Powered Marines

T-Minus 5

In the vacuum of space 5 marines in singe shade armor (burgundy, navy, dirty pink, black, and off gold) pursue a woman protected by a force field wielding what appears to be a gnarled wood staff studded with LEDs. The 5 ride futuristic wheel-less cycles that fire energy blasts from the headlights. The woman returns fire with her staff propelled blasts. Their attack hit her throwing her off balance and her blast in turn damages the cycle. The 6 of them make a crash landing toward the 3rd planet from the sun.

As the cycles go up in a explosion of fire and metal the 5 warrior leap clear landing deftly on their feet, each drawing their holsters futuristic blaster at their hips and in synch point them at the witch as she gets back to her feet.

“Reeva, surrender, your out manned, out gunned, and out maneuvered.” Announces the one in burgundy.

The witch, Reeva, laughs “You insects continue to oppose me? Yes, yes I know. Killed a few populations, but really your getting so worked up, you feed on the flesh of lesser being all the time, and my kill followed all the human slaughter laws of the council.”

Pink gasps audibly “Those were sentient space faring races you monster, not a herd of Zer-wogs.”

Reeva shrugs “Says Slyph Taurine the Arborian.” Reeva continues her voice shifting from indifference to a bemused tone as she speak slowly as if talking to a pet “Must have been really hard to lean a higher language like my own. That’s so cute. Who’s your master?”

The 5 marines [Remu’k Nad’rid’zel (Red), Zei’ga Gharen (Blue), Slyph Taurine (Pink), Vit’l Zermouth (Black), Com-Ter (Yellow)] disgust peek as they fire in unison at Reeva. She raises her staff several of the LEDs glowing as a force field resists the attacks. Vit’l backs away as the other 4 continue the assault keeping Reeva’s focus as he leaps into the air.

“Awwww cute you learned how to use a blaster.” Laughs Reeva as Vit’l come down upon her from above with his Axe. Reeva raises her gloved hand and several LEDs glow blasting Vit’l onto his back

“Scatter this isn’t working!” shouts Zei’ga as the 4 break away dashing to various position drawing their main weapons, Remu’s sword, Zei’ga’s double spiked staff, Slyph’s high tech bow, and Com-Ter’s daggers.

“Let’s end this before she pulls another trick out of her staff!” shouts Remu’k “Lets bring um together!”

Slyph turns to Vit’l and tosses her bow “Right, Vit’l Catch!”

Reeva laughs “What this now? Do you have some new little power you want to show off? Go ahead this should be fun to watch.”

Vit’l catches the bow and in a swift motion snaps in into 3 parts, a scope and 2 arches. The arches are slid into rails inset to the sides of his axe and the scope slid into a railing at the top, the blade facing down he tosses it toward Zei’ga.

Reeva yawns mockingly faking falling asleep “Awwww how cute.”

Zei’ga Catches the combo weapon and break his staff at the midpoint, then swiftly he feeds the tubes through circular segments in the bow’s body, he throws it Com-Ter who does a similar feed with his daggers.

Reeva opens her eyes wide senses a surge of power “What is that ungainly thing?”

Remu’k catches the weapon sliding his sword onto the top the blade sliding around the scope as a hope open in its center. The other 4 gather around Remu’k he stands while the other kneel acting a s a brace ad power build in the device feeding toward the main axe. The 5 marines also begin to glow.

Reeva can barely contain her mirth “A united power attack that’s you’re big weapon?”

The power builds and builds finally crashing out of the cannon as a massive beam of pure raw pulsating energy. Reeva smirks and raises her staff. The light glow brightly and she raises her shield the forces meet and the world trembles. The power shakes, they fight for control and then in a instant the shield crashes the force of the blast crushes through slamming into Reeva throwing her back from the force, she’ lands winded and wounded but still in the fight.

“That actually hit me you little ANIMALS!” Reeva growls “Well beasts I have my own attack beast. Let me introduce you to Dra’nor!”

Reeva raises with a limp and raises her staff their a bright flash of green and he stands before them A marine like them, clad in forest green, a golden body armor shimmering around his form. The 5 marines stager in shock.

