Mr_Grey

--Pocket D: Heroside Entrance--

Kipland just laughed at the assembled group.

"You guys... Remind Breaker to take pictures and send me the video. I've seen some of the biggest, toughest lunkheads throughout the universe get their [butts] soundly handed to them by overwhelming odds such as what you're taking with you to handle this Poe character. I'd love to help, but, like I said before, I've got other things to handle. Laterz, all."

And with that, Kipland headed for Talos Island again.

----------

--St. Martial: Pocket D Entrance--

Power Breaker breathed deeply and scanned his surroundings. He'd expected Poe to pull something freaky, but, then again, he did just get blown up...

Not that that was going to stop him, as Noitpeced had pointed out before.

"Damn, I hope we don't have to fight him again," Breaker muttered, "Look, we're heading for Nerva, like I said. From what I remember of the description one of Poe's associates gave of the Husk Corporation, we're gonna need some interdimensional work to actually find them. Then, we're heading for one of the uncharted islands around here. It's small, largely ignored... And home to a few friends I've done work for. Our heroic associates are gonna be heading there as well, provided they call the number I told them to... Oh, that reminds me..."

He kinked his head to one side and stood there like that for a while.

"Come on, come on... Pick up the damn phone!"

*Click*

"Brutal Warriors Order. What local terrorist cell do you need blasted into oblivion today?"

"Dale!" Power Breaker's voice echoed through his head, "Dude! I got work headed your way, i think. Remember when I had that one crew of rogues and heroes working with me?"

"I'm hanging up now," Dale replied, "Don't call here again, P.B."

"DALE! Don't you hang up this phone! I will freaking PAY you guys! You know I'm good for it!"

"Yeah?" the Kingdale Referee still sounded incredulous, "Last time you told us you were in a pinch, you brought an unholy Hell down on our base!"

"I didn't know things would get like that!"

"Will it now?"

"Maybe... I am chasing the same guy."

"Goodbye."

"DAMMIT, DALE!"

There was an uncomfortable silence, but no sound of a phone hanging up. Finally, the Kingdale Referee returned.

"Do you think you can win?"

"I'm bringing an army with me, this time," Power Breaker chuckled back, "We're loading for bear, and we're ready for war."

"So, what do you need our help for?"

"Some heroes are about to call you, maybe... I want you to take them to Mauthe's Island."

"Roger," there was the sound of something scratching in the background, "You want any of us involved?"

"Only anybody who wants to be."

"Right. This is gonna cost you."

"I know. Thanks, Dale."

Power Breaker kinked his head back to normal and looked to the rest of the crew.

"Okay. When we're done with Naylor, we'll head for Brother Mauthe's Island. There, we'll plan and prepare for our raid against Husk Corporation."

With that, he started heading for the ferry.

[ QUOTE ]
So how do I arrest someone with a pair of knives? Stab them till they are almost dead? It seems to me that for every comic book "hero" who kills people, there are 100 who refuse to take a life. Yet CoH is filled with gun toting, axe murdering "heroes".

The name of the game is "City of Heroes" people. Not, "City of Dark Heroes", "City of Murdering Heroes" or "City of Anti-Heroes". Hell, they already made City of Villains for you folks, now hows about something for the good guys.

Here's a quick list of powers that would be much more in keeping with the "good guys don't kill theme" that so much of the comic book mythos is based on.

1. Bo staffs. Not some Gandalf wizard staff, im talking Bruce Lee.

2. Night Stick. Nothing says justice like a good old fashioned LAPD beat down.

3. Nun-chucks. Non lethal, and super cool.

4. Hockey Stick. Some one mentioned that Leonardo used dual blades, well Casey Jones used a slap shot to fight crime.

5. 2x4. From Walking Tall to Hacksaw Jim Dugan, 5 feet of lumber has been a staple of justice for years.

6. Parking Meter. If I had a dime for every time someone got hit with a parking meter in comic book fights, I'd be a rich man.

