Big City. Investigation Day Two: Night.
Symbiote watched Forester get down on his haunches and examine the area of the elevated train tracks where Penumbra had opened a rift in space itself. The sharp-eyed scout found a discarded communication headset from Homicide for Hire, blown out from sonic overload. He also noted a telltale sign of Penumbra’s portal: a subtle scent that Forester had previously encountered: the scent of another dimension?! Forester thought he recognized the scent from his time aboard the otherworldly Star Giant! (see Issues 15-22)
Ajay patched Sam Drake in and the unflappable CHESS Bishop said: “Good work. Roger your request for backup. On its way. Will track you via Vanguard communicator GPS.
“Roger the metamorphic extranormal Symbiote. CHESS files have no knowledge of an extranormal with that code name. Proceed with caution. Remember, beauty is only skin deep.”
His harness timer counting down, Symbiote scooped up Forester and slungshot himself toward Lonely Town. The two hurtled through the dark twilight sky with all of Big City lit up and splayed out below them. From this high it looked pretty, almost inviting. In the distance hunkered Lonely Town, a desolate and decaying, smoky, forlorn spread of ancient slums that encompassed Dickensian slaughterhouses, tenements, poorhouses, workhouses, bars, wharfs and the largest graveyard in Big City and therefore the world. It was there they would find their quarry, Morgue. Or so they were told.
Symbiote morphed his limbs into gliders to reduce their landing speed. Suddenly, in mid air, a device on Symbiote’s person began beeping! Time was up. His black, muscled frame transformed dramatically back to normal. He was human again! The two plummeted to earth!
Quickly, the resourceful ranger deployed a parachute arrow to slow their descent and the archer and the changeling landed softly in the silent, empty street. Butcher and Barber was a gutter crossroads of broken cobblestones. A full moon limned the ground’s mist with pale milky light. It was too quiet.
As the two men stood over the manhole cover, two other figures appeared under a single street lamp.
One was hovering! They approached! Both were costumed, one in white with a cape that fluttered on an undetected breeze, the other wore green with a full face mask and a chest design of lines multiplying outward. Forester knew both men: Ghost and the Clone.
Introductions were made. (OOC: Insert dialogue here. Symbiote, whose powers will you try to duplicate?)
Ghost was a young, friendly hero with an open demeanor. The Clone had a Russian accent and was more aloof. Once the situation was made plain, Ghost said: “Hip Hop abandoned the treatment program.”
Clone looked down and began multiplying. It hurt to watch. He divided into five of himself, each identical to the original. They (he?) heaved the iron sewer cover aside and the heroes descended into the underworld.
Dark, dank and foul smelling, the sewer eventually gave way to drier, more roughly shaped tunnels that served as catacombs, extensions of the world’s largest cemetery, dating back to Dutch colonial times. Cobweb-shrouded crypts and sarcophagi of proud families long forgotten, it felt like the Old World.
Following the dead man’s instructions, the men went down as far as they could. It took time. Symbiote lost his borrowed powers again. (OOC: Does Hal expend another charge?) Then they turned east. It was a warren at this point, close and claustrophobic. Beyond their flashlights lay absolute darkness and rows and rows of the dead. The rocky necropolis seemed without end. Our heroes were cut off and alone.
Ghost held up an intangible hand. Trapped between this world and the next, he could see through the stuff of this realm as easily as he could walk through it. He squinted: “Something up ahead… is moving.”
Dousing the light would plunge at least half their numbers into the darkness of the grave. There was nothing for it but to illuminate the “something!”
The light exposed shadowy figures, with no light source of their own! They wore fedoras and held tommyguns. There were several and Forester recognized them. In fact he saw them just yesterday, face down on the sidewalk. Victims of gangland slaying, they were hired killers come to Big City for the gang war:
Symbiote watched Forester get down on his haunches and examine the area of the elevated train tracks where Penumbra had opened a rift in space itself. The sharp-eyed scout found a discarded communication headset from Homicide for Hire, blown out from sonic overload. He also noted a telltale sign of Penumbra’s portal: a subtle scent that Forester had previously encountered: the scent of another dimension?! Forester thought he recognized the scent from his time aboard the otherworldly Star Giant! (see Issues 15-22)
Ajay patched Sam Drake in and the unflappable CHESS Bishop said: “Good work. Roger your request for backup. On its way. Will track you via Vanguard communicator GPS.
