The Gateway opened to reveal Scorpainia stepping through. She had Turretorg, Technarain, Discornia, and Sludgiona with her. \u201cI see you\u2019ve had this place redecorated since I was here last,\u201d observed Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLooks a little…bright,\u201d muttered Batman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, we needed to make it brighter,\u201d I replied. \u201cA few of us would rather NOT stumble with only blue lighting in a dark place. Some plant life also benefitted us. The oxygen generators were pretty taxed during the Vortech Wars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd with the new lighting,\u201d helped Lukas, \u201ccame a source of vitamin C, essential for us humans.\u201d At that moment, the lights went off. \u201c…Apparently, we need a better power source,\u201d muttered Lukas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, dudes,\u201d called a surfer dude\u2019s voice. \u201cJust rerouting power!\u201d The lights came back on as an R9 Astromech wheeled himself in. \u201cHad a gnarly idea,\u201d continued the Astromech, \u201cthat we could route some power from the sensors to the GUUUUNNS!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNew guys, this is R9-D7, the only Astromech I know of that can speak Basic,\u201d I introduced. \u201cR9, these are the new guys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think the new guys are already familiar with the most RADICAL Astromech in the multiverse!\u201d boasted R9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRemind me of his backstory again?\u201d asked Liam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAfter the Vortech Wars,\u201d I explained, \u201cVader left him behind. He was stuck on Vorton for a few weeks until X-PO found him. We fixed him up and installed vocal components so we don\u2019t have to guess his beeping.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd it\u2019s been awesome ever since!\u201d cheered R9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cR9,\u201d called Emily, \u201cquick question. How are the defenses going to shoot any invaders WITHOUT the sensors?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Okay, so there ARE some holes in my idea,\u201d conceded R9. \u201cNo need to be bugging or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll save modifications AFTER this adventure,\u201d I suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBuzzkill,\u201d muttered R9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll right, is everyone here for the briefing?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWait, where\u2019s Pup-X5?\u201d asked Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd Lexicon, for that matter,\u201d supplied Sheela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here!\u201d called a woman\u2019s voice. A large, gunmetal grey can with an antenna on top came in with a humanoid dog robot walking it. The dog robot was about Snoopy\u2019s height. He detached the leash from the can and petted Kit-10. \u201cSorry about the wait,\u201d remarked the can, Lexicon, a mobile datastore. \u201cPup-X5 insisted on getting a bite to eat. How you lot managed to install a stomach that can process food like you do, I\u2019ll never understand.\u201d Pup-X5 rolled his eyes and folded his arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, you got here anyways,\u201d I dismissed, \u201cso thank you for coming. Now that we\u2019re all here, X-PO, you may begin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d bid X-PO. He started up a PowerPoint with the Gateway. \u201cAs many of you know,\u201d he began, \u201cfive Tarlaxian Jabarda<\/em> class scout ships were deployed to scout for potential universes in case the Omega Protocols needed to be deployed again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA future Tarlax 15?\u201d quizzed Wyldstyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d confirmed Scorpainia. \u201cI would have called you lot a little later, but SOMEONE decided to force the issue!\u201d She glared at X-PO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ll turn him into a coffee maker later,\u201d I joked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks,\u201d snarked X-PO. \u201cAnyway, in the most recent logs, I discovered that they were going near five universes containing the Sources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat IS a Source?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn this instance,\u201d interjected Famine as she paused her snacking, \u201cit\u2019s the source of an aspect the five of us Horsemen represent. Each looks like a crystal ball, about the size of a human\u2019s head, in our colors. Mine\u2019s yellow, Pestilence\u2019s green, Death\u2019s blue, War\u2019s orange, and Lacey inherited the purple one of Chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChaos?\u201d I muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn apocalypse IS rather chaotic,\u201d replied Lacey. \u201cBesides, chaos is common when life exists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFair point,\u201d I conceded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDoes that mean we should call Lacey \u2018Chaos\u2019 instead?