7. Baseball Bat. Good old Louisville slugger, not the aluminum ones.

8. Brass Knuckles. Take THAT Skull boy!

9. Chain. Not the spawn style hooks, just a 5' long section of the home depot special.

10. Whip. Oh yeah, not just for cat-girls anymore! Hey Zorro used one too.

[/ QUOTE ]

While I disagree with your original post, some of these I like.

Except Brass Knuckles. Not much difference between that and Street Fighting. Heck, you could RP having Brass Knucks.

And that Night Stick one was downright offensive.

Here's your exit!

*Blasts Slax_ with a Tyson flechette.*

*Pins and needles work their merry work of shredding him to oblivion.*

*VRRT*

*Slax_ gets up off the floor (perfectly fine), dusts off and looks around trying to figure out what the Hell just happened.*

"Sounds about right," Power Breaker grunted, "Well, we'll get on the first ferry or helicopter to Nerva, and then carve a path to Naylor's post in that God-forsaken Circle of Thorns island. Let's..."

He noticed the leaf covered girl on the skateboard who emerged from the elevator and brightened when she saw them. He gestured for her to join them.

"Got ourselves a small army going, now," he chuckled, "Alright, let's head out."

He walked over to and opened the door to St. Martial. He took a deep breath.

"I'm still expecting the other foot to fall," he grumbled, "Hold on to your butts..."

And he stepped into the void that led to St. Martial.

--Jade Moon--

"Jurassic Park?" Randall grunted at the individual, "So, this is what happens after you learn how to open doors, huh?"

----------

--Peregrine Island: Bay Area--

"Yee-hah!" Matt shouted as he ran over to the Zeus Titan and gave it one good kick over the edge, then looked over to watch it fall, "I... Ah, geez! Right on my bike!"

"Imitation Dragon Scale?" Cory asked as he looked over the weapon.

"Yeah," Matt grumbled as he sheathed his blade, "It can take it. Split some of the Titan's body apart... Ammunition's spilled all over, a couple batteries look split. Ope! Here comes a Police Drone to handle the wreckage... And the charges went off... Huh, they burst blue."

Cory, however, wasn't really paying attention. He was busy setting the rifle up. Despite being a magician, he wasn't one to ignore technology. It was one of the chief lessons his father had taught him. It's alright to live differently from the world, so long as you remain a part of it.

Sheldon and Cedric had explained and demonstrated enough about weapons technology that Cory was able to fumble his way through the machine's workings and set it back up.

"Mattock," he intoned, "Come here for a moment... I think it's an electric ear..."

"That makes no sense," the impatient scrapper replied.

"Aimed at the Lamborghini you told me to look for."

"Oh."

"If we had a proper USB device, we could try to remotely listen in on their conversation."

Matt arched an eyebrow at the blaster. Simmons sighed and hefted the rifle again, now slinging it over his shoulder as his wings folded into his back and a trench coat appeared from the shadows to cover most of his body.

"Let's go say hello," he whispered as he started making his way off the edge of the roof.

----------

--Portal Corp Courtyard--

Ryat66's visor blinked.

"Mistake? No... The avatar in there mentioned something called the 'One Hundred Year Plan,' and that it was designed to assist the 'Good Doctor.' Perhaps Webb needed help, and whatever he made contact with out there," he waved to nowhere in particular, "provided him the necessary programming to automate the equations so all he had to do was cycle a few numbers to 'aim' his portals or... make his coffee... I don't know; mad scientists don't always have the best rationale."

Sheldon Wallace didn't do anything cliche like pull on his collar and chuckle nervously, but his breath rate did increase slightly. He straightened his posture and straightened his trench coat, but that was about it. Ryat66 rubbed his faceplate.

"Just because you don't understand doesn't mean it doesn't work. I don't mean to insult, but the thing warned me that you would likely not believe me. It's some kind of over-reaching evolution conspiracy (that I feel is doomed from the get-go, but that's me), and they think that right now, the best course of action is to focus on the Rikti. Doesn't explain why they [frig]ed with the portal, and I didn't get a chance to ask him to fix it."

