Project Argo 2

[Argonaut]

You are currently on board the Battleship Potentem, hurtling through space at a speed that was previously thought to be reserved for God. The year is 2079. And the human race is in a civil war.

Standing in the Med Bay, you are shoulder to shoulder with your squad mates. Wearing only a grey tank top and black athletic pants, you have just been subjected to physical by the resident Doctor, who has stepped out of the room for a moment.

Looking around the room, you currently stand in a line (Order is Vanessa, Jonathan, Kal, Andromida, Malcolm, James). The room around you is dimly lit, reminding you of an exercise room. The floors and walls are all covered with a thin, soft protective mat, in case anyone should fall. Suddenly, the steel gray door on the wall to you right opens up, and in files 2 men. One of them appears to be about 45, with thinning, black hair, thick glasses and a stark white lab coat on. The man behind him is wearing the same uniform as you all are, with a shaved head and a tattoo of a scorpion on his neck.

Clearing his throat, the man in the lab coat puts his hands behind his back as he addresses you all. His tone starts off cheerful, but ends up sounding like he’s annoyed to be even in the same room as you all. “Greetings, soldiers! My name is Dr. Klein, PHD, BA, MA, RN, MD and DDR.” The doctor clears his throat again, waiting for you all to react to his many titles. “But I’m sure most of you know me as the head of the TMRDASP. As such, recent reports from Novam have gotten our attention, and we'd like to investigate. But due to the sudden Paladin threat there, we require an escort. That’s where you all come in.” He waves a hand at you all. “Myself and 5 of my colleagues will be heading down to the planet in order to study these unusual events. It is your job to make sure no Paladins come anywhere near us. Are there any questions?” The bald man behind Dr. Klein crosses his arms, clearly waiting for something.

[Reaver]

Vanessa glanced down the line, noting each of her new comrades. They were quite the diverse group, seeming to have their own specializations. "A good all around group, I hope." She thought as the two men entered. The scientist's credentials was quite extensive and impressive but other guy seemed more interesting. She waited for Dr. Klein to finish the briefing before clearing her throat and stepping forward to snap a salute. "I have a couple of questions, sir. What type of terrain can we expect on Novam? Also if I may, why does a scientist team need to be escorted by 6 of Project Argo's finest? And lastly who's your associate? He seems to be wearing attire that would coincide with us, but if that was true then why wasn't he introduced with us?" Vanessa hated asking all these questions, Higher ranked officers liked soldiers that didn't ask too many questions but she needed as much intel as possible. If years in the field had taught her anything is was that intel could mean the difference between life and death. The knowledge of enemy troop movements, how well trained and payload they are carrying could save a squad from being wiped out. "Those are my only questions, sir." She nodded before falling back into line. She folded her arms, pushing her chest out as she stared forward with impassiveness. She was curious to here what, if any questions her teammates would ask but also eager to get started. She hoped she would be able to lodge a bullet in someone's head. The sight of pink mist puffing out of someone's head from penetrating their brains was one not easily forgotten. It always brought a smile to her face to deliver a good headshot and she hadn't carved a notch in her sniper rifle in a while.
Her still face almost cracked in delight as the thoughts swirled around in her head but she suppressed them for later. Besides there would be plenty of time to make new memories if this trip got as exciting as she hoped.

[Zender_Solarheart]

Jon looks around at the group, sizing them up in a similar manner to what Vanessa did. A 50/50 split on genders, though their present attire...undermines any sex-appeal the ladies may have. Well, at least this is neither a sausagefest nor a not-harem waiting to happen. The last time he was in a group of all girls except himself, things got a bit...awkward.

When Dr. Klein and his associate walk in, Jon can't help but cock an eye at the doctor's numerous titles. How one can have both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Arts remains a mystery, but not one worth solving at the moment. The mentioning of Novam's "sudden Paladin threat" makes Jon tense up a bit and clench his fist; the memory of seeing the crater where his homeland once was is still fresh in his mind...and every bit as painful as ever. At least now it sounds like he'll be able to make them pay...

