Into the Black

Nick22 · **Reply #1500 on:** April 11, 2014, 08:02:38 PM

its not z-level,, its aa level' Marita said smirking at Felix. ' aa level is 5 levels above z level indicating a rather high rank. so not only are you not the only person identified with this id, the security level it provides is much higher. so felix, yes, is full of crap.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1501 on:** April 11, 2014, 11:15:53 PM

Lupis tried to deflect the sword with his hand. This worked about as well as could be expected.

He cried out as his hand was severed at the wrist. Lashing out with his foot, he kicked at Axel's stomach.

Emilena staggered to her feet, her chest plate having prevented most of the damage. But Lupis drew a pistol out of his jacket and hit her twice in the same chest plate, which shattered it and sent her staggering with a grunt.

Lupis turned to shoot Axel when something hit him from behind. Lily had freed herself and in a desperate attempt had hit him with a flying tackle. Clamping her jaws around his neck, she hadn't expected a heavy knee in the crotch to send her rolling over his front.

Staggering to his feet, he blasted a cloning pod, sending the green fluid spilling onto the floor around them. His wounds were already recovering; his wrist stump had already clotted over. His other hand blasted Emilena's pistol out of her hand.

"What the hell?" muttered Emilena, trying to get to her feet.

"Genetic regeneration," smiled Lupis. "My father was an experiment from Pelvanida, back when they dabbled in bio-eugenics in the early 2000s."

With the last bullet in his clip, he shot out one of the many wires leading to the incandescent lighting fixture above the pods. This sparking wire dropped down and flooded electricity through the green puddle all four of them were standing in.

bushwacked · **Reply #1502 on:** April 12, 2014, 11:41:58 AM

Lupis' foot had connected heavily with Axel's stomach, and he was knocked back. Winded, he'd started to try to move back in, shoes splashing in the liquid. Then he saw Lupis shooting up at the lighting, saw the wire tumble down, and his eyes widened. "Look out!" he started to shout, attempting to back peddle out of the liquid... then the wire touched down, and it felt like he was hit by a truck.

The next thing Axel knew, he was lying on his side, staring at the floor with a blinding pain tearing through his head. He wasn't in the pod's liquid anymore - his momentum from trying to escape must have carried him out, though not fast enough to prevent electrocution. A shivering sensation was coursing through his body, and he couldn't breath. Faintly, Axel realised he was in shock. In the position he'd landed, he couldn't see the others and his limbs couldn't seem to obey him. Thin breath whistling through his teeth, Axel desperately tried to push through the pain in his head and get up.

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

Felix blinked at Marita. "Two other people? What... what the fuck are you talking about?! I don't know anything about them!" He swung his gaze to Soren. "I just joined up a week ago! I got that card, and that's all I know! Maybe there was a... a mistake on it or... or something. Shit, I don't know!" Felix swallowed. "Look, if I was high ranking, do you honestly think I'd be wasting my time checking out a fucking augment shop? Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Serris · **Reply #1503 on:** April 12, 2014, 01:59:39 PM

Soren sighed. "Well, at least we got one thing out of him. Think he knows any more or can we just dump him over the side?"

Anne shrugged. "Maybe you're the team leader? I'm not military but I know enough ex-servicemembers to know that the team leader is always higher ranked than their subordinates. Speaking of which..."

Soren then walked over to Marita. "What areas does this aa clearance level allow access to?"

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1504 on:** April 12, 2014, 02:18:32 PM

After a few minutes, the circuit breaker tripped and the electricity cut out. All was silent for a few minutes.

Then Lupis slowly and shakily got to his knees and elbows. He panted heavily, the electric burns covering his body already starting to heal. He was halfway to the door when he heard a noise behind him.

Still sparkling with electricity, Lily got to her feet at well. Her muscle mass had bubbled out as if she were covered in tumors, and her fists were meaty and rippled with energy. She looked enraged.

Lupis tried to crawl faster but Lily was on him in a heart beat. Tearing savagely into him with equal parts brute force and razor-sharp claws, she ripped his limbs from his body and fried the remains with bolts of electric shock.

