From: "Puck W!ld"
Date: Jan 11, 2001
{Place - MDM System - Near the Raider
Crashsite}
[Puck smirks viciously as Voodoo hovers in front of him.]
Puck: Ya think a little light show is gonna impress me, Voods? I possess powers you canna imagine. Ya can augment yerself as much as ya want, ya can throw whatever technojunk ya want at me, ya can power yerself up as much as ya like, but it will never change one very simple fact.
[His red-on-black eyes glow as his hair starts to lift upward, a corona of energy crackling around him.]
Puck: And that is, that you. Are. A. Weakling.
[He raises one fist towards Voodoo, the fingers curled inward away from him, then unclenches his fist, revealing several "marbles" between his fingers. He clenches his fist again, gathering the "marbles" into his palm, then flings them outward.
[In midair, each marble blossoms into a bright sphere of light -- like flashbangs to the hundredth degree. While the initial flash temporarily blinds Voodoo, Puck launches forward with the speed and potency of an ICBM.]
{Place - Jay's Greenroom}
[The crash of the Raider has shaken the entire system, and it is definitely
felt here. Everyone looks up.]
Niente: What the hell was that?
Dirk: Something crashed.
Sil: Yeah. We would know -- having crashed once or thrice ourselves.
Dirk: Twice.
Sil: No, three, if you count when I was still learning to fly the Grizzly.
Quinn: I somehow doubt this is the time to argue about something like this.
Dirk: Point.
[At that moment, DaVinci bursts back into the Greenroom, gasping for breath from his run.]
Quinn: Something wrong, D?
DaVinci: Th-th-the Owners! [gasps and exhales] They're...dead.
[Stunned silence.]
Dirk: What?
DaVinci: I was just up there. Some sick bastard's killed them, pinned 'em to the wall, and torn their eyes and tongues out.
Lean: We've got bigger problems.
{Place - Rogues' Place}
[Tomasi looks up as the room shakes and dust and a few small pieces of debris
fall from the ceiling.]
Tomasi: Anybody mind tellin' me what that just was?
Ünres: Felt like something crashed.
Renei: A big something.
Ünres: Indeed.
Tomasi: What say we take a little look-see?
Nails: A little look.
Renei: A little see.
[Tomasi, still wearing his handcannons in their holsters, picks up his plasma rifle and heads for one of the exits in the room. The other three "Rogues" follow him. In the adjoining room is yet another waypoint platform. The green globe closes around them, shrinks, and whips off.]
{Place - Waypoint Station near the crashsite}
[The globe deposits the Rogues in a room with an elevator platform a short
distance away. They disembark onto this, which raises up toward the ground,
which slides away to admit them to daylight -- albeit dust-obscured daylight.
[Ünres leads the four Rogues toward the crashed Raider, and then all four pause as they take this in.]
Nails: Somebody pinch me, I must be dreamin'.
Tomasi: Talk about salvage rights.
Renei: The Maker loves the infantry.
[Ünres stops them from moving forward at first. He raises his mechanical fist and taps it with a claw. A small screen raises up on the back of his hand and flickers information at him.]
Ünres: Plasma leak near here. Best go to the other side of the crash to avoid contamination.
Tomasi: Whatever.
[They start to walk around the large bulk of the crashed Raider.]
From: "Minke"
Date: Jan 12, 2001
[Shaking her head to clear it of the psy-waves just thrown out at the entire system, Minke blinks a few times and looks around her. Pseudo-frowning, one name comes to mind instantaneously: Jay Winger.]
[Zaria is a few feet away at a computer console, clearing her own mind after the momentary shake, and she turns to look at Minke, knowing she'd have felt it worse.]
Zaria: Did you-
Minke *How could I miss it?*
[Sai quickly comes walking around a corner, a basket of flowers in her hand as she stands near the altar. Her hair is somewhat standing on-end, and her expression is that of someone who's just seen a rat barking at a feline.]
Sai: Hey, I might be nuts, but...did you guys just feel something like static go through the air?
Zaria: I don't believe it. Even Sai felt that!
Minke [still shaking her head clear] *The only people in this system with power like that are Voodoo and Jay Winger...*
Sai: Ya think it really was him then who attacked you?
Minke *I know you did not believe me, I myself have a hard time believing it, but it's the only possible conclusion. He's the only one who would threaten me and actually be able to block off my powers with his own, and these waves I'm constantly sensing are Authoric in origin.*
Sai: But we kept scanning the system and getting nothing back to confirm anything.
Zaria: He would've thought of that. Jay's a smart bastard. [Thinking of something, Zaria begins to scan for the origins of the last psy-wave...and oddly enough she finally gets results.] I've got something! Zeroing in on the location...
Sai: I don't believe this... [She runs over to stand behind Zaria as she taps out commands at her console.]
[Minke walks over, though she already knows where it's coming from.]
[The image they all see is unbelievable. Voodoo and what seems to be Jay Winger at each other's throats...hovering weightless in the air.]
[Sai drops her basket to the floor, staring unbelievingly at what she's seeing.] Holy... This is like in a bad science fiction novel!
Zaria: This is amazing. Minke, you were right! Minke?
[The two suddenly realize that Minke
is gone from the greenroom.]
---------------
(Battle Scene)
[Minke appears amidst chaos. She barely avoids a firey blast and flies out
of the way as both Voodoo and Puck W!ld (who is still Jay Winger for all
anyone knows) soar past her, Puck knocking Voodoo backwards. The two don't
even seem to notice her in their fight.]
[Watching them the old instinct to defend Voodoo, copy or not, comes back to Minke, and she flies down after the two, eyes glowing a bright violet in battle rage.]
[Voodoo kicks Winger in the gut and fires a powerful blast at him, forcing him off to Voodoo's right as the Gargoylish Author corrects his descent to the earth below and rights himself. Puck is about a hundred feet away, sneering. Voodoo allows himself a viscious grin.]
Voodoo: What's wrong, Jay? Should I stop going easy on you? I thought you wanted to fight. Maybe I should let you rest a bit.
Puck W!ld: I'll wipe that smile off o' yer face, ye freak!
[Puck lunges at him, and Voodoo dodges. But he looks around to see that Puck's disappeared. Suddenly a blast hits him from behind and sends him racing towards the ground dizzied from the cheap shot.]
[Minke flies down and catches Voodoo in a beam of light just before he hits the ground. Looking up at her in surprise as she lets the beam lift, Voodoo frowns.]
Voodoo: So you finally decided to consider me worth helping again? You didn't have to do that. I have things under control-
Minke *You still have plenty to learn... And I'm not taking any more chances with your foolish pride... That was one thing you never managed to correct through those genetic calculations of yours.*
Puck W!ld: Oh ain't that so sweet? The bitch and her freakish friend reunited for the cause o' the common good.
[Minke turns towards Puck and immediately knows that something's wrong. This can't possibly be Jay Winger, and yet it is. She remembers a fic Sai dreamed up about spiritual posession and squints at the Author.]
Minke *You should know better than to take what is not yours, virus. What have you done with Jay Winger?*
[Puck just smiles casually at her, and she can sense he's building up for his next attack.]
Minke *Very well... Let us see how you do two-against-one.*
From: "Garg-Voodoo"
Date: Jan 12, 2001
[Minke releases Voodoo from the beam and the Black Clad Author readys himself.]
Voodoo: Not that I don't have the up most confidence in you Minke..but this isn't Lean.. you sure your ready.
Minke: *You got a better way?*
Voodoo: I have safer.
[The two dodge the beam and split off and cricle around the unknown being. Streaks of green and bluw zip by the Author and the Anthro. But the two working as one fire back at the viral author. The purple beam of Minke's hitting with the deep green of Voodoo. Puck slams into the ground, leaving a rather big hole in the dirt. The two float in the air, taking a breather.]
Voodoo: Still holding a small torch for me Minke?
Minke: *I wouldn't call it a torch as much as a flamethrower.*
Voodoo: Point taken.
[The moment of peace ends when a powerful beam hits Voodoo knocking him out of the air and having him slam hard onto the top of the Raider. Minke reacts with primal rage and attacks Puck.]
[Place: Inside the Raider.]
