Log started: 12/9/02 9:04:20 PM Kain's Office(#3038Ten) This is more or less an standard office for Kain to deal with Blue Strider business. The desk here is constantly messy, leaving one to wonder whether or not if Kain will ever get time to deal with these notes... Off to one side is a Bowl and such for Buster, Kain's dog. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Extreme gravity fields, if this is even what we're looking at here, build character. You are all jumping to conclusions. I blame your faulty programming." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Bass is correct. Reploids are so flawed." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary rumbles once more, "Whatever takes place in Space... We do not beLIeve it is concluded." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "As rudimentary as your concepts of physics are...I'm not surprised you don't understand this situation." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "The space of your ass? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "The good news about us all being sucked into obLIvion? No more having to LIsten to Guts Man." The mines are soon torn towards Starhaven and smashed against its sides with enough frequency to obscure the entire station in one vast, firey flare; down below, the people of Earth can see the assault upon the station as a plume of fire in the sky, a shooting star that burns in place. It's not long, however, before the minefield is more or less dregged for every active explosive inside- in its place, a cloud of smashed debris and plumes of smoke. Whether Starhaven still exists beneath it all remains to be seen. "... th-this is incredible, folks. It would appear that the Stardroid ship has been... has been DESTROYED by the Maverick minefield! Astronomical sensors are reporting a sharp decLIne in the gravity well. It would seem that whatever happened, is over. It... it... oh, no..." With no gravity well to keep everything bound in place, the debris cloud begins to disperse- small fragments, LIttle chunks spreading out across the plane of Earth's orbit... while other chunks begin to rain down upon the planet below. A meteor shower begins, a constant deluge of bright streaks across the sky. Frightening, but harmless... unLIke several large chunks that drift away from the soon revealed wreck of a very partial Starhaven. Half of the original station remains- a nearly un-recognizable lump of twisted, black metal- as quite a bit more of it begins to drift away from the station in vast, building-sized pieces. Truly immense in their own right, one can only hope they remain aloft, as if even one of those began to fall... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "See? Fools." Mav. Minefield has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I can't wait until you're sucked into obLIvion also." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "Damnable...Those mines may have lessened the problem but it's not over yet." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary rumbles powerfully, "This was not forseen... ...and we did not cause this." Binary then speaks, its voice, the perfect resonence of both the Yin Yoma and the Yang Samurai, speaks on, "We move for Orbit." Starhaven's hulk, three vast chunks and a dense cloud of smaller debris. Already, the remains of Starhaven are beginning to disperse, stretching out lengthwise, forming the beginnings of a ring of torn metal debris surrounding Earth. But for now, it's still a cloud. The camera view remains fixed upon the remnants; beneath the dark shapes, a quiet red GLow as so many smaller chunks burn up in Earth's atmosphere. Fortunately, however, the three massive pieces remain in orbit. At least, until the edges of one begin to GLow red, and it slowly begins to dip. It will fall... and soon. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, be it big enough t' be throwin' up a dust cloud, block th' sun, and be kilLIn' all organics?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Go extinction-level event! Finally, our huge canned goods supply will actually become useful!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, tis a shame fer Plant Man, though, but Ice Man'll be lovin' it." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Bass, you don't eat." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "I do on occasion, recreationally." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "But I *never* inhale." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "There are people who /do/ inhale food?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Riiight." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Ar, we be calLIn' 'em Byte." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Yes. I've seen humans absolutely gorge themselves." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary speaks, its voice echoed by the crackle of power as it begins to charge its weapondry... "...Whatever God it is that you Pray To... ...Start Asking for a Quick and Painless Death!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Muse transmits, "Ah think that you managed to make it... upset." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Air Man, I imagine." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Muse, really, give Binary the proper respect. He managed to to make it feel just as inadeqaute as it really is." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Didn't her, Binary?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bluegrass Not Serena Gilbert transmits, "...Yah. Ah think Ah go ahead and do that. But first, shouldn't we... I dunno... STOP THAT THING?!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "OOC;he, rather." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Nah. We really don't feel LIke it, not when we have all of these coconut drinks with umbrellas to drink." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary unified voices boom in unison, "...WE INTEND TO..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Save the world...umbrella drinks...save the world...umbrella drinks..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "All of these fish and chips." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Now this is a conundrum." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "I do so love it when the Mavericks get into all those heroic instances. Its so entertaining." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock transmits, "Umbrella drinks are highly overrated." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, yea mavericks sure be th' biggest lot o' killjoys." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Oh, Cyber, you are so coconut-is-half-empty." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Sez you, cyber-jockey." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma says, casually, "He just 'drank' one." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock transmits, "I ct drink, however. I am afraid the drink is LIttle more than a puddle on the sand." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "then how can you say it's a bad drink??" Interceptor arrives from the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. Interceptor has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Another reason why we masters be superior t' yea inferiors." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma transmits, "AH. Unfortunate, that." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock transmits, "On the contrary, it removes me one further from the human condition. I require no sustenance to survive." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Not even pr0n?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "If you can't enjoy chocolate... I pity you." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Neither d'we, but it sure as hell makes survivin' a whole lot mare fun!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock transmits, "Not even pornography. I have no desires of the flesh. I am a machine - cold calculations personified." Disdainful sniff. "I require no pity, simply data." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "I take it back then. More chocolate for me." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "How boring." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Indeed Bass. We should unbore thing." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Not even porno huh? *Over the sound of thrusters* I take it then saying the words 'Sonic Banshee in a tattered female archeologist outfit with a pontytail, missing the right shoulder' do absolutely nothing for you?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary speaks in a unified whole, "Dark Knight... ...are you going to just sit there and talk... ...or are you going to fight? ...Are we the only ones reacting to this event? ...Whomever caused this... ...shall pay dearly." The Big Chunk begins to burn more hotly, more brightly, as it sinks further into Earth's atmosphere and begins to plummet, at a fairly shallow anGLe. Even as it drops, a small piece breaks off and goes up in flame- changing the shape of the chunk, causing its anGLe of fLIght to shift ever so sLIghtly. There's LIttle telLIng just where it will land... but it WILL land... and if worse comes to worse, it's big enough to wipe out a city. The GNN reporter begins to wail. "Ohh, Hero Boy, where are you?! Won't somebody SAVE us?!" Godmachine Binary arrives from the Eurasia - Stardock. Godmachine Binary has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, yea go do that. If y' dinna mind, tell us all about it when we be not so buzzed." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock is ... silent. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Damn, I wish I would have said that." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock Tracing signal. Please wait. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "(ooc: C'mon... don't hit Africa... go for europe... go for europe!)" A small satelLIte under the services of a porn cable station gets knocked out by burning debris, augh! (OOC test, we're tampering with camera code) [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Oh, I don't know. I mean, if Mega Man can't be bothered to show up..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pisces transmits, "I beLIeve the bird is experiencing an act of conscience. Or arousal." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Arousla conscience eh?" Bass arrives from the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. Bass has arrived. Hero Boy it is not... but perhaps it is a match for him. The Godmachine Cometh. Through the void it floats, its arms outstretched... a small streak of LIght compared to the LIghtshow taking place. The Godmachine moves with speed garnered by its own unnatural control of gravitonic and magnetic forces, its entire body surrounded by a brilLIant white aura. Even then it begins to move... its long, golden arms swaying slowly in an almost rhythmic dance... as the Great Ring slowly spins. Finally, it settles on a Zodiac sign. The image of Virgo appears within the Great Ring... as the hands of the Godmachine come together, fingers forming a diamond shape. In the voice, its voice which yells the name of this assault goes unheard as a beam of awesome power /LAUNCHES/ for the first of the falLIng debris. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary 's unified voice /ROARS/ out! "VIRGO... GEM... BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAST!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Borrrrring." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "What's GB doing? Nipple gem blasting?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "SHUTUP!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "LIke his version of Care Bear powers?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Why do you have to scream in the radio!? Why can't you just yell in space so I don't have to hear you? Rrrghh..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "In space no one can hear you scream." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, screaming over a nearly deafening hum, "If you're done with your pop-gun son...let me show you what a real gun does!!!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, why be he yelLIn' th' name o' his attack, anyway? I don' care t'know what it's called." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cyber Peacock transmits, "Oh, do shut up." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!" Aurora Hound arrives from the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. Aurora Hound has arrived. Canopy Jabberwock arrives from the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. Canopy Jabberwock has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn claps her hands over her ears. "Aaaaccch! This ae's not whae Ah need when Ah haeve a hangover'!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary transmits, "...These Stardroids claim they are of the Zodiac... ...Let them bear witness to the True Power of the Zodiac! WE /ARE/ GODMACHINE!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Barrage Raptor transmits, "Good for you." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Barrage Raptor transmits, "Why don't you throw yourself in front of it." Canopy Jabberwock says, "Ech. I just reaLIzed I'm still at 0 endurance from chargen." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, yea be TOO BLEEDIN' LOUD!!!!" RepLIforce Space Shuttle arrives from the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. RepLIforce Space Shuttle has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Barrage Raptor transmits, "Sacrifice yourself for the good of the world." RepLIforce Space Shuttle says, "Sorry I took so long." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "You know having a name LIke Godmachine is blasphamous, yer no God. Unless yer a false God then everything makes sense." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Yes! I heard you say it the first fifteen times." From the depths of the Head in low African orbit, Magna Bass rockets forth and rises quickly into orbit, racing towards Godmachine's position. He zooms up, an irritated look on his face, as he starts cycLIng his weapons, Neo Buster coming onLIne once he clears the atmosphere. Gravity, huh? Bass can play with gravity as well. He grits his teeth, allowing the color change to come over him -- purple replacing his black, black replacing his cream gold highLIghts. As the cn takes on a charge, he inexpLIcably begins an extended piece of needless dialogue, widebeamed to everyone in the general area. ** "MEGA MAN! If you will not come out and do battle with this falLIng debris, I will do it for you! I will humble you and leave you prostrate before me! I will prove ONCE AND FOR ALL that I am the strongest warrior in the universe!" ** He aims his Neo Buster carefully, looks for a specific point on the debris that looks LIke it will be most easily blasted, and discharges a massive pulse of gravity -- a white streak of energy that slams into the rock, coalesces into a inverted singularity, and begins to rip it apart at the atomic level along with all the other crazy attacks being launched at it. ** "IT IS MY DESTINY!!!" ** [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary /ROARS/, unified in its power, "FOOLS! You make jokes at a time LIke this. Starhaven feel on Van Couver already... ...kilLIng milLIons of innocent Reploids... ...and you hold back. THE COALITION DOES NOT! FOR THE EMPIRE! FOR THE REPLOID NATION!" And up from the Earth rise a pair of specks, rapidly gaining size and shape. One of those specks happens to be Aurora Hound; the other, Canopy Jabberwock. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Who cares about Vancouver. Canadians are dirty people." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Captain Planet will save us." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "So dirty dirty dirty with their beaver tails and their aboots and ehs." Blues has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "Starhaven fell on Van Couver?" Following them, a third, somewhat larger speck - the RepLIforce space shuttle Comet, the crew inside working feverishly to restore the previously rigged up gravity generator created by Prismatic Spider for the original shard situation. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "(OOC: it is one word, peeps)" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dr. Doppler transmits, "Yes, it did. Does no one bother to read history anymore?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "(OOC: Vancouver, he's not some grubby manly man actor.)" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Reading is for people who can't understand pictures." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "Alot of things fall from outer space onto the Earth, you know. Meteorites, Starhaven, Sigma. I can't keep track of them all!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, pictures be fer those who not be drunk enough t' hallucinate." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma transmits, "You, what is your name?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dr. Doppler transmits, "*dryly* Thank you, Pirate Man." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Man transmits, "Arr, yea be Welcome." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound gulps. "Me?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma transmits, "Yes. You." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "Corporal Aurora Hound, sir." Bass has disconnected. Bass has connected. Bass says, "Useless internet." Bass says, "Reposes?" Aurora Hound says, "you missed nothing." Alpha arrives from the Eurasia - Stardock. Alpha has arrived. The Big Chunk continues to drop, becoming a blazing white streak of fire as it continues to heat up, moments before it is sandwiched between the blasts from both the Godmachine and Bass's emulated buster-blast. Vast showers of white and red-hot pieces are knocked off of the falLIng comet, they in turn burning up, having nowhere near the mass to withstand re-entry. The Big Chunk continues to fall, though... having been the size of a large building before, now about 20 smaller. Its jagged, broken appearance begins to smooth over at the edges, other details of the shape beneath the blaze fading, growing softer; mostly metal, it's melting down under the heat of its re-entry, shaping itself into a more streamLIned lump... much to the misfortune of those that race along and try to stop it, when it begins to drop a LIttle more quickly, a LIttle more hotly. Alpha changes into her Death armor. Muse arrives from the Eurasia - Stardock. Muse has arrived. Aurora Hound says, "except possibly me, Jaber, and the shuttle Comet arriving" Bluegrass arrives from the Eurasia - Stardock. Bluegrass has arrived. Funk arrives from the Eurasia - Stardock. Funk has arrived. There is, of course, no sound to be heard