<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Dun...Dun...Dun... DUN DUN DUUUUUN!!! :D O.T.A. A Few days After "The Lost" Incident in Bhim. Everyone who feels like it can join in! But substance to yer posts please, no one liners, har har. :D </td></tr></table> Every Breath Came Harder Now, Foot pads beating down the sand with every heavy step. His jet pack had long since burned out on him, and even now his mechanical power reserves, the only thing keeping him going, were slowly being depleted. He knew it was gaining on him, that there was no way to stop it. He should have taken it on at the start... Maybe then he would have stood half a chance. Even in his already damaged state he could have probably at least crippled it so he could escape, but no, he had chose to run, and now it was chasing him, and endless game of tag that would end as soon as he gave up. Another step, and he felt everything below his waist go dead. The heavy hydraulics that made up his legs sputtered, then in a spray of burning oil and fresh hot blood, they shut down, sending him sprawling into the sand. The ground immediately rumbled, and a large metal head burst from the ground behind him. He managed to roll over by thrusting his arm against a piece of rubble, and the massive metal jaws clamped down on empty sand, before dissappearing in a flurry of the grit again. He crawled over to a small alcove, near where he lay, a stone floored room with a large fallen pillar cutting off access to anyone taller than a few feet high. It was here X-7 finally rested, his red eye dimming and his organic eye closing. He could feel his power reserves slowly but surely regaining strength, and his computer side organizing the small mechanical arms scattered throughout the robotic half of his body into the various repair tasks. His eye closed just as a massive snakelike shape burst from the sand, silhouetted by the strange full moon, before stalling for a split second against the backdrop of the moon, and then pounding back beneath the dunes... <span style='color:green'>Prototype X-7 Body status: Critical. 12% Functionality. Calculating situation... Pursuing Enemy... Data Unknown... Critical Status Repair Available?... Affirmative, Beginning Repair. Odds Of Survival... 7100230 To 1 Without Outside Assistance. Suspected Culprit Behind Attack... Former Employer "The Lost"...</span> Suddenly the massive snake burst from the sand again, but instead of breaching or diving back down into the depths, it turned towards the alcove, and with a whine of hydraulics even more powerful than X-7's legs, it smashed it's large head segment into the pillar entrance. The pillar shook visibly, but still remained. The snake retreated, and then powered ahead, and smashed the pillar again. This time the ancient stone cracked, and dust and sand shook from the top. The gargantuan iron snake continued to batter away at the pillar, and soon X-7's chances of survival dropped even further...
Unseen by either the monstrous snake or it's failing prey, Kyja watched the drama play out from the shelter of the shadows. These ruins were full of novel dangers, as she had well learned since her tribe's arrival not weeks before. She looked on, stock still, assessing both creatures, judging their threat to her people. After a moment, she reached a decision. She carefully hefted her Guardian's Talon, the traditional weapon of her tribe's protectors, and made her way along the broken ground, weary of any loose detritis that could betray her aproach. Deftly, she climped atop a bit of yet-standing masonry that had probably once been a home. Her new vantage gave her a position directly over and behind the huge, metalic beast as it railed repeatedly against the crumbling pillar. The moment was decisive. She leapt. Using her powerful hind legs, she seemed to sail through the air toward her target. There was a loud clang and the scraping of her claws against the metal carapace as her feet saught for a hold. The creature bucked wildy but she maintained the hold, using her enlarged dewclaws to secure herself. A flash of shining steele and a fountain of hydraulic fluid. Kyja forced her shortblade between the monster's armor plating. She lept to the ground. The snake was greiviously wounded, but not done in. It loomed up before her, maw agape. Whoever you are, Kyja spoke back to the prone figure, Now would be a good time to offer any advice. (OOC- Heyo there. This is my first post here in...over 6 months? Let me know if I'm doing anything wrong. I reread the FAQ, but yah never know. ^^)
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>No, I enjoyed that post! Har Har, I thought nobody would reply to this un! welcome back! :D </td></tr></table> X-7 lifted his head at much as he could, as a splatter of hydraulic fluid fell on the ground beside him. The snake seemed damaged, for a gap between it's armor plating had now appeared. Unfortunately however, small robotic arms were already repairing the hole, and the snake had turned upon the intruder, jaws wide open, several rows of small rotating grinders working in circles as the main fangs dripped a lethal green toxin. <span style='color:green'>Functionality at 75% and rising. Outside force has brought odds up to 1 in 1000.</span> X-7 stumbled to the entrance, and his vulcan assembled on his shoulder. <span style='color:blue'>Thank you for your assistance!</span> X-7 called, already feeling his strength returning second by second. <span style='color:blue'>We have to find a way to destroy it with only a few strikes, because like myself, it can just repair. Watch those jaws!</span> The snake lunged for Kyja, and X-7 sprayed a stream of bullets at the creature's neck, most bouncing off the steel exterior in all directions. A few pierced through however, leaving medium sized gaps in the plates. The snake ignored him unfortunately, continuing it's charge. Maybe the new wound could pose as an escape route of some sort for Kyja before it got her...
