Home › Discussions › General Discussion › My best campaign ever.... - General Discussion Discussions on Obsidian Portal Community Forums
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Comments
CONTINUATION...
A trio of LDSF Sweepers stormed the control booth (the ones lucky enough to had not been in the way of the door when it became a missile!) and come face to face with Torrent.
She has cut one of them down as they first entered the room, literally, when she sets her pulse laser to stream mode (making it more like a "phaser" from Star Trek) and cuts one in half just under his trauma plates. The LDSF open fire immediately upon her with Turcottes that tear the booth behind her to pieces and spider the booths shock-proof glass....but they have little effect on Torrent, except to p1ss her off.
She follows up with her Banshee Sonic Screamer at the point-blank ranged guards (in the sound-proofed booth) and not only melts their eardrums, instantly rendering them unconscious, but causes the already weakened glass of the booth to explode in a projectile shower of shards into the studio that was beginning to fill with Sweepers who had almost taken up firing positions behind her when the Banshees "wail" effect them as well.
From a portion of unfired upon ceiling ducts drop a half a dozen more EPCOT Sweepers.
Stone is the first to react to the threat, somehow managing to have been behind them as they effected forced entry. He unloads his M-42a into the closest two from behind but then quickly discovers he fired WAY too much ordiance at the BU-38's when the rifle unexpectedly runs dry...
Mike: "See what I mean!?!"
Greg: "What the he77 are you talking about?"
Mike: "When you guys critical fail, you nearly get your scroggies blasted off ya but when STONE screws the pooch....it STILL looks cools!"
Greg: "You're drunk right now, aren't you?"
Phil: "Why, you looking to get lucky loverboy?"
Greg: "I dunno....is he any good?"
GM: "How good COULD he be, he's divorced?"
Phil: "OOOOOOOOOOO, SNAP!"
Greg: "Mike....wtf are you doing?"
Mike: "I'm trying to dig that BLADE out of my back...."
GM: "Sorry, man....that WAS low but, uhhhhh....I'll give you a point for it?"
Mike: "You think my PRIDE can just be BOUGHT for a measily f'king POINT!?!"
GM smiles sheepishly: "MAY-beeeeee?"
Mike then, without warning, does his BEST Jon Lovitz impression: "Well, it CAN, SO THERE...th'nk yuu!!!"
(Table mutually cracks up.)
GM: "F'k it....that was worth TWO points."
The Super-Patriot then tells her she can be of assistance if she can get the Governor's RSMG. Kitane struggles to remember where her Turcotte is but then realizes she has left it in the studio when she fled.
Portney spins and (while fanning the hammer) with pin-point accuracy, puts one round into a troopers throat (the only unarmored part on them) while managing to shoot the shotgun from a second troopers hands.
Sally has been suprised by the ambush but upon recovering dives to what she believes is appropriate cover.
Brewster is ambushed by the pair of troopers who lurked over elevator number two. One lands directly on top of her and while she isn't stunned or likewise falls, she has had her pulse rifle knocked from her grasp. The EPCOT Sweeper tries to raise his RSMG at her and his helmet lamp flashed in Beulla's face, blinding her.
Using two character points, she head butts the guards in the face with her own helmet as hard as she can, and in the process rams his visorless battlehelms LED HUD into the troopers nose, breaking it and knocking him to the ground stunned. The second guard manages to get off a burst as Brewster draws her Gong and fires, which catches her center mass.
Beulla's 10 gauge armor-piercing enhanced penetrator put a hole in the second Sweeper as it passed clear through both trauma plates....only the integrity of the armor itself kept the man's torso from literally coming apart. Brewster dropped to one knee as the second Sweeper, who was still trying to get his helmet off his head, fumbled to removed the malfuctioning equipment. He removed it in time to see Beulla pointing that big ol' Gong of hers straight at his head. The Sweeper froze as he looked her in the eye and then said:
"You don't have to do this."
TO BE CONTINUED...
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Beulla held her pistol single-handed for a moment as she ran her hand over her torso and brought back shades of almost bluish-black blood.
Her hands trembled as she steadied her aim at the helpless EPCOT trooper and she grunted through the pain:
"I k-know...."
She blew his head off. Clutching at the seemingly most mortal of her wounds she gimaces and manages to stutter out:
"That wasn't funny...."
Stone's pulse rifle was now empty. He charged up and as the closest trooper reacted, he did so to a face full of butt....rifle butt that is.
The natural critical hit drives shards of broken HUD slivers into the Sweepers eyes, blinding him permanantly.
The two remaining "duct" ambushers return fire with M-26 carbine and Clark-15b shotgun. Portney is barely able to avoid being cut in half and Sally finds herself pinned as the shotgun flechettes turn her "thought to be sturdy" cover into swiss cheese.
Halloran yells out to distract them then hides.
Catherine confidently jet-vaults from the control booth into the midst of the remaining studio ambushers that her Screamer hadn't disabled. Crossing her arms at her waist, she triggers her pulse lasers on full-auto and just spins on the spot as she fires. Dance lessons have FINALLY started to pay off and no LDSF remain standing after the 1080 degree shooting-spree.
Greg: "NNgggnnnhhhnnnn....."
GM: "What's wrong Greg?"
Greg: "I can't SAY it....Phil is using her!"
Phil: "Say it, dude."
(Mike keeps eating Munchos.)
Greg: "Nobody puts Baby in a corner...."
GM: "OMFUG!!!"
(Mike laughs so hard and unexpectedly he spits chewed chips all over Gregs chest and legs.)
(Greg is mortified but sits there frozen in disgust as Phil tries desperately not to laugh.)
GM: "Wasn't crazy about the flick but THAT was definitely worth a point!"
Stone is about to charge at the Sweeper closest to him but the sight of the Clark-15b brought to bear against him convinces the Cherokee otherwise moving to cover in time to avoid being shot to pieces by the scattergun.
Portney attempts a pop-up attack on the attackers but he is forced back behind cover as the Sweeper covering Sally traverses his fire towards him with SCAR-11 blazing away.
Sally repositions and prepares to spring into action as Andrew screams out in the background for someone to save him.
The closest Sweeper responds by turning the Clark upon Halloran and the "Kitanes" while the second switches over to his sidearm.
TO BE CONTINUED...
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
He had barely drawn it when Sally emerges from cover and puts four 15mm rounds into the pistol wielding Sweeper....one of which, strikes unprotected larnyx.
Stone picks up a small metal file cabinet and using it as a shield rises from consealment and charges at the remaining LDSF attacker. The Sweeper unloads but runs dry after getting two rounds off (both of which fail to penetrate the Hunter's improvised shield) only to have the cabinet bounced off of his skull a second later.
The stunned sweeper staggers backwards and drops his shotgun as he tries to prevent himself from falling over by grabbing a nearby countertop. Portney pops-up from behind that counter and snaps the final sweepers neck in a single fluid motion before tossing him aside...
Portney: "Sound off, ladies!"
It was then that they made two horrifying discoveries:
- Governor Kitane had been shot and killed in the crossfire, despite the Super-Patriots best efforts.
- Of graver concern to the team was the fact that Buella had not called in.
Stone was the first to return into the elevator reception upon this realization. He found her with her back propped up against the wall by the trail of blood she had left. He unable to call out for help. The Cherokee picked her up as gently as he could and took her back to the others. Stone hadn't checked for lifesigns as his hands and fingertips had hardened over the years to such a degree that he was incapable of feeling something so delicate as a human pulse. Portney quickly checked vitals as the Scout brought her in and laid her down upon an undamaged desk top.
Sally: "MAN DOWN!!!"
But she continued cover the myriad of entry points that now existed on the floor as best she could in the wake of the push to retake the main studio.
Andrew didn't get to know Brewster well in his time with Stormfront and so his concern over the death of the Governor took priority.
Portney was speechless. Stone immediately turned and walked over to where The Super-Patriot had been standing an whisked her to her feet with uncharacteristic brutality before slaming her to a nearby countertop. In an instant his tomahawk was in his hand and he had raised it to strike before the clone had recovered from being winded but he was stopped at the final moment by Torrent. Not even the Scout had the strength to out-wrestle a Hard Suit but he continued to try and bring his blade to her skull inspite of the cuts the mecha's hands were causing to the Indians arm....blood which dripped upon the surviving Kitane's face.
Cathy: "STOP IT....this situation is already gone to s#@t and you want to go and make it worse....WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!?!"
Stone realized he would not get the better of a Hard Suit and so backed down.
Portney finally lifted his head up as he folded Beulla's hands across her chest.
TO BE CONTINUED...
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Sally: "Maybe she should die....maybe she's SUPPOSED to die for what she's done, did ya ever think o' THAT?!"
These words struck Cathine as pretty cold.
Portney: "Cathy's right....her death would serve no purpose and it won't bring Kitane or Brewster back."
Andrew: "Maybe she CAN....bring Kitane BACK I mean."
The group all looked at him, not sure if he had flipped out.
Andy: "There are WAYS to spoof Gold Cross scanners....Why not just say SHE'S the Host?"
Portney looked to the others to see if they agreed it might be worth a shot but before he could get his answer, the groups attention was drawn by the sound of Sally O'Shea's UAW in a nearby stairwell. The LDSF were back for round two.
The few that remained collected what weapons they could from fallen Sweepers and prepared for what looked like the last stand. The strike team tried to find fortified cover where ever they could but the studio was now a logistical and tactical nightmare. If the LDSF wanted in this time it was doubtful there would be anything that could stop it.
Catherine stood decided she would stand in front to take the brunt of whatever surged in at them. She had only been standing there for a second when Stone walked up beside her while reloading a commandeered Clark-15b. Torrent reminded Stone that her Hard suit gave her an advantage he didn't pocess and urged him to take cover, knowing full well what his reaction would be. Stone simply looked at her for a moment and then drew a bead on the stairwell beyond as he chambered a shell.
