The One Worthy Of A Princess

[Veroe]

IC: Shannarrah

"What has happened to Arthur Mr. Freedom," She asked the Commander Zalvin, "I desired him here standing beside me so we can celebrate our victory together."

"He uh should be coming out momentarily" Commander Zalvin said gesturing at the ship as a younger teenager moved into her ship.

Shannarrah watched the young human male climb aboard her courier before turning back to Zalvin.

"His brother," Zalvin explained.

"I look forward to meeting him formally. Arthur Mr. Freedom is a fine warrior and should make you proud to be his Commander." Shannarrah stated.

He took a sheet of actual parchment and held it out for her, "If you can sign here princess. This is a formal diplomatic agreement stating that you are a friend of the people of earth and you will not act against its interest."

"Of course I would not," She said picking up the crude writing instrument and awkwardly scrawling her signature on the ancient style parchment paper.

"By signing this we enter a formal agreement for non combat against you and your species," Zalvin continued.

"I am glad," She stated, "May we walk together through the battlefields before us."

Zalvin nodded his head in response, "We have a diplomatic suite prepared for such occasions in the citadel that is free"

"I have learned of the odd bartering system on your planet," She told him, "I have brought enough of a supply of the element called gold you earthers value so much to pay for any needs I may have."

She looked back and was shocked to see an odd wheeled little chair with Arthur Mr. Freedom within it. She asked Zalvin, "What is that? Was he injured during the battle"

When Zalvin explained it to her she turned to see Arthur Mr. Freedom leaving. Frowning. He had made her believe in him. She felt like such a fool.

To Zalvin she stated, "Your people are strange. On Valaris his family would be taken to the mourning rock and he would take his own life to save his family the shame."

----------------X

Two weeks later

Shannarrah's diplomatic suite was large, larger than she alone required. The large bed in her 'bedroom' (why have an entire room dedicated just for sleeping-Earthers were strange) was too wide and had no sides to it. Her first night here she feared mightily she'd roll off of it in her sleep. Also there were strange loose sheets of fabrics on the top of the bed's mattress that had baffled her. It was only one of her new Earther friends that had explained to her that the purpose of 'blankets' was to cover oneself while they slumbered. Shannarrah thought these silly Earthers were far too obsessed with things covering their bodies. As if the lack of wearing clothing was something shameful or to be avoided at any cost.

Earthers were strange. Still things were going well save for one diplomatic crisis.

She had heard a new Earther term she had not learned the meaning of the other day. It was spoken by one of her new friends...Zalvin called them her diplomatic staff. The Earther female had said it low but Valarisian hearing was sharper than anyone of them had realized. So that night she had searched her information files for the definition of the word. The next morning she had immediately challenged the former new friend to a duel of honor proclaiming loudly: "You are a dishonorable lying Vereel! I am not a slut! I am extremely selective with whom I choose to mate with! Now answer my challenge to the death or retract your slander and depart from us with our contempt for such a shameful liar!"

She had not seen the lying 'Vereel' since. Zalvin called it defusing a tricky diplomatic sticking point. The lying 'Vereel' was now stationed somewhere called Entartecka....Antartecka...Antartica...wherever the woman went she hoped it would be miserable for the liar.

This morning she was out on the balcony floating out above the ground glorying in and soaking up the warm sunlight of Earth's single yellow sun to fuel her powers. She saw several male Earthers were in the adjoining balconies watching her. She greeted them all warmly in the traditional Earther greeting, "Good morning, my new friends."

There was a knock at her door and to a chorus of disappointed groans from her new friends watching her she set back down onto her balcony and called, "Enter and be welcome as a friend in my home."

The door opened and she gasped out seeing who it was. "Arthur Mr. Freedom."

He was in the wheeled contraption. The abomination that gave a shameful invalid a pathetic modicum of mobility.

"To what purpose did you come here this morning," She asked him trying her best not to have another diplomatic sticking point towards him.

She had not realized she was still unclothed from her morning soaking in of the sun's rays.

 

[EroticLiteracy]

“You wanted to see me sir?”

Arthur wheeled himself into the expansive office the Commander used at the citadel. It was at the very top of the tower and outside of its lush carpet and comfortable chairs it also sported the loveliest view of Manhattan there was. The glittering high tech city that never slept was still recovering from the events of two weeks ago. Not that you could see it from the view at least.

“Come on in Arthur” The Commander said glancing up form the mass of papers on his desk and beckoning the man in further. Arthur did so letting the automatic door close behind him and wheeling himself over to the desk.

“You asked to see me Commander?” Arthur asked stopping at the front of the desk.

“I did” Zavlin said leaning back and regarding the young would be soldier. He studied him for several seconds before speaking.

“The U.N was pleased with your performance” The Commander explained “And so was I. For someone with little training time you quickly reacted and handled the situation. I don’t give praise that isn’t deserving so trust me when I say you did good work kid.”

“Uh thanks” Arthur said blushing slightly and clearing his throat “I know you didn’t just bring me up for that though”

“No I didn’t” He said laughing “Given what happened the U.N has decided to give the EDC the go ahead to assemble a team of operatives for missions protecting the earth and safe guarding it. I want you to be on that team”

“A Team?” Arthur said his eyes widening in surprise “A superhero team?”

“More or less” Zavlin said the corners of his mouth lifting up into a faint smirk “We haven’t had something like that in sometime not since the early days of the EDC. Ultra-Man has agreed to train and work with you and a few others as part of this team.”

“Ultra-Man?” Arthur said his excitement growing “The worlds greatest hero?”

“Please don’t say that to him” A voice said from behind Arthur “The man already has enough of a inflated ego”

“Ah there you are” Zavlin said as Arthur turned his head and watched an older man step into the room.

Arthur studied the new comer. He was an older man with a long flowing man of black and gray hair. His skin was tan and leathered stretching over surprisingly taunt skin for a man his age. The clothing he wore was non-descript a simple olive colored T shirt, a brown coat, and jeans. The most interesting thing about him were the scars three long diagonal slashes that went across the left side of his face.

“Arthur I’d like you to meet Tom Roth” Zavlin said as the man came over and grasped Arthur hand in a firm shake “You should know him as the Shadow”

Arthur cocked his head in confusion for several seconds. His eyes widened as he connected the name and his hand dropped as Tom struggled to hold back his smile.

“You’re The Shadow?!” Arthur said his mouth hanging open slightly “The dark guardian of Metro City? The man who destroyed Intergang?! The man who once saved the entire east coast from a monsoon caused by Mr. Twister?!”

“Well I didn’t do all those things alone” Tom said chuckling “but yeah that’s me! And what about you! The savior of earth, right?”

“I don’t know about that sir” Arthur said clearing his throat and blushing “I did what any one of us would do”

“That’s debatable” Tom said shaking his head “But I figured you might be humble. Commander would you like to continue?”

“Sure” Zavlin said catching Arthurs attention. Tom moved around the desk coming to stand next to Zavlin as he began to speak.

“The team is going to work under Ultra Man and The Shadow” Zavlin explained “You and four others will compose the main team for now. There are a few gifted individuals we have recruited beside you that I are eager to get into the field. You and your partner are the ones with the most experience and so I expect you to show them the ropes.”

“My partner?” Arthur said confused “You mean Zachary?”

“No” Zavlin said hesitating “That’s not who I meant”

Arthur shot him another confused look. It took him longer to get this one but when he did his eyes narrowed in anger. He backed up growling at the thought as Zavlin hurriedly put his hand up.

“Son-“

“Don’t son me!” Arthur hissed “You were the one who told me what she said!”

“Because I didn’t want you to be surprised!” Zavlin barked crossing his arms “Not because I didn’t want you two to work together again”

“Why would I want to work with someone who thinks I should have died the minute I became a cripple” Arthur argued “She isn’t going to want to work with me! And even if she did she is going to baby me”

“If I may” Tom said butting in “Arthur are you the kind of man to let anyone baby you?”

“No” Arthur said faltering “I’m not”

“Good” Tom said grinning “Then you prove yourself like I once did.”

“She’s here on diplomatic business” Zavlin explained “And is an important asset. You two also work well together even if that was before she knew. I have no worries that you two will make it work”

Arthur huffed in response and leaned back. He thought once more of the alien princess who he fought with two weeks ago. He would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about her in the last two weeks. The hurt of hearing what she thought of him now that she knew hurt him more than he cared to admit. Of course, they weren’t ever going to be together (even though she was naked and on top of him) but to hear her so casually lose interest in him just based on his condition hurt his heart.

“Fine” Arthur finally said looking at the two “When do we start?”

“Tomorrow” Commander Zavlin said “but I would like you to go tell her tonight”

“Why?!” Arthur said his eyes widening “Can’t you tell her?”

“If you two are going to be partners then why not start now” Commander Zavlin asked.

“That’s his way of subtle commanding you to do it” Tom said piping up “I’ll see you tomorrow Arthur your brother and I have a few surprises for you”

“Looking forward to it” Arthur said smiling despite his reservation at the idea of partnering with her. He shook both of their hands once more and then backed up leaving the office and steeling himself for the challenge that lay before him. The elevator ride to her suite was spent calming his nerves and trying to let the anger he felt over her words wash away. By the time he reached the door to her suite he was significantly calmer about the whole situation. He decided to check his anger at the door and focus instead on the technical aspects.

He knocked on the door. Seconds later her delicious voice floated through beckoning him in and he tried to resist the shiver that ran down his spine.

