone mutter, "naze" and realized it was me. I probably turned red, said "sorry," and nodded to Mr. Nezram. Then I asked, "Then why choose me if you know that I am a walking omen?

 

[Morgoth]

"Again, Mr. Kazramagumo, realize that your talents are invaluable. Besides, there are worse curses to have. I've seen several of them over the years, and your only ranks in intermediately bad section. We've always made do with these curses, and in fact, some of these so-called "cursed teams" of Seekers have been our most effective. Luck is luck, but enough skill and talent can overcome any random chance. Yours is important enough, and toned enough, that I'm willing to take the chance", Atriel said.

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvie

"Well, this has got to be better then running from hospital to hospital as an agency nurse," I said, stiffling a yawn. "And I'm assuming I can get some sleep after we're done.
"So I'm in. It can't be worse then some of the other companies, hospitals and agencies I've worked for in the past." I shuddered at a memory of a patient dieing because I wasn't allowed to touch him to cure the brain tumor that was running rampant in him. He didn't have insurance so the hospital was okay with letting him die. Crappy way to go if you ask me.

 

[Morgoth]

"Very, good. MissSt. Marie, if you'll go to the door. Alfred will open it and lead you to a small conference room. I'll apologize ahead of time for the wait there'll be. An hour or two at most. Then, your rooms will be provided, as will any meals you desire. Hopefully, you'll be joining Mr. Brae, the one from before, in the same room. I'll answer a few more questions. But, if there are none, I do need to get back to work?"

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvie Ste Marie

"Sure," I said, standing and taking my coffee cup with me after refilling it. The warmpth was quite welcomed.
I thought to myself, so now what?

 

[RoneLith]

It was time for Jandar to quit running from his powers. He feared using them, feared the strength they gave him. The images he recived when he touched anything were always violent and bloody. So much so that he had to fight his stomatch to stay under control. He stood now in the conference room his hand outstreached over one of the chairs. Chairs had been an item of late that his power had ignored, somehow he knew that this would not be the case of this chair. If he could only just touch it, his hand shook as he stood fighting within himself trying to gather the courage to touch it. He would have to quit running sometime.

Jandar took a deep breath and let it out slowly, it was time to embrace his powers, time to embrace his birthright. He shut his eyes and braced himself for the vision to come. Still his hand did not move, why should he be afraid, the images were all in his mind as long as he did not let his heart be corrupted there would be nothing to fear. I am no coward, Jandar thought. By tapping my power I can help many just as he helped me. The visions do not control my actions they are a guide, a way to help me help others.

"I am no COWARD!" he yelled the last word as his hand slamed down on the chair. Such was his power and the force that he called behind him, that the chair shattered, shards of wood and metal exploded with the speed of bullets, shards sticking into the wall.

In his mind the images came in a rush, but it was not of a chair, the image was that of a Knife. In the past he had avoided using knives and never kept one in his home. The knife was the most vicisous of all items he had ever touched. It was bloody and firece requireing extreme closeness of combatants. Admidst the blood and gore of his vision he learned and knew exactly how best to weild it. He knew full well that with a knife in his hand he could not be defeated. Somehow his eyes had closed and as he finally opened them he saw the destruction he had caused. Shards of the chair stuck solid in every surface in a perfect sphere, he felt none had peirced him and turned to look at the wall directly behind him. He had might as well not have been standing where he was, the shards had seemed to pass right through him. He felt something in his hand and looked down. A knife rested in his palm, made of wood and metal from the chair. Had he created it? Was his power growing, could he do it again? He sat down on the couch and studied the knife. What did it mean?

 

[Morgoth]

As Atriel had said, Alfred waited in the doorway. He gently led Sylvie through several winding hallways, new ones just seemed to appear as they walked past. It was only moments before Sylvie was completely lost, but Alfred walked on as if on a daily stroll. Eventually, Alfred abruptly turned, opening a door and motioning for Sylvie to enter. As she walked in, Jandar sat on a couch, knife in hand, looking at it curiously. Shards of metal and wood were driven into the walls, ceilning, and a few other furnishings.

 

[Donsehan]

"Again, Mr. Kazramagumo, realize that your talents are invaluable. Besides, there are worse curses to have. I've seen several of them over the years, and your only ranks in intermediately bad section. We've always made do with these curses, and in fact, some of these so-called "cursed teams" of Seekers have been our most effective. Luck is luck, but enough skill and talent can overcome any random chance. Yours is important enough, and toned enough, that I'm willing to take the chance", Atriel said.

"Wait, what do you mean, what else do you know about me? Do you know my full potential?" I started to stand now, knowing now that this would be a chance not only for a job, but also one that would teach me more about myself. I felt more confident in my decision to join now.

 

[Morgoth]

Atriel smiled wryly. "Ah, but if I were to tell you, would that really help? No, you must discover it. I refuse to simply point it out to you. Nevertheless, I'm afraid I must leave you now. If you'll all go to the door, Alfred will escort you. I have work to get to, and you'll have to excuse me, but I take my work quite seriously. However, I'll try to stop by later and check up on you." Smile fading, Atriel turned around briskly and walked to the doors he had said Alfred was behind. He opened them and quickly stepped through, the doors closing as soon as he had disappeared.

 

[snasu]

marie

*smiling at the efficient way in which her question was answered; yet not answered, Marie reaches for the sinnekarlugo. Still blankness.*

You have avoided answering my question. There is a reason you choose now, this is not random. But if you will not answer, you will not. I am enjoying the silence of this room, but would like to know how it is possible. Where are the voices? I'm curious as to how are you preventing them from being here? Also, would we answer directly to you or through a subordinate?

 

[Morgoth]

OOC: Let's just imagine he's answering Marie's question before he walks out.

IC: "Excellent questions all, Miss Chabot. You believe that spirits are not afraid of anything? No, there is one thing that terrifies even the inhabitants of the spirit world. The thought of being trapped, their souls enslaved. You may ask yourself who would create such vile devices, or what's more, how could they be made. Well, we made them. There are malicious spirits of the world. Some of them launched direct assaults against us in previous years. Well, believe me if you've never seen dark spirits attack, it's something you never want to see again. As a precaution, large portions of this building are completely surrounded by these devices. We have our own local spiritualists send clear messages to the spirits not to wander into the shielded areas. It's a fairly benign purpose, and we make sure to release any non-evil souls we trap. However, there is a fear of this place that usually drives off most spirits. As to the hierarchy question, it's a little more clear-cut. You will recieve orders directly from Executives and higher-ranked Seeker teams. At the briefings, you may receive information from anyone who has extensive or important knowledge on the topic. At times, you will be called in for briefings or meetings with me. The Executives are themselves responsible to me, so don't worry about taking on their missions. There's a good chance those missions come directly from me at one point or another. This is extremely rare, but at times, a Board Member may need your team."