Cathy then jumped as if something has startled her.
She then turned to the others and ordered them to move away from the glass nearest them with an excitment in her voice. No sooner had she uttered this when Doctor Vivian Hoo in her Skycarrier rose up into view with Vortex/Typhoon & Tempest/Hurricane standing atop its hull. Vaulting from it's surface they triggered their gunpods, ramming straight through the shock-proofed plexi-glass to where the strike team awaited as the first of the LDSF response team entered the room:
Maim: "HEAD'S DOWN!!!"
The chorus of twin 35mm autocannons from the Motoslaves swept across the room and cut everything above waist-level to shreds. The second responce team never even knew what hit them.
Vortex and Tempest released from the Motoroids and Stormfront began to jet-jump the strike team to the awaiting VTOL. Stone remained and instead kept watch over the Governor & Brewster's body until retrieved with the second jet-jump extraction. With crew recovered, the Skycarrier veered away from the Teledome as they proceeded on a rendezvous course with The Electric Mayhem. Except for Catherine, who brought Knowledge up to speed on what had occured that evening in his absence, no one spoke throughout the entire flight.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The ploy to substitute the Super-Patriot for Governor Kitane was succeeding.
The citizens rallied around her return and in the monthes that would follow, the last remnants of Leision's brutal regime were swept from Los Disneys.
Andrew's broadcast had tipped the scales in favor of the citizens, despite the slanderous implications he had made about Stormfront.
THAT was an entirely different matter....
At the time, Stormfront (being mainly based in Texas) was viewed as a secessionist organization and so what Andrew's broadcast had infered was that by extension, the Free Oil States was giving sanction to Florida for leave the Federalist Republic.
I say this so that you will understand why there were a thousand different colors of "furious" flying around the halls of D.C. when newly reinstated Governor Kitaine became PRESIDENT Kitaine and announced Florida would renounce of its statehood to the Republic in favor of independance.
Thanks to Leision, most of the preparations to do this had already been done for her anyhow but instead of representing R.N.C. or Federalist interests, it would represent its citizens.
Andrew Halloran decided to stay on in LD-1 as the cities Lead News Anchor for the Teledome. When he was offered the presigious position, it was said he cried like a baby. Knowledge finally decided not "kill" Andy for his part in the whole drama, mostly owing to the fact that Halloran said he would exchange all his footage and information on the team he had collected over the years and during the OP. But ONLY if Mee-Chan would spare his life. He had "reluctantly" agreed but to be honest, after Brewster and Kitane, North felt there had been enough killing and had no intention of causing the Journalist any harm. They parted company on "good" terms and even though Andrew promised to stay in contact, a few e-mails were all anyone ever heard from him after that. Furthermore, Andy only spoke highly of the team he had once pledged to (and VERY nearly did!) destroy . He had found what he truely wanted.
Despite Rebecca the Super-Patriot's treachery and the F.L.F.'s inability to pay the agreed upon fee to Stormfront (since most of them had been killed), PRESIDENT Kitiane could. She not only made good on the promise of her "hazard pay" but doubled the "final" 30 million USD fee in addition to the races one million petro-dollar prize. The team only accepted the agreed upon fee but the grateful, humbled clone insisted citing most of it was Leision's dirty money (apart from Florida "national" coffers) and it seemed only fitting they should have it, pleding the rest to rebuild the city and restore its people to prosperity. Knoweldge told her that the extra would be the teams "contribution" to the people LD-1 for aid & assistance. The rebellion is now being touted as a "liberation" by most southern and F.O.S. news organizations. He DID however accept the Florida-500 winnings.
Rebecca Ayers spent a long time in recovery after her run-in with the BU-40. Upon hearing of Brewster & Kitaine's demise, she never spoke to or even looked at her surviving batchmate ever again. The final words the Super-Patriot turned President ever heard from her sister were: "Get her out of my sight before I kill her myself." She WAS however very concerned about Knowledge....knowing full well the display of "faith" she admonished him for once rescued, was a ruse to cover up the fact that she had nearly watched him "suicide" before her very eyes. As the weeks went by, she struggled to find a way to broach the topic with him without alerting the others to her immediate concerns.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Catherine couldn't stop talking after the Op for WEEKS. She was so jazzed by the last mission that not even Kitane or Brewsters death seemed to be able to bring her down. LD-1 had nearly been leveled but she just wanted some ice cream and a hot bath. Her grief and shock were not displayed upon seeing her comrades lifeless body but after seeing the damage to equipment incurred during the mission. The Mechanic was determined in her nearly single-minded effort to get the Hard-Suits, Motoroids and The Mayhem repaired after all the damage and wear they had suffered in the last mission. She could only think of getting them to the shops to be worked on as quickly as possible as if they were her "babies", appauled by the abuse they had suffered. To be honest, she was still young and it was probably just her way of dealing with the trauma, to bury her nose in work. She still had Knowledge and to her that was all that mattered.
Portney never forgave or got over The Super-Patriot nor did he ever wish to speak of her or have her discussed in his presence ever again. The mission had taken quite a toll on him and it would be quite sometime until he would return to his duties as Waycross Sheriff. He blamed himself for involing the team in an Op which claimed not only the life of a good person but also a good friend. The majority of Stormfront did not think much of Portney after that incident but Knowledge still understood all that Baker was going through. He unlike the others didn't blame him for Brewster's death. For that he blamed himself. "President Kitaine" tried for some years to contact The Sheriff after all the dust had settled but he never responded to any of her messages, even after Georgia had made the decision to join Florida in secession to form the core of what would soon become known as "The Southern Protectorate of the United States".
Lisa was very upset by Beulla's passing. Truth be told (despite the constant rivalry) the ex-cop was probably her oldest female aquaintance and thereafter Miss Devereaux couldn't stop seeing the Super-Patriot everytime she saw Rebecca Ayers. It would become the source of tension between the two for some time to come. Instead, she began to take her once casual relationship with Hammerdown as bit more seriously and began to wonder if being a member of Stormfront is really what she wanted to be doing with her life. Three million USD can buy a lot of "comfort" when you're feeling low so she tried to distract herself with materialist comforts and hedonistic pleasures.
Erica began to ease her adversarial demeanor around the other girls of the team, as had been typical for her disposition. She began to become protective of her teammates. No one questioned it at the time but secretly, most wondered if Erica was now beginning to suffer from stress. She still kept to herself but would now try and make efforts to contact the other girls outside of missions or the manditory checks-ins as required by the teams Charter. Most of the time she would make friendly with Mee-Chan and at least attempt to make friendly Catherine. At one point Cathy was so fed up with Erica's presence, she almost considers telling her she deliberately shot her in the foot back in LA-1.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Hammerdown returned to his Route-66 duties when he wasn't waiting to hear where he would be going next. He had no problems when Lisa decided to become more serious about their relationship. At first he was annoyed by her membership in Stormfront he'd REALLY come to love how the Hard Suit's underbody combatsheath fit on Lisa's frame. Aside from Miss Deveraux, he spent most of his time with Catherine as The Electric Mayhem was repaired and upgraded at Calaveri Concepts. Hammerdown had never had so much money before as he had after Florida. Not having to pay for The Mayhems expenses had made him somewhat wealthy over the years so he decided to invest his capital in expanding Route-66 operations of the "Independant Americas".
Bobby-Q manages to hook up with Cissy Adisson and decides to invest in a rig with her in California, after losing hers and most of her crew in the race. He informs the Swords and Stormfront that he'll always be around if they need him but after surviving Florida, he just wants to relax and live well for a while. He hasn't entirely abandoned the idea of finding the outlaws who killed his wife and family but he IS a step closer to moving on from the horrible tragedy that lead him to the Swords in the first place.
Stone returned to the swamps of the Okeefinokee when Portney parted company with the team. Repairs would see the group sidelined for quite sometime and he was beginning to long for a simpler lifestyle than the one lead by a Stormfront support member. Stone had also declined to be paid the 3 million USD fee for the mission and instead only accepted his fair share of the race bounty for his part in their victory. As was customary for the Scout, when he left he did so without saying a word.
As for Doctor Hoo's sudden suprise appearance, she claimed to have just "been in the area" at the time and was simply happy to have been of assistance even though her prototype "God Lights" had almost fried out the teams mecha optics. When further grilled about her foreknowledge of the event by Maim, Vivian replied: "Americas not the only country to have televisions, y'know?". Before she would leave however, she spoke Knowledge apart from the others to inform him that she MAY very good news for him in the future but was not prepared to say anything more than that.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Mee-Chan was devastated Brewster's death. It hit him harder than anyone else in the group. Despite growing faith in him by the team (after Miss Ayers "false" observation) The Jumper began to become withdrawn. With the Swords & Stormfront, there were always casualties to be expected. Lost friends and comrades were common place in their line of work but this time was different...this time they had lost family. This was part of the reason he tolerated Maim's frequent visits as much as he did. Whenever she arrived, she would start to get him drinking and at least for a little while, he would forget just how much he hated himself for not being able to save Beulla. In his mind, all the Leisions in the world were not worth a single Brewster. When she passed, a piece of himself died with her.
The Federalist Republic on the OTHERHAND was not feeling as warm and fuzzy as the residents of the great nation of Florida were. No, they had decided they had just about had enough of Stromfront and that something HAD to be done about them. They were already becoming legends in the hearts and minds of the people and that made them more dangerous to the establishment than any nuclear bomb could ever be. They couldn't be executed outright as their popularity had elevated them to near mythical stature. First the Federalists would need to destroy the "name" before they destroyed the team. Thanks to the Piotr Arumov, the Federalists had found the very thing they had needed to destroy Stormfront and everything they stood for in one fell swoop. But as with all good things....it would take time.
