Futuristic The Parallel Division: The Twelve Apostles

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Galen Nicolau


Galen remained silent and waited. Only releasing a breath of relief once Edward told him the machine was up and running again. "Alright. Good work. We'll be there in a few." Galen handed to com device back to Galfrey and started towards the platform. "Alright guys. Home sweet home is just about ready to receive us. And I for one would rather not keep them waiting." He called to the rest of his group. He felt a lot less fidgety now that he knew he wasn't going to be stuck in this time period any longer than he needed to be. Still, it'd be a bit of a misfortune to have to leave Ms. Galfrey of all people. But maybe they'd meet again, at some time in the past.


He crossed his arms and felt beyond relieved to hear the familiar sound of the engine spinning up as he reached the platform. Maybe it was because the machine was simply younger, but it always sounded much more beautiful while in operation than it did in 2015. It really made him wonder. With the kind of breakdown they had just escaped, Galen couldn't but wonder how many more critical failures they would face in the future. He was always digging through information on the tower and its construction. For a structure as old as the clock tower, it was impressive that it still stood, but then how much longer could it stand? What would happen if it was destroyed? There was plenty of speculation, but the nature of what actually powered the tower made him think strongly on whether or not they'd even be around to make another device should the original be compromised. Such thoughts permeated his mind which would likely have made him look like he was brooding over some point or another to the rest of the group.

 

[Master Attano]

Jason snorted, slapping Hank's arm as he jumped to his feet. "Who can be worried when we have the Atlas that is Galen and Eddy looking out for our backs?" he said, standing ready on the platform that would take them home. "I have to say though. I think you owe me a new pair of shoes after that rough landing." he smiled, shaking his well sodden canvas shoe for emphasis.


News that the device would be fit to take them home less comforting than he had hoped as a seed of worry still squirmed in his subconscious. Mouse's voice swirling in his head. Mars got hurt...he's gonna take her to the infirma...


Mars will be fine, he thought. The frailness he sensed from her whispering doubts into his ear nonetheless as his smile began to fade.


"Right!" he said, slapping his hands together, mentally slapping himself out of such thinking with the same action. "Let's get this show on the road. Come on Galen! We'll be home before you know it, I'm sure our old girl's just fine." he said, patting the wall of the clock tower affectionately.


It never ceased to amaze him how the technological concept that fueled science fiction in the modern era had been developed and put into practice hundreds of years ago at a time it would have been considered magic. Or had it been invented in the future and brought back to be deployed in the past? Or a little of both? Jason could only guess at the possibilities and hope for an explanation that sounded slightly understandable from Edward later.


@Space Cowboy Ein @Jabroni

 

[Widget]

Erick Bentham





Erik had never felt so relieved in his life. Even with all of the things that could have gone disastrously wrong in the 1931 mission -- misleading directions, a faulty cab, a dead future prime minister -- the Clock Tower's malfunction was the one thing he looked forward to putting behind the most. He felt his chest lightened considerably, finally allowing him to breathe comfortably, and he now looked upon Galen with the air of one discovering a god walking amongst mortals. If Erik had been more of an outgoing man, he may have gone up and hugged Galen upright. They were going home.


Despite the reassuring fact that he and the team were indeed not going to be stranded in a pre-war universe, Erik could not help but let his thoughts drift to Marsielle's apparent injury. It appeared serious enough for her to be sent to the injury, yet the lack of details provided was infuriating. Had she been attacked? Burned by the rapidly increasing heat? Intoxicated by the copious amount of smoke no doubt produced by the Clock Tower? He was no genius like Galen or Edward, but his background in biology provided him with enough information to determine that extended exposure to fumes could do horrible things to the human body. Still, even as those concerns plagued him, and he wondered furiously if any precautions could have been taken to prevent the incident from occurring, Erik was pleased to hear Maddy's voice. At least she and the other two apostles back at base were safe... He didn't want to imagine what could have happened if they hadn't found Marsielle, or if the situation had been too much for them to handle.


Erik turned his thoughts away from his co-workers in the present -- or future, rather -- as the receiver crackled back into life. There was no point in worrying now when there was nothing he could do. He would simply have to wait until they were home to deal with the consequences of the whole ordeal.


"We're starting it back up now," Edward's voice stated through the receiver, setting off a wave of relieved exclamations. Suppressing a smile, Erik approached Galen, nodding in the man's direction.


"That was some good work there," Erik congratulated simply but honestly. "I don't know if we would've made it back without you and Edward doing some serious problem solving."

 

[Sunbather]

marseille aftwood & taylor bajalica


Taylor paced through the room with a stressed out expression hammered onto her face, as if it was solid stone. She didn’t doubt the little cookie’s toughness. Marseille was just about the liveliest little bunch of energy she knew and there was no doubt in her mind she’d wake up any moment. Except there was. No matter how much she approached the whole ordeal with logic, worry and sadness creeped into her head, only making her speed up the steps as she waited for the technicians to finish her treatment. The duration Mars required only encouraged Taylor’s fantasy to picture the worst case scenario, until finally, Mars’s eyes slowly fluttered open.


A hearty sigh later the lanky girl would make the biggest possible steps to hurry towards the still weakened frame. Taylor’s hand quickly found Mars’s, in an attempt to comfort and calm her. “It’s fine, Edward and Maddy got it. You know our little brainiac, it’ll be okay. Just rest, yeah?” She forced a smile as she slowly stroked the back of Mars’s hand. “You should probably not worry right now, you know?”


Mars smiled, faintly, at Taylor’s ministrations, nodding faintly, “If Eddie and Maddy are taking care of it, I don’t suppose there’s much to worry about, after all.” Frowning, she looked down at her hands, bandaged, at the broken nails and the dirt, caught beneath the shredded free edge.


“Well, at least nothing to worry about as far as the control panel is concerned.” Looking up again, she cupped Taylor’s hand with her free one, “Thank you, Taylor. For the news… and for staying with me. It’s greatly appreciated. Will you tell me, as soon as they return, please?”


As intenty as the standing girl listened, it still came to her as a surprise to hear Mars imply she’d just go back without her. “I… I mean… yeah, sure, but… shouldn’t I stay with you until you can come up too?” Her glowing but clearly worried eyes scoured the face of her colleague and friend, searching for signs of danger or suffering. “I don’t wanna leave you down here just like that…” More of a confession, Taylor mumbled the words out as if she was admitting to stealing cookies from her mother’s jar. “Are you sure you’re okay?”