\u201d asked Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlease, no!\u201d groaned Lacey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFocus, please!\u201d snapped X-PO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Source Universes?\u201d muttered Scorpainia. \u201cWhat were they doing near there? They\u2019re WAY too close to Foundation Prime. Besides, we\u2019ve long established that they were inhabited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe always look for universes with no life aside from plants on ANY of that universe\u2019s planets,\u201d supplied Sludgiona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are the universes\u2019 identifier strings?\u201d I quizzed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c5-P-L-4-T-0-0-N, D-1-5-N-3-Y, 5-U-P-3-R-M-4-R-1-0, T-3-4-M-F-0-R-T-R-3-5-5-2, and 5-4-1-L-0-R-M-0-0-N,\u201d replied Discornia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, Splatoon<\/em>, Disney<\/em>, Super<\/em> Mario<\/em>, Team Fortress 2<\/em>, and Sailor Moon<\/em>,\u201d I guessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBingo,\u201d answered Death. \u201cSplatoon<\/em> hold my Source because they\u2019ve invented a way to circumvent death in a weapon-using sport, Disney<\/em> holds War\u2019s as it\u2019s very peaceful, given the chaos it usually brings, Super Mario<\/em> has a cure for all, so it hides Pestilence\u2019s Source, Team Fortress 2<\/em>\u2019s inhabitants don\u2019t get hungry, so Famine could hide her Source there, and Sailor Moon<\/em> brings order, so Lacey\u2019s Source is safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, the opposite aspects of your sources hides them,\u201d I theorized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly,\u201d grunted War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut, as her Majesty asked, what were those ships doing there?\u201d quizzed Technarain. \u201cTheir courses shouldn\u2019t have taken them anywhere NEAR those universes.\u201d Turretorg shuffled his feet. It\u2019s not a quiet shuffle, given what his feet are made of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTurretorg,\u201d hissed Scorpainia, \u201cis there something you want to share with us?\u201d No response. \u201cTurretorg,\u201d growled Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI…I\u2019m not at liberty to say,\u201d stammered Turretorg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot even to me?\u201d snarled Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Sorry, but not even to you,\u201d sighed Turretorg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat leaves us at liberty to speculate,\u201d remarked Liam. He turned to Scorpainia. \u201cYou said they were near Foundation Prime, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey are,\u201d confirmed Scorpainia. \u201cAs to why, I\u2019ll let Death explain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Sources constantly project a barrier around Foundation Prime so no one, not even the Horsemen, could get to it,\u201d explained Death. \u201cHowever, if you\u2019re clever enough you could find a chink in that barrier and get into Foundation Prime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVortech used me to that end,\u201d remarked X-PO. \u201cThat\u2019s how I got you guys into it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, when Vortech was beaten,\u201d continued Death, \u201cwe reforged the barrier and shored up any flaws we could find. As such, using all five sources on the barrier will cause it to crumble and people could freely enter and exit Foundation Prime, restoring that square Vortech used to control the multiverse and bending it to their whims.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd, given the power we witnessed,\u201d I guessed, \u201cyou didn\u2019t WANT people to freely enter and exit that universe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly,\u201d confirmed Death. \u201cWith all that in mind, those universes would make rather good defensive positions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHoping to control those universes?\u201d Scorpainia asked Turretorg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour Majesty,\u201d sighed Turretorg, \u201cI hope you\u2019re not na\u00efve enough to believe the Tarlaxian Senate DIDN\u2019T want to use those universes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo,\u201d replied Scorpainia, \u201cbut I\u2019m a little ticked that neither you nor the Senate brought the concern to my attention!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd?\u201d quizzed Turretorg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd, if you didn\u2019t tell her or your wife THAT,\u201d hissed Moon-kyung as she nodded towards Discornia, \u201cit makes us rather worried what ELSE you kept from her, or US, for that matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere wasn\u2019t anything else to tell!\u201d snarled Turretorg. \u201cTheir mission was to scout out potential universes in case the Omega Protocols were needed again. Yes, it WAS possible that they would pass by those universes. So, the Senate made it a secret parameter of said mission that, should they not find a threat to the Sources, they would gather data and intelligence relating to a defensive position to surround Foundation Prime. That is all!