"You forgot to list 'irritating rock' among our assests," Kefetasura added matter-of-factly.
((Okay, I'm using my NPC more than my actual characters. *fix*))
"Oh," Moonscribe said. "If you wish further allies. . . I do believe I have located one."
"There appears to be an interesting life form in rather rapid motion over near Oranbegan territory. I can barely sense it at all. It appears to exist outside the laws of reality. A little like yourself, Mr. Zero. . ."
"However, I was able to sense it, because quite honestly I have been looking for it for years. I am finally convinced it is him, the hero who exists solely because he wishes to. . . Hallucinogen."
A look of confusion spread over 2.0's face at Moonscribe's words. "You found a living hallucination? Great, as if we weren't weird enough already..." he muttered, looking up at the hologram boredly.
"Thuel," A voice called out from the basement bunkers door, "There is a message from Mr. Danya." Thuel stood up from his place on the steps keeping watch on the people in the town center. He stepped inside to see a fully equiped foreword command outpost inside.
Thuel played the message and decided that he would have to walk back to New Mu with his company. "Send out a message over the whole town saying: 'Any Steel Army Troopers under the command of Senior Operative Thuel are to report to the walls on the south in 5 minutes.' Thank you, please do so." Thuel spoke to the Mage who was usein the command center. "After that you come too, Dont leave this station in 1 peice, either." He walked out of the room, tossing a hand greande over his sholder to the mage.
Thuel was at the South Wall, waiting for the other Steel Troopers, and the one mage. He ducked for cover while a huge explosion went off underground comeing from the town centers basement. The mage came running down the road shouting in terror, because he was almost shreded with the shrapnel and debris from the greande.
Several other Steel Army Troopers followed the Mage to Thuel, they waited till all 73 of them were there to beging the long walk to New Mu.
When Dr. Gretchen Fleischman-West opened the door to the sight of a pair of secret police, her only reaction was to raise a blonde eyebrow. Stepping aside respectfully to let them into the labs, she gestured in.
"...Good afternoon, gentlemen. What is it I can do for you today?"
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Oh, calm down, all of ya." Acid grumbled, "With you guys being so hyper you'd think we were at the end of the world here."
"And it's easy for me to be calm." he grinned broadly, "For starters, there's a planet between us and half of the satellites. That means only two thousand eight hundred and sixty-four can only hit us at one time anyway."
Nobody laughed. Apparently, humor was lost on them right now.
"Sheesh, you guys are a tomb. But seriously now, what's there to be afraid of? Oh yeah, nuclear missiles and lasers!" Acid wave his hands about creepily before dropping them in a dismissive wav, "I'm just waiting for the sharks next. Eeeeverybody who just discovered how to split the atom always think they've got the scariest weapon of all time now. Take my word for it...no."
Acid leaned back in his seat again, "I don't exactly know how to say this without offending tech-enthusiasts here, but when it comes to know-how of space combat, I've got that beat every which way. I mean, seriously...missiles? Missiles are just about the very worst thing to use in space. Oh sure, they're fine and dandy for blowing up asteroids, but they'll never get close to a well-built ship."
His seat turned to look out a the stars, "Almost everyone from your planet seems to think that space combat works the way shown in Star Wars or that other show...what was it?...nevermind. Fact of the matter is, spaceships don't pass each other slowly, firing broadsides like some sort of Spanish galleons. They also don't 'power weapons', the size of the gun dosn't matter, and you certainly never have time to say 'Captain, they are firing' before they actually do. Real fleet battles are fast, and I mean close to luminal more often than not."
Acid turned back again, "Missiles can't catch squat. Either their acceleration's too low or they don't have the fuel to reach anything in time. And lasers are just about the weakest thing out there. I swear I read in some book once that high-powered lasers were 'most often the first energy weapon invented by a civilization taking the first steps into space'. Can they hit us? Sure. Are they a threat? Hardly."
"Besides," Acid miled fiendishly, putting his arms behind his neck and stretching for a moment, "Archie hasn't fired a shot yet. I'd say he's doing this to try and scare us off. Fat chance. We've got a sizeable bag of tricks before we even have to think about defending ourselves with actual weapons. So yeah, we're good..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
OOC: Archlich: *fumes*
I'd point you to a number of books I've read that have tons of space battles in them to valididate my choice of missiles, but the whole "Society just going into space" bit certainly qualifies here, so I'm fine.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
Ballard sighed, rubbing his temples with two fingers. "Ugh... You people and your space... I will have the advanced tech on Earth and you can keep your galactic battles to yourself, 'kay?" he muttered.
Damien and Darean looked up from there half eaten plates.
"Archie?", the twins said in unison.
The two police entered silently, shutting the door behind them. Both had very grave looks about them.
