Jacks

OOC: Me gusta If you (or anyone else here, for that matter) ever make it further east, here's a neat trick. Travel to Washington, DC. Go to a Five Guys. Accidentally buy more fries than you can reasonably be expected to look at, much less eat. Give the leftovers to the first panhandler you walk past after you leave. It makes everyone's day. Back in high school I actually did this on two different class trips at two different Five Guyses (how do you pluralize that anyway?) with two completely different groups of friends. It seems I will never learn that the portions at Five Guys are inhuman. If we do that I may just enter the Grendelwulf brothers

OOC: No, Dr. Rex is wearing armor made of Silge metal, remember?

OOC: Hmm...I thought that the DAHQ would have been further inside the city, but if the subway station nearby is the only one for fifteen blocks or whatever it was Andrenuva said, maybe it is closer to the outskirts. I suppose, given how far off course Kabrinsky's Pride went, I could see your scenario happening, then.

OOC: crazy -- I was under the impression that we were still in the city. If not, I'll need to do a heckuva lot of editing on my last IC.Atton -- you could say that Rotor and Cabin were two of the three pilots Semick sent to hassle Dr. Rex.IC: "Roger that, B," Hotwire said. Larson flew the Talon II upwards and back, trying to get the dinos in range.A deep, gruff voice broke over the comms. "Hazmatt Grendelwulf here." It was the other giant shaggy-haired Agent, Hotwire realized. "Where do you want us?"

Still, they just look like watermelons. If you mounted individual Nuva shoulders in a similar fashion rather than doubling them up like that, it might look a bit less unsettling I've seen worse, though. At least she actually large enough to merit the use of Nuva shoulders in the first place, unlike a large number of female toa-sized mocs that pop up around here.Love the head as well. That's just fantastic. And the tiny useless feet xD

OOC: avmatoran, that guy has gone to Chicago for a week, remember? I'm sure, however, that he wouldn't mind if you kept Solomon in action while he's away. Feel free to use Helm too -- he's also fighting Cyrista's Bane at the moment."Sandstorm" is good for the adrenalin, but it's not heavy enough in the lower registers to qualify as Epic Battle Music in my mind. I definitely recommend listening to it before starting to write, though.Also, I'm realizing that the only real reason I've never been good with battles is that, until my last post, I didn't have any characters who specialize specifically in combat. :PEDIT: Misread Andrewnuva's post and didn't realize that Semick only sent two T-1s to help B. Adjusted accordingly.IC: The Talon II was one of the two T-1s directed to the aid of the two Fire Hammers that made up "Kabrinsky's Pride." The group was being hassled by four Inferno jeeps, two helicopters, and a pair of small hoverjets. Larson dropped to an altitude of fifty feet to try and take out the jeeps, and Hotwire raised B on the radio."B, we've got your back up here, no matter what crazy color you decide to paint your vehicles." He opened fire on a jeep, while the other T-1 attempted to draw the two orange choppers away. The hoverjets, unfortunately, proved to be too agile for any of them to hit."Hotwire! Thanks for the backup.""Speaking of crazy colors," Kat said, "seems we're not the only ones who heard that SOS."There was a sudden, unearthly howl from a short distance away and a bright red ADO jet-cycle came into view, cannons blazing. One of the hoverjets darted back around behind the new arrival and went into a dive, attempting a strafing maneuver. The cycle swerved back and forth, avoiding the shots, and as the jet passed over and began to pull up, the Agent who, Hotwire realized, had been standing on the back, jumped on top of the jet. As the craft flew higher, heading towards the Talon II, Hotwire was able to see what was happening more clearly. The man raised a massive broadsword above his head, twirling it as easily as if it were a light machete, and sliced at the right wing. He must have severed some important connection, because the turbine in the wing abruptly stopped spinning. Just before the jet spiraled out of control, the Agent leaped. He passed out of Hotwire's field of vision, but he heard a thump from behind him, and twisted in his seat, Back in the gunner's cockpit, Kat was doing the same. The sword-wielding man had landed on the Talon II's portside QBE, and was pulling himself onto the deck. He stood, and for the first time, Hotwire got a good look at him. He was a giant of a man with a shaggy mane of dark hair and a beard to match, and was the first person Hotwire had ever seen to wear an Agents uniform with the sleeves removed."Top of the morning," the man said in an unsettlingly deep -- but surprisingly smooth -- voice. "Name's Lieutenant Winston Grendelwulf, but my friends call me Epic Winston, and anyone who fights alongside me is a friend of mine."Kat was the first to reply. "I'm Kat, they're Hotwire and Larson."The giant nodded. "Pleasure to meet you." He glanced out of the T-1. "Now, friends, if you'll excuse me..."The second hoverjet was passing close by at an altitude of about thirty feet, firing at one of the black Fire Hammers, which was responding with a volley from its XMM launcher. Epic Winston ran two steps and hurled himself out the starboard side of the Talon II, landing atop the jet as he had with the first. This time, however, he simply plunged his sword right through the cockpit canopy and into the pilot. The jet quickly began losing altitude. Winston dropped off the back as it passed over the Fire Hammer, landing on the roof of the cab. The hoverjet glanced off one of the Inferno jeeps, which, having tried to avoid it, was now spinning out of control. The jet, meanwhile, plowed into the street and carved a flaming furrow in the ground before being stopped by a conveniently placed building.With a nod to the gunner of the Fire Hammer -- it appeared to be Crooks, but from this height Hotwire couldn't be sure -- Epic Winston sheathed his sword, jumped off, and landed back on the red jet-cycle as it drove past. This time, he slipped onto the driver's saddle as the other Agent, who had the same mane of black hair but was beardless, hopped up and crouched on the hood with a pair of SMGs. As they skidded about madly on the wet pavement, he nimbly kept his balance and shot out the tires of the remaining jeeps, making them easy targets for the Talon II's XL-4 launcher.Up above, the other T-1 was faring decently. The Inferno choppers were faster and more maneuverable, but the T-1 Typhoon was far more heavily armed, and so they were able to keep their adversaries mostly on the defensive. One chopper managed to score a hit, and the T-1 rocked before returning to steady flight."Slight damage to portside QBE," the pilot reported. "I think we'll be fine, though." They fired a missile at one chopper, striking the tail. The craft spun out of control, impacting the side of a building. From the deck, a DA agent fired a Cosmotronic Ray at the second Inferno helicopter. The pulse of energy made the chopper shudder, and it lost some altitude before recovering. This, however, put it in range of Kat's Sonic Screamers. She fired directly at the base of the rotor, and the chopper faltered, then fell as the rotor blades splintered under the assault of the supercharged sound waves."Thanks much," B said. "We got dinos incoming, though. Get ready." Hotwire brought the TALON-9 readings up on his cockpit screen. B was right. He grimly tightened his grip on the QBE controls and braced himself for the onslaught.------------------------"I'm tellin' ya, if you woulda said four months ago that the Agents would show up with reinforcements for us before Alpha Team, there's no way in MegaBlokland I woulda believed it.""Let's show XERRD what Quadrant 14 felt like! Come on!""ERMAHGERD AH KERLED A RERPTER!""Dangit, put down that sandwich!""I got one!""Holy cow, this is even crazier than the time those cyborg rat things showed up in giant mechas!""Good shot kid, just don't get cocky.""Just wait, how many more armored T-Rexes have they got?""Do a barrel roll!"