“Roger the metamorphic extranormal Symbiote. CHESS files have no knowledge of an extranormal with that code name. Proceed with caution. Remember, beauty is only skin deep.”
His harness timer counting down, Symbiote scooped up Forester and slungshot himself toward Lonely Town. The two hurtled through the dark twilight sky with all of Big City lit up and splayed out below them. From this high it looked pretty, almost inviting. In the distance hunkered Lonely Town, a desolate and decaying, smoky, forlorn spread of ancient slums that encompassed Dickensian slaughterhouses, tenements, poorhouses, workhouses, bars, wharfs and the largest graveyard in Big City and therefore the world. It was there they would find their quarry, Morgue. Or so they were told.
Symbiote morphed his limbs into gliders to reduce their landing speed. Suddenly, in mid air, a device on Symbiote’s person began beeping! Time was up. His black, muscled frame transformed dramatically back to normal. He was human again! The two plummeted to earth!
Quickly, the resourceful ranger deployed a parachute arrow to slow their descent and the archer and the changeling landed softly in the silent, empty street. Butcher and Barber was a gutter crossroads of broken cobblestones. A full moon limned the ground’s mist with pale milky light. It was too quiet.
As the two men stood over the manhole cover, two other figures appeared under a single street lamp.
One was hovering! They approached! Both were costumed, one in white with a cape that fluttered on an undetected breeze, the other wore green with a full face mask and a chest design of lines multiplying outward. Forester knew both men: Ghost and the Clone.
Introductions were made. (OOC: Insert dialogue here. Symbiote, whose powers will you try to duplicate?)
Ghost was a young, friendly hero with an open demeanor. The Clone had a Russian accent and was more aloof. Once the situation was made plain, Ghost said: “Hip Hop abandoned the treatment program.”
Clone looked down and began multiplying. It hurt to watch. He divided into five of himself, each identical to the original. They (he?) heaved the iron sewer cover aside and the heroes descended into the underworld.
Dark, dank and foul smelling, the sewer eventually gave way to drier, more roughly shaped tunnels that served as catacombs, extensions of the world’s largest cemetery, dating back to Dutch colonial times. Cobweb-shrouded crypts and sarcophagi of proud families long forgotten, it felt like the Old World.
Following the dead man’s instructions, the men went down as far as they could. It took time. Symbiote lost his borrowed powers again. (OOC: Does Hal expend another charge?) Then they turned east. It was a warren at this point, close and claustrophobic. Beyond their flashlights lay absolute darkness and rows and rows of the dead. The rocky necropolis seemed without end. Our heroes were cut off and alone.
Ghost held up an intangible hand. Trapped between this world and the next, he could see through the stuff of this realm as easily as he could walk through it. He squinted: “Something up ahead… is moving.”
Dousing the light would plunge at least half their numbers into the darkness of the grave. There was nothing for it but to illuminate the “something!”
The light exposed shadowy figures, with no light source of their own! They wore fedoras and held tommyguns. There were several and Forester recognized them. In fact he saw them just yesterday, face down on the sidewalk. Victims of gangland slaying, they were hired killers come to Big City for the gang war:
Ice House Olsen, his face ruined by frostbite when the Moose Jaw heist went bad.
Alphabet Shorty McCoy, who once won $100,000 in a floating Chicago crap game.
Happy Jim Hacker who shot his way out of a St. Louis courtroom with a bailiff still cuffed to him.
Blue Point Vance, last of the Baltimore Vance brothers, killers all.
Fat Boy Clarke, the round and rosy gunman out of Detroit.
Oklahoma Slim Martin, still pale from 20 years in Sing Sing. Paler now.
Back from the grave, these killers wore bloody suits still riddled with bullet holes. Their faces and hands were grey and lifeless. Unblinking eyes stared out from deep sockets. The corpse that had been Happy Jim Hacker smiled and croaked: “It’s Vanguard! So, the cat’s outta the bag.”
“That’s okay,” rasped the thing that had been Olsen. “You know what they say. Dead men tell no tales.”
The undead gangsters from beyond the grave raised their tommyguns!
OOC: Actions?
Meanwhile, the rest of Vanguard hunted Homicide for Hire in the sewers of Big City!
