Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Vanguard: Issue 114: Titanic Treasury of Tangential Tales!

Avatar battled the Cyclops, Otom the Seer, in midtown Manhattan in a cosmic challenge to determine who would wear the mantle of Avatar! Blinded, Otom could only mystically perceive Avatar! Weaponless, Otom would have no choice but to cross the street to engage Avatar, whether it be in conversation or mortal combat. Avatar could see the speeding cars that raced between them, but Otom could not! Nor could he hear it clearly over the storm! The blind seer would surely be killed… unless Avatar acted!

Avatar raced back across the street to save Otom's life, nimbly using the spear to pole-vault over cars! Otom readied to charge into the street at Avatar and the myrmidon of myth pre-empted him with a pole-vault kick squarely into Otom’s chest! WHAM! Otom wasn’t hurt but lost his balance and fell backwards to the sidewalk. Avatar had saved his life! The agent of antiquity landed near Otom and spoke thusly: "Otom, instead of letting you die in the traffic as I might have, I've spared your life...saved it, even. I claim Nike's victory in this manner and in this matter. Now...let's get away from these prying eyes and ears you'll tell me what you know."

Otom roared and threw a big fist at Avatar and missed! SMASH! It cracked the sidewalk concrete!
“You want to know what I know?” the Cyclops growled, dismissive of Avatar’s claim of victory.
He stood, ready once more for battle and said, “This is not a game, boy. I have waited an eternity for this moment. Think of the Pantheon! You’ve lost your memory. Something went wrong with your reincarnation. Do you think I am the only one who can see you since you’ve manifested?
“Others will come. They have waited a long time. And they will take your power for evil. With your memory damaged, you could not hope to survive them… but I could survive them.
“I will use the power for good. Give me the power of the Avatar, for the sake of the Pantheon!
“Manifest the wisdom of Apollo… the selflessness of Artemis… or else all is lost!”

(Replies?! Actions?!)


Clone had told Grey and Drake that he was willing to trade one of his duplicates for his family. Now, during a covert, live exchange at the Berlin Wall, the human collective wasn’t so sure anymore.
Sickle called (in Russian): “Send forward the Clone! For every step he takes toward me, the family Oleksienko will take one step away from me!” Her voice echoed into the night.

The undisguised Clone walked forward and his family mirrored his progress until they met in the middle of the death strip. They hugged and cried a moment. “I love you,” said Alex’s mother.

“Don’t stop!” barked Sickle in Russian. The Oleksienkos pulled themselves apart. His family marched to freedom and he, back to enslavement. When Clone’s family reached the other side of the death strip, Grey and Drake rushed them through the gate into the waiting Jeeps. They thought the exchange was over. “Come on!” yelled Drake. Then the six Clones disguised as soldiers took aim on the guard towers!

Simultaneously, the undisguised Clone who stood in defeat before the Russians suddenly drew his pistol, got his hand around Sickle’s throat and put the barrel against her forehead. Like the CHESS agents, the Russians were taken by surprise! (That was your last Luck Point. I’m assuming you’d tucked one of the pistols in your belt, in the small of your back. This works better than grappling, unless you disagree. Thx)

The four Special Forces soldiers and Hammer all took point blank aim at Clone! Sickle yelled at them, and the men in the towers, in Russian: “STOP! Hold your fire! He is to be taken alive! Doctor X commands it!”

“Let her GO!” roared Hammer with visible emotion from behind his big handgun.

“Silence!” ordered Sickle. Then she looked down Clone’s arm into his face and smiled with contempt. She said sardonically, “Well, well. What now, little Alex?”

(Replies?! Actions?! fyi, the Clones aren’t telepathically linked. Coordinated action may require speech. :) )


Lightning Strike said, "If you know where Caine is at the moment and you have suspicions that he is engaged in criminal activity, then I will go and see what I can find. I want to see him brought to justice but I will not be a vigilante. He will be brought before a jury of his peers and he will be exposed for the vermin that he is. If I can make that happen, then perhaps your nephew can rest in peace."

Detective Archer said, “You know that Caine’s wealth will make sure he never sees the inside of a court room. I know Caine’s whereabouts but he is not currently ‘engaged in criminal activity.’ So now I know where you stand. Sorry to have wasted your time, Lightning Strike.” Archer left with the case file.

Strike pursued Archer out of the alley. "I will investigate and follow-up on what you have told me. Although it is against my better judgment, I will see what Caine is up to. I will investigate but do no more. I will not fabricate evidence. We should not stoop to their level."

Detective Archer begrudgingly gave Strike Caine’s current whereabouts: the Four Seasons. Penthouse 1.

The high voltage vigilante transformed into electricity and entered the city’s electrical grid. In seconds he was in the hotel’s computer system. Penthouse 2 was empty for the night and SHAKOW! Lightning Strike appeared inside it. Then he carefully tried to slowly flow through the wall sockets into Penthouse 1, as quietly as possible! It worked! (Charisma (Will) x3% roll succeeds)

Strike was standing in another darkened, unused room! No one was here, and there was no evidence of a guest! KRAKA-BOOM! Strike became living electricity again and re-entered the hotel’s computer. Penthouse 1 was unrented for the night! He scanned the register and saw nothing that looked like Silas Caine.

Lightning Strike raced back to the alley where he had left Archer moments ago! The detective was gone!

(Reply?! Actions?!)


Menagerie and Pachyderm hiked north across the savage Canadian wilderness for days to relocate Pachyderm safely away from mankind. Menagerie hunted periodically to secure new incentives for Pachyderm. The elephantine extranormal slowly grew accustomed to Menagerie’s presence, in all its forms, and the wizard of wildlife learned the colossal creature was more beast than man. Pachyderm did not speak words and seemed supremely isolated in the world. He hunted on his own, once surprising a mighty elk. But he had a liking for fish, and perhaps for company. So he followed Menagerie across the days and distances, sometimes letting a mile lay between them, but always returning.

Then, halfway through the journey, from atop a rocky hill, Menagerie saw that a mile back, crossing an expanse between the evergreens, a lone figure was following their trail across the rugged wilderness.

Menagerie briefly considered confronting the follower, but reminded himself what his true purpose was: to get Pachyderm to his new location. Menagerie continued leading the way, checking their stalker’s progress as they went. The terrain didn’t offer expansive views for a spell and the lone figure was not seen for hours at a time, but when visual contact was established it seemed the distance was slowly closing. Menagerie’s senses offer no clue as to who the follower could be. He waits for the distance to be a quarter of what it was to confront the follower. Menagerie didn’t know if they would reach their destination first. It was going to be close!

Menagerie and Pachyderm reached their destination! They hadn’t seen the follower for over a day. The sun was setting over the Chinchaga Wildland. Pachyderm found a roaring freshwater river and Menagerie was some distance away making preparations to return home when he saw the follower emerge from a forest to the south.
She seemed to be half human and half cat. (see image) She had a backpack and was dressed for hiking this terrain. She was walking toward Pachyderm.

(Reply?! Actions?!)



Sentinel had stopped the bombing of the Odyssey Club, but at a grave cost! His shields were damaged, his energy waning. The beacon of liberty pushed the would-be mass murderess, her protective energy field and Sentinel’s wall through the shattering window walls out into the private garden behind the brownstone!

The Mask of Red Death growled: “Very well. The bold act will be your murder. The symbol upon your chest broken and destroyed for all to see! A warning to the elite parasites that infect the world!”

Sentinel’s mind raced. His knowledge of heroic lore told him this was likely a forcefield, perhaps generated by a device, or by the Mask herself. And he saw that he was able to move this field; it added no mass to his anarchistic antagonist. His best chance to move this battle to a new location was by throwing her there!

But before he could act, the Mask fired again! ZAXXK! (OOC: 14 points of damage, and it gets through your damaged shields! 4 from Power Points and 10 from Hit Points!)
“Where is the liberty you bring? You are an agent of the oppressors of this world, a tool of tyranny!”

Badly injured, the heir of heroism desperately used to his energy constructs to throw the Mask of Red Death westward to the closest body of water, the Central Park reservoir! As she hurtled from sight, he could hear her roaring in impotent rage!

As he took off to follow, Sentinel looked down and saw the REACH fundraiser guests still fleeing the brownstone. O’Malley and Doyle were doing their best but the crowd was frightened, panicked and confused. Sentinel peered westward and saw that the Mask’s trajectory would soon reach the reservoir!

(Reply?! Actions?!)


Slingshot smiled despite himself. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?” Scott swung at his malleable mirror image and missed! His fake foe warped his body out of the way and Slingshot hammered a crossbeam instead, bending it with his bare fist and sending vibrations through the girders! KRANG-g-g!

The deadly duplicate answered Scott: “Why to kill you of course. And when that’s done, I’ll be you.”
Then he stretched his limbs out to grab the iron matrix of the building’s skeleton, and then slungshot himself directly at Scott! KRA-POW!!!

Scott flew backwards 40 feet and clear out of the unfinished building! Scott was in freefall!

The malleable man of might stretched out an arm to the construction site skyscraper, grabbed hold of a girder and swung inside the structure! Like a big rubber-armed gorilla, Slingshot swung hand over hand, stories at a time, down to the street to search for something big, heavy and flammable! He lost sight of his devil duplicate. (OOC: Evasion)

Scott’s construction experience quickly helped him locate steel drums of diesel for fuelling the generators at the construction site. There was also the site gopher’s beater car that he bet he could throw. The elements of a trap were forming, but his quarry was nowhere to be found! The mimic hadn’t followed him. And Scott couldn’t see it in the moonlit skyscraper skeleton. Minutes passed as he waited. Then…

“Hey you!” yelled a policeman who was peering into the construction site through a loose plank in the wooden perimeter fence.
“Whaddayou doing in there?!!... Oh, it’s you, Slingshot. I didn’t recognize ya. What’s going on, big guy?” asked the cop as he walked toward Slingshot.

(Replies? Actions?)


Soldier and Manetti executed a low level parachute drop into the Venezuelan jungle near the Patriot's last known location! Then their plane was shot down, with Dr. Ashe aboard! Soldier’s sensors helped him estimate the gunfire’s origination at SSW of their location. Manetti held the tracker for Patriot’s subcutaneous transponder. It was pointing due west.

The two operatives raced westward through the thick humid jungle. Soldier’s sensors picked up movement dead ahead. Lots of it. Soldier and Manetti scrambled up two tree trunks and waited for what seemed like days. Then they came. Slowly, carefully, armed men crept below them through the darkness. Five just beneath their treetop perches, and another five in the vicinity. Soldier’s telescopic nightvision optics showed what seemed like local Venezuelans, native American descendants, armed with state of the art autorifles and night vision goggles over clothes that spoke of lives of abject deprivation and poverty. Impossibly, their weapons and equipment were CHESS-issue!

Soldier coolly drew his firearm and kept scanning. He signaled Manetti the locations of the enemy soldiers.
Tension built as the two operatives watched the armed men continue past beneath them. When they thought it was safe they waited another five minutes. Then they climbed down. They continued west through the dark jungle, now behind enemy lines, stopping only to drink water. Manetti was full of questions but kept silent.

They passed a line of human skulls mounted on 5 foot sticks.

