Spider's Web - Pull one strand...
... And the entire web dances.
Sparks placed a hand on the door to her squad's base, taking a moment to stare at the stylized spider emblem on it. Eight simple yet unmistakable red lines starting horizontally and stretching out, the top sets sharply bending up and curving in while the bottom ones were mirrored. Each leg ending in a sharp point fitting of Arachnos' aggressive nature.
The young soldier sighed and focused on the door's systems with her powers, barely taking a second to unlock it and tell it to open. Yawning as she watched it slide up and into the wall, barely registering the defenses that greeted her on the other side as she stepped through.
Sparks paused long enough by the door to make sure it closed and locked before making her way further into the base. Eventually I won't have to see this disaster of a building again...
Water dripped from the ceiling in places, several pieces of important tech were busted, some spewing smoke while most spat out electrical sparks. The wall facing the front door had big red letters spelling out 'ARACH OS REJECTS', the 'N' having yet to be replaced after falling off. You could barely look anywhere without seeing something that needed fixing.
And Sparks was the only one that could fix anything in her squad, her to-do list was forever frightfully long.
She sighed as she headed for what passed as a workshop. It was more where they kept loot the entire squad could use and left weapons or gear that needed fixing in a way the owner couldn't manage. There were two mostly-functional computer terminals, however.
Sparks pulled her phone from the pocket it was in, unplugging her earbuds and untangling the cord from being in her jacket and wrapped around behind her ears. She fished a smaller cord from another pocket and plugged her phone into the terminal with it. Smacking the side of the computer before tapping away at the keyboard so she could look over what she'd been able to record while working.
Tired as she was, success at this op had promise of getting the 'Rejects' in a better spot within Arachnos. Maybe they would stop being quite so much of a joke if they found something important...
Sparks sighed and leaned on the terminal as she waited for the files to be read. She didn't want to be Arachnos, and the head of the op they were on was someone terrifying.
At the very least, it sends me into Paragon. That makes hopping the fence a little easier but I'm not... ready to do that yet.
She frowned, remembering the Fortunata she'd spoken to. Could she be trusted? Sparks hadn't been terminated during or after their conversation so perhaps... Perhaps Latrodectus could be trusted. She seemed keen on getting Arza out also but Arza's... not going to be easy.
She shook her head and started going over the files. All written observations of movements and conversations she'd seen around a club in Paragon. Focused on one of the owners who hadn't spoken to many in the time she'd been there, even leaving early which stood out as a little odd.
She collected what little filtered info there was and packaged it into a digital report she'd get to someone higher up later. Gathering her things and pocketing them before turning to make her way to her quarters. This is a really dangerous situation. Latrodectus better not have been lying about wanting to help though... Praetorian? Everything I've heard about them and how they treated their psychics... She probably is on our side, if only because Arachnos is also pretty fucked in that regard.
She sighed and rubbed at her face, passing through the door dividing the main base and the squad's various quarters. Stepping around a bucket collecting water from one of the ceiling drips. Luckily it seemed everyone else was either asleep or out doing their own thing, it meant no one would bother her for a while.
Sparks paused at the entrance to her quarters before looking toward where her commander's were. She quietly made her way over and poked her head in, just enough to see the Bane hadn't fallen asleep at her desk again.
Good she's either in bed or out working then...
She turned and finally went to her quarters to sleep until someone woke her up again.
Arza peered out across Grandville from her vantage point high above, among the Tangle's work platforms precariously bolted onto buildings surrounding Recluse's tower. The familiar buzz of her Bane Spider brothers filling her mind as the sounds of welding and heavily armored footsteps filled the air.
She turned when she registered a pair of lighter footsteps approaching. Stiffening into a well-practiced salute on seeing the source, "Lavender Spinner."
The Fortunata smirked slightly and gave an idle wave, stepping up to join Arza by the edge. "At ease, Operative, not here on official work."
Arza blinked under her helmet and tilted her head to eye Lavender's uniform, it matched her name even in the dull lighting that made it through the haze surrounding Grandville. "Passing by on your way to something else then?"
Lavender shrugged idly. "Just wanting to check on you."
Right. Arza sighed and turned back to look out over the edge, half an eye on the psychic next to her. "I'm doing better than our last meeting. Hopefully work has been treating you well?"
The Fortunata's tone held its usual predatory edge beneath a friendly veil, "That is good to hear for you~" then that edge disappeared, "... My work has been treating me well. Things have been quieter which I'll take over everything being on fire."
Arza let out an amused huff, "Yeah I get what you mean there. Though I generally find quiet concerning with who I lead."
