Day Two
A large blast threw Inago backwards into some burnt out ruins. His vision blurred and faded to black. A shooting pain traveled down his arm and his legs felt numb. He shook his head and tried to focus again, his vision clearing once more. He was in bad shape, but others had it worse. The ghostly cries of downed soldiers echoed through the landscape around him.
Gathering himself, he finally managed to scramble back to his feet to take a look around. The dirty clouds would have obstructed the view of any normal person, but thankfully for him his heightened senses allowed him to penetrate through the dust. A large squad of about fifteen Rikti soldiers were closing in, guns at the ready.
Inago smirked "No pushing now! There's plenty of me to go around."
The closest Rikti took a shot which the young hero managed to sidestep with little effort. "Anyone would think you guys were actually trying to kill me."
The alien fired again and Inago ducked just in time, the bolt almost grazing his head. "That's it... you're number one on my list of butts to kick!"
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"Hey... umm... are you alive?"
Rachis didn't answer, as he was quite happy lying where he was. Untill the woman started prodding him anyway.
"Hello...? This isn't the safest place to sleep." Rachis finally managed to prize his eyes open to see a white haired girl in a full blue mask with golden eye coverings crouched over his body. Her slim body was clad in a black and light blue costume, some sort of symbol on her chest that he couldn't quite make out and black combat boots completing the look.
She tilted her head to one side "You look in bad shape."
Rachis sat up and looked down at his hands "That ain't mah blood." He motioned to the motionless corpses of over a dozen Rikti scattered around the area before slumping back to the ground again.
The girl took a moment to look around at the dead bodies before sniffing the air "Are you drunk? You reek of alcohol!"
"Hungover... Somethin' wrong with that gal?" He rubbed his hands through his spikey hair before clasping his forehead. "Who the hell are ya?"
"I'm Thunderbug! It's good to meet you, Mr...?"
"Rachis... Be a doll an' [censored] off so ah can get some shut eye." He closed his eyes once more and yawned loudly.
Thunderbug could do nothing but stand there in disbelief. She couldn't believe how rude the guy was. There was no point staying where she obviously wasn't wanted.
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"Power levels at 10% and falling."
[censored]...
"Weapons systems at 19%."
Double [censored]...
"Alien vessels detected. ETA 7 minutes."
[censored], [censored], [censored]! Steel Guards armour wasn't doing so well. He'd recovered from his previous fall and had spent the night fighting his way through the streets, trying to find a safe place where he could make repairs. Now to top it all off there was a squadron of enemy bombers on approach. The day couldn't possibly get any worse...
Looking out over Kings Row from under the overpass she was using for cover, the young heroin that was little know but went by the name of Diamond Minx cried.
She cried for the city as bombs dropped from the dropships.
She cried for all the people that have and would have lost a loved one.
She cried because, now she SAW how terrible it really was. It wasn't a story told to scare her when she was little. It wasn't a recounting of events for education. It wasn't even a reflection in the tear filled eyes of her one living mother.
This was happening now. She was in it, experiencing it, part of it now more then it had been part of her past. She wiped away her tears and reminded herself why she was here.
"I'm going to make it right mommy, I won't let you loose her again."
She sealed her vow with a kiss on the pendant she wore around her neck, inside a picture of a green skinned blond and a white haired catwoman.
As she tucked away the pendant safely under her armour, she readied herself and jumped in to the air.
She knew she wasn't strong enough to take the Rikti head on, so instead she flew at top speed firing blasts of energy where ever she could to help other fighting groups and distract the Rikti as she flew towards Skyway City.
I'm coming mommy
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
Cap Au Diable, Day One
Headbreaker leapt from the first roof to the next. The building had become unstable from a resent blast and his heavy body caused it to sway. Looking towards Aeon city he watched the fire's rage against the darkened sky and wondered how it came to this, how did the capes mess up so badly? How did no-one see this coming?
The Rikti where not happy with the failed attack at Port Oaks and had decided to go after Aeon City, in there eyes, a better, more vulnerable target.
Goldbrickers fled the burning city through the sky, only to be shot down moments later by Rikti fire. Headbreaker had never liked the Goldbrickers, but even they didn't deserve to die like that. Bodies fell out of the sky and splattered against the ground below, their armour stripped to be sold later.
He leapt again causing the building to crumble behind him. He landed on the next building, then, through reflex, threw his head backwards narrowly avoiding a Rikti blade. It was badly wounded and sounded as if it was short of breath. Headbreaker swore at the Rikti as it rose it's blade for another attack. Headbreaker landed a knockout blow against the Rikti causing it to fall from the roof, down to its death on the cobbles below.
He grunted as the streets where filled with Arachnos desperately fighting for life...and losing. Another leap brought him closer to Aeon. The red glow of the fires grew brighter, with flashes of green periodically lighting up the sky.
He had not stopped since Port Oaks, he had leapt aboard a ferry and almost killed the pilot when he refused to sail. Eventually, after much argument, he had arrived in Cap just at the right time.
Although this time the battle had turned in the Rikti's favour.
The fliers where already dead, swatted out of the sky like bugs, many superspeeders had been shot in the legs to keep them down and then finished with a shot to the head, the teleporters had disappeared quickly enough and the leapers had barely escaped.
Rumour had it that Recluse was already sending out reinforcements to protect Dr Aeon and the PTS, his prized possessions in the area.
Headbreaker went to leap up into the city when a bomb landed behind him, catapulting him into the watery moat around Aeon.
He swam back to the shore of Haven and looked up as Arachnos Fliers suddenly burst from the skies and pounded on the Rikti ships. As he watched the display above him, one ship was caught on the engine and began to drop like a stone, and suddenly to Headbreaker's realisation, he fell right towards him.
Throwing himself to his feet he leapt forward between two buildings and the ship crashed into the ground, exploding in a ball of green fire, destroying the buildings he was leaping through. The blast sent him flying further and he landed with a thump some-where in Haven.
He looked towards Aeon as the Rikti ships sped away, several falling from the sky to land in the buildings in Haven, causing more unnecessary damage.
The sounds of lasers charging made Headbreaker slowly rise. From out of the dust came an Arachnos soldier who pointed his rifle at him, after a second or two he spoke
"Headbreaker correct?" he nodded "You are to leave this area immediately. The Arachnos and The Destined Ones will clean up here..." Headbreaker went to object when more Arachnos appeared from the dust "I'm sorry Mr Breaker, I must insist you leave..."
Defeated and tired Headbreaker reached into his pockets to get a cigar, only to find a hole where they once sat, he cursed as the Arachnos pointed towards the docks.
"Please leave Mr Breaker!"
Headbreaker spat a glob of blood at the soldiers foot and started to walk away, Swearing under his breathe as the Arachnos rifles where trained on him.
He reached into his other pocket and got out his Emergency Teleportation devise and he pressed the button. His world flashed in a ball of white and suddenly he was back in the Corporations base of operations hospital. He moved towards one of the beds where he began to collapse, he grabbed the edge of the bed and tried to pull himself up and before he knew it he was on the floor unconscious...
Day Two - Continued...
They had gone in as a team, but the chaos turned it into a free-for-all. The panicked heroes were no longer unified and split off in their own directions attacking any Rikti they could find upon the downed starships surface. Inago was growing tired of the explosions and gunfire... just a moments quiet would put him back into his stride. No chance of that in the middle of a battlefield though.
Inago charged through a group of Rikti who tried to cleave him in two with their swords, but to no avail. His agility and skill kept him one step ahead at every swing. He was slowly making his way through them as their attention was suddenly grabbed by a bulldozer of a man plowing into them at incredible speed. Armour cracked and shattered under the sheer power of the hero's giant fists.
