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Strikeforce: Morituri Part One "the Mortals" Is Completed
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<blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 1384622" data-attributes="member: 9255"><p>STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI</p><p>SEGMENT 040</p><p>“Broken Tranquility”</p><p></p><p>She missed the soothing sound of water lapping against the boat side. She missed the quiet stillness of the stars in the sky and the moon at night giving a rippled reflection. She missed home.</p><p></p><p>It was very late at night and Jean the Storm Wielder could not sleep. The governor gave the Champions of Infiniti the use of a houseboat until they set sail in a larger ship being readied to commit war against the Jaws of Sorrow. Only Christina and Vander seemed to mind. Jean outright looked forward to it and secretly hoped the readying of the Sword of the Sea would be delayed a few days.</p><p></p><p>She grew up on the seas. She lived on a bamboo and reed home that was anchored in a shallow bay. She swam in the clear blue waters before she could walk. Many thought her people were as much sea elf as human. She remembered nights like this, listening to the water roll in as the tides came and went, watching larger fish try to catch shiners that would leap from the water to escape. It was a magical time.</p><p></p><p>Jean thought she could smell her mother’s scented skin cream for a moment. How she missed those days! It feels like a lifetime ago since she left the sea and settled in the city before becoming a Morituri. Vander’s heavy steps break the tranquility of it. </p><p></p><p>Though not in his prized armor, he obviously a large and heavy man. Jean begins to understand his obsession with his armor. Dressed only in breeches and his sword belt Vander’s horrid past shows itself in the form of hundreds of bodily scars. She knows enough of his past to not wish it on anyone. Not even an agent of Darqueness the Destroyer. This is when she realizes how little she knows of Vander. She knows little of everyone actually.</p><p></p><p>“Hello Vander. Peaceful night isn’t it.” She says as much in fact as a question.</p><p></p><p>Vander just looks to the sea. Then just as Jean suspects he didn’t hear her he answers her. “Too peaceful. Something is happening.”</p><p></p><p>Jean, never one to dwell on negativity tries to shift the conversation. “Have you ever been on the open seas before coming here? I grew up on the sea. I feel very much at home here.”</p><p></p><p>Vander unintentionally feels a large jagged scar on his side. “Yes…a long time ago. The Sun Sea of Athas. I was…a traveler then.” The whole time he is on alert…looking for something but not knowing what. His unease is clear.</p><p></p><p>“Sit. Lets talk. We have yet to really talk.”</p><p></p><p>“I am a man of action…of war. I do not …talk.” His unease is shifting to the conversation instead of the seas. The dark and still seas.</p><p></p><p>“Let me be the judge of that. Please Vander…sit. Relax a bit. We are safe on the Governor’s houseboat.”</p><p></p><p>Not convinced Vander only steps up to the rail and leans on it. His gaze returns to the dark and forbidden waters.</p><p></p><p>“I used to dive for shells on the coral reefs and pretend to be a porpoise on the sand bars. I miss those days. Life has become…so complicated. What was your childhood like? What do you remember of it?”</p><p></p><p>Vander sees his father’s fist. He hears the rage. He feels the sting. “I had a good life. I hunted in the forests and fished on the deep lakes. I grew up strong and proud.” He never looks to her as he says this. His mind is caught up in too many memories. All consist of violence.</p><p></p><p>Jean, knowing he is lying to her but sensing he means no harm in doing so goes on about herself to keep the mood light. “I remember my first pearl I ever found by myself. I never knew what it was. I opened the shellfish, saw the pearl and threw it overboard! Hahahah I was only 5 at the time. My mother could have used that money for goods we needed but only gave me a hug. She was so good to me.</p><p></p><p>Vander sees a cowering woman with discoloring on her face and arms. His face becomes hard as steel.</p><p></p><p>“The Stripped Bass are out.”</p><p></p><p>A few moments go by. Then Vander snaps out of it as if a drill sergeant just addressed him in line up. “Bass?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes. Don’t look at the horizon Vander- looks closer. See those glints of light in the water? Those are small fish that school for security. The bass will charge through the school trying to catch as many as possible. The school tries to flee so quickly that many leap right out of the water. It is trying amazing at times.</p><p></p><p>Vander’s face softens as he finally sees and realizes the action for what it is. They watch for a few silent minutes as a school will leap here then another somewhere else. Vander almost smiles watching the show put on by the fish. Then he tenses again and looks out to the sea.</p><p></p><p>“What is it Vander?”</p><p></p><p>“Growing up in a time of war then living on a world of war I have developed a sixth sense for trouble. Something is here with us. Something troublesome.”</p><p></p><p>“Relax Vander. You are being paranoid. The bay is too shallow for the Jaws of Sorrow to swim within. No one else knows we are here that would commit acts of harm to us.”