NationStates Jolt Archive

Max smirked at the question. "Put us over today's newspaper and these babies will pull up the highlights from the very first Super Bowl game."

Westheimer nodded and said, "Excellent. I will need your assistance in carrying out deep scans of the complex. Namely to note and figure out items of unusual interest and note, be they entrances, tunnels, caved-in areas, et cetera. I hate to impose, but I will need you to be our eyes and ears, for as has been wisely noted, the complex is a rather unknown quantity at the moment." He then pulled out his wallet and flashed a credit card, saying, "You will be duly recompensed for your time from the University."

Max looked back at Marcus with a small smile. "Finally, getting paid for the quality of service that I provide. I recommend we work with these guys again, boss."

Marcus frowned at the pilot who often to proved to be as difficult as the Abh to tell when he was joking or being serious. "You took the job for the scenery and the girls, not the money. Just do as the doctor orders."

Somewhat bummed, Max locked the ship over the city. "Alright then. I'll keep the scanners running hot and my finger on the trigger in case anything gets too close."

Max looked back at Marcus with a small smile. "Finally, getting paid for the quality of service that I provide. I recommend we work with these guys again, boss."

Marcus frowned at the pilot who often to proved to be as difficult as the Abh to tell when he was joking or being serious. "You took the job for the scenery and the girls, not the money. Just do as the doctor orders."

Somewhat bummed, Max locked the ship over the city. "Alright then. I'll keep the scanners running hot and my finger on the trigger in case anything gets too close."

Westheimer smiled and said, "Excellent! Good." He then walked up to Chris, who was checking his equipment as others were busy. "So, what now?"

"Well, when Marcus gives the go-ahead, we go into the Mako, and into the surface. Then, we go into the City."

Edwina and the Navigator heard the mention of going to the surface, and the commander turned about and said, "If you're going to the surface, you'll need me. Our people know how the City works, I doubt you would."

Chris shook his head and said, "No. THe Doctors have the data we need--what we need from you is to stay put until we can find a nice jail cell for you."

Edwina muttered, "Lousy cur."

"That's the way it works, lady." Upon hearing that, Edwina then looked at Westheimer, and said smiling, "You trust me, don't you?" Giving him Bambi eyes and a subtle hand motion, Westheimer suddenly nodded, "Yes. You can come."

Chris then interceded and said, "Uh uh, no...." but Westheimer said, "Appoint a guard to watch her, and she won't leave."

Nick tried to stay out of the discussion, he tried to quiet his tongue, as Chris did his best to persuade the Doctor that this was a horrible idea. What was possessing this doctor to act like such an idiot?

In a moment, whatever patience and self control left the Colonial. “Alright Doc.” he said as he got up in Westheimer’s face, to press the issue. “You don’t know Tinkerbell.” Nick said, about two inches from his face, “I do. You send that crazy ho down with us, and she will make a break for it. She will alert her forces, and she will ambush us.” he said to him, like a Sargent dressing down a nugget, on their first day of boot.

“She is not going, and that is final.” Nick said to the crowd. “I do not feel like dying today because of your hope that maybe she might be honest and telling the truth. She is one tough broad, and One Guard would never be able to hold her back. It took Chris, Marcus and me, and we barely subdued her. Frak, what is up with you, no wonder you are still a virgin. What you see that piece of tail, and you want to bend over backwards for her?” Nick dressed down Westheimer, leaning slightly in to the old man, trying to further his intimidation.

“Or are you even thinking? If she knew the secrets of the place, she would not be searching for it. She would have it already. Didn’t that cross into your mind, genious?”

Nick turned around and looked at Lady Edwana. “No she stays here, under lock and key.” he said, not making a suggestion. "I do not feel like being tied up again with her and that S&M commando bitch again, cause you got a hard on for her doe eyes."

Westheimer eventually shook his head, and went, seemingly only just realizing what had transpired, said, "My apologies. I hadn't known I was being so rash.....whatever possessed me?"

Chris thought to himself, "A Force trick, what's what. What I wouldn't give for a squad of PA here and now to teach this whelp a lesson."

Edwina, meanwhile, sighed, and muttered, "Damn" to herself--it was obvious whatever half-brained strategy she tried to execute had failed.

Marcus pushed a few buttons on his hand communicator and quickly two D'Haran guards arrived on the scene. The Ranger motioned for the two guards to grab Edwina.

"Take her down to a holding cell and keep her locked up."

Marcus let it go at that completely confident in their ability. It was one of the hidden traits of D'Harans that few knew about. As long as a Lord Rahl was on the throne and they swore fealty to him, no one could trick or control their minds.

"Alright, with that out of the way we should probably get going."

Nick was very grateful when Marcus had the woman escorted back to her cell, grateful that he wouldn’t have to put up with her escape attempts, or her petty vengeance, or another one of those tent revival speeches, about how he was a pagan, and not worthy of life.

As she was dragged away, Nick was probably the only one here unaware of any force mind tricks. Maybe he never got to that lesson, or maybe Lord Rahl was not ready to teach him that, until he matured, which was probably more true than the former.

All he knew was the Doctor just showed the poorest lack of judgment that there was. Still, the moment was over, and he might as well live and let live.

Turning to Marcus, and then Chris, he asked, “We ready to go now?”

Nick got on the Mako, and as he did, he lifted two white wires to his ear. With a smile and a nod, letting all his worries vanish, he reached down to his I-pod and hit play.

The music filled his head, as he gently began to bob his head. With his right air, he pounded the air, like he was playing an invisible drum set. His hands began to move faster and faster, as he played the invisible drums. Then he began to lip sing.

“Rising up
Back on the street
Took my time
Took my chances

Lept the distance and I am back on my feet,
Just a man and his will to survive.
So Many times it happened so fast
You trade your passion for Glory

Don‘t lose your grip on the dreams of the last
You have to fight to keep them alive”

As he sang out, Chris walked towards the entrance. Shooting the boy a quick look, he suppressed the urge to laugh, as Nick smiled, and danced slightly with his shoulders.

Placing his hands up to his eyes, he smiled at Chris,

“it is the Eye of the tiger,
It’s the queen of the fight..” he said, as he switched to an air guitar.

Placing his hands up to his eyes, he smiled at Chris,

“it is the Eye of the tiger,
It’s the queen of the fight..” he said, as he switched to an air guitar.

Chris then leaned back, as he sat in the Mako with the Doctors. He then broke out in his own song.

"Were leaving together,
But still its farewell
And maybe well come back,
To earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame
Were leaving ground
Will things ever be the same again?"

With a cheesy drumroll sound, Voeker then joined in with a simple, "IT'S THE FINAL COOOOUNTDOWN!"

The two then laughed, and Voeker replied, "Wow. Glad someone knew that song."

Fuzzy also showed up in the craft, and said looking at the aftermath of the scene, "Oh, don't mind Chris. Brother thinks he can sing. HE can't, but you know how people are."

"That's because I can, Fuzz." Chris replied. "Or at least, better than my brother."

"You mean that nerd that caught us--"

"Yeah. We don't talk about that in front of my buddies." Chris replied, sheepishly.

Fuzzy then leaned over to Nick and said, "I gots a helluva story to tell you, Nick."

Chris then pushed her back slightly and said, "No she doesn't...."

A large smile cracked Nick’s lips, as Fuzzy came to him, openly with the temptations of an embarrassing Chris story. His eyes light up, as he shoved Chris to the side playfully. “Well then, don’t hold back.” Nick said, as he walked over next to Fuzzy. With a quick smile, Nick pointed Chris back to the woman doctor, “Hey, you know she wants another American Idol moment, you should go chill, Fuzzy and I will be right back.” he said.

Turning to the gata, Nick offered her, a Marlboro light, although if she looked carefully she would notice it was one of her own. “So, lets here the story, I am dying to know.” he said as he placed his hand up to his chin, waiting to hear the tale that Chris wanted buried.

"God save me. I've been delivered into the hands of divas." Marcus reached up and grabbed the harnass and locked it down over his shoulders as he took the driving controls. Listening to the rest of crew sing "Eye of the Tiger" the Ranger just shook his head and turned the land crawler on.

Engines revved and Marcus gave Max the all clear sign for the doors to open. Once the doors opened, Marcus hammered down on the throttle. For the punishment of off-key singing, he didn't even bother to tell them that the vehicle was jumping to the city.

Nothingness opened up before them as Marcus drove the Mako straight out of the still hovering Sanjura hundreds of feet still in the air. The rush would be intense with a straight fall down though Marcus was quite comfortable with his harnass on keeping him locked in the seat.

Ground rushed up to meet them and it looked like the old Ranger had finally lost his mind until Marcus kicked the small tank's thrusters on. The Mako landed with a bounce but everything was fine. At least Marcus and vehicular wise.

"I don't want to hear 'are we there yet' for the rest of the trip or so help me I will take you outside this car and spank you. Now, if someone could put the head phones down and man the turrets, I'd appreciate it."

Out of no where, the Mako began to scream down towards the planet below. Nick, who was not strapped in yet, was thrown about the cabin. Bouncing off one wall, and onto the floor, when the Mako finally came to earth, the boy was sore as hell. Luckily the armor he wore absorbed most of the shock, but still the bruises that would be left after that would really hurt, tomorrow.

Nick picked himself off the floor, as his body screamed out in pain. “You prick.” he yelled out, as he picked himself off the floor. He reached up to one of the seats, and put his head back against the rest, and strapped himself in.

Damn it, why didn’t I strap myself in first? Nick thought to himself, as his shoulder ached from the jolts. Nick shook his head, as he looked at Chris. “Are we...” he paused for a moment, as Marcus glared at him in the rear view mirror.

Nick shrugged, and pointed at Chris... feigning innocence, something he was not good at.

As Marcus asked someone to man the turret, he looked at his bud. “Go ahead Chris, Fuzzy was about to tell me a good story.” he said to his bud, as the Mako bumped and jolted down the forest floor towards the city.

Crimson was in a bit of awe as he saw the city on his displays, eying the enormity of it all. The decayed superstructure cover in vines, glass and debris strewn about the ground, reminded Crimson of those videos he saw of the excavation of the Megaroad back on New Ganoxa. He descended the Arbalest alongside the Sanjura as it made its descent to drop off the Mako, with the rest of his team. Crimson steadied out and flew above the Mako at about fifty clicks, flying just ahead of them, shotcannon gleaming in the sunlight.

Chris sighed, and moved to man the turret. As he did so, the man said to his ex-girlfriend, "Antonia, you tell Nick anything--I can't be held responsible!" He then left in a huff.

Fuzzy laughed and turned to Nick with a smirk. "See, Chris never knew how to talk to me. First off all you don't use my real name...second of all....that story.....well, I'll tell it to you.....see this one time...."

She then leaned in and told a rather raunchy story. As this is a mostly-PG-13 website, I can't divulge most of the details, suffice to say they involved some rather interesting adventures with some whipped cream, rope, and an Okama Gamesphere controller with a session of Flying Tigers 6: Fight for Freedom in the background. Fuzzy blushed as she spoke, and snickered as she recounted her sordid, if entertaining night that Chris's brother, Tommy, discovered them as he wanted to play a round of Hola Tres. She then ended with, "DOn't tell him I said that--or do. I'd like to see the look on his face."

The rest of them didn't seem to mind the landing, and they only barely heard Marcus's admonition....
------------------------

Good thing Chris got to the turrets too, for those Sputnik looking drones began flying around the Mako. Chris relayed that up front, saying, "Marc, those flying thingies are here. They're looking at us funny."

Of course, cloaked in the woods were the faint outlines of other things....they wouldn't be noticed yet, unless Crimson picked them up. These were one or two of the "flying birds" relayed to by Westheimer's research, and like the robots, they'd be far from myth, but just as deadly.

The road itself, meanwhile, wouldn't be as bumpy or nasty as last time. In fact, it would be almost easy for the Mako to make it to the City. As it drove closer, structures that clearly used to be bunkers or other things--now covered up by the weathering of time and jungle growth--came into view.

Marcus took his eyes off the road for a moment to get a look at the flying robots that Chris was yelling about. Scanners even picked them as they were painted on the screen and in the turret for Chris to see.

"Well if they so much as twitch in a manner you don't like, go ahead and blow them out of the sky."

As they neared the jungle infested city ruins, Marcus guided the Mako through the area and deeper in. He quickly hit his comm link system. "Someone get me the doc. I want to know where I'm supposed to park this thing. There aren't any signs posted for me so a little guidance would be nice."

Marcus took his eyes off the road for a moment to get a look at the flying robots that Chris was yelling about. Scanners even picked them as they were painted on the screen and in the turret for Chris to see.

"Well if they so much as twitch in a manner you don't like, go ahead and blow them out of the sky."

As they neared the jungle infested city ruins, Marcus guided the Mako through the area and deeper in. He quickly hit his comm link system. "Someone get me the doc. I want to know where I'm supposed to park this thing. There aren't any signs posted for me so a little guidance would be nice."

Westheimer walked up to the cockpit when he heard Marcus call for him, and walked up to the cockpit. He then pointed at what looked like a rather large, rusted blast door, with an odd symbol on it--a red circle with a white triangle-ish shape inside. It was accompanied by what looked like faded lettering, worn away by jungle moisture. Whatever it was probably indicated the name of the vessel, or its old owners--it simply said, "New U.N. SPA," the "w" and "A" barely legible, along with a number 4.

"I'd say park in front of that," he said simply--the most succinct thing he had said in a while.

--------------------

Chris navigated the controls of his little turret--surprisingly intuitive little things. He tracked the flying drones, who held their distance. What did they want?

-------------------

Her Eyes recorded the incoming of this strange white vehicle. Though dormant, She could sense through her neural lookups--the security feeds that linked into her brain, the feeds that linked into the Drones that she controlled to watch for interlopers--that whereever He was, He was coming, with friends in tow, in that mechanical construct He was in in front of them.

No matter. They didn't seem hostile. The Drones kept watch, and Her personal army would be waiting to respond should the interlopers prove hostile. She would wait and see for now, as they parked.....

The Arbalest swooped in and hovered, Crimson moving it backwards and landing a few meters away from the bulkhead of the cityship, settling the mech down on the jungle soil. The Arbalest's shotcannon was used as a sort of support for the heavily damaged mech, as the cockpit opened to reveal Crimson. He took off his helmet and grabbed his sniper rifle and climbed down the arm. He looked up toward the Arbalest's head, "AL keep watch out here will ya? If I need you I'll call."

"Roger!"

Crimson ran towards the Mako, his rifle slung over his shoulder, to meet up with his comrades to explore this magnificent place. Crimson noticed, however, the sign that was obscured, "You don't suppose its New UN Spacy do you?" he thought aloud, not really caring that he did so.

Ganoxa;14526696']The Arbalest swooped in and hovered, Crimson moving it backwards and landing a few meters away from the bulkhead of the cityship, settling the mech down on the jungle soil. The Arbalest's shotcannon was used as a sort of support for the heavily damaged mech, as the cockpit opened to reveal Crimson. He took off his helmet and grabbed his sniper rifle and climbed down the arm. He looked up toward the Arbalest's head, "AL keep watch out here will ya? If I need you I'll call."

"Roger!"

Crimson ran towards the Mako, his rifle slung over his shoulder, to meet up with his comrades to explore this magnificent place. Crimson noticed, however, the sign that was obscured, "You don't suppose its New UN Spacy do you?" he thought aloud, not really caring that he did so.

Westheimer also looked at the sign as he got out of the vehicle, and wondered what it was about. Then, Crimson came up to the Mako, muttering out loud what he thought was what with the faded sign.

The old coot and his female fellow scientist, interests raised, walked up to the young Ganoxan. Voeker then replied, "New UN Spacy? I thought that was just a pre-Apocalypse legend, a tv show made to entertain Japanese children, or a failed space colonization project to be scavenged by the Hubologists in San Francisco for their own technoreligious ends?"

Westheimer then raised a pair of field glasses and saw the marks closely with them, and muttered, "Well, that symbol in front on the ship is what the locals revere as The Unmark.....though given my hypothesis has just been given strong evidence, I wouldn't be surprised if this was from the New UN Spacy. And for the record, Doctor Voeker, the organization did exist once. Admittedly, either before the Apocalypse between the United States and USSR, or on another Earth more blessed than ours, such a force sent out colony ships to the stars. The Megaroad Excavation done by Tennenbaum was one such ship."

Voeker raised an eyebrow.

"Tennenbaum? Jesus. No wonder why no one believes New UN Spacy existed."

Crimson cracked a smile at Westheimer's comment on Tennenbaum as he had heard she could be quite a handful from a friend of his, now married to Dr. Walliston, who had coincidentally was a lead researcher of the Megaroad excavation. He shrugged and inspected the symbol even closer, "I have seen this symbol before, from some reports I read about the Megaroad. This was their standard," he touched the symbol with the palm of his hand, his face seriously staring at it. He then looked back towards the two archaeologists , "I hope we don't find any wild Zentradi survivors," he smiled as he walked towards an open bulkhead, walking in first into the city.

The gears slowly turned as Nick listened to Fuzzy’s story intently. Either for desire to one day recall the story at the most embarrassing time to bug Chris, or maybe just to get ideas in the future who could tell. In any event, when Chris climbed down from the turret, as they approached their parking spot, Nick was laughing with his ex.

“Yeah sure sounds like that guy is a nerd. Couldn’t he have just said…. Oh hey Chris how are you doing?” Nick said as he looked up to his bud rejoining the crew.

“How’s things in the crow’s nest?” he asked him, as he tried to restrain his giggling for a moment.

Then the doors opened, as Nick walked out with the Doctors, and the Crew. This city was truly a miracle, not for it being a legend to coming to life, no that had nothing to do with it for Nick, but somehow, some way, it separated Crimson from his girlfriend. Nick was astonished to see Crimson approach the party.

“Damn, now I never thought I would have seen this.” He said as he watched Crimson come over towards them. “What happened, old lady kick you out?” he said as he slapped Crimson on the back.

“By the way, damn good flying back there in the jungle. Thanks for keeping those ho’s at bay man.”

As the doctors bantered back and forth, Nick didn’t have the faintest idea what anyone here was talking about. Like a grade school kid, he raised his hand for theatrical effect. “Um…. Question. Can anyone here please talk like you know someone who isn’t from earth can understand? What is UN Spacey, or USSR, or United States? You guys are throwing out more letters than a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.”

Then he looked ahead down the long forgotten road. It looked somewhat strange seeing a city deserted and ruined, as he looked down the old buildings. "So anyone got a clue what this was used for, or is this what we are getting paid the big bucks for?"

As the doctors bantered back and forth, Nick didn’t have the faintest idea what anyone here was talking about. Like a grade school kid, he raised his hand for theatrical effect. “Um…. Question. Can anyone here please talk like you know someone who isn’t from earth can understand? What is UN Spacey, or USSR, or United States? You guys are throwing out more letters than a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.”

Then he looked ahead down the long forgotten road. It looked somewhat strange seeing a city deserted and ruined, as he looked down the old buildings. "So anyone got a clue what this was used for, or is this what we are getting paid the big bucks for?"

Westheimer replied, "My boy, this cityship, if my instincts and Mr. Crimson's are correct, was part of a series of vessels chaired by an old institution on Earth, known as the United Nations."

Voeker replied, smiling, "To keep things short, the UN was an assembly of nations that sought to preserve peace--evidently, the two great superpowers on Earth before the great atomic war that ruined it, the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, were kept in check by its influence until they finally decided to nuke one another.

The Spacy--rumors abound about why it was named as such--some say its an acronym, others thought some Japanese fellow thought it was a logical progression from Navy or Army--was a legendary space force that was rumored to have been chaired by the UN Security Council or some other faction within it--pre-Apocalypse records about the UN are mostly intact, but there is some speculation about what it exactly did at times as the crisis loomed."

Westheimer nodded.

"Anywho, I endeavor to go inside with Dr. Voeker and the others, to perform a survey of this City. Max will be assisting us from the Sanjura above. Prepare for anything--who knows what could be down there. Like those Zentraedi Mr. Crimson mentioned....big fellows, a form of human bred for combat and a genetic ancestor the Hajarrans."

Voeker added, "Hence, the funny hair colors and the fact they seem taller."

He then walked forward, Chris dismounting his turret and catching up. He then asked Nick sternly, "Antonia told you, didn't she?"

Nick sighed in relief as they mentioned genetically mutated killing humans. A smile creased his face, much to the surprise to the others I am sure. As he got the look, you know the look people give you when you do something stupid, or think you are crazy, he just shrugged. “Hey, I am just glad it isn’t killer robots of doom. I am so sick of shooting toasters, well ok maybe not but still it is getting kinda old.” he said as he turned back to Fuzzy.

Chris then crawled out of the turret, and Nick nodded, “Yeah she told me all about her time in band camp. Did you know one time they had to march four miles with their flutes. You Dornies are slave drivers, dude.” he said with a half cocked smile.

Chris then glared at Fuzzy, as Nick put his hand on his shoulder. “I am just frakkin with ya bro. Sorry to tell you this, your girl is a tease. All she did was keep offering, and I kept accepting, and instead she backed away, and said we would talk later over drinks. As much as I would love to hear her story, I get the feeling I might be shot if I do.”

He then walked over towards Marcus, not knowing if Chris would by the load of bullshit he just unloaded. “So pops.” Nick said as he walked over to the old man. “Where do ya think we should start at?”

Nick sighed in relief as they mentioned genetically mutated killing humans. A smile creased his face, much to the surprise to the others I am sure. As he got the look, you know the look people give you when you do something stupid, or think you are crazy, he just shrugged. “Hey, I am just glad it isn’t killer robots of doom. I am so sick of shooting toasters, well ok maybe not but still it is getting kinda old.” he said as he turned back to Fuzzy.

Chris then crawled out of the turret, and Nick nodded, “Yeah she told me all about her time in band camp. Did you know one time they had to march four miles with their flutes. You Dornies are slave drivers, dude.” he said with a half cocked smile.

Chris then glared at Fuzzy, as Nick put his hand on his shoulder. “I am just frakkin with ya bro. Sorry to tell you this, your girl is a tease. All she did was keep offering, and I kept accepting, and instead she backed away, and said we would talk later over drinks. As much as I would love to hear her story, I get the feeling I might be shot if I do.”

He then walked over towards Marcus, not knowing if Chris would by the load of bullshit he just unloaded. “So pops.” Nick said as he walked over to the old man. “Where do ya think we should start at?”

Chris looked at Fuzzy, and then put his hands on his hips sternly, saying, "Antonia........" with seething anger. Fuzzy just chuckled, and poked him playfully on the nose, blowing a raspberry and going, "Christopher Markham.....I told him nothing. The boy is right. Now grow up."

Westheimer, meanwhile, only said, "We have to open the front gate.....let's get closer. I don't want to hurt a valuable site."

Thus, the crew was motioned to go forth, and Voeker began snapping pictures.

--------

All the while, Her Drones followed the Rangers, spying on them as they moved closer. And.....no....was it!?

She had one Drone hover over the One Who Looked Like Him. Yes. She zoomed in now, and held the machine as steady as possible. She snapped a still shot, and fed it through her memories, the sands of time....

...by God, it was Him! She was overjoyed!

She couldn't let Him stay out here in the cold. Problem was, the doors were damaged and rusted......which ones worked? She looked about, and decided to open an access hatch to the side.

---------------

Westheimer and the Rangers then, would hear a rumbling. Looking into the distance with his binoculars, he was astounded to see that a door had opened in the side. Not the main blast door, but another access port on the side. A light also seemed to blink, as if beckoning them to come in.

Crimson looked at the bulkhead that had just suddenly opened, unknowingly for him, in front of him. Staring at it blankly then casually looking at the rest of the team, "Okay...well I guess we go in this way." Crimson took a step into the dark corridor and turned his flashlight forward. All about him were leaking pipes and debris strewn on the walls and floors, respectively. The air was more humid than it was outside in the jungle, causing the temperature to be even more warmer as he ventured deeper into it, probably due to steam pipes. "Goddamn is it hot in here! Come on in!," he gestured.

Suddenly he heard something skittering across the floor, taking out his sidearm in reaction. He pointed the sidearm along with the flashlight to where ever he heard a noise, until he finally cornered something. It was literally, to Crimson, a crawling fuzzball with eyes and a sort of mouth. It was trembling in the corner, when Crimson knelt by it, taking some food out of his pocket and gestured it towards the creature. Initially it was scared but eventually ate the food. "Its alright little guy, don't be afraid."

Nick was along for the ride, walking next to Fuzzy and Chris, as they began to scout out the site. Something was weird here to him, as he walked along, checking out the rusted gates, and doors that hadn’t been opened in gods know how long. The city was eerie, that was for sure, then one of the doors opened.

Nick levied his pistol when it did. It was like a scene from a horror movie, you know like every one of them, the one where the unwanted guests walk in to the only open door, then bam, the monster gets one of them. Usually the young, good looking one that spent half the movie hiting on every chick in it. Yeah, this didn’t make Nick feel good.

Then he watched Crimson walk into the room. Nick shook his head. “Dun da, dun da,” he started to sing, as he held his pistol before him.

Chris and Fuzzy looked strangely at him. “What are you doing?” Chris asked.

Nick shrugged, “Well if this is going to be a scene out of a bad horror film, we need the scary monster music.”

Chris face palmed for a moment. “Nick, Reality... movies...”

Nick shook his head, “You call this reality?”

Nick then followed to watch Crimson playing with the little creature on the floor. Nick turned back to Chris. “You telling me, this isn’t a bad scene out of a horror film? Watch” he said as he pointed his gun towards the shadows, “That is where the monster will come, usually after the good looking guy, or the slutty girl. All we need now is the smug bastard saying, 'I'll be right back."

He then looked to Fuzzy. Chick was a trip that was sure, and being Chris' old flame, that made her open to off color comments. He then pointed his pistol in the dark shadows of the room. "Well go on Fuzz, go check it out."

She turned to him with a weird look. Nick smiled, "Well only me, marcus and you fit the description of the monsters first victim." he said winking at her.

The fuzzball chirped with glee, and promptly lept onto Crimson's shoulder, squeaking happily. Evidently, it was glad to have some decent nourishment for once.

The interior of the City was indeed hot, steamy, and not in the tittlating way either. The interiors were rusted over, showing the effects of the collected concentrations of jungle moisture and broken steam pipes. Refuse, rubble, dead animal skins, and plant growth and dirt were apparent in spots, and faded symbols of a bygone time appeared on the walls. Signs in English, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, and Chinese pointed in a hazy, faded manner, to spots in the ship marked, "Engineering," or "Crew Quarters," or "Enlisted Mess."

And everywhere, there was the feeling of being watched. After all, whatever activated the door had now suddenly triggered the lights, presumably emergency lights or utility lights. These dimly lit the passages, giving it that horror movie feel that Nick pointed out so well.

Again there was that symbol, like on the blast door. And, indeed, the old United Nations symbol, faded out now, a faint map of the Earth's continents on a blue circle, with white olive branches symbolizing a peace that never was.

Amidst all this, Fuzzy pinched Nick's ear, and said, twisting it, "Let's see if I tell you any stories again, you little shit." Clearly, she resented the comparison to being a monster. She then walked forward, pulling out a small flashlight to compensate for the ungodly shadows along with her 1911. Sweeping the area with her light, she saw nothing but up ahead a blocked off passage with rubble, and another one leading to "Crew Quarters." Motioning to the party, Fuzzy said, "Well, we only gots one way to go. Crew Quarters."

Voeker and Westheimer, meanwhile, made copious notes, and surveyed the area--due to the low light, they kept whispering into tape recorders. But clearly, they ate this up. Chris, meanwhile, was not in the least bit as amused.

His ear throbbed, as Fuzzy began to rip him a new one. Twisting, and red, it was a good lesson to learn, don’t piss off a gata. “I didn’t compare you to a monster, Fuzz, I compared you to the classic victim.” he said as he rubbed his sore ear. Then he looked over at Chris, who also wasn’t amused. “Well frak.” he thought to himself, as he followed everyone down past the rubble towards the crew quarters.

The light was very dim, as he fliped on his own flashlight. The old symbols were lost on the boy, the faded ruins looked like something out of some strange flick. He couldn’t shake the thought, that it was like some kind of show, as they walked down the old abandoned city.

Nick after his thrashing, decided to get serious. Chris was in a foul mood, and so was his woman. At least Marcus hadn’t chimed in... yet. But that was only a matter of time. Nick walked on, his pistol ready, in case his joke became true, and there really were monsters here.

Chris, to wit, wasn't actually in a foul mood; but he was trying to stay alive in this dank place and thus he found Nick's joking a little distracting. He merely muttered to Nick, who was sore, "Now you know why she was my ex-girlfriend."

In the meantime, the Rangers, led by Fuzz, would enter a series of hallways, with doors that were either shut, rusted shut, half open, or simply broken open. Evidently, these were rooms one time used to house crewmen. Posters--or remnants thereof--lined the walls. Bedframes, rotted mattresses, junk, old desks, et cetera, were in full force, along with--alarmingly--a few skeletons with rotted uniforms. Westheimer leaned down onto one of the skeletons, and noted, "Note: Old Uniform....perhaps from New UN crew that had led this ship...."

OOC: Gonna slow up here and let others catch up. Feel free to find all kinds of junk in the old crew quarters, do a little exploring.

Marcus walked along relatively quiet with the rest of the Rangers and their friends. Afterall, it was difficult to have an intelligent conversation with a pimp, slut, nerds, and a boy that had his head so far up his own ass that he saw daylight through his wee hole. So for the often perceived intelligent older Ranger, Marcus preferred his silence while allowing the others to go on about their endless chatter.

Still, for Marcus the talking did not unnerve him as much as it did to Chris. Marcus realized that if anyone was going to get killed during this, it was going to be the ones that kept talking. It was always easier to sight down a gun on the ones who were chatting away instead of the one that was walking quietly in the shadows. Besides, if Nick had paid closer attention to his movies he would have known that in every horror/action movie the bad ass character always comes out alive.

A few skeletons resting here and there seem to speak volumes of the interior decorating. Whatever went on in the ship, it didn't seem to be anything good. "So where are the zombies or alien artifact that turns us all into mindless monsters?"

A few skeletons resting here and there seem to speak volumes of the interior decorating. Whatever went on in the ship, it didn't seem to be anything good. "So where are the zombies or alien artifact that turns us all into mindless monsters?"

Chris said nothing to that, doing his own rummaging about. Opening a few file cabinets and desks to the tune of groans from the Doctors--Westheimer repeatedly insisted that "the site must not be disturbed until we can date it" being the good archaeologist--with a little elbow grease and a bobby pin found on the floor, he found little or nothing to ease Marcus's worries. No zombies or space creeps here, but lots of rotted documents, printed on official letterhead--they looked like official announcements from "Captain Kuznetsov," evidently, the last person to run this madhouse.

