Warlock

Well, first I'd make sure to keep a handy guide of [b][URL=http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html]The Evil Overlord[/URL][/b] list with me at all times. And probably wait for [b][URL=http://www.howevilareyou.com]Evil Genius[/URL][/b] to come out too, so I can drain that for ideas. After the shameless promoting, I'd construct a multi-billion dollar business, using it as a front to fund my shady dealings. I'd also make sure to gain control of the media to help control the masses. Then I'd bribe my way through important officials and military organisations, before using them as tools to help cripple those I can't control. Then it'd be a 'simple' task of cleaning the rest of the world up for my control. Of course, seeing as plans never work as they're intended, I'll probably be foiled before things even get underway because of those damned tapped phones. That, or I'll be lucky enough to have someone else try to take over the world beforehand, fail, but leave everything weak enough for me to easily wrest control. And why would I do it? I dunno, but the saying "History is written by the victors" sounds strangely appealing to me...

Well, you don't really 'get' an image for your sig, if you even choose to have one at all - it's usually either something you've made, or something you have permission to use. Though if by 'get' you mean 'get into the signature', all you need to do, after clicking on 'Edit Signature', is insert the URL, which can be done easily by pushing the little 'Insert Image' button, which you can spot by its square shape and yellow background. Then all you have to do is enter the URL, and click OK. And volia, done. However, the image needs to be 500 pixels by 100 pixels or less. And of course, it needs to be hosted somewhere. So usually it's a good idea to get a free web account, one that allows its images to be linked, and put it there. Hopefully, that answered your question.

[quote name='Lady Asphyxia][font=Verdana][size=1]What I find humerous [apart from the humour in the essay] is that most of the links have now been deleted with the coming of V7. *grins*[/size'][/font][/quote] You noticed it too, huh? *snicker* But that is a prime example of a humorous essay. And seeing as there's nothing bad I can find to say about it, all I can do is give you two thumbs up. It gave me a good laugh, and in the end, that's all that counts.

[FONT=Tahoma]I've been looking at the new version for a tiny bit now, getting some posts going, though it hasn't been until now that I've began to notice and appreciate the more subtle points of v7. For instance, when you click the little square next to a person's name, a little menu appears with a list of options. Much better then when it was tacked onto a person's post. Also, nice to see it can go from blank to blue to tell you if the member is online or not - though that [i]might've[/i] already been there in v6. To be honest, I can't remember. And for some reason, I only just noticed the 'Launch Jukebox' button on the sidebar. Yet another little, but very smart, addition. I'm just beginning to see the truely colossal effort that went into this, and it's making the end result taste even sweeter. [/FONT]

[FONT=Tahoma]So, v7 is now upon us. However, while I'm sure there are many people now discussing this brand new upgrade, I thought this'd be a prime time to look back at the versions before us. The versions that enticed practically all of us to become members of this great community. So, how did you stumble upon Otaku Boards? And, for that matter, when? What do you remember, what would you prefer to forget? I think I'll get the ball rolling. ^_^ I first came upon Otaku Boards (and theOtaku) at the start of 2001. Seems like a long time ago, too. I passed a friend of sorts using the computer at school, and when I curiously glanced to see what he was doing, I noticed he was on a message board. I'm sure you can all guess which one. Finding what I saw interesting, I mentally branded it onto my brain, and then went on with my day. (Oh, and for all of those wondering, that particular person was Amioc; some of you who have been here a while might remember him.) Moving on, while I didn't sign up at first, I took a couple of days to slowly look around, before becoming engrossed in theOtaku.com. It wasn't until a tiny bit later that I eventually returned to Otaku Boards, and finally signed up with the username I still use today. I became a regular user of Adventure Arena (which, back in the day, was called Games and Stories), which soon saw me become its Moderator a few months later. By now, OB had upgraded from v2 to v3, and was well along by the time I got my position... And merely a few days later, disaster struck. While my memory is still slightly hazy, a disgruntled old staff member 'hacked' the Boards by using an Administrator password. He then procedded to ban or delete any Staff member who could stop him, and generally caused some damage. It wasn't until a member convinced him to let him join in on the fun, and thus get the password, that the trouble makers were in turn booted, and order was restored. It was at this point I returned home from a drive, only just missing the whole thing. OB was then upgraded to v4, with all posts from the previous version lost, and everyone having to sign up again. Luckily, though, this has never had to happen again; if you look back to the last pages of most of the forums (Otaku Lounge in particular), you'll find some topics and posts from way back then. How things have changed. And so, from then, the Boards have prospered and grown. Unfortunately, starting at the very end of 2002, and continuing on and off through 2003, I was beset by many a internet connection problems, and became a much less frequent visitor (as well as loosing my Staff position, as can be expected). It wasn't only until just recently the problems were set right, and I began to settle back in... So, what about everyone else? What are your stories? [/FONT]

