Match of the Millennium

Description: The NOL is not only held in suspicion by the Sacred Order. Some more free-spirited individuals are investigating the shadier side of the paramilitary organization. Zach Glenn, neither Sacred Order nor NOL, is eager to dig out some of the details of the NOL. Breaking into one of their offices in Rome, he soon discovers some details on the standing orders of the NOL operatives and the suggestion of further, secret commands. But before he can learn too much, his illicit entry is intercepted by Potemkin, who has standing orders to deal with trespassers like him.

[ZACH GLENN]
One dark and stormy night, Zach Glenn had recieved a phone call. He had not expected it; he honestly figured that Leo Whitefang had tossed the card in the trash at his first opportunity. The conversation was... ineresting; Dizzy was in NOL custody. Leo had tried to imply that Zach had some responsibility in this mess, but that was not really true. Dizzy had made her own (really REALLY bad) decisions that had started the sequence of events leading up to her incarceration. But that did not mean Zach would not help; the psion had no illusions as to what the NOL would do to or with someone like Dizzy.

Zach's first move was to gather information. There... wasn't any to be gathered. That was a surprise; given how much of a flap there was over what was thought to be the final fate of the Command Gear in Southtown and the role of Ky Kiske in said fate. Zach could not reconcile Leo's story with, well, the lack of story. On the other hand, Leo didn't seem like he cared much for untruths. Time to go digging. He called up a couple of his subordinates, and flew to Rome.

There Zach and his companions, one a information security specialist and one who dealt with property security, tracked down the NOL field office there and spent a couple of days planning some good old-fashioned breaking and entering. The three were geared up in tactical gear and wore face masks to disguise identities. This was a fight that had to be fought, but if they could avoid long-term repercussions? That'd be /great/. The mission was to find anything regarding Dizzy's whereabouts, and while they were at it information on a number of persons of interest directly related to the matter at hand.

The entry worked out without a hitch. The trio made their way to the office's server room, where Chavez (the hacker) went to work on finding what he could while Zach and Ceallach stood watch. Chavez was making fairly pleased sounds; he must have found something interesting.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn has started a fight here.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|

[POTEMKIN]
Things can't just be straight forward, cut and dry, and easy, now can they?

There Is a heavy pounding rumble that begins to shake the server room and the walls about it. Almost like something immensely heavy was approaching with steady ongoing footfalls that increase in intensity by the second. They aren't rushed but almost Jurassic in their pace, causing light fixtures to sway and the various computer displays to flicker and blink in and out from the rumbling shockwaves.

"Impressive..." rumbles a voice so deep that the windows rattle from the vibrations, "Not only was NOL correct in their suspicions but you managed to make it past their basic security features and guards before being discovered. I commend you. But unfortunately my compliments must end there."

The entrance to the surver room practically fills up with a monstrously huge and torso covered in a green uniform, far to big to even get through the door at first. The figure then leans down and begins the process of squeezing through, while literally widening the doorframe in the process, sending cracks and mini chasms racing up and down the walls. In this fashion, Potemkin arrives, soon completely filling up the front entrance area like a second wall with arms and legs, as he finally emerges with a final shrug that leaves a Potemkin sized shape in the walls.

Strangely enough, the newly arrived behemoth is dressed nothing like an officer of NOL and instead his uniform and soldierly bearing speak to some other military faction - particularly notable by means of the large Z on his color and the emblazoned symbol on his knightly helm. His uniform strains to contain him, swelling to the ripping point with each breath he takes. Subtly, the temperature In the room begins to rise as well.

"I give you one opportunity to surrender and explain yourself - and then we will discuss how best to turn you over to the NOL.."

COMBATSYS: Potemkin has joined the fight here.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
*TWO DAYS AGO*

The trio had made plans. Then planned some more. One such plan was a contingency in case they were discovered before they could escape. Ceallach scoffed at this; he was plenty certain that between the three of them they get in, get out, and get gone with noone the wiser. Zach had asked the buster to humor him.

"Chavez," Zach says, "If you guys get the order to run, I want you to take whatever data we find and make three copies of it. Once you get to the thrid safe house, get one copy to the archive immediately. Get the second to Takehiro. He'll know what to do with it." He slaps a deep scarlet thumb drive and a piece of paper on the table. "The third copy goes on here and gets delivered, by you and in person, to the person at this address. Noone else. No secretary, no major domo, no polite assistant. Her and her alone. Tell her that the password is 'the first thing Zach said to you in Human.' She'll get it or she won't, but that's not your fault."