OOC: Okay, I now have to offer a correction to my previous post. The soundtrack to Inception is even better for writing battle scenes to than the Doctor Who soundtrack. The latter part of this IC was written under the influence of "Mombasa" and "Don't Think About Elephants."IC: Osprey's Aerial Defense Unit slipped smoothly into the defensive line of T-1s. He ordered the gunners to engage, then turned to the cockpit. "Dez! Status report?"Desdemona, the pilot, quickly checked the readouts on her screen. "The jeeps are joining the line, the jets have been delayed by pterosaurs outside the city limits, and we're getting some seriously odd readings off that big T-Rex down there. Oh, and the Grendelwulf brothers are closing in fast."Osprey smiled at that last tidbit of information. Things on the ground were about to get even hotter.------------------------Calling the ADO rocketcycle a motorbike didn't nearly do it justice; it was more like a murderous Ferrari on two wheels. And this particular "bike," howling through the streets of Lego City at breakneck speed, fit the description even more thoroughly -- painted bright red, propelled by a souped-up engine that barely fit in the vehicle's frame, and sporting a pair of six-barreled laser cannons in place of the normal light EMP missile launchers. Not exactly compliant with regulations, but then, its driver and passenger were effective enough that command didn't seem to care.Lieutenants Matthias and Winston Grendelwulf, nicknamed "Hazmatt" and "Epic Winston" by their teammates, were essentially a two-man army. Both over six and a half feet tall and built like minotaurs, they had the uncanny ability to weaponize virtually any object. A common explanation for this was the fact that they themselves could be considered living weapons in their own right. As Epic Winston stood perfectly balanced on the back of the bike, with the wind whipping through his jet-black beard, he mulled this description over, and found that he rather liked the sound of it. Still, he had his preferences when it came to instruments of destruction. He reached back and thoughtfully touched the hilt of the five-foot double-edged broadsword slung across his back.They were nearing the battlefield now. A pack of Mutant Lizards broke off from the main body of the army and charged, clearly thinking that two men on a bike would be an easy target for them.They were dead wrong.Hazmatt glanced back at his elder brother, who gave a slight nod. The younger Grendelwulf turned hard, skidding on the back wheel of the bike. Epic Winston bent slightly at the knees and drew his sword. As he leaned forward to stay balanced, he swung the blade -- six inches wide and nearly an inch thick in the center -- at the lizard that had just reached the same point that their rear wheel was passing. The reptile fell to the street in two separate pieces.Winston continued his swing as he leaped off the back of the bike, bisecting another Mutant Lizard and decapitating a third. Simultaneously, Hazmatt let loose with the metaphorical whole nine yards, spraying the rest of the pack with the laser cannons. Epic Winston twisted in midair, letting go of his broadsword, which spun through the air and lodged in a lizard's back. Winston himself landed on the final beast's neck with both feet. There was a satisfying crunch as it hit the ground. In the space of just under two seconds, about a dozen Mutant Lizards had fallen, either riddled with holes or in pieces.As the bike came to a stop, Hazmatt reached out and plucked his brother's sword from the slumped form of the dead lizard. He tossed it above his head and gunned the engine. Epic Winston leapt over his head, snatched the sword out of the air, and landed neatly on the back of the bike. The two brothers opened their throats, and, with a roar that matched that of their engine, charged into the ranks of dinosaurs and XERRD warriors, leaving devastation in their wake. The same thought occupied their minds:This is where the fun begins.------------------------"Oh great, it's the Arrogant Defense Organization. Why don't you just shove off?""No, they're okay now, remember?""Eat lasers, scaleface!""I knew I shoulda stayed home today.""Osprey! Great to have you at our backs again!""Ole help us, Pyro's on a rampage!""Little help? These XERRD sorcerers are kicking are backsides worse than Duke on one of his bad days.""Holy znap! Did you see those two Agents who just showed up?""Don't worry about Pyro, just stay outta the way!""You mean the two guys on the bike? Yeah, some real serious honey badger 4+ going down over there.""Here come old flat-top, he come groovin' up slowly...""Concentrate your fire on its legs! If we can get it on the ground maybe we can-- AAARGHH""Jenson? Come in, Jenson. You there? Jenson? JENSON!"

