Garret Strife
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Post by Garret Strife on Nov 29, 2009 23:06:19 GMT -5
Garret nodded, solemnly, and proceeded up the stairs, with Skyra in tow. As they climbed, Garret looked over his shoulder at Skyra.
"I'll tell you what she was talking about when we're in there. It's rather private." He said.
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Jun 24, 2010 18:17:49 GMT -5
"Tamarr is pregnant." Garret said, looking at Skyra, who sat on the edge of the bed as he unpacked her things.
"Is she really? Good for them!" Skyra said, smiling, and looked out the window.
Finished getting her stuff out, and semi-sorted, Garret sat next to her, and looked at her. Her eyes had a glazed quality, showing that she was either daydreaming or very deep in thought.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Oh, it's nothing." She said, looking at him. "I want to thank you, Garret."
"For what?" He asked.
"For doing this to protect them. All of them. It's not like you had to."
"Yes I did. He's a threat because I have now twice failed to kill him. I won't do it a third time."
She embraced him. "Don't be so hard on yourself, you're not a supersoldier. You're just one beast."
"I'm a shame to my family name." He muttered, looking away.
"What? No, you're not. You're one of the best fighters I have ever seen."
"I shouldn't need help for this, though. And I shouldn't have failed." He said, looking at her.
"You last name means war. That doesn't mean you have to fight one yourself." She said, raising her voice. He's always taken a single unnecessary death too hard on himself.
"...Thank you, Skyra." He said, slowly, returning the embrace. "Now, everyone that's leaving is gone. I need to start training those that remain. We'll be ready. This time, he is not getting away."
((That's right, folks, I now have time, I'm continuing this. Why let a good tale die?))
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Jul 23, 2010 23:05:40 GMT -5
"No matter your gender, or your species, no matter your name, you heritage, no matter your friends, your family, all of you standing before me are the same! You are the inhabitants of Redwall! You are the beasts that have decided to risk their lives to protect not just your home, but the home of those around you! This Abbey is a place of peace! It is a beacon of light in an otherwise desolate world! Such it has been since it's contruction. But, like all great things, it cannot last! There will always be those who interrupt the peace, who want to bring an end to this place! Time, and time again, it has not worked! Time and again, they have been driven away by the strength of good will bourne upon the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of this Abbey!
Five hundred and three years ago, my ancestor stood where I stood now, doing what I do now, preparing you to face the ancestor of the enemy we are to soon face! Five hundred and three years ago, Redwall almost fell to a force of such size that had not been heard of since the Final Stand of Spartan King Leonidas in the Thermopylae Pass! The battle was won when Garret Strife the first broke from his shackles, and freed the Redwallers. Afterward, he killed the ancestor of the one we will soon have to face, Regulas Baron. The weapons have changed. The tactics have changed.
The facts have not.
His army is like one single organism. They work well together, they are skilled, they are deadly. But He is the head. If the head is killed, the body is useless. The fact is that if he dies, the battle ends. Redwall is safe again.
And we have something they don't.
We have the spirit of our ancestors! We have the nobility to make this stand, not just for ourselves, but for hope! This landmark has not fallen through the ages! It is the greatest evidense that peace may prevail, and the hope given to some by this is astonishing! We cannot let this place fall!"
---
Skyra watched, smiling slightly.
It might not have sounded the best, but it made the point better than any beautiful speech could have. It warned. It explained. It emboldened.
And it gave them a goal.
Bring an end to Baron, bring an end to it all.
The smile became full-blown. He had actually listened, for once.
---
"You may remember the earlier weapons demonstration. Talk to Silas. He will train you. If you plan to wear armor, or learn close-quarters-combat, come to me. I will be in the orchard, Silas will be on the lawns. Anyone who is feeling good with their skills, please, help the others. The better prepared we are, the easier this will be.
And thank you. We may have some of the best fighters of our generation here, but the fact is we can't do this alone. You are truly great beasts."
