All Ways of Contending

[Avenger Assembled]

"Viktor, you will find the answers to your questions are one in the same." A smile moved across The Archeville's lips, an oddly artificial one given the humor now coming through its synthesized voice. "I am opposed to the Eagles because I am opposed to the one world government, and they are its pawns and lackeys. I have had the good fortune to have the best of Europe here to stand with me against them, improved, of course, by my genius and expertise in technology and biology. The other continents have been less lucky. I believe he has the Americas most firmly under his grip, with pockets of resistance yet in Southeast Asia and the sub-Continent. Those Vedics," The Archeville said with something like admiration in its mechanical voice. "Superstitionists or not, they know how to defend their freedoms." Shaking its head with an oddly slick noise, The Archeville continued. "I am disappointed to find you here, Viktor, even as I am pleased to meet my doppleganger. I had hoped that Arachnos would attempt to consolidate his control over this world before expanding his realm to another."

Dark Star saw...something. Gravity wasn't the most precise instrument when it came to measuring biological creatures, but even so there was something terribly inhuman over there. He saw the body of a man, yes, but strangely distorted and warped, with more limbs than there should be, contorted in ways no man's body should be able to.

"I take it your...interview with Odysseus went poorly?"

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville looked around the room as best he could, trying to get an idea of just what was set up here. Partly out of his own insatiable curiosity, and partly because something seemed very.... off to him.

What's with the vocoder?

Lab accident? It would explain why he is remaining hidden: he does not want us to see what had happened to him, and thus what might happen to us, should things go the same way.

"You could say dat, ja. A fact vhich I attribute to mein keenly developed sense of self-preservation, und to a... distressing familiarity mit some of his vords und mannerisms."

Doc clapped his hands together sharply, and began to pace, "so! Arachnos is de name of dis vorld's Leader, eh? Vhat's his story? How did he come to do all he has, und how did you come to..." he placed one hand on top of his head, and waved the finger around in a way reminiscent of the tentacle-hair of The Archeville's minions, "... do all of dis, hrm?"

He quickly withdrew his hand, and resumed pacing, "I vould surmise dat dis Arachnos is a conqueror from some other dimension, given vhat you said about him moving on to other vorlds, und vhat Odysseus said about him having no counterpart in our vorld. Dat last bit gives me especial concern: for him to haff no counterpart on mein vorld means he must come from a very different von indeed. I vould also theorize dat he is able to exert some manner of mental influence over others -- not outright mind control, but more a form of brainvashing -- und dat dis is not de first vorld he has come to. He appears to haff come in at a key time of upheaval, to stabilize a vorld still reeling from de loss of its greatest hero, de Gladiator; vhether dis vas a coincidence or Archnos had been vatching dis vorld for some time beforehand, I cannot say. Arachnos may haff even had a hand in August Roman's defeat of Gladiator paving de vay for his conqvest, lying in vait for months or even years."

[Cyroa]

Dark Star stood immobile, keeping his senses extended, as the Doctor paced. He was a naturally a trusting person. He was. Perhaps it was spending time with Avenger or maybe it was just this odd world, but Dark Star was not feeling inclined to blindly trust strangers. Especially when there was something rather unusual going on with their host.

He waited until the Doctor's motions brought the man closer to him before 'tapping' him lightly and invisible. He couldn't assume radio waves were unmonitored. But there was little he could do to directly communicate and he wanted the Doctor very close if they needed to bug out... He mentally readied himself, just in case, and hoped the Doctor figured it all out.

"Excuse me, but before we delve too far into this, I think some truths are in order. I don't have the verbal alacrity of some, o let me jump to the point. Things being not what they appear. Odysseus was not what he appeared in intent. You are not what you appear in form. I am not inclined to work in the dark here. It would be a shame if some concealed truths caused an error in our communication, resulting in an exchange of destructive energies. I would not wish to damage this facility, if you are in fact, 'one of the good guys'."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Ah." Was that...disappointment in The Archeville's mechanical voice? "I had wondered if your control over gravitic energies would allow you to penetrate my admittedly flimsy disguise, mein herr" Archeville said to Dark Star with mechanical politeness. "I have assumed a disguise for your benefit, it is true. Looking at the two of you and remembering especially my own thought processes before the current situation began, I think it is quite likely you would find my appearance scientifically as well as ethically distressing. I doubt that we have time for such distractions given the urgent nature of your situation. Let us discuss our situation, and then we may deal with the ramifications of what I am and what that might mean to you, Viktor."