Ghost of the Piotr Arumov: (And in those dark days, men will seek death and it will fly from them....)
It was now the dawning days of the summer of 2040 on Earth-6 and Jumper had just celebrated his 33rd birthday.
The Florida-500 was almost a year behind them now yet Stormfront had not taken any new jobs.
Knowledge had been expecting serious reprocussions for the groups actions in LD-1 since the day they left Los Disney's but the sudden hysteria and bloodthirty cries for "justice" by the federalist establishment and media talking heads surrounding the teams actions didn't occur.
Instead the media focused on the Leision Administration and claims that it, and not Stormfront, being the true cause of the further fragmentation of the Republic.
He waited for baited breath for the calls to have his team brought to task for their crimes and made to suffer for inciting rebellion.
When the media instead tried to silence such opponents instead of encourage (as had been their policy) he felt certain that it wouldn't be long before the Government came gunning for them.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Halpern Security Concepts were beginning to explode onto the scene.
Everything Jack Halpern (re; G.U.N.H.E.D. reverse engineered technological developments and research) touched, turned to gold. The monstrous repair bill for the damage accrued in Florida was covered in less than three months and the only indicators seemed to hint that the payments would continue to grow in size. At this rate it would not be long before the paying customers aspect of the business would become "optional".
As fate would have it there was a bigger problem brewing.
Knowledge & Catherine after getting all hot and bothered on the hood of her Pantera in the Texas Outback under the stars...
Cathy: "What are you thinking about?"
North: "What if I were to ask you to leave with me right now and just go?"
Cathy: "Go where?"
North: "I don't know....I hear Oz's nice....no Blight down there, they EVEN have petrol stations...."
Cathy: "Are being you f'king serious?"
North: "....it's not like we don't have enough money....we could just go....it wouldn't matter where, just anywhere that's not here."
She stared at him and narrowed her eyes as she pondered what to say to him next.
North: "I just feel like somethings coming....something big and were not gonna see a thing until it runs us over."
Cathy: "What are you saying?!"
He paused for a moment as he tried to say the words but nothing came out, until finally, after taking a breath found his voice:
North: "I'm saying...maybe we should disband the team."
Knowledge had just been walking through the outback for a little under three hours (after being abandoned there) when a set of lights had finally appeared on the road in the distance. He thought he might try he luck at thumbing a lift to anywhere there might be a phone but realized the presence of his Earthshaker might not speak well of his company in front of strangers. He quickly removed his holster and belt, then rolled them up in his leather jacket before making sure to stand well clear of the vehicles percieved path before trying to wave it down.
The vehicle came to a stop as the rider of the bike took a look at Knowledge (who had not flagged the drivers attention at that point yet as he was uncertain if he was going to be fired upon or not) and tossed a helmet at the wary Jumper.
He stood, frozen, until the rider lifted their visor up.
North: "New bike?"
Maim: "Like it?"
North: "What's not to like? How'd you-"
Maim: "Find you? I was already waiting at your place when Catherine got home."
North: "Ah."
Maim: "You feel like talking about it?"
North: "Nope."
Erica then turned off her bikes engine and put it on the stand as she dismounted, took off her helmet and glared look at The Jumper:
Maim: "I will ask you one last time...."
North: "SURE, let's talk....HERE, in the middle of freakin' nowhere!"
Maim: "What, it's good enough to take someone out here to f'k but it's not good enough for a talk?" she then began to open her blouse "Fine, have it YOUR way."
North: "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!!!"
Maim began to look to the ground:
Maim: "What, you see a snake?"
Knowledge simply sighed and smiled, realizing he had been duped by the Biker.
Maim: "Made ya smile at least."
She then continued to unbutton her shirt. Laughing even harder than before, she reverses her momentum and begins to button her blouse back up again as she taunts him:
Maim: "Cathy's right....you're just SOOOO f'king easy North."
He shakes his head and bends over as if he were catching his breath after being winded.
Maim: "Hop on....let's get drunk."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Skanky's had become Maims home away from home whenever she wasn't at Knowledges.
It was a grimey little excuse for a rock bar that held all the allure and appeal of a bad case of road rash with all the scabs torn off.
The ambiance sucked, the drinks were watered down, the waitresses were ugly, the bands couldn't play for s#@t and somebody ALWAYS got shot....but at LEAST you could smoke indoors!
(F'kin' Texas....)
Erica had managed to get eight shooters and three pitchers algae beer to go by before the subject was finally broached.
North: "Aren't you going to ask?"
Maim: "About?"
North: "Cathy didn't tell you?"
Maim: "F'k yeah, she told me alright...she was pretty upset by it. Thought you'd just bring it up when you were good and ready."
(He nodded his head and poured them both another beer)
Maim: "But now that you have, may I ask why?"
North: "I don't think I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to y'all because of me."
Maim: "What are we gonna do with you?"
North: "I feel so...."
Maim: "Look, I never thought I'd say this about a cop...but I miss her too."
(They each down a shooter)
Maim: "We've never really talked about this before so I'm just gonna tell you how I look at it and you can take or leave it: What happened to Beulla, that wasn't your fault. There's nothing you could have done to change the way it all played out....but I'll tell you something that WAS your fault. The fact that the rest of us are STILL alive, that's your fault too."
North: "No, first of all, that's not what "fault" means and secondly, it was actually Hoo that saved us."
Maim: "Oh, yeah...anyways, the point is Stormfront isn't just some "exclusive technology" you hand out like candy."
North: "?"
Maim: "To Cathy, Stormfront isn't just Calaveri Concepts "job security". She's dedicated her life, reputation and personal fortune to the Hard Suits. She's trained harder than anyone on the team to win the respect of the others. Stormfront is not her "job"...its her whole life."
(North poured them another shot)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Maim: "And I'll tell ya something else...outside of Stormfront? Becca? NO-LIFE-WHATSOEVER, NONE. NADA, ZILTCH, ZIPPO, THE BIG GOOSE EGG!! Believe me I-HAVE-TRIED with that woman and she just doesn't do sh1t. She practices every waking moment of her life...GODD@MN it's annoying. I dunno how she just doesn't explode?"
North: "Lise doesn't seem to have that problem. There was a time when she'd travel across the badlands in nothing but a blindfolded just to rock and roll with us. Now she hardly returns any calls."
Maim: "HANG all truckers anyways, that's NOT the point! Bec's has been taking this JUST as hard as you & Portney have, maybe even more. Her clone was an EXACT mental duplicate of herself...now she's forced to ask herself with every choice she makes: Is this really ME deciding or is it KITANE? How would you like to find out what YOU were truely capable of? What were the civilian causalties finally? 1/2 million...2/3rd's...more? How'd you like to walk around each day knowing whenever your squadmates looks you in the eyes, they only see the person who got Brewster killed?"
North: "Is that true?"
Maim: "I dunno...it MIGHT be?"
North: "What about you?"
Maim: "Actually, I WAS talking about me...regardless, I was taking care of myself just fine long before the Swords or Stormfront came along."
North: "You mean back when you were still trying to kill me?"
Maim: "Precisely."
North: "So, you'd be in favor of disbanding?"
(Erica slaps him across the face, then lifts her shot to him in a toast.)
Maim: "I've NEVER had more FUN in my ENTIRE life as I have had with YOU people (Well, MOSTLY just YOU). It just becomes a part of you, y'know?. Gets under your skin...in the blood...drives you crazy. Like an itch ya can't scratch."
North: "When I'm buttoned up, I'm terrified & scared sh1tless...I can't WAIT for it to stop. But when I'm here, where it's quiet...no ASP, no Stevenson, no RNC, no f'king Boomers, no Kitane, (he feels a lump form in his throat) no Brewster...all I can think about is being back out there."
Maim: "Exactly."
North: "After all that's happened...everything we've done...I'm not sure I could work an typical 8-to-6. I been doin' this since I was 15...I'm not sure I know how to do anything else."
Maim: "When did you KNOW...that you were hooked?"
North: "KC-1, when we got Cathy back. It just felt like there was nothing we couldn't do. I felt invincible."
Maim: "I knew LONG before you ever told me about the Hard Suits."
North: "?"
Maim: "In Weed...when you stumbled across the slave pens."
North: "Nahhh...nuh-uh...the Commando Scouts found the slave pens."
Maim: "You sure?"
North: "WE found the torture chambre...THEY found the slave pens."
Maim: "OH, YEAH, yeah...the old fisherman!"
North: "Skipper Dan."
Maim: "TO SKIPPER DAN."
(They both down another shot in his memory)
Maim: "I was SO mad at you for staying like you did...but like a dog with a bone ya just wouldn't let go. Shoulda put a bullet in 'em but you stayed with him right to the end. Surrounded...shelling the living cr@p outta us. I swear...I never seen anything like it...'cept once. I had an uncle an he had this mangy looking sheep dog...an that dog would follow him everywhere he went. You couldn't separate 'em...that dog was FAR too big and far too protective. Well, a tornado had struck and he was trapped in his home...the dog had lead us to him. The place was disaster, threatening to collapse at any second...the funnel was coming back and the decision was made to leave him and get to shelter while we still could. But that dog wouldn't leave...and we tried EVERYTHING. I even tried to carry that dog away and he bit me...right here-"
(She rolls up her right sleeve)
North: "What happened to them?"
Maim: "The better question is what happened to the house? Bodies were never found. They were officially declared as "missing"...delays life insurance payouts, y'know?"
