Fateful Encounters - Subject Sigma (Jacogos) vs. T'kam Ar'lok (Thelonewanderer)

[Jacogos]

Colosseum Match

Deciding Factor: Death or surrender, if accepted.

Time Limit: None.

Subject Sigma Unchained (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10331&p=923869&viewfull=1#post923869) vs. T'kam Ar'lok (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53216&p=1797338&viewfull=1#post1797338)

Note: For the sake of plot-consistency, this match will not take place in the Proving Grounds



The forest seemed to loom ominously overhead as the stage was set for a clash between two warriors. The android Subject Sigma slowly meandered her way through the woods, unaware that a challenger was approaching her position.

Located deep within an ancient forest, the two would be fighting amidst the ruins of a long-forgotten civilization. Rocky outcroppings marked the spots where great towers once rose, while the foundations of civilian buildings crumble underfoot every few dozen yards. The forest that grew over this once-great construct was far older than any living being could remember, leaving only speculation as to what used to live here in what must have been an urban city. Birds squawked in the trees and small rodents chattered in the brush before the air began to tense slowly as the two combatants began to draw closer to each other.

Silence began to fall on the forest as Sigma stepped over a fallen tree that crushed what once might've been a main street store. Feeling the sudden tension on the breeze, the android girl halted, scanning the trees anxiously. She was used to being pursued, but it was rare when the feeling came from in front of her rather than behind. Settling back onto her feet, Subject Sigma awaited the hunter, her calculating eyes glancing towards the setting sun with a feeling of unease.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

T'kam was laying in wait. normally she wouldn't have waited so long for her opponent, but from what she's heard, this one adapts the longer you fight, so a stealth approach would be needed.

Having her Av-Camo on, T'kam had kept slightly ahead of subject Sigma in the ruins of some long lost civilisation. Stopping in a tree branch, T'kam waited till Sigma was under her, and fell off the branch, cloak dropping as her energy daggers came out, hoping to get the drop on the android.

[Jacogos]

Thanks to senses that she was unaware she had, Sigma barely managed to avoid being ended in one fell swoop. Leaping aside, the android righted herself quickly and held her hands up palms forward towards her opponent, slowly backing up as she began to overview the figure before her.

The creature was not human in the slightest; in fact, Sigma had never seen anything like it before in her year or so of life. It was obviously alien; it was notably humanoid in appearance, but much larger in build. From what she could see, it had beady yellow eyes, two-toed feet, three-fingered hands, and what looked like greyish scaly skin where it wasn't completely covered in armor, all of which designated this being as 'not human' to Sigma.

"What are you...?" Sigma questioned aloud, unable to stop herself in time. She immediately snapped her teeth shut, a hint of color lighting up her cheeks in her body's mimicry of human embarrassment. Focusing on the fact that this creature was out to kill her, Sigma readied herself for another attack, still hesitantly backing up towards one of the nearby ruins.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

"Your end, construct" T'kam said as she recovred from the roll after failing to drop assassinate the android. deactivating her energy daggers, the female Sangheili went for the hilts at her thighs. grasping them, with a flick of her wrist both of her energy swords were ignited, the glowing crimsion blades making T'kam to look like a demon.

T'kam lunged forward, swiping her swords in an 'X' shape, with the goal of cutting the construct in half.

[Jacogos]

It spoke English! Or rather it spoke a phrase, though the wording was oddly specific for it to be one of the 'few' phrases it knew. Sigma assumed it was fluent. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity that was only shoved down momentarily by fear when the alien rushed her.

Yelping in fear, Sigma did the only thing she could think to do; with the alien's weapon's burning images into her mind, the android conjured herself a weapon that was a duplicate of the ones T'kam held, the energy sword springing to life in her right hand. It was a light teal-ish-blue, like her eyes and similar to the normal energy sword, perfectly fitted to her size and hand. The weapon hissed as it made contact with the other two swords, the blades locking for a brief moment before the alien's superior strength and momentum overpowered Sigma's.

