Shadowland - The Vanguard Issue #1 The Shadow Deepens

Frostbite nodded, "Your plan has merit, my friend. Though I suspect enlisting those two will entail a great deal more trouble. We need to rescue them. Left to their own devices they will be more of a cause for harm than help. And if anyone knows more about time its them. But lets not be under any illusions, they will be enormously difficult, even if they build something - the real danger is what they build will more likely serve their needs rather than ours.

Still I don't feel happy leaving them, simply because they are too stubborn to die. No that is a loose end we cannot leave untied."

With that Frostbite started giving the orders to have a full team of robots join him for an assault on the moonbase, with the ships scanning for the precise location of the men. Heavy artillery should be able to secure the area.


OOC:
1. Ok thanks for sorting us out into different threads, its not what I put down but I'll work with it. One change I will make and that is if Lionheart and Frostbot are not going to rescue Bentham and Trowers on the moon, then I might as well have Frostbot with me, since he will be of most use helping me get into and disabling the moonbased equipment.

2. We'll take a ship large enough to blast a hole into the relevant section of the base, and a squad of robots to back us up, given the nature of the base. I will have Frostbot work up some weapon specs to help us better fight Ghasts, Ghosts and Zombies.

3. I will also suggest we take either portable cry freezing devices so when we capture the two men we put them on ice until to transport them safely without them trying to escape or turn our robot forces against us. I'd put nothing past those guys.

Sj

With that Frostbite started giving the orders to have a full team of robots join him for an assault on the moonbase, with the ships scanning for the precise location of the men. Heavy artillery should be able to secure the area.

Anyman raised his eyebrows at the orders. "I take it from your orders that you didn't capture the Moonbase when I brought you and Hitler to me? Anything I should know about?"

DavidMcMahon wrote:

With that Frostbite started giving the orders to have a full team of robots join him for an assault on the moonbase, with the ships scanning for the precise location of the men. Heavy artillery should be able to secure the area.

Anyman raised his eyebrows at the orders. "I take it from your orders that you didn't capture the Moonbase when I brought you and Hitler to me? Anything I should know about?"

Frostbite leaned forward, the weight of the world suddenly appearing to bow him down. "Hitler had some back up. We got them sorted and managed to grab the fiend, but then you whipped us out and we didn't have time to do much else save shut the base down. Its infested with zombie soldiers and other things of a more ghostly nature. Not sure if super science or some sort of dark occult stuff was involved, but it didn't look good."

Sj

Frostbite leaned forward, the weight of the world suddenly appearing to bow him down. "Hitler had some back up. We got them sorted and managed to grab the fiend, but then you whipped us out and we didn't have time to do much else save shut the base down. Its infested with zombie soldiers and other things of a more ghostly nature. Not sure if super science or some sort of dark occult stuff was involved, but it didn't look good."

"Joy," Anyman mutters. "Well, at least I can punch zombies."

Number One clanked up and waited for the pair of Vanguardians to turn. "A Robo carrier has been despatched to intercept any automated defences that may still be active on the moon base. Whilst the virus missiles were stopped, there may well be flak type weapons or rail guns that can destroy a V-Ship. Which has been prepared and stocked with Type IV Assault bots. They are..." 'she' paused, then continued "not known for their conversational abilities. Tell them what to destroy, and stand back. We have had time to construct six. The hold will not carry more, in any case."

The Vanguardians marched through the corridor and Frostbot spoke up inside Frostbites head 'I can occupy one of those robots if you'd like. I took the liberty of scanning them and their specification is... impressive, albeit single minded. They are not the sort of thing that should ever be wheeled out of storage unless one intends to wage war, if you take my meaning.'

"Commander" offered Number One as Anyman was about to step through the airlock into the V-Ship "Do you have standing orders in case... you do not return?"

=========

It had been humbled by powers greater than its own... No... not greater. Different.

An eon of being trapped, followed by the brief release, the pact with the human and the artifact, then being encased in metal had left it... annoyed. As a result its rage had clouded its mind, and the other abilities it could bring to bear.

