The New Vanguard! Lionheart Issue #5 - The Mission, Part 3

Lionhearts senses picked up the little things when flying over the town.

Oh... such as the townspeople tracking their flight without making much of a fuss. And looking at those townspeople... hard stare... no sweat...

No breathing.

Timpsons' 'town' was peopled by androids.

Lionheart took - for him - a long look. Life like, unless one knew what to look for. And he did. Memories of a past life, policing the streets... androids, humans, cyborgs... Learning to tell the difference could mean the difference between life and death.

The armoured men led him down, down... and a grain silo opened at the top, sliding apart to reveal a tunnel going down ... somewhere. The lead suits turned to hover at sides of the entrance and looked about. The third turned to hover in the path of the entrance. "We'll take that sir." he asked of the 'package' Lionheart carried. behind him the suits hovered.

Lionheart could 'feel' the eyes of every inhabitant of the town seemingly turn on him. It was tense, but he couldn't sense danger... yet. Looking about he could see no distant threats... Even so. Lionheart was one of the most powerful superhumans on the planet and it felt like he was very much a fly testing the web of the spider...

Admin wrote:"We'll take that sir." he asked of the 'package' Lionheart carried. behind him the suits hovered.

Lionheart could 'feel' the eyes of every inhabitant of the town seemingly turn on him. It was tense, but he couldn't sense danger... yet. Looking about he could see no distant threats... Even so. Lionheart was one of the most powerful superhumans on the planet and it felt like he was very much a fly testing the web of the spider...

Lionheart looked over the man with a slightly disdained look, "Son, this is above your pay grade. I've gone through a lot of trouble, quite a few meta-humans and more than enough trouble to last me a lifetime, just to make sure this got to Mr Timpson. I don't mind handing it over, when I see him say so. Comprende?"

Lionheart didn't do tired, his super structured body wasn't built like that. But he'd had enough, trying to do this on the down low had proven impossible in the end. Now that he'd made his move, he was determined to see it through to the end.

Sj

The armoured face looked back, impassive. Lionheart could hear voices with his super hearing but it was too shielded for him to make out details.

"Fair enough. You've probably had to go through a lot to get it here. Follow me."

Flying down the silo entrance Lionheart noted the tiled walls were quite unusual, with microscopic 'pores'.

OOC Roll(2d10)+0: 7,6,+0 Total:13 + Danger Sense 9 (22) vs TN11 + Minor Threat (19). Success +2 Effect. 11EV vs 8RV=3 RAPs

Lionheart got the feeling that he wasn't being directly targeted but there was some kind of 'mega' security system here which could present a danger to him, albeit it might not be able to do him much actual harm.

Down, down, ignoring side hatches which had doors with a strange mix of carbon/metal and ceramic that would be extremely resistant to damage. Clearly this was a shaft for flying visitors, but there was something else, a sense of a field of some kind slowing the descent of the man from the future and his unwieldy burden. Anti gravity? He didn't need it but it was nice to know it was there. Those tiles though, with the microscopic pores... why?

After minutes of plummeting into the bowels of the earth, the shaft continued down but the armoured escorts waited at a side hatch which swished open. Lights illuminated along a 10'x10' corridor with glossy black panels on walls, floor and ceiling. "Through there sir. To the end of the corridor then through the hatch at the end. Mr Timpson and his advisers shall meet you there." came the monotone voice.

Lionheart looked down the corridor to a large sliding metal/carbon/ceramic pair of doors at the corridor end. No sense of danger. Into the mouth of the Lion, or was he being paranoid?

OOC Any thoughts on which powers you want active? Superspeed? Force Field? A mix? Any specific actions you want to take or are you going to go as directed and trust in LH's ability to get out of bother?

Admin wrote:OOC Any thoughts on which powers you want active? Superspeed? Force Field? A mix? Any specific actions you want to take or are you going to go as directed and trust in LH's ability to get out of bother?

