"One thing that bugs me is how those demons turn into slime," Charles says, frowning. "It's like... they're not even real? Or they're actually all part of the same thing? Maybe they're all part of Void? Have you been able to analyze any of it? Or is that one of those things that drives people crazy?"
"I know, right?" says Greer, "No internal anatomy at all. And if the pile of goo is big enough, you'll see it start to crawl back towards the Tower before the goo disappears. Our biologists had a lot of theories, but no real answers."
Tarantula interrupts, "I guess we'd all better rest up until your friends get back. I'd like to hit them as soon as we can."
Nissa’s knows enough about 20th-century action movies to know duct-taping many guns together makes a super gun. She also knows enough about guns not to try this.
“I better get a carrying case for these. I’m too short to work the gun-holsted-on-the-thigh look.”
Nissa spends some time with L.C. before leaving. She is aware of the cameras, and it’s the workplace. Whatever her feelings, she says some heartfelt words but does not put on a show.
By the end of the visit, cameras be damned, she says the L-word. “I don’t care if we’re at work, being recorded for training purposes or whatever. World 16 Greer lost that Angel, and I get the feeling he’s lost other supers… and I saw a civilian die horribly. The biggest demon smashed Big Red to pieces in a matter of seconds.
“If I’m not afraid to face that enemy… I sure as hell ain’t afraid of stupid rules.”
She then brightens her armor as bright as it can shine, and spreads her luminous wings. Maybe wings made of pure white sunlight create a blind spot for the security camera. Maybe the camera adjusts for light level, and she can be seen giving L.C. a passionate kiss.
Before heading to her dangerous mission—the kind people don’t necessarily come back from—Nissa gives L.C. a chance to get the last parting word in.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Charles sighs. "Right. I'm obviously not going to figure out anything new just sitting around here. Resting up is a good idea."
Doc Z takes the wand and says, "Well, it was nice visiting here. This place is quite a trip."
Then, he opens a portal home.
Theo and Charles try to rest in this new hostile world.
L.C. could get Nissa some omnisium (omni-see-um) coated helmets, but, on that short notice and with Kai in another dimension, the helmets will look dorky AF--so dorky that you'll need to make a Will save not to laugh at each other. They will look like a very tiny person robbed an ogre-sized bicycle courier and is walking around wearing their stolen bicycle helmet and pretending like it fits. And that's the same no matter what size the person wearing them is. She can get you one for each member of the team, but not for the people from World 16 as they require having the exact dimensions of each person's head to make the inner omnisium layer fit.
Zellgato and Doc Z are holding what look like the ogre courier's saddlebags. The enormous sacks are brimming with bottles of siracha, packets of honey, DoubleMint THC Gum (TM), 23rd century hair regrowth formula for Col. Greer, and other items that don't really belong in the 20th Century, nor, perhaps, in World 16 at all.
I imagine they're trying to look nonchalant about it.
In the center of the room is the bubble of transdimensional light opening the Flight Deck up to the Shuffle. It flickers.
Ron, from the control booth, says, "Boss, you're going to need to get off the Flight Deck and return to the Control Room. Those transdimensional bubbles make quite a pop when the team goes through them and there's a 2% chance you could get sucked in."
"I'll take that chance," L.C. says, "Better that than letting Void back into my head. Even with all the grief I didn't feel when ..."
She stops talking, looks at the team, rolls her eyes at the sacks of contraband, and says, "Just go. Don't forget that crate of weapons. You have to bring those back."
The back of the Best Buy has a warehouse full of kids bunkbeds taken from something called a "Sears". There are price tags on them still.
Theo finds the bed small. Charles might not fit in one at all.
Just as they begin to drift off to sleep, an alarm goes off. Several people hop out of beds and begin dressing. A minute later, someone says over the store intercom, "Code Green. Situation Code Green. Nothing to see here ..."
Kai is startled from having dozed off in the makeshift workshop.
"Code Green... Green is good, right?" Kai looks questioningly at the World 16 natives.
After giving L.C. a goodbye kiss, Nissa asks Zellgato to use the wand outside of the flight deck for her safety.
Nissa struts her stuff, clad in her sundress and her new magic helmet, she poses with a laser in one hand, infrared mercy pistol in the other.
“I’m back! And looking awesome in omnisium!”
Nissa looks cute… from the neck down. But her slender little body with the oversized helmet is about as sexy as a Tootsie Pop. She hopes to at least cheer up the team, both new friends and old.