“You can do this” He said taking a deep breath and opening the door. He wheeled himself in looking around at the opulent suite. His eyes fell on her just as she spoke realizing she was naked and blushing slightly.

“Don’t react to it” He thought to himself “It isn’t nothing special”

That was a lie but he refused to turn his head away. Doing that would be admitting some form of weakness and he would NEVER do that in front of her now that he knew. So instead he ran his eyes up her body before looking her straight in the eye.

“The commander in his infinite wisdom has decided to put a team together” Arthur explained “This team is going to operate and help safe guard the earth. The commander is formally inviting you to the team which will consists of two trainers and four members of the team.”

He hesitated wondering if he should tell her that he was going to be on the team and her partner. He decided not to partly to get her “back” for what she said and also to surprise her tomorrow.

“The team begins training tomorrow” Arthur said “Will you be there?”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Shannarrah

"To what purpose did you come here this morning," She asked him trying her best not to have another diplomatic sticking point towards him.

She had not realized she was still unclothed from her morning soaking in of the sun's rays.

“The commander in his infinite wisdom has decided to put a team together” Arthur explained “This team is going to operate and help safe guard the earth. The commander is formally inviting you to the team which will consists of two trainers and four members of the team.”

"Me," She asked a little shocked. "I would be honored to fight alongside the warriors of Earth. Especially if they were anywhere as great a group of warriors as you-"

She stopped in mid-compliment feeling awkward looking at him now, infirmed, weak, an unfortunate accident of fate that should have been rectified long ago-with his death. What she knew of this man in the armor and what she was raised to believe of this man unable to move outside of it could not coexist within the same person. He was the greatest warrior this world had to offer, and he was too weak to live. The contradiction of the two assumptions clashed within her. One had to be false, but which one?

"Will you be among this team," She asked stepping through the balcony doors but keeping a distance from him.

In answer he simply stated, “The team begins training tomorrow. Will you be there?”

"Of course," She lifted off and floated over to the kitchen. "Allow me to offer you participation in the morning ritual of sharing the drink you Earthers call Kah-Phi."

------------------------X

Citadel Garage Level 1

Howard Burwell was a simple guard in the citadel. He had called in sick with the flu that morning but paradoxically showed up that morning for his usual shift. A fact Tyson Dansen a coworker of his as he approached his usual station at the security station at the parking garage's entrance noticed.

"Hey Howie," Tyson asked, "You feeling better already?"

"Yes all better now," He told him in the perfect simulation of the real Howard Burwell's voice. He stepped inside pulled a pistol he was not authorized to have. It had a silencer attached to it. He pointed it at Tyson's head and pulled the trigger.

Tyson's body fell to the floor as Howard Burwell sat at the security console within the guard booth. While Howard barely knew enough about computers to send an E-mail he had his fingers flying over the keyboard and raising the entrance's security gate and lowering its automatic defensive systems in a matter of seconds. On cue Six unmarked trucks pulled in through the entrance.

Leaving the security station the person impersonating Howard Burwell lowered the advanced lifelike holographic projection shroud revealing a slim and petite woman clad head to toe in a black bodysuit studded with the holographic projector net.

Masquerade walked up to the last truck as the back door raised open. Soldiers dressed as Citadel tactical strike commandos and armed to bear. That was another disguise none of these men worked for the EDCC, as was this mission's leader. He was not dressed in a disguise as a EDCC flunkie. No this man's days as a flunkie were long past him. It was one of the reasons Masquerade liked working for him among other fringe benefits such as the choice and exciting work for an operative of her particular skillset-oh and the considerable amounts he paid on her paychecks didn't hurt either.

She nodded to him as he climbed down, "First objective accomplished. Moving on to secondary objective now."

She turned becoming Latoya Musgrave computer technician for the security station within the detention sub-level underneath the citadel. She walked up the elevator and pushed the down button whistling a tune the real Latoya was known to whistle upon occasion.

Masquerade did so enjoy doing her job.

 

[EroticLiteracy]

The last thing Arthur expected was to be sitting here talking to a nude Shannarah. After having heard what she thought of him his plan was to stay as far away from her as possible unless they were needed.

This was the opposite of that.

He felt foolish being around such naked perfection who thought so little of him. Arthur wasn’t one to feel self-conscious even after the accident. He was in a wheelchair and that was just that. Sure people were going to treat him different but he could handle that.

Then she came along barreling into his life and bringing adventure and purpose. It didn’t hurt she was a knockout a stunning warrior who he fought alongside. He wasn’t such a fool to think that meant they were going to sail off into the sunset together. He just thought it meant they could be friends.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he almost missed the compliment. He blinked his eyes wide at it and its implication. She thought he was a great warrior? No that couldn’t be right not based on what she said to the commander…..

Before he could say anything on it she floated up and offered him coffee. She didn’t make any attempt to get dressed and Arthur hurriedly cast his eyes down as her womanly body was on display. What was this? How could she say the things she said and then act in such a way? Was it out of pity?

Or something more?

“Uh I suppose I can have some” Arthur said wheeling himself after her “And its pronounced Coffee… Here allow me”

He moved towards the kitchen inside of the suite and busied himself preparing the coffee machine. His nerves got the better of him halfway through and he began to talk.

“My parents were heavy coffee drinkers” He explained “My brother and I used to say the house wasn’t properly awake until mom and dad got their cup of jo in… that’s another word for coffee. I learned how to make it to help them out. Pop and Ma were pretty busy in the morning and I wanted to help them as best I could. I even learned how to make coffee the right way! They say the perfect bean paired with the right amount of time is the way to go….”

He finished and hit the button before turning back to her.

“And yes I will be there” Arthur said deciding that being coy wasn’t the diplomatic way to go.

“Apparently the commander thinks we should be partners” He explained moving forward.

............................................

Meanwhile

Two Floors Down

“Something feels off”

Tom glanced at the commander admiring the way his naked muscular shoulders curved towards his neck. The super hero inventor reached out running one strong calloused hand down his lovers back as he slid out of the commander’s bed.

“What do you mean?” Tom asked his naked cock swinging as he walked over to the security computers built into the commander’s suite.

“I mean something is up” The Commander grunted getting out of bed himself and grabbing his pants “Call it intuition or an old man being overly paranoid but I can feel it in my bones”

“Okay” Tom said activating the console and scanning the security feeds “What do you want to do?”

“Go ahead and put the base on level two alert” Zavlin said pulling on the rest of his uniform “And have Shannarah and Arthur check it out”

“Calling them now baby” Tom called out reaching for the EDC communicator that was standard issue.

………………………………………………

Before she could say anything more Arthur COM burst to life.

“Mr. Freedom are you there?” Tom voice called out crackling to life as Arthur brought the communicator up to his hear.

“Reading you sir” Arthur said his voice all business “What’s up?”

“Commander has a funny feeling in his gut” Tom explained “Thinks something might be up. Its nothing more than intuition right now…. Care to take your new partner and clear the building?”

“Uh” Arthur said glancing over at her “We’ll do it. Any place I should clear first?”

“Anywhere security is at its weakest” Tom remarked “Garage and the hanger bays are the two prime suspects. I don’t think you need to suit up at least not until we actually find something”

“I’ll grab a gun then” Arthur remarked “Mr. Freedom out”

He shut the communicator off and turned to his new “partner”.

“Where to first?” He asked her raising an eyebrow.

.........................................................................

MEANWHILE

The team moved as one their guns up and ready as they moved deeper into the Citadel. Every once in a while they would stumble upon a lone EDC agent and would quickly take them out before they could raise the alarm. Those bodies were quickly grabbed and pulled into shadowy alcoves or storage rooms where they wouldn’t be found.

Leading the charge was a man in high tech armor. It was entirely matte black saved for several glowing green tubes that crisscrossed around his body. An assortment of weaponry hung on his body wicked knives as well as high tech looking guns. Fingerless gloves left his large fingers bare the only hint of skin his armor showed. A helmet hid his facial features a mirrored facial plate and a trio of red stripes that ran down each side.

“We keep moving” The lead man said as they stopped at a four-way corridor. He glanced at the corridors seemingly consulting something on his HUD before he pointed at one of the corridors. The team began to move again continuing their infiltration and path towards the detention facility.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Shannarrah

"Of course," She lifted off and floated over to the kitchen. "Allow me to offer you participation in the morning ritual of sharing the drink you Earthers call Kah-Phi."

She had noticed the way he had looked at her and was puzzled by it. The male Earthers on the balconies around hers watching her absorb the solar radiation from the morning sun earlier were giving him much the same looks, but Arthur Mr. Freedom's was different somehow. She couldn't identify it. The others could look and it didn't effect her in the slightest. But Arthur...was different...he looked and it made her feel...something difficult for her to describe.

It was very disconcerting to her.

Earthers had silly and often utterly ridiculous notions towards decency. Much like their insane obsession with covering their bodies with clothing all the time.

“Uh I suppose I can have some” Arthur said wheeling himself after her “And its pronounced Coffee… Here allow me”

"What...that's what I said Kah-phee...correct?" She said fumbling with the confounding alien device's operation. How was this thing supposed to work again?

Mercifully he took over saying conversationally, “My parents were heavy coffee drinkers. My brother and I used to say the house wasn’t properly awake until mom and dad got their cup of jo in…"

Her eyes widened at that. Why would these people drink nectar from someone named Joe? Were they actually more savage than her files indicated as she came here.

