"Chainsaw. Pistol. Pump Action Shotgun. Double Barreled Shotgun. Assault Rifle. Multi-Barreled Machinegun. Plasma Rifle. Gauss Cannon. BFG." Olivia read out loud as she examined the storage unit of the Praetor suit.
As Samuel busied himself with the suit's reconstruction AND reproduction, he tasked Olivia to monitor the scan of the storage unit. Once it was done, she was to report its contents, which she was currently doing.
"What is the status of the weapons? You should be able to see their condition, modifications, and ammunition counts." Samuel inquired, keeping his focus on his work.
"None of them appear to be worse for wear. Each was fired quite a bit, including one shot from the BFG." Olivia informed him.
"Expected. Any fight with the Cyberdemon, even for him, would cost quite a lot." Samuel stated.
"...Out of curiosity, sir." Olivia began after momentarily considering her question. "What does BFG stand for?" She asked.
"I'm afraid that's classified," Samuel replied. The sheer audacity of that statement was enough to make the Sinner laugh.
"Really? Classified?" Olivia questioned with an amused smile.
"Yes. So much so even I don't know. The heads of R&D never settled on one. However, each of their suggestions started with those letters, hence the acronym." Samuel explained.
"What were some of the names? If you can recall." Olivia pressed.
"Bio Force Gun was the most popular; it never left circulation. Although, there was another amusing yet fitting alternative. The Big Fucking Gun." Samuel told her, making her laugh again.
"Well, from how it appears in this scan, I agree that name is appropriate," Olivia said before moving on. "So, what should I do now, sir?" She asked.
"My partner stored more items in his suit than just his weapons. Equipment such as grenades, holographic decoys, and siphon spheres. There were also some miscellaneous items, such as keycards. The scan will have detected any of those should they be present. Please go through them and tell me what they are. We need to know the extent of the inventory before we assign drones to attend to it as we work on the suit." Samuel answered.
With her task updated, Olivia returned to the interactive screen and began scrolling through the other items.
"Oh, wow. There is quite a lot in here." Olivia commented, surprised by the amount. The storage unit, in whatever way it functioned and however it was constructed, could hold a remarkable amount of items with still an abundance of free space remaining. "SEVERAL sets of keycards and...colored skulls? Is...that supposed to be there, sir?" She inquired, briefly looking over at him with concern and confusion.
"It's...inexplainable..." Samuel slowly responded. For the first time, he sounded as if he didn't have a proper answer.
"Doom nonsense?" Olivia proposed.
"Yes. That is a perfect way to put it." Samuel approved.
"Understood. Moving on." Olivia stated with a nod as she turned back to the screen. "Multiple codexes. Fragmentation Grenades. Holographic Decoys. Siphon Spheres." She listed before coming to an abrupt stop.
The silence lasted for a few seconds, earning Samuel's attention. However, he didn't turn around. He was willing to take a wild guess at what had stumped Olivia.
"You found the figures, didn't you?" Samuel asked.
"Yup." Olivia confirmed, making the "P" of "Yup" pop.
"My employees, in secret, produced an unknowable number of those. Nearly all of them were fascinated by my associate. They chose to express said fascination in many different ways. One such method was making various collectible miniatures of him in his armor and distributing them throughout the complex. The drones are still discovering them even now. As did my partner, which you can see." Samuel explained.
"He must be very flattered," Olivia suggested, wanting to put a positive spin on it.
"That, or he's an obsessive lunatic. Either option would explain why he'd spend time making sure there weren't any figures nearby after the Demons were dead in an area. I suspect that he modded his suit's scanning technology to locate them. Which would support my stance that he's insane." Samuel stated.
Admittedly, hearing such a thing about Doomguy was honestly endearing. Olivia's mind quickly imagined this big, burly man in an armored suit scouring an environment for figures of himself. It was oddly wholesome. But such thoughts must be saved for another time.
"Anyway," Olivia said while resuming her task. "Reserve ammunition for the weapons. Weapon modifications. Multiple energy signatures that the scan says are Runes. A few chips from Elite Guards, who I assume are part of the former security personnel. And finally..." She trailed off.
"Hm? What is it?" Samuel inquired, this time turning his head to look at her. With the figures accounted for, nothing else came to his memory that would surprise her again.
