Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9: Star Wars / Space Opera Chapter 11 Subject: Re: AAE9s: Forcing the Issue On Tue, 30 May 2006 13:34:49 -0700 Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00012787 (Forwarding for Brian, since he's having trouble posting. Morgan /|\) From: "Brian Webber" Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 13:05:19 -0600 >On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:50:10 -0700 (PDT) >Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012782 > >>On Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:18:12 -0600 >>Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012776 >> >>>On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 22:03:59 -0700 >>>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012774 >>> >>>The Guardsmen take a few steps back. The Stormtroopers that had >>>been rushing up to help take one look at this and find somewhere >>>else to be. Then a small pack of techno-demons soars into the room, >>>red lights blinking like alarms along their right temples. One >>>lands next to the Guardsmen and growls at them. Looking at the >>>Tharkoldu and the pair of heroes, they decide to engage the heroes >>>-- after all, the worst Greymoran and Hudzen are likely to do is >>>kill them. The techno-demon circles the cyborg, dismissing the >>>apparent human as a threat (which is, most likely, the last thing >>>it ever does 8^)... > > Hudzen is getting ready to charge the guards when the demons >arrive. Taken aback by their appearance, he halts. > "Captain? What are _those_?" > >>Greymoran had never seen anything like this before in his three >>centuries with the XDCA, but he wasn't going to go down without a >>fight. > > Like Greymoran, whatever these were, they were new to him. He'd >been fairly confident about taking out the Imperial guards. These >were something different. [Not the first demon we've faced.] Hudzen >thought. > >>Greymoran shot the creature, knowing full well that what few spells >>he had left to use would have no effect on the thing. "I just hope >>that like the Borg you need both halves to work you freak," he >>muttered under his breath. He fired into the parts of the thing he >>could tell were technological, avoiding the parts that he could >>identify as supernatural. It was having an effect, the thing was >>hurting, but it was coming for him. "Hudzen, now would be a good >>time!" > > "For what, precisely, sir?" Hudzen inquires. Seeing the >abomination heading for Greymoran, however, makes him act. Stepping >between the techno-demon and Greymoran, Hudzen takes a swing, his >right fist slamming into techno-demon's chin in a powerful uppercut. >The techno-demon is lifted off of its feet, but has apparently >recovered by the time it lands. > It tries to grab Hudzen, but the android lashes out, knocking the >demon with three more hits before throwing it into a nearby wall. As >soon as he's done this, the remaining techno-demons attack. Hudzen >thrusts his sword out, stabbing one to his left in its stomach area. >Before he can check the damage he's caused to it, another of the >demons has him in its grip. A second later, Hudzen feels himself >flying through the air, on his way for more hard contact with yet >another wall. Greymoran dropped his blaster. A risky move since there were still Darth maul clones and Imperial Stormtroopers near by, but he'd need both his hands free for this spell to work. He began to chant in the native tongues of Faerun and moving his fingers about in an intricate pattern. A massive green glowing hand appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and caught Hudzen, placing him feet first on the ground before disappearing. Greymoran fell to his knees from the exhaustion. That spell usually required more time to be done properly but he had needed it quickly and paid as a result. He slowly and agonizingly reached for the blaster, only to bee knocked to the ground by a Maul-clone. So why didn't he just kill me, Greymoran thought. then it occurred to him. Probably making sure my falling down wasn't a trick first, of course. I dispatched his companion with a clunky blaster after all. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Forcing the Issue On Wed, 31 May 2006 03:21:51 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012788 >On Tue, 30 May 2006 13:34:49 -0700 >Greymoran Said As CAoL Message # 00012787 > >Greymoran dropped his blaster. A risky move since there were still >Darth maul clones and Imperial Stormtroopers near by, but he'd need >both his hands free for this spell to work. He began to chant in the >native tongues of Faerun and moving his fingers about in an intricate >pattern. A massive green glowing hand appeared seemingly out of >nowhere, and caught Hudzen, placing him feet first on the ground >before disappearing. Hudzen is momentarily shocked to see Greymoran using magic again. [It makes sense. Desperate times.] >Greymoran fell to his knees from the exhaustion. That spell usually >required