The NEW Vanguard TEAM UP! Haunt Issue #12 with special guest star Steeplejack!

Haunt entered a corridor - which was completely flooded! Sealed off by a hatch with a glass portal... or it had been.

The door was buckled, twisted, smashed in. The tortured metal twisted and torn aside. So, super strong then. The place was filled with freezing sea water... and the corridor beyond was too.

Haunt could see a real problem here. The invaders were tearing open the bulkheads and hatches which would keep space - or in this case the water of the sea - out. The nautilus at this rate would sink to the bottom of the ocean!

=========

"Sir!" shouted Rashid. "You must stay!"

Nemo scowled. "This is my vessel and you seek to order..."

"Guards!" shouted Rashid. "Ensure the Captain does NOT leave the bridge and guard him with your lives! Summon more guards! The Captain must be the last person on this vessel in peril!" said the second in command. "I am sorry sir, but I will die, and ensure everyone else dies before you on this vessel."

Nemo glowered then glanced about. All the bridge officers - dozens of them - stood resolute and with Rashid.

"I feel like a prisoner on my own vessel. yet... I am touched. Rashid, lead Mr Gibb through the vessel. Mr Kahn, coordinate with the security forces and keep an eye on those breaches."

Gibb glanced at a 'crystal ball' showing an image of the vast vessel and three red areas... that were slowly expanding.

"Save my ship Mr Gibb." said Nemo. "Or we are all doomed!"

=========

Haunt glanced through the water and darkness. He couldn't see ... well, anything really.

A corridor going north/south full of water and no sign as to which way the invaders had gone!

=========

Gibb saw running soldiers - all seemingly Indians in smart suits and turbans but really aliens - jogging about with firearms and swords.

He winced. Against superhumans able to punch through steel?

"This way sir." said Rashid, stepping into a lift with a guard by his side.

The lift shuddered - then the whole ship shuddered!

"The flooding will hamper our efforts." said Rashid, putting it mildly and hoping to put a brave face on it.

Then the lift shuddered and stopped! And went pitch black!

Admin wrote:"The flooding will hamper our efforts." said Rashid, putting it mildly and hoping to put a brave face on it.

Then the lift shuddered and stopped! And went pitch black!

"Quick man, is there a way out, an emergency override? If not how far down did we need to go?"

Aware of how fast this battle had turned against them, and how easily damaged the ship seemed to be, Steeplejack was ready to drop through the floor if he needed to rip it open and find the required level. Or bust out through the wall in front of them if that would get him to the fight. But right now stopped in the dark he felt like a caged animal, unable to do much of anything.

OOC: OK let's get out or to the fight asap...ugh how frustrating! I thought I'd be in the thick of it, and here is Haunt having all the fun!

Sj

Rashid nodded to Steeplejack and reached for a brooch he wore. "This is Rashid in lift A17. Power is down. What is the problem?"

Silence. "Power seems to have been cut from many key systems. The problem is we are truly a 'fish out of water'. This vessel was never intended to enter water and the Captain was most insistent that for this time era we must be invisible to the vast majority of inhabitants so as not to pollute the time line. Unfortunately despite there not being any threat from sea creatures or vessels Atlanteans were not a part of our plans. The best way out of this would be to talk them down... or get the ship out of the water - while we still can!"

The guard reached up with his sword and shoved at a hatch in the ceiling, popping it and revealing a pitch black shaft above. "We can leave this way or wait for power to resume." he suggested.

Steeplejack looked at the floor beneath his feet. It was made of metal but a stiff stamp from him would probably punch a hole through it...

=========

Haunt considered and figured four of the holes he had found were within stretching distance of his body and so he stretched to form a kind of huge white plaster over the outside of the ship and changed a part of his body where the holes were to form a pump of sorts with a fan/outlet at those points.

It took some figuring out but he knew it was the best way to slow the ingress of water into the vessel. Ideally the ship needed to lift out of the sea but there may be a chance it was past being able to do that!

OOC Stretching 10 covers a volume of 1024 cubic feet. There's probably a way of figuring out whether that can stretch x across by y high at a depth of z inches but for these purposes we'll assume haunt can cover four of the holes.

