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Post by Jim Doe on Sept 10, 2004 3:26:41 GMT -5
Control Log, Centerpoint Village Freedom Fighters, Tamara deClaws in command.
To: Princess Sally Alicia Acorn, Knothole Village Freedom Fighters
RE: Status Report
Princess Acorn, here is the update on our situation, as per your request. I apologize for its lateness, but we've all been busier than expected in the weeks following the Lieutenant AI mission. Several new huts had to be constructed to accomodate the influx of villagers and equipment from your and other Freedom Fighter cells, which left little time for correspondance. I wish I could thank you personally for the help that you've sent - including reassigning Sir Starlite to us - but unfortunately we still have a great deal of work to do.
From the recent surviellence photos you sent us, it would seem that our worst nightmare has come true. Dr. Ivo Robotnik has finally taken notice of our actions in Centropolis and has sent one of his commander-class robots to the city. We have not detected an incoming flight to the city in the past week, but it's possible that it may have slipped in undetected. Irregardless, we will be proceeding with extreme caution from here on in. The team we have assembled is far too precious to Centerpoint's continued safety to jepordize them unduly on their first mission together.
Kaige the Dragon has completely healed from his encounter at the Lt-Bot factory and was instrumental in the destruction of several more squads of the elite robots over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, there are probably still a few of the machines still in the city, but at least no more have been constructed since the controlling AI was destroyed. Kaige will of course be leading the upcoming mission into Centropolis to root out these last straglers as well as do a quick check into the status of the city's new commander. I have told him that he is not to confront the commander directly yet for any reason . . . but he can be a bit headstrong at times.
Speaking of headstrong, Kaige seems to have taken a liking to one of our newest village members, the now-ex-mercenary Ryan Scott, or more commonly known as "Chief". Kaige, of course, will never admit to this, but it is something that I have tried to encourage. Ryan is quite capable in his particular areas of expertise, and his tactics seem to compliment Kaige's very well. He also seems to be settling into life here at Centerpoint quite well since he decided to become at least a semi-permenant resident. His family has also moved in, and they seem to be fitting in as well. The only unfortunate thing in all of this is that the injuries Ryan sustained in the last mission are still not completely healed, but he insists on accompanying the others on the next. I've been reassured by our resident doctor, Carmen Rosemary, that he should be just fine as long as he avoids any melee combat, however.
Despite a small falling out of a personal nature following the Lieutenant AI mission, I and Carmen have managed to keep our professional relationship working quite well. Having fully recovered from her own injuries, she has been busy tending to Ryan, performing examinations on the incoming personell, and preparing for the upcoming mission.
Edward Markus, our resident mechanic and tinker, has also been quite busy the past few weeks, mostly analyzing data from the Lt-Bots and working on upgrading Centerpoint's arsenal to deal with any more high-tech threaths Robotnik might be throwing in our path in the coming months.
One of our new arrivals is also a mechanic of sorts, specializing in the construction, dismantling, and application of explosives. Though I thought at first that he might be a tad old for Freedom Fighting, my fears were quickly allayed upon seeing his skill in action. He is a highly qualified professional, and I expect that his abilities and explosive arsenal will be quite useful in the city.
Zhade Harkins . . . I'm not entirely certain what to make of this individual just yet. He only arrived in the village a few days ago, having had to travel here such a long way from Dark Haven, so I haven't gotten much of a chance to socialize with him beyond our initial debriefing. Even those few chances that we've seen one another, he's kept mostly to himself. Still, he was a member of the Peacekeeper's Special Agent Division back before the coup, so I have little doubt that he'll manage to hold his own.
Finally, I want to thank you once again for sending Sir Maxamillian Starlite to aid us in our time of need. Though I know that there were a few problems concerning him during the last mission, I'm glad to have your and his reassurance that they will not be repeated. These are stressful times and I fully understand that Nack The Weasel may not be the easist person to get along with . . . while Sir Max's reactions may have been a bit over the top, they can easily be forgiven under the circumstances. In any case, he has settled in well enough with most of the other team members, and I expect him to perform superbly. He is a great asset to our cause.
Though this team is, for the most part, newly formed, I have high hopes for them and fully expect that I will be able to report back to you in the next few days on their first success together.
For a Free Mobius,
Tamara deClaws, Centerpoint Freedom Fighters
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wildfire
Socially Acceptable
I'm spastic with a handgun
Posts: 206
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Post by wildfire on Sept 12, 2004 0:02:25 GMT -5
A midnight streak tore through the Great Forest's canopy of emerald green as Sir Maxamillian Starlite tore off in the direction of Centerpoint Village. He didn't dare ride above the canopy, as Robotnik's spybots might see him and follow him to Centerpoint. His fingers deftly flew across the controls of his custom hoverbike as he weaved in and out of the trees both for the sake of confusion and the sheer fun of it. In the past weeks, the war had intensified. A chance to relax and just be a teenager was definitely a rare treat. He looked foreward to seeing the village and its residents again with an air of both longing and seriousness. Max soon found the clearing that he and Nack had landed in nearly a month ago and touched down gently. He slung his pack over his shoulder and picked up his faithful blade.
Nack... So much had happened in one crazy night that Max had reached a breaking point. Since then though, he had lightened up quite a bit. He supposed that had a lot to do with his exposure to Nack and the prepeturally happy Ryan Scott. He laughed as he pictured Cheif waiting for him at the villa, a smoke in his hand and a smirk on his face. He only hoped that the Centerpoints would recognize him after being away so long. His appearance hadn't changed too much, but he did look a lot different a few inches taller. It's amazing what two and a half inches can do for your perspective. He reached into his vest pocket absentmindedly and pulled out a lock of platinum blonde hair. "Fatel" he thought to himself as he walked into the center of the clearing and waited for the large red dragon he knew was going to greet him. He hadn't even been away from her for a day and he was already obsessing. He laughed at himself as he scanned the trees looking for Kaige and soon enough sat down in the clearing's quiet, waiting for his escort...
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Post by chief on Sept 12, 2004 23:45:10 GMT -5
“WAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
A very tired Danielle slowly lifted her head off the comfort of her pillow and glanced towards the end of the small room where her child lay crying in his crib. She then rolled over to glance at her husband Ryan who still lay fast asleep, even by their child’s cry. “Get up Ryan, its your turn”
No movement.
“Ryan...” she shook him.
Still no movement
“RYAN!” she then pushed him out of the bed and looked down at him.
“What...” Ryan said half asleep
“Its your turn”
“But I’m still recovering from my horrific injuries-”
“Ive been getting him for the past month! And you weren’t even with me then! So you either get him and let me get some sleep, or you can take those horrific injuries and shove them up your ass to keep warm while you sleep outside!”
Ryan glanced at the ground to avoid direct contact with Danielle’s eyes. He knew she was extremely tired. It was true that for the past month when Ryan was looking for work, involved in the Lt. mission, and with his injuries she was taken care of their son, and him with no complaints. But still, pushing him out of bed like that....
“Yes dear...” he slowly got up, untangled himself from the blankets, then grabbed his cane that Carmen strongly suggested he use. “I’m coming Thomas...” He said quietly as he walked over to his sons crib. He could almost walk normally now, just a slight pain in his left leg, but nothing he couldn’t handle.
“WAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
“I’m here Thomas” Ryan said as he reached down and picked up his son. “Now what’s all this crying about huh? It’s still dark outside” now whispering because he could hear his wife’s snoring. He was also looking out the window. “Want to go for a walk? Ya.. lets do that.” he placed Thomas on the bed as he put some pants on, his shirt and then his jacket. “Come on then” He put his boots on, picked up his son and walked outside.
“WAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
“SHHHHHHH shhhhhh shhhh.......” Ryan said as he started to walk slowly around the village. Using a cane and carrying your son was not the easiest of things to do in the world. He walked towards a bench in the middle of the village and sat down. The bench faced the hospital... Hospital wasn’t the right term to use for such a small un fitted place. But that was the term he used. Just a few weeks ago he lay in that building on deaths door stop. The injuries that he still had were from that same night. Reminders how how close he came to loosing everything. His life, Danielle, and the most important thing of all at this moment, and probably for a very long time. . . his son. Ryan put his now not crying son on the ground where he started to crawl around and playing with sticks and the dirt.
“Heh...” He looked up at the stars and muttered quietly to himself “Where are you Nack you old bastard?”
Ryan then reached in his coat pocket and grabbed a pack of cigarettes “Don’t tell your mother... heh” he took a cigarette out, put it in his mouth and lit it.
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Post by John Roberts on Sept 13, 2004 8:28:22 GMT -5
**She heard a loud crash come from the next room, someone or something had just burst into the kitchen; their heavy footsteps causing sold and hard vibrations through the floor boards. The noise was approaching the bedroom door. HER bedroom door.
‘NO’
She made a quick dash to her closet, the size of it being just big enough for her to easily hide in. She told herself if she could jump in and hide herself under all the clothes, she would be safe. She would be protected. She dove in, hitting her back hard against the wall. She didn’t even care about the pain now throbbing in her back, she just frantically slammed the closet doors shut and started pulling jackets over her small body.
SMASH!
The frightening sound of her bedroom door bursting open and splintering from it’s hinges caused her to freeze. She was terrified to make the slightest of sounds, even breathing. She just listened. A slight whimper escaped her lips when she heard more of the heavy footsteps thundering across her room, the floor beneath her was vibrating form the pounding. She nearly screamed in panic as she watched the closet door slowly swing open from all the commotion. The door came to a squeaking halt, not fully opened but it was enough to see her bed in the far corner of her room in it’s full entirety.
She hugged her knees close to her chest and pressed herself as far against the inside of the cupboard as she possibly could. She was waiting at any moment that whoever was inside her room would come crashing into the closet next and get her and take her away.
“Get out of this room, NOW!” She heard a voice from a distance yell out.
‘Momma!’
Her thoughts were quickly answered when she watched her mother’s delicate body suddenly fly into view and hit the bed. Her head slammed hard against the wall as she landed.
Her mum tried to push herself upright but she was obviously dazed and in pain from the vicious collision. She just lay there helplessly, breathing rapidly. A gash of blood had quickly formed in the side of her head and was oozing freely down her soft-furred cheek and drenching into the greyish fur of her slender neck.
A large man stepped into view. No, not a normal man but a shiny man who’s entire body was covered in a dark coloured metal. It’s right arm was extended, pointing directly at her mother head, some kind of blue light had started to form above it’s metallic fist.
Her mum leaned her head to one side almost looking directly at her.
The large metal man’s arm pointed closer, She could hear a slight humming sound emitting from the arm as the blue light formed even greater. The light beaming fully on her mother’s face.
A weak smile spread across her Mum’s features as her eyes focused on her.
PHOOM! ***
Carmen awoke with a scream, she snapped forward in her bed looking wildly around her. Her eyes wide open in terror. She was breathing hastily, her heart racing a mile a minute in her chest. The room was in darkness and only the shadows of her simple furniture made their presence known to her. She was alone. No metal men, no loud thumping except for the heart in her chest. It was a dream, just a dream. The SAME dream. She was shacking but not from being cold. Instead she was shacking from the building tension from all these sleepless nights. She didn’t know how much more she could take, how many more times would she see in her dreams her mother’s final moments. She sunk her face in the palm of her hands and started to cry.
She thought she had gotten past this, put it all behind her. But after only a week of complete carefree nights the nightmares returned. Four weeks had now passed since their mission into Centropolis. It was a mission she would never forget. The LT project had nearly cost all of her friends their lives, especially hers but amongst that danger and near death was something far more important to her. Her heart. It was during that mission that her heart discovered what it was missing, what it was needing and most importantly, what is had to let go of. Letting go of Tamara was such a hard situation for her to confront, but she did it. She had to. She thought by letting go of what was reminding her of her nightmares she would finally be free from her past. But nightmares as it seems never go away, not for her.
It was in those four weeks that she had further developed her relationship with Eddie. She loved him, oh she loved him with all her essence. Carmen had no regrets in their relationship, there were no qualms within her at all because she knew it was what she wanted. The past month she had spent with Eddie had been the greatest moments in her life ever since the war started. Being with him, being CLOSE to him seemed to take away her worries and problems with her day but for some reason not even he could take away her bad dreams, her haunted memories.
Her tears had now passed, her shacking body slowly dispensing. She looked up from her palms and to her side. She sighed feeling her paws across the bed sheets beside her The empty side of her bed was never a welcoming sight. But it was something both her and Eddie had decided on after spending a full week in each other’s arms every night. A relationship was one thing but a war was another, and they both agreed that going further with each other would always have to come second with the fight they were in for their very existence. The time spent with one another had been even less now since the new arrivals to their village. Several Mobians from other villagers turned up to balance the now strong concerns of her village becoming a bigger target from Robotnik. Tamara had said herself many times that they were now in more danger from being discovered and captured since they had proven to be an equal thorn in Robotnik’s side as Knothole is. Their time during the LT mission had made themselves recognized as a threat to the enemy.
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Post by John Roberts on Sept 13, 2004 8:31:10 GMT -5
The new arrivals were a mix bunch, it was her duty as the village nurse to check everyone over as they arrived. Though, she had not spent any where near enough time in getting to know any of them. She knew that would change though, she always considered herself friendly to anyone and making friends was something she enjoyed. Friendships meant a great deal to Carmen, it was one of the few things left in her life that held her together in her darkest moments. Even now as she sat there alone in her bed with her nightmares still burning inside, it was her friends that kept her from giving up who she was. But it was getting harder. Every night it was testing her, pushing her to her very limits. She hated waking up finding herself alone after another nightmare. Usually she would cuddle her pillow in her arms and spend the rest of the night crying for help, for someone to take away her pain. But noone ever came. New tears formed in the corner of her eyes and wetted into the grey fur of her cheeks. Her small hands reached for her pillow and she hugged it tightly in her arms. She didn’t want to be alone tonight, she wanted to be held.
“Eddie. . .” she softly sobbed wishing he was next to her.
Carmen released her pillow from her hold and pulled away the bed’s blankets that were covering her. She decided right there and then that she was not going to spend another night like this wishing for her Eddie. She has had enough of crying for him when he was only a few short steps away. She wiped the tears away from her eyes; she then slowly pushed herself from her soft mattress and manoeuvred her legs over the side until her bare feet touched the floor. She stood up and walked across her hard-wood floor. She ignored her boots and went straight into the adjacent room from her living quarters into the medical area. She moved passed the empty bed she used for patients and towards the entrance doorway. The medical area was only small, so the time it took her to walk the distance was only seconds. Her petite paw reached for the door’s handle and she turned it. The wooden door pulled easily open and she walked through.
It was a warmish night tonight, a slight breeze brushing through the trees around the village was the only sounds that welcomed her as she stepped out in the open. The huts across the pathway from hers were all in darkness, all silent. Everyone was asleep except for her. Ignoring those huts, she walked down the grassy pathway and followed it across to the other side of the village. Even in the darkness she knew where she was going, she knew exactly which hut she wanted.