more time to be done properly but he had needed it quickly >and paid as a result. He slowly and agonizingly reached for the >blaster, only to bee knocked to the ground by a Maul-clone. So why >didn't he just kill me, Greymoran thought. then it occurred to him. >Probably making sure my falling down wasn't a trick first, of course. >I dispatched his companion with a clunky blaster after all. Hudzen tries to get to Greymoran's aid, but a techno-demon is already upon him, slamming him into the wall and thrusting both fists toward Hudzen's head in a crushing blow. Hudzen catches the demon's wrists, stopping them only inches from his face. He realizes that he's glad he did. Extended out from the demon's palm is a large, metal spike, spinning rapidly. The demon continues to push, slowly moving the end of the drill closer to Hudzen's face. [Why doesn't he just vaporize me? Is he trying to instill fear? And why is he the only one attacking?] "It's best not to wait this long," Hudzen tells the demon. The demon looks the android in the eyes, his lust and determination for this moment faltering. As he does, a small pair turrets pop up from Hudzen's shoulders, swiveling ever so slightly to point at the demon and training their laser sights on its forehead. There is a slight pause before they fire, engulfing the demon's head in red energy and blasting his body back. Hudzen stands straight, coming face to face with a number of charging techno-demons and Force-trained Imperial guards. It seems that they wanted to give their brethren a chance to destroy Hudzen on his own. [And now they are not taking any chances.] Hudzen changes the setting on his built in weaponry. He fires at the oncoming demons, hitting each with a concentrated EM pulse. Most of the shots fulfill their purpose, frying technology and partially shutting the demons down. A few are only slowed. Hudzen moves toward the nearest demon. "Hurts, doesn't it?" He punches the demon across the jaw, sending it rolling across the ground. As the remaining techno-demons and Imperial guards approach, Hudzen reveals his full arsenal. The blaster turrets on his shoulders disappear and a similar but clearly different pair pop out. In both hands appear a pistol. Hudzen fires, unleashing four different streams of blaster fire from his arms and a number of micro-rockets from his shoulder. As is expected, most of the demons and guards manage to dodge the incoming fire, but one of the rockets hits a guard, engulfing them in a fireball, while another is felled by several energy blasts. It also has the desired effect of scrambling his attackers. As the nearest demon reaches him, Hudzen's sword flies out and into his hand. The demon attempts to hit Hudzen with some type of offensive spell, but the robot manages to dodge, driving the sword up through the demon's chin. By this time, a guard is there, hitting Hudzen in the back with a Force pike. The damage is moderate, but Hudzen manages to recover in time to evade another swing meant for his chest and grab the guard, holding the human to side with his left arm and wrestling the Force pike away with his right. As the remaining demons and guards attack, Hudzen uses both, fighting with the pike and using the guard as a shield against his opponents. The guard takes the brunt of the attacks, though Hudzen does get hit a few times. Hudzen finally throws the suffering guard at the demons, who mercifully incinerate his body, giving Hudzen the opportunity to take out the three remaining Imperial Guards. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Forcing the Issue On Wed, 31 May 2006 03:27:46 -0700 (PDT) Hudzen Said As CAoL Message # 00012789 With more blaster fire, Hudzen guns the guards down and turns to the two techno-demons, standing over the body of the charred Imperial whom Hudzen had just tossed. Hudzen's wiring is exposed in a number of places and damage readings scroll before him, but he ignores them for the time being. With a roar, the demons charge, blunt objects swinging. Hudzen raises his BAR, unused since he arrived, aims it at one of the demons and fires. A single bullet flies through the air, right for the demon's head. The creature, apparently not expecting something as primitive as an ancient projectile gun, doesn't try to evade and continues to come until the bullet makes contact in just the right place. The techno-demon falls. The other, however, reaches Hudzen, swinging his large, powerful club. The club makes contact, smashing through Hudzen's outer plating and knocking the robot back several feet. The demon presses its advantage. He stands over Hudzen and brings the club down in a mighty swing. Hudzen rolls out of the way as the club makes contact with the ground, leaving a deep crater. Hudzen kicks the club out of the techno-demon's hand and rises. Without his weapon, the demon launches himself at Hudzen, landing several blows and slowly driving Hudzen back across the room. Hudzen can only try to block the crushing blows, mostly taking hit after