Stopwatch 2: Prototype (IC)

[Supercape]

GM

 

"W...Wait! Its Dangerous down there!" blurted Sobchack, reaching out to stop Velocity with utter futility. 

 

Steed was no less keen, jumping into the tunnel and sliding down on her behind with an echoing "whooo-hoooo!" shout of adventure. 

 

Robert, Lvov and Sobahcak followed more slowly, with Robert looking queasier by the minute. Even in the cold air, he was sweating. 

 

At the base was a small hollowed out cave. A generator hummed away in the corner, providing light but little heat. Despite this, it was less bitter down in the cave. Still cold, but without wind to strip heat from bone. 

 

And in the centre, on a pillar of ice, was, without doubt, the stopwatch prototype fragment. Arguably the biggest of the three. It throbbed with a faint light, and several cables were strung to it, connected to monitoring devices. Finally, a camera on a tripod was pointed directly at the fragment, visually recording it. 

 

Even as she reached the cave, Velocity could feel a strum of nauseating awareness, time slowing and speeding in warped ways around her...

[Thevshi]

It only took Velocity a fraction of a second to reach the tunnel.  As the nauseating feeling of time warping reached her, the speedster moved off to one side of the tunnel to observe the large fragment while waiting for the others to descend. 

 

Seeing the size of the fragment, she really wished Robert had taken her advice and remained behind with Hronos.  She had the distinct feeling that he was not going to react well with such a large piece, and considered that she might wish to keep a close eye on her to be sure the device was not able to assert some sort of influence over him like the other Stopwatch had been able to.

 

Glancing at the screens displaying the readouts from the monitors, aided greatly by the magnification her goggles provided, Velocity was able to determine that the power surges from the fragment had been increasing in power over the last few minutes.  Oh, I really do not like the look of that.  Cannot just be coincidence.  The speedster thought.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Thevshi

[Supercape]

GM

 

"What is this?" asked Steed, examining all the equipment. "I'm an Archeologist, not a nuclear physicist...ooph..." she mumbled, clutching her chest. 

 

"I feel...funny...the fragment..." she complained. 

 

"I feel...funny...the fragment..." she clicked, like a broken record. This time the time anomaly was localised, and Velocity could see her repeat herself. 

 

In the distance, at the top of the sloping tunnel, she heard the sound of a whumph...an impact, or a shout of distress. She could not be entirely sure. 

 

Robert slid down the slide, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom, quite alone. He looked - battered was the word. 

 

"Don't touch the fragment!" he said in a firm voice. "I must have it!!!" he demanded, standing slowly to his feet and looking rather dazed. 

[Thevshi]

Velocity watched as Steed repeated herself, clearly caught in a localized time ripple.  The speedster had a bad feeling about the increased activity, possibly tied to the ever increasing proximity of the other pieces as she and the others had flown south. 

 

At the sound from up in the tunnel, she turned that way, though she already could see the entrance thanks to her goggles.  As Robert landed at the bottom, she started over towards him, but stopped a short distance away as he spoke up, his statements sending a chill through her spin.

 

"No one is touching the fragment Robert."  She stated firmly, positioning herself between him and the pillar of ice.  "And certainly not you."

 

"Please fight this Robert."  She then added, her tone pleading.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Thevshi

[Supercape]

GM

 

Unperturbed, Robert advanced towards the icy spike that held the fragment in it. 

 

"You don't understand...." he said in a flat voice. 

 

"This is to stop Collapse. It is the only weapon against him..." he explained, eyes glazed and fixed. 

 

"The Stopwatch, the prototype, they were made from him...they create him, they destroy him. They are all an abomination against time and space itself..." he said in the same monotone voice. 

 

"Do not stop me! For the sake of...everything!" he said, and with purpose, but with hurry or sloth, strode towards the final and largest fragment, his hands reaching out to clutch the prize...

[Thevshi]

Velocity felt her heart sink at Robert's words.  While she could certainly understand the desire to want to ensure there was no Collapse, the glazed look in his eyes and his monotone voice were less than encouraging.

 

His words sounded awfully like what the time agents had said when they had tried to seize the Stopwatch in Switzerland, so it was possible they could be exerting some sort of influence over Robert to gain control of this fragment.  And of course, there was always the possibility the fragment itself was exerting control over Robert, causing him to say things that would make it less likely for her to try to stop him.

 

The speedster held her place between him and the pillar, continuing to scan the area around her for any sign of time agents, temporal anomalies or any other trouble, while still facing Robert.  "Robert, I understand the threat Collapse poses, but can we be certain these fragments, or the Stopwatch, can really be used against him?  You certainly are not acting like yourself.  Please stay back."

 

"Where are Captain Lvov and Professor Sobchack?"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"They are indisposed..." said Robert in a flat, dull voice. 

