2009/Symbiote vs Shark

Symbiote vs Shark
Date of Scene:	15 August 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Akula, Phage

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Akula has posed:
The waters of the North Atlantic are a little warmer this time of year, and down by the rocky New England shores, there's a little moment of peace. Boats are out to sea, people are working and children are returning to school, leaving the waters of the bay open to the return of wildlife who welcome the exodus of the crowds of summer.

A few fishermen are casting their lines off piers; otherwise the place is a reprieve from the business of the city just a few blocks over, a city whose buildings rise like steel fingers towards the light, shadows cast long over the deep green-blue waters during the right time of day.

Beneath those waters, a shark is getting her daily feed, chasing down any aquatic life big enough to satisfy her appetite. Hunting along the coast has become her daily occupation, as it keeps her fed without need of money or interaction with civilization. She'd done it for the last thirty years. There was no need to change the pattern.

A tall shark fin rises every so often out of the water, along with the swish of finned tail.

Phage has posed:
It is incredible. Long since lost is how long he's been running for. He's had to actually relax his breathing as all the air he needs and more besides is just there. This has been less of a workout and more of a learning experience. Since so much has changed Mach has been training and trying to find that which really pushes his new limits. Or, at least find them in the first place.

Through yellowed lenses, not unlike those most might wear to see better in low light conditions, he's seen ahead and noted the piers. A thought finds him. Perhaps they would be better served by braving the water. As running seems to be too tame a trial. Changing course Mach makes his along the boards boldly and dives off of the end of the otherwise empty pier without hesitation.

Diving down to gain depth he lets his form flow into something more suitable. Not his other's neutral form... but the gear of a diver complete with yellow tinted facemask. He needs no light to see. It seems he has other means to fall back on.

Akula has posed:
The scent change in the water is immediate, and it catches her attentions. She can honestly say that in her sixty years of existence she has never smelled anything like it. It requires investigation.

The eight foot humanoid form wheels easily through the dark waters, orange eyes bioluminescing eerily as she cruises at a good forty miles an hour through the water, not coming in at top speed, but trying to get closer to the source of the new smell quickly, curious.

It will only take a few minutes before the shark giantess comes within sensory range of Carl Mach.

Phage has posed:
Mach's newer senses serve him well. It's like a lit overlay of the cold constricted constructs he used to see. the fade of heat ebbing away to nothing if he looks downward. The crackle of lesser energies, presumably airbound transmissions above and... a significant signature. Inbound. Constant bearing with his course. The flares of electrochemical activity light brighter than most he's seen.

So... someone with a little more than meets the eye. Another someone. Amazingly small world, all things considered. Still. Should we continue? Discretion is important. We... still need to remember to refined appearing as human as we once were. Then again... the dark depths disguise many details and it seems an approach. Not an assault. So. For now. We continue.

Akula has posed:
Eventually Akula is directly in front of Mach.

She sort of floats, suspended in the water, tail slowly swaying back and forth, as she tilts her head to one side, with an obvious look of curiosity, her body buoyant of its own accord.

The woman is larger than most, probably nearly twice as tall as your average female. Her color makes her blend in with the murky depths, only her movement and internally regulated temperature giving her away. She's almost as cold as the surrounding water, and her heart-rate is a fraction of normal, but she doesn't appear to be struggling, dying, or otherwise unhealthy.

She begins to circle around Carl, looking at him from all angles, exploring the scent he's leaving in the water. Considering that she looks something like some kind of dolphin or shark, this could possibly be a run up to an attack.

Phage has posed:
Holding position and taking in the details the limited light allows doesn't help Mach get any positive identity on the other figure circling him. The extra flares of assistance to his vision flick on and off with each pass. There are many things he could do. If conversation was amongst them it would help more. After a few passes he's sure enough it is a whoever, not a whatever, not that he'd have right to talk these days, and the contact can't be an immediate threat. Otherwise, in the first instance of leaving his field of vision, he'd have felt an assault.

On the next pass Mach makes his move and gives the hand signals 'stop', 'surface' and hopes that whoever it is, if not trained in underwater combat, at least knows some of the basic signals used by divers to communicate. Otherwise he'll have to improvise to be heard.

Akula has posed:
Akula sees the motions of his hands. It's enough.

She circles around to the front of him, and nods her head in affirmation, before looking to the water's surface and swimming upwards, powerful tail strokes accompanied by fluttering leg kicks, finned arms acting as guides to help her cut effortlessly through the drag of fluid. Water currents spiral around her, running in tracks along the tiny denticles all along her skin.

Her head surfaces, shoulders next, and she looks down, waiting to see if the smaller individual is coming.

Phage has posed:
There are times that any operative has to accept they are outclassed or someone else has a tactical advantage over them. Mach watches carefully as she swims up, watching her wake and noting the little details. Details make a difference. Perhaps there's something his suit could change into that's a bit more useful than generic diving gear for waterworks.