(OOC- Thankyah! Sounded like an interesting story, and I couldn't just let you die there! :D) "Does it have any vital..." The immense snake's head plunged into the ground where Kyja had stood only a second before. In a heartbeat, she had side-stepped the assualt, but the force of the impact had thrown her to her feet. Precious seconds were lost as she rolled from prone into a defensive crouch. Enraged, the serpent turned towards her again, right as she struck. Jabbing her Guardian's Talon cleanly into one of it's robotic eyes, Kyja had hoped to fell the beast, but it seemed only to make it ever more angry, and it lashed out half-blinded at the warrior. "Unf!" The snake's thrashing caught her square in the side, hurling her through the air until she landed heavily a few meters from X-7. Pain wracked her body, all but blinding her, and she struggled, groaning, to get up. "What the hell is this thing?!", she gritted through clenched teeth.
X-7's organic eye opened in shock as he quickly dragged her into cover, firing vulcan rounds at the creature to stave off another round of attacks. Mechanical arms had already repaired the cracked eye, and with a click, they dissappeared and a set of large holes opened up on it's head. Suddenly gunfire was being fired BACK at him, and X-7 could only activate his plasma shield in the nick of time. Swearing loudly he glanced to Kyja within the shield, offering her a hand up. <span style='color:blue'>You alright?</span> He asked as the rounds continued to spark and bounce off his energy shield. <span style='color:blue'>And by the way, that thing is a prototype Search and Destroy Unit, code named "The Sidewinder". Unfortunately specialized for desert and snowy tundra hunting. We have to destroy it, before it destroys us, because it's identified you as a target now...</span> He was cut short, as the snakes head slammed into the pillar at top speed, literally breaking it in two and forcing it's head inside...
An instant of fear was all that Kyja allowed herself. She tucked her head in and launched herself into a roll that took her beneath the killer robot's gnashing head. Stopping herself just at it's side, she raised her Guardian's Talon and plunged it as hard as she could between two of the snake's plates, pushing with all her might. She could feel the hard crunch of internal systems being ravaged as she gored the beast, and it began to writhe wildly, flinging Kyja this way and that as she held grimly onto her bladed staff. Fluids sprayed everywhere like a gruesome mockery of blood, drenching her fur from head to foot. But still she hung on, and with every turn, the snake wounded itself more greiviously, the blade in it's side whirling about, destroying that section of it's innards. Then, perhaps seeing that defeat was near at hand, it made a final plunge into the earth. Kyja and her blade were thrown off as it burrowed beneath the soil, leaving her gasping on the ground, hot hydraulic fluids burning her eyes. "I....I think it's gone.....for now." she sputtered between heavy breathes. Slowly, she sat up, trying to rub the chemicals out of her eyes. "That thing has got to be stopped.", she growled. "My tribe has made it's new home not ten minutes from here and I fear that thing will find them if we don't." She got up and tried in vain to wipe the oily fluid out of her fur. "Are you well enough to walk? I can take you to my people, we can rest and resupply before we hunt this monstrosity down." She offered her hand to the cyborg. "Oh, and I never caught your name." (OOC- sorry for taking so long with the postings. And I wasn't sure if we were supposed to actually KILL the snake, or if it was central to where you wanted the plot to go. ^_^)
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Do you mind if I join too? The character i'll use is a U.S.R. Sharpshooter. He's actually still pending but hopefully I'll have the answer by today. Would you might another character?</td></tr></table>
