But I like spamming my thread. It makes it look like I'm working harder at being an author.
So if you're going to spam, spam about the story. Or my new avatar. Everyone loves Cancer Man. Everyone but Moulder, but he has to ruin everyone's day.
E.L.F
Moderator: Moderators
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Lindir The Green
- Posts: 815
- Joined: 04 May 2005, 15:09
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Archangel of Death
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 18:15
Jimmy looked over the edge of the Townie. The tube that it road in was huge, huge enough to fit an entire city on, light only by lights that ringed the sides. Each ├óÔé¼┼ôday├óÔé¼┬Ø of the Townie was only ten minutes, with a five minute night, when the Townie would come within the field of the next light.
It was giving Jimmy a headache.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, sitting down next to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're really...on the track now.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy looked over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah...it still don't feel quite real.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI know,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, rubbing her arms and shivering. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we're gonna need to find some rooms.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy stood, shouldering the pack Tlessia had given him. He paused, sliding it off his shoulder and flipping it open. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait just a second...what's in here?├óÔé¼┬Ø
He pulled out a wallet. Inside the wallet were a hundred and three SSC. Next, a strange device shaped like a half ring, a tube sticking out of the top side. The inner side of the ring was padded and a thin half ring stuck out of the top. Jimmy slipped his hand over the padded section and found his finger fit over the trigger.
Pix's eyes went wide.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy gulped.
├óÔé¼┼ôReally illegal,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. Jimmy almost dropped the plasma pistol. He gingerly put it back into his pack, sweating profusely.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, his mind working furiously. ├óÔé¼┼ôTlessia said the Armory was a warzone. I think we should be very very thankful that she's given us this.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, nodding. ├óÔé¼┼ôI just...don't like it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNeither do I,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered, closing the pack. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet's...find an room.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy and Pix walked through the streets, looking around. The entire place seemed subdued, everyone staying inside to avoid the head ache inducing light changes. One of the larger buildings had a sing in it. Instead of having words on it, like Jimmy was used to, the sign instead was a gigantic symbol. It was a simple pillow, with a circle in the middle.
Jimmy supposed that, with all the races on Harbinger, using any one language would leave some people confused. But a pillow had to be pretty obvious? Right?
Right. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think this is it,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, pointing. He walked to the front door and knocked.
├óÔé¼┼ôAge?├óÔé¼┬Ø A muffled voice asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...sixteen cycles,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôRace?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHuman.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot allowed!├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice shouted.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat? We need to sleep!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThis ain't no in, buddy,├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a whore house.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBut...the pillow,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy stammered.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat's a...a...shit, that's a private part. Don't worry about it, okay? Just git. The Hotel is a block and a half to the right of this building.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThanks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said. He and Pix started walking, following the directions given them. They arrived at a slightly smaller building. The sign, however, was far more advanced. Rapidly flickering form one language to the next, the sing eventually flashed the word ├óÔé¼┼ôHOTEL├óÔé¼┬Ø at Jimmy. He nodded, walking to the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôJimmy, wait,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. Jimmy looked back at her.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...remember what Tlessia said? About me?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy gulped. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think I'm cute?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix asked, her antennae folding back slightly. Electricity sparked between them.
Jimmy stared at her. No, he thought, you're not cute. You're beautiful.
├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGet out of the way,├óÔé¼┬Ø Someone grunted, opening the door and pushing past Jimmy. He staggered out of the way. The man, a human, glanced at him. Then he was gone around the corner.
├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, blushing furiously. She strode into the hotel, staring fixedly ahead. Jimmy followed her.
There was no front desk. Instead, a rotating pillar with hooks on the side hung in the middle of the room. Around the room were stairs that lead upwards, into the rest of the hotel. Other than that, the room was bare of furniture. Most of the hooks were empty, but three had small plastic rectangles on them. Jimmy walked forward and saw that each rectangle had a room number written on it.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThere are only two rooms open. Let's take three A.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy picked the rectangle off the hook. The pillar stopped and a small drawer popped out of the side.
├óÔé¼┼ôFifty SSC!├óÔé¼┬Ø A tinny voice shouted. Jimmy pulled his wallet out and hurriedly separated the bills. He dropped them into the drawer.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou get room till Townie stops!├óÔé¼┬Ø The tinny voice shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôEnjoy your honey moon!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHoney moon?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy asked, looking at Pix.
The door to their room opened once they slid their rectangle into the handle. Pix looked into the room and nodded.
├óÔé¼┼ôHoney moon.├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, deadpan.
├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe I should have gotten four A,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, stepping in. the room itself was shaped like a heart, with pink wall paper and a heart shaped bed. A single heart shaped bed. Two chairs sat next to a table, in the side of the room and a food dispensing machine of Yetel make.
Jimmy sighed, sitting down on one of the chairs.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou get the bed,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
├óÔé¼┼ôTube you,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou get the bed.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, YOU get the bed!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôNu-uh!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh-huh!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNu-uh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy stood. ├óÔé¼┼ôI get the floor, dang it!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell fine, but I'm not going to use the bed. I'll sleep on the floor too.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôFine,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, grabbing a pillow off the bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll sleep on this side and you can sleep on that side.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôFine,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix grabbed another pillow. He took the comforter and threw it at Pix. She caught it as Jimmy pulled the under blankets off. He set it on the ground and looked at Pix. She looked at him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, bowing slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs your chivalry satisfied?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSorta,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, laying down on his makeshift bed.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered.
