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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Mar 31, 2018 13:57:29 GMT
Reaction to the entrance of the strike team was neutral. At least until the moment when appearance of Wolfram von Eschen triggered behaviour of Geks which was only few degrees cooler that the one of Ewoks had when C-3PO made his appearance in the Forest Moon of Endor. Oaft obviously informed the headquarters about the deals and treaties they made and for Geks Wolfram von Eschen was the man with the merchandise! For Protectors Wolfram von Eschen was the man who's person paved them road into Geks trust and made negotiating with them much much easier. Due to the impression that Wolfram made, Volodja gained an access...Not to the consoles right away, but Geks ears and that was already something. He had a chance to explain what he needed from Geks and what might happen if he is allowed to act. And from the other side - what might happen if they refuse to help Protectors. Atika did a great work on translating and her natural charm with Wolfram's authority and Volodja's argumentation and warmth helped the melt the rest of the ice and they were let to proceed with the plan. "This is your moment, Whitney" said Volodja. "We need your talent. First I need you to find the frequency Atlas communicates with his drones. He might be omnipotent but drones aren't and need at least general directives from him. If we manage to intercept that frequency then we are able to communicate with drones and this is the part where strange behaviour of Marcel Lestrange is going to serve us. Not directly, of course, but he gave me that idea." Volodja looked at questioning faces and felt that he owes them an explanation: "There was an inexplicable circus phenomena and most of our EGO-s got involved with that. Including Marcel's. During her circus trip Moira left the record to play in Marcel's head and that influenced if not his behaviour as a whole then at least his speech by making him say "Number Nine" here and there. I noticed that and then asked Sophie to talk with Moira about that weird effect and Moira admitted to be the cause. Since Marcel is much much more complicated and inaccessible than those drones and yet he was affected, I gave some serious thought about affecting drone's minds by subliminal advertising. We are going to make them to do something simple - we are going to turn them against each other by playing them a simple message. The trick is that we are going to do it repeatedly and thus overwhelm the voice of Atlas. Just like he tried to do with you, so now you have a chance to get even with him. Fortunately we have means for that. I was planning something similar earlier and use the Hubble telescope and it's communication lines but this station is more powerful and complex and suits for our needs much better. At least in theory, but I am sure that Whitney is able to vitalize the idea. I believe in you Whitney. No pressure. If we can't do that then we will so something different and one good deed we already done - we helped these Gek with their pirate problem." Whitney nodded and put her long thing pale fingers to work. From time to time she whispered something with Volodja and a wary smile appeared to her doll face when Volodja told her what he had in his mind about the content of those messages. By the way - the content was at least partly inspired by Marcel and soon enough everyone who had time to look the space were able to see the result of Whitney's efforts. Half of the drones rearranged their rows and formed huge Number Nine. Remaining drones did the same but since they received completely opposite orders then as a result they formed enormous Number Six which is upside down Nine. Both numbers begun to approach to each others slowly but threateningly. Right before the collision they stopped for a moment and everyone could see humongous Sixty Nine. Then two halves of the number clashed and The Revolution 69 begun.  |
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Post by Belle Starr on Mar 31, 2018 19:04:04 GMT
Belle Star had arrived on Earth and had parked the Starrgazer not far from the hidden entrance to the Forbidden Zone. Most of those who lived in Paradise only knew of the Forbidden Zone as an area of strange weather and even stranger mirages that they could see from afar. That was enough to keep away the majority of Paradise's residents, but ark hunters were a more fearless lot. Still those intrepid souls that did go in rarely returned - at least with their sanity intact!
Except for Belle Starr. She had led a group of renegade Volge followers there to settle not long ago by this universe's timeline but over 300 years ago by her time clock because of the time she had spent in the "other" universe. Of the Forbidden Zone, Belle remembered weird shadows and voices and sounds from unseen sources there but had trained herself to ignore them; which in some ways may have been too bad because they might have warned her about the odd electrical storm which was her last memory of being on Earth.
Belle remembered ordering her Volge followers to go underground to avoid the terrible storm but then being struck by lightening followed by a sense of falling before she blacked out. When she woke up, she was in a small one person space ship in the "other" universe being told she was now a "Traveler" by Atlas and the rest is ancient history at least to her.
Making her way through rough terrain, Belle wiggled through a narrow ravine to find the hole in the impregnable force field that completely surrounded the Forbidden Zone. Belle was brought back to when she was a teenager new to the area as an ark hunter who had just joined an ark hunter clan and followed a clan veteran into the Forbidden Zone. Coyote Clive was a bit strange who other clan members said was because he went into the Forbidden Zone but he was the first person to befriend her in the clan so she felt she couldn't say no to his kind invitation.
True, Coyote had developed a severe paranoia about chickens seeing some of them with red eyes and a demon's power but Belle reasoned that vendetta may have been going on before his visit to the Forbidden Zone so she girded up her loins and went with him. What she found was a place of reality warping terrain and where science often held no sway. She also found mountains of cocaine which Coyote ingested huge quantities of which explained to Belle why he came so often to the Forbidden Zone and maybe his delusions about chickens too. Belle refused to partake wanting to keep his senses sharp but still enjoyed the outing with him immensely which cemented their close friendship even more.
As Belle made her way through the strange multi-colored rocky ground to where she last remembered her Volge camp being, she wondered whatever happened to her ark hunter friend. Once she had joined the Protectors and maybe even before when she became a VBI Associate, she had lost track of her old friends and even of her clan which she had been told had even disbanded after the Ark debris ring was destroyed. She had gained much joining the Protectors for it gave her ambitions focus but sometimes she felt she had lost something else perhaps more precious giving up her life as a carefree ark hunter.
Belle found the devastated Volge campsite and a huge hole where the rock had been that she had stood on directing her followers to safety. Her instincts told her that the answers to all her questions lay at the bottom of hole. She swiped a lock of blonde hair from in front of her blue diamond eyes as she considered the best way to descend into the lack abyss. Firmly attaching a grappling hook to a petrified log, she began her way down into the dark hole only illuminated by her small flashlight. What she saw at the bottom of the hole made her scream as a look of horror took hold of her beautiful freckled face.
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 1, 2018 12:43:28 GMT
As her crew performed her plan flawlessly and the pirates' flagship blew up dramatically but silently in space, Sandy sat back in her command chair with a sigh of satisfaction but still she ordered her bridge crew, "Great job guys but stay on your toes! We still have the rest of the pirates to deal with - unless they head for the hills with their tails between their legs!"
Sandy wasn't sure that was what the remaining pirates would do but either way she was sure the crew of the Dauntless Endeavor had already proven their mettle and could now handle anything thrown at them.
As my scanners registered the Pirate Command ship exploding, another swarm of fighters emerged from the explosion barely outrunning it. However they weren't retreating. No, instead they were heading straight towards the Dauntless Adventure and firing with all they had. As I saw that happening, I started zipping between the (bigger than my own craft) one-man fighters with my angry midget cricket of a fighter-scout.
As I zipped between several, I saw a bunch of Atlas drone form a 69 before flying into and destroying each other. So as they were only a threat to each other for some reason, I ignore the drones as I continued strafing the one-man fighters with steady laser fire from my cold fire lasers. As I drew the attention of some, they pulled out of formation to try to shoot me down, with me easily out-maneuvering them and countering at every turn.
As the ensuing dogfight took place, the Dauntless Adventure started returning fire. However onboard in their Engineering room, the consoles started beeping. As Attila quickly looked over the systems to figure out the issue, he saw several warning signals involving the singularity engines, as well as several involving the ship's torpedo tubes. After another look, he came to an interesting but startling discovery involving both the Dauntless Adventure's singularity engines and it's singularity missiles. So as he tried to figure out a more permanent solution, he contacted the bridge to apprise his Commander of the situation and tell her of the only temporary solution that he could come up with.
As soon as Sandy answered Attila responded with, "Sandy we have a problem down here! Our engines are losing power and upon further investigation, I realized why. Did you by any chance notice that we didn't seem to be running low on singularity torpedoes? Well....the reason for that is that some of the unknown alien tech that the Omec used on the Dauntless Adventure's construction was used on the torpedo systems. More specifically all the torpedo tubes contain an extremely advanced replicator system. So as our current supply of singularity torpedoes are depleted the replicators create more. However here is where the problem with the Ship's singularity engines comes in. The replicators only replicate the intricate torpedoes themselves.
They do not replicate the singularity charge. Instead that is supplied by the engines and transferred directly to the torpedo tubes. Looking at all the systems on the computers, it is a very ingenious idea and should be able to work perfectly without issue. Except for the fact that this ship had been sitting vacant for who-knows-how-long on Pluto.
We already know the power core was unstable and Atticus managed to get it stable long enough for Lena and myself to get in here and get it realigned back to where it should be, so it was once again fully online. However it looks like the instabilities in power caused some issues with the power-transfer-systems that are designed to supply the freshly replicated torpedoes with their singularity charge. Sorry, are you following this?....Never mind, I will just get to my point. The computers show that it can be fixed without us having to take the engines offline, and we do appear to have the parts down here for me to do so. However in order for me to fix it right now, I must temporarily take those torpedo replicators offline, which means once the few currently in the tubes are gone, you would be without torpedoes until I have fixed the systems. It would also be best to keep the engines working at a max of 75% power at that time. However if you prefer, I can wait until our space battle is over, and instead just keep trying to keep the singularity engines stable, until the battle is over and you no longer need torpedoes for a little while. I would NOT recommend that though as I do not know how long we can Band-Aid the issue until it blows out it's stitches and leaves the ship dead in space or worse kills us all."
Sandy asked how long it would take to fix the issues if they were to take the torpedo replicators offline immediately as recommended, to which the young Irathient responded with, "Well thanks to the Vigilant lending us half a dozen engineers, it will go faster than if I was down here myself. Fortunately we only have 4 torpedo tubes. However once the replicators are offline, we will have to go examine and diagnose each of the faulty power-transfer systems separately, before we can determine the best way to fix each tube's faulty power-transfer units as they may be failing for different reasons and we do have limited replacement parts down here. So....I would say up to 30 minutes a tube. However if I assign 4 crewman to examine the tubes, one to a tube, all at the same time. Then it should be 30 minutes at most provided the problems aren't that big. Once all of the tubes are fixed, then if there are no other complications, I will be able to return Engine power to 100% at that time."
Sandy reluctantly told Attila to do so, and he responded with, "Alright...power to the tubes' replicators is offline, and engines lowered to 75% power now. So looking at my console that leaves you with two torpedoes in tube 1, two in tube 2, one in tube 3 and one in tube 4. So six torpedoes in total. So use them sparingly. However I promise that I will reactivate each torpedo replicator as it is fixed. On the torpedo displays for each tube, ti shows a torpedo representing how many or in the tube with each tube holding up to four. So looking at her console Lena should see red X's on two of the torpedoes in Tube 1 and green checks on the other two to show that two are in the tube and two are empty; and so on. She should also see an H-shaped grappler on her console behind the rear-most torpedo in each tube. Those H's were yellow on my consoles and probably hers to show they have some sort of issue. However now that the replicators are offline those H's should now be red to show that the torpedo replicator for that tube is now offline. When I power it back up that H will turn green indicating that the tube's replicator has power and is working nominally again."
Once Attila disconnected he and 3 of his engineers got to work examining the replicators and power-transfer systems for each of the tubes. The first tube Attila examined merely had a faulty bypass valve that only took 2 minutes to diagnose and another 3 to replace. So as soon as he had finished that, he flipped the switch to reactivate Tube 1's replicator and power-transfer systems. Then he moved onto tube 2. the Engineer working on it had just found the issue and as Attila confirmed his findings that engineer got to work fixing it. So Attila checked with the other 2 engineers. Tube 3 was simply misaligned which blew out it's power stabilization fuses. So as the Engineer replaced those fuses, Attila re-aligned it. Once that was done, they flipped Tube 3 back online. Just then the Engineer working on Tube 4 informed Attila that it's power-transfer system was completely fried which meant completely replacing it with one of the few spares they had. So that meant two torpedo tubes were back online, with Tubes 2 and 4 still being offline.
