The Vanguard! Issue #3 - The Vanguard, The long dead Queen, and the Holy Grail...

The Vanguard

What happened before...

The Vanguard, a group of superheroes gathered to stop an invasion by a race of insidious extra-dimensional "Shadow Demons", was shunted through time and space to an alternate reality after a group of super villains successfully sent some of their operatives back in time! They helped the Nazis win World War II and conquer all of Europe! The Vanguard were protected from the effects of the time change thanks to the symbiotic relationship with mysterious powerful entities that inhabited within the heroes. In this new reality, they sparked a rebellion against the ruling Nazis and discovered a race of aliens that had been duped by the Nazis decades ago into helping them. One such alien (though he didn't know it until his powers surfaced) joined the team as "Putty" and quickly showed his importance by helping the Vanguard infiltrate an abandoned Nazi moonbase. Their mission was to retrieve a rare element called Lunarium and hand it to the aliens who would in turn help the Vanguard free a madman known as the "White Warlock", a superhuman with the knowledge to send the team back in time to set things right! Along the way, a deceased team member, Nowhere Man, was brought back to life thanks to knowledge he had placed in a memory stick, and applying it to this realities version of Nowhere Man, the resistance fighter James Caldwell.

Unfortunately the Aliens (P'utinarians) sent with the Vanguard were part of a secret cult who wished to take revenge on mankind for their peoples' suffering! To complicate matters the base was guarded by Nazi undead, failed experiments to make super soldiers. Failed, in one respect, very successful in another, for they were nigh on immortal and knew nothing of hunger, fatigue, even lacking the need for air to breathe! They were perfect guardians for the Moonbases' secret. That was revealed, in a long dead scientists' notes, to be that the Nazi superhuman program had used Lunarium to grant super powers to many of them, meaning they were vulnerable to the element! The most powerful Nazi superhuman, Adjutant, an alternate version of the heroic Adjutant in the Vanguards' own reality, led an attack on the moonbase to destroy the Vanguard! The 'killing blow' was delivered in the form of a nuclear weapon, which destroyed the base... Nowhere Man had recovered enough of his powers, however, to teleport the group to safety on another point of the moon!

Tired, battered from the 'blind teleport', running out of air (Frostbite especially, for his suit was ruptured!) and knowing the Nazis were out there to intercept communications to the P'utinarians who could pick them up, the Vanguard stared out across the blackness of space towards the shining orb, Earth, and wondered how on ... well, Earth, they were going to get out of this mess! However, though they'd failed in their mission to secure Lunarium, they had retrieved strange 'Lunarium-X' weapons crafted by the Nazi scientists to use on their masters before their air ran out!

Now all they had to do was get back to Earth, find several legendary magical artefacts for the White Warlock to use as fuel for his spell to send them back in time, attack the most heavily guarded Nazi camp to free the Warlock himself, and persuade the madman to help them! The small matter of not running out of air and avoiding the Nazis in space seemed almost a trivial matter...

Lionheart looked about, picked up a rock and tossed it up gently, watching it come down, albeit slower thanks to the lighter gravity. "So. We're running out of air. We can't contact the P'utinarians without tipping the Nazis off. We need to get back to Earth in time to infiltrate the most heavily guarded Nazi camp in Europe to stop the White Warlocks' execution, find the magical artefacts he needs to power his spell to send us back through time, and somehow persuade the guy to stop drooling and writing on the walls long enough to remember how to cast the spell. Once we get back, we need to somehow tip the balance of power so that the Nazis and their new superhuman army can't win the war, then find some way back to our own time without waiting it out and dying of old age. Let me know if I missed anything out." he said, sighing.

Stormwarden (OOC still run as npc) offered "One thing at a time. We just survived a nuclear explosion aimed at us, and got these." he held up the red glowing hammer. "If what Putty said is true this thing should somehow help us defeat Adjutant and the others. I still think he will listen to reason though. He's a hero, no matter what rubbish the Nazis have spoon fed him from birth! Must admit the air situation and getting off the moon are a problem. How far is it from here..." he said, glancing to the Earth "To there?"

Lionheart glanced over. "A long way?"

"An average of 238,857 miles, give or take depending on when we set off." said Frostbite (OOC NPC'd to say this ), looking at the various tiny hissing vents from his suit. "Thanks computer." he added.

Lionheart grinned. "Well I reckon if we set off now... let's see. We'll die in about an hours time. You, sooner. Hey, spooky!" he added, referring to Nowhere Man. "Can you teleport us over there?"

Nowhere Man looked up. "That last one nearly killed me. A few months ago?" he glanced at the Earth. "Before I died?" He shrugged. "I teleported the team to a stately home from Wales and that had me wobbling on my feet. So, no."

The team stood silent. They looked out at the Earth. The inky blackness of space surrounded them.

As they stood and looked, a light, like a flare, appeared around 100m away! It was about the size of a football, glowing brightly, like a small sun! Suddenly it changed into the voluptuous shape of a young woman!



"You're alive!" she yelled.

Stormwarden muttered "Well I'll be... Wait! The weapons! Don't come any closer!"

Lionheart looked up, incredulous. "Is she here to help, or betray us?"

Frostbite

OOC: Good recap, we are in a tight corner, though aren't we ;-)

As they stood and looked, a light, like a flare, appeared around 100m away! It was about the size of a football, glowing brightly, like a small sun! Suddenly it changed into the voluptuous shape of a young woman!

"You're alive!" she yelled.

Stormwarden muttered "Well I'll be... Wait! The weapons! Don't come any closer!"

Lionheart looked up, incredulous. "Is she here to help, or betray us?"

Somewhat taken aback by the women, who Frostbite thought was lost below ground, Frostbite nonetheless regarded her with caution.

Looking at the glowing weapons then at Conduit, Frostbite realised she would be in terrible danger if this mineral did do what was suggested. He too held up his hand, not wanting to expend to much oxygen speaking unnecessarily.

OOC: assume the others explain why here...to save my oxygen

Then after explaining the situation, Frostbite thought hard they were in need of finding their way back to earth. Their allies assuming, the P'utinarians, they remained so, couldn't come to them without giving away their presence. So what did that leave them unless Conduit could procure a ship of some sort?

