ic Grand Funk Rumblings

[Brown Dynamite]

NSW Trainlink

Melbourne, Australia

December 1st, 2013

6:15 AM

 

 

The construction of a high-speed rail link along Australia's Eastern coast from Melbourne to Brisbane had long been a dream denied fruition until the government finally came to a resolution in funding such an ambitious project.  A bullet train capable of scaling the distance between Melbourne and Sidney in only four hours was like a dream.  But Michael Fields was no ordinary dreamer, so he made sure that Fields Technology intervened during the design phase lobbying for high-end cost-effective improvements on the overall design.  Until eventually Fields Technology was given the helm of the project, and they wasted little time improving the Bullet Train's speed to cross the distance between Melbourne and Sydney to only two hours.  

 

If the experimental railway proved successful enough, Fields Technology could possibly even get the green light to improve railways all over the country.  The Government was also quick realize the potential increase in revenue due to tourism if such a venture was indeed a success.  Michael Fields was quick to join in on the new bullet train's maiden voyage after all his company's reputation had a lot riding on the investment.  And it was still a work day after all.

 

The new train wouldn't set off for another half an hour.  But commuters were already lining up trying to get a seat.  Some on their way to work.  Some on vacation. And others were simply wanting to hitch a ride on the bullet train early on.  Luckily, there was room for any matter of passengers.

Edited December 6, 2013 by HG Morrison

[RobRX]

Mister Finley had just gotten back to Freedom City after a five-year absence and already he had found himself away from the city, in this case for mystical purposes. His mentor had recommended him to visit Ayers Rock. Even with his training done and over, there was still more to learn from other masters. After all, there was still much he had to learn about the arcane arts. he was but an initiate in such matters.

 

With his armor safely stored within a compartment and his nerve-interface suit hidden beneath actual clothes, he could travel lightly enough and not expose his secret identity. Still, Kyle couldn’t help but feel just a tiny bit anxious. After spending years away from society, first travelling then as an hermit, re-adjusting to it was not as easy as he imagined it would be. For now, he would have to contend with the hassles of day-to-day life.

Edited December 7, 2013 by RobRX

[horngeek]

Near the front of the train, a family of three talked, discussing the events of the day... and things to come. 

 

Of course, the fact that one of the three was the man behind the current form of the project might have been why they were in a private room.  Michael smiled at his daughter.  "Well, everything seems to be going well for the inaugural train trip... here's to the fastest train in Australia."

 

Catherine grinned back.  "By well more than a hundred kilometres per hour.  Seriously, dad, this is amazing."

 

The head of Fields Industries chuckled.  "I was more looking for a challenge than anything else.  Should cut down on the travel times a bit... and make travel cheaper.  Right now, if you want to get between cities at a reasonable pace-"

 

The door opened, Opal Field's cane tapping against the floor as she walked in with the half-limp that she'd had for as long as Catherine could remember.  "You need to travel by plane, since cars and trains take too long.  Dear, I'm fairly sure you've wanted to do something like this ever since you and Edward started up the company."  She smiled gently, before sitting down with her husband's help and looking at Catherine.  "Right now, though... you're heading back to Freedom City in two days.  Let's just spend the trip together as a family, hmm?"

 

"Okay, mum."

[Exaccus]

Alex wasn't sure what had possessed him, but the moment he'd caught that headline about the opening of the rail whilst browsing the newspaper stands he'd been like a man possessed; using what was going to be the start of a Savings account to book a hotel in Brisbane to soak up the last week of his vacation time he'd braved the strange but not unpleasant experience of his first flight and made his way to the Station As fast as humanly plausible for a man of his age.

 

Now with ticket in one hand and a dufflebag of clothes and vacationing supplies in the other he found himself striding down platform along the length of the locomotive; Times had changed for certain, gone was the livery and heavy Iron frameworks of the trains he had once driven across the continents and in its place was a fuselage that evoked the look of the plane he'd Just gotten off of.

 

A strange countenance to be sure...but a beautiful one none the less.

