Zombies From the Sky

[Maharg67]

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One 21.1[20]{27}

 

The hulking tigerchimp leader, on that island, was ordered to keep his troops at the abandoned railway station and to avoid conflict with locals if possible. The orders came from the Lords of Animata, who had once been part of the immortals that ruled the Utopian Isles.

 

This made the tigerchimps happy despite they being ordered to clean up the railway station for unstated reasons. They were lethal fighters but it was dangerous out there with many tigerchimps having been killed over the years. They slept more, played basic games, or listened to an old phonograph record. Of course sentry duty was kept, patrols moved around the base and there was the gathering of resources including bushpods.

 

There came a delivery of equipment and supplies, being dropped off by a big kind of flying creature known as a wolfwing. Actually three wolfwings came for mutual protection for even the skies could be dangerous.

 

Sangsake, the hulking tigerchimp, noted there was cheap beer along with guns, ammo, body-armour, and other gear including medical stuff. The beer rationing began and all were happy apart from some minor squabbles soon dealt with by the leader in his 'subtle' manner.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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One 21.1[22]{28}

 

What happened to bring the three groups together was a mystery but doorways materialised in metallic stone walls that also came into existence. Exotic gateways took the Oracle, Captain ManMonster and leaders from the other group to the same amazing chambers such as the First Mate.

 

Was there some secret, ancient, force supporting them? None of them had any real answers when it came to the ancient entities and their creations.

 

The newcomers had much to say to each other. The First Mate and Captain ManMonster were glad to meet each other. The professor, and his daughter, spoke with the Oracle. The others were soon mingling even as the ship's doctor stood back with a pointed aloofness.

 

Great metallic stone statues were partly merged into one metallic stone wall. There were balconies, rampways, alcoves with strange devices, glowglobes of glowcrystal, great metallic spheres melded to other walls and much else of wondrous appearance.

 

The place had the feeling of being abandoned for an extremely long time.

 

As for the great metallic stone statues, they were of strange robed human figures of tall elegance with the men being bare chested and the women being bare breasted; there was the strong impression that this was in no way sexual but was to do with cultural standards of dress. The great figures managed to radiate a quality of power, knowledge and charisma that was at odds with them being statues.

 

Others, mostly animans, came into the chamber and were soon exploring with a careful mixture of avid curiosity and fearful caution. Quiet, well organised, oomans quickly made sure that curious animans did not go into some areas deemed more risky by the Oracle.

 

There was much to do simply to come to terms with the sudden change and then meetings to hold to deal with short term practicalities and longer term plans.

 

Dorothy, and Toto, sat quietly to one side with the nombies from the lifeboats and the cats plus rats from the same. The dog, cats, and rats were all curled up sleeping on, or very close, to her. With them were the damphir triplets who had some animals in their laps, they sitting cross legged on the floor; they were also quietly observant of what was taking place.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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Zero 9.1[9]{29}

 

Field Marshal Henry Adler watched as a series of huge explosions destroyed both the last of the glimmering fog and the town that it had taken over. In the bright, hot, sunshine the last of the lesser undead had perished. The unlifen, and semihumans, were in an encampment being protected by his own soldiers from another force of soldiers sent to round up, and imprison, the same. Fear had taken hold of the local population and the politicians wanted scapegoats to strike at to show the people that they were capable of dealing with any threat.

 

Henry Adler was not going to let either the unlifen or the semihumans to be imprisoned and then executed by xenophobic Australians. As for other kinds of 'immunes', they were also under his protection. Behind him were his command who were firmly supporting his actions.

 

In a fortified watchtower he stood and viewed the final destruction of the bizarre, unnatural, invader with powerful binoculars. The victory had been a painful one. Inside the glimmering fog were 'greater undead' of terrible monsters of tentacles sprouting from tentacles and other terrible glistening, horrific weapon extensions of their bodies.

