The NEW Vanguard! LIONHEART Issue #2

LIONHEART: HP 100*

"Can't sleep?" asked the woman in the chair. She hadn't turned round, but Lionheart knew there were dozens of ways a superhuman might be able to detect the approach of another person.

Catherine Stowe rotated in the chair. She was sat at a desk in front of a video wall. Lionheart had slept as much as he needed - not much - and gone for a wander about the mansion. The technology here was impressive - albeit nothing he was amazed by, coming from the future - but that wasn't surprising given that Wandafar had designed it all. A man of superior, superhuman, intellect that towered seemingly in inverse proportion to his stature, Wandafar was a once superhero who still took an active interest in the defence of the British Isles.

Lionheart had walked through the house, which lit where he walked and extinguished behind him, and had wondered how far he'd get before being challenged or restricted. Instead the lights had seemingly led him here.

He looked at the beautiful Miss Stowe who had a slight smile on her face as she held a cup of hot chocolate over to him. "You'd be invited here anyway in the morning. Well, later on." she swivelled the chair to look at the video wall with dozens of news feeds flickering across it. "We monitor news across Britain and Europe from here. The World shattering stuff we deal with too, but there are plenty of big hitters for that. Mostly my American countrymen. Occasionally though, a call is sent out across a secret network of like minded individuals and organisations, asking for help that conventional forces shouldn't get involved with."

"Like this." she entered a sequence on a keyboard, pressed a thumb print and looked into a glowing light that Lionheart assumed was a retinal scan. The entire wall formed into one picture.



The electronically modulated voice that emanated from the speakers was clearly altered, but Lionheart listened despite his natural instinct to mistrust the mysterious figure.

"North Sea Oil exploration has become more dangerous as supplies deplete. Three days ago a deep sea exploratory submarine reported that it had found potential sites for oil... and something else. The transmission was ended before more detail could be made out, but the Captain reported seeing a bright light... on the Ocean Floor. Aside from the substantial monetary value of the loss of a Submarine, plus the incalculable potential loss of 30 crew, there are political ramifications of the Submarines disappearance. We need a small team of Superhumans, Class 4 or higher, ideally, though Class 3 will suit if they can survive in crushing ocean depths. The mission will be simple. Find the Submarine, investigate whatever it found, and report back."

Catherine pulled up the coordinates of a meeting place, plus a small list of names Lionheart was unfamiliar with:

Captain Valiant
Nightbird
Aquanaut

"Meeting place is the Outer Hebrides..." she called it up on the screen. "In less than 2 hours. You'd need to be Class 4 or a very competent Class 3 to get out there in time... The really big hitters - the UKChampions - will doubtless be monitoring the situation. If one of them turns up they won't list themselves."

She paused, then leaned back in the chair and turned to Lionheart. "Every scan we've run, all that we know, suggests you are this team's Class 4 Superhuman, possibly Class 5. The Vanguard at the moment is just an idea - a good one - but we need a win that puts us on the map. Something to get the authorities to recognise us. Fancy a trip to the bottom of the North Sea?"

OOC Not railroading you by any means - Lionheart can hang about till the others get up and tag along with one of them on their respective mission - but this is a fine opportunity for the team to be recognised as a legitimate force for good not only by the Authorities, but by other Superhero groups. Helps avoid those embarrassing tussles that break out before everyone realises they are on the same side!


*Will add any from previous adventures

Admin wrote:LIONHEART: HP 100*

She paused, then leaned back in the chair and turned to Lionheart. "Every scan we've run, all that we know, suggests you are this team's Class 4 Superhuman, possibly Class 5. The Vanguard at the moment is just an idea - a good one - but we need a win that puts us on the map. Something to get the authorities to recognise us. Fancy a trip to the bottom of the North Sea?"

Lionheart turned toward the beautiful but clearly competent lady before him a broadening grin formed on his face as he then leaned forward with a mischievous wink and said, "Why Ms Stowe, I think I would like this dance."

Moments later, not waiting for a reply, he was back fully dressed, in what looked like some new form fitting fatigues.  "Not to bad." He said dusting himself down, as he adjusted what would have been a totally tailored fit. "Better lay off the cream and crumpets though." He said looking up again before asking, "Anything else, I've got small jaunt to be on."   He said an obvious eagerness evident in his voice.

