Mystery of the Apkallian System

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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Cha0sFerret » Sun Jan 01, 2017 7:17 pm

So Petz is just... in space. Keldar is scared of her. The rest of us misfits that went with her are either dead or about to be. The only loose end we can do anything about as far as I'm concerned is Berthier, and nobody seems too interested in her anymore. After the library situation, I'm not about to go chasing after these people without backup. I don't see a way to refocus them without coming off as insensitive. Not to say I haven't already screwed up there, but I'd rather not get the general pissed at me.

Fuck it, let's just see where this goes. Berthier's not capable of doing much damage on her own anyway, or at least she doesn't seem to want to.


"We have a half-demon and what amounts to a minor deity on our side. If we fail at this point, we were never getting them back anyway."

Going to space might end up being fun, anyway. Never thought I'd go.
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by The Monsterworks » Mon Jan 02, 2017 4:02 pm

All that Brooke can do is blush fiercely. Minor deity. That is absolutely not what I ever wanted to be. Se notices the boy following her. Have I even gained a disciple?! she half-jokes to herself.

Truth be told, she accepted these new abilities to allow her to help the mayor, to defend herself against Heddwyn should he ever attack her again, and because she got the sense that not doing so could end very badly for her. I wanted nothing more than to fly under the radar, fixing things and helping people - and maybe myself - in small ways. Now that's impossible. She tries not to show any further discomfort on her face, but Brooke's never had a knack for subtlety. They feel unnatural, she concludes. They're not a part of me, like the things I've always been able to do. The less that I use them, the better.

Quick to catch herself, Brooke takes a couple of impatient steps towards what looks like the door. At least a spaceflight will give her the chance to work with those nanobots and see if she can improve them or at least do something with them as they are.
Last edited by The Monsterworks on Mon Jan 02, 2017 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mastodon... Extinction (HW)
Osiris... Armageddon! (MW)
Elrathia... ROBOTS (LW)
Magnolia Pico... Ruination 4 (MW)
RipTide... ROBOT2 (FW)
Black Diamond... Cherry Bomb Classic 3 (HW)
MADSCIENCE... ROBOTS 3 (LW)
Abyss... ROBOTS 3 (MW)


The Monsterworks: 214-57 (.790) ...Probably up to no good.
Cherry Bomb Classic IV: 25-4
Finishing Move: 6-2
Magnolia Pico: 6-1
Magnolia Grande: 6-1
Glacier III: 7-0
ROBOTS 3: 21-6
Sixpounder: 3-4
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by That Kode Guy » Thu Jan 05, 2017 4:36 pm

[sorry if this update isn't up to my best standards or anything :/]

HEDDWYN'S PARTY

"Mayor?" says Guillermo.

Clancy McConnor has been silent for quite some time. But at last, he speaks again, "I would do much for you, but this is something I cannot grant: to let those two galactic criminals go free. They must be imprisoned for their crimes, or slain."

"I agree," barks Aegus, from the other side of the room. "Personally, they should be swiftly put down."

Koan and Calaveras turn and look at the mayor.

"Personally, I think we need all the help we can get," snarls Heddwyn at the door-warden.

"HELP?!" bellows Aegus. "Are you so addle-brained as to not notice whom you are dealing with?!"

"Maybe you didn't realize, but I shot Calaveras with the purifying cannon earlier," replies Casey, "and then Calaveras did the same to Koan."

"I am sorry, but I cannot allow their ill deeds to go unpunished," says Mayor McConnor.

Walden turns to Calaveras, frowning. "They will not be," he says, "but some form of redemption must be obtained. Perhaps the shock of Berthier turning on them is one step."

"General!" says Guillermo. "We're being hailed!"

"Hailed?!" says General Rashid. "By whom?"

"...it's her, isn't it," snarls Heddwyn.

But they are left in doubt barely a second longer. The screen in front of Guillermo flickers, and there is the severe expression of Berthier glaring at them. She doesn't have that air of smugness around her previously. She looks right pissed off.

"Well, if it isn't the resistance," she manages to smirk a little. "My my, you must be surprised to get a greeting from me."

"Berthier!!" shouts Casey.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," comes the reply. "Oh, and what's this? You have my two beloved sisters at your beckon and call."

