((Getting to it. 
And Cham, I'm surprised of you - Danny's Book of Wit has nothing to cover biotech, concrete, sex, and surgery? Well now, what a shame. He's usually such a chatterbox. 
))
"Mono shield." Acid explained as his eyes slowly closed, his crouch upon the branch freezing in nearly absolute lack of motion, "Or screen. Basically, it's a paradim layer. I think you guys call a collection of those an aura. Not really sure. Either way, it's like the part of your mind that deals with things like thoughts and other mental stuff. In most people, that's set to 'let everything through both ways', at least in its unfocused state. A mono screen is another one, but instead of letting everything through without question, it'll ask you - your subconscious first; that passes it off if it's really important, like a message - whether you want to let something in or not."
As he spoke, Alyssa didn't feel much of anything. However, this was mot likely due to her headache being partly alcohol-induced. In truth, the influence of the psionic resonator vanished completely from one moment to another.
"Since that happens in almost zero time," the reptilian further elaborated as his eyes opened again and he released her head, tapping his claws against the makeshift device again, "it can handle literally billions of such attempts in an instant. Now like I said, this'll only be temporary. I don't have the necessary skill to make you a permanent one. Still, it should last at least a few hours, maybe a day or two..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
((anyone seen spade?))
((He's busy with work stuff, apparently he got to go to E3))
"Ok then", Alyssa replied, not really understanding most of what the reptilian was saying but getting the general idea that it was meant to stop the mental assault that was causing her headache. "Wait, will I still be able to control my plants with this thing on? I'm told that relies on some kind of subconscious psychic stuff. Actually nevermind, probably easier to find out for myself."
Rolling off the branch she dropped to the ground, crouching to absorb the impact before standing back up and walking over to a patch of clear ground. Extending a hand towards it she concentrated like she usually did, and the ground moved as a small vine sprouted exactly where she'd intended it to. It continued to grow, eventually forming into the familiar form of her pet Flytrap. Detaching itself from the ground it waddled over to her and sat happily waiting for something to do. "Right, guess it does work then", she commented, smoothing the ground back down where she'd disturbed it before walking back over to the other two. "So, shall we go find this thing then?"
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
((NO FREAKIN WAY!!!???............lucky all i can do is feast on the remains that G4 offers us commoners))
((Oh, I'm sure Danny would have plenty to say... if he actually cared at this point. Right now he's wearing a jury-rigged long-term Vanguard Medallion that feeds off his own electric powers to stay active... it's not a comfortable feeling, although it's less annoying than the resonator ))
Danny watched the byplay indifferently, more focussed on keeping his energy levels steady- the constant, sharp drain of the Medallion, coupled with an unsteady spike every time another psionic resonator wave hit, made for a constant, aggravating ache at the base of his skull.
At Alyssa's question, he breathed a poorly-disguised sigh of relief and hopped out of the air. "Aye, an' 'tis about time." he grumbled. "Weed 'troller, neh?" he asked Alyssa, with a raised eyebrow. "Why'd ye take a cruise, then? Most o' th'close-t'Earth tree-hugger types tha' I know of tend t'be uncomfortable when they're awa' fro' th'plants n'moss an' whatnot. And, as Acid has pointed out, there isnae a lot o' that on a ship."
He shrugged, and waved an arm vaguely sternwards, and slightly to Starboard. "Th'resonator..." he started, then clutched at his head and doubled over as fragmented future images cascaded past- them finding the resonator, them being found by blue-flack-jacket-wearing troops of some sort, a handful of Carnival of Shadows masks (Danny didn't know the Carnies by sight, but he'd seen a few of their broken masks that were kept as trophies by various supergroups he had visited), weird, amorphous blob-beings (decoys? he managed to wonder)...
After a moment, he managed to straighten up again. "Right... 'tis that way." he grated, grinding his teeth in irritation.
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
Alyssa's first question answered, sliding from the tree again with remark to Danny, the para-scalpel still in his claws, "You know, it's a pretty simple procedure. You sure you don't want me to put one into you as well?"
Whether Danny accepted or not, however, wouldn't change the ultimate outcome once the time to leave did come, the reptilian setting course back to his bag with a curt, "Alright then, good luck you two. Lemme know how it went, okay? I'm a sucker for a good story..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
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[ QUOTE ]
"Weed 'troller, neh?" he asked Alyssa, with a raised eyebrow. "Why'd ye take a cruise, then? Most o' th'close-t'Earth tree-hugger types tha' I know of tend t'be uncomfortable when they're awa' fro' th'plants n'moss an' whatnot. And, as Acid has pointed out, there isnae a lot o' that on a ship."