OOC: NO railroading, but quiet keen to win a home game for the team.

Sj

Catherine smiled, raised an eyebrow then handed over a belt with an oval buckle.

She explained that the belt emitted a molecular gas that created a form fitting costume instantly from thin air, as well as a small range of civilian clothing choices.

"Not sure you need it, but you might want to wear a mask. I have friends who chose not to, and the job became a 24 hour thing. Imagine trying to have a night off, say to take someone out to dinner, and having cameras stuck in your face. That'd be enough to make a dinner date get up and leave in a huff, I should think." she stated. "That's just the tip of the iceberg. History tells us exactly what happens when a secret identity isn't. Friends and loved ones suffer."

She looked saddened by that, and whatever 'moment' might have passed between the pair vanished as she turned to the screen. "I'll register our interest and tell them an operative is on his way. Better get a move on, slick. Good hunting! Remember your earpiece, though I have my doubts as to how effective communications will be deep in the heart of the North Sea."

=========

8,000mph, not quite as fast as he remembered, but quick enough to blast through the sonic barrier multiple times thought Lionheart as he blasted through the sky, a dark clad missile heading straight for a meeting point in the far north of Scotland.

After the independence vote of 2014, things had changed dramatically in the United Kingdom, but the fact remained that any threat that rose up to bring danger to the people of this Island needed to be countered, regardless of political barriers.

England flashed by below at 4 miles per second. Flat out, Catherine had figured he could make the journey in 4 minutes, but that would exert him so he dialled it back after the initial burst to get up to speed.

"You really are bookin' " said Catherine in Lionhearts' earpiece "But make a course correction if you will please. To the left. A little more. Now, angle down slightly. Fine. There. You are clear of airlanes for the moment. How long can you keep this up?

Lionheart gave his answer then continued blasting North. The sun would not rise for several hours, and he would meet up with these other people in the dark. Hopefully there would be no awkward scenes as tended to happen when strangers with super powers met for the first time!

OOC Any special preparations? Quick reminder of Lionhearts abilities: (if you need an explanation of any of the abilities or numbers, I'll happily break them down for you)

Me wrote:Dex 8 (70) Str^ 8 (60) Body 9 (72)
Int 8 (70) Will 5 (24) Mind 9 (72)
Inf 8 (70) Aura 5 (24) Spirit 9 (72)

(534)

Powers:
APs – Name –BC/FC – Final cost
- Notes and FC adjustments

Sensing Powers:

8 - Analytical Smell - 10/4 - (50)

8 Directional Hearing 5/3 (35)

7 Super Hearing 5/1 (13)

8 Telescopic Vision 5/1 (15)

8 Danger Sense 25/3 (55)

(168)


Mental Powers:

8 Empathy^ 20/4 (50)
- Max of 12 APs -1

7 Mind Blast^ 20/3 (44)

10 Mind Field 20/6 (84)
- Self only -2

5 Mind Probe^ 20/3 (32)

7 Telekinesis^ 15/6 (55)
- Flight Speed capped at 14 APs-1

8 Telepathy^ 20/4 (50)
- Max of 15 APs -1

4 Postcognition^ 15/2 (21)

(326)

Physical Powers:

7 Regeneration 25/8 (89)

8 Superspeed^ 25/8 (115)
- Max of 14APs -1, Adds to Dex +2

6 Sealed Systems 5/5 (35)

7 Force Field 30/6 (100)
- Attack through +1FC x2BC, Self Only -2

(329)

8 Power Reserve 150/10 (260)
- Fatiguing -2, Connected to Str, Empathy, Mental Blast, Mind Blast, Mind Probe, Telekinesis, Telepathy, Postcognition, Superspeed +30 BC

Skills

8 Accrobatics 15/7 (95)
- Reflexive Dodge +1*

8 Thief 10/9 (100)

8 Detective 10/8 (90)

8 Medicine 5/7 (75)

8 Martial Artist 25/7 (85)
- Special Linked -1

8 Vehicles 5/5 (55)


^ Powers marked with this may receive points from Power Reserve

*Reflexive dodge allows for a partial dodge maneuver to be performed if the character has already performed an action for the round. They gain half the normal advantage for a dodge with Acrobatics (1/2 acrobatics added to OV) and give up their next dice action. Additionally it takes two auto actions to move in the round where a dice action is lost to this maneuver.

