Fantasy Action Adventure Scifi A Growing Menace - *Any Character, Any Genre*

[Itcamefromthevoid]

Walker looked at the man in the brimmed hat as he finally turned to face him. He could tell that the man had the awareness of a soldier as he approached Walker's presence seemed to make him shift his sight before they faced each other. Walker kept his hands up and tried to look as harmless as possible, though if no one had seen a Xyborian before, it would be hard not to find Walker as a threat based on his image. It seemed the Anthro had come down and Walker looked at her. If he had a mouth, he would smile, but he just had a slot that emitted audio. His eyes resembled glowing blue lights that were visual sensors that made up images from light radar. Similar to radar, the lidar sends out light that reflects on the sensors, creating an image within his logic center. "English of her enduring majesty, 1899, the second." Walker repeated to the man, Walker spent most of his time on a Mars Colony, which gave him the chance to learn a few of the human languages. The anthro he had encountered others like her, but he did not know how to speak their language. Judging from her demeanor, she didn't trust that he wasn't there to cause trouble. That's fine. Walker thought as he looked at them both. The dog Anthro had a weapon or tool that could hurt him, though he was far enough away that he could draw and kill them both with his pistol before they reached him to attack. "Relax. I am not here to cause trouble. I'm actually in the same position as you two." Walker said in English. At least one of them could understand what he was saying. Though his form of the language might still be foreign to the man with the spear. As the two of them were 1200 years apart in the grand scale of things.

If they still didn't believe that he meant no harm, he slowly lowered his hand and showed them the pistol holstered at his thigh. Walker could have already killed them if that was his intention. He could have even taken one of them hostage. "If I wanted to hurt you, I would have." Walker said obviously the girl dog anthro did not understand him, but he knew for sure that the man was speaking old English. "I'm just trying to get back to my ship so I can get out of here." Walker told them as he put his hands down and walked towards the edge of the building. His logic center should be able to analyze the district and find the Samurai from this height. That's what he had hoped after not being to communicate with Integra. He wasn't sure what was and wasn't working any longer. "I assume you two saw the crystal fall as well." That was a sign for Walker to get out of dodge. Vacation over and time to get back to the galaxy.

He walks right past them even when the woman pointed the opposite direction like she was a serious threat. He faced more danger doing a dimensional jump than he did starting a fight with two strangers. Which wouldn't be happening unless he somehow has a bounty come up through the FET or UAE wanted criminal database. Which was unlikely with someone who exists from a time before space travel existed on earth and the other looked to be some sort of person with a burning tool. He assumed it was a repair tool, but smaller. Walker looked at the tanks and the soldiers. He knew they were just there to do a job and hoped nothing went to violence, though he was ready enough to shoot his way out should that be the case and they block him from getting to his ship. His visual sensors scan the surrounding area, searching for the signal from the Samurai. He could always find the Link that registered him as owner of the ship with his logic center and visual sensors. He could adjust to pick up different light wavelengths, but it would highlight his ship as it was like a get home beacon. It didn't help him get a ride any sooner as he still had to walk to the ship with his communication severed from Integra.

 

[Hekazu]

At first Rochdale would have admitted surprise, that the newcomer would for once speak legible words, but soon that surprise was cancelled as the realisation that they had simply repeated what he had said back at him. The words that followed sounded familiar enough, that if in a crowd amid general hubbub they would have sounded much like English, and they still did to a degree, yet ultimately the rules bended at the wrong spots and the vocalisations that followed one another did not form the kind of words that he expected they would. Tack on enough minute differences, and the end result is unrecognisable. Of course. The likelihood of him meeting someone that spoke not only the correct language, but the correct version of it was more or less as minuscule as it had been for him to find his way home. If not even less so, considering that to his knowledge he was the only one from that realm to have entered this superhighway of violent oppression.