Self Manipulation 10 then mimics the Water Control (movement of water) power at 10APs. Rather than roll I will assume he removes 10APs volume of water per round so long as he remains in place. Your guess is as good as mine how long he needs to stay in place! If he had a few more APs water control it would only need a round or so, say. You can attempt to move more water with a dice action, Failure means no water moved that round.

[quote="Admin"The guard reached up with his sword and shoved at a hatch in the ceiling, popping it and revealing a pitch black shaft above. "We can leave this way or wait for power to resume." he suggested.

Steeplejack looked at the floor beneath his feet. It was made of metal but a stiff stamp from him would probably punch a hole through it...
[/quote]

Turning to his guide Steeplejack wasn't in the mood for the tour, he wanted direct access.
"I believe we were heading down to our intruders, so down I shall go. Care to join me?"

And with a stiff kick on the lift shaft floor, Steeplejack sort egress to finally catch up with the invaders aboard the Nautilus.

Sj

OOC Stretching 10 covers a volume of 1024 cubic feet. There's probably a way of figuring out whether that can stretch x across by y high at a depth of z inches but for these purposes we'll assume haunt can cover four of the holes.

Self Manipulation 10 then mimics the Water Control (movement of water) power at 10APs. Rather than roll I will assume he removes 10APs volume of water per round so long as he remains in place. Your guess is as good as mine how long he needs to stay in place! If he had a few more APs water control it would only need a round or so, say. You can attempt to move more water with a dice action, Failure means no water moved that round.




ooc: Keep it as is for now. The control room should notice that the water is receding pretty quickly and can inform everyone else about that. Going to keep an eye popping up inside the four holes and outside the ship for any Atlanteans trying to get closer to tear him out of the holes he is stopping up. Try talking to them, guess Underwater Freedom will allow him to talk underwater, whether they understand English is another problem. Guess I will have to lower Water Control to 9 in order to get UF to talk. If they don't want to talk then blast them with Aura of Fear.

OOC Str 13 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,3,+0 Total:14 (27) vs
OV7 + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,2,+0 Total:14 (24)
+2 (to 15) vs RV7 + Diff 3 (RV10) =5 RAPs.

The floor pretty much crunches through with one stamp, the pre warned Rashid and the guard clinging onto a handle whilst Steeplejack simply... stepped...

Dropping down through the hole he landed in a crouch at the bottom of the lift shaft where water was already filling up! he was in darkness however, which might be a problem without super senses....

Glancing up he saw flickering lights in the lift show that Rashid shaped changed into what appeared to be a small monkey of some kind, his guard following suit and the pair made their way down to the level Steeplejack was on.

"Most undignified." said Rashid/Monkey. "I have seen these creatures graciously move through the trees with speed and agility and no apparent effort, and at other times fling faeces at each other. I shall not be doing that today."

The trio looked to where water was pouring in through a gap under the door and with his vast strength Steeplejack levered the doors open, getting doused in the process! Water started to pour in and he rose to the level of the corridor, grabbing both monkeys who changed back into bedraggled human forms!

The corridor was dark and half full of freezing water.

Up ahead there were sounds of fighting...

=========

Haunt knew he would be fairly useless whilst being the boy who stuck his thumb in the dam but could feel his amazing body pump water from inside to out.

It would be some time before he could undo the flooding these four holes had done and elsewhere other holes were filling the vessel. The best, only way to get out of this mess would be to surface the ship!

Every now and again he grew an eye stalk and looked about but the lights on the outside of the ship started to flicker and he was soon plunged into darkness!

He had a feeling something would... He felt *something* prod at him and grew a stalk out at that location to see... nothing. Too dark. Something was swimming about and he'd seen atlanteans with tridents. The only problem with using his aura of fear was that to affect everything 'blind' he'd have to extend it to an area and that would include friends and foes without some way to determine who they were...

Admin wrote:The corridor was dark and half full of freezing water.

Up ahead there were sounds of fighting...

Turning to Rashid Steepljack said, "I know you aren't going to like this but I think we have to raise the ship, if at least it can get into cloud cover or if its dark outside above the water. If we remain under we are in their element and we will struggle to retain the ship. Your choice. I'm going to go ahead and see if I can't meet our unwelcome passengers."