The android stumbled back, holding the sword awkwardly in two hands like a samurai sword for a moment before her eyes traveled over T'kam studiously. It took only a moment for her to mirror the Sangheili's stance, though minus a sword, carrying the energy sword in her right hand and bringing her left hand up empty.

"Why must I be destroyed? Were you sent by the Omega Facility?" Sigma asked her opponent, eyes hardening for a moment, though anyone looking hard enough would still see that sparkle of curiosity there.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)


"Omega Facitlty? I'v never heard of them, but a price has been put on your head. For what its worth, im sorry, and may the Forerunners take mercy on you construct" T'kam said, as she thought of a plan of attack.

The Sangheili was surprised by the android's ability to make a copy of T'kam's energy sword, ablite one colored more like the traditional ones. Seeing the stance it was using, it might be able to put up a fight.

holding one blade up, and letting the other rest at her side, T'kam rushed forward, her right blade coming into the front for a simple slash, while her left was coming from the side. It was one or the other for a block. the one in front or the one from the side.

[Jacogos]

A price on my head... That still sounds like something the Facility would do... Sigma thought to herself, studying the creature before her with her unique eyes. What were the Forerunners? Was that the term for this alien's deities? Sigma pondered that even as she readied herself for the Elite's attack.

Instead of defending, however, Sigma switched tactics. Knowing that she'd likely catch the warrior off guard, the android held her left hand flat and palm outward as she conjured a jet of flame forth from it, leaping into existence in a flash and barreling towards the oncoming Sangheili.

Next, Sigma did one of two things. If T'kam simply rushed through the fire at her, Sigma would backflip away, landing lithely on a fallen tree truck and slipping to the side to put a bit more distance between herself and the alien. If T'kam dodged to either side, Sigma would rush forward, hoping to get in a shallow cut on one of her opponent's legs before backing up quickly. Her android 'brain' allowed her to process information much faster than the alien would be able to, so likely her reactions would be quick enough to avoid harm at least for now.

Should T'kam do neither of those two things, then Sigma would be forced to react differently (I.e. in my next post).

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

Seeing the android make a straight jet of flame, T'kam made a shift in her stance as she approached. pulling both arms back, she went into a slide with swords forward, and aimed for Sigma's legs, as the superheated plasma would cut through the flesh analog like they weren't there if the hit connected. At least the wound would be cauterized.

[Jacogos]

Yelping as she miscalculated the being's agility, Sigma leapt backwards onto the log as she had originally planned. So close was the hit to connecting that Sigma's bare feet were singed slightly by the plasma beams just barely missing. Sigma hissed in pain as she landed, wriggling her toes in discomfort.

"Who are the Forerunners?" Sigma asked, sensing the capital letter there. She did not make a move towards the alien this time, still simply holding her mimicked weapon ready and her left arm forward in preparation to attack or defend with her other abilities. The Sangheili wouldn't be surprised twice, Sigma was willing to bet.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

"the Forerunner were a race of beings from a time long ago, and they died by thier own hands to end a parasite of galactic scale, and ascended to godhood, or so the Prophets said. We didn't learn just how the Great Journey began till we almost started it." T'kam said, as she deactivated the blade in her left hand, and charged up a bit of plasma, before throwing it at the android with the speed of a pro-baseball league fast pitch.

[Jacogos]

"They killed themselves to end a parasite...?" Sigma questioned quietly, head tilted in curiosity. Galactic scale? she wondered inwardly, eyes trained on the alien even as she contemplated her words. Much of her statement was shrouded in mystery; the terms and names that the Sangheili was so familiar with were foreign languages to Sigma, at least in the sense of understanding them.

About a second before T'kam was finished speaking, Sigma's body glowed momentarily. The emitted light condensed towards a point above her head and formed a wisp of energy, which slowly began to orbit the android as it came into existence, awaiting her use of it. Sigma seemed not to notice the happening, so intrigued was she by her own thoughts over the alien's words.

She was, however, shaken from her musings when the alien deactivated her sword. It was about all the warning Subject Sigma had before a dangerous orb of plasma was hurled at her body. Making use of the wisp she had just conjured, Sigma conjured a defensive matrix about her body. The shield of pale green energy formed just as the plasma would've connected with her stomach. Instead of burning through her, the energy erupted against the shield, which held thanks to the wisp's enhancement.