“I’m fine, sweetie. Just tired… It’s not half of what I deserve for letting things get as bad as they did, in there.” And it was the truth, as much as it could be. The heart monitor still chirped now and then, caught up on that irregular beat. She would unplug it, soon, insist that she didn’t need it. It was best if the techs didn’t worry over it - not when she was perfectly content with only Farris knowing about her condition.


“Honestly, just send someone my way when they’ve returned, to let me know and I’ll be perfectly happy.” Closing her eyes, she sighed softly, “...Just need to rest…”


It only took her a few seconds to fall asleep again.


Taylor stood by as Mars drifted off once more, a relatively relieved smile curled her lips upwards, until she got up and headed towards the exit. There wasn't much for her to be done down here, at least not when her dear coworker needed the rest. Afterall, the last thing she wanted was to disrupt Mars. Now on her way back to the controllroom to tell Edward and Maddy about her condition, a bit of uneasiness came back to the girl. Sure, she had ensured Mars everything was alright, but who knew what had gone on. The thoughts continued to circle around in her mind until she reached her destination. In an attempt to carefully peek into the room, slender fingers clutched onto the doorframe in an almost comical manner. "Oooh, thank god." A bright smile illuminated the curious face as she stepped into the room fully. "Everything's okay, yes?"

 

[Effervescent]

Edward Rosen


Science Division: St. JudaTadeus - The Historian

A collaboration with

@Elle Joyner
​

The engine whirred starting from a low pitch and rolled upwards to set high and beautifully. A smile spread on Edward's lips, and he nodded somewhat at the success. Stress from the mishap seemed to melt away from his mind as it was put to ease with the engine's steady purr, and he turned the comm back on to respond to Galen.


"Everything is fine on our end," he said. "We're ready to bring you home."


Just as he exited the chamber containing the coils, he began to congratulate Maddy on a job well done. The compliments were cut short as the woman fell backwards within her chair. Instinctively, he rushed over in two wide steps to close the gap between them more quickly before stooping down to aid his coworker out of the fallen seat.


"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes moving over to her desk to see if anything else had managed to explode.


Cheeks flushed crimson, Maddy shook her head, "Unless you can die from embarrassment, I'm okay. Except I think I might, actually... Die from embarrassment. This is the second time this happened today. I'm starting to think that chairs have something against me. Oh!! But we fixed it! That's pretty great! I mean, we did, right? Fix it? Oh, lookit that... They're blue. I would've guessed brown for sure!"


Edward offered his hand to Maddy with a huff of a laugh. "We did it," he said. "Now let's get you off the floor. Everyone should be returning at any moment."


Reaching for his hand, Maddy smiled brilliantly, "Go team Egghead..." She murmured, "You wanna hit the button?"


"Egghead?" He repeated, his brow furrowing somewhat at the strange team name. It was typical of Maddy to bumble about, and Edward was used to that by now. Her stammering still perplexed him somewhat in contex. He often had to just push away her words, for if he focused on them he would lose far too much valuable time. His hands reached down for the upturned chair and set it upright, rolling it past his coworker carefully. "Feel free to push the button. I need to document this happening while it is fresh in my mind. If it is a chronic issue, what I document could help the future. Else we could have a time block on our hands."


"It's kind of exciting, isn't it? I mean, not the idea of a time block. That pretty much sucks no matter how you swing it. But the idea that we prevented one! Gah, I just... I love it! I mean, not the whole 'it almost breaking down and everybody getting stuck in 1931' part! But, the idea of what we do! Do you ever just wake up in the morning, and think about it? It's so cool..." Leaning forward, she took a breath, grinning ear to ear, then pressed the button, "Da, da, daa!" Plucking up the comm, she pressed the talk button, "Maddy here... come on home, little ducks!"


Edward removed his led vest and held his hand out towards Maddy as she began to ramble on about their work. Even though it took many directions, he knew what she was meaning. It was something that took him some time to understand, for just a year ago Maddy's ramblings were a jumbled mess in his mind that so obsessively attempted to decipher. It led to many frustrations and times in which the man would exit the room mid ramble because it was a sort of sensory overload. Now that he understood Maddy on a higher level there was no wandering about her words at a loss. What was once annoying he now felt a sense of endearment.


"We do have an exciting job," he agreed. "And we're good at what we do."

 

[Elle Joyner]

Madeline Jenner

Orloj Clocktower, Prague: Present Timeline


Collab with @Effervescent: Part Two
​

Looking to Eddie, to his outstretched hand, Maddy grinned, took it, with a slightly nervous twitter, "We are so good..." Blinking, she rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand, "At what we do, I mean. Not that... I don't know what else I could've meant, so I don't really know why I'm clarifying... OH! Apron." Reaching behind her, she pulled at the velcro backing, frowning with a small noise of frustration, "Ugh. I think... yep... Definitely... could you, I think my hair, is stuck... in the... Ow! Yep, definitely stuck. Would you mind?"


The touch of her smooth hand slipping onto his own caused Edward a moment's pause. There were too many instances where he just assumed people thought as he did. It was perhaps a strange thing, especially when he expects someone to know what he was thinking due to the other party's own level of intelligence. But it was clear Maddy did not comprehend his outstretched hand ready to receive the heft of her lead vest. A part of him chalked it off as a result of her ramblings.The awkwardness of the mistake was quickly swiped away as Maddy's hair snagged within the vest as she tried to remove it. Edward leaned forward, brushing the loose brunette strands away from the aggressor as he carefully pulled the caught hairs. His fingers were methodical and worked slowly, one hand clasping the strands to pull towards her scalp so that the other hand could free her hair without the efforts causing too much pain."This would be something only you could manage," Edward said in jest. The playful air was all too rare for the man, but his amusement at her ability to fall prey brought forth the merriment, even if executed in a dry tone.


"I need a bubble." She muttered. He was gentle enough and managed to free her without too much of a struggle, and as she slipped the apron off, she pulled her hair over her shoulder, frowning at the slightly frayed locked, "Thanks, Eddie. Anyhow! We should head upstairs to see if they're back, yet!"


With a nod of his head, he agreed to the statement quietly, his hand reaching over to pluck the heft of her lead apron from her grasp. "I'll swing by the infirmary to check on Marseille and Taylor. I am sure those returning will want a debriefing, and we will need to do so if Marseille is still unconscious."


