City in the Dark

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)

 

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Kware loved waking up in Makuta labs.

 

Aside from the dull ache he had had since the scouting group had set out, he did not feel any adverse effects from the... knockout... shadow... stuff. Well, aside from the chains wrapped around his body. That was a problem. As was the fact that he no longer had his mask or weapons.

 

Wait.

 

Kware looked down as best he could. It felt awkward only moving his head, but he was able to look down enough to see that the kinetic emitters were still on his arms and legs. That was good.

 

He looked at the others as best he could, and he noticed Karaihe using his vision power on his chains. Good. Hopefully he could get them out of this mess.

[The Lorax]

GM IC: For a moment, the Makuta's focus went back to his experiments, but then Karaihe's rattling chains drew his attention back.

"Quiet, you Skakdi trash!" he hissed, taking one long step across the lab and backhanding the prisoner across the head. As he did so, he activated his sleep kraata power to the second level. Karaihe would feel slow and groggy for the next few minutes, and be unable to continue cutting through his chains.

 

"You're lucky I didn't kill you outright! Make no mistake now, I will have my revenge on all of you eventually, once my plans are complete. But for now, you're here to give me information. I'll start simple: have the Dark Hunters arrived yet?"

[Ghidora131]

IC Daltrahk

 

Daltrahk wished his legs would stop hurting. He had lost the guards, but seemed to be nearing the cave system that was restricted from just anybody entering. And with rumors of a makuta about, the worst place to go is where it is coming from. Still, nervousness crept up on him, and thanks to that, a thought entered his mind: What if someone was down there, and dying? Perhaps another Skakdi?

 

It was just too much. Daltrahk bolted past the guards, tearing them out of his way. He was getting in there, one way or another.

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)

 

"I'd think a Makuta would already know the answer to that," Kware bit out, instantly regretting the words.

 

IC: Teota (Katipo Streets)

 

Teota still sat on the bench, but she started to feel antsy. She needed to move.

 

Pipe clenched between her teeth, she stood up and set off to nowhere in particular. She took to wandering the streets, her mind often straying to Kware. She wondered where he was, and what was happening. Invariably, her thoughts would turn dark, and she would find something to distract herself.

 

As she walked through the streets, a thought randomly occurred to her: she hated Katipo. She hated the caves, the darkness, the cramped feeling. She suddenly longed to feel the sun again. She wanted to breath the open air.

 

As soon as this was all over, she determined, she and Kware were going to leave.

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "I have been busy at other tasks" the Makuta snapped, bending low over the prisoners and coming mask-to-mask with Kware "Of course I could find out on my own, but now I have you, so I don't have to. Have the Dark Hunters arrived yet? Speak, or I'll throw you into the vats. One hostage less won't make much difference."

Edited September 9, 2014 by The Lorax

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)

 

Kware tried to figure out a reason why the presence of the Dark Hunters could be important, but nothing was coming to him. It was doubtful they were allied with each other; the Makuta would know that the Dark Hunters were there if that was the case. So why?

 

His headache was getting worse.

 

"Yes," he said. "They have a base of sorts somewhere in the tunnels." He wasn't sure if the lie of omission would change anything, or, really, why he even did it, but Kware didn't see any reason to tell the whole truth. Not yet, anyway.

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "They are here, but they don't have their prize yet" The Makuta mused. "Good, I still have some time then. It would be unfortunate if they were to lay hands on the stone first. Futile, since I have a toa to access its power and they do not, but it would delay my revenge while I had to hunt them down."

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)

 

Keep him talking. Maybe someone else will think of some way out of this.

 

"Revenge? For what?" Kware asked.

[The Lorax]

OOC:  You want an expository villain monologue? Well OK, coming right up.

 

GM IC: "For every slight, every disgrace and every hardship I have ever suffered" The Makuta replied. “I am a Makuta,” he said. “Disgraced, perhaps; a victim of jealousy and prejudice, most definitely, but once I have that stone in my possession, I will return, greater and more powerful than ever before. I will take what is rightfully mine and every being in this universe will tremble at my feet! Soon, every being in the universe will know it, but let me fill you in: little one, my name is Makuta Spiriah."