[Jeff has been busy keeping the rouges from entering the Raider for the
tech in there, while no beyond that of 2512 metaverse time, is impresive
none the less. Whats left of the computer system is fireing the top and
side auto cannons, keeping them down and under cover. He hardly pays attention
to the loud "thud" on the top of the ship as he pulls Jenny from
her 5 point harness.]
Jeff: 'Ya dead girl? [a phrase he first said when he met her]
Jenny: Yeah man.. I'ma dead. [a return she later put into use.]
Jeff: Well.. you in one peace remortly.
Jenny: I guess that pain in my arm is really bad huh.
Jeff: Ya ain't for much left of a arm. To be truthful I'm gald it's still intact.
[Jennys arm was torn asunder. The top levels of flesh were stripped away and one could clearly see the workings of the arm underneath the blood.]
[Place: The battle field: Location:
Voodoo.]
[Voodoo lay ontop of the Raider alive but his eyes were shut and a moan
of pain came deep from with in him.]
???: *Well.. so much for you doing this alone.*
Voodoo: *I have Minke.*
???: *Say it. You want him dead.*
Voodoo: *I want him beaten, he still is Jay and we need Jay alive.*
???: *So?*
Voodoo: *Have fun, but dunna hurt him to badly, and don't even think of harming Minke.*
???: *Wouldn't dream of hurting her.*
[Voodoo's eyes open with a surge of power, they glow crimson and not just flash. He stands and cracks his neck. There is a slight moan of discomfort as the point thin plates on his arms (much like Minkes in fact), shoot out and flip over, becoming weapons much like Bios. He explodes from the Raider and slams into Puck, slamming the blades into his side as he carries them up higher.]
Voodoo/Dark: Hi'ya bro.
Puck: And who are you?
Voodoo/Dark: Much like you.. but I follow orders..somewhat.
[He yanks the blades out of Puck and blast him stright in the face letting the viral fall. He glides down to Minke he feels strange, his control seems to be failing as the flip over and sink back into the skin and the eyes return to green. Voodoo, who is Voodoo, shakes his head.]
Minke: *What happen?*
Voodoo: Don't ask.. Do ya think he's still wants to fight?
From: "Java/Aarys"
Date: Jan 12, 2001
{Place: Java'sd Personal Room}
[Java doesn't comprehend Voodoo's warning, seeing that she doesn't
even properly understand the whole Jay/Puck dilemna. But she exits her Room,
taking a glimpse at her room, then starts.] See!
See: [turns in his chair] Yeah?
Java: Sen a message to Voodoo's room -no, don't call, I don't need Bios responding - and tell them Voodoo's outside attacking Jay. Then try to run a sys scan.
Aarys: Ttri's been told. [To the 'ress blink] You were going to tell me, weren't you?
Erinys: What abput Sai? And Minke?
See: Sai hasn't been in her GR for ages, or at least that's what everything I have says. Zaria [wince] niether.
Java: Then they're safe. What ab-
See: Holy shit...
Java: What?
[See opens a vidwindow, showing Puck and Voodoo.] That.
Pyra: Oh dear.
[Java stares, not listening to the others, and suddenly turns around, heading towards the Bookshelf, User-knows-what idea in her mind, but looking stubbornly furious. Until See breaks her concentration again:] CReaTuRe!
Pyra: Jav! [to her turn] She's helping Voodoo. Now what?
Aarys: Sprite, run a ground scan.
[See hmphs but initializes it. Aarys speaks again.] Whoever the silver one is has far more power than I do. My counsel is to not interfere in the fight itself unless it becomes utterly nessesary.
Java: Counsel? Have I become the Priestess?
Aarys: No, but you planned to attack. Don't.
Java: I have to do *something!* I can't just watch-
See: Hey guys? [He waits.] The ground scan says there's a ship downed - that was the little shake a bit ago - it's future tech - Hybrids - and it's sorta surrounded by a buncha guys. One viral sig, class 12.
Pyra: And?
See: Well...[sigh] Someone's badly hurt, is what. And with all the chaos and energies running amok, I can't get a lock on anything. Looks like Jay took it down.
Java: [worry] Hurt?
See: As in could probably use some med assistance now.
Aarys: Java...I probably could scare off those vultures if you wanted to help. So?
[The Authoress blinks, and looks at the woman. Most of the team is watching the vid.] When can you get me there?
Aarys: Let me change...and we'll be there now.
[Java nods.] You guys stay. I'm going to go a little chaos of my own now.
From: "Java/Sphinx"
Date: Jan 12, 2001
{Place: Sector Dust, Near the Raiders
crash}
[Aarys and Java appear around fifty meters behind where the Rogues are fortified,
trying to get to the Hybrid's ship. Java coughs slightly on the dust, while
Aarys looks around and takes a quick peek at the opposition.] Four
men, one sprite, two anthro's, one virus. Do you know them? [She flashes
the pictures in Java's mind.]
Java: Yeah, all on Jay's team. [frown] Is this some big thing to get tech or something? Oosi, how badly did I misjudge Jay?
Aarys: I can't say. Look, I can get you inside of that vessel, but I'll need to replenish myself a bit before I can bring you and whomever to a hospital.
Java: No, to V's medbay...practically is a hospital. Well?
Aarys: See you... [She dissapparates the polymorph to the inside of the ship, then looks at herself. Her sprite/human mimic slowly morphs, claws appearing, eyes going fully green, her drees to an Egyptian-style sheath, and other changes. She smiles and dissaparates herself.]
{Place: Dust Sector, Nails' position.}
???: Don't turn around...
[Of course, like anyone in such a position, he turns and shoots a blast at the figure who just spoke.]
???: Oh, for Oosi's sake-
[The blast is caught and dissapears in the hands of his opponent. The Sphinx moves a bit higher, staring haughtily at the anthro.] You have a choice, Nails, I believe. You and your cutthroats leave now and let me and my Author do what we want-
Nails: [snarling] Or?
Sphinx: Or you shoot at me again, I encrypt the blast again, assimilate it, and apparate all of you in that big firefight up there. Oh, and tell whomever's trying to sneak up on me that he's an utter idiot. Fair?
From: "Hybrids/Ki'ace"
Date: Jan 12, 2001
[Place: Inside the Raider Ship]
[Java appears in the section just behind the cockpit. She covers her ear
for a moment as she adjust to the loud sounds of gun fire and warning alarms.
She quickly makes her way into the Cockpit to see Jenny laying on the ground
her arm tightly wrapped up in the reamins of a leather jacket. Java quickly
kneels down and places her fingers on the Hybrid, checking for a pusle.
Then, even though the noise she hears a CLICK]
Jeff: Make a move..please.
Java: We have a truce!
Jeff: Oh..you know my trigger finger...it just might forget.
Java: Please..I am here to help. I can get you back to the medical bay. [There is silence. She hears the cylinder of the phython move again.] She may be a Hybrid but she will die if she loses to much blood. [The hears the hammer being gently slid back to the resting postion.]
Jeff: I can't let them take the ship.. to much tech here. Get her back to the Green Room.
[Java is reluctent to allow his foolish pride to get in the way, but the badly damaged Jenny is of somewhat high importance.]
Java: *Aarys, had to spoil any fun you are having...but I need you to get me and Jenny back to Voodoo's Green Room*
[Her reponce is even quicker then before as Java and Jenny appear on the floor as they were in the Raider. Ki'ace is only stunned for a moment but seeing Jenny coughing up blood returns her mind to a medical state. She quickly picks up Jenny and places her on the medical table taking great care to remove the tightly wrapped jacket with care and tossing it aside. She takes great care to cause the Hybris little pain.]
Java: So.. [pause and she turns her head away from the torn up arm] she gonna be ok?
Ki'ace: The upper layers of the arm are gone. A dermal bath should repair the damage and nanite injection will help with the bone. But make yourself useful and get a gel brace from that draw over there and bring it here. [says Ki'ace and Java mumbles something how she risked her life to get Jenny here and the Zed has the nerve to tell her to "get useful". But Java brings the gel brace back just as Jenny's arm is dipped in the bath.] Thank you.
Java: Just getting the brace as you asked.
Ki'ace: No..for bringing Jenny back. She means much to Jeff and he means alot to me. You will hold a place in his mind now.
Java: Yeah.. in the kill zone of his.
Ki'ace: You very well saved the life of the one he loves. I think he will be more open minded with you from now on.
