Instrument of Destruction

[This little bit started with Punk. See, I had an interview set up with TV reporter Plum, and I was planning on causing a huge ruckus and possibly getting her injured by Vile. However, after the death described below, I lost my chance...]

Press Statement - GNN

[Plum appears, dressed in a business suit and staring responsibly out at the cameras.]

Given the horrible death of Keith Strepson tonight, we here at the Global News Network have had to reexamine our policy concerning the Robot Masters. Ever since its inception in the infancy of the Robot Wars, GNN has prided itself on being a fair and balanced source of news, favoring no power group, or any side of this army. Over the years, I have interviewed Maverick Hunters, Repliforcers, UN Representatives, Robot Masters, and members of the Coalition for Reploid Freedom alike, bearing no grudge toward them.

While our neutral stance in this war has not changed, our policies are, in light of the repeated piracy of GNN's signals and the death of this innocent man.

We shall no longer be giving airtime or interview opportunities to the Robot Masters or Doctor Albert Wily until such time as recompense can be made to the family of Mr. Strepson, the return of our stolen transmitters, and the evincing by the members of this faction that they can treat the members of the news media, both of GNN and our rivals, with the respect they deserve. Thank you, and goodnight.

[Plum steps down after a flurry of flashes from the cameras.]

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "I WANT my AIRTIME. I WANT MY F&&ING AIR TIME!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Job transmits, "Oh would you shut up ya terrorist."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "If it isn't the master of the split personality..."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "D#MMIT, I HAD AN INTERVIEW!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "Crybaby."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "And mean old Punk lost it for you. My hart bleeds."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "Wah wah wah, me, me me. You want an interview? Go take over a TV station ya bum."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Ether Skunk transmits, "You want airtime? Meet me someplace and I'll punt a field-goal with your head, you son of a b*tch!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "BWAHAHAHAHA!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Ether Skunk transmits, "YOU BLEW OUT MY STOMACH. I had to re-eat a dozen donuts after that! Bastard!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Job transmits, "Punk never had it to begin with!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "I WANT MY GODD*MN INTERVIEW!!!!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Now that's true.."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Ether Skunk transmits, "I'll let you interview the underside of my boot next chance I get. Grrr. You and that twin of yours."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Job transmits, "Would you just shove it up your tail pipe dude. Take it out on Punk. Its his fault after all."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Or you could get Punk to pay, then you'd get the interview."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "....Punk...."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Job transmits, "Ya its his fault, if he had not killed that reporter you would have got your interview."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Need some help with the extraction?"

[Radio: (A) Masters] Wood Man transmits, "You're returning my stolen transmitters over my dead body. I got them fair and square."

[Radio: (A) Masters] Charge Man transmits, "Can we do a radiu show? Or how about a a SPEECH at ever TRAIN STATION! And I can pull the cars! and smash bash any cows or cabbits that might get in my way!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Wow! Look at this great news tonight!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "What great news?"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Keith Strepson of Vogue magazine was killed!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "What's so great about that? Just another senseless death."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Bridgit Cascio transmits, "Ain't that a kick in the teeth."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Charge Man transmits, "No he didn't! That was uh..the cowsp ropganda !"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Hey! That guy didn't know fashion if it bite him in the aft and crawled up his port hole and out his mouth. Maybe I can get his old job and quit this 2bit operation!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fashionable Feline transmits, "I'm gonna have to send Punk a ham for a job well done."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Charge Man transmits, "Accoriding to cow haters monthly! Cows are repsonbiile for most of the worlds ills. Not Daddu!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Morgaine transmits, "Are you still prattling?"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Dead? How come?"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "For all the good that'll do. I've seen Punk e-ring before, and he's still around."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "I WAS GOING TO GET AN INTERVIEW!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Bridgit Cascio transmits, "And I was gonna be a movie star."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Job transmits, "Just do deal with Punk mr I can't have my interview cause my brother killed yet another person. "Please your proving just how stupid the masters are."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Hush. It is a good thing when Evil turns in on itself."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Oh boohoohoo. You were going to get an interview. I was suppose to get my own sweat shop for my own clothes line. But then the UN had to say sweat shops were cruel."

[Radio: (A) Masters] Wood Man grumbles. "Gemini, would it help if I interviewed you?"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Bridgit Cascio says dryly, "Aren't we the complete bastards, then."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Fusion Phoenix snickers.

[Radio: (A) Masters] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "NO, DAMMIT. I MISSED my chance to humiliate Plum and start carnage on international televison."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "Weak-willed lunatic. I swear Gemini Man, I do believe you're quite angry with your brother. Is this so?"

[Radio: (A) Masters] Wood Man transmits, "Carnage on international television? Fine, next time we flatten a town, I'll film you."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "GEEZ, you're a GENIUS!"

[Radio: (A) Masters] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "But... it was going to be so funny..."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "No, I just sound like one, unlike you right now, with your inane child-level raving."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Broadcast Ocelot transmits a disclaimer: The views expressed by a one Fashionable Feline are not necessarily those of the Repliforce.

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "You're a terrorist, right?"

[Radio: (A) Masters] Wood Man comments under his breath, "Then we record me having to pick up your body after the tank's had its way with you."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "What a ... dirty word."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Bridgit Cascio transmits, "Truth hurts, don't it."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "THEN ****ing take over a *****mn TV STATION, and SHUT THE **** up!"

