The Commodore
07-18-2020, 05:06 PM
A bright sign that reads “Welcome to Edge City” is momentarily visible before it’s reduced to smoldering pylons. The sudden and violent destruction isn’t limited to the sign, anything within close vicinity is vaporized by the emerald beams that emerge from swaying optics. The beast hovers 20 feet from the ground, its body a boiling mass of writhing tentacles converging around an ominous yellow orb. Some of these tentacles unfurl and peel open like a flower petal, revealing one among a multitude of pulsating eyestalks. The unnatural spawn secretes a foul smelling pink ooze that proves to be corrosive, as anything that was fortunate enough to escape it’s sporadic death rays will melt upon contact with the toxic secretions. The creature makes no sounds as it proceeds along its path of destruction, and appears intent upon scorching the entire metropolis.
“What in the hell is that thing supposed to be?” Eagle responds over his comms as he gets his first good glimpse of the creature. The paragon is clad in his trademark azure uniform, his ability to adjust his own gravitational pull allowing him to glide through the air totally uninhibited. His true identity remains craftily hidden beneath a jutting metal mask, giving him the appearance of the bird of prey from which he draws his name. He comes to a rest, hovering a few feet above it and trying to remain tactfully out of sight of those probing tentacles. Eagle has followed the creature’s rampage and doesn’t doubt that contact with one of those cutting beams would bring his charred corpse crashing down to earth.
“No one is entirely sure, but it’s point of entry appears to be Hyperion Labs. Some witnesses claim the creature emerged after a portion of the facility disappeared into some kind of rift.” the reply echoed from his headset, delivered in the crisp professional tone that belonged to his agent seated several miles away in the comfort of the Argus suite. Alexander was Eagle’s lifeline within the sprawling Paladin Association, one of the unsung multitude that acted as handlers to the capes under their jurisdiction; each of them tasked with providing all the intel and surveillance that were essential for their superpowered charges to perform their duties.
“Hyperion birthed this monstrosity?” Eagle’s lips twisted in a grimace beneath the iron helm. Everyone knew Hyperion, it was almost impossible to escape their influence when their fingers in all the pies. Any cape worth the measure of his costume fought to win a sponsorship, though the process was notoriously exclusive; Hyperion wouldn’t afford you a passing glance unless you were at least Rank 3 or higher. Despite numerous exploits, Eagle still sat a lowly Rank 7 on the Hercules Index, with only a few base level contracts under his belt.
“No confirmation, but this thing wasn’t alone.” he could hear Alexander’s fingers creating a staccato on his keyboard.
“You’re telling me there are more of these things roaming around?” Eagle replied, his voice tinged with horror and disgust by the prospect. He watched as the beast reduced a line of abandoned vehicles to smoking scrap metal. The average citizens of Edge had enough sense to flee to a Hyperion sponsored underground shelter, the irony wasn’t lost on Eagle; the motto “He who giveth and also taketh away” echoing in his head.
“Yes, but they are currently being handled by those Paladin sanctioned.” Unspoken in that statement was clear indication that Eagle didn’t pull the rank to be given a pass containing these threats.
“So explain to me why we got one roaming down this lonely stretch of open highway without any trinity in sight, but disregarding any that may have the power of invisibility under their belt.” Eagle scanned the area, but he didn’t see the high flying cavalry approaching to send this behemoth back to whatever hellscape it squirmed out of.
“Low priority threat.” came the automatic response that Eagle had been expecting.
“So they just expect the rest of us to sit back with our capes folded neatly under our spandex, allowing this thing to just eradicate everything in sight?” Eagle had started floating as close as he dared without one of its eyestalks spotting him.
“Standard regulations have to be followed Eagle, the orders were quite explicit,” Alexander knows his client too well, and any break in regulations could drag them both in front of a tribunal, but only if Eagle lived long enough and wasn’t transformed into cooked chicken first. “Aside from that, this thing isn’t causing any direct harm...Eagle? You still hear me?” Anxiety creeps into Alexander’s voice as Eagle goes silent.
“Damn it Eric, respond.” Alexander drops all pretense, using Eagle’s civilian identity.
“Alex, I see someone down there.” his whispered response finally comes after what feels like a lifetime.
“Everyone should be down in shelters, the warnings were passed down to all civilians via all available networks.” Alexander is still typing away, cursing quietly beneath his breath as the systems respond sluggishly to his commands.
“Clearly not everyone got the memo.” Eagle watches the small figure picking its way along the deserted highway lanes, and closer inspection reveals a child of no more than six with a plastic figurine clutched tightly to their chest. He can’t hear them, but he can read their lips and see that the child is calling out for their mother and father, filmy eyes roaming the ruins for the telltale sign of their guardians. Eagle is amazed that the lost child hasn’t wandered into the creature’s destructive path yet, but the beast isn’t far now and it’s only a matter of time.“It’s a child down there, lost and alone.”
“I’ll establish a connection, see if anyone is close enough to intercept.” He can hear Alexander working fast now, can imagine his fingers dancing across the keys.
“There isn’t enough time.”
“Most parties are still engaged, but give a few minutes more and I should--”
“I’m making the call, going in to intercept.” Eagle makes some minor adjustments, his mind already made up.
“Eric, don’t do this, it isn’t worth the notoriety isn’t--” Alexander begins to plead, not as a colleague but as a friend.
