Crossover Earth '98
SEMI-GODS AND SEMI-DEVILS
MICHAEL SURBROOK and MICHAEL COCKER
[GM Note: This story takes place a month before The Magnificent Butcher]
From the south, a gentle wind blew, dry, beneath a sun of smoldering gold. There was no rain for long weeks in this province, and the early-summer heat grew day by day. A canopy of foliage dappled over the land, shades of emerald, jade and olive intermingling, and naked stones baked where small streams had once run. In an open place where grass had vanished and only thin, withered brush held the soil with its roots. Down long valleys the slight breeze seeped, valleys thick with heat hanging in the air, some bloomed with conifers and leafy oaks, some sprawled with rolling grasslands and freckled wildflowers. It whispered across half-buried shacks and broken, archaic farm tools, long since forgotten by the indigenous people who had built them. It sighed in the passes, velvety lichen dropping spores to its testament, dry leaves rustling.
And then the light wind stopped.
As if out thin air, Thomas Walker appeared meandering up and over a sloping hillside, and crossed a forested valley with a stream running cold along its bottom. It was late afternoon by the time the well-muscled man headed between two steep-sloped cliffs, spotted with thickets and weeds, and turned down a smaller stream that splashed, cascading over gray rocks in a series of soft little falls. A finch chirped from a nearby tree, and another answered it not far ahead. The path widened as Thomas shuffled down through scrubby bushes and gnarled spruce trees.
Caribou, which in the grassy hillocks and broad gnoll bases had often watched warily, now began to bound away, tufted tails flickering, at the first sight of Thomas. He even caught only the faintest glimpse of gray-striped cougars that seemingly faded away like smoke. Ever since the big companies had surfaced in these parts of Alberta, both the caribou and cougars were rare animals to see nowadays. Thomas was amazed to have even spotted them.
In many places the trees had all been cut down, and the forest had mostly thinned to thickets by the time he reached Lubicon Lake. Furrows stretched across the land like quilts where worried farmers trudged the land. Scattered houses and stone buildings sat before copses of trees and patchworks of farmland. The springs were starting to run low this summer. A few mongrels lay panting in the swelter, and shirtless Cree boys ran about, playing basketball along an asphalt court at a nearby school.
Thomas smiled as he passed the boys. So young, he said inwardly. There's still a chance for them. Still hope in giving them a better life. A proud life. And I'm here make that certain.
Suddenly a rumble could be heard. Slowly, it grew to a grinding roar. A convoy of transport trucks rolled down a nearby county sideroad. Each truck was blue with a yellow and white logo on the doors. The logo read "AJI Logging Division." Thomas eyed the cargo: logs, hundreds of them. Murdered trees, stripped to bare cabers, lay stacked across the lengths of flat-bed trailers.
Anger welled in Thomas, and the dullness in his dark brown eyes vanished, growing preternaturally sharp. He flexed his hands as he watched the transports rush by, the thundering serried line gradually dissipated in the distance. The trucks were westbound. Most likely heading to the pulp and paper mill in Peace River, Thomas thought.
Anbu-Jigyoukai International had been situated in Canada for many years now. The corporation owned oil, gas and logging companies in nearly every province, making its owners billions of dollars off the natural resources of this boreal land. Thomas understood the cutthroat methods of the big-business pirates. He understood that power in the world of free enterprise was not an attribute gained through personal character but rather one gained through money.
However, the area surrounding Lubicon Lake was reserved land -- Cree territory. Cree had been segregated to these parts for generations now, self-sufficient in their traditional, aboriginal way of life. Yet, their simple means of a livelihood was severely being compromised with the pervading presence of AJI. Like most power-hungry multinationals, this Japanese corporation had no regard for the well-being of the country's premier colonial settlers. And so faced the problems with the Apache in New Mexico, the Sioux in South Dakota, and so many other Native Americans with so many other companies.
As a Blackfoot, Thomas felt empathic towards his indigenous brothers and sisters. He grew up on a reservation in Montana and knew all too well what ignorant governments and companies can do to his people's dignity, to his people's creed. As a Chosen One, he was determined to make a stand against such atrocity. He was driven to get retribution for his brothers and sisters across North America. Even as one man, Thomas knew his help was needed.
Today, he was set to help the Lubicon Lake Cree.
"Keep your innocence," Thomas whispered with a last look at the boys at the basketball court, and moved back from the edge of the road, well back into the shadows among the undergrowth and vegetation of a meager coppice.
Breathing deeply to charge his lungs, he stood with his eyes closed, seemingly in meditation. The pulsing veins in his arms froze as did the rest of his muscular body. Suddenly, in the space of one final sigh, Thomas' body began to transform; his clothes and tanned skin transmuted to earthen matter, his muscles compacted into granite. "Keep your innocence," he repeated, his voice now sounding like a landslide. With that, Thomas' composite body sank, parting grass and dry clay, and swam through the scree and subterranean elements as if it were water.
