Litterary Challenge 27- Alerts

kinster2

Welcome to the new Challenge!

Heroes usually respond to distress calls from authorities. Whether its to tackle a giant robot or monster down to the most powerful villain in the universe they tend to band together and get the job done

ee to also give feedback!

* Each Challenge will run for two weeks. For 2 weeks we will post a subject and have at it.

*There are no right or wrong entries. If you write 500 words of 3000: Write what inspired you and what your thoughts on the topic are - with one tiny mention:

* Please heed the rest of the forums' rules when submitting your story! - I want to draw special attention to this one. Since this is now community run, I figure we need to remember that we still have to abide forum rules < . .> Basically just because the cats away doesn't mean anything. Also I do not want Smackwell to attack me with a spork. >.> I'm allergic. (To sporks.)

* Each poster can have one entry per character. Feel free to edit you post however to fix typos, add stuff
or remove stuff as you see fit during the next two weeks

miragewolf

Harmon Labs Showdown (part 1)

"Rogue agents have assaulted Harmon labs! I repeat! Harmon Labs is under attack!"

He smirked, listening in to the radio broadcast. As if the contents weren't already a blatant distress call, they were broadcasting on just about every frequency they could get their hands on.

"Please! Send assistance as soon as possible! I repeat! Harmo--"

The transmission was quickly replaced by the dull scratch of static. He could only guess that the transmission had been terminated...or the transmission-er- had been terminated. Either or.

"So how is it?" One of those 'rogue agents' turned to him with a sardonic smirk on his face.

To which, he could only shrug. "Word got out. Knowning how those Tights usually are, we'll probably have company soon." The power armored figure flipped a small switch behind the 'ear' of his helmet.

"Good!" Another figure loaded another cartridge of ammo into his gun. "I'm itchin' for some action. I know the boss is too!"

"Speakin' o' which..." The first militant-looking figure turned to their power-armored companion. "I know you got yourself some power-armor, but don't go gettin' any ideas. That new shielding tech is for tha' boss only."

"Wouldn't think of it." The man in the power-armor brought a hand up to the ear of his helmet again. "Company's here. Wish my pizza got here that fast."

"Hah. You stay here newbie." The first commando looked toward his armored compatriot. "I'm gonna head up-stairs and get in on that action." Without even waiting for a response, he cradled his rifle and dashed down the hallway.

"There he goes..."

"Not going with him?" The figure shrouded in black technological armor turned to his remaining compatriot.

"Nah... I ain't -that- trigger happy..." He shrugged off-handedly.

"I see... That's too bad."

"Wha-?!" The commando turned just in time to see an armored fist plant itself into his face. As he crumpled to the floor, the black-colored armor of his attacker flickered and suddenly ceased to exist.

The figure that now stood over the comatose commando was still dressed in power armor, though vastly different in appearance than what had been seen before. Deep azure colored armor, highlighted by an occasional blue/white glow, was wrapped in a flowing blue cloak. A 'ponytail' of gray hair cascaded from the top of the helmet.

He -almost- had the appearance of an archaic knight. But his was no simple set of armor. The Azure Shadow settled for no less than the cutting edge of the cutting edge of technology for his power armor, after all. "Optical camouflage: Field test. I'd say that was a success." He chuckled to himself, as he kept an eye on the security system of the Harmon building.

It seemed that a 'team' of heroes had cleared the entryway of hostiles and were enroute to the next level down. The techno-thief chuckled to himself again. If he played his cards right, they could do all the heavy lifting, including dealing with the ringleader of these commandos, and he could make off with the prize. Harmon Industries prototype shielding technology.

That's right. Warlord and The Azure Shadow both had their eyes on the same prize.

"Meia." He quietly called the name of the A.I. installed into his suit to support him. "Give me a visual on the floorplan for the power-armor research labs."

"Sure!" The 3D avatar of what appeared to be a teenage girl, dressed in frilly gothic clothing, danced in the corner of his visor display. "Geez! Could they -make- this place any -bigger-?!"

"It's Harmon we're talking about. You know. Billionaire. Has more money than sense." The Shadow turned and sprinted down the nearest corridor. If his hunch was right, and it usually was, Warlord would be scrounging in the testing area for a working model of the prototype armor. "So yeah... they probably could make this place bigger."

But he wasn't so crass. He didn't need the actual prototype. All he needed was the schematics and coding database. Warlord could rage around to his liking; all the Shadow needed was the proper computer terminal.

"More money than sense, huh?" The teenage-looking girl in the corner of his display have him a deadpanned stare. "Sounds alot like you. Patrol Incoming."

"I resent that." Acrobatically flipping over a surprised trio of commandos, the Shadow kicked one in the back of the knee, causing him to collapse. As the other two turned to point their rifles at him, he leaped forward, using the neck of the kneeling commando as something of a springboard, and simultaneously kicked both remaining attackers in the head. "I have plenty of sense." A swift chop to the remaining commando sent him reeling into unconsciousness. "Well... I -do- have a lot of money too but..."