[FONT=Tahoma]Hmm. Well, I haven't had the chance to look around much, so I won't be able to comment of everything. I do think it is slightly squashed together, but then again, we're all perceiving it as so because we're all used to the previous versions. A new member, whose first visit ever to Otaku Boards today, might notice slightly, but probably wouldn't find a problem with it, unless he/she was used to visiting really wide boards, and even then... I guess we'll really have to wait and see how it affects us as time goes by. And seriously, the only place I might find this to be a problem would be areas like Adventure Arena, where big posts might look a little... different. Though granted, if people simply used the smallest text there, it probably wouldn't be a problem. Oh, and um... I happen to agree with vicky. [B]Get Adventure Arena off the bottom![/B] *cough* Okay, so I'm biased. If I could have my way, my favourite forum would be in neon flashing colours. And seeing as the [I]purpose[/I] of this board is Anime, that's fair enough. But on the up side, I love heaps of it. The sidebar, and really, just the whole new look in general... And the problems we're discussing? Well, as soon as I adjust, I doubt I'll find them at all bothersome. Go James and Justin! ^_^ [/FONT]

I was skimming a newspaper, seeing if there was anything of interest apart from the big stories, when a certain tiny article catches my eye. After having to read it several times, I can proudly say this was the most interesting article in the paper all day. [QUOTE][i]The Age [/i] [B] A British company is selling MP3 players that attach to an assault rifle in place of ammunition. A company partner said, "Hopefully militants and terrorists will use their AK-47s to listen to music."[/B][/QUOTE] First, I have to wonder where this particular company got this idea from; though I think I can guess. And secondly, while I doubt terrorists will have a need for an MP3 player, I'd say they now have a good use for those spare AK-47s of their's. Though, with all the other gagdets and gizmos coming out these days, I guess it was about time someone came up with this little gold mine. It'll be... interesting to see how the product survives in this modern business environment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get images out of my head of Osama bin Ladin going on a shooting rampage, then switching the AK magazine for an MP3 player, so he can listen to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".

Oh, c'mon, isn't it obvious? Her mechanical boobs overheated and their protective casing detached to supply rapid cooling - thus preventing a meltdown. ^_^ Though, hmm, not much else to add. Though I must admit, while usually the Superbowl doesn't get [i]too[/i] much of a mention down here, this year has been an exception. But I must say, it was really silly for MTV to pull a stunt like this when you consider the number of [i]children[/i] watching...

*nods* It would be nice if people didn't do that; really, the only time they need to post again is when they need to point out mistakes and such in people's sign ups. Though of course, currently, it's a draining job to PM every single person. But from what I've heard, v7 will allow people to PM multiple people with the same message, so then, it would be a great thing to do. But in Recruitment threads, people should really just use common sense and restrict their posts to important things, instead of saying 'Only need one more now' or, as Ryu said, 'I can't wait for this to start'. Ah, I really should've put a rule or two like that up back when I was Mod of AA and the Recruitment forum. Oh well, I'm sure with the new version, some rules relating to this can be put up.

*dies laughing* Both of them are just [i] great [/i]. Nice inclusion of Flash's reappearance, too. And the funny thing is, that's just about what I'd say. ;)

[SIZE=1] As the others filed around, Warlock briskly walked over to Proteus, the look on his face that of a man with a plan. ?Oh, and Proteus, I have a favour to ask, if you don?t mind.? Proteus turned to look at the former Elite, before nodding his head. ?Sure, Warlock. What is it?? Warlock?s gaze flickered to where his damaged visor still lay, before focusing back on Proteus. ?If you have the time, do you think you could compile a detailed map of Karmen?s facility, from your memory of it?? he asked. ?And, if possible, maybe a map of Hunter HQ as well? I remember most of it, but as I?m sure they?ve been extensions and upgrades, I wouldn?t mind having an overall guide. Though with the size of the place, I?m sure just a general idea of the defences, and a map of the critical buildings would suffice. That wouldn?t be too much for you, would it?? Proteus shook his head, his neural net already thinking back to his time at the Red Alert facility. ?No, I should be able to handle it. It?ll take some time though, but I?ll be able to get something made up.? A brief smile flickered at the edges of Warlock?s lips. ?Thank you. Thank you very much. I might be able to find an enormous use in them.? He turned around to leave, before pausing, and looking back at Proteus. ?When you?re done, whether it be while we're still here or when we?re on the move, deliver them straight to me.? And with a final nod, Warlock disappeared into a side room. -------- Locking the door behind him, Warlock gazed around the small room, filled to the brim with shelves and lockers and drawers, themselves laden with junk - some of it useless, and some far from it. Though the amount of light in the room was nonexistent, the reploid?s optics had immediately adjusted, and to him, it looked as if the sun was brightly shining into the room, illuminating every nook and cranny. As he began to examine the individual pieces of junk, his mind leapt into the past, present and future all at once, and he smiled again. Not the smile he had before, but a considerably more dangerous one. Things were coming together nicely. He spotted an old medical drone that might have some use, and quickly stepped over to where it rested, picking it up, and disturbing a great deal of dust that had collected recently. However, as he turned around, back towards the door, a wave of emotion swept over him. Unable to help himself, he violently threw the drone into a wall, where it?s weak metal armour crumpled, before the whole thing fell to the ground with a crash. The skin on his face briefly spasmed, before calm returned to him. He couldn?t explain the sudden act of anger, but he had to exercise greater control on himself - it was too early to reveal himself to the others. He couldn?t wreck such a delicate operation early on. Quickly making up a story for the crash of the medical drone, Warlock picked up said drone, and made his way back out the door. [/SIZE]

