01-16-2011, 12:21 PM
This was not how Robert envisioned a war. He expected fair fights with equal forces equipped with equivalent weapons. What was happening here was a far cry from that ideal. The alien invasion was a relentless onslaught, their armies stronger, more numerous and with a higher level of technology than theirs. He had briefly watched Vad thrusting himself into the heat of battle from the space port and seen with ease how he dispatched them. However, Vad was a merciless assassin who held no qualms about taking life. Watching him move, his fists plowing into the enemy soldiers, Robert knew that Vad had seen much more combat and violence than he had gazing at action movies while tinkering on his latest project.
It was all becoming very real.
Vad and Trixie had developed a plan for the space port's survival; creating a clean passage from there to a small settlement called Malaki Village. He didn't explain the purpose of the move, and quite frankly, Robert couldn't understand the merit of it. What was the point? Were they falling back, letting the enemy take the space port? Or was there a secret reason in doing so? Either way, Falconer was definitely not one to question orders from an illustrious warrior like Vad.
Suddenly, the saiyan's directives were impossible to carry out. A loud siren reverberated through the space port. Scores of troops filtered back into the base, behind the bomb-proof walls. They were falling back. What was going on?
Robert, housed within his power suit, floated into the air with the assistance of his thrusters and peered out over the walls. His eyes widened at the terrifying sight of the enemy right outside their doorstep. They stretched as far back as the horizon and surrounded the space port on every side. Their push had become too overwhelming for the militia to hold back. Things were looking bleak.
Just as he thought the worst, and all-encompassing shadow drifted over the space port, plunging it into darkness. Prototype looked up to see a goliath ship hovering directly over their position. At least, Robert thought it was, but its appearance was closer to an airborne metropolis than a space craft. Jutting spires sprouted on its top, knife-like and sterile, like alien skyscrapers. A hemispherical bauble enclosed the city, translucent but reflective. The base of the city was also mechanical and metallic, although it was as if the city had been torn out of the ground of a planet that was composed entirely of metal. Robert couldn't make out any thrusters or propulsion system externally, unless it utilised a massive array of anti gravity or hover engines. It was a breathtaking achievement, whatever it was.
Out from the Grand Ship Myreen came a buzzing swarm of droids. They descended from the craft like a furious squadron of automated wasps, making a bee-line for the space port. They were basically steel orbs with three spindly limbs and pincer-like fingers that snapped erratically. They circled the space port in a cohesive line, appearing to follow a gestalt intelligence. Others covered the open area above the space port, but as the troops within opened fire and ended up destroying several, the swarm pulled higher into the sky to avoid the bullets but still flooded the sky.
"This isn't looking good," Trixie remarked.
Robert appreciated the seriousness of the situation, but ... look at that technology! How many thousands of drones were skittering about them? How were they manufactured, and how were they controlled? What was that behemoth city doing in the sky? His scientific curiosity was almost strong enough to overwhelm his fear. Unfortunately, then the shouting came.
Vad was directed to the wall, where he examined with reserved scrutiny the newest threats to approach their last line of defense. Two high ranking officers, judging by the battalion of troops that marched in time behind them, were sizing up the barrier with great interest. One was clad and solid blue knight-like armour while the other wore flowy, red cloth. Neither looked particularly friendly or wet behind the ears. Robert did not want to engage with seasoned war veterans.
"I'm not liking these odds," Prototype said, staring at the ubiquitous presence of the enemy. "We're closed in on every side. What do we do now?"
Vad touched down next to Trixie. "Two generals outside. Their men are carrying devices to penetrate the walls. It won't be long."
"Then perhaps we should go out and meet them," Trixie cooed, fingering the dagger in its sheath.
Robert hadn't paid Vad attention, but he wasn't being purposefully ignorant. Through the green visor of the suit's helmet he squinted at one of the oscillating drones. Their simple design and singular blue eye reminded him of something. A poignant sense of de ja vu washed over him, but he couldn't place the little blighters for all he was worth. He concentrated, but ...