 

He pulled back from the prisoners, and began pacing the lab, back and forth with quick, powerful strides. Clearly, he needed to vent something, and once the floodgates had opened, they weren't going to close again. The ages of pent up anger and frustration, combined with the anxiety around a chance at redemption were clearly weighing on his mind as he told his story. "Long ago, I was among the greatest of my species, presiding over a prosperous nation whose importance in the universe would only grow. I pushed the boundaries of rahi creation, and though my jealous colleagues were quick to laugh at my experiments, they would all benefit in time from the discoveries I made. I had the favour of Teridax, and it was only a matter of time before I would be elevated above all of them. They just couldn't see it.

 

Then, to be my crowning achievement, I began work on a project far more ambitious than anything that the others dared to dream of. I would make my subjects powerful, greater than the Toa. Mine would be the greatest, richest, most powerful nation in the world, and they would know where their gifts had come from. The Brotherhood would gain its greatest allies yet and rise to new heights, and all because of my vision. Then, the others would be forced to see my magnificence, and their petty jealousy would have no choice but to give way to deserved respect.

 

I performed my manipulations, and then returned to Destral to await the results, leaving behind my servants to oversee events on Zakaz. I put too much trust in their competence, and they failed me. By the time I returned, the Skakdi had run wild. They were to savage to know what to do with my gifts and, when left to their own devices, butchered each other and then my servants. Had they waited for me, I could have unified them, made them great. But they rejected their destiny and mine in favour of their petty squabbles. They are still killing each other to this day, never dreaming of what they might have done together.

 

And how the Makuta mocked me for their disobedience. A failure they called me, and an embarrassment. They stripped me of my title as a Makuta and sentenced me to exile. I was forced to spend my time running and hiding all across the universe, for fear of death if I was ever found by the beings who had once been my servants. I lived among Zyglak, the lowest of outcasts, and traveled the Southern Islands. While the other Makuta have carried on with their comfortable existences and unambitious experiments, churning out rahi that were nothing new, I was waiting for my time and plotting my vengeance. I was beaten down but not broken, thrown away but still strong. I knew my time would come.

 

And it did, when I was moving through Stelt. I intercepted a message from a group of Dark Hunters, reporting to their "Shadowed One" - a ridiculous moniker, as he will never walk in the shadows as we Makuta do - that they had discovered the location of the Nui Stone and were on their way to retrieve it. Seeing a chance at power, I teleported ahead of them, arriving here weeks before they even entered the caves. But just because I knew that the stone was in this city did not help me to discover who had it or let me track them down. For that, I would need to recreate a certaina rahi, a creation of Teridax's of which only one specimen had ever existed. The Rahi Nui, a thing of raw power, a creature with no fear. It was created for only one purpose, and one alone. It lives to defeat Toa. And this beast, this most powerful combination of many of the most fearsome beasts yet created, it had the ability to track down sources of elemental energy and pursue them to thier source. Any being who possessed and used the Nui Stone would be so full of elemental energy that they would appear as a choice feast to my mighty hound, but for all that power, they would be helpless against it, for the Rahi Nui is immune to all elemental damage. It feeds on their energies on only grows stronger. And now, it is almost complete. I have all of the necessary viruses and materials, and by tomorrow the Rahi Nui will be born a second time.

 

And you, toa of fire!" Spiriah whipped around to face Tarua. "You will be the one to wield the stone's might, the most powerful toa who ever lived! You with that power and me controlling the Rahi Nui, we will break upon Destral like a summer thunderstorm and burn the Makuta there to ashes. We will take revenge on whomever we please and shape the world to our desires. You will be my right hand and the tool of my ascension. Together, we will be unstoppable!"

[Ghidora131]

OOC: Wow, things heatin' up in the Makuta lab!

 

IC Daltrahk

 

Running as fast as his legs could carry him, Daltrahk suddenly stopped short. He glanced around the room, only to find there was a large amount of rubble, presumably from the roofing, caved in on the floor. "Makuta work, I assume?" he muttered, unaware of how manylost there lives in that "accident". Still, Daltrahk was confident he could slow the Makuta down, at least a little, and If anyone else was there... He then realized he was very unprepared. He had no one to help him subdue the Makuta, and no way to find him. So, daltrahk started bellowing at the top of his lungs, screaming off stuff about Makuta slime and etc., in the hopes to lure him out again.

[silo]

IC: (Karaihe)

 

The skakdi had been reeling from the blow, but now his eyes were wide and full of hatred.

He could see now that it was Spiriah - his form had changed, but the same gleam of arrogance was in his eye, and as he stepped into the light, his green-red Jutlin came into view.