As Koan and Calaveras seethe at her, Guillermo is already trying to intercept the message.

"Don't call us beloved, you snake!" Koan yells. "You tried to kill Cally!!"

"And who wouldn't, if she'd ruin our plans somewhat?" retorts Berthier. "Family is important, but orders are even more important. And I see they've got you, too. My, you're all useless, aren't you?"

"DON'T CALL ME USELESS!!!" Koan screams.

"Spare us," hisses Lazarus. "Your precious sisters are formidable but they could never take down our forces."

"Oh yes, of course, I see you've all banded together. How cute," But now Berthier's anger truly surfaces. "So, what have you done with Petz?"

There is a silence. "What?" Electro looks around at everyone.

"Don't fuck around with my intelligence. I lost contact with her a few hours ago," Berthier snaps. "But she's not with you. What did you bastards do to her?!"

"Why would you care?! You don't care about us!" Calaveras shoots back at her.

"Only because you're so worthless that taking out a party of C-list heroes is beyond even you!" yells Berthier.

"Wow, this is fucked up..." mutters Brooke. "I swear, I don't even know what's going on anymore..."

Berthier recomposes herself. "Now, I know Petz was heading for the neighboring planet of Enki, right? At least she managed to dispose of your precious other heroes. Or do my eyes deceive me?"

"Eat slugs, you bitch," Brooke finally responds to Berthier. "Petz failed. They're still alive."

Berthier goes silent, as (what seems to be) the truth hits her. "They killed her... !"

Calaveras glares interestedly at her sister. You idiot. I can still feel her... and you can't.

"You know," says Berthier at last, "I was going to lead those Judas scum over here on a full-blown assault on your planet. But now that you've really pissed me off," she smiles cruelly. "I'm just going to lead them to the other planet. Have fun trying to contact them in time. Mwah!"

She blows a kiss at them, and then the screen's gone blank.

"Damn it! I couldn't track her..." mumbles Guillermo, frustrated.

"Now now, son, you did your best," breathes the General. "But at least we know what she's doing."

"Is Petzie going there too?" Calaveras' voice shakes.

"It's no use trying to figure that out," Koan mutters. She turns to the mayor. "Look, I know you want us to pay, but is that really that much of a priority now? I really want to make Berthier pay for all this. Let us..."

The mayor glares daggers at her. "You terrorized our people!"

"Good mayor, I... I do have to agree, actually," fidgets Rashid. "As long as they are supervised, they should be able to assist us. We must stop the Judas from invading Enki and its satellite system... at once!"

"Besides, we do have some measure of control against them," adds Heddwyn.

The mayor sighs. "Against my better judgement, I will concede this and allow them to leave. But they must return here afterwards."

"Understood," replies the general.

"I will go," barks Aegus. "I will destroy as many of those space pirates as possible."

"Nay, you are needed here," retorts the general. "This Berthier woman might return, and besides, we still need to worry about the abductions after this whole mess has been dealt with."

Aegus looks as though he might gainsay the general, but instead contents himself to grumbling.

"Now come! You wished to pursue your friends anyway, yes?" says General Rashid.

He leads the party to the spaceship docks again.

[A/U: Any questions you might have about this subject, ask away.]

----

RUSTAHG and KYRAXA

"Here to help?" responds the squeaky voice. "Are you another to have been brought here?"

"...yes," responds Rustahg.

"Then I wouldn't hold out!" says the one called Robert. "That one!" He points at Nexios. "That one just pulled me from my time to help sort out a mess he couldn't fix himself!"

Nexios sighs. "What else could I resort to doing, Robert? You know as well as I do that this danger has the potential to threaten the entire omniverse."

"Says you!" yells the small figure.

"Hold your tongue," booms Kyraxa.

"No, we need to know what his deal is," responds Rustahg. "What happened to you?"

"I lost everyone, that's what!" whines Robert. "Charlie, Maurelle, Sanjuro... even Laila... we were attacked by galactic pirates called the Judas!"

Nexios' flame continues to be purple. "Did the Judas take everyone?"

