|
|
|
 Ernie Arrives (The Crash) - ernietheuglymutant, lordxaras & inquisitornexus +++Thought for the day+++ |
 |
|
watched from a distance as the Twins teleported off, to Dark's dismay. The ugly, three armed mutant shambled out from the shadows, flinging off his ragged cloak to reveal thick skin, rib bones protruding from many areas of exposed flesh. creature rose to his full height, as far as his rigid, twisted back would allow. Nearly six feet. Ernie stretched his two sharp clawed hands, and flexed his bone-knife arm, his very useful malformity. His lazy eye twinkled with savage glee, as he confronted his last brother. The Inquisitional Icon around his neck did nothing to comfort Alessandro Nexus. took a step back, not knowing what exactly it was that had infiltrated Nexus' labs. Alessandro took a step back as well, hitting the alarm button under the desk a few extra times for good measure. The alarms had been disabled. "Dark!" Alessandro shouted, snapping his fingers to alert his death cultists, "gather the fire warriors....this thing must have disabled the system." Dark nodded(sorry Mentirius, but this is Brother-Brother here..with the exception of a few others). Nexus frowned as his newest associate left to get Hosstor and the guards. For now, Alessandro thought, the Creeping Shaodw initiates should be good enough. shne shne..." rasped the thing. "I have come for you my brother, you are the last one. I am going to complete my duty." Alessandro gave the mutant a quizzical look. Ernie heard the voices again, the bad voice... ...save him...truth...truth...truth.....do not deny him his right.....salvation....return him to the light... didnt want to, but the voice was too strong! He slapped himself across the face, and jsut as suddenyl returned to his "shneing". He shook his head furiously, the voice was still echoing in his mind. "Shne..now, as i was saying before so rudely interrupted. I am here to save you, save you from Chaos." Alessandro laughed, "you?! Is this the last thing the Imperium has tried? Send a mutant to convert me? This truly is pathetic." Ernie shook his head, "you do not know. I will tell you the truth....... "Shne....you and I, we are the same, we are both Children of Void." I shook my head, "and void is..." i decided to play along, keept the assassin-thing talking. "Void is our predecessor, Inquisitor Void, great grand-child disciple of Zaranchek Xanthus." I shook my head again, "you're saying im the son of someone from the 32nd Millenium? You're mad.." creature, Ernie i heard him call himself during his schizophrenia, spoke again, "Void was of the 34th Millenium, a man devoted to extending his life...so that he could never cease doing the works of Him on Earth, the God-Emperor." Ernie clutched his icon harder with one hand. I noticed he didn't even make eye contact, he was staring out into space as he spoke. "Void, after living almost a millenia, mastered the art of cloning...shne...but eleven succesors to..shne shne..'Void-hood'...existed up until the 38th millenium. Void XII, the brightest and best of his predecessors, found the key to eternity. created nine clones, Void One, Two, and Seven through Nine." I nodded slowly, this mutant was clearly insane. Why hadn't the guards reached the labs yet? "Void Two was pulled from stasis at 'birth', due to mutations." Ernie looked at his third arm, and his dark skin, hard and impaled by bone. "As Void XII was preparing to pull his...shne...children..shne shne...from stasis, his enemies attacked, desiring the secrets to immortality for themselves. Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine were scattered across the galaxy. Void One, however, was captured for study, and kept in cryogenesis." Realization slowly dawned on me.....was the creature telling the truth? "Shne..i can understadn your confusion..it was difficult for me to realise what i was for some time. I escaped the labs of Void XII, my 'father'..shne...as soon as possible, after he was executed by the Inquisition. I knew that the others would fall into the Inquisition's hands, the wrong hands, sooner or later. Shne..so I decided to destroy my brethren. are all dead....Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine. You are the last one..shne shne shne...Void One." I couldn't take this things ramblings anymore, "prove it? why would i be a clone? i have no recollection of ANY of that! I was born in the Segmentum Osburas, not in a laboratory!" laughed, a raspy, eery sound. "There was one problem with the clones..one disadvantage to..shne..immortality. Shne shne...our memories have to be cleansed from time to time, to keep us...shne...sane." If he wasn't lying, i thought, i knew why he was mad. have used you my brother...used you for quite some time. Shne shne..they would program you as an assassin, then maybe even a politican...but the rogue faction, Void's enemies, must have lost control of you....which is why you are what..shne...you are. An inquisitor." .no...thats not true. Inquisitor Borgg trained me from the age of but a child...if i have been alive since the.." i did the calculations in my head, "...38th millenium, then how can i have memories of my childhood?" I chuckled inwardly, the brat would have a problem answering this one. Ernie laughed again, as i heard the sound of boots from around the corner. Finally, i thought, Dark must