They slowly advanced another hundred yards or so and saw light ahead. Flickering. The pair crept up and saw an encampment through the thick foliage. Ancient ruins near a small brook, illuminated by torchlight. Tarps and tents around it, all beneath thick jungle canopy. This ruin wasn’t on their map. A skeletal force of armed men stood watch; they likely emptied the camp for the search of the plane crash.
Other people were present in the camp, non-combatants. They looked like indigenous people. Women, children and the elderly were among their number.

The Patriot’s transponder was inside the ancient ruin.

(Replies? Actions?)


Symbiote was eighty stories above nighttime Manhattan, hanging onto Gadget Girl for dear life! The ingenious ingénue of invention had stolen the Harper Harness and was in the middle of her getaway, bursting out of the Vanguard Vault atop the Empire State Building!

Gadget Girl laughed. “Hang on tight, honey, this is going to be fun!” The jovial jet-packer barrel rolled twice and then looped hard into a dead man’s dive straight down at over 100 mph! Hal barely hung on!

VROOOOMM! They hurtled down toward the streets, pulling up at the last instant, barely avoiding the roof of a moving car! ZOOOOM! A big loop the loop and then straight up, corkscrew-spinning all the way! She was trying to throw him off, to his certain death. Hal’s left hand was losing its from grip around Gadget Girl's neck!

His fingers sliding, Symbiote crashed his right hand, with the tool, down on her skull, just behind her right ear! KRAK! She was out cold!

VOOM..Vom..SPUT.. SPT spaaaa… The jetpack sputtered out! It must have been under cybernetic control! Symbiote and Gadget Girl were plummeting from a height of 700 feet!

(Replies? Actions?)


Talon’s date with Mother Russia was interrupted by her jealous former teammate, Accelerator!
Another Saturday night shot to hell.

An extranormal bar room brawl broke out and Mother Russia yelled, “Both of you, stop it right now!”
Talon cut Accelerator good and then the villain of velocity suddenly stopped on a dime, right next to Talon. With one finger, he touched the avian antihero, transferring all his velocity into him! ZOOOOOOOMMM! Talon flew backwards at blinding speeds, crashing through the bar’s big front window and into a telephone pole on the street! KRASSH! WHAM! The wingless birdman fell to the sidewalk, hard! WHUMP!

Adam couldn’t see Accelerator or Mother Russia inside the bar because of the fleeing, panicked bar patrons that now threatened to trample him! Growling in frustration, Talon stood and tore open his jacket to unfasten his harness. With a flap of his big black wings, he soared over the stampede, and the bar! Talon’s sharp eyes scanned the nearby alleys and streets for signs of a fleeing Accelerator or Mother Russia among the panicked crowd. A quick circle turns up nothing. Talon touches down at the bar’s back door and enters to check on any patrons that might still be inside.

The place is cleared out, except for Accelerator and Mother Russia. They were arguing, their faces less than a foot apart. Accelerator’s back was to Talon. Mother Russia saw Talon enter, but didn’t look again for fear of tipping off Accelerator. There were mirrors in the bar that could betray Talon’s presence, but so far Accelerator didn’t see him.

Accelerator yelled, “Defected?! What was all that stuff you told me in prison?! About the glory of the Soviet system?!”

Mother Russia couldn’t help but glance at Talon again.

(Reply? Actions?)


----------------

OOC:
Have fun.
Viva Vanguard,
Jeff

Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 63

Clone: Bodies: 7, Hit Points: 3 each, Power Points: 47 each, Hit Point Pool: 19

Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 43, Power Points: 55

Sentinel: Hit Points: 3, Power Points: 39, Creation Points: 78, Shields: 73

Slingshot: Hit Points: 65, Power Points: 73, Inv: 8

Symbiote: Hit Points: 16, Power Points: 57

Talon: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 58

Everyone else is full or close to it.

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Avatar:
OOC: Well...so much for that.

John shrugs, "I guess we play this game your way, then."

OOC: John attacks with the spear. Straightforward attacks to damage. Use a Luck Point on the first damage roll, if I can.

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Slingshot:
At this point, I can't trust anyone. The policeman could be the mimic. Doesn't mean that he's not the real thing either. Slingshot to Policeman, authoritatively : "Stay Back! I've been attacked by a villain. I've lost track of it for now and I'm not sure where it's going to come from. Stay out of the way. He's incredibly powerful." Slingshot will put an interposing giant hand to illustrate his intentions.

Trying to get a feel for the situation: Does the diesel drums and car plan need prep time? Or can I just get the doppleganger to stand close to the canisters and throw the car?I don't want to setup in front of the policeman, in case he's the mimic, but if the policeman goes back to his car to call for backup, then I'll setup what's necessary.
Stephane

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Sentinel:
As the Mask of Red Death hurled westward from his sight towards the reservoir Kirk used his energy sense to tag her and keep track of her trajectory, but before he could follow he saw the crowd was frightened, panicked and confused and he had to see to their well being.

Taking to the sky to pursue the Mask he stopped for a moment and turned towards the crowd. He wanted to be sure he was far enough away so no one could see just how badly he was hurting. In front of him, his energy formed a device to amplify his voice above the noisy commotion and behind him a large iconic symbol of the Sentinel appeared in the sky. Since it seemed his symbol meant more to at least some of the Odyssey Club members than he had realized he thought perhaps it would help to focus their attention.

At that moment Kirk thought about the newsreels he saw of Lancaster speaking to the troops during World War II and how he reassured them and inspired them. He meant to channel that same dignity and power.

"Enough! Enough! Calm down now before your panic causes the injury that has already been averted! You could have lost your lives this day, but instead death has passed you by. You have been given the gift of life. How you use this gift is up to you to decide. But the purpose of this gathering today was about each of you making a conscious choice to take positive action to make the world a better place. Today you have witnessed two clashing ideologies and their methods at work. You know my hopes for the REACH program. You've seen my choice backed by actions. I hope that you use the gift you've received today, this rebirth, to choose wisely. You can start by making sure all of you vacate this area in an safe and orderly way."

As Kirk flew at his top speed in pursuit of the Mask he continued to focus his energy sense grasping for some additional advantage? Did it seem the intensity of her power levels were tied to her reaction to events around her? Did it seem to emanate from a source? At what range did it seem her blasts became impotent?

Since neutralizing the bomb threat it seemed that nothing in this battle was going Kirk's way and if that didn't change now, he was done. He continued to weigh the situation to try to leverage what little he had left to his advantage. He hoped that plunging the Mask into the thirty-nine feet deep billion gallons of water* of the Central Park reservoir would turn the tide in his favor. He also reasoned he had quite a bit of 'reach' with his powers; Kirk would hang back as far as possible hoping to stay out of the range of the Mask's blasts while submerging her into the watery abyss.

As he mentally shook off the effects of the concussive force of the Mask's attacks to prepare for his final assault he gave a silent nod of thanks to Soldier and Sgt Stone for pushing him in his physical training; had he not trained so hard Kirk knew this battle would have been over already.
And it was that thought and the pain and trail of blood along his arm from splinters from the hardwood floors of the Mask's first attack that reminded Kirk of his Chess communicator. He had forgotten about another one of his assets; he was never alone. If he was meant to fall in battle this day, he would still claim the victory!

Kirk activated his communicator on emergency setting. "Ajay, this is Kirk. Lock in on my position immediately. The REACH event at the Odyssey Club was attacked by an unknown female extranormal. She possesses energy based powers that have been exhibited in the form of forcefield and blasts. She set off enough explosives to destroy the entire structure and murder everyone within, but that threat was neutralized. Unfortunately she tagged me badly while I was preventing those casualties. I'm in battle and in the process of relocating her from her target location to the Central City reservoir. If you don't hear back from me in the next two minutes it's because I'm no longer capable of responding. Follow all appropriate protocols to ensure the safety of her civilian targets. Kirk out."

* OOC: Hey, I can Google with the best of them!

Jeff: Still going with the water plan - adding keeping Kirk's distance to hopefully avoid getting tagged a third time and taken out of the battle, and 'backup' is now on the way ..... here's hoping the rolls go his way. I didn't expect the second blast to tag him this early in the game.

If it ends up that the water does take the fight out of her, Kirk will be ready to fish her out after he is sure she has lost consciousness. He would even establish a mental lock on her prior to fishing her out to be sure she isn't playing possum and if he has to take action to revive her.

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Sentinel:
OOC: Make that the Central Park reservoir on the second mention too - too funny, I mentally noted while working up the post I'd have to be careful not to type it incorrectly and I did so anyway and didn't notice in my proofread before sending - shows you what world I really live in :)
Seth

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GM:
Slingshot wrote: Trying to get a feel for the situation: Does the diesel drums and car plan need prep time? Or can I just get the doppleganger to stand close to the canisters and throw the car?

GM Reply: The latter, unless you want to try something fancier.

Seth: Central City Reservoir. That's great. As you know I was never a Flash guy but he's got the best Rogues Gallery in the DC universe this side of Batman. Captain Cold! Mirror Master! Gorilla Grodd! Captain Boomerang!

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Slingshot:
Nope. Short and nasty is just what I want.

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Soldier:
Soldier carefully studied his surroundings, taking in every sight, every sound, looking for any signs that their presence had been detected. He wanted to get closer look at the area they’d just entered, and let Manetti know what his plan was. Whispering quietly to Manetti – “I want to check out the far side of the place. I’m going to try to work my way around the perimeter, and see if I can spot an entrance to the ruins. If I’m not back within the hour, let the team and my family know what happened to me.”

With that, he gathers his senses, and adjusts his sensors. He’ll try to quietly work his way through the underbrush, and get in as close as possible, using his sensors to monitor the activities of the natives, and any combatants. If he’s detected by a soldier, he’ll try to take out without alerting his companions. If a civilian spots him, he’ll restrain them, so as not to alert everyone in the camp.

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Menagerie:
Menagerie will move to get between Pachyderm and this woman. He will greet her and inquire in to her purpose in coming here.

He will closely watch her and Pachyderm to see if they know each other or have a connection.

Thanks
Tom

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Symbiote:
IC: OK, now I'm a little worried, Hal thinks to himself as Gadget Girl's jet boots sputter out.. Gonna have to seriously rethink security for the harness, assuming I get out of this.

He put every bit of his intellect to work on the problem. Let's try being smart about this, he thinks. He remembers the alternate universe where The Primate nearly took over Earth, and he had briefly assumed the powers--and the raging berserker irrationality--of Pachyderm. My teammates in that universe--assuming it actually is an existing alternate universe, and not just some vision conjured up by Oracle--deduced that my Harness worked by cybernetic commands, and Lightning Strike actually had to enter the harness in order to deactivate it.

I conk Gadget Girl on the noggin, and her lights go out. So do her jet boots. I can only deduce that her hardware works on cyber commands as well. So if I do this...

...Hal removes Gadget Girl's mask and quickly slips it over his head, hopefully feeling cybernetic contacts interface with his own scalp and careful to leave any wiring connected to her costume, keeping his head close to hers...
...and this...

...from behind, Hal wraps his legs around Gadget Girl's hips, his left arm around her neck and his right arm around her torso ("Sorry to get so touchy-feely on a first date, Cupcake, but this is an emergency," he murmurs to the unconscious Maiden of Malevolent Mechanics)...

...maybe I can ditch us both in the drink!

