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

The Vanguard

"As to your question. Would we help? We must consult those few that are left. We will not approach any closer. We will, instead, initiate a homing system on your ship that brings you, to us."

Zen intoned "Automated systems are being overridden."

Nowhere Man glanced at Frostbite and the others "I can reprogram them to resist, but its your call."

Frostbite thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Since these 'people' have trust issues, we've got to take a lead in showing them we can be trusted." Seeing the look on Nowhere Man's face, Frostbite continued, "I know, its a risk. But this had to happen at some point one of us was going to have to trust the other or else we all fail. Besides their story [OOC: assuming what was said between Putty and his people was translated for us also) fits with what I know of the facts."

Then turning back to Putty, Frostbite put a hand out to his 'shoulder', "I know this must be hard and emotionally very difficult for you to come to terms with. But I need you to be focused. There is a lot at stake. If what your we've heard is correct then, to restore things back to the way they were and change time means a second change for your people not to have been wiped out by Hitler as well. All this suffering need not have been the way things would have happened. But I need you to focus as we are running out of time. We need to free the White Warlock who is due to be executed in a few days and before that, we've still got to find a long lost artefact. That Hitler with all his resources couldn't find."

Looking into Putty's face, Frostbite fell silent as he gave him time to respond and a chance to realise the full gravity of their situation. There was hope, but there was yet much to accomplish.

Sj

Stormwarden

"I'm not human."

Stormwarden turned to Putty. "Which of us still is? There are those amongst your people who will hate us being Human, and Humans who will hate us for being beyond Human. This is the way of our lives now." He sighed.

"We've still a long way to travel to reverse the problems of more than just one race then. First we must convince your people, and quickly, that we mean what we say, and then we must realise the goal of recovering the wizard. Your people, and therefore you Putty, are the means to that.

I hope that what we eventually do will help both our races."

Stormwarden looked on as the screen showed the oncoming craft, although in reality it was they approaching this cathederal like city in the stars.

PUTTY

I hope that what we eventually do will help both our races."

Stormwarden looked on as the screen showed the oncoming craft, although in reality it was they approaching this cathederal like city in the stars.[/quote]

"I will try my best," Putty replies. "So I guess we let them do what they want, to convince them that we are on their side?"

The Vanguard

There was a lurch as the rockets fired on the ship, blasting from within the close orbit of the moon to the darkness of the void. Despite the size of the ship on the viewscreen, filling it and more besides, it was clear it was a much magnified image - the actual mother ship was a long way away! That meant little though - the engines on the ship took on a different tone...

"That sounds.. new." muttered Nowhere Man

...and the craft shot forwards again for a few seconds, the viewscreen going blank, before there was a loud hum and a feeling of deceleration! Several minutes later, large clanking sounds and a jolt suggested they had docked with the mother ship!

=========

Where the main doors to the outside of the ship were, instead a bank of machinery confirmed that they would open onto a corridor on the mother ship. Atmosphere was breathable but thin - it appeared as if the hosts were making every effort to treat their guests cordially. Putty himself wasn't quite sure who or what he was any more, but being born on Earth, albeit of Alien parents, meant his body had adapted to that environment so he was as dependent on an Earth like atmosphere as the others!

The doors opened... and a welcoming committee of a dozen or so 'Putty' aliens waited for the group!

Each wore a necklace around their necks that gave them a robotic voice that spoke in a language the Vanguard felt, rather than heard!

"Welcome. We..." said the lead 'P'utinarian' "...are the last of our kind. The rest of us are hiding on your planet, or dead, killed by those we sought aid from, and made a pact with. We have not had good dealings with your people." said the alien. It glanced at the Vanguardian, Putty, before continuing "We have taken a vote. Those of our remaining number have decided to act, finally, and destroy your vile race... starting with you!"

The P'utinarians spread out suddenly - they clearly meant to slay the Vanguard!

FROSTBITE

As the P'utinarian's came forward, Frostbite stepped to Putty's side, allowing him to take the lead for the group. He had no idea how touchy these beings were, nor how much protocol dictated what and how they should behave.

