[b]Arc 2 Part 4: Golem. [/b] "General, are you sure about this? Not the task force idea, but the process?" The comms device said as a holographc image of the NTR War Council was projected inside of JT's tent. The doors to it were draped over the entrance of the olive green war tent. "It doesn't exactly seem safe, and the results from your 'Sources' don't really prove to be reliable. I mean, it's the general of a PMC." The third man out off five on the council responded. John Greene, NTR Naval Admiral interrupted the Ranger General just then and defended Treyman. "With all due respect four out of us five agree with General Treyman here, iit's a go. Dismissed." And the hologram cut out. "JT?" Said a voice from behind the man in the tiger-striped cloak. He fixed the green beret atop his head which displayed the insignia of the old NTR Alamo Crew in gold on the hat. JT turned to see his A.I campanion, Viola standing there. Her black sleeveless robe fit her fairly well and the NTR Alamo Crew badge on her right shoulder was printed onto her white-fleshed steel arm like a tattoo. Viola looked to JT and grabbed a red book from the table with her almost glowing blue arm as she used her right hand to sweep the black short hair out of her emerald green eyes, before she spoke up again. "Do we have the green light?" "Permission granted." JT said as he approached a rack that contained his old Hunters Legion armour, before he removed the robes and placed the steel and ceramic exosuit on his body, and grabbed his twin revolvers from a table beside him. He didn't bring his mini bolter or Antimatter gear with him, rather he let Viola use them for a while. "Project Golem is active. Prepare the Bacta-Tanks and the medical tent, and inform the soldiers." ------------------------------------- The Medical Tent was filled with a row of 10 Bacta Tanks and a miniaturized generator in the back of them for each. Jack Treyman and Viola stood outside the tent and awaited people to come by. If they were willing to sign a waiver and legal document, they would be evaluated and have a slim chance at undergoing the Golem Process, in which an animal's DNA and a humans are fused into one, and they gain the attributes off that chosen animal. A chip was also installed in everybody's necks, presumably for tracking and keeping their vitals intact. Lastly, a few other enhancements were given to them in order to boost their skills. ((Open))

[b][i][u]A Monster[/u][/i][/b] [b][i][u]Training Room, 4:35 PM NTR Crusader Ella Cameron, AKA 023[/u][/i][/b] [b][i]Ella stood in the middle of the training room, surrounded by empty bullet cartridges and shotgun shells as if she was in a warzone. She looked somewhat different than normal, that was for sure. Her blonde hair was suddenly dyed a light violet, of all colors to pick, her bright blue eyes serious and yet, almost cold. She wasn't wearing her typical skin-tight combat suit, but instead a suit of steel and ceramic armor, the helm not on at the moment. Painted red, grey and white, electric blue hardlight shields covered the armor as Ella stood there, thinking. In her left hand was a sawed off shotgun, a weapon that she had obtained by the name of Passport. Previously, it was called "Passport2Hell", but Ella wasn't a big fan of that name. The shotgun was empty, evident by her sighing and reloading it. After loading Passport with five shotgun shells, she slung it over her back, alongside two dual graphite katanas and an assault rifle, and drew two submachine guns with massive drum cartridges, already loaded and ready. These weapons were known as "Bonnie and Clyde", and were supposedly named after two infamous criminals. Ella was no criminal, but she liked the weapons. Ella spoke up suddenly, speaking one word. Yet, her voice was very quiet, almost a whisper, yet intense.[/i][/b] "Begin." [b][i]Immediately, several holographic versions of herself appeared all around her, raising rifles and swords in response to her words. Ella immediately ran towards one at her left at ridiculous speed, flipping over it and using it as a shield against the storm of bullets coming her way. She fired at the heads of those with guns first, blowing their holographic heads off and watching them slump to the ground, fading away into nothing but particles. After killing each of her ranged combatants in seconds, Ella proceeded to kill off her holographic human shield by kicking it to the ground, firing a barrage of bullets at it as it hit the cold metal floor. A soulless look on her face, several holographic figures charged at Ella with swords, and Ella stared at them heartlessly. She holstered her submachine guns, drawing the two graphite swords on her back and began cleaving through the figures with ease, parrying and sidestepping attacks and decapitating and slicing off limbs in the process. Finishing off the last by slicing them in half, Ella kicked it's body to the floor, watching it fade away into nothing. She had pulled all of that off in a matter of seconds. Literally. A screen showed her results: 30 Targets Killed in 14.87 Seconds For a moment...Ella looked frightened. She had never pulled something off like...This. With 5 targets, it usually took her around forty seconds to even kill one...after JT's Golem project? She had become something else. A killing machine. And in her eyes, a monster. Ella stepped out of her suit, wearing her average outfit consisting of a tattered black jacket, white shirt with a burgundy tie, and black skirt to go along with it. She sat down on a bench, thinking deeply.[/i][/b] [spoiler]Open![/spoiler]

