Spectrum's Comments: When we last left our time displaced heroes, they were being menaced on two separate fronts. First by strange ant-like creatures from the crevice that split the Biosphere, and from unknown tunnelers.
Lost Heroes #4 - "The Welcoming Committee"
Black Tarantula curses and grabs several of the devices in the armory. Officer Terry does likewise. Tarantula then rushes to the crevice opening in the cafeteria. The huge ants are still swarming over the food laid out by REM.
REM - "I hate bugs! Yeach, somebody get some raid."
Tarantula - "I'll deal with these 'hungry ones' insect to insect."
Brawn - "Hold it, spider man, I have an idea. Both of you get behind me. I'll deal with these ants; you two take care of the tunnelers."
Brawn takes the door from the security section and uses it as a large bug swatter.
REM - "Roger wilko, big guy, will do. You can squash those guys to your hearts content."
Tarantula - "Ok, big guy. The best I could do is hold them off for a few minutes. I'll tend to the other visitors."
Tarantula stashes his weapons and leads REM to the Cryogenic Chamber.
Tarantula - "No, REM! Not roger wilko, please! Stay behind me."
Eclypse silently entered the Cryogenics chamber. He stared at the wall. Numerous cracks and seams were opening wider and wider...
Officer Terry entered the Cryogenics Lab. She handed several items to Beth, who accepts them. Beth dons the odd belt. She turns the switch and a field of energy surrounds her.
Number 6 finishes staring at the computer screen. He stands and looks towards where the tunnelers are approaching.
Number 6 - "I don't believe this... It's happening again. Take cover if you will, Beth. I have not intention of losing the information in this computer. What ever the intention of those tunnelers may be, they are not entering this laboratory."
Beth - "What ever you say."
Beth turns and enters the storeroom. She watches from the partially open door. Tarantula and REM enter the room.
Eclypse - "REM, can you sense what is behind the wall?"
REM - "Somebody's knocking on our wall? Who is it?"
REM concentrates and her mind explores what is behind the wall.
REM - "That's funny. I sense no intelligence coming at us behind that wall. It might be some kind of machine but I can't be sure."
Eclypse - "Some type of automations then?"
Terry - "They look like robots to me."
Eclypse - "How do you know?"
Terry - "Perhaps I'm clairvoyant?"
Number 6 - "If that is the case, then we can dispatch with the machines in haste."
Eclypse - "Right. Just save one of the robots. With the talents we have assembled here, I'd like to re-program one of them to learn more information."
Back at the crevice, Brawn looked around. He had smashed the last of the ants. Oddly enough, numerous holes were burned through the door. It also hot to touch. The ants radiated heat.
Brawn looked down into the crevice. It was far too large to ever in try to seal. (28 hexes long with an average of 2 hexes wide.) There was movement deep within the crevice, but nothing was forth coming.
The wall in the Cryogenics Chamber finally gives way. Five humanoid shaped machines crash into the room. Eclypse points his Star Scepter at the lead robot. A beam of golden energy strikes down the first invader.
The rest of you follow lead. Officer Terry guns down the next one. Black Tarantula punches one apart. An energy explosion from Number 6 destroys another one. The remaining robot fires an energy weapon of some type at Eclypse but misses. Everyone joins in to down the last invader.
Over an hour later, everything is all quiet at the base. No more ants or robots have yet to appear. The food from the cafeteria has been analyzed and has been found to be fit to consume. It's not the best tasting food you've ever had, but it's the only food available.
Beth - "Now that the excitement is over, what do we do now?"
Eclypse - "The excitement may be over, but not everything is secure. I have a few observations that I'd like to share with you."
Terry - "Like what?"
Eclypse - "Well, when I was approaching Earth there was field of darkness blanketing the planet. When my ship entered the field I lost all power. That seems to indicate that the field is an energy dampener of some type. And when I first landed, my scanner wouldn't work. But then, all of the sudden, it started up and the emergency lights in the tunnel came on. Both at the same time! It is my belief that the dampening field is down, but that might only be temporary!"
Tarantula - "You mean that we could lose all power?"
Eclypse - "Yes. It is my hope that the defense shield the computer mentioned will protect us from the dampening. We've got to find the main generator and get it in operation."