She grinned and nodded, "Sounds like a plan. I'll meet you up there, I guess! Ah! I still can't get over how cool it is... that we fixed this! We are just... We are seriously super great together. I mean. Not together, together... not like that, not that that's a bad thing or anything, it's just reflecting the current status of our-- Oh gosh. See you in a flash! Give Mars my best, okay?" And laughing, she bouncing out of the room to make her way upstairs to greet the others.


She reached the door as Taylor peeked her head back in and grinned, "Everything's peachy! How's Mars? Come on! I'm goin' up to make sure everyone gets back okay, you can come with!"

 

[Elle Joyner]

Paige Galfrey

December 14th, 1931
​

With some degree of triumph, and just about the strangest expression that Paige had ever heard, Madeline announced that everything was fixed on their end. It was an enormous relief - not that Paige didn't like the 2015 crew, but it was never easy... when someone got time locked. It hadn't happened often in their Order, but the few times it had occurred, it had never gone well. Particularly when it was a case of someone from the future, trying to settle in to a life, stuck in the past. There was too much foreknowledge, too much change, and more often than not, it just didn't work out well.


Having so many of them stuck, the idea horrified Paige. It was too many new mouths to feet, too many people to protect, and she could see the fear in their eyes, the uncertainty. Hearing Madeline explain that everything had been repaired, that their system was up to speed... it was like ice melting down a window pane, as the stress released from her core. With a deep breath she smiled and gestured to the transport chamber, "Alright, folks. Let's get you home..."


Once everyone was inside, she turned to the panel and with a smile, nodded to the Engineer. The chamber door was secured, the cores primed... "Flip the switch... Let's send these kids on home..."


@Dear Inspector

 

[Master Attano]

Jason





As the doors closed behind the time travelers, Jason couldn't help but feel a modicum of relief washing over him. Even he wasn't sure if the confidence he had shown was true or not, but the relief he felt was certainly real. The hum of the time machine winding up music to his ears.


"Let's hope they haven't had too much fun without us." he said, to no one in particular, rocking on his feet as he waited for what he had considered the realm of science fiction to whisk them away back to their time.


With a force of will however he managed to stop himself from flying away on another trail of thought about the incredible turn his life had taken. Day dream later, concentrate now, he thought, Mouse's words echoing in his brain. Mars got hurt.


"She'll be fine you big baby." he muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes as the machine finally reached the peak of their whine. "Farewell twentieth century!" he said, flicking two fingers off from his forehead in a mock salute. "And hello twenty first!" he shouted, closing his eyes as the world flashed, seeming to distort around him, a queasy feeling rolling through his stomach. God I'd forgotten how sickly this felt, he thought mildly, closing his eyes.


Once his stomach had ceased to feel like it was trying to emigrate to his mouth, his eyes flew open. Waiting as patiently as he could before leaping off and put of the time travel platform.


"coo-eee" he called, looking around. "Eddy, Mouse, Taylor? We're home!"


@Elle Joyner @Effervescent @Sunbather

 

[Sunbather]

taylor bajalica


Taylor, as enthusiastic as she was to return to the two remaining Apostles, to tell them Mars was okay, and to see if they had figured out the problem with the machine, played fly on the wall for now, feeling a little giddy. Observing Edward and Maddy for a minute or two, unsure whether she should make her presence known or leave the two to their conversation for a little bit. Her rather strong tan turned out a blessing in disguise, or else she would've blushed a little bit. Eventually, however, she turned around the corner completely, waiting in the doorframe in the most casual, unhidden manner she could think of. Madeline didn't take long to take notice of her now, welcoming her with a hearty smile.


"My my, guess the machine's not the only thing causing sparks, eh?" she teased, showing her pearly whites as she couldn't help but show a toothy grin of her own. The Englishman would be tempted to use the word cheeky, no doubt. "I mean, guys, it's just our group coming back, traveling through time, no big deal, I'll give you some privacy." she joked. Taylor was certainly in her element. The lanky frame turned on its heels, and Taylor would pretend to just leave the two 'some room', only to then turn around once more and finally fail at upholding the serious facade, instead smiling. "Alright, I'm sorry. Couldn't resist." she admitted, throwing up her hands. "You two are just too cute." she mumbled out. "Okay, I had to squeeze that one out." Her head turned back over her shoulder, more as a gesture than anything else. "Mars is stable. She must've swallowed a ton of smoke, she was pretty weak." As she spoke, Taylor but her lip a bit, feeling uneasy with the image of a weakened Marseille in her mind's eye.


"The good news is, Mars is as much of a tough cookie as usual, and she'll be fine. They assured me she would be. I... Wouldn't have left it they didn't." After a pause of slight discomfort with the somewhat unpleasant report she had to give, Taylor forced herself to smile a little bit. "So, you guys got this thing going, yeah?" Worrying about Mars wasn't helping any of them, and as such it felt only right to switch the subject. "You guys are awesome." A compliment was most definitely deserved, and the girl underlined with a quick hug for each of the two, then nodded enthusiastically in regards to Maddy. "Hell yeah, we gotte welcome our boys back afterall." she replied with a smirk.


Up in the control room, Jason's face would pop up barely a second apart from their arrival, a sight never so relieving, never so persuasive in the task of making Taylor smile. "Geez, you ALMOST got stuck in some past timeline and your first word is... 'coooo-eee'? You're a total dork, you know that?" However, while playfully scolding the apostle, she already approached and pulled him in for a big hug. "Soooo?! How was it?"


@Effervescent @Elle Joyner @Master Attano

 

[Effervescent]

Edward Rosen


Science Division: St. JudaTadeus - The Historian


Edward turned to see Taylor had arrived sans Marseille. Luckily, the woman was alright, and all of his former concerns in that particular matter were wiped away. It was an easy thing for him to do with people. The detachment he held in the workplace aided in this mindset and allowed him to focus on the important things. At least, that is how he played it out in his mind. Somewhere, distantly, there were faint traces of emotional residue Taylor's words couldn't quite wipe away clean. There was the slightest tick of worry due to her lack of presence.


But Maddy didn't seem to be worried at all. In fact, her energetic demeanor aided in fueling his own only to be dashed by Taylor's accusation of fraternization. His brow quirked as he scoffed. Sparks. Howcliché. The jabbing only continued, and it prompted Edward to resituate his jacket like a tangible resituation of his workplace demeanor. Clearly, he wasn't being professional enough.