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Post by Jasyn on Aug 25, 2010 15:40:46 GMT -5
When his employer finished the great speech, Jasyn walked up to him. "Yeah, nice speech, Garret. Very heartwarming and empowering. There's only a slight, tiny little problem...What am I going to do?" Jasyn looked at the other fox with a pointed gaze. "I'm a merc, extremely twitchy when forced into inactivity. Gimme somethin' to do; or I may shoot something." "Oh, thank you very much, Jasyn. The raiders haven't bothered me for a month now." The mercenary just shrugged. "It was my job. As long as you have my contract, I'll do your work. Is there anything else you might need, sir? Or would you rather me leave?" The otter shook his head. "I can't quite think of anything yet, but I'm sure I'll need your services somewhere in the near future. Care to hang around until we're done down here?" The fox sighed. "I don't like doing nothing, sir." The otter laughed. "Oh, no, no. You won't be doing NOTHING, my friend. How do you feel helping a few of my team learn how to prevent the raids?" Jasyn considered. "Well, it wasn't in my contract, so I'll need an extra grand for tutoring costs. But, as long as you survive through it, I'll be fulfilling the conditions we set." His employer nodded. "So it's settled then." And he held out one pitch black paw to Jasyn's bone-white. They shook, and Jasyn began a torturous regimen to assist the normal excavators and college students how to defend against guerrilla warfare.
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Aug 29, 2010 0:29:37 GMT -5
Garret shrugged. "We're not exactly favorites, here. In my case, I've been here before, so I'll be better trusted. You, however, might scare a few people."
He smiled. "That used to be my job. Anyway, I'd prefer you work with USSFEST, for now. They'll give you something to do while we work the FNGs. Besides, you might be able to swap a few stories. I know Leon has some good ones."
Skyra walked over, her hands in her sweater pockets. "I have to ask the same question. What should I do?"
"You... Are an amazing cook. Please, help in the kitchens. And show them how to cook up some Napalm." Garret replied, with a grin.
"You're psychotic."
"I know. I'd actually prefer you help Silas. You're a pretty good shot, and a good teacher. And you're less inclined to have an 'accident' when you get impatient than I am."
She nodded, and walked away, then Garret looked back to Jasyn. "Or, if you'd prefer, you can assist in the CQC training."
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Post by Jasyn on Aug 29, 2010 1:47:38 GMT -5
Jasyn laughed and waved a paw. "No no no. I've had my fill of newbies in my career. I'll check with Leon then, shall I?" Still chuckling, the merc headed off towords the military group. Leaning on a bench, the fox gave Leon a sardonic look. "Guess I'm stuck with you again. And just when I thought I was safe, too..."Grinning to show he was joking, Jasyn patted Leon on the shoulder. "Whattaya got for me?" The night sky was bright, and It was the rare missionn that Jasyn got to glimpse the gem-like stars above; nestled in the cushin of velvet. It gave the merc a peace he little knew; but long desired. The day he had was long; and the night was only getting longer as he still had a job to do. His employer's safety wasn't an issue now; but his project was. Under orders, Jasyn had to track down a devious reptile gang that had stolen all of the otter's hard work. And he had to do it, before dawn. Otherwise, the papers and disks were rigged to be set alight by the sun. Recover the work, disable the gang. All in a day's work, to be sure. Retrieving a couple of knives; and a specially forged katana; Jasyn set off across the dark-enshrouded sands.
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Aug 30, 2010 2:12:44 GMT -5
Leon smiled, and shrugged. "You can make explosives. Or you can take a seat with me and the squad, and swap a few stories. Clear up some red tape and rumors."
Garret, meanwhile, found himself in the cellars, leaning against a large barrel, and observing the group that had come. They definitely needed the training first, because they needed the most of it. It was obvious from the fact that they were shaking.
Except one maiden, who was quite still, staring at him as he walked under the light, and spread his arms wide. He was dressed down, considerably, in not but jeans. He needed non-restriction of most of his body to do the demonstration right. He realised, in the back of his mind, that a few of them might be intimidated by his build, but he wasn't too worried.
"You've come here because you wanted close quarters battle training, first. So, everybeast, allow me to explain something to you. I will not hurt you. I will never even touch you, no matter how much it may seem I will. However I will contact a block, and I will continue a swing or kick if you dodge.
In actual combat, if you get close, they will make contact. And it will hurt. So I'm going to teach you as best I can without breaking anything.
After basic, I'll teach you melee, and then we'll talk about ballistic armor vests. Is this understood?"
