Re: The Grand Battle S2G1! [Round One: Alpha Complex!]
07-10-2010, 12:58 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by Schazer.
Xadrez decided not to make it a point of contention when Weo declared he should lead the way to BSV - not even when he punctuated the suggestion with the extraction of his red laser pistol from his box of equipment. Judging by the awkward angle his Rillian digits wrapped around the pistol, Weo appeared (to Xadrez's well-trained eye) to have little proficiency with the weapon.
Satisfying whatever petty need for revenge he had by running over the odds of winning a civil war you started without projectile weapons, the spirit drifted a good couple of metres ahead of the group as it unerringly navigated the monotonous corridors. An electronic sign was up ahead at a T-junction, intermittently flashing between informing the citizens of Alpha Complex that to the left were the GBS ABOVE YOUR CLEARANCE LEVEL, CITIZEN; to the right was the pedestrian route to Sector BSV; and Bouncy Bubble Beverage (Every RED's Favourite!) was on hold it.
A cognitive dissonance, two facts previously thought immutable, clashed in Xadrez's mind; there was a subsequent commotion back up the hallway as an unfamiliar Red charged into the laggards' midst. Spinning slowly, it took the tactician only one distracted second to inform Arkal (through the bishop in his pocket) that the Troubleshooter's clothes were the same as Keleth's, before scrutinising the sign again.
Right led to somewhere ABOVE XADREZ'S CLEARANCE LEVEL; left, to BSV. Just as purported on Bill's map. The other six had caught up. Weo looked prepared to test-run another snarky gem, while Kracht was watching Xadrez's deliberations with an inscrutable look as only mineral could.
Xadrez dithered for a moment longer, before a pack of clones sprinted out the same hallway Keleth had. The shapeshifter did his best not to look back at them, instead shooting the tactician a nervous glance. Nodding subtly, Xadrez raised a spectral hand, keeping an eye on Kracht.
A twitch right; no response. Xadrez waved his arm clearly leftward, relishing the barely-discernible spasm of the mineral's lime features. The tactician drifted out of the group's way, explaining to Arkal. "He reckons this is as far as his map got him." Kracht was still glaring at the chessmaster, beneath the schizoid signage, waiting for the group to move away a little.
"I know you know the sign changed." Xadrez made no reply; he simply picked up the figurine of Jen and started etching it with his knife.
"You think you're being clever, but you're not. This junction here's been about fifty-fifty. And more times than not, that route got you killed, or got mighty close, in the third round."
Xadrez still didn't respond. Kracht opened his mouth again, at which point the tactician finally decided to throw him a bone. In his case, the tape deck of the decimated security camera. you are merely trying to scare me
"I'm merely trying to avoid unnecessary bloodshed." A hint of anger crept into the mineral's voice.
yours despite the idiom purporting such action would be redundant
Kracht was starting to look apoplectic. Before he could get a word in, Xadrez cut him off, gently placing the green token on the board and bringing forth the grey dagger.
I am but a tactician mired in his own board with nowt but a knife
You are but a deathless foe who can tell me what will happen
While I add and double-check and posit you smirk and dole out the what will be
You cheapen my art stride across the stage and as I dance despite your discordant steps you say
you say you made the journey in less steps, simpler steps, and laugh at my prancing
I am but an angered soul either of us could predict with ease my present irrationality- The knife's whisper rose in pitch through the spirit's litany, terminating sharply as Xadrez stabbed it firmly in himself.
Kracht seemed calmer, as though these words ordained a smoother path. He made no move as Xadrez dug around in his box, removing his Troubleshooter-issue red pistol. The pair's eyes remained locked as the spirit pointed the gun up the corridor; the aim askew, ceiling-ward; Kracht's mouth twisting only slightly in displeasure as the gun emitted a crimson pulse; neither surprised when it ricocheted in three bouncing arcs and struck Weo clean in the back. Kracht slowly shook his head, but it wasn't with shock.
Xadrez lowered the pistol, looking, Kracht liked to envision, a little woebegone.
expected
"That speech. Every damn time."
Xadrez decided not to make it a point of contention when Weo declared he should lead the way to BSV - not even when he punctuated the suggestion with the extraction of his red laser pistol from his box of equipment. Judging by the awkward angle his Rillian digits wrapped around the pistol, Weo appeared (to Xadrez's well-trained eye) to have little proficiency with the weapon.