"That’s another word for coffee. I learned how to make it to help them out. Pop and Ma were pretty busy in the morning and I wanted to help them as best I could. I even learned how to make coffee the right way! They say the perfect bean paired with the right amount of time is the way to go….”

They were side by side, and despite the obvious fact that this man was shamefully crippled she was oddly at ease with his proximity. Shannarrah even caught herself thinking of Arthur Mr. Freedom as an actual whole person once again.

“And yes I will be there," He confirmed for her, “Apparently the commander thinks we should be partners.”

Her eyes widened once again, "Partners? You and me? I don't-"

She didn't get to finish her words as Arthur's communication device chimed and he pulled it out. He talked with someone on the other end about checking things out inside the citadel.

At the end he turned to look at her, “Where to first?”

"Where to," She shook her head-something she had seen many Earthers do when negating something, "Arthur Mr. Freedom we are not partners. outside of your armor you are...well..." She pointed to his legs in the wheeled contraption.

That said she lifted off grabbing her belt buckle and rematerializing her armor over her body. "I will go and see if your commander's indigestion is correct. You stay here where it is safe."

She flew out of the balcony and down the building on her own away from the strange earthman that made her feel...like...like...she should not feel the way she felt towards him.

---------------------------------------------X

IC: Juan Pablo Nunez (Pariah)

Juan Pablo didn't like this place. He was among the men following his true amigo. He didn't like the helmet his amigo had told him to wear, or the gloves or the big bullet proof vest. He didn't want to be here in this place, but his amigo had asked him to come with him on his mission.

His shoulders hunched up and he kept his arm tight against his body as his hands wrung over each other nervously. He didn't like this place. It was full of people who would want to hurt him or lock him in a cell. It was full of wireless networks, or even the electromagnetic fields of the powerlines in the walls reaching out for him.

No, he didn't like this place. He wanted to be back in his little room, sitting in his corner safe from a world determined to get him.

His amigo turned to him speaking flawless Spanish. He wanted him to use his power to talk to the central computer of this place. He shook his head trying to explain to his amigo that he did not like to use his powers, but his true amigo insisted.

So with a resigned nod he said, "Si, mi amigo."

He reached out his senses finding the wireless network that connected to the central computer. Green ones and zeroes flashing through his eyes. It was a matter of a few seconds before he had convinced his new amigo the central computer of the EDC citadel to do everything his true amigo wanted it to do.

It did not relay the frantic calls for reinforcement the gaurds of the medical lab his true amigo wanted into. He told the central computer to not allow even authorized pass holders entry into this level. He told the central computer to disregard the attempts to activate the alarms and alert anyone else in the building what was happening.

His true amigo left to join the battle, and Pariah slid to the floor pressing hands over his ears. He did not like loud noises like gunfire or the agonized screams of people being shot or stabbed. He did not like this place. Pariah wanted to be back in his little room where his true amigo would keep him safe from a world determined to kill him or hurt him or lock him up.

He did not like this place at all.

---------------------X

IC: Helena Davis (Lady Justice)

Helena was a doctor now, the lead medical researcher of this particular lab in the EDC citadel. Once a long lifetime ago she was once the superheroine called Lady Justice and had been very proud to work alongside the Shadow. Now she was a ruined wreck leaning on crutches to get around on wobbly weak legs.

Her lab was under attack, and her security team was valiantly trying to hold them at the lobby of the lab. Peaking around the bend in the hall she saw him...the man that had hurt her so bad so many years ago.

She had considered herself brave back then, but now she stood there frozen trembling from the memories of the pain. Her bladder emptied itself staining her pants.

No one had ever hurt her so bad before or since as that man had. Sure her bones healed and the scars and bruises faded. The facial reconstructure surgery had given back her face, and after a few years of physical therapy she had regained feeling and motion in her legs. It was not enough to allow her to run and jump and kick like she had during her time as Lady Justice but enough to get around and have some semblance of life with the use of these crutches on either arm.

Finally she moved. Her security men were good but they had handguns against machine guns. She hobbled down the hall. There was little time for her to do this. Commander Zalvin had given her clear contingencies when she took this position, and under her judgment this was the worst case contingency. In her office she pulled the syringe of a drug that would kill the woman this lab was solely dedicated to study and to keep the world safe from.

She hobbled into the examination room. The woman, Mercy Trevereaux, Black Mercy as she was known to the world was a telepath so powerful and so dangerous she was under permanent sedation as the EDC worked out ways to weaken or cure her from her extreme powers.

Helena hobbled over to the bed syringe in her teeth, but then the door kicked in and he was there pointing a machine gun at her.

When he had left her that night he had betrayed them all she had been beaten within an inch of her life. Would he finish the job now and take that last inch she'd been living in all these years?

Syringe in hand ready to stick Black Mercy, his one true love-since it clearly had never been her. All Helena would need was one minute of distraction. Maybe she could gain some measure of payback.

"Hello James," She said desperately hoping she could keep her voice from quavering with the terror she was feeling about being in the same room with him once again, "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

 

[EroticLiteracy]

“Something is very wrong”

The commander burst into the war room his boots laced and his patented growl back on his face. Any hint that the commander of the EDC being in a compromising position was gone. Tom trailed in behind him his black spandex costume on and the cowl down to show his worried face.

“My security measures aren’t picking up anything so far” Tom said checking the holographic display on his gauntlet before bringing his finger to the COM bud in his ear “Arthur whats your status?”

There was silence for a few minutes before the line crackled to life.

“I’m heading down into the lower levels now” Arthur said his voice strangely tight “My “partner” is going to clear the airspace”

“Is something wrong?” Tom asked frowning and glancing at Zavlin.

“Negative” Arthur said his voice still tight “I’ll let you know if I find anything”

The line cut and after a few minutes Tom shrugged. The two men moved over to the center of the war room exchanging salutes with the EDC agents stationed on watch.

“Report” Zavlin said his tone all business.

“Everything on our ends been quiet sir” The agent on watch said his tone a little perplexed.

“Run a security check” Zavlin said shaking his head “All floors need to check in now”

“Yes sir!” The agent on watch said snapping a crisp salute and turning to direct the men and woman manning the high-powered security banks affixed to the walls of the war room. They went to work immediately accessing the powerful and thorough security measures and checks in designed to make sure the Citadel was secure.

Or at least they tried.

Immediately the computers began to flash and red warning lights appeared. Diagnostic reports began to pop up over the 3D representation of the Citadel in the center of the room. The threat level rose with each red flash ramping up the highest possible danger in a matter of seconds.

“Sir” The watchmen said his tone falter “The system…. It’s locking us out!”

“That’s impossible” Tom said moving forward “I designed that system myself! Its got the best crypto security money can buy!”

“And someone beat it” Zavlin said his tone all business as he reached over and pressed his thumb against a small screen affixed to the holotable. There was a slight green light as the system scanned the thumbprint before giving a soft beep of confirmation. A button to the left of the scanner popped out flashing an ominous red.

“What was that?” Tom said his tone confused “I don’t remember installing that”

“If you think I don’t have a contingency even for YOU’RE toys than you’re a fool” Zavlin said chuckling softly “This is as basic as you can get unhackable a dead man’s switch it will buy us time to get the system back under control and figure out what’s going on. I need you to go get the recruits and Ultra Man if he can be bothered to get involved”

“You got it commander” Tom said grasping the hood of his cloak and pulling it over his face. He moved to the door sharing one last warm nod with the commander before disappearing out the door.

“Alright” Zavlin said turning back to the red button “Lets see if my big old off button works”

He reached out pushing the button down with his thumb. The effect on the citadel was immediate as everything electronic deactivated in a matter of seconds. Mini explosives inside of the wall detonated in key positions severing network cables and cutting the nerves that made up the Citadels highly advanced network. The final stage involved similar explosions this time built into the hydraulics of the door and turning each and everyone into heavy blast doors.

“Have our agents bust out the contingency radios” Zavlin said turning to his men “They’re to go to their assigned squad’s and start clearing the floor one by one”

“Yes commander!” The Watchman said snapping off a crisp salute before turning to the assembled agents. The commander watched his men for a few seconds a sense of pride crossing his eyes before he turned his attention back to the matter at hand. He moved to the door pausing long enough to grab one of the EDC issued shotguns contained in the gun racks.

“Let’s go get our home back” Zavlin growled feeding the shells into the shotgun and chambering them with one smooth pump.

……………………………………………………………..
James (Deathshead)

The lab was plunged into darkness instantly. The one patient that was contained and studied in the lab was instantly connected to a simple life support system. The members of the mercenary group stiffened and a few of the greener members raised their guns in hesitation.

“Everything is proceeding according to schedule” The lead man said now defined as James. He turned from Helena still not having said anything to the doctor who once meant something to him. The wrap around helmet he wore hid his face and by extension his emotions.

The one-time apprentice turned evil mercenary James cocked his head to the side. He seemed to study his group for a few seconds before he finally walked over. For anyone not a part of the group it would seem he choose one of his group at random.

“Hi there” He said his tone dropping to a whisper “Todo va a estar bien. Pronto habremos terminado.”
He waited for the man to nod in confirmation before turning back to the doctor.

“Get your patient prepped to be moved Doctor Davis” James said nodding his head at the stasis pod affixed to the wall “If you refuse my men will start gunning down your assistants”

He waited for her to nod her head in agreement and then turned back to the door leading out. He gave it a quick glance over running his gloved hand on the door before chuckling. He gestured for his men to come over before pressing down on a panel to the side. It clicked and a lever pulled out which he began to crank.