All nodded, slowly. Except one.
"And, please, stop staring at me, miss." He said, with a smile.
"It's the scars... What are they from?"
"From when I learned how to fight. And from fighting."
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Post by Jasyn on Aug 30, 2010 2:45:33 GMT -5
"Ah?" Jasyn took a seat. "What rumors would this be, mate?" He shuffled a little, and started sifting through piles of powder. "What kinda boom we lookin at here?" He looked back at Leon and shrugged. "Why do one, when not both? So, again, what rumors?" Carefully measuring some saltpeter, he got to work. Lubricated by blood, the Bowie knife came out of the freshly-dead carcass pretty well. Jasyn whiped it on the bandit's vest, and grabbed a small pinapple bomb attatched to said vest. Grinning, he pulled the pin and tossed it over the bunker. It exploded and lit the night in crimson and orange. "Oops. Looks like I got the armory there." Back to business, he sheathed the bowie and pulled out his sword. Matte black, with a sharpened edge a third down the spine; this cost a pretty penny to comission. It was swift though, and one of the deadliest melee weapons known to warfare. Hearing footsteps, he hugs the wall, sword at ready. Timing it perfect, he swings the sword out, catching the Monitor in the face. Twirling around, he delivers another slice to the back, severing the spine. As the body slumped, he twitched the blade to clean it, and set off down the darkened hallway. He must've hit the generator too...
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Aug 31, 2010 1:55:34 GMT -5
Leon gave a slight smile. He leaned forward, offering a better view of his face.
"You see this scar? You're probably wondering where I got this.
You've probably heard some crazy rumor about a shrapnel bomb and facial reconstruction surgery. That's what everybeast seems to have heard.
The truth is much more disturbing.
In 2002, we were tasked to assess the Cargo Vessel the United States had used to covertly ship a black weapons project. Even the ones briefing us didn't actually know what the weapon was. Just something biological.
We were flown out during a tropical storm. They dropped us on the deck of a massive, blacked out cargo-ship, with blood-soaked decks, in the middle of a storm, three hundred miles west of the Florida Keys.
We had setup evacuation and 'sanitation' procedures, when we saw blood all over the place. Then we went below decks. It was quiet for a while. Then we started hearing noises. Weird, gargling, howl-like noises, occasionally shuffling footsteps, movement in the vents. We had specific orders to fire on sight at anything abnormal.
One of my squadmates didn't get the chance to fire, when he saw. The first encounter with an infected had the creature drop down from a vent in front of Winston. He didn't get to say a word before his head was swept from his shoulders.
The weapon was an experimental 'Evolutionary Rapidifcation Virus, or E.R.A. It's intent was to force sudden, violent physical changes that would kill the infected, but the virus itself was non-transmitable, and quickly died.
The result caused very rapid, violent, grotesque mutation. The mutations survived, though, and became predatory.
In the end, I barely escaped with my life, that weapons program destroyed, and the ship hit with a tactical nuclear strike.
I'm telling you this for one simple reason. That catastrophe is the reason for the international ban on bio-weapons research. All countries agreed the possible results were too dangerous, even in a wartime situation.
War, however, is changing. In ten years, we'll be wearing powered armor, and using laser weaponry."
He sat back in his chair.
"Your turn. Tell me your worst reality."
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Post by Jasyn on Aug 31, 2010 2:36:58 GMT -5
Jasyn whistled and put the sieve down on the table. "Wow. Didn't figure you were in that catastrophe. I've heard of it, and I pitied the survivor." He shook his head. "To think...Nah. I think I got somethin better then that." He took off the trench coat and folded it on the bench beside him. Working rapidly, he unbuttoned the crimson dress shirt, and peeled it aside. Pointing with a claw, he drew attention to a horrible puckering scar that blemished most of his torso from his right side. "See that? Enhanced ferret off of Cape of Good Hope. I had gone down there for a standard Recon, see what Henneson Lab Corp. was up to. They were testing a gas that made Steroids look like an Upper." He shook his head and started buttoning the shirt back up. "I had a dozen on me, and no cavalry in sight. All I know was, the lab was empty except for some gassed creatures. This sucker stuck his entire claw to the elbow in my innards." The merc let out a short bark of laughter. "I got him one by doing some amateur brain surgery. He let go real quick." Jasyn poured the mixture in front of him down a PVC pipe, and stuck in the encased catalyst before cementing it shut. Carefully setting it aside, he leaned his cheek on one paw. "Let's hear another one, soldier boy."