After a moment he sets off after her, spotting the lady is indeed the same, and surfaces a few seconds after. Mach forgets himself a little, his diving mask flowing away from his face rather than taking it off but, it's a new suit, he's still learning. Nodding the pier he first dove off Mach says, "Somewhere out of the way of any Sunday sailers to talk. If you'd like. Mach. Carl Mach. Good to meet someone who likes to swim. Always nice to have something in common with someone else."

Akula has posed:
"Da, is good idea," she replies. Her accent is thickly Slavic, and the word choice is squarely Russian. She's a good long way from home. "Ulianna Saratov," she adds, exchanging names politely. "Swimmink is what shark does best." A wide grin exposing sharp triangular teeth follows.

She reaches up to smooth long strands of wet, dark gray-blue hair out of the way, and begins to swim to the pier, taking his gestures and commentary to mean that he wants to talk around or under it. She assumes he'll follow.

Phage has posed:
Following is possible but he's not got the superior skills of the self proclaimed shark. It doesn't take long, even with his lagging behind a little to reach the pier. Even with the surface as slimy and slick as it is he effortlessly gains grip on the structure and hauls himself onto the subframe, perfectly planted, then lets go. Still sitting stuck to it as if gravity weren't a concern. "This is a first for me. Lovely evening for it but I admit my curiosity's piqued. To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting someone else swimming out here?" It's a start. He didn't expect anyone else to be in the water so... a rethink is in order.

Akula has posed:
Akula notices this. He moves with inhuman capacity. The melting facemask was another clue, as was the scent; he is not fully human.

This is comforting to her.

She chooses to remain in the water. She can stand on the bottom of the water and still remain head and shoulders above it from her position. In doing so, it becomes apparent that she has some clothing on her upper body: a sodden mass of white cotton t-shirt, tears and shreds through it. It's definitely seen better days.

"Is good place for huntink. Fish are still clean, relatively speakink. I came here to eat." It's a simple, honest and straight forward answer.

Phage has posed:
It was clear, even without the technique, she had the edge on outdistancing him in terms of raw pulling power. Her strength obviously used to working in the water. It's impressive. Mach says, "I didn't mean to interrupt dinner. If..." Then he's interrupted by an ominous creaking followed by the flexing of the beam he's attached to. Dropping off of it to be safe and landing quite close to her Mach looks up at the structure then back to her before saying "... maybe I need to go on a diet. Looks like I'm heavier than I first thought."

He doesn't have to tread that much water to stay upright but the pier's slight instability occupies part of his mind. To free up space he asks something he's wanting to know, "I understand you know the area but, given how well you take to the waters, I wondered. Is this home to you or are you passing through?"

Akula has posed:
"Home is the White Sea, but I cannot go back," Akula answers, a note of sadness in her voice. "I am swimmink around waters of filthy capitalist country. Tryink to learn what I have missed in three decades. For now I am not havink home."

She then brightens in expression. "I am done with eatink now, is all right. Your scent is new to me. Nothink I haff smelled in whole life. You are not human, Carl Mach. What are you?"

Phage has posed:
Curiosity is replaced with a glowing grin across his features, "That's... complicated. I started off as just a man. Then I... came across this suit. Which changed me. For the better, at least, that's one guy's opinion. It's still all a bit new so... not sure how to explain it. But... let me show you."

Fluid flows from the suit changing the form. Bigger than his already built up body, the yellow slashes run wild across the otherwise slick black surface. Two white eyes adorn an otherwise featureless face, refusing to keep firm and fixed lines at their periphery. When he next speaks his head itself opens and snaps shut. The fanged maw cut and carved from the face from ear to ear... if his head had ears that is.

"This form is closer to what we have become." A radically changed voice explains. Much sharper and cutting past the softer spoken, non regional, speech Mach sports. "Most are... too challenged to accept such a form. It is why we do not often use it."

Shifting back is a similar fluid motion but... somehow... more strained. Reluctant. As if it is an unwanted change. "This place is screwed up all right. But, after many operations across many more continents I dunno if it's any worse or better than anywhere else." Mach admits. "Still. No home? I mean just having somewhere to base out of makes catching up a lot easier. I'm out of the stone and static age but it's all internet now. Kids don't even get there wasn't one in the past."

He shakes his head, bewildered at such assumption. "If you're catching up on events though... maybe I can help?" He leaves the last question hanging. He shouldn't have been too open about his other. Shouldn't have been spotted showing some of his ability. Still the sudden encounter's got him intrigued. She's caught his interest.

Akula has posed:
"I haff no need of home. I was trained to make anythink my home." She said 'trained'. By whom? As what?