Admin wrote:Lionheart gave his answer then continued blasting North. The sun would not rise for several hours, and he would meet up with these other people in the dark. Hopefully there would be no awkward scenes as tended to happen when strangers with super powers met for the first time!

OOC Any special preparations? Quick reminder of Lionheart's abilities: (if you need an explanation of any of the abilities or numbers, I'll happily break them down for you)

Lionheart spent the time pondering the odd conversation they'd had, the implications for a man like him were no different from anyone else in this time.  Though he wasn't yet known, he hoped to be.  Now a new life, one that he'd never imagine getting had opened up to him the possibility of protecting it became all the more important.  So masked it was, he amused himself thinking of more outrageous costume choices, but settled for something more akin to his Psi corps dress, with modern sensibilities and a distinct lack of military overtone.  

His mind then wandered to what was ahead, this was going to be a challenging mission, even for him.  Working underwater was new to him and working with a bunch of stranger more so.  Still, everyday was a new adventure, just didn't know where the road would take you.  

OOC: Senses working overtime as best as can be expected given the circumstances.  Otherwise not trying to sneak up on the team, don't want them accidentally blasting me or something.

Sj

Led unerringly by Catherine in the control centre towards the north of the British Isles, he was surprised to hear that he'd peaked at just over 15,000mph at one point before settling down to a much easier to maintain pace of 2,000.

"Wow, we really need to define a few limits for what you can do."explained Catherine. "Readings are skrrzz whirrr crackle skrrrrr... chart."

Lionheart tapped his earpiece but knew he'd be moving out of cell phone mast or satellite range shortly. He used his amazing senses to scan ahead...



He couldn't see in the dark any better than an ordinary person (OOC ??? Thought LH had some kind of night vision. Will look through previous character sheets.) but he could see ...

He stifled a groan.

STONELORD, one of the UKChampions who'd attended - by that read turned up too late to make a difference - the prison break, stood with what looked to be a mad in a bright red costume with a garish gold trim on cuffs, belt and boots, along with gold cape. He looked ridiculous. Another man looked to have a goldfish bowl on his head, and was wearing what looked to be some kind of wet suit or even what could be termed as an Astronauts outfit. That would be... Aquanaut? Lionheart noticed four other fishbowl type headsets next to Aquanaut.

So, Catain Valiant, in the red and Gold? Aquanaut in the wetsuit, what of Night...

His Danger Sense told him someone was behind, but only in a 'look behind you' way not in a 'duck! Incoming attack!' kind of way.

He looked... and didn't see anything. Dark Sky? No. Too Dark. No stars... And a pair of glowing blue eyes appeared in the darkmass...

"You should know that between those gathered on the island, and myself, you cannot hope to succeed in some foolish notion of attacking us." hissed a female voice from somewhere within the dark cloud. It was large - about the size of a house, though most of a cloud rather than any defined shape.

"Though if you hit the big stone covered obnoxious fellow, chances are most of us would stand aside. Aquanaut would probably join in to help you, and Captain Valiant would try to break it all up. Me...?"

She was interrupted when a bellowing voice called out "Ho! Stay thy progress a moment, fellow! I, am Captain VALIANT, and you must declare your name and intention before proceeding!" The man was somewhere over 6 foot, built like an old time strongman in a circus as opposed to the cut and chiselled types of modern times. Clean shaven aside from jawline length side burns and slicked hair with side parting. He looked like a throwback to another age, and the less said about the garish costume the better.

The cloud remained silent behind Lionheart.

Admin wrote:
"Though if you hit the big stone covered obnoxious fellow, chances are most of us would stand aside. Aquanaut would probably join in to help you, and Captain Valiant would try to break it all up. Me...?"

She was interrupted when a bellowing voice called out "Ho! Stay thy progress a moment, fellow! I, am Captain VALIANT, and you must declare your name and intention before proceeding!" The man was somewhere over 6 foot, built like an old time strongman in a circus as opposed to the cut and chiselled types of modern times. Clean shaven aside from jawline length side burns and slicked hair with side parting. He looked like a throwback to another age, and the less said about the garish costume the better.

