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Power
Current Chapter - Round 1: Clash of the Russians
Notes
Episode published on Tuesday 12th of February, 2008.
By Degulus
Another excellent page by Degulus. Thanks to him for allowing me to upload these here.
I was absolutely thrilled to see the two doctors in three dimensions and being involved in part of a bigger storyline, all while being so accurately written as well. There is a real personality clash here, between the relatively clichéd evil of the docs and the gravitas of the looming figure of Grenner. I absolutely love it.
Oh, and the self-proclaimed Mr. Awesome makes a very brief cameo here. Otamie was tragically removed from the tournament in round 1.
You can view (and comment if you have a deviantART account) the original version of this page here.
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Transcript
TITLE: Act 2-2: Power
PANEL: Still in the hotel corridor, Dr. Grenner approaches the two doctors from behind them.
Grenner: Why hello, gentlemen!
Ralph: Do we know you?
PANEL: Ralph gets annoyed by talking to Grenner.
Grenner: No...and as a matter of fact I don't know you either.
Ralph: Thank you for this lovely waste of time...can't you see we're busy?
PANEL: Folding his arms, Grenner rubs his own chin with a finger.
Grenner: Well, you see, I may not know you...but I have seen you before.
Gyrode: Yes, wonderful.
PANEL: Gyrode rubs his forehead in frustration. Ralph angrilyballs his fists and outstretches his arms, yelling.
Grenner: On film...
Ralph: Good for you!
PANEL: Both doctors are suddenly deflated as realisation dawns.
Grenner: ...from a security camera...
Gyrode: Damn...
Ralph: Oh...
Grenner: ...in my lab.
PANEL: Grenner is nonplussed.
Grenner: I would like back what you stole from me, gentlemen...that would be simple enough, wouldn't it?
PANEL: Gyrode angrily has a quick aside with Ralph, who goes defensive.
Gyrode: You said you disabled the security cameras.
Ralph: Which time?
PANEL: Gyrode looks off into the distance.
Gyrode: Alright, valid point...
PANEL: Ralph turns to face Grenner, apologetic and arms open.
Ralph: Look, I'm sure we can settle this like civilised-
PANEL: Both of the doctors scarper away from Grenner down the corridor away from him. Gyrode is an upright sprint while Ralph flails his arms in a frantic scuttle.
Ralph: Make a break for it!
PANEL: Grenner clenches a fist, mildly annoyed.
Grenner: How irritating...
PANEL: Grenner cricks his neck forward. Various cracking noises can be heard as he does this.
SFX: Krick Crack Snap Pop
PANEL: Three large sharp bone-like spikes emerge from Grenner's back. Two of them are bent over his shoulders while the middle one remains upright behind his head.
SFX: KRASHINK
PANEL: The two bent spikes shoot down the corridor, past the two doctors. They bend around, trapping them from running any further.
SFX: shnk shnk
PANEL: Grenner smiles as the spikes retract into his back.
Grenner: Now now, there is no need to be like that, I'm a reasonable man. We can work this out.
PANEL: Ralph looks nervous as he approaches Grenner.
Ralph: Uh, yeah, of course...now, when you...say..."stole"...
PANEL: Grenner has to hunch slightly to see Ralph's eyeline.
Grenner: Yes?
Ralph: Well what I need to know before we can return it is...well, what exactly did we take?
PANEL: In the empty corridor, Grenner towers over the two doctors.
Grenner: Oh, I think I'm getting the picture here...this isn't an isolated incident. What you got your hands on was an Advent Core...the power source placed in all the robots of Project Advent. Small glass box, black and red amorphous blob in the centre?
PANEL: Ralph mutters to himself while Gyrode answers Grenner.
Ralph: Is that what that was...a power source...
Gyrode: We don't have it anymore.
PANEL: Grenner's eyes turn black with red pupils. He bellows, fists clenched in anger.
Grennner: WHAT DID YOU SAY!? Do you have any idea how powerful that thing is? And you lost it?!