Lavender chuckled, "So you'd take things being on fire over everything being calm?"
Arza thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. "There's a difference between calm and quiet. I'd prefer a calm quiet over a fire or the kind of quiet that hangs over trouble you can't see yet."
"The calm before the storm, so to speak."
Arza gave a nod and no other response, the two let the silence between them hang before Lavender picked up again. "Do you think there's something like that going on now? That quiet before everything explodes, that is."
The bane took a deep breath as she considered her answer to that, giving another nod. "Something's going to happen, in time. Just don't know what or when."
Lavender hummed softly. "I sense it as well..." she side-eyed the bane for a moment "... You'll be near the middle of it."
Arza sighed, "Of course I will be, I don't think I'd be able to pick up on it if I weren't. Trying to keep my squad out of trouble until this shows itself."
That dangerous edge returned to the Fortunata's tone, "And if members of your squad are the cause of it?"
Arza frowned as she thought about that. "... Then we'll see what happens."
Lavender gave a small nod, expression becoming unreadable as she gazed out over the city. Arza tilted her head slightly as she pinged the Bane network for the time. "It's nearing time for me to R.T.B. so uh... if you've got anything else you want to say now'd be a good time."
Lavender let out a small breath. "I hope you and your squad have a good evening, Operative."
Arza side-eyed the Fortunata a moment before nodding and starting to turn to the nearest elevator, "Likewise."
Latrodectus narrowed her eyes at the exchange below her as it ended. The thought of dropping down and burying her claws in the other Fortunata's back crossed her mind for a moment. She'd win that fight, Lavender Spinner wasn't as powerful as she was. But she was still one of the Fortunata Seers.
Latro shook her head slightly and let out a soft breath, careful to keep herself as hidden from perceptions as she could. Any that looked up at her would see only empty space, hear nothing of her movements, nothing unusual would register unless that was exactly what they were looking for.
The buzz of the Bane Spider network was getting to be too annoying for her to be near. Rather than continue spying on Lavender she lifted off with telekinesis and flew away from the tower. Diving down into the industrial western section of the Gutter where she'd be out of sight.
Space warped for a moment, the next she was in her apartment in St. Martial, far from Grandville and its psychic noise. She set her feet back on the floor and stretched before sighing.
Patience. Latro needed to hold out a little longer before she could pull out of Arachnos and rip Arza out of the Bane spider network. She had a few options for help but... One needed time to sort out their own issues and she wasn't sure how well the other would work.
She rubbed at her face before stepping further inside, weaving her way over to the couch. Stopping to fight her boots off before flopping onto her back. I should have never joined Arachnos. How could I be so STUPID?!
Latro lifted her hands and stared at them. Her left was still mostly flesh and blood, though any could see where the Widows' claw blades could slide from their hiding places inside. The right was replaced by dark blue and bright red metal, keen eyes would make out where the matching set of claws could slide out.
She folded them across her middle and shut her eyes. Echos of the Praetorian Seer Network haunted the otherwise quiet corners of her mind. It'd been a few years since she'd been disconnected, they were still there, she didn't know if they would ever leave.
Get out of Arachnos then fix the rest of your shit. Can't fix anything in here if I'm surrounded by shit that's driving me insane! But there isn't a whole lot I can do to solve any of my problems right now. UGH!
Part of her wanted to go out and fight, blow off some steam, but she'd been avoiding the field. Afraid something would shove her fragile mental state into truly unstable territory. No one needed to see another powerful psychic break, and she was getting slowly pushed in that direction.
Latro growled and rolled over, staring at the TV but not turning it on.
... I should just go to bed but I don't want to. The echos are too loud...
She shook her head and got up again, carefully stepping over to the pair of bookshelves against the wall behind the couch. Briefly eyeing the training equipment nearby as she considered taking her frustrations out on the practice dummies instead.
Latro let out a breath and carefully reached under the shelves of one bookshelf, lifting the deceptively light construction slightly and pulling it toward her. A couple of wheels underneath helping move it as it swung open just far enough for her to slip through. She gave the handle on the other side a quick tug to pull it closed behind her before slipping further into the saferoom.
A desk with some medical and weapon supplies, a few crates for storage, a couple of computers for whatever she'd need them for, and five portals heading to everywhere from Paragon to the Isles, even Praetoria, and a couple of other dimensions.
She stepped over to the crates and popped open one of the smaller ones, running her metallic hand over the armor stored inside. The suit she wore heading into Paragon to work alongside Heroes when she didn't want to be 'Latrodectus', the deadly Arachnos Widow. She glanced toward the portals for a moment before looking back at the armor.
Need to fix this up a bit before I head out again... Shouldn't take long at least.
