Re: Grand Battle S3G1! (Round One: Vio Maleficat)
01-12-2011, 11:07 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Anomaly.
Erstwhile, some indeterminate amount of time earlier...
Tengeri's scanner flashed a bit of useful information to her - namely, that caverns were in a constant state of flux, rearranging themselves entirely at random; true randomness, a lack of pattern which prevented any amount of estimation. Navigating back to the facility, barring convenient, unpredictable rearrangements of the entwined lattice of serpentine tunnels, would prove a logistical nightmare. After several microcycles of uneventful plodding and floating, the two were stopped by a sudden outgrowth of very, very talkative vines, which quickly interwove and shut off the passage. The chaotic plant matter babbled on and on and on about groceries and laundromats and taxes and how awful the government was and how kids today have it easy they walked five miles in the snow to school every day uphill both ways and never complained and oh it's some people hiiiii people and then discussed the finer points of Ottoman period architecture and-
The vines exploded into flames when touched by the miniature star, nudged onward with naught but a wave of the magician's wand. Tengeri took a quick, askance look at Murdoch before resuming on her way. Quiet quickly overtook the scene for several more microcycles before, with little warning, a small bubble of water pulled away from the main field and quickly formed itself into writing (Tengeri was slowly becoming more skillful at this wildly inefficient method of communication).
"how did you become so proficient at magic?"
Murdoch raised an eyebrow at the Leviath before speaking up. "I... Well..." Tengeri could tell that he was hesitant to tell her about it. "I... Really don't want to talk about that. You heard enough just from my little 'introduction' at the start of this game."
"sorry, i don't mean to pry. magic is extremely rare in my home universe, in the capacity you use it in. it's common in minor forms - almost all leviaths possess telekinesis, and experimental levian power systems - such as the one keeping me alive - rely on channeling of a barely-understood form of magical energy. very rarely do you see a member of any species - save one or two - with powerful abilities such as-"
The conversation was erupted by a gigantic, mustached Trilobite, complete with a scorpion tail armed with a laser cannon. It let out a deafening roar, causing both Murdoch and Tengeri to involuntarily flinch. The laser cannon, in an almost cartoon-like-fashion, began to draw in lines of ill-defined "energy", coalescing into a large ball at the end. Tengeri only had a moment to react as it pointed at her and fired the energy ball, vaporizing a small quantity of her waterfield simply from its proximity. Murdoch waved the mini-star through the air in random loops and turns, drawing the arthropod's attention almost immediately. Tengeri swiftly extended her upper two hypermanipulators, equipped with extremely powerful plasma cutters, then divebombed the creature. Unfortunately, it didn't take very kindly, letting out a loud "Harrumph" before swatting her away with the hard metal weapon on its tail.
Tengeri crashed to the ground, receiving several bruises but otherwise making it out alright. Fortunately, her implants were comprised of an extremely high-strength durasteel alloy, unable to be destroyed by less than extreme force. She groggily arose, and looked up to find the creature losing interest in the shiny distraction. Worse, it had found another perfectly good shiny object in the vicinity - the magician. It had already begun to charge its weapon, aiming it at the considerably less interesting Leviath it had just attempted to immobilize.Tengeri jolted across the tunnel and avoided the projectile, losing less water this time. She looked back up to see the magician brandishing his wand, waving it around menacingly, prepared to fight. With a single stroke of the wand, however, the star came crashing down on the unfortunate creature, killing it instantly.
"why didn't you do that earlier?"
"I'm rather... hesitant... to kill unnecessarily. I suppose it doesn't much matter with a mindless beast like that, but it's the principle of the thing!"
"i am quite opposed to killing - even simply harming - others unnecessarily, but i think our lives are more important than that of a dangerous creature."
"Y-yes, I guess I was just apprehensive. You alright?"
"i'll be fine. i've had worse."
The two continued through the caves, soon coming to a large shaft, much like the one they had fallen down, minus the mushrooms and the unity pocket.
"it'll probably lead us closer to the surface. hang on tight."
Tengeri activated both pairs of hypermanipulators, using the extra as rope to prevent the magician from falling as he gripped the metal plating. As soon as Murdoch gave confirmation, Tengeri shifted the top two manipulators back into climbing tools and started up the side of the shaft. With the added weight the climb was made more difficult, but still bearable. Almost as if on command, the ceiling of the shaft shifted away to reveal the inside of the Unity Plant to Tengeri's sensors. Tengeri redoubled her efforts and managed to squeeze through the gap just before it closed.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Generator stabilizing. Likelihood of meltdown at current stability: 13%. Hazard level 7. Continue repairs if possible, get to safe distance if not."