joev14 -- If I were in Artahka? Hmm...Maybe if...Wait, never mind, no I wouldn't xccj -- He should've been the Chronicler, too. Kopeke's way too grumpy for a job like that. And those are Bohrok feet. I just sawed the heels off FF Ice Master -- Thanks much!

OOC: It's too bad Dust is dead and gone, because among his many aliases was "Cyrista's Bane's Bane." I am listening to 'The Futurekind' and 'All The Strange, Strange Creatures' as I write this PeaSam and Brikman should take note and make the necessary additions to their playlists.IC: "Acknowledged," Hotwire replied to Semick. Larson deftly swung the Talon II back around over the IP lines, letting a missile fly at a pair of T-Rexes at the same time. One fell, and a round from a cryothermic cannon below brought the other down.There was a sudden blare of Wagner as Rotor's T-1 came alongside. "You better have one heckuva plan, Semick," the pilot remarked."I wouldn't worry about that," Hotwire said. "He always does." Trusting in the intuition of a greater strategist than himself, Hotwire simply sighted a large pack of Mutant Lizards and layed down a rain of sonic energy from the QBEs."Pterosaurs incoming at about half past seven," Kat called out from the rear cockpit. There was a thrum as she peppered them with blasts from the Screamers. The beasts faltered slightly, and as soon as they were in range, Larson triggered the Plarxx Ray. The wave knocked the pteranadons out of the sky."Look out below!" he called out as the mutants plunged earthward.------------------------Shiller heard Larson's warning blare over the radio. While many of the IPs attempted to shift to avoid the falling pteranadons, he instead called out to Swerve, "Stay put! I've got an idea." He swung the cryothermic cannon off to the left, while focusing on the particular pterosaur that was plunging straight towards them. Gotta time this perfectly.With no more than a second to spare, he jammed the joystick to the right as hard as he could. Motors in the base of the turret groaned in protest as the massive cannon barrel connected with the falling dinosaur. Just as the cannon reached the apex of the turn, Shiller fired. The momentum of the rotating barrel combined with the force of the cannon blast sent the dazed body of the pterosaur plowing into the lines of dinos approaching the ring of IPs.------------------------Tracer's Vindication swerved and skidded across the pavement. There was a thump as the vehicle intersected with the path of a charging Mutant Lizard. As day broke, it was becoming easier to see even with all the rain, so Helm was easily able to spot the charging raptor before it was too late. He hit the switch next to the gearshift and the Cosmotronic Ray that Hotwire had added so many months ago blazed to life, stopping the creature in its tracks.As the raptor fell, a shadow passed overhead. Helm peered up and saw... "A flying Iron Predator?"Just then there was another odd roar which caused the comms to buzz and sputter, and Helm finally saw the source of the sound."Mother of Ole...Giles, give it everything you've got!" His gunner opened fire with the XMM launcher as Helm stomped on the gas, joining the mess of other vehicles as they desperately tried to evade the biomechanical behemoth that was Cyrista's Bane.------------------------"Half past seven? Isn't that a bit unnecessarily specific?""Tess, look out, you've got a lizard on your tail!""Well, Reptile turned an IP into a submarine once, so why not make it fly?""Hoohah! Take that!""Guys, have you seen that Space Ninja? He just stabbed a znapping raptor right in the znapping head!""FOR NARNIA!""Sick move with that cryothermic cannon. We should start playing baseball with IPs when this is all over.""Man down! MAN DOWN! For Godtfrey's sake, where are the medics?""Space Marauders incoming! Drop a bridge on 'em!"

Aha, a kindred spirit! I did try putting those additions on the legs, but it just limited the range of motion for the feet too much for my liking. The tires on the arms were actually a last-minute thing and I'm already having some second thoughts about them anyway.

