A Strange Visitor

[Heridfel]

"Wha.. where..." the woman says as she starts to return to consciousness. She starts to look around and tenses up when she doesn't see her child at first. When she sees Velocity holding him, she relaxes.

[Heridfel]

"Wha.. where..." the woman says as she starts to return to consciousness. She starts to look around and tenses up when she doesn't see her child at first. When she sees Velocity holding him, she relaxes.

[Veiled Malice]

Nanowire glanced over his shoulder at the humanoid robot that had followed him up to the rooftop. It wasn't attacking him - always a good thing - but the morphological properties of the machine itself were still unknown to him. Was it shifting into a combat form? While still sifting through the mountains of data, Nanowire said, "Something I can help you with?"

All of a sudden, the data stream stopped. He knew it all now. Well, not all. He still needed to take some time to truly understand all that he had learned, but the entirety of the infodump had been assimilated. One thing highlighted itself in his brain, however: the Sentinals wanted to destroy every device more advanced than a cotton gin, and that was not going to happen on Nanowire's watch. He liked his TVs, iPods, and computers, thank you very much.

[Veiled Malice]

Nanowire glanced over his shoulder at the humanoid robot that had followed him up to the rooftop. It wasn't attacking him - always a good thing - but the morphological properties of the machine itself were still unknown to him. Was it shifting into a combat form? While still sifting through the mountains of data, Nanowire said, "Something I can help you with?"

All of a sudden, the data stream stopped. He knew it all now. Well, not all. He still needed to take some time to truly understand all that he had learned, but the entirety of the infodump had been assimilated. One thing highlighted itself in his brain, however: the Sentinals wanted to destroy every device more advanced than a cotton gin, and that was not going to happen on Nanowire's watch. He liked his TVs, iPods, and computers, thank you very much.

[Heridfel]

At the moment that Nanowire completed his review of the download, the humanoid robot takes off from the ground. It rockets upward, accelerating at hundreds of Gs. Nanowire can't move away from its blow quickly enough, and gets hammered back.

"Re-assessment complete. Organic content precludes lethal countermeasures. Advanced non-organic neural structure offers assimilation target," it says in a cold monotone. "Dispatching reclaimant probes from structure."

One of the humanoids near the ship stops for a moment, then begins to morph its structure like the android attacking Nanowire now. A single spider-bot sneaks through the gap, heading towards the spire. It runs straight into the spire and melts into it, disappearing without a trace. The color of the spire begins to shift from a shiny silver to a darker graphite.

[Heridfel]

At the moment that Nanowire completed his review of the download, the humanoid robot takes off from the ground. It rockets upward, accelerating at hundreds of Gs. Nanowire can't move away from its blow quickly enough, and gets hammered back.

"Re-assessment complete. Organic content precludes lethal countermeasures. Advanced non-organic neural structure offers assimilation target," it says in a cold monotone. "Dispatching reclaimant probes from structure."

One of the humanoids near the ship stops for a moment, then begins to morph its structure like the android attacking Nanowire now. A single spider-bot sneaks through the gap, heading towards the spire. It runs straight into the spire and melts into it, disappearing without a trace. The color of the spire begins to shift from a shiny silver to a darker graphite.

[Veiled Malice]

Nanowire rocked back slightly from the impact of the 'bot, but other than that, he was fine. His ultradense armor warded off the all of the damage. But what the thing had said afterwards... "You're going to assimilate me?" as frightening as the prospect was, Nanowire couldn't help but laugh. "You're going to assimilate ME?! You pathetic piece of space trash!"

He cocked back with a powerful blow, and leveled it at the menacing 'bot. "I'm going to rip you apart at the seams, you half-wrought scrapheap!" he roared at the top of his synthetic lungs.

[Veiled Malice]

Nanowire rocked back slightly from the impact of the 'bot, but other than that, he was fine. His ultradense armor warded off the all of the damage. But what the thing had said afterwards... "You're going to assimilate me?" as frightening as the prospect was, Nanowire couldn't help but laugh. "You're going to assimilate ME?! You pathetic piece of space trash!"

