Zombiedude101

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

@tsukune also we need a character so bad that it makes everyone else look better by comparison.

@Mr Allen J

I'll cook something up.

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

Rowan Campbell

Basic Information

Name:

Rowan Campbell

Nickname/Alias/Etc:

Gender:

Male

Age:

20

Height:

5'9

Weight:

142lbs

Home District:

Prior to returning to Baybridge, Rowan has been living with his friends out of their RV.

Appearance

Hair Color:

Dirty blonde

Eye Color:

Brown

Ethnicity:

Caucasian

Physical Appearance:

At 5'9, with scruffy hair, Rowan looks like the typical white-trash stereotype of someone who would easily fall into the wrong crowd. From a glance it's clear he's not a heavyweight, but three years on the road has meant he's developed a certain wiriness to him, indicating that he's not the same scrawny kid that he was back then and his skin has been browned a little by the sun during his travels, though being a Washington state native it's obvious he doesn't especially tan. Unkempt, his hair is a dirty blonde whilst along his jawline is a short, barely trimmed beard (a consequence of life on the road) and he possesses a set of sharp, blue eyes.

At each side of his lower left abdominal region are scars from a piercing injury received several years ago. The scar at the front has been somewhat covered up, however, by a tattoo of a scorpion, with the point of the stinger reaching into where the faded line of scarring begins.

On his right ankle is a tattoo of a traditional compass and, most noticably are the illustrations of cybernetics along his lower left leg and upper left arm and shoulder, clearly inspired from the Terminator films.

Attire:

Anything from sports clothes to hoodies, to jackets - Rowan isn't too picky about what he wears. Given Baybridge's propensity for wet weather, however, Rowan often has a preference for wearing a hoodie - particularly since it helps him keep a low profile and look less conspicuous. On top of this, he also tends to wear a knapsack on his back.

Personality

Innate & Outward Personality:

A rough upbringing has left Rowan a textbook example of the kind of social issues that a lot of young people in Modern America face. Stubborn to a fault, he's the kind of person who, if he doesn't particularly like something, will tend to drag his feet or otherwise subvert it if he can't outright stop it. He's the kind of person who's liable to break before bending and it's contributed to his overall mental state of being able to take as much of a beating as possible and still get up - if his mind is set to something, nothing will put him down - again, due to his upbringing, cemented by the experiences he went through with the Founding Family three years ago.

Arguably what one could call a 'free spirit', Rowans not the type who's outright inclined towards rebellion, but a few raw memories of his old man and the likes of Ezekiel and Blake have left him with a firm dislike for figures who convey themselves as authoritarian. A few years of keeping a low profile, even out there on the road, haven't helped him with this disposition and at this point, 'rules' tend to be regarded more as guidelines as far as he's concerned, which happens to be really convenient when you're the kind of person with a fascination for urban artwork and tresspassing on private property.

It can still take him a while to come to trust people he doesn't quite know and often his first instinct can be to put up a hardened front, but deep down Rowan is the kind of person who'll stay loyal to those who treat him in kind, as can be found with Wendy, Jess and Kai - people who he's known to fiercely protect to the point he's tried knocking down people twice his side at the first sniff of trouble. The only problem there, however, is that it can be hard for him to admit when he needs help and even now, with the friends he's known for the last three years, there's a hint of that stubborn refusal to admit when he's down.

Life on the road gave him a few more skills along the way, along with reminding him that the friends he's come to rely on are the ones he wants to stick by. Yet at the same time, it's made him realise some hard truths about himself and the kind of person that he is. He knows he's killed on more than one occasion and, despite suggesting otherwise, it's something which has sat with him at the pit of his mind in a way which doesn't so much eat away at him or weigh him down as it just sits there, as though the fact he acknowledges it without any disdain bothers him more than the act of killing itself. And yet, regardless of it all - he knows that it would be something he'd do again if he had to.

Overall, the events that transpired in Baybridge three years ago and since have helped to wisen Rowan up even further for the rough world that they live in.

Hobbies/Interests:

Rowan still has quite the fondness for artwork - specifically, graffiti. A self-proclaimed 'writer', he takes pride in the many contributions he's made on the road in terms of murals and signatures that have been painted upon walls in varying states. It's one of the things that always allowed him to distract himself from the shittier parts of his life, and one thing that he always falls back on as a coping mechanism when everything else fails. Furthermore, he's gained an interest in extending his artwork to that of a tattooist and is responsible for one or two of the dare-induced tattoos that have been picked up by his friends.

Skills/Talents:

Growing up in Brookacres under a broken home has taught Rowan to develop a certain degree of self-sufficiency. He's still a teen, but there's been times where he's had to raise himself when his parents weren't around. It's left him with a bit of street smarts and pragmatism. He's also quite talented at street art and is a natural when a can of paint's in his hand. Also, as elaborated earlier, whilst it's not something he'd boast of, he's the kind of person who can take a hit and keep getting up. One could argue that if he wanted to, he could've become a professional boxer just because of this. Furthermore, life on the road has forced him to learn how to drive (despite having no license) and understand how to keep a vehicle such as the RV up and running if something goes wrong.

Goals/Motivation

Figuring out where to go next after three years out on the road, Rowan still hasn't got an idea of where he wants to be in life. All he knows is that he's got his friends and that they matter the most.

History/Bio:

Growing up

Hailing from the impoverished district of Brookacres, Rowan was another textbook case of a kid coming from a broken home, the only difference being that this kid had powers and their family happened to closely tied in with the Pure. To be specific, Rowan’s father had developed very close ties to the group from his time in prison and throughout the upbringing of his son he'd attempted to embed a similar set of bigoted views through years of domineering and abuse. His mother also suffered the same treatment if not worse, leading the two of them to endure years of abuse under the old man’s roof.

It wasn't until after he hit his early teens that it came to a head - Rowan's abilities manifested and soon, it went from keeping his head down to making sure the old man never found out the truth, out of fear for his mom more than anything. But keeping it a secret worked only for so long, and soon it escalated when, one night the old man had come home drunk yet again after another night out with his fellow bigots and had taken a disliking to his demeanour and started hurling abuse at them. When Rowan shot back, this made him angry and he looked ready to throw the bottle at him until his wife intervened, instead becoming the new target of his ire as she took a heavy beating for it.

Then something snapped. Years of abuse and resentment came bubbling to the surface - Rowan practically threw himself against the old man and laid into him blow after blow, until he finally realised that he wasn't actually punching him anymore - he'd practically flung every metallic object in the house against the old man in his anger and accidentally broken his neck.

It didn't take long for the authorities to realise what had happened, especially when he tested positive for the metahuman gene. DOVE quickly took custody of him after the truth of his circumstances was revealed and given the duress he'd been under, it was determined that he'd not intentionally killed the old man and was clearly in need of a stable environment. It took a while, but Rowan was soon enrolled with Academy 61 just in time for the summer and placed as a long-term resident of its dormitories.