That was how room service found them the next morning, curled up on opposite sides of the bed, both sound asleep on the ground. The E.L.F that was pushing the cart stared at the two of them. Then took their wallet.
-------------
Jorquin listened to the reports as calmly as he could.
├óÔé¼┼ôTwo children. Barely out of their fifteenth cycle, and they outwitted our best assassins?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, incredulous. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat's like something out of a bad movie!├óÔé¼┬Ø
His agent bowed, all three of his eyes closed in a position of respect. ├óÔé¼┼ôMany apologies, Ambassador, but this is truth. Our first two operatives wore Honor Belts, to avoid capture. It seems someone struck them with a shock stick, and it was not one of our targets. In the resulting confusion, our targets managed to get a ride with the Ferryer.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen all is not lost.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTrue. We managed to follow them to a small Townie...but we only snuck a single operative onto the Townie before it lifted off.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd who is this brave soul?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôHir,├óÔé¼┬Ø The agent said. It was a short name. An honorless name.
├óÔé¼┼ôHir! That is not a name befitting a royal agent!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRespectfully,├óÔé¼┬Ø The agent's voice became sharper, more staccato than anything else. ├óÔé¼┼ôHir has proved himself on countless battlefields against the Slor and the Yetel. We found him in Tortuga, and he has resworn his allegiance. I have watched him like a Xxxclip. He is nothing but loyal.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIf it as you say, then those two brats-├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin enjoyed that word, it was the only word humanity had that he could say without accent, and it happened to be a word that he felt was lacking in his own language. ├óÔé¼┼ô-are as good as dead, correct?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôCorrect,├óÔé¼┬Ø The agent bowed his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe shall have the E.L.F and the data by this time tomorrow.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd, if he sucssesseds, tell Hir he will no longer bear such a shameful name. Instead...let him be known as Hirniatio.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The agent's outer eyes closed. His single inner eye remained fixed on Jorquin.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes...Yes sir!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThis mission is not to be understated,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said. ├óÔé¼┼ôOut.├óÔé¼┬Ø
He turned off his computer and relaxed in his saddle chair. This was a nasty business. But any revenge on the humans was enough. To see Leonite's rage and sorrow, after he had learned that his woman-mate had been slain...Jorquin laughed. Mates. His own people took mates, but he never saw the point of them. Why have a mate when one could have a man, someone of equal strength and vigor. Jorquin stretched his legs, rattling off a long sigh.
His computer chimed.
├óÔé¼┼ôAmbassador Jorquin,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou have done well, Ambassador,├óÔé¼┬Ø A rattling, elderly voice said.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy lord!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said. He stood, pushing his chair back onto the floor and bowed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI did not expect a phone call from you, my noblest of kings.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRise, rise and dispense with these formalities.├óÔé¼┬Ø The king's voice sounded more tired than anything else. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe simply wished to know how goes the tracking and slaying of young Leonite and his consort?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt goes well. We shall have them both by tomorrow.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood,├óÔé¼┬Ø the king said. His picture did not grace the computer, but Jorquin imagined that he was smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe believe that the E.L.F consort's information can be used not only to deal with humanity, but with out...never mind. You do not need to know. Simply continue to stall the humans when it comes to Earth.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jorquin smiled.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe will have our revenge,├óÔé¼┬Ø His king said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Gods themselves will smile on us, and we will make the Humans pay for everything.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Questions. What are the Xorquin so pissed about? Why is Earth so important? Who is this third entity? What is the villinious Xorquin plan?
All of these, and more, will be answered in comming pages. But know this: Pix is cute.
That is all. Muahahahahaha!
It was giving Jimmy a headache.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, sitting down next to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're really...on the track now.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy looked over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah...it still don't feel quite real.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI know,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, rubbing her arms and shivering. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we're gonna need to find some rooms.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy stood, shouldering the pack Tlessia had given him. He paused, sliding it off his shoulder and flipping it open. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait just a second...what's in here?├óÔé¼┬Ø
He pulled out a wallet. Inside the wallet were a hundred and three SSC. Next, a strange device shaped like a half ring, a tube sticking out of the top side. The inner side of the ring was padded and a thin half ring stuck out of the top. Jimmy slipped his hand over the padded section and found his finger fit over the trigger.
Pix's eyes went wide.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy gulped.
├óÔé¼┼ôReally illegal,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. Jimmy almost dropped the plasma pistol. He gingerly put it back into his pack, sweating profusely.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, his mind working furiously. ├óÔé¼┼ôTlessia said the Armory was a warzone. I think we should be very very thankful that she's given us this.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, nodding. ├óÔé¼┼ôI just...don't like it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNeither do I,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered, closing the pack. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet's...find an room.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy and Pix walked through the streets, looking around. The entire place seemed subdued, everyone staying inside to avoid the head ache inducing light changes. One of the larger buildings had a sing in it. Instead of having words on it, like Jimmy was used to, the sign instead was a gigantic symbol. It was a simple pillow, with a circle in the middle.
Jimmy supposed that, with all the races on Harbinger, using any one language would leave some people confused. But a pillow had to be pretty obvious? Right?
