Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Mission Monitor Board The Office of Security (out with the Lardy, in with the Dev)

<Chief Lardy, Dev Em, Ex and the others, drifting in and out of consciousness, feel themselves lifted up as if in a dream and whisked away .... they feel the bees wash away as they are speed out of the Office of Security >







to Rockhopper's Rookery
http://www.legionworld.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=002589;p=52

By all that is holy...look at this destruction.

Look at this carnage.

The Red Bee must be stopped! At all costs!

Red Arrow took the time when everyone was distracted to head to the top of security. Of course, she had disabled the security functions (under Chief Lardy's name) as she went along to make it look like an unknown spy was responsible. Red Arrow shifted through the files until she found it:

19910405- Lard-Bots Apocalypse Protocols

She activated the protocols diligently, with plenty boric acid at hand in case of any insect interruptions. That reminds me that I agreed to volunteer to demonstrate chemistry at that elementary school next Friday. On that thought, the last protocols were engaged and she ran stealthly back to Sir Roy's side.

<notices Red Arrow is back but thinks nothing of her dissapearance, assuming she looked for more victims>

I'm not sure there is anything further to do here. Just find the Red Bee and destroy him if we can.

But with so many heavy hitters off the board...

<Roy doesn't complete the thought>

"He's playing with us," Red Arrow said. "Unfortunately for him, I don't play those kind of games. We are going to defeat him, Sir Roy."

(Tempest was in her room at the time of the battle. Well, her body was, all means to locate the Red Bee has failed her as well as discovering his enchantments, so she took to astral projecting herself to realms beyond Legion access. But she has returned and has discovered the destruction.)

GODDESS!!!

Cobie...Lardy...

(She focuses her mind and uses her training to see the past...she hears her name.)

Dev?

(Tempest returns her astral form to her physical form.)

They looked so horrible. Here I stand without a scratch.

(She looks to the monitor.)

No...those children.

No point in tell the others, not in their condition.

(Teleports out.)

Question Kid walks into the room. He says, "Father..." He couldn't help himself. This may be the last time he sees them all alive. He walks up, "I want your blessing...please let me take all the powers..."

Red Arrow simply stands and watches this unfold.

<flies in to Office and enters his quarters, goes to supply closet>

Thank the gods--you three are still here! Each of you have programming more sophisticated and independent of the drones. So glad I moved you out of that tesseract because we're goona need you!

Activation code: Lardy-sixty-niner-alpha-Helen-Dru-Prudence-zero-one-one!

code accepted

Initialize, Edie-Bot! Confirm!

Edie-Bot active.

Initialize, Hugh-Bot! Confirm!

Hugh-Bot active.

Initialize, Clive-Bot! Confirm![/color]

Clive-Bot active.

<grins> Okay, guys...let's roll out and give your "brothers" a piece of our minds!

<all four fly out>

OCC: Please Read This, it will make the RP easier to understand
http://www.legionworld.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=001207;p=1#000001)
Emily Sivana walked through the walls of Legionworld, frigthening a support staff. She began to make banana pancakes. Last night she had exchanged the Soul Gem for three powerful equations. The first one lets her to walk through walls. The other two equations were to be given to Chief Lardy and Cobalt Kid respectively.

As equally important, she had obtained substantial donations from both sides of her family. Both families being businessmen wanted negotiations for further contracts, but that was standard. She let the donations pour in while skillfully giving small funds from her own accounts.

Not to be outdone, Sebastian was getting the money to roll in too. He was getting frustrated with the public sector, and was wondering if a little private sector help would speed things up. Sebastian was making Sage Minerals a public company. All the influencial people in Nasger were holding hands at this moment, glad to be able to help a UP planet. Of course the individual investments would be harder to handle, but they could do it.

He walked into the kitchen and smelled the pancakes. "Thank Ultor! I am starving."

"That happens when you fast," She said. Emily started serving panckes, "As much as I love God, I can not do it. I would faint."

"The Fast of the Three Stories really is not that bad. It really helps get the memories out of my head," He says. Sebastian says this as he pours maple syrup on the pancakes.

AFter a long night of (Censored) , Timberwolf makes his way to the Office of Security.