Mmm, that's an interesting point. I can see a few reasons why members might not be able to change titles, but instead of listing them here, I'll let a member of the staff do it. Lesser chance of any misunderstandings. But really, if you do make a thread title mistake, just PM the local Moderator, and they should be happy to do it. As a former Mod myself, I can tell you that it isn't too bothersome of a task.

Hmm, nicknames. To be honest, I don't have too many. Let's see... [B] Warlock - [/B] My 'official' nickname for... um, five, six years? I actually got it when at school, some friends typed my name into Microsoft Word (Warwick), and it came up as a typo. As 'Warlock' was deemed one of the possibilites of what the 'typo' could be, that's what I was called. [B] Wazza - [/B] ...I don't like it. But one of the teachers I had liked it, so she always called me it - I hate it. If I could kill a word, this'd be one of the top choices. [B] 'Locky - [/B] A nickname of a nickname. Final Flash made it up one time, and it's became my unoffical nickname. I'm usually only called it by some of the old timers around here. [B] Locky-Wocky - [/B] I'd... prefer not to go deep into the history of this. But it's the affectionate version of 'Locky, created by a gay comic character based after Treize from Gundam Wing. I don't think I need to say more.

[B]SECTION A[/B] [I]In the following section, please answer each statement with one of five answers: A) Strongly Agree B) Agree C) Somewhat Agree D) Disagree E) Strongly Disagree[/I] 1) I find OtakuBoards rules easy to understand and follow. [B] A - Strongly Agree [/B] 2) I feel that the staff at OtakuBoards understand their job and are capable of performing it appropriately. [B] A - Strongly Agree [/B] 3) OtakuBoards is easy to navigate. [B] A - Strongly Agree [/B] 4) OtakuBoards has a friendly atmosphere. [B] A - Strongly Agree [/B] [B]SECTION B[/B] Please try to keep your answers relatively short in this section. 5) How often do you visit OtakuBoards? [B] At the moment, once a day, and sometimes more. [/B] 6) Do you feel that the rules are too strict/not strict enough/fine as they are? [B] Fine as they are. [/B] 7) Should we continue to uncensor the creative writing areas on OtakuBoards? [B] Yes. [/B] 8) Would you rather a decentralized forum system on OB (more forums, less activity per forum) or a centralized forum system (less forums, more activity per forum)? [B] Centralized, though I?m fairly torn up between the two. [/B] 9) Would you like to see a closer integration of myOtaku and OtakuBoards? [B] Yep. [/B] 10) Are you signed up to myOtaku.com? [B] Yes. [/B] 11) If you are not signed up to myOtaku.com, do you plan to sign up in the near future? [B] N/A [/B] 12) Do you read Announcements at OtakuBoards? [B] Yes. [/B] 13) Which single Category (Category, as opposed to individual Forum) do you spend most of your time visiting? [B] Otaku Arena. [/B] 14) Do you think that OtakuBoards should offer an in-built chat system as part of our service? If we included a chat, would you use it? [B] I?ll pass this one. [/B] 15) If we offered an "OtakuBoards Wireless" service that would be accessible via Internet-capable cellphones, would you use it? [B] Unfortunately, no. [/B] 16) When we offer a next generation version of OtakuBoards, should we continue to provide semi-regular community events in our Event Arena or a similar forum? [B] Yes. [/B] 17) If you could add one new Category (Category, not Forum) to OtakuBoards, what would it be? [B] As of now, no idea. [/B] 18) If you could remove one Category from OtakuBoards, what would it be? [B] If I really had to? Otaku Series. But only because the topics of the three forums could still be discussed elsewhere. [/B] 19) If you could add anything to OtakuBoards (in terms of a new forum, a technical tool/feature, etc), what would it be? [B] Bah, my minds pulling up a blank. [/B] 20) On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest), how would you rate your experience at OtakuBoards since you registered? [B] 10. [/B]

