The comforting skittering of tiny 'Blattodea' legs, up and down the sewer tunnels, was a pleasure.
The ragged cowl bobbed with a gesture that could have been amusement or maybe appreciation.
<So, are you with us or against us?>
The ragged figure turned, several man sized cockroaches shuffled into view, defensive of their parent.
"The compact hasn't finished" replied the ragged figure.
<It is for the sake of The Compact that you must choose, when the Swarming begins there must be no weakness> said the tranluscent priestly figure .
"Ha" rasped the robed figure "It was we who stood while the winged ones fell, they'll be no doubts on us"
<Good> and with that the figure was gone.
"We always survive" chuckled the robed figure.
IC - Bug City Blues
Moderators: arcanus, Curren, Drake, Otto, Black
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arcanus
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The large room of Senate Commitee Room 226 was some two centuries old, its antique furniture and wood panelled walls spoke of age, the antiquity seemed to ooze from the walls, although not magical Armford's family had long held the sensitive lineage. He could almost feel the age.
Brigadier Nathan Armsford fielded the politicians questions.
Sitting directly in front of the 5 Senators, one of two interviewees on the horseshoe shaped table, sitting before the Senate Oversight Commitee.
Having satisfied themselves with grilling Armsford and showing their unilateral dislike of his CO Major General Henderson, they shifted their attentions to the other present.
Knight Errant Military Colonel James Fulton, regarded the collected Senators, unlike his UCAS Military counterpart he was not beholden to these people, he answered masters motivated by the same financial drive but without all the hubris, well not so much.
The Commitee started along the same tact as before, attempting to drag him over the coals for the military escalation within the CZ, the collateral damage and the loss of life. The Commitee convened for a break.
Fulton mentally speed-dialled the EXO-Line, "Commander", Fulton gave his CO a brief rundown, while sipping his mocha.
"Thank you sir" Fulton, disconnected the line from 'Roger Soaring Eagle', the Commanding Officer of Knight Errant.
The commitee reconvened, "So Colonel Fulton, we were ."
"If I might interrupt, Senator Killian, can I be clear as to whether this meeting is serving any purpose other than villainise the military contingent of the Chicago Containment Zone"
The Senators looked stunned, annoyed and a little baffled, it was their role to 'beast' hardassed military officers, make them accountable.
"Senators Ares Macrotechnology maintains a full 48% of the military contingent guarding the CZ, as well as supplying significant amounts of equipment and intelligence, I am unsure why we have been called here to justify ourselves" commented Fulton
"Colonel, you will remember where you are. Ares Macrotechnology is in part responsible for the Chicago issue" retorted Killian attempting to regain control "Plus Ares make a tidy profit in its supplying us with military equipment".
"You mean we took responsibility in dealing with the bug threat, Senators Ares has placed both its support and faith in General Henderson, what the administration seems to fail to understand is that the bug threat cannot just be walled in, contained, these creatures continue their work, build their powerbase and do so with a determination befitting an insect"
"Colonel, we would appreciate it if Ares didn't patronise us" replied Senator Grey
"Then with all due respect maam, the Oversight Commitee needs to stop tying both General Henderson's and Ares hands, we are at war, ladies and gentlemen and saddly innocent people die in war" as Fulton finished he picked up his coat turned and left, without being dismissed.
As Fulton walked down the steps of the Capitol building his phone rang, "Hello, ah Mr Knight, yes sir, no they weren't particularly pleased with our stance sir, thank you sir" with that Fulton, climbed into his car.
Brigadier Nathan Armsford fielded the politicians questions.
Sitting directly in front of the 5 Senators, one of two interviewees on the horseshoe shaped table, sitting before the Senate Oversight Commitee.
Having satisfied themselves with grilling Armsford and showing their unilateral dislike of his CO Major General Henderson, they shifted their attentions to the other present.
Knight Errant Military Colonel James Fulton, regarded the collected Senators, unlike his UCAS Military counterpart he was not beholden to these people, he answered masters motivated by the same financial drive but without all the hubris, well not so much.
The Commitee started along the same tact as before, attempting to drag him over the coals for the military escalation within the CZ, the collateral damage and the loss of life. The Commitee convened for a break.
Fulton mentally speed-dialled the EXO-Line, "Commander", Fulton gave his CO a brief rundown, while sipping his mocha.
"Thank you sir" Fulton, disconnected the line from 'Roger Soaring Eagle', the Commanding Officer of Knight Errant.
The commitee reconvened, "So Colonel Fulton, we were ."
"If I might interrupt, Senator Killian, can I be clear as to whether this meeting is serving any purpose other than villainise the military contingent of the Chicago Containment Zone"
The Senators looked stunned, annoyed and a little baffled, it was their role to 'beast' hardassed military officers, make them accountable.
"Senators Ares Macrotechnology maintains a full 48% of the military contingent guarding the CZ, as well as supplying significant amounts of equipment and intelligence, I am unsure why we have been called here to justify ourselves" commented Fulton
"Colonel, you will remember where you are. Ares Macrotechnology is in part responsible for the Chicago issue" retorted Killian attempting to regain control "Plus Ares make a tidy profit in its supplying us with military equipment".
"You mean we took responsibility in dealing with the bug threat, Senators Ares has placed both its support and faith in General Henderson, what the administration seems to fail to understand is that the bug threat cannot just be walled in, contained, these creatures continue their work, build their powerbase and do so with a determination befitting an insect"
"Colonel, we would appreciate it if Ares didn't patronise us" replied Senator Grey
"Then with all due respect maam, the Oversight Commitee needs to stop tying both General Henderson's and Ares hands, we are at war, ladies and gentlemen and saddly innocent people die in war" as Fulton finished he picked up his coat turned and left, without being dismissed.
As Fulton walked down the steps of the Capitol building his phone rang, "Hello, ah Mr Knight, yes sir, no they weren't particularly pleased with our stance sir, thank you sir" with that Fulton, climbed into his car.
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arcanus
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The dracoform roared in pain and rage, the Father watched as its essential forces flooded from it, chitinous lances each woven with Hive Magic drew its forces from it.
The Roscurian seal flexed and pulsed with the influx of power, several flesh forms desicated, their own forces only powerful enough to channel the mana, unravelled through the effort, their husks collasping into dust. The Father showed an uncharacteristic look of glee, as the wall began to give way.
The dracoforms struggle for continued life ended, its willforce and magical defences failing, all would fall to the multiplicity.
The Father stepped forwards, the Seal was immensly powerful, the full end wall of the chamber had collapsed with its disruption, clever that something so powerful had been woven in pre-awakened days. However such things were more than possible for those versed in the arts, even if that knowledge was theoretic.
