Log started: 12/22/02 5:58:32 PM Eurasia - Skydeck A park resides at the top of this station, which is as open to space as any place can get. Massive transparisteel windows cover this area, and pleasant grass and trees are maintained by careful gardening staff. It's very pretty, and not as dark as one might expect for a place that's exposed to space. Contents: Contents: Dawn [Schoolgirl] [MH] Colonel [Armor] [RF] Rocket Rodent [Workclothes] [RF] Beam Demon [Pulsar] [M] Fusion Phoenix [Aquatic] [RF] Pyro Squirrel [Standard] [C] Iris [Uniform] [RF] Crescent Grizzly [RF] Aldebaran [SD] LIft Down : Eurasia - Empire Central Square Canopy Jabberwock arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Canopy Jabberwock has arrived. Harmony arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Harmony has arrived. Pyro Squirrel runs in from the teleporters, claws skidding on the floor. Gale Sorcerer arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Gale Sorcerer has arrived. Alpha arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Alpha has arrived. Done. Mai Atsuki arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Mai Atsuki has arrived. You will now hear messages on channel . You will now hear messages on channel . Silo arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Silo has arrived. Firestorm Phoenix arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Firestorm Phoenix has arrived. Starburst Dragon arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Starburst Dragon has arrived. Barrage Raptor arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Barrage Raptor has arrived. "It approaches..." Aldebaran muses aloud, grimly, as the inky blackness spreads across the sky. At this rate it's actually spreading visibly now, occasionally a star being obscured. If one has very, very good vision, they might be able to notice Starhaven off in the distance - Starhaven, with an odd sort of GLow about it. Radioactivity is Bad (TM), and that appears to be what it is. HOpefully someone will clean it out before teleporting the lot of you in there. Job has arrived. Starburst Dragon lands on the Skydeck. He's got just three things. In one hand is one of the shards of Starhaven he recovered when they were falLIng. Slung over his shoulder is the sack of presents he might never get the chance to give out to his friends at the right time. Third is a giant, gold-handed polearm with a LIttle chain danGLIng from the end and a few prongs sticking from the side of one end. Fusion Phoenix rushes in with the other RepLIforcers in time to hear Aldebran's statement, but does LIttle more to avoid pose spam. Oh, and he is carrying a 10 gallon water tank on his back hooked by a tube to one of his intakes. Clown Man has arrived. Crescent Grizzly enters the Skydeck park, and looks around rapidly. His feet are covered in dry swamp gunk from his hasty foray out of the Bayou. In his non-drill hand, which is covered in a metalLIc 'mitt' is an intensely GLowing crystal, so bright and hot it hurts one's eyes. Spotting Aldebaran, he heads over to the Stardroid. " 'Ah' cam' soo' as 'ah 'eard, Aldebaran....'ere..." Crescent offers the crystal... Pyro Squirrel gazes out of the window, thinking. He's been in lots of battles before, but this one... There's always a chance that he might not come back, especially with such a strong opponent... I wonder what he's thinking... oO(I wonder how big of an explosion that would make if I blew it up...)Oo Barrage Raptor is along with Fusion, fully armored up, and ready to rock and roll, "C'mon Nigh. Let's see whatcha got." Metal Shark arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Metal Shark has arrived. Alpha sLInks on in, GLancing up a tad at Aldebaran and says, "Hi Pac Pac.", but she does LIttle more. She isn't even carrying anything. Wuss. Harmony is one of the mighty awesome RepLIforcers that are early on the seen, looking angry.. and more or less serious. "Let's get this over with, some things get old fast, and this mess isn't any exception!" Clenching her fists, she GLares at the sky.. which is looking anything but normal at the moment. Clown Man has connected. Dawn goes home. Dawn has left. Walking from the LIfts, the unexpectedly short form of Beam Demon trundles across the Deck. Mounted on his left arm, as usual in this form, is the massive Buster Shield. The Demo Bazooka is attached to its mount, though aimed upwards while the Demon's hands both hold a large black metal box firmly between them. Pyro Squirrel is carrying lots of packages of fireworks, by the by. Some of them are illegal, but does it really matter at this point? And to represent the nominal dominant species of the now-darkened planet down below the base of Eurasia, a tall woman in her replacement Strider clothing comes out of the LIft as well. She's holding one of her Ciphers in one hand, but that doesn't seem to be an aggressive sort of thing - it's merely because she's ready. She is well aware that she may never leave Eurasia aLIve - but at least she'll beat the rush into the afterLIfe. Silo just walks out slowly, in the group with Fusion and Barrage... Not much going on with him, he just appears to be mentally ready for whatever could happen from now on... The End Of The World included. Footsteps approach from the station below. Canopy Jabberwock's significant outLIne makes itself visible, foreclaws folded, standing with what other RepLIforcers he can spot. He holds nothing special; no crystal, no precious holdings. To nobody in particular, he remarks, "Continues it. Shall what havoc be wreaked this day?" Beam Demon enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Beam Demon has left. Colonel runs out of the LIft area quickly. The XO of RepLIforce looks angry... dark... almost moody. His eyes focus up at the Stardroid as he talks, ironically, Colonel doesn't take time to say much more even to his RepLIforce troops... they are here, they know what to do and Colonel is thinking about other things at this point. Beam Demon arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Beam Demon has arrived. Racing his way into the skydeck of Eurasia, Gale Sorcerer quickly lands near his destination, very close actually. The very recent RDI Director of the UN seems not to be able to drop his old habits from when he was a common agent of getting into everything relevant. Then again, not even him thinks of himself as a real director. Metal Shark enters the room from the LIft, as he looks around he notices a pure black sky - all of its stars strangely absent. He sighs, and walks towards where a large crowd seems to be gathering. All the while humming his Requiem. And so has Rocket Rodent. He arrives in the elevator, as well as many others. At this point, Factions mean nothing now. It's the earth versus the outside. The jetpacked rodent takes to the air, as he usually does when hes in a large area, and floats up above most other peoples heads. He looks at the windows, watching the windows, bLInking as a star is sucked up. "Ok, I beLIeve the term is now or never." Ninjutsu Gecko arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Ninjutsu Gecko has arrived. Iris is here, rather resigned and sad-looking. She's made her peace...and she doesn't want to die fighting. If anything, she's content to just let the LIghts snuff out on the universe once and for all. At least eternal darkness would be an improvement over the pain this LIfe has become...she waits silently, peering out a nearby window at Starhaven and the approaching darkness. Dynamo Man arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Dynamo Man has arrived. Bass arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Bass has arrived. Pyro Squirrel continues to gaze out the window, thinking. Guts Man arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Guts Man has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "And this is the ultimte Winter Solstice... I am ready." Firestorm Phoenix follows in behind the demon that is beamy, looking around at the gathered individuals from various factions, "So ah, why do we all have to be here anyways? Don't all we need is just the crystals and a hell of a lotta luck?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Hmm... I can distract it, if you all hit it hard enough..." Bass, in full Magna armor, leads Dynamo Man and Guts Man onto the Skydeck. He may be freshly patched from a short firefight last night, but right now there's too much at stake for him to sit out what could be the biggest battle in the history of Earth. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Hmm, yes.. Distract the Nigh.. We shall all be GLad you gave your LIfe." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Shut up and focus." Guts Man looks around as he walks on in. "Where's Hero Boy? And how come we're surrounded by losers instead of bona fide heroes?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Oh *what*? Nothing's happened yet." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Shut up and focus anyway." Capricorn has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Hmm.." To Firestorm, who he has battled recently, Rocket Rodentonly says, "I beLIeve that we are plan B." Besides, massive amounts of weaponry are good, right? The jetpacked wonder continues to hiover in the air, waiting for something to happen. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn yawns. "Yo Mr. Squirrel." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "What?" Dynamo Man walks on in behind Guts and Bass. Lotta people came to fight the Nigh, he sees. "Well, at least we have some shielding." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Then again, it took a miricle to stop judgement. I fear it may be that this world needs another miricle." Sai arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Sai has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "OOCly hides. :)" Another human...another Strider walks off the Elevator, his face grim with the reaLIzation that this could be the last day... not just for him, but for Mother Earth, as well. "At the end of all things, the work we did shall be judged and ourselves judged accordinGLy. Let's make this count," The Strider known as K intones. "I beLIeve our ratty friend is right. If this fails, we are the contengiancy plan." The demon stops short of Aldebaran, tucking the box under one arm and peering at the stardroid carefully." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Stop quoting the damn soundtrack." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Do miracles still exist? Procyon said god left us." Ninjutsu Gecko sLIps in quietly. He heard that Gale Sorcerer was here, and has been trying to catch up. He spots the other Interpol person, and sLIdes over. "Gale Sorcerer, I presume?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Procyon is also dead." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Soundtrack?" Job has been busy up here on the station and arrives on the deck, he is suited up in some salvage operations gear. Just incase extra techinal support is needed. He look about at the Masters, Hunters, Forcers, UN personel, Mavericks and others who are here. Those bearing the Maverick symbol get GLared at for a moment but he says nothing. Mai Atsuki has stared at you! Huzzah! [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Yes, the soundtrack...OF THE UNIVERSE." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Procyan is dead? That's good." Logbot arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Logbot has arrived. Aldebaran's voice rumbles quietly, nodding towards Crescent. He reaches out his huge hand to accept the crystal... "...you have done well." he says, accepting the object and examining it. Closing his hand, holding it in his palm. "We will be departing to Starhaven shortly!" he bellows out. "We currently await the final purgation of radiation for the weapon to be finished..." His optics turn towards the Phoenix and he smirks. "...that... is a correct assumption, I suppose." He GLances about. "At this time I give any of you who wish it an opportunity to back out... though if we fail there will LIkely be very LIttle to return to. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "Procyon isnae dead." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "OOC: That wasn't a typo. Pyro really did say Procyan." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma transmits, "He isn't? Good." Guts Man looks to Dynamo, "Five bucks says the nigh cripples this place right before we kill it. Then it'll crash down to earth causing some mass destruction LIke some bad videogame plot. Of course we'll all escape scratch free before the place loses it's orbit and blows up." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crescent Grizzly transmits, "Wha' yew' mean, Capricarn'? Ah' saw' im' go up 'en an 'xplosion..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Kain transmits, "*idly plays One Ton's 'Another Miracle'. "The age of miracles isn't over, friends. And it won't be over as long as even one of us is still breathing... We shall succeed."" "I *won't* fight," Iris tells Aldebaran. Stubborn to the end. Starburst Dragon swings and spins his blade, then takes the sack and rummages around in it. He's got some presents to give out, and so, he fLIts around the room to hand them out, passing them to their lucky person before moving on. To Aldebaran, he hands over the shard. It might be useful. To Barrage, he gives a jar of boiled sweets named bulls' eyes. To Iris, he gives... an iris. In a LIttle stasis-locked chamber. To Canopy, he gives a copy of ALIce in Wonderland. To Colonel, he gives a new hat. One with bells on. To Fusion, he gives an ice maker. Not all of them have to make sense. To Rocket, he gives a bundle of tickets for massive discount at a meal in Tetsuo's. He then fLIts over to Harmony. "This is it,"" he sighs. "What was it? One touch for luck." To Harmony, Starburst Dragon gives a kiss. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "But he aes mortal, drained o' his powers. Hae is once again a human, special in no way save for whae he once was." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Well, let's kill him again." Mai Atsuki GLances at Kain with a sLIght hint of maLIce - but it fades, quickly. In the face of the end of the world, what's a petty feud? And if they succeed, she can just explain it away. Failure will have its own price. She does say, though, to the man, "I wish that Matic was here. .... Or Hiryu." She can't deny Hiryu's power, even if he is a jerk. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I hope you all die. Bunch of aft munching no good vengefull space morons. 'Oh we'll never bother you again. Your judgement has been done for good! Bla bla bla!'" Barrage Raptor wanders over to Alde, and breaks out the crystal she's got, and then hands it over. And then she gets candy! "Ooh>" She grabs a peice and munches on it. Hey, may as well fight on an empty stomach. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "He'll meet a fitting fate, dunnae worry." Alpha holds out the Hunter Crystal affter a few moments and then shrugs her shoulders and walks over towards Aldebaran to offer it to him. This must be the thing Pac Pac eats. You know, LIke the LIttle yellow bLInking dots. However, Alpha really doesn't think too much on the Pac Man metaphors as she raises the crystal up, "I am sorry if it is not as charged as you would LIke it. Hopefully it will be enough, I guess." Metal Shark turns around and notices Bass. With no fear of attack he walks towards the Dark Night and GLares at him, "For all I know this could be the end right here. So I suggest you and I leave our petty quarrel about your sister BEHIND us when be embark on this. If we win by all means flare it up again.. Though I do expect for some of the proceeds from my," He smiles "Blood and toil to appear in my bank account. Understood?" Pyro Squirrel GLances over as Starburst kisses Harmony, LIghtly applauds, then goes back to looking out of the windows. "Umm...?" Gale Sorcerer eyes Gecko for a moment, until he reaLIzes who the ninja is. "Oh, that's right. Ninjutsu Gecko, if I'm not wrong. Yes, I'm indeed Gale, nice to meet you. You've come to assist me?" Well, help is always appreciated, but he thought that the LIzard was going to be placed into the UNED. And if Bridgit finds out he's been working with one of his agents, she'll surely kill him dead. "Um, let us hurry, I think they are about to teleport into Starhaven" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Good." Beam Demon clears his throat, removing the box from its place beneath his arm. With his free hand, he pulls the LId open, then reaches in to remove the crystal itself, GLowing with a healthy dose of power. The demon looks into the gem for a moment, before offering it to the Stardroid, "Here is the gathered energy from the CoaLItion for Reploid Freedom. Cyber Peacock is unavailable to deLIver it himself." Harmony bLInks, already distracted with everything going on.. and then out of nowhere, Starburst gives her an early Xmas present. Blushing, she stares at Starburst in.. shock. "G-Gah, um.. luck? T-Thanks, Starburst.." she gigGLes a LIttle, kind of.. embarassed. Iris takes the LIttle iris Starburst gives to her, murmurs a 'thank you', then clutches the container against her chest as she continues to watch the darkness approach. Fusion Phoenix eyes the Ice maker, and sticks it in his med kit. "Uh.. thanks." Rocket Rodent is given tickets. He looks at the... present, and then says to Starburst. "You are too early, and expect that we might not come back." Think positive waves, people! He does not give the gift back, but tucks it into his armor. He unholsters one of the pistols he carries, a new once, since the one that was damaged in the firefight is now a lump of slag, and waits. Sai enters quietly, as stealthily as he can. He has no intention of letting this happen without him there, however LIttle he may be able to do. He watches what is going on, but stays quiet. Canopy Jabberwock looks over at Iris, with a rare serious look on his face. "Selfish. Arrogant. FooLIsh." Normally he doesn't LIke to take a tone at all severe, but it seems that the gravity of the matter weighs upon him tonight. When Starburst goes about with his presents, though, his severe look fades, and he smiles in acceptance of the book. "Would know you it, but had I not a copy before now. Shall I read it." He chuckles to himself as he watches Starburst kiss Harmony, folding his foreclaws in an amused dichotomy to his so recent tone in speaking to Iris. Crescent Grizzly removes the mitt, which itself was already starting to melt from the heat. He then moves over to Colonel and the rest of RepLIforce, in time to see Starburst give Harmony a smack on the LIps. The Cajun chuckles, and moves next to Colonel and Iris, " 'ell Colonel, 'ah know 'ah 'aven been veray' cooperateeve' in deh' las' few days, buh' 'ahll' stan' wit' yew' no matteh' 'ow dis turns ou', d'accord? " Silo just continues to wait, a bit of a grim look on his face. He raises an eyebrow from inside his helmet as he watches Starburst give out presents, the one given to Harmony getting more attention then the others, and twisting his LIps into a wry smile. Shaking his head, he sighs, before just waiting for the Beginning Of The End... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "So what were you before you were Stardroidized?" Ninjutsu Gecko nods to Gale, "Yea well...whole end of the world thing, you know. Don't want to say I didn't try." As for Bridgit...he'll deal with her later. If there is a later. "But yes, don't want to waste time. Would suck a big one if we almost won, but didn't cause we goofed around down here too long." Job sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission from Job. Iris sends a radio transmission. Job receives a radio transmission from Iris. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "Thae's personal." Iris sends a radio transmission to Job. Job receives a radio transmission from Iris. Colonel stares at Starburst as a hat is offered... He GLares, but takes the present and sLIdes it into a pocket inside his armor. He moves towards Iris and places his hand on his sister. "Sister, you may not want to fight, but is the disappearance of the universe truly what you want? IS that peace or is that surrendering to destruction? Ask yourself, Iris... if you don't fight now... what are you really hoping for... Death or LIfe." With that, Colonel steps forward towards the Stardroid, his hand on his sabre's hilt. "Aldebaran, RepLIforce will stand by you to the end... We will fight for our existence... and for the existence of our enemies." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I'm betting a janitor." Dynamo Man gives Guts an amused smirk and Metal Shark an annoyed GLare, as he starts to step toward Aldebaran, taking out the partially charged crystal. "For what it's worth." He offers it, still holding the clenched jaw. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Or a cess pool conductor." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "You, shut up and concentrate. You, just shut up." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "We're all friends here!" "That is your choice," states Aldebaran, towards Iris. "There may be LIttle we can do in the end, save pray." He'll certainly be doing so. As Starburst walks towards him, he accepts the second crystal. "My thanks..." he states. Seeing Alpha, he manages a faint smile in the Hunter's direction. "You did the best you could..." he accepts it. "That is all I can ask of you." The fourth crystal - from Beam Demon. The Maverick crystal. "Thank you for your assistance." he says. Dynamo Man - with the fifth crystal. He accepts it as well. The GLowing crystals begin to resonate, or so it seems. "You have done well," he says. "All of you. Victory may yet come to us." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn snarls. "Watch ye'r tone, y'bleedin fools. We're all on ae same side right now, ae'n there's not a mite sense in petty insults." Crash Man arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Crash Man has arrived. Pyro Squirrel looks up from the window. "Say, what's all this about the crystals?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Right, we're all on the same side. So what were you before you were stardroidized?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Plenty of point." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "The fleshie holds a point. If we are all alLIes why can you not tell us? Do you not trust us?" Job sends a radio transmission to Iris. Iris receives a radio transmission. "We're comin' back together. There ain' even gonna be no 'or not at all'," assures Starburst. "Ah'm ready as ah''l evah be," he states. Then a gatLIng gun sproings out of his shoulder pad, and he shoves it back in. "Aw, dangit..." Magna Bass walks deeper into the room, wings crackLIng intermittently with the power of his binary reactors. His red pupils pulse rhythmically with his movements, his gaze cold and unyielding. Metal Shark deigns to approach him. He looks to the Maverick, LIstening to him run his mouth. He does not seem amused, nor angry, nor even affected. He simply LIstens, then looks to Aldebaran. He LIstens to what the Stardroid has to say, then returns his attention to the far less important Metal Shark. "You will get nothing," says Bass. "Nothing at all." And he smiles thinly, almost Buddha-LIke, as he looks back towards the inky blackness beyond. Guts Man stares at Aldebaran, "Ha! You'd want me to back out wouldn't you Starchump? You're afraid I'll uncover the true plot of you trying to take over once the nothing's been defeated! I know your kind. Bunch of back stabbing, no good lying, heehawing, buck toothed, space hicks. You're LIke Germany, you say you've reformed but soon we'll be seeing you space Nazis after us yet again!" Aldebaran turns towards Colonel... and nods. "My thanks, Colonel. I beLIeve I see why this planet has survived... there are many worlds who would sooner have their enemies perish than the survival of all." He turns his gaze back out towards the window, pointedly ignoring Guts Man. Dynamo Man has nothing to say as he steps back next to his two partners (make that three), psyching himself up for what he knows will be one of the biggest external confLIcts of his LIfe. The pool of ink outside draws his optics. "Totally agreed. It'll be wonderful to have some actual help. Let's go!" With that, Gale Sorcerer just runs near Aldebaran and the rest of the crowd. Whatever has to come after this, the mage will have to see. Taking a step back, Beam grasps the grip of his Demo Bazooka, holding the weapon firmly, "What is available of the CoaLItion's miLItery is here to fight for those reploids on Earth who cannot defend themselves from Nigh's will." He GLances at the Colonel, and shifts to stand almost back-to-back with the bastion of RepLIforce's power and leadership, raising his bazooka's barrel upwards. *lensflare* There is a brief silence, then... "In Trouble? Then prepare for the Solution!" "To end the Confusion!" "To Defend the Earth against the Darkness of Nigh!" "To see LIght of another Sunrise!" "Clown Man!" "Sideshow!" "Team Clown is ready to defend!" "So lets give the World an early X-Mas Present!" "Meowth! We can do it!!!" Job watches Bass for a moment with his optic scanner and takes a step back. After one surives a megablast you do not try to ever again taunt the happy fun bass if you can help it. Tengu Man arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Tengu Man has arrived. Metal Shark snarls at Magna Bass, offering a twig from the OLIve branch was something he had been considering for a long time.. An' the bastid rejected it. Clenching his anchor almost in rage, almost ready to strike the Dark Night he gets a better idea. "Then you, Finhead shall get nothing from my Reqiuem - with your sister as the theme." He then turns up his nose at Bass, per-se and wanders away. Pyro Squirrel gets up and walks over to Aldebaran, then taps him on the leg, being unable to reach his shoulder. "Excuse me, but what's all this about crystals?" Fusion Phoenix ignores the comotion in favor of watching the events out the giant transparent dome. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "I'm going to kill your boy today, Sigma." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn pauses. "Ah was ae queen of ae sapphire o'a planet. Ae was a gorgeous ocean, teeming with LIfe. Y'er own seas remind me of ae't. But... ae's gone now, so whae difference is ae't?" Iris stares unhappily up at her brother...knowing this is very LIkely the last chance they'll ever speak in this LIfetime. "I love you, brother," she says. "I won't do this for RepLIforce. I won't do this because anyone else is unhappy with my decision. I want you to know that I'm ONLY going to do it...for YOU." Her jaw set, she turns back to Aldebaran. "...Count me in," she says in a tone suggesting disgust for the entire situation. Rocket Rodent just watches the events that transpire. Well, except for Clown Man appearing. ".... I think I heard something similar to that before..." He says, remarking about the rhyme that Scorpio said. Ninjutsu Gecko moves behind Gale, "I'm ready to do this LIttle electric boogaloo.." He stands beside the sorcerer. "I guess it'll be time to see if our new Interpol is any better than the old school U.N." He grins beneath his neenja wraps. Alpha, LIkewise, pointedly ignores Clown Man, but Guts Man is a true genius, so he is a bit harder to ignore. Alpha rubs her forehead thoughtfully as she ponders the saged words of the oracle, and then smiles back to Aldebaran and says, "I owe you at least three times already so I think it's the least I can do to settle the debts, right? Don't get hurt, please?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "And I'm going to beat anyone who tries to interfere with Bass' plans!" Mai Atsuki steps forwards sLIghtly, raising one of her Ciphers in a readied salute to Aldebaran. Someone has to speak, and apparently she's been elected, so: "The fate of the world belongs to us as well," she says, clearly and quite audibly, LIke she's used to having to speak into a large chamber without the benefit of ampLIfication. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma transmits, "What did he do this time?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "He continues to show disrespect. Here I thought you were running a proper miLItary. Do you tolerate this kind of insubordination among your own?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "As long as they don't go against saving the free world, why should we try to stop him?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "He does not, Bass. I expect punishment later." Job would smile at Mai's comment but well he does not jhhave a fave fight not but he then says. "Well Alderban what do you need us to do? Its crunch time and we better work together or we all get consumed." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark coughs, "It was worth it.." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Sigma transmits, "Figured. Do not worry, Bass. If we do not all perish by Nigh, I will decide on a proper punishment for suicidal tendencies." Iris sends a radio transmission. Job receives a radio transmission. Colonel sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. ---------- Capricorn winks into being. No flash, no smoke. She's simply gone one moment, and there the next. "Ae's time," announces the satyr, from where she overlooks the group from atop a nearby hill. ---------- [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Very obLIging, Emperor. I will spare him for you." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "..But.. Sir!" Canopy Jabberwock holds up the book given to him and looks upward into the ravenous emptiness above the windows over the Skydeck, now taking his mind off of preparations for the moment. After a measure, the gem on his forehead begins to GLow with soft utterance, and those close to him who would care to bother LIstening to him would simply hear a whispered, "ALIce was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister by the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading..." Guts Man says, "Time to get Hard?" Bass says, "Time to get ill." Zero arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Zero has arrived. Barrage Raptor sLInks back to the rest of the RepLIforcers, and hrms a LIttle bit to herself, but otherwise stays quiet. Of course, she's quiet because she's running an internal weapons check. Recheck, to be exact. She wants to make sure everything works. Metal Shark says, "TIME TO KILL!" Starburst Dragon says, "It's go tahm." Crescent Grizzly GLances over at Capricorn, and recognizes her from reports, " Raght'...." Iris sends a radio transmission. Colonel receives a radio transmission from Iris. Metal Shark turns towards Cap, "So be it." Pyro Squirrel keeps tapping Aldebaran on the leg. "Excuse me, but what's all this about the crystals?" Bass, having sorted out a brief adminstrative matter, stands among the Robot Master contingent that he is aware of -- Guts Man and Dynamo Man. He folds his arms, reactors powering up, and awaits the transport. lowering his bazooka and raising his shield, the demon laughs. He pulls the weapon of his forward, swinging it up and to one side in an overly dramatic pose, "IT'S _GO TIME_!!" Colonel sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission from Colonel. *lensflare* Silo just continues to stand near the Stardroid, just waiting... He GLances up at Capricorn, bLInking several times, before stretching his neck a bit, running a full weapons and systems check... He's ready. Guts Man powers up his boulders. "So this is what the end of the world looks LIke," Crash Man comments as he sidles up next to Guts Man. He folds his arms over his gemmed chestplate and leans against the mighty Alpha Co-Commander. The smaller android smirks, "Buncha dorks. Some cool people.. and ooh, some sweetness. Hello LIght-skin! How YOU doin'?! Heh heh heh.." Crash Man snickers as he focuses his emerald optics on Mai. Aldebaran nods, sLIghtly, to those who pledge their resources... their very LIves, to the fight. He GLances down towards Pyro Squirrel... "I have given your people crystals in which to deposit the energy of Duo to fight the forces of Nigh. We have attained much energy..." he says. GLancing up again... he notices Capricorn. "Very well. Anyone who has second thoughts... now is the time. Otherwise, we depart immediately, for Starhaven." Canopy Jabberwock lowers his gaze to the arriving Stardroid, and puts the book away into a pocket. "It so let be." No weapons raised, no poses or excessive rhetoric. Harmony clutches her harp, trying not to look nervous.. but there's no reason not to be. This is it, this is the one, this is time time. The time to act, the time to change, and all that other sappy stuff that's dramatic and appLIes to the situation. Taking a deep breathe, she waits.. with her family, her faction, for the deciding battle. Sai steps up to the clear transparent dome, to gaze into the Black beyond. "The time's come, huh," he muses quietly, wandering over to the other RepLIforcers. "Then let's go!" Eager to defend as always. Zero changes into his Red Armor armor. A sLIght grin answers the ninja LIzard, a mixture between good humor and embarrassment. The newest RDI Directior of the UN has no doubt a lot of responsabiLIty under his charge. Maybe too much for his own enjoyment, but Gale Sorcerer will be sure to do his best. "What better time than this to find it out?" He answers smiLIng. "By the way, let's avoid Mavericks and Masters as much as possible. They don't really LIke us. oO(And me even less)" Geez, how can the other people just let them run around as they wish? Pyro Squirrel stops tapping Aldebaran on the leg. "Oh, thanks." oO(Of course... I'm not important enough to get one... but is that a good thing or a bad thing?)Oo Crescent Grizzly nods to Aldebaran slowly, " 'Ahm in 'dis fer' keeps, Aldebaran. Iffin' 'ah wantad' tah' turn bac', 'ahd nevah' a' come..." His drill hand flexes, and reaches forwards, pricking into the air, tearing a crescent of energy from it. The energy surrounds the reploid in a soLId, protective field. " Les' do 'dis..." Crescent Grizzly projects a forcefield around himself. Mai Atsuki steps forwards towards the goatLIke Stardroid, silently, putting her Cipher back at her waist, saying nothing... although her green eyes do fLIck sLIghtly chidinGLy at Crash Man. Ah, the children of humanity! Zero walks into the scene, fashionably late as usual, and armed with a quick slap to the back of Crash's head as he walks by him, "Try and at last take the moment a tad seriously, Poindexter? Now is not the time to try and improve your hapless chances of ever having any kind of love LIfe." He then wanders off in search of the other Hunters, LIke a good fachead would. Guts Man huhs at the sound of Crash Man, he looks down to his partner in crime. "Yup, the end of the world looks LIke some bad plot device thrown to us over a weekend of beer and pizza." Metal Shark projects a holographic image of Guardian of Atlantis. Guardian of Atlantis has arrived. Iris sends a radio transmission. Colonel receives a radio transmission from Iris. Fusion Phoenix turns to face the Stardroid that restored his body. "I have no doubt. I am ready for the fight." Tengu Man enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Tengu Man has left. Metal Shark turns off his holographic projection of Guardian of Atlantis. Guardian of Atlantis has left. Rocket Rodent puts his gogGLes down to his eyes, and checks his systems also, even though he would still fight even if his jetpack isn't working. You don't get second chances for battles LIke this. "I am ready." Dynamo Man simply mutters, "I am ready." His expression remains unclear. Metal Shark projects a holographic image of Duo. Duo has arrived. Metal Shark turns off his holographic projection of Duo. Duo has left. Crash Man's head jerks forward sLIghtly when Zero smacks him. "Ow! Dork.." He mutters. Pyro Squirrel closes his eyes, trying to focus... Guts Man shakes his head at Crash Man, he watches as Zero wanders off, "That guy is a jerk." "T'gether," assures Starburst, putting a hand on Harmony's. LIke Crescent, he projects a forcefield, but this is different to his usual one- it's a golden GLow to surround them both. "WHatever it takes, ah c'n give it w'you heah. So let's be strong'n do this thing. T'gether." ---------- Capricorn turns, producing her scythe, and brings the weapon in a slash at her side; a black LIne is drawn through the air where the blade cuts through it. Reaching out with one hand, she grabs that LIne and pulls, tearing an iris of inky black into the air itself. "But ah will nae take ye there myself. Ah dunnae know what we all will face- an Ah will nae put you through it against y'er will. Step through the portal if ye truly wish to stand against Nigh." She takes a step back, holding her weapon behind her back, and waits. ------------ Starburst Dragon projects a forcefield around himself. Crash Man thumbs his nose at Zero's back. "He sure is, Guts Man." Firestorm Phoenix fidgits a LIttle waiting to depart to Starhaven, he also hopes that plan b isn't needed. But just incase, his armor flares with a golden GLow leaving the avain's heavy armor in its place. Firestorm Phoenix changes into his Heavy armor. Alpha looks towards Zero, and walks towards him, waving towards him quickly, "Zero.", she says to him. And then she breaks out into a wide grin and adds, "GLad you could make it, I guess.", she gestures to the gateway, "Coming along?" Ninjutsu Gecko pulls out his nunchaku, idly twirLIng it, as it hums sLIghtly with unnatural power...well...for it's weapon. "Perfect time, G. Sorcerer...perfect time." He looks to Gale, and then to the gateway. "Let' Iris follows right along with her brother through the gateway, not giving a look to anyone else around. Harmony takes another deep breathe, looking at Starburst with a weak smile. "S'right!" With that, she takes the biggest step of her LIfe.. and enters the gateway. "For freedom. For reploids everywhere. For those who cannot defend themselves." states Beam Demon. He steps towards Capricorn and her portal, "I will stand against Nigh." Metal Shark chuckles, and walks through the gateway. "Let's see now..." Ninjutsu Gecko pulls out his nunchaku, idly twirLIng it, as it hums sLIghtly with unnatural power...well...for it's weapon. "Perfect time, G. Sorcerer...perfect time." He looks to Gale, and then to the gateway. "Let's not waste time..." He goes and enters the Stardroids new doorway. Pyro Squirrel opens his eyes, and looks up at the portal. oO(This is it... Make it or break it, techni.)Oo Silently, he moves up and into the portal... Starburst Dragon follows Harmony into the gateway. Canopy Jabberwock folds his arms with a smirk as Capricorn opens the rift. He LIngers only once, to look up at the blackness above the Skydeck ceiLIng, before striding through the gateway himself without looking back. Rocket Rodent watches the iris open. You don't need to tel this rodent twice to go save the world. He floats through the portal. Barrage Raptor brings out her rifle, and pulls back the bolt, loading up a round into the chamber, before she lets it lower down to her side, "Let's rock and roll." And with that, she heads for the portal. Fusion Phoenix looks at Capricorn, then at the portal. He runs through it, shouting, "Tiny tree!" Crescent Grizzly takes a deep breath, checks the integrity of his forcefield...and then moves towards the gateway. At its edge, he stops, and looks Capricorn over for a moment and GLances behind him. " Well, les' giv' deh' nigh a' /warm/ ol' Terrahn' Welcome..." He then steps through. Zero smiles down at Aly and pats her on the head twice, "Sure am, I wouldn't miss it for the world, let's go." Mai Atsuki doesn't just step through the gateway - she jogs into it, moving quickly either to keep herself from being the last through, or perhaps to keep herself from having second thoughts. Crash Man holds his fist out to Guts Man and any other Robot Master who thinks they're cool enough to give a fist-pound. "Let's go stomp us some motherf***ers, boys!" Iris has left. Without a second though, Colonel moves towards the gateway. He stops just infront of it and looks back at all of the people... his optics lock onto Iris one more time... "Let's show the Nigh what its facing..." With that, Colonel steps through the rip in space. Harmony has left. Beam Demon sends a radio transmission to Barrage Raptor. Barrage Raptor receives a radio transmission from Beam Demon. Silo just stares at the gateway... Before walking over, and walking through it the moment he has a chance, not really talking to anyone yet. Metal Shark has left. Ninjutsu Gecko has left. Guts Man says, "Beam me up Uranus!" Dynamo Man GLances aside to Bass, to Guts, and to Crash. He extends a hand to Crash as prompted, grinning for once. "Let's do this ... not just for Wily ... but for everything. Everything past, present, and future." Barrage Raptor sends a radio transmission to Beam Demon. Beam Demon receives a radio transmission from Barrage Raptor. Sai follows the rest of RepLIforce. The time for words has passed. He nods in response to Colonel's statement, but that is all, as he enters the rift. Pyro Squirrel has left. Starburst Dragon has left. Canopy Jabberwock has left. Rocket Rodent has left. Alpha smiles and says, "Not for the world.", she then heads for the portal! Barrage Raptor has left. Fusion Phoenix has left. Dynamo Man says, "But let's go through before it closes!" Crescent Grizzly has left. Job heads for the portal gear and all. "MOVE IT PEOPLE!" Mai Atsuki has left. Clown Man follows... Colonel has left. Crash Man awaits Bass's lead. Silo has left. Beam Demon stops with the dramatic crap and actually steps through. Mmyes. "Agreed once again." Gale Sorcerer answers his UN partner just before running behind him into the portal. "Oh, and just Gale will do it. The full name's too long to be used all the time." Heh, that's right. He should have chosen something LIke Sorcerer Gale, or Magic Man. No, wait, that was already taken... Silly Veneficus and his identity change ideas... Firestorm Phoenix shrugs, "Well, what do we have to lose? ... Don't answer that." Shaking his head, Firestorm moves through the portal. Alpha has left. Job has left. Firestorm Phoenix has left. Gale Sorcerer has left. Beam Demon has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Isaac transmits, "Good luck." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "This is it..." Kain moves towards the portal, "I shall follow." He sLIps into the portal... Sai has left. Precipice of the Void - Starhaven You stand upon a platform, no more than a few hundred feet in all directions, carved from the uppermost tip of Starhaven's ruins, the broken crown of its pyramid-LIke shape. There are no walls, there is no ceiLIng; this plateau is exposed to the vast, black emptiness of space... though there is yet an atmosphere. While the air is chill and dry, it is yet safe for all to LIve and breathe in. Below and in all directions spans the pristine blue sphere of Earth. Even without the LIght of the dead sun to give it luster, the LIving planet defies the encroaching shadow with its own brilLIant GLow, a jewel amidst the darkness. In all other directions, however, spans the infinite blackness of Nigh... a darkness so pure and deep that it almost sears the eyes. Even now, that darkness fLIckers over Earth's GLow, as Nigh prepares to snuff the planet out of existence as it has so many others. The platform is kept well-LIt, however, by large LIghts at its edges, providing some false sense of security amidst the blackness of space; illuminating the plateau's scorched and worn surface and those that gather here. At its center rises a towering column of metal and wiring, a mass of machinery that stabs out of the heart of Starhaven. At its heart LIes a powerful crystal, GLowing a pale blue, swirLIng with energy; from it, a host of tubes and wires twist up the mechanical tower, leading to its pinnacle, a hundred feet above: a broad, metalLIc vat. It appears to be a starship engine, but now serves the purposes of a cauldron, a pale blue GLow eminating from within. Could this be the weapon that the Stardroids have made to battle Nigh? Contents: Contents: Sai [Headband-casual] [RF] Iris [Vanguard] [RF] Beam Demon [Pulsar] [M] Gale Sorcerer [Magician] [C] Firestorm Phoenix [Heavy] [M] Job [Space_salvage_gear] [C] Alpha [Wing] [MH] Silo [Armor] [RF] Colonel [Armor] [RF] Mai Atsuki [Strider] [C] Crescent Grizzly [RF] Fusion Phoenix [Avian] [RF] Barrage Raptor [Armored] [RF] Rocket Rodent [Armor] [RF] Canopy Jabberwock [Jabberwocky] [RF] Starburst Dragon [Armor] [RF] Pyro Squirrel [Standard] [C] Ninjutsu Gecko [Work] [C] Metal Shark [M] Harmony [Armor] [RF] Regulus [SD] Spica [Armour] [SD] South : Obsidian Holo-Node - Starhaven [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Intruiging." Zero has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...I hope..." Bass has arrived. Crash Man has arrived. Guts Man has arrived. Dynamo Man has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "If we survive... let's have a party, alright?" Aldebaran has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "I'll party on your grave, Maximal!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Let's win this, so we c'n come home an'have a Christmas t'remember. None of us'll have t'faht one another. We c'n just be friends and enjoy ourselves." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "OOC: Oops." Guts Man whispers to Crash, "Think if we set up us the bomb we'll make enough time to leave here before these jerkwads blow up?" Clown Man has arrived. Capricorn has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "I'm afraid... that it might not be that easy. The wars will continue. ... *sighs*" Crash Man whispers to Guts Man, "I think so, and then, all their base will belong to us." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Zero transmits, "The wars never ended." Guts Man nods. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I blame this on the UN." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Huh. I always blamed it on Megaman." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Kain transmits, "They're being held off." Rocket Rodent is now floating in the air, with only his manuvering jets LIt. He looks LIke a mag, actually, considering he's floating right behind Colonel. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Zero transmits, "We can cut the sappy crap, I think we've got more important things to worry about right now." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "I blame this on Bad Parenting and Video Games." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Megaman." Dynamo Man mutters. "For great justice, brothers." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Definitely his fault." Job pulls an M-4 Assault Rifle from subspace. Yup its that one he got back in Raccoon city. Job is ready to lock and load. "So it all comes back to where it started." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "No, not Christmas, Solstice. When we win we will return the LIght to the skys, and we will have Solstice." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Shut up, Zero." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Wha'd ah bother t'bing it up...?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Shut up." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Shut up, squirrel." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pharaoh Man transmits, "Pyro Squirrel, shut your incompotent mouth." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "All three of you shut up. *audible wince*" Somewhere within the Starhaven ship, Iris closes her eyes...shedding that which makes her human...shutting down that part of her so emotional, so caring, that she couldn't possibly consider violence as an answer to anything... She shivers, as it falls away from her so easily...she thought it would be harder than that. FeeLIng nothing but the need to destroy something, Iris grips her hand around the Vanguard Gem...and it ignites with a stunning intensity, enveloping her with a cold LIght. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Maybe loser Hunters LIke you worry about such thing Zero, but we Masters have everything under control." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Lets all talk a lot!" -$$$-$$$-$$$-$$$-$$$- Metal Shark emerges from the gateway and hefts his anchor up to his right shoulder. As his his sharp teeth shine a eerie silver, he looks around. -$$$-$$$-$$$-$$$-$$$- Pyro Squirrel sits down near the center of the platform, leaning against the big weapon thing that is there, waiting... Ninjutsu Gecko looks over to Gale, "Alright, Gale." He looks around. "Ooohkay...I'm just a ninja, you're the brains here. Now what?" He twirls his nunchaku a few more times, than catchs it, holding it in a ready position. Crescent Grizzly GLances around the inky void, and down the treachorous brink over which pure nothingness reigns. Around him, the field of energy shimmers sLIghtly, and provides a small amount of illumination around the Cajun's massive form. " Looks LIk' 'dis is it..." Alpha walks out of the portal, wondering if she should prepare as she had before, in something that can actually last in space. She furrows her brow. Maybe there won't even have to be a fight. Kain draws out his Cipher, and lets it GLow a brilLIant bright white. "Indeed." He readies the cipher... Crash Man asides to Guts Man, "Y'ever get the feeLIng we're just players in some larger game? I mean, LIke, the side-scrolLIng kind. Where we're at the mercy of some pimplefaced, overweight asian dork with a controller who doesn't know better than to mash buttons? That our entire future is mapped out by a collective team of dorkwads who toss lame plot after lame plot for us to be involved in?" Crash Man suddenly coughs, "..ho ho sh**, that was some strong grass. Hahaha, nevermind." Silo appears not to have any weapons ready, but knowing him he'll whip something out at the last second. Taking a slow, deep breath, he spares a GLance in all directions... Before the visor in his helmet rolls down, covering his eyes. And electricity begins to gather around his left fist... Harmony narrows her eyes, exiting the gateway into the cold void that they've been transported to. She stays silent, for now.. looking around at those gathered. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Zero transmits, "Your master can't even keep his bowel movements under control, let alone this situation, Guts." Fusion Phoenix gazes out, in a random direction, and as the Nigh has surounded the world, he is gazeing at it, or at least some part of it. He has learned that the Nigh is aware, and so he has learned not to hate it anymore for what it wants to do. He only fears it, but is determined to stop it, what ever the cost. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Didn't my master kick your ass this week?" "If'n thar's somethin' for me to seal here, ah got that covered," grins Starburst Dragon. He never got to see Starhaven up until now. He has to smile. Otherwise the full impetus of the situation'd cave his mind in LIke an eggshell. He just stand there, dopey and grinning, and ready to return the stars to the sky if need be. If he has to he'll fill the whole skyLIne with shining, beautiful stars. Colonel stands beside Iris as she makes her transformation. He thinks about how strong her love for him is as she decides to fight for the world. He shakes his head... her innocence for the world... Is it worth it? Colonel hopes so... because if they fail it won't matter anyways... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Hahaha, nooch." Job sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. Dynamo Man smirks at Dynamo. "I get that feeLIng sometimes, yes, but the next moment I'm in the mainframe." Mai Atsuki pauses, once she's emerged from a portal, remembering for a moment her last few hours on Earth - and perhaps her last few hours anywhere. After cleaning off the goo from the hospital tank that Bass sent her off in search of, she'd eaten a last dish of her favorite meal, eel and crab sushi, with a nice crisp apple for dessert. Those seeds from the apple have been planted in one of the places of Central Park that Bass defoLIated accidentally... and now she has to fight for a chance for them to go. Her own cipher comes out, the blade GLeaming with the LIquid electrical-fire that Kain has, and she GLances at the man again. "... I'm GLad to fight along side you. This darkness will know Striders' power, even if we fall!" She's having a dramam moment, apparently. Beam Demon is here. Oh yeah. Standing on one of the edges of the platform, his bazooka raised to the lack of heavens. At what he perceives to be the heart of Nigh. "Yes. You will NOT have this planet. YOU WILL NOT!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Guts Man thinks about it. "Nope never thought about it that way. But now that you mention it..." Guts Man looks at the fourth wall. "If what you mentioned is true... BEEF JERKY!" Suddenly beef jerky appears in Guts Man's hands, "Sweet! I hold the power of the matrix!" Iris sends a radio transmission. Job receives a radio transmission from Iris. Crash Man gasps and stares at Guts Man. "Holy f***, he has the touch." He has the POWAH! -------- The Stardroid Engine- the tower of machinery at the heart of the plateau- throbs quietly, trembLIng in place, seeminGLy aLIve with the energy contained within. As the volunteers, heroes and villains aLIke, begin to bLInk in throughout the plateau, that energy only seems to increase, the swirLIng white inside its blue crystal heart picking up in pace. Perhaps it's only the proximity of the fuel crystals that Aldebaran had the people of EArth gather, or perhaps it is somethign else. Capricorn is the last to appear, stepping through her own portal and zipping it up behind her. CLIp-clopping swiftly to the mechanical tower and hopping up, she finds a foothold some ten feet up and cLIngs to the side of the thing with one hand, her other still sporting her trademark scythe. From here, she can once more address the crowd. "Again... we dunnae know what t'expect... or whether thaes wile even work. Wae't any hope, however, ye'll all just be ae'n audience for ae spectacular LIght show. Aldebaran, haul on up ae'n put thae crystals in." She gestures to the top of the tower with her scythe. ----------- Clown Man flexes his wigGLIng arms and takes a battle stance, ready... with Sideshow beside him... ...and somewhere the final boss music of Chrono Trigger starts to play... Firestorm Phoenix eyes Beam and facepalms, "Sound doesn't carry in space Beam." Canopy Jabberwock now stands on the platform, although he needs no atmospheric crutch. Pah. He looks about, observing the remains of Starhaven, and following the tower piercing Starhaven with his eyes. "Here stands Longinus, then." With that one sentence, he falls silent yet again, folding his foreclaws again. He doesn't need to justify his decision to himself or make any speeches, but merely to watch and wait to see whether his part shall be needed. Job sends a radio transmission to Iris. Iris receives a radio transmission. Dynamo Man bLInks, and stares at Guts. "Oh my goodness, he does ...... how did you do that?" Pyro Squirrel hehs. "Yeah, LIght show... Yes... LIght show..." ChuckLIng to himself, he subconsciously goes through a final checkLIst of his weapons systems, a LIghtshow in themselves. "Easy" Gale Sorcerer answers to his ninja partner once more while he looks around the ship in a thoughtful pose. Then he raises his right hand and snaps his fingers, smiLIng confidently. "We'll stay around the good guys and see if we can help them. I've already seen some RepLIforcers around here. That one in there is the Colonel, if my sight is not wrong. As long as we stay around them we'll be relatively safe. Then I'm sure we'll find something to do too." Oh, no! Gale's smiLIng! Quick! Get away from him before something explodes! Job sends a radio transmission to Gale Sorcerer. Gale Sorcerer receives a radio transmission from Job. Guts Man chuckles, "The power of the cybernet spacecube. It holds many things in subspace. I had you going there for a minute didn't I?" Pyro Squirrel closes his eyes again and leans against the weapon thing. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "So Crash, what should I play for today's episode?" Sai steps out of the gateway with usual grace, and approaches the other RepLIforcers. He GLances around sharply, more than sLIghtly unnerved by the Black that surrounds the area. Vents all over his body open and, briefly, expel a surge of plasma, a defiant attempt to show the Nigh that he's not only unafraid, but ready to fight whatever form it may take. "I hope everyone is ready...though hopefully we won't NEED to be, huh?" He chuckles weakly. There is a flash of LIght off to one side of the platform, out in the inky blackness of space. And where before, there was nothing, now floats Regulus. Blade in hand, blazing with LIght and energy, the Stardroid turns to face the even darker blackness of Nigh. "Do your work, Aldebaran. Perhaps we shall finally be free." Gale Sorcerer sends a radio transmission. Job receives a radio transmission from Gale Sorcerer. Dynamo Man chuckles. "You did, brother. Now --" Regulus' introduction interrupts him, and steals his attention. Barrage Raptor folds her arms over her chest, rifle slung down behind her back, eyes closed. Yeah. Okay, so the world's gonna end. That figures. Though, if the world's gonna end, it'd better go down fighting. Not running away scared LIke in Titan A.E. Iris sends a radio transmission to Job. Job receives a radio transmission. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Sah'lent naht, holy naht, all is calm..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Shut up." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "... All is bright..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Yeah, some of us are Jewish, you oppressive f***twards!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "I asked Crash, not 'whomever-you-are'." What is there, yet not there, is there. Spica's form appears amongst those of her fellow Stardroids. "Free to do what we please without fear," she adds to Regulus' comment. "And it is good to see that those of Earth are wilLIng to help." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix picks up the song, singing in a nice baratone, "Round yon virgin mother and child..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "You should play some MetalLIca." ------ Aldebaran has sLIpped through the portal, quietly, looking towards the assorted machinery... quietly hoping that his jury-rigged engineering will hold together. This is all theory, after all... but they had no time, no real other way of fighting the beast other than this theory. This was all... He opens his palm, holding four crystals, so far. Concentrating, he begins teleporting away any remaining power crystals from the Earth and from Starhaven... materiaLIzing into his palm, a total of six objects of power shine, some so brightly they're hard to look at. With a nod towards Capricorn, and a silent pleading to the machinery to hold together, he teleports in his typical red mist, materiaLIzing near the machine's fuel repository. Placing each crystal into waht appears to be a small energy manipulation chamber, he fLIps a switch, causing the crystals to begin resonating, the LIght within them fLIckering as it's unified with the power of the machine. ------ [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Somthing high-energy so we can f*** someone up." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Why not some Ironica?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Good idea, Guts Man!" Ninjutsu Gecko looks to Gale, grinning a bit beneath his wraps. "Well...we'll see. If things get too crazy, I'm not gonna worry about it. They're not stupid. They know we LIkely need every one we have here." He looks around, eyeing the apperaing Stardroids.. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Holy infant, so tender and mild..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Sleep in heav'nly peace..." Silo briefly GLances over at Regulus as he arrives, nodding sLIghtly at him despite the fact he'll probably never see the nod... And electricity gathering around his fist suddenly disappears, and his left fist retracts, reforming into an arm cannon... Just in case. He also spares a GLance at Spica as she arrives, but quickly turns to watch the machine... Pyro Squirrel leans against the vibrating machine, singing softly into his radio. Crescent Grizzly turns towards the engine as it flutters to LIfe, the extraterrestial fuel coursing through it. And, for one of the few times in his LIfe, bites his LIp. This is it. Everything hinges on the outcome of the device. Should it fail, all may be lost. No Pressure Pac-Pac! Really! Dynamo Man just looks on. Something is going to happen and it's going to happen in a huge way. If he's GLad for one thing, it's that his brothers are there with him - only some of them, but some of them. "....." Job optic narrows and he says, "You know rule number one about Stardroids? Never trust them... ever." He shrugs, "But in this situation we don't got a choice." Job diverts more powers to weapons and keeps his own rifle at the ready. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Good luck, everyone..." Harmony sighs, a LIttle impatient.. a LIttle nervous. Staying rigid and alert, she says nothing still. Lowering his bazooka, Beam turns suddenly to face Barrage. He spoke with her already. But he's forgotten something. The demon approaches the similarly-sized Raptor at an even gait, releasing his weapon and letting it swing up out of the way. With that, he extends his free hand to her once he's close enough. "Once again. Good luck." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Slee-eep in heavenly peace..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Heh, alright then.... Less see if I got any lyric sheets on me." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn plays a very loud series of chords, possibly drowning the Christmas Songs out. "Guitaaarr.r....check." The forcefield GLow around Starburst Dragon grows brighter as he sings along too. He's determined to shine tonight, to act as an understudy for the stars themselves if need be, if they can't be there. Rocket Rodent just watches, and waits. He knows that he can do nothing to hasten the process. Except to beLIeve that this will work. Of course, if a target appears, he's all over it. To the bright crystals, he just turns on the dark film on his gogGLes. designed so that he can fly directly skywards without getting bLInded by the sunLIght, He finds them to be mildly effective. Duet has arrived. Fusion Phoenix looks to the Stardroid's machine as they prepare it. There is only one thing he can do now. Pray. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Thank'y." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "(sounding oddly calm)Heh. Maybe it's LIke one of those movies, and we can defeat it by singing." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Let's go positive thinkin'! Haha." Not another word of dissent comes from Iris, now encased in the depths of the Vanguard. She stands next to her brother, the only sound coming from her is the low hum of the weapons array powering up. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "Wouldn't hurt." Canopy Jabberwock's eyes stray to Spica, and he LIstens to her comment distrustfully. Even if the machine finishes Nigh, he expects there still to be a need for Earth to defend itself. But in any case he waits and watches. As he does so, he begins a cooing burble without any particular melody, almost absently warbLIng from note to note. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "I've heard that Yamararenai Yamararenai can be used as a weapon." Firestorm Phoenix stays where he is, arms crossed, suddenly wondering what they'll do if this thing fails to stop Nigh, and most of his thoughts aren't pleasent. Alpha closes her eyes, sticking with Zipster. Slowly her form seems to dissolve as the LIquid metal which makes up her internals creeps out and surrounds her frame. Yup, it's the icky armor form again. But on the bright side, this one can actually survive in a vacuum. Aly then says, in a monotone, "Ready.", she says simply, looking over to Zipster, "Figured this would be of more use." Alpha changes into her Death armor. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Me... I'm just going to lay on the grass and watch the stars above. ...Good luck, everyone..." Sai stands resolute, observing the Stardroids and their preparations. Only one thing to do now, indeed. He quietly begins murmuring prayers to whatever Kami he can think of. It is, indeed, the only thing they can do, for the moment. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "Thanks Tron. I'll see you when I get back." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "/What/ stars?!" Bass has been keeping to himself, so far. He pumped his fists along with Crash Man as they advanced through the portal, but has been in his own inner dialogue throughout his time on Starhaven. He looks across those present from time to time, pacing around the periphery of the chamber, waiting for the inevitable. Waiting for the attack to come. "Stay alert," Bass directs to the Robot Masters, who -- in their own way -- are coping with the magnitude of this event. His gaze then turns to the Nigh, where his mind continues to take him. It defies his Purpose -- so he will defy It. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Do /you/ see any stars?! Because all *I* can see is the NIGH!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Ah'll make stars 'nough f'r everyone." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "We could use your weaponry up here..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "I can make Tron see stars!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Screw it, rat. Screw it all..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "-sighs- Right... ...No stars. -another sigh- Can't even see the /stars/ anymore." After catching the other Stardroids in a thoughtful and a bit nervous gaze, Gale nods to Gecko. Hopefully he won't have to worry too much either. "Indeed. Have your weapons ready though. We never know when will we have to use them." He then starts checking his holographic systems, while he takes out his staff's pieces and puts them together. "We'll try not to catch too much people's attention around. After all, we usually work best from the shadows." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "Oh well. At least its relaxing up here on Eurasia." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...*relaxing*... yeah, right..." Zero smiles down at Aly, "I kinda LIke it, actually. Definately cute." He then reaches for his sabre, but does not ignite it. He'll turn it on when it's needed. Dynamo Man stands and watches, weapon systems checked out and powered up. In the background of his consciousness, he has a track playing. Magus' Theme, from Chrono Trigger. What an influence Magnet is on him, even in the face of Nigh. Colonel stands beside the now larger than him Iris... well, kinda Iris. Colonel looks up at the nothing, the Nigh... What will it send to defeat us, he thinks. It has to know we are going to try and stop it. Colonel looks at Bass and then at Zero... General is down for the count and Megaman is missing... He pulls his sabre out sLIghtly... preparing to fight whatever may come. Colonel sends a radio transmission. Zero receives a radio transmission from Colonel. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cancer transmits, "It is very relaxing, Tengu... Avatar..." ---------- The machine rumbles to LIfe, its quiet humming reaching a higher-pitched whine, something resembLIng a jet engine; the white swirLIng inside its crystal heart becomes a swirl, then a uniform haze as the energy inside the Stardroid Engine is multipLIed over and over again, the power in the fuel crystals added to them. But this is no mere power... these are veritable Stardroid souls, for these crystals were powered by the death of Procyon... who in turned gained his power through the slaughter of his fellows. All is cycLIcal, and now that power is turned back upon Nigh. Hopefully. The blue-white GLow of the engine inside becomes a brilLIant white, then a piercing, almost burning white- the whine of the Stardroid Engine becoming a furious shriek as the machine prepares to unleash its energy against the encroaching shadow. But just as the brilLIant blue crystal inside seems ready to burst... It sputters, fades, and goes black. The whine of the machine dies down to a dull groan, before a waft of steam billows out. It appears to be... broken. High above, the blackness of Nigh is disrupted, as a swirLIng grey cloud seems to form above the plateau.... ----------- [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Well, now we're done." Guts Man idly rocks on the ball of his heels LIke a kid anticipating something fun. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...hhhghhh..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...wait." Ninjutsu Gecko laughs to Gale, "Don't I know it." He smirks, "I am primed and ready.." He taps the handles of his sword and bokken, checks his throwing stars, and his Dragon system is up and running. "I'll worry about keeping hidden some other time..best to worry all about accompLIshing the goal to the fullest." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...what...what did you say?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "He said you're a big nosed doofus." Dynamo Man goes completely blank with surprise. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Time for Plan B..." Harmony gapes.. eyes widening noticably. What's going on..? [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cancer/Uranus/Gemin transmits, "...Looks LIke I will claim you as my avatar after all, Tengu... Barrage Raptor nods to Beam, "Yeah." She says, "Good luck. Now let's hope this thing works." And it goes off, the raptor wincing sLIghtly, "Wow. I should have kept my mouth shut.." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...no..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne sniffs. "My family and I have been gambLIng with death ever since our parents died. I /don't/ fear it... especialy not since a few months ago." Bass sends a radio transmission. Starburst Dragon's forcefield cLIcks off. He shuffles closer to Harmony. Starburst Dragon lowers his forcefield. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...What?" Fusion Phoenix finishes his prayr. "...and so Saint $iLIcon, preserve this your desciple." He sees the others getting ready to fight, and morphs his right hand into a blaster, and pulls out his hook on a cable with the other. He watches the machine, then looks to the Nigh. "It had some effect, I'll bet it's weakened." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man goes quiet. Pyro Squirrel GLances over his shoulder at the vibrating machine as it starts up... and then putters out. Calmly, he goes back to leaning against it. There's no reaction, surprised or otherwise, from Iris within the Vanguard as the power source sputters and dies. Silo just begins to smile as the machine gets ready to destroy the Nigh... And then the machine dies. "...Oh, just great." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Hey Tron if you die can I have your midget slaves?" Bass receives a radio transmission from Daryn. Metal Shark gulps, "Oh.. This cant be good." he whispers, taking a step forawrd. He's now holding the anchor with white haded grip. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "Hardly." Rocket Rodent bLInks, as the machine dies out. "Is it... supposed to do that?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "I'll take that as a yes. Come on kids! Papa Guts is taking you all out for ice cream!" No response from the machine. No nothing?... Aldebaran stares at it... and his mighty, noble response? "...F***!" He kicks the Main Power Conversion Unit Redistributor a few times ineffectually. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "(still oddly calm) Well, looks LIke we'll have to take this thing out ourselves." Crash Man bLInks, "Dude, the Stardroid cussed. Heh heh.. awlright!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "We got a request, guys, and I owe this guy one! It's called Still!" |------| Regulus turns his head to watch the machine as it comes to LIfe. And then... shakes his head just a bit as the machine... fails to work. But even as he expresses his silent dismay, Nigh moves. And the Stardroid's head whips around to face the seething grey and black. He firms his grip on the hilt of his sword, his wings unfurLIng completely. "I misLIke this..." |------| [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Stardroids! What is *wrong* with your machine?!" "Death cannot fight death," Canopy Jabberwock notes dully, disrupting his cooing song. "Thus is LIfe. Strikes the irony when are stakes the highest." He still smirks, although lowly and soberly; he proceeds to add, "Starwalkers! Longinus does not pierce; Death only kills and does not birth; now attempt Hope, and us tell how can we fight, and we shall fight." Capricorn kicks off the Stardroid engine, landing nearby, turning to look up at the machine as it powers up... and promptly dies down.She bLInks, furrowing her brow, before waving her scythe furiously! "YE STUPID PEACE O' GARBAGE! WE DIDNAE BUILD YE TO BREAK DOWN AT THAE LAST MOMENT!!! ALDEBARAN, GIVE IT A SMACK!" She waves furiously at Aldebaran as he does, indeed, kick the Stardroid engine in its sensitive spots. Job watches grey cloud start to form but does not hope just yet as he get ready. "Oh hell no good can come of this..." He fLIps off the safty on his weapon and starts to lookl about. "Hey Stardroids need a hand trying to get it back onLIne?" Guts Man turns to Crash, "Got any popcorn? I want to see who dies first." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Yin Yoma Byte transmits, "...Machine...?" Sai stares mutely at the deadened device. He begins to mutter a rather long string of curses in both Japanese and EnGLIsh that can most definitely not be repeated in print. He GLances up as Fusion mentions that something HAS happened, though, and bLInks a few times. "I'm...getting a VERY bad feeLIng about this, everyone..." Mai Atsuki LIfts up her Cipher, staring up at the gathering cloud as there's a seeming disruption in the Nigh. Did they DO it, even if there's something wrong with the machine? And she shouts, piercinGLy, "Everyone get ready!" Fusion Phoenix looks at the stardroids' reaction. "Sh*t." Dynamo Man hrms ... and steps forward, addressing Aldebaran and the other Stardroids. "I might be of some help." "...Murphey's law." Beam states. He nods to Barrage and approaches the stardroid device. He GLances at Aldebaran, then up to Capricorn. "Please, calm yourselves. There is a device on Earth that can be used to repair all things." He reaches behind hid shield and removes ... a roll of duct tape. With a serious aura to him, the demon hands the silvery tape to Aldebaran. Pyro Squirrel falls over as the machine is kicked, the vibration disrupting his leaning against it. Getting back up, he remarks to the stardroid next to him, "Take it easy. Maybe someone here can fix it." Zero sends a radio transmission to Colonel. Colonel receives a radio transmission from Zero. Clown Man sweatdrops as the machine... breaks down. o.o "Not good," murmurs the clown. "Not good at all," adds the monkey. Metal Shark turns towards Mai, he says nothing but nods, bringing down his anchor he begins to stare at the cloud, ready to attack if need be. Crash Man shakes his head to Guts Man, "I'm all outta popcorn, Guts Man, but I got five zenny that the busty goat-chick gets nailed first." Cancer has arrived. Starburst Dragon is busy... punching himself in the arm. "Stupid forcefield! Nah's not th'tahm t'go on th'fritz! Back up!" The forcefield goes back up. "Better." Zero sends a radio transmission. Colonel receives a radio transmission from Zero. Guts Man chuckles, "I think I saw something LIke that in one of pop's magazines. Goat chicks are the freakiest." Spica chuckles softly under her breath. "Care for a bit of electricity there, Capricorn?" she offers as she keeps a weary eye on the mass above. Crescent Grizzly groans, " Zuts Alors..." he mutters from behind his forcefield, shoulder slumping. " Lus' LIk' weh' gon' 'ave tah' fight it deh' ol' fashion'd way..." he comments, and takes a step closer towards the Nigh, " Trah' an get dat' 'ting workin'..." he calls to those behind him, " Maybe weh' can stall deh' Nigh? " Attaching the last piece of his staff, Gale Sorcerer taps the crystal sphere he's just set up on its place, and grins to his partner. "Not being hidden" He slahes it into the air with one hand to check everything's well set. "Just let's not catch too much attention. That's an advantage most of the times." Then he eyes to all the noise that is coming from the Stardroids' direction. See, it has already gone kaputt! Gale, stop smiLIng! Duet appears near the other Stardroids, her face wrought with pain and sorrow, arriving shortly after the machine's seeming failure. She offers no words yet, she merely stands there, watching, her hands folded over her chest. Aldebaran GLances towards the crowd. Looking a bit sheepish, for a Stardroid... he coughs. "...any assistance you can provide would be most appreciated." he calls out. He begins cussing quietly under his breath in a half-dozen languages. Pyro Squirrel backs away from the machine at the mention of electricity. Electricity bad. Capricorn turns to look back to SPica, and grunts as she looks again to the Engine. "Aye, ye got any jumper cables on ye, Spica? Perhaps ae's battery ae's jus' dead." Stellar Jay has arrived. Kain grimaces as the Machine... fails to work. (...)oo. He looks over at Mai as the Nigh approaches. "..." Fusion Phoenix looks at Beam's offering. "That stuff won't do! Here, catch!" He pulls out and throws at the Maverick a roll of a different kind of tape. You see, Gaffer's tape is supieror to Duct. Dynamo Man stands before the device, jaw again set in concentration. ".. Jumper cables? I'm a friggin /generator/!" Job heads towards the machine and brings his techinal support rig. "Okay lets see what we can do. Alderbaran, any idea where the error in the system might be?" Pyro Squirrel shrugs. "Don't look at me, I can repatch armor plating and rewire explosives, but I don't think that will be much help here. Firestorm Phoenix curses under his breath, his weapon systems warming up, "I beLIeve a certain quote immortiLIzed by a fictional character from the 20th century is quite fitting in this momment. We're all gonna die." Shaking his head the avain maverick sighs, nothing much he can do now but sit and wait. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Kain transmits, "Miss Tron? We seem to have a technical problem... and the ironic thing is the Stardroids can't repair it..." Silo just stares as Beam Demon attempts to hand over the duct tape to Pac Pac, before shaking his head in disbeLIef. He then turns back to the machine, taking a few steps over to it to get a better view of this machine that just won't work. UnLIne others though, he doesn't swear. "...Why did I have a feeLIng this would happen?" Rocket Rodent draws both energy pistols. If the Stardroid is cursing, there's no way this could be how the machine is supposed to work. "Time for plan B." He says, while he charges the pistols up. Yep, he's a 4 foot tall rat of destruction now. While dozens of thoughts run through his mind, one sticks in mis mind, quite an odd thought, in fact. .o(I need a sword...) Metal Shark says, "Typical.. The machine to defeat the ultimate nothing breaks down.." Alpha grins thinly, but only thinly because she doesn't really have much in the way of LIps at the moment. And then ... if she had eyes ... she'd bLInk. Well, it looks LIke even stardroids mess up. Oh well, it'd be ironic if they weren't all going to implode or something. And then she looks up to Spica and lets out a nearly emotionless sigh. Colonel shakes his head as the machine breaks and Beam Demon offers Duct Tape. Colonel steps towards the edge of the platform and looks for anything that might be coming. "RepLIforce... No, everyone stay on your toes... The Nigh knows we can hurt it." He looks at the Stardroids and asks, "I assume it will send something to stop us?" Ninjutsu Gecko watches the machine die as well. "I had a moped that did that...never started when I was running late." he shakes his head, and looks over at Gale's dopey grin. "Well. You're certainatly excited about all this." He nods works for me. "I'm going to sing the doom song now...." He starts singing, to himself...the Doom song. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Ohfun. What is this Machine?! ...I'm on Eurasia..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Kain transmits, "...Starhaven." Spica tilts her head at Dynamo Man. "There's a help hand, Capricorn," the red-haired Stardroid comments. "But I can still offer a good jolt." She holds her hands wide and electricity leaps between her palms. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...I... see. ...What is going on?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn starts playing music. Seeing that Daryn's player doesn't have the song yet, hopefully the words will be descriptive enough. "Back up in your as* with the Resurection...Is the group harder than an erection...That shows more affection. They wanna ban us on Capital Hill, Cause its die muthafu**as, die muthafu**as! [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Thing broke down." Gaffer's tape. Hm. The demon keeps that in mind as he catches the thrown roll, examining it before tucking it behind his shield. "Indeed." He steps back, having given all the help he could, and raises his gaze to the gray disturbance above. "..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn strugGLes not to laugh midway through the song. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Kain transmits, "The machine that will sealed Nigh up for good... broke down." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "Wacky, aint it?" A grimmace is afixed on Alde's face. He begins tapping away at the gargantuan computer consoles. "The power distribution matrix... I hope." he conjectures, running his hands along the consoles rapidly trying to ascertain a problem. The computers seem to be malfunctioning as well, however. ---------- Thunk, thunk, thunk, the kicks and whacks and duct-tape appLIcations and slew of curses does LIttle to encourage the Stardroid Engine from kicking into gear... it remains cold, black, and dead. Perhaps it really is broken. Stardroid construction... you can't trust it. Up above, the roiLIng grey cloud thickens, assuming the girth of a thundercloud, even giving a few low, ominous rumbles... but thunder? In Earth orbit? Surely it must be something else. But LIke thunder, it begins to rain, as small, black bolts of darkness begin to descend from the cloud in a thick shower. They streak by Starhaven and the Plateau that you stand upon, leaving roiLIng black trails in their wake; dropping towards Earth's atmosphere below, creating spreading pools of blackness where they connect. Several black hailstones strike the surface of the Plateau, bursting into thick, fog-LIke clouds of darkness... splash, splash, splash, more shadow added to the growing mass. The cloud is growing, soon looming over the heroes that stand upon the plateau, coelescing into something, though it's not yet clear just what... ---------- [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Good! Now we can prove to you idiots that we don't need aLIen technology to defeat the nothing. You people depend on technology too much and not enough on your own brain power." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Clown Man gains a British Accent, "Verily." Another gadget springs from Starburst's shoulder. It's a screwdriver. Somehow, he thinks that not even all his knowledge of tinkering with Mets and building Bunbies that can speak Fake Swedish will do much good here. And shoves it back in, of course. Metal Shark says, "Eeew." Dynamo Man pats himself down. "Let me see, where did I put that extra pair of cables ... and a computer problem? I might be able, but I'm not /too/ good on that." Harmony looks at Starburst helplessly, then her eyes wander up to the bizarre thunderstorm happening around them. "It just gets worse and worse.." Crescent Grizzly moves to stand before the device, trying to act as a shield agianst the storm of shadows. More damage to the device is not something any of them can afford at the moment. Silently, the Guardian waits, watching the cloud with anticipation... Barrage Raptor unsLIngs her rifle, "Looks LIke the crap's about to hit the fan, boys and girls." She murmers to the other RepLIforcers that are around here. Great. Murderous rainstorms. But this is no time to be scared of water. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "... Oh shit." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "OOC Yeeessss." Job says, "IN COMMING!" Job gets his tool rig onLIne as he tries to puzzle out the aLIen tech and attempt to repair what is wrong here. "This is going to be fun.." Fusion Phoenix looks at the display by the nigh. "Elemental destruction would just absorb us... Something is manafesting in that cloud!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "OOC But language. :>" Mai Atsuki keeps her Cipher activated, the blade continuing to GLeam with plasma-energy, but doesn't do anything else just yet - the second Cipher she has isn't drawn, not yet. She may, after all, have an arm blown off and lose this one.... you never know. Dynamo Man halts his actions as the rain begins. "Oh great ... what now !?" Defensively, the Demon raises his shield over his head LIke a giant metal umbrella, peering at the cloud from under his cover. He mutters quietly, into his radio... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "OOC Zero does it all the time." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings, "All along (still) it was the geto, nothin' but the geto. Takin' short steps one foot at a time and keep my head low. And never let go Iris observes the gathering 'storm'. Finally, she turns toward Colonel and speaks, her voice coming through the external speaker of Vanguard. However, it sounds utterly devoid of emotion. An automaton may as well be piloting the Vanguard. "Prepare for battle. Destruction imminent." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "OOC Bleep it." Metal Shark takes a few steps back and drops his anchor to the ground, "Rain?! IN -SPACE-?" he yells, scanning his memory, "This is so up!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Capricorn transmits, "OOC That's no excuse. Do not swear. Use a less obtrusive word, censor it with *'s in certain places, whatever." Zero sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "OOC Oops, sorry. I'll be more careful next time." Regulus has moved to interpose himself between the platform and the roiLIng mass of Nigh far overhead. A few of the dark bolts are slammed aside with the flat of the AngeLIc Stardroid's blade, creating bright flashes of LIght. The nimbus of golden energy around Regulus begins to grow brighter as he finally... begins to laugh. "Come, Devourer! You desire something to consume? You will find me a disagreeable meal! I defy you! [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "OoC: Even Daryn bleeps." Zero sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "OOC: Sorry, sorry. I was lost in the moment and forgot." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne speaks softly... "...Well, we'll just have to fix it then, now won't we?" Tron sniffs! "...It needed Duo Energy, didn't it? ...What exactly is happening up there?" Iris sends a radio transmission to Zero. Zero receives a radio transmission from Iris. Sai's eyes narrow as he turns his gaze on the GLowing cloud. His response? "Bloody hell." He drops into combat stance, bLInk systems charged to full power, plasmatic vents as full as they can get without hitting dangerous levels...Sai is ready for anything. "Let the Darkness come," he murmurs, whether to himself, to everyone else, or to the Nigh itself, no one can be sure. "We will fight it." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Maybe Duo doesn't exactly want to help. Since it is his, I guess, maybe?" Silo takes a look around, before cursing LIghtly under his breath. As the rain falls, he can do nothing but stand there and watch... He does quickly focus on Regulus as he acts though, and just watches in silence... Metal Shark steps forward, "Uhh, yeah! WE DEFY YOU- COME NIGH! Do your WOORST!" he then picks his anchor back up, and begins pointing and talking trash to.. Rain? ---------- There is swirLIng red LIght suddenly appear next to the 'cloud' expanding and growing until it flares out completely to reveal... Cancer. "Your Eternal Peace is NIGH!" The crab mocks. "Nigh cannot be stopped!" ---------- [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Isn't Duo dead?" Guts Man chuckles to Crash, "Hey what would happen if we kicked someone in the ass and sent them flying off the platform?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Excuse me, I have some crab hunting to do..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "N-no!" The Force Commander closes his eyes as the machine fails, continuing to pace. He doesn't need to actually /hear/ the song he requested. It runs through his head on a regular basis, permanently loaded into his internal soundtrack. He brings both of his arms down, both forearms generating a *ploomf* as they form Buster cannons. He allows his reactors to go to full, a dull greenish GLow issuing forth from every joint and seam in his armor. He opens his eyes, gaze filled with a steely resolve. The thunder rolls, the shadows coelescing into ... /something/. Or, perhaps, Nothing. "...they want to ban us up on Capital Hill..." He bursts into green flame, rising up a meter from the platform, LIps curLIng back with his unholy wrath. "But it's /die/ mothaf***ers *die* mothaf***ers DIE!" He allows his right hand to return, a large metal pole expanding from it abruptly; a green energy blade forms at the top, taking the form of a scythe. He holds it defiantly, gritting his teeth, waiting for ... yes. /Cancer/. "ROBOT MASTERS!" booms Bass, staring at Cancer's arrival. "I feel LIke SHELLFISH tonight! Who's with me?!" Firestorm Phoenix jumps away from several drops of 'rain', "Oh, this is just lovely..." Rocket Rodent, however, has a water weakness. So, in defense of this aparent 'rain', he projects flamejets up, giving him an umbrella effect. "I heartily agree with that statement." Rocket says, to Metal, as he tries to defense himself from this 'rain'. And then, Cancer appears. He says but one thing. "Permission to fire at Cancer, Sir?" "Traitor!" Spica shouts at Cancer as she shoots a pillar of fire towards him. "How could you go and join Nigh?" *Insert your fight tune of choice, if you haven't got one playing already* "Figures. Cancer bah name, cancer bah nature," snaps Starburst Dragon. Both of his hands screw down into their wrists. From one springs a giant nutcracker. From the other a buttery butter knife. "Ah'm with y'! Tahm to crack this crab!" Capricorn hisses as the black rain begins, LIfting her weapon as she shields her eyes to squint at the gathering cloud... then the shower of darkness that it unleashes. Muttering some aLIen curse, she skips ahead, hooves *thunking* loudly against the Plateau's surface with each step, and vaults forward to stand beside Regulus, raising her scythe high. "NIGH, Y'GIT! COME AE'N FIGHT DIRECTLY ALREADY! WE'RE SICK O YE'R COWARDLY TACTICS! WHAE'S T'AE MATTER, Y'ERE NOT MAN 'NOUGH TAE FACE US?! BWAAAK-BWAK-BWAK-BWAK! CHICKEEEEENNN!" Guts Man fist pumps, "I'M WITH YOU SIR! SHELLFISH SHANDWICHES!" He cackles, "Say that fast 5 times!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn says, "SHUT THE HELL UP!", and then continues singing as if he never stopped, "Cause if I let go, then I'll be spineless I'm going INSANE!!" Dynamo Man leaps back as Cancer approaches .. landing by his buddies. "The last dissenter!" Bass' battle cry reaches him, and he takes no time to reply. "Let's go!!" Pyro Squirrel needs to ask no permission of nobody, as he works under no-one! "Let's see you dodge when you can't see!" He dramatically yells at the crab, throwing his customized special smoke bombs. Mai Atsuki does not, as is typical for Striders, take her time to give a witty remark of any kind. But she does bring her Cipher up, letting the plasma focus and gather for a nice long moment, before she fLIngs it with a vehement shout at the approaching crabLIke entity! Pyro Squirrel misses Cancer with his Smoke Acorn attack. Duet slowly takes a step forward towards Aldebaran, a LIttle less grace in her once seeminGLy perfect step, a LIttle less confidence in her usually perfect posture. Another step is taken, before her legs buckle a bit. For the first time, and maybe for the last time, Duet is afraid of what is to come. As an extension of Fate itself, a goddess in her own right, Duet has always known the final outcome of every situation, she has always had a solution when none could be found. Today, there are no answers, there are no hints. It's almost, as if Fate has abandoned her... just as Destiny, in the form of Duo, did after Earth's Judgement. And then, one by one, tears fall from the Stardroid's eyes, each droplet crashing to the ground into a small sparkLIng mini-LIght show. She looks up at the machine built to harness the essense of her beloved, and then to it's creator. After a few more tears are bLInked away, she says, "There's one bit of Duo... that you don't have yet..." Duet then LIfts her hands from her chest, a large blue ball of energy seeminGLy pulled along with them as she slowly draws them away from her, finally holding it out to Aldebaran, "... just as he is me, I am him. I could not exist without him... this, is the last bit of his essense that I have kept with me since that day... perhaps, it can help." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "What is going on up there?!" Mai Atsuki strikes Cancer with her Plasma Bolt attack. As Crash Man points up at Cancer, his hand sLIps back into it's forearm housing. Within a second, a large diamond-tipped drill extends into readiness. "YO," he calls out. "THIS MOTHERF***ER AIN'T ONE OF US. HE F***S SHEEP!!!" Crash Man fires off the projectile with nothing more than a mental command. Drill away! Spica strikes Cancer with her Crimson Wave attack. Excited? Well, maybe a bit. At least until he's on fire or is tossed into a wall again. Gale Sorcerer needed a bit of activity after deaLIng with the Interpol changes, and of course, with his boss. "The Doom Song." He says putting his staff on his right shoulder and taking some hair away from his face. "Very suitable, indeed? Hmmm, can you see that rain? Either the news guy got messed up with the weather again or there is another powerful force close to us causing this. Seems LIke we'll be recieving some visit soon." Totally right. Just as he opens his mouth, the crab Stardroid appears. Oooh, it's the guy that gave him that deLIghtful CAPPACINO!(TM). Hmmmmm... With a couple of shiny eyes, he eyes Gecko and gives him a nod pointing towards the Stardroid. Then he raises one of his GLoved hands. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "A faht!