OOC:Ugh I'm either going to be 'tested' or its a trap, right? Lionheart will bring up his force field and super speed. I guess the porous tiles are to emit gas or maybe like those rubber globby thing Mr Incredible in the Incredibles got laid low with.

Lionheart didn't like the fact he was walking into something that wasn't exactly friendly. He got the feeling the security was here to make sure he and such as like him played nice. But then again he couldn't help that feel that Timpson wouldn't be the sort of man he was, if he wasn't tilting the table in his own favour. And his walking in, might be an opportunity he'd be willing to exploit and this base a gamble he'd be willing to play to see if he could capture Lionheart. Who knows, he had already proven himself a formidable mind, but Lionheart wasn't about to give in to timidity or over play caution now. On he purposefully strode, senses fully alert.

Sj

The twin doors dutifully swished open at the end of the corridor.

Lionheart was aware of the half a dozen armoured chaperones staying at the end of the corridor, hovering in the up/down shaft. As he stepped through the doorway he came into a large dome, lit from above via tiny leds.

"Please place the container on the floor." run a voice from around Lionheart. The doors swished closed across the way, effectively sealing the room.

OOC In order to move the play along and avoid to/fro dialogue posts simply answer how you like to each question.

"First of all, thanking you retrieving my property. I am Frederick Timpson. Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

(If Lionheart gives his name) "I see. Our records are extensive on both sides of the channel with regards superhumans. You are known to us but your power levels appear... misquoted."
"You clearly are a force to be reckoned with, and the Ultrahumans, though somewhat weaker than their halcyon days of several years ago, were lucky to have you helping them. Tell me sir, what are your intentions going forward?"

(If Lionheart declines to give his name) "Very Well. In any business negotiation there are bound to be issues, not least of all trust. It should be earned, in most cases. However, unless I miss my guess, you brought my property here in order to receive a boon or reward of some kind. I can speak to the authorities on your behalf to set up a meeting to have you officially registered, if you like. Otherwise you would be operating as an outlaw, and treated as such."

(If Lionheart requests some White Dwarf Star Material...) "I see. Well, as you are probably aware the White Dwarf star material is very difficult to mine and attain, not to mention expensive. I thank you for retrieving my property of course, and so for that I owe you a boon, but as you are probably aware the material can be used to create future tech, including weapons. So we need to be careful who we hand it out to."

There's a pause.

"If you agree to a non invasive short medical examination of yourself I shall consider that ample payment. I am a ... connoisseur of superhumans, so to speak. Not one myself, I am nonetheless fascinated and eager to catalogue another Class 5 superhuman. Your personal details are of little interest to me, but if you wish to consider an official alignment with my organisation the rewards would be... considerable."

Admin wrote:The twin doors dutifully swished open at the end of the corridor.

Lionheart was aware of the half a dozen armoured chaperones staying at the end of the corridor, hovering in the up/down shaft. As he stepped through the doorway he came into a large dome, lit from above via tiny leds.

"Please place the container on the floor." run a voice from around Lionheart. The doors swished closed across the way, effectively sealing the room.

OOC In order to move the play along and avoid to/fro dialogue posts simply answer how you like to each question.

"First of all, thanking you retrieving my property. I am Frederick Timpson. Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

(If Lionheart gives his name) "I see. Our records are extensive on both sides of the channel with regards superhumans. You are known to us but your power levels appear... misquoted."
"You clearly are a force to be reckoned with, and the Ultrahumans, though somewhat weaker than their halcyon days of several years ago, were lucky to have you helping them. Tell me sir, what are your intentions going forward?"

(If Lionheart requests some White Dwarf Star Material...) "I see. Well, as you are probably aware the White Dwarf star material is very difficult to mine and attain, not to mention expensive. I thank you for retrieving my property of course, and so for that I owe you a boon, but as you are probably aware the material can be used to create future tech, including weapons. So we need to be careful who we hand it out to."

There's a pause.

"If you agree to a non invasive short medical examination of yourself I shall consider that ample payment. I am a ... connoisseur of superhumans, so to speak. Not one myself, I am nonetheless fascinated and eager to catalogue another Class 5 superhuman. Your personal details are of little interest to me, but if you wish to consider an official alignment with my organisation the rewards would be... considerable."

