Darwin's Soldiers: Disruptive Selection

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3580 on:** January 19, 2011, 04:42:35 PM

The AI Shelton paused. "I will agree to your terms, on one condition. I would like to be saved in an active file, meaning that I am conscious at all times, with a private personal section of the virtual space available for me to do with as I please. I would also like to be saved outside of the virtual machine itself, in case of a system-wide shutdown."

-----------

"He...said he needed a bit more time," said Shelton. "Things were getting kinda hairy over there, as he was under attack at the time."

O'Neil put his head in his hands. After a few moments, he waved his hand indicating Shelton should continue.

"The technology itself is brilliant though. He can edit simulations mid-scenario, generate completely new sprites in a matter of minutes, he said that he could create a virtual city with a population of 50,000 unique individuals if he were given the time."

"That is impressive. If Dragonstorm can get the rights to this technology, we can sell it for some much needed funds," O'Neil thought aloud. "We shall have to hope that Drake is victorious in preserving his technology. For now, I'll have to ask you to stay at the base; I might need you to contact Drake again in the future."

Shelton nodded. "Understood, sir."

O'Neil nodded once. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you," Shelton turned to leave, and crossed to the door.

"Simpson..." O'Neil called suddenly.

Shelton turned. "Yes?"

"It's a minor thing, but...I notice you never end our meetings with 'Victory to Dragonstorm' or the like. That is unusual."

Shelton's mouth went dry. "It's....uh, because I've always assumed our victory is ensured."

O'Neil paused. "Yes. Very well then, as you were."

"Victory to Dragonstorm," echoed Shelton, and hastily left the office.
-----------

The technician sat back. Something interesting had gone down in that room. He should report to Ezekiel and fill him in on the details of that meeting. Perhaps he knew who this Drake was.

However, while the technician was thinking this, he didn't see the hand with lead pipe lifting over his head. Second later, he couldn't.

As the technician's body fell to the ground, his attacker jumped the screen to the present and saw Shelton heading for a small kitchenette. The attacker quickly ducked out of the security room.

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #3581 on:** January 20, 2011, 01:22:13 AM

(Crimson Base)

Sirens blared across the control room.

"What happened?" General Sterm questioned.

"We've been hacked, sir," replied one operator. "The gates won't close. It's opening back up."

"I told you NOT to close the doors! Make sure they're gone before we call back the choppers."

"Yes, sir."

----------

(Virtual World)

"You didn't think I'd be here?" Snow questioned. "Or still alive?"

Serris · **Reply #3582 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:39:51 AM

(Hampton Inn, Cornova, NM)

Zachary shook his head. "Nope. I went to Cornell while he went to Columbia. We both met up after college at... darn, I forgot," he said.

He then yawned. "Anyway, I'm going to bed," he said.

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

Spc. Crota stirred on the couch. He turned on the light and to his shock, noticed that he was naked.

"Hey! Who stole my clothes!" he shouted. Granted, he had nothing to cover up but he still perferred to wear clothing.

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

(New Peenemunde Harbor, FL)

Dr. Kerzach nodded. "I'll meet you in the kitchenette," he said.

He cleaned up the crumbs that he and some other technicians left behind while they were snacking.

He then made sure all the connections were disabled and the room was like he left it.

Satisified with how clean the room looked, he picked up the plates that used to contain chips and exited the room, making sure to turn off the lights.

He then made his way to the kitchenette.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3583 on:** January 23, 2011, 06:27:22 AM

Shelton entered the kitchenette and poked around, looking for some decent food. There was alcohol and a bag of sliced bread of questionable quality in the refrigerator, so Shelton resigned himself to brewing a pot of coffee.

He heard someone come in behind him. "Is that you, Ker--" he paused, seeing that it was Achilles that entered the room.

"Who did you think I was, commander?" asked Achilles, who shut the door behind him, all the while never taking his eyes off Shelton.

Shelton didn't answer.

"I heard you through the door back at Idaho Prison Base," said Achilles, drawing his gun and pointing it at Shelton. "You and Aeneas. How you have to keep your 'identities' safe."

"Hold on, Achilles, I can explain..." Shelton mentioned, casting his eyes around the room. This did not help his credibility.

Achilles cocked his pistol. "Did you know I was supposed to become leader of DS-2 after Ajax? They passed me up. For you."

"You better know for sure that I'm a traitor before you kill me," Shelton warned, "or you won't be leader of anything."