"Eureka!" he yelled.
"Eureka?" Trixie questioned, shooting Prototype a strange look.
"Those drones up there," he said, pointing to them. "They are, I think, remarkably similar to something I designed once."
"What, the aliens stole your idea?" Trixie scoffed.
"No, it's not that. For a drone that small to function without any visible external exhausts, it has to be using either a flux energy modulator to act as an organic being using its own ki for flight, like you and Vad do. Or it's employing a gamma wave anti-gravity accelerator," Robert explained, although no one knew what he was babbling about. "There's nothing else that can cause flight like that. So, if I can create a self replicating electrosystemic reaction, their flight components will self destruct!"
Robert flipped open a panel on his left forearm, revealing a small control panel with various buttons on it. His hand shone with an artificial yellow hue. Closing the panel, he lifted his hand and pointed it at the lowest hanging drone.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Vad asked.
"That's the fun of science," Robert smirked. "I won't know until I do it."
Prototype clenched his shimmering yellow hand into a fist. Two rings of golden light fired from his wrist, sailing into the sky. They found the unaware drone, instantly sinking through its metallic casing. The frantic movements of the automaton abruptly stopped and it fell like a rock, flailing its arms about uselessly. Several seconds later, it detonated in a small explosion, tearing it apart. Several cheers went out from militia.
"Just like that," Prototype preened.
"Can you do that to the entire force?" Trixie inquired.
"No." Robert flipped open the forearm panel again and recalibrated. "I can increase the intensity so that it jumps to several drones at a time, but that's about it. Besides, I'm not sure how much help it's going to be."
Above them, a new drone had already taken the place of its detonated comrade.
"We'd need a device capable of generating electrosystemic radiation on a far larger scale than my suit is capable of," Falconer continued. "Besides, right now I'm just chopping arms off a namekian. Sure they're harmless for a moment, but it won't be long before it just regrows."
Vad was in deep thought before he brusquely spoke up. "Then I have a new plan."
"Oh?" Robert asked.
"Prototype will get through the drones and head to the mother ship. Use whatever knowledge you have to disrupt the drone production facility within it and see what you can do to sabotage it."
"I ... wait, I'm doing what now?"
Vad continued. "Trixie and I will meet these generals in the battlefield and defeat them."
"Whoa!" Robert implored. "I'm going to fly into an enemy space ship?!"
Vad shot him an accusatory stare. "If you don't, we're all going to die."
Falconer swallowed hard. "O ... OK."
"It makes sense," Trixie elucidated. "We know how to fight, and you know technology. If we swapped places, neither of us would do well. You'd get carved up and we'd end up blowing up the whole thing. This'll work. Just do it."
Without another word, Vad charged towards the gate with Trixie in tow.
"Wait!" Robert cried out.
Vad stopped, although his patience was wearing thin. Robert sprinted over to the saiyan as fast as he could.
"Out there, before, when you decapitated that guy," he began. "I saw you use metal. You molded it like clay, as if you can shape it into whatever you desire."
Vad blinked. "That's correct."
This was it. It was time to put the Mimic functionality of the power suit to the test. "Then allow me to try something." Robert clamped a robotic hand on Vad's shoulder and initiated the process. Falconer jostled in his suit. The Mimic function drew an enormous amount of energy to begin, and his android power core found itself without a surplus of power for a split moment. However, it picked up the pace and returned to an excess of production.
"There," Robert commented, removing his hand. "I should now have the same ability."
Vad looked him up and down, trying to tell if he was being serious or not. In the end, he didn't care. "Space ship. Now."
Vad and Trixie took off to their destination.
Prototype gazed upward into the ball pit of metal above him, flexing his left hand. It still sparkled with buttery light, the colour of electrosystemic radiation. If he fired pulses in particular areas of the drones, it should create a path for him to fly straight to the floating alien city. The resulting particle clouds should also deter any aggressive drones from dashing through the remnants of their comrades for a few moments too, giving him more time.