"I don't know! I didn't know how to continue living with myself!" comes the squeaky reply. "We were being sucked towards a large object that we couldn't see! But then invaders boarded our ship and started attacking everyone! I was taken down and the next thing I knew, I was in a prison cell! Thanks to you!" he spits (figuratively) at Nexios.

"I did not make the Judas attack you, please stop taking your anger out on me," says Nexios quietly. "Now why are you a part of them?"

"Like I said, I didn't know how to continue living with myself! They were so powerful, and I could do nothing to them. They asked me if I wanted to live. I was afraid of Death! But the last thing I remember is being fitted with a helmet, and then... this. They must have enlisted me into their ranks."

"You were cowed by their show of numbers and strength," rumbles Kyraxa. "Foolish one."

"You are the foolish ones to walk alongside this meddler of time and space!" shoots back Robert.

"That is enough," the flame on Nexios turns blue. "We did not come here to be lectured. we came to bring aid to Uanna. Unfortunately we lost a crew member named Prisma in this attack by the Judas, but I hijacked this ship in return. Are there coordinates here that are set to Uanna, or Enki itself?"

"I don't know, I tell you that the last thing I remember was a helmet being strapped on me!" squeaks tiny Robert.

"I can check," rumbles Kyraxa again. "I will make this vessel bend to my mighty will."

"Good. Robert," says Nexios, "did the Judas have plans of invading the system again? That much you might be able to remember."

"What does it matter? All we do is ruinous."

"Answer me."

"Bah, fine! One of the commanders, I fear, had plans to encompass and pilfer Shamash, yes, but I don't know when these plans were to bear fruit."

"Who was this commander?"

"He resembled a bird-like creature..."

"Did he have a name?" requests Rustahg.

"...En... merkar?" Robert tries to remember.

"Then let us hasten!" calls Kyraxa. "We make course for this Uanna celestial body, now!"

And they zoom off...
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Venice Queen » Thu Jan 05, 2017 5:35 pm

"what's our plan, what's our numbers, and how much do we know about what we're up against?" Heddwyn asks as they move onwards to the ships. "I don't want the lives of my friends or myself in any more risk than is necessary at this stage."
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Cha0sFerret » Sun Jan 15, 2017 12:57 am

Friends... I guess that's functionally what we are now. Even if the sentiment's not quite there.

I allow myself a half-smile.

"There wouldn't happen to be time for a nap once we're on board, would there? Haven't slept in days. Haven't slept comfortably in weeks."
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by That Kode Guy » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:40 am

HEDDWYN and the rest

"Our numbers have dwindled since the abductions," mopes the general, "and since the last attack by the Judas the First Commandment is barely a shell of what it once was."

"These guys sound like bad business," grunts Benzine.

"We know a bit about them," says Koan. "What they lack in power they make up for in numbers. Even we've had to flee from them."

"Sheesh, do they even have a chain of command or do they just come and do whatever they like?" says Heddwyn.

"We're not entirely sure," says the general, with a withering glance at Koan.

"They're not a race, they're..." Koan racks her brains trying to figure the word. "They're like a gang. A galactic gang of bounty hunters. There's billions of them."

They approach a few spaceships similar to the one Nexios, Rustahg, Kadius and Kyraxa took off in. Soon they are in front of a gigantic space cruiser that can comfortably support a few thousand soldiers. Heddwyn looks up at it dubiously.

He turns back to the general. "They seem like a really big threat to this system as well."

"Well they didn't appear until the abductions..." General Rashid bows his head. "News of that spread system-wide. And it apparently found the ears of those ruffians..."

"That's good to hear," says Heddwyn sarcastically.

"So, uh... there wouldn't happen to be time for a nap once we're on board, would there? Haven't slept in days. Haven't slept comfortably in weeks," groans Casey.

"You're on route to Uanna," replies the general. "By my best estimate it would be a full 3 day cycles on this planet before you arrive in Enki's lunar system, and another half-day to Uanna's military docks."

"299.6 Earth hours," says Heddwyn, recalling what Nexios had informed him about before.

"So 12 and a half days... nice," sighs Casey. "Thanks Heddwyn." She heads into the ship.

"Uh, no problem Smoke," responds the half-demon, gazing after Casey. He looks at the two Spectre Sisters, then at Brooke, Benzine, and Electro. "Well? You coming?"