"I'm...not sure, sir. The scan provides a name. Unfortunately, it's very technical. It reads like a component. Like the kind you'd install in a computer or something else of that nature." Olivia told him.
Hmm, interesting. It wouldn't surprise Samuel if Doomguy stowed something of decent importance. Despite his brutish "methods", there WAS an intelligent mind inside of his thickened skull. So, if the space marine discovered an essential piece of equipment, that wouldn't be out of character.
Yet when Samuel walked over to Olivia and his optic saw what was on the screen, time stopped. His mind quickly read the digital words repeatedly; it couldn't believe what it saw.
"Sir?" Olivia spoke after a minute of silence passed. Even with no facial features or means of outward expression, she could tell something wasn't right with him.
"...That son of a bitch..." Samuel quietly cursed, his hands slowly balling into fists.
"Samuel? What's going on?" Olivia asked, dropping the formalities due to her growing worry.
"This entire time, I assumed he was dead. Yet this bastard has had him preserved, but he never attempted to tell me. He let me believe that he was lost." Samuel said. His voice was still low yet now possessed a rising rage. Additionally, his hands were becoming so tight you could hear the metal of his fingers beginning to strain.
Olivia, who watched this unfold, tried her best to figure out what was happening. She rapidly checked her memories of the codexes and their information. Eventually, a name surfaced in her mind. When it did, she let out an audible gasp, and her eyes widened from shock.
"Oh...my...god..." Olivia slowly muttered in disbelief before turning back to the screen. It had to be him! There was no one else who would cause such a reaction from Samuel!
Both stood there, staring at the screen. The object their gazes were fixated on could only be described as a chip. The kind that would be used to store data. Or perhaps, something else.
Meanwhile, In Hell...
Doomguy never knew luxury. Even before Doom and his time in the UAC, he was a humble country boy. He grew up in Texas, where his family had established roots with his Great-Great-Grandfather after World War Two. So, he never had any opportunity to see how society's "rich" and "prestigious" lived.
But now, as the space marine stood inside a LAVISH room, the kind you would see in movies meant to be exaggerative, he was sincerely impressed. The floors were so shiny; you'd think they were crystal. The bed and its coverings were VISIBLY soft and inviting. They DEMANDED that you surrender yourself to their comfy embrace.
The rest of the furniture was just as pristine. The best craftsmen carved each piece that decorated the space from the finest wood; not a single splinter would be found if they were examined. As if this wasn't enough, it even had a connected bathroom that Doomguy had yet to see. However, he was confident that it'd be equally astounding.
"My sincerest apologies," Paimon spoke as he approached the space marine. The Goetias and I.M.P. stood outside in the hall, allowing their guest to take in his quarters. "Due to the suddenness of EVERYTHING, we couldn't call ahead and have the staff prepare the room. I hope you aren't too displeased by its state." He said.
In response, Doomguy slowly turned his head and looked at Paimon. What else could they have done? Covered the room in liquid gold? Maybe scatter precious gemstones and minerals throughout the space to make it sparkle?
Unfortunately, due to the natural seriousness of Doomguy's entire being, Paimon couldn't discern what was, for him, visible confusion. Instead, the space marine's expression could be interpreted in two ways. A. He gave no emotion. B. He was so displeased he allowed his lack of response to speak for itself. Guess which one Paimon took?
Thankfully, Stella, who was well-versed in social situations due to her Noble upbringing, could tell things were getting awkward. So, she swiftly intervened.
"Pardon me," Stella spoke while entering the room, getting both men's attention. "Per the Princess's insistence, we should give our honored guest some well-deserved privacy. We can discuss our day-to-day for the foreseeable future tomorrow during breakfast." She stated.
"Ah, a fine idea, Stella." Paimon praised her, secretly grateful for her assistance. "We shall leave you to explore the room and restroom. If you need ANYTHING, there is a rope beside the bed that, if pulled, will alert the staff you require their presence." He informed him.
In reply, Doomguy nodded. Phew. A reaction like that helped to ease Paimon's worries as he and Stella left the room. Waiting until the door was closed and the group was a decent distance away, everyone resumed talking.
"Okay, so." Blitzo was the first to speak. "Before either of you gets handsy and tries to choke me." He said, referring to Stella and Paimon. "Can we all agree that HE is INSANELY intimidating?" He asked, talking about Doomguy.
