Ambrosia Software Web Board: "The Buildup" - Ambrosia Software Web Board

((Carrying on from the thread in the Officer's Club Bar...))

**Suddenly, as Verad moves towards Jane's hiding-place, gunfire echoes out across the ship, causing him to spin. A group of hunters is firing wildly in the next corridor.**

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Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

**Verad strides over to the Hunters, who by now have stopped firing.**

What is the meaning of this? **Verad seems annoyed.**

"Sir- We saw an intruder moving there-" **Points to the blackened corridor.** "We opened fire, and whoever it was returned it. We think the demon has woken!"

**Verad snarls** For the last time, fool, there is no demon. Sundered Angel may be a superb fighter pilot and a skilled manipulator of people's views, but I assure you he is just as mortal as you or I. **He checks a visual display on his wrist.** Your 'demon' is sleeping like a baby.
Whoever that was, it wasn't him. Keep searching. And whatever you do, watch your weapons fire. Those guns could put a hole in a shield generator or other vital spot.

**He turns and strides back to the bridge, muttering to himself. This trip is turning out far more trouble than it's worth.**

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

Verad takes his seat on the bridge, puling over the recent incompetence of the hunters. 'They are cyborgs.' He thought. 'They're supposed to be smarter than this.' His thoughts then turned to the intruder he sensed. Whoever it was, they had moved on.

***

Jane darted with uncanny stealth through the twisting corridors of the Absolution, avoiding the sight of all personnel. 'For a ship this large, it sure has a small crew.' She thought. 'At least in this section anyway.' She had to find a computer teminal. It was the only way to find a map of this thing. The map wouldn't be necessary though, if the forward fighter bay hadn't been prematurely depressurized.

It took some time and quite a bit of skill, but Jane finally found a terminal. And by the looks of it, it was probably the security check point for an armory. This presented a problem. A computer like this would most likely be subject to a frequent security scan by the primary computer, more frequent now that security was on blue alert. And if it detected her hacking into it, she'd be swimming in hunters and shock troops within seconds. Although, she may be able to monitor the sweeps to see how far apart they are. She pulled out her palm computer, and suqeezed a few wires into an interface port. The screen flashed a security scan, and she wasn;t detected. The next scan didn't occur for about two minutes. Either the main computer was very busy, or not too powerful. Either way, it provided an advantage. Going through a series of commands, she managed to hack the clearence system. the first thing to come up on the screen was a ship diagnostic, complete with a map. Unfortunately, it was in Salrilian. And if she used a translator, it would most definately give her away. Her only option was to download the file and translate it later. The diagnostic was large, and her connection was slow. The estimated download time was 1 minute and 25 seconds. That was around when the next security sweep would be. She would have to disconnect quick after the file was fully downloaded.

The seconds lasted an eternity a peice as they ticked down.

Twenty remaining, and she could hear footsteps in the distance and drawing nearer. It had to be hunters, since they were the only bipedal beings on the ship aside from Jane, SA, and Verad.

Download complete.

Jane disconnected quickly, just before the security sweep. She stashed her computer into a pocket and quickly stood up and turned around, only to stare right into the faceless, diamond shaped head of a Salrilian Hunter.

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

The Salrilian beemed his half chewed teeth at Jane in glee. Jane hesitated for a moment while looking at the much larger alien only to take a quick breath (she was going to need it). In the next three seconds, Jane let out a round of quick punches to the stomach, slammed her elbow in his chest, and spun around to give a deadly blow to the head with her leg. Down went the hunter, and up popped an army cap. She snuggly fit her hair under it, and proceeded with covering her uniform with the fallen hunter's. Surely some other hunters were still around sweeping the place and would have heard her. Jane heard pounding footsteps coming from the adjacent corridoor. She slammed a door open with her shoulder and dragged the hunter in. Quickly locking it, she spun around to find the rest of the hunters just arriving.

"What happened here? What was that noise? Where is the intruder?" The lead hunter questioned her in salrilian. Jane, of course, couldn't understand a word of it and only gave a clueless shrug. The hunter, glared at her for a moment with suspicion -she wasn't a normal recruit- He thought. Jane held her breath. The hunter threw it from his mind, not wanting to be bothered with it -these times are getting odder and weirder every day- The leader signaled that they move on. Jane let out her breath wondering how in the world she manage to pull that off.

