-= New RP Campaign =-
-= New RP Campaign =-
For several months now one of the main focuses of the peoples of The Construct have been Role Plays, or RPs; Acting out a story, either impromptu or pre-written. These have been slowly getting more organized and in-depth over time, and it is now time for The Construct's first RP Campaign.
Let me now introduce you to the world of The Construct. For those of you with no cares for a short story (short so far) you can skip ahead to the last segment where the lowdown is put up.
_________________________________________________________________
Deep in the cold space of the Constructors, one of a thousand planets loomed, featureless and gray, and orbiting it was countless pieces of direlect space debris and high-tech spacecraft. One of these began to descend, and an inferno of friction formed around it.
From it's arbitrary top it looked like an arrowhead, pinched off a third of the way down it's length and with two protruding round engines coming off of it's rear and forming a great exhaust trail of deep blue against the black sky. It's angle of descent was lowered, and it became visible that it was only a quarter as deep as it was wide, and half as wide as it was long.
As the atmosphere around it calmed from a fireball to a torrent of wind minute details became visible, tiny cracks in the great slabs of metal and scars of accidents past. A closed door showed itself, and it was a mere pinprick on the huge metal side. With that reference to scale, it was easily between a kilometer and a kilometer and a half in length.
Aboard it were the tons of equipment and supplies that allowed it to travel the skies and three very important people.
It sped comfortably towards it's goal.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The TEF vault's frame shook and deep groans of twisting, scraping metal deafened everyone inside. It blotted out the cries of agony and rage. It overwhelmed the yelling of curses and war chants. If it weren't for the cries of his men Zipperdude would have slept through it. It slowly echoed off into the rest of the world, and gunfire became audible, following the yelling of warriors.
"We're breached!"
"What is that thing!"
Zipperdude rolled out of bed, and hit his head on the floor. He grogged at the world about why interrupting sleep is not nice while he got up off of the floor, but was cut off when he hit his head on the dresser. He stumbled to the closet and hit his head against his combat suit twice before he found the right hole to put it through.
Zipperdude rushed out of his room with nothing but basic armor and a pistol with one magazine. He spotted SuperCon running full speed down the hall.
"Zip! Get to the armory! Hurry!" SuperCon yelled as she ran off, and turned a corner.
Zipperdude was nowhere near the runner SuperCon was, and by the time he reached the same corner SuperCon was already around the next... And the next.
The door to the armoury was missing, and when Zipperdude stepped in front of it's frame his heart nearly gave out. The room was a wreck, and the cieling was caved in. There was no way this happened before SuperCon could have gone in there, but she could not be found. Zipperdude stepped forward onto a plain piece of paper with an omni-watch number on it.
Behind him the TEF defenders cheered in thier victory. "They are pulling out! We win again!"
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"How much longer, please?" FURB politely asked.
"We have about fourty minutes untill we reach the mission area, then it will take about three minutes to get the battle crew on. I have sent a message forward giving them our expected time of arrival." A female voice replied over the ship's intercom system, her voice reverbrating against the hard metal walls, making it unnaturally harsh where it normally was sweet.
But her voice was the only thing sweet about FURB's Operator. Most of the time Hendrik's captains and their Operators, those who are usually in control of the ships themselves, had a nice relationship going... But FURB and his Operator were in cool terms all the time, and FURB had no clue why.
"Alright, thanks. I'm going to be working on some things so please keep me posted."
The intercom clicked once in responce.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Zipperdude looked at the Hendrik's logo on the inspector's suit in disgust... But to win there is always a cost. He would be forced to wear this disguise.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"FURB, we have an incoming call for you. I'm forwarding it for you."
"Thanks."
He picked through one of his pockets for his omni-watch, then pushed a button on it to activate it's speaker.
"Hello? FURB?" Hendrik said.
"Hello sir!"
"Please don't bore me with the normal military routine, I have had absolutely too much of it lately!"
"Sorry. Eh, mind if I ask you if you were sick lately? You sound kind of hoarse right now."
"Yeah, I have had a couple of less than pleseant experiences in engineering this morning."
"Hehehe, yeah, I know what that can be li-"
Hendrik cut off FURB, strangely... "Enough small talk, I have personally sent an inspector to check up on the Necalith just before it goes into combat. TEF is getting stronger, and we expect that several of our top members are actually TEF insurgents. I am wanting the Necalith to be in top condition prior to the fight, so be prepared to make whatever emergency fixes you need to. One more thing, this inspector has a level five clearance code, so don't hide anything."