Lionheart realised that in making a deal with the devil that thing could get out of hand. And now he realised how little he had to play with. Clearly Timpson dealt in information, getting to Lionheart's biology would effective give him the upper hand. No doubt he'd then have the means with which to neutralise or hamper Lionheart effectively making him a prisoner. That he was powerful wasn't in question, but that he could then serve Timpsons further aims, wasn't something that sat easily with Lionheart.

Alternatively he could offer to be part of the organisation, something that required decidedly flexible morals that would no doubt leave him feeling compromised even if it offered him the opportunity to get the material. Then again, it might also take years, and he didn't have years. Already this 'road trip' had proven anything but quick. Now he was further threatened with delays and duplicity. Timpson simply could not be taken at his word.

Lionheart did then think about fighting his way through this place, no doubt it was all very dubious, but then again Timpson proved the master operative of spin, he would no doubt have some way to make this look bad for the Meta human community and even if Lionheart got what he wanted, what cost would others bear for his decision.

It was look pretty bleak. "No, I don't think so. I am going to take your property and place it back where I found it. Since its of so little value that you won't give me the White Dwarf Material, I think I'll return it to its last location and be away."

Lionheart grabbed the case more resolutely as he took his stand, ready to utilise his full power to escape. And failing that threaten to destroy what was in the case if he wasn't allowed to leave. This was decidedly looking a shaky situation as ever there was one.

Sj

There was a moment of silence, then the air shimmered near Lionheart and he turned in a flash to see a hologram appear in the air of a man around 6'2" tall, on the weighty side but mostly due to broad muscles, but was was the strangest part?

Well, that was his face and neck.

Frederick Timpson was an old man. The press releases and public appearances at gala events had slowed of late, and it was clear why. Despite expensive and extensive plastic surgery, there was no getting around the fact that the man was in his late 60s at least, maybe older but it was hard to say because of the surgery. His body, however, was that of someone in their thirties who had retired pro football (American) and filled the expensive looking suit perfectly.

He looked Lionheart up and down, then spoke. "Apologies for not being there in person. I am a wealthy man, and that generally means my time is the rarest, most valuable commodity that I trade in. Even as I speak to you, my conference chamber has seven international conferences streaming that I've put on hold."

"I can see that you're opposed to any deal I might offer you, so instead I shall offer you a gift, in good faith. Whether you decide to keep it or not is up to you, but inside the container you hold is a sample of White Dwarf Star Material. Normally I'd hire a security detail to guard it like an army, and that includes my own armoured brigades, but they would have been insufficient. I see that now, but I thought I'd try a different approach and transport it low key, without the fanfare and armed presence that announces to all and sundry that you are a target to be robbed."

"That failed too, but only because there is a mole, a leak, in my organisation. So you performed a service for me by bringing it here, I shall reward you by presenting the contents to you as a gift. I'll find more."

"My reasons for wanting to examine your dna and biological features are somewhat... personal and selfish, I will admit. You see, I am dying, from a rare, pretty much unique disease that has my body breaking down. I need daily injections and treatments and cannot venture far from my medical facilities. I am, in effect, a prisoner. In the time I have left I have been increasingly spending it to search for a means of saving not only my life, but to use that research and any medical advances I discover to the benefit of mankind. For free. You see, I made my fortune from weapons design and technology, as well as shred investments and extensive property purchases. Spending my life designing things to take others lives away weighs heavy on my soul, so I turned to medical research when I needed to after conventional science failed me, and I find that I am even better at that. Do you know what it is for a person to look back on a long life and say they have wasted it?"

"The superhuman, metahuman, enhanced whatever you wish to call it, gene, is the key. You people are miraculous. You bend the laws of physics to your will, break them without a thought and are, truly, gods amongst men. Unfortunately not all of you are as public spirited as yourself. Hence the need for weapons that will put someone down who ignores shells from tanks. Hence the need for prisons for people who can smash, walk through or simply appear on the other side of a wall if they so wish, and every ability in between. If every superhuman dedicated their life to fighting crime and injustice, they would wipe it out nearly overnight. War would end. But they aren't like that."