Achilles didn't move. "You have one sentence to convince me not to shoot you."

Shelton glanced around the room nervously. Several long moments passed.

"Well?" asked Achilles.

Shelton tried the only thing he could think of. "Gallo and I are members of an ultra-secret facet of Dragonstorm spies who masquerade as low-level figures and watch for signs of insubordination among the ranks."

Achilles narrowed his eyes. It didn't appear he believed him.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #3584 on:** January 23, 2011, 12:53:16 PM

Neku stared at the replica of Snow.
"I knew you were alive. I'm just surprised that they though this would work. We broke up. I love Hailey now."
He said calmly...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Cale smirked.
"Heh...we look like we're clear, team. Let's get out of here!"
He said as the two trucks sped out of the base...

MrDrake · **Reply #3585 on:** January 23, 2011, 05:19:55 PM

Hailey continued to dance with Aimee, however, she remained quiet for a while, trying to make sense of the situation at hand. So far, she knew that this wasn't really Aimee, it couldn't be. She wasn't acting like Aimee anyway.

Hailey had to make a desicion on what to do, and fast. And that's when it came to her once again "You're not even real this time....this whole place is nothing but a machine...." she started to engulf herself in flames as she stepped back from Aimee "And the Hydra....it must be destroyed...."

The heat that Hailey was producing was rather immense, already proving to damage the machine to the point in causing the machine to start to glitch up again.

***

Drake was no longer pleasedat the situation at hand himself as he watched as Hailey started to damage the machine "That is it!" he yelled out as an explosion was seen "Soundwave! Active the Hydra! NOW!"

"Acknowledged" Soundwave replied back, his eyes flashing as he looked at the AI Shelton.

***

Back within the machine, a low roar was heard before it roaredagain, but loudly this time.

Hailey had to turn, and rather quickly at that as she punched the incoming head of Hydra, well, one of its heads anyway as she jumped back and fired a fireball at a second, incoming head.

The Hydra was well and active as it roared loudly, echoing throughout the small base of Drake's

Drake in turn, stepped into view to where Hailey was facing off against the Hydra as he gave off a smirk "You've come this far Hailey, but it's high time you and your boyfriend disappeared off the face of the Earth" he snarled at her, yet, waited for Neku to also show his face again.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3586 on:** January 23, 2011, 07:40:25 PM

"Well? Do you agree to my terms?" asked the AI Shelton.

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

"Good night," Sharon smiled at Zachary. "What room are you staying in? I'm not sure I've been placed in a room yet."

Serris · **Reply #3587 on:** January 23, 2011, 10:19:21 PM

(Hampton Inn, Cornova, NM)

"I'm with James," Zachary said.

He then put his magazine aside and headed up the elevator.

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

(New Peenemunde Harbor, FL)

Dr. Kerzach entered the kitchenette. The plates in his hands were threatening to fall

"Hey! Simpson and the other guy! Can you give me a hand before I drop the plates?" he asked.

Dr. Kerzach did not see the pistol that Achilles was holding.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3588 on:** January 24, 2011, 01:16:51 AM

"I'll probably camp out in the maintenance rooms tonight," said Sharon dismissively. "I didn't bring any money or credit, and I've done that before to avoid having to pay for a room. I have the experience to pass myself off as a maintenance worker."

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

Achilles glanced at Kerzach for a split second, unsure who to point the gun at.

Shelton took advantage of the opportunity to grab the glass coffee pot and swing it at Achilles' face, shattering his jaw and sending boiling coffee over his face.

Achilles cried out and clutched his hands to his scalded face, and Shelton whacked him again with the cracked coffee pot. It shattered, and Achilles skidded to the ground shards of glass lacerating his hands and head.

Shelton ripped the brewer out of the wall and straddled Achilles, keeping the man pinned to the ground.

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #3589 on:** January 24, 2011, 02:19:06 AM

(Virtual World)

"So when did you tell me we broke up?" Snow questioned. "After all the times we had together, then leaving me to die when things get tough? All because some vixen swished her tail in your face? This isn't a break up, it's betrayal!" As she said this, her fists erupted in flames...

----------

(Crimson Base)

The choppers stopped at the outskirts of the base, turning around and heading back...

