The Rats' Revenge: Part I
An adventure for In Nomine
by Jo Ramsay
Overview
This In Nomine scenario is designed for a group of angelic PCs. The first part is based on Earth, and could be in any city. Characters are asked to investigate a nasty locked room murder, which was indirectly caused by a missing ethereal envoy. A Renegade Shedite of Nightmares is also hiding in a local mental institution, closely followed by the demons from Hell's secret police who are hunting it. Ethereal envoys are here too, searching for the faerie rat and its all-important message -- a message that could provoke a war between two of the most powerful Demon Princes in Hell.
Scenario Layout
This write-up has been divided into two sections. In this part, the plot hook is introduced, as are the main locations PCs will check out while investigating, with the NPCs they find there. The plot hook involves two scenes that are effectively fixed, and then the investigation becomes free-ranging, depending on what PCs want to do.
In the second part, the mystery is explained and the final piece of the investigation on Earth is put into place. Superiors' reactions (whether PCs find the missing message or not) lead to a desperate trek into the Far Marches . . .
Part I: Peace on Earth
Scene 1: "I Suppose You're Wondering Why I Called You All Here Today ... "
Purpose: PCs are briefed, and introduced to their celestial contact (Luria; stats follow scene).
Characters are called shortly after dawn by one of their usual celestial contacts (or a local Seneschal if they are new to the area) and invited to a local cafe. The tone of the invitation is unmistakably urgent. When they arrive, their contact is sitting stiffly at a quiet table with a full cup of coffee in front of him, accompanied by a tall Indian man who PCs do not recognize. As they sit down, the Indian is introduced as Dr. Lal, the mortal vessel of Luria -- a Seraph of Judgment. The soft-voiced Seraph asks each character in turn for personal details (name, Role, local address, and whether they are currently dissonant or Discordant), but shows no interest in the answers unless anyone attempts to lie to him. With no more ado, the PCs' contact clears his throat and begins the briefing.
Two days ago, a loud disturbance in the Symphony was heard coming from a run-down area on the outskirts of town. It was reported on a CB radio in code phrases by an itinerant Ofanite of the Wind as she was on her way out of town at high speed, and it has taken local angels this much time to locate someone who could decipher the code. The time and place of the disturbance match closely with an unusual murder case that police are currently investigating. PCs are given the name of Alex Constantinides, a Soldier of Stone who is a junior detective in the local police force, and asked to get the details of the case from him before going to check out the murder location. They should be looking for any signs of celestial involvement, and reporting back daily to the Seraph, who will base himself at a local Tether.
If any unfortunate individual attempts to eat or drink anything during the briefing, Luria warns him coolly of the dangers to angels of being tempted by corporeal pleasures of the flesh (such as over-brewed coffee and rock hard muffins).
LURIA
Seraph of Judgment
Corporeal Forces - 3
Strength 7
Agility 5
Ethereal Forces - 3
Intelligence 9
Precision 3
Celestial Forces - 4
Will 8
Perception 8
Vessel: Male/3
Role: "Dr. Deepak Lal," Pathologist/4, Status/3
Skills: Dodge/1, Medicine/3, Move Silently/1, Tactics/2, Knowledge (Cryptography/4, Criminology/5)
Songs: Acid/3, Charm (Celestial/3), Healing (Corporeal/4, Ethereal/3)
Attunements: Seraph of Judgment
Luria dislikes the corporeal realm, preferring the rarified atmosphere of Heaven where he can serve God without getting his wings dirty. His last trip to Earth was in the late 1880s, and he isn't terribly pleased about being back now. Signs of unangelic behavior in angels worry him, and he will inform culprits of their misdemeanors in exacting detail. He is also a dreadful snob and considers interacting with anything corporeal to be a lowering of his personal standards.
However much he hates this job, Luria would rather walk over broken glass than disappoint his terrifying Superior. If he is asked to help interrogate any NPCs, using his resonance to determine whether they are speaking the truth, PCs will have to collect him. He isn't up to speed with such modern devices as cars or telephones, which is why he requested the modern angels to do his leg work.
Scene 2: "You Say We Have Mutual Friends in High Places?"
Purpose: PCs get the low down on the murder, and leads into two locations: the murder scene (Paradise Towers) and the mental hospital (Pleasant Meadow.) Also leads to suspects/witnesses -- Ivy (see Pleasant Meadow, below) and Lucy/Amy (see Part II).