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Aug 31, 2010 10:37:58 GMT -5
Leon smiled, and brought his leg up, planting it on the table. He lifted the pantleg up to show his right calf, which was completely black, and appeared to be exposed muscle.
"Synthetic Muscle Fiber. They had to put this there because my actual calf muscle was bitten out.
A Utahraptor. Living. Breathing. Part of an experiment to embed dinosaurian genes in soldiers to give them enhanced capabilities. They had to recreate the animals to see if they were properly designed.
The genes were spot-on. A small research facility, on Shrake Island, in the Pacific. There were twelve species on the island. Including one Bull Tyrannosaurus.
We were sent to try and retrieve the data, and the science team.
This time we knew exactly what we were up against. Nature's ultimate killing machines. Units A1-5 were sent. Two members of my squad, and one from four, three, and one, made it back.
A2 was massacred by the Rex. A1 was after the main server along with A4. They suffered from raptor attacks, and an Allosaur kept in the lower levels. My unit and A3 were supposed to rescue the science team with A2. After getting out to the EZ, the Rex showed again, and most of us died fighting that thing. It's an unstoppable monster, designed by nature to be unkillable, unbeatable. It was THE apex predator.
In the end, we had to wait for the goddamn chopper, since we didn't have anything heavy enough to deal with that thing. We weren't told about him, since he was supposed to be in cryo, their dirty little secret. But a power failure beforehand had caused his release.
So, as the heli was duking it out with the Rex, trying to get close enough for a kill-shot without getting munched out of the sky, we watched from the trees, figuring nothing would come outside with the Rex around. One brave raptor came across us and grabbed my leg, dragging me into the forest and shredding my calf. I dealt with him with my knife.
The remaining others showed up with the disk, which I shot. Another accident that couldn't be allowed to reoccur.
So, you got anything to match that?"
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Post by Jasyn on Aug 31, 2010 18:00:18 GMT -5
(This is actually kinda fun) Jasyn thought about that. "Well well; actual ancient species. Who'd of thought some idiot tried to bring them back? Anywho...try this for size." Jasyn sat up straight and cleared his throat. He brought a paw up to in front of his face; and the other one smacked the back of his head. With a pop, his left eye flew out, and he held it up for Leon to see. "See this puppy? My real one got plucked out during my mission in South America. Some cult or other. Called up this ancient deity or other that transcended time; you know the drill about cults. Anyway, this guy was 20 feet tall; and had a cult of over 50 thou. They were mostly wimps, except for this one rat who tackled me as soon as I dropped through the ceiling windows; and I mean as soon as. He started scratching my eye, and eventually plucked this one out. He had the mentality of one of those savages, and instead of running; stayed perched on me displaying his 'trophy'. Needless to say, I took out one of my Eagles and shot the guy through the chest, and then managed to get a shot out at the Demon's Vessel. As soon as I saw the cultists bursting into flame, I got outa there. The thing blew just 5 seconds after I left through the front door. And, to top it all off, my paycheck got cut due to 'collateral damage.'" Jasyn harrumphed and popped his eye back in. "Never do business with them, my friend. They want to keep their money, regardless of what warrants paying."
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Sept 1, 2010 0:36:38 GMT -5
Leon smiled.
"We had another fun event on a ship. The U.S.M.C Event Horizon. This ship was sent to a strange sensor anomaly, and never returned.
We arrived to find the crew behaving perfectly normally. Everything was just fine. Then an accident had us stuck on the vessel, when our chopper exploded. Radio contact failed.
I noticed crew members watching us, and heard strange whispering in the middle of the night, and could swear I saw a shipmate with crimson glowing eyes looking into my room.
The next morning, Johnson and Malik were found dead, hacked to pieces, in their rooms.
We knew it was the crew, one of them if not all of them. They apparently knew we knew, because there was no one in sight when we left that conference room. Eventually, they started attacking us.
The Would Not Die.
