They were still no closer to discovering just why the Rikti had chosen to invade. Nor were they any closer to discovering what happened to their away team.
Their was some temptation to shut the company and its dangerous equipment down, but that was no longer something anybody considered possible.
The Rikti had their own dimensional technology, and with it, they could come into the world anytime they wanted. Portal Corp was Earth's only way of striking back at the source of the Rikti, or any other extradimensional threat.
"Any explanation of that flash we got a couple of days ago?" one of the techs asked.
"The portal tech fluctuated for a moment and opened a wormhole to an unknown dimension," the other answered. "We know it transported four bodies here, but we're not sure where."
****
There was a groan as the young-seeming man traveled up from the bounds of unconsciousness. He looked himself over and noted the bandages covering him and sneered.
It was just like his brother to be unable to follow through with what needed to be done. This was why he'd win in the end, because he was willing to do what was necessary.
"Where were you when I was being mugged?" he heard shouted.
The man snuck along the shadows of the alley he was in, and looked down on the scene of a human woman berating a strange-seeming creature. The creature was vaguely humanoid, male and seemed at least partially insectile, antenna and faceted eyes being particularly noticeable.
"I can't be everywhere lady," the insect man said wearily.
"You useless freaks only know how to grandstand," the woman snapped bitterly as she stepped away.
"Sometimes I really wonder why I do this job," the insect man said under his breath.
The watching man smiled darkly. The insect man had power and potential, much more so than the pitiful humans.
"So, in this world the butterflies still serve the spiders," the man whispered. "Let's change things up a bit."
****
Upon a throne within a great cavern, somewhere under the city, brooded a mage lord over a turn of events a decade and a half past. When a dashing swordsman had stolen his would-be queen away.
He had considered himself gifted by the powers he served when he first encountered the draconic mutant, Mana. She was an exciting creature, beautiful and powerful, the only female that was fit to sit beside him in rulership over the kingdom to come.
When he would usurp command over the Circle of Thorns and quickly thereafter the world at large. When that happened, he intended to have Mana as his queen.
But for now there were two impediments in his way to that goal.
No, it wasn't the mystical might of the other mages of the Circle that bothered him. It was that accursed swordswinger Rouce, and the daughter of his and Mana's unacceptable union.
Which was why the news that young Mink had taken up her father's old profession had brought a black smile to his face. When he was finished with the young mutant, her father would wish that he'd never been born, and Mana would see that she truly belonged to him.
Siva laughed at his coming victory.
****
The Hamidon stirred.
Something had come to Paragon.
Something...familiar.
Something like itself and like humans.
Something not devoured.
Something independent.
Something of the Earth, but that still sided with the polluting humans.
A traitor.
It would have to be subsumed into the cause.
Like all other life.
If it refused. Then it would just have to die.
****
"The Galaxy Police have taken an interest in affairs here," the redhead told the alien creature before. "If you think Earth was a tough nut to crack, wait until you see what they can do."
"Why do you tell us this, human?" the Rikti mentalist asked, slightly angered over the mental shielding headband the woman wore.
"Whoever said I was human," the woman asked, tauntingly. "Look, you take care of the GP's little investigating officer, and I'll help you take the fight straight to the vaunted Galaxy Police."
"And how can we trust you?" the Rikti demanded.
"I don't suppose we can trust each other for sure," she said. "But I want Kiyone dead, and so will you when you learn that I am right about her reasons for being here. So, let us wait until she's handled before you have one of those big boys with the nasty swords skewer me, and before I disintegrate you beyond all hope of reconstitution. Shall we?"
Mitsuki smiled. Revenge for her humiliation would finally be coming.
****
"Rose has entered activity again," a somber looking officer explained to his superior. "She is calling herself Blood Rose now."
The pale creature smiled and folded long, thin hands as it regarded the ubermensch enhanced officer before it.
"Good," he smiled. "Then she'll come to us. Have the plan ready."
"Javol Lord Requiem," the officer declared, saluting.
****
"I believe we have found a clue to the location of the Scroll of Wind and Thought," a kneeling tattoed man declared respectfully to the asian individual standing before him.
"Go on?" the obvious master said.
"There is a lycanthrope magician who has just begun a career as a hero," the servant said. "She bears magics that seem to be of the same nature as the scroll bore. If we were to take her, then perhaps we would regain that power."
"Seek her then," his master commanded. "And let the Tsoo acquire this spell circle."
"Of course, master," the tattoed man said, head bowed to hide the small, victorious smile that appeared.
It would be a good message to Lydia. It didn't matter whether her daughter survived or not, she would hear of the attack and begin to wonder. Gothwrain still had a use for the hybrid's mother, and Lydia would fulfill that purpose eventually, whether she knew it or not.
If she brought her husband into the game, so much the better. A little extra power was always welcome.
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(Posted Fri, 16 Jul 2004 05:03)
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