Sentinel detected them moving in Vanguard’s direction and warned his team mates. With all the solid stone surrounding them on all sides, Sentinel was alarmed how close they got before he saw their energy auras! *
Hyena came first. Lunging out of the darkness, he sniffed the air with his animal snout. “Nature boy ain’t here!” he shouted back in the direction he came. “But I still owe –you!-” he snarled at Kairos. The lupine lunatic laughed as he slashed his deadly claws at Kairos but the soldier of Fortune itself dodged the savage attack!
The Mercenary appeared at the end of the tunnel (OOC: see diagram). Not believing the jester jackal, he scanned for Forester. Then Harrik raised the grenade launching carbine and fired another 40mm M1060 thermobaric grenade at Slingshot! Fffwooooooosshhh! KA-BOOOOM!
Concussion battered Slingshot and those near him! Thermite scorched Slingshot and the elastic extranormal was burning again! (OOC: 18 points of damage! Slingy takes 8 off Invulnerability, rolls with 5 and takes 5 to hit points! Sentinel, Kairos and Lightning Strike each take 5 points of damage from the concussion! Sentinel’s shields take 5. Kairos and Strike roll with it. Hyena was impacted as well!)
Black smoke started filling the tunnel from the burning hero! The Mercenary calmly reloaded the carbine.
Penumbra came out of the darkness and stood near the Merc. Following her leader’s orders she gently unsheathed a knife from his belt; the one that had opened up Slingshot’s arm. She held it in her small white hand and suddenly black mist flowed over it and consumed it. The mist dissipated and the knife was gone!
Sentinel suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side! He looked down and saw the knife buried there! Penumbra had teleported the knife inside his energy shields, directly into his body!! (OOC: 8 points of damage. All to hit points!) The knife handle was outside of him. Sentinel and Strike held their actions until Slingshot was ready.
Kairos did not wait. The agent of eternity swung his iron staff at the laughing lycanthrope. K-TANG!!!
Hyena was knocked back fifteen feet from the force of the mighty blow! The steady accumulation of damage was taking its toll. Hyena scrambled to his feet but his toothy smirk was gone again.
Silencer joined Homicide for Hire and attacked Lightning Strike like a desperate man with something to prove. He fired a screaming sonic blast at the electric avenger! SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Strike was rocked by the sonic vibrations of the sound beam! (OOC: 14 points! 4 from Power Points. 10 from Hit Points!)
Slingshot acted, and Sentinel and Strike coordinated their efforts with him! The big, burning bruiser launched his malleable mass down the tunnel at Homicide for Hire! In mid air, he expanded until he filled the tunnel with his rocketing, flaming bulk.
Sentinel simultaneously raised himself, Kairos and Strike on an energy construct platform that fired thin tendrils of solid energy around Slingshot and Homicide for Hire until the strands reconstituted themselves behind the vile villains and formed a thick hard wall that sealed the tunnel off. Homicide was caught between the unstoppable force, Slingshot, and the immovable object, Sentinel’s wall!
KA-SLAAAMMM!!!!! The impact battered all of Homicide badly and they fell hard into the waste water trench that ran down the center of the tunnel. SPLAASSH!!
Slingshot, his flames doused, pulled himself from the water via a rung at the top of Sentinel’s wall.
Lightning Strike smiled darkly. Arcs of jagged lightning fired from his hands into the water, electrifying it and electrocuting the killer elite! The water flickered with terrible light and steam rose from its surface.
Homicide for Hire screamed. Penumbra, Hyena and Silencer were unconscious in the water, limbs twitching from electrical aftershocks. The Mercenary was hurt but still conscious.
(OOC: Going right into the next combat turn. From the top…)
The Mercenary had been in enough battles to know when to cut his losses. That time was now. The hired man fired his grenade launching carbine twice at Sentinel’s wall. Fwoooosh-fwooosh…. KA-BOOM-BOOOOM!
(OOC: 40 points of damage to the construct!) Little remained of the wall and cracks appeared in the sewer tunnel! The human hero-killer leapt out of the water with the lightest of his team mates, Penumbra, in a fireman carry. He could not risk more weight. He deftly bounded through the gaping hole he had just created and silently raced off at top speed, leaving Hyena and Silencer behind.
OOC: Actions?
Current Conditions:
Forester: Hit Points: 21, Power Points: 60
Kairos: Hit Points: 20, Power Points: 46
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 18, Power Points: 44
Sentinel: Hit Points: 12, Power Points: 31, Creation Points: 62, Platform/Wall: 17
Slingshot: Hit Points: 18, Power Points: 49, Invulnerability: 0 until Issue 46
Symbiote: Hit Points: 8, Power Points: 47 (this is your condition without any simulated powers)
*Rules Talk:
Extranormal senses that pass through solid objects, like X-Ray Vision or Energy Sense, have their range effectively reduced by the Structural Points of objects they are “seeing” through.