North: "Wait...so, I remind YOU of a dog that was too stupid to get out of the way of a tornado? How exactly is THAT supposed to make me feel better?"
Maim: "I LOVED that dog."
North: "To the dog."
(Both choke down another shot of local home-brewed fire water)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Maim: "If I get this straight...you want to break up the team, because you "don't feel invincible anymore"? Is that it?"
North: "When YOU say it, it sounds silly-"
Maim: "No, no...you do what you gotta do. I'll be behind ya 100%."
She swatted him off the shoulder but due to being heavily intoxicated, the playful jab knocks the drunken, unprepared Jumper off his seat.
Maim: "Maybe it's time we get you home?"
It was late into the afternoon when Knowledge finally roused from slumber of the dead.
He jolted awake and blurted out in a half-dazed slur:
"What do you MEAN the raccoon doesn't come with chutney!?!"
He quickly discovered his body didn't pocess the strength to hold himself up so, he collapsed back to the mattress with an agonized groan.
His body felt like it had been throw into a 50 pound bag of hammers and taken for a spin.
Feet sported blisters as big as his thumbs from the long Outback walk in cowboy boots (without proper arch support...OUCH!!!).
In addition to a spliting headache the size of LA-1, his tongue felt like the dirt shoulder on the worst parts of Route 66.
The taste in his mouth was best left characterized as "indescribable" and his face had felt like he had taken a kick from a mule.
He had initially displayed concern but quickly began to relax as the details of his own room began to come into focus.
The sound of a toilet flushing caught his attention.
For the briefest of moments he has a panic attack and opens one eye, from where he is lying, and peeks at the floor beside his bed.
Seeing used condoms on top of Catherines clothes, strewn about the floor, he relaxes once more after taking a deep breath of relief and closes his eyes one more to bury his head in the pillow and concentrate on his post-binge sufferings.
He mutters aloud as the bathroom door opens: "I had the most f'ked up dream last night...."
Maim: "It was F'KED UP alright, but that was no dream-"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Erica strolled into the room (sporting a slight limp herself and a number of bruises/cuts to match) completely naked and fell onto the bed beside him, draping her arm over his chest as she nuzzled into his shoulder she pulled the sheets from him:
Maim: "Oh....and you're outta coffee again."
Knowledge was horrified.
Maim looked at him and wrinked her nose at the look on the Jumpers face as he rose in dismay.
Maim: "It's not the end of the world....there's STILL some Chai."
North recoiled so quickly and suddenly that he lost balance and fell abruptly.
North: "AWE...WTF!?!..."
He then froze like a deer caught in the headlights:
North: "Does Cathy kno-"
(Was all he could get out before he clamped his hands over his mouth to prevent himself from screaming)
Erica bust into hyterical fits of laughter and then acted as if she were thinking about telling her...
North: "Don't F'K with me....I've GOT a gun!"
Maim: "Betcha can't find it though."
Knowledge then began to tear about the room, tossing clothing, beer cans (steering away from the nastier items) in a frantic search to find "Samantha", his .660NE Smith & Wesson.
Maim: "Relax stud....no one was here when we arrived."
North: "You're just SAYING that because you think I'll find my pistol......G0DD@MNIT!!!. F'KING THING IS BIGGER THAN MY WHOLE LEG, WHY CAN I NEVER FIND IT!!!"
The Biker rolled over and tried to tug at his leg to bring him back to the bed but he shooed her hands away from his leg making small noises that one would make to chase off a cat:
Maim: "Y U MAD, Baby? Afterall, it WAS your idea anyways."
North: "WHAT!?!?!"
She continued acting as if rudely interupted:
Maim: "After my bike got trashed-"
North: "WAIT....YOUR BIKE WAS TRASHED!?!?!"
Maim: "Don't act so suprised, you were there TOO y'know?"...."NOW, as I was saying: after we drove from the bar-"
North: "We drove....I thought we were hammered?"
Maim: "More "high-speed pursuit" than "drive" actually..."
North: "WE WERE CHASED!?!"
Maim: "Why ELSE to ya think you can't find "Samantha"?"
North: "WHAT!?!"
Maim: "Ahem, AS-I-WAS-SAYING: after the chase, we came to the M.F.P. Interceptor road block and THEY thought we were riding with the Coyotes they just chased off of us-"
North: "WAIT! When the he77 did I lose "Samantha"?!"
Maim: Y'remember, after that Patrolman accidently shot himself in the face with that hand cannon of yours?"
North: "!?!"
Maim: "Oh for cryin' out loud...YOU projectile vomited on that Texas Ranger and HE knocked the Deputy's arm-"
North: "!?!?!?!"
Maim: "Don't be such a pu$$y. Somewhere out there is a cop waking up this morning with half a face."
North: "OMFUG, STOP TALKING, STOP TALKING..."
Maim: "I really don't see what you're so upset about...you seemed to be enjoying yourself."
He turned around and with a "beaten" look on his face and leaned in towards Erica, who likewise leaned in but puckered up in expectation of a kiss.
Mee-Chan gave her a peck on the forehead instead and then whispered...
North: "Stop "helping" me, please."
Maim: "What do you want me to say....I'm sorry it upsets you so but I, for one, don't regret a thing. Well, I wished you hadn't been QUITE so drunk...what's important is-"
North: "What's IMPORTANT!?!"...."What's "important" is that we PRETEND this NEVER happened, Forget ALL about it and NEVER speak of it again....E-V-E-R!"
Erica smiled as she held up her hand to shake his:
Maim: "Or we could do THAT...."
North: "Is there anything REALLY important I should....y'know....remember 'bout last night?"
Maim: "You REALLY don't remember do you?"..."Well, if I were you...I'd stay away from Amarillo for a while."
Knowledge sighed and hung his head while nibbling on a cuticle.
Maim: "Except for the "droopy" part....that was one of the BEST nights I've had in years."
North: "Please leave."
Maim: "Hey, if you EVER feel like going out AGAIN sometime-"
North: "OUT!!!"
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The sound of Erica leaving on HIS Calaveri chopper had just faded into the distance when he recieved an encrypted video transmission.
It was Doctor Vivian Hoo. She wished to meet with the Jumper to discuss what she called: "delicate matters".
The Hard Suits, Motoslaves and Landmates had originally been Hoo's gift to The Swords of Texas...her recent visits had been just in the proverbial nick of time and The Jumper felt there was no request from her he wouldn't honor.
He said he would bring some "travelling companions" along but Doc Hoo insisted the information she held was too sensitive and that he must come alone.
She didn't have to ask him twice.
No one had seen Lisa for a while by then.
Catherine was still not talking to Mee-Chan over the teams possible break-up.
Mee-Chan was still not talking to Maim.
Rebecca was the only person he had made aware of his imminent trip to Poseidon.
She wasn't too keen on the idea of him being alone in the Far East. Hoo had pulled Stormfront from the brink twice but she'd not yet earned the Paladins trust.
What he did next made Jewel very nervous.
He had put his affairs in order with specific instructions for Gi-San and Stormfront on the division of his wealth.(Mostly on the form of the Hard Suits and Motoslaves with all their weaponry attachments. Assets totalling , now told, somewhere in the neighborhood of 14.4 billion USD....and almost all of it entirely "off the books") He told her that he feared severe Government reprisals for their hand in the Florida Caper and that if they came knocking, he would take the fall. They were to do whatever they could to get away and live (were something to happened to him) and even made The Paladin swear to him not to entertain foolish notions of revenge should his worst fears be realized.
He had saved her from edge of death on the side of the Kansas highways.
Gave her a chance to have revenge against her Lord's killer.
Mee-Chan introduced her to a job that was changing the face of history and had instilled in her a new sence of purpose.
He never doubted her once and over the protests of the others, always kept her in close court.
Lisa and Maim had always seemed to make him "nervous" and we ALWAYS treat the ones we love differently as was his case with Catherine....but Jewel was someone he had never crossed the line with. She was the most combat capable of the group and someone for whom he had always respected.
He also informed her that if he should die and the team decided to go on, that he left a stipulation which strictly required Rebecca's participation as leader of the squad to be legal. She would legally hold all rights to the Hard Suits and Motoslaves....not Catherine.
Jewel was stunned by his choice, but as was typical for her, didn't let it show.
North: "I love Catherine dearly and I COULDN'T have done any of this without her but she simply can't make the "hard" decisions."..."Neither does Devereaux for that matter, she runs a tight crew and she's a dynamite soldier but she's too unpredictable....and as for Erica, F'K-"
Mee-Chan simply shakes his head slightly while he holds his ears (as if trying to keep his head from exploding) which has the effect of illicting a sympathetic look from the Knight.
North: "No....ever since our first OP in KC-1, I always knew you were the ONLY one who could take my place."
Rebecca: "Knowledge....you're scaring the living f'k out of me and I want you to stop it, right now."
North: "Maim doesn't really care, Lisa's in never-neverland and Catherines too young to understand....they're GOING to be coming for us....I just want you to be ready for it."
Rebecca: "Copy that, Chief."
North: "I'll be gone two weeks, maybe three tops."
Rebecca: "And if you're longer than that?"
North: "YOU BETTER F'KIN' COME GET ME!!"
Rebecca: "You're worrying over nothing...you're gonna be fine."
North: "I hope you're right."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
He was met at a secluded private airfield by a TRIADE corperation security contingent who saw him safely aboard a Cloud Cruiser-5280 Personal SST (which boasted limited sub-orbital capability) upon which he was the only passenger aside from the crew. His luggage had not been checked. No one had asked him for I.D..
No one even said a word to him at all from the moment he arrived at the airfield....not even about the Earthshaker on his thigh or the Bowie and Tomahawk tucked in his belt. They knew exactly who he was, spared no expense and spoke not a word but were polite beyond description.
