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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 5134788" data-attributes="member: 3285">Grace Under Pressure: Part 2 – Losing PowersAs the Wallaby approached the dark mountain, a massive opening revealed itself to be navigable.&nbsp; It led into a kind of pool in a huge cavern.&quot;Sensors indicate a breathable atmosphere,&quot; said Caprice.&nbsp; &quot;But we'll need to put on pressure suits—&quot;Guppy sighed as a warning light flickered on his console.&nbsp; &quot;Jim-Bean just opened the airlock.&quot;Jim-Bean gave the Wallaby's cameras a thumbs-up.&nbsp; &quot;Caprice, you watch Ho.&nbsp; I don't want him out of your sight.&quot;Feng Ho, if he was aware of his plight, didn't show it.&nbsp; He watched Jim-Bean curiously on the monitor, like a puppy wondering when its master would return.Caprice rolled his eyes.&nbsp; &quot;I get to watch the mind-controlled zombie?&nbsp; Great.&quot;The other agents followed Jim-Bean out of the sub. The pool was located in a massive subterranean hall.&nbsp; Wide paths ran along the edges, like the waterfronts of an underground port facility.&nbsp; From the paths, dark passageways led further into the mountain.&nbsp; The domed ceiling of the hall was so high that it was swallowed up in darkness.&nbsp; Titanic, irregularly spaced columns rose up all around them.&nbsp; &quot;This is interesting,&quot; said Archive, tracing a finger along one of the columns.&nbsp; &quot;It's in Aklo.&quot;Everywhere on the walls and columns, strange, uncanny alien reliefs and hieroglyphs in an antediluvian, long forgotten language were worked into the stone.&nbsp; The whole complex seemed to be incomprehensibly old.&nbsp; But the dark, basalt stone with the strange symbols looked to be completely untouched down through the millennia. The only sign of its age was the thick growth of algae and fungus that had grown up out of the water like a cancer and covered large portions of the walls, ceilings, and columns.&nbsp; The plants emitted a dim, greenish light that was the only illumination within the primeval edifice.&quot;This doesn't make any sense!&quot; said Guppy, shaking his head.&nbsp; &quot;We're so far underwater…the pressure should be immense.&nbsp; Even the whole notion that there's breathable air…we didn't have to depressurize....&quot; he threw up his hands.&quot;The rules of nature don't apply here,&quot; said Archive gravely.&quot;Guys,&quot; said Jim-Bean, pointing.&nbsp; &quot;Looks like we found our Joey.&quot;On one side, barely discernible in the darkness, the Joey research sub was moored.&nbsp; On the shore behind it was the remains of an improvised camp.&nbsp; Gunfire raked one of the columns above Jim-Bean's head.&nbsp; He didn't even flinch.The other agents ducked behind columns.&nbsp; Jim-Bean shook his head.&nbsp; &quot;Powers, I know that's you.&nbsp; Give up.&quot;The familiar tink of a grenade pin being pulled reached their ears.&nbsp; The grenade made a lazy arc in the air.Jim-Bean put one hand out and the grenade hovered for a split second before rocketing back the way it came.&nbsp; The ensuing explosion knocked one pillar down. It folded in on itself, collapsing almost sideways. The agents encircled the shattered pillar.Sure enough, Powers was partially pinned beneath it. He was alive but covered in blood, muttering the same words over and over, in what almost sounded like a prayer:&quot;As the tiger arose from the flame the sleeper will wake just the same.&nbsp; Born again by our hands, infinite power he commands.&nbsp; For his return we are forewarned, from his own flesh shall he be born.&nbsp; His second body we shall bestow and our thoughts only will he know. By our will directed; by no thing deflected.&nbsp; The age of man sets like the sun.&nbsp; Death unto them, for we have one!&quot;Powers didn't look right.&nbsp; Bluish veins pulsed beneath his skin and his eyes were a watery yellow. &quot;Is he talking about Tiger Transit?&quot; asked Guppy.Archive shook his head.&nbsp; &quot;More like a prophecy.&quot;&quot;He's finished,&quot; said Hammer.&nbsp; &quot;Guppy, Archive, you're with me.&nbsp; I want to make sure there's no one else in that sub. Caprice, Jim-Bean, stay with the Wallaby until we return.&quot;The other agents left, leaving Caprice and Jim-Bean with the dying Powers. &quot;Ho, return to the Wallaby.&quot; Jim-Bean didn't even bother to look up. &quot;Stay there until we return.&quot;&nbsp; Ho robotically did as he was told. Caprice smiled.&nbsp; &quot;That frees me up.&nbsp; I'll join the other guys. No offense, but you are freaking me out.&quot;&nbsp; He jogged after the other agents.When they were alone, Jim-Bean grabbed hold of Power's collar.&nbsp; &quot;You're a traitor to Majestic, Powers.&nbsp; How?&nbsp; How did you do that?&nbsp; How come your head hasn't exploded?&quot;Powers laughed, spitting up blood.&nbsp; &quot;You…want to…know…how?&quot;&quot;I'll just pry it out of you,&quot; began Jim-Bean, concentrating. He closed his eyes…Then Powers vomited a hideous stream of bluish-green goo.Jim-Bean stumbled backwards, gasping. Powers' eyes rolled as he expired.&nbsp; &quot;Damn it, Caprice, I told you to stay with Jim-Bean!