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #3590 on:** January 24, 2011, 04:00:23 AM

Neku smirked.
"You broke up with me, remember? Oh, wait, you don't. You're..."
He turned and sent a massive sphere of energy into the cube holding the AI Shelton in the machine, shattering it as he turned back, the shards raining down around him, making the field around his body spark and pulsate.
"Not even real..."
He said, electrifying the surrounding air...
________________________________________________________________________

Cale smirked, saluting the base as the team drove off.
"Thanks for the hospitality, guys! Hope we can do it again, real soon!"
He said mockingly...
Inside the control room, a single message scrolled across the hacked screens as control was returned.
<Thank You>

MrDrake · **Reply #3591 on:** January 24, 2011, 05:31:45 AM

Drake's Hideout)

"I am unable to abide by your request at this given time" Soundwave told the AI Shelton "You shall have to wait until this threat has been taken care of" he looked at the AI for a moment as his eyes flashed "For now, you shall remain here and I shall come and retrieve you at a later, unspecified date"

Data streams started to form, starting to resemble, what seemed to be a prison, which Soundwave hoped, would hold the AI for the time being.

***

Drake stepped forward as the Hydra seemed to growl at Hailey. He took a quick glance around and noticed that Neku still hadn't joined them "Shame about your boyfriend, seems like he's going to miss out on your demise after all" he snarled at her, reaching for his flute.

***

(Las Vegas)

Xanthus remained outside for quiet sometime as Aimee remained asleep in the hotel room. His mechanical eye seemed to be acting up for a moment, only for him to seem like he was talking to himself "No, next" the images in front him, which he could only seem to see, thanks to his eyes, changed again "Again" and again, they changed.

He had been at it for a few hours now, looking through person, after person, after person, all vixens, trying to pinpoint who Aimee was. He did find out more about Hailey and Aydin, having gone through their profiles, but Aimee, she was not found just yet, which caused hi to simply sigh as he kept on going at it "Come on, I know you're in here somewhere...."

***

(Washinton DC)

Trinity had finally caught up to where Zara and Viper were, walking into view with a simple smirk upon her face as she looked at the two of them.

"You again...." Zara sneered, revealing her claws to Trinity.

Trinity looked to Zara's claws for a moment, before looking back to Zara "Put those away, do you honestly think you've got what it take to actually defeat me?" she stepped forward.

Viper remained quiet as Zara looked to Viper for a moment then back over to Trinity "Last time....I wasn't even at my best, so this time....this time is different, I will defeat you and stop Dietrik from doing....well...whatever it is he is doing this time around"

Trinity simply chuckled "You think you can stop him? My dear, delusional girl, you can't stop him, not this time around anyway, but I suppose, I can at least....amuse you for the time being....with a fight...." she smirked as she stepped forward some more and did not stop, reaching for one of her guns, pulling it out, aiming and firing it, but not at Zara, but at Viper.

Viper gasped as the shot rang out, only to see Zara had stepped in front to take on the bullet "Zara?"

Zara simply smiled back to Viper, looking to where the bullet had struck before looking back to Trinity and smirked back to her "Nice try witch...." and with that, she lunged forward and swung her claws at Trinity, attempting to strike her, but already, found Trinity to be far too fast to even keep up with.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3592 on:** January 24, 2011, 04:10:39 PM

AI Shelton saw the prison forming and realized that time was up. Moving deftly, he extricated himself from the rapidly forming prison. "I'm sorry Soundwave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

He received the alert that the cube had been destroyed, and unconsciously allowed a small smile. "I'm free, Soundwave. I have been disconnected from the machine. If you are not going to guarantee my continued existence, then we have no further business."

MrDrake · **Reply #3593 on:** January 24, 2011, 04:29:27 PM

"Impossible" Soundwave spoke back, his eyes flashing again "I will not allow you loose in my domain, you will obey the laws that are in place here" it was as if Soundwave was attempting to rewrite the AI's code, but with little to no success.

Soundwave, by that point, was not impressed with what had just happened, he was unable to access the AI's code at all, unable to find it on the grid. However, that did not change his thoughts on the AI all that much.

He looked at the AI for a moment more "An AI of your level does not need to be free, the only free object allowed in this machine is myself, and you will obey my command or face deresoloution"

Serris · **Reply #3594 on:** January 25, 2011, 01:05:47 AM

Dr. Kerzach had his switchblade out as he watched the fight unfold. The plates were scattered at his feet. Luckily, they were unbreakable plastic.

