I returned to the STAGE SELECT. There were six stages. the first of course was the option to return to the JUNGLES OF CIRKON, featuring a darkened picture of Gnash One-eye. I looked over the other five, my options were; DEVIL SETH and the Mines of Sonhadra, The GALACTIC CARTEL and Planet Jeotania, DELTON ZINDO and The Bloody Whore, BELLIDONNA CALIGARI Queen of the Xenogladiators, and one other which was currently locked. I had no idea where to go.
The picture for DEVIL SETH featured the scowling face of a bald-headed cyborg. He had an electronic eye, that glowed menacingly, and robot components replacing parts of his face and jaw. He also had a long, bushy, orange mustache that reminded me of the villain from one of my favorite antique home-console games. Probably misguided, but that little bit of familiarity prompted me to choose the MINES OF SONHADRA.
I touched the picture and a glowing white door slid open in the wall beyond the console. I walked to it, heaved a sigh and stepped through.
Stage 2-1: The Wryglen Express
A blast of hot air hit me before the blazing white void had even begun to clear. Then just as shapes and colors began to appear, I felt a sudden lurch like the bottom had dropped out from under me. I was falling!
I dropped onto a metal platform, luckily nimble enough to land safely. Immediately my curvy body was buffeted by a hot, dry gale. Everything around me was blurred, and the platform lurched unsteadily beneath my feet. I blinked trying to get my eyes to focus, and even had to duck, leaning into the wind to keep from being blown over. After a moment I realized that nothing was blurry, it was all moving...or rather I was moving. I had dropped onto the top of some kind of high-speed train! I could see the metallic cars stretching out behind me, glinting in the afternoon light of dual suns. The train lurched again, and I glanced around for something to hold onto.
Before I found a handhold, there was a familiar buzz in my ear, followed by the gritty voice of Lt. Cdr. Dreg:
"Lex, can you hear me?"
he barked.
"Not the warm welcome I'm sure you were expecting, but we've got a situation that requires your immediate attention! Turns out the mines on Sonhadra 6J are the only place in the galaxy that produces a certain mineral needed to power the Imminent Dominator! Captain Korvas has sent his taskmaster DEVIL SETH to round up the required amount."
On cue, three air ships whipped past me, swooping down right alongside the train. They were long and flat, with open platforms near the rear. I could see teams of ZAUKNOIDS huddled on those platforms.
"Our intelligence reports that he's got a mine of his own set up somewhere, but he's also hijacking every shipment he can! Shut his operation down and we may just cut off any hope Korvas has of ever using the Imminent Dominator!"
I watched as the ZAUKS began jumping from the air ships to the train.
"It might also interest you to know that the ISN has just doubled the bounty on Devil Seth and upgraded his wanted status to 'DEAD OR ALIVE!' Good luck, Lex!"
As he finished talking, a fourth air ship buzzed right over my head. It swung around to face me, and I could see the driver was none other than Devil Seth, as I recognized his bushy orange mustache immediately.
"There she is!" He shouted to the ZAUKS on his ship. "She's the one who took out Gnash One-eye...make her pay!"
On his command, three ZAUKS jumped onto the car in front of me. Then his ship veered off, headed for the rear to oversee the stealing of the shipment.
MISSION: SAVE THE WRYGLEN EXPRESS!
flashed overhead.
BEGIN!!
I pulled my PLASMA PISTOL and took aim at the nearest ZAUK. The beam of blue energy ripped through him, and the ensuing burst of sparkling pixels scattered into the wind (CHG: 4). I took aim on the next, and gave him the same treatment, destroying him with a blast of plasma (CHG: 3). By then the third had closed range and I was just barely able to duck under his punch, somersaulting past the MOB. Whipping around, I blasted him in the back, and he burst too (CHG: 2).
I proceeded towards the back of the train. With only 2 shots left, I needed a BLAST PACK or four. As I reached the end of that car, a ZAUK popped up out of the gap in between. He slugged me before I had a chance to react (HP: 58), then lunged at me. I tried to dodge the little monster, but we ended up in a struggle that took us right over the edge!
