(OOC: a small, smattering of rpg-ish fiction I wrote to explain the benefits of Taxibots. Again, a smattering.)
"Just a little farther," Utilitarian said. He didn't bother to look back at his travelling companion as he jogged along an apartment rooftop. They'd tried to travel on the streets, but fighting various gangs had slowed them down. It had been Utilitarian's idea to use the rooftops as a shortcut.
Taxibot 30, Thirty to her associates, nodded as she ran along behind her armored ally. She was having a time keeping up with him, which was something to say since she was a Taxibot. Utilitarian's armor was no doubt providing his burst of speed, she heard it whisper in excess packets that its wearer was in a hurry. His heart rate was up, blood pressure higher than normal. There was a reason for that.
Not fifteen minutes before their rooftop run through Skyway City, Thirty's evening station at the entrace to The Hollows had been interrupted by a desperate Utilitarian. "They've got her," he'd said urgently. Thirty knew who he meant. The night had been something he'd been planning and talking about for a week. His date with Parity.
Sky Radiers, according to his terse description, had interrupted their dinner. Their target had been him, but they settled for Parity.
A red arrow suddenly appeared at the top of Thiry's vision. A location marker had been set, no doubt by Utilitarian. The marker indicated they were less that half a mile from the Sky Raider hideout.
The Sky Raiders, she knew, were tough opponents. She'd read about them in the DATA databases. An off-shoot of the Fifth Column, the Sky Raiders were superb technologists. They'd incorporated extra-dimensional Rikti technology into their already advanced systems, making them a trying foe for the heroes of both Paragon City and the rest of the world. Thirty was fairly sure that is why Utilitarian had been their target.
Though he only had a security clearance of eleven, Utilitarian was a master machinist. She'd seen his apartment and the incredible inventions that lay about. It had been Utilitarian that helped create the yellow armor she wore as a Taxibot. His understanding of the Clockwork King's technology had been so thorough that he'd even improved on the outfit her creators had planned for her. Adding Utilitarian to their stable of engineers would make the Sky Raiders an even more terrible threat, Thirty had no doubt.
"Okay," Utilitarian said, skidding to a halt. Thirty slowed as well, so that they were both standing atop a building right across from where the marker indicated Parity was being held. "Can you get a fix on her, Thirty?"
"Maybe," Thirty answered. She let her systems slowdown, killing off any extraneous processes running in her memory. To teleport Parity, or anyone, she needed full systems resources. Thirty felt herself connect to the emergency teleportation system that ran through Paragon City.
If Parity were in costume and in any physical danger or unconscious, the system would have picked up her vitals and returned her to a hospital. Thirty was certain the Sky Raiders knew this. Attacking while the couple were out of costume was certainly part of the plan. Thirty was certain that Parity had not be harmed either, as enough trauma to a registered hero might set off the recall sequence.
Her systems connected to the teleport system, and Thirty felt her senses expand. Normally, to teleport someone, she would have to be on a team with them, the same kind of team she and Utilitarian had formed before searching for Parity. However, since she was unable to team with Parity, for obvious reasons, normal teleportation protocols were out of the question.
"Found her," Thirty said qietly.
She was on the fifth floor. There were many, many guards. Even if Statesman himself helped Utilitarian out, the Sky Raider's base was so defensible that a successful assault, without casualties, would be impossible. Good thing they weren't going in.
Thirty activated her teleportation sequence, and felt both her and her suit's generators increase in speed. She felt a slight swell of power as electrons extended out to Parity and wrapped around her. Then the explosion of power as the electrons fully enveloped Parity and delivered her in a flash of light to a designated area.
"Melissa!" Utilitarian gasped as Parity appeared on the ground behind him and Thirty. Thirty turned around and saw Parity, who had abviously been dressed for her date, lying on the ground. Utilitarian moved over to her, and began working on the chains around her wrists and ankles. "Are you okay?"
"Only thing hurt," she said wryly, "is my ego." The chains around her wrists came loose, and Utilitarian moved to her ankles. Parity looked up at Thirty, and said, "Thanks for the assist."
Thirty noded. "All in a days work."