Rochdale glanced over his shoulder towards Zava, noting that she was pointing one way, and that the lines of the armoured guards appeared to be more thin that way. Rochdale nodded and begun to walk towards the fire exit of the building, a metal staircase built into its side. Should be faster than going back inside. "Little time to waste", he noted, though as before he did not believe that to be of much relevance to either of the two, possibly the newcomer but he trusted at least the progenitor of the idea to be following through with the planned exit. The sooner they were out of here, the better. The sooner he got this band off his wrist, the sooner he could shed the dust of this circus from his clothing.

 

[Fatal Nymph]

Zava pulled at the captains sleeve and held up one finger. The female pointed to the line of guards then to a building. Her hand pointed to his weapon and to another building across the guard line. Not that it would make complete sense, but he might understand that she had a plan of some sort. With that the anthro moved out of Rochdale's way. Her look to the machine had her tilting her head. She put the piece away and found him of little threat. She waived him over to join this rag tag crew of misfits.

The way the guards moved the thin forces currently might not last long. And she needed them all to cooperate at least until they reached the other side of light. There she was banking on the flow of information to continue and the language barrier to be gone. But these were all hunches and theories.

 

[Hawksearcher]

As the group moved down the fire-escape--which was, indeed, as crude and basic as one might expect to find in Rochdale's Victorian Earth--They managed to scale to the street below without attracting much unwanted attention. Then, moving towards the line of scattered guards, they noticed its own scene taking place:

There was a Traveler with tentacles for eyes, mouth, and nose, and they were waving wildly towards the guards. It seemed that the Traveler was upset the way his tentacles writhed and thrashed, and it appeared that the guards were struggling to placate them. Perhaps their audio translators weren't working on this creature--perhaps this creature communicated through scent or waving its tentacles. Either way, the guards seemed to be typing something into their armguards, trying to access some database of information.

The already-thin line of guards was therefore fairly occupied, which means that, if the group hugged the left side, they could approach the border between districts with only a single guard between them. This single guard did indeed catch sight of the trio, and she holds out her translator, obviously prepared to deliver the same message to them as the other line of guards before. The nearest guard to her was about 15 meters away, occupied with a Traveler of their own, so the trio effectively outnumbered this lone guard--but whether their approach would be physical or social remained to be seen...

 

[Hekazu]

On approach, Rochdale had half a mind to step in and translate the goings on of the tentacle creature. But much like his English was lost, the chance this creature's wriggling meant the same as the Rubbery Men back home was close to nothing. Besides, he owed these people nothing. And to top it off, never had been much of a tentacle whisperer. So instead, he would be the whisperer to the guard ahead of them, making a direct line at them. The way he carried his bone-harpoon had changed too. From comfortably on his back, it now hung low and its tip scraped the pavement every here and there. He was ready to pull it forth and put up a fight if need be.

"You do not need to tell me", Rochdale begun before quite reaching the guard. "This neighbourhood is closed down. I can tell from the potential for violence you are rolling out. And for what? To control the populace?" Rochdale raised his wrist, showing the dysfunctional tracking bracelet. "Why need the people be contained? This area is dangerous. Our presence here does no good to fixing the situation. You are only keeping us in danger." He shook his arm now, rattling the bracelet to make a point. "You go through all of this trouble to try and contain us, and don't even think twice when that containment stops being for the good of the people, but instead blindly lending your help to the chain of command. If they told you why, you are not telling us. And if they didn't… you can see what is happening, cannot you? Why is it that you trust in them so blindly? What are they promising you to oppress the populace?"

Rochdale lowered his bracelet now, clearly on the tail end of his tirade. "We are leaving now. I never wanted to spend long here anyway. And having seen this farce has not raised this state's approval in my mind." All of that said, he simply continued walking. No need to ask for permission — forgiveness was more readily available. And if things went South, those behind him were likely to be able to warn him. That was, of course, unless the guard made some unwise action to hold him before he even passed her and he would need to make use of his harpoon then and there.

 

[Itcamefromthevoid]

SC - S4MUR41 - Locating.... Locating... Found... Approximate distance from current location... 1.5 Kilometers.

