CLOSED PARALOGUE The Evrensel Conflict: Paralogue 2 -- Mystery in the Steel Belly

Ryan Morganyag

"Well..." Ryan started, but then sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "As far as I know, we had a machine on our side do the takeover... Seems it didn't manage to fully get it done, but yes, we fought the... er, bad machines. Some areas of the station are seemingly safe. But I don't know anymore..." Ryan then went deep in thought for a few moments. Batman was right with his implied statement. They needed to stop this at the root if they wanted true safety and actually make the station their turf.

Ryan's hotblooded roots showed a bit, as despite being told about the unsafe nature of it, he felt this needed some speed put into it. "Again, I can scout around. This needs to be dealt with post-haste. It's not my first encounter with this enemy anyway." He spoke with a slow cadence. He wasn't losing it to his impulses as before. Ryan just wanted safety for everyone as fast as he could help it.
 
Admittedly thankful Ryan was dissuaded from wandering off alone (Luer did not forget what happened the last time and he should think Ryan had not either), the archer followed the group as they were lead by the voice that he admittedly wondered if anyone else thought was a bad idea. Seriously, the random echoing voices have never ended well for them before, why should they now? Damn, this multiverse has made him so untrusting…

He was not expecting the source of the voice to truly be a friend. Or well… not hostile at least. Friend may be pushing it. Either way. With Batman handing the giant that terrified the dragon child, he settled on simply listening as the group spoke with this… frail looking person. Couple none of them at least offer him something to eat? Does no one here carry food with them? Fine, he will do it. "I have some bread on me. It is not much, but if it suits your… system, then it should suffice to make you feel a little better." He offered to Mela.

Ryan's words pulled his attention again though, and he turned to his lover with a raised brow. Again? It became apparent quickly though that his dear dragon was growing restless. He again had many concerns about Ryan wandering off alone, but again knew there was little he could do to truly stop him. He only could pray Mela had an answer and that they could do something. Ryan's discontent to stay idle may drive the poor thing mad and that was the last thing any of them needed right now. He had not forgotten the tranquilizer, but he did hope not to have to use it…
 
~~GM~~

"I think I do, actually," Mela told Batsy, after grabbing the piece of bread from Luer. Although, why Luer of all people had just slices of bread in his pouches, it seemed even more unsanitary for a Quarian than the piece of fruit Reegan grew. "Thanks," still, Mela was grateful.

"If your machine friend caused the station blackout, he may have inadvertently killed some of the clients within the federated network that runs the station. Since the old occupants were just machines, they would likely have isolated computers or outer processing hubs in charge of the different sections aboard. So, when the station went dead, it may have corrupted them, or just sent them into standby, so individual clients are running things until there's a new elected authority within the system to get things back up and running. If we get to the hub or server, I can probably get inside the system and command it to release the lockdown. And I think..."

Mela then quickly pulled out a small holographic map he handmade on his omni-tool. "It's on the far side here," he pointed to the far end of the map, where there was a circular part of the section he hadn't drawn out yet. "I was mapping this whole place in hopes of finding a way out, but I couldn't reach here. There's a massive gap between the platforms that's impossible to jump, and dozens of drones working there. If you can just fly me across, I'm willing to bet we can find that hub here." Whether it was Batsy claw or Ryan's wings, the task of just getting there was pretty straight forward.

The drones within the station were all offline since the blackout. Security was completely minimal beyond locked doors. What could possibly go wrong?

Well... Maybe the machine that had snuck up behind Columbo.

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Columbo had been focused on Mela, like the others, that he unfortunately didn't see the chrome body stalking them all in the shadows of the dimly lit corridors. Its blade arm pushed against the detective's throat, enough that a small trace of blood was beginning to drip gently down the edge. "Uh... fellas?" Columbo called out to everyone calmly, "might be an issue there." He stated the obvious. Seems they found their attacker from earlier.​
 
Kanna had zoned out thus far. There wasn't much to say, but there was a LOT to process. Space stations were just make believe up until now. They were being...captured? Controlled? Or at least formerly supervised by robots, which were also make believe until now. She was almost cloned, or melted down and recycled into a new creature. Her new guardians included another dragon and a man in a dark cape, who she probably wouldn't have approached under normal circumstances. The thing she processed the clearest was that she would likely never see Lady Tohru or Mis Kobayashi again. And she couldn't help but let some tears leak from her eyes. Just quietly. She'd called enough attention to herself. Kanna locked herself in her memories of home for a while.