We found the captain's log, and found that, apparently, the anomaly was a rift into another dimension, and some evil entity was effecting the crew.
Hell, perhaps? In any case, he talked of how his father had seen demons before, and had a sword, cast of silver, which he had given him. The sword was in his quarters. It proved very effective against them. I ultimately had to kill the other two, who went insane.
I myself ran into the demon itself, in the engine room, and managed to defeat it, which was no easy task. Have you ever fought a telepathic being?
After it was killed, those still alive returned to normal. The captain, who had been tied up, was released. He saw me standing next to the body, and thought I was it's vessel."
He removed his glove, revealing that the ring and small claws on his left paw were prosthetic.
"He cut those off with a bad swing of a cleaver. After he was detailed, the situation detained, and the area scanned to see the removal of the anomaly, I was brought back home, once again to get a purple heart, and a medal of distinguished service. In secret. They can't do ceremonies, since I'm not supposed to exist."
He put the glove back on.
"This is the first normal thing I've had to deal with in a while."
(All of that was a reference to the movie 'Event Horizon', Starring actor Sam Neill. If you knew that, you get a cookie.)
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Post by Jasyn on Sept 1, 2010 0:57:09 GMT -5
(awwww. I wanted a cookie.) Jasyn nodded apreciatively. "You ask about Telepathic beings, I did indeed end up fighting one. Second mission in Iraq, or directly after to be specific. My mission was to sabotage the Necro Industries warehouse based there. One of the locals had been spotting some mutant experiments, and informed the nearest Security outpost. Needless to say, they got wiped out in short order, and then the Security Chief came across my name. One call, and I had a free ticket to the middle-east. With a paycheck of over 100 mil, how could I possibly resist?" Jasyn grinned as he began work on another pipe bomb. "So I managed to get my paws on a few kilo of C-4, and then I summararily deleted that particular Warehouse out of Existence. Files were downloaded on a supplied Flash and delivered to my employer, and the experiments and staff at the location found themselves terminated with indefinite leave and no pay. After I took care of that, I went to get my paycheck. Unfortunately, Necro had already planted one of their experiments in the security agency. It just so happened to be the chief himself. Under orders to obliterate all evidence of the experimentation, he hired me. After I took care of his 'problem' the ungrateful bastard had me arrested and put in solitary for a month." Jasyn grimaced, and then pointed to a scare on his forhead. "The Head Director himself came. He was impressed with my achievments, and he wanted to...'congratulate me' so to speak. Necro definition of congratulate being translated to 'experimented on and given supernatural abilities.' That's a direct quote by the way." Jasyn set the new bomb carefully to the first and sighed. "Naturally, I had to dispose of him to, but not after they began trepanning my skull. They never managed to do anything to me, thank goodness, but I had to fight my way out with blood pouring down in my eyes." The merc shook his head. "And it took me a full hour to take down the chief, who had telepathic abilities himself." (boy. These ARE getting out there, ain't they?)
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Garret Strife
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Can I... Can I have the last cupcake?
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Post by Garret Strife on Sept 1, 2010 4:09:42 GMT -5
(Well, sadly, most of these could actually occur with modern technology. Except the demon thing. That depends on a person's views.)
Leon nodded, and then stood, and took his vest off, setting it on the table. He then lifted his shirt, to reveal eight white scars on either side of his chest, all mirroring each other. Fixing his shirt, he sat back down.
"That, is from having my rib-cage caved by a werewolf. That's right.
Blackmoor. The sight of the 'Wolfman' story. Northwest of this area is an abandoned castle. Some campers disappeared there. Then some cops. Then some SWAT. Then a squad of U.S. Army Rangers. Finally the S.E.A.L.s. Then we were sent.
The castle was the mission zone. It was buried. Only way in was through a vertical entrance cave.
Inside, we found absolutely mutilated dead bodies. And a journal, the last few entries written in blood. It talked of a beast that looked like no other. Very large, very fast, very powerful. It appeared only during a full moon, and could not be killed.
This prooved false. While it was difficult to kill, we did do so, without the use of silver, and during a crescent moon.
However, it was extraordinarily fast and strong. My ribs went from a shoulder-tackle into the wall.
We spent twelve hours trying to chase down and successfully kill that thing."
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