PW squinted at the tiny cloud of dust that was approaching the studios. Quickly pulling his binoculars off his belt, he raised them to his eyes and peered closer. He gasped, then reached over with his foot and kicked Iluv several times to wake her up, never taking his eyes of the growing speck on the horizon. Iluv awoke with a loud snort.
"What?" she grumbled, looking around and trying to assess where she was. Not many people could be woken up and be instantly alert - and Iluv certainly wasn't one of them.
"It's Nigel," PW cried, unperturbed by her tone. "And she has Rove with her!" Iluv scrambled to her feet, and yanked the binoculars from PW. She ignored his protests and raised them to her own eyes. "My God!" she cried. "It is too!"
Dropping the binoculars, she quickly turned and fired a shot into the ground, followed by two more shots, indicating that someone was approaching, but they were an ally.
She and PW watched enthralled as Nigel and Rove rode closer, and they both noticed Nigel's morbid face despite the company she was keeping.

Nigel rode toward the studios, her apprehension mounting. She knew that Quiescence would question her, but that wasn't the part she was worried about. She was worried about her emotions. When she arrived, she would have to appear happy, and she wasn't sure if she could pull that off at the moment. She sighed. She only hoped that Sera could save her from the situation.
Sera jumped up and raced for the front gate as soon as she heard the guard's call. She would have to act quickly, before Quiescence noticed.
The front gate opened, and Rove trotted his tired mount into the courtyard. The crowd already gathered quickly swarmed towards him, each trying to touch him in some way. Sera wasn't paying attention to that however. It was the rider behind Rove who worried her. Nigel climbed off her mount the moment she was inside, and quickly glanced around, searching for Sera. Sera acted fast and grabbed Nigel's hand, dragging her towards the nearest building.
Now that Nigel was in no danger of unwanted attention, Sera turned back to the huge crowd surrounding Rove.
"Everyone GET BACK!" she roared, her voice filling the entire courtyard. Everyone quickly scrambled back from the famous celebrity in their midst. If Sera yelled, you listened.
"Thank you Sera," Sera jumped as Quiescence placed a hand on her shoulder. "You make my job infinitely easier."
Quiescence strode up to Rove, who eyed her warily. It hadn't escaped his notice that most of the people who appeared to be more important were female. Needless to say, he was feeling slightly uncomfortable. Quiescence looked him up and down, taking her time.
Finally she broke the silence, asking, "Did you come here of your own free will, Rove?" Rove hesitated before nodding, glancing at the rest of the crowd who watched, silent.
"Do you wish to stay with us Rove?" Quiescence persisted. "Do you wish to join us and fight for a cause?" She studied Rove intently, trying to assess his reaction.
Rove stared at her for a while, his face unreadable. Finally he replied. "You fight to free Paul, therefor your fight is my fight," he said simply.
The crowd cheered, and Quiescence, apparently satisfied with the answer, smiled. Her smile turned into a grin, as she stuck out her hand for Rove to shake.
"Welcome aboard!" she cried. Rove grinned back and shook the offered hand, before turning to face the throng before him and accept the many congratulations.

The troops were inspired by their newest member - they worked harder and faster to fortify the studios. Rove quickly learned about the Fictioners rank, how their judgement must never be questioned by anyone but themselves. He was excused though.
Also he picked up was that there had been another. Another leader, one before Quiescence. Rove was greatly intrigued, but he was mystified as to why no one ever spoke of it.
Rove was held in the highest regard by everyone, and was seen as a fellow Fictioner, but when he talked of the previous leader, he was shunned. He suddenly became lower than the lowest kitchen hand. It would pass, and slowly he would rise again, but he never forgot the way everyone behaved when he mentioned it. Why was it such a sensitive subject?
Rove was determined to find out.
Slowly, he was able to make out a vague idea of what had happened from tiny snippets of conversation. He knew that the previous leader had been female, and that she had died in battle. He gathered that it was one of the Fictioners fault she was dead, but he didn't know which one. Finally the lead he had been looking for arrived - a slip of the tongue from one of the stable boys. Iluv had been the leader's sister! Rove grinned. This was exactly what he had been waiting for!
Rove waited until nightfall. The camp was uneasy, as the Channel 7 army was due the next day, so Rove had to be as silent as possible.
He accended the stone staircase that led to the front wall, trying not to make a sound. He thought he had been too quite to be noticed but when he got to the top of the stairs PW was waiting for him. Rove blinked in surprise, and PW had to laugh.
"You look like an owl when you do that," he chuckled. Rove blushed and followed him back to the lookout position on the wall, where Iluv sat, looking out at the open terrain.
She glanced up at Rove before returning her gaze back to the task at hand. "What brings you up here?" she asked curiously. Rove had never shown an interest in scouting duty before now, and she wondered at the change of heart.
Don't be silly, she scolded herself. He's only been here two days! He hasn't had time to be interested. She glanced up to find Rove staring at her.
"I�um�felt like some fresh air," he muttered. Shit, he thought. I didn't plan this out very well - of course they were going to be suspicious if I just suddenly show up and start poking around. He opened his mouth to say something else, when he caught sight of movement above Iluv's shoulder. He had barely enough time to register that the owl was swooping down, talons outstretched, to attack Iluv, before she whirled around, fitted an arrow in her bow and shot the creature. Her movements were so quick, all Rove saw was a blur. He gasped as the dead bird landed on the wall.
"How did you do that?" he cried, as he hurried over to inspect the carcass. Iluv smiled wryly. "I had plenty of practice after�" she stopped, horrified. She had almost told Rove about her sister! Rove turned around quickly. Iluv had let something slip, and she knew it.
"After what?" Rove pressed. Iluv looked panicked. Suddenly Quiescence was there. Her eyes glinted dangerously in the dark
"Rove," she said quietly. "Could I have a word with you?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned and headed back down the stone steps and headed for her private chambers. Rove hesitated, then followed slowly, wondering what was Quiescence was going to do.