The tunnel opened before them, they were close now. The swarm surged forwards, only then did the Father sense it, drawing back, as the fleshforms ran up the passage, tremors shuddered through the chamber. Stone seals cracked and fell away from their centuries old placement within the redbrick walls.
Further shudders, then the avalanche came, literally tons of sand exploded into the tunnels, released from an age of pressurised containment.
The Father turned as the deluge erupted into the entrance chamber where he stood.
The Roscurian seal flexed and pulsed with the influx of power, several flesh forms desicated, their own forces only powerful enough to channel the mana, unravelled through the effort, their husks collasping into dust. The Father showed an uncharacteristic look of glee, as the wall began to give way.
The dracoforms struggle for continued life ended, its willforce and magical defences failing, all would fall to the multiplicity.
The Father stepped forwards, the Seal was immensly powerful, the full end wall of the chamber had collapsed with its disruption, clever that something so powerful had been woven in pre-awakened days. However such things were more than possible for those versed in the arts, even if that knowledge was theoretic.
The tunnel opened before them, they were close now. The swarm surged forwards, only then did the Father sense it, drawing back, as the fleshforms ran up the passage, tremors shuddered through the chamber. Stone seals cracked and fell away from their centuries old placement within the redbrick walls.
Further shudders, then the avalanche came, literally tons of sand exploded into the tunnels, released from an age of pressurised containment.
The Father turned as the deluge erupted into the entrance chamber where he stood.
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arcanus
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September 8th 2059
Major General Karl Henderson took in the Chicago Containment Zone, the wrecked, ragged expanse of the once great central Chicago.
The military Maelstrom LAV rode the windy currents high above the cityscape, its elevation a thousand meters above the kill-net, a layer of mil-spec drones that hovered above the quarantine.
The LAV swung onto the landing platform of Avian I, the massive semi-lighter than air command platform had grown in its entourage, a series of Ares germinated bloat forms (Genetically cultured organic dirigibles), each reinforced with cyber-structures and hardware frameworks had been added to the original superstructure.
Avian I had grown into some science fiction nightmare, the refugee population had to contend with monsters hunting them both metahuman and invading spirits, now had to live under a floating fortress.
The past two years had been a time of bitter frustration, Henderson had been moved to Strategic Commander of the Illinois State Command, under the pretence of ensuring that Illinois state could be defended should the Insect Spirits breakout en mass.
The move was one to placate the Senate and a UCAS that no longer wanted to hear of those poor unfortunates within the CCZ, those poor unfortunates who could suck your brains out or so the population now believed.
General Franklin Yates had motioned the Senate Strategic Committee to place Henderson's second in command Brigadier Nathan Armsford in direct command of the CCZ with express orders to contain and not intervene. The idea was too keep the zone out of peoples thoughts during election year, mind you Yate's himself hadn't survived 57 having been founded dead in a hotel room.
In some ways sadly the bug breakout had not happened, the Spider Shaman Eckheart had warned that the Invae were patient and building their forces, Warlord violence had torn through the zone.
Thousands had died, and still the military had stood and watched, but not intervened.
To Protect the Citizens and Government of the UCAS from any and all threats both foreign and domestic thought Henderson, as he disembarked and made his way across the windswept deck.
Navigating his way through the new or adjusted passageways the Major General finally arrived at the command bridge, as the bridge officers stood to attention he surveyed the recently repaired damage to the bridge.
"Sir a pleasure to have you back on board" spoke the female Major, before him, she was new and had an attitude that immediately irked Henderson, the spiraled lapel identified her as a Psion, military intelligences once secret weapon now openly used.
Henderson allowed the major to brief him on the current situation within the CCZ, changes to Avians command structure and routine and other amendments to procedure, before he retired to his ready room.
Avian rocked slightly, its stabilizing thrusters kicking in to compensate for the windy cities breath, his automed fed an anti-nausea stim into his bloodstream.
The first thing Henderson did was to activate his secure trid link and look in on Brigadier Armsfords hospital bed, his return to active command had be a result of the CCZ Command being directly attacked by a terrorist missile, one that had been fired from within the zone.
The missile had breached all of Avians defences and exploded into the command bridge, Nathan Armsford had endured 13 hours of surgery and had had the entire lower 40% of his body replaced with clone parts, his condition was critically stable.
He mentally composed an encouraging message to Susan Armsford, then cancelled it, it would be the sixth he'd sent this week, was he making her feel better or himself.
Henderson spend the next 8 hours reviewing the tactical data from the past 6 months, rubbing his eyes he reflected on his return.
His transfer had been upon the insistence of his former CO General Franklin Yates, a political move to stop unsightly events from distracting from the Presidential Election and his own nomination.
His return had been similarly fraught, in reality it had been down the increasing death toll with the zone, the fact that he had somehow become linked to Nadja Davier and the newly created Dunkelzahn Institute of Magical Research.
The DIMR had considerable interest in the CCZ, the lack of progress in dealing with the threat and bringing about a resolution had brought a call for Henderson's more aggressive tactics to return.
The new Haeffner Administration had played the safe ticket for the first 2 years of its term, however the fact that Nadja Davier was the Vice President as well as Director of the DIMR, influenced a rapid change of policy, that and Senator Andrew Jackson losing his state.
Henderson took no glee in his return, in reality the hardest fight was to come, the UCAS Military and Ares policy of containment meant that the Warlords and metahuman predators had rebuilt significantly, the Insect Spirits had been largely quiet, which meant that something was afoot.
Henderson sent a series of messages arranging meetings with Ares, the CIA and various magical experts starting the following day, it was only then that he retired to bed.
The military Maelstrom LAV rode the windy currents high above the cityscape, its elevation a thousand meters above the kill-net, a layer of mil-spec drones that hovered above the quarantine.
The LAV swung onto the landing platform of Avian I, the massive semi-lighter than air command platform had grown in its entourage, a series of Ares germinated bloat forms (Genetically cultured organic dirigibles), each reinforced with cyber-structures and hardware frameworks had been added to the original superstructure.
Avian I had grown into some science fiction nightmare, the refugee population had to contend with monsters hunting them both metahuman and invading spirits, now had to live under a floating fortress.
The past two years had been a time of bitter frustration, Henderson had been moved to Strategic Commander of the Illinois State Command, under the pretence of ensuring that Illinois state could be defended should the Insect Spirits breakout en mass.
The move was one to placate the Senate and a UCAS that no longer wanted to hear of those poor unfortunates within the CCZ, those poor unfortunates who could suck your brains out or so the population now believed.