</p><p></p><p>Vander ignores her even as she returns to talk about the fish and coral reef splendors. His senses have rarely failed him. He watches the minnows and shiners leap again. And leap…and leap…and leap. Not in small condense areas of a school of fish. No. This time a fish is coming straight at them. The entire bay before them is exploding in activity.</p><p></p><p>“We are under attack!” Vander declares loudly even as he reaches for his falchion. Jean stops in midsentence to ask what he means when she finally sees what he has seen. She rolls back from the rail and retreats to get her spell pouch and alert the others. Vander is happy to get the novice out of the way.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly the water explodes as large amphibian creatures leap out of the water directly at him. These greenish tall and gaunt creatures are unlike any he has ever seen. The claws, teeth and method are not unfamiliar to him. “I am no minnow fishman.” Is all he says as he begins to swing his weapon.</p><p></p><p>His weapon telepathically reaches out to the black-eyed creatures. The sound of building, rising and moving energy is the last thing the first creature will hear as Vander hits it taking off an arm. The reverse swing beheads it. The glowing psionic weapon beheads the next creature. He stabs straight up tearing the flesh from the third creature. It hisses at him. Even as the body sinks down the length of his weapon the creature claws at him. His toughened scarred skin takes the brunt of the sharp claws well.</p><p></p><p>Vander wills his ectoplasmic skin to expand. If the dying creature could comprehend what was before him it did not show it. Even as Vander works the weapon out of the body thus killing it, a whitish-blue film expands from under his breeches to cover his upper body. Then he calls on his primal nature and becomes stronger and much faster.</p><p></p><p>More creatures rise from the water but he ignores them. He can feel the boat shift as more are climbing on board on the other side. The creature prepares to throw it’s trident at Vander when suddenly its shoulder, arm and thigh explode in red mist. It hisses at the strange injuries. “Go home to the Black Lagoon ya f***ing rejects! Yells Jim Addards as he becomes visible from on the roof.</p><p></p><p>As the creatures try to climb aboard before him, Vander swings at them holding them at bay.</p><p></p><p>A beam of light comes from the water and washes over Jim. Several dots of glowing light now hover before his face taking away his vision and now allowing him to fire his energy gun. Jim is confused by the actions…if it were magic- wouldn’t he have absorbed it?</p><p></p><p>“Errrrrrrr….turn surface meat. Turn and face your consumer…”</p><p></p><p>Vander turns to the back of the boat. A taller creature is here with four arms. The creature walks like it owns him. Vander smiles and switches the weapon from hand to hand as proof of strength and skill. </p><p></p><p>Jim tries to move away from the lights that are blinding him but finds it much more difficult that envisioned. The roof of the boat was not designed for one to sleep or fight on either.</p><p></p><p>The four armed mutant claws and bites at Vander. It adds many long and shallow wounds to Vander’s shoulders and back. It is trying to stay very close to him so as to remove room to swing his obviously deadly weapon. Vander tries to counter move but can not. So he just drops to his knees and swings under the creatures four arms. It hisses as it loses both of its legs from the knees down and thumps to the deck in complete rage at how easily Vander defeated it. Vander finishes it off easily.</p><p></p><p>A fast movement goes over his shoulder with a loud and solid thud sound issuing from the stern of the boat. The Captain’s defensive artifact has once more been used as a highly offensive one as two of the would be murders fall from the rail with missing teeth and blooding mouths and eyes. </p><p></p><p>“Report!” is all the other war veteran says even as he catches his magical throwing shield.</p><p></p><p>“We are being attacked from the sea. At least one has magic use” Vander declares.</p><p></p><p>Trying something new…Jim tries to catch the light with his hands to destroy them. Can not.</p><p>The result is a wild fall and last minute grab at the roofing to land on his feet on the deck. </p><p></p><p>“Kill them!” is clearly heard. Jean, coming out of the doorway sees a human in the water giving out directions. Looking further- she sees the source of the attacks- “Sahuagin!” she hisses.</p><p>She concentrates on the water surface and fog thickens and becomes dense. The underwater terrors find it very hard to move through the fog. It seems almost solid to them. She is uncertain but thinks a dorsal fin had grown out the human as if changing shape into…a shark.</p><p></p><p>Christina comes out with only a blanket covering her. “Mother”, her intelligent Heavy Mace in hand and her holy symbol in the other. The attacks have ended until they hear and feel the next attack. The creatures are attacking through the hull!</p><p></p><p>“Onto shore!” yells the Captain. Vander goes into the first room to get his armor. Christina helps Jim off as the lights continue to haunt him. As he reaches shore the lights fade away. Spots of red and black still dance and dissolve in his vision. “Dirty Bastards” he grumbles.