Doulos

Doulos will take the naturals off you buddy

The sun stood high over the glistening spires of Steel Canyon no one would have looked twice at the balding man walking seemingly aimlessly down the street, not even the gangs of outcasts who would normally rob anyone who walked to close to them, it just seemed he wasn’t really there.

Burrel had got used to making himself inconspicuous, he’d survived fifteen years in the army never having to fire a shot by being inconspicuous, he’d nearly killed all the heroes in Paragon City by being inconspicuous, and now he would kill Doulos again, probably much to the anger of Countess Crey, and he would disappear, he was good at being inconspicuous.

He stopped at a bar, and went in, the place was smoking and grotty, nice compared to the places in the Isles but for Paragon City it was as big a dive as you would find anywhere, there was a man here who he knew who could get things, and right now there were some things he needed, aside from a low profile.

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“I have him spotted, Devidose, you were right, he’s at a bar in Steel Canyon.” Terra said over the Team comm..

“Ok, do not intercept him, we need to find out where the pieces of the puzzle are going and then stop them before they fall into place. Fr1day, Beet, get to the stations watch where he goes, Terra, monitor him to make sure he doesn’t go into another zone, Blapper meet me in Talos, we don’t need to watch the other combat zones now.” There were acknowledgements all around. “Whatever you do, do not let him know you’re there.”

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The man at the table froze when he saw Burrel, as Burrel approached him he began to gather up his pieces of paper and push them hastily into his rucksack, but before he could slide off the green cracked leather double seat Burrel had pushed his bulk in.

“Hello Jimmy, been a while.” Jimmy just nodded, his lower lip trembling. “So how have you been? This place looks different to what you’re used to.” Again Jimmy just nodded. “Now you owe me a favour, an I’m coming to collect it.”

“S…s…sure Burrel, wha…what do you need?” Jimmy stammered.

“Glad you see it my way, you used to provide me with ladies and entertainment, now you’re providing me with something that might be a little harder to provide.”

“What?”

“I need a Security Level Thirty pass, at least, not forged real, and I need it in twenty four hours.”

Jimmy’s mouth dropped, “How do I get one of those? Only a hero that level would have one and they wouldn’t give one up to the likes of me.”

Burrel’s right hand shot and grabbed Jimmy’s crotch , and his left hand crossed over his body slammed his head hard and fast onto the table with a loud bang, a few of the other patrons looked around, but this was the kind of place that you left people to their own devices, unless you were the object of their attentions.

“You broke my nose.” Wailed the pinned man

“I think you’ll find that your cheek is broken too, that’ll really hurt too, now you get things and this is one thing I want, you get me this and we’re nearly even, I know you have friends,” and now he leant right up to Jimmy’s ear, and whispered harshly, “but so do I, and I bet you’re friends are even more scared of them than you are of me right now. Nod if you understand” Jimmy nodded each nod bring a moan of pain because of his broken cheek bone. “The is a hero just outside who fits the bill, he name is Terra Byte, she watched me arrive and I bet she stays there ‘til I go, I did some checking on the terminals, she’s level 30, I want her pass.”

“I have a couple of favours owed me.”

Burrel pulled him upright and patted him on the broken cheek, “Excellent, now get calling.”

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“Any sign yet Terra?” asked Devidose over the comm.

“No, he’s still in there.” Said Terra from here vantage point on a neighbouring building, “He’s been in there a while want me to go in?”

“Negative, he’ll come out, that place is a dive, no one except rats would stay in there long.” Devidose answered.

There was a hum behind her, Terra rolled onto he back, as she did a beam of blue light struck her, she felt weakness engulf her, two men with face masks pulled up flashed into her vision, teleporters, a sapper, “Ambush!” she shouted but too late the fists were raining down on her from the two masked men, until one caught her on the jaw, and darkness consumed her.

“Terra! Terra!” Blappers voice came over the comm. but Terra Byte didn’t answer. “Everyone get to her last location now. Fr1day, get to the hospital in case she got out in time.”

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“A most impressive favour, I won’t ask how you were able to get the Malta into your debt but I appreciate the effort.”

Jimmy grinned sheepishly as he handed over the ID “We even now?”

“Yes, I think so,” said Burrel turning his back “no wait, let me help you once more.”

Jimmy muttered, “No really you don’t have… TOOOOOOOOOO!” The scream came out as Burrel span like lightening and his fist rocketed towards Jimmy’s face, thick index and middle finger clamped hard on his nose and twisted.

