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At 3/3/05 02:55 PM, Baderact wrote: Zanzibar pointed up at the sky in anticipation of LeChuck's most hasty arrival.

*Zanzibar and Atomicus watched as LeChuck made his most hasty arrival down to the surface of Luna. LeChuck was the first off the ship, via going through the wall, and landed directly in front of the two. He had his cane in hand. An expression came over his face suddenly, and he almost lit up. He look confused for a moment
What the Devil is this feeling? I.....feel like I could destroy planets.....damned magic crap
*He composed himself and spoke*
"What did I miss? Where's Lawrence? Who's this?"
*LeChuck indicated towards Atomicus. Zanzibar quickly explained the situation. LeChuck nodded.*
"I see....so Lawrence still didn't come to his senses, even after Atlas was defeated. Well, we feared this, but we should be adequately prepared. Some captain named Gorthok is back commanding the Tortugan and Jovian fleets, since I killed Gigus. There are about 45 million Jovians still on earth battling our 5 million, so we're in a tight spot. I haven't heard from Bialetti in hours, and the last radio transmission we received was something about some corporate vessels and some unknown ones had been sighted. The shit is hitting the fan, gentlemen. We had better get to fixin' it."
*LeChuck turned and walked back to the ship. Everyone left on Luna followed, and in no time they were back on the Widowmaker and headed back to Earth to try and end things once and for all

[Foreboding? I think so ; ) ]

At 3/3/05 01:51 AM, Baderact wrote: Zanzibar nodded and Dalton rushed back to give LeChuck the co-ordinates to Luna.

*LeChuck turned as Dalton appeared and relayed the coordinates to Luna.*
"Thank the GODS!" LeChuck exclaimed as he jumped out of the captains seat. He moved quickly to the highest ranking Jovian, who had stayed on deck in case LeChuck had had any questions regarding the ships or classic Jovian protocol.*
"Listen, Garthul, or whatever your name is: I have to go pick up a friend, but not in this ship. I am leaving you in charge of the Tortugan and Jovian forces for now. Don't die, don't lose, I'll be back soon."
*With that, LeChuck sped off through the walls of the ship. It took him at his speed, nearly 2 seconds to get out of the Tyranic II; this was unheard of. LeChuck paused a moment outside to marvel at the sheer mass of the ship. He nodded in approval.*
"Thanks again, Gigus. You were way more useful dead than alive..." he muttered. He spun and zoomed into the Widowmaker, a medium-sized Tortugan battleship that was heavily equipped, but built for speed as well. He zoomed onto the bridge, and everyone but the captain was alarmed. The Captain immediately stood and saluted.*
Capt: Ten'SHUN!
*The whole bridge came to attention. LeChuck quickly saluted and moved to the captain, indicating they stand at ease.*
"Listen..." He looked at his nametag. LeChuck liked a first name basis with his captains and highest ranked, so he made them wear nametags, "...Gearnut? Whatever, Gearnut, I am commandeering your ship."
*The Captain stood aside and saluted once more.*
Capt: Yes sir!
*LeChuck jumped into the chair and quickly barked out the coordinates to Luna. The ship spun and blasted off into hyperspace.*

*Back on Earth, Bialetti was up to his nose in Jovians and corporates, and while his men were dying at a faster rate, they were taking their more than fair share with them. Bialetti's uniform was in shambles, from explosions to plasma blasts to knife cuts. His skin had no marks, but he would've been dead hours ago. He froze suddenly in the middle of a melee, the Jovian on his knife shuddering finally as the knife ended it's life, and he looked upwards. He felt something...something odd. He had felt immortals before, but this presence was...much stronger. More potent....and there were two? Bialetti frowned and took a plasma blast to the back of the head. He cursed as hje felt his hair singe off, then quickly regrow. The corporate soldier watched in horror as Bialetti's bald spot became regrown with hair and Bialetti turned.*
"I don't go bald." And he slit the soldiers throat.
*He had not been in contact with Mensk in several hours, but he knew where his general area was. Of the original 50,000 that had landed, only 9,000 remained. The Jovians were at an estimated 15 million, which was much lower, but still a whole lotta lizards. Bialetti and his squad of 2,000 moved forward, getting closer to Mensk. Biatelli tapped his headset and spoke Mensk's code, effectively creating a secure link to Mensk's headset. He hoped he hadn't dropped it...As he yelled into the radio, his snooty-officers voice had disappeared and it was replaced with his old soldier grunt voice; simply yelling to another soldier.
"Mensk, this is Bialetti. My forces are significantly lowered, and of the 50,000 there are 9,000 left. The other 5 million are working there way down, but they have orders to clean out the Jovians on the surface, and won't be joining us for a while. Where is our next destination? I don't mind hacking it down here, but I'd prefer to know where the fuck I'm going. Over"
*He slashed through a corporate and a jovian on either side with dual plasma katanas that had mini-blasters on the handles and the option to extend an extra 3 feet each to become spears. He impaled another two as he beheaded another Jovian. He fought on as he awaited an answer from Mensk. He hoped things were going well up in space. His wife would not be happy if he came home in a pine box.*

*LeChuck sat fuming in his chair. He knew the Dark Avatars army was massing, he could see them. His forces were mustered and ready for battle, and they would not be defeated so easily. More Tortugan reinforcements were arriving, hundreds more capital ships. The defenses were ample to keep the colonies safe. It was apparent the battle was mostly here, at Earth. LeChuck grinded his teeth, as he had not heard from Bialetti specifically, but his troops were fighting valiantly. Dying, yet taking many Jovians with them. If they were to lose, they would make sure their enemy would never survive either...*
*LeChuck slammed his fist into the arm of the captains chair, effectively crushing the metal like playdoh. He cursed his temper, and called the Boy. Dalton appeared, informing him the Boy was being healed, but he could do whatever LeChuck's bidding was. He grabbed him by the collar and brought his fearful, ghost-face close to his material one. His lip quivered in rage.*
'FIND ZANZIBAR! TELL THAT SCUM-SUCKING, BARNACLE-SCRAPING SHITFUCKER TO TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK HE IS! I'VE GOT AVATARS OUT THE ASS APPEARING, AND I NEED SOME ANSWERS NOW!!!"
*He threw Dalton back through the rip in space, and he turned his attention back to the attack. He commed his most recently appointed Jovian Weapons captain on the ship.*
"Captain? Okay, my men are dying, and you don't seem to be friendly with the Jovians down there. Kindly locate all the Jovian strongholds on Earth and bombard them with everything we've got. My men need assistance and I can't send anymore troops yet. Hit them hard. And can we use that MAW long-range? I've got an idea..."

At 2/28/05 10:16 AM, Atomicus wrote: *On board the Tyranic II the Jovians have given LeChuck instructions for the captains chair, the rest of the work is only needed to be commanded. Jovian Mechanics have repaired the MAW cannon and restored the engines to full working order. LeChuck is now in full command of the largest Jovian ship yet built.*

*LeChuck thanked the captains for showing him the controls of the Jovian ship. Now that the MAW was restored, the Tyranic II was much more ready and able to fight. Since about 5 of the Jovian capital ships had survived as well along with Tyranic II, the fleet was now 6 more massive vessels strong. LeChuck was still thinking about what to do about the situation on Earth. While he wanted to eliminate the Jovians as soon as possible and bring his troops back where they were needed, he could not leave Earth defenseless. Suddenly it came to him. He began relaying orders across the boards to all Tortugan vessels that harbored CSU's. They were all deployed and all sent to earth....*

*Down on Earth, the battle between the Jovians and the Elites raged on. Each side now had firm footholds in places, and while Bialetti and Mensk were moving downwards and still encoutering corporate forces, it was purely Jovia and Tortuga on the surface. The Elites were slowly losing, as the overwhelming amount of Jovians was simply daunting and seemed like a neverending wave against them. When it seemed defeat was a possibility for the Elites for the first time in centuries, from the sky came 10,000 CSU's. Each one carried with it what appeared to be a large battery on it's back, wired to it's systems and guns. When the first one landed, it was immediately set upon by the Jovians, and unable to do it's job. As they were built to do so, the rest noticed this, and paused before the Jovians could tear them apart. The first activated it's self-destruct sequence, and a high-pitched whine began emanating from it as it fell from the sky onto the ground in the middle of Jovian Cyborgs. They looked down on it, and seconds later it went off. A sizeable EMP blast was sent throughout the area, causing the Jovian Cyborgs to malfunction in all their equipment. The ones that were more physically machine became paralyzed; those with neural connectors died, their brains frying in their skulls. The remaning 9,998 CSU's repeated the same procedure, finding it incredibly effective against the fleet. Jovian Cyborgs were dropping left and right, and the Tortugan Elite took the opportunity to rally and strike back, except they found they had to revert to their bullet weapons and combat knives, since their guns fried and malfunctioned in their hands. With blood in their eyes, they took to tearing apart theJovians in disarray.*