"Might I ask your name, warrior?" Sigma asked after the plasma had dispersed, her voice betraying nothing of what she might be feeling about her too-close avoidance of the attack.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

"My name is T'kam Ar'lok, construct." T'kam said as she gripped the hilt of the blade she had deactivated, making it flare to life as sh brought it to bear. With both swords draw, T'kam dashed to the side as she activated her active camouflage, disappearing from sight, the Av-Camo unit covering even the glow from her blades as she approached, before coming to be to the android's right, with in range of a lunge.

T'kam however, waited. She wanted to see how the android reacted to the Sangheili disappearing.

[Jacogos]

"You may refer to me as Subject Sigma, or simply Sigma, if you wish," Sigma replied with a short bow of her head and a slight smile. Amazingly free with her speech, even despite her obvious desire to slay Sigma. Most enemies got annoyed when the android spoke to them instead of bringing the fight to a short conclusion. Sigma couldn't help her natural curiosity, though.

Sigma tensed visibly, however, when T'kam moved suddenly, somehow managing to slip from sight in the same instant. The robot's eyes widened slightly as she searched for her opponent, but the Sangheili was nowhere to be found.

Don't panic, Sigma, this is not your first fight! she reminded herself sternly, her auditory receptors taking over where her ocular ones failed now. Although the alien had disappeared from sight, there was little it could do to hide its very distinct footfalls. That is, until they stopped coming.

.... she stopped moving? Sigma thought in wonder, peering in the vague direction of where the Sangheili's last few steps had been heard. Squinting for a brief moment, the android tried as hard as she could to detect some sort of visible inconsistency that would explain where her opponent was, but she was out of luck.

"Hmmm..." Sigma hummed to herself, her left hand going flat as she braced herself for her 'magic'. She had an idea. A small ball of wind formed itself in front of her flattened palm, condensing to the size of a softball. Then, with but a thought, Sigma sent the ball downwards at a sharp angle. The idea was to send the leaf-and-stick-ridden forest ground a twitter, flinging the natural debris about. Most likely, something would stick to or hit the Sangheili if she was hidden there in plain sight. At that point, Sigma would attempt to strike, a simple slash at whatever her plan revealed.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

Seeing the wind blast stir up the leaves and other various forest debris on the ground, T'kam was somewhat impressed. it was a good way to reveal a cloaked enemy, and it was rarely used by the people T'kam had fought in the past. Then again, most of them didn't have the elements at hand to use.

With her camo no good, T'kam dropped the cloak, letting it recharge. With Sigma coming at the Elite swordstress, T'kam raised her own blade to block the simple slash and launched her won slash at Sigma's open torso.

[Jacogos]

Sigma was disadvantaged up close, she realized this. The warrior wielded two blades while she only had one. That was no position any sane warrior would want to be in. However, Sigma had planned on T'kam being caught off-guard by her position being revealed.

That was not the case.

Sigma bit her tongue hard to keep herself from screaming in pain as the energy sword slit her chest open from her left breast down towards her right side. It did not bisect her, as she was already moving backwards when the attack was launched. However, the blade cut rather deep, and cybernetics crackled from their exposed and severed endings.

She immediately tried to put her free hand to the wound, but, for a half-moment, the limb did not want to respond. In that time, her circuitry rewired itself so that everything would function in the same manner it had with fewer lines leading through the body. Grimacing, Sigma slowly placed her left hand over the wound, gritting her teeth in pain.

"Ow..." she whispered. However, she did not back down yet. Her grip on the energy sword she wielded tightened, and she managed to look her enemy in the eyes as she repositioned herself better.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

Under her helmet, T'kam was grinning, but not because she landed a hit. No, it was because this construct, Sigma, was able to look the sword T'kam in her eyes. Only the Demons she had slain had ever done that, and it made the female elite see this battle as an honorable one over a simple bounty hunt.

