ATeam-Ch08

= >>>[ __CHAPTER 08__ ]<<< = = >>>[ __THE NEW UNDERGROUND__ ]<<< =

__ **Chapter Logs:** __ **-- Part 1** **--** Part 2 **--** Part 3

**Characters:** Nova, Anne-Marie, Glitch, and introducing "Two-Ton" Tony w/ Sinbad

**Summary:** Trapped beneath the streets of the Puyallup Barrens, the A-Team is left to fend for themselves in the subterranean kingdom of the "New Underground". Three years earlier, unbeknownst to the outside world, a civil war took place in the highly publicized Ork Underground. A charismatic warrior named Mikrob became disenchanted with the leadership of the existing society, feeling that they were too friendly to outsiders and had betrayed all that the Ork Underground stood for. Rallying supporters, the warrior seceeded from the existing society by force -- and started the New Underground. Having little resources to maintain themselves, the civilization lapsed into a barbaric culture with Mikrob as their King. They exist on whatever they can obtain from the outside world, recycling everything -- including the dead -- for food. The New Underground's main source of entertainment comes from gladiatorial battles staged in a converted sports arena, using kidnapped top-siders as their combatants. It is here, in this hell, where the A-Team finds themselves captive and forced to fight... Nova and Oscar are separated from Anne-Marie in a cell-full of estranged metahuman men, who are used as fighters in the Arena -- entertaining the population of the New Underground. The women are kept in a different cell, and used as sex slaves or worse. This is where Anne finds herself, and meets an elderly ork woman named 'Mother Crow' -- the surrogate mother to all females in the barbaric society. Anne befriends the old woman -- who tells her that being so pretty -- she has a good chance of gaining special favors with King Mikrob himself. Meanwhile, Nova and Oscar have a long talk and the decker reveals his reasons for leaving Renraku. In a rather melodramatic speech, he proclaims that 'Oscar' is dead, and that from now on he will be known as 'Glitch'. They meet another cellmate named '"Two-Ton" Tony', who confides that he is also a captured shadowrunner. Though before anyone can get very friendly, the guards return and drag them all out into the Arena for their first bout of deathmatches. King Mikrob introduces himself in a very showman-like fashion, and requests the slaves to do the same. Everyone but Glitch and Tony comply, both giving smartass remarks instead. This decides their fate as first to do battle. Glitch is paired off against Andrew, a fellow human and company executive. Embarrassingly, the decker runs away from the man, and is given the choice to either fight or be shot -- he chooses the former. The two suits tussle, and in the end Glitch manages to impale Andrew on his spurs. Disgusted, he tries to leave the arena, but King Mikrob orders him to finish the man off. Shaking and crying, Glitch ends the executive's life with a spur through the heart -- achieving a baptism of blood into the world of shadowrun. Tony faces off against 'Death' -- a 12' tall, 5' wide troll with one eye -- who is armed with a staff. Tony is given a plumbing pipe and they engage in mortal combat, with Tony eventually triumphing. Mikrob orders that Death's life be spared and they are both removed form the arena. Nova fights as well, and barely manages to slaughter his ork'ish opponent. They are returned to their cells, where Nova convinces Glitch to begin training for combat. They are fed scraps of cooked meat and vegetables, and allowed time to rest and recuperate. During several days of rest, the three male shadowrunners manage to befriend another chromeboy named Sinbad -- a verteran of the New Underground arenas. Meanwhile, Anne-Marie convinces Mother Crow to get a distress message out to Arden at any cost -- before the pretty young elf is taken as Mikrob's personal 'pet'. Sinbad decides that he's had enough of captivity, and attempts to convince Glitch to spur him in a non-lethal body part before they are pulled into the Arena for more bloodshed. Using his augmented cybereyes, Nova spots Anne seated at the right hand of Mikrob. There are a few more matches. Tony fights Stan, the other captive troll, and stomps on his head until it explodes. The next match is announced as a team effort, with Nova & Sinbad facing off against two other opponents. However, once in the ring, Mikrob calls for an all-out deathmatch to the last man standing. Sinbad kills one opponent and Nova the other, before the runners turn to face each other. Nova hesitates, Sinbad doesn't -- rushing the elf and willingly impaling himself on Nova's spurs. His body is carted away and Mikrob keeps Nova in the ring, pitting him against a shamed but recovered Death. Nova kills the the troll in mere seconds, which shocks and enrages Mikrob. The King calls off the remaining matches. Everyone is brought back to their cells where Nova reveals to Glitch that he saw Anne-Marie at Mikrob's side and trusts that she will aid them all somehow. Meanwhile, Mother Crow steals the dying body of Sinbad and heals him. Shocked and disoriented, the ork tries to attack her but she magically restrains him. She explains to him that she saved his life and requires him to deliver a message to the outside world. He is to locate a man named 'Arden' and deliver a message to him that Anne-Marie and 'the package' are trapped in the New Underground. Sindbad agrees and Mother Crow shows him the way out. The fighter escapes back into the world above, carrying with him the A-Team's only hope for freedom...

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