Kid Kinetic and the Space Knights! Issue #2 "Ummm where are we?"

"So, let me get this straight." said Ian, trying to remain calm.

"Kid Kinetic first fought then befriended an alien, or aliens, who were being hunted down by some kind of fascist space police. We turn up to apprehend said aliens and Kid Kinetic then the PSION police space nazis decide because we interfered we are in trouble too. So we then scoop up another of the hunted aliens who can alter our Valkyrie to make it space faring and help us escape. Is everyone following?"

No one looked at Ian.

"So then we go into space, which is cool by the way, chalk that up as a first for most of us." he added. "Then the PSIONs turn up with more ships and we need to jump into hyperspace like they do in the movies. Six jumps later the robot lady alien attached to the ship declares she's tired and short of fuel, Kid Kinetic's stomach is growling so loud they can hear it across the universe and SOMEONE keeps farting in here and won't own up to it."

Tim put a finger up. "I think it's the Moth lady but she doesn't say anything and I think her default response is 'look at me and I'll kill you' so in that case I'm gonna go with Joe."

"hey!" said Joe pulling a face. "it isn't me. It Sure isn't Ian. No way can he fart with that stick shoved so far up his..."

"...all of this is not helping!" said Samantha. Johnson called out from the front "Things are a bit screwy up here guys. The hungry tired space alien attached to the ship has listed three possible destinations close to us. They are:"

1) A space station orbitting a gas giant where miners refine the gas then sell it on. Supposed to be lawless, unfriendly and a good chance we'll die but we might get food and fuel there.
2) A distant what we call class M planet where oxygen allows us to operate ok but the high gravity may be an issue. Also it sounds like everything - the plants, the animals, the natives - all want to eat either each other or anything else they find.
3) There's a distress call. Weak and old. That doesn't sound to me like the sort of place we'll find food or fuel. We might get there and find out they ran OUT of food and fuel... and then we'll send the distress call out. I highly recommend we ignore that.

"The good news is that the PSIONS seem to have been thrown off our trail. The bad news is that we don't have fuel to get back to Earth right now." said the Pilot. "Air is ok for now. Food and water will be a problem. Fuel is the biggest problem. We have enough to jump to one of those places and then we're out. Have a think then choose."

"This isn't a democracy! I'm the leader, I decide!" said Ian.

Cutthroat glanced up, then leaned in to Kid Kinetic "Is he always this much of a pain in the butt?" he asked, loud enough for everyone including Ian to hear...

==========

Elsewhere...

(translated) "What is that?"

"A vessel. Unusual warp signature. The ship matches no known entry in the database. Might be... a prototype."

"Hmmm. They usually are very dangerous or very dangerous and valuable. Set a course!"

"Aye sir!"

"I vote for the Space 7-11. If I don't get something to eat soon, I'm not going to be very pleasant to be around."

Ian frowned. "What about the distress call? We are heroes. We shouldn't be ignoring things like..."

The sound of collective eye rolling was almost audible in the passenger compartment.

Transmutor/Ian looked about "I'm still the leader here and..."

Depthcharge stood, stooping in the cabin and looking down at the New Knights leader. "Your buddy wants food, I want water. I'm sure everyone wants to get off this bucket." he growled. "I think at this stage it's not the where we are going but rather how long is it going to take to get to the place that will sort our needs."

Ian gulped and glanced about for support. The two girls were looking bored, checking nails. The others were looking elsewhere. "Alright. This time we'll do it but let it be known I intended to answer the distress call!"

Johnson called out "Setting course."

There was a stomach plunging feeling as the ship jumped again...

=========

Elsewhere...

"They were here. They jumped."

"Track them!"

"Difficult. The signature is... organic."

"What? They are travelling in a living ship? I *Must* Have the vessel! FIND THEM!"

=========

"He's in trouble." said Cutthroat looking at Depthcharge who'd changed colour from blue to almost white and was having trouble breathing. "We need to throw him in water, fast!"

Kid Kinetic knew how DepthCharge felt, his own powers having waned to the point he was powerless, but still borderline superhuman/peak physical human so not entirely useless!

"Dropping out of warp!" shouted Johnson.

"This is so cool!" laughed Tim/Mentallica

Samantha/Mystralla frowned "We are... who knows how far away from home and you think this is cool?"