"Oh FUCK yeah." Loona agreed, saying what everyone's immediate thought was. "It was one thing being around him when everyone else was with us. But when we were alone with him in the limo on our way back here, that was SUPER uncomfortable." She said.
"I don't know if uncomfortable is the right word..." Moxxie mumbled, giving it some thought. "I think it's because we still know so little. We were given the bullet points when we arrived at the hotel, and we've been piecing things together since then. But we don't have the full scope like the others. So, it's more so that we want to ask questions, so we're not as confused, but we don't know where or how to start." He reasoned.
"The white-haired one makes many valid points." Paimon agreed, not knowing his name. Or, if he did, he couldn't be bothered to remember it. "That is why Doomguy is staying with us. Apart from being on the same page as everyone else, we must be ready for the other Nobles, Royals, and Overlords. Her Majesty has given us a GREAT responsibility. We cannot disgrace the Goetia name." He told them before realizing something. "Rather, we mustn't disgrace ourselves further. This is our chance to cast away our current shame and rise to an even greater standing." He corrected.
"Father, with everything that's happening, can you PLEASE let it go already?" Stolas requested.
Upon hearing that, Paimon stopped walking. When he did, the rest of the group did the same. Everyone braced for the worst, expecting a very heated response from the King.
"Stolas." Paimon began, slowly turning to face his Son. "If this were before, I'd punch you in the mouth for saying something so stupid. For nothing more than sexual pleasure, you traded an item that I entrusted to you. However, your inconceivable retardation allowed redemption for you and our name. We are PRIVILEGED to be within our Lord and Lady's inner circle.
Furthermore, if I properly understand the significance of what is happening, we are assisting Hell and Heaven with a situation that NO ONE has EVER witnessed! While I still feel disgusted and disappointed by your ridiculous actions, by some miracle, you've been given a chance to make up for it. But until you do, I will not allow you to forget what you've done. Only a fool like yourself would be so quick to let it rest." He told him. "Now, if you are done playing the role of Hell's only victim, we must ensure our guest, as promised to the Princess, will want for nothing." He stated.
After that, Paimon resumed his march down the hall. The others, including Blitzo, followed after him. Stolas remained in the corridor. Part of him was angry, believing his Father was in the wrong, while the rest dwelled on his Father's words.
Elsewhere, At The Magne Estate...
Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap
In rhythm, Lucifer's fingers danced atop his cane. He stood before the fireplace in his home's living room. He'd been here earlier, during Charlie and Azrael's tale of a second Hell, another reality, a spaceman, and a robotic doctor. But then, his Wife and Brothers went with his Sister and Daughter to verify these claims. Now, they have mostly gathered again.
The sole exception was Gabriel. As he wanted, the Archangel returned to Heaven to try and see their Father. If God could be convinced to get involved, that would be a MASSIVE help. While he did that, Charlie, Azrael, Lilith, and Michael returned to Lucifer to tell him what they now knew.
Mainly, it was Michael and Lilith confirming that neither Charlie nor Azrael was crazy. Everything they shared and then some was true. Now, Lucifer, if pressed, would admit that SOME of his earlier rejection of the women's claims was due to his strained relationship with his child and immature sibling friction with his Sister. However, as stated, these factors weren't the entirety of his objections.
If this were true, it would call everything into question. Did God, the ultimate lifeform, have secrets so great even his children were unaware? Was God as significant as they assumed? Was all they knew only part of a greater truth God decided they couldn't handle?
These questions and MANY more were to be saved for later. Right now, Lucifer had to be focused on the present. Charlie and Azrael were one thing, but if Lilith, Michael, and Gabriel were convinced that the latter would feel compelled to confront God about it, there was no denying its legitimacy. Still, how would the Devil react?
"...Sigh..." Lucifer breathed out. Either intentionally or not, the others heard it.
After that exhale, Lucifer silently turned on his heels, faced his Daughter and Sister, then approached them. Upon reaching them, he picked up his cane, held it in both hands, then offered it to the women.
"Alright." Lucifer began while holding out the object. "You each get a turn. Take as many whacks as you want." He told them.
For a few seconds, no one said or did anything. They studied Lucifer's face, wondering if this was a joke. To their amazement and Charlie's horror, it was not. He was being completely serious.