Tengeri, growing slightly nervous that a genuine threat, such as Scofflaw, for one, would show up at any moment, redoubled her efforts on the generator. She shot a glance to Murdoch, whose expression exhibited a sense of boredom, mixed with a tinge of agitation and regret. Nonetheless, he continued the unity beam unabetted, keeping the generator operational at the very least while the doctor worked. She was not exactly what one would call "experienced" in the matter of generator repairs, but the instructional 3D overlay was doing its job well enough. It was taking much, much longer than it would take an experienced mechanic, but, as her HUD flashed to her, the generator was nearly stabilized.
"Generator stabilizing. Integrity at 98% and rising. Likelihood of meltdown at current stability: minimal.
...
Integrity at 99% and rising.
...
Generator stabilized. Likelihood of meltdown: .003%."
Tengeri turned to Murdoch and signaled him with the odd head-bobbing motion that seemed to indicate a plethora of things in his odd body langauge. Murdoch let off the unity beam, leaving the now-stabilized generator working on its own. It was only at 74% of capacity, and certainly wouldn't reseal the gaps in the field, but at the very least it would prevent unity from collapsing altogether. Tengeri deactivated the manipulators and floated toward Murdoch, simultaneously forming words in front of him.
"now that that's taken care of, should attempt to find information ab"
The words dissolved and pulled themselves back into the larger waterfield. As could be expected after such an act, Tengeri's HUD was once more flashing a warning. "Threat detected. GB-005 approaching. Distance: 15.678 meters and closing. GB-006 also present, displaying same phenomenon. Use extreme caution."
"scofflaw approaching rapidly. definitely heading for this room."
"What do you want to do, turn tail and run away like chickens?"
The expression was, of course, completely lost on the Leviath. This was no time to question it, though. There wasn't time to escape as she had so frequently done in he past; she would have to deal with him personally.
"no time to run. just be on guard."
"Whatever you say."
The broken door swung open as the dinosaur burst into the room, followed closely by "bastard, in short". Tengeri immediately unfurled all four of her manipulators, brandishing a plasma cutter, a "climbing spike", and two hand-like appendages, each possessing three two-jointed fingers arranged in an equidistant, triangular fashion around the perimeter. Saint Scofflaw looked on, betraying a slight air of amusement as Tengeri formed a message in front of him.
"i don't know what it is you're planning, and frankly, i don't care. just keep in mind that you are in fact outnumbered, and could be incapacitated fairly handily. unless you haven't come for a fight, but do keep in mind that i can detect the subtlest movement you make."
Erstwhile, some indeterminate amount of time earlier...
Tengeri's scanner flashed a bit of useful information to her - namely, that caverns were in a constant state of flux, rearranging themselves entirely at random; true randomness, a lack of pattern which prevented any amount of estimation. Navigating back to the facility, barring convenient, unpredictable rearrangements of the entwined lattice of serpentine tunnels, would prove a logistical nightmare. After several microcycles of uneventful plodding and floating, the two were stopped by a sudden outgrowth of very, very talkative vines, which quickly interwove and shut off the passage. The chaotic plant matter babbled on and on and on about groceries and laundromats and taxes and how awful the government was and how kids today have it easy they walked five miles in the snow to school every day uphill both ways and never complained and oh it's some people hiiiii people and then discussed the finer points of Ottoman period architecture and-
The vines exploded into flames when touched by the miniature star, nudged onward with naught but a wave of the magician's wand. Tengeri took a quick, askance look at Murdoch before resuming on her way. Quiet quickly overtook the scene for several more microcycles before, with little warning, a small bubble of water pulled away from the main field and quickly formed itself into writing (Tengeri was slowly becoming more skillful at this wildly inefficient method of communication).
"how did you become so proficient at magic?"
Murdoch raised an eyebrow at the Leviath before speaking up. "I... Well..." Tengeri could tell that he was hesitant to tell her about it. "I... Really don't want to talk about that. You heard enough just from my little 'introduction' at the start of this game."
"sorry, i don't mean to pry. magic is extremely rare in my home universe, in the capacity you use it in. it's common in minor forms - almost all leviaths possess telekinesis, and experimental levian power systems - such as the one keeping me alive - rely on channeling of a barely-understood form of magical energy. very rarely do you see a member of any species - save one or two - with powerful abilities such as-"
The conversation was erupted by a gigantic, mustached Trilobite, complete with a scorpion tail armed with a laser cannon. It let out a deafening roar, causing both Murdoch and Tengeri to involuntarily flinch. The laser cannon, in an almost cartoon-like-fashion, began to draw in lines of ill-defined "energy", coalescing into a large ball at the end. Tengeri only had a moment to react as it pointed at her and fired the energy ball, vaporizing a small quantity of her waterfield simply from its proximity. Murdoch waved the mini-star through the air in random loops and turns, drawing the arthropod's attention almost immediately. Tengeri swiftly extended her upper two hypermanipulators, equipped with extremely powerful plasma cutters, then divebombed the creature. Unfortunately, it didn't take very kindly, letting out a loud "Harrumph" before swatting her away with the hard metal weapon on its tail.