“An old fail safe the EDC used back in the day” James explained continuing to crank it. The sound of metal grinding against metal rang out through the lab as the door slowly began to open.

“We’re going to have to open each door by hand” He remarked as the door opened up ide enough for the men to get through “but so will the EDC those fools only made our escape easier”

“Doctor I hope you are ready” James called out as his men flooded into the next room.

“we’re leaving”

……………………………………………………………

He stood there like a fool watching his “partner” disappear after disregarding him. His hands trembled shaking at the injustice of being benched by her in such a way. He stayed where he was trying to process what just happened and how it made him feel.

“Arthur what’s your status?”

The young man startled the voice in his ear rousing himself from his inner turmoil. He brought his hand up activating his COM as he used his free hand to leave the diplomatic suite.

“I’m heading down to the lower levels now” Arthur said continuing to push himself down the hallway and dodging EDC soldiers and agents hurrying to their stations.

“My partner is going to clear the airspace” Arthur said pausing in the floors armory to grab a EDC standard pistol. He hesitated on the shotgun for a second before grabbing that to and holstering it over his shoulder.

“Is something wrong?” Tom asked over the COM his voice curious and worried.

Arthur hesitated hallway to the elevators leading down into the lower levels. Was he okay? He couldn’t say for sure one way or the other. Whatever hurt he was feeling about it though would have to wait.

“Negative” He said trying to keep the anger out of his voice “I’ll let you know if I have anything”

He cut the COM off and reached out to call for the elevator. In a matter of second the express elevators doors opened granting him access. He wheeled himself in and turned reaching out to press the button for the labs his armor was held in. He hesitated however remembering her words.

"Arthur Mr. Freedom we are not partners. outside of your armor you are...well..."

“Well what am I?” Arthur growled his eyes narrowing as he thought about it. If he got the armor it was going to reaffirm to her that he needed it.

That it was a handicap.

“I can do this” Arthur said his eyes narrowing “I don’t need the armor”

He brought his hand down and pressed the button for the lower labs. The elevator closed and began to descend dropping several floors in a matter of second as the high-speed engine took over. He was halfway through when everything went black and the elevator grinded to a halt.

“Shit” Arthur growled fear creeping into the back of his mind. If everything was down then that meant the security check was more than a check.

There was actually something going on.

“I could stay in here” Arthur said frowning “Or try to get to the armor”

The idea of getting back to the armor was tempting but he wasn’t sure. The longer he waited the more people could potentially die. If the breach was happening in the lower levels he would be responsible.

“Shit” Arthur finally said. He wheeled himself over to the door grabbing the emergency crowbar and fitting it into the seam of the door.

“Come on you asshole” Arthur growled his biceps bulging as he pushed against the door. After several minutes it finally opened up granting him access to the corridor.

He entered the hallway slowly his gun leveled up. As part of his training in the EDC he was given basic firearm training. Once the corridor was clear he placed the gun back onto his lap and continued down the hall.

“This is ridiculous” He murmured to himself “Maybe she’s right”

He scowled at that train of thought. He had already done the whole despair thing back when the accident first happened. It took him a solid six months to get out of the funk and once he did he vowed to never go back.

Not even for a girl.

He reached the end of the hall and swore as he saw the security door. There was no way he was going to be able to open that not without some serious help.

“There’s got to be another way” He murmured to himself. He scanned the room for several seconds before finding a small hatch in the corner.

“There you are!” He said smirking in pleasure. He wheeled himself over grasping the handle and pulling it with one firm yank. A blast of fresh air hit him and he studied the maintenance shaft for several seconds.

“I can take this all the way down” Arthur said to himself “But good-bye wheelchair”

He sighed and pulled himself out of the chair and to the edge of the grate. Manipulating himself into the shaft was easy and he began to bring himself down into the depths of the Citadel.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Masquerade

Latoya Musgrave sat into the seat at the control center littered with bodies feeding growing pools of blood of the room. She lifted her emptied and silenced pistol's clip. The holo-shroud failed and Masquerade swore.

She'd gotten sloppy. She had taken out eight but missed the head shot that would have taken out that last control tech. He'd managed to pull a gun and fire it at her before she'd put her last bullet between his eyes.

Fuck! It hurt. Masquerade's hand clung to her side where the bullet wound was slowly draining her of life. The wound was shallow, just a graze, but she was bleeding pretty bad, and it hurt like a mother fucker.

Sloppy, amateurish, rookie mistake. She deserved to die here if she allowed some punk computer nerd take her down like this. Deathshead would rightfully kick her ass for making such a braindead mistake that could threaten the rest of her mission here.

She needed medical attention and soon.

But she still had an objective to accomplish here. Fingers flew one handed over the controls. There....

..."Second objective complete"....

She smiled, at least she made her mission a success before the end.

-------------------X

IC: Sahir Kapoor (Gatekeeper)

In the sub-levels of the citadel was the hole, a supermax prison especially equipped to contain the worst supervillains. In one cell at the end of the hall Sahir sat crosslegged on the floor. His chakras were aligned and his senses drifted out as he meditated. He had little to do here but master his meditations. He was not contained within this cell. He was one with it. He was one with the world outside.

The time spent within this prison was helpful to him, so he was thankful for his incarceration. It made an angry volatile young man, into the focused master of himself that sat here today.

Then the control collar that kept his power in check deactivated. So too did the door to his cell click open. Someone from the organization was finally setting about freeing him. It was a forgotten dream from the early days of his sentence here in the hole, but a welcome reality now.

Two gaurds scampered to the cell turning to regard him.

"What's going on," One asked.

"It seems I have an early parole," Gatekeeper replied without bothering to open his eyes to look at them.

"You know protocol," The other told the first guard, "The lights on those collars go out we neutralize all the prisoners on the red list. They're all too dangerous to risk getting out."

The two gaurds pulled weapons from their belts and made to step inside his cell.

Gatekeeper frowned opening a portal a millimeter above the floor of his cell before where he sat stretching from wall to wall. Through the portal was clear blue sky and a lazy cumulus cloud meandering past and the ground far far far below. the first guard fell through bellowing his terror as he plummeted hundreds of miles directly above Manhattan. The other managed to catch himself by grabbing onto the bars of his cell so he hung dangling over the long drop and his arms desperately straining to pull himself up.

It was then Gatekeeper opened his eyes waiting as the guard's head lifted over the portal. "Fear limits us all. I have embraced my fear and surpassed all limits upon myself."

"Please I have a family....a wife and a little girl and a baby on the way...please...don't do this..." Over the guard's shoulder he stared in terror back to him.

"So did I," He told him then Gatekeeper closed the portal bisecting him. Hundreds of miles above plummeted his lower half at terminal velocity following after his still screaming partner for the inevitable messy splatter on the streets of the big apple.

Sahir got to his feet and smiled. "I suppose I should meet my rescuers."

Another portal opened before him and he stepped through it casting the collar that had for so so long leashed him like a meek little dog to the floor behind him. Time the world learned to fear Gatekeeper's bark once more.

----------------------X

IC: Juan Pablo Nunez (Pariah)

Pariah didn't like this place, not at all. It was too dark, and smelled like a hospital, and that reminded him of the doctors and...the cutting and poking and probing...

No he did not like this place at all. He followed the others hands wringing and hunched over and finally came to his true Amigo when all he wanted was to find a quiet corner somewhere and hide from all the bad men who wanted to hurt him...like the doctors.

But his true amigo needed him so he came. Upon seeing him he said, “Todo va a estar bien. Pronto habremos terminado.”

In response Pariah said, "No me gusta este lugar mi amigo. Me recuerda a los malos doctors que me lastimaron. No me gusta este lugar."

--------------------X

IC: Helena Davis (Lady Justice)

"Hello James," She said desperately hoping she could keep her voice from quavering with the terror she was feeling about being in the same room with him once again, "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

“Hi there” He said his tone dropping to a whisper.

He turned and spoke with his goon squad of mercenaries before turning back to her. “Get your patient prepped to be moved Doctor Davis.If you refuse my men will start gunning down your assistants”

"Do not hurt them. They have nothing to do with this. You have no reason to threaten them." She said but nodding hiding the syringe of poison in her labcoat.

She set about doing as he said, but waiting for the moment he could not lash out on anyone else when she neutralized Black Mercy from ever threatening the world again.

---------------------------------------------X

IC: Shannarrah

She flew out of the balcony and down the building on her own away from the strange earthman that made her feel...like...like...she should not feel the way she felt towards him.

Using the sensor in her left gauntlet to scan the interior of the citadel and located several signatures of primitive projectile weapons being fired. It seemed the Commander's unruly intestines knew something after all. She wondered if all Earthers had precognitive powers in their stomachs or was it unique to Commander Zavlin.

She blasted through one of the windows to an office and stepped inside. There was a door and she heard gunfire on the other side. She did not see any knob or handle or anything the Earther's used to open doors. How did one open this one. She beat her fist against it, and it seemed strong and solid.

In frustration she blasted in a tight beam cutting through the metal in a circle that she stepped through. There, problem solved.

Now to find Commander Zavlin's intruders and show them how a Valarisian warrior dealt with troublemakers.

 

[EroticLiteracy]

Commander Zalvin


“Commander we have confirmation of intruders in the lower levels!”

The commander of the EDC growled in response. He and his team were mobile now moving as a squad through the upper most areas of the citadel. The confirmation made a small smile appear on his face but otherwise he didn’t react to it.

“Who is it?” Zavlin asked as Tom moved ahead of them and scouted the perimeter.

