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Post by Skyscream on Apr 13, 2013 23:34:23 GMT -8
Year 8 PT (Post Truce) New Zion
Skyscream stared at the docks from the open cargo bay doors at the front of her ship. It was a huge vehicle that dwarfed nearby vessels scattered about one of the landing bays of New Zion. Her expression was not a friendly one. Slowly she started to walk down the long gangplank with measured steps, her eyes scanning right and left, as she kept her hand near the hilt of the long knife strapped to the outside of her right leg. At the bottom of the gangplank three men waited for her. All of them stood at attention and none of them looked friendly.
"Captain Skyscream." The man in the middle stated in an almost monotone manner. His uniform was crisp and clean. His hair perfect. The men on either side of him could only be described as large walls of muscle.
"Here to arrest me, Mark?" Skyscream continued down the gangplank until she stopped directly in front of the three men. She looked down at the shorter man before her with a look of defiance.
"Captain Niobe ... requests .. your presence." Mark responded. The other two men stood ready for problems.
"Oh. Not Roland. Interesting. " Skyscream suddenly smiled and looked at the two walls of muscle before staring at Mark for a moment. "And if I don't go?"
"We'll make sure.." The largest of the three men started to say before he was cut short with a quick motion of Mark's hand.
"It is a friendly request." Mark smiled a bit. "From a friend. Nothing more."
"Then lead on." Skyscream chuckled a little and slapped Mark on the shoulder. "Gave you authority did they? Things have changed."
The four of them started to walk away. The walls of muscle fell into formation behind Mark and Skyscream as the gangplank of the massive hovercraft Format C started to rise of it's own accord.. All eyes on the dock seemed to be on the small group.
"We thought you were dead." Mark remarked as they walked.
"I ain't dead yet." Skyscream seemed non-chalant but her hand never left the hilt of her knife.
"That's it?" Mark looked at Skyscream. "I ain't dead yet?"
"Yup." Skyscreams eyes kept scanning her surroundings as they left the dock and entered one of the many tunnels leading off it.
It had been a very long time since the Format C had docked at Zion.
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"Sky!" Niobe jumped up from her chair as soon as Skyscream entered her office. She walked quickly over to the much taller woman and shook her hand. "I can't believe you're still alive. What happened?"
"Stuff." Skyscream smiled and shook Niobe's hand enthusiastically in return. "It's good to see you again."
"Cryptic as always." Niobe suddenly turned serious. "Where were you Sky. Zion needed you."
"I was doing what he asked me to do." Skyscream stared at Niobe. "I always have."
"Damn it Sky." Niobe stepped away and walked back to her desk. "Why is it always about him? He died a long time ago. You're more stubborn than an Agent."
"No he didn't." Skyscream remained calm. It was an old argument.
"Why are you back then?" Niobe turned back to look at Skyscream. "The defense forces nearly popped our emp's when your ship showed up on the radar."
"I'm here to guard the gates of Zion, Niobe." Skyscream smiled a little. "Like I always have."
"I don't understand you Sky." Niobe sighed. "But you've always fought for Zion. Even when they hunted you."
"Then you do understand me." Skyscream walked over to Niobe and put one hand on her shoulder. "I will fight for Zion. Like Morpheus. I will give my life. Like Trinity. I will try to find peace. Like Neo. Do you remember that Niobe?"
"Yes." Niobe stared at Skyscream with a serious expression. "I remember your oath. But that was a long time ago. You aren't the same person you were then Captain Skyscream."
"You're right." Skyscream chuckled. "I'm not. Did you have orders for me Captain Niobe?"
"Yes." Niobe smiled at Skyscream. "I do. Keep your word. Guard the gates."
"Yes, maam." Captain Skyscream saluted Niobe and turned on her heel to suddenly depart the office without another word. She glanced back at Niobe and purposefully left the office door open with a dramatic show of doing so.
Niobe stared at the door Skyscream left open. She knew it was to make her follow in the Neonites footsteps. It was a game Sky had played with her many times. Niobe sighed and decided to go for a walk through New Zion and get away from the office for a while.
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Skyscream stood on the bridge of her friend, the hovercraft Format C, and stared at the people on the dock outside. Her mind was lost in thought.
"So?" A voice suddenly erupted with curiousity from speakers in the walls. The monitors of the operator station waved with sine wave displays in time with the voice. "What did you find out?"
"New Zion seems secure, Format." Skyscream crossed her arms as she stared out the window. "I don't recognise many faces though. Seems the Truce has taken a heavy toll on all the fleets we used to know. Most are scattered. Captains retired. Living the life of a Zionite."
"What about our enemies?" Format asked as he cleaned his monitors with one of the many metal tentacles throughout the ship. They had been modelled after sentinel technology and refined over the years by Format. The much larger ones in his hull were locked down and hidden from view.
"Uncertain. I wasn't attacked but our arrival was a surprise." Skyscream sighed. "I believe that may change soon."
"And the Alliance?" Format asked hesitantly.
"Times have changed my friend." Skyscream frowned at the outside world. "People feel safe. Eight years is long enough to forget the war it seems."
"You didn't answer my question, Sky."
"It's not good." Skyscream sighed. "The Pride hangs on. Fighting the good fight as they always did. The Believers are a thing of the past it seems. I blame myself. From what little I was able to learn the surviving members were welcomed into the Pride."
"They always were good friends." Format finished up maintaining the operator station and retracted the tentacle into the flooring.
"Yes. Tried and true." Skyscream smiled a little. Not much, but a little.
"So, now what Sky?" Format asked in genuine curiousity.
"We announce our presence." Skyscream frowned. "Stir some shit up. Prepare to leave. We're going to the tunnels."
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%%%%Alliancesecurechannel%%%%% &&&&&urgentmessagerepository&&&&& %%%%Zionmainframe/library/youcantfindme%%%%
#Enter Password:************ #Enter Command: display new #New Messages: 1 #Enter Command: display message 1 source #Message Source: Hvct Format C #Enter Command: Download message #Message downloading..... #Download Complete #Enter Command: Play message #Playing....
Greetings Alliance members.
My name is Captain Skyscream of the True Believers. If anyone is reading this I will be at Camon church every three days from the time of this message at noon, matrix time. I wish to meet with any surviving members.
Thank you
Captain Skyscream
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## Broadcast across all channels ##
Attention Cypherite Scum!
I have returned.
The Neonite
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Post by Skyscream on Apr 27, 2013 20:38:40 GMT -8
Niobe walked slowly down the hallway of New Zion, her mind lost in thought, with no real destination in mind. The people of New Zion smiled and waved as she passed. She responded in kind and offered words of encouragement when she could. She was thinking about other things though as she wandered aimlessly through the last human city. She was rather surprised when a large presence blocked her way and his deep voice interrupted her chain of thought.
"Captain Niobe." Roland looked down at his old comrade in arms. His look was not entirely friendly. "Why wasn't I informed that the Format C had docked?"
"Because you wouldn't let it leave, Roland." Niobe stared right back at him. "And we can't afford that fight."
"God damn it, Niobe." Roland's expression softened. "We need to know what happened. How did she survive this long out there? Is she working for the Machine now?"
"Suggest she flipped to the Machine again and I'll kick your ass myself." Niobe stated calmly.
"I'm sorry." Roland sighed. It was a sigh filled with years of trying to keep all of New Zion safe. "I'm tired Niobe. With Sky coming back it makes me think, you know?"
"And sometimes those thoughts lead to questions." Niobe patted her old friend on his shoulder. "I understand. But Sky? Sky has always been on the side of Zion."
"You mean Morpheus." Roland frowned.
"Who told her to protect Zion." Niobe looked up at her friend. "Do you know why she hates Cypherites Roland?"
