((Ok, but I don't write anymore))
The Journals Of Dr Jack Wolfe; Aug 18 2010
Kings Row: Guardian Angels Rec Center for Wayward Children and heroes.
"Tell us a story." the girl pleaded
"Yeah a true story about the war Dr Wolfe, the second war. Dad says you and most of Guardian Angels abandoned the Row during that war." A much too cocky early teen chimed in, "I just think you was scared."
"Scared kid, anyone not scared facing the Rikti doesn't have the sense they was born with, but yea the Angels did miss the first part of that fight. Not on purpose dude, but fate has a way of movin' the players off the board." Jack stopped a second and looked at the gathering crowd of kids, "Tell ya what kids, I tell what happened first day of the second invasion, the day we was reported dead, or according you kid, we got scared. It was beautiful day, and the Angels were tired......"
Aug 7th 2007, Talos Bay a secluded cove where the waves break just right;
The Angels were taking a break, a small beach party to keep things loose. Jack was on his board watching the kids romp on the beach when the first cruiser appeared. Maggie knew before it appeared, she had a sense of these things and had started to erect a shield when the first shots rang out. Luckily, or not, depending on your perspective Jack had time to get in front and deflect the massive green beam. Hitting the beach like an artillery shell, Jack had barely gotten do his knees when the second salvo tried to strip the skin from his bones.
“Jack! The energy signature its..”
“Rikti, yeah Maggie, the engineer in me recognizes the technology. It’s a new design though, and it kicks like a mule.” Increasing the local gravity field, Jack drew two more incoming bolts to him creating and even larger crater on the beach.
“New….but the Rikti here doesn’t have those kind resources that means…. Jack a new invasion.”
“GRRRR, hopefully a scouting mission Mags, we can repel this.” Barely airborne a green bolt once more smacked the small, but massive man to the beach.
“That is getting damned annoying.” Gazing intently at the attacking ship, beams of pure white flashed from Jack’s eyes and the ship’s shield flared.
“To bloody right” the tall red head in the green bikini screamed, a 6 foot sword in her hand, after a couple of blinding fast steps she was airborne, covering the 200 meters between her and the cruiser in a single bound sparks followed her blade as it dragged along the hull of the ship. A gash matching the curve of her leap appeared in the vessel’s armor. Splashing down 300 meters from shore she sank to the bottom, and in one incredible leap put herself back on the beach.
A small still running Parcel Service Delivery truck, then a forklift with the Wolfetec logo and what appeared to be a sculpture from Perez Park impacted on the hull of the craft. A golden ball, much like the one at Jack’s core, appeared next to Warp Factor and started buffeting the invader. “No problems, we can take this son of a *****” thought Jack when Maggie screamed
“Something new, portals lots of them.” She was right of course. Small portals had appeared on either side of the ship, and pods were falling from them. But unlike the old style landing pods, these exploded.
“Crap, they finally figured out strategic bombing.” The first explosion shattered the islet Jack saw some of the team get buried. Belle, Miguel at her side began to help the injured. Rikti soldiers suddenly started appearing on the beach, and began falling just as quickly as Miguel, with frightening fury, dispatched the invading horde.
“God damned Rikti should all just die.” muttered Jack, suppressing the rage he felt. The Rikti had killed his family, if this branch of the dimension hopping fiends thought this Earth was going to roll over they were sadly mistaken. White flashed from his eyes again and the cannons on the ship were silenced. Leaping to into the air Jack began intercepting the bombs as they fell. The beach was littered with Rikti troops as DeathSpider and Ragnrok struck them down before they could gain a foothold. Belle was busy keeping the scrappy duo on their feet, healing them and boosting their stamina and strength. Jack could see the gravametrics flowing off Warp Factor, her face screwed up in concentration as she battered the cruiser by visualizing equations in her head while her powers warped local space to match the geometry her mind spelled out.
Smirking Jack grunted “Wrong World boys, wrong group of heroes.”
Eight beams crashed into his back, the bomb he’d been cradling exploding when he hit the beach. The world stopped, as he rolled over, the team standing around him, Maggie sweating as she held a massive shield in place above them. The air screamed and burned away as a dozen beams from six more of the drop ships impacted on the shield. Nearly fifty portals opened as the cruisers passed overhead, each materializing a gravimetric bomb.
“Maggie get us the f*** outta here.” Transition and pain, Jack hated teleportation, even the bending of space Maggie used. He heard Warp Factor scream as she strained to move 5 bodies and the mass of energy, exotic biomatter, and gravity well that was Jack.
“This was taking too long; Talos should be an easy hop for Maggie.” Jack thought. Then the literal light at the end of the tunnel flooded the wormhole. .
They popped out into real space, the force bubble flickered the solidified as Maggie's inherent sense of space and time told her where she was. Clouds dotted the sky, but Jack recognized this beach on the edge of a methane sea, he'd shown Maggie the photos he took and gave her the gravametric coordinates last time he was here.
"Jesus You didn't have to take us all the way to Titan, Maggie, the Talos hospital would have been fine.” Jack said coming to his feet in the middle of the bubble.