***

Verad began searching through docking requests the Absolution had managed to download from the starbase's main computer. Several unnoteworthy civilian ships came up. Refining his search, he came up with several human ships, a couple Bazidian frieghters, and a unidentifiable ship. Anonymous too?! What was this... he opened up it's file, which was just as suspicously, empty. No scans, no crew compliment known... just second hand knowledge. It had been in countless Gatori battles. One caught his attention. The Gatori had arrived with a fleet just a couple parsecs outside of Earth Border Patrol. The entire fleet lost to this ship, with the help of Cicion, and Sargatanus at the tail end of it. It had only happened a couple months ago at the beginning of his leige's enlightenment. If I recall, Sargatanus picked up the weapon at earth. He had mentioned at one time that it couldn't have been for without the help of a tallented friend. He said... he would have helped her... or something to the effect. Verad connected the dots, and found small medditerainian reports of a battle between Sundered Angel and Sargatanus. The unidentifiable ship was there again, along with a large pure human male brute, a male phyliodion, and a female human/duploi hybrid. Duploi?! They're telepaths... this would explain it. Then it struck him. Who was that talking with Sundered Angel just before I entered? Verad checked the docking dates, and realized that the craft had deported a couple minutes before they did. "Well, I don't know whether to welcome our geust or crush our mystery."

***

Rawc woke up to Sundered Angel's concerened red eyes. "How are you doing, guy."
"I feel like'a hangover... where are we?"

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No Guts, No Glory.

"She had nice legs. Well of course she had nice legs! She had nice Everything!"
Titan AE - Cale Tucker

[This message has been edited by Jane (edited 07-27-2000).]

**Sundered Angel smiles at Rawc, who feels distinctly uncomfortable.**
"We're on the Salrilian flagship, the Absolution. I'm afraid currently we're being held prisoner. But don't worry. Jane is aboard, and she is a most resourceful young lady."

**Rawc looks around at the darkness, lit only by Sundered Angel's glowing red eyes. The Salrilians aren't treating their prisoners well.** "What's- Your eyes?"

**Sundered Angel shakes his head slowly.** "We can traverse light years in seconds and obliterate asteroids in a single blast, and still people wonder about a little light in my eyes."

**Rawc's mind realises what Sundered Angel said before.** "Jane's out there? Alone? In a Salrilian vessel?"

"Yes. I gather that currently she is having a meeting with Verad..."


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Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

**Suddenly a Salrilian officer on the bridge gives a hiss of shock, and recoils from its display.**

"Verad! I think you should see this!"

**Words float in the holographic projection, overlaying a fading astronavigation map. They read...**

The Demon is here. This ship is cursed. Flee for your lives, for death stalks this vessel, and your very souls lie in jeopardy. Beware the wrath of the fallen angel!

*Verad snarled at the sight. Not so much the message as the crews reaction to it. Typically sceptical and articulate Salrilians behaving with the gullibility of a human, and the cowardice of an Ishiman. He quickly hit the 'image reload' command, but the message still redrew itself. Now he was getting pissed. He ran a level four search for security interrupts and authoring abnormalities. And as he expected, one was found. In addition, files had also been downloaded. The intruder had been confirmed. Verad posted the data on the mainscreen.*

"You see," He exclaimed. "your preminition is no more than the work of a hacker. And you consider yourselves fit to serve the prophets."

Verad remedied the image, and set about trying to figure out how to stop the intruder. That oaf that was captured with the demon… He thought. I wonder if he is the same one that has been reported with the duploi woman. He stood up and stormed out toward the holding quarters where Sundered Angel and Rawc were.

***

"So why'r ya here? What do they want with ya?" Rawc asked.

Sundered Angel shook his head. "To 'enlighten' me, I guess."

Rawc looked confused. "What in the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Long story. And not a particularly entertaining one at that."

"Well right now I'll settle for anything to pass the-" Rawc was stopped in midsentence as the room was flooded with light spilling in from the opening door. Sundered Angel faigned unconsciousness as an extremely tall siloihette filled the archway. The figure stepped in and lifted Rawc by the neck with a single hand.

"Your commander is the Duploi woman, correct?" Verad asked, his three blue eyes seeming to pierce through Rawcs skull.

Rawc had never felt a grip anywhere near this strong. He struggled to get the air to speak. "Ergh…What's it to ya?"

Verad was not one to be taken lightly. "Answer the question you two tonne sack of flesh, or I guarentee you will experiance hitherto unexplored realms of pain." Verad's grip tightened and Rawc could feel something pierce the skin on his neck and worms its way under his skin. "Understand?"

"Argh!…Go…*gasp* Go f*** yourself." Having said that, Rawc could feel that whatever it was that was burrowing under his skin was starting to burn.

Verad's tone had dropped. "Is she, or is she not your superior?"

Rawc couldn't stand much more "Emf… Yes!!" The burning was begining to die down.

"Good. What is her name?"

"What do- AGH!!" The burning came back and the grip tightened.

"Her NAME!" Verad insisted.

"*gasp* J… *gasp* Jane!" The burning stopped, and he was released from the steel grip. Rawc knelt, gasping for well needed air.

