Frosty the Snowman

Had a run in with some manifestation of Winter this evening. In the shape of a darn snowman! I'd heard these things were being stored in presents that the Gamester leaves about this time of year, and was interested in what kind of storage technology he uses.

Alas, I feel cheated - they appear to just be remote teleport beacons, that transfer the snow beasts in from some remote location I can't get a fix on.

Luckily I had some allies with me assisting me as this Winter Lord was a bit more than I could handle solo! He melted soon after this shot was taken.

Gally Ido? Done. Manticore? Almost!

Well, I made short work of "Agent" Gally Ido who was, quite frankly, a bit of a non event. The ZR Autonomous Combat Platoon shredded what paltry armour Longbow gives their agents these days.

Dead and buried.

However, I did glean who was stirring up all this trouble for the Bane Spider Project - the Paragon Hero Manticore. Finding out about his offshore floating fortress was easy, as was bypassing the defenses using a Personal Force Field.

And once inside? Well, he didn't last too long. Alas, he medi-ported out back to Paragon City - the ship must have been armed with a teleport node. I really must develop some form of inhibitor for those things - more heroes escape me that way!

Strange Encounters with Mystical Entities

My head is fair disturbed. Now, the nightclub "Pocket D" is a place I seldom go to. I mean, another dimension run by a mutant who can manipulate it and makes it available to both Paragon City and the Rogue Isles as well as suppressing the ability for us to fight? Makes me shudder to think what would happen if he ever decided to become hostile.

Anyway, I went there at the behest of Lord Recluse himself who directed me to speak with someone calling themselves "Father Time" - I was ordered to render all appropriate assistance.

Seems Father Time has had his child "Baby New Year" stolen from him by the Red Cap called Snaptooth. Now, that was a name I knew - back in February I tangled with Snaptooth in the same parallel dimension. Guess he hadn't learned.

I ended up in some alternate-world version of Croatoa in Paragon City where I had to fight fell Snowbeasts as well as Red Caps and Tuatha de Dannon. I also ended up fighting alongside some so-called hero called "D Molish" or some such. Sigh. His mastery of fire was quite impressive though, and we stormed through the area to rescue the baby. Who seemed quite... forthright.

Apparently saving him will stop time from coming to an end, or some such mystical clap-trap. It's all greek to me.

Memories. Ah, the Memories

Ah, the memories of youth. I remember when I was just a senior robotics technician back at D.A.T.A. in Paragon City. I remember when Bastion came to us to have his hardware and software upgraded and how happy we were with the improvements.

Even Bastion himself seemed overjoyed, well as much as a soulless hunk of metal can do, and renamed himself Citadel in honour of the day.

Still, technology drives on and while his synthetic armour polymer is of interest to me (and hence why I had Dr Forester assist me in luring the android in) the rest of the unit is defunct, old technology. I was able to dispatch him with relative ease.

This polymer is going to be of great use when I enhance the fibrous material of my Web Envelope. I may be able to develop a power to hold a foe totally. Ah, progress thine name is Master Zaprobo.

Bane Spider Project Threatened

Hmmm, it seems that Westin Phipps has stumbled me onto a greater plot than I first thought. It would appear that Miss Francine the Schoolteacher to the Freaks was just the tip of an iceberg. Phipps suspects some kind of underground ploy and I'm inclined to agree with the psychotic loony.

Much as it loathes me to do so.

Anyway, I headed out to follow a lead to a Crey Facility where they were researching some form of mindwipe device. Seems that Longbow and Wyvern are working to break Bane Spider conditioning - that will never do. I interrogated the devices' erstwhile creator, Dr Nova who informs me that the device was wanted by a rogue Bane Spider called Hugo Figures.

Of course, being a hive-mind Bane Spiders mind-control themselves and then link themselves to the each other. They're a vast network of self oppression, designed to enforce their own loyalty so it seems Hugo and Longbow are trying to break it down.