From: "Puck/Rogues"
Date: Jan 12, 2001
{Place - Puck's Impact Crater}
[The combination attack from Voodoo/Dark and Minke sent the momentarily-stunned
Puck W!ld careening into the ground, leaving a sizable crater. He lies face-down
in it, but moves. He pushes himself up, glowing-blue viral blood pouring
from the wounds Voodoo's blades dealt him. He stands up, the wounds scabbing
over even as they watch.]
Puck: Extremely bad idea.
[He jumps upward, and then blurs into invisibility as he moves. He blurs back into visibility above Voodoo and Minke, then rushes down fast before they can react. His fists glow with energy as he lands blows to their backs, between their wing bases.
[Puck swings around from the blow he dealt Voodoo and drives his knee deep into his stomach. As he cocks back his fist do deliver another savage blow, the energy about his fist coalesces into a sort of blade itself, which he jabs forward. He slashes with the blade twice following the jab, then jabs it in once more. Voodoo cries out in pain as the blade sends burning viral energy into him.]
Puck: Take the pain and like it.
[He spins and delivers a harsh kick to the back of Voodoo's head, just as Minke rushes in with an attack of her own to protect her friend.]
{Place - The Raider Crash Site}
[Nails, whose namesake features are still broken off (except for the one
on his index finger), keeps his plasma rifle aimed at Aarys. Renei has come
up behind her, aiming a rifle of his own.]
Renei: Two against one.
Nails: My kinda odds.
Tomasi: `Nei, you and Nails keep this Cult bitch out of our hair whilst `Res and I go scalvaging.
Renei: You got it.
[Tomasi and Ünres have located a way inside the Raider and are taking advantage as they speak. Tomasi forges on ahead, rifle aimed in front of him as he moves. He comes into the general area of the cockpit, where he pauses and kneels down. Ünres has ambled off to examine the technology.
[Tomasi is looking at some of the blood on the floor from Jenny's injured arm. He dips a finger in it, then raises it before his eyes.]
Tomasi: Half-breed blood.
[He gets back up, looking around as he aims with his rifle.]
Jeff: You have something that belongs to me.
[The voice comes from somewhere around him, causing the ever-violent Tomasi to fire a shot into a console behind him. It strikes nothing but the console (and the bulkhead behind it). Tomasi frowns, peering about.
[The click of Jeff's Python at his temple focuses his attention. Tomasi knows that the Hybrid's speed means he has no chance of spinning around and disarming him before Jeff shoots him in the head, so he freezes.
[Jeff's attention is similarly focused as a titanosteel fist closes around his throat. Ünres leers behind him.]
Ünres: Problem, Tom'?
Tomasi: Not anymore.
From: "Java"
Date: Jan 13, 2001
{Place: Dust Sector, near the Crash}
[Aarys turns to the side so she has both Rogues in sight, sihs and raises
her hands. This fools neither of them.]
Renei: Don't move.
[She snickers and waves her arms. Renei tries to shoot - but, lo and behold, someting is keping the trigger firmly in place.]
Sphinx: I wonder why no one thinks of these things except me.
[Her hands push outwardly, and both men fly back, hit telekinetically.] I'd strike you dumb as well, but those three up there are scrambling the psy waves. See you later. [She dissapparates.]
{Place: Inside the Raider}
[And Jeff has, quite suddenly, dissapeared.]
[Tomasi and Unres look around, wary. Tomasi sees something in the darkness and turns and fires. The shot hits an energy shield, and when he moves to see into the hallway, he sees the Sphinx there, one hand firmly on the wall, apparantly steading herself.]
Tomasi: What do you want? [He levels the gun again, keeping his finger on the trigger. Unres watches, but also examines the consoles, reveling in the new tech.]
Sphinx. I just gave you this ship, and you threaten me. How considerate.
Tomasi: You took Jeff out of here?
Sphinx: Of course. I just wanted to see how you liked it.
Tomasi: We like it. Get out of here, bitch.
Sphinx: As you wish. [She stands up straight, still holding onto the wall.] Sprites really should learn better manners if-
[Unres suddenly starts and smashes the console. It cracks into pieces.] She's encrypting it! Shoot her!
[Tomasi fires, but the virus is already gone, leaving the Rogues with a half-encrypted ship and slim pickings.]
{Place: Voodoo's Green Room}
[Java silently watches Ki'ace treat Jenny, tryng to keep quiet and out of
the way, helping the Zed whenever needed. Her thoughts are on Jay, mostly
angry and disbelief. She sighs and wraps her arms around herself, hurt.]
From: "Jeff"
Date: Jan 13, 2001
[Jeff appears in the medical bay of the Green Room. He takes only a moment to himself to regain thoughts. But Java looks up at him and he grabs her by the neck of her shirt and holds her up.]
Jeff: I told you! I wanted to stay!
Java: I...I..I didn't bring you here. Aarays perhaps but not me.
Jeff: Do you have any idea the firepower that ship has! That now I have to eradicate an very expensive vessel because those dipswitches have it!
[Java closes her eyes tight as she waits for something to his her or to be thrown. But all she hears is a groan from Jenny, and the slower breathing from Jeff. She opens her eyes when she feels her feet lowerd to the ground and sees Jeff looking at her.]
Jeff: But you did save Jenny, and she is more important to me then any peice of tech. Although I hate to see it become what it will now..I thank you. [Jeff taps the glowing green button on his belt and it turns red.]
[Place: Raider cockpit]
[The Rouges are trying to raid what they can and even try and crack the
coding in the console, when they both looks very worried.]
Tomasi: What was that beep?
Unres: Ya heard it to?
[The cabin is quicly filled with beeps and little red lights. Unres looks at the device the light is attached to and pulls Tomasi along with him as he darts for the door]
Tomasi: What are you doing you fool! The techs that way!
Unres: The frick'en User bastard had the thing wired with EMP charges. Enough to nullify the entire sector!
[Tomasi grabs onto the edge of the door, bring Unres down with him.]
Tomasi: We will bypass them then.
EMP Charge Voice: EMP Charges Active, Prox detecors now online.
[The two bolt away from the craft in a chance they don't trip a mine.]
From: "Minke"
Date: Jan 15, 2001
[Minke flies down and lands beside Voodoo where he's crouched over in pain. Puck W!ld is floating not far off gloating.]
Minke *Voodoo, are you hurt badly?*
[Voodoo grunts, eyes slammed shut, but he gives her a thumbs up none the less.]
Voodoo Could be better...but I'll live. [He slowly begins to stand on his digigrade feet.]
[Minke nods and glares at Puck where he floats. Floating up, she extends her wings and soars straight at the Author, a violet ball of flame in her outstretched hands growing as she approaches.]
[Puck just smirks, fully prepared to avoid the blast. Just as Minke comes at him, he fires his own blast. The shot sails right through Minke, she seemingly unaffected.]
Puck W!ld: What the hell...?
[Puck's eyes widen as he figures out what's happened. He's suddenly bodyslammed from behind, and a surge of negative energy flows through him, shocking Puck's entire body. Roaring in anger, he whirls around and bashes whoever was behind him in the face.]
[Minke is thrown backwards in midair, but Voodoo flies up and catches her until she gets her wits back and can levitate on her own.]
Minke *Thank you, Voodoo...*
Voodoo: Again, I ask you, are you sure you can handle this?
[Minke is still shaking her head clear.] *It's alright... I was merely momentarily stunned.*
Voodoo: If you're sure. [Squints at Puck W!ld from this distance, watching him smile and hearing him laugh as if this is all just a big game.] Your last attack didn't have much of an effect on him. This powergaming is getting ridiculous!
[Looking back at Puck, seeing him barely even effected by her shock, Minke feels her spirit sink. She'd thought that catching him with that illusion and sneaking up behind him would have been a sure and successful attack. Now she feels a certain sense of dread. But she gets one last idea.]
Minke *What has become of Mr. Winger?* [She turns to Voodoo in-flight.] *Physical attacks won't work very well, and I don't think this is Jay Winger we're dealing with.*
Voodoo: You saying someone has a hold on his brain? Or that this is a viral cyborg or something?
Minke *The worse of the two...the first guess. But... perhaps...another try through a backdoor...*
Voodoo: What?
[Minke swoops downward and lands, sitting down in the dirt. Closing her eyes, hearing Voodoo land nearby, she concentrates. Unfortunately she's still being mentally blocked off from the person calling himself Jay Winger's mind. But as she moves steadily through the mental ether, she finds a psychologically soft spot into Jay's mentality where she can slip in nearly undetected.]