Rachel/Shadowhawk muttered "What would be cool is not to be in this thing with someone who mystery farts and won't own up to it." whilst holding her nose.

Matt/Bioforce called out "Listen up! This situation is crazy but remember this! Ian is in charge and we WILL do as he says!" snarled the youngster, staring at Cutthroat and Moth Lady. Then Kid Kinetic.

"Dude... secret identity... code names..." hissed Ian/Transmutor.

Matt was staring and being 'tough guy' until he realised then he looked rather sheepish.

Rolling her eyes Rachel/Shadowhawk shook her head. "I am sure that it doesn't really matter out here. No one knows us and these goons will end up in jail or dead or whatever."

Cutthroat tipped his head to one side and reminded her "Ummm you're in the same mess we are. Aiding, abetting, breaking a whole bunch of PSION police laws including some they'll probably make up just to suit. You really don't get who it is we're dealing with here do you? Bad people. Nasty people."

"Speaking of which... we're being hailed and I don't have any idea what it means, plus the scanners are showing two... no three small fast moving objects coming towards us!" said Johnson from the front. "I *think* the ship has some weapons but according to what I can see it would use up the last of our ... uh... fuel and leave us adrift if we opened fire. Anyone have any ideas?"

"Quick! We should answer their hail. Does anyone speak...uh..what do they speak out here anyway?"

The Moth Woman - who'd not said anything so far - stepped up and turned to Kid Kinetic "I can translate." she said in a near enough facsimile of Rachel/Shadowhawks voice! "What would you have me say?"

"huh." said Cutthroat. "I didn't think she could speak."

"I can speak ALL languages." said Moth Lady. "The question is, whether I choose to speak and whether the recipient is worth speaking to."

"Explains why you never spoke to me." said Cutthroat. "Or me." added Depthcharge who was decidedly pale looking and Joe/Mimic Lad muttered "Dude, you don't look so good."

"Water, boy. I need water." rasped Depth Charge. "Too long... out of it..."

Ian/Transmutor came up to Ryan and pulled him aside. "This is YOUR mess! You get us out of it! father is going to be SO pissed at you for mixing us up with these... criminals!"

Tim/Mentallica wheeled over "Give it a rest Ian. If we don't work together out here we are going to die! That's the reality, and everyone on this ship is in the same... uh, boat."

Joe/Mimic Lad tries to copy Moth Ladys comprehend languages...

OOC Mimic 12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,7,+0 Total:10 (25) vs
OV12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,7,+0 Total:8 (20)
+3 (to 15) vs RV12=3 RAPs.
He has Comprehend languages at 9 APs for 12 APs (4 hours) time. Not really enough to figure out alien languages though.

C Languages 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,6,+0 Total:14 (23) vs
OV12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,11,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,6,+0 Total:29 (41) Failed

Moth Lady C Lang 12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,3,+0 Total:14 (26) vs
OV12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,7,+0 Total:13 (25)
+1 (to 13) vs RV12=1RAP She can converse, but needs to check again soon.

"it is a difficult dialect" said Moth Lady

"No **** lady, I can't tell what the heck he's saying." muttered Joe

Ignoring him Moth Lady addresses Ian/Ryan and continues "So we may only have time for one phrase to halt their attack on us..."

"Um, are you familiar with the term 'S.O.S.'?"

Ian rolls his eyes. "Like WE need saving? Look at us! We're super heroes! Why would WE need saving?" he ranted.

Cutthroat stuck a finger up "Ummm because we're in space and if they blast us we will die in a vacuum?"

DepthCharge spluttered "Whatever you do... do it fast... I won't last much longer."

Kid Kinetic knew how he felt. He was down on power right now but was still as strong and agile as the peak human being!

Johnson called out. "The kid has a point. Let's... hey Moth lady, you wanna tell em we're in trouble and need help?"

She moved gracefully forward and ducked into the cockpit, her wings seeming to shrink when required! Speaking over the comms in an alien language those on board the Valkyrie had to wait... and wait...

Finally a reply came over the air and she translated "We are to be boarded and inspected and all valuables impounded as payment for not blasting us into space dust." she said impassively.