The detail assigned to protect him were all dressed in hand-made black three-piece suits with expensive sunglasses and designer shoes. They were all of caucasian decent and of considerably larger build than Knowledge. None of them displayed any emotion nor visible weaponry on their person and most of the time, appeared to be preoccupied by communications coming through their ear pieces. Conversations with them were limited to a series of hand gestures and nods. Mee-Chan wasn't even certain they could even understand english in the first place but refrained from mocking them knowing he was probably being watched or recorded.
The only individual that DID speak startled him when she finally spoke up:
LN-7: "My name is Helen Seven, I'm personal liason to Doctor Vivian Hoo...."
Helen was a specimen of absolute physical perfection.
The tone of her skin, the lustre of her silver/white hair, the grace with which she moved, the tone of her body, the sultriness of her voice, accuity of her sences, innate intelligence & physical reflexes....everything, off-the-charts. Her beauty is such that even a heterosexual women's hearts skip a beat when they see her. She requested his favorite beverage of choice and asked if he was hungry.
A triple Jack Danials is his only request.
Miss Seven's smile was positively devastating and all The Jumper could do was think about "Roman hands & Russian fingers". Returning with his drink she sits opposite him and crossed her legs as she engaged a smart tablet:
LN-7: "Mister Knowledge North, I've heard a lot about you from Vivian....she speaks very highly of you."
North: "Really? That's....nice."
She continued to scroll down the page of the smart tablet with her fingers in an odd fashion....at least he thought it odd until he realized what it really was.
LN-7: "I must say....you're not what I expected Mister North."
North: "I don't believe that for single moment. Tell me something...were you blind from birth of was it an accident?"
LN-7: "What makes you say that?"
North: "That braile tablet must have cost a fortune, I thought those were still expiramental?"
LN-7: "That's none of you're business but I must say, you picked up on my blindness faster than most."
North: "Kinda hard to miss. It's amazing....you use no cane, no guides....is it memory? Are you just that smart?"
LN-7: "It's a nano-sensor mesh woven into all my clothing sensitive enough that it almost completely makes up for my disability. I can even tell what color you're wearing if you stand close enough."
North:: "I must ask you something."
LN-7: "Oh? This sounds serious.""
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
He looked over to the guards briefly as they stood at various positions in the cabin...
North: "Are they?"
She leaned in towards him as well and whispered as if playing "cloak & dagger"...
LN-7: "Are they what?"
He sat back into his seat uneasily...
North: "Are they Boomers?"
LN-7: "It's true what she said about you. You really don't like Boomers do you?"
She "looked" at him as he shook his head, at first forgetting she was blind, but then was suprised to see she silently acknowlegded the gesture by nodding back.
North: "How did you come to work for Hoo? Lemme guess....none of my business?"
LN-7: "She was right...you DO catch on quick. And NOW there is something I must ask YOU?"
He crossed his legs and leaned his chin upon his palm in anticipation of her question.
LN-7: "Who's idea was it to send the "Giant Monster Boomer eating city" e-mail with the caplocks on anyway?"
North: "YOU saw that?!"
LN-7: "Saw it? Yes, I "saw" it alright....I was the one who personally forwarded your message to Vivian."
Feeling as though he has stuck in his foot in his mouth, Knowledge digresses:
North: "Well then Miss Seven, it would appear I, in particular, am in your debt."
LN-7: "Really....in THAT case there's an old asian custom that states when a woman saves a man's life, he MUST buy her dinner."
North: "No there ISN'T! Is there? I-I mean: Why WOULDN'T there be?
LN-7: "Last call for alcohol, we'll be leaving orbit soon."
Mee-Chan raises an eyebrow and nods, turning to gaze out the window to hide the look of uncertainty that comes over his face upon hearing news of orbital insertion.
Even with her back turned, Helen begins to smile:
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
LN-7: "There's nothing to worry about Mister North....I assure you, we're completely safe."
North: "In my business....there's no such thing."
LN-7: "I can tell...I can feel you're heart beat from here-"
(Mike squeals in excitement, he can barely contain himself)
Mike: "F'K!!!"
Greg: "What, WHAT?!"
Mike: "SHE'S A NINJA....A F'KING BLIND NINJA!!!"
Greg: "Dude, you watch WAY too many movies."
Mike: "I'M TELLIN' YA, SHE'S A F'KING NINJA....I CAN SMELL IT!!!"
Phil: "What do Ninja's smell like anyway?"
GM: "Rice, fish...body odor mostly. They weren't the cleanest of people."
Mike: "SEEEEEE!?!"
North: "So, I guess there's no lying to you. Now I understand how you got this job."
LN-7: "Most of the clients I am sent to meet are scientists or high-level officials. If it isn't some crooked politician trying to put his fingers all over me it's their pack of trained killers thinking they spot an easy mark. Make no mistakes Mister North, TRIADE is one of the largest multi-national conglomerates in the world and you don't get there by dealing with nice people....but you seem different. You're different and I want to know why."
Phil: "Sorry guys...forgot to turn off my swag again."
North: "That depends....what's the most unbelivable thing Vivian has ever told you about me?"
LN-7: "Well, the Monster Boomer thing was pretty unbelievable. But once, she told me that you aren't really from this universe at ALL and that you're really from somewhere else."
North: "That woman's got a big mouth...."
LN-7: "So, you're saying it's TRUE?"
North: "I'm saying I don't really know WHAT the truth is...and THAT'S the truth!"
They are cautioned to prepare for weightlessness in five minutes.
LN-7: "I'm so glad to have met you, Mister North....I will look forward to our dinner engagement."
North: "Why, are you going somewhere?"
LN-7: "Mister North....I'm the pilot."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The SST landed at Hokaido International.
The Jumper was ferried by aerodyne to the TRIADE Tower research facility housed in Tokyo Bay. It had been built upon an artificial island which nearly dominated the entire bay area and went by the name of The Elysium Complexe. Almost every location he had been ferried to or from had very little personel in attendance. It was obvious that Doctor Hoo didn't want any prying eyes to notice his arrival in Poseidon. The security detail assigned to protect him remained at his side as he was taken to Elysium's upper administrative levels.
Originally informed by Hoo that he was to meet her, he was a bit suprised when he was instead taken to see a distinguished looking gentleman by the name of Yorobazu Hime. He informally dismissed the Boomer squad at The Jumpers side and requested that he relieve himself of all weapons before continuing into the board room beyond. Aside from Helen Seven, he was the only person that he had heard speak all trip. Knowledge removed his Bowie and Tomahawk and handed them over to the well dressed individual but hesitated upon surrendering his Earthshaker:
"You take good care of this."
The remark prompted Mister Hime to remove the pistol from its holster and examine the massive revolver. His responce, as he gently bounced the weapon in his hand to gauge its weight, was one of mild suprise....a weapon this size should have been much heavier:
"Sugoi!"
(Translation: Cool!)
He then returned the weapon to its holster and proceeded to escort Mee-Chan to see none other than the TRIADE Chairman himself...
"Odd Kat" had been a nickname he had earned when coming up through the lower ranks of the criminal side of the TRIADE organization. He was treated as a "Living God" by those who worked in his employ and a devil to those who would call him "enemy". His reputation was legendary in corperate and criminal circles and he stood at the helm of one of the most powerful corperations in the modern world. The power of their organization (to have its Chinese headquarters in the heart of Japan WHILE the Yakuza still maintained power!) was one of the greatest mysteries of the current age. Lin-Kuei and TRIADE (in one form or another) had been at war with each other since before the the advent of gunpowder so, the sudden peace accord between the two criminal/megacorperate entities and an end to the ongoing hostilities that had waged for over a thousand years came as a shock to both the EU and other western-backed regimes. Extending their influence to the shores of Australia, the world's newest super-power, even R.N.C. must compete for their "scraps" when the might of the East is brought to bear upon western concerns.
He was shown to a seat by Hime who then brought Knowledge's weapons to be examined by the "Odd Kat" at the end of the table, without the courtesy of an introduction. The room itself, had its walls adorned with all manner of weapons from all over the world. Some modern....some ancient....some pristine and others in varying states of disrepair. Yorobazu then translated for his employer:
Hime: "He says; a lot can be divined about a warrior by the weapons he chooses to employ...."
Unlike Yorobazu, Odd Kat seemed facinated by The Jumpers well-used Tomahawk and Bowie Knife.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Hime: "He asks; Why are these your favorites?"
North: "I count coups upon my enemies."
Yorobazu then requested clarification for his Lord.
North: "I take scalps."
Odd Kat was "pleased" with the answer he had recieved from Hime then added, after a brief exchange with his master:
Hime: "He says; you have similar "habits"....you both like to keep tropies of those who oppose you. All the weapons you see displayed on the walls of this room, were once used by those who sought to take the life of the Most Esteemed Chairman."
North: "That's a LOT of enemies."
Hime: "My Lord says; enemies are the sole means by which success is gauged."
Mee-Chan, despite the pleasantries and small talk, was beginning to grow impatient at Hoo's absence:
North: "I am honored to have the "Esteemed Chairman" take this meeting with me. His kindness and generosity to one such as myself is most gracious...but....I was under the impression I was here to meet with Doctor Vivian Hoo."
Yorobazu quickly translated for his master and as a smile came over Odd Kat's face:
Hime: "My Lord says; Straight to business? You are exactly as he pictured you to be....unrefined and impertinent."
Hoo: "I assure you Most Esteemed Chairman, those are his BEST qualities."
Vivian Hoo emerged from the board room entrance and made her way into the meeting, much to The Jumpers relief. The comment was spoken in Chinese and even though Mee-Chan was clueless as to the meaning of the message, he was relieved to see Vivian just the same.