[i][b]Somebody Told Me About This Guy...[/b][/i] [b]A rusty, banged up freighter flies nearby to the NTR Hermes. It is shaped like a very large tube, with a box on the back. It is painted blue and red, with a huge blue V on the side. It seems to call to any observers, almost as if they are meant to make contact...[/b] [spoiler]Open.[/spoiler]

[b][i]The Wolf[/i][/b] [i]"It was the wolf in me, Body and soul on fire, In the cold, full moon, Blood, red, desire, It was the wolf in me, You know it felt so true, The night I ran with the wolves" -Motörhead[/i] "Something in me died that day. Everything happened so slowly, and yet it was over in moments. Two shots, quick and clean, in the lung and in the heart, suppressed .45. Dad just took it, I don't know if he knew what was happening or not, but he seemed to accept it. It was strange, in a way. He never was one to lie down and take it, he was a fighter. I think he was the only person nearly as hardheaded as me. I remember sitting on the couch, and I couldn't move, that saying "frozen with fear," it's an actual thing. I felt so helpless, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't somehow get him out of this. That was the hardest week of my life, probably the worst Christmas, too, now that I think about it. We didn't eat dinner early that afternoon as planned. Mom called the ambulance almost as soon as it happened, called the police too. Finally finding the strength to move, I rushed to my Dad, and I hugged him. I sat there with him in my hands until the paramedics pulled me away. I remember I had on a white hoodie and jeans, and there was a bloodstain, all over my arms, there was blood on my hands, there was blood on my legs and socks, it had pooled behind him. When they pulled me away I just sat there shaking.... I didn't take any of the bloody clothes off, couldn't. By the time they left, the police showed up, and my mom had filled out the report, I was still there, just staring off into space, shaking. I remember the cops looking at me with this pity in their eyes, but none of them ever came to me, probably because of the blood. When they left, the house was silent, dead silent. The television had been turned off, the Christmas playlist on my phone was off, it was deafeningly quiet. My mom finally just came and sat down beside me, she held me and we sat there in silence. She cried, but she never made a sound. I never let a tear fall. I just sat there. Nearly an hour passed, and she finally stood up, and told me to change out of what I was wearing. I went upstairs, and took all the bloody clothes off, and just went for a shower. I stood there in the hot water for nearly an hour, out of it. It felt good, but I couldn't shake that feeling of void. Emptiness hadn't yet faded to anger. I came out of the shower and put on fresh clothes, and I laid down on my bed, and did absolutely nothing. Mom called me down for a delayed dinner at about six, we ate silently, cold ham and pasta salad, along with a bowl of fruit salad. Nobody spoke, nobody even looked up. We finished together, and I helped do this dishes and clear the table. I went up to my room again after this, and I laid down. That began the process of thinking. Everything my father had said came back to mind. He worked for Venom Incorporated. He had agreed to work with the Federal Government to detain the other Commanders, and he had done his job. They made a big show of the final general's death, they showed his corpse on television. It occurred to me then that perhaps they no longer had use for my father, and that he was an expendable tool to them. That thought alone was incendiary. Oh I could feel this boiling up inside, and to this day I've never felt angrier. I wanted to fly off the leash on these guys for betraying the man who had served them not once, but twice. I know what my dad did with Schrader was absolutely beyond evil. I understand that, and I've never once liked or respected that. But he did come back to try and clean up his mess, and he did return to his country to serve. They promised him amnesty, and they lied. That's what bothered me. They used him. They were no better than Schrader for that. You don't really understand vengeance until you set out for it yourself, you don't realize how consuming it is... Anger's a very terrifying thing. What I felt that night, as I laid awake clean until three in the morning, was animalistic. It was gnawing away at me to do something and go after those men. That was when the change began, at least, that's what I was told. My mom, family friends, relatives, they said that I became a lot quieter after that, I lost a lot of my youthful... What's the word? Behaviors? Speech patterns? I spent a lot of time by myself in the woods behind the house, or sitting in my dad's chair, thinking, waiting, planning. Looking back on all of this now, I wonder, was this what he felt when they left him to die in Saudi Arabia? Did he feel the isolation, the burning hate, the desire for a righteous fury? Was it the wolf in him? Is it the wolf in me?" [i]Conversation with Jackson Wolfe, as recorded via holotape by Alex Wilson[/i] [spoiler]Closed. Here's a little backstory, kids. Feel free to leave critiques and comments.[/spoiler]