He kicked the ground suddenly, almost in an "aw shucks" manner.

"Dang, I bet that would've worked, too... They might not even know that they've messed with it."

"What now indeed," Martin grumbled as Klaus arrived, "As for you, Mort, run along. Some other hero who knows what he's doing is probably gonna cut you down. Us? We've got bigger fish to catch. Sorry about your ankle, but I couldn't just let you run off like that."

He walked over to the newcomer.

"Howdy there," he grunted, "You look worried, which tells me that you had something to do with that big explosion back there. Now, you tell us the details, and we'll determine whether or not that means we send you on your way with a boot imprint on your rear."

He turned to the rest of the group.

"Sounds fair, right?" then he turned back to Klaus, "Now, make it snappy. We're late to get our butts handed to us in an ambush somewhere down the road."


EDIT: Upon the end of Doctor Frostbite's explanation, Martin bit off a curse.

"Well, I guess that means we get to finish our fight... You know what? We should just start running."

--Heading for St. Martial--

"That's the problem..." Power Breaker grunted, "I'm not sure what interests the Husk Corporation has around here... But first thing's first, we gotta go to Naylor and get him working on finding where they're located. It'll probably take some time, but the guy's a mad scientist (of sorts). It should eventually come to him in a ridiculous epiphany."

----------

--Pocket D--

Kipland picked himself up off the floor, rubbing his temple. One of the waiters walked up and handed him a drink.

"On the house, sir," the waiter said calmly, "On orders of DJ Zero."

Kipland took a careful look around the room as he took the glass. It was bustling... That had to be difficult to accomplish in an illusion. Plus, everybody had their face details.

Taking a sip from his drink, he was a little surprised that his headache was disappearing almost immediately. After taking a few moments to finish the drink, he nodded to all the nearby patrons, gave a salute to the DJ, and headed for the hero-side elevator.

Before Dusan could say anything to him, Martin suddenly cursed. His eyes lost focus and for a brief moment, he saw what Karl saw, but couldn't make sense of it. The message wasn't for him. Not exactly.

Again, the light and life of the world had gone away. Again, his very soul felt something brush against it.

He had a strange feeling it wouldn't find purchase there.

He cursed again as the sensation passed after Karl told them where to find the Council. Not because of the location the Mortificator had told him, but because he suddenly had a deep sinking feeling...

He mulled over the information presented him and nodded. He paced and stroked his chin. Finally, he stepped up on a piece of wreckage and addressed the group.

"Leader, no. Boss, no," he finally grunted, "First thing's first. I'm a guide. I'll take final say in whatever the plan of action is, but I'm going to be open to discussion... The reason why they sent a group out here in the first place is because more heads can figure stuff out faster than just one... Still, nobody goes until we've decided on anything. Yes, I meant we. No more of this T-ball [dreck]."

He paused and looked to everybody to make sure they understood before continuing.

"Next... I'm guessing we're all getting really bad feelings about all of this. Right? Well, I'm open to any and all theories as to the true nature of our enemy... However, I'm getting a very bad feeling all of a sudden, and it has something to do with the Council base the Mort here just said... I say we get moving before the [dreck] hits the fan."

"Sonova... Yeah. Yeah I did."

Randall reached over and wrenched the right side of the partially open door away. There was a rusty grinding sound as it pulled wide. It was now about large enough for an average person to get through. Grey started rubbing his left pectoral muscle and scowled.

"I swear, it's like having to keep track of my boys..." he turned back to the other door and started to press the yellow panel, reaching his left arm out to ensure that whatever was inside, it would come after him first, "Simple instructions, then they get all hissy when they think somebody insulted them. Then the work doesn't get done."

He heard the tapping of metal on metal.

"You okay?" he asked Toy Dispenser as he looked over his shoulder, "Don't worry, I'm sure there's more than enough fighting to go around."

His finger touched the yellow panel and it glowed.

((I'm assuming Jonas is still in "Follow" mode.))

Power Breaker grinned at his companions.