“L.C. and Ron apologize for the dorky look. Also, they could only fit these on heads they know the exact dimensions of. Apparently our records include our dimensions. Huh… like my bust size and weight.” Nissa is distracted. “So yeah… looks like us aliens are the infiltration team.”
She hands Theo, Charles and Kai their helms (Z-12’s got his!) and also gives Kai an infrared mercy pistol. “It’s nonlethal, like you asked for… not that that’ll matter if you shoot with the gauntlet hand.”
She has four gauntlets. One is for herself. (Or maybe two—they aren’t needed for holy swords!)
Charles gets up and looks over at Kai. "It may mean the others are back," he suggests. He's soon proven right when Nissa comes in.
"Surprised you could get these helmets to come through. I thought osmium didn't play nicely with dimension... stuff," he comments as Nissa hands him a helmet. "I could take either one or two of the gauntlets. Depends on if I need to fire my cannon or just use the sword."
Nissa shrugs at the science stuff she doesn’t really get. “Haha—is that why these things are so thick? I look like a candy apple, but I’m surprisingly comfortable!”
Regarding the gauntlets, Nissa replies, “I think you just need one hand on the gun for it to work. You should take one anyway, in case you do shoot. I’ll have two guns, but I convert fire to holy light all the time, so I just need one.”
Nissa doesn’t think Theo needs a gauntlet because of the sword. She thinks Kai and Zellgato should each have one. “I wonder if the mech arm becomes a holy weapon if the pilot uses a gauntlet to operate that arm!”
Theo awakes with a start, trying to understand if an attack is happening. Then The Olympian saw Nissa walk in with the others, and joined them.
b]“L.C. and Ron apologize for the dorky look. Also, they could only fit these on heads they know the exact dimensions of. Apparently our records include our dimensions. Huh… like my bust size and weight.”[/b] Nissa is distracted. “So yeah… looks like us aliens are the infiltration team.”
"Well, that would explain the below-the-waistline looks from the girls down in Records", Theo said as he tried on his custom-fit, yet clunky helmet.
“I feel ya, Big O.”
Theo understands Nissa is more or less saying, That’s the price we pay for being beautiful, right? We turn heads, which is great for career moves, diversionary tactics, getting a lady to say yes to a date first time you ask, having a random crowd of people go along with whatever you’re saying, dominating a control freak, charming your way out of trouble, getting an extra cherry on your banana split…
But are all those advantages in life worth the stares?
Theo understands the implied question is rhetorical, and Nissa’s answer is yes.
"So we're gonna try to fight our way in, yes?" Theo asks, swaying his head to get used to the odd weight.
"I don't know if it'll help with my bioweapons... but for those to standa chance It has to pierce them anyway. A glove would be useful. However they work.."
Taking a moment whlie they prepare to count bodies in the camp. "What is the composition of the strike team? How many? Is there a perimeter team as well? Those creatures use toxins. If we spend time I can create some preventivies to help."
Kai is startled from having dozed off in the makeshift workshop.
"Code Green... Green is good, right?" Kai looks questioningly at the World 16 natives.
"It's your friends," says one of the techs to Kai. He'd left for a break a few minutes ago and looks like he had just come back to tell Kai this.
Greer and Tarantula join for the tactical discussion. Greer starts, "There used to be an entrance at ground level, but after I drove a truck bomb into it, it reappeared 30' up. We could get a ladder-truck to run a ladder up to the window, but we'll have those little sh1ts coming after us while we climb"
"And, then, from the video we know that once you get inside, the mindgames start. You guys have those helmets; if they work, that's great for you, but how can we guarantee I'm not going to lose my mind once we get in there?" asks Tarantula.
"You know Void will send one of those big f*ckers out once he knows we're there. If your transformer-bot is working again, it would be really handy to have it in that fight ... but, I think we need to decide who is going in and who is holding down the parking lot and preparing to extract the team who goes in?"
"We've got no shortage of volunteers for the assault," says Tarantula, "Brave men and women, considering how our luck has been running."
"I don't know if it'll help with my bioweapons... but for those to standa chance It has to pierce them anyway. A glove would be useful. However they work.."
Taking a moment whlie they prepare to count bodies in the camp. "What is the composition of the strike team? How many? Is there a perimeter team as well? Those creatures use toxins. If we spend time I can create some preventivies to help."
Nissa shrinks to her fairy form. She fears her will end up being caged in her own helmet, but it goes to that pocket dimension(?) where all her stuff goes.