I've dispatched a troop of ZR Automated Combat Units to dispatch this Hugo. I'll have to see about this Agent Gally Ido that Phipps told me about another day.

Surveillence Report Intercepted

Source: Arachnos Internal Security
Clearance Level: Threat Clearance Level 40

Content: Our captive Wyvern Spy has been "rescued" by Master Zaprobo of Arachnos Research and Development. It is unknown at this time as to what motive he may have had to release the hero operative. The Arachnos base was later assailed by Longbow forces who were dispatched with minimal losses. Master Zaprobo had already left the scene.

We request a full investigation by Arachnos Arbiters into the behaviour and motivations of Master Zaprobo, with a view that he is a threat to the Bane Spider project.

[[ Investigation into Master Zaprobo terminated by order of Arbiter Daos ]]

Like Looking in a Mirror!

Uncanny! I was looking for a contact on the inside of Aeon Corp in an effort to monitor Dr Aeon's movements and perhaps find an opportunity to bump off the hack, when I stopped dead in my tracks. I swear, the man could have been twin of me in my younger days!

Better yet it turned out that he is an employee of Aeon Corp, and after the judicious application of a little persuasion he accepted me on as a "consultant" due to my superior knowledge and expertise.

Oh, and the little shot of mind control drug I administered. Still, can't leave these things to chance.

Recluse's Victory Assailed

Black Scorpion has not allowed me to tinker with a Bane Mace as of yet (apparently to have access to such high technology I need to further prove my worth) but he has given me an Executioners Mace that I have managed to modify. At the expense of any offensive power I have made the basic web grenade more highly explosive so it can cover a patch of ground and snare multiple foes.

And not a moment too soon as shortly after I'd acquired the parts I needed from a Crey facility in the Nerva Archipelago, I got notification from Arachnos Research and Development monitoring stations that the Heroes of Paragon City were going to stage an assault on Recluse's Victory.

It took me a good two hours to hack my way into Lord Recluse's scientific database (Black Scorpion needs to change his passwords more often!) and identify what "Recluse's Victory" really is. Time and Dimension travel in one project! Yeah, you heard me right.

The place is a future version of Atlas Park where Arachnos is near dominant over Paragon City. Somehow, there are Temporal Pillboxes that have been constructed to lock down the future - weak points in the continuum. Once we control them, we control who has ascendancy in the future. And the heroes were going to get there first? Not on my watch!

Rallying as many Rogue Isle citizens as I could we marched on Recluse's Victory. It was an afternoon of glorious battles and humiliating defeats.

In the end before Arachnos could sieze control of all the Temporal Points I was called away by Black Scorpion for "emergency" upgrades to his armour after he took some minor damage in Recluse's Victory as well (we were joined on the battlefield by Lord Recluse and Black Scorpion himself, as well as Ghost Widow and Captain Mako. Didn't see Scirocco),

Next time Paragon... next time!

Bane Spider "Exterminator"

Dobbs called me in today as there was a bit of a fracas in an Arachnos Base - some Arachnoids had broken in and needed clearing out. During doing the deed, I freed one of the Bane Spider Executioners who had been captured by the horrible creatures.

Of course I had to activate my latest armour to match up and show him what a Bane Spider "Exterminator" can do! It seemed to make quite an impression as I got a later notification that Black Scorpion has increased my Threat Clearance Level to 43.

Now, all I need to do is get the specs in for the modifications to an Executioners Bane Mace and requistion the parts. I think I can probably make the damn things a sight more effective than they are right now...

Step into my parlour...

I met with a new contact I was introduced to by Terrence Dobbs - some exterminator that Arachnos employs to get rid of Arachnoids whom I've been oddjobbing for.

She's a strange one this Regent Korol - appears to be one of the Tarantula Mistress' in command of all the robotic-arachnid forces of Grandville, as well as in psychic contact with the Fortunatas.