As Attila was examining the spare torpedo power-transfer units to make sure he had a correctly working one, I was still in the space battle. As I continued strafing the one-man fighters my scanners started beeping angrily and showing a huge red blip. When I turned my fighter to visibly see what was in that direction, I saw a massive ship similar in design to the one the Dauntless had just destroyed coming around the nearest planet. So I flipped on my comms and notified the Dauntless Adventure and the Vigilant saying, "Sandy! Kaj! Are you two seeing this?! A HUGE ship similar in design to the Command ship the Dauntless Adventure destroyed just came around the planet and is heading for the daking space station that Volodja's team is on!"
Unaware of the issues outside, Attila's team kept working. So as Sandy responded to the Mighty Midget, Tube 2 was repaired and went back online. Tube 4 however was taking much longer as even the few replacements seemed to have an issue from sitting unused for so long as well. So it was obvious what needed done. So Attila grabbed the replacement power-transfer unit with the least issues and proceeded to remove it's faulty parts. Then he removed the working versions of those parts from the other non-working units. Once that was done, he took all the working parts he had salvaged and proceeded to install them on the power-transfer unit that he felt was in the best shape. Tube 4 took over 40 minutes because of that, however Attila felt confident with his work on the power-transfer unit. So he installed it and powered Tube 4's replicator back up, but left it on diagnostic mode, which would mean Lena's console is showing that tube 4's H is yellow at the moment. After a few minutes of diagnosing and watching the tube, Attila was certain it was back in prime working order. So he finally turned off diagnostic mode, and Lena once again had access to all 4 working torpedo tubes again. Once that was done, Attila's team ran several more diagnostics on the Singularity Engines, and once assured that all issues were fixed, Attila returned the engines to full power. Then he contacted the Bridge to inform Sandy that all repairs had been made and engines were now back at full power.
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Post by Lena Marr on Apr 1, 2018 14:23:56 GMT
From the Dauntless Adventure's bridge, Captain Sandy Uljanov reluctantly told Attila Constantine in Engineering to do so, and he responded with, "Alright...power to the tubes' replicators is offline, and engines lowered to 75% power now. So looking at my console that leaves you with two torpedoes in tube 1, two in tube 2, one in tube 3 and one in tube 4. So six torpedoes in total. So use them sparingly... When I power it back up that H will turn green indicating that the tube's replicator has power and is working nominally again."
Lena Marr was manning the weapons systems on the bridge and overheard the conversation between Sandy and Attila so muttered with a frown on her pretty chalk white face as she patted her weapons console affectionately, "Just like a man to shoot his wad before I'm finished. I had a boy toy once named Charlie who did the same thing during sex - routinely! I got so dreking frustrated I ended up castrating the poor bastard. Sooooo... I think I'll call you Charlie too."
As Sandy continued to discuss the engineering problem with Attila, Lena glanced with guilty sky blue eyes over at her lover Marcel Lestrange in the pilot's seat and quickly added, "Not like you Pooh Bear; you always leave me satisfied!"
Commander Atticus Batman on the one man ship "Mighty Midget" communicated ship-to-ship, "Sandy! Kaj! Are you two seeing this?! A HUGE ship similar in design to the Command ship the Dauntless Adventure destroyed just came around the planet and is heading for the daking space station that Volodja's team is on!"
"Roger that Commander Batman, we're on it," Answered Sandy leaning forward in her command chair before turning to Lena and ordering, "Can the bedroom talk you two and concentrate on the job at hand. It looks like the pirates aren't giving up. Lena save the remaining torpedoes for the big ship and use the ship's cold fire lasers to do as much damage to the enemy as possible!"
"Thanks Captain Obvious," Muttered Lena under her breadth as she did as commanded.
However, Lena noted the Mighty Midget veering right and left among her targets taking out enemy fighters as it went. For a second her lasers' cross-hairs fell on Atticus' space ship following his trajectory. For a second Lena thought about blasting Atticus out of no man's sky.
"It would be sooooo easy. People die from friendly fire all the time," Thought Lena to her EGO psyche Hope via the telepathic link they shared. "Since Lady is still comatose I can take over the Batman twins and raise them right - or wrong as most folks consider me! And by default I can take over his title as Harbinger of Death. Just push a button at the right time and 'blooey', no more Atty-baby! Easy-peasey!"
"No Lena, just - NO!" Answered Hope forcefully, "When Lady Christianna wakes up she will not take kindly to you murdering her husband and face it, would you want a woman of your... unstable... mental condition as your mother?"
In a hurt tone Lena thought back to Hope, "IDK, I'm a fun person to be around and can teach them a lot of neat stuff like how to hack into a security system and how to correctly garrote a guy and..." The Castithan's long lashed eyes grew big with realization as she mentally capitulated, "I never had a mother sooooo I guess... you're right. I'm more like the fun godmother type who visits often and shows her god kids how boring and predictable their real parents are!"
Lena moved her cross-hairs to target a pirate fighter that was close on Atticus' tail blowing it out of the sky with her cold fire lasers saying to no one in particular but with a wicked grin before moving on to other enemy ships, "And Atticus misses his appointment with the Grim Reaper once again - thanks to Lethal Lena! Atty-baby, you are gonna owe me such a big bonus check after this mission!"
Attila finally turned off the diagnostic mode, and Lena once again had access to all 4 working torpedo tubes again. Once that was done, Attila's team ran several more diagnostics on the Singularity Engines, and once assured that all issues were fixed, Attila returned the engines to full power. Then he contacted the Bridge to inform Sandy that all repairs had been made and engines were now back at full power.
"Thanks Mr. Constantine. We'll have Whitney help double check the engine after we collect Commander Uljanov's team from the space station after the battle," Then Sandy commanded the Bridge crew, "Okay gang, let's go make that second pirate command ship wished it had stayed hidden! Target their engines and fire the torpedoes at will Ms. Marr!"
With the Dauntless' torpedoes back under her command, Lena grinned wickedly, "If Will is the name of that big fucker, I'll be glad to! Will, meet Charlie!" Then firing a full barrage of torpedoes that not only disabled the second pirate flagship but also started a chain-reaction of explosions internally that completely destroyed it whereupon Lena feeling a sudden moistness in her panties' crotch muttering as she gently patted her weapons console again, "Charlie Too, guess I won't have to castrate you after all!"
On the Gek space station, Whitney jumped up and down excitedly seeing on the radar her accomplishment in destroying the Sentinel drones. She looked with clear ice blue eyes over at the architect of the plan of destruction, Volodja Uljanov with admiration and... something more.
As her two Synth Sister came over to congratulate her on her victory Whitney absentmindedly played with her long white haired ponytail only half hearing their compliments before turning to them and in a low voice saying, "Thank you but... do you think Mr. Uljanov has a mistress? I understand European men often take mistresses. He is so intelligent and cultured and handsome so I would be surprised if he didn't have one already."
Whitney's big blonde Synth Sister Yvette asked in jest, "Are you applying for the job Whitney?"
Whitney didn't answer but her other Synth Sister Brooke watched her with narrowed yellow eyes as her black feline ears twitched before saying frankly, "I do believe she is serious. I can smell the sex pheromones pouring out of her and her heartbeat is racing. Whitney, you do know Mr. Uljanov is happily married, don't you?"
A small smile crossed Whitney's beautiful porcelain smooth face before she asked in a hushed voice, "How happy? I mean I'm sure I could make him even more happy! And two are better than one, right? He's just so nice..."
Yvette threw her purple eyes heavenward before grabbing her sister firmly by the shoulders and saying, "Whitney, you can't just keep falling for every man who gives you the time of day! Besides, I don't think Mr. Uljanov's wife is the type to tolerate his having a mistress."
"Then I could be his second wife. I hear that's often done in the Earth Republic," Whitney continued undeterred as she stared wide-eyed at Volodja before breaking away from her sister's grip and trotting up to him.
The shapely young Synth girl ran up to Volodja getting so close to him that she not only violated his personal space but also so close that her heaving small breasts actually brushed up against his chest. So close that Volodja could tell her hair smelt of roses and that her breath was sweetly warm as she spoke excitedly to him.
"Mr Uljanov," Whitney asked with all sincerity, "May I be your mistress? Or if you rather, your second wife? We just proved we work very well together. I promise I won't take much of your time away from your first wife but I would treasure a kind man like yourself, doing whatever you want, because good men like yourself are impossible to find."
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 3, 2018 11:40:28 GMT
After warning the Vigilant and the Dauntless Adventure of the new 'chess piece' on the proverbial board, I focused on the one-man fighters attacking the Dauntless Adventure to free it up to attack the new ship. However as my little fighter-scout was strafing back and forth between enemy targets, my scanners alerted me that a ship had locked targets on me.
As I started evasive maneuvers I glanced at the scanner and muttered, "Dak it's the Dauntless Adventure!"
Dinara responded with, "What?! Does Lena really hate you so much that she'd shoot down the person funding most of the Protectorate projects, including and especially her paychecks?!"
I responded with, "Normally she would ensure she will still get paid before killing the 'cash bat'. However thanks to Kafool not being able to keep it in his daking pants and hurting Hope, Lena just might still be that daking mad!...Dak! With the two fighters on either side of me both locking weapons on me, and a third fighter coming in hot from behind with it's missiles locked on me, there is no way I can out-maneuver all four at once! So Lena just may get the upper hand this time and all because of daking Kafool not being able to keep his katool to himself!!"
However as I tried shaking missile and laser locks, the Dauntless Adventure suddenly disengaged it's targeting lock on my engines and instead fired at and shot down the fighter coming up behind me. Then the Dauntless Adventure moved onto other targets which gave me the ability to suddenly stop my engines and push the nose of my ship down to drop behind and below the two ships that were on either side of me. So as I pulled off that maneuver, the two fighters both fired and ended up destroying each other.
As I got back into the fight and worked on destroying the fighters already in play, as well as the first wave emerging from the destroyer that had joined the battle, Dinara said, "But Atty! I don't think Kabule touched Hope like that cuz when the Demon tried to possess Hope, and called her a virgin sacrifice, Kabule said she wasn't a virgin because he....he used his finger to take it while they were makin out! I know that sounds kinda bad as well....buuuuut...If he....well...you know...gave her the usual NASTY NASTY Kabully treatment, then he would have bragged to that demon about doin so! You know how nasty and disgusting Kabully's mouth can get when it comes to that kinda stuff!"
I mentally snapped, "When confronted about hurting Hope, he didn't deny it and willingly allowed Kakusi to lock him away! If he wasn't guilty of doing something, then he would have been the first to deny it and most certainly would NEVER have allowed himself to be locked away again! It is done and over with and he will stay locked up! So drop it! We have enemy fighters to focus on!"
Dinara muttered, "But Atty! He died in the circus world because he was trying to protect all of us and especially Hope...but she died first because she sacrificed herself tryin to protect him! Soooo.........maybe...just maybe....that is what he sees himself guilty of? Not what Lena says he did, but because for the first time he genuinely did everything he could to save somebody for unselfish reasons and failed at it! You two are so much alike in so many ways!"
As I targeted a fighter's engines and destroyed it in one shot, I snapped angrily at Dinara, "Shut it! I am NOT like Kafool and we ALL know how he is with women AND everyone else! So leave it alone for now, as I have much more important things to worry about than my 'little brother's' daking infidelities!"