Behind him DeathSpider chuckled nervously "You mean Titan Studios right Jack? Right? Jack....oh ****" DS followed Jack's gaze into the night where Saturn was just rising over an alien landscape.
Jack Wolfe Prototype Super Tank, over 25 million in damage taken in the service of others
My 360 hates me and writes about it
Jack's X-Box's Blog
I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars. ---Og Mandino---
((pft dont write anymore my shiny metal butt 
great post Jack!))
“Wake up, my love.” The words pulsed through his mind like fire upon gasoline. He hated the sound of her voice, the sweet sensuality of it; and she knew it. One day she would be his undoing, but that day was not today. With his mind coming back to the world around him, Umbra Scarred looked blankly at the wall ahead. All about him sat a super group base devoid of life, only a few sparse furnishings and lonely work tables sat center piece to the barren place he called home. Once the thriving base of S.E.R.A.P.H. Team One, it now sat isolated from its former glory, but Karl didn’t mind. Fond memories of old friends blazed through his mind; he must put them aside.
Through the base’s intercom system a siren sang out, crying for help from the ghosts who once walked these cold steel floors. Standing from his meditations he replied to the voice in his mind, “I am not yours.” A cold shiver ran down his spine, whether from him or her, he could not tell. “A discussion for later then,” was her reply. “They are back.”
He didn’t need to see the images that flashed across his mind to know what she was talking about. “Rikti,” he spoke aloud and his haunting voice echoed through the empty base to eerie effect. Very few things brought out her hatred the way Rikti did, only hatred and malice a Nictus can feel. It turned his stomach cold. Forcing himself to endure her constant pull at his psyche, he pushed the feelings away.
When the Peacebringers sought him out they told him that a Nictus can only be mutually bonded to a host. They never said that a Nictus might actually agree to the bonding simply out of self-preservation. Before Karl was bonded, he was a hero of Paragon; maybe not so much of a hero as a protector. It wasn’t until his apex in power did he unlock the prison that surrounded this particularly nasty Nictus. Found within a shard of metal known as Umbracite, the young Karl von Snape used his knowledge of geology and robotics to create a new breed of nanites. It forever changed him when the nanites bonded to him unexpectedly; they possessed the knowledge and power of an ancient Nictus who slowly remade him from the inside out. It was unimaginable pain, scarring him in ways that none could fathom. Umbra Scarred was born that day.
Now he had outlasted his friends and colleagues as the exhausting streets of Paragon City slowly drove them away. They were gone, but they remained his inspiration; memories to be called upon in his greatest need. Grabbing his long cape from the bed he rested on, he threw it over his shoulders and disappeared in a void of space.
Outside was chaos. Citizens ran in all directions, some of which were caught in the blinding green lights of the cruiser’s main cannon. Bombs dropped from above, showering the streets in shrapnel and debris. They had returned. She had been right. He hated them almost as much as he hated her. They had always been a thorn in his side.
A glowing portal formed next to him, expelling several drones and infantry in quick succession. Only meters from him, they raised their weapons while shields of midnight purple surrounded Umbra Scarred. “You don’t belong here. This isn’t your home.” His eyes flared to life as the energy of the Nictus roared to life with her anger. Though the drones remained unaffected by his intimidation, the three infantry stole glances at one another as he began to move forward. Clearly reading his intentions they let loose the energy blasts from their rifles. Clashes of energy flashed brilliantly over its surface as the pulses hit his shields. A wicked smile crept to his lips as he lifted his hands. “Your fears shall be your undoing. I will not abide trespassers here!” Dark energy coalesced around his arms as pools of liquid night formed in his hands. Releasing the energy from his open palms the huge energy pulse flew to the infantry and drones colliding with explosive force. As they staggered back from the impact, Umbra Scarred closed the distance with incredible speed and charged his hands full of energy while on the move. Reaching the middle one first, his hands slammed into his enemy completely knocking it from its feet. The nimbus of energy around him began to grow, filling the area around him quickly as tendrils of energy swirled about the feet of the aliens.
Blasts from the rifles rang out again as the Rikti infantry attempted to bring down Umbra Scarred once more. With help from their drones, several blasts penetrated his shields. Knocked slightly off balance he spun on his feet and leapt onto one of the drones, pinning it to the ground. Using his empowered fists he punched through the hard shell of its body and ripped out its circuits. Instantly to his hands the dark energy sprang to life again, this time multiple blasts shot out against the two remaining infantry. Overcome by the force of his blasts and the swirling energy encompassing them all, they fell to the ground next to their unconscious comrade. Energy blasts ripped through his shields, this time forcing him to a knee. The drones were always a nuisance with their hard armor plating and accurate plasma cannons, he hated fighting them. With the grin now wiped from his face, he flung out his arms and began pulling in the life force and energy of the fallen aliens around him. “Their fears,” he panted as he pointed to the drones. “Your undoing…” With renewed energy he blinked from his position only to appear behind the drones. Roiling waves of energy flew from his hands and enveloped the drones in pulsing dark tendrils, constricting them until they crumpled under the pressure.