Also among the desks were some old, faded magazines and newsprint--mostly in German and Japanese, featuring obscure aircraft that bore a resemblance to the Komsomol series of planes, they seemed to be on a variety of topics. Chris flipped through one in Japanese that bore images of a woman in the same uniform as the dead--alarmingly, with the head torn off, and the caption defaced with angry Japanese text next to it.

Additionally, one of the surviving newspapers consisted of a copy of the German tabloid Bild Zeitung (OOC: RL Publication equivalent to the New York Post or the Daily Mirror). It seemed to report on a World Cup match, and a concert of some sort--what concert it was was unknown, owing to the passage of time's effects on the newsprint, which made about half of it simply unreadable. And, next to one of the corpses was a pistol. It looked used, with some spent shells next to it.

Naturally, the two scientists looked at the items with care, and photographed and catalogued every object meticulously with the care one would give to their own children.

Chris muttered, "Whatever happened here looked pretty violent...wouldn't you say, Fuzz?"

"No shit, sherlock," Fuzz replied, as she leaned in and opened another desk. Startled, she lept back with a "YEEP!" and into Chris's arms. Slapping him, he let go.

Inside the desk drawer was a doll or object of some kind. Chris then asked Crimson on the comms, "Crimson, take a look at this....what is it?"

"A Minmei doll?" Crimson picked up the doll from the drawer and placed it on the desk, "If this is, then it should...ah there it is," he flipped a switch on the doll of which it played a song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH0H_idMtHI). The fuzzball on his shoulder began to become more soothed by the music as it loosened up and gave a relaxing smile if one could really see through his fur. "These dolls were found throughout the Megaroad site, all of them set to resemble a then-famous recording artist known as Lynn Minmei," he explained, "of whom, according to the information gained, ended a war with just her music. Although I myself is skeptical of such an event ever occurring.

Ganoxa;14546996']"A Minmei doll?" Crimson picked up the doll from the drawer and placed it on the desk, "If this is, then it should...ah there it is," he flipped a switch on the doll of which it played a song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH0H_idMtHI). The fuzzball on his shoulder began to become more soothed by the music as it loosened up and gave a relaxing smile if one could really see through his fur. "These dolls were found throughout the Megaroad site, all of them set to resemble a then-famous recording artist known as Lynn Minmei," he explained, "of whom, according to the information gained, ended a war with just her music. Although I myself is skeptical of such an event ever occurring.

Chris snickered at Fuzzy for being scared of such a thing. Leaning in close, he looked in and said, "Well, I'll be. This what scared you?"

Fuzzy scowled and replied, blushing from embarassment, "How the fuck was I supposed to know? All I know, this shit coulda been a Voodoo doll. You heard Marcus's question."

"THat's called sarcasm, Fuzz," Chris said.

Voeker and Westheimer, meanwhile, looked at the doll. Leaning up close, they catalogued it as usual, Voeker observing, "I thought Minmei was just a myth--looks like I'll need to double check my archaeological journals. Though with my recent condition, I'm not surprised this one fell through."

-------------------------

The Doll's activation sounded that old song...yes, those many years ago. That song. She remembered its sweet melody, how She composed in memory of Him, and how She later sang it to adoring crowds. Yes.

She peered through a camera outside, looking into the room. Rusted over as it was, she could catch a glimpse of Him explaining to the others what this Doll was. Evidently, the strange woman, smart-mouthed boy, equally crude man and the stoically silent fellow with Him knew little of what it was--only the old wizzened scientist and his fellow traveler knew how the Dolls were to represent Her. She could see the old man talk....

--------------------

"....hardly a myth, my dear, indeed," Westheimer noted.

Then, a *SCREECH* came from outside. And then, the sound of crackling...static....then that song from the doll, played back in faded fashion.

"What the shit?" Chris asked.

From Yesterday (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxNAVq2qYmU&feature=related)

The floor was littered with bodies, from a time long ago. Their uniforms were jaded, burned, torn and rotten, as Nick walked around their skeletons. Like those with him, he walked around the room, opening the drawers in the metal walls, looking for a sign of anything, a clue as to what caused this catastrophe.

The First drawer was a but of a struggle, as the hot humid temperatures caused the wheels on the inside to rust. He tugged harder, and it finally gave way, as it flew off it’s rack into his body.

He reached down and began to look through the drawers. There were an assortment of uniforms, each piled neatly and somewhat preserved, then he came to a near rotten wallet. Nick opened it up, and looked inside. Lt. Craig Smith, was said on the card, with a similar hologram and watermark as the faded pictures on the wall.

Nick took it out, then saw behind it another picture, a picture of a woman, strange, especially since it had corners. Nick never understood that, as he looked at the picture, why Earth had decided it was necessary to keep the corners. It just looked, strange to him. He flipped it over, and looked on the back of the photo. “No matter where you may travel, you take my heart with you. Love, Amelia.”

Nick looked over to the skeleton on the bed, and noticed a small chain. “Poor bastard.” he said, as he looked at the dog tags. He then took the photo and placed it in the pocket of the rotting bones. “Here’s to ya man, damn fine girl.” he said, then he turned around and began to open the second drawer. Like the first, it was stuck, but soon gave way to Nick.

Nick like before began to move the uniforms aside, then he found something he could appreciate much more. An old flask. He unscrewed the top, and smelled inside. “Damn.” he said, as he quickly shoved it in his pocket. The way this mission might go, he knew he might need this more than the old bones on the floor.

Just then, he heard a blood curdling noise, he turned around, pistol in front of him, to see Fuzzy jumping in the arms of Chris. Nick tried to contain himself, but he couldn’t, as he chuckled.

He stood back as the events began to unfold, as described above. He was quiet until the infernal thing began to sing. Nick shook his head, “What in the hell is that noise? That is supposed to be music?” he asked as he covered his ears. To him, it was more like fingernails racking across a chalk board, much in the same way that Hard Rock is highly unpleasant to those from the middle east. “Please, shut that off.” he asked as he began to rummage through the third drawer.

He shook his head as he moved the artifacts aside, “No wonder Fuzzy was scared of it, damn thing is a torture device.” he thought to himself, as he found absolutely nothing in the third drawer. Then he heard the screech. Nick again turned around, and looked towards the exit.

“Now the frakker comes.” Nick thought to himself, as he looked towards the entrance to the room. Nick then looked at the group. He walked over to Marcus, and said. “Whatcha think boss, should we check it out?” he asked the old man

Marcus heard the screeched then spun around with his rifle drawn and prepared for anything that might come crashing through. He relaxed a little bit even as the doll continued to sing. He couldn't help but wonder why he always got sent on the freak missions. Marcus wondered if he pissed Lord Rahl off somehow.

"Take the batteries out of the damn thing. Now it's starting to bother even me."

Nick then looked at the group. He walked over to Marcus, and said. “Whatcha think boss, should we check it out?” he asked the old man.

Marcus flipped on the light to his rifle and nodded his head. "Follow my lead but stand off to the side a little bit. If you piss yourself, I don't want you getting any on me."

Marcus reached for the door handle and cranked it open. He signalled for Nick to check one side of the hall while Marcus checked the opposite then they swept back out into the flickering lights from a bad horror video game.

OOC: Macross fans reading this--I am aware the link goes to a Joe Cocker song. Figured it'd be something "She" would sing.

IC:

They noticed the song...hmm....Her music didn't have the power it used to. Shame, really. What was wrong with her Number One song? The Impudent One scoffed--She NEVER got such a reaction before....not even Her manager forced that on Her.

Ah, well. She decided that if that wouldn't please His retinue, She would play another song. Maybe they would find this one more patable--though She was more than a little dismayed they didn't get it.

------------

The recording faded out, and then, the speakers in the halls piped in a Japanese accented voice. Cutesy, becoming, and seemingly too cheery for the cold, deathly environs, it spoke, wistfully, sadly.

"Hello, one and all. This is your lovely host for today--Minmei-san. It is a shame that my music wasn't pleasing initially....lie not, I saw some of your faces. I have eyes. I apologize for the scare.

It is fortunate I have a rather good memory. YOu may like this one better. It's called "Feelin' Alright," it is pleasant, no? This one's dedicated to that pilot I love out there...somewhere...."

Then, the cutesy, innocent sounding voice began singing over a blues piano accompaniment, these old words....

"Seems I got to have a change of scene
Cause every night I have the strangest dreams
Imprisoned by the way it used to be
Left here on my own or so it seems
I got to leave before I start to scream
But someone's locked the door and took the key..." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eja_T-KWJ_E)

The flickering lights, the dank smell of drips of water, and the voice from some unknown speaker system confirmed it to Nick, as he searched along the room with Marcus, this IS a horror movie. The cutsy voice, that seemed to love music, the loud shrieking outside, the creepy doll, it was adding up. It was like a horror, musical.

Nick held his pistol in front of him as he searched the room. It was quiet, all too quiet, except for the blue’s music coming from an unknown source. Nick wondered what she meant, by I can see it on your face, don’t lie. If she was so all knowing, she would have known both Nick and Marcus would not have lied about that previous screech.

Nick, turned his attention to Marcus. “I do not know what I hate more now, Robots, or some crazy woman with her hand on a speaker, and a diva complex.” he said as he searched the room. Still though, the piano was an added bonus, and he had to admit she could play, just her cute, cheerful voice was the anti-thesis of blues. "Ship must have launched before the Dornies had good taste in music." he throught to himself, as he looked around the rubble, stepping in small puddles around this broken room.

“All Clear.” he said as he finished searching his half of the room. There was nothing here, but old bones, and strange looking rodents, like the one that Crimson had befriended.

Then Nick had an idea, as he wondered if she was actively listening in on them. "Hey, Mini-me." he said, to the room, "If you want to sing, can you play some Sweet Home Alabama?" he asked to the empty room.

Marcus reached for the door handle and cranked it open. He signalled for Nick to check one side of the hall while Marcus checked the opposite then they swept back out into the flickering lights from a bad horror video game

Chris left Fuzzy to watch the scientists as he continued to do his own search. To him, this was admittedly scary. But, it was also ridiculous. Did the DJ aboard this damn rustbucket know she'd scare people like that? And was he the only one to make that connection between the dollie that freaked everyone out and the DJ's name?

He searched some more of the rooms, finding the same. In particular, he found a rifle seemingly damaged--with rusted in bloodstains on it.

Ominously, he noted that as he got closer to Marcus's location and a little bit on, the remnants of what looked like some tables knocked over, and a rusty machine gun with a skeleton next to it. Indeed, all over, the signs of some Godforsaken struggle could be seen. Bullet holes in the walls, more skeletons, some spent shells and what looked like burns from explosives. Chris recognized a massacre when he saw one. What had gone on here?

As for Marcus, the cover of one of Joe Cocker's number one hits continued to provide a strange backdrop, Marcus would not only be able to see similar sights in this carnival of terror, but also a door marked in the multitude of languages, "Miclone Vats," in a distant door at the end of another hallway. Chris approached him and simply said, "I've found remnants of a struggle. And I know struggle when I see it."

--------------

Then Nick had an idea, as he wondered if she was actively listening in on them. "Hey, Mini-me." he said, to the room, "If you want to sing, can you play some Sweet Home Alabama?" he asked to the empty room.

The nerve! The Impudent One certainly had never known of Her before, evidently. Well, She figured it wasn't a surprise. Lost on this rock, Her memory would have been consigned to greatest hits albums and remembrance specials on TV. Still, to be dubbed "Mini-Me" was.....somehow irking. This one didn't know how to control his mouth.

She merely replied, "The name is Minmei. Min-May. And if you do something for me, I might play it for you...."

She then added with a bit of irritation at the end, "....if you behave."

Marcus swept his end of the hallway with little else to see but walls turned into Swiss Cheese and more old bones. There sure looked like a lot of lead was thrown back and forth here. Either way, it didn't look like the bones laying around came out on top. He found it curious that amidst all of the guns and bullet holes, there were no bodies that looked to be what the crew was shooting at.

Unless it was a mutiny. That thought crossed Marcus's mind though he wasn't the doctor here.

Nick, turned his attention to Marcus. “I do not know what I hate more now, Robots, or some crazy woman with her hand on a speaker, and a diva complex.”

"Probably the robots. At least they don't talk as much or try to sing."

The type of music made very little difference to the older Ranger as it was all just an annoyance that made him even grumpier. Why couldn't it just be quiet so he could think clearer?

Chris approached him and simply said, "I've found remnants of a struggle. And I know struggle when I see it."

Marcus nodded at his assessment. "Right but what were they struggling against? Were they fighting themselves or something else?"

“If you behave…”

Those words sunk into the core of Nick, as he walked over towards his two companions. “If I behave?” he asked, “Listen bitch, I was behaving. I can’t help it if you pick shitty songs alright. I didn’t hit on ya, which seems to be a no-no on this rock, hell I was trying to be nice.” He said as he shook his head at this judgmental wanna be diva.

“It is easy to see where Tinkerbell and the Pixies, get their hospitality.” Nick said as he walked over to the room with Marcus and Chris. Then he listened to their discussion. Nick gently folded both of his arms, as he looked at the pair. “I would say lets go with the assumption they were fighting something else. If they were fighting themselves, then they are all dead and there is no danger. But, if it is something else, and we know something else is here, then we will be better prepared. Besides if I had to put up with a radio that talked back to me all the damn time, I would wanna shoot something too.”

Naturally, She was too dignified to return the Snarky One's comments. As it was, he could be forgiven for not knowing who She was...but this was ridiculous. Her millions of fans couldn't be wrong, and if She could only summon them....well.....a shame, really....they couldn't be called on at the moment. Not after that spat long ago.

The Old One next to him seemed irritatingly frustrated as well. Didn't they understand She was just trying to serenade them, like She used to serenade people in the old days with her songs? Evidently not. The only ones she didn't have issues with were Him--She knew Her Pilot would appreciate her music, and continued to do so--and the others nearby, who seemed clueless, merely.

---------

All Marcus and Nick got was a simple, "As you wish."

Then, the piano began again, and she began humming and singing more blues music, words altered to meet her gender (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emol2JyR050&feature=related). Chris, fortunately, came from a culture that could think whilst music was blaring, and he thus surmised, "Let's not blame it on someone else because there's some crazy lady playing her own hit parade on the ship's comms. And for the record, her voice--kinda nice with the blues piano. Anyway, musical aesthetics aside....let's have a closer look at these corpses." Motioning to Westheimer and Voeker and Fuzzy, who by now followed Marcus and company in, Chris said, "Look these skeletons over. See if there's anything wierd on them at all."

Leaning down and looking at the walls, and at the scene, he resurrected--temporarily--his old police skills. Obviously, he wasn't a crime scene tech, and didn't have their level of training. But he could read crime scenes well enough, so he was able to get something. Westheimer, meanwhile, was more of the expert here. An archaeologist, he began examining the bones and the grisly artifacts. He then found a helmet, what looked like a riot helmet with old blood stains and a spraypainted "no-sign" over some Chinese characters.

"Got a helmet here with a no sign...."

Pulling out a ka-bar knife, Chris poked one of the skeletons, and turned it over to reveal a faded armband of some sort.

"Guys, check for armbands on these corpses. Things like this usually indicate mutiny...though given the fact this is a Goddamn cityship, more like a military coup. It seems here....well, you don't need a crime scene tech to tell you that whoever attacked these guys won the combat easily."

The "Diva" then chirped on the comms, temporarily interrupting her vocal work, "I see what you are doing. The dead should be left undisturbed, yes?"

Chris then sheathed his knife and said, "Well, then can you tell us what happened to these people? To be honest, we're not liking what we're seeing here, and we want some answers. Frankly, you seem to know them."

"Just like the boy," the "Diva" replied. "Always so impatient. Not like my Pilot was. Ah, well. Such is life."

She then continued, somewhat impaitently but gently, "In due time, I will tell you the story. But if you want to know more, go through the door marked 'Miclone Vats.' That's m. i. c. l. o. n. e, since evidently I am the only one who knows these things."

Then, a grate opened, and a spider skittered out of it. Running past the Rangers, it skittered up to the Door and attached itself to it.

"Follow our little friend there. He will not hurt you, he is completely under my power. Go on now."

She then added in a sultry voice, "I'm waiting."

Chris merely said, whispering to Nick, "Creepy lady," before he walked to the door, Black Maria unslung and cocked. Fuzzy and the others followed as well, as the spider opened the door.....

--------------------------------

As the song faded out, she then muttered, "That was my rendition of Ray Charles's 'I Can't Stop Loving You.' Now, another from the Genius, for he made some very good songs I sang once for a tour....."

---------------------------------

OOC: THis next part added with OG's permission.

IC:

Nick would suddenly, to the tune of another lilting blues piano, and a soulful, passionate delivery by the DJ he so detested (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzdHlN_eVSw&feature=related), find himself not in the City, but in a park in Caprica, busy with strollers on a Saturday afternoon. Slightly discombobulated at first, he saw Blue beckoning to him in her usually flummoxed yet graceful manner, and he then muttered, "Dang!" to himself silently, as he ran up to his girlfriend. Sitting on the bench with a sheepish grin as the music played, seemingly coming from a boombox next to a Chinese woman in a dress (http://www.geocities.com/the_new_robotech/lynn_minmei.GIF) sitting in a nearby bench, with a copy of the Caprica City Sentinel, open to the Entertainment pages.

Nick then muttered, with a grin, "Sorry I was late, Blue. You know how things are."

As Blue would inevitably try to reply, Nick heard the music coming closer. He looked up to see the woman, standing in her sundress in the midst of the park, speak to her in that DJ's voice.

"You are the one who called me Mini-Me, yes?"

"Yeah. I also called you tone-deaf. Your point being?" Nick replied in a curious, slightly wierded manner that indicated he didn't want to be bothered.

The woman let out a sigh and said, "Such men they raise nowadays--not a single speck of the gentleman in them. Come along now. Perhaps I can make you understand me a little better. I think we got off on the wrong foot." Extending her hand, she then said, "BEsides, anyone who is friends with My Pilot cannot be a bad man."

"Your pilot? Now that's news," Nick looked about, and realized Blue, along with the other parkstrollers, disappeared. He then became rather worried, only to hear the woman say, "Come along now. We have much to discuss, and little time to do so."

Nick was tugged up, and took the woman's hand, too busy trying to figure out the sudden rush of events. The sudden park visit, the sudden disappearance of the people--it was rather odd. Now, he was told he knew "Her Pilot." Nick asked, "THis pilot of your's got a name?"

"Hikaru," she said. "A rather good individual. I wish he would spend less time in combat though. People die in wars on both sides, and they leave behind so much human wreckage, families and loved ones lost--such a loss!"

Nick muttered, "No kidding, lady." Grimly, he had to concede that much to her--his first hand experiences with the Remnant told him that much.

"You are very crude, you should fix that. Come now."

Walking into what looked like the men's room, Nick was about to say something when he realized he was in the Crew Quarters from before. He saw men in uniforms, throwing down tables, raising rifles and machine guns, and preparing for battle. THey had riot gear, crude equipment, and armbands around their arms.....

Then, some other similarly uniformed men banged on the door marked "Miclone Vats" that she wanted them to go through. Pointing to it, she said, "Look there. You will see what these men face now."

The door opened up, and several men in heavy armor rushed into the room, opening fire and throwing teargas grenades. Chris was indeed right--the barricades did little to stop the attack, and the men working them were soon locked in fierce combat as they opened with machineguns and weapons, shouting, "Death to oppression! Elect Zaan as Mayor!"

"Stand down! NOW!" One of the men in heavy armor shouted this, as he beat down one of the rebels and shot him with a shotgun at point blank.

"You see? This is what happened. A rebellion onboard ship." She then turned from the scene and sobbed angrily. "And all for what! Because some ballot boxes didn't get filled the right way!" The DJ then said, "I refuse to talk about it anymore. Go on to the next room, and I will update you from there on in."

Nick was then left back in the ruins....

His eyes glazed over, as the music played. Nick, stopped following the crowd, stopped his walk into the next room, as she began to speak to him. Like a switch flipping off a computer, Nick stood still, unresponsive, as he stared into the oblivion of the scene.

The scene played out, as Nick watched the events unfold, like a ghost, he watched the crew shoot the crew, he listened to her mourning, her pain. She watched it all play out, with him by her side, and he began to understand in his own way.

He then came back, as he kneeled down. Putting his heads up to his head, he winced at the scene. “Warn someone before you give them a roofie.” He said to the speakers, as he shook his head, trying to regain his senses. “Damn…”

He then looked at the group of rangers, “Chris, is right, it was a mutiny, over a damn election. Democracy, gotta love it.” Nick said, as he walked over to the bodies. “Poor saps were defending here, and they got their asses kicked hard.” Nick told the group.

He didn’t go into the details, for the remnants of the scene were more than enough for the group to see. “She also said we were friends of her BFF, or some shit like that, and that in the next room, she would have the next installment of this freak show ready.” Nick informed the group, as he readied his pistol. He then looked to the speakers, “Hey, I am being nice now, where is my Sweet Home Alabama?”

Marcus followed the rest into the next room that the weird one was directing. He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here and why? Or for that matter, how long she had been here. Since this girl seemed to know so much about it all, she had to be ancient.

Maybe she was an early Dornalian AI or something along the lines of the first Gracie.

The thoughts left him as Nick hit the floor with his head pounding. Marcus eased the boy back up to his feet and steadied him. "Alright one mystery is solved what about this one?", referring to the freak show in stereo.

Nick walked into the next room not knowing what to expect. The last one had bewitched him in a way he had never yet encountered, and now he was very leery. As he entered the next room, he held his pistol up.

"So you going to tell us what's up?" he asked the woman behind the curtain.

Then as marcus asked about an Early Dornie AI, Nick shook his head. 'No, she isn't an AI, that much I know. She is a woman, been here for a long time, since this was a city. She is almost as old as you pops." Nick said to Marcus with a slight smile. Then he went back to being serious, for once. "All I know is she didn't wanna talk about anything else in the previous room, but she does in this one. Dunno why, maybe it is a tour of some kind."

Crimson brought his sniper rifle to bear, if one could call it a sniper rifle as it was more of a miniature cannon, and let it hang down to his midsection, the strap supporting the weight. The music, however, didn't seem to annoy much less bother Crimson as much like his comrades have been, with the exception of Chris. Crimson stood behind the group, with rifle in hand, as they walked in, his fuzzy companion hiding behind his shoulder just slightly peering over it.

Crimson managed to listen in on Marcus and Nick's conversation, discussing who or what the mystery lady is. Crimson on the other hand didn't care if she was an AI or a old decrepit lady, as long she wasn't hostile he would be relieved, but something deep down gave him doubt.


"All I know is she didn't wanna talk about anything else in the previous room, but she does in this one. Dunno why, maybe it is a tour of some kind."

"Maybe its the aftermath..." he followed up

Fuzzy muttered, "Fuckin' hope it ain't. I wanted to die in my sleep."

Sure enough, The "Diva" led them into a room full of giant tanks, with banks of computers on what was a very foggy first floor below. Catwalk after catwalk intersected into a mazelike arrangement of walkways, going through what looked like giant two-stage water tanks. Only, they weren't quite water tanks. The top tank held what looked like no less than a giant in it--perhaps the fabled "Genetically modded humans" the doctors had discussed earlier. In between this colossal top tank and a smaller bottom chamber, a complex series of machinery banded the two together. Decrepit for some time, the room lit up, bathing the grotesques in all of their rusted, Frankensteinish glory.

The "Diva" spoke, as the robospider skittered and bid them to follow.

"Do not be afraid. These are just the Miclone Vats. My friends here won't harm you--anywho, they've been in stasis for quite some time, and I am not inclined to awaken them--if that is even possible."

As the group would inevitably pass by the tanks, more evidence of a struggle appeared. The spider seemed to be guiding them away from what looked like more concentrations of bones and blasted areas--presumably, scientists who had angered whoever repressed the mutiny depicted in Nick's vision, and some of the rebel guards. Cataloguing them with a Japanese tourists' curiosity, the Doctors made copious notes as usual.

As the robospider passed by the first giant tank, the "Diva" would pull out yet another Top 40 Standard. Presumably, it was her way of lightening the mood--presumably, she also didn't know how annoying it was.

"Now, to keep you happy in your work, I will play you a song request. I am not familiar with many American rock-and-roll tunes--but I will try to satisfy our caller's palate."

Blues piano again, and Nick's bluff was called. She began warbling "Sweet Home Alabama" in that unique, soft, Japanese-accented voice of hers.

Crimson walked with his companions into the room as they followed the small robo-spider into the room and up to the miclone vats. Crimson looked around the scene to see the masses of charred remains and blast marks, taking a mental note that there must have been a stand off here and it might take importance in the next "scene". His furry companion on his shoulder was still hiding behind his shoulder shaking with fear. Crimson turned his head and tried to comfort him, "Its going to be ok, calm down." The fuzzball started to calm down a little but still resumed peering over his shoulder. Crimson walked up to the vats, touched the glass, and simply said "Zentradi". However even the last few songs were tolerable, Minmei's rendition of Sweet Home Alabama started even annoy Crimson, although he didn't show it.

There were those like the Abh who were masters of hiding their emotions, then there were those like Marcus and Crimson who were great. At the bottom end of the totem pole however, there was Nick.

Nick walked over, as he regretted ever asking this unseen woman to play sweet home Alabama. Her accent was throwing it off key, and still she seemed way to damn cheerful. It was almost like listening to Britney Spears redoing the great classic.

He peered into the tank, to see a giant man before him. “What in the frak is that?” he asked as he pointed to the cloning vat. “Ok, I think we should get out of here.” He said as he stared the giant in the face.

“First, she made me project, and now we are on some damn goose chase down a graveyard with giants sitting in cloning vats, after following a robot spider. Not to mention some pop diva, singing the night away, like nothing is going on.” Nick said, and then he looked up to the ceiling. “No offense Mini…”

He then looked down, as he reached for his Ipod. He knew that Marcus wasn't about to leave, and Chris and Crimson would be very intrigued by what happened. Their original mission was over, but too much was going on for the Rangers to walk out now. Despite the feeling in his gut, he knew they would move forward til they figured out what had happened here. At least he could make it more pleasant. Reaching down he put one of his headphones in his ear.

Pushing play, he smiled as Animals (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq5_gdn4Es4) began to play.

She could sense that the others were getting annoyed, and was definitely not pleased. That ungrateful little shit--the one who requested the song, who had pestered her for so long about her music--now had the audacity to tune Her out! Furious, She decided to spank these interlopers, as one would housebreak a puppy.

Then, a pause. He was among them. How could Her Beloved have fallen among such miscreants? Awful, really. She would remind Him that maybe, She was someone worth remembering once--that He had been among better people.

--------------------------

Crimson would then begin experiencing another vision (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKKFzWrWiX8).....

And as the others were searching on, the "Diva" led them out of the Miclone Vats, muttering angrily, "Humph. Fine. Be glad you are Hikaru's friends. I would be more angry otherwise. Follow the robospider again." Flustered, she then spat out, showing visible anger for the first time, "And take those damn headphones off!" as a hatch opened nearby, throwing another robospider at Nick's feet as it began to try to crawl up his leg and put what looked like tasers to his iPod.

The message was clear--she would not tolerate critics.

The Guide Robospider, after all was said and done, would lead them into another hallway. The woman then said, giggling, "I am sorry for the attack...nevermind the disgusting scenery. How about some music? Not by me, so you can save your ears. Heh heh."

A hum, then......some rather disturbing, if bouncy lyrics. This time, they weren't delivered by her. They were delivered by a 1950s Vegas crooner, and what sounded like an old recording (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dDs_N3kGQk). The "Diva" could be heard to hum along, and sing with the refrains.

This hallway was indeed disgusting, and made Fuzzy mutter, "Fucking beautiful choice of music, this."

Though it was relatively clean in terms of people-debris, though faded posters and graffiti screaming "NO POPTARTS TODAY!" was plastered onto the walls, along with stencils of stormtroopers and pictures of a woman with a no sign over her face. If Nick wasn't overly pissed at the attempted assault on his person, he would notice it was the same woman as in his vision--Crimson likewise with his.

Otherwise, to Chris and Fuzzy, who began to wonder about the sanity of their host and the bizarre nature of the scenery, it was all a bit much to take in at once. After all, even Fuzzy and Chris had been struck dumb by the giants.

And even further ahead, stains resembling handprints and other such things on the floor and walls, plus the usual bullet holes, and a residual smell of some sort made the lyrics about a German gangster/psychopath somehow...all too real.

Chris then muttered, "Lady, can you change the music? It's a bit too much."

Chris was ignored, only answered by another robospider that lept out, let out a loud angry whine and skittered back into the depths.

"Damn...." he muttered.

Thus, the group would eventually be led further into the catacombs.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibvXgom-MvU

Violation, abuse, torment, and now this. This mission was far more than he could handle, as the Spider began to climb up his armor. He felt angry, as he glared at this machine, this robot that began to climb up his body. It struck a nerve, as this machine crawled up him. His mind flashed back, to the time of the Centurions, to the third cylon war.

He remembered running and hiding, as the Centurions boarded. Their razor claws ripping their way through the ship, their guns blaring as men and women died in the halls. The sound of oil, and gunpowder filled the air, as he as a boy, hid behind a crate.

He looked up, to see it, the red eye pulsing back and forth. The rail cannon pointed at him. He closed his eyes, as it looked him up and down. Then it happened it moved on.

Here and now, the spider pulled out it’s taser and shocked his Ipod. Nick reached down, filled with the anger of the past, and grabbed the mechanical abomination. Pulling it off with ease, he slammed it as hard as he could, against the wall of the room.

The spider shattered under his strength, as it’s legs broke like a toy against the hard wall of the room. “You little Bitch.” Nick said out in anger as he looked down at his Ipod.

His hands were shaking, as he looked down. Not even the nuking of the city earlier had set Nick off like this. Not even the torture he experienced under the S&M Chick.

Nick looked around the room, and then decided it was time for a face to face. He watched the room vanish, as he was back in the park.

The sky was blue, not a cloud in the sky, as he stood on the soft green grass. The trees were in full bloom, as they usually are in spring. Not a sound was heard, except that of the birds that surrounded the area. No children laughing, no couples walking sweetly down the halls, no merchants selling their wares. He was alone... with her.

Nick spied her sitting on the bench reading the newspaper. He walked over to her, his pistol in his hand. Walking up to her, he was exceptionally pissed.

He reached up and ripped the paper out of her hands. “Alright, What in the frak is your damage?” he asked her as he glared at her, his eyes never leaving her for a moment. “You asked me to be nice, I was, then you assault me with your damn robots. If you EVER do that again, Mini, I swear to gods, when I find you, I am going to kick your ass. Got that?” he yelled at her.