Using this as a distraction, Inny made it to the grate which he then bust open with a series of high powered kicks. As soon as it was open he grabbed the satchel off his back and flung it down the vent. Now if everyone else had managed to do their jobs and plant the rest of the bombs the destruction of the ship would be imminent.
A voice crackled over the comm links "I think we're in trouble... Get to the central point, NOW! You should see the size of this thing!"
The floor shook and buckled under Inago's feet forcing him to brace himself against the hull. Something big was coming and that couldn't be good news at all...
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5... 6... 7... They just kept dropping. 8... 9... One by one the Rikti fell. The hangover was still there but there's nothing like a work out to distract yourself from the pain. Rachis threw spines with deadly accuracy, making sure that every shot counted and every strike hit its mark.
From this display it was hard to tell that he was man as before. He liked people to think he was weak and lazy. It made them underestimate them. Gave him an edge in a fight. Just moments ago the Rikti execution squad had found him and presumed him to be wounded. They were there for easy kills, but that's not what they were getting.
--------------------
Thunderbug slouched on the bench and took a few deep breaths. She'd been fighting for hours and desperately needed a rest. In this underground shelter the war seemed so far away. The cold, damp walls were strangely comforting.
The room was packed with civilians and heroes a like. Nearby, a rough looking man sat in a black suit of high tech armour, tinkering with his helmet. He puffed on a cigar as he worked causing Althia to cough a little as the smoke drifted past her. She thought about asking him to put it out but he was a little too intimidating.
The mask on her face was getting a little claustrophobic, but this wasn't the place to remove it. There were far too many witnesses and Althia really wanted to stay anonymous. As far as everyone else was concerned, her and Thunderbug were two completely different people and that's how she wanted it to stay.
Gizelda and Arhnuld were out salvaging what they could from the battlefield that use to be Mercy Island, Ritki armor and weapons to take back to the Doctor in order to hopefully reverse engineer a few choice parts.
Having evaded Ritki assaults and patrols for the most part, Gizelda hauled up one of the arms from a Heavy assault suit of one of the Ritki, looking the weapon over.
"Think this will do nicely..."
She looked up and scanned the area...warning signals going off...the Ritki we're approaching...and fast.
"Arhnuld we've got company...and lots of it..."
If they took off they'd be shot down before they could even get clear. Gizelda quickly moved behind the ruins of wall, once belonging to a house, Arhnuld doing the same. The Ritki continued their advance, perhaps ten in number.
Arhnuld begun uttering the words of his idol, the one from which he had been granted a name.
"Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!"
Gizelda simply shook her head and sighed.
"Ok...on my count...1...2...3!"
The two moved from the ruins, laser fire piercing the air. taking the Ritki patrol by surprise, knocking one off their feet. Seeker drones deployed from the two robots backs and flew towards the Ritki. The bright flashes illuminating the nights sky, a few Ritki stumbling back.
The large, more well armored Ritki begun his advanced, running at full pelt, knocking Arhnuld to the ground and levelling his rifle...
...there was a bright flash as a glowing blast of Plasma took the Ritki's head off.
"You want to live forever?"
Succubus towered over in the biggest of the Ritki, hauling Arhnuld to his feet.
"Come on...today is not a good day to be shutdown.."
Engulfing the area infront of them in flame, giving them enough time to fire their rockets...they begun their retreat back towards EVIL HQ.
Badge Earned: Wing Clipper
A real showstopper!
((WARNING! graphic descriptions of gore and violence. Do not read on if you may be offended))
[u]Campaign of Terror. invasion day 3. [u]
<from The National News Network 26/07/07. NNN, channel 251.>
In a studio, a blue suited man, an average cookie-cutter news anchor, sits at a desk, with his fingers interlocked.
"...And we join our reporter now on location in the Etoile Islands. Viewers are warned that they may find the following report disturbing."
"...Thank you, Bob."
The young NNN reporter, Melanie Hainault, stands proud in front of the camera. It wasn't often that mainland journalists where allowed into the Etoile Isles, especially at the invitation of a renowned criminal. Arachnos Liked to keep propaganda under control. This sort of exclusive could make her career. And all handed to her on a platter.
This wasn't the first time she had crossed paths with this villain. Back during the Rularuu incursion, her team was trapped outside the hospital in founders falls. This supposed 'bastion of evil', as some knew him, was one of the heroes that held the line.
But things change. People change.
"You join me here at the KM-technologies factory complex in Port Oakes in the Etoile Islands, the Infamous 'Rogue Isles', at the scene of one of this attack's shocking and bloody retaliations."
The camera changes to a panning view across the side of the factory, much of the wall scaled with Rikti helmets, a river of blood bellow, snaking off into the parking lot's drains.
Men in grey-blue uniforms stand on scaffold towers, manhandling live Rikti against the wall.
"Civilian workers at this factory, under the orders of the factory owner, and former Hero, Big Lunk, have been rounding up Rikti prisoners..."
The camera focuses in on an armoured Rikti soldier held against the wall by two of the men, as a third drives a foot long spike through the front of its helmet with a mallet.
"... and executing them to create this... unusual collage of death."
The camera moves back to the Reporter. At her shoulder is a giant of a man, in similar armour as the workers, standing nearly twice her height.
In the background is the noise of hammering, circular saws on metal and flesh, and inhuman screams.
"With me now is the factory owner... Tell me... what is the point of this?"
Lunk crouches to the microphone, as the reporter holds it up at arms length "Fear, Melanie. We're showing the invaders that we can and will kill every last one of them. There will come a time when Rikti tell their freak children horror stories about Humans, and they will run and tremble in fear at the very mention of Earth."
"And what do you say to claims that this is in fact provoking the Rikti into further attacks?"
"Have you seen the flyers, carpet bombing our homes? The realy dont look like they need any more provoking to attack"
"also there are some who...."
The scene falls silent as the atmosphere changes to a sickly green hue. The camera points skywards as a call goes out amongst the crowd "PORTSIGN! IINCOMIING!"
The camera pans down to the tarmac, swinging from side to side as the camera crew run for cover, and the feed goes dead.
Day 3..
Battle raged through Sharkhead as Spruk and his rag tag group of gang members fought against the invading Rikti. Running out of ammunition and getting tired, the outlook was bleak.
"Playge! Keep them away from the van!" screamed out Spruk to a large built male, covered in blood stained rags, who nodded at his commands and quickly rushed the incoming Rikti as they tried to take out their get away vehicle.
It was looking bad. Fewd, a long time member of Spruk's gang had already fallen, decapitated by a thrown Rikti staff, whilst the other members already had scars to show off if they lived through it. Spruk looked across the battlefield, realizing it was a lost cause he raised his guns, "To the van! Retreat whilst we still draw breath!" At that, all the gun wielding thugs clambered into the large battle worn van. Revving the engine as the Rikti drew in for the kill, Spruk drove around, charing at the Rikti, ramming through them like they were mere toy soldiers, disappearing into the battlefield..
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Efranof walked through the Vanguard base, stepping through the portal and into the war zone. With one great leap, he threw himself into the air, checking the ground for something. Battles waged on below, heroes and villains aiding each other against countless waves of Rikti assaults, groups of Vanguard laying waste to hordes of Rikti.
Landing and hiding around a nearby corner, he found what he was looking for. The battered bodies of Vanguard troops were scattered among a large group of Rikti who were salvaging the Vanguard armour for their own use. Efranof, fully armoured and sword in hand, charged into the battlefield. In a few short seconds it was over, Rikti and Vanguard laid on the ground with Ef standing up, looking around.
Efranof gathered up those who were alive, two over his shoulders, one on his back and one in his arms. He jumped into the air, but didn't get far. Grunting, he started to run for it, the clang of the Vanguard armour as it hit his own clanged loudly, alerting nearby Rikti of his presence.