Upon entering, he smells pancakes. Already ate this morning. Got to see if Lardy is around. Besides, I really don't want to deal with the little girl just yet.

He passes the kitchen, heading towards Lardy's office.

<Cobalt Kid flies in, a guest of Security Chief Lardy. He is greeted by the administrative staff.>

Show me to his quarters and I'll wait for him.

Now begins a new phase of the LMBP. This will be far beyond Legion World and something affecting all of the UP. Time to set aside all the private wars I've been running these last few years and put my true focus on the matter at hand.

Sebastian finished his pancakes and smiled. "So do you think you and Agrippa will go far?"

Emily said, "Huh?" She then remembered that was the name of a Roman general. "I do not think that analogy works very well. I am not a whore, I am a self-made woman."

"Well, I know you are not like Cleopatra over there. And you are not my Livia, you are more like Celest...a sister." Sebastian said. It was true, she looked almost exactly like his dead sister.

Emily said, "Look, Sebastian. I know there are surveillance features and people with super-hearing, but if we develop code, let's develop one not based on Ancient Rome. There is reason most of those stories are called tragedies."

Sebastian thought for a moment. "Life as a comedy. I would like that sort of life. I look around, and I see so much bloodshed. Not just by the enemies, but by the rulers themselves. I saw their memories, I saw that they have been fighting since we were ten years old," He sighed.

"We have been fighting for centuries, Sebastian. Our community is a strange one, with so many deaths and false deaths. Somedays I wonder if we fight not for justice, but the hope of justice," Emily laments. She begins washing the dishes.

Sebastian gets up and decides to dry the dishes. "We have to patient, are time is yet to come. But if I wanted to live in a place with impunity and war I would have stayed on Salvador. I don't want to chose between justice and peace either, I want to have both."

"Yes, we're meeting with them all shortly. I hope you have your presentation ready, because I have mine," Emily said. The dishes were cleaned and she pulled the plug.

"Yes, I rehearsed in front of the mirror last night," He put away all the silverware. "Just please lend me your Bible again, I think I will try to develop another code."

<Cobalt enters Lardy's private office and finds Lardy and Kalla Hrykos/Hot Chick already in there waiting for him>

Have a seat, Des.

<turns to Kalla and gives her his Omnicom>

Kalla, this is the document which will grant you your amnesty from crimes you committed during the 52 Affair. All that is required to make this official is for me to input my Alpha Security Code and then my retinal scan. As long as we leave this meeting convinced of your sincerity, this meeting will conclude with your amnesty being notarized. Should you feel our word isn't good enough, you can always follow through by reporting my collusion with you to the LMB. It is my every intention for you to leave this room with your amnesty. Do you understand?

<Kalla nods>

Des... <turns to him> ...I'm gonna start here with giving you my confession--full disclosure on my collusion with this woman, who is one of Legion World's Most Wanted. Please just hear me out and let me talk all the way through it...

<shakes his head>

After Dru was murdered, I was in a very bad place, Des. I put on a good front and returned to the LMB as a model member and to your Security Office as a decorated Officer, but all I really wanted was revenge against the Empire that had destroyed my happiness.

So I went to her. <points at Kalla> I proposed a secret alliance between myself and her that would be mutually beneficial. She knew, as well as I, that Wyandotte and the Emperor Pyngwyn would turn on her at some point when they felt she was no longer needed. I offered her a chance to turn the tables on them and consolidate her power in such a way as to give her the upper hand in the power structure of the Oval. By doing that, I would take down the fuckers who engineered Dru's murder... <rubs eyes> ...like I said, I was in a bad place.

So for several months, I made several secret visits to Hrykosia and planned with her....between LMB missions and Security Office duties. Shortly before the Five Faces of Death affair began, I...killed...the highest caste leader of the Dominion. We then replaced him with a Durlan who is loyal to Kalla. At that point, Kalla effectively controlled two-fifths of the Dark Oval.

The next step was in the early planning stages before the FFoD thing really hit the fan. The plan was for me to somehow get into the Hive, kill Wyandotte...and then replace him...with me. As he's my other-dimensional double, it seemed like a remarkably simple solution.