OOC: And that's the move. Hal will attempt to fire up her boot rockets and "ride her" like a surfer belly riding his board to a safe landing in the Hudson river. He has no expectation of having any precise control over GG's jet boots, he just wants any landing he can walk (or swim) away from. Yes, I'll use a hero point on this if I absolutely must (Mercy, Oh GM! I've already burned two, by my count!). Once we're safely in the river Hal will drag her unconscious form to shore, disarm her, tie her up and use his wrist communicator to summon CHESS or the NYPD or whoever can pick her up. He'd like Gadget Girl held at the Vanguard Vault, initially, he wants to interrogate her. And he wants his damn Harness back!

Viva Vanguard,

Greg

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Slingshot:
As I mentioned before..At this point, I can't trust anyone. The policeman could be the mimic. Doesn't mean that he's not the real thing either. Slingshot to Policeman, authoritatively : "Stay Back! I've been attacked by a villain. I've lost track of it for now and I'm not sure where it's going to come from. Stay out of the way. He's incredibly powerful. Get backup!" Slingshot will put an interposing giant hand to illustrate his intentions.

OOC: He's ready for the policeman to morph into the mimic. Looking for the tell tale eye-whitening precursor to morphing. If that doesn't occur and the policeman goes for backup.. Then he'll look for the mimic coming from somewhere else. So the goal is to get the mimic in my form close to the drums and knock them out with the car. if it explodes, I'll call "strike!". eheh.

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Clone:
>CLONE’S IC RESPONSE<

I looked, and there before me was a pale horse . . .

A minute or two of quite tension spans the length of the death strip as both sides stand ready behind their weapons. The six disguised Clone’s then slowly begin to pull off their helmets with one hand and drop them to the ground. Their fingers still firmly set beside the triggers of their weapons

. . . . Its rider was named Death, and Hell was followed after him . . .

The undisguised Clone takes his eyes off of Hammer and slowly turns his gaze upon Sickle. The other six duplicates begin to casually walk to various positions behind the undisguised Clone and eventually form a single column of duplicates stretching all the way back to the C.H.E.S.S. occupied side of the death strip. The six duplicates lower their weapons to their sides and stare straight ahead at their undisguised duplicate.

. . . and there was given unto them authority over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

The six disguised Clones then gently drop their weapons to the pavement that lies beneath their feet. They drop them in a way that lets the Russians know that they dropped them not out of fear or obligation, but because they chose to.

In a soft yet firm tone the undisguised Clone; with his pistol still firmly affixed to the side of Sickle’s head, speaks to her in Russian, “Despite what you may think – you and I are nothing alike. You see unlike you and your brother, I am no longer the slave of corrupt and unjust masters – I am a free man. Free of the cruel and oppressive strings that bind you and your brother like puppets.” An outstretched hand then finds itself on the shoulder of the undisguised Clone.

The undisguised Clone then continues, “Tell your masters back at the Kremlin what I have said. Tell them that I am through running . . . I am through hiding. Tell them that my family and I are theirs no more. Tell them . . . we are free”

The disguised Clone then flexes his grasp on the undisguised Clone’s shoulder to get his attention and says to him calmly in Ukrainian, “Its time.”

The other Clones then follow suit and place their hands solidly on the shoulder of the Clone in front of them. In a blink, the gun that rested squarely upon Sickle’s temples falls harmlessly to the ground – its wielder nowhere in sight. The Clones have reabsorbed each other simultaneously all the way back to the far end of the death strip.

Clone stands there for a fraction of a second and looks across to the other side of the cement causeway with conviction. In that moment he takes a mental photograph of the scene before him and vows to himself, “I will never become one of them. I will never let fear or hate cripple or control me. I will never again allow myself to be the servant of tyranny and injustice.” Just before he turns and starts to head towards the C.H.E.S.S. motorcade he whispers aloud to himself in Ukrainian, “. . . my hate dies here.”

>CLONE’S OOC RESPONSE<

Hopefully that will all work – lol – and I hope that wasn’t too long of a response. I just started writing and couldn’t stop myself. :-P

I have to say - Clone has had some really hard choices to make thus far. This has been a really awesome sequence of events so far Jeff – you’ve really out done yourself with these last few issues.

JEFF WROTE: (That was your last Luck Point. I’m assuming you’d tucked one of the pistols in your belt, in the small of your back. This works better than grappling, unless you disagree. Thx)

- Thanks Jeff that does work out a lot better - definitely more dramatic – thanks again.

JEFF WROTE: (Replies?! Actions?! fyi, the Clones aren’t telepathically linked. Coordinated action may require speech. :) )

- Yeah – even though they’re essentially ‘of the same mind’ ( for lack of a better definition ), I know I’m going to have to pay more attention to how the Clone’s work together as a group – sorry about that. If I over stepped any bounds at all as far as ‘Clone Coordination’ in this issue please let me know – I have no problem with amending my response if need be.

And it’s funny that you mentioned that - I’ve actually been thinking about ‘telepathic communication between Clone and his duplicates’ as my next levels training – think that would be possible?

Talk to you all soon,

-Kev

PS: I just wanted to say to everyone that its been a ton of fun reading all of your responses so far. I've learned a bunch of stuff about all of your characters - their personalities, their backgrounds, etc. . . Splitting us up like this was definitely a really great idea. How Jeff has been able to keep all of our storylines straight and get the next issues out so quickly I have no idea - great job Jeff!

Talk to you all soon,

-Kev

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Talon:
Hello All,
IC: Doubt creeps into Adams mind as he notices Mother Russia's second glance in his direction. "Was that for me or him?", he thinks to himself as he flaps his ebony wings to close the distance between them.

OOC: Talon will try to fly in behind Accelerator, grab him without stopping, and fly out the broken front window with him grasped in his claws. He will fly into the air above the city in the direction of the Vanguard Vault. He will spend a luck point to do this action, if possible.

IC: "That was a nice shot, Commie. Kinda makes me think about dropping you onto the pavement from about a mile up. But I guess I'll have to settle with just kicking your butt all the way into a cell back at The Vault."

OOC: Talon will fly Accelerator back to the Vanguard Vault and do his best to lock him up in any way possible.

--------------------------------------------------

Sentinel:
Looking forward to our next story arc as we try to rescue Clone from Soviet captivity :)

Great post. At first I thought you were going to shoot up the place and that this was going to be a key moment change in your character, but then you turned it around being true to self. Nice. Just hope you make it out ....

I too have enjoyed the solo arcs and look forward to the rest of them. Yours has been very intriguing. And every time I think Hal has gotten himself out of the jam, he's swept right back into it...

Seth

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Clone:
SETH WROTE: /Looking forward to our next story arc as we try to rescue Clone from Soviet captivity :)/

LMAO!!! Ignore him Jeff - he knows not what he says! Then all of a sudden - much like Marvel Comics Deadpool - Clone suddenly breaks through 'The Fourth Wall' dressed like Mel Gibson in Braveheart, and from behind his blue face paint speaks out against Seth's dark vision of the future. "I am not knowing of this 'captivity' of which you speak. As great Ukrainian Vil'gel'm Wallace is once saying . . ." He then raises a claymore ( the sword, not the anti-personnel device ) high above his head and shouts,". . . They are not to be taking my life, but I will never be taking of FREEDOM!"

He then pauses for a moment with a dumbfounded look upon his face and slowly lowers his sword,". . . no . . .this is not to be sounding right . . . I will to try again." He then raise his claymore high above his head and shouts out,"They are to be taking my freedom, but I am to be taking my LIFE!" He quickly lowers his sword again and just stares blankly into nothingness for a second as he realizes that this is wrong as well. Throwing his sword to the ground with a great 'KLANG', he stomps away in disgust mumbling several; barely audible, Ukrainian 'swear words' to himself. Clone FTW! Woo-Hoo! lol :-P

-Kev

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Talon:
Kevin! You have to put the NSFW (Not Safe For Work) disclaimer on your email responses!!!! I hurt myself holding in the laughter!!! :0

Okay, give me a sec as I straighten my internal organs. Its responses like this, that make me agree with Seth. Clone back in the U.S.S.R. would be a thing a beauty. There are so many ways Clone could drive Sickle crazy. Clone singing "Its Hammer Time" everytime Hammer gives a briefing would be hilarous.

Oh man, these solo adventures have been absolutely wonderful.

We have had the Many Faces of Clone;

Talon has shown us Love Superhero Style;

Avatar has had us Dancing In The Street;

Soldier has again raised the question does Father Know Best;

Sentinel has taught to be leery of the Lady In Red;

Slingshot has shown us the dangers of having a Face Off;

Symbiote has shown how to prevent Go! Go! Gadget!

and Menagerie has introduced us to the Pachyderm Whisperer.

This has truly been a memorable story arc.

Tom

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GM:
Pachyderm Whisperer. That’s good.

Clone wrote: I know I’m going to have to pay more attention to how the Clone’s work together as a group – sorry about that. If I over stepped any bounds at all as far as ‘Clone Coordination’ in this issue please let me know – I have no problem with amending my response if need be.

GM Reply: So far it’s been fine. No problem.

Clone wrote: And it’s funny that you mentioned that - I’ve actually been thinking about ‘telepathic communication between Clone and his duplicates’ as my next levels training – think that would be possible?

GM Reply: Sentinel’s been learning the power Telepathy with his Advancements. I think we broke it into 4 Advancements to get V&V Telepathy, which is more than you want. Will take a look at it.

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Lightning Strike:
I think I want to shift my investigation now and look into Detective Archer. I need to locate his home and then get there fast. Assuming that going to the hotel and back took only a minute or two, then Detective Archer shouldn't be far away. If I find him at his home, then I know that the man I talked to wasn't Archer.

(OOC: Since he is Strike's uncle, I assume I would know the address.) I assume there was no indication to Strike that it wasn't actually Archer he was talking to. He did mention that he read the classified Chess file. How classified is the file and how widespread is the knowledge that Lightning Strike was in Caine's home? Would there be any reason for the police to have it? Thanks for the patience while I was on much needed vacation.

Tony

Vanguard: Issue 113: Divergent Dramas of Deadly Derring-Do!


“Avatar! You have been missing for centuries… utterly removed! If the Avatar were dead, the power would have passed to the next incarnation. But an Avatar has not been reborn in centuries! … Until this year! Where have you been all this time?! And why do you not recognize Otom?!” roared the Cyclops.
The massive monster struck Avatar’s temple with the dull end of the spear! KRAK! The myrmidon of mythology flew backwards 20 feet into the street! A rain-soaked wall of steel and glass traffic was bearing down on him!

Avatar quickly got his feet beneath him, dodged the traffic (Evasion) and leapt to the other side of the street from the sorcerous Cyclops!

Otom quickly hurled his long spear across the street with surprising strength, skill and experience! GHASH! The cold blade cut Avatar’s side as the spear continued past him, sinking into a temporary wooden wall that surrounded a shop’s makeover. THUNK! (OOC: 14 points damage! 7 to Hits and Power)

Avatar called across the storm and traffic: "My name is John Poulos, as far as I know. I've always been lucky and gifted but these powers came unto me not long ago, after I decided to try my hand at the hero game. I've seen some amazing things since...why don't we halt this if we're supposed to be friends and speak of whatever it is that you seem to know...or think you know...and I don't?"
Avatar was looking to trap Otom, hoping he would cross the street to speak further, whereupon Avatar would thrust him backwards into the traffic with the cruel cunning of Ares. Waiting for the right moment to act, Avatar realized he was already in the right place at the right time. (Cost: one Luck Point)

Otom was blinded. He could only mystically perceive Avatar! Weaponless, Otom would have no choice but to cross the street to engage Avatar, whether it be in conversation or mortal combat. Avatar could see the speeding cars and trucks that raced between them, but Otom could not! Nor could he hear it clearly over the storm! The blind seer would surely be killed… unless Avatar acted!

