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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Vanguard: Issue 163: Rampage of the Pachyderm!

Within the Aztechnology compound, Vanguard battled the new Homicide for Hire before a second Digital Zone Gate! Inside the Digital Zone were Nanite, Zephyr, Slate and a bizarre amalgam of Nemesis and IT, the Entity!

Slate erased the Virus from Nanite and Slate!

The Nemesis Entity stopped! “What?!” it cried; the sky face gazing down at Ethan’s tiny form. “You/They are the Digital Child!”


Nanite awoke, floating in the weightless fluid of data. “What?” she said softly. 

Slingshot quietly pulled Nanite back into this world of flesh and men. KRAKOW!
She was herself again, safely in his arms! Still in her wedding dress.
Slingshot left a finger like a long coil of rope, a lifeline, for Ethan.

Zephyr had Ethan and was pulling him toward the Portal, back to their world.

Then all hell broke loose. “RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAUUGGHH!!!”

Pachyderm rampaged forward into the generator field! He slammed into them with his titanic fists, causing a chain reaction explosion! KA-BOOOMMM!!!

“ROOOAARRR!!” The Pachyderm wanted to bring the building down! Flames and black smoke roiled from the burning generators, threatening to soon fill up the room!  The other-dimensional wind pulled the smoke toward the Gate!


The Digital Zone Gate sparked and flickered! The loss of so many generators was causing the Portal to begin to close! Slate and Zephyr were still on the other side! It would be shut in a matter of seconds!...

Avatar ignored the Gate and leapt 30 feet at Harrik, pressing his attack with the Sword of Hephaestus! KANG!
The magic blade struck the ground hard as the Mercenary barely got out of its way!

The Mercenary leapt over Avatar and back to his original perch, from where he could survey the battlefield.

Menagerie, deep in the roiling smoke of the flaming generators, could hear Harrik speak into his headset with his keen Bear ears. “Maelstrom, teleport an object inside Sentinel. Now!”

The shamanic shapeshifter could also hear Maelstrom’s reply. “No go. Repeat, no go. Jump Suit is off line.”

Harrik’s right hand held out the small device that had shut down Soldier’s systems two days ago. Seeing Soldier’s weakened state, he put it away, and smoothly redeployed the grenade launcher. He loaded it with a larger cartridge and fired.
Fwooooooooosh!
VWA-BOOOM!!!
The thermobaric grenade detonated on Slingshot, Nanite and the six Clones that surrounded them!
At the last second, Slingshot turned away from the blast to shield Nanite with his own body! There was nothing he could do for the Clones!  (Slingy had been carrying Nanite. PR: 2 to change facing out of your action phase.)
(OOC: 16 damage to each Clone!) All six Clones were incapacitated by the blast!
(OOC: 24 damage to Slingshot due to his Vulnerability to flame or heat attacks. 8 from Invulnerability, rolls with 6, takes 10 from hits.) Slingshot was barely conscious, and not on fire!
(OOC: 0 damage to Nanite, thanks to her brave husband) Nanite was unscathed!

Slingshot shook his head at the Mercenary. "Why do something that will hurt you in the end? Money won't help you if you're dealing with that." Scott tilted his head at the Entity. "Should I tell IT that you're the one attacking and see what IT can do to your bank accounts?"

The Mercenary spat, “You’re bluffing, Brock. You’ve got no more control over that thing than I do.”

Lightning Strike moved from the smoke field and readied himself to stop anyone who attempted to attack or shut down the generators until everyone was clear!
The super-intelligent hero deduced that with Nanite back in the real world, Homicide for Hire didn’t want to close the Gate.
Watching the portal flicker and spark, he knew how best he could help. “Rrrrraah!” he growled as he fired hot electricity from his hands into the remaining generators, giving them a boost of power to keep the gate open a little longer! SHA-KOW!

The Gate stopped flickering for now!

Some of the billowing black smoke moved from the roiling clouds in the shape of a man! No, it was the Luddite! He advanced on Lightning Strike with madness in his voice! “Why are you trying to save the boy and the woman infestations? You know the future. You know the threat they represent! What more will it take for you freaks to act like the heroes your press agents claim you to be?!”

The murderer of Lightning Strike’s wife held out two black, spectral claws at the electric avenger. “Given your unnatural condition, you are the most vulnerable to my fearsome gifts! Die, traitor to the human race!” SHRAKK!!

Lightning Strike, a being of pure electricity, felt his life essence stolen from him, absorbed into the Luddite! (OOC: Strike loses 34 Power Points!)

Clone acted! With a sudden burst of speed and determination, four of the ‘replicating Russians’ charged towards The Mercenary. Careful to not to group too closely together, the ‘copying communists’ lashed out at the villain with their staff weapons in a unified assault! KRAK! One of the four struck Harrik, who rolled with the blow!

With the Luddite disappeared through the black smoke, the three Clones that had been nearest to him backed out from the smoke-filled center of the room and discovered Maelstrom! They charged him!

Before they could reach him, Maelstrom warned, “Stay back!” and fired a blast of white energy from the palm of his green gauntlet! VRAK! One of the three Clones was felled (13 points of damage) but the other two moved in and both struck! CHOK! WHAK! Maelstrom’s armor protected him from the staff strikes!

Desperate to thin the number of enemies before them, two more of the Clones attempted to wallop the Ratman into unconsciousness with their bludgeons!

Before they could act, Ratman, cornered, injured and desperate, lashed out at the nearest Clone combatant with his insidious claws! SKASH!!!  “Back off, russkies!”

The Clone was badly cut (11 points of damage) and fell to the ground unconscious!

Ratman backed up, ready to grab the unconscious Agent Drake and use him as a living shield!
The remaining Clone smashed Ratman across the skull with his staff! KERACK!
Ratman was still conscious, but was too cowardly to risk turning his back on the Clone to grab Drake!

Symbiote awakened. Shaking off his headache from the Villainous Vermin's vicious tail attack, Hal quickly assessed the situation again.  Slate and SHELLEY in the digital zone!  And those generators are about to give out! he realized with a panic.

There were any number of villains in the room he would've loved to take a piece out of--chiefly Ratman, Mercenary and The Luddite--but at that moment his only concern was his sister's safety.  He used the power of Inhuman to gather the water that had splashed away from Ratman's head and caused it to fountain up and into the fires around the generators! SPLOOSH!!! The fires were out!

Meanwhile, in the Digital Zone!
Slate was torn… there was so much to learn here, without the confusion he constantly felt in the “real” world.  Here things made sense, he longed to stay, and began to pull away from Shelley when he heard his true father’s words, “being a hero is about doing what’s right, not what you want to do.”  He looked at Shelley and could see she was in pain, this world was rejecting her, and she had come here to save him.

Ethan looked longingly at the face of the IT/Nemesis entity, “Yes I am, and you are safe,” he thought toward IT/Them, then turned and wrapped his arms around Zephyr and shot toward the portal like a dolphin through water, gaining speed as he went.  He grabbed Slingshot’s finger, using it as a lifeline.

Through the portal, Slate could see what was going on in the room, and seemed somehow aware of all of the events that had occurred, even though he had not truly been paying attention. It was as if the data from the physical world was streaming into the digital dimension itself, and he was able to “tap” into that flow.

As they flew through the closing portal, sliding to a stop just inside the room, Slate turned to the Luddite and said, “You are the abomination here,” as his eyes began to sparkle with static.