General Franklin Yates had motioned the Senate Strategic Committee to place Henderson's second in command Brigadier Nathan Armsford in direct command of the CCZ with express orders to contain and not intervene. The idea was too keep the zone out of peoples thoughts during election year, mind you Yate's himself hadn't survived 57 having been founded dead in a hotel room.
In some ways sadly the bug breakout had not happened, the Spider Shaman Eckheart had warned that the Invae were patient and building their forces, Warlord violence had torn through the zone.
Thousands had died, and still the military had stood and watched, but not intervened.
To Protect the Citizens and Government of the UCAS from any and all threats both foreign and domestic thought Henderson, as he disembarked and made his way across the windswept deck.
Navigating his way through the new or adjusted passageways the Major General finally arrived at the command bridge, as the bridge officers stood to attention he surveyed the recently repaired damage to the bridge.
"Sir a pleasure to have you back on board" spoke the female Major, before him, she was new and had an attitude that immediately irked Henderson, the spiraled lapel identified her as a Psion, military intelligences once secret weapon now openly used.
Henderson allowed the major to brief him on the current situation within the CCZ, changes to Avians command structure and routine and other amendments to procedure, before he retired to his ready room.
Avian rocked slightly, its stabilizing thrusters kicking in to compensate for the windy cities breath, his automed fed an anti-nausea stim into his bloodstream.
The first thing Henderson did was to activate his secure trid link and look in on Brigadier Armsfords hospital bed, his return to active command had be a result of the CCZ Command being directly attacked by a terrorist missile, one that had been fired from within the zone.
The missile had breached all of Avians defences and exploded into the command bridge, Nathan Armsford had endured 13 hours of surgery and had had the entire lower 40% of his body replaced with clone parts, his condition was critically stable.
He mentally composed an encouraging message to Susan Armsford, then cancelled it, it would be the sixth he'd sent this week, was he making her feel better or himself.
Henderson spend the next 8 hours reviewing the tactical data from the past 6 months, rubbing his eyes he reflected on his return.
His transfer had been upon the insistence of his former CO General Franklin Yates, a political move to stop unsightly events from distracting from the Presidential Election and his own nomination.
His return had been similarly fraught, in reality it had been down the increasing death toll with the zone, the fact that he had somehow become linked to Nadja Davier and the newly created Dunkelzahn Institute of Magical Research.
The DIMR had considerable interest in the CCZ, the lack of progress in dealing with the threat and bringing about a resolution had brought a call for Henderson's more aggressive tactics to return.
The new Haeffner Administration had played the safe ticket for the first 2 years of its term, however the fact that Nadja Davier was the Vice President as well as Director of the DIMR, influenced a rapid change of policy, that and Senator Andrew Jackson losing his state.
Henderson took no glee in his return, in reality the hardest fight was to come, the UCAS Military and Ares policy of containment meant that the Warlords and metahuman predators had rebuilt significantly, the Insect Spirits had been largely quiet, which meant that something was afoot.
Henderson sent a series of messages arranging meetings with Ares, the CIA and various magical experts starting the following day, it was only then that he retired to bed.
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arcanus
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Englewood
Major General Karl Henderson strode rapidly along the corridor from the shooting range to Avian's Command Bridge, he had long learnt to contain any agitation or fear and bottle it, something he wished his panicky officers would do as they blustered along the same corridor, he ordered them to 'Shut up' twice now.
"Situation" he said stepping onto the raised dais at the rear of the bridge.
“We’ve got the start of a major break-out along 60th, 61st and Peora Green in Englewood, plus a Scale 4 Maelstrom heading South from the Arkham Breach Point” replied his senior comms officer.
“Maelstrom??” questioned Henderson
“A Mana Storm with severe physical and psychic effects and backlash” replied comms
“Kirlian Monitors are indicating large fluctuations along the Cayce Latitudes” replied the duty Mage.
Again, Henderson looking inquiringly, this time at the Mage “In English Captain?”
“Sorry sir, another name for Mana Lines, in the astral we can see the Maelstrom travelling along the Mana Lines from New England down”
“Happy days” replied Henderson quietly
Henderson stood silently for a long while watching the various screens all relaying differing views of the same image, an image of several hundreds of fleshforms pouring out of Engelwood’s sewers and cellars.
“Sir, we’re approaching a point past containment” updated the SCO.
Henderson reflected, they found themselves here once again, in the previous two years the military had merely sat back and watched these swarm, however this one was different, bigger
“How many are we looking at here?” he asked
“High hundreds, if not a thousand bugs sir” replied the SCO, “SIR” he added almost frantically, looking at the screen
“Deploy MCTs cluster dispensers, let’s see if these things work!” replied the General calmly
The Command seemed to breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that this was one emergency order that might not have incredibly grisly consequences.
Across the hull of the floating citadel, Avian I’s bomb bays opened, instead of munitions several hundred missile shaped drones deployed, boosting down below the Kill-net and disgorged their bellies, scattering several hundred small spheres. Each sphere began a counter rotation as it dropped, spraying a new insecticide in circular arcs.
The sensors within the Kill-net watched as several hundred fleshforms writhed in agony and their death-throws, the streets of Englewood resembled some macabre Surrealist painting.
"Situation" he said stepping onto the raised dais at the rear of the bridge.
“We’ve got the start of a major break-out along 60th, 61st and Peora Green in Englewood, plus a Scale 4 Maelstrom heading South from the Arkham Breach Point” replied his senior comms officer.
“Maelstrom??” questioned Henderson
“A Mana Storm with severe physical and psychic effects and backlash” replied comms
“Kirlian Monitors are indicating large fluctuations along the Cayce Latitudes” replied the duty Mage.
Again, Henderson looking inquiringly, this time at the Mage “In English Captain?”
“Sorry sir, another name for Mana Lines, in the astral we can see the Maelstrom travelling along the Mana Lines from New England down”
“Happy days” replied Henderson quietly
Henderson stood silently for a long while watching the various screens all relaying differing views of the same image, an image of several hundreds of fleshforms pouring out of Engelwood’s sewers and cellars.
“Sir, we’re approaching a point past containment” updated the SCO.
Henderson reflected, they found themselves here once again, in the previous two years the military had merely sat back and watched these swarm, however this one was different, bigger
“How many are we looking at here?” he asked
“High hundreds, if not a thousand bugs sir” replied the SCO, “SIR” he added almost frantically, looking at the screen
“Deploy MCTs cluster dispensers, let’s see if these things work!” replied the General calmly
The Command seemed to breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that this was one emergency order that might not have incredibly grisly consequences.