(Replies?! Actions?!)


Clone was at an unauthorized crossing on the Berlin Wall! He stood at a West Berlin gate at midnight, flanked by two Clones disguised as soldier escorts. Behind him were Drake and Grey and behind them, four more disguised Clone Soldiers. “This is it,” said Grey.

Drake opened the gate, revealing a concrete path lined with barbed wire fence that cut perpendicular across the flat open ground between twin concrete walls to a gate on the East Berlin side. That flat ground was called a death strip because it offered no cover from the wall’s gun towers. Two towers were in sight on the Eastern side, each with movement in them. At the end of the path, framed by the East Berlin gate, could be seen under flood lamps, Clone’s family, four Soviet soldiers, and the Soviet Super Soldiers, Hammer and Sickle!

Like a death row inmate being walked down his cell block for the last time, the undisguised Clone slowly began his walk down the ‘death strip’, in a posture of defeat. He then stops a few feet away from where he started his walk and called over to the other side of the death strip and said to Hammer and Sickle in an almost pleading tone ( in Russian ), ”You have the upper hand comrades, and I have nothing to insure that you’ll keep your word . . . please . . . let my family go . . . let them cross over to this side first and I will come to you willingly.”
Sickle called (in Russian): “No! Send forward the Clone! For every step he takes toward me, the family Oleksienko will take one step away from me!” Her voice echoed off the concrete Wall along the death strip.

Alex’s family took a few tentative steps forward, to mirror the undisguised Clone’s progress so far. Watching them, Clone was certain that they were in fact his real family.
(Replies?! Actions?!)


Lightning Strike said, "If you know where Caine is at the moment and you have suspicions that he is engaged in criminal activity, then I will go and see what I can find. I want to see him brought to justice but I will not be a vigilante. He will be brought before a jury of his peers and he will be exposed for the vermin that he is. If I can make that happen, then perhaps your nephew can rest in peace."

Detective Archer said, “You know that Caine’s wealth will make sure he never sees the inside of a court room.” The big man checked his wristwatch. “I know Caine’s whereabouts but he is not currently ‘engaged in criminal activity.’ So now I know where you stand. Sorry to have wasted your time, Lightning Strike.” Archer retrieved the case file on the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Archer and left the alley.

Strike pursued Archer out of the alley. "I will investigate and follow-up on what you have told me. Although it is against my better judgment, I will see what Caine is up to. I will investigate but do no more. I will not fabricate evidence. We should not stoop to their level."

Detective Archer begrudgingly gave Strike Caine’s current whereabouts: the Four Seasons Hotel. Archer even had the room number, Penthouse 1.
The high voltage vigilante transformed into electricity and entered the city’s electrical grid. In seconds he was approaching the hotel!

((Reply?! Actions?! There are no cameras in the hotel room of course. And entering the room as electricity will likely be noticed. What do you do?)


Menagerie, master of mysticism, suddenly walked among the firefighters and rangers who worked to re-direct a lightning-borne forest fire in a Canadian Provincial Park. The druidic defender tried to convince the Rangers to quarantine the area to provide the extranormal Pachyderm a safe place! It worked!
The senior ranger said, “Hmph. Well if that don’t beat all. Tell you what. You bring him northeast, over route 97 and up into Alberta, few hundred kilometers, to a place called Chinchaga Wildland, ain’t nobody up there that’ll find him.”

Menagerie slowly smiled, "Please keep everyone out of the area that I told you Pachyderm is in. I will inform you when the area is safe to return to". Before their astonished eyes, Menagerie transformed into an eagle and took to the air! The ranger’s location was days away, so Menagerie scouted the immediate area, looking for a food source.

Diving into a nearby cold natural lake, Menagerie soon had two big silver fish, one in each strong talon.
Then he soared back to Pachyderm! He soon found the ferocious force of nature and dropped the fish at his feet! Pachyderm looked at the fish, puzzled, and then ate it as Menagerie watched, circling above.
Menagerie landed a safe distance from the man-mammoth and assumed human form! Holding the second fish in one hand, he said, “There is more of this from where I came from, just follow me and I will take you there”. Then Menagerie transformed into a wolf and padded off slowly with the fish in his jaws.

Pachyderm followed. The shapeshifting shaman never learned of Pachyderm’s ability to leap for miles so the unlikely pair hiked across the Canadian wilderness in a journey that would take days if not weeks. Menagerie hunted periodically to secure new incentives for Pachyderm. The elephantine extranormal slowly grew accustomed to Menagerie’s presence, in all its forms, and the wizard of wildlife learned the colossal creature was more beast than man. Pachyderm did not speak words and seemed supremely isolated in the world. He hunted on his own, once surprising a mighty elk. But he had a liking for fish, and perhaps for company. So he followed Menagerie across the days and distances, sometimes letting a mile lay between them, but always returning.

Then, halfway through the journey, from atop a rocky hill, Menagerie saw that a mile back, crossing an expanse between the evergreens, a lone figure was following their trail across the rugged wilderness.

(Reply?! Actions?!)


Sentinel heard the Mask of Red Death said, “Fool! You wear their symbol upon your chest, visible to all who can see! Change will come when the people are awoken. All it will take is one bold act against their oppressors and the battle will be joined! All it will take is this!” she snarled as she pressed the detonator!

VA-BOOOMM!!! All the electronic devices detonated their bombs! The building should have been destroyed, along with everybody in it! Instead, Sentinel’s energy constructs absorbed all the terrible damage! Sentinel’s constructs were completely destroyed and no one was harmed! His staircase disintegrating beneath him, Sentinel began to fall to the ground (because his animated constructs are what allow him to fly) as the guests ran for the doors and the Mask of Red Death screamed in pure hatred!
She held one hand aloft and red energy materialized around it and fired at the vulnerable vigilante of virtue! ZAXXK! Sentinel felt a hammering powerful impact, that drove him into the hardwood ballroom floor! CRASH! (OOC: 20 points of damage! 5 from Power, 15 from Hits!)

The beacon of liberty reformed his energy shields (costs 8 power points) and said: "Funny, this symbol, to me, embodies a much more noble pursuit, one it seems you cannot begin to comprehend. And if it is to become an emblem of change in the minds of people, something to rally them, something to inspire them, it will not be sullied or associated with an act of destruction and terrorism. And it seems to me that if people are awakened by your 'bold act', they will remember who defined the meaning of this symbol here today… me. What, were you expecting a bigger light show? Some fireworks perhaps? Disappointed?"
As energy walls emanated from his person to protect the innocents in the Odyssey Club!

Then Sentinel moved the energy walls against the Mask! Before they came into contact with her person, the energy Kirk had detected around her flashed red and she, her protective energy field and Sentinel’s wall were pushed through the shattering window walls out into the private garden behind the brownstone! KRASH!

The Mask of Red Death growled: “Very well. The bold act will be your murder. The symbol upon your chest broken and destroyed for all to see! A warning to the elite parasites that infect the world!” ZAXXK! A second burst of crimson energy smashed into Sentinel’s shields! (OOC: 15 points, all off shields!)

(Reply?! Actions?!)


Slingshot had been ambushed by himself! Scott burst out of the top of his organic confinement to discover that it was the elastic epidermis of someone who looked and sounded just like him! The two entwined twins were stretching to a standing height of 50 stories high! The other Scott said, “What I meant was, I’ve sampled enough of your speech patterns, such as they are.”

Trying to keep the fight clear of bystanders, Scott stretched his elastic epidermis to a nearby, empty 75 story steel girder construction site! The titanic twins unraveled from each other and squared off for a no holds barred brawl hundreds of feet about the city, within the cast iron grid!

Scott’s double was faster than him. “Perfect,” he said darkly. “What I have in mind requires some privacy.” Suddenly, the simulated Slingshot grew an anvil-sized fist out of his chest and launched it at Scott! SLAMM! (18 points! 8 from Invulnerability, 9 from Power and 1 from Hit Points!) The powerful strike didn’t budge Slingshot!

Scott smiled despite himself. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?” Scott swung at his malleable mirror image and missed! His fake foe warped his body out of the way and Slingshot hammered a crossbeam instead, bending it with his bare fist and sending vibrations through the girders! KRANG-g-g-g-g-g!

The deadly duplicate answered Scott: “Why to kill you of course. And when that’s done, I’ll be you.”
Then he stretched his limbs out to grab the iron matrix of the building’s skeleton, and then slungshot himself directly at Scott! KRA-POW!!! (21 points! 8 from Power and 13 from Hits!)

Scott flew backwards 40 feet and clear out of the building! Scott was in freefall, plummeting to earth 500 feet below!

(Replies? Actions?)


Soldier and Manetti executed a low level parachute drop into the Venezuelan jungle near the Patriot's last known location! Plummeting, then chute opening, that quick jerk followed by rocking weightlessness. They skirted branches and came down in a clearing by a water hole. Manetti started gathering up his chute from the mud and muttered, “Well that could’ve gone a lot worse.”

Then they heard the weapons reports. The cargo plane was taking fire. The sky over the canopy where the plane had gone was lighting up, irregular. Fire light. BOOM! The sound of an explosion in the distance and lots more fire light in the sky. The plane had been shot down. It was maybe 200 yards away through thick jungle, due south. The plane had been low from the drop when it came under fire.

Soldier’s sensors helped him estimate the gunfire’s origination at SSW of their location. Manetti held the tracker for Patriot’s subcutaneous transponder. It was pointing due west.

Solider thought “Damn, not now.” As desperately as he wanted to go after Dr. Ashe, he knew doing so would compromise his mission. He turned toward Manetti. “Lets get moving, this place will be swarming with troops and soon. Is there any way we can get word to CHESS, and let them know what happened to the plane?" Manetti said, “Kid, officially, CHESS doesn’t know we’re here. Let’s move.”

The two operatives raced westward through the thick humid jungle. Soldier’s sensors picked up movement dead ahead. Lots of it. Soldier and Manetti scrambled up two tree trunks and waited for what seemed like days. Then they came. Slowly, carefully, armed men crept below them through the darkness. Five just beneath their treetop perches, and another five in the vicinity. Soldier’s telescopic nightvision optics showed what seemed like local Venezuelans, native American descendants, armed with state of the art autorifles and night vision goggles over clothes that spoke of lives of abject deprivation and poverty. Impossibly, their weapons and equipment were CHESS-issue!

(Replies? Actions?)


Symbiote had found Gadget Girl in the Vanguard Vault Electronics Lab! And she was wearing the Harper Harness! Hal grappled Gadget Girl and executed an emergency deactivation of the Harper Harness!

“Looks like I’ll have to take this back to the shop,” Gadget Girl smiled as her rocket pack fired up and she hurtled for the door! Shelley tried to grab her and missed as Gadget Girl flew into the Bio-Chem Lab!
ZARK! She blew open the door into the eastern hall! A few more seconds and she’d reach a window!

Hal ordered the base’s security systems to activate and nothing happened! Gadget Girl had already deactivated them!