Then he took his broken Ipod and put it in her lap. “Do you have any clue how much this costs? Do you? Do I look like I am made of money to you? You owe me about one hundred cubits. Now you wanted us to be off on a better foot, well guess what, you just went overboard lady.”

"You were very rude. I don't know where you came from--but where I come from, we don't put on iPods when people sing!" she said very flustered. "It is unacceptable. I spend all of my time singing for you people, and you thank me with ignorance and groans! Damnit, I try! But evidently, I am not good enough for His Royal Majesty. You're just like my manager! Or those people...." (breaks off, as if remembering something unpleasant) "...so long ago....

"I am sorry. But I cannot tolerate your manner. I do not understand it....suffice it to say it is rather disruptive, and must end. I only tolerate it because you are His friend."

Nick grinned, as he put his hands on his waist. “This is where I come from, it is called Caprica. And I got no gods damn clue what, or who I remind you of. You want to please us, try being a frakkin person. We don’t need a radio, instead talk. It is rather creepy lady. And if I was your manager, I would have you re-invent yourself. You would be back on top, instead of singing in a dive like this.

"I had thought his good manners would have rubbed off on you." she said to him.

“Who’s good manners? Mini, who in the frak are you talking about?”

"HIS! Hikaru's!?" she paused for a moment "How can you pretend not to know him....he walks along your ranks...." as she held up a picture that looked surprisingly like Crimson.

"SEE!? SEE!?" she said hysterically to Nick.

He finally began to figure it out, as he sat down on the bench next to her. He looked at this woman, hysterical, infected with love and obsession.

She then stared at him with a frightened, violent manner. Fury, animalistic rage, and a primal sense of fear mark her face. Her true nature shows--it's a somewhat faded, maddened version of the happy popstar Nick once saw.

Nick knew the look in her eye, as he sighed. “You mean, you and he are an item?” he asked shocked, by the surprising similarities between the two. She was furious over something, as she stared at him like a wild cat cornered.

“Ya know, you are right. We did get off on the wrong foot. You still owe be about a hundred cubits, but the girl of my bud, is a bud of mine. So whatcha say, start over? he said as he put his hand out to hers to try to comfort her, in an innocent gesture in his mind. "Why don't you tell me how you two love birds met?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the rest of the rangers moved, Nick didn't as he stared straight again, like he was in a trance.

Mini then lit up. Extending her hand, She said, "Follow me. I have something to show you."

Nick's vision was then turned into a street, vaguely futurist, vaguely reminiscent of the 20th Century images from Chris's movies, but just everything was boxy, with slightly more primitive computers. Mini nodded to him and said, "Follow me."

Up ahead, giant bipedal robots, with strange battle machines that looked halfway between those "Tomcats" from one of Chris's movies and ED-209 flew in back and forth, dueling at street level. One folded up and flew into the sky, intercepting strange green fighters as they banked left and right, performing acrobatics that would put Galactica's best to shame.

Then, Mini showed Nick a storefront that resembled a Chinese restaurant. Motioning to it, she said, "This is the Nyan Nyan restaurant. We named it after the sound a cat makes--it helps bring in customers." Then, she looked up and said, pointing to a giant orangey robot, "And, in several seconds, you will see how I meet him. The short version."

Another fighter decked in black and yellow similar to that one flew in next to the orange, and transformed into a robot. Then, the black-yellow robot fixed the other, and then the orange got up. Turning into one of the "halfways" he saw before, the orange one picked up a woman in a red dress in the distance.

"That's me. Hikaru picked me up, to take me to safety."

Then, a sudden rush of air, and Nick and Mini were flying. She pointed out how she nearly was shot down with Hikaru, but then they could see him opening up the cockpit and rescuing her just in time.

"That's when I knew....."

She then also showed him another scene in a ship's bilge like in the City presently, and she then said, "Here, we thought we were going to die. I wanted us to go out together. Hikaru talked me out of it. Then, we were saved...and that's when we knew....after those two weeks in the bilge" She then wistfully sighed.

-----------

Chris and Fuzzy stood around Nick waving their hands, muttering, "Um....Nick? NICK!"

He watched the scene and saw everything in his mind, playing out like an old movie. He looked at her, as she watched her own life playing back and saw the hope and the light in her eyes.

The monster had been vanquished, and the happy go lucky, yet somewhat annoying girl was back. Still though he did feel bad for her. She didn’t seem to give up hope, even if Nick knew that Crimson wasn’t her man, or at least he didn’t think he was. After all he would have to be a cylon, or be taking one hell of a heep of anti aging medicines in order to be alive this long, and he knew the former wasn’t true.

Still though, he wasn’t going to try to burst her bubble. He gave her hope, and that longing look in her eye was all the more that made him almost feel bad for her. He knew what he would do in the reverse. Would he be any different?

Nick then smiled at her. “Seems like you two are great together.” He said to Minmei. “And hey, I understand fully. He is a part of you right, like a drug. Something you are addicted to, that without makes your life just not the same. It is an addiction you can’t quite shake, and it torments you everyday.” He said to her as he gently touched her on the shoulder in a sympathetic and friendly way, for a split second.

“Look Mini…” then he paused for a moment as she shot him a quick glance, over the nick name. “Hey I call everyone by a nick name, if you are a bud of mine, or if you piss me off. I call my own girl Blue, and that sure as hell isn’t her name.” he said with a slight smile.

Then as the bilge seen finished and she sighed, he turned to her. “So why do you seem so down? I mean why not just tell us all this, instead of playing these games. Where are you at, I know you are not just an image within projection.”

He then looked around the room, as the image froze. “Well why don’t you tell me what happened next. This is a side of our boy I haven’t seen before.”

Nick could of course here Chris and Fuzzy's calls. He could hear them like an after thought, calling him to them. He decided not to answer, not yet. His body stayed still, barely breathing, except the occasional smile or glare from his face.

Marcus was probably the least Ranger getting screwed with out of the whole ordeal and he wasn't about to complain about any of it. Even though the music was horrible and caused his ears to bleed, he put up with it about as well as he handled Nick's outbursts. It was always with the stoic exterior of an older man that believe he knew best.

Looking around, he found himself in some sort of freak lab where giants were floating in vats. He had no idea what the hell all of this was or where it came from but the single thought of not touching anything kept pounding in his mind.

Stumbling along, he bumped into Nick. Nick stared straight ahead in a complete daze. The kid was zoned out again. "Ah geeze kid. Can't you keep your senses about you long enough to get through one mission. If you ain't running scared, your zoning out."

Marcus slapped Nick across the face. "Wake up damn it. You can fantasize about your girlfriend in some perverted manner later. Right now I'd rather finish with this mess and have Susie Q here hang up the mike."

Stumbling along, he bumped into Nick. Nick stared straight ahead in a complete daze. The kid was zoned out again. "Ah geeze kid. Can't you keep your senses about you long enough to get through one mission. If you ain't running scared, your zoning out."

Marcus slapped Nick across the face. "Wake up damn it. You can fantasize about your girlfriend in some perverted manner later. Right now I'd rather finish with this mess and have Susie Q here hang up the mike."

Chris muttered, "That's not gonna work. He's been like that for a bit, and I've been shouting 'till he's deaf as a post."

Fuzzy then said with a sadistic grin, "Let's try this!" and delivered a swift kick to Nick's privates, to Chris's cry of, "Jesus, Fuzz!" Grabbing her and holding her back, he said dismayed, "Not so hard." Fuzzy shrugged and said, "Figured if that didn't get him outta his k-hole...."

Mini then spoke over the intercom.

"So sorry about your friend, no need to be so abusive. I have finished my piece with him, you may have him back now. Gomen!"

Nick then blinked, letting himself out of the projection, and then winced, screaming "YOWZA!" Turning to Fuzz, he then muttered, "Next time...."

His face slapped, his manhood assaulted, Nick shuddered to think what would have happened next, as he writhed over in pain. His hands cupping his boys, he gritted his teeth in pain.

He noticed that Chris was standing slightly behind Fuzzy. He glared at her, as he reached out to her from the crouched position. He tugged on her tail.

“You thought I would learn manners from them?” he asked the room as he stood back up. HE looked around as he saw Crimson standing there. “Hey Crimson.” He said still sore from the attacks, The Diva chick and I had a long chat. She really digs you man. When were you going to tell us you had a steady girl? AL will be very jealous.”

He then looked around the room at the people around him. “Mini, seems to love projections. Alright here is the deal. A long time ago, in a galaxy far… far… away…”

“"Nick.....let's not give Lucasfilm a reason to sue us."” Chris interrupted him.

“No shit, way to kill the drama. Anyway, Mini here seems to have been dating our little playboy here.” He said putting his hand on Crimson’s shoulder. “Seems he went by the name of “Hikaru” Anyway, she really has it bad for our pilot here and wants to see him again. The rest of us are nothing more than tolerated guests for her to sing to. It’s her way of being nice.”

"Me?" Crimson pointed to himself, being initially shocked that the resident diva was interested in him emotionally. After ignoring Nick's usual comment about him and AL, he listened on to what Nick had experienced in that vision of his. Picking up the name of whom he was mistaken for, he vaguely remembered hearing that name from before, but where? While Crimson was tried to recall, the fuzzball scuttled away from Nick's hand, scared from that incident with the robospider. Crimson finally recalled where he had heard that name before, "I got it!"

He turned his attention to the group, talking quietly in hopes that Minmei would not eavesdrop "There was a Hikaru Ichijyo on the Megaroad. He was married however to the ship's Captain Misa Hayase and was the squadron commander of the ship. They had a daughter together," the information started to come back to him when he finally realized something, "It was also found in the ship's manifest that there was a popular singer on board..." he let it sink in, "...by the name of Lynn Minmei."

Sure enough, Minmei/Diva never heard a thing Crimson said, but She had a hunch they were muttering something. Still, she let Her Pilot talk to His friends. Perhaps He was setting them straight.

-----------

"Wait." Chris held up his hand. Skeptically, he whispered, "Are you fucking telling me that we're dealing with the homicidal ghost of an attention-starved Top 40 Hitsmaker?"

Westheimer nodded.

"I am afraid so, if Crimson's right. The Tennenbaum Reports on the Megaroad indicated as such, that this "Minmei," evidently, was a Top 40 Hitsmaker who went with that vessel. The culture that sent these vessels was obviously enamored with her songs. Though if that Minmei had gone with the Megaroad...."

Voeker asked, "...Then who's the DJ?"

Fuzzy scratched her head as she whispered, "Maybe its a clone that don't work right. Like on those TV shows."

Westheimer nodded and whispered. "It is true. Records from the Megaroad indicate her manager wasn't a particularly ethical individual--she said as such in recovered diaries from that wreck. Perhaps he would have had her cloned to boost sales. But cloning technology then would have been cruder...."

Fuzzy then going, "...thus, leading to one that don't work right."

Nick nodded, muttering, "First thing that has made sense all day in this rustbucket. Of course, there's still the matter that everyone here but Crimson's merely a tolerated guest. And as it is, I think her welcome's being worn out."

Chris nodded and replied with, "No kidding. I can't wait to see what this bitch has for us next." Motioning to his shotgun, he then said, "I didn't spend ten years on the force to die here."

The Robospider then sparked and squeaked, as Minmay/Diva chuckled, going, "Oh dear. It is time for us to go. Let's move on, shall we?"

The Robospider then would lead the Rangers further on into the bowels of this hellhole. Skittering through numerous access ducts slimy with rust and mold, they would eventually end up in what looked like ruined catacombs. All along the way, Westheimer catalogued everything.

"Let me turn on the lights," Minmei/Diva said.

And then, there was light. Up ahead, through the maze of rotted locker rooms with skeletons in them, was a large access door that said simply, "Entrance to Vanguard City" in faded text.

The door would open, with an old klaxon screaming for them to back away. And, ahead of them was a shadowy mass of buildings, barely lit by the sun.....which was then illuminated by an artificial sky, remnants of which were still clinging to the ceiling. Then, the lights came on, and the city seemed to spring to life.

Chris and the Dornalians recoiled in horror, as the remnants of a thousand bloody street battles came out in front of them. Old walkers, jeeps, skeletons, roadblocks, barricades that were once on fire, and machinegun posts on streetcorners were in no short supply. Even the relative horrors of the dank underbelly couldn't match this.

"Well. This brings new meaning to the term 'Necropolis,'" Chris muttered grimly.

Fuzzy then ran out and looked at one of the street signs, as Chris ran after. "Wait! Damnit Fuzz!" was his reply.

Fuzz darted from sign to sign, muttering, "Oh, my God...." grabbing Chris, she motioned for the others to come forth as she pointed to a sign.

It was a faded poster in German, an advertisement for the woman in Crimson and Nick's visions for a concert of some kind.

Chris muttered, "That our lady?"

"Dunno. BUt that's in German!"

"So? Lots of things are in German," Chris muttered. "Like those assholes who tried to shoot us."

"No.....no, no. THis is all wrong." Fuzzy then turned and asked, "Chris, you remember my Nana's house? All those little Hummel knicknacks? All those pictures from that trip to Berlin?"

"Yeah?"

Fuzzy then began pointing at buildings in the skyline and shouting, "Look, damnit! It's like in those pictures!" Alarmingly, the buildings and features she was pointing to were indeed carbon copies of those in the old German capital. The old Reichstag, the Bundestag with its modernist construction, the Fernsehturm TV Tower in the distance, the Unter Den Linden, that wide boulevard they were on....

"But it don't make sense. It's like, all wrong." Fuzzy mused. "Fuck, I've never been to Berlin, but Nana wouldn't recognize any of this."

"Well, it has been covered in hundred's of years worth of grime, Fuzz. No one would recognize a city under that," Chris replied with a smile.

"No, stupit. I mean, the layout...it barely resembles...." Running to a map, she then shook her head. "Yup. It's a bit different. For one thing, Roppongi's nowhere near the Alexanderplatz."

The streets were in chaos at one point, as Nick walked in hesitantly into the necropolis. Such a strange word, until today he had never heard of anything actually with that name, outside of some video game. Yet today here and now he stood amongst the ashes and bones of an ancient battle, long before his time.

Two things began to perplex the young hybrid, as he walked forward, his pistol out in front of him, if for no other reason than to give him comfort.

He turned to the Doctor and to Crimson. “Question. If so much of this is documented, and if both you and the Doctor seem to know so much about Mini here, the Captain’s name, and this ancient city, why are we here? I mean the myths seem true, and everything is laid out like all of you remember? This seems to be less about discovery, and instead a twisted tour of a graveyard.”

He looked at them as he awaited an answer. I mean he had seen pictures of the old forum on Kobol, knew what the Opera house supposedly looked like, and it’s rough location. There was no way in hell he would go out of his way to see it or find it. Just a lost wreck, that was rebuilt. He couldn’t fathom if this is the place, why they would want to come here, in the middle of all this, when they already seem to know everything.

Nick then held up his hand, “Nevermind. I don’t think I wanna know.” he said. Then something caught his eye, as he ran up to an old poster. He looked at it, faded, old, brittle. The slightest touch he was sure would cause it to crumble before his very eyes. Still though he looked at it. It was her all right. The singing tour guide.

“Well Crimson, you sure know how to pick’em.” he said as he turned back to one of his buddies. “So yeah, assuming this is a clone, or in some sort of pod, or a downloaded program, or the boogey woman, the question remains how in the hell is she alive? Clones don’t live this long, and programs would fade over time. And from the looks of this place, the main computers would probably be down. So how in the hell is she still alive? This place looks older than my dad, and that is saying something.” Nick said as he looked around the room.

He then looked to the fuzz ball as she began to talk about the layout of Berlin. Nick had never been to Earth, and never even heard of Berlin, or Germany. As such he was completely clueless as she talked about what is where and why. Where she saw a grand old city, he saw ruins, broken and useless. He didn’t know what to say or do, until he looked across the street and found what seemed to be an old bar and pub. Nick walked over closer to it, and looked inside.

It was a horrifying scene as he looked inside. The glass was sealed, as bodies scattered the floor. Each body was hermetically sealed, as the mummies of bodies laid out on the floor. He put his hand to the glass as he looked at the long dead people inside. “Guys, you gotta check this out.”

Running to the designated spot, Westheimer asked Chris, "This looks to be a bar...that's now a tavern. Can you open it?"

Chris then asked furiously, "You're kidding, right?"

Westheimer then sighed, and then said, "We must figure out what happened to all of them! I can't do that if I cannot access the tomb. Think of this as a crime scene, if you must."

Chris sighed, and then had to hold his nose in to keep out the dust and the stench from the newly reopened tomb that was once a tavern, as he blasted the lock open with his shotgun. Leaning down onto the bodies, less faded versions of the uniforms they had seen beforehand and relatively intact corpses, faces twisted in grimaces of pain, were now on display for them to see. Chris muttered, "Jesus," shaking his head. He then saw Westheimer morbidly taking pictures of it all, enjoying what he saw as a new archaeological discovery.

Voeker meanwhile, only answered Nick's question thusly.

"Well, it's about disproving the old myths and finding out what really happened. We may have the documentation, but for all we knew until now, the City itself was probably some ancient ruin, or itself just a mythical alien place. We could only guess to its true nature via the local stories and religions--given the fact memory's unreliable, they could've been remembering another thing entirely differently. There are such things as false cognates--things that seem same but are not. Hence, my colleague's little jaunt, to scientifically and rigorously prove once and for all what the heck is this place."

Chris muttered, "Well, it's a crime scene tended by a crazed has-been celebrity. That's obvious." Poking them, he muttered, "Death by gunshots to the head, execution style." Pointing to the fact their hands were bound by handcuffs, he muttered, "That should be obvious enough."

One soldier however, was lying there dead, apparently with his left leg blown off by some sort of explosion, and he seemed different from the others. Clad in heavy riot armor but for the PASGT helmet on his head, he had a large rifle (http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Scoped_Gauss_Rifle) to his side. And, his armor seemed repainted in red and blue colors, with another faded black armband on it. Fuzzy picked up the rifle, and smiled, holding it like Rambo held his M60.

"Fuck yes....." she said proudly, making "pew," "pew" noises as she played with it. Westheimer said, "Put that down! We are not grave robbers, we are scientists!"

"Fuck you, pops. I'm no scientist, I'm here for the company." Pointing to the rifle, she then said, "And, it pays well."

All Along the Watch Tower (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4LhljdbuMc&NR=1)

The smell was worse than the sight, as Nick walked in with the crowd towards the stale stench of death. The room was sealed, so the flesh was nearly perfectly preserved. The flesh was darker, as the skin blistered slightly under the bacteria under the skin. Fat cells withered away, do to lack of hydration, as their skin seemed to be grafted to their bones. But all in all, they were very preserved.

Nick stepped carefully over the casings, as he looked around. Many of the bottles were broken, their contents long dried up. He continued to scan the room, as Fuzzy picked up her very large rifle. She seemed ecstatic, like a child with a new toy, as she whizzed around the room, yelling Pew Pew.

Nick shot her a glance as she waved it around. “I know you are happy to finally have something big in your hands, but could you not wave it around. It might be loaded and still working.” he said to her as he walked around to a small magazine stand.

Many of the papers were from long ago, some articles of the times, that would be better left to people like the doctors to care about. He flipped through it until he came to something that caught his eye. “Busty Asian Beauties.”

Nick opened it up, and like fuzzy, his eyes light up, as he shoved he took the magazine and shoved it in a pack. Looking around, as Fuzzy was still staring at her large rifle, and Chris and the Doctors were carefully looking over the scene, Nick walked over to the cash register. He looked at it, then smacked it hard opening it up.

“What are you doing?” the old man said as he looked up. Nick didn’t even look up as he pulled out a Hundred dollar bill. “I told her, she owed me for a new Ipod. She is paying me back now.”

“That is an important historical document, something that belongs in the museums. And you can’t spend it anyway, it isn’t valid currency any more.” the Doctor protested.

“I didn’t take it all, just what she owes me. Besides it is called Ebay. Unless you want it, hundred bucks...” he said holding out the bill.

The Doctor grumbled, “Put it back, and you can put it on your bill.” Nick shrugged as he put it back.

Nick then turned and walked out of the building. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, as the party went to work examining the scene. He took a quick puff, as he looked around the city. He looked for something else interesting, until he saw something different. He walked over to the city wall, and what looked to be a computer system, still in working order. Then the speakers began to play again, a strange song, a song that seemed to get to him. Like a switch, he knew what he had to do. It was all too clear.

He looked around and saw that no one was looking. “Alright, what are you hiding?” he asked as he leaned down, and began to take off one of the panels under nearth the system. Gently he pulled off the panel and saw a bunch of wires, surrounded by cob webs and dust.

“Frak this is a mess.” Nick said as she pulled out a flash light and looked inside. Pushing by power wires, and other gizmos inside, until he found what he was looking for. A network interface. “You want us to see what is going on, then lets see.” he thought to himself as he disconnected the wire and pulled it out.

Reaching down again, he pulled out a knife and placed it in the palm of his hand. He looked up and gritted his teeth, as he cut open the palm of his hand. “Mother frakker.” he yelped as he looked down at the blood coming from his hand. He then took the wire, and gently shoved it into his hand. The wire bubbled up under his skin, as he shoved it deeper inside his arm, until he felt it. The connection to the city itself. Nick closed his eyes as he concentrated on the connection.

It was a strange feeling as he could feel the city. He could feel the spiders, the giant vats as he plugged into the network. The city felt like it was a part of him, as his eyes fluttered back and forth, as he accessed what information he could. He started with the crew logs...

The Cylon networking Nick possessed would come in handy here. Mostly, owing to age, he would find but bits and pieces of what he sought, likely sitting in old computers that weren't handling jungle environments well. Still, a few of the bigger fragments could be used to piece together a story.

"Log of Sgt. Krauthammer.

Well, we've finished performing Graves detail on the bodies from the recent assault. That Victor attack wasn't so bad, but we were forced down onto this planet, temporarily designated HAJ-4R4. Scans indicate it's habitable. Citizens of Vanguard are eager to get off and take a look.....(garbled)

Log of Tech Sgt. Modesky.

Well, things aren't so bad so far. We have enough weapons and such to fix the Valkyries. Demanding little fuckers.....(garbled)therwise, I'm alright......Zentraedi Miclone Vats function normally, tested it on one dude and he got out okay.

Log of Captain Kuznetsov.

Day six since Planetfall

I've ordered survey teams of the local area....scans indicate (garbled) but so far no sign of violence from local wildlife. Have made contact with local sentients. Some friendly, some not so much.

Civilians overall seem to be accustomed so far to life on an atmosphere, and are attempting to settle the general area. However, a significant group does not wish to leave the Vanguard. This is fine, I won't force things on them.....

Day Eight

Strange occurrences beginning amongst Vanguard staff and populace. One Zentraedi officer, one Zaal, has begun to agitate for the "complete conquest of this virgin land for our kin and kind." Has garnered a significant following, owing to the disproportionate advantage in tech level vis-a-vis local life and to impatience with current policy of settlement and noninterference with locals. Opposed, oddly enough, by Lynn Minmay. Unknown how she got onto our vessel, considering she was to be assigned to SDF-02 Megaroad. But, her behavior seems out of character.....

....will send more personnel to contain them, and issue stern warnings all around. In meantime, will begin drawing up plans to delegate more power to civilians.

Log of Warrant Officer 1 Mackensen

Had to take sick today. Something's going around. Will keep health up with chicken soup rations and decongestant. Wife's been paitent.....

Log of Security Officer Entwistle

Arrested six more Zaalists today. Captain Kuznetsov had to remind the staff and the civvies not to take sides, and that there's a good reason we're not interfering in local politics. Already, some of ours got caught making a brisk trade with the locals for guns and ammo, selling them AK47s and Sten Guns for medicines. I've busted several hundred USD worth of illegal arms shipments.....

....no good confronting the City Council about this. They're too busy arguing over how to paint the sidewalks. Fuckers.

Log of Dr. Steinman

This is ridiculous. Who the fuck thought it was a good idea to let the Zaalists give blankets from the sick ward to the locals? Kuznetsov should really step it up--douchebag isn't doing his job, and seems wishywashy as all hell. I did his physical, and he wouldn't stop whining about "Oh, this job's too hard!" Fucking ****. What asshole in Spacy Command made him head of this outfit? Maybe its because he's Canadian, and they wanted to avoid looking like the Spacy was an all Japanese-American-European Union outfit.

Oh, and could someone get him to get City Councilmen to pay their bills? Fuckers can't get care for free!

Log of Councilman Michaels.

Another meeting, another problem. That Mayor Lewis didn't show up until half an hour into the meeting again, said he was "sick." Big deal. Just an alibi, that. He was probably out doing something stupid again, like....

.....and then, Zaal makes another speech about manifest destiny. Big deal. Let's get ourselves established first, I say, and then we go in and do whatever. He then storms off in a huff. Not that mature.

Log of Lin Wang-wai, several weeks later

Jesus, Minmay's getting pissy. And, she's freakin' me out.

Last night, during her concert, she started manipulating the light show by herself! No computers, nothing--just using her voice! Kaifun really should look into how he's making these Replicants. Didn't one of them flip out and shoot a fan at a concert in Moscow last year!?

And, I don't like the fact she's gotten herself mixed up in politics. I tell her, "stay out," but she refuses. Now that Lewis was kicked out by Kuznetsov, she intends to run for Mayor! I don't trust her as head....."

That was all he could recover.

--------------------

She then noticed a presence in the networks. Humph. They were trying to hack in, were they? His friends were sure nosy. She decided, perhaps it was time to meet them in person.

She then initiated the unthawing process.

----------------------

RUN-UNTHAWING PROCESS.exe

*PLEASE WAIT*

CHOOSE POD--01

*PLEASE WAIT*

INITIALIZING WARMERS/MOLECULAR ACTUALIZERS
INITIALIZING CAFFEINE INJECTION
INITIALIZING HEART STIMULATOR
PERFORMING HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC
.....................

...................

..................

UNTHAWING SUCCESSFUL

-----------------------------------

Nick would then be visited by a vision of a woman in a restaurant--Mini, of course. And, she was playing on a cabaret piano (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4LhljdbuMc&NR=1).

"Ah yes. I see you like to be nosy, and to snoop around. Come to my restaurant, I will see your group in person. No need to be like that."

Nick then dropped out of the vision, as suddenly, the *dingding* of a tram car could be heard, playing the tune. It stopped in front of the bars, and it lit up, inviting them to come on.

Chris and Fuzzy looked at it, and decided to oblige.

Now where the hell were they? It seemed as if the Rangers were being lead all through creation without an inclining as to where they were going or why they were going there. Everything looked like a horror house gone wrong and the crazy broad on the inter comm was the madman behind the whole ordeal.

Marcus was not above setting a few charges and blowing this....thing to high heaven. Marcus knew his patience was great, but it still had its limitations. Horrible singing aside, he couldn't help but wonder why in the hell they were doing all this.

Then he saw it. The doors opened and a massive city was revealed to him along with what seemed to be every body that ever inhabited it. The smell was awful which only fit the sight of it all.

Fuzzy was going on and on about how this resembled Germany in some ways but didn't since she saw pictures from her grandma's vacation. Apparently the city didn't fit her grandma's picture story and for some reason this seemed to bother Fuzzy. Marcus could give a flying pig's arse about the city not looking like Berlin. He had heard of Germany and Berlin but was not aware that it once flew through space.

The scientists looked like kids in a candy store though with them wanting to burst into a bar full of dead bodies so they could analyze them. Marcus holstered his rifle and rubbed the bridge of his nose. They were going to be down here for eternity if the squints wanted to search every dead body and come up with a cause of death.

"Fellas, do we really have time to search every body? I mean I would like to visit home at least once more before I die of old age."

Marcus was feeling more and more annoyed now and to make matters worse, the woman was back nagging again. It seemed that Nick had pissed her off in some way. While it didn't surprise Marcus that Nick had pissed off a woman in some way, he was not entirely sure how he managed to do it without words. Marcus shot Nick a 'way to go asshole' look and followed after Crimson and Fuzzy.

"Lady, I'll do anything if it shuts the hole in your face so we can finish and get out of here."

The song played, as the information downloaded into his brain. He had never thought of this before, and never in a million years would he have revealed himself as he had done. Never…

Nick hated his cylon half, he denied it every moment of his life, kept it hidden and away from the world, even those closest to him. Yet in a moment, and a few notes from a piano, it flipped a switch. Something inside him, pushed him forward, pushed him to do what he had done. He didn’t know why, nor did it seem to matter as the information stopped downloading in his mind.

The vision came and went, and still it didn’t matter. It was that song, that frakking song. Nick opened his eyes, as he sat on the floor his knees under his body. He looked down at his hand. It was covered in blood, as the wire was shoved through his hand. No one seemed to notice what he was doing, or the sanity behind shoving a wire into his own hand. No one seemed to care. Perhaps that was a good thing, as he looked down at the faded yellow wire shoved half way up his fore arm.

He gently pulled it out. It didn’t hurt, not like before as the piano continued it’s tone. “What the Frak?” he asked himself as he stood up. It compelled him, forced him to move forward. He didn’t question it, as he walked, his hand streaming out with red fluid as he walked on the train. He was silent, no comments, as he looked around. His hand continued to drip, as he reached up with his cut hand and held the railing.

“There is too much confusion.” He said as the train began to run down the tracks.

With everybody sufficently irritated by Minmay/Diva, the trolley cart began puttering down the streets of the Necropolis. Marcus's assessment that this was a rather grotesque freak show that needed to be blowed up wasn't far off the mark. Even Chris, who wasn't fazed much by this, could only wince at the awkward juxtaposition of Japanese architecture and Prussian simplicity and absolute carnage, and he now understood what Marcus's problem was. Aesthetically, it just wasn't right. Hell, a has-been celebrity lording over a Necropolis that was a pale imitation of one of Europe's great cities, mixed with Tokyo for some reason? Little wonder why he was pissed off.

Chris then muttered to Marcus and Nick together loudly, "Guys, I understand completely," with a genuine note of sympathetic annoyance that prevented him from saying more.

The trolley puttered along, with the entire Ranger crew onboard. There were screens on the trolley, fortunately, and fortunately for all, they flashed to life, revealing their Mistress of Ceremonies for the first time. It was indeed the woman in Nick and Crimson's visions, and the woman on all those posters and magazines.

"Ohayo! I am your hostess today on this lovely journey. Miss Lynn Minmay. I do apologize if I have irritated you, but I am merely trying to be nice!" She said that, with a smile and a cutesy laugh.

Chris then replied acerbically, "Dunno how you can be so cheery, lady, when your only audience is generally made of dead people in a hodgepodge city."