So it calmed itself, and reached out...

Even as mindless zombies shuffled about in the dark, cold, airless corridors, one suddenly jerked upwards, its eyes alight with a cold, cruel, calculating intelligence. Flexing a hand, it looked about, then send a thought probe up and around this place...

Making a decision, the old one moved in the opposite direction of the shambling dead, with a gait that was most... un-zombie like...

OOC Flying straight for the base? You'll need space suits which might hamper your movement. Remember, you could call on the Dark power... but it might bear a price you can ill afford to pay!

"Do we have time to modify a spacesuit that allows me to stretch and shift my shape a bit," Anyman asks outloud. "If so, do it."

"As to further orders. If I do not make it back nor does Frostbite, put yourself under the command of the closest Vanguard you can find," he tells Number One. "And if no Vanguard is left ... grab up a number of young humans of breeding age of both sexes, those that speak English, and take them to another planet that will support them. Somewhere far from Earth where they will have a chance to build a civilization far from the Devourer's notice. Do your best to protect them and hide them from the Devourer but ONLY do that if no Vanguard is left alive!"

OOC: "I'll have Frostbot do as he suggested, sounds like a good plan to me.

Looking somewhat quizzically at Anyman's 'last order' Frostbite then shrugged. Who could know what they faced as things continued along these lines.

Then moving forward into the ship. he gave the order for them to launch off and return to the moon, unsure of what he might find there and more importantly wondering how on earth they'd defeat it without using the Dark Power's they'd come to rely on so much.

OOC:

Answer we all die! Seriously Paul telling us, "you can use the dark power, but beware the terrible consequences." Is a bit like a pyromaniac caught in the wilderness, finding a lighter to start a fire to get warm! I know you like to make us squirm but there is no need to rub it in ;-).

Anyway we'll head down to the moon base and send the the armoured forces, I want a open channel to the ship, so that when all hell breaks loose we are in a position to call in back up. I want four of the armoured robots with us, including Frostbot and the rest to be on high alert in case we need back up.

We'll head for the last known location of the Bentham and Trowers as best we can get from Lionheart and or the computers etc. Assuming they are holed up there, we'll see if we can't find them from there. I suspect that the creature, is after them as well so it maybe when we get there - we find there not there and so we need to head back to the main base, where they will want Bentham to get them free. But we'll face that one step at a time.

Sj

Answer we all die! Seriously Paul telling us, "you can use the dark power, but beware the terrible consequences." Is a bit like a pyromaniac caught in the wilderness, finding a lighter to start a fire to get warm! I know you like to make us squirm but there is no need to rub it in ;-).

ooc: How do you think I feel?
Anyman has cancer that can only be healed two ways - use the Dark Powers or get in the high tech sickbay. So no recoveries for me if we get into combat.

Number One considered for a moment. "Here." it said, offering a trio of canisters. "This is an expandable polymer used for emergency repairs. Tough, elastic, and your superhuman strength should be able to make it stretch to fit your shape, whereas a normal human would not be able to. When stretched, it is thinner, and therefore vulnerable to repeated damage, hence the spare cans. Take this." the robot turned to a panel on the wall which opened and revealed a face mask with oxygen supply. "Tougher than a standard space suit when subjected to physical blunt trauma, but sharp objects or energy weapons will break through it much faster."

Anyman looked at the canister, flipped open the top and raised an eyebrow at the small white button on top.

"Pressurized container. Here." said the Robot. "Put the mask on first."

With that the robot took a can of the spray and set it off with a hiss, coating Anyman from head to foot, front to back and down the sides, including the bottom of his feet, in the clear film! Alarmed, he tried to move... but found he was stuck! He applied superhuman strength and... the second skin stretched with him! It would take some getting use to, but if it protected from the deadly vacuum and took some punishment, it would do the job!