Right. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think this is it,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, pointing. He walked to the front door and knocked.
├óÔé¼┼ôAge?├óÔé¼┬Ø A muffled voice asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...sixteen cycles,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôRace?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHuman.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot allowed!├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice shouted.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat? We need to sleep!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThis ain't no in, buddy,├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is a whore house.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBut...the pillow,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy stammered.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat's a...a...shit, that's a private part. Don't worry about it, okay? Just git. The Hotel is a block and a half to the right of this building.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThanks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said. He and Pix started walking, following the directions given them. They arrived at a slightly smaller building. The sign, however, was far more advanced. Rapidly flickering form one language to the next, the sing eventually flashed the word ├óÔé¼┼ôHOTEL├óÔé¼┬Ø at Jimmy. He nodded, walking to the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôJimmy, wait,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. Jimmy looked back at her.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...remember what Tlessia said? About me?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy gulped. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think I'm cute?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix asked, her antennae folding back slightly. Electricity sparked between them.
Jimmy stared at her. No, he thought, you're not cute. You're beautiful.
├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGet out of the way,├óÔé¼┬Ø Someone grunted, opening the door and pushing past Jimmy. He staggered out of the way. The man, a human, glanced at him. Then he was gone around the corner.
├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, blushing furiously. She strode into the hotel, staring fixedly ahead. Jimmy followed her.
There was no front desk. Instead, a rotating pillar with hooks on the side hung in the middle of the room. Around the room were stairs that lead upwards, into the rest of the hotel. Other than that, the room was bare of furniture. Most of the hooks were empty, but three had small plastic rectangles on them. Jimmy walked forward and saw that each rectangle had a room number written on it.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThere are only two rooms open. Let's take three A.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy picked the rectangle off the hook. The pillar stopped and a small drawer popped out of the side.
├óÔé¼┼ôFifty SSC!├óÔé¼┬Ø A tinny voice shouted. Jimmy pulled his wallet out and hurriedly separated the bills. He dropped them into the drawer.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou get room till Townie stops!├óÔé¼┬Ø The tinny voice shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôEnjoy your honey moon!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHoney moon?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy asked, looking at Pix.
The door to their room opened once they slid their rectangle into the handle. Pix looked into the room and nodded.
├óÔé¼┼ôHoney moon.├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, deadpan.
├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe I should have gotten four A,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, stepping in. the room itself was shaped like a heart, with pink wall paper and a heart shaped bed. A single heart shaped bed. Two chairs sat next to a table, in the side of the room and a food dispensing machine of Yetel make.
Jimmy sighed, sitting down on one of the chairs.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou get the bed,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
├óÔé¼┼ôTube you,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou get the bed.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, YOU get the bed!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôNu-uh!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh-huh!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNu-uh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy stood. ├óÔé¼┼ôI get the floor, dang it!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell fine, but I'm not going to use the bed. I'll sleep on the floor too.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôFine,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, grabbing a pillow off the bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll sleep on this side and you can sleep on that side.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôFine,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix grabbed another pillow. He took the comforter and threw it at Pix. She caught it as Jimmy pulled the under blankets off. He set it on the ground and looked at Pix. She looked at him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, bowing slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs your chivalry satisfied?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSorta,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said, laying down on his makeshift bed.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered.
That was how room service found them the next morning, curled up on opposite sides of the bed, both sound asleep on the ground. The E.L.F that was pushing the cart stared at the two of them. Then took their wallet.
-------------
Jorquin listened to the reports as calmly as he could.
├óÔé¼┼ôTwo children. Barely out of their fifteenth cycle, and they outwitted our best assassins?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, incredulous. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat's like something out of a bad movie!├óÔé¼┬Ø
His agent bowed, all three of his eyes closed in a position of respect. ├óÔé¼┼ôMany apologies, Ambassador, but this is truth. Our first two operatives wore Honor Belts, to avoid capture. It seems someone struck them with a shock stick, and it was not one of our targets. In the resulting confusion, our targets managed to get a ride with the Ferryer.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAh!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen all is not lost.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTrue. We managed to follow them to a small Townie...but we only snuck a single operative onto the Townie before it lifted off.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd who is this brave soul?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôHir,├óÔé¼┬Ø The agent said. It was a short name. An honorless name.
├óÔé¼┼ôHir! That is not a name befitting a royal agent!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRespectfully,├óÔé¼┬Ø The agent's voice became sharper, more staccato than anything else. ├óÔé¼┼ôHir has proved himself on countless battlefields against the Slor and the Yetel. We found him in Tortuga, and he has resworn his allegiance. I have watched him like a Xxxclip. He is nothing but loyal.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIf it as you say, then those two brats-├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin enjoyed that word, it was the only word humanity had that he could say without accent, and it happened to be a word that he felt was lacking in his own language. ├óÔé¼┼ô-are as good as dead, correct?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôCorrect,├óÔé¼┬Ø The agent bowed his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe shall have the E.L.F and the data by this time tomorrow.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd, if he sucssesseds, tell Hir he will no longer bear such a shameful name. Instead...let him be known as Hirniatio.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The agent's outer eyes closed. His single inner eye remained fixed on Jorquin.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes...Yes sir!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThis mission is not to be understated,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said. ├óÔé¼┼ôOut.├óÔé¼┬Ø
He turned off his computer and relaxed in his saddle chair. This was a nasty business. But any revenge on the humans was enough. To see Leonite's rage and sorrow, after he had learned that his woman-mate had been slain...Jorquin laughed. Mates. His own people took mates, but he never saw the point of them. Why have a mate when one could have a man, someone of equal strength and vigor. Jorquin stretched his legs, rattling off a long sigh.