Beth - "That sounds logical. But there are other matters at hand too."
Brawn - "Such as?"
Beth - "Well, according to calendar we found the year is 2325. But, you have to remember that is when the calendar was left here. That doesn't mean that it is the year 2325."
REM - "But the room looks like it was recently in use...?"
Beth - "True, but I noticed the doors to the lab were hermitically sealed. There is plenty of dust in the corridors, but none in the labs. The true date might be later than 2325."
Eclypse - "Right. Let's get to work. I want-"
Number 6 - "Hold it, fella. Who made you boss?"
Eclypse - "Eh? Well I... Forgive me; I am so accustomed to being a leader that took it for granted. Very well, this is a democracy. What do all of you think we should do?"
Now What?
Spectrum's Comments: Well that was easy enough. Of course the question remained: who sent the robots?
SUBJ: Beth
If Eclipse's theory about the power drain is correct, countering it is our first priority! Without the computer we'll have no chance on learning anything. The weapons from the armory and the force field belts would be useless. Having the base shield up would also protect us from other unwanted guests like more ants and robots. It think that we need to search what is around us right now before moving on to somewhere else.
SUBJ: BRAWN (R) FROM: N4SIR 04/24/89 S#: 798603
"OK folks we're safe from the "FIRE" ants...What happened in here," Brawn says taking off the Goalie type mask.
After listening to last few minutes events, "Look I don't care who wants to take the title of leader as long as they understand, I'm going to do what I want, when I want, I hope that's clear to all of you."
Pulling REM aside, "Look kid I apologize again for my little temper tantrum. It's just that for all I know I might be dying. You see that's why I freaked. My friend, Rogers, Was supposed to allow a drug to alter my genetic code. The strength and size were killing me something about accelerating my metabolism I'm not sure of all the scientific mumbo jumbo, but ROGERS was suppose to administer the drug over a period of months until my metabolism returned to normal. If we are in the future that means his experiments weren't successful. I'm just sorry I took it out on you." After Brawns apology he will return to the group.
"Tell me something Eclypse Did any of you stop and consider that who ever sent those robots might be the same one that sent those ants, or was it just a freak occurrence that we were caught in a pincer movement. Look there is something in that crevice out there and these robots also came from underground I was always taught that 2 + 2 = 4 and in this case I think it means that we head underground before we do any thing else."
Brawn will grab a chair that will support his size and weight and sit down (if nothing like that is around he will use a table).
SUBJ: Number 6 FROM: Deslock 04/24/89 S#: 394395
"Before we go running off into crevices, or searching haphazardly for the main power center, why not check the computer for blueprints of this installation? It would seem a much surer way of discovering what we need to know. In the mean time, since we've saved one of the tinker toys that came after us, we might as well look into what makes it tick. A computer check on it wouldn't hurt either. I have a sneaking suspicion that we'll find it is a security robot, but confirmation would be nice."
I'll head over to begin an inspection on the captive 'bot, after first checking the tunnel they used to enter the lab. Is it still open? It could give us a shortcut if it is. Also, gather up the parts of the destroyed robots. This junk could come in handy.
SUBJ: REM FROM: REM9 04/24/89 S#: 421875
"Don't worry Brawn. If there is something wrong with you, Beth can help you. She's a doctor you know and from all that complicated stuff that's in her mind I think she's a pretty good one too. Gee Tarantula that was a pretty smart move leaving Brawn all by himself and bringing us back here to fight these robots. I think you should be our leader. What do you think we should do now?"
If Tarantula doesn't have anything for Rem to do, she will go around the room looking for something to do to make herself useful. (She will also keep up a mind scan of the immediate area to let the group know if we get any more unwanted visitors.)
SUBJ: Terry... FROM: Miss Terry 04/26/89 S#: 120791
Talking with Eclipse, 'Well what do you think turned off the damper? How do you know that maybe the damper was only a shield around the earth too keep earth from being invaded?'
Terry also mentions that one way to find who sent the robots is to follow the tunnel from which the robots dug.