“You’re not done yet, pet.” The voice was so sickly sweet and caressing. When he was in this state, he could not fight her off like he could under calmer circumstances. He smiled to himself, “We never are.” Looking all around he could see hundreds of new portals opening. The ground began to shake with the energy pouring from his body.
((Wonderfully descriptive, keep up the good work everyone!))
((Remember folks I'll post one of these prompts every week so if you aren't inspired by this particular idea perhaps next week will spur you into writing something. I am enjoying reading these posts and welcome anyone to participate be it 1 paragraph to numerous pages. write what you feel! Cheers! K))
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This is a weekly article, delivered to you every Wednesday, by me Lady C, the Player of Rose Maiden of Virtue. These articles are intended to be a fun exercise as well as a good resource for role-players to explore Character Development so please feel free to post your own characters reaction to the weekly prompt. So be sure to stay tuned to this blog for future installments!
You awake to a siren screaming loudly in your ear. The place you call home is under Rikti attack. What do you do?
Serena awoke with a start, her arm reflexively shooting out to hold steady the vial which her jumpiness had caused to nearly fall off the table in her lab where she had once again fallen asleep.
Then it was heard again, the sound which had woken her up, the unforgettable drone of a Rikti Drop Ship flying over head, now easily distinguishable through her waking haze from the early am traffic of Kings Row.
Kings Row where the turn of the century red brick homes sat elbow to elbow with each other, where collars where blue and the garages still held big American made cars. Children still played in the spray of the fire hydrants during the scorching summer months and women still slaved over hot stoves baking apple pies, stuffed manicotti and roast beef and cabbage.
No one would ever mistake the Row with the trendy upscale neighborhoods of Steel Canyon, but the hard working people who had built the neighborhood up on strong immigrant backs had been skilled laborers and each home held a treasure of their finest labors. Granit gargoyles made by the parishioners own hands decorated the Catholic Church, and the neighborhood housed generations which still remembered the good old days when jobs had been plentiful at the Garment works and the button factory and when no other gang had dared to encroach on the Mob territory which the Row had been in its heyday of the 40’s through the 60’s.
Serena had grown up in the Row and she had made it her home still as an adult, even though the skyline was bleak and the air was thick with the toxic mix of exhaust fumes and the garment works chemical laced plumes, even though she had to escort Pearl to her school every morning until the young girl had learned to defend herself in order to combat the Skulls that hid in the Alleys of the Row.
It was her home however, she was now the owner of several properties in and around the old neighborhood and she took care to provide all of her tenants with 24/7/ security service on their completely renovated homes. Between these efforts as Dr. Serena Jordan and her sleepless nights patrolling the Row as the Rose Maiden she had begun to really make a dent in the depression that the Row had become.
That was until the Rikti decided to redouble their efforts and now all to frequently attack the neighborhood despite the warwalls which had once been a promise to keep them safe.
Now the Row was showing its age, like London during the Blitz the citizens walked around in a daze, the old golden era brick homes with their hand made cornice work and bold stone filigree fell from on high to flatten the skulls of its long time occupants while the Rikti soldiers advanced and terrorized her comfortable world a little more each day.
As another bomb sounded overhead and shook the world above her Seri was glad the Liz and Pearl where gone on vacation away from the noise and pollution to be safe elsewhere away from home.
And all Seri wanted to do was rest.
She had been up all night working on her nearly complete experimental model of her newest discovery which she was hoping to sell to the Vanguard for use by the Human resistance against the Rikti. Unlike other scientists of her time Serena did not believe in cannibalizing the leavings of Rikti tech in order to protect its citizens, but rather in creating something wholly new which would confound the Aliens and was completely incompatible with the high tech beasts.
In short, she wanted to reverse the Riktorian process and revert the soldiers back to their common human ancestry…sometimes it paid to be a geneticist.
Looking around the hidden underground secret lab where she worked night and day (if not on patrol, making brown bag lunches for Pearl, taking Lizzy out shopping or giving lectures and presentations on her most current scientific findings at the local universities or Vanguard Headquarters) she spied the remains of her once snarling caged companion.
During the last Rikti patrol Serena had had the good fortune of capturing one of the wounded Rikti Soldiers still alive. She had subdued the creature and having first broken then removed its teleportation device which would recall it back to the mother ship, she slung the creature over her shoulder and hastened with her captive back to her lab where she had uncovered the truth of their shared human ancestry.
Unfortunately, during one of the creatures better attempts at escape she had had to put it down, it had broke open its cage after becoming resistant to the tranquilizers she had been giving it and destroyed 2.5 million dollars worth of equipment before she was forced to break the creatures neck with her bare hands.
She had done her best to glean insight from the remains of the creature, but she knew that even in the cryofreeze compartment which she kept it in, the cells where degrading to quickly to be of use to her anymore.
Now the body seemed to taunt her through the small rectangle of multilayered military grade ALON glass pane and she wondered if she would be so lucky to find another abandoned monster again.