His computer chimed.
├óÔé¼┼ôAmbassador Jorquin,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou have done well, Ambassador,├óÔé¼┬Ø A rattling, elderly voice said.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy lord!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jorquin said. He stood, pushing his chair back onto the floor and bowed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI did not expect a phone call from you, my noblest of kings.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRise, rise and dispense with these formalities.├óÔé¼┬Ø The king's voice sounded more tired than anything else. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe simply wished to know how goes the tracking and slaying of young Leonite and his consort?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt goes well. We shall have them both by tomorrow.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood,├óÔé¼┬Ø the king said. His picture did not grace the computer, but Jorquin imagined that he was smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe believe that the E.L.F consort's information can be used not only to deal with humanity, but with out...never mind. You do not need to know. Simply continue to stall the humans when it comes to Earth.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jorquin smiled.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe will have our revenge,├óÔé¼┬Ø His king said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Gods themselves will smile on us, and we will make the Humans pay for everything.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Questions. What are the Xorquin so pissed about? Why is Earth so important? Who is this third entity? What is the villinious Xorquin plan?
All of these, and more, will be answered in comming pages. But know this: Pix is cute.
That is all. Muahahahahaha!
Hey, I'm working very hard to fit in them hovering snowboards.
Actually, I have no idea what the heck that you're talking about is. All I know is I stole the name Harbringer from the vidio game, Harbringer, which was basically a sucky version of Diablo 2...in Space. Everything else I made up on the spot. Including the Slor.
Actually, I have no idea what the heck that you're talking about is. All I know is I stole the name Harbringer from the vidio game, Harbringer, which was basically a sucky version of Diablo 2...in Space. Everything else I made up on the spot. Including the Slor.
your spelling needs a bit of work my friend, its video, not vidio..
Its an anime but thats besides the point..
A bit of description wouldnt kill you, I have no Idea what any of these races look like.. nor what the general composition of this "harbinger" ship is or looks like.. nor what tech level the humans or otherwise are at.. how their stuff is layed out.. etc.. none of these details are mentioned..
I would suggest adding more description and so forth so that its easier to place visually what is going on..
Its an anime but thats besides the point..
A bit of description wouldnt kill you, I have no Idea what any of these races look like.. nor what the general composition of this "harbinger" ship is or looks like.. nor what tech level the humans or otherwise are at.. how their stuff is layed out.. etc.. none of these details are mentioned..
I would suggest adding more description and so forth so that its easier to place visually what is going on..
Hopefully you guys can see that I've been trying to use Fanger's advice. I keep forgetting that just casue I know exactly what a Slor looks like it dosn't mean you guys can.
Unless...you're telepaths. And if you are, I'd have to kill you. Sorry, it's nothing personal. Just a job, see.
------------------------
Jimmy sat up, blinking away the fog of sleep. Light streamed through the window of his room, rapidly changing it's angle as the Townie moved up it's shaft. Jimmy stood up, stretched, and looked around. Pix was sleeping on her back, still snoring. Jimmy shrugged and walked to the table, sitting down in one of the chairs.
Their wallet was gone.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh sewage,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered, picking up his pack. He rifled through it, noticing several small packages that he hadn't looked through yet. But no wallet. He was half way done looking through the rest of the room when Pix sat up, yawning.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôLooking for the wallet,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered, pushing the mattress of the bed up and looking under that. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was stolen.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Pix lay back down, sighing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell that's great.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy let the mattress drop back down, grimacing. The door to the room opened and a Yetel walked in, pushing a cart with towels, a auto-vac and some other cleaning utensils into the room. The Yetel had to fold his wings back to fit through the door, but he managed.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, waving. ├óÔé¼┼ôHaveing good night, newlyweds?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not newlyweds,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
The Yetel shook itself, it's faceted eyes moving from Jimmy to Pix. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are...what is word? Younglings?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTeenagers,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said.
The Yetel nodded as best it could without a real head. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay. I'll clean your room now.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Yetel picked up his auto-vac, walking a nondescript wall. He put the auto-vac, which looked like half of a ball attached to miniature spider legs, on the wall and it started to crawl around, it's vacuum occasionally whirring as it sucked some offending bit of dirt off the wall.
As the auto-vac worked, the Yetel slid a weird stuck off the cart. His fore finger pressed into th stick, which started to glow. He ran it over the table, then the chairs. Jimmy watched this, a bit lost.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôA-├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel made a gargling sound in the back of his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't know human word for it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOh,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat's really helpful,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, standing and stretching.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou are welcome,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, his wings flapping out, then in.
Pix sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's the bathroom?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Yetel stared at her, pausing in his cleaning efforts. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you not a...Elk?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's E.L.F,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd yes, I am, but I still need to pee.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBipedal bathrooms down the hall, with triangle shaped symbol on the front.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel made the symbol with three of his four hands, to convey the point in case Pix didn't get it.
