Post by Scorpio on Jul 15, 2008 20:31:55 GMT
oos: To try out the mid thread polls, and the new fiction area, I'm now going to try out this story where you, the reader, get the chance to vote for how the story goes. There will be no wrong answers in this story, I'll just change the flow depending on the votes. So enjoy.
is:
In the lair of Zodiac
Prologue
MI6 Operation: Horoscope
Agent: White Knight
Insertion details: Zargovian airspace north of Castle Van Thanos via rocket pod drop from stealth aircraft. After landing follow river to castle aqueduct and enter.
Mission: Investigation of Count Lao Van Thanos, head of Zodiac Enterprises and currently the most influential political figure in Zargovia. Avoid confrontation as subject is a master hand to hand combatant.
The words flickered over the screen in front of McLeods eyes as he lay in the bombing bay of the aircraft. Metal straps held him to the rocket pod, which would be dropped once they reached the insertion area.
“2 minutes to launch” Came the pilots’ voice over the intercom.
Paul ran over his equipment in his head once more. Walther, spare ammo, limpet mines, flash and smoke bombs, radio, mask with built in oxygen cylinder for both the drop and the swim and MI6s’ newest weapon, a gyrojet handgun. This last weapon was designed for heavy armoured individuals after Paul’s recent encounter with a LADON android I-AM, a large pistol that fired miniature self propelled rocket rounds.
“10 seconds.”
He gripped the controls for the pod.
“3....2....1... launching. Good hunting.”
The bomb bay doors opened and dropped the rocket pod. As the plane turned back towards neutral airspace and the pod dropped below radar level Paul hit the ignition, the rocket activated propelling him towards Zargovia at high speeds. He felt the mask pressing against his face and his tongue trying to dive down his stomach. The pods automated controls kept him on course; he just needed to wait for the sign to hit the two switches in his left hand.
A beeping in his ear informed him that he’d reached his landing area. Hitting the first switch activated reverse thrusters slowing the pod down, the second switch cut him loose dropping him into the river. The pod dropped in 50 feet ahead, an internal canister of acid split open destroying all traceable parts and rendering the pod into a few pieces of scrap under the water.
Paul surfaced and clicked on his headpiece.
“This is White Knight. Insertion is complete. I’m proceeding to the aqueduct.”
Chapter 1
Count Lao Van Thanos stood calmly in the middle of his training room, several racks around the walls held close combat weapons from across the globe. In the middle of the room was a circular area for sparring.
A door in the far side opened, Van Thanos manservant Retamoto led four men into the room. A group of mercenaries hired for the counts ‘exercise’.
“Gentlemen, I trust you were made aware of the full terms of this job?”
“Yeah. Sure.” The leader spoke up. “All we have to do is floor you once and we make an easy ten million.” The rest of the group chuckled.
“Correct, now in the interest of fair play you can use any weapon you see here.” Thanos indicated the racks around the room. The four greedily snapped up whatever caught their eyes, regardless of whether they could even use them properly. They took position around the Count, who stood with his hands behind his back.
“Ready!” Retamoto bellowed. “Begin!”
The first merc charged with a spear. Thanos leapt over his attack and brought a brutal knee strike to the man’s nose, fragmenting the bone into his brain. The second swung an axe, only to be run through with his partners spear.
“Not good enough! Fight harder!” Thanos roared.
The third had selected a pair of Tonfa. He swung them wildly, the Count blocking all the strikes with his left forearm. When he saw an opening he made a jab with his right hand to the man’s stomach, rupturing several organs. He turned to face the last mercenary, the leader, standing shocked whilst holding a short sword.
“You killed them! You never mentioned this! We were hired for a training exercise!”
“and it could barely be called training. This was more like a warm up. It was pathetic.”
The merc leader swung his weapon. Thanos dodged to the side and turned back to deliver a palm strike to the weapon, shattering the blade like glass. He brought the same arm back, elbowing the merc in the throat.
“Retamoto. Have this peasant filth removed from my home.”
“Yes Thanos-Dono.” (I’ll double check this one if I got it wrong, researching is tricksy)
****************************************************
Paul surfaced inside the lower levels of the castle and took his mask off, storing it in a pouch on his belt. He drew his pistol from another and aimed around.
