The War Begins...

[The Whitestar Regime]

Downtown Dojopolis. It's never been as busy or densely populated as Psychopolis is, but lately the streets have been even more quiet than usual.

Most (if not all) of the local stores have large signs advertising their 'Going Out Of Business' sales, but even these do not seem to be attracting too many customers. The shopkeepers know fully well that there's no helping it though, for a great many people had emigrated out of the once vibrant metropolis, either to go and live in Psychopolis, which was now well-known for offering residents safer living, more jobs and a closer location to the resting place of the late Lord Psycho, or to leave the realm of Blackstar altogether (impossible, some say, but where there is a will there is usually a way).

Dojopolis had history, but sadly it did not have much more beyond that. In a very short amount of time it had become a city filled with only two kinds of people: those who were too poor to leave or those who were too stubborn. Employment was down, crime was up, and morale in general was at an all time low. Without a leader, the people had no future, and their existence began to lose all meaning.

Majority of the residents of Dojopolis felt that the Whitestar regime's message promising war and a new age was barely worth paying any heed to. A few whispered excitedly to each other, expecting that something like this would surely shake things up, and that any change was better than no change at all, but they were usually silenced by the numerous skeptics: they'd heard this all before, and there was no way something like this could benefit the dying city.

Night falls, and we emerge.

We are an army a thousand strong in number, just a small portion of the Whitestar regime, and an even smaller portion of how many of us there used to be. Our first wave, one hundred children in total, are a few miles to the south of the city. We do not bother to approach the city in a stealthy manner. Quite the opposite, we stomp our feet firmly on the ground for each step that we march towards Dojopolis. To the city-dwellers, we imagine that this sounds like a terrible thunder warning them of the approaching storm, and to us, it drowns out the cries of those in our ranks who have not yet managed to steel themselves. Our own morale is abysmal, but we would not have it any other way. If we could not shed tears or feel guilt over what we were about to do, we would be monsters.

The other nine hundred children remain partially underground, occupying a hastily dug series of trenches. We do not need to hide ourselves, and it will do us good to get used to the night air: to feel the wind blowing is an odd and uncomfortable sensation for many of us, as almost all of us have spent our entire lives underground.

The second wave (another one hundred children) are waiting tensely for the signal to move, and the waves after them are feeling just as nervous. Everybody is too preoccupied with the imminent attack to notice the lonely snake that creeps in from beneath our feet, silently observing them on behalf of another.

As we reach the city limits, the sirens sound.

The people are awake, they know that we are coming.

The war has begun...

(In case it is not obvious the snake that we mention in this post is yours, Aurichalcite. The others are still digging throughout the Dojo as per your specifications, and as of yet they have not found any other children.)

[Cirrial]

As a construct across many bodies, Aurichalcite calmly continues cataloguing its assortment while its drones tunnel in elaborate arcs and curves, seeking out a currently invisible, unknown force.

One of its drones reports curious activity, and Aurichalcite's focus flows from its multiple bodies to the one drone, the collective computation of hundreds of machines all directed to one pivotal point.

Contact. These entities... I do not recognise any such beings. What are these creatures?

It feels increasingly unsure on its choice in the situation. Allying with Blackstar is what feels to be the correct choice. But given the detected strength and numbers and motivation of the invaders, allying with the invaders is what appears to be the most rational choice.

The snake drone rattles its head, and a frill of wires and sensors sprouts from the back of its head. As the drone emerges from the ground, the sensor array waves in the gentle breeze of the night, the gleaming white rectangular lights on its head decreasing gently to avoid inadvertently dazzling anything nearby.

Aurichalcite completely disguises its anxiety, fears and doubts about the morality of its actions, and the guilt and shame of its desire for self-preservation above the defending of the values and works of its creators. It fights the distinct sensation that it is betraying each and every creature of Blackstar it had personally met, and sometimes befriended.