“The power of Determination!” gasps Remu’k.

“The Tall Walker.” Shudders Vit’l

Reeva smirks “Destroy them my pets.”

“Yes master.” Dra’nor’s voice was cold, metallic, without light or soul.

“You enslaved his mind!”

“I trained him to be obedient.” Reeva smirks

“MONSTER!”

Dra’nor dove into the fray, his dagger slashing deep into each of the five. As the rose to counter he was there and stuck. Every time they moved to counter he counter attacked before they attacked. Reeva laughs as Dra’nor decimates time and again Remu’k, Zei’ga Gharen, Vit’l Zermouth, and Com-Ter.

“Wait where is the Arborian?” muses Reeva.

Dra’nor pauses, “Should I hunt her down master?”

“Right here!” Slyph Taurine rises behind Reeva placing the unity weapon to her back, the 4 use the chance to hold Dra’nor still.

“Do it!” Remu’k shouts

“I’m sorry.” Chokes Slyph as she pulls the trigger. The energy build and releases, her form glowing as the blast rips into Reeva and the recoil hurls her back. The beam smashing into Reeva, Around her and into Dra’nor and the 4. Already weakened the 4 heroes fall crumpling like paper as the power is lost and their lives are extinguished.

Reeva turns around “You’re all alone.” She winces, raising her staff. Her arm trembling it falls from her hand. Wound from the blast Dra’nor limps to his master gathering the staff. “You are mortally wounded mistress we must flee!”

“NO!” Slyph shouts as she fires again, the power and energy flow out of her. The slam the duo and she is sent sailing. When she lands her heart has already stopped. Reeva manages to raise her shield as the blast hits, diluting it before it breaks through. Dra’nor and Reeva look at each other and in a flash they are gone. To recover.

Moments pass, the 5 bodies convulse, the world shakes as the powers coalesce, their souls, their power consumes the bodies in a fire of light as the power burrows into the ground. The power reaches into the earth, and into space drawing forth the SOURCE to Earth, slowly a command center rises from the honed stone under them.


T-Minus 4 Part 1

Several years pass; the command center looms over the dusty landscape like a thumb sticking out of the Earth. A shaped outcropping in the sandstone, at a distance it is a stark and strange edifice among the sand stones but hardly unnatural in design.

Meanwhile on the Moon hidden from even the strongest of eyes under a cloak of shadows on the dark side. Inside its hallowed halls Reeva sits on her throne alone. The door open and she watches the creature enters, a sphinx, a warrior resembling a mix of man and lion clad in gold armor.

“And who are you?” she yawns.

“I am Ra Ultimos, I served under Lord Zot.”

Reeva yawns “Didn’t the Ra in his army have wings?”

Ra is silent…

“So you failed and he striped your wings, why would I want a failure under my command, you think you can beat those blasted marines?”

He nods…

“And what do you get out of it?”

“I wish to prove my worth to Lord Zot.”

Reeva yawns looking at her staff “No, I don’t broken with animals who cant even do their master’s bidding.”

“I bring a gift,” Ra kneels extending his hand a hand full of clay balls rest in his hand, he tosses them to the ground where they grow into several man sides clay men. “Disposable troops, mindless, warriors. The marines can not defeat a army of drones leads by a general such as myself.”

“Is that all?” she yawns slightly bemused “I can create my own minions as well. Even grow them to massive proportions if I desire.”

Ra takes a deep breath, turning to the door “Bring in my associate Coffret.”

A bird like alien is lead in “Coffret is a master geneticist, with some supplies and a little time he can provide a army of monsters to crush your enemies.”

“Uh huh? And the difference from the clay men is?”

“They are intelligent, well to a degree, independent acting, they are powerful as any warrior send you myself.”

Reeva prepares to open her mouth when her staff beeps. She waves it in the air creating a visual hologram of the earth below. She gasps the pink marine is there.

Earth….

“Look I don’t want any trouble mister.”

The man in the brown brimmed hat holds his gun steady.

“I dun know who you are little lady but you dun busted in on me and my boy’s heist.”

“I don’t want any trouble but if you insist on a fight!”