"I'm guessing I don't since you asked me." Roland smiled a little.
"They killed ShadowofPain, her original First Mate and the guy that helped free the Format C. Most of her crew were murdered." Niobe shook her head a little at the memory of betrayal. "Because she found the proof that unmasked Toorima once and for all as a Cypherite that murdered my friend and crewman Vashou."
"Veil." Roland sighed. "So you think she's back for revenge?"
"I don't know." Niobe frowned. "But I do know that if we tried to keep her here and question her we would have had a real problem on our hands. You made me second in command for a reason Commander. Trust me."
"Okay." Roland chuckled. "But just this once. I have a Council meeting to attend. I won't mention our visitor if it doesn't come up."
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"What the hell is a Neonite?" Slasher stared at the woman across the small table from him. She had green hair done up in some strange Japanese fashion that he knew nothing about. The skin tight grey leather that hugged her every curve reflected the dim light of the run down bar they were sitting in. The woman smiled before picking up her glass and sipping the cool clear liquid within. She glanced around the room, still smiling, and put her glass back down with careful, precise, movements. Slasher waited but the woman didn't answer. "General Ookami? Neonite? What is it?"
"Fun." Ookami's voice was slick like oil. Her eyes glinted in the cool light.
"Fun?" Slasher downed some more of his beer. "Okay. It's fun. Why is it telling Cyph's it's back? Should I let the boss know?"
"Hmm." General Ookami stared at Slasher for a moment. "I will inform the Merovingian. The Neonite is one Captain Skyscream. A creature of the past. Very dangerous. Quite mad. Hates Cypherites. I once saw her take out six experienced and well armed Cypherite operatives bare handed. It was like a gunfight out of some silly western movie except she didn't have a gun. I like her."
"Okay." Slasher finished off his beer in a few gulping swallows. "So what should I do?"
"Find her. Follow her. Don't make her mad. Try not to get killed." General Ookami sipped from her glass again and put it down. "Now begone."
Slasher shrugged and stood up from his chair in the run down bar. He stared at the patrons of the bar for a moment before carefully stepping over their corpses. Whatever it was they did to annoy Ookami they probably deserved what happened. Bluepills were annoying sometimes.
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Agent Pace sauntered up to the the man standing motionless in the park near Camon Church. His dark suit and sunglasses stood out among the brightly clad children playing on the swing set beside him. She smiled and took off her sunglasses and straightened the skirt of her sharp white suit. She paused a moment and then looked at the Agent before her.
"Agent Jones." The thickness of Agent Pace's Italian accent had softened over the years with the numerous upgrades. "Has Captain Skyscream arrived?"
"There is no sign of Miss McFey as of yet." Agent Jones deadpanned in a nearly monotone manner.
"Has there been any activity at all?" Agent Pace put her sunglasses back on.
"There is a Merovingian agent observing the Church entrance nearby in the mall. Mr. Grol. Also known as Slasher. There has been no sign of Zion operatives other than the normal range of activities followed by them. Cypherite operatives have not made an appearance as of yet." Agent Jones returned to his nearly motionless state.
"Considering you are standing here, being an Agent, in plain sight it's not surprising you haven't seen much." Agent Pace replied with a small amount of frustration in her voice. "It is not your fault. You are a cannon where I need a crossbow."
"Understood." Agent Jones nodded to Agent Pace. "Recruiting ... machine operatives for this task would be more efficient."
"You stay here." Agent Pace smiled and picked an imaginary piece of lint off of Agent Jones jacket. "I will take care of the recruiting."
"Understood." Agent Jones nodded once and then returned to staring at the church across the park.
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Post by Karaa on Apr 28, 2013 19:55:18 GMT -8
Karaa lounged lazily with her feet up on a desk near a monitor that stream code. The tiger was unusually quiet and nothing particulary exciting was happening until she saw a message stream across the monitor. Karaa pushed her feet down off the desk and read the message closely.
Skyscream?
That was a name she had not heard in a very long time, since her younger redpill days.
Karaa's frowned quickly turned into a grin. Whatever this is, its better than sticking around here.
She nudged their operator awake with her elbow and said, "I'm jacking in." The operator gave her a quizzical look but said nothing as he started to fire up the monitors. In truth, Karaa had made stranger requests. She has always had a bit of a reputation for "out of the box" thinking.
Karaa leaned into the chair and closed her eyes. When she opened them she was in Camon and it was raining, what a surprise.
Karaa walked to the corner of the block and glanced around the stone wall. The hardline was close to the church and she doubted a meeting like this would go unnoticed. Karaa's eyes narrowed as she spotted the agents and a couple of people that were "hanging" by the church. People were getting sloppy in old age...or ....whatever you would call that for the agents.
Karaa looped around the long way, edging along buildings and roof tops, until she slipped in the back door on the east side, normally reserved for deliveries.
Karaa edged her way inside the church, "Why does it always have to be a church." She half muttered to herself as she entered the main room, closer to the entrance and farther from the alter.
Karaa eyes moved quickly taking in all aspects of the room, as she slowly inched forward.
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Post by Skyscream on Apr 28, 2013 22:42:05 GMT -8
Slasher sat flipping one of his throwing knives in boredom as he stared at the church at the end of the mall. He couldn't be bothered to be sneaky since the agents would sniff him out in no time. So he decided to just sit on the bench beside the hardline he arrived in, opposite the church, and wait. Even if he was getting wet from the light rain. Something was bound to happen eventually. If not he was at least comfortable. He hated this cloak and dagger stuff. He was a fighter. Not a spy. He narrowed his eyes and started thinking. If he were a spy.. this would be a trap. The really obvious kind. The time he had been given by Merovingian spies in Zion came and went a long time ago. No Cypherites in site. No Skyscream. An agent in the park just standing there. Nothing but bluepills. The whole thing smelled wrong.
It was then he noticed a quick movement of some sort near the side of the church. He wasn't sure but .. something. Slowly he stood up and stretched. He was never one for being subtle. His feet quickly carried him across the length of the mall. As he walked he noticed the blue pills were all heading away from the church. It was creepy. His eyes caught site of the agent standing in the park and his blood ran cold. Agents. Damn things were a problem. Slasher decided the Agent had something to do with the bluepills. Before long his feet had carried him to the front entrance and he stopped. Something wasn't right. He could smell it in the code.
"Find her. Follow her. Don't make her mad. Try not to get killed."
Slasher glanced over at the Agent some distance away in the Park and then stared at the door. Slowly he turned and began to walk around the building to where he thought he saw something. Before long he stood beside the big church and in front of a plain looking door. He eyed it suspiciously but then stepped back until he was leaning against an old tree. At least it was some kind of cover.
"Hate this cloak and dagger stuff." Slasher muttered as he eyed the shadows and rooftops.
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Skyscream sat on the folding chair she had put on the stage near the podium. Waiting. Her long dark coat and black jumpsuit seemed a bit old school for her tastes but it made her hard to see at night. Getting inside the night before had been no easy task. It had been a long time since she had hyper-jumped in the Matrix and she had almost missed the landing on the roof in the darkness. The coded folding chair strapped to her back didn't help matters. It was an old trick. Put the masking signals into a mundane object. Plus chairs are nice to sit in. Once she placed the coded chair it was simply a matter of waiting. And waiting.
When she saw someone coming through the side entrance Skyscream stood up in slow measured movements. As the shadows peeled away from the figure across the church she saw a welcome sight.
"The Pride." Skyscream thought. "This is good news."
Skyscream smiled a little and hyper-jumped from the stage to land a few paces away from the woman. Her landing was elegant and effortless. The old reflexes returning.