A faint cry to her left caused her to stand still and listen again. She smiled recognising the cries of a baby. Seems likes she wasn’t the only one awake after all. She starting walking again, faster this time. She could see the other huts in front of her start to take shape through the darkness. She was nearly there.
“Carmen?” A familiar voice called out to her. She stopped and turned to the hut next to her to see someone’s silhouette leaning on the wooden hand rails that fenced around the hut. She knew whose home it was.
“Tamara.” She called back softly as she stepped towards them. The darkened outline of her female friend soon became recognizable as she got closer.
“What are you doing walking the village at this hour, Carmen.” Tamara spoke, her voice as low as Carmen’s.
“I . . . I couldn’t sleep.” Carmen responded. She tried to hide the distress in her voice but she knew her friend was not easily fooled.
“Carmen, what’s wrong?” Tamara asked with true concern. “It’s your dreams, isn’t it?”
Carmen paused, she looked down to the ground and sighed. Tamara was the only person who she ever confided with about her nightmares and she was the only one that really understood her fears. Carmen stepped closer and leaned her hands on top of the hand rail next to Tamara.
“Yes,” she finally said as she looked down at her paws, “and they’re getting worse. I feel like I’m starting to lose myself, Tam, and it scares me.”
“Oh Carmen, I’m so sorry. Im here if you need someone to talk to, always have been.” Tamara said, she rested her paw on top of Carmen’s and squeezed.
She didn’t flinch at the touch. The relationship between her and Tamara did fail, but the friendship that grew from it was always strong and she was grateful for that. She hurt Tamara so much only a few weeks ago and the guilt that she felt for doing so still burned inside of her and yet, Tamara was still her best friend. Carmen looked up at the tall Calico Feline and weakly smiled.
“Thank you, Tam, REALLY. But I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want. . .” Carmen paused, afraid that she would dig up some old pains in Tamara with the next words in her mouth. She looked away from her and sighed sombrely. “I just want to be held tonight.”
Carmen’s paw was softly squeezed again by Tamara’s. “I understand, Carmen. It wasn’t that long ago when you used to come to me during the night to be held.” Tamara said, almost in a distant whisper. “Go to Ed, Carmie.”
Carmen looked up at her smiling. The contours of Tamara’s furry face showed she was returning the smile. There was something glistening from the corner of Tamara’s emerald green eyes but as quickly as she saw it, it was gone. She knew what it was. It was a tear. Carmen could tell she was still hurting inside and yet to hear here say what she just said further shows the kind of person she truly was. She had a heart of gold.
“Thank you, thank you for being you.” Carmen smiled honestly. The gratitude in her heart towards Tamara was great.
“Good night, Carmie.” Tamara smiled back. “Take care, okay?” Then, with another soft squeeze from her paw, Tamara turned away and walked through the open doorway of her dark-filled hut. The door closed quietly behind her.
Carmen stepped away from Tamara’s hut and continued her walk towards Eddie’s. It was in sight now and so she walked faster until she was standing directly in front it. She paused looking at the dark, wooden door before her. She raised her paw to knock on it but she hesitated. Instead she rested her palm against the door and closed her eyes. Her thoughts returning to her dreams Fresh tears sailed freely from her eyes and she leaned fully onto the door as her body succumbed to dejection. Apart from Tamara, noone else knew about her sleepless nights, not even Eddie. She felt that her troubles should not be a burden on those around her. She wanted help, yes, but after ten years of living with this nightmare, she long discovered that there was noone to alleviate her painful memories. She could only help herself, and that scared her because she could feel herself breaking down. She couldn’t do this, not to Eddie. She couldn’t put all her dead weight onto him. He deserves better.
As hard as it was for her to do, she pushed herself away from Eddie’s door and turned her back. She hugged her arms around herself and let her body cry it’s heart out. She slowly started walking back to her hut knowing there was a pillow waiting for her to hold.
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Post by Kaotix on Sept 13, 2004 22:01:14 GMT -5
**********
Coward....
Kaige looked side to side into the darkness that surrounded him. "Who's there?!" He roared out to whoever dared to mock him.
You are a coward... You left your clan. They were roboticized because you abandoned them!
Kaige's eyes snapped wide at the accusation. "That's not true! There was nothing I could do!"
You helped betray them. You brought the enemy into the clan. It is because of YOU they were destroyed!
"I couldn't have known! I was only a young dragon!" Kaige was getting tired of this. "Come out and face me! Or are you the coward?!" He roared out in challenge to the unseen voice.
The shadows around him changed shape into that of another dragon. It towered above him as if Kaige was once again as small as he was when his clan was captured by Robotnik. The only part of the shadow dragon Kaige could make out were the eyes. Hate-filled eyes.
"Krenya?!" The proud and powerful Kaige shrank back as he recognized the eyes of one of the elder dragons of his clan.
You destroyed us! Because of your stupidity, the whole clan suffered yet you escaped! COWARD!
"NO! I had to escape! There was nothing I could do against Robotnik's forces! I was too young!" Kaige's voice was no longer steady. It no longer held the confidence and pride it usually did.
The shadow dragon split into more dragons. Each one of them huge when compared to Kaige. They each called out to him and mocked him.
You destroyed us! called one.
It's your fault we now serve in Robotnik's coal mines! screeched another.
Why did you abandon us, son?
Kaige gasped as he heared the familiar soothing tones. "Mother?"
You left us behind. Did you not care about us? She asked as she stepped toward her son.
"Of course I did... I..."
Did nothing.
Another large shadow dragon appeared behind him. Kaige spun in horror as he recognized the voice of Talon, the king of the Red Dragon Volcano clan and his father.
You disappoint me, Kaige. You failed your clan when we needed you the most. Now you form a new clan of Mobians to replace us.
"No, it's not like that at all!"
You will fail them just like you failed us!
"Never!"
The dragons began to circle him chanting and mocking him.
Traitor! Coward! Betrayer! DESTROYER!
"No! Get away! I didn't betray anyone!"
The dragons drew closer and began clawing at him from all sides. Kaige couldn't get away.
You are no son of mine! Talon roared as the dragons all attacked lunging at him with claws and teeth bared. Over the roars and screeches of the dragons, Kaige could hear the Bounty Hunter Dirk laughing.
*******
"NO!" Kaige's eyes snapped open as he yelled out and clawed at foes that weren't there. He shot off of his mat and scanned the area for any threats. His spartan hut was empty besides himself.
"Just a dream," Kaige sighed as he finally calmed down. "Just a dream."
Kaige settled himself back down onto his sleeping mat and closed his eyes and eventually fell into a fitful, but thankfully dreamless sleep.
*******
As the sun rose above the horizon, Kaige awoke to the sound of something opening the window to his hut and sliding in. One eye opened and looked around as he quietly sniffed the air around him. His eye closed and his tail tensed.
The sound of small paws pitter pattered accross the small bookshelf by the window. Two eyes looked down at Kaige and a small grin formed on the muzzle of the intruder. He steadied himself in ready to pounce onto the dragon.
Ready, set, go!
The intruder lept off the bookcase toward Kaige. The intruder's eyes opened wide as the dragon rolled to the side and his tail flung up wrapping itself around the intruder's torso and holding him in mid-air. Kaige rolled again and stood up to not quite full height. He had to crouch even in his hut. He swung his tail toward himself gently with a grin as he hung little Barren infront of his snout.