Ever since I first played MNOG ten years ago, Taipu has been by far my favorite character in the entire Bionicle universe. Here he is now in all his glory. For years I've been messing about with Matoran-size mocs, trying to find a design that is compact but not stumpy, posable while still durable, and simple enough that I can build a village's worth if I so desire. I think I've achieved a pretty good balance here. Front Back Torso design And all you canon enthusiasts can complain all you like, but there's no way in Karzahni I'll ever replace that Ruru with a Pakari See ya later

OOC: You skimmed, I can tell Hotwire is on the Talon II. Helm is the one in the Fire Hammer, which is actually called Tracer's Vindication.I'm loving your comm chatter, though. I might try my hand at that.IC soon.

OOC: This fits in just after Greybeard's speech. By the end of this post I'll be back to the present...just in time for me to leave again IC: Early morning, December 21.Work on Hotwire's old Fire Hammer was finally complete. The heavy-duty Cosmotronic Ray underneath the left headlight needed some minor adjustments, but had come through surprisingly unscathed. Once this was complete, there was only the matter of painting "Talon II" along the side of Larson's T-1 ("Though what we really need is a Renaissance II," Larson had pointed out). Within minutes, agents began pouring into the hangars and garages. Shiller, jogging past with Wright, called out, "O'Neal! I better be seeing you tomorrow!""Count on it!" Hotwire yelled back, as he followed Larson and Kat up into the T-1. When he reached the deck, Larson was already strapping himself in, but Kat, noticing the difficulty of climbing a ladder with only one real leg, stopped to help him up."Listen, I just have to say something." Kat spoke quickly. "Ever since we first met, I've just felt like we understand each other somehow. I think...znap, I don't know how else to say it. You're the best friend I've ever had." She paused, seeing the look on Hotwire's face, and added. "Sorry if this is weird. I just had to mention it, given that we might all die today."Hotwire smiled. "I don't think it's weird. I could have said the exact same thing to you. Whether or not either of us see the sun set again, it's been really splendid knowing you."With that, they embraced for the briefest of moments, and then strapped in.------------------------Naming a Fire Hammer was undoubtedly even more unconventional than naming a T-1, but that didn't stop Hotwire from christening his old and unintentionally amphibious vehicle, especially in light of the agent he was giving it to.Helm stuck a small photo of April and Jason in the dashboard, then revved the engine of Tracer's Vindication as the charge began.------------------------NowDespite a lengthy MIA period, plus a condition of undeath that made it difficult for those maintaining the database to decide whether to register him as KIA despite the fact that he was now back IA again, Swerve was still an Elite Agent in the D.I.N.O. Attack Team, and as such, requisitioning an Iron Predator didn't take much effort. He pulled up to the defensive line around the building, and glanced back at Shiller and Wright. The two were just reaching the end of a rather lengthy kiss, after which Shiller climbed easily up to the gunner's seat.Wright cracked her knuckles. "Bring 'em on," she muttered. "We're as ready as we're gonna get."------------------------Mort caused a few heads to turn in surprise when he joined the medics in the infirmary they were setting up."Pardon me for asking," Pierce said, walking over, "but how do you expect to help, given that you're in forensics and not medical?""I know how bodies work," the Alpha Team agent replied. "Living or dead, there's little difference. What's life, anyway? Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. The only difference is that you need anesthetics when the body on the table is alive.""Unless your name is Dietrich Luzwheit," a nearby medic muttered.Mort shot the man a glare. "Do not speak ill of spoiling meat."------------------------The Talon II brought down everything it had on the pterosaurs. Larson, seeing some of the beasts begin to take an interest in the lower-flying Titanium Predator, swooped in lower to provide Dr. Cyborg with some cover, courtesy of the Plarxx Radar Ray.At the same time, Kat spotted two very definitely black Fire Hammers darting erratically across the battlefield, and her heart lurched up into her throat. Fortunately, she soon heard several Elites yelling at B's squad over the open comm and put two and two together. She added her own two cents to the cavalcade of criticism."Ole's whiskers, B, you couldn't have picked a different colour scheme? You had me thinking ShadowTech was back."OOC: No, but seriously, crazy, painting DA vehicles black might not have been the best of decisions, considering what happened in the first few months of the war :PEDIT: A Mutant Lizard will fall for the same trick twice if Dust is the one tricking it.The reason Raptor force fields are susceptible to Cosmotronic Rays is that Cosmotronic Rays are powered by minute samples of Dust's DNA.Dust can drown a fish.