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt seems like a restructuring of the Senate is in order!\u201d snarled Scorpainia. \u201cI\u2019d rather know about their concerns!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, from what I\u2019ve picked up from a stray transmission,\u201d interjected X-PO, \u201cthe crews of those ships weren\u2019t too happy about that secret parameter either. Here\u2019s something I picked up from the ship near 5-U-P-3-R-M-4-R-1-0.\u201d He played a video of an apartment with three Tarlaxians in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWait, I thought you said that it\u2019s from a scout ship,\u201d recalled Richard. \u201cThat looks like Linkara\u2019s old apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith the stuff he had, too,\u201d muttered Livia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy doing,\u201d answered Technarain. \u201cI heard about nerds in that universe turning a house into a spaceship, so I wanted to get a good look at any potential bridge designs. Linkara\u2019s old apartment seemed like a more functional choice. He seemed okay with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf we could continue?!\u201d grunted War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you,\u201d bid X-PO. He started the video. A two-headed, six-armed woman in a glossy, black exoskeleton, a spider\u2019s rear end above her butt, eight eyes in a ring on each head with the two largest ones in the center, and claws on her fingers was at a workstation. The annotations identified her as Spidarachnimpa. A woman with a skirt that looked like a snail\u2019s foot sat on Spidarachnimpa\u2019s left. She had a snail\u2019s antennae in place of her eyes, a snail\u2019s shell, and secreted slime all over her body. It didn\u2019t seem to affect her workstation. An annotation called her Escargripam. In the kitchen was a Tarlaxian man with a humanoid body shape, a skirt of eight octopus tentacles, a ring of eight tentacles around his shoulders, and the head of an octopus with a beak where a human\u2019s mouth should be. He was called Octorpindar. Spidarachnimpa\u2019s left head spoke into a communicator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is the scout ship, Tranzek<\/em>,\u201d she called. \u201cWe have just entered Mushroom World territory and are ready to carry out our assignment. All lights are orange. No sign of any problems. We look forward to hearing from you in an hour. Tranzek<\/em> out.\u201d She switched the comms off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI still can\u2019t believe it!\u201d griped Octorpindar. \u201cI mean, a year of planning this venture, three months to get to the universe we\u2019re supposed to be at, then, just a few days before we get there, Tarlax calls saying, \u2018Hey! Can you deviate from your flight plan by about 2 more months and check out a universe near Foundation Prime that holds Pestilence\u2019s Source?\u2019 I mean…!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSteady on, Octorpindar,\u201d interjected Spidarachnimpa\u2019s right head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe knew this was a possibility,\u201d continued her left head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, but,\u201d grumbled Octorpindar, \u201cthey didn\u2019t need to wait until practically the last minute to tell us! I mean if we manage to encounter Vortech\u2019s prison…!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe won\u2019t!\u201d countered Spidarachnimpa\u2019s left head. \u201cWe\u2019ll be moving in parallel to the loop pattern and matching the velocity of the rift loop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlus we have automatic sealants,\u201d continued her right head, \u201cto take care of any pinpricks in this baby\u2019s hull should any debris be caught in the rift loop\u2019s orbit and flung at us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wish I shared your confidence,\u201d remarked Octorpindar as he grabbed a sandwich from the fridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it, dude,\u201d remarked Escargripam. \u201cWe\u2019re not gonna find anything. I mean, the Doctor…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Doctor!\u201d interrupted Octorpindar. \u201cThere\u2019s a Gallifreyan that is THAT arrogant to think they can heal their…!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Doctor had practically tied Vortech\u2019s prison into a pretty little bow!\u201d continued Escargripam. \u201cHe\u2019s stuck!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf he manages to wiggle out…!\u201d protested Octorpindar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think somebody\u2019s a little cranky this morning,\u201d remarked Spidarachnimpa\u2019s left head as both turned to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSomebody needs to sit in the comfy chair,\u201d continued the right head. She tapped the unoccupied console as Octorpindar rolled his eyes. He entered the living room and sat down at the console. He looked around the apartment-bridge and sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis will never NOT be weird,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this for practically all our lives,\u201d groaned Escargripam, \u201cand you choose NOW to complain?