As she came out of the trance, she heard something about a map and flying to some kind of hub. That would help them get home faster, right? "Um...I can fly, too..." she offered weakly, spreading her wings. After all, keeping her species a secret had gone waaaaaayyy out the window.

When the metal monster made itself known, and threatened one of her few allies no less, Kanna jumped back in surprise. If she didn't react, she would have to witness another death, and just the one from before made her sick enough! What to do? Well, it was metal...hang on, she didn't know when she would be able to recharge again. What if they needed her electricity later? She was going to have to use her bare paws on this one.

Shifting back into dragon form, she would try to work her claws between Columbo and the android assailant, not making much of a sound. As a Spectator dragon, she was obligated to try and solve this as peacefully as possible. It was a bit comical to watch. Probably wouldn't stay comical for very long, unfortunately.
 
Batman gave the quarian a nod. "Ryan," he started, getting the dragon warrior's attention. "You should take Mela up, keep her safe. I'll-" Before he could finish, Columbo had drawn his own attention to the new assassin robot, charging their position. He cursed himself for not noticing, putting the detective leader in unnecessary danger. Before he could even react, the small dragon girl - even if she was a towering dragon girl now - put herself between Columbo and the killer drone, and Batman gritted his teeth as he stepped forward. In a few seconds, not only was Columbo in danger, but a child as well. Work fast.

The dark knight's fingers were a blur as he retrieved an electronic chaff pellet, and his grapple gun. Tossing the chaff pellet to the floor, his helmet's white eyelids retracted, allowing him to see despite the sensor-disrupting equipment he had deployed. Sliding beneath Kanna, he fired out his grapple gun, its claw clutching the forearm beneath the blade of the robot, and Batman gave all his strength to pull the arm aside. "Columbo, move! Ryan, Luer, follow Mela's lead! Put a stop to this!" he bellowed, forgoing any leeway. It was time to act, one way or the other.
 
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~~GM~~

The machine was EMP proof, but Batman's quick thinking worked, as while it took a few moments to adjust to the disruption, it was just enough time to grapple the robot's arm; pulling it away from Columbo. But not before slicing open the skin along the detective's throat. Not deep enough to give him a death sentence, but enough that he needed medical attention.

But the machine was just as quick acting. It needed Batman anyway, Columbo was just a convenience to get close to him. When dragged towards Bruce, it used the extra momentum to shoulder tackle him into Kanna's dragon form. It then quickly cut the grapple off and made a run for it back down the corridor of tubes. Bruce would be sure to notice something though once he recovered. An item was missing from his belt.

His explosive gel deployment gun. The robot had stolen it, and it was making quick use of it; coating a piece of C4 in it. A piece similar to the piece thrown at them up above that killed Lorne. It slapped it against a pod, before igniting it with an incredible blast that set fire to the corridor. Like before, emergency sirens began to go off, and the pods began to shift around the room for protection.

Columbo gripped his throat as he fell to the floor.
 
Well, that went right. And also really, really wrong. She wished she had acted quick enough to have grabbed the robot when it came near her, but not electrocuting Bruce took priority. At least Columbo was freed.

With the flames catching onto her feathers, Kanna hastily shifted back into her human form and licked herself off. She then rushed towards Columbo and examined his wound. Yes, that was a stab wound, looking at it wouldn't make it any better. "Help me lift him!" she cried, trying to lift the detective onto her shoulders. She had the strength to drag him, but not the strength to drag him quickly. It felt like trying to carry another dragon by the neck. Her feet were sliding, trying to gain traction. Still, her eyes hardened with determination.
 