He turns to Ceallach. "/Your/ job is to make sure the two of you get out unimpeded. Don't kill anyone if you don't have to, but don't get cuaght either. Once you get to the secondary safe house, wait twenty-four for me to get ahold of you. If I don't, call Kincaid. Tell him everything. You both call it in once you are clear of the neighborhood."


*NOW*

Zach's eyes narrow behind the mask as Potemkin makes his entrance, both figuratively and literally. Ceallach mutters an oath in Scottish Gaelic.

<Big one, ain't he,> Ceallach says, a bit of awe in his voice.

<Aye,> Zach agrees. <He /is/ all of that. And I told you so. Why don't you two get out of here?> He glances over one shoulder to his subordinates. "Wind at your back, gentlemen," he says, switching from Scottish Gaelic to English.

Chavez starts disconnecting from the computer while the other man heads to a wall that leads to a different hallway. There is a muffled *WHUMP* of precision shaped charges, a lot of dust, and the two men Zach arrived with are on their way out of the building.

Zach looks up at Potemkin, a grin forming behind the mask as his hands drop to his hips. There is a gun on one side of the web belt and a knife on the other, but Zach doesn't seem to be moving for either weapon.

"Afraid I can't do that, big guy," Zach says as he flexes his hands open, then closed. "You know how it goes. It's nothing personal." Golden light flares around both of Zach's hands, and he raises them. His left is covered in a clawed gauntlet that seems comprised of some kind of energy as he extends it toward Potemkin. His right holds a short sword made of the smae energy. "I don't suppose I can convince you to stand down and look the other way? Your employer is up to some bad business here, and you don't seem like that a bad guy." More of that same golden energy starts to gather around Zach's body as he prepares to make a fight of it anyway.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn gathers his will.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
"Negative. My employer is not The NOL. However your friends will not get far after they have been alerted." Still, Zach's words seem to not be lost on the titan and he considers them momentarily, "However, I will have you enlighten me on what this 'bad business' is..-after- you have been subdued and your stolen material recovered. Needless to say, the circumstances you have been found in as thieves and trespassers make your ethical position far from the 'high ground'. ": responds Potemkin, tone neutral and perhaps a little disappointed sounding of all things.

The attempt of Zach's subordinates to make their way of escape is not lost on the giant and his glowing eyes seem to flicker slightly as he peers through the billowing dust cloud behind Zach.

There is the briefest of pauses and then the giant suddenly lunges forward for Zach, bearing down on him to try and grasp for the man with a hand big enough to envelop the front of a truck. The massive gauntlet enclosing in on the other fighter, filling up his field of vision before seeking to grab and hurtle him to the ground with a slam capable of shaking the building.

"You will stay down as I intercept your friends."

Potemkin knows good and well Zach is unlikely to comply if he's capable of getting up after this,

COMBATSYS: Potemkin successfully hits Zach Glenn with Hammer Smash.
- Power hit! -

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Zach Glenn       1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
That... that is a really. REALLY. Big hand. Zach sees no place to run, and gets slammed into the turf for his trouble. He lets out a *whuff* of air forced out of his lungs as he bounces off of the floor. The sword shatters into light, even as the gauntlet remains.

"It's really more one of those 'doing the wrong thing for the right reasons' kind of things," Zach groans. "These guys took someone. A young woman. They are going to experiment on her, try to twist her to their will." Zach pulls himself to his feet. Streaks of purple ripple through the gold, as his anger over the situation grows. "The only thing she actually *did* was give herself over to protect the only people who gave a damn about her." Zach flexes his hands open, then closed.

Then another sword rips into existance even as Zach slashes it across Potemkin's massive flank. The psion leaps away, placing himself between Potemkin and the exit his men made even as a shield ripples into place over his left arm.

"I won't stay down," he snarls. "And you will not take my men."

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hits Potemkin with Flashing Blade.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0         Potemkin

(OOC: Whoops)

[POTEMKIN]
Strange. Col Mutsuki doesn't seem like the type that would consort with extortionists, kidnappers and manipulators but Potemkin well knows that a given military has all types - both honorable and deceitful, good and evil, creators and destroyers. His own story and that of his small nation well reflects this. But he has a duty to uphold for now.

Even more pressing is Zach's counter attack. The sword bites into him with its brilliant force, sending a shockwave of pain through his mountainous body and forcing him backwards and off of Zach in a sudden leap that shakes the foundations of the building when he lands a few yards away. He reaches up, placing a hand to his side where the psychic blade lands and then muses, "..Impressive. You are clearly someone to take seriously and I commend your desire to protect your men. But you are still breaking and entering. What proof do you have of these transgressions which justify your actions?"