"Oh, I get along just fine with Poe. It's him that has the dislike with me. Too bad for the universe, people he takes a disliking to tend to stick around for a long, long time, either a thorn in his side, or he finds some other odd way to torment them."

He hit the "Ground" button adn the elevator started to descend.

"You want to help me? Well, the short of it is we need to make some noise. We need to make sure word gets to his crew that I'm lookin' to tear him a new one. Maybe get a hold of that Arachnos portal scientist, Naylor."

He rubbed his chin.

"From what I've seen of this Husk Corporation, they might not be too cohesive... As if the different members of their upper heirarchy work together for personal gain or because their boss (I can't quite remember what that Deception guy called him) orders them to. Oh yeah, some of them have a habit of calling themselves something in backwards. I wound up spending half an hour chasing some guy called Egarim... Mirage, in normal spelling. He didn't stop until it was certain Poe was out of commission... I had to threaten to kill the [censored] to do that, too."

When the door opened, Power Breaker started for the St. Martial exit.

"That was when they informed me of how they... Recycle... Their 'employees.' These are just some tidbits you should look out for... Now, before we step out this door, are there any questions?"

The brute's clawed hand gripped the door frame and kept the lift from closing. Power Breaker's left eye came into view, narrowed as he regarded the small army that was developing.

"Mauthe?" he asked through his head phone.

"Breaker. Long time, young friend. You do realize I'm having a rather personal moment, right?"

"I know. I just wanted to give you a heads up that company's headed for your camp."

"I know," the vagrant leader replied, "I saw the whole incident. Good thing I was on the hero side. Well, Brother Skrap should be able to handle it."

"Thanks."

"Well?" he asked Darkvapor, "You aren't going to take all day, are you?"

--Jade Moon--

"Sonovabi-" Randall grumped when the creature disappeared, "Eff, you handle that door... I'm going to open this one."

He pressed the switches of the devices on his hip, radiating matrices designed to enhance a group's strength, defense and accuracy. He then flexed and various growths of rock armor protruded from his skin.

"Alright... Still, Toy, I'd like you to call in a cavalry... Never know when you'll need it."

----------

--Portal Corp. Courtyard--

Ryat66 warbled a little chuckle at Feride.

"In order for your to cut my tongue out, I'd have to have one."

"I could take out your speakers," Sheldon offered.

"But then I wouldn't be able to deliver my reports," the android retorted before Kemen shot down his explanation, "Sir! I may have some level of naivety, but I am by far not a liar. Also, for several things you are describing, there is still plenty of room for an adequate Artificial Intelligence to break through the system's defenses. For the very first, the Psychic screen can easily be bypassed by a unit that does not possess what humans would call a mind."

"It's true," Sheldon sighed, "Grey's Army's psychic can't get a thing out of Sixty-six and his brothers."

"And sisters, sir..." Ryat66 added, "In any case... The police department themselves would be able to detect standard attacks, like viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, and so forth... But this... Thing... It treats the system as if it owns it... Like it made it. Like it was always there."

Sheldon finally fastened the head completely, the bolts sliding in as the nanites within the android's body pulled them in place. Ryat66 stood carefully, his body slow to regain its balance.

"I don't claim to understand the why," the android concluded, "I just know the what."

----------

--Peregrine Island: Bay Area--

Matt didn't take the sudden ignorance well. He disliked being considered a "second rate hero."

"Hey!" he shouted at the machine's back, "Come back here!"

He hamstrung the mech's leg while Cory flew to the side. While McGinty was usually obsessed with the fight, Simmons was actually rather concerned with why such a normally single-minded war machine would turn and focus on a piece of his group's technology.

Flapping his wings furiously, he dove in front of the machine and snatched the sniper rifle away. Spinning in the air and holding the weapon behind his back with his right hand, he gestured with his left and ice started to form around the cyborg's feet.

The ice didn't hold. It never did with machines like that. However, that wasn't the point. The other effect of the frost sticking to the machine and its moving parts was that it slowed the Titan down.