"Welcome. We..." said the lead 'P'utinarian' "...are the last of our kind. The rest of us are hiding on your planet, or dead, killed by those we sought aid from, and made a pact with. We have not had good dealings with your people." said the alien. It glanced at the Vanguardian, Putty, before continuing "We have taken a vote. Those of our remaining number have decided to act, finally, and destroy your vile race... starting with you!"

As they started to move into a battle formation, it took everything within Frostbite to stand his ground, he quickly held up his hand, "Hold" he instructed the others, knowing that their next move could be decisive. Frostbite couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of test, after all the P'utinarian's had been betrayed before.

Nonetheless, he was tensed and ready to act and if fired upon, the P'utinarian's would get one chance and one chance only. But then that was what Frostbite felt the Vanguard had now and he was determined to make it count, to.

OOC:

I'm making a number of assumptions which, given the lead we've had I suspect might be in the 'right ballpark'. But at this point I'm also kinda laying the ground for you, Dave as as our P'utinarian, team mate.

Sj

Putty



"NOOO!!!!! You mustn't! We are not the enemy! We are fighting a common foe," Putty yells as he stretches his body out in front of the other heroes, trying to create a barrier between the two groups.

The Vanguard

Even as the aliens spread themselves about in an attack formation, Putty tried to interpose himself between them and his new team mates.

Lionheart muttered "Outnumbered and only breathing cause they want us to. We're in a tricky spot!"

Nowhere Man turned "Be ready! This could go badly wrong if..."

"STOP!"

The voice rang out, the modulated sound coming from a translation device hung around a P'utinarians' neck. Everyone turned to see another delegation of aliens slip sliding their way down the corridor. "You must forgive my comrades. It is too easy for us to trust - we are not by nature warlike, but that trust was betrayed in a catastrophic event decades ago when the Nazis hunted us down. We know some are still in hiding as humans, but the bulk of our race was wiped out!"

The leader slithered his way to the group. "I am P'ulesin, elected leader of the world ship and the last of our race as far as we know, for the other world ships that set out have long been lost from our scanners. We will never see them again. The Nazi humans are our enemies. We do not recognise you, but from your words and non aggressive stance we can only assume you are not with them, but you'll understand if we cannot fully trust you yet. Such actions have cost us dearly."

As the leader spoke he walked along the corridor, beckoning you to follow as he entered a strange bubble like machine on rails. The ship was too vast to comprehend, all smooth round corridors that the P'utinarians could flow down, like water, when need be. Everything was round,organic, smooth and white. The problem was, it was a ship designed to hold tens, even hundreds, of thousands.

P'ulesin spoke again. "We number less than 1,000. We lost a large contingent several years ago when they went to Earth looking for survivors, relatives, friends... and were brutally slain by Nazis! You humans... you are capable of such extremes!" he took a look at Putty. "I suspect you must have been raised as one of them to avoid detection for so long, young one! You wear a form you probably consider to be unnatural, but it is how you were born. Your parents must have found a way to incorporate with the Nazi regime to survive so long. Others, I fear, were not so lucky. We have had to wait at the edge of the solar system to avoid detection. Coming any closer would incur the wrath of several powerful metahumans. Even with a ship as this, and her armaments, against targets so small, fast and powerful, we are near hopelessly outmatch, especially as our reserves of energy are so low."

He spoke quietly now as the bubble car whizzed along a tunnel. "This ship no longer has the power to leave the solar system and get anywhere without running out. We are, trapped then. A dying people in a dying ship unable to mine for the fuel we need from your moon because we would be detected and slain." The alien looks at you all. "That trust we spoke of earlier. You can earn it, and our undying friendship. What I ask is perhaps too much, even for the likes of you, but I MUST ask it of you."