Odd Kat would not consider discussing business until everyone had eaten.
Yorobazu, Odd Kat, Vivian and Knowledge were taken by corperate scramjet to dine on an exclusive mid-oceanic residential platform maintained by TRIADE.
A twelve-course meal was prepared in honor of recent successful TRIADE/Lin-Kuei negociations in Melbourne and was timed to coincide with (what Mee-chan was told to be) Odd Kat's grand-daughters birthday....a relative, it was said, he had not seen since her early childhood.
As the dinner began, the assembled group was serenaded by a string concerto of accomplished musicians who played instruments that used light to strike musical chords instead of cat gut or horse hair. These unusual instruments were capable of soothing the "human heart" through neural stimulation and manipulation. Sympathetic vibrations made by it could alter human emotional states or cause blinding agony, if the musician so chose to. The curious absence of Boomers made Mee-Chan suspect that the "band" were actually bodyguards for Odd Kat until, after a few courses, the music was changed in favor of something more exciting.
Soothing strings and solos were replaced by a rhythmic hypnotic beat as Kodo drums that sounded through the dining area, an indication that the "live" entertainment was about to begin. Odd Kat, in honor of his opposite number in the Lin-Kuei Yakuza, held a unique martial arts exhibition to mark the occasion.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The Tsurimatsuo Clan were the most feared of all the Yakuza assassins. No one with the exception of the Yakuza heads and VERY "special guests" had ever seen them and lived to tell of it. For this occasion, Akira Lin-Kuei had given consent for his deadliest of assassins, "The Hand of the Tsurimatsuo" to be used in a demonstration against TRIADE's most accomplished warriors....a group of "humble" Warrior Monks from a secluded (and thought to be lost) Tibetan Order that taught ancient forms of Shaolin not witnessed in the modern age. It would be a "life or death" contest that would pit Taijutsu against Shaolin Kung-Fu...
Mike: "YESSSSS....WE GOT MOTHERF'KING NINJAS, BABY....I TOLD YOU....DIDN'T I TELL YOU!?!"
Phil: "Dude, sit down....you're scaring the dog."
GM: "On the topic of "motherf'king: Maybe they might try and f'k Greg's mom and Phil's mom is a "few drinks" kinda lady but Mike....your mother looks like Baba-Yaga."
(Greg, initially upset by the inference about his mother, now begins to crack up uncontrollably as Mike nods his head in agreement with the notion of "Yo' Mamma UGLY".)
Phil: "Greg....I'd TOTALLY do your mom."
Greg: "Don't be stupid....you'd be my dad's b@#$h."
Mike: "Alright....so they're not "motherf'king" ninjas....just the normal "garden-variety" kind.")
GM: "I wouldn't say THAT."
Phil: "Just how tough are these guys?"
GM: "You've seen Mortal Kombat haven't you?"
(Mike is tapping his feet really fast, like he were druming, as he squeals with glee.)
Greg: "Dude, North only has a Brawling of 14....if just ONE of these ninjas even "breaks wind", Knowledge'll be in the hospital for weeks!"
(Phil looks to the GM with concern in his eye.)
(GM nods and points to Greg.)
Phil: "That BLOWS....d@mn Mike, I'm sorry man....but F'K your ninjas!"
(Mike assumes a Tiger Claw stance.)
GM: "WATCH THE DOG, WATCH THE DOG!!!"
(Mike tries to playfully put the Maltese in an "pawlock" but the little dog almost bites him, causing him to recoil into the chair.)
Greg is slapping his knee as he tries to catch his breath: "What the f'k style was THAT!?!"
Phil tries to mimic Mike's hasty retreat but adds "girly" swings while saying: "PU$$YCLAW!" in a shlok asian accent.
GM: "Funny, that's EXACTLY how I would envision the upcoming fight playing out...."
(Reader Warning; Okay, TRY not to groan now....)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The Tsurimatso have assembled:
- Reptile (Not actually a lizard or suffering from some unique genetic disfigurement but instead, just a person who used ultratech gadgetry to mimic "videogame" special abilities. In Reptiles case, retractable finger talon implants and a Spitter implant did the trick nicely. Add to that Lin-Kuei's patented "Gecko-Suit", enabling not only active-camouflage, but allowing him to "cling" to walls or vertically move up them with his "Lizard Climb" technique.)
- Scorpion (Similar situation except that his face was not a skull under a fake fleshy cover and his weapon did not breakthrough the palm of his hand to be used, nor did they scream....THAT was just stupid! Instead his weapon was an ultratech take on a Shoge Hook with a collapsable chain that could extend to five yard reach or quick-retract to be used at close range. He DID however also have a Spitter Implant similar to Reptiles except, identical to the videogame personae, it would spout a plasma stream and not poison or acid. He also sported pupaless optical implants that enabled him to see in complete darkness but were not damaged by operating under normal light. Despite the identical appearances of The Hand "battle-gi" used by the team, they were not only different in coloration....Scorpion's armor (instead of Gecko properties) augmented his strength enabling great leaps and crippling physical attacks.)
- Sub-Zero (His armor was the most elaborate of the entire teams. Liquid nitrogen sprayers, mobile vaporators, and cryo-shielding were amongst his arsenal. Included were wrist mounted "Ice Guns" similar to those used by the C.I.A. to deliver poisons except Sub-Zero's could also project a small ice chunk with the velocity and effect of an armor-piercing 38 calibre rounds or even an "icicle dagger" storm. His armor ALSO enabled him to scale vertical surfaces but he would accomplish his technique by freezing the limb against the surface as he climbed.)
- Rain (Water attacks were his speciality but whenever The Hand had a truely tough stain to remove, Rain was sent with Sub-Zero. Their complimentary "powers" were awesome and together they stood undefeated. Rain's upgraded vaporator could generate water at a rate sufficient to enable him (in humid climates) to simulate the force and pressure of a fire hose for short durations. Using nano-technology developed originally for radiation scrubbers (which transformed the ailing Japan into the super-giant of Poseidon) enabled Rain to control and direct volumes of water that were in close proximity to him.)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
- Ermac (Newest of The Hands assassins. Ermac had not "earned" the honor of any suit abilities yet and seemed, instead, to be relegated as protection for Tsugi Lin-Kuei, representative for her father on this auspicious occasion.)
- Jade (Female members of The Hand also wore armor....it didn't cover very much and pretty made the lot of them look like a bunch of cheap strippers but it WAS covered under "Bullet-Proofed Nudity" in the GURPS rules so everything was good to go! Jade used a unique collapsable electro-shock stave (that sported Stun, Disrupt and Kill settings) which gave off a flourescent pink glow when activated. It could also separate into a pair of identical combat clubs with similar individual properties to its larger staff counterpart. Female team members also relied upon Sonic Shuriken more than their male counterparts and as was typical for all female clan members, she sported a Vibro-Wakizashi. Males sported a Vibro (Late-Era) Katana and only the Leadership of the Hand (held by Smoke) could wear a Daisho.)
- Kitana (She was NOT some 700 year old cougar and she wasn't a princess either but her skill was considered to be the finest amongst the women of the Tsurimatso. Her weapons of choice (of course) were a pair of Sai made from an "expiramental" hyperdense alloy. Since THAT stuff wasn't around till TL-11 and this was still a TL-9 game with some TL-10 innovations thrown into it for flavor, they were VERY expensive! As could be expected, of all the female clan members, she objects most to the "contest".)
- Mileena (Definitely not Kitana's sister and most certainly didn't have that f'ked up mouth like she has in MK: Legacy. She WAS however the only clan member with a Viper mouth implant. Her weapons of choice were a pair of mono-molecular edged combat fans. Whether at range or up close she was the most "well-rounded" of the female clan with respect to more than just her combat effectiveness. Absolutely can't stand....)
- Frost (Essentially just a female version of Sub-Zero, but since the armor houses the bulk of her abilities (being so "minialist") her suit MUST be without a doubt, the most advanced & expensive of the entire Hand Clan. To "not even be there" but still protect JUST as much as her male counterparts armor indicates she was probably an expirament. She did pocess a far greater tolerance to cold than Sub-Zero pocessed and her skin was even "frozen" blue with eyes that would twinkle with an unearthly glow in dim lighting. She was, consequently, a master of the "blindfighting" technique unique to her through the augmentation of her tactile sences by almost 500%. Frost usually chose to craft a variety of weapons fashioned from ice at the moments prior combat, usually giving her the advantage of using a weapon specifically designed to counter the advantages of her "chosen" opponents armaments.)
- Smoke (The previous man to hold the position had been killed in an assassination attempt against the Lin-Kuei Chainman so the armor remained "vacant" for any in the Tsurimatsuo who could "fill" it. No one has made the attempt yet.)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The TRIADE were represented by:
- Iron Snake (In addition to Tiger, Crane, Dragon, Mantis and Drunken forms, which are requisite for all at his monastery, he had perfected his own "Snake" style that was used to best effect with a flexible broadsword. Unlike their counterparts, the weapons they used were not from a science lab but instead simply crafted to the finest quality possible by the hand of a man. While the Monks garb seemed inappropriate for their armored opponents, the fabrics they wore were weaved from the spider-silk derivative which imparted a resistance to injury equal to the finest ballistics cloth manufactured.)
- Orange Socks (His speciality were the paired Hook Swords and his style of Crane was far more advanced than that of his brothers. His balance was absolutely perfect and few in his Order were as nimble as he had become. Had a distinctive flair for fighting upside down.)
- Halfmoon (The most "accurate/precise" swordsmen in his Order. Can consistantly cut the wings off a fly in flight without killing the insect and then catch the fallen bug upon the flat of his blade. Similar feats of legendary sword prowess are typical of him but unlike his brethren, prefers a sturdy thrusting blade to a flexible more fencing friendly one. He never looks at something or someone he intends to strike and only makes eye contact with someone he DOESN'T intend to kill.)