"Take him and follow me." Verad motioned his arm and two of the appendaged Salrilians grabbed Rawc from both sides and dragged him away.

***

Jane lay in a dormant hallway, decoding the freshly downloaded map of the Absolution as an urgent message lit up on all the screen of the ship, one of which only a few feet from her face.

Verad's image spoke from the screen. "Attention Jane: I know you are aboard my ship and I know it is you that has downloaded and altered computer files, as well as harassed members of my crew. I am ordering you to surrender, and proceed directly to the bridge. You will eventually do this one of two ways. The first is through being captured. The second is by voluntary surrender. And since you will most likely be reluctant towards the latter, I have an incentive." Verad pulled the battered Rawc into view. Jane could tell that he'd taken a lot of punishment. "If you do not appear before me within five minutes, I will not hesitate to very slowly turn your comrade inside-out." The image disappeared.

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

Rawc felt like a bowl of egg batter. He could barely feel his legs. A couple soilders quickly yanked him up to his feet. "So, what's next?"
Verad lightly shrugged his shoulders. "It's up to your friends at the moment." Verad sat down, setting a watch for five minutes. "So, tell me. What's it like, knowing you'll be dead soon?"
Rawc forced his eyes open for this one "Excuse me?" Rawc stared straight at Verad who was pulling out a Elejeetian cigar "You don't intend on break'n ya word? Do ya?"
Verad lit his cigar and happily puffed out a couple breaths. He leaned back into his cammand chair with the presence of a knowing smile "What makes you think I would do that? You should know that Taeskors never break their word." Verad looked back at his watch... 4 minutes left. "I suppose you would expect me to free you upon her arrival?" Rawc forced his legs to stand himself up on their own. He yanked his arms from the soilder's, which verad chuckled to. "Defiant? You can drop your fears; I won't do anything to you for the next..." Verad looked back at his watch "three and a half minutes." Verad pulled out another cigar from a metal case. "Here, a testament to my honor..."
Rawc looked at either guard on his side with caution, and proceeded to limp his way next to the cammand chair. He took the cigar with his cuffed hands and placed it in his mouth. "It sounds more like'a dy'n wish. 'May I have a cigarrett?'" Rawc quoted in a sarcastic tone.
Verad quizickly looked at Rawc "These are the rarest cigars in this galaxy. Cost me over two mil decints and you-"
Rawc cut him off "No, no. It's just an old earth custom. Forget it." Rawc breathed in deaply of his cigar. He held it, meditating on the taste, and slowly let it out. A cloud of red smoke came out. -that was odd- Rawc thought. He looked at Verad's which abnormally was a light blue color. "Do these come in any other colors?"
Verad shot a look at Rawc, who quickly noticed his smoke was red. "Oh. No... they only change colors with the genetics of the person smoking it. Eleejetians call it the black cloud. If you were one, you would call it that too. My gaurds gossip about it as the green mirk. You're human, and obviously it's" Verad looked back at his watch "... almost time for you."

(that should smooth things over for now)..

------------------
No Guts, No Glory.

"She had nice legs. Well of course she had nice legs! She had nice Everything!"
Titan AE - Cale Tucker

The final minute ticked further and further down. Verad had a look of sullen disappointment on his face. "Prepare to broadcast on all the ship's monitors." He ordered one of the guards as he pulled a cloth off a tray that held tools to cause all manner of nastiness. Rawc found it reminiscant of a dental appointment, only much more sadistic. He weighed his options. If he was in normal condition, he could maybe take the guards, at the very least knock them down. But Verad… it didn't look like he had much of a chance, especially with the shape he was in now.

Verad produced something that looked like a small hacksaw with no blade. A thin beam of light sprang to life where the blade would have been. "This device is designed to systematically dismantle your face and expose some of the more sensative nerve endings. It is one of my species' interrogation devices. One of my specializations was physical interrogation. I've been known to keep someone alive for days on end and in the maximum amount of pain during that time until I get my information. With you however, I intend to keep you alive until you are as scattered across this room as possible." Rawc gritted his teeth in preperation as Verad leaned in. Rawc could feel the heat eminating from the laser millimeters away from his face as a communication broke in.

"Verad, the intruder has surrendered. What are your orders?" Asked the Salrilian on the screen. In Salrilian of course.

Verad sat up with a look of reluctant satisfaction. "Send her in after you have secured her weapons." He said as he set the tool back on the tray. His attention turned back to Rawc. "It seems you may have a few more minutes after all."

Jane was led in by four Hunters a few seconds later, her weapons held by her escorts. Verad motioned the Hunters to leave. Jane looked confused. "Okay, now what?" She asked.