Across the hull of the floating citadel, Avian I’s bomb bays opened, instead of munitions several hundred missile shaped drones deployed, boosting down below the Kill-net and disgorged their bellies, scattering several hundred small spheres. Each sphere began a counter rotation as it dropped, spraying a new insecticide in circular arcs.
The sensors within the Kill-net watched as several hundred fleshforms writhed in agony and their death-throws, the streets of Englewood resembled some macabre Surrealist painting.
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arcanus
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The Mound
The satellite images showed a startling formation, interlaced thermographic, MAD and electrostatic sensors build up the topographic view of the former Yakashima Tower situated on the north east corner of 24th Boulevard and Marshall Boulevard, the tower adjacent to the ruins of the massive Carter Harrison Elementary School.
Viewing the images were a collection of CZ military veterans, once more reunited after a few wilderness years, however the images they now looked upon filled them with the fearful notion that their absence may well have allowed an evil to once again fester.
The images showed a enormous amount of movement, at an almost frenetic pace.
"What are the dark brown structures"asked Colonel Cook, Avians XO
"We're not sure!" replied Captain Denan of the UCAS Thaumaturgy Corps and advisor to Avian's command structure "We think it could be structural changes"
"For structural changes their random, more like a termite mound" replied the Colonel
"One that extends throughout the entire scraper and school" noted Colonel Fulton of Knight Errant
General Karl Henderson stood listening to the gathered experts, his arms folded and one hand covering his mouth in thought.
Amy Eckharte stood quietly allowing the Commander In Chief to complete his thoughts; instead he turned and looked at the shaman inquiringly
"A huge termite mound" said Henderson, his eyes watching the shaman intensely
"Yes, they have been building beneath the streets, behind aged doors, General!"
The soldiers had stopped and now regarded the pair, a silence developed between the eerie shaman and the General
"As always they seek to consume all around them, to remake this city and the world in an image of the Hive" finished Eckharte
Henderson looked at his officers and Fulton "We need to know what's going on in that building!
Colonel Cook breathed in audibly "That's a suicide mission at best" he replied
"I have just the man to lead this!" interjected Denan "I gave you the report"
Henderson regarded his Magical officer "The spook" he replied distastefully
"He's extremely effective sir and the bugs can't go near him, it's almost like they have an aversion" she replied
"I can assist with ordinance and Firewatch personnel" added Fulton
Henderson gave the Ares Officer an inquiring arch of his eyebrow
"Call it intensive training and field testing" replied Fulton stoically, "Plus once corp always corp"
Henderson regarded his officers "The teams to be assembled by 21.00 tonight" he ordered as he left the intel suite, it was time for him to check in on Nathan Armsford's condition.
Viewing the images were a collection of CZ military veterans, once more reunited after a few wilderness years, however the images they now looked upon filled them with the fearful notion that their absence may well have allowed an evil to once again fester.
The images showed a enormous amount of movement, at an almost frenetic pace.
"What are the dark brown structures"asked Colonel Cook, Avians XO
"We're not sure!" replied Captain Denan of the UCAS Thaumaturgy Corps and advisor to Avian's command structure "We think it could be structural changes"
"For structural changes their random, more like a termite mound" replied the Colonel
"One that extends throughout the entire scraper and school" noted Colonel Fulton of Knight Errant
General Karl Henderson stood listening to the gathered experts, his arms folded and one hand covering his mouth in thought.
Amy Eckharte stood quietly allowing the Commander In Chief to complete his thoughts; instead he turned and looked at the shaman inquiringly
"A huge termite mound" said Henderson, his eyes watching the shaman intensely
"Yes, they have been building beneath the streets, behind aged doors, General!"
The soldiers had stopped and now regarded the pair, a silence developed between the eerie shaman and the General
"As always they seek to consume all around them, to remake this city and the world in an image of the Hive" finished Eckharte
Henderson looked at his officers and Fulton "We need to know what's going on in that building!
Colonel Cook breathed in audibly "That's a suicide mission at best" he replied
"I have just the man to lead this!" interjected Denan "I gave you the report"
Henderson regarded his Magical officer "The spook" he replied distastefully
"He's extremely effective sir and the bugs can't go near him, it's almost like they have an aversion" she replied
"I can assist with ordinance and Firewatch personnel" added Fulton
Henderson gave the Ares Officer an inquiring arch of his eyebrow
"Call it intensive training and field testing" replied Fulton stoically, "Plus once corp always corp"
Henderson regarded his officers "The teams to be assembled by 21.00 tonight" he ordered as he left the intel suite, it was time for him to check in on Nathan Armsford's condition.
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arcanus
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It Can't Rain All The Time
General Henderson was growing accustomed to the motion of Avian, looking out of the room's plexiglass portal he saw further Ares bloats being matured, floating above Chicago's northern districts.
The General turned to the individual who stepped into the room, dressed in an Ares uniform modelled off UCAS military utilitarian battle dress, the figures skin was a deep ashen grey, his eyes a watery black and his swept back hair chalk white.
The room had almost certainly dropped a couple of degrees with his entrance.
Henderson looked at the man for a moment, regarding him, the silence continuing he then looked at his datapad, "Major Marius Scholl" born 1759 in feudal Westphalia, Germany, the Parapsychologists had identified him as a specialised type of Ghost or spectre, a Revenant.
"So what are you?" asked Henderson
Scholl snapped to attention "I'm a survivor, sir!" he replied in his thick Germanic accent
As it turned out the UCAS Army owed Scholl, a Black Op had gone bad and the unit had become backed into the Shattergraves, the unit were losing cohesion and predators were moving in for the kill, when Scholl had appeared, apparently just that, materialised out of nowhere, looked momentarily disorientated and then fought the approaching shades off.
He'd then led the unit out of the Graves and to the wall, the men were smitten with him, each had been tested for supernatural influence but magical scans had revealed nothing.
"Little bit far away from the Rhine, aren't you" asked Henderson with a deceptive murmur
"Not at all sir, my descendants settled in Chicago in the 1820!" replied Scholl with his thick German accent.
The general stepped up to the phantom, and touched his arm with the tip of his finger, slightly cold but as solid as the next man “So are you possessing somebody "Scholl!"
"Nien sir" replied the Major
"You've commanded quite a bit of loyalty from some of the troops Scholl" commented Henderson as he returned to his seat
The remnant merely nodded
"Okay, we'll give it a shot, assemble your men and prepare to leave in one hour"
Once again Scholl nodded, turned upon his heel with military precision and left the room.
Henderson cast his mind back to the briefing meeting he'd had with Captain Denan, Major T. Ackridge from Ares and Paranatural Consultant Tabitha Wyst.