“Oh my &%^ you broke my nose again.” Shouted Jimmy dropping to his knees clutching his face.

Burrel looked down on him smiling, “Yes, but this time I broke it back.” The fat man said turning around towards the doorway, he shouted casually over his shoulder, “I believe you owe me for that!”

Jimmy reached into belt and pulled out a gun, “The hell I do you sadistic *******!” He said.

It all happened in a blur, one moment Jimmy was kneeling pointing a gun at the back of a very large balding man with a ginger beard, the next he was lying down limbs pointing in every direction with a knife pinning him to the floor through the throat and a large balding ginger man kneeling over his writhing corpse. “That was stupid Jimmy, said Burrel to the man who lay gurgling on the floor below him blood flowing from his mouth and neck, “I’m trying to keep a low profile and you go and do something like that, even in a [censored] hole like this killing a man doesn’t go unmentioned.” Jimmy gargled some more, “Don’t worry I missed the jugular, so you’ll die slow, but you now owe me big, I think I’ll pay your family a visit to collect, how are the boys, they must be seven or eight by now.” Tears welled up in the dying mans eyes. “And is your wife still looking after herself? Did she ever know what you really did for a living?” The wells became streams. “Don’t worry I shall introduce her to the concept in a most pleasing way.” His hand went to his pocket and out came a pair of pliers, “Remember what that girl who talked too much got?” he said, then he spat in the dying mans face and twisted the knife, Jimmy’s twitching body lay still, and Burrel yanked the knife from his throat. “Any questions?” he said laughing.

The patrons of the bar stood or sat in silence and watched the big man walk to the door. He turned as he rested his hand on the handle and looked around at blood drained faces, “By the way,” he said, “I have an excellent memory for faces, you are all responsible if one of you whispers.” He pushed the door open and stepped out into the light.

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“She’s here, pretty beat up I have to say.” Fr1days voice said, “They couldn’t ID her, her ID has gone.”

“We’re on our way.” said Blapper.

“One other thing, Frozen Rogue is here and he’s pretty [censored].”

“Thanks for the heads up.” Beet answered, “This could be fun.”

A few minutes later the team was assembled in the hospital, outside the room the Doctors were treating Terra in.

“What the hell are you doing?” demanded Frozen Rogue, “Who’s leading this team and what is the objective?”

Devidose was about to speak when Beet interjected, “I am sir, it’s a reconnaissance mission, a contact in IP wanted me to check the combat zone entries security, these guys volunteered to help.”

“And now Terra is messed up because of it? She was sapped, why the hell are the Malta in Steel and attacking my Rangers?” before anyone could answer the Doctor waited walked out of the room.

“You can see her now.”

“You four wait out here, I’m going to talk to Terra, I hope for your sakes she confirms that story Beet, something is wrong here and I will figure it out.”

Frozen Rogue stepped into the room. “Why a level 30 SL pass? What is he after?” asked Devidose.

“Got to be a hazard zone.” answered Blapper.

“But which one?”

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Frozen Rogue looked at Terra Byte, she was conscious but very drugged up. His emotions ran ragged hold it together Frozen, hold it together part of him wanted to suffocate her now, part of him was filled with compassion for the pain that she must be enduring. Terra didn’t look at the door. “Hello Frozen, what bring you here?”

“I could ask the same question.” There was an anger in his voice that he didn’t want there, and there was compassion in hers that he envied. “Malta attacking you for no reason, what were you doing? Be honest, for some reason the four Rangers outside saw fit to lie to me about this, and I am not best pleased.”

“The truth may anger you even more.” said Terra calmly.

“Tell me the truth and let me decide that.”

“I will if you listen to one thing I have to say first.”

Frozen Rogue folded his arms and sniffed, “There is little I want to hear from you.”

“But there is much you need to know, I am sorry, for one, for all the pain I caused you, for the agony, for the dreams, for the dark thoughts that have consumed you in the dark hours when you cannot sleep, I am sorry for corrupting your pure blood with my tainted blood, but I would be more sorry if you were dead.”

“I live in hell because of you, because of your saving me I am haunted by things which you could not imagine…”
“I can imagine them well and believe me when I say that that pain is greater for me because I know I caused it.” Frozen Rogue walked towards the bed and rested his hands on the side rail.

“How can you know that? How can you? I knew you were here, I knew you were in pain, I felt it from Founders Falls, I know when you can’t sleep, I feel you cry, I even feel your regret, and you think your pain is greater than mine.”