Verad looked amused. "Well with an intruder as skilled as you, I'm supposed to chop you down and serve you with thirteen cerimonial herbs and spices with the main course in the mess hall. Or so the custom goes. But that would be a waste of talent. You see his Eminance-" Verad was interrupted by another communication.

"We are approaching the Simlab. We will have the equipment in seven minutes."

Verad paused. "Perhaps we should discuss this later. As for now, your 'angelic' friend is about to become a potent addition to his Eminance's cabinet. And all right here in front of you. Until then, help yourself to the beverages at the bar. but don't try anything heroic; the guards have orders to kill at their discretion."

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

**Sundered Angel lies, bored in his holding cell. Eventually, he begins talking to no one, one of his quirks.**

"I am afraid that Jane and Rawc are in considerable trouble. Poor Jane. Rawc is a liability to her, she really should get leave him on a planet somewhere. I wonder what Verad has planned for him, other than death?"

**He stretches, and marvels at the stupidity of the so-called 'intelligent Salrilians'. A simple jamming device and the technicians are claiming 'devilry' and 'witchcraft'.**

"I might have to rescue Rawc when I leave. Jane would not leave without him. Oh well. Minor complications. Minor complications..."


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Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

*Cicion climbs along the pipes above a corridor. He spots a crouching humanoid that appears to him as a shadow. He cannot see clearly because of some sort of interference that fogs all of his senses, even his sensing tendrils.* #Probably a guard of an allied race.# *He coils himself up, draws his blade and hurls himself silently at the shadow. Just as he reaches it, it turns around and grabs his arms, slinging him to the ground. He springs up, and it isn't until he has his knife to the shadow's throat and the shadow has its pistol to his head that he gets a good look at it and vice-versa.* Lieutenant Jralla! Good to see you! (I'm back!)

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-Traek Cicion of the Taeskor

"Never tell me the odds!"
-Han Solo

[This message has been edited by Taeskor Cicion (edited 08-05-2000).]

**Soft tones chime from the ship's speakers as the ship arrives at its destination. There is a soft thud of impact, and the ship's motion through space ceases.**

Verad smiles at Jane. "Well, it seems that we have arrived. Once our equipment is onboard you will be able to experience first-hand the wonders of enlightenment."
He turns to one of the Hunters "Bring the equipment here. And fetch the 'Fallen One'". He says it with a chuckle.

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

**The guards arrive for Sundered Angel, and find him lying asleep on the floor of the cell, exactly as he is meant to be. They lift him and carry him to where Jane and Verad await, Jane silently, Verad with barely contained pleasure.**

((Sorry all, but Jane ain't posting right now and this needs to move on.))

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Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

The UNS Rouge jumps in, and a message appears on the view screen:

"Absolution, this is Mag Steelglass, of the UNS Rouge. Stop now, and I wont open fire."

"I hope they fall for this," Mag muttered to himself. He'd had to eject all of the Rouge's secondary systems (including shields and weapons) to land one time when the Rouge had gotten particularly beaten up. (Refer to the Budget Bar). He was hoping the Rouge's reputation would see him through.

Suddenly, a Tritonic Space Bolt Rod fired at the UNS Rouge, and the Rouge drifted away gracefully, completely disabled.

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"I can ail what cures you."

((Sorry Jane- Eight days and no sign. Obviously you're busy.))

Verad looks up as a limp Sundered Angel is carried in. He smiles, and carefully removes several long, thin metal bars from a crate, arraying them over a table, onto which SA is placed. Green energy begins to crackle along the almost cage-like cronstruction, forming an apex over Sundered Angel's chest. Verad nods, and turns to a horrified Jane.
"Perhaps you are wondering what that is? Some kind of evil death ray that will blast your friend into radioactive dust? Well, it isn't. It is merely a link, which will allow the process to happen."
He then pulls out a small triangle of pale, silvery metal. He holds it up for Jane to see, still smiling. He holds it out to her, but she refuses it.
"This, Jane, is the pinnacle of Salrilian technology. It may not be as great as the Toriserra that the great Sargantanus has taken upon himself, but it can act as a funnel for its energies, and so its bearer transcends, brought to fufillment by our mighty leader. And so it shall be with Sundered Angel- demon, or not." He chuckles at this, and walks over to where his target lies limp on the table.
Reaching out, Verad places the triangle on Sundered Angel's chest. There is a sizzle, and it burns through his clothes and into his skin. Verad watches, as the green energy arcs wildly, creating brief glimpses of far-away stars as it flows into the triangle. Sundered Angel jerks, and begins to spasm.
"What? This shouldn't be happening- something is wrong!" Verad exclaims, and moves forward only to be clipped by a random swing and knocked back a pace. Sundered Angel flails wildly, as Jane stands in turmoil, trying to think of a way to help.

