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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 22, 2018 11:03:16 GMT
As Sandy watched through her binoculars, the drones seemed to suddenly organize themselves forming two parallel lines leading away from the team to form a path of lights towards the abandoned Volge encampment. Eerily the glowing blue eye of two of their number opposite each other turned red then blue again as the next pair farther down from the team went through the same color scheme all the way to end of the two lines. This created a flashing pair of red lights much like those on a 21st century runway that would help navigate a plane at night to land on to a particular airstrip.
"Ummmm, Sir?" Asked Sandy after biting her lower lip in worry, "Atlas knows we're here. Question is, do those flashing lights signify danger or an invitation?"
"Or an invitation to danger?" Muttered Lena as she readied her SMG for whatever may happen next.
I muttered, "Dak! I know my energies are blue and Lady's favorite color is red, so I am used to both colors together. However the way they are flashing both colors at us, it looks too much like cop lights for my comfort!"
Then I responded to Lena and Sandy with, "Well obviously it's an invitation into danger. That's a given. However it's also obviously an invitation that we can't refuse, given what is at stake. As he wants us here, I am certain the invitation is meant for me as the leader of the Protectors. So I think that I should simply go down by myself and accept that invitation. That way once all hell breaks lose, all of you will be free to act as needed as the only one stuck in the middle of the trap would be me.
So Sandy this is where you object and then you and Volodja try to come up with a different plan, even though my idea seems the safest for the majority of the team at the moment. However we don't have time for a different plan. So I say we go with my idea, but if it makes you feel better then I will take one of you with me and Sandy, I will even let you pick which away team member goes with me...Although I do think it should be either Marcel or Volodja. Then that will leave you here in charge of the rest of the away team so that you can come up with a plan to come to our aid when we need it."
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Post by Sandy Bell on Apr 22, 2018 12:50:54 GMT
"Damned right I'm going to object Atticus!" Stated Sandy Uljanov, her blue eyes glaring at Atticus Batman as her tan forefinger tapped his armored chest. "How many times do I have to tell you that you are the least expendable of all the Protectors? How many times do I need to say we all need to stay together?" Then Sandy looked up to where her daughter had been standing a moment ago finding her missing and exclaiming in exasperation, "Damn! Now Jalina, where the Hell are you?" "Uh, Uljanoviaso's? Should your daughter be out there? And should she be naked?" Exclaimed Lena Marr, her unblinking sky blue eyes looking towards the parallel lines of Atlas' Sentinel Drones. Sandy looked at the retreating chalk white back of Jalina as her shapely legs carried her down the path the sentinels made, her empty hands held aloft to show she was unarmed. Her nude alabaster body gleamed with sweat under the hot noonday sun as her long brown curly hair blew in the wind while she walked calmly between the two lines of sentinels away from the Protector's team. Sandy's jaw fell as she saw the sight stamping her foot in frustration as she muttered, "How the Hell did she get so far so fast? And why is she naked?" before blurring to her daughter tackling her to the ground. As they both lay on the ground, Sandy admonished her daughter, "What the fuck do you think you are doing? I was just telling Atticus we all need to stay together!" Jalina's lower lip quivered, "I-I-I wanted to show Atlas we came in Peace... I feel he wants to speak to me and I'm sure I can talk him out of all this so no one will get hurt!" Suddenly the Drones swirled around the two women as they helped each other stand up while Sandy held up her hands showing them empty then cursed as the Drones nudged them forward, "Shatko! Looks like they want us to go to the Belle's Volge camp!" Sandy waved to the other members of her team indicating that she and Jalina were okay before turning and letting the Sentinel Drones bump them gently towards the former Volge encampment.  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 23, 2018 10:44:18 GMT
Sandy looked at the retreating chalk white back of Jalina as her shapely legs carried her down the path the sentinels made, her empty hands held aloft to show she was unarmed. Her nude alabaster body gleamed with sweat under the hot noonday sun as her long brown curly hair blew in the wind while she walked calmly between the two lines of sentinels away from the Protector's team. Sandy's jaw fell as she saw the sight stamping her foot in frustration as she muttered, "How the Hell did she get so far so fast? And why is she naked?" before blurring to her daughter tackling her to the ground.
As Sandy blurred off, I said to Volodja, "Damn and I thought Lady and I had our hands full with the twins! That girl moves fast and seems to love being naked as much if not more than Lena! Volodja I know you may not listen to me, but before we go after them, we better watch to see what those drones will do with Jalina and Sandy going down to meet them. However keep your weapons at the ready and prepare to react at a moment's notice."
As they both lay on the ground, Sandy admonished her daughter, "What the fuck do you think you are doing? I was just telling Atticus we all need to stay together?"
Jalina's lower lip quivered, "I-I-I wanted to show Atlas we came in Peace... I feel he wants to speak to me and I'm sure I can talk him out of all this so no one will get hurt!"
Suddenly the Drones swirled around the two women as they helped each other stand up while Sandy held up her hands showing them empty then cursed as the Drones nudged them forward, "Shatko! Looks like they want us to go to the Belle's Volge camp!"
Sandy waved to the other members of her team indicating that she and Jalina were okay before turning and letting the Sentinel Drones bump them gently towards the former Volge encampment.
