Eon’s ultimate weapon had brought Vanguard home, and then suddenly stopped glowing. It went dead.
Vanguard’s devices, however, had power in them again! Limbo had not drained them, but had somehow neutralized them! Sentinel and Menagerie’s extranormal senses had returned. Slingshot could stretch again. All of Vanguard’s powers had returned, but none of them were currently active!
The sudden appearance of Datanauts, walls, machines, and ceiling overwhelmed the sensory-deprived heroes, who had just spent what seemed like an eternity surrounded by vast nothingness. It took Vanguard precious moments to recover. Dynamo was affected worst of all!
In that time, the element of complete and utter surprise was lost, and the Datanauts, in shock and angry disbelief, tore out of their Datanaut suits, revealing Vanguard Omega beneath them!
Symbiote Omega snarled, “I don’t know how you got back here, but if we’re gonna have to kill you with our own damn hands then we’re only too happy to oblige!"
Sentinel said, “Guess you forgot that when it comes to fighting the good fight, nothing is impossible! We always keep coming back … and this time we brought company! Vanguard, for our world, and for all its heroes who came before us and stood firm in the face of oppression and tyranny, with the spirit of the Freedom Force right here beside us, I say thee “Freedom Force Forever!”
Sentinel Omega replied and voice was hollow; devoid of the passion and optimism that was Kirk’s hallmark. “I can’t believe there was ever a time that I was that naïve.”
“I can,” said Lightning Strike Omega.
Talon growled through clenched teeth, "Why don't we stop lecturing these fools and give them the spanking their step-daddies should have dealt them when they were pups!"
Claws bared, Talon rushed past his comrades and drove himself forward with a forceful burst from his wings to close the distance between Soldier Omega and himself.
ZZRAK! His claws hit Soldier Omega hard, and he maintained control of his rage!
Soldier Omega shouted at Talon like a sadistic drill sergeant, “Undisciplined animal! You always resisted training, and order. I’m going to enjoy teaching you a long overdue lesson.”
Talon Omega moved simultaneously to Talon, and his actions were identical! It was not the case that he was imitating his counterpart. The two Talons had the same idea at the same time! “RAAAHH!” The black-hearted bird of prey swooped out and banked down onto Soldier, slashing him violently with his razor sharp claws! ZZRAK! (19 points! 8 from Invulnerability. Roll with 6. Lose 5 from Hits!)
Dynamo was overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of Vanguard Omega, walls, machines, and ceiling. The sensory-deprived legend, who had just spent an eternity surrounded by vast nothingness, was stunned! “ … I… had… forgotten… all this…”
Vanguard Omega saw this and their concerns about the reappearance of Dynamo abated.
Avatar and Avatar Omega both simultaneously manifested the power of the Gods! Avatar manifested Hermes (Heightened Speed) and both Avatar’s visages took on a supernatural countenance, one for good and one for evil!
Avatar Omega said, in an otherworldly, echoing voice, “When we destroyed the Dark Avatar at the City of the Lost Gods, I took her power for my own!”
Slingshot shouted to his team: "Divide and conquer. Strike, go for Soldier Omega. Soldier, with me on Sentinel Omega while his shields are down. Zephyr, knock the one on the computer away. Take them out fast!"
Slingshot Omega did the same! "Divide and conquer. Strike Omega, go for Soldier. Soldier Omega, with me on Sentinel while his shields are down. Zephyr Omega, knock the one on the computer away. Take them out fast!"
Lightning Strike quickly scanned the room and saw the monitors were frozen. He recalled that when Vanguard Alpha thought the Datanaut invasion was about to occur (way back in Issue 131), he, Sentinel, Symbiote and Zephyr had isolated the computer systems of the Computer Lab from the rest of the building the mainframe, and the rest of the world, for fear that the invading Datanauts were carriers of malevolent programming from IT, the Entity. They were cut off. There wasn’t even wireless. He, and Lightning Strike Omega, weren’t going to be accessing Vanguard security systems soon.
Lightning Strike advanced and fired on the sinister cyborg, Soldier Omega! SHAKOW! Softened up by Talon’s attack, the corrupt commando’s bionic systems were overloaded with live current! “YEEARGH!” he cried as he fell hard to the floor! WHAM!