*LeChuck was still worried that he had not heard from Bialetti in hours, but he had faith that his most trusted, Immortal captain was still alive and well. He had faith in the troops as well, but was sure there would be casualties. LeChuck sensed and contacted the Boy, and moments later he appeared in a rip in space. LeChuck whispered.*
"Tell Zanzibar we're winning again on Earth, and that I now control the Tyranic II. I want to know what is going on there, and if he needs help, tell him we are able to come to his aid if necessary. Boy, ignore his brash manners and over-confidence. If you decide he needs help, let me know. It would take Hell and then some for that stubborn bastard to ask for my aid."
*The Boy nodded and disappeared once more. LeChuck turned back to planning further defenses for Tortuga, and how to disperse the Elites on Earth to maintain it's continued safety and protection.*

*LeChuck slowly grew more and more confident as more elder Jovian officers pledged their loyalty to him. He assured each and every to do his best in Mortis's name, and to return Jovia II to what it once was, and dissolve the religious fanatacism that had enslaved their people. He then told his fleet not to fire on any Jovian vessels ever, as they were now allied for one cause. However, he informed them the Jovians on Earth were still loyal to a dead leader, and would most likely not surrender. Now that the corporate ships there had been entirely demolished, Tortuga and the Jovians could focus all their attention on getting the Jovians off of Earth.*
*As LeChuck sat in the captains chair of Tyranic II, Dalton appeared out of the thin air, visible only to himself and Matt. He whispered in his ear. LeChuck cursed.*
"That bloody ship of his....smoking entities and crap...yes yes, tell Ryder I hope he kicks that pompous smoking ass of that ship."
*LeChuck was then informed that they were rebuilding their defenses, as word had gotten round that the corporate fleet was mysteriously regrouping in deep space. While most saw this as not much of a big deal, and thought that they might be simply tending to their wounds, LeChuck knew better. He knew a good strategy when he saw one.*
"Tell Cognito to step up the border patrol tenfold. I want all recruits (this had been a busy year, and they had 15 million recruits almost completing their training) working double time, and the officers to teach them faster than ever. I want every gun, every defense, every laser, every bomb checked; I will accept no duds when it comes down to it, and will demote a man every time I find, or hear, about a misfiring or imperfection. I will not tolerate half-assed work. Keep the citizens in the Inner Orbit, and double the mine output. I want deep probes conducted every five minutes, sensing any incoming ships. I don't care if it's a petrified turd light years away, I want it blown to smithereens."
*Dalton nodded and disappeared. LeChuck turned back to the Jovian officers with a smile.*
"Gentlemen, we are reaching the final hour. While you are technically under my command, I respect each and every one of you for remaining loyal to your true king, and thus I view each and every one of you as an equal. I will leave the orders of the Jovian fleet to whomever you may deem your interim superior, perhaps one of you that I might coordinate with instead of all of you. I am glad we are allied once more. I simply request that we keep all large troop movements and battle tactics coordinated, so as to not get separated and in chaos. We've got several enemies poised to strike, and we must not show any weaknesses whatsoever..."

*LeChuck breathed heavily, slumped against the wall, half-asleep. His body was fully healed, but he was still physically exhausted. The cane had drawn much more from him than he had ever experienced, and he had never in his life experienced fatigue like this. It was all he could do to keep his eyes open.*
*He lazily turned to face Matt as he came through the walls.*
"What are ye....a down syndrome ghost......I killed....that bastard. Everything....is fine now.......I need you.....to get to the bridge........and ....oh fuck it"
*He grunted as he slowly rose, his knees buckling. He actually used the cane for it's purpose, and he smiled weakly to himself as he realized why it had been in the form of a cane.*
"Ancients....your humor.....hehehe." He chuckled softly. He used his other hand to steady himself against the wall. He rested a few moments, catching his breath more, closing his eyes and focusing his strength. He took a deep breath and exhaled, the nanomachines having aided his replenishing a great deal. He looked to Matt with eyes ablaze with determination.*
"Now we fix what that schmuck started. Keep up."
*LeChuck dashed through the walls once more, back to the bridge. He came through the walls and slowly to a stop in front of the captains chair. He looked to Gigus's corpse, and he sighed, still regretting he had to kill Mortis's only son. The battle would haunt him for ages. He had slain children with no remorse before, but never children of a dear friend. It had a different feeling to it, even if they had tried to kill him. Such were the casualties of war. He sat in the chair and got a feeling for the ship controls. As he sorted through the blueprints of the massive ship he began to understand just how large it actually was. He whistled to himself as he realized this was quite an upgrade from Devil's Plague. He composed himself and got on the comm.*
"All Jovians aboard the Tyranic II, this is Smuttynose LeChuck speaking. I have slain your leader Gigus, but know this. Those of you who were loyal to Mortis and/or Atomicus, Gigus was a traitor. He plotted against his father, and it was Atlas who slew Mortis in the end. I am now in control of this ship, but I realize not all of you were faithful followers of Gigus; some of you have even been mislead. If you are still loyal to Gigus and willing to end your life in his name, I will grant your wish. If, however, you were never loyal to Gigus and merely a victim of his tyranny, hear me now when I say I was a close friend of Mortis, and I had no intentions of killing Gigus. I know he was his only son, and Mortis's dying wish was that I keep him alive if I could. Unfortunately, he was willing to die for his tainted cause, and it brought me no joy to end his twisted life. If you were loyal to Mortis, help me bring an end to this madness. If you aid me in this, I personally gaurantee each and every one of you willing that you will live to see another day. Now, if you would please get this ship back in top working order, I can try to help save as many of your brethren as I can..."
*LeChuck then sent a transmission to his fleet, informing them he now controlled Tyranic II, and to cease firing on the Jovian fleet until he said otherwise. Half the fleet was ordered to destroy the bedraggled remains of the corporate fleet, and then to begin bombarding the planet where the Jovians were reported having overrun the Elite bases of operation, as well as wherever they may have gained a foothold.*

At 2/23/05 03:46 PM, Atomicus wrote:

the ground now, about one fifth of all the Jovian troops are cyborgs too..."

Computer: "T-minus ten minutes and counting til final self-destruct. T-minus five minutes til failsafe deactivation."

Gigus: "HA! All I need to do is keep you busy for five minutes... and you won't make it out of here the way you planned. I have no pity for my father, the one you called a friend. He died a pitiful death... weakened from his poor decisions. Such is how YOU will die now!!"

*Gigus forces a spark to shoot from the end of the sceptre at LeChuck. Gigus lunges and prepares to fight LeChuck to the death.*

(Ok buddy, you know what to do, make it interesting)

*LeChuck smiles like a maniac as he dodges Gigus's spark and attack, coming to a stop several feet away. Gigus turns and brings a plasma blade arcing out of nowhere towards LeChuck
s head. He brings the cane up to parry the blow, and at the same time grabbing Gigus's armor and drawing him closer to his face. He is practically spitting as he speaks through his clenched teth.*
"Cmon! Let me feel a little pain, it's been so LONG!"
*Gigus is scared, but jabs the sceptre into LeChuck's chest, a large burst of electricity shocking LeChuck flying across the room into a wall. He can be heard laughing as he charges back from the wall to send a fist rocketing into Gigus's stomach. He vomits once more and is himself sent flying into a wall, making much more of a dent than LeChuck had. He brings himself down, and finds that his sceptre has fallen from him. He desparately searches the room, preparing to fend off whatever might come his way simultaneously*
"Looking for something?" says LeChuck, low and slow from across the room.
*Gigus looks in terror as he sees LeChuck holding the sceptre*
"I think you dropped this." He said, suddenly crushing the sceptre slowly in his grasp. Shocks can be seen coursing through his body, and LeChuck jolts several times, some smoke rising from his hand. He finally is still, and he drops the now useless scrap metal to the ground. Gigus growls and moves to draw his plasma daggers, but quickly finds himself again slammed into the wall, but this time being choked by LeChuck's cane. He struggles, beating LeChuck in the face, tearing at his flesh with his claws and beating his stomach and chest with his legs and feet. But he is still slowly choking. He is truly afraid as he sees his efforts to tear LeChuck's head off with his hands are in vain, despite the fact that he has ripped off both ears, gouged out one eye, and he is bleeding profusely from his chest and head. There is still one gleaming eye and a full set of teeth, what remained of his face covered in Jovian blood, grinning as Gigus slowly choked to death.*
"Say hello to Mortis for me when you see him" were the last words Gigus heard whispered as he slowly lost his grasp on LeChucks face, and fell limp.*