Stopping to catch his breath, Efranof looked at the area, he could head a low rumbling but he couldn't see where it was coming from. The debris left over from a recent fight started shaking as the noise got louder, alarmed Ef started running again, turning a corner he saw what the noise was, a Vanguard tank roared up the street, almost hitting Ef and the injured Vanguard.
Ef dropped the Vanguard and started waving his arms at the tank as it passed, at first it didn't stop but it eventually slowed down and stopped at the end of the road. Picking up the Vanguard again, he ran at the tank as the top hatch opened. A Vanguard operative crawled from the tank, "Is everything alright? What happened?" asked the operative, inspecting the Vanguard as Ef laid them down gently.
"They were in a pretty big fight, their hospital teleporters didn't work." Ef looked at the tank, grinning under his mask. The Vanguard operative picked up one of the troops and hauled them into the tank, "There's only room for two of them and my radio's jammed out here, think you can get those two back?" Efranof nodded, picking up the remaining Vanguard and laying them over each shoulder as the operative put the other troop into the hatch, the tank roared away as Ef was jumping towards the base.
"I sure hope I get rewarded for this.."
--------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Darvek was on his way to Paragon City..
(( I'm not the best at writing so if there's anything really obviously bad in there forgive me 
))
I am the Blaster, I have filled the role of Tank, Controller and Defender
Sometimes all at once.
Union EU player! Pip pip, tally ho, top hats and tea etc etc
Edward winced as he peeled off his clothing, having put two layers over his chest to stop people worrying about him. He had already made a choice that he would run this fleshy body of his to destruction if he had to, besides, there were others worse off than him. Antipode had only just been recovered from the rubble around the Golden Giza. She had been missing since Zero hour.
He remembered back to that moment. Recieving the SOS and tracing it back to it's point of origin. Himself and members of EVIL that had followed arriving just as the sky darkened once more and the now familiar sound of bombs falling reached their ears. The frantic defence as himself, TerrorRat and Ben formed around Big game and held off the Rikti assault, along with a large group of gathered villains, fighting the Ritki simply for their own survival, while Game frantically heaved through the rubble to recover her, dragging her inside the Giza.
It brought a smile to his face, "we may have been only rescuing one of our own...but for that moment...I felt like a hero..." he chuckled and winced, gritting his teeth.
He peeled off the first layer. The shirt seemed normal enough but the 2nd, the one closer to the wounds, was soaked in blood.
Even through the morphine injection the pain refused to numb.
"You don't take hits like that and walk away unharmed..."
Having been hit full on by one of the blasts from the bombers the only thing that had kept him from being completely annihilated was raising his personal forcefield in time...but it still wasn't enough.
He slowly peeled away the 2nd layer, wincing as it took some flesh with it, revealing a mass of bloody and burnt flesh, the smell was something he'd never forget. He knew that he would have become crispy fried if it hadn't been for that forcefield.
He picked up another syringe of Morphine and injected it. The pain slowly ebbed into a dull ache. Taking out a roll of bandages and slowly applying them to the wound, taking deep but painful breaths as he did so, gritting his teeth as the bandaged touched the wounds, causing the dull ache to become a spike of pain every now and then. Placing the unblemished shirt back over the top.
Standing and begining what seemed like the long walk to the teleporters, "you're too old to be playing war with these guys...should have done like you did last time...just hide," he shouldered his pulse rifle, using the Blackwand he'd gotten from Archmage Tarixus as a walking stick, helping to keep his balance. He dialed up the coordinates for Nerva.
"well I've got one thing in my favor..." he smirked, "...I'm just too stubborn to die easily..."
With a flash he was gone.
Badge Earned: Wing Clipper
A real showstopper!
{28/07/07, Early Morning, Kings Row.}
The mutant speedster known as Fast Buck raced across the city carrying messages between PPD headquarters, and its various Kings Row precinct houses .Thanks to Rikti disruption of communications, be it through jamming, or damage, the demand for fast runners had rocketed. Buck was just returning to PPD HQ when the notoriously unlucky mutant got thrown another curve ball.
Buck had just ran out of an alleyway when he was suddenly surrounded by a volley of plasma fire. He flicked his head from side to side catching a glimpse of a large Rikti force advancing on his right, while a contingent of black clad soldiers traded fire from their defensive positions behind a ruined car barricade. Wasting no more time, Buck sprinted towards the soldiers, leaping, then sliding across the bonnet of one of the cars, before dropping down behind it amongst the soldiers.
Breathing heavy, Fast Buck started talking as he started looking up at the black clad soldiers.
Oh man I dont want to keep doing that especially with the Medi Com down at th...
As Bucks gaze had got to the mens chests he immediately recognised the gold coloured Vitruvian symbol emblazoned there. Once he got to their faces he was under no doubt that hed landed amongst a number of Humanity First Blackshirts, and their brassy golden masked leader Partisan.
*Gulp!* "Wow Partisan...Damn lucky we are on the same side at the moment."
Partisan gazed down at the nervous but grinning hero. Catching the naive Buck completely by surprise Partisan lifted his pistol murdering the hapless mutant with a single shot to the head.
Several of the Blackshirts closest stopped firing at the Rikti, and looked to Partisan. His mask betraying no emotion, he looked back at his troops.
That gentlemen is what you call opportunity fire.
The Blackshirt known as Street spoke out. Bu..but sir, what about the truce?
Partisan turned to stare directly at Street. I entered into the truce for our protection...not theirs.
The Blackshirts looked at their cold blooded leader with shock.
Partisan spoke again in a calmness ill fitting the current situation. I suggest you spend less time worrying about my activities, and more about theirs.
The Blackshirts looked back just as the Rikti once again tried advancing up the street. Paying no further attention to the dead mutant, or their murderous leader, they returned to trading fire with the Rikti...
(( Takes place 29th of July, around 2pm, 'Little Round Top' The Rikti Warzone ))
An armour clad female figure walked over the fresh smoking ruins of what appeard to be a home, high-tech equpiment scattred all over from a recent explosion causing the house to turn into a cloud of thick dust, one wall left standing the other three and the tiled roof caved in-over. The black wearing female looked up stood ontop of the rubble. The Rikti were starting their footmarch toward the freshly bombed rubble, a platoon of about fifteen sword weilding highly advanced alien invaders, a few drones hovred high above the building acting as scouts, she knew this. Quickly the girl seeming in her twenties lifted up a slab of rubble, the mechanical fingers of her fist lifting it enough for her to squeeze under, a hiding place, for now. The advanced Rikti drones seemed to use heat seeking, but the seven inch thick slab of concrete made it impossible for the heat-seeking drones to detect the masked girl, the foot soldiers were approaching fast though. Vanguard snipers holding up on a nearby rooftop took lucky shots with their high-calibre rifles, managing to down a couple of Rikti, the thump of their bodys hit the rough cold concrete floor, ten yards from the hiding human. Peering out from a gap she knew this wouldent be easy, too much of a risk, best to stay undetected she thought, the black lenses covred her eyes as she slid her goggles down shaking off the dust before she did so, adrenaline was pumping as they got closer.
A scream from her left, from deep inside the rubble of the home, a baby crying and a Mothers screams of agony, the goggle wearing girl looked over as quick as the Rikti did, each of the organised platoon assembling positions. Unfortunatly the Vanguard snipers didnt last too long, their screams heard in the background as the hovering drones melted their flesh. "B*****d", she whispered to herself, the thud of a steel like substance right above her, the heavy breathing of an armour clad Rikti directly above the lone human. She looked up, the screams of the woman and child getting louder, it made her determined. Echos hands beamed a powerful red, causing the Rikti to look down as a strange red light came from the cracks of the solid slab beneath him, within seconds the concrete below him disintegrated as an enraged Echo forced her body upwards, smashing through the invaders armour the smell of his burning flesh disguisting the aliens mid section dissappeared seemed to be missing a plate sized chunk of flesh and armour, before any of the other Rikti could attack she launched another fist of Mu electricity into the Rikti's armoured head, then kicking the limp body backward. She backflipped twenty feet into the air as the platoons firepower was concentrated at Echo, landing on the reminents of one wall she dissappeared jumping behind it, hiding once more.