 

"And you will not stop me..." he finished, looking only at the Icy Fragment in front of me. 

 

Robert barged, rudely into Megan, and with rough, crude hands, he tried to throw Megan to one side. 

 

He may, of course, have been trying to paint he moon yellow. Velocity was so fast he could not lay a hand, or a finger on her. She could bat away any advance at her leisure. 

 

"You have to let me have it! I won't stop! I will have it!" he yelled at her. 

 

"I don't want to hurt you...but I will...." shouted his dull, monotonous voice, echoing through the small ice cave, 

[Thevshi]

Robert’s continued comments did little to encourage Velocity, as she dodged aside his attempts to brush her out of his path, managing to continue to remain between him and the pillar and stopping his advance.  At least for the moment.

"I do not want to hurt you either, but you are leaving me little choice."  She replied as her right hand shot out at him, breaking the sound barrier with a loud *CRACK*.    Just as she had in Switzerland several months ago, she was not aiming to hit him, but instead produced a small concussive shockwave that slammed squarely into his chest.  However this time, he was not phased by the attack at all. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

'Robert' looked down at his chest for a moment. He was totally unphased by the attack and returned his dead eyes to Velocity. 

 

"This unit is prepared. Your physical and combat abilities are well known and uploaded to my database" came a cold, rumbling voice that was not Robert's. 

 

An arm swung out - fast, like a whipping cord of concrete. Velocity was fast enough to duck, but the speed of 'Robert' was superhumanly fast. It may have missed, but it came close. 

 

Robert shifted and blurred, briefly replaced by a chrome and plastic android. It looked highly advanced, sleek, and powerful. 

 

"This unit is designed for combat parameters as well as infiltration. The human agents you despatched last time have been deemed nonfunctional for confrontation with you" it explained. 

 

And then, with another blur it faded to invisibility. 

 

"Mission objective: Recover prototype stopwatch" it intoned from thin air. 

[Thevshi]

Velocity had been a bit surprised when her attack was completely ineffective, so much so that she had almost failed to get out of the way in time when "Robert" tried to attack her again.

 

But then, it was quickly apparent that this was not Robert, first that it had spoken in a very different voice and referring to itself as "this unit," and then when its appearance shifted to that of an android, before it vanished from sight altogether. 

 

I hate it when they do that.  The speedster thought to herself as she was rapidly taking in the video feed from her goggles that allowed her to see everywhere around herself at once.  Then an idea came to her as she considered the relatively small space around the pillar.

 

"Well, you just made a big mistake reveling what you actually are, now I know I don't have to pull my punches any."  She said out load, appearing to glance around for some sign of the android.  The effort to keep her molecules vibrating to help counter the cold had made the speedster a bit tired, but she took a deep breath, readying herself for what she had in mind.  "And you think you know what all I can do?  Think again."

 

Velocity was then moving, becoming a faint yellow blur that seemed to fill the entire room at once.  Numerous loud *CRACKS* sounded seemingly from everywhere, as the speedster launched a rapid flurry of punches, aimed at every empty bit of space in the room, while carefully avoiding Steed, the pillar and fragment, as well as the equipment set up with the Russians. 

 

The tactic worked, as with one of the punches she felt her fist connect solidly with the robot.  "Ah, there you are!"  She stated, as she skidded to a halt, still between the invisible android and the pillar.  Of course, she had no idea how damaged it might be, if it was at all.

[Supercape]

GM

 

There was a dull thud as Velocity hit the unit. It felt robust enough, but from the brief look she had of its naked metal and plastic frame, it was built more for speed and grace. It was not plated with armour. 

 

"New offensive tactic noted. Countermeasures activated!" came the dead voice. 

 

From nowhere, a distorted beam that warped light and vision flew across the cave, missing the blur of Velocity. 

 

"Fragment acquired!" it said. Perhaps that cold voice even had a hint of victory about it as the Fragment was lifted whole from the icy pole it rested on. Although the Unit remained invisible, the fragment remained in sight, appearing to float in the air, presumably in the hand of the automaton. 

 

"Velocity...this is not good is it?" asked Steed from the sidelines, pressing herself against the icy side of the cave. 

[Thevshi]

Velocity easily skipped out of the path of the beam of energy that appeared from nowhere, but then frowned as she heard the robot speak behind her, indicating it had obtained the fragment.  She did not have to turn around to see that the fragment was now floating in midair, a somewhat helpful situation.

 

"No, it's not."  She replied somewhat crisply to Steed before she became a blur of motion once more.

 

This time, however, her blurring form was focused in a wide area around the floating fragment.  Once again the firecracker like symphony of *CRACKS* echoed in the camber as her fist repeatedly broke the sound barrier, flashing out in every possible area around the fragment the robot could possibly be.  Once again she felt her fist connect solidly with the robot.