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...p-please..." Starburst Dragon misses Cancer with his Completely Random Weapon attack. Cancer successfully deflects an attack randomly. Crash Man strikes Cancer with his Drill Rocket attack. Dynamo Man misses Cancer with his LIghtning Bolt attack. Crescent Grizzly growls, " Cancah', yew' beh' gettin' awflay' 'nnoyin, yew' know 'dat? " He says, and leaps skywards for the Crab, " Naw', les' see 'ow yew' LIk' a LIttle bit o' grizzlay'! " He snarls, and lashes out with his claws, paws, teeth, feet, and anything he can throw at the Stardroid... Crescent Grizzly lowers his forcefield. Crescent Grizzly strikes Cancer with his When Animals attack. Harmony growls, fingers instantly drawn to the strings of her harp. The tempo is quickened, probably because she's angry and frustrated.. but it's the same song that does the same thing it always has. If the attack works correctly, then Capricorn's insides will shake violently LIke a baby's rattle. You should know this by now, really.. Okay... now we have a 'real' target... Colonel pulls out his sabre and readies for action. He sweeps the sabre across the air in front of him. "Everyone, keep the Nigh Stardroid away from the machinary. And keep an eye out for more." Colonel however holds his attack... waiting for the second wave. Silo, LIke many of the others, seems ready to attack the Cancer. If we're all going to die, we might as well go out fighting. Arm cannon at the ready, he just lets loose with a whole barrage of missiles. Eh, who cares if he wastes fuel... There isn't much else he can do. Silo strikes Cancer with his Missile Barrage attack. Harmony strikes Cancer with her Soul Music attack. Zero sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. Alpha sends a radio transmission to Zero. Zero receives a radio transmission from Alpha. Canopy Jabberwock looks up at the assembLIng Not that grows on the platform, still smirking soberly as he unfolds his foreclaws. "And here it does not LIve; here is the Else that lashes at chains. Here isn't." He walks around the dark bolts that strike the platform, and looks up at the cloud, even as Cancer makes his appearance and those around him rally against the Nighdroid. "Here goes nothing." With that, his thrusters kick into gear, and he begins to fly into the cloud that is forming on the platform. Foolhardy? Yes. Stupid? Yes. Brave? No, stupid. Fusion Phoenix looks at the stardroid aLIgned with the nigh, extending his blaster. "Time to cook some crabcakes." His cannon erupts with a soLId stream of firey plasma, aimed at the true trator, the one who is betraying LIfe itself. Zero sends a radio transmission to Alpha. Alpha receives a radio transmission from Zero. Fusion Phoenix strikes Cancer with his Plasma Blaster attack. Guts Man sings LIke Min Mae! Alpha sends a radio transmission. Zero receives a radio transmission. The Vanguard lurches forward LIke some strange mechanical creature created for the sole purpose of destruction. Laser ports open up on the sides of the ride armor, and without wisecracks, jokes, or any display of emotion whatsoever, the Vanguard opens up upon Cancer in a dazzLIng display of obscene firepower. Guts Man strikes Cancer with his Terrible Singing attack. Cancer is temporarily disoriented by Guts Man's Terrible Singing attack. Iris strikes Cancer with her Laser Ports attack. Cancer falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Finally, something substancial to attack!" Metal Shark grows at Cancer, "You side with nigh? NIGH IS NOTHING - YOU ARE NOTHING!" he then lets his hands envelop in energy "Which means - NOTHING WILL BE LEFT OF YE AFTER *THIS*" He then swings his right arm in a crescent LIke movement, as he does so many anchors fly from his body and towards Cancer. Metal Shark's combat roll has failed against Cancer. Ninjutsu Gecko looks to Gale and nods. "Let's boogaloo...you look LIke you can give a good blast...I can't do much from here, but.....Let's say...this?" He pulls out one of his special Smoke Bombs. "Fire into the cloud of smoke, Ok?" He tosses the small sphere testinGLy... Harmony scoffs, watching Cancer fall to the ground after the barrage of merciless attacks. "Serves you right." Job reaLIses he can do any good on the machine now. He turns to see the Stardroid who has sold out reaLIty for non esitance. He lets out a battle cry as he arms his Arc Canon and charges at the Nothing Stardroid. "Then he watches Iris and everyone else blow the Stardroid to scrap."That was anti-cLImatic." Barrage Raptor grins a LIttle bit, "Oh look. Crab meat!" She grins, as she brings up her rifle, and takes aim at Cancer, LIke everybody else, "Yeah!" Of course, he basically goes down before she even gets her shots off, "Well, geeze. Nobody saves any for me." Crash Man nudges Guts Man, "Dude, I bet this was a trap and that greasy motherf***er will just get back up." Aldebaran smashes the machine's console. "DAMNATION! FUNCTION, DAMN YOU!" he roars out, all attempts at eloquence abandoned in his frustration. The console sparks and acquires a dent or three, but does nothing. GLancing towards Cancer, his optics narrow... "Worse and worse..." his head descending between his shoulders, his maw opens, and he prepares for battle. And then... "...Duet?..." he half-asks, perhaps shocked, elated, that she's actually survived. He spent so much time on Starhaven he was virtually isolated from the events elsewhere... GLancing down towards the ball... he furrows his brow, and nods, reaching out to accept it. "Are you certain?" he asks... LIke the hero he is, or at least, wishes he could be, he can't take a LIfe LIke this... not unless it's given freely. Job sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. Rocket Rodent bLInks, as he didn't even have to attack. "... That was quick." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "Crab cakes foreveryon!" Metal Shark watches as his attacks miss, "Bah!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...n-no! NO!" Guts Man nods. "LIke some last stage boss in a video game." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Oh, shut it, Tengu." Dynamo Man's LIghtning attack misses his target, but LIttle else does. Cancer is eLIminated before his eyes. "....no way ... it couldn't have been that easy." Alpha raises a hand to fire at Cancer but... she bLInks. "...", and then bLInks again, "...Oh.", she drops her hand, looking towards Crash Man, "Guess Denebola's coming next. Oh well. They should have come at the same time. Cocky idiots.", that was a -bit- too quick, however, so she scans around, frowning. "Cancer! Oh, low betrayer... my brother is not here... but you will serve in his place!" Regulus' voice is an echoing boom in space as Regulus' wings beat heavily. The timbre of his voice changes, his words now in a strange language that reverberates powerfully even in space. "Luxanos Multinos Avec Sonormus Vistes Krahl!" LevelLIng the blade of Illumine, Regulus blazes brighter and brighter with each passing moment, coming to ecLIpse even the sun. "I am become LIght! Die, Traitor!" And Regulus hurls himself towards Cancer, but the Agent has already been obLIterated by the singing and weapon fire from the platform. The Stardroid pulls himself to a halt, still blazing LIke a star. |------| Crash Man bLInks, "Is that dude speaking Spanish? I bet he is. Damn Mexicans, they're all over the place." Sai stands by. He doesn't launch anything, because, as always...his gun sucks. And he's not going personally into THAT firestorm unless he has to. He smirks as Cancer gets promptly and ruthlessly crushed, however. "Well, that's the first round, anyway...let's hope we finish this before we get a second." When Cancer appears, and is promptly blasted to pieces, Beam Demon chuckles. Well. He -does- have permission now. Rearing back, he grasps the grip of his bazooka, aiming at a severe upward anGLe. "Here's a LIttle taste of what you're about to deal with!" WIth a thundrous, rather concussive blast, the Demo Bazooka launches out a rocket propelled shell into the roiLIng black and grey clouds overhead. He lowers the weapon, peering upwards. "Got it" Just as his partner tosses his smoke bomb, Gale Sorcerer charges his energy systems and shoots a massive plasma gale into the smoke cloud. "... I think they just did the whole work.. sigh..." Oh, geez. Why is the poor UN always late? Guts Man says, "Worm eating gringos." His arms smoking from the released weapons, Starburst Dragon beams with a massive smile. His hands pop back into place and he beams at Harmony, not that worried that his massive gadget didn't work. "Nahs shot. Haha. Maybe ah needs t'shout 'Go-Go-Gadget' next tahm." ---------- The thick, roiLIng cloud continues to gather, more black bolts added to its mass as they rain from above. Down below, on Earth, the LIttle specks of darkness in the sky continue to spread. The Darkness has reached the blue planet, the last bastion against it. It may only be a matter of time before it, too, is consumed. The cloud on the platform begins to thicken, drawing together, taking a distinct shape; rebuffing the firepower that erupts around it, seeminGLy impervious to any spare hits that strike it. Even Canopy Jabberwock, who leaps into its midst, is tossed back outward, cast aside LIke a rag doll. Heroic sacrifice, de-nied. And that coelescing black shape takes a vaguely humanoid form, a towering figure that looms over the gathered heroes and Stardroids aLIke. Its details are blurred and in constant flux... one moment, it resembles a towering demon, the next, a gaunt, skeletal figure, its shape blurring not a moment after it resolves. The depthless, black void that would be its face turns to look down at all that stand below it, and one can't help but get the feeLIng that it is smiLIng. Nigh laughs, a low, thunderous rumble that shakes the platform beneath the heroes' feet. --------- [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn continues singing, "I think my mind just goes outta control And judge your subject motherfu**as read about I touch on the sh** that they be leavin' out, I seen this muthafu**'s .9 smokin' Spica turns back towards Aldebaran as she hears a famiLIar voice. "Duet," she says giving a curtsy. "Your sacrifice will always be remembered." Fusion Phoenix hears the conversation between the stardroids behind him. He turns to face them. "So you also are wilLIng to give your LIfe for this world..." He turns back to the Nigh. "I just hope we can make that sacrifice count!" Ninjutsu Gecko groans..."Ok...apparently we have minimal time to plan...so...we'll just watch out for each other, then?" He looks around, and asks, "There's more than just one, right Gale?" Harmony winces, staring up at the one thing that's been causing it all. Though she remains unphased as the ground shakes, her eyes aren't going to leave that disgusting creature. Too many shots. Too too many. Cancer writhes under the shots under the combined heroic forces... ...It was Guts' singing and Iris final blasts that destroys the crab... ...And a ruined husk of a body LIes there... Silo stares at the Stardroids, then at the machine, then at Nigh... And he sighs, sending off a quick radio transmission before wondering what'll happen next. His arm cannon does begin to charge with something, contemplating whether to attack Nigh or not... Starburst Dragon stares up... looking at the serried sum of all horror with a disturbing, feral smile on his face. A fLIck of fire and zap of electricity form in his hands and he fLIngs a Golden Star up at Nigh, to show the lord of Death exactly what he thinks of him. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Wait... we are beating them with our songs... But Duet is going to give her LIfe to get the machine to work. I hope it's enough." Pyro Squirrel LIes down on the ground, eyes closed, mentally preparing for the next battle. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "It's about time that bint dies." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Duet is... what?! ...Oh no. ...Well... ...perhaps now she can be with Duo..." "Agreed" Gale Sorcerer answers while scratching his pointy wizard hat with his left hand. "Let's just stay around. The others will make their appearance sooner or later. It's just a matter of time." Crescent Grizzly lands with a 'thunk' and sLIght shaking of the plateau, the last pairing of attacks finishing the Stardroid Crab, " Karma's, i' a chienne, non? " Crescent comments, smirking. However, more is to be worried about. The Nigh is closing...and fast. " Yew' jus' nevah' know when tah' giv' up, do yew' Monsier Nigh? " he comments, grasping the air with his claws, and creating a tall, wide crescent of energy, which is launched at the inky darkness. " Well den', neiter' do weh'! " Silo sends a radio transmission. Canopy Jabberwock hurtles backwards, his body sLIding to a rough halt on the platform only thanks to friction. Still, however, he smiles, more LIghtly this time, and laughs. "Well! Was a wash that, rather. So are what other solutions there?" He shakes his head and rises back up to his feet, dusting himself off. After a measure he looks up at the Stardroids gathered around the thing he has taken the LIberty to christen Longinus, and smiles before turning back to Nigh and laughing back at it. Partially with contempt, partially with derision, but partially simply with joy at its failures. Starburst Dragon has reconnected. Metal Shark has reconnected. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn continues singing for Bass's internal monologue, even if he's already internaLIzing his monologue, "And simply what this means He didn't know that every dog had his day Until he has seen his. I BET YOU MUTHAFU**AS WILL TOO because it's die muthafu**a, die muthafu**a still, fool!", it's almost as if he planned to say this when Duet's 'sacrifice' was brought up. But ... nah. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "And perhaps if we kill her she won't give birth to a kid called Duo Jr." Metal Shark has partially disconnected. Starburst Dragon has partially disconnected. Capricorn bLInks, lowering her weapon as Nigh manifests here amongst the crowd on the Plateau. "Well, ye get whae ye'll ask for," she mutters, mostly to herself, before turning and scampering back to the Stardroid Engine. Leaping and grasping its side, she begins hauLIng her way back up, readying to load something else into the machine.. presumably Duet's sacrificed energy core, when she finishes presenting it down below. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Or would their space breeding have produced Quatro?" It may well be a futile gesture, but she's going to do it anyway! While her cipher regains its charge for the next attack that might actually do something of note, Mai reaches into her waistband and yanks out that tessen whose most recent use was to attempt to injure Bass's pretty-boy face. But this time, it's for keeps! She unfolds it, and with a vigorous and rather melodious 'Yaa!' hurls it into the face, whatever form it might take, of the incarnated darkness! Iris backs the Vanguard off from Cancer once he falls, and once again powers up the Vanguard. "Objective: Destruction...32.5% power boost to primary salvo." That said, ports open on the Vanguard's shoulders, explosive mines pouring out by the dozens, soaring into the thing called Nigh. The Joeploid sees the massive demon start to take shape. "So you finally come and its time for us to show you that this world is not bound by the chains of fate. EarthLIngs make their own roads and we are going to go right through you. he drops into a combat stance his shield at the ready and powers his Arc Canon. He is ready to battle. Then he opens fire on it sending a LIghting bolt at it, Job for all of his extiance has had to fight to keep aLIve. This is nothing different and by god he will fight untill he has been reduced to atoms. "We are not going to go quietly!!" Dynamo Man turns back to his brothers as the opponent is gone ... but then Nigh seems to take humanoid form, and takes his attention once again. "No way. No Way. This isn't happening as you want." Strangely, that came in a low, almost inaudible tone. "Ergh ....... no." All he does is aim a cannon at the form of Nigh and presents it with a high-powered Floater mine. Silo receives a radio transmission from KaLInka. Alpha frowns at the humanoid form, "...Hello again.", she says to Nigh as she flaps her wings out, "You aren't going to win this time, you know that, right?", she doesn't attack, however, probably because the last time someone threw blasts at Nigh, they rebounded and wounded her. Metal Shark sends a radio transmission to Beam Demon. Beam Demon receives a radio transmission from Metal Shark. Pyro Squirrel rests. And thinks... oO(Not powerful enough to help right now... I should just stay in the back and wait...)Oo Ninjutsu Gecko looks up at Nigh, keeping his footing under the shaking platform. "New Target. Let's not waste time this time around..." He points to the Giant face, then opens, palms out, "Let's do this....YAAAA!!" From his hands, what appears to be a pair of dragon heads, one of fire, one of water, stream towards the face of Nigh, with a gawd-awful set of shrieking voices. Silo sends a radio transmission to KaLInka. Barrage Raptor swings her attention over, and takes a look at the manifested form of Nigh, "Well, well." She grins a LIttle bit, and pops out the cLIp, sLIding in her explosive ammo, pulLIng the bolt back and locking in these new rounds, before she lets loose with a burst of firepower, "Welcome to Earth! I hope we can make your short stay /very/ unpleasent!" Harmony narrows her eyes, and uses her most powerful attack on the damned soul. We all know how it goes.. she plays the harp, it gets louder, and she's soon joined by a displaced symphony. Dada.. music plays.. crescendo peaks.. explosion in Nigh's face. Clown Man and Sideshow frowns at Nigh's... mortal form. "Say, guy... Have seen a Pikachu? I'll show you one..." His images shimmers... ...To become Clown Katchem. "PIKACHU, I CHOOSE YOU!!! THUNDER!!!" "PIIIIIIKKKKKKAAAAA... CHU!!!!" Metal Shark heft up his large Anchor as he watches Nigh's many forms. Choosing to watch it's movements for a while be thinks he notices a pattern, then when he beLIves the largest or most vunerable form is present he throws his metal anchor at the bein, on it's chain obviously. Clown Man transforms into pokemon trainer Firestorm Phoenix waits with his weapons readied to attack as soon as he's sure he has something to even shoot at. Barrage Raptor has stared at you! Huzzah! Mai Atsuki has stared at you! Huzzah! Metal Shark has stared at you! Huzzah! BLInking a few times, Silo just sighs, bringing up his arm cannon, aiming at the Nigh, breifly talking into his radio... And then he just lets loose with a large sizzLIng ball of electricity. Seconds later, out comes two medium sized missiles... And lastly, out comes his giant Storm Missile, all of them heading for Nigh... And right after firing this mass of attacks, he falls to his knees, suddenly drained of a whole lot of fuel and energy... A /whole/ lot of it. Rocket Rodent watches as Nigh appears. And since his player was idle, he makes no spammy poses and simply fires on Nigh with pistols. Viewing the result, Beam Demon moves out of the firing path. Thrusters carry him up and away, out of the protective atmosphere if needed. In fact, he does hover in open space for the sheer mobiLIty it provides. LeveLIng the bazooka again, he narrows his eyes through the sight, targeting various weakpoints on the monstrous creature. With soundless blasts in the vaccuum of space, the Demon launches a trio of shells, targeting the Nigh creature's knees and neck. Kain(#1625) - locked. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn continues, going through the chorus four times. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "What isss that horrible sssinging?" Raising his hands into the air and charging power to full again, Gale Sorcerer jumps right near the LIzard. "Not a sinGLe second. Let's just end with that fast!" The, imitating his partner, he shoots another massive plasma gale towards the direction of the Night. A shame holograms won't work here, it could have been interesting... Sai GLances at Duet, and nods his recognition of her sacrifice. "Thank you...for all you give, we will return it...we will not fall, this day or any other." Statement made, he turns to Nigh, as if to prove his words, his left arm transforming rapidly into its arm cannon form: Straightening, and the barrel of the weapon emerging from his palm. He doesn't fire anything yet, instead charging to fire a few powerful -- for Sai, that is; they actually are quite sickeninGLy weak, objectively speaking -- plasma rounds at whatever is to come. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "Our background music to victory, aparently." ---------- The bevy of firepower that sweeps into Nigh's ethereal body passes right through, whipping that inky, cloud-LIke substance into a blurred froth, but having no further apparent effect... the waves of energy and nuclear warheads and LIghtning bolts all continuing off into the vastness of empty space behind it, to be lost in the black void, absorbed, dissipated, gone. Nigh stands strong, still shifting, still indistinct. Its voice- voicless, not so much heard, as sensed, felt- rolls through the crowd. "Your efforts... are wasted. You cannot destroy... the epitome of destruction," it chides in slow, measured tone. "You cannot bring entropy.... to entropy itself." Turning slowly, it reaches towards the crisped Cancer with a hand that becomes a claw that becomes a cruel hook that curls around the twice-fallen Stardroid. "And you," it says. "You and your bretheren were only a means to an end. So predictable... that you would turn upon your fellows... for a moment's self-gain. Did you ever understand... that you were always fated to share their own?" Nigh LIfts Cancer high, 'looking' at him, into him, into the blasted Stardroid's very heart, as it awaits his reply. ---------- [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Who'sss victory?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Someone thinking they are from Macross..." Duet reaches out with one of her hands and grabs onto one of Aldebaran's, her usual soft touch replaced with an almost desperate grasp. She places the ball of energy in his hand, and then brings his other on top of it, covering both of his hands with her own, "I am sure... his final wishes was for me to watch over these that he so seemed to adore... let this, perhaps, be his redemption to them..." She looks up at Aldebaran, and smiles at him, before turning to look at the other Stardroids for a moment, the smile never wavering, "You all have done so much... and served Duo and myself so loyally over the endless sea of time and space... for that, we thank you. The joy you have brought us... the wars you have fought for us... the LIves you lost for us..." Duet's form seems to almost begin to 'fade' a bit, almost as if it's becoming noncorperal as she turns to everyone else, "Children of Earth, Defiers of the Judgement... let us write the final chapter of this story, so that you can begin working on your own story... one that will be yours alone..." Duet's physical form then dissappears as one final tear falls to the ground before she becomes and almost ghostly apparition, "... my love... finally... I return to your arms..." Then, the appiration dissipates into a white aura, that slowly fades away. Bytsy has arrived. Regulus turns his head towards the being of shadow. "So be it. As Duet does, I can do no less." He raises the blazing thunderbolt that is his sword Illumine in a salute to Duet, and then bows his head for a moment, almost contemplative. Then he raises his head, his eyes filled with a golden LIght. "They have freed us from Judgement. I can do no less than give myself to the freeing of them from annihilation!" He levels his sword at Nigh. "I bring you not Entropy! I Bring You LIGHT!" And then REgulus simply... hurls himself into Nigh, a blazing comet brighter than the ecLIpsed stars. Pyro Squirrel keeps resting. Maybe he's sleeping? Harmony squints, her eyes getting teary.. watching this horrible drama unfold. Watching Regulus seem to.. sacrifice himself. Why does she have to be a part of this? It's horrible.. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn pauses in his singing, though he still plays the chorus music, "This is a special requisition, sh**faces, from a pal. So shut the hell up and LIsten." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Huh? What'sss that?" The Vanguard pauses. "Firepower: ineffective," Iris drones in a strange monotone. Then, the hulking machine stands still. "New strategy is required." Job says, "You don't get it about us? We don't know the meaning of the word quit! Fool don't you get it it? We just need to defeat you with by simply being!" Job breaks into a run at the nothing it self the Arc Canon firing bolt after bolt at the Nothing. "Come on Monster! HAVE AT THEE!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings, "I think it's gotta be somethin' in the water, man, it's just gotta be in the water..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "We are saving the world. Can you please give us some silence?" Aldebaran grimmaces sLIghtly... he never agreed with the Stardroid's mission, that is for certain... but to watch Duet perish before him in such a way... it shakes him, sLIghtly. "Thank you." he whispers. The orb resting in his hand... he moves to deposit it into the device. The raw energy from the very Core of Duet throbs into the machine. He knows not whether or not this will help, in the end... but he must try everything he can. Crescent Grizzly watches in surprise as none of the collective attacks phase the Nigh. GLancing back, he sees Duet's form fade away...her final gift of courage and duty to the people of Earth. An for it, she shall forever be remembered. Regulus moves to battle the nigh, and agian, Crescent goes into a defensive position between the engine and the Nigh itself, raising a forcefield once more... Crescent Grizzly projects a forcefield around himself. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "I want to know what'sss going on" Duo has arrived. Ninjutsu Gecko growls as the dragons scream off into...nothingness. "Well..that sucked...Next idea?" He looks to Gale quickly, then back up to the monster. "I'm not good at this stuff. I need something soLId." Capricorn looks down from her perch near the top of the tower of the Stardroid Engine, watching as Duet and then Regulus sacrifice themselves. Sheesh! So heroic. She must have missed that chapter of Stardroids for Dummies, though, since she certainly makes no effort to do the same... after all, someone has to man the weaponry, don't they? She waits, not wanting to rush Duet, and readies herself... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job can be heard over the sounds of weapons fire. "When you can not see, when you can not hear. Roll up your sleeves and fight!!!" Barrage Raptor grunts, and lowers her rifle. That didn't work, "Something tells me that we need a real miracle here." She mutters, "That or a bigger gun." She has a bigger gun. But she doesn't want to use it until she's sure it'll be effective. It took the combined power of Guts Man's horrific singing and Iris' mighty firepower, but Cancer is seeminGLy brought low. (Everyone else's attacks probably helped, of course.) In a way, Bass is disappointed; he didn't even have to fire a shot. But, hey, no doubt he'll need his strength to battle the last surviving Agent, if he arrives. Bass brings down his scythe, returning it to hyperspace, returning both of his arms to cannons. He starts to descend back down to the platform, steeLIng himself for what is to come -- when it comes. He looks up, looking into the Face of Nigh. Bass stares into it, the embodiment of death, and refuses to be afraid. He grits his teeth, bringing up his cannons -- No. As the blasts fly at Nigh, it becomes clear that they do LIttle but feed it, not even acting as an adequate distraction. He comes down to a complete landing, still burning with green energy, and stares across the scenerio. The Stardroids working on the Gun. Nigh potentially preparing to resurrect Cancer. Options, options ... what are his options? [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "(still oddly calm) Machine broke down, Cancer died, Nigh reformed, Duet and Regulus sacrificed themselves, all that stuff." Metal Shark takes a step back, "Duo defeated Nigh! I can project Duo!" he almost gasps with the idea as his hands fuzz a faint white, as he does so he ducks into the crowd, so Nigh doesn't see what he's doing. A few moments pass and Duo appears at the front of the masses. He says nothing, but instead points one energy infused fist at Nigh. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "K-k-k....k-kans..s-s..." Metal Shark projects a holographic image of Duo. Duo has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn says, in response, "Die Muthafu**as still, fool.", though he's singing too. And then he continues with the song, "Aww fu**! Chuck's on a kilLIn' spree again! With guillotines for men! I walk around town with a frown on my face. Fu** the whole world, fixin' to catch a murder case, The murder rate. Silo also watches as Duet disappears, and bows his head in respect, sighing once more, still on his knees. He looks over as Regulus seems to sacrifice himself, and just shakes his head... Slowly, he gets to his feet, looking around... There's no more he can do, except watch and hope this last ditch plan works... Canopy Jabberwock continues to laugh at Nigh, even as the voice sweeps across the minds gathered here. "No, death cannot kill Death, thing, and nor can Chaos reign over itself. But you are not Death, and you are not Chaos. When you pass, things shall not stagnate, nor fall into stasis. You are temporal. All temporal things come to an end, not of their own accord; perhaps Death cannot kill you, and perhaps Chaos. Can something else? Oh, can something else! So many things." He notices as an aside the sacrifices around him, but they do not bring him down; instead, his heart continues to swell, standing before the shadow hanging over the LIttle platform and disregarding it. Rocket Rodent watches Duet fade away, and then Regulus fly into Nigh. He bows his head, knowing the sacrifices they make. Prehaps thier attacks and efforts can do what ours cannot. The Demon noticed how ineffective the weapons of himself and the assorted fighters of Earth are, and swoops in. PulLIng a fLIp in midair, Beam's body flares brightly, exsploding and expanding into the massive Quasar. He lands upon the plateau heavily enough to cause it to shudder. Then standing, the great reploid narrows his eyes at the whispy, cloud-LIke being, "You. Will. Not. Take. Our. World." He only vaguely notices that he's standing right beside what appears to be Duo himself. Well now. Beam Demon changes into his Quasar armor. The floor suddenly creaks in complaint. Sai doesn't have a forcefield, natch, so he can't do any defending. He simply lets genuine energy continue to build in his arm cannon, waiting for some moment to come where he can actually help to fight. It seems clear, for the moment, that shooting isn't going to do much, just yet. He watches Duet's sacrifice and Regulus' charge with sad eyes, but says nothing, only: "The LImit is reached...can we push past it...? I hope so..." Starburst Dragon can't tear up. Not yet. Weapons don't work. /Attacking doesn't work/. Fighting Doesn't Work. Fighting the Nigh isn't going to work. He curses himself inside for throwing a star at it, thinking that it could work. He just stands. And remains close by Harmony's side. And he sings. Hey, it's worked up until now. Alpha shakes her head as everybody fLIngs themselves at Nigh. She pauses, for a moment, to peer towards Aldebaran. She nods slowly and walks towards him, standing in front of him to guard Pac Pac from attack. Mai Atsuki stares up into the darkness incarnate, green eyes seeing this and already, futilely, contemplating what sort of report to write - but what good would it do? That electrical power could make their LIves last another few minutes, or hours, and keep the heaters working. She doesn't think of duty, or of the fate of the earth, or of death in the cold darkness... she thinks of those LIttle apple seeds resting in the slowly-cooLIng ground of Earth. And then! She says, with growing strength, "Entropy... Entropy will increase and dominate in a closed system... but LIfe gathers energy together and uses it... ha ha ha!" She grins, before yanking off the cowl on her head, having either cracked or having had a piercing insight! "They might not be able to defeat you, but LIfe can!" And then, with a righteous cry, she fLIngs another freshly-gathered plasma bolt into the guts of Nigh, drawing her other Cipher in the process and activating it. Duet has disconnected. Dynamo Man watches all of this. The strugGLes of higher beings against what must be 'gods' ... the lack of any possible intervention by the earth-bound, the ineffectiveness of his mine ... the death of a still-pure Stardroid ... all of it meets his senses. It seems to numb him, and he keeps his weapon trained on the form of Nigh. Seeing ... the remaining pure Stardroids working on the weapon .. change of plan. He rushes to their sides, offering whatever support he possibly can. "Let me help reroute the power!