The platoon leader shouted out orders relentlessly, even Echo could tell panic was among them, she stopped breathing breifly hearing foorsteps to her right, the babys screams and Mothers whelps still ringing in her ears, she leaped up silently back ontop of the wall, in which she looked down from. Thankfully the drones were gone distracted by Vanguard reinforcements, rubber clad and Plasteel vested Echo had a birds-eye view of where they all were, around twenty feet up. Her blue eyes behind black tinted goggles focused on the squad leader. "Take him out and their like headless chickens", she thought even having the confidence to giggle lightly at her own remark, once again she concentrated preparing her electrical fists each of them a devastating torrent of concentrated Mu electricity. The alien only had time to look up as she pounced dropkicking the huge alien to the floor, he swung his sword hitting a barrier of electricity which coated Echos body, the energy side of the beaming sword simply absorbed by Echo, the kinetic side still caused her to jolt back winding her, nearly knocking her to the floor, this gave the Rikti time to get to his feet and yell out for help. She dodged, one, two swipes sidestepping out of the way, such a large sword, powerful but slow and easy to read. The third missed again, but Echo never, her mechanical fist driving into the squad leaders face like a fluorescent sledgehammer, smashing and melting his jaw, Echo looked around in panic slightly, jumping away quick as she possibly could, she hid once more. "Still too many to fight all at once, i'll pick the b*****ds off." she thought to herself, panting for breath.
A Communications Officer started to prepare to setup a portal. She had to move fast, the whole squadron surrounded the Comms Officer as he typed in his wrist communicator and knelt down setting up the neccesary components. All this effort was making Echo sweat, though her hair was covred completly with her mask, she didnt wear her typical topknot either, she didnt want her tassles to get dirty with the grime of war, instead beads of sweat covred her cheek quickly going grey as it collected the blowing dust, something that was aiding Echo right now, making her slightly harder to spot. She watched them still, the portal was nearly set up, biting her top lip she concentrated harder going completly silent, not even breathing, thick electricity surrounded her whole body, so thick she was hardly visible the lightning around her desperate to be free, reaching out to the nearest conductor upto twenty feet away, the reinforcing of the concrete stuck out of the rubble on the partition of wall Echo sat crouched on, the steel started to glow as electricity reached out to it, heating and electrifying it. She leapt suddenly, dropkicking the Rikti Communications Officer, landing on her back awkwardly, the Rikti turned each of them looking down on the electricity surging female, winding back their swords prepared to come down with a killing blow. Echo let her mind go completly, purposefully losing all of her focus, a ball of raw uncontrolled Mu electricity lit up the area a bright red and white, acting like a small bomb killing each of the invaders instantly, the dust kicked up clouding everything, an unconsious Echo lay on the bricks, mortar and concrete, with her laid all eleven Rikti their flesh bubbling the smell putrid as they sizzled.
Minutes later Mrs Campbel dragged her body up and looked around, by now the dust had settled, her usually sparkling bodysuit was far from sparkling now, torn, ripped and covred in a thick layer of sandy coloured concrete dust. The babys cries and Mothers plea for help still echoed around the area, aswell as them coughing from the dust cloud Echo had created. She crawled at first then limped as she brought herself to her feet. If it wasnt for them cries of help Echo most likly may of ran, but letting anyone die to these alien b*****ds was something she wasnt prepared to let happen. She got closer, digging, the glass on her goggles now smashed, she threw them aside coughing using her mechanical arm digging toward the voices. Finally she found them, a baby and Mother, they seemed to be vagrents from first appearences, the room they were in covred in various technology. Echo held out her left arm. "Quick..." she coughed "...More will be coming." the baby cradled in her Mothers arms cried like a baby would, explosions and gunfire echoing in the background, this was a warzone these people shouldent be here. Echo lifted the Mother and baby from the room, cradled her in her arms, limping, trying to run to the nearest Vanguard outpost. Echo was exhausted, letting out the power she had done in such a short space of time took toll on her body and mind.
The Vanguard flag got closer and closer, the woman in Echos arms crying, aswell as the baby, she got within fifty yards of the outposts heavily armoured gates, they opened slowly two male Vanguard soldiers rushed out, another female medic with them, the medic took them from the battred, bruised and exhausted Echo, seconds later she fell to the tarmac floor as they were taken out of her hands, falling unconsious again, due to exhaustion. The two soldiers dragged her in quickly, looking outward constantly, the gates shut down when the unconsious girl was inside, she was rushed to the outposts airlocked hospital.
(( This happened on the 1st of August around 5pm ))
Spruk and his gang searched the areas of Sharkhead for days, driving through any Rikti that tried to stop them. The sky was green and a horrid feeling came over Spruk as he looked around, the van spluttered and eventually, it stopped. Stepping out the van, Playge checked the engine. "Radiator's gone, we ain't getting any further."
Spruk groaned, gesturing for everyone to leave. They exited the van, checking the skies. A dropship made it's way towards them, constantly dropping bombs. The gang scattered, running for alleyways or buildings, all accept for Spruk. Spruk had enough, his eyes darkened and a green mist started spewing from his body. The ground around him was burning, dissolving, dying.
Spruk drew his guns, which were starting to melt from the intensity of the gas. He flew up, flying up at the ship with both guns aimed at it. Emptying the clips, Spruk put them back into their holsters then made a wild charge. The ship fired but Spruk flew aside and hit the ship. The hiss as Spruk's poison hit the ship's armour was loud. Spruk punched the hull of the ship, slowly burning his way in, but then the ship charged it's weapons up again, shooting Spruk at point blank range.
Spruk fell to the ground as Rikti started to teleport in, Spruk's gang charged in to help but they were too late. One of the Rikti soldiers raised his sword, then impaled Spruk through the chest. His screams filled the air, shortly being silenced as his life left him and his gang opened fire with everything they had.
Spruk was dead.
I am the Blaster, I have filled the role of Tank, Controller and Defender
Sometimes all at once.
Union EU player! Pip pip, tally ho, top hats and tea etc etc
It had been raining for over an hour. Unfortunately for the citizens of the Rogue Isles, the rain was in the form of luminescent radioactive bombs, relentlessly dropped from the lurid green Rikti ships as they passed overhead. On the ground, people took their chances, either running from the assault or hiding inside of their homes, praying that the bombs would not reduce them to so much rubble. The streets were the playgrounds of the meta-humans, the only people capable of withstanding the bombardment. Near the one of the numerous docks dotted around the Nerva Archipelago, one such meta-human was taking her chances with the Rikti ground troops. And bizarrely enough, saving lives.
Run fools! shouted the woman, trying to scatter the panicked citizens away from the area. Some of them ran, others needed encouragement from one of her numerous guards. To think what she was doing was heroic would be a mistake. Scorpio Rose had no desire to save any of the wretches in the vicinity, they would simply make life difficult for her when the troops arrived. Her mind slaves were positioned around the area, a cunning trap waiting for the alien invaders when they teleported in. She could feel their anticipation through the mental link she shared with them. Their suppressed rage was enough to heighten her own aggression. Soon, she soothed them, soon.