"So what is he?" inquired Major General Karl Henderson
"A ghost" replied Ackridge gruffly
"I prefer the term returned spirit" interjected Denan
Henderson looked sternly at his officer "Can we be a little less romantic!"
"Actually his paranatural classification is a Revernant, an honourable soldier who failed to die in battle calmly explained Wyst
"So he's got an agenda" pushed the General
"He has but then hasn't everybody, in fact turning it around he's single minded in his, more reliable, bound by honour" added Wyst
Henderson looked at Ackridge, the Major was an Ares career soldier, they called them the "Old Guard", soldiers who were so useful their old age was arrested by rejuvenation treatments, fifteen years ago Tobius Ackridge had been the lucky recipient of the first Leonization treatment, taking him from his mid nineties back to his thirties.
"We've got just as crazy things working in other divisions" replied the Major
Henderson turned to Wyst "Why's he come back and why now, he's from Germany for cried out loud?"
Denan replied "We think his shade followed his strongest descendants, who settled in Chicago in the 1820s, recent events possibly some threat to his modern family forced his manifestation that or his code of honour or likely both!"
"People, we're about to send him in with our troops, so is he on the level!"
Denan and Wyst both nodded immediately, while the hard form of Ackridge seemed thoughtful for a moment before added his consent.
The General turned to the individual who stepped into the room, dressed in an Ares uniform modelled off UCAS military utilitarian battle dress, the figures skin was a deep ashen grey, his eyes a watery black and his swept back hair chalk white.
The room had almost certainly dropped a couple of degrees with his entrance.
Henderson looked at the man for a moment, regarding him, the silence continuing he then looked at his datapad, "Major Marius Scholl" born 1759 in feudal Westphalia, Germany, the Parapsychologists had identified him as a specialised type of Ghost or spectre, a Revenant.
"So what are you?" asked Henderson
Scholl snapped to attention "I'm a survivor, sir!" he replied in his thick Germanic accent
As it turned out the UCAS Army owed Scholl, a Black Op had gone bad and the unit had become backed into the Shattergraves, the unit were losing cohesion and predators were moving in for the kill, when Scholl had appeared, apparently just that, materialised out of nowhere, looked momentarily disorientated and then fought the approaching shades off.
He'd then led the unit out of the Graves and to the wall, the men were smitten with him, each had been tested for supernatural influence but magical scans had revealed nothing.
"Little bit far away from the Rhine, aren't you" asked Henderson with a deceptive murmur
"Not at all sir, my descendants settled in Chicago in the 1820!" replied Scholl with his thick German accent.
The general stepped up to the phantom, and touched his arm with the tip of his finger, slightly cold but as solid as the next man “So are you possessing somebody "Scholl!"
"Nien sir" replied the Major
"You've commanded quite a bit of loyalty from some of the troops Scholl" commented Henderson as he returned to his seat
The remnant merely nodded
"Okay, we'll give it a shot, assemble your men and prepare to leave in one hour"
Once again Scholl nodded, turned upon his heel with military precision and left the room.
Henderson cast his mind back to the briefing meeting he'd had with Captain Denan, Major T. Ackridge from Ares and Paranatural Consultant Tabitha Wyst.
"So what is he?" inquired Major General Karl Henderson
"A ghost" replied Ackridge gruffly
"I prefer the term returned spirit" interjected Denan
Henderson looked sternly at his officer "Can we be a little less romantic!"
"Actually his paranatural classification is a Revernant, an honourable soldier who failed to die in battle calmly explained Wyst
"So he's got an agenda" pushed the General
"He has but then hasn't everybody, in fact turning it around he's single minded in his, more reliable, bound by honour" added Wyst
Henderson looked at Ackridge, the Major was an Ares career soldier, they called them the "Old Guard", soldiers who were so useful their old age was arrested by rejuvenation treatments, fifteen years ago Tobius Ackridge had been the lucky recipient of the first Leonization treatment, taking him from his mid nineties back to his thirties.
"We've got just as crazy things working in other divisions" replied the Major
Henderson turned to Wyst "Why's he come back and why now, he's from Germany for cried out loud?"
Denan replied "We think his shade followed his strongest descendants, who settled in Chicago in the 1820s, recent events possibly some threat to his modern family forced his manifestation that or his code of honour or likely both!"
"People, we're about to send him in with our troops, so is he on the level!"
Denan and Wyst both nodded immediately, while the hard form of Ackridge seemed thoughtful for a moment before added his consent.
-
arcanus
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1775
- Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:18 pm
Heavenly Wrath
The Ares CWS-346 LAV Hybrid Vertol codenamed Nightshadow lifted off from its clandestine landing pad, it resemble a huge helicopter gunship minus the rotors, instead elevated and propelled by advanced vector thrust pulse detonation jets and turbo fans.
The matt black stealth ship roared towards The Greater Chicago Containment Zone, buffeted by the purposefully heavy thunderstorm beginning to lash Chi-town.
Corporal Sam Tripp of UCAS Delta Force looked across the passenger well, looking at the other 15 members of the strike team, assembled from either Ares or UCAS Military Special Forces with the odd hardened veteran thrown in. His attention particularly settling upon their commander, Major Marius Scholl.
The Major was something of an enigma within The Avian Combat Group, they'd started calling him a Bygone, a solid ghostly soldier returned for unknown reasons.
None of them knew the full story regarding Scholl, the scraps of information or rumours were that he'd originally been some kind of duelist several centuries ago in what was now the Allied German States, an old spirit, a very old spirit.
In a frantic fortnight they'd gone from combat simulations and exercises to no less than seven skirmish operations into the CZ, with Scholl in command.
At first the assembled team had been not only mistrustful but almost fearful of the grey skinned soldier, however the solemn swordsman had proved the equal of every man in the unit, but more than that he had a presence, a command presence that instinctively they'd grown to trust.
Certainly his ability with a sword was incredible, all the more strange that he wore the old Zweihnder Sword with full ultra-tech combat armour, Scholl had his strange old ways but his bravery and leadership was unquestioned.
This mission proved it, what other Strike Team would fly into the heart of a Maelstrom towards an inhuman enemy, Tripp's own fear was suppressed by his military conditioning and his combat drugs.
Despite this he still felt a shiver of trepidation knowing that a just beyond the armored walls of the LAV raged the mother of all storms and that they might well be flying into the gates of hell itself.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Major Tobius Ackridge watched as the Stealth LAV cleared the CZ Wall, in the pandemonium of the Quarantines formation, Ares Macrotechnology had secured a number of dispossessed Skyrakers in outside Chicago.
