The Ultrahumans! Issue #2 Starring Miss Victory and Lionheart! "World under siege!"

Captain Marvel slapped a fist into his other hand. "We are some of the most powerful people on Earth! We can't just sit around and..."

"And the world has moved on Captain." said Superman inside all of their collected minds. "We're no longer the biggest, toughest guys on the block. Sure, we can hold our own but the world has changed. Something happened a year or two ago and when I think about people like Silver Sentinel and Thunder Woman - acclaimed to be the most powerful superheroes on the planet - I get a strange feeling. Like... like I didn't know them until a short time ago but when I think about them, they've been around for years and my memory seems to clear like there is a fog around it. Very strange. I think there has been a shift in reality at some point."

"Not another one.*" muttered Captain Marvel.

"Follow the van from a distance." said Superman. He was so far up, not even a dot in the sky!

Lionheart could do the same from a distance and so he, Miss Victory and Captain Marvel moved a mile or more away knowing that while they could follow the van the teleporter inside the van could vanish with the President at any moment!

There were others who could kill the President with a thought or blast and Lionheart knew that whilst he and Superman, heck ALL of this group, could act faster than most ordinary people could think they faced villains who were anything BUT ordinary!

"There's something else." said Superman inside their heads. "A report from General Battle. NORAD picked up a high speed target too small to identify but fast enough - and travelling without any care to the environment - to know that it's either a missile or a super, more likely the latter. It's heading in THIS direction and their computer projections say it's somebody called 'Omega Man'."

Omega Man. Miss Victory groaned. The high level super that had battered her entire team and taken a while to put down. He was on his way here.

Even with Lionheart, Superman, Captain Marvel and herself, could they stop him???

"ETA... minutes... General Battle says they ran computer projections and their strategists say Dulles International Airport on the outskirts of the city is the target!!!" said Superman.

*OOC After the various reboots, crisis's, reality changes and time shifts I would have thought both of these veteran heroes will have seen it and done it all whilst dealing with DC Continuity. I don't know of anyone who can definitively say what is canon any more in Marvel or DC. The main thing so far is that you haven't come across too many Marvel characters but nothing can be ruled out!!!

"We can't wait for Omega Man to get here," Miss Victory says worriedly. "The loss of life fighting him here might go into the hundreds of thousands. Do we know which villain is the telepath? I say we all rush in, everyone target the telepath first, if he or she goes down, target the speedster next, then whoever is left grabs the President and gets out of there. Get her to safety, somewhere away from people, into the mountains is best. Then ... whatever seems right at the time."

Admin wrote:"ETA... minutes... General Battle says they ran computer projections and their strategists say Dulles International Airport on the outskirts of the city is the target!!!" said Superman.

Lionheart flashed to the others, "Stuff is going to be going off, not sure what the intention is here as in is this part of the plan or is it just part of the chaos that releasing all these would cause anyway. But either way, it would be a bust if we don't stay or target and get the President."

OOC: Man Paul is throwing all sorts at us, to get us to peel off, but the only way I see that working is if we leave one of us to watch the van, and the rest go deal with Omega, but then there is no guarantee we'd win, and meantime we might have lost the President. I personally am thinking we've got to see this through to the bitter end. We may only get one chance and I can't see us getting it back again if we leave our post.

Sj

Superman spoke up inside their collective heads 'Captain Marvel and I will slow down this... 'Omega Man'. I have a feeling that he may be more than we can handle even together but never let it be said I shy away from a challenge!'

Captain Marvel bristled 'Between us I can't imagine anyone being powerful enough to stand for long Kal El. I'm up for that challenge!'

Miss Victory knew just how powerful Omega Man was. With Fission's help she'd defeated him, but not before the villain had smashed through her group of Ultrahuman colleagues like a bowling ball smashing through pins!