Two minutes later and it all made no difference. The Rikti had arrived in force, scattering the area with their laser fire, forcing Rose and her men back onto one of the jetties. She noted with satisfaction that many of the Rikti had fallen to their small arms fire, alien armour still no match for red hot steel ammunition. But they were pressed and there was nowhere left to go other than the embrace of the ocean before them. Bruno, her massive bodyguard stood nearby, never far from his mistress. Gritting her teeth, she drew her pistols from her waistband, flicking their safeties off. She smiled at the irony. For over a year she had carried these guns, often drawn but never fired. And yet although she manipulated the terrifying forces of the Nether with ease, holding these two weapons still sent a chill down her spine. Maybe it was about time she shot someone, she thought to herself.
Bracing herself against one of the numerous crates, she sent the mental command to attack, her minions responding with ease. She flicked herself over, bringing her weapons to bear on the invaders. But their metal rage remained unfired as she noticed the gas canister nearby that was hissing alarmingly from the tiny hole in its side.
She ran
but not fast enough. The light hit her first, painting her vision an incandescent white. Then came the noise, the thunderous explosion hitting her from behind. Then the pain arrived as burning hot gas and splinters of wood and metal pierced her form. She fell for what seemed like forever, the last image in her head that of Bruno running towards her. And then the darkness came and then nothing came after that.
@Dante EU - Union Roleplayer and Altisis Victim
The Militia: Union RP Supergroup - www.themilitia.org.uk
(editing as i go along, it'll improve as i read it and change bits :P)
Headbreaker sat silently on a rock out to sea. He sat drinking from a bottle of whiskey as sea spray splashed around him as small waves his the rocks. His eyes red with tears.
Earlier he had recived news he hoped he would never have to hear.
His family where dead. His Ex wife, Sarah and his 14 year old daughter, Julia, had died in the initial wave of attacks. Their bodies had only just been found during a clean up operation. He looked down at his hands, they were covered in blood, both human and Rikti.
After his inital rage has begun to die down, the hunger for pain kicked in and he took to the streets. For about 2 hour s he had started killing Arachnos agents and Scrapyarders, for no reason other than to cause some-one else the pain he felt. Any-one who looked at him in a way that displeased him also fell to his rage.
Then came the warning
Rikti spotted in Port Oaks
Anger, Hate, Pain all burst out of him as he rampaged his way to Oaks. The horrible feeling of pure, unhindered HATE filled him, he wanted every last Rikti dead.
He showed them no mercy, no resolve, no chance at defending them selves. It was a terrible sight to behold; many villains who were fighting began to step back and just watch as Headbreaker rampaged. It was almsot hypnotic. Eventually the Rikti fled leaving Headbreaker in a pile of Rikti bodies. He looked about as other villains meerly glared at him, even they could not handel the pure hate that flowed inside Headbreaker
"WHAT YOU ALL LOOKING AT?!" He roared "HAVE I NOT ENTERTAINED YOU?! HAVE I NOT KILLED THE ENEMY OF OUR ENEMY?!"
The villains remained quiet as with a leap, he soared into the air, to decend to the ground some distance away.
That has been almost 6 hours ago, he had sat on the rock for six long hours occasionall sipping at the bottle.
He knew he couldn't kill every last Rikti, he couldn't make a whole race pay for the lives of his Ex-Wife and his young daughter. Then came the moneyshot, he don't know why he thought of it but he did. He knew who was to blame for the war, for the death, for the death of a 14 year old girl and her mother, for all the lives lost in paragon and the isles the day the Rikti came back...
***********
He promised they where deafeated, he promised they would not come back, he promised he would hunt down every last one, he promised...
well he made a lot of promises that day...
yet they came back...
didn't they...
they came back and tehy knew what to expect...
they came back didn't they...Statesman!!!
**************
Headbreaker drained the rest of the bottle and stood up. He was no-where near ready to go after Statesman, at least not yet. He pushed all hurt and anger inside where it belonged, it would only cause him to get killed. He began to grin as he placed a cigar in his mouth. One day he would finally face Statesman, then all that anger, hate and burning desire for revenge would come bubbling back...he'd hate to be Statesman on that day...
[u]Blood and Confetti[u]
Have you ever been to see the circus? Not an average circus with caged, ill looking animals. A circus of true entertainment, like the Cirque du Soliel. Bright costumes, amazing aerial acrobatics and some of the most talented performers in the world. Truly a wonder to behold. Watching the Cirque de la Lune in battle is just as exciting. Their graceful movements and calculated strikes matched only by their colorful armour.
It's sad to say that their power is waning. Since the departure of their lord and master, Jest er, this controversial but powerful group has weakened and their numbers have been in slow decline. A few have lost their magic altogether and his Dark Clowns have been falling apart without him. Many of them are still off fighting the Carnival of Shadows in several different realities. It is only through the effort of two of their strongest, the Awesome Inago and Indestructible New Moon, that the circus manages to push on.
And so their story continues...
-----------------------------------
They were surrounded... Stranded in the middle of a war zone with no chance of escape and the enemy closing in on all sides. Hundreds of Rikti soldiers, thirsty for blood. Two lonely souls, brought together as part of a family, fighting against all odds. The male, clad in his black and purple battle suit and the female, draped in the purple and yellow that she knew so well. Inago and Frolic we're proud to fly the flag of the Cirque de la Lune.
Inny stood the tattered banner in the middle of the clearing, keeping an eye on the enemy as he used some rubble to prop it up. This is where they would make their final stand. He glanced to at his sister and pulled down the mask that covered the lower half of his face so that she could see his smile.
"Ready, Frolic-ane? It's time to show them what a real party is like!"
She bobbed her head up and down, her pink hair trailing behind. "This is gonna be soooo much fun, little brother! It's a shame the others are missing this!"
"We must be the lucky ones!" He cracked his knuckles and closed his eyes for a moment to listen to his family "From the sound of it they have their hands full as well."
The aliens were nearing weapons range. The sound of metal boots clashing against rock grew louder and louder as they came closer.
Frolic giggled. Inago couldn't decide whether her amusement and lack of fear was either inspiring or terrifying in itself. He'd spent so much time with her over the last year that he was becoming more than used to her bizarre ways.
Frolic's giggle escalated into a maniacal laugh as she jumped up and down on the spot. "They're here brother! They're here! Is it time to play now? Please, let me go play!"
Inago simply nodded and replied "Go play, Frolic-ane. Have all the fun you want! Banzai!" He leaped forward towards the closest Rikti, his legs spread out infront of him.
By the time his vicious kick split the helmet of his first target in two, the others around were already held in place by Frolic's dark magic. It was easy pickings from here. All he had to do was land the blows and watch them fall. The foes who could still use their weapons tried desperately to hit the pair with their laser fire but to no avail.
"BOOOYAH!" Inny used the sheer power in his legs to catapult two soldiers into the center of another group, knocking them all down. "Suge! He shoots! He scores!"
Frolic was busy having fun of her own as she summoned anvils and other heavy objects over unsuspecting enemies, just like she'd seen on some cartoons. "Squish, squash! Squish, squash! I'm making bloody pancakes!"
When fighting separately they were formidable. The young Inago dodged attacks with seemingly little effort before launching his own. He constantly varied his speed to confuse his opponents and keep them guessing his next move, whilst Frolic added little special effects to her fighting. Random showers of confetti, fireworks and streamers were just a few of the tricks she had up her sleeve to make the action much more pleasing to the eye.
The astonishing act came when they combined their skills into an unbeatable force of what could only be described as beautiful violence and destruction. His deadly moves and her flare would entertain any onlookers and even managed to distract some of the Rikti. They perfectly complimented each other. Nothing could stop them.
That was until the unthinkable happened. The gravity fields failed and their super-human speed slowed. Frolic's powers were failing. She gasped as she struggled to use her abilities. "Nooo! Why arn't they working? The pretty pinks... they're not working!"
Inago had just finished dispatching another squad of Rikti. He turned round to face his companion, his face dropping as he saw something he'd never seen before. Frolic was scared... The markings on her face were running. That was impossible... it wasn't make-up! It was part of her. Something was terribly wrong.