The P'utinarian sighed. "We need power. The element you call Lunarium was mind from your moon until a few decades ago. There must be vast reserves there now... along with the bodies of our workers. We need more. Urgently, or the last of our race will die out. The other thing we need is a call to the last survivors of our race, shake off your forms and rejoin us, that we may venture to the stars and find more like us, and perhaps a peaceful place to live. I ask... and know you must have your own agenda. If you refuse, I will understand, and will lead a mission to accomplish those goals myself. It will be do or die though. We must send enough to ensure success, and in doing so doom those left behind should we fail. The Nazis forced us to this. I cannot believe your coming was an accident. It was meant to be, and I hope, you are the salvation we have prayed to P'hrashianna for."

The bubble car stopped and the group made it ways out into a vast domed plaza. All around it were walkways, consoles set into the walls high off the floor like cliffs and birds that nest on them in pockets. Of course, the aliens could adhere to any surface and so the worldship would be built around their abilities. "Active screen." said the Alien leader. A screen the size of a football pitch appeared on the inner wall of the dome, zoomed in on planet Earth. It zoomed further still, to where a space station was being built by the Nazis.

Though he wore the colours and uniform of a Nazi, the Vanguardians recognised the most powerful enemy they would face in this reality.

Adjutant.

He worked in the hard vacuum of space without a suit, assembling gigantic struts and modules onto the space station. Even as he worked, he paused.

He turned and looked out into space, almost as if he were directly looking at the camera.

"THAT is our problem. That man, more than any other, prevents our race from finding peace, from hoping." said the Alien leader.

Adjutant stared hard, narrowed his eyes, then got back to work.

Frostbite

OOC: sorry for slow reply - I never got an email telling me this had been updated.

"STOP!"

The leader slithered his way to the group. "I am P'ulesin, elected leader of the world ship...you'll understand if we cannot fully trust you yet. Such actions have cost us dearly."

Frostbite nodded, still tense, but ready to talk and glad for the opportunity to do so.

He followed as ordered and indicated for the rest to do the same.

"THAT is our problem...Adjutant stared hard, narrowed his eyes, then got back to work.

Frostbite shook his head and gave out a deep sigh. "And ours! P'ulesin we are not of this time line. In our continuum the Nazi's never gained your superior knowledge and were defeated. But many still held onto their ideals and have used power and magic to go back and splinter our time making it into what you've sadly witnessed.

We would dearly like to help you and will do if there is any point in our primary mission that can work for you. You see we are here to change time back to what it was, that none of this should have happened. We only have a short window of opportunity. We need to mount a rescue mission in order to get the one man, who might be able to open a portal, through which we can undo what should never have been done. Before we get there though, we also need to retrieve an artefact Hitler sought, but never found. And all in the next 36 hours.

If we help you, will you help us? Can we help you in the time that remains, so you can help us achieve what we need to do. Though we can't restore your homeworld, think what you'd still have of your people if you never encountered Hitler. For what you stand to gain, is no less than what we stand to gain if we hold true to our mission.

I don't know if as a result of this, we can help you, what is it that you need us to do?

Sj

The Vanguard

The leader considers Frostbites words, looks to his companions and then at Putty. "Restore... the timeline? And the P'utinarians we lost to the vile Nazis? Can such a thing...?" He paused, then continued. "We have, of course, researched such theories. In essence, you simply exchange your reality for another one, and the one you left behind continues as it was. There are infinite realities. Except... except that, too, is only a theory. We cannot time travel, and would have if we could. If you can, then I can honestly say we will help you. After all, what is left for us in this reality? If we stray too close to Earth the metahumans will destroy us. Stay out here long enough and our near exhausted energy will run out, we die anyway."

He turned to his people. They looked from the walls where they perched, some several hundred metres from the ground, even upside down! "What have we to lose? I say nothing. We have already lost. This represents our best, only hope of winning back some of what we lost. One last mad gamble!"

"So how can we help you? Bear in mind our energy reserves are limited without the supplies from your moon. With them... we have upgraded our weapons and shields to a level where we could hold off the likes of the Adjutant for a while, but lack the enormous energy supplies needed to test them. Our people are born shapeshifters, warriors. Our high gravity world gives us enhanced strength and agility, on a par with many of the metahumans on your planet. I dare say, with the right planning, we could use all 953 of us on this vessel to help you. Be aware we sent around a thousand to free our people last time, and they were wiped out. Several of the metahumans are of a power level we cannot hope to fight!"