"Morning, Barren," Kaige said with a chuckle in his voice.
"Awww... I thought I had you that time, Big Red!" Barren pouted and crossed his arms over his chest as he swung back and forth in grip of Kaige's tail.
"You have to get up pretty early to surprise me."
"But I did! The sun has just come up!"
"Hmmm..." Kaige looked out the window. Indeed the Sun was just now filtering through the branches. It would still be quite a while before the Sun's full light would be able to peirce the forest canopy fully.
"You'll have to get up earlier then."
"But Miss Carmen and Miss Tamara will be upset with me if I get up too early. Anyway, Miss Tamara told me to wake you. She said you had to meet some knight guy in the forest clearing this morning."
Kaige gently pulled barren from his tail and set the young fox cub onto his feet on the ground. "Ah yes... Sir Escort," Kaige said with a chuckle. "It will be good to see him again. And this time without that no good ball of purple fuzz."
Kaige led Barren out of his hut and the dragon was finally able to stand up to full height. He stretched his wings and body barely able to supress a satisified roar with it. Wouldn't want to wake up the whole village after all. Barren mimicked the motions of his large dragon idol stretching as much as his small arms and legs could.
Kaige surveyed the village for a few moments as the happenings of his dream came back to him. Usually he was able to just shrug off his dreams, but this time he couldn't shake it at all. The voices of his former clanmates still haunted him.
Barren noticed the pensive look on Kaige. "Something wrong, Big Red?"
"No, Barren. I'm fine. Just had some weird dreams last night."
"Miss Carmen once told me that dreams showed us what our fears were. But that couldn't be true, because you aren't afraid of anything!" Barren said with laugh.
"You know it, little guy," Kaige said as he mussed up the little fox's headfur. However inwardly, Kaige wasn't very confident of that.
The two of them walked over to the control hut to tell Carmen that Kaige would be leaving to pick up Max and to drop off Barren. Tamara turned toward the door as Kaige poked his head in.
"I'm on my way out to pick up our knight in no armor, Patches."
Tamara smiled as Barren entered the hut and took a seat at the table to eat a piece of fruit that Tamara had laid out for him.
"Be careful, Kaige. You should find him in the same clearing as you did the last time. Just don't frighten him too much this time, okay?" Patches put her paw on her hip as she appraised the dragon with a raised brow.
"Moi?" Kaige asked as he put his claw to his chest. "You dare accuse me of scaring foxes?"
"Yes, I dare. Now shoo!" Tamara laughed as she waved her paws at him for him to get going. "We don't want him to wait out there all day."
"I'm going. I'm going." Kaige said with a laugh as he pulled his head out of the Control Hut. He had grabbed a comm unit from the table and was now heading toward the outskirts of the village. He thumbed the device on.
"Big Red to Sentry Five. Is our knight in the clearing?"
"Affirmative, Big Red. I can see him now. He's waiting for you."
"Acknowledged. I'll be picking him up in a few minutes. Big Red out."
*******
Kaige soon reached the clearing and greeted Maximillian Starlite and led him back toward the village.
"Welcome back to Centerpoint Village, Max. We're glad you could return to us for this mission. I just hope this one will go much smoother then the last."
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Post by Jim Doe on Sept 29, 2004 15:06:43 GMT -5
" . . . seventy-four . . . seventy-five . . . seventy-six . . . "
Every morning was a ritual for Zhade Harkins.
" . . . eighty-two . . . eighty-three . . . eighty-four . . . "
A half-hour of warm-up stretches. One hundred sit-ups. fifty stomach crunches. One hundred push-ups. A half-hour jog followed by a two minute sprint. One hundred chin-ups. A set of martial arts exercises. A half-hour of cool-down. And finally, target practice.
" . . . ninety-eight . . . ninety-nine . . . one hundred."
The russet lynx lifted himself up from the floor of his new hut, sat down on the edge of his bed, and began to lightly sponge sweat out of his fur with a towel. Fresh morning daylight softly trickled into the otherwise dark room, playing across the just-vacated exercise area. Zhade stared idly at the patch of light as it jumped back and forth through the trees outside, which were being swayed by a gentle breeze.
After wiping himself off, he pulled on a pair of shorts, draped the towel over his shoulders, and set out to begin his jog. He always tried to time his exercise regiment so that he'd be running out in the coolest part of the morning, and he was pleased to see he was able to hit it spot on even with the recent change in time zones. The chill fall breeze felt refreshing as it flowed through his fur and black hair, cooling him off even as he began working up yet another sheen of sweat.
Centerpoint Village, Zhade had found over the past day or two, was an excellent area for jogging. Most of the lanes between huts were quite wide, allowing him to past through even the most cluttered ones with little trouble. The lanes were also a bit haphazard in their layout, testament to the village's mobile nature, giving him several paths to choose from and making sure that each run would be unique. Zhade enjoyed his ritual, but he didn't always want to settle for absolutely routine.
As he continued to wind his way throughout the village, Zhade passed and curtly nodded to several other Freedom Fighters as they went about their business. A fair number of them, like he himself, were new to the village, having moved in from elsewhere.
The power of the new Freedom Fighter Network that Princess Sally had managed to set up at play, he thought with satisfaction. Being a former peacekeeper, he highly valued the teamwork that the network represented and appreciated that it was already working so soon after its conception to strengthen Centerpoint's position. Having volunteered to help with that strengthening gave Zhade a comfortable sense of familiarity, as well. It was much like when his special agent division would go in and help the regular peacekeeper task forces with difficult situations.
Huts gave way to forest for a few moments, and Zhade made a slow turn to reenter the village. Hearing a sound overhead, he looked up just in time to see Kaige, the dragon second-in-command of Centerpoint, carrying a fox in its talons.
Starlite, Zhade guessed as Kaige sped past towards the control hut. Last of the new arrivals. Suppose I'll just cut my run a little short today, then . . .
Taking a deep breath and expelling it suddenly, Zhade leapt into a sprint and followed the dragon and knight as they wended their way further into the village.
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Post by Scott Reese on Sept 30, 2004 19:59:35 GMT -5
"One more turn," Eddy Markus mumbled to himself as he adjusted the regulator screw on the Centerpoint's main water pump. It had given out late yesterday, and he had estimated a few hours repair time. But as he didn't want the faulty machinery inconveniencing the village, he was up and trekking down to the river over an hour before daybreak. He stood up and dusted off his paws. The only thing left to do was place the metal cowl back over the machinery, bolt it on and he was finished. Eddy glanced at the sky, noticing the sliver of dawn creeping up from the horizon as he placed the tools back in their place. A quick minute later, he was zipping his satchel up and hoisting it over his shoulder. The job had not been as time consuming as he anticipated, so he took his time and ambled back to his hut, enjoying the crisp morning air. He enjoyed the mornings, when it was cool and quiet; the sunrise itself he found particularly gratifying. For some reason, he had always kept this fact to himself. Eddy usually found such poignant moments the most fulfilling when he was alone. But not so today; today the still morning was actually making him feel a little empty. He wanted to share it with Carmen. He found his way to her hut, but hesitated outside. The lights were out and it would be rude to wake her so early. She likely would've been glad to spend some time together, regardless of the breach of etiquette , but it went against his grain to be intentionally impolite or confrontational. He had spent a few indecisive moments standing outside her door when it suddenly creaked open. Carmen peeked out blearily, her eyelids heavy. She smiled upon seeing him and stepped outside; he stood awkwardly for a second, surprised. But as their eyes met, he stepped over close and the two embraced. "I thought I heard someone," she murmered, not unkindly, into his shoulder. "I- uh, I didn't mean to wake you," he said, his heart still fluttering slightly. She didn't seem to want to end the embrace, so he didn't. "I was... just wondering if you wanted to see the sunrise with me...?" he finished shyly. Carmen gave him a gentle squeeze, then leaned back and gazed at him lovingly. She looked weary, as though she hadn't slept well. "That's so sweet, Eddy. I'd love to." Then their lips met and he felt a tingling from head to feet; he got a kick of adrenaline every time they touched. To hold her in his arms and feel her pressed close was one of the most electrifying sensations he could imagine. After a few seconds they ended the kiss; she put her hand in his and the two strolled toward the river clearing to watch the sunrise.
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Airborn
Socially Acceptable
He needs to go to Specsavers
Posts: 156
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Post by Airborn on Oct 1, 2004 19:47:15 GMT -5
The first thing that struck me when I had came to Centerpoint was first off the facilities that was on offer such as electric, water pumped into the huts and the technology like computers. It had been a few years to have such luxuries up in the mountains where a lamp full of kerosene and a stream near by for water was thought of as a luxury. The second was the amount of people and the different species that there was. I lived in a small community of maybe 30. But here I sometimes felt overwhelmed with the amount of people and activity going on me. It reminded me lot of the old days in the army or in the mines with friends and family. But the third I did enjoy, and that was how I was welcomed into this new residence. I had met a few upon my arrival when I reportedt to Tamara. She seemed a good enough person and leader. She was nice but stressed the importance when she briefed me, mainly in security issues of the village and what to expect on missions. She also told me where I could access my ‘materials’ to make devices. I had also shown her plans on a type of bazooka system for taking out hover units and the such as materials from where I came was limited. I was told to wait for the time being which is fair enough. So now I had my own hut with running water, food and a nice comfy bed. Oh I was in heaven, it had been a long time to sleep in a bed that had a real spring Mattress!
Ralph looked out his window to a woman outside brushing her front step down. Then to two male foxes talking. One had a sort of combat fatigues on. “ Well…what shall we do today eh?”
He went over to a small chair and put his jacket on walked out the front door which gave clank behind him when it shut.
“ Perhaps a walk? Or maybe I should go see some of the people I’ll be working with?” He pulled out a small map of the village he was given with names of residents and places laid out on it so he could find his way round.
“ Hmmm…. sod it think I’ll just walk about and speak to anyone that wishes to speak.”
Then with a thought his finger passed the armoury marked on the map and decided to head there. He wanted to see what he had to work with and see what was on offer to him.
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wildfire
Socially Acceptable
I'm spastic with a handgun
Posts: 206
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Post by wildfire on Oct 11, 2004 16:29:10 GMT -5
"Yo Kaige! What's with the flying lesson?" Max yelled from the grasp of Big Red's massive talons. "I could've walked on my own ya know." "Look down," Kaige said simply, and Max soon understood as floods of people swarmed the avenues of a once very small mobile village. "As you can see friend, we are not as free on walking space as we once were. This is much easier on both of us. Besides, the layout of Centerpoint has changed slightly since your last visit." "I see Sally's Freedom Fighter Network has more than done its job." Max commented nonchalantly. "Actually, most of those you see down there are civillians who came in with the many supply runs we've recieved in recent weeks. What we really need are warriors." "I hear ya, but Sonic's busy with the fight on Robotropolis as of late. So the princess sent me in his place. As you can guess I jumped at the chance to come back for you guys. After all, can't get much better than a Knight of Acorn eh? Didn't sit too well with my lady though." "You have a mate?" Kaige asked iridiculously. "I always pictured you to be the solitary type." "We can talk more about it later I guess. There's a lot about me you guys never got to know." Where ya setting me down big guy?" "Actually, i've merely been waiting for an opening enough to land us both." "About how high are we?" "About 250 feet or so. Why do you ask?" "Just let go." "Excuse me?" Kaige said, obviously confused by his request. "Trust me" Max said calmly. "If it looks like i'm in trouble, i'm sure you could catch me before I dent the dirt. Just let 'er rip man."
While not exactly eagerly, Kaige complied with Max's request, and was pleasently surprised with the outcome. Quick as the dragon's claws had dropped him, Max entered a backflip of sorts that landed him feet first on the roof of a recently constructed hut. Strangely enough, rather than planting his feet, the young vulpine slid down one of the makeshift roof's bamboo poles. Upon reaching the end of his proverbial rope, Max flipped off the pole and landed expertly on the ground in front of the hut's entryway. "Impressive Maxamillian, very impressive indeed." Kaige applauded as he touched down next to the young fox. "Thank you, thank you, don't get up." Max took many a flourished bow in his grandstanding, and Kaige laughed heartily at his improved humor. "Bout time you two got here." a lynx said from behind the two. Max turned in surprise, his green eyes flashing for a second with his former seriousness. The look quickly dissipated however, as he noticed no malice from the mobian. "I've been waiting for nearly fifteen minutes." Max's ears perked slightly at the comment, but he let it drop. "Who're you stranger?" "Name's Zhade Harkins." the lynx said offering a hand. "Pleasure to meet you Maxamillian Starlite."
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Post by Jim Doe on Oct 22, 2004 16:13:18 GMT -5
"Likewise, I'm sure," Max said, briefly but firmly shaking the other man's hand, "though you can call me 'Wildfire' if it suits you."
"We'll see, Sir Starlite," said Zhade. "I hope you don't mind if I sit in on your briefing since I'm here. I've found that it often helps to hear these thing more than once."
Max nodded amiably. "Sure, sure," he said, "as long as Kaige and Tamara are fine with it." He looked up at the red dragon, who shrugged his formidable shoulders.
"I don't have any problem with it," Kaige rumbled, "and I'm sure Patches' won't mind. Now, if you gentlemen are ready . . . ?"
When the lynx and fox both nodded, Kaige stuck his head through the window of the control hut. They could hear his deep voice carrying slightly through as he announced Max's arrival to the village leader. A few moments later, the door opened and they stepped inside.
Tamara deClaws sat behind a desk covered in small papers held down by two old and worn datapads. She pushed back an errant bit of calico fur as the two men walked in and sat down across from her.
"Sir Starlite, it's good to see you again," she said. "And Mr. Harkins . . . I'm glad you could join us, though I'm surprised you showed up. Hopefully your tendency to socialize only over business will not be a longstanding habit?" Zhade smiled lightly but didn't comment, so she continued, "I'm sure that the Princess has given you most of the larger details of our situation, Max, so I won't bore you with them. Instead, I'll just give you an overview of the upcoming mission . . . "
Tamara pulled a map out from under one of the digital paperweights and unfolded it. The Centropolis Sprawl laid itself out on the creased paper, evoking strong memories of polluted streets and crumbling buildings in everyone present. A few areas of the map were circled in red and marked with location codes.
"According to our most recent reconnaisance," Tamara continued, "there are still approximately twenty Lieutenant-Bots still operating within the city limits. Unfortunately, the actual amount is likely much higher . . . even though they don't have the AI controlling them, the 'bots have managed to recouperate somewhat and are probably hiding their numbers from us."
"So . . . they're smart again?" Max asked, concerned. He turned in his chair slightly when he heard Kaige snort.
"Sort of," the dragon said from the window. "It seems like they're working on something slightly higher than your regular SWATbot, but they're nothing like they were before the fuzzball ripped the Lieutenant's brain out."