"Dad! No!" Charlie exclaimed, reeling back from the realization. "I'm not going to beat you with your cane!" She told him.
"Don't worry; I can take it," Lucifer assured with a CONCERNING level of casualness. At least, it was for Charlie. "Your mother's hit me with FAR worse than my cane when I've managed to piss her off. And, despite my ego, I can recognize when I've fucked up. I can stand here, get teary-eyed, say sorry a million times, and plead for your forgiveness. Or, you can have a LOT of fun beating the shit out of me. Trust me, sweetie. It's better than therapy." He said.
"It is." Lilith chimed in, SIGNIFICANTLY worsening her Daughter's shock. "We would've wasted SO much money on couples' therapy. A few good smacks with something, and it sorts ALL of your problems." She promised.
"Uncle Mike, Auntie Az, please, help," Charlie BEGGED for her relatives' assistance, hoping SOMEONE would be on her side.
"I agree with Charlie. This isn't the time for senselessly beating each other!" Michael exclaimed, much to his Niece's relief. "Right, Azrael?" He asked while looking at his Sister.
"...Give me the stick." Azrael requested as she took the cane from her Brother.
"AUNTIE!" Charlie shouted in alarm, her concern reaching its maximum.
"What? He offered." Azrael reminded, using the cane to point at Lucifer. "Besides, do you know how LONG I've waited for this? As your Mother said, this will solve ALL of our problems." She reminded before raising the cane above her head.
At last, the time had come for Divine intervention. In the blink of an eye, Michael spread his wings and swooped in. He snatched the cane from Azrael's grasp and landed a few feet from the group.
"I'M KEEPING THIS!" Michael authoritatively shouted while holding up the item. "You've lost ALL cane privileges!" He exclaimed.
"Don't worry, Azrael. We'll pick this up later." Lucifer promised, much to his Sister's delight.
"Wow, Lucifer. I wouldn't have ever expected to see you so humble. I assumed you'd dig your feet in more and continue your transformation into the ultimate ass." Azrael confessed.
"Yeah, me too," Lucifer admitted. His hands were now behind his back. "But I trust my Wife above anyone else. She went with you to see this Doom for herself, and she's come back fully convinced. Add that to the fact that Gabriel, out of ALL of our kin, will see Dad peacefully or by breaking down his door. Only the objectively dumbest creature in existence would remain un-swayed and say that you're all full of shit and are trying to pull some overly-elaborate prank on me." He explained. "Still, I can't imagine Gabriel will find much success. So, we better get a move on." He said.
"I wouldn't be so hasty, dear," Lilith interjected. "If there's one thing we can take away from all that's happened so far, the unexpected is the most likely to occur. None of us in this room could've imagined any of this. No matter how slim, there is a chance that Gabriel will convince your Father to get involved in SOME capacity." She told him.
"I think Mom's right." Charlie agreed. "We've got to give Uncle Gabe a chance. Plus, if Grandpa DOESN'T help, he's already in Heaven. So, he'll be able to talk to the rest of our family that's up there, get them on board, then maybe with everyone together, it'll sway Grandpa." She suggested.
"That's...not a bad idea..." Lucifer muttered, his brain thinking of something. "Michael." He said afterward, now looking at his Brother.
"Yes?" Michael replied, still holding the cane back as far as he could.
"How long do you think Gabriel will persist if Father keeps him out? You spend the most time with him, so you should be able to answer that." Lucifer inquired.
"Huh, good question..." Michael started, taking a few seconds to ponder that. "Gabriel is naturally persistent. That helps him a LOT with his work. When we were on Mars talking about this, Gabriel was SUPER serious. He RARELY gets like that unless it's something important. So, he could be at it for a few days if I had to give a rough estimate. Maybe even a week or two before he contacts us." He guessed.
"Hmm, I don't want to sit idly for that long..." Lucifer hummed before snapping his fingers. "Ah! I've got it. If the plan is to wait for Gabriel, it'll give me plenty of time to get caught up with the rest of you. Can you take me to one of the people you've mentioned? Preferably, I'd like to see the robot doctor. I don't think I'd be able to learn much from the mute." He proposed.