The cloud remained silent behind Lionheart.  

"Well hello,"  Lionheart said in jovial terms he hoped might stave off a fight he hadn't come to get into, well not least of all with these folks anyway. "I'm a friend, Lionheart, heard about the sub, wanted to see if I could be of assistance.  Friend of mine nudged me this way.  Stoneloud and me have already had a meet and greet, cheerful chap.  But he can vouch for the fact that me and my buddies, had a hand in stopping Wales being blown off the map, with all the 'super bad's you had locked up there.  Bit like fireworks in a tin shack on the hottest day of the year, kind of scenario, if you get my drift?"

Lionheart repositioned himself so that he had a good site of both groups.  He knew little about the way super heroes were greeted in this time, but from all he'd seen heavy handed seemed to be the name of the game.  Still he hoped that there was room within a bunch of misfits like these, for someone on the fringe of such controls for someone like him.

He awaited their response as they eyed him with a degree of interest, speculation and obvious suspicion.  

OOC: Not sure what test I have to pass to make sure I am in, but hopefully I've got some credit running my way with regard to my rep.  If not I guess I'm looking into this solo ;-)

Sj[/i]

Captain Valiant raised an eyebrow. "That was you? Oh well done sir. Jolly good show."

The dark 'cloud' swept past Lionheart without a sound and formed into the shape of a woman, albeit one that was mostly covered in a shape with jet black skin and no features showing. She stood near Aquanaut and appeared to be watching Stonelord...

"Oh bloody hell!" he bellowed. "Not you again!" he roared!

Aquanaut turned on the big man. "Now settle down Stonel..."

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO YOU DAMN B LISTER!" roared the over aggressive superhuman! He towered over Aquanaut, who at 6' was hardly small, but to his credit the smaller man didn't flinch!

Captain Valiant sighed "Well, I'll take that to mean you two have met, and in it's own way, means he's vouching for you. Captain Valiant, Nightbird, Aquanaut and you've met Stonelord. If he shouts any louder Norway will have met him as well." He turned and soared down to the group.

Lionheart followed and Stonelord strode over to him. "Haven't forgotten about you lot! Don't trust any of you, as far as I could..."

"That's hardly reason to be worried." muttered Aquanaut. He leaned over to shake Lionhearts hand. "Aquanaut. Nice to meet you. Ignore this clown, he's..."

Stonelord roared, raised his fists and was about to bring them down on Aquanaut when the scene was shrouded in inky, impenetrable darkness!

"Now you boys should really learn to play together. We're here to do a job then go our separate ways. I've only heard of two of you, but feel fine at working with you all unless there's reason to otherwise. Stonelord, do you think you can calm down or do you want to stay in here a while longer?"

All of a sudden there was a deep sense of vertigo, as if the ground had fallen away from the heroes' feet!

"Whoa!" cried Aquananut. Captain Valiant cried "What the deuce!"

Even Lionheart had to wonder what was going on - he thought about flying, but the feeling was still the same!

And then it wasn't. The darkness faded to give way to night, and the heroes around regained their senses. Stonelord was frosty, glaring daggers at everyone. Finally he growled "I want words with you Lionheart. in private."

Admin wrote:And then it wasn't. The darkness faded to give way to night, and the heroes around regained their senses. Stonelord was frosty, glaring daggers at everyone. Finally he growled "I want words with you Lionheart. in private."

Lionheart looked about somewhat perturbed by the sudden and off putting sense of vertigo.  His own abilities meant he might be able to counter the need for inner ear balance, but nonetheless it was a concern, what had caused it.  Stonelord, impatient growl and dirty look was all he needed to snap him back. "Private word...right."  He said out loud, emphasising the final word so that the others knew he wasn't best pleased about this.  

Moving over to the big man, Lionheart was trusting that his superior speed and danger sense would give him the edge.  He didn't fancy connecting with the big man's fists any time soon.  But at the same time Stonelord for all his bluff and bluster must have more to him than all this, otherwise how on earth did he feature in the UK champions rosta.  His comment about the status of the others, suggested he was a proud man, but insecure as well.  

Off to one side, super speed, agility and danger sense primed, Lionheart cocked his head to one side, attentive to what the big man was about to say and just as ready for what he might do.  Albeit trying to remain nonchalant about it.  

Sj

Clearly trying to use his size and girth to intimidate Lionheart, Stonelord looked even more miffed when it was clear it wasn't working. Aside from the others, he growled...

"I don't know who you are or what your game is, but this mission falls under MY jurisdiction. Those others know the pecking order and so should you. Any time you don't feel like following MY lead, you can clear off. Got it?" Before Lionheart could answer he added "That said, keep an eye on Aquanaut. Wouldn't surprise me if he had something to do with the sub going down. Self proclaimed 'sea protector' as he is, it won't be the first time we've had bother with him. You should know he really is 'in his element' underwater. Right, come on."

He stomped back to the others and saw that Nightbird had declined a helmet until Aquanaut explained it wasn't just for breathing in water, but for communication. With that in mind she pulled on a bowl which sealed around her shoulders and was filled with inky blackness.

Captain Valiant raised an eyebrow. "I can hold my breath for hours!!" he declared, but put on the helmet anyway. Aquanaut passed one to Lionheart then looked at Stonelord. "One size doesn't fit all. Either you turn human or go without."

Stonelord pushed past him and started wading into the water.

=========

The waves sloshed over the head of the being treading water. It watched from afar as the strange group approached the water and submerged.

Then it, too, vanished below the surface.

OOC Anything you want to do as precaution or follow Stonelords lead?

Admin wrote:Clearly trying to use his size and girth to intimidate Lionheart, Stonelord looked even more miffed when it was clear it wasn't working. Aside from the others, he growled...

"I don't know who you are or what your game is, but this mission falls under MY jurisdiction. Those others know the pecking order and so should you. Any time you don't feel like following MY lead, you can clear off. Got it?"

Lionheart smiled a somewhat vague and servile smile.  It was a play at obedience as Stonelord didn't frighten him at all.  But it also didn't pay, at least right now, to upset him.  Clearly he was someone with a big axe to grind for some reason, Lionheart would wait and if following his lead wasn't in his or anyones best interests then Stonelord would see find out Lionheart hadn't quiet got it after all.  

But for now that could wait.  With a grateful nod, on returning to the group Lionheart took the helmet.  A quick glance over its embedded apparatus and he donned it obediently following the others into the water, intrigued as to what this new turn of events would uncover.  

Sj

Captain Valiant offered a hand to Stonelord who took it reluctantly to be dragged through the water. He offered his other to Aquanaut and Nightbird, both of whom turned it down.

Nightbird formed her darkness into a kind of manta way, swiftly carving through the water with only the helmet light marking her location in the cold North Sea gloom. None of those gathered was bothered by the extremely cold water or the turbulence of the waves. Aquanaut was even faster than Nightbird and had to frequently slow down.

Using his Superspeed Lionheart found it was no bother swimming to keep up with either, and Captain Valiant appeared to fly through water as well as he did air. Stonelord was holding his breath, and mercifully silent, but anyone else with a helmet could talk freely to each other.

=========

An hour later at high speed and Lionheart didn't have a clue where they were. Doubtless he could fly up to the surface and look down to get his bearings, but they'd gone deeper and further out than even the oil fields...

And there it was. Ignoring the pressure from the extreme depth, Lionheart saw a faint blue glow from the ocean depths. It was too dark to see details, but even from here, a mile or so away, it was clear the blue glow wasn't something that would occur normally...

Admin wrote:And there it was. Ignoring the pressure from the extreme depth, Lionheart saw a faint blue glow from the ocean depths. It was too dark to see details, but even from here, a mile or so away, it was clear the blue glow wasn't something that would occur normally...

Aware that the others, could also no doubt see the glow, Lionheart used what abilities he could in the confined environment to better appreciate what they were seeing.  He tried to attune to the noises that would be more easily carried through the water, and then also use his telescopic vision to better decipher the murky glow before him.  He also made sure that he wasn't unaware of his ever present and trusty danger sense.  Within this environment they were possibly at a great disadvantage and ripe for an ambush.  

As they drew closer, Lionheart had the others stop, indicating with his hands that he was listening, he hoped that taking into consideration their noise, he might be able to better filter what he heard, and or could see to help them work out what to do as they approached the steadily growing blue glow before them.  

Sj

Lionheart found his hearing more effective than his sight in the stygian darkness of the North Sea depths...

Aside from a heartbeat from Stonelord and Captain Valiant, he heard distant whalesong, and something else.

A humming sound. Concentrating, he tried to decipher just what it was that he was listening to. A pulse of some kind. Like a generator. He looked at the light again. It wasn't a constant light, but was indeed a pulse, rather than the shimmering of the wave. So it was something like a power generator or... a beacon?

A transmitter of some kind.

Lionheart noted something else. The shadow near the beacon.. the shadows... A submarine. No. Submarines. One of them looked to be the yellow research sub, all domed glass and sensor antennae. Another was bigger, not much detail but possibly Navy.

The third was something else. Something bigger, longer... And that sign on the side. The Hammer and Sickle.

The Russians...

Admin wrote:The third was something else. Something bigger, longer... And that sign on the side. The Hammer and Sickle.
The Russians...

After telling the others what he had discovered, Lionheart waited for what the team wanted to do?  After all it wasn't his call to make, but then he saw how Stonelord was holding his breath and couldn't therefore speak and wondered how on earth that man, got his trousers on the right way round in the morning?  

Still he waited for the others to make up their minds as to what was going on, if this was a beacon of some sort, then was it calling or pulling these subs in?  Or was that a by product and that the intended recipient of the signal had yet to show up?

One thing was for sure, there would be a lot of people at risk in those subs and more importantly such a beacon, was unlikely to be unguarded.  

Sj

Aquanaut spoke up "I'm the most at home in the water. I will scout about and see what has transpired."

Nightbird added "I cannot be seen by conventional sight in these depths, so I will take a look as well."

Stonelord shook his head and leapt through the water towards the Sub, springing from the rocks on the ocean floor with mighty bounds. Captain Valiant shook his head and turned to Lionheart "He charges in like a bull in a china shop! Best to split up, two teams, one for each sub. You go with Stonelord. Keep him out of trouble. We will check out the research submarine and if need be, get it to the surface."

Lionheart saw Stonelord bouncing through the darkness towards the Russian submarine and that eerie blue light...

Admin wrote:You go with Stonelord. Keep him out of trouble. We will check out the research submarine and if need be, get it to the surface."

Lionheart saw Stonelord bouncing through the darkness towards the Russian submarine and that eerie blue light...

Lionheart nodded a resigned look on his face as he looked back to the bombastic Stonelord, "Brain made of rock, to, shouldn't wonder."  He said to himself before catching up with ease.  There was no telling what Stonelord would do, but it was hardly going to involve stealth, subtlety and any kind of action requiring coherent thought.  Lionheart didn't wonder.

OOC: Ok besides keeping an eye on our friend with rocks in his head, I'll also keep a weary eye for anything related to or invested in that light.  I shouldn't doubt that anything that could bring these subs here, isn't unversed in utilising the environment to its ends as well as being resourceful in a pinch.  Besides I know how you like to mess with us

Sj

Stonelord continued unabated towards the Russian sub... and paused when he saw the gaping hole in the side!

Lionheart was behind him in moments and watched as a body floated from the innards of the sub towards the ocean floor...

Clearly dead, the sailor had nothing unusual about him save for glowing blue eyes...

Stonelord ignored the sailor and marched into the depths of the Submarine, clearly intent on finding something to fight!

OOC Lionheart can take a look at the sinking body, or get in after Stonelord, or go for something else...

Admin wrote:Stonelord continued unabated...and marched into the depths of the Submarine, clearly intent on finding something to fight!

OOC Lionheart can take a look at the sinking body, or get in after Stonelord, or go for something else...

Moving over to the body, Lionheart allowed his superior senses to examine the poor sailor for clues.  He looked carefully beyond the obvious tinge to his eyes, to see if the rest of the body, hampered by the murky depths, could give up the secrets of what happened here.  

Having taken time to examine the body, mindful of the urgency he needed to employ to make sure Stonelord didn't end up in a similar or worse fate, Lionheart then ploughed on.  Intent on catching up, but equally aware that they may be dealing with an enemy they may find themselves literally out of the depth.  