[Radio: (A) Masters] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "I'LL F**ING KILL YOU!!!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Morgaine transmits, "You're forgetting one thing, sir."

[Radio: (A) Masters] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "I'LL F*KKING KILL EVERYONE!!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Reaver Mimic transmits, "Some of us are trying to watch the stock market in peace, thank you."

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Job transmits, "Ya, I mean I can admit I'm built out of spare parts but God you whine more then they say Metal Man does!"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Bridgit Cascio transmits, "It's beyond their brainpower to do so?"

[Radio: (F) Worldchat] Morgaine transmits, "With his 486 processor, he can't figure out how to activate a camera."

[Radio: (A) Masters] Enker transmits, "SHUT THE HELL UP I'M TRYING TO REST!"

[One personal temper tantrum later....]

Repair Bay [Skull Citadel]

This room holds all the equipment necessary to make complex repairs to Robot Masters. The floors and walls have been carved from stone, incongruously primitive when compared to the modern paraphernalia housed here. In one corner is the fully self-contained automatic repair chamber. Lining the edges of the room are medical beds of varying sizes. An island in the center of the room contains cabinets for materials and supplies as well as a basic tabletop reference console.

Nurse Jane #7
Dust Man [Malfunction] [RM]
Heat Man [Normal] [RM]
Repair Chamber
The Dust Heap [TDH]

Obvious exits:
Blue Doors leads to Corridor [Skull Citadel].

Heat Man is currently on one of the repair beds, and what had been a small pile of books and a mug of hot tea appears to have been scattered by the Jane who currently is atop him much like a lionness over her kill, with Heat blushing intensely.

Dust Man just sighs as the other Janes cheer on #2. "Fine, Heat. Let her crawl all over you then."

Heat Man says, "Ahh...yum...er..m....I'm not sure I have much choice..."

Gemini Man stomps into the room. His eyes are flared, and he seems to be...drooling. His left hand is busted in several places, at several angles, and this seems to be the reason he's entered the bay. The broken hand twitches erratically, and he throws the scene before him a dark, red glare. Then, not saying anything, he walks over to a supply cabinet and starts ruffling around for something.

Metal Man has arrived.

Dust Man grunts as he sees Gemini enter, and forgets about Heat and the Jane. "Woah, hold on, Gem! I need to check you!"

Metal Man awakens on a medical table. "Slaggen... hunters. Ug, did we get those materials we were after?"

Gemini Man pulls a hammer out of the cabinet, and points it at Dust Man. "F&CK OFF. I'll take care of it."

Heat Man waves to Metal with the arm that Isn't covered in Jane. "Umm...I think you did, Metal." Then, he looks over at Gemini. "Bro....let Dust look at it. Even if just to check your work." o0(Why do I have a feeling someone was blowing up holographic versions of Punk again?)0o

Metal Man sits up. "Good, I was one of the last ones to go down in that fight. We got routed from what I hear. Anyhow, sir have you heard of Wood Man's plan?"

Dust Man backs off quickly from Gemini/Mars. "Whatever you say, Big Bro." He takes the chance to look over Metal. "And what happened to you?"

Dust Man takes out a medical scanner and scans Metal Man.

Metal Man says, "Hunter who had a Guass rifle mostly. Nailed me with some sort of plasma pulse weapon and I went down like a hose of cards. Oh well I hear Bass nailed the slagger with a sonic boom."

Gemini Man ignores Heat Man for the moment, and shoulders past Dust as the other Master steps back. He walks over to a side-table...wipes the drool out of the corner of his mouth, almost as an afterthought...then, WHAM! He slams the hammer down onto his opposite hand, realigning it in a particularly messy fashion. He grunts a little under the pain, then... WHAM! slams it again.

Heat Man blinks at Gemini. "Ow..." Then he looks over to Metal. "Yes, yes I did.

Metal Man smiles evily. "I like it, we will set those hunters up for a fall. Well I say we give this plan a shot.

Dust Man winces in shared pain as Gemini takes such dratic measures to his own person.

Gemini Man puts down the hammer, and lifts up his broken hand. He looks down at it...blinks, pulls out a thick shard of glass. Then, he goes back to the cabinet, and rustles around, looking for tape. "WHAT plan?"

Heat Man ows again at Gemini. That just -looks- painful. "Umm...yeah. I think you've got the right idea, Metal." He then look at Gemini, wincing at the glass. "Wood wanted to make a decoy shuttle, loaded with explosives, and when the RF or MH try to capture it, we blow it up in their faces."

Heat Man then looks up at the Jane who still squirms on his chest. "Umm...hello."

Dust Man has disconnected.

Gemini Man actually chuckles softly at this, as he starts to wrap white gauze-tape around his hand. "Blow...something up," he says, quietly.

Heat Man smiles. "Well, hopefully blow lots of "someones" up, but yeah." He then nods to Metal. "Go for it." As he speaks, the Jane kisses him on the cheek, then disappears, giggling madly. "Oh. Umm...okay." Rubbing his cheeck in surprise, Heat looks at Gemini. "How's the hand feeling now?"

Gemini Man is muttering... "These f**king sonofab***h goodiegoodie b*ll*** orders... Punk and his g***** sonofab***h f**king up my interview..." He uses his mouth to tear off the corner of the tape, and slams the roll down onto the ground. "HOW THE HELL IS THE MOST WANTED MAN IN THE WORLD SUPPOSED TO GET WORK DONE AROUND HERE, ANYWAY?" The tape bounces a few times, without making any noise at all, and Gemini looks at, flexes his hand. "It's okay."

