I wrote this sometime ago as the background for Stase, and she's gone along with it; and mentioned it in her 'What If?' story, so I thought I'd reprint it before I posted my next one.
I sat in the waiting room surrounded by my dead friends. Floyd was resting against the arm of the chair opposite me, Rolf was looking out of the window, not acknowledging me as usual. Janice was by my side, she was the best friend I could ever have had; and a much needed ally in amongst the men. Doc was peering down the Receptionists top as usual, but she couldnt see him, and I really dont think it mattered now.
Floyd was the reason I had got into the gang in the first place. My parents had told me over and over about the responsibilities of my origin but Floyd was this real sweetheart with a wave of curly hair that was to die for. I really shouldnt have said that I suppose, as the hair had gone in the explosion that removed his head; but I could still see it there on him.
We all had powers, but being young, we didnt really give it much thought as we were too busy growing up. It was just over 6 years ago that we met at school, and we soon decided that school was far too boring for us. We bunked off, smoked, drank and generally fooled about, sure that we were indestructible.
I really loved Floyd, but I knew he was in love with himself only; and Janice was the only one I ever confessed it to. Turns out that she was there for the same reason, so we formed a little bit of a truce.
On our anniversary of getting the gang together, Eldritch; my suggestion, Floyd suggested that we should do something real fun. I was already bored from seeing Docs trick of doing Shadow Puppets with Darkforce, so I jumped at the chance.
It was supposedly a quick steal from this new firm called Crey Pharmaceuticals Corporation that had just started up. Rolf had found out through his contacts that there would be an entire crate full of Superadine being stored in a secure warehouse down on Independent Docks; and Janice could teleport us in.
We thought we were gods at that point. Wed already heisted some trinkets from the Hellions and we were on a roll.
Midnight came and went. Janice wandered up to the warehouse, past the Family goons and leapt through the keyhole of the door. Rolf was right, no TP suppression.
Janice TPd us into the warehouse, Floyd first, of course. Then myself, Rolf and finally Doc. Doc shifted into darkness and got out his tentacles to cover the windows whilst Rolf sniffed around. Floyd smile at both of us, melting our hearts, and pulled out a bottle of wine. Doc watched on, concentrating on keeping the lights out whilst the three of us sat and drank.
By the time Rolf shouted back, we were all a little drunk and Doc had been allowed to finish off the dregs. We walked towards Rolfs voice whilst giggling to ourselves, despite Docs hissed quiets.
Rolf was standing over a crate, with a puzzled look; the same look he has now, permanently fused to his face.
This is so wrong.
Floyd looked over his glasses at him. Waddya talkin about? Is it the real stuff or wha?
I looked into the crate from where I was and Janice gasped as she looked over my shoulder. Inside the box was the body of a Troll, obviously ODd from massive amounts of Superadine.
I suddenly wanted to be sober and I wanted to be nowhere near here.
I started to walk away until the ground rebelled from the alcohol in my system and I fell against the wall.
Floyd, we are in deep [censored] here., Rolf stated, slow and formal as ever.
Then there was a scream, Docs scream. Followed by a ringing single shot. Then silence.
Janice, grab Doc and activate his hospital chip!, Floyd yelled, no longer caring about the noise.
Wait
I think
, Rolf said before his voice was cut off at the throat as a bullet entered it.
I looked up to see a huge guy in silver power armour smash through the door like it was made of tissue paper. Janice was screaming and Floyd had drawn a gun. I felt like screaming but I was the strongest one there so I triggered my invulnerability and jumped on him as he fired.
The resulting blast knocked everyone against a wall, whilst the walls did a little dance in my head. The guy in the power armour was probably dead from his own backpack exploding on him, must have been faulty. I watched him for a moment, down on my haunches in case he tried to get up again, but he stayed there. No hospital chip? Unlikely, so there must be a TP suppression field up.
I called to Janice to see if she could teleport, but when I looked round, I saw there was no way shed ever teleport again. Floyds head had been neatly decapitated by the explosion and it stared up at me, with the same deep brown eyes I remembered from a year ago when I fell for him.
I was completely unaware as the Taser mark hit me in the back; and oblivious as I fell to the floor from the current.
I lay there, twitching from the electricity whilst some black suited goons gathered up the remains on my friends and their fallen comrades, threw them into the crate and placed a small fire bomb next to them.
I watched as they picked me up, marched me out of the building and exploded the bomb by remote. Their spirits rose from the flames and have been with me ever since.