 

Before Tarua could respond, Karaihe let out a roar of rage and yelled:

" You [insert skakdi curse here]ing [insert skakdi curse here]! You left our entire [insert skakdi curse here]ing species to kill itself! You [insert skakdi curse here]ing turned us into this!

You should have never set foot on Zakaz you [insert skakdi curse here...and another one]!"

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

IC: Tarua (Makuta's Lab)

 

She would be honest. Having most things ripped away from her, in order being her freedom, her staff, and her mask, Tarua had reverted back to what she had been in years long past, just a silent being, working at a simple job. Other than the working itself. She doubted being chained against some tank was work. Though trying to remain on her own feet was starting to become one, the loss of her mask was really being felt. 

 

And yet.. this would have to be addressed. She wasn't a leader, nor did she want to become some great warrior for this outcast Makuta. No, that was not her intentions in life. With that thought in mind, Tarua spoke.

 

"Revenge burns with a cold flame in one's heart, and conquest with a searing one. I hold neither flame within my heart, only the constant flames of the hearth, safety, protection and warmth from hostile places outside my reach. I have no intentions or wishes to be the most powerful there is, nor any to help those who can only focus on themselves. In addition, Makuta, I suspect you have done me wrong, and for that I shall not help you."

Zakaro
 

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "You won't?" Spiriah exploded. "I am giving you a chance that most beings would kill for, and you refuse to take it. You Toa are so blind, in your dedication to your role as defenders. Don't you ever think that you might accomplish more if you attacked for once? If you sought out threats before they could hurt you? But no, you stick to your precious code, waiting for someone to come and kill your Matoran before you reach out to stop them. Wake up and see what the world is like! Toa like you are a dying breed, but under my rule, you will all be exterminated. I will only value those who know their strength and how to use it. Those are the ones who become great, ones like me.

 

Still, if that's your attitude, consider this: my rahi and I will soon descend upon your little city out there, and I already have three of your friends and colleagues here as prisoners. Perhaps, if you agreed to serve me in this way, I might be convinced not to slay them and raze the city? I will take the stone, with or without your help, and I can always look elsewhere for another toa to use it. If you want to protect others from the harsh world outside of your reach, perhaps you might consider joining me. I would even spare the Skakdi there, who is still proving, as if we needed more, how barbaric and unworthy his race is. Think on that, Toa, before you reject my generosity. I don't often give out second chances."

 

So saying, he retreated into another room at the back of the main lab, leaving the prisoners alone. The clinking of glassware could be heard from inside. He was preparing for his final attempt at creating his monster.

[Ghidora131]

IC Daltrahk

 

Daltrahk fell to the ground, exhausted. He had screamed his lungs out, but he needed to do more. Daltrahk was intelligent, but underneath he had the same, basic skakdi thinking: If something doesn't work, do it harder.

 

Daltrahk thought for a minute, and then, using his illusion power, made an artificial Makuta voice boom all over the city. "And the Makuta's response?" he thought "anger. It always is. They are so simplistic."

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)

 

In the silence that followed the Makuta's tirade, Kware's mind spun. Above all, he valued Teota's life, and if there was any way to save her, he was for it. That would mean Tarua would have to take the Makuta's offer. Unfortunately, there were two problems with that. First, Kware doubted Tarua would take the offer. She was too good a Toa. Second... Kware wasn't an idiot. A Makuta would say anything to get what he wanted. The chances of him upholding his end of the bargain were slim to none.

 

But Teota.

 

Kware closed his eyes. Would he see her before then? Before the end? He doubted it.

 

"What a problem, eh?" he said. After a pause, he continued, "Do you think he can be trusted? To uphold his end of the bargain, I mean?" He sounded silly asking the question, but he needed to hear it from someone else.

[silo]

IC: (Karaihe)

 

"No, we can't trust him; he's so untrustworthy that even the makuta don't trust him."

The big skakdi thought for a moment.

"What powers do we have here? I mean what elemental powers, mask powers etc.?"

[Ghidora131]

IC Daltrahk

 

Daltrahk was infuriated. All his efforts had done was stir the villagers topside to hide in bomb shelters, afraid of a Makuta attack. He was about to blow his top, yet that pre-mentioned instinct still remained: Do it harder. Daltrahk used his power one last time, letting a shrieking scream echo through the caverns, hoping this would work.