Despite being situated in the relative safety outside the Zone, their owners were too fearful of the Bug menace within and fled enmass, Ares Real Estate subsidiary Honor Property Enterprises had moved quickly and acquired the buildings.
During the time of occupation Ares had refitted the buildings as Tactical bases, standing on the 43rd floor the Old Guardsman' solemnly saluted them 'Gods Speed' he mentally prayed.
________________________________________________________________________________________
In the five years since CZs tragic formation, its military command had grown quite considerably, Major General Karl Henderson's time in the political arenas of DC had utilised his frustrations to funnel considerable resource to Avian Command.
The ground bases on the three land sides of the Zone were as of 2059 sectional bases, with the overall command from the Avian Sky-platforms, Avian I having been joined by no less than four bioengineered blimps or Bloats, each designated a command function.
Number Three was run by the UCAS Air Force, under the command of the Illinois 183rd Air National Guard Fighter Squadron, its field commander lieutenant colonel Elaine Bridges.
Its Duty Officer silently watched as the craft mysteriously vanished from its most vigilant sensors, it wasn't cost effective even for Ares Arms to outfit all of their stealth craft with magical cloaks but this one would need all the help it could get.
________________________________________________________________________________________
The Nightshadow lurched as one of Chi-towns famous thunderstorms raged around it, a storm encouraged by one of the three spirits who now ruled the clouds above the CZ.
Ares Senior Airman Harry Snow allowed the nav comp to adjust their vector, its Battle Tac reconfiguring to map the ever hostile terrain below.
His sensors tracked his flight telemetry and remapped the advanced cloaking across the SOTA craft, along the fuselage MetaMagical craftings shifted to enshroud them, Harry prayed it would keep them safe.
Seated within the crew compartment the four Knight Errant Firewatch Mage could sense the CZs thick psychic fog, with begrudged thunderous rumbles the storm sent again streaks of lightning along its shielded fuselage.
Veterans of bug hunts each of the squad knew that this could well be their last mission, one of the Mage looked at one of the UCAS Rangers, a Shawnee Indian "Thought we had a pair of NAN Storm Spirit Twins lookin out for us?"
Gallows humour was common among such comrades, the Ranger smiled "Hey, they're Sioux Spirits, can't rely on them!" a grim chuckling ran amongst the intrepid.
Four similarly cloaked drones flanked the vertol, rigger linked into the ship Harry's world was suddenly invaded by two blips, Snow's tactical programs altered his 3D bubble, he knew that the Chinookan Twins had raised the storm to deter any paranatural attention to the mission.
"How the hell are they out in this" Harry cursed as he scattered the support drones, no point risking them yet
Chief Master Sergeant Dorran of the UCAS 1st Infantry looked up at the pilots face as it appeared upon the screen above the men, "Incoming!" said Harry, "Two Bugs"
"Your shittin me, in this!" retorted Dorran in disbelief, the Chief Master Sergeant turned to Major Scholl who merely nodded, "Take em out" he relayed to Harry
Harry swung the Vertol portside, targeting the two big and heavy Beetle Spirits, the nose turret rotated releasing the anger of six fire-linked Firewatch Heavy Lasers, one of the huge stag beetle like monstrosities fell to earth, a smoking ruin.
The second relentlessly continued, Harry straighted the craft out once again and banked right, avoiding its aerial charge as it swung into an arc and was once again behind them in pursuit, a further two blips appeared within the trideo cage.
Scholl nodded to Dorran once again, "Mckiney step to it, man the aft turret!"
The Special Forces trooper, swung into the cramped rear turret, the cyber-soldiers four smartlinks integrated with the Hi-Vel cannons and immediatley releasing an onslaught of hard ammo at the bug, which deftly flew around it.
"BRACE" roared Harry into the comms, as the beetle rocketed into an arc which brought it slamming into the Nightshadows starboard side, its physical and arcane armour deflecting the charge.
Mckiney tracked the bug and the cannons fired as soon as the crafts momentum separated it from the bug, this time strafing its dorsal shell, the vertol weaved in and out of the Chicago skyline.
"Master Sergeant destroy it!" quietly commented Major Marius Scholl, who Tripp noticed seemed almost disinterested in the whole event, despite the vertol being shaken around like some rag doll within a puppies maw.
Mckiney deactivated the hi-vels, as Dorran relayed the order to Harry
The ordered worried the pilot, they were over a heavily populated refugee area and at risk of losing their stealth advantage, come to think of it how the hell had the bugs seen through their unbelievable level of cloaking in the middle of a storm.
From the section of the fuselage just behind the nose turret, a mortar like tube extended upon an arm, turning toward the rapidly closing beetle, it locked and spat a pulsing green lozenge at macro-sonic speed.
The Anchored Load impacted the beetles head and detonated, erupting it engulfed the giant beetle within a potent blast barrier just before its high explosive and thermite charges exploded, the Core Bomb assaulted the Flesh Form both physically and elementally, blowing it to pieces.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Momentarily a group of the Fifth Street Militia looked up to see the falling form, they watched with interest until they realised it was heading straight for them.
Aboard Avian III, the CZ Air Command monitored the flight not via any visibility of the Nightshadow but rather the radar signatures of the pursuing Insect Spirits physical forms.
Watch Commander Second Lieutenant Brentford Miller, came off the comm from III's CO, immediately a request was relayed to the Sioux Military Attachment Base on the West Wall, their response was very rapid.
High in the cloud cover above Chi-Town a three hundred foot ethereal form swam through her thunderous domain, her twin sent a column of wind sailing down into the Zone. Her form swirled with electrons, a leader column of lightning poured from her bosom, the first of the two wasp spirits exploded from its impact.
Harry winced as the barometric pressure suddenly rocketed, wind shear and vectors elevated dramatically, on a collision course for the vertol he was again about to say brace, when the lightning and hurricane flowed harmlessly over the fuselage.
Instead the hurricane wind gripped the remaining wasp, flinging it down into a building and smeared it down the tower block.
The Chinooka Twins blessing had protected the mission and squad, above them the Greater Sky Spirit Thunder Runner watched the younger storm spirits frolic. The team collectively breathed a sigh of relief and settled back into their bucket seats, gallows humour once again pervaded the compartment, while the Nightshadow accelerated onto its destination, time was pressing.
The matt black stealth ship roared towards The Greater Chicago Containment Zone, buffeted by the purposefully heavy thunderstorm beginning to lash Chi-town.
Corporal Sam Tripp of UCAS Delta Force looked across the passenger well, looking at the other 15 members of the strike team, assembled from either Ares or UCAS Military Special Forces with the odd hardened veteran thrown in. His attention particularly settling upon their commander, Major Marius Scholl.
