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| “ | I was designed to find dreamers. I found you and lost you. But I found her, Casey. Dreamers need to stick together. It's not programming, it's personal.
— Athena
|
” |
Athena is an Audio Animatronic android girl built by Plus Ultra, a secret organization dedicated to one cause: to make a better world. Built at least sometime before 1964, Athena served as a recruiter, finding scientists and artists and leading them to Tomorrowland, Plus Ultra's secret city, located in another universe. During the 1964 World's Fair, she helped a boy genius named Frank Walker to find Tomorrowland, where he was made a full-fledged member. Walker soon fell in love with Athena but grew angry when he discovered that Athena wasn't human.
After the Monitor, a machine that can see into the future, predicts an eventual apocalypse, the goal of making a better world is dropped, and soon after in 1984 Frank is banished from Tomorrowland. Now out of work and avoiding disassembly, Athena escapes to earth and seeks out someone who can help fix the Monitor, eventually finding a teenage genius named Casey Newton. Together with an adult Frank Walker, they go back to Tomorrowland and try to convince Governor Nix, the head of Plus Ultra, that earth's fate could be avoided, only to discover that Nix is partial to blame for the coming disaster. Together they defeat Nix and his men, but during the battle Athena jumped in front of Frank Walker and took an energy blast from Governor Nix, saving Frank's life but condemning her own. Knowing that when her body fails her self-destruct device will go off, she has Frank drop her into the monitor, but not before letting him know that she had loved him as well.
Athena has x-ray vision and is strong enough to go toe-to-toe with and even rip the heads off adult-sized, super strong Audi Animatronics. In one case, she pried apart the hand of a giant robot (12 feet tall, several tons in weight). Athena has superhuman agility, speed (can outrun a truck) and is tough enough to survive being hit full speed by a truck (she sat up seconds later, no dent or permanent damage). Athena has master martial arts programming and advanced tactical strategic thinking.
Battle vs. Terminator (Terminator 2) (by GSFB)[]
Casey Newton opened the window to her bedroom, smiling at the thought of another successful night delaying the inevitable. The shuttle launchpad had been scheduled to be dismantled two weeks ago, her father’s work worth more now for scrap metal than spaceflight. Now and again she would sneak off past midnight, sabotaging any equipment she could find at the launch site, anything that would serve to snag the coming demolition. She knew it was a losing battle, knew she couldn’t hold back the hands of reverse progress, but she had to fight, she had to preserve the dream of a superior future. She would fail, but she knew as she opened the window and stepped in that it was a just cause, a last stand for an optimist in a world that seemed to care less about the future and more about the almighty buck.
As she lowered the window, she heard a harsh whisper behind her. Turning, she saw her brother huddled next to the bed, his face whiter than the moonlight coming from the window should have allowed.
“Hey, what are you...what is it?” Casey said, noticing the fear, the horror, in her little brother’s eyes. As he tried to speak, she knelt down to him. “What’s wrong? Wha-
“He’s big.” he said, his jaw shivering. A tear fell down his face. “He was looking for you.”
“Who? Who is- A door shut. Casey looked up. She was about to say something when her brother struck her in the gut. Looking down, her shock was surpassed by his terrified eyes.
“He’s still here...”
“...Who?”
“Casey? That you?” Her father said. Before she could turn to the barely closed door, her brother whined, shaking his had fanatically.
“Its not daddy. He sounds like him, at times but...not him.” “What are you—
“Daddy is….dead.”
Casey backed away from him, now registering the fear swelling in her gut. Something felt wrong. As heavy footsteps creaked the stairs, she heard her father’s voice again.
“Casey? It’s your dad. Where have you been?”
“He knows I left?” She whispered, rational thought trying to fight off the eerie aura that surrounded her. Why isn’t he mad? Why isn’t he—
The heavy footsteps reached the top of the stairs.
“Casey? Are you...there?”
The floor rebelled against the footsteps, creaking so loudly that Casey wondered if it was being dented by the weight of the walker. Whoever was talking, whoever was walking down the hallway, was not her father. Sounded like him, sure, but he never made the floor creak like this.
As she looked down, she saw her brother shake, growing whiter. She caught the stench of feces coming off of him. Another footstep creaked the floor.
“Casey? How are you doing pumpkin?”
“When has he ever called me—
Another footstep, close to the door. She could see the man’s shadow moving across the bottom of the white door. She gulped.
“Okay we’re getting out of here now. Follow me!”
Grabbing her brother’s hand, she led him to the window. In a speed that surprised her, she opened it, put him outside, then jumped out. As she lowered the window, the bedroom door slammed. She froze.