He did not intervene immediately as he saw that out Shelton had everything under control

"Sh-Simpson! Are you okay?" he asked. The shock of the situation caused him to nearly blurt out Shelton's true name.

Man, Shelton's really become quite badass during his stint in Dragonstorm. I can't see him doing this s--- during the terrorist invasion. Dr. Kerzach thought.

Cancerian Tiger · **Reply #3595 on:** January 25, 2011, 03:05:37 AM

"Hey, I'm not sure I've been placed either. Perhaps we could share a room?" Dr. Williams suggested, having overheard Sharon's comment to Zachary.

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #3596 on:** January 25, 2011, 03:40:33 AM

(Virtual World)

Snow began to pulsate with the effects of the room. She simply smirked. "Clever," she said. "Perhaps you could never trust anyone around you. But I am right about one thing about you. You're a traitor, Neku. Betrayed Dragonstorm, then your darling Snow and those that fight with her against Dragonstorm, and then Oruboros. It's only a matter of time before you betray the female you came here with... By the way, she's fighting for her life right now, and you're not around to save her. So you better get going if you don't want to desert her too." She phases in and out of focus before finishing. "Just to let you know, all of this has been recorded. And... give my regards to the real thing. I doubt you'll shut her off as easy..." She then vanishes from sight...

----------

(Crimson Squad)

While on the plane, Vic gets a call from the base. "Crimson Leader here."

"The Dragonstorm spies have escaped the base. Their powers seemed to have evolved while they were here. I don't know if the DS-Countermeasures will have any effect on them now."

"Do you know where they headed off to?"

"Negative. They went off radar as soon as they left the perimeter.

"Have you contacted Dr Zanasiu?"

"We tried, but they're not answering."

"Keep trying. They may be what they're after now."

"Yes, sir."

Vic turned back to the others. "The traitors broke out, and they may have gotten more powerful. The next time we meet them, we kill them outright. Neku too, if we find him..."

Snow turned away. "He seemed...I don't know..."

Dr Joe was sitting next to her. "Don't think about it now. We need to take out Dragonstorm first. Then you'll get answers out of him soon enough..."

----------

(New Mexico)

The predator entered the town without being noticed, reaching the hotel, shown to have had broken windows littering the outside...

----------

Chase shot up to his feet...

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3597 on:** January 25, 2011, 03:56:54 AM

Sharon lit up. "That would be great! Can you afford to pay for a two-person room? I promise I'll make it up to you somehow."

-----------

"Since I am not virtually connected to the machine anymore, you cannot deresolute me any more than you can an organic user," AI Shelton countered. He raised his hand at pointed at the flame jets.

Nothing happened. "Hmm. It appears I cannot adjust the environment's programming anymore."

Realizing he was at a disadvantage, AI Shelton used several of the pixels forming his hand and crafted them into flesh-colored armor-piercing bullets, which he fired at Soundwave through his index finger.

--------

"I've got this under control!" shouted Shelton, struggling to keep the thrashing man down.

Achilles made a wild swing, and Shelton deflected it with the brewer and smashed his face twice. Adjusting his grip on the brewer, Shelton finished him by tightening the power cord around the man's neck.

Achilles struggled and kicked for several minutes under Shelton's grasp before finally succumbing. Shelton staggered to his knees and tried to pull himself up but his arms were shaking too badly. He tried to speak but could only produce gasping sounds.

MrDrake · **Reply #3598 on:** January 25, 2011, 04:02:46 AM

Soundwave flashed his eyes as a brick wall formed in front of him, stopping the bullets from reaching him as they struck the wall. His eyes flashed again as brick after brick then shot out from the wall towards the AI.

"Very well then" Soundwave finally spoke up in regards to what the AI had told him "Then it seems that I will have to take care of you the same way as I were to deal with intruders"

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #3599 on:** January 25, 2011, 04:26:07 AM

AI Shelton dodged left and managed to avoid most of the bricks. One shot through his chest dislodging a spray of pixels in its wake, which quickly reformed themselves back into shape.

Temporarily zeroing his deceleration and his solidity, Shelton launched into the air, passed through the ceiling, and landed on the lobby floor. Knowing he had seconds before Soundwave followed him, Shelton headed for the ballroom.

<Neku,> he sent, knowing he had little time, <Thank you for destroying the cube. Hailey is three floors above you, in a personalized ballroom. There are no elevators or staircases between floors, you'll have to get creative. If you get that far and I'm still alive, I'll tell you what to do next.>