*LeChuck allowed Gigus's lifeless body to fall to the ground, and moments later, he too slumps to the ground, leaning against the wall. As the madness passes over him, he looks down to see how badly wounded he is, even though he is being repaired.*
"OOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!" He cries as he suddenly feels the pain of losing both ears and one eye. His vision slowly restores itself as the eye rebuilds. He is still for moments as he rests after having fought so many enemies and endured so much. He says a silent prayer to the gods that he had that cane. He is about to almost nod off when the computer sounds once more.*
Computer: T-minus 6 minutes. T-minus 1 minute to inevitable self-destruct
*LeChuck summons the strength to rise, as he is still weakened, and quickly calls the blueprints to the forefront of his memory. He races through the map as he finds where the main control node room is, where he could manually deactivate the sequence. Knowing he has but 60 seconds, he gets his bearing, summons all his strength, focuses, and sends himself flying through wall after wall after wall, getting closer and closer to the switch*
Computer: T-minus 30 seconds to inevitable self-destruction
*LeChuck bit his lip and concentrated harder as he raced further and further, finally reaching the room. He stumbled into a wall, his vision now blurry. He focused, and heard the 10 second countdown begin. He cursed to himself*
"Mother fucker, not after all that...."
*Almost in slow motion, he races forward and pushes the conveniently large button to deactivate the sequence.*
Computer: Self-destruct sequence deactitivated. All systems back online
*LeChuck sighed.*
"I'm sorry Mortis...I did what had to be done"

At 2/23/05 11:09 AM, Atomicus wrote: *Gigus swallowed heavily at this latest image. He order another battalion to surround the bridge. Yet somehow he didn't think it would matter. He even ordered ten of the Jovian Mechs to stand on the bridge. He tried to make new preparations to hold the fleet as long as possible... to get as many soldiers to Earth as possible. What was baffling to Gigus, was how that even with the largest ships that Jovian fleets had the tendency to still fall. Even so, the longer the fleet lasted the better chance the ground assault held. The 50 million that had been whittled down to 43 million as of the last report were soon to be joined by more. That gave Gigus just enough pride to keep going.*

Computer: "T-minus thirty minutes and counting til destruction."

Gigus: "Make sure that it sounded through the whole ship..."

*LeChuck was mere yards from a door that would reveal the battalion protecting the bridge when the announcement sounded throughout the ship.*
Computer: T-minus thirty minutes and counting til destruction
*He growled and walked through the door, catching many of the Jovian Cyborgs off-guard. Now well aware what he had done to their comrades, the Jovians were much more hesitant to rush him. They began forming a defensive line, moving some troops with short plasma staffs and polearms on either side to flank or box him in. LeChuck walked straight forward with a look of determination and fury on his face. The Jovian Captain called them to fire at will, and LeChuck was battered with plasma blasts. His body could repair itself faster than it was being destroyed, but he still felt the pain. He clamped his mouth and gnashed his teeth, suddenly aware he had bitten his own tongue off. It slowly grew back, but his mouth was filled with blood. LeChuck kept a steady pace towards the Jovian line of shields and blasters. The Captain began to grow nervous. He called a slow retreat, but to keep firing. The Jovians on either side began slowly closing in on the sides, and some moving in from behind, creeping as if it mattered with all the gunfire and screaming going on. LeChuck continued his movement forward...*
*His hand slowly moved to his belt and withdrew the cane. Not yet knowing what the cane could do, the Captain thought nothing of it. It was no gun or blade, what damage could it inflict? It would be the biggest mistake of his soon-to-be ended life. LeChuck held the cane in his left hand, and shot his right hand in the direction of the Jovians on his right. From his fist came crackling bolts of black lightning. The hundred-odd Jovians were instantly fried, dropping to ash on the ground. Their comrades on the left shuddered, and quickly moved in for the kill, but LeChuck tossed the cane to his right hand and repeated the procedure on his left side. Now 200 Jovians had dropped to black piles on the floor.*
*The Captain, a true Jovian, knew he would most definitely not make it out of there alive. He drew his plasma blade and called a charge...*

*Minutes later the 10 Jovian Mechs stand in front of the door, having heard all the battle noises, but the cameras had been disabled as soon as LeChuck had drawn his cane. They knew something was going on, and they had been particularly alert since the noises had suddenly gone completely silent moments ago. Several of the mechs made sure their blasters were set to fully charged...*
*The heavily sealed blast doors suddenly exploded inwards. They caught one Mech square in the chest, and piercing his frame, skewering him into the wall across the door. He shuddered and want still. The remaining 9 began firing and blasting everything they had at the smoking remains of the doorframe. From the dust came more crackling bolts of dark lightning, the Mechs shuddering and spasming as their systems went haywire. They twitched and fired at random, arms, legs and chests exploding. Within seconds there was a large pile of scrap where the Mechs had stood moments ago. As the dust cleared, LeChuck stepped on the skull of a Jovian Mech, walking over the pile of corpses, still walking at the same pace, still the same facial expression. With a wave of his right hand, every technician, soldier, engineer; every Jovian but Gigus dropped dead, their souls sucked into a shadowy oblivion. LeChuck walked towards Gigus. He stopped 20 feet away, and spotted Gigus's hand near the manual self-destruct button. LeChuck quickly pointed the cane, and disabled the button from sending its message to the central system. With another wave of his cane, a wave of unpleasantness passed over Gigus, and he found himself weak in the knees and dizzy.*
"You reap what you sow" LeChuck muttered. "You owe me a ship." The first sign of emotion came back to his face as he snarled. "And the life of a friend"

*LeChuck screams as the giant charges towards him, a fist reached back for a devastating blow. Now aware of his most threatening enemy, LeChuck is able to focus on the giant while fending off cyborgs. He is taking some stabs from blades, but like they say, you can't win a knife fight without getting cut a bit. His skin repairs itself as quickly as it is being gashed open, but LeChuck is still feeling the wounds. He grits his teeth and is about to kill Jovians with Jovians when a large blade comes puncturing through his stomach. LeChuck screams and reaches behind him to crush the skull of his would-be killer. He grabs the blade and dislodges it from his gut, dragging it all the way through himself, his eye twitching. He throws it to the ground, and in a fit of madness, he reaches down and grabs his cane. Bringing it forth, he is a man possessed, spitting incantations and slashing runes in the air. As crazy as he looks, his actions are not unnoticed. The closest 200 Jovians suddenly fall lifeless, slight shrouds of shadow leaving trails from where their souls had been shriveled dry. The next 200 immediately go mad, seeing colors and an ever-changing environment, and most fall cowering to the ground. Some try to battle their way out of the chaos, and end up slaying one another. The 300 remaining Jovians, seeing what has just happened to their brethren, are mixed. About 150 run in terror, while 150 become enraged and fueled for battle.*
*LeChuck is breathing heavily, heaving breaths in and out, sweat gushing from his brow. The giant seems to have been unaffected, and comes at LeChuck with a mechanical roar. LeChuck stands his ground until the last minute, when he suddenly leaps and clings to the giants face, bringing his face close to the gaping red eye. With a roar he plunged the cane through the eye, causing the monster to roar in unison and grab for LeChuck. He quickly leaps to the ceiling, digging his fists into the ceiling and hanging there. The giant below staggers as his system malfunctions, his brain losing it's connections to the rest of the machine. He spasms, firing off lasers and wires within himself. Finally he goes rigid, and falls to the floor with a massive CLANG!*
*LeChuck dropped to the ground and walked over to the giant's corpse. He reached down and yanked the cane from his eye socket. The giant shuddered and sparks shot from the gory socket. LeChuck spit on the corpse*
"Mechanical sonuva--"
*He was shot forward by several plasma blasts to the back. He took the shots and rolled forward over the large corpse, quickly dashing back to where he had thrown his weapons down and retrieved them in time to fend off the next wave of plasma blasts. He sprang forward and continued hacking and slashing through the mess.*
*About 20 minutes later the room was yet another bloody mess. LeChuck found himself now completely covered in Jovian entrails, and some had begun to stick and become somewhat pasty. LeChuck began walking towards the door where the Jovians had come from when he noticed a camera following him in the corner of the large room. He snarled and leapt to the corner, digging his fists into the metal and putting his face up to the camera. He screamed.*
"YER A DISGRACE TO YER FATHER, GIGUS! YE DESTROYED MY SHIP! YE BETTER PRAY THERE BE AN AFTERLIFE, BOY, CUZ WHERE YER GOIN THEY DON'T TAKE KINDLY TO TRAITORS!"
*He snarled once more before crushing the camera in his fist. He dropped to the ground and continued through the door, following the blueprint Matt had given him to the bridge, getting closer and closer...*

At 2/22/05 09:29 PM, DIGGERDUDE wrote: Matt finds a gaurd. He silently posses him so he dosn't notice Matt searching through the information in his brain. Then he finds LeChuck and gose into his head. LeChuck see's a mental map in his head telling him where he is and where the bridge, control panle and anything ealse are (like I did back in the space station).
"Anything eales."