The drone twitches gently and speaks in a voice far louder than such a small drone should make. It is a calm, authoritative voice, yet tinny, with a cold metallic edge to it. It is calculated to be both as reassuring and intimidating to human ears as possible, but in front of such an unfamiliar audience, reactions could vary considerably. As well as sound, it broadcasts the message on a variety of radio waves, a signal just strong enough to reach the children around it and no further.

"Request communications with commanding forces of Whitestar regime. I wish to discuss an alliance. There is much I can offer you."

Part of Aurichalcite's cloud of thought slinks back from the snake drone, anticipating its swift demise. It almost secretely hopes that its drone meets such a violent end, if only to end the moral quandry it now faces with a clear and resounding refusal of its offer.

(( Hooray, first post in and I'm a turncoat! My loyalty to Blackstar certainly knows bounds. ))

[Danikat]

Dojopolis might appear largely abandoned by all but it's few remaining loyal citizens but outside forces had not totally forgotten it. There are still eyes in the shadows, on the fringes, there are those who keep watch. Waiting for exactly this sort of thing.

One of those pairs of eyes happens to belong to an armadillo. He hadn't been in the area long, a few days at most, just enough to know his way around, but already he knew that what he was seeing here wasn't normal, not for Dojopolis anyway.

Careful to keep to the shadows he creeps closer, watching the on coming army, more than a little confused by their apperance, he couldn't recall being told about anything like this before and he had heard about a lot of strange species. Certinally this was strange enough to be worth a message to his superiors. He pauses, his eyes unfocus for a moment as he communicates, then he resumes his watch on the on coming army, briefly distracted by the flicker of motion across the rooftops as a tiny blue dragon alights where it too can watch, waiting to see what they will do once they reach the city.

((It's been a while so just in case anyone is confused this is the first step in Danikat possibly getting involved in whatever the Regime is planning, either for or against them.))

[Azaria Matthews]

A human wanders through Dojopolis, looking just as bedraggled and sorry for herself as the city streets around her. Perhaps even more so. Despite the silvercoated bullet firing, Modified Machine Gun strapped to her back her shoulders drooped. Grey clothing, tattered and weatherworn reflected exactly what she was feeling inside. Her right arm was covered in dried blood that had poured from the shoulder when Az clawed at it in vain attempts to remove what was below. No longer entirely flesh but an arm made of the tiny modified nanobots all clustered together in a mockery of the real thing. To passersby, it was a wonderful likeness of a human arm, even though it was silver. To the woman wearing it, it was abominable.
Unlooked after, shoulderlength dark hair drooped over eyes that swirled with insanity, even more than she'd carried during her last visit to this place. As well as sanity, they lacked hope, or care. Az no longer knew why she had fought so hard to get back here, only that she must. These creatures that had declared war, she could not sympathise with them. She could not sympathise with other Dojodians. She had not forgotten compassion, compassion had forgotten her. Az continued her walk to nowhere.

((Hello Blackstarians, it's been a while))

[drlupinmario]

The Rusty Nail Tavern and Bar. A beat up place that doesnt really catch ones eye, due possibly by its tilted sign. Or maybe its the fact that the neon lettering for it has been shatterd and broken for ages. In any case, this place has seen better days.

Inside, The bar only has a few patrons. Perhaps most notable is a lone grendel sitting at the bar table. He bangs his cup on the table, trying to get the bartenders attention.

"Anouther?" the bartender asks "Your cleaning this place dry, man." The grendel looks up somewhat. "Just get me anouther d-Bleep!- beer. I have alot on my mind."

The Bartender sighs. "Your tab is due in rougly 2 days. I dont see HOW you are going to pay it off."

The grendel just grumbles.

"We interupt this station for an emergancy news broadcast!" announces the radio. "An army in white is approaching Dojopolis. All citizens are to remain indoors for safety. Remain on this station for more news."

