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Showing results for tags 'surrender or run'.
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The Disk Launchers mounted in the heads of the six Vahki models from 2004 (And Nidhiki) seem kind of weak when compared to Vakama's Disk Launcher or the Matoran (And Krekka's) Disk Launcher. I know with Vakama's launcher you have to bend it slightly in order to get the disk to fly really far, but is there a special technique to fling the Disks really far with the Vahki? Because, they just fly about a foot and then flop on the ground when you squeeze the jaws, at least for me. And I have tried squeezing the jaws towards the front as well as aligning the little ridges on the disks with the hump on the right side of the Vahki's jaw but it still doesn't really work like the Metru Nui Matoran or Toa Vakama.
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This is my entry for the Fortnightly Flash Fiction Contest's most recent theme, Surrender or Run. It's very short, only 415 words long, although that is intentional, for I was aiming to make it as concise as I could.Anyway, enough rambling. Here's the story:A Toa of Iron stood in the gateway of his village. He carried a long, black-handled sword in his right hand, which he spun every now and then out of boredom.Aside from that, he stood still most of the time, simply listening to the darkness of the night, though he rarely heard anything save for the swaying of the grass in the wind.Part of him -- the panicky side that always seemed to surface during times like tonight -- was relieved. He would not have to inform his friend of his choice yet. That part of him wanted to sing the praises of the Great Spirit, but the other, more rational side of him was cautious. The absence of the other did not mean he was never going to come.A second later, the Toa of Iron heard someone's feet lightly walking across the grass. He immediately seized one of the torches hanging on the gate and held it up, allowing him to see a Toa of Earth approaching. The Toa of Earth wore slightly bulkier armor than his, but he had no trouble recognizing his Toa brother."So you came back after all," said the Toa of Iron, his gaze fixed firmly on the newcomer. "I thought for a moment that your army had fled.""Friend," said the Toa of Earth, taking a step forward. "Please listen to me. The Makuta wants to know the choice you have made-""And we choose neither," the Toa of Iron replied. "We're not surrendering nor running. We're defending our village to the death.""And that's your final answer?""Yes. We're not going let the Brotherhood push us around anymore."The Toa of Earth looked at the ground. "Then . . . I guess this is our last good bye."The Toa of Iron nodded. "I wish things could have gone differently, but after the others' deaths, we're not going to stand for it anymore."The Toa of Earth shook his head. "It doesn't have to be this way. You could become one of the Makuta's Hagah, I'm sure of-""She's a well-known Toa of Iron murderer," the Toa of Iron snapped. "Now get out of here, unless you want to fight."For a moment, the Toa of Earth looked like he was about to take up him on that offer, but instead he turned and walked away. The Toa of Iron watched him go, knowing that this was probably the last time he'd ever see his friend again.-So there you have it. Constructive criticism, comments, reviews, etc. are all welcomed and encouraged .-TNTOS-
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Run Thirty seconds. Maybe a bit less. That's about how long I had before I'd have to run. The chute station was crowded, sure, but the Vahki knew who they were looking for. I'd had more than a few run-ins with the law enforcement machines in my years; I knew how quickly their processors could pick someone out.They say you've got two options if the Vahki are after you: surrender or run. Judging by the rapidly growing number of Vahki quickly filling in every conceivable exit, the latter option would likely be impossible. But then again, I'd done a lot of impossible things in my lifetime.Ten seconds now. Nine. Eight. I'd have to move late enough that I could get as close to my target as possible and early enough that they'd be caught off guard. Two seconds. One. Now.From my leisurely walk I broke into a full-on sprint, shoving the Matoran around me aside as I ran. The Vahki sprang to action mere fractions of a second after I made my move, reorganizing themselves, changing their formation based on my path. For a moment they seemed confused, their mechanical minds not understanding what I was doing, knowing only that they had to stop it.They had good reason to be uncertain, as I was running on what must have looked to be a crash course with the wall of a building that faced directly away from the most likely escape route, the chutes. Still, it didn't take the Vahki long to adjust. A pair of the machines moved to intercept my path, one leaving its post at the chutes - which were still guarded by several more, naturally - and the other stepping forward from the alleyway formed by the wall I was running at and the adjoining building. I'd anticipated this, been counting on it, in fact. I continued