"There you are." Walker said as his pilot link still seemed to be connected to the ship. Though it worried him that Integra was unresponsive. By now, her humor protocol would have said I told you so by now. But maybe he was just outside of the range. It didn't help that the other two he was with could not communicate with him because of a language barrier. Walker needed to get out of here before things got worse and he had to shoot his way out. That would be bad for business. "Some vacation." He said as he followed the early 19th century English captain and the Anthropomorph down the fire escape. The first on the ground was the captain. Walker didn't know his name, but he dressed, important, like captains in the year 3000, where Walker was from.

While the captain went on a rant about inequality and the situation unfolding and yada yada human rights. Obviously, they had two choices: they could kill the guard or bribe them. Walker has walked a fine line between right and wrong while bounty hunting and he wasn't about to step out of his grey area of things he was he had the freedom to do. But killing a guard would look bad, instead he approached her with a chip that displayed 10k. Walker didn't say any words or even verbally communicate. He just nodded towards the border of the districts and offered the chip that contained 10,000 units of universal credits.

It was a conscious decision for him to offer the chip with his off-hand so that his pistol hand was free and he could kill the guard and their friend 15 meters away. Walker wouldn't hesitate, but this seemed like a better approach than violence. With any luck, they would be in the next district and catching a ride on the Samurai out of the dimension before it deteriorates completely. Because being in a dimension that is changing or collapsing is incompatible with life for everything, Xyborians included. That's what he thought was happening: the dimension was going nuclear. First the crystal in the distance falling the guards maintaining the line and not discussing the actual problem. Something was going on and Walker wanted to get out of here before that problem surface and the proverbial shit hits the fan.

 

[Fatal Nymph]

They managed a way down off the building, which was better than the way up and much less crowded. Though she was very much concerned about what to do with the lone guard. Her mind began to race and panic as Zava didnt want to hurt anyone. Her conflicting thoughts are what had her lingering towards the back of their group. Which was probably a good thing as those watchful eyes saw the situation unfold before her. At this point the guard really had only two options, take the chip or be severely hurt. She was quick to at least get right beside the metal man.

The female was certain they had a name to their race but for the life of her she wasn't sure. And now of all times did her brain get stuck on such a trivial thing instead of assessing the world around them to better navigate the issues at hand.

Her movements looked as though they were simply ignoring the existence of the guard but she was being ever watchful of this one and any other guard close by. There was experience there to help her clear 90% of any dangerous people in her path but it scared her so deeply she would rather be hurt. But now certainly wasn't the time to reminisce of the times she would rather forget.

 

[Hawksearcher]

Indeed, when the group reached the lone guard, Captain Rochdale's tirade spurned a concerned look from the masked officer. As he approached the end of his speech, the guard began to make a gesture to her ears, then to the translator--but was then cut off by Rochdale's bold stride past her. An audible sound came out of her helmet--indecipherable to either of them, and it looked like she was going to reach for her rifle--

But then, Walker displayed his bribery chip. The guard froze in her stance. She glanced over to the other guards--it looks like she was the only one on this 3rd of the road to the right, because the tentacled civilians seemed to be getting more and more agitated. The guards were gathered there, making general hand gestures and pointing down at their weapons, and back at the tentacled creatures. It looked like a fight was threatening to break out.

The female guard nodded and took the chip, quickly gesturing to the group to move past. Then, she hurried over to assist the guards with their situation that was growing ever more dangerous.

And as soon as the trio moved about 20 meters down the road into the powered district, like a small miracle, suddenly they could hear and see their small personal devices connect to the network again, and if they tried to speak, their language would be translated again for all to understand and hear.

It seemed their immediate issue of being contained in the district was solved. But what would their next move be? Ahead of them, they could see in the distance the sweeping expanse of the central city, along with its notable buildings and dimensional exit. Behind them, a growing menace of technological disparity.