Fortunately, we landed on the walkway connecting the two cars. Unfortunately, he came down on top of me and in the moment it took to regain my bearings, his stubby legs straddled my hips, pinning me down as his meaty paws closed around my boobs! It was still strange and unfamiliar, feeling the fulness of my female breasts as he squeezed and kneaded them. Equally so how sensitive they were, making me gasp and squirm as the warmth of arousal spread through my chest (HP: 52, SP: 8).
I was trapped and molested by the green alien for several moments before his attack cycle ended and he let me go. I immediately scrambled to my feet, and when he came at me again I kicked him! It didn't do any damage but knocked him back...and off the side of the little bridge, where he disappeared under the train with a satisfying little scream.
I opened the door to the next car. Inside a group consisting of two ZAUKS and a blue-skinned, tentacled TORNOID was terrorizing the passenger MOBs. I blasted the closest ZAUK (CHG: 1) then ducked behind the seats. What was I going to do with one shot? The TORNOID alone took two! Before I could formulate a plan, the other ZAUK found me!
"Nice tits!" He barked, lunging around the seats.
I squealed as it clobbered me with his heavy fist (HP: 50), cringing slightly at the high pitched feminine register of my voice. I kicked him back before he could grab me, but then hesitated to use my final shot. Which gave him the chance to slug me again! (HP: 48). When I kicked at him this time, he surprised me by dodging out of the way and hitting me again! (HP:46) My head snapped to the side, and my arms dropped limp at my sides as a ring of yellow stars encircled my head: STUNNED!
This left me defenseless as the horny little creature grabbed me! His long arm trapped me against his torso, groping my left breast while the other reached between my legs. I could feel his rough fingers sliding over the thin material of my skimpy shorts, before grabbing my smooth mound. The softness of my female body left me feeling extra vulnerable as he began rubbing my pussy (HP: 40, SP: 16). Hot tingles spread through my hips, making me squirm and forcing a soft moan from my lips.
Finally, he released me and stepped back, chortling lewdly. I didn't hesitate this time (CHG: 0).
I got back to my feet, peering around the seats cautiously. The TORNOID was already coming my way, too close for comfort. I quickly opened my HUD and swapped my gun for the more powerful PLASMA RIFLE! (CHG: 1) I stepped out from behind the seats, taking aim...only to find the tentacled alien much closer than I'd expected.
I yelped in surprise as one of those tentacles slapped the weapon out of my hands! "No!"
Before I could even react, his other tentacle whipped out...catching me full on! (HP: 33) I staggered back a step, seeing the bright yellow stars reappearing around my head: STUNNED again!
The TORNOID wasted no time, closing the distance. One tentacle encircled me, pulling my arms behind my back and trapping my wrists. The other slithered upwards along my throat, then forced itself into my mouth! Thick, round and covered in warm slime the tentacle slid all the way to the back of my throat, then began thrusting! I gagged and choked, but felt a sudden rush of heat flood my cheeks (SP: 17-18). I expected to be repulsed by the slime coating the thing, but it actually tasted sweet and as it spread through the inside of my mouth, it tingled excitingly, as if...shit, it must have some kind of aphrodisiac affects! (SP: 19-20)
Almost involuntarily I found myself sucking on the tentacle as it pumped deeper into my mouth and throat (SP: 21-22). Quickly it began to gush, filling my mouth with slime, or cum, or whatever, swelling my cheeks until it spurted between my lips and dripped down my chin. The TORNOID pulled back, releasing me as I dropped to my knees coughing and sputtering mouthfuls of the stuff onto the floor!
Trying to keep my head, I scrambled for the PLASMA RIFLE. I just got my hands on it, as I felt tentacles squirming around my ankles! Quickly I rolled onto my back, took aim and blasted the TORNOID (CHG: 0). It burst into a shower of pixels, thankfully leaving a BLAST PACK behind.
I got to my feet, still trying to spit out its slimy residue. Opening my HUD, I swapped the rifle back for the pistol and recharged it (CHG: 4). This stage was already proving to be quite a bit tougher than Cirkon. The enemies seemed to be moving quicker, the ZAUKs were dodging some of my attacks... I wondered if I shouldn't have stayed in the jungle, leveling up a bit further before moving on. Had I been in too much of a hurry?
I moved to the end of the car, scanning the passengers for any other players but they all seemed to be cowering NPCs. At the end, I opened the door and stepped out onto the Bridgeway between cars.
