ic North, West, and East

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Incognito" replied North. "I have no doubt that the dedicated individual, or organisation, can find us out. We are not top secret, far from it. But we have enough basic fog on our location to keep away the masses" he explained. "As for the tourist interests, the United Nations are paying the islanders a very big dividend. Nobody really wants us on their soil. But this island is so remote it suits our needs. With a bit of diplomatic wrangling, a lot of reassurance, and a healthy payment, they accepted"

 

"This is officially United Nations soil" he said, stamping his foot on their plot of land. "The major issue we are considering now is, as you suggested, defence. We obviously arent going to keep out a concerted attack, but we want some safety measures in place. One thing we are doing is having a central burner. Come any intrusion, our research and computers are burnt out, and we burn any chambers containing hazardous material. In other words, nobody is going to want to attack us, as they won't get anything. Bar our recordings of the attack sent to the United Nations who will prioritise counter measures..."

 

He looked sour. "Bah! War. What is it good for?"

[Exaccus]

"Hmm...intresting choice my friend, i would be concerned of one thing alone, an enemy who attacks with the intention of forcing you to destroy your samples and information to hamper your work against their schemes." He answeed honestly as he examined the site.

 

"A rare occurence i imagine but perhaps a manual override or back up copy?" Offered with a thoughtful hum.

 

"I have been experimenting with engraving engrams onto platinum myself."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Yes indeed. We back up our data to a satellite passing overhead every 70 hours. The satellite is also equipped with the same burner. True, we could have a dual attack. But nothing is fool proof, and like I said, few would take the risk to attack us for little reward". 

 

"There are of course other offices around the world. Like by ASTRO labs. Some data is stored there. We live in an age where information is the true currency. And we are a bank. No bank is completely safe" he sighed. 

 

"I am not sure what enemies would want to hamper us, to bring back to that point" he mused. "Steal from us, most certainly. But hamper? I suppose it is possible, if some organisation was engaging in very dangerous research and wanted to stop us. Unlikely, yes, but possible..."

[Exaccus]

"To wit, i had become involved in a few disputes regarding the use and ownership of things a colleague was having in regards to a wonderous new material he'd created." He mentioned "we scientists are capable of great eccentricities and egotism as im sure you may have experienced already, myself not withstanding...any number of small things may set someone off...jealousy, a percived slight....or maybe foresight and amoral practise...someone planning to release darwin X or one of its subtypes would do well to catch WEST mid blink as it were....hopefully i am just being paranoid however" he assured doctor north.

 

"Please continue with your tour."

[Supercape]

GM

 

The two walked down to the embryonic EAST building, noting this feature and that. It was not particularly large, but it was well built and advanced. Several precautions had been made to contain any leak. Concrete bunkers, reinforced walls. Airtight doors were sealable. But, as North had said, they had only just passed the halfway mark. 

 

"Let me introduce you to someone. Taro Takeshi, our security advisor". 

 

Taro Takeshi was a man of remarkably average build, who looked and sounded quite as Japanese as his name implied. He gave a friendly smile and shook Doctor Deoxies hand. Taro looked about fourty, and had a pleasant face, with a noticeable scar on his chin. 

 

"Taro has an impressive resume in the Japanese Military Intelligence, and as a civil security expert" explained North. Taro gave a humble smile.

 

"I try" he said, simply. "It's not exactly easy. Why, only yesterday we had the entire schematics of the more...ah....sensitive areas drawn up and sent here for the engineers to build. We don't want any loopholes. The schematics themselves are a secret we don't want to get out". He explained. "Ah...apologies Director North...I don't think Doctor Deoxy has full clearance?"

 

"Yes...yes...quite right. I apologise, Doctor Deoxy. Some things we can't show you..." 

[Exaccus]

"A pleasure to meet you Mr takeshi." Doctor deoxy responded as he accepted the hand shake with a smile.

 

"No need to be humble my friend i am certain you are more than up to the task at hand." He spoke with warmth as he looked across the work in progress approvingly before the matter of clearance was brought up.