As we watched from the ridge I said, "Shtako! Well that answers that! It looks like Atlas ordered his drones to take them captive or at least escort them to the daking Volge encampment! Alright everybody, let's move out! We follow at a slight distance so we don't needlessly aggravate the daking drones, but we stay close enough that we can go to our Sandy and Jalina's aid at the first sign of trouble!....and Volodja; I think that for once it is my turn to tell you to take a deep breathe, focus and try to come up with a reasonable plan while we are following the Uljanov women and their tin escorts, as you can't help your family if you aren't completely with us!"
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Post by Sandy Bell on Apr 25, 2018 2:24:35 GMT
As the Sentinel Drones herded Sandy and Jalina Uljanov to the former Volge encampment, Sandy took off her light armor piece by piece putting them on her daughter as they walked. Soon Jalina's vital areas were covered by the armor while Sandy remained in her fatigues taking her energy shield and affixing it to the back of Jalina's armor too but keeping both her weapons for herself.
Soon they arrived at a large crater which Sandy's EGO psyche informed were at the coordinates of Belle Starr's Volge colony. Unfortunately there were no signs of either the camp or the Volge who were loyal to Belle following her to establish a settlement. In fact, besides grey rubble there was little in the crater but a huge hole in the center which the Drones urged the two women towards.
Sandy tried to contact her team mates with her com and her EGO but to no avail. Once at the hole in the ground, a Drone positioned itself at each side of each woman, levitating them somehow down into the hole. The remaining Drones positioned themselves to guard the hole after the two girls disappeared from sight.
Meanwhile while the others watched Sandy and Jalina go underground, Lena Marr spotted another smaller hole to the right of the crater. She sneaked stealthily to the hole, her EGO verifying it was a tunnel down and in the direction of the crater but otherwise not able to determine anything else because of the darkness. Lena could tell the tunnel was rough hewed and that people would have to descend one at a time but little else in the blackness.
As her eyes adjusted to the dark, Lena spotted an important clue. Just inside the tunnel's entrance she saw the initials B S with an arrow pointing further into the tunnel. They appeared to be burned into the rock with a charge blade, a weapon known to be favored by Belle Starr. Lena quickly went back to the gathered Protector's and informed them of her discovery.
"Looks like Belle Starr marked another way in," Announced Lena with a wicked grin then adding with a giggle, "And that's no bullshit! Get it? No bullshit? No BS? Never mind, nobody gets my jokes!"
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Apr 25, 2018 8:18:25 GMT
"Knowing myself, I will probably collapse at some point indeed," admitted Volodja Uljanov. "Usually it happens after I have fulfilled my duty - a matter of a self discipline. I am sure that my way goes straight through Drones if I want to reunite with my family. Saves you a lot of trouble if I get all the necessary attention to myself while you will sneak in. Mind if I step ahead and squeeze myself though this admiring rabble? But if I don't make it then I have a small request, Commander. Would you be kind and erect me a humble monument in some place which people actually bother to visit like a public restroom?" Volodja glanced Sentinel Drone rows and whole thing reminded him a classic gauntlet where the guilty party is forced to run between two rows of soldiers who strike out and attack them. Unlike female Uljanovs who were gently nudged past those Drones without having even a bent hair on their heads, the Uljanov man expected to get whipped, knocked or otherwise harmed. But he felt that had to do it if he wanted to catch them up and cause as much fuss as possible on his way so others could act silently. If someone had to risk with his life during the rescue attempt then it had to be Volodja - it was his family which needed rescuing and from his point of view it would have been unfair to others if they had to risk their necks.  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 25, 2018 11:35:15 GMT
Meanwhile while the others watched Sandy and Jalina go underground, Lena Marr spotted another smaller hole to the right of the crater. She sneaked stealthily to the hole, her EGO verifying it was a tunnel down and in the direction of the crater but otherwise not able to determine anything else because of the darkness. Lena could tell the tunnel was rough hewed and that people would have to descend one at a time but little else in the blackness.
As Lena was doing her thing, Volodja was closely watching his wife and daughter disappear from view before he finally said something. "Knowing myself, I will probably collapse at some point indeed," admitted Volodja Uljanov. "Usually it happens after I have fulfilled my duty - a matter of a self discipline. I am sure that my way goes straight through Drones if I want to reunite with my family. Saves you a lot of trouble if I get all the necessary attention to myself while you will sneak in. Mind if I step ahead and squeeze myself though this admiring rabble? But if I don't make it then I have a small request, Commander. Would you be kind and erect me a humble monument in some place which people actually bother to visit like a public restroom?"
Volodja glanced Sentinel Drone rows and whole thing reminded him a classic gauntlet where the guilty party is forced to run between two rows of soldiers who strike out and attack them. Unlike female Uljanovs who were gently nudged past those Drones without having even a bent hair on their heads, the Uljanov man expected to get whipped, knocked or otherwise harmed. But he felt that had to do it if he wanted to catch them up and cause as much fuss as possible on his way so others could act silently. If someone had to risk with his life during the rescue attempt then it had to be Volodja - it was his family which needed rescuing and from his point of view it would have been unfair to others if they had to risk their necks.