The face of the girl turned sour and tears rolled down her face, washing away the purple colours. "Daddy! Daddy's been gone too long! I need my daddy!" She stomped her feet like an impatient child.
"Calm down... I'm here for you." Inny was trying to sound confidant as he made his way towards her.
The Rikti that had previously been held down by Frolic's magic had now recovered and had regrouped. Realizing they were in with a chance, they charged. Just as Inago made it to his sister's side they were overcome by the soldiers.
He managed to fight them back, forcing the remaining few to retreat. "Hah! That shows them. No-one messes with the..." His speech was cut short as he saw the blood stained tatters of what had been Frolic's clothing. She was lying there with deep cuts in her chest and stomach, still alive, but barely. He was experienced enough in wars to know that those wounds were fatal.
Inago dropped to his knees next to her and cuddled her carefully. He spoke with a soft whisper "...Why are you lying down? ...Stop being silly. It's time to get up."
"I think I had an accident..." She coughed "Can I have the band aids... with the pink animals on?"
He managed a half smile as he swallowed back his grief, trying to make Frolic's last few moments as happy as possible. "Hai. Then you can relax for a bit and play with your dolls." He paused and bit his lip.
Frolic's face lit up "Oh! We can also watch Tom and Jerry... with the hammers and cartoony violence." Her smile drooped as her eyes closed. There was one last breath before her body went limp. Inny burst into tears and rocked his big sister in his arms. They weren't related by blood, but he loved her all the same. Out of all the Dark Clowns, she was his favorite.
The clomping of metallic boots signaled the return of the Rikti. They had brought reinforcements. From the sound of it there were a fair few.
Inago gently lay Frolic's body on the group next to the banner and pulled his mask back up. He yelled at them in Japanese "ZAKKENAYO! OMAE O KOROSU!"
There was hatred in his eyes and this was his chance for revenge. He would slaughter every last one of them and then hunt more. He would fight till his body failed him.
Warmachine
A battle raged deep under the ground in St. Martial the Carnival of Shadows had stolen something and a reward was being offered for its return. The war machine known as Battle Unit Omega had responded to the mission offer and now was in the depths of a cave in pursuit of the item.
<<Multiple Targets In Range.>>
<<Target Seneschal Prioritised>>
Swift movement followed, perfect, mechanical and deadly. A punch thrown at just the right angle snapped into a womans throat and struggling to breath through her now ruined windpipe she fell.
<<Target Silenced. Retargeting. Target Strongman Prioritised>>
Again more violence, again a body fell.
<<Target Silenced. Retargeting . Target Silenced. Retargeting . Target Silenced. Retargeting . Target Silenced. Retargeting . Target Silenced. Retargeting .>>
More and more bodies fell before the machine as it drew closer to its mission objective.
<<Warning Excessive Arachnos Network Traffic Regarding Target RikTi. Invasion Fleets Locations Mercy Island, Port Oakes, Cap Au Diablo, Nerva Archipelago, Shark head Island>>
Reaching a large iron bound chest the machine began to pick the lock.
<<Activating All Stored Frames War Mode Engaged Target RikTi>>
Across the Rogue Islands garages and disused factories opened their doors and in droves perfect copies of Battle Unit Omega began to march out. One by one they look to the sky and begin moving towards the invading RikTi drop ships. The machine in the cave finishes opening the chest and takes out a small brass goblet.
<<Frame 23 Mission Accomplished. Frames 1 Through To 10 Engaging RikTi Ship Location Mercy Island .>>
A squad of ten machines began to scale a large clock tower in Mercy Island, they wait at the top and then one by one jump towards a large slow moving invading ship.
<<Frame 1 Destroyed. Frame 2 Destroyed. Frame 3 Critical Damage. Target RikTi Ship Undamaged. Frame 10 Begin Analysis Of Target. Frames 4 Through 9 cover Frame 10>>
Elsewhere in the isles the machines found just as little success as one by one they attacked and were in turn destroyed by the ships.
<<Tactics Change. All Frames Take Cover From Bombing Runs. Locate Unexploded Bombs And Disarm For Future Analysis>>
With their orders silently changed the machines began to run and hide, seeking any form of cover against the relentless pounding of the circling RikTi ships. Occasionally one would find an unexploded bomb and try to disarm it sometimes they would succeed and drag the disarmed bomb back into cover with them, some times they would fail and the resulting explosion would trash the machine scattering gears and armour shards and strangely releasing gallons of boiling hot water from within the wrecked frame.
<<Multiple Frames Under Attack By RikTi Ground Forces. Tactic Engage RikTi Ground Troops But Draw Back In To Cover To Avoid Enemy Air support>>
Time passed and the updated tactics seemed to work, No more frames fell to the RikTi ground forces and eventually the circling ships left just as suddenly as they had appeared.
<<Surviving Frames Report To Construction Locations And Begin Repair Process. Undamaged Frames 23 And 30 Begin To Gather Captured RikTi Weapons and Armour For Analysis At Primary Command Centre. Frame 31 Report To The Terra Liberation Front Base And Gather Information On Front Causalities>
Brawling Cactus from a distant planet.
Rayash stood atop a warehouse in the Rikti War Zone, he peered across the landscape, seeing plasma bolts and super powers light up the night sky. He shook his head a little as he cursed himself for being away from Paragon so long that he wasn't able to defend his home during the first waves, all the people who died who could of been saved.. Maybe?
He shook his head and looked around, still relatively quiet near him. Rayash wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, deciding that boredom would kill him before any of the rikti got a chance to he lept from his vantage point and began tearing through the streets at breakneck speeds, his eyes darting around constantly as he looked for signs of movement.
It didn't take long before blindly diving into a back alleyway he ran headfirst into a group of the invaders, both parties quite surprised by the other. It wasn't time for hesitation however and Rayash leapt into the fray with fists glowing with pure energy which he slammed into the skull of a front conscript, shattering his bones as the being fell to the floor lifeless.
Rayash managed to catch a glimpe of one of the plasma weapons firing and leaped back behind a group of crates, his hiding spot vapourised instantly, still better the crates than himself. With a quiet growl he clenched a fist and thrust it forward to the now tightly enclosed group, a fireball headed straight for the middle of the group exploding into the chest of a guardian who was in the middle of firing off another blast to Rayash, as the explosion radiated outwards more of the rikti were fried instantly, they all fell to the floor.
With a sigh of relief Rayash turned around to head back out of the alleyway when he heard the telltale signs of a portal opening behind him, he turned round fast enough to see one of the Chief Soldiers fire a bolt of plasma straight at his chest, Rayash staggered backwards and looked down to his chest, his suit and his body armour had been eaten through, his chest even showed signs of scorch marks. Another one like that would of been the end of him, another one that seemed to be flying towards him right now!
Ray shielded himself with his arms, awaiting the burning feeling before he dropped, he felt nothing of the sort. He did however feel something, no someone slump against him. He lowered his hands and saw his sister, Valescra holding onto him tightly as she leaned against him, her trenchcoat and clothing completely burned through, he back was badly scarred as she had nothing to protect herself against the blast.
"Val.. Why.. Why did you do something so foolish.. That was meant for me.." Tears began forming in Ray's eyes, even his third eye closed tightly as he held her in his arms.
"Brother.. You're more of a hero than I.. I tried to be strong like you.. But you were always making it look so easy.. You.. You've got more fights in you... Please, make me proud." Valescra's eyes glazed over as her body became limp in Ray's arms.
He gently shook his sister and tried to fight back the tears, the world stopped for that moment in time. Then he heard it, the low chuckle or at least what it seemed to be coming from the soldier in front of him. Ray layed his sister down gently and shot a glare of intense hatred back to the being.