Lightning Strike Omega moved simultaneously! He fired jagged, white hot electricity at Soldier! SHAKOW!! (15 points of damage! Damage is doubled due to Soldier’s Vulnerability = 30 points of damage! No Invulnerability left. Roll with 6. Take 24 off hits! A 24% chance of being knocked unconscious, and a 24% chance of a bionic system failure. Both rolls are met! Regeneration is the downed system.)
Electricity surged through Soldier’s cybernetic systems, overloading his regenerative nanites and shocking him into unconsciousness!!! “YEEARGH!”
Both Soldiers were down in the mirrored mayhem of the melee!
Symbiote’s brilliant mind raced at the implications of battling older, more experienced versions of Vanguard, who had at least a fair chance of guessing any move they made! The superpower simulator touched Lightning Strike and the Harper Harness hummed to life. Hal had chosen the identical DNA template as his evil twin, bestowing these amazing abilities:
1) Transformation: May transform into Sentient Electricity: Costs 8 power points and one action. Changing back costs nothing. Bestows:
a) Near-instantaneous travel, almost like Teleportation. Can only travel via wires. Will burn out devices not meant to receive electricity.
b) Non-Corporealness defense while in transit.
a) Near-instantaneous travel, almost like Teleportation. Can only travel via wires. Will burn out devices not meant to receive electricity.
b) Non-Corporealness defense while in transit.
2) Lightning Control: May control electricity. As an attack: Range: 36” (180 feet), 2d8 damage, PR=4.
Electrical defense costs one action and no PP to activate. May attempt to control or short out electrical machinery, circuitry, etc. Costs 4 PP and one action per attempt.
Electrical defense costs one action and no PP to activate. May attempt to control or short out electrical machinery, circuitry, etc. Costs 4 PP and one action per attempt.
3) Heightened Intelligence: +15 to Intelligence.
W1) Special Requirement: Due to his altered physiognomy, he can’t heal power points or hit points normally. Must “recharge” from an electrical power source instead, at a rate equal to his healing rate. Side Effect: Lightning Strike doesn’t need to eat.
W2) Minor Low Self Control: When Transformed into Electricity, Archer assumes some of the detrimental effects of electricity: grounding, loss of control in water, conductive, etc.
W2) Minor Low Self Control: When Transformed into Electricity, Archer assumes some of the detrimental effects of electricity: grounding, loss of control in water, conductive, etc.
Slingshot saw his chance. Sentinel Omega’s shields were down! Soldier no longer with him, the malleable man of might threw a supersized roundhouse at the beacon of tyranny! KA-POW!!
The unshielded Sentinel Omega went flying backwards! He was hurt badly!
Slingshot Omega acted simultaneously to Slingshot and his actions were identical! The amoeboid assassin slammed a big fist down onto Sentinel! KA-POW! (17 points of damage! Rolls with 5, takes 12 from hits! 12% chance of unconsciousness. Sentinel stays awake!) Then he backed up!
Symbiote Omega had been saving his action, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike. The sinister super-genius acted now. SHAKOW!! A bolt of electricity exploded from his hands and struck the unprotected Sentinel! (17 points of damage! Roll with 5! Take 12 off hits! Sentinel remains conscious!)
“Witness your weakness, Sentinel Omega: All your eggs in one basket.” The mad scientist chuckled as he advanced.
Sentinel and Sentinel Omega both simultaneously formed their energy shields! ZOM! ZOM!
Sentinel glanced at his communicator and saw wireless was out because Vanguard had just prepared the room for an invasion from the Digital Zone. He remembered the base was on Yellow Alert, and that HQ personnel were taking precautions against a Datanaut invasion.
Kirk’s energy sense reported identical energy signatures from the first four members of Vanguard Omega that he scanned. After all, they were the same people as Vanguard!
Scanning the nearest computer console, he saw that there would be no easy access to Vanguard Vault security systems for anyone in this room, including Sentinel Omega!
Sentinel used his hands to form Vanguard’s non-verbal code signal to relay that info to Vanguard.