[u]By Force[/u] [u]Valinus, 1:23 PM[/u] Sawyer looked at the sprawling controls, blinking lights, shifting levers and buttons that lined the central control board. It's chrome rims were sleek and finely honed, glistening as the stars of space reflected within it like a crystal. He smiled and gripped the engine handle, twisting it into full-gear as his hands worked across the board and FTL revved to live, warming for a huge jump. "Drake'll kill me for this," he muttered and picked up the intercom, letting his finger shift and press down onto the [b]SPEAK[/b] button. Throughout the Arrowhead the speakers crackled to life. "[i]Boys, it's time for that day we've all been waiting for. Grab your guns and brace yourselves, we're about to jump.[/i]" As he let the intercom speaker shift back into its place on the motherboard Sawyer pressed the FTL warp and braced as the Arrowhead began to cut through space with great speed. In mere minutes the Arrowhead broke into orbit of Valinus. Just the surface of the planet looked insidious, scarred and cracked with a sickly gray smog covering it. An insidious and malevolent aura seemed to radiate from its surface as the ship solely lowered into a clearing on the planet, in close proximity to the Crusader. Sawyer was careful to active the stealth warp as it hovered to the ground, an active cloak that allowed the Arrowhead to be near invisible to the human eye. It's descent onto the ground was ginger and soft, with the rattling of military weaponry insignificant to the faraway ears of the Crusader crew who'd spread out across Valinus. They approached the Crusader soon enough and entered under the guise of stealth. [spoiler]Open to Arrowhead personnel and whoever is still left in the Crusader.[/spoiler]

[u]Character intro: The Artificial Human[/u] In a salvage Bay aboard the ship a case with a timer has been sitting for some time with the scrap and scavenged goods. Counting down and is currently close to finally reaching zero. A few curious onlookers that knew of the coffin sized case decided they were simply to curious and had to know what would happen. The timer reaches zero and small vents start to hiss out a cold substance. The latches unlatch and the door opens revealing a young woman who seems human but a bit off. Alarmed by the unknown people she raises several telekinetic blades into the air and begins questioning. "This isn't the lab. This doesn't look like any of the facilities at Mantle. Who are you?" [spoiler] Intro for Ama [/spoiler] [spoiler]open[/spoiler]

[b]Home[/b] Aboard the Arrowhead, Alpha sat in his quarters, checking over his gear before standing up, yawning and walking outside to the kitchen. There, he started making coffee, while memories played out in his head, and he slowly gave up on trying to get the coffee made as the more he remembered, the more his hands shook, until they almost spasmed, and he leaned against the counter, face in his trembling hands as his whole body shook, and he slid down to the floor After a while he put the hands down, crossing his arms to try and hide the shaking, and looking up to make sure nobody was around in his moment of silent weakness, and he slowly got up again (Open to Arrowhead crew)

[b][i][u]The new Golem[/u][/i][/b] With the team now resting after their initial assault on the Afflicted forces, [url=http://orig09.deviantart.net/5461/f/2015/330/4/2/ninja_assassin_sa_by_nerkin-d9i2ngq.jpg]Phoenix[/url], who had just undergone the Golem genetic manipulation program, can be seen standing nearby his recently landed [url=http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/0/0c/Rogue_Shadow_TFUII.png/revision/latest?cb=20131122232031]shuttle[/url]. He then makes his way out to look around their makeshift base, trying his best to observe as many of his new teammates to get to know those who he would have to soon work with. [spoiler]Open.[/spoiler]