She seems to act as intelligence for Arachnos, as I have been working for her shutting down intrusions from Paragon City's Crey Corporation. Appears they are attempting to steal the processes and devices used in creating Tarantula Units.

I may have to intervene and deliver a warning to Countess Crey herself at this rate...

Upgrading the ARAD Lab

Worked on some weapons technology today specifically for the defense of the ARAD Laboratory. The base unit had been installed by Doc Bot a week or so back and I only just got around to checking the specs on the unit and making my own unqiue changes.

Doc has been making some great strides with the ARAD Laboratory since taking over from Dr E Genius (who is mysteriously missing still) and has expanded our underground bunker in size. Now we just need to work out what we're going to fit in the extra space!

Foiled! Aeon Back on the Loose

I could scream. I really could. Black Scorpion, bless his insane little heart, gave me orders to kill Dr Aeon! Finally, a tacit order to kill the fraud of a scientist. Obviously, our little plan had to be approved by the Arbiters - can't just off the Governor of Cap Au Diable with no excuse!

Those damn Arbiters knew everything! Knew I'd kidnapped him, tortured him and worse under Black Scorpions' orders. Bad enough to be caught, worse to then be ordered to rescue Aeon from Silver Mantis. Worse still to be assisted by some of Ghost Widows' Night Widows.

Now there is an interesting aside - my sensors picked up some sort of binary transmission via a modified telepathy to these Night Widows. Much like the way the Clockwork King reputedly controls his robots. It hints at some quasi-robotic intelligence having influence over the Widows, and not just Ghost Widow herself.

Anyway... the whole sorry debacle wasn't over - after threatening Dr Aeon to keep the hell away from me, and to keep his fool mouth shut about the "extra-curricular" projects I forced him to work on, I then got another order from Arbiter Daos.

To go and incapacitate Black Scorpion himself!

Well, I enlisted Ares MkII from Doc Bot as extra muscle, before going in with a ZR Series Autonomous Combat Platoon. While his armour was tough, alas he seems to be recruiting scientists straight out of college - I was able to bypass the armour in good order with the application of my robots' lasers and Ares MkII's electrofied fists.

Next time Black Scorpion - come direct to Arachnos Research and Development and not use your own pet scientists with untested technologies.

School's Out, Freakshow

Got a call from Westin Phipps today - apparently someone has been trying to educate the Freakshow. Now, I'm all for a good education, but it seems that then some of Paragon Citys' "Heroes" were then milking the school teacher for information - bribing her with more resources extracted from Paragons' own educational budget.

Idiots.

I had to force my way into the warehouse where this "Miss Francine" was holding class and forcibly extract her from her students. So that Arachnos can re-educate her on how she was being used by "Paragons Finest". Seriously... just smacks of double-standards to me.

Mystical Invasion Repulsed

I was called into general action today along with all the citizens in Grandville to repulse some strange mystical entities that seems to be leaking into our dimension from some mystical realm that the Mu Mystics refer to as "Croatoa".

Regardless, these things seemed something like out of a kids halloween party - just a week or so early, and so much taller! Firstly, the minor annoyances have had to be dealt with - door to door searches for vampires, ghost, werewolves and their ilk.

Then a number of us were called to the beaches outside of Spider City - a manifestation of "Eochai", King of the Fir Bolg had been spotted. It took the combined firepower of mine and seven of the Isles' most puissant citizens to drop this giant monster.

Worse, soon after having destroyed this beast, we had an emergency signal from The Fab, that their works were being disrupted by some sort of giant ogre calling itself "Jack in Irons". I gather this was from its eloquent speech of "Jack in Irons, Jack Smash!" as it stomped around (sounds like some Brutes I know actually...).

Still, we descended upon The Fab to meet this second terror who seemed to fall in shorter order as some of the citizens with us corrupted his form with radiation and ice. Didn't help that the Arachnos Bane Spider Troops got confused in the melee and attacked us as well.