Well, that never got too deeply into the planning phase because, well, I died. And when Dru's Resurrection Engine eventually brought me back, I had memory problems. Most of them came back, but the stuff about the collusion with Kalla never did.

Kalla heard about my death and rebirth and wondered why I never came back to finish what we started. As the other Oval powers were already showing signs of closing in on her, she couldn't simply leave, so she got this mage friend of hers to weave a spell that allowed them to switch identities. The switch had a side effect that Kalla forgot who she was, but she was "programmed" to find me. When she did, she remembered who she was and what her mission was.

She also used her light to "jump start" my memory, so I now have no gaps. My first impulse was to turn her in, but she blackmailed me by threatening to report my collusion with her as an act of treason. But more than that, the opportunity to have all this intel on the Oval was hard for me to resist. I mean, look what it's already yielded--Earth-4 lives! I mean, damn, that's HUGE! And she says that's just the tip of the iceberg!

Just as I learned who she really was, this whole Red Bee thing started going down, and we're just now having a chance to breathe and figure this all out. She wanted amnesty in return for all of this valuable intel, and I felt it was worth it. Don't get me wrong...I can't stand her! But this wealth of info, combined with her help against the Red Bee...it's my judgement call. The possibility of saving our friends on Earth-4 from being enslaved and dominated alone...I can't turn my back on that, no matter the bad taste this leaves in my mouth.

Anyway...that's my full disclosure, Des. The floor is yours.

<Cobalt is quiet for a moment as he considers all that he is told, arranging his thoughts; just as the silence begins to become deafening, he speaks.>

Knowing that our allies in the SMB are alive, and indeed, that Earth-4 still exists at all, is a huge shock, and above all else, it can't be discounted how important that is. From here, our immediate concern must be doing something about it.

<turns to Kalla>

But know this: it distresses me that you are being granted amnesty. I will never be able to get over the guilt of knowing that while the LMB were off in space battling Sol Invictus, you led an assault on our home which took the lives of numerous friends and family who defended Legion World in our place. If it were up to me, I'd find a way to double-cross you in the end.

<back to Lardy>

Lardy, what you told me about your past actions in the wake of Dru's death...saddens me. But not because of what you did, but where you're mind was during that time. You've had a chance to grow over these last few years and for that I am thankful. But by once more broaching this topic, I hope you'll be careful not to slip back into old roles.

<once more, as in past years, Cobalt instantly forgives his friend for his actions, knowing that he too has many similar skeletons in the closet>

One day the LMB is going to find out about your actions, however, and on that day, the shit will hit the fan. They will not be as willing to gloss over them.

<he holds his hand up to stop Lardy from speaking, nodding as if to say: 'we'll talk no further of it'>

But your plan had one major flaw. Having you replace Wyandotte as a leader of the Dark Oval would never work. It would take a tremendous tole on you, and the longterm effects could be your end. A life in the Dark Oval would destroy you over time.

<back to Kalla>

You have vast intel on the Dark Oval, and it's clear that Lardy and I both intend to get it from you. It's no surprise that our immediate goal will be to rescue our friends from Earth-4 as soon as possible. But I question your true motives here. Your file indicates you want revenge, which I understand. But your demeanor suggests a more seductive motive: power. Is it power, you crave, Kalla Hrykos? Do you see this as an opportunity to destroy your enemies and in the wake become the supreme ruler of the Dark Oval? Because this does not appeal to me at all. But wait, you'll tell me--the Dark Oval will then be a chief ally to Legion World. But how? The large majority of that sector of space hates us and has been bred to do so. You cannot force their cooperation...or perhaps that is your intent? And we, the LMB, would be left as accessories to installing a ruthless dictator? It is something I cannot live with. So yes, I value what you have to offer us...but the full intent of our future plans must be made clear.

<he turns back to Lardy>

The intel we are going to get is of critical importance. From there, we must decide how to proceed. Are we to rescue the SMB and indeed, the entirety of Earth-4? Or are we going to take it even further--and try to castrate the Dark Oval once and for all? Using a special smaller force in the beginning is the logical start, but eventually this may call for the entire LMB to be involved...at which point, we must defer to the LMB leader. I even question how much longer you'll be Chief of Security given recent events (though perhaps it would let you focus on other things...).

