Welcome to Gaia! ::

The sun shines bright and near, a welcome warmth after the freezing weather down below. But the ground... you walk now on clouds, clouds that are black and sticky like tar. You won't stick, but it's just plain unpleasant.

The floor beneath you is shaped like a disk, thirty feet across, with narrow walkways and a few strange machines sticking up from the clouds. At least three of the walkways that lead below to the city.

• Take a heavenly walkway down to the District of Steel.
  
• Take a heavenly walkway down to the Commons.
  
• Take a heavenly walkway down to the Corn Maize.

Looking over the sides would answer that question pretty quickly. More half smog half machine things were puttering about... Including assembling the same robots seen on the surface. Piece by piece they would be put together, until one last machine brought a glowing orb which the machine just seemed to absorb. Eyes would come to life, zombie robot was created, and then apparently were gently transported somewhere else.

"Marvel of efficiency is it not?_" That voice didn't sound human, "I suspect we will reach peak efficiency within a few days. As long as we have the materials of course_"

Another black cloud was floating down towards the thirty foot disc. What was on it wasn't pleasant. Another robot, same design as the other ones, but perhaps slightly more advanced looking. The problem was this thing was A) Speaking, B) At least seven and a half feet tall slightly hunched over, and C) Wearing a suit, tie and carrying a clipboard.

"The metal isn't hard. Slag and minerals we can get anywhere in this destructive land_" The fanged mouth snapped a few times after it's words, "But a power source... Well, we will have those in good time too. Though statistically speaking this city was a good start. Put us FAR ahead of schedule_"

It's free arm stretched out and it seemed to be throwing up the horns directly at Allen.

"Your presence is decreasing efficiency by at least three points. This is nothing personal_"

At the wrist the creatures hand started spinning around like some sort of drill, or maybe even... Wait, were the tips of his fingers glowing? Apparently it wasn't throwing up the horns, it was forming a personal gattling gun. At least ten of the energy blasts that the robots shot from their mouths earlier shot from its spinning appendage directly towards Allen.

"I am just the director of this here factory_" It's two fingers were litteraly letting off a bit of a haze now that it had stopped firing, "The boss at corporate makes all the decisions of what to do with em. Good thing too, I wouldn't know what do do with a million of these things_"

The suited robot dropped the horns and instead opted for a more traditional hand gun. Throwing aside the clipboard the skeleton robot made two "guns" with his middle finger, forefinger, and thumbs. Just like before the tips of the clawed fingers began to glow red.

"Boss is good at that stuff_" It spoke through clashing teeth as it lined up it's shot, "That is why I cannot fall behind. He has probably already set up head office now that the city is ours_"

And two larger more powerful blasts came from the creature's fingers. These would be more suited for anti-air as when they came near to Allen they would explode into a burst of heat and force. Think of it as magical flack.

The robot wasn't dumb, as Allen charged him he would turn as well. Helped when he had to raise one arm to defend against his own blasts. Still, Allen was faster thanks to Accelerate and the sword stab would be sucessful.

Kinda.

The blade did peirce suit and robot side, it was just the Director didn't seem to care. Already in a half turn one clawed hand would shoot forward to grab Allen by his upper, and the other already raised wouldn't have a long way to grab the other arm. With a step forward and BOSSFITE strength the Director turned at the waist and tossed Allen forward. Hoping to send him careening towards the edge of the platform.

Then just to make sure one hand shot a single heat burst at the tossed man. Skeet shooting anyone.

"It is a nice central location with a great view! At least for now, boss has renovation plans_"

As expected he didn't cut the fellow in half, mainly because of the Director's own action. It was a punch, a very heavy punch as evidenced by the fact the whole damn fist was glowing red. He was going for a swat to the head or maybe the torso, anything to get him away.

"Awful lot of questions_ Maybe you should wait for the press conference_"

It was taking a few steps backwards to get a little distance. Of course it was plotting as well, had been since it saw him flying like that. Y'see the director had a connection to the factory, thus after a step back a black cloud with a crane like structure lowed something onto it's shoulder. It was a box type thing, and it looked like it swung open. Almost immediately suit tore open as parts of the Director began to automatically connect with the lowered machine.

[6]

OHSHI--!

Yeah, Allen wasn't expecting it to be able to react that quickly, and was neatly swatted out of the air. Slamming into the ground hurt a bit, too. So much for an easy fight.

As he lifted his head up, starting to pick himself up, Allen saw what was happening and had another oh s**t moment. The director was ******** upgrading, and that wasn't good. He was having enough trouble here as it was.

And then a third Oh s**t moment as Athan and Vahn went past in an APC. He could do without Vahn, but maybe Athan would show up here again. If nothing else he could use help swording this guy.

By the time Allen finished picking himself up, and summoned his blade back into his hand, the upgrade would likely be complete. So in response, Allen would start doing something of his own. He would start charging up the energy in his blade.

A plan was starting to form in his head.

[5]

Alright, you know what? ******** this. Allen was getting out of here until he had at least one person as reinforcements. This was accomplished basically by running off the edge of the platform, towards the Commons area, and letting himself fall for a while before opening his wings. Then he would fly back to the path, to look for Athan.

Either way, unless those missiles followed, he was ******** out of there for now.

The missiles only had enough tech to make a slight turn, plus the fact that they were small and wouldn't go too far. Not long after Allen pulled evasive manuvers they would harm, perhaps peppering Allen and Athan with a little shrapnel.

"Two seconds! I could only be so lucky_" The toothed maw snapped and clashed as the Director turned to Athan, "In two seconds we can increase efficiency by 0.34 points. Right now I am just BLEEDING efficiency thanks all this interferance_"

It wouldn't be a move with much ceremony but as the Director faced Athan its shoulder would c**k back again with force. Three missiles were fired towards Athan's chest.

"MORE POWER_

There was a hum of machinery.