The two vans had gone their separate ways and the one containing the President was heading out of the suburbs and towards the freeway in the direction that would correspond to where that Airport was. Time was running out and Miss Victory's plan of making a move suddenly seemed like an option, albeit not a desirable one if it resulted in the escape of the villains with the President or worse - her injury or death!

OOC you don't have long to decide! Unlike heroic types bad guys don't care much about atmospheric damage from high speed flight! Omega Man will be here (or at least at the airport) before you know it! Keep following the van or make a move...?

Admin wrote:OOC you don't have long to decide! Unlike heroic types bad guys don't care much about atmospheric damage from high speed flight! Omega Man will be here (or at least at the airport) before you know it! Keep following the van or make a move...?

OOC: To the bitter end, the Presiden comes first...so follow the Van, the thing is we know if we try to attack before we can secure the President, we are in mighty trouble. We could get a surprise attack, I suppose. One thing I did wonder is if I dropped Marvel and Supes from Telepathy and included the guys holding the President so that I could then do an attack on them, might that leave us with enough wiggle room to go in Physically before they could whisk her away? I am cautious by nature, so I would really, really hate to mess this up, and am loath therefore to do anything that is going to result in a dead President on my characters watch. So although I am holding back here, at the same time I am looking for the 'nod' as it were as to when to attack, knowing no time is perfect but some might be less perfect than others.

Sj

ooc: I think it is going to have to be your telepathic attack used as a surprise attack as our opening move to save the President. So drop all of us, then attack and we all move in. Only thing I can still think of. Unless Miss Victory's superbrain can think of something else?

Admin wrote:OOC You'd need line of sight to launch the mental attack (especially as the President herself is blindfolded/gagged now) but that's a good call.

As for whether the characters themselves can figure anything out...

Lionheart AV10 (int) + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,6,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,11,+0 Total:24 (34) vs
OV12 (Highest Int of bad guys involved in van) + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,6,+0 Total:10 (22)

+5 (to 12 Will) vs RV10=2 RAPs

1) The bad guys aren't dumb. They may be splitting up but the vans are nondescript, but they will have something else up their sleeve...
2-3) as well as their initial plan they have a backup plan and Omega man will be just one part of that. There are more, doubtless, who will join that party so bear that in mind. The direction they are heading in as well as the tracked incoming Omega man (who is now travelling too fast to track any longer and the computer projections show the airport is his destination) suggest that the airport has a further plan segment...

Miss Victory AV 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,11,+0 Total:21 (29) vs
OV12 (Highest Int of bad guys involved in van) + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,5,+0 Total:9 (21)
+4 (to 12 Will) vs RV10=2 RAPs

Miss Victory figures the same thing about the villains plans and that there is something else going on here. Of the group maybe Superman is smartest but he's watching from the sky and Captain Marvel seems determined to focus on speed and strength which means that LH and Miss V are calling the shots!

So, from what I can gather you two are following the van to its ultimate destination and leaving Superman/Captain Marvel to (try) and slow down Omega Man - and whoever else is going to turn up (and your characters have figured out that someone will). That the final call? If so...(cackles evilly)

OOC: Yes I think for the time being that if the best we can manage is to attack the van as is, but that runs all the attendant risks we've had so far, then the only possible solution is to follow this to the airport where - on the one hand, the chances of getting things done are harder, but there may also be unexpected opportunities. Right now, with the Potus blinded and no way to surprise apart from physically we'd be just as blinded as she is and would still run the risk of her getting killed or whisked away. I don't like it but I can't see any other way to go about this but to carry on following.

Sj

ooc
I would prefer to have all four of us try to save the President. Then Superman or Captain Marvel can get her to safety while the rest of us intercept Omega Man BEFORE he reaches the airports and the countless thousands that are there.

Admin wrote:OOC Aha, we have a vote for follow the van to its destination and tackle the van as a group to get the POTUS free then gangpile Omega Man when he turns up. I was going to update but don't want to get the wrong end of the stick! What's it to be chaps?