Terra Bytes hand lifted from the covers and gently touched hi cheek, “Then do you feel my pride in your strength for keeping the corruption in control, my admiration for your honour and integrity that I have never had.”

Frozen Rogue brushed the hand aside, “I feel your pity if that’s what you mean.”

“It is not pity I have for you Frozen,” Terra continued, “Never think I pity you, you who are so much more than my past will ever let me become.” She raised her hand again.

“You have cursed me Terradorma Bytennium, you have given me something I never before knew, you have given me the ability to hate, and that is what I despise about you the most.”

“What is it you want me to say, I have said sorry, I have torn myself to pieces for what I have done and now I feel, I feel…”

There was a knock at the door, Blapper put his head around the corner, “Commander there has been an incident at the Bar that Terra was near when she took that beating, a man has been murdered.”

“And…”

“I thought you should see the photo fit that the police have complied from it.” Blapper held up a piece of paper, Frozen Rogue snatched it from his grasp.

“Burrel? Back in Paragon, what could have bought that about?” He glanced at Blapper to see glowing blue eyes looking at Terra Byte, “Tell me the truth now, or so help me you will both be out of the Rangers…”

Devidose sat in the entry of the Rangers base, he leant against the wall as he mused over the theories he was working on. Casually he allowed the fire in the palm of his hand to dance from finger to finger then it split into five flames, each on a finger tip, before the flames began to dance in his palm, spiralling upwards until they merged to form a ball, which split into three and juggled themselves in his hands. Intricate thought always lead to intricate fire, the portal began to whirl and he closed his fist, the fire vanished, a shame he had been interrupted before the orbital phase he so enjoyed watching. Commander Beet entered the base, and nodded at him amiably, next in was Fr1day who waved and trotted off towards the workshops. Finally BL4-PP3R and Terra Byte entered, at which point he got to his feet.

“Blapper,” he said, even though the transfer of a number to a name grated him somewhat, “Could I have a little chat with you please.” Blapper glanced at Terra Byte who shot him a warning look before she shrugged and walked off, “So what was that about?” he asked.

Blapper looked at him with his glowing blue eyes, “Nothing that concerns you, what do you want?”

“A little abrupt today, we’re the war wolves not compliant.”

“Look Devidose, if you’re here to grill again about my opinion on the rights and wrongs of why I am in this body with this brain or if you’re here with another outlandish theory about who I am or anything like that then I’d appreciate it if you just left me alone.”

Devidose shrugged, “Blapper, one can tell you were never a man of scientific disposition, if you were your residual character would be far more inquisitive.”

“I’m going, bye.”

“Wait… please, walk with me.”

“Where to?”

“The power room is generally a good place to talk privately.”

“You mean it’s a good place for me to listen to whatever it is you have to say.”

“That too, now are you coming with me or would you rather I say my “outlandish” theories here, where anyone could hear them.”

Blapper shook his head, “One last time.”

The power room roared with noise, “This better make me laugh or so help me I’ll…”

“You’ll do what? You have no authority over me, now listen, I’ve spread a rumour about you based on who I think you are.”

“You did what?”
“Let’s just say that some of my more, untrustworthy, contacts are under the impression that Doulos is back from the dead.”

Blapper sprung forward like a coiled snake, his huge metallic arm clutching Devidose by the neck and hauling him from the floor. “You did what?”

Despite his strain Devidose spoke as calmly as a man having his throat crushed can, “It is all part of a plan… please put me down.”

Blapper lowered him to the ground, but kept his hand around Devidose’s neck. “Let me explain, I think you really are Doulos, whether or not that is actually the case I don’t know, the important thing is that they don’t know.”

“Who are they?”

“The people who wanted Doulos dead, the people who killed him.”

“Burrel killed… him.”

“Do you really believe that Burrel could have influenced the telegrid that specifically? Burrel might be clever but I doubt he personally has the power to do so.” Blapper said nothing. “My plan is simple, if Burrel thinks there is even the remotest chance you are alive then he will come after you, if you are Doulos or not, and when he does we will be ready for him.”

“Burrel killed Doulos in Arizona, hundreds of miles from here what makes you think he won’t be able to do the same to me?”

“Because we’ll be ready for him this time.” Blapper released his grip on Devidose’s neck, without thinking about it Devidose rubbed where the massive metallic fist had been. “Burrel could not have been working alone, someone a lot higher up the chain must have been pulling the strings, one of Arachnos’s lieutenants or Arachnos himself even.”

“And what do you get out of this?”

