The Adbot's Revenge!

[Host]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"An understandable conclusion, Lord..." Host puts his good hand to his chin and thinks seriously for a few moments. He does this with a sort of... purring growl of reptilian clicking, as little sense as that makes.

"HmmU-U-U-U-Urrr..."

"Even with immortality, and the abilities I've seen you display... and taking a wild guess about what you could do, placing you as god-level reality modifier... assuming you did manage to find everything, and everyone important, could destroy certain things before they went off, worked everything perfectly... unless you could act instantly, you'd have about a point two percent chance of succeeding before we took out the planet. And if you could act instantly, that only becomes about seven percent... We would be dead, but everything else would be gone too… Of course, you could just destroy the planet yourself, which would get rid of us handily... but that rather defeats the purpose of destroying us in the first place. Besides, we're your subjects too, Lord... Lord New-God-On-The-Block." Host substitutes, having not been around to hear Oni's name.

He speaks entirely seriously and competently, like someone who intimately knew what would have to be bypassed in order to stop the Lurkers from destroying the world when things went bad. Considering that he seems to be a person of importance in the Lurker hierarchy, this is rather understandable. Oni, of course, doesn’t necessarily know that, and thusly may get some inkling of Host’s position from the way he has detailed knowledge of the Lurkers’ most dangerous weapon… indeed, there was something of a hint of this from simply knowing that the weapon exists.

"I don't suppose you do actually work like a god, feeding off of belief...?"

 

[SirOni]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"Why should I care if everyone's dead? So long as I can live peacefully without jumping from planet to planet killing everything in sight I'll be happy. Though over the years I've come to enjoy killing. And I may have seen everyone that'll ever exist but I haven't seen all events. Take this planet for instance, this is the first time I've seen a war like this. And anyway," Oni says, glaring at Host. "You haven't told me your part in this war. How do you know so much?"

Once again the insane smile spreads across Oni's face. "Oh no, not belief. But negative emotions. And this planet is seeped in it."

 

[Copper]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

So that explains it, Copper mused, her main thought through all the boys' chatter, aside from telling them to "Fight nice, boys." like she usually did, were Bartnum's return, whom, once things quieted down, she greeted as well. "Figured you were too ornery to stay down, Bart." and Grave's information. She knew the place, or thought she did. The name tended to waffle whenever she would visit. Lives, dies. Dies was the one she knew best. Hopefully he wouldn't get pissed if she asked him about it, or take offense. Far as she knew, they were sister forums.

Later though. Right now, if the chatter going on was to be believed, they had bigger fish to fry. Or at least the ones airborne did. She was currently perched on edge of a rooftop, watching the sky from behind her glasses. Traces of what she presumed was what was left of the super hive that had been reported were streaming downward, leaving glimmering trails as they burned up on their way back down.

She currently didn't have a means to join the good fight, but from the sight and sound of things, things were under control...for now.

"Everything all right up there, boys? Care to share with those of us that don't have a bird's eye view of what's going on and where exactly ground zero's going to be so we can meet you there?"

 

[Host]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"There’s a very simple reason as to why you should care - because the physical embodiment of your peace happens to live on the world they’ll destroy... and I think that, should you destroy his friends, let his friends be destroyed, or otherwise piss him off enough, he may just kill himself to screw you over. And, now, I can certify that killing is fun, but ruling beats it by a long shot. It does take some getting used to, but unlike killing, you can rule all the time, and for all time. If you're careful. ...Which generally involves not slaughtering the sentients."

"Which is not, of course, to say that you shouldn't kill; the living are, after all, a renewable resource… they just have a limit to how much they can take and still recover from. Individual species, in particular, are distinctly susceptible to total annihilation... and it would suck to find that, for instance, you couldn't fight godly-level dragons anymore because you'd wiped out their species. I would also imagine that the total destruction of all life would make things very boring."

"As for my part, I'm the diplomat sent by the Lurker's side to make peace with ULMF. I'm important enough to make that kind of decision, but not so important that they can't afford to loose me - which is not to say that they wouldn't go to war to avenge me, just that they could still operate."

"There's another reason you'd not want to kill us; the Lurkers are likely supplying a good deal of all that negative energy - we're just a big ball of hate, covered in greed and selfishness... and we tend to inspire that in others, too. ...We're like some big, gooey negative energy chocolate, that's us..." at the end, Host's tone turns strange. You wouldn't say it's sadness... but it does seem to be similar. It's only there for a moment though, and then Host becomes rather worried.
"Err... you wouldn't happen to kill or eat the people to get the energy, would you...?"

 

[SirOni]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"You are, are you?" Oni spins around to face Host, his body not being solid anymore dark mist raises off of him. "Looks like you've earned your ticket to live....for now."