SUBJ: Eclypse
"I'm not sure what happened to the dampener. I received a message from somewhere warning me not to approach the planet Earth. Its tone suggested to me that landing on Earth was a bad thing to do. It's very possible that the field is used as a defense shield. That only problem I have with that is that the satellites projecting the shield were outside of the shield itself. Instead of being used to keep people out, perhaps it is used to keep people in? I have the tendency to expect the worse in situations. Something I acquired from the wars on Aurelon."
Other notes: The tunnel is still open. It slants upward. There is a faint light at the far end of it. (It is a longggg tunnel.)
Lost Heroes #5 - "Ups and Downs"
In some future age, seven people from a time long forgotten plot their course of action...
Eclypse - "It is my contention that we must fortify our position. This biosphere would make an excellent base of operations from which to explore."
REM - "Explore what?"
Eclypse - "Why the world of course. We aren't going to get many answers holed up underground.
Tarantula - "Look, I agree with your plans, but you don't need all of us to do that one task. Why doesn't each of us do what he or she does best?
Beth - "That does make sense. I'm not much of an engineer, although I do know a little about robotics. Plus I've got to find a supply of pharmaceuticals quickly. I could go into insulin shock at any time. I'm going to take a look around the base.
Eclypse - "With your assistance, Number 6, let's see if the computer can provide us with a map of this area.
Number 6 - "Of course."
Terry - "I'm going to see where those robots came from. Any of y'all know how to work these things?"
Terry holds up one of the communicators.
Number 6 - "It should be simple enough."
In a few minutes, Number 6 has divined how to use the communicators. Everyone is given one and shown how to use it.
Eclypse - "What are the rest of you going to do?"
Tarantula - "I'm going down the crevice. There might be more weapons from the armory down there."
REM - "Down with the bugs? Yuck-o! I'm gonna stay here and scan for more intruders."
Brawn - "Smart thinkin', kid. I'll accompany insect-man here to keep 'im outta trouble."
Tarantula - "Lucky me."
REM - "I'll keep a mind scan up and let you know if any ants are coming your way.
Tarantula - "Good idea."
Everyone but REM, Eclypse and Number 6 leave the security area on their chosen tasks.
Once more the security computer is activated.
Eclypse - "It has occurred to me that this 'bio-sphere' must be part of a much larger complex. There is too much missing to be one area."
Number 6 - "It should be easy to access a floor plan. Ah! Here we go!"
A map appeared on the screen:
---- **-------------- /----* *---------------
/¦ 12 * * 13¦ 14 ¦ - / ¦ * * ¦ ¦ -
/ ¦_D__* *_¦__D_____¦ - / ¦ * * ¦ -
/ ¦ _* * _____ ¦ 15 - ¦ D ¦ * *¦ ¦ D ¦
¦ 11 ¦ ¦21 * * 22 D ¦ ¦ ¦_____¦ D___* *____¦ ¦______¦
¦ ¦ ¦ * * ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ 10 ¦ ¦ 28 * * 23 D ¦ ¦
¦ ¦ ¦___D* *____¦ ¦ 16 ¦ O * * D ¦
O__ _D_ _____* *_____ ¦ ¦ ¦1D¦2D¦ ¦ ¦* * D24 O ¦ ¦
¦__ D ¦ 27 ¦* * ¦_D_¦ ¦______¦ ¦ D __¦ ¦_____¦* *5¦ ¦ ¦ D 6¦
¦7¦ 8¦ D ¦* *_¦25 ¦ O 17¦__¦ ¦ D ¦ ¦ 26 ¦**¦3¦_D_¦ ¦ ¦
¦D¦_ ¦ ¦_____* *¦D¦4__¦ ¦ / - ¦ * * ¦O ____/
- 9¦__D____* *______D___¦ / - ¦ ¦* * ¦ ¦18 /-
- ¦ 20 ¦ * *¦ 19 ¦ / - ¦ * *¦ ¦ /-
-_____¦30* *________¦ / - * * --
* * ** 29
KEY:
D = Door
O = Door that has been ripped off
* = Edge of the Crevice
Number Encounters: Areas that you've been in already:
4 - Bathroom in the Security Section
5 - Armory in the Security Section
6 - Store room in Cryogenics Lab
10 - Go-Cart Parking Lot
16 - Biology Lab
17 - Cryogenics Lab
18 - Cryogenics Chamber (The room you all woke up in)
23 - Cafeteria
24 - Security Office
25 - Bunk room in Security Section
29 - Tunnel made by Tunnelers
Notes: The crevice and the tunnelers tunnel aren't on the actual display; they're for your reference. The actual map is a perfect circle, something difficult to do on a computer.