"Karaa." Skyscream smiled and suddenly stepped forward and took the womans hand to shake it vigorously. "It's good to see you. You look good. How is everyone? Zion treating you right I hope? You do realize we are probably about to be attacked right?"
"Hi Sky." The woman managed to get a word in edgewise.
"So are you here alone or did you bring others with you?" Skyscreams voice was serious. "Nevermind. It's you. That's okay. Did you see any Cypherites on the way in? The silence is deafening."
"Nah. I saw an Agent and a couple people hanging back." Karaa shrugged. "How are you? What's going on?"
"Secrets." Skyscream whispered. "Terrible secrets. But we can't talk about that. The walls have ears. But I'm doing well. Thank you for asking. Do you think any of those folks hanging back were Merovingian? I think I need to talk to the Merovingian."
"Uh. Maybe?" Karaa shrugged.
"Lets go find out." Skyscream suddenly turned on her heel and walked out the door Karaa had entered through. Karaa followed.
As they stepped out, into the dim light and sprinkling rain, beside the church Skyscream glanced around quickly. She didn't seem to notice that she was getting wet and smiled a bit before marching up to a man leaning against a tree, and trying to look casual, a short distance away. He seemed a bit surprised by this development.
"You there." Skyscream pointed at Slasher as she marched up to him. "Do you work for the Merovingian?"
"What's it too ya?" He growled back.
"Yeah. You seem the type." Skyscream stared at him for a moment. "Tell him Sky is going to come by for a visit soon. He and I need to talk about some stuff. You got that?"
"I ain't your errand boy." Slasher shot back. "Do it yourself."
"Do it myself?" Skyscream looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nah. I don't want to arrive unannounced. Be a good lad and deliver the message."
"Why?" Slasher raised an eyebrow in curiousity.
"I'll give you a cookie?" Skyscream shrugged.
"A cookie. You gotta be kidding me." Slasher laughed and slicked his wet hair back with one hand. "What? You're the Oracle?"
"Nope. Just someone with a cookie." Skyscream shrugged again. "You want the cookie? Deliver the message."
Skyscream turned away suddenly and walked past Karaa with a nod of her head to follow. They walked quickly away from Camon Church, headed it seemed, towards the Dana district.
On foot.
In the middle of the day.
In the rain.
"So," Skyscream started talking as they walked, seemingly unconcerned about the eminent attack she had mentioned, through the rain. "I was thinking a drink might be nice. I was always fond of the Sphinx. A lot of history in that place you know? And it's a quiet place if you catch my drift. Tell me. How are things Karaa? Oh. You don't need to be anywhere do you?"
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Format scanned the surrounding tunnels obsessively as he watched over Skyscream in her favorite chair to Jack-in with. He knew it was no different than the others, to him, but she believed it was more responsive. He had learned long ago not to bother arguing logic with Sky's beliefs. It was her belief in him that had freed him after all. A program. Free.
He laughed to himself. Freedom for a program. Not under the heel of the Machine. Not beholden to the Merovingian. With friends. Format scanned his surroundings again as he watched over Sky. Multi-tasking was something he could do like no other operator in Zion. Nothing on the scanners again. He felt they were close enough to the surface that he could escape if anything went wrong. It was easier when they had a crew. But even then Formats body in the real wasn't built to be swift in the tunnels. He was a surface ship. On the surface is where he ruled. Down here he needed friends.
"Hope you find some friends Sky." Format said to the mostly empty bridge. "Cause we're in real trouble this time."
Format scanned the tunnels again.
Nothing.
Yet.
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Post by Karaa on Apr 29, 2013 16:12:25 GMT -8
Karaa blinked at the rapid amount of talking that Skyscream was doing, optioning only for a couple of remarks here and there as she tried to keep pace with the Woman's long strides.
"Could be worse." Karaa smirked, "And no, I'm all yours for the time being. So bring on the bad guys."
Speaking of which, Karaa thought to herself as she glanced over her shoulder. She didn't need to see them to know they were there. Karaa was walking down the street with Skyscream, if someone hadn't already taken notice, they soon will, "We might need more than a quiet place when people find out your back in town."
Karaa returned her attention back to the street in front of them, "So, you have a plan or are we winging it?"
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Post by Skyscream on May 5, 2013 1:20:15 GMT -8
"So, you have a plan or are we winging it?" Karaa asked bluntly.
Skyscream stopped suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk with her head tilted to one side as if she were listening to some distance sound. For a long moment she stood silent and glanced around, not paying attention to her companion at all. The street was silent. With a sudden movement Skyscream turned to Karaa and frowned.
"Have you noticed that all the bluepills are walking away from us?" Skyscream gestured towards a bluepill far down the street that suddenly turned and walked away from them. "That's not right."
"That Agent following us seems to think so too." Karaa nodded over her shoulder at the Agent far behind them staring at a bluepill who suddenly turned and walked past him.
"Yeah." Skyscream stepped a little closer and talked quietly. "I don't think we'll make it to the Sphinx."
"What's going on Sky." Karaa frowned at the taller woman.
"My plan for the church wasn't working." Skyscream kept glancing around as they talked. "Obviously it was waiting. More familiar with this world than I thought."
"It?" Karaa glanced around. "What is it?"
"Long story? Or short?" Skyscream smiled at Karaa. "Short. I figured out who is giving orders to the Cypherites."
"Too short." Karaa smiled back.
"Somebody was behind them. Since the end of the war, I'm certain." Skyscream frowned at the Agent who was still a very long ways away. Standing in the middle of the sidewalk and not even trying to be subtle. "Or I should say something. Well. It took me a couple years but I found out. It's not the Machine."
"What?" Karaa frowned. "That makes no sense."
"Here's the thing. The Machine is a collective of robot intelligences from the war. As near as I can figure out. I think." Skyscream sighed. "It was hard to gather intelligence hiding on the outskirts of machine city. I've been piecing things together from bits of data."
"So you're saying a one of these Robots are behind them?" Karaa watched the rooftops around them for a moment and then looked at Skyscream. "Okay. Makes more sense now."
"I could be wrong." Skyscream spoke in a hushed tone. "But I don't believe I am. An entity of the Machine became aware of my surveillance. I think it's just one. Actions against me have been limited and judging by that Agent the Machine as a whole isn't aware of what's going on either."
"So, is there a plan or are we winging it?" Karaa asked again.
"Winging it." Skyscream suddenly turned to face the street ahead of them. "And I think it's time for you to run."
"Run?" Karaa grinned. "Why would I do that?"
"That's why." Skyscream pointed up the street.
A cold wind suddenly blew up the street past them and as they watched the air seemed to twist before suddenly materializing into a tall bald man. The dark leather of his long cloak blew out in the wind before settling around similarly leather clothes beneath. He slowly looked around at the world with silvery eyes that seemed to shine with a light of their own. Slowly his gaze settled on the pair standing on the sidewalk and with slow measured movements he stepped towards them.
"Quickly. Run." Skyscream gave Karaa a push to start her on her way. "Jack out! The Church isn't safe anymore. I'll distract him. He's not used to this world yet."
"What the hell is that?" Karaa backed up a step from the force of Skyscreams push.
"Go. And find the Merovingian." Skyscream pulled a pair of Uzi's out from behind her back and beneath her long black coat. "Tell him Sky said he was right!"
The Uzi's erupted into a loud chattering explosion of sound as Skyscream darted up the street towards the man with the silver eyes. Bullets smashed into him and fell to the ground leaving barely a trace of their impact except to make him pause before taking another step. Gunfire suddenly erupted from the rooftops near the man as small group of masked men fired at the pair of Zionites.
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Post by Karaa on Jun 30, 2013 16:48:28 GMT -8
Karaa hesitated, Why the hell does everyone want me to run?