“Revenge for the cold blooded murder of one of the greatest Rangers ever to wear the colours.”

“Revenge isn’t a terribly heroic concept.”

“Nor is seeing the body of the Commander of the Precision Rangers with next to no face because a magnum bullet blew half of it away, its time for payback.”

“Who else knows about this Devidose?”

“You, me, and by now I guess Burrel.”

“You should have asked me first.”

“And what would you have said?”

“Yes.”

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Tell me to “leave my presence” will he? I don’t think so, I’ll show that jumped up ******* that you don’t cross me, that you don’t turn your back on me. Doulos is alive again somehow and I plan to kill him again, this time for good, there won’t be anything to bring back. I swear on…

He pushed open the door to his apartment in the run down building in the middle of what he had come to call “nobodiesville.” It was Doulos’ fault that he was here in these slums living next to cut throats and muggers who would sell their mothers for bullets. He flicked the light switch, it didn’t turn on, the only light was the dimness that escaped around the sides of the bin liners he had stuck on the windows to keep out prying eyes. “Damn things!” he growled to himself rooting in his pocket for his lighter, he pulled it out of his pocket but before he could strike the light a voice whispered to him, “I wouldn’t do that. Can’t you smell the gas, or does the fat on your face block your nostrils.”

“Who are you?” he asked, slowly pulling his pistol from the small of his back. “What do you want?”

The voice, he was sure it was female laughed, the laughter confirmed it. “My dear fat man, if you fire that pistol then death will be swift and painful, they have been filling this room with gas while you were out, why do you think I removed the light bulb?”

“Answer my questions then or we both die.”

“Ha ha ha, of you think that a blast would kill me you are severly mistaken, what did you say to Arachnos to have his men in here minutes after you left your apartment?”

“How do you know that?”

“Oh I know a lot of things Major Burrel, including the fact that Doulos is alive, in a manner of speaking.”

“And how would you know that?”

“Because he’s running around in one of my cyborgs, and I want it and his brain back.”

“No deal, I want him dead.”

“Then you are of no use to me, and shall shortly die yourself.”

“Ok, what if I say yes, what’s in it for me?”

“Do you like where you live, your life style? That sort of thing?”

“No.”

“Then I offer you so much more.”

“Why do you want me to do it?”

“Because you have caught him before, and therefore with appropriate resources could do so again.”

“Who are you? I want to see who I will be working for.”

The laughter peeled around the room again, menacing in its delight. “My name is Countess Crey, I trust you have heard of me?” a pause, “Your silence confirms it, you know how stupid firing that weapon would have been now. Your first task is to come to Crey’s Folly, don’t worry about where, my men will find you, be quick, I have some friends for you too meet.”

“Who?” There was no answer, she was gone.

A few minutes later Burrel had a pack on his back and was walking purposefully towards Sirens Call, security wise it was the easiest way to infiltrate Paragon City from the Isles. He pause to light a cigarette then looked back at the run down apartment building before he checked his watch, “3, 2, 1…” The building erupted in a massive explosion and a fire ball tore into the sky, burning heat flew in all directions and the dust on the streets was blown around until visibility decreased to almost nothing. Burrel smiled, all those cut throats and muggers gone, they deserved it for their lack of ambition, time for some proper villainous activity.

Numina at 10pm in Founders Falls... 35-40 level range, exemps more than welcome...

sign up and see you there.

Blapper’s nose wrinkled in disgust, only one place he’d seen so far stank as badly as the bog on Striga Island and that was the Gulch in the Hollows. That stunk of sulphur, this stunk of something else. In his short time since joining the Precision Rangers he had made significant progress. Aeronaut had made considerable modifications to his to his biotech arm and now it was delivering over 100% more impact per square inch than when he had escaped from the Crey Scientists. Word in the Rangers was that Aeronaut had once been some big shot scientist, from what Blapper had seen of his ability that was probably true.

Those who had furthered his training had all been impressed with his ability, speed of thought and tactical know how. However they were concerned by his tendency to be over confident in his abilities, which sometimes cause him to be a touch gung ho. What all of them agreed on was that the brain he had “inherited” must have belonged to someone with seniority and ability. He hadn’t known how to take that, part of him felt it was a compliment, another part of him took it as a subtle dig that he was not really who he was, that he was somehow less sentient than others as the emotions he felt should have belonged to someone else.