In desperation, Hal charged her! The two tech titans raced to the window at the Northern end of the hallway! Gadget Girl hesitated long enough to fire her Tesla-esque electric pistol at the glass and that’s when Hal caught her!

ZARK! The electro-beam cracked the safety glass moments before Symbiote and Gadget Girl crashed through it in a tangle of limbs! SKAASSHHH! (OOC: 5 points of damage from broken glass. You may roll with 3 of it, the rest go to Hits)

VWOOOM! Shelley’s yells faded quickly in the cold crisp wind. Hal was eighty stories above nighttime Manhattan, hanging onto Gadget Girl for dear life with his left hand! His right still held the tool.

Gadget Girl laughed. “Hang on tight, honey, this is going to be fun!” The jovial jet-packer barrel rolled twice and then looped hard into a dead man’s dive straight down at over 100 mph! Hal barely hung on!

(Replies? Actions?)


Talon was in the middle of a metahuman bar fight over a girl. Some things never change.

“This guy?!” Accelerator said incredulously to Mother Russia. “You’re on a date with this guy?! What’s he got that I ain’t got?” The beer glass suddenly hurtled from Accelerator’s palm at incredible speeds right at Talon’s head! SKAASHH! Accelerator had the power to transfer velocity into objects or himself! Gasps ran through the bar. Blood flowed from Adam’s head.

Talon, his wings harnessed beneath his street clothes, leapt onto Accelerator, knocking over the table, CRASH! and slashing savagely with his namesake claws! ZRASH! The avian antihero tagged Accelerator!

Wounded, Accelerator got to his feet and suddenly hurtled like a meteor at Talon, fist first! …and missed, striking down two bystanders in the crowded bar! POW! SMASH!

The bar patrons yelled, screamed and stampeded! Mother Russia yelled, “Both of you, stop it right now!”

Talon growled: "You got one lucky shot, Speedy. You won't get another one!"

Accelerator was a blur, hurtling around the rapidly widening floorspace. “We’ll see about that, bird brain.” ZROOOM! Another missed punch at staggering, hyper-velocities! This one shattered a wooden column! BOOM!

Talon swung at the slacker speedster and missed! Accelerator was just too fast to catch!

Then the villain of velocity suddenly stopped on a dime, right next to Talon. With one finger, he touched the avian antihero, transferring all his velocity into him! ZOOOOOOOMMM! Talon flew backwards at blinding speeds, crashing through the bar’s big front window and into a telephone pole on the street! KRASSH! WHAM! (OOC: 13 points of damage! 7 from Power and 6 from Hits!)

The wingless birdman fell to the sidewalk, hard! WHUMP! (6 more from Power).
Adam couldn’t see Accelerator or Mother Russia inside the bar because of the fleeing, panicked bar patrons that now threatened to trample him!

(Reply? Actions?)

----------------

OOC: Have fun.
Viva Vanguard,
Jeff

Current Conditions:
Avatar: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 64
Clone: Bodies: 7, Hit Points: 3 each, Power Points: 48 each, Hit Point Pool: 19
Sentinel: Hit Points: 13, Power Points: 44, Creation Points: 88, Shields: 73
Slingshot: Hit Points: 65, Power Points: 73, Inv: 0 til next issue
Symbiote: Hit Points: 16, Power Points: 60
Talon: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 59
Everyone else is full or close to it.

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Avatar:
John heads back across the street to save Otom's life, perhaps nimbly using the spear to pole-vault over cars and such. John will wait until Otom is about to step out onto the street and attempt to time his attack, a pole-vault and strike with his feet to knock Otom back, damaging him but also saving him from oncoming traffic.

If this works, John will speak thusly. "Otom, instead of letting you die in the traffic as I might have, I've spared your life...saved it, even. I claim Nike's victory in this manner and in this matter. Now...let's get away from these prying eyes and ears you'll tell me what you know."

If this tactic does NOT work, then we'll look at something else.

If it DOES work, then John will get the other spear and the two of them can head back to the Vault.

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Talon:
Adam growls in frustration as he stands to unfasten his harness. With a flap of his ebony wings he is lifted into the air above the bar. He looks to the alleys and streets of the surrounding area for signs of a fleeing Accelerator and Mother Russia.

OOC: Talon will make a quick circle in the air above the bar looking for any signs of their retreat. If he doesn't see them in a few moments he will enter the bar through the back door to check on any patrons that might still be inside.

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Soldier:
OOC: How many soldiers/militia men can Soldier see, and do they look like they're looking for them, or just randomly searching?

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Menagerie:
[ooc] by the statement of their trail, does it mean that the lone figure is a third individual? I can see both the lone figure and Pachyderm? If yes, can I make out anything about this lone figure? does it walk like a man or ape, does it have a tail? Any smells that would provide a hint.

wonderful issue!!! I can't wait to see what happens next.

thanks
Tom

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Clone:
Absolutely awesome Jeff! You're not making this easy for Clone/me and I love it lol!
As usual I have a few questions:
1. Is Clone's family being escorted across the death strip like Clone is or are the Soviets allowing them to cross unguarded. I'm assuming their unguarded, but I just wanted to make sure.
2. How does Clone's family appear to be reacting to all of this? I'm assuming that they're a bit scared and nervous, but again - I just wanted to make sure. Do they appear more scared and nervous then they probably should be? Are their eye's moving around; maybe even staring at certain parts of the wall, as if anticipating some kind of ambush or something from the Soviets?

Clone trusts the Russians about as far as he can throw them with two broken arms - he's just waiting for the other shoe to drop. He knows all too well how the Russian government works and he's sure that they have a 'Plan B' or some other kind of 'back door' plan in place - he's just trying to figure out what it might be. Giving up Clone's family isn't something they would want to do - they're too good of a 'playing piece' to hold over Clone's head.

Again - great stuff Jeff! You have me pulling my hair out trying to figure out a way to keep the Soviets from getting their hands on a Clone duplicate, and at the same time keeping Clone's family from getting shot in the process. The unknown of whats lurking around in those guard towers is driving me absolutely nuts lol - great work - I love the challenge! :-)
-Kev

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GM:

OOC GM Replies:

Soldier, there are five soldiers almost directly beneath your perch in the tree. Another five are within a 25 foot radius. They are actively searching for someone. Cautious, slow, watching their sightlines.

Menagerie, the lone figure is a third individual who walks like a man. No tail is visible at this considerable distance and the wind is working against you in terms of catching a scent. In fact, your scents may be exposed.

Clone, Clone’s family is not being escorted forward. To judge from Sickle’s statement, “Send forward the Clone,” rather than, say, "Bring me the Clone," she doesn’t want the sacrificed Clone to be escorted either.

Clone’s family is properly terrified. They are watching the Soviets and your group, unsure of what is about to happen. You see no signal attempts from them.

Thanks.

Best,
Jeff

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Sentinel:
Kirk thought about the symbol on his chest and as he did so, it's image rose off of his chest between them. In his mind's eye he saw Lancaster and all he had accomplished as the Sentinel and it resolved Kirk about all the good he hoped to do and he retorted, "The legacy of this symbol will never be broken and if there will be any destruction this day, it will be the crushing of your evil schemes." With that, the animate icon zoomed across the distance directly into the Mask...

Kirk's mind raced through his knowledge of heroic lore as he began to assess the power threat of the Mask looking for an edge... apparently force field and energy blasts of some sort (just what was that energy he had never encountered and what was its source of power? - Kirk continued to use his energy as the battle ensues to see if he can learn anything more). She currently had the advantage having drawn first blood when Kirk's shields were down from his thwarting the destruction of the brownstone and he needed to counter that ...

As Kirk's construct struck the Mask he expected the energy field to once again appear and protect the Mask, but his plan was to use the momentum against her ... Kirk struck at an angle to send her flying upward and towards the water. As the symbol she hated took her direct attention and focus, clear tendrils of energy formed from the ground upward around the area she occupied forming a ramp to propel her upward and away upon impact.

Jeff: What I'm envisioning here is the symbol in all its glory forming the striking weapon and center of attention and then a bit of a clandestine move that she won't notice in her ravings that further focuses the momentum of the impact - sort of like the ball being fired in a pinball machine with her force field itself providing the mass. Since the 'ramp' doesn't really grab or encircle her to work, I'm assuming that this could work just like a normal attack (no special attack or double roll needed). If this wouldn't be the case, then of course the symbol could 'hit' coming up from below with an upward motion instead of a direct motion to send her skyward, but the other idea seemed like a cooler looking effect.

On Kirk's plan - at this point Mask has not manifested the power of flight (ie the crash through the window) so hopefully she doesn't have it and being thrust into the air with the idea of plummeting downward may put a cramp in her attack. Although it seems like her plans of death against the members of the Club are done, by getting her out of the immediate area, Kirk hopefully ensures that they do all get away.

Finally, I'm not sure how far from the water we are here at this point or how far Kirk's blow will take her, but it would seem that his strategy would continue unless you have her counter with something new or different. Kirk would do his best to attack to do enough damage to pierce her shield while trying to propel the battle to the environment of the water. She may have 'shields' like Kirk, but he's betting they don't have environmental capabilities like his and hopefully that will give him the advantage to win the battle... and if the air doesn't throw her, perhaps the water will. Since I'm not sure how many 'issues' you are looking for the battle to take place, this might help with the pace and as to whether you want to speed it up or not.

Best to all,
Seth

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Soldier:
IC: Soldier silently wonders to himself how they could have zeroed in on their location so fast. Could they have been set up? Could someone in CHESS secretly be working with the Venezuelan government, but he quickly clears those thoughts from his mind, as he has more pressing matters to worry about, namely getting out of this mess in one piece. OOC: As he continues to scan the area, he'll draw his pistol, and prepare to defend himself if necessary. He'll also try to signal to Manetti the location the locations of all of the soldiers. In the event that they're spotted, he'll fire at the targets closest to him, before beating a hasty retreat. He's not an idiot, and he's not going to try and shoot it out with these guys.

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Menagerie:
He briefly considers confronting the follower, but reminds himself what his true purpose is. It is to get Pachyderm to his new location. Menagerie will continue leading the way. He will provide fish as much as possible since the man-mammoth enjoys it. Menagerie will keep a look out to see if they are still being followed and if the distance between them is getting less.

Menagerie will take opportunity to talk with Pachyderm both with speech and modified signs. He will see if Pachy would start signing back. [ooc] the basic plan is to bond with Pachy and provide him with the company he enjoys.

Menagerie will talk to Pachyderm about the location they are going to, referring to it as his new home and how much he will like it.

[ooc] Menagerie will attempt detect hidden, detect danger, and use his heightened senses to try to determine who is following them. Menagerie will only confront the follower once the distance is one quarter the distance it was when Menagerie first noticed they were being followed.

Thanks
Tom

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GM:
One quick OOC reply to Seth/Sentinel:
It seems like you want to throw the Mask of Red Death. That's possible with your constructs. Due to how the rules are written, it might not be best accomplished as an impact attack (or Knockback, as per the rules), like you outlined with your email, but could be more like big arms throwing her, or a goofy Golden Age slingshot flinging her. More like throwing her and less like knocking her backwards.

Assuming you want to throw her, is that okay?
Thanks.

Best,
Jeff

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Symbiote:
Some times subtlety, ingenuity and creativity are called for. This is not one of those times.