The technology at his disposal has already been recording this battle and, furthermore, transmitting everything said back to his benefactor in Zepp. Much rides on how convincing Zach is. Not to mention how well his battle skills hold up against the brute.

"We will get the truth one way or another. Be you conscious or unconscious.." Potemkin rumbles before suddenly dashing forward. A dash?? Sure the behemoth is possibly the biggest man alive, but he blurs with a sudden movement that rocks the building and bears him down on Zach like an unstoppable freight train. Both of his huge arms lunge up, crossing infront of him to attempt to slam into the other fighter like a battering ram.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn just-defends Potemkin's Hammer Fall!

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach has also met Colonel Mutsuki. Zach generally likes the guy, even if Kagura *did* try to strong-arm him into signing up with the NOL.

Zach plants his feet, and brings the shield to bear as Potemkin does his impression of a freight train. The impact is intense, and Zach focuses his power through his back, hips, and legs. After a moment, the two men grind to a halt.

"I don't have anything like proof. In fact, that was something I was hoping to find here," Zach admits. "I only have the word of a good man, and I've met the girl. She's... immeasurably strong but she's also an innocent, despite what she was created to do. I know that she's more than some monster created to be someone else's weapon. She deserves a chance to forge her own path, her own freedom."

Zach shoves the larger man away, shoving the sword forward. The weapon contorts, shifts, and enlarges into the form of a hand which seeks to envelop Potemkin and crush the man while holding him in place!

COMBATSYS: Potemkin just-defends Zach Glenn's Shining Finger!

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
Potemkin is impressed. "Not many can hope to withstand my impact but you've managed to stop my momentum all together." The giant peers down at Zach from the impenetrable shadows cast by his knights helm. His glowing eyes narrowing ever so slightly, "Impressive, but it would seem I need to take the kids gloves off.."

Before he can react, however, the pychic energy comes rushing forth again and it wraps itself around his enormous body as a hand, forcing him back and giving him a taste of what it's like to be man handled. A strange feeling indeed but his resistance also seems lax, as if he's focusing more on his next statement then fighting

"You speak of The Command Gear. The Sacred Order's actions may be altruistic but the point remains that they acted on their own accord and deceived the world in the process. It's needlessly complicated these matters. What you see as a girl, others see as a living weapon with vast destructive powers. The NOl exists to contain such power and regulate it, does it not?"

Potemkin suddenly flexes - his body suit beginning to strain to contain the vastness within. Each muscle bursting with unstoppable power that presses out in stark relief against his uniform as if he was literally being sculpted and hewn into a marble statue Chi crackles around him as his body expands and with a final eruption of both physical force and explosive energy, he bursts free of the hand holding him while also sending out an expanding shockwave of kinetic and chi based energy rippling across the floor.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin successfully hits Zach Glenn with Trishula.
- Power hit! -

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach's eyes widen as Potemkim breaks free of the hold in a very explosive manner. Servers clatter and crumple in the wake of the attack. Great. More property damage. Which he will MOST certainly be blamed for. He thrusts the shield forward, channelling more power into it. It grows, expands, and protects Zach from most of the damage. He takes several cuts, and the arms of his tactical uniform burn away in the blast to singe his arms.

"A 'regulatory group' answerable to noone but themselves?" Zach asks rhetorically. "That doesn't bother someone from Zepp? Didn't you guys already topple *one* dictatorship? Why would you be so eager to embrace another one in the making?" That, apparently, is not so rhetorical.

Zach sweeps the shield away, clearing the air between them of chi and dust. Meanwhile, gunshots can be heard. Staccato fire, more of a run-and-gun kind of thing instead of a protracted battle, and both men would know it. Zach winces at this.

Enough talking, he decides, bringing the shield up again. Zach charges the massive man, bringing the shield to bear. Power surges through the psion, lining his body with a violet and gold glow as he attempts to simply /slam/ into Potemkin with enough force to put him into the wall behind him!

COMBATSYS: Potemkin just-defends Zach Glenn's Rough and Tumble!

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
Indeed, if Potemkin is involved..property damage is inbound. The behemoth weighs more then a car and is as big as a semi truck cab after all. Choose wisely when you call him in.

Fortunantly at this particular moment, where property damage is concerned, the room is spared additional ruination. Potemkin doesn't move. Literally so. Zach slams into him full force and it does indeed rock their immediate area but he finds the Zepp soldier a virtual fortress. Rooted to the ground and as immovable as his immensity would suggest.