"Ok, here's what we do..." said Ian, gathering the New Knights round. "When the hatch opens, we rush em, take out any who are there and grab hold of their ship then..."

"Who's to say their ship supports our breathing requirements?" asked Cutthroat, picking his nails.

"I do. Haven't you ever seen any sci fi shows?" sneered Ian.

Matt/Bioforce spoke up "He's got a point. We're really screwed if they don't. Like, dead, screwed."

Johnson hollered "Whatever you doing, decide fast! One of the ships is coming about to connect to our rear hatch, two more and setting up at the front and side to blast us if we make any sudden moves!"

OOC This could get messy! Seeing as your powers are 'down' at the moment you can control some or all of the New Knights temporarily if you like.

Bioforce - turns into energy, flies, blasts
Transmutor - changes materials from one thing to another
Shadowhawk - flies, becomes shadow like, blasts darkness
Mentallica - wheelchair bound but amazing powers of the mind, blasting, mind probe, telepathy, telekinesis
Mimic Lad - can copy powers and abilities, to a certain extent
Mystralla - sense and blast magic

Cutthroat - super strong/agile, an expert fighter and acrobat, also has a mind blast, mind probe and 360 degree vision
Depthcharge - normally super tough and strong but currently near death - he's been out of water too long
Moth Woman - flight, electric blast, comprehend languages, telepathy, agile/decent fighter
Marionette - very powerful... with limits. Able to enhance existing technology using her own cybernetic form but currently low on energy and unable to power weapons (she's using what power she has left to provide life support)

Johnson - skilled pilot, marksman, hand to hand fighter but unpowered. Former special forces, aide to Father and somewhat out of his comfort zone!

"Wait. Transmuter can just make whatever 'valuables' these guys want. Mentallica, can you probe around and find out what they are looking for?"

Tim/Mentallica nodded "I'll have a look but I'll probably just get images. Alien images. I don't 'speak' alien as such, but hopefully they aren't like, Klingons who want to kill us or something."

Ian rolled his eyes. "I would never use my powers for personal gain!"

"Even if it means the difference between staying alive or dying?" asked Cutthroat.

Ian scowled "Get on the comms. Tell them we have certain valuables, and skills, that we can trade in return for supplies. Like water..." he said, glancing at DepthCharge and with another scowl "Food."

"And fuel!" added Johnson.

==========

Transmutor glanced at Kid Kinetic and Cutthroat. The others were back in the ship and Ian was using his power to change CO2 into oxygen as required.

"Get a breath full. They may breathe something poisonous to us. BE READY YOU GUYS!" he called over his shoulder.

Inside the ship, Matt/Bioforce looked tense.

Tim/Mentallica called out "Didn't get much aside from an image of money, or something. Gold things anyway."

There was a loud BANG! and a CLANK!

They'd allowed the three alien ships to grapple onto them and were now being dragged into the space station. Now they were in a hanger. Moth Lady had explained they were carbon life forms, air breathers, and needing a mix of Nitrogen and Oxygen to breathe...

The doors hissed open.

There were around twenty rag tag types in cobbled together suits, armour, clothes and equipment. The place was a mess, scarred, bashed up, scorched, dented... It had seen some use. The 'spacers' were mostly humanoids wearing helmets. Some of them looked like ... Octopus, another looked like a cloud of gas... those that had hands levelled mean looking rifles at the hatch.

Ian gulped in and... breathed out. "Air. Though its thin!" he wheezed. "I can thicken that up but... I don't want blasting! Any ideas?"

"Moth Lady! Get out here! We need a translator!" shouted Cutthroat, hands up in the universal surrender position. At least he hoped they understood.

One of the Spacers stepped forward, sucking on a pipe of some kind and hissing out blue smoke. "SKRZZRARKVERBULSCKRUGGLE!" he snarled.

The rifles raise,d pointing at the trio on the ramp! This was about to go bad!

Kid Kinetic looked over at Mentallica and shrugged. "Well, these guys don't look like the Psion type," Ryan said with his thoughts. "But they still might blast us. Are you picking up anything?"

Mentallica glanced at Kid Kinetic. "It's... a jumble! Pictures... I can't understand any words but they are curious... I think. If they start blasting they might destroy or damage any valuable stuff I guess."