"What all of you have in common however, is a sequence of dna different from humans, and from each other. Some of it is shared though, and it is THAT I am interested in. Imagine, hero, were I to cure not only myself, but every disease that has tortured modern man since we've known about them? I am close, but I need more information, and more time. One is nearly impossible to get, the other...? Well, time waits for no one. Not man, woman, beast or superhuman. I'm nearly out. I am ..."

He gesticulated in pure frustration, then grinned and turned, showing a tiny gap between pinched fingers. "THIS close! So close!"

"Class five superhumans. You, above all others, are the rarest, most powerful and hardest to read anything from. Not just from your unique abilities, but from your lifestyles. You plug volcanoes, stop tidal waves, divert the course of asteroids and stop alien invasions before breakfast! In a way your time constraints are worse than mine. But you are here, now, so I ask you... I implore... beg, even. For just an hour of your time. Don't do it for me, do it for the human race. Then take your white dwarf star material and leave, knowing you have done something perhaps more significant than any victory against world conquering despots you may have scored. Please."

Admin wrote:"Class five superhumans. You, above all others, are the rarest, most powerful and hardest to read anything from. Not just from your unique abilities, but from your lifestyles. You plug volcanoes, stop tidal waves, divert the course of asteroids and stop alien invasions before breakfast! In a way your time constraints are worse than mine. But you are here, now, so I ask you... I implore... beg, even. For just an hour of your time. Don't do it for me, do it for the human race. Then take your white dwarf star material and leave, knowing you have done something perhaps more significant than any victory against world conquering despots you may have scored. Please."

"That is a moving story, unfortunately many a person has been just as convincing for all the wrong reasons. I can see the sense in what you are saying, however my great fear in allowing access to my DNA, to a former weaponsmith, is somewhat obvious. However I want to help, how about I take you up on your kind offer, and arrange to have a sample of my DNA sent across, but under my terms. That way I can give you what you need, but with some safeguards - just in case?"

Lionheart was intrigued, but knew all too well from his own past, and what was once this timeline's future how genetics can get out of hand and then some.

OOC:I'm away from tomorrow, on a tablet for most of the weekend, so if you don't see my reply at the usual pace you know why ;-)

Sj

The hologram of Timpson seemed to consider, then shrugged.

"Well, I seem to have hit a brick wall. As do you. You see, as a businessman, the basics of a deal are that there is the supply of a service, and a payment. In recognition of your service, but in light of your reluctance to assist me to my full requirements, I shall make this counter offer. You may take... 5 grams of White Dwarf Star material. It's value should be significant to someone with the resources and know how to use it. Unfortunately, you may find it less than you needed."

He smiled, shrugging, with hands out.

Lionheart knew that Wandafar needed more of the stuff to transport him to the microverse... and operate the machine to get him back! He could - maybe - use it to power his shrink machine to get him there then take his chances to find a way back...

Timpson paused, then turned as if to leave before turning back. "Oh, you could simply just take what you need instead, but I believe that is called 'stealing'. I don't know how that sits with your strict moral code, but be aware my reach is long, and that my resources are near infinite! You could... turn your amazing power to smashing my facility? Of course, feel free - it's not like I could stop you! There would be consequences, however."

"Grave ones."

"So, I ask you again. One businessman to another, to satisfy each others requirements. I could offer my word, and my assurance that no weapons will be crafted from intimate knowledge of your dna, but I am the one taking the chance. After all, the material in that container has a significant dollar value and rarity attached to it. I on the other hand might learn nothing from having my people scan your physiology. It's a chance I'm willing to take, even if the results are unsatisfactory! You see? I am the one taking the risk! Perhaps if you were to tell me what you need the WD material for, I might offer other solutions."

He turned slightly off camera, looking annoyed and saying something that wasn't transmitted but it looked to Lionheart like he said "...the President I am busy and he will have to hold."

Timpson turned back to Lionheart. "Apologies. My aides think that conversing with state rulers has greater significance than conversing with one of the worlds TRUE superpowers. One I am hoping to establish a meaningful and productive relationship with. You drive a hard bargain sir! I applaud you, but as a businessman I would go bankrupt were I simply to hand over whatever anyone requires without some form of payment. You understand of course?"

Admin wrote:Timpson turned back to Lionheart. "Apologies. My aides think that conversing with state rulers has greater significance than conversing with one of the worlds TRUE superpowers. One I am hoping to establish a meaningful and productive relationship with. You drive a hard bargain sir! I applaud you, but as a businessman I would go bankrupt were I simply to hand over whatever anyone requires without some form of payment. You understand of course?"

Timpson wasn't a man to be trusted. His comment about true superpowers only showed his true side. A diffidence for the 'little people' be they factory workers or presidents, seemed to infer this. Lionheart didn't like or feel inclined to help a man who, after getting every ounce of benefit from a lead, tossed whatever scraps were left the worlds way and called it charity.

"I'm sorry you can't see your way to meeting me on my terms. If getting my DNA is so important, then getting it at all must rank high on your priority list or you are trying to run a mean bargain to get it on your terms. But no matter, its because I recognise I am a super power overflowing with such people that I am reluctant to give anything away over which I have little or no control. But I'll take the White Dwarf material as a sign of good faith for the work done and be on my way."

Lionheart didn't have to like it, but he wasn't going to back down. Besides which he had to wonder where had Timpson got this material from in the first place, was their a source readily available that Lionheart could go and secure for himself. Wandafar would know, he already missed what passed laughingly for home, having been trashed more than once. Still it was a place a man could rest easy without being afraid of being imprisoned, as was still the case in the USA. He felt a pang for not having the chance to say goodbye to Thunder Woman, she was a friendly face in a unfriendly country. He hoped he'd not made things too difficult for her.

Sj

There was a marked change in the expression of Timpson, from 'business friendly' false smile to cold stare.

He was a man not used to being denied.

"So be it." he growled, gave a slight nod to the side and turned back to Lionheart. "I dare say we'll meet again. My technicians shall measure out the amount agreed upon for your service. Thank you for that."

Without further ado, the hologram vanished!

The doors swished open and hazmat suited technicians wheeled in what seemed to be a laser on wheels. At least twenty of them beavered away, setting up and then setting to opening the container that Lionheart set down, using electric tools to buzz long heavy duty bolts out. When opened, one of the technicians, a woman, turned and nervously mentioned to Lionheart "Uh... sir? You might want to leave the room because of the gravitic radiation. This room..." she waves her hand around "...nullifies most of the harmful effects, but there may be some ri..."

She tipped her head to her side, then pressed a finger to the side of her head. "Ah... you're probably immune. Sorry for bothering you. This might take ten minutes or so."

Lionheart watched as they wheeled the machine up and a laser was set into action on what appeared to be a pea sized rock floating in an energy field!

What in the...?

With his huge superhuman strength it was difficult for Lionheart to gauge the weight of the thing he'd been lugging around like it was weightless, but even so, he'd estimated it to weigh tons. From something so small though?

The laser flared and started to sheer off the agreed amount...

========

Which didn't amount to anything that could be seen with the visible eye!

The petri dish was suspended on a heavy duty trolly.... which was groaning under the weight! Lionheart glanced at it to see the legs slowly compressing and buckling! He looked inside... and had to use his superhuman senses to even see what was in there!

"5 grams of White Dwarf star material. The Petri dish has a significant dollar value as it's been treated with a future tech gravitic transfer coating to stop the granule from shattering it." explained a Technician, looking at the dish. "Without it, the WD material would cause a crater in the floor, or possibly go through it!"

Lionheart could scarcely believe this! Had he been played? Surely even Wandafar couldn't make use of this?

With the lid on he scooped it up and slipped it inside a pocket... only for the cloth to part instantly and require he catch it before it dropped to the floor!

The technicians were clearly flustered and looked nervously about. This strange golf ball style pimpled room was clearly expensive to maintain and use - whatever it's function was.

Lionheart looked down at the dish. He'd gone through ALL this... for that? He glanced back at the energy field to see the remainder of the WD material pea suspended in the container. It would take only a super speed swipe and flash out of here at speed to have that away... and be back to the UK in moments at top speed!

OOC One more post from me in this issue then it's a wrap for this and move onto the next issue which ramps up the action! Apologies for the delays on this. It's lasted 11 months, which must be some kind of record even for this game! As far as I can tell this forum started in 2010, and our previous game ran for what, 12-18 months on the old forum that kept going up and down? I've no plans to do anything but keep playing because I love the game and you guys in it so much, but will make every effort to up my post rate and maybe get another couple of people in the new year if I can up the rate. Just need to sort out the personal adventures as it's been a year to forget for the most part!!!

Admin wrote:OOC One more post from me in this issue then it's a wrap for this and move onto the next issue which ramps up the action! Apologies for the delays on this. It's lasted 11 months, which must be some kind of record even for this game! As far as I can tell this forum started in 2010, and our previous game ran for what, 12-18 months on the old forum that kept going up and down? I've no plans to do anything but keep playing because I love the game and you guys in it so much, but will make every effort to up my post rate and maybe get another couple of people in the new year if I can up the rate. Just need to sort out the personal adventures as it's been a year to forget for the most part!!!

Lionheart looked down at the dish. He'd gone through ALL this... for that? He glanced back at the energy field to see the remainder of the WD material pea suspended in the container. It would take only a super speed swipe and flash out of here at speed to have that away... and be back to the UK in moments at top speed!

OOC: I completely understand, although I had no idea it had been that long. I don't mind others coming onboard but experience has proved its not for everyone. Personally I don't mind, quick or slow its all good.

Lionheart was torn, so much good that could be done with that material - but at what cost. One little slip for the end by any means might mean you end up losing the very end you sought. Your justification ends up being unjustifiable, like the White Dwarf material itself. Things start to collapse under their own hypocrisy. No, Timpson might well be wanting to tempt him with it, but there was no need to take the bait. If he grabbed the material and set off the alarms, fighting his way out. Timpson would have just cause to pursue it in and out of the courts. That was heat Lionheart didn't need and neither did the rest of the Meta Human Corps in America, right now. No one would thank him for turning the heat up on an already difficult situation.

With a short nod and wave to the others, Lionheart speed off not wanting to waste any more time...

Sj

Lionheart left without pause or obstacle, albeit he was shadowed by the armoured Timpson soldiers.

Once out in the open air he accelerated up and away, faster than a jet could follow, and piled his psychic energy into his flight. Space beckoned, as did his top speed. If only for moments. 6,000 or so miles at his top speed was covered in moments. Unfortunately atmospheric conditions would suffer dramatically would he to use his power within the bounds of the Earth.

At a more sedate speed he headed for the base where Wandafar waited. He couldn't help but wonder what happened to Thunder Woman, but felt sure they would meet again, some day.

=========

"Vat? Crep. Is zis it?" spluttered Wandafar.

Admittedly without superhuman strength he couldn't actually lift the special petri dish with the microscopic sample inside. He sagged back into his chair. "It's enough to put me off watching Eastenders tonight. Vell, until I get chance on ze catchup."

With a sigh he looked through the microscope. "Still.... it is pure stuff, better than that vot ve knew before. hence it is denser. Still..."

He turned to see Lionheart nibbling on a sandwich. The superhuman didn't really need to eat or drink much these days after his 'unlocking' with the merger of Saladin and achieving his full potential. "It boils down to zis. A vun vay trip. If we use zis to shrink you down, it means zet you vill hef to find some vay at ze other end of ze trip to regain your normal size. Not to mention all our buddies. Whoever kidnepped zem vill hef the means to do zet, so there is zet." With a sigh he fired up several machines which whirred mechanical arms over the petri dish and started to emit various light rays.