Sentinel Omega signaled back to him in Vanguard’s signal code, “Naïve… and stupid.”
Clone and Clone Omega suddenly, explosively, filled the room with men! Both men had the same idea at the same time and each created as many duplicates as possible!
Clone had 21 bodies! (OOC: costs one action and 20 power points)
Clone Omega might have had more than 21 bodies! And each had duplicated a battle staff!
Both instantaneous armies readied to begin attempting to absorb the other side! (OOC: If this works, it would require physical contact, meaning a successful HTH hit against an unwilling target)
The sudden materialization of over forty bodies made it almost impossible to maneuver on the western end of the Computer Lab! (see map!)
Clone thought to himself: “How could this have happened? How could my heart have turned so dark? I will never allow this to happen! I will never become this man!”
Clone Omega spoke. Over 20 men speaking in unison. The lethal legion said: “ALEX. SURRENDER OR BE ABSORBED INTO OUR COLLECTIVE. YOU WILL BECOME THIS MAN, LITERALLY.”
Clone also heard all the voices in all his minds! (from the eerie, er, sexy telepathy the multiplying mutants possessed!)
Menagerie steeled his mind for the battle that had come! (activate Willpower defense!) He thought an attack on one of Clone Omega would be meaningless given their number, if he could even reach them. He looked to Dynamo, who seemed overwhelmed and in need of protection. The shamanic skinwalker assumed the shape of Bear and where Menagerie once stood, now trod a gigantic grizzly! “ROAR!”
Menagerie Omega almost felt sorry for his younger self. He transformed his shape too. Where Menagerie Omega once stood, now trod Tyrannosaurus Maximus! Lord of the Lost Lands! “RROOAR!!!”
Zephyr flew over the instant infantries toward her older self! “Stop! Stop it! There must be some mistake! You can’t be us! We would never…” Then she paused, collected herself and barked: “Back away from the console!” as she blasted Zephyr Omega with a gale force wind!
Zephyr Omega giggled as the wind passed harmlessly through her, as if she was made of the very air she controlled! “Shelley, do you think we stopped inventing ten years ago?”
Then she phased down through the floor, insubstantial as the Ghost! She was gone!... loose somewhere in Vanguard Vault!
Symbiote Omega grinned at Zephyr as she hovered over the console. He had come to the same conclusion as Symbiote, not surprisingly.
“Littlest sister, all of us are stronger, smarter, more experienced, and more powerful than all of you.
“You ever think back to something stupid you did when you were young and didn’t know better… and wish you could have knocked some sense into that younger, dumber version of yourself?”
The parasitic professor smiled at Symbiote. “Well today, for some of us, that wish has come true.”
To be continued!
OOC: One action worth of orders please.
Last time, most of the second actions were rendered irrelevant by the swiftly shifting field of battle. Thanks.
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Current Conditions:
Avatar: Hit Points: 58, Power Points: 25, Manifesting: Heightened Speed
Clone: Bodies: 21, Hit Points: 1, Power Points: 29, Hit Pool: 21
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 47, Power Points: 65
Menagerie: Hit Points: 28, Power Points: 40, Form: Bear
Sentinel, Hit Points: 6, Power Points: 37, Creation Points: 74, Shields: 74
Slingshot: Hit Points: 79, Power Points: 77, Invulnerability: 8
Soldier: Hit Points: 28, Power Points: 54, Invulnerability: 0, Regeneration deactivated, Unconscious!
Symbiote: Hit Points: 53, Power Points: 76, Charges: 10, Copied: Lightning Strike
Talon: Hit Points: 55, Power Points: 71
Zephyr: Hit Points: 17, Power Points: 53, Charges: 10, Armor: 7
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Sentinel:
OOC: Well, maybe limbo wasn't so bad for us after all ... too bad we had all the responsibility to save the world and all. :)
At this point:
(1) Can Kirk determine where Zephyr Omega is headed based on his energy reading of her movement.
(2) What sort of energy did Eon's weapon emit; can Kirk determine any activity with it, however small that perhaps we can reactivate it? It is currently attuned to all of us.
