Editing TheStarsAreRight:TheIrishRoseTimeline (section)

=== Tue, Sep 20 ===
* ''(Session Seventeen - November, 2013)''

* (Recap: Much earlier, back in Detroit, Victor had stolen 4 jars from Farbeck's house: one of aqua vitae, one with metal parts and two probes sticking out, and a strange liquor.) 
* Found that the assassins were actually Russian soldiers looking for Boris.
* We discuss that Victor is under the influence of Rulinov, but we are not sure how or to what end - perhaps to take his side. 
* The Americans plus Dale and his people go to talk to Alchemists - Yuri, Grigor, and Tachiko - in their workshop - a large industrial building. 
** They say they have magical energy batteries, and make weapons for the elite imperial guard. They note that the Japanese have interesting ways of dealing with demons. 
** We describe aqua vitae to them, and Grigor says that life essence can be extgracted safely with 24-48 hour recovery time, resting in the dark. 
** Discuss the possible hiring an alchemist to go to the U.S., if the Tsarina gives her blessing. 
** Ask about Vladimir Zabanov, killer of Danny Flynn, and his brother Anton. Vladimir had worked for Madeline Usher or a proxy. Anton was kicked out of alchemists for experimenting on people without consent. He thought that thousands of years ago humanity had advanced magica, and selective breeding could bring it back. He had gone to the U.S. to continue this work. 

* Particularly from Lovejoy's request, we go to speak to an Outsider. 
** Dale's protege Natasha draws a lesser circle of protection, which she, Lila and Casey are 
** The alchemists flip some switches and stand behind a screen door, with Tachiko standing in front of it. 
** A thing, hard to remember, that is black and evil with limbs that rolls forward with undulating movement. It grasps Tachiko's ankle, after which she goes rigid and then speaks with its voice. 
** Lovejoy asks where it is from, and it reaches out a limb - which he accepts after asking the Alchemists if it is OK and getting a non-committal reply. He is comatose for several minutes, then comes back giggling uncontrollably. 
** Lila asks who would come through first in the convergence. Through Tachiko, it replies "All of them". 
** Doc Walters asks, "Will aqua vitae get you drunk?" - to which it replies "I do not know that."
** J.T. asks "What do you want?" - "Everything that you are is valuable." 

* Victor wants to stay and Lovejoy is incoherent. We drug both and carry them back to the house. 
** Lovejoy says that fighting the Outsiders is useless. He uses the lagoon and ocean metaphor, and says that we cannot fight a tidal wave with guns and weapons. We can only build a dike - but has no idea how. He also says that it is like a giant South American mold, which has no desires. He refers to his arm as "god scarred". 

* We discuss about bringing the Boyar (Rulinov) back to the U.S., according to the Tsarina's request to Dr. Walters. Candide says that he could be killed here only by being caught in treason. Adelle says that he is most motivated by getting into the good graces of the Tsarina. 
** Discuss having Rulinov framed for treason, and then killed by Russia. 
** According to Adelle and Candide, Rulinov is guilty of murder of many people, and rape of the Queen - whom he infected with the necrophage. He was in the past a maker of beasts - and may be connected to those in Kansas City. 

* The group goes to Dale's club, where Lila was invited to the club by John "Buck" Houghton. Adelle is introduced to jazz dancing. Candide takes a turn on the piano, bringing passionate new music from Harlem. 
** Mostly local Russians - many well-off police and military. 
** The band leader Buck takes a definite interest in Lila, and they dance when he is on his break, though she makes him work for her attention. Buck knows that his boss is into some weird stuff, but is not in the loop. 
** Near midnight, there is a shift in the crowd. Lovejoy senses an aura of fear, as most of the military men in the crowd all walk out in lock-step into the street where they stand shoulder-to-shoulder. Dale says that they are preparing to deal with a small (?) incursion - and that it will be dangerous, but "the Rodina would appreciate the help." 
** The club has a sandbagged machine-gun nest on the roof, and people are all prepared. Spotlights on the sky pick up a hole in space, showing unfamiliar stars, then a big winged creature comes through. The uniformed men open their eyes very wide and power seems to come through them - conducted through their bodies. 
** The creature stopped near the club, and released tendrils below it. 
** It was defeated, at the cost of many people. The remains of the creature rained down in ashen parts. 
** Survivors briefly drink and then go to bed.