In her room stood a man over six feet tall and built like a Mack truck. Dressed in black leather pants, boots and shoes, the man looked cold, hard. The man’s cold eyes somehow pierced through his dark sunglasses, making Casey’s gut turn and heart skip a beat. Casey noticed the strap around his chest that held numerous thick shells, then the Winchester in his right hand. Seeing her, the man aimed the gun.
“Casey Newton, you are Ter—
Casey screamed, ducking as her window exploded with buckshot. She picked up her brother and ran out of the back yard. Suddenly she tripped over something in the driveway, something she had missed as she parked her motor bike. Falling forward, she turned and looked.
Her father stared back at her, eyes vacant, still. His body was crimson and pale. As Casey breathed faster, her brother lost all emotion.
“Daddy.” he said.
Casey heard glass shatter. Shaking her head, she put her brother onto the bike, got on, and started the engine. She was on the road before the big man opened the gate, seeing them ride to the south. He fired, barely missing his target as she sped off. Watching her go, he turned, not taking his eyes off them as he got onto his motorcycle.
Before he could start the engine, a truck turned on nearby, heading in the direction of the motorbike.
...
Casey drove at top speed into the backwoods, her adrenaline surging as she looked back now and again, seeing the approaching Harley. It had first appeared a minute ago, and it was catching up to her fast. Her heart sped up as she noticed the familiar driver, pulling out a familiar weapon. As she turned back, she saw a truck heading into the woods on the left. As two gunshots ran out, she turned, following the truck. In moments the motorcycle followed, but soon the big man lost her, not knowing at first that Casey had turned off the road, heading deeper into the woods. Turning his engine off, he picked up the noise of the bike, which sounded as if its engine was dying. Out of gas, the big man thought. Scanning the forest, he got off the Harley, readied his Winchester, and walked into the woods. Suddenly, a copperhead bit his leg. It hung on as he continued into the woods, sensing the injury but feeling no pain.
...
“No! Start! Start!”
Casey cussed, revving the engine till her hand hurt. Desperate, she looked around, hoping to find an egress, somewhere they could hide.
Nearby, the truck engine died.
“A truck...come on.” she said, lifting her brother and leaving the bike behind. Her brother remained still, limp as a dead man as she walked around bushes and over exposed roots, hoping she didn’t step on a snake or a raccoon’s tail. Who knew what lurked in here, she thought, remembering that story about a king cobra skin that was found in the everglades. So many exotic pets let loose...no, she thought, trying to avoid the images such thoughts sprang to mind. Shaking her head, she picked up speed, seeing the truck in a clearing.
“Okay, almost there...”
As she stepped into the clearing, the big man stepped into view, raising his rifle. She gasped, knowing it was too late. The boy was mindless, emotionless as the stranger targeted them.
“Hasta la Vista, bab—
Suddenly, the big man was lifted. Casey’s shock went wild as she saw a child, a young girl, holding him with one hand effortlessly. Her eyes hard, she slung him into the truck, denting the door and sending the vehicle moving five feet.
“We have to go!” the little girl said,
“Right now!”
“How did you—
The Terminator pried himself from the busted truck. Raising his gun, he aimed it at Casey again. In a flash, the little girl kicked it out of his hand, struck him in the gut twice, then threw him into a large cypress. Splinters flew, Casey ducking as wooden shards fell around her. Looking up, she saw the big man rise again, his forehead looking metallic, shining with reflected moonlight. Blood flowed on his face.
“Move!” The little girl said, grabbing Casey and her brother and running off with them into the woods. A hundred yards away, she stopped.
“What...what was that?” Casey said, excited but remembering to whisper.
“An audio-animatronic, I believe, but I have never seen that model...” the little girl said, looking behind them. She pulled out an energy pistol.
“Get down!”
Casey and her brother obliged. The little girl looked around, her x-ray vision spotting nothing.
“What is an audio animatronic? And who...or what are you?”
“My name is Athena, and an audio animatronic is an advanced...”
Athena raised her hand. I got you, she thought, seeing the big man emerge from between two trees, a different gun in his hand.
“Casey, take your brother, sneak off now.”
“...He’s still alive?”
“Do as I say!” Athena said, whispering,
“He has a...go now!”