(3) You didn't mention about Sentinel Omega's energy - does it appear to be the same as Kirk? Although it seems that both of us powerwise have been all but taken 'off the board' as a threat from the initial melee at this point anyway ... but still trying to determine options here.
Thanks.
Seth
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Slingshot:
OOC: At this point, I sense that we will get mirrored and rolls are the only thing that will differentiate the battle, which is bad.
What's the wild card here? Dynamo. We need him to get going and break the "mirror". Once we have one more character that's not mirrored, the wild card effect will increase..
My move for now, in case I get late or get email issues:
"Dynamo! WAKE UP. Hit Sentinel Omega!" (unless Seth you decide to bring your shields up), then we need to hit someone else we can take out in one hit.
"Time to clear the space." Tentacle attack to Clone Omega, as many as I can.
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Sentinel:
OOC: Stephane,
Our thoughts are on strategy are similar, however both Sentinels do have shields up (at current power levels which are lower due to the attacks). Getting Dynamo to snap out of it would definitely be a plus and was on my mind too.
Other differences: Zephyr Omega left. We have ours here. Symbiote is also key because he has a different powerset. I'm running out now so can't double-check, but I believe he has Slingshot while our Symbiote is Strike. My next question was how to get fire into the mix since is we had some it could be used against two Omegas but only one Alpha (you) to greater effect... and we have two Strikes to ignite things if necessary. I was thinking Kirk could use movement to toss whatever needed to be ignited towards them and one of the Strikes or both detonate it.
Just some stuff that I had going through my head at this point assuming we had something on hand to do it.
Seth
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Menagerie:
Menagerie yells "Dynamo! For Freedom!!"
He attacks the nearest Clone. (if events make this meaningless he will protect Dynamo until he is recovered then counter attack any HtH attacks against him.)
OCC: A T-Max! how stink'en cool is that! I want my own T-Max!!! Great Issue, Jeff. I can't wait to kick Omega Out of Our Realm!!!
Tom
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GM:
OOC:
Thanks, Tom!
Seth/Sentinel:
1) I’ll rule that Zephyr Omega was one of Vanguard Omega you had energy scanned, so you could have tracked her. She phased down to the 81st floor (which is not a part of Vanguard Vault, but of CHESS. She flew south until she left your range (less than 100 feet, because you were scanning through solid objects like the floor).
2) When the Ring of Eon activated, the energy reminded Kirk of the City of Dead Gods
3) Vanguard Omega’s energy signatures are the same as Vanguard’s because they are the same people. That includes Sentinel Omega’s energy constructs.
Also, both Symbiotes have the same power array loaded in the Harper Harness: Lightning Strike’s. Symbiote Omega electrocuted Sentinel before he could get his shields up.
Slingshot/Stephane: Both Sentinels have their shields up, such as they are.
Best,
Jeff
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Slingshot:
OOC: Thanks all, I missed the shield power up.
So we will need to do something about the other team. Here are a few suggestions:
1- Use Dynamo to disable another of theirs, making the fight lopsided and win the fight.
2- Activate the Ring of Eon somehow and get Dynamo to dimension travel them all elsewhere
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Sentinel:
OOC: Thanks for the clarification on Symbiote being the same power - I'd planned to check it before emailing but neglected to do so.
Although it seems like the Ring of Eon could be the key, even assuming we can activate it, I find it difficult to believe plot wise that what saved us from limbo would also save us here as quickly and easily. Although I wish it could be that easy I don't see it happening (ie I'd be surprised if Jeff let us get through this that easily)... although maybe if we can activate it, perhaps it would amp us up a bit since right now we definitely seem at a disadvantage. We've already lost Soldier and I'm basically one successful attack against me taking me out of the fight with 25% chance that the next attack on me getting through my shields.
Not that it helps now, but I really thought we'd pick up something about the Omega crew while in their dimension that would have helped us to defeat them here and now.
FYI Jeff, I'll take the full scan of the ring regardless of my other actions next turn (which I'll try to determine through our discussion of things). And I'd add, if the Omega crew figures out what we have, they'd have just as good a chance of using it since Jeff has basically now told us for all intents and purposes 'they are us'.