Anyway, with those two manifestations dealt with, Mu Mystics warned us that they may well become more frequent and to keep an eye out. Me? I'll just avoid them in future and allow others to take care of them - I have research to be getting on with!

[Expletive Deleted]! How DARE They!

Damn Paragon City, damn their Police Department and damn that infernal research company that cut my funding. I am outraged - I will tear them limb from frikkin' limb. Noone does that to Master Zaprobo, NOONE! I will pull every storage, construction and research facility down around their ears.

Breathe... Today, while working for a new contact that by Grandville Broker Wiggy the Brit introduced me to - an canny character called Westin Phipps - I was told to intercept a shipment of new textbooks (might be something useful in them, maybe not). Imagine my outrage when the Paragon City Police Department who were protecting the shipment were using MY technologies.

Yes, you heard - they were using the ZR Autonomous Combat System. Single units, not a whole platoon. Oh I am livid. They removed my funding, forced me and my creations out then arrested me. And after that, simply continue my work anyway?!

Oh, it is ON Paragon City.

Jump Jet Perfected

I took a quiet period today to field test a device I had just perfected that, for once, was not a weapon. Just an improvement for my anti-gravity field. A modified Arachnos jump-jet that increases my forward momentum.

Alas, the device is too prone to overheating so I can only get it working in thirty-second windows. Plus it takes an inordinate time to cool back down. Still, it made the long journeys in the Nerva Archipelago slightly shorter - which can only be a good thing.

Been a while since I had a bit of leisure time to tinker with a secondary system. It was relaxing.

Priority Report Intercepted

Source: Unknown - Trans-Dimensional Communication
Clearance Level: Bravo-Tango Six

Content: Lord Nemesis, Target DIS-1NF must be discontinued - he has accessed our computer plans (thus revealed he is the true Master Zaprobo) and liberated the real Technician Naylor from one of your esteemed duplicates who appeared unable to repulse an attack from the Masterminds' creations.

Addendum: Shortly after we discovered this unauthorised access and rescue, we recieved telemetry from the Naylor-clone that it had been destroyed by assailants unknown. Prime computation would assume Master Zaprobo got to it before enough of us did - assume a single platoon is not sufficient to subdue Target DIS-1NF and further attempts will require more Warhulk, Comet and Jaeger support units.

Ghost Busters!

Ah, I loved that movie. Such beautiful portable nuclear reactors they had... if only... ahem.

Anyway, after getting the Ghostslayer Rifles and Grenades from Dr Aeon I tweaked them to my own specifications (i.e. made them work properly) and then headed out to Paragon City to test them.

Some evil spirit was haunting a graveyard in the Astoria region, plus with my new contacts in Arachnos I was able to be teleported in. They worked as expected. I saved a few rounds and a couple of bombs for my own personal use later.

Never know what I might run across, and when.

Capture Aeon? My Pleasure!

Ah, Black Scorpion knows me too well. In his desire to develop defenses against the machinations of Ghost Widow, he has tasked me to lead a team against Dr Aeon himself.

Well, the hack does seem overly interested in matters magical so stands to reason I can lock him in a lab and force him to produce results! And afterwards, maybe Black Scorpion will let me kill the little swine!

I found the young whippersnapper in one of his labs - alas his paltry energy beam weaponry was no match for my new battle armour, which I really must name... anyway. I took with me a friend of my old colleague Dr Zweistein - one Vanessa von Kreiger.

Her loyal bodyguards proved to be quite handy in cornering Dr Aeon while I incapacitated him with my ZR Pulse Rifle.

A report from Black Scorpion appears to indicate that the "good Doctor" can't produce shielding (bah, my ZR Aegis Transponder was one of my first inventions) but can only produce weapons that are effective against ethereal creatures.

I'll have to get a Drone ZR to torture Aeon to ensure he's telling the truth, then head out to field test the weaponry. Busy, busy, busy!