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re sitting in an apartment that once belonged to some nerd!\u201d complained Octorpindar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are sitting,\u201d both of Spidarachnimpa\u2019s heads snarled in unison, \u201con the bridge of the most advanced scout ship and we\u2019re ready to make history! Now, I don\u2019t care if it happens in a toilet stall or a nerd\u2019s basement dwelling, as long as it gets us there and gets us home! So, put on your grown-up explorer boots and give me a read-out on engine consumption!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry, sorry,\u201d sighed Octorpindar as he checked his station. \u201cEngine consumption\u2019s nominal. Look, I\u2019m just saying the multiverse can get crazy and weird.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBetter weird than boring,\u201d remarked Escargripam. She checked her station\u2019s readings. \u201cWe\u2019re approaching the Source Universe. Should be smooth sailing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBelay that thought,\u201d interjected Spidarachnimpa\u2019s left head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy?\u201d quizzed Escargripam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m detecting a power signature out there,\u201d reported Spidarachnimpa\u2019s right head. They all looked at the reading on her console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow can anything have power this far out?\u201d muttered Escargripam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, let\u2019s find out,\u201d replied Spidarachnimpa\u2019s right head. \u201cIt\u2019s about 170 cm in length, 89 cm in width, and…and coming at us in an attack vector!!\u201d At this point, both heads were speaking in unison. \u201cHard about! Raise the…!\u201d The ship lurched and tossed the Tarlaxian crew over their consoles. An explosion made the video end in static. We stood there in silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Are they…?\u201d gulped Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re STILL getting bio-signs,\u201d replied Technarain, \u201cso I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow we REALLY need to rescue them,\u201d I declared. \u201cI had already decided to split us up into teams according to After Academy house, but I think a Keystone Bearer on each team would help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd a Tarlaxian on each team,\u201d interjected Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd a robot,\u201d called Kit-10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll right, then let\u2019s get organized,\u201d I affirmed. The teams went like so: Death, Haitao, Livia, Sheela, Colleen, Sophie, X-PO, Turretorg, and myself would go to 5-P-L-4-T-0-0-N to check on her Source, War, Gandalf, Michael, Hiroki, Irina, Alesandro, Charline, Kit-10, and Discornia would go to D-1-5-N-3-Y to check that Source\u2019s status, Pestilence, Hongo, Emily, Mikhail, Tanisha, Liam, Amelia, R9-D7, and Scorpainia would use the Virginia<\/em> to go to 5-U-P-3-R-M-4-R-1-0 and use its sensors to check that Source out, Famine, Wyldstyle, Richard, Emmanuel, Xiomara, Victor, Brenden, Pup-X5, and Technarain will confirm the Source\u2019s condition in T-3-4-M-F-0-R-T-R-3-5-5-2, and Lacey, Batman, Joshua, Lukas, Tonje, Moon-kyung, Flora, Lexicon, and Sludgiona would check out 5-4-1-L-0-R-M-0-0-N for her Source. \u201cAre the team assignments clear?\u201d I asked. Everyone replied yes. \u201cThen let\u2019s hit the hay for now,\u201d I declared. \u201cIt\u2019s late at night and I don\u2019t want anyone fighting their own fatigue on top of fighting whoever\u2019s behind this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSleep sounds heavenly right now,\u201d muttered Moon-kyung. We all retired to our rooms and hit the sack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Gateway opened to reveal Scorpainia stepping through. She had Turretorg, Technarain, Discornia, and Sludgiona with her. \u201cI see you\u2019ve had this place redecorated since I was here last,\u201d observed Scorpainia. \u201cLooks a little…bright,\u201d muttered Batman. \u201cYeah, we needed to make it brighter,\u201d I replied. \u201cA few of us would rather NOT stumble with only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,104],"tags":[14,248,16,9,17,12,75,157,247,24,15,83],"class_list":["post-473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kamen-rider-vortex","category-kamen-rider-vortex-movie-chaoters","tag-batman","tag-discornia","tag-gandalf","tag-kamen-rider","tag-kamen-rider-ichigo","tag-megumi-hishikawa","tag-scorpainia","tag-sludgiona","tag-technarain","tag-turretorg","tag-wyldstyle","tag-x-po"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=473"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473\/revisions\/475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}