Black Fang
Active Member
Log 9: Rebuilt! Creation’s Bane
*Last Episode Recap Theme 1 plays*
(‘Shinkou! Machine Teikoku...’ from Chouriki Sentai Ohranger)
*Last Episode Recap Theme 1 plays*
(‘Shinkou! Machine Teikoku...’ from Chouriki Sentai Ohranger)
Blane grabbed the other Braces and threw them to the others, who transformed and cut their way out of the cage. They went to help Blane, but he didn’t seem to need it. Even without a protective suit he was holding his own against the aliens, shooting those far away and grappling those who came closer, as he went to retrieve the unconscious girl.
“You don’t want a hand, General?†Anthony called as he saw Blane beat down a Larva. Blane shot another Larva about to attack the red-clad leader.
“… Point taken.â€
“Keep these guys busy, I’ll get the girl outta here!â€
He picked up the girl and dashed back to the jeep.
Nikolas joined his teammates and together they set their G-Rifles for a finishing volley. Larva were mowed down and destroyed. The remaining Nympha seemed to cast looks of derision at Pinkhasov with their green eyes.
“**** *****!â€
“No!†Pinkhasov protested, but the order was repeated. Pinkhasov cursed under his breath and activated a remote to self-destruct the lab.
“He’s set the place to blow!†said Omar when they heard a timer count down. Pinkhasov and the Archons beat a hasty retreat. Team GAIEA tried to summon Archelon, which arrived just as the final seconds ticked away.
Back outside, Blane tended to the now stirring girl when he heard an implosion from underground. For a moment he feared the worst, but then he saw Archelon emerge back to the surface…
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Pinkhasov was brought before five Archons in what appeared to be a small council chamber. They stayed in the shadows away from their dim lights, but the old Russian could recognize their features as that of Imatos, the adult Archons and overlords of their race. Between him and they was a lit floor design of the Archon insignia.
The atmosphere here would have been enough to frighten a normal human, but Pinkhasov had gone beyond mere humans. He waited, silent and without emotion, for one of the Imatos to speak. They then came out into the light, but not before donning human forms, much to his disappointment; he much desired to see these aliens as they truly were. Nevertheless their green eyes betrayed the wicked alien beneath the skin.
“Your work thus far is not meeting expectations†one of them spoke in Earth language, or as best as he could speak it.
“There have been obvious setbacks†Pinkhasov replied quietly. Having spoken with Imatos before he could expect them to not lash out at him… but it couldn’t be wise to try their patience for too long.
“Team GAIEA was placed right into your hands and you let them get away†answered another.
“Their general saved them.â€
“An old man. An old man beats you, whom we bestowed our knowledge and made a god among men?â€
“But they haven’t discovered everything. We are closer to finding the Heart than they believe. And despite the previous interruption I am making a breakthrough with your cybernetics. You shall have the perfect hybrid, one that can retain his mind rather than suppressing it and add it to your collective.â€
“And yet you refuse to do the same to yourself?â€
Now Pinkhasov was nervous. This was a topic he would rather avoid. “One day, perhaps. But not yet. Give me more time.â€
“You will have but little. We have… other assets that may be of better use.â€
Pinkhasov was dismissed. On the way out he caught sight of a group of military officials waiting for an Archon host and looking around with discomfort. He saw a Venezuelan flag pin on one of them and they were whispering to each other in Spanish. Could they be the “other assets†spoken of? He climbed back into the Pod lent to him and descended back to Earth…
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*Opening Theme plays*
(Chouriki Sentai Ohranger OP Instrumental)
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“Hey, look at this!â€
One of Anthony’s coworkers at the construction site, a burly man who looked taken straight from a 80s movie, tossed a copy of the day’s newspaper opened to an obscure article.
“You like all that alien stuff, right? Read there.â€
Anthony skimmed the article about a man named Brett Azral, who decades ago claimed to have had reverse-engineered alien technology the U.S. military housed in secret bases. He was now announcing that his research organization had recovered the remains of an Archon and rebuilt it. Azral intended to use this Archon to investigate its origins.