In a few minutes, Lupis barely resembled a corpse. Sitting up, Lily glanced at the fallen bodies of her friends. Axel and Emilena were both alive, but neither would be for long.

Walking over to the cable that had caused the short circuit, she wrappdd her hand around it and grunted as she absorbed a second dose of electricity. Then, she walked over and administered a defibrillating shock to Emilena's heart.

Emilena heaved and vomited blood. Buckling over, she choked and coughed and breathed for the first time in minutes. "Oh god!" Was all she could say at first.

Lily smiled but soon left Emilena for Axel. Touching his cheek softly, she put her hands on his heart and administered a similar shock.

Nick22 · **Reply #1505 on:** April 12, 2014, 03:15:35 PM

everything except an area thats classified' marita said ' 50 credits says thats where they are holding lily.' she turned to the others ' i think we've gotten everything we can out of this guy.' she waved the id card in felixs face ' alright, we've gotten enough out of you. we'll let you go, but we'll hang on to this id..'
- wait. we're letting him go' rose started. 'all the info we needed was on the id.' Marita replied ' it allows us clearance to just about anywhere on the base.

bushwacked · **Reply #1506 on:** April 12, 2014, 03:56:32 PM

Axel's legs jerked as the electric jolt shot through his chest. Rolling onto his stomach, he wretched, opening his mouth wide and sucking down lungfuls of air as the dark edges to his vision gradually faded. After a moment, he tried to push himself up, his arms trembling. He looked up, then gasped when he saw Lily crouching over him. Axel twisted and weakly tried pushing himself back across the floor, stopping when his back hit one of the containment pods. His eyes took in the scene; the torn pieces of somebody (Lupis?!) scattered around, Emilena struggling to get up... and lastly, Lily herself - who didn't seem like she was going to attack.

He paused, then edged forwards cautiously on his hands and knees, his body still feeling unpleasantly numb. "Li... Lily?" Axel slowly held out a hand to her.

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

Felix started. "You'll... you'll let me go?" He tugged at the ropes binding him. "Come on then! Hurry up and untie me!"

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1507 on:** April 12, 2014, 06:35:32 PM

Lily nodded and kissed him gently. The electricity had knocked the primary conscience out, allowing her to control her body for the last few moments in it.

Emilena staggered to the cloning pod and opened it. A familiar 20-something dark-skinned body greeted them. "It's...ready..." she panted painfully. "You've just got to..."

Lily nodded. Stepping forward, she helped Emilena remove the mindless clone body and lay it on the ground. Then she climbed into the pod and allowed Emilena to seal it shut.

Emilena closed and sealed the door. "This won't hold the creature for long. Hopefully we're long gone by the time it wakes up."

They waited. And waited. The clone body remained lifeless.

Emilena grew nervous. "Without a mind, this body won't last for much longer without suffocating itself. What's taking her so long???"

bushwacked · **Reply #1508 on:** April 12, 2014, 08:02:21 PM

Axel looked from the pod to the body lying on the floor, his hands clenching into fists restlessly. He looked at Emilena and clenched his jaw. "Did... did you do something wrong?" Axel walked unsteadily to the pod, looking at the switches and buttons next to it. "Damnit, I don't... I don't know what any of this stuff does..." Thumping a fist on the glass, he called through to Lily. "Hey! Hey, Lily, come on! You've gotta hurry up!"

Giving up, he collapsed to his knees next to the clone's body and shook her shoulders gently. "You have to do it! Please!" It couldn't go wrong... not now, not when they were so close...

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1509 on:** April 12, 2014, 08:49:24 PM

Further minutes passed. Nothing.

Emilena growled and thought over the steps, leading up to now. Everything is perfect... she thought with frustration. Why the hell isn't she...?

She took a deep breath. There's the problem. She's been thinking of HER role in all this, not Lily's. Had Lily ever shown an ability to throw her conscience at will?

As Emilena began to understand the problem, a solution slowly presented itself.

"Axel..." she started, trying to put this as delicately as she could, "Lily needs an impetus to jumpstart her conscience's expulsion from the old body, such as someone trying to kill her. Normally, a near-death experience is enough, but she knows neither of us would ever kill her after all this. Now, while seeing through her eyes, I saw all her near-death experiences...and, though I didnt understand why, your moment with her in the tree..."

