At Timeslip's first statement, Carver sadly, quietly shakes her head. She knows that Shen-Kahn won't back down; knows it like she knows that she's a woman, or she knows that she likes the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, even the bad ones. It is a core truth in her world.

And then Timeslip surprises her; Carver hadn't really thought that she was considered their friend. She knew that they liked her, alright, but to hear it said makes it real, concrete.

It only makes her more determined to do what she can to help.

In time, Jager and Singularity return to the ship, crossing the threshold of the bulkhead forming one wall of the meeting room. The latter crosses the room to return to his place next to Samhra and a dark look clouds his face, contrasting with the affection in his link to Regan, *Nothing to worry about, love, you know I'll always make it back.*

Resigned disappointment colors his voice, "Shen Kahn is determined to follow his course to the bitter end. He is dedicated, obsessed, and unwavering in his view of the world." Singularity looks directly to Long, a slow burn starting to back his words, "Your 'father' considers you his property and he will do anything and everything in his power to retain control. I cannot condone such blatant abuse and I am satisfied that he must be dealt with." His focus returns to the entire room, "Shen Kahn expects and welcomes an attack by almost everyone here." He gives a brief, bemused smile, "He even made illusions to Samhra, Timeslip, and Sakurako being detriments to Long, Jager, and myself. How little he knows...

"We still retain a partial element of surprise, particularly with Conduit, Carver, and any tactics we decide to use."

"They could have, but the old man is very persistant Timeslip. I most agree though I'd rather all of you remain unharmed, even if it means I end up back in that bed again. I will do all I can to make sure everyone comes back safe." Long's tail curls around his waist as he sits and tries to plan his personal assault.

Upon Singularity and Jager's return he stands and Listens. "He does welcome us, he loves to fight, though this will be much different than his others, he won't win this fight. He wants me so bad he can taste it, and that's another weakness." His eyes glow Cerulean Blue as he speaks. "I take it then that all that remains is the actual planning of this battle. I trust he named the Venue for this."

Timeslip sighs, sagging for a moment in her seat, then pulls herself erect. "All right then. Singularity, I believe you had a plan of action. How is that plan modified by what you have seen of Shen-Kahn's hidey-hole, and by anything that he may have said?"

"No," Singularity shakes his head, "I think Shen Kahn wants us to meet him in a gladiatorial ring of sorts... probably the Gobi Desert. There are advantages and disadvantages to that place, but the best aspect is that we can limit collateral damage.

"Regardless, our tactics should remain relatively the same. All of us need to be transported to the Gobi, preferably out of Shen Kahn's range. Next Jager, Long, and myself will engage Shen Kahn with the intent of driving him into a rage. Once he gets going we can add Conduit and Samhra to the mix, operating at close and far range respectively. And when Shen Kahn is starting to hit his knees we spring the Sakurako and Timeslip trap to send him away for a long time. With the three of us engaging Shen Kahn one of us should always be available to rest or provide some kind of support while the other two keep his attention.

"Of course, I am open for any improvements..."

Carver raises her hand. "You mentioned me as an asset, but didn't have a tactic for me. I mean, if I can be used to help, I'm willing. Just let me know what to do."

Timeslip listens, and nods. "It sounds fairly solid to me. We might want to add Carver to the mix at the end alongside Sakurako and myself; by that point, her claws might actually find purchase if needed."

"If you would stay with Timeslip and the others Carver I'd be in your debt." He turns to Timeslip and Endeavor. "I know you can take care of yourselves, but if anything were to happen, you'll be safer if Carver and Conduit stay with you. I will worry less."

"I apologize, Carver," Singularity says to the striped-haired nova, "yes, you would be involved with Timeslip and Sakurako."

Carver nods. "Of course, Long. That's what I'm here for."

"Honey, I've come up with an idea that might provide a distraction..." Regan quickly explains the use of an illusion to keep Shen-Kahn busy, "What do you think?"

Singularity nods, "Once we have Shen Kahn enraged and focused you should be able to slip in the illusion, love. Every bit helps."

Sakurako adjusts her armor back up before closing all of it's seals again after taking a pit-stop of sorts. "You know, I just got in and you're talking to me... Okay I got the plan. Oh, Timeslip..."

She tosses the Cryo-Grenade to her. "This, should do the trick. I only got one other, and I'm the failsafe. You miss your mark, I'll be the follow-up. You hit, and I get my shot in to secure the transaction. Then it's all up to you and your warp."