Metal Man facepalms. "Are you still Bit**ing about it Gemini. GIVE IT A BREAK! You do nothing but rile your self up like this and you're going to snap like a over streched rubber band."

Heat Man shrugs. "Metal...it's really frustrating to get pissed on from considerable heights by our glorious Elites. It's understandable. Especially when they screw up something you've been working on."

Metal Man nods to Heat Man. "Them pissing on me is the story of my life Heat. Some day they will be replaced just like I a was and I'll be there to laugh at em." Metal Man grins.

Gemini Man is shaking all over... "I am going to TEAR OFF his f**king HEAD and mail it to GNN in a BOX!"

Metal Man oO(I'd love to see that!)

Heat Man snorts. "Don't forget to put a pretty pink bow on it. And if you want to put Enker in the package, I'd half be willing to help. Just be careful. I think right now Punk'd e-ring every one of us just to see us scream at him from ERWIN."

Gemini Man harrumphs. "Ering me? SCREW him. I can't touch Enker, but I can tear Punk apart with my freakin' PINKY FINGER." He holds up the shattered hand, and said finger twitches profusely.

Heat Man shrugs. "Who says Punk'd give you the chance at a clear shot?"

Metal Man nods. "Ya, ya know it sucks slag having our younger siblings calling the shots ya know? I rember back when it was just what Alpha, beta and Gamma. Those were fun days, when people would run in terror at the merr mention of our names.

Gemini Man says, "WHAT? All I'd have to do is take aim at his g****mn BACK. I'm not ABOVE that."

Heat Man shakes his head. "That's not what I mean. Punk was talking about remote control destructing people the other night, including you, when things went kinda nuts outside of Kuwait. Who says that he's not bluffing?" o0(Just like I know Enker wasn't kidding when he wanted to use me as just a teleporting bomb.)0o

Gemini Man's eyes twitch. "By... remote...control? That-- that f**king COWARD!" He spins around and CRACKS his hand into the metal supply cabinet, denting the door terribly. ...At least he had the presense of mind to attack with the uninjured one.

Heat Man shrugs. "Yeah...tell me about it. He's got a bad habit of not sticking his money where his mouth is, as far as I'm concerned. Even Quint at least -tries-."

Dive Man arrives from the Corridor [Skull Citadel].

Dive Man has arrived.

Dive Man limps through the doorway, with shrapnel stuck to his armor. "Brothers, can I borrow the Repair chamber for a moment?"

Heat Man waves at it. "I think it's empty."

Dive Man nods and enters the chamber.

Dive Man has left.

Gemini Man shouts, "GREAT! Even if I get ONE f**king SHOT in, after that he'll REMOTE-NUKE me and I won't get a rebuild for WEEKS! DAMN I want my rank back! DAMN I WANT MY INTERVIEW! AND I HATE...THESE STUPID... NICEYNICE ORDERS!!!" SLAM: he unloads a round of ammunition into the supply cabinet:

"Hey, WATCH IT!" and suddenly he's in the room twice, shoving himself away from his current position. Gemini shoves directly back at the other Gemini Man, and the second twin GRABS him right on the injured hand, twisting it and causing the original to scream profusely. Continuing to twist, and holding him there, the second twin looks up with eyes glaring red. He seems to be just as angry as the original. "WE have GOT to get the f**k out of this PLACE and do some DAMAGE SOMEWHERE."

Heat Man looks at both twins. Decides to do the one thing that might work. He stands up, walks over, and slugs both twins in the jaw. "Would you two calm down? How the heck to do expect to do -anything- if you're too angry and damaged to see straight?"

The repair chamber hisses open, revealing a fully restored Dive Man.

Dive Man has arrived.

Repair Chamber drops Dive Man.

"YAHH!" The already-injured Gemini twin breaks the bounds of his captor, and tackles into Heat Man, just slamming full force into the still-recovering Master.

"I don't KNOW, Heat Man:" shouts the other one, spitting holographic foam as he turns his head back from the punch. "I don't f**king KNOW. All I know is, the training room is getting old again, and we HAVE to burn this off."

Heat Man crunches into the ground. "Well, you seem to be making a good shot a beating the stuffing out of me. So why keep it in the training room?"

Dive Man has left.

"Because we're not MAD at YOU."

"Like hell we aren't!" The original twin grabs Heat Man by the scruff of his 'zippo,' and pulls him up to his face. "WHAT THE HELL IS THE DEAL, ANYWAY? I lose two bodies in two weeks and I'm nothing but SPIT ON! HEAT MAN takes ONE DECENT SHOT, and it's a F**KING CANDLELIGHT VIGIL!" He spits foam as he screams, then he slams the back of Heat's head into the ground.

Heat Man crunches again, his armor clearly bending. "Why? I don't know. Maybe because you've mostly been fighting alone. Because you've been acting less and less like our family is important to you, and that you're more interested in the destruction the pendant is *ooof* calling you to." Clang. Bend. Crack. Heat's eyes darken, and he matches hot anger with cold. "And Maybe because You Died Clean. You got the -luxury- of E-ringing." Growling, Heat actually flips the clone master, and pins him to the ground, hands wrapped around the pendant-bearer's shoulders and neck.