Minmay/Diva frowned, and replied, "Hmm. Rude as ever. Why is it that Hikaru's friends are so rude now? The boy at least learned to respect me. I work very hard to sing, and to write song-"

"You're a living jukebox. I'd hardly call performing covers of old showtunes original. Especially with your scratchy delivery. Bobby Darin would want his lawyer if he heard that." Chris replied with a chuckle and a crossing of arms. Fuzzy nodded and said, "Yeah. Sing some Gym Class heroes, or N.W.A., man."

"Tsk tsk tsk. So harsh. Ah well, everybody's a critic, and you can't please everybody. Maybe i should talk to Hikaru. He will be nice to me. Not like you." Leaving the last curse for Chris, Minmay turned the monitors in Crimson's direction, beckoning him to come closer with, "Hikaru? Is that you? I need some pleasant company."

She then paused to walk around, and put on a record, which began playing yet another Bobby Darin song--this time, the strains of "Beyond the Sea." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEIDep_UMmk) Then, she made a pout and asked, "Hikaru, why are your friends so mean?"

Crimson slung over the strap holding his sniper rifle and set it down to the side as he sat down with his arms crossed, nodding his head and eyes were closed as if in thought. To be mistaken for a supposed dead ex? Crimson however ignored the rest of the world until he was specifically addressed by Minmei. Should he tell her that her long lost love was dead and possibly anger her to the point of extreme hostility, or should he play along with it. He sank further into thought, finally opening his eyes and looked at the screen. "Yes, its me Minmei, Hikaru," Crimson said. crossing his fingers behind his back to indicate the rest of the team that he was merely playing along in the charade.

Then, she made a pout and asked, "Hikaru, why are your friends so mean?"

Crimson shrugged, "It can't be helped, its their nature I guess."

Ganoxa;14593982']Crimson slung over the strap holding his sniper rifle and set it down to the side as he sat down with his arms crossed, nodding his head and eyes were closed as if in thought. To be mistaken for a supposed dead ex? Crimson however ignored the rest of the world until he was specifically addressed by Minmei. Should he tell her that her long lost love was dead and possibly anger her to the point of extreme hostility, or should he play along with it. He sank further into thought, finally opening his eyes and looked at the screen. "Yes, its me Minmei, Hikaru," Crimson said. crossing his fingers behind his back to indicate the rest of the team that he was merely playing along in the charade.



Crimson shrugged, "It can't be helped, its their nature I guess."

At that, Minmay/Diva sighed. It was evident that Crimson's bluff worked, for the lady bought it hook line and sinker. She then mused, "Perhaps. I would have thought by now you would have gotten better friends. We all remember what happened to that Kakazaki fellow. So irresponsible. Really."

As this occurred, Chris couldn't help but smile a little. And Fuzzy was boiling with rage. She seethed, muttering, "We're right here, cuntface."

Meanwhile, Minmay/Diva then brightened up and then said, "Never you mind, Hikaru! Even Kakazaki was pleasant at times. Perhaps once they try some of my cooking at the Nyan Nyan, they will be much less cross. Yes, they will!"

Chris winced. She was going to cook for them now? This was going to be a laugh.

Captive guests, and audience one and all the Rangers had seemed to become as Nick watched the scene unfold like a bad seen out of the Shining. Her obsession, her love, her behavior, was all over the top, then again as a Diva, it was pretty much expected.

She expected love, she expected respect, yet she had yet to earn any of it. Nick though, seemed much quieter to the group at large, especially now. His hand still pained him as he watched Chris and Fuzzy torment Mini with their slurs and slanders.

Nick sighed. He seemed calm, and almost at peace. “Mini.” he asked out as he looked at his friends. “Where in the frak did you learn that last song?” he asked, as he stared at her. Something about it was perplexing him, as he looked down at his wound. “Who taught it to you?” he asked, seemingly unphased by the slur of comments from her, and the rangers as a whole.

Usually food was on the top of his mind, as he looked out at her. Dinner invitations were never rejected, but he didn't even seem to notice her invite. He just wanted to know about that song...

Captive guests, and audience one and all the Rangers had seemed to become as Nick watched the scene unfold like a bad seen out of the Shining. Her obsession, her love, her behavior, was all over the top, then again as a Diva, it was pretty much expected.

She expected love, she expected respect, yet she had yet to earn any of it. Nick though, seemed much quieter to the group at large, especially now. His hand still pained him as he watched Chris and Fuzzy torment Mini with their slurs and slanders.

Nick sighed. He seemed calm, and almost at peace. “Mini.” he asked out as he looked at his friends. “Where in the frak did you learn that last song?” he asked, as he stared at her. Something about it was perplexing him, as he looked down at his wound. “Who taught it to you?” he asked, seemingly unphased by the slur of comments from her, and the rangers as a whole.

Usually food was on the top of his mind, as he looked out at her. Dinner invitations were never rejected, but he didn't even seem to notice her invite. He just wanted to know about that song...

Minmay/Diva said nothing exact about where she learned the song. Indeed, she would only say that, "I told you. I do not play much American rock and roll music, it is not my style. But I learned a few songs that affected me deeply and appealed to many. One of them was Jimi Hendrix's 'All Along the Watchtower.' I had no guitar, no backup band. So, I could only use the cabaret piano."

Well if they were going to be tortured, at least they were going to get food out of it all. Marcus wasn't really thrilled about the woman's singing abilities but he did believe in giving people another shot. Maybe Mini was better at cooking than she was at singing. The again, maybe not.

For Marcus, it was all a means to an end. It didn't really matter to him if this psycho broad thought Crimson was an old squeeze, just as long as the scientists got their data. All that mattered was completing the mission and getting everyone back home safely.

He desperately did not want this to turn into some great emotional help situation. Marcus didn't deal well with crying.

Well if they were going to be tortured, at least they were going to get food out of it all. Marcus wasn't really thrilled about the woman's singing abilities but he did believe in giving people another shot. Maybe Mini was better at cooking than she was at singing. The again, maybe not.

For Marcus, it was all a means to an end. It didn't really matter to him if this psycho broad thought Crimson was an old squeeze, just as long as the scientists got their data. All that mattered was completing the mission and getting everyone back home safely.

He desperately did not want this to turn into some great emotional help situation. Marcus didn't deal well with crying.

OOC: Using permission granted by CG to RP Crimson after long periods of inactivity.

IC:

Crimson merely nodded at Minmei/Diva's assessment, and said sheepishly, "Yeah....I guess they will."

Minmei/Diva frowned, and then giggled, saying, "Oh, you. I'm sure they'll be much more amused once I actually have them over." Looking over into the corner, her gaze caught the two scientists making records and measuring what went on, with childlike wonder. Minmei/Diva then asked Crimson, "What are they doing, Hikaru?"

"They're just making measurements and examinations of the vessel," Crimson said.

"Like....inspectors? Safety inspectors?"

"I suppose you can call them inspectors," was the nodding reply from Crimson. "They're here because they haven't seen a ship like this in a while."

"Nonsense. There must be other cityships like this one, yes? The New UN Spacy sent many ships out. Megaroad, for example. Or Vanguard--this one. I have been down here a long time. Surely, they know about it, yes?" Minmei/Diva replied skeptically.

"Well...."

He then put his finger on his chin, and then said, "Yeah, there are. It's just that they're from a people who've never seen ships like the Megaroad." Crimson said this with some truth--it was a good bet that the Doctors hadn't seen the Megaroad site upclose and personal. And frankly, he hadn't heard of the Dornalians ever building ships like this one.

"Ah. Well, I suppose humankind has gotten so big, people must have been isolated. Those poor things!" She then said to the Doctors, "Please, examine as much as you like. I had no ide--"

Westheimer said, "Don't mind us, little lady. We mean nothing by it."

Minmei/Diva chuckled, as the trolleycar went onto a bridge that spanned a half-filled reconstruction of the Spree River, clogged with old junk, skeletons and jungle muck. Now, the environment was looking decidedly more Japanese as they entered an area with a Buddhist temple and neon lights.

Voeker asked, "What's with the hybrid archetecture?"

"All the ships were built like this, with cities inside. This one is somewhat special. The bidding company for the Vanguard was based in Germany. They wanted a little something to remind them of home. So, they planned to make it like Berlin. But then, the co-producer of the ship wanted it to be like Tokyo as well, especially since the New UN Spacy required all ships to have an international appeal. Hence, the design. Half Berlin, half Tokyo. We just crossed the Spree River, and are now entering Shibuya-Tiergarten."

Fuzzy muttered, "Nana wouldn't recognize any of this."

The trolley continued to trundle through the city of the dead, as it manuevered through the unusual parody of cities on a now forgotten Earth. Voeker and Westheimer were eating it up. Their voice recorders, video recorders, sample bags, everything were being filled, as they reveled in the wonder of it all.

The others however, were obviously skeptical of the whole experience. Nick was wondering what was up with the music still, as the explanation was insufficent, Crimson wondered just how much the bluff would last and Chris and Fuzzy finally now got the sinking feeling that this was all rather...wrong. Something was off before, but now, there was just a sense of wrongness about this city--"Vanguard City" it was called by its lonely mistress, a product of a bygone era. Call it the mishmashed archetecture, the has-been celebrity tour guide, the charnel house-carnival juxtaposition--it was all a lot to take.

Then, the trolley "dinged" and stopped in front of its destination. Crimson lept up, as did Westheimer. Both recognized it as a branch of the Nyan Nyan restaurant, first discovered in the Megaroad site. Evidently a restaurant chain of some kind, it was now seemingly alive, with a very familiar woman out front waving, and motioning for them to come inside. The same woman that was terrorizing them all this time with 50s cabaret songs and random acts of insanity.

Minmay/Diva led them into the restaurant, whereupon she presented an unusually well kept spread. A long banquet table, set up right down to the Emily Post standards of fork and knife placement, was in evidence, along with chopsticks. The place itself was fixed up, decorated with gold records and pictures of Crimson's dead ringer.

"Welcome...to the Nyan Nyan. Please, take your seats."

He had been strangely silent, as Nick tried to wrestle with all that had come to pass. The switch was flipped, and although he knew before what he was, never before had it become so apparent, so clear.... so frustrating.

He barely registered the train ride, as the song and this woman had unlocked some hidden program in his genetic code and turned it on. He always knew what he was, but until now he felt human. But humans do not project, they do not hack into things with their bodily fluids and a knife. They certainly do not change over a hidden song...

He felt no pain, as the blood continued to rush down his hand. He didn’t know what to do, what to say. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t human, and it was scaring the shit out of him. What was that song, and what in the hell did Mini do to him?

As she came in, Nick glared up. He was no longer amused by the entire thing, as he walked into the restaurant. He was just pissed, pissed enough to shoot this bitch in the head for what she did to him. His body felt alien, like it wasn’t his any longer. It was her fault, her and that damn song...

His hunger, his desires seemed to be non existent to him. Time it seemed began to pass slowly, as each minute lasted a hour, or a day. And in the center of it all, was Mini-me...

Nick crossed his arms, as he walked in. After all this time, all these eons, the restaurant seemed to be in excellent condition. She was beautiful, in person, Mini seemed to have a grace about her, a look to her that made her seem all that much more vibrant. Before he would have made a pass, but now something inside him was making him repulsed by her. She just felt.... bad to him.

Nick looked over at one of the signs, the non smoking sign in the restaurant. “Frak it.” he said as he light up a cigarette. “I am still me.” he said as he took a drag. “I just don’t give a frak anymore.” he said out loud as he took a another quick puff off the smoke. “I am still me...” he said again, as if he was trying to convince someone else...

He looked around the restaurant, the pictures and beautiful decor. All he could think about was blowing this place to hell. He wanted to go next to Marcus, and grab the charges. He could see himself like it was happening raising his pistol, and pointing it at her head. He could feel the pistol grip, as he pulled the trigger, splattering her head across the restaurant floor. Then he shook his head as he stood still in the corner where he was before. "What did you do to me?" was all he could think, as he took another drag.

Chris sat down, muttering, "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm not in my finery, Ms. Minmei."

Minmay/Diva replied, "Well, that is alright. Here, we exercise a casual dress policy" as she set a plate in front of him. Bonewhite, it looked unusually pristine for a place like this. Fuzzy got the same treatment, along with a squeak and a cry of "Kawaii desu ne!!!!!" as Minmay/Diva studied Fuzzy's ears. The irate gata promptly glared, and Minmay/Diva backed off with a "Humph."

"I'm no petting zoo creature, don't treat me like one," Fuzzy bitterly declared.

Minmay/Diva then snatched the rifle Fuzzy had taken, and then pulled out the magazine, before putting it back in and snapping her fingers. At that, a mechanical clanking noise could be heard, and several Large Robospiders comically painted in tuxedo-like color schemes moved up to each Ranger as they sat down.

Taking the Gauss Rifle off to the side, she said, "We have a no-weapons policy here--this is a family establishment. Please surrender your weapons to the wait staff. In the meantime...."

She then walked about, issuing menus to everyone. These were somewhat faded, and though legible and not scummy, they were still evidently victims of the ravages of time. The menu, opened up, would reveal a variety of Japanese and Chinese dishes. Mostly bowls of ramen, teriyaki dishes, fried rice, chow mein/lo mein, chicken dishes, shu mais and other dumpling types--the list stretched forth, really, across a gamut of hybrid Japanese-Chinese cuisine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Chinese_cuisine).

To prove the point, the "Wait Staff" proceeded to show arms with drills attached that spun rather rapidly, along with glowing green gun appendages.

Crimson then said, pleadingly, "Don't threaten my friends. Please. They're trustworthy, and mean you no harm."

Minmay/Diva's skeptical look was met with Crimson's insistent, "They may be crude, but it's not like they're going to shoot up the place. They just want some food. They're very tired. Please, don't do this."

Minmay/Diva looked over at Nick, and noticed his fits. She then said, with a smile, "Okay, Hikaru. I suppose soldiers need their weapons, you never know when you have to be called away to war." She sighed at that last bit, and said, "Well, on one condition."

Chris said, "Watch the kid?"

Minmay/Diva nodded. "If he goes berserk, I will act to defend my establishment," she then said, narrowing her eyes at Chris.

"Okay lady." Looking at the menu, he then said, "I'd like some hot tea, with the teriyaki ramen." Looking at Fuzzy, he said, "With lots of extra ginger and chili powder."

Minmay/Diva asked, frowning at this man's strange choice of toppings, "We have fresh chilies here from Hunan and Sezchuan here. You want that?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah. Put both kinds in the bowl, skip the ginger."

Fuzzy then perked up and said, "I'd like the Sapporo Ramen with a side of shu mai dumplings with an extra helping of Chinese Mustard and with as many chilies as the health department will allow."

The two looked at one another, and they nodded.

"Like that time in Sawtelle Boulevard?"

"Yup."

It was fairly obvious this choice to dump chilies on their plates had some significance to them. Fuzzy then added to Minmay/Diva, "Oh, and my rifle back."

"That I cannot do," Minmay/Diva said. "It is property of the NUNS Vanguard. I cannot let you steal it." Giggling, she handed it to a robot, and then the robot skittered away.

Chris leaned into Nick and said, "Hey, buddy. Buddy!" Poking him, Nick seemed to be lost in thought, worrying about something, trying to hold back something. Chris muttered, "Not cool...."--he knew this was a bad sign.

Indeed, he was nearly about to blow his top. He was taken as a captive audience, in a strange city, lost, confused, and standing within arms distance of this crazy woman who frakked with his head one too many times was one thing.

To add the insult to injury, Mini brought robots before Nick. Not just small ones, but larger ones, ones that tried to threaten him and his friends. Ones that made aggressive posturing, and threatened them with lasers.

Nick glared at the larger one, as his hand reached for his pistol. “Try it chrome dome.” He said, just before Crimson was able to talk Mini down. As the giant spider walked away, leaving him alone, Nick never took his hand off his pistol grip.

Anger swelled in him, like hot air does to a balloon.

As she motioned for him to sit, as he stood, back to the corner of the restaurant, Nick shook his head, in a definite no.

He shot a glare at Mini, one that would easily tell his opinion. “Frak that.” He said as he looked at her. “I don’t eat with toasters.” He said to her with a definite tone, “Especially just after you threaten us, and molest Kibbles. Where I come from you don’t point guns at people and eat, especially with these machines.” he said as he looked around the room at the robots.

"And you call us crude."

At that, Minmay/Diva was about ready to snap her fingers, and end the poor boy's life. She had been contested in terms of music choice, seating, and now wait staff choices, and frankly his little rant was the last straw.

Crimson then lept up, knowing what was going to occur, nodding to Chris in a way that said, "I got this" before the latter could act. Crimson then said, "Wait. Wait." Minmay/Diva relaxed her fingers for a moment, and said, "Yes, Hikaru?"

"He hasn't done anything wrong. Where he comes from, they don't use robots like you do. They had a bad experience with them." Crimson said this, waving his hands frantically to get Minmay to not issue the kill order.

"So what?"

"So? Why get violent over someone's objection to robotics? You don't like fighting, right? Then why don't we find a peaceful way out."

Minmay/Diva stopped, and then whistled. Nick's drone came up to her, and then she said, "Please wake General Townes."

At that point, the robot skittered away, and then, a large man walked into the room. Musclebound and with a stare like iron, the man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rock_greeting.jpg), dressed in what looked like a hardened, grotesque parody of the NUNS Uniform with extra leather and kevlar patches on it, and possessing features resembling those of the giants in the pods--mainly, a slightly overly aggressive looking facial structure--walked up to Minmay and saluted, shouting, "General Townes. Reporting for duty, Mayor."

"General, please escort this young man to table three," Minmay/Diva said, pointing at Nick. Take his order, and bus his order."

Townes winced, and then Minmay/Diva replied, "Do it. He will not respond to any other manner, and frankly it's high time you did something around here!"

"Yes, ma'am." With that, Townes turned and said to Nick, "Follow me, please."

Nick looked up at the giant of a man, who looked upon him. He had no appetite, not in this company. Hell the crazy bitch would probably have the robots make the droids handle his food out of spite.

Their hydraulic fluids, their oil tampering with the food, all too please the queen of the droids. Bitch might as well call herself Six, or D’Anna.

He was on a hair trigger as the man who was sent obviously to intimidate the hybrid asked him to follow, to a different table away from the others. Isolated and separated from the rest of the group.

Still though he looked at the party. Chris and Fuzzy seemed to be eager for their meal, and Crimson seemed to be quite content with the workings of what was happening. Only Marcus seemed to share Nick’s disgust of this whole scene as it unfolded.

Nick didn’t say a word, a troubling sign as he walked along cigarette in hand towards table three. As he sat down, he placed his back against the wall again, as he watched Mini talk with the others.

“What do you want?” the titan of a man asked him.

Nick didn’t even look at the menu. “Just give me a bourbon, make it a triple.”

Minmay/Diva ignored Nick's humbuggery. As it was, she wasn't going to let some unwashed little pissant steal her thunder, in her restaurant. As it was, he was lucky "Hikaru" had told her not to execute him. Even if the boy was one of his friends, there was only so much uncouth mannerisms and technophobia one could sustain.

Townes shrugged and said to Minmay/Diva, "The kid just wants a triple whisky."

"Then get him one," Minmay/Diva said sternly, sending Townes to the liquor stores in back. Nick would find the whisky--a 500 year old bottle of Suntory Single Malt, had held up surprisingly well over the years. Just as well, since Minmay/Diva, after taking the other people's orders, went into the kitchen, leaving all concerned under the aegis of Townes, who pulled up a chair next to Nick and began whistling.

The only thing good about all this? The smell of the food from the kitchen. Surprisingly, it was actually pleasant.

It's Been a While (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly5bV7rOkHs)

The flavor was quite strong, much stronger than he remembered. The smells were also equally strong, almost as if his pallet was being re-written, enhanced or just changed. The whiskey tasted more bitter, the peppers were nearly as strong as if he was over the stove cooking them himself.

He took the shot down quickly, as he pulled out his pack of smokes and rested them gently on the table. Everything was strange, alien, foreign to Nick as he took another drag off his smoke. It tasted a lot stronger to him, almost like a cigar, instead of a cigarette.

Out of the side of his eye, Nick saw the man, the giant pull up a chair next to him. The man leaned back, and crossed his arms as he stared at Nick. Gently he began to whistle, as Nick poured himself another drink.

“So what is this? You a waiter, or a guard?” Nick asked the giant of a man next to him. He watched the man who was watching him. Nick hated being singled out, and what annoyed him worse than this isolation from the party, was the way the giant of a man looked at him.

“Look Chuckles.” he said to Townes. “If you are going to sit there and molest me with your eyes, then why don’t you at least get yourself a glass and an ash tray.” he said as part of his ash fell on the table cloth. “Sure Mini-me won’t mind, and frankly you are creeping me out. Now why don’t you get yourself a glass, otherwise you won’t get a tip.”

Nick then looked across the room at the other rangers, sitting at the long table of honor, surrounded by pictures of Crimson, or his look alike. He could only wonder how much more of this he had to endure. He did want to get home sometime, so much had happened, so much had changed.

He gulped at the thought, he knew he would have to talk to Blue when he got back. What was he going to tell her? He cared for her, probably more than anyone else before, and he knew he would have to tell her, especially now. Worry and dread over took him when he thought of her reaction to the news. Would she shoot him? That would be too easy...

His mind raced with the possibilities that she would punish him with, the horrors that he would be inflicted with. He reached down, and chugged the second glass.

As the second glass went down, his body began to feel warmer. “Maybe, she won’t do anything? Maybe she won’t care.” he tried to reassure himself. “After all she isn’t Colonial...”

Townes said nothing. He turned away from Nick, merely laying out a bunch of playing cards and proceeding to play a hand of solitaire. Evidently, the Pockmarked Fugly didn't care much for Nick, or his snarky attitude--a lot like his boss. Either way, he was just a foot soldier, so this was just another duty to him. Albeit a rather boring one. He sighed and began whstling again. However, to make the point clear, a very large pistol was always kept in view.

In the meantime, Minmay/Diva's whistling could be heard in the kitchen, as sizzling pots and pans could be heard, and the fires of a long dormant gas range sprang to life, applying their magic to that quintessential Chinese cooking tool, the wok.

Marcus didn't like this any more than Nick did but he kept himself under control. The Ranger deactivated his shield so it would be easier to sit in one of the chairs though he kept his weapons loose and ready. Mostly the shotgun just in case he needed to clear a room.

Grandpa wasn't too happy about the menu choices but he knew that every soldier had to eat to keep their strength up. Marcus couldn't remember the last time they had a meal. He made sure he had a seat next to Nick so he could watch the kid closely. If Nick was going to turn into Quick Draw McGraw, then Marcus wanted to make sure he was there to back him up.

He leaned in close to Nick. "You better eat something especially if you're going to start drinking. Doesn't matter if its just a bread stick but put something in your system besides alcohol and tobacco."

Townes nodded. Someone here made some sense. The giant man mused to himself that perhaps this fellow giving the brat advice had to be the kid's dad. Well, good--that was a dad's job. Not wishing to speak--frankly, he never knew if the boy was going to rant again, or do something everyone would regret--he pointed to the menu, not pausing his hand of solitaire.

Nick rolled his eyes, and then muttered, "If you insist." Still not completely mollified, he opened the menu, pointed to a random item, and said in a flustered manner, "Hey, Chuckles. I'm ordering this--Gramps wants one too. Happy now?"

Townes looked at it, shrugged, and walked to the kitchen with the order before Marcus could protest. Nick had randomly ordered the House Special Peppersteak. Not that Marcus volunteered to order the peppersteak. But such was the mood that Nick was frankly willing to get in a jab at his supervisor, before returning to that old crutch, the only good thing about this joint--the Suntory Single Malt whiskey.

It seemed to take a little bit. Chris began to get worried now. There was Nick, about to blow his top, with only Marcus and a decidedly fugly individual (Crimson marked as probably being part-Zentraedi, but bio-engineered supersoldier race or not, this Townes was still fugly) keeping him from exploding. There was the two lovebirds, him and Fuzzy, a decidedly crazed individual who had no doubt revealed her, um, proclivities to the lad currently about to have a freakout and currently worrying about whether she would get her prized rifle back. And, there was Crimson, who was admittedly bluffing but decidedly worried about all of this. He didn't show it, but Chris could tell.

And, the food was taking a while. Chris asked, "Ma'am, when--"

"In a minute! You cannot rush quality." she bellowed, over the sound of the "WOOSH" of a gout of flame from the kitchen.

Nick muttered, "Apply that to your singing, why don'tcha" bitterly, struggling with the beast within. Just how did this chick know the song? Even if it was an accident, she had to apologize somehow--but then that would only cause him to--nah...he couldn't....not in front of Chris or Marcus. That would be bad--at least as Nick saw it.

It was all rather frustrating and confusing, and only the presence of their host, acting as waitress with no less than two trays of food, began serving the meals with a smile and a, "Here you go! Enjoy!" The smell was intoxicating, and Chris and Fuzzy dug in the moment they got their meals. After some wincing, Chris said, "This is great....just like at Sawtelle..."

Fuzzy likewise began eating her food, applying Chinese Mustard and chilies appropriately and eating with gusto. The spice didn't faze her, and she smiled with glee....and then she scarfed down the ramen, muttering as she ate, "Mhm. You got that right. Wanna race?!"

Chris immediately said, "Ain't gonna let you beat me. Let's go!"

Thus, the two began eating, trying to outrace one another. It tasted good--but the comraderie was better. But, Minmay/Diva saw this, and sighed. So uncouth.

The food was hot and spicy, and as the steam rose in front of the hybrid, and his “pop”, Nick did begin to grow hungry.

Reaching down, he picked up the chop sticks, and took a bite. It was quite good, lots of peppers though, and as what usually happens with spicy food, his nose began to run slightly. He reached down, and wiped his nose quickly, then took a shot of his liquor trying to quench the fire in his mouth.

He held his mouth open, as the fire burned in his mouth like a raging inferno. It was obvious, that he wasn’t used to these spices, or the heat of the food. After clearing his throat he took another bite.

Turning to Marcus, who sat next to him, he nodded at the crazy bitch’s cooking. “Well, at least she is good for something besides eye candy.” Nick said, as he took a bite of his food again.

He then looked over to “Chuckles.” “Hey, I gotta question.” he asked as everyone was eating. “Where did you get this meat from, and spices? I mean we have been all through this wreck, and I haven’t seen a single cow yet, or living plant?”

Looking up to the siren, who was playing hostess, he then smiled, "I will say one thing for you Mini, you can cook. Maybe I should call you Rachael instead?"

Minmay/Diva simply replied, in that smile of hers, interrupting Townes, "Silly boy. I have supplies of beef and such freeze-dried in storage. And, my wait staff knows how to forage. No Motel Hell, this." She then beamed and said, "Let me know if you need anything else." She then walked off, whistiling and laughing. Rachael. Now that would be a name.

Townes shrugged, and then muttered, "What she said," nonplussed at being interrupted by his boss. He then pulled something out of his pocket, scanned the plate, and printed out the results. Sure enough, it was all processed beef, and what appeared to be something derived from the local wildlife to make up for the shortfall of five-hundred year old preserved food.

Nick shook his head as Chuckles shoved the gizmo in front of his face. “Yeah I got it, although some data pad don’t make it true.” he said as he took another bite of his food. “I believe you without some piece of DNA test.” he said as the man showed him the test results.

Not that Nick could decipher what in the hell it said, or even the need for the device. Who cared where it came from, he was just trying to be nice.... in his own way. “Ah frak it.” he thought to himself as he took another bite. “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t in this crowd.” he thought again.

Turning to Marcus, he picked up his smoke and took a drag. “Hey pop,” Nick said, using the new nickname for Marcus, “You know this is nice and all, but shouldn’t we be going soon enough? You know if it is up to the Doc, we are going to be here til my great grand kids are old and gray. ‘Sides we aren’t archeologists.”

Crimson began to tear into his steak with his knife holding down the tender piece of meat with his fork. He took a bite, then proceeded to drink the wine from his glass. The wine had a sweet but tartness to it, but it was overly delightful. He turned over to Minmei, "This is great!" and continued to dine.

She seems to be unstable, like a child. I hope she doesn't find out I'm not Hikaru or we're in deep shit.

Marcus looked at the beef skeptically. How many years old was this? The Ranger was not too keen on eating all of it. He took a few small bites here and there and kicked his food around to give the appearance he was actually eating it. Marcus shook his head, better go hungry then in the latrine all day.

Marcus took a drink from his glass before looking at the boy next to him. "Well whenever your new flame let's us go, we can get the hell out of here. I'm all for ditching the doctors and heading back to D'Hara."

He wasn't really serious but the mission sure had been put on hold while this diva was chauffeuring them around. Still, he would stick it out until the end.

"I'm glad you've taken my advice and admit a desire for children. Now if we can just find a woman or alien that is willing to couple with you."

Nick looked over at Marcus, as he smiled, his lips tight. It was a mix of amusement and insult, as Nick looked over at his “mentor.” The tip of his tongue touched the roof of his mouth, under his lips as he smiled at the man who sat next to him.

“I just hope that you are willing to babysit.” Nick said with a grin as he took another shot of the brandy before eating a small bite of his dinner.

He looked over at the Doctors who were too busy analyzing their meal instead of eating. Chris and Fuzzy were eating merely in a race that would put professional eaters to shame. Nick shrugged. “Guess I can ask Blue later, dunno if she wants to ruin her figure and all.” He said with a smile.

He then took a bite of the cow that died when his father was still in transit to the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. “Too bad we won’t get paid if we ditch em now, not too mention Chris and Fuzzy seem to be happier than a drunk at the Temple of Dionysus.”

Nick shrugged to each their own.

As the Rangers were occupied reluctantly for the most part--Chris and Fuzzy were too busy chatting it up and reliving the old days, babbling about locations in Los Angeles that none of the other Rangers knew about, little love nests and hangouts and those lovers' lanes where the two would perform their rather raunchy experiments--something rather bad was going to occur on the Sanjuro.

For Lady Edwina Gostinidza, ex-aristocrat, now bankrupted commander of an ill-fated venture to take the City itself from the Westheimer-Voeker Expedition, had been plotting, like any good disgruntled individual who saw themselves as a Political Prisoner of a Communist Strike Force, how to escape. Pacing back and forth, she had studied the movements of her jailers, and through the Force, sensed that the Germans she had hired were onboard the ship as well. Reading their thoughts, and occasionally threatening them and messing with their minds by invading their dreams out of boredom, she had a sense that the South Africans had likely escaped, if only because those macho elves--a foreign concept if she ever heard one--simply blasted their way out of any trap these Reds threw up for them without thought for the consequences or who was nearby. Maybe that wasn't the exact truth, but she couldn't tell. She was stuck on a ship.