She closes up the front "visor" of her helmet. "So, we ready to go? And is there any information on the terrain?"

Jager has remained in the background, keeping quiet as the others plan. In response to Endeavor,
"Gobi desert. Mixture of sand, sand dunes, and broken rock formations ... hard rock formations, sharpened by millenia of sandstorms. Visibility should be less than a kilometer. Temp should be bearable as long as none of us get stuck there."

Jager has otherwise remained quiet since returning, keeping his thoughts and emotions masked.
"We go down to the sea, the lumber of the land," he whispers.

"Fine. I can get a hand on him and remove his abiltiy to fly and warp away. That limits his mobility enough so that the main strike team," Jager motions to TimeSlip, Samhra, E, and Carver, "should be able to pick their moment. Of course, getting that solid a grasp of him is going to cost me. I'm a dodge monkey, not a wall. Sing, you and Long need to buy me that moment."
"I have reservations about Shen Khan having a back door into Long's mind. The less he knows about the deception, the better I would feel about it."
Up until this point, Jager's voice has been in monitone and very business-like. He lets some emotion creep back in when he addresses Carver, Conduit, and Endeavor.
"If I tried to keep you from this fight, I would be little better than Khan. You need to chose your own fights, but be careful out there. E, you've been down this trail a few times, but this is going to be new for Carver. Carver and Condui, this is going to be fast ... blindingly fast. Clear your minds. Have no doubts and act. Its the best advice I can give you."
"E ... I ... ah, take care."

Addressing the room, Jager looks around at the assembled novas.
"If we are ready to go, I have this to say to you all."
"Don't think about home. Don't think about your fear. Don't think about what could go wrong. Do your part, trust your team, and you will come home. I promise."
Having finished his ritual,
"Let's go."

Timeslip stands. "Open us up a door, Long. It's time to end this sorry mess."

"Very well."

Long stands and his eyes Flare as A portal in spacetime opens to the Gobi Desert. "This will put us within a Kilometer of where he'll be waiting. Prepare yourselves for battle. Now let's finish this."

Long walks through the portal and immediately begins the process of bring all his defenses up. "It's only a matter of time."

Timeslip walks through the portal. The air-conditioned, humidity-controlled climate of the Hikari Maru II is instantly replaced by the hot, dry air of the Gobi Desert. Mile upon mile of broken rocks, windswept and sandblasted into bizarre and twisted formations and interspersed with sand, stretch out to the limits of her vision. Dustdevils kick up, scouring her skin and stinging her eyes.

"Lovely."

As the team begins to assemble, Conduit stands up and takes off his shirt. "Won't be needing this, it'll probably get trashed anyway." He folds it up and puts it down on a counter, "I'll leave it here and pick it up later," he smirks.

He briefly stretches out and joins the group collecting around the portal.

Jager slips through the rift and moves to a rock outcrop to get his bearings.

Long nods to Jager. "He's about a kilometer north, look for the large rock piles at the edge of the dunes. At least if he chose this place symbolicly, that's where he is."

Sakurako starts actively scanning the area, both on quantum variances and the terrain itself. "Timeslip, is the environmental settings working for you? You'd get pretty hot in the suit otherwise." Sakurako looks over a climate display. "Well, to say the least, everyone, it's hot. Conserve energy untill required."

She continues looking around. "Long, Jager, Singularity. You guys are practically Alpha Team. Since you're on point, let us know when you've encountered Shen Long, then I and Timeslip and those with us can set up our offensive."

Sakurako's tactical mindset kicks in. Ever since Deathsquad she'd been strengthening herself. One day she may be all she's got...

Timeslip takes a look at her suit's control panel, finds the environmental settings, and moves them from stand-by to active mode. The faceplace closes, and within seconds the suit cools. "Much better...thanks, Sakuraku."

Conduit steps through the portal. On the other side he looks around, takes a very deep breath, "Ahhhh, reminds me of home. Different, but very familiar."

Sun brightly shining off his metallic torso, he moves to the side to give enough room for everybody.

Directing this to Jager, Singularity and Long, "So I've never fought a Nova before, never had too. I've been unlucky enough to have to fight baselines and I've never been in any danger, even against a dozen of them. But given how much of a bad ass I've heard that this guy is, I'm sure it'll be a lot different."

Patting his chest, "I'm durable as hell, but I probably can't do a whole lot of damage to him. I'll take my cues from you guys. Take pot shots when appropriate. My control of copper is significant, probably as good as he is with earth. It may only help for a second at a time, but I'll try to be as inconvenient for him as possible. I'll stay in the mid-field to make sure that everybody is ok. And if anybody is in danger or Kahn is advancing on anybody I'll get them out of here so that you guys can concentrate on softening him up."