 

"Ah, not to worry gentlemen, I understand the need for discretion....even if i were given full clearance at some date it would be wise to keep some secrets, i interact with a great deal of remarkable people both as friends and foes and am not particularly resistant to psychic probing beyond mantras and rhetorics....perhaps i should begin production of a insulating drug of somekind...i did create an inhibitor for mind control once as a rush job...hmm" almost drifting off onto another train of thought entirely

 

"....ah forgive me i am prone to rambling...but yes, eggs and baskets, dont want to go making any unnessicary and unaccounted for skeleton keys now do we?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"No, we do not" replied Takeshi, raising an almost suspicious eyebrow at the ramblings. 

 

He was polite, irrespective of his suspiciousness (which really went with his job, one might suppose). He ushered North and Doctor Deoxy into the constructed part of the base. The computer banks, which were as state of the art as one could imagine. Only about a tenth were actually active, as the cooling system was not yet fully operational. Rows of black monoliths with blinking lights. 

 

"I'm not really a computer expert" started Takeshi. But here is where we keep all the important...and sensitive data. He pointed out the burner systems. "I don't really understand the engineering here. But I am assured they are fully functional. Unfortunately...not something we can test!" he gave a polite chuckle, and North followed suit. 

 

"There..." he pointed at a table that was on big computer screen, complete with touch sensitivity. "...we have our blueprints for the base. Not even I am allowed to take the data out!" he said, almost complaining. "Every drive here is tagged with a sensor that activates when it leaves the base. You see, we have a pretty tight security system already!"

 

"Thank goodness!" said North. 

 

[Exaccus]

If he noticed Dr Deoxy didn't seem to care very much as he followed along admiring the construcion.

 

"Ah yes, quite ingenious! Personally i went for degeneration in the EPU if removed from its tank but that is quite understandably not feasible here." He commented as he admired the blueprints next

 

"have you taken precautions against infiltrations by uuh....well...shrunken or otherwise smaller intruders? Had a bit of a problem with that in that case i had mentioned; can't put security in a watermain you know?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

Takeshi stopped and pondered. "Well...I confess I hadn't. Thats the problem with my background in conventional security. We don't, for the most part, think about minature shrunken thieves! Drones, yes. But people...no..." 

 

He thought about it a moment. 

 

"I think I'll have to go over the schematics again. With your permission, Doctor North?" he asked. 

 

"Of course, of course..." replied North. "Don't mind us, we'll just go to the Communications array. Its where we beam to our satellite!" he said, proudly. 

 

He left Takeshi poring over the table-display, studying it intensly. With a prideful step, he took Doctor Deoxy to a very tall radio dish tower at the side of the complex, by the lapping sea. 

 

"Behold! And...its rather a nice day to behold too!"

 

The aluminium and steel tower was rather nice to behold, and the sun had parted the clouds, shining brightly!

[Exaccus]

"Ahh splendid! I quite admire the construcion of this device." He admited as he walked up towards it, brushing his morphed fingertips against the gleaming metal with one hand as the other secured the hard hat against his head as he looked up at the glimmering edifice.

 

"Simple but elegant bit of technology, one i havent yet managed to improve on." He commented.

[Supercape]

GM

 

North frowned as he studied the communications array. 

 

"I don't like the look of this. I think...it might have been tampered with. Ill have to speak to Takeshi..." he mumbled, irritated with both himself and Takeshi. "I might be being paranoid...its not really my field...but...."

 

He frowned more deeply. 

 

"This looks like an array built by Dr Hertzmann. We recruited him as is something of a genius. But...unstable. We had to fire him. I don't think he took it too well. How on earth did he modify the communication array? In any case, this is a serious breach...."

 

North pressed a button on the side. An intercomm. 

 

"This is director North. Please be alert to a possible security breach. We are on lock down until resolved..."

 

Takeshi squarked back over the speaker. 

 

"I think its too late for that, Director. We have an incoming marine vessel approaching at high speed. Right at you!"

[Exaccus]

Doctor deoxy raised and eyebrow as events began to unfold around him at a somewhat alarming pace, fate it seemed had plans for him and WEST already,  there was of course, no time to loose, so without a second thought he dropped his morphic visage and engaged his tachyon boosters.