And with that Steeplejack went forward seeking, where possible, to use the floors, walls or ceiling to move above the water more freely. If only he could wall crawl on metal! He fumed within himself. He knew in water his enemy would be formidable but he couldn't very well stand by and do nothing. And besides, why were they attacking, what had provoked this attack in the first place?

Sj

Taking a point off self manipulation from water pumping duty and create that dangling light thingie from the lantern fish and see if I can see anything that way. If not, will have to figure out some aquatic creature's ultra vision to use instead.

Rashid nodded. "I fear you are right Mr Gibb." He turned to the guard and spoke in a language Steeplejack hadn't heard before. The guard nodded, looked reluctant but ran off.

"I advised him to find some way to alert the Captain that we are not able to repel the boarders effectively AND stop the ship from flooding. Unfortunately the connections between here and there appear to have been severed." said Rashid.

Following steeplejack as he waded through the water Rashid placed a hand on the hero from the future's shoulder...

"What?" asked Steeplejack. Rashid placed a finger on his lips then pointed it to the water in the corridor, steadily rising but ... there! Something swimming in the water ahead. It looked humanoid, completely submerged and was tearing at something though it was difficult to see from fifty feet away. Rashid may have senses that could advise him of this stuff. Stood on a metal deck in a ship Steeplejack didn't even have his danger sense!

=========

Dangling a light (Flash 1) outside and shining it about, Haunt saw...



An Atlantean warrior with Trident pulled back about to punch it deep into the white covering across this section of the ship - Haunt's leg!

Admin wrote:An Atlantean warrior with Trident pulled back about to punch it deep into the white covering across this section of the ship - Haunt's leg!

Moving as best he could, Steeplejack took a deep breath and grabbed the trident, hoping to wrest it from the Atlantean's control and even use it against him.

Sj

An Atlantean warrior with Trident pulled back about to punch it deep into the white covering across this section of the ship - Haunt's leg!



"Stop that! Who do you think you are going around and poking people with things without a "bye your leave" or anything," the Haunt, forming a mouth under his lantern fish light, snapped out. "And why are you even attacking us? We are just passing by and didn't even know you were around!"

ooc: And if talking doesn't work then Aura of Fear might.

OOC Think wires got crossed a little. Steeplejack is quite a way away from where Haunt is and is inside the Nautilus. Haunt is outside acting as a giant plaster to stop the water getting in on this side and about to be stabbed by an Atlantean...

Steeplejack took a deep breath and plunged into the dark water, seeing vague shapes in the water ahead. TWO atlanteans, tearing at a panel which fizzed and sparked. They were up to no good!

Swimming closer he saw them turn. This was THEIR domain, he was in trouble, esepcially as they seemed to have eyes in the backs of their head... or more likely a sonar like sense...

One of them broke off, the other turned and surged through the water towards steeplejack!

OOC you are at a massive disadvantage in the water. This guy will run rings round you and I don't say that lightly because with Dex 13 Steeplejack would be more agile than Spiderman, Daredevil or any other super agile hero. When you are stood on the floor of the corridor the water comes up to your collarbone.

Initiative...

Roll(2d12)+0:
6 Steeplejack (29+6=35 reduced because in water)
5 Atlantean (28+5=33, increased because in water)

Steeplejack acts first and can move up to the Atlanteans and give em a whack but it won't be easy (and that's before the time distortion thingy!)

=========

Meanwhile outside...

Forming a mouth from his white sticking plaster body (super ventriloquism) Haunt asks the Atlantean why he's attacking and... the Atlantean pauses.

OOC Comprehend Languages 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,8,+0 Total:14 (24) vs
OV9 + diff 3+ (same world but vastly different from surface dweller language which shares some words) + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (23)
+3 (to 13) vs RV9 + diff 3=1 RAPs. Haunt can converse with the guy for 2 rounds (1APs)

Taken aback by Haunt seamlessly switching to Atlantean the underwater dweller asks "Who ARE you? What are you? This vessel... we put up with surface dwellers sailing on our oceans but cannot stand by whilst this monstrosity sails below our seas and boils them in its wake!"