Nemesis Ploy? Further Investigation Needed

Well, after a quick trip back to the lab and melding the Rikti Alloys into the empty shell of a ZR Assault Alpha Model, I have created some fairly serviceable battle armour. I modelled the aesthetics to match an Arachnos Bane Commando and think I have improved on both the form and function.

Since I got word from Technician Naylor in Nerva that he required more assistance with his Portal research, I headed over with Ares Mk2 and my new suit to see what I could do (Naylor always seems to send me in as an assault squad, but never gives me time to meddle with the portal technology itself - has he got orders to stop me from doing so?)

Well, when I arrived in this dimension, as expected the Nemesis Army were there, but they didn't attack me. Not even once. Well, since they wanted to play nice I healed a couple of them and shielded a Jaeger that was in over its head. But, I don't trust them... they're up to something. I just don't know what yet.

Surveillence Report Intercepted

Source: Unknown - Trans-Dimensional Communication
Clearance Level: Bravo-Tango Five

Content: Sub-Commander, we have identified the subject in report DIS-1NF crossing into Platoon Five's sub-dimension. We have advised all troops to treat the subject as a friendly as per standing orders within the report.

The subject seems to have been decieved by the ploy - it was noted that he both healed our troops as well as provided them with forcefielding against the Devouring Earth abominations and meddling Longbow.

Of note, the subject is wearing some form of new armoured suit. It far surpasses that of any previous design we have seen. Between the suit and the forcefields the subject projects we may be hard-pressed if he sees through the deception.

Commander out.

Correction Time for Longbow

Well, now that the lab has been straightened up and I have made contact with my old colleague Doc Bot, I was finally able to venture into Spider City. I met a wonderful Rikti Ambassador called Kuhr'Rekt.

Seriously, those idiots over at Paragon have them all wrong - this is the second intimate dealing I've had with these aliens and they have been more cordial than the so-called "Freedom Phalanx" ever were.

Due to my local knowledge he contracted me for a few missions for him - for which in return I procured a few little toys from him.

Firstly I was able to barter from him one of the energy rifles the Rikti seem so proud of. It was at least comparable to my own ZR Assault Rifle, but lacked that extra bit of punch. Still, a serviceable weapon and one I will be keeping around for a forseeable time.

The second trinket was much more to my liking - three Rikti Drones, hard coded to follow me once activated. Alas, the Ambassador seems to have not fully trusted me as the first Drone I activated self-destructed on me after a certain period of time. I have retained one for futher study and reseach - of particular not is its shielding... I should be able to adapt it quickly for some form of body armour.

So, with a full ZR Autonomous Combat System Platoon, a Rikti Drone or two and Doc Bot's Ares Mk2 we made short work of the Longbow Base that Kuhr'Rekt wanted dealt with. Which was a pleasure since the imbecilic fools locked me up and set my research back by months!

Hell, I would have done it for nothing!

Emergency Broadcast Intercepted

Source: Paragon Emergency Broadcast System
Clearance Level: Omega

Content: Attention all Registered Heroes. Threat Level 40 Supervillain Master Zaprobo has been filmed escaping from Longbow Secure Storage Facility "Agincourt" in the Nerva Archipelago (see attached).

All active heroes on Etoile Islands Operations are advised to exercise extreme caution. Sources have confirmed that Master Zaprobo is beginning to reassemble Arachnos Research and Development under the direct command of Black Scorpion.

We repeat: Master Zaprobo is back.

A Meeting of Minds

Finally, Black Scorpion has approved my access to Grandville (after losing the paperwork a few times, no doubt). My first stop was to beg an audience with Lord Recluse himself.

Mysteriously, the Arbiters allowed me direct access to our leader, who still seems under the delusion that I may be one of his Chosen Ones.

Still, it suited my purposes and I was able to give Lord Recluse a direct status report on the research of Arachnos Research and Development and our works so far. He seemed moderately impressed and directed me to work even closer with Black Scorpion and his "Project Destiny" - as part of which he has allowed me access to progress my Threat Clearance Level on from 40.

