BURIED ALIVE :O || sarafine

[Khan Noonien Singh]

The city of Metropolis was as bustling a ever. Well-dressed men and women shifted around each other, some nervously checking their watches in the hopes that their cab would come quick enough to get them to work on time, others simply going about their way, hoping to see Metropolis' own Man of Steel. In one moment, a loud, drawn-out cracking noise could be heard in one particular street as a pitch black, swirling rift in the universe itself opened. The awestruck citizens turned to stare, their eyes looking right into the rift just in time to see a man emerge, his clothing and skin spotted with flecks of ice. The man's half-frozen body fell from the rift, which closed as quickly as it opened. In it's wake, the rift left Khan in the middle of a crowded street, with all eyes on him... and, from the looks of it, he was unconscious.

Khan stirred, his eye beginning to open and his body beginning to function as usual. The process of waking from a cold-induced coma was never a pleasant one, in Khan's past experience. The augment slowly got to his feet, brushing the icy residue off of his skin and clothes as he rose. Totally ignoring the bystanders' stares, Khan strode through the crowd and, eventually, made his way past the whole group. By that point, many of the citizens, some of which had already seen this sort of rift a few times by now, simply went on their way. Others lingered, still watching as Khan navigated his way through Metropolis' streets. He was, of course, highly confused. The technology present was primitive, even for the time before he froze himself... it soon dawned on him that he had no idea what time period he was in.

As he turned a corner, Khan spotted a blue, metallic container. Inside of the container were newspapers. Surely those would be able to give him the year. Khan made his way towards the container and... stopped, as soon as he saw the number. His eyes narrowed and his enhanced mind began to ponder all the many possibilities. Perhaps this was his prison - Starfleet had access to certain technologies that could force him to see things that weren't there or, worse yet, invade his mind and place him in a world of it's making. But, he doubted the truth of either of these things. Starfleet wanted him frozen, not placed in some sort of fantasy land. So, then... why was he there? He recalled some of the citizens whispering about "rifts" as he passed through the crowd. Needless to say, he was familiar with the term. Could, perhaps, he have been taken to another universe by pure accident? It seemed possible... yet, at the same time, implausible.

[Sarafine Duchannes]

What was really interesting about Metropolis was that the entire city was protected by a supposed superhero - a man people tended to worship even though he wasn't human. It really was amusing, Sarafine thought, how there was such a fine line between these Mortals thinking positively or negatively of anyone who happened to be different. As long as you committed tremendous feats of courage and selflessness, as long as you protected everyone from every threat that rose up, as long as you devoted your entire life to fulfilling people's expectations - you were called a 'superhero'. Anything less than that, and you were just labeled a 'freak'. She was certain, that if Casters emerged into society, they would not be given the welcome that this...Superman had.

Not that it mattered! Sulking about it certainly did no good, nor did it provoke her fellow Casters into taking action. No, most of the rest of them seemed to be content to spend the rest of their lives hiding. At least Abraham understood her cause - or, well, it was his cause, really. He'd been the one to introduce her to it. But with things being as they were, they couldn't take action on a larger scale, not yet. With all these rifts opening up into this world, there was no telling what unforeseen...obstacles they might come across. But Sarafine really was a glass-half-full kinda girl, and she liked to think this was an excellent opportunity to seek out allies as well as keep an eye out for problems. As a Cataclyst, she was more in tune with the natural world than most, and had been using her abilities to track rift energy as it manifested - scope out the new arrivals, so to speak. Today, Metropolis was thick with it, and it hadn't been long before she'd found the source.

The man who had fallen through the rift was...interesting. For one thing, he hadn't come through conscious, which set him apart from most of the people Sarafine had encountered thus far. In fact, he looked half frozen...and yet after only a few moments, he began to stir, and even regained enough strength to move to his feet. All of this certainly suggested he was a bit more than human - and therefore, worth her time. She didn't seem too out of place at the moment, as most of the assembled crowd was staring at the man anyway - but it didn't matter, as he didn't seem to be paying them much mind. Not taking her eyes off him, she followed him like a silent shadow as he made his way through the city streets, evidently trying to regain his bearings. If he was stunned at this new development, he didn't show it. His demeanor was impressively calm even as he caught sight of the date at a newspaper stand. Sarafine tilted her head a little to one side, gauging his reaction carefully. Very interesting indeed.