"When the skin starts to get flexible and sag, the polymer is breaking down. You only have 30 seconds or so to fully apply another skin. Each can.." the robot said, tossing the empty one into a chute on the wall "Has a single application. It was experimental, and meant for use on human soldiers, to treat in battle situations, provide instant wetsuits and cold weather protection. Keep away from heat."

=========

Moments later on the bridge of the V-Ship, the Vanguardians looked at the viewscreen

Another Robo Carrier had drifted closer to the moon, and sure enough, a constant barrage of flak streamed forth from the moon base! The great carrier just sat there, soaking it up but occasionally a mushrooming ball of fire would spit from the vast vessel as defenses were breached! The vessel didn't fire back, simply serving its purpose as a decoy for the V-Ship, which duly flew on the blindside of the Robo Carrier then turned, ducking underneath and down towards the moon.

Finally under the flak altitude, the V-Ship skimmed the surface and landed a short distance from where Frostbite and Sentinel had landed before.

Though his every instinct told him it was suicide to go out in the micron thin polymer skin, Anyman knew the robot would not, could not betray him. It would simply be a leap of faith, just one more in the endless series of leaps that his life had been since he ceased being Lance Allard, and became the infamous Anyman!

Frostbite glanced at his friend, then sealed his helmet in place. With a thumbs up to the War Drone that housed Frostbot, the cargo hatch opened into the hard vacuum of space!

Anyman waited for the all encompassing cold to strike.. but it never did! Breathing more calmly now through his mask, he followed the lead of the robots as they scuttled across the dust and rock towards the Nazi Moon Base, a vast structure built in the shape of a swastika!

=========

Inside, a glowing eyed zombie made its way into a control room, then on a whim flicked on lights in an adjoining room, through which is could see through a window

The adjacent room lit up, and with it hundreds of metal boxes, all with a window at face level! Had someone been close enough to see, they would have discovered the capsules held human men and women, held in stasis until such time as they could be implanted with the knowledge, skills and power of Lionheart!

Instead, the creature had a different fate for them!

It stared at dials, deciphering their purpose with a power defying logic, then turned and adjusted them, looking up to the window to watch the results. Inside the coffins, the men and women awoke... and screamed as their chambers filled with the deadly virus, a concentrated dose, that turned them into the living dead! With a great HISS! over one hundred doors opened simultaneously, and the plain grey suited Nazi undead moved from their metal tombs... over to where a door hissed open, admitting them into the corridors of the Nazi moonbase!

The creature suddenly straightened, its eyes glowed!

The Zombie swayed slightly, eyes no longer glowing! It stared blankly about, then left in search of meat!

A floor below, one of the freed undead suddenly stiffened, its eyes glowing and strode from the room with new purpose!

=========

Frostbot stepped aside

It had used its tools to slice an entrance hole into the metal wall of the moon base, a process which had taken minutes, but had not, thus far, alerted any unwanted attention.

Frostbite and Anyman stepped inside. Suddenly Frostbot 'coughed' at them. "One of the other war drones has an advanced sensor set, albeit at the cost of armour. It states that there are a large number of moving beings head in this direction from the south of our location." The group were stood in a white corridor, lights above flickering every now and again. It ran north and south, and to the north was a crossroads. "It notes an unusual number of energy signatures, neither solid nor intangible, are clustered to the north and east of this location. There are four heat sources that might be machines, or possibly be human beings, but tehre is too much electromagnetic interference to be sure. To get to the heat sources, we must pass through the mine entrance itself. The Lunarium there may interfere with our systems. An alternate route will avoid the mine entrance but take longer, and take us in a southerly direction, to where the movement has been detected."

"The Lunarium, in such raw, unrefined state, can be unpredictable and may have some effect on your human form. Of course, your ability to call on the so called 'Dark power' can easily counter its effects, so it should not be a problem to you." said the Frostbot.

OOC Choice - head the longer route, avoiding the mine but possibly encountering a large number of moving beings OR head to the crossroads and turn east, then continue until you get to the mine entrance. If you get through there ok, you should be closer to where the heat sources are.