OOC: Plague and ruin! Why'd we have to have the final battle right when I'm gone three weekends in a row?And I was away when this thread hit 1000 posts. Time seems to be passing faster in-game than it has for the last couple of months. Oh well. Who says we won't? ...Right, now I've gone and said too much.The following IC takes place at various times over the course of the previous night. Let’s start by taunting any Kattwire shippers.IC: December 20, 2010, 10:35 PM"You really should tell her your feelings, you know."Hotwire, who'd glanced up to watch Kat leave, looked back at Wright. The two of them, plus Shiller and -- until a few seconds ago -- Kat, who'd just gone out for some air, were sitting in the rec room. It was mostly empty -- most agents were either preparing for the upcoming battle or in a panic, but the four of them reasoned that it might well be their last chance ever to relax. "Say what?" "We might not make it through the day tomorrow," Wright said. "Tell her. You may never get another chance."Confusion briefly creased Hotwire's face, followed by a look of understanding. "Ah. If you mean what I think you do, then I'm afraid you have the wrong idea."Wright chuckled. "Oh, come on. This is no time to be shy. I've seen the way you two look at each other -- you really expect me to believe you're Just Friends?""No, actually," snapped Hotwire, "because that phrase has always rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know why modern society thinks that friendship is somehow worth less than romantic love, but for Builder's sake I wish they would stop devaluing friendship just because it doesn't include holding hands or snogging or whatever it is that people in relationships do. Kat and I aren't 'just' friends, because 'just' doesn't even enter into it." He paused. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fly off the handle like that.""No hard feelings," Wright responded. "Not really following you, though. Do you...play for the other team, then, or what?""I don't think he plays for any team at all," Shiller volunteered while lying upside-down on a couch. "Back in school, I always thought he was either lying or a late bloomer when he said he never fancied anyone, but if he’s still like that now, I'm inclined to believe him."Wright looked quizzically back and forth between them. “Really? So you don’t ever get…I dunno, butterflies in your stomach, or any of that stuff?” Hotwire shook his head and braced himself for the inevitable interrogation about his mental and physical health -- it certainly wouldn't be the first time -- but to his relief, Wright simply shrugged. "Whatever, then. People are all weird." She gave Shiller's foot a whack and he tumbled off the couch. "Any weird business you think we should take care of, babe?"Shiller stood, brushing his hair away from his face with the back of his hand. "On our last night on earth? I got a few ideas." He grabbed Wright's hand and pulled her up from the couch and into his arms before turning to Hotwire. "Well, O'Neal, it's been fun, but I think we gotta go."Hotwire laughed as the pair waltzed out of the room. "No problem. I've got an undeserved reputation as a pilot to deal with."10:42 PMKat found a bit of quiet out behind the building along the docks. She’d been hearing the pestering in her head for a good fifteen minutes, and finally decided to just get the confrontation over with. Closing her eyes, she found herself in the half-light of her mind with Katerina standing before her.“I had hoped you would come to your senses, but I see you are still laboring under the delusion that you exist,” the iron-eyed woman said icily. “Given that we are one and the same, surely you must realize that you lose nothing by submitting, while the D.I.N.O. Team gains my experience.”“No, you listen,” Kat retorted, matching Katerina’s venom with her own. “You may say I don’t exist, but if I perceive myself as existing, who are you to claim I don’t? The past eight months of my life have been more or less an unending procession of existential crises, and once you get through enough of those, it makes a person pretty dang sure of who she is. And the answer to that question is ‘Not you,’ so buzz off.”When Katerina abruptly disappeared from her mind’s eye, Kat thought she was victorious. However, she reappeared seconds later. “Intriguing. I cannot tell whether my Creative Spark was split, or if a separate Spark was generated five years ago. Perhaps both.”“So what you’re saying is…”“What I am saying is that you were correct and I, in my haste, was mistaken. We are indeed two minds in one body.”“Well then,” said Kat, “since neither of us would be here if it weren’t for me, I think I’m entitled to call the shots from here on out.”“All right,” said Katerina reluctantly. “Name your terms. Perhaps we can reach a compromise.”11:21 PM“Okay by me,” Larson said. “It’ll be good to have another Elite Agent on board anyway. I used to fly cargo choppers, so they recruited me specifically to fly T-1s. I didn’t really do much to earn my rank.”“Fantastic,” Hotwire responded. “I was never that good at flying, so I didn’t do much to earn my reputation. We’ll make quite a team. And you don’t mind about the Talon II thing?”“Not at all. Like you said, it'll help morale” The two of them strolled through the hangar towards Larson’s T-1. “So how’d you get a reputation as a pilot without piloting?”Hotwire explained briefly about Kat. “Unfortunately, we discovered today that she can’t tap into machinery anymore. Probably a side-effect of Loop’s attack.” Larson nodded thoughtfully.Just then there was the rumble of an engine from the hangar doors. Larson and Hotwire turned as the roughest-looking Fire Hammer they’d ever seen pulled in. The paint had all but peeled away and there were numerous blackish-green stains on the sides.Larson’s face crinkled in distaste. “It looks like it’s been sitting at the bottom of the ocean.”Hotwire looked closer. “I think…it has been.” He grinned “You gorgeous thing!”Kat poked her head out the window. “Sorry, which of us are you talking to?”Hotwire laughed. “I haven’t the slightest idea! How is this even possible?”"Apparently, the Aqua Raiders dredged it up," Kat said, shutting off the motor and jumping out. "A ferry pulled up to the dock about ten minutes ago and dropped it off. They replaced the engine, but everything else is still mostly waterlogged.""Well then," Hotwire said, "looks like we've got our work cut out for us."