Well, I must've mentioned this a couple of times over the years, but since I don't seem to post too often these days, I'd imagine not too many people know anymore. Anyway, I'm from Melbourne (Victoria, obviously). Nice little surburban existance.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by James [/i] [B][color=#707875]Yeah...I don't know what else to add. Seeing the Middle Eastern media cry out as they first showed his pictures was quite an emotional and historic experience. [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] *nods* And one I doubt I'll forget anytime soon. [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by James [/i] [B][color=#707875]He was cooperative, too; didn't try to fight his way out, like he had previously hinted he would. Predictably cowardly. [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Well, I guess that just shows what sort of a person he is. And while some of the foreign fighters might continue to rage their war in Iraq, is does look like the actual Iraqi loyalists will start to stop their attacks. I sure hope they do, anyway.

Well, Saddam Hussein has finally been captured, in the cellar of a farmhouse in the town of Adwar, 10 miles from Tikrit, and obviously in Iraq. And thanks to DNA, it's been confirmed it's really him. There's not too much more information available just yet, but it should come to light really soon...

After a momentary pause that seemed to last months, the pitter-patter of rain and constant rumblings of the sky were broken as Havoc leaped forward, sabre back and ready to strike. Seeing their companion do this, Proteus and Iota immediately opened fire with their respective weapons to box Massacre in. The massive cyborg, screwing up his face in annoyance, jumped forward to meet Havoc in mid-air. Both having to stop discharging their weapons in fear of hitting Havoc, Iota and Proteus were only able to watch as the two passed each other, the reploid twisting in the air to avoid a collision with his cyborg opponent, and consequently avoiding the large cybernetic leg manoeuvred to hit him square in the chest. With their ally now out of the line of fire, the two conscious bystanders took quick aim with their weapons. All it took was a split second more for a quick and relatively light barrage of plasma to pepper along Massacre?s torso. The only thing was, both Iota and Proteus were yet to fire their weapons. Massacre paused in confusion, having noticed that the projectiles had come from nowhere near any of the Elite Squad members. In truth, they had come from Warlock as he stood on the roof of the apartments across the street, just where the cyborg had thought he might?ve been earlier. As lightning crackled behind him, truly revealing his weathered body, the former Elite Squad Commander grinned. ----------------------------------------------------- He had been watched the confrontation for the past minute, particularly intrigued by the trouble his ?friends? were having with the cyborg. He himself had bested Massacre, if only barely, without any help - yet here the others were, unable to defeat the gigantic opponent. Though thinking back, that had been the old him who had found a match in Massacre; things had now changed considerably. Wincing more in delight then anything else, he saw Demos go through the garage door, making a mental note to make him pay for the destruction his body caused later on. And, shaking his head and make ?tching? noises, Warlock wiped some water off his visor, before raising his buster and taking careful aim. He?d have to time this, to ensure he hit in the most dramatic way. And, as Iota and Proteus raised their weapons, Warlock immediately discharged the cannon, spewing out several quick, mostly harmless blobs of plasma. They warped endlessly as they flew through the rain, before impacting along Massacre?s side. The reactions of those below were as he had expected - a moment of confusion, before they turned to him. The sound from behind him also confirmed that they had looked just as lightning struck, making his entrance just that bit more dramatic. And grinning, the Maverick Warlock leaped off the side of the roof. ----------------------------------------------------- Hitting the ground solidly, Warlock instantly got off his knees, and not wanting to waste a second, charged Massacre. His buster melted back to a hand, and one bright flash later, two small sword hilts were gripped firmly in his hands. It took only a moment for them both to switch on in a brilliant display of red, the two slightly smaller then normal energy blades pulsating wildly, and evaporating every single drop of water that touched their surfaces. Massacre, spotting Warlock, took on a look of pure delight, and ignoring the others, sprinted forward to meet the Ex-Hunter, oil and coolant still leaking from his body as he thundered through quickly growing puddles. At the last second, both leapt into the air. But unlike the previous display of Havoc and Massacre, things turned out quite differently. Wielding his blades like a true experienced professional, Warlock spun them as he brought his feet up, causing him to hit the cyborg feet first, and then bounce back off the monstrosity. Massacre, still moving forward, and unable to hit the lithe Warlock, continued to fly forward, quickly overtaking Warlock as he began to descend under the reploid. The ex-Hunter, however, who had used the foot-push to get higher in the air, was able to come down from above, right blade first, impaling the controlled energy into his opponent?s left shoulder. Grunting, Massacre reached for the reploid, but Warlock merely shut off the particular blade, allowing him to continue to fly forward, past the fist the cyborg brought up, to land neatly on the ground. Warlock yawned as he turned to look over at his opponent. ?You know, I thought I killed you,? he sighed, before smiling in delight. ?Not to worry. At least this time I?ll have the pleasure of smashing your head in for a second time.? Massacre, a bit too furious for words, merely growled and charged at Warlock again. When the cyborg struck, the creation of Dr. Light was ready for it.

