EXX's Tavern

[Sholl]

"Melted?" The Scientist thought, and after a moment's pause, shook his head slowly. "No, these machines are built from a synthesized carbon. You can't get temperatures that hot in an open environment like this without melting or burning everything in this room, and sucking the oxygen from the room."

"And I don't know how protective your barrier is, but if it allows light to pass through it, then it will surely allow the radiation to pass through it when their cores go critical."

The Scientist was lost in thought as the dragon with silver scales looked to him, and turned orange. At this point he was confused, but assumed that in this land of magic and dragons, stranger things existed. Maybe the dragon's color change was part of a fighting mechanism it had developed.

Then inspiration. The mind of the Scientist was quick and clever (After all, that's what scientists were bred for), and the pieces of this worry fell into place.

Reaching into the recesses of his jacket, he revealed a series of odd disk shaped items, a strange gun with a metallic sheen, and other odd knick-knacks wholly unrecognizable to the citizens of this land.

"We won't be able to do much separately, but together, we should have enough between us to stop 5 or 6 Sentient Bots at least."

The Scientist walked to the door, and placed the strange objects beside it. The Sentient Robots were sure to enter through the door. They lacked imagination, that was their downfall.

"Water." The Scientist said simply. "We need water."

The bar patrons came together, and filled jars and buckets and barrels with water, and placed these by the door as well.

"Now I heard you mention having the ability to generate force fields." The Scientist said, pointing to the dragon. "I assume that this force field will allow light to pass through it, and as such, heat. Electricity too, I should hope. If so, when the Robots enter that door, I want you to encompass them within a force field. Make sure, and this is especially important, you trap the water in there with them, but not the objects I placed beside the door."

"And you," The Scientist said, moving his attention, "I heard you're proficient in fire. We won't be able to melt them, but we can use your skills to sway the fight in our favor. When they enter that door, wait until they are trapped in the dragon's force field, and I want you to aim for the water. Hit it hard, hit it heavy. With any luck, we can generate the necessary energy levels fast enough to do some good."

"Now everyone else, I want you to wait for my say-so, and we're going to attack the objects left outside the force field. But Only Ranged Attacks! They may not look it, but those small items I placed by the door have a pretty powerful electric kick to them, and it's imperative we stay as far from them as possible."

The hand held device beeped once more. They were almost here.

"Do not get cocky!" The Scientist shouted to those about to fight. "I may not know about magic, but I assure you other people on NeoBabylon Island do. These robots have been built by the most cunning minds in the world with the best and most advanced innovations in the fields of science and magic. They may look slow and clunky, but I assure you they can survive most anything thrown directly at them."

"Then how can this series of seemingly useless acts affect them?" One asked.

The Scientist smiled, standing calmly with his hands behind his back, facing the door. "We're not going to attack them directly. We're going to outthink them. Just do what I said, and we'll likely survive."

"Everyone know what to do? First the dragon makes a forcefield, then the fire-user heats the water, and finally, the rest will attack those objects I placed by the door."

The bar patrons readied themselves for a fight, as the Scientist stood calmly in the middle of the bar, with the fighters behind him. He could always manage to calm himself in times of great stress. Must be because of that NeoBabylonian city life!

Then, thinking about it, the Scientist turned once more to the dragon. "If we survive this attack, I'm going to be darting from robot to robot very quickly, opening their chest casings. You're going to see something very bright inside their chests. Take those bright things, and using as much dirt as you can fit in your force field, mash them into a ball, with those glowy things in the center, and a nice, thick shell of dragon-hardened Earth. That should hopefully get rid of any ill effects of radiation fairly quickly."

The device beeped once more, and in the distance, an explosion could be heard. The last lines of defense.

"Get ready everyone. Here they come!"

The door burst open, and 3 Sentient Robots entered, 8 feet tall, black as the night, and as large as boulders. They made odd buzzing sounds, and raised their arms; pointing very large guns at the Scientist standing before them...