“You think I’m doing this because I want to get points on the index, you clearly don’t know me.” Eagle chuckled sardonically.
“You don’t need to prove anything, Eric.” Alexander breaks professionalism, sounding nearly to the point of tears.
“I got nothing to prove, just doing my diligence.” Eagle cuts the connection before Alex can give rise to further protest.
It’s time for the Eagle to take flight...
“What in the hell is that thing supposed to be?” Eagle responds over his comms as he gets his first good glimpse of the creature. The paragon is clad in his trademark azure uniform, his ability to adjust his own gravitational pull allowing him to glide through the air totally uninhibited. His true identity remains craftily hidden beneath a jutting metal mask, giving him the appearance of the bird of prey from which he draws his name. He comes to a rest, hovering a few feet above it and trying to remain tactfully out of sight of those probing tentacles. Eagle has followed the creature’s rampage and doesn’t doubt that contact with one of those cutting beams would bring his charred corpse crashing down to earth.
“No one is entirely sure, but it’s point of entry appears to be Hyperion Labs. Some witnesses claim the creature emerged after a portion of the facility disappeared into some kind of rift.” the reply echoed from his headset, delivered in the crisp professional tone that belonged to his agent seated several miles away in the comfort of the Argus suite. Alexander was Eagle’s lifeline within the sprawling Paladin Association, one of the unsung multitude that acted as handlers to the capes under their jurisdiction; each of them tasked with providing all the intel and surveillance that were essential for their superpowered charges to perform their duties.
“Hyperion birthed this monstrosity?” Eagle’s lips twisted in a grimace beneath the iron helm. Everyone knew Hyperion, it was almost impossible to escape their influence when their fingers in all the pies. Any cape worth the measure of his costume fought to win a sponsorship, though the process was notoriously exclusive; Hyperion wouldn’t afford you a passing glance unless you were at least Rank 3 or higher. Despite numerous exploits, Eagle still sat a lowly Rank 7 on the Hercules Index, with only a few base level contracts under his belt.
“No confirmation, but this thing wasn’t alone.” he could hear Alexander’s fingers creating a staccato on his keyboard.
“You’re telling me there are more of these things roaming around?” Eagle replied, his voice tinged with horror and disgust by the prospect. He watched as the beast reduced a line of abandoned vehicles to smoking scrap metal. The average citizens of Edge had enough sense to flee to a Hyperion sponsored underground shelter, the irony wasn’t lost on Eagle; the motto “He who giveth and also taketh away” echoing in his head.
“Yes, but they are currently being handled by those Paladin sanctioned.” Unspoken in that statement was clear indication that Eagle didn’t pull the rank to be given a pass containing these threats.
“So explain to me why we got one roaming down this lonely stretch of open highway without any trinity in sight, but disregarding any that may have the power of invisibility under their belt.” Eagle scanned the area, but he didn’t see the high flying cavalry approaching to send this behemoth back to whatever hellscape it squirmed out of.
“Low priority threat.” came the automatic response that Eagle had been expecting.
“So they just expect the rest of us to sit back with our capes folded neatly under our spandex, allowing this thing to just eradicate everything in sight?” Eagle had started floating as close as he dared without one of its eyestalks spotting him.
“Standard regulations have to be followed Eagle, the orders were quite explicit,” Alexander knows his client too well, and any break in regulations could drag them both in front of a tribunal, but only if Eagle lived long enough and wasn’t transformed into cooked chicken first. “Aside from that, this thing isn’t causing any direct harm...Eagle? You still hear me?” Anxiety creeps into Alexander’s voice as Eagle goes silent.
“Damn it Eric, respond.” Alexander drops all pretense, using Eagle’s civilian identity.
“Alex, I see someone down there.” his whispered response finally comes after what feels like a lifetime.
“Everyone should be down in shelters, the warnings were passed down to all civilians via all available networks.” Alexander is still typing away, cursing quietly beneath his breath as the systems respond sluggishly to his commands.
“Clearly not everyone got the memo.” Eagle watches the small figure picking its way along the deserted highway lanes, and closer inspection reveals a child of no more than six with a plastic figurine clutched tightly to their chest. He can’t hear them, but he can read their lips and see that the child is calling out for their mother and father, filmy eyes roaming the ruins for the telltale sign of their guardians. Eagle is amazed that the lost child hasn’t wandered into the creature’s destructive path yet, but the beast isn’t far now and it’s only a matter of time.“It’s a child down there, lost and alone.”
“I’ll establish a connection, see if anyone is close enough to intercept.” He can hear Alexander working fast now, can imagine his fingers dancing across the keys.
“There isn’t enough time.”
“Most parties are still engaged, but give a few minutes more and I should--”
“I’m making the call, going in to intercept.” Eagle makes some minor adjustments, his mind already made up.
“Eric, don’t do this, it isn’t worth the notoriety isn’t--” Alexander begins to plead, not as a colleague but as a friend.
“You think I’m doing this because I want to get points on the index, you clearly don’t know me.” Eagle chuckled sardonically.
“You don’t need to prove anything, Eric.” Alexander breaks professionalism, sounding nearly to the point of tears.
“I got nothing to prove, just doing my diligence.” Eagle cuts the connection before Alex can give rise to further protest.
It’s time for the Eagle to take flight...