"I assure you," Edward began calmly, "there are no 'sparks' present. I was only helping Madeline from the floor."


As Taylor continued to update, he walked past the two women towards the staircase. His trek was halted by an unexpected hug to which he paused. What was happening in this division? He was even apparently partaking in a casual atmosphere and couldn't tell how exactly to proceed. His hand stiffly reached around to pat Taylor's back, his eyes following the spry girl as she walked over to Maddy to offer just the same.


"Thank you for your assistance with Marseille, Taylor," he responded. "I will return these aprons to their rightful place and meet you two up in the control room."


His oxfords tapped upon the metal staircase leading up a level, and he turned towards the supply room. The dingy room was lined with old metal shelves stocked with everything they've found to be necessary over the years of the existence of the Parallel Division. Edward took it upon himself to inventory the supply room on the days he felt more bored than productive. He was the only one to really go through the room on a regular basis to check what needed to be restocked, but he did not mind the task. The lead aprons were hung upon the hooks along the right wall towards the front, the antiquated complete suits set on shelves right next to it.


Just out the door, he heard Jason's voice echo out their names. Edward nodded his head to himself as a mental check. They made it home. All is well. Nothing to worry about. He walked out of the supply room, shutting the door quietly, and headed for the main chamber to greet those arriving to the present. Taylor had already wrangled another into her embrace. Edward couldn't recall if this was a normal occurance. The thought quickly vanished as he approached Galen, hand extended to receive a hand shake in greeting.


"Good work," Edward said to him as he adorned a genuine smile of appreciation. "I believe you likely saved the timeline."

 

[Elle Joyner]

Madeline Jenner

Orloj Clocktower, Prague: Present Timeline



​

For just a second. A fraction of a second, Madeline's face fell as she reacted to Eddie's protestations. She knew what he meant, of course, and she'd been reassured enough by Mars that Eddie would react that way to just about anything that didn't involve utter professionalism. It was just his nature to be 'on', all the time when it came to his work environment. But that didn't make it any less discouraging. It was the faintest expression of disappointment, one she recovered from before it really had time to sink in. Taylor hugged her and Maddy returned the embrace with a characteristic warmth, her lips spreading in a brilliant grin.


"I'm cute... Eddie's dashing. Silly Taylor." She pulled away and her smile softened, "Glad Mars is okay. She looked super pale... I mean, she always pale, but she looked like a ghost. I wonder what happened. It's weird, cause you can't really get into the control room without one of our keycards, and somebody should've been here. Actually, I thought I had the shift, but I got a text saying the schedule shift... not that it matters, I guess, since we totally fixed it! How exciting was this, though? It was like an action movie for something!"


She looked over her shoulder as Eddie mentioned hanging up the aprons and nodded. He'd be along, once he decided everything was perfect... Maybe that was part of what made him so frustratingly attractive to her. The attention and deliberation he put into every little detail. She followed Taylor out into the hallway and in the direction of the return chamber, shaking her head. The small sigh that escaped was almost involuntary.


"He's never gonna see me, is he? Eddie. It's like... no matter how obvious I am, he just... he doesn't see." Shrugging, she forced a smile, "I got to hold his hand ... for like... three seconds. How stupid is it that that's exciting? Like... that's an accomplishment. God, I'm pitiful." Chuckling, she stepped with Taylor into the room just as Jason made his exclamation and Maddy laughed, shaking her head.


"Welcome back, guys. Glad you're home!" She said, cheerfully.

 

[Master Attano]

Jason

"Geez, you ALMOST got stuck in some past timeline and your first word is... 'coooo-eee'? You're a total dork, you know that?" However, while playfully scolding the apostle, she already approached and pulled him in for a big hug. "Soooo?! How was it?"

"Hey!" he protested, a cheeky smile on his face. " I had complete faith in you guys." he said, lifting and spinning Taylor once with a laugh as they embraced. "Oh you know, met Winston Churchill, then saved his life by almost killing him before taking a plane across pre-World War Two Europe. Just the usual" he said with a wink, stepping back to look around the room.


The strangeness of stepping from one clock tower with a whole different group of people in a completely different time, to another never fading as he let his gaze drift across the room, nodding to Edward as he approached and waving to Mouse with a smile. His thoughts quickly snapped back into focus however as he turned back to Taylor. "Hey, I heard Marseille got hurt, is she ok? Where is she?" he asked a hint of nervousness in his voice.

 

[Jabroni]

Hank


Henry stepped into the machine platform with suspect hesitation. If the thing was broken, who knows what would happen. He'd lose an arm or a leg. Maybe his insides would implode like last night's Spaghetti Bolognese in the microwave. All this thinking got him sweating, and he started respiring impatiently. "Let's get this ova' with," he muttered. He blessed himself, kissing his palm with a hint of disdain. The Sullivan family were all Catholics, but a deep part of him wondered if their god would deliver them from this distortion of time and place. It was all very unnatural.


He could only close his eyes to shut out the dizziness while the chamber did its work. And just like that, they were home in a jiffy...or at least it looked like home. He recognized some familiar bodies. Taylor embraced Mr. Perfect and they exchanged playful banter. Yes, they were definitely in the right place. He then noticed Madeline, his face melting into a smile. "Ayyy! Aha ha ha! Lemme' get my paws on ya!" He lurched out to give her a big ol' bear hug. Henry'd never been so happy to hear that fireplug greet them all back. Perhaps the vertigo from the short journey made her look like his eldest daughter Lisa, who was only ten. He pulled back, getting a better view of Madeline. "You look like a million bucks, kid...and uh, thanks for savin' our you-know-whats."


@Elle Joyner

 

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Galen Nicolau


Galen did his best to nod off any incoming praise without appearing to be too rude. As much as he enjoyed his job, he wasn't a fan of being smothered as things were. And so he remained in place as the 1931 crew started up the machine once more. The familiar humming and distant clinks and clanks as everything spun up to send them home. He took a deep breath and tried to shake away the thought of a mid-operation breakdown. Nobody had ever wanted to fully theorize on what would happen to an individual should something like that happen, and Galen wasn't too fond to go poking in the dark at the subject either. At least, not without enough liquor in his system. He blinked and nodded to himself, that's what he needed, another night of drunk theorizing, maybe he could think of something brilliant, like a robot butler.