 

[Hekazu]

With no commotion behind himself, Rochdale proceeded onwards as he had intended. And just as he had anticipated, his bracelet gave once more some signs of life as soon as they had made it a few steps into the light. He had to assume everything else would be working similarly well now. Including speech. But what did he have to say? That he hated what was happening? He'd already got it off his chest. Simmering in the despicable nature of it all would be plenty for him right now. He simply raised the harpoon from the hanging low and dragging combat-ready position back up to his shoulder proper so that it was against his back, and resumed walking forward, craning his neck every here and there to try and make out where the exit to this place was.

"If either of you can think of means to be out of this pit of treachery as fast as at all possible, be my guest", he noted to the people still following him, not sure if he believed they would understand him still. But there did seem to be some recognition that hadn't been there previously now. "If they are so insistent on corralling those of lesser class, we have no place in their fool's paradise." He slowed down at a corner, making a bit of a show of observing the passing traffic. He didn't want to show that his thorns still maimed him to the new person involved. It had been different before, when he hadn't had the chance to cover them up with the others. But this steel covered stranger had not yet seen him hobble as he did when the vines and thorns were beneath his skin and not with the surrounding scars torn open to allow him more nimble motion.

 

[Itcamefromthevoid]

The guard allows them passage after taking the chip. Walker could make that back pretty quickly if he didn't have to repair the Samurai. Slim chance of the old space ship not having a problem now or down the road, but there was always hope. A foolish thought. Walker waved the two along, and Rochdale took point. As they entered the powered area, he could understand the old captain.

"Walker? Walker, do you copy? Over."
"Integra, there you are!"
"Walker! Finally, I thought you left me here to rust."
"Not a chance in the universe. Can you fly?"
"I can certainly try."

"If either of you have a way out of here as soon as possible, be my guest." Walker found it amusing how much the English language had changed over 1200 years.

"I have a ship if you two need a ride out of here." Walker said as he caught up with Rochdale, who slowed for the traffic. Walker looked around for anyone that might have seen what he did. He came to a cross section in the road they crossed the border on.

/command FIND - SC - S4MUR41 Locating... Located. 1.35 Kilometers NE

"Sorry Walker, I'm grounded."
"What do you mean, grounded?"
"I can't takeoff I'm stuck where you left me?"
"Do you know what's holding you down?"
"I'm not sure. The systems are unresponsive. I'm running diagnostics."
"Alright, Well I will make my way towards you. I think I know what's going on..."
"Don't keep me waiting, Walker. I don't want another Lyra Palioxis."
He sighed when she brought that up again. "I've apologised for that, Integra." Walker looks at the Captain and woman that he met.

"I suppose you both can understand me now. I'm Walker." He said, realizing that they just watched him have a one sided conversation with the ship's artificial intelligence. "This way, I think whatever is happening back in the other district is affecting my ship's ability to function autonomously." Walker went right and started moving east to an alley, then he turned left, moving north again. "I'll have to take off manually and get out of here." Walker hoped that the menacing malfunctions didn't fry his JD-FTL, leaving them stranded. There was a peak of interest as he wondered what was happening. Perhaps he should stop to ask some questions. But that might make them seem suspicious. He turned right to go east, watching for anyone searching for them, as Walker believed this would only be the beginning of the chaos to come.

 

[Hekazu]

A ship. Rochdale's thoughts immediately went to his own Poltroon's Regret, though just as fast he had to realise this individual was most likely not speaking of any sort of naval vessel when they referred to a ship. After all, he had seen plenty of things floating here in the sky already. Had to be one of that sort, it only made sense. He looked on over to the man, briefly brushing the fingers of his gloved hand over the bracelet that covered his wrist. The one that was now very clearly once more connected. The one that caused him this uncomfortable sensation of being watched.

And then the person was talking to themselves. Rochdale kept his thoughts to his own, though such behaviour indicated not the most stable kind of mind. Yet who was he to judge, his soul gone for reasons of enacting vengeance of past slights? In a bit, he did receive a sensible explanation too, or as sensible as they came in this place. 'Walker', as the introduction was, had attempted to contact their ship, but not managed to summon it to them. Frankly, the thought of seeing one just fly up to them without anyone to guide it sounded like the kind of science Rochdale would rather not deal with right now, so walking would suit him fine. Even if it was to include its own risks. "Captain Rochdale", he reintroduced himself with a nod and took step behind Walker.