Thanks.
Seth
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Avatar:
OOC: Took Dark Avatar's power, eh? Hadn't thought of attempting that. Would have been interesting and probably not all that hard to do since, powerless, I think that John could have taken her. I wonder if a challenge would work right now...?
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GM:
OOC:
Sentinel / Seth wrote, regarding the Ring of Eon:
"And I'd add, if the Omega crew figures out what we have, they'd have just as good a chance of using it..."
GM Reply: Seeing as how at least two of them have telepathy, it won't be hard for them to figure out what you have, if you focus your attention on it.
:)
Avatar/ Harold: 'challenge,' like the stunt Otom pulled on you? That would be psycho epic.
I'm traveling so please Google search our game site with terms like 'Otom' and 'challenge' and probably 'hereby' to find the exact formal phrasing of The Challenge. Thanks.
Best,
Jeff
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Avatar:
OOC: Why am I feeling so foolish in trying this...? Well, here goes...
IC:
The thoughts run through John's mind. Could I have challenged Dark Avatar and taken her power? Can I challenge this version of myself and do the same? Only one way to find out!
“I, John Poulos, called Kairos and Avatar, worthy, wise and deserving, do hereby challenge you before the all-seeing Pantheon for the sacred mantle of Avatar of the Twelve Olympians!”
John braces himself for what happens next.
OOC: If the challenge is accepted (or even recognized), John will immediately close with Avatar Omega, engaging with sword and burning through Luck Points in an attempt to ensure hits. With any luck, Avatar Omega will be overconfident and not do the same.
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Sentinel:
OOC: Go Harold go!!!
You've inspired me to make the move since this has been my thoughts for this fight from the beginning. Here's hoping we succeed!
Seth
IC:
Kirk canvassed the scene around himself. All of his thoughts to give Vanguard an advantage here seemingly dissipated… and it seemed like anything they could use, could be used against them. He was about to try to rally Dynamo and heard his teammates already doing so.
He saw Alex at war with himself. He knew Alex. He knew what Clone Omega had become tore at him just as much as Kirk himself was grieved over Sentinel Omega. And then he heard John near him.
“I, John Poulos, called Kairos and Avatar, worthy, wise and deserving, do hereby challenge you before the all-seeing Pantheon for the sacred mantle of Avatar of the Twelve Olympians!”
Ever the warrior. Fearless. Determined in his course. Kirk had felt it would come down to this … even before their return. He wiped some electrified blackened blood from his lips and his characteristic smile returned to his face for the first time since their arrival home.
In Greek he uttered to his comrade with conviction, “ἀνεῤῥίφθω κύβος” (‘Let the die be cast’) and added, “Kick his ass John”!
Kirk turned to Scott and said, “Look for my opening so you can finish what you started,” and closed on Sentinel Omega. On paper, he had no reason to believe he could take him. As Symbiote Omega had just stated, he was likely stronger in many ways, perhaps smarter, and had more experience and likely more raw power than Kirk himself.
But Kirk had something Sentinel Omega lacked. Kirk had kept true to his nature. True to the hero, to the man he wanted to be. Sentinel Omega had lost his way.
“You ever think back to something stupid you did when you were young and didn’t know better… and wish you could have knocked some sense into that younger, dumber version of yourself? “Well today, for some of us, that wish has come true.” Symbiote Omega had said.
“And sometimes Hal, when confronted with their past, a old bitter pessimistic blackened soul wishes they could turn back the clock and regain their youthful enthusiasm for life, secure the optimism they have lost, and undo the poor choices they’ve made.” Kirk replied to him.
As Kirk closes with Sentinel Omega he says, “Twice now you’ve commented on my naivety. Have you forgotten that much? Or just tried to lock it up and throw away the key? You of all people know how we think and that we were trained to never be naïve. You know the difference between naivety and purity of soul. You know how important it is to channel all that is good and hopeful. You know what it means to inspire!”
Kirk stares down his doppelganger with conviction in his eyes and strength in his heart. “How could you? I do get what happened … totally. But all that you’ve done since then. What would HE say? What would he think about the man you’ve become? The choices that you’ve made?”