Something different

Still struggling to fit in, time passed by and events occurred in the city around them. During this, Rowan met Wendy Lucker, a fellow student who shared his appreciation for art and in some ways was an outcast, traits which quickly forged a close friendship between them. This same friendship cemented when Rowan, having been introduced to a few of Wendy's other friends, shielded the group from harm during a terrorist attack by Eco-Natura.

Time went on and while the city around them felt the shockwaves of what was actively ongoing, all Rowan could think about were his newfound friendship, but events soon pulled him back into the thick of it. Whilst visiting the Harvest Festival with Wendy (and after some creative use of abilities at the available carnival games), he found himself caught up in the attack on the festival by the Black Hound and his paramilitary force, the Intimidation Unit. The two teens narrowly escaped with their lives, though not before Rowan was forced to use his powers in self-defense for the first time since his old man's death.

Another stumble came again as he and Wendy found themselves travelling to the Eastgriffin Ruins (where they had formed the basis of their own friendship) with her sister and friends in what was intended to be a showcase of some artwork that had sprouted from their previous instances of urban exploration, only to be ambushed by the Black Hound. Rowan put up as best of a fight as he could, but facing with the equipment, training, experience and abilities of the masked assassin proved to be his match and he was eventually subdued into unconsciousness, spared from capture only by Wendy's timely intervention.

Wendy's sister, Diana, and her two friends, Kai Anaru and Jessica Rosefey, were not so lucky, on the other hand. By the time that RAVEN had shown up, the Hound had departed with the three captives, leaving behind the two teens to lick their wounds. But Wendy, as it happened, proved to be the more resourceful of the two, catching onto an information leak from an anonymous mole within the organisation responsible for the capture of their friends and her sister.

Whilst Wendy was initially ready to depart alone with the intent of liberating them from captivity, Rowan managed to weasel his way into this impromptu rescue mission with a little bit of convincing - and found himself proving useful when it came to breaking into the actual facility where their friends were supposedly being held. As it happened, the anonymous tip had proven true, for the most part - Jess and Kai were present, but not Diana, yet Wendy found more than just her friends, she found a personal library containing a number of interesting books not typically found in the public eye - some of which she retained for herself.

Ready to leave, the two broke their friends out of captivity (along with the other prisoners whom had been trapped within the facility) but found themselves incurring the wrath of a powerful metahuman, one Ezekiel Anagnos - the owner of the books which Wendy had stolen and an egocentric individual who would later be revealed as one of the Blessed Three, the leader of the cabal that was the Founding Family. In pursuit of the escaping teens, Ezekiel managed to overwhelm both teens with his electromagnetic abilities - impaling the Rowan through the side with a piece of metallic debris and forcing Wendy to return the stolen books in exchange for sparing his life.

Luckily, Rowan was attended to by one the best metahuman surgeons available in Baybridge and DOVE soon brought the two teens back under their custody with strict orders to remain on the grounds of the academy campus - order which the two teens only loosely followed. Whilst Wendy trained with her powers, having gained a new one from one of the academy's teachers, Lihua Zhao, Rowan spent time honing his own abilities for the coming battles ahead.

This very same practice proved vital after another lead from Wendy's anonymous contact led them to a warehouse that was used by the Intimidation Unit as a safehouse, one that contained information regarding the Founding Family. Recovering the information they needed, however, led them to yet another face-to-face confrontation with the Black Hound, who proved as poweful an opponent as he had before, yet this time, whilst Wendy proved to be an excellent distraction, Rowan pulled a shipping container on top of the assassin, granting them enough time to escape.

With the information they had obtained, the two teens found themselves emboldened to embark on yet another incursion into the mysteries of the Founding Family, bringing Jess and Kai along as they broke into what turned out to be one of their facilities operating in Baybridge, based in a disused sewage and utility system beneath Silver Hills. It was here that Rowan and Wendy made a number of horrifying discoveries - a morgue, a laboratory evidently used for experimentation and the remains of the infamous metahuman known best as the Devil of Verthaven.

Such intrusion did not go undetected, however - as the two approached what seemed to be a cell block, they were ambushed by waiting members of the Intimidation Unit, forcing them to flee further into the bowels of the facility until coming face-to-face with Blake Schmidt, another member of the Blessed Three. Further unexpected however was the presence of Diana at his side - clearly under the effects of some form of mind control, later revealed to be the so-called 'Mechanised Memories'. Blake made them a relatively simple offer, that Rowan and Wendy could join him, the former as an assassin of the same calibre as the Black Hound and the latter as an apprentice who would eventually replace him.

Neither of the two gave it much consideration and responded as well as one might've expected - yet all it took was Blake to remind them of the half-dozen weapon sights trained on them before revealing that Jess and Kai had already been captured and were now at his mercy. Wendy seemed to relent, albeit just for a moment, before seizing the opportunity to attack as Blake let down his guard, whilst Rowan turned his attention towards the paramilitary soldiers facing them, ready to defend himself and his friends at a moment's notice.

Only Blake wasn't as vulnerable as they'd hoped - after a brief moment of what seemed to be success for the teens, the man revealed the true extent of his abilities, recovering from a seemingly deadly attack on his person to reveal his volcanic form. A short battle ensued between the three until Rowan was the only one left, yet even with the practice he'd undergone with his abilities he found himself overwhelmed by Blake's sheer strength and was beaten into unconsciousness for the second time around.

This time when he awoke, he found himself imprisoned along with Wendy - a collar fastened around both their necks to prevent them from lashing out with their abilities. During this incaraceration, they were visited three times - first by the Black Hound, then Ezekiel - neither of these two visits yielded much beyond the unpleasant chill of being in the presence of such individuals. Yet the third visit turned out to be well-timed, occuring during an attack on the facility by the forces of RAVEN and DOVE overhead. Their visitor, a woman by the name of Makoto, quickly liberated them from their cells and implored the two to leave, her motivations unknown to them, yet this advice went unheeded.

Instead, the two teens went back into the facility to find their friends - encountering Ezekiel for what would be the third and final time. Here, they learned the truth - that the Founders had designed and built a machine intended to grant metahuman abilities to the entire human race, regardless of whether it was a willing subject or not, but the more horrific truth to it was that in order to fuel this machine, countless metahumans were being fed to it for the purpose of harvesting their energy. Jess and Kai were among those trapped in the pods, forcing Rowan to break them free whilst Wendy kept Ezekiel occupied.

Much to the two's surprise, Makoto returned to help them fight Ezekiel and soon, in an ironic sort of justice, Rowan managed to gain the upper hand and brought Ezekiel down, embedding a shard of metallic debris deep into the man's gut until he drew last breath, an experience which would remain burned into the boy's memory.

Before either of the two could ask why Makoto had returned for them, the woman revealed her true identity - Kumiko Fujimoto - and that Wendy was her daughter. It was a profound moment, to say the least, but the collective shock of killing Ezekiel combined with the urgent need to escape the facility cut the reunion short and the five of them promptly escaped, still missing Diane.

Topside, the forces of RAVEN and DOVE were waiting, forcing the group to leave Jess and Kai behind whilst Rowan, Wendy and Kumiko made their way towards the Founding Family's centralised base of operations in Baybridge, gaining entrance to the complex via Kumiko's intimate knowledge of the Family whilst RAVEN and DOVE prepared their final assault, using the operation as cover for their infiltration.