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

And then a sound cuts through the crackle of energy- laughter. Sundered Angel is laughing, as he stops his act and sits up slowly, looking at a now-pale Verad. A slow, terrible smile spreads across his face, and he sweeps the rods out of the way, energy dissapating as he does so. His feet touch the ground, and he advances on Verad, who glares at with a mixture of fear and anger.

"What did you do? No one can resist en-"

Sundered Angel cuts him off with a wave of his hand. "Know this, Verad. I knew of your Verasi before the Sargantanus even guessed at them. I know of technologies even the Salrilians cannot comprehend- why do you think that all of your latest designs are copied closely from my Angel fighter? You were foolish to ever think of trying to assimilate me."

"Assimilate? I offered you enlightenment. It is a great honour!"

Sundered Angel pulls out the slim, sharp triangle, and flicks it into a wall, where it shatters. "I am already enlightened, you ignorant fool. Now stand aside. I am leaving, and so is Jane. Oh, and her companion, wherever you have put him."

"Leaving?" Suddenly a cold, hard gun is in Verad's hand. "I doubt that very much. I am captain of this vessel, and I command the hunters. Two of which you have kindly ignored up until now."

"Hunters? I do not see these hunters."

"They are-" Verad stops, and looks in disbelief. The two hunters at the door are gone, without him even noticing. When he looks back, Sundered Angel is also holding a gun. His blue eyes fix Verad with a cool gaze.

"Verad, it is possible that you could shoot me as I leave, and best me in a gunfight. But you would have to be very sure that you could kill me in that one shot, because you will not get a second shot." He smiles again, and motions to Jane. "Come along dear. We're leaving. I trust, since Cicion and Jralla have slipped aboard, there will be a shuttle waiting for us."

He turns, and without looking back at Verad, walks out.

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Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

Verad stands frozen with rage as his captives casually walk out. He had never been so humiliated in his entire life. What's worse, there may have been some validity to the claims of the "Demon's" power.As soon as he managed to stragle enough baerings, he lunged for the ship's intercom and pounded the intruder red alert on the wall. "Attention all personnel," he yelled. "We have th-" He thought a little carefully about SA's words; Cicion and Jralla? "We have five class A intruders, all homonid. They are proceeding aft from the bridge. Terminate with extreme prejiduce."

"Charming." Jane said as the group sprinted through a hall that was begining to fill with Salrilians and Cantharans.

"He's always been a sore loser." Cicion added matter-of-factly.

"When did you know him?"

"Way back. It's kind of a long story." He finished his sentence just as he jumped in a bicycle kick style to remove a ceiling pannel. The pannel broke away and left the sound of fast moving air. Cicion jumped in, and the others instincively followed, carying the ailing Rawc. The shaft was surprisingly large. And it was pure luck that it was, since it was just large enough to fit Rawc. The air inside was moving at a tremendous speed, accelerating the entire party.

Cicion was shouting over the gusting. "This is the primary forward air shaft. It-"
"It should take us to the main hanger and docking port." Jane interrupted and grinned. "I got the readout too."

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Throughout their history these "unenlightened" beings have continually opposed and fought abuses of power wrought by their own bretheren. We, as the prophets would do well to learn from these Humans.
-Final statement of the Salrilian reformist Sirthis shortly before his execution.

Deep within the large pagoda-like five-sided pyrimid on the Ring, Calsev couldn't stop laughing at what he was seeing. Verad takes a flagship for a job a criuser could accopmlish, and now has it on red alert. He may be good at commanding a fleet, but damned if he can get anything right outside of one. Calsev never did like Verad, or any homonid (except for Sargatanus) for that matter. Why the Haruspex faroured him so much was beyond him.

Without warning, alerts and whistles go off. This could only mean one thing, and Calsev beamed with anticipation.

***

The room had been dark and dormant for nearly a year. The only light was a faint green hue eminating from the chest of a barely outlined figure lying on a table. But for the first time since the room was closed, the lighting changed. The green hue had changed to a blinding red blaze for an instant, and then faded. The ceiling lights came up, and the figure began to stir.

[This message has been edited by Sargatanus (edited 08-17-2000).]

Verad, still extremely upset, orders a fighter to be dispatched out to the Rouge, to kill Mag Steelglass and take control of it. He could at least show people that legends did not exist. The Rouge under Salrillian control would be a blow to the overall morale of the Ishiman Protectorate and the United Nations of Sol.

As the fighter drew nearer, Mag tried to come up with a plan. He couldn't think of anything. There was nothing he could do to stop the fighter from blowing the Rouge into ever so many pieces of shrapnel. But, unexpectedly, the fighter slowed, swung its back around and stopped, with the two airlocks lined up. Then, it settled down on top of the much larger ship. "Oh, no you don't!" though Mag. "This ship is the UNS Rouge, and as long as I'm around, will never, become the PSS Rouge." He drew his pk rifle out of its holster on his back. He'd have to fight this pilot.

