Darwin's Soldiers 2: Survival of the Fittest

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #500 on:** August 31, 2009, 11:46:22 PM

As Ariol spotted the flashing lights of reinforcements, his phone buzzed, but not from an incoming call. Wired to the base's network, he could get immediate messages from the most important security systems. He looked down at his cell and cursed. An unauthorized access into the embryo chamber...

"Computer. Patch me in to Delta leader..."

Serris · **Reply #501 on:** September 01, 2009, 12:50:29 AM

Delta Leader's radio buzzed. "This is Delta Leader."

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Dr. Kerzach looked around the room. "I knew that we had embryo growth rooms. I mean, that's how some of these experiments were created. But one of the things that was drilled into our heads was that accelerated growth pods were totally illegal." He then took a deep breath. "So now what? Do we steal data or wreck the place?"

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #502 on:** September 01, 2009, 01:41:50 AM

"First thing, yeah, we totally steal the data." Shelton found a computer and sat down. "Drat, it wants a password from a Dragonstorm scientist."

Shelton remembered something a jailed man once told him, regarding a secret project in Pelvanida that Dr. Bruce Tinner was involved in. Sorry, I’m not going to tell you any more. But you may find out on your own someday.

Shelton tried Tinner's password. It let him in.

"Score!" Shelton scanned as much as he could onto two flash drives, and pulled them out. He handed one to Kerzach and pocketed one himself. "If one of these can escape the base intact, we'll have enough proof to shut down Dragonstorm permanently and incarcerate everyone involved for life."

Serris · **Reply #503 on:** September 01, 2009, 01:59:11 AM

Dr. Kerzach stuck the flash drive into his pocket. "Actually, damaging this lab could set off either the CO2 fire extinguishing system or an explosive charge, possibly killing us or at the very least set off an alarm."

He then opened a drawer and retrieved a spiral bound notebook. "Hey! I recognize these scientists! Hicks, Montgomery, Kozlov and O'Neill!"

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At the same time, Hicks went into one of the elevators and rode it to the Dragonstorm embryo growth room. When he exited the elevator, it retracted seamlessly into the stainless steel floor. The only sign that it was an elevator was a scuff mark that looked vaguely like an "E". He was inside the utility closet and when he stepped out of the closet, he immediately spotted Kerzach and Shelton.

"You! How'd you get in here!?" he demanded.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #504 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:14:18 AM

"Won't be forgetting them any time soon," cringed Shelton. "I've still got back problems from that bear hitting me into a wall. His memory gives me motivation to get the rest of them locked up forever."

The ceiling shook. The experiment hadn't given up, and the hits were coming faster and harder. Shelton moved to the back of the room, near the growth acceleration pods.

He noticed one. "Hey, this one's almost done."

The experiment was an eagle or hawk-like raptor, with an outer coat made of metal. The talons were long and wicked, the eyes were focusing crystals for tactical high energy lasers, and the beak appeared to be made for drilling. Inner functions of the growth pod had already been activated, and metallic tentacles were already wiring to the neural network that replaces the brain.

Shelton ran to the computer and checked the status. "It is almost done. There's only a bit of coding to go. The part where they program its allegiances." He looked up suddenly. "You were wondering how we're going to get rid of that Dragonstorm experiment outside. You and me obviously can't fight it. What if we recruit this experiment onto our side?"

Serris · **Reply #505 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:18:18 AM

"Anything that works!" Dr. Kerzach replied.

Hicks then noticed Shelton standing near one of the growth pods. "Shelton! Get the [censored] away from those pods! We worked hard on those!" He then started moving towards Shelton.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #506 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:20:16 AM

"That experiment outside's going to work a number on all of us if you don't let me finish this!" Shelton yelled back. "Be a good little boy and maybe I won't program this hawk to attack you on sight!"

(OOC: Should I let the attacking experiment in now?)

Serris · **Reply #507 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:24:18 AM

(OOC - Yeah, you can do that. Remember that Dragonstorm experiments will not harm Dragonstorm affiliated personnel unless they've been reprogrammed.)

"Dragonstorm experiments recognize me as their creator. They will not harm me." Hicks replied. He then snatched a piece of iron pipe left over from construction. "But I will harm you if you don't get away from that pod!" He then brandished the pipe threateningly

Dr. Kerzach opened his knife and stared down Hicks. "Pick on someone who's armed."

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #508 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:35:34 AM

With a deafening crash, the wall finally gave way, and the first Dragonstorm experiment kicked the rubble out of it's way, roaring angrily and extending its claws.

"Kerzach, take cover!" yelled Shelton, pulling the door of the pod open as the hawk slowly woke up.

The bird flapped into the air, parts creaking, and regarded the massive hulk of metal on front of it. It fired a lazer pulse from both eyes, which the monster's plating relfected inot the ceiling, further weakening the structural integrity of the room. The bird trilled angrily.

Shelton dove behind the growth pod as the bird shot towards the attacker.

(OOC: Feel free to take control of the bird or the attacking experiment during the battle, if you come up with anything interesting to add. I'm kinda drawing a blank on what type of battle they would have.)

Serris · **Reply #509 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:26:47 AM

Dr. Kerzach ran into the utility closet, with Hicks chasing him.

"You ruined both experiments!" Hicks shouted, waving the iron pipe.

"Well, it was either that or die." Dr. Kerzach countered.

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The Hawk experiment sent twin pulses of high energy laser towards its experiment then leapt into the air and tried slashing it with its talons.

(OOC - feel free to take control of Hicks.)

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #510 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:39:00 PM

The large experiment cried out as the sharp claws pinged off his armored plates. Slashing with his claws, he sent the bird spiraling into a wall.