"Heh, I can eat people to draw out their negative emotions. Well, their soul anyway. And killing them lets out a burst of negative emotion almost the size of devouring their soul gives me. Though I only devour one person's soul; My own. Ahhhhh, that planet full of copies of myself was a truly glorious day!" Oni appears as if he's looking back on a fond memory from his last sentence.

 

[Host]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"You only devour the souls of your analogues... that makes things a little better, means you didn't eat the soul of the mage as I was beginning to fear you had. That would've given the Lurkers a bad name, which in turn would've put them in a bad mood, making this 'peace talk' all that much more difficult. Speaking of, we should probably be going..."

 

[SirOni]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"Oh no, I didn't take his soul. I just absorbed the burst of energy from him. And it tasted soooo good. You've got anymore like him back at your base?" A moment after that Oni let out a sigh. "Ahh, finally I've solidified again. Hmm, doesn't feel like I've got enough energy to properly fight at the moment. Should only be enough to make me as strong as a normal human..." He says more to himself than anyone else.

"And do you still want to know about my powers? Tell you what, you take me where I can slaughter the fuck out of people to top my energy back up and I'll tell you what you want to know."

 

[Pale]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

With a soft thump, and rush of air, someone lands on the roof behind Copper. Unless Lurkers had grown wings, that could only mean one person..

"Vamp. I have bad news."

The mage starts to approach, then falters in her normally smooth steps, and instead turns away, to look out over the city, seeing none of what was there.

"The mana runs through this world like lifeblood. And right now.. it's screaming out in pain. Something.. some-one- is here that should never have come. A little while ago, that super-hive tried to shoot something just outside of the forums, that-away."

A wingtip lazily indicates the appropriate direction, roughly towards Host, Burrito's, and Oni's little get-together, where Siphon seems to have ended up.

"He's out there. Plus,Burrito's transmission came from that region."

The Mage lifts her radio to her mouth, then hesitates. She mutters something and taps her fingers across her lips.

"This working..? Good.

Her distinctive voice comes out garbled and altered, as if electronically scrambled. With that in place, she reaches for her radio once again.

"This is Covert Agent 45, calling Commander Burrito. I repeat, Covert Agent 45, callling Burrito."

Pale lifts her finger to her lips and motions for Copper to be silent, with a smile.

 

[Caulder]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"Covert agent 45? I'm not familiar with that call-sign." Burrito says into the radio, distracted from the talk of lurkers and powers "Who is this?" he asks quietly into the radio, walking away from the group "Whoever it is, I need you to call for a chopper to come and pick myself, Siphon, and a couple others up. That hive almost did us in."

 

[cross_grave]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Grave watched the fight between the Hive, Burrito and Oni with interest from his vantage point in the sky. He spent over two hours in the sky, looking for traces and becoming more and more pissed off. Now, he was traveling towards the impact zone, preparing to beat the shit out of anyone and anything he could find. His radio was on, but he didn't bother to talk. He'd only growl anyway. As soon as he reached the crash zone, Grave began to scout from above, looking for anything that moves.

 

[Pale]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Pale glances over at Copper, then shakes her head. The vamp would be okay listening in. It's not like she was going to say anything incriminating.

"Listen carefully, Commander. You have a very dangerous entity there with you, and I represent our only chance to stop it. I need you to get a radio to the reptillian Lurker, with this frequency programmed into it, and I need an excuse for him to walk away from the group. Most importantly, you need to do this now. There is someone among your squad who intends to assist this world-destroyer, and they are on their way as we speak. Say yes if you understand.

There is a pause for thought, then the Mage switches channel.

"This is a member of Burrito's squad - I need a chopper on his location, now! Use his tracking device, and get the Sarge a heli!"

She then flicks the radio back onto Burrito's channel to listen for his reply.

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Siphon had remained silent until Host addressed him. Turning to face him, he grinned. "Who am I? Why I would be Burrito's second in command Siphon. You must be the infamous reptile that I've heard about who damn near got my friends blown up earlier. Lurkers you say? Interesting you should mention that since I've heard YOU may be responsible for the creation of the virus now running through me. Come to check in on your handi-work? Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't become a mindless puppet like that Nemesis creature."


If he heard Pale's radio transmission, he gave no outward sign of it whatsoever, nor was it even possible to read his expression. His face literally was an icy mask.