 

With him were three of his most trusted people, who stood quietly and almost motionless. A very observant person might have noted that they breathed, and blinked, far too regularly. There was a tiny buzzing noise in the commander's ear and a voice spoke to him through a skull communicator that was far more advanced than anything more common to that world.

 

Command: "Alternate phase triangulation has confirmed that the glimmering fog broke through from Alternate Earth 5643-213. The hitech gear, as held by the zombies, also confirms this. Basic operations are to continue but be ready for new critical orders to be sent at any time. Your operations have been given a boost in resources allocations. A delivery will be sent to you in no less than a week."

 

The communications ended.

 

Field Marshal Henry Adler wished he had been more reassured by the message but his people's resources were stretched, as were those of their allies, as they fought the Great Enemy across many Alternate Earths. There was a chance the delivery would come late if at all. Yet he had no blame for his people for they were doing the best that they could.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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One 22.1[23]{30}

 

The three BISSA ships reached the great ancient artefact, of a tower, that rose so massively out of the ocean. They saw its tip, over the horizon, long before they reached it. The two airships were there, floating above the tower's top. The people, on the three sea vessels, were astonished by the site of the great ancient structure. Engineers, scientists, and other experts examined it carefully including those of the military.

 

Yet what was more astonishing was that the incredible tower was continuing to stretch up towards the sky though slower, perhaps, than it had moved to rise above the ocean surface. Nor was it less astonishing that a great doorway opened in the tower side, being open at ocean level, as if inviting the three ships to enter. Indeed psychic specialists spoke of a strong pull to do just that, which was something that they were all soon 'feeling'. The airships were also soon being invited to go into that place.

 

Which brought about the strange discovery that, while the tower was reaching upwards, that the opening was somehow remaining at the level of the ocean. This seemed to be impossible but was happening before them. Anyway it went along with exotic stories of such ancient alien structures, most of which were to be found underground.

 

A big storm was coming and so it was soon decided that all of the vessels, airborne or sea going, would enter the tower through the great opening. Somehow it had come to seem just common sense to do so as if some kind of subtle, powerful, influence had fallen upon all of the people.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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One 23.1[24]{31}

 

At last the Oracle was able to open the 'package' that had been sent from London by ancient, dangerous, means. The buffering packaging was badly damaged but this was to be expected; the stuff was expensive and at least half the time failed to protect what was inside; this was why nothing irreplaceable was normally sent by such means and copies were sent if the original failed to get through. This time, though, the sent item was not threatened by such modes of teleportation for it was almost totally indestructible. The item was not even slightly warmed, or even slightly tainted by strange energies.

 

Professor Arnie Vezzati, and Lecturer Annie Vezzati, looked upon the exposed object with amazement but also with expressions indicating that it was somehow familiar to them.

 

Annie spoke out in her lightly continental accented voice that showed that she was greatly awed by what she was observing. "It is a key of the AncientOnes that created the artefact structures and power artefacts. We have viewed images of such devices in underground ancient complexes, including the great one where podbushes grew. It is beautiful, but disturbing, there and also dangerous with strange creatures. There are metallic stone statues there like those that are against the wall over there and also other features of a kind found here."

 

Around them stretched the great chamber that had never ceased to awe those of the new alliance, including the immortals. More animans had arrived to dwell in the connected chambers, in more hopeful safety and comfort, along with oomans, wozzles, apedogs and others. Dispensers were found of foams, liquids, gases and solids of curious plus useful kinds. Duplication devices were also found along with healing alcoves, sleep assisting alcoves and other features still being carefully investigated. The oomans guarded many areas to make sure that overly curious animans did nothing foolish.

 

The Oracle nodded. "It is an AraKey of the AraAncients of the GrandAncients who had a vast empire spanning not just many universes but many alternates and other dimensions of existence. It came from London and I had assumed that it was sent by the Incredible League of Champions but, in our last communications, they denied having sent it. I do not know who, what, sent it but they did so using the same means that the ILC and I use to send small packages between each other."