He stands there for a second, letting the scope of his durability and strength sink in as the shield pushes against his gigantic torso while his arms rest at his sides and he rumbles, "I was a slave in that former regime. I am well aware of the dangers you speak of. Sadly.." he begins to raise a huge palm overhead, casting Zach in shadow, "I am also a soldier and I will honor my duties and allegiances. It is not to late to influence the NOL and root out its corruption.." His massive palm comes swatting around, intending on slamming into Zach and swatting him away with force of the super soldiers strength.

"For you, however, this fight must come to an end and your comrades taken into custody."

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn blocks Potemkin's Palm Smash.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach leans into the strike, slamming his shield into the incoming palm with thunderous force. The shield shatters under the weight of the impact, scattering into a million motes of light. He skids back several feet before stopping at a wall. The shooting stops after a moment, and Zach hears a chirp in his headset. A moment after that, there another dull thump. Not a full-on explosion, but quite possibly some kind of flash-bang. Another second passes, and Zach hears another chirping sound. His posture changes. Potemkin cannot see the grin behind Zach's mask, but the body language of the psion makes his attitude apparent.

"I can respect that," Zach says. "I know what it is to be a soldier in a military. I won't try to dissaude you any further. This matter aside, I think you and I would probably get along pretty well." Zach takes a short breath. "In acknowledgement of that, I will tell you three things." He holds up a hand, his index finger pointing skyward. "Firstly," he says. "Both of my men have made their escape and gotten clear. The NOL is good, but I am willing to bet my men are better." A second finger rises. "Second, your speed is impressive. Almost as much as your durability. But unless you are literally capable of teleportation, the moment I get a chance to get clear, I'm gone." Finger the Third joins its companions. "Third, I'm willing to continue this fight, if need be," he says. "I'm curious to see if I can get past your defenses."

Zach goes back into his combat stance again, a pair of long blades sliding into existance forged of pure willpower. "Unfortunately, surrender will never happen," he says, steel in his voice as the air around Zach ripples with streamers of golden light. "And getting me to talk about anything but the weather will prove impossible."

And then Zach disappears.

The psion appears above and behind Potemkin, who drops from his new position to drive a blade into each of the giant's shoulders. "However," he says in a low whisper, "I'd rather not bring the building down on everyone by making you chase me through it."

COMBATSYS: Potemkin Toughs Out Zach Glenn's Power Strike!

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Zach Glenn       1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
Hmm..not good.

"I see. Perhaps I allowed this distraction to hinder me. My people will aid the NOL with their search with our technology. Your men will be found and you -will- be questioned by 'us'."

Us. Seemingly Zepp then. Potemkin looks like he has no intention of turning you over to NOL now.

"But it's clear you must be subdued first. Forgive me but I can no longer go easy on you.."

Zach's assault comes in the space between an instant. Potemkin is briefly startled, making a sudden movement at the burst of speed and Zach literally seeming to wink out of existence... but then the man is there, above him, and the goliath pivots and turns, lifting both of his massive hands up to grasp for the descending warrior.

He takes the attack dead on, the boulder sized shoulders absorbing the brunt of Zach's assaults, seemingly impenentrable though a shockwave ripples through Potemkin's body at the blades impact. This does not stop him.

"you are right. Let's not collapse this building." He rumbles as he tries to grab Zach and pull him down towards his shoulders, straddling the man across his street wide body. His hands begin glowing and burning with energy. "Let us take this outside!"

With that, Potemkin leaps, lunging into the air towards the ceiling which he bursts through like a cannonball through wet tissue. Bht combatants now find themselves high overhead in the night sky until Potemkin descends down towards the outer courtyards with Zach across his back, intending on issuing an epic backbreaker to the man.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn dodges Potemkin's Potemkin Buster.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach is nott sure /how/ he got clear. He just knows that he managed to scramble free of Potemkin's grip before the man launched impossibly skyward. The psion cranes his head back and watches for a second.

He decides then and there, after doing some quick math, that he might have to amend that statement of the certainty of his own escape.

"Welp," he mutters. "Nothing else for it, then." Potemkin's movement, as scary it was at first, does a couple of things for Zach. The first is that it buys time. The big man has to come back down in order to really do anything, and while a full-body press is still on the table, a descent still has to occur. The second is that Zach can be fairly certain of the vector of the big man's attack. Skydiving can teach a person how to control descent, but the terrain limited potential landing zones.