Dinara reluctantly dropped it for the time being so I could keep my focus on the battle. As I continued culling the battlefield of enemy fighters to keep them off the Vigilant, the Gek Convoy, and the Dauntless Adventure, the latter was now focusing mainly on the giant destroyer ship. As the Dauntless Adventure fired a full barrage of torpedoes that disabled the second pirate flagship, a wave of fighters were released from it's hangars, just like the previous Command ship had done. However Lena proved just how deadly she can be when she wants to be, for her last torpedo barrage also started a chain-reaction of explosions internally that completely destroyed the command ship. The internal explosions were so powerful that the resulting blast wave destroyed all of the fighters as they tried to escape from their mother ship.
So after I was certain all the fighters were destroyed or retreating, I contacted the Dauntless Adventure saying, "Damn, that was one helluva missile barrage Lena! Alright Dauntless Adventure, the remaining Pirates are retreating. So the Mighty Midget is requesting entry into your hangar bay."
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Post by Lena Marr on Apr 3, 2018 19:12:48 GMT
After Commander Atticus Batman was certain all the fighters were destroyed or retreating, he contacted the Dauntless Adventure saying, "Damn, that was one helluva missile barrage Lena! Alright Dauntless Adventure, the remaining Pirates are retreating. So the Mighty Midget is requesting entry into your hangar bay." Sitting in the Dauntless Adventure's command chair, Captain Sandy Bell Uljanov smiled before answering, "Permission granted sir - and nice shooting yourself. As soon as you board, we'll hail the space station and see about getting my husband and his team back on board as well. Lena Marr leaned back in her co-pilot's chair with her hands behind her head and a wicked grin on her pretty chalk white hair saying out loud, "Gotta love those singularity plasma torpedoes!" Meanwhile unheard by anyone but Lena and the the voices in her head, Hope, her EGO psyche, asked optimistically, "I noticed in your reasons for killing Atticus you didn't mention me and what atrocity you think his alter EGO Kabule did to me. Does that mean you have forgiven Kabule so he can be released and we can see each other again? I hope so." "Hardly," Answered Lena through the telepathic link they shared. "It's just that's so obvious a reason. Kill Atticus, kill Kabule, easy-peasey. But Atticus has that bastard mentally jailed and Atticus is many things but he's not a liar so I believe him when he says he'll keep Kabule jailed forever. Make's no sense to kill the paycheck unless there is personal gain outweighing said paycheck hence Atticus is still breathing - for now!" Lena thought a minute about why she still wasn't satisfied with Kabule's punishment when suddenly she knew why. Lena felt Atticus wasn't being hard enough on Kabule, thinking, "Atty-baby is getting soft in his old age. If I had Kafool imprisoned here, I'd think of new ways to torture him everyday - maybe every hour!" One could almost see a light bulb light up above Lena's head as she had a sudden idea how to torture Kabule forever but with minimal effort on her part. She rolled her unblinking sky blue eyes heavenward putting an alabaster forefinger to the corner of her lush lips thinking to herself as her wicked grin grew larger, "I know exactly how I'll punish Kabule for stealing my - I mean Hope's - virginity and keep Hope away from him for all time!" Then she mentally communicated an offer to Hope, "Tell you what, I'm a reasonable person. I'll convince Atty-baby to let Kabule free only..." "Only what?" asked Hope suspiciously. Lena spat her offer out like bullets from a gun and the look on Hope's face was like she had been fatally wounded by them as Lena exclaimed, "All you have to do is promise on your honor as an EGO psyche that you'll never give yourself to Kabule again - never actively seek him out - never even speak to him ever again - except the one time before his release to tell him you don't love him, you never loved him, because he is a womanizing cad and you were just leading him on to give him some of his own medicine and now wish never to see him again." "Is that all? Then will you end your vendetta against Kabule?" Asked Hope forlornly. "Yeppers, that will do it!" Answered Lena mentally with an air of victory. Hope sank to her knees saying, "You want me to lie to the man I love..." "Only to free the man you love," Replied Lena knowing full well the fish had taken the bait. "I'll do it," Answered Hope in a tiny voice adding, "I promise on my honor as an EGO psyche." Lena was taken aback by Hope's sad tone and for the first time since she got this idea of revenge wondered if it was a good one but not being one to ponder her acts too long merely remarked, "I'll arrange for you to tell Kabule and then have Atticus release him to the holo-brothel of his choice ASAP - or at least I'll arrange it when we're not being shot at!" Lena broke off her communication with Hope, leaving her on her knees and dejected on the floor of her EGO chamber. Lena felt... hollow inside, a feeling she hadn't felt since her days as a child prostitute in Lima, and which she didn't know why she had suddenly become reacquainted with today. Meanwhile neither Hope nor Lena had noticed that one of the Lena's voices in her head representing the seven deadly sins had been very interested in their conversation. Lust was attentive throughout the making of the devil's pact and sighed once Hope had agreed to it. As feelings, lust and love are similar but also very different although one can lead to the other, so Lust felt a certain kinship to Hope in her present condition. Thinking of Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Lust muttered under her breath, "Time to play Friar Lawrence again!"  Once Atticus' ship boarded the Dauntless, Lust wearing her Starr Circus trappings as the beautiful tattooed snake handler traveled stealthily to the far corner of Atticus' mind where Kabule was locked away. As Kabule's guard, the Grid Kakusi at first adamantly refused her entry into Kabule's cage. Lust sidled up to him and sensually caressed his thigh causing static electricity that tickled her fingers. "Ooooh, sparkles," Cooed Lust with a hungry smile, "Tell you what tall, blue and handsome, you let me in to see Mr. Brooding over there and I'll give you a blow job you'll be bragging to your grand kids about?" Kakusi frowned shaking his bullet shaped head in the negative while stating politely, "I'm sorry Miss, but Atticus was quite firm in his orders not to let Kabule have any visitors. I know I made an exception before but as I said then, that was the exception not the rule." A pretty pout crossed Lust's luscious lips as her green eyes narrowed and she tilted her head inadvertently tossing her red hair in a seductive manner while staring at Kabule in his cage before Kakusi asked, "Perhaps if you were honest with me as to what you want to speak to Kabule about, I might relent. Your visits do break the monotony of this endless guard duty." Lust's eyes widened in surprise at a truly unique idea to her - telling the truth to get her way - and she replied with a charming smirk, "Honesty as the best policy? Who would have figured? Okay, here's the bottom line: Lena is making Hope come here to tell the idiot in the box that she doesn't love him, never wants to see him again, blah, blah, blah, you get the idea, in order to let Kabule be released. Thing is, the stupid kid is giving her word of honor as an EGO psyche to keep the deal and never see Kabule again if Lena will just convince Atticus to let Kabule go and the kid is such a goody two-shoes she thinks promises are more than just words to be made to get your way and then to be ignored later!" Her beautiful face suddenly became serious as Lust looked intently at Kakusi before continuing emphatically, "Thing is... Hope really does love the big lug and if she goes through with her deal with Lena it will break her heart forever. Its no skin off my nose - really - but I hate to see her do that to herself for she would never be the same. I kind of like the kid and how she is developing as an individual and..." Lust smiled again seductively as she added as if she didn't care, "Who wants a mopey angst ridden teenager hanging around the old EGO chamber all day? I like my work-place care-free, don't you know!" "So you want Kabule to do something about the situation?" Asked Kakusi frankly. "Hardly likely given his current situation." "I know, I know," Lust shrugged nonchalantly replying, "But Romeo and Juliet was never my favorite Shakespearean play! I hate tragedies, much preferring light comedies on my stage. I just figured... if I tell Kabule he can tell Atticus and maybe together they can figure a way to convince Lena that this devil's pact is all wrong and stuff." Being a Grid, Lust couldn't read Kakusi' facial reaction but finally he said before letting Lust into Kabule's cage, "Five minutes, no more, no less!" Once in Kabule's prison cell, Lust quickly told him the details of the devil's pact between Hope and Lena. After four and a half minutes, she exited grinning at Kakusi and standing on her tiptoes gave him a peck on his cheek that sparked. "You sure you don't want that blowjob K," Lust whispered in his ear then looked at him with dreamy long lashed eyes licking her lush lips slowly, "You know as a reward for being such a good sport. I promise you'll enjoy it." "Well..." Began Kakusi thoughtfully, "I do believe in new experiences and it is quite boring here... so... why not?" Lust only had to bend at the waist to give the seven-foot tall Kakusi a titillating blow job that was truly performance art and lasted much longer than five minutes; finding it surprising that she enjoyed it as much as he did and when over she said truthfully as she stood up arching her back provocatively, "We ought to do this again some time K." Lust stared at Kabule in his cage for some moments casually playing with the brightly colored coral snake that suddenly appeared draped around her neck before exclaiming, "What you do with the information I gave you is up to you!" Then yelled back at Kabule over her shoulder as she left to go back to Lena's mind, "I just thought you should know before Hope asks me to buy her poison or something. Anyway my fillings are going to tingle for a week!" |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 5, 2018 13:06:17 GMT
Once in Kabule's prison cell, Lust quickly told him the details of the devil's pact between Hope and Lena. After four and a half minutes, she exited grinning at Kakusi and standing on her tiptoes gave him a peck on his cheek that sparked.
"You sure you don't want that blowjob K," Lust whispered in his ear then looked at him with dreamy long lashed eyes licking her lush lips slowly, "You know as a reward for being such a good sport. I promise you'll enjoy it."
"Well..." Began Kakusi thoughtfully, "I do believe in new experiences and it is quite boring here... so... why not?"
Lust only had to bend at the waist to give the seven-foot tall Kakusi a titillating blow job that was truly performance art and lasted much longer than five minutes; finding it surprising that she enjoyed it as much as he did and when over she said truthfully as she stood up arching her back provocatively, "We ought to do this again some time K."
Kakusi replied with a little more crackle in his electric-but-usually-very-monotone voice, "So that is what a blowjob is? Well now I know why Atticus and the-man-in-the-cage like them so much. So yes I agree we should do so again some time, and perhaps you could teach me how to return the favor. I have never watched what Atticus and Lady get up to when they are alone. I am physically nothing more than basically a worm as long as I have a host, which I will always have as Atticus and I were merged permanently together shortly before he officially came to join the Protectors. Not to mention the basic and common fact that Grid reproduce asexually, I have never personally experienced such a thing before. So I very much look forward to any future experience with you. Also I am fine with you calling me K. However if you prefer then I will allow you to be one of the few that calls me Sazri, and I can not wait to discover all the interesting places where you may be tattooed and just what the tattoos are of. Besides I do not get why everybody insists on clothes all of the time. So perhaps I will create my own room, that way if you feel the same about clothes as I do then we can go without clothes where nobody will object."
Lust stared at Kabule in his cage for some moments casually playing with the brightly colored coral snake that suddenly appeared draped around her neck before exclaiming, "What you do with the information I gave you is up to you!" Then yelled back at Kabule over her shoulder as she left to go back to Lena's mind, "I just thought you should know before Hope asks me to buy her poison or something. Anyway my fillings are going to tingle for a week!"
As Lust left Kakusi said to her back, "Sorry about the tingle, but like the sparkles you liked when you brushed your fingers against my arm, it just happens. I am an electrical being after all."
After Lust was gone, Sazri Kakusi heard Kabule chuckle hollowly. So Kakusi walked through the still open electric force-field and over to Kabule's bubble cage where he asked, 'What is so funny?"
Kabule remarked, "You are Worm. That is NOT what she meant about her fillings tingling!"
Kakusi rubbed his head and said confused, "What did she mean then?"
Kabule smirked, then said, "You really are simple aren't you? She meant she really loved giving you the damn blowy so much that her mouth will ache in remembrance of it for a week. Although I suppose your electro-gasm may have been part of what made it so much more interesting for somebody as sexual as that sex-doll, since you were most likely the first living light bulb that she ever had in her mouth.....and if you are going to start experiencing hard-ons from now on, then put some damn pants on! Seeing that weird blue rocket sticking out at me just may be worse torture than even I have EVER put anybody through before!"