Luer simply nodded to the thanks, focusing on what the other was explaining to them. Cringing somewhat as the quarian pulled that map up, he turned to follow the directions and give a curious look. He crossed his arms and hummed to itself. An easy enough task for someone like Ryan that can fly, which prompted a glance the dragon's way briefly. It was likely he would be willing to do it, since he seemed to be getting restless otherwise. He glanced at Kanna when she spoke up and could not help but smile. It was a nice idea, but she was kind of… small. Carrying Mela up might be hard for her. He was thankful Batman spoke up to suggest Ryan do so.

When Columbo spoke he inwardly sighed. What now? Turning to see what the problem was, he had not expected to see something holding the man captive. "Shit-" His instinct reached for his bow, but his eyes and brain hesitated. Damn, it is another metal being. His arrows were of little use against them… He definitely had not expected Kanna to jump after the man, which only made him grip his bow. He really cannot help this fight… Dammit all, he was better off staying out of it. As Batman gave the order he was content to obey, but the robot slit Columbo's throat and ran with the bat in pursuit. Even more so, Ryan took off with his own order to the archer.

"Dammit Ryan…" Much as he wanted to go after him and tell him to stop, he agreed with him, too. No one is fighting these battles alone. With a quick deep breath he moved to Kanna and gestured to her to stop. "I can help, do not worry." He assured quickly, moving to hold his hand over the one Columbo had on his throat- he was not going to even begin having him move, since he was bleeding quickly -and started his chant to heal him. If anything, they were lucky that thing did not cut his head off entirely…
 
Ed

The Ogryn tried to follow the conversation as best as he could, though he did find Ryan's name the easiest to pronounce as he mulled it over, doing his best to remember all the names and faces that go with the names. In the past he would've tried to join the conversation but with the implant, Ed had come to realize that it was better to wait and listen. Lil'uns don't get angry if he just listens. He did hear something about machines so he would chip in with. "I fight Metal'heads, they tough but my gun smashes 'em. If your Metal'heads are like the ones I fight. Then I crunch these ones too."

Which speaking of which, Ed would turn at the one in the coat upon his speaking up and near immediately Ed would reach for his stubber and was ready to shred the Bad'un when he realized that it was holding the one in the coat. It made his blood boil and he was yearning to reduce the attacker to scrap but when the chaff from Batman went off, Ed reacted with surprise at the sudden blast and his hesitation led to the theft and subsequent explosion down the corridor which led to the pods shifting. Batman and Ryan ran off after it and it was just Ed, the blue haired lil'un and the xeno, Kamui and the wounded lil'un. Kamui had shifted into a dragon before shifting back, making Ed leery of her before his instincts as a bodyguard kicked in when she was trying to get the wounded one to safety.

The blue haired lil'un was chanting something and correlation in Ed's slow mind acquainted him with a Sister of Battle doing a healing prayer. But they needed to move, to do whatever objective needed to be done. So scrounging his mind for ideas, Ed had a surprising surge of ingenious thinking. Putting his shield on the ground, hooking the mace to his belt and taking hold of the small window in the shield by using the strap meant for his stubber and wrapping it in the window to his chest. The slab of metal was big enough to hide his bulk behind so for Luer and Columbo, it was an effective sled. He would pick up Columbo and Luer, putting them both on the makeshift sled as he'd speak to Luer. "I will keep steady, but need to move!" Once Luer was settled, he'd turn to Mela to lead the way. But not before scooping up Kamui and putting her on his shoulder. "Let me know if bad'uns are behind me, so I can turn and shoot 'em to protect lil'uns, Kayna."

@Wade Von Doom @LenxKaitoYaoi @PopcornPie
 
~~GM~~

Collab post between Myself @Valkan & @Apothecary Bruce

Before the walls closed off, Batman quickly made chase for the robot; Bats firing his grapnel gun to fly over the flames of the explosion. "I'm not letting him fight alone! Help Mela'tiah and Columbo!" Ryan exclaimed, knowing these robots always have a tendency to either be very strong, or have absurd tricks up their mechanical sleeves. So he decided to chase after Batman and the robot, making it over the flames and through the walls before they closed shut for good.