Rove followed Quiescence inside her room, and sat nervously on the couch. He watched apprehensively as she shut the door and came over to stand in front of him.
Quiescence stared at Rove for a moment, before sitting down on the couch next to him. She studied her hands as she quietly asked, "Rove, what do you know about us? I mean really know?"
Rove frowned.
"I know that you originated from a website," he said slowly. "And that you're fighting to get DAAS out of prison." He stopped. Suddenly he realised he knew hardly anything about these people at all.
Quiescence sighed. She didn't want to have to do this, but she didn't want to have to loose her voice telling him the whole story - besides, it was the most effective way, not to mention the easiest.
Rove flinched back when Quiescence suddenly reached out and placed her thumbs on his temples, gripping his head with the rest of her hands.
Rove gasped as a sea of images flowed into his head. Quiescence's voice reverberated through his head, telling him the story, and showing him the images that went along with it.

"I was the one who began the website. I wanted to read more stories about my favourite comedian group, so I decided to create a site just for those types of stories.
"It was great! I made heaps of friends who all seemed to know what I was feeling, who shared my interests." Rove received some vivid images of Quiescence's happiness. Of the joy she got from her website. He smiled despite himself.
"But then the third World War came. I thought it wouldn't affect me - no. I was safe. But I saw something I wasn't meant to." Rove watched as Quiescence walked down to the shops to get some milk - just an everyday task - and how she had seen the assassination of the American President, right there in her home town. Rove felt her fear as she ran from the men that chased her. He was with her when she hid in her home, going online to try and drown out reality. He felt her terror as strongly as if it were his own, as she told her closest friend and confident - Lainy - what she had seen.
"It was then that we discovered about DAAS being sent to jail." Quiescence's voice sounded in his head once more. "And it was then that Lainy had her idea. She rallied all the Fictioners together, and we devised an army to confront the keepers of our idols." Rove watched, fascinated as Quiescence showed him the beginning of the war. How they had fought battle after battle, gaining ground inch by inch. "But it wasn't enough. If we didn't do something drastic, the Fictioners would be no more." Rove saw the image in his mind as clear as though it was right in front of his eyes.
A small defeated group of about 30 or so people, gathered in a tiny appartment, arguing half-heartedly about what they were going to do. "We were nearing the end of the battle." Quiescence's voice was sad. "But all was not lost. Lainy began to talk to the common folk. She appealed to their rebellious side, and convinced them to join our crusade. People began to fight back, alongside us. It wasn't long before we were just a name - a rebellion with the name of a music group. It didn't matter to us; we knew what we fought for, and we now had enough troops to defeat the higher powers." Victory after victory flashed through Rove's head. He could feel the triumph echoing in the space of his mind.
"But all was not well." Quiescence's voice grew dark, and Rove feared what would come next. "We had a traitor amongst us."

Quiescence didn't talk anymore - she just played out the reenactment inside Rove's head.