He felt confident, becausehe knew the insides of this ship, and the Salrillian pilot didn't. He ventured out into the hallway, and heard the airlock open...

------------------
"I can ail what cures you."

[This message has been edited by Mag Steelglass (edited 08-17-2000).]

[Hey Mag, I may have some use for you later on in the story. Drop me a line at [url="http://"mailto:Sargatanus@hotmail.com"]mailto:Sargatanus@hotmail.com[/url]Sargatanus@hotmail.com so I can get your email address.]

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Throughout their history these "unenlightened" beings have continually opposed and fought abuses of power wrought by their own bretheren. We, as the prophets would do well to learn from these Humans.
-Final statement of the Salrilian reformist Sirthis shortly before his execution.

In the air shaft, Sundered Angel stops, steadying himself with an iron grip on the wall.

"Sargatanus is awake."

Ignoring the startled looks from his companions, he proceeds down the air tunnel, until they arrive at a ventilation port high up a wall of the main hanger. A dozen metallic-looking hominoid figures stalk the hanger below. Sundered Angel points to them, drawing his pistol.

"I count twelve hunters. There are five of us, and we have the element of surprise. Don't mistake me, but these are professional soldiers, and not easy prey. Does everyone have some sort of weapon?"

He looks around, and Rawc raises his hand. "Tha' took it off ma. Filthy varmins".

Sundered Angel pulls out another pistol of similar design, handing it to him. It glitters coldly in the dim tube.

"Very well. Good luck all."

The ventilation cover smashes into the hanger, and all five leap down at the surprised hunters, who are already swinging their weapons to bear.

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Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

Ares Webboard Moderator, and all-around Nice Guy

[This message has been edited by Sundered Angel (edited 08-19-2000).]

Even before the party hits the ground orange beams are shooting out of the Hunters' palms and filling the room. Miraculously, everyone lands and makes it to cover unscathed. Once safe, the shooting stops and running can be heard. Instinctively, Rawc picks up a large steel placing rod and lunges from his hiding place, driving it with all his might into the neck of a slightly off-guard hunter. It falls to the groud, with an oily yellow fluid gushing from various locations on its neck. Though disoriented, it can still fight. It stands up and and swipes at Rawc with its large left blade. Racw catches it in the nick of time and raises the placing rod to block. The blade lodges half-way through the five inch thick rod, and rawc throws the Hunter aside with everything he has. The hunter struggles to get up, but colapses. Rawc can only relish briefly however, as more shots are being fired.

Sundered Angel rolls and straffes in and around the many crates and equipment within the hanger, firing off shots when he can. To his dismay, the pistol shots knock the Hunters down, but they aren't powerful enough the pierce their armour. It was then that he noticed Rawc's endevour. So the neck was the weak point. It would be difficult, but not impossible. One of the hunters then leaped and ricocheted into the alcove Angel had hid himself just as he was aiming his pistol. He fired, and the hunter fell like a sack of bricks. As it landed, its large blade was jarred, and scarred the floor. "Now that's sharp" Angel muttered to himself as he tried to loosen the blade. It came off fairly easily. He clutched the weapon, and began sighting his next victim.

Jane's landing was ideal: well hidden, and within an arm's reach of a hand-held lepton cannon. She immediately holstered the pistol and siezed the cannon. There was a problem right away: This cannon was designed for a Cantharan. But there had to be a trigger... There! It would be awkward, but able to fire. She jumped on top of the twelve foot high crate in front of her and aimed for a group of three hunters in Rawc's direction. When she pulled the trigger, the recoil nearly knocked her off of the crate. The noise was deafening, and the aim was deadly: all three of the hunters went down, one being reduced to a scorch mark on the floor, another blasted in half, and the last one merely knocked down. She fumbled to get her finger in the oddly placed trigger and just as she took aim, she watched in amazment as Sundered Angel lept out of nowhere and sliced the hunter in half.

Cicion's landing would have been a death sentance for anyone but a Pure Taeskor: right in the middle of a group of four. A quick roundhouse fixed that, and only one dodged. The others left an opening to escape through. A forwrad spinning flip and he was a good fifteen feet away, and right next to an orange metal staff that was roughly 6.5 feet in length, and judging by the color, it was the same material as Audemedon hull metal; an excelent quarter staff. The quartet of hunters all sprang for him at the same time, and the ensuing battle sounded like a fast-paced metal percussion demonstration. These soldiers were good, but not quite up to par with a Pure Taeskor. With a trick of agility, he managed to get one to stab another through the chest. The victim fell limp instantly. Cicion was just about to start another attack as he heard Jane yell his name. He didn't even bother to look, and jumped back as hard as he could. He was further propelled by the explosion of the lepton beam as it destroyed two hunters. The other was launched forward as Cicion turned the staff horizontal shortly before hitting the adjacent wall. The hunter was inpailed through the mid-section and stuck.