Emilena opened the pod and dragged Lily's mutated body onto the floor. "The alien has no concept of life after reproduction. It's a primitive animal; once you reproduce, you die.. It thinks you're trying to kill her through impregnation." She trailed off. She hoped he would get the hint.

She hefted her sword and Lupis' pistol. "I'll, er, guard the entrance..."

Serris · **Reply #1510 on:** April 12, 2014, 09:49:24 PM

Soren shook his head. "Marie, we can't let him go. He's gonna arm up again and come after us. We need to dispose of him, now!"

Anne sighed. "As cruel as it sounds, Soren, I think you have a point." She pulled her pistol out from under her dress and clicked off the safety. "Sorry, but we'd like to make our raid a bit easier."

Soren shook his head. "Let's not waste ammo. We're on an elevated platform. We'll just dump him from it."

Nick22 · **Reply #1511 on:** April 12, 2014, 10:16:24 PM

Killing him, wont solve anything' Marita said.' we have the info we need, now we can let him be on his way. if we run into him again along the way, and he dies then, thats one thing.. but this is another..
- soren, dont be a dick ' marie said. we'll drop him off somewhere and head to to rejoin the others..

Serris · **Reply #1512 on:** April 12, 2014, 10:37:51 PM

"His group has already killed numerous innocents." Soren's face was icy cold and neutral. "And what if we just release him and he goes ahead and rearms himself?"

"Marie, these people are fanatics. Do you want to put Augments like myself at risk?" Anne asked, pointing to her horn for emphasis. "Don't be mistaken, I'm not in favor of wanton slaughter but he's too high up in the command to keep alive. You saw what his keycard's clearance is."

"Which is why we need to kill him!" Soren snapped. He then gently brushed Felix's nakes chest with the muzzle of his rifle. "Pity, you really weren't a z-level operative. We might have let you live if you were."

bushwacked · **Reply #1513 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:26:40 AM

Axel gaped at Emilena, flushing. "Huh? I need to..." He blinked and looked down at the mutated Lily. "She thought I was trying to kill her with... with that?!" You're losing time! Swallowing, he nodded quickly at Emilena and ran a hand through his hair awkwardly. "Alright, alright, I'll try. Just... yeah, just guard the door."

As Emilena walked away, Axel crouched down in front of Lily, his eyes roving over her body. He loved her, but... in her current transformed, bloodied state, sex wasn't exactly the first thing that came to mind. Axel spread her legs apart gingerly, and winced. She was spiky down there, too. He let out a shaky breath and started unbuckling his jeans. "Alright... come on..."

Pushing them down, Axel grimaced when he saw there was another problem. After being shot at, beaten, electrocuted and killing people, he was finding it difficult to get his friend in the mood. "Aw, you son of a bitch! Not now..." Rubbing up against her, he accomplished nothing aside from getting poked by something sharp. Leaning back, he tried desperately to help himself along with his hand. Still nothing. "Goddamnit!" he growled after a moment, stopping and punching his leg in frustration. The one time you could use it to save someone's life! Grinding his teeth, he looked around for inspiration... and his gaze settled on Lily's clone lying just to their side. Axel remembered the first night they'd met, how he'd felt the first time he'd looked into her eyes. Leaning over, he grasped the clone's outstretched hand tightly and closed his eyes, memories flitting through his mind of how happy she'd been that morning at Soren's house, when she knew she wasn't alone. And he felt himself stirring.

A small laugh escaped Axel. "Alright! Just... just keep it up..." Pushing forwards, he entered the mutated Lily and gasped as he poked himself on something again, keeping his eyes closed. Keeping a hold of the clone's hand, he started to pick up his pace, his breaths getting quicker.

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

Felix glared up at Soren with hatred. "I told you, I am Z-level." He spat in his face. "If you're going to kill me then hurry the hell up, you fucking bastard. I don't have all day."

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1514 on:** April 13, 2014, 06:36:21 AM

There was a sharp intake of breath as the creature stirred. But Lily kept the conscience forced down. She had already worked herself into a bit of a panic when she couldn't escape, but once she realized what Axel was doing, she became determined to use it.