Singularity strides purposefully through the portal and he carries a professional air about him, "Being a wall is no problem for me, Jager. You just make sure you get close enough to him." The white eufiber remains taunt around him in anticipation and his body seems to be completely immobile as the group assembles, "One klick... it should do. Everyone here needs to keep a low profile for now, surprise is not completely on our side but that is no reason to be lax. Long and I should be able to instantly communicate with the group here, through Timeslip and Samhra respectively, and we will let you know when it is time to bring in the cavalry."

Inwardly, his mind is clouded by regret and resignation over the coming battle, *This won't be pretty and I'm going to have to fall back on some old... habits to get Shen pissed off. But no matter what happens, Regan, I love you.* A bit of practiced and familiar humor colors his emotions for a moment, *And, like always, I'll keep my head down if you keep yours down and I'll watch your back just as you watch mind.*

His eyes scan the northern horizon, "Long and Timeslip, we need both of you to keep focused. Shen Kahn will almost certainly try to make you enraged, Long, and we need your transport abilities to move in the other people. And Timeslip, he is the type who will try to shatter your resolve, if he has any breath left in him, when you send him away. I know this is obvious, but I cannot stress how important it is for both of you to remain rational. Your abilities and our success depends on it."

He continues without moving his line of sight, "You have the right idea, Conduit. Our major goal is to wear him out, not kill, and your durability makes you an ideal shield, for lack of a better term, for our more fragile friends. Plus he does not expect your presence so you will be adding some surprise to our assault."

He pauses for a moment, standing like a masterful sculpture, "Are there any barbs or other insults particularly close to Shen Kahn's heart, Long? Something that would make him see red instantly?" He still remains outwardly still, the internal twinge of self-loathing hidden to all save Samhra through their link, "Even the smallest thing can be turned into the sharpest mockery by a bully."

Carver moves through the portal with her head high. Don't think about your fear, she reminds herself, even as her body informs her that fear tastes like her own dried mouth. The hot air of the desert blasts her body and Carver puts up a hand to block the sun. Reflexively, her eufiber slides up her head and forms a hat to shield her face; a dingy brown, battered fedora that is atypical with her normal style.

Carver watches the others situate themselves before she moves to stand next to Timeslip. She told Long that she would watch Timeslip’s back and she prepares herself to do so.

Sakurako takes her position, as Singularity requested, and continues scanning the area with her quantum variance detectors. She sees the high spikes of Long, Singularity and Jager, with relatively quiet spikes representing the rest of the group. Timeslip's and Samhra's though are higher than the rest, and comparing it with her own signature, Sakurako is barely showing. Sakurako knows she holds back unless needed, and always hovers close to dorming. Perhaps it's just a safety habit... She unlocks herself, and what she sees... shocks her... She's in Timeslip's and Samhra's league. Has she been... Underachieving?

"Timeslip... I'm happy everything is functioning. If anything should happen before we're called in with any system, let me know. I can fix it in the field. Keep your total energy output down to 75% for power consumption. You'll still have all functions. You'll only need a minimum of 45%. But I'm saying 75... Just for creature comforts. Just keep an eye on your Quantum Variance detector. That'll help find everyone if there is some sandstorm or something that gets kicked up. I've already tagged everyone for purposes of this. Our names should pop up on the HUD."

She smiles, as the 3 move in. "Never thought I'd be spending summer in the desert... Wait a minute... We're in China...."

Sakurako starts immediately monitoring radar. "Remember everyone, China don't like Novas, and is NOTORIOUS for violating the civil rights of ANYONE. Keep your eyes open."

Jagers scans around a bit then settles back down.

"First off, he can hear us from here. He can count each of our footsteps on the ground, feel us disturbing the breeze, and by now has a good idea were most of our minds are. Its instinctive ... an elites knowing the ground thing."
"With his power over the earth, he is going to be sensitive to how we move on him. Do not assume that telepathic contact is unheard."
Then he smiles,
"And he wants to die today."

Jager scans the group again and few have seen his eyes so alive.
"Remember, believe in yourselves."

