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From: J R D <jrdss@pobox.alaska.net>
Subject: {ASSM} My top ten (tg) #2 (2/14)
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2003 14:10:05 -0400
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-------------------------

DISCLAIMERS

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

This story contains scenes of an erotic and/or controversial nature, 
and is not intended for the perusal of minors.  Further if perusal of 
such material is considered illegal in your area or immoral by your 
religion or personal beliefs, you should likewise bypass this story.

This story remains the property of the author.  Permission is granted 
to download, photocopy, copy and repost so long as any such action 
contains these disclaimers, and no attempt is made to profit from 
this story.

All characters in this story are the creation of the author, and any 
resemblance to real persons, alive or dead, are purely coincidental.

This story may contain aspects of fantastic science or magic.  The 
parameters of what this science/magic can accomplish are completely 
at the discretion of me, the author, and, as such, I make no 
apologies for any rules of "real" physics, chemistry, biology, or 
magic that may be broken within the story.

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

Now onto the fun stuff

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

CHANGE OF POWER pt 2

Laurie and Bronwyn drove up to the college parking lot, not sure what 
to expect.  Jacqui's terror had remained intense for a few minutes, 
before abating slightly, only to return after a few minutes worse 
than ever.  It then went away almost entirely, only to come back 
seconds later.

But the last time was different.  Where before, the terror was that 
of someone fearing for her life, it had been replaced by the terror 
one experiences when, despite being safe, one was at the mercy of 
powerful forces beyond their control.  Like being on a roller coaster.

The two pulled up to the entrance, only to be stopped by a man in an 
orange vest.  "I'm sorry, ladies, but the college campus is closed. 
There's been a large gas spill and we need time to clean it up."

Laurie tried to scan the man's mind, but it was shielded.  Even his 
public mind was shielded against her.  "Excuse me, sir, I was 
expecting to meet my daughter here.  Would she still be here?"

"Nobody here but the clean-up crew.  Sorry.  Maybe she already went home."

"Maybe.  Thanks, anyways."  As the two women drove away, their 
concern over Jacqui caused them to fail to notice a man in a lab coat 
taking inordinate notice of them.

Laurie quested out mentally, trying to locate Jacqui, but something 
was still interfering with their contact.  But then, something 
slammed up between them, like a door being closed.  Laurie could 
still feel that her daughter was, or at least felt personally, safe, 
but couldn't zero in on her.

She turned to Bronwyn, hoping that her friend could sense something 
she couldn't, but could tell by the look on her face that Bronwyn was 
having no such luck.  The two returned home, terrified for the young 
girl.

************

Jacqui rode with her arms around the man's neck, her eyes tightly 
shut, for a while.  Then she felt a strange sensation, and everything 
stopped.  The man said, "We're here.  You can open your eyes."

Jacqui opened one eye, and seeing she was in a room, opened the 
other.  The man set her on her feet.  She was in a small, sparsely 
furnished, economy apartment.  The man asked, "Would you care for 
something to drink?  A soda?  Herbal tea?"

Jacqui started moving towards the door.  "Uhm, no, I think I better get home."

The man went over to the small fridge, saying, "Your choice, but 
you'll only be putting your own family at risk."

Jacqui stopped cold.  "What do you mean?"

"That thing that attacked you tonight.  It's called a H.I.T. Mark, by 
the way.  It's part of a larger organization.  They would not have 
attacked you without identifying you first.  I have no doubt, that, 
having failed, they are now watching your home, waiting for you to 
return.  You go back, they will attack.  They will either kill or 
take hostage anyone else there in an effort to get to you."

"But... why?  Why me?"

"How do I explain this?  My own paradigm explanation probably won't 
be something you can relate to.  Do you know anything about 
computers?"

"A bit."

"Well, think of reality as a huge mainframe, where everyone within it 
has their own terminal.  Now most people are like your average 
computer-phobe.  Barely understand enough to function with what 
they've got.  Content to let the computer tell them what to do, and 
if a problem arises, are totally mystified, and have to wait for 
help."  Jacqui couldn't help but smile.  The man was describing her 
mother in perfect detail.

