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La Ronin
Topic Started: Dec 12 2010, 11:19:04 PM (175 Views)
Bx
Notorious
[ * ]
Part I: LeVantz

Chapter I: Planet Death

"...Mr. LeVantz!"

(A voice yelled from the outside of a metallic gray door. Though, it seemed a useless task as the officer had received no response even after five minutes of knocking. Secured by a retinal scanner, one reserved for higher-ranking figures, the lowly patrolman had no way of entering to check if anyone were even inside. His assignment was to inform J.S. LeVantz, one of the government's most esteemed diplomats, of the mandated destruction of Yule, the planet he'd been working on for the past seven months.)

"...LeVANTZ!!"

(The officer called out once again, this time more loudly, suggesting a mix of frustration and annoyance in his tone. However, he quickly placed a hand over his mouth as soon as the words had left his lips. To address a high-ranking official with such irreverence was punishable by up to three years in a government prison facility. The thought of it made the officer's hands quiver once he saw the door lift.)

"...You called?"

(A soft-spoken voice answered from the room once the door had fully lifted. The patrolman shifted his head from side to side nervously, inferring that he'd hoped it was someone else being called upon. He believed that he would surely be reprimanded and cursed himself for his err in judgment, but rather than ensure himself more trouble by stalling, he hurried inside to meet the diplomat.)

(At the sight of LeVantz, the officer extended his apologies without hesitation.)

Officer: I-I-I'm sorry, S-Sir! I didn't-

(LeVantz, who had been laying on his bed with both hands under his pillow, sat up and with a single raised palm, stopped the panicked officer's apology.)

LeVantz: No need for that.

(The officer replied with a series of short, jittery nods, but appeared to be more relaxed once LeVantz asked...)

LeVantz: So, it's a "Planet Death?"

(The officer, again, only nodded.)

LeVantz: Sad. ...There was hope for those people, at least that's what I thought. But if that's what the Druids want...

(LeVantz shrugged, then rose to his feet. Standing not a hair above 5'8 and weighing no more than 170 pounds, the twenty-eight-year-old diplomat was not a physically imposing man at a glance, but those within the company were well aware of the deceptiveness of the human eye. Although viewed as a notoriously introverted figure who spent much of his free time lost in his own thoughts, LeVantz possessed supernatural gifts that placed him within the ranks of the most intimidating men in the company.)

(As he passed the humbled officer, a contemplative stare etched into his expression, LeVantz patted him on the back and said...)

LeVantz: Thank you. ...And listen, don't worry about any kind of punishment, you're fine.

Officer: Uh, thank you, Sir.

(Before stepping outside of his compound, LeVantz stopped walking, paused for a moment to think, and turned toward the officer, who, standing a few feet behind, had also halted.)

LeVantz: Hey, what's your name?

(Hidden behind his gas mask-like helmet, the officer's jaw fell open as he asked himself, "W-W-Why would he ask me for my name if he's not gonna...?", then left his thoughts once he realized an awkward silence had fallen between them, and hastily answered...)

Officer: It's Rabbet. Donnie Rabbet. Like the animal but spelled with an "E" instead of an "I", Sir.

LeVantz: Rabbet, eh? Interesting. Well thanks again, Rabbet.

(LeVantz turned on his heel and left, leaving Rabbet with a swirl of questions regarding their somewhat unusual encounter, in particular, the asking of his name. LeVantz himself, however, moved toward the Centroid, which as its name implied, was the center of the base and also where the Druids would be prepping for the "Planet Death" procedure. Although Rabbet's tone while waiting from outside of LeVantz's door suggested that the preparations were complete or nearing such, the diplomat walked along at a measured pace with his hands crossed behind his back and his stare fixed to the ground. The juxtaposition of his seemingly relaxed, thoughtful stride with the bustle of soldiers and other workers readying themselves for the event was an odd one. To watch from afar, LeVantz appeared to be the sole stilted figure in a world that was fast-forwarding along.)

(Then the alarm sounded.)

"ERR!"

"ERR!"

"ERR!"