have had some security problems as well. tilted his head, as if listening to a far off noise. "shne shne...your friends are coming, but i will finish my story. You were planted on Ezaar, your memories are not yours, and your family is not yours either. That is what is obvious....you are not who you think you are, not even close." Ernie hawked a gob of phlegm on the floor. that you know the truth," he said, "shne shne shne....i can fulfill my duties as an inquisitor...and destroy the Last Heresy.." I shook my head, forcing myself to disbelieve the thing. IT simply wasn't possible! Ernie rotated his head, cracking his neck and knuckles, and growled. Then...he lunged....i looked to the left, Hosstor was here....... Hosstor pulled his knives from his back and did a front flip over Ernie. The mutant was faster then Hosstor thought and caught him off guard... mutant brought his third arm around in an arc over Hosstor's head, barely missing him as Hosstor rolled away. Hosstor kicked at Ernie's head, only to be blocked at the last second. Ernie returned with a kick, which Hosstor jumped over while swinging his knife at the Mutant. First blood... leapt, claws cat like in the air. I saw Nexus turn to look at me, a pleading look in his eyes. He wasn't the same person anymore, I knew that already, but he had saved my life on several occasions: I owed him this much. I intercepted the attack midair, kicking the mutant to the ribs hard landing with a subtle roll. shne shne," the creature hissed, "you can't beat Ernie." I shook my head disdainfully and drew my knives, but the mutant, Ernie, was faster. While stepping forward, he pulled out a throwing knife with each hand, hurling each at me. God-Emperor, the thing was a bullet. I caught the first blade with my index and middle fingers of my right hand, whipping it at the second knife, deflecting it away. nearly missed the third and fourth. I cartwheeled to the side, avoiding the no doubt poisoned blades. Ernie shned as he charged me, hacking and slashing left and right with his malformity-weapon. parried the first attack, sidestepped the next, and lunged. Ernie caught my blade with his left arm, delivering a kick to my side. The death cultists, my mentor's aides, had already taken him outside while the firewarriors entered. I traded a few more blows with the mutant, but neither of us could land a decent hit. We broke, huffing. The tau had surrounded him now, but I said, "no.I fight by a warriors code, we'll do this honorably." firewarriors gave ground, backing up slowly. I turned my head to make sure Alessandro was safe. That was when I knew I should never had thought to 'honorably' fight a mutant. Ernie was atop me in no time, and had my arms pinned down. He drew back his third arm for the kill..i kneed him in the groin; dishonorable, I know, but totally necessary. "Shne shne..you're wasting your life boy." It said to me. "The only thing I'm going to waste, mutant, is YOU." this, I dove, finally taking full advantage of my knives. Mid-leap, once again, I hit the mutant to the chest. He didn't seem to mind as he puked acid onto my coat. I snarled, tossed the coat to his face, and hurled the knife at him. As Ernie tossed off the large trench coat, I couldn't help but smile at the look in his face: the knife took him in the lazy eye. writhed on the ground, and I signaled the Tau to back up. I peered down at the hunched thing, shneing in pain this time. I shook my head and walked away: another mistake on my part. The mutant, making another inhumanly fast lunge-leap, took me from behind. I turned in time to catch it, punching Ernie savagely across the face. I took the opportunity to unleash hell. the kick to his battered ribs, next a backhand slash from my dueling knife to his face. I noticed he had not yet pulled my first knife from his eye, which was bleeding profusely. A series of punches to the midriff, yet another mistake. overextended ribs had cut deep gashes in my hands, and cuts along my knuckles. I sucked in a big portion of air and delivered the final roundhouse to Ernie's head, hearing a sharp, splintering 'crack' as the mutant finally dropped, and stayed down. "Medic!" I called, a tau rushed over, "I need some help" I rasped, looking down at my torn hands, "and take that.thing..to the inner labs for study." The medic nodded, I would be good in no time sighed heavily as i watched Jacob dispose of the creature. That thing nearly killed me! My deadly retinue formed up around me as i regained my composure. "Excellent job, Hosstor, i am in your debt." Jacob shook his head, "you haven't even paid back your 'sponsors', dont worry about it." I would have hit him right there, had i not seen what he had done with Ernie. Speaking of Ernie, the medics had taken him to the Inner Labs....now i could discern whther the creature was lying..or, i shuddered, telling the truth... seemed to appear beside Nexus and Hosstor like a wraith. That man moved like a cat. The black sword was nowhere to be seen, and his cowl had been drawn back up, hiding his face in shadow. He spoke slowly and quietly as the Fire Warriors carried Ernie away. appologies, Lord, I was nearly too late. Only through the Emperor's blessing did I stumble across your pupil in time." Alessandro noticed that the amulet had been removed, or somehow concealed, and Dark now wore a jade aquilla in its place. Greeneye's agent had somehow remembered the need for secrecy, though how he had concealed the sword and changed amulets during the crisis he had no idea. will try to be more punctual in future. Though I must say you performed admirably, mr Hosstor. Do you want my help in studying this creature, Lord Nexus?" apology needed Dark, were it not for you, i would be dead now." i acted as if i favored my new assisstant over Hosstor, to Jacob's disappointment it would seem, "but this thing will need to be studied, and carefully." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, shaking my head. "To the inner labs...." was not going to be pretty, i thought, punching in the nine digit code to gain access to the inner labs. After that, the double ident pad, requiring both visual and physical examinations of myself and Hosstor, at precisely the same time. By now, i would think he would just refuse, but i knew i was slowly winning him over. After that, another three nine digit codes, and finally one seven digit. I always felt that i would forget one eventually, but thus far my old memory had never failed. watched from a distance, it was nearly impossible for me to trust newcomers, but this one had certainly proved himself...it would be interesting to see how Hosstor felt about my new favorite. The tau guards within sealed the enormous ceramite door, locking us within the air-tight chamber. now it was only me, Jacob Hosstor, Dark, my retinue of death cultists, and a lot of Tau. "Well then," i said, pulling on my skin tight, leather gloves and donning my lab apron, "lets get to work." The firewarriors laid Ernie on the table...things would get messy indeed... was hours later, and little could be derived from the creature. What we could do, i had decided while sipping on fruit punch, was take a blood test, compare and contrast, etc. Dark and I had disected Ernie, and the mutations were great and horrible to behold. The thing was easily a match for a marine, and it still amazes me how Jacob defeated the thing. did he learn those moves? How did he come out with only a few scratches and bruised ribs? The man never ceased to amaze me, especially his combat expertise. Snapping out of my inquisitions, i saw O'J'Karaa headed in my direction. I got off the ornate dinner chair, setting aside the sixth fruit punch yet, and greeting the alien half way through. He said nothing, and gave me the data from the gene test....the results shocked me to my core.... knew there was one permanent answer to this, someone with the knowledge of such things whom i could trust: Ix. I summoned the bionic laborer to my chambers...he would give me the real answer, the Tau findings were unacceptible.. genitor stepped into Nexus' room. called for me?" Ix asked. I did. Sit down." Nexus said and pointed at a chair. sat down and took up a data slate that Nexus gave to him. me what it means..." Nexus said, Ix noticed a tone of anger and doubt in his voice. mechanderites held up the slate as Ix leaned back and let the informations stream trough his data-lines. a minute he opened his eyes and looked at Nexus. seems that you genetical encodement Acids match this other sample with 93%, there is only two ways to achieve this. To take your own genes, destroy some, and check them with your new genes. Or, cloning. This sample seems to have mutated horribly and so it doesn't match you completely..." had a puzzled look on his face. are a clone, as was the man who you took this other sample from. Also when you clone someone, some genes is destroyed. Your and this man's genes had the same pattern of corruption." Ix continued. leaned over the table. "Cloned from who...?" don't know, but I may find out. Only if I can have some samples of your blood and tissue and gain contact with 'The Avenger of Tacard' where most of my and my father's research is stored." nodded and desmissed him. rose and was just about to leave when he turned around. "Also, you are dying, Inquisitor...Nexus. Your genes are aging at a disturbing rate..." with that message, Ix walked out of the room and left Nexus to think. "What?!" IX stopped at the door, and turned around calmly. "What do you mean 'im dying?!'" this was outrageous, i thought, Ix would pay for this insolence. "I don't know what you mean master." I smacked the glass of fruit punch off the table and stood up. Yelling in Ix's face, i screamed, "how am i dying?!" Ix didn't even flinch, "sit down" he said. breathed in slowly, countign to ten, and sat. "You have a severe, rare, and extremely fatal case of something called 'multiple sclerosis'. I dont know why, or how, but your cells are dying at a fast pace, it is quite complex i assure you. In effect, YOU are dying." shook my head, "no, no, that can't be possible!" Ix nodded, expressionless still, "im afraid it is, shall i inquire as to a cure etcetera?" I nodded frantically, "yes, yes do that. I...i dont have much time." Ix nodded his head respectfully, and rose to leave. "Quickly you moron!" The genitor passed me a brief, odd look, and left. How could this be possible? The bridge of 'The Avenger of Tacard "Captain, we have recieved a message from Magante Ix." Wallins said. me see it" the captain replied. eyes looked trough the piece of paper that Wallins handed to him. that course!" Captain Haddock shouted and handed the paper to another man in the crew. |