The tattoo on her chest was at one. This was the only chance she was going to get. Like before, she felt herself leaving the body and settling into Axel's.

No! she thought with determination, Not there! She used Axel's gaze to pinpoint the clone body to her left. He was holding her hand, making it even easier for her to lead herself to her intended destination.

And then...it was done. Sitting up now and breathing for the first time, Lily took several deep breaths and opened her eyes. She felt herself. This body didn't feel like hers, even though it looked like it; this would take some time to get used to.

"Axel..." she whispered, trying to sit up. "Axel...you did it."

The creature under Axel, freed of Lily's control, pushed him away and scampered out of the room. Having remembered how this rat had bested it in ambush before and was proceeding to display the ultimate act of dominance, the creature was more than willing to flee instead of fight.

bushwacked · **Reply #1515 on:** April 13, 2014, 03:42:27 PM

When he heard Lily speak, Axel's eyes flew open. "Huh?! Oh! Argh!" he cried as the creature pushed him away and he was tugged out roughly. He groaned, holding his crotch as the mutant scrambled away, then looked back up as he heard Lily trying to move. "Oh my god! Lily!"

Dragging himself across, he put an arm around her and helped her to sit up. "Holy crap! It actually worked!" Axel pulled Lily closer and kissed her, then looked her up and down anxiously. "How... how are you feeling? Does everything feel okay?"

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1516 on:** April 13, 2014, 04:18:48 PM

"Yes..." Lily smiled, but upon attempting to breathe again she began coughing. Her face turned slightly purple and she clutched her throat.

Emilena rushed back into the room at the sound. "Her lungs are full!" She announced, recognizing the symptoms immediately. Hoisting Lily onto her knees and elbows, she spanked her violently until Lily had cleared her lungs, like a newborn baby.

"Now to clear her trachea...sorry Axel, but it looks like I get first kiss," Emilena pushed Lily back down and administered CPR until Lily vomited green fluid. "Okay...okay, we're good now," Emilena sat back as Lily sat up, looking queasy.

But that didn't stop her from hugging Axel. "Thank you..." she smiled weakly. "I can't believe you managed to..." without further words, she pressed her lips against his, even while crying softly with overwhelming emotion.

Emilena averted her eyes and couldn't repress a disgusted grimace; cloning fluid breath would have to be the worst possible thing to kiss...

Serris · **Reply #1517 on:** April 13, 2014, 08:04:21 PM

Soren wiped the saliva off his face. "Okay. Anne, mind giving me a hand?"

Anne nodded as she picked up one half of the chair and Soren picked up the othe half.

"Okay," Soren said. "Someone needs to hold the door open."

bushwacked · **Reply #1518 on:** April 13, 2014, 08:37:40 PM

Lily's breath did have a chemical quality to it, but Axel didn't care. He returned the kiss, eagerly pressing against her mouth in unbridled adoration. He could barely dare to imagine that she was finally okay again, and it was as if by maintaining contact, he was reassuring himself of the fact that she was safe. When they finally broke apart after what seemed like forever, he smiled down at Lily and brushed some hair from her eyes. "I said I wouldn't leave you, didn't I?" Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, "I love you so, so much."

Axel unzipped his hoodie, pulled it off and wrapped it around Lily to keep her warm. "Here, I, ah, know it's a little big for you... and a little, uh, bloody. Sorry." Looking across at Emilena, he nodded gratefully to her, tears in his eyes. "Thank you."

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #1519 on:** April 14, 2014, 01:24:53 PM

Suddenly the lights in the building where Soren and the others were dimmed, and then a single spotlight silhouetted Nairda and a mic on the second floor.

With a two-finger kiss in Felix's direction, Nairda hit the background music, and busted some passionate chords.

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

Lily, with Axel's help, got to her feet. "Thanks..." she said gratefully for the sweater.

Emilena glanced at the door. "Wish we had time to get you a shower; I know that stuff isn't pleasant on the skin. But right now we need to get in contact with those two characters we broke in with. Do you have any way of contacting them Axel?"