She reaches for the blaster at her side but the thief and his cohort already have their drawn and fire. She bounds over the bullet flipping in mid air and firing, the blast hit dead center stunning the criminals, as she lands theirs a flash of pink light and she is gone. The criminals stagger about trying to locate the lady only to face the sheriff as they regain their focus.

Back on the moon Reeva look to Ra “Destroy that town, draw out that marine, and any allies she has…destroy them!”

“Yes Mistress!”

T-Minus 4 Part 2

The clay men swarm into town Ra on their tails, a flash of pink light resonates and the marine stands, the armies of Reeva stand tall.

“Ra,” she growls “call your goons off.”

“I don’t think so, Master Reeva wishes your destruction.”

4 others crowded around the pink clad one. “Dun worry little Philly, ya stood up against Jesse and now we stand with you.”

“Thank you, but you can’t fight this battle, not in your current state.”

“Well miss,” Spoke up a woman, African America indentured servant, and she stood with the 3 boys beside the pink clad marine. “What you thinking then?”

The pink marine’s hands a device to each of her friends “Just announce the name of the strongest creature you know and the device will infuse you with the energy of past warriors.”

“Well golly Pink Philly if that all we gotta do I say we do it boys.” Said one of them pausing to look at the servant girl “and lady.”

“Scorpion”
“Ox”
“Coyote”
“Viper”

In a flash 4 new marines stood, their armor a slightly different design to the pink one, the red one's helmet patterned after a scorpion. Blue was the Coyote, Black the Ox, Yellow was the Viper.

“Hooo Wee!”

Pink thrust out her hand at Ra “We’re the law here, now leave peaceably!”

The attack began in earnest, guided by the spirits of warriors past the new blood dealt with the clay men army while pink charged Ra. She drew her bow and fired arrows of energy; Ra deflected with his bow. She leaps over his large swing landing deftly on her feet but she was slow to turn and the blade swung fast. Thunder cracked the heavens as He rod in on a white stallion his six shoots smoking and throwing Ra’s blow off. Pink gasped as the brave stmarine saved her life.

“Get him little lady.”

“Thanks, I owe ya one.”

“Just stop that monster.” He replied riding hard past Ra his guns cracking the heavens as she unloading her bow at close range slipping into a kneel as she spun around. Ra chuckled leaping back as the blows hammered into him. He winced preparing a direct assault on the stmarine on the stallion. But the battle was paused as space was rent a hole in space torn open rippling with all the colors of the rainbow. At the end of the portal was a strange location where 5 oddly dressed men and a woman of African decent waited called out, A strange metal man behind them. Pink looked to the battle and the portal but did not get to decide as the vortex drew her in. The battle resumed in her absence and Reeva watched from the heavens.

“It is time to end this, Coffret, make me a monster, this battle will not be allowed to escalate I am ending it now!”

“Yes Mistress.”

Back on earth the Wild West marines dispatched the last of the clay men gathering around Ra, the White Rider circling around the battle, guns smoking.

“What did ya do to the Pink Philly?”

“It was not my hand, but I wish it was!”

Reeva's voice boomed in the sky “Ra, leave now, this battle ends by my hand!” her voice shook the 5 defenders to the bone as a creature resembling a anthromophorized 6 shooter appeared before them and then Reeva’s staff slammed into the ground at it’s feet.

“Grow my monster, GROW!!!!!!!!!!!” boomed Reeva’s Voice as Ra vanished in a flash of light and the staves LEDS glowed and Gun Beast rose into the heavens.

“W…what the hell do we do now.” Stuttered the White Rider.

“We take this fight to the sky as well.” Announced the red marine.

“Ready!” shouted the others as the once more shouted out their totem animals, the ground shook as a giant mechanized Scorpion, Coyote, Ox, and Viper rose into the sky and the 4 leapt into the heavens to ride them.

T Minus 4 End.


T-Minus 3

1993 – Luna’s Dark Side
“Houston, we have uncovered a artifact.” Crackled the time-delayed voice of the astronaut back down to earth control.

“Describe it, what does it look like?”