I have three agents in the Dark Oval now, whom I think you'll be impressed by. The Space Knights Templar also have been working their own..."secret"...mission in the Contested Territories along the Dark Oval border. Once we decide when & how to proceed, I can begin making arrangements.

<he pauses>

Bloody Liberty...so much to take in. Earth-4 still lives, Kalla Hrykos here on Legion World blackmailing Lardy and seducing Timberwolf...Lardy killed the Caste leader of the Dominion! Things will move quickly from here and I can only plan and make adjustments along the way.

Your actions Lardy were guided by an intent I can empathize with. What is distressing is that throughout, Kalla Hrykos has been able to maintain the upper-hand. That must end now. If we are to proceed, it is to be with a clear goal and firm partnership, no matter how distasteful it is.

OOC - I wrote that post three times, the first two having been lost to limbo where likely certain magnificent aspects of it slipped away from memory forever.

On his way to Lardy's office, Timberwolf got sidetracked by several members of the LMB that wanted to talk to him now that his "secret:" was out in the open.

He made his way there finally and heard Cobalt Kid talking. You have vast intel on the Dark Oval, and it's clear that Lardy and I both intend to get it from you. It's no surprise that our immediate goal will be to rescue our friends from Earth-4 as soon as possible...

He let Des finish his speech and then knocked on the door.

{hears knocking}

That would be Lon. I invited him to join us, so I would have a friend here... {Lardy and Cobie roll their eyes but nod}

{lets T-Wolf in and embraces him} Have a seat, my love.

{holds his hand and focuses her attention on the other two} Look, I don't think it's a secret to either of you that I have much to gain from this potential alliance with you. I'm no altruist! I fully intend to have control of the Dark Oval in the wake of this action--I'm telling you this up front. If you think you would be replacing the others with someone potentially worse, you are delusional.

You say you have spies, Cobalt? Surely, they've told you about the changes I have made in Hrykosia? Hrykosia was the most racially divided realm in the galaxy before I came along! If you weren't human and wealthy, you were beneath dogshit to the Hrykos clan--fodder for their military and slaves to build their great warships! I did away with all of that and have fully integrated all races and species to form a new Hrykosia...and we are all the stronger for it! If I am a despot, I am the despot who brings positive change and equality! That's what I want to do for the Dark Oval.

Think of where you are now, gentlemen. The so-called "intel" you have on the Oval--it's a joke! It is an impenetrable morass of lies and secrets that would otherwise take you decades to infiltrate!

Do you have decades? I know both of you, deep down, believe that the Dark Oval is a true threat to conquer or destroy the United Planets and even Legion World. That's why we are all in this room, isn't it? Earth-4's survival is a feel-good rallying point, but truthfully, both of you know that the Oval is the biggest threat to the survival of all you hold dear.

Remember how easily we took Epsilon Sector? Well, you are not the only one with spies and plants! That whole operation with Mordru and Zerox was planned with precision and with key Dark Oval operatives in place. {glares at Cobalt} Key, highly-connected operatives.

So...yes. I want power. Is there anyone in this room who doesn't? {gives Lardy and Cobalt pointed looks} But I can demistify the Oval for you, and yes, I will be your ally when all of this is over. With its secrets laid bare and your key antagonists removed, you will find yourselves threatened not at all. I will sign treaties, allow embassies to be opened, encourage trade...everything to show that I'm sincere in my intent.

Honestly, what other option would you have? If there were some other occupying force taking over, like the Space Knights for instance, how well do you think that would go over? I would be the only choice you would have...otherwise, the constant rebellions and terrorists acts would drive the U.P. to bankruptcy! History is laden with many examples of such failures.

So yes, I expect to come into this with an equal partnership and emerge as the leader of the new Dark Oval in the wake of what we hope to accomplish. If that is unacceptable, I'll return and somehow make all this happen myself. I do have all the resources of the Dominion and Hrykosia at my disposal, after all. I may die in the trying, but I will not stand for Wyandotte, the Pyngwyn, Fey and...the other...continuing to crush the masses beneath their boots!

That, my friends, is my "full disclosure"!

<stands> I think you are far from having given us full disclosure, Kalla, but I get your point.