Galen was snapped from his line of thoughts as the sounds of the machine hit a high pitch and in the moment he was back in their timeline. He stepped off the platform and between his comrades to take a look around the platforms chamber. He hardly took any time to celebrate. He wanted to get to work, to what he was really good at. But first... "Hm?" Edward's approach had broken his trance and the second half of his congratulations graced the mans ears. Galen sighed, offered a small smile and shrugged his shoulders before meeting the man's handshake. "Don't be so modest. I simply gave the orders. You did the hard work." His questions on the status of Mars were hushed as Jason voiced the collective concern of how she was doing. If she was fine, he didn't have much more to worry about. His priorities would be set straight.


Galen pulled his hand from Edward's and stuffed them into his pants pocket. "As of right now. I'd like to begin work on preventing what we experienced from happening again. With any luck the system log wasn't damaged. Once I get a hold of it, I can start pouring over the recent data to find any anomalies that may exist." He sighed and looked on has Hank wrapped Maddy up in a big bear hug, at least he could emote for the scientist. "Long as the day's been, I feel like I'm just getting started." He turned his gaze back to Edward. "If you've got the time, I'd appreciate any assistance."


@Effervescent

 

[Widget]

Erik Bentham


The transport chamber, for whatever reason, always reminded Erik of stepping into an enormous, insulated freezer. With its metallic walls and boxish confines, it was not too difficult to make the comparison, and once again Erik found himself exceedingly grateful that he was not claustrophobic. As the machine began to spur into motion, he turned his gaze towards the other apostles, gauging their expressions. Excitement, mixed with a little dose of fear seemed lit their faces, the aspect of returning home mingling with the possibility of what they might find there. Closing his eyes, Erik forced his thoughts away from the Clock Tower, and focused instead on the rapidly increasing churn of the time machine's gears. It wouldn't do anyone any good to worry now -- there was nothing they could do about it.


Bracing himself against the cold, metal walls of the machine, Erik felt his mind go numb as he was filled with an overwhelming sense of nausea. The machine was shaking violently now -- traveling through space and time was no delicate matter -- and that combined with a splitting headache was enough to make anyone feel sick. With all the fear and excitement circling around due to the Clock Tower's malfunction, Erik had completely forgotten how unpleasant the traveling period was. He was certainly going to need a cup of coffee when they returned home. Yes, a nice, hot cup of coffee and a healthy dose of Advil.


Erik breathed a sigh of relief -- something he found he had been doing rather often recently -- as the machine began to die down, the spinning of cogs becoming less frantic and increasingly steady. They had not died, they had not been stranded in the brink of World War II, and they had successfully prevented the future prime minister from kicking the bucket right before the peak of his career. All things considered, he should be quite pleased with himself and his co-workers, but the looming fear of Marseille's injury and the unexpected malfunction of the Clock Tower prevented him from celebrating.


Stepping cautiously out from the "ice box", Erik blinked to catch his bearings, letting the dizziness slowly fade away into dull light-headedness. His lips pulled back into a small smile as he caught sight of Maddy, Edward, and Taylor, thankful to see that the 'incident' hadn't seemed to harm them in any way. As the others went to greet each other, sharing hugs and praise, Erik stood in the background, content to watch the scene before him. They had earned the right to celebrate. It was the least they could do, however, before the cause of the malfunction had to be addressed. But although he appreciated the warm welcome home, he couldn't shake the feeling that something much larger than any little old "over-heat" was about to come into play.

 

[Sunbather]

taylor bajalica


Even the facade of a playfully disapproving face was too hard of a struggle for Taylor to uphold, given Jason's cheeky grin. With a little stomp of her left foot and a smile that cracked through the girl gave up on attempting to seem serious, instead letting her interest shine through. "So how was he?", she wondered out loud only to giggle out her next words. "Wait, you almost killed him? What the fuck, Jason?" As usual, Taylor had slept through about half her lessons concerning the legendary former prime minister, but even she had an idea of how just important the man was and how special it must've been to meet him. Eventually, his concern about Mars grounded her for a moment. Sure, she knew, rationally, that she was okay but still... Taylor couldn't help but worry regardless. Her father had always told her she was prone to getting overly emotional, too involved when it wasn't even needed.


"Mars is a tough cookie, you know that..." If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that starting off by reminding him of just who they spoke of would help in easing his mind. And probaby, subconsciously, she wanted to ease her own at the same time. The way she squeezed her sentence out, however, seemed more concerned than anything, and it wouldn't have surprised her too much if her words had the opposite effect of what she intended. "I brought her down, they are taking care of her now. I spoke with her. She'll be okay." Taylor hastily added to her initial statement, hoping she wouldn't unsettle Jason any more than needed. The whole clock issue sure had put some strain on everyone - And rightfully so. "I guess we could go down once everyone's back? Pay her a visit, so she can see everyone being well and alive?"


@everyone, kinda

 

[Elle Joyner]

Madeline Jenner

Orloj Clocktower, Prague: Present Timeline



​

It was a beautiful thing, seeing the faces of the people she knew and loved, coming out healthy as newborns. Her smile was ear to ear, her heart pounding with happy excitement. When Henry scooped her up she laughed and threw her arms around him and as he held her back, she shook her head, "That's our job, you big goober. But you're welcome! Eddie did most of the saving, and Galen on the comms! Me? I just type stuff into a computer and hope nothing blows up! And, apparently, fall out of chairs." She rubbed the back of her head, and her gaze flicked from Henry to the others.


Talk went round about Mars, and Maddy couldn't blame them, she felt it herself... the concern for their leader - the concern in general. She seemed often times unfocused and a little scatterbrained, but Madeline was always on point, even if her constant rambling belied as much. The coil hadn't just shifted... there was no way that could've happened, and to have been called away like she was - told the schedules had shifted... It was awfully suspicious. But thinking that way, she didn't like it, not for a second. There were only a select few people who could've gotten into that control room... and all of them were in the room with her, or in the infirmary.


An inside man. It was the only option, and not one she was willing to entertain. Not yet. Maybe not ever. It could be someone else's problem for now... Now, she just wanted to revel in the fact that once again, they'd gotten everyone back safely.


"Erik!" She moved to the other older man and hugged him, tightly, then went down the line with a hug for Galen and Jason as well, and lastly, Farris, "Taylor's right! You should head down to the infirmary and see Mars. She's probably gonna wanna make sure everyone is okay... Everyone is, right? Okay? Gosh! What you guys did! I didn't even think about it, till now! How amazing is it... You just saved Winston Churchill's life! Like... the actual Winston Churchill... There's cool and then there's cool, and this is definitely the latter!"

