Corpus Rahkshi

[Smudge8]

IC: Revenge-Malebranche-Cable car

 

"That sounds like a good idea, but how do you know you are tracking him.  Could you accidentally be tracking someone or something else?"

Edited January 16, 2015 by Smudge8

[Akavakaku]

IC Vir and Mahrika

 

Malebranche First Tier, Intra-tier Cable Car

 

"No one is pushing anyone out!" Mahrika crawled between Rain and Deadeye in what cramped space was not filled by the cargo, trying to separate the two.

 

Vir took a glance out the car's window and instantly regretted it; they were now far above the city's inner levels, and the orange glow and sulfurous odor of lava rose up to them. They sat back and told themself that the cable cars were safe, that they'd have to be safe, because if they weren't, nobody would use them, because if they broke, the cars would fall right...into...the...lava...

[Ghidora131]

IC Vaalku

 

"I doubt anyone will have as intricate of an electronic device, save Tridax's security system, on their person."

[Smudge8]

IC: Revenge-Malebranche-First Vein Purifications (8th tier)

 

"Sounds good, lets get started."  Revenge stepped off of the Cable car.

 

OOC: So the ride there has been kind of messy as to where they were, could we assume both teams are disembarking at their levels around now?

[Ghidora131]

OOC: also, let's get to our locations and wait for an Ultron post. And if he posts, Smudge8, and I'm not here, feel free to drag Vaalku along with you.

[silo]

IC: (Snake/Malebranche - Third Tier)

After some searching, Snake finally came across Kat  in one of the huge bathhouses that sat next to houses and huts of all descriptions.

"Oh, hey." he said distractedly, looking around for any sign of Suvak.

He didn't really have a plan...he needed to somehow understand where the drillmaster would most likely go, but that was pretty impossible when, although he saw him most days, knew very little about him.

 

IC: (Torch/Malebranche - Eighth Tier)

Torch, like Snake didn't have much of a plan in mind. However, the difference was that he didn't care.

He was taking the opportunity to explore the city on his own, and had made it to the Eighth Tier, heading for the fiery heart of the volcanic mountain, where he would be right at home.

Suvak? Pfft, he didn't matter. Torch kept half an eye out for the cyborg skakdi as he skimmed across the landscape in flight mode, but he didn't really mind either way.

 

IC: (Raith/Malebranche - First Tier)

Raith had searched the Terrain Crawler and the water beneath it, but she found nothing...not a trick assignment, then...

The dappled-grey rahk had silently headed for the bustling Great Food Market, dropping into the crowd lightly and soundlessly from above. Markets like this were apparently renown for gossip, so if Suvak had passed through this tier near this point (which he could quite easily have done, assuming he was on foot), someone would have seen. There weren't many cyborgs round here, save a few Vorts, so he could be quite noticeable.

Walking up to a slender grey-green vortixx, sratching matoran cript onto a nearby wall and indicating it. The vort would most likely assume Raith was sent by a makuta, making his co-operation more likely. The script read: "Have you seen a cyborg skakdi with green and gold skin pass through this way recently?" Afterwards, she would ask more beings here.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Sil

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Poly:

 

We saw them. The same Dappled One from before. From our rooftop perches, we had scanned the entire Market, and seen nothing.

 

We moved to the second tier, <b>flying high above, watching for the glint of metal in the crowd.</b>

 

OoC poly open for interaction.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

IC: Squid

 

never mind this IC

 

OOC: If your character is interacting with Squid, please mention that in an OOC post because there are a lot of "Shinys" and I wasn't quite sure where Squid was until Rain mentioned it. Squid is currently riding the cable car with Rain and some others, so I'm not sure if Booger was attacking Squid.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Pohatu: Master of Stone

[Akavakaku]

OOC: No, Rain is with Mahrika, who also has silver armor.

[Smudge8]

OOC: From now on when Booger mentions "Shiny" (with the capital S) he means Vlad.

IC: Revenge-Malebranche-First Vein Purifications(8th Tier)

 

Revenge stepped off of the cable car.  The fumes made him cough.  "Ok, Vaalku.  Lets get this over with."  Revenge and Vaalku proceded to search the refinery.

[Click]

OOC: Squid was "Employer" or "Shiny-With-Backpack," hereafter known as "Squishy." Mahrika is "Sparky," and Deadeye is "Crazy." Squid was last seen talking to Green while Floor and Era went after Hoto.

 

IC: Rain - Malebranche - Second Tier

 

Rain glanced back to "Mahrika" (Sparky sounded better) with a look that said You believe this guy? She finally set the knife in her backpack and tried to get away from Crazy, giving him a weak shove as she did.