The Uzi's erupted into a loud chattering explosion of sound as Skyscream darted up the street towards the man with the silver eyes. Bullets smashed into him and fell to the ground leaving barely a trace of their impact except to make him pause before taking another step.
Karaa should be afraid, she should have at least paused at seeing this new foe showing no sign of being affected by bullets. Instead, she stood in the street, staring at this new enemy, with a resigned look that clearly said, I am getting too old for this.
Gunfire suddenly erupted from the rooftops near the man as small group of masked men fired at the pair of Zionites.
“Sky!” Karaa yelled in warning as she saw the group of masked man appear on the roofs. Karaa pulled her own automatic and squeeze the trigger trying to draw their fire away from the other woman. Her automatic was a poor choice for ranged combat. Karaa cursed colorfully as a range of scenarios flashed behind her eyes, her brain working double time to keep up with how quickly events were deteriorating. Technically, Skyscream outranked her and her commanding officer told her to run.
Karaa bit the bottom of her lip in indecision before cursing again and running down the side alley to her left. She skidded to a stop and rounded the corner with her unnatural speed the movement took less than a second. Karaa threw herself at the fire escape ladder and began to climb up the side of the building where the masked men were firing. She could hear the steady stucco of their weapons discharging and hoped that Skyscream really was superwoman with the amount of heat she was currently taking. Karaa cleared the lip of the roof and landed lightly on her feet. Her mad dash over in seconds. Karaa took a deep breath and opened fire on the small group of masked men. She opted for a tactic with more flare and distraction, rather than actual effectiveness. This way, she hoped to take some of the attention off of Skyscream. The masked men all scattered, some stunned, others took bullets. Karaa smiled as she ran at them.
Halloween’s over, Clowns!
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Post by Skyscream on Jul 4, 2013 11:31:55 GMT -8
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Skyscream sprinted up the street. She could see the bullets coming at her. She could feel the cold animosity of the being before her as she put one foot in front of the other. The slow chugging of the Uzi's as they spewed bullets was almost hypnotic. The code spoke to her and it was saying she wasn't going to win this fight. All the time she spent out in the wastes was for nothing. She watched the bullets bounce off the man with silvery eyes in slow motion as the space between them rapidly diminished. Tossing aside her weapons, as she barely outraced the bullets impacting with the pavement at her heels, she prepared herself for the fight of her life.
Suddenly she leapt into the air just before darkly clad man with silver eyes and flipped with a slight twist in the air to carry her behind him as her foot lashed out at the back of his head. With grace and ease she landed deftly, facing the mans back, and with a blur of movement rapidly pummeled his back with blows from her fists. The mans movements were impossibly fast as he simply kicked backwards into Skyscreams midsection. She seemed to fold around his leg before flying through the air to crash into the pavement some distance away.
Gunfire that was different suddenly erupted from the rooftops and the rain of bullets around Skyscream from above ceased. Somehow, miraculously, she was untouched by the hail of lead but she was very slow getting up from where she had been knocked to the pavement. The man advanced on her. His movements becoming quicker with each step. A narrow smile appeared on his lips as his silver eyes were focused solely on the woman slowly rising to a crouch before him. Within a few short seconds the man was towering over Skyscream as she knelt on the street. He reached out to grab her but in a sudden blur of movement Skyscream grabbed his arm with her own as she spun to her feet to end up beside him. Keeping a death grip on the mans arm Skyscream placed her shoulder up under the mans armpit and put all her strength into levering him over with a classic judo flip and slammed him into the ground with a shattering impact. She leapt into the air again and came down with a punch at his head with all her might as she landed in a crouch. The man had rolled suddenly and her fist impacted with the pavement though. Skyscream slowly rose to her feet from where she had just landed as the man with silvery eyes did the same with an annoyed look on his face.
"Got a name?" Skyscream took a relaxed stance as she quipped at the larger man. "So I have something to put on your tombstone."
He did not respond and instead blurred through the space between them. Skyscream suddenly stepped aside as he charged in with a circular movement that again brought her to the side of the man except this time her foot lashed out at his side. She could hear him grunt from the impact and he stumbled a bit before suddenly turning on her with a blur of punches. Skyscream back pedalled from the assault, her arms blocking the blows with a windmill of movement that pushed them to the side. A sudden kick came at her chest and turning to the side she hooked her arm around his thigh and spun as her leg lashed out the remaining foot the man had ont he ground. As her leg swept the mans leg off the ground her momentum and grasp of his other leg swung him quickly through the air in a small circle to smash into the pavement again. Skyscream released him and kept spinning in order to smash her foot into the head of the man now laying on the ground. He blocked the blow with lightning speed and grabbed her foot. Instead of attacking he simply held it as his hands started to glow with a silvery light.
"What the ..." Skyscream started to say before both figures on the ground suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. *****************************
Slasher watched the events unfold around the two strange Zionites from afar. He had no idea who the weird guy in the dark clothes was but the Cypherites on the rooftop were easy to identify. What fascinated him most was the how quick the two women were. It was surprising how swiftly the smaller one turned the tables on the Cypherites on the roof. He would have to watch out for that one if they became enemies. But the fight between this Neonite and whoever that other guy was something he wanted nothing to do with. Ookami told him to not get killed. He had no problem following that order. He leaned non-chalantly against the building he was beside, out of the light rain, and observed. The man fought like those new redpills who just got thier training programs. The knowledge seemed to be there but not the reflexes. The woman though, Skyscream, moved like an agent. Fast. Almost too fast. The action was swift. Precise. Both of those women were dangerous veterans. He came to the decision that he needed to actually read up on these people as he watched everything unfold with gunfire and kung fu.
Mere moments into brawl in the street there was a blinding flash of light. Slasher grunted and looked away as he tried to blink his eyes back into focus.
"What the hell was that?" He mumbled to himself as his eyes slowly started to function again.
The man and the Neonite were gone. He couldn't see the rooftops but he was pretty sure the other woman might be gone too. The street was a creepy kind of silent for a moment. Slasher did not feel safe anymore. Whatever happened was a new trick on him. He slowly drew his long knife. His favorite. Dim light through the scattering clouds glinted off the razor sharp blade as he slowly started to advance on the site of the battle. Out of the corner of his eye he noted the Agent standing in the middle of the street some distance away. Just standing there. Agents. He didn't like agents. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Slowly he walked up into shouting distance.
"What just happened?" He shouted at the agent. Screw subtlety.
The Agent slowly turned his head to peer at Slasher through dark sunglasses. It stared at him for a long moment before suddenly turning and walking away dismissively as only an agent can.
"That's great." Slasher said to the empty air as he looked around. "How the hell am I supposed to follow her now?"
That was when he noticed the other woman near where the Neonite had disappeared. He stared at her for a moment. She stared back at him. Taking a deep breath and sheathing his favorite knife he started to cross the distance between them. Maybe diplomacy would work. Something big was going on and he was tasked with finding out before it affects his Boss. Maybe this woman would know what that Neonite wanted to talk to his boss about. The Merovingian did not look favourably on those that bring him no information and the Neonite disappearing put a crimp in that.
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Post by Karaa on Jul 5, 2013 9:15:22 GMT -8
Karaa slowly rose from her crouched position, a body of a dead masked man at her feet. Two more lifeless corpses flanked her, there was only one more left alive and she was seriously wounded. Karaa picked up her automatic as she advanced on the woman. Her mask lay forgotten at her side.
“How…can you…so fast. I heard but….nothing like…” The woman choked out the words, her eyes were beseeching and black with shock, as Karaa raised her gun and pulled the trigger, the woman’s head bounced against the concrete wall of the roof. Karaa’s gaze was cold and calculating as she looked over the side of the roof. The small group of dead attackers forgotten. Skyscream was still fighting the unknown assailant. Karaa’s eyes widen slightly as she saw how fast Skyscream was moving.