Or Frostbite can fly intangibly through the walls, but after the first time he was here, the ghosts might be ready for his trick this time Or they might not *shrug*

"How about we split up," Anyman said to Frostbite, just to see what his reaction would be, "the robots go one way, causing lots of mayhem and you and I go through the mines. I mean, what's unrefined Lunarium going to do to me? Kill me?"

DavidMcMahon wrote:"How about we split up," Anyman said to Frostbite, just to see what his reaction would be, "the robots go one way, causing lots of mayhem and you and I go through the mines. I mean, what's unrefined Lunarium going to do to me? Kill me?"

Frostbite laughed, a hollow sort of sound given the fate that Lance battled with from exposure to Lunarium before. "Agreed but we take Frostbot and the war machine with advanced sensors with us, I want options the other robots should be able to create as much mayhem as possible if they head in the longer, safer route."

OOC:
Never an easy choice, but lets go for speed over safety, at worst we die sooner rather than later.

Sj

Anyman nods agreement a bit surprised his plan is taken.

After only 20 seconds of pacing down a cold dark corridor, light shining from the Frostbot out in front, weapons primed, the group heard the roar of autocannons going off elsewhere. The other robots had indeed got 'stuck in' and seemed to be putting their all into the task of annihilating anything they came across!

Ignoring doors off the main corridor, save to glance inside the open ones, it became clear the base was for the most part devoid of life. Whatever had lived and worked here before was gone now. The remains of human habitation lay strewn about. Food rotted, ignored, and clothes lay across the floor. In some places dark brown stains splattered the walls and ceiling, and it became clear not all of the Nazis in this base had accepted their fate as one of the walking dead...

"Scanners indicate movement up ahead." said the Robot with an advanced sensor set.

The corridor curved to the right having gone on for some 50m, and the lights down here had failed completely. The group had been aware of the gentle slope of the corridor downwards, and now they were sure they were closer to the mine entrance. The Frostbot paused. "Radiation levels are incredibly high. Of a type unknown. It appears to follow patterns of Lunarium this unit has encountered previously but has been... changed."

Suddenly there was silence. The guns had been roaring constantly for the last few minutes but were now conspicuous by their silence. Frostbot spoke again "Signals... lost with... other robtos... possifull interfence frm radation skrrzzz... crackl..."

Frostbot turned to the automaton and saw the blue faceplate flicker. The other robot had a plain white light in its faceplate and that too was flickering.

Anyman felt... ill. Like he wanted to throw up. Then he and Frostbot saw the red glare cast on the walls of the corridor and heard the CLUNK! CLUNK! of heavy footsteps coming towards them, the red glow getting stronger.

Frostbite started to feel queasy, too...

OOC Something is 25m away, around a corner, and getting closer. It's making you feel ill...

Admin wrote:OOC Something is 25m away, around a corner, and getting closer. It's making you feel ill...

OOC:
Ok prepare to fight defensively, i.e. retreat if we cannot stand up to whatever is coming. But for the meantime, is Frostbot being affected by the high levels of radiation?

Second despite feeling ill, are their any side effects to our powers? Positive or negative or perhaps both.

Turning to his companion Frostbite said in a low voice, "Get ready we might have to fight our way out of this one?"

Sj

ooc: It's Red Lunarium. A special mineral that has strange affects on those who use Lunarium-based powers. the effects usually last 24-48 hours. But it can only affect you once! I want the giant bald Future Man head. Let Frostbite have the giant ant head or shrink to insect size. Or become a horse! Or get porcupine skin. I want the giant bald Future Man head!


Anyman flattens himself along the wall and ceiling, trying to disguise himself as part of the tunnel, or as well as he can with the spacesuit he has on, using shadows where possible to hide himself. He prepares to attack once he is sure what's coming is hostile and since he doesn't know of anything on this base not hostile to him ....