 

[Caulder]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"No. The lurkers are nothing like what we thought. Their technology is amazing, and we can benefit from what I can do to help foster friendship between our two groups." Burrito says back over the radio, hearing Siphon and then speaking into it once again "Whoever you are, thank you for your concern, but I have it handled. Burrito, over and out." he says, releasing his radio and turning around to face the small group near him "Now, Siphon, stand down. That's an order." he says, holding out his right arm as he turns his attention to Host "I apologize for my friend. He tends to take any attempts against his life very seriously." he says, then walks in between the two "Host here is on a diplomatic mission with myself. If you harm him in any way, there'll be a big fat war between Lurkers and Forumites."

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"On the contrary sir, my life holds little meaning in the long run, there are others more important in the grand scheme of things who's lives I DO take exception to being threatened. And the question regarding the virus still has not been answered, were they or were they not responsible for it's creation?"

He laughs loudly. "Harm him? I doubt it will come to that. It's a simple question to answer really, either way it makes no difference in the long run. If you were responsible for it's creation, and you are truly seeking an alliance, you'll help contain and erradicate it. If your not sincere, you'll take the opportunity presented to further the experiment. Either way, I'm not willing to start any war based on at best circumstantial evidence. For all I know you may be just as shocked and appalled by the viral creations as I am, and if that's the case ... Well then I suppose we have something in common don't we?"


During the whole exchange, his voice remained a flat, serious, business like tone, never once rising in anger or accusation. It was also clear that unless he was attacked first, there wouldn't be any attacking on his part.

 

[Pale]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"....Why, God WHY did we get stuck with a MORON of a commander? Come ON!"

The Mage storms up, then down the rooftop, pacing ineffectively, mind racing. She -had- to get Host out of there.. especially if Grave was on his way. Host was the only one who could..

"Ok, catch you later vamp-girl. Got an errand to run."

Mind made up, the mage takes a flying leap over the edge of the rooftop and vanishes from sight, flying low and fast through the forum streets. After a moment or two, she mutters a spell, and abruptly finds herself atop the forum wall.

"ShadowWalk. Only choice... And I've gotta go. Now."

Anyone looking towards the forum might spot a winged silhouette atop the wall for a brief moment, but it quickly vanishes from sight. Beneath the spell, Pale glides towards the small group, eyes on Grave falling from above.

 

[Copper]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Copper only barely seemed to turn as she head Pale's footsteps. She says or does nothing that will give away the mage's deception, instead, simply remaining quiet and listening to the chatter over the radio. She watches as she sees Grave heading off, that obviously being whom Pale was warning them about.

"A'ite," she says as Pale takes her leave. "Tell them hurry their asses up, would'ja?" For a quasi-immortal, the vampire seemed to be rather short on patience these days. Even she couldn't really say why, but there was something nagging at the back of her mind, spurring her to do *something* though she really couldn't pinpoint just what exactly it was.

((Just gonna hang here. Gotta take off early for work Should be a fun read when I get back.))

 

[Host]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

"Covert agent 45? I'm not familiar with that call-sign."

Oh no. Burrito doesn’t know the person... and actually stating they were a covert agent in the name, this sounds too much like someone trying to get their station across. 45? Two consecutive numbers? That really isn’t helping their case… We may have a problem. Another enemy? Spies from somewhere? …No, more likely the wraith trying their hand at trickery… that’s a very rushed kind of title, whatever they’re doing can’t be all that rehearsed. We did just take down their hive, it would probably have something to do with that… but what could they be doing, what benefit are they gaining through this? If nothing else, this is a cause for caution.

"Who am I? Why I would be Burrito's second in command Siphon. You must be the infamous reptile that I've heard about who damn near got my friends blown up earlier. Lurkers you say? Interesting you should mention that since I've heard YOU may be responsible for the creation of the virus now running through me. Come to check in on your handi-work? Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't become a mindless puppet like that Nemesis creature."

Host’s demeanour fell apart rather quickly when Siphon introduced himself. He knew that voice well, even if the visage was foreign – there was no denying that the person he was looking at was Siphon. …Of course, that didn’t stop him from trying. Host began pacing, looking worried and annoyed, yet still taking in what people were saying; just putting it to the back for the moment. He was mumbling, too, though most of it was too slurred to be intelligible, and it would have required far superhuman hearing to make out even the most intelligible section, “…was so beautiful. I’ll tear them apart.”.

"I apologize for my friend. He tends to take any attempts against his life very seriously."

“No need.” Host said, and not in his usual semi-humorous, fairly carefree way, but with what could best be described as an air of total conviction. “No need in the slightest.”

"Harm him? I doubt it will come to that. It's a simple question to answer really, either way it makes no difference in the long run. If you were responsible for it's creation, and you are truly seeking an alliance, you'll help contain and erradicate it. If your not sincere, you'll take the opportunity presented to further the experiment. Either way, I'm not willing to start any war based on at best circumstantial evidence. For all I know you may be just as shocked and appalled by the viral creations as I am, and if that's the case ... Well then I suppose we have something in common don't we?"