At the police station, Alex Constantinides is expecting a visit from some angels but has not been given their names or descriptions. Once PCs have convinced him of their credentials, he gives them as much help as he can. The murder occurred in a basement apartment of Paradise Towers, an aging tenement block in a run-down part of town. A man, identified as "Eddie Jackson," was killed two nights ago, at midnight. The man was killed in his bed, although the bedroom door was bolted shut from the inside when he was found. The body was found in a ruined state, as if all of the fleshy parts had been gnawed away. Even stranger, the body was tied securely to the bed at the wrists and ankles with different cables. Death was due to extreme trauma -- although a pillow was found over the corpse's face, he was mutilated while still alive . . .
When police broke the bedroom door down, they found the dead man's wife, Ivy, tied to the bed next to the body, unharmed. She was splattered with blood and gore, and (unsurprisingly) unable to give a coherent statement. She has been admitted to Pleasant Meadow, a local mental hospital, where her current state is said to be "not great." Alex can arrange for characters to see her, if they wish.
One other thing the policeman can tell PCs is that the Jacksons were a family with problems. Eddie owed money to various creditors, and had been in trouble previously for beating his two daughters, Lucy (8) and Amy (3). In fact, the social services had taken the girls into care less than a week ago and they are currently in a childrens' home. Constantinides passes the PCs a large envelope with pictures of the murder scene inside it. They show Eddie's gnawed remains, as described. The detective also explains that there is going to be a press briefing at noon, so it would be a good idea if they went over to the tenement before reporters get hold of the story. He is glad to have celestial backup, and strongly suspects supernatural involvement in this case.
Running an Investigation in In Nomine
In Nomine poses a challenge to GMs who wish to run investigative scenarios. Angelic PCs have abilities that let them easily extract information from NPCs, often without needing to ask any questions. Demonic PCs are just as likely to make up a good solution and then use their own abilities to force the NPCs into line. NPCs won't get away with telling lies or any other kind of deceit, if there is a Seraph in the party. Double crosses can't be assumed to work, and even the souls of the dead can be interrogated if they wound up in the celestial realm that the PCs call home.
Investigations work best when PCs are given free range to use their abilities. Assume they will get to the bottom of any investigation quickly, and balance the scenario out by letting it be insufficient to merely discover the truth. Angels and demons should always have to act on the information they receive. Angels should be motivated to do the Right Thing, and demons to do the Wrong Thing. There should be a constant tension between the miraculous superpowers that the PCs have, and the need to avoid making disturbance that would draw the attention of the Other Side.
Paradise Towers Tenement Block -- The Murder Scene
Interesting facts: Paradise Towers is a micro-tether into the Far Marches, a place where very small ethereals (in terms of Forces) can sneak through into the corporeal realm. This is not automatically detectable by celestials. The murder was committed by ethereal faerie rats (see Part II).
Purpose: PCs may find clues pointing to the rats not being what they seem. Also pointers to the school and pest control.
NPCs here: Characters will meet John de Groote (stats follow Paradise Towers), the Fortean investigator. They may also encounter Reed, a faerie noble who has been sent to Earth with a posse of ethereal Hobgoblin troublemakers (stats follow Paradise Towers) to track down a missing faerie rat messenger.
Description of surrounding area: The area is run down, and the air is thick with heat, dust, and the frustration of the poverty trap. The Paradise Towers tenement is a redbrick with high ceilings and thick walls. It was built in the Victorian era, and then renovated in the 1950s. Graffiti covers the brickwork, a mixture of declarations of love, misspelled political slogans, and anarchy symbols. There are also a couple of slogans in the lobby, sprayed on by hobgoblins, that read "Die, motherf**** mortals!" and "Beleth sucks!"
What local human residents know: Many have been tortured in their nightmares by playful hobgoblins. They may remember having vivid dreams (not nightmares) about rats since living in the tenement block.
The Jackson's Basement Apartment: The basement apartment can be reached by creaking elevator or creaking stairs. Examination of the lock shows scratch marks around the barrel, as if it had been picked. The police have already searched the apartment, and taken the sheets from the main bed as evidence.
Junk mail on the doormat includes final demands, an invoice from Kill-Em-All pest control, and an invitation to Mrs. Ivy Jackson to attend a parents' evening at a local school (see: following the trail). One bedroom (the girls' room) has bolts on the outside but is bare inside apart from two beds, a wardrobe, and an empty hamster cage. The main bedroom is a mess, and there is a bolt on the inside of the door. If PCs head for the apartment directly after speaking to the policeman, they will find de Groote (see below) checking over his equipment in here.