"Of course," says Brooke in a dignified voice. She stalks past Heddwyn and into the ship. Benzine shrugs and follows.

"Hey kid," Heddwyn stops Electro.

"What?" comes the response.

"I don't know if you've ever been in a full galactic war before, but y'know, war... any war... it's not a pretty thing by any means," the half-demon warns him. "I'd suggest you turn back if you don't want to experience the horror of it."

"Dude! I've already started this adventure and there's no going back! Now let me in there!" Electro pushes past Heddwyn.

"Impulsive squirt," Heddwyn shakes his head. Dude? Really? ... I'LL GIVE HIM "DUDE" ... you're giving me a migrane, button it...

"And you two?" he addresses Koan and Calaveras.

"I suppose nothing we say about this will effect you," says Koan, frowning.

"Not a chance," replies Heddwyn aggressively. Koan sighs and follows Electro. Calaveras steals a terrified glance at Heddwyn and then quickly bolts after her sister.

"Well I guess this is farewell for now," says the general.

"We'll come back," says Heddwyn. "We still have that score to settle with Berthier, and to solve the mystery of those disappearances."

Heddwyn stares to the open docks. If I know that bitch... she's coming right back here after leading those bastards to the other planet... damn her!

"Please hasten, if you can," frets the general. "It is a miracle you managed to even somewhat convert those two dangerous women, but - "

"We know." Heddwyn hops onto the craft. "Take care now."

****

Inside the craft, the party contemplates.

"Alright, one of you two." Heddwyn addresses the Spectre Sisters again. "Fly this thing - "

"No need!" Brooke hops forwards, incredibly eager. "I'll fly it! I've always wanted to try my hand at this!"

"You sure you can... you know, work this thing?" says Casey uncertainly.

"Positive," comes the immediate reply. Seconds later, the craft rises. Brooke finds the controls incredibly easily to navigate.

Through the front, Heddwyn eyes several thousand crafts rising up with them. Guillermo can be seen piloting one, with many of the Daath behind him.

"They sure prepare fast," mutters Heddwyn.

"Kind of have to, don't they, if they're expecting a full-blown war at the drop of a pin," snorts Brooke. "Okay, here we go!"

And their craft takes off, the rest of the fleet behind them.

----

(update for Martijn and Alex H next time)
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Cha0sFerret » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:35 am

Takeoff wasn't as exciting as I hoped... oh well. This ship is massive. The beds or whatever they use here better be fucking amazing for the budget they had to build this.

"Well, I'm gonna go find somewhere to lay down. Haven't slept since I got here, and before that I was running on two hours in a gutter. Wake me up if shit hits the fan," I announce as I head off looking for something resembling a bed.

Should at least get my focus back, anyway.
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by The Monsterworks » Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:45 pm

The controls are intuitively designed. Brooke is impressed. Whoever came up with this layout wasn't just some scientist, but an actual pilot. To be able to manage such a huge craft from one station. Daaaammmnn.

Eventually, the initial excitement wears off. Space is kind of just space. Brooke finds a manual. She glances over it while keeping an eye on their heading. She's piloted an airplane before but wouldn't exactly call herself 'licensed'. This isn't entirely dissimilar in terms of three-dimensional movement. The main difference is that you have to use thrusters to change direction and that gravity isn't an issue in the same way.

A couple more hours sees her starting to nod off. Belatedly, Brooke realizes that she hasn't slept since she was thrown into this situation.Putting the ship on autopilot, she finds a bunkroom, changes into the PJs that she brought, and closes her eyes. Stop, she thinks. Brooke Carragher falls asleep.

She sleeps for an indeterminate amount of time, but when she wakes up and opens her eyes, not a moment has passed for anyone else. She stands and stretches, refreshed, and combs a few knots from her hair. A quick shower and change of clothes later, and she struts back into the control room, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. All told, forty-one minutes away from the controls. Is there a coffeemaker here?
Mastodon... Extinction (HW)
Osiris... Armageddon! (MW)
Elrathia... ROBOTS (LW)
Magnolia Pico... Ruination 4 (MW)
RipTide... ROBOT2 (FW)
Black Diamond... Cherry Bomb Classic 3 (HW)
MADSCIENCE... ROBOTS 3 (LW)
Abyss... ROBOTS 3 (MW)


The Monsterworks: 214-57 (.790) ...Probably up to no good.
Cherry Bomb Classic IV: 25-4
Finishing Move: 6-2
Magnolia Pico: 6-1
Magnolia Grande: 6-1
Glacier III: 7-0
ROBOTS 3: 21-6
Sixpounder: 3-4
MADSCIENCE: 9-1 Champion!
Abyss: 9-1 Champion!