The Major was something of an enigma within The Avian Combat Group, they'd started calling him a Bygone, a solid ghostly soldier returned for unknown reasons.
None of them knew the full story regarding Scholl, the scraps of information or rumours were that he'd originally been some kind of duelist several centuries ago in what was now the Allied German States, an old spirit, a very old spirit.
In a frantic fortnight they'd gone from combat simulations and exercises to no less than seven skirmish operations into the CZ, with Scholl in command.
At first the assembled team had been not only mistrustful but almost fearful of the grey skinned soldier, however the solemn swordsman had proved the equal of every man in the unit, but more than that he had a presence, a command presence that instinctively they'd grown to trust.
Certainly his ability with a sword was incredible, all the more strange that he wore the old Zweihnder Sword with full ultra-tech combat armour, Scholl had his strange old ways but his bravery and leadership was unquestioned.
This mission proved it, what other Strike Team would fly into the heart of a Maelstrom towards an inhuman enemy, Tripp's own fear was suppressed by his military conditioning and his combat drugs.
Despite this he still felt a shiver of trepidation knowing that a just beyond the armored walls of the LAV raged the mother of all storms and that they might well be flying into the gates of hell itself.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Major Tobius Ackridge watched as the Stealth LAV cleared the CZ Wall, in the pandemonium of the Quarantines formation, Ares Macrotechnology had secured a number of dispossessed Skyrakers in outside Chicago.
Despite being situated in the relative safety outside the Zone, their owners were too fearful of the Bug menace within and fled enmass, Ares Real Estate subsidiary Honor Property Enterprises had moved quickly and acquired the buildings.
During the time of occupation Ares had refitted the buildings as Tactical bases, standing on the 43rd floor the Old Guardsman' solemnly saluted them 'Gods Speed' he mentally prayed.
________________________________________________________________________________________
In the five years since CZs tragic formation, its military command had grown quite considerably, Major General Karl Henderson's time in the political arenas of DC had utilised his frustrations to funnel considerable resource to Avian Command.
The ground bases on the three land sides of the Zone were as of 2059 sectional bases, with the overall command from the Avian Sky-platforms, Avian I having been joined by no less than four bioengineered blimps or Bloats, each designated a command function.
Number Three was run by the UCAS Air Force, under the command of the Illinois 183rd Air National Guard Fighter Squadron, its field commander lieutenant colonel Elaine Bridges.
Its Duty Officer silently watched as the craft mysteriously vanished from its most vigilant sensors, it wasn't cost effective even for Ares Arms to outfit all of their stealth craft with magical cloaks but this one would need all the help it could get.
________________________________________________________________________________________
The Nightshadow lurched as one of Chi-towns famous thunderstorms raged around it, a storm encouraged by one of the three spirits who now ruled the clouds above the CZ.
Ares Senior Airman Harry Snow allowed the nav comp to adjust their vector, its Battle Tac reconfiguring to map the ever hostile terrain below.
His sensors tracked his flight telemetry and remapped the advanced cloaking across the SOTA craft, along the fuselage MetaMagical craftings shifted to enshroud them, Harry prayed it would keep them safe.
Seated within the crew compartment the four Knight Errant Firewatch Mage could sense the CZs thick psychic fog, with begrudged thunderous rumbles the storm sent again streaks of lightning along its shielded fuselage.
Veterans of bug hunts each of the squad knew that this could well be their last mission, one of the Mage looked at one of the UCAS Rangers, a Shawnee Indian "Thought we had a pair of NAN Storm Spirit Twins lookin out for us?"
Gallows humour was common among such comrades, the Ranger smiled "Hey, they're Sioux Spirits, can't rely on them!" a grim chuckling ran amongst the intrepid.
Four similarly cloaked drones flanked the vertol, rigger linked into the ship Harry's world was suddenly invaded by two blips, Snow's tactical programs altered his 3D bubble, he knew that the Chinookan Twins had raised the storm to deter any paranatural attention to the mission.
"How the hell are they out in this" Harry cursed as he scattered the support drones, no point risking them yet
Chief Master Sergeant Dorran of the UCAS 1st Infantry looked up at the pilots face as it appeared upon the screen above the men, "Incoming!" said Harry, "Two Bugs"
"Your shittin me, in this!" retorted Dorran in disbelief, the Chief Master Sergeant turned to Major Scholl who merely nodded, "Take em out" he relayed to Harry
Harry swung the Vertol portside, targeting the two big and heavy Beetle Spirits, the nose turret rotated releasing the anger of six fire-linked Firewatch Heavy Lasers, one of the huge stag beetle like monstrosities fell to earth, a smoking ruin.
The second relentlessly continued, Harry straighted the craft out once again and banked right, avoiding its aerial charge as it swung into an arc and was once again behind them in pursuit, a further two blips appeared within the trideo cage.
Scholl nodded to Dorran once again, "Mckiney step to it, man the aft turret!"
The Special Forces trooper, swung into the cramped rear turret, the cyber-soldiers four smartlinks integrated with the Hi-Vel cannons and immediatley releasing an onslaught of hard ammo at the bug, which deftly flew around it.
"BRACE" roared Harry into the comms, as the beetle rocketed into an arc which brought it slamming into the Nightshadows starboard side, its physical and arcane armour deflecting the charge.
Mckiney tracked the bug and the cannons fired as soon as the crafts momentum separated it from the bug, this time strafing its dorsal shell, the vertol weaved in and out of the Chicago skyline.
"Master Sergeant destroy it!" quietly commented Major Marius Scholl, who Tripp noticed seemed almost disinterested in the whole event, despite the vertol being shaken around like some rag doll within a puppies maw.
Mckiney deactivated the hi-vels, as Dorran relayed the order to Harry
The ordered worried the pilot, they were over a heavily populated refugee area and at risk of losing their stealth advantage, come to think of it how the hell had the bugs seen through their unbelievable level of cloaking in the middle of a storm.
From the section of the fuselage just behind the nose turret, a mortar like tube extended upon an arm, turning toward the rapidly closing beetle, it locked and spat a pulsing green lozenge at macro-sonic speed.
The Anchored Load impacted the beetles head and detonated, erupting it engulfed the giant beetle within a potent blast barrier just before its high explosive and thermite charges exploded, the Core Bomb assaulted the Flesh Form both physically and elementally, blowing it to pieces.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Momentarily a group of the Fifth Street Militia looked up to see the falling form, they watched with interest until they realised it was heading straight for them.
Aboard Avian III, the CZ Air Command monitored the flight not via any visibility of the Nightshadow but rather the radar signatures of the pursuing Insect Spirits physical forms.