OOC: Kattwire? Ha. Not happening...or at least, not at all the way any shippers are hoping :sly:EDIT: Clever, avmatoran, very clever. Since post #939. I'm sorry for the chain reaction I started xD

OOC: Pteraxus > Andrisa. That is all (Andrate would probably be more suitable anyway, since he and Kate are the same age...although Sarah would probably frighten any potential suitors away)....Actually, no, it's not all, because if Ogel's Last Stand had lasted longer, I would have tried for Swalon. Too bad that won't happen here, since one is dead and the other undead, but at least it serves to remind me that my characters are fair game for all this shipbuilding :PAlso, Stranyaya and Gladonepus (because why not get XERRD in on the fun?). I do remember that now. I think he called it off when I pointed out that it would make Sauro-Hunter Cane's uncle. XDEDIT: And snigger is already a word.IC: "Having a party?"Hotwire looked up to see Shiller strolling to their table. Momentarily worried, he looked around the room and was relieved to see Wright by the door, keeping an eye on Trigger, who was in the midst of a quiet but clearly vehement conversation with an unfamiliar man.Shiller followed Hotwire's gaze and smirked. "Don't worry, we said we wouldn't let him out of our sight, and we meant it."Kat had turned too at this new arrival, and now that there was a break in conversation that coincided with her swallowing another bite, she stuck out her hand and said, "We haven't met. I'm Kat.""Shiller," he responded, shaking her hand. "Me and O'Neal here go way back."OOC: Anyone may feel free to interact with any of my characters while I'm gone.

OOC: I don't really think Remanda counts as a ship, since Rex and Amanda are already in a relationship. Same reason I didn't bother with Barrydactyl. Well, seeing as mice actually much prefer peanut butter over cheese...Catborg! (Maybe I should stop now )

That would be thanks to the efforts of Enter and Return, who have made multiple appearances in the DARPG.

OOC: OOC: There isn't really much to help you with. Just take two or more of your characters, put them into a room, and write a conversation. Believe me, as a writer I know from experience that coming up with ideas is tricky, but all you need is to think of something simple and in-character for them to talk about.If I recall correctly, avmatoran, you mentioned once that Kara Wise is based on a friend of yours, did you not? Maybe you could try establishing the friendship between Kara and Dr. Cyborg, seeing as you've based the latter on yourself.I will note, though, that I find your writer's block slightly interesting, because for me it's the opposite; I've always been more likely to get writer's block during large battles.And that's why I would have posted already today, had it not been for an all-day BrickLink binge which has left me about $30 poorer. As a result, though, within the next few weeks you can all expect to see representations of Osprey, Wright, Shiller, Mort, Cane, and (if I feel particularly daring) possibly Loop, as well as updated versions of Hotwire, Kat, Helm, and Tracer. Well, here's some more to keep you distracted -- Frozimton, Snigger*, Pteraxus, Rotobin, Naomertz, and I'm just getting started. Ship names are so much fun. Out of curiosity, are there any more you can think of?...At this point I can't help but wish Antrakha hadn't ditched us. I imagine he'd have something witty and apropos to say on the matter *I don't intend on making any insinuations about Snake or Trigger, as their orientations are, naturally, up to Atton. It's just that the name was too perfect. Heck, I'm not even really shipping any of these (except maybe Pteraxus xD), especially given that Frozimton and Naomertz are probably going to happen anyway without needing any outside pressure.EDIT: I've just remembered that during the very beginning of the Goo Caverns arc, I secretly shipped Zennalpha X)Also, I'll be away again with no internet from tomorrow afternoon until Sunday night. I may be able to get a short post in tomorrow morning, but no promises.IC: "I think some explanations are owed all around," said Helm after a few moments of confusion."Agreed," said Kat. "But could we do that in the cafeteria? I'm famished."Soon the four of them were seated in the mess hall, Kat with a heavily loaded tray in front of her. Noon had passed a few hours ago, but lunch was still being served due to the odd times at which agents were trickling back to HQ from the most recent mission."So what's the last thing you can remember before you woke up?" Hotwire inquired as she began eating.She paused in thought for a moment. "The battle at the rear guard camp had just ended and we were about to leave for Outpost 4."Hotwire shifted uneasily. "That...was three days ago.""Well of course it was," said Kat. "That was the last time I saved."Hotwire furrowed his brow in puzzlement, but Helm butted in. "Look, why don't we just catch up on what happened over the course of the past few days, then see what holes need filling in afterwards?" Nods all around. Kat listened intently as Hotwire and Swerve related the events at Outpost 4, the battle at the temple of Hotep III, Dust's death, Zachary's redemption, and the cleansing of Adventurers' Island. Helm joined in as they moved on to the day's events -- the deaths of the Second Headquarters Squad, the capture of the mole, and Loop's reappearance and final end.Kat paused to register all of this new information. She turned to Swerve, pointing at him with her fork. "So you're really Septimus."He nodded. "And you're really Katerina Schattenberg."Kat laid her fork down slowly and carefully. "No," she said evenly but coldly. "No, I am not. She may have claimed that, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Contrary to her apparent belief, she didn't Become The Mask. Katerina Schattenberg made another person, a fully independent mind, and used her as a disguise. When I'd served my purpose, she threw me out. Just like every other person who was ever briefly useful to her. You may as well say I'm Loop, or Chell Glados, or Dr. Rex himself. Any of those would be equally flattering."Swerve was clearly somewhat taken aback. "Well, to be fair," he said, "you pretty much did the same to me. Septimus was Swerve, not the other way.""Point taken," said Kat. "I'm sorry.""Anyway," Hotwire interjected, "what was that you said about saving?""Oh, right," Kat replied. "Well, there's plenty of space in a T-1 for file storage, so I'd been...basically, making backup copies of my mind every few days." She took in the shocked looks she was getting in response and snickered. "Sounds, weird, I know. Almost eldritch, if I may say so myself. That's why I didn't tell anyone. I figured there was no reason anyone should find out unless something happened. And I guess Katerina unthinkingly transferred every last byte related to herself when she dropped into this body, and I'd encrypted and compressed the backup enough that it was buried too deep for Loop to touch it. That's why I needed a nice long nap to swim back up to the surface.""Maybe it wasn't an accident, though," Hotwire pointed out nervously. "Maybe Katerina realized what the backup was and brought it along just in case. After all, she was inside your mind, so it's probably safe to assume she was in the backup too."Kat's expression grew grim. "Well if that's the case, then I can guarantee she'll never get back out. I just got back, and I don't plan on leaving again."