OOC: Dave wants to gang pile but didn't indicate where that might happen. As you know I am less gung-ho and want to wait for a better opportunity as there is too much that I feel can go wrong. So not sure we are split down the middle on this. Who gets the casting vote =, you Paul? I'm happy to go with your decision, but seriously don't want to mess this up.

Sj

ooc:  Want to attack before we get to the airport.  We are, after all, talking about having a big superhero fight in one of the world's largest airports if we wait that long.  I want to avoid that and attack somewhere on the way where crowds are much less.  Remembering all the damage that happened at the prison, Miss Victory wants to avoid that kind of thing in heavily crowded areas.

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc:  Want to attack before we get to the airport.  We are, after all, talking about having a big superhero fight in one of the world's largest airports if we wait that long.  I want to avoid that and attack somewhere on the way where crowds are much less.  Remembering all the damage that happened at the prison, Miss Victory wants to avoid that kind of thing in heavily crowded areas.

OOC: Dave makes a good point and we know that these guys are all about collateral damage. OK, so I guess Paul we are looking for the optimum way by which we can address this situation. We know the teleporter cannot teleport to the space station but could teleport close to the airport. But right now we are trying to find a way to get up on this.

OK, let's try this. Superman uses his X-Ray vision to give us a position of everyone within the van. If we blow out the tyres or rip off the axel, can I 'hold' the president safe in a telekinetic grip as the vehicle slams out of control? Then when the vehicle has stopped Superman, Miss V and I use super speed to rush on the vehicle to try and make a grab for the president or and stop the others getting to her first? Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

Sj

Don't forget Captain Marvel in this too. I think Miss Victory is actually the slowest of us four, with a base Running of 8. She can get it up to 23 with her power pool but that leaves her stats down in the "just merely super" area, and she doesn't have superspeed for extra actions. So it would be up to one of you three to get the President out while she attacks the mentalist first.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Don't forget Captain Marvel in this too.  I think Miss Victory is actually the slowest of us four, with a base Running of 8.  She can get it up to 23 with her power pool but that leaves her stats down in the "just merely super" area, and she doesn't have superspeed for extra actions.  So it would be up to one of you three to get the President out while she attacks the mentalist first.

OOC: I don't know Marvel's power suit beyond strength and flight, but if he has speed then go go go.

Sj

Steeple_jackuk wrote:

DavidMcMahon wrote:Don't forget Captain Marvel in this too.  I think Miss Victory is actually the slowest of us four, with a base Running of 8.  She can get it up to 23 with her power pool but that leaves her stats down in the "just merely super" area, and she doesn't have superspeed for extra actions.  So it would be up to one of you three to get the President out while she attacks the mentalist first.

OOC: I don't know Marvel's power suit beyond strength and flight, but if he has speed then go go go.

Sj

Speed of Mercury - depending on the writer, sometimes he has superspeed, sometimes he just flies fast.

ooc: Also would suggest, if you can hold the President safe in the van via telekinesis, that Superman use his superbreath to knock the van off the highway and into trees or something. Less likely that they would swerve into traffic putting other people's lives at risk

OOC telekinesis won't work without direct line of sight. Whether it would work 'through' the metal wall of the van is unclear but maybe so. Besides that it would not protect the President - what you'd need for that is a force field you can project to protect others and that's not something Lionheart has (his is personal and protects him very well, just not others).

However, in the interests of moving things on...

Superman 'calls' to Captain Marvel. "Captain, slow the incoming bad guy down if you can, please? The three of us will tackle the van and get the President out hopefully."

Captain Marvel responds "I'll use the Wisdom of Solomon to predict the likely flightpath and the power of Zeus to put the upstart in his place! Good luck, heroes!"

Captain Marvel takes off and is a dot in the sky with a crack of thunder in his wake!

Superman unleashes a blast of heat vision with pinpoint accuracy on the back tyre of the van whilst Lionheart scoops Miss Victory up and races to the scene in a heartbeat!

