April 8th - The Road to Tir na Nog

[Reaper]

"This is too many 'not dead' people for one week." Reaper muttered.

[Nailah]

"Usually 'not dead' would seem like the preferable option." Nailah says, still vaguely confused by what Stan had said.

[Reaper]

"It would be." Reaper said "But we were all sure that you hadn't made it, so its a surprise to find you here and whole."

[Nailah]

"Tir na Nog is a very secluded place. So in a way the people who find their way here can seem like they disappeared."

[Nanuq]

"All kinds of mutants seek us out for a safe haven; from disheartened rebels to those simply running for their lives. RRR has been a great help in bringing them here."

[Will Stanton]

"And no one's caught on?"

[Nanuq]

"How our defenses work so well is a mystery even to me, and I've been in and out many times."

[Will Stanton]

"Intriguing," he said, intrigued.

[Stan Bowen]

"How long have you been here, then?" Stan inquired.

[Nanuq]

"A few years now."

[Reaper]

"How did you get away?" Reaper asked.

[Nanuq]

"Some old... friends... of mine rescued me from the camps. We fought the Russian military together for a while, but we eventually hit an ambush. All but a few of us died. We decided it was best to go our separate ways. I ended up here."

[Stan Bowen]

"As did many others, it seems..."

Stan looked around, especially up to what was pretty clearly Wundagore, at one point long ago.

[Nailah]

"Big parts of the complex are still empty. Of the ones that do come our way not everyone makes it all the way, sadly. And without Sergei going out to meet them halfway even fewer would."

[Taliesin]

"So, how did you get into an arrangement with a radio station of all things?"

[Nailah]

"An early group of refugees passed through there before coming here and Sergei made the journey up there shortly afterwards. It's the only real contact we have with the outside world. Most of us don't leave this place."

[Taliesin]

"No contact, huh? How exactly do you manage that?" Taliesin said, dubiously.

[Nailah]

"We have an agreement with the villagers and no outsiders find their way here. At least I've never seen anyone who didn't come here to stay."

[Taliesin]

"Except Sergei."

[Nailah]

"Without him even fewer people would find us."

[Taliesin]

"Riiiight..." Taliesin said, clearly thinking SOMETHING was up.

"So. You may have noticed there's more than one of me."

[Nailah]

"That's not the only curious thing, considering half of your group looks like they didn't age a day since the world started to crumble."

[Taliesin]

"They haven't. They came from back then," he grunted.

[Nailah]

"They certainly could have picked a better time to have travelled to..." she says, raising an eyebrow as she glances back at the mixed group.

[Taliesin]

"Was not intentional, at least on their behalf.

I don't suppose you've got some way to send 'em back?"

[Nailah]

"There is a lot of technology that lies dormant, but if there is a time-machine I am not aware of it."

[Taliesin]

"Well, maybe Doctor Tom...excuse me, Rob has something in his magic bag.


How did YOU end up here, anyway?"

[Nailah]

"Our original hide-out was attacked and we had to flee. She died trying to get as many of us here as possible."

[Taliesin]

"'She'?"

[Nailah]

For the first time since they met her Nailah's face loses it's expression of reserved elation.

"Samantha."

[Taliesin]

"I'm sorry, Nailah..."

[Nailah]

"Thank you." she smiles sadly. "Even if there's nothing to be sorry for. I'll never forget what she did for us. For me." she sighs.

"But it's been almost a decade now and the world has moved on..."

[Taliesin]

"A decade?" he said, blinking.

[Nailah]

"Yes. What's so surprising about that?"

[Taliesin]

"It's a...long time to stay in hiding," he said, diplomatically.

[Nailah]

"We built a new life here. A happier one than what we could have out there. What reason would we have to set foot outside?"

[Taliesin]

"For those who haven't arrived," he said, automatically.

[Nailah]

"Most of us here are no fighters. And the ones who are grew tired a long time ago. All we can do is welcome the ones who make it here, but we can't bring Tir na Nog to them."