It was here that Rowan and Wendy encountered Blake, along with her sister, only to find that they'd arrived too late - perhaps out of spite, Diana was fed to the machine and disintegrated in a green glow before the eyes of the two teens, Rowan unable to pry the capsule open in time.

Whilst Blake had managed to hit them where it had hurt, he'd also made a mistake - provoking them. Infuriated, the two teens gave it their all, launching a flurry of attacks upon Blake and his guards with reckless abandon, managing to inflict injury upon the former whilst wreaking death and destruction upon the latter, until finally he was able to take advantage of their rage and turn the fight in his favour, forcing Kumiko to intervene and teleport the two teens to a safer location before they could be finished off.

Hiding in the Grand Archives of the Founding Family, they found themselves confronted again by the masked visage of the Black Hound, only... this time, the assassin man came in peace, and revealed that he and the Foundation Woman were in truth responsible for the anonymous leads from Wendy's mysterious contact. He only wanted to talk, but there was little to say between them after hinting that the two teens had merely been used as part of a greater plan. After a moment of contemplation over whether to spare the Hound after all the pain and suffering that they'd endured at his hand, Rowan decided that there were more important things to worry about and instead escaped with Wendy and her newly discovered mother.

After this, stood outside the compromised facility, the two were contacted by the Foundation Woman who admitted that the teens had just been used as 'bait' as part of a scheme to bring the Founding Family to its knees, Diana just a casualty in it all. Furious, the two teens vowed to enact justice upon both the Foundation Woman and the Hound and little more was said, save for a final note that a 'gift' had been left close by for them, little compensation as it was for their troubles.

That gift turned out to be a package containing thousands of dollars - more than enough for each of them, as Rowan learned when Wendy insisted on sharing a sum with him.

Returning to Jess and Kai, the two learned from Wendy that Diana had been killed, but they vowed honor her memory the best they could, offering to take both Wendy and Rowan on their cross-country roadtrip. Despite both being under the watch of DOVE, the two gladly accepted the offer, not least because Baybridge held only bitter memories for them at this point. Preparing for the trip, Rowan learned from Wendy through a sincere, heartfelt speech that she felt he'd changed her and how she felt indebted to him - to which the scrawny teen reaffirmed her and admitted she was one of the only friends he'd had. After a sentimental plane ride, followed by a hasty farewell to his mother, Rowan departed with his friends for different trails.

Life on the road

After a short visit to Stadium City to attend Diana's funeral, the group embarked on a lengthy journey across the United States. From Miami to Philadelphia, to New York and beyond - there were few stops left unturned as the months on the road passed. Rowan quickly adapted to life in the RV and came to appreciate the freedom that had been denied to him in Baybridge, first by the old man and then by the likes of DOVE.

The fact remained, however, that both he and Wendy were still, technically speaking, wards of the state - at least under DOVE's jurisdiction, at any rate - forcing them to keep a low profile whenever they crossed paths with the organisation. After all, it would've cut their journey short if they'd been sent back home to face the music, but the chaos that had transpired in Baybridge meant that for the most part they'd been regarded as missing persons lost due to the (now exposed) influence of the Founding Family.

And yet as Rowan changed and adapted to the road he travelled, so had the world around him - extremists on both sides of the political spectrum were flaring up, drawing in more followers as their influence grew. More than a couple of times, Rowan had to narrowly dodge getting caught up in a pissing match between the likes of the Pure and the Allegiance and even had to protect himself or his friends from attack at the hands of such hate groups, yet they remained for the most part unharmed.

Three years had soon passed, with Wendy turning her sights back towards Baybridge, the city that had served as their home - and Rowan couldn't help but follow. After all, what else would he do without her?

Relationships

Family:

Family

Jim Campbell (Deceased) - Father

For lack of better words, Jim Campbell was a piece of shit. Jim did a ouple of stints in prison before and after his son's birth and developed close ties with a local cell of the Pure operating in Brookacres. A man with a history of violence, he routinely lashed out against both of his family members, particularly his wife whenever she said or did anything that he didn't like. His son, he was hard on in order to 'toughen him up', yet it would ultimately bring about his demise.

Patricia Campbell - Mother

Trapped in a marriage marred by years of physical and mental abuse, Patricia found herself easily under her husband's thumb and suffered greatly due to his domineering nature. She's one of the few people that Rowan cared about dearly, despite standing by her husband through all the years of abuse. However, Rowan hasn't seen her in years since making his farewells in Baybridge three years ago and the last time that they got in touch was over a payphone nearly four months ago.

Dynamics:

| Wendy Lucker |

| Good | Close Friend | "She's one a billion, y'know? One of the only people that ever gave a shit about me." |

Sparked off by a mutual interest in art, Rowan's friendship with Wendy was soon cemented after he chose to help her and her friends. A dozen times over the two ended up saving one another's lives at some point or another and despite failing to save her sister, Wendy was more than grateful for Rowan's help after the events which transpired three years ago. Life on the road together only proved to strengthen this bond even further, particularly after facing off all manner of hate groups and extremists on their tour across the country. Rowan is somewhat oblivious to Wendy's true feelings towards him, though not for a lack of reciprocation - he simply thinks of himself as being out of her league to the point that she wouldn't seriously consider it.

Abilities

Power Class:

Elemental - Energy

Powers:

Electromagnetic Manipulation

First and foremost, Rowan is able to generate and manipulate a powerful electromagnetic field that is capable of exherting his will upon and controlling ferromagnetic materials, in addition to holding an effect over other materials or energies that are influenced by magnetism (such as electricity or lead). Rowan's ability manifests through body movements, which can range from something as subtle as clenching his palm into fists to swiping his arm in a particular direction. Generally, the stronger the force he wants to exhert, the more sudden and direct his movements should be.

Theoreticaly, the scale of his ability could range from the scale of grain-sized materials (allowing him reshape or easily move such objects) to those the size of a building (allowing him to twist or alter larger structures, possibly even pull them down one day), though how refined his control is still has yet to reach its full potential as he is still somewhat lacking the training and experience of one with a complete understanding of their abilities, though the past three years have seen this improve by a wide margin.

And, as a side effect, his ability allows him to detect other magnetic influences which consequentially gives him a permanent sense of direction (like a compass) due to being able to subconsciously sense and interact with the earth's magnetosphere.

With further training and experience, Rowan's ability could eventually turn out to be very powerful, on par with those of NEST and RAVEN's greatest agents.

Limits:

Rowan's ability can at most be extended past sixty metres and generally has a weaker pull the further from it his target materials are. Objects that move too fast are incredibly difficult for him to focus on, often forcing him to rely on indirectly influencing them instead (Like this). Likewise, reshaping large or dense materials can be rather difficult and taxing to perform and, again, size is a big deal - the bigger the object, the larger the field he must generate and the harder it is to manipulate as such.