“We don’t all need ladders. There are jet packs, and I have wings even though I’m harmless like this.”
She reverts to her human-ish form, again clad in her oversized magic helmet.
“The ones who go inside are the ones wearing the helms. Tarantula… Aliens was a great flick, and I’m with you on Vasquez being the best. But don’t meet her end. Anyone without a helm will be overtaken.
“I haven’t seen the video you’re talking about, but I’ve seen a brain under his influence. It’s mind control at a molecular level, and my girlfriend’s one of the smartest people I know. I don’t need a video to tell me there ain’t a brain strong enough to resist Void.”
She turns to Greer. “I know I ain’t the shot-caller, you are. But you can guess what Void will do with a strike team when he sees he can control some but not all, right?”
Nissa shrinks to her fairy form. She fears her will end up being caged in her own helmet, but it goes to that pocket dimension(?) where all her stuff goes.
"Oh, your codename should be Tinkerbell!" exclaims Tarantula.
“We don’t all need ladders. There are jet packs, and I have wings even though I’m harmless like this.”
She reverts to her human-ish form, again clad in her oversized magic helmet.
"You know I'm going to look pretty dorky in this helmet, right?" says Greer taking in how dorky Nissa looks. "But, I don't suppose you brought a jetpack for me?"
“The ones who go inside are the ones wearing the helms. Tarantula… Aliens was a great flick, and I’m with you on Vasquez being the best. But don’t meet her end. Anyone without a helm will be overtaken.
"So Greer gets to go in but I don't? I was hoping the alternate world future would be LESS sexist," complains Tarantula.
“I haven’t seen the video you’re talking about, but I’ve seen a brain under his influence. It’s mind control at a molecular level, and my girlfriend’s one of the smartest people I know. I don’t need a video to tell me there ain’t a brain strong enough to resist Void.”[/b]
"Oh! You haven't seen the video? Who had the VHS tape last?" he asks Tarantula who shrugs. "We've got about dozen VCRs. It should be in one of them."
She turns to Greer. “I know I ain’t the shot-caller, you are. But you can guess what Void will do with a strike team when he sees he can control some but not all, right?”
"So, that means Charles, Nissa, Theo, Kai, Zellgato, Doc Z, and I are the only ones going in. Doc Z and I are going to need a lift up to the window. Did I hear someone say something about futuristic weaponry?"
“Ohhhh, Tarantula, if you were a man, I would have said the same thing… except ‘Hudson’ instead of ‘Vasquez.’”
"The video just shows people going crazy and attacking each other after breaking into Void's tower," Charles says, hoping to spare Nissa from watching it. "As for getting those without flight up to the entrance..."
He frowns in thought. "It's a point that we need some support on the outside to make sure we have a line of retreat. I don't like the idea of a ladder truck or something, though. That's too easy to get broken. I suppose I could carry one person if I change forms..."
"Too bad you couldn't grow as well as shrink," says Doc Z to Nissa, "Then you could carry us both."
“Ohhhh, Tarantula, if you were a man, I would have said the same thing… except ‘Hudson’ instead of ‘Vasquez.’”
Tarantula looks skeptically at Nissa and says, "Yeah. Sure."
"I do have a repel... We could test the w eight, but it could work as a zipline up rapidly for one or two maybe... I can loan it out if needed. I'd prefer not to lose it-It was Jonesey's."
Producing the implement and his line, "I've got about 100ft of cabel. I assume its enough? We could burn its power pack and go up in sets of one or two rapidly. Heavy hitters first to hold the entry way. Theo, Charles and Nissa. If there is a Vrock waiting up there-I don't want to be the first to step in."
"Are Nissa, Myself and maybe Kai the only ones who can rock Big Blue?" Zellgato inquires of the group. "We need a plan for a Vrock outside, and a Vrock inside. We don't know how many it m ay have on tap."
Shuffling around looking for a map, or some dirt, "Whats near the tower in terms of cover or ambush points? We brought some weaponry for a few volunteer soldiers, but there was only so much on a short time, and restrictions."
"Seem's we have Incursion Team, and Egress Team. We need to have enough power to push into the tower, and enough to keep our exit safe... At worst I can set up at the entry way and provide cover fire for both to some extent-as well as maintain a line of communication... but that still leaves Big Blue-and a bunch of volunteers trying to work Sonic Shotguns. We also have to decide at what point Egress Team retreats-regardless of the Incursion Team status."