The man continued.  "Then you've got a few, like those in the 
Sisterhood or Brotherhood, who are capable of a bit more.  Think of 
them as professional computer operators.  They know more about the 
program that is reality.  They also have access to hidden tools that 
most people don't.  Like the control panels or extension files in a 
computer.

"Then there is a rare, rare group.  These people...  Think of them as 
system programmers.  They can go in and change the basic programs 
that run reality.  This is my level of magic.  This is... your level 
of magic."

"Me?  No.  You... You must have the wrong person."  Jacqui started 
edging towards the door.

The man dug in the refrigerator while saying, "Your magic has been 
out of control.  Things that used to be easy now seem impossible to 
accomplish, but what you do accomplish has a strength and power that 
scares even you."

Jacqui froze.  "How...  How did you know?"

"One of the drawbacks.  A human can only walk one path of power.  Now 
that you're on the upper level, the lesser paths are inaccessible." 
He came out of the refrigerator with a couple cans of grape soda.  He 
pointed one to her.  "Sure I can't offer you one?"

Jacqui returned to the center of the room.  He met her half way, and 
gave her the soda.  "So what does it mean?  Being on this upper 
level?"

"It's called Awakening.  It comes from the fact that the lowest level 
act like they walk through life sleepwalking.  First off, all the old 
rules you understood don't apply anymore.  You can heal without 
shielding.  There's no difference between shape shifting and 
Transforming.  For that matter, you could transform yourself to a 
male and back again without losing your power.  The only limits you 
have are your experience, skill and level of spiritual awakening."

Jacqui felt a pang of emotion.  For most of the time, since being 
transformed unwillingly from Jack to Jacqui, she had desired nothing 
more than to go back to being a man.  Even now, when she accepted 
being and actually wanted to remain a girl, this man telling her she 
could have both struck a chord in her.  "So what're the drawbacks?"

"Well, there's the one path rule I mentioned before.  But I'd have to 
say the biggest drawback is Paradox."

"Paradox?  What's that?"

"To continue the computer analogy, think of it as the ultimate 
Conflict Catcher program.  The Sisterhood that you used to be a part 
of uses stuff built into the system to accomplish what they want. 
You're changing the system software.  In order to prevent a crash, 
there's Paradox."

"What does it do?"

"Reality, the system software if you will, is the combined belief of 
what all people in reality think is possible.  When you do something 
that most people think of as impossible, you build up a bit of 
Paradox within you.  Too much Paradox, or you mess up too badly when 
trying to reprogram reality and things start going wrong."

"Like what?"

"Well, I know one man whose left hand is gone, replaced entirely by 
flame when he messed up in controlling the Forces Sphere."

"Forces Sphere?"

"There are 9 defined Spheres of Influence used by a Mage in 
controlling reality.  In alphabetical order, they are Correspondence, 
the Sphere that deals with space and spatial relations; Entropy, the 
sphere of chaos and breakdown; Forces; the Sphere of force and 
energy, everything from sound through light and even gravity can be 
controlled with this sphere; Life, the sphere of biological control; 
Matter, control of physical stuff; Mind, control of mental stuff; 
Prime, control of the basic essence of magic; Spirit, control both of 
spirits, and of the spiritual reality that lays alongside our own; 
and finally Time, control and perception of time itself."

Jacqui thought about what he was saying.  "This Paradox you mention. 
Is there anyway to avoid it?"

"Yes.  There are two basic types of magical effects.  Those that 
blatantly defy the rules of what can be done, called Vulgar magic. 
And magic that just causes the unlikely to occur, called coincidental 
magic.  If you use the latter, you really have to screw up before 
Paradox gets involved."

"Like what?  What's the difference?"