Frostbite mentally racked his brains, he knew they needed to think outside the box, or else pray for a miracle.

OOC: Next to useless here, can't really talk - hence doing it in my head. I was thinking that Conduit could talk to the P'utinarians but it would require her being able to find them, convincing them not to fire on her and then getting them to come by to this location undetected. I've only mentioned it because its all I've got by way of a suggestion.

Sj

The Vanguard

Nowhere Man, barely able to lift his head, saw the Nazi operative. "Friend of yours? Or should we expect her buddies to turn up in a few minutes?" she asked of Stormwarden. Lionheart glanced down. "Hey guys..." Gathering up several of the 'sling bullets' - smooth round pebbles made of the Lunarium-X he offered them to each of the Vanguard "Insurance purposes. Not all of the Nazis will have superpowers granted by the Lunarium I expect, but those that do... well just having one of these on our person should give us an edge, eh?" He tucked his own in his belt pouch. "I'm ready to take on Adjutant now!" he grinned, then frowned. "Hold on. He can do that 'firing death ray from his eyes from space' though, right? Hmmm. I'll get to work on plan 'B'..."

OOC couldn't resist... By the way Dave (Frosty) if you want to run one of the others (Lionheart, Nowhere Man) as an NPC just holler whilst we're waiting for the other guys

The Vanguard

OOC:

1. Sorry to hear about your phishing scare Paul, nasty. Hope you've got them before they've got to you.
2. Yeah would love to run the other characters, I'm happier taking Lionheart, I feel Nowhere Man has always been your avatar in this world of yours ;-).
3. For some reason I didn't notification of either your previous update nor this one just gone. So I checked the site anyway as I knew you post late and found it here. It might be the others have had updates drop out as well? Although I know Kendal has a lot going on at present.

Lionheart looked back to their potential Nazi Allis, "So, any chance of a lift?" He said rather hoping she might oblige. The chances of getting off the moon, were pretty low, since he had no equipment to speak off nor a ship by which to get people back, they seemed to be sitting ducks right where they stood.

Lionheart returned to the serious matter at hand, "Our chances of a quietly slipping away become much harder if Adjutant is about as well. So how long will he and your ship remain in orbit? "

OOC:
Ok Paul need some tacticals here, is there any information about the moon, Lionheart might know that can be used to our advantage? Any old bases left here with ships that can be recommissioned into use to get us back to earth? What about the P'utinarian's are they contactable? Is there anything else we can be doing, notice or might be bale to use to effect a rescue?

Sj

The Vanguard

OOC Lionheart only knows the history from his timeline - around 100 years from now the moon was colonised with a base and the first (disastrous) attempts at terraforming were attempted. In this timeline... he's as much in the dark as you guys, as nothing he expected to find is here!

The girl looked around nervously. She was shouting, but thanks to the peculiar nature of her powers the team could hear her fine across the cold vacuum of space (OOC that'd be 'comic book physics' then, *cough*. For more explanation try and figure out how Peter Parker makes stretchy webs harder than diamond, and you'll be on the right lines...). "I don't know how long the others will be searching about. All there is... was... left of the base is a massive dust cloud that will take ... days to settle?" she said in accented English. "I found you because I can fly so fast, that and I felt the 'pull' from those things you have, whatever they are. Even now, from here... there's some kind of magnetic pull on me. Not on me, but my powers. It's hard to explain."

Nowhere Man glanced at Lionheart, then the others. He spoke up "Ok, we're going to trust you for the time being. We need to find somewhere with air, fast. Where your... former associates can't find us."

The girl look worried again "I'm not a traitor! Not to the normal people anyway! What the Nazis do, have done, to normal people who questioned their rule is wrong! If you people can help in some way, it will bring the first ray of hope for..."

Nowhere Man held up a hand "Yes, I agree, but we need to get off the moon, or at least to a place where we can rest up and breathe."

The girl nodded. "That way!" she points, behind you. "The dark side! Years ago, there was an attempt to establish a moonbase by the Americans. Though it was denied, the craft was attacked by the Nazi metahumans and crashed into the moon. If there's any other air on this rock, it's there! I can't come any closer, sorry! And... I have to go back. There will be questions! You won't have to go far, but if you walk it will take longer. I need to go!"

And with that, the girl flared brighter than the sun and was gone!

Nowhere Man glanced at the Dark Side, cast in perpetual shadow. The black line spread across the horizon. In truth they weren't far from it, but even that might prove too much for Frostbite! He turned to the Vanguards' leader. "Your powers. Time to see how far they'll go! You need to put yourself in suspended animation somehow. I don't know, freeze your blood? I *presume* it's something you can do, and as far as we figured out cold was never a problem. Your computer might be able to set in motion some kind of event that would wake you up? After that, we pick your frozen form up and get flying, running, walking or jumping to find this crashed space station. It's our best, only hope at the moment!"

Frostbite


OOC: I don't believe it I didn't get a notice to say the site had been updated today, so I went and looked and no wonder, for some reason the post I put up yesterday wasn't even here. So now I've got to rewrite it from memory Arghh!

Nowhere Man turned to Frostbite! "Your powers. Time to see how far they'll go! You need to put yourself in suspended animation somehow. I don't know, freeze your blood? I *presume* it's something you can do, and as far as we figured out cold was never a problem. Your computer might be able to set in motion some kind of event that would wake you up? After that, we pick your frozen form up and get flying, running, walking or jumping to find this crashed space station. It's our best, only hope at the moment!"

Frostbite nodded, internally he spoke with his computer to ready it to take over his vital commands and make sure it could be restarted to wake him when and if he could survive. Then he gestured for Nowhere Man to come forward. Taking his hand, he placed it on his chest plate, for Nowhere Man to establish a link from which he could tell the computer to wake Frostbite when it was safe.

OOC: assuming they interface fine....

Frostbite then lay down, closed his eyes and allowed his computer to take control of him and his powers so that it wouldn't stop freezing him up until his heart rate and body was cocooned within the ice.

Meanwhile Lionheart loaded up his surgical programme to oversee the whole operation. Not that he could do much for neither his mental powers nor his skills could help much in situation. But still he hated to do nothing at all.