The chase of the machine would lead across the whole section, crossing through more tubs and pods filled with dead, decaying bodies and vats of raw genetic material. Each of a different species from across lord knows how many universes the AI had infiltrated and invaded. Like above, the station quickly formatted itself to snuff out the fires before they grew out of control, but in the process blocked off those who chased the vile robot from returning to the others.

The only way to escape the lockdown was forward for them, until Mela shut it down for good. The chase would lead them to an intersection of the pipes that were filled with genetic material. Large vats filled with it would mix the material, before then draining out into a pipe that would lead off to more pods to grow more embryos. If the pipes didn't start here, this was at least how the fluids would enter into them.
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The robot had been scrounging up material. All the stolen items they had initially investigated back above, to a dozen emptied cases of munitions, were all located here; taken by the machine to create, what looked to be, a makeshift bomb.

C4, gunpowder, bottles of flammable alcohol, chemicals galore, all mixed and stuck together into a homemade bomb detonator, cobbled together with pieces of string, electronics, shoelaces, and even some batteries from an electric toothbrush. It was the size of a fridge, and the robot was adding together one last piece of material to it. The explosive gel.

But, the bomb didn't look like it could even put a dent in this station. What was it going to do with it? That's when, once it emptied out the whole cannister of gel onto the device's detonator, it kicked open an hole big enough to throw the bomb into the genetic fluid inside the pipes. If this bomb could make all that genetic fluid flammable, it would without question destroy this station. Like throwing a Molotov cocktail inside a gas engine.

With no time to waste, the dark knight raced across the sewer-like terrain, cloaked in shadow. Another grenade raced through the air, glowing a faint white-blue. As soon as it collided with the makeshift bomb, a thick layer of ice grew to encase the device, holding any timer still and screwing with any more complicated electronics.

As the assassin robot was likely distracted and confused by this turn of events, Batman raised his grapple gun, fired its claw into the ceiling, and moments later, descended upon the robot like a bullet. He tried to stab a batarang into one of its eyes, in an attempt to blind it more permanently.

The ice completely messed up the bomb, as it was being held together literally by string. It didn't need to look pretty, just work, and it did even all cobbled together. But the ice would stop it from working and now needed to thaw.

With a loud thud, the robot stared at the bomb to calculate the time it would take to thaw, before being planted against the pipe by Batman. The batarang went deep into the eye socket, and for a few moments, the robot didn't move at all. It seemed like he killed it instantly.

But when he tried grabbing for his gel displacer that was still in its hand, its arms tried wrapping itself around Batman. Its body suddenly morphed into a dozen large spikes to impale Bruce in its grasp.

He took notice of the makeshift bomb, which he was both concerned for and relieved. It seemed to lack the knowhow to make something dangerous by itself, but it knew that abomination of a bomb could somehow cause a whole lot of damage if thrown somewhere specific, judging by its attempt at delivering it. Thankfully, Batman quickly caught on and used a device to freeze it.

They were not out of the woods, though. Since Batman dealt an apparently deadly blow, but that would be too simple for these cursed machines, it must be a trap. "Look out!" Using a burst of speed, Ryan caught Batman before the morphing arm could properly entrap him against the spikes. He then planted both himself and the caped man on their feet after adjusting their momentum "We won't let you have your way that easy" the dragonblood stated, getting in an iai stance, ready to move upon any sudden movement from the morphing machine.


While Ryan was fast, the machine tried to keep its grip on Batman as the caped crusader slipped out its arms; grabbing at his foot while its body morphed into large, pultruding spikes. For a few seconds, it stayed on him, but its hand slipped off and fell back to the ground before Ryan and Batman landed on their feet.

It tumbled against the pipes, nearly slipping off, but managed to climb back up before it took a perilous fall. They were a dozen feet away from each other, neither side making a move against each other. The robot was just staring back and forth between Bruce and Ryan, studying them with its one working eye.

"we-wE-WE-We-Won-WON-wON-won't let you have your way-WAY-WAy-that easy~"

It's voice was garbled and warped as it repeated Ryan, but as it repeated certain words, its pitch turned more natural sounding. More human. More like Ryan.

"WE WON'T LET YOU HAVE YOUR WAY THAT EASY."