The P'utinarian leader shrugged. "I'm not sure the translator will make the words come out right, but we have a saying. 'In for a Schleplum, in for a Carnoshlem'. I suppose it means we are prepared to risk all..."

PUTTY


Putty looked around at all the others who were just like him. He listened and waited. He wondered if he would exist in the "other" timeline, since he hadn't come from it, like the rest of the Vanguard seemed to have come from.

FROSTBITE

This represents our best, only hope of winning back some of what we lost. One last mad gamble!"

Frostbite nodded, thinking the whole team was all that remained of that which they'd known. Already they'd lost lives, Darkshadow and who knows what. But if in the end they could hope to right the greatest wrong, restore time and in so doing cripple Hitler's dreams - then it would be worth it. Yes it was a mad gamble, but one they'd already pledged everything to already.

"So how can we help you? Bear in mind our energy reserves are limited...Several of the metahumans are of a power level we cannot hope to fight!"

"Well fighting is something I hope to avoid, for the very reasons you've mentioned. Our goal is to find a cup, a chalice, called the Holy Grail. It was lost, but might yet reside in an old castle, a fortress, probably buried beneath what we once knew as London."

Frostbite turned to the others, what they knew and what they had to do, still seemed miles apart. "If we can find this artefact we are but through the first part of our mission."

The P'utinarian leader shrugged. "I'm not sure the translator will make the words come out right, but we have a saying. 'In for a Schleplum, in for a Carnoshlem'. I suppose it means we are prepared to risk all..."

A smile came to Frostbite's face, he couldn't help but laugh. "I like you P'ulesin. Yes we have a similar phrase, I understand the sentiment despite the translation."

Then becoming more serious, he continued, "If we are to succeed, even getting to London and the tower undetected to find the Holy Grail....we'll need stealth and haste. If the Nazi's get wind of what we're up, or of where we are...all will be lost. I don't wish to endanger any more of your people or alert the Nazi's to your presence - their ignorance of us, is their only weakness at this point. As to a plan, well we're a team and since we're in this together, I welcome the input of your people as much as my own."

As Frostbite said this he held out his hands wide, whilst taking everyone there in, this wasn't going to be easy. Several ideas came to mind, but this was not the army. He wasn't in full possession of the facts and in truth he'd welcome the input of the others. Besides which he was mindful of the strong distrust among Putty's people. He wanted the

OOC: Ok gang feel free to chip in here, I've wanted to open things up but feel this is the time for input from us all. I'm not sure if we might not still need to stop by the moon to get this mineral in case we need it to power our ship, besides which if this all goes belly up I'd want the P'utinarian's to be able to get away. But that might be more than we can manage in the time we've left.

Anyway thoughts, suggestions and ideas...

Sj

PUTTY


Then becoming more serious, he continued, "If we are to succeed, even getting to London and the tower undetected to find the Holy Grail....we'll need stealth and haste. If the Nazi's get wind of what we're up, or of where we are...all will be lost. I don't wish to endanger any more of your people or alert the Nazi's to your presence - their ignorance of us, is their only weakness at this point. As to a plan, well we're a team and since we're in this together, I welcome the input of your people as much as my own."

"Didn't someone say that this ship has the power to blast that Nazi in space," Putty asks. "One or two shots at him, at least."

"Didn't someone say that this ship has the power to blast that Nazi in space," Putty asks. "One or two shots at him, at least."

"It might do." Stormwarden replied, "But that's Adjutant out there. I suspect that there's no effective way we can take him out at range, or close up." He hesitated. "To be honest Putty, if it came down to a brawl with him, you're probably our best hope. You should be able to access power that we cannot. If we did it, then we're unprotected from the changes in time and we'll end up either disappearing or reappearing on the other side."

He thought about it.

"Back when, I could usually talk to him. I really think thats the best idea - he was never the self-righteous sort so he may be open to suggestions. Especially if we are carrying out a rescue mission and not threatening the Nazi's in any other way. We just need to pitch it to him the right way. In fact if you want to, I'll do it, myself."