Weaknesses/Drawbacks:

Despite gaining a greater grasp of his abilities in the last three years, Rowan still has more to learn. Additionally, a side effect of being able to pick up on electromagnetic fields is that he's sensitive to strong electrical currents, which can be disorienting if he doesn't tune them out. Also, being placed in a faraday cage will definitely hinder the effectiveness of his abilities.

Overexhertion of his powers can cause him anything from migraines to losing consciousness, particularly when pushed to the limits of his ability - and staying nourished is an important note here.

And on a slightly funnier note, CCTV cameras do not particularly like being around him due to his propensity for unintentionally (well, maybe just a little on occasion) causing interference with the footage, a point which was among one of the many reasons why the academy utilises specialised equipment on its campus. That, and he also seems to give quite a few people static shock when making contact with them.

Other:

• In his travels, Rowan has obtained a tattoo kit which he's tested on his friends a couple of times - no refunds included.

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

Fuck, I can't come up with a power. I've toyed with a couple of different ideas, but either they don't fit or they just push everything into a really cliché territory.
Also I hate writing biographies, but I think I have a few ideas for that part.
Anyway, expect my CS sometime in the middle of the week. I'm trying not to rush it.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, @Mr Allen J, but is it okay to post WIPs? I know a few GMS who don't allow it, so I wanted to ask before needlessly annoying you.

@Oliver

To be honest your bio doesn't need to be lengthy, just short but nonthelesa concise if it gets the point across. The only reason my bios have been in-depth in the past is because I'm a stickler for flavour text.

As for ideas for the power, come up with the character then devise a power for them - I've done it with one or two of mine in the past.

Mass Effect: Borealis

So my dear precious butt lumps, I'm gonna write a solo post kicking us off from Elysium. If you guys have any collabs on the go that still need to be a thing on the planet, lemme know and I'll hold off on posting until then.

@DearTrickster

Nah, Iosif has been crashing on the ship and enjoying his time in solitude.

Mass Effect: Borealis

Keyword: Shevchenko, Iosif
Location specific: Sol - Mars - Lowell City

Immediate Relatives: Father (File #M8178-C) - Vasily Shevchenko, current Director for Systems Alliance R&D Operations within the Lowell City Facility.
Mother - Nastasha Shevchenko (Maiden name Pavlychko), R&D Project Manager within the Lowell City Facility.
Brother - Artyom Shevchenko, currently Assistant Technician Supervisor for R&D within the Lowell City Facility.

Date of Birth: 20th February (Solar Calendar), 2145 CE
Place of Birth: Lowell City Medical Facility, Mars

Notes: Former Systems Alliance pilot, enlisted in 2163 CE - served in 21st Airborne Divsion. Medically discharged in 2170 CE following injury in service which necessitated amputation of Shevchenko's left arm at the shoulder, veteran's compensation covered cost of a replacement prosthetic.

Later served as freelance mercenary until altercation with colleague Jedrah Vargus (Refer to File #92348-KBE9), entered custody of Batarian slavery ring with ties to Hegemony. Sentenced to penal servitude under the Batarian Hegemonic Judiciary System as per standard procedure with Systems Alliance veterans.

Reported missing following rioting in Aratoht mining sector, suspected responsible for theft of cargo shuttle (NOTE: Reports confirm this following Sevchenko's re-emergence on Illium shortly after a vessel of the same description was reported abandoned in local salvage yard).

Possible point of leverage for assets currently operating within Lowell City and surrounding region?

Shadow Broker File 18ML-98124
Location: Mars, Lowell City, Residential Apartment A012
Timestamp: 2163CE - 03/03 (Earth standard) - 1421
Source: Personal Omni-Tool
Type: Audio Transcript
Subjects: V. Shevchenko, I. Shevchenko

Below is an audio transcript of a conversation between Vasily Shevchenko and his son, Iosif Shevchenko.

VS: "Iosif, it won't be long before the deadline for you to accept your invitation is here, I'd suggest you make the arrangements soon. Time is of the essence, here."

IS: "Dad, we spoke of this before... I'm not interested in the Academy, so why do you keep trying to push it on me?"

VS: "Iosif, this, again? Why do you torment yourself with such low aspirations, especially to become what's a glorified chauffeur - someone with your gifts, your intelligence shouldn't be squandering them so. Why do you think we've gone to all the effort to get you a place there?"

IS: "I didn't ask you to pull any strings for me, and besides, it won't be necessary any more."

VS: "Why do you say that, Iosif?"

IS: "Because, dad, I've decided that my future will be with the Alliance - and I've booked a shuttle for Armstrong Outpost in a few weeks' time to seal that. I was going to tell you and mom later, but I guess I should come clean now."

VS: "What?! Why, why, why-"

IS: "I've explained this before, yet you don't seem to ever listen."

VS: "Is that so?! Fine, explain away."

IS: "All my life, I've been staring at the spaceports, watching the shuttles arrive and depart, day after day - I remember, if only barely, when we first discovered the Charon Relay and the great expanse beyond it and I wondered. I remember all the talk of exploration and more, and I wondered. Even after the war with the aliens, I wondered. Perhaps only once in my life I've ever seen an alien face-to-face, and yet I wonder what else I'll find out there. More than what's here, there's nothing but sand and dust and old, dead ruins here and I feel like this place will suffocate me if I have to stay any longer. I am... I'm grateful for everything that you and mama have done, but I want to choose my own path in life, for a change."

There is a brief pause, along with a faint breathing sound as footsteps are heard with someone pacing around around the room.

VS: "I'm... I am-.... it's unfortunate that you feel that way, Iosif, but nontheless... you are just a boy, with a boy's understanding of the world and its harsh nature - you are blinded by these notions of yours. Myself and your mother have worked hard, all our lives, with the intent of raising you to take a greater place than us in society. If we had half of the opportunities that you have had, we would've shown our gratitude by using them to achieve our potential, not walking away from them. What of all the efforts we've made to gain you a place at the Academy, the people we've spoken to..."

An argument breaks out between the two. Some of the audio from this footage has been rendered indescernible but this commotion between Shevchenko and his elder son continues for several minutes. Eventually, they move back within range of the recording device.

VS: "I simply don't understand!"

IS: "Then let me spell it for you, dad - I've tried to be calm, tried to be easy on this, because believe it or not, you're still family and there was a part of me that cared because of that, but I'm going to say it now. You're not in this for me, you're doing it for yourselves. You and mama are as bad as each other, you just want to raise up someone who's the mirror image of yourselves. Well, I won't have it! You had your chance to live your lives, I won't do it again for you - give your gifts to Art if you must, assuming he doesn't figure he's being played too."

VS: "Fine, then. Go. Squander your potential if you must, but know this - if this is your choice, I won't support this ridiculous endeavour of yours. Don't expect me to be there to dry your eyes and wipe your ass for you if things don't turn out how you expect. I wouldn't presume to try and go behind my back with this either, your mother would agree when I say that I speak for the both of us on this matter. I'm sure your brother would gladly take a spot in the Academy in just a few years' time."

IS: "Spasibo, dad. Proshchay."