"But," Tamara quickly added, "they're still very dangerous. And that's exactly why we need to destroy all of them as soon as possible. When the new commander comes in - assuming it hasn't already - it will likely make control and reorganization of the Lt-Bots its main priority. If that happens, our chances of retaking the city will be severely hampered. It's also possible that they will spearhead a direct attack into the forest to find this village, an attack that we can't allow."
"But Centerpoint is still mobile, right?" asked Max. "And with all the new manpower, we should be able to fend them off if they do find us, shouldn't we?"
"Would you believe that one of those cancels the other out?" Kaige grumbled. "With all the new people coming in, we've gotten bogged down . . . not only do we have far more equipment to shift around, we've got all these new folk who haven't been trained in our bugout procedures yet. If we had to make a dodge during a concentrated attack, it'd be a catastrophe."
"And unfortunately, while we do have many more fighters in the village now," Tamara said, "we don't have nearly enough to take on thirty to fifty Lt-Bots backed by SWATbots and fighter pods. We have to attack now, or we might not get the chance later. I'm sorry to do this to you before you've even gotten settled in, Max, but that's why I've bumped up the mission schedule . . . you'll be going in tonight."
Max sighed and laced his fingers together. "Well, this is a hell of a thing, isn't it?" he said. "But . . . I guess we don't have any choice at the moment. What are the mission particulars?"
"The team will be heading into the city at 20 00 hours. Once there, you will split up into two teams and enter from different directions, then engage any Lt-Bots that you find at your discretion. Your main objective, of course, is to destroy as many as you can . . . all of them, if possible." Tamara pointed at the red circles on the map. "These areas are where the highest concentrations of the 'bots have been sited . . . most of them are sensitive areas of the city, so you'll need to be careful of SWATbot squads as well. I would suggest hit-and-run tactics for the most part, but you may tailor your attacks as necessary.
"The mission's secondary objective is to determine the whereabouts of the city's new commander," she said. "Hopefully, it hasn't arrived yet, but if it has then we need to know its appearance, its location if it's immobile, and - if possible - its capabilities. However, I do not want any of you to engage the commander in combat at this time if it can be helped. If you come in contact with it, learn as much as you can and then run. We can't afford to lose anyone right now, and destroying the Lt-Bots is going to be a hard enough job as it is."
Max nodded in approval, then asked, "Who's going to be in charge of the two teams?"
"That would be Kaige and yourself," Tamara replied. "Ryan, Carmen, and Ralph will be with Kaige, and you will be in charge of Zhade and Ed. I think-" She stopped when she noticed Zhade holding up a paw to get her attention. "Yes, Zhade? Is there a problem?"
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Post by Jim Doe on Oct 22, 2004 16:13:56 GMT -5
The lynx lowered his hand and cleared his throat. "Well," he said quietly, "this was just something I'd been wanting to talk to you about. I was wondering if you'd be open to alternative team assignments?"
Tamara mulled it over for a moment, then said, "I believe this is the best combination for success . . . but I'm willing to hear any ideas you might have, of course."
"Thank you," said Zhade as he turned his chair so Max and Kaige could hear him better. "Kaige," he said, leveling a hand at the dragon, "is your second in command, and as such I agree that he should be in charge of one team. Under him, I would place Ryan and Max. I, meanwhile, would lead Ralph, Carmen, and Ed myself."
Tamara shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, I can't allow that," she said. "I know you have a background with the peacekeepers, Zhade, but without experience with you in the team, I wouldn't be comfortable putting you in charge just yet. Besides which, that grouping would leave your team vastly underpowered compared to Kaige's."
"But that's the thing," Zhade said confidently. "My team wouldn't be involved in direct combat. Instead of doing hit-and-run, I was thinking we could try and take the whole nest out at once, or at least a great majority of it."
"Hmm," Tamara murmured as she scratched underneath her chin. "What are you proposing, exactly?"
"I've been studying the map on my own," he explained, "and I've found that several of the marked areas could easily be trapped. I figure that while Kaige's team engages the 'bots in the hit-and-run style you suggested, they can create enough of a distraction that I could lead my own team around, allowing Ralph and Ed to rig up buildings to collapse, electro-static scrambling fields, and other nasty surprises for the 'bots. After we set them up, Kaige's team would get as many Lt-Bots as they can to follow them and then BAM!" he slapped a fist into his palm for effect, "we take them all out in one sweeping move."
"I'm not sure," Tamara said, still not convinced. "It sounds a little risky . . . "
"It's not much more risky than getting in hand-to-hand combat with the robots," Zhade said, "or even getting in a shooting match with them. Plus, it'll give us a chance to destroy some of Centropolis' major installations. Even if the explosions don't take out all of the Lt-Bots, we'll still be able to do some hefty damage to SWATbot factories and the like. And, since we'll be sneaking around, we'll have a better chance of seeing the new commander without being seen."
The village leader tapped her lips with a finger for a moment. Finally, she turned to Kaige. "What do you think?"
The dragon shrugged. "I'll be bashing 'bots either way," he said. "I'd rather have Carmen with my group still, however. She'll need to be there to patch up Chief if his condition goes downhill."
"I only suggested she come with me to better keep her our of harm's way," Zhade said. "If she'd rather stay with Ryan, that would be fine."
"Very well," said Tamara. She then nodded at Max. "Sir Starlite? Do you have any problems with this change?"
The fox looked at Zhade for a moment, then said, "Well, it seems that Zhade here knows a good bit about me, but the only thing I know about him is that he was a peacekeeper . . . "
"Specifically, Mr. Harkins was a member of the Special Agent division before Dr. Robotnik struck," Tamara told him.
Max raised both his eyebrows. "Really now?" he said. "I remember hearing about the agents when I was a kid. Several knights were pulled from their ranks . . . in that case, the team should be in good hands. Kaige, Chief, and I should be able to bust some pretty big holes in the 'bots' ranks together, too . . . it might just happen that we won't even need the traps," he added with a wink.
"One can only hope," Zhade said with a light smile. "So, does my plan meet your approval, Lady Tamara?"
The calico nodded firmly. "Unless, of course, someone else comes up with a better plan," she said, grinning. "We'll have a full mission briefing five hours from now. I'll inform the others of the change then, as well as give Carmen the option of which team she would prefer to follow. If there's nothing else, gentlemen . . . ?"
Max and Kaige shook their heads while Zhade sat unmoving.
"Very well," said Tamara as she stood up. "Dismissed."
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Post by chief on Nov 1, 2004 18:14:33 GMT -5
"Good Morning" Danielle said in a cheerful voice as she got out of bed.
"Morning...." Ryan said tierdly as he sat at the table cleaning one of his 9mm hand guns.
"Im going out for a bit this morning." she said.
"Where?"
"Non of your buisness"
"Uh..." Ryan gave her a suspecious look "Are you taking" Before he could finish what he was going to say Danielle cut him off.
"No, you can take care of him this morning"
"But I got to go meet Kaige and the others this morning about some mission" Ryan said as he put his gun back together and in its holster.
"Well take him with you, bye" Danielle walked out of the little hut before Ryan had the chance to say anything else.
"...Bye" he glansed over to the crib where his son lay sleeping. "Alright, get up!" Ryan walked over to the crib and picked the half awake half sleeping Thomas up. "Seeing how your mother so kindly didnt make us breakfast.. And Seeing how I am far to tierd to make breakfast because of you waking me up early this morning... Lets do what I'm good at... Lets go bum food son!" Ryan laughed to himself as he walked out of the hut carrying Thomas.