He cocked back with a powerful blow, and leveled it at the menacing 'bot. "I'm going to rip you apart at the seams, you half-wrought scrapheap!" he roared at the top of his synthetic lungs.

[Thevshi]

“Here you go ma’am.†Velocity said, handing the infant to the mother. “Try to get clear of this mess.†She added, before moving away, hoping to draw the spider bots with her. She speed across the area, over near Valkyrie was fighting.

“Hey, how you managing?†The teen speedster asked the other heroine.

[Heridfel]

Nanowire rocked back slightly from the impact of the 'bot, but other than that, he was fine. His ultradense armor warded off the all of the damage. But what the thing had said afterwards... "You're going to assimilate me?" as frightening as the prospect was, Nanowire couldn't help but laugh. "You're going to assimilate ME?! You pathetic piece of space trash!"

He cocked back with a powerful blow, and leveled it at the menacing 'bot. "I'm going to rip you apart at the seams, you half-wrought scrapheap!" he roared at the top of his synthetic lungs.

The shot tears through the humanoid bot, leaving a smoking hole in its torso. It looks down to view the damage, shortly before collapsing and going offline. One of the spider-bots jumps on top of it. While Nanowire and Mr. Fix-It know that it's assimilating the component nanomachinery, it still looks more like a hyena tearing off part of its downed prey.

[cosmicarus]

“Hey, how you managing?†The teen speedster asked the other heroine.

Valkyrie scrunched up her face without taking here eyes off the nearest Spiderbot, "I've been better." It was obvious she was happy that Velocity was there. "These things are tough nuts to crack. Still, we'll be feasting on almont or walnut or whatever the heck these guys taste like before long. How about you? How are you going?" Throughout the whole exchange, Valkyrie glanced up at Velocity once - she wasn't going to let this thing attack her unawares, or get away for that matter.

[Thevshi]

“I’m doing fine so far.†Velocity replied back with a slight smile at the other heroine’s comments. “There just seems to be no end to them though.â€Â

[Veiled Malice]

Cocking his head in curiosity at the spider bot's behavior, Nanowire strode forwards and reached out his hand to grab it. "C'mere, you little bugger," he grumbled as he attempted to latch onto the nimble robot.

[Heridfel]

The ground beneath Velocity begins to shake, and the pavement seems to peel off of the ground. It's fairly easy to avoid, given its speed, but it's certainly disconcerting. A large humanoid android begins to shape itself, and continue to grow larger. It reaches over to the spider-bots grappling Mr. Fix-It and pulls one of them off as though it were a man pulling a spider off of an insect being attacked. There's still one spider-bot on him, but this new threat seems to be drawing more attention.

At the same time, the battleground near the spire has collapsed, and spider-bots and humanoids are fighting hand-to-leg. The spire is streaked with silver and graphite, the colors pulsing to ends yet unknown. Even as they do so, the spire continues to grow higher.

[cosmicarus]

“I’m doing fine so far.†Velocity replied back with a slight smile at the other heroine’s comments. “There just seems to be no end to them though.â€Â

"I'm beginning to think that they don't realise when they're not welcome." Rose smiles through the strain as the ground around them shakes, "I guess we'd just better show them the door." She springs forward, her train of thought falling to a certain famous home maker, What is it that the big M says to do when folks overstay themsevles? Oh, that's right! She raises her hand, trying not to put too much into it that she misses again, "Care for some tea?" Her hand's find only air, Ok, I deserve that. The Martha reference was terrible...

[Cyrith]

High Note notices the pandemonium going on all around him. How can he not. Sounds of violence fill the air, as well as the confused shouts of a scared populace. Drawing in his breath the young man decides to try a different tactic then just blasting at the spiders and humanoids. Trying his best to be heard over the din, he shouts over toward the spire. "Hey! Explain yourselves! What do you think gives you the right to drag us into your war?!"