“Verifying now” The Watchman said holding the radio receiver to his ear. A few seconds later it dropped and he shot Tom a weird look.

“It’s Deathshead sir”

Zavlin noticed the way his lovers back stiffened at the mention of his rogue apprentice. Tom would never say anything about him which to a world class spy like Zavlin meant it was firmly in the unfinished business thread. So far he hadn’t pushed him for the story not in their relationship or has his commander.

That was going to have to change.

“Why would he be attacking now?” Zavlin asked as they reached the elevators. With a short chop of his hand Zavlin commanded two of his agents to get to work prying open the doors with crowbars.

Tom hesitated for a few seconds the only hint of turmoil in his eyes through his half moon mask. He finally spoke as they managed to open the elevator.

“Black Mercy” Tom said his tone tight as he pulled an orb out of his utility belt and threw it into the shaft. It bobbed in the air and began to glow lighting the shaft and showing them the way down.

“You’re old foe?” Zavlin said in surprise as his men began to rappel down using the black cable of the elevator.

“She became fixated on him” Tom explained crossing his arms “poisoned his mind. He is obsessed with her now. No doubt he is trying to get her out so they can be together”

“If Black Mercy gets out this world will be in unimaginable danger” Zavlin said a grimace on his face “It’s time to call in everything we have”

“I agree” Tom said jumping into the shaft and grasping the cable “But Bert”

“I want Deathshead”

…………………………………………………………

Deathshead

He stroked her pale cheek gently his eyes soft behind the plaststeel mask.

“Soon my love” He told her his voice still digitally altered “Only a few minutes more”

He gave her cheek one last stroke before turning back to his men. He assessed them all reading their faces to see which ones were afraid versus the ones eager for a fight. With a deft series of orders he regrouped them putting the ones the most scared at the front.

They would either find courage

Or they would give in to fear and die

Pariah was the one exception. Even though the young super disgusted him he was to valuable to lose that special link with. Of all the members of their group he was the one with the most possibilities, the most raw power.

It was to bad he was so weak.

He did take the time to placate the young man with a nod of his head and a quick shoulder squeeze. He knew he was hte only thing keeping the man calm and couldn't have him go off rails this deep into the objective.

“We should be reaching the docks” Deathshead said to his troops “We will be the most exposed there every one stick to your roles and we should be fine”

He waited for them to voice their agreement and stepped towards the final door. He and his men quickly opened it trading the inner most labs for the salty bay of New York.

“Keep your guns trained on the technicians” Deathshead snapped directing his men to move out. He turned to the doctor once more appraising her.

“This will be over soon doctor” He said grasping her by her arm and pulling her away from Black Mercy “If you do well you might even make it out of this alive!”

And with that he marched her out and onto the gang walks that criss crossed the Citadels loading docks.

……………………………………………………………………

Zachary

“Zachary are you there?”

The prodigy pre-teen poked his head out of the chassis of a half-assembled robot. His glasses were askew his face and shirt stained with questionable fluids and oil as he hurriedly brought his hand up to his ear bud.

“What’s going on Mister Shadow?” Zachary asked pushing himself up and out of the suit “Is my brother okay?”

“He’s going to need some backup” Tom said as the sound of gun fire rang out in the background “Is it ready?”

Zachary sighed and walked over to the bank of computers against the wall. His oil stained hands tapped across the keyboard as he accessed the powerful programs and abilities of the custom PC. He studied the screen squinting before hesitantly answering.

“I mean kind of…” Zachary remarked “There is still a host of test we need to run. It isn’t going to be gentle with him either.”

“At this point I think he would rather be alive then in some pain” Tom said as more gunfire erupted “Do it”

“I hope you’re right” Zachary remarked tapping a few keys and activating the program. From the far end of the lab a vault opened with an array of different suits. Parts began to spit out of the vault crashing around the lab before zooming through a grate.

“I hope this works” Zachary murmured going over to the hole and starring down into it.

…………………………………………….

The Docks

The men and woman of the EDC reacted quickly to the squad on the docks. By now there was a general understanding that something was wrong and that they were under some sort of danger. They relied on the drills the commander put them through and so when Deathshead and his men burst out of the labs they met a fortified position and the shiny energy guns of the EDC troops.

“Well boys” A man said striding boldly across the metal walkway and ignoring the troops currently shooting at him “Looks like we got some bad guys to take care of!”

The man had long hair and a equally flowing beard to match. He wore a simple blue and white vest that exposed his large muscular arms. The lower half of his body was clad in a tight form fitting black pair of pants with fins poking out close to his ankles.

His sky-blue eyes began to glow as he brought his large calloused hand up. The waters below began to churn going from a gentle tide to a crashing gnawing beast in a matter of seconds. Strange looking tattoos began to appear on the man’s arms pulsating with the same blue as he jerked his hand up.

The water below them exploded shooting straight up in a powerful wave. The faux EDC invaders manning the front line were blown back scattering and washing away into the sea below. There was another wave afterwards forcing the squad to move back as the EDC forces kept them pinned.

He readied another wave of water below. Before he could shoot it off however he was forced back as a fresh round of gunfire came at him from the side. The aqua wielder reacted quickly bringing up a wall of water to hold the bullets at bay.
Reinforcements were coming in the form of two powerful matte black ships. Twin auto canons positioned on the bow and the stern of the ship let loose as the enemy squad began to move forward once more.

“Shit” The aqua user shouted his cocky smile faltering “You would dare fight me on my home turf?”

He whirled into motion summoning aqua tendrils to strike out at the two ships. They continued to do battle as the EDC forces continued trying to keep the invaders from leaving on the ship.

………………………………………………………..

Deathshead

Deathshead watched the spectacle before him. The appearance of the water wielder was something he didn’t account on. He made a mental note to talk to his spies within the citadel when it was over and discipline them accordingly.

“We need to move” He growled reaching onto his back and pulling out a simple black handle. He toggled the switch and a bolt of pure crackling energy snaked out of the hilt. He cracked the energy whip experimentally testing its reach out before he grabbed the pistol on his chest and held it in his free hand.

“Alpha squad to Beta” Deathhead said connecting to the general COM line “We need to board”

There was crackling for a few second before a man laughed in his ear. The voice was instantly recognizable and sent a bold of annoyance through Deathshead.

“I’m battling the sea itself right now Lad!” Captain Terror shouted his voice boisterous and loud “You can’t stand a bit of a gunfight”

DeathsHead growled his distaste for the man breaking through his cool calculated exterior. He took his anger out on his opponents however slashing shooting and tearing through the EDC members keeping them at bay.

“At least release the dogs!” Deathshead growled as he shot a EDC member point blank and kicked them off of the walkway.

“Alright alright” Captain Terror sing songed spinning his boat around and darting through the flailing tendrils.

The boat swung wide its bow coming dangerously close to hitting the walkway. Twin vents opened up at the top spitting out two massive beasts that resembled some mutant abomination and not a dog. They were a sickly orange color and their snarling mouths revealed teeth bigger than their heads!

Deathshead whistled a low electronic whistle that they instantly reacted to. The genetically altered beast ran forward barreling right into the assembled EDC forces covering the aqua user. In a second the line was broken and screams called out as the dogs tore into them with ruthless abandon.

“To me!” Deathshead called out to his squad “Let’s go! And keep your guns trained on the hostages!”

“I think not!”

The voice that called out over the underside of the citadel was instantly recognizable. Anyone who was anyone would have heard it at some point in their lives. The voice was booming, confident, and ultimately arrogant.

Deathshead turned and watched as a streak shot into the water next to the boat on the left. Within a matter of seconds, the boat was lifted straight of the water and into the air. It hung there for a moment before a figure on the underside of the boat tossed it as if it was nothing more than a ball.

“Have no fear mortals!” The figure said his blue cape fluttering in the window as he puffed his chest out “Ultra man is here!”

Deathshead groaned more out of annoyance than real fear. That walking buffoon of a powerhouse presented a problem. The time frame was already dwindling down and there would only be more big guns coming. He needed to act.

And he needed to do it fast.

“Terror” Deathshead growled moving forward and disengaging his energy coil “I need you to get Black Mercy out now”

“Aye Alpha” The captain said his voice smug “Are you going to handle our two friends?”

“Yes” Deathshead said holstering his gun and bringing up his gauntlet. He began to type in a series of commands as he looked up at Ultra Man.

“Ultra-man!” He called out as loud as he could “The cabal will pay me great money to kill you”

“Kill me?” Ultra-Man said raising one perfect eyebrow as he floated down. The EDC jumpsuit he was wearing was an official version of old costume. The jump suit was bolded to his admitably impressive body. Every ab and pec was on display. His U styled crest gleamed on his chest and his hair was impeccable and expertly coifed.

“No one can kill me” Ultra Man chuckled unaware or simply not interested in the blue lines lighting up on Deathsheads armor “I don’t know who you are kid but you don’t know who you are dealing with”

“Trust me when I say I do” Deathshead said stepping forward “It’s you that doesn’t have a clue fool”

Ultra-man could have stopped the punch, he could have stopped it a thousand ways in the miliseconds it took Deathshead to swing.

But that would have meant thinking he was in any sort of danger.

Deathshead slugged him a wild punch that was more power than finesse. If anyone was watching in slow motion the look on Ultra-mans face would have been priceless as he took the full force of the punch. The cocky titan flew back his cape fluttering as he slammed directly into the far side of the citadel.