[/ QUOTE ]
"I won a ticket in a competition, thought I might as well use it. And in case you haven't noticed, I carry a fair amount of the plants with me. Besides, the ocean has its share of wonders as well, the storms out here get way bigger than ones over land sometimes." She was secretly half hoping to see just such a storm while they were out here.
As Danny doubled over she rushed forward to help, but he recovered before she even got there. "You ok kid?", she asked with a hint of concern.
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
Danny waved Alyssa off. "Better th'n I'll be in a while, when th'bloody head-melter gets stronger still." He gave Acid a watery-eyed glare. "An' what d'ye have t'do tha's more important than keepin' your brain fro' bein' turned t'slurry by the Malta goons?" he asked irritably. It wasn't entirely clear whether or not he'd even heard Acid's offer of a second shield, or if he simply preferred to rely on his Vanguard Medallion as a known quantity... or possibly even that he wasn't sure what would happen if he were to deactivate the medallion and accept the new shield (or simply put the new shield on over 'top', so to speak), but really didn't want to find out.
Then he smirked faintly at Alyssa. "Wi' th'number o' supertypes we seem t'have runnin' about on this bloody outsized tub, y'could prolly just get a few t'whistle up a whacking great storm for ye. Not that it'd matter much, mind... fro' what I've heard, this beastie ha' so many stabilizers tha' th'ocean'd have t'be flippin' upside down afore they so much as broke a dish..."
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
"How about not getting shot by said 'goons', who are pretty decent marksmen wielding high-powered assault rifles?" Acid answered Danny with a wry grin, "You're talking about going up against people who hunt superheroes - and have the tools to win. Don't let my looks fool you, I'm a very sensitive guy...not to mention allergic to pain."
"Seriously, I'm just an engineer." the reptilian flipped the para-scalpel in his fingers, "A civilian. As in don't have special powers, or in a military. Moreover, I would try and convince you to call the navy instead, but...yeah, you smell like the kind of guy who doesn't back down once he's made up his mind..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
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[ QUOTE ]
Then he smirked faintly at Alyssa. "Wi' th'number o' supertypes we seem t'have runnin' about on this bloody outsized tub, y'could prolly just get a few t'whistle up a whacking great storm for ye. Not that it'd matter much, mind... fro' what I've heard, this beastie ha' so many stabilizers tha' th'ocean'd have t'be flippin' upside down afore they so much as broke a dish..."
[/ QUOTE ]
"Hell I could do that myself if I wanted, but large scale stuff like that tends to upset important things like global weather patterns if you don't do it very carefully. Butterfly effect or something they call it I think."
She stopped as Acid continued, going on about assault rifles and such. "Yeah, I'm not much for getting shot at myself but sometimes you just have to. Although you do have a point, reinforcements of some kind or other might not be a bad idea. There's probably a hero or two at least on the ship somewhere that we could get to help us."
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
Danny offered Acid a very faint smirk so totally devoid of humour that the reptilloid was probably left wondering briefly if the kid was going to try and rip his throat out with his teeth. "Aye, an' callin' in th'Navy w'd work spectacular-like. Me an'... nae offense, miss... some woman who reeks o' drink, yellin' 'Ah, help us, th'boojums 're attackin' th'ship!'." He gave a sour shrug. "A kid an' a drunk tryin' t'convince folk tha' somethin' they dinnae believe in i' attackin'? Ye dinnae watch many movies, do ye?"
Then he gave Acid a shrewd look. "A civilian, neh?" he said thoughtfully. "If th'goons 're a' paranoid as y'say, y'might be safer wi' us, rather th'n just hangin' about hopin' they dinnae find y', since, powers or nae, y'look like a super." Then he shrugged again. "But t'isnae m'place t'comment, I suppose... still, y'said ye were an engineer? Got any 'tools' t'use against these Malta types? Y'said they use tech t'stop supertypes... can y'stop th'stoppers?"
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
Masquerade had settled back into his room after the gas explosion. All his decoys and henchmen were tied up elsewhere currently, and he still needed to kill that wretched illusionist and her little dog too. The dog being David.
Normally he could have just sifted through the minds of everybody on the ship until he found theirs, but that was not an option with the resonance generator running. So instead, he just looked around for a specific combination.
'...Deception...Darkness...Instinct...'
His vision spun and throbbed, rushing through the hallways and corridor of the ship until it reached the med-bay, where it found his target. To Masquerade's delight, the second target was also there as well. It was time to work.