Karaa was older now, and for the most part, fully understood her enhanced capabilities born of the experiments from when she was a blue pill. She was just as fast as an agent, and as she became more aware, the faster she became. Of course, there was a limit to everything, she was not the one.
I wonder, Karaa thought to herself, if Skyscream was apart of the same experiments as myself. Karaa frowned. That was a troubling thought.
Karaa ran to the corner of the roof and dropped down to the alley on its side, landing lightly on her feet, the cement on slightly protesting the force of the hyper jump. Karaa pressed herself against the wall of the alley as she came to the corner. She the needed element of surprise if she was going to be of any real help. Karaa, gun raised, made her way out from cover, positioning herself a few feet behind the struggling pair. The man’s hands turned bright and glowed with sliver light. Karaa didn’t hesitate she pulled the trigger. The light flashed, blinding her momentarily. Karaa threw up her arm to cover her eyes and then there was nothing, the light disappeared as suddenly as it arose. Taking Sky with it.
Karaa’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the spot where Skyscream and the man had been. Karaa was not an emotional person, not anymore at any rate, so her face remained neutral as her mind began its endless search for possible explanations. However, Karaa felt the twinge of anxiety biting at her, this was bad, really bad. Skyscream’s words flashed in her memory.
Go. And find the Merovingian. Tell him Sky said he was right!
Shit. Karaa bent down and touched the ground where sky had been moments before. Karaa pulled out her phone and connected to her operator, “Is Skyscream anywhere on the grid?” She looked around the immediate area as she waited for her operator to respond. Karaa’s gaze stopped its scan, focusing on a man.
The merv from the church. Maybe getting an audience with the Merovingian wouldn’t be as hard as she thought. Karaa wasn’t on the best of terms with him, but this man before her looked desperate enough to be useful. However, if he was here, that means he didn’t deliver Skyscream’s message. Which means, no cookie for him. Well, first things first.
Karaa raised her weapon as the man approached, phone still to her ear in the other hand. This was more for his benefit than hers. A warning. She was fast enough that if he decided to try something, she would get to him first.
“You get off on stalking women, or are you following us for a reason, Merv?” Karaa voice was calm but the threatening undertone could not be overlooked.
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Post by Skyscream on Jul 5, 2013 19:52:53 GMT -8
Slasher stopped some distance from the woman. She was small compared to him but he knew without a doubt he was standing in front of a stone cold killer. He raised his hands in surrender, with a smile, in response to the gun pointed at him. The tone of the question levelled at him left no doubt this woman was unhappy. With one hand pointing a gun squarely at his face and the other holding a phone to her ear he felt it might be fun to try to take her out but that wasn't why he was here. Even if it was a challenge.
"Occasionally yes but in this case it's business." Slasher kept stopped smiling. Charm may not work here.
"Keep talking." The woman stared at him. "Make it quick or I put a bullet in your face."
"I'm not a damn spy." Slasher started rapidly. "But for some reason Ookami put me on following the Neonite. Told me not to get killed. Then your friend walked up to me with a crazy request. For a freakin cookie? What is that? Okay. Whatever. Then you and her go off and get in a fight which culminated in a gunfight in the middle of the street and some weird guy pulling a disappearing act with the person I'm supposed to be following. I have no idea what I'm supposed to tell the people I need to report too. That's not a good thing."
"Uh huh." The woman narrowed her eyes. "If you're not a spy then what are you?"
"Truth? I'm an exile program that's a thug. I know that." Slasher shrugged with an apologetic expression. "I get my orders. I eliminate the target. Simple. This is spy stuff. I'm not a spy. So I'm asking flat out. What is going on and will your friend still be coming to see my Boss?"
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Format had no idea what just happened. While one compartment of his mind kept a close eye on the scanners the rest of it was focused on his Captain. Everything seemed normal except for one thing. She wasn't in the Matrix anymore. He had no idea where she was. The bridge was eerily quiet except for the slight hum of the servos in what he considered his arms within the ship. Skyscream was still jacked in but no matter what path he followed there was no trace of her within the system. Micro seconds passed as he scanned every nearby data link he could find in the system but there was no trace of where her mind was.
If he had a human body he would have jumped out of his skin when Skyscream suddenly jerked in the chair and blood began to drip from her nose and her mouth.
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"That was a neat trick." Skyscream slowly stood up from where she had just bounced off a rather solid wall. It was a grey room that was large and empty except for her and the man who had just tossed her into the wall like she was a little kitten. She wiped the blood from her mouth and stared back at the man who simply stared at her expressionlessly. "What now chuckles? Get your ass kicked in a dark room? Not much of a plan."
"You are the one I seek." The man spoke slowly with a deep gravely voice.
"Then come over here and finish the job, Chuckles." Skyscream crouched low ready for an assault. "I'm not afraid to die."
"Explain." The man stared at her with sliver eyes for a long moment.
"What?" Skyscream laughed a little from where she crouched.
"You are not afraid to die." The man stated simply in his deep voice. "Explain this. Why are you not afraid to die? All intelligent beings should by definition be fearful of the end of their exsistance. You are about to die. You state you are not afraid. Your demeanor and heart rate indicate that this is true. Why?"
"Simple. I believe." Skyscream spat blood out on the floor and grinned at the man before suddenly darting across the room at him with an intense scream of pure rage.
The man stood staring at her in curiousity as Skyscream began to blur in the short distance. Trails of code followed in her wake as she slowly faded from the room more and more with each step. Too late he realized what was happening and streaked forward to attack.
His hands only grasped air as Skyscream fell out of the world.
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PAIN! Her stomach emptied of it's own accord. Reality painfully smashed into her mind. PAIN! Her whole body was convulsing. A familiar voice. PAIN! Nothing was left in her stomach but her body kept trying to empty it. Everything spun. PAIN! The floor. She was on the floor. She smiled as her body and mind became one again. The pain was still there. It would be for a long time. Her fingers could feel the cool metal. Her ears could hear the voice of her oldest friend. His voice was concerned. No. Filled with Panic. She could hear guns for some reason and the deck still kept tilting. Something exploded.
"Sky! SKY!" His voice was loud and close to her ear. "Get up and strap in for gods sake."
"I'm glad you're alive too." Skyscream frowned at the pain in her head as she rose to her feet with slow movement. An explosion lit up the deck from outside and the deck pitched suddenly to make her reach out blindly to grab onto the Jack chair behind her. "What the hell is going on?"
"Hang on. Karaa! Yeah. It's Format. Sorry to jump in but there's no time to explain. Hacked your phone. Quicker that way. Skyscream is alive. Under attack. Bugging out to the surface. Format out." Format barked as gunfire chattered outside while Skyscream stumbled to her Captains chair and strapped into it with practiced ease. The effects of falling out of the world still played with her mind as she tried to sort out what was happening. Formats next words woke her up. "Bloody sentinals!!"
"Sentinals?" Skyscream exclaimed as her eyes focused on the tunnels ahead as she was thrown back in her chair from the huge ship suddenly accelerating forward from where it hovered. The darkness of unconciousness threatened to overwhelm her as she stared at the cloud of sentinals on the screens before her. Coming up fast from behind. "Just the one direction?"
"Yep." Formats voice seemed preoccupied.
"You know what to do." Skyscream mumbled as the effort of her unusual escape covered her mind in darkness.