We shall have to see what the coming months bring.

"For Caleb", pah!

I encountered a very strange ectoplasmic demon today while passing by Thorn Isle in the Nerva Archipelago. The entity called itself Caleb - which now makes a lot more sense of the Nerva Spectral Demons I've fought who cry out "For Caleb".

For saying he was of impressive size, the sheer power of the allies I had with me at the time brought him down very quickly. Shame, I thought he might have been more of a challenge from his appearance.

ARAD Triumphs Again

Yes! Finally, we managed to gouge that Eye out of the Leviathan and deliver it to Renault. It only took a couple of extra personnel and some more sturdy airborne tactics.

This time myself, Doc Bot, Dr E Genius, Dr Zweistein, new recruit Xcessive and intern Metaform took on the trials set by the Strike Force Operative. Disturbingly, the Eye of the Leviathan fell as easily as Fishsticks this time.

Arachnos will be pleased.

Time Out

I took some time out today to relax in the Arachnos Facility in Port Oakes while I was between field tests and catch up on some paperwork. Maintaining supplies for the ARAD Research Facility and keeping a neutral stance between Lord Recluses' Lieutenants uses up a lot of our scientists' prestige. The protection money alone is astronomical.

Still, the weapons and devices we supply Arachnos with do pay well, and we can certainly afford the bribes, backhanders and sweetners needed to keep the ARAD Lab in the black. Plus, plenty spare to requisition new parts.

I also popped by to Mercy Isle at Kalinda's request to show some new Destined Ones the height of Arachnos Technology with the ZR Autonomous COmbat System. I had quite a few interested new "villains" stop by to admire my handiwork.

Some days, it's just nice to stop and enjoy the Rogue Isles. It's a wonderful place to live and work - so full of opportunity

Failure? It Won't Last, Dammit!

Curses! Strike Force Operative Renault has set Arachnos Research and Development an almost impossible task! Here we are posing with the Operative before myself, Doc Bot, Dr Zweistein and an intern - Dark Ashes - set off.

Not only did Captain Mako's own lieutenant Barracuda turn on us part way though our allotted missions (never trust a fish), we then had to combat the Leviathan underneath Sharkshead Isle.

I say the Leviathan, we were actually just attacking its eye! I was expecting a normal sized eye - not some monster like this.

After facing (briefly) Calystyx the Shaper (poor Fishsticks fell easily as always) Doc Bot, Dr Zweistein, Dark Ashes and myself were barely able to dent the thing! We threw two Warburg warheads, and several batallions of robots at it. Insanity!

We need better tactics. And maybe more nuclear weapons...

Mole Point Bravo

As I suspected - at least Technician Grant Naylor still had some important work for Arachnos to be done for a member of my rank.

This time I had to infiltrate and subvert a Longbow-held base in an alternate dimension - code-named Mole Point Bravo. Somewhere in a dimension called the "Shadow Shard". Regardless, the task was easily accomplished.

The suprise came when not a half hour later ARAD received an emergency call from Naylor that we were needed to go back to the newly secured facility and repel some alien invaders and destroy it to stop them breaking through to our dimension. Shades of the Rikti, methinks. But as least the Rikti are vaguely human-looking - some of these "Rularuu" were floating eyeballs!

Curiously, I encountered some of Lord Nemesis' troops in the Shadow Shard - seems like he may have interests there and I may have to end up tangling with his automatons soon. Good thing I've already dismantled several and ascertained they pose no threat to the might of Arachnos and the technology of ARAD's Scientists.

As a side-note from my jaunt to the Shadow Shard, I would like to report the Base Commander Rimsey for gross stupidity! Half the regulations he quoted at me didn't exist, and he was reckless to the point of dangerousness - charging at Rularuu Brutes leaving me and ARAD to jump after him to save his hide. Yes, he was needed to activate the self-destruct on the base portal, but really - a little respect for Arachnos Research and Development's position among Arachnos Prime was due.