A light trembling traveled across the ground. As Thomas burrowed through dirt and rock, the surface cracked, in tiny, inscrutable fissures. Trees, brush, and grass danced as the trembling headed towards the AJI logging complex, along the western bank of Lubicon Lake. The earth moved. The ground heaved, twisted, and sagged along the shore. The rumblings echoed within the freshwater pool, causing slight ripples to rise across its expanse. An ever-deepening channel etched into the embankment as the earthen man emerged from the heart of the land. The crevice sealed itself back together as Thomas reverted back to his usual mortal self.
He crouched and surveyed the area. Four-square warehouses, garages, and outbuildings formed a semi-circle before the lake. Rugged workers in hard hats bustled about the site, shuffling in and out of visibility. Some moved from sheds, others behind a sprawling polygonal fence holding a fleet of logging machines. Scrap handlers, bull-dozers, skidders, front-end loaders, and delimbers groaned here and there, diesel fumes belching out of their exhaust pipes.
Thomas watched the workers hustle about the grounds of the AJI compound with a disdainful glance. Then his eyes were drawn to a figure atop the cab of a bull-dozer, a woman looking over the site in a hunched, three-point stance. He soon discovered that the figure was not a woman, not in the human sense of the word. Thomas continued to stare. No, not a woman, a mutant or possibly hybrid crossbreed, though for purposes of looks, there seemed little difference, save for her smoke gray skin and coiling tail. Whatever she was, she was no less comely. Thomas had seen few women who had more to offer than did this one.
Why do I have this feeling she's going to be trouble, he thought.
The day was ending and a dazzling gust of crimson and ochre started to surge the entire western skyline. For a long, picturesque moment, the sun seemed to hang just above the mantle of the horizon, lighting up the roofs along the compound and braiding shadows that dressed the wooded land with still, gentle bands of darkness. The air cooled slowly, the midday heat dying now as an evening breeze quivered and sighed through the trees, winding its way to the AJI site.
The night was cool, the sky bright with a multitude of stars. Kayli sat on the roof of massive piece of earth-moving equipment and looked up into the night sky, enjoying the refreshing breeze. Her latest mission had brought her to the country of Canada, which she had readily welcomed as a nice change from Texas and New York. New York has been interesting, but far too hot and crowded for her tastes. Texas offered plenty of space, but it was even hotter than New York and as dry a bone to boot. But here, In Canada, in a place Carlos had called 'Alberta', she had found the perfect environment.
Laying back, Kayli laced her hands under her head and continued her contemplation of the star-strewn sky above her. Canada, or at least this part of it anyway, reminded a great deal of M'Larr. Both were cool, and covered with dense forests. The only difference, naturally, was that there were no M'Larr here. Which, Kayli had to admit to herself was a good thing. The M'Larr were one of the few races that she respected. They were strong warriors if needed, and she had fought both against and for them. But that was neither here not here. This was Earth, not M'Larrr and the nearest M'Larrne huntership was a good hundred light-years away.
Giving a mental sigh, Kayli rolled over onto her side, resting her chin in her hand and gave the logging compound a casual once over. She liked her current assignment; for her it was practically a vacation. A vacation she felt she'd needed after that tournament up in New York. Her match with Battle had left her with a bloody nose and numerous bruises, while her fight with Greye had resulted with her being covered with a multitude of cuts and slashes... as if she didn't have enough scars already. Her eyes narrowed as she thought about Greye. He was fast, very fast, but rather uninspired in his fighting style. It was very basic, unimaginative, his great speed and agility compensating for his lack of variety. Kayli grinned in the dark, her teeth white against dark skin; she'd love to try a rematch against him in a no-holds-barred combat, where she could fight at full power. She was willing to bet she'd be his match in speed then, and if that was the case, Alexander Greye would end up a corpse in short order.
Chucking to herself at the thought, Kayli sat up, her tail lashing slowly across the roof of the cab and glanced about the compound again. She'd been sent to Canada to guard the logging complex from the area locals, who were threatening to blow up equipment and the facilities for some reason or another. Kayli's job was simple, Carlos wanted her to put the fear of... well... her into the locals and keep them from the site. Kayli grinned at the thought, she was very good at putting the fear of herself into people.
Kayli woke with a start, eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to get a clear look at her surroundings. She had dozed off at some point, and had a nagging hunch that she was going to pay for that error. Quickly getting to her feat, Kayli began to circle the compound, glancing about to make sure no one had managed to get past her while she had been sleeping.
