| From: | Freddy Frypp <JAMES-CUENO@*********.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | The big finale |
| Date: | Fri, 14 Jul 1995 11:53:31 CST |
and fireballs and all of the other stuff just ain't my style.
Blackmail. That's the way to get stuff done. I remember a quote....
"The best way to kill a general is with his own hands". That's the
way to do stuff.
So anyway, we're clear and away, been clear and away for more than a
week. I just been playing with the editing. Might as well post this
little montage.
+++++ BEGIN VID:
The inside of Rumormonger's van. Trash slides across the dashboard
as the van heels in turns.
"So , how did you guys find this place? Or is it some of the voodoo
I don't want to know about?"
A disembodied voice from behind the camera tells him, "He came to me.
He told me where to find them. He wants back into the fold."
"Uh-huh."
The van's traversing a pretty rotten neighborhood. Your usual
extreme barrens neighborhood, ash everywhere, no life, not even rats.
"Well, I think this is it. Three blocks west of the address you gave
me, T." Rumomonger kills the engine and reaches between his legs for
his remote control deck.
A lone ork steps out of the shadows and raps on the passenger side
window. Marksenspensah rolls down the window. "Hey, Bone. Your
people ready?"
"Took ya damn well long 'nuff ta get 'ere. We're coffin' to death.
Hurry yap." The ork pushes a gun back into his pocket and turns back
into the shadows. Swearing and grunting are followed by a long
procession of nearly a hundred orks and trolls, most of the
brandishing primitive weapons and Molotov cocktails, but a few are
carrying assault rifles and SMGs.
"You heard the man. Let us sally forth."
A new voice from the back grunts "Huh? Knock it off, Mark. We're
not impressed."
The view shifts to one of a series of drones moving away from the
van.
+++++ DALMATION #102
The drone buzzes down the street slowly gaining altitude. It finally
breaks out of the urban canyon of abandon buidings and begins
scanning the horizon. It's sensors lock onto the tallest building in
the area. As it zooms into the rooftop, several fingures can be seen.
The first to be distinguished is, of course, a dragon, trussed up
with nets and chains. One of the chains connects the dragon to a
woman wrapped in white, by a collar around her neck. A man, also
dressed simply with a white cape blowing behind him, raises his hands
to the sky. Watching are two inhuman figures, one Brimstone, whose
flames seem to be flickering oddly, and a man dressed in the Eagle
costume of a traditional Aztech warrior. Several other, more
traditionally dressed warriors, patrol the perimeter of the rooftop,
most of them looking inward more than out.
+++++ CONDOR CALIFORIA
This drone is following Mark, Teutone, GoD and Griffyn into the
building. Mark and Teutone are both craddling silenced SMGs. GoD
and Griffyn look to be unarmed, but....
"Gack, I hope this place ain't wired. We'd be screwed. Thirty-four
flights of stairs and an Azzie rigger watching us climb every one of
them ain't my cup of tea. Damn, wish I'da had a chance to check
that out..." All three mages either grunt or nod. They're elsewhere,
scanning the astral.
A few flights of stairs later....
GoD blinks and shakes his head. "So you never told us what the orks
were doing here."
"Ah, they're doing the good old-fashioned Villagers-Storming-the-
Castle-Gates routine. Worked in Frankenstein, worked in a buncha
Dracula movies, I figured it'd work here."
"So, what are they doing?"
"You know, making noise, burning people in effigy, tossing firebombs
into the building, stuff like that."
"So if the building's on fire, how do we get off?"
"Dunno, haven't gotten to that part in the plan." Mark reaches up to
the drone and pulls off a headset. "Hey, R, how's Kor and the orks
holding up?"
+++++ DALMATION #102
"Well, they've gotten the attenion of the Condors up on the roof.
And the building's burning pretty good. Hope you're right about
where the smoke'll go.... The Condors're hanging over the sides
firing down into them. Kor's keeping them from getting torn up too
badly." The view from the drone pretty much backs it up. A few
Condors are shooting and dropping grenades over the side of the
building onto the orks below. Most of the bullets and fragments seem
to be getting deflected away. An Azzie mage is hovering over the
street, trying to drop Kor's defensive spells.
"Hold on, I'll try to break them up." The drone rolls in towards the
building to start a strafing run. Tracer pours into the Condors,
scattering them, but not doing too much damage. Mostly they just
drop back towards Vargas and the dragon, returning fire at the drone.
"Well, that didn't work, now I've got minor damage on one-oh-two, and
the Condors are pissed. Holy crap, they just hosed off a SAM! I'll
be back."
+++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA
Mark shrugs and replaces the handset. "Says they're doing pretty
good."
+++++ HUNTER
Another drone loiters a more comfortable distance from the rooftop.