Lionheart pondered the words.

"May as vell get some rest. Decide vot you vant to vear. You usual rags or fancy costume. May be a couple of hours. Zis stuff is pure but so little of it means I hef to work harder to get it to work."

=========

EPILOGUE

"Well?" said the image of Timpson as it addressed a room full of scientists and technicians sat at screens and viewing a huge wall screen very much like that used by NASA to track space machines.

A woman stepped up to address the floating image as it stood on a platform addressing the room. "Sir, the tracking systems are working perfectly. The White Dwarf star material is at these coordinates."

"Yes, yes, inform the relevant people. Now, what do we know about the Class 5 Freak?"

She looked uncomfortable. "Despite your... our efforts to detain the ... superhuman long enough for the scanners to fully complete the scans, we did not get an accurate enough reading to fully analyse the being."

The image looked annoyed.

"Ah... ahem. We do know that the metahuman IS of Class 5 potential. His density was markedly less than others we have seen, but there is strong evidence that his power was generated via considerable mental abilities. Unusual in that they are used to boost his physical attributes as opposed to the kind of beings we have seen before exhibiting this level of power who use it to empower their mental attributes. So while he ranks as a Class 5 in overall power, he doesn't quite rank as a 5 in out and out mental power, possibly a 4. However, we do not detect any appreciable weaknesses. Many of these so called 'God' level supers have an achilles heel of some kind. Our scans were not able to reveal something of that nature."

"So, you're telling me we know nothing. We cannot duplicate this beings abilities? Why do I pay you people to..." spluttered Timpson.

The scientist held her hand up to interrupt and gulped as she did so, knowing that Timpson hated to be broken up when he was ranting! "Sir! Wait! We have something. A genetic code of sorts. Nothing we haven't seen before but it suggests this man was modified genetically, possibly at birth! This suggests that we can indeed copy his physical attributes and genetic code, and that perhaps this unique, special combination is susceptible to a certain combination of extra treatments that unlock these vast superhuman abilities!"

Timpson looked outraged, then considered. "Hmmm. Get right on that. There was something else. I skimmed over the morning reports. A most insistent message apparently from some crackpot who managed to hack into our systems only to leave a message rather than the theft of secrets or information. Somebody Bentham. A near identical 'attack' took place at the same time from someone called 'Trowers'. I don't know who these two are but they circumvented our most sophisticated cyber defences and cost me millions of dollars to beef up security. My people are 'bringing them in' but their timing is uncanny."

"The message was identical. 'We can help you mould the future to one of your choosing. You need to listen to us, trust us, and act on our information.' Intriguing. They hacked into my system and did no damage, only to send that message. Well, they got my attention. As for this... 'Lionheart' well... he shall soon feel our wrath. Impudent pup!"

END OF ISSUE 5

OOC HP rewards to follow

Admin wrote:

Timpson looked outraged, then considered. "Hmmm. Get right on that. There was something else. I skimmed over the morning reports. A most insistent message apparently from some crackpot who managed to hack into our systems only to leave a message rather than the theft of secrets or information. Somebody Bentham. A near identical 'attack' took place at the same time from someone called 'Trowers'. I don't know who these two are but they circumvented our most sophisticated cyber defences and cost me millions of dollars to beef up security. My people are 'bringing them in' but their timing is uncanny."

END OF ISSUE 5

OOC

I'm reading and thinking ugh no, I was right to be cautious and then they get enough DNA to sort out copies, double doh! And then to top it all Bentham and Trowers again - have they spliced their DNA with cat's or something? Talk about your original Nine lives.

Anyway one question I asked before got missed. Timpson is getting this White Dwarf Material from somewhere - question is where. If he, despite his considerable resources, can get it - assuming he hasn't been using interstellar flight, surely there is got to be a way we can get more of the material for us to use as well. I mean I carried a load of the stuff over America to him, with little trouble.

Sj