As Casey ran with her brother Athena fired, seeing the yellowish energy bolt pierce the stranger’s chest. Looking down, the big man noted the blood and crackling electricity. Raising his head, he aimed. It bleeds…., Athena thought. Raising an eyebrow, she jumped out of the way. A grenade flew past her, striking an oak. The forest shook and burned, noise nearly crippling Casey’s ears. The boy suddenly starting wailing, his shock replaced with fear and wild survival instincts. Athena ran at incredible speed as the big man fired two more times, shaking the woods like the feet of a giant. The third shot landed near Athena, sending her into a high, thick branch and then onto the forest floor. Getting up, she suddenly realized her pistol was gone. She looked around for it, her X-ray vision not picking it up. Before she could spot it she froze, hearing the big man approach. She ducked through two bushes, noiseless and calculating. Meanwhile the big man listened, trying to pick up whines, cries, or moans amidst the roar of the flames and the snapping of tumbling trees. His night vision crimson and sharp, he walked closer to the flames, trying to spot his quarry. As he passed a patch of quicksand, he replaced his M79 blooper with his Winchester.
“Terminator Cyberdyne Systems model 101” the Terminator left eye wrote, in words only he could see,
“Scanning...”
Birds flew and squawked, a coyote whimpered, running off with her tail between her legs. The Terminator moved his gun around, as slow as a panther stalking deer.
He heard rapid footsteps. He turned, firing into the woods. No sound. Curious, the Terminator walked towards where he had fired, hoping he had hit whatever it was that was protecting Casey Newton, whatever it was that proved strong enough to throw him around like a toy. He looked left, right, then ahead, his feet sinking deep into the mud.
With a rush of wind a tiny hand hit him in the lower back with the force of a battering ram, sending him sprawling into the dirt. Pushing himself up, he turned in time to see a small foot closing in on his face. His endoskeleton vibrated with the impact, and as he fought to get up a chop to the side of the head sent him down again. He looked around, trying in vain to reach Athena as she grabbed his leg and threw him into another tree. As she closed in, he reached out and grabbed her neck. Lifting her, he squeezed.
“Curious. You’re definitely a new design...” Athena said, prying his fingers open and dropping to the ground. She fired off eight punches and three kicks, sending the Terminator back into the tree. As he got back up and grabbed her shoulders, she kicked his knee, tipping him onto his side. Kicking him two more times, she grabbed his arm and threw him over her head, into another tree. Sensing serious damage, the Terminator grabbed a huge downed branch nearby and swatted her with it, sending her flying into the woods. As she lay still, he struggled to get up, his leg severely damaged. Seeing her rise, he pulled out his minigun, aimed, and fired. She darted away before the first bullets could reach her, disappearing as the forest filled with lead death.
While he was firing, the truck started up. Casey thanked God for the keys the mysterious girl gave her. Looking around carefully, she drove off, back onto the main road. Seconds later the truck was going 90 miles per hour, heading north. Her brother turned and looked out the back window, watching as the forest stirred with flame.
The terminator fired at a 360 degree angle, severing branches and sending small trees crashing into the earth. Two does fell, covered in red dots as he kept up the salvo. After a few more seconds he stopped, scanning the woods with his infrared vision.
Not seeing anything, he spoke.
“Help me!” he said, in Casey’s voice,
“Help me! I’m hurt!”
The fires rose, spreading deeper in the woods as the terminator walked, noting numerous tiny footprints and nothing else. He was about to fire his minigun again when something tiny fell at his feet. Looking down, he saw a small sphere that began to move and glow. As it whined, he turned his gun on it, thinking it to be a grenade.
All of a sudden, the Terminator and everything around him for a ten foot radius froze. Rapid footsteps could be heard again.
For 43 seconds the Terminator didn’t stir, didn’t think, its body immune to the touch of time. Then, as the time field dissolved he opened fire, shattering the now dead time freeze grenade. Looking around, he did a diagnostic check, finding anomalies in his organic components, anomalies reminiscent of those that occurred in a time jump. Somehow, he thought, he had traveled slightly through time.
He was about to hunt down the enemy machine when he remembered his targets. Casey Newton and her brother were now in the truck, no doubt driving away at full speed. Hesitating, the Terminator walked towards his bike.
As he walked past a downed pine, he heard what sounded like a garbled woman’s voice. He turned his gun, scanning the woods. He saw nothing. Pulling out his pistol, he fired several times in all directions, hoping to flush out whoever or whatever he had heard, but there was nothing afterwards but silence. Still seeing nothing, he approached his bike once more.
As he reached his bike, he heard it again. The sound came from a nearby bush. He fired several times into it, seeing no one fall, hearing nothing move. Curious, he walked over to the bush, looking inside to see what was making the noise. His eyes narrowing, he pulled the bush from the ground. As he lifted it, he spotted something metallic buried among the roots. Tilting his head, he bent down, putting his fingers on it. They sunk into the wet earth, soon attaining a grip. Pulling it out, he saw another grenade, one far different from the one before.