“Go now” Deathshead called out to his men as he strode forward. The unknown water wielder came at him next but was forced to back up as Deathshead tried to get close. The power suit would only work for ten minutes and if Ultra-man got even a hand on him it was over.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Masquerade and Gatekeeper

Masquerade sat in the chair. She'd managed to find a first aid kit in a locker in the far wall of the control room for the hole, super-prison underneath the EDC's citadel. She'd hastily made and applied a bandage, and had managed to staunch most of the bleeding. She had to get up. She would disappoint her boss, and Deathshead was not a man anyone with any sanity to their souls wanted to disappoint.

A portal formed in front of the door and through it stepped a man in a prison orange jumpsuit.

"You are not one of the guards," He said looking around at the dead bodies of the guards and techs she had shot inside the control room, "Are you from the organization?"

"We call it the Cabal now," Masquerade informed this man. Something about him niggled her memory. "Who are you by the way?"

"My name is Sahir Kapoor," He told her, "But the world knew me as the Gatekeeper."

"Gatekeeper..." She repeated, "...We thought you were dead."

"I was afraid the organiza-the Cabal is it-forgot about me," Gatekeeper muttered, "You were injured?"

"Yeah...stupid rookie mistake." She answered.

He nodded as five more portals opened up and five more people in orange prison jumpsuits stepped through. To her he stated, "These are some of the associates I made during my time here in the hole." He pointed to each one introducing them to her, "I introduce Sunstroke, Coldsnap, Windshear, Hardrock, and Armour."

He turned to the five prisoners. "We've spent our time killing the guards in the hole, but you all are still buried under a building filled with more guards and sanctimonious heroes. Join me and you can get some pay back on the one responsible for your incarceration, and then we shall escape this hole and make the world pay."

He looked to Masquerade, "Do you want to live."

She looked up at the older man and nodded, "I do."

"Then you work for me now."

A portal opened up under her and she and the chair she sat on fell through it and into an emergency ward of a hospital nearby.

He turned to his team, "Let's go get our payback on our jailer now."

----------------------X

IC: Helena Davis (Lady Justice)

Helena stumbled as her crutches slipped underneath her. All hell was breaking loose out here now. First Ultraman had shown up and was taken down almost comically. Now James was locked in a battle with Tommy Tsunami.

She didn't know the man but she had heard how full of himself he was, but he was good. Also he was causing enough of a distraction that it was giving her the best opportunity to use the syringe in her pocket to eliminate the threat an awakened Black Mercy would be to the world.

Over the wooden planks of the docks she dragged herself over to the stretcher the sedated woman lay upon. She had to do this quickly while James' attention was fixed on defeating the other hero.

She pulled out the syringe and readied to inject the poison into the side of Mercy's neck, right into the carotid artery.

---------------------------X

IC: Shannarrah

Shannarrah Cut her way through another wall. She entered a corridor lined with windows showing the outside of the building. Someone had crashed through those windows and the hallway's wall. He was a man in a tight uniform.

A handsome man and strong and virile looking man. The best candidate for a Gorjah she had seen among these people yet. She knew of this man. People spoke of him often as the greatest warrior Earth had to offer. She had seen pictures of him of course on the informational broadcasts the Earthers had called the news.

She leaned over Ultraman to see if he was still alive. "Hello, are you alright?"

-----------------------------X

IC: Gatekeeper

In the central control room of the citadel A portal opened up acorss the length of the floor showing blue sky and clouds rolling by. Far below was the island of Manhattan. Everyone and everything, all the techs and guards, all the chairs and tables fell through for the long long drop to the ground below. Then the portal closed and another opened up as six people in orange stepped through.

It seemed their target was not here. A final portal opened up on the ceiling and Commander Zalvin fell through to land hard on the floor.

"Commander," Gatekeeper told him as he sat up to look at the six of them, "We'd like to express our gratitude for our imprisonment for so long."

The other five members of his team stepped forward smiling with eager vengeance to communicate their gratitude to their warden.

 

[EroticLiteracy]

The syringe was halfway to her skin when a sudden intense flash of energy cleaved her hand to her wrist.

"Ah ah ah" A voice said with a thick briny accent.

A man strode forward the plasma canon on his arm warm with energy. The man was dressed like a pirate with black coveralls a red and white stripped shirt and a full on scruffy beard. He was missing one of his legs and it was replaced with a shiny technical looking peg.

"There'll be none of that!" The man said his one cyborg eye glowing. He hefted the plasma canon on his arm up again keeping it level on her as the members of the Cabal not engaged restrained her.

.......................................

Meanwhile

The man covered in the rubble rose to his feet. There was dust in his air and his perfectly coiffed hair was ridiculously turned to the left.

"He.... punched me" The man known as Ultra man said in a perfectly comically tone of disbelief.

"That..... fiend!" Ultra man shouted his bottom lip jutting "I can't believe he would hit ME ULTRA MAN"

He didn't even look at her more focused on his own wounded pride then the hot alien woman next to him. He moved towards the hole in the wall about to step out before his eyes widened in disbelief.

"What is THAT"

..........................................

Mr. Freedom

"Shit!"

He was falling through the vents unable to stop his fall even as his hands scrambled for some kind of hand hold. After crawling through the vents for the last thirty minutes he had all but given up hope of being able to actually do something about the situation. From his place in the vent he heard plenty of wounded agents and gun fires breaking out. He tried to help several of them but from his position he couldn't do anything more than watch.

And now here he was having taken one wrong turn to many. He desperately tried to stop himself but could only slow himself down. He saw the light down below and braced himself as he finally crashed through the vent.

He went from the dark stuffy vent to fresh air and salt water. He hit the deck seconds later causing his entire body to jar as the sound of battle reached him.

"Oh shit" He said as his eyes took in the battle all around him. He hurriedly swung his form getting onto his back in a matter of second and fishing out the EDC standard plasma pistol.

He sighed the nearest one a man in a high tech looking suit covered in growing lines. His first two shots slammed into the mans back causing him to stumble back. His next shot managed to sever one of the glowing cords. Liquid began to flow out splashing on the deck.

....................................

Deathshead

The shots hit him temporarily taking him out of his fight with Tommy Tsnumani. Before he could turn a third shot hit him severing one of the hydraulic fluids that temporarily granted him super strength.

"Damn it!" Deathshead growled turning and sighting a man laying on the floor. Without a second thought he turned drawing a energy sword out of a holster on his leg and advancing towards the man on the floor.

...........................................

Ultra man

"Why would a cripple do something like that!" Ultra man said in disgust "Doesn't he know he is making all of us look bad?!"

Before she could say anything about it he rocketed forward. He zoomed straight at deathshead tackling him and sending him crashing into the desk as the two tussled.

"Dogs!" The man known as Deathshead said "Kill that mongol on the floor!"

.....................................

Commander Zavlin

His worst fears were confirmed.

The minute he saw the designated super criminal known as Gatekeeper he knew they were in trouble. There wasn't many he kept in the "kill immediately" procedure.

But he was one.

He knew the danger that his powers represented. Even if when he was caught he could do nothing more than create portals to places he once saw. There was always a risk of escalation.

And evolution.

And now here the man was capable of creating portals to people seemingly at will. Zavlin didn't even hesitate pulling out his own plasma pistol and letting out a series of shots meant to kill the one known as Gatekeeper. The chances of them reaching were slim but Zalvin prayed all the same as he did his best to save the world from the evil about to be unleashed.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Helena Davis (Lady Justice)

She pulled out the syringe and readied to inject the poison into the side of Mercy's neck, right into the carotid artery.

Helena felt a twinge of guilt. She was about to murder a helpless woman here after all, but Black Mercy was an Omega level threat to world security, and Commander Zavlin had been very clear in his contingency plans-especially in the event where it looked like Black Mercy would go free she was to use the Protohyperprobaline in this syringe to eliminate her as a threat to the world. Zavlin had set the wording of the contingency plan so any of the blame fell on him alone. It absolved her of any criminal action for following his orders in this, but still...all the legal military precedence bureaucratic hoops aside..she was committing murder here.

"Ah, ah, ah..." A red energy beam shot out striking the syringe and her hand instantly vaporizing both.

Screaming from the pain she staggered back nursing a cauterized stump of an arm staring at where her hand had been a moment before.

A cybernetic man in a stereotypical pirate outfit strode down the gangplank of the ship coming up to the pier a smoking laser cannon jutting out from his robotic arm laughed. "There'll be none of that."

She looked over to James still locked in battle with Tsunami he hadn't noticed, but at the foot of the pier a man lay holding a plasma gun he fired hitting James three times.

Who was that?

Apparently that had annoyed James because he drew the energy blade and was advancing upon the man lying prone on the pier.

--------------X

IC: Shannarrah

She leaned over Ultraman to see if he was still alive. "Hello, are you alright?"

Toddling he raised back up to his feet brushing the dust and rubble off of him complaining in disbelieving shock, "He punched me, that...fiend."

Shannarrah frowned as he pouted like a spoiled youngling over someone apparently having the audacity of hitting him. Being royalty she knew many examples of the type of the sense of entitlement he was displaying. This was certainly not the behavior she would've expected of the supposed greatest warrior had to offer.

Was he even a Gorjah now?

"I can't believe he would hit me," He continued stepping up to the window and looking down through the hole in it he had been hurled through, "Me...ULTRA MAN!"

His eyes widened as he looked down at the pier below, "What is that?"