"Can you -imagine- what dying is like when something happens and you -don't- ering? Or get pulled back for repair? And somehow my mind kept working? What it was like when the Wily Star began to burn through the atmosphere? How my skin bubbled? How the saltwater crushed and seared when it ruptured through the hull? How much hope I had when the salvage drones came? And how I SCREAMED even though I couldn't be heard when I got chucked into the stasis and long term repair bay? Frozen, unable to move, or speak? Trapped inside my broken body and barely able to think?" Heat looks down at Gemini. "You. Got. Off. Light."

Metal Man has left.

Gemini Man tries to sit up under the weight of the other master, and shove him off, but he's losing leverage. He pushes against the weight with his broken hand, and shouts wordlessly.

"GET THE HELL OFF HIM," says the clone, gun activated and leveled. "Get the hell off!"

"Yeah...yeah..." says Gemini Man, starting to stop his struggle, and now, just shaking horribly. "PAIN HURTS."

Heat Man blinks, and realizes what he was doing... "I...I'm sorry." In shock, he backs off, stands up, and wrings his hands a little. "I'm sorry. I got out of control..."

Gemini Man just lies back for a moment...then puts both his hands up to his mouth, and wipes off all the foam and drool. "Out of control... yeah... I know that." The second twin doesn't drop or disarm his weapon; he stands frozen, as a statue.

Heat Man sighs and shakes his head. "I'm getting better about it...but if I really get mad, I tend to be fairly destructive about things..."

Gemini Man just lies there: "You and me both. S**t. What this would have done to you." The other twin sighs, and lowers his arm, then offers the original a hand-up.

Heat Man nods. "I don't envy you." He then extends his own hand along with the twin's.

Gemini Man takes one hand in each of his own, and pulls himself to his feet. He then looks down at his taped-up hand. "We're underutilized at this point: that's all. Even WITHOUT the pendant, I can't... build schools and take children on field trips. DAMMIT."

Heat Man sighs and nods. "I understand. It's frustrating. Right now....the situation is that we have to look better than the Mavericks. But at the same time, how do we go out and do what we're built for?"

"Don't have to listen to orders," Gemini grumbles to himself. "But, family... dunno." He wrings his hands together, his twin looks on, somewhat concerned.

Heat Man nods, tiredly, and nod because of his injuries. "I understand. Believe me, I understand."

Gemini Man just wrings his hands together, looking down at the ground. "Not a rogue. Still want to come home. Still care...about family. But... need..."

"You're losing it," says the holoclone. "Don't lose it again. Focus. You're smarter than that."

"No, no... I know."

Heat Man does the only thing he can. Minding the original's injured hand, Heat carefully gives both twins a hug. "Listen...I do trust both of you. I don't know what's going on, entirely...but you're not rouge. You can and will come home whenever you want to. Believe me."

The orignal twin accepts the hug momentarily, then, suddenly, SHOVES Heat Man's affections away. "Don't f**king HUG ME!"

The holo sighs, and grabs onto the other's shoulder. "All right, come ON, let's go for a walk. NOW."

Heat Man shakes his head, and sits back on the bed he'd been on. "It's okay."

The second Gemini turns the other around to the door, and gives him a slight shove, saying, "...Thanks."

Heat Man smiles weakly. "At least you have the advantage of your personality division having it's own body."

Gemini Man the second, shrugs, as the other leaves. "On the whole, I'd say if you take that into account, we're generally normal. I don't envy ANYBODY who's trapped in one body like that..."

Heat Man shakes his head. "I'm working it out...I'm not half as bad I as was, at one point." Heat shudders slightly at his torturing of Frost Walrus when Bass had figured out how to trigger the "old" personality at will.

Dust Man has connected.

Gemini Man blinks slowly at Heat's shudder. "I embrace both halves of me. It's this third person that's causing so much trouble."

Heat Man nods. "Makes sense...makes a lot of sense."

[One long WALK later...]

You enter the Northwest Territories.
Northwest Territories

Home to three provinces, the Northwest Territories are now completely owned by the First Nations. Nunavut, Denedeh and Fosigher are the three provinces formed by the First Nations and each hosts native ground. Although the Natives have modernized slightly to keep up with the newest trends, they still keep teepees, wigwams and other Native structures for a feeling of home. In the distance, smoke rises from great fires, totem poles reach the highest of heights, and loud drum banging can be heard. Definitely the home of the first Canadians, this is still a beautiful place, if not more beautiful than before because of the colour the Natives bring.

Newhaven

Obvious exits:
Submerge leads to Underneath Arctic Ocean.
North leads to Arctic Ocean.
South leads to Quebec.
East leads to Greenland.
West leads to Yukon Territory.
Up leads to Sky Above Eastern Canada.

Newhaven
The town is deserted.
Contents:
Ballade
Rigger

Rigger grins marginally as she nods in apparent understanding. "I'd figured as much. Just was wondering the reasoning behind it in the first place, is all." Recalling her slushie, which has by now no doubt begun to melt a good deal, she stirs it up with the straw in an attempt to salvage some of it.

Ballade eyes the slushie, and thinks for a moment. "Set it on the table, and remove your hand for a moment." That chill breeze picks up again as he lifts a hand lazily.