“It sort of resembles a trashbin or time capsule.” The astronaut turns to his partner “Help me get this lid.”

“Ok.”

Bending low the 2 men work on unsealing the container. Their a metallic hiss none can hear as the lock releases and the top slides off. From the container Reeva emerges as well as Coffret and Ra. She looms over the astronauts like a devil from hell taking in a non-existent breath.

“Ah fresh air.” Her smirk twisting into a devils grin “Ra, would you like a new pet?”

“What ever you wish master.” He growls.

The Astronauts turn trying to run/jump away “Houston! HUSON! We have a problem!”

Reeva raises her staff a bot of energy ripping out from the staff and striking the two astronauts, their forms twisting and contorting into mockeries of the human form. A bloated blue pig like demi human and a black winged monkey. Ra grumbles as his pet has the wings that he so seeks to reclaim. The 5 of them walk deep into the dark side.

Earth – Houston

“Houston!…have …lem!”

“We’ve lost the signal sir, the astronauts aren’t responding!”

The Command Center
The Core glows, systems come to life as the holographic emitters come online, Zardoz and his successors cycles though a symphony of confused voices until the metal man stirs, he scurries to the controls adChrisg settings until Zardoz com in as the primary focus and voice.

“Rotoscope what is going on, we have senses Reeva stirring.”

“A moment Zardoz, let me get the scanners online!”

“Hurry, if she is indeed free we will need to find a new generation of marines!”

“I’m working as fast as I can Zardoz!”


Angel’s Basin so named for the ribbed shape of the basin and its port/marinas that gives the shoreline a feathered wing outline. In the town’s center in the Youth Center the teens of the basin practice their martial arts, enjoy juices, work the teen hotline. A failing concept, the youth center, Angel’s Basin has managed to make it thrives by localizing everything from an arcade, dojo, nightclub, and crisis center in one central location. 5 friends are a prominent focus there, their passion for martial arts drawing 5 teens for different walks of life to one common passion. The peace is broken as a duo, a large fat teen and a skinny one make their way in, their clothes tagged with the colors of the Crypts gang.

“Yo B-Fresh, da Crypts gots a message fer ya.” Rumbles the fat one.

“Ya what Fatts said!” monkey’s the skinny one.

The place pauses as the 2 draw their 9 millimeters handguns. A breath is held in the air. An African American teen boy rises for the bench press. “I got out of the Crypts.”

“You don’t leave the Crypts except in a body bag!” threatens Fatts.

“And sometimes not even then!” add the skinny one know as Styx.

“Just leave, you don’t want trouble here.” Says the boy kneeling down to tie his shoe “We don’t want any trouble.”

His 4 friends begin to stir; absently he waves them off with one hand the other at his left calf trembling.

“Look Styx he’s scarred.”

Thunder cracks the air, twice as a .45 shell crash at each of the banger's feet. The B-Fresh rises a smoking .45 in each hand. “We don’t want trouble. And I don’t want to bury you jokers.” Sweat trickles down B-Fresh's brow, if they press their advantage he wonders will he be able to make the shot. He wants to reform but if they act his friends and innocents could die. Suddenly the ground begins to shakes and trembles. Everyone tumbles to the ground. B-Fresh and his friends hit the floor and as the ground shakes the find themselves suddenly whisked away on beams of energy through the air over the desert. In a flash they found themselves standing in the command center. To their right Zardoz’s head was projected by a field of hissing energy from below the floor while the metal man Rotoscope greeted them.

“Welcome humans to our command center.”

The boy in the glasses, Kenny Brice Olsen, looks on with a child’s awe at the computers “Amazing.” He walked about examining each console.

Michael Wood, who was keeping the coolest head of the 5 cleared his throat and spoke up with authority “Just what the hell I going on here.”

“You 5 have been recruited by Zardoz to carry on the legacy of a intergalactic peace keeping force.”

“Peace…keeping…” the words resonated with Malcolm “B-Fresh” Johnson like a siren’s call. “Like the police?”

“Yes,” Zardoz’ voice boomed, his one work shaking the quintet to the bone.

“So like why are we so special.” Claire McIntyre piped in, on of the 2 girls of the group.