He sniffed idly, entering the large room filled with several mainframes. He decided on letting the sentence drop as his attention turned to the hacked security footage. The heroes were leaving a literal path of bodies in their wake as they made for the testing area of the labs. Well... it didn't matter over much. His eyes focused on what was in front of him. The terminal holding the schematics for the new shielding equipment.

"Right... You realize you're knee deep in a high security research lab, trying to steal something from under the noses of a group of heroes -and- villains, all at once." Meia straightened her digital dress and continue to her deadpanned stare at her creator. "That just -screams- sense."

The Shadow withheld a chuckle at the A.I.'s dry sarcasm. Sometimes he regretted installing an emotion circuit into the mainframe she operated from. But then, Meia was -much- more personable now. Irritable. But personable. "By the way," He spoke off-handedly as he connected his suit to the terminal infront of him. "It was 'Punk' yesterday, and 'Office Lady' the day before...But you look good in gothic clothes."

"Commencing system override." Meia fingered the frills at the edge of her skirt and nodded. "It's cute, no?" One of the... strange things that had happened when he'd finished programming Meia to be as lifelike as possible was the A.I's strange habit of searching the internet for fashion-styles, which she would then replicate on her avatar. "I think I like lace."

Who ever heard of an A.I. that enjoyed cosplay?

Several dull thumps echoed out over the building. Explosions, no doubt. The power flickered a moment, but didn't interrupt his connection.

"Looks like our heroic friends have found Warlord."

miragewolf

Harmon Labs Showdown (part 2)

Warlord brought his massive armored fist down on one of the heroes in front of him. With a satisfying crunch, he sent the -much- smaller form in front of him flying backwards. "Hah! Try all you want, fools! You're a hundred years too early to beat Warlord in a power-armor show down!"

That's right. The heroes who had come to stop him had acquired several of the prototype suits that the engineers had been testing.

However, despite the fact that their armor was considerably more advanced than the massive power armor that Warlord donned, they were losing. Warlords bronze-colored figure raised an arm, summoning a shield to block the pulse-laser blast from one of the power-armored heroes.

"That tech is wasted on you idiots!" He levelled an arm and unleashed a torrent of flame, sending the hero diving for cover. The fight had been going on for several minutes, and he'd already succeeded in rendering two of the heroes unconscious. "All the toys in the world won't save you when you can't even use them right!"

The pod on his back sprung open, and several small missiles shot out, surrounding two surprised heroes. The explosions flung them backward and into the nearest wall. They were brawling in a storage and display section of the research lab. Several models of small vehicles and weapons were scattered around their battlefield.

"But I gotta admit," The massive bronze power armor turned to the remaining hero, and it was plainly obvious that Warlord was smirking behind his helmet. "That new shielding tech is primo stuff. For all the damage i've delt out, that armor is barely scratched."

The last standing hero spared a glance at his downed compatriots. It fell to him to try and stop Warlord. The villian was right about one thing, though. This new technology was amazing stuff. But that was precisely why he couldn't let a trigger happy maniac like Warlord possess it. Holding his laser blade at the ready, he charged forward, intending to slash the massive figure in front of him.

Unfortunately, he was met with a face-full of flame via Warlords flamethrower. The pressure alone sent his sprawling backwards.

The next thing he knew, Warlords menacing form towered over him, his arm cannon aimed squarely at the heroes head.

"You're the proverbial bull in the cliche'd china closet, you know that?"

A new voice broke the tense atmosphere, causing Warlord to turn and regard the new figure. As someone who had mastered the use of Power Armor, there was no way he -couldn't- have known the Azure colored figure casually leaning against the wall near the massive hole that had been opened by a previous explosion.

"Shadow, huh? Came ta join the party did ya?"

"I was in the neighborhood." The Azure Shadow shrugged. "I don't usually do unscheduled shows but... ya gotta take the chance when it's dangling in front of ya, right?"

"Hah!" Warlords massive armor was easily three times the relatively human-sized Azure Shadow. It made for an impressive shadow to loom over someone. "Sorry but I don't intend on sharin' the prototype!"

"I don't need someone's hand-me-downs." He tapped his helmet. "I already downloaded the schematics. But that's not the point." He casually cast a glance at the heroes sprawled around the room. "I can't have you breaking my record. I rather -like- not having a body count to my name, you know."

"It's jus' like I heard. You're too soft, Shadow." He brought up one of the cannons mounted to his arms and pointed it at the azure figure in front of him. "But it don't matter. You can't stop Warlord."

The Azure Shadow simply shrugged and shook his head, as if he given up arguing.

To which, he was promptly answered with gunfire. However, as bullets sprayed his azure form, it flickered and vanished. Warlords surprise was quickly severed. He knew optical camouflage when he saw it. He quickly lowered the cannon on his arm to adjust for where the Shadow had reappeared, sprinting to close the distance.