</p><p></p><p>The boat lists to the side pushing on the thick fog. Vander is beside himself. Some of his armor is still on the boat! Jim adds that his stuff is also. One look from the Captain shuts both of them up.</p><p></p><p>“Undead colossal sharks and now Sahuagin…this is bad” ends Christina. Momma, her cat, merely shakes its head in disgust. “water…why water?” it laments.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="megamania, post: 1384622, member: 9255"] STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI SEGMENT 040 “Broken Tranquility” She missed the soothing sound of water lapping against the boat side. She missed the quiet stillness of the stars in the sky and the moon at night giving a rippled reflection. She missed home. It was very late at night and Jean the Storm Wielder could not sleep. The governor gave the Champions of Infiniti the use of a houseboat until they set sail in a larger ship being readied to commit war against the Jaws of Sorrow. Only Christina and Vander seemed to mind. Jean outright looked forward to it and secretly hoped the readying of the Sword of the Sea would be delayed a few days. She grew up on the seas. She lived on a bamboo and reed home that was anchored in a shallow bay. She swam in the clear blue waters before she could walk. Many thought her people were as much sea elf as human. She remembered nights like this, listening to the water roll in as the tides came and went, watching larger fish try to catch shiners that would leap from the water to escape. It was a magical time. Jean thought she could smell her mother’s scented skin cream for a moment. How she missed those days! It feels like a lifetime ago since she left the sea and settled in the city before becoming a Morituri. Vander’s heavy steps break the tranquility of it. Though not in his prized armor, he obviously a large and heavy man. Jean begins to understand his obsession with his armor. Dressed only in breeches and his sword belt Vander’s horrid past shows itself in the form of hundreds of bodily scars. She knows enough of his past to not wish it on anyone. Not even an agent of Darqueness the Destroyer. This is when she realizes how little she knows of Vander. She knows little of everyone actually. “Hello Vander. Peaceful night isn’t it.” She says as much in fact as a question. Vander just looks to the sea. Then just as Jean suspects he didn’t hear her he answers her. “Too peaceful. Something is happening.” Jean, never one to dwell on negativity tries to shift the conversation. “Have you ever been on the open seas before coming here? I grew up on the sea. I feel very much at home here.” Vander unintentionally feels a large jagged scar on his side. “Yes…a long time ago. The Sun Sea of Athas. I was…a traveler then.” The whole time he is on alert…looking for something but not knowing what. His unease is clear. “Sit. Lets talk. We have yet to really talk.” “I am a man of action…of war. I do not …talk.” His unease is shifting to the conversation instead of the seas. The dark and still seas. “Let me be the judge of that. Please Vander…sit. Relax a bit. We are safe on the Governor’s houseboat.” Not convinced Vander only steps up to the rail and leans on it. His gaze returns to the dark and forbidden waters. “I used to dive for shells on the coral reefs and pretend to be a porpoise on the sand bars. I miss those days. Life has become…so complicated. What was your childhood like? What do you remember of it?” Vander sees his father’s fist. He hears the rage. He feels the sting. “I had a good life. I hunted in the forests and fished on the deep lakes. I grew up strong and proud.” He never looks to her as he says this. His mind is caught up in too many memories. All consist of violence. Jean, knowing he is lying to her but sensing he means no harm in doing so goes on about herself to keep the mood light. “I remember my first pearl I ever found by myself. I never knew what it was. I opened the shellfish, saw the pearl and threw it overboard! Hahahah I was only 5 at the time. My mother could have used that money for goods we needed but only gave me a hug. She was so good to me. Vander sees a cowering woman with discoloring on her face and arms. His face becomes hard as steel. “The Stripped Bass are out.” A few moments go by. Then Vander snaps out of it as if a drill sergeant just addressed him in line up. “Bass?” “Yes. Don’t look at the horizon Vander- looks closer. See those glints of light in the water? Those are small fish that school for security. The bass will charge through the school trying to catch as many as possible. The school tries to flee so quickly that many leap right out of the water. It is trying amazing at times. Vander’s face softens as he finally sees and realizes the action for what it is. They watch for a few silent minutes as a school will leap here then another somewhere else. Vander almost smiles watching the show put on by the fish. Then he tenses again and looks out to the sea. “What is it Vander?” “Growing up in a time of war then living on a world of war I have developed a sixth sense for trouble. Something is here with us. Something troublesome.” “Relax Vander. You are being paranoid. The bay is too shallow for the Jaws of Sorrow to swim within. No one else knows we are here that would commit acts of harm to us.” Vander ignores her even as she returns to talk about the fish and coral reef splendors. His