"How free are we to kill the local hostiles?" Jon asks as soon as is reasonable, already cooking up violent ways to end the Paladins that cross his path. Perhaps he could impale one on its own spine, or peel one's fingernails off, use the screaming to draw attention, then blow up the rescue party with a grenade in the hostage's mouth...so many possibilities. Those bastards owe him for killing everyone he grew up with...and he will collect on every single one of them. No survivors. No mercy. No exceptions.

[Goryokaku]

Kal kept quiet but she'd looked over the group herself considering the potential that was here, her eyes did move to Dr Klein when he entered, and his self introduction gave Kal only one impression, he was a self centered egotistical prick. So chances were he'd end up dead first if not by a random shot whilst he hides soiling himself, or he'd end up getting eaten by some of the indegenious life forms, the briefing sounded relatively simple, just an escort job something a grunt could do. Why was Kal here then? she was a scientist heself a genius in her own right if it hadn't been for the Coma weakening her body she wouldn't have had to join Argo, and chances are she would have been one of the scientist being escorted.

[Taria]

Andromida stands still, absolutely still. She stares at the two men entering like a cougar stares at it's prey. An escort? Andromida has never done anything of the sort before. What is the point of bringing those into battle who cannot fight for themselves. However, the Paladins are a phrase she does recall. Her foes had called her by that name once, back when she was part of some splinter group with vague political ties. It doesn't really matter anyways, they cared more about money then vanity. There are only three things people fight for, survival, power, and fame. Finally she shows some signs that she is not a statue by slightly shifting her stance. She wished she had a gun in her hands right now, and was not listening to these boring men.

[Zeus Kabob]

Still getting used to the weak artificial gravity, Malcolm tries to keep himself motionless in the line. It's been a long time since he was on a space installation, and he has to keep himself and his lunch motionless; the weak antigravity, the slight sway of this cabin, and the stock-still stand all were taking a toll on his nerves and his stomach.

He heard the long list of qualifications with doubt. Dr. Klein must have been in school for more than 20 years to earn that many diplomas! Remembering his own professors, however, he knew that this was possible, maybe even common in academia.

Malcolm reaches into his jacket pocket, feeling a small case of syringes and a few bottles. In his pants pockets are two scalpels, adhesive, and sutures, and in his other jacket pocket is gauze and an advanced measurement device. Despite the pockets of his heavy jacket being deep, Malcolm likes to check that everything's safe.

Taking his hand out of his pocket, Malcolm snaps a salute and says "Only one question. When are we starting?"

[daxtinator396]

James looks at the assembled group with little interest. They were just people now. They all were. Non important. The battlefield was where it mattered when they became the bringers of death and angels to send those that deserved it to a hell. That's when he would get to know them. Now though he was stuck carting some scientist with who had no life around to do something. This was boring. Not why he was here. He was here to vent his rage... playing babysitter was hardly a vent... he wanted to feel the kick of his Leg as it splashed blood across the trodden fields of the backwater planet they were going to.

[Argonaut]

Dr.Klein lets out a rather large sigh, adjusting the glasses perched on his nose. Rubbing his temples, he addresses your questions.

"Novam is much like Earth. We will be stationed just outside a small farming town. You can expect lots of wooded areas, plains and perhaps some hills and valleys. You are escorting us because we are the most important minds in the Tarrae Military, and deserve only the... Best." You all notice Dr.Klein smile weakly as he looks you all up and down as he says "best". "Without us, you'd still be using primitive 20th century weapons and be stuck on Earth, instead of being here with the most advanced weaponry in the galaxy."

Dr. Klein sighs again as Jonathan asks his question. "What you do in your free time is none of my business. While we are within your care, however, you are to only fire upon our orders. Do your best to remember that, clas." Dr.Klein's tone reminds you all of a second grade teacher speaking to her students.

