Powered Marines

Aftermath

Jason’s skin felt heavy, hard, he felt like his very body was dragging him down, that every breath was an effort to move his chest. Over a dozen buildings were smashed to the ground, several blocks were decimated. Hundreds of lives lost. Thousands injured. Some by his hand. His brother Michael stood at his side, his arm around his brother’s stiff shoulders.

“If I had never come back…”

“Reeva would have found another, like Trinity.”

Claire wraps her arms around Jason from behind, Michael slipping his hand out as she hugs him tight. “It’s ok Jason, you couldn’t control yourself.”

“That’s still no excuse.”

Michael looks past the 2 to the triage unit. The Hydro Hag lying asleep in the shadow of a makeshift triage tent. “I really misjudged her.”

Jason follows the gaze of his sibling “The frog girl, how so?”

“It’s a long story.”

Claire released her grip on Jason as he turned to his brother, seeming to be in better spirits. Her gaze was caught by a pair of medics rolling a sheet over the woman who once had the flaming wings. Swiftly she made her way through the triage area until she came up to the paramedics.

“Is she going to be ok?”

One of the medics looks at Claire and shakes his head. “She didn’t survive. Weather it was the fall or the exertion we can’t tell.”

Claire’s voice dropped to a whisper, “She turned the tide.”

Her voice picking up “Do we have a name, she should be remembered.”

“No identification.”

Claire lowers her head a moment before it snaps back up again, her eyes gleaming, “Hey is there any place for the people to spend the night?”

“Nothing solid yet.”

“I think I may know a place, who would I contact if I find one.”

Meanwhile over at another triage unit Malcolm, Tara, and Kenny are silent. They move with a somber fluidity as they assist the workers.

“If only this was the end of it, but no, they fled again. The battle will resume…and soon.” Kenny ponders grimily.

The Moon
Reeva peers out of the balcony of her throne room down to Earth, a wide grin on her face. Ra stands behind her while the blue winged monkey know as Imp and the pig creature know as Sloth hang further back. The duo of Imp and Sloth the prize Reeva gifted to the astronauts who freed her. Transformign them into the duo for her amusement.

“Are you alright mistress?” Ra begins.

“Oh yes, everything is going as planed.”

“As planned? But you lost the green one, the yellow one, and the silver one?”

“But look at their city, their spirits are crushed. One good monster…”

“Oh…oh! We have a idea master!” Imp injected excitedly.

“Shhhh…shhhh Imp!” Sloth scoled as he hit Imp on the nose.

The hyper blue momney jumped around and screeched “Master, Master, please let us make you a monster.”

A smile spread across Reeva’s lips as she looked over at the duo. “Go on then.”

Imp danced out of the room, Sloth following behind at a sedate pace. Ra looked to Reeva as they left. “Is that really a good idea?”

“They don’t need to create a competent monster, any will do to batter their defenses to nothing.”

The Youth Center
Claire weaved her way through the main room, once a bussling chamber full of kids getting food, doing martial arts, gymnastics or some other activity was now filled to capacity with huddle and bandaged masses wraped in blankets and nursing hot drinks. In her hands was a trey full of more hot drinks, weaving her way through she periodaly stoped to hand a mug to a shivering person. At the far end of the chamber the Hydro Hag was asleep on a pratice mat, a pair of uniformed officiers watched after her, periodically patting her body down with moistened rags. Claire stopped as she passed a window. Her gaze drifted out to Tara and the boys on the courtyards playing some B-ball.

Trinity sat on the sidelines with Kenny as Tara, Jason, Michael, and Malcom were playing hoops. Absently she rubbed her chest. Kenny looked her way with a concerned look on his face.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just a little rash, that’s all.”

“You want to see the paramedics in the Youth Center?”

Trinity shook her hand, Kenny gently took her hand in his. “You’re not to blame.”

Suddenly the moment was shattered as a creature appeared out of no where. The 6 foot humanoid creature resembled a anthromorphic hermit crab with its 4 pincer arms and armored body. Before anyone could react the creature charged for Kenny and Trinity sending them flying then moved to strike the 4 playing b-ball. As the 6 picked up their batted bodies from where they landed gun shots rung out. Hot led smashed into the creature exoskeleton as Fatts and Styx emerged from the Youth Center, their hands gun still smoking.