He had grown his hair to cover the scaring that covered his head and neck when the brain had been put into the body, and he had taken to wearing a face mask to hide his metallic mouth and neck, for some reason doing that had begun to get him some grief from some of the senior Rangers, but whenever he asked why he never received a straight answer. The time he had asked Aeronaut was the possibly the strangest, the squad leader had just stood up and walked away, no witty reply, no snappy response he just walked away, and refused to speak to Blapper again.

Sometimes Blapper felt that maybe he should leave the Rangers and find a group that wouldn’t be so judgemental of his origins, but something nagged him to stay.

Now he was out on Striga with a few other Rangers, Commander Beet, Fr1day and Terra Byte. They were on partrol and needed to bring in some war wolves, even Blapper’s heightened senses couldn’t distinguish between the reek of the wolves and the stench of the bog. There was a pack of them walking up the creek towards where the Rangers waited in ambush. The enormous beasts were the same size as him, but all the other Rangers would look small next to them.

When the pack were in striking distance the other Rangers lined up their snipes, a blast which so far Blapper had been unable to master, something to do with the energy refractors in his arm not being able to focus the beam, maybe if Aeronaut would talk to him again then he would be able to sort something out but for now he was stuck with the abilities he had, close range and deadly. The three snipes tore from the cover of the trees and as they roared Blapper leapt. Three of the wolves had been hurled to the floor and he went straight for a forth, before it had realised the situation Blappers mechanical arm had smashed into its face with brutal force throwing him the beast flying. His next attack was a was a burst of energy that pummelled a fifth wolf to the floor, all the Rangers were in the fight now, Fr1day and Terra up close and personal, while Beet provided ranged support.

One of the wolves ran. “I got him.” Blapper shouted bounding off before anyone could respond. Wolves might be dumb but their speed and strength made them tricky at the best of times. When Blapper eventually caught up to it he was well out of sight of the others, he rounded a corner and a boulder caught him hard in the chest throwing him to the floor, it would seem that wolves weren’t the only ones who could be stupid, he hit the floor and skidded across the thick mud, his head crunching into a large stone, blackness crossed his vision.

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The wolf looked hungrily at the fallen hero walking towards it in no hurry. The big man would feed him well, probably for a couple of days; he wrapped a massive fist around the heroes leg and headed towards the den dragging the limp form behind him. Suddenly there was a cracking sound and pain tore through its arm, the he turned, the hero was somehow sitting up behind him with a stone in his hand, the wolf let go and clutched his forearm howling in agony, bone projected out of his thickly fur skin. The hero launched to his feet, the fist with the stone in buried itself in the wolf’s solar plexus, a third blow crunched on the base of the skull, and the wolf fell.

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Where the hell is my gun? What am I doing about to be dinner for a war wolf? he thought as the beast was taken by the Zig, hopefully to late.

“All Rangers check in please, all Rangers come in.”

“Blapper this is Terra Byte, regroup, we have another pack of wolves targeted.”

There was no reply from Blapper whoever he was, he must be busy or not a great communicator. Looking over the ground he could still see no sign of his gun. A branch lay a few yards away, it would do for now, he picked it up surprised by the lack of weight. Behind him he heard the sound of feet dropping onto soft turf, he spun raising the branch in case he needed to use it. Terra Byte stood in front of him.

“Blapper, I know you like fighting up close, but the stick…?” she let the question hang as she smiled, “when you didn’t respond I thought I’d better come check on you.” He didn’t answer just looked at her, “Blaps, are you ok? You look in shock.”

“Why did you call me Blapper?”

“Ok then BL4-PP3R then, it’s just such a mouthful.”

“I don’t follow you.”

“What did that would do to you?” asked the petite Ranger, for some reason more petite than he remembered.

“Nothing an Asprin won’t fix. Terra what the hell is going on? Why am I on Striga?”

“We’re hunting wolves, trying to get a lead on…”

“But why am I with you?”

“Because of the security level bracket, are you feeling all there Blapper?”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“It’s your name, let’s get you to the med centre in IP, it’s the closest.”

“My name isn’t Blapper, it’s Doulos.”

Terra’s hand whipped across his face, “How dare you say that.”

Blapper rubbed his cheek, “Why the hell did you do that?”

“That is a sick joke, even for a cyborg freak like you, Doulos died, I saw the body, I mourned at the funeral, jokes like that aren’t funny.”

Blapper stood saying nothing, then he began sway, then the giant dropped to the ground with a thud. Sitting there he looked at Terra. “My name is Doulos, Commander of the Precision Rangers, and you’re telling me I’m dead.”

