Well, there's one thing that is agreed-- oh, you agreed on both fronts...well then. It's a good thing I wanted to be a horror writer when I was young.
It was a feint, wasn't it?[-] With that thought in mind, you, Patches, steel yourself. You peel away the shattered armor on your left side, baring your arm. You need no more words of encouragement. No argument to convince you.
Our people need us.Your arm goes numb up to your shoulder, and you grab your wrist. You grit your teeth, pulling as bones crunch and ligaments snap. Blood drips then pours out until the Interface seals the veins-- and you slump, staring at your arm. You shut your eyes, then devour it with feral intent, your own blood streaming down your face. Something snaps within you. A strand of humanity, perhaps, as you do this very inhuman deed.
It fills your stomach, your body breaking itself down without complaint. The Dust within is redirected, and you rise, stronger, but less human. You pick up the pieces of your armor and attach them to the shoulder plate that remains. They meld, stiffening into nothing more than a shell.
Your wings bloom out into the sky, and you rise.
Nothing challenges you on the way back to the city, the grid below humming its song to you as you fly on your gold and red wings. You fly in a fugue, but even then you notice the differences. The lands below are still, no great herds of insects, no sleeping Worms, no lonely abominations. That changes when you approach where the Line once stood-- its been overwhelmed, hordes of the beasts streaming through, too many to count, too many to fight. You swallow, still tasting the blood within your own mouth...
The worst has come to past. The Line has Broken, and the Holy City of SEED is under seige.The suburbs on the western side, built outside the great walls that divided the city, are in rubble. Flames billow out from the wreckage of lives once lived as mindless abominations stir through the streets. Las-gun fire is exchanged on the wall to the depths below, but there are great cracks within it that the monsters stream through.
Screams echo out from the western side of the Outer City, but you make your way to the east, towards your compound.
You alight in the deserted and empty streets and stride in. No guards remain, and you make you way to the stockpile of nutrient bars, devouring many, many. You grab a duffle bag from the guard's room and fill it with the food, attaching it to your side. You emerge into the city, hearing the cries of death and battle from the east.
["[Alphira. You're alive. Good. Come to the Citadel. I wish to ask something of you.]"] SEED's voice echoes through your ears. The Plague has not yet gotten as far as the Citadel of SEED from what you've seen, held in the Eastern City by the bravery of man.
You are Pheobe Gainer AKA Alphira
Local Time: [0015] 11/20/2011
Personal Time: 5 months
Empyreal Time: NO NETWORK CONNECTION.
You feel comfortable in your second skin.
You are missing an arm.
Cohesion: 50%
You are over-stuffed.
On Body: Mark 15 Battle Armor (Active, Incompatible:Override)
On side: A dull, duffel bag.
Overload: Trained
Bird of Sol's Reign: Qualified
Conquerer's Aura: Initiated
Inferno : Adept
Healing Factor: Apprentice
-
Endurance Boost: Amateur.
-
Strength Boost: Amateur.
Matter Manipulation:Silicon::Competent
Skill:
Charisma: Apprentice
Skill:
Attrition Warfare: Apprentice
Skill:
Marksmanship: Proficient
Michael's Public House: [+.25 credits per month]
[Angel] of The Holy City State of SEED
--High Influence within its borders
--Full command of all military resources
--Assigned a personal team of researchers, medical officers, and trainers.
Grandmother(adopted), Handler: Mother Nicole Gainer
--Contactable in person.
--High Influence with Scholars, Crusaders, the Thornton Family
--Current lawful ruler of Steelworks 9 Region (Crusader Supported)
Organization: The Thornton Family
--Contactable through Emma
--High Influence within Steelworks 9 Region
--Allied with Nicole Gainer, you
*Researching: Radio towers*
Organization: Personal Guard
--A complement of fifty-six guards, highly trained, heavily armed. Each carries a las-rifle, a las-pistol, and a personal knife. They wear Heavily Armored Crusader vests, leggings, boots and face obscuring kevlar face masks.
--Lead by Jennifer Shatterly
--??/56 Loyal, Fanatic
--??/56 Uncertain
--4/56 Defiant
--McGee Foster (Loyal)
--James Foster (Loyal)
--Erica Hail (Loyal)
--Johnathan Shellton (Loyal)
--Eric Armstrong (Loyal)
--Quincy Black (Loyal)
Organization: Thornton Mercenaries
--A complement of hulking Thornton soldiers turned into cybernetically augmented heavy-duty infantry. Equipped with fusion reactor based las-gun assault rifles, Inferno Shotguns, super thick armor, and technicians standing by. They are also equipped with inter and intra-squad radio communicators.
--Lead by William Thornton
--56/56
*Ready for extended operations*
Servant, ? ? ?: Iyal
--A mysterious Outlander woman, branded by SEED as a debt-slave. She wishes to serve you, for a better life after an attempted mugging.
*Currently assassinating key political opponents.*
Ally, Subservient: The Pontifex
--Cowed
--Church leader for the Scholars of the Holy SEED city-state.
--High Influence within its borders
--Incredibly High Influence with Zealots
--Minor feud with Crusaders
Ally, Subservient: William Thornton
Leader of the Thornton Family of Businessmen.
--Contactable in person
--High influence within the Thornton Mercenaries
--High influence within The Thornton Family
--Feared within Steelworks 9 Region
*Coordinating Thornton Family Assets*
Personal Scientist, Ally: Silas Thornton
--Contactable in person
--High influence within The Thornton Family
Contact, Military Trainer Coordinator: Tyler Hop (Cordial)
Lover, Consort: Emma Thornton
--High influence within The Thornton Family
*Currently compiling a list of SEED resources*
Pet, Threat: Mitch, the Barker
A stubby furred, stubby faced hellion of a canine that will possibly mutate in the future.
-8/50 Obedience
-?/50 Affection
-1/50 Respect
Friends(?) (Lost Contact):
-Jesse Hardhouse
-Amanda Silversmith
-John Frost