Rigger blinks curiously at Ballade, though she does as requested. Odd as it may be, it wasn't that much he was asking. The slushie is placed back on the table, and her hand withdrawn as she watches with interest.

Ballade touches the pendant in his chest with his other hand, and his armor goes translucent for a moment as the chill breeze wraps itself about his hand, and then washes over the slushie. Which is now a slushie once more. Lowering his hand, he relaxes once again. "The opportunity to practice control was too good to pass up."

Rigger is hardly going to complain at all. The drink, now revitalized, is taken once more with a slight nod of thanks. "Fair enough. I don't think there's much to do in means of practice so far as my own goes. Though it is rather interesting being able to swim without the need of air."

Ballade says, "For you perhaps. I've always been able to 'swim'. Or, more accurately, walk. However... in a human, I can imagine the sensation would be a tad... unusual, yes."

The calm in the air is broken by a sudden, impending sense of malice. Coming in from the entrance to the town. Chaos pendant.

Rigger gives a slight groan at that tell-tale presense. Closing her eyes, she lifts her hand to rub at the bridge of her nose. So much for her asprin being 12 hours, it was already wearing off. "More company."

Ballade lifts his head slightly. "It cannot be Enker - he would not walk." He ponders for a moment, and then glances over his shoulder to see who approaches.

Gemini Man doesn't appear, at least, to have killed or destroyed anything recently. This could be a good thing...but it could also be a bad thing, as the pent-up malice pours out of his optics, making them seem as if bleeding. As always, he is walking slowly, tension throughout his frame, as he approaches the table.

Rigger slowly nods as Ballade confirms that particular suspicion of hers. She does know a few who would walk though, and Gemini is far up there on the list. So she's not too surprised when he enters... Though his expression, on the other hand, gives her pause. Perhaps it's best to just take a drink of her slushie and allow the brothers to greet one another.

Ballade turns slightly in his chair to regard his brother. The expression causes him little undue concern. Because he did one thing - he made War afraid. Because there can be a Death of War. "Gemini Man."

Gemini Man speaks with a choked and tense voice, though, for once, he is not shouting. "I needed to get out of the base for a while. I can't work with the standing orders."

Rigger looks between the pair carefully, cautiously. Curious as she is, she dares not ask just what the standing orders may be. She was, after all, the enemy in more ways than one and this was neutral ground - for the time being.

Ballade is partly one of those responsible for the standing orders. His shift from calm to serious is rapid, and certain. "I see. So you would rather annihilate all in your path, without care for the harm it may do Wily? Find someplace deserted, and lay that waste, Gemini Man. Or single handedly assult a Repliforce base. That should assuage your lust for battle."

Gemini Man almost chokes on his next sentence. "FINE. You all seem to want me to just walk off and injure myself... So I will." Then, he turns away again.

Ballade arches a violet eyebrow. "Perhaps. I would prefer you picked someplace underdefended and weak, and destroy the outpost, not fall in the attack yourself."

Gemini Man nods. Seems to...make sense. "All right, then. Consider it done." A few more steps... "Go back to your business, as it WAS."

Ballade rises from his chair. "Speaking of business... I need to check on the Doctor. Good day, Rigger." And with that... he simply goes clear, fading out of sight as he first becomes translucent, then utterly transparent.

Rigger has left.

[So, per orders...]

You enter the Nile Delta.

Nile Delta

As you advance upon the waters of the Nile Delta, the large, expansive and revitalized city of Alexandria swallows up most of you view. This is where the mighty Nile River dumps its payload of water into the body of the Mediterranean Sea. Along the coast of the delta waters, lush tropical plants have sprung up in the mineral rich silt that has been deposited there. Crocodiles and hippos drift along as they have for countless centuries. Rising up from Alexandria, one can see the high-tech reincarnation of the largest library of the ancient world, standing high in all its majesty, a veritable Mecca for the students of informatics.

Obvious exits:
Up leads to Sky Above Nile Region.
Submerge leads to Underneath Mediterranean Sea.
North leads to Mediterranean Sea.
Southwest leads to Cairo - Harbor District.
West leads to Barbary Coast.
South leads to Egypt.

On the banks, at the basin of the Nile, a Repliforce outpost sits, tucked in a copse of tropical trees. A few buildings, nothing more, with a tall communications tower perched between two palms. Perhaps set up simply to monitor communications, or stage quick runs and assaults into Doctor Wily's supposed territory. But it won't be standing, within the hour, if Gemini Man has anything to say about it.

No vehicle, he walks, slowly, and alone, showing up as a single blip on every scanning monitor in the base, starting off alerts before he can even get in range to unleash firepower. One, little Wilybot (though, technically, Gemini Man is never really alone...), with one pendant. Either he's got some serious brass, or he's just been kicked out of the base, again. Probably: both.

Skyblade Eagle happens to be one of the people that's in the base, checking out one of the aerial deployment areas, "The hell?" She asks, as all the alarms start to go off, "What? Are we under an assault or something?" She leaves the building she's in and heads for the command building..

It looks like just one signature...

But the sudden crack of firepower that surges into the communications tower might has well have been fired from a tank. Suddenly, trees are burning, and the first rush of Repliforce troops begin an attack. Pouring directly out to face the one-man...no, make that two-man? frontal assault, a line of reploids is sent back with an explosive blast that streams in through the outpost gates.