Faeries on the way out: Four mean-eyed black cats watch PCs as they leave the tenement. If characters have made any disturbance or shown interest in the hobgoblin graffiti, the creatures (four hobgoblins in feline vessels) will trail them. The hobgoblins scare their victims with illusions, and then attack as a group. If badly injured they will try to flee. Reed himself may show up to find out what his charges have been getting up to. In any case, he will be at Paradise Towers that night to interrogate faerie rats.
<sniff> I smell a rat! The faerie rats will not make themselves known until after dusk. One by one, they slip into the apartment in search of interesting cables, or toys to mend. PCs who wait up in search of rats may see or catch one of the creatures during the night. They are identical to normal rats, except for the cream colored fur with red-tinged muzzle (stats in Part II.) If interrogated, they are gentle and playful, but not clever. They all remember taking revenge on the Jacksons because one of their number summoned the rest.
JOHN DE GROOTE
Human Fortean Investigator
Corporeal Forces - 1
Strength 2
Agility 2
Ethereal Forces - 2
Intelligence 5
Precision 3
Celestial Forces - 2
Will 4
Perception 4
Skills: Computer Operation/4, Drive/1, Escape/1, Fast Talk/2, Knowledge (Occult/4), Lockpicking/3, Move Silently/1
De Groote made enough money from dabbling in real estate to be able to retire at the age of 35 and devote all his time to his true interest, investigating strange parapsychic phenomena. He has made a name for himself in the parapsychic community and is a popular speaker at Fortean Conventions, where he discusses ghosts and spirits, and the results of his investigations.
One of the policemen in the local precinct shares an interest in psychic phenomena, and called de Groote after the body was recovered from Paradise Towers to ask his opinion. The investigator immediately packed up, and arrived the next day. He intends to see whether the murder location is haunted, so set up special camera equipment to be left running overnight.
When the investigator returned to check the results, he found that some cables were missing. He intends to get to the bottom of this, if nothing else. John is very confident, freely offering his advice and opinions on every subject under the sun. He believes that the spirit of his dead sister watches over him and that ghosts often intercede in the mortal world. Although he is a man of science, he would love to prove the existence of the supernatural beyond any shadow of a doubt.
If other obviously supernatural events happen in the town, de Groote will be on the spot quickly, claiming to be an noted expert, and demanding that everyone lets him through. His contact in the police keeps him posted.
REED
Faerie Noble (Seelie)
Corporeal Forces - 2
Strength 3
Agility 5
Ethereal Forces - 3
Intelligence 6
Precision 6
Celestial Forces - 2
Will 4
Perception 4
Vessel: Male/2 (Charisma +3)
Role: "Reed," Freelance Journalist)/2, Status/2
Skills: Artistry/3 (Dancing), Drive/4 (fast bikes), Dodge/2, Fast Talk/5, Large Weapon/3 (Sword), Seduction/4
Songs: Dreams (Corporeal/2, Celestial/2), Healing (Ethereal/4), Light (Ethereal/4)
Reed has been sent to Earth to find the missing faerie rat quickly, before either Heaven or Hell have a chance to intercept it. He is the sole NPC who knows of the missing message, and its topic. He was sent as tribute to Beleth from the Seelie Court after a failed assassination attempt on the Seelie Queen, and slavery has soured his once carefree disposition. A pack of hobgoblins was also assigned to help with the hunt, and Reed is nominally in charge of them. Two have not yet reported back (they have been captured by Sedek, and are being held at the mental hospital). He cares nothing for humanity except for the Essence he can win from them through charm and seduction. He does make exceptions for those who do him favors, and falls in and out of love as easily and randomly as most people switch TV channels.
Reed affects biking leathers and a witty manner, and rides a yellow Ducati that he refers to as "my noble steed." He wants to avoid running into either angels or demons (but mostly demons), and for the hobgoblins to just behave.
HOBGOBLINS
Ethereal spirits
Corporeal Forces - 1
Strength 2
Agility 2
Ethereal Forces - 2
Intelligence 3
Precision 5
Celestial Forces - 2
Will 3
Perception 5
Vessel(s): Various. Some have animal vessels (cats, dogs, pigeons) and others have human vessels.