(And a voice belted through the loud speaker.)

"RED ALERT!! I repeat, RED ALERT! All military personnel prepare to engage! Yuleans have been spotted on base! Proceed to take down all enemy intruders! I repeat, take down all enemy intruders at once!"


LeVantz: Man, this thing's about to get real ugly...

(He voice aloud, shaking his head as he visualized the inevitable bloodshed. "Can't blame the Yuleans, though... Anyone with even half of a brain would fight this death sentence. And I still don't think they deserve it...", he continued while he inched closer to the Centroid in the midst of the troops rushing to counter the Yulean threat. Though his pace remained quite slow, LeVantz began to move more quickly, shifting into what could be described as a "power walk." With the gates of the Centroid growing larger with every step, LeVantz increased his pace, moving into a jog as his surroundings grew more hectic, all while the Yulean threat became much more apparent.)

BOOM!

(Gunfire from the intruding Yulean spacecrafts pierced through the glass windows of the base, shattering them and mowing down any soldiers who had veered too close. With the windows destroyed, the bullets now scattered freely across the compound, penetrating through all unfortunate to be in their path. One by one, the infantry collapsed like a set of dominoes, unable to withstand the Yulean aerial assault.)

LeVantz: ...They're all gonna be slaughtered if this doesn't stop...

(LeVantz had taken cover behind a pillar just east of the Centroid, but poked his head out to watch the fate of his comrades. As the soldiers dropped, either from death or severe injuries, drones of Yulean troopers appeared from the assault crafts, hopped into the base from the shattered window and stormed the area with weapons in hand.)

LeVantz: This is bad... The Druids are gonna have to wait.

(LeVantz remarked, eyes focused on the Yulean interlopers who were gunning down the company men without restraint. Disregarding the "Planet Death" plans, LeVantz erected himself from his crouched position and appeared from behind the pillar to counter the invasion.)
Edited by Bx, Dec 19 2010, 01:37:50 AM.
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Bx
Notorious
[ * ]
(LeVantz pressed his back against the pillar, stretched his right leg to the side, and fired another look at the action behind him, taking note of the headlights from the two gunships, in particular. As he did this, focusing solely on the beams of light being generated, his pupils, once a hazelnut shade of brown, flashed white. The coloring intensified with each moment he spent gazing at the lights, and within seconds, they appeared to be illuminating, glowing as brightly as the headlights themselves. The Yulean forces, who had been busy dispatching the company men, stopped their onslaught as the light from LeVantz eyes had flared with a potency so bright that it seemed almost blinding.)

"The...hell?"

(A Yulean trooper yelled as he lifted his forearm to shield his eyes.)

"D-Damn it! ...It's a Psygic!"

(Another replied, also covering his eyes, in disgust.)

(And he was right. LeVantz, the otherwise peaceable diplomat, was a Psygic. A portmanteau of Psychic and Magic, Psygics, in short, were those who possessed the ability to manipulate energy with only the power of their minds. Thought to be an innate ability, Psygic power manifests itself in various forms, from simple object movement to more complex techniques such as the manipulation of photons or even kinetic energy. LeVantz's light display was a demonstration of photon manipulation as he had absorbed masses of energy from the headlights, converting it into pure kinetic energy. While the blinded Yuleans could not see it, LeVantz had amassed a cluster of energy that swirled around both of his now stretched open palms. The glare of this energy was rivaled only by that coming from the diplomat's eyes, which were still fixed in such a way inspired only by unbridled hatred. It seemed LeVantz's sympathy for the Yuleans had been decimated when his allies received that fate.)

"...What are we gonna do!?"

(One voice rang out from the crowd.)

"Ah... Ah... Just, just fire!!"

(Another cried, no sense of desperation lost in his tone. And it was with that desperation that the Yuleans kept their eyes shielded with one arm, lifted their weapons with the other, and fired. There was no command, no unity, and no order as they shot aimlessly at their unseen target. LeVantz remained as he had, unscathed and unfazed, with energy radiating from his hands that would soon be unleashed.)

...BOOM!!!