Kakusi looked down and remarked, "Well that is not something I am used to you know. Hell I did not even think about the fact that we Grid do have working genitalia considering, as I said, we reproduce asexually and have for much longer than I know. I mean I do know we have genitals from back before we evolved enough to make them unneeded. So as Grid genitals remain inside and unseen until needed and they were never needed or seen as sexual, unlike in your cultures, we have no reason for clothes as a species. Hell I have never even seen my own penis sticking out that much, until she started touching me like she did and I found myself really liking her gentle touches and sexy voice. So I guess I need to start wearing pants after she is around, at least until it goes back up inside me again?"
As Kabule disgustedly looked at Kakusi's now disappearing penis, Kabule said sternly, "Most definitely! Not only do I not want to see that thing, we all know how Dinara would feel about it! It would disgust her and freak her out and then Atticus would probably shove you in here with me and neither of us want that! So conjure up some damn pants and put them on!"
Kakusi replied, "That is a rude tone. However I suppose you are right."
So Kakusi turned his back to Kabule and then concentrated and made some pants appear on himself. Then he turned back around saying, "Better?"
Kabule replied with, "A bit tight and funny looking but good enough for now. Now be a good guard and get out of here and reseal that electro-wall to relock me in silence!"
As Kakusi responded, Kabule could swear there was actually a slight happy rhythm to Kakusi's normally very monotone electric voice, but as Kabule was still lost in his own darkness he definitely wasn't sure for certain, "Yes I do suppose you want to think about what you are going to do with the information the lovely Lust gave us."
Kabule replied, almost sounding in shock, with, "What the fuck else is there to do or think?! Sitting here, I have not once thought of the fucking holo-brothels she mentioned, and now that I do, they have lost almost all of their fucking appeal!....."
Then Kabule continued under his breathe, "I guess I was honest when I said that I want a forever pet to give most of my attentions to, and really do want Hope to be that forever pet. But who am I kidding?! I could NEVER play with just one all of the time. Of course she did say she is ok with me having occasional fun with others as long as she gets most of my attention as my first and only Forever Pet. So perhaps it is possible..."
Kakusi replied in his usual monotone with, "Except none of the rationalizations you come up with matter as we were just told none of that will be allowed to happen, given that her host does NOT like you at all."
Kabule glared angrily at Kakusi and snapped," Your right...What the hell am I talking about?! None of that matters because Lena is going to make Hope lie to me and never even allow me anywhere near her again. So I already know what I am going to do!"
Kakusi replied with, "And that is?"
Kabule spat out, "That is simple! You will go back out and reseal that damn wall. Then after Hope arrives and gives me here rehearsed breakup message and leaves, you will reseal that wall but make both it and this bubble a lot thicker and stronger so even you can not hear me through them. Then you will forget that I ever existed. There was a reason I gave Atticus his body back to start with! I grew tired of merely surviving and welcomed the darkness in here. Sure I enjoyed the leisure time he eventually allowed me, and actually started to like the idea of having all of you as friends. However if I can not even look at Hope, then I would rather not ever leave my darkness again!"
Sazri Kakusi replied with, "You know Lust had a point. Perhaps we need to go to Atticus. However I do not want to get Lust in trouble since she is just being Hope's friend and should not be punished for it. So maybe we should go to Atticus with this AFTER Hope sees you."
Kabule snapped, "What the fuck do you think that will do?! Atticus already proved he would rather take anybody else's side than my own! Not to mention that we already know Lena will do everything to keep Hope away from nasty and scary me! Does it matter that I did not hurt her in anyway that she didn't want me to?!...NO! Does it matter that we never actually had sex or even oral?!...NO! Does it matter that when Hope was cold, I actually did the nice thing and gave her my favorite leather to wear and keep her warm?!...AGAIN NO! All that either of them care about is that I am evil! Yes I know I am evil. However Hope and I are fine with that. Just as Lena is evil and her boy-toy is fine with it...and then there is Assicus! Assicus is very evil, even if he now proves it in much more subtle and sneaky ways. Yet he not only has a wife and kids, but he is also still allowed to lead a group of good-doers! After all since he uses his evil nature in the name of justice, they look past it, just as they do Lena's and Marcel's evil deeds. Yet I am never going to get the same benefit, just because I was a fucking Dark Matter soldier and followed orders as long as it allowed me to kill and torture, and whatever else I wanted to do, to my fucking black-heart's content!!"
Sazri Kakusi said, "And now?"
Kabule snapped, "Still very evil and am completely fine with that...However now my stupid fucking black-heart actual hurts from being locked in here and unable to see or hear Hope in person....and knowing what is going to happen when she does visit makes it hurt even more. Even though we know it is because she is doing so just to buy me my freedom..... Damn is this what love is?! Anyway if my freedom will keep her out of my life forever, then I don't fucking want it back! At leas if I stay in here then I won't be able to further interfere with her life or hurt her anymore than I apparently already have!"
Kakusi responded with, "Then that is even more reason for us to get Atticus involved. You managed to open up and tell me how you feel about Hope, more or less. So I could just tell Atticus. However it is better if you told him yourself as he can always tell when you are lying. So he will know you mean what you say. I can not guarantee it will help but as Atticus has experienced love and now constantly fights on the side of love because of his own feelings, perhaps he will actually listen and try to find a way to help."
Kabule sighed then said, "Well as you would rather we not tell Assicus until after Hope has 'dumped' me so nobody knows that your lusty friend warned us in advance, and Hope has not yet come to dump me, then I have some more time to think about it.....However I suppose you do have a point. So what do you think would be the best way to tell him?"
Kakusi replied with, "By getting his favorite on our side of course. So give me a minute."
Kakusi then left the inner prison and contacted Dinara asking her to come to Kabule's prison bubble for a minute as they both need to talk to her. When Dinara arrived, she said, "Alright boys, this better be good since Kabule is not supposed to be allowed to talk to anybody including us, Shocky!"
Kakusi replied with, "Do not worry Compu-sister it is, and as you are the one Atticus is more likely to listen to, I think it is best if we tell you what it is about."
Sazri Kakusi and Kabule both then filled Dinara in, of course they both chose to keep certain things out of the conversation. Specifically Kakusi's personal interactions with Lust, and when Dinara asked about the pants, Kakusi merely responded with, "Decided to try something new. Besides I figured you and all the other women would feel more comfortable having me around if I start wearing pants all of the time, instead of just when I am playing with the babies."
Afterwards Kabule replied to Hope and Kakusi with, "It's hopeless even trying to reason with Atticus and Lena, so I should just keep myself sealed away, right?"
Dinara's jaw dropped and she said quietly, "Wow Kabully! You really do care about her!"
Then Dinara said more confidently, "Nope NOT Hopeless. It just takes a Little Hope...and since we actually have a Little Hope and she is the other party involved in this love debacle, that will help. So...as we don't want Lust in trouble, we can't just rat her out. However I really really like Hope and think she is already a really great friend and would still love to give her a fashion intervention! Sooooooo...... here is what is going to happen.
When Hope arrives, I will intercept her and have a girl to girl chat with her and hopefully she lets me in on her deal with Lena. IF she does so like I am hoping, then while she is in her 'dumping' your dumb bum, I will take the information that I received from Hope straight to Atticus. Then I will insist he talk to Hope himself that way she can help me convince Atty to help us. After all, all three of us know he has a soft spot for children and some teens, as he sees the innocence in them that was taken from him and Kabully when they were only six! Not to mention that Lady and the twins have proven to him that love does exist in his heart. So it shouldn't be too hard for me and Hope to convince Atty to take our side and help, if we both plead with him. However.....Kakusi is right that you will also have to admit your feelings about Hope to both her and Atty, but I suggest you not mention the Forever pet or playing with other pets with Hope's ok to Atty since Lady's love for him has made him embrace the one and only love thing, that I also have with my Amber-baby. And given how cynical Atty can be, he will not take it as well as I am.
However if Hope doesn't open up to me then....while she is dumping your pathetic and moody bum, I will still go to Atty and then try to convince him to have a talk with both you and Hope. However it will be a little harder as I will have to convince him it is all my idea, and won't be able to mention any of the visits with Lust to him, as we still don't want her in trouble and wouldn't want our own Shocky Kakusi-butt in trouble for it either, if possible."
While they were wondering when Hope was going to come to 'dump' Kabule, Dinara looked around the dark 'dungeon' and said, "I was going to say contact me as soon as Hope shows up. However look at this place! Neither of you have rooms and instead have it set up as a dungeon with Kabully living in the cell! Since it seems you both had visitors and Hope will be here anytime, we should at least create a nice place for me and Hope to sit while we have our girl talk!"
Then Dinara smelled something slightly out of place and said, "What is that...OH MY GOD! Why does it smell like sex in here?!"
Kakusi's skin tone got a brighter blue as he blushed slightly. However Dinara didn't notice because she was staring daggers at Kabule who was by now laughing at Kakusi's embarrassment. So mistaking his laughter for a confession that he hadn't change, Dinara snapped, "You nasty cheating pig! And to think I was on your side!"
Kabule stopped laughing at looked at Dinara in shock as he said, "What did I do?!"
Dinara snapped you know darn well what you did! You convinced Kakusi to open the bubble so Lust could enter and exit it and the two of you had S-E-X with each other! So quit laughing because cheating on my friend with one of her own sisters is NOT nice or right in any way!"
Kabule said, "Wait, what? I did NOT cheat on my Lil Bird with anyone! Besides it is not me that Lust had her eyes...OR MOUTH ON! If you don't believe me just ask the blushed blueberry of a worm over there!"
When Dinara fully comprehended Kabule's accusation, she turned her dagger stare at Kakusi and snapped, "Is HE telling the truth?! And you BETTER be honest!"
Kakusi turned a brighter shade of blue as he responded with, "Yes it is true. He did not cheat on Hope. He did not even try to suggest such a thing to Lust. It did not even look like he eyed her over, nor did she show interest in him. However her and I did share a private moment, that I would prefer be kept private. I have learned plenty from my talks with the Wolf-ram, and I happen to agree with him that a gentleman should never discuss matters of the bed room with anybody but his partner unless they both agree that there is a reason to discuss it with someone else."
Dinara sighed and said, "Well...I don't like the smell of it and don't think we should assault our visitors' noses with such a smell. So I think you need to clean yourself up. Hek given that information that means Kabule actually has a girlfriend, and you even seem to have some sort of life. So that gives us even MORE reason why you both need your own rooms now! I do NOT want to accidently see that, and not sure about Lust but know Hope would want some privacy! So once you have gone and cleaned up, we will makethe two of you rooms, as well as making us a nice looking family room to hang out in!"
Kabule muttered from his prison bubble, "Why bother with making ME a bedroom?! It's not like Assicus will actually let me out and let me be with Hope! Weren't you listening?! Fuck! It doesn't matter anyway! I know Assicus well enough to know that he has an ulterior reason behind his decision to lock me away so I can NEVER talk to Hope again!"
Dinara replied meekly with, "and that is?"
Kabule rolled his eyes and remarked, "Isn't it obvious?! He and Lena are professional rivals and I know more about him than anybody else. So he wants to silence me as at least part of him thinks that Hope is just going to use me to get secret information about Atticus or myself, that she can then give to Lena for Lena to use against him! So go ahead and make the worm a bedroom and make that fucking family room. However, for know at least, you better leave that electric wall up to separate my prison cell from your family room!"
As Kakusi went to get fully cleaned up out of Dinara's sight, Dinara sighed and said to Kabule, "Fine we will start with giving Kakusi-butt a room directly across from mine. THen the resulting hall will open up into this big area that will become our family room, with us putting a wall and door up between the family room and as for that Electric wall...for now it will stay up but We will put an actual bedroom wall up on this side of it that way WHEN we convince Atticus to listen, you will already have the beginning of your own room right there. Then you will be able to renovate that dark prison corner you love so much into a real bedroom! We will also put an outside door and doorbell on the remaining wall of our family room. That way our guess will appear outside our home and be able to ring the bell so we can let them in, like with a real home!"