 

Dorothy stood there, with Toto sitting at her side, and she spoke. "I asked for the AraKey to be sent to you by my people. You will no longer need to use such dangerous forms of teleportation and communications. With the AraKey I will open up special facilities that only a few of you will be able to use with much care. It was Toto, and myself, who brought you all together by allowing access to those Secondary Waygates. I was not on the tramp-steamer, the SS Bravenis, before it ran into the glimmering mist."

 

Captain ManMonster nodded. "I knew that when I first saw you for I always kept careful watch over who was on my beautiful vessel."

 

The others studied Dorothy, and Toto, with much wonder.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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Zero 10.1[10]{32}

 

The atomic rocket struck the comet-projectile and detonated with a great violent explosion. The idea was to destroy the threat from space but the plan was poorly thought out and carried out by a group with little experience of what they were doing. The League of Nations did not know of the operation, let alone support it, and neither did any of the League Nations of the LN.

 

Disaster!

 

The comet-projectile would have landed in the Atlantic Ocean, doing far less harm, but instead it struck the East Coast of the USA. There it exploded with great force, causing a good deal of death and destruction. Soon after a glimmering mist was moving out over a small city where the injured, the shocked, were in little position to resist it; the metropolis was named Atlantaville.

 

Soon the only living survivors were those trapped, and not reached by the glimmering mist or the undead, those who were sealed up in places well secured and those who had managed to escape.

 

Amongst crumbled architecture, and that still standing, the glimmering mist moved slowly and so did shambling zombies along with failures falling to pieces. Some ghouls were there and two lichs. Immunes fought to survive, against the undead, as did unlifen.

 

The sounds of gunfire sounded through the street as National Guardsmen, police officers and volunteers fought the undead. Gas masks, along with other protective gear from National Guard stockpiles, had proven to be surprisingly effective against the unnatural mist. Flame-throwers burned back the glimmering mist and burned the undead to death, burning zombies often setting others alight. Simple Molotov cocktails crashed amongst the undead, throwing burning petrol in all directions; these also proved deadly against the zombies.

 

Still it was a terrible disaster that had claimed too many deaths, and fates worth than death. Also there were many trapped as would be rescuers were held back by the antinatural invasion.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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One 24.1[25]{33}

 

Quinn, Katrina and Salina sorted amongst the odd items 'bought' from the vendor-cube. Each was 'normal' on one level and yet special also. The metallic jumpsuits were tight, thin, but kept the body protected and at a comfortable temperature. All such gear was fitted to the buyers' shapes perfectly. The dome-tents were light, and compact, but amazing sturdy once erected properly. The torches burned with little heat and much light, giving off no smoke and being used up very slowly. The knives were ever sharp and hard as were the axes, being excellently balanced.

 

The rations were most loved by the animans but all appreciated them. Mostly good was that they were preserved and had a long shelf life.

 

The animans were not so happy about the metallic jumpsuits but a few loved the oddly named slipboots.

 

As for the camp cooking gear that actually helped the process of cooking, they were very favoured by all.

 

There were many useful items but odd ones were the three types of musical instruments that could play themselves with basic melodies, along with being played.

 

The healing serum was amazing and of multiple use for it could be swallowed or rubbed into the skin or even injected along with being used in other ways.

 

Three examples, of each kind of vendor 'item', was neatly arrayed before them as they assessed them and wrote neat notes on special water proof paper with special pens that could also be obtained. Of course they had both kinds of items also as samples.

 

The ship's doctor wandered, with false casualness, up to them and looked upon the neatly arrayed items with badly hidden greed upon them. He gave a condescending smile to the triplets. "The four of us could make a nice little profit on the side with all these valuable items at our disposal."