Keeping a death grip around Gadget Girl's neck with his left arm, Hal will bring his right hand---and the handle of the tool he's holding--down on her skull, to the point behind her right ear. He'll spend a Hero Point to knock her out.

After that, he'll attempt to steer her into a safe landing, in the Hudson River or the bay if possible. Any landing he can walk (and carry her) away from....

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Slingshot:
I"m taking a beating. I'll use my action to evade and move towards something that I can do some real damage to this doppleganger.The plan: Find a gas truck or something big and flamable and then next turn, smash the tank on he/she/it then turn on the flames.

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Clone:
As Clone looked silently at the other side of the Russian death strip he saw his family being herded across it like a pack of cold and frightened prisoners. His mother; the women he had always looked to for his heart and soul, was now being paraded before him with tears in her eyes at the end of an assault rifle. His father; the source of his dignity and pride, was now standing before him fearfully watching his captures knowing that he would be completely helpless to prevent the cold-blooded murder of his wife and children. His siblings Viktor and Katya; his childhood playmates and best friends, walked slowly across the cold cement causeway before him with fear and confusion in their every step.

For the first time in his life Clone felt something stir within his soul that he had never felt before. Sickles words danced around in his head like orders barked at him like a master commanding its pet, “No! Send forward the Clone! For every step he takes toward me, the family Oleksienko will take one step away from me!” He took his eyes off of his family for just a moment and stared so deeply at the figures standing so smugly behind them it almost looked as if he was staring straight through them. A lone tear slid gently down his cheek as he closed his eyes. In that fraction of a second he found himself almost wishing that he could open his eyes and discover that the entire situation was nothing more then a bad dream, but he knew that wouldn’t be the case. For the first time in his life Clone found himself at war with his faith.

As his eyes snapped open he felt the rage and anger that had been building up inside of him being quickly consumed by a swirling void of loneliness and emptiness. A cold scream burst forth from his soul, shattering his heart, and emptying his mind of rational thought. Despair was replaced with coldness and fear was undone by desire. For the first time in his life Clone knew what it was to truly hate. There was no primal rage or painful feelings of angst; there was only the feeling of quiet emptiness. A lifelessness born from a well of dark nothingness filled his heart. Yet as empty as he had become, he couldn’t help but feel as if he had been given a renewed sense of purpose and being. Clone was through running; he was done hiding, and he was sure as hell done living in fear of these pathetic Russians. As he took his first steps forward his thoughts called out from behind the ethereal barrier of shadows that now polluted his mind, “They want a weapon . . . they want a monster . . . then lets give them what they want.”

>CLONE’S OOC RESPONSE<
Needless to say Clone is going on the offensive. Here’s the basic battle plan I have in mind – hopefully it works. As Clone’s family gets to the other side of the Death Strip and Clone finds himself standing before the Russians – its game on! The six disguised Clones are going to take aim on the guard towers ( firing upon or returning fire upon them if a battle breaks out ), and the undisguised Clone is going to jump Sickle in hopes of taking a hostage ( holding her by her neck if possible for dramatic effect ). He wants to let Hammer know what it feels like to have a mad-man in charge of one of your family member’s lives. Again – needless to say – he’s beyond angry – its all kinds of personal for him right now.

If the use of a Luck Point will help make his grappling attack on Sickle more likely to succeed then he'll definitely use one. If a fight does break out the undisguised Clone(s) will just keep dividing and dividing and dividing . . . making more and more of themselves and simply overwhelm the Soviets on the ground with sheer numbers. In the state of mind that he is in right now – finesse and subtlety are out the window – as far as he’s concerned its time to send a message.
Talk to you all soon,
-Kev

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Lightning Strike: Once Strike is heading to the hotel in electrical form, he will attempt to tap into the hotel's computer system. His goal is to find the nearest vacant room near Caine's. Once in the room he will attempt to try something he has never done before. He wants to try to slow the flow of his electrical form so that he doesn't just burst into Caine's room but rather seeps in so as not to be too obvious. I guess this would be the equivalent of trying to put extra resistance on the line. Once he is in the room, he will start to look around for anything incriminating.

Hope this is OK.

Tony

Friday, June 18, 2010

Vanguard: Issue 112: Amazing Action Anthology!



Avatar was confronted by a Cyclops on the streets of Manhattan! The Hellenic hero cried, "I feel that I've a destiny to fulfill before the mantle is passed to another, Otom, though I know not what it may be. Until that time, it is MINE!" As he closed, John feigned with the spear's point and then swung the butt of the weapon around hard, striking Otom’s single eye! WHAMM!

Otom staggered back, holding his large eye with one hand. “Well played and well struck,” he smiled. Then he slowly stood straight and removed his massive hand from his temporarily blinded eye. “You have forgotten much, old friend. You have forgotten that Otom is not called Seer for nothing.”
His one big eye started to glow with red otherworldly light!
“My mystic vision tracked you across the world. It will help me find you now!”
The giant regripped his long spear and assumed a fighting stance. He looked directly as John through the scarlet magic energy. “I can see you, AVATAR!” he thundered!

Avatar was afraid that something like this might happen, though the blow had to be struck. "So, "old friend", why don't you enlighten me about the things that I have forgotten?" John asked as he lunged his spear at the giant Cyclops’s side! THUNK! Avatar’s aim was true!

Otom the Seer’s stentorian voice growled through the pain, “I thought you would enlighten me, Avatar! You have been missing for centuries… utterly removed! If the Avatar were dead, the power would have passed to the next incarnation. But an Avatar has not been reborn in centuries! … Until this year!
Where have you been all this time?! And why do you not recognize Otom?!”
The massive monster struck Avatar’s temple with the dull end of the spear! KRAK! (OOC: 16 points! 8 from power, 8 from hits!) The myrmidon of mythology flew backwards 20 feet into the street! A rain-soaked wall of steel and glass traffic was bearing down on him!

(Reply? Actions?)


Clone heard CHESS Director Grey say, “Through unofficial channels, the Soviets have contacted CHESS. They’ve proposed a trade. The USSR want one of your duplicates… in exchange for your family.”

Within 24 hours it was arranged. A live, simultaneous exchange would take place in two nights at the Berlin Wall! The emergence of extranormals in the early 1980s had provided the USSR with an affordable replacement to military power and an ever growing nuclear arsenal. Turning inward, the Kremlin maintained complete control of its citizenry. The Berlin Wall never fell.

Before the flight to West Berlin, Doc Rocket took one Clone into his offices and engaged him in small talk. He emerged refreshed, rested and with no memory of any mental preparation to prevent re-indoctrination into The Program.

Two nights later, Clone was 25 miles southeast of Checkpoint Charlie, at the Berlin Wall. Technically, it was an unauthorized crossing at a little used gate.
Clone stood at a West Berlin gate at midnight, flanked by two Clones disguised as soldier escorts. Behind him were Drake, Grey and four more disguised Clone Soldiers. “This is it,” said Grey.

Drake opened the gate, revealing a concrete path lined with barbed wire fence that cut perpendicular across the flat open ground between twin concrete walls to the gate on the East Berlin side. That flat ground was called a death strip because it offered no cover from the wall’s gun towers. Two towers were in sight on the Eastern side, each with movement in them. At the end of the path, framed by the East Berlin gate, could be seen under flood lamps, Clone’s family, four Soviet soldiers, and the Soviet Super Soldiers, Hammer and Sickle!

(Replies? Actions?)


Lightning Strike reviewed the case file of his own murder in a dark alley in Big City with Detective Archer who said, “It’s likely our suspicions are the same. In fact, I think I know who you really are.”
The big tired man exhaled wearily. “Or at least I thought I did.”
He indicated the case file with his bleary eyes. “You know the victims were my nephew and his wife… my only brother’s only son. Their killer was that Luddite freak, but we all know Silas Caine was pulling the strings. I read the classified CHESS reports at the end of the Five Bosses Massacre. Says Black Bat put you in front of Caine, with the perfect out. You could have killed that bastard Caine and gotten off scott free. But you didn’t.”
“It was then I figured maybe I didn’t know who you were. Anyway, you just said yer willing to bring the guilty parties to justice. Any way necessary. Beyond any official capacity. I’m interesting in hearing what that really means, mister. Because I know where Silas Caine is right now.”

Strike pauses after listening to what Detective Archer has to say. Then, "If you know where Caine is at the moment and you have suspicions that he is engaged in criminal activity, then I will go and see what I can find. I want to see him brought to justice but I will not be a vigilante. He will be brought before a jury of his peers and he will be exposed for the vermin that he is. If I can make that happen, then perhaps your nephew can rest in peace."

Detective Archer said, “You know that Caine’s wealth will make sure he never sees the inside of a court room.” The big man checked his wristwatch. “I know Caine’s whereabouts but he is not currently ‘engaged in criminal activity.’ So now I know where you stand. Sorry to have wasted your time, Lightning Strike.”
Detective Archer retrieved the case file on the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Archer and left the alley.

(Reply? Actions?)

Menagerie, master of mysticism, suddenly walked among the firefighters and rangers who worked to re-direct a lightning-borne forest fire in a Canadian Provincial Park. The druidic defender tried to convince the Rangers to quarantine the area to provide the extranormal Pachyderm a safe place!

The senior ranger talked instead of listened. He said, “Who the hell’re you? …Pachyderm?!” Then to another ranger, “Get the police on the radio.” When that was done he into the radio, “Who’s this? …Carla Jean, this is Llewelyn. Some big sumbitch extranormal’s been sighted out here past marker 57. Better send some folks up. Might wanna get word to the military while yer at it. That’s right darlin’.”
Then the Ranger said to Menagerie, “Now why don’t you tell us what you’re doing up here?”

The shamanic shapeshifter said, eerily: “Protecting the people from the resource, and the resource from the people.” The senior ranger squinted at Menagerie and closed his mouth a moment.

Menagerie continued: “You have not heard of Pachyderm, so Menagerie will be meaningless to you as well. The name of Vanguard should be meaningful. While Vanguard was able to defeat Pachyderm, they were not able to capture him. How much of your military will it take to be stronger than Vanguard? Whose purpose will they serve? Will they protect the forests? All the military will accomplish is the destruction of the resource and the people.”
After a significant enough pause for this to have effect, Menagerie will say, “All I have witness of Pachyderm is his living at peace with the land but I am unsure he is able to live at peace with man. If this location is not a safe place for him to be alone then tell me where in the Great Wilds we can offer him seclusion. I will lead him there.”

After a while the senior ranger said, “Hmph. Well if that don’t beat all. Tell you what. You bring him northeast, over route 97 and up into Alberta, few hundred kilometers, to a place called Chinchaga Wildland, ain’t nobody up there that’ll find him.”

(Reply? Actions? How do you plan to do this? Thanks.)


Sentinel silently scanned the Odyssey Club’s ballroom with his Energy Sense! The beacon of liberty found four suspicious electronic devices. Each sat just behind the grate of an air vent in the four corners of the ballroom. There were no extranormals in the crowd.
The Mask of Red Death held a small electric device in her palm. Invisible energy coursed around her, of a type Sentinel did not recognize. And she was an extranormal.

Sentinel tried to hold her attention with conversation as O’Malley and Doyle quickly ushered more civilians from the ballroom! “What exactly is the New World Order you speak about? …If they are as entrenched as you say, is there enough support to be sure change will come as you promise?”