OOC:  Ok pun intended, but am aware that this may lead to the situation where Stonelord ends up fighting me, having rushed head long into possible danger.  I am weary of the possibility that what happened to the sailor could happen to any of us.   However fortune favours the bold, so once I've gotten what I can from our dead sailor I'll press on, hopefully not far behind Stonelord's wake.  Do the helmets allow the others to still communicate or is the proximity of the subs, and whatever is behind the glow prohibit contact?  If not I'd like to report in and also find out what if anything the others have learned.

Sj

Lionheart (correctly) surmised that the glow of energy that bathed the ocean floor was something that would block the communication with the others via the helmets.

Hearing only static in return for his hail, he turned his attention to the body. Aside from the eyes glowing blue, the sailor bore no obvious wounds.

Turning to where the Russian sub lay on the ocean floor, Stonelord could be seen striding up to the rent in the side, widening it with a casual grab and tear, the thickened steel parting like paper.

OOC 2d10 → [8,5] = (13)

Then Lionheart felt it. That 'feeling', the mysterious 'sixth sense' that warned him of impending peril. He turned, to see dead hands reaching for his throat!

OOC Lionheart wins initiative. The Sailor is 'dead', but moving about, and reaching for Lionhearts' throat!

Admin wrote:Then Lionheart felt it. That 'feeling', the mysterious 'sixth sense' that warned him of impending peril. He turned, to see dead hands reaching for his throat!

OOC Lionheart wins initiative. The Sailor is 'dead', but moving about, and reaching for Lionheart's throat!

The first thought that flashed through Lionheart's brain was the terrible sight of so many Nazi's similarly afflicted by some sort of unlife, which meant they simply didn't die.  The sickening thought that this might again be the reason for the glow, that somehow what was once trapped on the moon, might still have been active and able to get here, sent a cold child down his spine.  Clearly this was a trap, and using the raw material of the sailors, the thing that gave off the glow, was able to weigh them down with a force of men to be reckoned with.  

Sadly the thought of totally incapacitating the thing that was once a sailor doing his country proud, wasn't pleasant.  But with a boast to strength and his force field, Lionheart grabbed the thing that was but a shell of its former self and stopped it the only way he knew how.  

With the creature downed and finally able to rest, he knew it wasn't the danger of a single sailor but the many, able to break through protective suits and or infect the others that worried him.  Quickly moving forward at speed, he sought to catch Stonelord, the others also must know, before it was too late.  They had to regroup and rethink what they were to do.  But Lionheart summised that the blue glow might be the secret to stopping what was going on here and that would require everyone's help.  

OOC:  Ok after doing what was necessary to the zombie, I'll get to Stonelord, I'll try and use my Telepathy to contact first him and then the others to send out a broadcast to warn them.  I am hoping that the interference won't stop that from getting through.  Wish I'd thought of saying something before.  But forget I've got this ability.  

Sj

OOC Lionheart attacks the Zombie... He can't boost his Force Field (it's at 7APs and gives him a resistance of 16APs, enough to pretty much ignore anything like a tank shell or whatever) but his best bet is to boost Superspeed up to 14APs (which in turns adds to his Dex to bring it up to 22APs and brings Martial Artist up to the same. 22 attack, 22 damage when used against nonliving opponents like this one (using it like this against living opponents is 'a bad thing to do').

Attack 2d10 → [3,2] = (5) Ouch... except even against an enhanced opponent such as this (who would flatten a room full of special forces soldiers) it's enough. 17RAPs damage....

He takes no damage from using 6APs of Boost, even though the roll was a 15.

With an ultra speed karate chop Lionheart slices the zombies head clean off...

And glowing blue ichor pumps free of the body and the neck stump! The head falls to the side whilst the body starts to rot and turn black near immediately!

He turns and touches a finger to his forehead as he concentrates in order to contact Stonelord.

Immediately he knows something is wrong! His sends out the message and it is 'intercepted', somehow. Forming into his head is an image of a cavern bathed in blue light, with insect like man size creatures scuttling about and carrying things towards a central point... where what can be described as an amalgam of body parts looks to be forming, joined together by the blue glow.

Lionheart blinks, then looks about in the water. The sailors. Their body parts, as well as inorganic parts of machines and electronics, are being used to 'create' something by those insectlike creatures. They looked like prey mantis save with more bulbous heads, and they were...