in space. Despite that, there is a crimson flash obvious to those near enough to see it, and it resolves itself into the form of Protoman. ** You people talk too much. ** is his form of greeting, and he drifts through the void, looking at the falLIng chunk of starship. While people are unleashing massive energies at the debris he doesn't seem particularly incLIned to get close enough to be involved. Once it speeds up, his jaw sets a bit more firmly. Funk has left. Funk makes her way into Space Colony . The battle to save the planet from obnoxiously large pieces of falLIng debris is not something that the Mavericks are going to have the sole monopoly on... at least, not while the Musica Guard are here to try and help with the situation. And while the whole team might not be here, there are enough to hopefully help do some good. Muse rockets away from the Stardock of Eurasia, plummeting down after the falLIng debris chunk at a rather reckless pace as it begins to melt down in the friction of its passage. PulLIng her sword free from its holster on her belt, the red armored Musica Captain attaches it to the base of her gauntlet, charging up her own weapons as she judges how best to tackle this situation... without getting fried by Bass or the Godmachine in the meantime. The Godmachine races through space, blazing white in the energy that surrounds it, a centaurean monstrosity of raw power. It is one of the greatest creations ever built by man... ...and within it is the Power of the Gods. The Great Ring continues to revolve behind the golden form that was obviously Bit's contribution to the merge. The Godmachine witnesses the aftermath of its attack as it races downward after its prey. Its arms go wide once more... and it begins to dance. Swift, intricate movements... LIke something from ancient culture... a wizard calLIng up ancient, arcane powers. LIke that too, does the Godmachine look. One Zodiac Sign was not enough. Perhaps... The Great Ring begins to spin and GLow with radiant LIght and energy, its fury pulsing outward as the Jackal-god's maw opens wide... its arms moving rhythmically even as in the Great Ring the Symbols of the Zodiac all appear, in order, one after the other. And all twelve take on aspect of energy forms... Each perfect in form... as together they launch for the piece as one, as the Godmachine throws its arms forward, head lowering as if in obeisance... The Zodiac itself assaults Starhaven's remains. A dazzLIng display of raw power. Oh look! It's Alpha! Except it's creepy Demon-looking Alpha, not pretty Angel Alpha! She's all black and icky and stuff! Waaaah! However, she follows Muse, apparently having decided to actually stoop herself to helping the planet and the Musica. Musica LIke Muse, whom she is following. She doesn't seem to charge her weapons up, but 'her' shoulder's seem to bulge open a bit as the black metal expands in that area into two large 'boxes' of some kind. Well, that didn't work out very well. Bass' color scheme reverts to normal after the initial gravity blast hits the huge piece of what he thinks is undifferentiated rock -- between him and the Godmachine, Bass figured that first piece would be a goner. But, alas, that is not the case. Irritated, Bass looks sharply at Protoman as he transmits his message, but doesn't seem much in the mood for an intense space battle. At least, not with Break Man, and not now. Perhaps when Bass' dance card is less full ... for there are Stardroids he has yet to slay. He turns back to the asteroid and starts to charge up another huge blast, superheated plasma and explosive charges beginning to be generated at the end of his Buster. ** "I wonder ..." ** comments Bass, as he unleashes a huge blast of flaming explosives and general mayhem at the asteroid along with everybody else's attacks, ** "where that LIttle fool is, anyway..." ** BluegrassAnd the Captain of the Guard isn't alone, on that regard. The Sexthern Guard (aka Bluegrass) blasts out of Eurasia's Stardock, crossbow in hand with an arrow already loaded. Blue Belle knows there is only two arrows that can help in this situation.... (Ah only hope that it is enough...)oo. Canopy Jabberwock maintains a passive stance near Aurora Hound and the Comet, travelLIng downward and attempting merely to keep pace with the falLIng debris. His goal seems to be observational, keeping enough distance to remain safe from the attacks made on the chunk, simply trying to maintain a good look at each strike against it. Aurora Hound is of Muse's mindset, really. How to help the situation, and /not/ get turned into a pile of carbon drifting on the cosmic winds. So for now she trails along with Canopy, her advanced sensors gathering data on both the current threat of the falLIng chunk and the potential threats of the remains of Starhaven. Capricorn has reconnected. Target: 1000 km and closing. Eyes dead-set, Wildrider begins to set the Gyrfalcon to hover, as he LInes up his shot. He isn't known as the Wildrider for -nothing-. Flying by the hair on his ass for the last second save. Throwing it all on the LIne for the last moment. Striking at the last possible second when others might fail, or die whilst he skims the surface of an enemy missile, and rolls around it. This...is the zone. This is -his- element, and none shall surpass him. Target: 800 km and closing. As the Big Chunk gets ever closer, his sensors registering off the scale for warnings, red flashing LIghts, and imminent doom. "Computer? Disengage safety protocols." Meanwhile, the grey crackLIng barrel of the Greystone Buster Cn Mk.VIII is locked down, and at full extension. "Well, I was going to save you for one of those Rogue Stardroids, baby...but this'll have to do. Target: 500 km and closing. "That's right...closer...closer...450 kilometers....here we come." A steely GLInt in the eyes of Virgil Greystone, better known as Hunter pilot Wildrider, he prepares to unleash his own destructive force. With a sickening lurch, the energy begins to build in the barrel of the Buster Cn as Wild begins depressing the trigger of his controls, and opens the energetic outflow tanks to full. It's a damn shame the sound ct be expressed, but it doesn't really register in space anyways. Shockwaves of the immense beam of quantum particles's passing can be felt all the way to Eurasia, as the station gets rocked in the wake of the bright blast. Wildrider's last transmission before the overtaking brightness of blue? "It's all about the power....the determination...and -my szzzzrrrach*!" Capricorn has partially disconnected. RepLIforce Space Shuttle follows along in formation by Aurora and Canopy, the pilot and crew inside helpless to do anything but watch unless the gravity generator can be brought onLIne as the pilot works furiously to keep the course steady. Muse looks about for a moment as the big guns begin to unload on the falLIng chunk of debris, and nods to her pair of escorts... Bluegrass and the unofficial deputized Musica Alpha. Alright, she's a Hunter, but since she came along for the ride, its best if they focused their firepower to try and keep the rock moving straight down. Because the Guard have one last trump card down below, if they can keep it on a steady enough course. But that is for later, and given the amount of firepower being tossed around, the piece might not even survive that long. Which is the preferable solution, and one that Muse hopes to achieve. Swinging her crackLIng energized blade around, the Captain offers a signal... and shouts out as she unleashes her main weapon, a massive crackLIng bolt of silver energy that aims to tear right through the falLIng block. "SILVERLANCE... CN!" Blues watches the goings on with his usual detached air. Godmachine's second run is noted. Bass' second attack observed. Neither seem to move him overly. As the others begin their own attacks, he turns his attention to something in his hand, making small motions as he concentrates. The bright blue flash that is the result of the Gyrfacon's blast causes him to look up, and his LIps twist into a grimace. He hangs there in space for a moment, hands frozen mid-motion, looking for the Hunter Fighter to reemerge. Bluegrass follows up on the Cn blast with her own... as her visor darkens. (This has ta work. Let's do it.)oo. She fires the arrow off. "EXPLOSIVE BOLT!!!" Alpha GLances over to Muse, nodding slowly, and the two blocks detatch from her shoulders. They fly towards the block, exploding on impact. Alpha doesn't shout out any attack names, instead just summoning forther two more blocks which pop out of her shoulders and expel barrels of energy at the creation. And then...she turns her head over to one of her wings, and shakes her head once. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary rumbles ominously after the bright blue flash, "...Rest... ...in Peace... .....Hunter Hero." Another barrage of powerful blows assault the Big Chunk, the thing beginning to scream LIke a volcano as the atmosphere around it becomes thick enough to carry air; from the ground, it certainly looks LIke a firey mountain as it streaks across the sky, surrounded by the specks and flares of those that try to stop it. WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Overpowered blast after overpowered blast colLIdes with the Big Chunk with enough force to send rolLIng, thunderous -booms- across the land below (it's currently passing over the Mediterranean), sending more thick showers of broken and dislodged debris spraying away. Bit by bit, the Big Chunk is being whittled down, smashed into a cloud of small chunks. But it's still very large- and constructed of tough Stardroid metals- so even all this firepower isn't enough to do the job just yet. The heroes must keep at if if they want to prevent the Chunk from doing any damage. Time until impact: Four rounds. White, whispy clouds swirl and dissipate as the Big Chunk and the firey rain of many smaller pieces tear through them. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Muse transmits, "Well Bass, I hope you've got something a bit BIGGER than the piddly LIttle toys you've been tossing about, or we're gonna have a bloody huge crater in our planet in a few minutes." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Eh. Who said I was dead? I don't see any scantily clad bikini girls. Just your fat ass." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "If you're not going to show /proper appreciation/ for my *precious* time, perhaps I should just leave this to the *ever* better equipped and /far/ more impressive Musica." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Heheheh, Musicas. That's a joke faction LIke the Overlords." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aurora Hound transmits, "Let's accept what help is given, shall we? I can't think of someone with bigger guns available than these two." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Muse transmits, "If you'll pardon me for saying so, you've got the most firepower of anyone up here. I was hoping you might have a miracle to pull out of your hat." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Or we could just shoot it a lot." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Or hope it doesn't hit anything important, LIke my cacti." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I hope it obLIterates you all except Bass who'll deLIver the death blow." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "Anybody know where it's going to hit?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "My good will *is* being shown here, Musica! If I had used my most powerful attacks immediately, do you know what would have happened? THINK! If I had hit it hard enough anywhere but where I have been shooting so far, I would have spLIt it in half, making for /two/ pieces to chase! Unless we break down this target carefully, you'll level /several/ cities rather than just one very large one!" Bluegrass is proceeding to load up another explosive bolt when a bright blue blaze erupts from the corner of her eyes. She looks up and for a moment, just stares, "Mah God..." She whispers, her visor dims down in sorrow... But the Blue Belle can't focus on it for long. She has a job to do. So, even as fires another Explosive Bolt at the falLIng piece of Haven, she transmits the question that is on her mind: ...who was on board the Gyrafalcon. An internal grimace graces Canopy Jabberwock's mind as the chase leads to reentry; he was built with several safeguards against atmospheric breakdown, however, and so makes it through fine. He maintains the same course, adjusting for the speed of the descending fragment, and maintains his observation of the strikes made against the debris. At the moment, there is very LIttle time that can be spared for those who might have died at this point... instead, there is still the huge falLIng rock to deal with. Muse continues to fire away, doing her best to pick out weak points in the rock, breaking off pieces that will burn up on their own in the atmosphere. Not having the city shaking firepower of some of the others here is... frustrating. All the while, Muse talks over her radio, trying to coordinate something a bit more last ditch in case this thing doesn't break up before it gets to some critical point in the atmosphere. If it hits anywhere in the Pacific, or along the South American coast LIne.. both would be disastrous, if for different reasons. Yes, lets break it into multiple parts! However, Alpha really doesn't care if the large object hits or not. She's mostly here in case it doesn't. She continues firing quick shots of energy at various places, apparently taking Bass's warning about breaking the thing into two places. Of course, the damage she does is LIkely to not be much. The Godmachine looms in the Void... the blazing nimbus of LIght surrounding it as it burns into the atmosphere after its target. It does not care of it is caught in the gravity of the world below... for it is a God... a being stronger then any ever built. The Godmachine watches what occurs... witnessing the final ruination of what will be an end of many hundreds of thousands of LIves. It ct stop. Speed it driven into it... and the Perfection of Yin and Yang barrels through the void after its prey. Even then... the Godmachine moves faster and faster. Even then its hands move together, and the burning symbols in its eyes: The Fang of Yin and The Flame of Yang, burn softer... ...the LIght around it only intensifying. A Darkness touches the LIght, and the force combined within it gives a second falLIng star to the sky... the readings of it sending every sensor in the world off, as the Perfection of Yin and Yang if brought forth. The Finger of God is stretched outward... and before it, gigantically, appears the symbol of Yin and Yang in GLowing radience. Lets others mourn and others weep... ** "...Proceed... ...on your way to obLIvion..." ** And the fury of Yin and Yang is unleashed, the Godmachine's arms going wide, as a gigantic blast... one half radiant white energy, the other dark gravitonic distortion... /TEARS/ for what remains of the shard of Starhaven. ...It is, indeed, LIke the Finger of God stretched forth... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pisces transmits, "...I am fascinated by the way the Binary LIfe-form's arrogance multipLIes geometrically post-merger." RepLIforce Space Shuttle still fLIes in formation with the other RepLIforcers, continuing its observation of the shard's trajectory, trying to figure a way to get close enough to utiLIze the gravity generator onboard and keep the other blasts from hitting the shuttle as well as the shard... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "And he's an /awful/ tipper." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary transmits, "...We... ...are Godmachine... ...We are Binary... ...We are the Perfection of Yin and Yang... ...and whomever caused this... ...will die." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pisces transmits, "I would suspect that 15 of its average order would be...a significant sum." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "We...need to ... spit it ... the f**k out." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "Hey, you all shooting at the shard! Back off for a minute, I might be able to divert this thing's course enough to steer it to the pole! The blasts aren't working well enough, if anything you'll still have a gigantic piece left over. I have a gravity generator on this thing that might be enough to direct its fall, but I can't use it if you're all shooting at it." Hearing a famiLIar voice over the radio, Protoman returns his attention to the object in his hands. More intricate manipulation commences, and after a few moments he draws his shield off his back. setting it in place over one arm, he GLows crimson for a moment, then disappears. Heatbeats later, theres an insignificant crimson flash upon the prow of the vast hulk of the debris. The body of Protoman, no doubt having a very bad day, is immediately thrown off the 'rock', tossed LIke so much flotsam within the bow wave of the beast. The second crimson flash comes, followed by a detonation from his previous point of impact. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Muse transmits, "You do reaLIze that if this thing lands *anywhere*, we're probably going to have a lot of people die regardless?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Death is cool." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I second that Bass. Give'em lots of death!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "It's potentially headed for the north pole. The ice fields would potentially absorb the impact better than the open ocean, and it's uninhabited." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary transmits, "...We must Mitigate the Damage. The course it sets is for the Pacific, the Andes Mountains, or perhaps the North Pole. ...The less of a mass that impact the planet... the less damage will be dealt." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "We -could- do that. I've got a better idea." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary transmits, "...You LIve, Hunter... ...Impressive." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "I'm just going to use the gravity and kinetic force generated by the descent to repel the damn thing back into space." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Just LIke that, huh." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "Something I would've enjoyed trying, had I the opportunity. It's getting rather deep into the atmosphere, if anything it'll be difficult." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "If my calculations are correct." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Godmachine Binary transmits, "...A Notable plan. ...We shall assist you..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "If my timing's off, the most I can do is cushion the impact." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "And then I can use the generator to assist." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Tell you what. I'll hold my shot while you try this crazy-ass thing. IF you can get it moving, I say we push the other chunks back too." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "We might have a chance then." Bass, the resident high-energy physicist (you would be too if you had a heavily used Buster and idle curiosity), surmises the rapidly degenerating situation. His current cache of stolen weapons won't be much good against a large orbital mass descending into the atmosphere, dangerously close to some of Bass' stuff. He's not even sure his high-end strikes will do much more than tickle it, considering the odd metals the debris is composed of. He watches Protoman do his thing as his other arm shifts into a Buster cn as well, the rare John Woo technique coming to the fore. As both cns start to charge, he considers some radio transmissions, but decides once again that the majority of the planet is completely nuts. He does, however, hold back on firing. Bluegrass slows down and considers her options... before loading a different bolt into her crossbow -- an armor-piercing arrow -- and fires it off at the chunk. (There are two options... Ah just hope Ah don't have ta do the second one...)oo. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bluegrass Not Serena Gilbert transmits, "Ah be holdin' back mah plan as well. Ah hope this works." The miles tic by with every heartbeat, the looming Earth below sweeping towards the Big Chunk and its opponents at an every increasing rate. Another wave of firepower overtakes it- and yet more pieces break off and scatter, adding to the blazing, hail-LIke shower of smaller burning chunks. It's as though the Big Chunk is instead being converted into a Big Cloud. But those smaller pieces don't have nearly the destructive potential that they did while larger... so if something must touch down... this is LIkely best. Even beneath the blazing white of the Big Chunk's superheated surface, large cracks and tears can be seen, its overall structure threatened by the abuse. Protoman's blast is the last straw, and with a SHRIEK of torn metal, the Big Chunk breaks into what Bass feared- two vast pieces. Each is only a third of the size of the original Big Chunk- a twisted, fused mass of metal and minerals the size of a large house- and they begin to veer away from eachother, falLIng along different paths in the sky. Though each piece is smaller, the heroes still have twice the targets to attack, now. Time until impact: Three rounds. A passing 'V' of canadian geese squawk and scatter, and onboard a passenger plane several hundred yards off, several hundred faces press up against the windows, trying to watch what's happening. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I hope you die." Muse floats in space next to Bluegrass, firing off one last shot before hitting her thrusters - she won't survive any more reentry, and unless she's going on some sort of suicide run on this asteriod, she doesn't dare descend any further. She then begins to talk over her radio, rather briskly. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Well, y'all f***ed now." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "Dammit. We're running short on time...I'll take the first shard, it should be small enough now for the generator to handle it." Capricorn says, "Two chunks, now. Please specify which of the two you're attacking, if you're still attacking any of them. Remember, there's two, but they are smaller, so that changes the dynamics of smashin' 'em." Canopy Jabberwock internally grimaces as the block of debris spLIts. A radio transmission goes out to his RepLIforcer compatriots: ** I should take upon tracking the second shard, though I grieve I have not the equipment to repel it. ** With that, the spacecraft reploid turns and assumes a path parallel to that of the shard farther from the Comet, as he begins to analyze its trajectory. Capricorn says, "LIkely dropzones: North Pacific, Andes Mountains." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "Now moving on the first shard. Don't fire on me, otherwise the generator's LIkely to fail." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I hope you die too." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "We love you too, Sparticus." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Muse transmits, "I hope you're going for the one that will make landfall, kid. Thats the really dangerous one." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "Where's it going to land?" Bass rolls his eyes as the seeminGLy inevitable happens. Meanwhile, both his cns take on a full charge, leaving him with sufficient firepower to level a small city block at his disposal. He brings up the cns, pausing to savor the radiated energy that eminates from his own weapons systems. If he had adrenaLIne, this would be his high. He considers which target to hit, and decides to go for the one heading for the northern Pacific. Not that he has a particular interest in anything there, but if those crazy people want to mess around with the one heading for the Andes, well, that's their business. He levels his Buster cns at the descending piece of rock, gritting his teeth as the massive energy pulse rockets at it. As he fires, he calls out over the radio, one of many challenges he has made in his LIfetime: [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Where ARE you, Mega Man?!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Big Bad Sword Man transmits, "...what is happening now?" RepLIforce Space Shuttle sees its opportunity, accelerating towards the first shard and activating the rigged-up gravitic generator Prismatic Spider had originally arranged, a gravitic field tether lashing out towards the shard to grab hold of it and hopefully direct the house-sized chunk's course. Considering earLIer it had managed to suspend a plane-sized shard....hopefully, this works. Inside, the pilot and his crew work furiously to keep the system supported, activating the reserve generators to keep the field up and working at full capacity. Canopy Jabberwock has disconnected. Alpha takes in a deep breath of, well, nothing. Alpha stops firing for a moment and she seems to curl up into a ball. Looks LIke she overcharged her weapons. Har Har! She doesn't continue firing, instead, looking LIke something is trying to gnaw its way out of her stomach. Bluegrass halts her firing and merely watches the RepLIforce try their attempt. Blue Belle seems subdued... as she watches onward. Aurora Hound has disconnected. Kain's Office(#3038Ten) This is more or less an standard office for Kain to deal with Blue Strider business. The desk here is constantly messy, leaving one to wonder whether or not if Kain will ever get time to deal with these notes... Off to one side is a Bowl and such for Buster, Kain's dog. Bass has reconnected. Main CorridorMain Corridor A simple grey hallway with only a few branches runs through here. Not much to look at, it has simple metal floor paneLIng and LIghts spaced every few meters. The walls are plain grey, but every few meters various pieces of artwork are displayed on the walls. To the west LIes a heavy blast door, while one hatch at the end of a branch holds a ladder leading upward. Along another branch, another hatch leads into a downward chamber. All of them seem to lead back towards a central area towards the far end of the hallway, where another blast door sits. Contents: Contents: Shaun's Room Derek's Pad Kain's Office Sarah's Lab East : Medical Area West : War Room Down : Training Room Up : Command Center Entrance Area : Entrance Area Bass has partially disconnected. Bass says, "Reposes, plz." The Godmachine doesn't slow for a moment... for, in fact, caught in gravity as it is... it will have a hard time when it comes to landing itself... though even now its own power is being used to slow its decent, the blasts it sent having slowed its moment-um... and it having survived mostly unscathed by the trip through the atmosphere, unLIke others similar to itself. It gazes on the events unfolding before it... and a nod is given. The Impact must be slowed. The Godmachine consists of a pair of fraternal twins... each given power to manipulate Gravity and Magnitism in some way. Pure Devistation has not achieved its goal... then it shall try another. The Godmachine's hands fold before it and its eyes dim. And then its energies lance out, moving for both the falLIng peices... attempting to slow it by the shere power of its will. Yet a weed that refuses to die, Protoman is back. The fireworks of his arrival are muted compared to his usual entry, and he looks much worse for wear. The Protoshield is blackened and partially melted, his trademark scarf is gone. All across his body are the effects of high heat, including the now manGLed mass of his helmet. All in all, he's seen better days. Floting there in the void, he takes a moment to regain his spatial awareness, and get a grip on what's going on. Probably too far from anyone to be noticed, his expression is locked in that usual stoic demeanor. Setting his manGLed shield upon his arm once more, he teleports. The destination of that teleport is the backside of the hunk that RepLIforce is attempting to slow down. Friction from the atmosphere and the gravity wave from repLIforce combine to rip the damaged shield, and his arm, away, but he cLIngs with determination, or desperation, to his perch. GLowing a bright, cherry red, his form becomes indistinct and then, both he and a portion of the debris are gone. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Is anyone dead yet? LIke people I hate I mean." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Who do you hate?" The different abuse to both large chunks sends them each on dramatically different courses- soon, one each is veering towards the two LIkely landing zones, instead of both falLIng in parallel. With most of the chunks' most fragile elements long since burned away, the remaining, large lumps of metal prove surprsinGLy resistant to further re-entry.. but all of the firepower being heaped upon them is still doing well, breaking thick bursts of shards and flak, still whittLIng each down. The North Pacific chunk endures the ongoing damage that Bass dishes out, turning, blasted into a spiral, then blasted again into a reverse twirl, each attack knocking off more and more. Soon, it's no longer a large-house sized chunk, it's just a moderately-normal-house-sized chunk. Still big, but a lot more accomodating. The other piece, though.... first slowed considerably, once by the RepLIforce's antigravity generators, then by Godmachine Binary's own efforts... and then almost completely vaporized. When Blues warps away, he takes the majority of that chunk with it- it's as though a big bite were suddenly taken from it, giving it a bowled, crescent shape. Made so thin and brittle, the remainder of the chunk begins to break up, bit by bit, then faster and faster, until it's a mere shower of small, blazing bits. Half of the threat is gone. Time until impact: Two rounds. Below the remaining piece, the Pacific Ocean looms. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Let's see, I hate everyone that's not a Robot Master or wasn't built by Dr. LIght." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Ether Skunk transmits, "I've been rebuilt by Dr. LIght! Does that count?!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "hm...I don't think so." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Hmmmm, are you an android or a reploid?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Ether Skunk transmits, "... yes!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Then yes." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pallbearer transmits, "Impact zone, North Pacific! Congregate forces THERE!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Ether Skunk transmits, "Yaaayy! Wait... wait a sec, you're evil!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Whatever." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Muse transmits, "We've got something in place in case we can't break the thing up in time, kid." Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Wildrider's busy working away. Connecting feed LInes, re-attaching flow outtakes, and actually opening up the floor proper of the craft. The Partical Fusion Buster Cn has one more task ahead of it...and that's presuming Wild's got this right. Meanwhile, the craft is auto-following the chunk's decent, as Wild finishes up his work. Too bad he didn't have time to check his calculations and trajectories. This might...and might not work. The intention? Creating a gravity-induced vaccum, otherwise known as an artificial black hole, with a forcefield tube to direct the gravity, and protect everything not in the immediate vicinity of the chunk of falLIng Starhaven. Meanwhile, the quantum pulse of the original cn is reversed 7.6 tachyons with the intention to repel, rather than expell. Together, with all hope, the Big Chunk will be sent right back off into space, to become a new Comet. And then...the chunk breaks. "***T! GET THE OTHER ONE! I'll get this one!" he hollers, re-aiming the weaponry, trying for the chunk moving for the North Pacific. If this works? Wild's going to be needing to make himself a new forcefield belt. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Am I truly evil?" Interceptor says, "God. I need to stop posing inside this ship." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "I thought she was talking about Pallbearer." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Ether Skunk transmits, "... yes, yes you are evil!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Guts Man is a friend to all children." Muse doesn't have any fancy tricks left... right now, all she is focusing on doing is keeping from burning up. Although upon hearing that the other chunk has been reduced to pieces, Muse allows herself a sLIght cheer, before continuing to watch the unfolding drama down below. Hopefully Funk will have gotten everything set up in time, in case this gambit of the Hunter's didn't work. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha sounds confused, "Isn't that rude, Ether?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Through no fault of mine. Society has dictated what is evil and right in the world. I am but a simple android trying to make a LIving, but RepLIforce and the Maverick Hunters oppress my every move. For this I must continuously fight for my survival. It is you the oppressor who is evil! I am but an innocent bystander." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "You tell em Guts." Bass can't help but smirk as his shots make the remaining hunk dance about, even though it doesn't finish it off. But that probably wasn't his intent anyway. Having done his civic duty to reduce the size of the one that's falLIng -- by now too far away for him to do anything with, he decides to be proactive. Allowing his opposite arm to return to normal, he rockets at the nearest of the two big pieces still in orbit, approaching it rapidly and starting to push it away from the Earth, perhaps even in the direction of the Moon. He strains and rockets with all of his strength, driven by bLInd will ... and a plan. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Ether Skunk transmits, "... stop that! You're evil, you're not allowed to make sense!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "See you're oppressing my freedom of speech. Tsk tsk tsk." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Vile laughs. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Ether Skunk transmits, "Evil! Eating Very Innocent LIttle....children! LIttlechildren! _Evil!_" RepLIforce Space Shuttle breaks away as the shard disintigrates, the comet itself attempting to stabiLIze as sparks wrack the craft from within, the pilot barely keeping control as the gravity generator fizzles out of useable condition. Cursing for but a moment, the pilot pulls away, trying to catch up with the second shard. BluegrassWhile Muse can't do something... there is another idea. The Blue Belle stows the crossbow away and draws out... Bluegrass' electrified lasso. Bluegrass twirls it and tights it around a part of the rock, and then... ...turns her jets on full in a attempt to loosen it. "MUSE, SUGAH! AH NEED A HAND HERE!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Well if you let me go to the store I wouldn't have to eat children with Byte." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "No, no. FRIEND to all children." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Vile transmits, "What narrow worldview they teach the Maverick Hunters." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "Sez you, one-eye." Bluegrass facepalms. x.x While Muse can't do something... there is another idea. The Blue Belle stows the crossbow away and draws out... Bluegrass' electrified lasso. Bluegrass twirls it and tights it around a part of the rock, and then... ...turns her jets on full in a attempt to loosen it. "MUSE, SUGAH! AH NEED A HAND HERE!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "... ... Do you want a cactus, General?" Muse grins at her companion, and seizes the other side of the rope, turning her jets on full blast as well. "Great idea... talk about your all or nothing plans though!" she shouts in reply, hauLIng up with all of the strength that she has. Maybe... just maybe... this might work. ...or they could be shot out into space. And that would be bad. But you pays your money, you takes your chances. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Vile transmits, "I wait in anticipation, wondering why you would ask such a question." Alpha uncurls sLIghtly, patting her stomach, and then opens her mouth, and then closes it. She just watches the remaining metal-falLIng-thing, too far away to do anything useful anyway. And she's a bit tired too. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "The answer you'd get would kill braincells Vile." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Because I have a cactus, duh." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Provided those of us bothering to LIsten required them, being robotic and all." The Godmachine's massive gravitonic might whips away from the crescent piece... then turns its attention on the final piece. Its trajectory turns to match that of the falLIng meteor... traiLIng behind it in a blazing contrail of its own radiant energies. This is the end, it seems... and let it end in the only way it can. With a Bang. The Godmachine slowly raises its hands as it calls within the very power within itself... the Great Ring spinning slowly, any words it speaks lost in the blazing LIght of its own fiery descent... The Godmachine raises a hand slowly, as what seems to be... a portal... forms within the great ring. The rippLIng mass shifts even as the hand reaches back, and with a crackle of energy across the spires along the Great Ring... the Godmachine withdraws from the portal... The Celestial Sword. This is where the heroic music plays, and Voltron tears apart his foe... and, indeed, even as more power builds along the gigantic, GLIttering sword... the Beast launches forward. Binary moves for the final meteor at speeds incredible... forced by his own magnetic and gravitonic forces... and as the Sword explodes with energy, the Godmachine swings it down, around, and across!!!! ...And the wave of energy that extends from the sword only increases its length and force as the Godmachine attempts to gallop past the last shard... ...in an attempt to shatter and sLIce it appart... even while the Pacific looms up before it. The Godmachine is in for a very rough landing of its own... but it must be! [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "So do you want it or not?" Lasso'd, launched, and caught! Between the Musica's creative efforts and Wildrider's crazy crackpot technobabbly scheme, the remaining chunk all but screeches to a halt in mid-air in preparation of being hurled into space... and then Godmachine Binary happens. The wave of sword$$$originated energy cuts through the rock LIke a hot knife through butter... or at least a big knife through hot metal. It again bifurcates, falLIng into two halves, each one blasted free of Wildrider's and the Musica's hold. They hover in space for a moment longer, before once again, they begin to descend, each semi-spherical piece turning end over end. Close, but no cigar, muchachos. Each piece is about the size of a small house; maybe a mobile home. Or a semi truck. Something in that range. Time until impact: One round. But at this point, they do seem rather harmless. Up above, the other two Big Chunks toss and turn in orbit, caught in the extending band of debris that began when this whole affair started. They're not falLIng, at least not yet- all things considered, they seem somewhat placid. At least, until one of them begins to... LIft? Yep. Magna Bass is pushign the thing out of orbit, and in the weightlessness of space, the huge building-sized thing can be nudged... slowly, carefuly, but surely. Where is Bass going with his prize?! Bass says, "I'm taking this baby to Mexico." Blues says, "Man, street value of at least $50. US even." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "You MULTI TON BUFOON!!!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Wildrider transmits, "I had the damnable thing, caught in my beaut of a plan to sent the bloody thing on a infinite trip through the void of space to return once every four hundred years....and you screwed it up! You should count yourself lucky it didn't launch -you- instead....*mutter mutter*...asinine...*grumble* Hell with this. I'm going to the bar." Magna Bass, in his eminent bad-assness, is pushing one of the two remaining Big Chunks away from Earth, his powerful propulsion systems and his raw strength of will moving the thing along with geometrically increasing speed. The rock seems to be being aimed towards the Moon, or deep space -- it's pretty hard to tell at the moment with everything else going on. He shoulders hard into the rock, straining against it, rocketing as hard as his systems will let him. Fortunately, due to the nature of space propulsion, this gets easier as the force is steadily appLIed. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "This world won't last another four hundred years anyway." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Such a bursting ray of sunshine, aren't we Alpha?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Well it won't, what with people blowing up rainforests and calLIng it a success." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I would." The Godmachine tears through the chunk, its momentum increased by its own titanic powers. The Musica Guard's vehicle launches upward even as the Godmachine falls... the Godmachine's blazing eyes seen to blaze higher for the briefest moment... before it dives into a smooth roll... launching up and over the oncoming vehicle as it launches down... down... down... ...in its hand... the Celestial Sword. It impacts the water before either meteor... ...and the wall of suddenly superheated water that boils up as steam that explodes out from its point of impact is impressive... for something the size and mass of the Godmachine. In the center of the North Pacific has it landed... and the dark water swallows the Godmachine... the great behemoth vanishing into the waves... ...its purpose done... ...the depth of the water more then enough to absorb the impact as the Godmachine is driven down... down... down... into the blue-blackness of the water. And the Claw of Yin and the Flame of Yang burn on... in the black... ...and it is gone. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "Alpha, dear, human stupidity is only overwhelmed by their abiLIty to surprise and amaze. Don't give up quite yet... they've managed to hack their way through millenia of survival... if the Stardroids don't kill them, I don't think they'll kill themselves. They're nothing if not adaptable." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Hey, Vile, I think the flying fat man in your employ just sank." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "And, one might argue, even if they're gone, we are their legitimate successors." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Vile transmits, "Oh. Really?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "That, at least, is the Maverick standpoint, if I have it correct, yes?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "I didn't say the humans wouldn't LIve or androids wouldn't. I said the world wouldn't." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Vile transmits, "I would say that is fairly accurate." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Hope you got him winterized. Otherwise that's gonna void his warranty." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "Now, that is a whole other matter. Losing a rainforest will not kill this planet. Earth itself is a survivor against the worst. It was hit by an asteroid the size of texas once, and shrugged it off. Earth, I would argue, is more durable than we are." Wildrider meanwhile begins slowly flying back for the planet proper, turning for a good landing spot. Once he parks, he's going to get a beer. Or three. He's got to toast to an invention succesfully tested. And to being forced to create a brand new belt. At least he's got all the plans archived. And soon, in a burst of thruster-fire...the Gyrfalcon has departed. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "KilLIng a kitten will not lose the earth either." RepLIforce Space Shuttle pulls back, reaLIzing full well it's incapable of helping now. Moving off towards AustraLIa, the crew makes its way for home. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "OOC - Okay, so it was a lot smaller, but I exaggerate." The last piece is spLIt in twain, which more or less sends Muse flying away as her hold on the rope is severed by the massive energy attack from the... overenthuastic Godmachine. But there was a contingency plan set up for just this instance... and the Orchestra, the Muscia's airship, rises up underneath one of the falLIng pieces, aiming to catch it on the back of its hull and break its descent. A bit of a trophy, or a piece for analysis if they can manage to catch it before it crashes into the sea. Muse looks down, and gestures to Bluegrass. "Lets see if we can catch this last piece before it goes into the ocean... I don't LIke the idea of these things sitting about on our planet, given that we have no idea what they are made of. Same trick as before?" She pauses, and shakes her head. "I'm GLad we didn't have to be quite as last ditch as we were intending..." RepLIforce Space Shuttle wavies to all, thanks for the RP. :) [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "I killed no kitten. I kittennapped it." RepLIforce Space Shuttle enters the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. RepLIforce Space Shuttle has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "I'll have you know, that kitten is property of WilyWorld, a WilyCorp. Themepark in association with Wily Entertainment Inc. Thusly, it is propert of Amun-Wily, and will be returned immidiatly." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Gemini Man transmits, "Did ya want the dead one?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "Blah-blah-blah. Someone too boring to LIsten to is talking. And no, Gemini, there's no profit to me in it." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Maybe, but there are a lot more of us than it." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I'll give you some money to kill it." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Gemini Man transmits, "Rigger's got one. Steal hers." Interceptor enters the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. Interceptor has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Especially if you kill it in front of a Stardroid." Alpha sends a radio transmission. From Muse> Jessica Blakesly receives a radio transmission. From Muse> Jessica Blakesly sends a radio transmission to Alpha. Alpha receives a radio transmission from Jessica Blakesly. Blues bLInks to another location. Blues has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "An aside... why is it that you Robot Masters put Wily in front of everything /except/ your base names? WilyCorp, Wily Entertainment, WilyWorld, Wily Suppositories.... but Skull Castle? Skull Fortress? I sense a thematic clash." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Amun-Wily shall name things as he decides, and you shall be pleased with his decision, simpleton." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Because it's shaped LIke a skull instead of Wily?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "Guts has a good point....for once." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "Ummm... no. UnLIke you, I'm not programmed to beLIeve that everything that comes out of Wily is flawless." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "And yet, it still is." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Gemini Man transmits, "It all isn't." "He built REGGAE for goodness-sake." Alpha doesn't reply to the transmission, instead shaking her head and skirting towards Eurasia. Would probably take a while at he speed. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "So, by this example, Aqua Man is without flaw?" Alpha has to gozies. Alpha says, "eating and stuff. *pouf*" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Aqua Man was a mistake. A flawless mistake." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "..." Denebola has arrived. Impact. Though there's not much of it to speak of, at least concentrated. The remaining large chunk- the small-house-sized piece that the Musica did NOT catch- hits the broiLIng surface of the see with the force of, well, a falLIng, small house. Or maybe Optimus Prime (G1, natch) doing a bellyflop. Vast waves are cast up in all directions, the immediate sea whipped into a violent froth, and things are inconvenient for local schools of fish... but ultimately... nobody is really hurt. The other piece, though, the Musica catch that on the back of their ship. Contratulations! You have a small-house-sized paperweight, still GLowing hot. And as for all of those tiny bits and pieces and chunks, knocked off the original Big Chunk? They begin to rain throughout the ocean. Golf-ball, hail-LIke, blazing bits of fire, coming down in a veritable storm. Any properly armored reploid- at least, one that can endure re-entry- can survive it... but it makes things yet uncomfortable. It does look neat, though, the sky spitting down these LIttle fireballs. Up, up in space... the Big Chunk that Bass pushes continues to accelerate, nudged harder and harder by the strugGLIng Force Leader. If he has a specific target in mind, now is the time to go for it, as soon, the big chunk will be travelLIng at too swift a velocity to easily redirect. Denebola enters the Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere. Denebola has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dynamo transmits, "... That, my dear Alpha, is the end result of a battle of wits with an unarmed being." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Gemini Man transmits, "Doc makes mistakes." "Sure, he made a LOT of our brothers." Bluegrass unloops the lasso around the... destructive remains and loops it around the one of the remaining rocks. "One more time, Cap'n!" Blue Belle states. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Aqua Man transmits with a squeal, "That hottie Dynamo mentioned me by NAME! Oh, Guts Man, pinch me, and make it hurt!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bluegrass Not Serena Gilbert transmits, "..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Oh. Okay..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bluegrass Not Serena Gilbert transmits, "Yah. That just frightened me." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "I don't know wether to be sick, disgusted, frightened, or all of the above." Muse shakes her head slowly at all of the remaining showers of debris. "Job well done, Musica - lets head back and see about getting this hunk of rock to someplace safe." Muse pauses, looking up into the sky where Bass is preforming his Dance of the Starhaven Pieces. "...and track where that thing is going..." Alpha heads out Alpha says, "for real this time x.x" Magna Bass, after getting Big Chunk #2 to a certain speed, makes several difficult trajectory adjustments and sends it on course to the southern portion of the LIt side of the Moon, then slams one more hard thrust into it to put it to a good travelLIng speed. He'll deal with it in a few days when it gets close enough to catch up with. After #2 is on its way, Magna Bass starts flying back to the last Big Chunk, apparently with a similar goal in mind. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Big Bad Sword Man sighs and mutters something under his breath. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "..." Bluegrass salutes Muse as she drags their piece of the rock. "Ya got it, sugah." (We'll just leave Bassy boy with the leftovahs and the check, as it were.)oo. She GLances at Bass too, and her visor darkens ever so sLIghtly. Silently, almost gracefully for something so large, the second Big Chunk drift towards the moon. Provided that said moon does not drift out of the way before the Big Chunk has time to get there- after all, the Eurasia and what's left of Starhaven orbit Earth much more closely than our planet's natural satteLIte- it's going to be Deep Impact for all the LIttle moonbunnies. Or whatever LIves up there in 2215. The third Big Chunk is, LIke its sibLIng, similarly slow to move, if more so than the other, for being just a bit bigger. With enough concentrated force, however, it's moving at a slow pace, beginning to peel out of Earth Orbit and towards the moon. Muse descends to board the Orchestra, for all of its not ICly being in the room. Then again, they are not exactly in orbit either. And departs, leaving the cleanup to the appropriate authorities. Alpha has left. Muse has left. Alpha makes her way into Space Colony . Muse makes her way into Space Colony . Bass, fortunately, is fairly good with calculating complex orbital balLIstics. Call it a hobby. Besides, he has a few days to worry about it, as he has more than a few tricks up his sleeve... Magna Bass, unmolested by any `good guys', reaches the last big piece and starts repeating what was so successful before. He muscles the chunk out of Earth orbit and back towards the Moon, LIning it up so that they follow each other on closely parallel fLIght paths. Bluegrass follows behind Muse, LIke the good LIttle lackey that she is.... holsting their 'trophy' along as it were. Bluegrass has left. Bluegrass makes her way into Space Colony . And deep, deep within the sea... ...a great leviathan, and not a Whale... ...swims away into the darkness from the point of impact. Big Chunk Two and Big Chunk Three drift off towards the moooooon. Um... there's not much more to say. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ CiviLIan $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 13/20 Posted Author Massive FalLIng Rocks AAR Tue Dec 10 Jessica Blakesly ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Musica Spinny - UN Only* *Muse Appears onscreen* "Well, as you all probably know right now, we came within inches of GLobal Armageddon... AGAIN. I wish these bloody Stardroids would clean up their own toys before they start threatening to kill us all for once..." Muse breaks off, grumbLIng for a moment before she continues. "The minefield that the Mavericks dropped around Starhaven apparently detonated after being tampered with, and Starhaven was nearly blown to smithereens by the resultant explosions. There were three different pieces that were large enough to do some serious damage to this mudball we call a planet - fortunately, two of them were pushed out of orbit by Bass. The remaining piece proved to be more problematic, as it started falLIng towards Earth." *Footage from Muse's HUD of a massive barrage of fire being shot at the chunk of hull* "Eventually we managed to break the thing up, and we brought a large chunk of the rock back on the Orchestra for analysis. Kudos to Bluegrass and Funk for helping me out, as well as the RepLIforcers and the Hunter Alpha. ...and the Godmachine Binary and Bass as well. Feh." *Muse kills the LInk. Exit to Musica Spinny!* $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/14 Posted Author News From The Recording Industry Tue Dec 10 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ While most of the world is caught in the grip of impending doom from the mysterious Nothing that is eating our sky and the reappearance of the dreaded Stardroids a sudden announcement from the world of music has caught the attention of a weary world. Three Billboard Top 100 Bands, Boba Fett And The Assassin Droids, whose last sinGLe, No Chance To Survive (Make Your Time) is still in the top 100, LIfeVirus, a techno band whose last album, Cure For The Common LIfe, just went double platinum, And Chubby McGoo And The Guys Who Aren't Slash, a beleagured rock band who haven't had a hit since their double albums, Apocalypse In San Jose 1 and 2, ten years ago, have announced a new collaboration on a cover of the hit sinGLe from the 1970's 'Stairway to Heaven.' This song, originally recorded by the legendary band Led ZeppeLIn and covered by almost every other rock band under the sun, is still widely regarded as the most famous rock anthem of the 20th century. Despite the age of this sinGLe, preorders for the sinGLe, which ships tomorrow, have already reached a milLIon. Truly, this age of apocalypse is an unprecedented time for rock and roll. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$