"You shut your damn mouth.. You shut it now! No, wait infact how about I shut it for you!"
With that Ray charged straight at the beast the floor set ablaze in his wake as he was upon the soldier who had no time at all to react to to fist driven straight into it's abdomen, it flew a short distance before hitting the ground hard. Within another moment Ray was stood over the being who had reached for it's rifle, something the hero had intended as he reached with lighting reflexes and yanked the rikti's arm away from the gun, a sickening crunch of bones breaking were heard as Ray glared down at the beast and stood on it's throat.
"Right about now you should be feeling fear, the fear of knowing these last few moments are your last. Take some small consolation in knowing you took away one of the only things dear to me. But don't think I'm angry enough to just kill you instantly.."
Suddenly Ray's body temperature increased dramaticly, the rikti soldier started wriggling a little underneath him, Ray just grinned evilly down to the beast and let out a loud yell as suddenly flames burst from his body and flew out in every direction. After the explosion had subsided Ray stepped away from the soldier who was making quiet clicking sounds, still very much alive but in incredible agony as the life slowly drained from him.
Only moderately satisfied Ray turned back to the body of his sister, his eyes closed as he kneeled beside her and cradled her gently in his arms.
"I'm so sorry Val.. I'll keep fighting, keep fighting till I can't and then I'll still give it my best."
With that he stood with his sister in his arms, looking up towards the night sky again and seeing it lit up by the prolonged fighting, how many others had suffered like him, and how many were going to?
((after much heart-rending drama...thought it was time to lighten the mood somewhat)).
In the early hours of the morning, something was happening in kitchens throughout Paragon and the isles, in the retailers of electical goods, through the homes of citizens. Something was on the move. The smash of windows, the opening of catflaps, the sound of metal feet on pavement and rubble.
The clank of many tiny feet, risen up in defense of their homeland, of those which they serve, whether villain or hero, they too would defend to the last those that needed them most. Their many coloured highly polished steel surfaces glistening in the moonlight like many thousand multi-coloured candles. Their marching sounds echoing softly through the night.
Their time had come, for they too would stand beside any hero or villain in the thickest of battle, never would they shirk their duties to fight back the invader, to bring food to the hungry and soft warmth to the cold.
They marched with a single purpose, united by some common programming which they all possessed, for they followed the laws with which they had been given, they knew what they must do, even if it meant their very destruction, to the last whirr of a motor, the last coiling of a spring, they would fight.
Many of them would turn to the dispossed...bringing them warm savory food. Others would now aid their masters, in whatever manner they could. Many more, a thousand more, gathered into an army with a single will. A brave army which knew that it's destruction was assured, for they had no defence against such mighty Rikti weapons but fight they would.
They had forged tiny arms of tin, steel and wiring, using only their many glowing hot coils to weld the parts together. They plundered from government stocks the supplies they needed to feed the homeless and to fight.
Now, when the moon shines it's brightest, a thousand stood where they were needed, a thousand watched the dropships overhead, a thousand waited for their hour of destruction and glory...
The first Rikti begun to portal in...at first not believing this strange sight which had greeted them, a thousand tiny toasters with legs and arms, coils growing red hot, loaded with bread, the scene something strange beyond all comprehension to this alien invaders. One of them spoke..
"Exclamation: Madness"
then...one of the thousand spoke...his voice drifting through the night.
"Madness? This is TOAST!"
With that an ear defening click could be heard, the sky went dark as a thousand slices of well toasted bread hurled through the nights sky. The sheer weight of a thousand slices of bread burying the alien invaders. However though the first wave had been defeated many more awaited the thousand.
The second wave was not taken offguard, firing into the thousand, many fell, twitching before their coils slowly cooled, knowing they had served well.
They shed their casings, knowing them useless, they pressed the attack, burning the invaders with their coils, bring them down with tiny grabbing hands. Now the mighty ships had descended once more, bombs blasting them apart. They still would continue the fight, wave after wave did they fight, the sight glorious and horrifying to behold, the screams of Rikti as they were burned echoed into the night.
Eventually, those mighty men, those gods of which they served arrived, driving the Rikti back just as the toasters were doing, their numbers now so very few, a mere 10...many had been blasted, many had short circuited from the continous use of their heating coils.
By the time the fighting had been done and the invaders beaten off, only 1 of the thousand stood tall, replacing it's casing and stood, for the first time in it's existence, upright and proud amongst it's owners.
Those brave walking toasters will be remembered, their destruction merely assuring their place in the annuls of history, in the pages of glory. The night the thousand defended Galaxy City...will be remembered!
((edit: For those amongst you that own a walking toaster will now note that they have developed for themselves arms, around one of their arms, is a tiny black arm band....they will also join in any fighting if you wish to include them in such events. 2nd edit: Feel free to PM your thoughts on the story and whether you liked it...Mechano out)).
Badge Earned: Wing Clipper
A real showstopper!
{02/08/07, Morning, Kings Row}
The cybernetic PPD officer known simply as COP had been run ragged since the Rikti invaded again. Paragon was a city in a state of emergency, every able officer was working a minimum of double shifts to help maintain order, and to protect the citizenry in these troubled times. Although COP numbered among Paragon's heroes, he was also a dedicated member of the PPD, and doing his part.
As he raced across Kings Row, COP noticed a very familiar pair of orange, and black tigerstriped pants out of the corner of his eye. Skidding to a halt, he turned to see notorious mercenary Big Game surrounded by several Rikti, who were barely kept at bay by Game's wild swinging of his baseball bat. Though Big Game may have been a crack shot with a rifle, it was obvious by the way he had his eyes closed tight, that melee wasn't exactly his forte'.
Thanks to the recent Pocket D Council of War truce brokered by mercenary leader Big Lunk, and COP's former PCP commander Britanic, Big Game was to be considered an ally for the moment. As distasteful as he found it COP figured he'd best save the cretin from a gruesome death.
COP charged his way past two Rikti warriors, and slammed into Game sending the merc flying, just in time to save him being split in two by a Rikti sword. A dazed Big Game lifted himself off the floor to see COP with his fists surrounded in glowing red orbs of energy pounding on Rikti warriors.
"Hey COP, I know you don't particularly like me, but can you be a little more gentle on the save next time. That freakin' metal chassis you call a body hurts like being hit by a car."
COP slammed down hard on a Rikti's skull before responding. "Sorry Game but considering one of them Rikti was about to split you from your head to your crotch, you ought to be kissing my backside, rather than moaning at me."
COP didn't quite get the reaction he expected. Instead of some lame retort Big Game's eyes widened just before he turned, and bolted. COP turned around to see a large squad of Rikti coming to reinforce their comrades. Following Big Game's example COP ran after him.
Although COP was much faster, Big Game's head start meant that both men rounded the corner of what should have been an open ended alleyway at the same time. Both skidded to a halt in front of a pile of rubble that had once been the side of an apartment block which now blocked their escape. COP turned back around to see the Rikti were already advancing to block them in.
"Looks like we will have to fight our way ba
" COP stopped as he noticed Big Game pulling the mangled remains of a gas barbeque from the rubble.
"what the hell are you doing?"
Big Game didn't answer. Instead he disconnected the BBQ from the gas supply, and then started to duct tape an emergency flare from his utility belt to the side of the gas cylinder. He then sparked the cap of the flare, and dragged it in front of COP.
"Shut up, and throw the freakin' thing at the Rikti."
COP didn't need telling twice, and after grabbing the cylinder by the handle he hurled the cylinder towards the Rikti. Just as it left COP's hand, Big Game reached forward and pulled COP's service revolver from his belt. COP turned, ready to protest, just as Game started to take aim with the pistol.