With that, Jager opens up his palm, the glove goes white and he begins drawing on the palm with his other hand. As he makes symbols, he points to various members. Having placed everyone in microcosm on his palm, he begins mentally moving the shapes over the palm toward the target in two arcing waves. Singularity, Long, and Jager go in first (Center, Right, Left) and they become a tangle with the maneuvering Khan symbol. In the second wave Samhra brings up one end of the wave and Endeavor the other. In the middle is the false TimeSlip, covered by Conduit, with Carver backing them up. Between and slightly behind the center comes the real TimeSlip.
Khan breaks from the first wave, falls on Conduit so fast that the nova simply disappears for a moment from Jager's palm. False TimeSlip is hit and Khan moves on Samhra ... and right past the true TimeSlip. Carver grapples with the moving Khan as Endeavor closes and Samhra retreats ... and its over. The real TimeSlip converges on Khan who has stopped moving momentarily.
Jager brings up two fingers to Carver and makes a back and forth motion between their eyes. He points to her place in the combat and then makes a slashing motion toward his hamstring.

Carver nods her understanding to Jager as her fear begins to fade; she'll hamstring him, bleed him into the hot sand. Her knife-colored eyes flash and glint, and Jager can see a hunger in her gaze that is un-Carver-like. He can see that she wants this, that she wants this battle.

For the first time, Samhra senses something deeper in Carver, a deeply hidden fragment of her personality, or perhaps a splinter of another being inside the quiet artist.

All the others see is Carver's expression become intent just before her eufiber shimmers and changes, becoming brown, grimy pants and a striped sweater, the same color as her hair. It is frayed at the edges, the yarn hanging in tangled knots from sleeve, collar and hem.

Timeslip watches Carver's shift in silence for a moment, finally managing to say, "and people call me creepy...."

Samhra's cat-eyes slant a look at Carver and a hint of humour lurks on her generous mouth before her expression becomes calm and focused. *Alright, if you get yourself killed, Franklin, I'll heal you enough to kill you again,* she promises telepathically.

"At least it ain't Kashmir," she murmurs aloud.

Sakurako's armor switches to a desert camoflauge. She nods to Jager after his final "briefing". She then starts thinking... in computer code. Then she sends a message to Timeslip over a tight-band signal.

"It is best, Timeslip to try to confound your thought. I am commanding programs using a method of thought to confound Shen Khan if he tries to read my thoughts. I do not believe he knows the operating system of my or your suit. Nor does he know the decompression codecs of the audio file I've configured this transmission to. If you saw Jager's commands, I'll be right behind you. It's a classic 1-2 punch with a flying wedge as the second punch. We got the ball. We just gotta wait for the center to hike the ball."

She crouches down into the sand, shifting the camoflauge pattern to make her seem like some odd shaped rock. "When it's show time, I will need you to initiate your throw, as I will act simultaneously with you from your opposite side. 2 grenades will lock him down, then you finish the job. If you do send him where life would not flourish, I would admonish you that the suit has certain pressure and temperature tolerances. Inside those though, you're fine. As far as I am concerned... Send that rabid cat into a vacuum. The suit is full spaceworthy."

"Insults that poke at his relationship to baselines, at his failings regading me and them, his onetimes servitude to them, they cut the deepest. Insulting how it was his traing that made me a monster, insult his honor as a teacher, as a man, and you'll rile him. I too will be brandishing my own comments."

Muscles Ripple and pop as Long stretches and flexes before battle. "Let it begin."

Timeslip nervously follows the various conversations. Confound my thoughts? How the heck am I supposed to do that? In a weak effort at such, she starts subvocalizing a tune, as insipid and inane as she can manage. "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt/his name is my name too/whenever we go out/the people always shout/there goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt/da da da da da da da/John Jacob...." That should send him right around the bend if he taps in; just hope it does so before it drives me batty.

Picking her way through the rocks, Timeslip moves along with Endeavor and Carver and desperately tries to avoid thinking about what is ahead.

Jager gives the team one more look-over then motions to his eyes, to Long and Singularity, and back to his eyes. He shapes his fingers into a pistol pointing at Khan, closes it into a fist and pumps once. With that, the race is on. Jager moves off to the right, around a stone outcrop, and disappears.

*Only if it's my life before yours, love.*

The internal storm begins to settle within Singularity and he digs into the ground with the balls of his feet while adding a bit of spring to his now loose knees. Just as the group disperses itself to its respective assault and staging locations, he releases a bit of the relentless violence within his form and his body explodes into the air, arcing north through the desert sky.

After watching the heavy hitters streak off into the distance, Conduit creates a platform of copper with handlebars on one side. He motions to those that are left in a manner that says, "If you want a ride, hop on."