09-10-2017, 02:32 PM
The moment of recognition passed quickly, and with no further comment - there was no time.
The sharp, descending whistle of incoming shells filled the air as the bombardment intensified. The stalwart Primes who had battled their way across the floating forest of titan mangroves now scrambled for cover, sheltering within the increasingly shattered foundations of the Sabaody Amusement Park. The scent of sap, seawater, cordite and pulverized peat hung heavy in the air as they huddled beneath the twisted steel skeleton of a roller-coaster, its cars spilled across the cratered paving-stones outside a ruined pavilion. The tent loomed beside them clad in merry bunting, pink and purple and gold lying lopsided and torn, like a murdered Sunday.
"We cannot stay here," observed the Vision, increasing the volume of his synthesized voice in order to be heard over the pounding of the falling shells."This land is composed of compacted peat-moss, barnacle skeletons and other assorted organic debris that has accumulated around the roots of these mangroves. If current stresses-per-square-meter do not abate, I estimate it will begin to break apart within the next one-hundred and seventy-nine seconds."
Amid the shadows and the dust, the device on Proto-Man's wrist, nearly forgotten in the rush of combat and carnage, began to flash a message, relayed automatically through his internal imaging systems.
Nebula Activity Detected - Possible Gate Activity
A shell fell almost directly on top of them, sending a burst of dust and shrapnel, and an absurd rush of merrily colored bubbles washing over the group.
In the ensuing confusion, it took a moment to gather everyone's attention, but soon they were charging over the grassy loam, between the trunks of the lesser mangroves, towards a bridge leading deeper into sabaody, to a different 'island', and away from the park.
What followed was nothing less than a mad dash. As artillery-shells descended like rain and the mighty mangroves were blown apart, beautiful bubbles rose from their shattered roots, drifting up through the cracks as the insubstantial ground began to shift. Darkspawn skittered and leapt over the sandy heaving peat, pursuing the beleaguered squadron of would-be Liberator's without concern for safety or sense. Cole, Vision and Protoman held them off as best they could, taking potshots as they ducked, stumbled and rolled, fleeing towards the bridge. Shadows and fire and chaos drifted across a blur of dream-like green beauty - a vision of flora, bubbles and death.
The Primes were half-way across the bridge when the island they had just left gave a mighty hissing heave, it's enormous central mangrove toppling into the sea with an apocalyptic groan. A ferris-wheel, miraculously still standing but too heavy for the destabilized foundations beneath it, broke through the thin crust of land on which it stood and sank beneath the waves. The discordant death-knell of a calliope rang on the breeze as the deceptively flimsy layer of firmament split, and was rapidly swallowed by the waves.
Beneath the group's fleeing - or in the case of the Vision, flying - feet, the bridge lurched, cracking, but held, and soon they found themselves on more even footing.
Whistling explosive shells still filled the sky, but they weren't falling as densely in this area, mostly arcing above the heroes heads or detonating higher among the canopy. A path extended between the trees, a ribbon of white sand on mossy green, winding under massive arching roots and between the shells of recently-abandoned limestone buildings until it disappeared behind a palisade-wall of freshly-cut tree-branches and loosely-piled sandstone blocks.
Cloud leaned heavily on his buster-sword, taking a moment to catch his breath. Belle sat down hard.
"So what now?" the S.O.L.D.I.E.R asked.
As if in response, his Liberator Aide beeped. All the rest of Regal's bracers started beeping too - and upon checking their displays, they all read the same thing.
Dead Ahead: Nebula Activity Confirmed - beta-level Gate (Portal).
The sharp, descending whistle of incoming shells filled the air as the bombardment intensified. The stalwart Primes who had battled their way across the floating forest of titan mangroves now scrambled for cover, sheltering within the increasingly shattered foundations of the Sabaody Amusement Park. The scent of sap, seawater, cordite and pulverized peat hung heavy in the air as they huddled beneath the twisted steel skeleton of a roller-coaster, its cars spilled across the cratered paving-stones outside a ruined pavilion. The tent loomed beside them clad in merry bunting, pink and purple and gold lying lopsided and torn, like a murdered Sunday.
"We cannot stay here," observed the Vision, increasing the volume of his synthesized voice in order to be heard over the pounding of the falling shells."This land is composed of compacted peat-moss, barnacle skeletons and other assorted organic debris that has accumulated around the roots of these mangroves. If current stresses-per-square-meter do not abate, I estimate it will begin to break apart within the next one-hundred and seventy-nine seconds."
Amid the shadows and the dust, the device on Proto-Man's wrist, nearly forgotten in the rush of combat and carnage, began to flash a message, relayed automatically through his internal imaging systems.
Nebula Activity Detected - Possible Gate Activity
A shell fell almost directly on top of them, sending a burst of dust and shrapnel, and an absurd rush of merrily colored bubbles washing over the group.
In the ensuing confusion, it took a moment to gather everyone's attention, but soon they were charging over the grassy loam, between the trunks of the lesser mangroves, towards a bridge leading deeper into sabaody, to a different 'island', and away from the park.
What followed was nothing less than a mad dash. As artillery-shells descended like rain and the mighty mangroves were blown apart, beautiful bubbles rose from their shattered roots, drifting up through the cracks as the insubstantial ground began to shift. Darkspawn skittered and leapt over the sandy heaving peat, pursuing the beleaguered squadron of would-be Liberator's without concern for safety or sense. Cole, Vision and Protoman held them off as best they could, taking potshots as they ducked, stumbled and rolled, fleeing towards the bridge. Shadows and fire and chaos drifted across a blur of dream-like green beauty - a vision of flora, bubbles and death.
The Primes were half-way across the bridge when the island they had just left gave a mighty hissing heave, it's enormous central mangrove toppling into the sea with an apocalyptic groan. A ferris-wheel, miraculously still standing but too heavy for the destabilized foundations beneath it, broke through the thin crust of land on which it stood and sank beneath the waves. The discordant death-knell of a calliope rang on the breeze as the deceptively flimsy layer of firmament split, and was rapidly swallowed by the waves.
Beneath the group's fleeing - or in the case of the Vision, flying - feet, the bridge lurched, cracking, but held, and soon they found themselves on more even footing.
Whistling explosive shells still filled the sky, but they weren't falling as densely in this area, mostly arcing above the heroes heads or detonating higher among the canopy. A path extended between the trees, a ribbon of white sand on mossy green, winding under massive arching roots and between the shells of recently-abandoned limestone buildings until it disappeared behind a palisade-wall of freshly-cut tree-branches and loosely-piled sandstone blocks.
Cloud leaned heavily on his buster-sword, taking a moment to catch his breath. Belle sat down hard.
"So what now?" the S.O.L.D.I.E.R asked.
As if in response, his Liberator Aide beeped. All the rest of Regal's bracers started beeping too - and upon checking their displays, they all read the same thing.
Dead Ahead: Nebula Activity Confirmed - beta-level Gate (Portal).
- Likelihood of Primary Stronghold: 2%
- Likelihood of intraversal bulk-transport functions - 97%
- Na@utical re#$ona@nce - 8&%. Sh1p Ah@y.
Quote:Well, that was bracing!
Our heroes have located a portal connected to the ship that's been barraging the hell out of them, secreted within Nebula's Sabaody local command-post. However, in order to breach the perimeter they're going to have to deal with a whole bunch of corrupted pirates. Be aware, these are more than just unpleasant men with guns - some of them doubtless have gimmicks all their own.
You have nine days and up to 1200 words spread over up to two posts to deal with these scalliwags. Just remember - time is of the essence. It's only a matter of minutes before Nebula's battleship receives an updated firing-solution.