Sj

OOC must admit my email has been all over the place. I sent some test messages to myself that took over 12 hours to turn up :S

The Vanguard

Nowhere Man nodded to Frostbite "See you in a few minutes." he grinned under the mask. It would seem like minutes to Frotbite but would perhaps be an hour or so of travelling for the Vanguard. Even at that, this was a 'last ditch gamble'. If the girl led them on a wild goose chase they'd end up dying on the moons surface, and humanity would stay doomed, in the grip of the Nazis!

The dark clad figure seemed to phase his hand into the chestplate of Frostbite, talking directly to the computer within. He pulled it out a second later. "We're on talking terms. Your computer does go on a bit sometimes though." rasped Nowhere Man. "We're ready. Freeze up!"

The team watched as Frostbites skin turned from its usual blue to almost translucent, the blood underneath freezing and the heart rate slowing... almost stopping! With his bodily functions slowed to near death levels it was probable Frostbite could survive a long time like this in vacuum, not that he'd want to be stuck in space forever mind!

Nowhere Man cocked his head to one side, a hand on the chestplate. "Things are ok. Let's get moving. Lionheart?"

Lionheart lowered his 'binoculars' that allowed him to flash the medical program into his mind and took a look at Frostbite. "There is a pulse... slowed down! Incredible!" he looked about. "Even with the powers I have, you people are astounding!"

Nowhere Man grumbled "All in a days work. Let's not waste air yapping!"

Stormwarden (OOC NPC mode) Scooped Frostbite up and held a hand out for Putty (OOC NPC mode) who in turn formed his body into a kind of cradle for Lionheart, who gathered the weapons together. Nowhere Man phased and took to the air, and soon the whole, strange group was flying in silence to the stygian darkness that was the side of the moon that never saw the sun.

Even these suits, specially created as they were to survive the rigours of space, would have their capabilities tested to the max in this deadly cold!

=========

<<. . . . Scanning. Life signs minimal. Interface subject James Caldwell, designation Nowhere Man. Connected. Communicating. . . Applying minimal electrical current to cerebral cortex. Completed.>>

"...Joe?"

His vision blurred, from total darkness to grey and then light!

Joe Rigdon groaned. He had a clanging headache. The air in here tasted stale. Old. He realised he was breathing without the suit and rubbed his eyes to focus.

James Caldwell sat on the bed next to that which Frostbite lay on. "Our friend with the swastika and hot pants came up trumps. Good job. Putty more or less had to drag us all the last few feet to get inside the space station! One side is pretty banged up. The rest is mostly intact. Someone's looted it at some stage, but the canisters for the air work just fine. Once those were hooked up we could get some power sorted out. Here."

Caldwell was dressed in what looked like an astronauts uniform. The flag on the chest suggested it was American. "Wrong flag, but my costume was a mess." he shrugged. The food was some kind of space mush. "Ten years old vintage. Tastes like axle grease. Stormwarden ate four packets already, hated every mouthful, and is on his fifth. Try to imagine it tastes like real food. You'll fail, but it's better than nothing."

Frostbite looked about. They were in a cramped medical bay of some kind of vessel. "USS Intrepid. Space shuttle. Ready to fly, actually, we're just waiting for a window. Putty, Stormwarden and Lionheart between them manage to lift part of the space station up thanks to the low gravity so that we could get the door open to launch this thing. We should be able to launch within the next... he glanced at a watch 10 minutes. Come up to the cockpit when you can, though I warn you, it's a bit cramped."

He patted Joe on the shoulder then went through the narrow door into the corridor and up towards the cockpit of the shuttle.

=========

Lionheart finished wiping his hands on a greasy rag. Without his mask on his was much younger than he seemed, barely out of his teens. "Hey! Look who's in the land of the living! No worries boss, I can fly this crate in my sleep! Took a bit of getting going mind, and Stormy is sorting out propping the door open with Putty so we can take off."

Frostbite moved to the cockpit door. The Earth beckoned. Blue and white globe, so peaceful from here. Second by second it loomed larger in the window. Lionheart leaned forwards "Ok guys, we're nigh on ready. Let's hope those Nazis aren't watching for us, or this'll be one short ride!"

=========

Elsewhere... The Nazi Spacestation

Conduit stood near the console. The Nazi spacestation was on high alert - despite the nuclear weapon that had been fired at the superhumans Adjutant and Gestapo high command were taking no chances! They scanned near space and the moons surface, though the search was painstaking. She chewed a nail, glanced about. Seeing on the screen where the scan was about to get to, she leaned against the console and smiled at the operator. At first intimidated, the man glanced about, then took in the length and shape of the metahumans' fine legs, a slow grin on his face. She batted her eyes, shyly, then made small talk, inching closer to the man and brushing a hand over a button on the desk, fumbling for a split second, her stomach leaping, before she found a switch. Behind her back, unseen by the operator who couldn't believe his luck, a screen and scanner winked off.

Minutes later, having set up a date and sweet talked the operator, Conduit hurried away, glancing about.

A level up, stood on a gantry, a shadowy figure watched her go. The eyes gazed upon her and narrowed, then glanced at the operator now back to watching his screens. He moved forwards, uncrossing his arms, and whispered quietly to a Gestapo officer who stiffened to attention, looked ashen faced, then talked into his radio. The pair moved off, following Conduit...

OOC Any last minute preparations? Lionheart has jury rigged the shuttle to get it going - Dave feel free to keep running him if you wish. David M, Kendal, catch up, join in when you can guys, and I'll keep shuffling the story on.

Frostbite

OOC: Wow I had that music from Dr Who going in my head when I read this, that incidental music where he gets his mad cap plans and surprises us all with his mad out of the box genius. Loved this mate and in some ways am grateful for the prod along, with RL stuff happening its good to keep things moving along. I will continue with Lionheart, but have no probs you NPCing when needed.
=========

"...Joe?"

His vision blurred, from total darkness to grey and then light!

Joe Rigdon groaned. He had a clanging headache. The air in here tasted stale. Old. He realised he was breathing without the suit and rubbed his eyes to focus.