Shannarrah stepped up to the window and looked down to see what he was talking about too. Valarisian eyes were excellent at seeing detail at such long distances and she saw Arthur Mr. Freedom, of all people, lying prone on the ground firing a primitive Earther energy weapon upon the intruders.

"Why would a cripple do something like that!" Ultra man said in disgust "Doesn't he know he is making all of us look bad?!"

Shannarrah turned her head to look at Ultraman. That was what she had been thinking herself-though not quite as harshly.

Before she could say anything about it he rocketed forward. He zoomed straight at deathshead tackling him and sending him crashing into the desk as the two tussled.

Shannarrah gasped by jumped out the window flying down after them energy coalescing around her hands to be shot out at the troublemakers.

"Dogs!" The man known as Deathshead said "Kill that mongrel on the floor."

Dogs? What were dogs? Shannarrah looked up as a grating sound came from the sea vessel a hatch burst open and six massive creatures leapt out down to the pier.

Were these the Dogs the man that was struggling with Ultraman had referred about. She was not certain, but she recognized their purpose immediately. Warbeasts.

They charged for Arthur Mr. Freedom lying immobile and helpless and Shannarrah surprised herself when she screamed, "No. You will not hurt him!" She fired hitting one broadside on the flank but the other five were too agile and too fast. They came upon Arthur Mr. Freedom and she would witness this mistake that should not have been allowed to go on living be torn asunder before her eyes, and she was shocked by how afraid it made her feel about it.

-------------------X

IC: Gatekeeper

"Commander," Gatekeeper told him as he sat up to look at the six of them, "We'd like to express our gratitude for our imprisonment for so long."

The other five members of his team stepped forward smiling with eager vengeance to communicate their gratitude to their warden.

He reached into his jacket pulling out a firearm and fired five shot directly for Gatekeeper. None made it to strike him. It was childsplay for him to open a portal at the end of the weapon's barrel and the other end of the portal an inch off the floor so every shot of plasma burned a scorchmark futilely and harmlessly into the ground.

His associate, Hardrock, had reached him then. One massive rocky hand closed around his head and lifted the Commander of the EDC up off his feet so his body dangled from it. It would be the simplest of things for Javante Jackson to have squeezed his fingers crushing their jailer's head like a grape, but he did not.

Armour the short rotund bearded man grabbed Zavlin's pistol safe from any fire from it by the forcefield projected around his body. "You didn't even give me a fucking trial racist mother fucking cracker! Just locked me up like the man always does to a strong black man that won't bow his head to you!"

"Cool," He exclaimed looking over the EDC issued plasma pistol, "This is like some Star Trek shit here, man."

He turned down the intensity by adjusting the knob on the weapon's side and pressed it into Zavlin's shoulder, "Set phasers to torture Scotty."

He pulled the trigger firing a lower intensity burst of plasma directly into the Commander's shoulder at point blank range. It burned and singed his uniform and caused an instant third degree burn to his shoulder.

The women, the triplets, leaned against the computer consoles arms crossed awaiting their turn for some payback at their incarcerator.

Cara, Tara, and Mara Garner were once three problem children known as the calamity kids before the Shadow had captured them. Now they've grown up and spending most of their young adulthood in prison like him had made them far more lethal.

"Do not kill him," Gatekeeper admonished his team.

"Ah," Came the disappointed sound from Armour as he shot Zavlin's other shoulder. "Spoilsport."

"Fuck you," Hardrock bellowed, "This racist mother fucker is getting strung up like his people did to mine for hundreds of years. He's gonna pay. All the white man's gotta fucking pay now!"

"He's the director of the EDC," Gatekeeper told them patiently, "Imagine the secrets he has, and how we can use them."

"Him? He's not the type to give up anything," Mara Garner, Windshear, Said shaking her head.

Cara leaned forward with a wicked grin, "Though torturing him for that long could be fun."

"It won't take long for a telepath," Gatekeeper told her and then to Hardrock, "And then I'll hand you the rope for you to lynch him properly."

"You're talking about Black Mercy. I knew it," Tara, Sunstroke, sneered at him, "All this is just an excuse to get your poor little girl that shunned you back in your life."

Gatekeeper shrugged, "We all have things we want." He pointed at Zavlin, "And he is the key for us all to get them."

Another portal opened up to a desert with kangaroos hopping past it, the Australian outback. "Would you all rather wait here for the Shadow or Ultraman to show up to rescue him? I have had enough of prison walls for one lifetime."

 

[EroticLiteracy]

Captain Terror

The large cybernetic wannabe pirate captain whistled a cheerful tone to himself as he moved back to the sleek black tactical ship. All around him the bullets were flying as the EDC and the syndicate exchanged fire. His cybernetic eye zoomed back and forth taking it all in as he lazily brought his plasma canon up and struck down two soldiers. They were blown away holes appearing in their chest as they fell back.

"As easy as batting down flies" He said fishing a black cigar out of his mouth and bringing the plasma canon up to heat it. He took a long drag of the cigar and blow out a ring of smoke.

"We really do need to get out of here" Captain Terror called gesturing for his pirate dressed goons to grab Black Mercy. They did so wheeling her towards the armored fleet of boats while Captain Terror provided lazy cover fire. Once they got Black Mercy and the scientist that was responsible for her Captain Terror ducked back in.

"If you're done playing we need to leave!" Captain Terror called out to Deathshead.

.......................................................

ULTRAMAN

"I'm not letting you leave!"

Ultraman rocketed forward his fist coming together. He moved so fast he was a blur to everyone around. He yelled as he got closer making sure to alert Deathshead just as he finally dispatched Tommy Tsunami.

"You fool!" Deathshead called out turning quickly. He waited until the titanic super hero got into striking distance and his fist shot out. It connected with Ultraman sending out a massive shock wave that caused the walkway to groan and begin to crack.

Ultraman flew back slamming into the walls of the citadel once more. The titan dissapeared lost in the rubble and the black wall.

...............................................................

Deathshead

He did it.

The whirl of his suit powering down was a small feeling of unease compared to the pleasure of his victory. There were not many that could say they punched Ultraman and lived to tell about it! This victor would only further strengthen his position with the syndicate. They would promote him for this surely!

"You're not even worth it" He snapped to the man who was lying on the floor. He sneered at him with disgust under his helmet before moving to the ship waiting for him. He jumped on it giving the citadel one final wave before moving into the ship and closing the door shut behind him. In a matter of seconds the ships were gone having sunk into the water at one point and dissapeared.

..............................................................

Mr. Freedom

The dogs were getting closer and even though his "partner" managed to take one down there were still five more about to jump on him. He was functioning on pure Adrenalin at this point and din't even notice Deathshead or his good bye.

Arthur brought his plasma pistol up letting out another two shots that managed two drop two of the five. He tried for another shot but the pistol whirred in his hand before powering down.

"Shit" He murmured he chucked the pistol as hard as he could aiming for one of the dogs. It hit the mongrol straight in the nose causing it blink in confusion for a second before jumping forward. Arthur brought his fist up swinging a wild punch that clipped the dog in the jaw and sent it careening off into the water.

"Whooo!" Arthur shouted just as the other two dogs jumped on him. His hands found purchase on the dogs throat and using his powerful upper arm strength Arthur slammed it into the other dog. Its powerful stocky body took most of the blew so Arthur did it again and again until he felt both dogs finally grow still. Even so he kept going running high on Adrenalin until it finally gave out and he crumpled to the deck in exhaustion.

.................................................

Commander Zalvin

"If you think I will ever talk you're wrong" Zavlin said ignoring the pain in his body and not reacting to it. He was to stone cold for any sort of weakness.

Even if he was scared shitless.

Not for himself though... No for what would happen when he finally broke. Even someone with his fortitude and will would eventually break. It was never a game you could win....

You could only stall.

"You better not ever let me out of your sight Gatekeeper" Zavlin growled as he eyed the portal "The minute you do I will kill myself. You think I fear death? I'd blow us all to hell before giving you any secrets!"

He continued talking even as his tongue moved in his mouth. He felt along the edge of his teeth trying in vein to find.....

There!

He felt the false tooth and pushed it down. The chip inside the hollowed out faux tooth would begin projecting a signal for Shadow to track. It was his own design and would continue to send out a burst transmission every hour that wuold be undetectable. With any luck it wouldn't be found not until it was to late at least.

"You all going to keep gawking at me?" Zavlin said his tone firm "Or we going to get on with this?"

 

[Veroe]

IC: Shannarrah


They charged for Arthur Mr. Freedom lying immobile and helpless and Shannarrah surprised herself when she screamed, "No. You will not hurt him!" She fired hitting one broadside on the flank but the other five were too agile and too fast. They came upon Arthur Mr. Freedom and she would witness this mistake that should not have been allowed to go on living be torn asunder before her eyes, and she was shocked by how afraid it made her feel about it.

"No," Shannarrah screamed as they rushed him. Arthur Mr. Freedom managed to shoot two more leaving three massive cybernetic jaws gaping open to rip him to shreds.

He shouted about excrement-an odd thing to say in the situation, but Shannarrah hardly commented on it she roared soaring over to them to get the beasts off of Arthur.

He threw his weapon at the one in the lead hitting it in the snout. It paused and clearly being the alpha of this pack the other Warbeasts paused waiting for it to resume the kill of their prey. Once reoriented it lunged for Arthur Mr. Freedom's jugular but he lashed out his fist slamming it above the metal jaws as hard as he could.

It skittered off to the side off balance and fell over the side of the pier into the water of the bay. The other dogs did not far much better. One he grabbed by the throat and slammed into the other.

