~~GM~~
Collab post between Myself @Valkan & @Apothecary Bruce
Before the walls closed off, Batman quickly made chase for the robot; Bats firing his grapnel gun to fly over the flames of the explosion.
"I'm not letting him fight alone! Help Mela'tiah and Columbo!" Ryan exclaimed, knowing these robots always have a tendency to either be very strong, or have absurd tricks up their mechanical sleeves. So he decided to chase after Batman and the robot, making it over the flames and through the walls before they closed shut for good.
The chase of the machine would lead across the whole section, crossing through more tubs and pods filled with dead, decaying bodies and vats of raw genetic material. Each of a different species from across lord knows how many universes the AI had infiltrated and invaded. Like above, the station quickly formatted itself to snuff out the fires before they grew out of control, but in the process blocked off those who chased the vile robot from returning to the others.
The only way to escape the lockdown was forward for them, until Mela shut it down for good. The chase would lead them to an intersection of the pipes that were filled with genetic material. Large vats filled with it would mix the material, before then draining out into a pipe that would lead off to more pods to grow more embryos. If the pipes didn't start here, this was at least how the fluids would enter into them.
The robot had been scrounging up material. All the stolen items they had initially investigated back above, to a dozen emptied cases of munitions, were all located here; taken by the machine to create, what looked to be, a makeshift bomb.
C4, gunpowder, bottles of flammable alcohol, chemicals galore, all mixed and stuck together into a homemade bomb detonator, cobbled together with pieces of string, electronics, shoelaces, and even some batteries from an electric toothbrush. It was the size of a fridge, and the robot was adding together one last piece of material to it. The explosive gel.
But, the bomb didn't look like it could even put a dent in this station. What was it going to do with it? That's when, once it emptied out the whole cannister of gel onto the device's detonator, it kicked open an hole big enough to throw the bomb into the genetic fluid inside the pipes. If this bomb could make all that genetic fluid flammable, it would without question destroy this station. Like throwing a Molotov cocktail inside a gas engine.
With no time to waste, the dark knight raced across the sewer-like terrain, cloaked in shadow. Another grenade raced through the air, glowing a faint white-blue. As soon as it collided with the makeshift bomb, a thick layer of ice grew to encase the device, holding any timer still and screwing with any more complicated electronics.
As the assassin robot was likely distracted and confused by this turn of events, Batman raised his grapple gun, fired its claw into the ceiling, and moments later, descended upon the robot like a bullet. He tried to stab a batarang into one of its eyes, in an attempt to blind it more permanently.
The ice completely messed up the bomb, as it was being held together literally by string. It didn't need to look pretty, just work, and it did even all cobbled together. But the ice would stop it from working and now needed to thaw.
With a loud thud, the robot stared at the bomb to calculate the time it would take to thaw, before being planted against the pipe by Batman. The batarang went deep into the eye socket, and for a few moments, the robot didn't move at all. It seemed like he killed it instantly.
But when he tried grabbing for his gel displacer that was still in its hand, its arms tried wrapping itself around Batman. Its body suddenly morphed into a dozen large spikes to impale Bruce in its grasp.
He took notice of the makeshift bomb, which he was both concerned for and relieved. It seemed to lack the knowhow to make something dangerous by itself, but it knew that abomination of a bomb could somehow cause a whole lot of damage if thrown somewhere specific, judging by its attempt at delivering it. Thankfully, Batman quickly caught on and used a device to freeze it.
They were not out of the woods, though. Since Batman dealt an apparently deadly blow, but that would be too simple for these cursed machines, it must be a trap.
"Look out!" Using a burst of speed, Ryan caught Batman before the morphing arm could properly entrap him against the spikes. He then planted both himself and the caped man on their feet after adjusting their momentum
"We won't let you have your way that easy" the dragonblood stated, getting in an iai stance, ready to move upon any sudden movement from the morphing machine.
While Ryan was fast, the machine tried to keep its grip on Batman as the caped crusader slipped out its arms; grabbing at his foot while its body morphed into large, pultruding spikes. For a few seconds, it stayed on him, but its hand slipped off and fell back to the ground before Ryan and Batman landed on their feet.
It tumbled against the pipes, nearly slipping off, but managed to climb back up before it took a perilous fall. They were a dozen feet away from each other, neither side making a move against each other. The robot was just staring back and forth between Bruce and Ryan, studying them with its one working eye.
