Match of the Millennium

Description: Echo returns to the Shadaloo base, running into Sabbath and Vega.

[SABBATH]
Sabbath stands in his grey two-piece suit, his button-up overcoat with high collar and his drab slacks ending in a pair of black boots covering his diminuitive, faintly gray body. His head is bald and narrow, with an optic piece over his right eye emerging from where his right ear should be, a computer dome on his head. A pair of ball-shaped protuberances are on his head at the top of his skull, where his amygdalas used to be, now replaced by neurocomputers.

Sabbath is working on a computer within a large hall of Shadaloo scientists, analyzing samples. A cage sits nearby with a large hyena in it, far too large to be the standard quality, its eyes glowing gold as technicians prod it with tase rods to keep it away from the bars.

Sabbath's right hand, a claw with toxin-injectors on the forefinger and genetic samplers on the middle, ring, and pinky fingers, is presently operating the controls to a holographic projection he watches in distaste, his left hand tapping at the machine to scroll through data that he moves about and places here and there.

[ECHO]
Poor (?) Sabbath is about to get his work interrupted, it would appear, as the monitor adjacent to him suddenly flickers, filling with static, and... George Michael starts coming out of it?

"Ooohhh... yeeeah..." That's not his voice, though, that's a deep-ish feminine voice coming out over 'Careless Whisper'. What the fuck?

"Looking for a fun time tonight...? Just call..." a number flashes on the screen, meanwhile there is a tracking TV camera shot of long gorgeous legs, positioned on a blood red sofa, reaching the hem of a black dress.

"Operators are standing by... we want to talk to you tonight..." One of those 90s late night phone lines? Why would this be on in the lab?!

"Especially /you/," the image appears in Sabbath's eyepiece now as the face of the woman on the advert is revealed, it's pale and super model-ish, but her features quickly change as she grins--growing fangs over her red lipsticked lips, and cat-like eyes, skin becoming furry--

The screen erupts in static again as it begins to glow--the lady on the screen /crawling/ right through it and winding up standing right next to him.

"Whew, talk about telecasting, m'waha--whew, place has gotten a lot different since I was last here, huh...?" the figure standing there is of course, a goddamned bat woman in a black dress and heels. Welp.

[SABBATH]
There's a single raise of a clawed finger as the music, the technicians looking up at the screen in surprise as Echo's image appears.

The hyena bites a tase rode and yanks a minion's arm into the cage with it, ripping it off.

As blood spews about the lab and the technical expert screams, medics dragging him away while the hyena laughs like Lucifer in a cold, black cackle, Sabbath turns about to face Echo, a small, fatherly smile on his face.

"Hello, dear Echo. Thank you for coming to my lab today."

Technicians jam tase rods into the hyena over and over again in retaliation through the bars, as scientists rush around the facility behind Sabbath.

"A pleasant surprise. Although humor and sexuality are lost on a being approaching enlightenment, such as myself," he continues, blood curdling moans from the technician without the arm as blood arcs through the air, "I can appreciate your refined art of immersive play."

Sabbath briefly looks to the projection, clicking a button with his claw to save his data, and the machine goes dim, the hologram replaced by a logo of Vega's face.

He turns back, smiling. "How may I assist you today?"

[ECHO]
"Whoops--sorry if I was a bit of a disturbance here," Echo blinks, the sound and scent of the blood spray likely instantly hitting her senses. Her tone of course was much more in the friendly 'did I do thaaat?' sort of manner, even though someone was just horribly mutilated.

"D'aww, you have spotted dogs, those are such lovely creatures, aren't they? I'm Echo by the way--Shadaloo agent, I make dead things come back to life, but I'm sure you knew that already," she looks over with a grin and some interest as the hyena is repeatedly tazed, before looking back at Sabbath, still seated, apparently.

"Is that, so? You're a cyborg right? they didn't replace /everything/ on you, did they?" she walks around the side of the spider-scientist, words dripping with double entendres as she looks down at him, a white finger and red nail gently carressing down the side of his face and along his cybernetic eye augmentation.

"I don't suppose you can give me a status update on what the organization is up to now, can you?" she leans down, voice becoming a fair bit softer.

[SABBATH]
Sabbath looks at Echo impassively, effectually a self-induced eunech when he chooses.

"Merely unnecessary portions of the brain, in addition to several combat analysis units and a genetic recombinator of my own design."

