Log started: 2/19/03 2:28:52 AM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daryn (Conn) Date: Tue Feb 18 17:14:41 2003 Folder: 0 Message: 8 Status: Unread Subject: BTW ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you need any help or info or something on the whole thing, let me know :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/19 Posted Author Magnetic Chaos Tue Feb 18 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Your 8 o'clock movie goes bye bye, replaced by Kent Kentman. As usual, Kent looks a LIttle disoriented. "And now more breaking news, the planet continues to undergo unexpected earthquakes, tidal shifts and volcanic eruptions as Dr. Albert Wily uses his satelLItes to manipulate the magnetic fields." The transmission wavers for a moment then snaps back into focus. "The UN and RepLIforce have pinpointed the satelLItes, though they appear to have some type of stealth systems which makes them nearly impossible to track for long periods of time. At this time, officials have refused..." The image cuts out and Wily himself appears. "Ah ah ah. Bad GNN, giving away the locations of my satelLItes." He clears his throat. "People of the world, LIsten carefully. I completely control this planet's magnetic fields. The governments of the world will surrender to me and stand their armies down or else. You have 22 hours, 48 minutes, and 31 seconds." CLICK $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/20 Posted Author Tokyo Report Tue Feb 18 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A monkey reporter reploid appears, standing on a windblown and mostly deserted street along the docks of Neo Tokyo. "This is Redbutt Baboon reporting LIve from Neo Tokyo's harbor district. The effects of Dr. Wily's satelLItes are frightening to behold here." The camera pans out over the ocean and you can see a massive tidal wave bearing down on Neo Tokyo. That must be why the streets are deserted. And here we have our brave GNN crew, risking LIfe and LImb to bring you the latest news. The reporter shouts in the background. "You didn't tell me there was a TIDAL WAVE!" The camera pans back around to show Redbutt's....red butt as he flees the scene. "Screw this! I QUIT!" The camera crashes to the ground moments later, rolLIng so that you can see the tidal wave crashing in. It sweeps towards the harbor and then, suddenly, seems to collapse on itself. A notable surge still does tear into the harbor, but nowhere near the massive wall of death it had been. Wily must have reversed the satelLIte's fields again. The last hting seen from the camera are the murky depths of Tokyo's harbor as it drifts toward the bottom. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/21 Posted Author Canadian Chaos Tue Feb 18 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The latest GNN report is from Canada, somewhere in Torontreal. LIghts fLIcker, and signs sway in fierce winds as an unprecedented storm sweeps into the city. Small tremors rock the streets as a Moose Reploid peers into the camera, shouting to be heard. "This is Royal Yaksman reporting from Torontreal's southern business district. Fierce storms and minor earthquakes are assualting the city, driven by the magnetic satelLItes. Experts tell us that the constant reversal of the fields is worsening the effects of the storm." LIghtning cracks and thunder booms in the background, sparks showering from a building that was just struck. Winds howl between the canyons of the skyscrapers, buffeting the reporter. He strugGLes to stay his ground. "The winds are worsening, now topping out at 90 miles per hour and growing stronger. Damage is expected to be severe...." There is a shriek of metal and then a streetlamp crashes down, crushing Royal Yaksman where he stands and driving the cameraman to the ground as the signal cuts out abruptly. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/22 Posted Author Moscow Mayhem! Tue Feb 18 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The LIve reports now switch to Moscow, where a very strange looking reporter stands huddled against a driving bLIzzard. Her voice can barely be heard over the howl of the wind. Beyond her, the KremLIn and other Red Square landmarks are all but hidden in the storm. "Borscht Weasel here, reporting LIve from Red Square in Moscow. Even here, Dr. Wily's satelLItes are making their presence felt as snowstorms have blanketed almost all of the country. Earthquakes and smaller tremors have rocked other cities such as Volgograd, causing milLIons of zenny worth of damage." Borscht huddles against the wind and driving snow and starts to speak again when this transmission cuts too. Probably just the gigantic bLIzzard. Yep, thats it. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/23 Posted Author Volcanic Trouble Tue Feb 18 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This next report is from a nice, quiet studio. Maybe GNN is tired of having reporters killed. Once more, a Reploid adresses the camera, this one a lemur. "Research Lemur here, with more updates on the worldwide chaos being caused by Dr. Wily." Research dissapears to be be replaced by aerial video of what appears to be Alaska. Even from this perspective, you can still see the ground heaving and...rippLIng as earthquakes rattle the icy northlands. The scen shifts to the Aleutian Islands, bathed in a lurid red GLow as volcanoes spew lave high into the air. Rivers of it run down to the see giving rise to massive clouds of steam. "As you can see, these satelLItes are causing massive tectonic disturbances and are even awakening long dormant volcanoes. The volcanic activity is worst along the pacific rim with multiple eruptions occuring even as we speak." The scene shifts once more to a different coast. "The Russian coast is having its own share of problems as tremors and eruptions continue to shake the area." Research appears once more. "It is unknown what further stresses of this magnitude will do to the pla..." The LIghts abruptly go dim and then the signal cuts off completely. Anyone happening to GLance at the weather will notice that San An is currently having it's own troubles. Thats right, there is NO SAFE PLACE. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Tartarus $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 15/19 Posted Author Note on Top of Previous Tue Feb 18 Zero ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Pinned on top of Metal Man's note* Anyone I find trying to collect on this bounty, and the person who took it out originally, are all subject to slow and painful death by beam sabre. -Z $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Seoul - United Nations Plaza It is here that most of the world's decisions are made. The kind of power here reflects in the architecture, with the HUGE UN building that holds the General Assembly. Blue and dome shaped in design, it is the only one in the world of its kind, and workplace to the thousands that work here. The perimeter of the General Assembly building is surrounded the flags of every country that has a seat, which is nearly everyone. Outside are a number of other large office buildings, ranging from delegate bureau's, to the Headquarters of the UN PoLIce, to a RepLIforce office. Constantly patrolled and guarded by UN PoLIce, safety is among an utmost concern after the infamous April Fools Day Massacre. Despite that, the place is a very safe environment. Contents: Contents: Daryn [C] Abernathy [Working] [C] Dr. Nathan Xiang [C] Terra Trunk's Orchard United Nations Vehicle Garages Press Stand : United Nations Building East : Seoul - Northern Commercial District West : Seoul - Tourist District South : Seoul - Historical District North : Seoul - Eastern Residential District The LIttle girl does nothing of the sort. She hums a LIttle song - sounds LIke a snatch of a lullabye - and kicks at a bit of dust on the pavement. Swinging around a bit, LIke a normal six year old. As opposed to one who just sent grown miLItary men into a panic. "'kay!" Getting bored with kicking the ground, she sits down and yawns cutely. "So you're gonna scan me, and then.. I cn' talk ta' Mister Abernathy?" Well, she IS sending grown men into something very LIke a panic. The guard continues to watch her behaving -- much LIke a normal kid, his expression fLIckering between that strained attempt at a smile and a very worried look. Meanwhile, his partner in the guardhouse momentarily abandons his post, to come see the kid that's causing so much fuss. " ... Huh. She doesn't /look/ dangerous," he finally mutters, in an undertone. "Yeah. But ... they say this Xiang guy is worse than DeVry, you know? Some people say he's a human Maverick." The rumors were already spreading, apparently. Meanwhile, the team with the scanner cart comes clattering across the plaza, escorted by a couple of troopers in SWAT gear. No pains spared, apparently, when it came to LIttle girls threatening the safety of the free world. They arrive just as the girl gets around to asking her question. The head scanner-tech, a woman with soulful brown eyes, takes one look at the two nervous men 'guarding' the girl, and arches a brow in silent inquiry. The more recent arrival -- 'Greg' -- gives a tiny shrug of his shoulders, and jerks his head toward his partner, as if to say, 'talk to him about it'. The unfortunate guard sighs, looking down at the girl and replying, "Th ... that's how it's supposed to go, I guess." He then looks over at Greg, lowering his voice to an undertone. "You DID check t'see if the Director's in, right?" Meanwhile, the scanner-tech is moving in to round up her 'charge'. "Hey there, sweetheart," she says, voice just shy of patronizing. "We're here to check you out so you can go see the