ADVENTURES OF BOBBY BOBALONG

[Maharg67]

SEVENTEEN

BOBBY AND BRIEF BAD TROUBLE

 

Bobby watched the shimmering gateway of energies and through it went the last of the humans, the rear guard including a confused Spammy the killclaw. Wombles, humans, livestock, working pets, vehicles and lots of other had gone through to the quarantine hub. Even then he knew all would be accepted through but they would arrive changed at least a little in the NexiSanctuary.

 

Bobby was here and was there. Bobby there was welcoming them even as they came through the gateway into the Quarantine/Hub.

 

He turned as the gateway vanished and now there was just an open dirt clearing of mostly dirt with some grass. He strode across to his horse and slipped smoothly onto it. Then he trotted the horse to the side of the clearing and both the steed and himself froze into motionlessness.

 

The lightly armoured electric guncars hummed to a halt and then came four more. Out of the halted machines stepped mercs. They were Talon Mercenaries, a branch of a very brutal mercenary corporation based to the far south away from the Jagged Highlands. But they bore Clansfolk style body-armour and were pretending to be something called the Jagged Dagger Mercenaries. Perhaps the merc who came up with the name thought it would impress the Jagged Highlanders; he had been very wrong because generally they thought it was a stupid title.

 

A Farmerclan woman and then a man stepped out, both in proper Farmerclan robesuits of their rank and official position. Yet they were slimly muscular and moved like well trained and experienced killers of more than normal human deadliness. The man held a strange metallic box instrument with a small metallic trident sticking out the front; the device beeped softly as the man pointed it at the position where the gateway had been positioned.

 

The tall, burly man cursed softly and then spoke in a strange, disturbing sounding language that the mercenaries did not even hear. Bobby both heard and understood. “I did not think that the ploy would work. Bobby Bobalong is no fool to think that this was really a Farmerclan attempt to gain second rate property and other lesser valuables. He is long gone from here as are those he sent to that damned sanctuary of his.”

 

But the beautiful woman frowned softly. “No, he is here watching us. He is very close to us, close enough to take us by surprise and kill us all if he so wished. No, he wants something of value, he wants information.”

 

Bobby spoke then but it seemed that his voice came from many directions at once. Both the two Farmerclan officials and the mercenaries turned around in all directions seeking him but none could quite see him, could quite focus on him though they caught brief impressions of him sitting on a horse.

 

“You really did get in over your head, didn’t you?

 

The woman scowled. “If you mean that damned alliance with the Shadowclan, I was opposed to it. Chaotic evil and dark freedom is what the Shadowcults worship not the ordered evil of the damned all crushing Shadowclan. Why bother to create new evil when we just have to feed off the evil of normal stupid humanity? We know you can create gateways to other dimensional realms. We were hoping to get you to do so for us.”

 

Bobby responded. “Even if I would, and I would not, any realm that I can open a gateway to would reject, punish or even destroy you all together. Take your damned thug mercenaries with you and go to the Vale Darkshire. Sanctuary of sorts will exist there for you as long as you care to co/defend the big valley.”

 

Shadowcults were chaotic evil in basis, were smaller and scattered, were many unlike the one monolithic ordered evil based Shadowclan. That some of them formed an alliance was surprising and not that the Shadowclan now seemed to be betraying them for Shadowcults and Shadowclan hated each other.

 

The woman nodded. “I will have no charity from you. You should know that since the Shadowclan learned you, Bobby Bobalong, are here in Gold Right Ra’Di that they have sent not only a larger army this way but many assassin creatures of great power and skill.”

 

But no sooner had these words left her mouth than the things came screaming out of the forest. Big savage shapeshifters, weredemons, but now of broken red hard skinned humanoid form powerful and agile. Each distorted being came with fangs and long shimmering claws. Talon Mercenaries were good fighters but even before they could realise what was happening, most of them were dead or dying. The thing smashed through the mercs, hurling their dead bodies through the air. A guncar exploded savagely.