Rawc and Sundered Angel darted out from their hiding space and were nearly mowed down by the fire of a hunter behind a Salrilian fighter. They sprinted for another set of crates as another hunter emerged and prepared to fire. As it did, it was decapitated by... another hunter? "Jralla?" Sundered Angel asked quickly. The figure nodded, and all three fled firing of the last hunter.

All five of the party closed in on their final target, who by now had ran and ducked into a tangle of machinery in the middle of the room. As they stalked around it, they herd an intense scuffle as it tackled Cicion. On the ground, Cicion did the only thing he could before the hunter would slice him down. He produced one of his daggers and stabbed rapidly into its torso, and as it reeled back, into its neck. The hunter fell, and Cicon stood up to relax.

He relaxed too soon, as he was immediately launched by the chin thrown to the ground by a boot. The others watched frozen as Verad swung from a wire at his wrist and felled the Pure Taeskor. The wire detached, and Verad spun with extreme articulation and grace to a perfect landing on one foot. He was without his cloak or cape, and stood quite impressive. Even by Phylydion standards he was tall, and abnormally muscular. "That was pathetic!" He boomed. "Especially for a Taeskor."

Cicion reluctantly stood, but refused to speak, since his jaw was probably broken.

"Are you afraid, Cicion? Is it possible that you may be outmatched by your former subordinate?"

Jane raised the lepton beam and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. DAMN!!! She thought. It must have been charging. Like Sundered Angel and Rawc were now doing, she drew her pistol and fired.

Verad lunged before the shots could reach him, and was soon embroiled in a melee with Cicion. Within the first failed punches, Cicion knew that he may be out matched. He tried a quick sideswipe kick, but was caught and elbowed in the stomach. Verad then brought his other elbow down on Cicion's suspended leg, causing it to jump off. If it hadn't, his knee would have shattered. Cicion retaliated with a sharp thrust, only to be caught in Verad's coiled arm, and punched rapidly five times in the stomach. Cicion tried to come back with a spinning drop kick, but Verad ducked limbo-style and lauched another elbow at Cicion's chest, which was followed through with the fore-arm coming up and hitting his throat. Before he could react, Cicion was hit by a hard 1-2 combo, and finally an uppercut to the jaw, which broke it for sure. He was launched back a good twenty feet by that last blow.

Sundered Angel, Jane, and Rawc all rushed for Verad as they saw cicion fall. Guns blazing, they couldn't hit him once, and were systematically disarmed. But that was where Verad's success turned. The three were putting up a good fight, and though Cicion was down, he certainly wasn't out. He could, and had, taken more and succeeded. Soon he was in the fight. Verad was getting hit from four sides and blocking about half of the blows, some of which were really starting to hurt. getting a millisecond open, he crouched and leapt as high as he could, and backflipped a good fifty feet from his aggressors. There he took a stance, thrust his head back, and let out a straining yell. As his opponants approached, they watched in astonishment as his muscle mass seemed to double in an instant. Cicion continued his charge as Verad looked back down and surged forward with unreal speed and hammered his fist into Cicion's chest.

Cicion's sternum and ribs shattered like crystal at the impact, and he was launched far back into a crate. Jane was next with a shoulder to her midsection. Rawc was behind Verad at this time, and running on pure adreneline. He rushed Verad and managed to get him in a half-nelson. "This is for before you bloody bastard." Verad let out a brief chuckle as a large blade protruded from his elbows and lunged them down into Rawc's side. Rawc couldn't scream; the pain was too great.

Sundered Angel was close behind with the Hunter blade, but the blade was siezed and his cheek fell vivtim to a spinning back-fist. Jane came back to her feet and charged. Verad turned and held out the blade he grabbed from Sundered Angel. It went clear through Jane's torso.

"NOOOOO!!!!" Sundered Angel screamed at the sight as he filled with rage. His eyes flared red, and the entire hangar seemed to shake. A strange orange hue outlined what could have bene a shockwave eminating from him and flying toward Verad. Verad was hit by it and sent soaring into the center equipment. The shockwave continued until it hit a hangar door and punctuered it. The hole proceede to tear the doors away with the vacuum of space having its way with the air inside.

Sundered Angel regained sanity as the rush of air tried to throw him outside and rushed to pick up the now unconscious Jane. Cicion struggled to get up against the pain that echoed through his chest. He caughed up blood as he exhaled, since his right lung had collapsed and began to fill with blood. He pulled himself up to find the pressure dropping, and Rawc a few feet away in an expanding red pool. His chest protested violently as he picked up the behemoth of a man that is Rawc, and he turned to Sundered Angel.