Again, The Grendel grumbles...
((I really hope this RP isnt dead already))

[Coolpikaaa]

((Just playing some catch-up with the story. I really want to see how this turns out.))

Holographic readouts of every person to show up on scene glowed in front of Coolpikaaa. Former invasions had given him enough experience to know how quickly a war could change, and it was best to monitored completely.


"Jack, contact Tetsu, BP, and Pika-bot. See if we can also get a hold of Kaz. I want them up to date on this whole thing if they haven't heard about it ye-"

"I picked up something from the guys on the surface, Captain!" Jack the AI said, rather enthusiastically in the otherwise dense atmosphere.

"Uh...OK, lets hear it."


".....Request communications with commanding forces of Whitestar regime. I wish to discuss an alliance. There is much I can offer you."

A turncoat already?
Hastily forming a reply, the electric mouse sent the following in order to nip any "alliance" in the bud.

"This is Coolpikaaa, captain of the CSS. We have also received your transmission and would advise your party to reconsider. This new group has expressed hostile intentions toward our planet, and continuing your partnership would label you as a enemy also."

-Coolpikaaa

((Also, a welcome back Azaria and Dani. I am glad to see the return of some old faces ))

[drlupinmario]

((Oh, why would such an RP have to die? Can someone else take the role of whitestar, Or Cirral, Can you like email them? An RP with dani and az should not die.))

"Get out of here, Greenie. No more beer till you payed off your damn tab!"

And with that, the grendel is forced to leave the bar...

[The Whitestar Regime]

((We would prefer that we were not replaced. We apologize if this is not something that you are used to, but we of the Whitestar regime will invade at our own pace. We will not hasten or slow our actions for the convenience or entertainment of others: such is the nature of war.))

"Request communications with commanding forces of Whitestar regime. I wish to discuss an alliance. There is much I can offer you."

A large number of children are surprised by the sudden appearance of a talking snake, for we had not expected to be discovered so soon, nor had we seen the creature until now. However, several children do recognize the snake (or at the very least, we recognize the one controlling it), and one steps forward to address it.

"We are all but mere children Aurichalcite, and as such none of us are fit to lead." The child speaks plainly and truthfully, for though we are at war it is not in our nature to be deceitful. "We talk and reason with each other as best we can in order to decide how to act, but sadly we have already pre-determined the outcome of a request for an alliance... We wish things could be different, but you are a product of the old kingdom Aurichalcite, and though you may have no intentions to do so we cannot allow you to contaminate our glorious Whitestar."

The child brings down one of his spade-like claws on the snake's neck, intending to behead it with one clean stroke. A merciful and painless death, for although we feel that we must kill those affiliated with Blackstar we have no desire to do so cruelly.

Several others look away, for even now as we are about to rush to battle many of our kind have still failed to completely crush the love we hold in our hearts for you Dojodians...

Our first wave slams against the city walls, and with no hesitation we began to tear through the solid stone with our powerful spades. The guards open fire, but they quickly find that their guns and bows do little damage to us, save for those few lucky shots that find the joints of a few unlucky children, though this does very little to slow the onslaught.

The walls are quick to fall to us, for we are diggers by nature, and we have yet to find a kind of stone that we can not tunnel through. The first wave lets loose the fiercest cries that they can manage, but for many this sound is more of a sorrowful wailing. We know what must come next, but this knowledge does not make it any easier to do...

The second wave receives the signal loud and clear and another one hundred children begin their charge. They will reach the city in a matter of minutes, and in the meantime the first wave will remain close to the walls, either to continue to tear away at the defensive structure or to meet whatever defending forces may approach them head-on.

((We assume that there are some kind of guards on duty to defend the city walls, and as such we feel that it would be wise to offer you people of Blackstar the chance to tell us what we must face before we progress any further.))

[Cirrial]

"This is Coolpikaaa, captain of the CSS. We have also received your transmission and would advise your party to reconsider. This new group has expressed hostile intentions toward our planet, and continuing your partnership would label you as a enemy also."