It all made sense scientifically, but now it was all real. Would the power suit hold up? Would he find the adventure he sought, or would he fail and die?
He sighed, his thrusters expelling flames, and lifted into the sky.
Suddenly he wondered if he had missed his meeting.
It was all becoming very real.
Vad and Trixie had developed a plan for the space port's survival; creating a clean passage from there to a small settlement called Malaki Village. He didn't explain the purpose of the move, and quite frankly, Robert couldn't understand the merit of it. What was the point? Were they falling back, letting the enemy take the space port? Or was there a secret reason in doing so? Either way, Falconer was definitely not one to question orders from an illustrious warrior like Vad.
Suddenly, the saiyan's directives were impossible to carry out. A loud siren reverberated through the space port. Scores of troops filtered back into the base, behind the bomb-proof walls. They were falling back. What was going on?
Robert, housed within his power suit, floated into the air with the assistance of his thrusters and peered out over the walls. His eyes widened at the terrifying sight of the enemy right outside their doorstep. They stretched as far back as the horizon and surrounded the space port on every side. Their push had become too overwhelming for the militia to hold back. Things were looking bleak.
Just as he thought the worst, and all-encompassing shadow drifted over the space port, plunging it into darkness. Prototype looked up to see a goliath ship hovering directly over their position. At least, Robert thought it was, but its appearance was closer to an airborne metropolis than a space craft. Jutting spires sprouted on its top, knife-like and sterile, like alien skyscrapers. A hemispherical bauble enclosed the city, translucent but reflective. The base of the city was also mechanical and metallic, although it was as if the city had been torn out of the ground of a planet that was composed entirely of metal. Robert couldn't make out any thrusters or propulsion system externally, unless it utilised a massive array of anti gravity or hover engines. It was a breathtaking achievement, whatever it was.
Out from the Grand Ship Myreen came a buzzing swarm of droids. They descended from the craft like a furious squadron of automated wasps, making a bee-line for the space port. They were basically steel orbs with three spindly limbs and pincer-like fingers that snapped erratically. They circled the space port in a cohesive line, appearing to follow a gestalt intelligence. Others covered the open area above the space port, but as the troops within opened fire and ended up destroying several, the swarm pulled higher into the sky to avoid the bullets but still flooded the sky.
"This isn't looking good," Trixie remarked.
Robert appreciated the seriousness of the situation, but ... look at that technology! How many thousands of drones were skittering about them? How were they manufactured, and how were they controlled? What was that behemoth city doing in the sky? His scientific curiosity was almost strong enough to overwhelm his fear. Unfortunately, then the shouting came.
Vad was directed to the wall, where he examined with reserved scrutiny the newest threats to approach their last line of defense. Two high ranking officers, judging by the battalion of troops that marched in time behind them, were sizing up the barrier with great interest. One was clad and solid blue knight-like armour while the other wore flowy, red cloth. Neither looked particularly friendly or wet behind the ears. Robert did not want to engage with seasoned war veterans.
"I'm not liking these odds," Prototype said, staring at the ubiquitous presence of the enemy. "We're closed in on every side. What do we do now?"
Vad touched down next to Trixie. "Two generals outside. Their men are carrying devices to penetrate the walls. It won't be long."
"Then perhaps we should go out and meet them," Trixie cooed, fingering the dagger in its sheath.
Robert hadn't paid Vad attention, but he wasn't being purposefully ignorant. Through the green visor of the suit's helmet he squinted at one of the oscillating drones. Their simple design and singular blue eye reminded him of something. A poignant sense of de ja vu washed over him, but he couldn't place the little blighters for all he was worth. He concentrated, but ...
"Eureka!" he yelled.
"Eureka?" Trixie questioned, shooting Prototype a strange look.
"Those drones up there," he said, pointing to them. "They are, I think, remarkably similar to something I designed once."
"What, the aliens stole your idea?" Trixie scoffed.