It didn't take long for her worst fears to be realized. A long figure stood near one of the warehouses, motionless, in a ramrod stance. He was tall and broad and reminded her a bit of Mark Battle, although the stranger looked leaner. Kayli grinned, and summoned a bright ball of energy over one open hand. "Hey!" she called, "If you leave now, I won't have to kill you!"
The man turned slowly, giving Kayli and expressionless stare. Kayli noted his looks and dress, and decided he was one of the Indians that Carlos had told her about. One of the ones that wanted to destroy what she was trying to protect. If he decided to fight, she'd let him live; that way his friends and family would know what they were up against and might be less eager to test her power. Of course, anyone foolish enough to come after her then deserved everything they got.
Stepping towards the man, Kayli raised her arm, pointing the brightly glowing ball at his tall figure. "What are you? Stupid?" Kayli snapped. "Get down on the ground now!"
Kayli blinked, once, twice, a third time, as the man, instead of dropping to the ground, or backing away from the warehouse to transform. His features blurred like a picture out of focus. Flesh withered, fading into vapor, and began to reshape through a collection of dust particles. Red skin tone turned a translucent hue. In the space of heartbeats, the Indian shifted from palpable to intangible, from visible to amorphous. And then his shape vanished entirely, a wisp lost in the breeze.
Kayli swore, realizing that she'd been too amazed at his metamorphosis to act while the man had still been vulnerable. She unleashed a bolt of energy anyway, the beam slashing though empty space as the wind whispered mocking taunts into her ears. A moment later a sudden gust of wind send the Saiyan tumbling along the ground.
Leaping to her feet, Kayli hissed with anger and ignited her beam sword. Furiously slashing at the air, she backpedaled away from the warehouse, trying to spot some sign of the strange Indian's next attack. She could hear the wind amid the trees, and occasional snatches of words. Strong gusts buffeted her body, forcing Kayli to her knees despite her great strength. "Dammit!" she yelled into the night, "Face me!"
The wind swept past Kayli, picking up a detritus of dirt and dust. Slowly the particles come to life, melding, condensed to form an airy, man-like shape. The shape moved across the open air, hovering about, then disappeared behind a nearby outbuilding. The Indian stepped out from behind a small building and walked towards Kayli. She glowered at the man and felt tempted to end the confontation with a single energy bolt. Instead, she tossed her hair out of her face with a shake of her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "Who are you?" she hissed. It wasn't a question, so much as a demand.
"I'm...Totem," Thomas Walker said sullenly. "I'm here to put a stopper in AJI's plans on destroying this Cree territory."
"Heh..." chuckled Kayli, her tail lashing the night air. "Is that so? Well... I'm Kayli, a Saiyan warrior and I'm here to stop you."
At first, Walker said nothing, just stared angrily at Kayli. His eyes were intense, irises glowing a blazing incandescence, as if they displayed a raging furnace within. "Be warned, young lady, you're playing with fire," he growled.
Before Kayli could respond to his threat, a massive fireball seared through the air and exploded against her breastplate. Knocked off her feet by the impact, the Saiyan was thrown to the other end of the warehouse, where she slammed into the wall of a shed. Twisted metal siding toppled beside her as she rolled back to her feet. She looked over at Totem, his body now awash in billowing plumes of flame.
"Shit..." she muttered. Of all the people she'd met so far on this planet, this man was certainly the strangest. Leaping into the air, Kayli snapped one hand down, releasing a burst of brilliant energy bolts. The blasts exploded on and around Totem's fiery form, sending him staggering back. With a loud scream, Kayli ignited her battle aura, the brilliant flare of energy easily lighting up most of the compound.
Totem gave Kayli a curious glance and then sent a stream of fire arcing though the air. The blast smashed into the howling figure and sent her spiraling out of sight.
Kayli hit the ground with a loud thud and a shower of branches. The delay while summoning her internal energies had been more than enough to allow the Indian to get another attack off. Her white armor was now blackened and burned, and smoked faintly in the cool night air. Shoving aside the shattered remnants of the tree limb that had helped to break her fall, Kayli took to the air, a fierce grin etching her features.
Glancing about the logging complex, Totem wondered where the odd gray-skinned woman had gone. She was powerful, he had to give her that, and seemed to have as many tricks up her sleeve as he did. A sudden hissing noise answered his question as a brightly glowing form came into view near a thick cluster of trees.
Kayli hung in the air for a moment, studying her opponent. He was wreathed in flames, and the heat was bvious even at this distance. Opening one hand, she formed a bright ball of energy over the palm. Making a fist, she grinned at Totem as her beam sword snapped alight.
With a wave of his hand, Totem sent a ball of fire arcing towards Kayli. She stood her ground as the fireball approached and then simply stepped to one side as it passed. The ball exploded into a shower of sparks as it hit a tree, spreading burning debris about.
"Try again," Kayli laughed.