hit until he is against another wall. The techno-demon continues his onslaught, driving Hudzen to his knees. "It is over, Abomination." Hudzen almost smiles. [_He's_ calling _me_ the abomination?], he thinks. Hudzen looks up at the creature, the thing trying as hard as it can to kill him. The robot's eyes are bright red, looking deep into the demon's. As he watches, the demon brings his fist down. Hudzen's wrist is instantly up, stopping the demon's arm and squeezing metal and flesh. With his left fist, Hudzen connects, making the techno-demon stumble back. Hudzen is quickly up and spins around to the demon's back, one arm around the demon's neck and the other pushed into the demon's stomach, creating a dent a few inches deep into its plating. They are only like this for an instant before Hudzen pushes the techno-demon hard into the wall before them. The demon spins to face Hudzen, frenzied rage on its face. "Boom," Hudzen montones. The rage is replaced by a moment of confusion. The techno-demon realizes that the robot is looking at his stomach area. The demon looks and sees a small vape mine embedded in his stomach. He looks up as it goes off. As Hudzen watches, the demon becomes several hundred small pieces, all then vaporized in a fraction of a second. Hudzen has little time to revel in his victory, however, and he turns to find his captain... =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Forcing the Issue On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 13:00:11 -0700 Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00012790 >On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 22:08:05 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012775 > > The apex of the Imperial Fortress. > A disarmed Emperor drops the ruined limb and concentrates. [Ah, >Darth Plagueis. I almost miss him.] As he concentrates, grunting and >hissing from the effort, a new lower arm forms from the stump Morgan >had left. "There," he gasps once the regeneration is complete. "Now, >to set the self-destruct mechanism." Sidious laughs evilly as he >approaches a console. "I'll obliterate those fools below, and >complete the dimthread journey back to...to..." Force senses warn him >of a presence that simply _should_not_be_there._ Four floors down... Lloyd Irving, his 'master' Barriss and a small brace of Rebellion infantry glaring at him, grins sheepishly as the door they had just sealed puffs out a bit behind him. "Was it really necessary," Barriss asks in a cool, controlled voice, "to blow up the computer?" "Well...it said 'destruct mechanism' on it...At least it didn't trigger or anything..." [Why me], Barriss wonders, cuffing Lloyd on the back of the head, dragging the boy off. > Throughout the Realm, Maelstrom Bridges snake down from the sky, >clouds forming around the interdimensional apertures. Possibility >Energy flows back through them, just enough to re-energize the >populace and allow them to survive the transformation back to Earth-9 >reality (and give the Starspawn a breather -- we'll need them to take >care of Theah anyway 8^). Huge numbers of ships launch, taking the >vast majority of the Star Wars denizens back to their native cosm. A >few remain, having become attached to the area, which will leave >India a nation of hyper-advanced technology and curious, potent >spirituality. Fortunately, it appears that Vader took the Dark Side >with him. > After a long exhale of intense relief, still leaning heavily on >the Phoenix Rod, Roland turns to Morgan, a fond smile crinkling the >corners of his eyes. "'Seven Hells'? When have _you_ been to >Thanagar?" Overlooking the remains of the base, Quiet Moon stares off into the distance, not at all pleased with his performance. Intellectually, he knows that losing to Vader is not a bad thing, especially given the unexpected power-up towards the end of the duel. Still, it galled him to think that he allowed Vader to get away. More worryingly, he could feel it. In that one brief instant when he and Vader were still locked in psychic combat, he could feel the awful touch of the Darkness device as it claimed Vader, he could feel the faint touch of the device, enough that his own senses could still get a lock on it. Still, the battle was, for now, over. The Sith had retreated, this area was, for now, free of any organized malevolence. but, as always, the battle went on. His mind went back, replaying the near-fatal battle with Vader, infiltrating the base, his adventures in Egypt, meeting up with the CAoL in that desperate fight against Darkseid, his own quest... Somewhere, the Cener was still out there. Though, after some of the foes he faced, a death-druid seemed like a comparatively small task to handle. Victory belongs to the courageous. That was the old saying of the Kai. Or, as his own instructor had interpreted it all those years ago when he was a Kai initiate, 'stop moping and get on with it, dummy!' Someone was calling him. Time to get on with it. =========================== Subject: Re: AAE9s: Forcing the Issue On Thu, 15 Jun 2006 20:14:38 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012791 >On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:35:12 -0700 (PDT) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00012778 > >>On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 22:08:05 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00012775 >> >> The apex of the Imperial Fortress. >> A disarmed Emperor drops the ruined limb and concentrates. [Ah, >>Darth Plagueis. I almost miss him.] As he concentrates, grunting and >>hissing from the effort, a new lower arm forms from the stump Morgan >>had left. "There," he gasps once the regeneration is complete. > >The whine of engines is almost lost in the sound of the wind. > >>"Now, to set the self-destruct mechanism." Sidious laughs evilly as >>he approaches a console. "I'll obliterate those fools below, and >>complete the dimthread journey back to...to..." Force senses warn >>him of a presence that simply _should_not_be_there._ > >Zian Solo raises both eyebrows in recognition, and immediately >applies thumbs to both blasters. Her expression doesn't even change >as Sidious avoids both blaster charges, leaping straight up - - laughing at the futility of the attack - >and through the polychromatic, hollow half-sphere that appeared >behind him. Another such inner-lit shape appears far from the cliff's >edge of the Abyss, and well under the escape horizon. The falling >shape wrapped in its black robes merges with the Void, falling >forever. Palpatine's laughter stops as if switched off as he gapes in horror, outmaneuvered at last. >"I do enjoy the occasional perks of not being a hero." Zian observes >with a cold smile. "The vacation is good, the clean-up is easy, and I >always arrive just in time for the clean-up and party." Darth Sidious attempts briefly to meditate, to preserve his existence against this creeping oblivion. It rapidly becomes clear, however (as his legs disappear up to his knees in the space of seconds) that this is not to be. He has mere moments to live, and determines to face his destiny with dignity. Palpatine begins to surrender himself to the Void in the hope that he will somehow give it some of his genius, his ruthlessness, his desires... ...when the most absurd machine he has ever borne witness to floats by, slowly coming apart in the Abyss, and the same face appears on dozens of strange screens. "This is another fine mess you've gotten me into," Prince Caligari snaps peevishly. "I give up," Sidious snaps back. With that, the Abyss consumes him. OOC: Never tick off a Princess of Chaos. Or Amber. Or *especially* both. ;-) >On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:25:33 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00012780 > >>On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 22:03:59 -0700 >>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00012774 >> >> Then another techno-demon lands near Harlock and gets ready to >>attack -- then stops, confused at the sight of one of his own trying >>to throttle one of their erstwhile allies. It looks at the glaring, >>defiant Maul, then back at Harlock. "Where is Prince Thratchen?" it >>asks simply, if deeply confused. > >"Gone," snarls Harlock. "It overplayed its hand against the Defender, >then had its spirit sundered by the Emperor. You may continue to >support these pav monkey scum if you wish. I will be leaving as soon >as I can get out of this madhouse." The Bard glances over at the >Zabrak, still dangling helplessly in hir grip, and heaves a purely >internal sigh. [Well, he _did_ ask for it, after a fashion.] One >quick squeeze, and Maul6's trachea is crushed. Sie makes sure hir >claws sever veins as they withdraw, just for good measure. The techno-demon's eyes widen. "That...by the self-created Dominator! We must return to Tharkold at once! An entire army of monkey war-gods has invaded, and without a High Lord--" "You and your whole vile kingdom are Thor all over," Defender quips darkly. "Or at least you will be once you've had the worst case of hammer tow of all time." /Don't you mean hammer _toe?_/ Some wit asks. /You've never seen Thor fly, have you?/ Roland replies dryly. By the time this conversation is complete, the techno-demons have fled Earth-9. Defender does a quick 'ping' of the local CAoL group. (His armor is the Machine That Goes Ping. It's the most expensive machine in the whole building. Aren't You Lucky? ;^) >On Sun, 14 May 2006 05:22:58 -0400 >Dr. Energy Said As CAoL Message # 00012784 >@Greetings. Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. But >enough seriousness. Anyone wishes transport is free to come aboard. >Anna informs me that we will be dusting off as soon as.@ he sends out >to nearby CAoL members not currently incapacitated. Roland sighs in relief. "/And that would be the last of our prodigal members, I believe. Okay, folx, let's mount up and head back for.../" Defender never gets to finish the sentence. TBC ===========================