I responded to Volodja with, "Volodja I wouldn't expect any different from you, but I am not sure Sandy would agree that right now is the time for your self-sacrificing routine. After all Sandy was right about her safety in numbers stuff for this mission and unfortunately she just proved why. However it looks like your family still has some time. Atlas must want to talk to them about something for the drones to take them prisoner after all and he did give Jalina an early life for a reason___Even if we don't exactly know what that was yet. So there is no need to be hasty for once. Although I do get where you are coming from. So I won't stop you if you insist on going. However I am sure we can think of a better place for your theoretical monument than a restroom if it comes to that."
Just then Lena quickly went back to the gathered Protector's and informed us of her discovery.
"Looks like Belle Starr marked another way in," Announced Lena with a wicked grin then adding with a giggle, "And that's no bullshit! Get it? No bullshit? No BS? Never mind, nobody gets my jokes!"
I glanced back at Lena and said curtly, "Alright Lena show us this way in."
When Lena showed us to the hole, I knelt and looked at it closely before glancing back at Lena and responding with, "That definitely does look like a bullshit hole to me. However I suppose Belle's rear entry is our best choice at the moment."
When Lena raised an eyebrow at me, I responded with, "Hey I am just working with the jokes you gave me. Don't like my humor, don't give me setups for more thanks to decent jokes like your BS one. Although I do hope that it really is not a bullshit hole. I am tired of those."
Then as I stood back up I said, "It looks like it will be a snug fit for me. So Lena as the skinniest I think you should lead. Then Marcel will go behind you. I will go last. That way even if it does slow me down a little, all of you will already be down there to figure out our next move by the time I join you."
Then I turned and said to Volodja, "If you are going with us, then you will go after Marcel and before me. However if you still insist on staying up here and stupidly attacking those drones to give us, what now appears to be an unnecessary distraction, then it is your call. However if you do choose the latter, then you may want some of these..."
Saying that, I gestured towards the hole so Lena would start down it with Marcel not far behind her. Then I removed some shrill grenades from an armor pouch and handed them to Volodja as I continued with, "Shrill grenades. Never leave home without them. Actually I always try to carry several types of grenades with me so I always have the right one for the occasion. So if you want another type as well just say so. So are you coming with us, or following your own path for now my friend?...and if you still insist on the latter, then good luck and good journey."
After Volodja answered about the grenades and then made his choice on which path he was going to take, I glanced back at the drones before getting ready to take my turn down the 'rabbit hole'. Once I was the last one standing by it, I took my turn and followed the rest down.
 
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Post by Lena Marr on Apr 25, 2018 13:40:45 GMT
Commander Atticus Batman stood back up and said, "It looks like it will be a snug fit for me. So Lena as the skinniest I think you should lead. Then Marcel will go behind you. I will go last. That way even if it does slow me down a little, all of you will already be down there to figure out our next move by the time I join you."
A wicked grin crossed Lena Marr's pretty Castithan face as she replied, "I prefer shapeliest to skinniest, but I definitely get your point," Lena turned to Marcel Lestrange giving him a passionate French kiss before telling him, "Speaking of butts, feel free to give mine a little push if I'm going too slow. Not that I need the motivation, but - you know - I'd enjoy it!"
Lena bent down with Marcel helping her through the tight entrance into the tunnel. Once she squeezed through, she wiggled her way forward with a small flashlight held in her mouth turned on to give some small amount of illumination in front of her. At one point she came to a fork in the passageway with one branch going right upwards with the other going left downwards. Lena took out an ancient coin called a quarter from a country that existed prior to the Pale Wars and flipped it in the confined space thinking, "Heads I go right, tails I go left."
As the coin lay on the ground in front of Lena, the side of it with the embossed head of a dead President of a defunct country was revealed by Lena's flashlight making Lena frown as she muttered hastily picking up the coin, "Stupid coin! Left is obviously where the action is cause it's headed down," before crawling into the left passage. Soon Lena saw a light at the end of the passage and she picked up the pace as she hurried towards it.