"I'm in moving to upper levels to investigate further."
oos: First vote time peoples. What is Paul going to encounter in the aqueduct of Castle Van Thanos?
is:
In the lair of Zodiac
Prologue
MI6 Operation: Horoscope
Agent: White Knight
Insertion details: Zargovian airspace north of Castle Van Thanos via rocket pod drop from stealth aircraft. After landing follow river to castle aqueduct and enter.
Mission: Investigation of Count Lao Van Thanos, head of Zodiac Enterprises and currently the most influential political figure in Zargovia. Avoid confrontation as subject is a master hand to hand combatant.
The words flickered over the screen in front of McLeods eyes as he lay in the bombing bay of the aircraft. Metal straps held him to the rocket pod, which would be dropped once they reached the insertion area.
“2 minutes to launch” Came the pilots’ voice over the intercom.
Paul ran over his equipment in his head once more. Walther, spare ammo, limpet mines, flash and smoke bombs, radio, mask with built in oxygen cylinder for both the drop and the swim and MI6s’ newest weapon, a gyrojet handgun. This last weapon was designed for heavy armoured individuals after Paul’s recent encounter with a LADON android I-AM, a large pistol that fired miniature self propelled rocket rounds.
“10 seconds.”
He gripped the controls for the pod.
“3....2....1... launching. Good hunting.”
The bomb bay doors opened and dropped the rocket pod. As the plane turned back towards neutral airspace and the pod dropped below radar level Paul hit the ignition, the rocket activated propelling him towards Zargovia at high speeds. He felt the mask pressing against his face and his tongue trying to dive down his stomach. The pods automated controls kept him on course; he just needed to wait for the sign to hit the two switches in his left hand.
A beeping in his ear informed him that he’d reached his landing area. Hitting the first switch activated reverse thrusters slowing the pod down, the second switch cut him loose dropping him into the river. The pod dropped in 50 feet ahead, an internal canister of acid split open destroying all traceable parts and rendering the pod into a few pieces of scrap under the water.
Paul surfaced and clicked on his headpiece.
“This is White Knight. Insertion is complete. I’m proceeding to the aqueduct.”
Chapter 1
Count Lao Van Thanos stood calmly in the middle of his training room, several racks around the walls held close combat weapons from across the globe. In the middle of the room was a circular area for sparring.
A door in the far side opened, Van Thanos manservant Retamoto led four men into the room. A group of mercenaries hired for the counts ‘exercise’.
“Gentlemen, I trust you were made aware of the full terms of this job?”
“Yeah. Sure.” The leader spoke up. “All we have to do is floor you once and we make an easy ten million.” The rest of the group chuckled.
“Correct, now in the interest of fair play you can use any weapon you see here.” Thanos indicated the racks around the room. The four greedily snapped up whatever caught their eyes, regardless of whether they could even use them properly. They took position around the Count, who stood with his hands behind his back.
“Ready!” Retamoto bellowed. “Begin!”
The first merc charged with a spear. Thanos leapt over his attack and brought a brutal knee strike to the man’s nose, fragmenting the bone into his brain. The second swung an axe, only to be run through with his partners spear.
“Not good enough! Fight harder!” Thanos roared.
The third had selected a pair of Tonfa. He swung them wildly, the Count blocking all the strikes with his left forearm. When he saw an opening he made a jab with his right hand to the man’s stomach, rupturing several organs. He turned to face the last mercenary, the leader, standing shocked whilst holding a short sword.
“You killed them! You never mentioned this! We were hired for a training exercise!”
“and it could barely be called training. This was more like a warm up. It was pathetic.”
The merc leader swung his weapon. Thanos dodged to the side and turned back to deliver a palm strike to the weapon, shattering the blade like glass. He brought the same arm back, elbowing the merc in the throat.
“Retamoto. Have this peasant filth removed from my home.”
“Yes Thanos-Dono.” (I’ll double check this one if I got it wrong, researching is tricksy)
****************************************************
Paul surfaced inside the lower levels of the castle and took his mask off, storing it in a pouch on his belt. He drew his pistol from another and aimed around.
"I'm in moving to upper levels to investigate further."
oos: First vote time peoples. What is Paul going to encounter in the aqueduct of Castle Van Thanos?