[b]Arc 2 Part 3: Eye of the Storm. [/b] [i]There it floated, orbiting around no star but instead having a cluster of five stars keep it in place from all angles, casting their eternal gaze upon it like they have for thousands of years. Despite the light that stares at it the planet was coated in a deep purple haze that blocked out the sunlight and rested in the very atmosphere of the rocky planet, and due to this nothing grew on the surface. This planet was Valinus, home of the Afflicted, and the land of eternal storms on the rocky iron hillsides. The NTR Crusader cruised through a narrow strip of space between the suns that acted as a goldilocks zone and didn't melt the ship itself, and in no time, the ten mile vessel was piercing the atmosphere like a bullet traveling through flesh and muscle of a man. Creatures started to form out of the purple haze on the ground and electricity crackled throughout them as Stormbearers threw rods of lightning at the ship, which was dispersed by the ships that flew from the drop pod bays in the hangar which acted as lightning rods. ODST units died on impact and by the shocks, but many did survive the initial impact, much like the other soldiers and mercs that were dropped before the ship warped back out of the atmosphere and hid out in the goldilocks zone again. When the pods opened and the hundred or so ODST's emerged with the 50 Engineers, they immediately took a spread pattern. Afflicted Infectors and Charons all surrounded the NTR units that valiantly unleashed hell with their Plasma Rifles and assault rifles, grenades and flashbangs. General Jack Treyman headed the assault at that time and held his legendary revolver Pasts Remembrance in his left hand, while his right carried the bloodied and severed head of an Affliicted Stalker. [/i] [spoiler]Fight the Afflicted off. I'll be narrating the fight so don't you worry about a week long siege. Probably. NOTE: This is the last sign up for the arc. No bitching out later, no hopping in late until the next checkpoint in the fight against the Afflicted. http://imgur.com/a/MiopT[/spoiler]

You've got mail!

[b][i]The Space Casket[/i][/b] [b][u]Fringe Sector, Space over Tyvock Prime[/u][/b] [b]Damien sighed as he slowed his ship down. Lantern Nine. The weapons cargo ship he had been planning for, for nearly four months. This was it...[/b] [b]Strapping on his armor, he quickly got up from the pilot seat and kicked on the ship's intercoms, leaning in to the speaker.[/b] [i]"This is your captain speaking... Report to the main deck for debriefing and tiny bags of peanuts... Minus the peanuts."[/i] [b]Switching off the intercom, Damien threw his sniper over his shoulder and clipped his rifle on to his lower back. He was set, ready to go... But there was still some anxiety at the back of his mind.[/b] [spoiler]https://i.imgur.com/3pw09XW.png[/spoiler] [i]"Vishnu, give me strength."[/i] [b]Eventually, his brother marched down the main hall, armor on, and machine gun in hand.[/b] [spoiler]https://imgur.com/ZbaGrC3[/spoiler] [i]"You are staying on board, flying around until we need out. You don't need a giant gun and armor."[/i] [i]"Never hurts to be prepared."[/i] [b]Damien shrugged and watched as his daughter eventually followed, visor over her face, her hair turned a strange white, in a combat vest. Her massive folding bow was on her back, and her two Hardlight daggers at her hip.[/b] [spoiler]https://imgur.com/c0oPFSk[/spoiler] [i]"Alright... I'll send a message to Wilson, you two get ready."[/i] // [b]The massive ship outside the viewport looked like one giant lantern, dormant. A massive glass encased core was in the center, with a large tube connecting it, to the back thrusters, giving the appearance of a handle... But the shape wasn't the outstanding feature... No... The other ships buzzing around it were much more interesting. Pirates, bandits, thugs. Each trying to crack the ship and get the riches inside.[/b] [b]Damien didn't take long, sending a message out to Wilson, giving coordinates, and friend or foe tag. Now, he would wait till his team was assembled. It was a matter of getting past security, the vault, and avoiding the three biological weapons onboard.[/b] [i]"Let's roll..."[/i] [b]Clicking on the thrusters once more, he brought the ship towards Lantern Nine, preparing himself mentally as he drove them towards their fate.[/b] [spoiler]Open. You know who you are.[/spoiler]

[b]Getting the Band Back Together[/b] [i]The Arrowhead; Far Reaches[/i] [b][i]Drake ran a hand through his styled hair, slightly nervous, despite the circumstances. He'd been the first member of the crew to arrive at the rendezvous point, and only had a little time to say hello to his beloved ship. The augmentations the ship had undergone since he had last seen it were quite extensive--he'd need to reacquaint himself with her new feel, but he was thrilled about upgrading his craft, despite missing her old quirks. To be honest, it had been over a year since the crew had truly expanded. Wathe and Xaar were only temporary passengers, and Jupiter Tanner was probably a mistake. But now, Drake was faced with several new, and hopefully permanent members of his crew, and now he had to impress them too. Damn. The Arrowhead actually resembled its namesake slightly, though it was dark sleeker and flatter, and it had contours for every illegal turret and shield emplacement it possessed, all wrapped under military-grade cortosis-steel alloys. A state of the art Alcubierre FTL drive lay dormant in the engine room, alongside an NLS pulse drive, and six sub-light thrusters, which blazed blue in the vast darkness of space. The shuttle containing the rest of the members docked in the rear of the ship, where a tractor beam pulled it into a small hangar, just large enough to fit your stolen NTR Sleeper transport. It was time to make some introductions. [/i][/b] [spoiler]Open to all members of the Arrowhead crew. Let's just say that we've escaped the Crusader with... Minimal casualties on their part. [/spoiler]