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Post by Volodja Uljanov on Apr 26, 2018 5:42:30 GMT
"If you think that I need a motivation and if you think that I am going too slow then do NOT give me a push," warned Marcel Lestrange those who were meant to crawl behind him. "Nobody touches my butt but Lena. Comprenez vous? I have best motivation right in front of me and that is Lena. And when I stop for a second then it is because I need to consider my tactics. Or give Lena her motivational push. Or do both things at the same time." "An ass carrot situation," muttered Volodja without a smile. "I think that Lena would appreciate that pun. Or maybe not when to think about other possible meanings of "ass carrot".* In that case the use of word pair "motivational candy" is more appropriate." He watched other to enter into the crawl hole and then turned his face towards drone rows again. Without any hesitation Volodja lunged forward to face them...  *In certain context an "ass carrot" also means being a complete loser who tries to act cool and makes him/herself look even dumber than they actually are in the process. Volodja was absolutely sure that Lena and Marcel did NOT belong into that category. Their ass-carrot relationship was a motivational kind indeed and was based on mutual love, desire and respect. Drones weren't overwhelmingly friendly. Just like Volodja presumed. In a matter of fact they were really hostile and didn't hesitate to show it. First pair of drones clashed together like Symplegades a soon as Volodja reached between them. Unfortunately for him Volodja hadn't any doves to test the path like Argonauts did. He was also sure that his passing would not chain drones to their place forever like it happened in that Greek myth so his rear was in constant danger.  Instead of Phineus and a dove Volodja hada sharp mind of his own and some EGO powers which he could use. He switched on his blur and passed several drone pairs unharmed. Then he made a sudden stop and saw how two drones clashed together right in front of them. Even if they were fully mechanical it didn't meant that they couldn't learn through the observation and that particular couple already changed their movement rhythm to catch Volodja by surprise but for their disappointment Volodja didn't fell into that trick. As a chess player, Volodja was used to predict possible situations and didn't made a mistake of underestimating his opponents. Thus the sudden stop which was followed by the quick climb over clashed drones before they could react and separate their embrace. Now he had to adjust his movement according to the irregular "Dance of the Drones." or was it the premier of the "Drone Lake"? Meanwhile down under Marcel Lestrange followed Lena as closely as possible, giving her a butt squeeze here and there and when she begun her run, Marcel jumped up and followed her. Hearing a strange sound caused Marcel to spurt ahead, catch Lena and pull her gently to the floor, covering her body with his to protect her from a possible danger. "Ooh Pooh Bear," Lena purred. "You are always ready for some action no matter what. Shame that we don't have time for that right now. But we can make it up later, I guess." |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 26, 2018 11:14:16 GMT
After Volodja answered about the grenades and then made his choice on which path he was going to take, I glanced back at the drones before getting ready to take my turn down the 'rabbit hole'. Once I was the last one standing by it, I took my turn and followed the rest down.
I had only made it a few feet down, when I realized the hole was a little snugger than I thought. So I had to back up and out of the hole. Once I was back on the surface I glanced towards where Volodja went to see how he was doing. Then I made a quick look around and seeing a busted old pulley laying partially buried by years of dust and such, I knelt by it and examined the remains of the rope attached to it. It wasn't long but it was in decent shape, so it would work for my purposes. So I removed the rope and as I did I also found some old netting attached to the rope. The net would also be helpful, so I grabbed it as well. Then I walked back over to the hole.
As I looked down it, I removed all of my heavy armor and weapons. Then I quickly placed everything but my pistol on the net and bound it together with the rope. Next I wrapped the other end of the rope around my waste. Once that was done, I started back down the hole with pistol in hand, and towing my gear net behind myself. I managed to reach the fork in the tunnel just in time to see Marcel's ass as it went down the left passage. So I turned down the left passage as well.
I kept some distance but Marcel Lestrange followed Lena as closely as possible, giving her a butt squeeze here and there and when she begun her run, Marcel jumped up and followed her. Hearing a strange sound caused Marcel to spurt ahead, catch Lena and pull her gently to the floor, covering her body with his to protect her from a possible danger.
Hearing a strange sound caused Hearing a strange sound caused Marcel to spurt ahead, catch Lena and pull her gently to the floor, covering her body with his to protect her from a possible danger.
"Ooh Pooh Bear," Lena purred. "You are always ready for some action no matter what. Shame that we don't have time for that right now. But we can make it up later, I guess."
As I saw Marcel pull Lean down and out of sight of whatever may be around the next corner, I stopped as well and stepped back a little ways toward the direction I had just come from. Then I quickly set down and opened my gear net. Once it was open, I untied the rope from around my waist. Next I proceeded to quickly put my armor and gear back on. Then I picked the net and rope back up, as it may be useful. Once that was done, and I had the now-empty net and rope draped back over my shoulder, I quietly moved over to where Marcel and Lena were laying.
Then I glanced around the corner and quietly whispered, "Afraid your grope session needs to be put on a break until a much better time as we may have trouble ahead. I see six drones in a sentry position and it looks like they seem to have a Volge prisoner. It is holding a chicken and appears to be that one that stayed by Belle's side when we first met him....I think Belle called him Bob. Guess since he is focused so much on his daking chicken, they and therefor Atlas must not see him as an actual threat. Dak, I can't believe I am saying this but...it looks like we should actually rescue a daking Volge, after all if anybody knows their way around down here and can lead us to Belle and the others___then it would be that scrawny daking Chicken Bob.
Lena if Marcel and I can get the attention of these drones, do you think that you can sneak behind them and work your magic to disable each of them before they give us too much trouble? It would definitely be quicker than actually fighting them long enough to draw the attention of more, and once they are disabled we can free Belle's little Volge buddy. Then even though we can't communicate with him, hopefully this Chicken Bob will recognize us and realize why we must be here and guide us to where he thinks Belle will be. I know it may not be one of my best ideas, but it is the best I have at the moment. Oh and besides our weapons and grenades, we also have a net and rope at our disposal if we need them. So Marcel and I can use the net to tangle up the drones long enough for you t disable them if needed."