"Even the-"
"Yes, even that! Good luck in the battle, FURB, make me proud!"
"Always, Hendrik. Out."
Almost as soon as FURB broke his connection to Hendrik his Operator broke in, "I don't think he was using his normal omni-watch, the voice frequency is slightly off."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The hastily set up teleportation system glowed for a moment, then flashed brightly as the inspector appeared in the main lobby of the Necalith class frigate hunter. His brown informal jacket had a nametag saying 'Bob' stitched onto it.
The teleporter beeped twice as Bob stepped off of it.
The bioderms were genetically mutateable creatures created by a human madman almost five hundred years ago to serve as workers and slaves to do manual labor, but they rebelled, and with the help of several human orginizations that promised them peace, they broke off the chains of slavery and slowly gained their rights.
The bioderm awkwardly named Bob store lazily back at FURB.
"Well," Said FURB, "It seems your teleportation code is out of date."
"Yes." Bob said unemotionally.
"I know... A whole bunch of the civil and builder's departments don't have the new codes yet."
Bob spoke with a sudden outburst of anger. "Can we just get started?"
"Sorry... How about I show you a general schematic I have in store, then you can use that as a reference while you work. I think you will find everything as close to perfect as possible."
"No, I would like to see it first. Please show me."
"Eeeeh, well there are a few things you should know first. Rules of a sort." FURB looked carefully towards one of the corners where the floor meets the wall beside him, winking to the camera.
"Go ahead."
"Okay. 1, Do not touch anything, anything! 2. Make sure you have all wireless devices turned off completely. 3. Do not tell anyone what you saw here, not even Hendrik himself!"
At those last words the bioderm's ears pricked up sharply. "I understand." He said flatly, then one by one he turned off all his communication devices. His U-watch, an older but reliable version of the omni-watch, his Com' device for short range hands-free communication, and his personal scanner were all turned off.
FURB talked of one thing and thought of another at the same time. "Once you go into it's room you will likely feel a bit tingly. That is the ionized air, and nothing to worry about. Also, everything you touch has to be cleaned... Alot. So, don't trip or anything."
The bioderm scowled at him threateningly; A way that the bioderms excelled at.
"Alright, sheesh. Just show the computer your clearance codes at that terminal over there," FURB pointed to a console near the door to one of the many empty storage rooms. "And then I can show you it."
As Bob walked over to the console FURB noticed he had a tiny limp in his left leg. FURB followed right behind him.
The doors opened quickly and stale air dried their faces. It was apparent the room wasn't used in a long time.
Bob leaned in slowly, then tripped over something and fell in.
"I-I'm sorry!" He said to the rapidly closing door. Wait a minute... The room was completely empty...!
Bob leaped at the door and pushed on it, but it wouldn't budge. That was okay...
"Now." He said into his active U-watch.
_________________________________________________________________
The teleporter flashed again and again, and thirty-five minutes before schedule the battle crew for the Hendrik's Necalith crowded the room.
They tied FURB up, took his electronics, and threw him in a corner. Ignoring his yelling of 'Traitors!' they went from room to room and trashed the ship, breaking in computer terminals and shooting in doors. Out of one walked Bob, now in a full Tribal Elite Forces combat suit, and out of another, striding purposefully with a smile on her face was FURB's Operator.
"It's nice to finally see you again, Zip." Happily said the Operator.
"Yeah, you too. We shouldn't talk right now though, wait till we're planetside. Have you got this thing on a crash course?"
"Yup. I think we have about five minutes left."
"Good work. Alright everyone, out out out! I'l be right with you!"
Everyone but 'Bob' now known to be Zipperdude, one of the leaders of TEF, walked out onto the teleportar and disappeared in a flash. FURB was left in a corner, still yelling madly.
"Shut up! I don't want to do this! You know I couldn't kill you in my right mind, but Hendrik has SuperCon and he forced me to do this!"
"No! You're lying! He would never!"
"How else do you think we got onto this ship!"
"Traitors!"
"SHUT UP ALREADY! You know who I am! I really don't want to do this, but war is war and I can only guess that Hendrik thinks you are getting too powerful for him."
"W-w-wha... But he would never betray me."