OOC Comprehend Languages 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,8,+0 Total:14 (24) vs
OV9 + diff 3+ (same world but vastly different from surface dweller language which shares some words) + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (23)
+3 (to 13) vs RV9 + diff 3=1 RAPs. Haunt can converse with the guy for 2 rounds (1APs)

Taken aback by Haunt seamlessly switching to Atlantean the underwater dweller asks "Who ARE you? What are you? This vessel... we put up with surface dwellers sailing on our oceans but cannot stand by whilst this monstrosity sails below our seas and boils them in its wake!"

_________________


"We are men trying to save the world from an evil that will destroy us all," the Haunt says authoritatively [Acting]. "That includes all who live under the seas as if we do not stop them, they will gain the power to boil all the seas. Call off your attacks and let's talk."

Admin wrote:
Steeplejack acts first and can move up to the Atlanteans and give em a whack but it won't be easy (and that's before the time distortion thingy!)[/i][/color]

Steeplejack tried to signal, he felt like one of those Foreign tourists who had got lost on their package tour and was trying to make the natives understand he was lost.

He didn't want to attack, truth be told he knew he was vastly outclassed, but he didn't like the idea of standing by. He could only hope Nemo didn't have some stubborn pride holding back from raising the ship. That would give him an immediate advantage if the water wasn't encumbering him, let alone the time distortion.

OOC: OK trying to make all the universal signs of peace and fight a defensive posture here. Not wanting to attack just parley ;-)

Sj

The Atlantean rose from the water, head and shoulders looking at Steeplejack who stood, soaked, in the sunken corridor.

Then he started to stride forward, Trident levelled at Steeplejack's chest! Behind him Rashid called out "Get back! He's going to..."

Suddenly the Atlantean stopped, a definite scowl on his face.

The other one rose from the water too, confused. They spoke to each other, scowled at Steeplejack and Rashid and slid beneath the water, swiftly swimming away and out of sight in a heartbeat!

"Well, that went better than I thought." muttered Rashid, pale but relieved.

=========

"The attack is postponed. You may speak." said the Atlantean. "What threat is this, and why should we care?"

Haunt only had moments to explain - and if he didn't make it good they would renew the attack!

Admin wrote:"Well, that went better than I thought." muttered Rashid, pale but relieved.

=========

"The attack is postponed. You may speak." said the Atlantean. "What threat is this, and why should we care?"

Haunt only had moments to explain - and if he didn't make it good they would renew the attack!

OOC: No pressure mate

Steeplejack didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth but he knew they'd got a reprieve now to capitalise on it.

"Come on, now we know that we are being attacked in a waterborne environment we need to get this tub up top urgently if we're going to have a chance of keeping it and our hopes of chasing the grail alive. Show me the fastest route back to the Captain."

Sj

"How much do you know of the surface world," Water Pump Haunt asks. "Do you know of the names Prof. Moriarty, Fu Manchu or the Advent? How about Sherlock Holmes or Captain Nemo or Nick Carter? What do you know of Magic or Science? Without some understanding, it is going to be hard to explain this well."

"Here is what I can tell you, for now, Prof. Moriarty and Dr. Fu Manchu, evil criminals of the highest caliber, have teamed up with beings from out of this time, called The Advent, for the purpose of conquering the world and destroying the future. They have access to talents, powers and machines and other Science beyond what should be available in the Now. They have stolen an item of great mystical power which they plan to use to revive an even greater mystical being. We need to recover this item and return it to its rightful resting place or the whole world will be shaken and destroyed with this evil being loosed destroying all who oppose it. We are pursuing them and you, by attacking us, have delayed that pursuit and are unknowing helping them to bring about their wicked dreams."

Rashid nodded, then waded his way back to the lift shaft. The lift was stuck, but he pointed up "That's the fastest way. Can you... jump? Climb?"

Steeplejack winced. When he was out of his comfort zone most if not all of his powers were inoperative! However he was still far more agile and dextrous than the greatest olympian, and possessed a huge measure of superhuman strength! Added to that his skill as a climber would rank him among the world's greatest in any era!