senses have rarely failed him. He watches the minnows and shiners leap again. And leap…and leap…and leap. Not in small condense areas of a school of fish. No. This time a fish is coming straight at them. The entire bay before them is exploding in activity. “We are under attack!” Vander declares loudly even as he reaches for his falchion. Jean stops in midsentence to ask what he means when she finally sees what he has seen. She rolls back from the rail and retreats to get her spell pouch and alert the others. Vander is happy to get the novice out of the way. Suddenly the water explodes as large amphibian creatures leap out of the water directly at him. These greenish tall and gaunt creatures are unlike any he has ever seen. The claws, teeth and method are not unfamiliar to him. “I am no minnow fishman.” Is all he says as he begins to swing his weapon. His weapon telepathically reaches out to the black-eyed creatures. The sound of building, rising and moving energy is the last thing the first creature will hear as Vander hits it taking off an arm. The reverse swing beheads it. The glowing psionic weapon beheads the next creature. He stabs straight up tearing the flesh from the third creature. It hisses at him. Even as the body sinks down the length of his weapon the creature claws at him. His toughened scarred skin takes the brunt of the sharp claws well. Vander wills his ectoplasmic skin to expand. If the dying creature could comprehend what was before him it did not show it. Even as Vander works the weapon out of the body thus killing it, a whitish-blue film expands from under his breeches to cover his upper body. Then he calls on his primal nature and becomes stronger and much faster. More creatures rise from the water but he ignores them. He can feel the boat shift as more are climbing on board on the other side. The creature prepares to throw it’s trident at Vander when suddenly its shoulder, arm and thigh explode in red mist. It hisses at the strange injuries. “Go home to the Black Lagoon ya f***ing rejects! Yells Jim Addards as he becomes visible from on the roof. As the creatures try to climb aboard before him, Vander swings at them holding them at bay. A beam of light comes from the water and washes over Jim. Several dots of glowing light now hover before his face taking away his vision and now allowing him to fire his energy gun. Jim is confused by the actions…if it were magic- wouldn’t he have absorbed it? “Errrrrrrr….turn surface meat. Turn and face your consumer…” Vander turns to the back of the boat. A taller creature is here with four arms. The creature walks like it owns him. Vander smiles and switches the weapon from hand to hand as proof of strength and skill. Jim tries to move away from the lights that are blinding him but finds it much more difficult that envisioned. The roof of the boat was not designed for one to sleep or fight on either. The four armed mutant claws and bites at Vander. It adds many long and shallow wounds to Vander’s shoulders and back. It is trying to stay very close to him so as to remove room to swing his obviously deadly weapon. Vander tries to counter move but can not. So he just drops to his knees and swings under the creatures four arms. It hisses as it loses both of its legs from the knees down and thumps to the deck in complete rage at how easily Vander defeated it. Vander finishes it off easily. A fast movement goes over his shoulder with a loud and solid thud sound issuing from the stern of the boat. The Captain’s defensive artifact has once more been used as a highly offensive one as two of the would be murders fall from the rail with missing teeth and blooding mouths and eyes. “Report!” is all the other war veteran says even as he catches his magical throwing shield. “We are being attacked from the sea. At least one has magic use” Vander declares. Trying something new…Jim tries to catch the light with his hands to destroy them. Can not. The result is a wild fall and last minute grab at the roofing to land on his feet on the deck. “Kill them!” is clearly heard. Jean, coming out of the doorway sees a human in the water giving out directions. Looking further- she sees the source of the attacks- “Sahuagin!” she hisses. She concentrates on the water surface and fog thickens and becomes dense. The underwater terrors find it very hard to move through the fog. It seems almost solid to them. She is uncertain but thinks a dorsal fin had grown out the human as if changing shape into…a shark. Christina comes out with only a blanket covering her. “Mother”, her intelligent Heavy Mace in hand and her holy symbol in the other. The attacks have ended until they hear and feel the next attack. The creatures are attacking through the hull! “Onto shore!” yells the Captain. Vander goes into the first room to get his armor. Christina helps Jim off as the lights continue to haunt him. As he reaches shore the lights fade away. Spots of red and black still dance and dissolve in his vision. “Dirty Bastards” he grumbles. The boat lists to the side pushing on the thick fog. Vander is beside himself. Some of his armor is still on the boat! Jim adds that his stuff is also. One look from the Captain shuts both of them up. “Undead colossal sharks and now Sahuagin…this is bad” ends Christina. Momma, her cat, merely shakes its head in disgust. “water…why water?” it laments. [/QUOTE]
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