"As for when we start, we should be arriving at Novam in 24 hours. Plenty of time for me to introduce you to my friend here." Taking a step to the side, Dr.Klein shows off the bald, muscular man behind him. "As you are all aware, you will be given a supply of ARGO for this mission. My friend here, is Mr. Killroy, otherwise known as Subject 2." Killroy gives you all a nod and a smile, revealing his crooked, yellow teeth. "My friends call me Bane." His toothy grin becomes a wild sneer at you all, as he clearly enjoys this nickname. "Mr.Killroy here was the very first to become injected with the ARGO serum, and as such is to be our demonstration for today. Mr.Killroy, if you'd please..."

Pulling a large hypodermic needle out from under his lab coat, Dr.Klein hands it over to Bane. The man swiftly grabs the needle out of Klein's hand, suddenly gaining a wild look in his eyes. He quickly pulls the safety cover off and tosses it onto the ground. Pushing the plunger in a bit, a small spurt of the thick, deep purple liquid inside trickles out. Putting one arm out, he quickly stabs himself into the forearm, pushing down the plunger. After emptying the syringe, he yanks it out and tosses it to the ground as well. The effects on Bane's body are immediate. His veins begin to glow a purple-ish hue, now clearly visible all over his body. After blinking a few times, his eyes have turned the same color as well. Bane also starts to visibly sweat, his brow already glistening.

"Now, watch very carefully..." Dr. Klein instructs you as he slowly backs away from Bane. "Notice the sudden pigmentation of his arteries and pupils. This is normal, and to be expected. The sweating is caused by the body's attempts to reject the sudden growths and changes. All normal, and completely painless." Bane looks down at his arms, which swell and twitch uncrontrolanly. He remains remarkably calm however, and keeps his devilish grin as he becomes even larger than before. His arms have swollen to about three times their regular size. He seems to have gotten taller as well, now being around 7 feet. The serum makes its way all across his body, his various limbs twitching, swelling and growing until a hulking mass of muscle stands before you, breathing heavily. His tank top ripped apart long ago, but thankfully his pants have stretched to accommodate his size. His scorpion tattoo is now stretched, revealing it has purple eyes otherwise too small to see.

"Now that Bane has completely transformed, he'll remain this way for up to a half hour,based on the dosage he was given." Dr.Klein is on the complete opposite side of the room from Bane, hugging the wall. "He's not in any pain, and his brain is currently processing information twenty times faster than yous. How do you feel, Mr.Killroy?" "Fan-fucking-tastic!" Bane screams, hitting his fists together. "Since you cannot fully appreciate his sudden changes without experiencing them first hand, my first order is... To incapacitate Mr.Killroy. Trust me, you won't hurt him. Have at it, soldiers!" Dr. Klein calls out as he slips out the door. You hear a deadbolt locking on the other side.

Bane hits his fists together a second time, adopting a defensive stance. You've been ordered to somehow bring down this giant. Good luck.

[daxtinator396]

James growls his anger as suddenly the demonstration turned ugly. Before he watched with semi interest and now the gloves were off. That little piece of shit scientist was going to get a huge punch in the gut. But now... now he had a giant to topple. He gave a grin of his own at the giant and said,"You want to tussle big boy? Come at me." He said giving him the finger and taunting him as he rested on the balls of his feet. He would be ready to move when that great big hunk of meat came at him. He was smart but he was big and maybe he could use that.

[Zeus Kabob]

Malcolm is weak and completely useless in close combat. Instead of foolishly entering combat, he stays in the back to tend to those who would be wounded in combat.

[Reaver]

Vanessa glared at Dr. Klein, wondering how effective pitting a team against a giant could be. It would show him how well the team worked together to take down an obstacle though. "You and you! Go for the chest! Try to knock him off balance." She pointed at James and Jon, cursing the fact she didn't know their names yet. Vanessa, herself wasn't the strongest there but that didn't mean she wouldn't do her part, everyone has a part to do. She ran past James, giving him a "Keep moving" sign. She kept accelerating until she reached Bane, at which point she slid between his legs to come up facing his back. She was hoping she could keep his attention long enough for the others to take him but was also hoping he wouldn't flatten her. She really had to keep on her toes because she couldn't afford to get hit by this Goliath.