├óÔé¼┼ôThanks,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. She walked out of the room and down the hall. She saw ten doors, each with a different symbol. In the middle of the row of doors was the one with the triangle. Pix smiled, walking to the door. She opened it.
The bathroom was unisex, meaning it had both five different kinds of urinals and ten different kinds of stalls. Pix was about to walk to the human stall when she saw the Xorquin urinal was occupied. The Xorquin standing there, his groin pressed into the necessary tube and his hands resting on his scaled backside, was one of the ten Xorquin who had chased Jimmy outside the Townie. Pix double checked her memory, just to be sure. A definite match on the forehead ridge pattern, the eye placement, finger lengths, scale patterns and musculature.
Pix gulped, carefully stepping backwards, trying to be as quiet as possible. She pressed into the door...and backed into a human, who swore loudly at her as he fell to the ground with a crash.
The Xorquin looked over, his vocal organ rising in his throat. He saw Pix and his mouth opened, his vocal organ hanging in the middle. It rattled a short burst of noise, like a thousand bits of metal smashing into a wall, the Xorquin equivalent of ├óÔé¼┼ôHey, you!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Pix turned around and pushed the human, who was still swearing at her, out of the way. She dashed down the corridor, her mind screaming ├óÔé¼┼ôRUN! RUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hir pulled his pants up. It was not for modesty's sake, as only Humans, Slor and Tettclickclick bothered themselves with things like that. It was to get his gun nearer his hand. He got to the door, where a stupid human was still swearing to himself. Hir smashed the human's head in to shut him up. The human fell, his head dented half in, blood oozing from his deformed eyesockets. Hir brought his pistol to bear on the E.L.F, who was dashing down the hall. She hit the door to her room. Hir fired, but the plasma round shot past her and through the wall.
Jimmy jumped to his feet as the plasma shot past him, smashed into the ceiling and burnt it's way through. He dove to the side even as Pix dashed for the bag. The Yetel started gargling loudly, flapping his wings. A bolt from the plasma gun struck him. It stuck for a second, then activated, burning as bright as a sun. The Yetel fell, his abdomen melting.
Pix got the pistol in her hands. She turned it around to face the door and squeezed the trigger. The gun barked and a brass colored cylinder shot out of an ejection port on the side. The actual projectile tore through the air, barely slow enough for Pix to see. The Xorquin assassin ducked behind a nearby door way, providing less of a target. He stuck his gun, a massive square with a handle attached, around the corner. The Xorquin fired. A bolt of plasma, looking surprisingly similar to the bullet Pix had just fired, flew through the air. It struck the wall Pix was hiding behind and ignited. The plasma burned it's way through in a second and Pix rolled to the side before it burst through the other side. The plasma shot upwards and burnt it's way through the ceiling.
The plasma gun fired a few more times. Pix ducked as three more plasma balls burnt their way through the wall, uncomfortably close to where she had been standing.
├óÔé¼┼ôPix!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy crawled over the floor, holding the pack. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've got to get out of here.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't have to tell me twice,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered. She stuck her gun around the corner and fired it two more times. She looked around, carefully not looking at the burnt Yetel corpse.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe window,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy pointed.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis building is very tall,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're next to a bunch of other buildings though,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could land on the next roof over...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight...I'll cover you,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, nodding.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, you go first and I'll cover you.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSewage! This is not the time for chivalry, Jimmy!├óÔé¼┬Ø
A rattling sound made them both look up. The Xorquin stood in the doorway, his pistol aimed at them.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh tubes,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered.
The Xorquin pulled the trigger. The bolt struck Jimmy in the stomach. Then it ignited. Jimmy screamed.
Pix didn't waste any time. She grabbed the plasma bolt and yanked it off Jimmy. She let it go and it, devoid of any anchor, shot into the ceiling. Jimmy stopped screaming, smoke and the smell of burnt meat filling the room, even worse than the smell of burnt cockroach that came from the Yetel.
The Xorquin holstered his pistol. Pix brought her gun to bear on the Xorquin, but he quickly stomped down on her wrist. Pix yelped, the pistol clattering away over the floor. Sirens sounded, the constabulary arriving.
The Xorquin rattled something in it's own language, it's vocal muscle vibrating in his throat. Pix strained, trying to get to the pistol with her other hand. The Xorquin grabbed her by the hair, jerking her off the ground, his foot grinding painfully into her burnt hand. Pix struggled, but the Xorquin grabbed her wrists and forced them behind her back. Pix grimaced, straining. Her muscles, despite the bio-mechanical enchantment, weren't a match for the Xorquin. The Xorquin shifted his grip, grabbing both of her wrists with one of his hands. The other hand reached into a pocket on his pants.
Pix felt a prick in her input/output socket. Then everything went black.
----------
Leonite was worried. Jimmy and Pix were still missing. He knew they were probably hiding, thanks to the emergency programs he had slipped into Pix's mind when she had first been constructed. But she'd have to know that Jimmy'd have to contact him. She had too.
Unless...the Xorquin were still coming after them. Leonite wished he could denounce Jorquin, the lying son of a bitch (Brigands with H.E weapons, honor belts and enough training to take on two armed constables? Yeah right), in public, but he didn't have any evidence. His mind drifted back to the crystal Pix and Jimmy had found. The information had never made it...Leonite shook his head, frowning. Were the two things connected?
