And now... here are the finalists for the Fiction Contest: What were you doing when...
Placing third is the entry by Macaia's Daughter:
"This baby is going to need an upgrade, I think," said Invincible Frank as he tapped the inside of the fuselage.
"Yeah, the boss man may need to put this in the monthly budget," replied another man, known as Captain Ultra.
The jet banked and dived low.
"Drop zone ahead," came the voice from the cockpit. Immediately, the side panel opened. The heroes inside peered outwards and saw a behemoth of a robot engaged in a battle with must smaller people. Energy blasts rocket in many directions.
"Let's go," said Captain Ultra as he jumped out. Others, some from the 5th Precinct, others from unaffiliated groups, followed suit. Those without flight abilities strapped gliders and or parachutes to their bodies.
Among the group, I hesitated slightly, then stepped out once I saw a clear path.
This wasn't my first time taking a leap from an aircraft - most dives are pretty straightforward - but it felt a bit strange doing this without at least one of my close friends in the vicinity. While my godpa was in transit with another 5th Precinct team and would link up soon enough, Aflima was dealing with an evacuation job in Japan and wouldn't be here for some time. At least my mother was still on the comms -
"Rosa? You're drifting off-course!"
Well, that wouldn't have been great, ending up the other end of the city, would it?
"Sorry, mama," I replied. I twisted my body, and allowed the glider to bring me closer to the planned spot where we could approach the robot and take it down.
A straightforward landing, tuck and roll, and I'm on my way. The others had landed nearby and were already engaging in combat. Guns and magical staffs were blasting away, although they seemed to have minimal effect at slowing the mechanical being.
Can I slow this thing down mentally? I held a finger to my head and pointed with my other hand, hoping to find some kind of central nervous system to target.
"Unnh!"
The robot shot some sort of electrical charge in our direction. It was unavoidable. Worse still, my attempt at a mental lock was totally and completely useless.
My legs steadied themselves as I stood up. A small collection of trash cans and garbage bags helped to cushion my fall, but I was definitely going to need a long shower at the end of this. I ran to my right, weaving between a couple of heroes who were trying to counter with physical strikes. They were strong, but because they needed to get close to inflict damage, wound up especially vulnerable to the robot's swinging arms. I couldn't help but shudder as one backhand attack sent Mighty Grundar crashing into a paint and supplies shop. He's not going to be happy if his rich-blue skin turns yellow and magenta, I think.
Meanwhile, how can I help get this thing weakened? I'm a bit out of ideas at the moment.
Another hero, I'm not sure of his name, hurtled backwards over my head. Instinctively, I try to grab him telekinetically, and managed to slow him in mid-air, allowing him to regain his balance.
"That's it," I say under my breath.
There's a police blockade at the nearby junction and I see some things that could be of use to me. I run as quickly as I can - I'd trade some of my mental abilities for a set of Hermes boots right now - while avoiding another of that robot's energy beams. For a big clunky-looking machine, it's got some sweet maneuvers. Whoever constructed it has to have multiple engineering and robotics degrees, I bet.
My telekinesis has taken a back seat to my mental abilities in recent years, but I know how to levitate a concrete barrier... and throw it!
It's about 2 tons of mass, and unfortunately I can't throw it with great velocity... but it'll make an impact, I'm sure. It strikes the robot right across its front panel.
I smile as I hoist a second barrier. When we come out of this, my hour-long shower is going to feel Mag-Ni-Fi-Cent.
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