Archeville scratched the back of its head, an oddly human gesture that would have been far more reassuring if the sound of two-handed typing hadn't continued unruffled even with one hand visible. "As for Arachnos, I admit my own research has been sketchy. As with any conqueror you have the stories of the lost foundling discovered by a princess, the misplaced son of a king who rises to power himself. He is a mystic, that much is known, the son of a wizard and witch who perished under mysterious circumstances when he was but an infant. He has claimed they aroused the attention of the late Dread Malador, but the general consensus is he used such a story simply to rally support for his own battles with the dread wizard as a young man."

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville's eyes went wide at Dark Star's accusations, though whether it was from the (semi-)reveal or in the (tactless) way in which Dark Star made the reveal was unclear.

We really need to find a way to copy that guy's abilities.

Hey, focus on the tasks at hand!

"Dat is an... interesting choice of vords," Doc replies, looking to his counterpart, then turning to Dark Star, "but I am of de same mind: such revelations can vait, after ve haff dealt mit de more pressing issues."

He approached a monitor, "are dere any images of dis Arachnos? Footage of him engaging in battle?"

[[ Assuming The Archeville says no. ]]

"Ah, I thought as such; never hurts to ask, dough." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Vhat of his underlings, dose who answer directly to him? Ve haff tangled mit Odysseus some, so ve know a bit of vhat to expect from him, but who else answers directly to Arachnos, who are his 'favored agents'?"

[Cyroa]

Dark Star frowned, not the least bit put at ease by the lack of explanation. Truth needed to be shared and not hidden in words, fancy or otherwise. He had witnessed much in his travels, and he was unlikely to balk now. Dark Star couldn't help but view the man with suspicion. Nothing concrete had been shared yet; just ponderings mainly. He let the two of them voice their ideas, he was more concerned with paying attention and distrusting the situation.

[Avenger Assembled]

"There are recordings of him in battle," The Archeville allowed, "but I have no way of knowing how reliable they are. My senses have been...fooled by his machinations enough that I have no way of knowing what was actually seen and what was simply projected for the benefit of myself and other observers." Archeville laid out the power structure of the new regime for his two visitors as best he could, painting a grim picture of global domination. Lord Arachnos's headquarters were located in what was still called Freedom City, the name now bitterly ironic as it was the capital of a regime that held the world in an iron grip. He had various superpowered governors in assorted regions of the world; the former Siren down in the Caribbean, the former Crimson Katana in Japan, each of them once among the most prominent superheroes or supervillians of their native regions. For his personal guard, Arachnos maintained the survivors of the former Liberty Brigade: Donar the God of Thunder, Columbia the once patriotic powerhouse, Raven and Magpie, and various other former heroes.

"As for Odysseus, he was indeed once a hero," said The Archeville with what might have been contempt in its mechanical voice. "At least before the new order of things. In return for providing certain protections to the new master of the world, he was granted overlordship of all of Europe. Myself, and some others, objected to that, and sought various ways of combating him. As you can see...well, we are doing better than some. I can only imagine what will happen in Athens if ere Medea overcomes the magical nullification in the region."

[Dr Archeville]

Dr. Archeville's face grew grim as the state of the world was laid out. He made mental notes of the superbeings his counterpart's screens showed them.

We'll have to remember all of this, for when we take over! Muah hah hah hah hah!!!

Cut that out! We are here to help this world, and not make our world more like it!

"A grim view indeed; I am doubly sorry ve had to meet under such circumstances. Dat magical nullification field: someding somevon else put into effect as de vorld vent to pot, or some 'natural' phenomenon? I haff mein on theories on da-" He caught himself, "no, no; now is not de time."

The Doktor tapped his chin again, "is dat de only impediment to Arachnos' conquest? Vhat of de Farsiders on de Moon, or other extraterrestrial beings?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"A device procured by Odysseus in his long travels, preserved there in his tower," replied The Archeville with contempt for the former hero in his voice. "It gives him some illusion of security against his true master, and gives him the power to have Medea as the mother of his children again, as once she was three thousand years ago." It shook the limb that seemed less and less likely to be its head. "The Farsiders have resisted his attacks most manfully, but they cannot stand against a world nearly united. Eventually I think it is likely that they will be rooted out from their tunnels and their civilization broken as were the Avians before them. As for extra-terrestrials...well, they were among the first to go. For the government of Arachnos, there is one humanity now, Viktor, and one man guiding its destiny. That is why he must be stopped." He coughed, a sudden, shockingly wet sound. "Your...your pardon, Viktor and friend, but my own condition makes it difficult for me to do more now than guard my own fortress."

[Cyroa]

Dark Star listened, still not exactly trustful. But he was aware of the evil and dangers caused by Odysseus and his master. If there was anything he could to help, he would.