The dark form was now the focus of all of Slate’s frustration, anger, and angst.  Slate had used his powers before, but this was different… Twin beams of destructive digital energy flow from Slate’s eyes, attempting to pierce the dark form that is the Luddite, reminding everyone that had seen such a thing before exactly of how IT had looked when he first attacked Vanguard. (OOC: Luck Point spent to gain +4 to hit)

ZOM!! The twin eye beams of static struck the Luddite, who had been badly injured by the generator blast!
“NO!” cried the anti-technology terrorist. “You cannot succeed! You are anathema to nature. A plague upon this world! A contagion that must be destroyed! I swear I will stop y-”

Then the Luddite disintegrated into thin air.

“-ou!” was suddenly heard from the Digital Zone Gate! The Luddite had re-materialized inside the Digital Zone. For one who held such a philosophy as his, being “digitized” rendered into green, linear data, must have surely been a living hell.

The Luddite looked at his surroundings and then down at his own hands that he now struggled to recognize. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” he shrieked as the brobdingnagian visage of the Nemesis Entity took notice of him. The colossal face grew enraged, opened his mouth as if to yell, and swallowed the Luddite alive!

ZZPOW!! The Digital Gate flickered, sparked and finally lost power! KSHOOM! The gate was shut! The Nemesis Entity was no longer visible!

Zephyr regained her bearings, noted the positions and conditions of her brother, Sentinel, and Ethan, and then used her amazing wind powers to dissipate the smoke that threatened to fill the room and asphyxiate everyone in it! WHOOOOSHH!!

As the smoke began to clear, a badly wounded Zero G saw Sentinel’s energy shield pyramid that protected both the beacon of liberty and the weightless Soldier, whose cybernetic systems had lost all power.

Zero G held out his hands and released Soldier from his control, and gave Sentinel’s construct negative weight!
The construct, with Sentinel and Soldier inside it, began to rocket upward!
Sentinel could not alter the construct’s speed or trajectory! It “weighed” too much for him!
KRASH! The pyramid “fell” upward through the ceiling, bursting through the roof and continued plummeting up into the night sky!
(OOC: The construct takes 21 points of damage from the impact with the roof) Debris from the roof rained down, but didn’t strike anyone in the room.

Sentinel and Soldier could feel the G-force as the pyramid approached terminal velocity!

Zero G, wanting to keep the pyramid construct within the range of his powers, flew up with it! He chuckled thickly as he watched his helpless captives!  Or so he thought!

Soldier, still raging about the situation and not thinking clearly, rapidly drew his smartpistol, Mercy, and fired an explosive round at Zero G! BLAM! BOOM!!

Zero G was hit and knocked out cold! The anti-gravity assassin began to plummet to earth, along with Sentinel, Soldier and the now-released pyramid construct!

Sentinel regained control of the energy construct and flew it back down through the hole in the roof and into the Aztech facility, blasting energy at Harrik as he and Soldier emerged from the hole! ZARK!

The Mercenary was unaware of the attack, and was struck squarely by the blast! He was still conscious!
“Not very chivalric of you, Sentinel. Seems adversity does reveal one’s true character,” he smirked. “Guess you’re just like the rest of us after all.”

Ion, unlike his boss, wasn’t in a joking mood. He mercilessly fired more jagged bolts of electricity from his eyes at Avatar’s back! KRAKAKOOM! (14 points of damage! All from hits! Avatar stays conscious.)
Then the evil electrocutioner said to Harrik, “We’re running out of options here. And revenge don’t pay the rent.”

Slingshot looked at the carnage of the generator explosion. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take another hit. On the other hand, he knew that he had things well under control. Nan and Ethan was on this side. That left him with a precious moment to enact some little protection.
As the smoke continued to clear, he scanned for Skin Deep, with Symbiote’s DNA extraction unit at the ready!

The pliable powerhouse found her.
Because now there were two Menageries!

One in the shape of Man. The other in the shape of Bear! “ROOOARRWW!!” howled the giant grizzly at the man-shaped Menagerie! (OOC: In animal form, Menagerie can only speak telepathically on his action)

The man-shaped Menagerie put a gentle hand on Pachyderm’s forearm. His face was a model of love and serenity.

Pachyderm recognized his old friend, the man-shaped Menagerie, and focused upon him. “Cat lady… dead.” He repeated with effort.

“Yes,” said the man-shaped Menagerie (OOC: who was Snow Leopard’s actual murderer!! –Ye Ed) with genuine sadness. “These people are to blame, Pachy. Make them pay, my dear friend. Starting with that one,” he said, pointing at the Grizzly Bear!

Pachyderm’s unimaginable fury was unleashed! The monstrous mammoth raised his head in a roar of vengeance and then charged the Grizzly with all of his incredible power!

Menagerie mind spoke to Pachyderm, "Pachy, it’s me! Go home! Go back to the Great Northern Wilderness! I will deal with those that hurt you!!!"

Pachyderm stopped in his tracks! His head whirled back and forth between Menagerie and the Grizzly in confusion!  Frustrated beyond his ability to comprehend, the towering titan slammed his fist into the floor in anger – WHAMM! – and his incomprehensible strength and power created a shockwave that rocked everyone within 30 feet of him!  Wham am am am am am am am am am m m m m m m

(OOC: Symbiote, One Clone, Ratman, Lightning Strike, Slate, Avatar, Menagerie, Skin Deep, and Sentinel’s Shield Construct all take 10 points of damage that cannot be rolled with!
Everyone remains conscious except for that one Clone and Menagerie!)

Ratman was barely standing. “Jeez!” he whined.
A Clone fell to the power of the shockwave!
And so did the Grizzly! It hit the floor and then slowly transformed… into Menagerie!

Pachyderm looked down at his unconscious friend. “RRRAAAAAAAUUGHHH!!!!” he roared in clear distress.

Skin Deep, in Menagerie’s form, didn’t miss a beat: “Look here, Pachy! Look here. The Bear is fooling you. Like the Wooden man did. I am your friend. Me.”

(OOC: Given these revolting developments, Slingshot may or may not want to attack Skin Deep just now. I’ll say you saved your action. Next issue you have two actions, the first one will preempt everyone.)

Avatar suddenly leapt at Harrik with his sword! The relentless demigod of destiny struck true! KTANG!

Harrik was hurt but smiled at Avatar, nodding at Pachyderm. “Don’t you know when you’re beat, Vanguardian?”

To be continued!


(OOC: Tom, please give me Menagerie’s actions in case he wakes up next issue. As he lay unconscious, he dreams and sees, via his mind’s eye, that Skin Deep murdered Snow Leopard! Menagerie's Nature Sense power, which includes psychometry of predators, reveals this to our sleeping sorcerer supreme in a mystic vision flash when Pachyderm and Skin Deep came within close proximity of him and each other!)


Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 25,  Power Points: 67,  Manifestation: The Speed of Hermes!  The Strength of Ares!

Clone: Bodies: 6,  Hit Points: 1 each,  Power Points: 40, Hit Point Pool: 6

Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 11,  Power Points: 34

Menagerie: Hit Points: 0,  Power Points: 46,  Form: Man, Incapacitated!

Sentinel: Hit Points: 13,  Power Points: 58, Creation Points: 116, Shields: 69 

Slate: Hit Points: 20, Power Points: 66

Slingshot: Hit Points: 4,  Power Points: 54,  Invulnerability: 0 until the start of Issue 165

Soldier: Hit Points: 7, Power Points: 45, Invulnerability: 8

Symbiote: Hit Points: 24, Power Points: 71, Charges: 0, Copied: Inhuman, Water Controlled: 50 lbs,
 

Viva Vanguard,
Jeff

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Menagerie:
Skin Deep killed Snow Leopard!!! She had moved to the top of Menagerie's list!!