 

[Master Attano]

Jason


"You're right." Jason replied ruefully, staring at Taylor. "She's tougher than me that's for sure." he joked, the concern he sensed in her voice doing little to alleviate his own worries however; frustration flaring as irrational doubts continued to gnaw at him. Why am I so worried? he thought, feigning a smile as Madeline moved to embraced him. She's bloody fine you fool, there's no point in getting your knickers in a twist every time somebody stubs their toe or get's a paper cut.





Staring round the room as Mouse chatted to the group he tried to force himself to listen; mentally slapping himself a couple times, his foot patting the ground with a mind of its own as she went through the same reaction that everyone had experience when they realised they had met Winston Churchill. "It was certainly something special." he said, absent-mindedly. "Fantastic actually, mind boggling- look I'll catch up with you guys later" he said suddenly, head snapping upwards. "My legs need a stretch and I might as well tell Mars we're back, prep her for the invasion of her co-workers and all that."


With that said he took off at a jog out of the control room, waiting until the group was out of sight and just outside the infirmary before slowly to a walk. "God, you're a maniac." he muttered, his Irish accent breaking through strongly. "After this has blown over you're going for a nice long walk." he said, pushing his hair back with one hand. "That or a swim in the river." he finished, a memory of his father tossing him into one of the many rivers back home coming to mind as he hesitantly pushed the door to the infirmary open and stepped inside.


@Elle Joyner

 

[Effervescent]

Edward Rosen


Science Division: St. JudaTadeus - The Historian


He gave a short nod to Galen in agreement. "Anything I can do to help," he said. "Now that we know Marsielle is quite alright we can move our attention to other more pertinent affairs." Edward motioned towards the chamber exit as he made his way towards the door. Everything was in order and as it should be, and he was never one for idle chat or friendly greetings. Taylor and Maddy were always enough of a greeting party to suffice without him. But as he walked past Maddy, he couldn't help but notice the small note of worry that turned her expression somewhat sullen. It was there only until she saw Erik and threw herself into an embrace upon him.


Out of sight, out of mind. Or at least, that's how things like that were usually handled in Edward's mind. For some reason, Maddy's expression lingered. It mirrored his own looming thoughts on how strange the recent events were. Coils don't knock out of alignment like that unless there is a sizable earthquake, to which the present-day team did not experience. He looked back towards Galen as they entered the stairwell.


"If I recall correctly," Edward began thoughtfully, "it takes a considerable amount of force to knock a coil out of alignment. We did not experience any earthquakes, and I highly doubt Marsielle was in there kicking it loose. What other methods would you say could contribute to misalignment?" He paused at a doorway. "Library or coil chamber?"


@Space Cowboy Ein

 

[Elle Joyner]

Marseille Aftwood

Orloj Clocktower, Prague: Present Timeline | Infirmary


Collaboration Part One: With @Master Attano
​

There was nothing worse, really, than lying in a moderately lit room, staring at the ceiling, waiting for information about the fate of the people you loved, when you weren't sure any information would actually come. Absolutely nothing. Mars was not typically impatient, and she was almost never short with her staff, but by the fifth time one of the infirmary technicians had peeked in on her to make sure she was still breathing, she'd snapped at the poor young man and told him the only thing raising her heart rate at the moment was their constant, incessant pestering. She'd apologized, and the man had brushed it off while he checked her vitals, but she didn't feel any better about it after he walked away.


So when the door opened again a short while later, Mars peeked up, half expecting to see another tech, and bit her lip to keep from a scathing remark. Only it wasn't a technician at all. Her face lit up and her lips curved in a simple smile as she shook her head.


"I knew they'd fix it. Thank God. Is everyone alright??"


Jason couldn't help a smile spreading across his face as his eyes fell upon Mars. "Yeah yeah they're fine." he said, running a hand unconsciously through his hair as he approached her bedside. "The old man's still as strong and stubborn as an ox, Galen's still his charming self, Farris is still French," he said with a joking smile, listing on his fingers. "And Erik's still...well his usual Erik self." he laughed, concern crossing his face however as took a good look at Mar's bedridden form.


"I would be lying if I didn't say they're not a little shaken up from perhaps almost getting trapped in the past, but they'll be fine." he said with a shrug, crossing his arms. "The important question is how are you? What happened??" he asked, searching her eyes as if looking for some hidden clue.


Chuckling at his assessment of their team, she shrugged. It was fairly accurate, really, and she was glad, ultimately, to hear that no one was more than a little shaken up. She'd been terrified, for a time, that there would be no hope of getting them back, that she'd failed them...


"Me?" Waving a bandaged hand, Mars shook her head, "I'm fine, Jason. Just... a little too much smoke and some minor burns. All superficial. Honestly, I think they were keeping me here because they were worried I'd pull this place apart to get you guys home." She would have, but that was besides the point, "As for what happened... I wish I knew. Were going to need to investigate, certainly."


"If you're sure..." he replied, looking her over once again before he almost reluctantly relaxed. "and I don't doubt it," he smiled; "They call you Mar's for a reason." he said, winking at her as he dragged a nearby chair over. "Knowing Eddy and the tech gang the investigation's probably finished;" he said with a chuckle, "the problem fixed, recorded, cataloged and cross examined in a million different ways."


"Yeah..." She said with a sly smirk, "Because no one can pronounce Marseille. Except Farris, but that's cheating... given she's French."


He continued, and Mars laughed, "That does sound like Eddy." The smile faded a little as she looked over at him, shaking her head, "Unfortunately, I'm not so sure this was a tech problem... I'm afraid to even put a name to it, but it felt more like sabotage."


"You can't really believe that..." he replied, brows furrowing as the concept rattled through his brain. "I mean, who would do something like that? Who could do something like that?"


Frowning, she shook her head, "I don't want to believe it, but what else could it be...? Any one of us has the means... Why is the real question. And one I intend to find answers to."


"I don't like the idea of starting a witch hunt amongst our own; Salem's proof of how that ends up," he said, a worried frown pulling the smile from his lips. "but if you're sure about this...I'll help how I can. God only knows it couldn't of been me, I wouldn't know how to even turn that machine of let alone break it without making lot of noise." he finished, half a smile creeping back.