"Holy shit!" Skyblade's outside almost imidiatly as the blasts go off, "Son of a...That's only one Android! What the hell are you all doing?!"

"Not quite. That's Gemini Man."

And SLAM with the arm cannon from one of the now two apparent twins... and the signals get staticy...the signal tower...burning, comes tumbling down.

Skyblade Eagle growls a bit, "It's one Robot Master, just the same. I'll deal with him." Launching herself into the air, the Sky Queen flies right towards the attacking Master, and lands in front of him, "Alright. I don't know what kind of bad crack you're smoking, Gemini Man, but back the hell off."

Gemini Man only sees Skyblade Eagle as one target of many. As one twin is already gleefully charging right into the base, trading shots with the forces within, the other Gemini means to follow, and Skyblade is just another Repliforcer telling him to STOP. The moment Skyblade begins her verbal assault, he simply says, "NO," and rushes her, head on, to shoulder-check and either run completely past her or push her aside. Trading greater repartee, at the moment...just not worth his time.

You strike Skyblade Eagle with your Twin Tackle attack.
You rebound off of Skyblade Eagle, taking 3 units of damage.

Skyblade Eagle grunts as she's hit, and taps on her radio. Reception may be fuzzy, but still...Getting back up with the message off, she draws both of her handguns out of her hips, "Freeze, jackass!" Knowing he won't...She fires anyway, emptying both of the clips in his direction.
Skyblade Eagle misses you with her Dual Beretta 9mm attack.

Fusion Phoenix arrives from the Sky Above Nile Region.
Fusion Phoenix has arrived.

Gemini Man just RUSHES on past as Skyblade is knocked aside, and the bullets stream into air already choked with firepower. A sheer HALF of it seems to be Gemini's alone, as laser after laser comes pouring from the twins' weapons, scortching buildings and causing fires and explosions. The other half is repliforce firepower, and some of it does strike home, though just as much of it hits nothing, bounces around in chaos. Gemini Man revels in the violence, laughing aloud as he continues to fire his laser. He's not taking time to aim at anything or anyone in particular, but since his weapon rebounds off everything it touches, does he really have to? If you're in the area, you might just get hit...
You miss Skyblade Eagle with your Ricochet Blast attack.

Fusion Phoenix is a dot WAAAYY of in the sky...

Skyblade Eagle of course, doesn't get hit. She dodges to the left, weapons tucking away to be reloaded, "Stop running you stupid jackass!" She yells out, as she takes to the air, flying after him. Her feet shift from talons to their jetboot mode, and she spirals out of the air to try and drive her boot into the back of Gemini's skull.
Skyblade Eagle strikes you with her Spinkick for 14 units of damage.

Behind the noise of the sudden pitched battle, the low roar of an engine slowly grows louder as the vehicle it powers approaches. Dressed in light colors that help to wave off the scorching heat of the sun, Mai races with speed and precision through the desert, weaving through jutting rocks and dunes as if she'd done this her entire life. Wincing against the billowing sand and bright light, the Strider frowns slightly as she ponders what could be making all the raquet. Even from the outskirts of Alexandria she heard that first massive explosion. It only took a quick check on the sensor pad which is part of her basic equipment to pinpoint the energy dispersion. So now she flies towards the Repliforce base to check out the situation. Matic will definately be interested.

Fusion Phoenix is a sligthly biger dot, and at this point you can make out some gumbies flying along with him.

Skyblade Eagle receives a radio transmission.
Skyblade Eagle sends a radio transmission.

Gemini Man is slammed by a kick to the back of his head, and it sends him crashing into a pile of flaming wreckage. Face-first. He turns around, and looks up dizzily... GREAT. GIRLS. "Do you have a DEATHWISH?!" the android shouts, kippuping back to his feet. He pushes another shot in Skyblade's direction, though this burst seems to have some serious feeling behind it: it looks less like one of the white lasers he's been using, thicker, heavier, and colored red.

The other twin takes note of the incoming attack, but he's still got plenty to work with, right here... He unleashes another volley of lasers through the windows of the command building.
You strike Skyblade Eagle with your Mortar Cannon attack.

Skyblade Eagle grunts as she takes the blasts, "Oh please." She mutters, "You're nothing compared to Bass." She stands back up, grinning faintly, "Got it? You're pathetic. You hear me? Pathetic. A loser. A nothing. Nobody. A jackass. Totally pathetic." She aims both of her arms at him, "And I intend to prove it. Suck it down!" She fires off a pair of razor alloy disks.
Skyblade Eagle misses you with her Alloy Disk attack.

Fusion Phoenix gets closer. At this point he and his small force can be clearly seen and identifed in the distance. Woo. Exicting poses here fokes.

It's starting to boil up at the increasing taunts: that pendant-rage. Gemini Man's eyes grow redder with each of Skyblade's words, and when she fires off her disks, Gemini charges in toward her, the disks sailing by his shoulders, his head bent down in front. "I WILL SHOW YOU 'PATHETIC!'" And in that enraged charge, he bends his head forwards, as if to shove Skyblade back with the business-end of a very sharp helmet.
You miss Skyblade Eagle with your Headbutt attack.

Just what she's going for, actually. She wants him with that rage. She wants him upset...People who are upset make mistakes, "Oh come on!" She jumps over him, landing behind him, "I've had rookies in the training room give me more trouble than you're doing." She says, as she dances around on her talons, "Lets see...I think, yeah..." She turns and lets loose with an ion blade for his head.
Skyblade Eagle strikes you with her Ion Disk for 11 units of damage.