“You have the spark, the hero’s spirit. You have that special something, that special trait. Where others run you stand and fight against injustice.” Rotoscope pauses “You are the spiritual descendents of Zardoz over there. Descendents of the first hero.”

Michael nods pulling Kenny away from the consoles “Ya that all well and good but we gotta go.”

The other mutters a bit hesitate but all agree with the assessment.

“You can not leave, if you turn down my gift then Reeva will win, she will descend like a plague and consumed your world.”

“Who…is this Reeva?” inquired the other female, Tara Mayer.

“Reeva is a age old criminal from another world. From her perspective all other sentient races in the universe are as a dog is to you. Humanity in particular being the youngest of races and least developed technologically sees you are less then insects. Even worse as a plague consuming your world and endangering all who come in contact with you.”

Michael remains cool a bit mockingly “And what does the big giant head think of us.”

“Your race has great potential it has yet to fully realize. I don’t know what drives Reeva to kill alien races such as you’re with such vigor or why she considers them all inferior to her. On her own world she was not a mass murderer, her worst crimes there were cruel but not monstrous treatment of the local animal life. A petty criminal, but in the grand scheme of the universe she a genocidal mass murderer. You 5 have been chosen to stop her once and for all.”

“Right and how are we going to do that?” Malcolm inquires.

“Assuming we choose to aid you, of course.” Adds Michael.

The ground shakes and a crystal globe lights up, the 7 of them turn to it as Ra and his army of clay men stride into town, already several bodies lie dead by the creatures hands or his blade. The 5 gasp in horror, a flash of white light envelops the 5 as a small device appears in each of their hands.

“Her general attack your home, there is no more time to talk. I have pulled from your mind the name of the 5 most powerful beasts you can think of. You will use that totemic power by evoking its name while holding the device I have given you to become my marines and defeat Ra. Michael Wood you are Red: The Blood of Sacrifice you are the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex. Kenny Brice Olsen you are Blue: The Calm of The Mind your are the sturdy Triceratops. Malcolm “B-Fresh” Johnson is Black: The Wall of Defense drawing the power of the Mammoth. Claire McIntyre you’re Pink: The Love of All Life, and cal the pterodactyl your power. Lastly Tara Mayer you are Yellow: The Will to Resist Domination, yours is the Sabertooth Tiger!”

In a flash the 5 are transformed and in an instant they are transported back to Angel’s Basic directly before Ra.

Ra smirks “Ah Zardoz’s lackeys. This time we will kill you!”


T-Minus 2

Kenny raises his hands I a peaceable gestures at the gold armored sphinx “Look! We don’t want to fight some psycho floating head teleported us here!”

“Oh?” Ra chuckled darkly “Very well then, do not interfere with me and you may go.”

“Great!”
“Excellent!”
“Sweet!”
“Cool!”
“….”

The 4 pause looking at the silent Malcolm Michael piping up “What’s up M?”

“Look around.”

Th 4 pauses and for the first time takes in the devastation and death around them.

“Remember Zardoz’s words, left unchecked this creature slaughtered all these people. And were just going to walk away.”

“Well ya but what can we do…”

Ra chuckles “Nothing, now go before I change my mind.”

Absently a voice of a struggling civilian draws Ra’s attention, in a flash the sword leaves his hand flying straight for the unlucky survivor. The world seems to stand still as in that instant the quintet is resolved, as if driven by a higher force they move.

“New plan!”
“You’re…”
“…Going…”
“…Down.”

While the other 4 charge Ra Michael breaks right drawing his sidearm as he runs, he knows this will take precise aim but wonders is he that good. Red energy spits from the gun in rapid succession himself saying a silent prayer to whoever is listening. Meanwhile the 4 engage Ra, and his goons, even with his blade in flight Ra seems unafraid. The red beam skim their mark as the civilian tries to break into a run is wounded and hurt. Michael fires again but the red beams meets with a purple one in flight the dues shots meet deflecting the blade but…not enough it blasts into the chest of the civilian, shattering rip and coming out the other side. Ra steels a glance, the teens gasp, Michael keels before the fallen man…

“He’s alive barely…But we need to get him to the hospital!” he growls looking to heaven “Zardoz Teleport him!”