A glance up. Looked like going back the way they'd come was the fastest way.

=========

The Atlantean frowned. "The words you speak are meaningless. What matter to us where a Fu Manchu or Advent affects the surface world?"

He had a point. Down here there was little chance of the Atlanteans being affected. Or caring.

"When you stay on the surface of the water or on land, you are away from our notice. When you take more than is sustainable from the fish stocks, you attract our notice. When you use a vessel like this below the waves? Then you most definitely warrant action! We have watched this vessel for a long time. When it moves around, we track it, take note and have finally decided that no more! No more will it travel without consequence! When it is sunk and rotting at the bottom of the ocean the sea life will claim it as a home and it will encrust before becoming part of the ocean." said the Atlantean.

"Leave the ocean or suffer the consequences!" warned the warrior.

Admin wrote:Rashid nodded, then waded his way back to the lift shaft. The lift was stuck, but he pointed up "That's the fastest way. Can you... jump? Climb?"

Steeplejack winced. When he was out of his comfort zone most if not all of his powers were inoperative! However he was still far more agile and dextrous than the greatest Olympian, and possessed a huge measure of superhuman strength! Added to that his skill as a climber would rank him among the world's greatest in any era!

A glance up. Looked like going back the way they'd come was the fastest way.

Steeplejack looked for purchase along the walls. The ship, alien in nature and origin, its shaft not like a typical 21st-century lift was a challenge, but if that was the best they could do then they had to make do.

OOC: OK best speed to the top, I think I need to convince Nemo (if I can) to get us out of the water if we are going to salvage this situation and not end up fish food.

Sj

The Atlantean frowned. "The words you speak are meaningless. What matter to us where a Fu Manchu or Advent affects the surface world?"

He had a point. Down here there was little chance of the Atlanteans being affected. Or caring.

"When you stay on the surface of the water or on land, you are away from our notice. When you take more than is sustainable from the fish stocks, you attract our notice. When you use a vessel like this below the waves? Then you most definitely warrant action! We have watched this vessel for a long time. When it moves around, we track it, take note and have finally decided that no more! No more will it travel without consequence! When it is sunk and rotting at the bottom of the ocean the sea life will claim it as a home and it will encrust before becoming part of the ocean." said the Atlantean.

"Leave the ocean or suffer the consequences!" warned the warrior.

"So you don't care if the seas boil or many parts of them are filled with poisons that kill all sea life," Water Pump Haunt asks persausively. "Because that is a great possibility if these people succeed in what they are trying to do."

OOC Steeplejack climbs...

AV13 + Acrobatics (climbing) 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 6,11,2,7,4,3,+0 Total:18 (31) vs
OV7 (wet, dark, slippy, greasy but plenty of handholds) + diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,6,+0 Total:8 (18)
+5 (to 18) vs RV7 + diff 3 (Rv10)=8 RAPs.

Max speed of climbing without supserspeed is 3Aps (eighty feet or eight storeys)

Steeplejack made his way up in the darkness and below, Rashid gaped. "Amazing." he muttered, as the man in the now tattered and soaked dinner suit ascended faster than any spider monkey!

At the top he prised his way through a pair of lift doors and into a corridor, got his bearings and raced along to where a set of metal steps spiralled up the last couple of decks to get to the bridge!

=========

The Atlantean paused at this last revelation from Haunt.

"They would... spoil our seas? For all its mass this monstrous craft leaves little proof of its passing." admitted the warrior.

Haunt/White pumping thing grimaced. In the century to come the seas would suffer near on catastrophic pollution with too many disasters to easily count.

The warrior seemed to consider. "You must convince my leaders about what threat these enemies of yours pose. Until then the attacks will cease."

Haunt breathed a sigh of relief, but without his body patching up the holes the nautilus would sink! Even now, had it taken on too much water to be able to leave the ocean depths?

=========

"We appear to have taken on too much water to escape the ocean depths." said Captain Nemo to Steeplejack as he entered the bridge.