It was a warm morning. The sun was almost at high noon, and not a cloud in the sky to be seen. The village here has had more and more people comming every day. Quite the change from when Ryan first came accross this little dug out.
It was'nt that long ago when he came here looking for a job. When he met up with his first partner Nack. Good ol' Nack. God only knew where his ass is right now.
"Remember, no telling your mother" Ryan muttered to his son as he pulled out a cigiret and lit it. "No telling that evil doctor either." Thomas looked up at Ryan's face and smiled. "Thats my boy.."
"Hello Ryan" A booming but not loud voice came from behind him.
"G'Morning Kaige" Ryan said as he turned around to see the large dragon.
"Morning! Its nearly noon" Kaige said "And please don't tell me your smoking while carrying your son."
"Ok I won't" Ryan smiled
"Hmmm... Better not let Carmen see that"
"And what shall our Doc do?"
"I will do what I want!" Carmens voice came from just behind Ryan.
"Oh hello there Carmen... uh...." Ryan smiled and tilted the cigiret down using his teeth.
"Hello indeed" Carmen tore the cigiret out of Ryans mouth and tossed it aside on the ground. "I can handle you smoking. But not with Thomas. Speaking of which.. Danielle is trusting you with him?"
"Apparently.. She had to go to a unknown destanation." Ryan looked down at the crushed cigiret with a expression on his face that matched one as if his best friend just died.
"Hi Thomas" Carmen said in a cheerful voice taking him out of Ryans arms and into her own. Thomas smiled at her. "He looks hungry Ryan... You havent fed him yet have you!"
"Now thats not my fault! Danielle did'nt make and breakfast or anything. And I was just.." Ryan got cut of by Carmen
"And you were just walking around the village seeing who you could bum food from...?" Carmen stared at Ryan.
"Kaige... She is looking at me that way again... Its.. Its so cute!" Ryan pinched one of Carmen's cheeks which made the look even worse.
"You know you are just screwing yourself more right..?" Kaige said quietly.
"Yea... Kinda figured I was" Ryan laughed.
Carmen stood her ground stairing at Ryan. "I honestly hope Thomas doesnt turn out like you... Well Kaige! Lets go see if we can find Thomas here something to eat."
"Sounds like a plan." Kaige said as he started to walk off with Carmen leaving Ryan standing alone.
"What about me?" Ryan yelled at carmen
"You can find your own food" She smiled back at him
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Post by Kaotix on Nov 6, 2004 21:02:13 GMT -5
A highly amused Kaige followed behind Carmen as she carried little Thomas to the medical hut to get him a bottle from the cold unit in there. Ever since Ryan brought his family to the village, Carmen started keeping a stock of extra baby formula on hand for when she would do checkups on the little tyke. She hummed happily as she gently bounced Thomas in her arms.
"I bet you're a hungry little boy, aren't you?" Carmen asked the tot as she tickled his belly. Thomas just grinned back up at the lovely koala and giggled. "Ryan not feeding his own boy! I sure hope he starts taking better care of you."
Kaige just grinned as he watched Carmen talk to the fox cub. The trio entered the medical hut and after Kaige had closed the door, Carmen handing him Thomas.
"Hold him please while I get his formula ready," Carmen asked sweetly.
"Of course, Carmen," Kaige replied with that amused grin on his face. He took the little cub into his large claws. Thomas, for his part, started to fuss a bit at being taken away from Carmen's warm fur, but it was quickly stifled when the kit stared up into the face of Kaige. His curious eyes widened at the new face.
"Hello, little guy." Kaige said in a low voice as he lifted Thomas closer to his face. Thomas reached out with his little paws and touched Kaige's snout. Thomas burbled happily at his new discovery. He had seen Kaige before but never this close. Like most children his age, Thomas was not afraid but rather curious about the big-scaled thing within his grasp.
Carmen with a smile watched the two as they got acquainted. "Brings back some memories, doesn't he?"
"Indeed he does. It's hard to believe that it was ten years ago when you found Barren," Kaige said as he tried to gently pull Thomas off of his snout with no avail. The little tyke had quite a grip and wasn't going to lose his new toy willingly. "You're not going to let go of my snout, are ya?" Thomas just giggled and nuzzled the dragon's nose.
Carmen laughed as she heated the bottle on the little stove in the back of the hut. "It is good to have a baby in the village again. I do miss it at times when I'm watching Barren play. He's getting so big now and more independent," She finished with a sigh.
"I don't know about that, Carmen. You still have to kiss his booboos and make them all better," Kaige said with a chuckle.
"He wouldn't have those 'booboos' if he didn't try to mimic you." Carmen retorted with a laugh.
"I can't help it if the kids love me, Carmen."
"I think it's because you're an even bigger kid then they are."
"Yes, momma." Kaige replied as he blew smoke through his nostrils for Thomas who was thoroughly enjoying the little strands of warm smoke rising into the air and against his small paws.
"Kaige! I swear you are as bad as Ryan about that." Carmen said with her paws on her hips as the bottle finished warming on the stove.
"Except my smoke doesn't contain all the poisons his does." Kaige extracted the little one's paws from his snout gently as Carmen walked over with the bottle. He handed Thomas over to her. The kit started to fuss again at losing his new toy but was quieted when he found the bottle pressed to his lips.
"Speaking of babies, I wonder how long it will be until we have another around here," Kaige said teasingly. A ball bounced off of Kaige's head a few moments later, causing him to squawk in surprise. Thomas giggled and squealed at the sight of Carmen beaning Kaige on the head with the small toy ball that she had for Thomas.
"Not for quite a while yet, I assure you," Carmen replied with a satisfied smirk on her face. Her face took on a more serious look as she changed the subject. "Anything new for the next mission come up?"
"Yeah," Kaige replied as he absent-mindedly rubbed his forehead with a talon. "The new guy, Zhade, suggested that the teams be set up a little differently. You have the option of being on his team or my team. Your choice, Carmen."
"His team?" Carmen asked with a raised brow. The news that Zhade would be leading his own team so soon confused the koala.
"Yeah, he suggested to Patches that he lead the second team to set up traps for the remaining LT Series 'bots while my team consisting of myself, Ryan, and Max will be engaging the SWAT's in hit-and-run attacks."
"But shouldn't I be on your team to monitor Ryan?" Carmen was truly concerned about this development. Ryan, while having recovered a great deal since he was injured in the Lieutenant's control room, was not one hundred percent yet.
"I know but with this plan you'll be out of harm's way. Patches has already accepted his proposal. It is quite sound and is better than what was originally planned by myself and Patches. If you decide to be on Zhade's team, I'll make sure to keep Ryan out of trouble as much as I can, but that stinking slacker usually attracts it." Kaige's words were without malice of course. Instead a very solemn look was on his features as he looked down at Thomas. "If only to make sure that child still has a father tomorrow."
Carmen nodded with a knowing grin of her own. While Kaige would openly deny it, she could tell that he had fully accepted Ryan and his family into Centerpoint. Kaige had grown a lot since that big mission but something still tickled the back of her mind that something was not quite all right with the dragon. She just couldn't tell what it was though. She stood up and handed Kaige Thomas and a small towel.
"I'll think it over and let you and the others know which team I will join for this mission. Now be a good dragon and burp him. I need to clean these and put them away."
"Yes, ma'am," Kaige replied as he happily took the tyke into his arms and placed the towel on his shoulder before patting the kit's back gently. A few moments later the dragon was rewarded with a very loud burp from the tiny fox. "Hehehe, Ryan would be proud of that one!"
