Skadi versus Science, part 1

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The first thing Skadi saw as she blinked awake was the face looming over her. Harsh and angular, its owner had dark skin, darker eyes and brown hair that seemed to have been spiked straight up. It took her a few moments to recognise him without the trademark armour and goggles that he had worn in their previous encounters.

Juicer” She snarled, then lunged forward at him. However, instead of swinging at him, she found her arm restrained, held fast in place. With an angry yell, she tried again, only to find both arms – and her legs – firmly tied down. Glancing to one side, she could see that she was strapped to a solid concrete slab, steel cables around her wrists.

“Don’t strain yourself, Skadi.” He casually replied. “That’s industrial strength steel cable around you. It’s stressed for hundreds of tons – even you can’t break that. And I am very impressed by your resilience; my men shot you with enough tranquiliser darts to put down a rampaging rhino for hours.”

“What do you want, Juicer?” She snapped back, trying to figure how she had gotten here. They had been fighting and then… nothing. All she knew was that she’d woken up tied down and with her most persistent foe looming over her. Not good.

“I feel that I do owe you an explanation.” He replied. “After all, after today, our little rivalry will be at an end. And you should know what it was all about.”

“Do tell.” She shot back, her eyes narrowing, trying to hide her curiosity behind a mask of aggression. In truth, she had no idea why it was that Juicer hated her so much and seemed to be going out of his way to stalk her. Most people would have given up by now. Being crushed by thrown cars did that.

“You have doubtless figured the source of my powers by now, correct?”

“Chemical augmentation.” She nodded. “You’re some sort of a super-soldier.”

“Very astute.” He tugged at the collar of his jumpsuit to reveal several tubes plugged into the skin at the base of his neck. “I am the end product of an experimental program aimed at creating the ultimate soldier, one that could go toe-to-toe with metahumans such as yourself. The chemicals flowing through my system enhance my strength, stamina and reflexes to incredible levels. However, there is a drawback.”

She knew something of what he spoke of; such augmentation rarely came without a price. It was odd that deliberate experiments often had problems related to them, whereas accidents like the one that had given her powers seemed to lack them. “Do tell.”

“The chemicals are killing me, simply put.” He stated in a very manner-of-fact way. “The human body wasn’t designed to handle the stresses I’m putting it through, nor the chemistry that is empowering me. The scientists who created me say that, in a year or two, my heart will likely explode.”

“Nasty. Can you give them up?”

He shook his head. “I could. But I’d only gain a few years at best; even then, it’d be a long, painful and drawn-out demise.”

Looking at him closely now, without his goggles, she could see what he meant. While his face suggested that he was in his mid to late twenties, there were certain tell-tail signs; the area around his eyes was lined, while they were bloodshot. His hair had small but still noticeable grey streaks, only further underscoring the fact.

“That’s unfortunate, but I fail to see how I factor into this.” She stated, all the while trying to figure the truth of the matter. True, she was studying biochemistry and had been an intern lab tech, but she doubted that was what he was after; if he wanted a chemist, then he could have just as easily picked one who would put up less of a fight while being more experienced in their chosen field.

“Ah, but you see, Skadi, you are the key to all this.” He eyed her up and down for a moment. “You see, I managed to procure one of the last samples of the original formula used to create me. While my original sponsors were unwilling to duplicate it, I found a biochemist with flexible enough morals to do the work for me – for a price, of course.”

A horrible realization began to dawn on her as she listened to what he said. “Of course, that scientist made one key mistake, Skadi.” He continued. “They entrusted the distilment of the formula to an inexperienced junior lab tech. As a result, they made a mistake and there was an explosion that saturated the lab technician with them, in the process destroying what was left.”

She swallowed loudly. “And that lab technician was transformed by the chemicals.” She finished.

“Very good.” He nodded. “So you see, Skadi, you are the key to my survival.”

“Is that what this is all about then?” She asked. “All our battles, all we’ve been through; your attacks, the hostage taking, everything else...” She shook her head. “If you needed a blood sample, you could have at least asked.”

“Were that the case, Skadi.” He shook his head. “I require far more then just that.”

“Like what?” She nervously asked, all of a sudden very fearful for her health.

He held up a hand, and began counting off his fingers. “Spinal fluids, cortical fluids, tissue samples from all across your body, including the interior of your brain, bone samples, muscle tissue-“ He paused. “Oh, and your heart. I need it to replace mine, regardless.”