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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Venice Queen » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:16 pm

Heddwyn wanders by with a mug of tea

"There's a break room down the hall by the way; some tea and a coffee maker. Also a thing that 3D prints food. That thing's fuckin cool....


Also I am familiar with spacecraft, could probably figure out how to drive this thing if you get bored. Most of these things have autopilot, too."

He awkwardly hangs around a moment before wandering off, muttering something about books
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V900? Wheres V1-899 ~NickyDustyOwl
fridge ~ V900

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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by The Monsterworks » Mon Jan 16, 2017 12:21 am

Truth be told, the ship has spent most of the voyage on autopilot, with Brooke doing little more than an occasional course check. Still, it's always good to look busy.

Heddwyn pops in and says something about the break room. Brooke thanks him and he eventually leaves. He's sane right now, to the point where I almost want to...exist around him, but we can't afford to trust him with the controls and I'm not about to let my guard down.

Once he's gone, Brooke takes a deep breath and leans back. She kicks her foot up on the console, puts her headphones on, and listens to some retro wave as she starts figuring out just how to manipulate the nanobots.
Mastodon... Extinction (HW)
Osiris... Armageddon! (MW)
Elrathia... ROBOTS (LW)
Magnolia Pico... Ruination 4 (MW)
RipTide... ROBOT2 (FW)
Black Diamond... Cherry Bomb Classic 3 (HW)
MADSCIENCE... ROBOTS 3 (LW)
Abyss... ROBOTS 3 (MW)


The Monsterworks: 214-57 (.790) ...Probably up to no good.
Cherry Bomb Classic IV: 25-4
Finishing Move: 6-2
Magnolia Pico: 6-1
Magnolia Grande: 6-1
Glacier III: 7-0
ROBOTS 3: 21-6
Sixpounder: 3-4
MADSCIENCE: 9-1 Champion!
Abyss: 9-1 Champion!

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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by That Kode Guy » Mon Jan 16, 2017 1:05 am

(well, I said next time, but Marti and Alex H didn't even respond so they're being left out! on the other hand, thanks Alex M, Gabe, and Brad for being pretty active. Have an update :V)

HEDDWYN, CASEY, BROOKE, and the rest

A week has gone by without incident. Heddwyn, Casey, Brooke, Benzine, and even little Electro have kind of made the craft a makeshift home for themselves. It seems Koan and Calaveras have been less hostile than ever as well, though from time to time Calaveras' worry about her sisters gets projected to everyone (even Koan) by accident via her own fear. Both Koan and Heddwyn have to tell her to shut up often, to which Calaveras retorts that she can't help it.

Of course, this makes things seem grim for their friends. Rustahg, Kyraxa, and Kadius are nowhere to be found... nor is Nexios, or the traitor Petz. Keldar's reassurances that Nexios was still alive seem a mockery now.

****

A day later, Heddwyn grows curious about something. He calls Koan and Calaveras to the control room. Calaveras, however, does not heed the summons. Koan has to drag her sister in, because she's still terrified of the half-demon. Casey frowns.

"All right, now what's the meaning of this? I know you still haven't forgiven us for what we did but this still seems... abrupt," says Koan, frowning.

"Well, I want to know something," replies the half-demon. "We barely know what the hell you've been up to or what you even are."

"So you want to better understand us?" Koan continues to frown, but not as though she's annoyed with him. She seems to be pondering.

"Partially," says Heddwyn. "You mentioned that things changed for you at some point. One of your... leaders or whatever became different."

"Ah, yes..." Koan's eyebrows have a definite arch to them now. She looks sad. "Rubeus... he just... changed."