Tengeri crashed to the ground, receiving several bruises but otherwise making it out alright. Fortunately, her implants were comprised of an extremely high-strength durasteel alloy, unable to be destroyed by less than extreme force. She groggily arose, and looked up to find the creature losing interest in the shiny distraction. Worse, it had found another perfectly good shiny object in the vicinity - the magician. It had already begun to charge its weapon, aiming it at the considerably less interesting Leviath it had just attempted to immobilize.Tengeri jolted across the tunnel and avoided the projectile, losing less water this time. She looked back up to see the magician brandishing his wand, waving it around menacingly, prepared to fight. With a single stroke of the wand, however, the star came crashing down on the unfortunate creature, killing it instantly.
"why didn't you do that earlier?"
"I'm rather... hesitant... to kill unnecessarily. I suppose it doesn't much matter with a mindless beast like that, but it's the principle of the thing!"
"i am quite opposed to killing - even simply harming - others unnecessarily, but i think our lives are more important than that of a dangerous creature."
"Y-yes, I guess I was just apprehensive. You alright?"
"i'll be fine. i've had worse."
The two continued through the caves, soon coming to a large shaft, much like the one they had fallen down, minus the mushrooms and the unity pocket.
"it'll probably lead us closer to the surface. hang on tight."
Tengeri activated both pairs of hypermanipulators, using the extra as rope to prevent the magician from falling as he gripped the metal plating. As soon as Murdoch gave confirmation, Tengeri shifted the top two manipulators back into climbing tools and started up the side of the shaft. With the added weight the climb was made more difficult, but still bearable. Almost as if on command, the ceiling of the shaft shifted away to reveal the inside of the Unity Plant to Tengeri's sensors. Tengeri redoubled her efforts and managed to squeeze through the gap just before it closed.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Generator stabilizing. Likelihood of meltdown at current stability: 13%. Hazard level 7. Continue repairs if possible, get to safe distance if not."
Tengeri, growing slightly nervous that a genuine threat, such as Scofflaw, for one, would show up at any moment, redoubled her efforts on the generator. She shot a glance to Murdoch, whose expression exhibited a sense of boredom, mixed with a tinge of agitation and regret. Nonetheless, he continued the unity beam unabetted, keeping the generator operational at the very least while the doctor worked. She was not exactly what one would call "experienced" in the matter of generator repairs, but the instructional 3D overlay was doing its job well enough. It was taking much, much longer than it would take an experienced mechanic, but, as her HUD flashed to her, the generator was nearly stabilized.
"Generator stabilizing. Integrity at 98% and rising. Likelihood of meltdown at current stability: minimal.
...
Integrity at 99% and rising.
...
Generator stabilized. Likelihood of meltdown: .003%."
Tengeri turned to Murdoch and signaled him with the odd head-bobbing motion that seemed to indicate a plethora of things in his odd body langauge. Murdoch let off the unity beam, leaving the now-stabilized generator working on its own. It was only at 74% of capacity, and certainly wouldn't reseal the gaps in the field, but at the very least it would prevent unity from collapsing altogether. Tengeri deactivated the manipulators and floated toward Murdoch, simultaneously forming words in front of him.
"now that that's taken care of, should attempt to find information ab"
The words dissolved and pulled themselves back into the larger waterfield. As could be expected after such an act, Tengeri's HUD was once more flashing a warning. "Threat detected. GB-005 approaching. Distance: 15.678 meters and closing. GB-006 also present, displaying same phenomenon. Use extreme caution."
"scofflaw approaching rapidly. definitely heading for this room."
"What do you want to do, turn tail and run away like chickens?"
The expression was, of course, completely lost on the Leviath. This was no time to question it, though. There wasn't time to escape as she had so frequently done in he past; she would have to deal with him personally.
"no time to run. just be on guard."
"Whatever you say."
The broken door swung open as the dinosaur burst into the room, followed closely by "bastard, in short". Tengeri immediately unfurled all four of her manipulators, brandishing a plasma cutter, a "climbing spike", and two hand-like appendages, each possessing three two-jointed fingers arranged in an equidistant, triangular fashion around the perimeter. Saint Scofflaw looked on, betraying a slight air of amusement as Tengeri formed a message in front of him.
"i don't know what it is you're planning, and frankly, i don't care. just keep in mind that you are in fact outnumbered, and could be incapacitated fairly handily. unless you haven't come for a fight, but do keep in mind that i can detect the subtlest movement you make."