Example, a foot of solid steel has 11 Structural Points. That reduces the range of X-Ray Vision by 11” (55 feet) for every foot of solid steel looked through.
Also, remember, for every minute of complete rest, you get your healing rate in Power Points back. Hint, hint.
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Symbiote:
Before making any other decisions...my preference for powers to copy is Ghost. If he either won't let me for whatever reason or has a power origin I'm not capable of copying (magical or psionic) I'll go with Clone. Yes, I'll expend a charge for the extra copy. Please let me know what my new stats are, and I'll figure out a move afterwards.
Great issue!
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OOC GM Reply:
The Harper Harness could not duplicate the powers of Ghost! The immaterial man was sorry, as if it was somehow his fault.
The Clone is wary at first of having his powers discovered/ duplicated. But after the situation is explained to him, he relents. “Comrade…” he said to Symbiote during the actual duplication process. “…Brother. We share something now between us. A… how you say?... a bond. This is no small thing.”
The Harness notified Symbiote of his new simulated superpowers and super-weaknesses!
•Body Power (x2): Multiplicity: This is the power to instantly create duplicates of one’s self.
-Cost is one action and 1 Power Point per duplicate created. Every turn, each duplicate and the original must spend 1 more Power Point. No cost to reabsorb them back into the original, but physical contact is required, unless they are killed. When live duplicates are reabsorbed, their Hits and Power are redistributed equally among the new number of individuals.
-Maximum number of duplicates = Charisma + Endurance. Each is self aware and operational.
-After expending the power cost to create the duplicates, divide the original’s current Hit Points and Power Points up equally among the duplicates and the original, rounding off fractions. Hit Points and Power Points must be a minimum of 1. All other stats (Strength, Agility, hand-to-hand damage, weight, memories, healing rate, etc.) remain the same as the original at the time he made the duplicates. Example: If the Clone has 20 Hit Points and 69 Power Points, and makes 9 duplicates, then they and the original would each have 2 Hit Points and 6 Power Points, max. *
-If a duplicate is killed, he evaporates and is ‘reabsorbed’ back into the original. No Hit Points or Power Points are added back to the original at that moment. But they can be regained over time, as per the Healing Rate rules.
• Heightened Senses: Duplicates are vaguely aware of each others' locations. They are not telepathic.
• Weakness: Unusual Appearance: The Clone’s face is smooth, vague and indistinct, as if it were ‘unfinished.’ He is hairless and has no wrinkles, nails or fingerprints. No secret ID is possible.
Symbiote's Hit Points and Power Points did not change from the absorption of the Clone's powers:
Hit Points: 8, Power Points: 47. (So, the most Symbiote could make right now would be 7 duplicates. If he did, then the 8 Symbiotes would each have 1 Hit Point and 5 Power Points to start.)
* OOC: Rules Talk: Every ‘issue’ of combat, any combatant (including duplicates) who takes an action must spend 1 Power Point. (This is in place of the V&V rules’ 2 Power Point charge for every action beyond the first.)
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Forester:
Forester nods kindly to the two heroes as they approach. "It's good to see you both again--especially on such short notice," he says. "As you probably heard, the rest of the team could be anywhere from Brooklyn to Brigadoon, and this manhole cover looks like our best bet at cracking this case."
‘OOC: Actions?’
Forester fires a Tangle Arrow at Jim Hacker. "Funny," Forester says his target, "Most opponents I've faced have been a little more ... lively."
"Clone," Forester calls, as he gestures to a pair of villains, "Double up on Fat Boy Clarke and triple up on Blue Point Vance. Keep the numbers on your side."
"Ghost," the archer adds, "Squeeze between Ice House Olsen and Shorty McCoy.
Maybe they can knock some sense into each other."
Forester remembers the way Marksman would gloat (yes, gloat!) about his ability to hear another person's heartbeat. But the deadly situation at hand makes Forester wonder if these gravely gangsters even have beating hearts.
In the middle of battle, the arrowsmith considers how "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" classified life into six major categories: benevolent deities, lesser gods, humans, animals, ghosts, and malevolent entities. He wonders what the ancient Tibetans would make of his neighboring friends and foes.
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Slingshot:
OOC: Oh yeah, now that's what I'm talking about!
IC: Scott was not done. This Mercenary was going to leave with Penumbra, the others were expendable... or retrievable with Penumbra. So getting her back was necessary or it was a matter of time before they would be back in our face. Mercenary was going at a good clip, but Slingshot could outstretch any normal human running without a second thought. Knowing that he would likely get hit with another thermal grenade for his trouble, he grabbed at Penumbra. [ooc] just that: grab Penumbra from Mercenary and bring her back towards me. Let Mercenary do what he wants from there.[/ooc]
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Symbiote:
Symbiote reassures Ghost. "Quite alright that I can't copy your powers, young man. Though I study special people like you, and I'd like the opportunity to run a few tests if you're willing once this mess is over."
To Clone: "I appreciate your willingness to help."
Symbiote will make three clones of himself. In the sewers, when confronted by the Undead Underworlders, Symbiote will follow Forester's tactics, sending one against Blue Point Vance and two against Fat Boy Clarke, hoping to overwhelm the recalcitrant revenants with sheer numbers. With his awful health at this moment the original Symbiote will stay back, trying to seek cover from any gunfire.
(OOC: Eight hit points. Which get split among clones. Ouch. Assuming he survives this revoltin' development (and all the others undoubtedly coming), Hal will definitely concentrate on raising his Endurance when he levels up.)
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Kairos:
OOC: I'll cut the throats of Hyena and Silencer and search their bodies for treasure. How many gold pieces do they have...?
Oops...."V&V", not "D&D"...my bad.
Strike those actions.
************************
While Slingshot's reasoning and actions are spot on, I'm going to hold back. In confined spaces like this, I'm fine with fighting but when there are energy projectors and such around, I'll just get in the way. I'm working under the assumption that a combined Slingshot-Sentinel-LS team can get Penumbra if they want and can probably get Mercenary. IF there seems to be a need for me, I'll rush right into hand-to-hand with Mercenary but I'll hold back and stay out of the way until then.
In the meantime, I'm going to work on disabling Silencer's devices while keeping an eye on Hyena. We really don't have anything to hold him but Silencer can be disabled rather easily, I think. ANY sign of movement from Hyena gets him whacked full-power with the staff.
Depending on what happens, I'll be trying to rest a little for some Power Points.Also, I'll look around for any weapons that Mercenary may have dropped. Is that knife that Penumbra used around?
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Slingshot:
Once we're done mopping up. I can restrain Hyena myself (or I will attempt to).
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Kairos:
You're really the only option other than, and this might be better if we're going to have to do something longer-term, Sentinel raising Hyena up in the air and keeping him unable to reach any surface for leverage. It would be like he was in zero-g (speaking of whom, I guess we'll need to watch out for him) and unable to push off or pull himself anywhere. Of course, if he regains consciousness, it will only be for a very short time if I have anything to say about it.
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OOC GM Replies:
Kairos: The Mercenary's knife is still in Sentinel's side, right where Penumbra teleported it. It is inside Sentinel's energy shields.
FYI: Power Points heal per minute. One Issue of combat is about 8 seconds, but if you do not act you won't have to spend the 1 point of power it costs to act per issue.
Slingshot, and everyone: As I mentioned in Issue 43, Sentinel's glowing constructs are the only light source in this decaying sewer tunnel. Harrik has left the range of that light source at top speed (his visor is more than just a fashion statement).
Attacks on him, or attempts to retrieve Penumbra, will have a better chance at success if there is some light near him. That's not saying it can't be done in the dark. Just wanted to remind you about the lighting, as it's something your characters would know.
Best,
Jeff
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Sentinel:
OOC: That wipes the smirk off the face of that NPC, Mercenary! We got teamwork!
IC:
She held it in her small white hand and suddenly black mist flowed over it and consumed it. The mist dissipated and the knife was gone!
Kirk watched the actions of Penumbra unable to intervene and as the black mist flowed over the knife he uttered the words, “Oh, crap!” under his breath as he shook his head.
(OOC I figure that since this was my reaction as I read it, Kirk would’ve surmised what was about to happen too).
Kirk knew what was about to happen but couldn’t prevent it. Still, he took some solace in their follow-up and attack and his ability to ignore the pain in his side and see it through.
As the Mercenary made his move to escape Kirk immediately began following with Strike and Kairos in tow (since he had elevated them) unless they were on the move on their own already. Along the way the remains of the “wall” vanished as the energy followed the tethers flowing back into the construct around Kirk.
Kirk saw Slingshot begin his move towards following Mercenary to end this.
Since Kairos outlined his plan to check on the Hyena and Silencer and be sure they were down for the count, Kirk deposited a lantern (one creation point) broken off from his existing construct as he passed the area to leave some light. Kirk warns Kairos “It’s much heavier than it looks and it will dissipate if our pursuit takes us too far away, but it’s the best I can do.”
Kirk turns to Strike and says, “Slingshot has the right idea, we can’t let the Mercenary escape after all this … to just return and foul up our investigation further!” Kirk continues to fly past the area following the path of the Mercenary and also using his energy sense to follow the position and movements of the Mercenary so as not to lose him, he will take Strike along if he indicates he’s in agreement.
Kirk looked at the handle of the knife in his side and felt the pain of the blade, the same one he witnessed Harrik carve his teammate with and he thought it would be ungracious of him to not return the gift he had received from them.
Having seen the blade in use twice now he thought hard recalling its shape, form, and color and concentrated on both the energy reading and physical presence of Harrik. Kirk concentrated and then wondered how Harrik felt looking down at his side and seeing what appeared to be his own blade handle sticking out of his side and feeling the blade within him, except it weighed three hundred pounds. Kirk was anxious to see how the additional weight and the searing pain would affect his escape plans.
OOC Kirk will use both his energy sense here to help him focus on the target and his sight, assuming he can get within his view, and will recreate a copy of Mercenary’s blade within him in the exact same location where Penumbra deposited his blade in Kirk, returning the favor and duplicating her attack. I’m assuming here that since there is no way Mercenary could be expecting this and Kirk has the power to form his creations within his range he’s got a good shot at this. Kirk will use six creation points for this inanimate construct.
If successful in this, should Harrik remove the blade, Kirk will immediately dissipate its energy so it can’t be used as a weapon against Vanguard.
I don’t know how you’d work it, but since I’m supposed to be able to create inanimate constructs with movement and not actions, then I would reform my energy shields minus the point for the lantern, assuming I’m still within range to keep the lantern intact and minus the six points for the knife assuming I’m successful in placing it where I intended. If somehow I’m not successful in creating the blade in Mercenary I’d put the points back into my shields also.
I’m also assuming here that not taking the moment to remove the blade from Kirk’s side isn’t going to cause additional damage; that the damage was done upon entry.
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OOC GM Reply:
Sentinel/Seth, It costs movement to make the knife. It costs an action to attack another character with it. Any attempt to harm any other character is an “attack” and costs an action.
So, Sentinel’s choice is that he can attack Mercenary or reform his energy construct armor.
FYI: Not reforming his armor will leave Sentinel at a slower speed for this epic chase, as his flight speed is dependent upon the creation points in his current construct.
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Lightning Strike:
(OOC: GM here. Tony asked me to run Strike as an NPC for a short while, until he recovers from the new baby. I’ve reviewed Strike’s last 6 posts and found a pattern…)
Kirk turns to Lightning Strike and says, “Slingshot has the right idea, we can’t let the Mercenary escape after all this … to just return and foul up our investigation further!”
The scientific superhero leapt off Sentinel’s platform and calmly said: “I respectfully disagree.”
Strike intentionally lowered his voice so that Harrik wouldn’t hear anymore of Vanguard’s plans echoing through the tunnels. Then, with logic as cold and ruthless as his electrical attacks, Strike laid it out:
“I’ve already said I’m tired of fighting lackeys and hired men. And that’s all Homicide for Hire is.
We need to focus this investigation on Morgue and the Five Bosses. Use your head instead of your damned emotions:
Forester already has Spider Girucci’s note. That info leads to Morgue. There’s no profit in continuing the fight with Homicide for Hire. They have nothing we want. And if we take down their paymasters, those mercenaries won’t have any reason to come after us. They won’t be getting paid.
We’re wasting time, energy (and hit points) on lackeys, just like the Five Bosses want. I said it before: every step of this investigation, they’ve been ahead of us. We need to wise up.”
The sudden drop in decibels added drama and urgency to Strike’s argument: “Forester has what we want. We need to contact him and make sure that he still has Girucci’s note and that Zero G hasn’t taken it from him.