The sound of a door opening, then closing rather firmly is heard. The elder Shevchenko male mutters a few indiscernible words beneath their breath.

Mass Effect: Borealis

God-damn, has it really been a year?

Mass Effect: Borealis

@DJAtomika Does Hazan play video games? Because if he's still sad and mopey Serena will probably invite him to good old fashioned false violence and mutually assured destruction in an attempt to make him feel less like trash.

For that matter, does anyone else? Serena would be totally down for some crew mate bonding through video game trash talking (to each other, to others, to the AI, whatever comes up).

@Rtron

Iosif would probably have been more of an FSX + Crusader Kings 2 type of guy.

Mass Effect: Borealis

Vellios continued to scoop the watery broth then chewed and swallowed it, the food sliding down into his gizzard. It warmed him but only filled him half way causing his figure to rise and move toward the makeshift stove. He scooped another round before he flopped upon the seat to continue eating. His head perked when he heard footsteps coming from the crew’s quarters and headed into his directions his eyes turned to spot Iosif.

Their co-pilot wearily ran a palm along his face, rubbing at his eyes - it didn’t take a genius to tell that the man had taken their shore leave as an opportunity to grab some shut-eye. Unlike the others, Iosif didn’t find any comfort in the notion of sharing sleeping space with the likes of Khosin, however much the others might’ve grown to trust the batarian by this point, so he’d instead found rest in the confines of the cockpit, if only for a few hours.

For a moment, he didn’t take any notice of the turian enjoying his broth, instead turning towards the sink unit and releasing a stream of lukewarm water which he began to splash across his face.

“Rough night?” Vellios asked as he paused on his eating, noting Iosif washing his face to wake up. His figure leaned back in his seat and studied the human.

”No,” Iosif grunted, ”Just needed some rest.”

After another moment of splashing water on his face, he tugged at the collar of his shirt and used it to dry himself off.

”You? Had a chance to visit the Alliance’s defining colony?” The tone he’d used was a dry one, not entirely endearing to his old life.

“Not really. Only colonies I've visited, aside from brief stops, were Turian and for supplies and men,” Vellios shot back easily.

”Guess the military culture does that to you. Don’t take this the wrong way, but eh... don’t you turians have some kind of equivalent of a tourist hotspot, or whatever?”

Vellios gave Iosif a look as he replied, amusement in his tone, “Likely but I've never been there honestly for a long time. I didn't do too well in those types of scenes some times and preferred more hostile ones.”
That earned him an amused snort from the slav. ”You ought to try my hometown. Nothing like a UV sun-tan to lighten up your day.”

Vellios tapped his hard carapace, reminding Iosif the UV rays would not get through it, as he continued, “I don't think I'll be getting a tan with this. However, I am curious about what type of place might've produced a hardened individual like yourself. Mind sharing?”

Yet another amused snort was produced through Iosif’s nostrils as he heard Vellios’ choice of language. ”Does Lowell City ring a bell with you?”
Vellios shook his head.

”Didn’t think so. It’s a population center on Mars. Y’know, the dustbowl planet where my species first discovered Prothean tech - nothing particularly interesting unless you’re a fan of low gravity, endless dust storms and a freezing, red desert which stretches out for hundreds of kilometers in every direction. Unless you’re wearing a suit, you’re gonna be freeze dried in seconds. Not exactly the most hospitable homeworld, I guess, but it wasn’t so much dangerous as it was boring.”
“Better than hopping from ship to ship with no ground under your feet, or plundering for living. It explains why you left, but not why you joined up here,” Vellios pointed out and continued, “I'm sure there's likely something you miss back home? I know I do.”

”Yeah, there are shittier places to start.” Iosif conceded, before continuing to address the turian’s subsequent question, ”Back there? Nothing especially, I’ve made a life out here for myself.”
“You still could've went anywhere and done anything. Now, I got a reason to want violence and thrive in it, but as far as I see… You don't,” Vellios commented and leaned into his table, his arm toyed with his spoon in his stew. His head still studied his crew mate for another answer.

”At the time, I wanted the Alliance. Or, if you’re interested in the specifics, I wanted to be a pilot. Remember, when I left home, aliens were wholly new to our species. I’d never even met a turian in the... flesh, until just after I’d been given my first posting in the Terminus Systems. Enlisting was a means to the end, really...” Iosif gave pause for a moment and shot a glance towards his own prosthetic arm, his fingers gently twitching, ”I suppose the violence came with the territory.”

“It's usually the ground troopers, not the pilot, that often suffers the physical evidence. What happened to cause that if you don't mind me asking?” Vellios asked and pointed to the slav’s cybernetic prosthesis.

”Story I’ve told enough times.” Iosif flexed his wrist for just a moment, [color=steelblue]”Shot down, arm pinned down by the fuselage. From what I was told by the medical staff who treated me, I was lucky to leave just that behind.”[/color=steelblue] Sniffing, he pointed his artificial index finger at the turian. ”Your guardian angel, Serena, would probably have a thing or two to say about misuse, but it turns out having a cybernetic limb is helpful when you need to apply a little extra force.”

“More like that human story, Beauty to the Beast, without the love interest. And you're right about that. She has a passion for machines of any variety so I suggest bring earplugs for that conversation,” Vellios confirmed and smirked at the thought, “I can't disagree that that cybernetics pack a hell of a punch when used by the right people.”
”Speaking of Beauty and the Beast.... how’d you two wind up working together?” Iosif hunched forwards with a quizzical gaze, stretching his neck as he turned a question towards his turian crewmate.

“As I told Khosin earlier before he went off to do an extranet call, we met when we both were assigned to the same job. She had been the only other none female Asari, so being my normal and charming self. I flirted with her. She went redder than that fruit called a tomato and I busted out into a fit of giggles. It was adorable.”

Vellios smiled at the memory, one of his few he cherished, as he scooped up another mouthful and swallowed quickly. His eyes drifted to note the barcode on Iosif’s neck and tightened his brow in his attempt to place it. Between chews, he then asked something he hope he wouldn’t result in a fight, “I didn't realise humans branded their military personnel.”

For a moment, the slav’s face seemed to harden, like stone. ”They don’t.” Then, after yet another pause, Iosif’s expression softened. He reached around to the back of his neck, then gave it a scratch, like some kind of phantom itch. ”I got this when the batarians put me to work in the mines.”

“That explains the tension around Khosin,” Vellios said then downed his glass of brandy, something he hadn't touched yet. Mainly since he wanted to see how long he could go before he needed it and drained it in one swallow, “They made some crude and cruel devices for that shit, but at least a brand could be burned off. However, you didn't.”

”You’re observant,” Iosif remarked, with a grim expression. ”It keeps me on my toes, reminds me of how I wound up in that situation. As for our batarian colleague, it’ll also be a good reminder for him to stay in line.”

“I figured as much, through honestly you're best putting that behind you and moving on. Just my opinion, but I also know it's easier said than done,” Vellios stated and poured himself another drink, his bottle about a fifth empty. He sat there, ignoring his stew and thinking a bit, before he reconsidered his next question, “Part of me wants to ask you how you got away but I think I already know the answer. So I'll just let it rest and change the topic. Your choice on what we talk about.”