At the tunnel, Terry cautiously enters and begins her journey. The tunnel is long, but its end can be seen in her minds eye. It will be time consuming, but the climb will be easy.
Laying back on one of the bunks, REM's mind ranges far and wide. Nothing greets her thoughts. Each of the others can be seen clearly. Even some of the ants, but they are too far away to be of any concern.
REM's range increased. Soon she began to sense the presence of others. More people! She switched to telepathy to speak to these people. For some reason they did not respond. It was like they couldn't hear her. Their thoughts were dull and uninteresting. As if they were numb...
Black Tarantula easily climbed down the crevice. He stuck to the rock face itself.
Tarantula - "How you holding up, big guy?"
Brawn was not as fortunate, however. His large fists created his own mode of climbing. Numerous large footholds were added to the rock face.
Brawn - "Don't you worry about me."
Tarantula - "I wouldn't dream of it."
The further the two descended, the warmer it began. After some fifteen minutes of climbing the source of the heat became apparent. A small river of lava flowed across the bottom of the crevice. Numerous openings led away form the crevice.
Tarantula - "It must have been a gigantic earthquake to open a crack this wide."
Brawn - "I think I see something."
The large man was correct. A glint of metal could be seen in the rocks below.
Using the yellow ID card, Beth had gained access to the lab next to the Cryogenics Lab. (#16) It was a biology lab she guessed. While the equipment was useful, no drugs were present.
Disappointed, Beth entered the next lab (#15). This one was for genetic research. Hope began to build within her. If insulin couldn't be found, perhaps she could cure herself of her disease instead. Beth began to sift through the items in the room.
It was simple matter to have the computer locate the power generators. (Location #9 on the map) Eclypse flew with Number 6 over the crevice.
Eclypse - "Once we get up to full power, you can examine those robots are your leisure, doctor."
The red ID gained the access to all the areas needed to pass through to reach the power room. The equipment inside was quickly examined.
Number 6 - "Amazing! This is an engineering marvel!
Eclypse - "What does it run on?"
Number 6 - "Near as I can tell, carbon dioxide."
Eclypse - "So there is an endless supply of energy. We are the power source."
Number 6 - "Some quick maintenance and we'll be all set."
Eclypse - "Excellent. I'll take a look around here."
(OK, area #1 is a lounge. #2 is a guard post. #7 is a rest room. #8 is a supply room.)
Slightly winded, Terry emerged from the tunnel. She found herself in a lush, green valley. Grass and trees were everywhere. The one odd thing she noticed was that there were no signs of life. No birds, no insects...
A plane of some type was parked close by. It was of no design she had ever seen before. There was a noise behind her. Terry turns to find six more of the robots pointing weapons at her.
Robot - "Surrender-human. There-is-no- escape.
REM had left the numb-minds behind. She was drawn to a strange area of coldness. So cold that she had drawn the blankets around her, but they couldn't keep her warm. The coldness drew her in, almost mesmerizing her.
Unexpectedly, a presence lashed out at her! "What is this? A mind much like mine..."
A bolt of mental energy strikes REM. She is stunned from the assault.
"Yesss... Much like me. You're perfect for my needs, girl. Yes, you shall do rather nicely... Soon you will be mine!"
Another bolt hit REM. This one put her out.
Unaware of the recent happenings, Black Tarantula and Brawn reached the bottom of the crevice. They found the shining metal to be the barrel of a futuristic rifle. As Brawn reached to pick it up, Tarantula's spiders' sense went off.
Tarantula - "We are not alone!"
From one of the large openings, a large ant emerges. This one is large than the other ants. It is almost as big as REM herself! Others can be seen behind t....
Brawn - "Why didn't the kid warn us?!"
Tarantula - "Unless something's happened to her..."
In the power room, all systems were go. Number 6 pressed several buttons and the generator kicked in. Power flooded through out the biosphere. All the lights came on. All equipment became functional.
Eclypse - "Excellent. Let us return to the security section and get the defense shield up."