 

Boarding the front-most carriage and picking out the front-most available seat and using its sufficient leg room for both himself and his luggage he sits and withdraws a water bottle from his coats pocket. "Here's to times gone and better times yet to come." he mumbles as he cracks the plastic seal in preparation..

[RobRX]

Sitting down at his seat, Kyle let his mind wander and relax for a brief moment. Emphasis on ‘brief’ as it does not take long for him to start thinking about his work. Diagrams fill his mind, blueprints and arcane formulas. And, of course, what lies ahead for him on his journey to Ayer’s Rock.

 

Trying to take his mind off work, he look around the train out of simple curiosity. After all, this was a state of the art train and he had five years of technological advancements to catch up to. ‘Maybe I should take an afternoon to study that train’, think Kyle. He snaps out of it, once again wrestling with the idea that he can relax. It is a somewhat alien concept. Before, he worked as an inventor. Then, memorizing arcane formulas and pouring old tomes became his routine. Now he had to do both. Finally managing to take his mind off all that, he looks around the train.

Edited December 7, 2013 by RobRX

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

It wasn't long before the train was loaded up with its first set of passengers.  The train was a fusion of old and new ideas.  On the outside it was sleek and aerodynamic to aid its patent protected propulsion system in becoming competitive against modern airfare and regular car travel.  The inside was an entirely different matter with many passenger carriages favoring a comforting old fashioned feel.  There were even private carts with enough legroom for those looking to rest the ride away.  The restrooms were held every other cart which did unfortunately mean some seats had a walk before they could relieve themselves.

 

While the private sections of the bullet train did have wall plugs for people to charge their electronic devices, there wasn't a wide breadth of modern convenience inside the vehicle aside from its very design.  The Australian government hadn't sponsored a pleasure craft and it was to be transportation above all.  However, for many the view outside of the windows would suffice as entertainment.  After all, this was hopefully, to become a new daily convenience if not the next big spectacle.

 

A  low chirping tone played over the intercom before the announcement played asking passengers to sit while the train left the station.  Of course a few stubborn men didn't heed the warning and were planted on their rears as the vehicle shot forth.  But after about two minutes it was deemed safe to move about the cabins once more.

[RobRX]

With time and privacy on his hands, Kyle Finley finds himself with some ample time to meditate. Closing his eyes, he focus to let all earthly concerns go away and enter a trance, as his masters instructed him to do. A clear mind allows focus, or so he was told. Meditation is essential to a clear, relaxed state of mind, one that opens it up. Unfortunately, Kyle has a rather active mind, one that doesn’t stop mentally tinkering so meditating takes a few tries before working for him.

 

‘I definitely need to learn to better apply those meditation methods I’ve worked on. Oh and I also need to work on updating the..’ And there he goes again, on a train of thoughts. He only manage to properly meditate on the next try.

Edited December 8, 2013 by RobRX

[horngeek]

"Hmmm.  The acceleration's an issue.  There might just have to be safety briefings of the type you get on airplanes..."

 

Opal smiled as she nudged Michael.  "After the trip's over, dear."

 

The businessman blinked, then chuckled at the pair kissed.  "All right.  Anyway, Cath.  You all ready for heading back to Freedom?"

 

Their daughter smiled, nodding.  "Just need to do a double-check, and my costumes are all fine.  It'll be wierd adjusting to the temperatures, but I can manage.  At least it shouldn't be like last month..."

 

Catherine's head met the nearest wall with a quiet thud, as Opal winced in sympathy.  "At least the person behind that particular month is behind bars, and you get a nice quiet train trip to relax."

[Exaccus]

Alexander found himself, for what may have been the first time, The weight of his years upon his shoulders, for here he felt Safe In his familiarity, Comfortable in his understanding, the gentle thrumming of the floor and the rush of air as soothing as any sounds instruments could make to him he found himself lapsing into dreams of sepia toned memories of yester-decades.

 

All in all a fine engine indeed.

 

with little stretch and a stifled yawn he slumps into his chair and settles down to sleep.