As Kirk spoke above his shoulders formed the image of Lancaster Lancaster
As the image came into focus he saw the powerful figure he remembered taking shape. But what he saw shocked him to the core. Instead of the angry judgmental figure he was prepared to see, he saw on his face something so lacking for all of Vanguard Omega this past decade, compassion. And then he saw his sadness, first in his eyes and then throughout his face as he looked at Kirk Omega. Finally the heroic image gazed downward and away from him, as if it could no longer bear to look upon him.
“You don’t deserve to wear that symbol on your chest. You’ve disgraced it. And you’ve betrayed HIM and everything he stood for and wanted for you. You’ve besmirched his legacy. You’ve turned your back on who we are and you are unworthy to wield our power.”
And then Kirk summoned all that he was and took the power of Sentinel Omega away from him.
(OOC: Yea, I hope.
Jeff: No idea is this is possible and definitely no clue if it will work, but it’s been my plan since the beginning for dealing with him. I’m hoping that Kirk being true to Kirk and Omega’s dark path ultimately denying his true self will allow Kirk to prevail … and hopefully the ‘role playing’ of it all gets some pluses for Kirk on the rolls too.
As always feel free to change and rewrite whatever, this is just my hope for how the scene plays out.
Particularly the part with the image of Lancaster
To the end do I grapple with thee ...
Viva Vanguard!
Seth
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Avatar:
OOC: Remarkably good post, Seth!
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Sentinel:
OOC: Much thanks. Here's hoping it gets the desired effect :)
Seth
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Menagerie:
OOC: Great idea! I wish I could say it inspire me, but my dense skull needed Jeff to point out that this great idea can be applied to Menagerie as well. So ...
Luck points away! Menagerie will spend his next level advancement, luck points, power points, and anything else he needs to make this work.
IC: Menagerie watched his ally and thinks, "He dares risk it all in this challenge to remove Avatar Omega's power. Hmm, maybe this strategy can be used by more than one. The Spirit of Nature found favor in me. Maybe the favor is more than just my return ... twice now. The favor is a choice. I am chosen. I am the defender of the natural world. This Menagerie Omega is not of THIS natural world. I must depower him as Avatar is doing to his counterpart."
Menagerie reverts to human form. He calls out, "I am the Shamanic Shapeshifter of Vanguard! I am the Defender of the Natural World! I am the Avenger of the Animal Kingdom! I am the Collection of Murdered Spirits! I am Menagerie!
Menagerie reaches out his mind to the T-Max. He is forming the mind link to bond with it. Calling it to join bear, cougar, eagle, wolf and man in defending the natural world and avenging the animal kingdom. To join the menagerie.
Via Vanguard
Tom
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Symbiote:
Hal stands before his team and their evil counterparts and, more specifically, his own evil counterpart. We're the same people, except they're older and more experienced, he thought to himself. But not just more experienced--differently experienced. Symbiote remember his recent terrifying battle against Gadget Girl, when she tried to steal the Harper Harness--because she had escaped from CHESS Castle
Except, in their world--from what we saw, anyway--Gadget Girl DIDN'T escape from CHESS Castle
...and probably never had a reason to move the deactivation port on the back of the Harness after the fight!!
Hal Alpha acts quickly, the plan forming in his mind. He reaches into his tool belt for the tool created to fit into the reset port in the small of the back of his Harness. He turns into electricity, bounces around the room, materializes behind Symbiote Omega...
OOC: ...and hopefully jams the tool into Omega's harness, deactivating the damn thing. Hopefully. Omega Hal, as near as we can determine, has been something of a king back in his own world for a while, apparently with minions protecting him. Hopefully he hasn't found a reason to redesign the Harness in that particular manner. Hopefully.
Viva Vanguard,
Greg
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GM:
OOC: Thanks. Transforming to lightning is an action, and the special attack on the Harper Harness is another action.
Is this a two-action plan?
Thanks,
Jeff
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Symbiote:
OOC: I suppose it'll have to be. If Halmega turns into lightning also I'll try to stick with him and hit him when he materializes.