[Heridfel]

A spiderbot scurries beside High Note and chuckles. It sounds like a cross between a normal human voice and electronic feedback, and is quite grating on the nerves. Its voice sounds the same as the other spiderbots. Apparently, they don't bother to differentiate between one another.

"What gives you the right to be left alone? You have technology; that makes you an enemy of the Sentinels. They will dismantle all you have wrought," it says.

[Heridfel]

Mr. Fix-It struggles with the robot that has grabbed onto him, and Valkyrie has two spider-bots jump onto her. Neither hero seems to be getting any more injured, but they also haven't found a way to free themselves. The robots are changing form as well, growing even more legs to try to completely engulf the heroes.

The oversized humanoid android takes the spider-bot that it had pulled off Mr. Fix-it and hurls it at the tower. It breaks off the shaft like a shot from a catapult and impacts against a nearby building, putting a spider-bot-shaped hole through the brickwork.

Kevin's sweating profusely on the ground, and his skin has gone pale and clammy. A line of metal comes through his skin, looking something like a circuit board.

[Cyrith]

Gordy wasn't sure how to take the response he got from the spider. It certainly didn't seem all that promising for stopping the fighting in a timely manor. 'Well, I tried. They can't say I didn't.' Deciding for the moment to believe the spiders side of the argument, because lets face it, that's the only side he's heard, Gordy refrains from attacking them. But he certainly doesn't like the look of that spire. Gordy moves toward the spire as close as he can without putting himself directly into harms way by getting in between the two fighting factions, draws a breath, and lets fly with a wall of sound, hoping to hit the spire that seemed to be a focal point.

[Heridfel]

High Note's blast misses the spire, shooting off into the sky. Nonetheless, both sides seem to have noticed his attempt. Neither of them are moving to stop him - they both have enough trouble fighting one another.

[Thevshi]

Velocity watched as a pair of the spiders attacked Valkyrie. The instant they had grabbed the other heroine, she was moving towards them, her fist shooting out towards the closer of the two.

[Heridfel]

The first spider-bot falls to the ground with a clatter. Emboldened by that success, Velocity strikes out again and clears off all of the robots grabbing a hold on Valkyrie.

Valkyrie takes a deep breath and looks around the city streets. "Thanks for the save. I'm going to try to evacuate the civilians still left here, before they finish whatever that tower is supposed to be," she says. Immediately, she flies toward some people unconscious on the ground, lifting them up and flying off to the north.

Nanowire grabs a hold of the spider-bot he was after. It's in the same position that Valkyrie was in, only reversed. Now, it's just a question of what he wants to do with it.

[Veiled Malice]

Now in possession of his very own spider bot, Nanowire examined it closely, trying to figure out if it was possessed of the same nanotech that it's parent also seemed to command. He didn't hold out much hope for that, however. The little thing might in fact be using the technology Nanowire sought, but he doubted he'd be able to determine it just by a cursory examination. He'd need to crack it open and scan the insides closely.

And he seriously doubted the Sentinel or Vanguard would let him have that kind of time.

[Heridfel]

Without tools, Nanowire has no way of knowing whether the spider is using the same sort of technology as he is. Based on the reconfiguration that he's seen them make, it seems like the technology that they use is equal to that of nanotechnology.

The spire shimmers again, surging forth into the sky and turning a brilliant silver all over its length. The heroes can all sense the power gathering within it; it's clearly about to emit some sort of energy, though it's not clear what sort it is. The androids all fall back toward the spire, allowing themselves to be absorbed into it, adding to its height and width. The spiders begin to gather around the spire, recombining into a larger spider. It looks like it will try to attack the spire before it lets out its signal.

[Cyrith]

High Note watches with mounting tension as the spire he had failed to hit grew even bigger. He was still taking the spiders at their words, though out of the corner of his eye he sees that he may be in the minority there. 'This better not get me arrested. I mean, it's a large spire, when are those ever good news. Hopefully it'll be easier to hit now,' he thinks as he draws in breath to let out a high pitched blast, sending it out toward the spire, hoping his attack will do anything.