Edwina, however, did figure something out. That the door hinges could be manipulated just so. That the guards' patrols were just so. And that her German ex-employees were getting somewhat antsy due to her antics. Now, all she had to do was push them over the edge.....

Thus, one day, she winked in the direction of their cell. The next thing was, she sensed them.....

What did you do that for!?

Ach du--I did not do anything!

Liar!

Eat shit!

What the he--by the Goddess, stop this nonsense!

Piss off!

Her puppets were fighting one another--something to surely draw those Red Brutes to them instead of her. Excellent. Now, to focus on the guards....she could sense that she'd have better luck with the Elf and the Communist "Nerd" guarding her cell--or rather, sitting near it and playing cards and drinking soft drinks--than with the burly Reds--the ones they kept calling "D'harans"--maybe some special Communist regiment--since they seemed less susceptible. She immediately used her powers, and lept onto the ceiling, cloaking herself. Then, with a little persuasion....

"Something's wrong with her cell."

Nerd Cop sniffed the air, and scratched his nose. Erich and Nerd turned around, and muttered, "SHIT!" Calling down a tech, they had the cell opened, and then, to their horror, it looked like Edwina was gone.

But she wasn't. Pulling a classic trick that would please any Prison Escape Artist--and one she had done herself many times to escape from the Commies in the Central Jail--she waited until Nerd and his "comrade" left, then immediately moved out of the cell as they were closing it. Free to wander the ship, she immediately began sneaking about, trying to find that cursed hangar bay.....

edited post

The D'Harans heard the commotion as the two cops started fighting one another. The brutes rushed in to break up the argument when one of the Dornalians pointed out something was wrong with Edwina's cell. Whirling around, the D'Harans left the room to alert the rest of the guards that the prisoner had escaped. One of the guards radioed Max to let him know.

"Figures. Keeping looking for her and I'll let Marcus know."

While Edwina was out walking around, she would have to dodge the increased number of guards looking for her and they were less inclined to talk things over than simply shoot her on sight. Reaching the hangar bay, she would find that there was still a number of D'Harans on the search but the hangar was open enough as it was. There were no shuttles or anything, just a launch track for the Mako when it was on board.

It looked like the only way off the Sanjura was through the hangar bay door and high jump from the ship to the surface.

--------------------------

Marcus laughed at Nick's concern for Blue's figure. "You don't know much about the Abh birth process do you? Rarely do they keep the fetus inside their womb throughout the entire pregnancy. Most Abh women have the fetus removed and placed in an artificial womb until birth.

In theory, you could have as many children as you like and she would never lose her figure."

Just then, Marcus's clyuno started beeping at him. "What is it?"

Max's voice rang out from the other end. "Our prisoner appears to have escaped. Right now the guards are combing over the ship looking for her and so far no hatches have been opened. She is still on the ship so we'll find her."

"Alright. Keep me informed."

Marcus sighed then looked at Nick. "I never understood why all the ugliest guys get so much attention from women."

The D'Harans heard the commotion as the two cops started fighting one another. The brutes rushed in to break up the argument when one of the Dornalians pointed out something was wrong with Edwina's cell. Whirling around, the D'Harans left the room to alert the rest of the guards that the prisoner had escaped. One of the guards radioed Max to let him know.

"Figures. Keeping looking for her and I'll let Marcus know."

While Edwina was out walking around, she would have to dodge the increased number of guards looking for her and they were less inclined to talk things over than simply shoot her on sight. Reaching the hangar bay, she would find that there was still a number of D'Harans on the search but the hangar was open enough as it was. There were no shuttles or anything, just a launch track for the Mako when it was on board.

It looked like the only way off the Sanjura was through the hangar bay door and high jump from the ship to the surface.

Edwina naturally began evading the increased patrols. If those damn Reds from the Cooperative Union couldn't get her, if their Dornalian Red Army masters couldn't seize her, if those People's Acolytes of theirs couldn't hunt her down.....she sure as hell wasn't going to let some more Communist brutes get her.

She ducked, weaved, and skulked about. No time to grab a pistol, no time to grab even a knife--all she could get was a wrench to bash people over the head with. She could sense the Red patrols stepping up their search. It therefore behooved her to run as fast as she could, while she was still cloaked.

All the while, the two cops had to explain to the D'Harans that their real worry was in the cell with the German Mercenaries, the noise coming from there. But, that was only a short affair, for the two cops ran after their quarry as well.

Now, sensing that the forces of Intergalactic Communism were bearing down on her, she only saw the open hangar bay. And, the Reds closing in.

Thus, she decloaked, gave them the Hajarran offensive gesture, and with a running jump, exited the craft in a freefall. She could be seen using her Force powers to slow her descent, but even then, she landed into the treetops, and had a debilitating fall.

Thus, somewhat injured, Edwina began running, discombobulated. She dashed into the open access hatch on the City, and began worming her way into the decrepit structure. Grabbing one of the Rifles from the skeletons and loading it without making sure it was actually working, she said a quick prayer, thanking Linh-Mina for letting her out of the clutches of Intergalactic Communist Heathenism and into the hands of Her Most Sacred Place.

Now, Edwina began to explore the area, forthwith, to meet her Goddess....

Marcus laughed at Nick's concern for Blue's figure. "You don't know much about the Abh birth process do you? Rarely do they keep the fetus inside their womb throughout the entire pregnancy. Most Abh women have the fetus removed and placed in an artificial womb until birth.

In theory, you could have as many children as you like and she would never lose her figure."

Just then, Marcus's clyuno started beeping at him. "What is it?"

Max's voice rang out from the other end. "Our prisoner appears to have escaped. Right now the guards are combing over the ship looking for her and so far no hatches have been opened. She is still on the ship so we'll find her."

"Alright. Keep me informed."

Marcus sighed then looked at Nick. "I never understood why all the ugliest guys get so much attention from women."

Nick then gulped, his reluctantly used Force senses going off in a sort of Spider Sense like manner. The amusement was over--Edwina had not only escaped, but she seemed too close for comfort.

Chris paused from the eating contest, and went over to Nick, asking, "What's wrong? Marc give you childrearing advice again?"

Nick shook his head and went, "It's that damn woman...she's escaped."

Chris then slapped his forehead and said, "Shit." Fuzzy got up and said, "Wait, what the fuck's going on?" Crimson got up and asked likewise, "Yeah. Someone wanna update me on what's going on here?"

Chris sighed and said, "Guys, our prisoner--the Pixie Queen's--escaped. Nick says she may be close."

Minmay/Diva poked her head out and said, "If there is something the matter...I can deal with her. Who is this woman?"

Nick replied, "Mini, she's a bad, bad girl. That's all you need to know."

Minmay/Diva closed her eyes, and then opened them again. With a stern look, she said, "Hmm. I know what you mean. I will have her dealt with."

She then snapped her fingers and said, "Townes! Bring out the Elite Guard!"

Getting up, the man said, "Yes, ma'am" monotonously. He then raised a finger to his ear, and pushed his earlobe. Mumbling a string of what presumably were commands, the general then put his finger down and said, "They're on their way, ma'am."

"Good!" Minmay/Diva smiled and said, "I will show you how good I can be to Hikaru's friends! No one will hurt them here!"

And, several minutes later, the sound of goosesteps could be heard, and the doors of the restaurant opened to reveal several large men, in full body armor with faces concealed with ominously huge gasmasks. From head to toe, they were equipped with what was presumably the New UN Spacy's best. Assault rifles with underslung grenade launchers, one man with what looked like a copy of Fuzzy's looted rifle, and another man with a bazooka.

(OOC: Soldiers look like a combo of the Half-Life 2 Combine Soldier (http://www.games-creators.org/images/9/91/Hl2_conceptart.Combine_Soldier.gif) and the F.E.A.R. 2 Replica Elite (http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/fear/images/b/bb/Replica_Elite.jpg).)

Minmay then turned to the soldiers and said, "There is an intruder here. Find her, bring her to me alive!"

They replied through Intimidating Voice Scramblers, "Roger. Will do."

Townes and the men then moved out to find Edwina, tromping out in surprisingly nimble order. Chris was left to go, "Jeez. Helluva bodyguard."

"I like to keep Hikaru and his friends safe," she merely replied.

Safe, that was the last thing that Nick was feeling as he looked over to Chris and Marcus. Minime was bad enough, a lonely one hit wonder with a goddess complex, but Tinkerbell was another.

He reached across the table, nursing the headache that was sure to come with a quick shot of the good stuff. His heart nearly quivered at the meeting that was about to occur.

Mini wanted Tink alive, and Tink was so devoted to whatever she assumed was her goddess. He shivered to think about what they would talk about, what they would do. One crazy was bad enough, two is a make shift mental ward.

Nick looked over to Chris and Marcus. Nick was not amused, being on the wrong end of Tink not once in her care, but twice including the fight on the ship.

“Well I say lets just get the frak out of here and back to the ship.” Nick said to Marcus, a bit more quietly. “Let the crazies be with the crazies ya know.”

Marcus was about to agree with Nick when another beep came from his Ranger Clyuno. "Tell me you found her, Max."

Max was quiet for a moment. "Not exactly. We had a trace on her for a minute but she's off the ship now."

"What do you mean she is off the ship?" Marcus's face screwed up in confusion. "You were several hundred feet from the ground and there are no shuttles on the Sanjura."

"I'm tellin' you she did a god damn Peter Pan right off the ship. Most likely she is already in the city with you."

The Ranger rubbed his forehead. "Holy Hell. Well keep the engines warm in case we need a quick escape."

"Will do boss."

Marcus let his hand fall to his side as he reached around for his rifle. Setting it on the table, he went to work on making a few minor adjustments with his omni-tool. "That crazy psycho path. Just had to take a few scientists on a small fact finding expectation. Just supposed to watch the kids and make sure they do their homework. But now. I have to get dropped on the ass end of this planet and take a walk through some fun house that is ran by the karaoke reject of the millenia."

Marcus finished making his adjustments and the rifle retracted to its compact size. "To hell with this."

By now, even Chris and Fuzzy were getting worried. The others were getting agitated, hulking super-troopers were on the loose, and a psychotic has-been celebrity was effectively holding them for a dinner date no one really wanted to attend. The eating contest over, now Chris and Fuzzy snapped back into reality, and began arming themselves. If anything, Chris knew how to pull things back together emotionally; one learned that on the beat--this just needed a little more of that. Pulling out the Black Maria and loading it, Chris declared, "Fuzz, got that .45?"

Fuzzy pulled out her 1911A1, and loaded a fresh magazine into it, saying, "Mhm." She breathed a sigh of relief, as the slide racked forward with a satisfying "ka-chink!" and the slightly forward-shoving throw .45s seemed to have.

Minmei/Diva then freaked out and said, "KYAAH!! No guns! I will defend you, there is no need!"

Chris then shook his head and sighed.

"Good cook, yes. Good judge of character, no. In case you haven't noticed, my friends are on edge. Frankly, when that happens, I get worried."

Westheimer raised his hand and said, "I find this rather fascinating!"

"Not now, doc," was Chris's reply, along with a smack upside the head by Voeker. Turning back to Minmei/Diva, Chris said, sarcastically "Look, kid, it's been nice, but we'd like the check no--"

Minmay/Diva, at that, suddenly kicked Chris in the privates, and as the ex-cop wondered about the karmic implications of this act as he recovered, she began sobbing and screaming.

"Damnit! DAMNIT! I work and scrape and work and scrape and sing....I do all these things....I try to be nice.....YOU UNGRATEFUL WRETCH!"

Chris then slapped Minmay/Diva, and said, angrily pointing at her with his index finger, "No one, no one manhandles the family jewels without my permission. I was willing to be paitent, but damnit, I'm out of it!" He then raised his shotgun, and leveled it, only to be met by the killer robots.

Minmay/Diva turned towards Crimson, who only said, "Minmay, he's right. There wasn't any need to be violent....."

Looking at a pouting Minmay/Diva now, who tried to suddenly win Crimson's sympathy with puppy dog eyes, tears and cuteness, Crimson coughed and said, trying to resist the temptation to give in, "Look. As much as I like you, you said you would respect my friends. And it's my job to keep my friends in line. Now, stop this foolishness, and apologize!"

"Bu-bu--"

"You used violence--you hate violence!"

Minmay/Diva then sat down and wiped up her tears, smiling, and saying, "Well.....Okay....I do wish you would keep your friends in line better. Teach them manners.....I wasn't going to charge them......"

"We're not ungrateful....we just have business to do....." Crimson said, trying to talk Minmay/Diva down as best as he could.

-------------------------

As this occurred, Edwina by now had made her way into the City. Hiding in a ruined storefront, she marveled at the City of Steel. It wasn't like in the myths, but she was certain this was it. The logos, the clothing--Linh-Mina be praised, she was in the City--the place where the Goddess and the Progenitors had come to Hajarra.

Then, gunfire. The Elites sprayed a burst of ammo at her, and nanospiders moved to support them. At that, she immediately cloaked herself and began rumnmaging for ammunition and firearms. Finding a rusty old SMG, she smiled and thanked the Goddess, before beginning her acrobatics on the Elites.....

"Bandit is on the move, repeat, Bandit is on the move. Zero-One and Zero-Two, move to flank. Zero-Three and Zero-Four, flank right. All others, form up on me, engage. Utilize robotic assistance."

The cold, calculated orders from the burly Elite Guards echoed in the ruins of Vanguard, as bursts of rifle fire aimed at Edwina bounced off of now-disused brick surfaces. The city of the dead was alive--if only for a little bit. Two others ducked off to the side, climbing up a rickety, rusted fire escape with all due speed, unsure of its stability. And, the rest under Townes's aegis moved down the street to engage. The man pulled out his pistol, and leveled it, opening fire upon Edwina as she lept with catlike reflexes from lamppost to lamppost, firing bursts from the rickety SMG.

Townes cursed. The woman was too fast for him. He radioed Zero-Three, who was by now on the roof, his Sniper Rifle energized with a satisfying *crunch* of power cell and loading of a magazine of 2mm EC shots, as he got into a shooting stance on the roof.

"Zero-Three, do you see her?"

"I see her, Big Daddy. Bandit is moving at rapid speed. Recommend you pin her down, sir."

The task was easier said than done. No sooner had Zero-Three recommended the suppression of Edwina than she lept off a lamppost, bounding from roof to roof towards Zero-Three. She had sensed they wanted to snipe at her, bag-and-tag her. The Goddess's defenders indeed put up a worthy challenge!

Zero-Three, meanwhile, said, "Shit!" Leveling his rifle, he let off a railgun shot, with the sound of a *KA-CHANG!* and the reloading of an energy cell. By the time he reloaded, it was too late; Edwina had closed with Zero-Three. Zero-Four moved to dogpile the woman, whereupon she punched him, the punch doing naught because of the armor. Then, she shoved him back, and jumped over him, firing at Zero-Four's head and finishing with a kick to the now-damaged cranium. The Pixie Queen claimed her first Elite Guard.

Zero-Three pulled out his own pistol and fired at Edwina, tagging her suddenly in the arm and in the side with grazing hits, before he tackled her with a bearhug, shouting on his comms, "Bandit intercepted!"

Then, a fierce struggle began, as Zero-Three battled Edwina, with fists and wrestling moves traded as one tried to one-up the other. The armor made Zero-Three heavier than Edwina, though--but she knew how to make people "dance." She grabbed him in a full-nelson, and then rolled over, as she lept up, dragging him to perform a body slam. Letting go, she then emptied the rest of her SMG into his arms and legs...

...only to be hit from behind by Zero-One. The others had arrived onto the roof, and now, Edwina was surrounded, staggering as Townes told her, "I'm only gonna ask you this once. Surrender. Now."

Edwina then declared, "A likely story...but if you are the Guardians spoken of that defend the Goddess, then I must beat you in combat to prove my worthiness. The Manu-Ahl says so!"

Townes looked at Zero-One and the others, and then Townes promptly said, "As you wish."

Townes then delivered a sucker punch, one which would have connected if Edwina didn't duck and deliver a sweep kick to his shins, followed by a tackle to his legs to knock him down. The ensuing tussle resulted in the guards restraining Edwina, and before long, the recalcitrant prisoner was rushed to the Nyan Nyan.

-------------

The Elite Guards returned, and Townes said, with a salute, "Here's the prisoner, ma'am." Throwing Edwina down onto the floor, Nick and the others would likely recoil at the sight of the psychotic dancer returned to haunt them. But, if it was any small comfort, she was handcuffed, hogtied, and what looked like duct tape was plastered onto her mouth, and she insisted on keeping her eyes closed. Townes explained that, "She tried to bite me."

Minmay/Diva fumed in her amazingly cute way, and then said, "Take the tape off!"

That done, Edwina muttered some prayers and said, eyes closed, "Oh Holy of Holies! I am unworthy in your sight. I have failed to defeat your Guardians, and I thank you for your gratitude for my unworthy person!" She then bowed her head three times.

"Ummmm....."

Minmay/Diva was floored. She then giggled and said, "You cannot be serious, right? Surely, I appreciate appreciation of my music, but I am no Goddess. You are surely mistaken!"

"Only the Goddess would say such wise things! To test my worthiness in your sight as a second chance!"

The gibbering aristocrat clearly didn't hear Minmay/Diva's statements, and then puzzled, looked at the others and said, "What is this!?" Looking at Crimson, she said, "Hikaruuuu......she is creepy! No wonder why you and your friends wanted to escape her. But what does she mean?"

Crimson said, embearassed, "Well....how do I say this....."

Westheimer said, "Ooh! This is where I come in." Coughing, he said, "My lady, the world has changed since your ship last landed on this world. The survivors of that mission have deified you, and their descendants worship this place as the City of Steel!"

Minmay/Diva swooned, and then nearly fainted, before Crimson caught her--unwillingly, but he had to do it, keep up appearances. She then got up and said, "Is this true?" to Crimson.

"Yeah, it is." Crimson said, embarassed.

Chris and Fuzzy nodded in assent. Nick added, "Sorry, Mini, that's the truth."

"Oh dear.....I didn't know I was that popular....."

She then got up, swooned, and then spun a little bit. Minmay/Diva then decided to sit down a bit, amazed that people were not only remembering her, but also deifying her into a cult figure. Part of her was repulsed, the other part glad.

She then asked Crimson, innocently, "Hikaru, why didn't you bother to tell me this earlier? I wouldn't have been unhappy. I would have been rather pleased."

Edwina, meanwhile, hearing Crimson's voice, and hearing Nick, then gritted her teeth and said, "My Holy of Holies! Rely not on these people. They are very dissemblers, liars all!"

Minmay/Diva said, disbelieving, "Nonsense. And open your eyes, you are scaring me!" When Edwina did so, she pointed at Crimson and said, "That is Hikaru Ichijo. A good friend of mine. These are his friends. What is there to be afraid of?"

Edwina said, "Forgive me, Holy of Holies. But these scum are not your lover's friends. In fact, that man is not your lover, at all. I can sense it clear as day."

"How?"

"Powers, O Holy of Holies. Not as grand as yours, but powers nonetheless. If my poor power can sense these things as the beasts, the foul Communist scum they are, then surely you must as well?"

Edwina looked at Minmay/Diva, with the look that the boy who challenged Shoeless Joe Jackson surely had, when he said, "Say it ain't so, Joe!" The look that wanted to believe, but surely had doubt. After all, what Goddess was this, that could be tricked?

Minmay/Diva, at that, nodded and said, "Anything for a fan. To make you happy."

She then closed her eyes. Her psychic powers hadn't diligently double-checked "Hikaru" before, and she was so enamored of him, and he acted so much like him, that she assumed it was him. But to her surprise, the psychic probing, even a surface scan, caused her to pause. She stopped, opened her eyes, and asked sternly, "Who are you, really?" to Crimson. Chris and Fuzzy gulped. It was the look of a woman scorned, on Minmay/Diva's face.

Now it was time, time to act before the whole house of cards fell down. Time to make a move, a daring move, and a blatnent lie. Nick knew that if something didn’t happen, something soon, Edwana would have sentenced them all to death. Nick’s mind raced to help Crimson, help him to come up with a believable story, and help them live.

“He is Hakuru.” Nick said stepping up to the plate. He walked closer to Mini, and sighed, “Although not as you know him exactly.” Nick spoke to her softly. “There is much you don’t know, and well we knew that you loved him. My people.” He paused shuttering at the thought of those words, “Wanted to seek you out. You see, it has been a hell of a long time, and like your original body, Hakuru is long dead. With resurrection technology we brought him back to life, using a bio-organic memory transfer unit on the hub.”

He knew that Mini, and hell probably most of the rangers hadn’t heard of what he was speaking of, but knowing cylon technology he could make it damn believable. “What we didn’t know was his memories exactly. Strains of ancient DNA lose their genetic memory over time. His piloting skills, and his appearance were about all we could maintain. We filled his memories with the stories of old. He is like you, a replicant of sorts.” Nick said to her as he tried his best to bluff her.

Before she could retort to a lie, he looked at her, “Mini you have been in my mind. You know me better than anyone else here. Sure I am a dick, and a ass, but you know that I am not like the others here. I am different, like you. Crimson, what we called him since we didn’t have his original name, is your dead lover, resurrected like you, and Townes, and the rest of this city. Edwana” he said as he looked down at her, “Is just confused. Sure she has power, but her power is too diluted to understand anything. She actually believes me to be from Earth or New Dornalia. Frakkin ****, can’t even tell the difference between Colonial and Dornie slang. She can’t even sense a cylon in her presence instead of a human.” He looked at her, and her power. “She is a joke. Listen to her worship of you, that is all the proof you need."

"If she can't even tell you aren't a goddess when you tell her you are not, how in the frak are you to take her word as worth a damn."

Chris and Fuzzy were about to give assent, but then Minmay/Diva, confused, exploded.

"KYAAAA!" Screaming in anger, she kicked over a chair and stormed off, screaming, "No more doubletalk! I'll find out for myself what is out there. General Townes, watch these people!"

She then ran off, and for a short period, it seemed she had actually helped out the Rangers by making herself scarce. Indeed, with only Townes and the Elite Guard there, the Rangers could concievably escape anytime they wished--just needed to overpower the guards.

------------------

Of course, things don't work out that way. For Minmay, after navigating through a series of ruined corridors, found her way to the bridge. Pushing some buttons, interfacing with the console using the same techno-psychic affinity she had to manipulate those lights so long ago, she pushed the buttons and began to power up the ship.

----------------

The Rangers would then be greeted with angry klaxons, and flashing lights, along with a voice in English, Japanese, and German warning, "Warning: Liftoff in Progress. All units please report to duty stations. Repeat, report to duty stations."

Chris then said, "What the fuck?" as the whole city began rumbling, creaking, rumbling and creaking some more, with a "WHOOOOOSH" sound and vibrations that shook the plates off the tables. Snapping and ripping could be heard, presumably from the jungle vegetation outside collapsing under the force of the movement.

And, one of the "Wait Staff" unfolded a monitor, with Minmay/Diva's face on it. She was visibly angry now, and thrust her finger at the screen.

"Hikaru! Your friends are not telling the truth, and that crazy woman isn't either! Because of that, I will find out for myself what is going on--I have activated the Battle Seven. I will explore this world and seek out my answers! You may come to the bridge, but because I cannot trust the rest of you, the rest of you scum are to be held here with that madwoman, until I can get some answers! Townes, shoot any that try to escape!"

Townes and the Elite Guard then leveled their Rifles, as the rumbling hulk shuddered once more. Chris then asked Townes, "Just wondering, what the hell is going on?"

Townes then raised his pistol and said, "Don't you dummies know how a Macross class ship works? We just lifted off. We're going on a trip."

Chris shrugged. "Works for me, I guess."

Max, meanwhile, would suddenly find a massive, if rusted ship on his sensors directly off the port bow.

------------------

In Orbit above Hajarra

"Ma'am, CU Liasion to speak to you. Says it's important."

"Yes? What? Slow down--giant anomaly in the middle of the Central Highlands, Hajarrans are mobilizing military units, several hundred km southwest of Aghalia--shit. That's Hajarra's major population center. Whatever this thing is cannot be allowed to reach it! Scramble all fighters, inform all units on Watchtower duty to ready guns! Pronto!"

Crimson was mentally taken aback at Nick's attempt at making up an alibi on the spot, She's not going to get fooled by that!. Surely, after a few seconds, his assumption had been correct after Minmei blew her top so to speak. Normally Crimson would have flinched, and was damn near close to doing it, but he resumed his cool and steady stance. Crimson watched her ran off and walked over to the group, "Okay I think this charade has gone far en--," suddenly his standing became a bit uneven as the ship began its ascension, "ough."

After Townes gave his lecture he turned to Chris, gesturing him to come closer. "Okay new plan, I'm going to accompany them to the bridge, but while in the middle of the transfer I will run off forcing them to chase me, it just might create enough of a diversion for you to escape. I'm counting on Minmei to make it a big deal at capturing me."

He walked over to Townes, "I'm ready to go to the bridge now," he said staring up at the behemoth.

Townes said, looking at him, "Alright. No sudden moves, though. You're lucky Ms. Minmay likes you so damn much." The last part was said with no small contempt. He then put his pistol in the small of Crimson's back, and with an unceremonial shove, said, "Let's go, loverboy," leading him out of the restaurant/prison. In the meantime, the other guards raised their rifles, and Chris swore he could see glaring eyes.

Then again, he was glad Crimson came up with something. As it was, the situation had changed dramatically, and likely was going to get worse. He then began toying with the Black Maria, leading one of the Elites to go, "No sudden moves, buddy."

"Just fidgeting. What, you people don't fidget?" was Chris's reply.

"No. Sudden. Moves."

"Jesus. Fine," Chris said, letting the gun go.

Come on Crimson.... Chris thought.

-----------

Meanwhile, the lumbering hulk began scooting forward in the sky, slowly moving towards some destination. Minmei/Diva was manipulating some old maps, what she knew of the terrain. And, she was busily trying to manipulate the power. Charging up five-hundred year old systems that were likely infested with jungle rot wasn't easy, and even with her techno-affinity, she had to make some compromises. As it was, the ship was powering up slower than she thought it would.

As she did so, she swore she could see aircraft outside on the monitors. One was a strange, clean-looking vessel nearby the Vanguard. The one Hikaru's friends used, it so far didn't seem to act. She also detected what looked like civilian air travel, and what alarmingly seemed to be military radio frequencies. No such fidelity yet as to make them legible, but she was sure something was up.

Nick sighed in relief, unlike Crimson when Mini ran off screaming like a drunken sorority chick, thrashing and squalling at everything in her path. Death would have surely come had Crimson been outed, and dying was not in his agenda today. He had other things to do.

Nick however knew it was only a matter of time, before the second crazy women he met today did something unpleasant. He scowled at Tinkerbell, the woman who foolishly believed that Mini was a goddess.

Nick walked over to her, and grinned. “What did I tell you tink.” he said as he pointed his finger in her face. “We have more gods than you, thus We know more about them. She isn’t a goddess, and what in the hell are you trying to do, get all of us killed?” he scolded at her.

He shook his head, “All she is, is a piss poor karoke singer, with dementia.”

“I know you are a damn tea toddler upper crust wench, but you don’t know everything, frak you don’t know much about anything. Next time keep your crazy mouth shut.” Nick said as he turned around and began to walk towards Chris. Suddenly the ship began to rumble, and shake, as the loud sound of snapping vegetation began to sound off through the ship.

Nick was a bit surprised by this. Who in the hell would have guessed the ship could still fly, in such piss poor condition as it was in. The alarms rang out, and the speakers began to blare their various warnings in languages that Nick had never heard of before yet alone understood.

Reaching down for a cigarette to calm his nerves, he looked at Crimson whispering his plan to Chris and Fuzzy. “You know why don’t you just shoot her when you see her?” he whispered in reply. “Would save us a lot of trouble, long term. Besides I am growing tired of crazy women chasing me around on this planet.”

He didn’t understand the wisdom in Crimson’s plan. Even if it succeeded, and the Rangers got free, where in the hell could they go. The ship was in the air, and it wasn’t like there was a landing platform just big enough for the Soujourne to sit down. No, there was only one viable option, they had to take control of the ship, meaning the bridge.

Nick looked at Chris, and whispered cover me.

He got up, and slowly walked towards the front door of the restaurant.

Nick looked at Chris, and whispered cover me.

He got up, and slowly walked towards the front door of the restaurant.

Chris sighed and walked with Nick....and that's when one of the Elite Guards moved to block their path. Raising his rifle, he said simply, "Where you going?"

Chris said, "Stretching my legs." Grabbing Nick's shoulder and pointing to him, Chris then said, "As is he."

The Elite Guard then leveled his rifle at Nick's head, and said, "Do that away from the door. You were ordered to stay here!" To emphasize the point, he cocked the rifle, and turned off the safety.

As this occurred, Tinkerbell was busy thinking about the rejection her Goddess gave to her. Sighing, she began to weep on it, and the boy's reply. What was there to do now? All her life, she had been raised in that belief, and now, it was gone, within a flash. Was she worshipping a little brat? If so, then it was quite possibly the most soulcrushing revelation she could think of. She merely cried, and wept softly, wondering, "What now?"

And on cue, it seemed that through her Force powers, a palpable sense of gloom filled the room.....

Nick felt the barrel against the space between his eyes. The cold metal pressed against his forehead, as the elite guard pressed it hard against his skull. Nick could smell the oil of the gun, as the guard levied it against him.

Nick grinned to the elite guard. “Didn’t you hear what I said a minute ago. You can’t kill me.” he said sternly as he looked at the guard. Perhaps it was the booze which gave him his shot of courage, perhaps it was the mother of all bluffs, or perhaps, Nick was actually telling the truth.

“You can’t kill me, you over grown buffoon. If this body dies, I will just download into another.” he said, moving his arm very quickly towards the barrel.

The sense of dread didn’t escape Nick as he heard the woman crying in the floor, her life ruined in one moment. That bitch had caused him a lot of problems, personally and professionally, but still something in him wanted to help her. He hated to see a woman cry, no matter how much the bitch deserved it. For now though, the best option was to get everyone out of here, and towards the bridge.

Reaching up with his right hand, using every ounce of strength in his body, bending and twisting the guards barrel.

Chris took the que, and without any signals rushed at the guards mid section.

Nick felt the barrel against the space between his eyes. The cold metal pressed against his forehead, as the elite guard pressed it hard against his skull. Nick could smell the oil of the gun, as the guard levied it against him.

Nick grinned to the elite guard. “Didn’t you hear what I said a minute ago. You can’t kill me.” he said sternly as he looked at the guard. Perhaps it was the booze which gave him his shot of courage, perhaps it was the mother of all bluffs, or perhaps, Nick was actually telling the truth.

“You can’t kill me, you over grown buffoon. If this body dies, I will just download into another.” he said, moving his arm very quickly towards the barrel.