"we-wE-WE-We-Won-WON-wON-won't let you have your way-WAY-WAy-that easy~"
It's voice was garbled and warped as it repeated Ryan, but as it repeated certain words, its pitch turned more natural sounding. More human. More like Ryan.
"WE WON'T LET YOU HAVE YOUR WAY THAT EASY."
Now it sounded perfectly like Ryan. Before then morphing into him; its metallic skin changing shape, color and texture to match up perfectly like how Ryan current looked. The only difference being its damaged eye was still very noticeable.
Batman grimaced, teeth bared as he lowered himself, going into a defensive stance. He tossed out another cryogenic grenade, preparing a second one in case the first didn't land. "Melt him down!" he roared to Ryan, though at this point the vigilante hero had traded some confidence and calm for a more desperate tone.
Batman had not even started shouting his order when Ryan had his mouth open. Not to answer, but to let out a burst of fire from it. The torrent of flames would engulf the robot in its entirety, and then some. Ryan didn't even allow himself time to process how creepy it was seeing a robot take his shape, and even his voice.
Morphing a set of wings to block both the fire and ice, it charged right towards Ryan and Batsy, attempting to stab them both with large lances from its arms.
Ryan took a quick step sideways, hovering at great swiftness above the floor. He then flew forward as he drew his sword, already incandescently hot and with a bright trail of flames rocketing out of the sheath at blinding speeds. He aimed his speedy draw to cleave through the copycat robot's abdomen, while effectively getting out of the trajectory of the spear aimed at him. All he could do was hope he was either fast enough to help Batman, or that he could dodge by himself. Based on what he had seen so far though, he'd be fine defending himself.
The dark knight hurdled to his side, landing in a perfect roll before standing back up, swinging around with his cape, revealing two pellets, flying through the air as he tossed them. Once they collided with the robotic spears, they burst like small breaching charges - not a large radius of effect, but still with plenty of impact.
Like a knife through butter, Ryan's sword cut through the metallic liquid body of the shapeshifter, and while its upper body started lifting off its legs by the force of the sword slash, Batman's blasting charges blew its arms into pieces, as well pushing its off the ledge of the pipe to fall off into the darkness below.
It's legs, wobbling slightly to try and stay standing, eventually tumbled over the side itself. With that, their enemy seemed defeated. But, not before the ice on the bomb thawed, and a startling beeping noise starting going off on it.
Batman darted back to the bomb, and ripped off a piece of its plating. "Get as far away as you can!" the detective demanded to Ryan. "Make sure the others get to a safe position, in case I fail! We'll rendezvous later. I'll know how to find you."
The detective dug his fingers into the ad-hoc circutry of the bomb, the various liquid containers strapped together and ready to let them mix at a moment's notice. He slid a filtration apparatus over his mouth, clicking into his helmet and sealing. No chances taken.
From his belt, he retrieved small wire clippers, and a flashlight. His cowl's scanners analyzed the device, comparing it to his personal database of explosives - along with his own defusal knowledge.
Snip.
Deet.
Snip.
Deet.
Thin metal groaned as he bent tin plating backwards to reach deeper into the core.
Deet.
Deet.
He rerouted the chemical mixtures to make certain elements of the bomb inert.
Deet.
He carefully detached his explosive gel canisters -
Deet. - and slotted them into his utility belt.
Deet.
Snip.
Deet.
Deet.
Snip.
And the bomb switched off.
Whew~
-----------------------------------------
After all that, the station was now safe. Once Ryan and Batman returned to the group, parts of the bomb in hand, so they could return the stolen items that made it, they lead Mela to the access point to shut down the lockdown. The section returned to normal; most of the walls retracted back into their original configuration, and allowing them to finally leave. Medical and more soldiers would make their way down to help the group.
Mela was put on a stretcher from how malnourished he was, while Columbo was also checked into the makeshift infirmary. Though, thankfully, Luer's magic worked wonders to save his life before any serious blood loss could occur. And he seemed even unbothered by the experience. As he put it to everyone,
'I got worse cuts just from shaving.'
The mysterious thiefts were solved. But now, many more mysteries had coem from it. What on earth were these machines doing? They were using the raw genetic material of most of their victims to grow embryos and fetus', but why? How did they select their victims for such a process, while others were transported across plains of reality? Questions that could only be answered by exploring the station further, both physically, and in is computer systems, along with continuing their quest across the multiverse.
While searching for the remains of the shapeshifting robot, no one could find any remains of it...
TO BE CONTINUED