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Format mentally nodded and quickly did the calculations. No mistake could be made. In less than a second he had the number he needed and the rear cannon was loaded with what he liked to call the stunner. He fired as he kept the pedal to the metal and prayed for neo to guide it. The cloud of machines streaking up the tunnel had no time to react as a metal sphere the size of a basketball streaked into thier midst and exploded in a surge of energy and lighting. Electro-magentic waves shot out in all directions obliterating circuits followed by a large conventional explosion. Format digitally sighed as his acceleration carried him out of range up the tunnel but another wave of sentinals quickly surged past the destruction of the bomb. Ahead the end of the tunnel could be seen. He had chosen this tunnel for a reason. He kept the rear guns constantly firing as he shoot out into the night sky. Deftly he levelled out and poured energy into the hoverpads to streak away from the entrance even as sentinals began pouring out.
At that moment Format detonated the EMP device he had installed at the surface entrance. A big one. The hemisphere of energy expanded rapidly, threatening to engulf him, but he put everything he had into the hoverpads.
He glanced back with his sensors. He would make it. By the time the sentinals, that he assumed were rogue, got back on thier trail he will have disappeared again. But not into the wastes this time.
He had other orders in the event of thier survival this day.
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Post by Karaa on Jul 5, 2013 20:38:55 GMT -8
((Couldn't sleep so i posted a quick one. Having fun with this so far, Sky!! ) The man, or program, or both, depending on how one looked at things, had a flirtatious smile. His demeanor reminded her of an old friend, one with an equally if not more outlandishly snarky attitude. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, reminding her of things she once cared about. A voice that was clearly not her operator blasted loudly in her ear, “Karaa! Yeah. It's Format. Sorry to jump in but there's no time to explain. Hacked your phone. Quicker that way. Skyscream is alive. Under attack. Bugging out to the surface. Format out.” The surface? What the hell? Karaa’s operator clicked back in, “Well that about answers your question, right?” “Understood." Karaa replied, unwilling to say anything else in present company. Doing her best to keep her concern from coloring her voice. Karaa disconnected the line and let her phone drop back into the pocket of her jacket. The anxiety that was biting at Karaa’s awareness earlier was now rearing its ugly head once again. The Format C was legendary, whatever was being thrown its way, it could handle it. Karaa took a deep breath, that sounded placating even to her. Attention now fully focused on the merv in front of her, Karaa arched a delicate eyebrow when he asked about Skycream. Sky, you better not die and leave me with this shit storm or I swear I’ll never forgive you.“Well,” Karaa started realizing she didn’t know his name, then deciding it didn’t matter and gave him one of her own, “sunshine, my friend is otherwise occupied at the moment so the Merovingian is going to have to make due with me.” From the man’s demeanor, he had no idea who she was, which could work to her advantage considering she wasn't on good terms with the Merovingian. Karaa sighed rather dramatically, wherever you are, Sky. You owe me a cookie.
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Post by Skyscream on Jul 7, 2013 3:50:04 GMT -8
Meanwhile, in another part of the Matrix ....
Niobe walked slowly across the park beside the river towards the people waiting for her. Her steps were confident and firm as she approached the only other people in sight. One was average in height. Average in looks. Even his clothing could be called average. The last thing Seraph was is average though. He stood calmly, looking at Niobe through his ever present sunglasses, before nodding in greeting to her with a small smile. Beside him sat the only other person in sight, an old kind looking woman, and the person that she came to see. Niobe smiled and nodded back to Seraph as she neared the bench.
"Niobe. It's been too long since your last visit." The Oracle smiled warmly, from where she sat, at the approaching woman. She extended a hand with a small brightly wrapped object as Niobe reached the bench and sat down. "Candy?"
"Thank you, Oracle." Niobe took the candy but did not unwrap it. She simply held it in her lap as she stared out at the river. A long silence followed.
"I'm sure you came to me for a reason." The Oracle prompted with a smile. "And it wasn't for my candy or the view."
"No." Niobe glanced at the candy in her hand for a moment. "Someone came back. Someone I didn't expect. She brought a lot of memories along with her and a lot of questions."
"The Neonite." The Oracle sighed and leaned back into the bench. "And you are worried she'll destroy what Neo did with her fanaticism."
"Yes." Niobe took off her sunglasses and looked at the Oracle. "No. Maybe."
"Uncertainy, child, is not always a bad thing." The Oracle smiled suddenly and looked back at Niobe with kind eyes. "You were uncertain of Neo but you risked your life for him."
"That was different." Niobe pursed her lips in thought.
"Out with it, child. That look doesn't do nice things to your face." The Oracle was no longer smiling but the kindness was still in her eyes. She pointed at Niobe's head. "You have a million questions all bottled up in there. Let some go."
"Fine. How did she survive? Why is she back? What does this all mean? What is she up too? Is she insane? Is war coming?" Niobe fired out her questions like a machine gun and then stopped. After less than a moment she continued. "The Council, Roland, and I have worked hard to keep the truce. So has the Machine. I remember the war. I don't want that. But her ... she's still fighting it. It hasn't stopped. Just like..."
Silence covered the park. Even the birds had stopped singing.
"Just like Morpheus." The Oracle sighed and looked out at the river.
"Yeah." Niobe stared at her feet. Her face tight with emotion. "I miss him."
"We all do, dear." The Oracle reached out and put one hand on Niobe's shoulder. "But Skyscream isn't Morpheus dear. She isn't Trinity. She certainly isn't Neo. She isn't you."
"Then what is she?" Niobe suddenly sat up and stared intensely at the Oracle. "I've known her for years and still nothing about her makes sense. Give me a straight answer for once."
"Is this why you came to me? To ask about someone you have fought beside. Laughed with. Ate and drank with?" The Oracle took another candy out of her purse. The wrapper was red.
"Everywhere she goes problems appear." Niobe shook her head. "But it's more than that. I'm worried something is ... I don't know. I'm worried."
"I'm going to tell you something." The Oracle smiled. "Something I never told anyone else. Captain Skyscream, of the Hovercraft Format C, never came to me the way so many of you did. Seeking answers about thier fate. Even after I asked to see her."
"I don't understand. She was close to Morpheus. Everyone near Morpheus came to see you." Niobe played with the candy in her hand.
"Oh, she came to see me." The Oracle laughed. "Many times. We baked. She played with Sati. We talked about nothing."
"Seriously?" Niobe laughed. "Just hanging out?"
"Yes." Seraph suddenly interjected and actually broke into a smile. "I played chess with her many times."
"He even let her win occasionally." The Oracle smiled widely and continued. "Skyscream never cared about what I had to say about her future. She knew what I am and I knew it didn't matter to her if I was a program or a human."
"What do you mean?" Niobe looked genuinely puzzled.
"What do I mean." The Oracle stopped smiling. "I could have told her what would happen. How she would find someone to believe in only to lose everything. I could have told her the consquences of helping you and unmasking Veil. I could have told her that evenutally she would abandon everything to spend years on a fools quest. But she never asked me to tell her fortune."
"That didn't answer my question." Niobe sighed a little.
"You didn't ask the right question, dear." The Oracle smiled and unwrapped the red candy before popping it in her mouth. "So I'll answer the question you really want to ask and let you figure out what the question actually is."
"Okay." Niobe chuckled. "Shoot."
"Skyscream never left. You just couldn't see her. She has been quietly hiding and learning for years. Searching. That's what she was really doing out there you know. Looking for them. She'll never give up even when reason says she should. What she learned recently was accidental. Blind luck if you like. Something she has in remarkable abundance." The Oracle levelled a serious stare at Niobe. "That woman believes, Niobe. So much so that she may tear down the whole world with the force of it."
"How can one person tear down the whole world?" Niobe frowned at the Oracle and the serious turn in the conversation. "Are you saying she's like Neo or something?"