Cory gestured with his left hand again and threw a gob of fire at the machine, impacting its chest at the same moment Matt hacked into its back. Amazingly, the blade actually cut through the armor plating, but did little lasting damage. The point however, was that damage had been done. So, Matt continued with a relentless assault, carving away at the machine's armor.

Martin couldn't describe what he'd just felt. It was as if the warmth of the world had fled for just a moment and resettled as if nothing had happened. Like something had come by then fled...

"What was..." he rubbed his temple, "I..."

He shook off the odd sensation that something bad had just happened and turned to Karl. Then the Mortificator told them to find Brighid with the Council. He knew immediately that the bad feeling he'd just experienced had something to do with that.

He knew of a few of the terrorist organization's bases... Some in the southeast corner of the Primer, and a few others in the Powderkeg... Despite his experiences in dealing with them (mostly fighting them during his refugee days), he had never found what would have been called "the" Council base of Boomtown.

"I guess I should have figured... It was what you said before hopping into your little box, there," Sanders grumbled, "Now, the shadowy man makes a good point... You wouldn't happen to know which..."

He peered into Karl's eyes. There was something there, but he wasn't good at reading subtle face gestures, just knowing they were there. Then it was gone. Karl was still being his bitter grumpy self, but he was compliant.

"Er... You wouldn't happen to know which Council base is holding her?"

--Jade Moon--

"Unless we have some teleportation handy," Grey grumbled to the machines, "It's not really gonna matter how stealthy we are... Those doors will need to come open, and I bet dollars to diamonds that they're gonna make some noise."

He licked his lips, spat into his hands, rubbed his palms together and put his meaty paws to the crack in the door.

"Dispenser... If you can get a hold of everybody else and tell them to home in on our beacons and get the Hell over here, we can get started wrecking that... Thing in there. Is everybody else ready?"

Waiting for the elevator, Power Breaker tapped his shoulder. Finally, he came back to Energon X and handed him a business card.

"These guys should be able to get you into the Rogue Isles..." he whispered, "...discreetly. And I don't mean just Bloody Bay... Oh no. They've got a contact in Mercy Island, and another guy just outside of St. Martial... That guy, but he's busy right now. His camp should still be accepting... Refugees..."

He looked around conspiratorially.

"Now, before you and I get into this, I want you to be sure you're in this to the end. Poe won't stop before he dies. Many times. What just happened here? Yeah, that killed him. But he doesn't stay dead... He (and others who work with or for him) have told me as much."

The card he handed the strange talking blaster said "Brutal Warriors Order, Transportation and Armed Escort Services. (Then, in smaller print) Not the other escort services." There was a number to call for heroside services and a warning to eat the card (it's supposed to be strawberry flavored, but they can never really tell) if captured by Arachnos forces.

"When they ask you who sent ya, just tell them Power Breaker gives his regards."

"Any rogues who want to do business helping me hunt down Poe," he rumbled through the local area, "Meet me in Saint Martial."

He almost headed for the elevator before he realized what it was he was missing.

"Ope!" he turned back around and headed for the table he'd been sitting at, "Can't forget this."

He snatched up the case that had the pieces of the Crey sniper rifle inside. He gave a slight nod to Lt. Briggs and started heading for the elevator.

((You have no idea.

Apparently, it takes minutes for him to make one of those.))

Kip followed behind Kheldragon, fully willing to take advantage of the portal she hacked into the fabric of space and time. Suddenly, his eye was burning. Something nasty had just happened and the other meta-type was somewhat the cause of it. Seeing the cold and limp human, he figured it out right quick.

"Ah, jeez..." he grunted as a nasty headache wormed its way through his skull.

A dark trail emanated from his eye as the world went gray for him. It was unusual for anybody who could witness it, but most people didn't know about the capabilities of a Guardian, a Warden, or whatever the Hell different regions called their supernatural troubleshooters.

The trail wafted into the dead man's nose and effectively rewound time for him. He was taken to a moment before Kheldragon took the last of his life force away, which drained a modicum of energy not from the other, but from Kip himself.