He looked at his feet. Somewhere below.

Suddenly he 'heard' a scream in his mind!

OOC It could be coming from any of his companions, or some of the sailors/submariners still alive. It is close (within half a mile) but he can't narrow it down better than that...

Admin wrote:Suddenly he 'heard' a scream in his mind!

OOC It could be coming from any of his companions, or some of the sailors/submariners still alive. It is close (within half a mile) but he can't narrow it down better than that...

Lionheart instinctively looked about, but knew he wasn't responding to a sound as would be best understood by normal means.  Although he could chase after the others to see what was going on, they might all be very well compromised.  As ever it was a tough call, but whatever this creature was, was clearly the thing behind it all.  If he could stop that, then perhaps he might well be able to free the others.  

But first a quick detour.  Speeding off as fast as he could, he churned the water and headed for the torpedo shafts.  

OOC: Not sure if this is the right/heroic thing to do.  Not knowing where the scream came from means I can waste a lot of time doing nothing positive at all.  However if I go 'liberate' a torpedo from the Russian sub, and fly it down to where the creature was, I might well be able to harm it in a way that free's the others and puts this sordid mystery to bed.  I don't fancy my chances of going up against this thing alone.  Desperate times and all that...

Sj

Lionheart sped round to the front of the submarine, and found...

Open torpedo tubes.

They'd either been fired or removed. He looked up at the blue tinged mass of the submarine. This was a nuclear submarine, a machine of war that routinely carried nuclear weapons!

And they were gone!

His blood ran cold. Someone, something, had killed the submariners and removed the weapons, and possibly any other technology that was of use. He looked towards the source of the blue glow, then concentrated, using his super vision. Cracks in the ocean floor shone forth with the blue light issuing from below.

Just then he heard the scream again. Captain Valiant "GETTTTT OUTTTT OF MYYYYY HEAAAAAADDDDDDDD!!!!" he screamed in a voice deafening to break through the crackle and static!

Lionhearts danger sense started to go off...

OOC 2d10 → [5,4] = (9) for Danger Sense

He was in danger, they all were. He couldn't tell from what direction, and all about was darkness save from where the blue light cast shadows and lit up the wrecked submarines.

Suddenly it started to get darker around him, so that what little he could see was vanishing from view!

Admin wrote:Lionhearts danger sense started to go off...

OOC 2d10 → [5,4] = (9) for Danger Sense

He was in danger, they all were. He couldn't tell from what direction, and all about was darkness save from where the blue light cast shadows and lit up the wrecked submarines.

Suddenly it started to get darker around him, so that what little he could see was vanishing from view!

Clearly running away from this situation was only going to allow this menace to gain traction and be a bigger threat. Since the thing had already stripped the subs of weapons, then it was too the thing Lionheart had to go. With force field and speed and agility in focus he could be both speedy and manoeuvrable enough to hopefully outwit and out run anything the creature could throw at him. Using his danger sense together with his other heightened senses, Lionheart hope not to rely entirely on a single means of managing the surroundings, such a sight alone, so he might avoid capture and any confusion tactics the creature might use against him.

OOC: Head for the centre of the glow, and try to avoid being captured, mind controlled or whatever.

Sj

Swimming down at speed, Lionheart headed for the cracks in the ocean floor...

Instantly his danger sense warned him of impending attack!

What looked to be giant squids, illuminated by pulsing blue blood in their veins, sped towards Lionheart even as he took in what appeared to be something glowing and buried under the ocean floor, a vast (larger than a football field at least!) thing buried under fifty feet or so of sand, rock and muck on the ocean floor with only these cracks revealing it's presence. The squids had issued from it, and Lionheart knew it was either a huge vessel or a creature of some kind!

The Squids were... cyborgs? Metal armour partially covered them, and some of the tentacles were equipped with armour, what looked like weapons and even hand like metal appendages! Four of them sped towards Lionheart from the glowing thing below as he swam down towards them!

OOC Lionheart wins initiative. He is around 10 yards from the squid, 20 yards or so from this vast blue glowing thing that the submarines had been drawn to investigate, like moths to a flame. The Squidborgs are around 10 feet long from top to tail, and probably weight a few hundred pounds apiece, even before all the surgery and cyborg attachments.