OOC: What is it about LEGO Islanders that makes them so dang Genre Savvy?Also, I'm still totally shipping Nazarelda. Just sayin'.IC: Katerina looked down at herself. "Physical body, ShadowTech uniform," she muttered, glancing around the room. "DAHQ, Hotwire has a peg leg, Helmie's here, but he's actually in Antarctica..." She abruptly grinned. "Must be a dream." She hopped off the bed and did a cartwheel, landing in front of Hotwire, Swerve and Helm, who were watching her in shock and confusion. And they weren't the only ones; there was a clatter from across the room as one of the medics dropped his clipboard in astonishment. Katerina poked Hotwire in the forehead with a smirk, knocked his cap off, caught it and placed it on her own head, and then with a leap began jumping on the nearest bed.Hotwire, meanwhile, was just as astounded as he'd been yesterday morning when this woman had hopped down out of his T-1, only this time there was a tad more foolish hope in the cauldron of confusion. The mannerisms, the tone of voice...Barely daring to let himself believe it, he asked, "Wait, what's your name?""Bit of a silly question. You know me already." She paused and tilted her head quizzically. "Unless this is going to be one of the weird dreams.""Um, yeah, I mean, I know you, but I don't believe you and Swerve here have met before," Hotwire stammered, jerking a thumb at the masked figure behind him."Well in that case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, even though it seems the jury's still out on whether this is reality," she said, hopping to the floor and grabbing Swerve's hand. "I'm Kat."OOC: So I had planned on explaining how this happened, but I think I'd rather hit the sack. Later folks.

Three things to say.- As it turns out, the Lego Universe RPG won't be happening this summer. Zero Makuta did tell me he'd still like to give it a try eventually, so I suppose we'll call it 'postponed to an indefinite point in the future.'- Any developments concerning that Hero Factory RPG, iBrow and Xalen?- I realize that it's been over thirty days since anyone posted here; I would have bumped the thread had I thought of it sooner. However, given that this topic is rather crucial to the workings of this forum, may I suggest that it be pinned and/or exempted from revival rules? (I should add that the rules did specifically say that RPGs would be closed after thirty days of inactivity, so I'm not sure whether or not this thread is safe already.)

IC: 'Dumbfounded' was the only word that could adequately describe Hotwire's reaction. He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to come up with the proper words. Helm could guess what was going through the agent's mind; he knew from experience how difficult it could be to express condolences. Still, he managed a half-smile. "It's all right, kid, I'm just glad you had the chance to know him." He motioned towards Katerina. "Anyways, as I was saying, could you possibly catch me up on this?"Hotwire sighed. "Well, first off Kat learned she was actually synthetically grown and modified by ShadowTech. Then, on LEGO Island, Loop -- he was a ShadowTech experiment too, though we didn't know that at the time; he was working undercover for Dr. Inferno --""And for Ogel before that," Swerve added. "I encountered him a bunch of times in 2008, which is how he got such a huge grudge against me.""Yes. Anyway," Hotwire continued, "Loop showed up on LEGO Island and killed her, or so we thought..."Helm sat fascinated, listening to the bizarre tale of the Schattenbergs, Swerve occasionally contributing what details he'd gathered. They were briefly interrupted when a medic arrived to look Hotwire over before declaring him free to leave."So, as far as you know," Helm said as Hotwire stood, pulling on his cap and gathering his belonings, "she had her mind erased because of a sibling rivalry that has lasted decades and remained unhindered by death?" Hotwire nodded, sparing Katerina a glance."Could be worse," Swerve pointed out. "Brick League United and Reliable Excavation and Demolition have been at each others' throats over a similar issue for something like a hundred and fifty years." This elicited a few laughs as the trio walked out. They were stopped in their tracks, however, by a curious sound -- a yawn. Hotwire looked back and froze.On the bed, Katerina Schattenberg opened her eyes and sat up.