Minke *Come on now... Let me through... I'll find him...*
[As she's entering into his mind, she senses a somewhat alien, viral presence, and just as she'd guessed, this is not exactly Jay they're dealing with.]
Minke *Is this the dark side of him that we're seeing? How did he develop such a horrid alter ego? Jay Winger... Where are you...?*
From: "Garg- Voodoo"
Date: Jan 15, 2001
[Voodoo takes a moment to catch his breath, watching Puck float silently in the air. He stands fully upright, his body achs from the power he has been asborbing and throwing around, but the moment of rest helps. but not as much as it should for his com comes on at that time]
E.V.A.: Voodoo, I havn't the faintest clue what is going on out there but I do sense that your power levels are dropping to fast. So you need to stop it and return here to rest.
Voodoo: Can't. There are things out here that are to important then my current state that need attenting to.
E.V.A.: Voodoo, I'm transporting you back...
Voodoo: NO! [he roars] I'm fine... Just tell the others to not worry.
[The comm is switched off as he looks down at Minke. Her mind is attacking the back doors of Jay's like a hacker. He can't hear much so he returns his attention to Puck, he takes a step forward to engage the being when he feels a burning pain on his shoulder. He stops and looks down. A lare blacken slash is apprant on his right shoulder down to his left sied waist, taking most of his kimono top with it. He rips off what is left and flys like a bullet at Jay ducking and weaving out of blasts, giving Minke time to get inside his head.]
Puck: Resistance is futile! I am going to get you.
Voodoo: You failed killing me once! You ain't goint to get me twice!
[He slams into Puck, arching his body so his grabs a hold of him with his foot talons, letting them dig into his shoulder blades. Puck sends energy into Voodoo but Voodoo takes the pain with inhuman resistence. He raises his right arm back, the blades sliding out and flipping foward forming the blade. Puck pulls his hand free as the blade slams deep into his left shoulder. Puck screams in pain as he blasts Voodoo with his free hand with such force it knocks the Author away from him and letting his fall all the way back down onto the Raider.]
[Voodoo his face first onto the Raider. He rolls onto his side as he winces in pain. Puck heals from the wound a little slower and he flys across the sky towards Voodoo, all the while no noticing Minke at all.]
[Voodoo opens eyes and the fall on a small hatch. Rolling over and pushing himself up on his knees he opens the hatch and removes a glass cylinder from its station. He places it on the back of his belt and stands. He quickly darts back towards Puck, again dodging the beams from him.]
Voodoo: Voodoo 1.. missle away!
[With a phase like that to catch Puck off guard Voodoo throws the vile at Puck who, when it's 3 feet from his face, eye beams it shattering the glass letting the kinetic energy force the Plasma gel at him. He lands on his chest and face and starts buring away. Voodoo banks away and glides down towards Minke.]
Voodoo: Nows the time to do it girl! What it is.
[He lands, but he feels overwhelmingly weak and falls. Taking quick breaths in order to recover quicker.]
From: "Minke"
Date: Jan 15, 2001
[The mental walls Minke is breaking through are nothing more than that. They don't even qualify to be compared to a firewall, as if thrown up as a last moment defense. What Jay Winger could be defending is none of her business, and she keeps telling herself to try and stay focused and ignore what she may see if she makes it in, whatever it may be she'll see within the darkest recesses of the Author's subconscious...]
[Minke suddenly bursts through into Jay Winger's mind, so suddenly in fact that even she is startled by her success. She'd actually expected some sort of a fight from Jay's other persona, but Voodoo is apparently putting up a distracting fight.]
[As Minke wades through the electronic impulses that feed out as memories and emotions, she sees no sign of an actual presence that she can directly communicate with. She'd thought every mind had a mental persona.]
Minke *Don't surprise me with
this new problem, Jay Winger... Show me where you are...* [Instead of
just thinking to herself, albeit not privately, Minke now speaks directly
to someone she hopes is listening.] *I'm here to help you, Mr. Winger...
What's happened? What is this struggle I sense in you? Let your presence
be known...please.*
----------
[Sai and Zaria stare in horror as Sai's character attempts to attack one
of the most powerful Authors of the Metaverse, Voodoo is in danger of dying
a second time, and the ship carrying Voodoo's characters crashes down and
is getting pillaged by Winger's characters. Before Sai even says it, Zaria
has turned to her computer console and is typing away commands to create
a doorway leading to the dusty sector where all this chaos is taking place.]
Sai: I gotta get her outa there! Winger'll kill her in his state!
Zaria: Hey, wait up for me!
[The two rush through the gateway and are gone.]
From: "Aarys"
Date: Jan 15, 2001
{Place: Stadium Roof}
[Ths Sphinx floats over to the edge of the Arena's roof and slowly
lets down. She regains her pseudosprite mimic and turns around, when she
can barely see the fight. Slowly sh sits down, and her hand goes up to her
head, new psy waves hitting her regardless of the stadium's fields. She
toys briefly with the thought of breaking up the fight, but doesn't interfere.
Instead, she waits for the battle to end, intrigued by the new virus. She
sighs and messages to Tri.] *My dear daughter...*
Tri: Meme, you have the worst timing, Jay's GR is a bit of a crazyhouse right now.
Aarys: *Well, that's not very unusual. Are you busy?*
Tri: Yeah, sorta, why?
Aarys: *I'm just worried...about the amorerih m'vekat Tib'enih. She's in the author Voodoo's room.*
Tri: What?! Meme, Voodoo just tried to kill her last night, what exactly are you thinking?!
Aarys: *Nevermind... * [She
cuts the connection off, s sighing, shaking her head to clear it, and sits
down on the very edge of the stadium, waiting for an audience from a certain
Author-virus.]
~~~~~
amorerih m'vekat- lover of trouble. Self explainatory.
From: "Puck/Team Winger/Rogues"
Date: Jan 15, 2001
{Place - Jay's Greenroom}
[DaVinci has just finished telling everyone what's happened to the Owners,
and everyone is trying to make sense of what's going on, when Lean speaks
up.]
Lean: I think we've got another virus in the system.
Tri: Yes, it's my Meme...
Lean: No. Not her. This is... [he tilts his head, looking off into space] something else...
DaVinci: Elogin?
Lean: Definitely not. As chaotic as all this is, this isn't her style.
Dirk: Say, D. [DaVinci turns] I've bin monitorin' stuff, and I think ya should know somethin. [beat] Some of the energy that's being released by whatever's goin' on out theah -- it's Authoric in origin.
Justice: No shit, Dirk. Voodoo's out there.
Dirk: Naw, this ain't Voodoo's energy sig. The guy has his own 'style,' as Lean would say. This is almost like Jay's.
DaVinci: [going over] Jay's out there?
Dirk: I dunno. The readings I'm gettin' are saying it's Jay, but that it's also a virus. And that can't be right.
[DaVinci fiddles with controls.]
DaVinci: Can you get us a visual?
Dirk: I can sure as hell try.
{Place - The Raider}
[Tomasi and Ünres book it out of the ship as panels start to go red
and soon dive behind an outcropping of rock thrown up by the Raider's crash.
Renei and Nails are picking themselves up from where they fell from Aarys'
TK attack. Tomasi looks up.]
Tomasi: You let the Cult bitch get away?
Nails: Don't bitch to me, boss man. You didn't tell me the Culty had TK powers.
Tomasi: Ah, shuddup.
Ünres: To make matters worse, she encrypted most of the ship and the rest is gonna blow up. We can't salvage it.
Renei: So all this was for nothing?
[A stray shot from the battle above detonates a largish crater not too distant from where they all are.]
Tomasi: Yup.
Ünres: Indeed.
Nails: Uh huh.
Renei: I agree. Let's book.
[They beat tracks back for the elevator to their waypoint station.]
{Place - The Battle Above}
[Puck roars in pain as the plasma burns his arms, which he'd thrown up upon
realizing the plasma was flying at him. Some of his hair and face starts
to smolder as well. He lowers his arms, snarling.]
Puck: THAT...HURT!
[He raises his hands over his head, then swings them down. Two invisible "force lines" boom through the air toward Voodoo. These are the same "force lines" that he used against Voodoo during their match the previous Night, but now Puck's really pissed off. Voodoo just barely manages to get out of the way, and the force lines tear through the hull of the Raider and leave a large smoking line in the ground.
