Lost Heroes #16 - "Creatures of the Night"
Mary weakens the force field surrounding Alpha Base once more. Val and Brawn enter the tunnel and begin the climb to the surface. Once there, Val scans the surroundings.
Val - "Your companions are to the south?"
Brawn - "That's what the kid said."
Val - "This is the way."
The woman warrior runs off into the dark.
Brawn - "Hey! Wait for me!"
The large man jogs after Val. Even with his giant stride, he has trouble keeping up with her.
Back inside, Mary prepares to lower the shield once more. However...
Eclypse - "Hold on a second, Mary. Albert, I could fly us to your mansion in a little over an hour. This would be a much safer means of travel then braving the deserts heat in the morning."
Albert - "Hmmm... Very well. At least I shall be able to sleep in my own bed tonight."
And so Eclypse and Albert exit the base. Once on the surface, Eclypse picks up Albert and they fly away into the cool night...
Deep within the bowels of the Shrine of Spinadria, Tarantula has finally regained consciousness. Much to his surprise, he is the main course at a feast!
Tarantula - "Oh cripes, where am I now!?! And why do I feel so strange... so different? I... HEY! Where're my clothes!? What is going on here!? Who the hell are you peo...WHOA lady!! I'd drop that knife if I were you!"
Meanwhile, Terry and Rem watch the proceedings from their guest room. Beth continues to tend to the comatose stranger they had found.
Rem - "Oh boy, Tarantula is in trouble with a capital T. Maybe I can help. Beth is there anything you can do for our guest? I think we should be getting ready to leave now."
Beth - "I'll do what I can to get this man back on his feet, Rem."
Beth rummages through the bag of equipment she brought with her, with little success.
Beth - "I don't seem to have anything here that can help him. Perhaps maybe back at the base. Things are happening fast here, Rem. Why not call Eclypse or Number 6? I believe that both of them can fly and could be here very fast!"
However, Rem is busy placing a mental image in the mind of Chandria. As the women watch, they see that she seems to be frozen in her tracks. Tarantula is quick to capitalize on the situation and grabs a part of Chandria's robe to cover himself. However, the moment's respite is soon fleeting. A few spears fly past Tarantula's head, as the rest of the temple's guard close in on him. Tarantula leaps forward, and suddenly the image is lost from the women's minds.
Rem - "What happened?"
Terry - "I need to rest a moment. I can't keep the image up for long."
To the north, in the desert, Brawn and Valteria continue to close the distance to the spider temple.
Valteria - "Getting tired, male? Do you require a rest?"
Brawn - "Who? Me? Anything you can do, I can do. Don't worry about me!"
Valteria - "Very well. Let us step up the pace then, shall we?"
Valteria starts running off again, as Brawn mumbles to himself. After a few strides, however, she comes to a stop.
Brawn - "So, you're the tired one now, huh?"
Valteria - "Silence."
She cocks her head, as if listening to something unseen.
Valteria - "I...sense...something."
Behind them, there is a slight rustling. Val draws her sword with a flourish.
Valteria - "Something approaches..."
Further north still, at the mansion of Albert, Eclypse lands with his host.
Albert - "Ah, it is good to be home again."
Eclypse - "That is a feeling I am, unfortunately, quite unfamiliar with."
Albert pulls a small electronic device from some hidden place and deactivates the defense shield about the massive structure. It rises into the night sky to a full four stories. The two enter up the large front staircase, and the shield is put back in place.
Albert - "I am going to turn in for the night. There are numerous guest rooms about. I am sure that you can find something suitable."
With that, he walks off.
Eclypse - "Charming host. Perhaps now we can get a few more answers to our many dilemmas...."
Meanwhile, back at the shrine, Terry is able to get her visual image back again.
Rem - "He doesn't answer me."
The women see Tarantula come out of the shadows. He wipes his mouth and looks at the blood on his hand. Rem manages to make contact at this time.
Rem - "Oh Spidey! It's great to see you again."
Tarantula - "Hey, Rem! Nice to hear you again. Have any idea where I am and what's goin' on? The natives appear to be restless!"