 

Bobby Bobalong aimed two big revolver pistols and unleashed blasts of fury. Weredemons exploded into flames, burning away as if by super fast spontaneous combustion. One crashed burning into a guncar and set it a fire.

 

The two Shadowcultists pulled strange looking pistols from their robes, chanting dark words as they did so, but then a mottled red skinned creature was ripping off their heads. They burned away.

 

Again and again the weredemons turned to attack him and died furious deaths.

 

Gun fire raked from the edges of the clearing now as Clanhunters in power armour raced into the clearing. They must have been chasing the weredemons who would have been in human form. When the weredemons had changed, they had surprised the Clanhunters and had raced ahead of them.

 

Weredemons turned to attack the Clanhunters but not only were these newcomers elite fighters of genned inherited special abilities, they had the armour and big powerful guns. 20mm autoguns ripped apart red skinned humanoid after red skinned humanoid.

 

The last monster exploded.

 

Bobby Bobalong leapt of the horse, kissed the steed and walked to the centre of the open area. Clanhunters were busy putting out the burning vehicle and looting valuable goods. With all the fighting going on there were growing shortages of ammunition and even of military class weapons.

 

Bobby told them what had happened and then went on speaking. “The dark conspiracy has run into trouble, is crumbling from the inside. Those assassin weredemons were not after me but those Shadowcultists. It seems that the Shadowclan has decided to start destroying the Shadowcults, which is something they have wanted to do for a long time.”

 

Then he changed subjects. “Yet the real enemy does not care for the real task of the conspiracy was to sow massive confusion and to allow the enemy to more easily hide their real activities.”

 

A Clanhunter leader spoke then. “A large force was coming this way but it has turned abruptly and dispersed just half an hour ago. The death of so many powerful weredemons seems to be a great waste of resources.”

 

Bobby turned to the man. “It was a message for me. It simply meant that they know not only where I am but my true identity, my true nature. It is a mocking challenge of sorts and a harsh reminder of what these same forces did to me once.”

 

Yet he had to admit to himself that he really did not know what the real enemy was up to.

 

TO BE CONTINUED

Edited May 8, 2010 by Maharg67

[dezdimona]

cool! :thanks:

[Herculine]

Excellent work as always!

[Maharg67]

Herculine, if you so desire, add a chapter and the same invitation goes for Dezdimona and Species5478.

 

I suggest you do not need to stick to the same plot but just add your own story line. If you do I will find a way to add your name somewhere prominant. Otherwise just suggest an addition like, you know, Dezdimona might want lots and lots of dragons pretending to be farmers.

 

In truth I am kind of burned out creatively and would appreciate a challenge, some comparisons etc.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Edited, picture remove temporarily. Edited May 8, 2010 by Maharg67

[species5478]

You may not believe this, but my brother was a part of this "Shadowclan" when he attended Job Corps. It was supposed to be gang of sorts, but evolved into a club for gamers.

[Maharg67]

Job Corps? I developed the term 'Shadowclan' a couple of years ago when I did a rather dark story of the invasion of the Great Undeath and a Clan based society where not all clans were open or desired by society in general.

 

I have an idea for a kind of shared story where each participant imagines oneself as a version of ourself entering a Fallout 3 or Oblivion or mixed fanfic based world. For example, I, Dragonpen61 appear suddenly in the DC Wastelands and begin my adventures. What do you think?

[Maharg67]

EIGHTEEN

WHERE THERE IS ONLY DRY WATER IN ABUNDANCE

 

The patterns of the rock were amazingly elegant and beautiful in a pattern amazingly like that of rivers of flowing water. It was not natural but the work of an artist who had worked over a year and a half to perfect the amazing artificial cave system. Not alone of course but with special built robots and well trained artisans using specialised power armour.