The sense of dread didn’t escape Nick as he heard the woman crying in the floor, her life ruined in one moment. That bitch had caused him a lot of problems, personally and professionally, but still something in him wanted to help her. He hated to see a woman cry, no matter how much the bitch deserved it. For now though, the best option was to get everyone out of here, and towards the bridge.

Reaching up with his right hand, using every ounce of strength in his body, bending and twisting the guards barrel.

Chris took the que, and without any signals rushed at the guards mid section.

He then began punching the Elite in the face, and before long, the others began moving to get their prisoners to stop. As one of the Elites tried to seperate Chris from his foe, two more of them lunged at Nick, one going high and one going low to try and tackle him to the ground. In the meanwhile, Fuzzy began firing at another, and then dashed off to where the rifle was. Nearly being tackled by a guard and nearly shot by another, she grabbed the gun, and then began fiddling with it, ducking behind a table....

As soon as his escorts were distracted by the gunshots, Crimson ran off towards the ruined city. The guards began to give chase, as Crimson tried his best to evade them. He climbed fading walls, cut through buildings and corners, passed through littered alleyways, all in an effort to lose his pursuers. At a moment's notice he hid behind a wall, watching the guards pass by him, and clothes lined the last guard, knocking him unconscious. Crimson dragged the unconscious guard into a dark crevasse, knelt down and took the sub machine gun from the his hand taking a few clips from his pocket. He peered over a corner to check if the coast was clear and ran down the alley. Unfortunately the guards spotted him as he came out of the alley and resumed the pursuit.

"All units, this is Townes. Suspect spotted fleeing down Wilhelmstrasse. Has incapacitated One-Four, stolen armaments. Initiate pursuit."

The Elite Guards had deployed in force, replying to Townes' urgent call for assistance. Though there were but four teams of them, the Elite Guards were a good example of quality over quantity, and demonstrated that as Townes led his supersoldiers on the hunt, firing shots at him in order to try to get him to stop--or to outright take him out.

Townes then got the unfortunate message on his radio.

"This is Zero-Two....prisoners rioting! *sounds of combat, static* Request immediate backup, repeat, immediate back-"

The radio cut out, and Townes screamed, "Zero-Two, report in, Zero-Two!"

"Damnit!" Townes cursed to himself, as Crimson drew close to one of the matenance entrances for Vanguard City. Inside the hatch, Crimson would be able to get into the labyrinth of passages--one of which was one of the many ways to access the bridge, another giving access to the hangar bay, and so on and so forth.

---------------

Zero-Two, of course, was down for the count. Mainly because in her haste to figure out how the damn gun worked, Fuzzy had ignored a fundamental rule of shooting--exercise trigger discipline and keep your finger off the trigger when you don't want to shoot. As it was, she shot, and the gauss shot slammed into Zero-Two's radio and through his chest, knocking him flat.

Chris whistled, going, "Wow." He then quickly ducked, as shots rang out from another Elite Guard.

"Fuzz! Make that damn thing work! We need it again!" Chris screamed, as Fuzzy tried to work the levers. By now, she had a vague sense that one plugged in a power cell onto the side, loaded a magazine, and sighted down the built in scope. Not being a sniper, she wasn't particularly interested or skilled in the adjustment of windage and zoom--but it zoomed in enough on the Elites, and that was good enough for her. There was a big crank on the side, but the crank seemed to be a matenance lever of some kind that was best left untouched for emergencies.

Fuzz tried to pull the trigger again at the Elite Guard that shot at Chris, but the gun refused to fire. She then pulled out the cell, and then asked Chris, "Chris! Can you search that body and find me a battery that looks like this?!"

Chris was returning fire with the Black Maria--by now, a few stubborn Elites were stuck behind some tables, the rest of their bretheren incapacitated by whatever all the Rangers did--and asked, "Why?!"

"Just do it! The damn rifle needs these damn cells, so search the damn body!"

Chris sighed, muttered, "Women," and then dashed to the corpse, proceeding to toss six cells at Fuzzy. She loaded one in there, and then proceeded to sight down the thing. Chris motioned to Nick, "After she tags one of them, we move in, got it?"

Nick nodded. And then, Fuzzy unleashed her shot. It aimed wide, but it distracted the Elites enough for Chris and Nick to charge in, guns blazing, taking down the enemy once and for all.

Fuzzy then got up and said, "Needs work," regarding the rifle. She shouldered it, and then pocketed an Elite's SMG, as did Nick and Chris, who kicked the door open, Nick being the first to get out. Edwina screamed, "What about me?!"

Fuzzy then said, "Later."

--------------

Outside the Vanguard, meanwhile....

Aghalia AFB

The Cooperative Union's Air Force was based on several large complexes built by the Dornalians after the Farrell Expedition, and this happened to be one of them. A fully functional defense command center, it was the hub of Hajarran/Dornalian joint defense--insofar as Dornalians left the Hajarrans to defend themselves, and occasionally requested Hajarran units to supplement the People's Navy.

Now, it was on alert. Pilots from the PN and the CUAF were readying their Komsomol III Fighter Bombers and the Marinesko II fighters, taking to the skies in formation and making course for the approximate geographical location of a very large moving anomaly being tracked from orbit.

The Dornalian liason commander, General Li, looked at the map in front of him and said simply, "Gentlemen--what do we have on this thing?"

"Not much, General," replied his Hajarran equivalent, Air Marshal Luciana Cagallia. Speaking in that Hajarran accent--a strange sort of hybrid accent made of Japanese and Canadian dictions--"Our units are airborne. We should intercept anomaly in about an hour."

"Good. I want that thing scanned. If its a threat--KILL IT!"

“What about me!?”

“Later.”

Nick heard the words, the words of a scorned woman, and a broken woman banter back and forth. It was a good move, the smart prudent thing, to leave Tinkerbell behind, left to her own fate and devices. Lady Edwana, in her lust to please Mini, nearly turned everyone in, under her care and charge, Nick suffered the vilest of tortures. He was humiliated on his own ship, in a fight that got so dirty you could have put it on pay per view.

Still he looked back at her. Edwana seemed different, scared, and changed. The ego, the righteousness was burned out of her. As Nick looked at her, he grew conflicted.

Nick turned back to Chris and Fuzzy, as he tried to decide what to do. It was right to leave her, it was just. Still something beckoned to Nick, not a force trick but something else. So this is what a conscious is....

Nick gritted his teeth, “Frak it.” he said as he turned back to Edwana. “Look, I know I am an idiot for this, but get your ass up. You frakked up Tink, but right now I don’t wanna chance you as another wild card.” he told her, but in actuality was trying to justify it more to himself than anything. “Frak up again, Tink, and it is over. Got it?” Nick asked.

As he spoke he offered her his hand to help her up then ran out the door with the others before the guards woke up.

Looking around the street, he closed his eyes. It seemed like a dream to him, the moment he shoved his hand inside the network, as his mind entered the computer.

“What are you doing?” Chris asked Nick as he shoved him slightly. “We gotta move.”

Nick could see it, the people of old, the old recordings coming to life through projection. “This way.” he motioned, as he ran down an alleyway, towards hopefully what he remembered to be the way to the CIC.”

As he spoke he offered her his hand to help her up then ran out the door with the others before the guards woke up.

Looking around the street, he closed his eyes. It seemed like a dream to him, the moment he shoved his hand inside the network, as his mind entered the computer.

“What are you doing?” Chris asked Nick as he shoved him slightly. “We gotta move.”

Nick could see it, the people of old, the old recordings coming to life through projection. “This way.” he motioned, as he ran down an alleyway, towards hopefully what he remembered to be the way to the CIC.”

Edwina got up, looked at Nick, and then nodded. Picking up one of the Elite Guards' assault rifles, she then loaded it and ran after the lot. It was strange. The ones who wanted her dead before.....well, they were still filthy Intergalactic Communists, but then again, considering her Goddess was a crazed brat...no....she wrestled with the theological implications, too busy to think of ways to mess with the Rangers, alternatively reaching atheistic conclusions and trying to believe on, considering that brat not the real Goddess, but a mere shade.

Chris, meanwhile, looked back--and kept looking back--over his shoulder to Edwina. She was going to probably be a liability, considering she looked to be barely functioning. And, considering the guards were now coming back, along with those damn spiders......Chris sighed, loaded a few phosphorus shells, and fired them into the pack of robospiders in front of him, before moving on....

----------

"This is Townes. All units. Intercept. Suspects are fleeing! MOVE MOVE!"

Townes was now giving chase, along with the Elites in general. They would attempt to flank, zigzag, and do whatever they needed to in order to nab the escapees. They were concerned about only ensuring Minmay/Diva was safe. And, they frankly didn't care if she wanted them alive--in fact, killing them was looking awfully good right now, considering the trouble they were putting them through.

Still, orders were orders. So, they followed...Elites and robospiders and all.

------------

The Vanguard inexorably moved on its course, lumbering forward a bit more quickly now as Minmay/Diva struggled to activate the ship's engines and weapons.

She would get her answers, and see the world Hikaru's friends were lying to her about. A shame, they wanted to escape--Townes was frantically radioing her about that. She repeated the order--recapture them, and make sure they were alive. Just as well she cut him short, she was busy powering up the vessel.

----------

As she did this, fighter planes were moving inexorably towards the Vanguard, and Li's ships in orbit were tracking the behemoth. The projected flight path wasn't good, worse than feared--the behemoth seemed to be gaining speed, though only gradually due to its size, and the speed enabled it to close within several hours.....

Crimson fired the sub machine gun down the dark and damp hallway, trying to back off his pursuers as they relentlessly hunted him down. Seemingly he had wounded one of them but more kept on coming as he retreated further down the access tunnel that he climbed into earlier. Once again firing off another burst before pushing his back around a corner. He removed the empty clip and took out another one, "Damn last one!" he grunted, peering over the corner to spot two guards climbing through the refuge and debris of the poorly maintained tunnel. Using the corner for cover he surprised the two with two short bursts to their chests. Crimson was about to rummage through their vests for more ammunition, but he managed to grab a grenade and a extra clip when more guards came down the hall, "He's over here! This way!" they said, "We'll find another way around!" another said.

Crimson ran down the hall until he came upon a T-section. To his left, the tunnel was filled with so much debris it could possibly slow him down, to his right it was clear enough and it would seem like a plausible way, if it weren't for the guards running down its halls! Crimson tried to quickly squeeze his way through, but he finally came to a spot where there was no possible way of passing. There he had to make his last stand.

He cooked the grenade and created a trap using a piece of string from one of his boots. He checked his magazines and loaded his gun with a fresh one, cocked it, and hid behind a large pipe running across the hall. There he waited until he heard something. Something down the tunnel. A faint sound, becoming louder and louder until it shook the tunnel. Then debris began to spray forward, dust covering the room. The first few seconds were eerily quiet, the longest few seconds. Then fire erupted from the tunnel, Crimson returned fire. He had taken down a few guards as they dropped dead where they once stood, but more had busted through taking cover where they could. Crimson ducked behind the large pipe, reloaded his gun with the last magazine and got back into the fight. A few more seconds later he was out, his sub machine gun clicking to the guards enjoyment to find their prey was out of ammo. "Come out and will let you live!"

"Fuck off!" Crimson said.

The guard signaled two men to move in and try to apprehend them. Crimson quietly listened as they were creeping closer and closer towards him. The guards were a few feet from Crimson when they took their last step. "No! Wait!" the head guard was too late as his men looked at him taking the fatal step on the string. A second later a loud boom was heard in the tunnel, shaking it tremendously til opened a chasm beneath Crimson, "SHIIIIIIIIIIIII-" Crimson screamed.

Crimson began to come around, his eyesight fuzzy at first, but soon normalized. He began to look around slowly, trying to gather where the hell he was now. Crimson stood up, amazing that he only had minor cuts and bruises, and began to walk around. He turned on a flashlight on his armor to illuminate the room he was in, "No way!" his eyes widened.

Crimson would find that he had fallen into an old hangar bay. In front of him were the rusted hulks of the fabled VF-1 Valkiryes, known to the Dornalians as the Komsomol class. All around him looked like several of the machines, sitting, waiting for a war that never would come, and that they were never serve in owing to their decay.

Well, one would. Crimson would find one that was serviceable, looking to be freshly repaired by the robospiders, it seemed. Painted in an orange and white scheme, it was simply marked, and seemed ready to move. Although, something that looked like it was supposed to be attached was on a nearby crane--a big thing that seemed to carry extra missiles and lasers.

It would seem all too real, but then, the fuzzball bounded to the plane, and squeaked with joy, seeming to beckon Crimson to come forth. Perhaps it wasn't a trap after all.

Time seemed to slow down, as Nick rounded the corner. No return fire was given, no bullets fired by him, as he went down a rotten and decayed hallway. His senses were alive, for the first time in his life, as he watched the people beckon too and fro from their places of work, to the places of luxury.

He could almost hear them, the echoes of the past, as his mind tried to process the raw data it had absorbed in the computer data, in the form of people and their logs. Turning around, he noticed Chris and fuzzy shooting, and the Lady Edwana looking worse than she did before. Nick couldn’t blame her for looking like she just fell down the rabbit hole, after all her world view came crashing down.

She probably still hated him, thought of him as an evil communist thug from earth, not that Nick actually gave a frak about what she thought of him. At least she was close to them, in a place where they could keep an eye on her. You know the old saying, about keeping your friend’s close, and your enemies closer. Nick just hoped though that this enemy wouldn’t try to stab them in the back, even after kindness and forgiveness was given to her.

He looked down the old decayed hallway, the stench of jungle rot and stagnant water filled the air. The lights flickered on and off like an old horror movie. Nick shook his head as he looked out into it. He could see the fresh paint, and the solid foundation of the hallway. It was new, as people smiled and laughed, carrying their data pads to their place of work. Then he saw it, what he was looking for. A enlisted man, walking with navigator pips on his shoulder. Nick smiled as he followed the projection, towards what would soon be the bridge. Or so he hoped. Turning back to Chris and Fuzzy, he simply yelled, “C’mon, this way.”

Max couldn't do anything about the departing ship but follow it. He kept close so as to avoid detection from the large ship as well from any defense systems around the planet. Max kept a close eye on the vitals of the Rangers as well as a hand on the communication plate back to D'Hara in case things got hairy.

Meanwhile, Marcus wasn't sure what to make of it all aboard the ship but he kept close to his charges to provide support to his fellow Rangers whenever it was needed. The old Ranger simply tried to keep up with the changes.

OOC: Crap I know but just trying to get caught up.

Max couldn't do anything about the departing ship but follow it. He kept close so as to avoid detection from the large ship as well from any defense systems around the planet. Max kept a close eye on the vitals of the Rangers as well as a hand on the communication plate back to D'Hara in case things got hairy.

Max would have plenty to worry about, and probably be glad to enter the shadow of the massive vessel. Minmay/Diva herself now spotted the incoming wings of CUAF and NDNAA fighter aircraft screaming towards the Vanguard. Looking at the screen with an angry pout, she muttered, "No. No one stops me!"

Pushing some buttons, a few rickety laser turrets and some medium range missiles emerged from the hulk, and began arming themselves accordingly. They moved in staggered formation, as Minmay/Diva, in her haste to see the world she had not seen in years, was still powering up much of the vessel. However, she had it powered up enough to get this signal.

"Attention unknown vessel. This is the Cooperative Union Air Force. You are violating Aghalian Airspace. Identify yourselves."

Speaking a rough, oddly accented English, Minmay/Diva radioed a reply:

"Hello? This is Lynn Minmay of the NUNS Vanguard. I need all the information you can provide about this world as soon as possible."

"Ma'am, I dunno what this min-mei is, but I will ask you again and only once again. Power down your ship, and cease hostile movement. You are about to stray into restricted airspace. Stand down."

Minmay/Diva angrily replied, "Then you will not give me the information I seek!? Then I will get it myself!"

Cutting off all communications, she plowed ahead, and the CUAF and NDNAA vessels immediately radioed back to HQ. Upon that, they were given this order by Li.

"Begin attack runs. Take that damn thing out before it reaches Aghalia!"

Thus, the aircraft began swooping down onto the Vanguard, and flak opened up on them....

He looked down the old decayed hallway, the stench of jungle rot and stagnant water filled the air. The lights flickered on and off like an old horror movie. Nick shook his head as he looked out into it. He could see the fresh paint, and the solid foundation of the hallway. It was new, as people smiled and laughed, carrying their data pads to their place of work. Then he saw it, what he was looking for. A enlisted man, walking with navigator pips on his shoulder. Nick smiled as he followed the projection, towards what would soon be the bridge. Or so he hoped. Turning back to Chris and Fuzzy, he simply yelled, “C’mon, this way.”

Chris and Fuzzy followed Nick, the boy seemingly possessed to go in that chosen direction. As Edwina followed with her Assault Rifle, Fuzzy and Ed glared at one another. The looks seemed to say, "Next time, bitch." They nodded, and ran forward, one with a heavy, arcane sniper rifle, the other with an assault rifle and some stolen ammo. Chris had the Black Maria, and Marcus had whatever he had.

As the party followed Nick's path, Minmay/Diva saw them on a fuzzy monitor. Angry, she pushed a button and said, "Oh no you don't! You're not getting anywhere!"

With that, a blast door up ahead began to close, and several maintenance hatches open, with skittering heard from them...

-------------

"Townes! Stop dilly-dallying! They are approaching the bridge. Stop them before they can get in!"

Townes sighed. He gave a perfunctory, "Yes, ma'am," because the situation was rough enough. He lost several men to that damn kid already, and he was now only beginning to catch up. Hopefully, he would give these assholes the fight of a lifetime.....

He approached the area the Rangers were in, with the blast door about to shut itself in total. Townes screamed, "HALT!" as he began to sprint to catch up with the escapees, not eager to let them go.

Crimson walked up to the aged fighter and touched the fuselage with his right hand looking in awe at the sight of it. The fuzzball climbed out of the cockpit and skittered down his arm, up over his shoulder. If one could see underneath all the fuzz, he would have been smiling with relief of seeing an old friend, even if they only known each other for a few hours, "Hello again." He snapped back to reality, however, and got back to work. He looked all over the hangar, debris and wreckage littered the place, as well adding insult too injury that the hangar doors were sealed as it lacked power, due to the power conduits being irreparably damaged. Crimson looked around, searching for anything to help him clear a path, but to no avail. He tried to think it through, a few seconds later he slapped his forehead, "Of course!" The fuzzball gave a puzzled look.

He ran over to the fighter, picked up a spare helmet lying on the floor, the fuzzball cling on with dear life, and climbed into the cockpit. Turning on the power systems and doing his usual checks. "Good, they're still operational." The laser turret swiveled around and pointed at the hull, a split second later, laser beams began to emit from the quad cannon, cutting into the hull. Crimson tried to expertly control the lasers to make a large enough opening for the fighter to get through. He put on the spare helmet, which fitted snugly on his head, and closed the cockpit. He looked down on the console to see the progress of the lasers, but noticed something, "FAST pack?"

A few minutes later, the lasers had finished its rotation, and Crimson got ready. He looked over his should and gave the fuzzball a thumbs up, to which it reluctantly hid further behind his shoulder, expecting the worst. "Here goes nothing!" he triggered the guns blasting through the hull. A moderate vacuum effect ensued causing air and small debris to get sucked out. Crimson punched it and flew out of the hangar, only to be met with sudden fire from both the Vanguard's guns and fire from the Aghalians, "Holy sh--" a flash overwhelmed his cockpit.

One of the People's Navy Air Arm pilots screamed, "Holy Jesus!" upon seeing Crimson's plane spiraling out of control. Radioing back to command, he said, "Command, this is Bird Dog.....spotted a Komsomol Mk I coming out of the bogey, repeat Komsomol Mk 1 out of the bogey. Sending guncam footage."

The shots of Crimson's plane noted, Li merely shrugged and said, "Focus on the mothership....one little plane isn't going to do much. Observe and report."

The planes complied, but the increasingly potent flak was nipping at the CUAF/NDPNNAA units with increasing ferocity.

Yet enough klaxons blared on the bridge that Crimson's VF-1 was detected, and Minmay/Diva fumed, forcing IFF protocols to direct fire from around him onto the interlopers. Still, one CUAF fighter, a Marinesko II, flew awfully close, as if to keep an eye on him.

-----------------------

Down below, the units that had shadowed the Rangers responded to a protocol long dormant. The ship was under attack--reply to enemy contact.

As such, the cobbled Frankensteins, remnants of old battlepods and VF-1s like Crimson's, decloaked and lifted off, streaking into the sky in preprogrammed V formations. The combat protocols went active, and they spotted the Dornalians and the CUAF clients dueling the Vanguard, along with one of their own out there. At that, they boosted, and moved to close with the enemy, eager to get them away.

-----------------

"Bird Dog, this is Foxhound. Incoming bogeys, three o' clock!"

"Shit! Evasive manuevers!"

At that, the CUAF and Dornalian fighters began ducking and weaving, as the Frankensteins began to open on them.

Crimson quickly regained control from the downward spiral, climbing higher into the air. He checked the computer to see that a friend had been following close behind him. Crimson immediately hit the brake, turned the Valkyrie clockwise, and as if in slow motion waved at the bewildered CUAF pilot as he turned back in a regular position and got on his tail. Crimson however noticed the Vanguard's fighters streaming out and on a straight trajectory to the local force. Crimson peeled left to face the oncoming bogeys, and if his friend had caught it, gave a thumbs up. He sped up to full thrust, and made ready for battle.

"Alright lets see what she can do!"

FAST packs were green for a go as Crimson gathered up targets, each of them reflecting off his visor. Targets had been acquired. Crimson made a tight spin unleashing a flurry of missiles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH6ZiySBy_w)out of the FAST pack's multiple missile bays, making it seem like a funnel was directed at the enemy. He saw most of the missiles score home as many foes began to crash towards the ground, either smoldering wholly or in several pieces. However, their reaction was just the same as more missiles headed towards his way. Crimson flipped a switch to shrug off the FAST pack, and pulled up, pushing the throttle to maximum. He weaved and turned through the hail of missiles, causing some to collide with each other causing massive explosions in the air. Making more erratic maneuvers causing more missiles to fall, the Valkyrie turned into its humanoid battroid form. With the gunpod in hand, a split second after the transformation, Crimson spinned the Valkyrie around and gunned down the missiles. He transformed the Valkyrie back to fighter mode and sped off towards the Vanguard.

“Halt” the words rang out in the ears of the hybrid, as the door slammed shut in his face. The metallic sounds of the door locking the rangers out, the dank smell, and dimly flickering lights surrounded the Colonial.

He was growing tired of the way things were going. The crazy women, the robots that surrounded him, it was enough to make him go mad.

Nick lowered his head as he reached down towards his pistol. Gripping the handle, he turned quickly. As he looked at the very large target of a man, Nick spun around slowly ducking as he began to squeeze off the automatic fire of his pistol.

Surprisingly the recoil on the gun was not as bad as he would have imagined, as he sent a volley of projectiles going roughly 1250 meters per second towards the Goliath. With the space no more than 100 meters between them, the giant of a man would have less than .10 seconds to react, barely enough time for the human brain to register something was happening. The normal human brain that is.

Ganoxa;14740273']Crimson quickly regained control from the downward spiral, climbing higher into the air. He checked the computer to see that a friend had been following close behind him. Crimson immediately hit the brake, turned the Valkyrie clockwise, and as if in slow motion waved at the bewildered CUAF pilot as he turned back in a regular position and got on his tail. Crimson however noticed the Vanguard's fighters streaming out and on a straight trajectory to the local force. Crimson peeled left to face the oncoming bogeys, and if his friend had caught it, gave a thumbs up. He sped up to full thrust, and made ready for battle.

The panicked pilot muttered to his wingmen, "This is Foxhound Three. Did anyone just see that!? By the Goddess, this guy's a real operator!"


"What's he doing, Foxhound Three?" another CUAF wingman said, in Hajarran, swooping to evade a Frankenstein's missile.

Foxhound Three then witnessed Crimson's acts with no small amount of shock, and said simply, "Bogey's helping us! Repeat, the Bogey is assisting us!"

Li replied incredulously, "Someone down there gimme a fuckin' guncam feed!"

FAST packs were green for a go as Crimson gathered up targets, each of them reflecting off his visor. Targets had been acquired. Crimson made a tight spin unleashing a flurry of missiles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH6ZiySBy_w)out of the FAST pack's multiple missile bays, making it seem like a funnel was directed at the enemy. He saw most of the missiles score home as many foes began to crash towards the ground, either smoldering wholly or in several pieces. However, their reaction was just the same as more missiles headed towards his way. Crimson flipped a switch to shrug off the FAST pack, and pulled up, pushing the throttle to maximum. He weaved and turned through the hail of missiles, causing some to collide with each other causing massive explosions in the air. Making more erratic maneuvers causing more missiles to fall, the Valkyrie turned into its humanoid battroid form. With the gunpod in hand, a split second after the transformation, Crimson spinned the Valkyrie around and gunned down the missiles. He transformed the Valkyrie back to fighter mode and sped off towards the Vanguard.

Li and the command's jaws dropped as the Frankensteins now turned to face down the unknown friendly, as it traded waves of missiles and eventually executed pitch-perfect transformations and acrobatic moves in midair, causing people to do a slow clap in the Aghalia war room.

Li then leaned in and asked Foxhound Three, "Foxhound Three, this is Mother Hen. Make contact with the fighter, get his name, rank, serial number, and tell him he did a fucking good job out there. And someone out there mark him as friendly!"

Foxhound Three flew close to Crimson, and replied:

"Attention unknown fighter, this is the Cooperative Union Air Force and New Dornalian Naval Aviation Arm. We thank you for your assistance. Please identify yourself, and state your business here, just so we know who we're speaking to, over."

-----------------

Minmay/Diva fumed, and slammed her hand on the counter. Why was Hikaru interfering with her mission!? Those were some of her best fighters.....and, Hikaru, typically the expert pilot as always, had taken a lot of them out, leaving the interlopers to mop up the rest. Now, it seemed he was moving on the Vanguard!

Minmay/Diva radioed Crimson's plane immediately, and said, "Hikaru, what have you done!? Why have you hurt our planes!?"

------------------

“Halt” the words rang out in the ears of the hybrid, as the door slammed shut in his face. The metallic sounds of the door locking the rangers out, the dank smell, and dimly flickering lights surrounded the Colonial.

He was growing tired of the way things were going. The crazy women, the robots that surrounded him, it was enough to make him go mad.

Nick lowered his head as he reached down towards his pistol. Gripping the handle, he turned quickly. As he looked at the very large target of a man, Nick spun around slowly ducking as he began to squeeze off the automatic fire of his pistol.

Surprisingly the recoil on the gun was not as bad as he would have imagined, as he sent a volley of projectiles going roughly 1250 meters per second towards the Goliath. With the space no more than 100 meters between them, the giant of a man would have less than .10 seconds to react, barely enough time for the human brain to register something was happening. The normal human brain that is.

The man took the bullets, and staggered back somewhat. He then paused, looked at his vest, and then saw the bullets, mashed as they had slammed onto his armor, fall to the ground with a *clinkaclink*. Looking at Nick, he then narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, muttering in an angry, low voice, "You're dead."

He then charged forward, and Chris moved to engage and followed up now with some blasts from the Black Maria using phosphorous shells, which barely staggered the man and set part of his body armor on fire as Chris was plowed into by Townes, sending him flying into the blast door. Fuzzy rushed to help him, firing her 1911 at Townes as she helped Chris stagger up.

Townes then pulled out his giant pistol, and leveled it at Chris and Fuzzy, unfazed by the shots that flew at his chest and head, which did some damage. He was then kicked in the side of the head by a sudden Shatner Dropkick (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgtPb4-ou1A), which caused him to stagger back. Turning, he saw Edwina had cocked her fists up to throw a punch, and said angrily, "They're mine."

Townes then threw a fist, and Ed intercepted it with a Force Pull to the side and a block.....

Crimson came out of another spin as another hail of missiles came his way. He looked back to see three hostiles pulled up on his tail instantly, beginning some harassing shots at his Valkyrie. Crimson ducked and dives, weaved and rolled, dodging missiles and lasers all around. His thrusters somehow bent forward, as if acting as legs with the canopy and fuselage intact, arms jutting out from the sides with the gunpod in the right manipulator. He had activated the Gerwalk mode of the Valkyrie sending it shooting back behind the tails of the hostiles. He transformed it back to its fighter mode and locked on the three and fired off missiles at each of them. Crimson watched the smoldering wrecks rocket down to the ground as he had received a message.

"Attention unknown fighter, this is the Cooperative Union Air Force and New Dornalian Naval Aviation Arm. We thank you for your assistance. Please identify yourself, and state your business here, just so we know who we're speaking to, over."

"This is Crimson Torry, former Colonel in the Ganoxian Space Force, now with the Ranger detachment here. The rest of that detachment is still in the ship no doubt trying to make their way to the bridge to stop this madness."

And as if on cue...

"Hikaru, what have you done!? Why have you hurt our planes!?"

Minmei's voice rang through the cockpit. "Because it is my duty to protect innocent civilians."

Crimson switched off the channel and turned on his direct commlink with AL. "AL!"

"Yes Colonel?"

"I want you to give the rest of the team some support."

"Roger!"

The Arbalest, which was still in the same area despite the recent movement of the City of Steel, managed to prop itself up and ignited its booster rockets, flying high into the air, heading towards the ship, while activating the ECM.

Time of Dying (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wh23g5Q2Z0&feature=related)

The fight was brewing, as everything the rangers threw at Townson barely seemed to phase the giant. Bullets bounced off of him, as Chris and Fuzzy’s attacks seemed meaningless. Even Tinkerbell with all her agility and speed seemed only able to hold him off for a bit.

Nick standing the furthest back as he was the one leading them to the bridge watched the man hold off against the onslaught of the entire ranger force. Running up to the man, Nick took his right hand. Concentrating as Lord Rahl taught him, he wrapped his concentration on the most devastating attack that he could think of.

With a similar technique to Edwana, Townson would find both of his testicles slamming into each other with at least twenty pounds of pressure, easily enough to flatten his boys, and cause him the pain that most men would dread ever feeling.

Nick ran up, as he fought dirty, and as Edwana held his arm at bay. Taking his fist, and using the same strength he used to break Edwana’s hand cuffs earlier, he jumped up to slam Townson in the base of the skull. With enough force, he hoped to sever the nerve endings in the brain stem, which housed the life support functions of the human body. If successful, it would damage the part of the brain that housed heart beat, and the diaphragm which caused the lungs to expand and contract.

“Sorry Tink.” Nick said as he landed attempted to land the blow. “Most of us are taken. Although I think you can make Pop yours.” he said to her as he pushed against his skull with all of the might that a half cylon half human could muster.