Skills: Dodge/2, Fighting/3, Move Silently/3, Small Weapon/2 (Knife)
Songs: Fangs/3, Dreams (Corporeal/4, Celestial/2), Light (Ethereal/3)
Thirteen hobgoblins were sent to help Reed track down the missing rat. They have notified the faerie noble of ethereal activity in Paradise Towers, and four of them (in cat vessels) are staking the tenement out. A few more are amusing themselves by terrifying and interrogating the dreamscapes of hapless local residents. No rats have yet been caught.
Other hobgoblins are investigating other disturbances, or have wandered off to intimidate random mortals. They are too stupid to be quiet on Earth or in the Near Marches, which is how Sedek surprised and captured two of them.
Hobgoblins play with their human prey and stalk victims, preferring vulnerable types such as children, old people, and teens with overactive imaginations. They also enjoy watching slasher flicks en masse, cheering as each victim is gutted on screen.
Following the Trail
Kill-Em-All pest control: The company has been called out to Paradise Towers several times over the last ten years. No rats have ever been found or destroyed. They went to the Jacksons' apartment recently to lay down poison, with the usual non-result. The pest control operative knows that Mrs. Jackson was paranoid about rats, and claimed that she could hear them scrabbling in the walls at night.
Local School: Teachers at the local school remember Lucy Jackson as an intense, introverted child. Her class teacher is a believer in "letting children work out their own problems," and was stunned to hear that the Jackson girls had been taken into care. Lucy had very few close friends, but the girls she hung out with know about her new pet rat (see Part II), if PCs go to look for them. They also know she hated her father.
Pleasant Meadow Mental Hospital
Interesting Facts: The hospital is a base of operations for Beleth's demons in the area. Under Sedek's influence, it is becoming a place of living nightmares for patients and staff.
Purpose: PCs meet Ivy, getting more pointers towards the girls and rats. They may discover Sedek and fight him, or become involved in Jasper & Djon's hunt for the missing Shedite.
NPCs here: Sedek, the Calabite of nightmares, who has two hobgoblins tied up in his private chamber. Jasper and Djon, the heavy-handed demonic inquisitors who are searching for Beautiful Scream Vexation, a Shedite who has fled Hell for what she fondly thinks of as love.
Description: Pleasant Meadow is a specialist psychiatric hospital. Tall brick walls topped with broken glass surround the institution and signs warn visitors to stay within marked areas and to turn off mobile phones. The hospital has three main wings. The first wing, where the reception is located, is for outpatients. The second wing is for residential patients, and the third wing is a secure area, for residential patients with violent or antisocial tendencies.
Doctors and consultants have offices on the second floor of the outpatients' wing, and the two kidnapped hobgoblins are being kept in the secure wing.
The hospital is an uncomfortable place. Since Sedek took up residence, it has become violent and depressing. Suicides among patients have increased, and they are all nervous of the staff. Drug use is widespread, and rumors of rapes and beatings inflicted on patients are rife. Incidences of patient assaults on staff have increased also. Also, many people have suffered violent nightmares, an inevitable result of two Demons of Nightmares being in the institution.
Meeting Ivy
If Alex (the policeman) has made arrangements, the receptionist shows PCs to the residential wing and introduces them to a burly staff nurse who takes them to Ivy Jackson's room.
Ivy is doped up to the eyeballs when PCs see her. She sits on the end of a bed, hugging herself and swaying. If encouraged to think back to the night of the murder, she talks about rats. She claims that she can hear them here too sometimes, scrabbling between the walls. Eventually she bursts into tears.
The nurse who escorts PCs into the room knows that Dr. Foster forced Ivy to handle a rat when she was admitted to the hospital. She wouldn't stop screaming, so they sedated her. Ivy has little to say about her daughters, except to burst into wailing, pained tears if the subject is raised.
Other Encounters
- Jasper and Djon have been staking the building out in search of their Renegade Shedite. If they encounter PCs acting in a suspicious manner, they will harass them relentlessly.
- PCs may encounter Beautiful Scream (the Renegade Shedite), either in a staff or patient host. In either case, she attempts to drive her hosts to damnation and impress Sedek by her dedication to the cause.
- Reed is trying to fast-talk his way in, to talk with Ivy. If Sedek notices him first, the faerie noble may find himself on his way to the torture chamber . . .
