Trox Madness at Ft. Ithaca!

by Curly Twist Bender

It was madness, I tell you!

For those of you who didn't hear about it, there was an atrox rampage at Ft. Ithaca. It was so severe that the troxes even ran past the turrets in massive numbers, swarming in on the poor inhabitants. If not for the bravery of the members of United Talents, it could have been a total tragedy.

But then again, members of United Talents also caused much of the devastation.

It started during a pleasant hunt in atrox territory S of Ithaca, when noted UT members Neo The-One Baan and Curly Twist Bender stumbled upon a herd of troxes bigger than anything they had ever seen. It was like lizard-cattle, with countless head of troxes waiting to be hunted. (Note the number of red mob markers on the radar at lower right).

Even at modest magnification through a rifle scope, the group was truly huge!

Neo and Curly knew this was what they had come for, and they carefully pulled small groups from the pack to lead them away to slaughter. As they ran low on ammo and thought about how dangerous this group could be, an idea was formed. They decided to lead a train of them to the turrets, and let the big guns finish off this dangerous group. Unfortunately, Neo started gathering the mob while Curly was preparing for a nice picture of the historic event. The pack hit Curly like a runaway train, and with one most unfortunately lucky critical hit, Curly fell. The picture was taken just after his death, with the rest of the train pursuing Neo.

Once Curly revived at Ithaca, he was able to warn the fair citizens about the incoming danger, and let brave hunters come to the south area to witness the slaughter by the turrets. Neo became visible as a mere speck to the south, one mark amidst a column of red dots trying to tear him apart. The atroxes were climbing over one another trying to catch the brave UT member, but he would not be denied in his rush to the Ithaca turrets. Curly shouted one last warning to the Ithaca citizens as the train rushed in.

Once in range, the twin turrets turned their deadly hum of ammo on the atrox hoard as Neo bolted past. To the surprise and horror of Neo, Curly, and all the good people in Fort Ithaca, the massive guns could not stop the scores of atrox from stampeding into the fort! Trox after trox collapsed at the base of the gun but three would pass for each one killed. Ithaca was being stormed! It would be a colossal slaughter of innocent lives! And quite possibly, UT would be blamed!

Thinking quickly, and with help of witnessing soc member Lilith, Neo and Curly distracted the train as it flooded in toward the booths and stores, and led them out the southern gates -- and back through the gunfire. For the many troxes who survived the first pass by the massive weapons, the second one would surely do them in -- and it worked.

In the end, the entrance to Fort Ithaca was strewn with atrox corpses (and the occasional exarosaur -- right side of picture -- that was caught in the feeding frenzy). Horribly damaged but still alive, Neo, Curly and Lilith stood among the carnage, and accepted many thanks for distracting the troxes by the guns. The people of Ithaca were safe, and nobody had to find out why the troxes came rushing the fort in the first place.