Number 6 - "What about those outside the shield?"
Eclypse presents a device the size of a large calculator.
Eclypse - "Unless I miss my guess, this device controls the defense shield. Creating openings where needed."
The two arrive at the security section moments later. Seeing REM's condition, Number 6 moves to examine her. Eclypse works the computer and places the defense shield about the biosphere.
Eclypse - "There, now we are all safe. How is she, doctor?"
Number 6 - "Unconscious. I can't find anything wrong with her. I think she's coming around."
"We need some help."
Both men turn to see an unusual sight in the doorway. They see the unconscious form of Beth being carried by another Beth."
Number 6 - "What happened? Why did you split?"
"You can call me Mary. Beth has slipped into a diabetic coma...."
Spectrum's Comments: That map was a real treat to try and generate on the computer. Probably like most things at this stage, I did it offline and was working on a print out online. Time was money after all!
At the place I worked at during this point of history I had a manager who was diabetic, so I learned quite a bit about the topic from her. She even had it so bad that she was hospitalized several times and I filled in for her at work. You go with what you know!
SUBJ: Black Tarantula (R) FROM: AREION 05/01/89 S#: 801886
Acting before I even have time to think, BT will spray the ants with a web, hopefully sticking them fast.
"Brawn, do us both a favor...squash those damn things!"
"Rem should have warned us, something must be wrong!"
I grab the gun, and sling it over one shoulder (I'm better suited for climbing out of this hole) and head back fast, only pausing to make sure Brawn is ok behind me. (Wouldn't want to leave his unconscious body lying on the rocks should he fall ;> )
SUBJ: Number 6 FROM: Deslock 05/01/89 S#: 798433
"Mary, do you share Beth's medical skills? We need to keep her warm, and if you can tend to her immediate medical needs, it will free me to work on some solution."
--Let's see, what we need here is insulin, and we need it fast. I've got some spare parts from those robots; let's see what I can whip together. --
What I'm aiming at is a synthetic insulin-producing device, using the slop from the cafeteria to supply the basic amino acids.
--You can't die now, Beth. I need your help, I can't beat this thing on my own.--
SUBJ: Mary
"I have knowledge of her skills, Number 6, but I am not as good at them as Beth is."
Mary sets Beth down on one of the bunks and covers her with blankets.
"Beth is a mutant. Something she is ashamed of... Something the neither one of us rather talk about. Regardless, by some freak of nature, I do not carry her disease. Just my prime. On the downside, I do not possess her full intelligence. Once Beth collapsed, she could not contain me any more."
Mary will follow Number 6's directions and aid him as best as possible. Mary is very nervous. She has no idea what would happen if her prime were to die.
SUBJ: BRAWN (R) FROM: N4SIR 05/02/89 S#: 821172
"Look BT I can see what the problem is I don't need the Black flag kid telling me how to do my job," BRAWN says.
BRAWN will use parts of the wall to destroy and let it fall on the ants crushing them.
SUBJ: Number 6 FROM: Deslock 05/02/89 S#: 522522
"Could be that you aren't as proficient with your skills only because you don't get a chance to use them? It would be interesting to study this, but I don't think Beth will approve it. First things first, just keep her warm and monitor her vital signs. Let me know if there's any change in her condition. Eclypse, see if you can bring up the formula for Insulin on the computer. I'd rather not rely on memory for it. Also, we'll need a hypodermic, or equivalent. You may find something in the Bio lab."
SUBJ: REM FROM: REM9 05/05/89 S#: 403085
As Rem slowly awakens and rises from the couch holding her head, "Ohhh. What a headache. Who hit me with the sledgehammer? Beth, Beth? There are two of you. What happened? Can I help any?" REM will attempt to link up with the unconscious Beth. **Beth can you hear me? This is REM. Hang on. Number 6 is figuring out something to help you. Don't give up whatever you do. Stay with me. Try to grab onto my mind and hold on. You are not alone here. I know what it's like to be all alone. I won't leave you here like that.
**(Sorry guys but Rem just forgot about you in all the excitement.)
Spectrum's Comments: And thus our bewildered characters find themselves facing even more trouble. Some things never change! There's also a great deal going on behind the scenes here. Information that I'm not quite ready to divulge...