Sabbath's optic can be seen swiveling through a HUD, as Echo sees it in close range, analyzing her for Chi data, a low hum from the unit replacing his right ear as her Psycho Power is charted.

"My department, Gene Research, is looking at rare animals infused with Darkstalker energy, that we've captured with the help of various local governments. They pay us to hunt and trap the beasts." Sabbath raises a finger, pricking Echo with a slim microneedle, on the arm, taking a microscopic flesh sample.

"I'll take a bit of your DNA, if you don't mind, specimen Echo."

[VEGA]
As the sample is drawn from the Dalkstalker, the lights within the underground lab flicker violently, only to suddenly shut off entirely. For the briefest of moments, those within the lab are shrouded within complete darkness before the emergency lights kick on.

Technicians scramble around, trying to secure the various cages, only for one to scream violently as the cage door for the hyena bursts open, releasing the violent animal upon a fresh set of meat to test it's teeth upon. Fortunately for the technician, the Hyena doesn't waste any time biting down, sending a black spray of blood from the neck that covers the floor in the darkened room.

As the Hyena realizes that there are more beings for it to test its teeth upon, it freezes. Psycho Power starts to seep out from numerous technicians, who all turn and face the Hyena, only to kneel down before it. Seeing an opportunity, the Hyena moves to lunge, only to stop in mid-air, violently shaking. The poor creature screams violently like a dog in extreme pain, before being dropped to the ground, whimpering loudly.

The lights once more flicker off as the heavy thud of boots upon the ground echoes throughout the lab. The main power seems to have been restored as the blinding lights illuminate all at once, as the Hyena licks the boots of the being that now stands before it.

~Pathetic. Is this the best that it's capable of?~

The words tear across the minds of all who are in the room as the caped visage of Vega reaches down, gently patting the Hyena's head. The creature has met its better, and now knows its place in life. Just as all who serve Vega do.

Turning now to face the Bat and Cyborg, Vega's eyes narrow upon Sabbath, only to move towards the two, stepping on the bodies of the technicians that fell victim to the Hyena that now trails close by the Lord of Shadaloo.

~Tell me. Why was this creature not already taught its place?~

[ECHO]
Echo definitely shows up on Sabbath's chi scan, though psycho power is probably not so great.

"I do hope that electric eye is showing you my good side, Tin-Spider," Echo doesn't see the spider man's needle until it's too late, apparently, pulling her arm back with a raise of a brow.

"Anymore and you're going to have to pay for it, kiddo," Echo gives him a kind of accusing look afterwards, and she probably doesn't mean repayment in plastic, either.

"As for catching things, what do I look like, the city dog catcher? Aren't there bloody thirsty mercenaries and bounty hunters we can pay for that?" she frowns a little again. Speaking of, where the hell /has/ B.B. Hood been lately?? She killed things for money, right?

Then the lights begin to flicker before shutting off.

"Pfft, great, look what you did, you blew the fuse box," Echo folded her arms, her eyes quickly adjusting to the low-light, however. The resulting show of psycho power energy from the techs is eyecatching, even for Echo!

"Ahah, we have been graced with the presence of the author of pain, the lord who holds dominion over this place," Echo's arms rise up as she quickly takes a knee, the one sticking out of the slit in her dress, luckily--who knows who or /what/ has been on his floor--for a hot minute, head bowed.

[SABBATH]
As the power goes off, Sabbath's head cranes about and he frowns, before his Psycho Power sensor peaks off the chart.

"Beautiful," comes an hollow rasp of admiration from Sabbath's pursed lips, bearing witness to Lord Vega's true might, albeit not nearly at full potential.

Sabbath moves his hands behind him, bowing his head before Vega and standing at attention, his lips tightly together, before he looks up as Vega speaks directly to him. As if a captured British officer building the Bridge over the River Kwai for the Japanese, he reports directly and politely, in a submissive but non-military faction.

"This particular sample, Dire Hyena Number Alpha One, out of three captured, Alpha Two and Three, has the strongest trait in a combination of pain threshold, aggression, and instinctual problem solving. Alpha Two is being analyzed for anatomy, Alpha Three has been kept in a stasis unit as an additional sample."

Sabbath unfolds his hands from behind him, gesturing with his claw. "Had Dire Hyena Number Alpha One been completely pacified at a premature time, Sir, we would not be able to properly analyze its methods at defeating negative stimuli. I apologize for the loss of life, but normally lab conditions are much more serene."