While he might?ve been hungry, Shane Reilly wasn?t too comfortable with leaving his ship in the hands of some Navy mechanic. There was no doubt that he respected the United Earth?s Navy, but when it came to his ship, he liked to make sure he had an eye on things. If some mechanic made even the slightest mistake, things would almost certainly go horribly wrong later on. And there was always the chance of the Navy doing something intentionally to the ship. Maybe planting a tracking device, or a tap into his computer? Despite their working relationship, he was still a civilian, and a freelancer at that. Striding into the mess hall, Shane took a quick look around the large expanse as he sped forward to get some food. There were a couple of pilots that he?d spotted heading for the hall just a moment ago, and seven other men and woman whom he knew nothing about. Grabbing a tray and getting it filled in only a few seconds, Shane marched over to the nearest table, sat down, and began eating the small amount of rather foul food. All of a sudden, the freelancer became very conscious of his actions, and quickly saw why out of the corner of his eye. [I] They?re watching me? [/I] He couldn?t hear what they were saying, but had a feeling he wouldn?t of liked it. Returning to his food, he literally gulped down the rest of his food, then rose to leave? Only to stop as the group of seven rose as well and began to leave. He paused, before shaking his head and smiling; he was just getting paranoid. He began to follow them out, hearing snippets of what one of them was saying, but for the most part, tuning out?

With all the pirates now either well into a retreat, captured, or now one with space itself, Shane Reilly brought his Enforcer in line with the docking cavity of the United Earth?s Navy cruiser [I] Solaris [/I] and slowly directed it to land inside the ship. After paralysing the freighter/destroyer hybrid, and rescuing Zero from the void of space, he had silently patrolled around the edge of the dying battle, giving only occasional assistance, and mostly staying out of the way as things were cleaned up. Once everything was in the clear, he was given permission to dock. Bringing the Enforcer to a comfortable landing, Shane popped the top hatch, and stood up, breathing in the slightly stale air of the cruiser. He then took a slow look around, watching as several other fighters landed, before spotting an approaching medical team. Bending back down, he opened the hatch to his ship?s internal storage area, before jumping out of the cockpit, onto the wing, and carefully making his way onto the steel floor of the hanger from there. He then watched as the medical team dragged an unconscious, and rather striking woman, onto a stretcher, and carried her off. Shane watched Zero be carried off, before turning around - and finding himself looking eye to eye with another man, in his thirties, and wearing a clean military uniform. ?The freelancer, I presume?? he asked, in what sounded like an English accent. Shane nodded, casually taking a step back. ?I?m Shane Reilly.? The Navy officer nodded, as if he knew this already. Which he quite probably did. ?I came here to thank you for your assistance, and for rescuing one of our pilots.? He gave a look towards Shane?s Enforcer. ?I?ll get someone to repair any damage your fighter may?ve suffered, as well as reload any ammunition you might?ve expended. And free of charge. Consider it your payment.? The officer paused, looking the freelancer up and down. ?There is a rest room and mess hall just off the hangar that you may use. You may not leave to explore other sections of the ship, however.? He jerked his head in the direction Shane needed to go, but after taking a step away, paused for a second time. ?And there might be several jobs up for offer. You may find them here too, I might add, as the [I] Caspian [/I] suffered some minor damage.? And with that, he was off; leaving Shane to give his ship one last look, then make his way to this ?public? mess hall?