Sparks placed a hand on the door to her squad's base, taking a moment to stare at the stylized spider emblem on it. Eight simple yet unmistakable red lines starting horizontally and stretching out, the top sets sharply bending up and curving in while the bottom ones were mirrored. Each leg ending in a sharp point fitting of Arachnos' aggressive nature.
The young soldier sighed and focused on the door's systems with her powers, barely taking a second to unlock it and tell it to open. Yawning as she watched it slide up and into the wall, barely registering the defenses that greeted her on the other side as she stepped through.
Sparks paused long enough by the door to make sure it closed and locked before making her way further into the base. Eventually I won't have to see this disaster of a building again...
Water dripped from the ceiling in places, several pieces of important tech were busted, some spewing smoke while most spat out electrical sparks. The wall facing the front door had big red letters spelling out 'ARACH OS REJECTS', the 'N' having yet to be replaced after falling off. You could barely look anywhere without seeing something that needed fixing.
And Sparks was the only one that could fix anything in her squad, her to-do list was forever frightfully long.
She sighed as she headed for what passed as a workshop. It was more where they kept loot the entire squad could use and left weapons or gear that needed fixing in a way the owner couldn't manage. There were two mostly-functional computer terminals, however.
Sparks pulled her phone from the pocket it was in, unplugging her earbuds and untangling the cord from being in her jacket and wrapped around behind her ears. She fished a smaller cord from another pocket and plugged her phone into the terminal with it. Smacking the side of the computer before tapping away at the keyboard so she could look over what she'd been able to record while working.
Tired as she was, success at this op had promise of getting the 'Rejects' in a better spot within Arachnos. Maybe they would stop being quite so much of a joke if they found something important...
Sparks sighed and leaned on the terminal as she waited for the files to be read. She didn't want to be Arachnos, and the head of the op they were on was someone terrifying.
At the very least, it sends me into Paragon. That makes hopping the fence a little easier but I'm not... ready to do that yet.
She frowned, remembering the Fortunata she'd spoken to. Could she be trusted? Sparks hadn't been terminated during or after their conversation so perhaps... Perhaps Latrodectus could be trusted. She seemed keen on getting Arza out also but Arza's... not going to be easy.
She shook her head and started going over the files. All written observations of movements and conversations she'd seen around a club in Paragon. Focused on one of the owners who hadn't spoken to many in the time she'd been there, even leaving early which stood out as a little odd.
She collected what little filtered info there was and packaged it into a digital report she'd get to someone higher up later. Gathering her things and pocketing them before turning to make her way to her quarters. This is a really dangerous situation. Latrodectus better not have been lying about wanting to help though... Praetorian? Everything I've heard about them and how they treated their psychics... She probably is on our side, if only because Arachnos is also pretty fucked in that regard.
She sighed and rubbed at her face, passing through the door dividing the main base and the squad's various quarters. Stepping around a bucket collecting water from one of the ceiling drips. Luckily it seemed everyone else was either asleep or out doing their own thing, it meant no one would bother her for a while.
Sparks paused at the entrance to her quarters before looking toward where her commander's were. She quietly made her way over and poked her head in, just enough to see the Bane hadn't fallen asleep at her desk again.
Good she's either in bed or out working then...
She turned and finally went to her quarters to sleep until someone woke her up again.
Arza peered out across Grandville from her vantage point high above, among the Tangle's work platforms precariously bolted onto buildings surrounding Recluse's tower. The familiar buzz of her Bane Spider brothers filling her mind as the sounds of welding and heavily armored footsteps filled the air.
She turned when she registered a pair of lighter footsteps approaching. Stiffening into a well-practiced salute on seeing the source, "Lavender Spinner."
The Fortunata smirked slightly and gave an idle wave, stepping up to join Arza by the edge. "At ease, Operative, not here on official work."
Arza blinked under her helmet and tilted her head to eye Lavender's uniform, it matched her name even in the dull lighting that made it through the haze surrounding Grandville. "Passing by on your way to something else then?"
Lavender shrugged idly. "Just wanting to check on you."
Right. Arza sighed and turned back to look out over the edge, half an eye on the psychic next to her. "I'm doing better than our last meeting. Hopefully work has been treating you well?"
The Fortunata's tone held its usual predatory edge beneath a friendly veil, "That is good to hear for you~" then that edge disappeared, "... My work has been treating me well. Things have been quieter which I'll take over everything being on fire."
Arza let out an amused huff, "Yeah I get what you mean there. Though I generally find quiet concerning with who I lead."
Lavender chuckled, "So you'd take things being on fire over everything being calm?"