Rem - "I'll have Terry guide you to us."
Using his superior speed, Tarantula is able to lose his pursuit and arrive at the guest chamber.
Tarantula - "So what's the rest of your plan, Rem? I've got the entire temple after me!"
Once more, back in the depths of the temple, Chandria rises to her feet. She stands before the alter, staring across the pit to the far side of the room. There is an opening in the earth there.
Chandria - "O' mighty spirit of Spinadria, aid thy children in their hour of need!"
And somewhere, deep within the earth, something moves...
Mail From: REM9 Date: Sunnday 16-Jul-89 22:06 EDT
Hey writing the new Lost worlds post is easy. Let me give you a hand. REM, with her brilliant plan saves the day with her illusions. The sisters all learn the errors of their ways and agree to follow the commands of the Survivors. Tarantula realizing that it was REM who saved his life falls in love and they live happily ever after.
See it's easy when you know how.
REM
P.S. One last thing to add. Brawn got a lobotomy and is currently seeing a noted psychiatrist for his behavioral disorder.
Spectrum's Comments: There certainly wouldn't have been as much conflict if I had followed Rem's advice...
SUBJ: REM FROM: REM9 07/17/89 S#: 445498
"My plan? Oh yeah right, my plan. Well why don't you pick up our friend over there and we leave our charming hostesses before they come looking for dinner? Maybe you're right Beth, time to call for reinforcements, just in case." As the group prepares to leave, REM enters her trance once again to locate her friends (probably Brawn) **Calling all heroes, Calling all heroes. Urgent. Uh guys, I think we are going to need some help here. Please hurry. **(If she finds Brawn out in the open, will also try to call Eclypse and Number 6 like Beth suggested)
SUBJ: Beth
'Good idea, Rem! Glad I thought of it... I have one question though. How do you propose getting out of here considering that there is only one exit and, as Spidey put it, the whole temple is following him?'
Hope the guys are fast flyers!
SUBJ: ** Black Tarantula ** FROM: AREION 07/21/89 S#: 843476
"Run from these FEMALE FREAKS!?! Not a chance! They want a piece of me?!?! I'll give it to'em ! I'll...I'll..."
Tarantula suddenly becomes very pale, and stares, transfixed, at his own trembling hands.
"Al...alright. Lets get out of here."
BT gently lifts the stranger and slings him over a shoulder. He is still trembling slightly. He looks imploringly at the young mutant.
"If you know how to get out of here, you'd better lead fast. They're coming, and I...I don't want to have to face them now."
SUBJ: BRAWN FROM: N4SIR 07/22/89 S#: 796456
"From where?" Brawn will turn and ready himself for combat.
Lost Heroes #17 - "Along Came a Spider..."
Out in the desert, Brawn and Valteria are back to back, slowly circling around.
Brawn - "Where are they coming from?"
The answer is soon in coming. Large misshapen figures leap to the attack. One leaps at Val, but she flicks it away with her sword.
Another tries to grab Brawn around the throat. The large man catches the beast with relative easy. Here he can he exactly what this creature is.
The beast is canine in nature, but unusually large and horribly disfigured. Repulsed, Brawn throws it away into the desert.
The battle lasts for about a minute. The pack is relentless, but relatively harmless to the travelers. Finally, having taken enough wounds, the pack retreats.
Val - "Desert scavengers, I would assume. Interesting world you have here, my friend. I like it."
Brawn - "Interesting is a good word... Shall we continue on?"
Val - "Onward!"
Val once more breaks into a jog with Brawn following...
Within the guest quarters at the Spider Temple...
Rem - "My plan? Oh yeah right, my plan. Well why don't you pick up our friend over there and we leave our charming hostesses before they come looking for dinner? Maybe you're right Beth; time to call for reinforcements, just in case.
Beth - "It's about time, Rem!"
Tarantula - "Run from these female freaks?! Not a chance! If they want a piece of me, I'll give it to 'em! I'll... I'll..."
Tarantula suddenly becomes very pale, and stares, transfixed, at his own trembling hands.
Tarantula - "All... alright. Lets get out of here."
