A/N: I feel like I need to apologize for my absence, Covid 19 has been frustrating lately and it's been making me paranoid of getting sick. Right now I'm self isolating, but I'm afraid that one of my friends and family will bring into the house. If this chapter seems half-baked let me know in the comments below, Im planning on updating again today hopefully.
Charles Finch had gone to the Heavens.
Well at least he thought he did, Charles was far from being a religious man, he lost his faith in god a long time ago. His grandfather was a pastor in Gotham's cathedral. He remembered his mother bringing him there every Sunday morning to pray and catch up with his granddad. One he'd go there is because the church staff would cook breakfast for the kids, it wasn't a gourmet meal but it had this certain taste to it and he could never describe it in one word. Except for 'calories', that Summer was full of exercising and protein shakes. They were a model community in a wicked city, a family not bonded by blood but by faith in a higher power that watches over them. However, others don't have faith and they condemn people who do as easy prey, Carmine Falcone is one of those people, but he's more of a devil masquerading as a man. Compare to the bigger crime lords in Gotham the Falcones are a school of fish swimming in a tank of sharks. Although they still tried to make Gotham their playground, starting with the defenseless.
One day, Carmine and his goons came to the church during service hours, walking in like he already owned the joint. He offered them a 'simple deal' he called it, to pay protection money to supply his men with guns and ammunition. If Charles remembered correctly The Falcones were trapped in a losing gang war with the Penguin and were desperate to find an upper hand, Charles didn't know much about the Penguin but he knew the man was powerful enough to overtake Gotham City's crime network . His grip on Gotham's underworld was firm while his ability to maintain his public image was flawless. Charles' Grandfather was many things but a doormat wasn't one of them, the Mafia boss didn't expect a couple of generous church folk would have the backbone to refuse a well known crime lord. Surprisingly Carmine was more disappointed than angry, Charles expected an immediate hostile reaction to say the least.
That came later.
The Next Sunday, Charles caught a cold so his mother stayed home from Church to take care of him. That morning the news reported a horrible accident took place at the Gotham City Cathedral where the roof collapsed on the citizens, killing over twenty people including his Grandfather.
The News knew it wasn't an accident , the Police knew it wasn't an accident, Gotham knew it wasn't an accident.
But no one could act upon it, Carmine knew how to clean up his messes
Charles was at a lost on who to blame, Carmine for killing his Grandfather or God for allowing his atrocities to go unpunished. After turning twenty and enlisting in the Academy, he spent half of his life serving on the GCPD, hunting down Falcone and dismantling his operations. He caused enough of an uproar in the underworld to be granted the position detective.
However, causing an uproar in the underworld wasn't always a good thing, it placed a target on your back for low time criminals trying to make a name or crime bosses looking to get rid of a nat. Charles experienced it firsthand when one of Carmine's hitmen shot him in the back when he was leaving work one night. Doctors said the bullet was close to hitting his spine. The fact of almost being rendered paralyzed scared him out of his childish fantasies of bringing his Grandfather's killers to justice, life wasn't an action movie with a happy ending. Charles gave up on his crusade for Falcone, requesting a transfer to the NYPD where he started his family.
Did he regret giving up? No, the past can not be changed or forgotten, the Future should be our only objective.
Although the future isn't looking to good. He could barely tolerate the super powered freaks on Earth, now there were aliens invading the world? Why was he always dealt a bad hand in life?
"Dad!"
Wait...
"Come on, Dad get up!"
Was that his little girl calling his name. She sounded...pained. He could hear it in her voice.
"Please Dad...I need you, I can't be alone."
His heart clenched when he heard her sobs, it reminded him of when the family dog was put down after getting sick, his precious six year old daughter cried for days as she kept the dog's collar by her bedside, expecting him to be revived by her tears. Charles had no choice to explain the concept of death and how inevitable it is, he hoped to bring her some form of comfort in that knowledge. It took awhile before Tara accepted it, but she kept the collar in her top drawer. She's grown since then, an independent teenage girl that put effort into everything she does.
He was proud to be her father and he would never abandon her in this time of chaos.
Charles Finch jolted upright almost smacking his head against the ceiling. He observed his surroundings finding himself in the back in his police cruiser, so he was alive for now at least.
"Dad!" Tara's voice was like honey to his ears, Charles turned to see his daughter'd tear stained face, giving him a relieved smile. He never wanted to see his only daughter like this, he made her like this. Charles reached out and pulled her into a hug, he placed her head on his shoulder like she was weeping infant. Tara's tears wet his shoulder as she clung to her old man but she knew they couldn't stay like this for long, she had things to tell him. "Thank god you're awake, I found you in the middle of the road barely breathing, what happen to you?!"
"I don't know...the only thing I remember is being thrown off my feet and hitting my head against the pavement." Charles placed a palm on his growing migraine, images of the white Alien cutting a man in half swam through his mind. Whatever that thing is no mere flesh and blood human could challenge it. This job was meant for the Justice League and God knows where they are during this crisis. "Don't worry about me, I'm more concern about what you're doing all the way out here, you should be in school safe."