"Doomguy and Samuel Hayden." Azrael corrected, genuinely annoyed by how her Brother referred to them. "And yes, I believe we could arrange that. Doomguy is currently busy with the Goetias. So, Samuel, for that and many other reasons, would be the best option." She told him.
"Wonderful. I'll go get ready then." Lucifer decided as he started walking away.
"But dear, you're already dressed." Lilith pointed out, confused by her Husband's departure.
"I need another cane!" Lucifer replied.
"Oh, no, you don't! You lost your privileges!" Michael called out to him before following.
Watching as both men disappeared from view, Charlie, Azrael, and Lilith were left to talk among themselves until they returned.
Meanwhile, In Heaven...
Step Step Step Step Step Step
It'd been a very long time since Gabriel traversed this stairway. No one, not even he and his family, ever had a reason to come to this place. Everything was being handled the way it should be. There was never a justification for seeking counsel with God.
Yet now, there was a reason. One so terrifying and threatening that it struck the Archangel with fear. He worried about his siblings. His Niece. All of the Creation they knew. Sure, it wasn't perfect. Nothing was. But ANYTHING was better than that accursed pit.
God had to know about it. Surely. All-knowing. All-present. All-powerful. However, Gabriel couldn't ignore the other possibility. It was obvious. Anyone could conceive it. What if God wasn't God?
Or, if he was, then what did that say about Doom? Samuel had shared what little information they had. Doom wasn't a standard space or realm but a sentient being. Even if all the Demons were killed, Doom would persist. Inevitably, the dead would be born anew. No one, not even Doomguy, could kill them so efficiently that they'd ever reach that point.
Doom's power appeared equal to that of God. Life and Death? Trivial. The formation of souls? Nothing. Then again, Gabriel doubted the Demons had souls. If the Cyberdemon was any indication, there was only a void in the place of a spirit. Likely, all of the monsters were merely extensions of Doom. It was the only real sentience.
Bah. Gabriel's mind was becoming distracted as he walked. He could've flown to the top. But he needed to organize his thoughts. The Archangel wanted to try diplomacy with his Father for as long as his patience held out. Once it didn't, Gabriel would not hesitate to brandish his spear and attempt a forceful entry.
Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that. God had always been reasonable, at least in Gabriel's opinion. No decision his Father had ever made was without logic. Perhaps mistaken as cold at times, God was a calculated mind. Nothing was ever done without purpose, and emotion never overtook rationale.
So, as Gabriel hoped, this request for an audience would go smoothly. They'd talk on opposite sides at first, but then he'd be allowed entry. He was certain of it.
"Father!" Gabriel called out, nearing the top of the staircase. "It is I, your son, Gabriel! I have come to-"
By that point, Gabriel's vision could see beyond the final step. What it saw was the imposing structure that served as God and his children's home. The Ivory Tower.
Going far into an ethereal sky illuminated by cosmos and celestial bodies, the Ivory Tower was one of the most beautiful things ever created. However, Gabriel's interrupted speech was not caused by seeing his childhood home. Rather, it was the entrance to it, which was already open.
The doors were wide, the comforting light from within poured outward, and the cool air that filled the tower's inside reached the Archangel. This wasn't a sign of danger or tragedy. God knew Gabriel was coming, and his response was to welcome him.
Gabriel, without words, finished his ascent. For a few seconds after, he stood in amazed silence. No convincing was needed; his Father agreed with his stance. A conversation was imminent, and he needed to be ready.
Taking one final moment to compose himself and organize his thoughts, when this was done, Gabriel accepted his Father's invitation. The Archangel's visage disappeared into the light. The entrance behind him closed not long after.
...?...
Countless mechanical limbs busied themselves with their assigned tasks. Some attended to damaged weaponry; others were focused on augmentations. As these artificial appendages worked the craft they'd done countless times before, the body that received it laid dormant. Its flesh and bone were steadily growing.
A creature of this size would take some time to reform. However, when complete, it would be better. This latest version was a vast improvement from its original. It nearly succeeded in its goal.
Would there be more weapons? New tools to assist the beast? Too soon to tell. It could very well be returned to its prior state as it was so impressive.
Regardless of such details, in the grand scheme, nothing was different. Nothing truly changed from this last interaction. The crafters behind the automated assembly were given no new orders from their master. As such, the legion they forged would remain the same until the need demanded more.