FROSTBITE

"To be honest Putty, if it came down to a brawl with him, you're probably our best hope. You should be able to access power that we cannot. If we did it, then we're unprotected from the changes in time and we'll end up either disappearing or reappearing on the other side."

Frostbite nodded, suddenly realising that they had a potential ace in the hole that he hadn't considered up till then.

He thought about it.

"Back when, I could usually talk to him. In fact if you want to, I'll do it, myself."

Frostbite nodded, "It may come to that and it seems we have more than one plan up our sleeve. If we cannot talk to Adjutant and make him see sense, Nowhere Man has an untested device that might work and if that fails Putty, we can let that which is with you, cut loose and hope and pray it works. I think that makes a swift side step to the moon a real possibility. After all I'd rather face Adjutant there than on earth, if at all.

Agreed!" Frostbite asked the team to affirm the decision.

OOC: Assuming the response is in the affirmative then it looks like we're going to the moon.

Sj

Frostbite nodded, "It may come to that and it seems we have more than one plan up our sleeve. If we cannot talk to Adjutant and make him see sense, Nowhere Man has an untested device that might work and if that fails Putty, we can let that which is with you, cut loose and hope and pray it works. I think that makes a swift side step to the moon a real possibility. After all I'd rather face Adjutant there than on earth, if at all.

Agreed!" Frostbite asked the team to affirm the decision.

"Agreed." Stormwarden replied. "Putty?"

PUTTY


Agreed!"[/i] Frostbite asked the team to affirm the decision.
[/quote]

"Agreed." Stormwarden replied. "Putty?"[/quote]

"You have to remember, I have no memories," Putty says. "I don't really know about Adjutant. I don't know about these people who say that they are my people. I don't even remember my parents all that much. Just snatches of images and smells and sounds that are sometimes contradictory. If we set time right, as you folks define it, I may not even exist in the "other" universe. I know I hate Nazis though. Anything to defeat them is all right with me!"

The Vanguard

The P'utinarian leader looks upon you all without an apparent change in his expression, but the translator manages to convey the gratitude in his voice sufficiently. "You owe us nothing, you do not make war on us, seeking to wipe the last of us out, and, more than that, you would risk your lives to help us?"

Lionheart glanced at the others, then at Nowhere Man "Do I get a say?" he enquired. "I mean, come on, we voting on this?"

Nowhere Man stared at him.

Lionheart shrugged, smiling "I was gonna say lets go to the moon anyway, but y'know, I was just sayin'... "

Nowhere Man turns to the team. "It may be a day or more before I regain the abilities I lost. I feel my body changing, but every time I take on a new form from a different reality something is 'lost in the translation' at least for a while. Think of it as waiting for your luggage at the Airport. It'll come round eventually. Well, unless it's been sent to Venezuela or somewhere. Hey, it's happened..." He turns back to the Aliens. "You can help us. I take it this ship won't move far under its own power, right? How about you allocate a few of your number to serve as crew on board our ship. If nothing else you can help us fight off any Nazis, get a little payback..."

Immediately there are shouts, calls, from around the 'bridge' (though it was more like a few football stadiums in size) from volunteers. "Guess that sorts the crew part out." Nowhere Man mutters. "How we going to do this?" he asks all of you. "Adjutant and the Nazis will know about us thanks to that station if it's up and operational. I have a plan about that, but you may not like it...."

Lionheart quips "I don't know you much, but this sounds like a suicide mission..."

"You know me well enough then.." growled Nowhere Man. "As you know, I become intangible and invisible, and I can interact with machines. Those were the powers I had as Wraith. If I can get into the space stations systems I can wreak havoc and run interference, assuming my powers are working by then. If not, well, it won't be much of a distraction, shall we say. The question is, how to get close enough to that station to get me on board? And if anyone has any better plan of keeping Adjutant and the Nazis off our backs whilst we get what we need from the Moon Mines I'm all ears..." he said, then added "And as Stormwarden says, our last resort may be Putty. My body wouldn't take unleashing the Dark Power yet, at least until its acclimatised to my superhuman nature."