[Puck swoops down, hands glowing with white-hot energy which one hand fashions into another "sword" as he flies at Voodoo.]
Puck: I'm gonna cut ya!
[He swings with the sword, misses as Voodoo ducks, but connects with the other glowing fist, knocking Voodoo back. Puck pursues.]
Puck: I'm gonna cook ya!
[He grabs Voodoo and leans him back before smashing him across the face with the "pommel" of his "sword." Energy crackles as he does this.]
Puck: And I'm gonna puckin' eat ya!
[He stands over Voodoo, eyes ablaze as his silvery skin seems to tarnish from the plasma burns. His smoldering hair is turning white. He raises the "sword" overhead, then jabs it down at Voodoo's stomach. The gargoyle-like Author moves, and Puck ends up spearing his leg with the "sword," which sticks and burns into his leg.
[Puck looks up at him, scowling, about to follow, when something occurs to him.]
Puck: Where's that freak bitch of yours?
{Place - Within Jay/Puck's Mind}
[As Minke moves through the misty nothingness of the mental plane, she can
definitely feel a sort of malevolence present here. Much of Jay's secrets
are barred away, locked up by surprisingly strong mental discipline - of
a human sort.
[The mist seems to shimmer, and then a circular stone courtyard forms, with wrought-iron gating and fencing around it. Glowing overhead is -- there's no other word for it -- Jay's mind. It shifts shape and color constantly, but seems to be devoid of his personality. It's just his knowledge and experience locked away in there, impenetrable.
[At the far end of the courtyard are two stone pillars. Something partially obscures it, but soon it becomes apparent this obscuring element is.
[Energy-formed spears and swords, formed in a wide ring about the pillars -- or more specifically, what's between the pillars.
[It's Jay. Or rather, Jay's personality. It looks just like his human form, chained between the pillars in an X position. The spears and swords are moving in at lightning speed, impaling themselves upon him before passing through and rejoining the ring.
[Now Minke can faintly sense Jay's personality. He is in intense pain, and this pain is so great that the feedback from it dampens down on psionic abilities in this place. There seems to be no sign of the other personality -- namely, Puck W!ld.
[Then, Minke gets a feeling of where Puck is. As she examines the plane more closely, she can see that the courtyard has a long, tilted moving staircase at the end opposite Jay, which leads down into some sort of darkness. Somehow, Minke knows that leads to his consciousness -- where either Jay or Puck takes control of the body.
[Currently, Puck is down that way, but his malevolent presence is so... present as to be almost tangible. Jay, for his part, seems unaware of Minke's presence.]
From: "Sai & Voodoo"
Date: Jan 17, 2001
------------------
(Place: Battle Field: Voodoo vs. Puck W!ld)
[Voodoo parrys off his wounded leg and grunts in pain, But he is to angerd to care.]
Voodoo: Ya can call me a freak. You can call me every name in the book. But don't..you..ever.. call her a bitch!
[He blasts Puck with a large "Kamahamaha" attack, the Viral author has to dig his hands into the grand to be kept from being blown away. But the energy catchs up with him and Puck goes flying towards the city.]
[Voodoo takes a moment to breathe, but
there is that ever present pain in his body as he recovers from the slashes
and stabs. But his moment is short lived as a explosion rings out over the
city and Puck comes flying back to Voodoo with awesome speed. The two collide
with power beyond the thoughts of normal men. Voodoo reels backwards but
steadys himself as he unleashes a green "Psionic Blade" and charges
at Puck, and the two clash like knights of old.]
-----------------------
(Place: Jay's Mind)
[The entire clearing is setup like a simple grassy park within a birdcage,
while beyond the perimeters, there is airspace full of nothing but swirling
dark colors like those one would see if they closed their eyes before dim
light. Minke is not entirely sure how to go about getting through the representative
gate. Finally she decides that brute-forcing her way in, though it may be
harmful to Winger's psyche somewhat, is the most effective way in such a
dire situation; with the alternate personality acting how it is, it could
destroy the entire MDM if such power is left unchecked.]
Minke *I hope you can hold up out there, Voodoo. Because I do not know how long such a daunting task like this could take...*
[A few moments -an instant beyond the mental plane- pass before Minke finally decides upon what to do. She flies up to the very top of the cage, right over the gate, and presses down upon the bars. They give only slightly, and Minke soon realizes that these are not physical bars, but are merely a representation of the security Jay Winger's mind is protected under. She's at a loss of what to do. Helplessly, she calls over to Jay.]
Minke *Jay Winger, can you hear me? Please, I can't come through unless I'm permitted! You have to weaken your defenses just for a moment, I'm here to help you!*
[Minke isn't being entirely honest;
she -could- break through such high defences if absolutely necessary, but
the psychological damage the Author might suffer, combined with that he's
already gone through, could make this plane extremely unstable. It would
force Minke to retreat...and possibly leave Jay as psychotic as the persona
currently in control.]
-------------
(Place: Battle Field: Minke's Location)
[Sai and Zaria run over to Minke, who is sitting down on her knees with
an all-too-calm expresion on her face, eyes closed, as up above the three,
in the sky, all hell breaks loose.]
Sai: She's gone into one of those mental trances again. Damnit, there's always trouble when that happens!
Zaria: Oh, and this doesn't qualify as trouble? [She points up at the sky at 'Viral Jay', as Zaria's come to call him, nails Voodoo with a kick to the chest, sending the Black-Clad Author sailing backward.]
Sai: Ya know, despite his condition, Jay's doin' okay...
Zaria: Are you random!? He could destroy the system!
[Sai stands beside Minke and tilts her head.] She's pulling something. I can tell that much...
[Zaria places her hand on Minke's crest and concentrates for a few seconds. Her eyes widen, and she hastily rips her hand away from Minke, staring up at Jay Winger with what could be considered as both surprise and confusion.]
Zaria: She's battling him out for mental dominance?
Sai: Huh? She's what? You mean Minke??
Zaria: That can't be right...she'd never try something so nearly imposible. I don't know. But it's something big, and Jay's kicking and screaming inside about I-don't-know-what.
Sai: Maybe mentally beating himself over the head for going up against Voodoo. [She smirks as Jay is blasted backwards, and Voodoo gets likewise bashed.] This is getting bloody-
[A blast falls from the fight above, namely a blast from Winger, and it errupts in a huge ball of fire and electricity as it connects with the ground below, leaving an enormous smoking crater between the trio and Voodoo's characters' wreckage. Voodoo and Winger once more are locked in combat and still seemingly oblivious to their viewers.]
Sai: Whoa!
Zaria: Now that was far too close for my liking. I don't think they even see us down here! I really think it's time we zipped off, Sai.
Sai: Yeah, agreed. I say we get Minke outa here and back to the new green room before she winds up a cinder pile.
Zaria: Or better yet, before
we do too.
----------------------
(Place: Battle Field: Voodoo vs. Jay Winger)
[As this knight-style battle continues high above the system, the blades
crackle and bend with the wills of their repective masters. But Puck kicks
Voodoo in the damaged leg and slams him aside. He takes a look at Minke,
sitting motionless, Sai and Zaria, less than a few feet away, not even registering
in his mind. The blade resides and a ball appears.]
Puck: Bye bye bitch...
Voodoo: NO!
[The ball is flung at her with amazing speed, but Voodoo uses what's left of his ability and power to phase shift in front of the ball, taking the mighty blast with his own body. The flash ignites the entire system, and when it subsides Voodoo lays a few feet from Minke, his body not moving and his skin smoking.]
Puck: Damn...strike one.
[As he powers up again Voodoo raises his head and taps whats left of his com.]
Voodoo: E.V.A... [his voice old
and warn.] Emergency transport... medical bay...two personal.. Raise defencive
programs upon arrival.
----------------------
(Place: Battle Field: Minke's Location)
[Just as Zaria gets the doorway working, Sai notices Jay's characters near
the ship and had noticed their hasty retreat.]
[Sai stops her attempt at dragging Minke towards the doorway and waits for Zaria's help.] Hey, look they're still here.
Zaria: Leave 'em. We need to make a hastier retreat without them tagging aft-
[The two stare speechlessly as Voodoo takes a harsh blast from Jay that was obviously meant for Minke, and the Gargoylish Author slams into the gound. Energy swarms around him and Minke, taking them away from the battle.]
Puck: NO!!! I will not be denied!
[Their one mission gone now, Sai and Zaria stand in the dusty battlefield unsure of what to do now. The voice that comes roaring from Jay Winger's throat, that somehow sounds unlike his own, is the only thing to break the two out of their trance.]
Zaria: That is one unhappy-sounding Author...
Sai: Yeah, definately a good time to beat it. [She remembers Jay's team over at the crash.] We can hold out for a few seconds though!
Zaria: Sai, we can't trust them! What do you really think they were doing over there? They're terrorists.
Sai: Well maybe they were just going over to help with survivors. Ever think o' that?
Zaria: Doubt it. Those guys? Besides, they've probably got their own transport out of here.
Sai: Good samaritan rules apply here. I need the good karma. [She turns to Jay's characters and calls to them.] Hey! You guys need a quick exit outa hell? Follow us!
Zaria: Sai!
Sai: C'mon, let's just see if they follow. Please, Zaria, they're just Jay's characters, they're not him.
[As Zaria watches Jay's people come
running over, she looks up at the insane viral Author with more than just
a hint of suspicion. The two wait inside the doorway to Sai's green room,
and the female virus thinks silently to herself.] *Don't go back into
that innocent stage, Sai. Don't trust everyone. For all we know they could've
caused that crash.*
------------------------
(Place: Voodoo's Medical Bay)
[Voodoo and company appear in the bay, and Ki'ace works quickly to check
on the badly damaged but still living Voodoo.]
[Minke opens her eyes and blinks from disorientation. Having so suddenly been ripped out of Winger's mind like that has given her a rather large headache, that and the fact that Jay'd punched her with more force than expected.]
[Finally anger sets in over the fact that her link was broke. Seeing Voodoo being hoisted up onto the table next to Jenny, she asks why he brought them here.]
Voodoo: We had no way to defeat him there. And I had not the strength left to protect the both of us.
Minke: *I-*
Voodoo: You did.. you were going to being painting the system side if I didn't step in. I'm not your baby-sitter but when a very powerful ball of energy is flying towards you..
[Voodoo stops for a moment, and he closes his mind rather quickly but she still caught the emotional thought and feeling coming over.]
Voodoo: It was a tatical retreat. [Hiding behind that logic yet again].. We needed to be drawn back and regroup, but you are still strong. [A pause] E.V.A. give Minke access to my room and patch her into your Psionic systems. She may need a boost to get though Winger's mind. But watch her.. we don't know what goes on in there.
From: "Puck/Rogues"
Date: Jan 17, 2001
{Place: Battleground}
[Puck seethes, absolutely furious. His skin is black where it was burned
by the plasma, and his scorched hair is bleached dead white. He wheels around
in a circle, seeking out the power signature of Voodoo and Minke and draws
a bead -- toward the Stadium, and Voodoo's high-tech Greenroom.]
Puck: Ya canna hide from me, Voods.
[He flies off, energy crackling in his wake. Down below on the ground, the Rogues all look up to see him fly off. Nails frowns.]
Nails: That guy looked familiar.
Renei: He looked like Winger.
Tomasi: Yeah, the Winger who kicked Voodoo's black-clad ASCII last night.
Ünres: Indeed. That person is a virus.
[That gives them pause.]
Tomasi: Winger's not a virus.
Nails: Yeah. Aren't all those weird powers o' his just Authoric things?
Ünres: No. I've always picked up...I guess you could say 'viral vibes' from him. I never thought much of it until now.
[Another pause.]
Tomasi: Whatever. Let's just book it before that big slab of scrap metal blows up on us.
[Then Sai shouts at them. They stop and squint in her direction.]
Nails: Whozat?
Renei: It's the other Authoress. You know, the one that isn't in love with our Author?
Tomasi: Sai.
Renei: Yeah, that one.
[Tomasi frowns, then starts to smirk.]
Ünres: What's that?
Nails: I've seen 'im get that look before. He's plottin somethin.
Tomasi: I just got a really nasty idea.
[He starts striding toward Sai, hands clasped behind his back. But the other Rogues can see that he's cocking one of his handcannons behind his back. They smirk to themselves, then follow him.]
{Place: Over the Stadium, above Voodoo's
Greenroom}
[Puck hovers overhead, tilting his head to the side as he examines the high-tech
Greenroom. He seems to be contemplating the best way to cause as much damage
as possible, but slow enough so they know who's screwing them over.]
From: "Sai's Own"
Date: Jan 17, 2001
(Place: Voodoo GR Medical Bay)
[Minke watches a moment as the Zeds tend to Voodoo's injuries and occasionally
check on Jenny's stats, wishing that she had one of Sai's other character's
ability to heal physical wounds.]
Minke *I should make it known that I don't expect to stay here, Voodoo. My Authoress has finally found Zaria and I more suitable green room space than our previous one. We thank you for your help though... I...thank you...*
[Voodoo just watches her as Ki'ace runs some scans on his system, and he finally nods once in responce.]
[Nodding back to Voodoo, but wishing she had the courage to say and do more, Minke exits the medical bay and enters out into the main area. Nodding to Dax who is intently looking at a screen showing a view of the system on it, and raising an eyebrow at Scar intently reading what seems to be the end of an actual hard-cover book's tale, she continues on into Voodoo's room. Just before the door's shut, behind her Dax's voice saying, "Minke, you're back?" is heard. She grins slightly, but walks on to the center of the room.]
[True, this is not the most serene setting, but Minke sits Native American-style on the floor, closes her eyes, and concentrates to reachieve what was lost when Voodoo teleported them both from the battlefield.]
[Immediately, she's tossed into the
outskirts of Jay Winger's mind, so quickly that it startles her. What startles
her even more is how close his actual physical being is to her in MDM System.
He's right above Voodoo's greenroom...]
------------------
(Place: MDM System: Sai's Location)
[Sai waves as she watches Tomasi and the others of Team Winger make their
way over. She and Zaria watch as the floating Jay Winger suddenly flies
off to who-knows-where.]
Zaria: You're not actually going to let them into our greenroom, are you? [She stares down at her mini-board floating before her. Typing in a few commands, the doorway vanishes.]
Sai: Oh don't be silly. I can't have their energy getting in there. We'll open a doorway to wherever they need to get to and be on our way. Besides, now that Jay-trouble isn't here, we can actually take the time to do so.
Zaria: Mhm. Say, where do you suppose Winger is off to in such a hurry?
Sai: Who cares. Now we get to transport these guys to wherever they need to go.
Zaria: Sai, this is very careless of you. That virus that looked like Winger just tried to annihilate both Voodoo and Minke, who you've always seemed particularly dedicated to making sure was well-protected.
[Sai stops waving to turn and look up at Zaria.] She's out of harm's way now. She's with Voodoo, probably back in his greenroom with his other characters.
[Zaria stares at her Author.] I don't believe I'm hearing this. You used to think that Voodoo and the others were bad news for us!
Sai: I told you already a while ago, I can't decide for her. Heck, you said it yourself. Is it so wrong that I follow your advice?
Zaria: *She actually is following my advice... Must be another mood swing. Hope this one lasts as long as the last one did, maybe even longer if I'm lucky.*
[As Tomasi walks up, looking perfectly pleasant, Zaria inwardly frowns. She knows him well enough. Something's up. As is instinct for many characters, she protectively stands in front of Sai, though to Jay Winger's characters, it merely appears that she's stepping forward in greetings.]
Zaria: It's been quite a while since we've crossed paths with Jay's bunch. Need a lift, boys?
From: "Garg-Voodoo"
Date: Jan 18, 2001
[Place: Medical Bay]
Ki'ace: So what are you going to do now?
Voodoo: What do you mean?
[Ki'ace finished with the sealing of the wound in his leg and applied a dressing.]
Ki'ace: You got so freaky viral thing out there, a battle damaged body and a close friend that will leave as soon as this is over. From my point of view.. I don't seem much a future other then the old ways.
Voodoo: What's wrong with the old ways?
Ki'ace: We don't seem to have them anymore. There is no real evil and no true good. Only lost innocence. Don't you care what happens once that things gone?
[A pause from Voodoo.]
Voodoo: Don't care.