Well! The quickest way to find out more, at this point, was to simply approach him. Heading to his side, she flashed the man a bright smile. "Excuse me - I couldn't help but notice you look a little lost." she commented, voice tinged with her honey-sweet Southern charm. Of course, that was contrasted, as it always was, by her rather otherworldly golden eyes - but if this man was truly more than he appeared to be, perhaps he wouldn't be as unnerved by them as Mortals typically were. "You just came through the rifts, right?" Sarafine raised her eyebrows a little, a rather casual gesture that suggested this was not at all uncommon. People who found themselves in new places weren't often feeling the most trustworthy - but they typically weren't keen to pass up a friendly face when they needed information, either.

[Khan Noonien Singh]

As with all mysteries, this strange date had a surprisingly simple answer - it only took a moment of thought for Khan to realize that there was no other answer than an alternate dimensions. The concept was not unheard of, in fact Starfleet had likely already delved into the concept. Khan was not totally familiar with Starfleet's workings, so he couldn't be sure. On the other hand, there was the issue of time period. If a rift could take one through universe, why couldn't it take them through time as well? Khan would need to be sure... and a potential source of information was approaching fast. A seemingly unassuming woman was approaching him. Khan quickly decided to question her on the matter. Judging from the crowd's reaction, these "rifts" were nothing less than common knowledge.

Although the woman's voice was calm and friendly, Khan couldn't help but think there was some ulterior motive here. The augment had used the same tactic before, and for good reason. Feigning kindness was the easiest way to earn someone's trust. The woman's eyes were also a point of interest - they were golden and somewhat reminiscent of a burning flame. Her intent was clear in those eyes, which possessed something of a fearsome, powerful quality that made even Khan somewhat nervous of her presence - not that it showed in his ever-calm demeanor. He had never seen anything like those eyes... but, he couldn't dwindle on them. Unnatural eyes weren't overly surprising, even in a primarily "normal" place like this. Still, there was something about them that worried him...

Her attempt at small talk would only aid his questioning. This only made it easier for him. "Yes, I did." Khan stated, crossing his arms behind his back. He allowed none of his nervousness to show - such a display would be showing weakness... and he certainly didn't want to show weakness with someone like this. "Speaking of which," He began, planning out his questions carefully. "I would like to know more about these... 'rifts'. They've brought me from a very... different point. I assume they are able to take one through time and space?" That would be sufficient. Though, he still couldn't help but wonder what someone like this wanted with him. The admiral merely needed him as a distraction, which hardly worked out for him in the end, but someone who might have been able to tell what his potential really was? The possibilities were endless...

[Sarafine Duchannes]

There was a very slight shift in his demeanor as he noticed her - or more specifically, noticed her eyes. Maintaining her pleasant smile, Sarafine watched him carefully for any signs of discomfort - but if it bothered him, he was certainly good at hiding it. Her interest increasing a little, she tilted her head slightly to one side. She wasn't used to interacting with people she couldn't read. Mortals tended to be terribly obvious, even when they thought they were being subtle - but this man was particularly gifted at disguising his emotions. Reece's ability would have come in handy right about now - or perhaps Delphine's. She could have discerned where he'd been, what his home had been like, how he'd stumbled across the rift...not to mention why he'd been all but frozen solid when he'd come through.

Perhaps those were questions he'd be willing to answer in turn, if she gave him the information he needed. For now, he seemed keen on learning more about the rifts...which was of course, somewhat understandable. Most everyone desired to learn more about the forces that had brought them here - it was a pity that not much was known about the rifts. Even those with considerable expertise still did not seem to understand what was causing the rifts, or how to fix them...or get anyone back home, for that matter. Not that Sarafine, personally, would have wanted to go back to the situation she'd been in before the rifts had rectified things for her. She couldn't remember much of the world of the dead, and she wasn't particularly certain that she wanted to.

"Oh, yes! They bridge gaps between worlds, most commonly. ..They've even been known to bring people back from the dead." Her tone turned thoughtful here, for the subject was undeniably fascinating. "But I'm afraid there isn't much more information than that available on them. No one knows why they continue to form, or whether it's possible to use them to return home." There had been one occasion prior to this when Sarafine had witnessed reality tearing itself apart. The solution to the problem, then, had been Ethan Wate sacrificing himself - but somehow, she suspected that this wouldn't quite fix things now. On the other hand...well, if there was no solution in sight, perhaps the rifts could be utilized to her own advantage. Mortals could survive for far shorter periods of time in a world of reality warping than Casters could, after all.