“Beat it freak!” Fatts threatened as he squeezed off another round.

Malcom got to his knees and coughed throughthe pain as he looked to the two ‘bangers. “Thanks.”

“We didn’t do this for you!” Fatts sneered.

“Yeah! Yeah! Our posse inside!” Styx added.

The duo squeezed off another pair of rounds causing the creature to take a few steps back. Police and paramedics rushed out to helps the kids, uniformed officers joining Fatts and Styx in the fire fight.

Michael tried to get out of the medics grip but they held them firm.

“We gotta go!”

“We’re taking you inside now, you took a pretty heavy crash back there, we need to make sure nothing is broken.”

Michael, Jason and the rest watched in horror as the monster pressed through the gun fire toward the line of gun fire. Even as they were rushing toward the inside of the Youth Center. There was a sudden flash of pink and Claire, in her armored form appeared.

“Leave now,” Her voice had dropped several octaves and carried a edge to it that made Michael’s spine curl.

Pink drew back the energy string on her bow, knocking a nergy arrow into the chamber. The pink energy hissed and growled around her fingers as she held the string taunt, and released. The bolt struck the monster square in the chest making it step back several paces. Claire was already in the air, a stream of pink lighting spat from her blaster, the monster tried to protect himself with his arms as he advanced. The gunmen stoped fireing and broked back toward the Youth Center. Claire landed behind the creature, a arrow ready pointed toward the creatures head at point blank range.

“There are people in there, hurt people, Leave now. Or I swear…I’ll kill you.”

The monster laughed, a cold, dry, soulless laugh. “Tough talk little girl.”

Her fingers trembled ready to release the blast, the monster was swift, with one motion she knocked the bow from her hands, the energy bolt firing off into the distance, as his extra arms smashed into her chest sending Claire sailing. Re crecovered in mid air and landed in a crouch, legs croused, balancing on her toes with her arms out to the side.

The monster struck her back side sending her spiriling to the ground. She groaned and jumped back to her feet, launcing over the creature as she sailed backward, her blaster ready as it slamed into the creature from above. She landed and chaged, her blaster now in dagger mode she drove it into the creature chest, it failed to penetrate though. Quickly she tured it around, smashing the handle into the monsters face. It staggered and returned wit ha devastating blow of it’s four arms. Claire slumped to the ground, she coughed and groaned. She forced herself to her feet, trembeling, The monster moved toward the Youth Center.

Claire growled, “Take one more step, just one more, and you won’t live to make another.”

The monster laughed again as he turned back toward Claire. “You talk tough, but you can’t back it up.”

The monster turned back toward the Youth Center as Claire struggled to stand. A strong hand touched her shoulder, steadying her. She turned around slowly as team ran past, Jason in the green armor heled to steady her. The other 4 had the combo blaster assembled. They waited for Claire to get into position to support th weapon in Michael’s hands. The creature looked at the ungainly weapon and laughed as it fired. As he stumbled to stay arect as the massive beam of force smashed into him he was struck from both sides by Jason and Trinity’s weapons. The monster stumbled and began to collapse when Reeva’s staff appeared, energy crached around it’s staff, blasting back Jason and Trinity as the monster grew to mammoth proportions. In a instant the Dragon Kaiser and the Warrior combo mech were on the scene. The warrior too kthe monster in a bear hug as the dragon mech hammered it with missles and it’s drill tail. The monster struggled as the warrior dragged it away from the Youth Center, and the city.

The monster broke the Mech’s hold and spin around smashing a arm though a building. A dozen men fell to their deaths if not out right crushed by the hand of the beast. The screams of the 6 pilots could be heard through the speakers in the Mech as more lives we snuffed out. The Warrior Mech took holdof the monster again and the dragon charged, It’s drill tail pressed against the creature’s chest, boore deeper, until finaly it cracked the shell and tore through the other end, pressed wit hsuch formce the drill dug into the warrior mech for several meters.