 

She glared him and his strange eyes. "I've met guys like you with your flickery, weird eyes. They can't be trusted to do the smart thing all the time. And right now, the smart thing is to stay out of my way."

 

 

IC: Fang - Malebranche - Ninth Tier

 

Fang took a deep breath of the burning air. It seared his lungs, but he couldn't stop. His mind was blank and his steps were slow. He needed to get out of the Caldera, but there were still a few places he hadn't checked. If he could find Suvak down here... if Suvak even was down here... he could put an end to this assignment and get back to Omega. He just wasn't sure how much more he could take.

 

Five minutes. He gave himself five minutes to check any last places, and if he didn't find anything, he was going right back to the surface. Now with a plan, he stumbled off to the next possible spot.

[PhoenixFireBlaze]

IC: All My Characters

Pyre asked Mar'jik

"So if we were to slowly head up the theirs you would be able to sense what their he is on?"

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Deadeye

*Kill her now.*

No. 

"So you're discriminating me because of my eye color. Thanks a lot.," Deadeye had a hurt look on him. 

[silo]

IC: (Snake/Malebranche - Third Tier)

"Um...Kat?" she didn't seem to have heard him...

[Some Random Phrase]

IC: All My Characters

Pyre asked Mar'jik

"So if we were to slowly head up the theirs you would be able to sense what their he is on?"

IC Mar'jik:

"Pretty much."

[Click]

IC: Rain - Malebranche - Second Tier

 

The car began to slow for a stop, and Rain just shrugged as she stepped out. She wasn't "discriminating," she was judging him. Besides, when did she ever care about the feelings of others.

 

But... perhaps she misjudged him. There were plenty of... unusual modifications at the school. Maybe it was just a stylistic choice. He hadn't shown the usual signs of insanity...

 

Was that a conscience she was detecting? She cut off the though and crushed it where it was. He was Crazy, and she didn't want him to screw up her mission.

 

To Sparky and... Whitey? (mental note: "Vir" needs a better nickname), she said "So, where should we look down here? I didn't really... Oh, look at that house!"

 

 

IC: Hoto - Malebranche - First Tier

 

Hoto didn't bother adding anything to the discussion of planning besides putting in "Can we at least start somewhere relatively quiet?" Her audio receptors still ached from being confined in the vehicle.

 

Other than that, she remained uncharacteristically quiet.

 

 

IC: Root - Malebranche - Seventh Tier

 

Root slipped over to a bin of raw ore, not even bothering to remain stealthy. There was no way to hear him in the aptly named Grand Smashing Plant. He boldly pulled himself up onto a bin of raw ore and tried to look inconspicuous as he grew vines to search through the rocks.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Deadeye

"Hey! Can't I work with you guys?" Deadeye asked.

*They are abandoning us. Everyone hates us*

Yeah, no thanks to you.

[Sergei Rahkmaninoff]

IC: Vlad / Malebranche: Second Tier

 

 

Vlad was paying little attention to the cacophony of the marketplace behind him, and this was completely unprepared when Booger's club knocked him on the head and sent him tumbling down the stairs.

 

Ouch...

_____Ouch...

__________Ouch...

_______________Ouch...

____________________Ouch.

 

He lay there, still. He wondered if he had broken anything. His head was feeling pretty poorly right now. Who had hit him? He managed the strength to glance up and see that it had been Booger.

 

Karzahni, he hadn't forgotten. And after falling down a flight if stairs, Vlad was in no condition to fight.

 

He lay completely still, trying his best to breathe unnoticeably. Hopefully Booger would assume he was dead and go away.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Johnrahk

[Nato G]

IC: Glass

"I'm calm, it's just that the cats... I didn't know such evil lurked under them. Except Sand. She just seems annoyed."

Sand gave a pft, whatever look and gave Xara a questioning glance.

 

 

IC: Xara - Malebranche.

 

"But... cats aren't evil... and forget Sand being annoyed... I'm getting worried..." Great, now even Sand was giving me a funny look. It was as if everyone had gone insane overnight. "Come on inside," I grabbed Glass' arm, "I think you need to sit down, have a drink, clear your head a little." 

[Smudge8]

IC: Booger-Malebranche-Second Tier

 

Booger snickered as he walked down to Shiny.  He grabbed him by the arm and yanked him upwards.

[Nato G]

IC: Hoto - Malebranche - First Tier

 

Hoto didn't bother adding anything to the discussion of planning besides putting in "Can we at least start somewhere relatively quiet?" Her audio receptors still ached from being confined in the vehicle.