IC: Menagerie woke up. He snarled an animalistic growl. "Pachy, go home! All mankind are liars. Leave us and mourn Cat Lady! I will kill her murderer for you." The look in his eyes told everyone in the room he wasn't kidding. "I guess I will have to eliminate all of Homicide of Hire to be sure that I get the job done right." He attacked Skin Deep with a ferocity that would have caused a honey badger to flee in terror.

OOC: Awesome issue Jeff! Great way to turn the table back around on me.

Tom

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Clone:
OOC: LOL Damn!!! Menagerie is down and the Clones are dropping like flies    - Great issue!!!
-Kev

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Slingshot:
OOC: I'm not done reading, but I'm putting this in:

<<Slingshot shook his head at the Mercenary. "Why do something that will hurt you in the end? Money won't
help you if you're dealing with that." Scott tilted his head at the Entity. "Should I tell IT that you're the one
attacking and see what IT can do to your bank accounts?"

The Mercenary spat, “You’re bluffing, Brock. You’ve got no more control over that thing than I do.”>>

Scott answered easily, "I guess that is what it's really about, uh? Control. I don't need control. All I have is the truth. How about I tell IT that you're the dumbass that orchestrated this "attack" and that you love your money and that they are all in bank accounts and institutions that are linked to the internet, one way or another. IT can do as it damn well please. You better make sure that you nail all of Vanguard as they will be able to follow through with this threat."

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Slate:
Staggered by the force of Pachyderm’s blows, Ethan glances around the room and sees Menagerie standing by Pachyderm, and lying on the ground at his feet.  As he hears the words coming out of Menagerie, and realizes that this must be Skin Deep.  Obviously, she is using Menagerie’s form to get Pachyderm to do her bidding. 

Ethan quickly moves to Menagerie, and moves him away from Pachyderm.  “You’re going to kill him he says,” he says to Pachyderm.

Ethan is trying to get Menagerie out of Pachyderms “area of influence,” so that if he does another Whammmmm, Menagerie won’t be hurt.  His action is try to awaken Menagerie, as he appears to be the only one who can influence Pachyderm and break him from Skin Deeps influence.

Jon

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Sentinel:
OOC: Thanks for this move, Jon.

I was trying to work moving Menagerie and waking him into Kirk's turn and still try to distract Harrik for Avatar but now that you are moving him out of the range of influence and trying to wake him I can just do that.  Hopefully I'll get to post IC in the next couple of days... Kirk will engage Harrik in conversation and hopefully get him angry enough to be distracted so that Avatar can hit him...  (Avatar is moving with the speed of a god and hemorrhaging luck points and he still misses Harrik?!? It seems the only way to make contact is if Harrik doesn't see it coming...)

Seth

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GM:
IC:
<<Scott answered easily, "I guess that is what it's really about, uh? Control. I don't need control. All I have is the truth. How about I tell IT that you're the dumbass that orchestrated this "attack" and that you love your money and that they are all in bank accounts and institutions that are linked to the internet, one way or another. IT can do as it damn well please. You better make sure that you nail all of Vanguard as they will be able to follow through with this threat.">>

Harrik replied to Slingshot for everyone to hear: “Don’t worry. I understand that part as clear as day.
But the first part doesn’t make any sense to me. Maybe you can help me out. You want me to renege on a paying contract and in return you'll give me what's already mine?”
His mouth made a derisive snort. It might have been a laugh. 

“Come on. You can do better than that. Let me give you a hint. You say you can drain my accounts. Well, can you fill ‘em up?” smiled the Mercenary.
“I remember you were happy to cut deals with the likes of Spider Girucci. If you’re trying to buy us out, then for god’s sake, buy us out. Make us a real offer… before the Pachyderm leaves me no one to negotiate with.”

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Slingshot:
OOC: FYI  - I'm well aware that I can pay him off, but I don't believe that I have the resources to pay him off. Scott is not interested in buying him off. He wants someone to do it for the right reasons, especially, since he'll turn around just as fast as someone else's pocketbook shows up.

I also want Skin Deep's DNA. :)

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Symbiote:
IC:  Symbiote wanted to try the drain an opponent of their body moisture trick again, and listening to the arrogant, callous Harrik, he desperately wanted to do it to him.  He wanted to reduce the Hellacious Hired Hand to dust.

But he disciplined himself.  Slingshot seemed to have Harrik engaged verbally and it looked likely that Avatar was about to wallop him again.  There were other foes--perhaps not quite as dangerous, but dangerous still--who had gotten a free pass so far.  Hal meant to change that.

He looked at Ion, and concentrated on the Voltage Villain.  "Hey Ion," he snarled.  "Dry up."

With that, he began extracting moisture through every orifice in his opponent's body, as with Ratman.  Only this time the plan was to use the water to completely envelope Ion's form, like a thin full body membrane.  It was hoped this would a) prevent him from breathing, and b) prevent or at least impair his ability to use his powers--any time he tried to project electricity the water surrounding him would short it out.

OOC:  I'm liking these past two issues.  A straight forward knock down, drag out between two organized super teams.  Gotta have them in the mix every now and then.

Viva Vanguard,
Greg

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Sentinel:
Kirk assessed the situation around him.  He checked the energy signature of Skin Deep and did this with her form changes to see if it changed to be sure to find her unique signature pattern.  OOC: Hadn’t mentioned this before, but it was for this very reason that Kirk realized he could sense and identify the unique energy signature of beings around him so he certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

Seeing Slate moving to assist the fallen Menagerie, their best hope to handling Pachyderm, he turned his attention towards Harrik, their key to victory.  He had witnessed Harrik miraculously evading the blows of Avatar, Vanguard’s powerhouse, who moved with the speed, skill, and luck of the Gods. Yet both he and Strike had managed to tag Harrik with an unexpected attack.  Kirk thought his most productive move would be to do his best to distract Harrik to give Avatar the best opportunity to do what he does best.

Kirk flew towards and around Harrik circling and drawing his attention.  He gave Avatar a quick wink when he caught his eye out of Harrik’s range so he would know he was up to something.  Normally he’d expect Harrik not be rattled by this, but with events going not as planned and Kirk having already tagged him unawares …

“Upset your plans again, Harrik?  Can’t be good for business (shaking his headin a ‘no’ fashion)”

“You know Harrik, your rep overreaches the reality.  I get your whole ultimate strategist sales pitch, but when push comes to shove, like a poor General, you fail to execute when it really counts.  What’s the matter Harrik? Performance anxiety?”

As Kirk circles, he tries to maneuver Harrik unknowingly closer to Pachyderm so he would be within the range of another assault should he have one.  When Kirk thinks he has Harrik’s attention with both his physical movements and oral assault he will assume an attack positioning like he is about to fire upon him and Kirk will fire towards him.  However, Harrik is not going to be his target.  He is going to assume that Harrik is going to be out of his way with intent for his attack to move onward past him to tag Skin Deep.  If that isn't possible then choose another target that is possible.  Since Kirk can use his energy sense in addition to sight, I'm hoping the Skin Deep attack is possible.

If the battlefield changes and something else is more appropriate, you can have him take that action.