"She is certainly not like Neo." The Oracle didn't lose her serious expression. "I'm giving you truth that doesn't belong to me, Niobe, and there will be consequences to my actions like with any other person. So here it is. She was a potential once, a long time ago, one among hundreds. But unlike many she doesn't even know that she was on that list. The few that did know don't remember or died in the war. Her mind was too erratic though even as a child. So we left her where she was safe with allied programs watching over her. Still as a blue pill."
"Clearly did not work." Niobe smiled a little. "I think I'm beginning to figure out the question I should have asked."
"Took you long enough. You remind me of Neo sometimes." The Oracle smiled charmingly. "Make no mistake. Skyscream is unbalanced. It's why she was passed over, left in the Matrix, and never properly tested. What she has done since she became free of the Matrix is remarkable and also tragic. There are many choices I cannot see past. The future is uncertain and that can be very dangeous for everyone."
"What exactly is the threat?" Niobe frowned at the candy in her hands.
"That is something you will have to figure out, dear." The Oracle smiled and handed Niobe another candy before suddenly standing up. "I thought you should have another. You won't be done thinking about this when the first one is finished."
"What does she believe?" Niobe put her sunglasses back on with one hand while she held the two candies with the other.
"Skyscream believes she can find Neo, dear." The Oracle turned and began walking away before commenting to Seraph. "Nice girl but she really does remind me of him sometimes."
"Yes, Oracle." Seraph smiled a little and followed along at her side.
Niobe stared after the pair with a look of slight confusion. She unwrapped one of the candys and looked at it for a long moment before popping it in her mouth and staring across the river lost in thought.
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Post by Skyscream on Jul 24, 2013 22:41:19 GMT -8
He hated elevator music, but even worse than elevator music was the dead silence in the small confined space. Slasher glanced at the woman beside him. She was a peculiar redpill and that made him curious. She barely seemed to move, as they rode down the elevator to Hel, and when she did it always seemed to be calculated. He wasn't sure what to expect but he was doing what he was told to do when he checked in. Even though the conversation with his bosses boss had been pleasant he knew he was in trouble for losing that Neonite person regardless of the circumstances.
"So," Slasher started lamely. "How do you move so fast?"
He saw her eyes move slighty in his direction but that was all he was getting.
"Right. None of my business." Slasher returned to studying the paint on the walls. "Okay. So how about those idiots at the entrance huh? I thought they were actually going to try to search you."
The tiniest hint of a smirk appeared on her lips.
"I'll take that as a win." Slasher shrugged as the elevator dinged and the door slowly revealed the entrance to the club.
Slasher and Karaa stepped out of the elevator and into the club. Over the years it had been remodelled many times but now Hel favoured a simple entrance with large wooden door past some rather large and well armed guards. Slasher nodded to the guards and they opened the doors into a huge dancehall. Red was the motif and nearly everything was various shades of it. People milled about in seemingly random directions as dancers moved to the pulsing beat that suddenly pounded into them when the doors opened. Slowly they made their way through the people and groups but had little trouble doing so. People knew who Slasher was in this place. He liked that. Respect. The woman had begun to follow him as they approached the entrance to the private rooms. Slasher knew the dancers near that plain looking door were some of the best assassins the Matrix had ever seen. He also knew he was expected and paid them no mind at all as he led the way through the simple looking door.
As he stepped through he saw that Ookami was there with the Merovingian. She was her typical self, dressed in gray and looking psychotic, standing just to the side and behind where The Merovingian sat on a comfortable looking couch. The Merovingian didn't even look at him when he entered the room. His eyes were on the woman behind Slasher. Slasher decided the best course of action would be to simply step aside like a good little soldier.
"Karaa." The Merovingian smiled charmingly and waved to a chair across from himself. "Please sit."
The woman narrowed her eyes and then slowly stalked over to the chair and put one hand on it. She smiled a little and slowly came around to sit in the chair.
"So, Karaa the Zionite. My general informs me that you may have something to say that I might want to hear." The Merovingian smiled but his eyes were very serious. Slasher had seen that look before. "I do hope it is something that is worthy of my precious time."
"Skyscream said you were right." Karaa stated bluntly and then fell silent.
"Did she say what I was right about?" The Merovingian asked with a small laugh. "I am right about so many things."
"She was at Machine City. She came back. She said you were right." Karaa stated simply. "You figure it out."
"Either you do not trust those in this room or you do not know." The Merovingian was no longer smiling. "I am guessing you do not know because I know you do not trust me and without that the trust the others simply doesn't matter."
The woman said nothing. Her breathing was slow and steady, from Slashers viewpoint, and it was the kind of slow and steady soldier get when they are going into battle.
"Now I have a choice." The Merovingian continued as Ookami stood nearby grinning at the woman in the chair. "What do I reveal about what I know to you? I feel I should speak with Captain Skyscream but I have a problem. She is not here and your friend the Neonite is elusive at the best of times. Une ombre dans le code."
"A shadow in the code." Karaa repeated.
"Yes." The Merovingian smiled. "A shadow. I like your friend young Redpill. She is .. different. But I know how suddenly she can bring ruin upon the best laid plans. I make no mistake about her and I being meilleurs amis. We are still enemies on a certain level but she has earned respect."
"How did she do that?" Karaa eyes never left The Merovingian but Slasher knew she was aware of exactly where everything and everyone was.
"You think maybe she sold out your precious Zion?" The Merovingian smiled. "Of course not. You know her. Elle dispose d'un code d'honneur."
"Then how?" Karaa smiled.
"A bet." The Merovingian laughed a little. "She lost. She paid."
"I think I want to hear this story." Karaa seemed to have the slightest hint of amusement in her voice to Slashers ears.
"That may be mon cherie but it will not be from me." The Merovingian sat up and leaned forward with a serious expression. "I do not know what it is your friend may have found out there but if it's related to a strange discussion she and I had before she disappeared then I am afraid of what it is she may have stirred up."
"To which conversation are you refering exactly?" Karaa asked bluntly.
"It pleases me that you do not pretend to know what I am talking about." The Merovingian didn't smile though. His eyes were cold. Slasher was beginning to feel nervous and he wasn't sure why.
"Didn't see the point." Karaa shrugged a little.
"That crazy Neonite came to me one night, while I was sleeping of all things, and started asking me questions about the Machine." The Merovingian leaned back into the couch. "I mean really. Sneaking into my home while I sleep. L'audace de la femme."
"What questions?" Karaa prompted after a short moment.
"How programs travel too and from Machine City. What the city actually is. Who controls it." The Merovingian shrugged. "She had a gun to my head so I felt that a few answers were not unreasonable. In the course of those answers something was mentioned that peaked her curiousity. I mentioned something that I did not believe for a second she would actually try to do in the heat of the moment."
"What was that?" Karaa prompted again after another long silence.
"That is not something you have paid for yet, Karaa of Zion. What I have told you was in gratitude for delivering the message of the Neonite." The Merovingian held out his hand and Ookami immediately placed a glass of red wine in it. "So unless you have something else to offer I'm afriad our conversation is at an end."
"I have nothing I'm willing to trade." Karaa slowly rose to her feet. "So I'll take my leave."
"It was a pleasure." The Merovingian sipped from his wine glass and then looked up at her again. "Slasher will see you out."
Karaa turned and walked away suddenly without another word. Slasher fell in step beside her with a small glance back to see Ookami giving him the signal to stick close to this woman. He sighed internally as they crossed the entrance and waited in silence for the elevator. The things he heard in that room on this day were things that made him very nervous. he couldn't stop thinking about it. Machine city. Why would a zionite be asking about machine city and it's workings. When the bell dinged and the doors to the elevator opened he jumped a little.
"Nervous much, Sunshine?" Karaa asked him as she stepped into the elevator.
"Yeah." Slasher adjusted his jacket and stepped onto the elevator. "Sometimes."