 

Instead of thanking the man for his artistic genius, President James Patriot Jackson had casually shot the artist dead after declaring that the whole thing ‘bored him to dry rock tears’. Then he and his inner circle of groupies had laughed at his little jest. That murder and the way it had been done just to furnish the president with a chance to have ‘some fun’ turned many people against the President. The artist’s family was wealthy and began to help fund the rebel movement from that day on as well as openly supporting the leader of the political opposition who was under permanent house arrest.

 

By that time the great leader was far too insane to regret his actions but many of his followers did and a few began deserting what was a sinking ship.

 

Bobby and his mixed team of Clanforcers and Clanhunters moved quickly and as quietly as possible through the tunnels in light stealth power armour. The caverns had been visited by a few groups of Clansfolk over the years but they were isolated in a rather arid, harsh region far away from the Clansway Regions. Bobby and come with a taskforce through a waygate and had not lost anybody. Reports were that the war was in a stand off thanks to the enemy being unable to make any further inroads and the Clansfolk being unable to expel them.

 

But others did live there, holding the caverns as sacred and they were goblins. The creature came pattering out of the dimness of the tunnel ahead, a small strong boneskinned body with big eyes and hornlizard leather armour. Over one shoulder was a bolt/action carbine of .308 calibre. Goblins charged fees of tradegoods for visitors and did other types of trade to gain such equipment.

 

She stopped and studied the halted Clansfolk carefully. Then she saw it was Bobby and she smiled. “Good to see Bobby Bobalong who always brings good goodies to poorly poor goblins. Now come, we hope, to help goblins get rid of bad intruders in sacred caverns. They not damage caverns but they do funny things, make bad noises that hurt goblins ears and they didn’t even pay any admission fees. Very bad, very bad. They kill goblins who go and complain, just like that. They don’t even have the good manners to eat the dead goblins or give them to us to eat.”

 

Eating dead goblins was to the goblins not a crime but a celebration, a gift of honour to the dead. In truth not all of the goblin was eaten for health and other reasons. The bones were turned into honoured tools and musical instruments. The boneskin was useful in many ways. Bobby had eaten a goblin once, or parts of it, to keep friendly with the goblins and found the meal to be rather chewy and not at all like chicken.

 

Bobby spoke. “I bring .308 calibre bullets, water, beer, bolt/action hunting/rifles, wooden flutes, healing serums, stimpaks, radaway, books in common language, foodbars, coffee powder, milk powder, sugar, salt and much else for you. We need to move quick and big, well organised with plenty of goblins and other help. I need information.”

 

The goblin nodded. “Then know that the intruders are in the big central cavern where the Evil President killed the Sacred Artist Todd, bless his soul, for a laugh. Not only a bad joke but a poor death and nobody to eat him proper, poor Sacred Todd. The intruders have done things to the big metal pagoda there, the big crazy glass and steel structure that we goblins only like because Sacred Todd died there and because it is a good place for workshopping, holding conventions and all night parties. I have been to some fine motivational workshops there. Beneath the great main platform of the grand pagoda is rocky floor of the cavern but also a large round cavity and at the bottom of that pit a big armoured power slide/hatch. We goblins could not get it open.”

 

Bobby nodded. “Neither could I when I had a secret look at it.”

 

“Very sneaky.” The goblin grinned with much appreciation, wagging a long boneskinned finger generally at Bobby. Then she lowered her hand. “Should charge you extra but I am feeling generous today. The intruders have opened it. One of our best scouts died after getting us this information. He will be sorely missed for both his fine scouting and his most funny song about the dead goblin who cooked himself into a fine broth so people would enjoy him better. Oh, so funny! We do not know what is down there but we have heard sounds of fighting and screaming along with other, terrible noises, bizarre noises that disturbed us like cold feelings down our spines.”

 

Bobby slipped his helmet off and frowned softly. Then he opened his mouth and let out a strange and awful noise, a sound that should not have been able to come from any human mouth. The goblin gave a start and cupped her pointy ears.

 

He stopped and the demihuman spoke. “Yes, that was the noise. I heard it and it gave me nightmares, me an experienced fighter of those morloks and those horrible human bandits of the Dedjadie.”