His tongue felt like cardboard and his body didn't seem much better. He stretched slowly, feeling the bone ache within his body. He'd cheated death, again! But somehow he couldn't believe he'd come through this and yet, despite the aches he was here.

He brought his gaze around to James, it felt good to see his mentor. Frostbite didn't have much in this crazy world in which he'd been forcible inducted to, but James and the team came as close as one could get to friends and family. People who knew what it meant to have powers and the responsibilities and pressures they brought with them. Joe never lost sight of that fact, looking at James always reminded him of the real cost involved in continuing to be what they were.

Joe had defrosted entirely, he'd been Frostbite for so long since arriving it felt good to feel human for a while. But he was aware that the rest he craved wasn't available to him now. So he slowly allowed his body to reform his super hard frosted shell.

Frostbite looked about. They were in a cramped medical bay of some kind of vessel. "USS Intrepid. We should be able to launch within the next... he glanced at a watch 10 minutes. Come up to the cockpit when you can, though I warn you, it's a bit cramped."

=========

Lionheart finished wiping his hands on a greasy rag. "Hey! Look who's in the land of the living!

Nodding gratefully, his vocal cords still felt parched for some reason, he looked about the crampt quarters and out to the earth standing beautifully in space. And suddenly he felt overwhelmed as he missed his family, Abby, his old army pals and just a good old pint.

Lionheart leaned forwards "Ok guys, we're nigh on ready. Let's hope those Nazis aren't watching for us, or this'll be one short ride!"

Truth was, Lionheart knew this ship was being held together by good intentions, jury rigging and shear audacity. But if it got them within spitting distance of earth, then perhaps they might yet touch earth, real earth soil. Lionheart chided his sentimentalism, but couldn't help feel elated at the thought of returning to Earth, even one overrun by Nazi's.

OOC:

OK Lets do this...Frostbite will try and use his powers to soften the impact on the exterior heatshielding - try to maintain an even temperature for re-entry. Whilst Lionheart will allow Nowhere Man to fly where he needs or can use his mental powers to help the ship withstand re-entry.

Once we hit atmosphere, if Stormwarden can make good the opportunity to deal with the weather and use the air streams to help us along, whilst covering our tracks, all we need do is try and get through space unnoticed.

Sj

PUTTY


ooc: Hear I thought it was only Yahoo acting up. Guess it turned out to be the whole Internet. And I've been out of it the last 4 days. That's a boatload of messages to catch up on!


"I could go outside the spaceship," Putty suggested, "And form myself to look more like a rock so this would just be a wanderng asteroid. That might get us far enough away to avoid detection."

DavidMcMahon wrote:PUTTY
"I could go outside the spaceship," Putty suggested, "And form myself to look more like a rock so this would just be a wanderng asteroid. That might get us far enough away to avoid detection."

OOC: Out of the Box thinking - like it.

Sj

OOC Good to have you back David

The Vanguard

Nowhere Man patted Lionheart on the shoulder. "I'm going in the back to see if I can find something to use as a costume. I don't feel spooky enough dressed in a jumpsuit." he said, sarcastically.

Frostbite watched as the Earth loomed large in the cockpit screen. All about the cockpit however, the shuttle appeared to be encased in what was a huge asteroid!

Putty held on for as long as he could - he'd never held a shape this big before, was even amazed he could do it in the first place! It had been a sound idea but he felt awfully exposed out here, the spacesuit stretched to its limits and beyond! He would soon have to get back inside the ship - he just hoped his deception had done the trick!

=========

On board the Nazi spacestation...

"What's that?" asked a black clad officer. The operator glanced at the screen. "Debris sir. Space has been full of it since the blast. Our sensors have a hard time picking up much of anything thanks to all the Lunarium thrown up."

"Most of it will burn up on re-entry. What about that lump of rock? Where's it headed?"

The operator checked the instruments. "The North sea. Around 50 miles off the coast of Scotland. By the time it hits it will have burnt up to near nothing."

The officer frowned. "Get it up on the screen."

The pair watched as the asteroid tumbled closer to earth. The officer shrugged, waved it off. "Let the authorities know to watch the skies over Scotland."

=========

Moments after Putty slurped his way into the cargo hold, then the doors closed and the hold re-pressurised. The shuttle had taken off with some help from those with super strength and Putty acting as a line for them to hold onto, then the boosters had fired, the shuttle tumbling end over end in the direction of Earth with Putty as a disguise!

"Mother Earth is calling me." said Stormwarden. "I'll lay out the welcome home party."

Over Britain clouds boiled and spread, lightning crackled and thunder boomed. Those in London had experienced violent storms before, now they were battening down the hatches again! All over the country storm warnings were given - strange seeing as it had been forecast as a mild summers evening!

Stormwarden opened milk white eyes, speaking quietly "The winds will guide us to where we need to be. Where is that anyway?"

Nowhere Man came in, a black blanket tied around the neck as a hood and the rest trailing from behind as a cloak. "Don't say anything. I'm aware this isn't my usual classy look." he snarled. He pulled up a fistful of maps. "They're all in German, but we know where everything is."

As the shuttle tumbled towards Earth, Lionheart poised to hit the thrusters at the right time, Nowhere Man laid out the map and his possible plans. "We may need to split up. Time is running out. We need magical artefacts. If we can get the White Warlock out he will need to cast a spell to open a time gate. I know magic exists - the Lore Knights were formed through its use. The problem is that the Nazis will have combed Britain for magical artefacts. I can only hope - pray - that their very nature keeps them out of their hands!"

"Here." he pointed to the map. "What we know as Newport in Gwent. To the North an east is a village called Caerleon. Legends suggest it was once called something resembling Camelot. You all know the Arthur Legend. Somewhere, if it's true, may be some clue as to the resting place of the sword, Excalibur."

"Here. Stonehenge. We need someone with super strength to reassemble the circle. As it was. This is no easy undertaking, but I'll dig through the Nazis historical records when I get the chance to get the layout of the stones. They'll have scattered them across the area. No easy task. Some of those things weighed upwards of 40 tons. May need two of you, unless you have tested limits beyond that capacity."