 
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Post by Lena Marr on Apr 27, 2018 8:16:59 GMT
Atticus Batman asked, "Lena if Marcel and I can get the attention of these drones, do you think that you can sneak behind them and work your magic to disable each of them before they give us too much trouble?" "Yeah, yeah, probably so," Answered Lena Marr out of hand as she knelt by the wall behind them examining it closely with both chalk white hands then taking a jeweler's monocle from a belt pouch holding it to one sky blue eye to look at the wall even closer muttering, "There is something really weird here..." Atticus continued, "It would definitely be quicker than actually fighting them long enough to draw the attention of more, and once they are disabled we can free Belle's little Volge buddy." "I mean this whole cavern is just too... angular?" Mumbled Lena only half listening to Atticus as she took out one of her Bowie knives and chipped at the wall's surface then stated in a low voice,"There's something under this rock..." Atticus spoke further, "Then even though we can't communicate with him, hopefully this Chicken Bob will recognize us and realize why we must be here and guide us to where he thinks Belle will be. I know it may not be one of my best ideas, but it is the best I have at the moment." "Yeah... a moment... give me just a moment here," Grunted Lena as she got some leverage chipping a huge piece of rock off the wall revealing gleaming metal and flickering lights underneath. Atticus added apparently not noticing Lena's actions, "Oh and besides our weapons and grenades, we also have a net and rope at our disposal if we need them. So Marcel and I can use the net to tangle up the drones long enough for you to disable them if needed." Lena's long lashed eyes grew wide as she turned to Atticus and whispered excitedly, "There's machinery under here - and it's active! I'd wager from the shape of this cavern that we're inside one big machine - and I recognize it's origin!" Atticus glared at her with glowing eyes crossing his muscular arms as he waited in silence for her to continue which after a pregnant pause she did explaining with a wicked grin, "Omec - It's Omec technology! Don't you see, we're inside a huge Omec machine - and it's terribly old! Ancient even! I'm no geologist but from the amount of calcification on the walls I'll bet its been here a gazillion years - and furthermore it's alive!" In her excitement, Lena threw herself into her lover Marcel Lestrange's arms kissing him passionately then whispering in his ear, "We can sell the tech for like a gazillion scrip too! Then you and me can buy our island and make love all day and all night long twenty four/seven without anybody bothering us ever again! Wouldn't that be wonderful Pooh Bear?" Lena didn't mention the fact that if they two were alone on a tropical island no other woman could then vie for Marcel's attention. She didn't mention it not because it wasn't relevant to the present circumstances but because it would reveal what she felt was a personal weakness: Lena lived in a constant fear that a prettier woman, a younger woman, a smarter woman, would someday steal Marcel away from her - and on that day Lena would just have to kill them both!  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 27, 2018 11:00:05 GMT
I glared at Lena with glowing eyes crossing my muscular arms as I waited in silence for her to continue which after a pregnant pause she did explaining with a wicked grin, "Omec - It's Omec technology! Don't you see, we're inside a huge Omec machine - and it's terribly old! Ancient even! I'm no geologist but from the amount of calcification on the walls I'll bet its been here a gazillion years - and furthermore it's alive!"
In her excitement, Lena threw herself into her lover Marcel Lestrange's arms kissing him passionately then whispering in his ear, "We can sell the tech for like a gazillion scrip too! Then you and me can buy our island and make love all day and all night long twenty four/seven without anybody bothering us ever again! Wouldn't that be wonderful Pooh Bear?"
I continued to glare at Lena, as I said matter-of-factly, "You forget Lena, that I have extremely enhanced hearing...and if this machine is alive, then we may need to help it in some way. Not to mention the Protectors are against selling living creatures....and I am AGAINST purposely allowing somebody to better arm my enemies, especially with such tech as this. However that matter can wait until later. For now we still need to rescue our team and stop Atlas, and now thanks to you we know we are in a very advanced living Omec machine which means that this could also be exactly what Asslas is after which means we may have to either destroy or free it. Now focus on the current issues.
We still need to disable those drones and free Bob. We need to find and rescue the others. We now also need to meet up with Volodja at some point if he survived that drone death gauntlet, and now we may also need to see if we can waken and free this 'creature' or end it's suffering once all the rest has been dealt with."
Then I noticed two of the sentry drones respond to the noise that Lena had made. So I continued with, "Daking curiosity is supposed to kill the cat NOT the Bat! So could we please do something about those drones now that your actions have drawn their attention and two of them are heading this way?!"
As one moved closer, I holstered my pistol and tossed the net and rope to the ground at Marcel's feet, saying "Marcel, take the one on the left. I will take the right. Lena time to get to work while we distract these two, then move onto the other four still guarding Chicken Bob!"
Then I drew my Amakune blade. Next I ran towards it and slid under the advancing drone on the right. As I slid under the close and curious drone, I slammed my blade up and into it's underbelly, channeling some electrical energy into my sword as I did so. It had the desired effect and acted as an EMP charge disabling this drone temporarily. Then I rolled out from under it just as it temporarily went offline. So if I had taken just a second longer the drone would have fallen on me. However I ignored that implication as I quickly got back to my feet as I glanced back towards the other four drones still guarding Chicken Bob to make sure they weren't coming to the aid of their allies. Seeing that they weren't yet, I glanced towards the other drone nearby to see if Marcel and Lena would need my assistance. As I surveyed the surroundings I also kept an eye on the one I slit open and EMP'ed knowing that if it re-activated before Lena had a chance to disable it then I would need to deal a final blow to it, instead of Lena safely disabling it.