"All right, then tell us about yourselves. That's one way you can make it up to us," says Heddwyn flatly.

Koan looks at Calaveras, who seems to be trembling. "Oh grow a spine, Cally." Koan growls.

"Shut up!" Calaveras turns away, shaking worse now.

"Seems I've left a big impression on her," grunts Heddwyn.

"Good," blurts out Casey. "But Heddwyn has a point. These things seem to be connected. Your arrival here, the Judas invading this system as well, the disappearances... we're trying to piece things together."

"And the formation of the Daath," pipes up Benzine. "Don't forget. Nexios and Keldar formed the prophet group because of the abductions."

Heddwyn frowns now too. "Good point, that."

Koan sighs deeply. "All right. Where do you want me to begin? At the very start of my life? Because my memories don't go back that far..."

"Didn't you have any parents? I mean, you're... sisters," says Heddwyn, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know," Koan puts a hand to her forehead. "But we're not exactly what you'd call human."

"Nor am I," says the half-demon. "But I think you know that."

"Were you just a creation of evil, then?" Casey also frowns.

Koan and Calaveras look at each other, unsure.

"Well, evil has been turned to good before," Brooke shrugs.

"How'd all the bounty hunting start?" Casey goes on.

"That happened after the change..."

"All right, then what happened before?"

Koan puts her fingertips together. "The Black Moon Clan got its name from the being by the name of the Death Phantom. He attacked the Earth but was cast away into the deeps of space and banished to a satellite called Nemesis, orbiting a barren planet. The Death Phantom corrupted Nemesis with his evil, and it became known as the Black Moon.

The Death Phantom took a persona known as Wiseman and plotted his revenge. In doing so... I believe..."

Koan hesitates. "...yes, there's no other way around it. He must have created us, Cally."

"A-and Rubeus, and the other commanders?" Calaveras shakes. Casey and Heddwyn stare. It doesn't seem likely that Calaveras was aware of her true beginnings or even cared about them before, but now that the holy gun has worked its magic on her, she's absolutely horrified by this information. Koan however looks resigned. It could be that she seemed to care even before the holy gun was used on her.

"Prince Diamande? Saphir? Esmeraude? Yeah, he must have..." she sighs again.

Heddwyn seems unconcerned. "Okay, you guys wanted revenge and so on and so forth. I know how that kinda thing goes. So... what happened with the change? You told us about it briefly before."

Koan tries to recall it. "I... I really couldn't tell you HOW it happened, only what happened after. The Death Phantom was gone, Diamande, Saphir, Esmeraude... all of them were gone except Rubeus. He was different. Before, he wanted nothing more than the destruction of the planet that cast the Death Phantom into the void of space, as did all of us. We never gave thought to what would happen after that. And then... a-and then...

H-he went ballistic. He ranted and raved about how everything should be solely for the Black Moon Clan. He would sent Droids out on random missions to plunder any planets in the vicinity, and wiped away entire civilizations. That's where we came into this..."

"Are you telling us that you hadn't really changed from the time before?" Casey gapes.

"No!" says Calaveras for the first time. "That's why we were so confused! We didn't know what to make of these new orders, or of the change that came over our planet!"

"But we did favour Rubeus, so in the end we gave in to his orders," says Koan matter-of-factly.

"And... and yeah. We did find that we liked what we did," says Calaveras defiantly. "What do you expect?"

"Well yeah, you were evil," Brooke glares. "Still kind of are, in my eyes."

"I have a feeling we're going to get that a lot, aren't we?" Koan shakes her head, smirking.

"You mass-murdered entire races to the point of extinction, so I think that's a valid reason to get that a lot, even if this Laila angel's cannon did its trick," growls Heddwyn. "Anyway, what I'd like to know is... why did you come to this system in the first place?"

"Rubeus," says Koan. "I think you'll find the reasons were similar to why the Judas bastards came here too."

"The abductions?" says Benzine.

"Correct. I guess it was serious enough to spread throughout the universe, for it caught his ears. Then he heard about the planets and their wealth, so he sent us to claim the system."

"Well we've got a problem with that," says Casey. "That Nexios flamehead ripped us from our home worlds to help with this mess because APPARENTLY this is a problem on a multi-versal scale. If this thing devours the system, it'll spread outside it."