“You think he’s genuine?†Anthony asked the man.
“Who knows?†he shrugged. “Everyone’s now going on about UFOs and aliens. The whole thing is crazy. I’m betting it’s all just one big ruse.â€
“By whom?â€
“Russians, Chinese… any one of those big guys wanting to scare everyone. I even heard a street preacher saying the end of the world was coming. It’s all crazy.â€
Anthony smiled along with him, but assumed a concerned demeanor once he left to yell at some other workmen. This could be trouble.
* * *
“I see we’re of like mind†said Blane once Anthony had a chance to report in. He spoke to the Team via their ComUnits as they took a break from their jobs. “I’m sure the enemy will target him soon.â€
“Do you know this man?†asked Omar.
“I saw him 30 years ago when he first came out about his work with aliens. I’m sure he is sincere, or at least believes he is. He hasn’t sought publicity in all this time.â€
“He might want to cash in while all this UFO talk is going on†Sita pointed out.
“Nevertheless he cannot be ignored. Ms. Harris, I believe you’re in the perfect position to investigate this.â€
Emma was surprised. Blane certainly hadn’t forgotten the incident with her UFO chasers, and she didn’t expect him to ever give her a specific assignment. Regarding her college friends, Tim and Gillian had been let go by the authorities but Brandon remained missing. They seemed unaffected by their experience in all but a drop in enthusiasm toward, almost a fear of the subject, and Emma tried to avoid them and their group more and more.
“I’ll see what I can do†she replied.
“I’ll join you†said Sita. “We don’t know what might happen, so it’s better if none of us are alone.â€
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Emma thought to herself, slightly annoyed. It felt more like she wanted to keep an eye on her, resolute in her “big sister†mindset.
“Very well. I’ll leave you to it.â€
Fine, let her come. It didn’t really matter…. though then again she might have preferred Nikolas as a partner.
Blane hung up on them and sat alone pensively. More tampering with things that should have been left buried and forgotten. What was Azral thinking? He decided that he might go see him personally if things went too far...
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Brett Azral was a thin man with silky, limp hair and large glasses. He seemed nervously excited as he invited the handful of investigators and otherwise curious into his organization’s facility. Among them were Emma, Gillian and Sita (who was, a bit comically, sporting a cub reporter fedora). Gillian clearly didn’t want to be here. Emma had to strongarm her into coming along despite her newfound apprehension toward this subject matter (“You don’t know what I’ve seen†she had hissed to her, after inquiring as to how she had escaped the base that night). She and Sita kept their ComPads hidden as they scanned the facility while Azral spoke.
“I managed to reconstruct as much of the original body with the pieces we could find†– at this Emma and Sita exchanged looks; either the recovery teams had slipped up or there was a mole in Prometheus Base – “the rest I supplemented with parts of my own. So in essence what you shall see up close is a real Archon, albeit, shall we say, domesticated.â€
The guests laughed politely. They would have clamored to see the alien despite the danger. Azral brought them to a laboratory where, lying on a table, was the rebuilt Archon larva. The two heroines let their fingers hover over the laser trigger on their ComBraces. If anything went wrong they might have to take action.
“Presenting Lazarus†Azral declared proudly. “Get up!â€
*BGM plays*
(‘Lady Soldier (1)’ from Dengeki Sentai Changeman)
(‘Lady Soldier (1)’ from Dengeki Sentai Changeman)
Some of his audience’s faces reflected recognition, but not enough for his liking. Lazarus rose and slowly scanned everyone with a turn of his head.
“We haven’t restored complete functionality, so his speech is limited. But I believe his data tracks are still intact. I plan to delve into them to see just what makes these aliens, or alien robots tick.â€
“… Brett†Lazarus rasped.