Moth Lady moved forward, ducking under the hatch to avoid damaging her head and stretching her wings out with a flutter. Rifles pointed at her...

Ian held hands up "Now hold on we can talk about..."

Her waved hand silenced him and she started to talk. They conversed.

Cutthroat muttered "Talking is good. No idea what those patched up rifles do. We're all superhumans here, aside from the pilot. That said, some of us take a hit better than others. You fast enough to grab some of the rifles if things go south?"

Without his powers Kid Kinetic was no faster than the best Olympic athlete but even so, that was pretty darn quick!

Moth Lady turned back to the group. "I have negotiated a deal where we get food, fuel, supplies. Water. They want the gold that was promised. And a hostage. Choose one among you who will be held to ensure our compliance." she said in her high pitched alien voice.

"Now wait a minute!" said Ian. "I don't..."

Again she waved him quiet, to his annoyance. "They said comply, or die." she said simply.

"A hostage?" Ryan did his best to supress a smirk. He was pretty sure what the outcome would be if everyone voted. He'd better do something to save Ian the embarrassment.

Kid Kinetic stepped forward. "I'll do it. This situation is partly my fault, anyway."

Cutthroat gaped under his full face mask whilst Ian smirked "Done! Take him!"

Cue the others breaking into arguments, both for and against and swapping sides in most cases.

An alien with an octopus for a head (and a covered body which looked like who knew what) wrapped tentacles around Kid Kinetics arm and started to drag him away.

"Hang in there kid. Without you to keep the peace I can't see the rest of us getting along for much longer." said Cutthroat.

Tim pulsed, mind to mind 'I'll stay in touch Ryan. Ian is an idiot but I'm sure even he doesn't want to see you come to harm! I'll keep the link open so we can chat.'

The air was particularly thin when Kid Kinetic was shoved and pushed into the dingy dark cluttered corridor out of the noisy hanger bay. Everywhere were exposed pipes, tubes, hoses, machinery, junk, broken stuff, stuff that needed fixing and who knew what.

Shoving a breathing mask at Kid Kinetic a blue skinned noseless humanoid adjusted a tank and attached it to the mask on Ryan's face. He gasped, eyes bulging and the alien adjusted the flow of air... Until Ryan started laughing hysterically. More adjustment. Finally he grinned and gave a thumbs up which the aliens could just about figure out was ok.

CLUNK! CLANG!

He was shoved into a cell of sorts. More junk in here. Machines in states of disrepair, something that smelled unpleasant, boxes of ... well, junk really.

Time passed.

With his stomach growling Ryan slumped into the least cluttered corner.

'Things are going ok buddy' said Tim in his mind. 'Everyone is asking about you, making sure you're ok.'

Just then a box of junk 'moved' about ten feet opposite from where Kid Kinetic sat!

The sound suggested something was alive in here with him... and all of a sudden...

BANG!!!!

The *entire* station shook, rubbish and junk tumbling from shelves, spilling, crashing... alarms blared, smoke started seeping in from under the gap in the door... the station was under attack!

Ryan backed up against the wall. "Um, hello? Is someone..thing in here too? I think we had better get out of this room." He grabbed a piece of junk and poked at the box that had moved.

The box tipped to one side to reveal...



The creature looked to have been sucking/feeding on a pipe which was leaking a green fluid that sizzled when it touched the floor. So, the baby alien octopus thingy was eating something acidic? As with everything else he'd seen so far this thing could be friendly or some crazy face hugging space marauder, but right now he had bigger problems - like how to get out of here and not die when the space station got blasted into smithereens!

The alien creature thing looked up at Ryan and blinked, but didn't say or do anything, whilst the pipe it had been sucking on (which goes into one wall and out of another at the opposite side) continued to leak with a sizzling green drip that seems to eat into the metal all about it. There was a small 'crater' in the floor where the stuff had seeped and octopus baby had missed a bit.

Just then there was another loud BANG! and the whole place shook again, this time with a persistent rattle and vibration that was ongoing!

Ryan tried to contact Tim with his mind. "Hey, there's something alive in here! What is happening outside?"

Kid Kinetic carefully picked up the small alien child. "I don't know if you can understand me but we need to get out off of this station. I don't think it is safe anymore." He looked over the junk that was strewn throughout the room. "Maybe we can scoop up some of this green acid and melt the lock. We need a glass container or maybe a ceramic bowl."