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)
 

"Yeah, I thought as much..."

 

Kware hung his head and closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't see any way out of this, but as nice as it would be to just try to block everything out and give up, there wouldn't be much point. Doing something would be better than doing nothing.

 

Lifting his head up, he looked at Karaihe. "I think mask powers may be irrelevant right now, seeing as we can't get to them. As for elemental powers, well, I'm afraid I won't be of use there." He glanced over at Tarua. "She can control fire, and I think she's done some work with armor--that might be of use, though without her mask, I don't know how strong she is. And Kama... I don't know about him." He turned his attention back to Karaihe. "What about you? You were doing something earlier with your chains."

 

For a moment, Kware thought he could hear some kind of scream, but he had no idea where it could be coming from or what could make such a noise. Besides, it wasn't like he could do anything about it.

[silo]

IC: (Karaihe)

 

"It works the same way as a Jutlin. If he comes back into this room, I can use it to shatter one of the vats onto him, but these chains are too strong for it to do anything to them any time soon."

[The Lorax]

GM IC: Back in Katipo, the day wore on towards evening, and as the lightstones were dimmed for the night, the scouting team had still not returned.

 

OOC: Ghidora, the main reason I haven't been responding to your posts is that the presence of a Makuta isn't public knowledge. It has only been revealed to those characters who were present during Lariska's interrogation, plus Karaihe who they recruited due to his unique ability. Understandably, the city's leadership has decided not to inform the public and cause mass panic before they know that said Makuta is hostile. What Daltrahk is doing here is known as meta-gaming, using knowledge that you have OOC as a player to influence his actions IC, but having no way or right to have that knowledge himself, IC.

 

My other concern is that the power to "believably trick opponents, making them feel like the Skakdi is way more powerful than he is" is not the same power as creating a massive Makuta voice to echo throughout the city. That power is sonics, which your character does not have. Since there is no way that he could know these things and do these things within the game, as far as I'm concerned, he didn't.

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Teota (Kware and Teota's Dwelling)

 

Teota paced.

 

It was evening now, and the scouting party had not yet returned. It could mean nothing, but Teota knew. She knew something was wrong.

 

She was smoking again. She couldn't remember the last time she had smoked so much in one day. In fact, she didn't think she had. She couldn't help herself, though. It gave her some semblance of calm. Still, she couldn't stay here. She knew she needed to sleep, but she was wound too tight.

 

So she sat, staring at the door, waiting for Kware to return.

[Some Random Phrase]

IC Kama:

In response to the inquiry about his abilities, the Rori said quietly, "I go fast"

[silo]

IC (Karaihe)

 

"Er...can any of our abilities work through walls?"

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

IC: Tarua (Makuta's lab)

 

The situation blazes its way through Tarua's mind, even as she struggles to keep herself awake and standing. If she accepts, she'll be used to kill people, yes they'll be other Makuta who have probably done horrible things, but all the same she knows that's what she would end up doing: killing them, or at least helping to trap them for this Spiriah being to finish them off.

And yet...

 

If she doesn't, everything she stands for is in vain. A beast immune to the most powerful guards in the city, let rampage without care or concern for anyone would be like breaking the Toa Code even more than killing. 

 

She's always tried to stand for her ideals. But in this case, there's no right answer. There isn't a stance she can take to stand for everything. Only a choice of which matters more. 

 

Save those she's strove to protect, the people she faced Dark Hunters for, the people she's apparently nearly shattered someone's armor for, or stand strong and not kill for anything.

 

Tarua bows her head, slumping down slightly even as she begins to feel salty tears swelling in her eyes. It's an impossible choice, but it's one she has to make. The worst part is simply that in any case, she'll be walking dangerously close to darkness again. Lose her spark, the people of this City, or lose her honor, the Code she follows so that her powers aren't misused. Maybe she's over reacting. The Ta-Toa can't tell, her mind is a whirling haze of unfocused words and thoughts, only the harsh reality of her choice is what she can think about.

 

Drip.

 

E: OCC: Colors .-. Also, I apologize if this seems out of character or just strange for the situation, but I'm viewing it as a person who has gotten into a routine and is often in control of things, making things, leading people, getting lost, confused, and honestly being hit with a lot of things that she hasn't really come to terms with at once. Adding that to being captured and losing her mask, the mental focus she often has is just shattered and scrambling around trying to make logic with illogical, weakened processing.