Odette felt like something was tugging on her from every direction at once-something was trying to teleport her to a different location.
"As a matter of fact, no." Acid had to admit, scratching his head, as usual finding his knowledge of popular human culture lacking. Then again, one couldn't really harsh on the guy for that considering the circumstances, "But I was thinking more of tripping the ship's emergency distress beacon. Knowing Malta, they've probably taken the radio room, but I'd imagine a signal like that can be sent going from anything to do with the ship's computer."
Indeed, the Khelari was right - and the Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon was just one of the tools employed by the Global Maritime Distress Safety System. Moreover, it was notoriously hard to disable, and nearly impossibly so without setting it off. True, Malta might have brought in computer specialists, but they'd have to be absolute geniuses to pull something like that off. Simply put, it was easier (and therefore more logical) to just keep passengers and crew from the areas that allowed computer interface, whether by posing as maintenance personnel or other methods of deception.
"As for being safer with you...how about no?" he smiled with a sideways glance at Danny, "I've run into Malta before. They're not interested in me anymore. And no, I'm not mad at them. In fact, I'm not even angry. I'm being so sincere right now."
He chuckled for a moment, then went on, "As for tools...yeah, my watch. But I kind of deconstructed that. And now that I think about it, I have no idea how to retch up that bioplasma again. It's probably integrated by now...and I can't get to the thousand sun world and ask the CP for more right now. Hm. Should've thought that one through more."
"Oh, right." the reptilian only now realized he'd gone off monologueing, biting against his upper lip as he considered, then finally sighed, "Okay, fine. I'll help you set off the beacon. But if I get sniped, I'm...okay, so I haven't figured that part out yet. I was gonna say I'm biting you, but human tastes horrible, so there's a definite no. Well, what're you still floating around for, let's get this over with..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
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[ QUOTE ]
Y'said they use tech t'stop supertypes... can y'stop th'stoppers?"
[/ QUOTE ]
"Dunno about him, but I've found in the past that being tangled in vines stops someone rather effectively. And if that fails I could always pin them to a wall with a portable hurricane, that's usually pretty effective too." Alyssa considered summoning said hurricane as a demonstration, but decided against it. "And for the record, I'm not drunk", she said over her shoulder as she turned to leave. "If I was, I'd have lost control over my powers and half the ship would be overgrown by now." Anyway, off to activate this radio beacon I guess since everyone seems to think attacking them directly is a stupid idea." It probably was just that, but Alyssa wasn't known for being cautious.
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
Danny chuckled at the reptiloid's monologue, murmuring "Target Lad, y'sly dog, you got me monologuing!" under his breath. Louder, he commented "Aye, an' I'm sure tha' their snipers are terrible an' all, but..." his bow was out and an arrow loosed in pretty much the same motion, the arrow slapping into the wall on the far side of the room, having punched straight through a tree. If Acid's eyes were sharp, he'd notice that there was a fly cut neatly in half (lengthwise) and tumbling slowly out of the air, about halfway across the room.
"... well, I'm na' exactly defenseless, neh?" he finished. "So... a' sneaky-like t'th'radio room, smack th'big red button, an' then we go make some noise. Th'Coast Guard is like as not t'be expectin' trouble, wi' a distress signal on a glass-smooth sea, bu' no sense in lettin' 'em walk int'an ambush."
The little archer paused. "An' maybe we c'n shut down this sodding head-melter, too!" he yelled as another pulse hammered through his brainstem.
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
Acid's eyes gave a roll in response, the reptilian shaking his head slightly with a sigh of, "Humans."
Still, that didn't change his mind. He did want to at least try and do as the Doc said, and it looked like this would be the quickest way. He'd follow them - reluctantly, but he'd follow them...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
((fzt.))
"Sniping's a good job mate." Famine rattled off in a lame accent, imitating something he'd seen on the internet once. "But like I said, that's Death's thing. Death as in my buddy. Four Horsemen and all. Not the scythe guy. Although I wouldn't put it past him, really..."
---
Death didn't respond to Acid's calling. The man moved back behind a corner before speaking again, to make sure their eyes weren't somehow adjusting to his outline.
"I say again. I am not here for you. You know what I want. Relinquish it or I will slaughter you as lambs."
---
The Malta operatives, having decimated Valeria's Drone, quickly stepped over it, removing any memory devices and disconnecting what was left of its weapon's feed. After doing this, the two minions swept to the end of the hall while the Operations Officer stood by the access hatch. There was a flash of a teleport and a Gunslinger joined him, bringing the number of Operatives outside the hatch to four.