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Post by Marcel Lestrange on Apr 28, 2018 4:43:07 GMT
"Effective, action filled but sort of robust," was Marcel's commentary to Atticus's act with the drone on right. "I can give maximum three and three quarter stars of four for that effort And now you have a privilege to watch master at work!" Marcel moved towards the left wing drone. Drone moved towards to Marcel. For a moment it seemed that two of them are going to embrace each other although it would have been the last embrace in Marcel's life. And that was something he could not allow himself because last embrace was reserved for Lena Marr in a distant future. That is why Marcel dodged on the last moment (somehow all dodges tend to happen in the last possible moment) and the drone grabbed nothing but thin air. The drone turned instantly around and tried to grab Marcel again but it's metal tentacles met emptiness because Marcel already moved himself to the third position. Warmth spread over his body due to physical effort. Another grab attempt resulted also with nothing because Marcel changed his position once more. Drone decided to change tactics and jumped towards the spot Marcel supposed to move according to drone's calculations. Unfortunately Marcel was not informed about those plans and thus he did not cooperate but jumped backwards instead of stepping aside. His cold eyes observed the fall of the drone and then he jumped to drone's back and using the Charge, pulled open the panel lid on aforementioned back, getting access to the vulnerable part of that drone. Marcel's forefinger touched the switch on the panel and without further hesitation he pressed the switch and it's neighbours, making drone to get up and whirl on the spot while Marcel hung on like a seat on a swing ride. Then the pace faded, the whirl stopped, the drone froze and Marcel could put his feet to the solid ground again. "This one is also yours to reprogram, Honey Pot," he announced. "Delivered swiftly and with style and worth five stars of four."  Meanwhile Volodja Uljanov continued his mandatory moshing through the drone horde above the ground. Drones pushed and slammed into each other in attempt to catch the nuisance, rub him into a mash portion and serve to Atlas. Volodja could not rise above the situation because he was sure that instead of a crowd surfing where he would be passed overhead from a drone to a drone transferring his body from one part of the venue to another, he will be simply torn apart. He had to stay on the ground and make his way through the crowd so he kept moving and performed a quick dodging manoeuvre here and there. His path lasted for some time, covering him with sweat but sweat was better option than being covered with blood. Those masses of moving metal, which moshing movement could create an impression of the working smithery or even an opera if those movements would have been decently arranged, choreographed and provided with the orchestral background, seemed to be endless but finally he was able to get through them and found himself in the lead of the menacing mob... |
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Post by Sandy Bell on Apr 28, 2018 9:03:29 GMT
Sandy and Jalina Uljanov were held suspended in the air thirty feel above a rocky floor by the the Sentinel Drones on either side of them in a huge square cavern fairly well lit because of the large hole in the ceiling through which they had entered. They could hear there was a battle of some sort far above them outside the hole but couldn't see anything of it. Furthermore a giant translucent multi-colored diamond in front of them dominated their field of view. Sandy recognized the flickering form as Atlas or at least his holographic avatar for she had encountered it before in the Plutonean forest where she had been impregnated with Jalina. "Welcome ladies to the transcendence ceremony," Began Atlas in his eerie reverberating voice, "I am glad you all have made it for every momentous beginning - and end - deserves an audience!" "Beginning of what?" Asked Jalina with a tremor in her voice fearing what the answer might be. "Why your Godhood my dear," Answered Atlas his voice echoing through the cavern. Meanwhile Sandy looked around for any means of escape finally glancing downwards to reckon her odds of surviving a fall from such a height. Her searching blue eyes were drawn to a stone uprising roughly the size of a single bed upon which the body of Belle Star lay directly below Jalina. Sandy recognized the beautiful face of Belle albeit much gaunter and much younger than she had been when Sandy saw her the day before. Sandy could tell that Belle was just sleeping and not dead from the gentle rising and falling of her voluptuous chest as she breathed but also noted that there was an IV on a standing pole next to her; its feeding tube stuck in her arm. Sandy immediately recognized that someone must be keeping her alive hence the IV but wasn't sure what the small blinking machine crowning her forehead was for although she was sure she had seen it someplace before. More surprising by far was the transparent female human figure crumpled by Belle's side gently weeping for that was Belle as well. That "Belle" was a shade of the one sleeping on the stone slab looking like the older version that had come through the rift from Atlas' universe and introduced to Sandy not long ago. At the same time far below not far away but out of sight, Lena Marr knelt by the Sentinel Drone apparently dispatched by Atticus Batman. She was angry at him for telling her she couldn't take the Omec tech for her own and had shot him the bird with both chalk white hands when his back was turned after he had denied her dream of sudden riches. At the moment she was more mad at herself for attracting the Drones' attention when she had too loudly expressed her delight with her discovery. As Lena pulled out a small pair of lineman's pliers from her utility belt to work on the Drone, her long lashed sky blue eyes grew big as the Drone repaired itself in seconds, the cut from Atticus' Amakune blade miraculously sealing itself. Suddenly the evolving Drone sprouted several metal tentacles and before she could up and run it entangled her legs with several of them flying into the air with her dangling upside down beneath. "MARRRRRRRRRRCELLLLL!" Screamed Lena in surprise as she was yanked upward losing her breath to say anything more as the Drone dragged her towards where its brethren suspended the Uljanov women.  |
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Post by Atticus Batman on Apr 28, 2018 11:37:30 GMT
As Lena pulled out a small pair of lineman's pliers from her utility belt to work on the Drone, her long lashed sky blue eyes grew big as the Drone repaired itself in seconds, the cut from Atticus' Amakune blade miraculously sealing itself. Suddenly the evolving Drone sprouted several metal tentacles and before she could up and run it entangled her legs with several of them flying into the air with her dangling upside down beneath.