Shelton made a half-hearted attempt to crawl for the utility closet, but a large piece of roof came down, forcing him to roll back to his original position.

The bird shook itself off and flew at the beast again, switching its beak into a titanium-piercing drill.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #511 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:51:26 PM

Shade looked up at the ceiling, his index finger in his mouth.
"Hm...Let's see...Oh, right. There were some...disputes with my creator over...certain facts about my personality, for one thing, and...there was the fact that I can neutralize certain bacterium, making some of the biological weapons he was developing useless, and probably most importantly, the fact that I still have kept my memory. Most don't."
He finally said, a small grin on his face...

Serris · **Reply #512 on:** September 01, 2009, 04:49:36 PM

The creature shrieked as the drill pierced its armor plating. The creature again slashed at the bird, its claws tearing at the bird's armor plates.

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Hicks then rushed at Dr. Kerzach with his pipe at the ready. Dr. Kerzach ducked under one of the swings but Hicks had somewhat of a reach advantage.

"Shelton! Get in the closet!" Dr. Kerzach shouted. He ducked under another swing and tried to stab Hicks. Unfortunately, he didn't dodge one of Hicks's swings in time. The pipe struck his wrist forcing to drop his knife. Hicks then kicked the knife out of the closet and continued attacking Dr. Kerzach.

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #513 on:** September 01, 2009, 06:11:15 PM

"There's been an unauthorized breach in the embryo chamber," Ariol said, and paused when he got another automated message on his phone. "Two Dragonstorm experiments are... Secure the damn area! We'll be with you shortly!"

The transports began a vertical descent onto the tarmac...

Serris · **Reply #514 on:** September 01, 2009, 06:59:11 PM

"I am enroute." Delta leader replied. She and her squad were sitting in the soldiers' lounge. She then turned to her squad. "There has been a breach in the embryo chamber. Move out!"

She, followed by her 7 soldiers, then headed to the armory where they grabbed their weapons. Most of the troopers were armed with shotguns and SMGs but 2 were armed with grenade launchers that fired armor piercing HEAT rounds.

As soon as they were armed, they hastily made their way to the embryo room via the emergency passages.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #515 on:** September 01, 2009, 07:09:50 PM

"Not liking this, not liking this," Shelton nervously muttered to himself.

Kerzach had yelled at him to get to the closet, but the trajectory of the fighting experiments showed that he'd be trapped in the closet once he reached it. He decided to make for the door instead.

Rolling behind the next closest pod, Shelton crawled away from the two battling experiments. The door wasn't far away...

Serris · **Reply #516 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:09:08 PM

By this time, Delta squad had arrived at the embryo room.

"Too late." one of the soldiers said, looking at the hole in the wall.

"Never too late. These experiments are programmed not to attack us." Delta leader replied. "Now move in!"

Delta squad then filed into the room, some entered through the door others entered through the hole in the wall.

Delta leader sniffed the air a few times. "Wait! Shelton's here... Damn it! He's escaped and we didn't know!?"

"Shelton?" a Delta soldier asked.

"He's the man we captured from the helicopter crash. Find him and kill him!"

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In the meantime, Dr. Kerzach was trying to dodge the blows that Hicks was delivering. "Shelton! Some help!"

"He's not going to help!" Hicks taunted, swinging his pipe at Dr. Kerzach's head.

Dr. Kerzach narrowly dodged the hit.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #517 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:40:21 PM

Shelton hunkered down as plaster peppered the air around him. He hugged the back of the pod as he heard the leader call for his death.

No time. He had to get to Kerzach, but he didn't know if he had time.

Hell with it. Go!

Shelton leapt to his feet and sprinted for the closet where Hicks and Kerzach were. Sidestepping the lumbering monster experiment, who was weakening now that the hawk had formed a weak spot in the armor, Shelton rolled into the closet.

Hicks saw him and tried to push Kerzach out of the way. "Shelton! I've wanted to pound your head in since last time we met!"

"Yeah? Well keep waiting!" Shelton put his fingers in his mouth and let out a trill whistle.

The hawk immediately stopped fighting and swooped down to hover above Shelton's head.

Shelton grabbed one of the talons with both hands. "Kerzach, this may be a bit awkward and painful, but you need to grab the other talon!"

(OOC: I'm going to have the bird fly us onto the next floor through the hole in the ceiling. Is there anything you want to accomplish in this room before that?)

Serris · **Reply #518 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:57:20 PM

(OOC - Cool.)

Dr. Kerzach nodded and grabbed the talon of the experiment. "See you!" He then gave the middle finger to Hicks.

"You wait! That's not the last of me!" Hicks shouted. He then reached inside his labcoat and an elevator rose from the floor and he stepped inside and the elevator then retracted seamlessly into the stainless steel floor.

Delta Leader had tracked Shelton to the closet. She entered the closet and opened fire with her SMG, narrowly missing both Shelton and Dr. Kerzach.

"Go, go, go!" Dr. Kerzach shouted.

The Hawk experiment beeped and rose upwards with Shelton and Kerzach holding on.

By this time, two grenade launcher armed troopers followed Delta leader and fired at the experiment. One of the grenades struck the experiment's torso, injuring it but not stopping its upward flight, the other grenade destroyed a shelf full of blank computer disks.

Soon the experiment and its 2 passengers were out of sight.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #519 on:** September 01, 2009, 09:45:12 PM

"Jesus, that was close," Shelton panted, as the hawk dumped both of them on the next floor. He massaged his upper arm. "We need to get as far away from that lab as possible."