Thanks,
Greg
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Lightning Strike:
Hi all,
Given that our actions are mirrored by our counterparts it makes strategy somewhat counterproductive. That being said, Strike will still bring the fight to these Vanguard fakes. "True heroes never compromise their integrity. We have always found other ways without succumbing to our dark side. Your experience is worthless when confronted with courage and conviction!!"
With that heroic speech (probably his only one in 139 issues), Strike blasts at the T-Rex in the room. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall!!"
That's all for now.
Take care everyone,
Tony
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Slingshot:
OOC: So my move doesn't change except for the direction I won't be aiming Dynamo at anyone.
IC:
"Dynamo! WAKE UP. GET IN HERE and ACTIVATE!"
"Time to clear the space." Tentacle attack to Clone Omega, as many as I can.
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Clone:
Clone thought to himself: “How could this have happened? How could my heart have turned so dark? I will never allow this to happen! I will never become this man!”
Clone Omega spoke. Over 20 men speaking in unison. The lethal legion said: “ALEX. SURRENDER OR BE ABSORBED INTO OUR COLLECTIVE. YOU WILL BECOME THIS MAN, LITERALLY.”
Clone also heard all the voices in all his minds! ( from the eerie, er, sexy telepathy the multiplying mutants possessed! )
Alexander could hear the evil intent behind Clone Omega’s words and could feel the corruption harbored within his heart. He knew that whatever had darkened the spirit of this alternate version of himself had taken root long ago and would not be removed by logical discussion or kind words.
He knew that this would be a fight; a fight between good and evil, a fight that would have to be won in order to save his own soul. He squeezed his raised fist tightly as his teeth clenched together; this would be a fight to the finish.
As the Clone army charged forward like a wave crashing upon a beach, Alexander thinks to himself, “NO . . . I will NEVER become this man!”
OOC:
Clone’s strategy will stay the same – attack the Clone Omega collective head-on with the intent of absorbing them ( and hopefully their staff weapon(s) as well ). If at all possible he/they will try to Evade as well.
If Slingshot is able to knock any of the Clone Omega duplicates off their feet, Clone’s duplicates will make those Clones their primary target. Hopefully he’ll be able to absorb them as they struggle to regain their footing.
Clone Alpha will also make it a priority to get his hands on one of those Staff Weapons – he knows they’re an edge that Clone Omega has on him and he would like to level the playing field a bit if possible.
From the description of Clone’s Multiplicity power:
“ . . . The absorption process also integrates the memories, experiences, and skills of the duplicate into Clone’s own personal memories, experiences, and skills. . . . “
I don’t even know if this is possible, but . . . Should any of Clone Alpha’s duplicates get absorbed they will do their best to try and ‘infect’ the Clone Omega collective with their morality ( Charisma Save maybe? I don’t know – just looking for an angle here hehe ;) )
Also – if he does manage to absorb one; or more, of the Clone Omega duplicates he will instantly relay any information that he gains through the absorption process to the rest of the team that might help them defeat Vanguard Omega ( i.e. new Weaknesses, Vanguard Omega’s over all objectives, etc . . . ).
Jeff, if you need any dialogue or anything from me because of the absorption stuff let me know – I should be able to get that out to you quickly.
A quote from this issue:
“Clone also heard all the voices in all his minds! ( from the eerie, er, sexy telepathy the multiplying mutants possessed! )”
SEXY TELEPATHY FTW! lol ;)
Talk to you all soon,
-Kev
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Talon:
As Soldier Omega falls, Talon looks for his next target. He looks around the room and sees the individual conflict between the members of the Vanguard and their darker selves. Thoughts of his past flash through his memory and for a moment he thinks to himself. I don't know if I'm the good guy in this fight, but if this jerk is more of an ass than I am, someone has to stop him!
Talon flares out his wings and yells out a challenge. "Talon! Let's see what that you can do with me!"
OOC: Talon will launch himself at Talon Omega and let his rage go unchecked. We'll see if a few years of youth and a strong dose of anger can help him win the fight.
Sorry for the delayed response, Jeff.
Viva Vanguard,
Denny
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