 

Other than that, she remained uncharacteristically quiet.

 

 

IC: Era - First Tier.

 

"Don't worry," I told Hoto, "I'll try to absorb the louder noise. Stick with me and we should be fine." I had been hoping her attitude would improve once we got started, but that didn't seem to be the case. Had I done the right thing in bullying her into coming along? I felt guilty now; had I really done it for her own good, or just so I wouldn't be stuck on my own? 

 

Blindness is not weakness... she has to be strong... and so do I. 

[Sergei Rahkmaninoff]

IC: Vlad / Malebranche

 

 

Don't move...

 

 

Vlad stifled a cry of pain as Booger wrenched his arm up, and went limp.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Dane

Dane was still sleeping in the crawler, his hat over his head.

OOC: Open for interaction, if you want

[Smudge8]

IC: Booger-Malebranche-2nd tier

 

Booger smiled.  He began to beat Shiny with his club.

[Click]

IC: Rain - Malebranche - Second Tier

 

Maybe coming down here was a bad idea as well. Rain had ceased paying attention to Crazy, or any of her other companions as she admired the brilliant mansion they had disembarked close to. Sparky could say anything and she wouldn't even know.

 

 

IC: Hoto - Malebranche - First Tier

 

Hoto just nodded. At least she could be dragged along comfortably.

[silo]

IC: (Torch/Ninth Tier)

Ah, the feeling of fire and heat. Well, heat at least - it wasn't actually fire, but he could make that himself.

He might do that pretty soon, come to think of it...

[Nato G]

IC: Era - First Tier.

 

I turned my sightless face towards Hoto, wishing I could see her; read her expression. I'd been able to detect her nod, but that was the extent of my abilities. I'd thought making her come along with everyone would do her some good, but now I wasn't so sure. 

 

Had I done the right thing? 

[Kovika: Visorak Lord]

IC: Sidonas - Dorm

 

Sidonas woke, unsure of the time, he got up and went straight for his legs-in-progress. He picked up his makeshift blowtorch and started attaching the metal to the frames. After sealing all areas of his legs, he dragged his new legs with him back to the Infirmary, hoping Palma or any Rahkshi who was still there could attach these and get him back on his feet. At the door of the Infirmary, he felt a big jab of pain in his legs and screeched out in pain before falling out of his wheelchair. "Palma!", he screeched, feeling what seemed to be all the pain he had felt before, rushing into what was left of his legs. In the pain he felt, he screeched even louder: "Palma! Help me!" He felt the pain again, and again, and again until he could take it no more. Then, suddenly, everything went to black.

 

OOC: Crippled unconscious Rahk needs a doctor. Paging Doctor Ultron, Paging Doctor Ultron.

[Akavakaku]

IC Vir and Mahrika

 

Malebranche Second Tier

 

Mahrika followed Rain off the car, carrying a small sack over his shoulder. As he landed on the ground, there was a clatter from its contents.

 

Vir leaped down as well, but ended up landing in a small fountain, splashing water on Deadeye. Overhead the cable car continued to its destination in the first tier.

 

"This is the business district, isn't it? I don't think there would be many good hiding places here. Let's check the nearby areas of the first tier." Mahrika noticed that Rain was ignoring him. This time he waited silently behind her back, arms folded.

 

OOC: I'm having a surprising amount of fun RP'ing multiple characters in the same place.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Deadeye

Deadeye was beginning to feel like no-one wanted him. He looked at his knife. It would be so easy. Just to stab. He would die within seconds if he did it right....

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: Exxan's suspicions were right, the pair of guards did not seem to understand him. They'd never been students at Corpus Rahkshi, they'd never been exposed to the language. On the plus side though, they didn't seem to get any more aggressive. Their orders had apparently been to guard the gate and entrance, and they were taking it literally. Exxan was neither a threat nor a trespasser, so they were refraining from attacking him. The stares they were giving him were pretty evil though, but that may simply have been their natural appearance. They were Rahkshi after all.

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

While Rahkshi were not unknown in Malebranche, they were a rare sight. They were generally serving as bodyguards for some Brotherhood-sponsored smith or negotiator. The Vortixx especially loved having a gang of Rahkshi at their beck and call if they were running jobs for a Makuta, regarding it as they did everything else as some form of status symbol. So the employees and clientele of the Vapour Gardens mostly took one look at the suddenly appearing Caoutchouc, Jayar or Kat, assumed they were part of someone important's entourage, and proceeded to ignore them. The two moved through the steamy and perfumed halls of the illustrious establishment, eyes passing over the various Matoran getting massages, Vortixx in vents of steam and Skakdi in steam baths, not noting any Suvak, not getting any reaction.