The guards arrived at one of the Crey buildings with me over one of their shoulders, still unable to move. I think they injected me whilst I was stunned, or it may just have been shock.
We walked into a brightly lit warehouse and I was placed on the floor. The cold tiles were a pleasant sensation to my face.
CREY TEAM B3-451 REPORTING IN FOR DUTY., the metallic voice from within the suit barked.
There was a minutes silence and then a female voice, upperclass, issued from one of the Speakers.
Team Diamond. Have you any idea what sort of a day Ive had?
IM SORRY MAAM?
Thats a start. You do of course have an explanation on why you dont have all your team, you dont have the drugged subject and you just let this specimen know your Crey Codename?
The voice suddenly became a lot more submissive.
It was these terrorists maam. They are Talented. One of them
, he was cut off.
These terrorists were the other subjects you were sent to get. That bloated Troll was just a ruse; Specimens one through five were all in that building and you managed to get four of them killed!. The female voice had gone past aggressive and was now onto warlike.
I am displeased, Commander.. There was a sudden chill in the room. Im sure you will serve me better in a future life.
The sound of gunshots filled the air, followed by the smell of cordite, followed by the thin red trickle of blood down the side of the tiles.
The voice again. This specimen will have to studied. Throw her into Stasis.
I felt strong arms lift me and carry me away from the reddened tiles whilst a smocked man with a pressure hose blasted the signs of death away.
I stayed in Stasis for five years whilst they decided what to do with me. The one thing Crey didnt understand, or perhaps they did, is that Stasis freezes the body and mind, but the soul still lives on. And its the soul that dreams.
For five years, Eldritch raided that building. I ran out of tears after six months.
I was awoken already dressed in my yellow and black suit as a Paragon Protector. Whilst I had been asleep, they had grown claws in my hands. I was now a killer for Crey.
I joined team Sapphire as a rookie and fought against Tsoo, Carnies, Warriors, Rikti & a number of capes. I didnt spend much time talking with the others as I focussed completely on the missions just to keep from remembering.
It was whilst travelling back through Independence Port one time that my luck changed. I had just slaughtered a team of heroes that were trying to shut down the Crey Computer system and we were heading down past the docks.
From out of the corner of my eye, I saw a hero all dressed in white in the sky who swooped down towards the docks and headed in the door. THE door, of THE building. I froze.
Protector #2 looked round at me. We need to get back Protector #1, he said, just before a huge tentacle wrapped around his waist.
LUSCA!, Voltage Tank #3 yelled, and opened up on it, with the rest of the ream following suit.
I saw my chance and ran towards the entry to Brickstown. I knew the Police Drones from old and Id always found their little hum almost comforting. This made what I was going to do that much harder.
Protector #2 yelled out that I was trying to escape but Lusca was holding their attention. My claws popped and I slashed at the Drone. The Teleportation beam that ran over me sang of Freedom.
Stripped of my yellow and blacks now, I sat with Floyd, Rolf, Janice and Doc in the trial room. Crey had filed an injunction against Paragon Authority so that I would be granted bail as long as they had me returned to them.
I wasnt going back.
What are you guys still doing here anyway?, I asked.
The Secretary looked up, scaring Doc away, looked round, decided I was mad and returned to her work.
Waiting for you, sugar., Floyd said, his voice still brushing against me.
I think this has got a good chance of working., Rolf said, You still blame yourself for our deaths, and that time in the Stasis tubes has aggravated it.
Doc stood up and walked over towards me. All you have to do, sugar, is to keep away from the Crey, then you can forget us.
I looked round at Janice. She smiled at me and hugged me tightly. No words needed there.
The Court session was a long time coming, and only a short time in session. Both Swan and Manticore both gave counsel for my defence, which I was shocked about. It seems as theyd been near the tunnel at the time and seen the whole thing. Although I notice Manticore giving me a wink as he said that.
The Judge ruled that considering my Super Powered Status, I would be forced to remain under Community Service as an Acting Cape until I had paid off my debt to society. The Creys Lawyers were absoloutely furious at this decision, but couldnt bring legal counsel to defeat it.
As the Judges hammer declared me free, I watched Rolf, Floyd, Doc and Janice disappear slowly to rest, and I walked towards my new life. Almost unbidden, my middle claw extended towards the flickering lamps above, saluting the Creys for giving me my new name, Stasis.
Don't see it myself.