Zakaro

Edited September 14, 2014 by Zakaro

[The Lorax]

OOC: Great post, Zakaro! Anyway, you guys can continue as you were and don't mind me. I'm just moving things along.

 

 

GM IC: Spiriah returned to the lab, carrying a large number of bottles and jars, and began meticulously measuring out their contents into the empty vat. So focussed was he on his task that he completely ignored the prisoners, and the loud bubbling of the vat that soon sprung up along with the clinking of instruments and the clanking of Spirah's movements meant that they could continue to talk to each other without risking him eavesdropping.

 

This continued for about an hour, by which time the contents of the vat was glowing the same sickly green as it had been when they arrived. Very gently, Spiriah dripped in his last ingredient and leapt back, apparently expecting another explosion. It never came. Instead, the mixture turned blood red and began to bubble all the more. Apparently satisfied, Spiriah locked down the vat's metal lid and left the lab with a nasty smile etched all over his mask. He went back out into the other rooms beyond, presumably to where he slept, and did not emerge again.

 

 

GM IC: Back in Katipo, the team had still not returned by the time the lightstones went out and night fell over the City in the Dark. Only a few dim splashes of colour remained to light the main streets, the lanterns glowing like the embers of a dying fire. The scouting group had promised to be back before now, and that if they did not, something had gone badly wrong.

[silo]

IC: (Karaihe)

 

The skakdi turned to Tarua, who was chained further along the row.

 

He tried to make his gruff voice sound a little less so, but didn't really succeed:

 

"You don't have to do this. We'll find a way to escape. The glass of that tank is reinforced, but I might be able to shatter it on him next time he comes in. I the meantime, lets focus on getting rid of these chains. Tarua, can you melt the chains of something? Any plasma toa here? Any iron toa? No?"

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Kware (Makuta's Lab)

 

Kware had been quiet for a long while. He noticed Tarua slumping against her chains, and it occurred to him that she might be greatly struggling with this situation.

 

"You don't have to do this."

 

Karaihe continued speaking, but Kware didn't hear the rest. His mind spun. He's always avoided getting involved with other people's problems. It was always his goal to serve and protect himself. When Teota entered his life, that extended to her. He had done everything for himself and for her. But now...

 

"You want to know the truth, Tarua? I want you to accept the Makuta's offer. I want Teota kept safe, out of harm's way. I want to be able to live to see Teota again, to live with her for many more years." Kware shook his head as some emotion welled up inside him. "But... but I don't see any of that happening. Karaihe's right. That Makuta--that Spiriah--he can't be trusted. Maybe he will leave us alone, let us live for now. But what happens after he wipes all the other Makuta out? It will only be a matter of time. You joining him would only prolong the inevitable.

 

"I know neither choice is the 'right' one. But taking Spiriah's offer... it won't do anyone any good, at least in the long run."

 

Kware took a deep breath and looked over at Karaihe. "Trying to escape... that is, I think, our best option at the moment. At the very least, we can try."

 

IC: Teota (Katipo)

 

Teota's feet pounded against the street, the steady drumming a contrast to the accompanying ragged breathing. Her movements were awkward and painful, a direct result of the torture she had endured. But she ignored the pain.

 

After waiting for Kware to show up, worrying herself with increasingly elaborate guesses as to what harm had befallen her husband, Teota realized that she wasn't doing herself any good. Even worse, she was sitting on her hands feeling sorry for herself. When she was had disappeared, Kware had done something. She determined to do something to help Kware.

 

Of course, she couldn't go out looking for him. She didn't know where they had gone. However, she knew someone who did.

 

Tawhito.

 

Her breathing grew more labored as she crossed the Central Concourse, but she pushed on. Tawhito's hall came into view. She ran up to one of the guard's posted outside and stopped, heaving.

 

When her breathing slowed enough for her to be able to speak, she said, "Where is... Tawhito? The scouting... party... hasn't re... returned." She looked the guard in the eye and swallowed. "We have to find them."

 

OOC: Edited with a Teota post.

Edited September 23, 2014 by (Daedalus)

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "He is currently in a meeting with Turano, discussing that very event" the Tarore guard replied in an even tone. "Or should I say, non-event. I shall show you in."

 

The pair was found in the same conference room where the presence of Dark Hunters had first been announced, although now all of the chairs were empty. Turano was leaning back against the far wall with a hand to his brow, while Turaga Tawhito stood defiantly at the head of the table, looking up at the much taller Hirohi.