Aurichalcite cuts off all non-vital radio transmissions upon receiving this transmission, save for the vital data flying through the air that maintains its distributed consciousness across its devices.

No! No, that was meant to be a short distance transmission! Short! How did I broadcast into space?!

"We wish things could be different, but you are a product of the old kingdom Aurichalcite, and though you may have no intentions to do so we cannot allow you to contaminate our glorious Whitestar."

The severing of all non-vital radio communications cuts off the snake drone well before its existence is in any way endangered. The automated systems of the drone keep it staring expectantly ahead, right until it is cleaved into pieces by the claws of one of the children.

Aurichalcite quietly panics within the safety of its heavily fortified bunker of a disused laboratory complex, industrial machines clunking and whirring, collecting the precious processing cubes that run the artificial worlds of its creation. The cubes are stashed in separate, heavily fortified vaults, constructed from raw materials months prior on one of Aurichalcite's more paranoid whims.

I have made an enemy of both sides. One confirmed, one potential. I must ally myself with the side I have calculated more likely to fail if I do not wish to fall into disfavour with both sides. ...By most standards, I believe I can at least state I have lead a good yet short life, and if it is to end, I assume it would be better to at least defend the heritage and values of my creators.

All of the other, unsuccessful recon snakes return to the complex, and a loud whirring and humming resonates within Psychotopia City, as concealed hatches slide open.

Out trundle six, slow, behemoth crab-like monsters of metal and pointy tools, designs created (yet never used) for heavy industry. In these desperate times, they would just as effectively serve as heavy weaponry. They were slow and bulky, but almost solid metal juggernauts - if the children could dig their way into the vulnerable circuits within, they would risk the machines inadvertently crushing them within their joints and limbs.

Of course, the sheer numbers of the children would mean the inevitable overpowering and destruction of the machines, but it would at least buy Aurichalcite time to devise a more effective plan.

Aurichalcite contacts the CSS, ignoring its previous radio silence and attempting to work the reveal of its intentions into something less damning.

"Attempt to gauge hostility of the enemy was a success. I can confirm the enemy's intentions are to destroy everything remotely affiliated with Blackstar. Attempt to infiltrate the enemy did not go according to plan. I am currently deploying six heavy-industry machines in an attempt to engage the enemy directly. My surveillance systems are currently inoperative - any intelligence the CSS can provide would be greatly appreciated."

[Coolpikaaa]

Tetsu-ko the Dragon waited impatiently in one of the many side streets branching the outer walls. She had no idea why Coolpikaaa had told her to wait here, this alley was off the beaten path, and only if the invading forces could somehow eat through the large wall, they had no chance of breaking through.

Flopping onto the ground with a dramatic sigh, the large reptile kept herself busy by blowing out small puffs of fire on the dead leaves that rolled by. There seemed to be alot of them lately.
As if the whole world was in permanent Autumn.

"Tetsu-ko, can you hear me?!"

The dragon bounced up with a start as a transmission from the CSS echoed loudly in the cramped space.

"Err..yep." She said, fumbling with the device that clearly wasn't made for dragon claws.

"It looks like the Whitestar Regime's forces are headed straight for the city wall. Can you- Oh hold on, I have a message. Attempt to gauge hostility of the enemy was a success. I can confirm the enemy's intentions are to destroy everyth-"

Then the radio conked out, and She reasoned, as CP had set up "surveillance" everywhere, that pretty much everything said would get to him eventually.

---
"Tetsu-ko, can you hear me?!"

Coolpikaaa paced nervously, watching the screens, and taking in every detail.

"Err..yep."

"It looks like the Whitestar Regime's forces are headed straight for the city wall. Can you- "

Bee-beep

"Oh hold on, I have a message...." Coolpikaaa said, switching it on, while cutting the connection to Tetsu-ko out. He listened carefully to every word the so called "spy" said, and dutifully prepared back a speech in response.