[Zender_Solarheart]

The moment the group is given their order to "incapacitate" that roid-raging nutcase, Jon immediately facepalms. This is how the military's "the most important minds" demonstrate tech to their clients? Putting them on the receiving end? Also, if that ARGO shit makes people turn into something out of a certain superhero video game in an asylum, then perhaps their PR division should rethink their policies. In any case, there's a freaking giant in the room, and they're supposed to bring him down without killing him...somehow.

The skinny woman over yonder (Vanessa) shouting orders only serves to further irritate Jon. "If you're gonna bark orders, don't let the enemy hear them." His rebuttal is swift and to the point, highlighting the folly of practically telling your opponent what your move is. Besides, two guys rushing him from the front won't knock him over; they'll just get manhandled with one hand each, especially against someone that huge. Instead, Jon plays it smart, and takes up his own defensive stance, circling the giant and letting him move first. Judging by that one hothead's (James) little taunt, however, the brute's likely to rush right at him, so he keeps his circling pattern within that vicinity. He makes sure to stay out of arms' reach on the giant's approach path, not wanting to get a clothesline to the face. If he can get situated behind the big man, there's any number of blows to the spine he can use, or he can kick at the back of the knees or heels. Just because the muscles are bigger doesn't make such points any less vulnerable, though priority goes to the spine if he can reach it. A swift kick or palm-strike to a vertebra will at least hurt like hell, and at most get the job done altogether.

[Goryokaku]

Kal sighed, combat wasn't her forte her body was weak as it was her abilities were in her science and mechanical experience but the man currently on drugs apparantly thought 20 times faster now, "Hmmm did Dr. Klein take into account that although that soldier may be thinking 20 times faster at the moment he's not necessarily twenty times smarter, or infact use to his brain now currently working in overload. Now my suggestion would be to see if his reactions are 20 times faster as well that would be interesting because if he reacts 20 times faster to everything as well we can trap the Soldier and kill him relatively easily." Kal was thinking about the concept as she spoke out loud not really noticing that she should probably draw a gun out, though she doubted her gun would do her much use here.

[Taria]

Adromida didn't have her gun on her, they wouldn't let her carry it around outside of battle. She didn't really care at this point. Adrenaline was pumping into her body, this rampaging brute could probably crush a person easily with just his bare hands, a sane person would try to avoid that. Andromida instead leaps at him directly, head-on. She slams her shoulder into his abdomen and growls loudly. Sweat covers her body as she tries to wrestle with the hulk like a fish might try to wrestle with a bear. He has to get tired eventually, and at this rate he's using a whole lot more energy than she is. She purposefully puts herself in the most vulnerable position so that she doesn't waste breath trying to avoid everything, she's just has to withstand the blows and escape the grabs.

[Reaver]

"It doesn't matter if he hears it because if you stick to a plan and work together it'll work regardless. So quit dancing like a ballerina and jump in!" She wasn't the leader of this group but at least she had came up with a plan. Vanessa smiled as Adromida charged Bane. At least someone had the balls to take him head on.... From her own position behind him, she could do some damage with her limited strength. She first delivered a punch to the back of Bane's knee before jumping onto his back and kneeing his spine. She dug fingers into his shoulders to hold her while her knee went to work on his back.

[daxtinator396]

James grinned as he saw the girl charge the hulking brute and he decided she needed some help as he charged forward in a sprint to throw a punch at the thing's throat. That should help and take some pressure off her. He would HAVE to find out this girl's name. He had a feeling they were going to get along real well. She seemed to have the same rage as he did. Well now it was time to unleash it. With control. He had worked on this. He would need to let it out slow. He grasped onto his thick arms and bashed his fist repeatedly into Bane's Adam's apple. His feet dug into the man's ribs for purchase and leverage.

