Enigma Source

Enigma Source
Passcode
Released	September 8, 2013
Story	Matt Doughty Marc Beaudette
Art	Ralph Niese

Story

Enigma Source

Gobon & Noboto: Space Trappers

Crethicay Triangle, the Grave Freighter Drifts. The tiny Noboto and his larger, rounder partner Gobon stood outside their target freighter as a half dozen other derelict ships floated by. "Another job that brings us into darkness. Can't one of these critters live in a place with some lights?" Noboto sarcastically commented as they entered the ship. "Time to brighten things up my friend..."

"Will do..." came the cheerful reply from his space trapping partner. Gobon's head began to glow brighter and brighter until the dilapidated room was illuminated. "That trick never gets old" Noboto remarked. His wrist scanner started to pick up something. "I'm gettin' a blip."

The target

New guests appear

Peeking around the corner, a one-eyed pink blob had appeared. "You see that?!" the Gobon blurted as he pointed in the direction of the blob. "It looks tiny, this should be easy." Noboto answered busily as he pulled a capture net out.

Outside, the ships drifted in eerie silence. VNNNNN... The humming of a warp channel was unmistakable. Silhouettes of two Travelers appeared in the warp light. "Sullonev, mobilize the Gatekeepers. Eradicate the intruders." the first dark shape ordered. "Yes, Commander Viyer." replied the second mysterious guest.

Meanwhile, Noboto and Gobon looked over their fresh catch of the day. "Look at this, it's like it wanted to be caught." the smaller partner observed. From behind something watched them in the darkness. BLUM! With a panic, the observing creature scurried away. "Umm, I don't like the sound of that." worried Noboto. CRA-KOOM! "Yeah, that's not good."

Explosion

The Deep Space Glyans of the Neo Gatekeepers

The wall exploded behind them knocking both far back from their still captured prey. The explosion was so hard it rocked the ship. The space trapping pair were knocked through the opposing wall and crashed onto a nearby asteroid rock. "Somebody is going to get it." Noboto said angrily. Hovering over them, the Deep Space Glyans of the Neo Gatekeepers stood ready. "They look tiny, this should be easy..." the lead trooper remarked. "Hey! That's my line!" Noboto scoffed back.

Gobon switched his head around to fight mode while Noboto punched through the first wave of Glyan troopers. The Gatekeepers had been taken by surprise by the unusual pair and started to fall back on their training to regroup. "Initiate formation 72!" the lead soldier ordered. Surrounding the space trappers, all Deep Space Glyans opened fire at once stunning the pair.

"Mordireus Mode, ENGAGE!!"

Noboto was pissed. "Alright, that's it! Mordireus Mode, ENGAGE!!" Gobon and Noboto each raised a fist into the air and then slammed them together. Pink energy enveloped them until they were powerful translucent pink forms of their former selves. The Neo Gatekeepers were quickly knocked around and dealt with. Observing from a safe distance, Viyer and Sullonev quietly watched the battle unfold. "Curious..." Viyer noted, "the small one does not behave like a Gendrone." Sullonev took the hint, "Analyzing unknown entity..." It would only take a second.

"Analysis complete." Sullonev's wrist screen began to display the results. "Commander Viyer, this entity, it's..." he paused as he saw the final results of the target. A Proto Sincroid was before them. "Sullonev, bring it here." Viyer ordered. "Yes, Commander." answered Sullonev as he warped away and into the fray of the losing battle.

Analysis complete

Sullonev warping in

Noboto watched space fold before him as someone new warped in. "A Traveler!!! Now we may have a problem. You know what to do!" Noboto fell back to Gobon's position and let the Gobon easily picked up the smaller Noboto. With a swift thrust he hurled Noboto like a cannonball towards Sullonev. The Traveler showed no signs of stepping aside from the burning pink ball of anger, so Noboto opened fire from his laser eyes. This caught Sullonev off-guard and knocked him backwards a bit. However, it wasn't enough as the two began a dance across the star field behind them. Every move was matched. Every blow was countered and returned. "Come on!" the little trapper exclaimed angrily.

Still observing from afar, Commander Viyer was taking mental notes. "Impressive. This Proto Sincroid moves and fights like a Traveler, yet possesses a unique energy signature in its powered form. This display of power will not go unnoticed by Glyaxia Command for very long..." Space around the continuing fight started to shimmer. The faint logo of Glyaxia Command was forming from the warp signature. "...not very long at all."

Deep Space Glyans of the Glyaxia Ivorinium Elite

The Glyaxia Ivorinium Elite had arrived. "Cease all combat and surrender immediately, by order of Glyaxia Command!" Six well-armed Deep Space Glyans from Glyaxia Command's special division had arrived to see what the ongoing commotion was.