He is nonplussed at the various developments, and does not lay a hint of blame anywhere, including upon himself.

[VEGA]
A slight sneer rises upon Vega's face as Echo starts to praise him in her sarcastic fashion. However, Sabbath's explanation causes him to retract the sneer into an almost thoughtful expression. The technicians start to return to their senses, and rush to clean the carnage that has happened, with one rushing over to wipe the smatterings of blood directly from the boots of Vega. In very short order, the lab is once again sterlized. The Hyena turns, and moves back to its cage, sitting down as the door swings shut, once more trapping the creature within it.

The Lord of Shadaloo takes a few moments, before he opens his mouth. The words that come forth are velvety smooth and enticing, as if the natural charisma and presence of a man such as he doesn't do the voice he has justice.

"Release number three in Sunshine City with four monitorbots. Report back with how long it takes local authorities to deal with it. Then I want you to send number one to my throne room. It will make for a nice 'decoration'."

The crimson clad being now steps closer to Echo, reaching down to pull her head up to stare directly at her face. He allows this to last for a few moments before releasing her. Studying the newest employee, a slight grin crosses the man's face.

"Its a shame I lost V1, however.. I suppose you'll do as a replacement..."

[ECHO]
Echo is secretly probably a little amused Sabbath seems to be in hot water here, but she keeps her trap shut for the moment, letting the two speak. She especially doesn't interject when Sabbath mentions the lab conditions--she /had/ just come out of a computer monitor severeal feet away and likely distracted everyone with her shenanigans. Hey, that tech could buy a new arm pretty easily, right? And if not they could grow one for him! likely. Or experiment with such.

Echo to her credit wasn't even really being sarcastic, with her praise--though the 'author of pain' bit might have been a little too much, and more reserved for a dark lord type. To be fair she /had/ met those before. They tended to enjoy the ego-strokage. Among other things...

Her eyes are wide as she's pulled up and made to stare directly into the dictator's eyes, however--who knows what she sees in there?

"L-Lost? Were they killed? I could reanimate them for you, sir!" She slowly, hesitantly begins to grin a little.

[SABBATH]
"Very well, Lord Vega," Sabbath responds curtly, tipping his chin upwards. "It may please you to know that these particular samples seem to exhibit a skill useful to our urban warfare operatives, that being target determination opportunism."

Sabbath smiles as Vega pays special attention to Echo. Her level of detached empathic manipulation will do well in his personal experiments. As her DNA sample is cached in his systems and is catalogued, Sabbath moves around to a flat computer desk for logging laboratory commands.

"The Dire Hyenas we've recovered on contract from the Lord's Resistance Army appear to be highly selective about analyzing and targeting prey. We will see how they function in Sunshine City, selecting various civilian and police potentialities."

[VEGA]
"V1 was merely a test subject. His loss is nothing that will hinder me. However, I'm certain that he'll never forget his time with me. Or the betrayal that led to it..."

The mighty dictator makes a noise similar to what would consider a laugh, yet it's that much more when Vega performs it. His eyes turn to the screen, watching the data flow across for a moment, only to turn his gaze away. Staring at the other cages, the lord of Shadaloo slowly starts to consider a new prospect.

"Sabbath. I have a new assignment for you. Compile the data from the V1 project, then apply it to the Cyborg project. Let us see if we can increase the viability of both projects..."

The dictator turns away, only to move towards the main doors of the lab, only to pause for a brief moment. It's not often Shadaloo manages to obtain new prospects, especially Darkstalkers. A dark smile appears upon the man's face as he now continues to exit the lab.
%~As for you Echo.. Attend to me.~

[ECHO]
"Oh," Echo sounds a little disappointed, though not due to the untimely death--rather the lack of an opportunity to exercise her specialized skills. It's always a great opportunity to do what one loves, after all.

Her heels clicking as she's let back down to the floor, Echo readjusts her dress and hair. That was an up close and personal experience. As Sabbath is given his marching orders, however, she's wide-eyed and a little surprised that Vega is asking for her help personally, with something, however.

"Oh, yes, right away sir, aheh..." she grins a little and saunters after him, apparently ready to see to his wishes.

However dark and sinister those may be. Hey, she gets paid for this, after all.

Log created on 07:12:33 12/15/2018 by Echo, and last modified on 09:43:00 12/15/2018.