"Bad time to worry about My education." Tara retorted. Charles' menacing glare was enough to tell her he wasn't in the mood for her jokes. The high school athlete took a long exhale.
"Alright, I was skipping. Can we get our priorities straight first before you scold me?"
"Your safety is my priority they could have kept you safe, Tara. Now your out in this shithole!" Charles grimaced. "I'm not sure I could protec-" Charles frozen when a massive shadow passed over the car. His first instinct was to look outside to investigate as he approached the window. An energy field shaped like a dome enveloped New York City, pass the dome was an underwater ecosystem with plenty of sea life unconcerned by the sunken city. In all of Charles years he'd never been so mystified and horrified at the same time, it was quite the blend.
"Yeah..." Tara responded to his astonishment "Crazy right?"
"T-This doesn't make sense..."
"Nothing does," Tara said her voice sounding distressed, Charles also spotted some lingering guilt shown in her eyes similar to what he seen in Criminals. He pushed away the thought, his daughter wasn't capable of it. "No one can make sense of an Alien invasion, I'm still stuck processing all of this-"
Tara's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when a finger was placed on her lips, signaling her father to stay silent. Tara clapped a hand over her mouth and lowered her head.
There was a black figure walking on fours, a quadrupedal robot with long spikes traveled down it's back and tail ending on a drill-like tip, the robot had an arrow shaped head with metallic mandibles sticking from it's mouth, a single red optic glowed dangerously scouting for potential victims. The mechanical creature was the size of a grown man with claws long enough to puncture steel.
The gears in it's legs turned as it marched , each heavy step cracking the ground. Charles took the chance to examine it, the robotic beast looked like it was manufactured in hell. There was fresh blood coating it's claws, concluding it was here to start a kill count. He felt sick to his stomach, not at the sight of blood, but the threat it posed to his daughter. He doubted they could outrun it if chased them, a small part of his mind considered letting himself be caught to buy Tara time to escape, but what if there were more of these creatures crawling around. The best option was to wait until it loses interest and left, yet he had a feeling the robot knew someone was there.
The hound's single optic lit up like a flashlight peering into any vehicle it came across , Charles went down immediately, the light missing him by a hair's breadth. The hound lets loose a synthesized howl, possibly signaling it's allies that the area was cleared. The robot continued it's patrol elsewhere, galloping away like a demented horse.
They gave each other a meaningful look and nodded in an unspoken agreement.
They needed to get off this bridge.
________________________________
Dwayne was shit out of luck.
Although He had to give himself a pat on the back for making it this far, who else could claim they threw down with giant robots and survived, if he made it out of here alive he'd brag to the world about it. The Chances of that happening were slim considering the Server before him was packing more artillery than a tank. The longer he stared at those massive Gatling guns on it's shoulders, the smaller he felt.
"I hadn't expected they'd send a Server Demon, it appears to be a newer model as well. Luxon is finally taking us seriously now, he most likely doesn't want to lose his first Darkfall specimen."
"I liked it better when he sent the smaller ones after me!" Dwayne took a step back, his hands outstretched to call forth an electric current. What he got in return was a small spark of electricity that quickly died in a nano second. "Come on, come on, why isn't this working?!" He tried twice to summon his powers receiving the same response.
The Server Demon must of understood his disadvantage cause it took the perfect time to close the distance between them, it's hellish screech assaulting his eardrums. Dwayne made a dash to the Voidrider's open hatch, he didn't know hi next course of action when he was inside since he knew nothing about driving space ships. Better to take shelter in a giant armored ship then get mauled by a bloodthirsty machine, he ran up the hatch leading into a dark space. The hatch elevated slowly as the Server Demon lunges forth, Dwayne instinctively covered his face with his forearm preparing for a metallic fist to rock the ship. He heard a reverberating crash and something heavy falling. Dwayne blinked then looked back to see a wall of orange energy and a downed Server Demon crawling to it's feet. The hatch closed entirely leaving Dwayne trapped in darkness, luckily his glowing tattoos gave him some light but he could hardly see ahead of him.
"The hell happened back there, First I'm shooting bolts, now I'm loaded with blanks?" Dwayne sent a weak voltage to his fingertips empathizing his point.
"You're low on power." Voice said in an even tone almost sounding bored of the situation, when he didn't continue, Dwayne scowled irritably which would probably be ineffective against a disembodied voice.
"Details damn it!" Dwayne nearly screeched. "Enough of these childish ass games, do you have a death wish-"
"You were never in danger of dying, Human." The Voice gave a sound identical to a snicker, that fed Dwayne's fire but before he could act upon it the Voice said. "Death isn't my primary concern because Luxon won't kill you, he'll break you." The Voice paused to let his words sink in, he knew they had when Dwayne went silent. "After 'Darksites' are transmitted to a proper 'meat shell' ,we undergo specialized conditioning to shape our minds and body to the Queen's flawless design. They'll do everything in their power to make you a pawn, a soldier without a conscience, you are property to them. They'll pluck your eyes from your socket if you dared to scowl at them, they'll rip your arms from your socket if you raise a hand to them. And once you've regenerated, they'll repeat the process over and over again."