Things were looking a little hairy outside the ship as Max kept the scanners on full and saw events unfolding outside. Not wanting to die trying to be a hero, he kept the ship safely in the shadow of the mega ship.

"Yeah, definately not coming out."

Marcus in the mean time was inside where things were even more intense. Guns weren't working on the mammoth so Marcus fell to the old reliable. He pulled out his fighting pike and extended to its full length. Ready to charge in help out the kid, the older Ranger thought better of it and stood back.

Nick seemed to have the fight under his control, and Marcus knew that he wouldn't always be there to bail Nick out when he got into trouble. He winced when Nick unleashed the Force blast on Townes testiculars followed by the bone crushing punch.

Marcus planted the butt of his pike on the floor and leaned forward a bit while letting out a long whistle. "Quit trying to pass your crazy girlfriends off on me. Now, if you're done playing around we can get out of here and go home. This has been enough fun for me for one vacation."

The blows from Nick caused Townes to stagger and wince. The feeling of one's nuts being pounded flat into oblivion caused a goodly amount of pain to the supersoldier, and it gave him pause. Only Miss Minmay had done something like that before, although it involved flying kitchen utensils and an electric current.

Chris and Fuzzy didn't waste any time. They got up, and Fuzzy readied her rifle. Chris then said, "Fuzz, see if you can hit him in the center of mass."

Fuzz nodded, leveled her rifle, and then fired point blank at Townes, causing him to fall over as he flew back from the impact of the gauss shot, which caused a visible crack in the armor. Chris then decided to walk over with the Black Maria and make sure the monster was dead.

Like most boss battles, however, this one wasn't going to end just yet. As Ed merely said, "Stop soiling mine honor," to Marcus, Townes twitched, and got back up. He did so in a staggering, shambling gait. Coughing out a gout of blood, he then pulled out what looked like two syringes and jabbed them into his neck, ripping them out after a few seconds. Cricking his neck, he then charged again, now in a berserker rage.....

Chris then immediately leveled his rifle at Townes's head and began dumping shotshells at it, pausing only to wonder how tough was this guy as he began backpedaling....

Ganoxa;14742355']

"This is Crimson Torry, former Colonel in the Ganoxian Space Force, now with the Ranger detachment here. The rest of that detachment is still in the ship no doubt trying to make their way to the bridge to stop this madness."


The techs in the room looked at one another, raising their eyebrows. The Rangers? No one in either the Dornalian or Cooperative Union Militaries used the name Ranger for their units--considering the unknown man and the wierd context of the mission, it was likely the Rangers indeed.

With typically Dornalian aplomb, Bird Dog One replied, "Bird Dog One to Foxhound Three. Did he just say he was with the Rangers?"

"Roger, Bird Dog One."

"Fucking hell! Give him all the support he needs!"

Crimson would suddenly find that his home organization's celebrity status now afforded him a modicum of protection. The CUAF and ND planes began to fly escort for Crimson, as Bird Dog One radioed Crimson, "Crimson, this is Bird Dog One. How about we teach this asshole a lesson, over?"

Minmei's voice rang through the cockpit. "Because it is my duty to protect innocent civilians."

Crimson switched off the channel and turned on his direct commlink with AL. "AL!"

"Yes Colonel?"

"I want you to give the rest of the team some support."

"Roger!"

The Arbalest, which was still in the same area despite the recent movement of the City of Steel, managed to prop itself up and ignited its booster rockets, flying high into the air, heading towards the ship, while activating the ECM.

Minmay/Diva was sorely dissapointed. Hikaru was likely in his war phase again. Typical poltroonery. Soldiers always kill, no matter what's in front of them. Fuming, she then attempted to broadcast to Hikaru, "Hikaru, I am sorry--but I must not allow you to interfere with my search. I am....sorry!"

Crimson and the allies would now find themselves the targets of redirected flak fire....

"My callsign is Red One, Bird Dog One," he replied, checking to see their callsigns show up on screen, BD-1 and BD-3.

A flak burst nearly hit the right wing of Crimson's Valkyrie as he made a tight spin, "Shit!" He ducked and weaved pulling high into the air to avoid another shot, then ducked again below the line of fire. Crimson looked behind to see if his new wingmen had caught with him, to which they did, barely...

"Ten bogeys spotted, eleven o'clock high, lets give them a welcoming gift shall we." Crimson pulled up sharply, BD-1 and 3 following behind and unleashed a wave of missiles at the oncoming hostile aircraft. Several of the missiles scored a hit sending five down. Still another five to go however, "BD-3 you got one on your tail!"

The enemy fighter was close on BD-3's tail, firing off short bursts that nearly missed BD-3. Crimson tried to get to him, but was held up by two other enemy fighters. BD-1 however closed in behind, attained a lock after a few tense seconds and fired off two missiles, with a 2 second interval between shots, "Fox Two. Fox Two," he yelled.

One missile hit the engines, crippling it, while second hit the fuselage, causing the fighter to explode. "Good Kill! Good Kill!" Crimson yelled out, blasting out another battlepod, while getting the drop on another fighter by the gerwalk maneuver, firing a well placed missile on the fighter.

More flak rained in on Crimson's squad, as they finished off the last fighters, "Okay, Red One is going in, cover me."

"Copy that Red One, flying above and covering your ass." BD-1 affirmed.

"Roger," Crimson weaved through the vast amounts of flak, spinning so rapidly, it would have made a normal person spew out his lunch before the canopy. As coon as the computer acquired all the locks, Crimson immediately unleashed a wave of missiles at the flak guns. He switched the fighters to battroid mode systematically destroying the guns on the hull itself. Suddenly an alert rang through his cockpit. "BD-1 five more bogeys on my six!" Crimson said as he continued to destroy another flak gun with his gunpod.

Amazement, was an understatement, as Nick stared in awe at the genetically engineered man raged towards Chris, taking head shot after head shot. His boys crunched, and smashed, his body shot and stricken, the man moved like an enraged bull towards the rangers.

How he could even move was beyond Nick, as he backed up along with the other rangers. Looking at Edwana, Nick shouted, “Tink, throw him against the wall.” Nick shouted at her. With that, Nick pulled out the shot gun of the rangers. If Tink listened, Nick levied the shot gun, and began to unload shot after shot within the same space as the cracked armor. Hopefully enough damage would break the armor, and eventually a shot would get through. Hopefully.

Things were getting hairy now. Marcus thought Nick had done well in dispatching the brute but it seemed a little bit of Force and fire power wasn't enough to bring this guy down. The older Ranger flicked his fighting pike up and studied the opponent. It was clear Nick was going to need a little more help with this.

Marcus held up his hand for a moment. "Edwana. Throw me as hard as you can at his head."

He knew that Nick would be looking at him with a confused look. "You want to get through that armor so let's think smart about this and not just pure strength. The momentum behind the fighting pike with my weight and the force of Edwana's throw should help weaken the armor or at least stagger him. Follow that up with shots from your shotgun and hopefully we can punch through a small section of it. Just aim for between the eyes."

Marcus looked back to Tink. "Got your throwing arm loose?"

Things were getting hairy now. Marcus thought Nick had done well in dispatching the brute but it seemed a little bit of Force and fire power wasn't enough to bring this guy down. The older Ranger flicked his fighting pike up and studied the opponent. It was clear Nick was going to need a little more help with this.

Marcus held up his hand for a moment. "Edwana. Throw me as hard as you can at his head."

He knew that Nick would be looking at him with a confused look. "You want to get through that armor so let's think smart about this and not just pure strength. The momentum behind the fighting pike with my weight and the force of Edwana's throw should help weaken the armor or at least stagger him. Follow that up with shots from your shotgun and hopefully we can punch through a small section of it. Just aim for between the eyes."

Marcus looked back to Tink. "Got your throwing arm loose?"

The time to act was fast approaching, as the monster was about to close in. Chris's shots did some damage, but not nearly enough to stop the insane supersoldier, who lunged with an animalistic scream at the Rangers.

Now, it was time to act. Ed focused her powers, and then threw Marcus like a javelin at Townes's head, aiming between the eyes as she screamed, "It's Edwina! EDWINA!!!"

After releasing the Ranger-cum-projectile, she ran forward, witnessing the attack attempt to do something to the monster as Marcus's end of the attack (OOC: that, I leave to Abh to play out, since it is Marcus) caused Townes no small amount of consternation, causing him to swipe at Marcus and pause in his rampage. Nick would not only have the opportunity to intervene now, but Chris would too. He ran up to the back of Townes, and unloaded a slug from the Black Maria into the back of Townes's knee, screaming for Fuzzy to "DO SOMETHING!"

Fuzzy began fumbling with her rifle, loading in a new power cell and cranking the emergency lever to get it going again, grumbling.....

----------------------

The bridge so far saw Minmay/Diva power up most of the equipment. The radar was back online, and the weaponry was coming back. No "bridge bunnies" made it hard to perform matenance, but Minmay/Diva's psychic techno-affinity ensured she would get most of the job done.

The radar showed that a population center was up ahead, some distance away. It also pinpointed that things had changed since she last woke. The locals it seemed had developed civilization, roads, and, as the radio indicated, pop culture.

And, she looked at one weapons dialog screen that heartened her. The Macross Cannon was ready for charging. She decided to warm it up, and give it a test fire. Maybe it would persuade these neanderthals she meant business.

-----------------------

Outside, Bird Dog One immediately intercepted the bandits going after Red One, as Crimson's callsign went. Bird Dog team proceeded to give battle, dueling the archaic machines to the death.

AL, meanwhile, would find access in a crumbling waste hatch below....

Nick did as Marcus directed, waiting for Marcus to get in position, he readied his shot gun.

As Marcus flew into the beast of a man, slamming his pike into the crack in the armor, Nick unloaded his shot gun til it over heated. Shot after shot went into the man, slamming between his eyes. If he survived this, he would have one hell of a headache.

Nick then shrugged, as Edwina shouted her name. “Yeah, whatever tink.”

Marcus straigthened his body as he flew through the air with blunt pike tip leading the way. He kept his hands positioned on the shaft of the weapon so that his body would continue driving on to add more force to the blow. The throw was perfect and Marcus's aim was true as the tip collided with Townes's face.

In the process, Marcus was clipped in the behemoth's swing but the Ranger managed to flip in the air and land behind Townes. When Nick began pummeling the monster with shots from his shotgun, Marcus took his cue and ran straight for the back of Townes's legs.

Marcus hoped that the blow from Nick's shotgun and Marcus's own dive into the back of the legs woulds send Townes falling on his back.

The Arbalest rose through the shaft, slowly to avoid unnecessary damage as the shaft seemed to be of all else littered with debris.

Meanwhile Crimson disable another flak gun, this time with his lasers as the gunpod was out of ammunition. More fighters started to come in bound as most of his wingmates were already engaged in battle. He switched back to fighter mode and blasted towards the enemy head on, with most of them being battlepods. He raced towards them with frightening speed, only to find out he didn't have enough missiles. He fired what he had taking out a few of them with about three left. The Valkyrie then performed a transformation into battroid mode, with Crimson immediately punching the manipulators through the battlepod, disabling it. A split second later, the Valkyrie performed a roundhouse kick to the second, knocking it down to the ground. The third started to run away at the sight of this spectacle but was cleaved in half by the Valkyrie's laser-dagger.

OOC: Just to let you guys know, this is gonna be my last post for the next four days. I will be, as part of my adventures in Los Angeles (from which I am currently posting), on a cruise to Catalina Island and stuff with no internet access. OG, tell CW and Hunt I will definetly be out of contact, and to slow up.

IC:


In the process, Marcus was clipped in the behemoth's swing but the Ranger managed to flip in the air and land behind Townes. When Nick began pummeling the monster with shots from his shotgun, Marcus took his cue and ran straight for the back of Townes's legs.

Marcus hoped that the blow from Nick's shotgun and Marcus's own dive into the back of the legs woulds send Townes falling on his back.

Chris's own shotgun slugs to the back of the legs, combined with the endless rain of buckshot from Nick's own scattergun and the slam from Marcus finally downed the monster once more. All the drugs in the universe couldn't compensate for blindness and physics and limb severance, and Townes crumpled once more.

As he did so, however, he flailed around, violently screaming and attempting to smack Marcus and Chris as he fell, trying to evade them by moving to the side. Chris ducked some blows, and then proceeded to fire three more slugs into roughly where the supersoldier's spinal column was; Townes had exposed his back.

Townes didn't feel the pain, but he did feel a sudden inability to use his legs as he crumpled onto his side. Screaming ferally, he was about to call out for the robospiders, when Fuzzy, who was searching for a good angle, delivered another shot, which flew wildly at the spot Chris hit in the small of Townes's back. The result was that a shot flew through Townes, releasing a decidedly gory exit wound and burying itself into a robospider nearby. On that note, the robospiders were moving closer....

The Arbalest rose through the shaft, slowly to avoid unnecessary damage as the shaft seemed to be of all else littered with debris.

The debris was rattled about by the combination of the Vanguard's slow movement, and the raging battle outside. However, the successful manuevering would pay off--one of the shafts would lead to a location within fifty meters of the Rangers' location, in the midst of a decrepit shopping mall.

Minmay/Diva, naturally, intended to prevent this threat from opposing her. Calling in reinforcements, the Arbalest would be confronted by what looked like a corrupted version of Crimson's VF-1, with insectoid, biomechanical attachments
(http://moa.dracandros.com/Vajra_(Macross)) and what looked like parts from a Battlepod.

Meanwhile Crimson disable another flak gun, this time with his lasers as the gunpod was out of ammunition. More fighters started to come in bound as most of his wingmates were already engaged in battle. He switched back to fighter mode and blasted towards the enemy head on, with most of them being battlepods. He raced towards them with frightening speed, only to find out he didn't have enough missiles. He fired what he had taking out a few of them with about three left. The Valkyrie then performed a transformation into battroid mode, with Crimson immediately punching the manipulators through the battlepod, disabling it. A split second later, the Valkyrie performed a roundhouse kick to the second, knocking it down to the ground. The third started to run away at the sight of this spectacle but was cleaved in half by the Valkyrie's laser-dagger.

The other units, in the meantime, began attack runs on the defenses, and before long, Minmay/Diva began to get reports of damage to defenses by increasingly bold and desperate pilots. It seemed that as many as she killed, they found ways to neuter her. It was becoming a zero sum game.

Fortunately for her, the Macross Cannon was at fifty percent charge. She spotted another couple of formations of fighters in the distance, and fired at them, sending a giant beam firing at one of the formations. Explosions were registered, and evasive manuevers made as an entire formation was distrupted by the assault, losing several good fighters in the process.

This was followed by a simple message.

"Stay out of my way! Until I get some answers, stay out of my way!"

Nick sighed in relief as he watched the giant fall. The joint tactics worked well, as he looked down at the body of the man who was probably the worst waiter he had ever seen. Nick bent over, as he took off Townson’s helmet.

His face was bloodied, his eyes were glazed, and Nick saw no sign of the man breathing. However, better safe than sorry. Nick took the scatter gun in his hand, and pointed it at the unarmored head of Townson. With a thunderous roar, signaling he pulled the trigger it was over.

Blood and bone splattered across the hall way from what used to be his head. “Next time, say thank you.” Nick said to the body, as he put away the scatter gun. Turning away, he walked up to the blast doors that were closed. He looked around for a panel of some sort, or computer ternimal, or something that would allow the door to open.

“Hmm.” Nick said to himself as he looked around, not seeing anything resembling what he was looking for. “Looks like the Ancient Dornies were actually intellegent in their design. No way to unlock the door. Frak.” He said to himself.

Suddenly a blast of green light flew past him. Instinctually he ducked and turned around. The outer entrance was filling with the giant robo spiders. Pulling out his pistol, he fired a few shots towards one of them as he ran over to find some sort of cover.

OOC: Not the best, but a seed to get things moving along.

IC:

At the Macross Cannon blast, the Aghalia AFB command freaked out, with a tech reporting, "A massive energy discharge sir! 34th Squadron is down! Repeat, 34th Squadron is down!"

Loud angry klaxons flooded the War Room, and angry phone calls flooded the phone lines. Eventually, Li gave the order.

"Prepare for full evacuation of all urban areas within the unknown's projected course. Scramble ALL units. Prepare to utilize direct orbital fire if necessary. We MUST stop that thing. NOW!"

-------------------------

Minmay/Diva, meanwhile, watched on the video screens several events at once. One was the death of her lieutenant, Townes. No matter. That man was unreliable. Undignified. But he had the good sense to call down the Drones against the boors. Perhaps waves of enemies would teach them humility.

Now, there was another threat. A giant robot of some sort dueling with one of her Valkiryes--the one infected by the Vajra years ago. She watched the Valkirye duel with the robot, sliding about and dancing, just as humans did. She hoped the Valkirye would win...but then again, the interloper was giving it one hell of a fight.

Now, it was to the exterior cameras. The enemies on the outside were becoming bolder, and "Hikaru" was now moving in, inspring others to do crazy Kung-Fu stunts and wearing down her own air force. Somehow, the interlopers had many more aircraft to spare, and they were angrily engaging her defenses. The flak and laser cannons were reporting damage, mroe so than usual. And, long range scanners seemed to indicate more were on their way.

It seemed these dogged people had interpreted the Macross Cannon as not a show of force, but a challenge. Good. She would have many more soon enough.

OOC: Reseeding thread, to spur activity.

IC:

THe Arbalest's duel with the Vajra-corrupted Frankenstein was a tough one, but in the end, a throw of the AT Dagger that clipped it in the side and exploded spectacularly crippled the monster enough to prevent it from proving much more of a threat. By the time it got out, the massed force of Robospiders was attempting to break the Rangers, and it seemed things looked somewhat desperate. Even with Chris and Fuzzy opening fire on the enemy, there were many. Oh so many. Especially with Minmay/Diva deploying her heavier monsters, the ones seen in the restaurant.

An AS Frag Grenade was chucked into the swarm, causing a number of the horrors to scatter. Then, Chris exclaimed, disbelieving the sight, "Hot damn!" Calling Crimson up, Chris asked, "Good call with the Arbalest. Can you get AL to blow down this door?"

Marcus had a few grenades left from his Ramboo/Chuck Norris run through the jungle but it was all he had. Deciding best to get rid of one problem now and worry about the future latter, the older Ranger freed up his last two grenades and lobbed them into the door way. He ducked behind the same cover that Nick was on and waited for the explosion.

Debris flew everywhere and Marcus popped back up with his assault rifle ready and unloaded the light mass rounds. "You know, this has to be the worst damn mission ever. First we get bad karaoke and now we're dealing with insects. I say we get compensation from the government and tack on an exterminator fee."

The explosions rocked the small corridor, as Nick ducked down. His ears began to ring, as the explosion tore through the mechanical insects, blowing metal parts and spilling oil through their ranks.

“Don’t forget the pain in the ass tax.” Nick chimed in, as he looked up firing his pistol into more of the spiders. “Dancing Pixies, crazy bitches, turn coat kitties, and a anal retentive doctor. Hell we may be rich after this.” Nick said as he pulled out several unused grenades, and handed them to Marcus to begin throwing.

Nick soon ducked back down. The door was all that was left between him and that damn Diva. He quickly reached down to his coms. “Hey Can opener.” Nick said into the microphone. “I know it is your coffee break and all, but frak it dude, blow open this damn door. We got more spiders on us than a bad early 90’s horror flick.”

Turning back to Marcus, Nick fired off more rounds until his gun began to over heat. “Shit.” Nick said as he ducked back down waiting for his pistol to cool off. “Crimson really needs to learn to keep his chick in line, or drop her. This is not cool at all.”

OOC: Well, I think it's time for this swarm assault to end. Delivering a much needed jolt to get this thread moving like it should. If this sucks, CG, lemme know. I'm working off that set of permissions you said earlier regarding RPing Crimson and associated properties whenever you cannot, but it may have expired....

IC:

The numerous screams for assistance on the radio led Crimson, who was currently juggling defeating the last of the Frankenstein fighters with the Hajarran reinforcements and ensuring AL was on the way to save the Rangers, replied, "I was just getting to that, guys. I've been dealing with my own swarm out here!"

At that point, AL would then get the message to use all available methods to blow down the door. Having used up an AT Dagger to kill the Vajra infected Frankenstein, AL opted to use the one tool that wouldn't run out of ammo. The AS Monomolecular Cutter. Running through the hordes, Chris shoved Nick and Fuzzy to the ground as the robot bounded over the Rangers, and then manuevered to the door that wouldn't budge, and sliced it open with several good slices. With a push, the door fell with a solid *thud*.

Chris then siezed the opportunity to call, "EVERYONE INSIDE! LET'S GO!" as he ran to the exit. Fuzzy and Nick and Ed followed, along with the Doctors, Voeker grabbing Marcus by the arm and screaming, "LET'S GO!"

----------

The newly opened corridor would quickly lead to a tram system that, given the ship's mammoth size, would prove useful in leading straight to the bridge to end this farce. The Arbalest took the time to seal up the entrance with the door he cut down and other debris; the robospiders wouldn't worry them for a while.

The loudspeakers would then go off.

"Well, I see it's come to this. Interlopers within and without. Well, you're not gonna kill me! I WILL do what I want! Not you, not your ships, not your fucking orbital defenses, not your giant robots, nothing!"

Chris rolled his eyes.

"Here we go again."

Minmay/Diva then screamed, "I heard that. I'll have you know....the Macross Cannon is nearly fully charged, and will rain down doom upon you!"

Tired from running, Fuzzy screamed, "BACKGROUND! PLEASE!"

Minmay/Diva's reply was, "You people fly through space, build giant robots and don't know what a giant energy weapon capable of shearing entire fleets is!? Fucking retards."

Chris shrugged.

"Now she uses the F-bomb. Let's just go and stop her from doing something stupid."

Citizen Soldier (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJRthpxDM10)

In the end, all we are is our deeds. How we affected others, how we are remembered. To this end, Mini would not fair well.

Nick picked himself up, as Chris pushed him down, narrowly escaping the blades of Al. Funny, how if Chris didn’t push him down at that moment, Nick probably would have died by the hands of the machine. It would not be surprising to him, as he picked himself back up. He always figured one day some frakking toaster would take him out.

Looking over to his bud, Nick was breathing heavy by the narrow miss. “Thanks man.” Was all he said, as he took off running through the now opened door. With the gang behind him, he turned the corner, pistol at the ready.

In the background he listened to the banter as he moved along through the narrow twists and turns of the old ship. “And now she uses the F-bomb…”

Nick shook his head, in disbelief. Of all the crap they have been through, they are worried about her cussing a bit. He smiled as he came towards the door of the bridge. “Yeah, frakking bitch, can’t even cuss properly.” He said with a slight smile, trying to have some humor in this. "When I see this bitch, I am going to seriously smoke her ass. I mean come on, using robots? I thought she had class." he said sarcastically, as he held his pistol out in front of him in case there were any bad guys or toasters around the corner.

Finally seeing the Rangers back on task, Marcus bolted for the opening with the help Voeker. Now on his power, Marcus pulled away from the doctor and headed up behind Nick with his shotgun at the ready.

"Well at least the robots were different this time around. I mean you have to give some credit to spider robots."

Marcus checked the cooling and charge on his gun before moving on up. "You want to knock on the door or should I?"

Nick shrugged slightly as Marcus began to talk about the style of the Robots. Nick would never admit it, not in a million years, but Marcus was right. At least they weren’t the standard bi-pedal robots of doom. The Robo-spiders were pretty cool, if it wasn't for the fact that they were robots, and trying to kill him and his buds. Still though, Nick out of self pride and hatred of robots would never admit that there was anything good about robots.

He just turned when the party came to the new door. “Rock paper scissors to see who knocks first?” he asked the party with a wiry smile on his face.

Chris muttered, "Jesus, guys. I'll do it. Hold on!"

With that, the team approached the door, the tram car returning back to its destination. Chris motioned for the rest to stay low, while he tried to open the door...

-----------------------

Outside, Crimson and the rest of the pilots of the New Dornalian squadrons had cleaned up Minmay's Frankensteins. Now, there was one thing left to take care of.

"Guys, I have to go. Important business, regarding a woman I'd rather not know," Crimson radioed the Dornalians. The reply was a simple, "Aye," from the squad leader, an acknowledgement that seemed deeper than usual. Crimson then dove away as the others began assault runs on the final AA guns, attempting to locate the hatch AL used. Flying around, he found it, and then flew inside, transforming first to Gerwalk mode and then to Battroid mode to complete his entrance and navigate the wreckage. Passing the disabled Vajra-Frankenstein, he entered the main part of Vanguard City which once housed the epic firefight with the Swarm. Finding the entrance blocked, he sighed and radioed AL, "AL--open the door."

With AL allowing him access, Crimson got on the tram car, and began to head to the final chapter.

---------------

Minmay of course, knew they were coming. So, like any good supervillain, and pretty much doing what she did beforehand, Minmay locked the doors and began to taunt the heroes.

"I know you're there. I'm not letting you in. Do you really think you can stop me from accomplishing my journey? You may have evaded Townes, you may have evaded the robospiders and you may have evaded the Elites....but I'm still in command of this vessel! And I'm still going on my journey. You can't stop me!"

Chris immediately began loading breaching slugs into his shotgun, muttering, "Fuck." Turning to the others, he said, "Anybody got ideas to break into this damn place?"

He then heard a nasty series of clunks and whirs and skitters. Looking up, Chris witnessed Drone Guns emerging from the ceiling and heard the distinct sounds of Mini's "wait staff," coming this way via the stressed ducts.

"Don't everybody think of something at once!"

---------------

"General Li!"

Li looked at the radar screen, turning his head up and gasping at the fact that the large object his men were supposed to deal with was closing in on a major urban center. Already, the local authorities had been evacuating people, and by now more attack runs were being done on it, apparently. But, there were ominous energy readings, and it seemed really dangerous to have something like that next to a place like Aghalia, which teemed with close to six million people.

"My God....." Face twisted into a look of gruff concern, Li asked, "ETA till that thing's over the city center?"

"At current rates....it's cruising over Highway 18....and approaching the suburbs now....we've got some time, but I wouldn't bank on wasting any of it. Say, forty minutes."

Li muttered, "Damn. We need to shoot that thing down now, before it gets too damn close!"

"Can't. We do that, the projected explosion would be too much....besides, we have reports that fighters have made contact with interlopers....a fighter designated only as Red One. A Ranger."

Li frowned.

"Well. Someone get on the horn to those guys, tell them that unless they stop that thing, we're going to stop it for them--with them in it, if necessary!"

The clanging noise was just a sign of what was to come, as Nick looked at the door up and down. His stomach turned into knots as he knew that soon, they would be overwhelmed with countless robots, doing what robots and all AI only knew how to do. Shoot at a damn Colonial.

Nick turned to his group, his pistol in hand, then suddenly out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a control panel to the lower left hand side of the door. Putting his pistol away, he yelled out to the party. “Cover me, it’s time to go R2D2 on Minimey’s ass.”

Fuzzy looked at Chris curiously, as Chris shook his head. “No Fuzz, I don’t think he is going to do what you are thinking…. At least I hope not cause that would be sick.”

Fuzzy put her hand to her forehead, as she sighed, “No I do not have a robot fetish, thank you very much.”

Nick sighed, “Frak that…” he said as he pulled out a knife and popped the cover off the casing.

Suddenly the robots appeared, firing their bright green lights at the party. Nick could hear Marcus, Fuzzy and Chris returning fire. His adrenaline was pumping, as his heart began to beat very quickly. Nick looked at the control panel’s wires. The wiring seemed basic, power cables, input wires to the control panel, out put to the central database…

Nick looked at it and was amazed. “I think I might get this.” Nick yelled out as the green bolt shot past his head.

“Hey, Nick, less talking more working.” Chris replied as he pulled out Maria and fired a couple of slugs into a mechanical robot.

Nick shut up as he took out the omni tool. He wanted to be sure, last thing he wanted was to feel about a million volts of electricity through his body. He just had to be sure that he got the networking cable to the computer system. He then smiled as the cable appeared on the system. “Thank the gods, you Dornies like to network everything including your toilets.” Nick said as he turned off the Omni tool.

Pulling out his knife, he slipped his hand back to the cable. Reaching to the plug in, to the doors hardware, he gently detached the wire, and pulled it out.

“Um… Nick.” Fuzzy said, “Can you please hurry this up.” She said as she fired off a few rounds towards some of the robo spiders in the back. “I don’t really feel like staying here til I’m like 90.”

Reaching down to his wound from previously, Nick began to pull back the knife incision. “Keep your panties on til you get in your room.” Nick told her, as he peeled the barely grown over flesh away from itself. The skin stretched and pulled away, sounding like a piece of paper being torn. The pain throbbed through his arm, up to his shoulder as he winced in pain.

Suddenly a fountain of red blood began to gush out once more. “Frak!.” He yelled out in pain, as he had to do once again what he hated the most. He had to embrace the silicate side….

Shoving the wire down into his arm, it felt like someone drilling into his skin. The skin under his wrist pushed itself up, as his eyes began to flutter.

“How much longer?” Chris yelled out, as he ducked down to reload Maria. All he could see was his buddy sitting still, and for the first time he could remember, Nick was silent.

Fuzzy looked over at Chris, as she wondered what the hell was going on. Then another green blast whizzed by her head. “You think he’s dead? When is the last time he didn’t answer?” she asked Chris.

Chris shook his head, “Nah, he is too stupid to die.” She said he fired another round.

Then in a second, the robo-spiders began to shut down. Their green lights began to die out. Behind them they could hear a hissing at the door, and the sound of locks unclamping. Rusted wheels began to turn, as the door began to open. During this time, Nick sat kneeling at the panel, his eyes closed, as his hand continued to drip in blood.

Marcus ducked just as the first bolt went whizzing overhead. There wasn't much time for shooting the shit now. He saw robots flooding the hall and didn't wait long to return fire. The constant drumming of his assault rifle flooded his ears as he reached dangerous levels of overheating. But there was no real shortage of targets.

Eventually he saw most of the shots aimed at Nick who was busy working on trying to open the doors. Marcus activated the deployable shield wall in front of Nick and took cover behind it. From there, the older Ranger managed a few well placed pot shots.

In what seemed hours but only took minutes, the fighting had stopped at the machines had been shut down. Marcus knew Nick had managed to override the circuits. Turning around, he saw Nick slumped and not moving.

Marcus nudged him roughly. "Come on son, there'll be plenty of time to sleep when you're dead. The mission isn't over yet."

Crimson arrived in time to witness the scene, got off the tram, and promptly declared, "Just in time. Let's end this concert."