Zach leaps skyward, his own form flicker as he gains the rooftop. He looks around, tracking the large flying (now falling) man. Glenn heaves a sigh. He can't really have Potemkin reporting back. Zach brings both hands down by his left hip. The gun there remains in its holster as he starts to gather his energy once more. A glowing sphere of gold, run through with shocks of violet forms there. He tracks Potemkin's movements as he gathers power, and as he does so, blades of psychic energy form in the air around him. They float there, hilts pointing towards the sky, waiting for Zach's will to guide them.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn gathers his will.

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Zach Glenn       1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
Well that didn't work.

Potemkin loses his grip but his flight does indeed continue. He flips when at the height of his tremendous launch, and then begins a meteoric descent towards the outer courtyard of the building. Needless to say, his impact registers on some equipment capable of measuring the force of an earthquake, and upon impacting he slides back several yards while also kicking up a massive pile of dust and dirt that billows around him in a swirling aftermath resembling the explosion of a bomb.

"It would seem I've under estimated you. But a soldiers mettle cannot be tested unless it is up against appropriate strength."

Abruptly, the dust cloud is blasted apart. A loud sonic boom blistering it apart as a shockwave comes racing forth, into the air, towards Zach.

Potemkin is revealed now, crouched on one leg, bracing an outthrusted arm with the other and his fist extended, a single massive finger extended outwardly as he had literally just finger flicked the air so hard it produced the air bullet that is hurtling up at Zach.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn overcomes F.D.B. from Potemkin with Quick Shot EX.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0         Potemkin

COMBATSYS: Potemkin barely endures Zach Glenn's Quick Shot EX.

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Zach Glenn       0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach watches Potemkin land, feeling it through the soles of his boots, and it takes him a moment for him to work out what exactly is going on, here. His eyes go wide as he snatches one of those swords out of the air and hurling the weapon at Potemkin before picking up a jog.

The sword slices through the rushing wall of air to strike Potemkin, but perhaps it's time for Zach to leave.

[POTEMKIN]
It is clear by now that Zach is an opponent of serious merit and Potemkin, as is his way, busies himself calculating his own misteps and penchant for facing opponents whom he either under estimates for fear of losing control over his own strength - or who turn out to simply be greater then he imagined. A typical cycle for him.

He squares his massive body, tightening his form just before the blade strikes clean into his forarm..but he's already powering through with pounding footsteps shaking the area as he seeks to try and close the distance before Zach can manage a clean escape.

"STOP! You only make matters worse by not simply surrendering!"

Potemkin's massive feet pound the earth once more and then in a crater forming leap, he lunges forward into the air and brings both of his fists back overhead. His leap clears yards of distance before he begins to descend while violently bringing both fists forward and down towards Zach in piston like movements while actually rumbling aloud, "Mega Fist!!"

COMBATSYS: Potemkin successfully hits Zach Glenn with Mega Fist Shift.

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Zach Glenn       1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
The fists slam into Zach sending him tumbling across the roof that he is one before bouncing, then skidding to a halt just before he actually falls over the ledge. He gets up on one knee, spitting out a glob of blood.

"Debatable," Zach replies as he stands up. He turns and takes off again, gathering himself to ready his escape. This fight's going nowhere, with neither warrior gaining a distinct advantage. He lets his conscious mind go while he allows his instincts, his memories take over.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn enters a trance-like state.

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Zach Glenn       1/---====/=======|=======\==-----\1         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
*THOOOM*

Potemkin's immense body follows behind Zach a mere moment later, landing on the ground with another seismic event occurring, and then beginning to slowly stalk closer and closer to the psychic warrior, "Does not your broken body and being considered a criminal or a fugitive count for worse?" asks the giant, "It need not be this way. If you turn yourself over to me, I promise that you will be treated fairly and the information you are providing will be fully investigated and given proper due. If you continue to run or resist..then I can -guarantee- you will find only the comfort of a jail cell awaiting and tha tis after you regain consciousness and you will -still- tell us what I want to know.".

He stops and pounds his huge fists together. A thunderous *BOOM* resonating and shaking the area from the impact as he widens his stance and looks upon Zach to give him a chance to answer while also subtly preparing to react to the mans next move.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin focuses on his next action.

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Zach Glenn       1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
"In point of fact, I've had worse. No offense, it's just that you haven't killed me yet." There's truth to that. He was literally dead at one point. Potemkin's not even close to that, and he already feels the bruises fade and scrapes starting to close up. He leans his head one way, then the other.