Snapping off her left blade, T'kam brought her right one to bear, bringing it up to chest level, her left hand under her right arm. "You stand when many would simply lay down and die. I commend you for that, but we still have a battle to fight. No more magic, only blades, agreed?" T'kam said the Sigma. The Elite wouldn't make the first move. She would leave it to the Android.

[Jacogos]

Sigma's eyes twinkled in happiness at the alien's compliment. A smile briefly settled on her own lips before the pain of her wound stole it away.

"I am nothing if not persistent, T'kam," Sigma said, taking a deep breath as she rolled her shoulders in preparation. Pain could be ignored, it could be overcome. Obstacles were nothing so long as you learned from your mistakes. Freed from the Omega Facility, Sigma was able to continue on with her own life, making her own choices. T'kam stood in the way of her living on, no matter how refreshing an opponent she was.

Subject Sigma couldn't afford to hold back anymore.

"No magic, then," Sigma agreed, returning to her stance, left hand forward. "Be at your ready!" With that, she shot forward. The wound's location meant it didn't slow down her limbs, despite its constant reminder of pain. As such, she was fully capable of the maneuver she was now performing. Just outside of T'kam's sword range, Sigma faked right, as if to move to the Sangheili's off-hand side. Instead, however, she quickly ducked into a quite tumble towards the left, coming to a crouched stop at T'kam's feet and right side. As she did so, her energy blade flicked out, aimed to sever the alien's legs.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

Readying her blade, T'kam brought it up, about to commit it left when the droid rolled to T'kam's right, aiming at the Elite's legs. Jumping up and backwards, T'kam dodged, but just barely, feeling the heat of Sigma's sword on her feet.

Landing on her legs, T'kam crouched down as she landed, coiling herself like a spring, before launching her self blade first at Sigma, aiming for the android's chest where the first wound was.

[Jacogos]

Still crouched, Sigma felt that she was in the best position to deal with this retaliation. Even as she watched the Sangheili prepare her attack, Sigma was running through the possible answers she herself could use. Short of exposing herself to a 'take a hit, gain a hit' scenario, Sigma quickly decided on a course of action.

Rolling onto her back in a fluid motion just as T'kam launched herself, Sigma pulled her legs up to her chest, biting her tongue hard to prevent herself from crying out in pain from her wound. Electricity crackled as the severed 'nerve' endings sparked against each other. She ignored the pain, however, placing her feet skyward as the Sangheili sailed over her.

Just as she did so, Sigma shoved her legs upward, intent on shoving T'kam in the stomach, which would turn her off kilter and likely landing headfirst or on her back. However, Subject Sigma, in her pain, didn't put enough strength into the kick, meaning T'kam might not even be affected. Still, Sigma rolled forward and twirled to face her enemy, hoping she might have a chance to attack. If T'kam was sufficiently put off by the kick, then Sigma would leap forward to stab at her downed opponent.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

The kick did nothing more then keep T'akm from stabbing downward, as it lifted the Sangheili enough to raise her just out of range. T'kma went overhead, landing in a roll like her training taught her, before coming right back up, and clashing blades with Sigma. T'kam's strength was playing to her advantage at the moment, more then likely catching the android off guard with this blade lock.

[Jacogos]

Sigma grunted lightly as she felt her blade lock with the alien's, suddenly no longer on the attack. Rather the opposite now, in fact, as the Sangheili's superior strength was quite evident almost immediately. However, Subject Sigma was deft enough to be able to quickly unlock her blade from T'kam without sustaining damage, leaping away on light toes.

Panting quietly, the android felt her body begin to expel another wisp, her form glowing for the brief moment before the small orb of energy coalesced above her head. With her standing agreement to avoid magic, Sigma only had one possible use for this wisp. Smiling sweetly, Sigma held out her left hand as the wisp slowly floated towards is.

"You are the most formidable opponent I have ever faced, T'kam..." she said, watching as the wisp sat in the palm of her hand. Immediately it began to glow brighter as it stretched and formed into a shape.

"Which is why I can no longer pretend that this will end in any way other than one of us defeated...." she murmured, her smile fading as she regarded the second beam sword that now sat comfortably in her left hand. Sighing heavily, Sigma assumed a stance, the left beam sword held at an upward angle in front of her, as if she was giving T'kam the finger with the sword. The other she held off to her side and downward, tip barely touching the ground.