Part of that was appreciated on the slav’s part, to which he gave the turian an affirming nod. ”So, you ever visit Earth?” He asked, with genuine curiosity.

“Hell no, according the hierarchy humans are a disorganized, crazy race,” Vellios teased then got serious, “Seriously though, I haven't and for good reason. I served during the 314 incident and I highly doubt my kind are accepted with open arms.”

Iosif couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle. ”Honestly? With the history of war in our species, I think you’d be more a point of fascination than anything.”

“I doubt that. I just sort of focused on the individuals rather than what race they are. If I wanted to be bitter, I would be pretty lonely myself and likely dead,” the dark carapace Turian pointed out as he couldn't name a race he wasn't wronged by in some fashion.

”I guess you’re right, to a point.” Iosif conceded yet again, though his thoughts on their four-eyed crewmate remained the same.

“Besides, I'm fucked up mentally as it is. Why do I want more shit to deal?” Vellios took another sip and stared at his glass for another moment.

”For what it’s worth,” Iosif began, treading cautiously as he ventured onto what could’ve potentially been thin ice, ”Relying on those non-prescription meds of yours won’t help. Trust me there, I know.”
“Armis would agree with you on that but she understood my condition. One of the few females willing to put with up my baggage and still love the shit out of me for all my flaws,” Vellios’ tone had a wishful and loving tone in it. Not one of mourning or regret, but fondness over a memory he held close.

He straightened up, then looked Iosif over with an approach that he knew Serena would've smacked him for later, “You're how old Iosif? Have you ever considered finding a mate or someone to share your time with? I'm pretty sure that cybernetic arm doesn't get the job done or talks back.”

”Thirty-one.” He answered, albeit he’d been caught unprepared for such a question as that, at least from someone like Vellios. ”And... well, I’ve had my share of relationships, I guess. Nothing that would’ve been called serious, guess I never had time for it.”

“I was curious was all. I'm surprised no one tried to snatch you up since. My wife didn't hesitate to tie the knot when I explained things,” Vellios chuckled, swirling the brandy in his glass bottom, “I often wonder what my mother would've thought of and if she would've been proud of me.”

His eyes shifted over to Iosif and added, “I don't suppose you have thoughts like that time to time, do ya?”
”Sometimes, maybe. I’ve had other things on my mind, in truth.”

“It seems like that's something common with everyone on ship. Even Serena,” Vellios said, letting the topic fall flat for the moment. His eyes stared at this stew a bit longer then slid it away, half eaten, and focused on his drink. Part of him wondered what Serena was likely doing and if she was getting into mischief or keeping the other girls out of it.
He chuckled softly, “I hope Serena isn't running herself ragged looking after Dex and Tanya.”

”If she can babysit you, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Iosif pointed out.
“Doesn't mean I can't worry about her. She does have a knack for getting into trouble or rather, it finds her.”

”Perhaps, perhaps not - this is Elysium, nothing like Omega or Illium - with all due respect, our batarian crewmate is more likely to be found by trouble here.”

“I thought the same thing when we were anchored on a planet with a human colony. All I know, for sure, is one moment I'm sipping brandy and next she comes running up saying she needs my help. It seems one of her bots exploded near their drilling machines and I needed to climb down the vent to haul up individuals from the wreck,” Vellios mentioned as he recalled the incident in his mind, his mandibles wiggled in amusement followed by a low hum in his throat, “Still think I worry too much?”

The slav couldn’t help but crack a thin smile. ”Maybe so, though you’ve given me a better understanding of your perspective.”

Vellios downed the last of his Turian Brandy in his cup and slid it to the side with his bowl. He sat upright then glanced at his quarters door, mentally debating on retreating back to the confines of his room or stretching his legs. The slight pain in his ribs decided it for him. Twisting his legs to the other side and hopping off, he excused himself, “I better get my ribs checked out and make sure I didn't break something when I toppled out of bed. If you'll excuse me Iosif, I need to go to the medical bay. It was nice talking to you and I wouldn't mind doing it again soon.”

Iosif gave his turian crewmate a nod, but seemed content to remain in the mess for a little while longer. ”Agreed, you make good conversation when you’re not trying to commit suicide by proxy.”

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

-snip-

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

---

---

The Black Hound.

_{(by @Mr Allen J)}

---

---

Regal Square, Prince Ed-Field_

With his talk with Wendy concluded... it was time for the Hound to make RAVEN's job, much, much, easier.

He stepped through a portal, and appeared right outside the gate to the Machine... Rowan was right, he could had stopped this much earlier, but he chose not to. It wasn't a tactical decision, at least that was what the Foundation Woman told him. Either way, he stepped into the bulk of the IU defense force, and they looked at him... with eyes of fear. That was what the Family built him as - a symbol of fear. But, now... it would change today.

"Lay down your weapons." The Hound spoke through comms, and earned himself a look from the rest of the Intimidation Unit. "And pull out of the area."

"S-sir... that'd go against orders-"

"Have you forgotten who really gives out the orders here?" The Hound said, his voice clearly irritated. "It is I... as the Blessed Three are no more."

This earned gasps and other sounds of surprise.

"RAVEN has disposed of Julia and Blake the same way they killed Ezekiel," The Hound said. "Therefore, it is no longer viable to defend this position - instead we will retreat and regroup."

Most of the IU were more than willing to abandon their position, and listen to the Hound. The battle going on upstairs was savage... and the IU members there were quick to jump out at the first opportunity to leave. Not to mention a majority of the IU weren't as loyal as the Blessed Three liked to delude themselves.

"Zenith will transport us somewhere we can regroup and discuss our next course of action-"

"Forget that," A member of the IU said over the comms. "I'm loyal to the Three... I'd rather die defending their masterpiece than run away."

"...Then you'll die." The Hound said, as he stepped through a portal, and a majority of the IU both underground, and above-ground, did the same as they called for Zenith.

---

---

Meifeng Zhao, Quentin Taylor.

_{(collaboration between @Mr Allen J, and @Zombiedude101)}

---

---

Regal Square, Prince Ed-Field_

The tremors and electromagnetic disturbance did not go unnoticed by RAVEN... but, Meifeng ultimately decided to ignore it for now. Because they had to push their way through the base.

They were being subtle, but every member of the IU that was in their way was killed. Meifeng's orders, specifically. They didn't have time to get into extended firefights and other foolishness. They beelined straight for the Machine with their weapons and explosives ready. They hadn't encountered the Hound yet... but, as they proceeded it became clear that the IU were... pulling out? Escaping through portals.

"Epsilon. this is Captain Zhao, the Intimidation Unit is pulling out of the area," Meifeng reported. "Do you think it's an ambush strategy?"

"Possibly," Quentin's voice answered, "Stay on your guard, whatever you see."

"Affirmative...." Meifeng said, as she lead the group forward. According to Shizuka, Uncle should be in there... Oh God, she had to explain to him what happened to Lihua. Even though they never had the best relationship, they did care about each other - even if Lihua had shown it in her own special way - and wanted to see the best for each other. Not to mention what would happen to Lijuan, and the Liu Family now that their mansion had been burned to the ground.