Parabolic mikes concentrate on the rooftop.
The priest, apparently Vargas, reaches behind himself for a huge
sword. He walks towards the woman and slashes her across both
cheeks, bloodying the blade.
"What?! What's happening? I thought you loved me?"
Vargas leans forward and puts his hand to her cheek, smearing the
blood. "Don't you see? That's the point."
+++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA
The four finally reach a door to the roof. Mark leans against the
door. The mages seem even more agitated.
Teutone is the first to say anything: "Vargas and his ally are too
preoccupied with the ritual to notice us. Brimstone and the dragon
have, though. They're doing pretty good at concealing it. We're
still clear. There are two Condors across from the door throwing
grenades over the side. Only one other mage present. I've got him."
"Okay, Teutone's got the mage, Griff, why not keep an eye open
for anything else, GoD, what do you say we pick up the Condors then
Vargas' ally?" More nods and grunts. "Well, no time like the
present."
Mark chops his gun down into the door and rolls onto the rooftop,
spraying towards the Condors.
+++++ HUNTER
A sheet of flame shoots towards the Azzie mage over the street. It
engulfs him and breaks his concentration just enough that he drops
out of the picture.
Gunfire and combat magic explodes in a flash around the drone. It
can barely keep up. After a brief eternity, the fight comes back.
Several Condors lay in maimed and bloody heaps, but then Marksenspensah
isn't looking too good either. Vargas' ally, the Eagle warrior, his
on him, bashing him repeatedly with an odd looking club. Mark is
gushing from quite a few ugly wounds and one arm is bent at an odd
angle.
The mages are trying to fend off several spirits the Azzies have
called up as well as covering themselves from fire from the Condors
left standing.
Brimstone is just standing there, watching the spectacle unfold.
Vargas holds the ceremony and adds his firepower to the mix,
concentrating on Teutone. T's being beat back pretty hard, but he's
almost holding his own. Brimstone finally acts, acting Vargas from
behind, engulfing him in flames.
The flames roll off of Vargas, who turns, disbelieving to the
skeletal spirit. Combat magic flies between the two, neither
connecting any damaging shots, but Vargas is beginning to fatigue.
Griffyn manages to get to Ryuga, and begins trying to free him and
the woman.
+++++ DALAMATION #102
The drone is spinning and jerking wildly, cutting in and out of the
builings. It spirals in a wide right, circling a building and
diving towards the street. The SAM falters and slams into the street.
+++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA
The drone lurks in cover, popping up for a rooftop view to see Ryuga
rearing back. The dragon cautiously moves toward Vargas. The priest halts
his attacks against Brimstone and turns slowly to the dragon. "Uh,
can we talk about this?"
"What is there to talk about? You nearly started a Corp War, you have
murdered innocents, and you misused corporate assets. To me you are a
criminal, to your masters you are a criminal, to the people of this city
you are a criminal. Your activities end...today. When, everything is
said and done, you will face the tender mercies of your masters. You know
what they are capable of doing to your body and soul."
+++++ HUNTER
The drone begins to close on the building.
In the street below, the orks are retreating, some of them dragging
wounded behind them. The lower few floor of the building are in
flames, but spirits can be seen holding the smoke into a screen for
the retreating orks.
+++++ CONDOR CALIFORNIA
Vargas has disappeared, under the dragon, maybe? <shudder>
The three attacking mages are mopping up the last of the Condors,
who've stopped fighting. Some of them are staggering around, like
men lost. Others, the more level headed, are strapping themselves
into Aztechnology ultra-lights and are fleeing the site.
Vargas' ally is staring down the dragon, but doesn't appear to want to
fight and fades away to enjoy his new freedom.
Brimstone can be seen crouching over the lifeless form of
Marksenspensah, saying something to him. For whatever mystical
reasons, the drone can't hear him. Brimstone picks Mark up,
cradling him in his arms. The spirit's motorcycle materializes
beneath him, with Mark across the handlebars.
The spirit turns to wave to Teutone before disappearing in a storm
of fire, taking Mark with.
+++++ HUNTER
Vargas' ally appear on the street, alone. He leans into the
building, actually shaking it. The four people left on the rooftop
climb onto Ryuga, who lifts off into the night sky as the building
begins to collapse.
+++++ END VIDEO
Kor says the Condor's must've been under a mind control spell, and
when the dragon swatted Vargas it was broken.
Weird drek. I'll never understand it.
So here's the story:
Years ago Mark, Vargas and 'Becca / M. Executor all worked for
Aztechnology. The vicious little jealousy / love triangle got goin'
and, well, Vargas snapped.
Or at least that's the way Mark explained it to me before we left.
Wonder what the frag happened to him?]<<<<<
-- Rumormonger (Always / Tuned-In)