"MARRRRRRRRRRCELLLLL!" Screamed Lena in surprise as she was yanked upward losing her breath to say anything more as the Drone dragged her towards where its brethren suspended the Uljanov women.
I stated, "Dak!" just as I bolted toward the wall opposite of it and jumped into the air.
As I had planned I touched the wall and perfectly wall-vaulted off of it and back at the Lena-toting drone. As I went past it I swung my blade at the drone. I chopped off some of it's new tentacles and it dropped Lena. Fortunately Marcel calculated my movements correctly and caught Lena, as I grabbed hold of a small ledge with one hand on the wall that I had vaulted towards just above the drone. However as I braced myself against the wall and turned to look back at the drone, the dismembered limbs had already immediately started growing back, and with several more along with it. Just as I thought back to the story of the mythological Hydra and it growing two new heads for each one that it lost, the damn thing swung a tentacle at me but I managed to barely dodge the first swing. However when I countered and hit the tentacle with my blade, it only sliced part of the way through instead of all the way like the first time. So unfortunately for me as I pulled my sword back to take another hack at that limb, it hit me with another limb and caused me to lose my grip on the ledge. So I came crashing down to the ground HARD with most of the air knocked from my lungs by the unexpected evolution and counter-attack of the daking drone.
As gasped for air and staggered back to my feet, the drone came back down from the wall and lunged at me. As I managed to dodge it, I noticed the drone that Marcel had deactivated come back online. Apparently my actions must have made both drones consider me the biggest threat at the moment for the second drone joined the first in advancing towards and attacking me. I managed to keep dodging or deflecting their blows with my sword. However as I was still fighting for breath (obviously I busted a rib and possibly punctured a lung or something in the fall) and my blade was no longer doing any damage to the tentacled drone as it apparently fully adapted to my blade's attacks and the blade was just being deflected from the tentacles every time I struck one.
My instinctive actions that freed Lena and caused me to agro both drones, also caused me to lose track of Marcel and Lena as I had smacked into the ground and was now forced into a very defensive position to keep these drones form entangling or incapacitating me. So as I jumped back, I wasn't sure if Marcel took that time to abandon me and the mission to get Lena and himself to safety, or if he was actually just waiting for just the right opening before he came to my aid. However I also didn't have time to look around or dwell on it as I had to keep dodging or blade-defecting the now VERY aggressive tentacled drone and it's non-tentacled companion, as I couldn't even risk the few seconds that it would take to switch to a gun. However the tentacled one did manage to grab one of my gauntlets and damage it before I could once again pull free, but didn't bust through it.
Unfortunately I could also tell I was running out of room. That becoming extremely obvious when I felt a ledge under the heel of one foot just as the non-tentacled drone lunged at me. In that split second I had little choice in my actions so I did the only thing I could think of. I took a huge step back and started to fall straight down the pit that I had been pushed towards. However as I fell just a few feet, I managed to slam my blade in to the cliff face. As my momentum pulled me down a little further with my very durable blade slicing down the cliff with my movement, the non-tentacled drone's own momentum had sent it following me into the pit.
An unforeseen side-affect of my actions was that as my blade made the long gash in the wall of this cavern as my wait and momentum pulled me downward, Lena was proven right about it being 'alive' for we heard some sort of electrical-sounding screech of pain and the whole cavern started to shake as if an earthquake were happening. However as the whole place shook, two small protrusions suddenly appeared near my blade. So I reached out and I grabbed one of the new protrusions near my blade and pulled myself against the wall. Just as I managed to do so, the non-tentacled drone fell past me trying to grab at me with it's legs in a futile attempt to keep from falling to it's death but it didn't succeed.
So now that I was stationery, I yanked my blade from the still-shaking wall. Once my blade was out, the earthquake stopped and the long slash started healing itself. As it did that, I holstered my blade and grabbed the other protrusion with my now empty blade hand. As I dangled from the two protrusions with the slash mending itself right before my eyes, I looked up towards where I had fallen from and wondered just how the hell I was going to get out of this one, especially since the gauntlet that got damaged was the one containing my monofilament grapple line and the only real damage I could see or feel on the gauntlet was that the drone had crushed the grapple-line's firing mechanism. So with my grapple-line out of commission and the only other rope I had now somewhere above, where I had left it with the net, I was stuck hanging around and wondering if my luck was finally running out, while I looked around some more to see if anymore odd protrusions had appeared above me and within reach.