*LeChuck is caught off balance as thoughts not his own penetrate his brain. He stumbles through the doorway of what appears to me a large empty mess hall, capable of holding millions.*
"Whoa! Hey! Get out of there! Stop that! You--"
*LeChuck is in the process of battering himself in the head as he sees nearly 1000 Jovian Cyborgs coming towards him from a door on the opposite side of the room. LeChuck grits his teeth.*
"Get the fuck out of my head! I've got bigger things to worry about!"
*Matt leaves the imprints of the ship and exits LeChuck's mind just in time for LeChuck to take a plasma blast to the shoulder. He cringes as he watches his flesh repair itself quickly, with the nanomachines and bit 'o magic installed from Zanzibar. Still, he had felt the flesh rip. He roared.*
"TASTE THE CHROME!"
*He moves at the Jovians at lightning speed, striking and spinning the plasma staff in a blur as Jovian limbs are severed left and right. He is just getting into a pattern when he is rocked backwards by a sizeable fist to his chest. He goes flying across the room and is finally stopped when several tables have been crunched together from his body hitting them. He shakes his head and recomposes himself as he rises and sees what had caused that. His mouth drops as he spies a monster.....
A Jovian Cyborg....but sort of a mech....stands in front of him. Probably 15 feet tall, with mechanical metal arms, invulnerable to plasma, and metallic legs and body with the same attributes. The only "Jovian" part left seems to be the brain and one eye, which leers at him as a metallic tongue and mouth hiss. LeChuck grins.*
"Finally, a worthy opponent..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Bialetti brushes blood off his torn uniform. He turns to find only 10 Elite soldiers killed in the brutal melee. He snorts.*
"Not bad. You, you're promoted."
*The soldier salutes and instantly moves to take the mantle of his new command from the previous owner, lying conveniently nearby in several pieces, his hands still clutching his gun. Bialetti turns to Mensk.*
"Yes, let us get to that radio station. Although I'm being told we've lost several stations to the....what......some..10 million Jovians. We've got another 5 million reinforcements inbound, the first transport has been spotted. That will created several more bases of operation. Hopefully some might even penetrate the crust here and make it to some other levels. That would be most convenient."
*Bialetti turns and moves to the access ways to the next lower level, the Elites regrouping and several already getting through the ground and preparing to drop bombs on the corporates below.*

At 2/22/05 11:32 AM, stafffighter wrote: LeChuck? we do not seem to be gaining ground. What are your instructions? Lives of your people rest on this.

*LeChuck deactivates the plasma staff as the Jovian lieutenant's skull has finished cutting itself in half on the blade, just in time to hear Jean's message. He walks down the hallway as he touches his leg.*
I am aboard the Tyranic II. I am going to kill Gigus. His ship knows I am here, and is more occupied with killing the unknown threat than fighting, it would seem. Destroy the rest of the Jovian fleet. If I'm correct, 50 more ships should be coming soon, if they're not already there. They're yours to command since I am still under the radar. Have the 5 million incoming troops sent immediately to Earth. I am heading to disable their guns, and from there just worry about the rest of their fleet, I'll take care of this bitch. Use the remaining CSU's and try to program them with the harmonic detector and defragmentor. Try to get them to puncture where they'd infiltrate the easiest, like the docking bays. Then have them take things out from the inside. But I want every 5 out of 10 equipped with a massive EMP explosive device. I've killed enough of these Jovian cyborgs now to realize most of them are half-electronic, most even more. I'm willing to send suicide bombers to take out the Jovians. Make it happen.
*LeChuck turned his head slightly as Matt appeared out of the wall nearby him.*
"Oh, you. I don't know if you can possess Jovians, but if you can't, at least find out where the hell the main control panels are for this tub, I'm lost as shit. And see if you can't find out where the bridge is, too. I've got a meeting scheduled there...." He grinned devilishly. "Go! Hurry up! You'll be able to find me from my undead presence, or whatever Zanzibar says."
*LeChuck turned and headed off down another hallway. After several more messy encounters with Jovian guards, LeChuck felt the need to get all the green blood and guts off of himself. He left a trail of entrails (yuck yuck) on his way to find someplace with water. As he opened door after door, finding empty officers chambers and supply closets, he happened upon a door with a substantial amount of security around it. He scratched his chin, and focused as he passed through the wall. He composed himself once more to find himself in a control panel room. He smiled as he read what box controlled what various parts of the ships.*
"Docking bay clamps.....airlocks.......escape pod clamps....hmmm, why not."
*He reached inside and ripped out the wires in the "Escape Pod Clamps" box, then taking the time to randomly weld the nodes together, rendering the system virtually irrepairable. He then took the time to repeat the same procedure with boxes labeled "Airlock Controls", "Engine Emergency Shutoff", and some box written in something he couldn't understand. But better safe than sorry, so he wrecked that box too.*
*He emerged from the room and off down another hallway, hoping Matt would be quick about finding the necessary information LeChuck needed to not only help out Jean in the fight inside, but make his quest a little easier on the inside.*

At 2/20/05 01:09 PM, Baderact wrote:

"LeChuck, although you have chosen the honorable path, retreat may be wise. We may have to sacrifice earth for the sake of the universe. This Dark Avatar that has reveiled himself is far more threatening that the Jovian's or any Warlord from the past. I shall return soon enough, once I have dispatched Atlas. Just keep our home alive until then."

*LeChuck walked menacingly down the hallway. He had already dispatched 10 Jovian Cyborgs, and now he was just leaving their carcasses out in the open. As he walked his cane dragged ever so slightly on the ground, giving off a light scraping noise. He liked the prospect that they might hear him coming, but he could move faster than they could see or hear. He was a fan of horror movies.*
*He spun with the cane in hand just as the Boy moved through the rift to deliver Zanzibars message. He was startled briefly, but LeChuck quickly put the cane back in his belt.*
"My apologies, Boy. I'm quite upset right now. I'm on a mission to kill the bloody fool who blew up my ship. Any suggestions?"
*The boy looked sad and sighed*
"No sir. But I do 'ave a message from sir Zanzibar fo'ye. 'E says retreat moight be wise, cuzof the Atlas chap stirrin' fings up in Korriban. An' ta keep Tortuga safe from 'arm."
*LeChuck smiled and playfully punched the boy's shoulder, ever so gently.*
"Come now, do ye think I'd let any harm come to ol' Tortuga? Right now, though, I have more pressing matters to attend to. You tell Zanzibar my ship is gone, and I'm going to kill Gigus, apologies to Mortis. It has to be done. Also there is a huge land war going on between us and the Jovians. Perhaps have Atomicus or Gojirus or someone set them straight? I've got almost all the Elites down there battling them, and I'd hate to call out more troops. Go, hurry."
*LeChuck shooed the Boy off back through the rift as he heard another patrol coming down the hallway. They were now on alert after having found some of the corpses. LeChuck melted down into the ground as they turned the corner a hundred feet down the hallway. They marched forward 2 x 2, 10 in total, blades at the ready and eyes open. As they neared the spot where LeChuck was, they heard a plasma blade activate somewhere. The leader signalled a halt, and he moved forward to inspect the noise.*
*Suddenly the sound of ripping flesh and screams filled the hall for seconds, and the Lieutenant's back was sprayed with blood. Before he could turn around, a severed head collided with his own attached one, and he was knocked to the floor. He scrambled forward, drawing his pistol and turning to see what had happened. He looked in horror as his troops had been splattered across the walls. He saw the man standing in the middle of it all, still twirling the dual-ended plasma staff above his head like a helicopter rotor. He grinned and moved a finger to his lips.*
"Ssshhhhh" was all he said as he penetrated the lieutenants throat with the staff before he had time to fire.*

(Sorry, I was away all weekend in a farmhouse with barely electricity. Got home not long ago. Snowboarding rules)

*As the small repair ship pulls into Tyranic (one "n" ;) ) II, several Jovians set to repairing it. One of them moves to fix a ripped access panel, and he suddenly jolts as he feels a breeze by his head. He jolts upright, eyeing the docking bay. None of his comrades seem to have been disturbed, so he shakes it off and goes back to work.*

*At the other end of the room, a Jovian technician is working on a fighter. He grabs a large wrench and uses it to tighten a gigantic bolt holding a gun in place. He casually places it behind him as he moves to weld the bolt into position. As he moves to weld it, it shifts slightly, and he curses at himself for not tightening it enough. He reaches behind him to get the wrench once more, only to find it is gone. He peers around a moment, before scratching his head and muttering to himself as he moves to get another from the tool area.*

*In a service hallway a Jovian guard has snuck down and is enjoying a little Jovian drugs. He is on duty, so this is possibly punishable by death, and at least expulsion, but no one ever comes down this service shaft, and the technicians don't care since he could kill them with no consequence. As he enjoys the high and leans back to relax he jolts upright as he finds a large wrench protruding from his chest. He makes to yell or hiss, but suddenly a hand clamps over his mouth. His eyes widen as the grip slowly crushes his jaw and teeth like silly putty. As what remains of his mouth fills with blood his eyes meet the eyes of a bald man.*
"Dirty fucker...." He whispers.
*The guards eyes roll back in his head as he is brought slowly slumping to the ground. He is rather gruesomely stuffed into a locker, and his weapons are taken. Outfitted with a dual-ended plasma staff and two blasters, LeChuck expertly wields his weapons once before deactivating the staff and strapping it across his back as he brings the blasters twirling forward on both fingers before sliding them smoothly into the hip holsters. He spits on the ground.*
"Tha's what I think of this tub a' shit" He mutters, as he stalks off to get revenge on the creature who destroyed his ship.