As Sazri Kakusi came back in, no longer smelling of his own sex, Kabule sighed and said, "Fine do that. At least it will give Hope and you a nice spot to sit and talk before she opens the door and comes in here to see me and my dark lonely cage!"
Dinara ignored Kabule's last remark as she filled Kakusi in on the current construction plan. Once done the two of them quickly erected the family room a hall in front of Dinara's room, and Kakusi's room directly across from it. Once that was done, Dinara got to decorating the family room, while Kakusi merely made a bed in his room for the time being, then came out to recreate the prison's electric field on the other side of the family room's walls. That way it wouldn't be seen from the family room until the door into Kabule's section is opened, at which time visitors will be greeted with an electric blue inner door leading into Kabule's prison cell for the time being. By the time Hope appeared in my EGO and mind, the outer walls were made. SO Hope found herself standing on a welcome mat outside a nice front door with a doorbell.
When Dinara heard the bell chime, she quickly finished straightening out the pillows on the couch that she had just created. Then she went to answer the door.
Upon opening the door, she saw a very nervous and upset Hope with tears streaking her cheeks already. So Dinara said, "Oh my god Hope! COme in and please tell me what has you so upset!"
Hope merely nodded and followed Dinara into the huge family room. As the entered Hope reluctantly sat on the couch. Then she broke down in tears as she told Dinara that she was here because she HAD to break up with Kabule.
Dinara said, "But why do you have to do that? Don't you still love him and want to be with him?"
To which Hope squeaked out in between sobs, "Y...y...yes..b...b..but Lena will...will only have At...At..ti..cusss re....re...release him...if I..if I tell him if I...If I break up with him and....and...and tell him...tell him...I never loved him and never wanna see him again!...So...SO I got to because...because...I want him to at least be free!"
As Hope started crying harder, Dinara sat next to her and pulled Hope into a sisterly hug. Then Dinara said,, "Oh Hope I am sorry to hear that it's really true! You see Lust came by and told us that already because she cares about you and wants to see you happy. However we aren't going to tell Atticus or Lena about Lust's visits because we don't want her in trouble for doing the right thing and caring about your feelings! However you do need to know something before you see Kabule...darn now I have to say something that's hard to say. However I think you better hear it now before you see Kabule. You see ... Kabule well, he says he is NOT going to accept his freedom as long as your promise to Lena about staying away from him is part of it."
When Hope started crying again Dinara held her for a little while before saying, "Look you have already proven that you are a great friend and have been here to help me try to help Amber-baby. So I hope you consider me a friend too and don't get mad at me for interfering, but we have to do something! I can tell how much you care for my stupid brother and how much he cares about you. So aaaanywaaaay...I can't make any promises but I think we need to tell Atticus about this and get him involved! Obviously he has personal reasons for why he objects to your relationship with Kabule. However the others are right. Atty will at least listen if I am on your side and you and I insist. So I will get him in here to talk to all of us and that includes Kabully! However I think...no I know Kabule has something that he wants to tell you before Atticus is involved. So Go talk to him, while I go talk to Atty. Then when you two are done, we can all four talk to Atty together. Ok?"
When Hope sniffled and nodded slightly, Dinara got up and walked over to Kakusi' new bedroom door and knocked on it. When he opened it Dinara said, "Alright SHocky, please let Hope in to see our Kabully while I go convince Atty that he needs to come in here and talk to me and Hope! Then we can bring you and Kabully in to talk as well before he has a chance to once again lay down HIS law and seal Kabully away!"
Kakusi nodded as he walked into the family room, still wearing his new pants. Then he walked over and opend the main door into Kabule's 'room' before he also opened the inner prison door. Dinara gave Hope one more comforting hug, then Hope walked into the room as Dinara went back to her room to talk to me over the EGO channel. Once Hope entered and got near Kabule's prison cell, she was even more confused on what she should do now that she had the talk with DInara. So she merely clung to Kabule's jacket holding it tightly around herself for a few moments as tears ran down her cheeks.
As Kabule heard the door open and the electric door flicker away, he cautiously looked up, for once afraid of what he would see. When he did look up and saw Hope holding his jacket to herself with tears streaking down her cheeks, Kabule replied with, "Lil' Bird don't cry, but you ned to know that...that I am NOT going to accept my freedom if it means never seeing you again. So you have no reason to make that promise with Lena. After all she said you will have to promise never to see me again, if I get my freedom. However as you know I will just refuse my freedom, that means you have no reason to make that promise with Lena. That also means that if I am not free and the promise therefor isn't in play, that means you will at least be able to come ad talk to me as long as I remain in prison where I can not touch you.
Hope if Dinara is wrong and you two can not convince Atticus to help us, then this is the only way we can see each other. I just hope you can live with that as well because...because.... I really meant it when I said I want you to be my Forever Pet. Now that I have gotten to know you, I hate not being able to see you. I can not promise to give up other women and you already admitted that you know that but...I can promise to try to give my Lil' Bird as much attention as she wants because...well I don't really know why. I just know I want to be near you and hate seeing you this upset, and if I could figure out how to make you happy again, then I would!"
While all of that was happening, I had left the Hangar and gone to the Dauntless Adventure's still-unmanned armory. So I was sitting at a weapons bench examining a weapon when Dinara told me that she and Hope really need to talk to me in my head. So after listening to what Dinara had to say, set the weapon on the bench. Then I leant back comfortably in my chair as I closed my eyes and meditated until I was inside my own head. I appeared before a door I had never seen before with a welcome mat under my feet. So I rang the doorbell, and the door was quickly answered by Dinara. She ushered me in and had me sit in a big chair in the new family room as she explained that she felt it was time everyone had their own personal space with a family room linking them together. That way they had a natural place where they could talk and hangout together when they wanted to. As she did so, she winked at Kakusi. That was his cue to re-open the blue door and enter Kabule's prison room. Once he did, he re-closed the door behind himself. Then he walked over to Kabule and removed the prison bubble. Once it disappeared Kuble fell onto his butt. Then Kabule stood and stretched his legs. Once his legs were sufficiently stretched, he closed the distance between him and Hope. Before Hope could respond Kabule pulled her into a deep kiss, and even though he wasn't able to say the L word, Hope could feel it in the surprisingly gentle but still extremely passionate way that he kissed her. Once they broke the kiss, Kakusi said to them, "It is time for Hope to go out and help Dinara talk to Atticus, and as discussed, the two of us will go out there and join them after they have Atticus completely focused on the conversation. That way he is already way to invested to want to leave without hearing Kabule's feelings on the matter."
After the mutual agreement, Kakusi opened the blue door and Hope went back out to the Family room where she sat back down on the couch by Dinara. Dinara had already had enough time to convince me to at least listen to what Hope had to say about her and Kabule. SO I was not surprised when Hope came in and sat next to Dinara or when she told me how she felt. I was however slightly surprised and annoyed when Kabule walked in with Kakusi.
So I turned my rapt attention from Hope and snapped, "Kakusi what the daking hell is he doing out of his prison, and more importantly while Hope is here?"
Dinara interrupted with, "Atty shush! You already know Lena gave Hope permission to come see Kabule one last time as I already told you that and just as we all felt you should hear how Hope feels about Kabule, we also all agree that for once you need to listen to what Kabule has to say!"
I responded with, "Fine Kabule but make it quick!"
As I said that Kabule had come around and sat on the couch on the other side of Hope. Then as he allowed Hope to lift his arm and drape it over herself and she snuggled into him, Kabule said, "Atticus I know all your feelings on the subject, but you once trusted me to protect us and I never betrayed that trust, so there is no reason for me to now. So all your secrets are still safe with me even if you doubt it. Now please just listen for once even though I know how hard that is for you!"
I nodded so Kabule continued with, "I really was honest when I said Hope and I never got past second base and that I never did anything to her that she didn't want me to. However what I have not been able to say before is that....I really care for her, in a way that I never thought possible. I was offered my freedom so I could go to the holo-brothels and do what I wanted with any holo-woman that I wanted, as long as Hope and I never have contact again. However I already told Hope that I will refuse that freedom because the doll...woman that I want most would always be off limits to me if I did accept that freedom."
I replied with, "And if you don't take that freedom?"
Kabule responded with, "IF I refuse the freedom then I will stay in that prison. However that means the promise Hope is to make will no longer be valid. SO even if this is the last time I can touch her, she will at least be able to come and visit me in prison whenever she wants, and when she grows tired of a jailbird boyfriend decides to quit visiting me then Kabule will strengthen the prison walls so I can be left to lament my existence in solitude for the rest of our lives."
I responded with, "Really?!...WOW! Well I can try to talk to Lena. However Hope if she won't even listen to you, why do any of you think she would listen to me?"
Before the others could respond, Dinara interrupted with, "Because as Lena's rival she knows why you would be against Kabule and Hope being together. So if you are willing to look past your normal paranoia for Hope's and Kabule's sakes, then maybe Lena will do. Besides even though you two seem to see each other as professional rivals. They way you to go to great lengths to try to get under each other's skins and outdo each other, it is more like the way you and Kabule bicker...as siblings!"
I tried to ignore Dinara's last remark as I turned my attention back to Hope, with me trying to ignore Kabule's arm around her shoulder, as I said, "And Hope do you think Lena will at least agree to hear us out if she sees that I am willing to try to look past my paranoia if it makes you,...and the Katool, happy? And remember if Kabule does ever do something to you that you don't like, just tell me and I will make sure he is right back in that bubble or worse!" |
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Post by Lena Marr on Apr 7, 2018 2:03:01 GMT
In Atticus Batman's mind, his EGO psyche Dinara interrupted Atticus with, "Because as Lena's rival she knows why you would be against Kabule and Hope being together. So if you are willing to look past your normal paranoia for Hope's and Kabule's sakes, then maybe Lena will do. Besides even though you two seem to see each other as professional rivals. They way you to go to great lengths to try to get under each other's skins and outdo each other, it is more like the way you and Kabule bicker...as siblings!" Atticus tried to ignore Dinara's last remark as he turned his attention back to Hope, with him trying to ignore Kabule's arm around her shoulder, as he said, "And Hope do you think Lena will at least agree to hear us out if she sees that I am willing to try to look past my paranoia if it makes you,...and the Katool, happy? And remember if Kabule does ever do something to you that you don't like, just tell me and I will make sure he is right back in that bubble or worse!" Other than opening up to Dinara, Hope had said little just nodding yes and no for the most part already feeling she had betrayed her host Lena Marr but when questioned directly by Atticus she visibly gulped before saying after carefully considering the question, "I know you would Mr. Batman but I also know in my heart that Kabule would never do something to me against my will. As to Lena hearing us us out, I... honestly don't know. Despite your differences, Lena truly respects you and would definitely give you the professional courtesy of hearing you out if you asked for a meeting but whether she would listen to reason... I just don't know. See the fact is - I hope I'm not telling tales out of school but you need to know - although it may be something she doesn't even realize: Lena never had a real childhood having been forced into the life of a child prostitute in Lima and she saw my birth as her EGO psyche as a second chance at the innocence she never got to experience first hand. That said, she thinks Kabule stole that from her when he took my virginity back in the virtual circus world no matter how much I try to convince her otherwise and she won't or maybe can't seem to get past that." Hope looked dejected at her feet before remarking, "I really don't want to disappoint Lena but I also really do love Kabule. Whatever, it is my responsibility to tell her that I won't tell him what she wants me to tell him and after that... maybe if you'll just talk to her - try to convince her - that I won't shirk my EGO duties no matter what but that it's not fair not to let Kabule and me to live our lives as we wish when I'm not on duty. Still, I need to go to her first and tell her I can't keep my promise to her - I guess I'm just too selfish to ever stop loving him. Then if you could talk to her - please talk to her - I would really appreciate it" Hope stood on her toes to kiss Kabule passionately before disappearing back into Lena's mind whereupon Lena asked Hope through the telepathic link they shared, "Where you been kid? I think I know and you can give me a blow to blow description of how Kabule took your dumping him but it's got to wait until later! Things are just getting interesting out here!" Just then Captain Sandy Bell Uljanov from her command chair in the Dauntless Adventure hailed Atticus Batman saying, "Commander, we've docked with the space station so Volodja and his team can re-board but... the Gek have sent us some images of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and... it appears there are huge strands of energy linking the asteroids and forming a huge net to keep us from returning to Earth!"   |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 7, 2018 12:54:02 GMT
Hope looked dejected at her feet before remarking, "I really don't want to disappoint Lena but I also really do love Kabule. Whatever, it is my responsibility to tell her that I won't tell him what she wants me to tell him and after that... maybe if you'll just talk to her - try to convince her - that I won't shirk my EGO duties no matter what but that it's not fair not to let Kabule and me to live our lives as we wish when I'm not on duty. Still, I need to go to her first and tell her I can't keep my promise to her - I guess I'm just too selfish to ever stop loving him. Then if you could talk to her - please talk to her - I would really appreciate it."