Other NPCs at Pleasant Meadow
(a sample of staff and patients at the hospital)Patients
Benny is a hulking giant of a man who is now in the high security wing of the hospital. He has a sweet smile, and an infantile, psychotic mind. Benny is subject to brief bouts of uncontrollable rage and violence. He is terrified of Sedek and cowers in a corner at the sound of Dr. Foster's name.
Annalise wanders around the in-patients wing of the hospital, leaning on a stick. She accosts visitors and accuses them of being part of the conspiracy. She mutters dire warnings about medical misconduct, rapes, and beatings, and the doctor's secret torture chamber in the high security wing. If a nurse is called to take her back to her ward, Annalise shrieks, flails around, and claims that she is being persecuted because she knows about The Plan.
Sarah is a friendly old lady who attends out-patients clinics. She listens with interest to anyone's personal problems, but occasionally lapses into long silent fugues where she stares blindly into the middle distance. If anyone asks her a question, she politely informs them that she will have to consult the Rabbi. The rabbi, she explains, is very wise but difficult to contact . . . because he is dead and buried in her local graveyard.
Staff
Maria is a big psychiatric nurse. Her English is broken, and she takes out her frustration on the patients when they don't understand her. She is always polite to visitors though -- Dr. Foster says that is important, and she is in terrified awe of him.
Terri, one of the senior nurses on the non-secure wing, is a small woman who is very conscientious about her charges. She has recently returned from holiday and is startled by the increasing rumors of brutality on the wards.
Dr. Arran, one of the junior psychiatrists, enjoys the feeling of superiority he has over his patients, and is quick to dole out medication that will make his life easier by keeping the patients quiet. He is also not above administering date-rape drugs to patients or staff and taking full advantage of them. He lies like a rug if asked difficult questions.
SEDEK
Calabite Captain of Nightmares
Corporeal Forces - 3
Strength 7
Agility 5
Ethereal Forces - 4
Intelligence 8
Precision 8
Celestial Forces - 4
Will 10
Perception 6
Vessel: Male/3
Role: "Mr. Steven Foster," Senior Consultant at Pleasant Meadow/4, Status/4
Skills: Detect Lie/1, Dodge/3, Emote/1, Fast Talk/4, Fighting/4, Knowledge/5 (Psychiatry), Large Weapon/4 (Axe), Medicine/3
Songs: Dreams (All/4), Entropy (Ethereal/5), Shields (Corporeal/3, Celestial/3)
Discord: Phlegm/3 (This is a Corporeal Discord, described below)
Attunements: Calabite of Nightmares, Dreamwalking, Captain of Headhaunters
The demon in his mortal form is a small man who wears old, stained raincoats and faded sneakers. His particular Discord takes the form of constant retching into a seemingly endless supply of tissues. He explains this to mortals as the result of a former 50-a-day smoking habit. He has an oily, ingratiating manner and rubs his hands together when he is excited.
Sedek is a Destroyer, and he loves to destroy people's self-confidence and sanity. He is an expert in psychological torture, but is not averse to experimenting with physical torture if he gets the chance. If he gets nervous, his first instinct is to attack whoever is threatening him. He will initially try to do this with psychological attacks, playing on the other party's weaknesses and fears.
Sedek currently has no idea that Beautiful Scream (the Renegade Shedite) is on Earth, much less that she is in his hospital. However, he dislikes the Asmodeans enough that he will help her to avoid them if she does make herself known.
He has noticed an increase in ethereal activity in the town over the last couple of days. In fact, he captured a couple of hobgoblins a night ago, and has imprisoned them in a secure room in the hospital. He knows they had no permission to be on Earth, and is planning to amuse himself by torturing the creatures to death slowly. If he knew about the faerie rats, his approach would be to bite their heads off, spitting the pieces out while the little whiskers were still twitching. He has not yet had time to talk to Ivy; torturing hobgoblins can eat up so much of a demon's time ...
BEAUTIFUL SCREAM VEXATION (BSV)
Renegade Shedite of Nightmares
Corporeal Forces - 1
Strength 2
Agility 2
Ethereal Forces - 2
Intelligence 4
Precision 4
Celestial Forces - 4
Will 11
Perception 5
Skills: Acrobatics/2, Dodge/3, Lying/3, Running/1
Songs: Dreams (All/4)
Attunements: Shedite of Nightmares
Dissonance: 2 notes
Beautiful Scream is a young Shedite who is absolutely not authorized to be on Earth. The breaking point came for BSV when she was playing an innocent demonic childhood game of "freak out the dreamer" and was ambushed by Malakim of Blandine inside a dreamscape. The angels grabbed one tentacle apiece and dragged her away for a fatal beating. She screamed but no aid came . . . until a black-browed Calabite with murder in his eyes surprised her tormentors. His name was Sedek, and he was hunting ethereals, and because he was the first demon BSV had ever met who didn't abuse her horribly, she fell utterly in love.