"There is another thing that should likely be addressed here", he pointed out, now lifting his arm up further. "I'm not sure how much the guard of the city will like seeing someone making it out of their little quarantine. My estimate is that none too happy. I would rather avoid a bloodbath, but I am unfamiliar with this territory. Routes and tricks to shake off pursuers, especially if they may follow me anywhere, would be a difficult undertaking."

 

[Fatal Nymph]

The dog like person stayed a little bit behind as everyone started to talk once more. It seemed their new found acquaintance knew how to get around and was looking to get on a ship. She was more than happy with this. She had left cloths behind but that was easily replaced, or if lucky, her friend would send it to her. As long as her room hadn't been ransacked.

It seemed walker spoke a language similar to Rochdale yet it didnt sound the same per say, just specific sounds. But that was obviously not meant for her. Though hanging around walker made her feel more normal, as he was talking to himself out loud, though he did confirm her suspicion of it being another person or this case ship.

The female kept quiet watching for guards or others trying to track then down, she should have taken off his device when it had gone offline. No one would have been the wiser, assuming he had stayed in that district. She felt bad not have really a way currently to get it off but give her the right tools and it could come right off, just like anything else.

For now she opted to not drag her pad out as this might alert someone monitoring communication from this area if she were to mention certain things. Right now it was more important to get out of here anyways.

 

[Itcamefromthevoid]

Walker leads the unlikely trio down the back roads, avoiding any major streets populated with guards looking for stragglers like themselves. His route constantly updated as they got closer to the ship. There was something very off with the way the dimension was becoming so unstable. Walker couldn't put his finger on it. He slowed the pace as they got closer to the location. He scans the area. Anyone there must have cleared out as the chaos began. "Right, it looks clear. This way." Walker said, looking over his shoulder at his two unconventional friends. Walker proceeds to the Samurai, surveying for any external forces that would have prevented the ship from taking off. That's when he saw it. "What in the Helicon is this!?" Walker approaches the ship and looks at the electromagnetic locks that prevented his main thrusters from starting. "This is not happening right now." Walker did not know he couldn't park in the area. He only wanted to be sure no one else would notice the Samurai and try to steal his FTL DJD engine. A jump drive that had already cost him an arm and leg, literally.

"Integra open the cargo bay." Walker said.
"Walker, welcome home and you brought guests. Couldn't have told me you were bringing company? I would have gotten myself presentable." The ship spoke as though it were its own entity and even though it had a very masculine name such as the Samurai, the voice was feminine.
"Nevermind that Integra the Dimension is becoming unstable." Walker said, impatience and concern in his voice.

The back of the ship came down into a ramp that lead into the medium-sized cargo bay that was empty. To the left was a worktable with hand tools and power tools that helped maintain the ship or perhaps even remove a bracelet tracking device. "Welcome to my humble abode." Walker said to Rochdale and Zava, as he leads the way into the ship through the cargo hatch. Once aboard the ship, Walker grabbed a magnetic polarizer. This wasn't the first time he had to remove a magnetic boot from his ship. It most likely wouldn't be the last. Usually he can pay, but in this case drastic problems need dramatic solutions. "Try to get those things off before whoever is following you two shows up." Walker said, heading back down the hatch to deal with the magnetic boots that were preventing his thrusters from generating the electromagnetic waves needed for their propulsion.

Walker climbed to the top of the ship and brought the polarizer to the magnetic boot, placing it over the thrusters and turning it on. An electrical whir came from the contraption as it polarized the magnetic field that held the boot to the thrusters. It didn't take long before the boot to fall off the ship as the polarizer did its job. This wasn't exactly a legal tool to own, but there were places one could definitely grab a magnetic polarizer in the dimensional web. Walker had picked up his from Salton's station before he sent Salton to the Sol system and turned the station into floating debris in space. Walker turned off the polarizer and climbed back down from the ship, entering the cargo bay. "Time to get out of here, Integra." Walker said.