“Yes†Azral nodded. “It’s me. Say hello to our guests.â€
Sita watched the whole scene with incredulity. It was all rather absurd, seeing this enemy pawn reduced to an attraction at a convention or expo. The others now seemed perfectly comfortable with Lazarus as it exchanged with them. Even Gillian was fascinated.
“What do you think?†Emma whispered to her. Sita glanced at Azral and Lazarus together. The pretentiousness of his choice of name bothered her. She felt this would be bad karma. Sita pretended to dial her Pad like a phone while scanning the Archon. It seemed as defanged as Azral said.
“I don’t like it†she replied.
“He looks safe enough. Besides, we could use whatever info he might find out.â€
“True… but we should keep him on a short leash anyway†Sita forwarded her intel back to base, and Emma followed suit. After looking it over, Blane decided to pay this man from the past a visit…
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Later that night as Azral was about to head home he found a surprise waiting for him. Blane, by some unexplained manner, was waiting for him in the small conference room.
“General Blane†he greeted softly, hiding his surprise and irritation. He remembered him from thirty years prior when he had first revealed his experiences. “How did you get in here?â€
“Never mind that†said Blane. “I want to talk to you.â€
“Just like that? You barge into places and expect people to do what you say?â€
“I doubt you would have accepted a request on the phone.â€
“… Perhaps not†Azral walked to a small case near a bookcase where he had stored some alcohol. “Well since you’re here, would you care for a drink? Or is this official business?â€
“I’ll have one†Blane received a glass of whiskey and drank slowly. Azral however hovered over him, almost intent on not making himself comfortable.
*BGM plays*
(‘The Oath of Allegiance (2)’ from Chouriki Sentai Ohranger)
(‘The Oath of Allegiance (2)’ from Chouriki Sentai Ohranger)
“You came to stop me from working on this Archon.â€
“I came to warn you. This is highly dangerous stuff you are dabbling in. If you continue on you might wind up dead.â€
“Is that a threat?â€
“It’s a fact. The Archons are a curse on humanity, and we ourselves cast it because we didn’t heed the ancients. But… on the other hand, I share your interest in the Archons’ origins. If we know what they are and where they came from, we might find a way to defeat them. Or at least prepare for whatever else is out there.â€
“I see†Azral finished his glass. “So you want to join me in my endeavor.â€
Blane placed his glass alongside Azral’s and rose to his feet. Azral shrank back just a bit, trying to conceal his slight intimidation toward the tall man. Blane seemed to know this and used it to his advantage.
“I won’t stop you, on one condition. You have heard of Team GAIEA. I have connections with them and their organization, and have requested they oversee your little experiment tomorrow. The Archons are sure to find out about what you’re doing and will want to stop you.â€
Azral frowned. “I guess it would be pointless to protest, would it?â€
“Either they guard you or I’ll give the word and have your group shut down. There are people who already want to silence you, no doubt scared of what you might find or to maintain the cover-up, useless as it now is.â€
“I thought you wanted to find out too.â€
“Not at the cost of more lives.â€
Azral searched Blane’s face for any hint of leniency, a chance for a loophole, but found nothing.
“Fine†he conceded. “But they can only protect my colleagues. Do not let them interfere with whatever I try to do.â€
“I can’t promise that.
Azral sighed. “I have seen what is out there, General. I have worked with alien technology for years. You know this. I know what I’m doing.â€
“I hope so… Thank you for the drink.â€
Blane left the room, leaving Azral standing alone…
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Azral and his team planned to conduct their experiment at a rock field within the boundaries of a nearby national forest. They set up camp in the afternoon and waited for the stars to appear in the darkening sky. Azral’s plan was to position Lazarus at the center of the field and, with the help of a computer system he had installed inside his body that could access his databanks, have the alien scan the black expanse to search for the direction of his homeworld. The evening sky would in effect be a gigantic road map. In such a wide flat area, they would be particularly vulnerable if the Archons decided on an aerial strike. Team GAIEA had sent Archelon to fly around via remote should that occur, while they took inconspicuous positions around the team.