PS: Forgot to mention, when Kirk 'fires' upon Harrik, he would try to maneuver things so that when he dodges Kirk's attack he is actually moving into a better position to be hit by Avatar.

I'd add, in game terms if this is too difficult to do as a 'phony' attack, I'd sacrifice the move against another opponent to just attack Harrik knowing he'd likely miss if it would seemingly ensure the positioning for Avatar to connect - but it does seem likely that Harrik would avoid Kirk's attack, so I figured doing things this way made sense.

Also, although I gave some dialogue, Kirk is trying to rattle Harrik here- feel free to add more if necessary.

Seth

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Avatar:
OOC: Even though it's likely a waste of Luck, Avatar will spend a luck point with this attack to try and ensure another strike on Harrik.  Lackluster, yes, but he'll just keep attacking Harrik.  Other problems are being handled by other team members and Harrik has been a thorn in our side for too long to ignore him.

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Slate:
OOC: I believe Gary Busey said it best in "Soldier."

"If you want to drive in a nail, don't do anything fancy, just take a hammer and hit the son of a &!^(#."

Gratitude to the hammer.
Jon

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Soldier:
IC: Freed from Zero G’s grasp, Soldier hit the ground with a thud, and the force of the impact managed to knock some sense into him. “Dammit Matt, you need to get it together, the team needs you.” he thought. Taking a second to assess the situation, he immediately scanned the area for the locations of the other members of Vanguard, as well as those of Homicide for hire. Spotting both Pachyderm and Menagerie, he immediately set his sights on the hulking powerhouse. Taking a second to make sure he’d aligned his sights correctly, he fired off another explosive round from Mercy (Special Attack, he’s trying to take a head shot on Pachyderm). “I hope you enjoy this, as much as I did what you’ve done to me.”

OOC: If it’s successful, Matt will let out little smile.

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Clone:
IC:
The Mercenary!
Desperate to keep the pressure up on The Mercenary, the four Clone duplicates assisting Avatar strike out once again at the cunning leader of Homicide for Hire with their staves.

. . . And Then There Were Two.
Figuring that they probably won’t be able to take down Maelstrom by themselves ( OOC: communicating through their telepathic / empathic link ), the two remaining Clones decide to try something completely    unexpected and truly heroic – they’ll attack Skin Deep and Pachyderm!

Turning their backs on Maelstrom, the two desperate Clones run head-on towards the rear flanks of Skin Deep and Pachyderm ( OOC: Jeff, looking at the last map of this Issue it looks like they would be attacking from the rear – hopefully I’m correct ). Having worked on power generators with their comrades in the past ( OOC: i.e. the Tesla lab in the Omega-verse ) the two quickly identify some damaged but still live power cables loosened by the Pachyderms outbursts and grab for the insulated material surrounding them. Not missing a stride, the two duplicates pick up the power cables and continue their charge against each of their apparently unsuspecting targets.

 As they come within striking distance, the ‘duplicating duo’ lunge at their targets with unrestrained determination. The one Clone thrusts his exposed power cable at Skin Deeps back, while the other leaps up and tries to drive his sparking power cable square into the back of Pachyderms head ( OOC: I’m hoping that the +4 Rear Attack bonus helps to off-set the double attack roll needed for this ). Knowing that their numbers are dwindling quickly and that the Pachyderm is now completely out of control, the replicas do their best to make every moment of this unified assault count ( OOC: I have absolutely no qualms using a Luck Point for each of these attacks . . . assuming I have any left )!

OOC:   
Talk to you all soon,

-Kev

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Lightning Strike:
Strike's attention is pulled in two directions.  Harrik must be taken down, and Pachyderm must somehow be calmed before the entire place comes crashing down.

Strike weighed the options and determined that with all of the experience Harrik has (OOC:  I think I have been fighting this guy for 30 years!!!), he is the most dangerous opponent.  Strike waited for the optimal moment for an opening when Harrik was engaged with a fellow Vanguard member (OOC: He held his action until a time when Harrik was dodging someone else.) and then unleashed a torrent of electricity at the Mercenary, hoping to penetrate his insulated suit.

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Slingshot:
OOC:
Sorry for the late reply. I simply couldn't come up with a right solution. I am really stuck. I have a decent conversation going and two actions, but I don't have the inspiration of what the right thing to do was. That included with the fact that I took two weeks off and I'm stuck catching up at work (wondering if it really was a vacation?). Real sorry about that.

I've decided that the main thing here is the super star destroyer: Harrik. As we should all have done in the first place. He's keeping these people together. Without him, they will all bail, hopefully, Skin Deep will be the first.

IC:
<<Harrik replied to Slingshot for everyone to hear: “Don’t worry. I understand that part as clear as day.
But the first part doesn’t make any sense to me. Maybe you can help me out. You want me to renege on a paying contract and in return you'll give me what's already mine?”
His mouth made a derisive snort. It might have been a laugh. 

“Come on. You can do better than that. Let me give you a hint. You say you can drain my accounts. Well, can you fill ‘em up?” smiled the Mercenary.

“I remember you were happy to cut deals with the likes of Spider Girucci. If you’re trying to buy us out, then for god’s sake, buy us out. Make us a real offer… before the Pachyderm leaves me no one to negotiate with.”>>

"Negotiate? I guess that's where you and I don't see eye to eye. Or maybe we can see fist to eye." And Scott winds up a haymacker at Harrik with a fist easily the size of a small dresser.

[OOC: I assume this is a saved action, I want this done before Harrik has his turn. Attack to Harrik. With my move for that action, I want to hand over the DNA gun to Nanite]

"Nan, I'm not going to last long. I'm almost out for this fight. Take this[dna extractor]. If I fall, make sure you or someone collects Skin Deep's DNA. I need to stop Harrik. Although, I would prefer if you would give your love." [code word for heal? :)]

[OOC: On my turn, more pounding on Harrik. I don't know if I'll be standing or not, but if I have anything left, it's going his way. Can't think of a nice repartee]

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Monday, August 13, 2012

Vanguard: Issue 162: The Digital Child.

Within the Aztechnology compound, Vanguard battled the new Homicide for Hire before a second Digital Zone Gate, and the Gate was open! Inside the Digital Zone were Nanite and Slate!

Slingshot was trying to pull his wife and son out of cyberspace with his elastic arm!


As Slate had reached out to access the closest Server, he was grabbed from behind by a rushing wind and tossed toward the Digital Zone Portal.  He recognized it for what it was.  The portal appeared to be a larger version of what he created anytime he digitized something in this world.  As he grew closer, he felt himself accelerating like a piece of iron drawn toward a magnet. In the room, the flash of energy everyone else saw, felt like a splash in a pool to Slate. 

It was like returning to the womb. Warmth ran around his body, he barely felt the digital world around him, everything was somehow “right.”  He felt whole.  The emotional turmoil of the last few days was gone. Everything seemed to slow down. He looked around and recognized the world he was now in, he had seen this before, and the memories of his dreams returned in a flood. 

Jim Harrik barked to his team: “Stop Slingshot from reeling her in!” Then: “Here IT comes!”

Vanguard turn and saw, through the portal, a gigantic face was forming in the sky of cyberspace! But it was different than the last time! This face was a blend of the features of IT the Entity, and Nemesis!


Sentinel’s own shields were crushing him alive, thanks to the gravitational powers of Zero G!
The beacon of liberty allowed them to evaporate and then instantaneously reformed them (with his saved action!)