It wasn't something he was supposed to be able to do. Heck, it wasn't something he'd done since high school. Hence the headache.

"Ow," he muttered as the world regained its color for him; time didn't change for much of anybody else, "You mind watching your step, ma'am? I don't have much of a choice when it comes to that sort of thing... Balance and all..."

In the meantime, the man sprawled on the floor coughed, sputtered and shivered as club staff approached seemingly from everywhere to assist him.

((Uh... Build... No need for your guy to fix anything. Remember... Zero's "God" here. With a snap of his fingers and a wave of his hand, and the D is back to it's hopping normal self...

EDIT because of Tech's following (and prior) post... I didn't even know you put something there, man.))

--Actual Pocket D: Villainside--

Power Breaker listened glumly to Energon X.

"Sorry, man. I've got no way of telling where that freak went. I just have to go somewhere and make enough noise that he can find me without trying. Maybe then, he'll bring me to him. He threatened to do as much before we blew a hole in the floor with him."

He waved to the Jaeger and shouted to DJ Zero.

"Yo! Beer this guy on me! Anybody who takes a hit like that and can laugh is a king in my book."

Power Breaker made his way for the exit, intending to go for the St. Martial exit on the bottom floor. He needed a shower, some sleep... Maybe some food first. It had been a long day, and he needed a chance to sort all of this nightmare out.

"I think he's suffering enough," Martin grumbled, "And it's Martin, by the way. Also, it wasn't necrophilia when I 'read' that corpse, I don't know what it was. Finally, I don't want to lead. I've done that enough, but if you want me to, I'll take charge..."

The Gods know I have enough bloody messes on my conscience already. What's one more?

"No torture, though. We already threatened this poor [jerk] once, and look where that went. Just pin him down... A good choke hold should keep him in place. If you must, jam a heel in his inner thigh... I know from experience, that freaking hurts. It should keep him from struggling, right Mort?"

--Virtual pocket D--

"D'oh..." Kip moaned as he heard Kheldragon mention a good way out.

While he had the "Scorched Earth" mentality going, he knew better than to turn down a good escape.

"Fine," he intoned and he changed course for the dimensional slash.

--Pocket D--

"Ah, Jonas... Or is it Marcus? You know, I can never truly tell..."

He didn't seem too angry.

"I see your little... Escapade... Didn't pan out as well as you'd hoped? Well, our dear friend Poe isn't one to take a gift horse, nor does he usually make the quietest of exits, even if he wants to (which, to my knowledge, he never does). I saw he was willing to cooperate with you, for as long as he got the Hell away from here... usually he blows dreck up (and I don't mean the Freakshow leader) and runs... Which I was perfectly willing to let him do once I was done talking to him."

He took a moment to sigh.

"Poor dear is broken to pieces all over my club. Ah, there he goes. Recycled, recirculated and reformed, or however the Husk Corporation does it. Frankly, I'd rather not think about it. It's depressing. My only real regret is that, for a little while longer still, I don't know why he feels the need to ruin almost every other busy night we have in here. I mean, seriously... It's like he thinks he can do a better job..."

He regarded the schizophrenic meta-type suddenly.

"Oh yes, you... No, no free drinks for you. But I won't be punishing you for anything. Just take this as a good moment to reflect just why it is anything happens in here."

----------

--EDIT: Placed later on...--

----------

--Virtual Pocket D--

"Coolness!" Kip shouted, then turned to the Anti-virus facsimiles, "You're all on my [dung] list, now!"

And, thusly, he attempted to "swim" his way toward them.

Kipland nodded to Wirespike and leaped into the distance.

----

"Okay..." he muttered as he set the depressed hero down in his old bunk from the days when being a hero actually didn't mean too much more than being a cop, "The building above has been bomb blasted to Hell, so the Mayhem troops shouldn't be finding you. There's still some rations holed up in here from my raids... Military grade so they should last for a while before they spoil. Good luck, man. I hope we meet on some future battlefield as allies."

----

Eleven minutes, thirty eight seconds from initial leap...