[Argonaut]

Bane's wicked smile widens as James begins to taunt him. "You got spunk, kid. And a backbone. Y'know what I hate? Kids with backbones." Vanessa slides under Bane's legs, putting her behind him. He seems to ignore her though, more focused on Adromida runs towards him. Getting himself set, as soon as she gets close enough, he grabs her by the waist. Using her momentum and his own strength, Bane throws Adromida back behind his head into Vanessa. Turning his head back to her as the two crash into each other, he lets out a small laugh. "D'you have a nice trip?"

Turning around with another crazy grin, Bane focuses his purple eyes on James, who was currently trying to rush him as well. Simply holding his hand up, James runs straight into Bane's open palm. He then closes his hand around Jame's skull, crushing it a little. "Nice try, pip squeak." Reaching around for Jame's belt, he picks him up and looks around for a target. He spies Jon, and smiles. "Batter up!" With one mighty heave, Bane chucks James into Jon. With four out of six targets dealt with, Bane turns to look over at Kal and Malcolm.

"And wassamatter with you two? Your legs broken or something? He straightens his back, clearly not threatened by Kal and Malcolm or any of the others untangling themselves around him. Making a finger gun, he points it at Malcolm and shoots the gun, giving her a wink. "You're next, little buddy." Moving with amazing speed for someone his size, Bane quickly moves up to Malcolm before he can react. Grabbing Malcolm's leg, he flips him and holds him a foot in the air. "How you doing down there, little buddy?" Tossing him like a ragdoll, he throws Malcolm into the pile of bodies that is James and Jon. With everyone but Kal otherwise occupied, Bane laughs at the small, weak girl left. "Oh, too easy. Come on little lady, I'll even let you have the first punch. Come on, hit me!" He cries, practically ordering Kal to hit him.

[Argonaut]

Enemy Party:
Bane: Healthy. Currently buffed on ARGO., unknown time remaining.

Team Party:
Vanessa: Underneath Adromida. In pain.

Adromia: On top of Vanessa. In pain.

James: On top of Jon, under Malcolm. In pain.

Jon: Under James and Malcolm. In pain.

Malcolm: On top of James and Jon. In pain.

Kal: Healthy.

[daxtinator396]

James growls as his rage is fully fueled. He had done gone and done it now. Pipsqueak? No. He rip the man limb from limb. He thrashed in the pile,"You REALLY should NOT have done that!" He screams in his rage as he rolls out of the pile and stands shakily as he shakes his head with a growl as the pain sears into him. He watches the beast taunt Kal and he growled as he rushed forward and jumped with a hammer fist aimed at the back of his neck.

[Zender_Solarheart]

Jon twitches a little beneath the soldiers on top of him, one of which apparently can't take a punch without getting all pissy. Meh, whatever. Rising to his feet, Jon rubs at the sore spot on his neck. Honestly, if there's anyone he personally is angry at, it's that chicken-shit scientist out there. If there's a window to whatever room that coward's watching from, he walks up to it. If not, he knocks on the door to get the nimrod's attention. Either way, he lodges his complaint:

"You know Doc, there are two things I really hate. First off, I hate people who alter deals on a whim. I signed up to kill Paladins, not horse around with a roid-raging lunatic. Second, I despise cowards who can't fight their own battles, which you'd fit in with quite well. So let's get one thing clear: my orders may be to keep you alive, but nobody said I can't sock you a little. If you're half as smart as you claim, you'll keep a healthy distance from me."

With his "complaints" noted, Jon turns back to the scuffle, but leans against the wall. Really, this whole thing is just plain stupid; the brute is at least twice their own capacity in strength, speed, reaction time...everything, really. Even if they all jumped him at the exact same time, they couldn't get a hit in on him. Fighting that lug is stupid, the Doctor is stupid for expecting them to, and he has no further desire to waste his breath on such stupidity. If Doc doesn't like it, he can go fuck himself in the ass, preferably with a branding iron.