Arza thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. "There's a difference between calm and quiet. I'd prefer a calm quiet over a fire or the kind of quiet that hangs over trouble you can't see yet."
"The calm before the storm, so to speak."
Arza gave a nod and no other response, the two let the silence between them hang before Lavender picked up again. "Do you think there's something like that going on now? That quiet before everything explodes, that is."
The bane took a deep breath as she considered her answer to that, giving another nod. "Something's going to happen, in time. Just don't know what or when."
Lavender hummed softly. "I sense it as well..." she side-eyed the bane for a moment "... You'll be near the middle of it."
Arza sighed, "Of course I will be, I don't think I'd be able to pick up on it if I weren't. Trying to keep my squad out of trouble until this shows itself."
That dangerous edge returned to the Fortunata's tone, "And if members of your squad are the cause of it?"
Arza frowned as she thought about that. "... Then we'll see what happens."
Lavender gave a small nod, expression becoming unreadable as she gazed out over the city. Arza tilted her head slightly as she pinged the Bane network for the time. "It's nearing time for me to R.T.B. so uh... if you've got anything else you want to say now'd be a good time."
Lavender let out a small breath. "I hope you and your squad have a good evening, Operative."
Arza side-eyed the Fortunata a moment before nodding and starting to turn to the nearest elevator, "Likewise."
Latrodectus narrowed her eyes at the exchange below her as it ended. The thought of dropping down and burying her claws in the other Fortunata's back crossed her mind for a moment. She'd win that fight, Lavender Spinner wasn't as powerful as she was. But she was still one of the Fortunata Seers.
Latro shook her head slightly and let out a soft breath, careful to keep herself as hidden from perceptions as she could. Any that looked up at her would see only empty space, hear nothing of her movements, nothing unusual would register unless that was exactly what they were looking for.
The buzz of the Bane Spider network was getting to be too annoying for her to be near. Rather than continue spying on Lavender she lifted off with telekinesis and flew away from the tower. Diving down into the industrial western section of the Gutter where she'd be out of sight.
Space warped for a moment, the next she was in her apartment in St. Martial, far from Grandville and its psychic noise. She set her feet back on the floor and stretched before sighing.
Patience. Latro needed to hold out a little longer before she could pull out of Arachnos and rip Arza out of the Bane spider network. She had a few options for help but... One needed time to sort out their own issues and she wasn't sure how well the other would work.
She rubbed at her face before stepping further inside, weaving her way over to the couch. Stopping to fight her boots off before flopping onto her back. I should have never joined Arachnos. How could I be so STUPID?!
Latro lifted her hands and stared at them. Her left was still mostly flesh and blood, though any could see where the Widows' claw blades could slide from their hiding places inside. The right was replaced by dark blue and bright red metal, keen eyes would make out where the matching set of claws could slide out.
She folded them across her middle and shut her eyes. Echos of the Praetorian Seer Network haunted the otherwise quiet corners of her mind. It'd been a few years since she'd been disconnected, they were still there, she didn't know if they would ever leave.
Get out of Arachnos then fix the rest of your shit. Can't fix anything in here if I'm surrounded by shit that's driving me insane! But there isn't a whole lot I can do to solve any of my problems right now. UGH!
Part of her wanted to go out and fight, blow off some steam, but she'd been avoiding the field. Afraid something would shove her fragile mental state into truly unstable territory. No one needed to see another powerful psychic break, and she was getting slowly pushed in that direction.
Latro growled and rolled over, staring at the TV but not turning it on.
... I should just go to bed but I don't want to. The echos are too loud...
She shook her head and got up again, carefully stepping over to the pair of bookshelves against the wall behind the couch. Briefly eyeing the training equipment nearby as she considered taking her frustrations out on the practice dummies instead.
Latro let out a breath and carefully reached under the shelves of one bookshelf, lifting the deceptively light construction slightly and pulling it toward her. A couple of wheels underneath helping move it as it swung open just far enough for her to slip through. She gave the handle on the other side a quick tug to pull it closed behind her before slipping further into the saferoom.
A desk with some medical and weapon supplies, a few crates for storage, a couple of computers for whatever she'd need them for, and five portals heading to everywhere from Paragon to the Isles, even Praetoria, and a couple of other dimensions.
She stepped over to the crates and popped open one of the smaller ones, running her metallic hand over the armor stored inside. The suit she wore heading into Paragon to work alongside Heroes when she didn't want to be 'Latrodectus', the deadly Arachnos Widow. She glanced toward the portals for a moment before looking back at the armor.
Need to fix this up a bit before I head out again... Shouldn't take long at least.
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