The van screeches to the side of the freeway as three villains spill out in unison to check the van and look ready for anything!

Watching from half a mile away (using his telescopic vision) Lionheart then 'feels' something else - a wrenching as the President is transported instantly somewhere else!

The three villains look at the tyre and one points something out... then all three are alert and looking about!

Lionheart 'looks' through his minds eye and gets a vague idea of the Presidents location by reducing the range of his power very very slowly indeed, stopping when it feels the power is about to disconnect! He turns and points to Miss Victory the direction where the President was taken and Miss V, a native of America (now anyway) confirms they are at the airport!

"Those three need stopping." said Superman inside their minds. "And... oh no."

Captain Marvel had left the range of the telepathy when Lionheart used the power to detect the President but Superman could still see with his telescopic vision. "Omega Man has engaged Captain Marvel over the capital!"

OOC where to?!?!?

1) The van with the three bad guys
2) The President at the airport
3) Captain Marvel is fast, powerful and strong. Omega Man is several rungs beyond his abilities. Miss Victory has seen the sheer power that the villain has at his command and it will be a short, brutal fight in her opinion!

Admin wrote:OOC where to?!?!?

1) The van with the three bad guys
2) The President at the airport
3) Captain Marvel is fast, powerful and strong. Omega Man is several rungs beyond his abilities. Miss Victory has seen the sheer power that the villain has at his command and it will be a short, brutal fight in her opinion!

OOC: Oh you hate us don't you...talk about double jeopardy. Dave my feeling is the President isn't going anywhere...yet, the three bad guys are annoying but incidental, Omega man, if not stopped by the lot of us, is going to mop us up, one by one and possible make rescuing the president even less likely. My thought is that we attack O man on mass before going for the President. I will be partially limited as I need to remain in touch with her, but I can drop the rest of us so that I've got some play here. What do you think? In the interests of moving things along, I'll agree apriori to go with Dave's lead, otherwise, you'll just wait for me to agree.

Sj

"I want to save the President first," Miss Victory tells the other two heroes after hearing the President was teleported away, "but if we go after him, Omega Man will just follow after crushing Captain Marvel and the huge fight at the airport that I'm worried about will come true. So ... I guess our best option is to fight Omega Man now, away from the airport, then go after the President."

"Maybe the 4 of us together, team attacking him, can beat him. It's going to be close. He's that tough!"

ooc: She has her powers set on default for now. Dex 15, Body 14, Str 17

OOC Miss Victory still in civvies?

MISS VICTORY STATS
Dex 15, Body 14, Str 17

With the decision made to go after Omega Man the heroes set off in there own ways back towards the capital!

All they had to do was follow the thick column of smoke marking where the White House was!

Lionheart zoomed in with his vision and saw a man in prison orange swooping in towards Captain Marvel, who already looked worse for wear!

Superman started swooping in with a CRACK as he broke the sound barrier and swooped down towards the battle!

OOC This will need some fiddling about with at my end to keep track of and I've run out of time (just about to go to work) but I may be able to update if I get chance at work. Watch this space, if not then should be tonight.

ooc: Yeah, she really didn't get time to change out of her newly bought clothes but they are over her uniform so ... she will at least slip the mask on under her big cheap sunglasses. I figure her "new" clothes will quickly get trashed, revealing her costume.

Admin wrote:OOC Ah I knew there was something. Sorry I should have asked sooner Dave E but I was rushing about today (and didn't get chance at work either, haven't stopped and only got home early - 0050 instead of 0200 - because a colleague did me a favour). How is Lionheart using his Power Reserve? His Telepathy has a range of 8 which is 1/4 mile. Boosting that with power reserve in order to keep the President in range (currently around 5 miles away and increasing as you head to Washington) means you will have to spend more of your power reserve to cover it. If at any time you slip out of range you will lose the link and have to re-establish it with line of sight again.