 

"I am assuming you do not yet have your security measures online?" he asked plainly as he prepared for a battle he knew was heading his way at 30 knots with a slight grin on his face "With your permission I would be happy to lend you a hand with this problem." he mentioned as he looked over the tower once more, he'd not seen the original design of course so it was difficult to determin what matter of tampering or sabotage had taken place.

 

"I do so love field work."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"A small number of soldiers. But thats it. Frankly, there isn't an awful lot to protect right now, and we have the burner system as a deterent" argued North. "But, yes, if you could lend a hand, I would be most thankful!" he explained. "Been some time since I held a gun. Even longer since I fired one. And never at a live target" he explained. 

 

"It was in Greenland. Polar Bears" he explained, even though no explanation was necessary. 

 

The clock was very much ticking, and ticking fast. No sooner had North spoken than Doctor Deoxy saw the approaching ship plow over some waves. In a moment, it would be on the shore. It was fast. 

 

Too fast?

 

It seemed to cut through the water at a horrific rate. The water seemed to part for it. He could see sparks fly from the bottom of the ship. This was some kind of unique propulsions system!

[Exaccus]

and with that doctor deoxy was himself off like a shot, whistling through the air as he raced towards the ship in kind, a glint of silver that flickered through the island like a ghost to meet the vessal head on, though not quite in such a litteral sense!

 

his biomechanical body shifting and changing in response to his mental commands as he brought his hand up and through a series of  impossibly small electromagnetic projection ports wove a forcefield right infront of the ships prow, though he wasn't sure it would be able to halt the swift advance of the vessal he none the less was curious to see how it would react to other forms of matter than the water it cut through with its improbably speed.

 

"identify yourself and halt your advance or i will open fire."

[Supercape]

GM

 

The Speedboat crunched into the forcefield, slowing down. Sparks rumbled and flowed from the bottom of the ship. At this range, Doctor Deoxy (with his magnificent mind and expertise) could hazard a very strong guess. The ship had some kind of hydrostatic power; it was repelling the water away from it. No wonder it was moving so fast!

 

With a splosh! it hit the water, the hydrostatic drive faded out. The front of the boat was crumpled, but it at least looked seaworthy. It was not going to sink. It was perhaps twenty feet from where the waves gently lapped the shores, and a hundred more feet from the sprawling half completed EAST base. 

 

There were several men inside, but the captain, it seemed, was a slight, bald fellow, dressed in a black trenchcoat that looked heavily armoured. He, however, was carrying no weapons. 

 

"Ho! I was not expecting this!" he called up, angriliy. "Something with bite!"

 

He clenched his fists in frustration. 

 

"Shoot him down!"

 

There were six (at least) big men - and women - on his boat. Large, muscular, bald as you like, but not clones of the captain. They carried heavy pistols, and wore rough leather armour. Primitive, in many ways, bar the fact that the pistols they carried seemed cutting edge energy weapons!

[Exaccus]

"You've made some Intresting choices." Wether he adressed the captain, the crew or both on the matter of the ship, attire or attacking the beginings of WESTs HQ he didn't elaborate on, in truth he didn't know where to start himself

 

"Plenty of time for questions later." He remarked with mirth as he descended onto the prow and with his boosters folding away glanced around at the odd assortment of crew members.

 

"Well, Im a busy man, lets wrap you up quickly."

[Supercape]

GM

 

"No no! Lets wrap you up quickly!" replied the Captain, imploring the heavens for swift justice with shaking fists and a wide, mad, grin. 

 

The large men and women bounded into the see. Doctor Deoxy could see faciculating musculature that was powerful and strong. They were fast, too. Quick, strong. But with a glazed look in their eyes. 

 

They started firing - rather wildly, but with great fury, great speed. Streams of electricity flew through the air and slammed into Doctor Deoxy!

[Exaccus]

"Hoooorrrrrrgh!" He bellowed as his body contorted with electrostimulated muscle spasms, his form rippling slightly as the machines he was made of had a few minor surges and his silver skin began to glow orange with heat, his booster almost failed but with help from his symbiont AI he managed to stabilize himself and avoid falling into the ocean.