PUTTY


he said, then added "And as Stormwarden says, our last resort may be Putty. My body wouldn't take unleashing the Dark Power yet, at least until its acclimatised to my superhuman nature."[/quote]


"Um ...," Putty turns to the other aliens, "can we survive in space? Am I just like you or different?"

DavidMcMahon wrote:PUTTY


he said, then added "And as Stormwarden says, our last resort may be Putty. My body wouldn't take unleashing the Dark Power yet, at least until its acclimatised to my superhuman nature."

"Um ...," Putty turns to the other aliens, "can we survive in space? Am I just like you or different?"[/quote]

"It's a good Point," Stormwarden replied. "As he is at the moment, he may not be able to." He turned to the rest of the P'utinarians. "Can you?" he enquired. "If not, then its likely that he can only do this once he's taken on the Shadows power."

He thought about it carefully.

"But hopefully it's a moot point. If I need to talk to Adjutant, then I need somewhere with air to do it! That meeting will be up to Adjutant and will be either on that ship we came in on, or on the space station itself. That latter's preferable. If there are lights on the ship, then we flash morse at Adjutant as we come in. Something simple like. "Urgent. Need to talk.""

FROSTBITE

OOC: Last night nothing - this morning flurry of activity. I've decided you're all nightbirds when it comes to replying ;-)

Taking on board what Putty had said, Frostbite looked across at him. He heard the fear that was in his voice. If they were successful, would he even exist. Frostbite didn't know, but was grateful for the selfless attitude, but couldn't help but wonder that as Nowhere Man had returned, he couldn't help but wonder if the shadow beings they shared their existence with might yet keep him after this was over.

Returning from his reflection, Frostbite listened in on the discussion, it was clear that a plan was beginning to form, but having considered their options, it seemed that their first port of call was the moon, via a message to Adjutant.

"Friends, we know we've got to get to the moon, to get the minerals we need there to power this ship. I think any discussion with Adjutant ought to be taken up there. If that proves unsuccessful, we can take counter measures safely - if Adjutant is safely out of the way, the space station will be wide open. If Adjutant in on our side or at least willing to stand back, we're good to go. If not then its all over anyway."


Frostbite then looked around, "We've got a crew, we'll need space suits as there is no atmosphere unless we can turn it back on down there. And we'll need a way to Morse code a signal to Adjutant. If we do that from space, by the time the light gets to him and he responds, we should be able to touch down and meet him at the moon base - well, hopefully anyway."

Looking to the group than back to P'ulesin, Frostbite said, "Well, as we people on Earth say, 'we're not getting any younger, so lets get to it!"

OOC:
Ok So Paul we want the ship to be equipped for the moonflight and also if they can spare us anything to help us when it comes to searching later for the grail - scanners or any other such stuff, that would be great. I want to put them onto it now, such that when we return with the minerals we can then go again, I want a quick turn around time. Of course assuming all goes to plan ;-).

Unless there is any other comments by the group - I want to move things along such that we are ready to signal Adjutant and get to the moon base to find the mineral deposits to load on the ship.

I know that Kendal is away this weekend, so I guess in the meantime getting to the moon in prep for Adjutant helps us all get on with things.

Oh and one final thing, I am around to Sunday, then I've got to go up and see my dad again (I live in North Devon he's currently sick in Guys Hospital, London) - we've just found out its liver cancer and its a matter of time, now. I will be back on Tue all being well. So if I have to suddenly dip out (I mean you don't hear from me for a day or two - which is rare unless my computer blows up or something, now you know why.

Sj

The Vanguard

In answer to Putty - and Stormwarden - about the P'Utinarians ability to survive in space. P'Ulesin answered. "We cannot survive in space. The intense cold crystallises us. However, rather than kill us, our forms going into a state of suspended animation. With the right techniques and luck, we can be revived though the recovery process after that takes some time to get over."