Shane Reilly was already well aware of what he was getting himself into several minutes before he actually arrived - with the Enforcer?s inbuilt interception device, he picked up the radio transmissions just as his external scanners got a firm lock on the scene ahead of him. It was some sort of battle - not a big one, like those that had went down in history over the years - but a pirate attack on some Navy ships. One he instantly recognised as the [I] Caspian [/I], though he had to use his scanners to determine the other cruiser, named the [I] Solaris [/I]. The pirate ?fleet? that was attacking them was a respectful collection of large and small ships alike, and while each of them individually was no match for the modern war cruisers, as a whole, they could do damage. But as he got within visual range, their largest craft, a modified cargo ship, was blown into a billion pieces. There was no doubt in his mind that this would be a crushing blow to the pirates. Keying his comm. system, opening up the Navy channel he was familiar with. ?United Earth?s Navy, this is freelancer Sundowner,? he said, speaking into the mike attached to his helmet. ?I see you have a little pest problem there. Need any assistance?? There was a pause, before a crisp military voice came over the line. ?Sundowner, this is United Earth?s Navy cruiser [I] Solaris [/I]. Assistance isn?t necessary, but one more fighter would do nicely.? Upon hearing this, Shane immediately brought the Enforcer?s engines back down to normal levels, and ran his entire ship through a quick system?s check. ?However, while we?ll be able to provide you with a place to receive repairs should you need them, there?s only a small chance you?ll get payed,? continued the voice. ?Assuming those terms are acceptable, we?ll get you in touch with our fighters.? ?Fine with me, [I] Solaris [/I],? Shane replied, knowing helping the Navy out would be a good plus to his relationship with them. Which in his case, would make things just the more sweeter. ?Transfer me over.? There was another brief pause, before a new voice came on. ?Sundowner?? the distinctly male voice asked, distrust very evident. ?That?s me,? Shane said, smiling as the screen in front of him reported all of the fighter?s systems in the green. ?Okay, I don?t now how freelancers like you operate, but to make things easier, you?re temporarily part of my squadron,? the male voice continued. ?You will follow my orders, you will not endanger the lives of my pilots, and you will call me [I] sir [/I]. Understand?? ?Yes, sir!? Shane replied, humoured, but smart enough to keep it out of his voice. ?Good,? said the squadron leader. ?Okay everyone, we?re going to split into two groups, one to tackle the fighters, one to handle the big boys. There?s not many of them, so it should be a walk in the park. ?Hammer, you know who to take. Take those fighters and give us some cover. Everyone else, it?s time to lay those big pieces of junk to rest. And Sundowner, that ship of your?s any good at bombing?? ?That?s an affirmative, sir.? ?Good. You?ll be with me, then. Okay everyone, I?m sending over target specific data now. Let?s get to work.? Shane scanned his heads up, instantly spotting his target. A bright red rectangle was superimposed over a small freighter that had parts melded all over it, parts that looked like they once belonged to an old destroyer. It didn?t look too dangerous, but as you soon learned in this business, appearances are always deceiving. ?Sundowner, I?m Zero,? a cool female voice whispered in his ear. ?You?ll be flying my wing.? Shane to his left, through the cockpit?s canopy, and spotted a sharp, angular looking fighter-bomber a few hundred metres that way. With a smooth movement, he sent his own ship to meet up with it. ?Got it, Zero.? Only swerving to avoid a missile that had long lost it?s target, Shane quickly had his Enforcer by Zero?s ship, and together, they closed in on the pitiful looking freighter/destroyer hybrid. Whoever Hammer was, he and his pilots were keeping the fighters busy. The only one he saw was a badly damaged one, slowly limping away from the fight. ?Stay sharp Sundowner, we?re in range,? Zero said suddenly. ?When I say so, fire a torpedo, then we?ll come around for another p-- Damn!? Shane was about to ask what the matter was, but was quickly alerted by his own ship?s sensors. The missile he?d avoided only a moment before, the one that looked like it was shooting into space, had abruptly turned around and shot at Zero?s fighter. Shane?d hardly had any time to think before the missile took on a quick burst of speed, and slammed into the back of his wingman?s (or more correctly, wing[I]woman?s[/I]) fighter, and it burst into a ball of flames. His horror turned to relief as he saw that Zero had ejected just in time - he could just turn the ship around, and tractor her in--. The Enforcer shuddered as its forward shield suddenly began to take a horrible pounding, a steady wave of plasma splashing onto it. Almost by instinct, Shane angled the fighter down, and it escaped out of the plasma?s path. [I] What the? [/I] He spotted who had been firing at him almost instantly - the hybrid, which it turned out, wasn?t [I] as [/I] pitiful as it looked. He was forced to fire up his afterburners for a second as the wave of plasma tracked him through the void. [I] Payback time. [/I] Moving the freighter/destroyer back into the middle of his canopy, he checked the status of his torpedoes, fired two in quick succession, and then flicked a switch. Meanwhile, the two torpedoes sped from their launchers, cutting a parallel line towards their target. Within seconds, they exploded powerfully against the hybrid?s shields, shutting them down instantly. And it was then that Shane took careful aim, checked to see that the switch was indeed switched, and pulled the trigger. There was a pause, and a loud [I] thump-thump-thump [/I] echoed through the cockpit. Three blurs shot out from the Enforcer?s left wing, and almost immediately made contact with their target. The hybrid lurched to a stop, then shuddered as something exploded within. The only real sign of what had happened to them was a smooth puncture in their side that began to leak atmosphere? Satisfied that his Magnetic Acceleration Cannon had taken care of the hybrid, Shane brought his own fighter around, and flew back to his temporary wingman. If all went well, he?d pick her up, the others would finish off the pirates, and he?d get a little pay on the side.