The monster gasped in pain, as the warrior broke apart and the Pteradon grabed it firmed ly in it’s talons, rocketing into the heavens, the crab creature exploded, caught in the force the Pteradon mech plumetedtoward the city. The T-Rex and Dragon moved swiftly catching it before it made land fall.

Silently the 7 warriors gathered on the street. Sifting through the wreckage for survivors. Their were only a few. And they died before they could get proper medical attention.

Silver Part 1 – The Shining Hope

“Come on bro, you better then this!” Michael taunted as he dodges out of the way of a spin kick from Jason.

Jason growled, lunging for his brother “I know! Stop harping about it.”

Michael counters by dhucking low and using Jason’s momentum to carry him oveer his back and onto the mat. “In the finals you won’t have time for a bad day. Get it together.”

Jason rolled to a kneel, sweeping out his legs in the process, Michael hit the mat hard. Jason’s voice dropped to a whisper. “And when golden boy comes back we won’t have room for error either.”

Getting back on his feet Jason took a defensive stance but Michael lowered his arms. “Is that what’s eating you up? Look your only human. All we can do is move on and try to make amends for the past.”

Jason’s voice was low as smoke “I killed people.”

“You were brain washed.”

“I still killed people, I almost killed you.”

“But you didn’t.”

Micheal leads Jason to a near bench, sitting them down as he looks to Jason. “I almost killed Hydro Hag. All I saw was a monster, and look at all she has done. And I wasn’t brainwashed. How do you think I feel when I go over to Kenny’s and see Hydro Hag there eating dinner with his folks and knowing, that will all my facalties intact, I was so blinded by predjudice I was going to kill her outright.”

Jason looked back into the eyes of his brother and lowered his head. “Your right bro, thanks.”

Pushing up from the seat Jason tried to get the discussion back on track, “Let’s split bro, Maybe lend a hand with the relive effort.”

Jason nodded, just as their communicators beep. The brothers find a secluded spot and are in the command center in a instant. The rest are already there, including the Hydro Hag with her own communicator on one of her wrists and Trinity. Michael and Jason look to the display to see a patrol of claymen causing trouble in downtown.

“You called the 8 of us here for those guys?” Michael says to the giant floating head in irritation.

Rotoscope quickly changes the view on the display, a glowing green energy now visibly emenating from each of the clays. “These are not normal clays, their readings are closer to the constructs and generals then normal clays.”

“How strong could they be?” Jason muses.

“We should find out.” Michel adds tentitivly.

“Precisly, if they are closer to general level then the battle has just gone up a notch if we’re expected to deal with them and the generals together.”

In a instant they appear, a flash of rainbow light as the 6 marines, the silver knight, and the Hydro Hag appear in the street behind the clays. The clays spins around to greet out heroes, silent as always, silent as the grave. They attack, their movies as predictable and simple as always. The 6 marines take posture, generations of fighting technies loaded into their brains as they attack with swift and deadly accuracy. Trinity in the silver armor only has her natural back yard fighting to draw on. She takes the mace in a firm grip and swings wide. The Hydro Hag raises the nozzles of her hand sprayers and unleashes a torent of her potions at the clay warriors. A few pause, look at one another and contine their attacks.

“Damn,” The Hydro Hag shouts, “Their brains aren’t sophisticated enough to be effected by my love potion.”

“Just hose um, keep them off their feet!” Michael commands.

The Hydro Hag immediately switches tactics, slicking the ground under the clay as the charge to attack one of the octaginal group. Trinity hammers another with her mace causeign the clay to stagger but it keeps on fighting. Meanwhile the other marines, despite the pounding they are pressing into the clays, is seeming to have no effect.

“There’s invicible!” Trinity shrieks.

“Close to it for our power level,” Kenny in the blue armor admits.

With a soft hum the black boxes on their bandolers begin to beep. The crystiline disc/coin in each’s center on the 6 marines continues to spin, a back light behind them of each of the six’s signature colors pulses brighter in tun wit hthe beeping. Michael taps the coin a moment as Zardoz’s voice plays through the box.