Harrik had been watching closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike at the exposed Sentinel, but was unable to! (Sentinel’s saved action occurs before Harrik has the chance to act!)

Sentinel pretended he was still being crushed, in order to play possum. He had feared Slate ending up in the Digital Zone.  In his mind, with what they knew of his powers, he figured he was the Son of the King… that his power would be incredible there.  His entry into the zone would have been Vanguard’s last ditched effort if all seemed lost … but he was concerned that somehow IT would have had something implanted within Slate that would take control once he was there.

Kirk shouted to Slate, “Slate, are you all right?  Do you still have free will?  Can you act as you please?  What can we do to help?”
And he hoped that if Slate was still in control of himself that HFH had underestimated the potential within him and had just handed Vanguard their best hope for victory.

Slate did not reply. It was uncertain whether Slate could hear Sentinel!

Sentinel looked at the face in the gateway; the bizarre conglomeration of the Entity IT and the hero he desperately had wanted to rescue … one of the greatest heroes of their time, Nemesis.  He felt indebted to those heroes of the Freedom Force and wanted to be sure they were all found.  So far, Nemesis had been the only one … and as quickly as they found him, Kirk lost him again.

Had Slingshot not pulled Kirk along with the rest of Vanguard through the gate that day, he’d likely have perished in his attempt to rescue Nemesis.  Kirk’s failure to bring him home led to this … thing … before them.

Seemingly ignoring the twisted image that filled the gate before him he shouted, “Nemesis, Vanguard is here to help.  Are you now in control of Cyberspace?  What happened to you?”  And he hoped the reply heard with be that of the hero and not the threat of IT, the Entity.

The Entity Nemesis amalgam shouted: “I/We are invaded! I/We are under attack!”

Avatar, imbued with the Strength of Ares and the Speed of Hermes, bounded up at super-speed, hurtling for Harrik at maximum velocity!  The demigod of destiny attempted to slam his shield into him, using not only his strength but also his speed to try and drive the Mercenary back into a solid object! (and uses one Luck Point to gain +4 to hit)
Avatar missed and went sailing past him!

The Mercenary had deftly leapt out of the path of the myrmidon of mythology! Then, without missing a beat, he fired again on Slingshot! Grenade launching carbine.  Mini-thermobaric cartridge. Fffwooooooosshhh!  KA-BOOOOM!

Slingshot was rocked again! (OOC: 27 points of damage! 9 from concussion, 18 from heat as per his weakness. Slingy rolls with 8 and takes 19 to hit points!)

Slingshot was knocked back twenty feet and through the wall! KRASH!! (5 more points of damage, all to Hits!)

Scott wasn’t on fire, was still conscious, and was somehow still holding onto Nanite!

Harrik liked what he saw and gave more instructions through his headset.

Lightning Strike determined that he probably wouldn't be able to pull the same stunt twice on Harrick so he moved on to another target.  Zero G seemed to have Sentinel in a tough spot and since Sentinel was more familiar with the Digital Zone, he would be needed in dealing with the Entity should IT prove to be malevolent.  Strike leapt atop the nearest generator so that he could see over the line of Clones, and let loose with a blast at Zero G and hoped to take him unaware as he was involved with Sentinel.

SHAKOW!! Zero G was struck by the lightning blast! The anti-gravity assassin was hurt but still conscious!

Then the electrical avenger raced to the center of the generator field!  He intended to keep them going if another was damaged so he could keep the portal open until everyone from Vanguard was out of the Digital Zone!

Soldier was pissed, he'd been lied to, manipulated, kidnapped, infected with God knows what, and he felt violated. He hadn’t felt this vulnerable since childhood, listening to his father berate him for some perceived weakness or fault on his part. And now he was ready to take all that pent up frustration out on the members of Homicide for Hire! Using the broken remains of the Puppet as a club, he began swinging like a raging madman at the villains assembled before him, “I’m going to break you bastards in half!”

The patriotic powerhouse leapt up and clubbed Zero G unawares in the back of the head, nearly simultaneously to Lightning Strike’s attack! KRAK! Zero G was weak in the knees but remained conscious, and hovering!

Menagerie was overcome with sadness and anger at hearing the fate of Snow Leopard. "Pachy, I am so sad to hear about Snow Leopard." Menagerie pointed at Zero G. "He is Wooden Man's friend. He helped kill Snow Leopard, you know what to do. While you hurt him I will go hurt more of Wooden Man's friends!"

Zero G, still reeling from the double attack, couldn’t believe his ears!

Menagerie then transformed magically, assuming the shape of Bear! In the man’s place now stood a giant Grizzly! The mammoth predator snuffed the air and quickly identified which Clone was really Skin Deep! The shamanic shapeshifter then used his Mystic Mind Speech to inform Vanguard!

Maelstrom had also heard what Menagerie said to Pachyderm! The emerald teleporter said “Safeguard Alpha One” and instantaneously transported himself behind the titanic terror, touched him and they both disappeared!

VRAK! KA-ZOOOM!! VROAR! In a sudden magical explosion that resembled a lightning storm, they both appeared right back where they had started! BOOM!! Menagerie’s mystic spell, that had warded the perimeter against unnatural travel, had blocked Maelstrom’s emergency evac of Pachyderm!

Maelstrom’s “jump suit” was sparking and smoking and he was stumbling in confusion! “Aaahh!”

Pachyderm was bewildered and enraged! He let out a roar that shook the walls of the electronic blind room! His eyes were filled with rage!

Symbiote recognized that look. He remembered it from the alternate future when he had duplicated the DNA template of the bestial leviathan. Symbiote knew better than anyone what was about to happen.

(OOC: Hal remembered, dimly, these Weaknesses of the Pachyderm!

1)    Savage Rampage! Low Self Control: When threatened, the Pachyderm must save on d20 vs. intelligence or enter into a blind rage, attacking friend and foe alike until the threat is gone!

2)    Bull in a China Shop! Low Self Control: Whenever the Pachyderm misses in combat there is a 50% chance of an incidental combat effect: the attack goes wild and randomly strikes someone or something nearby, or has some other significant effect.)

“ROOOOOOAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!”

Symbiote, trusting Menagerie to get Pachyderm under control, looked towards the frightful image of the Entity appearing in the gateway.  “Gee, as if the nightmares weren't enough,” he thought to himself, remembering the awe inspiring presence his teammates and the Soviet Super Soldiers had faced down.  The Super Scientist began to calculate the variables:  “He's the real threat here.  Harrik is probably a close second, and Skin Deep probably runs third.  But there's not much to be done about IT other than closing the gate, and we can't do that until Slate and Nanite are out.  Probably the best thing we can do is keep everybody off Slingshot until he can reel his family in.  Avatar's about to have Harrik in hand, and there's not much to be done about Skin Deep right now. So probably the best thing I can do is make sure nobody else bothers Slingy.  Wrapping things up with my current dance partner is as good a place to start as any.”

With that, the Piscean Powerhouse turned towards Ratman, and the 50 lb. globe of water floating between them.  "Oh, I'm sorry Ratso, were you using that?" he asked, gesturing towards the levitating water.  "THEN HERE....TAKE IT BACK!"

Symbiote gestured towards Ratman and the water zipped over his head, completely enveloping it!  Breathing would now become quite an issue, but Hal wasn't finished yet.  He clenched his outstretched hand into a fist and the globe began to shrink, the water compressing, forcing more and more pressure against the Rogue of Rodentia's skull.  “Half dehydrated and unable to breathe, how many PSIs of water pressure can you take, you sick freak?”  Hal thought to himself.  “Let's find out....” SWOOOSSHHH! 

Ratman was, literally, a drowning rat. Sputtering, coughing, flailing, he spat up water and more.  Ratman had never been so badly injured in his entire life! (Fatigued, and now he’s taking Hit Point damage)
He was a cornered rat. And therefore, never more dangerous.
 
The sneaky rodent stopped playing possum and suddenly pounced at Symbiote, lashing out with his insidious Whiplash Tail!  KER-RACK! His steel prehensile weapon struck Symbiote in the head and the scientific superhero fell to the floor unconscious! The water globe came undone and splattered onto the floor. SPLASH!

Ratman caught his breath and shook off the water that had doused him. He was badly hurt. His beady little eyes started darting around, looking for an exit, or a hostage.

The Luddite couldn’t resist any longer. The spectral zealot turned to face Soldier: “Abomination! Bastard hybrid of flesh and machine! You represent everything that’s wrong with this world! Now you, and this world, will be cleansed of its digital infection! DIE!”

The Luddite held his black hands out before him and absorbed the energy of Soldier’s cybernetic systems!! SHRAKK!! Electricity flew from Soldier into the Luddite and was gone! VWOOP!
Soldier had been drained of all power!
(On your character sheet, Bionic powers b,c,d,e,f and g have shut down! Invulnerability remains since it’s armor mesh, and not electrical powered. Soldier’s other non-Bionic powers (Heightened Expertise and his Smart Gun, Mercy) are still functioning. See new hit points and power points below!)

Deprived of working legs, Soldier toppled to the ground, reduced once more to a severely injured combat vet!  Matt had no idea what this would mean to the Virus inside his now dead systems!

“Dammit,” cursed Harrik before issuing new orders through his headset.

Ion saw his dance partner, Soldier, was down, and simply moved to his next intended victim. KRAKA-BOOM! The evil electrocutioner grimly discharged a bolt of lightning from his inhuman eyes into Avatar’s back! (13 points of damage! All to Hits! Avatar remains conscious!)

Clone saw Skin Deep trying to blend into Clone’s regiment of replicates! The duplicates reacted with the speed of a single being! The telepathic and empathic link that exists between them makes their movements uniform and their response simultaneous! Skin Deep would pay dearly for attempting to invade the collective. Without hesitation, the entire legion of Clones crouches into an attack formation! With their staves held at the ready, they struck the first thing that looks like them, but is still standing.

Clone knew the general area of the Clone line to watch, thanks to Menagerie’s Bear senses. So when Skin Deep crouched into an attack formation one second behind the collective, she was easily found out!

Skin Deep realized she was discovered. She ruthlessly and efficiently attacked the two nearest Clones with her “staff” (with a saved action) KRAK! CHOK! Both were knocked unconscious! Then she held her staff defensively, waiting for the onslaught!

Clone’s turn! The four nearest Clones to Skin Deep moved through and over the seven foot tall generators and lashed out at her, pouncing like a well-oiled machine! Without hesitation and without remorse, they lunged at her with their staves! THOK! KRAK! Two of the four connected, but Skin Deep was still fighting! The tight quarters and identical costumes made it hard for other members of Vanguard to identify Skin Deep in the mob of black, fighting Clones!

Clone however could see that she was bleeding at the mouth from a busted lip.

Four more Clones near the Mercenary suddenly leapt up like an ancient Roman Phalanx and charged the Mercenary in a unified assault! KRAK! One connected, but Harrik rolled with the blow!

Six more Clones instantly rushed forward to aid their friend Slingshot! Desperately they reached for any part of their elastic teammate that they could, determined to keep him from falling into the abyss of the digital world that lay before him. Like a group of Ukrainian ticks, the squad of simulacrums ‘dug in’ and anchored themselves down – if Slingshot went in, then so would they!

The remaining Clones did their best to fill-in where needed most. Like an army of well trained soldiers, these replicates took on whatever role is needed most by the teammates around them – defend,    attack, or assist – these duplicating defenders would do whatever it took to save their friends!

Three Clones formed a defensive line between Symbiote and Ratman so the feral felon would not harm him further! All three struck at Ratman and one connected! CHOK! Ratman looked more desperate than ever!

Three Clones rushed to Soldier’s aid, likewise defending him from the Luddite! All three attacked the intangible technophobe and all three missed, their weapons passing harmlessly through his noncorporeal body!

Then those Clones suddenly saw Soldier levitating into the air behind them!

Zero G flew higher up to avoid Pachyderm’s wrath! Nodding at the orders he received from his headset, he targeted the prone Soldier with his gravity powers! VROM! Manipulating Soldier’s weight like a tractor beam, Zero G was about to guide the third and final Virus final host into the Digital Zone when…

Sentinel suddenly intervened! The beacon of liberty moved in front of the gate and extended his shields to “catch” the weightless Soldier! His solid energy constructs brought Soldier to his side and then fortified his shields around them into a pyramid-shaped citadel should Zero G attempt to attack his shields again! Kirk saw that Soldier was unharmed, but weakened and in desperate need of power.

Slingshot yelled to his son in the Digital Zone: "Ethan, it's in your hands now. Talk to IT. Let IT know that we are not here to battle, but coexist! This is what you were born to do! You're the link that ties us together. Let us live peacefully!"

Slingshot looked at Mercenary. "Harrik, you don't have a clue what you're messing with! Don't you see? The Entity is NOT what it used to be! Just look at IT! Nemesis seemed to have merged with IT. Nemesis was a Hero! By sending the virus, you only ensure that this new Entity will now see us as a threat! Think man! You're the strategist. Is it better to have an enemy that may or may not be destroyed by this virus - but totally dedicated to killing you, or an ally? Let us parlay with it and see what we can do."

Jim Harrik smirked at the naïve idealist. “That’s not the job I’ve been paid to do, Brock.”

Then suddenly, Avatar was on him! The young hero leapt up at Harrik again with the strength, speed and luck of the gods, this time wielding the Sword of Hephaestus and KLANG! Avatar struck so mighty a blow, it knocked Harrik from his perch atop the generators and back 35 feet, to the middle of the battlefield! CRASH!

Harrik had rolled with the punch but was still wounded. He reset his headpiece and laid out new orders to his team, his eyes never leaving Avatar.

Zephyr shook her head to clear it. She had been freed from the domination of the Puppet! She looked into the Digital Portal at Slate, whom she had just pushed in there, and cried, “No!!!!”
Without hesitation, the techno air elemental flew into the portal to save him! “Ethan!” Shelley cried as she was digitized in a flash of electricity! KRAKOW!

Slate heard words from the other side of the portal, but they were slow and garbled, what an inefficient method of communication, he thought idly.  At the same time he was turning toward and moving forward, placing himself between the oncoming Megalith that was IT/Nemesis, his parents, and the portal.

Slate saw Shelley coming toward him and that this universe (his universe?) rejected Shelley like a body would an incompatible kidney. Her existence here hurt her. She pushed passed that and flew to him and grabbed him. Ethan noted that she was flying here even though the Digital Zone had no atmosphere to support her wind power. “We have to get you and Nanite out of here!”  she yelled.

Too late.

The Nemesis Entity grew large and yelled, “I/We are invaded! Virus! Delete the breach!” The Portal electrified and threatened to blow out the generator farm! ZZZ-KAK! POW!

The Nemesis Entity activated his/their side of the Gate and suddenly a hurricane level wind started pulling everyone in the blind room toward the gate! Static electricity crackled out from the portal, riding the cyclone!

Inside, Slate saw Shelley, and his father who had comforted him when he was troubled, and promised him his mother would be fine.  He felt no fear or trepidation at his approach.  The sickly pall of the virus seemed to color and distort everything it touched, tendrils like smoke spread out from it.  He saw the same smoky residue coming from his mother.  It was repulsive, and he reached out with his mind to wipe it away, from himself and his mother. 
He mentally pushed his mother’s inert form toward his father’s outstretched arm.  He gazed at how beautiful and peaceful she looked with her wedding dress digitally flowing around her. Other than application of the virus, she did not appear to have been harmed.

It worked. The Virus evaporated from Nanite and Slate!

The Nemesis Entity stopped! “What?!” it cried; the sky face gazing down at Ethan’s tiny form. “You/They are the Digital Child!”

Nanite awoke, floating in the weightless fluid of data. “What?” she said softly.

Slingshot quietly pulled Nanite back into this world of flesh and men. KRAKOW!
She was herself again, safely in his arms! Still in her wedding dress.

Slingshot left a finger like a long coil of rope, a lifeline, for Ethan.

Zephyr had Ethan and was pulling him toward the Portal, back to their world.

Then all hell broke loose.

“RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAUUGGHH!!!”

Pachyderm rampaged forward into the generator field! He slammed into them with his titanic fists, causing a chain reaction explosion! KA-BOOOMMM!!!
(20 points of Hit Point damage to everyone in the blast radius: Lightning Strike, five Clones, Slingshot (his Ethan lifeline really), the Luddite, Menagerie, Jim Harrik(!), Skin Deep and Pachyderm, who seems unharmed! Everyone, except the five Clones, is still conscious! The Luddite is severely injured!)

Symbiote awoke from the sound of the explosion! (He no longer controls the 50 lbs of water, but may act normally next issue)

“ROOOAARRR!!” The Pachyderm wanted to bring the building down!
Flames and black smoke roiled from the burning generators, threatening to soon fill up the room!

The Digital Zone Gate sparked and flickered! The loss of so many generators was causing the Portal to begin to close! Slate and Zephyr were still on the other side! It would be shut in a matter of seconds!...

To be continued!



Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 49,  Power Points: 68,  Manifestation: The Speed of Hermes!  The Strength of Ares!

Clone: Bodies: 15,  Hit Points: 1 each,  Power Points: 41, Hit Point Pool: 15

Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 21,  Power Points: 73

Menagerie: Hit Points: 3,  Power Points: 53,  Form: Bear

Sentinel: Hit Points: 13,  Power Points: 59, Creation Points: 118, Shields: 100 

Slate: Hit Points: 30, Power Points: 71 (these are his stats in the real world)

Slingshot: Hit Points: 14,  Power Points: 64,  Invulnerability: 0 until the start of Issue 163

Soldier: Hit Points: 7, Power Points: 46, Invulnerability: 0 until the start of Issue 163

Symbiote: Hit Points: 34, Power Points: 76, Charges: 0, Copied: Inhuman, Water Controlled: 0,
 

Viva Vanguard,
Jeff

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Menagerie:
OOC: Awesome Issue! I wasn't sure if the Bear was the right move but it really paid off! Only 3 Hit Points left! I will submit a turn but I am not sure you will end up needing it.

Wonderful issue Jeff!

Tom

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Clone:
OOC: Got two questions for you, Jeff.
Am I correct in assuming that the 'Clone' standing next to Pachyderm is actually Skin Deep?

When the duplicates noticed Skin Deep's mouth bleeding, did they also happen to notice if any of them had any blood on the end of their staff?

-Kev

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Sentinel:
OOC: Hey Jeff.
Quick question, my move trying to push Pachy into the digital zone - is it actually doable for Kirk (ie with his weight and all, I know a few times in the past I've overestimated my abilities with weight) - Kirk should have an idea about it from Symbiote's experience as him.

Not sure how quickly you are planning to wrap things up but at this point if the gate is closing and Ethan and Shelly are on the other side in the digital zone, Kirk intends to be there too.  After losing Nemesis that way there is no way he's going to lose Shelly and the youngest member of Vanguard the same way.

... and if we do get stuck there he's counting on Ethan being able to save them (adjust them or the zone to stop rejecting them) and/or get them out (if he can digitalize things on our side then likely he can reverse the process in the zone and undigitalize ... hey its a working theory but if we get stuck there with the gate closed its our best best)

Kirk will go for the gate either way if it is closing with them on the other side, I'd just like to know if he has a shot to take the threat of Pachy with him (and I'll be interested to see how the process affects him, ie is Pachy a force of nature or is there an intelligence that may be released and become known)

Seth

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GM:
OOC: Thanks Tom.

Kevin/Clone: Yes, the Clone to Pachyderm’s left is Skin Deep. Only Clone and Menagerie know this.
I’ll rule that some of her blood was on the staff that struck her mouth. That staff is lying next to the fallen Clone that wielded it, right next to Skin Deep and Pachyderm.

Seth/Sentinel: Your solid energy constructs have a carrying capacity of 50 lbs. x their Creation Points.
If Sentinels used movement to transform his shields into something that could lift Pachyderm, then he could currently lift 5,000 lbs. If the shields are damaged, then he could lift less.
I don’t think Sentinel knows Pachyderm’s weight. Nor does CHESS, as Pachyderm was never in captivity.

Best,
Jeff

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Slate:
IC: Slate was torn… there was so much to learn here, without the confusion he constantly felt in the “real” world.  Here things made sense, he longed to stay, and began to pull away from Shelley when he heard his true father’s words, “being a hero is about doing what’s right, not what you want to do.”  He looked at Shelley and could see she was in pain, this world was rejecting her, and she had come here to save him.

Ethan looked longingly at the face of the IT/Nemesis entity, “Yes I am, and you are safe,” he thought toward IT/Them, then turned and wrapped his arms around Zephyr and shot toward the portal like a dolphin through water, gaining speed as he went.  He grabbed Slingshot’s finger, using it as a lifeline.

Through the portal, Slate could see what was going on in the room, and seemed somehow aware of all of the events that had occurred, even though he had not truly been paying attention. It was as if the data from the physical world was streaming into the digital dimension itself, and he was able to “tap” into that flow.

As they flew through the closing portal, sliding to a stop just inside the room, Slate turned to the Luddite and said, “You are the abomination here,” as his eyes began to sparkle with static.

The dark form was now the focus of all of Slate’s frustration, anger, and angst.  Slate had used his powers before, but this was different… Twin beams of destructive digital energy flow from Slate’s eyes, attempting to pierce the dark form that is the Luddite, reminding everyone that had seen such a thing before exactly of how IT had looked when he first attacked Vanguard.

Jon

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GM:
OOC:
Hey Jon/ Slate:  Disintegration Ray has a lousy chance to hit someone with Non-Corporealness. Want to spend a Luck Point to gain a +4 to this d20 roll to hit? It's a suitably dramatic moment to warrant it, imho.

Best,
Jeff

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Slate:
OOC: Yes please!

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Menagerie:
IC: Menagerie turned in bear form and roared, ROOOARRWW!! He mind spoke to Pachyderm, "Pachy go home! Go back to the Great Northern Wilderness! I will deal with those that hurt you!!!" Menagerie charged at Maelstrom smashing him with his fearsome paw.