Pulling a vial out, "Oh. and I will be inculating everyone whose going. I obtained a sample of their venom-So, I'll whip up some resistences to it."
Nissa hears Z’s question about the mech…
She turns to Tarantula. “Fine. You’re an amazing woman. I want you to live to meet another amazing woman. I wanna stay in touch and see how you do when Void is dead.
“I don’t want you or anyone to end up like the people in that video Charles won’t let me watch. I can’t ask you to sacrifice yourself like Vasquez. If I do, Gorman won’t be the asshoIe… I’ll be!”
Grinning slightly, she offers, “But what if I asked you to be like Ripley? The power-loader scene! If Big Red’s operational, I can show you how it works.”
Kai looks vaguely conflicted. "I don't know how useful I am going to be on the inside, I'm not exactly a fighter. You can put me where you think I can be of most use."
Kai looks vaguely conflicted. "I don't know how useful I am going to be on the inside, I'm not exactly a fighter. You can put me where you think I can be of most use."
"I'm not exactly useful in combat," says Kai. "I'll keep working on Blue One and see if I can get it ready for the extract."
"At least now I know where the problems are and how to fix them," announces Kai as the engineer disappears halfway into Big Blue's exposed mechanical innards.
Tarantula and Alt-Greer show you aerial photos of the latest appearance of the New Jersey tower. "The tower gives off smoke, these guys have to fly pretty low to get a good shot. We've lost a handful to demons. Air Force was pissed, but the towers move every few weeks and we need new images."
The image shows the parking lot with the cars that the demons have been destroying, smashing into one another, and rearranging to spell out the word HEll around the giant tower. Just to the north you see the roof of the Blockbuster store and the other shops in the plaza.
"Did I just hear Kai whoops for joy?" asks Greer. "I think your transformer is working."
Nissa acts as if she knew Kai had it all under control the whole time.
“Kai is more than meets the eye.”
Nissa totally aced the 80s unit in her 20th Century Film Class.
Theo rolled his eyes in a good-natured manner at the pun. "If The Tower is trying to scare us, it's doing a lousy job."
Greer smiles at Theo's good cheer, "If we can give Void a black eye, there will be a whole lot of people feeling braver. This could be important."
Greer continues, "So, what's the plan then? You've got me and Doc Z fitted with those things that will keep Void out of our head. The five of you as well. I guess that means we're going in? Is that the plan? Get in, plant a bomb in the center, and get the fudge out?"
Tarantula shakes a swear jar half full of quarters.
"I said 'fudge.'"
Tarantula shoves swear jar into Greer's hands and takes over the strategizing, "You'll need a ride in and out. Try flying in there with your jetpacks and you'll have a couple dozen of the tiny ones chewing on your hindquarters."
At 'hindquarters' Greer taps the swear jar. Tarantula rolls her eyes.
"And you'll need a team in the parking lot to make sure the demons don't tear your ride home to pieces. I'll be there," finishes Tarantula.
Charles spreads all four arms. "I'm not sure how much more of a plan we can have. We've got no idea what's going to happen when we get inside."
He looks at the surveillance image as he relaxes his arms. "All those cars in the way are going to be a problem, though. Any way we could clear a more direct path? Have we got a vehicle that could just... plow through them?"
"Well, we've got explosives. It isn't going to be a surprise w hen we go. We could just carpet bomb the area around to remove debris. Potholes are easier to deal with than 20 vehicles. Although we may not have the ordinance for it." drawing a few paths with his finger, he continues. "The other fair option would be a group with the mech 'cause a 'hoopla' I believe is the word, in one direction. The insertion team moves in quieter. That does leave exit strategy a bit more tenious. Unless they can fly in and snag us with some lines after. Might tear a socket but it works pretty well."
"Well, we've got explosives. It isn't going to be a surprise w hen we go. We could just carpet bomb the area around to remove debris. Potholes are easier to deal with than 20 vehicles. Although we may not have the ordinance for it." drawing a few paths with his finger, he continues. "The other fair option would be a group with the mech 'cause a 'hoopla' I believe is the word, in one direction. The insertion team moves in quieter. That does leave exit strategy a bit more tenious. Unless they can fly in and snag us with some lines after. Might tear a socket but it works pretty well."
Alt-Greer asks, "Are you suggesting a stealthy incursion into the Tower and a big noisy distraction at the same time? I bet marching Optimus Prime and a couple of trucks to the Tower would be big and noisy. If we time it right the convoy could be there for the extraction of the stealth team."