“Green and Red, return to the chamber at once, the rest of you hold the forces at bay. There may be a way to tip the power back but I will need Red and Green to embark on a mission for this new power. We can not let the city fall to these clays.”

“Right!” the 8 say in unison as Michael and Jason vanish to the command center. On the display a lush forested jungle is displayed.

“Ages ago a powerful soul was connected to the core. Too powerful in fact, and unlike in the past that power could not be devided to spawn a new marine or group of marines. This power, this Titan left the company of the core to seek out a way to serve on his own.”

“Uh we don’t have time for a flashback sequence here, just tell us what we gotta do.” Michael said irritated.

“Let the giant floating head talk, bro.”

“Thank you Jason. In any case Titan forced over the course of a melinia his own core from his own force of will. You must endure his gauntlet, an lush jungle full of lethal traps, by past his own mech guardian and gain audience with Titan. Only then may you gain his blessing, and the power to tip the scales back the way they shoud be.”

“Beam us out Scotty!” Micheal added quickly.

In a instant the brothers found themselves in a lush jungle, no sooner had they landed than a thundering noise rattled around them. Quickly the brothers moved just as several trees crashed down moments where they had stood.

“Look!” Jason shouted.

Michaels gaze was drawn to a silver pillar of light at the far end of the jungle. The duo nodded to each other and quickly dashed toward the light. They didn’t get far as vines and roots rose up and ensnared they’re feet. The vines crawled and rolled, snaking up both of them, takeing a slower time to ensnare Jason, hs golden armor seeming to radiate a dull light that repelled the advances. Michael was not so lucky.

“Go on without me. You seem to have a natural resistance.” Michael pleaded.

Jason paused in thought, “I can’t leave you bro…”

“Think of the others, every second you delay they…”

Jason growled, quickly pulling his brother’s arm from the foliange and thrusting it to the center of his chest armor. “Neither of us will give, you’re the blood of sacrifice, I’m the power of determination. But maybe Determination and Sacrifice can work together.”

There was a flash of green light around Micheal and the gold armor was now around him, at his side, opposite his blaster was holstered the ocernia. Without tool or armor Jason resembled the other marines in design, and then the power crashed, leaving behind only Jason. Micheal struggled with the vines and in a moment they came loose, the combined power of 2 legacies more then they could restrain. With a little effort he freed his brother and quickly passed his blaster into Jason’s hand.

“Keep it cool bro, watch your back, I’m going for the goal!”

“Right!”

Jason redied the pistol and took a defensive posture as Michael dashed through the forests, his sword drawn he slashed at any errange foliage trying to catch him. Soon he came to a opening and stoped cold. Lumberign toward him was a giant braciosaurs, far larger then even the combined form of his mech. He spied the covr of some stones and quickly rolled to it’s safty. The creature lumbered past and he spied a pair of mammoth cannons mouted on its sides. He shivered thinking of just what those things would do to him if he was caught.

“Spectre! Show yourself!” a sudden new voice boomed.

Silver Part 2 – Divided Souls, United Goals

Silently Michael swore as the behemoth turned toward the voice. Micheal swolloed a knot in his stomach and dashed toward the voice as well. A warrior dressed in crimson dyed body armor that bore a strong resembelence to a roman legionair but maid of a far more advanced material stood at the ready, a high-tech lance in his hands. The behemoth rolled in, its cannons poised at the ready to vaporize the new comer. Michael acted swiftly, dashing in he hefted the figure onto his sholder as the behemoth turned swatch of lush jumgle to ash and black Earth behind them. Stopping for just a moment to let the figure down Michael looked to the pillar of light, and then felt the rumble of the behemoth behind them. The two warrior broke at top speed for the pilar.

“Who the hell are you, drawing attention to yourself.”Michael chided.

“That is of no concern, my people need the power of the marines, and I can not afford to play the games of this land’s master.”

“I am a marine!” Michael shouted, “And right now my brother is alone in this jumgle with just a pistol so I can use his power to get to the pilar, while my team is back home trying to win against a army of indestructible minions.”