Dwayne swallowed the lump in his throat, his hand clenching into fist. These creatures...they're all sadistic. The voice claimed Earth wasn't their first target, how many other planets have they destroyed or conquered. The thought was troubling, he wondered if the Voice gave up on escaping since it knew what the Praedons were capable of?
How did the Voice know this despite claiming to be a newborn?
So many Questions that needed answers.
"There are only two ways out of here, human. We either escape on a ship or escape in the clutches of death." The Voice's words were chilling but gave Dwayne resolve, he still wanted to get back at Tara for abandoning him, apart of him hopes she's getting what she deserved. That was unfair of him considering he would've done the same in her shoes, but no one said Dwayne was above petty vengeance.
"Sensors have detected an unknown life form onboard."
Dwayne's heart jumped in his chest, he brought his Rizer at ready, in case the computerized voice had hostile intent.
"Beginning thorough scan of Lifeform..." Dwayne noticed the voice sounded a bit feminine for a computer, he waited cautiously for the machine to identify him. "Scan complete, Darkfall recognized. Welcome aboard Voidrider Model 5-02, how may I serve?"
"...huh?" The teenage boy tilted his head, the sudden pleasantries were a nice change of pace, he just hadn't expected from a ship. "Umm, Voice what am I suppose to do here?"
"Must I answer such a foolish question?" Voice fumed. "Request passage to the navigation center, it's where the ship's Pilot is located."
"Pilot?" So there's someone else on this ship." Dwayne nodded in understanding. "Umm...take me to the Navigation Center."
"Right away, my lord."
The floor panels lit up creating a path down a dark corridor, Dwayne carefully the walked forward careful not to stray from the path.
"This is...futuristic." Dwayne took a look around ,the walls and floor were made of chrome, the floor was outlined by orange lights giving the halls a magnificent glow. He wondered where the other paths lead but he kept his eyes straight, this ship was enormous and he will have time to explore it later, if he survives that is.
Dwayne reached the end of the corridor where he entered a spherical room with nothing in it but himself. "Alright...I'm here." He looked around for someone else, his flopped to his sides in annoyance when no one showed. "What, no warm greeting? Come on out, I know you're-"
A panel opened up on the floor , his eyes zeroed in on it as if a cobra would come launching out of it. In reality, it was something way more confusing, rising from the opening was a girl with turquoise skin, pinkish red hair that reached down to her cheeks, she wore a black skin tight shirt that exposed her belly along with a black mid-thigh skirt, she wore bracelets and a silver collar around her neck, her eyes matched the color of her hair, staring into his intently.
She walked towards him barefoot causing Dwayne to raise his guard. She paused in her course when he saw his look of distress, and took a step back.
"My apologies, did I perhaps alarm you?" The woman spoke in a small voice causing Dwayne to ease up a bit.
"You did, but plenty things have been alarming me today so you get a pass." Dwayne sighed. "Mind telling me who exactly you are?"
"It would be my pleasure, my lord." The young girl took a deep now, unsettling Dwayne even further. "I am Indigo, this ship's pilot and a dedicated servant to my Praedonian masters, which is you according to my scans."
"I'm not one of them." He fired back.
"Forgive me, my lord. Would you prefer me using your Darkfall title?"
"Neither, I'm human and that's how I've always been."
"Hu-man?" Indigo sampled the new word. "What a strange name, I will store it in my memory systems. So how may I assist you today, Hu-man?"
"It's-" Dwayne didn't bother correcting the Android because he lacked the time and patience for it. "Look, just tell me how to get out of here."
"The exit is where you came." Indigo smiled generously. Dwayne narrowed his eyes, now this girl was playing with him.
"No, no, I want to leave the base on this ship, preferably in the next five seconds." Dwayne wasn't sure how long that force field would keep the Server at bay, the walls could be torn open at any minute.
"I regret to inform you this ship is non-operational at this time." Indigo said.
Dwayne inhaled sharply.
"Because it currently lacks a suitable Captain."
Dwayne exhaled breathlessly.
"Basically this ship needs a Captain to function right?" Dwayne quirked an eyebrow.
"Yes but-"
"Great, I volunteer as Captain. Get us out of here." Dwayne said.
"Are you sure you would like to register yourself as Captain of this vessel-"
"I'm. Fucking. Positive." His voice carried an impatient edge.
Indigo picked up on it and nodded apologetically. "Please take a seat in the Captain's chair."
Behind him the floor opened to reveal a floating chromed throne with a glowing orange orb embedded in the bottom. On the edges of the arm rest were curved downward, an orange glow emanated from the seat giving the throne an ethereal look.
Was it strange to be scared of sitting down? This was Alien technology, they were talking about. The chair could change into a mecha or some crazy shit like that. At this point in the game, Dwayne would do anything to survive even if he has to sit in a spooky looking chair, that may or may not be bad for his health. He took a step closer then sat on the throne, no sooner then he did metallic arms clamp down on his forearms, keeping him pinned to the chair, he frantically tried pulling away but another arm wrapped around his neck ending his struggles. Above him, a robotic tendril descended from the ceiling, the tip of it peeled apart brandishing a drill-like weapon, the drill swung back and launched itself through Dwayne's skull.