I responded with, "I will talk to Lena as soon as I can and see if she will give it a chance, given everything that I have heard and witnessed between you and Kabule. However I do still have my own daking reservations about it."
Hope stood on her toes to kiss Kabule passionately before disappearing back into Lena's mind, and Kabule returned the kiss, making a show of keeping his hands in the air so I could see exactly where they were and that he wasn't trying anything. I tried to continue being the strict but reasonable father/commander while Hope was present. However after Hope left, and I was certain she wasn't coming back in for anything, I stood up and walked over to where Kabule was now arrogantly sitting leant back against the couch with both arms stretched out on the back of it and his feet on Dinara's new coffee table.
Then as I kicked his feet off the table, I said extremely harshly, "This better NOT just be more of your manipulative shtako because that girl really does love your lecherous and unscrupulous ass!"
Then I leant forward and just as Kabule saw the blade pop out of my gauntlet and moved a hand to grab my gauntlet, I stabbed him in the gut avoiding any major wounds. However as the knife went in and he winced in pain, so did I, and Dinara said, "Oh my god Atty what did you just do?! I am detected a sudden injury in your gut!"
I ignored her As I held the blade there, and I whispered into Kabule's ear, "If you ever hurt her, then I will do a lot worse to you than this!"
As I pulled my hand away the others saw the bloody blade, and Kabule sputtered through raspy breaths, "Damn! With all this fucking Commander and Father shit even I forgot how fucking nuts you can be! However that doesn't matter none as I will NOT hurt Hope in any way that she doesn't want, you fucking psychopath!"
I replied, "Perhaps but I prefer to consider myself creative! Damn Kabule, no fighting back?! You MUST love her to just take what you daking deserve for once! So just Relax. You will live...if somebody stops the bleeding. You will just be in a lot of pain but we both know you will heal in a few hours in here! I on the other hand am half Grid so I have that healing factor as well as an EGO also already healing my gut wound. So I will be fully healed within an hour at most."
As Kabule spit up some blood and Dinara quickly got a first aid kit and Kakusi helped Kabule remove his now bloodied shirt. Dinara glared at me and said quietly, "Unfortunately it should only take 20 to 30 minutes for you to heal."
Then she said more loudly, "NOT COOL ATTY! JUST NOT COOL AT ALL!"
As she pulled out a needle and thread and started sewing up and then bandaging Kabule, wishing an actual doctor was present, Kabule took his bloody shirt from Kakusi and spat up some more blood into it. Then he said, "Fuck that hurt! However I get your fucking point quite literally brother!"
As I held my own bloody gut in pain, I said angrily, "You damn well better! You may be my brother and part of me, however I will NOT tolerate anybody hurting an innocent or a child. Not even YOU, and you daking know it!"
As Dinara cleaned up Kabule and glared at me, Kabule said to her, "Relax little sister. We both know I would have just ignored him if he kept just voicing his feelings on the matter. This point however...I definitely could not avoid or ignore, and will always have a slight scar to remind me of his nasty point! Besides he avoided and major organs or veins but......we all know that if I were in his place, I would not have shown the same restraint and would have instead relished in getting my point across in the most excruciating and permanent way that I could think of!"
As Dinara pulled tight on his bandages, she glared at him and snapped, "Doesn't mean I have to like it! You two really need to learn to talk things out without reverting to fighting and hurting each other! Especially since, I am thinking that, killing one of you could likely kill the other or at least permanently wound the survivor as you are two parts of the same person! Now hold still!"
As that was happening, Kakusi had helped me remove my armor plate and shirt, so he could treat my sudden wound, that appeared upon my stabbing Kabule, showing that we really are linked due to him being a personality once created by my fractured mind, even if we are now our own individual persons despite the fact that he is therefore a permanent part of me. Then Kakusi proceeded to clean it and bandage it, knowing it would not actually start healing until I left my meditative state and regained control of my currently 'unconscious' body.
Just then Commander Sandy Bell Uljanov from her command chair in the Dauntless Adventure hailed me.
As the communication started to bleed into the room as if it were a distant sound outside the building, which in fact it basically was, Dinara tapped her ear and for the first time since entering, I realized that she was wearing a small ear-piece. Then Dinara said, "Atty we have an incoming communication from Sandy on your helmet's comm channels. As you are in here, I will replay it for you."
Just then we all heard Sandy's voice booming through the room as if through some speakers, as Sandy said, "Commander, we've docked with the space station so Volodja and his team can re-board but... the Gek have sent us some images of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and... it appears there are huge strands of energy linking the asteroids and forming a huge net to keep us from returning to Earth!"
I snapped, "Daking Atlas is really starting to piss me off!!"
Despite his injury, Kabule smirked and flippantly replied with, "Gee I am sure glad you were only warning me and aren't pissed at me or you may have severely wounded me or something!....Oh wait you did! Guess that would make me the punch line to the joke. Now get out there and go kill that bastard. That way you can have your meeting with Lena and I can see Hope again! without a prison sphere, or you and your fucking blade standing between us!"
I glared at Kabule for a second longer before putting my armor back on. Then I turned and walked out the door. Upon leaving Dinara's EGO house, I reawakened in my heavily armored body and winced in pain as I sat up because of the gut wound that I had created to my own body by stabbing Kabule the tool.
I stood up and winced in pain again. Then as my adrenaline started pumping and numbing the pain, with Dinara helping further, by flooding my body with some natural pain suppressants, I calmly but gruffly answered Sandy's hail with, "Dak! Sandy I am on my way to the Bridge now. I just have to make a quick stop first. Notify Volodja's team and let them know that if they are all joining us on the Dauntless Adventure then they are to bring their shuttle onboard as soon as they are done on the station. However if any of them would prefer to go back to the Vigilant, then give the Count the clearance to take them and the shuttle back to the Vigilant and let Captain Oenfer know to expect them. Then have Volodja and Atika meet us on the Bridge. So we can all look over those images and try to figure out a way past that net as quickly as possible as Atlas has already delayed us a lot more than I like."
Then after ending the communication, I walked to the little infirmary and snapped, "Everyone take a break in the break room! I need to talk to Medic Jameson in private!"
After everyone jumped or looked at me, they then glanced at Medic Jameson who nodded and dismissed them. So they all left and went to the little break room. Once the infirmary was empty of everybody but Jameson and myself, "I said sternly, "You are currently MY doctor. So this stays between just the two of us! UNDERSTOOD?!"
Joy said, "Of course Sir. So what is the issue?"
After I closed and locked the door, I walked over to the Infirmary's main computer and deactivated all security cameras in the Infirmary. So all Infirmary camera feeds on the Dauntless Adventure's Bridge and in it's Engineering room went blank. Then I removed my gauntlets and helmet. Once that was done, I unhooked my chest plate of armor and slid it off and onto the examination table I was currently standing near. Then I removed my Grid-cloth tunic. As soon as it was removed, Jameson could clearly see my fresh and bloody knife wound.
As she came closer and examined it, Medic Jameson said, "Commander just how did you get stabbed through that armor without it being damaged?"
I cut her off with, "All you need know is it was an accident while I was examining a weapon in the Armory. Now treat it and do NOT record this injury or visit anywhere!"
As she looked at the wound further and started cleaning it, she said, "Of course Commander. However...this is the oddest wound I have ever seen! There is no sign of blade marks, tearing, bullets or energy burns. It is as if the skin just suddenly opened itself up in the form of a cut! How did it..."
I replied with, "It doesn't matter. What matters is that I am needed on the Bridge to deal with an urgent matter. So quit with the third degree and be glad that I actually came to you for medical aid without anybody else insisting that I do so for once!"
Medic Jameson bit her lip, then said, "I suppose you are right sir. So I will take that as a good sign. Well it is clean. However it will take a few stitches to close it. Just let me..."
I cut her off again, saying, "NO meds are needed. My EGO has already numbed that area quite sufficiently! So just get on with the stitches!"
Jameson reluctantly agreed. Then she gathered up the surgical sutures and threaded the needle. As she did so, I sat on the exam table. Once she was ready, I raised my left arm as she instructed, to keep it out of her way and pull the skin around the wound tighter. Then she proceeded to stitch my wound shut. As it was technically done with my hidden gauntlet blade, it only took about 9 sutures for her to completely seal it closed. Then she bandaged it. Once that was done, I put my tunic back on. Then I put all of my armor back on, and said, "Remember, not a word of this to ANYBODY!"
Then I walked out of the infirmary and headed the short distance to the Bridge. As I passed the break room, I told the small medical staff that they could return to the Infirmary. Then I went to the Bridge. As I entered, walked over by the pilot stations and said, "Lena, when we have a chance, I need to talk with you later on a personal matter."
Then I turned and looked at Sandy still sitting in the command chair. Then I walked over and sat at the comms station not far from her as I said, "Alright Commander as you are doing a great job there, I will just sit here for now. Now please show me what you have, and tell me what you may have already come up with, while we wait for Volodja's team to board and join us." |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Apr 8, 2018 14:36:04 GMT
Complicated. Confusing. Confusingly complicated. Complicatedly confusing. Completely confusingly complicated. And completely complicatedly confusing. That's how Volodja felt about the situation where he suddenly found himself when Whitney pressed herself against his chest to explicit her inner thoughts and feelings. Not because he was afraid of getting caught on act because they weren't doing anything forbidden. The situation was complicated because from Volodja's point of view this matter wasn't just a matter of saying "yes" or "no" to Whitney's sincere request.
Love and war both aren't easy matters and Volodja's mind already draw possible scenarios where everything was not permitted. Volodja had a circle of people who's feelings he had to consider - his beloved wife Sandy, his daughter and Whitney as well, because in Volodja's eyes she was not just a machine. Machines aren't both sweet and attractive, although lot of people find machines at least attractive. Cars, for example, attract lot of people. But Whitney wasn't a piece of equipment - she was living breathing and sensitive being who - as Volodja knew, thanks to his position among Protectors which required him to pay attention to events and people around him, and thanks to his heart which was large to accommodate even Marcel and Lena (although latter would make sarcastic remarks if they ever find that out) - was about to commit a suicide and would succeeded without interference of Wolfram von Eschen.
Volodja had one more reason to keep Whitney close. He reached a conclusion that spending more time with Uljanov family gives Whitney less time to spend with Marr/Lestrange nice little crime family and despite of liking Lena and Marcel, Volodja was afraid that their influence might corrupt Whitney and that would have been real shame, because Whitney was way too good for getting corrupted. Volodja had to admit that he really cared about her and felt being responsible for her future just like he wanted to create better future for Sandy and Jalina. Those were most of the reasons that he couldn't say "yes" or "no" but find another way.