to run head-on at the pair of Vahki, which no doubt confused them even more - they'd been programmed to deal with simple-minded rahi and common criminals, not with anyone who could actually plan and think for himself. My eyes drifted to their staves. These were Vorzahk, based on their coloration and the shape of their weapons, not to mention that we were in Le-Metru. Rather nasty customers, I knew. One touch from one of those staves and - bam - memory gone. Not a fun experience, or so I'd heard. Fortunately I'd never had the displeasure of experiencing it for myself, and I didn't intend to do so today.I took all this in during the few brief moments I had before I reached the pair of Vahki. As I approached, I slipped a knife from its sheathe and threw it at the machine on the left, aiming for one of its cameras, or "eyes" as I suppose they'd be called if it were a living creature. Even if the weapon missed its mark, it should still prove to distract the machine as I focused on its companion.Said companion stepped forward as I made my throw and tried to give me its whole "surrender or run" deal while waving one of its staves in what was probably supposed to be a threatening manner, but it never finished - I slid forward beneath the weapon it was showing off and wrenched it from the Vahki's hand, springing up behind it and continuing for the wall.I planted the staff in the ground, using it as a pole vault of sorts to gain some extra air as I jumped at the side of the building. The extended reach of my leap proved vital - with the tips of my fingers, I grasped a small electrical pipe and swung sideways, using the momentum of my jump to propel me to the top of the building, putting me in prime position to jump into the chute of my choice. Of course, by now another pair of Vahki had climbed to the roof of the building as well, but I paid them no mind. They lashed out with their staves as I sprinted between them, but I, as always, was faster. A moment later, I was airborne, falling, falling, and suddenly slipping through an irregularity in the chute's electromagnetic field and rocketing away.Honestly, those Onu-Matoran needed to build some better machines.
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Okay, this is my entry for the FFFC#4 "Surrender or Run", and my first story on BZPower. I'm bad at grammar, so feel free to point out my mistakes. Read on... Siege The Toa of Plasma opened his eyes. He adjusted his Kanohi Volitak, and looked around.Smoke was everywhere, and massive piles of rubble blocked off his path, reminders of the proud buildings that once stood there and the war that was being fought in the present. I wish I could be free of this madness, the Toa thought. I wish I could just run away. But he didn't. He is a Toa, and Toa don't run. His name is Gorus, a member of the Toa team that defended Lorkahn Nui, a village on an island in the south. Once a very beautiful place, but that was long ago. And Lorkahn Nui was falling. Two weeks ago, an army of 50,000 showed up at the northern shores. The Toa thought that the army was here to help them prepare for a war, in case, but they were wrong. Very wrong. Their commanders claimed to be srevants of the widely feared Brotherhood of Makuta, demanding them to hand over the island or fight for it. The Toa had chasen fight because they loved their island and its Matoran inhabitants very much, but they did not understand why the Brotherhood had wanted Lorkahn Nui. It was only when the Toa sent Gorus to spy on the commanders at one of their meetings did they find out. The Brotherhood was looking for a "treasure" hidden deep under Lorkahn Nui. The Toa had held their own meeting. Their final decision was to check for any information on the treasure while fighting. Gorus, however, wasn't having any luck. He found nothing on it, not even a single note, and found himself almost cornered by a group of Rahkshi. Gorus shook himself out of his thoughts. He'd better be going before anyone found him. Picking up his longsword, he melted a few piles of rubble in his path, clearing the way to the center of the village, their chosen rendezvous point. The other Toa would be meeting him there. It took Gorus a half hour to get there. Usually, it would take him around ten minutes to get there, but too much debris and a small scouting squad of Visorak had got in his way. He headed towards the small Suva there. "You're late", Shaden said. He was a Toa of Ice with a Komau and the leader of the team. Depite this, Gorus saw Shaden smile, probably glad that his fellow Toa is still alive. "Well, since Gorus is here shall we start?" Gorus looked at the rest of his team. Out of ten, only six Toa remained, including himself and Shaden. Darion, Toa of Fire with a Kakama. Larkia, Toa of Psionics with a Kualsi. Barlin, Toa of Iron with a Kadin. Tokard, Toa of Stone with a Rode. "Any reports?" asked Barlin."I found nothing but a map of Lorkahn Nui that doesn't say anything." "Enough about reports", growled Darion. "We have more to worry about, like fighting." "He's right," said Larkia. "We can't just worry about the treasure." "Alright", Shaden said. "We'll split up in to three pairs. Each group will scout around and try to find