"And we don't even know what or where it is," Heddwyn frowns.

"Berthier had a plan about that..." Koan mumbles herself into some incoherent curses at Berther. Heddwyn glares at her. "All right, all right, fine. She likes it to a black hole, and said that if she could target whatever it was, the weapon that she was building could wipe it out instantly."

"What weapon?" says Brooke.

"It's... i-it's complicated," Koan stammers. "I'm not too good with technical bits, alright? Anyway, she said that she had plans to build a weapon that could turn a star into a black hole, and then harness energy from it until it evaporates."

"So THAT'S what she's doing." Koan's news is greatly appreciated by the party.

"Yes, but she doesn't have the required parts for it yet," says Koan. "She needs a few items that she says are in possession of the First Commandment branch on that planet we all just left."

"What items?" says Brooke again.

"I don't know, she didn't tell me!" Koan snaps. "All I know is that she said she needed them, and wanted the three of me, Cally, and Petz to infiltrate the planet's security so we could bring it down and allow her free access to their supplies."

"Well she's headed to the same planet we are, so fat chance!" Electro shouts.

You're pretty naive, pal... thinks Heddwyn. Now he speaks. "Calaveras didn't infiltrate, she simply tried to take over the minds of other people."

"Well her objective was to get in with the mayor's people, but they didn't like her attitude."

Quite right... good to see they're not as blind as I thought they'd be, thinks Heddwyn again.

"How'd you get in with the Daath?" says Casey, frowning again. "That's confused me ever since you were found out."

"Well, I approached them... I don't even believe it myself," says Koan, interjecting herself with her surprise. "Two of them were against me and two of them wanted to allow me... one of them abstained, so the reptile one was the vote-decider, but they kept me on a very short leash."

"Who allowed you? Who were against you?" Heddwyn persists with the questions.

"Uhhh... Nex... thing? He was against my entry, as was that Walden guy. Keldar introduced me, the guy with the beard... Icha... something. That guy with the jaws, he was fine either way, so the lizard guy went ahead and said I was one of them. That sealed it."

"So ARE you a prophet?" says Heddwyn, not bothering to hide the tone of disbelief. It seemed absurd that this woman, a prophet, couldn't even remember the names of all the Daath.

"That... hurts," Koan replies, and indeed she kind of looks insulted. "I did bank on infiltrating the planet's defenses, but... I think my ambition overreached the demands of my sisters, and Rubeus too. You see, I can only look into the future for a few hours at a time, and I wanted to enhance that power. But ever since I joined them, I can't see a damn thing in the future."

"You were trying to better yourself through learning about others' powers? Okay, that's... kind of a shocker," says Benzine, looking around at everyone.

"So just to break the ice here," says Heddwyn, "what sort of powers do you guys have? We... kind of know, but it'd be nice to have a little more detail."

Koan stares at her hand, admiring it. "I can exude and control phantom fire... I also have, one might say... superhuman strength? A metric ton is nothing to me. And my claws - "

*SHING!*

The party tenses, not expecting that. But as they do, the treacherously sharp nails retract back into Koan's fingers.

" - can shatter the most adamant of material."

"Don't do that!" barks Heddwyn. "I had half a mind to rearrange your face. And the other half... well, let's just say it would have been worse." EVISCERATE HER, LAY HER WASTE ... take a chill pill already...

"...sorry." Koan draws back and puts her hands together, looking down at them. Heddwyn just continues to stare at her.

Did... did she just say 'sorry'? Jeez this woman confuses me.

Koan notes the staring, reddens, and flares up. "What, you like what you see?!" she says angrily.

"How many hundreds of times have you said that to someone you got in bed with? You couldn't even begin to impress me," smirks Heddwyn.

The party gasps, thinking he'd gone way too far with that insult. But Koan recognizes the insult that had come from her and, amazingly, she goes completely quiet for several seconds. Then...

"Yeah... yeah, I get it. Ha ha."

"Okay good, you can take what you dish out," says Heddwyn. "Now that that's been established, what about your sisters? Well?" he barks at Calaveras.

"I'll answer for her, because you've probably made her pee herself," Koan interjects.