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Absolutely! I had no plans whatsoever for this thread other than a small game of cat and mouse back and forth with this evil robotic snake, so we "three" can do whatever we want with it! Welcome in Hythine! :D </td></tr></table> <span style='color:blue'>My name is...</span> X-7 thought about it for a moment. But realising this was a life or death situation, he decided to tell her the truth. <span style='color:blue'>My name is Prototype X-7 of the Pendragon Machine Technology Hybrid program. I just came from Bhim after turning traitorous against the criminal organization I was part of. Now they have sent that THING out to obliterate me. Thats my story, whats yours, just wandering away from your tribe?</span> He heard a distant rumble, and every single available weapons system on his body activated. <span style='color:blue'>Better hurry... We could use your tribes help actually...</span>
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Well.....once.....Pumeal.....is accepted, expect the assistance of a journeyman Sharpshooter, on a *shifty eyes* "special mission".....</td></tr></table> <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>So after void posts, plz wait for me. I should have approval by then, or rejection...I'll tell you to skip me if Pumeal is rejected.</td></tr></table>
(Very cool, welcome aboard Hithyne! As for the story, I'd be happy to extend it beyond the battle of the snake afterwards. ^_^ I'm sure The Lost won't content themselves unless we're destoyed. XD) "My name is Kyja. My tribe traveled here not three days ago to make it's new home on the outskirts of these ruins.", she bent to pick up her weapon, "As a Guardian, I've been scouting out the ruins for any threats... looks like I found one." She smiled broadly, the light glinting off a perfect row of razer-sharp canine teeth. Kyja was not yet certain she could trust this criminal, but he had fought alongside her in battle, he at least had her respect. "Let me warn the sentries and we will make for the camp." At this, she raised her head to the sky and let out a low howl. The sound was both eerie and beautiful, undulating in pitch and finally collapsing into a series of short yips. For kyja, it was a primal act, the most ancient language of her tribe. It's haunting sound echoed softly through the ruins. After a moment's pause, the call was replied. Kyja listened intently. "Alright," she said at last, "the camp is about two kilometers south of here. Let's go." --- (Hey hythine, did you want to show up when we get to the camp, maybe you were traveling though and found the tribe or something?)
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Nevermind</td></tr></table> <span style='color:darkred'>Pumeal, had been sent on this mission to find a deadly criminal robot. Due to classified information the name of the robot was undisclosed so he had been told it was highly dangerious and near a village...</span> <span style='color:red'>Not much to go on</span> <span style='color:darkred'>Pumeal reached the village, a huge long-ranged rifle slung over his back. He was a soldier but due to his undercover status he didn't really look like one.</span> <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>I need you guys to get the snake outside or I'm screwed</td></tr></table>
The rumbling came again and X-7 nodded to Kyja. "Very well Kyja, let us get to your tribe before The Sidewinder does." And with that he was running through the ruins, leaping from monument to monument, his jet pack flaring up to give him extra height and distance when his metallic and robotic parts weighted him down. He soon spotted the village, a small ways off, but obviously the snake had first as well. In a spray of sand, it leaped out of the sand among the ruins, and went for X-7 midjump, forcing him to turn his jetpack onto full power mid flight. This wasn't very good for the jetpack and it shorted out, not moving X-7 up out of the snakes way, but down. He fell into the sand just as the snake slammed into a large pillar jutting out of the sand. It smashed clean through and dissappeared into the sand beneath, before a large hump of sand appeared heading for the village. The A.I. core must have been malfunctioning...