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

The ride on the high speed transport continued without issue for thirty minutes.  Aside from a few passengers whom had thus far shown no respect for the limits of personal pace there wasn't much to be complained around.  All in all it seemed as if it would be smooth sailing all the way through.  Until the entire train came to a screeching halt that is.  Passengers found themselves flung from their seat as the law of momentum wasn't on their side.

 

Those lucky enough to look out of the windows on the left side of the bullet train were able to catch side of three hooded figures riding on stockhorses in the distance.  They were were wearing long brown robes that matched the tone of their horses.  The attire looking positively aged.  The robed person in the center began speaking his voice carrying telepathically into the minds of the passengers aboard the train. 

 

<"We have come to free you from the bindings of this age of failure.  If the heretic, Michael Fields comes out willingly no one has to get hurt.  Otherwise, we will not hesitate to take the necessary force to capture him.  This mechanical affront to nature must be answered for.">

[RobRX]

Calm and meditation came to an end, a screeching and brusque one at that. He found himself rocked in his chair, leaving him surprised and perhaps a tiny bit confused. He blinked for a moment as his train of thought had to catch up to him. And it did so rather quickly as he immediately started thinking about scenarios on how to escape this situation. Well, ‘escape’ being a loose word here. He knew he likely had to step in, in some way, if no one else would.

 

‘Answered for?’ mentally scoffed Kyle, somewhat offended by the concept of such a machine being declared an affront to nature. Getting up from his seat, he knew he had to get to his briefcase as soon as there would be an opening for it. The question was; could he do it in time?

[horngeek]

Michael simply tilted his head at the telepathic demand.  "What."

 

Catherine growled under her breath, standing up and heading over to her backpack.  "I brought my costume.  I'll go and see what these people want.  Dad, mum, stay here, okay?"

 

She picked up the backpack, heading quickly out the door and to the closest restroom- taking a look at people's reactions along the way, before she slipped into the bathroom... and emerged a minute later, wearing her blue costume.  Vector looked around for a moment, before heading to the window, and looking out at the trio.  They don't look too dangerous... but one of them's defenitely a telepath.  I don't know exactly what they want my dad for...

 

She glared at the robed figures.  "But they are not getting him."  Vector started walking towards the closest train door. 

[Exaccus]

Alex wakes with a start as words resound within his mind, having not budged an inch from the inertia of the sudden stop; taking but a moment to look around he ducks a little to hide himself fully behind his chair and proceeds to whip his trusty cowl out from his breast coat pocket and don it, casting a hap hazzard glance out of the window as he tied the knot, relying entirely on being "that old guy on the train" and not letting people get a good enough look at his face to identify him.

 

Well, Well if it ain't a lynch mob....I guess some things never change.

 

he rising to his feet and standing at the front of the carriage "ladies and gentlemen, I must ask you to remain inside the train till this matter is cleared up, Please keep your heads down if possible, even if they're sincere about not gunning for bystanders all it takes is bad shot or a desperate distraction. I Must also thank you for not rummaging through my luggage in search of identification." gesturing towards his bag, full of belief in the inherent goodness of humanity  "Good day."

 

With that he makes his way at walking pace towards the nearest Door; Searching it for the emergency opening doohickey.

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

Alex had no problem finding the emergency door latch.  Even with the train's power being cut once the momentum came to a halt the doors could all be manually released as a safety precaution.  The spirit of industry easily able to make his exit undeterred.  He was a hulking titan as he burst onto the scene.  A short distance away, Vector emerged shortly after.  The golden cross on her body hugging uniform almost reflecting as the sun shone above.  Meanwhile, Kyle was able to succeed in reaching his briefcase.  The fact that he had take up a private cart for himself coming to his advantage as he was averted from prying eyes.

 

The threesome didn't take kindly to wrong passengers exiting the train.  The center figure raised his left hand pointing his index finger up at the roof of the train.  Soon the entire mechanical vessel shook for a quick burst as  if it was hit by a large force.  The screams of passengers afterwards making it hard to hear the next telepathically communicated message.  