Azral took a moment to marvel at the dots of light emerging as the sun went down. He thought back to his time at the secretive military bases decades ago, relegated to lightless labyrinths beneath the earth to puzzle over the wondrous otherworldly machinery so cruelly hidden from the world. He had tried his best to reveal the truth when he first exposed his work, but too few had taken him seriously, and he was soon forgotten. Now he would show the world definitely where these invaders came from… if they were even the same ETs whose technology he had seen. He wasn’t sure, and he of course couldn’t compare to any records, as he hadn’t been allowed to keep any.
“What are we doing here?†Lazarus asked Azral in a slow voice.
“I want to find out where you came from†Azral explained. “While I access your databanks I want you to look up at those stars. It might help trigger your memory.â€
Lazarus gave no indication that he understood Azral’s purpose. But he inclined his head upward and stared at the field of innumerable white, bluish, and occasional red lights. To Anthony, Lazarus almost looked like a character from one of those sci-fi movies about a lost alien searching for a way home. Despite the pitiless, insect-like black eyes, he seemed a bit awestruck.
*BGM plays*
(‘Shuugeki’ from Choujinki Metalder)
(‘Shuugeki’ from Choujinki Metalder)
He then noticed Azral’s aides advancing toward him in unison. Something about their gait seemed unnatural.
“Look at the aides†Omar said. He and the others had picked up on it too; they zoomed their helmets’ binocular vision onto their faces and spotted pairs of green eyes.
“They’re Archons!†yelled Anthony. “Move in and keep them from Azral!â€
So this was their plan. Somehow the Archons had usurped the real aides without their knowledge. The Team rushed in on their Dashers and formed a wall between the aliens and Azral and Lazarus. Azral took a look back and jumped. His scan wasn’t even half complete and hadn’t yet produced anything. He could not afford interruptions now.
“Come on Lazarus†he urged, dragging the Archon further away. Lazarus remained transfixed on the sky.
“Gazelle, stay on Azral!†ordered Anthony. Omar rode toward them while the rest dismounted to engage the enemy. They peeled off their human faces and shed their clothes, revealing themselves as Nympha.
“** *!†One of them commanded. Larva appeared out of nowhere, some going after Omar. The heroes took on the remainder and their Nympha commanders.
Omar caught up with Azral.
“Get to cover, now!â€
“Are you mad? I can’t stop the scan now! Cover me!â€
Omar grimaced at the man’s bossy mannerism, but did his best to shoot down the grunts. Archelon came to his aide and blew up a good number of them. He charged up his G-Blade and finished off the remainder with several well-placed strokes. Azral checked his handheld computer screen plugged into Lazarus. Something at last had awoken his pre-programmed memories. Dozens of images flashed on screen in an incomprehensible blur. Millennia of information from the travels of his race, all preserved and duplicated into its progeny, all connected as though a single being.
One image froze for a few seconds: a great explosion rising from ancient Earth observed by some unknown recorder.
And another… this was most disturbing…. a silver-grey silhouette of modern man, not the primitives who had witnessed the crash landing on Earth. Yet somehow it was not quite human… Azral’s heart froze, and Omar choked. Could it be…?
But they were interrupted by a large circular flying machine, larger than the Pods, that zapped them with energy bolts.
Omar and Azral were thrown away from each other, and Lazarus clattered to the center of the field. Omar’s teammates caught up with them as Azral made a dash toward Lazarus.
“GET BACK!†Omar yelled but the scientist continued running. Another zap from the vessel sent him flying away several yards and landing in a heap. Archelon fired upon it, but its shields protected it from any harm.
“What is that thing??†Emma exasperated. They soon found out its pilot as the craft landed on four arthropodic legs and a being descended to the ground in a column of light. Once the column disappeared they could all see him clearly.