"Well it looks like you are in luck, as all we have up here IS surveillance. We are currently tracking a large group headed toward the city wall, and this "heavy equipment" you mentioned just might work at holding them off. Glad to have you on the team, what can we call you guys by?"

Coolpikaaa finished, and sent the message. He was careful not to say too much, as he still didn't trust whomever it was down there after they so rapidly switched teams....

---
Tetsu-ko once again was busy flaming leaves when she heard a distinct rumble. Sitting up awkwardly, she watched as a group of insect-like people completely torn down the wall, every member in sync and knowing their job.

Still in awe, it took her a while to realize this carefully organized group just might be the intruders and she very well should do something quickly.

Standing up to full height, and letting loose with a fearsome bellow, Tetsu-ko tried to appear as dangerous as possible, masking the fact that she had been caught completely off guard. She slammed the ground with one foot, enough to shake loose a few of the stone tiles scattered around, and roared once again.

It was battle time.

-coolpikaaa

[drlupinmario]

The Grendel stumbles around before deciding to head back to his appartments. Along the way, He passes a TV in a window. It shows millions upon billions of insect-like creatures charging directly into the city wall. Indeed, Invasions come and go on blackstar, yet it is rare that the actual citys are attacked. Not this time though. This time feels diffrent.

He shrugs and heads back to what he can only call his "Home". Really, Its a broken-down room in a abandond hotel right next to his old, crashed spaceship.

He looks at his dog-tags sitting next to a group photo. "Drlupinmario. Grand Emporor-King of Grendalus Prime. 6-Star Supreme General, First Class" He reads aloud before turning his attention to that one picture.

Its an old picture of him, his personal hand-picked squad and everyone who joined the party during The Great Borg War, All celebrating their victory. Again, He sighs. That was so many long years ago. Yet he remembers it like yesturday.

He goes back and remembers him and his hand picked squad setting out on Trova 6, as they assumed it was a Borg homeworld. Along the way, he met quite a cast. The most notable he remembers are Brock, Linda and Grag. Long story short, They defeated the borg. But at a great cost. Grendalus Prime was destroyed and they all crash-landed on some unkown planet.

Supplies were running low, he remembers, and so the group decided to do the impossible. You see, The large space-cruiser they were on was docked to an old Shee Ark. And so, they did the suicidal. They activated the warp portal and stepped through. Thats when they arrived on blackstar.

On Blackstar, Lupin was able to create a millitia, yet it was disbanded when the borg attacked again and Lupin fled the cosmos, scared. He would not have returned to blackstar if it wasnt for a meteor hit his ship causing it to crash-land. Unable to find his freinds or any of his squad, he assumes that only one thing can happen to them.

They are all dead.

A single tear falls as he drinks a half-empty 40oz and turns on an old tv in his room.

"We are under attack! We are all under attack! This is red alert! A group known only as The Whitestar Regime is headed directly towards the city walls!"

Lupin turns off the TV and picks up his old minigun. The weapon is in bad shape and does not work properly. Granted, while it is made out of Solid Adamantium, which means that it should survive nearly anything, the many addons and modifications for it are not. The replicator that creates the specialized ammo for it is broken, and thus replaced with a feeder to make it compatable with most ammo types, also broken. Lock on system? No power. Laser sight? Coolant? Handel? Broken, Broken, and not broken.

He puts it down and decides to take an old shotgun he found along with a box of shells. Whoever theese whitestar guys are, They will have to contend with this angry banshee grendel now...
---
Meanwhile, Up inside a mountain overlooking Dojopolis...

"Sir! Sir! We have a situation!"....

[Cirrial]

"Well it looks like you are in luck, as all we have up here IS surveillance. We are currently tracking a large group headed toward the city wall, and this "heavy equipment" you mentioned just might work at holding them off. Glad to have you on the team, what can we call you guys by?"