"Glyaxia?" the Noboto observed, "All the way out here?"

The Dark Traveler

"Unlock Rift Channel. All units prepare for breach." commanded the lead Glyaxia trooper. Noboto looked worried and rightfully so as a massive warp breach formed in front of all of them. Soaring out from the tear in space, something new... something dangerous... something dark... The green Traveler raised his hand and stunned Noboto, Gobon, and Sullonev all in one easy swipe. Stunned, the Noboto began to take notice of how much trouble they were in, "That's no ordinary Traveler..." Looking to Gobon, the Noboto paired up for the next crucial move if they were to survive. "Shield lock!" The Dark Traveler barreled towards the trappers as their pink forms glowed outwards forming a barrier shield. Sullonev was on his own as he was easily knocked out of the way of the charging Glyaxia Command experiment as the green Traveler aimed toward the locked pair.

"Whatever you are, it will take more than that." the Noboto challenged.

Sullonev knocked away

"I... AM... THE DARK TRAVELER!" the green Traveler answered with a charged fist. The space trappers were knocked back harder than ever.

Still observing from his safe position, Viyer was stunned at the abilities of the newest player in the game. "Sullonev, try to restrain it." he ordered. Dutifully, Sullonev warped in from behind the Dark Traveler and attempted to grab it. "A Dark Traveler, huh?" A terrible mistake as the Dark Traveler knocked back the Commander with a mighty blow from his fist without even turning around. "Yes." was the last thing Sullonev heard.

Commander Viyer warps in

Noboto was worried, "We need to leave NOW!" The Dark Traveler turned back toward the pair to finish them off when a new warp signature appeared between them. Viyer had finally joined the battle. "Halt, Traveler!" he ordered while blasting the green menace.

"Why are you helping us?" the Noboto curiously asked. "Consider my assistance merely a delay of the inevitable." Viyer replied. "We will meet again." Noboto took the hint and started to abandon the Drifts with Gobon.

Commander Viyer's Syclodoc attack!

"This new specimen is now my primary interest." Viyer commented as the space trappers floated away. Pink energy glowed and surrounded Commander Viyer. A Syclodoc was forming around the Neo Gatekeeper. "The Dark Traveler's power will be mine!" Viyer exclaimed as the transformation finished. As the newly formed Syclodoc began blasting away at the Dark Traveler, Noboto observed what a lucky break they had. Yet, something lurked nearby.

From around an asteroid, Commander Sullonev reappeared. "Not so lucky, runt." The loyal Traveler reached out and tore off a piece of the Noboto's shoulder. The rip was painful. "No!" Gobon shouted as he gripped Noboto close and blasted Sullonev away. Craddled in his arms, the Gobon whooshed them away to safety.

Safety

Elder Exellis and the Lost Sincroid Army

Finding a safe collection of asteroids far from the battle now, Gobon laid his partner down gently. "Easy, I've got you." the Gobon soothed as he healed Noboto's torn shoulder. "Of all your tricks..." the Noboto said appreciatively, "this is the best one." Resting in a peaceful part of the galaxy without worry again, the Noboto couldn't help but review the events of their day. "That didn't go as well as I'd hoped." The Gobon just "Hmmm..." in agreement.

A faint blue bathed over the pair and space began to open. "Now what?" Noboto sighed.

"Greeting Noboto, it's been a long time..." Before them was someone Noboto hadn't seen in a very long time. "Exellis!!??" the short trapper exclaimed. Before the pair floated Elder Exellis and the Lost Sincroid Army.

...

"Isn't that right... my Protoclone!"

Later, inside the hidden laboratory of Commander Viyer we find the Commander deep in thought. Motionless, Sullonev's stasis tank was quietly bubbling as the injured Traveler started the long process of healing. "Well, Sollonev, Glyaxia's new Dark Traveler proved quite resilient, escaping even my Syclodoc attack." Viyer noted. Moving around the lab, Viyer approached a different stasis tank further back. "But thanks to you, we weren't left empty handed..." A new, smaller body stared back at the Commander as it continued to quickly grow. "Isn't that right... my Protoclone!".

Characters

• Noboto
• Gobon
• Neo Gatekeepers Commander Viyer
• Neo Gatekeepers Commander Sullonev
• Neo Gatekeepers Deep Space Glyans
• Glyaxia Ivorinium Elite
• Dark Traveler
• Syclodoc
• Elder Exellis
• Lost Sincroid Army
• Protoclone