"Nice tits!" There was a ZAUK waiting for me.
He came at me quickly, but I fought down a little rush of panic and let him get just within attack range. When he cocked his arm to slug me, I kicked him! He let out a little scream, tumbled off the walk way and disappeared under the train. Smiling, I pictured a little burst of pixels rolling around between the wheels and the track.
Fortunately, across the bridge was another BLAST PACK, which I scooped up gratefully (CHG: 8). I then proceeded into the next car.
I pulled up short, stifling a surprised squeak as a man whirled to face me just inside the door. He was slight of frame, bordering on skinny and wearing a slate grey tie and vest combo over a black shirt and pants. His roguishly unkempt hair was brown, topping a sharp featured face with dark eyes and a viper's grin.
His character ID read:
CROWTHER - ASSASSIN (lvl 5)
.
"My dear, you are a some kinda sight for these sore eyes," he spoke in a heavy, slightly-disingenuous attempt at a southern accent. Silly accents weren't uncommon among VRG players. "Welcome to Sonhadra 6J!"
"I'm sorry do I know you?" I asked.
"Most assuredly not," he replied. "But I most assuredly wish you to! I am attempting to save this locomotive, and you seem to be the only other player on board...assuming you are acting on the same objective, might I suggest a combination of our efforts?"
I regarded him for a moment, wondering if I should really trust an ASSASSIN class player. On the other hand, I wasn't sure I had a lot of choice in the matter.
"Yeah," I said after a moment. "That sounds good!"
"Woo!" he barked excitedly. "Let's get a move on!"
I followed him through that car, which he explained he had just cleared before I arrived. In the next car, four more ZAUKS and a handful of passenger NPCs were waiting for us.
"Do you mind terribly?" Crowther asked, turning to me and pulling a grenade from his vest.
My eyes widened. "Be my guest?"
A broad smile split his face, displaying teeth that might've been a little too big for his mouth. He pulled the pin and tossed the grenade into the middle of the ZAUKS, shouting; "FIRE IN THA HOLE!"
The explosion killed all four ZAUKS and many of the NPC MOBs standing around them. The survivors cowered away, now as scared of us as they had been of the ZAUKS.
"Hot damn!" Crowther hooted. "Nothin' like the smell of incinerated ZAUKS!" He turned to me with that viper's grin. "That would be no smell, on account of th'incineration... come on!"
He hurried through the blasted car and I followed, beginning to feel a little more reluctant. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about him wiping out most of the MOBs in that car, they were just computer programs after all and would likely respawn on the next train anyway. I wasn't sure I was comfortable with the amount of glee he took in doing it. It didn't even seem like he took time to check for other players...
Regardless, we moved through the car and out the back where Crowther indicated we should move back up to the top of the train. There was a ladder here that made it easy enough. Back on top I could see we were now only one car away from the cargo that was being stolen. There were two of the airships on the left, one on the right, and Devil Seth's hovering further back over the caboose.
Between us and the in-progress-heist were four more ZAUKS and another pair of MOBs I'd never seen before. They were larger than the ZAUKS, about my height or even a bit taller. They had the same proportions though; oversized oval heads with over-long arms and large hands. Their skin looked green as well, although it was tough to tell because they were wearing ramshackle suits of armor that looked to have been constructed from scrap. They were also carrying weapons that looked like a cross between a rifle and a tuning fork.
"What the hell are those?" I shouted, grabbing Crowther's arm and pointing at the unfamiliar foes.
"They're called ALPHAs," he replied. "They're the ZAUKNOID breeders; bigger, stronger, and I hear they got sumpin' swingin' down below!"
My stomach lurched at the word "breeders," remembering the tutorial warning: If my HEALTH gets too low or my STIM gets too high, I can be taken PRISONER
for breeding
.
"Takes a hell of a wallop to kill 'em too!" he concluded.
"Got any more of those grenades?" I asked.
"Fraid not," he replied. "Hope your pistol is ready for a workout."
I frowned, seeing all those enemies, and glanced down at my measly eight charges. Then I noticed something else I'd nearly forgotten. On my wrist was the ENERGY LARIAT I'd gotten after clearing the first stage.