 

<"Do you think this is a joke Fields?  We called for your head?!  Nothing less will do.">

Edited December 12, 2013 by HG Morrison

[RobRX]

After scanning him (a security measure, of course), Kyle’s suitcase pop open, revealing what appears to be very thin plates of metal all stuffed very tightly inside it. Their color being similar to the rest of it. With a loud thud, the suitcase splits into pieces and with a flick of the hand he separates it into pieces. Removing his business suit, Kyle reveal a skin-tight suit underneath, lined with circuitry. Putting his feet inside the bottom part of the machinery, they flip and tighten into a pair of boots while another part forms up into a pair of gauntlet.

 

The rest of it applies itself to his body, connecting with the skintight suit and expanding, forming an armor around him that then seal itself tight. As the final pieces shift into place, forming up the neck and eventually the head/helmet, he presses a button on the belt, unfurling the red cape from the back of the armor. Then, with a metallic click, the armor finishes sealing itself.

 

“You know…†says the Silver Magus as he exit the train, rocket boots levitating him as the cape flaps behind his armor. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you people to stop this right now and reconsider what you are about to do. Breaking that train would be a shame now wouldn’t it?â€

Edited December 12, 2013 by RobRX

[horngeek]

Vector growled under her breath as she felt the rocking of the train, still glaring at the figures as she came to a halt under the Silver Magus and looked up at him for a moment.  "They're going to murder an innocent man for trying to help people. Well, they're going to try.  They're not going to succeed.  But no, they don't get to back out of this."

 

And then she whispered under her breath, audible only to her.  "They don't get to hurt dad."

 

The heroine started sprinting forwards, quickly accelerating towards the figures as each footstep carried her further and faster than it should have- almost as if the force of the feet hitting the dirt was amplified in some way. 

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

The hooded man riding the horse in the center began to chant an incantation under his breath.    Glaring at the armored man to fly into the scene.  Bringing the total of interruptions to three more than he could stand for.  <"Foolish interlopers.  Pay for your interference!">  Raising his hand a ball of fire would erupt from his palm targeting the armored sorcerer. Instead it would find itself nowhere near its mark. Fizzling out in a small patch of grass that stood no more.

"Get them. And then get Fields!"   The man bellowed with his actual voice for the first time as his magical display missed the mark completely. The other hooded riders obviously falling under the man's command.

[horngeek]

Vector noted that the leader cast a... spell... at the armored man.  Oh, great.  Science vs. Magic was really, really old if that's what this was about.  She certainly wasn't going to lose her dad to it. 

 

Of course, his aim really, really sucked.  If that was all, this was going to be easy.  Of course, the heroine had the feeling that these three weren't all there was.  In the meantime, however...

 

She lept off the ground, her arc easily carrying her up to the level of the three riders... before her fist slammed against the closest flunky, with much more force than would be expected from the small woman.  The punch pushed him off his horse, and Vector caught him on the way down- she was furious at these men, but she was better than them.  Vector placed the unconsious man down on the ground, before turning to face the others, her expression firm.  "You're getting no one."

[RobRX]

Kyle, inside his helmet eyes widened just a little bit as the blast of fire went into his directions and others could see the Silver Magus instinctively twitch out of the way. Even when protected by his armor and wards, he still had a certain habit of trying to get out of the way. The helmeted head shifted slightly to look at the hooded figure.

 

Raising one of his gauntlets, the Magus said “My turn, then?†Sparks and lightning erupted from his hands as an holographic display of runes and magic text formed around him. “By the thundering breath of Ghorummaz, begone!†With a loud cracking noise, a lightning bolt erupts from his hand and toward the hooded figure. The hooded is tossed aside like a ragdoll by the thundering blow. "Oh. Did I hit too hard?" wonder the Silver Magus out loud, worried he might have severely injured the man.

Edited December 12, 2013 by RobRX

[Exaccus]

"I go for a nice relaxing holiday in sunny sandy Australia and what happens? A Wizard Hoodie and his lackeys Jump out of the wood works and make like a lynch mob!"  Ulysses Huffs indignantly and with that hurtles Headlong forwards as fast as his legs with carry him towards the the remaining foe, pulling alongside the mans horse he makes a short leap wraps his arm around the hooded figures neck and hauls him from the saddle and force him to bend over backwards in a headlock.