Shannarrah floated there a little stunned staring at this crippled man. He shouldn't have survived, he shouldn't even be here at all. Yet he had just defeated not one but three vicious warbeasts. One of the first requirements for a Gorjah.

He lay there gasping for breath clearly exhausted from the effort of defeating them without anything but his own two hands.

"Arthur Mr. Freedom," She told him, "That was-"

She turned her head looking back to the masked man fighting Ultraman then back to Arthur, "Stay here. I will defeat the criminal responsible."

Then a suit of armor in Mr. Freedom's Red white and Blue colors landed onto the pier opening up as if waiting for its pilot. She heard the voice of Arthur Mr. Freedom's friend, Zakree, calling for him to climb inside of.

She turned back to the struggle between Ultraman and the miscreant that seemed to be leader of these troublemakers. Ultraman was down lying on the floor-how was he the best warrior Earth had to offer?

"You will not escape, criminal," She roared rocketing forward firing bursts of energy that slammed into the masked man's back.

--------------------------X

IC: Helena Davis (Lady Justice)

The charred stump of her arm ached terribly but she dragged herself over to one of the fallen gaurd's rifles. She couldn't allow this. The cyborg pirate was taking Black Mercy towards the gangplank for their ship. They were getting away, and Black Mercy would endanger the world.

She would not allow that to happen. No matter the cost. She took the rifle, bracing it against her body she took aim at the still unconscious woman on the gurney.

Her finger squeezed the trigger and the rifle bucked back into her body like a kicking mule as it fired a bullet straight at the woman's head.

 

[EroticLiteracy]

DEATHSHEAD

He was moving into the ship when he felt the high powered energy blast slam into his shoulder. He stumbled back and fell into the ship crashing down the flight of stairs. He landed on the deck looking a bit like a fool in front of his men. They were to well trained to laugh at their commander but Deathshead could only imagine the inner laughter.

"Stow it! I want a shot aimed at that bitch right now!" He growled even though no one SAID anything "I want everything locked down and our cargo secured... Where is Lady Justice?"

He scanned the large underbelly of the ship which acted as a storage and troop transport area. He spotted her in a matter of seconds and with a flash of shock and dread realized she was aiming a gun at Mercy's head.

"No!" He shouted moving faster than he ever thought he could move. He reached her just in time wrapping his hand around the gun and forcing it up just as it discharged. The plasma bolt burned into the top of the cargo area leaving a small hole.

"Who was watching her?!" Deathshead demanded his tone angry and cutting. His men looked around each of them suddenly faltering as they tried to determine who was supposed to watch her. He growled shaking his head and turning to her.

"Good night" He said to her simply. His fist flew up an open strike that knocked her head back with a hard snap. Her body crumpled and he watched with contempt as she crumpled to the deck.

"Now then" He said turning to his men "LOCK HER UP"

They moved to do so giving him the time to move over to Black Mercy. He reached up unsealing the mask on his face and revealing himself. He was a man who once was handsome but marred and marked by horrible burns all over his face. His eyes were soft and kind though as he cupped her face and gazed at her adoringly.

"We will be together soon" He said with a small smile "I've come for you my love just as I promised"

.................................................................

ARTHUR

Arthur moved quickly his powerful arms bringing him to his armor. He was worried having never have suited up in the field. It was a painful process in the safety of a lab with his brother watching him.

How would it be out here?

He couldn't worry about that now though. He had a job to do a mission. He couldn't do it without his legs. He grabbed the handles of the suit and pulled him self in. The minute he settled in the armor sealed reading his bio signal and closing up. He felt the stab of needles in his back and seconds later screamed inside of his armor as he was forced into the neurolink. His only thought was pain, and relief the armor was sealed and no one would be able to hear him.

The minute the link was established Arthur was moving. He pushed the pain to the back of his mind and focused instead on the ships dissapearing into the water. The water user was out for the count so stopping them that way was out of the question. He could try and follow though if he could just....

"Mr. Freedom" The shadow said appearing via COM link "Do not engage"

"Why not?" Arthur growled reaching the edge of the gangway "There getting away?!"

"The commander has been taken" The Shadow growled his voice tight "I need you and Shannarrah to come up to command with me so we can find him"

Arthur hesitated for a few more seconds before sighing and nodding his head.

"Understood" He said sighing and stepping back. He turned to Shanarrah moving towards her and kicking his jets up and floating next to her. He was about to reach her when a high powered laser slammed into her body. Arthur watched as her body toppled flailing as it hit the water.

"No!" He shouted pushing his body down and shooting into the water. His armor was sealed and his oxygen tank kicked in the minute he hit the water. He continued to push his armor shooting after her in the water as he reached her. He collected her in his arms and shot out breaking out of the water and floating in the air.

"Can you hear me princess?" He asked her his armor face plate sliding up to show his face "Shannarrah?!"

 

[Veroe]

IC: Shannarrah

She turned back to the struggle between Ultraman and the miscreant that seemed to be leader of these troublemakers. Ultraman was down lying on the floor-how was he the best warrior Earth had to offer?

"You will not escape, criminal," She roared rocketing forward firing bursts of energy that slammed into the masked man's back.

He staggered, falling down the stairs, as he was climbing aboard the vessel under her blows, and Shannarrah smiled as it seemed she had him in hand.

He pointed back at her and his minions raised primitive earther weapons. They fired she brought her hands up forming an energy shield. Arthur Mr. Freedom when one pointed a larger weapon at her and a beam of bright red light licked out tearing through her shield and striking her hard square in her chest. Her armor absorbed and managed to deflect most of the heat and force but it couldn't take all of it. A small amount that was not deterred by her armor burned through and seared the bare skin underneath.

Crying out from the agony of a sudden third degree burn cost her. For a moment Shannarrah's control over her ability to stay afloat in the air faltered and she fell back hitting the back of her head on the hard surface of the pier. Dizzy she flirted with unconsciousness as she tumbled over the side of the pier and into the cold water below.

-----------------------------------------X

IC: Helena Davis (Lady Justice)

Her finger squeezed the trigger and the rifle bucked back into her body like a kicking mule as it fired a bullet straight at the woman's head.

"No," Came a scream as an hand grabbed the barrel of the gun and wrenching it up the moment it fired.

She fell back as he tore it from her grasp.

He looked back berating the guards that were supposed to have stopped her from reaching the gun. Then he turned back to her.

He looked into those eyes remembering nights she'd long to stare into those eyes and see them grow soft with love for her reflected in them, but now...he was just so cold. Gone...now he was Deathshead.

"James..." She whispered.

"Good night," Was his only response before his open handed strike hit her and her head-her entire body reeled back from the force of the blow. Blackness overtook her vision as unconsciousness swept over her.

Failed. She had tried to protect the world from the danger Black Mercy would pose. She had failed so spectacularly. Now the world would pay for her failure today.

----------------------X

IC: Shannarrah

"Can you hear me princess?" He asked her his armor face plate sliding up to show his face "Shannarrah?!"

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of the voice, "A-Arthur-"

She felt like staying awake was difficult like dead-lifting a fully grown Sorkoworm over her head. She was already feeling herself sinking back into unconsciousness, and her chest hurt.

Even through all that her hand lifted and she stroked fingers over his bared cheek with a weak smile. "-Belt buckle---Third Korkoro symbol on---underside---healing device-"

Her hand dropped and her eyes fell back as she sank back into the night of unconsciousness.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

ARTHUR (Mr. Freedom)


The next several seconds were the hardest of his life.


Not since losing the use of his legs all those years ago had Arthur felt so helpless. CPR was doing nothing for the alien princess laying on the ground in front of him. Medical was on its way but they were scattered to the wind after the devastating attack. All he could do was keep calling her name in hopes that it would act as a beacon to bring her back to him.


And then it finally did.


She gasped back to life and Arthur almost sobbed in relief as he saw her come back to the land of the living. She told him something about a crystal and he reached into the pouch she was talking about for the device.


“Here we are,” he said handing it to her. “Oh god, Shannarah, I thought I lost you for a second!”


He leaned in kissing her before she could stop him. He kissed her deeply letting it linger for a few seconds before breaking contact. He pulled back giving her the chance to use the crystal for whatever it was she was going to use it. While she worked on healing herself, he secured the area. When the EDF response team finally burst through the doors and onto the gang walk he shouted out his clearing code and gave them a rundown of the situation.


“They took the commander,” a member of the response team said. “The bastards freed Gatekeeper and he teleported the commander away.”


“Gatekeeper?” Arthur questioned, turning to Shannarah. “Shit!”


“Shit indeed,” The Shadow said speaking over both Mr. Freedom and Shannarah COM. “I need you guys up on the bridge as soon as possible.”


“The bridge?” Arthur questioned glancing over at Shannarah in confusion, “You mean the war room?”


The line went silent for a second before the gang walk they were on began to shake. A roaring sound filled the air above drawing Arthur’s eye. A massive ship descended from above glittering in the light of the sun and causing the water from the bay to twist and turn.


“I mean the bridge,” Tom said over the COM system.


“Holy cow,” Arthur said shaking his head before turning to Shannarah.


“I suppose we should get going?” Arthur asked her reaching out with his hand, “If you feel up to it that is?”

 

[Aabc2203]

Worthy of a princess

Hello,

I LOVED reading Worthy of a Princess, and was saddened and frustrated the story suddenly ended. So I was wondering if the story continued somewhere else that I have been unable to find?

Hope to hear from you.

Regards
Jonas