"See," Zach says calmly, "I believe that you are being honest with me on this. You plan to do exactly as you say you will." The psion rolls one shoulder, then the other, testing range of movement. "But the people you are working with already regard me as little more than a threat to be contained or controlled, for trying to do what I've always done." He shrugs, content that he's together enough to continue.

"Besides which," Zach says. "I've already told you what I know. I was trying to learn more, which is almost done, so I'm leaving now." Zach then disappears, only to reappear next to Potemkin, a blade of psychic force licking out for the big man's underarm, before Zach flits away to leap across the gap between buildings.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin interrupts Swift Blade from Zach Glenn with Heavenly Potemkin Buster.
*KNOCKED AWAY*

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Zach Glenn       2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
One can never accuse Potemkin of being slow with his reactions...

No sooner has Zach reappered is Potemkin on the crushing move. Massive gauntlets launch up, grasping around Zach's legs and intercepting the swing of the sword, allowing the blade to bite into the metallic armor of the immense gauntlets before enclosing about the fighters arms.

"You should have taken my offer then. Refusal is such a strange way to show your trust!"

With that he leaps, lunging into the night sky once again, higher then the last time , with Zach once more straddled across his shoulders. He flips, the world spinning around them both as they spiral higher into air. Chi blazes through Potemkin's gauntlets, turning his huge hands into glowing masses of energy.

"Heavenly...Potemkin...BUSTER!!!"

When he finally impacts, it's with a thunderous mushroom cloud inducing *KAABOOOM* and a shaking of the ground that triggers alarms up and down this area of the city.

[ZACH GLENN]
Not much for it. Maybe Potemkin read the move, maybe he just had that right combination of speed and luck. Hard to say.

What ISN'T hard to say is that Zach goes for a ride. It ends very abruptly, and it leaves his vision a sea of white. He's still alive, somehow. Potemkin needs to try harder. "Though I told you," he croaks as he staggers to his feet. "Surrender..." Zach thrusts his arms out to his sides at the shoulders, and suddenly the two men are surrounded by golden swords of various eras. Longswords, short swords, gladii, sica and spatha all hang in the air, hilts skyward.

"IS NOT AN OPTION!" Zach suddenly roars as he charges Potemkin. He blitzes the larger man, grabbing a blade on his way in to slam it into Potemkin's armored form before dashing past empty-handed. Zach turns and charges again, grabbing another blade to stab the Zepp Soldier with. And another. And another. Each blade goes for a joint or vital point, with a few aiming to pin him in place through the feet and shins. Zach estimates that even this will not kill the big man. Zach repeats this dozens of times before simply vanishing, only to reappear.

Half a block away, staring at the large man for a moment before turning to run away.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hits Potemkin with #Claiomh Solias EX+#.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Potemkin

[POTEMKIN]
Potemkin just stands there. The blows rain against his monstrous body with what -seems- visually to be the effectiveness of shooting nerf darts at the reinforced metal of a bank vault. Only the slight quivering of the fleshier portions of the larger muscle bellies gives away he's not simply a stone statue. He seems for all intents and purposes invulnerable.

The truth is, he's going to pay for this later but - given his appearance as a nearly nine foot tall twelve hundred plus kilogram monster .. it sure looks impressive.%rAt the end of it all he lunges his huge hands up to try and clap them together and catch Zach between them but the nimble fighter is gone and only a resounding *TWHOOOM* occurs, shaking the area and shattering windows.

"What? No!!" he exclaims, the first hint of frustration here. Truth be told he expected his last attack to take Zach out. Again, foiled by not simply coming out full power in the very beginning.

By the time he relocates Zach, Potemkin's own failings sink in physically. He takes a step but staggers and drops to a one legged kneeling stance, chest heavy briefly as he sucks in a gout of breath due to his fatigue. There's no way to catch up with Zach without trying something as outrageous as uprooting the very earth or hurtling a building. Hardly worth that."Damn hat teleportation.." he grumbles.

COMBATSYS: Potemkin takes no action.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Potemkin

[ZACH GLENN]
And like that, Zach Glenn is in the wind again. He gained some information, but at what cost? The possible wrath of the NOL, and possible a very driven soldier of the Nation of Zepp? On the other hand, neither organization knows who those masked men were. Just that they were professionals.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn has left the fight here.

[                      \\\\\\\\  <
Potemkin         0/-------/-======|

Log created on 02:55:39 03/21/2018 by Zach Glenn, and last modified on 01:10:14 03/25/2018.