Sundered Angel was moving as fast as he could against the howl of depressurization. He needed to get a ship with medical facilities, and that wouldn't be a fighter or cruiser. Luckily, he spotted a Cantharan Gunship, fortunately near Cicion. With a few minutes, and a lot of pain, they were all aboard, including Jralla. Being the only one not mauled by Verad, she was ordered to fly. As they disembarked, they watched a discombobulated Verad stagger and stumble his way to the entrance of the hangar, and dissappear into the ship.

Inside the gunship was only one medical pod, and it was geared exclusively for Cnatharans. There were however, two stasis pods, and they would have to suffice. Jane and Rawc were laid (Rawc rather uncomfortabley) Into the pods and sealed in. There they could be suspended until they could get the appropriate medical attention.

Cicion sat down with a thump next to Sundered Angel and clutched his side. "That was some trick you pulled back there." Cicion whispered out trying not to move his jaw. "I thought we were finished before you tried it."

Sundered Angel solemnly looked up and stared at his battered friend for a while. "I think you need some sleep." He said gliding his hand in front of Cicion's face, after which Cicion was in a blissful slumber.

Verad lumbered back onto the bridge, his recently gained muscle mass freshly melted away. He turned to his helmsman. "Lock onto to the stolen gunship's transponder and set intercept course at-"

"Excuse me sir," The communications officer interrupted.

Verad grumbled a sigh. "What is it?"

"Calsev is attempting to contact us."

"We have something a little more important at hand right now."

"It's priority one."

Verad groaned again. "Fine patch him through."

The slightly dark-skinned Cantharan appeared on the screen. "Verad, you are ordered to immediately call off your pursuit and report directly to the Citidel."

"Calsev, we are both Auspexes, and may do as we chose, and you cannot bark orders at me. I'm in the middle of a great achievement for His Eminance, and your petty jelousy isn't about to get in my way now."

Calsec cracked the Cantharan equivlent of a sadistic grin. "No, Verad. I'm not ordering you. The order comes straight from His Eminance, Haruspex Sargatanus."

Verad paused, trying to discern if this was a trick.

"If you think I'm bluffing, than go ahead and violate a dirct order from his Eminance and see what happens."

The helmsman was looking at Verad again. "Course, sir?"

Verad paused, but reluctantly gave orders. "Salril Prime."

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Verad
Ex-Taeskor and
Salrilian Auspex

[This message has been edited by Verad (edited 08-18-2000).]

"Oh, so now you're sending in a ship with enough crew members to definately overpower me! That Sal fighter has a thing or two to say about that!" said Mag. He'd had quite a bit of trouble with the pilot. He'd shot him in the foot, hoping to take the guy alive, but the guy kept coming. He almost got sliced in half with one of the blades before he blew the head apart. Now the Rouge needed some cleaning...

He came back to the task at hand. He ran down the corridor, jumping over the dead Salrillian, and got to the airlock. He opened it, and went inside the Salrillian fighter. He hacked his way into the computer, and made it let him control the ship. He quickly reconfigured the controls to a more usable setting, and departed his crippled ship. As he came near the gunship, a message appeared on his screen, in Salrillian. He had it translated, and read it:

"Mag, this is Sundered Angel. We stole this gunship to get away from the Absolution. They sent a wing of fighters after us before they left. See if you can hold them off. We can tractor the Rogue out of here."

Mag flew past the gunship and engaged the fighters. The pilots were no match for him. He was more used to missiles and an onas pulse gun in addition to a long range photokinetic beam cannon, but he quickly got used to it. He got the fighters, one by one, then turned around and headed back to the gunship and the rouge.

He still wondered how they were going to leave, seeing as the Rouge was the only ship with a hyperdrive. They'd have to find some way to get its engines working again...

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"I can ail what cures you."

Much to the surprise of everyone, the Absolution dosen't follow through with more fighters. Instead, it does quite the opposite: It turns and jumps out of the system. Mag and Sundered Angel breathe a simultanious sigh of relief.

The radio crackles over Mag's captured fighter. "Well, this thing has an FTL drive, but it's purely tactical. It wouldn't get us much past the fringe of the system. Any ideas?"

"Well, the Rouge has a hyperdrive, but it's probably toast since the reactor coils took a direct hit from a trans-space bolt. The drive itself is intact, so if we could get power to the drive we might be back on track."

Sunderd Angel paused. "Got a spacesuit?"

"I never leave home without one."

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Throughout their history these "unenlightened" beings have continually opposed and fought abuses of power wrought by their own bretheren. We, as the prophets would do well to learn from these Humans.
-Final statement of the Salrilian reformist Sirthis shortly before his execution.