We need to interrogate these two prisoners and find out who hired them and why. Who is “the Big Man” they were talking about? Kairos, please bind them with your grappling hook cable.
Again, perhaps Symbiote can impersonate Hyena and get us closer to our true quarry.
“Sentinel, Slingshot, avenging yourselves on Harrrik takes a back seat. Stop making it personal. Get yourselves under control and think! Our forces are divided and you want to divide them further?
Harrik deals damage fast enough and hard enough to finish you both in that tunnel and then this team loses two very big guns.
What do you hope to gain?
You heard Silencer: he knows who hired them! Let’s get to the men behind all this and finish it already!”
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Slingshot:
Scott sighed. He visibly relaxed. Lightning Strike clinically noted that Slingshot's body seemed to change to match his mindset. Scott said "LS, you're right. I was thinking of a quick battle, but in these tunnels, he is likely going to get the upper hand, besides Forester needs us."
Then he added, "Let's leave with our win, let’s get back topside. I need to take out the trash."
OOC: Slingshot will wrap and bind Hyena and Silencer with his arms leaving his hands available in case of need.
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Sentinel:
Kirk heard the reasoning of Strike and then Scott's rethinking his position and giving up the pursuit. Kirk flew past continuing to concentrate on the energy reading of Harrik and his distance; if Kirk has a sense of him and can try to follow his plan about forming the knife at this distance, he will do so and feel the response via the energy movement (ie if Harrik stumbles, falls, stops, etc); if he isn't within distance for this attack then he won't leave the team to do it.
Kirk met Strike's gaze and said.
"I agree with your right to disagree. I agree with much of what you've said.
What I disagree with is allowing Harrik to escape when clearly he knows he's beat, otherwise he would have fulfilled his contract on us and we wouldn't be having this discussion. He knows we can take him at this point and that's why he's on the run. We don't pursue and he's allowed to continue his "services" at the cost of his next hired target and anyone else who gets in the way, plus he's got a running grudge for us going forward since he knew we had him beat and he isn't the type to have that sit well within himself, pride will have him back to prove it was just a one-time snafu and he'll show up at the worst time possible, they always do." And glancing at Scott's arm where it has been sliced while feeling the pain gnawing in his gut, Kirk added, "plus we should send a message that Vanguard takes care of its own."
Assuming that Kirk's attack can't be done or shows no success, Kirk will add, "but I do agree that splitting the team further isn't reasonable at this point, and by myself success would be unlikely with the damage I've taken and even with Scott, the two of us alone might sustain too much more damage finishing the job; but the three of us together could take him down fast."
Kirk won't push the point further than this unless his attack works.
--------------------------------------------
OOC GM replies:
Seth/Sentinel wrote:
Kirk flew past continuing to concentrate on the energy reading of Harrik and his distance; if Kirk has a sense of him and can try to follow his plan about forming the knife at this distance, he will do so and feel the response via the energy movement (ie if Harrik stumbles, falls, stops, etc); if he isn't within distance for this attack then he won't leave the team to do it.
GM Reply:
Harrik moved out of the range of all your powers* when he acted, but you know which direction he was last moving in.
You will have to use movement to follow the direction he went, try to pick him up again with your energy sense, and then attack.
Also, your movement is not the best now, as it's based on your current construct points (see last email).
So it sounds like you are not giving chase, since you will have to leave the team to attack. Is this correct?
Thanks.
Best,
Jeff
* 30" for your energy creation. 20" for your energy sense.
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Sentinel:
Kirk would fly down to the end of the hallway, once he realizes he has no bead on him at all and no advantage, he would reluctantly return back grimacing to Scott, "Damn! He's unbelievably quick, no sight of him at all... but I still think you were right in wanting to pursue and that Vanguard could have taken him together."
As they moved back towards the others he'd add, "How's that thick hide of yours doing after all of Harrik's punishment?" At that point, assuming that it seemed like the rest of HFH are totally out and things have quieted for the moment, Kirk would likely try to remove the blade and do first aid. If he thought it would be worse removing it and that they were near the surface where help could be found he'd keep it in for now. Kirk likely knows better than Seth about that at this point, and he'd be more than willing to ask if any of the others are more of an expert on this then him (I'd assume Kirk has training in this sort of thing).
Once the souvenir is removed Kirk will examine it and its makeup closely for next time he meets those gracious givers....
Seth