He turned to the Vanguard. "We can manufacture suits with a special self healing polymer that will seal if ripped. We wear them ourselves as they change form to hug body contours. The air you exhale is filtered and recycled so you have around 1 hour or so of time. It may be less. The computer is translating our units into something you can understand. Here." He stretched an arm thirty or so metres across the room where another P'utinarian was holding a box. Plucking half a dozen globes like golf balls he stated, simply "Crack them open then touch the goo inside. It will encapsulate your body. As a side effect you'll stay dry in water, be able to breathe for the time that the recycled air allows and resist a limited degree of normal cold and heat. The Nazis asked us to develop something along those lines but some of their scientists begged us not to hand the technology over. It seemed not all were bad. I fear those few are gone now, though..."

OOC You have a 'trans-suit' each. Allows 40 minutes-1 hour of breathing underwater or in space, limited protection from cold (30 minutes in the arctic, around 10 minutes in space) and heat (1 hour in Death Valley before heat is felt) and stops your uniforms from getting dirty.

P'ulesin continued. "We have checked your pod over. I don't know how you did it, but its batteries are charged to full capacity, even now, which is impossible given the energy they expended to get this deep into your solar system. I... am ashamed to say many of my people wish to take the craft for ourselves, for the energy reserves, but feel your mission is of ultimate importance, and have denied their wishes. Many were not pleased. Unless you have other requirements, I suggest you depart immediately. We will not be able to cloak you beyond a certain range. Our own cloaking device works intermittently, and many have said that it, too, should be deactivated to save energy. It is, however, the only thing that has kept us alive when several Nazis are capable of deep space and faster than light travel."

"May the great Goo Gods go with you."

=========

Back on board the ship, the Vanguard noticed it was busier. There were P'utinarians all over the ship, monitoring equipment, cleaning up, reorganising and repairing fixtures, and reassembling robots to service the crew. All told P'ulesin had assigned 30 P'utinarians, nowhere near a full complement but more than enough to help out should the Vanguard run into a standard half dozen or so Nazi metahumans now that Majestic was out of the way.

Lionheart glanced about as a P'utinarian passed him on the bridge. "Weird I know, but I can tell you are... 'you' Putty, even though you look the same."

Nowhere Man turned to the Vanguardians on the Bridge even as the team looked out at the viewscreen and the vast ship they were docked with. "Here we go again, do or die. Remember Stormwarden - this isn't the Adjutant you or I knew. That one was honourable, reasonable, and tried to do the right thing, even if he was misguided and misinformed. This one is a Nazi, born and bred. He would as soon crack your skull than listen to you, but I have to admit, right now, without the Dark Power, it seems our only option. Putty is the only one who might be able to access it, and it may overwhelm him. We just don't know, with him being a different species."

Lionheart dropped at the helm, flexed his fingers and turned to Frostbite in the Captains chair. "Say the word! Where to first? The Moon, or a point near where we can signal Adjutant. Bear in mind that he's more powerful than Majestic, and that goon nearly took us apart on his own. Just thought I'd mention that in case anyone forgot the beating we took a few hours ago..." he grinned.

FROSTBITE

Frostbite went back to the 'their' ship thoughtful and grateful for the sacrifices the P'utinarians' were making. But also deeply concerned for their mission. More than once he stole a furtive look toward Nowhere Man, unsure of so much yet preparing to risk it all.

Lionheart dropped at the helm, flexed his fingers and turned to Frostbite in the Captains chair. "Say the word! Where to first? The Moon, or a point near where we can signal Adjutant. Bear in mind that he's more powerful than Majestic, and that goon nearly took us apart on his own. Just thought I'd mention that in case anyone forgot the beating we took a few hours ago..." he grinned.

Frostbite nodded...

[OOC: Paul quick question, is the base on the dark side of the bright side of the moon? If the bright side, then I guess there is little chance of us sneaking in to get the materials we need without Adjutant knowing? In which case we'll flash Adjutant just above the base - where he and he alone would see it, but where we could also land and get things moving. Allowing the P'utinarians to deploy and getting the minerals whilst we 'talk' with Adjutant. But if its the dark side then, I think we'll get the materials first and then perhaps even use the base - if we can get it working to signal him, or if that doesn't work signal him from where we've got line of site to him... then go down as planned.]

Explaining this thoughts to the crew and team mates, Frostbite concluded by saying, "Nowhere Man I want that contingency plan in place, if Stormwarden is right and he gets through to Adjutant, then we've lost nothing. If You're right we need to take Adjutant down quickly - assuming such a thing is possible.

If all else fails..."

And at this point Frostbite turned to Putty, "You my friend are our greatest hope. The beings within us have unimaginable power, they can even make Adjutant stop and think. But as Nowhere Man has already said, we've got no idea how they'll work within you. Having said that they've tended to chosen well. But if it comes to it, know that the power within you, is a last resort only. But our mission, your people and our own and all that we are fighting to restore is too important for us to fail now."

Looking at the team he finally said, "Ok let's do it."

Sj

PUTTY

"I'm not sure which special powers you think I have," Putty says, "But I will do my best to make things right."

DavidMcMahon wrote:PUTTY

"I'm not sure which special powers you think I have," Putty says, "But I will do my best to make things right."

Frostbite nodded aware of how Putty must feel. "When the time comes, if it comes, you'll know what to do. The power within you wants to be used, especially if your host body is in danger, believe me." Frostbite added emphatically, giving a knowing look to Stormwarden and Nowhere Man.

Sj

The Vanguard

OOC The base is on the dark side of the moon. Are you heading to the base first? If so:

The ship thundered through the void. Even with the engines at full speed it took some time to get to the moon. Without the strange space folding technology the larger ship had access too, the Vanguards craft had to make do with a speed approaching that of light, remarkable in and of itself, but in the context of space travel, it still took a while to cross the solar system. One P'utinarian crew member spoke up. "Do you wish to utilise the stealth capability of this craft? It is too small to carry phase change equipment but the hull plasto ceramics can alter to match the background and render us less noticeable."

It seemed the ship was full of surprises. All you had to do was know where to find them!

The ship continued to hurtle through the void towards the Moon, the Earth growing larger behind it. The moon itself was near impossible to see without the sun to reflect from it, but the Earth behind made it stand out better, and besides, the computers seemed to know where they were going. Those of Earth origin took the time to eat some of the vacuum packed meals from the Nazis stores. Plain fare, but it served to fill a hole. Being superhumans, they needed less to eat than normal people, it seemed.

Closer, the P'utinarian, sat at a console, offered "I can put the base on screen?"



At Frostbites' nod the alien did so. Despite having been out of commission for decades the base took the breath away. In their own time the Vanguard had only seen man use space stations regularly in the last decade or so, with American Super-humans using self funded orbiting stations to monitor crime and use as a base of operations. Such things were beyond the budgets of most countries, even the US, but here was a base apparently constructed in the early 1940s to mine some kind of element from the depths of the moon! There seemed something wrong about gouging holes in other planetary bodies. Man had more or less done as he willed with Earth, destroying vast tracts of rainforest, polluting the atmosphere and oceans, and driving species of animals into extinction, amongst other things. The thought that man would spread from their own world to spoil others was unsettling.

There was no movement from the base. Only the filters on the ships view screen afforded the ability to view it at all, as the place was steeped in Stygian blackness. Another reminder of their lost team mate, Darkshadow.

Lionheart shivered. "Wonder what we'll find down there."

The P'utinarian at the console turned "Dead comrades I expect." he said without emotion.

Nowhere Man looked over at another screen. "Nothing on the radar, if I'm reading this right." He paused. "And I am. Even then, if Adjutant decides to pay us a visit the first we'll know of it is a gaping hole in the side of the ship, I expect. Who's going down there? And how much of this Lunarium stuff are we going to gather?" He looked uneasy. "Don't like gambling everything on the throw of a dice, hoping we can get away with one risky move." He looked at Stormwarden. "I hope you know what you're doing." The dark clad Vanguardian seemed far less self assured and resourceful than he normally would. Perhaps dying - again - had taken something from him that would take time to get back. Or perhaps he was simply being more human than his usual cold, calculating self.

Lionheart spoke up "Are we all going down there?"

The ship was almost within range of the teleporters according to the computer...