- Flying Fists (Able to make mighty Chambara-style leaps with seeming ease, his style of chinese boxing has yet to meet its equal amongst the other pupals. Prefers to fight with his bare hands and is capable of feats of physical strength that seem impossible for a man of his small stature to accomplish. Shortest member of the TRIADE representatives.)
- Steel Feather (Taken from his penchant for the Feather Sword he is the fastest of the Warrior Monk's swordsmen and it is said once struck an opponent 15 times with his blade before his body hit the ground but had instantly killed him on the first blow. Considered to be the opponent most revered by the Tsurimatsuo for his skill with the blade. Only Smoke was ever close to being his match.)
- Cuncun (His weapon of choice was usually a bladed pole but his specialities were in the Drunken styles. Had developed a genuine "Lizard Climb" technique that utilized momentum and leverage gained specifially from using a pole, even in under extreme combat conditions.)
- Li-Li (Odd Kat's OWN grand-daughter and the woman who's birthday was being celebrated that night! Her father had signifigant pull with particular individuals in the Tibetan Order through an ancient asian secret organization. She had spent her entire waking life in the order and had not seen her father or anyone else in her family in over 2 decades. All she knew of them were from photographs and letters of correspondance, most of which she never opened. Her speciality was Crane but she was also the most silent and undetectable of the Warrior Monks. Her stealth was legendary and it was said she actually could walk upon rice paper braced against jagged rocks without breaking the surface. No one who had ever lost their life to her had ever seen her or known she was even in the room. As one might suspect, she was also the one monk in their Order that needed the most "guidance" from her superiors. Her emotions had made her bitter and volatile as she harbored considerable resentment towards her family for being abandoned from such a young age in the desolate frozen Tibetan wastes. Of course The Jumper had no way of knowing this at the time and only knew she was related to Odd Kat.)
(GM: "Mike....please....Dude....stop jumping.")
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Even though Mee-Chan had not been allowed to keep weapons on his person after his initial meeting with Odd Kat, the bundle still sat in a pile by the Gangster Lord's right hand....easily within reach should the situation require it. He tried to keep reminding himself that reaching for them would only make him a target in a room where he was unfairly outnumbered, outclassed and outgunned. So you'll understand that it was with considerable relief that he greeted Helen Seven.
He watched as the most of the room held its collective breath while she made her way across the floor to the VIP table and gave her respects to the assembled Clan heads before taking a seat beside Vivian.
North: "They can't seriously be doing this are they?"
Hoo nodded her head but continued to act as though she were preocupied taking a sip of her wine and really not speaking to him:
Hoo: "Whatever you do just DON'T interfere."
Helen kept smiling at some nearby guests seated across the table from her as she began to speak without moving her lips and murmered delicately:
LN-7: "Why, whats wrong?"
Hoo: "It would appear my guest objects to the chairman's sence of propriety."
Helen tried to mask her suprise at the observation and continued to put on her best "otherwise occupied" face that she could manage...
LN-7: "But weren"t you a deathsport gladiator?"
North: "I don't murder people for profit...." (he then hestitated and after making a slight moan of realization, began again in far more humbled tone of voice) "....well, I GUESS I do...." (he then became energetic once more) "....but WE save lives, THIS is just wrong."
The Jumper asked Vivian to translate what the combats referee had said:
Hoo: "The fights will continue until one fighter is dead, unconcious or surrenders but they will go on for as long as needed to declare a victor."
Mee-Chan put his hand over his mouth as he rested his elbows on the table and cast his gaze downwards:
North: "F'k Doc....this is a friggin' nightmare....is there any way I could not be here for this?"
Vivian tried not to break her composure but mention of this obviously alarmed her:
Hoo: "No....Odd Kat will regard it as an insult and percieve you as weak."
His head sank as he rubbed his temples and spoke in a despondant manner:
North: "Did I thank you for bringing me here to see this yet, because if I haven't-"
Helen is now trying not to laugh.
North: "What's wrong with you?"
LN-7: "I've never met a professional killer who was disturbed by death before."
North: "You need to get out more..."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Helen leans forward and touches The Jumpers hand (across Vivivan, much to her suprise) and says:
LN-7: "Please, I don't mean to mock you....one doesn't rise to the heights of circles such as these and not have it rule every moment their lives. The list of foul deeds assembled at this table alone would be sufficient to send one screaming from the room but I have grown used to it. Are you truely offended by the brutality of the sport or how it makes you feel?"
The Jumper is able to avoid answering the question when the first two fighters enter the ring...
REPTILE vs FLYING FISTS:
GM: "Mike....Mike?....MIKE?!"
Greg: "What is he doing up there....taking a s#@t?"
Phil: "We FINALLY get to the ninjas and he's not here?"
GM: "Y'wanna wait or keep going guys?"
Greg: "GIMME THOSE F'KIN' DICE!!!"
(Phil resumes his "Pu$$ycraw" stance and a pointless sissy slapfest ensues as Greg tries to relieve Phil of the dice.)
Hime: "My Lord wishes to know; who do you think will be victorious?"
Knowing nothing of "Ninjitsu" or the Shaolin arts The Jumper then replied: "I dunno....the little guy."
(In a room full of asians)
Greg: "What do mean I DON'T get a point for that?!"
GM: "I don't think that deserved a point....it's actually pretty racist."
Greg: "Put it to a vote!"
GM: "Guys....was that really funny enough for a point?"
(Phil and Mike both unanimously give a thumbs up but only after Greg slugs Phil in the arm and threatens to do it again harder.)
GM: "Really?....that didn't seem racist to you?"
Mike: "OH, NO....that was DEFINITELY racist...."
GM: "But?"
Mike: "....was kinda funny."
GM: "I STILL don't think that should get a point but-"
Greg: "Nothing but net, Girlie-Boys!!"
Phil: "Mehhh, that one hadd a lotta rim on it, dude."
(Greg smacks Phil.)
Mee-Chan notices Yorobazu stares at him with a strange look on his face as if implying: "You SURE you want me to translate that?"
North: "Oh, for f'k's sake....the little bald guy....the Monk!"
Vivian nudges him in the rib, talking out the side of her mouth:
Hoo: "Stop pouting!"
Reptile waits for Flying Fists to bow before striking....
(You're such a B@$T@RD Mike!)
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
He springs at his enemy and releases a stream of corrosive acid from his Spitter implant at the "unaware" Flying Fists. The Shaolin dodges the stream of acid without even looking at the source of the attack and performs a stop kick technique upon the airborn Tsurimatsuo, sending the his green armored opponent crashing to the mat upon his spine.
Flying Fists then launches into a karate leg sweep against his prone enemy but the attack is avoided as Reptile nimbly vaults to his feet with seemingly little effort.
The Ninja is upon his feet for barely an instant when his Shaolin opponent launches into a focused fury combo of rapid hand strikes against Reptiles solar plexus. He manages to land 7 of his 8 attacks in two seconds flat before Reptile is able to break the combo with a very difficult hand catch parry technique.
Reptile attempts to armlock the Shaolin but with sheer strength and will, the monk locks his joint and the Ninja is unable to complete the judo manuver.
Flying Fists counters with a reverse elbow strike, actually managing to strike a target on the left side of his body with the opposite limb....a feat thats normally "no-no" in advanced GURPS combat....but Reptile counters with a lightning quick spinning kick after releasing the locked limb and lands a staggering blow to Flying Fists throat. A successful Rolling with the Blow technique results in the monk almost Striking the clan leaders table.
The Monk avoids three consecutive strong stomp kick attacks by the Reptile after being knocked to the ground by his deceptive strike and manages to break the streak by catching the Ninjas foot and flipping him backwards away from him. Reptile lands on his feet effortlessly but it has given his opponent the opportunity to stand and Flying Fists launches into a flying knee strike which causes Reptile to give ground or risk being hit.
He then lunges for his foe as he reaches the ground and attempts to grapple the Shaolin and put him into a clinch for launching into his trapped knee strike combo technique.
The Shaolin is expertly grappled but Reptile finds the first attack of his combo is parried, interupting the deadly attack sequence and shifting the momentum back in favor of the Warrior Monk.
GM: "Mike....get UP Mike!"
Mike: "I'm not worthy....I'm not worthy...."
GM: "Is he always like this around ninjas?"
Phil: "Ever since I've known him."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Flying Fists and Reptile then launch into a "who can punch faster" competition.
After a five second non-stop exchange, Reptile manages to land five of fifteen punches on the Shaolin. The Warrior Monk however connects with fifteen of twenty that end in a crushing double hammer fist technique....all in five freakin' seconds. The short balding Monks fists are now bloody and raw from landing bare flesh strikes upon reinforced ballistic mesh but Reptile is now reeling from the Monks efforts and trying to stay on his feet. Odd Kat stands from his seat and bellows forth in chinese:
"FINISH HIM!"
After a brief & graceful kata, in which Flying Fists focuses his chi, the Monk delivers a crippling power blow uppercut to his enemies jaw that sends the Tsurimatsuo three yards before coming crashing to the mat on his shoulder, dislocating it in the process in addition to having the initial effect of shattering Reptile's jaw.
The Ninja would survive his contest with the Monk but he would be eating soup through a straw for quite a while. Flying Fist then bowed to his motionless opponent and said:
"Amitahbah."
(Translation: Merciful Buddha)
Mike: "I love you, man."
GM: "MIKE!!!"
Phil: "But you lost dude?"
Mike: "I-don't-f'king-care!"
Greg: "At least he's happy."