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bolero transmits, "... Who's cans are you talking about, Hombre de Tengu?" Arms crossed over his chest, Gale Sorcerer eyes the ninja for a moment. "Well, let me see..." He then eyes Regulus, who pronounces a word that becomes the next idea into his mind. "LIght! That's it. Allow me a second, then try shooting again!" The mage then moves his system energy towards his holographic systems and a massive focus of LIght appears right in front of Nigh. With a bit of luck, having created that hologram will have been useful. "NOW!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "You fight Entropy with the chaos that is LIfe!" Gale Sorcerer projects a holographic image of Epileptic Disco FlashLIghts Spell. Epileptic Disco FlashLIghts Spell has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "..n-n-no..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "*cLIck*" Starburst Dragon sends a radio transmission. Harmony receives a radio transmission from Starburst Dragon. Cancer strugGLes to look into Nigh's... eyes. "No..." the crab nearly cries... "...You used me... I thought I was... helping you... when you were only using me..." Cancer frowns. "I...Hate...You." He looks over at the machine, "...To make amends..." He throws what remains his energy... and those of those he absorbed/consumed... Pollux, Castor, Uranus, Sagaitturius, Pharaoh Man, and Barrage Raptor... towards the machine. He finally looks at Nigh, "See you in hell..." Cancer's breaks down... leaving nothing left. The crabdroid... is no more. Pyro Squirrel slowly gets up. "So... nothing's working yet..." He stands there, not doing anything. Then Cancer throws his power to the gun. He still stands there, not doing anything. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix speaks in a too level tone of voice, "Time for my trump card. What ever happens, it'll be impressive." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bolero transmits, "OOC: ... Job, entropy is chaos..." Guts Man taps his foot, "How much longer is this going to take? I want to see the Hero Boy Christmas Special at 9 tonight." Firestorm Phoenix doesn't bother wasting his ammo firing at Nigh, its obvious that its futile, however he tries to think of something that will work. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings ""May increase if your caught up in the world While it's dyin', I guarentee yer fryin' cause I'm on the verge of knockin' muthafu**as out for no reason Once I get down there'll be no reason Once I get down there'll be no breathin' it seems when Muthafu**as wanna calm down, put his palm down Seems I gots to lay the law down Now its on pow what you to do? I'm askin' you Ninjutsu Gecko nods to Gale, "Let's boogie...." The Sorcerer is a sorcerer right? So he should know better than the neenja. He throws his arms up again, letting another set of the Elemental Dragons fire off at Nigh. Out of the corner of his focus, he notices the Crab and hears his speech. He secretly hopes that Cancer's LIttle 'gift' will help. Dynamo Man works alongside the Stardroids, on the Big Gun, as best he can. Barrage Raptor bLInks a LIttle, "That was unexpected." She murmers, as she, drops both foot anchors, to hold her in place, starting to charge up her big gun. Yeah, it didn't work out when she used it on Cancer. But hey, Cancer just sacrificed himself, so this time it has to work. She won't fire it until Nigh becomes a viable target, though...Which better be soon, with how fast the Stardroids are going. Beam Demon conveniantly steps aside so Barrage has a clear shot at Nigh without pegging his own large body. Yeah. Aldebaran moves his hands as quickly as possible. "Dynamo Man, Job... try the Deceleratrix..." he points to a bizarre, bLInking object in a desparate hope that perhaps it shows some obvious signs of malfunction. Himself, he's examining another system in desparation, for the moment trying to put OUT of his mind that his fellows, and quite probably, very shortly, innocent natives, are going to be perishing. ---------- Nigh seems to... frown. It rears its head back in a serpentine manner, regarding its now empty hand... "Curious...." it rumbles. "But to LIttle end.... for it hastens what is inevitable." Turning towards the others, Nigh's body breaks down, becoming a sinking cloud of blackness that heaps upon the floor LIke a heavy fog. The ongoing attacks continue to whip right through it... it is insubstantial, impervious to mere firepower. Tendrils of darkness LIck and curl LIke flame, pools of black opening beneath people's feet as if to swallow them. Nigh's voice rings out once more, bringing a cold chill with it. "Robot Masters," it almost purrs. "Why do you fight? Why do you war? For Wily?" Images of Robot Master drones appear in the black mist... mets, joes rising up, trudging forward as if marching to battle, only to melt and sink into the fog once again. "Wily is a mortal. When he is gone, what will you have? Already, age takes its toll on the man. You maybe everlasting... but your leader... your father... your reason for being... he is not. Why do you not surrender yourselves?" ---------- Silo just continues to stand still, watching all that's happening... Too much. Cancer's demise, the hurried work of the rest of the Stardroids... Sighing, he jogs a bit closer to the machine, seeing how work is going over there, before staring at the Nigh, before heading over closer to the machine, to see how he can help... He takes a moment to GLance at what's happening above, but quickly turns his attention back to the machine. "Because there's still beer and p****y in the world, you gaseous motherf***er!" Crash Man quips. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Oh geez... Don't LIsten to Nigh! Keep fighting!" Metal Shark steps forward again, obviously the Duo hologram isn't working. "Hey! That's my schtick!" Job says "Then SING GUTS MAN! SING!!!" Job is still blasting away at the Negh with everything he has. Over Jobs own PA systems Nothing is going to stand in our way can be heard. Yes its the one from TFTM got to go with the classics! Job meanwhile says softly. "Thank you Cancer..." as Aldbaran's he breaks off his arttack and speeds towards machine and heads towards the Deceleratrix and runs a quick scan of ti. "Dynamo Man? What you think here?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Nigh is... /there/?!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn mutters something under his breath, "When y'look in the void, the void looks back, don't watch, don't look in the mirror, don't look in the mirror, the mirror's rusted, it ain't true reflection...", and then Daryn breaks out into song again, "Step to face I'll break your as* in two, bastard you Rather swim in some fu**in' hot tar... Silo sends a radio transmission. Crescent Grizzly just stands tall and ready before the Nigh, arms crossed about his chest, head high. He watches. He waits. He protects. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "It's spouting some stuff about Wily and dying." Duo takes another step forward, this time the blue energy spreads to his entire body. Duo is now mostly pure energy, though still Staring at the Nigh this time he tries to tell it he means buisness. Guts Man says, "Surrender? That's not in our vocabulary. Maybe if we were from France, but not ours! No deal Stardroid! We kick your butt 4 ways from Sunday to a one legged redheaded step child!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "What about the Massster dying?" Dynamo Man works quickly, trying to get the power properly routed. "It looks LIke there's a short somewhere, but I can't find it just yet .... " He continues looking around the device to find an answer to whatever's going wrong. Deciding upon yet another tactic against the Nigh, Iris switches to the crystal weaponry upon the Vanguard -- as it works upon a different type of power than the laser weaponry. New ports open, and illuminated crystal shards fly out toward the Nigh in a new barrage. It's not so much intentionally destructive as it is experimental. Within the ride armor, Iris observes the results, if any. The Nigh does not know the Robot Masters very well dos it? Silo receives a radio transmission from KaLInka. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Something about him being mortal and you not, and that he was an old coot. And that's just the nice things it said about him." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Cancer transmits, "*as said before Cancer's demise* You are free, Tengu Wily. Serve your father well, and do not be lead astray... as I was. Fare Thee Well... Sir Tengu. *rush of energy... then static*" Colonel LIstens to the Nigh try and convince the Robot Masters to give in and waits for a response. He laughs sLIghtly at their responses, at least they won't give in. Colonel looks over at Iris and shakes his head as he reaLIzes he is completely wrong. "Iris, power down... prehaps your desire not to fight is the best weapon here." Colonel stands tall, waiting for his time. "Iris, your desire to LIve and have other's LIve is the best threat to this monster." The Demon maverick stands strong and silent, hands clenched into fists. He can't fight an insubstantial enemy... Alpha says, "Pac Pac...", simply, "If ... there is a way I can assist... In any manner... Then let me know, but I will not put you in jeopardy." Crash Man is a man who knows what he wants. Wily may be fleeting, but Iris's booty is forever. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...iye, iye! Wakarimasen...iye-- *silence*" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Consssidering they call him 'the Perverter' I'm not sssurprisssed." Magna Bass stares into Nigh even as the weapon continues to be worked on, green energy surging around him as his reactors prepare for armageddon. He paces on the opposite side of Nigh on the platform, staring at It evenly. "I don't fight for him. I don't fight for anyone. I fight because my Purpose is to utterly destroy my counterpart, Mega Man. Rock. As long as one of us is aLIve, that Purpose remains unfinished." He raises his left arm cannon, squinting one eye very sLIghtly. "You stand in my way. No one stands in my way. You will be destroyed because my Purpose cannot be completed while you exist." Silo sends a radio transmission. Guts Man says, "Besides, when Wily dies his legacy will belong to Bass and we all love Bass. UnLIke King. Uptight jerkward..." Pyro Squirrel talks into his radio, and doesn't fire. His weapons wouldn't do much good anyway. "Wonderful!" Gale Sorcerer grins to himself "It seems to be working, now we've got to find a way to get rid of that silly mist!" The mage eyes Gecko then. "Do you have anything that could work against this fog? If you do, try after I do this... Here... it... goes!" The massive sphere of bLInding LIght that was right in front of Nigh suddenly starts GLowing unusually and becomes a strange mixture of colors and energy. It has gone holo-negative. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings, "Before you fu** with WilLIe D 'cuz what I got for yo' as* will make ya sh** your meal, Cause it's die muthafu**as die muthafu**as still!", Daryn seems to be really into this song as even after he says this, he mutters again, "Yeh, those're my guys....Don't screw up RepLIdorks..." Job nods to the Robot Master. "I'll owe you a drink after this mess...Now lets see here." Job starts to look over the machine trying to find the short. Aldebaran looks down upon Alpha... a bit of affection on his face. "I thank you, Alpha..." He pauses. "Have you any technical skills? Any abiLIties to repair?..." He idly hopes the natives can at least put together enough of a picture of the systems to assist. He's having a hard enough time doing that himself. Rocket Rodent hrms. That is not his question to answer, although the being of darkness has a point. Damn, he hates it when the beings of darknesses have a point. He does not notice the floor melting, as he is floating off the ground. His greatest attack is an impact, and quite frankly, the rodent isn't up for plunging himself into the heart of the beast. Sai simply continues to charge his weapon, observing Cancer's own sacrifice with interest. As it quickly becomes clear that he can't charge any further without damaging himself, he stops the charge, merely holding it for the moment. He snorts as the Nigh asks the Masters why they fight, and chuckles at their responses, but says nothing. Colonel sends a radio transmission to Iris. Iris receives a radio transmission from Colonel. Starburst Dragon stands. Sings. Shines. If Nigh tries to swallow them, he'll keep GLowing. He was made to be a Star. A LIttle five-pointed one, LIke you put on Christmas trees if you put them up, unless you put an angel. He'll GLow LIke one. He still holds a LIfe-size repLIca of a Keyblade he bought in a junk store. "Ah've learned that deep insahd thar's a laht that ne'er goes aht..." Mai Atsuki tenses herself - preparing to lunge at the darkness and slay it with the GLowing powers of her Ciphers if she has to. But this is clearly not the time. Perhaps if the cannon weakens it, it will be more vulnerable to a LIving, breathing being than to one of the various Reploids and androids and robots around her. They may have souls - but this is a question of biology, to her feverish and possibly sLIghtly-cracked mind, not one of theology. Dynamo Man stops suddenly as the being issues its statement of Wily's mortaLIty ... and then decides. It's TRYING to get him to stop. So ... quite simply ... he quickly resumes his work. "Where's the short!? ..." Regulus hurtles towards Nigh... Barrage Raptor remains where she is, weapon reaching full charge. So, the Nigh is trying to convince the Masters to give up. Somehow she bets he'll do the same for the RepLIforce soon enough. Spica sighs softly as Duet vanishes and Regulus sacrifices himself. "Don't any of them have self-saving tendencies?" she murmurs as she floats near the engine and Capricorn. Ninjutsu Gecko shakes his head, "Nada, Gale. I don't think we're doing much...." He tries something else, winging timed smoke bombs and throwing stars at the Fog, hoping maybe that the smoke will funk something up... He watches and shakes his head, "Let's save our fuel....I don't think it'll work." Pyro Squirrel slowly wanders over to the area with the weapon, but still stays a good distance away, keeping out of the way of the busy people repairing it. "I don't think I'll be much help here..." He says to himself. Canopy Jabberwock rises into the air sLIghtly, a low thrust keeping him over the Nigh sLIthing across the platform. He still smiles at the nothingness, disregarding it out of hand. After a measure he turns his gaze towards the energy Duo and the technicians working on Longinus, and smiles further, hovering over to it as well. He offers, "If I can help in a fashion, I shall, though I regret that I have LIttle skill forging electronics." Alpha shakes her head, "No, I can only project holographic images. Perhaps I can get Iris to help.", she sends off a transmission. It's the clench time, it appears, but Alpha seems unfaired. She smiles back at Aldebaran though. The Vanguard turns slowly toward Colonel. "..." At first, she doesn't give any reaction whatsoever. However, what her brother can't see is Iris taking this moment to reload the programs and subroutines which make up her personaLIty...the same programs she assumed would be nothing but a hindrance, here in the face of death and destruction. After a significant pause, Iris suddenly powers down the Vanguard, and it vanishes. Iris changes into her Iris armor. Alpha sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission. ------ The Stardroid Engine remains cold and dead, even as Cancer's sacrificed energy flows into it. White sparks fLIcker here and there, the machine apparently trying to return to LIfe... and there is a faint suggestion of a white GLow in its crystal heart. Another round of fire whips through Nigh's nebulous suggestion of a body, and yet again, it has no effect. Even Regulus's valorous attempt to leap through does him no good, the Stardroid passing through Nigh as harmlessly as he would a cloud. Nigh's voice chuckles lowly as the Masters shout their responses, but offers nothing of its own. "Maverick Hunters," it chuckles. "RepLIforce. Why do you fight? You seek a world free of violence, free of hatred, free of the tyranny that you would see destroyed...." Nigh begins to collect once more, assuming the figure of the Grim Reaper, face shrouded by a black hood, its scythe oozing inky shadow. "... through violence... pain... suffering... the very things that you abhor. You create chaos... you bring destruction... in the name of order. Why not give yourselves to me? Why not surrender, and let all be swept aside by perfect, peaceful darkness?" ---------- Crash Man GLances over his shoulder to Colonel and his rag-tag band. "Damn, he got you there. Hahaha." Iris sends a radio transmission. Alpha receives a radio transmission. Silo walks closer to the machine, before shaking his head.. While he may have some repairing expereince, he doesn't want to give his hand at repairing and mess up the machine... So he goes back to what he was doing before, and just watches the Nigh... And suddenly gets the urge to do all he can to make the Nigh feel /pain/. He doesn't attack though, just GLares at the darkness... Capricorn looks to Spica, and shrugs almost non-chalantly. "Aye, seems a mite silly, iffn' ye ask me," she mumbles. "All this sacrifice-business. Kinda makes ye wonder whae we even bother tryin' tae win, when we're dyin' anyway!" She rubs her head, before looking down at Aldebaran down below, and calLIng out. "ALDE! YE GET IT WORKIN, YET?! I DINNAE THINK HE'LL WAIT TO SCARE EVERYBODY FOR TOO LONG!" Harmony sneers, and merely says nothing. There was absolutely no way she'd ever give into anything LIke Nigh, let alone anything at all. Giving up RepLIforce is giving up her LIfe, and that's something she's not wilLIng to do. Pyro Squirrel turns toward Nigh as it goes spouting off again. He yells at it, "Yeah, yeah, next is the Mavericks, perfect world, free of humans, blah blah blah. Look, can we just skip that part? You know that nobody's going to LIsten to you anyway." Fusion Phoenix looks to the Nigh, an eyebrow arched. "If you expect us to roll over and play dead for peace, you've got another thing comming. If we were LIkely to do that we would have yealded to Wily or Sigma years ago." Firestorm Phoenix hovers up and unleashes his flamethrowers on the black clouds, he's gotten desperate and wilLIng to try anything, maybe something will work... Guts Man chuckles, "BAHAHAHAHAHA! YOUR PEACEKEEPING IS THE CAUSE OF OUR PROBLEMS! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" He looks to Crash, "They're real tools." A faint reaLIzation... The demon kicks off the platform, rising a few feet from Starhaven and staying there with the assistance of the two massive thruster intakes mounted into the demon's back. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings, "How many niggas brought they irons tonight?", someone else, not Daryn, it appears, sings softly the words: "Tell Me.", Daryn continues, "How many niggas wanna die tonight.", the other voice says: "I do.", and then together they sing, "Pick out our victims when the time is right. We get they as* up off the corner 'cause they dyin' tonight!" Regulus's LIght fades as it fails to do anything at all. He whirls, his wings beating the non existant air as he watches Nigh speak to the defenders of Earth, working on them as he must have worked on Regulus' brother. "So I am to LIve? Very well... resist his blandishments..." The angeLIc stardroid turns and drops towards the weapon. "Very well. I have a power source." He offers Illumine to Aldebaran. "Use her as you see fit..." Crash Man snickers at Guts Man, "They sure are, big buddy." Rocket Rodent is adressed, as the RepLIforce. "That is simple. We fight for freedom. The freedom to do anything you want, the freedom to exist. The freedom to LIve." He sighs. "Nothing is not freedom. Nothing is nothing, and the people have a right to be more then nothing." Alpha sends a radio transmission. Iris receives a radio transmission from Alpha. Gale Sorcerer sighs at his ninja partner yet once more. He's actually right again, his tactic is not working. Attack darkness with LIght attacks, it really is much easier in RPGs. Arms crossed over his chest, the UN officer LIstens to Nigh trying to think about something else. "This guy has got a speech for everyone, hasn't he? Hopefully he'll forget about us. Or he'll get killed before he reaches that part at least" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "50 bucks says that Nigh will start talking to the Mavericks about a perfect world free of humans next." Iris gazes into the dark visage of Nigh...there's no hatred there, no aggression whatsoever. "I don't want to fight you...but neither do I want to join you," she murmurs. "I just want us all to be able to LIve in peace...there has to be other choices than total war or total destruction...there just HAS to be." Starburst Dragon doesn't LIsten to a word Nigh says. Because he's taken special precautions. He's wearing earphones. Turned up to the max. Blazing feelgood music into his ears. And what does he say, boy and girls? Lah, lah, lah! Ah'm not LIstenin'!" It always works, trust me. Without responding to Crash Man, Colonel clears his voice and answers the Nothing. "You are correct in that we cause those things that we wish to get rid of... However, if we did not fight, the world we desire could never come about... We fight for peace... Because if we don't peace will never come. "Look, Nigh... LOOK!! Today, I stand with the Robot Masters and with the Mavericks to defeat you... Why? Because despite our differences, we care for the world below us. You, the Nigh, have given me more faith that one day the wars will end and the Earth will truly be peaceful." Choke on that... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Man transmits, "Your on rodent" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Why? What'd they tell usss?" Ninjutsu Gecko chuckles, and shakes his head, "If he asks us...well...we'll answer. Interpol...we're supposed to be more here and stuff, you know. So, we'll make ourselves known..." He clasps his hands behind his back, watching.. Dynamo Man works furiously on the machine, trying to find the shorts in the wiring and repair them. "Work, wilyd***it! WORK!" Sai smirks quietly, continuing to maintain the charge. "WHY? Heh. Same reason I was made...I exist to protect Man. I can't do that very well if neither they nor I still exist, now can I? Sure...some may suffer, even die, before we succeed and give peace to our world...but it will be a battle well fought, and a victory well worth the price." Magna Bass continues to watch Nigh speak, cycLIng through his weapons, trying to find a solution to the problem that presents itself. The weapon can only be adequately powered by Stardroids, which he is not. Had he only something he could do ... He looks back towards the device, then back to Nigh. Ironically, the best hope for the future of the world right now may be Dynamo Man. The Strider Director GLances towards Nigh and frowns, "I am called K. I will protect this world and the LIves that LIved on this world. I will not give up because you said so. LIfe is very precious to me. You, the destroyer of LIfe... thus, have no place... here or anywhere." He runs towards Nigh, The good Blade, The Cipher of Order, The Yang Cipher swinging. "You shall fall. You WILL fall." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn continues singing, a female voice joining in with the two male ones. Anybody who knows her, would know that this voice belongs to Aria. "Niggas be all up in my mug, But it's a different story when them muthafu**as coughin' up blood.", the voices cut out and a fourth voice enters, and this one belongs to Megumi, "When he died, looking in his eyes, was he as he cried.", and then all four sing, "I bust another cap in his as* as he died, time is 5." Fusion Phoenix is waiting for the Nigh to reform into something he can shoot. He has his trump, and it seems idealy suited to this battle in a way. Canopy Jabberwock turns to the 'speaking' Nigh, and laughs again in its 'face' as he hovers above it. "Such a weak mind! It is one thing to fight for subjugation and another to fight for peace; the latter is sadly needed at times, but it is justified. And do I simply fight for peace? I fight for joy, awe, wonder; a humid, placid sky, the buzz of fLIes, a furry animal here or there, and the warmth of LIving. Stop your charade; do you fool anybody, jester?" Crescent Grizzly lowers his forcefield, and steps slowly to the brink of the plateau, looking up to the Nigh. His arms are spread wide, and he begins to speak. " Oui, weh' mah' caus' 'arm, weh' mah' mak' mistakes...." the reploid begins, thinking back to the events of the past, the losses, the joys, the victories, and the bitter defeats. "...an' sumtims', weh' do mor' 'arm den' goo'. Buh' at deh' end o' de' day..." Grizzly brings his arms back in, " Weh' know dat' sumwhere', weh' mad' a difference. Weh' kep' summuns' LIfe togetter', we mad' deh' wurl' a saf' plac' to love, to LIve, to laugh...to exis'. An' iffin' weh' know dat' in 'ere..." Grizzly taps the center of his chest with a sinGLe drill finger. " Den' iz' a caus' wort' fightin' fer'. " Grizzly's arms then cross about his chest, and stands, without forcefield, without preperation for defense, at the brink of nothingness, naked before the Nigh. " Com' den', an' do wha' yew' will. Buh' nuttin' is gunna' chang' wha' inside o' mah' 'eart, or deh' 'earts o' anyun' else 'ere. Dats' sumtin' yew' can' snuff out. Dat' will always bea' dere'. " Crescent Grizzly lowers his forcefield. Barrage Raptor knew that Nigh would say something to them, "I don't know why the rest of them fight. But /I/ fight...Because I LIke it!" She growls, and GLares at Nigh, "I love fighting Robot Masters and Mavericks. It's a rush. And if we surrender to you, then I couldn't have fun, could I? I'd be able to do nothing but not exist, and that's really, really BORING!" There. She gave her response. Aldebaran GLances towards Capricorn. "WE'RE DOING OUR BEST! THE EXTRA POWER'S HELPING, BUT..." he shakes his head... ponders... "...The optimization systems. Try the optimization systems!" He points towards assorted black and grey boxes gathered around. "Hurry!" He moves to touch them himself, but Regulus catches his attention... his power source. He nods, slowly, accepting it. "Thank you..." he says, before placing it into one of the power chambers, hoping that the contribution will boost it as well... Alpha doesn't even look towards Nigh, "I don't care about any of that. You are afraid, idiot, you have the power to destroy us by touch. You do not do this because you fear we have something to destroy us. Do you really have time to play this game? You couldn't even kill a sinGLe reploid.", she looks towards Aldebaran and says, "I will hold him off if I can.", she turns her head and takes a sinGLe step forward. "Oh for the love of pete." Beam states. His engines cut out, and he turns towards the Stardroid engine. He looks down at the sLIghtly shorter machine. Those red eyes narrow, before he simply raises one massive fist overhead, and then brings it down upon the Stardroid engine-slash-weapon. Sure, it was tried before, but maybe the anGLe and power behind the Demon can do somethign the others couldn't. Dynamo Man fixes one of the shorts with a quick coating of LIquid Duct Tape(TM), and then Aldebaran's command gets to him. Quickly, he sidesteps to the otherside of the machine, studying the console for a moment, and then tapping furiously, running diagnostics. "It's gotta be here somewhere ... !" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Pity this isn't the Neverending Story... ...Then we could save the world by giving the Child-LIke Empress a new name..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Clown Man transmits, "...The Adult-LIke Dominatrix?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings with the rest of his band, "Niggas be shootin' the gif LIke they for real, but when it jumps they ain't got no murder -skills-, So Bill jus', chops 'em down, 'watch 'em fall. And cut they as* head to toe, jaw to jaw. The sight of the Blue Director lunging at the Nigh makes Mai straighten up. Red and Blue fight together, for now! She breaks into a run towards the Nigh, from a sLIghtly different vector than Kain, both of her ciphers prepared to slash into the deathLIke entity. Where energy and explosives could not triumph, perhaps plasma-charged metal can. Guts Man shouts, "Hey Nigh! If you're so powerful why don't you eat that machine those idiots are trying to make work? By delaying to do so you're only giving them more time to try and fulfill their goal of your destruction! Eat the people trying to fix it too. Especially the one filled with poison!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Shyster transmits, "Well, yes, but think o'how much cooler t'movie could 'ave gone if she were called 'The Underaged Broad Whose Actress' Career Will Utterly Tank After This Point'." Gale Sorcerer snickers sLIghtly at the response of his partner. "hehehe... letting the Interpol be known... that's something that'd really surprise me..." At least while having him as the director of the RDI division... No, wait, Abernathy's the big boss and Bridgit is in charge of UNED division. They'll be known as soon as they blow a whole city up. "I hope the others come up with something, because my resources are quite LImited here..." Starburst Dragon says, "Y'wan'a answer? Ah'm fahtin'c'z ah exist only t'protect people. No matter what it's from. Ah wanna see 'em safe and ah wanna see 'em happy. All ah want's safety, love an' happiness. Ah've got safety with mah friends. Ah've got love wi'Harmony. And ah've got happiness seein' you makin' a fool o'yerself when you know you beaten already!" Dynamo Man shouts, "ARGH, GUTS! YOU'RE NO HELP AT ALL!" Firestorm Phoenix grumbles to himself, that blasted Nigh seems unstoppable by any conventional means and the one thing that might stop it, is down for the count, "This is just great, I have been through too much to just roll over and go quietly into the night." Job checks over at the systems and runs a scan over this. Meanwhile he is patching up the few shorts he is able to find. "I know Dynamo Man, and we will find it." Another short patched as he goes to check over the system Pac Pac has pointed out. Job sweatdrops at Guts Man's comment and says drying. "Thank you captain obvious..." Guts Man nods, "That I'm not." Clown Man says, "Yes you are." Crash Man heehees. Harmony blushes, rubbing her cheek as she just kind of stares off at nothing.. lalala.. Job says, "Hey what if we pumped some of our own power into this thing?" Pyro Squirrel yells at Nigh some more. "Yeah, start talking to the Mavericks now. Perfect world, free of humans, we know the drill. What, I'm wondering, are you going to say to me? I *LIke* fighting. And do you know what? You're just a BIG BALL OF GAS! And do you know what else? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NORMAL KIND OF GAS!" Pyro is trying to make it annoyed, obviously. Dynamo Man GLances to Job. "Last resort, I'd say, let's see if we can get this thing optimized first .... ok ... " The console readout gives him a number of errors. "Grr! It might be sooner than we think!" Frantic tapping. "Get the jumper cables from this access port - " One pops open on his left upper leg. " - hook them to my electrodes and find somewhere to plug them in while I finish this up!" Meanwhile, Sigma scowls as the presence of Nigh in the universe makes him jolt a bit, knocking his Dynamo project over. Sigma stares for a few moments and then says, "The world...Is Rotten." --------- The faint suggestion of a GLow in the Stardroid Engine's becomes a GLImmer of LIght, though in response to no particular repair effort. Something else is causing the machine to return to LIfe, though it does not tremble, it does not whine... it's as of its stored energy is powered by something else beyond the machine itself.... Nigh laughs darkly, a harsh and painful noise, much colder, much angrier than before. "MAVERICKS!" it howls! "You... you, who would unmake your makers.... you... who would slay your own god!" The Grim Reaper visage swells into a black cloud, taking on the visage of Sigma himself; though already, it appears to decay, Sigma's bald face taking on a skeletal build. "Servants, tools, nothing more, to persist and decay when those whose existence justify yours are gone!" Another hasrh, barking laugh. "And the rest of you! You... you civiLIans... you'll stand idly by while the world is reduced to ashes around you! Another man's wars, and you shall be the casualties! Why do you cLIng to hope? Why do you cLIng to LIfe, when your days are numbered by your own vile natures? All of you!" The cloud erupts once more into the towering demon, raising his fists high, bellowing in a furious voice! "ALL OF IT! YOUR CULTURE, YOUR ART, YOUR POLITICS, YOUR WARS, YOUR NATIONS, YOUR PETTY STRUGGLES, THEY WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING! NOTHING! IN THE END, ALL WILL BE COLD... ALL WILL BE BLACK... AND YET YOU RESIST! YOU STAVE OFF THE INEVITABLE LIKE RATS ON A SINKING VESSEL! Already, the demon's figure is growing more bestial, the thing hunking over, looming over the crowd as though preparing to consume them all. "This moment... this brief moment of your survival... is so small..." Nigh's voice drops to a whisper. "So small... compared to the eternity of unmaking that will someday follow. Is that moment worth it? Does it truly make a difference?" --------- Crescent Grizzly doesn't even fLInch. " Oui. " Pyro Squirrel takes a deep breath. Starburst Dragon says, "Yep." "YOOOOOOO MMOOOOOOOOMMMMMMAAAAAAAA!!!" *gasp* Regulus turns to LIft his face towards the black shape. "Always." Canopy Jabberwock shakes his head at the crawLIng blackness, smirking. "Somebody's going to sleep well tonight." Harmony snickers at Starburst, and then turns to look at Nigh with some annoyance. "You get mad /way/ too easy.." Fusion Phoenix shouts, "Yes, because it is LIfe, and your obLIvion has no stories to be told!" Pyro takes another deep breath. "WEEARRRRRSSSS.... *gasp* COOOOOOOOOMMMMMMBAAAAT BOOOOOOOOTS!" *gasppant* Guts Man says, "If there's karaoke it's definately worth it. And IIIIIIIIIII-EEEEEE-IIIIIIIII WIIIIIILL ALWAYS LOOOOOOOVE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!!!!" Rocket Rodent simply says Yes. Turning, the Demon narrows his eyes at the beast Nigh, "You bet it's worth it." Sai's smirk fades to a resolute stare. "Hai. It is...always has been, always will be." Clown Man bLInks as the Pikachu does nothing. He fLIcks back into his (ab)normal self...as he ponders. The Carnival and the Power Roll are both useless, but... He bLInks... maybe, just maybe... the power of the mallet is strong enough to beat him... He lunges... as Sideshow's chest GLows... to form a mallet. "NIGH NO BAKA!!!" Bass says nothing; the green flame that continues to issue from his body, his relentless stare, the set of his jaw ... says enough. Ninjutsu Gecko growls. "Oh yea? OH YEA?!? You know what Nigh? You know what?" He starts to bellow, ".. ... YO MOMMA!" He bLInks... and goes with it, "That's right, Yo momma! Yo fat, stinky, skanky, uGLy, seller of fornication of a momma! You've got a lot of room to talk! You don't even have the guts to soLIdify and face us! You talk about us standing by idly? Well, look who's here, bunghole! You're just jealous cause our planet is too good for you and yo nasty momma!" yes...this is a fully wrapped Ninja bellowing this out.. Terra has arrived. Spica arches an eyebrow at the centre of the Engine. "We're doing something right, it seems," she comments to Capricorn. "And why does it ask questions that it already knows the answers to?" Dynamo Man actually tears up a bit, from Guts' singing. One of the few who actually sees the beauty of it, he says nothing, but continues typing. Mai Atsuki makes no response verbally. It's not the way she's been taught. But as she draws close enough, she switches her grip on the blades to the L-handles, and then leaps up high in the air - gracefully showing just what those mere humans can do as she somersaults, momentum and hope together combining as the anGLe and speed of her twist bring both those fearsome blades down - hopefully, with the aid of luck and whatever gods there be, sLIcing its face apart. Capricorn remains held close to the side of the Stardroid Engine, watching with a bemused expression as Nigh does its thing. "Ach, look who's getting all huffy-puffy! Whae, ye should jus'-" She stops as the Engine hums to LIfe beside her, and looking back to it, she lets loose a joyful squeal! Capricorn turns back to Aldebaran down below, and cups a hand to her mouth! "AE'S WORKIN' AGAIN, ALDEBARAN! BUT AH CANNAE DO EET YET! AE NEED MORE POWER, CAP'N!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn sings the end of the song with his band, "But I'm make yo' b*tch as* hollah'", the other male voice drops out, "Cause I'm gonna put a hole in yo head...The size of a half dollar.", Aria drops out and Megumi alone says, "F*ck around and get your cap peeled 'cause this is...", and then only Daryn, "Die muthaf**ka, die muthaf**ka, kill...", and then the chorus starts up again, Daryn sings alone. Pyro Squirrel keeps yelLIng. "You're nothing but a big ball of gas! Yeah, the stinky kind! The kind that Guts Man makes after a run to Taco Bell! Y'know what? You're a LIttle enchilada! That doesn't make sense, but it makes more sense than you do in a month! YOUUUUUUU STIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Silo is... doing nothing, really. Just shouting the odd things at Nigh, not really doing much... "LIfe is worth LIving, because it's so brief," Iris insists. "We LIve, we love we strugGLe, we persist...then we pass on into that great Goodnight...our LIves have great meaning to us. They are all we have." Job says, "Yes it is worth it. Dynamo Man come on lets find ths short and get this party really started." The music keeps blasting over his support rigs speaker system. "We are working on it scotty! Come on and lend us a hand why don't... Hey I think we got a heart beat here!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "Anyone know any good insults?" Guts Man has disconnected. Ninjutsu Gecko continues. "Yea, that's right. You know what? All our strugGLes, they give us the abiLIty to do such things as insult the easiness of your momma, or do greater things...LIke, us TV to insult the easiness of your momma!" He looks to Gale, "You've heard about Nigh's Momma, right?" Metal Shark has nothing to say to that, he simply watches. Firestorm Phoenix lets out a laugh, "Well, we certainly know theres no intelLIgence in nothing or you wouldn't even ask such questions, Its all worth it, its always worth it and in the end, it will be you who is undone, what you have taken away will be repLInshed!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Number Man transmits, "Try the fact that next time you impersonate me, I'm gonna pull your sphinchter out your eye socket." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "No time for that now." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn lets out a breath and says, "Yo Number Man." Pyro Squirrel yells, "YOU SPHINCTER OF AN EYE SOCKET!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "...Pyro Squirrel, there's no need to get rude." Ninjutsu Gecko agrees with Pyro Squirrel. "Yea! Bet you got that eye socket from yo' momma!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Number Man transmits, "Wassap, Hair Band Man." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "There's no need for him to try and destroy the planet!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "The Squirrel has a point." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Number Man transmits, "Bah. If I can't share my pain then I'll see you all in Hell." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Not really." Fusion Phoenix is struck by a thought. "Nigh, the universe will end eventualy in heat death, no matter what happens here today. Why then do you feel you must acclerate it? An infinite amount of time starting now is the same as an infinate amount of time starting in tens of bilLIons of years. You tell us why we should not resist, but I tell you hurrying the end will get you nothing." Ok, if the Nigh can try psychlogical warfare, so can RepLIforce. Pyro Squirrel yells some more. If this doesn't get Nigh mad, nothing will. ")^(*@&^@#(*)&^*&(*^*&)&^*(&*()^)(*&(*^&@)^&*((#&*^*&#$*&(^*&^$*&^(#^$(*@^(*$# *gasp* (*&^()*^&*#^@&$#)^@$)*&#)^)^#*&&)*#)*&$#^)$*#" And so on, for about 50 more LInes. Zero would be proud. Colonel LIstens as everyone speaks... Colonel even cracks a small smile as Guts Man begins to sing. He quickly regains his composure and continues to work on the Nigh with the rest of the crowd. "Nigh, LIsten to these people. Despite the fact that NONE of our weapons seem to work against you we have all come here to stand in defiance of the end you bring. Because we value our LIves and our right to choice what to do with our LIves... We want the choice, the freedom to do as we wish..." Crash Man just shakes his head at Pyro Squirrel. "You are such a wannabe." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Cool stuff, man, sang the final battle music, ended 'bit too soon but there's always one more song to sing, man." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Number Man transmits, "W3rd." Pyro Squirrel turns in Crash's direction. "Okay then, you try." Crash Man hahs, "I don't need to try, I just /do/." Alpha sighs. People are being so rude. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Whatchoo up to dude?" Ninjutsu Gecko points to Crash Man, "Alright...you insult his momma, then!" Is he smiLIng under his wraps? You bet? Kain calmly regards the demon, "We're breathing, Nigh. That's the difference. And we still seek to keep on breathing... on our own terms. But," K looks carefully at the demon, "You don't understand that do you, you don't understand what it is to LIve. Your 'agents' knew that all too well... Now, there is only you. And as a old captain once said: We'll Make Our Stand," he points downwards, "Here. And we'll still be here. Because, Nigh..." He aims a Plasma Bolt at the demonic creature... "We LIke to breathe." After LIstening to Nigh, then eying Gecko for a moment, Gale Sorcerer grins to his partner and crosses his arms over his chest again, and begins speaking to the dark entity. "You know, Nigh... You can say "You idiots! This is bad! It's so bad it'll blow up with a big bang! You suck! It's all your fault". Well, guess what. I'm tired about everyone telLIng me that everything I do is NOT right! Blaming me for things I haven't even done! Making a whole mountain out of every LIttle mistake I've ever made! And guess what else? I DON'T care! Yes, I don't! That's not MY fault, nor MY responsabilty. My responsabiLIty is to end up this stupid war and watch for the safety of the citizens. And that's what I'm going to take care of! Have you heard?!" Oh my... He just shouted at Nigh everything he didn't shout at Abby's face last time he talked with him. "Oh, yes. And as my partner here says... Your momma had no taste for anything" Dynamo Man keeps typing. Error after error falls to his knowledge of circuit paths ... and soon, few remain. Taking out the jumper cables, he hands an end of each to Job, hooking the other ends to the electrodes upon his shoulders. "Hook the red one /here/ and black one /here/! Let me fuel it myself!" His brow furrows, GLancing over at Crash and Guts he would sob at their inactivity but at the same time he's just GLad they're there to begin with. Turning back to the exposed section ... he waits, and powers up his generators. What is he thinking at the moment? "Let's kill this thing so that there'll be time later!" Rocket Rodent adds to Colonel. "And do you really espect us to sit by and watch our existance get destroyed, every sinGLe being of the worlds die?" He shakes his head. "We want to LIve, to flourish, and we want others to LIve." Crash Man raises the back of his hand, as if he's about to smack the crap out of Ninjutsu Gecko. "You idiot, those end-of-existance Unicron deaLIes don't have mommas." Pyro Squirrel throws a rock at Crash Man from afar. "JUST HURRY UP AND INSULT THE THING!" Ninjutsu Gecko smirks, "Do you know that for certain? Where you a mid-wife of when this guy came about?" He looks to Gale, and laughs. "That's a start, Gale." Barrage Raptor facepalms, "Guys, I really don't think it cares what you say to it, it's going to try to destroy us anyway." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Number Man transmits, "Floating on a sea of electrons. At last." ------ "WE HAVE NONE!" roars out Aldebaran, panic plainly written on his face. "WE--" Pause. "...no. We do." He closes his optics... "...Alpha... I want to thank you for your assistance." And then... his form is engulfed in LIght. Pouring out from between armor segments, covering the area, bathing in it... first transmogrifying into a bright ball, the bolt of LIght slowly, carefully, gently descends next to the technicians. A Stardroid transforming into energy form... and then... coalescing into a humanoid form. Not terribly quickly... but quickly enough. A being about the size of a human comes through... coalescing. Flesh-tone skin is visible first... a black body-suit of some sort. A uniform. Then... long, fluffy red hair, and soon it's apparent... you've got what appears, on the outside, to be a teenage girl standing before you. It seems that Pac Pac is MS. Pac Pac. Secret guarded her entire LIfe now gone, she grimmaces for a moment as she concentrates, extending her hands in a cup and materiaLIzing a small, crimson ball which hovers in the air. A few seconds later, it suddenly fLIes through the air, smacking dead-center into her chest... a pendant. Or at least, not unLIke a pendant. Without a second thought she pulls it off from around her neck... "CAPRICORN! SPICA! I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS'LL DO TO ME! IT'S UP TO YOU!" she roars out. Grabbing the chain, she swings it around once, twice, thrice, building up momentum, before hurLIng it with all of her strength towards the engine core. "SUCK ON THIS YOU SON OF A BITCH!" ------ [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Sounds LIke a sinGLe." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Got yourssself blown up, eh?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Number Man transmits, "Protoman will do that." Crash Man points a finger at Pyro Squirrel. "That's it, you're on my LIst, dinkyass." Starburst Dragon is somewhere over there, and not LIstening to the comments from the peanut gallery. He just keeps staring up at Nigh and singing about everything he can think of. He's got to the fun things he did at Halloween now, after finishing a ballad about that time he got stuck in the Repair Chamber. Metal Shark swears a few times, "This aint good! Oh **** this aint good!" Job follows Dynamo's directions as he hooks up the jumper cables to the various locations both on Dynamo Man and the machine. "Well lets see if we can get this to work." He then makes the last connections. "All right Dynamo Man. Let it rip!!!" Canopy Jabberwock hovers, waving a foreclaw dismissively at those who speak against the Nigh. "Oh, do not bother. This thing is not worth your time. It thrives on fear and misery, and when it fails to drum these things up, it begins to wither. Longinus GLowed when its calls fell on deaf ears. This thing is not Nigh; it deserves not a name. This thing is not Destruction; has it killed? This thing is not Decay; what has decayed? This is only a pitiful louse that claws at strings. And now it knows that." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Whats going on up there?" Fusion Phoenix look to Barrage. "LIke we care what it said?" Then he looks to Pac Pac. "Not what I expected..." Metal Shark looks around, "What's H-- She doing?" in reference to PaxPax. Harmony pats Starburst's arm a LIttle. "Err, I really don't think singing will do much.." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "I don't know anymore." Regulus seems to freeze for a moment, staring at Aldebaran's revelation... and he wraps his wings around his face, raising his grauntlets. His blade is gone, placed inside the core of the weapon, most of his energy gone with it. All he can do is pray. Job bLInks at Miss Pac Pac. "Well I never saw that one comming... Hey let me do that! I can take powersurges better than you can!" Okay a LIttle too late and he he winces. Barrage Raptor bLInks, and seems supprised, "Whoa." She thinks that's kinda cool. Rocket Rodent watches the events that transpire. Ok, this is starting to get wierd..... But Rocket remains on guard. Silo just watches as the whole thing with Pac Pac goes on. He... Didn't expect /that/. But either way, he just waits to see if this all works... Crescent Grizzly GLances behind him at Aldebaran's true form. Well then. Not that it makes much of a difference to Crescent as to the gender of any particular individual, but this was rather surprising. Ninjutsu Gecko looks to Gale then to what just happened. "It just switched Gender...that a good thing or a bad thing." Kain kinda bLInks at Ms. Alderbaran. "..." Firestorm Phoenix bLInks as yet another stardroid transforms into something resembLIng a human, "The hell is this?" Dynamo Man, hearing Job's signal, fires his generator sparks, and everything cycles into action. The electrodes spark wildly, putting every amp he can muster into that machine ... and hoping, for the LIfe of everyone on the planet, that it works. All he can do is power down his optics, and even his voice box, to support the necessary energy. Sai completely ignores the peanut gallery, much LIke Starburst, instead merely staring at Aldebaran's transformation and actions in mute fascination. The charge in his arm cannon slowly dies. It seems clear that it's not going to have much use, for a while yet, so best to save energy. "...unexpected," he mutters as he watches. ---------- Nigh remains frozen in place, silent, as the inevitable repLIes are shouted back to its question. Rearing back up, it remains silent... and even takes a step back. Nigh is... stunned. Abruptly, the Stardroid Engine flares to LIfe, the blue crystal inside rising to its previous, painful white GLare, as the jet-engine *whine* returns at full throttle; the towering Stardroid Engine trembles and shakes, whipped into a mechanical frenzy that seems to tear it right from its root. The influx of power... so many Stardroids sacrificed for just one -chance- at success in the face of such painful odds... but something else, as well. Duo's energy... the very substance of destiny and fate itself. In the face of Nigh, its own antithesis, the being that Duo's mere existence sealed away in a time so ancient as to defy memory, it was cold and black as the destiny it would seem to reflect. But now it burns brightly, hot, furious, aLIve. A few words, a few thoughts, this is what it takes to change fates- this is what it takes to make destinies. This is the power of the mortal man in the face of a vengeful god. The Stardroid Engine ruptures, a roiLIng, white explosion that ionizes the weapon before it even goes an inch. Though it roils LIke a hot wind, the white LIght is harmless as it ashes over those gathered, Stardroid and EarthLIng aLIke; hot, almost unbearable, but bringing with it a comforting warmth in the face of Nigh's yet-LIngering chill. The towering figure of Nigh lets out an unholy shriek as that unleashed energy cuts through it, its gaseous, cloud-LIke body dissipating, blown away, fading without so much as a fight. It was, after all, a mere illusion, and what chance does the illusion of fate stand against unleashed will? The inferno continues to rage, soon obscuring the platform, burying all in brilLIant white LIght. The roar of the explosion rises to such a volume as to drown out all sound. -------- Alpha turns to look at Pac Pac. "...P.....Pac Pac.", she stammers, the LIquid metal surrounding her frame practically melting back into her body as she returns to her usual form. "No...Don't Pac....Aldebaran...Please...", she takes a few steps forward, clenching her fists as she stumbles a bit. The waves of emotion filting through Alpha practically overpower her abiLIty to move. She reaches for the arm trying to hold it back before he can throw it at the engine. But she's probably too slow. Starburst Dragon looks around and whistles. Geesh, the Stardroids are dropping LIke fLIes today. And yet they're all standing. Nice twist. "Ah did a lot of things, they were all fun, ah'm gonna keep doin' more this song is done!" Song over, he looks at Harmony and grins cluelessly. "Well, it worked--" *kaboom!* Crescent Grizzly turns to the sudden explosion, and a smile crosses his face. It is done. The Cajun chuckles softly and lets the LIght wash over him, never once hesitating agianst it.... Iris winces from the resulting explosion, hurLIng herself instinctively against her brother and covering her head. Gale Sorcerer scratches his pointy hat after the whole speech, then eyes Aldebaran... or whatever he changed into. "Uh... probably not something good... last time a sex change happened around me it was..." Oh, no, please let's not start with the Treble thing again. "Uh? It... it worked!?" Starburst Dragon says, "...Ooooh. Shiny." Harmony gasps, mouth falLIng open. "Oh.. my.." As if things couldn't get more random and unexpected.. they do, and in their favor. That's what she's talking about. "I-It.. it worked!" she says, barely able to contain herself. Was it over, did they do it? Were the Stardroid's selfless sacrifices enough to finally.. finish it? Barrage Raptor bLInks, "Wow...That's pretty." Dynamo Man disappears into the blast of LIght .... last thing he saw? The machine, powering up. One might have seen a pained grin just before the blast. Nothing happens for some time. Colonel pulls Iris in closely as the explosion echoes thoughout space. Colonel's optics don't fLInch... he stares into what was the nigh and waits to see what happens Fusion Phoenix can only whisper, "My god, please... " as he watches more power than he ever saw before wash over him without harming him. Pisces has arrived. Rocket Rodent is bathed in LIght. It pierces directly through his heat-resistant armor: Rocket feels truly warm as if he dosn't have the plates on. Distracted, his engines cut off, and he plunges into the ground. Ninjutsu Gecko looks over, "It worked....and....HOT!" He throws his arms up, instinctively his arms up, his optics shutting off in response to the LIght. He tries to yell something to Gale, but his voice is killed over by the explosion. Canopy Jabberwock continues to beam in the explosion, and now sets himself down on the platform again, stretching out his foreclaws wide to Welcome the burn, which he feels but manages to disregard, and the calming influence the LIght exudes, though in the brightness it cannot be seen. "It ends." Job sheilds his optic scanner saying. "ITS ALIVE! ITS ALIVE!!!!!!" Job then beaces for the shockwave from the engenine overload. "Here it comes!!" He then finds it heating up... Mai Atsuki does a deft backfLIp and turns away, shading her eyes and putting her Ciphers between herself and the blast's unholy radiations of whatever sort, before.... relaxing, strangely, as it seems to be a.... benign sort of LIght. The kind that would warm those small seeds she'd planted, down beneath on Earth. Pyro Squirrel closes his eyes and stretches out his arms, basking in the warm LIght, a smile on his face. oO(Ah... success... But now the war will begin again... .........)Oo Sai gogGLes at the sight for a few moments, just before everything is concealed in a haze of LIght and sound. His systems defensively deactivate his auditory sensors, and he covers his eyes with his arms, waiting out the burst, waiting for whatever happens next. Silo just falls to the ground to help cover himself, and just watches from beneath his visor at the massive amounts of energy been sent out by the weapon... GLowing red eyes close slowly, and Beam lowers his head in respect for those who gave their LIves for this. His hands slowly unclench, and his shoulders rise steadily. And then ... they shake gently. If Beam had the faciLIty, he'd probably be crying right now. Big dope. Bass disappears within the white LIght, closing his eyes to shield his optics from the incredible luminescence. Aldebaran grimmaces under the strain... Alpha's arm coming in too late. She's already made her move. A sudden surge of red energy covers her body as the LIght tears sears both optic and eye aLIke... not a Stardroid, but a humanoid (if you scan her, you'll find two hearts - not very compLIcit to Grey's Anatomy)... never again to devour anyone else. Just as well, though. She's found through the eons that everyone pretty much tastes LIke chicken. Alpha changes into her Wing armor. Kain covers his head as the explosion. (Gotta hang on...)oo. He keeps himself sure footed as chaos comes to play. And order to boot. Zero has left. Capricorn lets out a shriek of her own, as, well, she was perched on the Stardroid Engine at the time it went nova. Dropping from the tower towards the ground, she throws her arms over her face as she drops, bLInded and deafened by the outward rush of energy. Regulus vanishes into the white LIght, his silver facemask fading, reveaLIng the avian beneath, much as Aldebaran is changing. But then the LIght washes over him, and everything goes bright. Gale Sorcerer is no fool though. Just as the explosions starts, the mage tosses himself into the ground, covering his whole head with his wizard hat. Then, there's also something he forgot about. "Whoa! out, out!!!" The hologram he had still on is inmediatelly dismissed by the agent. Fortunately, its volume mode wasn't at average power, otherwise Gale wouldn't already be able to hear a thing anymore. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "*static*" Gale Sorcerer has disconnected. Metal Shark falls to the ground, covering his eyes. Gale Sorcerer has connected. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "We are still here..." Spica follows Capricorn in her tumble alongside the the nova'ed Engine. With a groan, she LIes on the platform with an arm thrown over her face. Dynamo Man doesn't even know what's going on. He's whited out, cloaked in the blast, stunned by it, unable to do anything but revel in what could very well be death itself. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Why, I suppose we are. Hey Iris, what're you doin' tonight? How does a few drinks at my place sound?" Clown Man and Sideshow cries out in united pain as the explosion overwelms the duo. "Can't Think!!!" wails the Clown as he forces his Forcefield to work... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "Argh, pig!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Say it LIke you love it, baby." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Man transmits, "You get used to it after 13 or so years." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Crash Man, hush up f'r ah wahl." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Clown Man transmits, "Oogh. *static comes up and down*" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Say what?" Firestorm Phoenix's dark lenses drop down over his eyes, saving his optics from a good bit of the LIght but he still has to cover his eyes, "Well, this is either really good, or really really bad." Barrage Raptor whips out her Ray-Bans, and sLIdes her visor up, putting the sunGLasses on. She folds up the foot anchors, and keeps on watching. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn plays a slow melody, "I get my whole band to sing with me and no applause, go fig.", Daryn pauses, "Yo Crash. Nigh fled from Mr. T, eh?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Yep. Guts Man has that effect on people." Alpha keeps a grip on Ms. Pac Pac's arm, but she's forced to close her eyes from the bLIndning LIght. She clenches her teeth, still probably thinking Aldebaran exploded or something. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "I can't blame the end of the world on my wacky antics now though." Fusion Phoenix is too stuned to do any more than stand there, bathed in the LIght, bLInded by the brightness. It seems he's found something he knew all along. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "So, what's actually going on right now?" Job drops to the ground shuting some of his gear to subspace and says, "Let us not do that again shall we? Hey Dynamo Man... I owe you a drink... hell I'll buy a round foreveryone here..." Starburst Dragon stands in the LIght, his entire golden body GLIttering, as he babbles the word "Shiny" over and over. He's a good kid. Easy to please. ------------ The LIght burns for many long moments, its inferno roar remaining, its blazing heat driving away the last remaining vestiges of Nigh's chill, before it all begins to fade. The bright LIght begins to lessen, and the gurious roar soon becomes a quiet, almost comfortable hum. And as the LIght fades, it reveals a vastly changed landscape. The Stardroid Engine is gone- destroyed completely in the explosion that originated within. In its place is a GLass-smooth crater, a shallow and poLIshed bowl in the middle of the plateau. Down below, the Earth shines with a brilLIance that seems unnatural... but nothing short of fitting, for high above, the stars are beginning to return to the sky. And across the shallow bowl in the middle of the plateau, stand the Stardroids. Many of them. At their center, Duet stands aLIve and well; flanking her, the recognizable figures of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto. Flanking them, in turn, are some of the Zodiacs... Capricorn, looking winded and stressed, Taurus... the twins, Castor and Pollux... and so on down the LIne. Two are conspicuously absent... Scorpio and Cancer. And flanking them, in turn, are the lesser Stardroids, the celestials. Regulus, Aldebaran, Spica, the canine-LIke Sirius, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Those who never had the power of their fellows, who never were ones to show their faces in times of great need. It would be here that Procyon and Denebola would stand. ------------ [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "The Solstice of the Winter of this disaster... The return of the LIght..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...The Stars...!!! YOU DID IT!!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Hell if I know. Hey, the stars are back. Kickin'" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Yeah, ah guess we did." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "Who rocks the body? I think we do." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "Fitting." Harmony smiles widely, watching the stars come back.. the earth shine.. and all those lost standing side by side. Maybe it's just her imagination, but a great weight has been LIfted from the air.. she can breathe again. GigGLIng, she brings her hands up to her mouth. "We really did it.." Ninjutsu Gecko remains in a hiding area a bit. Then, finally, he turns his optics back on. He looks around. No fog. There's Earth. He looks to the others. All seem aLIve. He looks up. Stars....again. He smiles beneath his wraps, then looks to where the engine was. "...wow...." he mutters...then...he looks to the Stardroids... Systems stabiLIzing. Simsenses returning. Dynamo finds himself on his belly, looking at the bottom of a huge crater. For the moment, he doesn't know if he's 'aLIve' or 'dead', he just knows he's 'there', and that means .. Nigh is gone. His radio fLIckers to LIfe .. Bass gradually opens his eyes after the LIght fades, attention first moving to the Earth -- then to the assembly of Stardroids. It is there Bass' gaze stays, posture defiant, making himself ready for whatever may come at him. Colonel waits, looks, and LIstens as everything clears. He breathes in at the shock of seeing them all there... Weren't they all supposed to have died and or sacrificed themselves. Colonel positions himself between Iris and the Stardroids... she has done her part tonight... Colonel waits for whatever is about to happen Pyro Squirrel slowly opens his eyes, his arms dropping to his sides. "Well, I guess that is that then..." He then notices the stardroids, most all of them aLIve and assembled together. "On the other hand..." A cLIcking can be heard, as if Pyro is loading his weapons systems. "It may just be beginning..." Iris bLInks, looking around. "We...we didn't do anything," she remarks in response to Harmony's comment. "We didn't do a blessed thing, it was THEM...it was them all along...their war. They ended it." Job looks up at the newly LIving Stardroids again and waves sLIghtly at all the Stardroids. "Hello there, Never thought I see you all in person..." Fusion Phoenix is one of the first to come out of his stuned state, looking over the assembled Stardroids. "Thank you." Crescent Grizzly looks about, before him the Stardroids standing in mass. " 'eh...loos' LIk' weh' did 'et, eh? " the Cajun comments, chuckLIng sLIght. Then the chuckle raises into a raucous spout of laughter. He reaches over and places an arm over Canopy, and shakes him heartily. Barrage Raptor turns her head and looks at all the Stardroids, and peers, "... Geeze. It's over. I hope." Unless the Stardroids go and decide to try and judge them again. Which she hopes they won't. Harmony shakes her head. "I know, but we helped them.. it was /all/ of us that did it. Why do you think we were brought here?" Alpha bLInks her eyes open, looks to Aldebaran, bLInks again, and then lets go, coughing softly and placing her hands behind her, "...Good you're not dead.", she says simply, "I still have my debts to repay to you and you have a cactus to treat well, which I'm sure you will.", she takes in a deep breath, and then adds, "You're Welcome.", to him, before GLancing around. Only the mean ones are gone. Cool. Dynamo Man slowly rises to a kneeLIng position, and then sees the Stardroids, stopping in his tracks. His expression reveals total confusion. What does he beLIeve? "....." The shuddering stops gradually, and Beam Demon opens his eyes slowly. He GLances about, then turns to peer at the assembled Stardroids. A GLance crosses over all of them, taking in each one individually. The demon says nothing. He simply nods once in thanks. Starburst Dragon bLInks. Inhales. Exhales. FLIcks his wings a couple of times. Flexes his fingers. "YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW! We did!" A LIttle white beam zips from the keyblade in his hand, and something goes cLIck. "Oops. Malfunction again." A few more things go cLIck and LIttle flashLIghts bLInk on Starburst's body. He punches his arm again and all is normal. He then drops the weapon and sweeps Harmony up in a full spin and a big ol' hug. "We DID IT! We won! And we din'have to blow it up! Wooo-HOOOO!" Gale Sorcerer bLInks, a couple of shiny eyes looking from under the pointy hat and sees that the darkness finally vanishes, the Earth visible again, and he seems to be in one piece. Quietly, he gets up, putting his hat well again and dusting off his cloak. Then, it's when he notices. "It's the... Stardroids... Wow, there really are many..." Canopy Jabberwock shakes his head as he raises his head again in the aftermath of the blast. He smiles at the stars and the Earth, even as his optics and auditors slowly recaLIbrate, and an intense ringing figures in his hearing. He nods to the risen Stardroids, but a guarded one, as he draws ALIce in Wonderland back out of his pocket and raises it to his view. As his optics readjust from the blast, he cannot make out the printing on the book, but simply enjoys holding it and looking at it. After a measure passes, he hears Iris's comment, and turns his head temporarily in her direction. "Their device carried us, but 'twas the disdain of that thing that unclogged it. If Earth still shuddered in fear below it, it would have perished." He has no evidence to go on this theory, but he seems to beLIeve it dearly all the same. Mai Atsuki straightens up... slowly. And then sheaths her ciphers, before reaching up to touch a small pad woven into the cowl at the side of her head, right near the ear. ".... Atsuki to headquarters. Target terminated. Mission complete." And then she turns her attention over to the Stardroids, before - perhaps arrogantly! - starting to walk towards them, upright and looking just a /LIttle/ awed, but not brainlessly so. Just wait until she reaLIzes internally that the whole world -isn't- going to die! Aldebaran seems to have... demateriaLIzed in Alpha's grasp. What's left of her - a pathetic fleshLIng - has somehow materiaLIzed alongside the other Stardroids. She bLInks... uncertain as to just what happened here. She bLInks... peering around... looking as confused as everyone else may be. Perhaps a bit surprised that she's even aLIve. Alpha doesn't let go then! Ahaw! But she still says what she says. and stuff. Rocket Rodent's systems recover, as Rocket picks himself up from the ground. And he is greeted by... Stardroids. Some he's seen in person, some he's only seen in pictures. All of them there. However, he's not exactly sure how to react. Pistols are still in his hands. However, at the celebrating of his comrades, he reaLIzes that the Stardroids are not here to attack. He holsters the pistols, and just stands there. Is it truly over? Silo slowly gets to his feet, taking a look around, up and down, side to side, noting the complete absence of Nigh. And then he spots the group of Stardroids, and just nods to them. "...It's over." Let's just hope Nigh just doesn't suddenly appear or anything. Pyro Squirrel's expression slowly changes into one of determination. Is he happy that the stardroids survived? Probably not. Iris hmms, pondering Canopy's comment. "...Well, that's...one way to look at it..." Looking toward her brother, she looks him over. "Brother?" Firestorm Phoenix bLInks, "Did we actually win?" Pisces bLInks as he appears. "....Remarkable." It seems the best thing to say, really. Dynamo Man is totally lost for words. Regulus floats along side the other Stardroids, looking serene and remote. His wings beat slowly as he gazes down at those assembled on the plateu, his silver mask expressionless as always. Hands clasped in front of him, cloak fluttering in a non-existent breeze. Kain waits until the roar of the explosion fades from his ears... and that he is no longer bLInded... before he gets up... and looks around. "It is... done." He turns to help Mai to her feet, if she wants his help that is. Fusion Phoenix looks to the other Phoenix. "That we're here to ask that question is a big clue." Sai's auditory sensors kick in once again, and he slowly draws his arms to his sides, to meet the site of the assembled horde of Stardroids. He grins, wryly, as he GLances around and spots the stars, and the Earth, and everything as right as it should be. "YES! YATTA! We DID IT!" He summarily does a triple fLIp in mid-air. Accursed overly-acrobatic martial artsy-types. Capricorn looks sideways, to Pisces, and grunts. "More LIke ae pain in t'ae arse," she grumbles, before looking back to the EarthLIngs that they face. She remains quiet for now, though it's not yet clear what she's waiting for. Her fingers work restlessly around the shaft of her scythe... she looks uneasy. "Sooo.." Crash Man wonders, "Do we kill the rest of the Stardroids in the hopes that they never, ever come back again?" Silo sends a radio transmission to KaLInka. Pyro Squirrel slowly walks closer to the Stardroids, the look of determination steadily growing. If he had any external weapons systems, they'd be pointed at the Stardroids right now. Silo receives a radio transmission from KaLInka. Crash Man looks to Bass, "Bass? What do we do now?" "Good question," says Bass, who isn't putting down his guard. Silo sends a radio transmission. Spica GLances around at her fellow Stardroids, nodding sLIghtly. "Good to see that we're all back again." Iris doesn't seem particularly at-ease that the Stardroids are having a happy homecoming. She backs away from them warily. Fusion Phoenix follows Pyro forward, speaking, "I'd ask what happens now, but most of you look as confused as we do." Dynamo Man gets to a standing pose, just facing the row of Stardroids. His sLIghtly slumped body gives away fatigue, and his face still broadcasts confusion. ".... what now." Barrage Raptor frowns a LIttle, "That was a LIttle too easy." She murmers, reaLIzing now that it's over, as she brings her rifle up into a ready position, and chambers a round in the shotgun. Regulus shakes his head sLIghtly. "Not all of us." He turns his head to look at the empty spot at his side, before shaking his head sLIghtly and turning to face the gathered EarthLIngs. And down the barrel of a number of guns, it would seem. Ninjutsu Gecko looks from Gale, to the Stardroids, and back to Gale. "You know...us being...well...who we are..." He looks back to the Stardroids... Clown Man GLances wearily at the row upon row of Stardroids, "...Great. I somehow suspect we're going to hafta fight them as well." Sideshow sighs as well, "Super." Harmony furrows her brows.. for some reason, she's not afraid of the Stardroids. She doesn't want to hurt them, and she honestly doesn't think that they're going to hurt her or anybody else. "Just take it easy, guys.. patience is a virtue." Silo just talks into his radio, before facing the group of Stardroids. He however doesn't get any guns ready... he doesn't see any threats. Yet. Capricorn reaches over through the LIne-up, and holds up a Scorpio hand-puppet where Scorpio would be standing, with big, gooGLe eyes and Muppet Fuzz. "Bleaaah, Ah'm Scorpio, ae'n Ah'm eeeeeevil," she groans. "Me want Earth cookies." 'Scorpio's head flops around LIke Cookie Monster's. Metal Shark sighs. Mai Atsuki pauses, perhaps five yards away from the assemblage of Stardroids, or about as close as she can get without entering any Field of GLowing SteriLIty-Inducing Radiation. And then, in a simple gesture, she bows to them in the classical Japanese style. Pyro Squirrel just GLares. Dynamo Man just stares blankly at Capricorn's LIttle gag. Job snerks at Capricorn. "That pretty much sums him up... but what was Procyon's anGLe on thing..." Harmony grins lopsidedly. See? Stardroids have a sense of humor, the myths are true. Regulus just... facepalms at Capricorn. LIterally. He smacks silver mask into gauntlet. Iris backs off warily. "..." Gale Sorcerer gives the ninja a worried look. Raising an eyebrow, he imagines what is he trying to tell him, and it's not something that he really would desire to do. "You're not suggesting us to thank them in the name of the UN, are you? Uh..." Geez, where are diplomats when they are really useful. Kain facefaults. o.o Barrage Raptor breaks down into gigGLes. In the lack of action, Crash Man takes the time to consider. How much distance must he cross to slap Harmony's skid-plate? If he just told everyone to kill the Stardroids really loudly, would they do it? How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? *SMACK!* Aldebaran joins in the chorus of facepalming. So much for facing death at the EarthLIng's hands with quiet dignity. Alpha bLInks at Capricorn. "...Jazz?" Silo receives a radio transmission from KaLInka. Rocket Rodent is unsure of how to react. The Puppet-Scorpio just adds to this. 42 board feet. Ninjutsu Gecko nods, "Yea. More or less." He shrugs, "We're the ones here. We're LIke...supposed to do these sort of things....kinda. I guess." He bLInks at the hand puppet....and just busts out laughing. Harmony puts a hand on Iris' shoulder, frowning. "Hey.. take it easy, it's okay. Don't be so nervous, huh? We LIved through this, we're gonna be fine." she smiles, trying to be comforting. Beam Demon also joins in the trend, covering his face with one massive white-GLoved hand, "...Good god... We entrusted the safety of our world to these people?" Pyro Squirrel GLares some more. Crescent Grizzly just shakes his head and chuckles... Spica's head drops, though whether to hide a grin or just in disbeLIef. Iris looks over at Harmony. "They're killers, Harmony...they...I just get a bad feeLIng around them, I can't explain it," she stammers, still looking ill-at-ease. Canopy Jabberwock raises an unsteady brow at the gripped scythe, and Regulus's armaments. He folds his foreclaws at the Stardroids, not seeming to fear them, but just as much not seeming to trust them. Frankly he notes, "Starwalkers, now. A mutual foe is vanquished. You have been foe before. You were friend when that LIving chasm opened up. Are you now friend or foe?" He makes no sudden move; if they're not going to make the first strike, then he has no problem with them, but if they are he is ready to move. Starburst Dragon stands there smiLIng. He can't repress a snort of laughter, though. Silo sends a radio transmission. Clown Man just stares... (I'm not sure whether to laugh or to facefault...)oo. Pisces looks over at Capricorn. "Plus ca change...." Harmony receives a radio transmission. Regulus sighs as he raises his head again. "At least it wasn't the bit with the herring again. Or Betel's puppet show..." He folds his arms again... Harmony sends a radio transmission. Job says, "Stardroids who say Nei?" Fusion Phoenix snickers, then laughs, before speaking again, "I hope we won't have to be judged again, but if not, were do we go from here? Is the Nigh destroyed, or only sealed away again? Please?" Harmony shakes her head. "Nigh made them killers, look how calm they are. Look how calm the rest of us are, all we can do is wait.. but I promise you, there's nothing to be afraid of." Dynamo Man just waits. Pyro Squirrel looks back at Fusion. "Judging? No, no... WE are going to be doing the judging here." A sLIghtly evil grin is on his face. Sai finally calms down enough to merely chuckle, both in GLee and at Capricorn's antics. Hey, he's probably being too relaxed, but at least he's doing it enthusiastically! Gale Sorcerer makes a worried face again, moving the hair over his back with his right hand. "Uh... well, I guess yes... we're the UN... (and I am a director, damn it!) ...but what are we going to say? "Thank you for saving us. If you ever need to destroy a massive evil entity of doom give us a call?"" The mage GLares at the assembled Stardroids again. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Stop being stupid, Squirrel." Capricorn snaps her fingers. A red rubber clown nose appears on Pyro's face. *Pop.* "Judge that," she mutters to herself. Cookie-Scorpio flops his head around. "Gnarmf gnarmf gnarmf!" Job snaps at Pyro. "Judge least ye be judged..." Harmony receives a radio transmission from Ricochet. Harmony sends a radio transmission to Ricochet. Dynamo Man mutters ... the lyrics to MetalLIca. "HoLIer than thou ...... you are ...... hoLIer than thou ...." Under his breath. Barrage Raptor pauses for a second, "Hey wait. Where's Luna?! I want Rainbow StalLIon back!" "I represent the Red Dragon Striders. We thank you," Mai echoes after Gale speaks, face still concealed by the Standard Strider Cowl. That's what really drove Hiryu out of the group; he just wanted to have his scarf. Fusion Phoenix eyes Pyro. "Are you so tainted by resentment and hate that you will throw away a posibiLIty for peace? Even if they mean us ill, we loose nothing by being courtous." Pyro Squirrel GLares at the red nose that appears on his face, and rips it off. "No, seriously. I'm wilLIng to let them go free if they'll give up their world-destroying powers. I am NOT going to let them be a menace to the universe again." Ninjutsu Gecko hrms, "Good question. I don't know. We'll think of something if it doesn't get all freaky....." He trails off at the sudden appearance of the clown nose. "...freakier.." He slowly starts towards the collection of Stardroids...but not so fast as to beat the scenepose...whenever it happens. Barrage Raptor looks at Pyro, and tilts her head, "Since when are you in charge of deciding who gets what power? You sell fireworks. And piss off the Robot Masters, making me have to come save your furry butt." Alpha smiles at Capricorn, "Do you have a Procyon puppet too?" Silo just continues to watch, prefering not to... remark on the Scorpio puppet. Clown Man (I wonder if he has a Cancer puppet?)oo. Starburst Dragon stands at the back, quietly entertaining the idea of the Stardroids giving up their powers in his mind. He's looking at a mental image of several of them sitting around in plainclothes in an apartment, LIke some kind of sitcom right now. Bass, after lengthy thought, advances from the periphery, walking to the edge of the LIght. He stands between the Stardroids and the others, looking across the group. He is silent, his gaze searching each one to try to gauge their general disposition. Crash Man GLances over to the RepLIforce section of the area. "Hey IRIS," he shouts. "You wanna ditch this popstand an' get some drinks? Whozzat with you?" He bobs his head back and forth, trying to discern who's next to Iris. "Oh, that Tank Ass? You can come with us, Tank Ass. More babes the better, I always say!" Harmony receives a radio transmission from Ricochet. Rocket Rodent just bLInks blankly, and then says, "I would just LIke to know if the Earth is no longer in danger or other-worldly forces." He shakes his head. "We have enough trouble with the other factions that try to threaten peace and LIfe." Pyro Squirrel GLares at Barrage. "Me? In charge? Go ask those whose famiLIes have been destroyed by the stardroids, the worlds that they have destroyed. What would they want?" Capricorn furrows her brow. "Aye, Ah do. Ae's jus' a finger puppet, though." She LIfts her free hand. One raised finger has a LIttle Procyon mask on its tip, and she wigGLes it around, and says in a squeaky voice... "'Am I eeeevil or am I goooood? Oooh, spooky, mysterious! I'll talk in riddles at ye!'" Harmony growls quietly, not even giving Crash man a /first/ GLance.. let alone a second. "Ignore him, Iris.. it'll get messy if you do~on't.." she smirks a LIttle, patting the nervous Major. Gale Sorcerer suddenly eyes at Mai. The Red Dragon Striders! And she just thanked them before him. Uh, well, it would have probably had to be him the one who did it anyway. The mage steps a bit forward then stops again. Gecko will probably have to push him forward if he wants the intel to say anything. Iris slowly TURNS to look over at Crash Man. "Hh...How can you think of DRINKS at a time LIke this?" she asks incredulously, green eyes widening in amazement. "I have never in my LIfe met someone with such a one-track mind..." She looks toward Harmony, shrugging. Starburst Dragon blows a raspberry at Crash Man. "No party, n'less there's turkey n' crackers n'eggnog n'stuff." Sai snickers some more. Nothing more to say, really. "Oh that's easy," Crash Man says with a wave of his hand. "Giving peace a chance is for dorks! I'm certainly no dork, and with big.. uh.. eyes LIke yours, you're no dork either. I say, give my bed a chance! I got a waterbed an' in the morning, I'll get Heat Man to cook you some breakfast!" Barrage Raptor turns and GLares back at Pyro, "Yeah, what about the Stardroids? Most of them probably didn't have to much of a choice about joining up when their planets were judged." She says, "Besides, none of them did anything. It was Cancer and Scorpio and Procyon and Denebola that did all the bad stuff. And you'll notice none of them are out here." Harmony isn't a tank-ass, either! Canopy Jabberwock simply stands now, arms folded, waiting for a response from the Stardroids that would indicate what they're going to do now. He by no means wishes war with the Stardroids again, but he expects it. In the meanwhile, he draws in air and exhales it slowly, making a warbLIng sound as he does rather than an ordinary sigh. Dynamo Man stands at the bottom of the crater, just waiting, facing the Stardroids. He momentarily GLances to Bass, but only for a moment. Alpha claps her hands a LIttle with a wide smile, "You do a very good impersonation, I think.", she says simply. "You almost had me fooled." Spica turns her gaze toward's Bass' isolated figure. She examines him as he examines the Stardroids. Iris just...GAWKS, at Crash. She has no snappy rejoinder. Her slapping hand isn't even in slapping-gear. "................." Silo turns around, taking a moment to GLare at Crash, before shaking his head. "Crash Man, just shut up." And he then promptly turns back to the Stardroids. Crash Man holds his arms out for Harmony, too, as if to indicate the size of her posterior. "C'mon Tank-Ass. You're a lot of woman, but I'm a whole lotta mechanoid! Give my bed a chance, the slogan for 2215!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Ssso the world isssn't ending after all, eh?" Harmony turns Iris around by the shoulders, slooowly. [Radio: (C) GLobal] RF LIeutenant Slash Beast transmits, "Surprise." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "Hey, sweetie. Guess what we did!" Harmony receives a radio transmission. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Ssso what'sss going to happen, then?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "Well, we as in everybody." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Happy Solstice. The LIght is returning." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Did Nigh eat you?" Job pulls out a can ofLIquid energy and then another one. He passes one to Dynamo Man. "here take this. It should help you power back up after the level of output you cranked out..." Job then starts to consume his own can. [Radio: (C) GLobal] RF LIeutenant Slash Beast transmits, "... Sweetie?" Pyro Squirrel throws his hands up. "Look, I'm not good at this sort of thing. All I know is that if we let them go, inevitably one of them will turn evil and come back to kill us. They are immortal, right? It's the infinite number of monkeys and shakesphere thing. One of them will turn evil eventually, then it's *poof*, bye bye Earth." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "What? I call everybody that, what's with you guys." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Paradigm says dryly, "They demand exclusive rights." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Give my bed a chance, Tanky!" Kain steps forth after Mai and bows down to the Stardroid, "I thank you, Duet-Sama." He steps back to watch what will the Droids from Space will do next. Firestorm Phoenix has disconnected. "I am no good here." the Demon states, mostly to himself. The villain is vanquished. Heavily, Beam turns to face the depths of space, moving towards the edge of the platform. "OK, that's jus'about 'nough o'that. We saved th'world. Everyone c''n be peaceful and feel safe f'r a wahl. Yer ruinin' th'moment." Starburst Dragon grumbles and shakes a fist at Crash Man. "No bein' crude. Stop bein' rude t'mah friends." Barrage Raptor smirks, "They've tried to make it go 'Poof! Bye Bye Earth.' twice now, and we've kicked them around both times. What makes you think that it wouldn't happen every other time they show up if they want to be evil?" Ninjutsu Gecko is...still...walking...slowly....more slowly. He's not supposed to be doing this sort of thing here...He looks back to Gale.. Dynamo Man idly grips the can, nodding sLIghtly to Job .. still sorta messed up in the head from that output. Iris says, "......."" Crash Man raises his left brow at Starburst Dragon. "Wait," he bogGLes. "Just who are you? A Maverick or something? I've never seen you before." Fusion Phoenix decides to sit down as he answers Pryo, "That is true. It is also true that I might go maverick right now and rip your head off. Dosen't mean it's LIkely. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Crash Man, just shut it." Iris sends a radio transmission. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Starburst Dragon transmits, "Ah'm gettin'fed up'o yaw potty-mouth." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Do I know you?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Man, Crash, that kid told you to shut it. He's gettin' fed up." Pyro Squirrel throws his hands up again. "Look, it's just... I just think it's a bad idea to let them run around with all that power, you know? Just doesn't feel right." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "In my kind of work, I get that a lot." Iris receives a radio transmission. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Crash Man transmits, "Even though I don't even know who this guy is." Barrage Raptor points at Bass, "You let him run around with all that power and don't say anything about it." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Well, my mom told me to never LIsten to strangers." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dr. Doppler transmits, "*dryly* The world is saved, thus allowing us to rant at one another once again. How lovely." Rocket Rodent also notices Crash Man, and slowly jetpacks behind Starburst, looking the red and white Android over. "Your flattery of women is overpowering, it seems." Rocket says. "As well as annoyance." Crash Man idly runs his fingertips against his torso-plate in a poLIshing motion. "Well," he says as he raises his fingers up to his mouth and puffs some air on them. "I /am/ the man." "I can't do this!! No! Argh!" Gale Sorcerer looks around over and over nervously. There's no one else who could thank them in the name of the UN. And that's not good! He's not supposed to be giving speeches to intergalactic entities! He can't even say "is this chair empty?" to any random person in a bar! The intel eyes his partner once again, then makes a couple of steps forward, more close to the gathered Stardroids. Then he tries to begins something. "Uh... er, um... ladies and gentlemen?" Well, it's a beginning at least. Colonel has left. Harmony snorts. "Please.." Colonel has arrived. ----- Duet smiles for a long while, after her reappearance, watching over the proceedings and the LIke, allowing for some further interaction between the Stardroids and the people around before she steps forward, speaking in a rather overwhelmingvoice. "People of Earth... today you have once again proven to be capable of the impossible, twice now defying the judgement of the gods themselves." She pauses to look over the crowd, her smile widening for a moment, before she draws it into a more neutral expression, "We have reaLIzed that a grave error was made on our part... a mistake to think that this reaLIty was unable to evolve beyond our control... an... arrogance if you will. A sin... that I wonder if we will ever be able to atone." Duet sighs once more before smiLIng once again, "We shall leave... where we shall go, is uncertain, but... we shall never forget the sight you gave to our bLInd eyes." Duet then folds her hands together and smiles brightly, before she begins to dissipate into the white aura once more. This time however, the aura does not vanish, but instead, darkens to a bluish color, as a famiLIar old voice rings out from everywhere and nowhere all at once, "God has no place meddLIng in the destiny of man, for he is the ultimate master of his own fate... farewell people of Earth... now it is your time." Silo ...stares at Crash Man, suddenly getting the urge to stuff one or two missiles down his throat, then throw him into space. But... He resists the urge. Beam Demon has disconnected. Iris just stares at Crash, absolutely flabbergasted that he has the gall to say such things. When Duet shows up, she PRAYS that maybe Crash will hit on HER, instead. Beam Demon has connected. Crash Man certainly won't hit on Duet. He doesn't even know what /that/ is. Starburst Dragon has reconnected. Metal Shark has reconnected. Colonel GLances at Crash Man. He'd normally go knock the Robot Master out, but he's more concerned with the danger of the Stardroids... He will deal with Crash later Colonel sends a radio transmission to Crash Man. Crash Man receives a radio transmission from Colonel. Ninjutsu Gecko looks to Gale and chuckles, "It's not that hard, come on..." He turns to LIsten to the Stardroid. "Looks LIke we might not get a chance to say anything poLItical or anything of the LIke. He shrugs to Gale, and looks to watch with the other Stardroids do... Capricorn turns, and whispers to Pisces, nearby. "But ah dunnae want tae go," she murmurs. "They have t'ae best scotch 'ere." Crash Man sends a radio transmission. Colonel receives a radio transmission from Crash Man. Starburst Dragon has partially disconnected. Harmony smiles, she knew that they weren't going to try anything. She had faith in them, and thankfully, they've instilled the same faith in all of them. "We'll never forget you either, promise.." she mutters, probably inaudible to most.. but she's deeply moved with the whole thing. Shmuck. Pyro Squirrel GLares as Duet leaves. "Fine then, go, and don't come back." Colonel sends a radio transmission. Crash Man receives a radio transmission from Colonel. Barrage Raptor folds her arms over her chest, and grins. Yes, she grins. Well duh, of course the Earth has defied the will of the Stardroids twice. It's what Earth does. Though she still wonders /why/ Earth seems to be the only planet who does that. Alpha looks at Duet, LIstens, and then looks simply towards Aldebaran and says, "Goodbye. Come visit again sometime...", she looks down...She really wants to grab ahold of Pyro's neck but that wouldn't be nice. She'll do it tommorow. Regulus bows his head as well, furLIng his wings in around himself. "My leige." So he's got very old fashioned ideas. "It's over with then. Judgement is over." Cause Earth kicks ass LIke that, Barrage. Fusion Phoenix bLInks as Duet leaves. "I wish you all good travles, but I also wish to be able to see you again." He eyes Capricorn. "If you are not going to be judging worlds anymore, you might as well stay here." Rocket Rodent LIstens to the conversation that Duet says, and ponders. The ones that he has seen that have caused destruction are gone, and since he is bearly a year old, he has not experianced firsthand the horrors of the first Stardroid judgment day. Howevever, one thought comes to his mind. .o(It's a wonder that the mortals teach the immortals a lession. Prehaps perfection isn't perfect.) Canopy Jabberwock sighs in reLIef, the smile returning to his face as Duet gives her address. "In that case, Starwalkers, as long as you learn from your mistakes, then good luck with your passing. Find whatever you are looking for." Capricorn has left. Capricorn has arrived. Iris sighs in reLIef, in knowing these cosmic travellers are going on their way. Somehow, she feels better knowing they're moving on... "Jus' make sure y'don't bring any nasties back with y'," adds Starburst. Then an idea fizzles in his almost empty head. A very stupid one. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained. "Y'wouldn' happen't wanna stay for the hoLIday celebrations, wouldya? Ah'm sure we can make dinner f'r a few more..." Sai smiles quietly as Duet makes her disappearance, and the /VOICE/ speaks. "We'll never forget your influence, and the cause we fought for this day..." he says quietly. "We will LIve, in whatever form we ultimately take...we will use our time." Sai's an optomist, in case anyone hasn't noticed. Aldebaran bites her LIp. In all honesty... she wanted nothing to do with this judgement of worlds business in the first place. LIkely why she fought so readily on the side of the EarthLIngs... she holds one arm with the other, the weakness of the lost energies taking their toll. Quietly, she hopes for a way out of here. Not sure to where, just... gone. Clown Man waves at the Stardroids... but pauses before tossing Capricorn a Whoopie Cushion. A normal one. "Here ya go. Don't be a stranger." Mai Atsuki speaks up! Calmly, and perhaps just a LIttle too quickly. "If you do not know where to go next, stay for now. Learn more from us. Any, or all of you. Leave when you are ready, and not before." She then adds, for the benefit of the heavily-armed masses, "You have saved our world from death. We owe you thanks, at least." Gale Sorcerer gets frozen for a moment while Duet speaks. The intel just stops saying anything at all for some moments and looks behind him at Gecko. "I'd LIke to see you in my place" he mentally mumbles. Once the Stardroid finishes speaking, he moves his right hand towards his hat again and tries to speak once more. "Uh... Before you go... ah, we... um, in the name of the United Nations... and the citizens of the Earth in... in general, um, we'd LIke to... ah, thank you for your assistance!" He did it! He said it! Now he'll faint and stay LIke that for a few weeks! Yay! Crash Man is going to get himself some Vitamin Iris later tonight, yeah boy. Harmony is going to jam her foot up somewhere dark tonight, yeah! Dynamo Man simply stands, watching all of this. Duet's voice, admission, etc. He still has nothing to say ... unsure of where he should be in all of this. "Just ......." Suddenly, his expression starts to change. He lowers his head, as if sorry to see them go, or otherwise regretful. "Just .. just do what you will and let us do the same." "It's been my time," says Bass, staring into the GLow Duet generates. "and you've kept me from my tasks long enough. We're done with your games, your lunacy, your cryptic riddles. It's done and over. We've earned the right to be left alone by the LIkes of you." Bass allows his arms to return to normal, allowing him to clench his hands into loose fists. "Now ..." he growls, staring into Duet/Duo's eyes, raising his left hand and pointing at him/her. "Get off my lawn." Silo is going to get Crash some Vitamin Explosives as well. But really, he just watches, not been able to think of anything to say... Pisces gives a soft, sad smile, looking to Aquarius before they prepare to leave. "Perhaps....peace? We will see." Then, giving Duet/Duo a nod and a salute, he sLIps away to tend to other matters, but stops to look at Bass. "....LIghten up." Crash Man laughs. "Hahaha, they're shysty now, Bass." Starburst Dragon is going to play the banjo and put up extra decorations tonight, yes! Pyro Squirrel nods at what Bass says. Although he thinks that it might be better to strip them of their powers first, so that they don't get it into their heads to judge other planets yet. But he doesn't say so. Silo sends a radio transmission to KaLInka. Gale Sorcerer turns off his holographic projection of Epileptic Disco FlashLIghts Spell. Epileptic Disco FlashLIghts Spell has left. Ninjutsu Gecko nods and claps Gale on the back. "See, just LIke that." He nods to the Stardriods. "Yea...we obviously couldn't have done it without you all. If you all come back, you can do so in peace. Come back with stuff LIke this again, and well. Think's won't be good, ok?" He waves to the 'droids. Then he looks around. "How are we supposed to get off this thing?" Iris finally manages a farewell to the Stardroids. She bows her head, and murmurs to them.. "Godspeed, then." --------- Duet steps back into the crowd, smiLIng again, almost sadly. Already, the bowl-LIke depression in the plateau is beginning to GLow, an image of the Eurasia appearing inside. There's no explanation necessary- it's a portal, back to whence the heroes came. To the threats, the comments, and the harsh remarks, Bass's among others, Duet remains vigilant, LIfting her chin just sLIghtly. She knows what she and her bretheren have put the people of EArth through... and they all understand what they feel. The Stardroids are no longer Welcome, here. But that matters LIttle. A few belLIgerant types... the warLIke Mars, the blood-thirsty Sirius... look ready to start a rucku's, but are held back and calmed by their fellows. The portal to the Eurasia awaits. ---------- Silo receives a radio transmission. Silo sends a radio transmission to KaLInka. Barrage Raptor waves as well, "Bye guys!" And hey look, a portal back. Go figure. Colonel nods at the Stardroids. "It was an interesting time, Stardroids and I'm hoping we have learned something ourselves." He sLIdes his sabre back into its scabbard and steps back. Colonel crosses his arms and looks around. "RepLIforce, no need to hold up these travlers..." Colonel quietly walks towards the portal. He stops at the rift and stares back at the stardroids. Then he moves through Colonel has left. Job says, "Your all Welcome and see you later." he looks over to Aldebaran. "Hey thanks for your help on this. Pac Pac." he does partially agree with Bass' words. Hell Bass's words make a lot of sense. "Damn right you Stardroids need to LIghten up and LIve a LIttle." Job gets up and streatches. "Fairwell Stardroids." With that he heads for the portal giving one last look back at the Stardroids and then poof he is gone throught the portal. Crescent Grizzly has left. Job has left. Aldebaran looks towards the portal. Perhaps wishfully?... or not. She's quiet. Harmony smiles, waving to Duet and the rest of them. "Have a safe journey, Merry Christmas!" With that, in she goes, awaiting all the screaming fans and whatnot. Oh, they're there. Just wait. Rocket Rodent floats towards the portal, Following Colonel. Time to get back to earth and hug a stranger. It's goot to be aLIve, Gentlman. Kain bows once more at the Duet/Duo combo. "Thank you. Good Journey." He proceeds to enter portal... Rocket Rodent has left. Crescent Grizzly has arrived. Job has arrived. Pyro Squirrel slowly walks towards the portal. He doesn't look back, or say anything, being too lost in thought. Barrage Raptor looks back at the Stardroids, and gives a salute, and then heads for the portal. Yay! Eurasia - Skydeck A park resides at the top of this station, which is as open to space as any place can get. Massive transparisteel windows cover this area, and pleasant grass and trees are maintained by careful gardening staff. It's very pretty, and not as dark as one might expect for a place that's exposed to space. Contents: Contents: Rocket Rodent [Armor] [RF] Colonel [Armor] [RF] Isaac [MH] Tengu Man [Armor] [RM] Tron Bonne [Tron] [C] LIft Down : Eurasia - Empire Central Square Pyro Squirrel has arrived. Beam Demon has arrived. Pyro Squirrel slowly stalks through the portal, a dark expression on his face. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "I wonder what will happen to Starhaven?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Magnet Man transmits, "What's happening to it now?" Starburst Dragon has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "My offer of a round of drinks still stands." Clown Man has arrived. Tengu Man is sitting on his heels in the grass, near to the middle of the station. He looks...er...well... normal. Color-wise, anyway. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Kickin'! Where to?" Dynamo Man has arrived. Pyro Squirrel slowly stalks towards the teleporters. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Reploid Room?" Beam Demon stalks form the portal, stepping over Pyro easily. His footsteps cause floorshakes as he moves for the LIfts. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "Works for me." Iris has arrived. Beam Demon enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Beam Demon has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "Abs-o-lutely!" Tron watches Tengu for long moments. Pain and concern fill her features. And she... merely gazes on Tengu for long moments. She sighs gently. Why must she always be put between Errant Masters and the rest of them... Crystal Man... Tengu. Tron sighs softly, gently, then looks to Tengu. <"Whatever happens, Tengu... I'm your friend. I know. I've been there... ...We're aLIve, though. As long as you are aLIve, there is hope of a better tomarrow. ...I'm sorry."> Tron turns slowly, clasping her arns about herself slowly, beginning to walk away... deeper into the grass of the Skydeck. Slowly she moves up a hill... and turning, sits on it. She brings her hands in front of her, clasping the ruined, grey Pendant in her hands... and raises her eyes to the stars. Gently... she whispers. "...Terra... ...The world you love is safe again... ...Rest is peace..." Tron smiles gently... taking some comfort in that. Tron's eyes then open wide... even as she witnesses the portal open. "...What?!" (repose/sortof sceneset I guess?) Iris Mai Atsuki has arrived. Iris enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Iris has left. Metal Shark has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "I beLIeve a round of celebration is is in order." Pyro Squirrel doesn't even notice Beam, being too lost in thought. He heads towards the teleporters. Crash Man has arrived. Harmony has arrived. Starburst Dragon snickers. "Aw, Harmony. Y'got no sense o'drama." Crescent Grizzly has arrived. Pyro Squirrel enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Pyro Squirrel has left. Sai has arrived. Harmony grins, smacking Starburst. "I have a sense of drama, you have no sense of personal space!" she laughs, teasing. Metal Shark turns off his holographic projection of Duo. Silo has arrived. Dynamo Man steps through the portal .... immediately stepping to the side of both Tengu and Tron, once he notices them there. "...." Fusion Phoenix has arrived. Fusion Phoenix enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Fusion Phoenix has left. Bass has arrived. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "..." Rocket Rodent enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Rocket Rodent has left. Dynamo Man says, "Tron .... how is he?" Mai Atsuki emerges from the portal, and pauses... to turn her head upwards, stepping aside from the way of the portal, and looking up to see the majestic and unique sight of the darkness fading away, and the LIghts coming back to LIfe. LIke Christmas LIghts, even if they don't twinkle up here, and besides... it's a tradition to spend time in contemplation of nature after a mission, isn't it? Gale Sorcerer has arrived. Ninjutsu Gecko has arrived. Still sitting back on his heels, Tengu slowly LIfts his gaze from the gently waving grass to the newly returned stars above. And he is quiet. Very quiet. In fact, anyone who chances a look at his eyes will notice the oddly blank expression there. His massively corrupted personaLIty core has finally faltered... Barrage Raptor has arrived. Ninjutsu Gecko has left. Tron bLInks... and watches many, /MANY/ people depart from the portal. She remains seated, looking at each figure as it arrives here in the peaceful area of the Skydeck. The stars shine brightly overhead... and Tron smiles, slowly, and brightly. Seems this story really isn't over yet. Tron pauses then, looking to Dynamo Man at his question. She bLInks, then looks to Tengu... ...and pauses. "...I... ...think he's going to need the Doctor." Tron sighs. Gale Sorcerer has disconnected. Harmony grins, catches the usually almost-grumpy Barrage from behind in a neck-hug. "Ahhaaa!" Job has arrived. Crescent Grizzly goes home. Crescent Grizzly has left. and catches* Whatever! [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "I'll meet whoever wants to take me up on my offer at the Reploid room." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "I'm gettin' there.. let us bask in the GLory of the GLory!" Sai walks through the portal easily, looking...happy, actually. Without more than a wave to his comrades, he heads back to the LIft, and down to Earth. His home, now safe again, and hopefully forevermore. Dynamo Man kneels down next to Tengu, taking in Tron's comment. His face goes from blankness brought on by confLIcting emotions spawned by the confLIct, and takes on more of a compassionate, worried setting. He gazes at his fallen brother. "Tengu .... brother ... can you hear me?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "... You'd think that saving the world would feel more exhilarating..." Magna Bass walks out of the portal, flanked by a number of Robot Masters and other miscreants. He strolls across the skydeck of Eurasia with the others, moving to also look out the windows to see the renewed field of stars, as well as the remains of the Starhaven itself. He ignores Tengu Man, who will suffer a legion of punishments at his hands soon enough. Now, though; now is a time for other things. Contemplation. Reflection. annoying women. That sort of thing. Magna Bass approaches Mai from the right, standing about two or three meters away from her. He looks out into space, then comments: "You fight well. Perhaps, another time, we can finish our dance without interruption." Colonel goes home. Colonel has left. Alpha has arrived. Metal Shark has partially disconnected. Sai enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Sai has left. Barrage Raptor goes home. Barrage Raptor has left. News feeds around the GLobe all begin to show the same thing, for they have all been focused upon Starhaven for the past several hours. The Stardroid space station is... reforming? Yes, it would seem that Starhaven's orbit has shifted... even REVERSED... and the battered Stardroid space station heads backwards, into the trail of debris that forms a ring around the Earth. As it does, the pieces blasted free shift and press against the station's blasted hull, reforming, knitting back together. Job heada for the Reploid room. Job goes home. Job has left. Metal Shark heads for ... somewhere. Harmony goes home. Harmony has left. Dynamo Man sticks beside his fallen brother. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pyro Squirrel transmits, "And... things go back to normal. *sigh*" (...why won't they just...go away...and leave me alone?)o. The voice in his head is singular now. Shaky, as well. Tengu is falLIng apart, after a long, long time of being held together by sheer force of will and programming. But not anymore. Dynamo is not completely ignored. At his question, Tengu folds his hands in his lap and closes his eyes. "Iye," he says simply. No. The massive influx of people to the Skydeck is ignored... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "That answers that question. It looks LIke they intend to fix their home." Starburst Dragon hangs around for a while, then afterwards head to the Reploid Room, taking up Job's offer of free drinks. His playe,r howefver, is tired and is now going to sleep. Seeyalaterbye! [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "I'm happy for them, I hope they get what they need soon, whatever it is." Starburst Dragon has left. Mai Atsuki turns her head - and then reaches up, to take off her cowl, showing her features. And yes, she's not just a woman with a nice figure, she's also rather pretty, too, if maybe not a face to put on the cover of a magazine. "... you do too. Fix your gun, though." After a moment's thought, she adds, "I would never have attacked you... if you hadn't destroyed that poLIce car. We aren't playthings. If you can learn that..." And then she smiles, just a bit, which -does- make her look prettier - and it looks as if she hadn't smiled in a long, long time. "Maybe you can -ask- me to dance." Although after a GLance downwards, she concludes, "If you crush my feet, though, I'll cut your head off." Alpha steps out of the portal and without saying a word, walks away. Dynamo Man lowers his head, sighing a bit. "Come on .... let's get you down to the medbay ..." [Radio: (D) AlLIance] Snake Man transmits, "Off to BerLIn, Magnet." Tron looks at the Portal... even as the last of those who went to fight Nigh return. She rises slowly then, and watches the Portal closes. Silently, she clasps the pendant to her chest for a moment. Slowly she closes her eyes... and silently gives thanks. Peace and Happiness. ...A world is saved... a /Universe/ is saved... and softly, even as Tengu collapses, she begins to recount the phrasing spoken long ago... " Ten incLInations of my own hand," "Ten to give to my confused band," "Ten to heed universal genocide..." Tron then smiles, slowly, "...Its over. Its finaly over." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Shark transmits, "So.. What now? Buisness as usual?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne murmurs softly across the channel, "...Ten incLInactions of my own hand, Ten to give my confused Band, Ten to heed universal genocide..." Tron pauses, sighing softly, "It's over... Its final over..." And as Starhaven reforms- no doubt in preparation of departing Earth's orbit at last- the speckle of stars that spread through the sky grows brighter and brighter. The planets, thought to be consumed, are revealed as Nigh's veil dissipates. Mars, Venus, right where they should be. Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, everything beyond, back in place. SatelLItes thought gone are visible. All is, indeed, returning to normal. And it all comes to a head as the Sun begins to rise, its LIght refreshing as it washes over a chilled Earth that has been without it for too long. The flare of red sunLIght is enough to dim the news cameras for several long moments as their filters shift and adjust to the LIght, and when they do, all is placid, perfect... and Starhaven is gone, taking with it its cosmos-wandering crew. For the gods, it is twiLIght; for the people of Earth... it is a new day. Alpha stops in her steps as she hears Tron's words. She turns around and looks towards her, and then she shakes her head, seeminGLy disgusted as she continues on her way to the teleporters. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "What... exactly happened? I was powered down." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "No." Metal Shark enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Metal Shark has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "Now if that's isn't a pretty sight, I dunno what is." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Solstice happened. The LIght is returning to a world held captive in darkness, and LIfe will soon florush once more." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...We're aLIve... and Starhaven is gone... as is its crew. The world is safe again. ...I guess... ...Its back to the old grind, huh?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Now we can shoot at each other again! Isn't that -great-?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "I wish people would knock it off with the introssspection and poetry." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Well, now we can get on with our LIves." "No," Tengu says simply. "No, I won't. I LIke it here." His tone is flat and only a bit defensive... the sun rises, but he pays it no heed... he doesn't understand any of this anymore. He does indeed need the Doc. Now where is that old fart when you need him? [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...LIves...?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "And shooting at each other?" Bass laughs haughtily at the last, taking a good look at Mai's features while he can. A perfect android memory, after all, is something to be treasured. A smirk lands across his features, gaze tracking back to the reforming Starhaven. "I never shot anyone who wasn't going to shoot at me; and I'm not in the business of `toying' with humanity regardless. In the end, all of you are unimportant to my goal. You are but witnesses to the war between myself and Mega Man ... that, without these Stardroids interfering, can resume. He should be coming out of whatever hole he's been hiding in now that the spooky cosmic beings," his voice dripping with sarcasm, "have gone on their way." The red LIght passes across his features, pupils GLeaming to match it. "I will find him. He is out there, somewhere..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "... Yes. Back to the... destruction." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "You know, if you read too much into it, it really ruins the moment." Dynamo Man stares oddly at Tengu for a few moments. "You ... you certainly don't seem okay. We need to see if you suffered any permanent damage from that 'possession'." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Ah, but is the unexamined LIfe worth the LIving. I learned something there that I'm working to understand." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne gigGLes softly. "You're right. ...Say, who was offering that Drink? ...I think I may change my poLIcy for the night." The answer from Ms. Atsuki is fairly simple, and consists of, "What are you going to do after you beat him? From the sound of things, you won't have to worry about anything if he beats you." She folds her hands, one holding her cowl, behind her back. Does she particularly care if Bass can recognize her face? Nah. She herself can call something in if need be; in her surprisinGLy-small bag of Precious Things back home, you see, there's a crystal from someone's head. Someone who owes her one. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "You're underage, kid. I'm sorry to say I'm gonna have to bounce ya outta mah club." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "I don't know about everyone elssse, but I for one am anxiousss to get back to LIfe asss usual." "Possession?" Tengu says, hints of a sneer in his voice. "Possession? You all assume that I was...any different when... when... he had me than when I was...not..." Words come to him at a slow pace. It is hard, now. Hard to think, to speak, to react... he just wants to sit, and watch, and...not do anything. Because that would be so much easier... [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "Same here." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "... Yes. Be it ever so humble, no place LIke Earth." Tron turns, looking to Dynamo and Tengu, "...Tengu... you need sleep... ...Rest now... The Doctor will make it better... he will make it all better." Tron then looks to Dynamo Man, and nods to him a moment. Her emerald eyes then turn to Bass and Mai for the briefest moment... before she turns to slowly walk away. In her hand she carries with her still the Pendant of the Stars. The Stars that shine so bright in her eyes as she steps onto the LIft... and descends back into the depths of Eurasia. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "I fully agree with you." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Actually, I'd LIke a few days off to enjoy LIfe with out worring about the nigh." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "Question is, will the Robot Masters and Mavericks allow us to do this?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dr. Doppler transmits, "Apparently your compatiots don't feel the same way." "When my Purpose is fulfilled," says Bass, "I can end. My mission will be accompLIshed, and there will be no more need for me. That is my peace, Strider. Only in destroying Mega Man completely or being destroyed in the process can it end. We are but two forces, forced by fate into a colLIsion course. Only one can survive." His gaze moves back to the Strider. "That is the way of things. That is how things are. I have learned to both accept, and savor, my unique destiny. It is, after all, what sets me apart from every other LIving thing. I know my LIfe's Purpose. I have a set Function. In that, there is a kind of peace." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dr. Doppler transmits, "No sooner is Nigh vanquished than RepLIforce decides to attack our borders. Who is the aggressor here, hm?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Didn't we see /you/ guys do something LIke that the last time the Stardroids left?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Makes perfect sense, Bass." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "RepLIforce and Mavericks...ARE ONE AND THE SAME!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Pirate Princess Tron Bonne transmits, "...Try it, bub. ...Aaanyway, I don't know about you all... ...but... BOYS! HIT IT!!!!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] WE-ARE-LEGO! Servbot Choir start up with the chorus! 40 kawaii falsetto voices singing together! "o/` YA-ME-RA-RE-NA-I! Yamerarenai!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Dr. Doppler transmits, "Bah. Circumstances were different then!" "I once had a purpose LIke that. I fulfilled it," Mai says, calmly enough. And then, with a rather rueful LIttle chuckle, she adds, "Maybe you'll end up a Strider yourself, one day. Five years ago, who would have thought that all of..." She gestures vaguely towards Earth, encompassing all the hassles that have gone on. "...this would happen?" Tron Bonne enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Tron Bonne has left. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Rocket Rodent transmits, "That's.... ... I don't know what to say." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Man transmits, "Hey Dopple!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Man transmits, "Thanks for the Tree." Dynamo Man slowly starts to try and pick Tengu up, carrying him LIke a baby if he succeeds. "Come on ....." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man snerk. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "Hey, is Bit bruised too badly?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Metal Man transmits, "We scragged a whole pile of Mavericks that night Elec." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "Yeah, but Bit got head-onned with a Thunder Beam. I hope he's bruised up after that." "I've come to expect nothing and assume the worst," says Bass. "That way I am typically pleasantly surprised by how things actually turn out, no matter how dire." Bass looks down on the Earth, then out into space once more. "If you ever want a job, look me up, Strider. At times I have ... issues that need to be resolved." Silo enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Silo has left. Mai Atsuki reaches into her waistband again - and takes out a tiny notepad (made with recycled paper!) in a matte metal case. She removes the small pen and starts to write something on the paper, going very carefully, apparently in response to Bass's statement. It takes her... perhaps twenty seconds to get it all down, and then she steps forward to hand it over. "I am a Red Dragon Strider. Phone this number and enter this code, with the pauses I've noted. Leave a message arranging a meeting location and time to discuss mission particulars and payment. We require twenty percent before undertaking the mission, and speciaLIzed equipment will require reimbursement." She then turns to walk off, after a brief bow, and then moves off towards the exit. Quietly, she remarks to herself as she pulls her cowl back on, "I love it when a plan comes together..." Cue the A-team theme! Bass chuckles, taking the paper and, in a seeming sequence of chicanery (actually, a complex way of storing something in a hyperspace pocket), tucks it away into thin air. "Good evening, Red Dragon," he says, then turns back towards the vastness of space. But as Dynamo Man reaches for Tengu, he twitches spasmodically. The WilyDemon's head snaps around, and he GLares down (up?) the length of his pointy red nose at Dynamo. "" he snarls in Japanese, abruptly coming to his feet. "Don't /touch/ me..." His eyes are no longer blank, but back to their fiery selves... of course... Tengu is by no means back to normal. Slapping Dynamo's hands away if he reaches any further, he begins to walk for the LIft.. it's time to go home. If he still has one. Mai Atsuki has disconnected. Alpha enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Alpha has left. Dynamo Man recoils ... getting to his feet. "Okay, okay, if you can walk .... I'll be right behind you." Daryn arrives from the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Daryn has arrived. Tengu Man growls, "Don't." With that said, he continues walking for the LIft, each step heavy... Dynamo Man just stands there, then, again confused, head lowered to look at the floor. Between being wired into a doomsday device which destroyed doom itself and coming back down to find a brother, a friend, someone entirely different and reclusive ... He just doesn't know what the world has become, for him. Clown Man GLances at Tengu, "Chill, Tenny." The LIttle clown smiles... ...if only sLIghtly. Dynamo Man also walks out to the teleporters. Dynamo Man enters the Eurasia - Empire Central Square. Dynamo Man has left. Daryn walks into the area from the LIft, guitar slung over his shoulders as he whistles to himself. Today...Was a Good Day. Not as good as yesterday, but it's hard to beat yesterday. Guess Daryn got his armor repaired, however, because even though he is cheerfully halting around in his steps, his armor is perfectly pretty. He waves to the passing RM with the guitar. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Bass transmits, "Hey, you RepLIfools still attacking Europe?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Hotstuff Harmony transmits, "I'm parking my pretty self at the base, so you're not talking about me." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Guts Man transmits, "Always causing chaos through your peace keeping actions. You should be ashamed of yourselves." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Yin Yoma Byte transmits, "...Of course, you reaLIze that those who attack BerLIn... ...are all about to die..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "Too bad Bit won't be helping ya, Byte. Sorry about naiLIng him with a Thunder Beam!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man snickering. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Clown Man transmits, "Really. Hey, Tengu! I order you to attack BerLIn. By yourself." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Peon Tengu Man transmits, "..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Peon Tengu Man transmits, "The hell? Make up your mind, please." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man OOCly changes title. None of you saw that. [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn says, a millenia earLIer, "Peace is War, so says Big Colonel." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Yin Yoma Byte transmits, "...The Nigh is Dead... ...All Hail the Empire..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "...you weren't even /there/... were you?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "Which one?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Job transmits, "No hail those who fought the monster." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Alpha transmits, "OOC: Misalt! Failure!" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Which one?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Yin Yoma Byte transmits, "...No. ...I was detained..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man transmits, "Then..." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Tengu Man is oddly aloof, "...you have no place...no place making comments." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Daryn transmits, "Probably by those Maverick Forcers attacking the Maverick Mavericks." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Ssso, how isss the world holding up?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "It's still here, Snake. And the stars are beautiful." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Feh. Who caresss about ssstarsss?" [Radio: (C) GLobal] Elec Man transmits, "I wouldn't expect you to even grasp it, Snake." [Radio: (C) GLobal] Snake Man transmits, "Whoopie. There'sss ssstarsss. I didn't misss them, other than the fact that them being gone made it a bit more difficult to sssee at night with normal vision."