Either way, it wasn't long before they reached the vast complex leading up to the Machine by the virtue of the guards all seemingly abandoning their posts. All that was left was a small, but still very threatening force of IU Soldiers. Yet... No Bonecrusher, no Phantasm... no Hound. The place was practically unguarded, and that made Meifeng wonder what was really going on. Still, they had to break through the doors to get to the Machine, and the IU soldiers probably wouldn't be receptive to them.

"Counterpoint," Meifeng spoke over the comms. "The entryway to the Machine is in sight, but it is guarded by a sizable force. Your advice?"

"How many contacts, minimum?" Quentin asked, his team not too far behind hers.

"Around two dozen." Meifeng replied.

"They're expecting an offensive, but we've still got an advantage. Can you hold place until we're in position?" She got another query shot her way by the veteran RAVEN, who wanted to minimise any casualties on their part where he could. Losing Max and Zhao had been enough for one op.

"Of course, will hold position." Meifeng answered.

Quentin was affirmed, for now. "Understood, we're close behind you."

It didn't take long for Epsilon team to find their way to the section of the facility preceding where the Machine was kept. Whilst Meifeng's Delta team were already positioned on lower levels, poised to strike like a coiled snake, Quentin's team had opted for an approach from the maintenance access routes, taking a series of walkways which ran overhead. He assigned a few men to handle overwatch for Delta team below whilst the rest of them would push forward along the catwalks, clearing out any of the paramilitaries that would've ambushed Meifeng from above. "Epsilon's in position, when you're ready."

"Ready." Meifeng answered, before signalling for her own team to strike. Having already scouted out a few lurking around the corner, one of her subordinates primed a flashbang and cast it into the dim confines of which a few lay in waiting. The moment they heard that pop, another two pushed forward to clear the corners, squeezing off a couple of shots at the paramilitary soldiers as they blindly searched for targets. Even with all the equipment and training, morale had been reduced enough that most of them had figured it for some kind of suicide mission - hence why those remaining weren't so much mercenaries as they were loyalists to the Blessed Three, the rest having deserted with the Black Hound or gone their own ways.

Distant shots signaled Quentin's team to push forward, taking advantage of the darkness just as their opponents on the catwalk had done. With the best equipment that Maximilian's influence could've bought, it was a matter of using some cleverly adapted thermal imaging equipment to seek out their targets, mitigating what little advantage the black-clad paramilitaries held. The familiar boom of Quentin's 870 resonated as another slug punched into the body armour of one such man barreling from one end of the catwalks to another, throwing him off balance and giving another one of Epsilon team an opportunity to put a few more rounds inside him. Back below, Meifeng had already realised she had a guardian angel of sorts overhead as one of Quentin's agents on overwatch put a round through a would-be attacker's throat as he peered out from an otherwise excellent ambush point.

While Quentin's men were coming from above, Meifeng was doing what she did best as her team laid down fire on the IU. The only problem was that much of the IU were hidden behind barriers, and shields. Meifeng had a perfect idea...

"Give me your grenades," Meifeng said, as she gathered her water into an orb. RAVEN threw their grenades into the orb as Meifeng manipulated the water to pull the pins off from the grenades. "'Nade out." In an instant, she shot the water forward like a cannon, and the grenades were all launched towards the IU formation. They panicked as their barriers were rendered useless in an instant as they all desperately tried to run away (some trying to throw the grenades). It was all in vain, as the grenades exploded and the tiny IU defensive formation was reduced to pieces. Those that ran out were shot up with bullets from RAVEN, and those that managed to survive were quickly disposed of by the RAVEN ambush.

It was over quickly as it started. Meifeng had her rifle ready in case there was another IU defensive position beyond this door, approaching quickly. The Zhao woman was hoping that everything was okay, and they could just plant the charges and get out of here... though, when she walked over to the door, a RAVEN addressed her.

"Captain Zhao?" A RAVEN by the terminal said. "The door's open."

"Probably a trap... where all the IU went," Meifeng said. "They're waiting for us to open, then they'll light us up."

"What do you suggest, then?" The RAVEN said. "We got the thermic lances... but, wouldn't that make no difference?"

"It won't... so here's what we're going to do," Meifeng said. "We're going to get from out of line of fire of the door, then open it... at least we'll have a better chance of surviving whatever they throw at us. So, get in position."

Meifeng held her assault rifle with both hands.

"Affirmative." The RAVEN said, as he did the same as many other RAVENS got in the hallways in the side, and in the catwalks above them... they were completely out of the line of fire, so they wouldn't get destroyed immediately upon opening the door.

"...So, who's going to open the door?" The RAVEN asked. "Do you want me to get the straws-"

"You, since you brought it up. Just haul ass to the door and back." Meifeng said, and the RAVEN groaned as he moved over to the terminal, and pressed the terminal to open the doors, then quickly ran back.

Upon receiving the signal, the two frightening metal doors opened widely, and RAVEN were prepared for anything... before nothing appeared on the other not. Not a single IU soldier, or trap. Only the frightening Machine in full view, and the few enslaved scientists.

"Huh...?" Meifeng said. "...Move in slowly. Don't take any risks."

That went double for those pushing in from overhead. "You heard the woman," Quentin addressed the others with a hushed tone, "Stay on your guard, we don't know what we're dealing with."

The RAVEN squad slowly entered the massive room... and the first thing they did was clear the left, then clear the right. Once everything was safe, they proceeded in. Meifeng immediately crossed off the possibility of a bomb. Because they wouldn't let a bomb anywhere near their precious Machine... everything felt too easy... Meifeng kept her guard up.

"Clear," Quentin's team confirmed, "Delta, what's the situation downstairs?"

"Clear," Meifeng also added. "... They obviously jumped ship."

She looked down at the bag of explosives her fellow RAVEN was carrying. "Alright, start setting charges...."

"Alright, we'll head down to join you." Quentin couldn't help but pass his gaze across the complex yet again, scanning for anything else that warranted suspicion as he started making a descent. "But we'll keep overwatch whilst your team does their work... what about the scientists?"

"Working on it," Meifeng said as she immediately went for her uncle... she glanced at Dr. Cross, and Ignatius, whom were keeping their distance. With the power suppressant collar around Ignatius' neck, he won't be a problem. "Uncle..." Meifeng spoke to Jiao-Long.

"Oh, Meifeng, you're here," Jiao-Long smiled. "I knew you would come... the Machine is almost finished chargi-"

"We know... just don't worry about it," Meifeng said. "Where is Chunhua?"

"I am not sure... she is being kept with the other prisoners."

"Then a friend of mine should be handling that one," Meifeng said, before she pointed at the other RAVENS. "Hurry up, they'll escort you out of here."

Jiao-Long nodded his head.... He didn't even ask about Lihua - he probably thinks that she sat this out... Oh God, it was going to be hard telling him about what happened to Lihua.

"How's those charges looking?" Meifeng said as she marched towards Dr. Cross.