<looks at Cobalt> I don't see as how we have any choice at this point to agree, Des. <back to Kalla> But if we're to be equals in this thing, you'd better be up front with us. If we feel a knife in our backs, we will take you down, Kalla! Damn any consequences!

<back to Cobalt> The plan was never for me to permanently be in Wyandotte's place...but only as long as it took to take the others down and find some other way to control or elimininate the Hive's Queen.

And to answer your question, the goal is definitely to end the Dark Oval as we know it. She's right, Des...they are the greatest threat to the U.P. and Legion World that's out there. If we "castrate" them, as you say, we eliminate the threat and free our friends on Earth-4! If we play a longer term game, we lose the upper hand that Kalla's intel would give us and risk ultimately losing to the Oval. Playing for anything less would be suicide, I believe.

<still sitting, Cobalt leans over and pours himself a scotch from Lardy's bar--the bottle Lardy never touches because he does not drink>

It would appear you're right. This is an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted...so our ambitions should be maximized. But taking down the Oval is no easy feat. We'll need precision. Rescuing Earth-4 is our primary goal, and certainly what the LMB should be focused on. Ending the thread of the Dark Oval should be a secondary goal that goes hand in hand.

<back to Kalla>

You make no secret of your intent, I'll give you that. Still, the idea of you ruling the Dark Oval brings me no joy. It never once crossed my mind for the Space Knights Templar to enter the Dark Oval and oversee it—far from it. I’d hoped there was a chance the citizens had some sort of measure of democracy in their hearts.

The Dark Oval currently has five leaders, constantly fighting and plotting against one another. Replacing them with one firm leader in total control—you have to realize we aren’t going to be sold on the idea right away. What’s to guaranty your loyalty? A similar situation happened with the Khanate of Sol Invictus and looks where that’s taken us.

You’ll forgive me if I simply don’t trust you. I’d love to have something in writing expressing your loyalty, or an arranged marriage to an LMBer, like Timberwolf, or whatever. But I realize you’re unlikely to agree to these things. It appears the best alternative is to make a deal with the devil.

And the only way we’ll make the deal is full disclosure on the entirety of the Dark Oval. All the secrets laid bare. Dark Oval spies revealed, the five powers discussed in full.

<finishes his scotch>

Okay Kalla Hrykos. I’m willing to come to an agreement.

And Engine Joe helps us all…

{smiles as she takes his words as a victory in her favor} Fuzzy and I are for real, Cobaltus... {squeezes Lon's hand} ...marriage is a bit premature at this point, but not out of the question eventually!

{pours her own scotch}

So...where should I start?

Start with the general structure of the Dark Oval. We know much but we are the first to admit there are holes in our knowledge.

Well, let's see. As you know, there are five powers:

Hrykosia, which is ruled by me.

The Dominion, which was ruled by the Dominators--but is now secretly within my control, as we've established.

The Hive is an insect colony dominated by their Queen. However, Wyandotte married her and has used his mind control to dominate her will and, through her, the entirety of the Hive.

Earth-4 is the base of the Evil Emperor Pyngwyn and his consort Blaine Fey. It is located in the space previously occupied by the former Black Sun homeworld that was nuked by Caracalla. They were able to switch that world with Earth-4, thereby leaving "evidence" of Earth-4's destruction.

{looks at them and smiles} Clever, eh? They apparently used a device to amplify E-4 Faraway Lad's powers to make it happen!

And finally, the fifth power had been mobile for a long, long time but has finally settled on the recently-annexed planet of Zerox as its base. Who rules Zerox, you ask? The ex-wife of Mordru, Mala, and her current husband... {winks at Cobalt} ...any idea who that may be?

...Romaltus. Why am I not surprised? Already my mind starts comprehending signs we've previously missed.

Go on, Kalla. What is the current status of the leadership? Who are alligned?

Wyandotte, EEP and Romaltus seem very closely aligned. Though I have a hard time believing that three megalomaniacs such as those could not be planning to oust one another at some point, I've yet to see any of these cracks forming. If I had to place one above the other two, it would probably be Romaltus and his wife. They have been in power longer than the others and seem most devoted to this "god" of theirs, to whom they say made the Dark Oval possible.