That is why he didn't step back from her but gave her a really warm hug. His eyes were equally warm and so was his voice when he said:
"You are way too good to be a mistress, Whitney. And it wouldn't be fair too - not to you, not to my wife and not to my daughter, if I get a mistress even as nice as you. I believe that before we decide anything about your future marital status, we should induct you into Uljanov family as a dear and welcomed honorary member first, because we all would like to get to know you better and give you some time to get acquainted with us and vice versa, which is a good solid ground for relationships. It also gives you time to realize that I have a load of annoying habits and enough time to reconsider your really attempting proposal in case you happen to change your mind about changing your status from single to married. You have less lose than gain if you accept this invitation."
Volodja lowered his chin and kissed Whitney's white sweet smelling hair gently to seal his offer, releasing muffled moan from Whitney's lips which didn't sounded disappointed but more like...fulfilled. He could also feel a slight tremble of her hips and then her slim body and when he looked Whitney's doll face he could see pink glow rising to her otherwise pale cheeks.
"I wonder if she really had an...?" thought Volodja before the message about approaching "Dauntless Aventurer" came through and he had to return to his commanding duties.
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Post by Sandy Bell on Apr 9, 2018 0:02:26 GMT
Commander Atticus Batman went to the Bridge. As he entered, walked over by the pilot stations and said, "Lena, when we have a chance, I need to talk with you later on a personal matter."
Lena Marr's pretty chalk white face registered a question but quickly went impassive again as she merely shrugged her shoulders remarking nonchalantly, "Whatever, whenever."
Then Atticus turned and looked at Sandy still sitting in the command chair. He walked over and sat at the comms station not far from her as he said, "Alright Commander as you are doing a great job there, I will just sit here for now. Now please show me what you have, and tell me what you may have already come up with, while we wait for Volodja's team to board and join us."
The look on Captain Sandy Bell Uljanov was much more telling than Lena's as surprise at both Atticus' compliment and the question was clear when she answered, "Yes sir but the command chair is ready for you when you wish it. As to what to do with Atlas' web that appears to be more a question of science than military tactics. I already consulted with the science staff both here and on the Vigilant but we are a mite short on the type of brilliant science mind that could give us insight into an odd physics question like this one. That's not to say the Protectors' science staff aren't smart because they are but it may take a truly brilliant mind to get us out of this one in time and the brilliant scientific minds we have on our payroll are back on Earth. I've tried to contact them but I can't get through the interstellar static."
Sandy searched her memory for a clue out of their quandary and a grin slowly grew as an idea took root in her mind whereupon she answered, "However... we do have a brilliant scientific mind available that is not on our payroll - Whitney of the Synth Empire." Then she turned to the inter-ship comms and asked, "Commander Volodja Uljanov, please come to the the bridge when you board the Dauntless from the Gek space station please - and ask Whitney to come with you."
On the Gek space station, Whitney guiltily pushed herself away from Volodja's embrace when she heard Sandy's voice but quickly answered, "I- I'm on my way Captain Uljanov."
As Whitney turned to leave the space station and return to the Dauntless, she first said to Volodja, "Thanks you Mr. Uljanov, and I accept your kind offer but I doubt any idiosyncrasy of yours will diminish my fondness for you. That said, it appears your wife has use for both of us."
Once the away team had returned from the Gek space station and its members briefed on the current dilemma posed by Atlas' interstellar net, Whitney remarked thoughtfully after pondering it for long moments with closed long lashed eyes, "I have read that during expeditions in shielded rooms far underground on Earth ark hunters could find parts of the shield where they could actually use their EGO power blur to fast speed through the shield unharmed and unhindered. I believe if we take the shuttle that duplicates the blur power - I believe it is called the Peregrine Falcon - and find the right spot, that shuttle and its away team could blur through the energy net. That team could then either find a way to destroy the net from that side, which would delay us even more - again giving Atlas what I believe he wants - or go on to the Forbidden Zone and perhaps solve the mystery there in a timely manner. The away team and its equipment would be limited because of the shuttle's small space so would have to be carefully selected nevertheless."
Whitney opened her blue ice eyes wide staring first at Volodja and then Atticus affirming, "But those are your decisions and thankfully not mine!"
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 9, 2018 11:38:33 GMT
Sandy searched her memory for a clue out of their quandary and a grin slowly grew as an idea took root in her mind whereupon she answered, "However... we do have a brilliant scientific mind available that is not on our payroll - Whitney of the Synth Empire." Then Sandy turned to the inter-ship comms and asked, "Commander Volodja Uljanov, please come to the the bridge when you board the Dauntless from the Gek space station please - and ask Whitney to come with you."
On the Gek space station, Whitney guiltily pushed herself away from Volodja's embrace when she heard Sandy's voice but quickly answered, "I- I'm on my way Captain Uljanov."
As Whitney turned to leave the space station and return to the Dauntless, she first said to Volodja, "Thanks you Mr. Uljanov, and I accept your kind offer but I doubt any idiosyncrasy of yours will diminish my fondness for you. That said, it appears your wife has use for both of us."
Once the away team had returned from the Gek space station and its members briefed on the current dilemma posed by Atlas' interstellar net, Whitney remarked thoughtfully after pondering it for long moments with closed long lashed eyes, "I have read that during expeditions in shielded rooms far underground on Earth ark hunters could find parts of the shield where they could actually use their EGO power blur to fast speed through the shield unharmed and unhindered. I believe if we take the shuttle that duplicates the blur power - I believe it is called the Peregrine Falcon - and find the right spot, that shuttle and its away team could blur through the energy net. That team could then either find a way to destroy the net from that side, which would delay us even more - again giving Atlas what I believe he wants - or go on to the Forbidden Zone and perhaps solve the mystery there in a timely manner. The away team and its equipment would be limited because of the shuttle's small space so would have to be carefully selected nevertheless."
Whitney opened her blue ice eyes wide staring first at Volodja and then Atticus affirming, "But those are your decisions and thankfully not mine!"
I replied with, "Hard decisions indeed. All with possible drawbacks of varying degrees. The biggest one at the moment is your blur idea. I have indeed seen that work once or twice. However I have also witnessed first hand lots of times where it ended very badly for the Arkhunter. a couple got lucky and merely got stuck in the shield until it got turned off by somebody else. Most however....well let's put it this way. It was the equivalent of throwing a raw egg against a concrete wall. So lets call that plan W, for the young woman that just came up with it. I have also seen people use decoy swapping for the same thing to varying degrees of success. However most also ended badly. So I would also prefer not to go with that idea either. No offense Whitney, as it is a good plan and if it was just my life at stake, and I still had nothing to lose, then I would indeed do that without a second thought. However a certain blonde Commander keeps reminding me that, as Prime Commander, I need to learn to see the bigger picture.
So I do also have an idea of my own but also one that may be frowned upon. Here it is. With your help we could enhance the strength of one of the Dauntless Adventure's singularity torpedoes, which I have no doubt you could do without much issue, so it is strong enough to blow a hole into the energy net just big enough for the Mighty Midget to go through. Then whoever pilots it through will need to quickly locate and destroy enough power relays to bring down a section of the energy net big enough for at least the Dauntless Adventure to go through. Then once the Dauntless Adventure is through, it will continue down to Earth while the Mighty Midget continues blowing holes into that net until one is big enough for the Vigilant to get through. Then once done the Mighty Midget will temporarily dock in the Vigilant."
When Sandy glared at me and said, "Commander may I remind you that..."
I raised a hand and replied calmly with, "Let me guess Commander. As Prime Commander it would not be prudent for me to risk such a suicidal act and doing so would also contradict that I already acknowledged that I need to see the bigger picture, and I do now have something to lose?...Again your blunt-and-to-the-point-observations would be correct. So let me assure you that I was not thinking me this time.
Besides if we go with my idea, whoever is in the Mighty Midget will dock with the Vigilant when done and not join the away team, and although I know you just consider me overly paranoid most of the time, I do have an instinctual feeling that whatever Atlas is doing down there, I NEED to be with our away team to deal with it firsthand. So I will be here on the Dauntless Adventure with the rest of you. Not to mention that I was barely able to move in that sardine can.
So I have a different pilot in mind. One that will not consider the cramped space of the Mighty Midget confining at all. A certain Count Casannuendo if we can convince him to accept the risky challenge, but first I would like to hear Volodja's opinions on both Whitney's plan and my plan..."
Just then Attila came on over the comms, effectively interrupting and cutting my train of thought off with, "Hey Bridge I couldn't help but overhear that you guys are taking ideas up there concerning this energy net we see. So I have one as well. We can set some torpedoes to a timed delay after Whitney enhances their strength. Then we can fire them into the Asteroids that are being used as anchor points to old that Energy net in place, targeting just enough anchor points to make a hole big enough for both the Vigilant and the Dauntless Adventure to go through. If they all detonate at once...and if those asteroids are indeed actual Milky Way galaxy asteroids and not something Atlas created from a material of his own that can withstand a singularity implosion, then they would take out all anchor points we targeted at once and take out that whole section of the energy net. However as I said that has possible drawbacks as well. First the possibility that the anchor points were designed to withstand our singularity torpedoes. Second that if the torpedoes timers are slightly off and they go off at different times then Atlas may have a way to quickly reclose the gap before we can make use of it, and third, if Atlas has defenses set to destroy our torpedoes before they get anywhere near the net or anchors, then that plan would be a complete failure."
Atika chimed in with, "We could also equip those torpedoes with a comm receiver, that way if they don't go off when they are supposed to, we can send a detonate command directly to them using that receiver."
I replied with, "Thank you both Constantines. Alright so now we have 3 ideas, with a possible addition to Attila's by Atika, to consider. Although I would still like to hear what you have to say on the matter Volodja. After all you are our resident Out-of-the-box thinker. So perhaps you have already considered a much different plan with a much better chance of success than either Whitney's or mine, as both have extremely low chances of success and even lower chances of survival, not to mention Attila's which has several different factors that could cause his to fail as he already mentioned."