"KOANIE!! Damn it, you're so mean to me!!" Calaveras yells.

"I'm just kidding... sort of," sighs Koan. "Cally here can control the weak-willed and the uneducated using spiritual powers, and she can do this to a lot of beings at once, as long as she's within distance."

"I-I also have some measure of telekinesis... though not at the level Petzie has..." intones Calaveras. "I can also conjure certain objects, but that's kind of it..."

"While she does have telekinetic, I guess, Petz also has measure over particles and matter and that sort of thing. Again, it's complicated. She's pretty sadistic and she delights in the pain and suffering of others."

"And Bertie... ugh."

"You seem to hate her as much as we do," scoffs Casey.

"I... I-I don't hate her!" Calaveras shouts. "I'm confused! I want to know why she turned on us!"

"We both do, but I don't know. I'm starting to take a dislike to her," snarls Koan. "Anyway, Berthier... Berthier's the brains behind our operation. She's pretty ditzy but it's a front for her more calculating self. If she's legitimately ditzy, well... her social skills aren't up to snuff so that explains that. She has power over water, ice, and some chemical liquids and stuff. You should see the lab in our ship. It's scary."

"Interesting shit, good to know," Casey nods. "Hey Brooke, what's our ETA?"

"Should be arriving in the system in 2 more days," says Brooke cheerfully. "Add another 2 days and we'll be docking." Then she blinks. "Wait a minute..."

Brooke fiddles with the radar settings, her expression going blank.

"What's wrong?" Koan asks.

"We're... getting a strange reading here," Brooke checks the radar. "I'm... picking up several incoming ships, but when I switch the sensors to infrared..." She turns to the others. "There's nothing."
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Venice Queen » Mon Jan 16, 2017 1:39 am

Heddwyn feels out with his mental powers on the off-chance he can pick something up ...BEND TO ME OUTSIDERS...no control needed yet... Just knowledge...

"Are there, uh, any other sensors you can use?"
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by Cha0sFerret » Mon Jan 16, 2017 2:04 am

Black hole maker? Oh, I like the sound of this. Still don't know why Berthier didn't just offer to take the parts in exchange for not destroying the planet. Apparently, something on her ship is capable of that. Wish they'd use their brains.

No, she has to be smarter than that. There's gotta be a reason that's not her step one.

Oh, what was the procedure... infiltrate, threaten, something else that doesn't matter... is... is destruction a bluff? Maybe she doesn't have a weapon of that scale. She does have that thing she shot at from from her ship at the amusement park. That could pass as planet-destroying to the unaware.


Brooke's message derails my train of thought.

Infrared cloaking? Someone really hates heatseekers.

Heddwyn beats me to my first question.

"Better question, do we have time to check other sensors?" I ask, already digging through my bag for the visor.

If it's the same guys that took out our other group, I'll need to be ready. Don't know if going a week without action did any good for me.

Visor in hand, I hurry over next to Brooke. I suddenly remember the events at the library, just before Koan had flung me across the room. That she knew too much, somehow. Might as well have some fun.

Hey mindreader, if you're still around, go fuck yourself.
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by That Kode Guy » Mon Jan 16, 2017 2:14 am

Casey's mental snark goes unheard.

"Uh... hold on," Heddwyn interjects.

...THERE you are...

Wait...

...oh my fucking god.


Heddwyn can sense them all...

And he's not alone.

Calaveras can suddenly sense them too.

"O-ooooh nooo..." she says, her voice in a very high-pitched falsetto tone.

"What? What is it?!" Casey barks.

"...there... there must be... over 100,000..." she gapes.

Koan seems strangely nonchalant about it. "So?" she replies. "Mind-control them and send them packing, Cally. You don't object to that, do you?" she asks the party.
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Mystery of the Apkallian System

Post by The Monsterworks » Mon Jan 16, 2017 6:35 am

Brooke shrugs. "If you can really manage that many people, then it beats getting annihilated all hollow. Also beats using violence to achieve our ends."

She glances around at the others. There's an idea nagging at the back of her mind. "Still, I'd like to find out why they're not visible on infrared. Think you could get one of the smaller ones to come towards us? If it's tech, then it's tech that we need to get our hands on and understand."
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