*LeChuck smiles as he watches the Jovian ships begin boarding the similar-sized tortugan vessels.*
"Lesson learned" he mutters as he pressed a button on his chair. Each ship explodes, taking with it the Jovian ships attempting to board it. LeChuck watches the drop vessels multiply and more and more start to make it to Earth. He grabs his crystal.*
Lieutenant.. I want another.....5 million men sent here immediately.
*There was no reply, but LeChuck knew his orders were being taken care of. He turned back to the helm, noticing the second massive Jovian ship turning to face him.*
"Oh fuck....Captain....Leave the controls to me...and evacuate if you can."
*Suddenly the mood in the rooms changes from on the fringe to chaos. Soldiers and engineers are scrambling to the escape pods, crushing each other to make it out. LeChuck can almost see the guns ready to fire on him. He bares his teeth, finally screaming as his finger slams on the button and the cannon fires into the larger capital ship, but it just misses their main gun which is just firing upon him.*
"COME AND GET SOME, YE--"
*Devil's Plague detonates, having been almost sheared in 3 parts by both the massive blasts frm Tyrannic II and the now destroyed capital ship. Only half the escape pods had been successful in leaving the ship, leaving thousands dead. The Tortugan troops go from angry to enraged. All the CSU's, 1 million, are unleashed upon Tyrannic II from behind. They fly in a cloud, all making room for them to fire. They are a massive wall, all aiming their highest powered cannons at the large engines of Tyrannic II. They fire, and what appears to be one gargantuan beam collides with the back of Tyrannic II, as the engines explode, rendering the ship motionless in space.*
*The remaining Tortugan fleet, about 170 ships, now concentrate all their fire on the Jovian fleet, now slowly degrading their shields and coming closer and closer to destroying them. From a distance, 50 more Tortugan ships, 20 capital, come out of hyperspace and move in to join the battle. *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Down on the 4th level, Bialetti looks behind him to the two crushed soldiers. He turns to Mensk.*
"That has not happened in 100 years. Amazing."
*They spot the Corporate soldiers guarding the facility. They take cover a distance away and survey the situation. Bialetti turns to Mensk.*
"Any ideas?"

*The Tortugan Elite mwere caught off guard by the Jovian Cyborgs at first, but have now dug in and are keeping them at bay. As they watch more and more dropships come down. The AA guns continue to eliminate some, and the CSU's are now entering the atmosphere as they continue to plant bombs on the drop ships, but there is just too many of them. They are able to reach the radio communication room Mensk mentioned, with the one soldier in tow. A heavy perimeter is set around it, and they can at least keep the Jovians out of that area.

At 2/18/05 06:29 AM, Tacitacial wrote: *Mengsk paused a moment before skipping to a slightly different subject. He calms down.*
Mengsk: "We can't just radio ECWA high command. The corporates would find out where they are, as well as the Jovians. No, we must take full control of that area and the levels below it before we contact them. We appreciate your aid, but you must understand that this city is massive and that your men have never fought in one like this before. They couldn't have, because Kharad is the only one of such gigantic cities in the known universe. Your 50.000 men are welcome, but if that's all the men you have down here, then I hope your fleet can break the corporate siege. Doing so would at least take away the enemy's supply lines and force the corporates down here to go into hiding and to take refuge in even lower levels. And these goddamn lizards aren't doing any good either."

(Hey I'm confused: Are there still corporate ships fighting out in space? As far as I knew, the corporate fleet was totally dispersed and disorganized. I thought it was only Tortuga now battling the Jovians. I knew there were some corporate ships, but I wasn't aware they were still a sizeable force and much of a threat. So 'Dorian' is reassembling them not in the middle of the TOrtuga-Jovian fight. Okay. Correct me if I'm wrong.)

*Bialetti stares at Mensk a moment before smiling slightly.*
"Allright. I will be the sensible man and take you at your word. You organize a plan of attack and strategy, and we'll go through with it. If, however, your leadership skills fail where I believe mine might succeed, you will no longer be in control. I think we can agree on that, between officers."
*He lowers his voice.*
"Do not assume what my men do and do not know. Do you think we have not run drills in models built exactly like this city? I believe you that our schematics and blueprints may be outdated, but we have fought, and I do mean fought, in a model built exactly like this city. It was only 6 levels deep, yes, but we have trained in areas just like this."
*He walks to another table and begins punching in access codes to what appear to be thin headbands. He picks one up and hands it to Mensk. It is as thin as string, and flexible, but maintaining it's head-shaped form.*
"A radio. Simply place the slightly larger end in one ear, either side, and when you speak, the opposite side picks up the vibration frequencies and filters out outside sounds. You can whisper, and your voice will still come through loud and clear. We have enough for all of you."
*He punches in codes for the rest and hands them out.*
"A warning. Each of your codes is set to 123987. If it happens to fall off your head, pick it up and speak those numbers with the receiving end relatively close to your mouth. If you place it back on your head and do not enter the code before trying to use it, it will kill you. Please do not forget this."
*He indicates towards a now neatly organized and stocked rack of weapons, from pistols and rifles, to explosives and protective equipment.*
"Take what you will. I am still under the belief we do not need that weapons cache. But..." He smiles sarcastically, "If you say so."
*He walks to a large container on a wall. He opens it and begins removing his clothes. He is now fully naked, and he reaches down into the container gently to lift a glass vial containing a small metallic snake. He opens the container and gently places the thing on the back of his neck. It is still a moment, but suddenly it comes to life, and burrows into his spine. He spasms briefly, but makes no noise. His body suddenly goes rigid, but he quickly relaxes. He begins dressing in full protective gear, his armor consisting of a hafnium carbide-alloy with barely any impurities of zirconium. He places his radio and helmet, equipped with all forms of sensors and tracking equipment, and packs his rifle, pistols, grenades, miniature-claymores, and other various tools and equipment. He turns to Mensk, his voice strangely unmuffled by the helmet that covers his entire head.*
"Whenever you're ready. Oh, and before we leave, if you think it would be prudent to call for more men, that would not be a problem. I think it most unnecessary, but then again, you're the boss."
*Mensk can almost feel Bialetti smiling.*

Pontius: Hello. This is Pontius of the Instigator. I believe your boss should know my own commander, Elijah. He has instructed me to leave a message to LeChuck. He says that his speech was wonderful. He also says that he believes Lawrence and himself will eventually aid LeChuck in his battle. They are now on Jovia II and I am waiting word on his arrival. Pontius out.

*Pontius's radio gargled not long after.*
"Pontius was it? This is LeChuck. I've never met an Elijah but I have heard about him. Last I checked we were not exactly on the same side, but I doubt you are trying espionage. Yes, the speech was wonderful. I'm good at on-the-spot moments. Good to hear Lawrence is ready to stop being such an ass and get his head right. They must be with Zanzibar...If you communicate with Lawrence at all, ask him to speak to Zanzibar and update me, I'm a babe in the woods with whatever's happenin' on Jovia. Also, maybe ye wanna get up here and help us fight the Jovians? Just a thought. Out"
*The communication cut off abruptly*
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*Devil's Plague keeps it's shields deflecting the EPRG blasts, but it cannot keep up for long. Even though they've calibrated the frequency with the shields, it is not invincible. LeChuck is gnashing his teeth. LeChuck's eyes widen as he spies the dropcraft leaving for Earth.*
"Shite! Focus all fire on those craft! Fire the main gun! Send the CSU's after them, following them into the atmosphere if necessary! Keep the fighters in space, though. Fucking Jovians..."
*The main cannon warms up and fires it's blast, taking out several craft in mid-flight. The CSU's all sharply change course and rocket after the dropcraft. Some are nearby and are able to latch on, drilling holes and inserting explosives in the vessels. LeChuck's eyes now narrow as he spots the Jovian ships trying to board the Tortugan ships. As they get closer and closer, LeChuck whispers to himself.*
"Never try to BOARD A PIRATE, BOY!!!"
*He's in some fit of madness, the crew are frightened, yet know to keep their stations. He gets on the comm.*
"Captains of the nearby ships, take the escape pods on the opposite side from where the Jovian fleet is approaching. You have no more than 5 minutes, or until they collide with you. Move quickly..." His voice lowering as he cuts off the comunnique. His eyes are filled with madness, yet slightly glazed over. He rubs his hands together in front of his face, watching more CSU's catch up to drop vessels and drop bombs inside, as well as plant bombs on the hulls.*
"There are always casualties in war......." He mumbles.