You may want to guess at a range to cover yourself and hope the teleporter doesn't move himself+US Prez out of range. Whatever is left over from Power Reserve can go into whatever, Superspeed, Force Field etc as you see fit).

This makes a difference as your initiative depends on how much of your power reserve is pumped into superspeed. Usually it's 'all of it' but you are trying to maintain the link so that may affect things... Once I know that we can see who goes first and I suspect that will make a big difference to how the fight turns out!

OOC: Ah yes I can see this being an issue, but for now its a matter of course that I'll have to use as much as seems appropriate to keep the link strong, I've no idea of distance here so let's play it safe and priorities that. Its good of you to ask Paul, but given this is a PBEM I really did mind you assuming things like this to keep the action moving along etc. I realise there are potential repercussions. But given the extreme reluctance with which I am pulling away from the central mission to deal with OM then you know it's of the highest priority for me to remain in contact with the President for as long as I foreseeable can. And then put whatever remains into the most expedient places to help fight this guy.

Sj
Sj

OOC Went for 8APs Telepathy and 7APs superspeed. That affected initiative and will affect Lionhearts abilities to strike/dodge incoming blows! He could switch the points around to save himself but as soon as he falls out of reach of the President the link will be lost!

Lionheart gave Miss Victory a drop off after carrying her telekinetically to the site of the battle at the White House and saw that Captain Marvel was already worse for wear...

OOC They have had one round of combat after the usual posturing/chatting and threats. This is how it went down:

Omega Man won initiative, ploughed power reserve 10 into Dex then swung with a devastating attack on Captain Marvel who has (these days in this iteration) power reserve which has to split between the three stats boosting Dex/Str/Body by five points apiece.

AV27 + 3D M Arts (0D defence) + Roll(5d12)+0: 5,7,1,8,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
12,9,+0 Total:35 (62) vs
OV19 + Dev Att 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,7,+0 Total:17 (44)
+6 (to 36) vs RV21 - 12 Dev Att (Rv9)=27RAPs

Captain Marvel was already injured but recovered enough to be on full Body. However... There's no way he has enough HP to absorb all that damage, and he will need to spend 28HP to absorb 7 damage to keep him conscious, albeit he is stunned and on Body 1/21.

As the three other combatants get to the scene there is a terrific thunderclap and Captain Marvel smashes into the ground with an explosion of bricks and dust! Superman calls out "YOU! Stand down, or you'll wake up in prison again!"

Omega Man turned casually about. "Another old timer. And... YOU!" he said glancing at Miss Victory. "My super senses told me of supersonic travel towards this point and I expected some of the Ultrahumans but instead I find... a broken down old cape and another who belongs in the history books... as well as a no name and second stringer..."

He grinned. "One of my super powers, besides fast powers of recovery, is making friends and influencing people. Like this."

He shot forward like a bullet and aimed a powerful blow at Superman!

OOC Initiative...



Like Captain Marvel, Superman has 'grown' in the years he's been retired. He adds 4 points to Dex/Str/Body (12 total) in equal measure or can boost things like Flight or his senses or superspeed by pouring it all into one ability.

DEV ATTACK AV27 + 2D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,7,11,1,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
11,9,+0 Total:34 (almost same as last roll vs CM) (61) vs
OV19 + Dev Attack 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,10,+0 Total:13 (40)
+6 (to 36EV) vs RV22 - Dev Attack 12 (RV10)=26RAPs.

Superman recovered from the battering he had earlier but has nowhere near as many HP as Captain Marvel. He only has 6 remaining and that can only absorb 3 damage. Not quite enough to absorb the 5 damage he needs to stay on his feet...

Superman is DOWN and OUT!

SMMMMMACCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!

Superman sailed through the sky smashing several hundred feet away into a building!

Captain Marvel looked punch drunk,  peeling himself out of a hole with his cape over his face and climbing up to stand on unsteady feet...

All of a sudden taking on Omega Man seemed to be a bad idea!

OOC Lionheart is up then Miss Victory...