Mai Atsuki jumps into view as her dirt bike clears a rather massive dune. She twists sideways and skids to a halt, kicking up a large cloud of sand and dust. Coughing a little, she raises one slender hand to shield her eyes from the sun and scans the scene below. Burning buildings, dead reploids, Robot Master on a power trip... interesting. Mai had heard about these pendants but never seen a bearer before. Digging around in a satchel hanging from the side of her bike, the girl brings out a pair of high-tech binoculars and lifts them to her eyes. Through super-enhanced vision she watches the battle unfold below her. A thought occurs to her and she taps a button on the side, activating the vision recording.

Fusion Phoenix suddleny ROARS over the small battle field with his depleated squad. Despite their reduction in numbers from the attack on Berlin they still throw a massive volly of firepower down on the little android.
Fusion Phoenix misses you with his Plasma Blaster attack.

Firepower from overhead is no problem for the twins, as they can see it coming from above. But on the field, with Gemini Man already whipping into a blinded rage, he is slammed in the side of the helmet by the ion blade. In fact, it cuts neatly THROUGH those jagged crystals in its arc, leaving a pretty set of trophies for anyone who might happen to be left standing...

But Gemini Man does not intend to allow any of that. The second twin begins to turn his weapon to the sky, and send shots up to the air at the arriving forces. Long-range, but the blasts have got more BACK to them than ever before, and they're flying surprisingly far. On the ground, Gemini Man stands ground, and peppers Skyblade Eagle with a volley of quick burst-shots.
You miss Fusion Phoenix with your Laser Barrage attack.
You miss Skyblade Eagle with your Laser Barrage attack.

Skyblade Eagle ducks forward, grabbing one of those crystals and tucking it away, before drawing out the Silent Hunter, and holding it between both her hands, "Thanks for the gift." She grins, as she twirls the staff from her old mentor, "Now then, Shadow lived through the original Stardroid attacks, and I'll be damned if he won't live through this one." She charges forward, and twirls the staff again, before launching an attack towards his head with the staff.
Skyblade Eagle misses you with her Silent Hunter attack.

Skyblade Eagle receives a radio transmission.

Fusion Phoenix swerves to dodge the shots, but his squad isn't so lucky. One is hit and another pells off to help him, leaving two to join Fusion as he banks around and lands near the fight.

"Four on one Master, you'd better leave."

The sugestion is puncatued with a blast of his own laser weaponry.
Fusion Phoenix misses you with his Laser Carabine attack.

Skyblade Eagle receives a radio transmission from Templar.
Skyblade Eagle sends a radio transmission.

A smile slowly spreads across Mai's face, despite herself. It seems Gemini will not have an easy time. She zooms in on the remaining fragment of crystal that was cut free from the Master. That will make a nice present for Matic. She'll pick it up when the smoke clears. The strider shifts her attention to the new arrival, making sure to get Fusion and his squad on tape as well.

Skyblade Eagle receives a radio transmission.

Gemini Man ducks under the staff-attack as Skyblade charges toward him, and the other twin, elsewhere, slips to the side past Fusion's blast of laser. More 'forcers arriving, who knows, who might be on the way...it's getting down to the wire here, and Gemini knows it. If they can't take down the 'forcers, the Gemini Men want to at least make this outpost a piece of useless trash. Already the fires are consuming the command section, at least, and have taken the tower, but it's not enough...

"I'll not only break that STICK," Gemini Man shouts at Skyblade, "I'll BREAK YOU!" And the shots the twin masters now fire from their increasingly powerful arm-blasters are serious, and meant for the winged-turkey targets as they present themselves for the slaughter.
You strike Fusion Phoenix with your Gemini Laser attack.
You miss Skyblade Eagle with your Gemini Laser attack.

Skyblade Eagle rockets off through the air as the Gemini Laser blasts past where she had been, "You, uh, are aiming, right?" She asks, as she swoops around, HUD turning on, target locking onto Gemini, "Eh, not like it maters. Nice knowing you. Not." She turns, and folds her wings down towards him, the feathers launching off like missiles...Wait, those are missiles! The swarm of minimissiles swirl towards Gemini Man, locked onto him.
Skyblade Eagle strikes you with her Homing Missiles for 11 units of damage.
You take extra damage due to your Explosive weakness.

Fusion Phoenix's torso is scored by the laser, and one of the remaining gumbies goes down. Nowing he needs to end this soon if any part of the base is to be recovered he extends his blaster once more, and fires off alternating liquid nitrogen and superheated plasma.
Fusion Phoenix strikes you with his Antipode Strike for 23 units of damage.

[Radio: (A) Masters] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "Master radio, CHECKING. RESPOND."

[Radio: (A) Masters] Zeta CO Yamato Man transmits, "Acknowledged."

[Radio: (A) Masters] Magnet Man transmits, "Ja, zhat ist zho!"

[Radio: (A) Masters] Magnet Man transmits, "..."

[Radio: (A) Masters] God of War Gemini Man transmits, "Nile Delta. Listening Outpost. I am GOING TO BLOW IT TO SH*T. I WILL REQUIRE EVAC."

[Radio: (A) Masters] Magnet Man transmits, "...sorry, uh, I was playing one of my games and the translator was--! You heard the dude! Evac!"