She quickly added all that up, knowing full well what he was saying. “So in other words, I die so that you may live.”

“Very true.” He stepped back, letting her get a better view of the area around her. They were in what looked, for all the world, to be a makeshift surgery, with her slab as the operating table. A masked soldier was standing near Juicer, his face hidden by a mask and visor.

Most distressing was the device looming over her; attached to a mechanical arm, it looked like a dentist’s rig gone very, very bad. It was equipped with an array of drills, probes, blades and other devices who’s function she could only guess at – and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to.

At least, she noted, he’d given her a little bit of dignity, leaving her still clothed in her uniform. Maybe he felt his foe deserved something in her last moments for giving her life for his.

“I don’t suppose I can talk you out of this?”

“I’m sorry, Skadi. But the time has come to finish this.” He gave her a wry grin. “Besides, I’m sure that a would-be scientist like yourself must appreciate the situation; after all, the breakthroughs that will come from this operation will be immeasurable.”

She didn’t rise to his taunts, especially given that he seemed to know all about her life. Instead, she tried to focus, to figure a way out of the situation.

“I have to go and prepare.” He finished. “I’ll give you a few moments to compose your final thoughts. You have been a truly challenging foe, Skadi, my greatest yet. However, all good things must come to an end.”

With that, he turned and left, walking out form the room. The guard remained, watching over her.

She warily sized him up; he carried some sort of blaster, but did not appear to be watering any body armour beyond his helmet and the bright blue and gold jumpsuit that she doubted could provide any protection. What caught her interest, however, was the knife he wore on his hip; its hilt had what looked for all the world like a power switch on it.

A Vibroblade; she’d seen such weapons before; Juicer had a fondness for them, and some of the goons that he’d hired also used them. They were powerful, and certainly presented a threat even to someone as tough as her.

Which gave her an idea. A plan was beginning to form, one that was very desperate. At the same time, as she flexed her arms, she figured that it had a chance. And it certainty beat vivisection.

“Umm…” She began, sheepishly glancing at her guard. “You couldn’t do me a little favour, could you?”

He glanced down at her; at least, she assumed he was from the movement of his helmet. “Sorry ma’am. Orders.”

“It’s nothing much… it’s just that, well…” She blushed and fumbled a bit. “Thing is… since I became this…” She gestured over at her thick limbs. “It’s kinda messed with my love life.”

“Huh?” He managed, clearly taken aback.

“Well… nobody wants to date an amazon that’s taller then them and could snap them like a twig.” She admitted. “People get scared of me.”

“Well… you are kind of hot. For a giant and all.”

“Yeah.” She managed a weak chuckle. “You’re only saying that because I’m tied down and helpless. If I was standing up and looming over you, you’d be terrified of me.”

“I’d still go out on a date with you.” He replied, defensively. “I’m not afraid of anyone.”

“That’s nice of you.” She finished. “Good to know there’s still some gentlemen who aren’t afraid of someone who’s a little… unusual, I guess.”

“Not at all.” He offered.

She swallowed loudly. “Um, in that case…” She continued, rather nervously. “Could I ask one thing then? Um, it’s a little unusual, but… could I get one last kiss before dying?”

Even though his face was covered by his helmet and mask, she could see the conflict evident in him. A part of him wanted to follow orders, a part of him was almost certainly indulging in all manner of fantasies involving tied up, helpless women.

“Please?” She managed in as small and pathetic a voice as possible.

“Well…” He glanced around. “Ah hell, why not? But I gotta leave you tied up. For safety and all. Yeah.”

She nodded. “I understand. Thank you.”

He hastily pulled off his mask, then raised the visor. She almost wished he hadn’t; a broad, clearly broken nose and the scrappy remnants of a moustache made him less then appealing. However, he gladly straddled the table, puckering up in the most exaggerated kiss possible.

“Thanks.” She finished as she reached up, her hand closing around the vibroblade’s handle. Confident she had it, she thrust forward with her head, smashing into his face with superhuman force. He flew backwards, blood streaming from his re-shattered nose – and his blade in her hand.

“Sucker.” She finished with a grin. Carefully turning the blade, she activated it, using it to saw through the cable binding her wrist. As soon as it was free, she began work on the other one. She figured she had a few minutes at most before Juicer got back, and she wanted to be as ready for him as possible.

Because she figured that after that pathetic act she’d been forced to pull, he was going to pay big.