[Pandora]

Mirravin looked down at the disk like objects on the floor and then made her way to the back of the room. If they were anything like what she thought they were she didn't want any part of them.

The vaugeness this scientist was using with all of the people there was starting to work on her nerves ever so slightly. So while the robot was making it's way through the door she places a hand firmly on his shoulder.

Look, we might not all have the brillant knack for knowing how to break down and mix compounds together, or all that other wonderful science stuff, but we aren't cave men for petes sake! How about try speaking a bit more plainly instead of...well whatever you're doing, it's seriously making my head hurt. She spoke to him very cooly and calmly as if nothing were happening.

[dardrock]

uuh... the man replyed stund this was out of his league and his pay "maby im in the rong town desisdeing he dident want to stay near the door he gose off to the side to study his map and mutters to him self

[Pandora]

Mirravin prances over to the young man looking over his map. She'd almost forgotten he was there.

You know I don't half know what's going on withmyself sometimes...maybe it was me and I've just forgotten. What's the name of the person you are herer to find, perhaps I can be helpful? Mirravn asked him while eyeing the door. She was still going to keep and eye out but as far as she knew her help wasn't required.

[dardrock]

i keep saying i dont know. all i know is that some guy hierd a guy to find me he gave me a pack with this and some other junk in. it as far as i can tell this is the place the map gose to... im ment to come to the tavern... in this town theres supposed to be a womon in this tavern that i give this stuff to or what ever and she tells me what to do next... and shes not hear or im in the rong place...

[Sholl]

"What are you doing? We need to trap those robots in a heated, contained force field, and then use the steam in the air trapped with them to act as a conductor for the shock wave those objects will release once destroyed!"

The robot standing in front buzzed oddly, still with gun raised, but arm ticking wildly to the side.

"Mar-Mar-Mar-Marvin 4-4-4-4931." The robot ticked violently. "You have been sentenced to death-to death-to death-to death, by the moral authority of the Island of New Babylon. Will you come peacefully, or will we have to broadcast your death-your death-your death-your death to the NeoBabylonian Council of Propaganda?"

"Please!" The Scientist begged the strange magical citizens. "Help me! I'll explain afterward!"

"Why should we trust you?" One called to him.

His gaze was locked on the robots.

"You have no reason to, but please, help me deactivate them, and I'll explain everything to you. I'm a living, breathing organism. These robots are nothing but strange designs of wires and circuitry. If you ignore me, this death will be on your hands!"

[alondor]

"Look here mr white, since you refuse to provide a name, I will handle this in short order if you just be quiet about them from now on, ok?" Alondor then turned to face the robots and witha flick of his wrist sent the robots through a portal that opened up underneath them. The Portal closed shortly after they had fallen though. Turning back to the scientist Alondor said "Ok, they are now 25000 miles above the center of the nearest ocean, which is far away."

The turning to the matron of the bar Alondor asked for for another Goblet of Chimera blood and immediately got it.

[Drakel]

Before alondor used his portal power:
Drakel laughed at the scientist and then said, ok then, why would gods care about one living being's demise when billions of billions of lives die every day if you put all of our realms together. And from what I care, you’re nothing in my opinion. Drakel's scales turned silver again as he started to walk towards the bar and was about to get his favorite drink, Shade's hell wine ... a wine that was specifically made by only the rarest and finest of ingredients, infect any shades hell drink surpassed most others in taste and strength of alcohol.

When Drakel jumped over the bar and grabbed his favored drink he placed ten gold coins on the counter and started to walk back to his seat... but when he turned around he bumped into one of the giant robots and accidently dropped his drink. As the Glass shattered on the floor Drakel's facial expression was more shocked then he's ever been before... Slowly he reached his hand behind his back and said in a pissed off tone, Six thousand years since I last had Shades hell... And right when I was so close this F ing thing happens? It was obvious that in Drakel’s eyes, making him drop Shades hell wine was a deeper sin than any other known to man…

Drakel grabbed his sword and instantly pulled it out of its holder and right when the blade touched the ground the robot was cut up into billions of millions of times, Drakel swinging his sword that many times turned the entire thing to dust and as for its core, it was almost as though it was no longer part of reality. All that was left was a rusty metal colored dust pile on the ground. Drakel's breathing stopped as he walked forward to the other two robots. He pointed his sword at them and a gush of wind sent them flying out.

When alondor teleported the robots Drakel calmly walked back to his seat with Mirravin and said to the doc, You better give us some explaining... before the same thing happens to you, and I won't be the one doing it.

[Pandora]

Mirravin straighten up and looked over to him the scientist who'd been asking for help so frantically only moments before. Then she slowly walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder once more, and looked him in the eye, er goggles.

help with what? Marvin, Picking up your electronic pulse mines? she tried very hard to keep a straight face as she said it, but the corners of her mouth slowly twitched into a bemused smile.

[Sholl]

Portal magic. To replicate that in his field, more energy than the Sun will ever release would need to be instantaneously concentrated in a space the size of an atom. Truly, this was not his world.

"Er, thanks." The Scientist said, picking up the mines with as much dignity as possible.

Three Sentients. Three. Not five or six. Three. Why only send three? Especially given the nature of his crimes, why not send an entire platoon? Three?

He didn't know whether to be hurt at the fact they considered him only worth 3 Sentients, or if he should feel paranoid about other potential Sentients hiding out there, somewhere. Maybe his traps really were somewhat effective.

The Scientist, pulse grenades and electric devices concealed once more, meandered up to the bar, and clutched his head. "I need a drink."

Then turning to the other bar patrons, "Errr, thanks."

His head throbbed wildly, so he took a tiny orange capsule, and swallowed it in one smooth motion.

"I suppose I owe you a story. Well, where to begin. I suppose my home, NeoBabylon Island."

Waves of memories flooded his mind.

"NeoBabylon Island is a perfect utopia. People are genetically created to fulfill assigned functions, and they are taught to enjoy these tasks. There are leaders, philosophers, scientists, anthropologists, mechanics, engineers...You name it, they're breeding people to do it."

His headache began to subside.

"A perfect place to be sure, but unfortunately, I am not perfect. Perhaps it was all the time I spent around the nuclear fuel cells altering my mind, perhaps I went mad, or maybe I am some sort of messenger for a higher cause. I don't know."

"Why were those droids after you?" One asked.

"Oh...That. Well, understandably, the Leaders of NeoBabylon wanted a safer way to provide power to our society. Nuclear is perfect, if you ignore the horrible cancers and cell degradations that come with it. So I was charged with a task: Find a safer way to power the island. I did...Sort of."

The headache was nearly gone now, but it would return, and his supply of REMrid was running low.

"I do not agree with the way our society is being run. Yes, it's peaceful, but the people are slaves. Happy, dumbed down, genetically predisposed slaves. Everyone's a slave. I'm a slave to the Philosophers and the Council of Ethics, they're a slave to the Leaders, and they're slaves to the rest of us. And we were all too dumb to realize it."

He cracked his neck to the side.

"So I built their source of energy; a series of antennas aligned in such a way that solar radiation within our own atmosphere, as well as natural electrical currents in our skies are captured, and contained within giant capacitors."

He sighed. "No one was hurt, but the entire NeoBabylonian society lost power after I released the EMP; the first time the island has ever lost power."

A drink slid across the bar. He didn't care what it was, as long as it found its way quickly down his throat.

His voice was now monotone, low. "Circuitry was fried, and the Island Defense Network went offline. I gave people the chance they needed to escape. I don't know if they took it. I did. I ran, and found my way here. But apparently, so did the Leaders..."

[Pandora]

Mirravin stood there a little put off and a little confused. She shrugged it off and allowed her attention to wander back to the frustrated messanger boy again.