Edited October 4, 2018 by Exaccus

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Not so clever now, are you?" mocked the Captain. "You think you are the only one around here who can fly?"

 

The Captain sizzled with electricity, the sparks running down his body, his eyes aglow with voltage. And then, he rose twenty feet in the air, levitating on his own electrical power!

 

"Get rid of this fool!" he ordered to the last three of his minions. "You, you, and you! Follow me! we have a base to destroy! muahahaha!"

 

Yes, he was that crazy. 

 

As he levitated off, followed by three large figures who trudged on the earth, his other three minions circled Doctor Deoxy, who lay in a foot of ocean water, the waves bobbing around him. 

 

Zap! Zap-Zap-Zappity Zap!

 

The electrical bolts sizzled around the water and started to fry Doctor Deoxy again. 'Twas fortunate that the ocean at least dissapated some of the energy. 

[Exaccus]

His smouldering form now cooled by the saline solution of salt water he found himself once again under attack from multiple streams of electricity.

 

This time however he was prepared and managed to shrug them off.

 

Without another word he streaked to a point roughly equidistance between the  remaining shockers and unleashed a omnidirectional blast of heat beams, quickly putting them down in short order.

 

Another burst of speed later and he arrived within the second group of lackies and unleashed a second wave of infrared energies.

 

"You had your chance." He states with a solem resolve as he raised his hand towards the captain.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The men and women, large, strong and dull, really didn't have much of a clue what happened to them. The IR energy overheated their brains and their guns sparked and fizzed as they succumbed to the fan of radiation. In a suprising synchronisation (almost to the point one might think it was coordinated) they collapsed to the ground. It was fortunate that the ones in the beach water did not land on their face. 

 

"Imberciles!" roared the captain, floating overhead. 

 

"Well, I suppose I shall have to finish the job myself! Witness the power of SOLAR FLARE!" declared the captain, who it seemed was called (or at least had named himself) Solar Flare!

 

Electricity streamed from his bald head, and with a gleefull rage, he pounded rivers of electric sparks in a furious torrent towards Doctor Deoxy. Evidently, he was so focussed on pounding every last watt into the barrage, so determined on creating power and energy, that he forgot to actually aim the thing. 

 

A large chunk of burnt grass was all he had to show for his efforts. 

[Exaccus]

Doctor Deoxy saw no reason to engage the bald buffoon in conversation and answered in kind with a concentrated pellet of his custom engineered capture cells that missed.

 

"Anti-climactic." Deoxy complained before gesturing to solar flare tauntingly before once again rocketing away

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Fool! Ignorant! Idiot!" laughed Solar Flare, hovering in midair, crackling electricity around him. 

 

He projected another torrent of sparks which seemed to chaotically fly to the clouds. His protestations about Doctor Deoxies intellect might well have applied to him. 

 

"Hmmm! Stop moving will you!" he mumbled, irritated with himself. 

 

"Now...lets see if this works!" he added, an idea popping into his head. He grunted, his face full of focus, and the sparks on his suit coallesced, forming a pattern...a build up....

 

ZAMPHF! He dissapeared in a drizzle of sparks and a smell of ozone. 

[Exaccus]

Teleportation of all things, not what he had expected given the heavy use of electricity!

 

A quick scan didnt reveal his foe so he opted to instead prepare curling into a floating fetal position and charging his projectors capacitors to max as he waited to explode with energy!

[Supercape]

GM

 

From a distance, Doctor Deoxy could hear an enormous thummm! of energy. Scanning the horizon, he saw the communication array - that steel tower - shoot an erratic bolt of lightning to the skies, so strong it actually parted the clouds. 

 

"Doctor! Doctor!"

 

Below was North, holding a small handgun, and accompanied by five UN soldiers. They had mobilised quickly, unarmoured but carrying assault rifles. 

 

"What happened?" he asked, calling up. His eyes widened as he saw the large men and women knocked out, literring the beach. 

 

"Is it over?" he asked, but even as he said it, his voice and face suggested this was an unlikely scenario.