Shaking her head, Mars straightened up a little, eyeing the machines she was hooked up to, "You wanna help? Get me out of this infirmary. Honestly... I'm fine. I just want to get back to work and figure all of this out before..." Before what? Before it was too late...


"...I just need to get out of here. Think you can give me a hand?"


"Yes Ma'am." he said, smiling as he jumped from the chair. "I'll deal with these troublesome machines on your behalf, with your permission of course." he joked, rolling up his sleeves as he eyed the medical gear.


Chuckling dryly, she shook her head, "Thanks, Jason... and hand me one of those squares of gauze, would you." Carefully, with a small popping sound, she pulled the IV free from the crook of her elbow, flinching only a little at the pain. With the gauze, she covered the small entry wound.


"Now, then... Where is everyone?"


"Last I saw of them they were gathered in the control room." he said, turning the last of the machines off. "But they might be on their way here by now."


Nodding, she pushed back the covers and swung her legs around to the edge of the small cot. She felt weary, still, but when her toes touched the floor she managed to hold herself upright without too much difficulty, "Let's go. Before the techs show up and tie me down or something."

 

[Master Attano]

Jason


In a collab with: @Elle Joyner


---------------------------------


"I'd like to see them try." he laughed, offering his arm to her.


"Right now? I don't know that I could put up too much of a fight." Smiling faintly, she shook her head and took the proffered arm, "Lead the way."


"Don't sell yourself short." he said, gently leading her towards the door. "One stern look from you could melt anyone's will." he smiled.


Laughing dryly, Mars look over at him, "I'm not sure how to take that, but thanks... I think."


"Ha it's a compliment for sure." he laughed. "My Ma used to say it was a sign of a good strong character if you could win an argument without even saying a word." Pausing before the door, he quickly peeked out, looking up and down the hallway. "Cost's clear!" he whispered, before looking back. "But-ah-do you want to stop by your room first for a change of clothes? As trendy as hospital robes are these days."


"Smart woman, your mother." With the all clear, she stepped out into the hallway, shaking her head with a small wry smirk at his suggestion. It wasn't entirely stylish, and her feet were cold on the tile floor, but in the end there were more important things to focus on, "I can change later. Better we get moving on this right away."


"Yeah..." he said wistfully, quickly pushing away any thoughts or feelings that pushed towards him as he matched her pace, whisking down the corridor. "Well I always wondered if it was possible for someone to look good in hospital gowns," he said, the corners of his lips twitching as he looked straight ahead. "and now I know."


Glancing over at him, Mars rolled her eyes with a smile, "You're shameless, Jason. And full of it. I'm covered in soot, I've broken just above every nail down to the quick, my hands look like I've exchanged them with a mummy and I'm wearing what really barely constitutes as paper. I look like hell..."


"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun..." he said, twirling a hand with false dramatics before he winked with a cheeky smile.


"Oh, get out of here, Shakespeare. You're worse than Galen, sometimes." But she appreciated it. For as terrible as she felt, and not just physically, it helped a little... to laugh through it all.


"Mademoiselle, you wound me!" he said, raising a hand to his chest in mock hurt. "I would never stoop to such lows as that villainous man!" Holding his pose of seriousness for only a moment he quickly let out a laugh, stepping aside to open a door for her as they neared the control room. "Modelling the next fashion trend aside, what do you plan to do once we get to the control room?" he asked, glancing down at her.


"First step is making sure everyone's alright... and then, we're gonna have to sit down and have a nice, long meeting about what on earth happened. Too much went wrong in all the right ways for this to have been an accident, but someone made a mistake somewhere, and we'll find out who. And then we'll find out why."


"Right, sounds like a plan." he said, rubbing the back of his head. The idea of someone knowingly sabotaging the clock tower an altogether unpleasant thought that slithered uncomfortably through his mind. "You might want to take this as well." he said, pulling his brown jacket off and offering it to her.


"Wow." Taking the jacket, Mars slipped it on, shaking her head, "You really have a think against my hospital gown, don't you. I'll have you know they're all the rage in Paris. Thanks. Come on, almost there."


"Call it my 'old world' disposition." he grinned, turning his gaze forward as they stepped out into the control room, the panels, layout of the room and time machine itself bringing back nostalgic memories from the 1900's already. "Lead on my stylish friend." he said, motioning for Mars to take the lead.


Shaking her head, Mars moved to the elevator that would take them up, eventually leading into what was affectionately monikered the 'Waiting Lounge', where those returning from one time period to the current would arrive and await debriefing. Anxiety began to course as she pressed the button to close the elevator doors and her heart gave an uncomfortable thud, wavering a little.


"...Merde..." Leaning back against the wall of the elevator, she closed her eyes for a moment, "...This place, I swear, Jason... It's going to kill me some day."


"Hey," he said, turning to face her fully, concern written across his face. "You're not alone in this." he said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "There's no need to go all Atlas on us and try and carry the world on your shoulders alone. That's what friends are for. Now, let's sort this mess out together so we can have a well earned rest." he said, glancing back at the doors as the bell signaled their arrival at the Waiting Lounge.


"After you." he said, stepping aside to allow Mars to pass before following her out to meet the group once again.

 

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Galen Nicolau


"Agreed...Mars is a tough cookie after all." Galen started out after Edward and took a brief moment to look back over the rest of the crew before exiting to the stairwell. Finally he was able to take a breath of his own and loosen if not just for a little bit. His job was never an easy one. One moment you're flying a floatplane older than your parents, the next you're trying to do investigations into a broken time machine. There was truly no rest for him sometimes, and despite the fact, it gave him a rush unlike any other. To have a challenge and to overcome it through innovation, it's what made him....him. But when the lives of his friends and colleagues were endangered, well things turned much more serious.


Galen look up ahead in the stairwell to Edward and blinked for a moment. He spaced out again. "....Coil chamber. I want to get a good look at it myself." He responded before continuing on through the door and down the hallway to the left. "As for what else caused it, I can't entirely be sure. I'd hate to think someone was able to get into here and personally sabotage it without endangering theirself in the process. At the same time....I'd find it hard to believe that anyone in the room we just exited could have been in on it...and Mars..." Galen paused and shook his head. It was not a thought he was going to entertain. He approached the door to the room slowly and inspected the area around in, no particular signs of destruction. He pushed through into the chamber and started on a full inspection of the room.