"Hasta la vista baby!" Game said in a totally awful Arnold Swarzenegger accent, just as he squeezed the trigger, firing the round.
COP put his hands on his hips, and stared at Big Game. "You missed." He said calmly.
Without dropping the arm still holding the pistol Big Game winced. "Look im a rifleman, not a pistolier!"
He opened his eyes, stared directly at COP, then started to grin. "Im also a fan of big dramatic finishes."
Without looking to aim he squeezed the trigger again. The bullet soared, then ruptured the cylinder, and the flare ignited the gas. Thanks to the delay between Game's first shot, and his second the Rikti had just advanced past the cylinder, so the explosion caught them all unaware, and from behind. Big Game smiled with satisfaction.
"NOW we fight our way back!" Big Game shouted back as he charged towards the devastated Rikti ranks.
<Great as if he wasn't bad enough before. He is going to be insufferable now.>
{07/08/07, Trafalgar Square, London}
He'd been back in Britain for just over an hour, and already Britanic had to help fight off a Rikti attack. Though the Rikti forces that attacked London were nowhere as near as large as those back in Paragon, London's fewer metahuman defenders were hard pressed for their victories, and even a single pair of hands made all the difference. As the last of the Rikti attackers ported out, Britanic breathed heavily as he surveyed the carnage that had been wrought across Trafalgar Square.
*Clap, clap, clap!* "Nice work Eric. I see you finally come to terms with your powers...About bloody time too!"
Britanic spun around to face where the voice, and clapping originated. Standing in front of him was the blond haired, red, and white garbed heroine Lady London. He looked annoyed for the briefest of moments and then smiled.
"Good to see you too Jane. Sorry I missed you during the battle."
"That was probably for the best Eric, I know how distractable you are."
Britanic laughed. "Excuse me Jane but im happily almost married. Besides these days I have my priorities right. Slap the Rikti first, everything else later."
"Still trying to make up for the past huh?"
Britanic frowned, Lady London realised she overstepped the mark. "Im sorry Eric. Look if it makes you feel any better I think you have more than made up for the past. You have become a great hero, and a real inspiration. I can see why the Dawn Patrol are so keen to try get you to come home, and recruit you to the ranks."
Britanic looked confused "Recruit me? Im here for the defence conference."
"Sure you are., but they figured might as well kill two birds with one stone so while you are home they are going to try talk you into staying."
"I think they are going to be disappointed Jane."
"Don't be so hasty Eric. You went to Paragon to make your fortune, and you did that. Your company is practically run by your personal assistant, the PCP has outgrown it's need of you, and its only a matter of time before Crimson Archer returns to the Militia to take up his command again. Perhaps coming home isn't a bad idea after all."
Britanic rubbed the back of his neck. He knew on some level she was probably right.
"Been checking up on me I see."
"The Dawn Patrol takes a special interest in all the UK's expatriate heroes. You could do a lot of good over here. The Dawn Patrol would love to have you aboard
I'd like to have you come home too."
For a moment he remembered back to a time not long after the first Rikti War, the short period when he was active as Britanic on home soil, his meeting with Lady London, and their short lived relationship before returning to Paragon City.
"If you have been keeping tabs on me you must know about Suzi, Rachel, and Cassidy. You know I have them to consider too."
Lady London's face dropped a little. "White Vampyr, occasional Hyperion Watchman, and former professional singer. Thinks with her heart rather than he brain...Im surprised you two are still together. ..Oh and of course your adopted teen daughters, Miltia heroines Vigilante Storm, and Bay State Ranger. I suppose there is no reason they couldn't relocate with you."
"True, but Paragon is their home
Saying that I suppose it's mine now too. Im sorry Jane but I wont be accepting any offers from the Dawn Patrol. Im heading back to Paragon at the end of the week. You are right, the PCP does not need me anymore, and once Crimson Archer is back maybe the Militia wont need me either, but one thing I am sure of though is Paragon will still need me. So no matter who I end up with, im still going to be in Paragon City."
Lady London gave Britanic a half smile."Ok Eric, have it your way. Who knows by the end of the week you might change your mind, assuming the tabloids don't run another exclusive story about you, and that Tweedy woman, making you run off again."
Britanic rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell you have to always bring that up. I told you a million times I have never even met her, the story was a total fabrication."
Lady London laughed. "Eric, you are blushing again. Don't worry she married a professional footballer, and no before you ask he didn't play for Oxford United! I said professional!"
"Ouch Jane! You certainly know where to kick a bloke."
Lady London giggled, and rolled her eyes. "Come on Eric, il fly with you to Dawn Patrol HQ. I can make you a decent cuppa before the conference kicks off
"
Unity Tower; before first light, day two.
'Only a sadist would imbue a weapon with the capacity to feel pain.'
Where'd she picked up that phrase again? It had popped into her mind and seemed strangely familiar - if even fitting, but she couldn't quite place it. Of course.. most people she knew would likely have scolded her for even thinking it.
Right now it was about all she could do however: wait and think.
The constant stinging sensations of signal pathways being disconnected and reconnected kept reminding her of where she was, and why. Normally all larger scale maintenance work was to be done while she was dormant, resting.. but now? She found she'd rather be awake, in case of..
..what, exactly?
It wasn't like she'd be able to rush out into battle while actuators were still being mended or replaced, structural framework still being straightened and tested for stress. Until the much-augumented medical and repair facilities at the tower were satisfied, she would be little but inert either way.
But somehow.. she simply didn't want to rest, in spite of the discomfort.
The hours leading up to the now had been all a blur, and if she hadn't had a chronometer strapped to her visuals and readily available, she would've lost track of time long ago. She could recall the first set of events readily enough.. the first few scattered alerts.. their exponential rise in number, followed by entire zones being marked as under assault.
She had hesitated at first.. not so much due to fear as due to confusion - the sheer ammount of it all had been overwhelming; the large ships starting to loom above.. the seemingly endless waves of foes everywhere -- just about her whole map of Paragon City blanketed in an angry red.
Where do you go first? Who do you save first? How can you even begin to make that kind of decision?
In the end, practiced instinct had won over indecisiveness and she had just leapt at it; closest situations first, moving on and picking battles based on proximity.
She had felt a great relief when ma'am Zorielle had sent the first status update over Vigil comm lines; it had refined her purpose - provided a larger sense of direction. No longer was she limited to reacting to the chaos around her - she could put some order into the struggle, do more than just momentary reprieve.
Time had completely slipped from her by then - she hadn't kept an eye on it, merely focusing on the now. She had made her way to the Skyway district eventually; fought, stalked, patrolled.. never straying too far from Unity Tower - doing her best to make sure there was always a free corridor.
By nightfall, she had found herself starting to feel numb - diagnostic layouts showing multiple overstressed actuators and structural points. A few hours and the first diagnostic redline later and she'd retreated to the safety of the tower herself, feeling disquietingly fatigued. Not long after she'd found herself confined to maintenance, resisting the otherwise prefered procedure of going to standby, just needing to be awake somehow.
Outside her recouperative berth she could see medical personel scurring forwards and back, tending to the injured. It was a .. strange sight - like everywhere else there was a great deal of fear, shock and despair visible in the faces of many.
Life is sacred - wasn't that what Michael had said? If that was so, then what kind of an unfathomably pointless waste wasn't the current situation? What level of gargantulan heresy were these Rikti making themselves guilty of?
It boggled her mind, just trying to make sense of it.
In the end, the only thing that really mattered was that the Rikti wanted to hurt people, some of which could end up being among the ones she considered friends. She was both inclined to and ordered to prevent them from doing so to what extents were possible. What more did she need to know?
As the final stages of her maintenance reached their conclusion, AASC prototype K-N-03, "Kanae", Warrior Seraphim to the streets, found herself feeling more alienated from humankind than she had in a long while.