GM: "Fine, you can let him "happy" all over you then for a change."
Greg: "Not as long as I'M buying the beer he doesn't...."
The Shaolin Warrior Monk then turned to the assembled guests and bowed to them as the Reptile was dragged unconsious from the arena behind him with a trail of blood and chipped armor in his wake. Yorobazu turned to Mee-Chan and was about to comment on his choice of fighter and would he care to give another "most excellent" fight tip for Odd Kat in his wagers with Tsugi Lin-Kuei.
The Jumper reluctantly turned his head in time to see the amazonian-sized Kitana step into the arena platform opposite the diminutive looking Li-Li Kat.
North: "No-f'king-way."
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Hime: "Forgive me, I must have misunderstood...but it sounded like you said-"
North: "L-look....I realize this maybe out of place but is there some way to STOP this?"
The aide looked at the Westerner with sudden shock:
Hime: "Do you not realize the HONOR you have been given by attending this most sacred of occasions?!"
Knowledge tried not to fidget in his seat while Vivian watched helpless...
Hime: "On this most auspicious of evenings you are to bear witness the grand reunion."
North: "Well, where IS the guest of honor then? She's all anyone can talk about here but I haven't seen her once all night-"
Yorobazu directed his attention to the next pair of assembled fighters...
Li-Li was astoundingly beautiful (Zhang Ziyi) which didn't help matters any for (at least when compared to her opponent) she was dwarfed beside Kitana's amazon-like proportions. The previous fight had seemed evenly paired despite Reptiles slight height/reach advantage but this one was an obvious mismatch. As the referee announced the matches imminent commencement, Mee-Chan wasn't sure he could bear to watch. He didn't see strangers fighting in front of him....he saw his own team. Still ridden with guilt over his recent drunken indescretions, he didn't see Kitana & Li-Li....he saw Maim & Catherine.
KITANA vs LI-LI KAT:
This time, the Tsurimatsuo respected the Shaolin Monk and properly bowed before assuming her fighting stance.
Mike: "@#$% &*%@#!!!"
Kitana drew her sai and after spinning them in her hands for a moment, threw them into the floor at her feet. She likewise removed her wakizashi and let it fall at her side....she didn't need them to destroy THIS insect. The TRIADE had made a grave mistake and had sent a scrawny little girl to do a "womans" job.
Phil: "Dude, WTF!?!. She's SIX foot EIGHT and weighs two hundred and fifty pounds!?! I mean C'MON, what am I over here....FIVE foot TWO, are you F'KING kidding me?!"
Greg: "Kinda sucks when YOU'RE the one who's gonna get the s#@t kicked outta ya, DON'T it?"
Li-Li obliged and tossed her longsword from her side casually and adopted a White Crane opening stance. Kitana cocks her head followed an unusually loud "cracking/popping" noise as she sneers at the Little Kat.
Kitana: "This is going to hurt a LOT but I promise you....it'll be over quick."
Vivian had noticed Mee-Chan had half-averted his gaze and was now "white knuckling" the edge of the table as the combat began
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
The Amazon charges at the Monk and opens with a flying jump kick technique aimed to Kat's head.
Kat avoids the attack at the final second, moving so quickly that it leaves her outer robe behind in her wake for her opponent to have it obscure Kitana's sight.
The tiny Warrior Monk lands a blistering four kick combo targeting her foes ankle, knee, hip and finally groin all in that order in a little over a second!
Although the combo does not do signifigant damage it causes Kitana alarm when her follow-up counterattack is aggresively parried by her smaller opponent using her foot instead of her hand (knowing her arms aren't strong enough to effectively block Kitana's strikes) to aggresively parry the attacking limb, intercepting it before Kitana can land her strong punch. While briefly off balance, Li-Li then executes a combo in which she literally runs up her foe (landing kicks as she goes) to end in a spin kick aimed to the opponents head. It suceeds but once more, does NOT do enough damage to slow her opponent down....and Kitana is getting angry.
The Tsurimatsuo charges her enemy as the Monk once more adopts a Crane stance. The Ninja's punch is intercepted and entangled by Li-Li's leg and the Shaolin land an exotic "Crane" hand strike to her opponents throat. Kitana counters with a bone crushing back-handed attack to The Warrior Monks face that sends her flying two yards before hitting the mat.
Mee-Chan jumped in his seat at the force of the impact....he still doesn't see Li-Li, he imagines his Catherine is the one who is suffering for his enjoyment. Yorobazu then took notice of how tense the Westerner had become and told him he didn't look well.
Kitana caught her breath as she strolled up to Li-Li prompting the dazed Monk to try and kick the Ninja "on the right" but found her blow aggresively parried with a downward elbow strike to her kneecap that put Kat off balance. The Ninja then tried to land three downward arc'd forearm smashes in a row (each more powerful than the last), all of which Li-Li double-arm parried by the barest of margins.
Mee-Chan knew the spectacle wouldn't last much longer and having as much experience as he had with Erica, he KNEW that Kitana would kill her smaller and weaker opponent. If he was to do something it would have to be fast. As he struggled to think of what to do, Yorobazu leaned over to Odd Kat and confered with his Lord, who was himself distraught at his niece's performance. As he did, an unobstructed view of Knowledge's weapons occured. North kept repeating to himself....if you pick up "Samantha", they'll kill you dead AND Hoo.
Li-Li tried to execute a back kick but her injuries had slowed her to the point where Kitana easily caught the attacking limb only once she had, she swung the girlish looking Li-Li by her leg, like a club, into the arena mat face first with all her might.
Knowledge closed his fists as tight as he could as looked to the Gangster Lord.
Yorobazu once more took notice and asked Mee-Chan if there was something he wished to ask.
North: "What will the Chairman do if she loses?"
As expected, Yorobazu leaned to his Lord and The Jumpers final window of opportunity presented itself...
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-
CONTINUATION...
Kitana, still trapping the leg and thusly keeping the dazed Warrior Monk in an unusual "distressed" position, lands a brutal stomp kick to the back of Li-Li's head that causes the diminutive girls limbs to spasm uncontrollably from the force of the impact and then proceeds to shift her foot and increase pressure in the hopes of breaking the Shaolin's neck as she lay helpless, face first into the arena's floor.
Before anyone can react, Knowledge has already grabbed his Tomahawk and Knife and has slid over the table to the arena side, knocking over platters and dishes as he goes. Vivian recoils in horror but then bows her head as she finds herself frozen from the realization of the possible consequences to his sudden actions.
Tsugi Lin-Kuei had watched with morbid facination at the "misguided" effort and inquires if Odd Kat will "up the ante" by testing the martial prowess of his insolent guest. She removes her hand from atop of Ermac's to unleash him upon the Jumper. The Tsurimatsuo is able to clear the table and stand directly in front Knowledge by the time he has barely cleared the table....
ERMAC vs MEE-CHAN:
The comotion has distracted Kitana who wonders why all in attendance look at something going on behind her and she stops killing Li-Li long enough to look and see what it might be.
Mee-Chan goes for broke and opens with all-out double attack of axe and knife. Ermac steps into the strike and is able to grapple with The Jumper and in the process avoids the attacks. He swings the Jumper around trying to throw him to the ground but fails, prompting Knowledge to head butt the Ninja as hard as he can. The expenditure of a character point results in a broken nose for Ermac and a splitting headache for Mee-Chan.
Li-Li uses her opponents momentary lapse of concentration and not only escapes from the leg lock she had become trapped in, but manages to trap Kitana's arm while holding her at length by proping her foot to the Ninjas neck in an attempt to hyper-extend the trapped limb. Kitana screams out in agony.
North perfectly executes Stone's Tomahawk "merry-go-round" swing-by-the-neck manuver with thanks to some really bad rolling on Gregs part! Knowledge ends the 270 degree spin by sending Ermac's skull into the VIP tabletop. Holding him to the table by the neck with his axe, Mee-Chan begins to deliver repeated knee strikes to the Ninja's kidneys which fortunately, just like the head slamming result in further stunning for the Tsurimatsuo.
Kitana topples to the floor in agony and her trapped arm in immediate danger from ripping out of its socket when the Amazon submits in humiliation to the tiny Monk by tapping out in a rapid frantic fashion.
Mee-chan gives with a "rebel yell" before spinning the stunned Ermac around until behind him and holding the dazed Ninja reversed over his shoulders by his arms over his throat in an attempt to suffocate him. Ermac recovers from his daze and seeks to escape the hold by flipping over Knowledge's shoulder to his front....the manuver works but Ermac had forgotten he was already in front of a table when he flipped! The Ninja initially caught the table full force in the gut. His body sent expensive crockery and food into the diners while his feet shattered the elaborate ice carved centrepiece that adorned the table...but it wasn't over yet. His upper body had missed the table entirely and had thusly begun to swing towards the floor causing the top of Ermac's skull of "bounce" off the tiles (stunning him YET AGAIN!) which then caused the rest of the Ninjas body (still on the table) to follow suit at the first possible opportunity. It finally came to an end as he struck his tail bone on the floor and brought the massive gaff to an end.
Li-Li stood up as best she could and turned to bow to her family, who's honor she had fought and just nearly died for....but everyone seemed too interested in watching some upstart Gaijin who was kicking the living cr@p out of a Tsurimatsuo elite.
Knowledge wound up and delivered a boot straight to Ermac's cajones. The Tsurimatsuo hadn't moved at all just prior to the strike but he sure did after! His initial reflex was to sit up rather abruptly as fate would have it....right into a face full of the bottom of the table he had just fallen from. He hit hard enough that despite the large tables combined weight, plates and glasses rocked or were visibly disturbed for six feet in each direction.
TO BE CONTINUED....
-Peace-