She's completely unaffected by the transformation, as if these sort of things are an every day thing for her. She's not afraid; instead, there's a spark of interest. A little flicker of competetive curiosity in those orange eyes.

Frustration creases her brow. "Do... do you speak Russian?" she asks.

Phage has posed:
The word trained sparks a flicker across Mach's face. To be fair though if an agency had missed her potential then it'd be an even more screwed up world than he thought. Mach then nods and says, in Russian, "Yes. Not my first but I can manage." It's clear it isn't his first language and is more functional than conversational. More from commanding in the field rather than sitting in an office. Again in his less smooth Russian he adds, "Is this your first? Easier to talk in?"

Akula has posed:
<<"Yes,>> Ulianna answers smoothly. <<"I'll try to go slow and keep it simple. My English is very slipshod. Until I beached a few weeks ago, the last time I had to speak it at all was in a language class in 1973.">>

<<"If it causes you trouble, I'll go back to English, but you'll have to forgive me. I can't speak it much better than a toddler.">>

Phage has posed:
Shaking his head Mach says, <<"No. I can manage. Your English is more better than my Russian. Maybe we teach each other.">> He's also processing the information. The seventies, well, there are plenty of people who get longevity from their nature. <<"You do not look your age.">> He adds, <<"Please tell me. Go on.">>

Akula has posed:
<<"I am sixty years old. I have a good nine hundred and forty years of life left. It might explain my youthful vigor,">> Akula chuckles. <<"What do you want to know, and who has asked you to find out?">> She grins playfully. Yep. -Very- upfront.

Phage has posed:
Mach says <<"What I want to know is what has led you up to this point. Why you now are unable to go home. The story that takes you from then to now. I understand how difficult adjusting to changes are. Maybe I can help. I ask for no one save myself.">> Another creak from the substructure gives him pause and cause to turn and look up at the frame. He can't see anything unusual so it must just be the wind or something.

Turning back to her he adds, <<"Before I became what I am, before I was even trained... I knew that much can change. With effort and energy it is even possible to influence that change. Make it work on one's own terms. If I can use that to benefit myself or others on naught but instinct then I will.">> It might not translate as well but it is something he's always found true.

Akula has posed:
<<"I was once part of the Vympel Beta squadron of the special forces of the USSR,">> Ulianna says outright. <<"When the August coup attempt was launched, I was there. I was forced to try to fight my own countrymen. When the dust settled, the nation I had been trained to fight for since my very birth was dead, and the maggots that rose up to rule its corpse took away my right to be a soldier. They wanted to take away everything I was, everything I could be. I marched into the White Sea, absent without leave. I cannot go back - I am a traitor, and likely, a wanted criminal.">>

Phage has posed:
<<"Causes cut to the quick. Sad to say that politics is politics the world over. Why I tried to work for myself rather than someone elses agenda.">> Mach admits. He's always accepted he's disposable. Deniable. To be disregarded if he's not longer worth the investment. It doesn't irk or ire him. It's just something he seen coming long before his other could assist his vision. Since Mach's vision is firmly focussed on Ulianna he doesn't see a girder, worked loose from its fellows, start to fall.

Akula has posed:
<<"I have only ever known patriotism,">> Ulianna explains. She -does- see the girder come loose; she leaps from the water into a spin, her tail coming around to slap the beam away, shattering it into chunks and splinters as if it were no more than eggshell. She lands with a heavy splash back into the water, and stands back up, closer now, only thigh deep. Equally sodden jean shorts, torn to make way for said tail in the back, are all that separates her from a public nudity charge.

She continues the conversation without pause. <<"I was happy to serve my country - but my country is dead. There is nothing left for me in this world now.">>

Phage has posed:
There's no other way to say it. He missed that and, if it weren't for her, it wouldn't have missed him. What he caught was the speed and savagery of the response. It resounds well to them. <<"There is plenty. To start with... now I've got to find some way of making up for being brained by the beam.">> Mach says.

<<"Since I can't offer dinner, as you've already ate, I could offer drinks... although drinking and swimming might not mix.">> He switches from less playful, or at least hopefully how that came across with his rusty Russian, to more serious, and in English.

"Regardless of what I can do to make it up to you there... here. Now. I can offer you a fresh start. A chance to put the past back in the distance and allow you to find what is the real course you were meant to be on. It is all of us, by action or inaction that makes the world what it is. You were turned on by what you thought were your own people. I'd venture to say that, were they truly there to support you... they never would have turned upon you to begin with. It is cruel and unfair, certainly, but it's a sign."

"A sign that that wasn't the current you were meant to take. No harm in at least looking to see what else is out there and meant for you, is there?"

Akula has posed:
"I am haffink offers before. I would know more about what is beink offered before I am enlistink, da?" Akula replies, folding her arms over her chest, smirking slightly.

