PlatinumSkinkCDC
Boston
21st January, 2011
A girl wearing heavy winter clothes strolled through the door of the CDC, constantly shiftily looking around the foyer. Approaching the receptionist sheepishly - as though the woman would bite her head off - she spoke up in a quiet voice.
“I’m here to see someone.” She looked at a note in her hand, before sighing. “Apparently I’m a Phoenix?”
@Old Amsterdam
Protectorate Headquarters - The Zenith
Above Boston
21st January, 2011
“Wonderful. I’ll let you get settled in, for now. We’ll have lots of time to sort out projects in the future after you get used to your new surroundings. If you need me, you know where to find me,” Pallas said, turning and walking towards his lab.
Ifrit would be incredibly useful for his latest project, but Praetor had specifically asked him to stay hushed about it. Which was precisely why he slipped the little white lie in about his current focus. It was all about reverse-engineering Foucault’s technology, but he’d already figured out how to pass his own tinker schematics into the Zenith’s foundry. Given what that meant for the Protectorate, though, Praetor wanted this card to be kept secret until the opportune moment to play it.
That was all understandable, but he was itching to get started. The fleet of suits stood ready for operators to use right now. The most elite of the PRT were receiving extra training to be deployed in them even as the battle raged in Dorchester. Had they been ready, this would be child’s play to stop - capturing or killing all involved without even needing to send a parahuman. That was the goal. The key to victory in a war of attrition spanning the entire city.
Still, while he figured out how to integrate with Foucault’s systems, he still didn’t know how they worked.
Recently, he’d been running over the plans for the base and adapting his mechs to match the schematics. The Zenith’s shield tech was inspired, and it had allowed him to develop Manton-protection for the pilots of his suits. By following the steps carefully, he hoped future developments would be even more spectacular.
And then, he might finally be able to find them.
@ProPro@SkinnyTy
Wonderland Safe House - Raven Street
Downtown Boston
21st January, 2011
Watching with morbid curiosity - given that he had little else to do while his leg mended, Askaryan winced more than once at the sight of Automaton fixing herself.
“Some get to make laser arrows,” he commented, almost without meaning to. “But tinkers like that will always have one pretty major drawback.”
“Themselves.”
He chuckled. “They might have fancy suits or bows or worse, but they’ll never escape the fact that they are, undoubtedly, human. You, on the other hand, don’t appear to have that problem. With enough work, you could make yourself perfect, couldn’t you?”
“Speaking of, why do you augment yourself? Is it just random thoughts, or is there a specific trigger?” Realising the nature of the question, he held his hands up, defensively. “We’re on the same side now, and besides, not like i’m gonna try kill you again anyway.”
Looking at his leg, which was now almost completely healed, he smirked. “Given the outcome of our first dance.”
@Lasrever
Gladius Border Territory
Dorchester
21st January, 2011
Sickle’s blood boiled in all but the most literal sense at Knight’s words, before that faded, leaving nothing but pity.
The things she’d said, the fact she stopped someone trying to kill him just to say those things, left him unable to feel anything else for her.
She ran off to help the injured, for no other reasons than she could and believed that she should. The Wards followed her, trying to do what they could. Sickle turned to the man who’d attempted to kill him and gave a simple warning. “Do us both a favour, pal, and don’t try that again,” he said, before walking after Knight.
He didn’t stop, his words drifting by as he walked. “You truly believe that, don’t you? I’ll give you a piece of advice. Leave this city. Go somewhere - anywhere - else.” Now he stopped, turning to look back over his shoulder. “Stay here, and you’ll be forced to choose between doing the right thing, or taking the easy path.”
“And I think that will break you.”
As Sickle began to walk again, a voice came over Knight’s communicator. “It’s Vector. I’ll be within range in around a minute. Keep the Covenant occupied, and I’ll end them, here and now.”
After a few steps more, he placed a hand up to his ear and stopped again. His body went visibly tense. “‘All the Protectorate could spare’? Did you honestly believe that?” He laughed, but it was shakier than it had been before. “How convenient for her to arrive after Pipeline had escaped, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I’ll leave without drawing even one more drop of blood. I’m no fool - going up against Vector would be suicide. The question is, will you still let me leave?”
@PlatinumSkink @Banana @POOHEAD189