"Okay," Kip rasped as he landed back on the rooftop where he left the Jakes, "I'm back."

The waiter was holding his serving tray up protectively to shield Lt. Briggs from the blast. They were both, surprisingly, unscathed. Several other waiters, similar in appearance to him, were doing the same for other patrons who were not involved directly in the mess.

"How unfortunate," DJ Zero, the waiter next to Lt. Briggs, muttered, "I was really rooting for you guys, there. Perhaps, next time, you'll let me handle the issue. Ah well. Now... To fix this mess..."

With a snap of his fingers, the damage was gone. He was also in his proper outfit and making his way for his sound stage.

"I should thank you, Power Breaker," the DJ muttered on the way, "First time I ever heard Poe mention he didn't want to come back. He probably will be back, sometime, somewhere... But at least my patrons and I get a moment's respite. I'd say that's worthy of a drink on the house."

Power Breaker arched an eyebrow at the DJ.

"I'll... I'll have to take you up on that some other time," he grumbled, "I think I better start going after him..."

"The heart does what one must," Zero replied neutrally.

----------

Kip was busy doing damage in unique fashions now. First, he would throw a group of chairs and tables against each other, then grab a table and use it to shield himself as he dove headlong into the wreckage. The crescendo was amazing, meanwhile, Kip was singing...

"Lay down on my back I can't sleep 'cause I'm foaming... Eyes in my teeth I can't see 'cause I'm eating. Head full of noise I can't think 'cause it's crushing... Back on my feet, like a freight train I'm coming... Can't ehhhvreeeebahhhhhhdeeee feel like eyyyyyyye doooooooooo? Can't ehhhvreeeebahhhhhhdeeee feel like eyyyyyyye doooooooooo?"

((D'oh... Well, Dev, we'll miss you. Though, I'd say the whole glib "torturing the offender by one foot" thing kind of brings a smile to my face.

Also, darkvaper, Karl's still inside the box...))

"I don't think he can hear you," Martin muttered, "I've seen the Abyss once in my life, and I can assure you, it's not fun."

What? Where? When?

"In any case, Ghoul... Wait-a-minute... What is your name? In any case, if you can get a good grip on that freak's foot, we can get back to work pulling his dumb [butt] back out here and we can have ourselves a conversation."

He glared back at the rest.

"So... I suppose this means that we all intend to go about our own ways, still, huh? Still tryin' to bark and growl, to pose and push? Look, the more we act like a gaggle of squawkin' birds, the less our enemy is gonna take us seriously. Like this sonova..."

He pressed a little harder on the box. There was a slight grinding noise.

"...Now... Tell me. Are we still in this? Or are we about to try to make a mad dash for the DPO, and pray the Clockwork, Vahzilok, Council and Lost don't try to ice us on the way? 'Cause I'll tell you right now, we fall apart here, and whoever is causing all this madness is going to gobble us up, one-by-one. I don't feel like dying today. You?"

Martin, who had heretofore been largely ignored, casually kicked the coffin closed. This would have been a rather foolish thing to do, except for the fact that he just pinned Karl's ankle in the crack between the top and bottom of the oblong box. Pressing his weight into the top of it, he sighed and casually regarded the rest of the group.

"Oh... Kay..." he growled, "I don't think we're making much progress here. If all us pups are gonna do is bark and yip at each other, and we represent the best of what the world can throw at this threat, then I say the world deserves to die."

He scratched his chin, clearly indicating he didn't want them to interrupt, just think on the words.

"Of course, we're not operating at our peak performance, now, are we? So. We have a few issues we need to deal with, chief of which, who's lead are we going to follow? Seriously, this bickering and bantering and pointing fingers has got to stop. Just look how disastrous this almost turned out to be."

He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and sighed again.

"So... Leadership? Any takers?"

Dusting himself off, Psycho13 followed glumly behind the machine. He looked over his shoulder, hoping to find a glimpse of his friend somewhere on the horizon.

"There's lots of ways to distract somebody," he muttered to Twilight, "We'll just have to come up with something new."