out as much information as possible. Darion with Tokard. Barlin with Gorus. I will go with Larkia. Goodbye." Gorus and Barlin went to the southern area. Gorus was unsure about it, because a lot of Rahi had lurked there, but Barlin said that it shoud be fine. A sound like footsteps was heard behind them. Gorus turned around, seeing about two dozen Rahkshi. "Behind you!" cried Gorus. Barlin spun around quickly, just in time to block a blow from one of the staffs. Gorus joined him, and they quickly disposed of the Rahkshi, then trapped them in an iron box created by Barlin. This went on for a few days, and Gorus was getting tired. He was going to tell Barlin to turn back when he tipped on something. A Great Kakama buried in the sand, and not far away, a Rode, a Komau, and a Kualsi. Oh no, he thought. We let them meet their doom. "Barlin!" he shouted. "Come look at this." Barlin looked at the masks, and almost collapsed. He was silent, then finally spoke. "We will honor them by continuing", he said. "We won't fail.." "Barlin, use your Kanohi, and fly up to look at the army", Gorus said."Tell me what you see." Gorus sat ther for a few minutes, thinking about his teammates when Barlin returned with a look of fear in his eyes. "There were so many troops out there. We are surrounded. We are under siege." "Any hope?" "No. I know a secret passage, though. Two options. Surrender or run." Gorus thought for a moment. Then he said: "We run." =============================================================================================== Word count (not including title): 791
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Surrender or run, Whenua mused. Perhaps it really is that simple. The Turaga of Earth ambled about the shattered remains of Metru-Nui. The blow that had killed Makuta Teridax had left the city damaged beyond repair, forcing its inhabitants (along with the rest of the universe) to evacuate to the new world of Spherus Magna. Uncertain times lay ahead, but everyone was willing to do their part, including Whenua. But first… Having spent years as an Archivist, Whenua held great respect for the lessons of the past, and always believed they provided answers necessary for the future. As a side-effect, the former hero often found himself lost in a wave of nostalgia. Before setting his sights on the future, he had decided, he would take one last look around his former home. It had been more difficult than he had expected, not just due to the pain of leaving a city he had abandoned once before, but because harsh sunlight streamed in through a massive breach above. Whenua knew it would be some time before his eyes fully adjusted to the intense light that now lit his days. Proceeding with his exploration, Whenua had found countless artifacts of a time long past—Kanoka, fragmented Masks of Power, and chute stations that had seen no activity for days or more. But now he stood over something that he had been truly shocked to find: the pieces of a deactivated Vahki. The Turaga suppressed a shudder. As a Matoran he had lived in fear of the mechanical enforcers, and even as a Toa the mere sight of them had filled him with dread. Even he, as much as he loved the past, was happy that the Matoran had forgotten all about them as a result of Makuta’s tampering with their memories, and hoped that they would simply fade out of history. “Surrender or run.” That was what the Matoran had been told to do when caught by a Vahki. So dedicated were the robots that when they acquired a target, they would not rest until they hunted down and subdued it. This statement, which became something of a motto, informed lawbreakers that they could either turn themselves in, or flee for a brief time before being captured anyway. Whenua smiled. Or so they said. Though capture by Vahki was always made out to be inevitable, he and the other Toa Metru had bested them on more than one occasion. They had chosen to run—to fight—and had in the end succeeded in completing their destiny. It had seemed a daunting task, perhaps even impossible, but they persisted and found a way to win. Now, the entire universe Whenua had ever known faced a challenge that seemed far greater. Spherus Magna was, without a doubt, an exceptionally dangerous place. Already Toa had disappeared, disasters had occurred, and villains had slipped into the shadows with unknown purposes in mind. The way the Toa and Matoran reacted to these threats could determine their entire future. We could surrender—just give up and face extinction. The Great Beings created us to keep Mata Nui alive so that he could fulfill his duty, and now that he has, we have completed our purpose as well. Whenua bent over the head of what had once been a Vahki Rorzakh. Without hesitation, he impaled it with his drill. Or we could run. We disregard the odds and make a new life here. Great Beings or not, I refuse to let anyone give my people an expiration date. I have defied order before, and now we shall all do so again. Past experience tells me that is the right course to take. As he turned to leave his world behind for good, Whenua could not help but chuckle. After all their centuries of spreading fear, the Vahki had just managed to give him hope.