"As long as I'm on the Big and Noisy Team," says Tarantula.
“Awwwww….. I wanted to name it Sunstreaker.”
Favorite Autobot aside, Nissa is 100% behind the plan.
Charles frowns to himself and crosses his lower arms, tail lashing slowly behind him. "Might not be a bad idea, but we probably need the noisy distraction to get in. The helmets may keep Void from noticing us in some ways, but with all the creatures around they'd probably notice before we got there, especially since not all of us are stealthy. Or are we thinking only those of us who can sneak will go with the sneaky team?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"If we're going with that plan. We're going all in on it. Greer, Tarantula-how many abled body willing do you have?" Zellgato hopes enough to accomplish his intentions.
"We most certainly aren't the best at sneaking. But we'll have to account for it. We absolutely want the three heavy hitters going in. To faciltate that-and the fact it likely has some method of awareness with us, and particularly Greer-and by proccess Tarantula. We use that.
Spreading out the map, and pulling a 3 nosed highlighter from...somewhere, Zellgato marks the maps "Three teams. Insertion-Code name Rascals. Distraction-Code name Hoopla. False Insertion team-Codename Foxhunt.
"Distraction is Tarantula, Big Blue, and the sonic blasters from BT. As well as whatever armed vehicles you can spare. And one armoured transport-filled with non-volitile explosives if you have some. It'll be protected as if we're inside. The sonics focus on working with Big Blue. If a Vrock shows up, BB and the Sonics engage in a hit and run, focus on defense. The armed vehicles focus on fliers. Transport's the cut and run plan. If Rascals egress, or if Hoopla goes sideways. Blow it ona Vrock or in general, to cover a full retreat. Whoever drives needs to be fast on their feet. No needless deaths."
Moving on, "Foxhunt. A Rascal lie. This group will consist of anyone willing to take a high risk mission. Essentially we fake the appearence of Rascals to the best we can on short notice. Including using fake names out loud. They will sneak in through this path. Their goal is not to get close. it is to get part way-and if Hoopla experiences issues, or the enemy starts to fan out. They are "incidentally caught in the open." At that point their job is simple. Run. Run to Hoopla, or run out of the zone. Cite commander will decide. Hoopla will NOT mount a rescue, nor contact them. Only Tarantula and the team lead for Hoopla will be aware."
"Last is Rascals. Boston Theoretical team, and Greer. We will go through the opposite end-but off set slightly. We use the wreckage as cover, best we can. If we engage, its fast and quiet. No sun explosions unless it goes horizontal. We keep the angel blades stowed unless we have to engage. We don't know if they can track them. We cut across this large deadman's run. From that point Rascals do not stop. They go straight in, hard and fast. Until that Deadman's Run, the operation can be called off. Once that point is crossed. Its all in regardless of Hoopla and Foxhunt."
"There is one remaining question I have. Greer. Do you think they know your smell-or more aptly the smell of your blood? If we draw and store some with Foxhunt. It might be the edge to convience the enemy they're real. Not fake. Whoever carries it is at highest risk. If we think that will draw them-and no volunteers. I'll put that risk in. My presence would lend credence to the lie. Otherwise, I will head in with the Rascals."
Having laid out his thoughts, he opens the floor for input. With a grim remindier. "There will be a great deal of death regardless of how we play this. Don't waste lives, but they will be spent."
Greer says, "We have no shortage of volunteers. What we are short on is weapons that are in effective. Anything less than a rocket launcher, and they just shrug it off. For the Foxhunt team, we can arm them with whatever is available as they're not standing to fight, but the Distraction team size will depend on how many of your advanced future tech gear you brought back. I'm not putting good men in harm's way without a fighting chance. Hopefully, those sonic blasters will do the trick."
Tarantula rolls her yes at 'good men.'
Greer responds to Zellgato's question about blod, "I don't think they can smell my blood. I just think they have my face on a 'Most Wanted' poster somewhere in that tower."
"They do seem to flock to him when he's in the field. It's why I made him stay in the truck when we rescued those civvies with you yesterday." adds Tarantula.
Charles frowns in thought. "This is all over my head," he admits. "But we're really relying on the helmets to block out Void, right? It seems like whatever-it-is detects minds as much as anything else. If they work, our sneaking team... er, Rascals, should be almost unnoticed as long as we can stay out of sight. But... that doesn't really change the plan."
He pauses, then adds, "I don't really like the plan, but I don't have a better one."