 

"You can't be serious, Turaga" Turano graoned. "The Dark Hunters will never keep a bargain."

"I am completely serious" Tawhito shot back. "We have performed our test, and the result is clear: this Makuta has rejected our diplomacy and at the very least, kidnapped our scouts. I know that the hunters are hardly the most desirable allies, but as Lariska said, we need their skills."

"They won't be allies!" Turano shot back. "They might act like it before we leave town, but once we meet this Makuta, who knows what they'll do? We know they want the stone, and don't have any morals at all. Do the maths on that one. In order to retain their loyalty, you would need to promise them something better than the stone, which we don't have, or keep a blade at thier necks the entire time, which you can't do if you want to have them fighting. There is no sense in this at all."

"I don't much like it either" Tawhito confessed, "But what other options do we have? You said yourself that our guard alone couldn't pin down a Makuta effectively, and the Dark Hunters are feared the world over for their combat prowess."

 

The guard accompanying Teota gave a slight cough, alerting the two to their presence.

"Teota" Turano greeted her. "Please help me talk some sense into our Turaga. He wants to set the Hunters loose, for Mata Nui's sake!"

Edited September 23, 2014 by The Lorax

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Teota (Conference Room)

 

Teota was silent for a moment, troubled by what she had heard. The word "test" rang in her ears. But there was no use dwelling on that for the moment.

 

She brought her eyes up to meet Turano's. "They can't be trusted. They are opportunistic backstabbers, and at the first sign that they can betray us, I've no doubt they will." She paused, looking down at her feet. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "But what else can we do? Tawhito's right on that point; the Dark Hunters are our best chance at stopping this Makuta." She lifted her head again. "I hate it--by Mata Nui I hate it--but my love for my husband supersedes that. If there is a chance to save him, I'm willing to take it."

[The Lorax]

GM IC: Turano stood still for a long moment, before finally collapsing into one of the chairs around the room's long table. "Your courage in the face of this threat is admirable, and part of courage is facing up to the possibility that things might turn out badly for you, that you might be wrong, but still taking the risk because it is worth it for what you love. I know that it is love for this place and its people that motivates Tawhito to suggest this, so perhaps I could have been more respectful in my response. Ordinarily, I'd threaten to resign in protest over setting Dark Hunters loose in our city, but under the circumstances, too much that we all love is at stake. If we must take this risk I will take it with you, and accept where the dice fall.

 

"That said, all possible steps should be taken to minimise the risk. Before they so much as set foot outside their cells, I want to send to the Miners' Corporation for a few packets of explosives and a remote detonator. Each hunter has a charge strapped to their body so that they can't get it off, and we'll assign a guard to do nothing but watch them like a hawk with their finger on the trigger. At the first sign of treachery, they push it. I know it isn't the most honourable thing to do, but we still have to be practical about this."

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Teota (Conference Room)

 

Teota raised an eyebrow. "How... pragmatic. Just make sure the explosives aren't too large. Blowing the Dark Hunters to bits doesn't bother me any, but I'd rather not die in a cave-in."

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "Do it, then" Tawhito said gravely. "Teota, you get the explosives. Turano, gather the full guard and muster every volunteer you can. However this ends, it ends tonight."

 

Turano saluted and turned on his heel, walking out of the room with three long, purposeful strides. He crossed the concourse into Guard HQ, and it was the first time since he had run into town that he had set foot outside of Tawhito's hall. Despite the late hour, a number of people followed him with their eyes, wondering what the captain was up to. The answer became all too clear when the alarms started blaring out across the city, summoning the Guard to muster and citizens from their beds.

 

 

 

With the sounding of the alarms, another group of warriors was gathering, though in secret. The Hammer, too, would fight this night. They did not know what threat called the guard to arms, but it was an opening, a chance to use chaos and strike against Tawhito and the guard. Bo-Kal would no longer confine himself to a few petty raid, hitting and running. No, tonight was all or nothing, revenge or final defeat.

 

 

 

OOC: Right, anyone who wants in on this massive, multi-faction battle can get on down to the concourse or Hammer Secret Base.

Edited September 24, 2014 by The Lorax

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Teota (Conference Room to Miner's Corporation)

 

Teota dipped her head in Tawhito's direction and followed Turano out. An alarm split the night's previous silence and activity began to pick up. Teota jogged to the Miner's Corporation, passing some of the guard as they mustered in response to the alarms, as well as some curious citizens.