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As is most often the case with my targets, the Steltian Elyxis hadn’t been expecting it. He stood not ten bio away from myself, exposed in the narrow corridor of the alleyway we stood in. With a nervous darting of his eyes, he looked around and warily held his sword aloft as though he could and would slice the very air itself to shreds if it dared so much as shift. He took each step with only the most immeasurable concern belonging to one who had just been alerted to some unfamiliar presence, a presence most likely belonging to the assassin who now watched from the shadows. Of course, it wasn’t some clumsy action or fatal mishap that had set him on edge. Such an act is for the amateurs. In my profession, I am an artist, each stroke performed with unequivocal mastery yet accentuated by an enviable ease. I perform every little detail of what I do with a purpose in mind. I sent the set of tablets crashing to the floor because I wanted to see the way he reacted to fear. It was my desire to find out which of his instincts would kick in first. Fight or flight? Honour or preservation? Surrender or run? It would seem that, for now, honour had won out. For the time being I lurk here on the shadow’s edge, just out of his sight and yet always present. He knew I was here. He would know me as the shiver down his spine, always there yet never quite detectable. I was at one with the shadows, letting its claws envelop me until I was no more than a conscience resting in the dark void. Now, I’m well aware that it’s a cruelty to taunt one’s prey like this. But how can I resist? I thrive on the electric tang in the air that fear, and only fear, can conjure up. That waiting tension, the atmosphere of uncertainty as the Steltian sends out a searching eye for his predator, leaves a sweet aftertaste in the mouth. As the prey expels fear, I gorge upon it. It’s mine to consume and devour until I have had my fill and finally relent with a swift and merciful blow. I suppose if anything, they should be thanking me. I don’t know who this Elyxis is or why they have to die. This fleeting interaction in the rivers of time is the only point in which our paths will cross, in which our lives will mingle. His will be extinguished and I will continue mine as free to roam the world as ever. And frankly, that’s how I prefer these matters to remain. My client had attempted to relieve their guilty conscience by explaining to me why this target had to die. I had held up my hand and silenced him. The only information I need to convince me to join a side is just how heavy the buyer’s purse is. Elyxis finally sighs and lets his guard drop. I close my eyes and count to ten, controlling my breathing and letting my mind clear into the form of a cloudless night. There will be no distractions. I will let my mind be mine and mine alone, never allowing my emotions a moments purchase. My feelings have no place in this business. They have no place in my life. My prey’s eyes widen as the shadows unfurl from around me, unveiling me to the light. He raises his sword again in a vague attempt at defence (From what? My vision?) but it was too late. I had already predicted his action and a well-aimed throwing knife saw to his grip on that hilt. The sword clattered to the floor, drowning out the obscene curses as he cradled his hand to his chest. He looked at me with eyes of fear. I looked at him with the eyes of a killer. The tension provoked by my first warning had fed me well, but now came the feast. This was the part of the job that delighted me most, this one moment where the prey understands the predator has come for him. “What will you do?” I whisper. The Steltian gasps and stumbles backwards. I have presented him with the very same decision once more. The choice was his now but I know the outcome will always remain the same. His fate will belong to me. With a cool gaze, I advance forwards, unsheathing two more blades as I march. Fight or flight? Each step I take echoes in the still night air. Honour or preservation? His eyes glance from the lifeless blade to the hungry darkness behind him. Surrender or run? The decision is made. He runs. With a bitter laugh, I follow.
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Heeeey everybody. So I've been working on this Vahki Bordakh revamp for about a week now, and honestly it's still very sketchy and 'unfinished' if you like. Having said that, I don't think I could have improved it much more given the time I've got to MOC these days... so please, PLEASE enjoy it There's so much pleading here it's almost an outright command: enjoy. ^Click for Flickr gallery^ Something interesting to note is that Bordakh's colour scheme is very much similar to F33-X2's, my self-Mech. So I guess you could call Bordakh my 'patron Vahki'? Might catch on -FtC