Tarantula gently lifts the stranger and slings him over a shoulder. He is still trembling slightly. He looks imploringly at the young mentalist.
Tarantula - "If you know how to get out of here, you'd better lead fast. They're coming, and I... I don't want to have to face them now."
Beth - "Are you alright, Tarantula? I better examine you once we get back to the base."
Rem, meanwhile, enters a trance. Her mind reaches out.
Rem - "Calling all heroes, calling all heroes. Urgent. Uh guys, I think we are going to need some help here. Please hurry!"
Back out in the desert, Brawn suddenly stops as he hears the mental message.
Brawn - "Hold on a moment, Val. I'm gettin' a message from Rem... They're in trouble!"
Val - "Then let us pick up the pace!"
Together travelers continue on.
At the base, Number 6 looks up from his work as he 'hears' the mental alert. Mary has long since gone to sleep. Number 6 silently wonders what he should do.
And back at the Shrine....
Rem - "That's strange.. I couldn't get a hold of Eclypse..."
Terry - "There is no time to worry about that. Let's get out of there."
Terry cautiously opens the door. Out in the corridor, women with spears are spotted. They hurtle their shafts, but Terry narrowly avoids the missiles.
Terry - "Yeow!"
She swiftly shuts the door.
Beth - "We need to barricade the door!"
Tarantula sits his burden down and quickly blocks the door with furniture.
Tarantula - "That will protect us for now."
Just then, a rumbling over comes the temple.
Rem - "Now what?"
Overlooking the valley of the Temple, a panting Brawn and Valteria have arrived.
Valteria - "'Od's blood!"
Brawn - "Yeah, I see it. A building shaped as a spider!"
At that moment, another figure appears on the building.
Val - "Shall we?"
Brawn - "After you."
Together, they race to the temple below.
Tarantula - "My danger sense is really going off now!"
Terry - "Oh, my! Company is arriving from the roof!"
As she speaks, what appears to be a large spider's leg burst through the ceiling! The intruder makes a large hole in the ceiling. All within, and Brawn and Val, can clearly see what the attacker is. It is a giant spider! The main portion of its body is the size of a van!
Seated on top of the spider is Chandria.
Chandria - "Heathens! Face the holy wraith of Spinadria!"
Spectrum's Comments: I trust that no one was surprised to discover that Spinadria was a giant spider.
SUBJ: REM FROM: REM9 07/23/89 S#: 419906
"Gee, no wonder my illusion didn't work right. I didn't think BIG enough. Beth, you and Terry get out with our friend as soon as you see a break. C'mon Tarantula sweetie, we've got a job to do. You take the big guy; I'll take the rider. If she has control of him, maybe I can persuade her to choose her targets carefully." REM will then try to infiltrate the priestess's mind once again. This time she will pull what she fears most from her brain and make it appear on the OTHER side of this place.
SUBJ: Number 6 FROM: Deslock 07/25/89 S#: 796179
Upon receiving Rem's request for aid, I shall wake Mary and inform her of the message.
"I think I'd better go and give them a hand, it sounds serious. You should be all right inside the shields, but I think it best that you be awake, just in case. I wouldn't let anyone else in here until someone else gets back."
I'll head up to the surface, and ask Mary to weaken the shields that I might exit. Once outside, I'll fly off toward the temple, in sustained flight mode.
-- Damn these delays. We should be getting on with reactivating our base, not gallivanting about looking for bug eyed monsters. I've got serious work to do. --
SUBJ: Beth
"Oh my... Personnaly, I've had enough of spiders to last me the rest of my life!"
I'll get the stranger to some place safe within the room, or at least the safest spot in the room. Considering that we're trapped in the room, the chances for making a break seem slim...
Hurry guys!
SUBJ: BRAWN FROM: N4SIR 07/29/89 S#: 124813
Brawn will race to the temple. Upon arriving will tear through the side of the temple (picking up a boulder on the way in) and toss a boulder at the spider seeking to draw its attention to Val and myself.
Spectrum's Comments: Next time: The conclusion of the Spinadria storyline.