He finally pointed to a point on the map. "London. Or, 'back into the Lions den'. More specifically, the Tower of London, or its ruins anyway. This is a long shot. What I am about to tell you was a national secret back in our time, in this one, well, the history we know changed in 1940. What remains of this information we'll have to find out."

He settled back, looking at the Earth grow larger in the cockpit. "Just over a decade ago a man named Sir James Peterson, one of the Queens' equerries, approached the Executive AND the Lore Knights. Bear in mind we were considered outlaws by some government types at the time, and the two teams weren't the best of friends anyway, though we did fight on the same side and kept a reasonable truce when our paths crossed. Peterson explained that in 1897 thieves broke into Buckingham Palace and stole a rather special cup, one dear to the heart of Queen Victoria. She was beside herself, and ordered anyone who was worth their salt to track the cup down. They failed. The Queen felt responsible and made special efforts to ensure she would oversee the cups' return. They cryogenically froze her, and put a dummy in the coffin for her state funeral. Crude technology, but incredible given the time it was devised."

"The Queen herself explained that the cup - I'm sure you guessed it was the Holy Grail, must be recovered at all costs, so she could finally rest. Anyway, the two teams set out to recover it. After an investigation, it was finally tracked down and its new owner - a lady called Morgan Le Fay who may or may not have been around at the time of Arthur - was defeated, though never captured. The Grail was returned. In this timeline, the Grail will not have been returned. In ours it was stolen by Le Fay who was to use it to renew her immortality, but was in turn stolen by unwitting thieves from her resting place, the ancestral home of the Caedmon-Davis family, based in Windsor. Le Fay had, over the decades, made preparations to cast the spell to renew her youth and make her properly immortal. It's not something one can simply wave a cup in the air, say some mumbo jumbo and have done with! Morgan needed to conserve her power and strength and wait till the moon aligned with the planets to cast the spell at the right time, essentially needing to 'lie low' for a century or so. In 1976 she assumed the identity of Lady Jennifer Caedmon-Davis. And the grail stayed with her at the mansion, until stolen."

"All of which is confusing enough until you apply our current situation. Time has changed gentlemen. We need to track down Morgan Le Fay, or find where she hid the grail up until the time the Nazis won the war in this time period. I cannot think of anywhere to start but with asking Queen Victoria herself. If she's still alive, and the Nazis didn't get to her, she'll have put some plan in motion to recover the grail to free her beloved Britain. We need to get to the ruins of Buckingham palace and check the cellars - it was there a hidden entrance concealed the lower catacombs where the Queen was. If the Queen is gone... our chances of finding the grail are gone too. If Hitler got it, as it was rumoured he fervently looked for it in our History, we are doomed. Without the sword, and the Grail, our chances of casting that spell..."

He held his hands up, shrugging. "I share memories with my new host. Picking out the bits I need takes time, but I'm getting there, and getting my powers back as I do it. So, we need a team to check out the ruins of Buckingham Palace, one to 'right' Stonehenge, and another to check out what was said to be the most likely site of Camelot, back in the day, to find a clue as to the location of the sword. I'd say it was a wild goose chase, but the goose in question is invisible, downright sneaky, might never have existed, and certainly didn't leave any tracks. Impossible? Absolutely, but impossible is what we do."

Lionheart called over his shoulder "Strap in! It'll be a bumpy ride!"

Stormwarden added "Just get us to a height where my winds can kick in. It'll be smoother after that, and we'll have no conventional interference. I expect the golf ball style hail has grounded every flight just about now..."

OOC Some or all of this may be familiar if you ever played the adventure 'Queen Victoria and the Holy Grail'...

Putty

OOC Some or all of this may be familiar if you ever played the adventure 'Queen Victoria and the Holy Grail'...

ooc: I was thinking that sounded familar though it had been years since I last looked at that module.

"So who goes where," Putty asked tiredly. Stretching and holding a form that long had really worn him out. A good nap was what he needed. "All my memories of any of these places - in this timeline or any other, is very scattered. So I will go with whoever to be muscle."

Frostbite

Frostbite rallied himself despite his tiredness, as he felt they where within striking distance of making progress.

He spoke aloud firmly but quickly, knowing time was short.

"We need muscle for the Stonehenge operation, Stormwarden I think that means you and Lionheart. Between the two of you, you should be able to provide cover to work and tackle that part of our mission. We need to you to keep a pea soup over the place. No doubt stones being rearranged around the Hendge will draw attention otherwise. But what to do about the other three locations before trying to rescue the White Warlock before his execution?"

[OOC: Paul I've lost one thread of these, why do we need Excaliber? I thought we needed the grail, and the Warlock but along the way I've forgotten what the Excaliber part is about?]

Frostbite chewed on a finger as he thought about what was needed. OOC: please free to chip in here anyone.

"But the rest is more difficult, we've got three other locations and only three of us left. I don't like the idea of splitting down and going solo. If one of us fails, we all do and if we don't even no of it, we're really stuck."

Moments after Putty slurped his way into the cargo hold, then the doors closed and the hold re-pressurised. The shuttle had taken off with some help from those with super strength and Putty acting as a line for them to hold onto, then the boosters had fired, the shuttle tumbling end over end in the direction of Earth with Putty as a disguise!

Frostbite nodded at him,

"Thanks that seems to have bought us some time."

Frostbite frowned, the thought of splitting up the team seemed a hard one to take.

"Ok I think Nowhere Man you need to go to Wales, you're a known enemy. we're less so. I think therefore you'd best lay low and find out what you can about the sword from there. Whilst Putty and I check out the ruins of Buckingham Palace. I did work at the pleasure of her Majesty, or at least her great grand daughter. If we hit pay-dirt, we can then move onto the the Tower of London. Then all we've got to do is reconvene at a location where we remain undetected and get rescue the White Warlock from a top security facility under the noses of the Nazis!"

Frostbite looked to the rest of the team as Lionheart interrupted their discussion.

"Strap in! It'll be a bumpy ride!"

Stormwarden added "Just get us to a height where my winds can kick in. It'll be smoother after that, and we'll have no conventional interference. I expect the golf ball style hail has grounded every flight just about now..."