"At your ready," Sigma said, her eyes flashing as the triple-irises seemed to spiral once before settling back to where they had been. Her face was all seriousness now, as if a complete change had come over her person since that last clash.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'Kam Ar'lok)

Under her helmet, T'kam was sporting a full blow smile. "You are a truly worthy opponent, Sigma. Not many can use two swords at once, and for this, I thank you." T'kam said as she drew her other blade, igniting it as well. T'kam held her blades up, her right blade pulled back and down, while her left was held almost parallel to the ground.

A second passed, and it seemed like an eternity, before T'kam lunged forward, her left arm swinging outwards, aiming for a clean cut in half, while her other blade came at Sigma from the side, with the intent to cleave the android's upper body in two.

[Jacogos]

Sigma managed a small smile as well, although it was short-lived; she knew now that there could be no turning back in this fight. She had to fight for keeps, fight for life. If she hesitated, the Sangheili would overwhelm her in but a moment. She had to fight at her best... At her most lethal.

Sighing inwardly at the ruthless necessity of it all, Sigma awaited T'kam's move. No sooner than it began to happen than Sigma was moving herself; the android's computer-like mind processed the alien's movement and calculated her own in the span of a second, leaving only the body to respond and act accordingly. Easier said than done, sure, but Subject Sigma wasn't about to let such a nonlethal wound stop her from doing her best.

A brief second after T'kam lunged, Sigma lunged as well. However, Sigma's movement quickly changed as she sprang into the air, quickly gaining altitude as she half-curled into a ball during her ascent. So calculated was the maneuver that it placed her upside down at the exact moment that she was over T'kam's head. In the span of that split-second, Sigma lashed out with her twin sabres, a cross-cut that could easily split open the alien's helmet and possibly even her head.

The momentum carried her through a full somersault, where she landed unsteadily on her feet behind T'kam. Stumbling slightly from the surge of pain she experienced, Sigma turned back towards her opponent awaiting the retaliation.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

With the overhead jump, T'kam was able to fall into a roll, Sigma's blade opening a gash on T'kam's helmet, making it to hot to wear. The Sangheili ripped it off in seconds, her face free to the open air. as she came to a standing position, she had a large grin on her face. This was the first battle in a very long time that had caused T'kam to remove her helmet for any reason.

"You fight well Sigma." T'kam said as she charged forward, feinting left with her left blade, before bringing up her right blade in a horizontal slash, while kicking out with her right leg, aiming for the spot she had hit much earlier

[Jacogos]

Sigma's computer-brain was all that kept her from being bisected. T'kam's strength and speed were far above Sigma's, though she could at least keep up with her superior reaction time. Instead of the eloquent flourish and counter that Sigma planned for the feint, she was forced to simple turn her weapon aside and deflect T'kam's horizontal slice. This left her wide open for the kick, however.

Sigma's vision blurred as she fell back, both hands clutching her wound as she hit the ground. The energy blades faded back to white wisps as she released them, which floated near her arms as they awaited her to resummon them. Sigma laid there for a moment, pain surging through her. Without a doubt, T'kam would be upon her already.

Opening her eyes, Sigma looked up at the Sangheili that towered over her lithe form. She was silent a moment, watching T'kam.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, embracing her abilities. An electrical pulse burst forth from her body, easily enough to stun T'kam if she were caught within it. Turning her back on the alien, Sigma made to escape, pausing only long enough to finish her sentence. "I cannot die here, yet..."

With that, Subject Sigma fled. This battle belonged to T'kam... for now.

[Thelonewanderer]

(T'kam Ar'lok)

The stun blast caught T'kam, and while it hurt, it didn't put her to the ground. It did however give Sigma the chance to make a getaway. As Sigma ran, T'kam had equal parts respect and anger at the bot. Respect for fighting well and knowing when to cut her loses, and anger because of how she cut her loses. "We will meet again some day Sigma, and next time, one of us will not be walking away alive.