She has since sneaked down a Tether and came to the mental hospital to be with her beloved. She began her campaign to claim his attention by possessing local mortals and driving them slowly insane -- insane enough to be admitted into Pleasant Meadow. The next stage is to prove her love for Sedek by helping him to turn the hospital into Hell on Earth. She does this by possessing either a patient or staff member, and riding them into violent self-destructive oblivion, but never in a way that would directly attach any blame to the object of her affections. Maybe one day she will actually dare to introduce herself to him properly.
BSV has two notes of dissonance, incurred through her inexperience in corrupting mortals. Technically she is a Renegade, but Beautiful Scream is not trying to run away from Hell. She may have a hard time explaining this to the demons of the Game who are hot on her tail.
JASPER
Balseraph of the Game
Corporeal Forces - 3
Strength 6
Agility 6
Ethereal Forces - 2
Intelligence 3
Precision 6
Celestial Forces - 4
Will 10
Perception 6
Vessel: Male (mid-thirties)/4 (Charisma +1)
Role: "Jasper James," FBI Agent/4, Status/3
Skills: Drive/3, Emote/3, Fast Talk/3, Ranged Weapon/4 (Pistol), Wave Gun Around in an Intimidating Manner/5 (based on Will, default -1)
Songs: Charm (Corporeal/4), Possession/3
Artefact: Unholy Pistol (6 bullets)
Attunements: Balseraph of the Game
Jasper and Djon are partners, sent to the area to investigate rumors of a Renegade of Nightmares. This is unfortunate for all other demons in the area, particularly Sedek. The pair began to investigate the strange murder in Paradise Towers, but as soon as they found out that Pleasant Meadow was involved, they concentrated their investigation there instead. The Calabite is co-operating, but has made it clear he resents their presence and that his Mistress will be disappointed if his work is interrupted.
Jasper is an ambitious type. This is his second tour of Earth duty, and he is genuinely enthusiastic about the advantages that devotion to the Lords of the Pit can bring to both celestial and mortal. In short, he is a thorough "company man." Jasper uses the authority of his FBI Role to steamroller the local police, which does not endear him to them. If the pair encounter PCs, Jasper waxes lyrical about why Hell is morally superior to Heaven. He also attempts to persuade PCs that it is in their best interests to help search for the suspected Renegade.
DJON
Djinn of the Game
Corporeal Forces - 3
Strength 6
Agility 6
Ethereal Forces - 4
Intelligence 8
Precision 8
Celestial Forces - 4
Will 8
Perception 9
Vessels: Male /5 (Charisma -1), Female (mid-twenties)/2
Role: "Jane Segawa," FBI Agent/3, Status/3
Skills: Artistry/3 (Opera), Detect Lie/1, Dodge/3, Emote/2, Fighting/5, Move Silently/4, Small Weapon/3 (Knife)
Songs: Attraction (Ethereal/5), Claws/3, Thunder/4
Attunements: Djinn of the Game, Dissonance Binding
Djon is an old hand at identifying and capturing demons that fail in their duty. The work has taken its toll on him, and left him a sulking, paranoid demon who is convinced that the world is out to get him personally. He currently has two vessels -- a young black female with buck teeth, and a hulking white male vessel with multiple tattoos that he uses for wet work. He likes to listen to grand opera, which will be playing loudly on the stereo of the pair's car if PCs encounter it.
As Jane Segawa, the demon pouts sulkily and lets her partner do most of the talking. Djon prefers to correct Jasper in private if he does anything particularly stupid, but has been known to slap him across the face and storm off if provoked. When confronting the enemy, it is Djon who will hiss, "Stop jabbering and shoot them, you idiot!"
Centuries of experience and a general dislike of Calabim have convinced him that the Renegade exists, is in league with Sedek, and is hiding out at Pleasant Meadow. All he has to do is find the creature, and nail the damned Destroyer for collaboration with intent!
* * *
(Check out next week's issue for Part II.)
Article publication date: November 9, 2001
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