*Bialetti remains still a moment. He clears his throat and reaches for a glass of water. He takes a sip and sets is back down, on a coaster, as the table is glass. Crystal, to be more exact.*
"We no longer need that station. We have equipment down here that is far more sophisticated than what that station had to offer. Besides, it is most likely destroyed by now. Those Jovians had still been dropping bombs. I doubt many buildings are still intact. Speaking of radioes, I would be happy to contact high EWCA command. Simply provide my men with the proper frequency and we'll contact them immediately."
*He rises and moves to an electronic chalkboard (basically) on the wall, and instantly field maps and schematics appear. A pointer mysteriously appears in Bialetti's hands, and he taps the pointer on a large building.*
"I am assuming you are referring to this warehouse? Commander, we have blueprints and layouts of every layer of Kharad, even the palaces and private quarters. Even the plumbing. I know of the warehouse you refer to. We don't necessarily need those weapons, unless they are of a personal preferrence to you and your men. In which case I suppose a slight detour could be made in order to retrieve them. I had planned on destroying them so the corporate forces would not get them, but it makes no difference to me. When we are through with this meeting however, you can select several, and any, of the weapons we have brought. We were prepared for at least a force of 100. But it appears we overestimated a great deal...Ammunition and supplies are not in shortage."
*He takes another sip of the water, and the pointer has now disappeared again.*
"We'll gladly take the ninth level."
*He sets the water back down*
"We have brought 50,000 men, and currently there are approximately 30,000 within the "compound" we have erected. 20,000 have been sent out to scavenge and booby trap surrounding areas, as well as hassle corporate forces and possible supply lines. We are quite safe within these borders. If any corporate troops remain, they're either hiding in a toilet or dead bodies by now."
*He snorts*
"And do not worry about snipers. These men are the most elite soldiers in all of Tortuga. 50,000 out of 25 million is no joke. Besides, not one of these troops is 100% human. One must....give some of himself in order to become a member. In return, he receives a 'blessing' from our kings; an upgrade of abilities if you will. Our souls, not mine of course, are slightly bonded within an intricate system they've had established since they were first reborn. Superior to mere mortals in every way, yet not Immortal as myself, a single Elite member has yet to be taken down by a sniper. We run drills to kill, we don't spare lives. If an Elite dies in a practice or sparring match, he was not meant to be an Elite."
*He finishes his glass of water.*
"My superiors are king Zanzibar and king LeChuck. I believe the Jovians are bombing you because this Gigus has something against you, what I do not know. Those are all the questions I am willing to answer at the present moment. We should not waste time and go about our business, as time is of the essence."
*Bialetti shouts some orders in a strange language, sounding vaguely like Russian, German, and Japanese. The EWCA soldiers exchange bizarre looks. Bialetti smiles.*
"I said we were Elite. What would true Elites be without their own language? After all, we are all brothers, all a family. Some call us fanatics. We prefer the term Elite."
*The smile disappears as quickly as it had appeared. He turns and walks out of the room, speaking as he walks, in plain English.*
"You had better get any weapons and supplies you desire quickly. We move out in 10 minutes."

At 2/17/05 12:21 PM, Atomicus wrote: *The Tyranic II shutters as the MAW cannon is disabled. Gigus angrily pounds his fist on the arm of his chair and has all five EPRGs concentrate their fire on the Devil's Plague. Five heavy warships fall in around the wounded Lead Ship to defend it from enemy fire and aim their single EPRG cannons at the Devil's Plague as well. They all fire at once.*

"ALL SHIELDS FRONT, ACTIVATE HARMONICS-DETECTOR!!!"
*Devil's Plague made the change just in time, able to divert all shields to the front while activating the harmonics-detector. The ship shook, the shields taking heavy damage, but sustaining.
"I WANT A FULL REPORT AND ANALYZATION STAT!" LeChuck screamed. Technicians scrambled to analyze the data from the EPRG blasts, so that their shields would soon have much more ease deflecting them.*
*As the CSU's began their bombing run and colliding with the Jovian fighters, LeChuck grew slightly impatient. Suddenly an engineer came running into the bridge.*
Tech: Sir! Sir! We've finished analyzing their shields and have finally found an opposing frequency! We should use it quick before they shift the power and possibly divert the shields, altering the frequency.
*LeChuck grinned*
"Send that data to XX0 immediately!"

*Not long after, a small fleet of 50 mid-size fighters, equipped with heavy MS's and railguns become visible, disabling their cloaking devices. They are directly underneath the Jovian fleet. Upon receiving the data they charged the cannons with the opposing frequencies. They blasted off from their position, heading straight for Tyrannic II. They closed in and strafed the bottom, sending spike after spike piercing through the hull of the ship. LeChuck clapped as the fighters then flew off to join the rest of the fleet in the ensuing dogfight.*
"Ye got alot to learn, runt! Never match wits with an ol' salty dog!, specially not one whose been piratin' fer the last millennia!"

*Moments after the Tortugan ship is crushed by the MAW, Devils Plague has turned in position and fired it's main cannon at it, blasting the MAW and the surrounding area clean off.*
"Try that now, asshole."
*LeChuck realized that Gigus was most likely piloting Tyrannic II. His eyes narrowed.*
"Mortis I'm sorry, but your son is simply too far corrupt. He's firing upon innocents that have nothing to do with him or his people....I will have to kill him."
*He sighed and sipped his brandy.*
"Squad B1 through B4, concentrate all fire on the ship that just lsot it's MAW, the Tyrannic II. I want fighters, beams, and punch some holes in her with the new harmonics. Get a feel for the shields."
*LeCHuck smiled as he watched the 100,000 fighters deploy to take on the incoming 5,000 CSU's. He smiled.*
"That's it....keep on coming...."

At 2/17/05 05:34 AM, Tacitacial wrote: Mengsk: "Is that your doing!? Bombing Earth?! Bombing my, our home! The soil of our planet?! Is it?! Tell me now, who is bombing us and why! And stop it!"
*Mengsk stared at the Tortugan officer with fury in his eyes, awaiting a response or the end of the bombardment.*

*Bialetti stared blankly at Mensk amongst the explosion of bombs.*
"Unhand me."
*Mensk, still somewhat shaken and unsure, slowly releases Bialetti, somehow sensing this man does not play games. He straightens his collar and looks up quickly. He grunts and, with one finger jerked in a direction, sets off at a run. Mensk and his remaining troops take the cue and follow. They run approximately 100 yards, through buildings and dodging bombs, before they reach what appears to be a cover to a tank. Yet it is simply a metal lid in the ground of one of the buildings. Bialetti stops by it and enters a code quickly. The door releases, and Bialetti indicates them all down a flight of stairs. Mensk and troops follow, and when all the Tortugan commanders and Mensk are within, the hatch is closed.*
*They walk about 50 feet down to reveal themselves in a crude bunker. The sound of exploding bombs can barely be heard, but already radio equipment and certain delicate defense equipment are being set-up and prepared. Bialetti walks into an office, which somehow already has a glass barrier on two side, with a table and 10 chairs and a projector. Bialetti indicates they sit. There is water and high-carbohydrate and protein foods for energy on the table, along with medical supplies. Bialetti remains standing.*
"We are not bombing Earth. It would be most foolish for us to save you one minute, then bomb you the next. Those bombs are of Jovian design. They are split, the Jovians. My kings allied with one Atomicus, and as far as I have been informed, the nemesis of his late uncle and his cousin are responsible for this."
*He paused a moment, and pressed his finger lightly to his ear.*
"Yes, it is confirmed. The Jovians, most likely a Gigus, is bombing us. We are in the process of scrambling and attacking their fleet."
*He turned on the projector.*
"We are in a bunker that was immediately erected. We've practiced this strategy for a hundred years, and we finally get to use it. It is going quite well."

*Above ground, many advanced AA guns have been erected, and now barely half the Jovian bombs are making it to the ground before getting shot down.*

*Back below ground, Bialetti displays a large holographic projection of their position and the corporations.*
"We have this area secured now completely, the only imminent threat being the Jovian bombardment. Even now we've set up weaponry to defend against that, and again efficiency is at 100%. What is left of your unit may rest here as long as we se fit, which could be a minimum of 2 hours. I need you to give me a full report on the surrounding area and your ideas on what you would do. After all, you are the EWCA and we are the re-inforcements."
*Bialetti takes a seat and folds his hands, staring blankly at Mensk again.*

---------------------------------------------------------------------

*Back up in space the Tortugan fleet has now surrounded the 24-odd Jovian ships. Being fired on from all sides, 5,000 CSU's are quickly scrambled and preparing to board a Jovian ship. They are newly equipped with drilling equipment and special toxins that would counter the necessary Jovian environment and climate. Set for departure, they blast off towards the nearest capital ship, right next to Tyrannic II.....*

(Ooh my bad, you're British. Forget that spelling correction in bold. Our spellings differ on some words; recognis(z)e being one of them. No problem, I take it back. Relay the message! ; ) )

(Oh, and when I said about sparring amongst trillions of dollars of equipment? I was being sarcastic. I wouldnt've allowed you to damage anything anyway. If there is a " : D " or " ; D ", I'm joking. Im very sarcastic. Can't you tell from LeChuck's manners and banter? He's one sarcastic dude. It's no secret.)