 

Bobby sighed. “That was the sound of a lesser undeath, a shadowpire, a thing of many bodies in one, a thing of antilife and undeath that sucks on the very essence of life. Blow the Pipes of Dreaded Bane as soon as you can. Do so now. Bring forth old allies, neutrals and even old enemies that not only know of the Pipes and Agreement of Dreaded Bane but who will acknowledge it, will follow it. These fools are Shadowclan, I guess, who expected to meet forces who would greet them well as loyal followers but who began to consume them. That door leads to a cavern where an ancient Stargate is found that long ago malfunctioned to open itself to the Shadow.”

 

“The Stargate itself was buried and hidden in Antarctica, deep in rock below many layers of snow and ice. It was inside an ancient chamber of a people often called the Ancients, who were amazingly knowledgeable, wise and powerful shapeshifters of a collective subconscious mentality. President James Patriot Jackson insisted that the Stargate be moved, earning him even more enemies because to do so he sent heavily armed elite Patriot Guards into international territory controlled by the United Nations. There was a battle but the Patriot Guards had more power weapons and other technologies; they won but at a high cost against Free Canadian, Australian, European and Japanese military forces with some assistance from New Zealand sappers. By then the USA, except for areas held by the growing rebel forces which included Alaska and Hawaii, was a paria of much of the world.”

 

The goblin blinked. “You know much, oh wise Bobby, but much of it goes over my goblin head and not just because you are so much taller than me, oh handsome one. This is very bad but not a surprise for our dream/seers, our shamans, our little sensitive babies, our blood/seers/ our bone/seers and my Aunt Shaziaziazamiazia have all had bad feelings about the future. Mind you my Aunt Shaziaziazamiazia always has bad feelings about the future.”

 

Bobby nodded. “Yes I met your Aunt Shaziaziazamiazia but really is this time to speak of that fine goblin matriarch? Should you not be running to have the nearest Pipe of Dreaded Bane blown?”

 

The goblin matriarch, who was named Shazia’Zim, grinned mildly. “We are not so dumb, we goblins, so we blew the Pipes of Dreaded Bane just half an hour ago.”

 

Bobby smiled. “Excellent! Now, if you prepare goblin forces to join in battle I will overlook the fact that you secretly made an agreement to let the intruders get to the big armoured hatch under the pagoda and to the Stargate. I have goblin children, remember, who are always loyal to me. Now them and their peoples come marching to save their Sacred Caverns from evil and from intruders. They will not be happy with local goblins who got carried away by greed and forgot the ancient agreement.”

 

But then, with a sparkling shimmer, a fairly tall goblin woman stepped out of the wall. She wore goblin adjusted power armour with the helmet face visor open so her whole face was revealed and not just her eyes. “Be fair, grandfather, it was not greed but fear that drove them. The intruders are led by a Shadowlord and with them are Shadowavards, heavies of the Shadowclan.”

 

Bobby hugged and kissed his grand/daughter on both cheeks. Then he spoke. “I sense another, a tall broad shouldered on in heavy exotic and terrible power armour.”

 

Shazia’Zim nodded muchly. “We have already called forth our forces but will you please send some of our people and valued stuff to sanctuary. Even if they never return, at least our people will live on.”

 

Bobby nodded. “They will return, if they wish to, and yes I will do so. We have much to do. The open Stargate is not as bad as one might fear for it is a poor way for the true Shadow to come into this dimensional realm. We will close it and we will hurt the Great Shadow in the process.”

 

But it turned out to be more problematic than that.

 

TO BE CONTINUED

Edited May 8, 2010 by Maharg67

[species5478]

Bobby is the man...

[Maharg67]

He certainly is but he is more than that. He is a secret wrapped in a mystery surrounded by a puzzle. More to come on this and other stories soon.

 

Please keep watching this topic for more exciting installments. :bunny: :banana: :mage: :woot: :starwars: