Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

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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