Ace's words she could see produced an effect in Silvia, her eyes became harder as she looked at Minerva, she opened her mouth to say something before letting the Venusian continue.<br/><br/>Ace struck with all the fury and vigor of surprise, catching Minerva's head between her fists. In a split second, it burst like an overripe melon, showering Ace with blood and viscera, her body going limp.<br/><br/>A long and heavy silence reigned over the room as Silvia and Arachne stared, holding each other, half fearful, half hopeful (albeit probably for different reasons).<br/><br/>That went straight back to fearful on both counts (in Silvia's case it would be better described as "terrified") as Minerva's corpse started to laugh. "Oh, Ace. You're eighteen kilometers under the surface of the earth," it said, "the rock outside is hot enough to melt lead, to bend like taffy, and it isn't even molten yet. Where<em>exactly</em>do you think you're going?" With a squelch a new head formed around the remains of the old one as she spun to her feet. "I had figured you would at least wait until we surfaced for the hand-off before pulling something like this."<br/><br/>She brushed the bits of bone off her shoulders, "and how naive you are, thinking you can change anything in this world with clean hands. You're like a puppy with the strength of a god. Isn't she charming?"<br/><br/>The other two hurried to nod along and make tiny noises of assent.<br/><br/>"I'm going to make you a deal. Genetic samples, ooh, and maybe some tricks on how to replicate some of your power more effectively? Don't give it to me. It's... let's see." She put a finger to her chin, "do you know the Beckett Institute? They do genetic research. They aren't one of ours, but they do good work. You can have your friends look into their background until you're satisfied. You won't be helping us directly in the least, and if we fail to take over the world you won't have helped us at all. In exchange for a promise to provide this to them, I'll give you Silvie."<br/><br/>"Wh-what?"<br/><br/>"I'll consider her time with you to be payment toward her debt with us. Not in full. Let's say... one-fourth time. It is finite, by the way, her debt. She's not my slave. Well, except for that Christmas party where she-"<br/><br/>"<em>Why?</em>" Silvia's eyes were wide, both in confusion and an eagerness to not see<em>anyone</em>finish that sentence.<br/><br/>Minerva fixed a discerning gaze on Ace, stilling a number of aggravated twitches, surrpetitiously breathing heavily and, by Ace's reckoning, aggressively trying to keep the<em>murder</em>out of her eyes. (It was so easy to control the signs of intense aggravation when one had full mastery over one's form! Less so, perhaps, against someone with Ace's suite of senses, however). "Let's just say I'm interested in seeing what you're worth to her."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Mechanics</div><div class="spoiler_body">Using a d12 to add to the pool and a d8 to add a third die to the total, Minerva defends with shapeshifting, transferring those vitals somewhere else; her defense is 25, d10 effect.<br/>She follows up with an attempt to give Ace a hell of a scare with shape and Menace, letting Ace think she's killed her. The other d8 adds a third die, for a 24 with d10 effect and one watcher opportunity, attempting to cause Emotional Stress.<br/><br/>That's 1XP as I used a d12 to add to the dicepool, and 1PP for you so I can shuffle it back into the doom pool. I just discovered I could do this!<br/>1 XP for you as well for getting some ham on.<br/><br/>Per arrangement, Minerva has a d12 Emotional Stress that she's trying <em>very</em> hard to hide.<br/>Doom Pool stands at 2d10+2d12.</div></div>