OOC Frostbots robot form is indeed affected by the radiation. As Frostbot itself is a kind of 'living program' with a backup inside the mind of Frostbite. Best not to explain it as I'd end up pumping all sorts of gibberish out that wouldn't make sense. The heroes are struggling because its affecting their ability to concentrate...

Anyman flowed to the wall, changing his colour and texture to match the tiled walls and hugged them, sticking to shadows where possible.

Frostbite turned intangible, his most defensive state, but seemed to flicker in and out of solidity! He dare not merge with the wall to hide!

Anyman also suffered. He found his form oozing, like wax, and concentrated as best he could on holding his form together... only to realise his space suit was in serious risk of not only breaching, but completely dissolving!

The glow grew brighter!



A massive (7' tall!) shambling form swayed around the corner... When it bumped into the corridor wall, the tiles splintered and fell away, some of them melted into oozing liquid! The waves of throbbing energy that made Frostbite and Anyman dizzy were coming on strong now...

The creature stopped and stared intently down the corridor. It frowned and growled, an inhuman sound that rasped green mist into the thin air!

Then it started moving forward, down the corridor, towards the Vanguardians...

OOC Your call - it's not attacked you, yet. You can't even be sure that it's seen you yet (Anyman is camouflaged - partly, and Frostbite is intangible - intermittently...). It seems to be emitting a very powerful form of radiation...

"Wait!"

Frostbite raised a hand, "You don't look native to this moon, have you somehow been affected by the red Lunarium? We mean you know harm, perhaps we can help each other."

The sentences came out almost one after another, Frostbite was finding it hard to concentrate, let alone remain intangible and form a cohesive line of thought. But somehow for all their sakes he had to try.

OOC:
Ok assuming that the guy is open to listening, and not just some mindless drone effected by the Lunarium, then I'll see if its possible to talk him around.

However that might not be the case and we're stuck trying to work out how we survive this without going Atomic shadow everywhere. If need be I guess I'll happily goad the creature toward me, where I will attempt to go intangible, let it pass through and then get everyone to run in the direction it came from. Not sure of the logistics of this, but wanting to leave some plan around so we can keep the pace up here.

Sj

Anyman stays hidden to see what happens. He figures actually touching the creature would come under BAD THING. So he is going to be prepared to pull part of the wall or ceiling off to give him some makeshift gloves to punch it with, if it turns out hostile.

The creature turns, ass if noticing Frostbite for the first time! A groan comes from its mouth, and it reaches for him!

Frostbite feels his molecules tingle as the hand gets closer, then the creature stops and speaks...

"Whhhhoooo arrrrrrr yoouuu?" it groans - it's speaking in English!

The intense waves of radiation its churning out cause Frostbite to gasp! He thuds to the floor as his powers turn off, and he clutches his head as it becomes nigh on impossible to form a coherent thought! He can summon up enough willpower to:

1) Attack the creature with a cold (energy) blast OR

2) Continue speaking to it

It's not just pain - it's almost as if the DNA, every molecule and fibre of his being, were being attacked, changed, mutated somehow!

Anyman wasn't having much of a better time! He oozed like candlewax to the floor and struggled to hold his form together! With a gasp he finally failed as the overwhelming power of the Lunarium Man started to attack him at the sub atomic level!

He can:

1) Attempt to attack the creature with a punch or similar, OR

2) try to move away - down the direction that the Lunarium Man came in, and away from that dreadful red glow!

OOC You can substitute another attempted action for those options I list, but the effect is like pins and needles in every atom of your body - the effect is ... distracting... to say the least! Oh, and this might have side effects...

Admin wrote:"Whhhhoooo arrrrrrr yoouuu?" it groans - it's speaking in English!

2) Continue speaking to it
[/color][/i]

Frostbite tried to block out the pain, his head felt like it would explode, but he had enough presence of mind not to give too much away. After all in this present state neither of them would be able to do much, if it did come to a fight.

"We're..." Frostbite fought harder for control, it wasn't easy. "We're here on a rescue mission. Last survivors of the...base. Many overrun, deadly creatures, here to save those who..."