"No, it's not that. For a drone that small to function without any visible external exhausts, it has to be using either a flux energy modulator to act as an organic being using its own ki for flight, like you and Vad do. Or it's employing a gamma wave anti-gravity accelerator," Robert explained, although no one knew what he was babbling about. "There's nothing else that can cause flight like that. So, if I can create a self replicating electrosystemic reaction, their flight components will self destruct!"
Robert flipped open a panel on his left forearm, revealing a small control panel with various buttons on it. His hand shone with an artificial yellow hue. Closing the panel, he lifted his hand and pointed it at the lowest hanging drone.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Vad asked.
"That's the fun of science," Robert smirked. "I won't know until I do it."
Prototype clenched his shimmering yellow hand into a fist. Two rings of golden light fired from his wrist, sailing into the sky. They found the unaware drone, instantly sinking through its metallic casing. The frantic movements of the automaton abruptly stopped and it fell like a rock, flailing its arms about uselessly. Several seconds later, it detonated in a small explosion, tearing it apart. Several cheers went out from militia.
"Just like that," Prototype preened.
"Can you do that to the entire force?" Trixie inquired.
"No." Robert flipped open the forearm panel again and recalibrated. "I can increase the intensity so that it jumps to several drones at a time, but that's about it. Besides, I'm not sure how much help it's going to be."
Above them, a new drone had already taken the place of its detonated comrade.
"We'd need a device capable of generating electrosystemic radiation on a far larger scale than my suit is capable of," Falconer continued. "Besides, right now I'm just chopping arms off a namekian. Sure they're harmless for a moment, but it won't be long before it just regrows."
Vad was in deep thought before he brusquely spoke up. "Then I have a new plan."
"Oh?" Robert asked.
"Prototype will get through the drones and head to the mother ship. Use whatever knowledge you have to disrupt the drone production facility within it and see what you can do to sabotage it."
"I ... wait, I'm doing what now?"
Vad continued. "Trixie and I will meet these generals in the battlefield and defeat them."
"Whoa!" Robert implored. "I'm going to fly into an enemy space ship?!"
Vad shot him an accusatory stare. "If you don't, we're all going to die."
Falconer swallowed hard. "O ... OK."
"It makes sense," Trixie elucidated. "We know how to fight, and you know technology. If we swapped places, neither of us would do well. You'd get carved up and we'd end up blowing up the whole thing. This'll work. Just do it."
Without another word, Vad charged towards the gate with Trixie in tow.
"Wait!" Robert cried out.
Vad stopped, although his patience was wearing thin. Robert sprinted over to the saiyan as fast as he could.
"Out there, before, when you decapitated that guy," he began. "I saw you use metal. You molded it like clay, as if you can shape it into whatever you desire."
Vad blinked. "That's correct."
This was it. It was time to put the Mimic functionality of the power suit to the test. "Then allow me to try something." Robert clamped a robotic hand on Vad's shoulder and initiated the process. Falconer jostled in his suit. The Mimic function drew an enormous amount of energy to begin, and his android power core found itself without a surplus of power for a split moment. However, it picked up the pace and returned to an excess of production.
"There," Robert commented, removing his hand. "I should now have the same ability."
Vad looked him up and down, trying to tell if he was being serious or not. In the end, he didn't care. "Space ship. Now."
Vad and Trixie took off to their destination.
Prototype gazed upward into the ball pit of metal above him, flexing his left hand. It still sparkled with buttery light, the colour of electrosystemic radiation. If he fired pulses in particular areas of the drones, it should create a path for him to fly straight to the floating alien city. The resulting particle clouds should also deter any aggressive drones from dashing through the remnants of their comrades for a few moments too, giving him more time.
It all made sense scientifically, but now it was all real. Would the power suit hold up? Would he find the adventure he sought, or would he fail and die?
He sighed, his thrusters expelling flames, and lifted into the sky.
Suddenly he wondered if he had missed his meeting.