(The sound of gunfire had been drowned out by the blast, only to be taken over by LeVantz's earsplitting scream while the energy discharged from his body. The initial blast had already occurred but the outward flow of the energy was a steady process that was taking its toll on LeVantz, enough to force him onto his knees. When the last of the energy left his body, goosebumps raised the hairs of his skin, and a tingling sensation surged through his veins causing him to shiver. This cold rush sparked more severe convulsions until LeVantz had finally blacked out.)

(Not long after, the gates of the Centroid opened, and out came two men and a woman, all draped in uniforms adorned with various medals and ribbons, symbolizing their high-ranking status. Upon their arrival, they surveyed the wreckage, astonished at the sight. The Yulean forces, who had penetrated through the company's ill-prepared defense so easily, were now scattered across the ground, their bodies torched by the explosive energy LeVantz had hurled at them.)

"What... Which...? No, they couldn't have..."

(One of the men remarked, unable to fathom what infantry force could have caused this as much of the base's steel wall had been obliterated as well. Further inspection of the scene revealed that all of the company men who had tried to defend the base had also been caught in the blast. "What, then...?" became the question that ran through each of their minds as they searched the scene for a survivor. The answer, however, seemed all too obvious to them as to the nature of the destruction but if that were the case then the larger plan at hand would be in void. That was a possibility they did not want to accept regardless of the evidence. "He knows what doing this would mean... It would cripple our plans for at least a day, if not more. He's smarter than that, for sure.", the female among the three told herself, while she tapped the cooked, decrepit flesh of a deceased Yulean. Then one of the men, who had been searching in a section just east of the Centroid, called out to them.)

"I, I found him! Get over here, you two."

(The man beckoned with a wave signaling them to him. Both rushed to the area and gasped upon their initial view of him.)

Female: ...It was him.

Male: The son of a bitch actually had the nerve...

(LeVantz, that is. His unconscious body lay face down, with arms and legs spread out like an inverted snow angel, and a curious reddish glow added to his complexion. Seeing the altered color of his skin, they knew, without doubt, that he had used his power. The power that they needed to completely vanquish the Yulean threat. Figuratively speaking, LeVantz's actions were the equivalent of placing a bandage over a deep wound. A temporary solution for a grander problem.)

Male: Idiot!

(The official shouted, kicking the shoulder of LeVantz's motionless body. The diplomat's muscles jiggled from the impact but he had otherwise remained as he had, still and lifeless.)

Female: Relax, Khalil. LeVantz, technically, didn't do anything wrong. I'm guessing he saw the men of the company being overwhelmed and-

Khalil: Ha. Don't make the fool sound like a hero, Sela. He stopped a small invasion force that Maxiell would have dealt with after Yule had been taken care of. Sure, we'd have lost a few more men, and there would have certainly been a bit more structural damage but still nothing we haven't seen before.

(The other man, Barton, the one who'd discovered LeVantz, had been silent throughout their discussion, but voiced his own thoughts once Khalil's voice had echoed out.)

Barton: He's right, Sela. The fact remains that with these actions LeVantz has single-handedly spared Yule for at least another day. And as we can all plainly see, the Yuleans have taken to arms, and there will undoubtedly be more attacks like this and-

Khalil: Bigger.

(Barton glanced at Khalil with a single raised brow then nodded as he continued...)

Barton: Yes, and as Khalil is saying, they will more than likely be much larger and more sophisticated. In other words, LeVantz hasn't spared any lives with this effort, he's simply delayed their deaths... And there will probably be many more now because of it.

(Sela had no argument, and even if she had, what did it matter? LeVantz was an outsider among their group anyway. He was a diplomat and they were... Well, they were the authority. LeVantz himself simply acted as a liaison between the two worlds of the company, and was an expendable asset to them if one to answer honestly. His ability, however, was quite indispensable. Assertions to the contrary need only view the base's surroundings, the level of devastation was awesome, though even that distinction doesn't quite encapsulate the magnitude.)

(Despite his actions, however short-sighted, LeVantz was a vital part of their institution and each of them knew it. While the reality of their situation settled in, they glanced at each other, unsure what to do with LeVantz or the massacre around them.)