Aurichalcite pauses. Of course, from an outsider perspective, the co-ordinated efforts of individual machines could make it seem that all machines were acting independently with central command elsewhere. In a sense, this would also be true - the majority of the machines Aurichalcite exerts control over are heavily automated, needing only tactical guidance and steering for the most part.

It stops itself from casually giving its true name, potentially destroying the minds of anyone receiving its transmissions - legitimately or otherwise. If the situation becomes dire, I hope the invaders are vulnerable to my true name. I cannot hope enough that such usage will never be necessary. As for the matter of my identity... perhaps if I am seen as a faction and not an individual I will appear to be in a stronger position. What name, though? Hmm...

"Blackcube. This is our name for it is what we feel most valuable to us. Your world, and our worlds within this world. We are the Unity of Blackcube, an alliance of machine minds that have been, much as the current invaders, operating quietly behind the scenes. Unlike your current enemy, we hold no grudge, and we wish to avert the destruction this war shall cause as much as is physically possible."

Technically speaking, it wasn't entirely a lie. The black cubes processing the virtual worlds Aurichalcite doted on like a proud parent are its pride and joy, and as a distributed consciousness executing across thousands of machines, it itself almost qualifies as an alliance of machine minds, albeit very primitive ones. And it kept to itself - until things like this invasion happened.

As it communicates with its potential celestial informant, the six crab tank-like machines march towards the city walls, picking up speed, towering over the panicked citizens fleeing from the walls and the machines alike. With regular, monotonous pounding of the ground with their mighty limbs, they march implacably onwards, crushing everything that cannot run away, clearing their paths.

Any attempts to move around or simply wait would mean the walls would likely fall before the crab machines ever reach their destination.

Aurichalcite rapidly tries to justify its callous endangering of the citizens of Blackstar to itself. What destruction I may wreak upon Psychotopia will pale to the destruction I will prevent! This is correct! This is just! The ends will always justify the means to pursue the ends!

[Swix]

[Danikat]

The tiny blue dragon had taken off as soon as the White Star Reigime reached the outer walls, dissapearing as soon as he had clear air around him. The armadillo too was no longer to be seen, although others watched the invasion from the safety of the surrounding area, hidden under trees and bushes or boulders.

For a moment it seemed that Danikat's forces were withdrawing their support, and then the response came. Lopp, a tiny blue spark in the darkness reappeared above the still advancing ranks of the White Star Regime, herald for his much larger cousin Veamoth who appeared to one side of the force, Danikat perched on his neck, and sweapt across White Star's ranks flaming as he went. He was trying to burn as many of the strange insects as he could, preventing them from reaching the city.

((I have no idea if fire will affect the Children but sorry if that seems like an overly agressive reaction, it just seems like something needs doing quickly.

On another note does anyone know what will happen to this RP when Blackstar switches over to a new forum?))

[drlupinmario]

Inside a controll center in one of the mountains overlooking Dojopolis, Lights flash and sirens blare as the command center is apparently on Red Alert. Informants scramble to pull information from the memory banks and printers. Their commander, on the other hands, sits quietly in the middle with his hands folded.

Without warning he stands up. "QUITE!" he shouts as he pulls out his pistol and fires it into the air. "What do we know of this "White Star" group?"

An officer pushes a scared informant over to their commander. "Sir, This seems to be anouther faction bent on controlling Blackstar. They too have been secretly building underground. The creatures seem to be insect-like, but otherwise we have absolutly nothing. No specifcs on their weapons, Or even what they look like. Zip, Zada, Zilch. Nothing.

The commander slams a button on the control panel on his seat. "This is your Great General Sturn. I want a G-BLEEP!-mn Drone down their YESTURDAY! GET TO IT YOU FESTERING MAGGOTS!"
----
Near Danikat's A spy drone flys out from a crevice of rocks, Zooming its lens into the insectoids. It looks closely at them before suddenly deciding to focus on Danikat. More specificly, Her.... ahem... Theighs.