"You have been studying since the beginning I trust. What is the 'weak point' in all this, relatively speaking? This device? Some power base or supply?" He frowned. "There is always a way. Have you tried contacting the Lor race? Actually...is there even a Lor empire here? It was a bit arrogant but fairly benevolent in our dimension."

"We need to get home; indeed, if we can figure out hte coordinates I think you should head through immediately Doctor," he said to his companion, "if only to warn the rest of our world. But, I will stay. If there is anything I can do to help thwart or throw off this menace, then I will. If I don't have a counterpart here, which seems a possibility since I wasn't prepared for, my abilities will be an asset. Even if I am anticipated, I can still do quite a lot of good."

[Dr Archeville]

Dr. Archeville resumed pacing.

How long you think it took our Doppelganger to set all this up? A year? Two? Less?

I am rather more interested in figuring how long it takes us to try and stop this insanity!

"I am already vorking on dat, Herr Star. Dough I vould very much prefer not to leave you here alone -- if Odysseus und his men vere able to track und capture you, und brainvash you, I vould not vish to face you in combat! Besides vhich, I believe you vould be the best vay for us to bring other heroes over from our vorld for a surgical strike."

"But!" The Doktor spun and regarded his counterpart, "dere is von other ding I vould like to know. Der Gladiator: vhat can you tell us of his final battle mit August Roman? Anyding und everyding you can vould be of use to us."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Ah, that one." The Archeville made a small, hard to decipher noise. "That was many years ago, but I do remember it well. It was, oh, in the late 80s, when I was a young man. Roman had discovered how to tap into an extra-dimensional source of energy, one that I believe was connected to the very nature of the multiverse itself. He might have been caught had he tapped the source of entropy, or of creation, but who would think to watch the very stuff between universes? I believe he drew on that self-same energy to power the suit he wore in his final great battle with the Gladiator."

Archeville did something to a few buttons, summoning up an image of August Roman in a powerful-looking battlesuit. "But Roman's work took him too far, and though he overpowered the Gladiator, he was unable to control his suit's technology. The Gladiator flew him into orbit, and together they vanished in a great flash of light, no doubt disintegrated by the radiation of that other dimension. It was in the skies over Freedom City itself, in fact, where they perished together." Archeville made that noise again. "Viktor, I would encourage you to avoid dimensional research. It can be..." There was a definite slithering noise. "Problematic."

"The Lor are our jailers. Arachnos' jailers, anyway," the Archeville added to Dark Star with a weak, wet noise that might have been a laugh. "He expands into other dimensions because the Lor Republic keeps him within our star system, just as the Grue on the other side do the same. Helping us might bring the Grue and Lor into contact with each other, and they would far rather let us suffer than risk open war with each other. As for a weak point, well...you will find Arachnos himself in Freedom City, along with the place where Gladiator and Roman became no more."

[Cyroa]

Dark Star nodded at his companion. "The idea of fighting these odds does not thrill me either. But this world is going to fall eventually as it stands. I maybe not know the specifics of how the battle progresses but I know that much. If I enter the fray, it is likely I can buy us more time. I have no desire to be captured either. But risks will be taken either way. Even if we attempt something unexpected and not fighting directly, perhaps rescuing prisoners or linking forces with the other holdouts. I do not want to leave this world hanging while I can do something to help."

He looked over at the Other Doctor. "So Freedom City is the weakness to this empire? How so?"

[Dr Archeville]

Dr. Archeville had stopped pacing when his counterpart began to speak of Gladiator's final fate, but seemed to freeze completely once he was done talking about it.

He's GONE? Not blown off the planet in some trajectory we could track, but just... GONE?!

It appears so. Though this does not mean our plan is completely scrapped, if we can find some way to look through the dimensional barriers and attempt to track him. We would still need to know precisely when and where they were lost, of course, but-

And what's this drivel about 'avoiding dimensional research'?! How dare he tell us what we should and should not do!

Well, he is us, he probably knows-

that we don't like it when someone tell us what we can or cannot do! Why, we oughta go over there and tear off his robes right now, see what he did to himself....

"You vill haff your chance, Herr Star," the Doktor finally said, speaking slowly at first, "but ve must have plans, und reinforcements. Und ve can get both, back home."

[Avenger Assembled]

At Doctor Archeville's words there was a distant boom, barely audible through the bulk of the mountain itself. The Archeville gave a terrible hiss at that, limbs flying quickly over the computer screens before him. "Ah. It seems the Ubersoldaten have been deployed against the outlying perimeters after all. I will need to employ the dimensional shell, which will unfortunately render it impossible for either of you to leave once it is in place. You must go quickly now. If you do insist on dimensional travel, by all means, make use of Laboratory Alpha three levels down. I shall hold off closing the shell until you leave...so I encourage you to leave quickly. And Viktor?" Dr. Archeville was conscious of the fact that his doppleganger was actually looking at him. "As you pass through the gateway between worlds...don't look."