Terra sniffed. “Doulos is dead, a man named Burrel shot him in the head in Arizona 3 months ago. You are a Crey project, a science experiment that found its way into the Rangers, look at you! You’re just a robot with a human brain.” Terra snarled, but she wasn’t finished, “If you have been programmed to damage the Rangers then I will END you, and if I don’t then any other number of rangers will. You should just be grateful that I’m not Scape or Aero, they would probably have removed your head straight off for even making that joke.”

The comm. crackled, “Blapper, Terra are you ok?”

Blapper opened his mouth but Terra slammed the sole of her boot onto his chest driving him to the floor. “We’re just sorting something out Beet, you guys go on ahead, we’ll catch you up.”

Blapper swung his legs catching her on the knee, the force of the blow threw her to the floor and in a flash he was kneeling over her, fist raised, one hand crushing her neck.

“Your name is Terradorma Bytennium, you father is a vampiric crime lord called Bennadante Bytennium, you saved Frozen Rogues life by getting him to drink your blood after you brother ran him through. You are a vampire, and so help me, next time you hit me I shall hit you back.” The grip on Terra’s throat loosened.

“Be my guest!” shouted Terra, a blast of energy caught him in the chest hurling him into the air, he flowed with the blast allowing it to carry him high, flipping in the air he twisted to avoid the second blast. “How the hell do you know all that, I’ve only ever told one person.”

“All the commanders know that, unless you believe that Disco King or Shnyet would tell the Crey.” Blapper dived forward catching Terra with a shoulder barge that sent her stumbling backwards. “I don’t want to fight you Terra.”

“Then why the hell are you?”

“Because you won’t listen to me! I AM DOULOS!”

Terra hands began to glow, “Say it once more and so help me I will not be responsible for what happens to you.”

“Think about it Terra, the Reverant Project, using ex-heroes to create paragon protectors, who’s to say they somehow didn’t get hold of me, and do stuff with me, I am Doulos.”

The two stared at each other across the clearing, the glow around Terra’s fist grew, still no one said a word. Silence filled the clearing, as if the bog was asleep. Tension mounted as they watched each other until it was broken by Terra, she spun around and unleashed all the energy she had built up directly into a tree behind her, there was splintering and the tree cracked right down the middle, from bottom to top. There was a groan and slowly the two parts fell away from each other.

“Until we clear this up you go by the name Blapper, you don’t even breath the name Doulos, do you understand.”

“But what about Sca…”

“The last person to say anything to is Scape, she hospitalized a member of the Armoured Core who tried to talk to her about you, Doulos, whatever. This stays between you and me.”

There was a cough from the trees, and Fr1day and Commander Beet stepped into the clearing, “Us Terra.” said Beet.

“How much did you hear?” demanded Terra Byte.

“Enough to say welcome back boss, it’s good to have you with us again.” said Beet snapping a quick salute.

Fr1day stepped forward extending his hand, “I never did meet Doulos, but it’s a pleasure to do so now, erm, sir.”

“You believe him?” asked Terra folding her arms, “How can you be so sure.”

“Firstly, he hasn’t tried to use his energy weapons against you, either he knew he would hurt you or that he doesn’t know he has them, secondly he knows all that stuff about you, which incidentally explains a lot about how Frozen has been behaving towards you of late and…” Terra stepped towards him, fist raised, “Don’t worry we can keep your secret,” Fr1day nodded in agreement, “If we can keep the fact that the commander has gone all messianic on us we can keep quite that you’re probably a genetic contributor to the Councils Equinox programme. Secondly,” Beet continued, “look at him, the hair, the face mask, all he is missing is the eyepatch.”

Blapper rubbed his eye, “I hadn’t even noticed that. I’m off to get some answers.”

“Where from?” asked Beet cautiously.
“If the Crey did this to me then I’m sure they Countess can somehow confirm my identity. I might have to ask for it quite abruptly but…”

As Blapper turned to walk away both Fr1day and Beet dashed forward jumping on him and driving him to the ground. “No one just goes and talks to the Countess, especially you, this code on the back of your neck was put there by them, they will be looking for you; they will want you back. Think about it D, think about it.”

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They’re ready for you Ma’am.” The Doctor said.

Countess Crey stood up and left the room, her heels rung loudly on the steel plated floors of the research facilities corridors. She hated coming to the Folly, but it was necessary for the business. She walked so fast that some of the lackeys had to run to catch up with her.

The doors opened with hydraulic hiss, and she stepped into the room.

“They are active?” The question came out more like an order.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“They are cognitive?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Then I will address them.” The countess turned around and held her breath, “They are spectacular, well done, you will not be their first trial run.” The doctor bowed low.

Three giant figures stood in spotlights, identical bar the colour of the trimmings of their armour, a forth spotlight shone onto nothingness. White, red and dark blue glistened in the strong light.

“BL4-PP1R, BL4-PP2R, BL4-PP4R.” The figures saluted. “Originally gentlemen there were intended to be four of you, however PP3R escaped us. Your primary objective for your first mission is simple, bring him back here, unharmed if possible, I expect he may well resist but it is the brain that I want gentlemen, the body is expendable if need be. Burn, freeze or electrocute anyone you find who has given him shelter, the city is not yet ready for my fourth level Paragon Protecors. He will be in the city, and you will find him, good luck.” The giants saluted and turned away filing out of the room.

“Will they succeed doctor?”

“Well PP3R was the most powerful hero of them, and we coupled him with the most powerful chasse, but the three of them should be more than a match for anyone.”

“I hope you are right, for your sake, I hope you are right.”

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The phone wrung, the sausage like fingers picked it up, a plume of smoke rose from the cigar as it was placed in the ash tray.

“Oh it’s you, this better be good.” a pause. “That’s impossible. I killed him.” Another pause, then the phone was slammed onto the receiver. A minute of silence went by before the fingers were dialling another number. “I need to see Arachnos again, a matter has come up… who am I? My name is Burrel, he will remember me, and I think you had better remember me too.”

Cloaking device... wonderful power.

We did... ghosted the rest of it...

Dude just ask people I team with how effective I am...

Anyone out there who has teamed with Blapper, am I effective? Do I pull my weight for the team?

When fighting I never click anything aside from either a new target or the powers, I generally use the direction I am facing and tab to select the appropriate target.

It is not "how" you choose powers that makes you good, it is HOW you play the game. If you're on union come team with me sometime and I'll show you how effective I am. If you're into it come to the arena sometime and I'll show you how effective I am. Use whatever style you want to play the game dude, just don't say others are ineffective or worse players than you because they use mouse and keys.

A bad player in the game is hard to describe. I have played with tanks who refuse to take aggro, I have played with blasters whose desire is to be a tank, a defender who would rather attack than watch the back of the team around him. These people are entitled to play their build as they will (please note I have toon called Blapper) and some of these players are VERY effective, just because they don't conform to your interpretation of the "best" way to play the game doesn't make them a liability or a menace to society. There are bad players out there - clicking doesn't make you one.

I have 3 bars to get til 30, I have 1 hour left to down load, I have an hour left to download the rest of 45mb update, so it will be pushing it for me to get to level 30 in time for 10pm, which means I'll just have to enjoy the games prettyness for teh first time ever on my new machine

I have my clicks all nicely lined up in order, I don't need to look where I'm clicking cause after 10 months of playing I know..., nudge the mouse a tiny bit to the side and click next power! means that I can focus on using my left hand to move around, jump, run turn and all that jazz...

Thought the blighters were jumping up fairlt quick today, normally I can hit them while they're down after power push but couldn't today thought it was dial up...

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Uhmm.....
I think I haven't explained myself well enough:
Do you click the melee attacks on the Tray to use them or do you have any other key with a bind?

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I'm sorry, but you have two level 50s and several higher level toons, and STILL you CLICK your power-tray? hmmm.
I almost got annoyed when my newbie friend was doing this. Each power slot in the tray has the corresponding key number written on it. how hard can it be?
Maybe the click-on-power works if your character is a Charles Xavier ripoff but without the powers, but for any Hero/Villain with a tad of self dignity, it's just s l o w.

Sorry for being a bit aggressive here, but lvling a couple 50's should teach you a good way to play, but obviously not. Makes you wonder really, what's the world coming to?

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a tad judgemental me thinks? that playing with numbers is the "right" way to play... Jiaozy and I have been playing together for months, you ask me who I want on my team and I garuntee that he will be on the top 8 every time as either his troller or his tank. He is one of the best players I have come across in game. I have one level 50 (AR/Dev, just about the hardest blaster since ED kicked in), with my second blaster I have a record of 9 wins and 3 defeats in the arena against other players (but then I've only had the toon 3 weeks) I have got to level 29 in 55 hours through hard playing, often soloing or Task forcing, no powerlevelling, but because I click I am a bad player? dude I seriously think you need to rethink that post as insulting aggressive and rude.