No way to know unless he could find the crystal. And he wasn't about to take the two month journey back to his home...which no longer existed. Leonite closed his eyes, tears trickling down his face.
Then something horrible occurred to him. There was a faster route to home. Through the Armory.
No. Pix was smarter than that. Jimmy was smarter than that. Right?
Leonite gulped, reaching for his new computer. It wasn't quite as smart as his old one, something Leonite refused to think about. If he was going to do any more good for his race, he'd have to keep control and remember his old...loss would only make that harder. After a moment of searching through his partially recovered database, he found the phone number he was looking for.
The computer rang. A moment later, a very familer voice answered it.
├óÔé¼┼ôJack here? What do ya want?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHey Jack,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said.
Silence. Leonite sat up, listening intently. All he heard was ragged breathing. Then.
├óÔé¼┼ôLong time no see, James.├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack sounded shaken, his voice quavering slightly.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need a favor,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said.
Jack sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou always need favors...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHey, this one is easy. If I'm lucky, you won't even need to do a thing.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jack sighed, again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you need?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMy son, James Leonite junior, and his bodyguard E.L.F, Pixie, might be heading towards Tortuga. And I need you to help them get through that warzone.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight...may I ask why?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHave you heard the news?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNews goes slow in the Armory.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMonica's dead,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said, his heart clenching. He licked his lips, trying to get his voice under control.
├óÔé¼┼ôJesus Christ,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNevermind,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you think your boy and his E.L.F are coming this way?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThey might be trying to get to me. They are definitely being chased by some Xorquin, I don't know how many.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry James,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can handle it. So...what kind of E.L.F does your son have?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA Model 3-A. Female.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jack made a wolf whistle. ├óÔé¼┼ôWow,├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod, DAMN, why couldn't have you been my father?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNow that'd just be creepy,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said. Jack laughed. Leonite's brow furrowed. He hadn't been joking.
├óÔé¼┼ôAny thing else you need?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood luck Jack.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou too. And hey...protect Earth, will ya.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Leonite nodded and hung up.
----------
Hir waited, leaning against the wall of his hideout. The E.L.F was tied to a human chair, her head lolled to the side. Every few moments electricity would spark between her antennae. With one spark last, the E.L.F's eyes opened.
Pix first saw two feet. Scaled, green, with wide toes and pointed claws originally meant for climbing sheer rock faces. Then, two legs, with thickly muscled thighs and thick tendons. A wide torso, with a soft belly that was not covered by scales. Two hugely muscled arms crossed over the chest. A long, three eyed, lizard-like head. Two of the eyes were locked on Pix, the third eye closed, resting as it were.
Pix gulped and looked up and down the Xorquin once again. It wasn't wearing clothes, but the plasma pistol was sitting on the ground near the creature. Behind the Xorquin was a bare wall. Pix strained her head, trying to peer around and find a way to get out of the room. She tested the chains that bound her, but they were far too strong. The rest of the room was dark, but she knew there had to be a door...somewhere.
The Xorquin kept staring at her. Pix stared back.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo,├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, jutting her chin forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the tube do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Xorquin kept staring at her.
Pix looked away, biting her tongue. She had to get out of here...she had to find Jimmy. She tested the bindings again. Then a shudder ran through the room, making everything shake and rattle. The Xorquin stepped away from the wall. He unlatched the chains from Pix. She started to get up, but the Xorquin press her back into the chair with a single hand on her head. Pix grunted as he strapped handcuffs around her wrists.
├óÔé¼┼ôWalk,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Xorquin said, picking up the pistol.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you need to get dressed?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWalk!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Xorquin said, his rattling voice louder this time.
├óÔé¼┼ôIs that the only word you know?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix asked, walking in the direction the Xorquin gestured for. She came to a door, which opened when the Xorquin reached around her and pressed the open button. Pix looked outside and was disappointed to see that the door opened right into a hallway that lead out of the Townie, which had reached the Middle Levels.
The Xorquin stuck the pistol into Pix's back. ├óÔé¼┼ôWalk.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Unless...you're telepaths. And if you are, I'd have to kill you. Sorry, it's nothing personal. Just a job, see.
------------------------
Jimmy sat up, blinking away the fog of sleep. Light streamed through the window of his room, rapidly changing it's angle as the Townie moved up it's shaft. Jimmy stood up, stretched, and looked around. Pix was sleeping on her back, still snoring. Jimmy shrugged and walked to the table, sitting down in one of the chairs.
Their wallet was gone.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh sewage,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered, picking up his pack. He rifled through it, noticing several small packages that he hadn't looked through yet. But no wallet. He was half way done looking through the rest of the room when Pix sat up, yawning.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôLooking for the wallet,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered, pushing the mattress of the bed up and looking under that. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was stolen.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Pix lay back down, sighing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell that's great.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jimmy let the mattress drop back down, grimacing. The door to the room opened and a Yetel walked in, pushing a cart with towels, a auto-vac and some other cleaning utensils into the room. The Yetel had to fold his wings back to fit through the door, but he managed.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, waving. ├óÔé¼┼ôHaveing good night, newlyweds?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not newlyweds,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
The Yetel shook itself, it's faceted eyes moving from Jimmy to Pix. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are...what is word? Younglings?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTeenagers,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said.