"Listen! I can't kill you and we have known eachother since before the war started. I want you to come with me, to join TEF. If you are really FURB you will want to get back at Hendrik, and I can help you do that. Come with me and fight for whats right. Here..."
Zipperdude, in full TEF armor untied the Hendrik's second in command, and reached out his hand to help him up.
_________________________________________________________________
Various people sat around the gunmetal grey rectangular table, all in casual clothing except a few, and all with TEF badges on their chests. For now they chatted amongst themselves, and on matters not important.
At the furthest end of the table sat Zipperdude and Supercon, top leaders of the Tribal Elite Forces, then the others like Dustflinger, F9Alexanjro, and DemonIncubus. FURB sat at the nearest end of the table, awkwardly looking about. He was the only one about who wore the official TEF outfit on that side of the table.
FURB and Zipperdude locked eyes for a second, across a mess of scattered papers and paper-airplane reports. Zipperdude solemnly nodded, then suddenly yelled out above the ruckus.
"Everyone! Let's get back to business!"
Two members halfway down the table clinked their glasses and yelled together, "To business!"
"Shut up and put those drinks away! Now, you may be wondering about the new guy. I know, I know, just quiet down and let me explain!"
A man in the middle got up and interupted Zipperdude with questions. Apperently he had recognized FURB.
FURB decided that now would be a good time to introduce himself.
He jumped up and made as angry a face he could without accidently smiling...
"What are you doing talking to your superior officer like this!?! I though TEF was better than this!"
The man turned slowly from Zipperdude to FURB, with a menacing face that looked more animal than man. "Excuse me Mr.Hendrik? You won't last a day untill you turn again you honorless rat!"
"What kind of honor would you have talking to someone with as much experience as me in a manner like that?!"
The man's face became even more unnaturally red, and FURB had to keep himself from laughing. He continued his yelling, "You are a mere recruit! You were one of Hendrik's pawns!"
"Hendrik tried to kill him!!!" Interupted Zipperdude, slowly advancing along the side of the table.
"And he did a pretty damn good job at it too!" FURB yelled in answer, and began walking towards the red-faced man, mimicking Zipperdude.
Giggles started across the table...
"We aren't getting anything done like this! Sit down now, spare me the inconvenience, and let us please get to the very important matters at hand!" FURB now knew that he had the advantage, and the other members of TEF were genuinly laughing at what was probably a weekly routine.
The red-faced man now chose his next target, and faced Zipperdude squarely. "With all due respect sir, I do not think we should let him into our strategies or trust him with any equipment."
"I know him much better than you!"
"My loyalties are true to whomever I view as a friend. Right now the only real friend I have is in him!" FURB pointed to Zipperdude, "If I were to betray him I would have nothing!"
"It's better than having anything for the rest of us. For all we know his closet will have a dozen dooms-day devices by tommorow waiting to go off!!!"
"Oh my freaking god! If everyone here is so mindlessly steriotypical I might as well go out and kill Hendrik alone!" FURB yelled, actually letting a bit of feeling into his voice.
The red-face reached a peak of anger, "You couldn't kill a fly! I remember us catching you with your pants off over a hundred times in a row!"
Zipperdude had been sneaking up behind him, and now yelled in his ear with all his deep, raspy bioderm voice, making red-face jump, "He will kill Hendrik!"
The laughter stopped, the yelling stopped, and those words rung in peoples minds. Zipperdude seemed so sure.
_________________________________________________________________
"Firstly," Zipperdude started, "Would you mind telling us what we are up against? I think we know most of the details but there might be something we missed."
"Okay, thanks. Most of the work of the Hendrik's builders is about excelling in one particular role. The Spidermech command center, for example, has the best communication devices and remote command software available, so much so that it risks some of it's protection and weaponry. The Mourner capitol hunter is the same thing, filled to the brim with tritanium-sabot rounds that fracture open and shred heavy armor... But it doesn't have any smaller turrets capable of tracking faster targets. All of the standard strength tritanium armor is slightly reinforced with a TaWOs compound and sometimes a little bit of Unobtanium-E, the easiest to find of the uncreateable Unbotanical- Ugh! I mean Unobtanium metals. The armor style is simple and standard, with no usuall weakspots along it's hull so as to avoid any 'lucky shots' that you guys are known to make quite often.