Sela: I think it'd be best if we go to Maxiell... Not like everyone won't find out anyway.

Khalil: I agree. Whatever punishment LeVantz receives is self-inflicted and I-

Barton: Quiet, Khalil. You keep talking like LeVantz is a traitor or something... The man was in a foxhole and did what he saw fit. Wise or not, the man stopped an invasion of our base for the time being. If nothing else, leave his dignity intact. Besides, what do you have against the guy anyway?

Khalil: I think he's a standoffish prick. This crap right here just proves it.

(Khalil crossed his arms and rolled his eyes in disgust. Barton, who could often be counted on as a voice of reason, smiled at the remark but only shook his head slightly without expressing a vocal opinion. An extraordinarily gifted Psygic, Khalil viewed LeVantz as the antithesis of himself. While both were young, Khalil being two years LeVantz's junior, Khalil displayed a more extroverted personality, he enjoyed socializing, rigidly defended the company hierarchy, and, to be blunt, could be downright arrogant at times. But to say that he hated LeVantz would be a stretch, his ways were simply foreign to him.)

Sela: Alright, you guys think we can get back to what's really important? Are we gonna take him to Maxiell and the others or what?

(Barton nodded at her, then shifted his eyes onto Khalil.)

Barton: Sela and I will carry LeVantz into the Centroid. You go alert another crew to come and clean up this mess and survey the damage. That clear?

("I'm not an errand boy, Barton...", Khalil answered back, but only in his thoughts. Instead, he affirmed the order with a curt wave as he turned to leave. When he had gone, Sela sighed and opened her mouth to speak...)

Sela: You know, that ki-

Barton: No need to say it. He's a brat, alright... But when you're the nephew of the man who runs the show, whaddaya expect? And he's damn talented too. A scary combination. Just be glad he's on our side, Sela... Now c'mon, help me with LeVantz.

(Sela let out another sigh, then knelt down, and cuffed LeVantz's shoulders between her arms. With Barton holding him by the legs, the two of them started for the Centroid.)
Edited by Bx, Dec 21 2010, 01:02:49 AM.
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Bx
Notorious
[ * ]
(The Centroid began as a lengthy, narrow corridor, characterized by the same minimalist decorative design used for much of the base. The walls were of a stone gray coloring but had a shine that would draw comparisons to marble, though closer inspection would infer they were not. This uninspired pattern marked the entire hall until one reached a heavily guarded door. Two hulking men draped in jumpsuits with large steel shoulder pads reminiscent of an American football player stood before the entrance. A finger clenched against the trigger of their assault rifles, they were poised to annihilate any intruders and protect the Druids at all costs.)

Security Officer: What happened to him?

Sela: We just need to take him inside. So can you-

(Before she could utter another word, the two officers separated themselves from the door, and allowed their superiors inside the Command Center - the literal and figurative heart of the base. A spacious room, it was sparsely furnished as only a single chair rested in front of an over-sized monitor that displayed the entirety of any target planet - in this case, Yule. Two figures stood before the monitor, watching it intently: the Druid seniority - Aryal and Maxiell.)

Sela: Sir Maxiell.

Maxiell: Hmm?

(Maxiell turned and saw his junior officials approaching him.)

Maxiell: LeVantz? What happened to him?

(After laying LeVantz on the ground, Sela and Barton shot up, ready to answer their commander's question. Sela took the lead.)

Sela: ...He's the reason the Yulean assault ended as quickly as it did.

(Maxiell's slightly wrinkled, worn face hardened even more so upon Sela's explanation. He knew what it meant, and like his nephew, he was not pleased.)

Maxiell: No matter how gifted he is, the man will always be an outcast. He lacks the vision that the rest of us possess. ...And this latest act simply confirms this for me. Aryal, see what you can do.

(Aryal walked over to LeVantz's body. Aside from his thumping chest, the diplomat's body could have been likened to a dead man's.)
Edited by Bx, Jun 20 2011, 10:57:10 PM.
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