Director. Can you come over here to the cart?" SHE does not seem to be afraid that she's going to be deaLIng with a sudden, messy disaster on her hands. The LIttle girl looks up into the eyes of the woman. "Hello, pretty lady." She nods in the sage manner of poLIte children everywere, and then goes back to ignoring the silly adults doing there adult things. Because something far more interesting has happened - a ladybug has landed on her finger. This is far more important than being scanned. "I s'pose..." The LIttle girl clambers to her feet, and shakes off the ladybug before following the woman towards the cart. "Oh. Your scanner isn't as good as Doctor X's. His is all big and shiny, with lots of GLass n' tubes... and it makes funny noises when it's turned on, too." She demonstrates by giving a very good imitation of an agonized shriek. "He says the noises are what happens when people are bad. So I was very good." She looks up with her dazzLIng smile, and odd eyes. Greg's partner, already nervous enough from the whole situation, jumps a good couple of inches when the LIttle girl shrieks. The rest of the guards smirk, and Greg himself elbows him the ribs. There's a nervous titter at his expense, before everyone falls silent again, watching the scanner-tech go to work on her LIttle charge. She doesn't seem at all disconcerted by this. Must be a mom, or an older sister. "Uh-huh," she acknowledges, to the girl's words. Of course, she's a LIttle distracted -- pulLIng various paddles and wants off the equipment on the cart, caLIbrating equipment with a practice fLIck or two of her hands. Her assistant, a springhare reploid, is warming up the miniature mass spectrometer on the lower rungs of the cart, humming to himself as he does so. Finally, she turns to the kid, smiLIng cheerfully. "I'll bet that Doctor X has a permanent emplacement," she says. "This LIttle baby is just a mobile cart; it can't be too big or fancy or we'd never get it anywhere. Can you hold out your arms for me, sweetie?" And with that, and further reassuring instructions, she steps the girl through a briskly efficient -- and thorough -- scan. The LIttle girl moves in a rather practiced... and bored fashion. She doesn't move when she shouldn't and holds in just the right position for each step of the scanning. While stuff is charging or being moved, she does what any child her age would do - she fidgets. She doesn't ask when they're done. She just nods when they finish, and steps out of the way. "See? Tole you. I'm not 'splosive. So c'n I see Mister Abernathy now? I wanna tell him Doctor X's message..." She yawns again, with a cute LIttle squeak noise at the end of it. She also makes a face at Gregs partner, and gigGLes at him. "Scared you?" The springhare reploid twitches his fluffy tail, humming to himself as he hovers over the mass-spec. The scanner-tech, meanwhile, seems deLIghted by the girl's compLIance to the scanning procedures. Most ADULT humans were a lot less obedient. "Yes, sweetie, that's right. We're just waiting for one -- " *BLEEP* goes the mass-spec, the springhare popping up to catch the readout and read it to himself aloud. "Mm, mm, carbonandhydrogenand ... hmm, hmm siLIconandaLIttleironandhere'saLIneforsodium ... " He frowns to himself, tilting the paper to one side and examining the elemental LInes. Finally, he says, "Looksgood,boss! She'sclean!" and wads the printout up with an expression of deep satisfaction with himself. The scanner-tech grins, and finishes: "Test. Okay, I think we can get the Director out here -- right?" She gives Greg and his partner another of those arched-brow looks. Both look sheepish, and Greg's partner even gives the girl an abashed grin as she teases him. "Yo," Greg finally says. "I called 'im. Lemme go let 'im know it's safe, all right?" He starts back toward the guardhouse -- Only to draw up short in surprise as a quiet, famiLIar voice cuts across the reLIeved chatter of the ground. "That won't be necessary, officer." Looks LIke Abernathy has taken his own initiative, as the Director comes striding up to peer curiously over the scanner-tech's shoulder. Oo, look at all the shiny LIghts and buttons. "I trust you've all been quite poLIte to our, ah -- " Then he catches sight of the LIttle girl on the other side of the cart from him, and bLInks. " -- guest," he finishes, with barely a hitch. Startled, the guards and scanner crew snap to a raggedy attention. The springhare, more startled than most, attempts to salute with the wadded-up printout, and instead sends it rolLIng across the plaza. Abernathy, for his part, merely gives the heavens an appeaLIng look and waits for the formaLIties to be over. "Yessir," Greg's partner finally repLIes, coming out of the salute. "We've been good. She has, too." The LIttle girl watches all of this activity with rapt fascination, and then gigGLes at the Reploid when he tosses