Meanwhile, from the bottom of his red spiraling energy staircase, four tendrils of solid energy flowed to the four devices hidden in the air vents around the room. Upon entering the air vents the flowing energy quickly gained mass, growing in form and encasing each of the devices in protective energy shields!

The Mask of Red Death said, “Fool! You wear their symbol upon your chest, visible to all who can see! Change will come when the people are awoken. All it will take is one bold act against their oppressors and the battle will be joined! All it will take is this!” she snarled as she pressed the detonator!

VA-BOOOMM!!! All the electronic devices detonated their bombs! The building should have been destroyed, along with everybody in it! Instead, Sentinel’s energy constructs absorbed all the terrible damage! (32 points of damage per bomb! 114 to constructs, the remaining 14, divided among the four bombs, does ~4 points of damage to each vent and wall.)
Sentinel’s constructs are completely destroyed and no one is harmed! His staircase disintegrated beneath him, Sentinel began to fall to the ground as the guests ran for the doors and the Mask of Red Death screamed in pure hatred!

(Reply? Actions?)


Slingshot had been ambushed by himself! Scott burst out of the top of his organic confinement to discover that it was the elastic epidermis of someone who looked and sounded just like him! The two entwined twins were stretching to a standing height of 50 stories high! The other Scott said, “What I meant was, I’ve sampled enough of your speech patterns, such as they are.”

Trying to keep the fight clear of bystanders, Scott stretched his elastic epidermis to a nearby, empty 75 story steel girder construction site! The titanic twins unraveled from each other and squared off for a no holds barred brawl hundreds of feet about the city, within the cast iron grid!

Scott’s double was faster than him. “Perfect,” he said darkly. “What I have in mind requires some privacy.” Suddenly, the simulated Slingshot grew an anvil-sized fist out of his chest and launched it at Scott! SLAMM! (18 points! 8 from Invulnerability, 9 from Power and 1 from Hit Points!) The powerful strike didn’t budge Slingshot!

Scott smiled despite himself. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?” Scott swung at his malleable mirror image and missed! His fake foe warped his body out of the way and Slingshot hammered a crossbeam instead, bending it with his bare fist and sending vibrations through the girders! KRANG-g-g-g-g-g!

The deadly duplicate answered Scott: “Why to kill you of course. And when that’s done, I’ll be you.”
Then he stretched his limbs out to grab the iron matrix of the building’s skeleton, and then slungshot himself directly at Scott! KRA-POW!!! (21 points! 8 from Power and 13 from Hits!)

Scott flew backwards 40 feet and clear out of the building! Scott was in freefall, plummeting to earth 500 feet below!

(Replies? Actions?)


Soldier, CHESS Agent Manetti and Dr. Ashe were over Venezuelan airspace in what appeared to be an average cargo plane. Soldier noted that Manetti’s firearms were not his usual CHESS-issue energy blasters. Soldier’s assets were passports, ID, clothes, weapons, food, gear, the plane, Manetti and Ashe, both of whom could fly the plane. Soldier was a long way from home.

Soldier gave his orders and the team went to work. The night was as black as Death’s shroud when they were over the target area. With Ashe at the controls of the plane, Manetti and Soldier executed a low level parachute drop into a jungle clearing near the Patriot's last known location!

Plummeting, then chute opening, that quick jerk followed by rocking weightlessness. They skirted branches and came down in a clearing by a water hole.

Manetti started gathering up his chute from the mud and muttered, ‘Well that could’ve gone a lot worse.”

Then they heard the weapons reports. The cargo plane was taking fire. The sky over the canopy where the plane had gone was lighting up, irregular. Fire light. BOOM! The sound of an explosion in the distance and lots more fire light in the sky. The plane had been shot down. It was maybe 200 yards away through thick jungle, due south. The plane had been low from the drop when it came under fire.

Soldier’s sensors helped him estimate the gunfire’s origination at SSW of their location.
Manetti held the tracker for Patriot’s subcutaneous transponder. It was pointing due west.

(Replies? Actions?)


Symbiote had found Gadget Girl in the Vanguard Vault Electronics Lab! And she was wearing the Harper Harness! Hal grappled Gadget Girl and executed an emergency deactivation of the Harper Harness!

“Damn!” said Gadget Girl as she cleanly unholstered a Tesla-esque futuristic pistol and fired in one motion! ZARK! Hal was struck by an electric beam that ran through him and grounded out into the floor!

“Looks like I’ll have to take this back to the shop,” Gadget Girl smiled as her rocket pack fired up and she hurtled for the door! Shelley tried to grab her and missed and Gadget Girl flew into the Bio-Chem Lab!

ZARK! She blew open the door into the eastern hall! A few more seconds and she’d reach a window!

Hal eyed the escaping villainess. He had only a few seconds. He barks orders out loud to the Vault household computer. "Computer! Fugitive Capture Protocol! Authorization Harper-3609!" and waited for the Vault’s high tech security defenses to activate!

Nothing happened!

Gadget Girl giggled. “You expecting maybe those crazy metal tentacles to come out of the ceiling and scoop little ol’ me up? Sorry, bright boy. I deactivated that crap first. Who do you think you’re dealing with?”
“That night a few months back, when the whole city lost power? (during the attempted invasion of The Entity –Ye Expository Ed) Your entire base was wide open to me. No security. I got real busy that night. Cased the joint for what will be the biggest heist of my career,” she said, looking at the Harness.

(Reply? Actions?!
No Luck Point expenditure charged here. Also, neither your vocal commands to the computer or her verbal reply took an action. The above was just dialogue. You are both where you were at the end of last issue. She is a still few seconds from reaching the window! )


Talon looks at Accelerator's hand on his drink as he closes the distance to the table where he sits talking to Mother Russia. With blood hammering in the veins of his temples and heat flushing across the surface of his face, he struggles to think of a reason not to pick a fight with the speedster.....But he can't.
"Well.....if it isn't the Kremlin's favorite coward! Let me guess.....you’re telling her some sort of sob story for the reason you ran out on your friends in a fight, and you needed a beer to cry in.....so you just...took...mine!"
Adam doesn't look at Mother Russia. He keeps his eyes on Accelerator. Knowing the speed he possesses, he wants to act first if he thinks he will put up a fight. "Give me one reason I shouldn't thrash you so you learn a little respect?”

“This guy?!” Accelerator said incredulously to Mother Russia. “You’re on a date with this guy?! What’s he got that I ain’t got?” The beer glass suddenly hurtled from Accelerator’s palm at incredible speeds right at Talon’s head! SKAASHH! (18 points of damage! 8 from Power, 10 from Hits!) Accelerator had the power to transfer velocity into objects or himself! Gasps ran through the bar. Blood flowed from Adam’s head.

Talon, his wings harnessed beneath his street clothes, leapt onto Accelerator, knocking over the table, CRASH! and slashing savagely with his namesake claws! ZRASH! The avian antihero tagged Accelerator!

Wounded, Accelerator got to his feet and suddenly hurtled like a meteor at Talon, fist first! …and missed, striking down two bystanders in the crowded bar! POW! SMASH!

The bar patrons yelled, screamed and stampeded! Mother Russia yelled, “Both of you, stop it right now!”

(Reply? Actions? You’ve made your Low Self Control saving throw)

----------------

OOC:
Have fun.
Viva Vanguard,
Jeff

Current Conditions:
Avatar: Hit Points: 42, Power Points: 72
Sentinel: Hit Points: 28, Power Points: 57 Constructs: 0 Shields: 0
Slingshot: Hit Points: 65, Power Points: 73, Inv: 0 til next issue
Symbiote: Hit Points: 18, Power Points: 64
Talon: Hit Points: 41, Power Points: 73
Everyone else is full or close to it.

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Avatar:
John will recover and dodge traffic to get on the opposite side of the street from Otom, attempting to keep the cyclops in sight as he does so.

"My name is John Poulos, as far as I know. I've always been lucky and gifted but these powers came onto me not long ago, after I decided to try my hand at the hero game. I've seen some amazing things since...why don't we halt this if we're supposed to be friends and speak of whatever it is that you seem to know...or think you know...and I don't?"

John is looking for Otom to attempt a crossing of the street and is wanting to try and catch him at a convenient time (spending a Luck Point, if necessary...picking the right moment, or "kairos" where not only a spear attack will do damage but will also result in Otom being hit by a car or truck either when struck by the spear or when (if) knocked back by the attack.

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Clone:
Thats awesome Jeff - great job! I can almost feel the iron sights of the Kord 12.7mm Heavy Machine Guns blaring down on me - man I hope this doesn't get too messy lol. Kord 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun firing at night on a pick-up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ9OUS795fE&feature=related

OOC Questions:

1. What equipment / weaponry are the disguised Clone's equipped with?

2. Is the undisguised Clone restrained or bound in any way? I'm assuming no, but I figured I would ask.

3. The Russian soldiers - given Clone's origin and past - can he tell if they're Special Forces / Spetsnaz or just your run of the mill 'ground pounders'?

4. What ( if anything ) does Clone know about Hammer and Sickle?

5. How are Grey and Drake equipped / armed?

6. Does Clone have any idea of how long ( approximately ) he was with Doc during their 'conversation'?

7. How many flood lamps are there? One per tower ( 2 total )?

8. Is Clone's family restrained or bound in any way?

9. What kind of vehicle(s) did we use to get to the 'meet spot' or did we arrive on foot?

10. Can Clone make out any more of whats going on in the towers? How many men in each, weaponry, etc . . .? Or is it all just a shadowy mess because of the flood lamps?

-Kev

P.S. Still working on that memory stuff for Clone - sorry for the delay - haven't had as much time as I thought I was going to have to devote to working on it this weekend. God willing - I should have my ideas on it posted up sometime soon.

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GM:
Hi
OOC GM Replies to Clone:

1. The disguised Clones each have an autorifle, pistol, knife, helmet, ammo and protective vest. Clone is unfamiliar with makes and models, but received an explanation of their use on the flight over.
2. The undisguised Clone is not bound.

3. The Russian solders are Special Forces.

4. Hammer and Sickle have been with the Soviet Super Soldiers for over 20 years! Long ago, they battled the American superteam, the Freedom Force, alongside Mother Russia and the Siberian, in an attempt to return the defecting Polar Bear to the USSR.
They are Russian-born twins named Sergei and Svetlana whose nervous systems are enhanced. They are fast and deadly. Clone believes they were not born this way, perhaps they were created by The Program.
They were highly trained, smart, easily bored, reclusive from the other SSS members, and loyal to the USSR, but even more so to each other.
With Mother Russia and Siberian gone, they would likely be the new leaders of any new Super Soldier team.

5. Grey and Drake are dressed and armed like the disguised Clones.

6. You spoke to Doc Rocket for maybe 30 minutes. It felt like only 5.

7. One flood lamp per tower, and one over each gate for a total of 4.

8. Clone's family doesn't appear to be restrained, but can't be positive given the distance and their coats/clothing. They are carrying luggage, like refugees.

9. You came from the airport in unmarked cars which are now parked 20 feet from your group. The disguised Clones armed themselves out of the car trunks only moments ago. Again, this shadowy, cold war trade doesn't feel official, sanctioned or authorized.

10. The tower inhabitants are hard to read from the flood lights.

Best,
Jeff

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Menagerie:
[occ] Would Menagerie has seen anything (worldly or vision) that would have told him what Pachy likes to eat?