"To give you an example, let's say a man pulls a gun out and shoots 
at you.  If you were to stop the bullet in mid-air, or cause the man 
to suddenly explode in flames before he could pull the trigger, those 
would be vulgar.  But if you were to make the gun jam or throw his 
aim off, or even reduce the effect of the bullet by making it pass 
through your body missing all the vital organs, that would be 
coincidence."

Jacqui thought about it and said, "But none of this explains why 
that, what did you call it, H.I.T. Mark wanted to kill me."

"Killing you was what it would've done if it had no other choice. 
It's first mission was to capture you."

"But why?"

"Another one of those drawbacks.  You see, at our level, there is a 
war going on.  A war for the fate of the human soul.  There are four 
factions.  The largest faction is a group called the Technocracy. 
Their goal is to make all of reality predictable, controllable, and 
definable, so as to make it utterly safe for all of its inhabitants."

"Doesn't sound like too bad a goal."

"There's one problem with it though.  The single most unpredictable, 
uncontrollable, indefinable thing in reality is the human soul."

"But you can't destroy the human soul."

"Can't you?  Tell me, do you know of anyone who just goes through 
life, waking up at exactly the same time, eats breakfast at exactly 
the same time, goes to work at exactly the same time, does the same 
half-assed job every day, comes home, complains to their significant 
other, then goes to sleep, only to wake up and repeat the process all 
over again?  All without doing thing one to change it?!"

Jacqui considered what the man was saying.  Although her mother, 
Bronwyn, and the entire Sisterhood weren't like that, she knew far 
too many who were.  "This sounds like something out of the X-Files."

"It should.  Most of the stories in that show, at least the ones 
along the "shadow government" story arc, are based on real events."

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

"So what about the other factions in this war?  What about you?"

"I am a member of a loosely knit coalition of Mages called, 
collectively, the Traditions.  We represent, I guess you could call 
it, the old ways.  Wizards who follow the old formulaic magics. 
Witches with their life magics.  And ironically, also modern 
technomancers who want technology and information to be free and 
unrestricted, instead of controlled by an elite few.  We want things 
to be a little freer and more individually controlled."

"And the other two factions?"

"The other two, thankfully, minor factions are the Marauders and the 
Nephandi.  The Marauders are... nuts.  Literally insane.  They want a 
return to the days of unrestrained magic and chaos.  They'd like 
nothing better than to have anyone capable of anything, anytime, 
anywhere."

"I guess they have the most problems with Paradox."

"Actually, the exact opposite.  There is something about their 
insanity which makes them immune to Paradox.  They are some of the 
most dangerous opponents you will ever face."

"And the Nephandi?"

"The less said about them the better.  Where the Marauders are the 
madness of pure chaos, the Nephandi are the madness of pure evil. 
Their souls have literally been ripped apart, purged of anything 
good, and put back together again by forces so evil, that to look 
upon them is to risk madness."

"So now I'm a part of this war whether I like it or not?"

"Pretty much.  You could theoretically maintain a neutral position in 
the war, but that takes a certain amount of skill and finesse.  It's 
not an easy road to travel.  The Technocracy will think of you as a 
wild card to either be countered or used for their benefit.  The 
Nephandi will destroy you or recruit you.  Of course, they'll try to 
do that no matter what faction you join.  The Marauders won't care 
one way or the other."

"And the Traditions?"

"The opinions run the gamut.  Some feel that neutral Orphans are just 
cowards too afraid to get into the war.  Others feel that they should 
just be left alone.  But no matter what stance they take, being 
neutral means not having the support of being part of the factions."

"So I've been drafted?"

"Kind of.  You ready to go?"

"Go where?"

"Regardless of what stance you take in the war, you will need a 
certain minimum level of skills.  I currently reside in a place not 
even on this planet where Paradox doesn't hold sway.  There we serve 
two functions.  One is to be an active militant arm for the 
traditions, the other is to be an active training ground for the 
newly Awakened.  It's easier to train a person when you can cast 
reality altering magics without fear of reality kicking you in your 
teeth."

"But... what about my mom?  What about the Sisterhood?"

"What about them?"

"I can't just leave them.  Particularly with what you've told me.  I 
have to warn them."