OOC: Sorry, that guy, I might have to break your pattern. I don't have asperger's, just a history of low self-esteem that has mostly given way to a simple lack of interest and motivation And Hotwire, while he and I do share a few traits, was never really based on me anyway.All these romantic plot tumours look like fun, though... If that's the case then all the references I've made over the course of the RPG to his obsession with autonomy have had their intended effect. My hope was to portray Loop as, perhaps, a 95% Complete Monster. Writing him was boatloads of fun for me but it was just time for him to go. I may just miss the wretch.Lastly, could we possibly start to resolve the Trigger situation? I want to write Shiller and Wright again, plus I'd love to see how Trigger reacts when he learns that Amanda wasn't the mole.EDIT: Second time today you've ninja'd me, Atton. You may have a skill. I've now added to the end of my IC in light of your post.IC: For the second time in forty-eight hours, Hotwire woke up in an infirmary. It wasn't quite as bad as the last time, though the phantom pains in his left leg were coming at him in constant waves now. He opened his eyes and saw two figures sitting by his bed. The first was Helm, and the second was a DA agent whose face was completely hidden under a ski mask and a pair of dark goggles."Holding up okay?" the masked figure asked.Hotwire sat up. The voice was Septimus's, but the diction... "Swerve," he said. "Loop was telling the truth?"Swerve nodded. "Ambushed me after that rockslide. Too bad for him all his tampering with the Orb damaged it enough for me to break away and get my own mind back." He paused. "Still, I'm glad you made it out. What about Talon and Spectrum?"Hotwire swallowed hard. "Spectrum apparently got killed in the battle at the power station a few months back. Sarah...didn't even make it out of the mountains...""Builder, I'm sorry," Swerve said, slightly awkwardly. "So then, your T-1..."Hotwire nodded. "I try not to think about it much. Where's Loop now?""Dead," Swerve replied simply. "It was a long time coming."Helm spoke up to change the subject. "The medics are all having a spot of trouble figuring out what to do with Katerina. All the tests they ran showed no higher brain functions, but she doesn't need any life support. It would be wrong to euthanize her but it seems to be completely impossible to wake her up." He glanced over to the next bed, where Katerina appeared for all the world to be peacefully sleeping.Hotwire looked over. He sighed, unsure what to think of the situation. Then he remembered his last conversation with Helm. "Say, did you find your son?"The mariner stiffened. "In a way," he said, after a few moments' pause. "I've...been told you knew Jason. That he fought alongside you on Adventurers' Island." He paused, gathering strength. "He joined the team under the codename Tracer."------------------------Having heard a few snippets of their conversation, Wright strolled over to where Trigger and Montoya were quietly arguing. "You might be interested to hear," she said to Trigger, "that they've caught the mole...and it wasn't Agent Claw. Bit of a hole in your case now, just sayin'."

OOC: PeaSam, I've given my thoughts on your surprise in that thread already, but I must nevertheless reiterate its magnificence. Ha, yes, I was rather going for that.EDIT: Dang it, Atton, you stole my Mood Whiplash IC: Loop sighed happily as he carefully focused and channeled his stores of electrical energy into Katerina's brain. He relished the mental image of the current dancing through her grey cells, knocking them dead. He noticed, after a few seconds, that Hotwire was struggling. He nodded to Rainer, who walked to the back of the room and zapped the agent into unconsciousness.It hadn't been easy, Loop reflected, to get this trick down to a science. The first time he'd tried it, his unfortunate test subject had simply been cooked alive. The next, he'd gone too easy, and that victim had later recovered. But that had been over three years ago, and he was fully prepared for this moment. Katerina's body would live on for decades, requiring no life support, but remaining comatose until death -- the perfect fate for her. Loop grinned. If killing her body doesn't work, he thought gleefully, the only thing to do is erase her mind.His reverie was abruptly shattered when three shots rang out. Loop stumbled backwards, confused. He watched Wolfgang and Rainer fall to the floor with holes in their heads, looked up and saw Swerve brandishing Hotwire's smoking handgun, and finally glanced down at his own torso. A red stain was spreading rapidly across the shirt of his stolen D.I.N.O. uniform. He fell to his knees as Swerve crossed the room to stand over him."Tampering with a Mind-Control Orb to suit your own plans mighta seemed like a good idea at the time," the drone said. "Too bad that made the mind-control part less effective."Loop simply spat at his rival's feet before collapsing onto his back, blood pooling beneath him.Swerve cocked his skull. "That was a bit impolite," he said. "The way I see it, I've just done you a favor. I've fought you enough times to have an idea of what makes you tick. You've always wanted to be free, truly and completely free." He knelt beside Loop. "Sadly, complete autonomy isn't really possible, is it? Someone's always giving orders. Especially when you're born and bred to be a weapon for others." Loop's face contorted into a grimace and he growled, but there was agreement in his eyes."Nobody's ever gonna tell you what to do again," Swerve said quietly.Loop drew a long ragged gasp. "Go-- go to Mega-- to MegaBlokland," he choked. "And-- and th-- thanks." With that he closed his eyes and let the world go black.------------------------Swerve regarded the lifeless form of his old nemesis for a few moments before he stood. He walked to the corner of the room and retrieved his gloves, balaclava, and goggles. He glanced back at Lupus Schattenberg one last time.Then he picked up the prone forms of Katerina and Hotwire, heaved one onto each shoulder, and carried them out of the dim room to the medical wing.

This is pure magnificence. The details are mind-blowing, and the anachronisms and odd references are incredibly entertaining...except for the billiards game between Helm and Tracer. That's just straight up bittersweet.And once again I must grumble about the fact that LDD doesn't allow minifigs to have a peg leg on the left. <_<But yeah, overall this kinda made my day.