"Stormwarden see if you can dump us at sea, Bristol channel, but out a bit. We don't want anyone investigating and finding a forgotten shuttle last seen on the moon, or we'll be in more trouble." Turning to Nowhere Man and Lionheart, Frostbite said quickly, "Can you rig this to explode when its sinking. I want to cover our tracks, but not make it obvious?"

As the ship began to make is descent to earth, Frostbite floated to compensate for the rough landing and for an even rougher time ahead.

OOC: OK I think we've got Hobson's choice here, five of us, four locations and no way to split up sensibly and a time limit counting away.

I think this is the best solution, but if anyone else has any suggestions then please let me know. With these more open free form options I don't know (nor will any off us) what the right choices or even if there are right choices and very wrong ones. I hate to split up the team, but realise we cannot cover everything together and also larger numbers draws attention.

The one thing I've not worked out is where we meet and also how we communicate without being detected. I did think we could meet at the Telecom tower as we did before, but not sure as London is too heavily guarded. So if Nowhere Man has an alternative suggestion I'd like to know.


Sj

OOC just about to hit the sack - proper reply either later on or around 9.30 ish in the morning when I get home from work! With regards Excalibur and the Holy Grail - you need only one for the White Warlock to power a spell of the magnitude required. Only... the Holy Grail is lost, made more complex because the trail reappeared in your own time in the mid 70s and despite Nowhere Man having worked on the case with the Exec and Lore Knights (that never happened, in the actual Exec/LK games, but for purposes of this it did after the games folded) he knows as much as anyone where the Grail is in this timeline. Lionheart, in this timeline, never went back to join the Executive, but will have done if time is restored, so he knows nothing of the Grail either. Excalibur is 'plan B'. Can't find the grail? Then the sword of power will do except... except that has been lost to mankind for more than 1,400 years since the time of Arthur, said to be around the 600AD. So you need a powerful artefact to cast a spell, best to spread yourself out in case you fail to find one. Fail to find both and you may still be able to get things sorted out by saving the White Warlock and coming up with some other magical source for him to do his thing with. If he dies... well, there's always 'plan c'. That falls under the category of 'whatever else has been discarded as being impossible to accomplish, try anyway cause we have nothing to lose!'

The Vanguard

Stormwarden took the words in, nodding. "I was rather a good historian and 'history detective', wrote a few papers on the Arthur legend, considered writing a book. Stonehenge may hold clues. From what I remember Arthurs' father - Uther Pendragon - was buried there. Maybe there's some clue... Anyway, hold on."

The shuttle started rattling, glowing on the outside! Frostbite helped by forming a field of intense cold on the nose cone, and the shuttle slammed into the atmosphere even as the team stared at a MASSIVE storm over the British isles - one that would surely shred any man made flying machine!

With milk white eyes Stormwarden turned and grinned, the big man stooping in the cockpit "Relax. That one's mine!" Sure enough the shuttle thundered through the sky and there was a minor rattle of the hull before the shuttle fired through what could only be described as a tunnel through the storm!

Lionheart, eyes wide, turned to glance at Stormwarden. "I've said it once or twice before, but you people, really, are unbelievable!"

Stormwarden shrugged "Should see us when we call on the dark power. That would blow ya socks off!"

Nowhere Man patted Stormwarden on the shoulder, turned to Frostbite. "Ok, I can go out and about unseen at the Camelot site, assuming its not a dead end. Not sure what I hope to find. I was considering going back to Caer Alwyn, but I don't think there'd be anything to help us there. Justin and Wandafar aren't around to help us out on this one, more's the shame." He listened to Frostbites plan and nodded "I'll cause an overload in its energy matrix set to go off after its in the Bristol Channel. All that'll be left is debris."

He glanced about, then laid out the map. "Ok, meeting point? The telecom tower probably never got built in this timeline. Be a devil of a time finding it in that case. We need to meet up somewhere where we can all find though. Here." he pointed to London. "Trafalgar Square. It will be 'underground' what with the Nazis building a raised city over the ruins of London. Probably choked with trash, but it survived the blitz in our time. I suggest we meet at what's left of Nelsons' column, unless someone has a better plan. Our communicators won't work past a few miles, so we'll be on our own. We have around 30 hours left before the Warlock is scheduled for execution*, I suggest we use it well, and accomplish the impossible. It's what we do."

The shuttle started to level, Lionheart quipping "Strap in ladies, Stormwardens' winds won't be so helpful at low altitude but he's done all the hard work. Looks like the country battened down the hatches for this storm anyway, so they'll not see this thing ditch."

=========

OOC *Without the time (right now) to go and check exactly how long has passed since the last update I'm saying 30 hours for you to stop the White Warlock being executed. Remember you have the Lunarium-X weapons, decide who's getting what. My next post will have you bailing out from the shuttle and whilst we'll stay in this thread, each will have their own headed posts rather than new posts for everyone and no one getting updates thanks to the screwy internet.

Frostbite

OOC: Thanks for the clarification, as I read it I had a moment of dejavu. I did realise you'd mentioned it before but I couldn't remember where and hadn't made a note of it. Doh!

Agreeing with Nowhere Man's suggestion of a meeting point, Frostbite finished the conversation as the ship went down, gaining moment as it fell.

"OK guys, we need to get out as soon as we can and before this think hits the water. Stormwarden you take Lionheart, I've got Putty and James can take care of himself!"


OOC: OK when its time to leave, we'll blow the hatch and jump out with our passengers, then make our way overland to where we need to be from here.

As regards the weapons, we'll divide one weapon amongst the three teams, and also give an equal supply of the arrowheads and ball's to everyone before we leave the shuttle.

Sj

PUTTY


"Give me some of those bullets and arrowshead, Frostbite," Putty requests. "I can probably use them more effectively than you can with my shapechanging abilities."

The Vanguard

Amidst the sheer violence, of the storm raging outside, the curious sight of an outdated shuttle, scarred and stained, dropping from the sky against a backdrop of leaden sky and howling rain was enough to make any casual observers rub their eyes in disbelief! Thankfully, there were none anyway - nights like this were reserved for the luckless and the dead. Anyone else had more sense and stayed indoors!