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Well if he reads this and wants to do it tonight, i'm ready and willing.

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be very careful about how you phrase things around Kid Hellfire...

He's normally on, just ask him later.

I believe kiddy has hess available.

you guys could do citadel... erm.... thrilling...

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Since D is now frustratingly indisposed, are we still going ahead with this?

If so, hope to see you all there!

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You better bloody go ahead with it, if people pull out because I'm not coming I will be most concerned!

Very kind of you both to say so. The leaders of the Rangers are Shnyet Disco and Frozen, I am just an upstart fast levelling so and so who once had heavy involvment in the direction of the precision rangers and the 1ATSG... but it's nice to know that you still respect me for some reason! or am I really a puppet master

EDIT: I now have dial up at home, so if I can be on I will be on, my loading times are bad enough on broadband so I severly doubt I'll be any joy to team with if I get on later but I hope to be on coalition chat if possible...

Well, I don't go there much, heros shouldn't fight heroes, but I love the zone, I think its fantastically laid out.

I hope that in the next issue they make it purely PvP of heroes to villains, I hope they only made it hero fights hero as well because of the need for a higher end pvp zone and the lack of high end villains at that time, I hope that they make it really gritty so that we can have some huge rumbles in there at a later date because the zone is so cool, I hope a lot of things...

PvP at its best SHOULD be in recluses revenge or whatever its called, where the level 50s play and you can see just how good you really are...

Great blapping powersets! The energy secondary is fantastic, if you want to blap it is probably the most efficient at the task, just don't take stun...

I'm all clicking. I play at 300% whatever it is cause I've never changed it, sounds a bit technical for me! When soloing Blapper I've never died in mission, hunts, loads of times, teams, LOADS of times but never soloing on mission (except for an unfortunate incident with Hercules which I ran into not realising he was in the room and I didn't have aim and build up ready.)

My general attack pattern is fast as fluid.

1. hit power boost
2. hit aim
3. start running towards the group
4. hit build up
5. line up bone smasher on target
6. select next target and unleash power burst as bone smasher is firing
7. then while that is firing off energy punch the next foe.
8. if anything else needs doing use other attacks to bring them down.

Oh yeah, and I have hasten, if its up then I fire it off, when I get SS then I should be able to release and alpha like snipe AND hit the mob before they respond.

I have swift but ALWAYS have sprint, CJ and Acrobatics on, keeps me alive...

Pulling when there are too many enemies in close proximity is a must. do this best with any low damage non AoE attack you have, shoot hide behind the nearest wall and hit build up as soon as the first member of the mob comes in view.

Just read it all buddy, nice stuff...

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You might be surprised to know that you can still get on on Dial-up. I sometimes use this when visiting my folks and it works no problems for me.

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Hopefully my father in lw will be dropping off a modem for us today (we don't have one!) which will mean I can get on. With my loading times being as bad as they are dial up might be fatal but I'll give it a go. Just have to solo lots...

Whenever bounding through Atlas spam chat is a problem. I'm tempted to make a bind saying "Please keep conversations either to tells or to team chat, we don't all need to hear about you killing a hellion" for all toons I have below level 10... or do what I tend to do and play late so that those who spam (generally of a younger age group) are not online.

Broadcast is not in my chat box anymore.

Hollows can be bad for spams, which is why Perez and Kings Row are infinitely more preferable zones to go fight in IMO. The only spams you ever get in Perez are from level 40s shouting "help, I'm lost!"

Whenever bounding through Atlas spam chat is a problem. I'm tempted to make a bind saying "Please keep conversations either to tells or to team chat, we don't all need to hear about you killing a hellion" for all toons I have below level 10... or do what I tend to do and play late so that those who spam (generally of a younger age group) are not online.

Broadcast is not in my chat box anymore.

Hollows can be bad for spams, which is why Perez and Kings Row are infinitely more preferable zones to go fight in IMO. The only spams you ever get in Perez are from level 40s shouting "help, I'm lost!"

Due to technical difficulties enforced upon me by crappy broadband service providers not managing to transfer accounts smoothly as they promised to do I will be MIA/AWOL until at least next week, much to my massive frustration.

This obviously means that I have to pull out of TF friday this week but wish all those going the best of luck. This is not as Mrs D said devine retribution for me levelling so fast, this is a pain in the back side and fairly traumatic!

I hope you all have a good week in the city, I am limited to being on the forum during work hours. Oh the PAIN.

Still I may actually get some of the stories I have written typed up now.