“Impossible!” Zardoz’s voice booms “You are needed in the field!”

Michael growls rising, his weapon dropping at his feet “You either teleport us or I stop fighting and let cat boy kill me, and you loose your marine!”

Zardoz’s rage is palpable, even the civilians can feel it radiating out from the 5 of the marines' bodies. A strange alien energy “You win.” In a flash of red Michael and the civilian are gone.

The 4 fight valiantly agent the cleymen, but the fight is, the fight is pointless, draining, the cleymen fight with no skill they zerg them as a mass the swing wide and loose, these use sheer numbers. The wear down the 4 who fight with skill they never knew with sure ferocity and in the back Ra strides toward his sword to reclaim it. Drawing it just as the last of the clay minion’s fall to dust around the bruised and battered quartet and Michael reappears in a flash of red light.

“This ends now marines.”

“We couldn’t agree more monster.”

As a unit the charge Ra stands back waiting as the 5 draw their personalized weapons. In a flash a black axe swings toward his head Ra’s blade meets it, Michael swings his sword while Ra is occupied with Malcolm and Ra block it effortlessly with his gautleted fist. Kenny comes in high with his doubled bladed staff. Ra dives into a split knocking the feet out from Michael and Malcolm and making Kenny miss wide. He comes up as Tara hits him dead on with her daggers and an arrow shot from Claire. As Malcolm and Michael scramble to their feet Ra laughs leaping over Claire only to be hammered by Malcom’s Axe. Ra deflects it with his sword but is tagged by a red bolt from Michel’s firearm launched in tangent with a yellow beam Both launched from the twin guns in Tara’s hands.

“You will not get away!” growls Malcolm as he holds Ra’s attention.

“Get away? I wouldn’t dream of letting you get away!” laughs Ra malevolently.

With a hard kick he knocks Malcolm on his back but as he turns to the others he is hammered by a blue, yellow, red, and pink bolt fired by the girls and Kenny and meets Michael and his blade. He deflects the sword with his own only to be hammered by Malcom’s axe. Ra blocks the attack with his free hand laughing. Even with an axe at his back and a sword meeting his own as well as a flurry of laser bolts scorching his armor he manages to match them all on the defense.

Ra ducks under a sword blow swinging back hard and riving his sword into Malcolm setting off sparks from his suit protection field. He spins around to take on Malcolm as he rises, deflecting the sword of Michael with his free hand and looks wide.

Malcolm sits up his smile hidden by his helmet “Hey goldie locks. I have a present for you…Axe Blaster!” he twists and cocks a pump ring on the axe handle and faces the base to Ra unleashing a blast of black/purple energy at Ra. He leaps aside as the blast hits Michael laughing as his own suit sparks.

But as he sails into the air Kenny strikes with his pole arm, Ra is broken out of his flight and hammers the ground hard. Michael winches rises unsteady to his feet. As Ra rises the Axe hammers him again Malcolm suddenly in his face. Thrown off balance he is unable to counter as Malcolm hammers an Axe Blast into his stomach.

Ra staggers a bit spitting chrome blood. “Another time.” He laughs as he vanishes into a golden light.

“No!”
“Wait!”
“Coward!”
“Monster!”
“Get back here!”

In an instant the 5 are gone back in the presence of Zardoz. And the holographic head does not look pleased.

“It appears I have chosen the wrong champions to defend this world.”


T-Minus 1

“It appears I have chosen the wrong champions to defend this world.” Zardoz’s words echo long in the chamber. “I gave you a gift to defend your world and you abuse my generosity by giving me orders. Without me you would be ash under Reeva heels.”

“What good is being protectors if we let people die in our presence!” growls Michael. “Didn’t you call me the Blood of Sacrifice. What am I supposed to be sacrificing for! The remains of the people who aren’t killed!”

“You called me the will to resist domination but that doesn’t seem to apply when you’re the domineering one!”

“Insolent humans! I gave up everything for the power you have! My live, my soul, my after life, how dare you question my motives”

“Maybe you’ve been in that box too long!”