Thanks
Tom

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Clone:
OOC: I've been working my brain OT on finding a solution for the sticky little situation Clone has found himself in and I think I may have come up with something, but it all teeter-totters on the razor edge of 'might work' and 'won't work' depending on how you answer this question Jeff - - Since Clone's duplicates can be absorbed without spending an action, movement or anything else that I can recall - does an absorbed duplicate simply vanish / wink out of existence or is there an actual, physical, and visible absorption process?

Enjoy the vacation Jeff! =)

-Kev

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OOC GM Replies:

Menagerie/Tom: The wizard of wildlife can mystically tell (nature sense/psychometry) that Pachyderm is an omnivore and could survive in the wild.

Clone/Kev: I assumed absorbed duplicates wink out of existence, like Madrox's do in the X-Men movie.

More, related info, quoted from your sheet:
"There is no cost to re-absorb a duplicate back into the "original" Clone, but it does require physical contact. When duplicates are reabsorbed, their Hit Points are equally redistributed among the rest of the existing Clones. The absorption process also integrates the memories, experiences, and skills of the duplicate into Clone’s own personal memories, experiences, and skills."

Best,
Jeff

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Symbiote:
At this point I suppose there's nothing left to do but hammer it out with her, Old School. While she's monologuing Hal will charge her. His intention is to tackle her, hanging on for dear life, so even if she does go jetting off he'll have a grip. He'll also hang onto the tool he used to deactivate the Harness, ready to jam it into any gadgets she pulls out if possible. If Shelly helps with this, so much the better.

Training is over at the end of this week. I promise after I recover I'll be much more clever.

Viva Vanguard,
Greg

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Menagerie:
Menagerie slowly smiles, "Please keep everyone out of the area that I told you Pachyderm is in. I will inform you when the area is safe to return to". Menagerie turns into an eagle and flies off to the new location given to him by the Ranger.

[ooc] Menagerie will scout the area out, looking for a food source. He is hoping for a lake or a large group of berry bearing bushes. His goal is to find 2 small animals or branches of fruits.

His plan is to catch two of the best fish he can. If that is not available he will grab two limbs of branches with berries. If these are not available he will search for rabbits, squirrels, or pigs. The priority list is food which can’t flee the area when Pachy arrives. Fish and fruits are the two best I can think of.

When he has secured two of these food stuffs, he will carry them with him as he returns to Pachyderm. Menagerie will approach Pachy from high above and drop one of the food items to him. Menagerie will circle above watching to see if bestial behemoth eats it. If he doesn’t then Menagerie will keep trying different food items until he does.

When he starts eating, Menagerie will land at a safe distance from the man-mammoth. He will show Pachyderm the other one in his hand. Menagerie will tell Pachy “There is more of this from where I came from, just follow me and I will take you there”.

Menagerie will change into a wolf, with the food item in his month and start to lead Pachy to the new area. If Menagerie finds out that Pachyderm can super leap (either from mystic sense or seeing Pachy performing the leap) then Menagerie will turn into an Eagle. He will lead Pachy to there.

If Pachy in any way demands the second food item, Menagerie will gladly give it to him. Menagerie will state “There is plenty more where that comes from, just follow me.”

Once Pachy is in the area that the Ranger has told us to go to, Menagerie will take him to the spot where Menagerie found the food he brought to Pachy. Once he sees Pachyderm in focused on his new home, he will fly off to let the Ranger know the mission is complete.

The resource and the people are again protected.

Thanks
Tom

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Soldier:
IC: Upon hearing the weapons fire, Soldier thought “Damn, not now.” As desperately as he wanted to go after Dr. Ashe, he knew doing so would compromise his mission. He turned toward Manetti. “lets get moving, this place will be swarming with troops in soon. Is there any way we can get word to CHESS, and let them know what happened to the plane?" OOC: If Manetti can get a message off, Soldier will ask him to give the last know location of the aircraft, and brief description of what's happened. If he can't. He'll just have to suck it up for the time being, and hope he can find the Dr. later.

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Sentinel:
For a second in time it seemed as if Kirk was about to plummet to the floor as the totality of his constructs vanished, consumed by the fury of the explosive attack... for a second.

Kirk's will then reasserted itself and he steadied himself midair as his energies reappeared coalescing and forming to his thoughts. Gravity was not his master.

The time to try to pacify the personality of his foe had passed. She had made her grand play and Kirk had thwarted it; he had no desire to give her the opportunity to a fallback plan, if she had one.

Kirk's mind raced trying to figure just how she managed to get those devices planted here? Almost as if beneath her guise she would have to have been someone that could have had access to the building ... a member of the club ... or like himself, someone closely associated with a member. 'Damn' he thought to himself. That thought disturbed him and he decided to dismiss that mystery for now.

Kirk had seriously thought about employing the tactic Avatar had suggested to him of encircling his foe with his energy ... but the fact that he could perceive her aura of energy and knew it to be one he had never encountered before, an unknown, made him cross that tactic off his list. Better to arm himself to be ready then to have that unknown energy element surprise him and leave him defenseless. And there had to be something more to her and that energy ... she seemed too high-minded to go down as a martyr for the cause this early in the game - she had to have had some plan to survive the explosion had she been successful in her efforts and that was likely linked to that unknown energy and her power.

Kirk replied, "Funny, this symbol," he said pointing at the icon of the Sentinel on his chest, "to me, embodies a much more noble pursuit, one it seems you cannot begin to comprehend. And if it is to become an emblem of change in the minds of people, something to rally them, something to inspire them, it will not be sullied or associated with an act of destruction and terrorism."

Kirk's energies reformed his protective shield and then with his summoning, he formed them in a shape emanating from himself and cutting off the rest of the room and the rest of people from her possible attack.

"And it seems to me that if people are awakened by your 'bold act', they will remember who defined the meaning of this symbol here today," and Kirk paused for effect and pointed at himself, "me. What, were you expecting a bigger light show? Some fireworks perhaps? Disappointed?"

And Kirk steeled himself prepared for the Mask to unleash the full fury of whatever power she possessed upon him as he had deliberately bated his insane foe to focus fully on him allowing the guests further time to escape.


Jeff: Clarifications and Questions:
(1) I checked my character sheet and noticed that my power of flight is not listed or defined anywhere. I know the speed and movement is linked to my creation points, but does that mean that I have no flight with no creation points? Can Kirk still defy gravity on his own with some limited mobility or is it only when he has energy present?
(2) If I understand things correctly about the rules, I believe that Kirk's 'action' would be to get back his energy is the equivalent of his attack, so he cannot directly initiate an attack on the Mask this time around, but as always, I'm trying to work the situation to my benefit. Although Kirk cannot encircle or attack Mask here directly, if I understand things, he should have the movement to move his creation around and could use that to cut her off from the rest of the room and people which is what he is trying. Even if he cannot move the creation at this point, he could create it in a shape cutting her off.
(3) If somehow it was allowed here, Kirk would love to form his creation in such a way so as to take up the physical space being occupied between Kirk and the Mask and just force/push her through the wall or the windows (whatever she is in front of) and totally outside the building. But I'm assuming that would be going to far at this point and really be an attack that wouldn't be allowed until next turn.

Hope you had a good vacation.

Viva Vanguard!

Seth

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Talon:
"You got one lucky shot, Speedy. You won't get another one!"

Talon will ignore Mother Russia's command to stop and continue to attack Accelerator.

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Clone:

>CLONE’S IC RESPONSE<>

The two disguised Clone’s standing guard over the undisguised Clone snap into a solid military posture and assume their positions behind and to either side of the undisguised Clone. Fighting the urge to throw his shoulders back and to stick his chin firmly into the air in defiance of the Soviets attempt at intimidation, Clone assumes a more defeated posture in hopes of filling the hearts of his would be oppressors with over confidence. The remaining four disguised Clones take up a ‘rear guard’ position around Drake and Grey.

Like a death row inmate being walked down his cell block for the last time, the undisguised Clones slowly starts his walk down the ‘death strip’. Careful not to appear to anxious, he purposely keeps from looking at his family and keeps his gazed fixed firmly before him. There are no words, no fancy speeches, no last minute signs of heroics – there is only the echoing sound of shoes walking across a court yard. The undisguised Clone then stops a few feet away from where he started his walk and calls over to the other side of the death strip and says to Hammer and Sickle in an almost pleading tone ( in Russian ), ”You have the upper hand comrades, and I have nothing to insure that you’ll keep your word . . . please . . . let my family go . . . let them cross over to this side first and I will come to you willingly.”

>CLONE’S OOC RESPONSE<

Despite what it may look like, Clone actually does have a plan. Still unsure of who he can and can’t trust, he’s decided to keep the details of it to himself. His plan is a little complicated and I’m pretty sure it will require the use of a Luck Point. His plan is to slowly and inconspicuously start to stagger his duplicates; about two or three feet apart from one another, along the length of the death strip – with one remaining at the far end of it ( back by the gate ).

Once he has a solid feeling that his family will be able to make it safely to the other side without falling victim to the guns of the Soviets – he’ll make his move. In unison – each of the Clones will then create duplicates of themselves ( one each ) in order to bridge the gap between each other and then grab hands and quickly reabsorb the one in front of them. Hopefully the disguises worn by the ‘Clone soldiers’ will allow Clone to get ‘the drop’ on the Soviets and he’ll be able to create the additional duplicates before the Soviets can react ( surprise? ). Since reabsorbing doesn’t cost an action I’m hoping I can chain/domino the absorption all the way back to the front gate – leaving just one Clone standing ( hopefully next to his family ) and ready to jump into the waiting C.H.E.S.S. vehicles.

Like I said – I completely understand that this might cost a Luck Point and I’m completely OK with that. If it does work, but the Soviets get a chance to start to firing on Clone’s family, he will do everything in his power to protect them – even if it means his own death. Spitting out duplicates to act as human shields is not out of the question ( he’ll of course reabsorb any Clone that might fall unconscious – he’s not leaving any copies of himself behind for the Russians if he can help it ).

The disguised Clone’s will also be on the look out for signs that the Soviets may have tried to pull a fast one on them and actually swapped out the members of his family and replaced them with imposters. Clone ( and his duplicates ) completely understand that this may get ugly and they’re fully prepared to do whatever is necessary to get their family to safety.

Clone and all of his duplicates have said their prayers and made their peace with God on the plane ride across the Atlantic – their souls are fully prepared for death. . . . although they’d really, really like to avoid that if possible lol ;-) I think I covered all the bases – if I missed anything just let me know Jeff.

Talk to you all soon,

-Kev

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Lightning Strike:
Strike pursues Archer out of the alley. "I will investigate and follow-up on what you have told me. Although it is against my better judgement, I will see what Caine is up to. I will investigate but do no more. I will not fabricate evidence. We should not stoop to their level."
With that Lightning Strike will take the location from Detective Archer and head to where Caine is. LS is hopeful that something meaningful will be turned up but he won't compromise his principals. Knowing how Caine is technology averse, he doesn't know exactly how he will get into the location but he will make that up as he goes along. His plan is to get into the location, snoop around and then get out as fast as possible. He doesn't have probable cause for entering Caine's residence so he could be held for committing a crime. He does not want to confront anyone when he is there. OK, that's it for now.

Take care,
Tony