PANEL: Ralph frowns, annoyed as Grenner retains his beastly eyes.
Ralph: Threw it away, actually...the damn thing didn't work.
Grenner: Damn it! I can only imagine where it is now.
PANEL: Otamie, a.k.a. "Mr. Awesome", looks gormlessly happy.
Narrator: A few days ago...
Otamie: Ooooo! Sweet! Free power thingy!
PANEL: Grenner continues to berate the two doctors.
Grenner: You idiots! You absolute imbeciles! There is no excuse for your stupidity!
Ralph: Okay, now you're just being a dick.
PANEL: Grenner remains angered.
Grenner: There's no other explanation...there's no other way that you'd be unable to activate that device.
PANEL: Grenner's eyes return to normal, he rubs his forehead.
Grenner: It's powered by brainwaves, after all.
PANEL: Gyrode is skeptical.
Gyrode: Powered by...brainwaves? How the hell is that even possible?
PANEL: Grenner exposits at length, gesturing with a closed fist.
Grenner: Biode ore...a discovery I am proud to say I am responsible for. A strange material, at first glance it seems to be stone, but it is alive...it reacts to the thoughts of those around it. It generate a harnessable energy almost constantly, when in the presence of brainwaves. Not only that, but as some sort of defence mechanism the stuff generates huge amounts of power and begins to grow when exposed to fear, anger, or sorrow. So, in essence, the perfect power for battle...it grows stronger as the situation becomes more dire!
PANEL: Ralph smirks, fond of what he's just heard. Gyrode clecnches his fists, impetuously reacting.
Ralph: I like the sound of that...damn, why the hell did we throw it away? It would have made Deathbot unstoppable.
Gyrode: An organic battery...it's been done, you know! And you call us "thieves"! That technology is mine to begin with!
PANEL: Grenner rests his hands behind his back, bored with the conversation.
Grenner: Don't make me laugh...if you had used it to its full potential your Deathbot would live up to its name indeed. But Biode isn't some fuzzy squirrel or something like your old batteries. It's a symbiote...or perhaps a parasite, who's to say. It can make a host of anything...plants, people, machines...but as I said, it grows best when surrounded by fear, anger, and sadness. It changes its host...it strives to make something it can feed off of.
PANEL: Gyrode places a finger on his mouth in thought. Ralph is unimpressed.
Gyrode: Fascinating...
Ralph: Can we leave yet?
PANEL: Grenner turns to walk away, waving a hand at the doctors as he leaves.
Grenner: Sorry, I suppose I've said far too much. You'll keep this quiet, right?
PANEL: Ralph is suddenly smiling evilly, fists clenched eagerly. Gyrode remains in thought, finger on lips. Grenner places a hand on his own chest as he walks away.
Ralph: Oh sure, but it'll co-
Grenner: Because if you speak a single word of this to anyone you will find yourselves in a nightmare from which there is no waking...and there you'll learn everything you need to know about Biode ore...as you are ripped to shreds and devoured by those who learned its secrets the hard way.
PANEL: Grenner approaches one of the doors lining the corridor and knocks on it.
Grenner: Good day, gentlemen.
PANEL: Ralph is angered by the exchange with Grenner, fists balled angrily. Gyrode is still lost in thought, finger on lips.
Ralph: If I never see that bastard again it'll be too soon.
PANEL: Ralph looks at Gyrode, suddenly confident.
Ralph: Do you remember where we left that thing?
Gyrode: You aren't thinking of looking for it after all of that?
PANEL: Ralph grins, gesturing with his arms. Gyrode snaps out of his thoughts, addressing Ralph directly with a smile.
Ralph: Of course I am...with something like that we couldn't lose!
Gyrode: Just double-checking, I wouldn't pass this up either!
PANEL: In darkness, Grenner smiles.
Grenner (thinking): And thus the seeds are sown. A Biode in their hands would most likely reach stage 5. We'll have to thank Advent Earth-scan for leading us to this place; the plan is advancing much faster than ever before.