 

"You, My boy, Have some explaining to do."

[Brown Dynamite]

GM

 

The three stockhorses fled the scene.  Galloping away startled by having their riders flung in various ways off their saddles.  Serving absolutely no use to their only conscious master as Ulysses held the hooded miscreant within his steel grip.  A low grumble escaped the robbed figure's lips as he trashed about helplessly to no avail unable.  Finally the hooded man's body relaxed as he stopped his futile efforts managing to croak out from within the confines of the headlock, "You think yourself victors?!  History will remember us as the true saviors this day.  Just you wait."  A threat that would perhaps sound all the more threatening if he wasn't held by a mass of muscle.

[horngeek]

"Saviors don't try to murder people.  Especially not people who're trying to help others."

 

Vector strode over towards the final hooded man, stopping in front of him.  Her fist clenched for a moment, as if she were about to hit the hooded man who had threatened her dad, before she let out a breath and her hand relaxed.  "Congratulations, you've actually managed to get me bloody angry.  Not many people manage that right off, yay for you."

 

She leaned forwards, and glared at him.  "If you're so confident, you three must not have been the only ones.  What else are you planning?"

[RobRX]

“I’d say, judging by your tactics, dressing style and the magic you displayed; you people are magicians of some kind. Or, perhaps, a cult, one with a mystical bent perhaps?†With a small thud, the Silver Magus lands on the ground and approach the trapped man. “I can’t say I approve of your use of magic. Not one bit. Using such power foolishly can only lead to some disaster.â€

 

He then turn to Vector. “I’ll let you handle the questions, if you don’t mind. I am not much of a people’s person and, beside..†The armored sorcerer begin to fiddle with one of his gauntlets. “Just give me a moment, I got this thing to calibrate. It won’t take long.†After realizing he’s just standing there, messing with his armor he adds; “It’s still new. Hm, I suppose I ought to ask you people; who are you? Who do you work for and why use such power against nothing more than a  simple train?â€

He then turn his expressionless, armored face toward him. “Or if you want, I could always get myself an assistant in testing functions I have not used with this armor yet. Like the missile launchers or the high-intensity cutting lasers.†bluff Kyle as he extend a finger, pointed right at the man’s forehead.

Edited December 14, 2013 by RobRX

[Exaccus]

Ulysses Felt His temper give as the man remained defiant in his grasp; It was a strange sensation, like a great balloon filled with fire and thunder swelling up and exploding in his chest. It was almost like he was watching from outside himself as he sprung into fast and furious motion.

 

"I'm An Old, Old man son, I don't have the patience or the temper for this anymore!" he thunders Louder than he thought he could, flinging his captive from the headlock and head first into his waiting hand. "You. Will. Tell. Us. EVERYTHING!" his grip tightening around the mans skull ever so slightly "If i have to force you then so be it! lord knows Ill Never sleep soundly again....But you better believe that won't stop me; My health, My happiness...My Very Spiritual Needs are all things I'll throw under the wheels if i must." Moving his hand to hold the side of the cultists head he pulls him in till his forehead meets with his own "Don't make me hurt you; Boy."

[Brown Dynamite]

GM
 
The hooded miscreant cackled nervously.   Vector wasn't exactly a frightening sight to him.  Her emotional commitment to the threat had lessened any real impact it might have had on him.  But between Ulysses and the impending threat of being blasted by Silver Magus' laser and rockets.  He wasn't exactly feeling like hot stuff.  Conceding to spill his beans lest he undergo more bodily harm.
 
"Fine, you wish to know about the might you dare defy?  I shall tell you heretics what exactly you are up against.  The Order of VadÄtÄjs has been around for far longer than you whelps.  We alone oppose the wicked who continue to stray from society's Agrarian destiny.  Stopping the four of us doesn't mean you will have won.  It merely delays the inevitable.  The titan of industry will pay for what he has wrought into this world mark my words.  Just remember the days of industrialism are numbered, do you really want to be on the wrong side once we return to the true roots of man?" 

 

Whatever fear drove the man's confession, it did nothing to uncheck the crazy column on his spotty psyche.