"Almost set."

"Set them to twenty minutes," Meifeng sternly said, before she looked up at Dr. Cross. The two were silent as they stared each other down. "How was your taste of freedom?"

"... I, for one, enjoyed it." Ignatius snarked, and got a cold glare from Meifeng.

"Well, the two of you are getting sent ass-first into the Vault," Meifeng mentioned the famous RAVEN prison... that made criminals cringe at the thought of it. She pointed at the RAVENS. "Now, turn around-"

"No Mannequin?" Quentin's voice was heard before Meifeng realised he was already at her back.

"Oh? The Mannequin?" Ignatius grinned at the veteran RAVEN, who returned a sharp, disgusted glare. "By the way; hi Quent." He laughed before he got to the point.

"Our little Mannequin-friend jumped ship... he left through one of the maintenance ducts the second the fighting started," Ignatius laughed. "He's probably on the Brave-Water bridge by now. Ha..." Of course, that wasn't the full story, but a very convincing lie.

"Fuuuck..." Meifeng groaned, before she focused on the two. She reached for her handcuffs. "We'll worry about the Mannequin later... for now, turn around with your arms behind your back."

"What not going to kill us like all the others?" Ignatius taunted Meifeng as he did as she said. "Or did the little Hero of Prague grow a heart-" A firm backhand caught Ignatius over the back of the head just as he was finishing that remark, but Quentin's effort did little to keep the man quiet.

"Ah, this is why I miss REAPER so much...." Ignatius said. "... We were the perfect group to put you bastards in your place."

Meifeng kept her lips sealed as she put handcuffs on both the former leaders of The Hands of Science... as disgusting as they were, they were the only leads to the other members of the Hands that went under the radar. The second the cuffs were applied, the RAVEN Captain pointed towards the door... but kept a gun against their backs as she escorted them over to the entrance to the Machine room.

"Charges have been set," A RAVEN spoke into her ear. "Give me the signal when you want to time them."

"Let's ensure all our-" Meifeng said... before her eyes rested on the man standing before them...

... Blake Schmidt.

---

---

Blake Schmidt.

_{(by @Mr Allen J)}

---

---

Regal Square, Prince Ed-Field_

It was annoying seeing Wendy and Rowan slip out of his grasp again, but he would hunt them down like dogs at the first opportunity!

For now, he needed to tend to the Machine... and the first thing that Blake wondered was wrong was the fact that his security force was gone. The place should be full of Intimidation Unit soldiers, and where are they? It wasn't possible that RAVEN killed all of them so quickly. He kept running, and running... until he made it to the doors, to see that his Security force was dead, and RAVEN was all over his Machine. Blake couldn't believe his eyes! He grasped both sides of his head, and watched as RAVEN put their hands all over his Machine.

Meifeng immediately aimed her rifle at him, as Jiao-Long hid behind the RAVENS in fear of the man.

"Blake Schmidt..." Meifeng said. "If you were smart... you would get on your knees, and put your hands behind your head."

And disgracemyself? No, I am too esteemed for that.[/i] Blake narrowed his eyes at Meifeng as he thought to himself... then he realized that, after his fight with Wendy and Rowan going sour, he barely had enough strength to take on RAVEN. Perhaps... he should retreat. He turned into stone immediately, and earned a few gunshots from Meifeng from the other RAVENS in the process. His stone form was able to resist the firearms with ease. He merely raised his foot up into his head, and slammed it down hard as he could, as he sent a shockwave through the area that knocked the entire group of RAVENS off balance.

Then he turned around and started hauling ass.

"After him, don't let him get away!" Meifeng said.

Not far away, Quentin could be seen vaulting over one of the nearby apparatus in pursuit. "You heard the woman!"

---

Blake was running for his life from commoners, it was disgraceful enough that his Machine and hard work went to waste! Blake immediately pressed his earpiece as he shoted, "Zenith!"

Only for no portal to appear.

"Zenith! I said Zenith, God damn it!" Blake loudly shouted.

"Oh, you want Zenith?" The voice of the Foundation Woman appeared in his earpiece. "Sorry, Blakey... but, Zenith had a change of heart... all of them."

"Foundation Woman?!" Blake shouted as he picked up the pace. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Isn't it obvious, Blakey?" Foundation Woman started off. "It's about time that your actions finally caught up with you... after decades upon decades of crimes against humanity."

"You can't do this to me?! I built the Machine! I built up everything you own from the ground!" Blake shouted.

"What? Things aren't going your way, little Blakey?" The Foundation Woman said, in a very mocking tone. "Are you going to cry...? But, believe me, this was a long time coming, and I do have to thank you for giving me all these resources... For what you ask? I'm going to do something greater than stroke my own ego about how much better I am than everyone else."

Blake didn't respond.

"... But, let me spare you the rhetoric... The Zenith line is on my side now, and all you have to do is be a good little dear... and die." The Foundation Woman laughed. "Alright, bye-bye, Blake. Best of luck to you!."

That's when the line went dead, and Blake pulled his earpiece out, and crushed it in his hands. Damn her, damn all of them. Blake had to run.

Footsteps were pounding hard against the concrete floors behind them, the faint voices of RAVEN's assault force pushing through the darkness.

Blake stopped - pounding his foot against the ground as he pivoted - he erected a wall of stone to give him some distance... but, there wasn't much he could do exhausted from his fight with Wendy. He turned down a side hallway... before he came across the Secretaries that survived.

Then he got an idea.

---

"Shit!" Meifeng shouted when the wall was erected. She turned her head down a hallway, then whipped her head around to the other hallway. "Quent, you and team Epsilon go down that hall, we'll take this one."

Meifeng said as she took the left hallway.

"We'll try and head him off," Quentin nodded, signalling for his own team to press down the adjacent corridor. One way or another, the veteran RAVEN was determined to ensure that this time there would be no escape. They'd bled enough fighting this monster already. Soon, as Epsilon team pushed down the hall, they could make out the sporadic, desparate footsteps of Blake Schmidt. All it took was a turn down a hall to come face to face with Blake. The man came to a stop, and raised his foot up into the air one more time....

And felt an overwhelming force slamming into his mid-section, a slug fired off from Quentin's 870 that caught him off balance and caused him to stumble backwards until he slumped against a wall.

"Don't move, limbs where I can see them!" The veteran RAVEN barked as he pumped the weapon's action, the words coming out of his mouth as though he were on autopilot, but another threatening gesture from the fallen olympian prompted him to squeeze off another shot, one which punched through that layer of volcanic stone which had formed his skin and left a bleeding rupture in its place, the hard, cracked surface decalcifying around it.

"You... bas..." Blake tried to say... before he fell to the ground, leaving a puddle of blood as his life finally faded. Epsilon team advanced forward just to confirm he was dead and it wasn't long before Meifeng approached, drawn by the gunfire. She looked down at Blake's body, and narrowed her eyes. "... Good riddance."

She pressed her earpiece. "Okay, set the charges, and let's go." She stared at Blake's face and nothing something a little off... but, she shrugged it off as being exhausted.

"... Our work here is done."