[Dr Archeville]

Dr. Archeville stopped pacing again.

Now what?!

He just said, an assault. Really, do you not listen to what oth-

No, not that, that other thing! The "don't look" part?

Maybe his method of transdimensional travel mind-bendingly horrific?

Bah! We're Scientists!

To Dark Star, it appeared that Dr. Archeville suddenly became another man.

"'Don't look'? 'Don't look'?!" he repeated as he stomped towards his doppelganger. His boots clomped rather loudly against the metal grates which served as the room's floor, "vhat manner of veak-villed ape do you take me for? Vhat are you trying to hide from us? From me?! Vhat did you do to yourself?!"

By now he'd reached The Archeville, and in one surprisingly fluid motion knocked over a lamp to shine on him while grabbing his cloak/robe/covering and pulling it off to reveal.....

[Avenger Assembled]

Now that its true form was exposed, the "head" folded back into its carapace along with several smaller, similar digits. The multi-limbed creature standing behind the bank of computers reached down with long, insectile forelimbs to remove the vocoder from a mouth bearded by rows of delicate grey tentacles, making a slick, wet sound as the small metal box was removed, then placed gently on the computer screen before it. The Archeville stared at Dark Star and Viktor with wide, black eyes, spreading its long forelimbs out as if in greeting. All the while, the lower forelimbs, so like the arms of a man, worked frantically still at the computers beneath it, Archeville's genius allowing it to keep working even now. It shifted its weight, its lower limbs thick and heavy like an elephant's legs, and made a low noise in its throat. "WELL? I TOLD YOU NOT TO LOOK!" The worst part in that alien roar was that even from a throat made inhuman, that was clearly the voice of Dr. Viktor Archeville.

[Cyroa]

Dark Star was a bit surprised by his companions sudden outbursts and actions. Not just because they seemed rather uncharacteristic but because Dark Star had tried to delve deeper, though far more politely, into this particular mystery. Seeing the Hero change personalities so quickly was definitely startling.

Seeing the strange alien being before them actually was significantly less surprising and shocking, strangely enough. Dark Star was used to treating in-human looking being as equals and normals. The fact that this used to be a human was a little weird though. He idly wonder what could have happened to change the man so greatly.

"I do not know how you came to be this way Archeville, but you form is not something I would shudder at. Truth and honesty is more telling than deceptions," he said quietly, as he watched his companion. It was certainly going to be harder for the Doctor to handle this than himself.

[Dr Archeville]

AUGH!

AUGH!

What is that? What the hell did he do to himself?!

I do not know, but I am sure his version of you had something to do with it!

What? How could-

You are the one that keeps foregoing any and all safety precautions!

I wouldn't do so for something like that! Oh, I am so sick of this place!

A string of curses, in several languages -- English, French, Mandarin, Russian, and his native German -- flew from Doktor Archeville's lips. Dark Star could make out "blind", "idiot", and "hound".

And then he turned around and stomped out towards the door they'd been lead in through.

"Ve are leaving now, Herr Star. Ve haff much to report to our allies back home, if ve hope to help dis vorld."

[Cyroa]

Dark Star watched his companion, concerned. It must have been something of a shock for the good Doctor considering his actions. He understood the words in English (barely given the Doctor's suddenly worsening accent) but nothing else. He nodded and waited for Doctor to approach before gently scooping the man up once more. He looked over at Archeville and nodded. "We shall return. I give you my word."

With that, he turned and accelerated away at his best speed, heading direction for the gateroom. Time was ticking away...

[Avenger Assembled]

They were in trouble almost from the moment they reached the skies over "Freedom" City, only Dark Star's tremendous speed protecting them from the sudden eruption of things in the air. Looking back, Dark Star and Archeville could see creatures rippling in and out of the clouds, the summoned aerial guardians of the magical potentate that dominated this world and this city with an iron fist. But before the aerial squid-beasts could close on them, Dark Star's superhuman senses found the great rift between universes left behind by the battle between Gladiator and August Roman. Concentrating his energies, Dark Star dived into the rift invisible to human eyes, plunging suddenly through a zone of pure, utter white and past two surprised figures that bore a passing resemblance to the Centurion of Earth-Prime, one of whom was clearly recognizable as this Earth's Gladiator, before they passed through to somewhere else altogether.

Continued

here.