"Your husband was found this afternoon in an alley not to far from here. You may want to sit down for this..." The man paused and cleared his throat, "He was dead. It looks like he may have committed suicide. I know this is very difficult for you but we have a few questions."
The speaker removed a notepad from his pocket and places a pencil on it. He wrote the date and locations on it before clearing his throat again. He looked down on Gretchen with light blue eyes over a hawk nose.
"Tell me what happened this afternoon."
"I'm aware of the principles of battles out of the atmosphere, Acid, what I'm trying to say is, we're entirely stationary. And do you really think Archlich couldn't have warped our reality enough to put something on the earth that could get through your shields? Magic may be chaotic, but it's useful and dangerous!" Midas proclaimed. "I don't like the idea of staying up here, a sitting target, while missiles crafted for this kind of combat are fired at us. It may very well make planning our next move harder. Though, I suppose we need a first move to have a next move, and we've been fairly unorganized thus far."
"Oh, I'm sure he has." Acid grinned to Phillis, "But those satellites aren't one of them. Truth be told, I don't think we'd even need shields. There are many other ways this ship can protect itself than weaponry."
"Now then," he stood up again, "since I now know that 'the great and powerful Overmagus'...or was it 'magnus'?...bah, whatever...is Archlich, I think I'll take you up on the suggestion of just ringing the doorbell."
Acid shrugged, "Now I know that's crazy, and it probably won't work, but I know Archie, and...I don't really wanna kill the man. Well, I guess technically I can't since he's dead already...gah, I'm confusing myself again! You get the idea, right?"
He shook his head is if to clear it of the massive contradiction of killing a dead man, then continued, "So I'm just gonna go have a chat with him and see where I get. Meanwhile...meanwhile...dammit, what was I gonna say...?"
"The base?" SENECA reminded him.
"Oh yeah! HAH, I found my train of thought again. Here's the deal - we've got a base sitting under Peregrine...well, sort of under. By all we've gathered, it's unaltered, as it should be. It'd make a good ops center. However, there might be...complicatons if we let you guys in."
Acid started pacing, "You see, the reason it's unaltered could be dangerous to you guys. I'm saying 'could' because I have no idea, we've never actully had the opportunity to test it. Anyway...Vern, do me a favor and take them there. If we find out it is dangerous, don't let 'em in, but I think it' worth a try. Alright, I'm off then. Sorry about the rush, but I'd like to talk with Archie so long as he still thinks his stuff can scare us off."
With that, he was already through the bridge door and off into the ship again...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Gretchen's eyes widened. Reaching behind herself shakily for a chair, the scientist lowered herself into it, her head resting in her hands and her elbows on the table before her. She gestured inarticulately for the men to sit down with her left hand.
Daniel... her Daniel. He was an idiot, but he had been her idiot. She had worked so hard...SO hard to get his wife and daughter out of the way. And a stroke of luck...the two of them had been killed on an errand years ago, shot in the crossfire of a conflict between the Overmagus' troops and the Underground movement.
Gretchen's fist clenched against her head. But no, Daniel had never loved her as much as he loved Roxsana.
Or Selene.
Selene!!
"Tell me..." Gretchen's voice came quietly. "I will tell you everything that happened today, and perhaps a little more. But was there not the body of a small girl along with him?"
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
The blue eyed man didnt change his position at all. Like a machine, he continued to hold the pencil to paper. The man behind him stroked his scruffy black beard with large hands. He shook his head.
"No. There was no little girl at the scene. However, the was a bullet lodged in the ground and a splatter pattern. There may have been a bod-"
The blue eyed man put his hand up to silence the bearded policeman.
"Okay, your turn. Tell us everything. In the mean time my partner here, Douglas, is going to take a look around the lab."
Douglas nodded and set into the lab, absentmindedly scratching the beard and looking about.
Gretchen's eyes burned with malice.
Selene...it was Selene's fault Daniel had died. It was Selene's fault he'd killed himself. The little monster had already been killed once. Instead of moving on, Daniel had gone crazy in his grief...and done the unthinkable. And now, rather than give her up again, he had killed himself.
All for Selene.
His darling little Selene.
Gretchen Fleischman-West shivered with anger and hatred.
"Ja, I will tell you, sir. I will tell you everything."
As Douglas searched through the lab, he would see things - strange things - only read about in science fiction and strange mad scientist stories. Magical runes everywhere. Beakers, tubes, fluids, smoke. Technological wonders, diagrams of humans, demons, angels, undead, and countless books about the soul.
Containment tanks. Corpses of strange beings smirking lifelessly in their shelters of formaldahyde and glass. Incense and holy books.
The notes strewn about everywhere in the lab were clearly the work of a man mad with grief. Runes scribbled up and down the margins, sentences half finished and running into biological equations, DNA strand diagrams, the sign of the Cross.
On every page, consistently, somewhere, were the words Seraphim 666.