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Post by Sandy Bell on Apr 9, 2018 23:43:31 GMT
On the bridge of the Dauntless Adventure, Atticus Batman said, "...So I have a different pilot in mind. One that will not consider the cramped space of the Mighty Midget confining at all. A certain Count Casannuendo if we can convince him to accept the risky challenge, but first I would like to hear Volodja's opinions on both Whitney's plan and my plan..." The Synth Sister Brooke's golden feline eyes narrowed as she reflexively popped her claws and stared daggers at Atticus for even suggesting a task that would endanger the Count but before she could act Attila in Engineering interrupted over the ship's comms with his suggestion, "...We can set some torpedoes to a timed delay after Whitney enhances their strength. Then we can fire them into the Asteroids that are being used as anchor points to old that Energy net in place, targeting just enough anchor points to make a hole big enough for both the Vigilant and the Dauntless Adventure to go through..." "It's awfully dangerous to play with singularity energy settings as we of Earth, unlike the Omec, really don't understand how to harness singularity energy except as a weapon of mass destruction let alone manipulate it for more refined purposes," Interjected the Synth Sister Whitney in a low tone sure that no one was listening for after all, she was just a machine and a defective one at that. Atika chimed in with, "We could also equip those torpedoes with a comm receiver, that way if they don't go off when they are supposed to, we can send a detonate command directly to them using that receiver." "That could work," Remarked Yvette the third Synth Sister with a grin thinking about the private celebration she could have with the Constantine twins once their plan worked. As Atticus thanked everyone for their plans and turned to Volodja for his input, Whitney turned to her blonde sister and with a frown on her pretty porcelain doll-face warned, "Singularity energy is very disruptive to communication transmissions so you would have to be right on top of the torpedo to make that happen with no way to survi - " Whitney's ice blue eyes went wide as she realized the significance of what she had been about to say and instead offered with all sincerity, "Excuse me Protectors but all of the missions proposed seems to be suicide ones. I will be glad to solo-pilot either the Peregrine Falcon or the Mighty Midget or detonate an experimental singularity torpedo in Atlas' energy net up-close in a normal shuttle to see if one of the plans work, although I would probably only be able to do so once so choose carefully. I would most likely be completely destroyed," Then added looking forlornly with weepy eyes at Volodja Uljanov, "But that is a small loss to find a way through the net for the rest of you for what worth is a lovelorn defective machine." Captain Sandy Bell Uljanov didn't catch the connection between Whitney's sad stare and her husband but merely frowned sitting in the Dauntless Adventure's command chair authoritatively ordering, "Enough of this talk about suicide missions. There has to be a better solution." Lena Marr unfortunately didn't miss the connection and with a wicked grin whispered to her lover Marcel Lestrange, "Oooooh, love triangles are sooooo much fun - and so easily manipulated to benefit moi!"  |
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Apr 10, 2018 4:34:38 GMT
"So we have to choose between suicide, suicide and suicide," concluded Volodja Uljanov. "I do wish that we could have a decent wormhole at our disposal but I am afraid that we don't have either time or means to create even a basic Schwarzschild wormhole which would collapse as soon as something tries to get through, not to mention the creation of a decent traversable one. Closest thing to working warping system we have, are Dark Matter portals but they are too small and we need at least two of them to move from one space point to another and one of those points has to be behind the barrier we are facing. So instead of thinking about things we don't have, we should make a quick mental audit to figure out what else we have at our disposal. You offered already lot of excellent ideas which include using Omec technology, lot of heroics and fancy special effects..." Volodja's mind wandered a bit while he changed the subject and started to talk about: "Alphonse Capone. Prohibition era in Earth, USA, first half of Twentieth Century. And Elliot Ness with his crusade against Capone and his speak-easy network. Lot of media attention and posing for cover photos. But the damage wasn't enough to take Capone down. The one who did the most for the cause of putting Al behind iron curtains was a man, called Frank J. Wilson and his team who meticulously went through the paper pile as big as this barrier to catch the mobster for not paying his taxes. And they managed to deliver - Capone got his sentence. lost his influence and his empire. Nothing publicly glorious in Wilson's activity but it was efficient and sufficient... What I am trying to say is that hard work is as good method to achieve your purpose as heroics. That leads us back to things we have at our disposal. In addition to Omec technology and torpedoes we have remains of Atlas's drones and already tested means of communicating with them - a whole space station full of Gek who are interested of getting through the barrier as much as we, because they want to expand their market. I am aware that bringing load of new technology to Earth might cause another arms race but if we don't get through the barrier then the Earth we once knew, ceases to exist. Besides - Gek will get through the barrier sooner or later by themselves and start their business without our participation which could be worse scenario that the one where we are able to explain Gek about dangers of the Earth..." Marcel Lestrange let out cloud of acrid cigarette smoke and added: "The Bookwom...pardon, Volodja...accidentally hit the spot here. Gek are going to establish their trading post on Earth no matter what. In that case we must make sure that we are first in line who have access to their merchandise. If we rub their backs, they might rub ours and give us not only an early access but also a loyal customer discount." "I appreciate your valuable support, Marce,l but may I finish first?" asked Volodja politely and looked into Marcel's unemotional eyes which made Marcel to let out another smoke cloud to cover himself from Volodja's glance. Marcel had means to perform a honourable and dignified retreat and he wasn't afraid to use them when there was a chance that Volodja might use The Glance on him, so he let Volodja continue his talk. "You see - Atlas's drones have to possess ability to pass the barrier because Atlas needs his troops for his rebuilding plans. He expects them to rejoin him after they supposedly took care of us, so they have to be able to follow him and the asteroid belt has to let them through without a struggle. What I have in mind is turning our ship into the giant tunnel drill and get us through the barrier altogether. We already have a main vessel so we need only a drilling mechanism and Atlas's drones are going to help us in that. I believe that they deserve a chance to rehabilitate themselves by helping us to stop Atlas's plans after they helped him to accomplish them. The idea is simple - all we have to do is make drones to spin around our ship like satellites. That layer of drones should be sufficient enough to bent the energy barrier and let us through. If any physical obstacles block our path then drones who are used with the construction work can remove those. It will be like a miniature vertically moving model of the Solar system with the tunnel effect. Movement might not be as fast as the flash but I believe that we are able to maintain a decent speed so we won't be losing too much time either because we aren't drilling ourselves through the granite but loosely placed blocks held together by energy so it's more like going through a brick wall. With a decent amount of drones we have a chance to use them as tunnel walls so Gek could widen the diameter of the tunnel and follow us or wait until we are able to stop Atlas and the barrier disintegrates. Personally I would suggest latter for the sake of safety for everyone. I believe that Gek are capable of adopting and maintaining that new routine. If they weren't capable to learn new things and have a know how to keep them going, then they wouldn't be here but still on their home ground."  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 10, 2018 12:23:38 GMT
Whitney's ice blue eyes went wide as she realized the significance of what she had been about to say and instead offered with all sincerity, "Excuse me Protectors but all of the missions proposed seems to be suicide ones. I will be glad to solo-pilot either the Peregrine Falcon or the Mighty Midget or detonate an experimental singularity torpedo in Atlas' energy net up-close in a normal shuttle to see if one of the plans work, although I would probably only be able to do so once so choose carefully. I would most likely be completely destroyed," Then added looking forlornly with weepy eyes at Volodja Uljanov, "But that is a small loss to find a way through the net for the rest of you what worth is a lovelorn defective machine."
Captain Sandy Bell Uljanov didn't catch the connection between Whitney's sad stare and her husband but merely frowned sitting in the Dauntless Adventure's command chair authoritatively ordering, "Enough of this talk about suicide missions. There has to be a better solution."
I replied with, "That is something that I think we can agree on for once Sandy."
"So we have to choose between suicide, suicide and suicide," concluded Volodja Uljanov. "I do wish that we could have a decent wormhole at our disposal but I am afraid that we don't have either time or means to create even a basic Schwarzschild wormhole which would collapse as soon as something tries to get through, not to mention the creation of a decent traversable one. Closest thing to working warping system we have, are Dark Matter portals but they are too small and we need at least two of them to move from one space point to another and one of those points has to be behind the barrier we are facing. So instead of thinking about things we don't have, we should make a quick mental audit to figure out what else we have at our disposal. You offered already lot of excellent ideas which include using Omec technology, lot of heroics and fancy special effects..."
Volodja's mind wandered a bit while he changed the subject and started to rant about old Earth Gangsters and the men that took them down but did get to the point fairly quickly for once, when he finally said, "What I am trying to say is that hard work is as good method to achieve your purpose as heroics. That leads us back to things we have at our disposal. In addition to Omec technology and torpedoes we have remains of Atlas's drones and already tested means of communicating with them - a whole space station full of Gek who are interested of getting through the barrier as much as we, because they want to expand their market. I am aware that bringing load of new technology to Earth might cause another arms race but if we don't get through the barrier then the Earth we once knew, ceases to exist. Besides - Gek will get through the barrier sooner or later by themselves and start their business without our participation which could be worse scenario that the one where we are able to explain Gek about dangers of the Earth..."
Marcel Lestrange let out cloud of acrid cigarette smoke and then of course added his two cents. However Volodja quickly and politely shut him down and looked into Marcel's unemotional eyes which made Marcel to let out another smoke cloud to cover himself from Volodja's glance. Marcel had means to perform a honourable and dignified retreat and he wasn't afraid to use them when there was a chance that Volodja might use The Glance on him, so he let Volodja continue his talk.
"You see - Atlas's drones have to possess ability to pass the barrier because Atlas needs his troops for his rebuilding plans. He expects them to rejoin him after they supposedly took care of us, so they have to be able to follow him and the asteroid belt has to let them through without a struggle. What I have in mind is turning our ship into the giant tunnel drill and get us through the barrier altogether. We already have a main vessel so we need only a drilling mechanism and Atlas's drones are going to help us in that. I believe that they deserve a chance to rehabilitate themselves by helping us to stop Atlas's plans after they helped him to accomplish them.
The idea is simple - all we have to do is make drones to spin around our ship like satellites. That layer of drones should be sufficient enough to bent the energy barrier and let us through. If any physical obstacles block our path then drones who are used with the construction work can remove those. It will be like a miniature vertically moving model of the Solar system with the tunnel effect. Movement might not be as fast as the flash but I believe that we are able to maintain a decent speed so we won't be losing too much time either because we aren't drilling ourselves through the granite but loosely placed blocks held together by energy so it's more like going through a brick wall. With a decent amount of drones we have a chance to use them as tunnel walls so Gek could widen the diameter of the tunnel and follow us or wait until we are able to stop Atlas and the barrier disintegrates. Personally I would suggest latter for the sake of safety for everyone. I believe that Gek are capable of adopting and maintaining that new routine. If they weren't capable to learn new things and have a know how to keep them going, then they wouldn't be here but still on their home ground."
I replied with, "Alright now we are getting somewhere. The Vigilant does have some Dark Matter Portals. However even if we were able to punch a small hole through the energy net to contact a portal on the other side, Fortress K'shaa's portals are still way out of range. Of course that is not a viable option since we do not have any Dark Matter-portal-equipped ships within range on the other side. However you drone idea makes sense, but the drill suggestion is also quite risky as it is possible that the net will come back on right after the last drone goes through. Not to mention that, it is also possible that the drones don't actually deactivate a part of the field, but instead their shielding is made to allow them to pass through that field unharmed. So that gives us another venue to pursue. Since we will have to round up several of those drones and bring them close enough to implement Volodja's plan, here is what we will do.
Volodja while you and a small team are working on how to quickly round up enough of those drones for your plan, we bring two onboard and have Whitney, Lena, and Attila examine them and if I am correct that it is the drones' shielding that allows them to pass through the field unharmed and with no need of lowering a portion of the Energy field, then they can use that new knowledge to alter the Dauntless Adventure's shields to do the same. After all according to the information I am seeing on this console near me, the Omec designed this ship's shielding to be capable of passing through any type of energy field unharmed once they are adjusted to the right signature.
Yes Lena and Attila can easily get the information we need from those drones. However Whitney from what I understand you have spent most of your early development studying every type of technological advance and device known to all the races living on Earth. So you are the most capable of altering the Dauntless Adventure's shielding to just the right frequency once we have it. So Whitney that is where your talents will be invaluable. Of course we will also need to test that shielding before we try to go through the field ourselves. However unless we can replicate the Dauntless Adventure's shielding and put it onto something expendable, then that means we will have to test it using the Mighty Mi.....
...Wait that's it! Replicators! Attila's EGO report that I got as soon as I got onboard informed me that the Dauntless Adventure uses alien-tech replicators to make an endless supply of singularity torpedoes and then it transfers some of the singularity power from engines to add a charge to the torpedoes. So that's it! Once Whitney, Lena, and Attila have the needed information, then Attila can alter one torpedo tube's replicator to replicate a torpedo with Omec shielding but without a singularity explosive attached, so we have a harmless torpedo for our test's purposes. Then Whitney can adjust the test-pedo's shielding to the newly acquired frequency. Once that is done, we can fire that test-pedo at the energy field safely from here. If it goes through without an issue, then Whitney will alter the Dauntless Adventure's shielding to do the same thing and then we can go through and continue on our course to Earth unimpeded as we don't have time to waste on destroying the Energy net. If the test fails then we will have to use Volodja's Operation Drone-drill instead.
So if there are no arguments, then it is decided and everybody needs to get their daking asses to work on both plans."
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