Reminiscences

Now that I have reached the rank of Captain within Arachnos Core, as well as Chief Scientist of Arachnos Research and Development, I have found myself thinking of my life a mere seven months ago when I broke out of the Zig back in Paragon City.

I have infamy, the brightest colleagues the Rogue Isles has to offer, unparalleled robotics and weaponry. I have an impressive list of souvenirs granted to me by members of the Rogue Isles community I have worked with and taken from fools I have defeated.

Actually, looking at them they're quite a mismatch. Kalinda's kiss, Bletchley's goggles, a letter sealed with a black kiss, the hit list, an after action report, an old drawing of myself, a Zig guard hat, a rivet, a coral shard, a darkened crystal, a fragment of Red Coral Crystal, an ancient Mu relic, Mynx's fur, the Brawler's mask, Luminary's schematics, a Rikti embryo, Infernal's axe, Luckless' lucky chip, a silver tongue, Johnny Sonata tickets, a completed contract, a "Vote for Wenkler" button, a Johnny Sonata techno-remix, a burned out spirit trap, a signed glossy of Johnny Sonata, a citation full of commendation, snakeskin boots, Indigo's hair, Tears of the Spirit, Jezebel's Token and a Longbow pin

Yet, I still feel there must be more out there. I have barely scratched the surface and never stepped foot outside of the lab into the rest of Grandville. Alas, Black Scorpion has informed me all "Destined Ones" have their permits on back order, so it's just a waiting game.

Still, seems that Technician Naylor still has some work for me to do...

Threat Level 40

Some strange malfunction in the ZR Aegis Transponder today caused it to explode, albeit harmlessly, in a shower of sparks. Seems some incoming message from Arachnos set it off...

... ah. It would appear as my Arachnos Threat Level has reached Clearance 40. Well, that is a suprise - especially since the Black Helicopter Line still won't clear me for landing on Grandville. I must submit a formal complaint to Black Scorpion...

Wretch in Name and Nature

Former ally, yet if an Arbiter in the Rogue Isles deems you guilty then you are indeed guilty.

It was my somewhat sad duty to apprehend Wretch - Seer Marino's brother, and Ghost Widow's lieutentant for scheming that undermines the stability of Arachnos on the orders of Arbiter Leery.

I was ably assisted by Existence, Evil Thistle and Fallen Snow - esteemed colleagues who I have worked with other the past months on several ocasssions. Very skilled in their respective fields.

We also had to apprehend Ice Mistral, a confidante and ally of Scirocco on similar charges - it appears that Scirocco and Ghost Widow had been set at each others' throat over some mystical artifact called "Tears of the Spirit". Whatever they were, my Assault ZR destroyed them on the Arbiter's orders.

Binder of Beasts. Finally.

Taking a break from working with Technician Naylor (he managed to squeeze me in for a project or two) and Hardcase (he seems to have demon issues, but I occassionally get something worthwhile and technological out of him) I had popped down to Cap Au Diable to take out some Gremlins causing fluctuations to the PTS.

While there I heard a call on the Arachnos Request Channel that my erstwhile colleague Professor Vulcan was gathering some allies at the behest of Virgil Tarikoss. Having failed Tarikoss previously, I was in a mood to redeem myself so I joined up with the Professor, Dr Blitzkrieg, Mindblast, ArticusLupus and an excellent Brute whose name escapes me right now.

We made good time tracking down the information Virgil needed (he must have some form of amnesia - I'm sure I provided him with all these details previously) and we progressed through his portal to the prison of Bat'Zul - the demon that the accursed Dr Aeon is powering the PTS from.

After a minor setback, which necessitated a quick trip to the Black Heart Memorial Hospital for everyone, we organised our arrayed forces in good tactical order and lured Bat'Zul into our trap. The image to the left was capture just before his eventual defeat. Though I had to summon an entire production run of Drone ZR's and Protector ZR's to attack this monstrosity our team prevailed and Bat'Zul was bound back to his prison.