There for the first time in the open was an Imato, the Archons’ adult form. A near-fully cybernetic, insectoid slander against nature. Even just standing still, all present could suddenly feel chilled. The Imato had with him a staff that he raised toward his ship. It sent several bolts of energy at once like a wide net. The ground ripped apart in explosions. The heroes were scattered, sent flailing and sliding over the rocky terrain, and had their suits severely mangled. Azral sprawled on the ground, his eyes widened in horror. Lazarus rose to a sitting position and stared blankly at his brethren.
“AZRAL!†yelled Anthony. “GET AWAY!â€
But the Imato had summoned Larva from the ship that surrounded and seized Azral. He froze again as the head alien stood before him and stared silently at him for a long moment. But then the Imato went over to Lazarus, lifting him to his feet.
“Put me down†he muttered. The Imato stared at him, almost puzzled at this behavior. Then he muttered something to himself in his own tongue and summoned a large device onto his hand.
He plugged it into Lazarus and began accessing all the information inside him, seeing what Azral had discovered.
“** *** ** * *****â€
He used the device to reprogram Lazarus and destroyed Azral’s plugged in computer. Lazarus changed his posture and started to move more like the other Larva. He came up to Azral, who began to feel more nervous than ever.
“… Lazarus?â€
Lazarus said nothing.
“…It’s me… Brett… you know me, Lazarus.â€
But Lazarus gave no recognition. Ejecting his proboscis laser, he shot his resurrector once in the head. Azral fell lifeless to the ground.
“NO!†Sita cried. Nikolas, in a last-ditch attempt to get a hit in, removed his belt buckle that doubled as a grenade and hurled it at the aliens. The others followed suit and they managed to push them back beneath the ship. Archelon fired again on them, but the Imato brought them all back inside. The heroes could only watch as it disappeared into the night sky…
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*BGM plays*
(‘Yuuhi no Requiem’ from Choushinsei Flashman)
(‘Yuuhi no Requiem’ from Choushinsei Flashman)
The Team had returned to Prometheus Base with Brett Azral’s body. One unpleasant debriefing later they all gathered at the top of the island that hid the complex and stared out into the starry night.
“This might be small comfort†said Blane, coming to join them. “But they would have gotten to him sooner or later. We’ve already discovered more about them than they ever imagined. This last secret won’t be revealed so easily.â€
Omar shifted uncomfortably. He had not mentioned the two clear images he had seen in his debriefing. Nikolas masked whatever feelings he had. Anthony however was visibly disturbed over Azral’s death. How had they botched things up so badly? A man was dead, and their chance to see their enemy fully revealed gone.
“This had all better be worth it†he said quietly.
“God help us if not†Omar replied, almost to himself.
Blane directed his sight up to the sky. Somewhere out there was the Archons’ homeworld. Their mysterious but no doubt destructive path was laid out before them, if only they could find and follow it. He remembered the warnings of the ancients that had been discovered along with the first Archon ruins.
God would not help them. In fact, if his deepest fear was true, He would allow his failed creation to destroy itself through the alien abominations it had so recklessly made free…
TO BE CONTINUED
*Ending Theme 1 plays*
(‘Galveston’ by Glen Campbell)
Next Time
*Next Episode Promo Theme 1 plays*
(‘Yokoku Ongaku’ from Choujinki Metalder)
The winged giant that brought down the Archon Mothership millennia ago is recovered in Antarctica by Russian excavators; Team GAIEA and Silverado must race south to protect it from the Archons, and to keep it from the Russians’ sole possession.
*Ending Theme 1 plays*
(‘Galveston’ by Glen Campbell)
Next Time
*Next Episode Promo Theme 1 plays*
(‘Yokoku Ongaku’ from Choujinki Metalder)
The winged giant that brought down the Archon Mothership millennia ago is recovered in Antarctica by Russian excavators; Team GAIEA and Silverado must race south to protect it from the Archons, and to keep it from the Russians’ sole possession.