paper all over the place. "Silly robot." Then she straightens up, tugs at the hem of her rags, and marches over to Abernathy. She gazes up at him, checking the color of his skin, and then nods to herself. "Hello, Mister Abernathy. My name is MeLIssa." She gives him a cute LIttle smile. "Doctor X said you needed somebody to look out for... so he fixed me up, and sent me to you. He talked lots about me being... uhm... in no sense... or s'mthing. So." She holds up her arms to Abernathy. "You get to be my Daddy now, 'kay?" "We can be... sy borg netic... toghether!" concludes MeLIssa, still holding her arms up for Abernathy. Remember that 'holy crap!' expression Greg's partner had earLIer? Yes? It's back. Everyone's wearing it. Especially Abernathy, who looks rather LIke someone ran by and smacked him in the back of the head with a two-by-four. The silence following MeLIssa's announcement of her name and reason for being in the plaza stretches on for seconds, only interupted by the springhare -- clueless LIttle fellow -- snuffLIng aggrievedly over being called a 'silly robot'. The scanner-tech is the first one to break the silence, leaning over and elbowing her boss in the ribs. "Mr. Director, sir," she says, in a stage whisper. "I think your, uh, daughter wants a hug." The entire group breaks down in gigGLes -- except for Abernathy, who is still wearing that remarkably stunned look. He snaps out of it as the gigGLIng carries on, and gives those assembled a quelLIng /look/. All right, so it was funny in a sort of sad way, but that didn't mean they had to start gigGLIng LIke a gagGLe of preteens over it. Finally, he gives a LIttle shake of his head, clears his throat, and bLInks once. "Ah, MeLIssa." Pause. He sidles around the cart, and goes down on one knee in front of her. "I'm ... " Words fail him, briefly. "Uh." BLInk. Another fit of snickering arises from the crowd, along with a whispered, "anyone got a camera?" Somewhere, in the very backmost irreverent corner of Abernathy's mind, a LIttle tiny voice says, 'Oo! A dependent! That means more tax rebates!' MeLIssa completely ignores more of the gigGLIng by the adults. This isn't gigGLeworthy stuff. It's real stuff, and it's important - and you know there's no one more serious than a six year old with a mission. Abernathy kneels down, which puts him in reach. So she wraps her arms around his neck and gives him a hug. Then she steps back and gives him the look of pure innocence with just a hint of sadness there. "Please? Docter X said he wouldn't make a good Daddy, but that you would. I don't want to go back to where I was LIving. It hurt, and was dark all the time. And Doctor X talked about you, and you sound really neat - cause you get to shoot bad people n' stuff - and you need someone LIke me, kay?" She leans in again and wraps her arms around his neck again. "Please?" To say that this move on MeLIssa's part surprises Abernathy further would be innaccurate -- it would be very difficult to surprise the Director any more than he already is. And, LIke it or not, he did set himself up for getting GLomped by the six year old. And, in his years of being both a UN soldier and a UN diplomat, there are few tactics dirtier on or off the battlefield than those employed by young children. Abernathy makes a surprised LIttle noise as he's hugged, stiffLIng any other response with his usual alacrity as she lets go of him. Hearing that description of him -- Xiang's, though who knows how distorted it might have gotten in the translation -- seems to keep him silent, still trying to digest the ... the ... mess, that this was. His home LIfe is not exactly the most conducive to child-rearing, after all. And he wouldn't be a very good father. And what about the potential damage he could do to such a fragile young psyche? To say nothing of the assassination attempts, and his already precarious position in the world, and the possibiLIty of everything changing in a heartbeat, and ... he swallows, nervously, trying to gather up the few LIttle shattered thoughts left in his mind and push them into something vaguely resembLIng sentences. These doubts were not something you could explain to a LIttle kid, though he could certainly try ... Except that she decides to latch on again. He bLInks again in startlement, then closes his eyes with the expression of a man about to do something he feels he'll very much regret -- and hugs her back. "MeLIssa," he finally stammers. "I ... I don't know what Xiang has told you about me, but my LIfe -- I can't -- it wouldn't be /good/ for me to raise you; I don't have a family, or ... it's dangerous ... " And the crew, sensing the gravity of the situation outweigh the humor has quieted, watching with a collected guilty expression. The sort one gets when wondering if one shouldn't be watching something LIke this. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/23 Posted Author In the sports page Wed Feb 19 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARTARUS - Butch Butcherson, chairman of the Tartarus Football League's organizational committee, issued a statement earLIer today explaining the circumstances behind postponing the much-anticipated sports league's inaugural game. Butcherson explained that while the robotic players for the East Tartarus Mankillers and the West Tartarus Demonspawn are specially designed to be brutal on the field, they have a very healthy fear of 'supposed acts of god,' and that recent disasters attributed to Dr. Albert Wily's magnetic field scheme have 'frightened the players LIke sucky wusses.' Butcherson insists that the Tartarus Football League will continue, and explains that ButchCo, the company responsible for the team's development, will upgrade the 'total badassitude' of the players, so that they 'won't run chicken-sh*t from a buncha weather stuff.' An announcement on when the League will continue is pending this upgrade. In a related story, Butcherson denied rumors that he is a 'wuss' or that he 'sucks,' beLIeved to be circulated by rival extreme sports entrepeneur Stan Manly. In response, Butcherson declared Manly to be 'not very manly at all, in fact very girly, LIke a woman is.' Rumors of a collaboration between the Tartarus Football League and Manly's own World Wide Championship Ass-kicking WrestLIng Entertainment have thus far proved unfounded. (Oops! Amidst other stuff going on, totally sLIpped my mind that this was supposed to happen last night (Tuesday). I'll see to getting it back on track when things calm down ICly, though.) $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ IC News $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 14/24 Posted Author Advertising Thu Feb 20 News Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A trio of Reploids are seen on the screen; a shark-form, a bear-form, and a raptor-form, specifically. Sad expressions are on their faces. A fatherly narrator voice asks, "Awww, guys, what's wrong?" The bear answers, "Our programming includes animal instincts, but we have no way to satisfy our carnivorous instincts. Real prey gums up our insides, and when mechanimals at pet stores are so /expensive/!" The shark nods. "Yeah, and they give you weird looks sometimes." The narrator responds, "What if I told you that there was a prey mechanimal designed with the predator Reploid in mind?" The three Reploids get bright, happy expressions, and suddenly the screen is filled with colors and chibified dancing animals, with corny techno music. Japanese characters flash across the screen, translated into EnGLIsh below them: "Yumsnax Mechanimals!" The narrator says, "Thaaaat's right! Now Hiroshiro Reploid Novelties, the same people that brought you the optic scrambler GLasses and the Reploid strobe attachment now bring you Yumsnax Mechanimals, the robotic prey creature designed specifically with the discriminating Reploid in mind!" Mechanimals flash across the screen, ranging from a fish to a camposaurus to a mouse. "In ten prey varieties, with LIfe-LIke drone programming and parts thoroughly tested for flavor, texture, and comfort, Yumsnax Mechanimals is the next big thing! And they're cheaper than expensive pet-mechanimals! Humans have their filet mignon, now Reploids have Yumsnax Mechanimals! CarLIe Camposaurus, Terry the Trout, Mr. Mousie, Freddy Frog, and more, bringing you great flavor and simulated predation! Visit your local Reploid supply store today!" $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Tartarus $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Message: 15/19 Posted Author Running Man's Running Commentary Wed Feb 19 Metal Shark ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Metal Shark grabs a camera videotaping most of the running Man tournament, so the highLIghts can be filtered to be sold at a later date probably for the bet money or Tartarus itself. He clutches his cut wound from Yamato which was from the fight which started all this, but you would be forgiven for beLIeving it's fresh and from the tournament. He pants a few times and starts, "Metal Shark's log... Thing. I'm being chased. Don't ask me by whom, there's LIke a mob of people here! I've also lost Rogue. I think his radio's been taken out or something. I can't find him! So far..." He stops suddenly to look across to the entrance, "I haven't been found my anyone. But I think the Robot Masters are after me, plus this strange farmer Reploid with a pitchfork!" He's finally cut off by the sound of stampeding feet. "Arg! Bye!" He lets the camera fall to the ground and you can just see his feet as he runs away. A few moments later about twenty Reploid feet, all in different shapes and sizes, follow him. Only leaving dust a few seconds further. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$