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Post by Lena Marr on Apr 29, 2018 1:32:28 GMT
Having been cut loose from her captor Sentinel Drone by the sword wheeling Atticus Batman, Lena Marr fell into the arms of her lover Marcel Lestrange. Normally Lena couldn't think of a place she would rather be but this wasn't a normal situation for Lena was angry. Perhaps a better description was that Lena was spitting mad! Lena was mad that her discovery that the Protectors' team was in a giant Olmec machine was diminished by her excitement drawing the Sentinel Drones to their hiding place. She was more mad because the Drone she was supposed to disable had captured her instead when it evolved into a flying octopus. Lena was super mad that she had to be rescued from capture by her arch-rival for the Harbinger of Death title, Atticus Batman. So when Lena was caught by Marcel she wiggled out of his grasp without a word of gratitude or even a kiss which was her wont. Instead she un-slung her SMG and engaged her EGO's blur power charging Atlas while firing a full clip at the giant flickering diamond that dominated the cavern yelling, "DIE YOU BASTARD! DIE!" "Pitiful, truly pitful," Unhurt by her actions Atlas said in his eerie voice as a red ray came from the glowing circle in his center striking Lena's SMG melting it to slag and horribly burning Lena's hands with it's intense heat thus filling the area with the smell of burnt flesh. Lena fell to her knees holding her blackened hands in front of her with her sky blue eyes tightly shut to keep in the tears of pain as she thought to herself while she bit through her lower lip in her agony, "IamnotgoingtoscreamIamnotgoingtoscreamIamnotgoingtoscream..." Lena's EGO psyche Hope reassured but also warned Lena through the telepathic link they shared, "I've numbed the nerves in your hands and upped your natural tranquilizers but this may take a very long time to heal so don't do anything that might do permanent danger Lena, okay?" Still on her knees on the rocky floor, Lena merely nodded her head as a trickle of blood ran from her lush lips down to her chalk white chin before dripping on her knees. She opened her eyes despite the pain to coldly glare at Atlas before with a strength of will that might surprise her compatriots forced the middle fingers of both damaged hands to straighten as the others remained curled then pointed both at Atlas as she finally succumbed to the urge to scream in anguish but even more in anger when she did so.  "Foolish Castithan, your race's arrogance knows no bounds," Atlas' voice vibrating in what could only be annoyance continuing, "Seriously resistance is futile. I did not bring you all here to fight but to witness Jalina's transcendence into the Supreme Being of this universe and then my eternal companion even after I return to mine. Forever will we be linked in omnipotence!" "B-b-but I don't want to be a Supreme Being!" Stammered Jalina her alabaster lower lip quivering. Atlas laughed a laugh that ran shivers down the back of those who heard it before stating in a matter-of-fact manner, "Oh, I'm sorry my dear - did I give the impression that your mind will remain after the ceremony? It will not. In truth, your mind will be wiped completely clean from your nearly indestructible body to make way for a spirit truly worthy of being a Goddess." Jalina' chalk white face looked paler than before as she forced her head to turn to her fellow captive Sandy Uljanov then saying through her weeping, "Mother... please give my apologies... to Kaj Oenfer. It appears... it is I and... not him who... is the construct." "Don't give up Jalina, it's not over until it over," Reassured Sandy to Jalina before asserting loudly, "Atlas, if you're talking about Belle Starr she would never agree to this sacrilege. Besides as I see her below her body looks perfectly good to me and it's powerful as hell so why bother with Jalina? Furthermore if you make Belle your Goddess - and I know she would agree with me - she would be a Goddess with feet of clay! So why waste your power on her - on any of us?" "Foolish little human," Answered Atlas in his deep echoing voice, "Belle Starr's mind already has the godlike power accessed through this machinary and taken for her own. It is how she visited and adventured as an avatar in my universe for 300 of my years. It is how she has began terraforming the other planets of your own universe and soon the Earth itself for it was not me that did these deeds but her. I was merely a curious observer. To do so Belle has unknowingly stolen the powers of the powerful beings of your own solar system including your leader's Lady on your space ship, the being called Viral on the remote island on Earth and the merman Aqua in Atlantis under your ocean nearby. She dreamed herself as her avatar which thought itself real but she stole those entities' powers rendering them comatose to give affect to those dreams although she remained ignorant of doing so." "But how..?" Asked Sandy in confusion. "When Belle created herself as a Traveler in my Universe she ignited my long dormant curiosity and in time my affections," Admitted Atlas. "Belle proved her personality to be as strong as mine and that relieved the boredom I had been suffering for eons. So I created a scenario that would drive her Avatar back to her home and followed her there. Together we will create a perfect universe here and in my own in turn." "But why...? Queried Sandy still confused but beginning to understand. "Because although powerful Belle's body is flawed." Explained Atlas in a tone that an adult would use with a small child. "Her father's attempt at making a future super soldier by blending her genes with the Volge genes created an unstable and unpredictable element that I cannot abide and must dispose of. So I created a perfect vessel for her perfect mind with Jalina. Once the two are meshed in the transcendence ceremony we can go together as Gods and begin creation anew."  |
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