"Who are you, and what do you want? Understand that I am a Soviet. Money is offensive. Greed is offensive. I may be all that is left of the glory of the Union, but I will not sell my body or soul just because it is dead."

Phage has posed:
"Handy. As I'm not selling. Or buying. I'm offering. A place to call your own, access to resources to learn, explore, be free and to make up your own mind on what to do next. Even support to further that end. Records can be changed. Deals done. Leverage can be made. Politics is politics everywhere. So, if that's what you wanted, your name cleared, you'd have support. Or whatever else you decide to do." Mach says, half shrugging, arms open, fingers spread and palms skyward.

"No signing up to a bigger cause or anything else. No strings. What I'd want is that I'd be able to make a request from time to time. Just that too... a request. Not an obligation. Likely help with my adjustment to how I am now."

He sighs and looks down. He then closes his eyes, "I wasn't born with this strength, these abilities. In many ways... I'm stuggling. How to train that's actually effective. How to adjust to... the more subtle things. It's leaving me feeling like a fresh faced rookie. I can't afford to be caught off guard. Before I'd not have missed that beam. Now. I did."

Looking up and opening his eyes Mach then shakes his head and chuckles, "Maybe that's it. I'm trying to have a new start. Perhaps I'm just looking to share it. So, for example, when I changed earlier, I can only ask you not to start telling that far and wide. As few people know. You can respect that people don't always react well to that they do not understand."

Akula has posed:
Akula listens, and listens carefully. Her tail sways back and forth through the ocean water as the tide begins to ebb, a gentle sloshing that mimics the sound of the waves. She does her best to try to dredge up better English. Being around all these English speakers for the last few weeks has helped.

"I would haff no objections to helpink you. It is a sensible request. However, I haff not isolated myself only because I am a soldier without a nation."

She lets her arms fall to her sides, and closes her eyes. "I am a beast. When I smell blood and fear... I become a predator. I kill. I do not stop killink until I no longer haff the strength to lift my head."

"There is an empty valley full of bones and ruins in Afghanistan to prove it."

Phage has posed:
Mach moves closer to her, even offering a hand, okay, her eyes are closed, but it's the thought that counts, right? He then says, "Those are not choices you got to make. Therefore you cannot bear the responsibility for them. You don't have to worry. Me? I've got sufficient support that, even if you were playing rough, I wouldn't be able to set you off and the place I had in mind offers plenty of privacy as well as the access to come and go as you please."

"You're neither a soldier nor a beast" He soothes, "As before. You are whatever you define yourself to be. Everyone's the same. Just they either don't know how to work out what that is or events keep getting in the way giving one no time to think about such things. I can see you've suffered from the latter but could never fall victim to the former."

He falls silent. Waits patiently. Like his proposal, just gives her space and time to process. Decide for herself.

Akula has posed:
"Again, I appreciate your offer, but I will not take help. I am what I am. Granite cannot be bent, only broken." Seems like she's not biting on any kind of partnership deal. "I am, however, still agreeable to helpink you with your problem. I was once a commander. If you are needink sparrink partner, -that- I can do."

She opens her eyes and grins widely. "Social matters are entirely different fish. I am very open to this."

Phage has posed:
Mach was going to press the point but he's caught suddenly off guard. Instead he grins, almost as widely as his other's form would allow. "They are? That sounds very promising." Collecting himself a little he says, "I'd appreciate any help you could give me with sparring or training too. I've got a place down by the docks you can get in touch with me if you need to. Access underwater's unobserved. I'll make sure you've got the details."

Akula has posed:
"Good! I am hopink I fit into your house. Buildinks are not usually made for a woman of my size," she laughs.

Leaning down, she rests her hands on her knees to get a closer look at him, closer to eye to eye. "I like your smell. Both of you. Is interestink."

Phage has posed:
Luckily Mach modifed his properties to have high ceilings after his recent bonding with the symbiote. He hadn't went for that for the purposes of company. More for practical logistics. Still. When something works it works. "We can only take that as the highest of compliments." Mach says, still grinning, "If we're heading to the docklands property I could call for a car or make our way by water. Ladies choice on how to get there."

Akula has posed:
"Giff me location, I can find my way in. Is better if I avoid the public at large. I am not wantink to go berserk for no reason, da?" Akula suggests. She stands back up, and waits for instructions.

Phage has posed:
Letting the suit start to reform itself into the diving gear, save the mouthmask for now, Mach says, "Why don't we just go together then? It's not too far via water, even at my slower swimming speed, and that way you can see where the access is from underwater." He doesn't doubt Ulianna could find it unaided but, really, if they're going to the same place, why not together. He then forms the mouthpiece, wades out to a sufficient depth and waits for her to follow before diving.

Akula has posed:
Akula dives in, and follows after.

It's going to be an interesting experience when they hit land.