Well, until Caoutchouc opened a certain door. It was a sauna, made of a naturally formed geyser that had over the years sealed itself up with the minerals left behind by the passing water. It was now a grand bath of crystals, all the colours of the rainbow, with hot water and steam tickling through minute cracks. A few Ga-Matoran occupied the benches set around this opalescent pool, partaking of the humidity before stepping back into the arid and foggy air outside, but in the tub itself lay one very large Skakdi. He took one look at Caoutchouc, opened his eyes wide and leapt clear of the water, barging past both the elasticity Rahk and the oncoming Jayar in the halls outside, passing Kat and Snake as he kept running. Why on earth was he so unnerved at the site of Rahkshi? It could only be a clue!

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

The merchant Still had chosen to speak to was apparently amused enough by the novelty of a "talking" Rahkshi that he overlooked the jargon Still was using to answer the question.

 

"Not seen anyone like that round these parts. Here, you want Skakdi try the Dreadnought down on Third. Big on Skakdi round there they are. Like their drink do Skakdi, you see."

 

Over in her part of the market, Raith was getting a similar response. The Vortixx hadn't seen a Skakdi matching that description, but suggested checking the popular tavern on the Third Tier

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

"Hey you, stickleback!" 

 

Siren turned, correctly guessing the remarks were based towards her. There was a quartet of Matoran clad in more armour than usual heading towards her, armour branded with a nine interlocking rings arranged in a loop. Ah, these would be the Guards of the Circles, the city's police force. They didn't look so-

Oh. Oh that was a big Guard.

Behind the four Matoran, parting the crowd through the presence its sheer bulk gave it, was one of the elusive Scattered Folk. It was huge, as they all were, its armour and organics merging almost seamlessly with each other, metal appearing more like shell, strips of bioluminescent panelling lighting it up like a beacon in the gloom of the volcano, fanged jaws that looked like they could bite granite into pebbles, the four arms stretching from its back giving it even more weight to its ever-present looming. And it was garbed in the same armour as the Matoran, albeit extremely scaled up. 

Siren stood still, waiting for any of the five to make their move so she could react accordingly.

 

"No, it doesn't match the description," said one of the Guards, "We're looking for one that's black, with orange decals, and you stop for one thats red and green?" He clapped the one who'd shouted at Siren round the back of the head, "Clinkerhead." He looked back to Siren, "Apologies for keeping you from your business. Have a good day." He saluted as he turned and left, the men following suit. Their big guy saluted with a tentacle, which was quite a sight. Quite an odd encounter, and annoyingly put her no closer to finding Suvak...

 

OOC: First hint that you don't want to get on the wrong side of the Guards. They have a Nocturn

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

IC: Hashan realised someone had spotted him when sparks flew from the set of crates he'd just torn through.

 

"The karz are you playing at?" shouted an angry looking Vortixx, another Rhotuka already spiralling into power on the launcher built into his arm, "Go on, get out of here!"

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

IC: A number Matoran around the Actor's Cradle were rehearsing for their latest performance; a series of stories from the anthology Helryx the Hero, a collection of tales about a probably mythical Toa from the dawn of time. One of the Matoran was on stilts to represent the Toa herself, while a few were wearing spiky costumes that Bullseye guessed were supposed to be Visorak. Though he was skulking in the shadows, or perhaps because he was skulking in the shadows, they kept shooting worried looks at him. A few of the 'Visorak' gave up altogether and hurried back inside the amphitheatre

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

First Vein Purifications dealt with the largest outpouring of lava to come from the Caldera below. It was a hive of activity, but all of it structured and well ordered. The workers here were professionals, and knew what they were doing, and every last one of them performed their tasks with almost mechanical efficiency. Good job too, they were dealing with searing hot magma after all. Small errors very quickly became huge fires.

However the presence of the two Rahkshi was having a disruptive influence. Whispers spread out around Revenge and Vaalku like ripples in a pool. Eventually the Matoran foreman of the floor couldn't ignore it anymore and walked over to the pair.

 

"Erm, are you two supposed to be here? is this a surprise inspection or something?"

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

As the Twins opened the doors to the Sewage Works, the stench of it hit them like a sledgehammer. It was bad enough that even Rider, coming up a way behind them started to gag on it. The filth of nine tiers was squeezed in through pipes, sat fermenting in vats while it was sifted for anything that could be recycled and finally pushed out through the Malacoda. The place was a maze of branching pipelines clustered around those huge filtering tanks. A few luckless workers, every bit of their appearance radiating lucklessness and their downtrodden nature, trudged along catwalks that ran between them. Every so often one would use a long oar-like scoop to give the bubbling waste a judicious poke or stir to help the process along. Searching this place was going to be a long and arduous affair

 

OOC: Apologies if I've misunderstood how Rider, Revenge and Vaalku split up. It was a little unclear in your posts, you seem to talk about Sewage Works then go somewhere completely different.

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

IC: Meanwhile Root was dealing with sledgehammers of a much more literal nature. The Grand Smashing Plant was filled with the deafening cacophony of labour as the workers, mostly burly Skakdi with muscles like iron, hammered away at the raw lumps of metal and rock sent up from the refineries. Sometimes they beat them into workable shapes, neat little oblongs to be stacked and stored somewhere on Fourth. Sometimes they just beat them to gravel before plucking out the gemstones found within. Some kept working away even further than that, pummelling solid rock still warm from the fires below into fine sand for building work. 

Well, Root was looking for a Skakdi and this certainly seemed to be the place

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

IC: Way back in the Corpus Rahkshi facility, Palma heard Sidonas' cries for help. She dragged his unconscious form, tutting at the bodge job he'd done on his legs and wondering what had possessed him to try such a thing instead of getting proper help. Still, those artificial legs he'd apparently made himself were in place now, might as well use them. Her healing powers started properly fusing new legs with old torso, metals seamlessly merging as musculature started to spread down from Sidonas' hips to create properly working joints

Edited January 16, 2015 by I Am Ultron Six

[Akavakaku]

IC Vir

 

Malebranche Second Tier

 

Vir noticed Deadeye's heterochromic gaze landing on his knife. "Uh, can you please... not use that on anyone?"

[PhoenixFireBlaze]

 

 

IC: All My Characters

Pyre asked Mar'jik

"So if we were to slowly head up the theirs you would be able to sense what their he is on?"

IC Mar'jik:

"Pretty much."

Death said, "We should start at the top. The hirger teirs should be smaller because they are closer to the volcano."

[Sergei Rahkmaninoff]

IC: Vlad / Malebranche: Second Tier

 

 

Vlad took one blow and realized that if he continued to play dead very soon he would be dead.

 

Fighting the pain in his battered body, he swung Avenger add quick as he could at Booger's face, screaming out of anger and pain. In the same instant he closed his eyes and activated the dagger, hoping to blind his assailant. The bright golden light it emitted was his best hope.

 

 

IC: Jayar / Malebranche: Vapour Gardens

 

 

Jayar rushed after the fleeing Skakdi and bumped into Kat. "Good to see you," he said with a nod.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Deadeye

Deadeye ignored the anger rahkshi and continued thinking. What did he have to live for? He had no friends, nobody liked him. He was a monster. The grip on the knife seemed to want to go to his chest. 

[Not Quite Dead]

IC - Vapour Garden

 

Jayar was already rushing after the Skakdi, but the outside town was a mess. How would he keep track of him? Caoutchouc decided on a different tactic. Returning to the main lobby and walking to the... Front counter, he took a sheaf of paper and complementary pen, writing:

 

"needed info skakdi pleasant!" in rather broken matoran, he wasn't too well versed in it. The matoran looked rather quizzical and shrewd. Caoutchouc left the note on the desk, grabbing a nearby mop and rag, making cleaning motions.

 

Bartering perhaps? Work for info.

[Akavakaku]

IC Vir

 

Malebranche Second Tier

 

Vir saw Deadeye rotate the knife in his hands, and for a moment wasn't sure what was going on. Then suddenly they realized. "No!" They lunged and tried to wrest the weapon from his grip.

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Second Tier (Tridax's Estate).

 

This was clearly a waste of my time. These Rahkshi weren't going to let me in, and I'd had doubts from the start that Suvak would actually be hiding here. Actually, it hadn't been a complete waste; now I knew what the estate looked like, and what kind of security it had. That kind of information could always come in handy. 

 

But in one last effort to get information from the duo, I tried something simpler. Maybe they couldn't understand words, but surely they could at the very least recognise names. "Tridax?" I said slowly, trying to gauge if they reacted in any way. "Suvak?" 

Edited January 16, 2015 by Roman Torchwick

[NorikSigma]

IC: Glass

 

Glass and Sand cocked their heads to the side.

 

"Drink alcohol to clear my head. Okay. Yeah. Makes sense."

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Deadeye

His knife was snatched from him. He looked up. "Why are you stopping me?"