"You don't seem altogether startled by this, you know." she commented with a slightly softer smile. "Can I ask where you're from?"

[Khan Noonien Singh]

Bridges between worlds? Khan was, at first, reminded of transwarp devices - could this be the work of a machine, rather than random anomalies popping up through different realities? After all, they all had one goal and one time period which everyone were brought to... it seemed far too coincidental. Yet, it was called an anomaly for a reason... it could hardly be explained by one mind. If Khan had any major desire to discover what the rifts were, he would need others helping him. However, he didn't... at least not yet. He had no idea what his goals would be in this new universe - he would simply have to find out as time went on. But, for now, he would need to discover more about the universe. At the moment, it seemed very basic and primitive, but Khan knew better than to judge by appearance.

"I see..." Khan said, almost distractedly. The problem here was what to ask about first. Technological advances were a must, but he thought it would be best to start out smaller, ask something easy. He had more complicated questions to ask than easy ones, but he thought it best to simply ask about leadership. That would be a relatively easy one. But first, she had a question for him - she wanted to know where he was from. His universe, like many, didn't have a specific "name"... but he could talk about it before asking his own question. "My world was... somewhat like this one." Khan said, glancing around as he did so. "Though, it was far more advanced, technologically. Certain parts of the universe are protected by an organization known as Starfleet." The lack of Starfleet's presence here was notably beneficial to Khan's plans.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions about this world, if you wouldn't mind." Khan feigned politeness once more. He reminded himself one more than he was likely dealing with something totally unknown to him - or, at least, he could only assume that's what her eyes implied. "First, I'd like to know what sort of governments are in place here. If I'm to live here, I'd like to know whose rule I live under." What a strange thing it was, saying that - he was so used to being above everyone else. Yet, he wasn't angry. No, he could work his way back to his old position... it would simply take time.

[Sarafine Duchannes]

So his world was more technologically advanced than this one - she couldn't say she really thought much of that. Casters had little use for technology, not when there was so much that could be accomplished through their magic - which, of course, had no dependency on needing the right materials present at the time it had to be used. But! That didn't mean this wasn't all relatively interesting, and her curiosity didn't outwardly falter as he spoke. He'd mentioned a 'Starfleet'. Well, that implied space travel, which admittedly was one impressive thing that humanity had accomplished. ...Or it would have been, had they been able to extend their reach to more than just a few measly planets. Though it certainly seemed as though things were different in this man's world. Then again, what was to say that this entire Starfleet was comprised of humans?

"How fascinating! In this world, I'm afraid, space travel hasn't advanced very far - at least not on this planet. Perhaps your presence here will help to rectify that?" Not that she particularly cared either way. Sarafine had little concern for anything beyond this planet. Alien races were all very interesting, but if they had any sense, they'd stay well away from the plague that had infected this world in the form of humanity. Or perhaps, even better, they'd just show up here one day and wipe all of them out. Of course, that would pose a problem, as the Casters would likely have to deal with them afterwards, but...she was getting off-track. He was asking her something else - about the government, this time. It was an inquiry that was innocent enough. Actually, it wasn't one of the things most people thought to ask about at first, which proved that this man was clever in his own right. Still...she had to wonder whether there was any ulterior motive here. She certainly hoped so - things might get dull, otherwise.

"Well, that all depends on the country - this planet doesn't exist under one system's rule. In America - which is where you are now - they operate under a system of democracy. Leaders are elected into power by the people." Which certainly didn't explain why this country hadn't fallen to pieces by now. Honestly, as if the majority of these civilians could be trusted to recognize a competent leader when they saw one. It was all a hopeless cause, really. Sarafine paused before continuing, considering her next words carefully. She would have to closely monitor his reaction to this. "However...despite all of the rifts that have been opening, and the various different species that co-exist here now, humanity still hasn't entrusted power to anyone beyond their own ranks. The government is composed entirely of humans, at the moment." She shrugged idly - this wasn't altogether surprising. It had taken humans years and years to even accept the differences amongst themselves. How long would it be before they accepted other species?

Her tone had been, at least in part, carefully questioning - she was curious to know whether he'd have a problem with this. Whether he was, in fact, human.

[Khan Noonien Singh]

No space travel? Well, he had assumed that the world wasn't too advanced at all by this point, but that came at a bit of a shock. Only a bit, however, and it wasn't apparent by his body language... or lack thereof. He was, in fact, totally still, with no apparent emotion on his face besides, perhaps, curiosity and general interest. Khan had no desire to introduce this world to space travel. He had no care for Starfleet's code of not changing things in new worlds, but he still saw no need to lend his hand in such matters... and least, not yet. Perhaps if he managed to retake his position as leader, then he could offer technological innovations. But, first things first, leadership... Of course, it was divided among multiple leaders. That made things much easier for him.

"Possibly." Khan replied, seeming to be in thought. Restraint of emotions was all well and good, but he was aware of how eerie a totally emotionless person could be - he had never cared for the presence of Vulcans. "However, I'm not certain that this world has the necessary materials for advanced space travel. It seems relatively primitive in comparison to my world. Would you mind explaining what advances, if any, have been made in traveling through space?" It made Khan wonder... if this was indeed Earth, were the other planets from his world out there, but simply not yet discovered? It was highly possible, since Earth existed. Yet, at the same time, that raised the question of whether or not there was an alternate version of everything from his world in this one, which seemed... improbable and bordering on impossible, since by this time Earth would have developed better space travel.

A government of normal humans? That was a sure way to cause the government to fall, especially with all the different species rushing in via rifts. Khan's augmented mind, for instance, made him a more capable ruler than any human in some sort of position of power. In fact, this world seemed so primitive that his conquest might be made easy simply by using the technology he'd brought from his world. How difficult could it be to transwarp into a ruler's home and kill him? "I can hardly expect underdeveloped minds to allow their betters into office." Khan let that slip, unaware of the effect it could have. He was certain, however, that the woman in front of him felt the same way as he did. "My name is Khan, by the way." He said, realizing that he hadn't introduced himself. "Khan Noonien Singh."

[Sarafine Duchannes]

Primitive. She gave a faint chuckle at his use of the word. It was so very true, in such a vast variety of ways - she almost didn't know where to begin. Still, she needed to be careful. Spiraling into a rant of disdain and loathing for this planet's so-called 'dominant species' might make, well. The wrong first impression. She still had yet to discern how much was safe to say around this man. "Well, the only thing humans have managed to land on is this planet's moon, if that tells you anything. Their satellites are capable of reaching a bit further than the ships that casually carry passengers, I believe. Quite a few years ago, there was a rather aggressive race between the countries to develop space travel technology, but these days, well..." A wry smile tugged at Sarafine's lips as she trailed off briefly, as if exasperated by the priorities of humanity. "They're far more focused on other matters. Polluting the planet with their various 'industrial advancements' and sparking wars amongst each other, mainly." An entire species, fighting amongst each other. It was one thing, for Casters to do it, when they were separated by such massive spiritual boundaries as Light and Dark. But Mortals - they were really all the same, in the end. Their concerns were petty and trivial, and she suspected they would not rest until they'd all but destroyed one another.

Sarafine would certainly lose no sleep, if that happened. In fact, it'd save her quite a bit of work. The problem was, their 'advanced weaponry' threatened to bring the planet down right along with them, which wouldn't exactly create ideal conditions for Casters or Lilium to live in. Or a great deal of other non-human species for that matter, she imagined.

In response to his next comment, she gave a thin smile that was almost genuinely pleased. There was a faint, distant (as all her emotions were) twinge of satisfaction upon hearing him put down the human race - but she was already much too busy calculating how to use this to her advantage to really acknowledge it. "I couldn't agree more." Though she spoke softly and calmly, the glow of her eyes ignited a little - a fleeting outward display of the disdain she'd been so carefully reigning in up until this point. Her smile widened, becoming seemingly friendlier and brighter, as Khan introduced himself. "Sarafine Duchannes." she responded in turn, although she refrained from holding out a hand in the usual way of greeting. She wasn't all too keen to show off the icy chill of her skin in any situation, even if Khan was far from a normal human. "It really is a pleasure. Forgive me if this is forward - but would I be correct in assuming that your attitude towards humanity would suggest that you're something different entirely?" Tilting her head to one side in a display of curiosity, the Dark Caster surveyed him searchingly.