Watch Commander Second Lieutenant Brentford Miller, came off the comm from III's CO, immediately a request was relayed to the Sioux Military Attachment Base on the West Wall, their response was very rapid.
High in the cloud cover above Chi-Town a three hundred foot ethereal form swam through her thunderous domain, her twin sent a column of wind sailing down into the Zone. Her form swirled with electrons, a leader column of lightning poured from her bosom, the first of the two wasp spirits exploded from its impact.
Harry winced as the barometric pressure suddenly rocketed, wind shear and vectors elevated dramatically, on a collision course for the vertol he was again about to say brace, when the lightning and hurricane flowed harmlessly over the fuselage.
Instead the hurricane wind gripped the remaining wasp, flinging it down into a building and smeared it down the tower block.
The Chinooka Twins blessing had protected the mission and squad, above them the Greater Sky Spirit Thunder Runner watched the younger storm spirits frolic. The team collectively breathed a sigh of relief and settled back into their bucket seats, gallows humour once again pervaded the compartment, while the Nightshadow accelerated onto its destination, time was pressing.
-
arcanus
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1775
- Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:18 pm
Grave Expectations
Major General Karl Henderson smiled warmly, standing to shake the proffered hand of UTE Nation Colonel Barnard Tiowokee, entering the briefing room with him was Sioux forces CO Linda Paiute.
The pair sat around the briefing table, Henderson resuming his seat.
Each month the NAN Command Officers met with the CCZ Command, a tactical briefing where they updated each other on their relative areas of jurisdiction.
"Karl, before we start talking tactics, we have something to tell you!" started Barnard, his tone drawing Hendersons attention.
It was the Souix officer who continued "After a review of the stability of the situation General, the NAN Tribal Council have decided to withdraw their forces from the Chicago Containment Zone! We feel that the threat within the zone no longer poses a danger to our sovereign soil"
Barnard looked somewhat apologetic, but nodded in agreement.
Henderson pursed his lips, his brow furrowing.
"The bugs are still active and our joint intelligence confirms their numbers are growing again!" replied the General
"However the anticipated swarming didn't occur and the Insects numbers have not risen beyond numbers that UCAS and Ares forces cannot contain" replied the Sioux officer
"We will maintain the Spirit watch for a further three months, by which time we will have effected withdrawl" added Tiowokee
Henderson didn't reply, a curiously unreadable expression upon his face
The NAN officers exchanged looks and made to stand
Henderson pressed the touch sensitive surface of the table, as the pair stood they were greeting by the labyrinthine holographic image of the Yakashima Tower, actually an ultraviolet view of the internal structure of the tower, now riddled with nightmarish catacombs that ate their way down through the manmade materials.
Barnard stopped, bending over the image and scowled, after a while he breathed out "Is this live?"
"Yes!" replied Henderson
"Colonel, General we have agreed the way forward we'...." the Souix officer was silenced by a look from Tiowokee
"I have a team enroute now to recon the area, we're anticipating reality to be considerably worse" added the General
"So they did swarm!" replied Barnard, not looking away from the satellite image
"They did, they just did it quietly, we think it could be worse than Cermak!"
Barnard Tiowokee turned and regarded the Sioux Colonel "Inform the Tribal Council Command that Chicago has never posed a greater threat to the entire American continent than at this time!"
The pair sat around the briefing table, Henderson resuming his seat.
Each month the NAN Command Officers met with the CCZ Command, a tactical briefing where they updated each other on their relative areas of jurisdiction.
"Karl, before we start talking tactics, we have something to tell you!" started Barnard, his tone drawing Hendersons attention.
It was the Souix officer who continued "After a review of the stability of the situation General, the NAN Tribal Council have decided to withdraw their forces from the Chicago Containment Zone! We feel that the threat within the zone no longer poses a danger to our sovereign soil"
Barnard looked somewhat apologetic, but nodded in agreement.
Henderson pursed his lips, his brow furrowing.
"The bugs are still active and our joint intelligence confirms their numbers are growing again!" replied the General
"However the anticipated swarming didn't occur and the Insects numbers have not risen beyond numbers that UCAS and Ares forces cannot contain" replied the Sioux officer
"We will maintain the Spirit watch for a further three months, by which time we will have effected withdrawl" added Tiowokee
Henderson didn't reply, a curiously unreadable expression upon his face
The NAN officers exchanged looks and made to stand
Henderson pressed the touch sensitive surface of the table, as the pair stood they were greeting by the labyrinthine holographic image of the Yakashima Tower, actually an ultraviolet view of the internal structure of the tower, now riddled with nightmarish catacombs that ate their way down through the manmade materials.
Barnard stopped, bending over the image and scowled, after a while he breathed out "Is this live?"
"Yes!" replied Henderson
"Colonel, General we have agreed the way forward we'...." the Souix officer was silenced by a look from Tiowokee
"I have a team enroute now to recon the area, we're anticipating reality to be considerably worse" added the General
"So they did swarm!" replied Barnard, not looking away from the satellite image
"They did, they just did it quietly, we think it could be worse than Cermak!"
Barnard Tiowokee turned and regarded the Sioux Colonel "Inform the Tribal Council Command that Chicago has never posed a greater threat to the entire American continent than at this time!"
-
arcanus
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1775
- Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:18 pm
Forbidden Seals
The Chambers
The Fathers arcane shields enshrouded him as tons of silicate and sand surged through the Chambers, he was dragged and tossed bodily back into the entrance tunnels.
Despite his impressive defences the Father was savaged by the volumous sand and grit, his vestments ravaged and his body covered in bloody welts.
As the avalanche subsided he struggled to the surface, snarling in vehemence, he scooped up a handful of the sand, allowing it to slide through his fingers, examining it as it flowed.
Looking around his servants, termites, beetles and Cicada both flesh and true forms had been utterly destroyed, even those in the astral.
"Clever stage magicians" he hissed, "Pyrite and Spirit Quartz" he glared balefully at the completely filled chambers
The Fathers arcane shields enshrouded him as tons of silicate and sand surged through the Chambers, he was dragged and tossed bodily back into the entrance tunnels.
Despite his impressive defences the Father was savaged by the volumous sand and grit, his vestments ravaged and his body covered in bloody welts.
As the avalanche subsided he struggled to the surface, snarling in vehemence, he scooped up a handful of the sand, allowing it to slide through his fingers, examining it as it flowed.
Looking around his servants, termites, beetles and Cicada both flesh and true forms had been utterly destroyed, even those in the astral.
"Clever stage magicians" he hissed, "Pyrite and Spirit Quartz" he glared balefully at the completely filled chambers