Only to get back to Virgil and find he was a thrice-damned hero and was hoping the demon would defeat me and my colleagues! I have reported him to Arachnos - no doubt they will keep their eye on this "Tarikoss the Vigilant" for interfering with Arachnos Research and Development like this.

Still, the ZR Series Teleportation Delivery System seems to perform extremely well under trans-dimensional conditions - barely any time-delay at all.

More Nemesis. My Curiosity is Piqued

A field trip to another dimension with some colleagues recently gave me the change to look at some of these Nemesis "Warhulks" in closer detail.

It appears that a pilot is seated in some form of fluid-filled tank which may or may not also be fuel for its fire-based attacks. Obviously it is simply some form of powered armour suit.

What strikes me is the complexity of these devices - despite it being entirely steam-driven they are intricately detailed and superbly crafted. I really must meet and exchange ideas with Lord Nemesis.

That, or defeat him and take what I want. Either is good.

A Day of Two Halves

Today has certainly been eventful - I have only just had the opportunity to sit down and collate my thoughts about it. I've been working for a whole range of people now that my Arachnos Threat Level has broken Clearance 35. It's resulted in some friendly, and some not so friendly faces.

It has also resulted in me going to strange parallel dimensions. A Technician Naylor near Thorn Isle in the Nerva Archipelago sent me to one at the behest of famed musician Johnny Sonata. I had to fetch a magus by the name of Akarist - one of those damned Circle of Thorns types. Still, he came along peacefully enough one I had dispatched the Longbow Commander to make my point (ably assisted by another roboticist calling themselves War Lord).

I may have to pop back and speak with Technician Naylor - he looked to be doing some interesting work, possible at the behest of Lord Recluse himself and I'd of course like to offer ARAD's services..

Then, this evening I had the luck to be tipped off by Magus Mu'Drakhan that the dratted Hero Infernal had returned to the Rogue Isles. Determined to strike at him and capture the moment, I gathered a group of ARAD scientists (Dr E Genius, Doc Bot and Dr Zweistein) and set off.

Suffice to say, he didn't last long against us! And the lack of jamming devices meant I was able to capture an image for posterity!

At this stage of my research, the ZR Autonomous Assault System is complete. I can make tweaks to their damage output, but the are feature rich and ready for Arachnos to use. It is now time I turned back to the ZR Aegis Transponder. I have a theory that I could create a "solid" forcefield to keep attackers at bay....

Lord Nemesis?

Came across a very curious machine today while "closing down" a company called BrassTack Technology. Sure, the employees seemed a little "wooden" but if it wasn't for this monstrosity I wouldn't have realised they were all robots.

Near flawless human automatons. Beautiful.

All ruined by this steam-powered piece of lunacy - my ZR Series made short work of it despite its impressive flamethower. While I attached one to my Assault ZR Series for close in work, nothing can beat the high-yield lasers for sheer destructive power.

I am curius as to who this "Lord Nemesis" that the "Warhulk" spoke of is - he may have much useful technology I could acquire for Arachnos.

Rikti Invaders? Nope, Thoroughly Helpful

I've been doing some work on the side for Crey Industries this past week or two and I've been running into more and more Rikti each day. I've rather begun to suspect that this Kelly Uqua (my Crey liason) is actually Rikti herself!

Nah, silly concept.

Anyway, the last run she sent me on saw me dealing with some Longbow aboard one of their freighters. I was feeling a touch outnumbered until I released this nice Rikti (who's name I just couldn't pronounce!). He very helpfully teleported around after me mopping up the Longbow dregs. Just another example of Paragon City Paranoia - the Rikti aren't a threat, and we can happily co-exist peacefully with them.

He even let me have a look at that rifle of his. Inferior technology alas, so nothing I could really salvage.