As he raised his eyebrow, the grenade went off.
Night turned into a fiery day, birds and low level clouds scattering as a 1-kiloton weapon went off, toppling countless trees. Athena was by now nearly 5 miles away when the blast hit, suddenly finding herself flying through several branches and into a creek. Before she could rise out of it, a wave of hot wind and smoke covered the creek, making its surface waters churn. She knelt, waiting for the chaos to subside before she rose from the water, encountering a wilderness saturated with smoke. Knowing that no audio anamatronic could survive such a blast, she darted out of the woods, making her way to the nearest road. As she left, the head of the terminator fell near the creek, blackened by the fire of the blast. Its eyes went from red to dark, eventually settling on dark.
...
Athena found the road minutes later, making her way north. After several minutes of running she found the truck.
She froze.
It was in the middle of the road, not moving and no one inside it. Both doors were wide open, tire marks cross crossing the road. Disturbed, Athena looked the truck over, then the muddy ground nearby, spotting a series of footprints, several of them small. Looking to see where they were headed, she suddenly heard a twig snap. Turning on her X-ray vision, she spotted thirty men with assault rifles, all aimed at her. Turning around, she spotted ten more, one of which walked out into the open. He was wearing what looked like a swat uniform, his eyes covered in night vision goggles.
“We have them. Try anything, they are dead. Move!” the man said, motioning with his gun. Athena glared, then did as he said, following the tracks. The men behind her followed.
After several seconds of walking, she entered another clearing.
“Halt!” the man behind her said. She stopped, seeing the men around her enter the meadow, along with Casey, her brother, and a man she did not expect to see, someone she had not seen in many, many years.
“Frank Walker?” Athena said, eyes wide with shock. Frank spat blood out of his mouth.
“Athena. I knew you were somehow to blame for this new round of fun!” He said, glaring at her.
“Shut up! Down!” a man behind him said, striking him with his rifle. Frank went down on his knees. Casey and her brother were forced next. Each had a gun to their temple.
“Stop! Don’t!” Athena said, raising a hand. The men backed away from her.
Another man approached, dressed in a black suit. He stood in front of her, his face obscured by the night.
“Congratulations on destroying the cyborg, Athena.”
Athena’s eyes narrowed. She looked around, then back at the man.
“You work for Governor Nix.”
“Oh no, child. But then again, you are no child, correct?”
The man’s head tilted. Athena thought she saw a smirk.
“No, we don’t work for Governor Nix. Nor are we from Tomorrowland. We work for the American government.”
“...How do you know about Tomorrowland.” Athena said, once again shocked. The man sighed.
“Plus Ultra may think itself well hidden, but we have ways of finding out secrets. Its what I do for a living; finding them, as well as keeping them. We’ve been impressed by your technology, especially that monitor you made. Most impressive.”
Frank raised an eyebrow.
“The Monitor? How did you—
“Silence!” the man behind Frank said, hitting him again with his gun. Frank shot the man a look.
“Do that again and I’ll ram that thing into your mouth!”
The man raised his gun. The man in the suit raised his hand, shaking it. The man guarding Frank lowered it.
“You sent the...cyborg, was it?” Athena said. She thought she saw a smirk again.
“No, a super computer from a possible future did, one that would start world war three sooner if you and your friends hadn’t blown the monitor up.”
“What? What are you talking about? The monitor is still there!” Frank said. The man in the suit turned to him.
“For now, but you were on your way to destroying it, before the cyborg arrived and tried to stop you. The monitor is what is behind the world’s imminent destruction, the one Athena here is trying to stop. We want to help you in that enterprise.”
Athena’s eyes narrowed.
“If what you say is true, if we end up destroying the monitor, then we don’t need you to do it.”
“I can have your three friends killed right now, Athena.”
The guns were pressed into the faces of the prisoners. Athena looked worried.
“I can pull some strings, use tech of our own to reach that monitor, but I’d rather have your help and tech. I and other hand picked men will go with you to the monitor, try what we can to save or destroy it. Destroy it? Fine. Repair it? Also fine. Either way, I and those I represent want access to Tomorrowland’s tech. It would prove very valuable to us.”
“Who are you?” Athena asked.
The man in the suit smiled, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. As he pulled a cigarette out, Athena saw the name brand on the pack:
MORLEY’S
The man in the suit pulled out a lighter. The sound of his flicking it was like a shotgun blast.
WINNER: ATHENA!
Expert's Opinion[]
While the Terminator had better size and resistance to injury, Athena's superior speed, agility and tech gave her a considerable advantage!