"Let me guess." She pressed the button for the ground level. "You're supposed to follow me."
"Yeah." Slasher shrugged as the doors closed.
"I don't get it, Sunshine." Karaa turned to look at him with intense eyes as the elevator moved. "Who are you? Nothing about you says Merovingian thug. Killer yes. Absolutely. But not the kind that listens to the likes of him. You were more worried about him than me. But people here treat you like one of the Merovingians higher ups. A trusted thug. It makes no sense. Answers. Now."
"It's a long story." Slasher smiled but it was tinged with bitterness. The Elevator dinged and the doors opened onto the ground floor lobby. "Not one I'm interested in sharing. Can I tag along or am I going to have to do this the hard way and skulk after you?"
"Skulk." Karaa stepped out into the lobby and while the guards all stared at her not one approached her.
"Fine." Slasher stepped out of the elevator and leaned against the wall as Karaa walked away. "Skulk it is."
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"Karaa. Um. The Format C is here. Right outside. He says he needs to see you. Like.. over there. In person so to speak."
"Roger, Operator."
"Oh. He said whenever is good for you. He thinks we have time before they track him again. Um. I'm not sure what he means by that Karaa, but I don't like it. Are you sure about all this?"
"No."
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Post by Skyscream on Jul 25, 2013 11:02:54 GMT -8
Agent Pace stared at the city from an office high up in the Metacortex building. She had occupied this office in the Matrix a long time ago. It was bare of items apart from a white desk and a single chair behind it. Her lightning quick mind, for lack of a better term, was sorting through all the information her spies were sending her. Something had entered the Matrix. Something alien to this version of reality that left just as suddenly after a short battle with two humans she knew all too well. This bothered Agent Pace. She did not like mysteries. It upset the order of things. What followed in the 'real' was just as perplexing. Highjacked sentinals and destruction. The hovercraft of Ms. McFey also disappearing in spite of Agent Pace's efforts to monitor it with the help of programs in the 'real'. Events unfolded at such a rapid rate that it was difficult to properly monitor anything. Now it was silence on all fronts.
Agent Pace turned just as Agent North entered through the single white door. He closed the door and stood silently waiting for instructions as she requested. Of course.
"Agent North." She turned back to look at the city. "You are to inform our human operatives that I am requesting two things from them. I would like for them to discover the location of Captain Skyscream but under no circumstances are they to engage. In addition I am seeking information on the unknown entity that entered the Matrix. Give them the location and time of the event. Let us see what they can discover."
"Understood." Agent North turned to go but he was stopped with a gesture from Agent Pace.
"I would like for you to contact Karaa." She kept staring out at the world. "Don't approach her. Send her an encrypted message. Inform her that I would like to have a short, peaceful, discussion with her regarding recent events."
"Understood." Agent North stepped out of the room with methodical, precise, movements and closed the door behind him.
Agent Pace stared at the city as she put her information under greater scrutiny. She would protect this place. That was her purpose. But from whom?
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Post by Karaa on Aug 4, 2013 19:45:16 GMT -8
((Added a bit of fluff in the beginning to shed some more light on Karaa 8PT without giving away too much about ITA 2.))
The raw truth was that most Zion operatives had experiences that would destroy lesser minds. They were soldiers. Warriors. Martyrs. Individuals with ugly horrific scars in places others would never see.
Karaa was no different. She lost people she loved, people she swore she wouldn’t live without, friends, crew, family, lovers. Faced off against comrades. Made empty promises to ease wounded souls. Made impossible decisions. Killed innocents. Took the place of others who were more deserving of life. Like some of her fellow redpills, she made peace with her past. Unlike her fellow redpills, it took pieces of her humanity to do it. Karaa had the ability to turn her emotions off, thanks to whatever bluepill experiments gave her speed. She walked the line between holding onto what made her human without letting it destroy her. Karaa was a passionate person or use to be, though she tried to stay objective, her emotions led her, failures stayed with her and guilt haunted her. Only with the help of her crew did she put her bluepill history behind her. Then events between Danny and Thanatos unfolded and Karaa had to make a decision that forever changed the person she was and would be. Karaa winced at the memory as she made her way to a hardline. The pain was still there though faded and not for the first time, Karaa wondered if wounds like that ever healed or if they just festered.
But of all of it was past, Karaa reminded herself caught a little off guard by her impromptu soul search. Dwelling on it did nothing for her, so she let the past stay where it belong. If EichDee ever taught her anything it was to learn and let go.
More concerning was the information the Merovingian seemed to have about Skyscream and the Machine City. It seemed she would need to go further down this rabbit hole.
Karaa smiled coldly, Well,crazy attracts crazy.
Karaa had always been crazy. Crazy ideas and crazy plans, always riding the edge between brilliance and insanity. The only difference was that she was dull imitation of her past self. The light that characterized her feverish approach to life was gone. Left it its place was a ghost of a woman, holding on the only way she knew how. By burying what threaten to destroy her.
Karaa’s phone vibrated in her pocket dragging her out of her own musings as she put it to her ear.
"Karaa. Um. The Format C is here. Right outside. He says he needs to see you. Like.. over there. In person so to speak."
"Roger, Operator."
"Oh. He said whenever is good for you. He thinks we have time before they track him again. Um. I'm not sure what he means by that Karaa, but I don't like it. Are you sure about all this?"
"No."
Karaa disconnected the line as the wind picked up, pulling her blonde hair across her face. Her gut twisted in warning. The part of her brain that still cared about her continued survival, warned her that this fight that was fast becoming her own would be dire.
Karaa looked over her shoulder, her olive green eyes appraising her new shadow. Curiosity prickled her awareness; Sunshine wasn’t all he appeared to be.
But he is still Merv, Karaa reminded herself.
Karaa walked the short distance to the hardline, stepping into the booth; she picked up the phone and pressed the receiver to her ear. Karaa’s eyes closed and when she opened them again she was staring at the familiar ceiling of the Tiger.
Ocelet looked down at her as she removed the jack, “You know the shit is about to hit the fan.”
“If it hasn’t already.” Karaa said simply as she pushed up from the chair.
The monitors beeped once in unison. Karaa threw herself down in the chair, her muscles protesting slightly.
“That’s my chair.” Ocelet’s voice was one of a long-suffering companion.
Karaa ignored her operator as her fingers flew across the keyboard, Ocelet frowned and said, “You use to at least pretend to be apologetic.”
Karaa leaned back in the chair, her tongue clicking against her cheek in thought. “Agent Pace wants to meet.”
Ocelet’s jaw dropped, “Seriously?”
Karaa nodded absently.
“Kar, this is so not a good idea.”
It actually made sense that the Agent wanted to speak with her. Sky was MIA, and she had been the only other person there that could tell the machine what she wanted to know.
“When has that ever stopped me, Ocelet.”
“Maybe this time it should.” Ocelet’s voice was tight as she swung the chair around so that Karaa was facing her. “Kar, you’ve lost enough. You’ve given enough. Big evil like this doesn’t need you to punch it in the face. Leave it to Skyscream.”
Karaa was silent for a moment her gaze never leaving her operator’s, “The pride doesn’t flinch from big evil. I’m not leaving our ally to face whatever the hell that was alone.” Karaa paused for a moment before adding, “I’m in this. Always have been. Always will be. As is ever member of The Pride.”
Ocelet’s demeanor showed that she expect this,” Then I’m with you. Always have. Always will.” She paused a moment. “I swear being the operator for The Tiger has aged me.”
Karaa laughed softly and stood, “You’re not the only one. I’m pretty sure Ceege is getting white hair.” Karaa hesitated, “And thanks, Ocelet.” Without another word, Karaa started walking towards the mess, “Tell Format I’ll be over presently.”
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