Carmen just shook her head from the back of the hut. Males! She thought as she sighed.
"I just hope everything goes well tonight. I don't want a replay of what happened during the LT Mission. I don't think I can handle going through that again."
"It will, Carmen. Ed has come up with a few new frequencies and encryptions that will hopefully allow our two groups to be in constant contact as long as we don't abuse it." Kaige let a smirk cross his features again as he gently rocked Thomas in his arms. "I just hope you and Ed will be able to keep your minds on the mission at hand out there and not each other."
Kaige was rewarded again with a ball up the side of the head. Kaige laughed as Carmen reappeared from the back. She mock-glared at him for a few seconds before breaking down into laughter herself. Thomas just laughed at the sight of the bright ball bouncing off the dragon's head again.
Kaige finally stopped laughing when something caught his attention. "Carmen, there is one problem though."
Carmen calmed down instantly at the seriousness of Kaige's words. "What is it, Kaige? What's wrong?"
Kaige held Thomas out to her at arm's length. "I think Thomas needs to be changed!" The dragon's face was wrinkled into a disgusted look as he handed off a grinning Thomas to the koala.
Males! Carmen thought once more with a shake of her head as she began to change little Thomas.
After she finished, she handed the kit back to Kaige, who took the kit happily now that he didn't have a dirty diaper. "I'm going to go see Tamara about the mission and give her my desicion about which team I'll be on. Please take Thomas back to that tar-lunged father of his."
"Will do, Carmen." Kaige said as he hefted the little boy up into his arms.
Indeed having Thomas in the village brought back memories for Kaige just like it did for Carmen, but not all of Kaige's memories were pleasant. He was also taken back to a time when he was a child being held in his mother and father's arms. Those memories ultimately ended with his clan's capture and the guilty dreams he had been having lately. With Thomas in his arms, he stepped out of the medical hut into the sunlight and stood straight up again. He gazed out over the village center but his mind was hundreds of miles away and ten years back in time. He started walking toward the center of the village. After he returned Thomas, he needed some time alone and he knew of a place where it could be had.#nosmileys
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Post by John Roberts on Nov 22, 2004 3:46:26 GMT -5
Barren watched on from his hiding spot as the robot walked unknownly below him. He let one hand go of the branch and used the other to carefully move aside the thick leaves for a better view. There it was, fifteen feet directly below him. It’s grey metal helmet glistening from the noon sunlight. It looked from side to side scanning it’s surroundings, scanning for him.
Barren smirked. It had no idea what so ever of his presence high above. Barren squatted down on the branch he stood on and looked across from him at another offshoot from the tree. He peered down at the polished menace making sure it was still stationary. If he wasn’t quick enough it would soon move and attack the village. He could not allow that. He WOULD not allow that.
He was smarter, he was stronger and he was quicker than anything that could come out of the dark city.
He sprung from his spot, reached out and grabbed for the next branch with both paws. He didn’t hesitate or even allow for fear, he swung from that branch and ejected himself from out of the tree’s surroundings. Only the sounds of the leaves bristling aside gave away his mien as he sailed from fifteen, no, TWENTY feet in the air.
He was flying. He was swift. He was the greatest of all dragons. He was KAIGE!
“BIG RED RULES!!” Barren yelled as he fell downwards head first towards his prey.
He missed his target and crashed hard to the grassy ground next to it He felt the air push itself out of him as he disembarked roughly to his side. He groaned, gasping for breath. He rolled onto his back and looked up at the small scrub he jumped from. The small branch he leapt off of was no more than a couple of metres above him.
“Stupid tree.” He managed to grumble as air returned to his lungs.
He sat up and looked next to him at the old swat-bot head visor he had propped on top of stick. The helmet was cracked and lifeless. It had been like that ever since his hero brought it to him from one his sneaking missions. Barren smirked and gripped his paws into the grass.
‘The swat-bot makes it’s attack,” Barren starts to speak out loud to himself as he pushes himself to a kneeling position, “is the end of Big red? Has he finally met his match? NO!”
Barren jumps to his feet clenching his hands into small fists.
“He gets up and surprises the enemy. The enemy doesn’t know what to do. It tries to call for back up.” Barren continues his commentary, his young eyes wide open in thrill and excitement. “The enemy knows it is no match for him. It powers up his laser arm! IT AIMS! It’s about to shoot at any second now. . .but NO! He ATTACKS!!”
Barren launches at the discarded swat-bot helmet, knocking it from off the stick and wrestling it to the ground. “The swat-bot crumbles at his might! YEAH!!” He screams out loud, cheering to himself.
He kept rolling along the ground laughing and hitting his little fists against the helmet. He was taken complete by surprise when he rolled right into a bush. The sounds of twigs cracking and breaking were heard as his small body disappeared and crashed into it.
“Stupid helmet. . .” He grumbled and pushed his head out free. Grass and twigs were caught into his fur.
He pulled a twig out from his furrie ear and grumbled again, “Stupid stick.”
Just then, he saw from out the corner of his eye, miss Carmen and his hero enter a hut across the village pathway from him. Barren smirked watching Kaige’s massive frame struggle to fit through the door. He knew just how cramped his hero was in any hut but his own. It was a perfect place for an attack.
He simpered, remembering early this morning when he tried to sneak attack Big Red and failed. This was just perfect for another ambush. He would never be able to fight back!
He ducked back down into the bush and waited for the hut’s door to close. When it did, he carefully untangled himself free for the scrub and snuck across the pathway towards the hut. He pressed himself to the wooden wall and carefully slid himself along it closer to the doorway. He stopped when it came to the window. He risked a peek and quickly pulled back again. They were both standing just before the doorway. He knew they would see him if he tried to sneak in right now. So he waited and listened for when he could make his move.
He pressed his ears up close to the window trying to hear their muffled talking. His senses tingled when he heard his name mentioned.
"You're not going to let go of my snout, are ya?" He heard someone say. The gruff voice was easily recognizable as Kaige’s.
Barren raised an eyebrow and strained to listen more carefully. He risked pressing close to the window.
“It is good to have a baby in the village again. I do miss it at times when I'm watching Barren play. He's getting so big now and more independent,”
‘Carmen’, Barren thought knowing the female voice. He smiled feeling smug about the comment. He was growing up. In his eyes at least, he thought of himself ready to tackle any given situation.
“I don't know about that, Carmen. You still have to kiss his booboos and make them all better,” He heard Kaige say.
Barren’s smug look changed to an almost hurt expression. His hero thinks he’s a baby or something. He was brave just like him! Didn’t he see that? Barren didn’t need his ‘booboos’ all kissed and made better. He didn’t even MAKE booboos!
He frowned, ignoring all other conversations from inside. He wanted to prove to his hero just how brave he really was and how strong he had become. He wasn’t a baby! But what could he possibly do to show Big Red just how wrong he is? How could he prove it?
The kit’s eyes lit up and a small smile formed to the one side of his nuzzle. He knew EXACTLY what he could do to demonstrate himself to Big Red. Yes, but he had to be quick. Had to be. . swift.
Barren stood in a serious fashion with his legs slightly apart; his small hands clenched to his chest. He had to be strong. He had to be BETTER than the greatest dragon there ever was.
“YEAH!” Barren yelled full of fire. He immediately regretted it and hugged backed against the wall. He flinched upon hearing the door way swing open. Quickly he shuffled himself further along the wall and ran off and ducked back into his bush. He grinned to himself and chuckled.
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