Slam, crack, bam, wham! Missiles...not good, explosives, bad. Gemini Man is knocked down by the blasts, and thrown onto his side, armor charred and wrecked. Gemini Man is STRUCK by the wave of fire and ice, and slammed and blasted and burning.

Gemini Man is seriously upset.

If not for the power of Mars, he would be running... in fact, if not for the power of Mars, he might very well be dead. As evidence, the holographic twin that Fusion Pheonix has engaged, vanishes entirely, unable to keep up with the damage on the original. And the original rises to his feet, his entire body beginning to shimmer with an aura of red. He opens shuddering eyes, and they are nothing but pools of blazing, intense red. "MARS WILL NOT BE SO EASILY DEFEATED!!" And from the blaster on his arm, an intense, red and white burst, that splits into two, then three, ricocheting, streaming erratically, cracking toward his repliforce assailants with the full force of his enhanced power.
Homing systems: Online
You strike Fusion Phoenix with your Tri-photon Missiles attack.
You strike Skyblade Eagle with your Tri-photon Missiles attack.

Skyblade Eagle falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.

Fusion Phoenix looks over to the source of the missiles, reasising he was only fighting the copy. He flys full speed at the remaining Gemini Man, fist extended while the final combat medic tends to the fallen Skyblade.
Fusion Phoenix strikes you with his Punch for 2 units of damage.

Skyblade Eagle gets blasted by the attack, thrown back away from Gemini Man as it hits. She's had worse, damnit! Not much worse, but still. She lands hard in the sand a good twenty feet away, smoldering.

Fusion Phoenix effects some minor repair work on Skyblade Eagle.

Matic arrives from the Cairo - Harbor District.
Matic has arrived.

Mai Atsuki lowers her camera and frowns. That had to hurt. There was no need for such a strong attack but then she knows that her views on violence aren't shared by many. "Atleast the reploid is still alive", she mutters. But now it looks like Gemini could use a hand. The remaining Forcer didn't seem too hurt by the attacks and this could always be beneficial to the Strider's relations with Wily. So stuffing the camera-binoculars into her satchel, Mai hops back onto the dirt bike and revs up the engine, swiftly kicking it into motion. A loud roar sounds out from the tweaked motor and the girl zips down the tall dune. About halfway down, she reaches to a long sheath attached to the side and draws forth one of her ciphers, a blue glow of energy encompassing it before fully leaving the case. Lifting the blade up level with her face, the strider carefully takes aim at Fusion and lets loose with a bolt of aqua plasma.
Mai Atsuki strikes Fusion Phoenix with her Plasma Bolt attack.

Gemini Man is struck in the face by the attack, and steps back. Yes, he's got the gumption to continue on. The sight of the buildings in flames, and the spare missile cracking into the makeshift barracks and causing a phenominal explosion, gives him new hope... But all of his systems are fried, and Fusion still looks on his feet...

When, suddenly, from out of nowhere: AID! Robot Master? Gemini doesn't know, and doesn't care, but he drives right back into high gear. Someone's here to help him out, and this place IS going DOWN. He follows up the shot that hits the bird with a straight kick to his gut, as he shouts, "LEAVE! THIS PLACE IS DONE FOR!"
You strike Fusion Phoenix with your Roundhouse attack.

Templar arrives from the Egypt.
Templar has arrived.

Templar flies towards the site from a nearby base. It's a short flight, but he's flying himself, rather than bringing a dropship - obviously, /far/ slower. He'll be five minutes, or so.

Fusion Phoenix stands over Gemini Man when he is shot in the left shoulder, severing it. The Master's follow up kick is ignored in comparison. Gemini is leaving, so Fusion dosen't persue him, rather diving to cover, and his medics help Skyblade and the other wounded to see another day.

And on another sand dune, not so far away, a tall man watches through a pair of binoculars. Standard issue, but they certainly serve the purpose. Clad within the dark garb of a Strider, he keeps himself hidden, merely an illusion on the rise. Matic has an interest here.

Gemini Man laughs to himself as Fusion goes. ...Close to nothing left of his endurance, but his gun is still glowing, still asking...more....more... more.... Gemini Man takes a single step back, and surveys his work. The flames, the pain. The sound of arriving forcers in the distance makes his audials perk. Saying a silent thanks to whomever cut the arm off his assailant, Gemini unloads another round of firepower into the surrounding area. Base destroyed. Mission...accomplished. "EVACUATE," the injured avatar entones. "THIS IS WILY TERRITORY NOW." Then, he turns to leave, swift of feet, lest the rest of the force want a turn at him.
Gemini Man retreats from the area swiftly, leaving him open to pursuit or parting shots from Fusion Phoenix, Templar, and Skyblade Eagle.

Mai feels a quick swell of pride from a job well done. The reploid she hit won't die but he'll feel that for awhile and maybe will be out of the way for abit. She'll make sure Wily knows exactly who helped out his son today. Kicking in alittle more speed, the girl dives down through the burning buildings and scoops up a shiny object lying in the sand. Smirking she tucks the small item into the front of her shirt and does a quick 180, speeding back for the open desert and away from danger.
Mai Atsuki retreats from the area swiftly, leaving her open to pursuit or parting shots from Fusion Phoenix, Templar, Skyblade Eagle, and Gemini Man.

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