"You see..." Gretchen said, her voice now devoid of grief and cold with controlled rage. "Daniel's first wife and daughter were killed some time ago due to the interference of the Underground. He went mad with grief. Being the genius that he was, he resolved that, if the Overmagus could bind the soul to the body, then he would too and bring them back to life."
She paused for only a minute to allow the man to finish writing.
"Ressurecting Roxsana was a failure. His daughter, Selene, however...You are aware of the little fairytale that all children go to heaven? ...Her soul rejected the unclean human flesh it had once occupied...and so, Daniel, in secret, engineered a body to house Selene's soul - Partially her own, and partially constructed by strong spells and rituals."
She drew in a breath.
"...A bioengineered G-class Seraph. So none would find out what was really happening, he coded her as one of his confidential experiments - Seraphim 666."
As she said this, Gretchen's hand clenched into a fist.
"I did not know this when I married him. When I found out he was doing this, holding the creature he had created deep within his laboratory, keeping it secret and safe, I was enraged. Such a foul crime against the Overmagus was not to be tolerated. I insisted that if the Seraphim 666 project was truly an experiment, that we treat it as such - and much valuable data was gleaned from the tests we ran. This, I would be happy to turn over to the Overmagus. But day after day, he grew more and more mad, more and more insane. Always 'Selene, Selene.'"
She ground her teeth.
"...This morning I told him, he must destroy the experiment, or I would turn it over to the Overmagus' officials myself. He left with the monster this morning...and the rest you know."
She looked to the secret policeman, falling silent. She knew little of her own fate, now...but she knew that there was now someone in greater trouble than herself...
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
A wind blew over the desolate landscape of western America, and Hallucinogen was nearly outrunning it, speeding invisible into the distance, ever further toward Oranbegan territory.
"They found us again," he muttered as he ran and leaped over ghost towns and destroyed buildings. "They always find us, no matter how far we go, or where we hide. What's even the point? Maybe we should just give up."
"Yeah, good idea!" Schizo cackled in his head. "I LIKE the way you're thinking, Hal!"
Hal chuckled to himself. "Thanks, Schizo. You've made me realize that I can't give up now. Not if YOU think I should. Thanks for being there for me."
". . . You suck," Schizo grumbled.
Douglas hurried back to the blue eyed man. He leaned low and whispered to him. The note taker nodded and closed the note pad.
It sounds as though the good doctor was playing with forces he shouldnt have been.
He grinned, a half smile the was some what alarming. He placed the notes in his pocket and removed a pair of car keys. Douglas moved next to Gretchen. He placed his heavy hand on her shoulder and smiled, much more sincere.
This lab is going to be seized and its contents gathered for an investigation into what the doctor may have found, and what he tampered with. We are going to have to ask you to gather any information you can on Seraphim-666 and Daniel. Pictures would be the most helpful. The abomination is someone in this city, and we are going to find her.
The blue eyed man was already half way out the door when Douglas let go of Gretchens shoulder.
We will be waiting outside. And dont let Charles scare you, hes a puppy dog.
Douglas made his way outside to where Charles was standing next to the car. The sun was setting in Paragon and long shadows filled the streets. Charles looked to Douglas.
What do you thinks going to happen to her?
Nothing bad. Shes done nothing wrong. Theyll drill her for a bit, then ship her out to someplace in the middle of no where.
Charles nodded and opened the car door, he thought out loud.
Bioengineered angels
who would try that anymore
Gretchen nodded.
"Understood." she said, standing. Her eyes flashed slightly in triumph.
Perhaps now, she would be able to work on her own projects under the protection of the Overmagus...
As she gathered all the information together, she thought to herself. Now, Selene...Now you will finally get what it is you deserve. You will be praying for death to retrieve you when the Overmagus finds you...
----------------------------------------
Essex shuddered involuntarily in her seat. She wasn't certain why, but she set down her bowl of half-finished noodles and curled her knees up to her chest.
All this talk of outer space, missiles, lasers...
...all she wanted was to see her father. Even if it was forbidden...
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
Damien looked at the girl child she was shivering. Damien wasn't sure if it was from the coldness in the room or from the frightning grown-up talk. Damien kneeled in-front of little girl. "Hey, little girl." Damien said in a soft little whisper. "Don't worry bout what the grown-ups are talking about, they just wanna feel important." Damien smiled at the little girl. "Wanna see something cool?", Damien said as he placed his palm at eye-level with the girl. Chanting a small series of words a small fire imps appeared in his hand. "Wave at the pretty little girl, Curly". As Damien commanded the little imp in his palm did. "My name is Damien, what's your name?"
Darean noticed his brother talking to the little girl. What was with his twin always having a soft spot for frightened creatures. "Ok so are introductions done or are we gonna sit and rot to death, or get blown up by space missles or whatever this Overmagnent Archiepocalypse has?" Darean said.