 

Then, she came skidding to a halt, placing herself between the floating fragment and the exit.

"Steed, see if you cannot grab the fragment away from it!"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Fame and fortune await!" gulped Steed, galvanising herself with her eyes locked on the target. Without delay, she leapt forward, greedy hands stretched afore her, intent on wresting the prize for herself. 

 

She was in good shape, and fast. It was just that the unit was faster. The Fragment turned and swept away at lightning speed. 

 

"Automated Temporal Unit activating stealth field emergency subroutines" it belched, before the Fragment disappeared from view. 

 

A moment later, the robot appeared on the other side of the cave, without the fragment. It was sleek and fast, white, steel and plastic, and no doubt full of other advanced alloys and engineering. It was no taller than 5'8 at most, and of thin build, but it moved like a viper and was a strong as an ox. 

 

"The fragment is now safe in our hands. Your resistance is no longer valid. Request second fragment or face extraordinary circumstances" was its insinuation, looking directly at Steed at pointing at her chest where the fragment she had recovered was nestled and warm. 

[Thevshi]

Damn  Velocity thought as the fragment disappeared and then the android seemed to reappear while indicating it was safely secured.  When the android issued its ultimatum, she simply smirked.  "Oh right, like any of your 'circumstances' have amounted to much of anything so far."  She quipped, before becoming a blur of yellow for a third time.

 

A large number *CRACK*s associated with her supersonic punches went off seemingly simultaneously, as she once again launched punches at every possible space in the room (except those she was sure did not contain the android), working on the assumption that all might not be as it seemed.  That quickly proved to be the case, as the 'android' was reveled to be some sort of projection, and the real one was on where in the cave or up the tunnel.

 

Skidding to a halt at the top of the tunnel, she was glad to see that Robert and the Russians appeared unharmed, until she saw the blue tint to Robert's skin from the intense cold.

 

"Steed, get up here!  The others are unconscious, I need to start getting them back out of the cold."  She called down.

Edited August 2, 2013 by Thevshi

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Sheesh, what was that thing?" huffed Steed, still reeling from the blur of motion. The ATU was superhumanly fast, a blur of motion - except by Velocities standards. It had left her almost dizzy from the speed. 

 

"Some kind of terminator robot or something?" she asked "And...where the hell did it go?" she pondered, as she pulled herself up the tunnel to the bitter arctic surface, slipping on the ice as she did. 

 

At the top of the tunnel, Velocity could see the bug gently smoking from under its hood. The ATU had, upon reaching the top, clearly decided to disable the vehicle. Velocity could see scorch marks on the metal of the bug, clearly some kind of advanced energy weapon had hit it - and surgically too. 

 

The only other thing she could see was the ATU's footprints. Just as in Switzerland, the stealth field may have shielded the ATU from her sight, but served no function in concealing the snow's imprints. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

Meanwhile...back at base...

 

The ever alert ears - or rather, auditory receptors - of Hronos alerted him to the sound of the Base door opening briefly, letting in a howl of arctic air. And then footsteps, and then the sound of the door closing again and sealing. 

 

Boris, the handyman, was wrapped up in arctic weather and carrying what looked like a sniper rifle. And it looked like he knew how to use, handling it carefully and efficiently, cocking it to put a bullet in the chamber. 

 

He looked around an ran, powerfully, to the second back up bug, slinging himself in and starting the engine. He placed his goggles over his face to shield himself from the light snow that was falling, before driving off in the direction of the cave. 

[Thevshi]

"Some sort of robot from the future."  Velocity called down in answer to Steed's questions as she assessed the damage it had caused.  "It looks as if it disabled the Bug as well, likely is going after the other fragment back at base."

"I am getting Robert back into the warmth of the base, he looks pretty bad off."  The speedster called out as she hefted her boyfriend up into a fireman’s carry over her shoulders.  "I will be back for the others."

 

With that, Velocity was off, running into the snow towards the research base.  Even with Robert's weight and the slippery ice, she was still fast enough to cover the distance in seconds.

 

Edited August 4, 2013 by Thevshi

[Vahnyu]

Hronos contemplated for a few milliseconds what it was that the man who ran was up to. The object in his hands reminded him of similar weapons that humans in this planet use. Of course, seeing as this facility was manned by military personel as well, it was to be expected. However, it gave Hronos a grave feeling, as to why he was running. It seemed something urgent was driving him, but if something had happpened at the cave, and they had requested back up, they should have brought word to Hronos as well. That meant that the man was taking action outside the parameters of what Velocity and her two friends were operating under, even potentially getting them into danger, and while Hronos had no doubt that the Freedom Leaguer could look after herself, it would no doubt cause her at least some trouble, in regards to sir Robert and miss Steed. Deciding that he needed to find out what was going on, he shut down his enhanced chronal senses, and powered up his Support Motor. Flying towards the vehicle the man had entered, he attempted to intercept it.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Boris looked up as the motor of the second bug started up. He was wearing his goggles and had the sniper rifle strapped to his back. 