[dardrock]

not copletly un aware that he had a ladys atechion the messenger trased his route then tossing the map over his sholder looked her up and down..."you or any one you know need soemthing ran some ware"

[Pandora]

Hmmm, I don't know that I do really... Mirravin answered thoughtfully.

[dardrock]

well i cant aofrd to stay hear much longer i dought any of you are humon... any one need a spare sword... an old map to no ware... puch me for a coin

[Pandora]

Welll feel free to stop by if you ever get a chance to take a break and relax with a drink. Mirravin said with a shrugg

[dardrock]

drat he thout to him self looking up at her one last time he desided thered be nothing better to do then figer out ware he was he picked up the map and carfuly slid out ouf the door moving off in case any one one elce desided to rush in

[Pandora]

Just as he left out the door Mirravin remember that she was waiting to hear from someone, she just couldn't remember who. So instead of running after the messanger she sat ther etrying to figure out who it was exactly.

"You really are an idiot." The little dragon she'd placed on the bar huffed up at her.

[dardrock]

the mesenger walked in one last time.... any one tell me what the name of the next town over is

[Pandora]

Something with a B at the begining I think....wait it's you again, I just remember I'm supposed to be sending a letter to someone so that they'll know that I've gotten here safely. He's been insisting I not use any more magic because he's scared I'm going to hurt myself. He even got that little screwge on the bar there to follow me around to make sure I don't do anything to straining...you poor boy, you must have traveled such a long way to get here. How about you sit for a spell while I write that letter for you to carry back, ok? she beckoned to the man to sit down beside her as she pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and started sribbling on it with a small pin she also produced from her pocket.

"Yes, and I'm going to make sure he knows you've placed me in this pitiful form as soon as we get back too!" The dragon snarled at her heatedly.

[dardrock]

well at least its something whats the name of the town or wich direction do i go in... i normaly take five a day... but becase i think your sweet ill make it 3

[Pandora]

ha, I get that a lot...although I'm not really sure it's true. she told him in a bemused tone and then went back to sribbling on the piece of paper in frount of her.

"Sweet? yes sweet is a perfect description for someone who forces her loyal subjects to take the shape of barbaric fire breathing lizards!" the little dragon fussed.

Hey! the dragon is a very beautiful magestic creature, and where I come from it's a symbol of grace, knowlage and dagerous beauty. you should be honored to be in that shap. Mirravin snapped at the creature.

[dardrock]

for my pepol its a sine of power iter you die or you live mostly die thoe

[Drakel]

Drakel looked at the small Dragon and said, what Mirravin says is true; the form of a dragon is a form that my people are most proud of. It shows our great power, strength and our intelligence; it’s a beautiful form that puts almost all races in awe in my realm. Drakel looked at Mirravin and smiled and chuckled a bit before continuing, and if Mirravin allows it, I could easily turn you into some other form that would suit you better if you're too good to be a dragon.

Drakel snapped his fingers and with some silver arcane and water he easily made a mirror and placed it in front of the dragon. A Twisted smile came upon Drakel's face as the reflection changed from a dragon, into a sewer rat. Of course only the reflection changed and not the Dragon's form but when you use mirrors to look at yourself you won’t know what to believe. sooo…. Which form would you prefer better?

Moved jan2611,1206estVH42

[alondor]

alondor agreed with Drakel whole-heartily and was smiling from the shadows that had decided to swirl around his head. "Even in the Nega-world the dragon is respected for one reason or another"

[Pandora]

"Bug off!" It snarrled up at them puffing off a whisp of smoke.

Aww, what's wrong Vandalee? do you want me to save you from getting gained up on? Mirravin mused slyly.

"Never! I am quite capable of handling myself, thank you!" the little dragon snapped over at Mirravin. Mirravin let out a hearty laugh and then started rolling up the piece of paper she'd been writting on.

ok, if you insist. do what you want with it, I don't care. she added with shurgg and a mischevious grin.

"Why, YOU!"