After a few minutes he ended at what he assumed to be the afflicted coil casing. A portion of the casing was deformed and he could now get a better idea of what could have happened. Given the burn marks that surrounded the deformation...it was a possibility. "Explosives. Maybe. If it was indeed intentional tampering, it was certainly done with some form of knowledge of how the coils operated. Since we don't have confirmed incidents it would be hard to say for sure but, a full breach in the coil chamber and sever damage would likely cause a great deal of destruction not just limited to the clock tower itself. So if the perpetrator had knowledge of this....they would want to achieve their goal but not without putting themselves or any accomplices in danger. Of course, this is all theory....but it might be our best one.." He looked back to Edward. "Thoughts?"


@Effervescent

 

[Effervescent]

Edward Rosen


Science Division: St. JudaTadeus - The Historian


Knowledge of the clock tower's actual inner workings was limited to past, present, and future Apostles. While considering a linear path within one dimension and one time frame, the number of possible suspects was incredibly small. But Edward was an Apostle, and due to this he knew there was more than just gears and linear progression through time. The list of actual suspects was far grater and near infinite if one were to consider those lost from their alternate timelines. The biggest issue now was not just figuring out who, but how. While their crew was away on mission their present had no activity with the machine in their absence. Sure, Edward was in the library and completely absorbed in his reading and organization, but the whir of the dark matter manipulator and particle accelerator was unmistakable. He would have remembered if someone had traveled in, but even that only eliminates a portion of possibilities. Some of their predecessors were still alive.


And yet every iteration would know the delicate and important nature of their work. It was discovered long ago that they all were meant to travel back in time. Even with the mission Galen just came back from Edward could see the importance. What would have been the outcome had they not been there to carry out the course of their own history? It could be argued that it would never have been the case for it already happened. Edward had often wondered the ramifications of failing to appear in one's own past as intended. It technically shouldn't alter anything, should it? Yet so many other former Apostles had written their concerns in the matter. Most of them agreed that it should not be questioned. Always follow through with a mission set in one's past as soon as it is discovered. Surely the saboteur understood this.


Edward shook his head thoughtfully. "Galen, it doesn't make sense," he said as he stared at the coil chamber. "You have a point, but it doesn't make sense. Knowledge of how this machine works means it is one of our own. From where or when is too great a question. But we all know this machine cannot be tampered with lest we lose the fabric of space and time." He motioned over to the melted casing with one hand. "The way the metal bends does suggest a directed explosion, but it was not enough to cause a considerable amount of damage to the coil. Whoever did this doesn't know what they're doing, but they know how to do it. Desperation?"


He brought his hand to his lower lip and idly ran his index across the soft line. "How can we reinforce the casings so this doesn't happen again?" he asked. "I'll need to do some research into recent historic disasters. Can you think of anything tragic that happened within the past...decade that you believe could have been prevented?" It was a shot in the dark. Literally every point of investigating the matter was a shot in a blackened void. But it was all he, the present Historian, could do. His skills set did not exactly fall into the concepts of bolstering the defenses of a machine. Perhaps the only thing he could do in that matter would be to suggest to Maddy the concept of security. Perhaps it was time to install a few cameras or a couple of trip alarms while larger groups of people were on a mission.


@Space Cowboy Ein

 

[Sunbather]

taylor bajalica


With everyone being caught up in relief and conspiracy alike, an uneasiness was lingering in the room, a feeling a particularly tanned Czech girl could not stand at all. With a part of the group attending to their poor companion down in the infirmary, Taylor felt somewhat out of place, unsure just what to do. Admittedly, even with the drama of a space-time conundrum like decade-traveling strandees, the gossipy mind of the Apostle's Warrior was stuck on what she perceived as romantic tension between dear Maddy and the ever-so proper and untounchable Edward. The laters involvement in such an idea threw her off, even if just a little bit. He never seemed like he'd be one for much shummy business, much less with someone so... drastically less dry... Err... academic, rather. So with all of these newly aquired sights and facettes, Taylor found herself unintentionally following Edward and Galen into the stair case.


After what seemed like an amount of time that fell somewhere inbetween long enough not to cut anyone off but short enough not to be weird, Taylor cleared her throat softly, alerting the two men of her presence. The words didn't quite want to be cooperative today, probably because Edward's deduction made her feel awfully targeted.


"What about Nine-Eleven?"


Lacking the patriotism to find the mere notion of the event distasteful, Taylor sounded clumsily blunt, but her expression and timid posture rescued her from seeming in lack of tact.


"I mean... that was kind of... easily avoidable. But it happened. I-I mean, at least for us, right?"


Rubbing over her arm, she stepped closer to the two men. Taylor had never understood why she was chosen for the role amongst all these sharp or otherwise talented people, while she was what you'd put next to the entry "average" inside your everyday off-brand dictionary. As such, it took her brain some convincing to buy into the possibility that any of her suggestions, ideas or plans were worth a damn.


@Effervescent @Space Cowboy Ein

 

[Elle Joyner]

Marseille Aftwood || Madeline Jenner

Orloj Clocktower, Prague: Present Timeline | Control Room

@Effervescent, @Sunbather, @Master Attano, @Space Cowboy Ein
​

It wasn't surprising, per say, to find the others already at work in the panel, trying to find answers. It was Eddie's way to think... and then to overthink. It was part of what him easily one of the most valuable members of their team. It was also a little exhausting, sometimes. He wanted debriefs immediately upon return, and leaving details out was always frowned upon. Normally, his all work/no play attitude drove Mars and the rest of team a little insane, but in this instance, she was glad to see him so diligent.


Following the others into the room, Mars stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame as she watched Eddie and Galen work, nodding to Taylor and Madeline - who had opted to followed after the former, to avoid being alone. The other three were undoubtedly less interested in the control room disaster and more influenced by the need to shower and sleep - something Mars, who still felt like a smudgy mess of soot and grime, could appreciate. But in the end there were more important matters to discuss and for now, at least, she could handle being uncharacteristically disheveled.


"How's it looking?" She asked.


"Holy crap! Mars!" Maddy exclaimed and Mars smiled faintly at the younger girl's vibrancy, "What are you... You should be in the infirmary still." Madeline's eyes snapped over to Jason and she pointed a finger, making what was probably meant to be a stern expression, but really only looked adorably pouty, "Why isn't she in the infirmary??"


Mars chuckled and shook her head, "I escaped. I assure you, Jason did his best to convince me otherwise, but I am, as I'm sure you're aware, relentlessly stubborn. Now then, what're we looking at, Edward?"