Lionheart bellowed "Thanks to this wind I reckon we can glide indefinitely! I propose we open the hatch, let Nowhere Man out then circle about and head towards London. Between me and Stormy we can keep this bird aloft and you guys can bail, we'll turn about again and ditch near the sea to make our way back to Stonehenge."

Stormwarden nodded "I can intensify the winds behind us, and the funnel in front effectively means there is no wind resistance. Our speed should be... "

Lionheart glanced at the dials "Faster than we can fly! I reckon... nearly 2,000mph at the moment! Should take no longer than 7 or 8 minutes to London. But we'll be detected by radar..."

"Keep low." said Stormwarden, gazing out the cockpit window. "Don't worry about forward propulsion, just steer, and I'll alter the wind tunnel to suit."

Nowhere Man simply nodded, looked outside, then at the map. "Then in that case gentlemen, only one thing to say." He scooped up the sword, sliding it through his belt. IN his mismatched NASA blue jumpsuit and black hood/cloak fashioned from a blanket he looked almost comical! "Been a while since I changed my clothes. I was getting itchy." he grinned to Frostbite as the team gathered, save Lionheart, piloting. "Whatever happens, know this. The mission is most important. This part of the mission requires we get back in time to right things, but never forget the big picture. The Shadows have darkened in this time, the demons feed. When they are sated, or bored, they will act. Only we few can stop them. Do your part of the mission and head to Trafalgar square. If we don't see each other again in this life, watch out for one another in the next." He offered his hand in a warriors' clasp, wrist to wrist, to each member.

Lionheart grinned "There you go again, spooky and dramatic! We got this covered. All we have to do is defeat an army of metahumans and go back through time to win a World War, right? The biggest question I have is, what's for tea after we've done that?"

OOC Assuming the Vanguard make appropriate goodbyes...

Nowhere Man glanced out the window "Time to go!" and with that he simply dropped through the floor!

Stormwarden watched him go then said "Pull about Lionheart. Stay low and head for London. I'm piling on the speed!"

OOC Nowhere Man took the sword, leaving the Axe and Hammer for Frostbite/Putty or Stormwarden to decide over. Putty has spear heads and bullets, as per Lionhearts' suggestion earlier each one of you carries a sling bullet somewhere on your person I assume.

The dark night sky thundered past, driving rain staying curiously absent from the screen of the shuttle, as if the craft were protected by an invisible bubble! Lightning flashed as the shuttle sped silently across the country, minutes passing before Lionheart called out "London coming up! I'm amazed we haven't been met by anyone! Where is the much vaunted Adjutant and his cronies?" Shaking his head he called out "Frosty, you need the hatch open or can you and Putty head out the same was as Spooky man?"

PUTTY

Nowhere Man simply nodded, looked outside, then at the map. "Then in that case gentlemen, only one thing to say." He scooped up the sword, sliding it through his belt. IN his mismatched NASA blue jumpsuit and black hood/cloak fashioned from a blanket he looked almost comical! "Been a while since I changed my clothes. I was getting itchy." he grinned to Frostbite as the team gathered, save Lionheart, piloting. "Whatever happens, know this. The mission is most important. This part of the mission requires we get back in time to right things, but never forget the big picture. The Shadows have darkened in this time, the demons feed. When they are sated, or bored, they will act. Only we few can stop them. Do your part of the mission and head to Trafalgar square. If we don't see each other again in this life, watch out for one another in the next." He offered his hand in a warriors' clasp, wrist to wrist, to each member.

Lionheart grinned "There you go again, spooky and dramatic! We got this covered. All we have to do is defeat an army of metahumans and go back through time to win a World War, right? The biggest question I have is, what's for tea after we've done that?"

Putty kept quiet at the jokes the others were making. They were friends, old friends who had fought alongside each other many times before, he believed. Unlike the others, he didn't have any memories of the Other Earth. So he may not exist once everything was put right.

"Heroic suicide," he muttered to himself. "But what choice have I got?"

Lionheart called out "London coming up! I'm amazed we haven't been met by anyone! Where is the much vaunted Adjutant and his cronies?" Shaking his head he called out "Frosty, you need the hatch open or can you and Putty head out the same was as Spooky man?"

"Faster if it is opened," Putty says finally out loud. "I can't ooze as fast as I can just jump out a door."

Frostbite

"Well take the door, and I'll take that.." Said Frostbite taking the axe, "I think the hammer is more your style, old friend." He winked at Stormwarden before saluting toward Lionheart and grasping Putty, leapt out of the shuttle.

He allowed Putty to flow around him, taking the position he felt comfortable with best whilst he let them drop quickly, silently and hopefully unnoticed before halting their descent below obvious detection, but not so low as to be seen by any who might look up. The storm wouldn't last, with Stormwarden funnelling all that energy, to keep the shuttle up, they didn't have much time to find Buckingham Palace.

"Ok Putty, I'm relying on you and my own internal computer to navigate us to the appropriate point without being spotted."

Sj

[quote="Steeple_jackuk"]Lioneahrt

"Well take the door, and I'll take that.." Said Frostbite taking the axe, "I think the hammer is more your style, old friend." He winked at Stormwarden before saluting toward Lionheart and grasping Putty, leapt out of the shuttle.

Lionheart continued to wrestle with the craft, applying his considerable strength and skills just to keeping the craft in the best position to make the most of the forbidding winds, Stormwarden funnelled around them. "Going to be quiet around here without the rest of the crew...ok looks like we're coming up on the location, we'd better dump this bucket of bolts before we make our way to Stonehenge."

With that Lionheart started the final preparations he needed to make to ensure little would be left to trace the shuttle once they'd left it.

Sj

The Vanguard - Frostbite and Putty

London. 2017. The conquered peoples of Britain have been living under oppressive Nazi rule since the early 1940s, the plucky 'never say die spirit' embodied by Winston Churchill and the brave men and women who fought and died being no match for a Nazi war machine empowered by superhumans and alien technology. Right now the cold concrete monoliths that make up the buildings, along with steel and glass towers, are lashed by a furious weather onslaught! Driving rain and howling wind force all those hardy souls who need to stay out in it to seek shelter, all others sit around state control televisions to seek news on this incredible phenomena, and why the authorities have done nothing about it. Below them, hundreds of metres, more in some cases, the ruins of London lay forgotten, despoiled, a brown, grey and black apocalyptic wasteland inhabited by those who avoid Nazi law, and sometimes pay the ultimate price for it.

(OOC translated from German) "Hauptmann! We have finished cleansing sectors 9 through 14. The weather hampers our efforts. The wind and dust..."

The Gestapo officer turned, pulling his collar up against the unseasonable cold. "I have contacted high command and await an answer on the phenomena. In the meantime, continue your duties. Cleanse with fire and pulsed rifle, gather 1 in 10 for interrogation. Someone must know something of the rebel movement."

"Heil Hitler!" yelled the under officer, saluting.

Hauptmann Gerscher casually saluted in turn, and looked upon the dying flames. Here had been a settlement, living under the very noses of the city above! Human trash, existing from the cast offs of a decadent civilisation. One growing fat, stagnant on it's own success. He slapped a pair of leather gloves in his hands and walked past the charred remains of the 'scavvies' -in this case a family of five refusing to leave their homes. The use of fire was restricted due to the pollution risk, but Gerscher thought it the only way of cleansing these scum.

=========

Putty landed silently, stretching a leg out to anchor onto the rain slicked concrete road. He racked his brain for the history of this place before Nazi rule. The monuments, landmarks, of a once proud now conquered people.

Frostbite, intangible, stared after the retreating shape of the Shuttle as it sped silently through the storm, untouched by wind or rain and aided by both as it disappeared into thick iron grey cloud.

<<Based on our geographical location I estimate the location of Buckingham Palace to be North East of our position, within one mile, though several hundred metres lower than where you are stood.>> said the computer. A compass overlay and navigation readout appeared in the corner of Frostbites' vision, though not so intrusive as to distract.

Putty saw places he recognised. The art gallery. The museum, filled of course with the Nazis portrayal of history, somewhat altered from the truth. He wondered how many more were out there, living as humans in fear of being persecuted, some not even knowing their true nature. The Vanguards' failure to secure Lunarium to empower the bases dotted about meant they were safer where they were rather than seeking asylum in the base/spacecraft.

The Vanguardians, faces grim against the wind and rain, looked for a suitable point between suspended roadways to drop down into the undercity, the remains of London as was, now only a wasteland for the outcasts of Nazi society.

It was no surprised for the heroes to hear rattling gunfire, screams and the purging roar of flame. Only 50m away thick back smoke and wisps of fire rose between roadways. They had their mission. Humanity, history, depended on their success.

More screams. The rattatatatata of gunfire.

<<To the northeast.>> reminded the computer. <<The remains of the Palace. Your objective.>>

The Vanguard - Stormwarden and Lionheart

35 miles south of Stonehenge, a powerful warrior stood on the cliff face overlooking the sea near Bournemouth, or at least what once had been Bournemouth. Stormwarden ground his teeth at the prospect of the Nazis ruling this land. Yet it was here, now. THIS was reality, THIS was the way things were, and the Vanguard sought to change it.

Lionheart sped up to Stormwardens side, shaking the water from himself. He'd bailed out before the shuttle splashed down, then swum at speed to the shore. Not fast enough to run on water nonetheless he would put any Olympian to shame thanks to superhuman strength, speed and agility.

Stormwarden nodded to his team mate "Best be on our way."

=========

20 or so minutes later the pair lay on their bellies. Looking out into the darkness, ignoring the howling storm thanks to a cocoon of calm air about them, they saw what appeared to be a Nazi outpost. It was a series of small buildings, a larger longer one that might be barracks, and a watchtower with large guns mounted and manned by reluctant soldiers having pulled the short straw for this duty. The area was ringfenced by a 10' high crackling wire fence and topped with nasty looking razor wire, running around a large area, hundreds of metres, where the stones had stood and now were scattered. Some were piled against one another. None stood in it's original location.

Stormwardens' anger reflected in the storm above, lightning arcing across the leaden skies as rain pummelled the hapless ground below. "Nazis. I hate these guys. All this seems quiet. We Left the moon, entered the airspace above Britain and now we're at a guarded monument sight. The weather may mean the guards aren't too happy to be out but... there's something... I don't know. Is it too easy?" he asked, glancing at Lionheart. He shook his head muttering "I'm all for a frontal assault, smash these goose stepping nutjobs back to the stone age, but if things are going to be that easy there's little to worry about."

"So why am I worried?"

Frostbite

London. 2017...More screams. The rattatatatata of gunfire.
<<To the northeast.>> reminded the computer. <<The remains of the Palace. Your objective.>>

Frostbite ground his teeth, the others had told him what had happened to the cell and the many people seeking to live free of the Nazi dominion under which they were ground. He couldn't believe they'd be so cruel and inhuman. But backed by the shadows that feed on all this grief, it wasn't really any surprise. Frostbite realised he was looking at another possible world, a world where he'd righted the wrongs to the time line, but one still threatened by the Darkening Shadows.

"Come on Putty,"Frostbite said in a weary voice, "We'd best tread carefully, that noise...we'll you know as well as I do what it most likely can mean. But its coming from where we need to be."

OOC: For speed sake I suggest that I carry Putty into the location and make use of the cover and advantage of height to descend carefully, trying not to be noticed.

I will continue to let Computer beam me location details and what not.

Sj

Lionheart

"So why am I worried?"

"Hmm, could it be that in this wind, even your hair doesn't look half as good as mine!" Quipped Lionheart, as usual displacing the gravity of his own concerns by using humour.

"Seriously big guy, who'd be worried about this bunch of stones! Although come to think of it if it wasn't a problem, why dismantle it and place a guard here? Why don't I take a quick look around the perimeter, we're still good for being in communicator range."

Lionheart got ready, to take a super speed look about, hoping not to trip any alarms or get into trouble that would make their mission any more difficult. But he too had an eerie feeling, a nameless sense of dread that even his good natured chirpyness couldn't shift.

OOC: Ok unless Stormwarden can think of a reason not to survey the sight, I'll take off running a good distance from the perimeter and trying not to trigger any alarms.