A blast of energy left The Shadows hand, but it wasn't aimed at Warlord, but at the ground just in front the azure power-armor. A swirling mass of violet colored energy formed at the spot. As the Shadow ran over it, he was launched high into the air, leaping nimbly over Warlords massive body.

"The famous gravity-pulse generator." Warlord smirked as he turned, the pod on his back opening as several small missiles spewed forth. "It ain't enough."

A small chaingun folded out of the shoulder section of the Azure Shadow's armor, accurately firing bullets to intercept the missiles before they reached their intended target.

This was how a battle between two power-armored specialists usually played out. A battle of who had the better mastery, of who had the better tricks.

Warlord levelled his flamethrower and spewed out a line of super-intense flame. In response, the Shadow leaped upwards, clamoring onto what appeared to be a prototype hover-bike that was suspended in the air by cables. From this high vantage point, The Shadows small chaingun started firing down at Warlord.

"You're gonna need more than that toy gun, Shadow!" The bullets went almost entirely ignored by the massive bronze Power Armor. Most simply ricocheted off his armor. He raised his flamethrower and let another trail of fire loose.

Exactly as the Shadow had planned. He held his hand out and there came a green shimmer. Suddenly he held in his hands a small round grenade. The limited range equipment teleportation system was perhaps the most useful piece of technology he possessed, he thought with a slight smirk.

Rather than throw the grenade at Warlord, he stuck it into the hover-bike he was perched on. Quick and agile, he back-flipped off the machine as Warlords fire burned through the cables holding the machine aloft. All that was left was to watch as the grenades explosion sent the massive hover bike careening into Warlords surprised form.

The blow sent the large power armor stumbling backwards. But the Shadow wasn't done yet. He held out his hand again as he sprinted forward. This time a smooth canister teleported into his waiting hand.

Warlord, seeing his opponent closing in quickly, drew back a massive fist and let it fly, just as the Shadow tried to pass him. His fist found only the wall it plowed into. However, there came a metallic clang that caught his attention. Too late, he saw the canister-like grenade at his feet.

A bright flash blinded him and, when he next opened his eyes, half his armored form was covered in a thick blue crystal. Ice.

"Cryogen grenades..." The Shadow backed off, as if to admire his work. "Pure genius, don't you think?"

The last hero still conscious could only watch this power-armored duel with awe. Warlord had man-handled five fully capable heroes, but was on the defensive against just one man. He was beginning to understand exactly why The Azure Shadow was as famous a thief as he was. Clever tactics, out-of-the-box thinking, and bleeding edge technology, all wrapped up in the lithe azure-colored power armor.

"This ain't enough to stop me, fool!" Warlord turned his free arm toward the ice, and let rip a massive blast from his flamethrower. He quickly freed himself from the ice, and turned to engage the Shadow. However, all he found was that the room was become shrouded in steam. "You can't hide from Warlord!" His visor quickly switched to heat-detecting mode.

Most power-armor gave off considerable heat as a byproduct. Even in steam, they'd be clear as day.

"There you--!!" Although he couldn't see the Shadow's actual form, his computer was overlaying the heat signature to his visor....but... It was currently showing nearly a dozen 'signatures' that all looked exactly like the one that the Azure Shadow emitted. "Clever boy... venting your excess heat to create a false signature..."

"It's nice to see my work appreciated..."

Warlord's eyes went wide. That voice came from directly behind him!!

"This looks important..." He smirked beneath his helmet. Meia had been analyzing Warlords armor from the beginning of the fight. And she'd found the one thing he'd been looking for. Warlord's power source. A suit that large certainly required a great deal of power.

The Shadow levelled the hilt of his laser blade against a large bulge in the 'backpack' of Warlords armor and quickly flicked the switch of the weapon on.

The laser seared its way through the batterypack, forcing the massive armor to shut down mid-motion. The massive bronze-colored armor collapsed under its own weight as the Shadow quickly deactivated and stored the laser blade once again.

"Phew..." The Azure Shadow drew back to examine his handy work. "Not that it's my problem or anything...but..." He turned to the sole remaining hero, who had risen to one knee. "You may want to restrain him before he worms outta that armor." And, with that, he turned to make his exit.

"I won't let you just waltz out of here with those schematics, Azure Shadow." Ugh. The hero could almost -see- the Shadows incredulous look from behind his helmet.

"It's not nice to lie, you know." The azure colored figure chuckled. "But... well... I'll be nice and say, 'Catch me if you can...'" With that, he turned and sprinted down the hall-way.

"As if I could..." The hero gave himself a wry smile. After all, the Shadow already had the schematics... He could have left the laboratory at any time. Yet he showed up expressly to save the cornered heroes. Even if he'd had the energy left to chase the techno-thief...he wondered if he'd be able to muster the will to even try.