Satisfying whatever petty need for revenge he had by running over the odds of winning a civil war you started without projectile weapons, the spirit drifted a good couple of metres ahead of the group as it unerringly navigated the monotonous corridors. An electronic sign was up ahead at a T-junction, intermittently flashing between informing the citizens of Alpha Complex that to the left were the GBS ABOVE YOUR CLEARANCE LEVEL, CITIZEN; to the right was the pedestrian route to Sector BSV; and Bouncy Bubble Beverage (Every RED's Favourite!) was on hold it.
A cognitive dissonance, two facts previously thought immutable, clashed in Xadrez's mind; there was a subsequent commotion back up the hallway as an unfamiliar Red charged into the laggards' midst. Spinning slowly, it took the tactician only one distracted second to inform Arkal (through the bishop in his pocket) that the Troubleshooter's clothes were the same as Keleth's, before scrutinising the sign again.
Right led to somewhere ABOVE XADREZ'S CLEARANCE LEVEL; left, to BSV. Just as purported on Bill's map. The other six had caught up. Weo looked prepared to test-run another snarky gem, while Kracht was watching Xadrez's deliberations with an inscrutable look as only mineral could.
Xadrez dithered for a moment longer, before a pack of clones sprinted out the same hallway Keleth had. The shapeshifter did his best not to look back at them, instead shooting the tactician a nervous glance. Nodding subtly, Xadrez raised a spectral hand, keeping an eye on Kracht.
A twitch right; no response. Xadrez waved his arm clearly leftward, relishing the barely-discernible spasm of the mineral's lime features. The tactician drifted out of the group's way, explaining to Arkal. "He reckons this is as far as his map got him." Kracht was still glaring at the chessmaster, beneath the schizoid signage, waiting for the group to move away a little.
"I know you know the sign changed." Xadrez made no reply; he simply picked up the figurine of Jen and started etching it with his knife.
"You think you're being clever, but you're not. This junction here's been about fifty-fifty. And more times than not, that route got you killed, or got mighty close, in the third round."
Xadrez still didn't respond. Kracht opened his mouth again, at which point the tactician finally decided to throw him a bone. In his case, the tape deck of the decimated security camera. you are merely trying to scare me
"I'm merely trying to avoid unnecessary bloodshed." A hint of anger crept into the mineral's voice.
yours despite the idiom purporting such action would be redundant
Kracht was starting to look apoplectic. Before he could get a word in, Xadrez cut him off, gently placing the green token on the board and bringing forth the grey dagger.
I am but a tactician mired in his own board with nowt but a knife
You are but a deathless foe who can tell me what will happen
While I add and double-check and posit you smirk and dole out the what will be
You cheapen my art stride across the stage and as I dance despite your discordant steps you say
you say you made the journey in less steps, simpler steps, and laugh at my prancing
I am but an angered soul either of us could predict with ease my present irrationality- The knife's whisper rose in pitch through the spirit's litany, terminating sharply as Xadrez stabbed it firmly in himself.
Kracht seemed calmer, as though these words ordained a smoother path. He made no move as Xadrez dug around in his box, removing his Troubleshooter-issue red pistol. The pair's eyes remained locked as the spirit pointed the gun up the corridor; the aim askew, ceiling-ward; Kracht's mouth twisting only slightly in displeasure as the gun emitted a crimson pulse; neither surprised when it ricocheted in three bouncing arcs and struck Weo clean in the back. Kracht slowly shook his head, but it wasn't with shock.
Xadrez lowered the pistol, looking, Kracht liked to envision, a little woebegone.
expected
"That speech. Every damn time."
peace to the unsung peace to the martyrs | i'm johnny rotten appleseed
clouds is shaky love | broke as hell but i got a bunch of ringtones
eyes blood red bruise aubergine | Sue took something now Sue doesn't sleep | saint average, day in the life of
woke up in the noon smelling doom and death | out the house, great outdoors
staying warm in arctic blizzard | that's my battle 'til I get inanimate | still up in the same clothes living like a gameshow
clouds is shaky love | broke as hell but i got a bunch of ringtones
eyes blood red bruise aubergine | Sue took something now Sue doesn't sleep | saint average, day in the life of
woke up in the noon smelling doom and death | out the house, great outdoors
staying warm in arctic blizzard | that's my battle 'til I get inanimate | still up in the same clothes living like a gameshow