Chris nodded and turned to the newly opened doors, reloading his shotgun and muttering, "My sentiments exactly." Like Marcus and the others, he was beginning to get tired of the charade--it was fun in the beginning to board the vessel, and it was, even through the bluster, somehow engaging to run the gauntlets Minmay/Diva had put up. But, all concerts had to end some time, and this was one that didn't deserve an encore. Finishing up, he and Crimson rushed inside, Fuzzy running in too with her Colt .45 and the scientists and Ed not eager to be left behind.

-------------

Minmay/Diva turned around, and saw the motley crew storming the bridge. Looking very displeased at their presence, she decided to make their visit worthwhile. She knew that brat had likely disabled the systems--he seemed to be the only one with any affinity for technology among these brutal poltroons. But, she had a few tricks left.

Pushing a few buttons and closing her eyes, the lights would turn on angrily, flashing an angry pink and focusing on her. Bathed in a halo of light, the madwoman was soon opening her eyes and looking at her captive audience seductively. Manipulating the lights like some kind of show, she focused them onto the Rangers, bidding them in a voice that seemed desperate, sultry and innocent sounding all at once, "Welcome to the show."

Crimson declared, angrily marching forth and holding Chris back, "End this. For the love of all that is holy, end this madness!"

"Sorry, Hikaru. Or should I call you Red One?" Strutting to another console, she said, "I've figured out the truth. You've gone over to them. You're not the Hikaru I used to know. Are you?"

Crimson, for once, decided to not answer. He only replied, "I don't have time for paranoia--stop!"

Minmay looked at him and said, "Wrong answer. I've been accomidating. I've fed you, treated you and your miserable friends nice. But I've had enough. I think it's high time that I figured out the truth. Why are you preventing me from seeking the answers I want?" Minmay asked in an ominous voice.

"You're endangering millions of people. Don't you realize that? And how the hell will hurting those millions of people get you the answers you want?!" Crimson shouted at Minmay/Diva. He was tired of this game as well, and wanted her to calm down.

At that, Minmay/Diva blurted out, "I don't fucking know!" Covering her mouth, she shouted, "And I won't fucking know unless you tell me who you are and why you're interfering with my mission!" She then threw her mike onto the ground, pouting in the process.

It was now Chris's turn to stop Crimson, putting his hand in front of Crimson, going, "Forget it. She's gone."

At that, Minmay/Diva glared, and said, "Perhaps coercion will get you to reply. Isn't that what soldiers do!? COERCE!?"

At that, Chris's thesis was confirmed. Slamming the button, an angry red countdown--almost stereotypically so--began counting down from five minutes, and drone guns emerged from the ceiling. As well, she began to manipulate the lights, so they moved like the lights in her shows--flashy, multicolored, and dazzling. Plus, she began to use her uncanny techno-affinity to begin opening up parts of the ship, bypassing the blocked passage and effectively reintroducing the robospiders as an enemy to be reckoned with. Plus, some of those consoles looked ready to burst....and the bridge itself seemed to grow warmer.

And, to top it all off, she had the nerve to sing. Shouting, "AND NOW, FOR OUR FINAL SONG TONIGHT--A HIT FROM JAPAN--'MOTTEKE! SAILOR FUKU!'" the most annoying shrill Japanese pop music began screaming into the room.... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieQ1rAIjzXc)

His body felt heavy, as he gently awoke from his projections. It had worked, the robots were dead, and the doors were open. As his eyes awoke, he saw Marcus looking over him, staring at the hybrid, and seeing what the others had over looked, the wire inside his arm.

"Come on son, there'll be plenty of time to sleep when you're dead. The mission isn't over yet."

Gritting his teeth in writing agony, with his left hand he reached down to the wire. He began to pull it out of his body, each movement of his body wracking him with even more pain. Finally the blood covered wire slid out of his wrist and hand. The floor and his uniform were covered in his blood.

Nick tried to close his right hand, but as he moved his fingers slightly, the pain became too much. He screamed out, cussing in ways that would put the average colonial or dornie to shame. He scrambled with his left hand to try to put the armored glove back on, but his fingers remained stiff as a board.

Nick then knew the truth of who he finally was. Yes he was part cylon, but he wasn’t a cylon. Cylons didn’t become exhausted like this from such a move, they could shut off the pain. Nick could not. Nick was part human, and the human side of him was letting him know he had pushed his limits. Finally after a minute, Nick decided that the glove wouldn’t work.

His hand continued to pour out blood, as he reached around and grabbed the most easily accessible gun with his left hand, the shot gun.

Wounded, and slower now, he ran in behind the other rangers, the pixie, the gata, and the doctors to see a horrific sight. Something that seemed right out of a bad karoke night. Minimey was flipping out, and Nick was really not caring why or how. This was all coming to a head, and he was beginingto feel groggy as hell. When he had a moment, he decided once and for all to end this. Leving his shot gun in her general direction, and from this distance, it would create a nice spread that would be hard to duck, he fired off three rounds at her.

Nick was woozy, stumbling in and bleeding out, firing shots? This was bad, real bad. Not only was Chris forced to put up with the distractions caused by the massive and unwelcome light show and the loud, shrill music--but there were also spiders leaking out of the ductwork and his friend looked ready to be their bait. Judging by their course...they seemed to recognize that too.

Chris wasted no time in firing at the hordes of spiders, grabbing Nick by the hand and shouting, "We gotta go, man! We gotta move! Let's go!"

The shots from Nick's gun veered wildly--one clipped Minmay in the shoulder, the other in the lower arm, and she skipped away from the other. It was obvious she knew what was up, and nobody was stopping her from performing her virtuoso solo.

As Nick would feel the tug--when the woozy feeling of bleeding out wasn't being accompanied by a desperate shove behind a console and application of appropriate healing agents onto the wound by Chris, Fuzzy covering, he would find things blur out--and Minmay right in front of her.

"You can't stop me. You can't win. Foolish, badly written TV show melodramatic cartoon. You'll see."

Then, things would blur back to reality. Or some semblance of it, as one of the consoles exploded near Fuzzy, sending shrapnel into her side and knocking her down.

Chris muttered at this, "SHIT!" Turning to Crimson, he said frantically, "We need to get up there, and shut that damn thing off." Crimson nodded, and replied quickly, "Not without shooting down those damn drone guns first."

Chris replied, "Ya think?!" and lifted his shotgun to the ceiling, emptying solid slugs into them repeatedly with considerable force, Crimson joining in with his own armaments. Crimson then screamed at Ed, "Hey, you! What's your name again?"

"Edwina!"

"Ed! Kill the drone guns, NOW!" Crimson then looked at the scientists cowering, and screamed "You too! You fucking got us into this mess, now you help clean it up!"

Voeker lept up and opened fire on the drone guns, and marshaled a reluctant and decidedly cowardly Westheimer to do the same. The former seemed rather irritated at being dubbed a coward, and the latter seemed eager to get home.

Edwina, meanwhile, began doing what she did best--evade the drone guns, and execute high jumps to shoot at them and even kick at them. The good thing about the drone guns was that given their age, their turning radius and reaction times weren't as they used to be--the bad thing was that they seemed pretty dedicated to slaying our heroes, or helping their robot spider cousins to that end.

Fuzzy stumbled up, and fired weakly into the drone guns, clutching her side and wincing from the pain. As she did so, she stumbled towards Chris.

--------------

"Sir....there's massive energy signatures--er, MORE massive energy signatures coming from the vessel. It's stopped, and charging. Seems to be some sort of weapon!"

Li immediately ordered, "Deploy all anti-air and orbital assets immediately, and prepare to fire on my mark."

"Sir, they're close to a civilian center--"

"Fuck that! I want this thing dead!"

Marcus could see that things were not going well. Whatever Crimson was trying to get through to Mini, it wasn't working out well. Nick was already firing shot at Mini to try and take her down. He could understand the outburst of violence but he wasn't exactly keen on killing her right out.

The older Ranger brought his Clyuno up quickly. "Max! We're ending this thing now. We're going to need an exit soon. Can you manage that?"

"One giant size hole, coming up. Boss, I might want to mention that the locals are getting a little restless."

Marcus sighed. "More good news. Well stall them until we can finish here."

"Right. Stall them."

Marcus let his hand fall to the side. Using the other fire from the Rangers as cover, Marcus ran for Mini. He took out his fighting pike and extended it to full length. Marcus charged on hoping to get a good swing at the Diva to knock her out and end the fight quickly.

-----------------------------

Max finally decided to bring the Sanjura out of hiding from the flying city ship and deal with the locals that were most likely getting antsy. The pilot fired up the comm channels to get the local authorities on the line.

"Uh yes, this is the Ranger ship Sanjura. How are you today? You're probably wondering what these ships are doing here. Trust me, there is nothing to worry about. There are already a number of Rangers on board that massive ship dealing with the problem.

If I know them, they are looking for a peaceful solution to the problem in apprehending the commander of the ship. Knowing them, everything is under control and going according to plan. We'll be out of your way in a moment."

Max sighed as he clicked off the comm switch. "Phew. That was a load of bull."

Marcus could see that things were not going well. Whatever Crimson was trying to get through to Mini, it wasn't working out well. Nick was already firing shot at Mini to try and take her down. He could understand the outburst of violence but he wasn't exactly keen on killing her right out.

The older Ranger brought his Clyuno up quickly. "Max! We're ending this thing now. We're going to need an exit soon. Can you manage that?"

"One giant size hole, coming up. Boss, I might want to mention that the locals are getting a little restless."

Marcus sighed. "More good news. Well stall them until we can finish here."

"Right. Stall them."

Marcus let his hand fall to the side. Using the other fire from the Rangers as cover, Marcus ran for Mini. He took out his fighting pike and extended it to full length. Marcus charged on hoping to get a good swing at the Diva to knock her out and end the fight quickly.

The pike mercifully cut Mini's performance short, smacking her in the jaw and sending her to the floor. Getting back up, she glared at Marcus, and screamed, "GET OFF MY STAGE!" The scream was somewhat muffled, as the popstar nursed a dislocated jaw and seethed in pain, but it was enough to get the attention of the robospiders and the drone guns. They focused on Marcus, eager to play the part of the bouncer ejecting a drunk fan, only with live ammo.

Chris and Crimson, horrified, now turned to take out the guns before they could end Marcus's career. Crimson covered for Chris as he reloaded the Black Maria, and shot at two of the guns, taking them out after repeated hits. Chris was next, and he opened up with a few more solid slugs on the others.

Max finally decided to bring the Sanjura out of hiding from the flying city ship and deal with the locals that were most likely getting antsy. The pilot fired up the comm channels to get the local authorities on the line.

"Uh yes, this is the Ranger ship Sanjura. How are you today? You're probably wondering what these ships are doing here. Trust me, there is nothing to worry about. There are already a number of Rangers on board that massive ship dealing with the problem.

If I know them, they are looking for a peaceful solution to the problem in apprehending the commander of the ship. Knowing them, everything is under control and going according to plan. We'll be out of your way in a moment."

Max sighed as he clicked off the comm switch. "Phew. That was a load of bull."

A reply would immediately come back to the Sanjura, as General Li himself spoke rather angrily and quickly.

"I sure hope things are going to plan, Sanjura. We have no less than sixteen battleships, fifteen entire wings of fighters with antimatter, singularity and nanite rounds, and every available man and AAA and SAM platform down there trained on that monstrosity. And we would hate to use them on that vessel with your men in it! Over."

As the healing salve that Chris was carrying began to work it’s magic, Nick felt his right hand, surprisingly quickly become more maneuverable. His head was still light though, as he watched Marcus, extend his pike and beat the Diva down with little trouble.

For a moment, Nick suffered Pike Envy, as he watched Marcus use the pike in a way that he didn’t think was possible. Then he shrugged it off.

He couldn’t figure out though why he was keeping her alive. Maybe he wanted to make her suffer for the shitty rendition of Sweet Home Alabama? Or the ten thousand other Karokee songs they had been tormented with. Maybe he had a soft spot for her? Whatever the reason was, Nick knew that he couldn’t shoot her now, not without hitting the old man.

Then as he contemplated the simplest of things with much difficulty, he heard a crash, and the sound of more drones coming towards Marcus. Nick was unsure, as everything was still foggy, but he aimed his gun the best he could. He fired his shot gun, at one drone, then another, and another, one shot per drone til his shot gun over heated.

As it went in the red, he reached behind him and got out his pistol which he was a little better shot with. He levied it at another and fired.

The drones fell one by one, until the sudden torrent of fire directed at Marcus ended. Minmay/Diva was now finding herself suddenly with only a horde of robospiders with no backup, especially against these determined heroes. With a broken jaw, there was no crooning or grandstanding her way out of this one. But, she did have that technoaffinity--so the last part about the grandstanding wasn't exactly true. And, that Marcus guy had given away his plan to have their vessel do something to her.

Resting on a console, she then screamed through the loudspeakers, "There's still the Macross Cannon to deal with. You kill me, you blow up the bridge--and there's no stopping the deaths of all those people below. Control will just transfer to auxiliaries, and the firing will still occur."

Chris wasn't in a mood to negotiate, and shot out one of the speakers out of frustration. He then motioned to Crimson and the others and said, "We need to disable that Cannon. Forward, NOW!" Thus, the heroes began quickly moving to support Marcus, Nick being lifted up and assisted forward by Chris, who said, "Let's go, dude! No time to waste."

"I feel dizzy...." Nick muttered, as he stumbled forward with Chris's help.

Fuzzy then pulled out a blisterpack, and then opened it to reveal a wicked looking tube with a nozzle at the end, filled with a strange red and silver fluid. She then shoved it into Nick's upper arm, and Nick would find himself the recipient of an emergency blood transfusion, executed via hypospray technology. Nick felt a strange sensation, and suddenly muttered, "What the--shit!"

"Thank me later, kid. You should start seeing straight," Fuzzy said, as the whole group rushed Minmay/Diva's console, flanking from both sides to support Marcus and firing all at once to keep the robospiders away. If there was a time to shut off the cannon, now was it, before the bugs could really react.

Carry on my Wayward Son (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMdLwX-jvQ0)

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, as did the blood that was in the IV Bag. It didn’t take long, either through the grace of medical technology, or placebo. But at the moment it wasn’t a big deal. What did matter was millions of lives were at stake, and the woozy hybrid had to get his shit together or else they would soon be laid to waste.

Nick shook it off, the pain the dizziness, as the blood bag quickly emptied into his veins. Getting up, he ran to the console, as fast as he could move, which may or may not have surprised the party by this point. Nick then looked at the controls. They weren’t unfamiliar to him by this point as he looked at the buttons. Targeting solutions, firing control, power levels, the basics one would find at any weapons control station.

With his right arm extended, he pulled up the omni tool. A holographic sphere opened up, as he began to press a few buttons, trying to see what exactly the Diva had done to the system.

“How does it look kid?” Chris asked as he held his shotgun at Minimay’s head. Nick shook his head, “Not good bro.” he said as he looked at the results. “She has locked out the system, it would probably take me about an hour to get full control back.” he said dismayed.

Fuzzy turned and glared at Nick, "Quit screwing around, I gave you the fucking injection, so stop goldbricking!"

Nick looked down, and got under the control panel. “Damn Kibbles.” he told her as he removed the panel under neath. “No need to be a bitch about it.”

He reached up, and began to set the Omni tool for a count down, to match that of the clock.... 03:45....44....43

With the panel removed, he then took out a light and began to look at the wires. Watching how they ran from point to point, He searched for the computer that sent the signal to the Macross gun.

He could feel Minimay try to smile as she watched him work under the most frantic of conditions. “You’ll never stop it from firing, you little brat.” she said to Nick trying to taunt him off his task.

Nick balled up his fist, and with a wave of his hand, a hard slap from an invisible hand slashed into Minimay’s mouth, pushing the broken jaw harder out of place. “Don’t toy with me, bitch.” he said to her as he began to touch individual wires, seeing which did which.

02:27.....

He could feel the worry and the dread coming from the party, as Nick pulled out his knife. There wasn’t time to do this the old fashioned way. He once more would have to do it like he did before. He dreaded this moment, as he thought to himself how next time he needed to invent a tool to allow this access without knives. Once he found the right networking cable, Nick once more set himself to do the most painful thing he could. Slicing his left hand this time, Nick unplugged the network wire from the console, and began to shove it in his arm.

“MOTHER FRAKKER!” he yelled out, “I am seriously going to ask for a raise after this.” he yelled out, as the blood began to transmit info into his brain and from it.

Nick’s eyes began to flutter, as he openly began to count down.... 01:12..11...10

As he did, the world soon changed around him. Nick was sitting in a chair, on the beach, with a cold beer in his hand. He could smell the beach, as he looked out over the water to see the setting sun.

“What are you doing?” a female voice asked behind him as he took a sip of his beer.

“I am trying to save those people.” he said not looking to see who it was. “To do that, I need to project.” he told her. “It’s the way we gain access to the computer system.”

“I see.” the voice said behind him. “You better hurry. You got 18 seconds left.”

Nick nodded, as he put his jacket on, and finished the last sip of the beer. “Almost got it.” he said to her.

7...6....5...4...3...2...1... suddenly the power to the Macross cannon died, as it retracted into the ship, in a classic stereotype. Nick opened his eyes in the real world, as the cannon’s power levels dropped from 100% to 0%.

“Yup, after this I am going to Vegas, watch some strippers, drink some booze, hit the card table.” Nick said half way laughing. Pulling the wire out of his arm again, he then reached down, and unplugged the power control and firing solutions from the computer. Pulling out the wires and tossing them to the side, no amount of techno-affinity would be able to turn it back on again, not without re-inserting the wires themselves.

Marcus practically had to dance around for a while with all the shots firing around him from both sides as he chased after the Diva. More than once he had to watch the fire from his own side.

"Watch where you're shooting! Jerks."

Eventually the other Rangers gained ground with Marcus and the drones fell from the line of Rangers. That just left the robospiders and the popstar that had sung her last karaoke tune. It seemed that this was going to be over soon enough.

But then the midget had to throw a curve ball at Marcus and the others. The Macross Cannon was warming up under Mini's orders. Marcus had to wonder if he should just have let Nick kill her but there wasn't anytime for what-ifs. There was a uber weapon to power down and quick.

The rest of the Rangers gave Nick cover as he plugged back in to the network and turned the weapon off with only a breath to spare.

"I'll spring for the trip but you're buying the drinks."

Marcus turned his attention to the little Minimay. "Now for you little miss. Are you going to surrender to us peacefully now? You've lost, face the facts. Come with us and I know something can be done for you. We can help you, but only if you are willing to cooperate with us."

"Actually....I'll put the drinks on the scientists. I'm sure they need a research break. In the meantime..."

Chris held his shotgun up to Minmay/Diva's throat, and the robospiders skittered away. Witnessing her trump card dying away thanks to Nick, her armies unable to stop the Rangers, and Crimson and Chris showing leadership to stop her from killing millions, she looked at them all defiantly. However, as much as Minmay/Diva wanted to resist, she couldn't hope to escape this many guns. Especially as Chris looked awfully insistent on pulling the trigger--he seemed to lose his usual trigger discipline, cradling his finger dangerously close to the trigger and looking at Minmay/Diva with a look that dared her to act.

Minmay/Diva looked at the Rangers, and threw up her hands in surrender. As she was lifted up by Chris, who still held the shotgun barrel to her throat, she looked at Crimson and said, "Why?"

Crimson said, "Sorry. We just weren't going to work out."

All that Minmay/Diva could muster in reply was a pout and some "sad, puppy dog" eyes.

The last few minutes of the mission seemed to change Nick’s view on everything that occurred. A simple statement, nothing big, and suddenly he had a golden ticket to an all payed for trip to Vegas. There was no way in hell he could complain about that.

Nick pulled himself out of the computer console and stood up. The Hypospray that fuzzy used worked like a charm, nearly giving him a buzz as the medicine continued to replace the blood that was lost. Pulling out a rag, he sealed up his left hand as he walked over towards the group of rangers.

Mini was disarmed, and had everyone and their mother pointing their piece in her direction. Chris looked like he was on a hair’s trigger, something Nick fully understood. In his place he knew he wouldn’t have the same restraint.

As she pouted though, he couldn’t help but to feel sorry for her slightly. Yes she was a crazy woman, with bad taste in music. Yes she used Robots, which she should be damn thankful the Local Dornies were more forgiving than other portions of the United Colonies. Had this occurred on the Twelve Sisters, she would be tried, convicted, and executed in a gruesome manner, probably decapitation or firing squad.

Nick smiled as he walked up to Minimay, who was pouting with sad puppy dog eyes. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a cigarette and light it. Reaching into his pack, for a moment of empathy, he offered one to the Diva, then to the other smoker in the group Fuzzy. As he offered it to Fuzzy he said, “Don’t worry, I didn’t steal this one from you.”

Looking over to Marcus, then to Chris Nick took a quick puff, “So what would you wanna do with Celine Dion?” he asked them.

The last few minutes of the mission seemed to change Nick’s view on everything that occurred. A simple statement, nothing big, and suddenly he had a golden ticket to an all payed for trip to Vegas. There was no way in hell he could complain about that.

Nick pulled himself out of the computer console and stood up. The Hypospray that fuzzy used worked like a charm, nearly giving him a buzz as the medicine continued to replace the blood that was lost. Pulling out a rag, he sealed up his left hand as he walked over towards the group of rangers.

Mini was disarmed, and had everyone and their mother pointing their piece in her direction. Chris looked like he was on a hair’s trigger, something Nick fully understood. In his place he knew he wouldn’t have the same restraint.

As she pouted though, he couldn’t help but to feel sorry for her slightly. Yes she was a crazy woman, with bad taste in music. Yes she used Robots, which she should be damn thankful the Local Dornies were more forgiving than other portions of the United Colonies. Had this occurred on the Twelve Sisters, she would be tried, convicted, and executed in a gruesome manner, probably decapitation or firing squad.

Nick smiled as he walked up to Minimay, who was pouting with sad puppy dog eyes. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a cigarette and light it. Reaching into his pack, for a moment of empathy, he offered one to the Diva, then to the other smoker in the group Fuzzy. As he offered it to Fuzzy he said, “Don’t worry, I didn’t steal this one from you.”

Looking over to Marcus, then to Chris Nick took a quick puff, “So what would you wanna do with Celine Dion?” he asked them.

Chris looked at Minmay/Diva, and said, shaking his head, "Get her some therapy. She needs a doctor, badly." The voice carried not hatred, but a mixture of annoyance and pity. After all, it was hard to hate somebody who simply didn't seem to understand what they were doing and was merely playacting at something--although what that something was, wasn't clear. Pop star? Megalomaniac? Good girlfriend? Chris was busy trying to figure out the new prisoner, not several seconds after her capture.

Fuzzy took the smoke, and replied, "Mhm." Minmay took the cigarette, and handed it over to Crimson, with a desperate look. Taking the gift, he merely replied, "Um, thanks." With that, Crimson said, "Lemme call the authorities outside. I think we can say that everything's alright." And he proceeded to do just that, using his call sign of "Red One."

Meanwhile, Edwina witnessed the sight of the Rangers casually arresting her idol. Were it not for the fact Minmay/Diva seemed so weak, and the Vanguard just a decripit old vessel with a giant laser cannon, Edwina would try to rescue her, and take the City of Steel for herself. However, now, Edwina was stuck in a crisis of conscience. Was this really Linh-Mina? Was this really the City of Steel?

She immediately answered those questions with the easy rationalization of the stubborn. This was a test of faith--a false prophetess and a falsehood, the whole thing. This "Diva" was just a crazed hack assuming the form of the great Linh-Mina. The ship itself may have been the City, but then again, there was an entire complex of bunkers and such outside the ship--that could be the City.

Satisfied (and not knowing that indeed, the woman in front of her was the source of the Linh-Mina cult), Edwina decided to slink away from the group, when it was time...perhaps she'd even attempt a prison escape.

The scientists didn't look pleased to be forced to foot the bill for drinks....but then agian, Voeker pointed out, "It's only right, Rob. After all, they have been through a lot, on our behalf." They then walked up, and Voeker and Westheimer extended their hands to the Rangers, saying, "Thank you, friends. Your assistance has ensured that we can solve the mystery of the City of Steel."

"I'm inclined to agree with Chris. I was thinking about letting Lord Rahl try and help her but if you know of some doctors on Earth, then perhaps it would be best it may be best if she was around somewhere that she originally came from."

Marcus shrugged. "Since she likes singing so much, maybe we can get her a career going or something. Something productive."

The scientists reached out for Marcus's hand and he politely shook them but the Ranger was more interested in getting off this ship and back home. Marcus brought his clyuno up close to his mouth. "Max. I need an exit. Play me off this stage."

"Boss? You hit your head or something?"

"No. I've just been hanging around a karaoke star for far too long. Get me the hell out of here."

There was a slight pause as Max considered the words. "Right away. You limo will be waiting for you."

Marcus dropped his hand back to his side and turned back to his party. "Alright people, let's pack it up and get out of this hell hole. Take care of this flying crate and we're off for vacation. I think the Lord Rahl is footing this bill. We'll put it on his charge card."

With that, the Rangers were able to easily exit the ship--with Max's help of course--whilst a team of Marines and Cooperative Union Army forces teleported onboard to secure the ship. As they moved to get it away from the urban areas, General Li sent one last message to the Sanjura.

"Thanks, boys."

---------------------------------

When all the loose ends were tidied up (prisoners rendered to the right authorities, etc.), the Rangers decided to turn all that talk about Vegas into a reality. McCarran International was still functioning, and with that, the Sanjura landed in port. A few taxi rides later, and the Rangers, after some prodding by Chris, ended up in the Oriental Dreams. A Chinese themed casino, it was one of the more popular attractions in town.

Key to its success was the Imperial Splendor Room--a glitzy nightclub if there ever was one, fully stocked with exotic drinks and tasty dishes. The Myths may have had ancient charm, but this was sleek, ultramodern, and distinctly sexed up, per Vegas conventions.

After all, what was a nightclub in a Chinese themed casino without waitresses in cheongsams? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qipao)

So, as the Rangers settled in to drink up and get happy, the first thing Chris did with Nick was, "Yo, man--you gotta try this shit." Flagging down one of the waitresses, he got the two shots of mao tai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maotai), and bade him to "drink up!"

And so all things end, like they should begin, in a bar. The last day or two had been full of cheer, and vice, as Nick drank, smoked, and gambled the day away. All the sins and vices that Vegas had to offer, he seemed determined to indulge in, save one...

As it was, Nick looked around the oriental setting of the hotel that the rangers were in. Beautiful Asian women surrounded him dressed in clothing that seemed strange to the Colonial. Cigarette in hand, as usual, he nodded to his compatriot as he lifted up the new drink before him.

“Never met a liquor I didn’t like.” he said with a smile, as he took down the shot of the strange liquid that Chris gave him. It tasted poignant, but had a pleasant after flavor. It also seemed to have a kick, as Nick slammed the glass upside down on the table.

This place had all the trappings of colonial life, freedom to do as you wish, to live like you wanted, to do anything you wish as long as it didn’t harm anyone but yourself. Strange decor aside, this hotel, this city was the most like Caprica he had seen in the galaxy thus far. He looked over to Marcus, who of course was enjoying the finer pleasures in life, with a glass of some fine wine, that he meagerly drank, while holding up some cards at a table. Nick wished the old man would lighten up just a bit. Just a tad...

Scanning the room however he noticed a couple of women, sitting at a slot machine, dressed in beautiful evening gowns, but were not playing. They smiled at the men as they passed, each with their own style of allure. Nick turned back to Marcus, then smiled.

“Excuse me.” Nick said politely to the rangers, as he stood up and began to walk over towards the two women, one in a black dress the other in red.

Marcus was always ever watchful, more so than the other rangers, and as he saw Nick with drink in hand, walking over to the two ladies, he got up and walked over to the Colonial. “What do you think you are doing?” Marcus asked like a father to a son, trying to keep him out of trouble. “Do you want to be shot because you have had too much to drink again?” He asked him, intercepting Nick between the two women.

Fuzzy then looked at Chris and glared at him, while pulling out a knife. “Don’t even think about going there, unless she is willing to do a threeway.” Fuzzy told Chris sternly.

Nick laughed as he put his hand on Marcus’ shoulder. “Trust me pop.” he told Marcus. Nick walked around him, and began to walk towards the women again. Marcus however was not one to allow a team mate to go on a suicide mission without an order. “Nicholas.” he said using his full name, but Nick walked up with a smile and drink in hand to the two women.

“Evening ladies.” he said with a quick smile. They smiled at him as they both stood up. Nick wrapped his arm around them as he walked towards Marcus. “My father here.” he said with a smile to Marcus, “Really wanted to meet you two. But unlike me is a wee bit shy.”

“I can see where you got your looks from.” one of the women of the night said to Marcus, as she looked up at Nick. “So you know, it will cost you about 200 a hour, or 1500 a night.” she said to Nick. Nick stood back, “1500, on Caprica he.” insinuating Marcus, ‘had never paid more than 1200 a night.”

She put her hands on her hips, “Yes, but this ain’t Caprica.”

Marcus looked at Nick a bit confused but realized that the kid wasn't trying to pick up a girl for himself. It seemed that the younger Ranger had every intention of setting him up with a date tonight. Marcus glared at the youngen. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

“Negotiating.” Nick said as he looked at the two women. Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out about 2400 cubits. “Twenty four hundred for both of you for my old man here?” Sound fair. Don’t worry you can sneak off after he goes to sleep should be in about half an hour.” Given the unification, the Cubit was worth the exact same as the Dornie credit. Nick smiled as he pushed Marcus towards the women slightly.

Marcus then gave up, as Nick put the cash in the women’s hands. He smiled at Marcus as he walked away.

Marcus turned back but then decided, What the hell, it wasn’t his cash. Not that Nick minded either, he used Lord Rahl’s Credit account to with draw the cash.

Sitting back at the table with Chris and Fuzzy, he smiled. Chris looked at Nick disapprovingly, “Nick, I thought we were buds man.” he said to Nick. Fuzzy just looked at Nick as he attempted to take one of Fuzzy’s cigarettes. As his hand went out, she slapped it. “No stealing my smokes, Nicky.”

Nick just shrugged....

Later on that Night, when the partying was done, and Chris and Fuzzy began to walk to their room, another woman stood at the door. “Christopher Markum?” she asked.

Chris looked confused for a moment, “I am the escort you hired for the night.”

Chris looked at Fuzzy...and on cue, Fuzzy whipped out a knife and put it to his throat. Stunned, Chris would have replied, but Fuzzy cut him off with a simple, "Unless she's here to join in Repair and Maintenance Night, then you're in a lot of trouble."

"Um, I guess she is," Chris said. Then, a smile of glee emerged, as Fuzzy replied wit ha simple, "Alrighty."

Chris thus thought, "I'm gonna kick Nick in the nuts for this."

The End.

OOC: Well done fellas. Another good time for the Rangers