Marvel Iron Age: Sinister Six #2
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Skeleton Coast, Niger – 2194 AD
“For the sake of stark get that electrostatic pylon up now.” The Iron Officer swore as another horde of mummified bodies carrying automatic weapons and cutlasses charged at the un-armoured men working on the bridge. “Starking Auxiliaries are useless as ever.” She added as a few of the auxiliaries turned and opened fire on the approaching horde with sonic shotguns, the blasts sending the leading edge sprawling backwards.
“Lieutenant Kara Avril there is a chance that Baron Samedi’s forces will discover the seismic charges we placed thought out the coast. We should detonate now.” An aide hissed as the auxiliary captain down on the bridge hooked up a two meter pylon to a backpack sized power cell. “Captain Malik and his starking pieces of hyena faeces won’t be able to hold on for more then a few seconds.”
“Very well.” Avril stated coldly. “This is a general hail, all armoured battalions retreat to holding positions Operation Pangaea is a go in ten seconds.” She added as she synched her armour to the pylons energy signature.
“Wait we only need a few more sec…” A voice came over the communications channel as the entire coastline shuddered before detonating in a shower of sand. Down on the bridge the auxiliaries screamed as they were vaporised all save Captain Malik who was thrown back into the pylon. “That should deprave Samedi of more troops. I will contact General Khalaf to finish the hunt as per the Supreme Commander’s instruction, hunting the last of the African Voodoo gods is right up his alley.” She added before shooting a glance at the former coastline disintegrating into the sea. “We’re done here.”
**
Geothermal Platform #3021, Off the Coast of Antarctica, Mid Atlantic Ridge – 2200 AD
“I assume you gentlemen know what you have to do?” Machinesmith asked as the two figures looked down the small screen attached to the larger of the two’s wrist. “There are no reinforcements on this mission, the rest of the six are scattered across the world readying the coming of the upcoming conflict and the master’s ascension.”
“Go over the plan one more time.” Neutron asked as he tapped the screen to increase the feedback that ran down his comrade’s body. “Free of Charge of course.”
“You and the mercenary known as Fissure are part one of the scheme. This platform is a magma mining facility that extracts minerals for use in the construction of iron armour components.” Machinesmith explained. “But disrupting the construction of more troops for Lord Stryfe is only a secondary bonus. There are two hundred and fifty facilities spread across the ridge all mining for particulates twenty four hours a day. With a little disturbance those facilities could become two hundred and fifty new volcanic cones by the end of the day, which is the master’s objective.”
“Got it.” Neutron buzzed before turning to the man with cracked skin, red veins of energy glowing around his slab like skin, his legs covered by metallic plating from a ripped open Iron Hunter unit. “Let’s do shake the world up.” He added.
**
HSS Devil Squid, off the coast of Niger– 2194 AD
“Master you must see what our contacts in the salvaging business have brought us.” Machinesmith buzzed as he pulled in a cryogenic tube complete with a frozen figure inside. “It’s extraordinary.” He added as he placed the Master in front of a woman dressed in coral armour, long scalp tentacles flowing down her blue skinned back that matched the pair of cable launchers mounted on her wrists. “Look Master.”
“It’s an energy pylon.” A hollow voice stated from the tube. “Is this the best salvage you could find Nemecyst?” He asked the Atlantean salvager.
“It is more then just that my master.” Nemecyst purred as she ran her hand down the side, her caress met with a man’s scream of pain. “This one contains a trapped soul, one exposed to the pylon’s electromagnetic field as he died.”
“The chances of a being surviving the process are astronomically low.” Machinesmith whirred as he saw the shape inside the tube move slightly. “Such a research chance can not be passed up readily.”
“No it can’t.” The Master stated, “Pay Nemecyst whatever she asks for the pylon, money is no option.” He added as the tube opened with a whoosh and a green armoured boot slipped out of the cryogenic storage container, “We have much work to do.”
**
Geothermal Platform #3021, Off the Coast of Antarctica, Mid Atlantic Ridge – 2200 AD
The door exploded open with a crackling static causing the workers on the platform to turn as the two men emerged into the control room. Almost immediately the supervisor leapt for the emergency alarm before being intercepted with a blast of radiation, the energy surge leaving only a blackened silhouette behind.
“Anyone else want to try that?” Fissure asked in a Germanic accent. “How many people are on board?” He asked as Neutron walked over and fried the control panel.
“Just us.” One of the worker whimpered, “The majority of the station is automated.”
“Good.” Neutron hissed as he leaned against the wall. “Everyone listen up, we’re here to kill you but it’s for a good cause. There are magma shields fore everyone in the facility in the safety closet. We know because it’s standard for this kind of facility. Everyone grab a set and meet at the main mineral extractor.”
“And what if we refuse to do as you order.” A tall woman asked as the majority of the workers backed away from their kidnappers.
“Good question.” Neutron asked. “The answer is that your corpses are just as easy to use,” He added as he sent an arc of electricity at her, the superheated energy discharge causing her heart to explode. “You.” He buzzed as he pointed at a balding man. “Make sure she puts some magma shields on.” He added before turning back to Fissure. “You sure you’re ready?”
“My friends are all dead. Killed in Niger.” Fissure replied. “I was part of the Iron Army’s Experimental Weapon programme. Those seismic charges you used in Operation Pangaea were my friends, forced to cause a geo-kinetic field that ripped them apart painfully.”
“I had no idea.” Neutron sighed, “I thought I had it bad as an Auxiliary but that…that’s shocking. No pun intended you understand.” He added as the two mercenaries followed the miners down towards the bowels of the platform.
“It is why I agreed to this Malik.” Fissure explained. “It’s time to join my friends and make a final stand against the Supreme Commander. He and his generals will pay for the lives they needlessly sacrificed in the troubles.”
“I’ll make sure of it.” Neutron announced as Fissure stopped on the main lift to the magma chamber. “All right line up with shields facing forwards and make a ring around Mister Fissure,” He ordered, “you corpse handler hold her up and I’ll giver the static energy required to lock her into place.” He told the bald man holding the dead woman’s corpse before sending a spark into her back, the woman’s bones seizing up into a rigid standing position.
“Now for the electrostatic field.” Fissure told Neutron as the criminal stood behind him and created a wall of energy behind them as the lift descended.
“Are you starking crazy?” A worker asked, “We’ll be burnt alive even with the shields!” He added as the lift reached the bottom of the channel, a river of magma flowing under the ceramic floor.
“Time to go.” Neutron sighed as he touched Fissure on the shoulder. “For those about to rock I salute you.” He added as he accelerated back up the shaft as Fissure began to shake, the vibrations cracking the floor before and sending him and his wall of shields down into the magma. All was silent for a few seconds before there was a loud roar and a wave of magma surged away up the ridge, the electrostatic field sending it towards the platforms to the north.
“Phase One is a go.” Neutron buzzed as he shot off the platform’s top deck, the entire structure shaking below him. “Fissure set off the reaction.”
“Good” A hollow sounding voice answered over the radio-up-link he wore. “Return to the Devil Squid when possible. Today is the first herald of the end of the Iron Empire and the start of a new Dark Age.”
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