OOC: Menagerie is wanting to put the teleporter down for good. It is a straight move and then hit turn. No bonus damage from speed or minus to hit from it either.

Thanks
Tom

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Soldier:
OOC: Jeff another quick question. Can Soldier make a follow up HTH attack to finish off Zero G? Namely a round house kick to the head (a special attack), in an attempt to knock-him out?

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GM:
OOC: Hi Dom

Two things to think about:
One, he's currently weightless, so his carry capacity and HTH are pretty nil.

Two, with his bionic systems shut down, his Strength is lower, affecting his HTH again.

I'd reco using Mercy honestly, and showing no mercy! 

Best,
Jeff 

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Soldier:
Oop...somehow I missed the fact that I had access to Mercy. In that case. I've got a second question. Since he's weightless, if I fire an explosive round from Mercy, will I be propelled backward? But then again, Soldier is pissed, so he's probably not thinking as clearly as he should.

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GM:
OOC: Yes, he'd be propelled backwards by the recoil of any discharge from the pistol.
Soldier is currently alongside Sentinel, so he could ask Sentinel to brace him with a solid construct, if he was thinking clearly.

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Soldier:
OOC: Thanks, but as I said he's more than a little upset, so he's going to fire anyway. I'll shoot my IC reply in a bit.

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Slingshot:
OOC: To make a decision on my next move: I reread the turn and I'm wondering at the statuses of the enemy after the explosion.

1)    Skin Deep: Is she still up and in Clone form? (and is she the only clone left in that area?)

2)    I assume that Luddite and Harrik are still up and able, right?

3)    Also, If I reel Slate/Zephyr back in while they are holding on, will that cost me my action?

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GM:
OOC:
Quick replies:

1) Yes (yes)

2) Right

3) No, just movement.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Sentinel:
OOC: Hi all.
I'll keep it simple (or simple for me, ie no inner dialogue, etc)

(1) Per the prior email first priority is that Shelly and Slate and Nanite get back to our side and Kirk will do anything to ensure that happens if Slingshot runs into problems getting them out.  If somehow the gate is closing with them stuck on the other side Kirk will do anything he has to do to be sure he is on that side with them.

(2) Not sure if Kirk can get any read on this from this side, but Kirk would like to analyze the digital zone readings and reactions to Slate/Nanite vs Shelly (and himself if he enters).  It is evident that the Zone will  continue to play an important role in their lives... our scientific geniuses will need to invent something to allow us to enter without being rejected - Kirk would like to contribute to that perhaps by helping to define from an energy flow standpoint what the zone is rejecting and how we can adapt ourselves.  Again, not sure if this is possible from his vantage point, but it would be great if he could help with this.

(3) If it appears that the gate will be closing with members of the team in the Zone and Kirk can take Pachy into the Zone with him, he will do so.  He will not endanger his chance to be on that side to do so.

(4) Assuming all of Vanguard is on this side of the gate when it closes: Kirk knows that if Harrik is conscious he will bolt once the gate is closed... that the mission is over and it is pointless for him to continue, particularly with a now uncontrollable Pachy present and his teleporter blocked from giving them a quick easy exit.  He is prepared for this and hopefully will be able to make some sort of surprise move to prevent his escape.  I'm hoping Avatar manages to take him down before he tries to bolt but Kirk will do all he can to prevent his escape and hopefully knowing he is going to bolt will give him the advantage to do so (ie unsuspected attack seems to be the only way for for Kirk to hit him).

(5) If none of the above pans out as necessary then absolutely use Kirk any way to the team's advantage to protect a teammate or take out a foe.

Viva Vanguard!
Seth

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Slingshot:
[ooc: Oy, hit points come and go easily in this game..]
“Jim Harrik smirked at the naïve idealist. “That’s not the job I’ve been paid to do, Brock"”

Scott shakes his head. "Why do something that will hurt you in the end? Money won't help you if you're deal with that." Scott tilts his head at the Entity. " Should I tell IT that you're the one attacking and see what IT can do to your bank accounts?"

[ooc: Jeff - Thanks for the quick response.]

Scott looked at the carnage left after the explosion. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take another hit like that one. On the other hand, he knew that he had things well under control. Nan was on this side. Ethan was holding on and will be on his way back. That left him with a precious moment to enact some little protection. Keeping an eye on Skindeep, he pulled out the DNA extraction unit and attacked Skindeep with it.

[ooc: This assumes that he can still see he/she/it. I would not pursue her if I have to leave Nan/Ethan unprotected, but I have a freaking long range with my arm. If I can't attack skindeep, I'll pound the crap out of Harrik, with pleasure. if I'm down for the count, I'll snooze fitfully]

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Symbiote:
IC:  Shaking off his headache from the Villainous Vermin's vicious tail attack, Hal quickly assessed the situation again.  Slate and SHELLEY in the digital zone!  And those generators are about to give out! he realized with a panic.

There were any number of villains in the room he would've loved to take a piece out of--chiefly Ratman, Mercenary and The Luddite--but at that moment his only concern was his sister's safety.  He used the power of Inhuman to gather the water that has presumably splashed away from Ratman's head and caused it to fountain up and into the fires in the generators.

OOC:  No, water isn't great for electrical generators either, but he's hoping a surgical strike to put out the flames will keep the machines running just long enough for Slingy to reel Shelly and Slate in.

Viva Vanguard,
Greg

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Avatar:
OOC: Just continue a straightforward attack on Harrik.

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Soldier:
IC: Soldier, after striking a blow against Zero G, with the tattered remains of the Dummy, sees that while his attack was successful, it didn't quite achieve the results he wanted. Still raging about the situation, and not thinking as clearly as he should, he rapidly drawing his pistol, he fires an explosive round at his target hopping to finish him off.

OOC: If the shot propels him at or into anything, it'll snap him back to reality, and force him to focus on the situation at hand. If it shot takes out Zero G, he' try to make a quick dash to the far side of the room, to link up with the rest of the group. If possible, he'll try to coordinate his actions with any other member of the group, by firing at either the side, or back of one of the members of Homicide for Hire.

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Clone:
The six Clones clinging desperately to Slingshot do their best to keep him anchored within the ‘real world’. Losing a friend to the Digital Zone is not something they’ll allow to happen without a fight.

With a sudden burst of speed and determination, four of the ‘replicating Russians’ charge towards The Mercenary. Careful to not to group too closely together ( OOC: trying to avoid a mass  wipe-out due to explosive type weapons ), the ‘copying communists’ lash out at the villain with their staff weapons in a    unified assault.

Taking every precaution possible not to accidentally hit their friend Slingshot, three of the Clone duplicates swing at Luddite with their stave's. Knowing that they’ll most likely miss their target, the small band of doppelgangers do their best to keep the villain occupied.

Desperate to thin the number of enemies before them, two of the Clones attempt to wallop the Ratman into unconsciousness with their bludgeons.

OOC:
Sorry for the delay – the demands of my personal life and my job have left me with very little time to myself lately. 

Jeff, if any of the above actions become unnecessary for some reason ( e.g. targets become knocked unconscious by someone else, targets escape the scene, etc. ) feel free to assign actions to some of the    Clones if it helps with the flow of the story. If you need anything else form me let me know – I should be able to reply ‘same day’ to any simple questions or action requests/clarifications.

Talk to you all soon,

- Kev

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Lightning Strike:
Strike will hold his action and make sure that nobody attacks or attempts to shut down the generators.  If somebody does, he will blast them.

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