Lainy, PW, Iluv, Quiescence, Sera, and Funk You, followed Kateous down a daunting number of side streets and alleys. The others were looking very dubious about where they were going, but Kateous looked certain, so they continued to follow.
It was Lainy who finally voiced their worries. "Um, Kat? Are you sure you know where you're going?" Kateous just grinned at them and nodded. Lainy cast a worried look back at her companions, but kept following.
Finally they heard the words they had been longing to hear.
"Here we are!" Kat cried, stopping in front of a warehouse. The others looked at it dubiously. Was this a joke?
"C'mon," Kat said enthusiastically. "I want you to meet my whole family!" And with that, she turned and disappeared into the warehouse. The others were more hesitant. Her family lived in a warehouse? They glanced at each other, their expressions clearly betraying their doubts, but they had no reason to suspect foul play. Even though Kat was the new girl�
The small group followed Kat inside. Instantly they were enveloped by total darkness. Their confused cries sounded in the empty warehouse as they voiced their concerns. Suddenly the lights overhead flicked on, and the Fictioners could see once more.
"What the hell are you trying to do Kat?" Iluv demanded, angered by her fright, looking around and trying to locate the missing member.
"Look," PW said simply, pointing up. The other Fictioners glanced up, frowning at what they saw. "Kat?" Lainy asked, confused. "What are you doing up there?" Her frown deepened. "And why the hell are you wearing a purple cape?" (author's note: see? You did get to wear a cape!)
Kat frowned, and swooshed her cape out into a dramatic flare. "You don't like it? It doesn't scream, look out I'm evil?" Kat sighed and let her cape fall back down. "I never should have listened to that stupid sales woman...anyway," her face brightened. "That's not the reason you're here. You're here cos I'm going to betray you all and get lots of money."
Quickly turning around, the Fictioners saw that their escape route had been cut off. They huddled instinctively closer together.
Lainy glared up at Kat. "You filthy scum!" she growled. "How could you turn on your brethren just like that?"
Kat put on a sad face. "I'm sorry Lainy - but I'm a lot more shallow than you. I turned for quite a considerable amount of money, which I plan to wallow in�right after I kill you of course."
"Why you no good son of a�" Funk You started to say, but was cut off by a warning arm across her chest. Sera shook her head, indicating that it wasn't the time for swearing.
"Damn! You hate me! I know you do! I can't stand it when people hate me," Kat was momentarily sad, but then she brightened considerably. "That's why you have to die." She beamed and took a weird stance. "I take my leave." And with that, swirled her cape dramatically and left.
The Fictioners began fighting for their lives. They were outnumbered almost three to one, but they held their own. They had fought in every single battle so far, and had a great deal more experience than the goons Kat had hired.
Finally the tables began to look in their favor, but then the most inexperienced of them, Funk You, was knocked to the ground by her last opponent. Unable to get up in time, she merely cringed and waited for the final blow. No one else was close enough to help her - except Lainy who, seeing her friend in mortal danger, quickly moved to stop the blow. But in doing so, she was unable to stop her own attacker from dealing her a mortal wound straight through the chest.
It was at that time the hired thugs - or what was left of them - broke and ran. The Fictioners quickly gathered around their fallen leader. Funk You was already in hysterics, weeping and crying over and over, "It should have been me�it should have been me�"
Iluv desperately tried to patch up the hole, tears streaming down her face as she looked down at her dying sister.
Lainy tried to speak, but only ended up coughing up blood. She tried again. "Don't blame yourself Funk You�" she managed to gasp, but her plea fell on death ears as Funk You was still weeping. She turned instead to Quiescence.
"Take care of them for me�win this battle," she breathed. Iluv began to wail. "Don't you leave me! Don't you fucking leave me!" she screamed, grasping Lainy's hand. Lainy just smiled at her. "Don't worry�" she said softly. "I'll be fine�it doesn't even hurt any more�" and with that she closed her eyes and quietly passed away.

Quiescence let her hands drop from Rove's head, and began to wipe away the tears that had flowed openly down her face while she had been reliving those memories.
Rove looked thunderstruck to say the least. Finally he managed to grasp some of his senses - at least enough to sound a bit coherent.
"How did you do that?" he asked, staring at Quiescence as though she had just grown another head. Quiescence blushed and looked at the ground.
"I'm an impath," she said quietly, studying her hands. "I can convert images and feelings to someone by contact. I can sometimes see into the future - just flashes, that's all - but it can be pretty useful," she hesitated, then added, "and I can also�read minds�if I choose to do so," she glanced up at Rove, trying to assess his reaction.
Rove stared at her. Read minds? Had she read his? He hesitated to ask, but he had to know. "Did you�um�" he couldn't say it. Quiescence guessed what he was talking about though. "Read your mind?" she finished for him. Rove nodded.
Quiescence smiled and shook her head. "I don't do it unless I really have to, or unless I have the person's permission."
Rove breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his mind back on what he had just seen. He felt he had gotten to know Lainy almost as well as Quiescence in the short time he had been in her mind, and it saddened him greatly that she had died so suddenly.
"Why won't anyone speak of her?" he asked suddenly. Quiescence smiled sadly. "It is a sore wound to re-open," she said, "and it didn't happen that long ago. Many of us have still not gotten over it, and cannot talk about it yet."
Rove nodded - that was reasonable enough. He felt foolish now for pushing it so much. He opened his mouth to apoligise, but was interrupted by a frantic knocking on the door.
Quiescence frowned. She had asked not to be disturbed. "What is it?" she demanded through the closed door.
"Forgive me, Madam, but the Channel 7 army is approaching," a timid voice quickly said. Quiescence quickly glanced out the window. Dawn was just creeping into the sky.
Scrambling to her feet, Quiescence quickly went to make sure her troops were prepared, with Rove tagging along behind.