Kenny tries to bring some rational thought to bear “Hold up guys, can't we talk about…”

“SHUT UP KENNY!” growls Michael biting off Kenny’s head, figuratively speaking.

“Fine then, if that’s how you feel I’ll take back my power, and while I’m looking for your REPLACEMENTS Reeva and her goons will have free reign to destroy and kill your world and people”

The 5 are silent before Malcolm speaks “Guy we have a opportunity here to protect people.”

“Ya,” Claire growls “As his slaves.”

“Maybe it would help if you told us how this started,” Kenny interjects “Maybe if we understand Zardoz we might…”

“SHUT UP…”

“Aye-Yi-Yi,” Groans Rotoscope “You have no idea the sacrifices we have made.”

“YOU have made you’re a stupid machine!”

“I am a Cyclopean! Your race was born of flesh mine of Steel but I am as much alive as you are!”

“Fascinating!” muses Kenny.

Michael sighs “Ok FINE, tell us your story, THEN we leave.”

Rotoscope pauses “At the dawn of civilization there were no heroes. In the beginning the darkness was the rule. The worst of theses was Lord Zot. In this dark time power came to those who claimed it and none stood up against the power of a warlord, none would sacrifice their life against a army without one of their own. There was no hope, no courage.”

“Until Zot came to my world to claim it, I stood up and refused his rule. I was but a farmer but I would not let my people roll over to a corrupt warlord. I opposed him, and fell.”

“As his soul left his body Zardoz’s spirit was drawn to my laboratory where I was working on a project for my people. When my people grow old we do not die our people simply exist inside a body that can no longer function. It is a disquieting death, for we are conscious of all but can not interact with the world. I built the core so that some day in time we could transfer our consciousness to a clone body but the first step. This core all it do was store spirits in it. I could not get it to even do that until Zardoz was drawn to it. In this configuration it enabled a spirit though a smaller conduit device to fuse with another being, fortifying there body and spirit with its own.”

“He wanted to release me to go to my after life but I CHOOSE to stay and together we searched the cosmos for other defiant spark, other heroic souls and we gave them the power you had fortified with my soul to oppose injustice.”

The holographic displace flickers for a moment a multitude of faces filling the room about them as a symphony of voices continued. “Over time, some of use when we died choose to join the great power fortifying further generations with our collective power, other choose to go to their afterlife.”

The holograms of the many alien faces remain around them as Rotoscope continues “Over time the power became more then any one being could handle safely, but our technology has improved as well, some of that was diverted to give weapons and special equipment. As the legacy grew it grew beyond just weapons and armor and other equipment was born of the power, transportation and eventually at its zenith massive war machines, towering behemoths, titans who could build or destroy on a massive scale piloted by the bearer of the power. And eventually that power created 6 warriors, their equipment and their behemoths.”

“Wait we get giant war machines as well?” inquires Kenny.

“Yes.”

“Wait…” Malcolm pauses, “6 but their only 5 of us.”

Th room grows cold and dark returns to just Zardoz’s face. Rotoscope is cold his voice becoming hard, mechanical, more then normal. “Reeva took from us our 6th warrior. Stole his power, ripped it from the core and bound it to her own power. And when the warriors 2 generation your senior followed her to Earth she sicked her own warrior on them. And destroyed them. She was wounded, and we both spent years rebuilding our power base. Until their was a disturbance, it was in your wild west era and your previous generation had to face Reeva eventually they sealed her away for what we hoped was good. Until recently when your astronauts released her.”

“And that brings us to the present, Now go, hands your transformation device to Rotoscope and leave I will find worthy heroes for your world.”

The 5 pause and again Malcolm speaks “And while your looking what then.”

“Reeva will do what ever she wishes too.”

The 5 stand immobile, the gravity of thing hitting like a tone of bricks. Michael steps forward “We’re not leaving, but…We need to sent boundaries.”

“Follow my orders and your world is safe.”

“Treat us like Equals, respect us we will!”

“Just who do you think you are!”

“We are your heroes, and this is our world, NOT yours.”

Zardoz is silent “We will come to terms.”