Steeplejack frowned. Aside from being astonishingly agile and an expert fighter, there was little he could do to help lift the Nautilus from the water! Every second that passed meant more water shipped on board... and a glance at the 'crystal ball' controls suggested the nautilus was using all her power to slow the descent... but could not fully stop it!

Admin wrote:Steeplejack frowned. Aside from being astonishingly agile and an expert fighter, there was little he could do to help lift the Nautilus from the water! Every second that passed meant more water shipped on board... and a glance at the 'crystal ball' controls suggested the nautilus was using all her power to slow the descent... but could not fully stop it!

OOC: I would love to believe at this point that Steeplejacks skills in gadgetry were transferable and Montgomery Scott style he'd reroute the power from the Dilithium Crystals to reinforce shields to expel the water, so some such. However since I imagine Engineering is a separate skill I don't have, I guess it's down to Dave, to ask the Atlantean's, nicely if they can raise us up, to expel the water and then go from there? What do you think Dave? I'm about as useless as a dead duck in this environment to you my friend - sorry, literal fish out of water!

Sj

The Atlantean paused at this last revelation from Haunt.

"They would... spoil our seas? For all its mass this monstrous craft leaves little proof of its passing." admitted the warrior.

Haunt/White pumping thing grimaced. In the century to come the seas would suffer near on catastrophic pollution with too many disasters to easily count.

The warrior seemed to consider. "You must convince my leaders about what threat these enemies of yours pose. Until then the attacks will cease."

Haunt breathed a sigh of relief, but without his body patching up the holes the nautilus would sink! Even now, had it taken on too much water to be able to leave the ocean depths?

=========


"Well," the Haunt says slowly, "you and your kin have put so many holes into our ship that I do not know if we can reach the surface without help from you to push it up.  You got enough strong folk who could help out there?"

ooc:  IF they can't help then the only thing I can think of to do is have the Haunt wrap his arms and legs around the central portion of the Nautilus and then turn his body into an underwater balloon, since gas is way lighter than water, and try lifting the ship up that way. Maybe grabbing it a little forward of center so that the nose is pointed up and maybe the Nautilus' motor can help move the ship upwards.

The Atlantean scowled.

Turning back to Haunt he pulsed "The vessel will serve us no good if it were to sink and leak noxious fluids."

The Nautilus started to creak, and lurched steadily upwards. "It is done. There have been transgressions, and there must be a reckoning. Under the sea is OUR domain and it will always stay thus. Only in this way can we keep the seas clean and unpolluted."

Haunt winced. There were too many disasters to count where millions of gallons of oil had leaked and destroyed entire shorelines, killing seal life with little in the way of regret or reparation.

Haunt kept his body pressed against the hull of the huge submarine/spacefaring vessel as it continued to rise to the surface.

=========

On the bridge Nemo breathed a sigh of relief. "We are rising. And not a moment too soon! I have erred. When I considered if this spacecraft could traverse under the ocean, I did not consider whether it should. It appears we have encountered another major power in the world and the Atlanteans perhaps though they could rule uninterrupted under the oceans whilst chaos reined above them." explained the Prince.

Suddenly, guards at the door to the bridge turned and admitted Dr Watson, who was looking flustered.

"Gibb! Oh thank goodness! Holmes and the others have gone in search of the lady, Mina, and the Baron, Alucard. She did not return from a ladies break and the Baron offered to make sure she was alright, only for neither to return! Holmes told me to get to you or Carter and ensure you knew. He said to say that the woman must have a thirst by now, and you knew what it would mean. Hmmph. All that wine and water at the table and she didn't touch a drop. I don't know ...."

Watson dabbed at his face with a handkerchief and it was clear he'd availed himself of the sumptuous food and drink.

"Took me ages to get here. Corridors filled with water, the place leaning to one side!" he muttered.

Nemo raised an eyebrow. "What's this Mr Gibb? Madame Mina has... ' a thirst'?"

=========

Haunt glanced up with an elongated eye on the end of a stalk.

The Nautilus was being raised steadily and would take some minutes to get to the surface. However...

Just before he withdrew his eye stalk he saw - in the distance - a sailing vessel, some miles away but sure to see what would be a vast and futuristic vessel that wasn't supposed to be here!