&quot; growled Hammer. They arrived just in time to see Jim-Bean dunking his face in the saltwater pool.&quot;What happened to you?&quot; asked Hammer suspiciously.&quot;Nothing,&quot; said Jim-Bean.&nbsp; &quot;Just cleaning the stink of this place off of me. Let's go.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="talien, post: 5134788, member: 3285"] [b]Grace Under Pressure: Part 2 – Losing Powers[/b] As the Wallaby approached the dark mountain, a massive opening revealed itself to be navigable. It led into a kind of pool in a huge cavern. "Sensors indicate a breathable atmosphere," said Caprice. "But we'll need to put on pressure suits—" Guppy sighed as a warning light flickered on his console. "Jim-Bean just opened the airlock." Jim-Bean gave the Wallaby's cameras a thumbs-up. "Caprice, you watch Ho. I don't want him out of your sight." Feng Ho, if he was aware of his plight, didn't show it. He watched Jim-Bean curiously on the monitor, like a puppy wondering when its master would return. Caprice rolled his eyes. "I get to watch the mind-controlled zombie? Great." The other agents followed Jim-Bean out of the sub. The pool was located in a massive subterranean hall. Wide paths ran along the edges, like the waterfronts of an underground port facility. From the paths, dark passageways led further into the mountain. The domed ceiling of the hall was so high that it was swallowed up in darkness. Titanic, irregularly spaced columns rose up all around them. "This is interesting," said Archive, tracing a finger along one of the columns. "It's in Aklo." Everywhere on the walls and columns, strange, uncanny alien reliefs and hieroglyphs in an antediluvian, long forgotten language were worked into the stone. The whole complex seemed to be incomprehensibly old. But the dark, basalt stone with the strange symbols looked to be completely untouched down through the millennia. The only sign of its age was the thick growth of algae and fungus that had grown up out of the water like a cancer and covered large portions of the walls, ceilings, and columns. The plants emitted a dim, greenish light that was the only illumination within the primeval edifice. "This doesn't make any sense!" said Guppy, shaking his head. "We're so far underwater…the pressure should be immense. Even the whole notion that there's breathable air…we didn't have to depressurize...." he threw up his hands. "The rules of nature don't apply here," said Archive gravely. "Guys," said Jim-Bean, pointing. "Looks like we found our Joey." On one side, barely discernible in the darkness, the Joey research sub was moored. On the shore behind it was the remains of an improvised camp. Gunfire raked one of the columns above Jim-Bean's head. He didn't even flinch. The other agents ducked behind columns. Jim-Bean shook his head. "Powers, I know that's you. Give up." The familiar tink of a grenade pin being pulled reached their ears. The grenade made a lazy arc in the air. Jim-Bean put one hand out and the grenade hovered for a split second before rocketing back the way it came. The ensuing explosion knocked one pillar down. It folded in on itself, collapsing almost sideways. The agents encircled the shattered pillar. Sure enough, Powers was partially pinned beneath it. He was alive but covered in blood, muttering the same words over and over, in what almost sounded like a prayer: "[FONT="Impact"]As the tiger arose from the flame the sleeper will wake just the same. Born again by our hands, infinite power he commands. For his return we are forewarned, from his own flesh shall he be born. His second body we shall bestow and our thoughts only will he know. By our will directed; by no thing deflected. The age of man sets like the sun. Death unto them, for we have one![/FONT]" Powers didn't look right. Bluish veins pulsed beneath his skin and his eyes were a watery yellow. "Is he talking about Tiger Transit?" asked Guppy. Archive shook his head. "More like a prophecy." "He's finished," said Hammer. "Guppy, Archive, you're with me. I want to make sure there's no one else in that sub. Caprice, Jim-Bean, stay with the Wallaby until we return." The other agents left, leaving Caprice and Jim-Bean with the dying Powers. "Ho, return to the Wallaby." Jim-Bean didn't even bother to look up. "Stay there until we return." Ho robotically did as he was told. Caprice smiled. "That frees me up. I'll join the other guys. No offense, but you are freaking me out." He jogged after the other agents. When they were alone, Jim-Bean grabbed hold of Power's collar. "You're a traitor to Majestic, Powers. How? How did you do that? How come your head hasn't exploded?" Powers laughed, spitting up blood. "You…want to…know…how?" "I'll just pry it out of you," began Jim-Bean, concentrating. He closed his eyes… Then Powers vomited a hideous stream of bluish-green goo. Jim-Bean stumbled backwards, gasping. Powers' eyes rolled as he expired. "Damn it, Caprice, I told you to stay with Jim-Bean!" growled Hammer. They arrived just in time to see Jim-Bean dunking his face in the saltwater pool. "What happened to you?" asked Hammer suspiciously. "Nothing," said Jim-Bean. "Just cleaning the stink of this place off of me. Let's go." [/QUOTE]

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