 

"You!" he said, staring straight at the robot. He paused for a second, or two, before working out what to day. 

 

"This is not your fight, not your business, robot. I won't lie to you. I am Russian Military. Spetznas. I am being here to make sure what we found stays in Russia. No funny business. you understand?"

 

"I am not being here to fight Americans, not fighting the Liberty League. You understanding? I am being the here to stop theft, make sure Russia keeps what Russia is finding? You understand? No matter what base captain says. This is direct order from military. Not for the fighting, but to stop taking what is ours. That is my job!" he said in broken but confident English. 

 

He unslung his rifle from his back, slowly and calmly. 

 

"I not wish to be the fighting with robot..." he explained in a cool measures voice. 

[Vahnyu]

Hearing his words, Hronos replied to the Spetznaz soldier, ignoring the rifle trained at him. "It is comforting to know that you wish to avoid conflict. Let me assure you that neither myself nor the heroine Velocity are in this base as representatives of the United States of America, nor are we here as representatives of any other country. As we have already explained to the head scientist of this facility, Doctor Ivan Andrejevic Sobchak, and Captain Lvov, the Stopwatch device that this facility houses is a dangerous and potentially unstable item, capable of mass scale tampering with the time-space continuum."

 

Pausing to let the words properly sink in, the Mechanodynamis abridges "That is to say, if the Stopwatch is not handled carefully, it could lead to the ruination of not only this facility or your country Russia, but to the entire world as well! It is therefore imperative, for everyone in this planet, to ensure that such an event does not occur. To that end, I would request that you lower your weapon, and explain to me what it is you seek to accomplish in greater detail. If I know that, then perhaps I will be able to assist you."

[Supercape]

GM

 

Boris paused, and frowned. The Rifle didn't waver an inch. 

 

"You are speaking of the rubbish" he said, slowly. "My mission is clear. The artifact is for Russia. No interference, no stealing. The Captain may be willing to compromise, but I have been trained to obey orders..."

 

"My mission is clear" he repeated to himself with steel in his voice. 

 

"Now, you are getting in my way, or you are getting out of the my way?" he asked, baring his teeth and hissing out a steamy breath. 

 

He revved up the Buggy to indicate his intention. 

 

"Do not stop me!" he commanded as he edged forward. 

[Vahnyu]

Hanging his head slightly, Hronos let an air full of static in exasperation "It is unfortunate. I had wished that you would be reasonable. It is clear to me now that not only do you intend to cause trouble, you are blindingly unremorseful in regards to the consequences of your actions. You would blindly follow the letter of your national allegiant duty, and ignore the spirit and intention behind it." His chest started transforming, revealing a hole that exposed the spherical-shaped energy spark that was the Essense of Time. Hronos had begun powering up his attack, intend on preventing Boris from achieving whatever goals his twisted sense of patriotism had led him to. "I am affraid that I cannot acquiesce to your command and refrain from stopping you." He threatened, as he was ready to take action.

[Supercape]

GM

 

Boris did not hesitate. His reactions were incredibly fast. With one hand, he fired his rifle with a loud crack, straight into Hronos. 

 

"You be suiting the self, then!" he answered, Revving up the tracked baggy and speeding off in a circle around the Robot, towards the Cave where the fragment was. 

 

The rifle was a high powered sniper rifle, a dangerous weapon in any hands, but particularly so in the Russian's. He clearly knew his way around weapons, and was a crack shot. 

 

"Do not be the following! I will be completing of mission, and will be shooting at the stop makers!" he shouted back as the Buggy sped off, tearing up snow into Hronos face as the tracks whipped across the snow fields of the Antarctic. 

[Vahnyu]

While the rifle shot pierced the robotic being, Hronos ignored the minimal damage he sustained, and pursued Boris, despite the spetznas' stern warnings. He still wished to avoid injuring the human, if he could avoid it, so he instead opted to take a defensive stance, as he carefully approached the sniper from above his cover. He then spoke in the Russian's language "Let me state once again that I am affraid I cannot do that. Surrender now, or I will be forced to use excessive force, in order to subdue you." The Mechanodynamis continued hovering above the Russian's head, keeping an intent eye at his trigger finger.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The Russian clocked his rifle once more. 

 

"I cannot be the surrender, machine" he called out. "My mission is to protect scientific finding for Russia. I will not be abandoning mission!" he shouted, but his voice was more one of grim determination than anger. 

 

"You being the surrender!" he said "You stay out of way, go back America! Leave Russian findings for the Russia!" he said, in his limited diplomatic way. 

 

He did not fire, but merely took aim with his rifle. 

 

"Or I being showing you excessive force! I will not be the abandoning the mission!"