[b]Evac Laboratory Deck, Room IKELOS ====================== The drone had vital information on it, and that was all it took to send Black Team to recover it. The woman pulled a plug out of the dead drone, and it reeled back into a small box. She clipped it onto her belt then, and faced the door they came through. Looking back, she accessed a computer, then pulled her tablet, and uploaded a virus to the system, one that would terminate all info from the drone, and send the Covenant feedback from the ship. And then an alarm went off.[/b] [i][u]"WARNING: Unauthorized personnel in Science Deck, targets unidentified, terminate with prejudice!"[/u][/i] [b]The alert was broadcast throughout the deck, although no live feed was provided, since the cameras and sensors where fried. The Team turned towards the door again, several clicks where heard on weapons, as they all disengaged the safeties on them...[/b] [spoiler]Open to those on the ship Black Team is here, PREY Soldiers sent to recover data from the drone, and more Try and kill them And get hurt in return[/spoiler]

[b]...Yes...[/b] NTR Crusader 01:13 The Crusader's radar picks up an unknown object flying through space. It was headed in a dead straight collision course with the Crusader. The unidentified object was not at all big, about the size of a small ship. In fact, it was a ship. It didn't seem to be active as no measurable amount of power or signals were being emitted from the ship. As the ship collided with the Crusader it seemed to stop dead on the side of the large craft, like it was attaching itself to the ship. Nothing more happened, no noise, no anything. Just a large bang then silence. [spoiler]open to anyone with permission to investigate[/spoiler]

[i][u]Setting:[/u][/i] Outside the Arrowhead [i][u]Time:[/u][/i] 12:06 [i][u]Character(s):[/u][/i] Edward Omnus Ephiateus [i][u]Title:[/u][/i] Whatever, this is mandatory. [b][i]Outside the arrowhead ship stood a man. His dark gray hair waved in the calm breeze, blowing from the north. The sun was high in the sky, but there were clouds to provide some shade every now and then. It was a cool day, about 60°F, and the man wore a black leather jacket, with black jeans. Underneath the jacket was a loose, white t-shirt. The man himself had light olive skin, and was about 6'1". He had a slim build, more speed oriented than strength, however his prosthetic arms and legs said that he would be a very worthy opponent in an arm wrestle. The man's face was thin, as were his lips. His pockets appeared stuffed with cubes, and tied to the back his belt awkwardly was a 6x6x6 inch, completely black cube. His left eye was bright green, however his right eye was quite strange. The skin around it was completely burnt off, leaving an area 4 inches from forehead to cheek at the longest point where there was no skin, revealing a metal replacement for the would-be charred bone there. Where another green eye would be was a spherical, bright red camera. On the man's left hand was a diamond engagement ring, which gleamed brightly in the sunlight. The man stared at the massive ship in front of him, waiting.[/i][/b][spoiler]For.... Ver? Halifax? Hell if I know. It's just a request to join the Arrowhead Smugglers, jesus.[/spoiler]

[b]Recovery Op NTR Main Cruiser ========================= An airlock was opened, and four figures passed inside of it. It closed right after, as the four figures touched down on the steel plated floor. Each one had unique armor, one was loaded for assault, another seemed like a sniper, and the other two where a mix of both. Each one carried varying weapons, ranging from a DMR, a silenced rifle, and an assault rifle. Each was armed and ready for anything. One of them took point, making a hand signal as all four activated stealth tech, vanishing from all scanners.[/b] [spoiler]Closed[/spoiler]

this looks interesting, how does it work?

[u]Training Sim, Level Nine.[/u] Block. Strike. Strike. Counter. The Holo crumpled into fractures as he struck a fatal blow. The ninth one to do so in the past minute. The remaining ones surrounded him. Suddenly he launched into the air, the booster in his right leg propelling him, somersaulting before coming down with a crash, a shockwave rippling outwards, fracturing the remaining eleven. "End Level Nine." He shook his hand, closing and opening his grip. "Feedback has lessened. Output has increased." He looked at his leg, the plated mechanical limb constantly whirring quietly. He touched it, having phantom limb pains. Shaking his head, he turned and picked up a towel, wiping his face.