“I don’t know any virus that would do this, specifically… but we might have made it. We’ve made a bunch, and this could have been one of them… or a modification of one… I just don’t know.” Host seems notably unhappy about his inability to give a definitive answer. Then again, he seems rather unhappy about the whole occurrence. For a moment, his serious tone jumps up a notch. “But I know we didn’t do this. Someone may have gotten their hands on one of our micro-level bio-projects… maybe. Security is tight. …How did this happen – when? …And by who? Whatever it is… the Lurkers will do what we can, if we can. I just hope it’s not the same thing that ugly bastard from the house had. It sure wasn’t natural, and it wasn’t demonic.”


Having caught up to events with Siphon, his mind turned to Burrito’s conversation with whoever was on the radio. Apparently Burrito hadn’t fallen for whatever the person on the radio had wanted him to do… which is probably good, considering what he was saying rather insinuated that he had been told to attack the Lurkers… Assuming that is the wraith, this means that they know who we are specifically, and our relation with the forum… still, this would be a very desperate play on their part and certainly not something with any real chance of working – and what would making the Lurkers and Members fight have to do with the destruction of a hive, they would have just made us fight as soon as they knew our relationship. This just doesn’t feel right.

Grave wouldn’t have a radio, would he? He might… and Siphon found us… I may have been under exaggerating the amount of time we had before the Lurkers declared war… even to an excessive extent, perhaps, depending on who was judging… but add dealing with Grave on top of everything that’s already happened and I may actually have a problem.

“Burrito, did you get that chopper? Because we very seriously have to move, now, chopper or no.”

 

[Shrike7]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Shrike had spent the last two hours sitting in the cockpit of her ship, staring at the holographic display of this region of space, and speaking with the A.I. On board.

"So that's it? There isn't another way?"
Correct. To my knowledge, there is only one route of jump holes that leads from here to the Sirius System. With the intermittant jump hole closed for now, the route is sealed.
"Well, fuck. Alright then give me a systems update."
All systems operational. Replacement core inferior to Don'Kevash original, ship running at 40% maximum output in all areas. Minor repairs, refitting, and re-armament completed, with thanks to the engineering corps her in the forum. Five of Seven forward hardpoints filled, turret, torpedo, mine, and countermeasure hardpoints all full, though ammo for the Sunslayer Torpedo Launcher is low, only a dozen torpedoes. Hull at 100%, plus some in areas, updated heat shielding running perfectly. Is there anything else?
"Just one. Put on some O'Donnell and Salvatori, and wake me if someone needs me."
Of course.

Leaning back in the pilot's seat, Shrike thumbs the switch to close the shielding of the viewports, placing her in total blackness, with the exception of the light from the holoprojector, which now displays the A.I's Avatar, the miniature of herself dressed in lingerie. "And for the love of god, put on some real clothes." She says wearily, and drifts off...

 

[SiphonTalvesh]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Siphon sighed. "The leech creatures that were in the original hive you stormed were products of one of those viruses. I know your band was there, how else would you and Burrito have crossed paths, yes? That was the first I'd seen of this viral weaponry, though apparently it wasn't for the wraith. They've begun trying to adapt the creations to serve them. That big thing with the rocket launcher? That was one of the ones they managed to control. I doubt we've seen the last of those weapons too, my guess is if your not responsible for creating them directly, then whoever IS, must still be at large."

This didn't seem to sit well with him in the least, the faintest hint of a frown on his face.

 

[Host]

Re: The Adbot's Revenge!

Host grins and gives a bow as Siphon deduces his involvement in the hive, seemingly in line with his usual personality again.

"The leeches definitely aren’t ours. We've been analysing bits of them since we got them almost half a day ago and we're still devoid of anything to show for it. As for and the thing that looks like a freakishly mutated giant, well, we didn't really have anything to analyse. ...You said that they were created by a virus? More to the point, the same virus? That's one potent disease..." Host says… and then starts looking past Siphon. "Hey, base. Tell the scientists working on the leech gibs we recovered that they're looking for a virus. …A nasty one at that, seems to be highly mutagenic."

"Then use one of the frozen samples," Host growled. "I'm busy. Stop calling me!" There is a moment of nothing in which Host was probably hanging up, before he starts snickering at his hypocrisy.

"So if they're made from viruses, and you got hit with the same virus..." He leans towards Siphon, hand on chin, scanning him with an appraising eye.
"HmmU-U-U-U-Urrrr..."
He lent back, closed his eyes and commented, "Well, I suppose I can see the resemblance..."