((Woot. Time to catch up, aye? ))
"Guess not." Acid's remarked quietly to himself as eyes wandered to and fro, the reptilian trying hard to remember where he'd heard that voice before, "And actually, we don't. Or at least I don't."
"I think I do." Hotaka took the word on this, "He wants the crate. My good man, you will find that behind us within an armored vault, presently sealed by a time lock. I speak only truth when I state that neither of us is carrying it..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
"I know fully well where the crate is." Death responded calmly and without insult. "I also know that you've left an Arachnos Operative in there. I also know one thing that he doesn't - You can get in to the crate. Surrender your access card or wait out the time lock and open it for us..."
"...Or I will bring about your Death."
Death!
"That was it!" Acid suddenly exclaimed, only barely suppressing the impulse to smack his head in a tremendous assault of 'duh', turning to Hotaka, "Sombre Death, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."
"Oh." the towering oriental nodded, as if that explained everything, but of course a moment later wanted to know, "Who?"
"Nevermind." the reptilian waved off, "I think I've got a solution, though. Hey, Death - so how much are they paying you guys? Malta, I'm assuming, that is. What's the number...?"
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Death paused for a moment, taken aback. Could the reptile possibly have enough to pay him and his men off?
"...I can't disclose that until my job is finished." He slowly responded. "I do not lead an elite mercenary team of Backstabbers, Acid Zero."
Apparently the Assassin had at least been briefed on the reptile, the mere human having no recollection of his past employment with him.
"Surrender the card to me. This doesn't have to come down to killing."
"Hm, too bad." Acid replied with a most sinister smirk, "It would've been very lucrative. But I guess you're not Osk'kan, heh. Hotaka?"
"Very well." the towering Oriental sighed, fishing about in his robes until he produced a magnetic key card, then flicked the thing onto the floor before the corner, "There, you have what you want. We'll be on our way then..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
[ QUOTE ]
Louder, he commented "Aye, an' I'm sure tha' their snipers are terrible an' all, but..." his bow was out and an arrow loosed in pretty much the same motion, the arrow slapping into the wall on the far side of the room, having punched straight through a tree. If Acid's eyes were sharp, he'd notice that there was a fly cut neatly in half (lengthwise) and tumbling slowly out of the air, about halfway across the room.
[/ QUOTE ]
Alyssa twitched slightly as Danny shot the tree. "Was that really necessary?", she asked him, obviously not approving. "Incidentally what are those arrows made of? Don't think I've ever seen one go straight through something before." Despite her disapproval of the act itself, she seemed genuinely curious about how he'd done it.
As the spoke, the giant flytrap she'd summoned earlier wandered over and ate both halves of the unfortunate fly.
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: STOP!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WAIT ONE SECOND!
[Admin] Emperor Marcus Cole: WHAT IS A SEAGULL DOING ON MY THRONE!?!?
[ QUOTE ]
Acid's eyes gave a roll in response, the reptilian shaking his head slightly with a sigh of, "Humans."
[/ QUOTE ]
Danny raised an eyebrow at the big reptilian, who he was rapidly coming to see as rather timid. "Aye, an' if'n I was t'say... 'big reptile men', 'r whatever, i' th'same tone, ye'd doubtless be offended." he muttered.
[ QUOTE ]
Alyssa twitched slightly as Danny shot the tree. "Was that really necessary?", she asked him, obviously not approving.
[/ QUOTE ]
"Eh?" he questioned, blushing a little. "T'wa' just a wee bit o' showin' off..." he mumbled, not even really registering that she was talking about the tree.
[ QUOTE ]
"Incidentally what are those arrows made of? Don't think I've ever seen one go straight through something before." Despite her disapproval of the act itself, she seemed genuinely curious about how he'd done it.
[/ QUOTE ]
"M'arrows? Th'heads're made o' Impervium- same stuff tha' th'Vanguard-types mak' their armour outta. 'Tis amazin' hard-like, makes for some dandy armour-piercing capability." He smirked faintly and produced another arrow... or at least what looked like most of one; the head was oddly-shaped and blunt. "An' if I need summat more punch?" he said, giving the arrowhead a slight twist.
There was a *CRACK* and then an ongoing slight hiss as the Talsorian arrowhead flared to life, casting an odd, greenish light over the surroundings. "Well, now... 'tis nae much tha' can stop one o' these." he commented offhandedly.
((why yes, Danny is rather proud of being allowed access to Talsorian Arrowheads, why do you ask? ))
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
Is still here, waiting on Sovs.