“And how is this relevant?” the other asked as they ran, the monster on their tails.

“If I have time to play it smart so do you, what good is the power to save your people if your dead.”

Jason’s voice rang out in pain next, the legionnaire stopped, as did Michael. “Go, I’ll save him, and draw away the beast.”

Michael stopped and took the strangered hand in his. “I promis you this, as soon as it is possible we will help your planet.”

“Thank you.”

The two parted company and picked up their pace, after a short dash Michael had reach the source of the light. A circular ring of stones that surrounded a lone, matalic, translucent figure. Michael approached, into the light.

“My friends…” Michael began.

“I know, but what of your promise to the alien, he is in need of help now?” said the ghost.

“I will find a way.”

“There is a way, but it comes at a price. To save both your friends and the alien you will need to give up something you hold dear.”

“What do you need!” Michael pleaded.

“Your immortal soul.”

Michael choaked, “My what? I must have the wrong pilar, I’m looking for the spirit of a great hero, not the devil’s accountant.”

The spirits voice was calm and collected “I am no devil, To save 2 peoples I can give you the power you need to break Reeva’s magic, divided among your allies. Or I can you the power to stand alone on another world with the strength of your team to guide you in the defeat of the enemy there. I can not do both. But I can divide your body from your soul, transform the spirit, as Zardoz once tried with me, and use that soul to empower one of their warriors. Meanwhile your body and mind would return to Earth with the power you need there. But should your soul forged artifact be destroyed you would be destroyed as well. And if your body, mind, and soul are never reunited when finnaly your body returns to dust their will be no peace in the afterlife for you.”

The words hung heavy on Michael’s heart “And this soulless body of mine, will I have changed any, would I be at rish of becoming one of Reeva’s monsters.”

“No more then any of your other team would. Your soul will be out of your body but they will still be linked.”

“Then I accept, I offer you my soul to save the souls of 2 worlds.”

“You truly are my decendent, the legacy of red, of blood, of sacrifice surges through you. Just as it did me. This transformation will be enhaced by our synergy.”

And with those last words the figure began to radiate a blinding red light. A light so hot and so bright it was felt and seen by the legionnaire, by Jason, and by the citizens of two worlds, and further out the energy radianted, felt to a lesser degree by other worlds.

On one the graves of 5 warriors pulsed, pitched into the marker stones their 5 blades began to pulse with a white light. Below each blade a plaque sat. “Here lies the Celestial Knight” and a name was given, a name alien to anyone of Earth. “…Fought against great odds in the fefense of their people. We will never forget them”

In a lab on another war torn planet, a pulse of white light envelopes a lone alien scientist as he slaves over a small box “Eureaka!”

And deep beleath the ocean of a waterly world 5 aliens draw their spears high, the fish like minions of a ruthless warload surround them like sharks. The passes through there as well and crystilizes into a baseball sized metal orb.

One of the five take the orb in hand. It pulses, warming the water as the top of it opens like the eye of a camera. There is a flash of red light and a new marine appears in the warrior’s place. Ready to fight.

Back on Earth Jason and Micheal appear, their friends all lie at their limits end on the ground, even Trinity and the Hydro Hag lay on their backs. Immediately the clay minions swarms the returning heroes, Jason dives into them, a swift kick shatters the clay creature.

“Oh yeah, were back on top!” Jason exclaims while Micheal leans down, healing up Kenny first. As their hands meet a flash of silver light passes from Micheal’s palm to Kenny’s. Kenny draws his staff and dives into the clay men, just like in the past they shatter from one good blow. In minutes the claymen are defeated, our heroes victorious.

The Moon Palace
Reeva smiles a dark grin as she watches the battle on Earth, Ra’s face a mask of confusion.

“Mistress? I expected you to be furious, they just increase there power again. It’s going to take even greater power to stop them now.”

“Oh Ra, how simple your race is. They just burned one of their biggest assets getting the silver power. When I make my definitive strike they will be down one less secret weapon. And my plans for the yellow, green, silver, pink, and blue ones are not yet complete.”