Now it sounded perfectly like Ryan. Before then morphing into him; its metallic skin changing shape, color and texture to match up perfectly like how Ryan current looked. The only difference being its damaged eye was still very noticeable.

Batman grimaced, teeth bared as he lowered himself, going into a defensive stance. He tossed out another cryogenic grenade, preparing a second one in case the first didn't land. "Melt him down!" he roared to Ryan, though at this point the vigilante hero had traded some confidence and calm for a more desperate tone.

Batman had not even started shouting his order when Ryan had his mouth open. Not to answer, but to let out a burst of fire from it. The torrent of flames would engulf the robot in its entirety, and then some. Ryan didn't even allow himself time to process how creepy it was seeing a robot take his shape, and even his voice.

Morphing a set of wings to block both the fire and ice, it charged right towards Ryan and Batsy, attempting to stab them both with large lances from its arms.

Ryan took a quick step sideways, hovering at great swiftness above the floor. He then flew forward as he drew his sword, already incandescently hot and with a bright trail of flames rocketing out of the sheath at blinding speeds. He aimed his speedy draw to cleave through the copycat robot's abdomen, while effectively getting out of the trajectory of the spear aimed at him. All he could do was hope he was either fast enough to help Batman, or that he could dodge by himself. Based on what he had seen so far though, he'd be fine defending himself.

The dark knight hurdled to his side, landing in a perfect roll before standing back up, swinging around with his cape, revealing two pellets, flying through the air as he tossed them. Once they collided with the robotic spears, they burst like small breaching charges - not a large radius of effect, but still with plenty of impact.

Like a knife through butter, Ryan's sword cut through the metallic liquid body of the shapeshifter, and while its upper body started lifting off its legs by the force of the sword slash, Batman's blasting charges blew its arms into pieces, as well pushing its off the ledge of the pipe to fall off into the darkness below.

It's legs, wobbling slightly to try and stay standing, eventually tumbled over the side itself. With that, their enemy seemed defeated. But, not before the ice on the bomb thawed, and a startling beeping noise starting going off on it.

Batman darted back to the bomb, and ripped off a piece of its plating. "Get as far away as you can!" the detective demanded to Ryan. "Make sure the others get to a safe position, in case I fail! We'll rendezvous later. I'll know how to find you."

The detective dug his fingers into the ad-hoc circutry of the bomb, the various liquid containers strapped together and ready to let them mix at a moment's notice. He slid a filtration apparatus over his mouth, clicking into his helmet and sealing. No chances taken.

From his belt, he retrieved small wire clippers, and a flashlight. His cowl's scanners analyzed the device, comparing it to his personal database of explosives - along with his own defusal knowledge.
Snip.
Deet.
Snip.
Deet.

Thin metal groaned as he bent tin plating backwards to reach deeper into the core.
Deet.
Deet.

He rerouted the chemical mixtures to make certain elements of the bomb inert.
Deet.
He carefully detached his explosive gel canisters - Deet. - and slotted them into his utility belt.
Deet.
Snip.
Deet.
Deet.
Snip.


And the bomb switched off.

Whew~

-----------------------------------------

After all that, the station was now safe. Once Ryan and Batman returned to the group, parts of the bomb in hand, so they could return the stolen items that made it, they lead Mela to the access point to shut down the lockdown. The section returned to normal; most of the walls retracted back into their original configuration, and allowing them to finally leave. Medical and more soldiers would make their way down to help the group.

Mela was put on a stretcher from how malnourished he was, while Columbo was also checked into the makeshift infirmary. Though, thankfully, Luer's magic worked wonders to save his life before any serious blood loss could occur. And he seemed even unbothered by the experience. As he put it to everyone, 'I got worse cuts just from shaving.'

The mysterious thiefts were solved. But now, many more mysteries had coem from it. What on earth were these machines doing? They were using the raw genetic material of most of their victims to grow embryos and fetus', but why? How did they select their victims for such a process, while others were transported across plains of reality? Questions that could only be answered by exploring the station further, both physically, and in is computer systems, along with continuing their quest across the multiverse.

While searching for the remains of the shapeshifting robot, no one could find any remains of it...

TO BE CONTINUED