"You got it, Walker. preparing to take off."

Walker ventures deeper into the ship, to the main body of the fuselage of the ship the crew quarters mess hall. Medical bay and latrine were in proximity to each other. Divided by walls. The ship comprised one corridor that went through the entire ship, connecting each of the areas by an opening. At the front of the ship, known as the bridge, was navigation and the flight deck. As he passed, symbols designated each area for their uses. The latrine being the smallest of all the rooms.

 

[Fatal Nymph]

Zava followed quickly and quietly trying not to attract attention as their new friend was obviously taking the path of least resistance. Normally there was someone, somewhere but nothing currently. Finally, a ship appeared, and it spoke as an AI would. Zava found ships like this to be the best, it was more relatable and those with personalities tended to work the best. With one problem solved the female immediately turned her attention to the next problem, a tracking device on a friend. Walker was quick to point out some helpful tools. The anthro scurried over and was hesitant at first but found a device she needed. His array of tools, to include the one he would walk past with would prove that he knew how to get out of some tough situations.

"Captian." She motioned for him to come over to her, whether he did or not was up to Rochdale.

Fine white hair began to slip down and hide traces of her face, as she was looking over a device. Its screen was full of words and coding. Zava wasn't a tech genius by any means but enough to get by and out of most situations. Her fingers moved over the screen adjusting it to take the tracker off before it was a noticed issue. As she finished all the little things, the female looked up to see if Rochdale was ready for her to take the blasted piece off. And perhaps once back in safety she would finish more of his tattoo.

 

[Hekazu]

Rochdale was surprised to find that their walk would ultimately not be interrupted by anyone. They were taking the backstreets, that was a given, but similarly as far as he had understood this bracelet was supposed to grant them the knowledge of where he was going at any time. Apparently they either cared not, or were waiting to spring something on him as soon as the group was going to stop. He'd much prefer the former, but he could hardly trust himself to be that lucky.

The vessel certainly was no tramp steamer, that was for certain. Very little of it made sense to him, but then again he'd never quite made sense of the Red Science or the Shapeling Arts either. He didn't need to. If someone else operated it and took the risks, he could tolerate it around him, though he was not looking to make it a habit. And as he walked into the vessel he was greeted with bright lights everywhere. Ceiling, walls, floors… a far cry from the comfortable darkness and dim flames illuminating the interior of Poltroon's Regret. He missed his dark-lensed spectacles that he had had commissioned for his visits to the surface. And he was indoors for Hell's sake!

"It's far too bright in here", he grumbled mostly to himself as he approached Zava and extended his arm towards the table while still observing his surroundings from under the brim of his hat. But she had quite had the time to begin on the procedure he could hear noises from outside. No, voices. Someone was addressing the fact the boots had been dropped from the ship. And whether the ship had not been fast enough at closing the entrance or was still respecting the authority of the realm's arbiters a handful of local officials would soon be trampsing on in.

Inside or out, the message was clear. "We've located a terrorist subject on this vessel. Cease your departure preparations immediately or face the consequences!" The lot was armed and armoured, but to Rochdale's eye they strutted around with more swagger than sense. He was not a hunter of people, but he could make an exception. Pretend they are devils, which with this degree of tyranny and cockiness they might as well be.

"I am leaving", Rochdale would point out to them. "If you came to get this bracelet back into your custody, be my guest. I'll be happy to never to have to show my face here again. Not the first place I'm no longer welcome in." The suggestion went down about as well as one would expect. These peacocks were not expecting people to talk back to them, and one approached Rochdale quickly with their weapon's butt being swung at his face.

Rochdale moved faster. Wounds that had attempted to heal tore themselves open again as he rushed forth and delivered a heavy punch in the assailant's gut and drove them to the floor, one knee on top of their chestplate while the tip of the harpoon was jammed between the helmet and the torso protection. The others snapped their guns to point at him. Rochdale didn't talk. Nor did he budge. The officials stammered. Their confidence was rebuilding, but right now they were on shaky ground.