Well, I must've replied to a ton of these over the years, but hey, one more won't hurt. Anyway, I live in Melbourne, Australia. Well, not in the city itself, but not too far out. Just a nice little suburban life for me. ...Which makes me remember that I [i] really [/i] need to have a holiday one of these days. Oh, and I also live incredibly close to James (yes, the good ol' Site Director James), though I've never actually met him...

Drink held lazily in his hand, Shane Reilly sat on an uncomfortable little stool that stood in front of a small bar. The fact it was small wasn?t surprising in the least, given the mining base it was located in rarely received interstellar traffic, just the weekly cargo trawlers and the occasional pilot in need of repairs, or simply a place to rest. In this case, Shane was both the former and the latter. His startlingly heavy fighter, an Enforcer, had taken on one too many pirates out in the nearby asteroid field. While the pirates were now space dust, they?d come close to taking Shane with them, using their local knowledge to their advantage. He couldn?t count how many times he?d barely avoided mines. Gulping down the rest of the alcoholic drink that rested in his glass (he wasn?t sure of the name, but it was a special of the bartender), he took a quick glance at his watch. [FONT=courier new]07:25:34[/FONT], local time. If the mechanic was as good as he said he was, his ship would be as good as new any minute now. Placing the glass down on the counter with a soft ?chink?, Shane snaked his other hand into his trouser pockets, fishing around for some credits, only to be surprised as another man sat down on the stool next to him. The credits forgotten, the freelancer turned to look at the new arrival. The first thing that stuck out was the man was garbed casually, not like the people who actually worked here; they seemed to be eternally stuck in a dull grey uniform. He also had an ogre like appearance, with a bald head, a jutting jaw, and bulging muscles. ?Whisky,? the man grunted to the bartender, who was watching an old flat panelled television. Then, to Shane?s slight surprise, the ogre of a man turned to him and asked a simple question. ?You Sundowner?? Shane paused for a moment, thinking, before giving a slow, deliberate nod. ??What can I do for you?? With one hand near his pistol, and the other on the glass, he had two weapons ready in case things turned sour. The other man waited for a moment as his shot of whiskey was slid down the counter, before eyeing Shane. ?Well, you look like ?im,? he commented lazily. ?Listen, since I was coming down ?ere, a friend asked me to tell you that the Navy might have a few jobs up for offer. Sounds like they didn?t have many for a while, but eh, now they do. Just head down to the [I] Caspian [/I], it?s only a bit off California.? Shane nodded, already familiar with the location of the Navy Cruiser. The large man gulped down his whisky in one smooth motion, before gesturing for another drink. ?Oh, and if yer ship?s that big one down there, it?s ready.? ?Well, thanks,? Shane replied simply, and drew out a few credits. He plopped a few down on the counter, but flipped one last one to the ogre man, ?For your help.? And with that, he was off. -------------------------- Half an hour later, and Shane Reilly?s [I] Enforcer [/I] was lifting up and out through the Docking Ring of the small red planet, the pilot seated comfortably in the cockpit, double checking that the fighter?s systems were running at 100 percent. He had to give it to the mechanic down there, he certainly knew his craft. Flicking a small switch, Shane shifted the ship?s thrusters into cruise mode, and with a jump, the [I] Enforcer [/I] rapidly gained speed. While weapons were nigh on impossible to fire at the speeds the ship took when in cruise mode, it made intersystem travels a lot faster. Though since [I] Planet California [/I] was only a small hop, skip and jump from his current position (in fact, he could just barely see it?s dot in the distance), such speed wasn?t entirely necessary. But instead of mentally debating such subjects, Shane just sat back, relaxed, and waited for the journey to be over.