 

Perhaps the triplets would have hit him but it was Captain ManMonster who knocked the man out, picked him up and hauled him away over one shoulder as if he was a loose sack of goods. When the ship's doctor woke up again he would be lost in the island forest with only a few items for his survival and a written note warning him to stay away from any settlement.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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Zero 11.1[11]{34}

 

Captain Nemo, in the sleekly massive NSS Nautilus, made contact with the whale mother and child, with the help of a psychic gifted crew member. The mother assured him that the tentaculons, like the one with Robinson Crusoe but bigger, were not only friends but were protecting the whales from human whalers, kraken (brutal giant squid like monsters) and other threats. One threat was something greatly powerful, evil and akin to the tentaculons themselves.

 

The expeditionary force, in the great ancient tower, were joined by five airships, being more than they had been promised. Three were British Imperial Military and two were from the United States of America, being US Military in nature. The two American vessels had been 'cruising' through the area in high altitude flight in a military exercise when their federal government had ordered them to join the expedition.

 

The Extraordinary League of Champions continued with their workings in their main base, in England, but also around the world.

 

US Federal, and international, investigations began into the cause of terrible disaster that happened to the town of Atlantaville. These began even as the last of the glimmering mist, and undead, were swept into oblivion and rescue attempts began to save those trapped beneath rubble and in other ways.

 

The tigerchimps, and reavers, began efforts to contact the Oracle and to start negotiations for some kind of alliances. An uneasy peace fell between them and local animans, and others, on the very big island.

 

The international space program continued.

 

The Alternate Earths Infiltration Program continued.

 

The super-weapon programs continued.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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One 24.1[25]{33}

 

Quinn, Katrina and Salina returned to where the two lifeboats had been carefully hidden only to find that they had been carefully taken to pieces and made to vanish down a fairly large tunnel. Bemused, they went to follow only to find it was heavily blocked not far after the tunnel entrance.

 

They had heard of the molemogs that lived in huge burrows and big cave systems, normally feeding on mogsberries, mushrooms, cave roaches, blind fish and the like. They sometimes traded with what they called surface dwellers and sometimes stole from them.

 

Quinn sighed. "So much for using one of the boats to skirt the edges of the lagoon, to do some fishing and exploring."

 

Katrina snorted. "That could easily have proven to be too dangerous, what with those wingpires up in the sky and other spies. Some animans have spotted large sharks in the lagoon. We have all, somehow, been half asleep. There is something about these islands that dampens one's awareness in some subtle ways."

 

The others responded only by nodding a little; they had 'sensed' the same to be true.

 

Salina sniffed the air. "That odd fading smell, I suppose it is of the molemogs that stole Captain ManMonster's precious lifeboats, the only real valuables left from his precious tramp-steamer. We had better go and report to him."

 

Before they went back, taking the terrible information to Captain ManMonster, they looked around further and gathered some mushrooms, fruit and bushpods. As they travelled back to the new type settlement complex, they were fully aware of the reavers stealthily following them.

 

That is until the three got bored, stopped and Salina quietly asked the other kind of damphirs to come out into the open; they were quite welcome to come with Salina, Katrina and Quinn to the nearest settlement, that was underground as they all were except for some small outposts. They soon set out again with the reavers being annoyed that the triplets had detected them very easily when the reavers were very proud of their stealth skills.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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One 25.1[26]{34}

 

The Oracle was surprised to discover that Dorothy knew more about what was going on, had taken place in the last years, than she did.

 

There were no longer five main factions as she had known them.

 

Instead their were the surviving original immortals, their families, followers, minions and others with them. Then there were two lesser factions linked to them. Her father was one of the leaders of that faction.

 

There was also a large unlifen faction.

 

There was a large undeath faction of powerful vampires with their followers, minions and others who served them.

 

Another faction was the Oracle's people now joined by the newcomers from the sunken tramp-steamer.

 

There were three large exotic, largely mysterious, factions of which only one she had known anything of.

 

Then there was a scattering of many smaller factions, a fair few of which were allied to or who did paid service for one of the main factions.

 

There were yet others that Dorothy, for her own reasons, would only hint at.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Maharg67