*LeChuck grunted*
"There will be 50,000 of our men, ya should recognize them. Then there are some corporate people. Ye should recognize them. Pick out the 5 or 10 people that don't look like either of those two large groups, and you've found him. And here's a suggestion, when you first possess a body that's preferably one of them, turn to one and say "Who am I?" If he says "You're Mensk" leave that body and take the other. Otherwise, relay the god damned message. Now go!"

*LeChuck grinned*
"Brilliant! Captain, program 1,000 CSU's to practice their bombruns on that ship."
*Moments later, 1,000 CSU's formed up a thousand yards behind the now defenseless ship. As each one passed over the relative middle they each deployed a a bomb that incorporate super-heated magma with highly incendiary elements and a large burst of EMP. As each bomb impacted, they melted that section of the ship, while causing an explosion, and shorting out any circuitry nearby. It was not long before it was completely gone. LeChuck turned to Matt.*
"Well done, Matt. Now, I've got another assignment for you, this one much more important. I need you to get down to Earth and find this Mensk. Don't possess him, but maybe someone nearby him, if there is anyone. Tell him that he should say "The seas are rough near Tortuga." That will make it easier for them to know who he is. They should be landing right about now....*

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*Miles down, on the surface of Earth, in the general area around the radio building where Mensk had sent his communication not long ago, 100 sizeable transports come hurtling out of the sky and slam into the ground. Many corporate units, men and machines, are crushed beneath them. They all scatter in confusion, and moments later 3 long ramps begin extending from the pods like a flower opening up. At first there is nothing. As they are opening, the very top of the pod opens, and a thin wire extends 10 feet above the top. Corporate soldiers stare in wonder at the strange pods. Moments later each rod on each transport lets loose a blinding burst of light, as if the sun had exploded nearby. Every soldier is blinded, their eyes burning. Not permanently blind, but their eyes are red. Some who were too close are blinded, their eyes bleeding. That was when the Tortugan Elite came raucously pouring out of the transports, firing upon blinded men, the artillery battalions making quick work of any tanks and mechs. The entire area around Mensk is now surrounded by Tortugan Elite, and 10,000 soldiers pour inwards to secure the area as the contents of the transports are removed and taken inward for security. After each transport is emptied, they split in half and come crashing down to the ground, forming series of 15 foot, heavily fortified walls. Built to sustain entering Earth's atmosphere at several thousand miles an hour, the walls are able to withstand a substantial beating before they might give way.*
*5 men come forward, dressed nothing like the other troops. These are the commanders in charge of the 50,000 men, told to take orders from Mensk unless ordered by LeChuck to do otherwise, or they believe it is foolhardy and senseless. Equipped with plasma rifles and various tools involved in espionage and tracking, they set out to find Mensk. They are hoping they will recognize him with ease, and hope even more that he may know the code. If he were to mistake the code or possibly present a threat, they would eliminate him with no questions asked. Thus is the price of unyielding loyalty.*
*Bialetti, the highest ranked of the 5, is an Immortal, but he wishes he was mortal. He does not relish what he considers an "unfair advantage" in battle. He is a true gladiator. Mensk would be dealing with him.*

(sorry, forgot I was in the middle of a post with Syrus. Any now I've forgotten what I was going to say. Fuck. Forget that part.)

*LeChuck smiles as some of the corporate fleet comes into view.*
"Mince 'em"
*This time 20,000 CSU's are sent from 5 capital ships, wreaking havoc among the corporate forces. The beam on Devil's Plague powers up once more and punches through a stream of fighters and another capital ship, destroying it.*
"Spearhead, make room for Transport Launch!"
*Devil's Plague slowly moves to the left and the front of the fleet splits, revealing the transports. It turns out the majority of the ship is simply a launch pad. They power up, and the 50 transports each carrying 1,000 soldiers launch two halves each, carrying 500 each. They are simply shields and speed. They power through fighters and just barely miss capital ships. They are all headed towards the general area of the last transmission they received. LeChuck watches them a moment before getting on a secured radio to the frequency they had received before.*

"Mensk was it? This is Sea-King Smuttynose LeChuck of Tortuga. I've got 50,000 troops headed your way, all Elite. They're carrying some advanced weaponry you might use as well, in case you're low on munitions. You'll have virtual command over them unless I decide otherwise. Good luck. Stay alive."

*LeChuck ended the transmission and turned his attention back to destroying the capital ships. He watched as the CSU's continued slaughtering corporate fighters, suffering little casualties as they had now memorized every flight technique, weapon, shield weaknesses, and manuevers they had. It got easier and easier. He turned to Matt*

"Hey boy, you certainly can make yourself helpful. Go aboard those corporate capital ships and find some piddling mechanic. Have him sabotage the hell out of the power cores and shields, that'll make things easier. Then, if you're done fast enough, I've got something a little more difficult in mind..."

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*Syrus pilots his own ship, a small fighter recently equipped with the equipment Jean had introduced. The shields and weapons now heavily advanced. He headed

(Hey DIggerdude, I just tried to post a bulletin on the website, and it says I need you to edit it first? I really need you to publish that. It's quite important to my academic survival and continuing education. Thanks. You'll see what it is, I can't imagine it would be a problem. I'm just adding this "YOU HAVE TO PUBLISH IT" thing. Thanks, and again, such a good idea.)

At 2/15/05 05:55 AM, Tacitacial wrote: Mengsk: "This is ECWA commander Mengsk Maxwell speaking from Earth to all who listen. We're under heavy corporate siege. We're still alive out here and could use assistance against these corporate bastards. Gattsu, Jovia, Tortuga or whoever the hell is listening, we're under heavy siege. The ECWA fleet is still out there. We can still fight, but we need assistance."

*LeChuck choked on his bread and knocked over his wine glass as he grabbed his comm to the main deck.*
"Cap--*gurgle cough* Captain! Replay that transmission!"
*LeChuck waited a moment as the transmission played once more over the loudspeaker nearby. LeChuck clapped and jumped to his feet.*
"Jean, it appears ye spoke too soon! We've got ourselves a plan of action now! Let's go boys! Here, I'll make it easier for you to leave..."
*In a flash he was at the console and had punched in a significant code. The robots and clones immediately turned and zoomed back through the doors at the end of the room, ending the training sequence. LeChuck ran for the elevator and was about to get in before he grunted and turned on the other two.*
"Boys, sorry for the inconvenience. But time is of the essence, and I don't have the patience for elevators. Mind your heads."
*LeChuck lunged forward and grabbed Matt's arm and Jean's collar. A quick "sorry Jean" was thrown back as LeChuck sent them soaring up through the platforms, through walls and layers of metal and shields. They finally ended up on the Deck of Tortuga. LeChuck addressed the Captain after gently setting down Jean and releasing Matt.*
"Captain! What is the situation on that blockade?"
Capt: We've been picking away at them for a while now, sir. We've sustained miniscule casualties, and they haven't attempted crossing over into our space since we destroyed 5 capital ships last time. They're particularly thin in Sectors 12 and 14a.
*LeChuck grunted.* "What about Sector 13?"
Capt: They've got 2 capital ships there. Sectors 12 and 14a simply have a few battle ships and a handful of fighters.
"Hmmm....okay, we'll send two Spearhead Squads through the weaker sectors, and the fighters on the insides will strafe the capital ships. Then we'll send in the Seekers with the new...oh yes! Captain, transmit those orders. Ill be leading the squad that penetrates Sector 13 right after the first two squads weaken them. You may proceed."
*LeChuck turned to Jean with a grin*
"Yes we have! We actually made a new railgun, capable of penetrating any shields on any ship as soon as it detects it's frequency. We've already uploaded every known shield frequency in existence. While I'm sure we're missing a few, all our capital ships are now equipped to blast through shields. We upgraded our own shields as well. That claw thing is mighty nice.....Okay, so Matt, you can come on my ship if you like, I can't let you pilot anything on your own, sorry. Jean, you're welcome to pilot any capital ship, save King's Ransom and Devil's Plague, a'course. We'll be sendin' out some of the new robots fer testin, figure now's a good time. They've got everything from evasion techniques to boarding abilities. Kinda like Transformers, really, but much more destructive. So! Let's go about it!*
*In Sectors 12 and 14a the action was sparse. No Tortugan vessels had been spotted for the better part of 3 hours, and the enemy was a mixture of relaxed carelessness, and high tension. The latter were more equipped when the attack came. The few hundred fighters on either side never stood a chance against the two waves of 2,000 CSU's. The initial wave ripped through the fighters with ease, leaving the 1,500-some odd following CSU's to strafe the 2 capital ships on either side. With their advanced AI they were able to singularly target the guns on each side, and pinpoint accurately destroy them, rendering the capital ships to giant barrels. It was not lonbg after Devil's Plague could be seen approaching, followed by 300 other capital ships and some million fighters. WIthin the center of the formation, and virtually invincible, were 50 transports, each carrying 1000 soldiers, prepared for a landing on Earth to finally clean away the Corporate forces. Devil's Plague fired one massive blast of a modified reverse-MAW/EMP blast, simultaneously punching a hole in the shields, and a gaping hole all the way through the ship. It exploded instantly. The second capital ship was engaged by several hundred thousand fighters and some 20 slightly larger ships, and it was quickly destroyed as well. As soon as they had effectively cleaned the area, LeChuck roared.*
"Great work, squad! Alright Captain, I expect this blockade to be completely crushed by the time I return. Keep me updated on all significant enemy movements and attacks, as well as our defensive strategies and tactics. Good luck!"
"Fleet, form up!"
*The large fleet all formed up and made the jump to Earth.*

*As LeChuck travels back downwards on the small elevator, carrying with him some drinks and other things, he suddenly remembered some very important things were going on in the universe at that moment. He grabbed his crystal in his leg.*
Zanz! Zanzibar! Where the hell are you?! What's happening? Did you find anything? FIll me in mate, I got drunk not long ago and completely forgot things were goin ta shit!
*As the elevator reached "10", LeChuck got off, and not long after a table and chairs appeared out of the ground in the safe-zone nearby the combat area. The safe zone was basically a resting area, heavily protected, from explosions, plasma shots, etc. Participants could rest here, drink, eat; take a breather, while still being able to survey their comrades train. LeChuck opened the door with a code and went inside, laying the food and drink down on the table. The food consisted of fresh French bread, prosciutto ham, mozarella, garlic, a basil-&-onion cooked pasta a carbonara, and some cold meats. LeChuck smacked his lips and set to making some prosciutto and mozzarella concoctions. He stuck his head through the protective glass; something he enjoyed doing to freak people out. He yelled.*
"Hey! I got some food in here if yer hungry, Jean! Some lovely french bread here!"

At 2/13/05 08:45 PM, DIGGERDUDE wrote: Matt looked at LeChuck
"Hey do you have any robots with brains, it would be good if i could pratice possesing"

*LeChuck rubbed his chin, continually forgetting he could never grow a beard. He cursed.*
"Um.....oh, well we....hmmm....well..."
*Out of instinct, LeChuck looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was listening in. The robot was of no concern. He lowered his voice out of habit.*
"We've actually been experimenting with cloning. That's how Zanzibar got his new body. And that thing is no normal body. It's frikkin blue! It's got some weird shit, I dont even know...but anyway, the point is, I can gladly present you with some actual people. Only thing is, we're still in the early stages, so most are quite dumb. They wouldn't be much of a challenge to possess. Be as easy as breaking into an old Cadillac. By all means..."
*LeChuck stepped back to the console and entered a few more codes and system start-up entries. From another door came out 10 human males, all identical in appearance, all wearing shorts and t-shirts. LeChuck grinned.*
"However, I couldn't make it that easy for you.....these gents have cybernetic implants that enhance their speed, strength, and mental capacity. They'll be a little harder to possess. Nothing like an Immortal, but harder than your average Joe. Have fun. I'm gonna go get some more drinks. Be back in a bit."
*LeChuck headed to the elevator. As he got on, he closed the gate and addressed them once more.*
"Oh, and if you really want a challenge, you can turn all the lights off. Fighting those things in the dark will make your reflexes better 10 fold, and your senses improve as well, especially hearing. One can't always depend on sight. Jean, it's that blue button in top-left hand corner there. Tap it, and lights out. Tap it again, lights on. The console glows constantly, so you wont have trouble seeing it. But dont worry. No glare, so it would illuminate a thing. Just give voice commands for things like what you waent to fight, how many, when to stop, etc. Ive given you authorization Jean, with your blood sample. Matt, sorry, just ask Jean to change anything is you want. Have fun."
*With that, he pressed up, and the elevator moved upwards, leaving Matt and Jean alone to have their fun, hopefully with no fatalities or injuries.*

*LeChuck hiccuped as he reached an elevator. He waited for all to be ready, and he entered a code, 50 characters long, and again it took him another 5 minutes to get it right. Finally, a computer voice came on.
Comp: Identify yourself
"Leschuk..."
Comp: Invalid response. State again.
*LeChuck silently cursed and cleared his throat, steadying himself against the wall.*
"LeChuck!"
Comp: Please stand forward for verification.
*LeChuck sighed as a needle came out of the wall, and it immediately plunged itself in his chestm directly where his heart was. LeChuck cringed a moment, but it was merely seconds before the needle removed itself and went back into the wall.*
Comp: Welcome Sir LeChuck.
*The doors opened, and the three got on the elevator. The doors closed, and it shot downwards. Jean looked bewildered. LeChuck grunted, rubbing the area where the needle had penetrated.*
"Oh, yea.....Shince ahm dead, no heartbeat, no heart.....no blood. Pus, is got ofer sensors for me cells an somethin in me shoul, asl Zanz."
*The elevator came to an abrupt, yet gentle, stop. The doors opened to reveal a long corridor. LeChuck led the way down the hallway, and along the walls were old relics of the past; daggers, swords, shields, uniforms. They even had a Nazi WWII uniform, complete with Luger and decorations. Centuries of history was along these walls. Finally they reached a door. LeChuck removed his shoes, and placed both feet, and hands on sensors, as more equipment came down to inspect his mouth, eyes, and another needle plunged into his chest. He gurgled, and finally when a *beep* sounded and a computer welcomed him, he stumbled backwards. Jean caught him just before he fell. He shook his head and got back on his feet.*
"God, thiss ish not the ting tado drunk..."
*The doors opened, and Jean was about to enter, when LeChuck stopped him with his arm.*
"wait, wait.....gimm yer arm*
*Jean hesitated a moment, but slowly raised his forearm to LeChucks hand. LeChuck moved back Jeans sleeve, and a much smaller needle came out of the wall.
"Hol shtill"
*The needle went into Jean's arm and withdrew a small amount of blood. It retracted into the wall, and after a minute, there was another *beep*
"Sho it don' kill ye. It snses intruder, stops at nuffin ta kill em. Alers whole station, uhge drama first time we forgit. Now we're ready."
*The three (Matt didn't have blood, but LeChuck had let the computer know there would be a corporeal guest as well) entered the room, and lights began turning on. Down, down, down....the chamber proved to be several thousand yards long, and certain levels went down, on platforms, with unbreakable translucent walls preventing any falls. A fall would be at least 4000 yards; there were 10 platforms in total. LeChuck walked to what looked like a dumbweighter. It was 5'x5', metallic square, with a railing. The three got on, and they shot downwards. Lights in the wall activated as they went further down. When they finally stopped, a red "10" was blinking on a small panel in the tiny elevator. LeChuck opened the railing-door, and the three exited. LeChuck walked to another panel, and punched some buttons. It was still fairly dark at that level, and LeChuck laughed.*
"I fig....hol' on."
*From the floor a panel opened up and a small bottle came up, filled with an odd greenish-silver liquid. LeChuck removed the cap, took a deep breath, and chugged the liquid. He shuddered a moment, and threw the bottle to shatter against the wall. He rubbed his head and slapped himself about a moment, before turning back to Jean and Matt.*
"Ah! Thats better. A nice little potion we created, instant sobriety. Comes in handy.....BBRRRRRR!!'
*LeChuck shook again a moment.*
"Still a tad crude....anyways, yer probably asking 'Where in me worm-riddled mothers arse am I?' The answer, gentlemen and ghosts, is you are within the most highly secured training facility in existence. And down here, on the 10th level, are some things we've been working on, to spare our mens lives...."
*LeChuck activated some more buttons on the console, and they couldnt see or hear it from 1000 yards away, but a door opened, and a machine exited. It crossed the expanse in seconds, stopping 30 feet in front of them. It hovered there.Finally, the lights came on. LeChuck walked over to the machine.*
"This is the CSU-220B. Cybernetic Soldier Unit, and the 220 because this is.....* He glanced at a panel on the side. *No, my mistake. This is 226B. CSU-226B. The most advanced killing machine in existence. It contains the deadliest poisons, the most advanced shielding and exoskeleton, all the weapons you'd find on our best ships, and the highest level of AI known the man. It is constantly learning. As soon as you do anything, it sees it and memorizes it. It's almost too damn hard for Zanz and I to fight it. Oh, and the best part....this is kinda cruel....inside each one is a small piece of an Immortals brain...so yes...these baby's are resistant to magic. Some more resistant to psychic, some to elemental. This one in particular.....Computer!"
*A soft feminine voice was heard.*
Yes sir?
"What is this unit impervious to?"
This specific unit is 65% impervious to elemental magic, chiefly electricity. It is 35% impervious to physical magics
"Thank you. So there you have it. You can battle as many as ye need. How would ye like to start? Matt....these things are quite capable of sensin' ye and gettin ye, Ill warn ye. Don't think yer unreachable. They've been battlin corporeals since they was created, courtesy of Zanzibar. They're no stranger to yer moves."
*LeChuck waited for them to decide exactly how they wanted to go about the sparring. The machines would be set on No Kill.*