Nonplused at his opponent's newfound speed, Totem quickly launched two more blasts only to see Kayli dodge them with ridiculous ease. She leapt and spun across the clearing, laughing all the time. Finally, she landed in front of Totem, brining her sword down in a whistling arc. Totem threw himself aside at the last moment, rolling to his feet to to stare at Kayli with new found respect.
Kayli let the beam sword vanish with a pop, pointing her fist at Totem instead. Suddenly, the muscular Indian shimmered, his face and clothing obscuring and flowing like liquid. His skin turned a briny aquamarine. Kayli's energy bolt slammed into Totem's watery mass with an explosion of steam. In response, Totem seemed to erupt in a massive wave of violent water, his upper torso crashing upon Kayli and driving her back. Through the writhing whitecaps walked Totem. His body ebbed and flowed, growing longer or shorter as he moved ...
Fighting her way free of the weirdly clinging liquid, Kayli gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Although she hated to admit it, Totem seemed to be more powerful than she. Her aura-augmented strength and agility were neatly negated by Totem's constant assumption of virtually non-corporeal forms. Her only choice seemed to over whelm him with a barrage of energy bolts, since it was obvious any sort of hand-to-hand fight was useless against someone made from water.
Turning, Kayli brought both hands togther in front of her, producing a bright glowing ball. Totem flowed forward, waves wrapping about Kayli's feet and crawling up her legs. Kayli took a deep breath and pointed her hands - palms out - at the center of Totem's liquid body. With a hissing surge of foam and surf, Totem engulfed Kayli within himself; while at the same time Kayli unleashed a continous barrage of energy blasts.
The resulting explosion of stream and smoke obscured the clearing for a few moments. When it cleared it revealed Kayli laying on her back on the far side of the compound, while Totem, fully human for the moment, staggered towards the side of a warehouse, supporting himself with the wall.
Rolling over with a long hiss of pain, Kayli struggled to her feet. "Toooteeemmm!" she growled, the word sounding more like a curse than a name, "I'm going to destroy you!"
With a blast of light and a hissing roar, Kayli shot across the clearing, streaking towards Totem's still stunned form. At the last moment, the human threw himself to the ground, while Kayli's kick tore through the side of the warehouse like it was made from paper. With a groan and the squeal of rent metal, a good portion of the wall collapsed inward.
She's good, Thomas Walker thought frantically, Too good. I'm gonna have to some how knock her off balance.
As the Saiyan turned to try and press the advantage, a rock-hard fist crashed into the side of her face, quickly followed by a crushing blow to her mid-section. Dazed by the sledgehammer punches, Kayli dropped to one knee. She swallowed, tasting copper and spat bloodly phlegm onto the needle-strewn earth. More blood seeped from a nasty cut just under the bangs of her hair. She looked up to see that Totem had become a hulking figure wrought of compacted earth.
Wasting not a moment, Kayli pounced, somersaulted in mid-air, and launched herself at the earthen man's legs. Slamming into him was like colliding with a wall of stone. Totem stood rock solid, seemingly as immobile as a mountain, although he did look down to glare at the woman at his feet.
"Stop!" barked Walker. "You merely delay the inevitable! AJI will meet Totem's wrath. I have no desire to beat you, but I will if you continue to interfere with my duties."
"Beat me?" Kayli grunted though clenched teeth, "You... Can... Try!"
With a howl of rage and triumph, Kayli shifted her grip and dug in the soft earth with her legs. For a moment, her booted feet did nothing but slide across the ground, but then her greatly enhanced strength came into play and with a convulsive heave, Kayli lifted Totem free of the ground, hurling him away from her.
It was a very surprised Totem that smashed into the ground, reducing a section of fencing to flinders. He struggled to his feet only to find the warrior woman standing stock still amid the deep ruts created by her amazing lifting feat. She stood slightly hunched over, staring intently at him, a brilliant glowing ball of energy in her hands.
Shrugging away the splintered sections of fence Totem strode forward purposefully. His current form was his most durable, and he doubted that anything the gray-skinned woman could throw at him would even begin to harm him.
Watching Totem approach with a cold and steady stare, Kayli increased the energy flowing into the sphere floating between her hands.
"Kyuukyoko."
"Ibuki."
"Tatsu!"
For a moment the clearing went from night to day. An eye-searing blast of energy leapt from Kayli hands to spear right into the center of Totem's chest. With the cuncussive force of a bomb it slammed into his body, blasting him back and across the ground. Totem's last throught before he lost conciousness was to wonder how she had managed to produce so much power.
Tottering drunkenly, Kayli managed to walk three steps before falling. Laughing and coughing, and occasionly spitting blood onto the ground, she crawled over to where the main office was located. She had done her job, now it was time for Anbu-Jigyoukai International to do theirs.