"That would be bad.  Did you ever see that movie, "Men In Black"?" 
Jacqui nodded.  "Well, it was a good comedy, but a bad representation 
of the real Men in Black.  But there was one part of it that I did 
agree with.  The character K, played by Tommy Lee Jones looks to J 
after he's used blatantly overpowered technology and says, 'There's 
always a death ray, or an intergalactic plague, or something 
threatening to wipe out life as we know it on this planet.  The only 
way these people can get on with their happy lives is if they do. 
not. know about it.'  I know the Sisterhood.  You tell them about 
this and they'll try to do something about it.  And they'll fail."

"Is the Technocracy really that powerful?"

"Individually, no.  The Sisterhood could probably take on a small 
group, easily.  But the Technocracy is not a small group.  The 
Technocracy ignores the lesser paths because they're just not worth 
expending the energy to eliminate.  But if your Sisterhood makes 
themselves a viable threat, they'll get stomped like a bug."

"I don't think they'll find it that easy."

"Really?  The Technocracy may define all their magic in terms of 
technology, but anything you have read in any science fiction novel, 
except for the most fantastic, they can do.  You use a mind-reading 
spell, they use a telepathic scanner.  You use mind control, they use 
advanced brain-washing.  You use the Transformation spell, they use a 
'genetic realignment virus.'  And if they ever find out that the 
women of the Sisterhood lose their powers if they become men, one 
genetic virus later, phhht, no more Sisterhood.  One less lesser path 
to worry about."

"You keep calling them that.  Why 'lesser path?'"

"I suppose it is a little arrogant.  But believe me, it's one of the 
less derogatory terms.  Most of my peers refer to them as Hedge 
Wizards, and you will hear the sneer in most of their voices when 
they say it.  But it's a reflection of power levels and abilities. 
One of our level, trained, has the power of four or five of those of 
your previous group."

"Previous group?"

"I suppose technically you're still on their rosters as one of them, 
but you no longer wield the power of the Goddess.  You wield a power 
completely of your own.  Short of its utter decimation, it can't be 
taken from you.  And in case you haven't figured it out yet, your 
power will not suffer one bit from killing.  Whether your conscience 
will is another matter entirely.  Now are you ready to go?"

"But... my mom?"

"Look, I can't make you come with me.  Well, I could, but I'm not 
going to.  But I've told you your options.  You contact your mother, 
call her on the phone, even contact her telepathically, and you might 
as well sign the death warrant.  Now, as long as your mother doesn't 
try anything stupid, she'll probably be safe."

"Probably?  You mean they might do something anyways?"

The man shrugged.  "Anything's possible."

Jacqui was quickly growing frantic.  It seemed she had an option of 
doing nothing and putting her mom at risk, or doing something and 
ensuring her death.  Then she said, "You.  You could protect her, 
watch over her."

"Could, but why would I want to?"

"Please."

The man got up and walked towards the fridge.  "I'm a busy man, Miss 
Donovan.  I don't have time to cater to every apprentice's worries."

"But what if it were your mom?"

The man froze and tensed up.  With obvious tension in his voice, he 
said, "I'd like to think I'd protect her anyways, but far too much of 
me wants to say I'd leave her to her fate, no matter how bad it is." 
Jacqui could hear the pain in his voice and every healer's urge she 
had wanted to help him, but didn't know how.

Finally, the man relaxed, sighed, and said, "Alright, I'll do it." 
He then turned to Jacqui, and said, "But I do it on my terms.  MY 
way."

"But what is your way?"

"Close your eyes and open your mind."

Jacqui did as she was told, and felt mental probes scanning her mind. 
After he was finished, Jacqui heard a strangely familiar voice say, 
"Okay, done."  When Jacqui opened her eyes, she saw a face she had 
not seen in a very, very long time.
-- 
"This is reality, not T.V.  Can't you tell the difference?"
"Sure, I just like T.V. better."

jrdss@alaska.net
ICQ#37222294
J R D

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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