The Yetel nodded as best it could without a real head. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay. I'll clean your room now.├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Yetel picked up his auto-vac, walking a nondescript wall. He put the auto-vac, which looked like half of a ball attached to miniature spider legs, on the wall and it started to crawl around, it's vacuum occasionally whirring as it sucked some offending bit of dirt off the wall.
As the auto-vac worked, the Yetel slid a weird stuck off the cart. His fore finger pressed into th stick, which started to glow. He ran it over the table, then the chairs. Jimmy watched this, a bit lost.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôA-├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel made a gargling sound in the back of his throat. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't know human word for it.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOh,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôThat's really helpful,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, standing and stretching.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou are welcome,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel said, his wings flapping out, then in.
Pix sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's the bathroom?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Yetel stared at her, pausing in his cleaning efforts. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you not a...Elk?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's E.L.F,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd yes, I am, but I still need to pee.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôBipedal bathrooms down the hall, with triangle shaped symbol on the front.├óÔé¼┬Ø The Yetel made the symbol with three of his four hands, to convey the point in case Pix didn't get it.
├óÔé¼┼ôThanks,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said. She walked out of the room and down the hall. She saw ten doors, each with a different symbol. In the middle of the row of doors was the one with the triangle. Pix smiled, walking to the door. She opened it.
The bathroom was unisex, meaning it had both five different kinds of urinals and ten different kinds of stalls. Pix was about to walk to the human stall when she saw the Xorquin urinal was occupied. The Xorquin standing there, his groin pressed into the necessary tube and his hands resting on his scaled backside, was one of the ten Xorquin who had chased Jimmy outside the Townie. Pix double checked her memory, just to be sure. A definite match on the forehead ridge pattern, the eye placement, finger lengths, scale patterns and musculature.
Pix gulped, carefully stepping backwards, trying to be as quiet as possible. She pressed into the door...and backed into a human, who swore loudly at her as he fell to the ground with a crash.
The Xorquin looked over, his vocal organ rising in his throat. He saw Pix and his mouth opened, his vocal organ hanging in the middle. It rattled a short burst of noise, like a thousand bits of metal smashing into a wall, the Xorquin equivalent of ├óÔé¼┼ôHey, you!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Pix turned around and pushed the human, who was still swearing at her, out of the way. She dashed down the corridor, her mind screaming ├óÔé¼┼ôRUN! RUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Hir pulled his pants up. It was not for modesty's sake, as only Humans, Slor and Tettclickclick bothered themselves with things like that. It was to get his gun nearer his hand. He got to the door, where a stupid human was still swearing to himself. Hir smashed the human's head in to shut him up. The human fell, his head dented half in, blood oozing from his deformed eyesockets. Hir brought his pistol to bear on the E.L.F, who was dashing down the hall. She hit the door to her room. Hir fired, but the plasma round shot past her and through the wall.
Jimmy jumped to his feet as the plasma shot past him, smashed into the ceiling and burnt it's way through. He dove to the side even as Pix dashed for the bag. The Yetel started gargling loudly, flapping his wings. A bolt from the plasma gun struck him. It stuck for a second, then activated, burning as bright as a sun. The Yetel fell, his abdomen melting.
Pix got the pistol in her hands. She turned it around to face the door and squeezed the trigger. The gun barked and a brass colored cylinder shot out of an ejection port on the side. The actual projectile tore through the air, barely slow enough for Pix to see. The Xorquin assassin ducked behind a nearby door way, providing less of a target. He stuck his gun, a massive square with a handle attached, around the corner. The Xorquin fired. A bolt of plasma, looking surprisingly similar to the bullet Pix had just fired, flew through the air. It struck the wall Pix was hiding behind and ignited. The plasma burned it's way through in a second and Pix rolled to the side before it burst through the other side. The plasma shot upwards and burnt it's way through the ceiling.
The plasma gun fired a few more times. Pix ducked as three more plasma balls burnt their way through the wall, uncomfortably close to where she had been standing.
├óÔé¼┼ôPix!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy crawled over the floor, holding the pack. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've got to get out of here.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't have to tell me twice,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered. She stuck her gun around the corner and fired it two more times. She looked around, carefully not looking at the burnt Yetel corpse.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe window,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy pointed.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis building is very tall,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're next to a bunch of other buildings though,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could land on the next roof over...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight...I'll cover you,├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix said, nodding.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, you go first and I'll cover you.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSewage! This is not the time for chivalry, Jimmy!├óÔé¼┬Ø
A rattling sound made them both look up. The Xorquin stood in the doorway, his pistol aimed at them.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh tubes,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jimmy muttered.
The Xorquin pulled the trigger. The bolt struck Jimmy in the stomach. Then it ignited. Jimmy screamed.
Pix didn't waste any time. She grabbed the plasma bolt and yanked it off Jimmy. She let it go and it, devoid of any anchor, shot into the ceiling. Jimmy stopped screaming, smoke and the smell of burnt meat filling the room, even worse than the smell of burnt cockroach that came from the Yetel.
The Xorquin holstered his pistol. Pix brought her gun to bear on the Xorquin, but he quickly stomped down on her wrist. Pix yelped, the pistol clattering away over the floor. Sirens sounded, the constabulary arriving.
The Xorquin rattled something in it's own language, it's vocal muscle vibrating in his throat. Pix strained, trying to get to the pistol with her other hand. The Xorquin grabbed her by the hair, jerking her off the ground, his foot grinding painfully into her burnt hand. Pix struggled, but the Xorquin grabbed her wrists and forced them behind her back. Pix grimaced, straining. Her muscles, despite the bio-mechanical enchantment, weren't a match for the Xorquin. The Xorquin shifted his grip, grabbing both of her wrists with one of his hands. The other hand reached into a pocket on his pants.
Pix felt a prick in her input/output socket. Then everything went black.
----------
Leonite was worried. Jimmy and Pix were still missing. He knew they were probably hiding, thanks to the emergency programs he had slipped into Pix's mind when she had first been constructed. But she'd have to know that Jimmy'd have to contact him. She had too.
Unless...the Xorquin were still coming after them. Leonite wished he could denounce Jorquin, the lying son of a bitch (Brigands with H.E weapons, honor belts and enough training to take on two armed constables? Yeah right), in public, but he didn't have any evidence. His mind drifted back to the crystal Pix and Jimmy had found. The information had never made it...Leonite shook his head, frowning. Were the two things connected?
No way to know unless he could find the crystal. And he wasn't about to take the two month journey back to his home...which no longer existed. Leonite closed his eyes, tears trickling down his face.
Then something horrible occurred to him. There was a faster route to home. Through the Armory.
No. Pix was smarter than that. Jimmy was smarter than that. Right?
Leonite gulped, reaching for his new computer. It wasn't quite as smart as his old one, something Leonite refused to think about. If he was going to do any more good for his race, he'd have to keep control and remember his old...loss would only make that harder. After a moment of searching through his partially recovered database, he found the phone number he was looking for.
The computer rang. A moment later, a very familer voice answered it.
├óÔé¼┼ôJack here? What do ya want?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHey Jack,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said.
Silence. Leonite sat up, listening intently. All he heard was ragged breathing. Then.
├óÔé¼┼ôLong time no see, James.├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack sounded shaken, his voice quavering slightly.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need a favor,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said.
Jack sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou always need favors...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHey, this one is easy. If I'm lucky, you won't even need to do a thing.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jack sighed, again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you need?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMy son, James Leonite junior, and his bodyguard E.L.F, Pixie, might be heading towards Tortuga. And I need you to help them get through that warzone.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight...may I ask why?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHave you heard the news?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNews goes slow in the Armory.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMonica's dead,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said, his heart clenching. He licked his lips, trying to get his voice under control.
├óÔé¼┼ôJesus Christ,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNevermind,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you think your boy and his E.L.F are coming this way?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThey might be trying to get to me. They are definitely being chased by some Xorquin, I don't know how many.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry James,├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can handle it. So...what kind of E.L.F does your son have?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA Model 3-A. Female.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Jack made a wolf whistle. ├óÔé¼┼ôWow,├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod, DAMN, why couldn't have you been my father?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNow that'd just be creepy,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said. Jack laughed. Leonite's brow furrowed. He hadn't been joking.
├óÔé¼┼ôAny thing else you need?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jack asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo,├óÔé¼┬Ø Leonite said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood luck Jack.├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou too. And hey...protect Earth, will ya.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Leonite nodded and hung up.
----------
Hir waited, leaning against the wall of his hideout. The E.L.F was tied to a human chair, her head lolled to the side. Every few moments electricity would spark between her antennae. With one spark last, the E.L.F's eyes opened.
Pix first saw two feet. Scaled, green, with wide toes and pointed claws originally meant for climbing sheer rock faces. Then, two legs, with thickly muscled thighs and thick tendons. A wide torso, with a soft belly that was not covered by scales. Two hugely muscled arms crossed over the chest. A long, three eyed, lizard-like head. Two of the eyes were locked on Pix, the third eye closed, resting as it were.
Pix gulped and looked up and down the Xorquin once again. It wasn't wearing clothes, but the plasma pistol was sitting on the ground near the creature. Behind the Xorquin was a bare wall. Pix strained her head, trying to peer around and find a way to get out of the room. She tested the chains that bound her, but they were far too strong. The rest of the room was dark, but she knew there had to be a door...somewhere.
The Xorquin kept staring at her. Pix stared back.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo,├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, jutting her chin forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the tube do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Xorquin kept staring at her.
Pix looked away, biting her tongue. She had to get out of here...she had to find Jimmy. She tested the bindings again. Then a shudder ran through the room, making everything shake and rattle. The Xorquin stepped away from the wall. He unlatched the chains from Pix. She started to get up, but the Xorquin press her back into the chair with a single hand on her head. Pix grunted as he strapped handcuffs around her wrists.
├óÔé¼┼ôWalk,├óÔé¼┬Ø The Xorquin said, picking up the pistol.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you need to get dressed?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWalk!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Xorquin said, his rattling voice louder this time.
├óÔé¼┼ôIs that the only word you know?├óÔé¼┬Ø Pix asked, walking in the direction the Xorquin gestured for. She came to a door, which opened when the Xorquin reached around her and pressed the open button. Pix looked outside and was disappointed to see that the door opened right into a hallway that lead out of the Townie, which had reached the Middle Levels.
The Xorquin stuck the pistol into Pix's back. ├óÔé¼┼ôWalk.├óÔé¼┬Ø
Last edited by Zoombie on 21 Mar 2007, 20:01, edited 1 time in total.