It was no good, trying to form any sense of a coherent sentence was proving too much and waves of darkness, exhaustion threatened to take Frostbite, where he couldn't afford to go, unless he stopped.

Gathering his breath, in laboured gasps, he waited as he felt powerless to do anything more.

Sj

Anyman tries to ooze away. He is trying to get 20 meters from Frostbite, the range of his stretching. From there, he will attempt to stretch out and snatch Frostbite, if the monster attacks him, and try to pull him away but only if the monster attacks.

Frostbite sagged to the floor, breath coming in ragged gasps, as Anyman oozed and slunk down the corridor. Lance Allard willed his arm to stretch out and grab his friend, but was dismayed when his arm sagged like a burst balloon on the floor as soon as it got near the Lunarium Man! The Dark Power would make quick work of this creature, but would the Devourer then make quick work of them?

The Lunarium Man paused, looking down at Frostbite "Yeeeerrrr Eeeenglish?" it growled.

There was a pause, then it reached a great hand towards Frostbite! Anyman gasped, knowing his friend was in great trouble!

The hand slowed, then stopped, only inches from Frostbites face! The waves coming off the creature were blindingly powerful at this range and Frostbite fell back, slumping to the ground!! He heard the computer say something from the body of the robot, but the sound was garbled and the robot itself appeared to be oozing like candlewax!

"Soooo ammmm Iiiii" said the creature, and it took a step back, looking at Frostbite. It seemed to realize then what it was doing to the man on the floor, and grunted, fists clenched. For a moment, nothing happened, then the Lunarium Man appeared to harden, changing from glowing rock into a hard dark red crystal! Every move after that made a crunching sound, like ground glass crunched underfoot!

Frostbite and Anyman immediately felt relief, and the pain in the bodies started to fade. Anyman reformed, staggered on unsteady feet, and moved around the crystalline creature to help his dazed friend up!

With a noise like rock scraping on rock, the creature spoke again. "Thought you were nazis." it said, every word an effort. "Wanted to kill you, was so angry I lost control. Sorry. I am stuck here... a monster."

Frostbite and Anyman were on their feet now, recovering their strength. Both felt... different inside. It wasn't something they could put their finger on, but the intense radiation would have killed an ordinary human, no doubt about that. To them, being superhumans, it had done something else!

The creature looked down on them. "I am Lance Corporal Trevor Burton. The Nazis captured me, and others, made to work in the mines... I am the only one left and... I've changed..." he said, looking down at his inhuman body.

Frostbite and Anyman were on their feet now, recovering their strength. Both felt... different inside. It wasn't something they could put their finger on, but the intense radiation would have killed an ordinary human, no doubt about that. To them, being superhumans, it had done something else!

The creature looked down on them. "I am Lance Corporal Trevor Burton. The Nazis captured me, and others, made to work in the mines... I am the only one left and... I've changed..." he said, looking down at his inhuman body..

"Anyman. Frostbite," Anyman sais while letting Frostbite recover. "We're here to save the entire human race. We are looking for two scientists who worked with the Nazis. They are the ones who planned and built this moonbase. We need them alive. You know of them and where we can find them?"

Anyman wondered if the radiation had made his cancer worse. Was his life now shorter than he thought it would be? He knew if his plan worked, he might only have days to live. Was it now hours?

"Scientists..." pondered the crystalline giant.

"Bentham. A man called Claude Bentham. He was English but he.. injected me... I cried out...pleaded with him to stop..."

Suddenly cracks started appearing in the mass of the Lunarium Mans body! Deadly red light shone through where the Lunarium radiation seeped!

The angry look on the giants face told of deep rage - Claude Bentham had much to answer for, and this mans loss of humanity was just another crime to add to the list! The only problem was, he was glowing more and more, with more cracks appearing in his body!

Grab Frostbite and back up fast.


"Calm down! Calm down," Anyman yells. "I know what it's like to be an experiment too! A part of me went through the exact same kind of torture. But you got to control yourself."