Well, if you're still open to sign ups, here's another. [B][U]Sign-up[/U][/B] -------------------------- [B] Name: [/B] Shane Reilly [B] Call sign: [/B] Sundowner [B] Faction: [/B] Freelancer [B] Age: [/B] 24 [B] Appearance: [/B] Standing at an even 6?0?, Shane has the appearance of a very fit young man. He has pale skin, short black hair, blue eyes, and no real defining scars to speak of. His regular attire is a simple collection of dark greenish trousers, and a black shirt covered by a vest. [B] Bio: [/B] A native to planet Earth itself, Shane Reilly only lived on the human home planet until the start of his teens, when he and his family picked up and moved over to a small stop over station in the middle of an ore infested star system. While his parents helped run part of the station, he continued with his studies, as well as continuing on with his hobbies of mechanics and piloting. It was when he reached the age of twenty that he left the station for a career in freelancing, and over the past four years, has steadily increased his skill and (fairly small) fortune. He has good relations in particular with the United Earth?s Navy, in which he would be a part of if not for the freedom his current career gives him. [B][U] Ship [/U][/B] -------------------------- [B] Ship name: [/B] Enforcer [B] Ship type: [/B] Very Heavy Fighter [B] Weaponry: [/B] [list] [*] [B] Archer Missile Launchers - [/B] Two Archer Missile Launchers are installed on the fighter, one on each wing, and are fitted to fire a large variety of missiles and torpedoes. And thanks to the particulars of the systems, and the fittings of an extra port on the back of the wing for both launchers, they can be fired both forward and backwards. However, it takes several more seconds to fire backwards, and as can be imagined, is particularly hard to aim that way. [*] [B] Paladin Plasma Cannons - [/B] Three of the other weapon hard points are filled by Paladin Plasma Cannons, two of them located on the wings, the third just below the nose. [*] [B] Magnetic Acceleration Cannon (MAC) - [/B] A powerful weapon, the MAC fires a magnetically accelerated shell at incredibly high speeds, which can obliterate shielded fighters and tear through unshielded capital ships. It does, however, require some time to charge, and is hard to aim. [*] [B] 85mm Chaingun Turret - [/B] Located underneath the centre of the Enforcer, the turret can swivel 360 degrees, and while not too effective against shields, has a decided advantage against bare armor. [*] [B] Stalwart Mine Layer - [/B] And last, but not least, the Enforcer has a standard mine layer, able to drop many kinds of mines in both the void of space and the atomsphere of planets. [/list] [B]Appearance:[/B] [IMG]http://www.lancernews.com/shipimages/starlancer/wafighters/tempest.jpg[/IMG] Though if there?s any real need for a written description, I?ll be happy to write one up. [B]Special Qualities:[/B] While the craft doesn?t contain any true special qualities, it?s been upgraded with a small number of odds and ends Shane has collected over time. Most notably, a powerful interception and jamming device, as well as a conventional radar cloak, which while normally blocking his ship from sensors, still leaves him open to visual detection.

Heavy footsteps mixed with light, graceful steps inside a large, open room inside the mansion. The wooden floor shook simultaneously with the heavy footfalls, though it was only a slight annoyance. The structure of the house didn?t falter a millimetre, and everything not bolted down still remained in place. Yang slowly paced around the edge of the room in question, taking in what adorned the walls, while his larger brother, Brawl, tangoed with a close combat XP drone. The smaller reploid, finding no interest in the training exercise, blocked out the continuous grunts from Brawl, and continued to closely inspect the art. ?Want to have some fun yourself later on?? The deep, rumbling voice made it obvious to Yang that is was Brawl. Even as he traded surprisingly light blows, the towering reploid kept one eye on his smaller counterpart. Yang kept his eyes on the walls, not needing to turn around. ?I have already had my share for today. I would prefer not to participate in anymore needless combat.? ?Suit yourself, Cannon,? Brawl replied, before focusing back on his opposition. The drone was soon sent crashing to the floor, crushed beyond belief. But Yang was not paying attention. He was in the middle of shaking his head mildly at being called ?Cannon?. While Yang was his proper name, Cannon was his commonly used alias. While he wasn?t too much of a fan of it, practically everyone used it when referring to him, and so he had learned to deal with it. Brawl, knowing Yang?s slight discomfort with the word, used it constantly in an attempt to annoy. This train of thought brought to mind the many other ?qualities? that Brawl possessed, but Cannon (who, for simplicity sake, we shall now call by his codename) immediately shook them away. He needn?t bring extra worries to his mind. Currently, the two Tao Twins were waiting for those accepted as part of Sygnosis X to arrive from Novus Concordia. As they were already members of the special task force, they hadn?t needed to join in on the ?festivities?, and had instead opted to stay behind. While Brawl was getting as much training out of the occasion as possible, Cannon was instead admiring the building. Dr. Inoue had left behind some considerable pieces, and the reploid was all for examining them. ?Cannon, come on, I need a partner,? Brawl growled. Annoyance and anger were slowly seeping into his voice, though Cannon knew his brother was only acting that way to try and make him bow to his wishes. Sighing, Cannon calmly turned to look at Brawl, taking in the twelve-foot frame of the massive reploid. And after scanning the room with his white eyes, the Sygnosis X member reluctantly stepped forward. ??Very well.? Though he knew he had other things to focus on, the coming events that would occur once the others arrived filled his mind. It was with a strained mind that he pushed those things away. They would come, when they would come, and they were things he was sure-- no, hoped, everyone would be able to handle. [I]Hoped[/i] being the key word. -------- OOC: Yes, small, but I need to slowly ease my way back into the land of RPGs before tackling something bigger.