Ki'ace: Don't know or don't care?
Voodoo: [with slight raise in his voice] Pick one.
[Ki'ace in reponse presses hard on his shoulder where his was slashed and he growls deep within.]
Ki'ace: Behave. Besides I know what you are thinking. You aren't that good at hiding your thoughts anymore. Most likely because you are drained. I really don't want you out there fighting that thing again.
Voodoo: Concern noted.. now hows the patch job going?
Ki'ace: Patch job indeed, you body is trying to regenerate itself, but because you havn't mastered your energy output.. you hardly have enough to heal let alone regenerate the tissue you have.
Voodoo: Simple text please?
Ki'ace: You'll live.
Voodoo: Glad to hear it.
[There is a moment of silence as Ki'ace works in silence, then E.V.A's alarms go off.]
E.V.A.: Warning! Suppressed viral energy detected. Zeoring in... Unknown virus... Warning! Suppressed viral energy detected... coding simular to Winger look alike virus.
Voodoo: Two Vira? Let them deal with it for now. Since I am alive then i'm going to my room. [He stands and looks at Jeff holding Jenny good hand, the two talking silently.] Let them have some quiet time while shes here. Those two deserve a break.
Ki'ace: Of course Voodoo.
[Voodoo leaves the Medical bay and walks through the Green Room Main Area.]
Dax: I got the Trio locked up in the brig Voodoo. Gave them a patch job into the energy console to keep 'em alive. They shouldn't be able to get out.
Voodoo: Glad to hear it Dax. And the Green Room?
Dax: Ain't nothing sort of a complete format of the system is going to get us. I have the shields set to stand by mode, and they are remodulating every five seconds. Both reactors are humming like a kitten and we got the offensive weapons charged and ready. Ya know..this is a pretty heavly armed room for just a Death Match aran.
Voodoo: Thats how I planned it. How's the new form working out?
Dax: Since this is what I will become..it don't mind it, better then being in some office suit or something.
Voodoo:Glad ya like it.
[Voodoo goes along his way to him room. He opens the door and steps it closeing it quietly as he notices Minke. He can sense her stretching out her mind but he doesn't know where it is going persay, as much as his thoughts as to were they might go. He smiles beneath the mask, the cloth having survive the battle. He treds lightly over to his dresser and removes a new kimono top and slides it over his wings and shoulders. But what he does next is slightly odd, for an author atleast. He moves to where Minke's Futon was and grabs ahold of a steel rod and pulls himself up and flips over and grabs ahold of the bar with his talon feet and hands upside down facing towards the inner room.]
Voodoo: [to himself] This is much better for the back.. not like that bed is good for the wings.
From: "Java Trinomial"
Date: Jan 18, 2001
{Place: Voodoo's Gren Room, Main Area}
[Java barely peeks when Minke passes through, but after a moment
she opens her eyes and looks to the doot closing on her back. She looks
confused, then pings Aarys:] Hey?
*Tib'enih, this is a very bad time.*
Why? What's going on?
*It's a problem...but if you want to see, shift to the wotsit.*
[Java frowns, sitting up and quietly changing her bitmap to Midi.]
{Place: Above the Stadium}
[Java-Midi is apparated to the very edge of the roof of the Stadium, and
when she looks up she sees Puck levitating above. She edges back slightly,
hoping just to look like a speck on the rooftop (a purple-black-pink-sky
blue speck on a white roof...)]
[Above, when Puck is levitating:]
*Who are you?*
[The viral Author spins in place to Aarys, and she continues before he thinks to attack right-off.] *Of the Codex? Not? Maybe your clan, or just your name...* [She sends a quick psy-message in ta'Oosi to Java:] If he attacks me, get out of here...
From: "Puck/Rogues"
Date: Jan 19, 2001
{Place - Over Voodoo's Greenroom}
[Puck can sense the energy flowing through Voodoo's defenses, but his powers
don't extend into the ability to halt energy in such a way as to disable
his defenses. He frowns a bit, trying to decide the best course of action
here.
[Then he senses another viral signature approaching, as well as something more faint -- it feels like a wotsit to him, so he ignores that. But he can definitely sense who the new viral is.]
Puck: ~~So it's the Sphinx. This should be interesting.~~
[Aarys addresses him, so Puck turns around, glowering at her. The blackened parts of his silvery skin are starting to flake and crack off, revealing fresh patches of silver underneath. His scorched hair remains white, however.]
Puck: Who am I? Tsk. Such a loaded question. As for the Codex, I've been known t' be affiliated wi' it on occasion, when it suits me. But for th' most part, I'm my own virus, and I try no' t' get tied down to a specific system.
[He hovers a bit closer to Aarys, now glimpsing the wotsit but still not paying much attention to it.]
Puck: I have no clan. Such groups an' their attached rituals are confinin'. I prefer t' wreak havoc without havin' t' answer t' anyone. [smiles] Logical, since there's usually nobody left for me t' answer t' by th' time I'm done.
[He raises one fist, which has blackened skin flaking off of it. Suddenly, the flakes vaporize off his hand as he forms energy around it.]
Puck: Now, then, `less ye're plannin' t' be one o' the ones that's no' left for me t' answer t', I suggest you leave. You, and tha' wotsit down there.
{Place - Sai's Location}
[Tomasi grins amicably to Zaria as she asks if they need a lift.]
Tomasi: Us? Nah, not really. We gots our own way back to our hole.
[Nails swaggers up beside him, scratching at his cheek with his single unbroken claw.]
Nails: Yeh... not that we don't appreciate the offer, mind ya.
Renei: [folding his arms] It's just that we have this thing about dealing with non-Winger people.
Ünres: [from a short distance] Indeed. It's called, Come With Us Quietly And You Won't Be Shot.
[Tomasi quickly brings his handcannon out and puts it scant millimeters away from Zaria's nose.]
Tomasi: Y'know what I mean?
From: "Magenta"
Date: Jan 20, 2001
{Place: Over Voodoo's Greenroom}
[Aarys looks at the glowing fist for a moment, shrugs wordessly, features
calm, then moves away and up a distance from the higher-level. She still
watches him, though, out of curiosity, but is careful not to antagonise
him.]
{Place: Rooftop Edge}
[Java-Midi looks up again and squints. For the umpeenth time. She
growls and spins in place a few times.] Oosi forbid that she could get Jay
down, neh? No, she has to go up to him, not bring him down. Please! I can't
even SEE him and I'm in a Wotsit! Crystal eyesight, photographic memory
and I can't even get a good look at my now-viral si'Jusqua!
[Bored she spins slightly faster, then stops. Then bounces around like Scuzzy in End Prog. Then bounces in place. Then does 360's. Then spins a bit more. Then does flips. Then rolls around in circles. Then falls off the roof.]
[Sad, neh?]
[Luckily, about one second later she realizes what's happening and shifts in mid air, turning into a starling and landing on the parking garage right next to the Stadium. She changes back, crouched down, gasping.] Oh, yes, right thing to do there, fall off the goddamned edge Oosi, Java! Why can't I wait three seconds?
[She stands up and brusses herself off quickly, looking towards the P.O. in the distance, shaking her head at herself. Aloud:] Smart me, neh, Java-chan?
From: "Sai"
Date: Jan 20, 2001
[Place: Former Battle Scene]
Ibi: Freeze, bits fah brains, or Ah'll wipe the system wit' what
little of 'em ya got!
[Tomasi's eyes go wide, watching Zaria's face go into a smirk. Roaring ferally, fangs bared, she brings up her arm and, unsheathing her claws from their place, slashes down on Tomasi's gun-toting arm. Tomasi grabs his gashed arm, grunting in pain, but Zaria isn't finished with him yet. Kicking the gun out of his injured hand, she lands a viral-coding-empowered punch with her right fist, sending Tomasi sailing back through the air about fifty feet. He lands with a loud thud, and when he regains himself, looking to his side where the others are, he sees that Renei and Nails already have their hands raised.]
Zaria: Idiot should know better than to mess with a virus. Never really did like that sprite... [She begins rubbing her fist though.] Too hard-headed.
Sai: Good call, Ibi! But...uh...did I bring you here?
[Ibi grins mischieviously as she walks past Renei and Nails, left hand casually rested within the pocket of her leather-brown pilot's coat, pocketwatch chain hanging outside the breastpocket as always. She's about to speak, when Nails suddenly makes a move to jump her. Sai and Zaria gasp, but she's already got Nails at point-blank range. Gulping, he steps back. She grants him an orange-eyed wink.]