And do not forget the weaponry, oh all the days of arguing with those carefree arsenal manegement folks over what to use when... Okay, the type of weapon could be one in a million, depending on the crafts role. I really cannot explain each one without anyone falling asleep so I managed to decrypt and file an arsenal report on the TEF mainframe with an up-to-date list of all mainline equipment as of a week ago. Take note this does not include items under the ownership of allies, freelancers, mercenaries, or the NightHawks."
One member raised his hand.
"Yes?" FURB answered quickly.
"What are the Nighthawks?"
"They are the elite few. They work on high level jobs with no interference from any authority. They have unlimited supplies, innumerable biomechanical upgrades, and free acess to whatever they need. If Hendrik told them to kill him, they would do it right then and there without a second thought. The symbol of Hendrik's is the hawk, and the Nighthawks are a fitting name."
_________________________________________________________________
FURB, lounging in his chair and in need of sleep, waved nonchalantly and in front of him a steaming cup of tea formed itself, and he thought of how life was for those so far away that they couldn't create. 'How difficult average life must be for them... Then again, they probably didn't get into these silly wars for no reason either... But if I ever got my hands on the Device, I will give everyone in this universe that power. Once Hendrik is gone, I will be the only one who knows so many of it's secrets.'
He raised his glass in a silent toast to Hendrik's lessons, and his demise.
_________________________________________________________________
FURB sat in a newly built desk messing with his newly built laptop when he made the discovery.
Zipperdude walked in, "Hey, you called me?"
"Yeah. I've been trying to decrypt all my Hendrik's information. Since he thinks I'm dead he didn't even try to delete it yet, but I know it won't be long before he has all the loose ends tied up. I'm almost done, but there is this one scrap of data that I cannot seem to get right. It's right here in the base lists, but it is something I never noticed before. When I try to get it's location it tells me strange things."
"How strange?"
"Really wierd things. Do you know the diameter of FlatDash+?"
"Uuuuh... About two hundred thousand miles?"
"About. Look here at this co-ordinate representation of this base." FURB said ominously, then backed his chair out of the laptop screen's way.
The co-ordinates were: 0 0 -100,024.
"This is in relation to our current position. I tried it from about a kilometer south as well, and got the exact same results."
"But that would mean... I think that this data is corrupt or something. There is no way..." Zipperdude slowly mumbled himself to silence.
"There is. Hendrik has told me that he was one of the people that made the Construct Device."
_________________________________________________________________
Well, short short version:
Tribal Elite Forces and Hendrik's have been at war for almost a year.
Hendrik captured TEF's SuperCon and used her to force ZipperDude to try to kill FURB, Hendrik's second in command.
Instead of killing FURB, ZipperDude rescued him from Hendrik's trap and took him into TEF.
FURB doesn't want Hendrik to know he is alive because he knows so many of Hendrik's secrets and plans.
Got that?
Hendrik doesn't know FURB is not dead, and shouldn't know.
While FURB decrypts his Hendrik's tribe data into the TEF mainframe, he finds something strange in the base listings he never saw before, and expects he has found the rumored source of all human construction, the Construct Device, in the very core of FlatDash itself.
Hendrik looks for a new second in command.
One by one factions are falling into this war, and the battles are always getting larger and the politics more complex. The war is getting closer to an end, and the fate of everything past this point is decisive and ultimate. Whether you enjoy the drama, just like shooting people, or want to test your building skill against others, join us!
Rules.
In an effort to avoid what usually happens when rules are made, I am leaving most of the hard decisions and balancing acts to the people I know can co-operate to handle most situations orderly and the admins with the power to enforce them. Whenever available Hendrik's public Council Chambers can be used for this purpose.
Those I have in mind are:
The Adminesse trio:
Humans
SuperDoe
Mentulmhat
Others:
ZipperDude of course
Hendrik
Any of the top TEF and Hendrik's members that their respective leaders wish to accompany them
Any other players or factions who are well known within the community to be stable, non-idiotic and unchildish.
Imagine viewing a large portion of FD from space, complete with a number of different environments. Both the major factions (And their allies combined) will start with an equall amount of land on that portion, with a border between the two. The goal of both sides of the conflict is to gain total control of that map by engaging eachother's creations in RP or non-purebuild combat, determined by the circumstances. If that happens, there will be a suprise ending waiting that I have already spent many dead nights on...
Comments
Holy great wall of text, batman...
Long story short, Cross is a Mercenary that's unhappy with his job. He knows FURB but they parted ways when FURB decided to stay with Hendrik.