Cortianna leaned against the wall after Engine's departure, rubbing her temple in hopes of clearing her headache some.
"Cortianna, send a pulse to scramble the frequencies. We need to get out now. I'm glad we ran that drill...everyone will know where to go."
She looked up as Rosie gave her instructions and nodded. "Understood." A deep breath later, the psionic was reaching into the minds of everyone once more as several switches in the command center moved unaided under long practiced telekinesis.
<All soldiers, frequency shifted to Mode Janus. As per the Commander, we are initiating Code Exodus.>
Floating behind the border collie, she continued to keep light touches on all remaining members of the cell.
------
An ear flicked atop Tam's head as amber eyes opened with lazy confidence arching her back and yawning impressively, the beast-cat gave a look around the empty bay before catching a whiff of the food that had stired her from sleep.
Leaping off the crate, she bloted through the passageways to the command deck. Stalking next to Essex, she rumbled a soft greating to the girl as she nosed her disgarded bowl of noodles.
((Side note on LichLand Tam. Due to her mutation being magically exagerated, she looks more like a humanized Bengal Tiger and is a Super Strength / Regen Brute (or close enough anyways)))
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
Son of a [censored], you cant just walk away! Midas and the Philosophers Stone shouted at the same time.
Damn it, I hate having not the slightest clue as to what is happening! Midas growled as he set aside his bowl.
I think we both know the solution to that! the gem retorted. You know everything, you just need to have the full you!
The scientist grunted and stood up, buttoning his lab coat and pacing. He gestured violently toward Vern, showing intense disapproval. How is that stupid, ugly creature supposed to get us anywhere!?
"Well excuse me for offending your sense of aestethics." Vern retorted to Phillis with scorn, hopping off the chart table and onto the floor again. This meant he had to look up to make eye contact with the doctor, but that had never really mattered to him.
He decided not to wait for the aftermath his protests usually incited among humans, going straight to, "And yeah, we're going somewhere. Moonscribe, you said you found Hal. I'm assuming you'll have no problem giving SENECA his coordinates...?"
--------------------
Meanwhile, Acid was already in the drop bay again, manipulating the fiktive transmitter with a few commands of a holographic keyboard. A few moments later, the machine transported what he wanted where he wanted, then took him as well, sending him down to the planet again...
--------------------
The Louvre
2043 hours ZULU
In one of the many dark archways, a pair of headlights flared to life, the dull roar of a strange engine accompanying them.
Moments later, what resembled a night-black Ferrari Testarossa left the archway and made its way onto the Quai du Louvre, racing away into the night towards the forbidden city within a city.
Protected by its massive dark walls and searchlights streaking high into the sky, the government complex 'Edge of the World' was downright impossible to miss...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Kefetasura started noticeably and straightened up for a moment. Though he could not say how it had happened, he suddenly lost control of one of his duplicates and it dissolved. He looked from side to side in a paranoid fashion and quickly got to his feet, making his way for the door.
"Pardon me," he said to the room, paying no heed to the scene unfolding between Vern and Midas. It was highly unusual for him not to have tried to instigate a confrontation or at the very least make some kind of sarcastic remark. The door closed behind him.
"Don't you think it's kind of ironic to have a black testarossa?" Kefetasura's voice echoed out from behind the firewall of a very nice sportscar. The demon dragged himself up into the passenger seat. "And, no, that's not why I'm bothering you. As much as I hate to admit it, the fact that you haven't been altered by Archlich makes your presence a stabilizing influence on me."
"Of course," Moonscribe said. He raised his hands and began to type on thin air, as though he had an invisible keyboard floating before him.
He finished typing, and frowned. "Hmm. Unable to compile?"
"Ah, but of course," he laughed politely, typing again, "I seem to have used a slash instead of a backslash. Most embarrassing. But yes, the coordinates are sent. SENECA should have them already."
Dr. Phillis let out several screaming curses as he was tossed all about by the wacky demon as Midas looked on with neutrality. He followed Acid, leaving his small battle group deactivated behind him. He didnt feel like listening to them very much. In fact, he wished he didnt have to listen to anyone. He really needed to think, it was much easier to do in complete solitude, or with some intelligent conversation going on. He used to have an assistant he could bounce ideas off of, until she became his wife. He could get all kinds of things done with Reyna around.
His face darkened, he didnt want to think about it.
The Philosophers Stone was ranting about the idiocy of demons and the fact that genocide would be best in this case, but he quickly quieted as Acid began relaying the information. He was furious when Kefetasura interrupted the alien, but kept his figurative mouth shut, as he was actually extremely curious about what was going on.
Were about to be missiled? Midas asked aloud, unsure of why Acid seemed to be so calm. He could think much better when put under stress. And all we have in here are a pack of idiots, some freaks, and a little girl?! I take it you can avoid them?