[Sai lets out a huge sigh of relief, shaking from the stress. There's always been a certain extreme fear of firearms in anyone else's hands but her own ever since she was young.]
Sai: They've been training ya well. I've gotta write that in when I get a chance. Nice entry line too.
[Ibi smirks and allows herself a bow.] Typical o' me these days, eh, Zaria?
Zaria: I...wouldn't know really.
[Zaria looks down at Sai to send her a message as the Anthroish creature keeps crowd control.] Sai...who is this girl?
[Ibi stands at about 4'8" and looks about twenty-six. She has near-waist dark brown hair, khaki-colored fur, large orange eyes on whites and odd black rings beyond the whites. There's a very casual feel about her, the thick New York accent helping, and she doesn't look stressed at all about her Author having been in a life/death situation just a moment ago.]
Zaria: Spare me the write-ups and give me your voice.
[Sai anime-sweatdrops.] She's just another character. I never finished her series, so I never really thought of brining her here to MDM. Ib's got quite a story though.
Zaria: Dare I say it. There's actually someone shorter than you in your character line-up?
[Sai's eyes glow slightly, she letting out a low growl. Zaria gives her an apoligetic look as she opens up a portal.]
Zaria: I'll be right back... Sai get that gun.
Ibi: 'Ey, neat tricks ya guys got! [She quickly turns back to the two Winger characters after hearing Renei shift position slightly. He quickly raises his hands higher.] Dat's right! An' keep 'em there!
[Sai grabs the gun off the ground, just holding it as she has no idea how it operates or if her body would be able to handle the backlash. She takes her turn to smirk proudly at Ibi as Zaria comes through the doorway, holding some plastic-coated chains.]
Zaria: This ought to hold them until we can dump them somewhere near Jay's place.
[Suddenly laser-fire is shot from Ibi's gun, and everyone stares at her.]
Ibi: Ya gonna let Tom-boy over there get away?
Sai: Ibi, he's unarmed and he's a good distance away-
Ibi: Well keep an eye on 'im! Ah'm watchin' these two 'ere, an' I can't be in two places at da same time. Hear me? This is serious shit!
[Sai is not used to having orders barked at her, but she listens and keeps her gun aimed at Tomasi where he is right now.]
Tomasi: You gonna point at me with a gun you don't even know how to use? [He starts to approach.]
Ibi: Listen, big 'n' dumb, I can divert my attention if I need ta! [She watches Zaria finish tying up the other two and motions to them to say her attention is no longer needed there.] Make one false move 'n' yer head's blown off! Got it!?
[Tomasi growls and mutters something under his breath but stays where he is nonetheless.]
[Zaria gets up and types a location into her keyboard's memory pad. In a moment it beeps like always to tell her the doorway is ready. Pressing 'enter', the doorway appears.]
Zaria: All set here, Sai. [She makes a thumbs-up gesture.]
Sai: Great. Ibi? Coming?
Ibi: Ya ain't leavin' that other sprite here, are ya?
Sai: Who cares? It's not like he can stop us. We're already gone. C'mon.
[Tomasi watches as the three walk through,
and he makes a run for the doorway. Just a moment to slow, he throws up
his fists in frustration as the doorway's last speck of light vanishes.
Huffing, he rubs his face where Zaria had punched him and begins to walk
away, still very pissed off.]
----------------
[Place: Outside Jay's Greenroom]
Ibi: This place looks like it's seen some fun recently. Very recently
in fact. Those craters were smokin' still.
[Sai raises her eyebrows and walks up to Jay's door, ringing the comm button once.] Yeah, I'll tell ye all about it when we get back to my greenroom. A lot's happened since I came here.
Ibi: Sure wish you'da taken me outa the Idea Box a long while back though...
Sai: I'm sorry I neglected you, Ibi... I've just been so busy with all this craziness lately-
Ibi: 'Ey, 'ey, no stress. It's cool. So tell me about the 'craziness'.
Sai: First, you tell me about how you got here. I know I didn't write you in.
Ibi: Nah, yer just the character-author. I took the back way in t'rough the Sudden Impulse route of the Writer herself.
[Sai stares at Ibi and is about to say something, but the com crackles then, and DaVinci's face appears on-screen, his voice soon heard after he sees who it is.]
DaVinci: Sai? [He sounds surprised. There's something in his voice that says he's seen something horrific not too long ago today.] What can I do for you?
Sai: I've got some baggage here for you. [She points to Renei and Nails chained back-to-back on the floor.]
Ibi: So come out 'ere 'n' pick up yer trash!
[Sai and Zaria jump and turn to stare at Ibi.]
Ibi: What? Ain't he the enemy?
Sai: No, he's not! Could you stop with the loudness?
[Ibi frowns but just shrugs and stares into the screen with the other two.]
DaVinci: Why did you tie them up?
Sai: Ya don't sound too pleased, but hey, after what they and Tomasi just tried to pull, I think you'll understand why. Oh, and Tomasi's out somewhere in the deserted area of the system, probably pretty pissed off too. Zaria just landed him one for putting a gun to her face. [She holds up the weapon.] Belongs to Voodoo judging by its make. He, Nails and Renei just raided Voodoo's ship too.
Zaria: So much for your samaritan rules and karma, huh, Sai?
[Sai growls at Zaria.]
Sai: So, like Ibi said, want your trash back?
From: "DaVinci, Puck, Tomasi"
Date: Jan 23, 2001
{Place - Outside Jay's GR}
[DaVinci looks at Nails and Renei, frowning some. He whistles into the room
at someone. Justice and Lean approach and look at the two tied-up Anthros.]
Justice: Well, well, if it isn't the Crimson Claw.
Lean: And Mr. il'Crais.
Nails: Call me 'Nails,' Maker dammit!
DaVinci: I hardly think someone in your situation can decree how you should be addressed.
Lean: As of right now, your name is Mud.
[He and Justice drag the bound F'Val and Khatran into the room as DaVinci looks at Sai and her characters.]
DaVinci: Thanks. I was wondering what they were up to. I'd noticed they weren't in the weight room. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to sort out just what the hell is going on and try to come up with some way to defuse the whole situation. I'll keep you posted.
[He taps his forehead in some sort of salute and ducks back into the Greenroom.]
{Place - Near the Raider}
[Tomasi looks over at Ünres, who hadn't moved a muscle during the exchange
with Ibi and Sai and Zaria.]
Tomasi: Why the hell didn't ya do something, ya big galoot?!
Ünres: Why the hell didn't you just jump her? She had a gun. So what? You've taken energy-shotgun blasts on the chin and lived to talk about it.
Tomasi: That was in Cragis, ya simp. The environment there doesn't agree with energy-weapons and screws up their power levels. Rentack may have shot me, but it wasn't at full power, no matter what his gun said. Getting shot here, where normal rules of energy apply, is another matter.
Ünres: Ah, point taken. Still, that gun she was sporting did have viral-decompilation capabilities, if I'm remembering my tech correctly.
Tomasi: Ah, frag it. Let's just get back to the `shop. We can get Nails and `Nei back later.
[They trudge over the rocky terrain back to the elevator down to the 'waypoint' station, take it down, and then return to the workshop where their plasma weapons still await.]
{Place - Over the Stadium}
[Puck looks at Voodoo's Greenroom and cocks back a fist. Aarys is some distance
away, not planning to interfere, apparently. The wotsit is bobbling around
down on the roof, but Puck is ignoring it. He prepares to throw a force
line at Voodoo's GR.
[That's when wotsit-Java falls off the roof and shifts in midair to save herself.
[Puck stops and whirls around. The sudden shift caused a blip in the energy flow around him, and now he focuses his attention on the 'wotsit.' He checks the code and smirks.]
Puck: Well... a poly, here in-System... isn't that interestin?
[He lowers his fist and swoops down toward the roof, then slowly down the wall until he hovers a foot or so over Java's head. She looks up at him, and he smirks.]
Puck: [se'Macik] qa'Sasit de'Ma?
Ei'na'Polih ahn se'Dulack en-Siistam? Eh ei'du'Polih?
[Translation: What have we here? A polymorph wandering in-System? Or
is it a polymorph without a master?]