 

She made her way inside the building, her breathing heavy, but less so than when she had run to the Guard HQ. She approached the first person she saw.

 

"Do you work here? I've been sent by Turaga Tawhito to get four explosive packs, each with a remote detonator." She paused a moment, and then, jerking her head toward the door, through which the alarms could be heard, she added, "And quickly."

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "Right away" the Matoran stammered, running out into a backroom and rummaging noisily through a large store of objects. About a minute later, she returned with the requested explosives, each pack about the size of her ruru. "I could only find one boom switch, so they're all tuned into a single button. There would be more down in the mines, where these things are kept and used, but would this be enough for you?"

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Teota (Miner's Corporation)

 

"Do I have a choice?"

 

Teota frowned. Having only one detonator that would set off all explosives at once could be a problem. For one, if only one of the Dark Hunters decided to betray them--unlikely, given their reputation, but possible--they would have to kill all of them. It wouldn't hurt her feelings any, but losing that many "allies" at once when they could still be of use would present some difficulty. Secondly--and, Teota thought, more importantly--four simultaneous explosions would be more likely to cause a cave-in than one or more individual explosions. Still, time was against them, and they couldn't afford to waste any going to the mines. Even if any were on the way to the Makuta's lab, they would need someone to tune the explosives to separate detonators.

 

No, this would have to do.

 

Shaking her head, Teota said, "This'll do."

 

She took the explosives and left the Miner's Corporation. She made her way to the Guard HQ as quickly as her load would allow. Inside, she spotted Turano.

 

"Turano!" she called out, and awkwardly lifted the explosives.

[The Lorax]

GM IC: "Good job, Teota" the captain replied. "Take them down to the prison cells. The healers should be finishing up by the time you get there. See that they are strapped on securely and then bring them out onto concourse where I'm assembling the army" He rushed off again, heading for a group of recruits.

[(Daedalus)]

IC: Teota (Guard HQ)

 

"Right. But you should know--"

 

Before she could explain that they had only one detonator switch, Turano was hurrying off. I guess I'll tell him later.

 

Teota turned and made her way down to the prison cells. Just as Turano had said, the healers were just finishing. Teota handed the explosives to the nearby guards, who already knew what Turano wanted done. They secured the explosives to the unhappy Dark Hunters.

 

When that was done, Teota scanned her previous captors. "I think you know the deal by now, but just to reiterate: you make any move to betray us or make things difficult for us... boom." She held their gazes for a moment longer, and then turned away. "Let's go."

 

She led them from the prison area and up through Guard HQ. They exited the building and made for the concourse.

 

Let this work. Please, let this work.

[Some Random Phrase]

IC Arsenal:

Walking down the street, Arsenal's visual sensor processing subroutines suddenly picked up somethign important, which immediately made it to his full consciousness level. He turned towards the concourse, on his left, and began walkign the three-four yards between him and the concourse, where things looked interesting.

[silo]

IC: (Karaihe)

 

Back in the lab, the skakdi tried to think of a plan.

 

OOC: I won't be able to post as regularly this weekend...

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

IC: Tarua (Makuta's Lab)

 

It had been a while now, and perhaps thankfully no-one had seemed to notice the few tears that had escaped her eyes during the breakdown, but that was the past. Best to move on and try to get out of this place. 

 

"I..may have one idea.. I'm not sure how well it will work, but at the least... something.."

 

She steeled herself. While this had always been the intent, a failsafe of sorts, she would be sad to see it used up and gone. Another would be necessary, both for this very purpose and because, in all honesty, she liked the thing. 

 

Tarua narrowed her eyes, and pursed her lips, not knowing how there were faint streaks on her face from the removal of the light smoking she always ended up having after working in the forge and the dust of the tunnels by her tears. And she blew a little puff of air out, focusing what limited elemental abilities she had to make it a small fire-spit, which tumbled forward to land on her charcoal-caked scarf. 

 

And it lit, quickly eating away the sooty material even as the Toa of Fire manipulated her element, finding it much easier to concentrate and use the flames being created over making more herself. As flecks of scarf burnt off and fluttered to the ground, the flames themselves rolled along her arm to force themselves into one, super-hot point, which then slammed itself into where the chain met the shackle, trying to heat it and force it apart.

Zakaro