Ryan 'pulsed' to Tim as he'd done loads of times. There was a delay before his friend responded.

"There's a problem outside the space station." explained his team mate and buddy. "Seems someone took a liking to our ship because it was 'unusual' - I think they mean it's not patched up with tape and wire - and started blasting at the station so they'd turn it over. The station people want their pound of flesh from us but don't want their station blasting into bits and we still need water, food and supplies. What's that you say about alive? We might all be struggling with that part if the pounding doesn't stop. This place is held together with spit and chicken wire. I can't help but think a pipe ruptured or an outer skin holed... and we blow up or get sucked into space. As usual Ian is being a dick about it."

Ryan started sifting through the rubbish and came up with the equivalent of an old bucket, made out of something that might pass for plastic but was odd to the touch. More... organic really but it was hard to tell.

Trying to usher the small alien inside it, the creature instead turned and reached out with tentacles for Ryan, much as a youngster would to be picked up...

OOC: Sorry, had to work a lot this week.

Ryan scoops up the tyke in one arm and uses the bowl to collect the sizzling green liquid dripping from the pipe.

"Let's get out of here!" He then splashes the latch on the door.

Ryan reaches for the 'tyke' and the tentacles reach back...

...and as soon as the two touch Kid Kinetic feels something!

A spark, a 'buzz' through his body and he leans back, stiffening!

As if a prisoner in his own body the youngster strains his eyes down to stare at the creature as it carefully, slowly, picks its way up Kid Kinetic's paralysed form! His muscles strain, he feels helpless against...

'Friend' pulsed the word inside Kid Kinetics head. It sounded like it had been spoken but there was no one around - not that he could move his neck!

'Friend. Join. Friend.' said the voice inside his head... and Kid Kinetic's eyes widened (barely) as the creature moved up... and up... so that it's belly was exposed to Kid Kinetic's face! And something... a tendril (he hoped) started to peel out from the body of the alien ... towards Kid Kinetics' mouth!

'Friend' pulsed the voice inside KK's head. 'Join'...

OOC Kid Kinetic can resist the mental paralysis to break free... or he can accept whatever the alien is just about to do!

"Agggk!" Kid Kinetic tried to remember the mental exercises from his training sessions with Mentallica. "Get... outta.... my head...um, please?"

OOC Ryan will try to resist.

The creature shied back, seeming to feel pain at the very thought of Kid Kinetic resisting!

It squirmed, oozed, greasy like an eel and flopped onto the floor, racing across the floor to hide behind a pile of trash!

Kid Kinetic blew out in relief. The creature had wanted to ... bond with him somehow? What would the repercussions of that be?

Just then the space station shuddered again and rubbish spilled across the floor! It was followed by a constant vibration...

'Ryan? We're in trouble here buddy! You need to get out here and back to the ship!' pulsed Mentallica inside his head!

"Yeesh. When did my head become Grand Centeal Station?" he thought. " I'm on my way, Tim!"

Kid Kinetic squared up on the lock he melted and gave it a hearty kick. He glanced back towards the refuse pile and let out a sigh. The alien being seemed so pitiable and alone.

"Hey, um kid? I'm really sorry I reacted like that. Wanna be friends?"

Kid Kinetic scooted the ceramic bow of acid towards the center of the room and waited.

The Alien peeked its head out then the rest of its tentacled form followed tentatively.

With the bowl of acid in hand Kid Kinetic (carefully!) offered it to the alien which came forward and dipped a tentacle in.

'Pleasure' it pulsed. Kid Kinetic could 'hear' the thing in his head clearly now.

'Join?' it asked again...

The space station suddenly shook violently, and the lights suddenly dimmed! Emergency red lights pinged on and there was a loud 'groaning' of metal somewhere from down the corridor. There was no sign of anyone else - the spacers will all have been trying to get onto whatever passed for lifeboats on this place or trying to squeeze onto the Valkyrie!

Kid Kinetic turned back to the alien.

'Join?' it pulsed again, tentacles outstretched... Ryan blinked. He got a vision of the creature reshaping to match his body, like a suit...

Just then a BANG! rang out and the corridor SPLIT with fire bursting from the gap and a hissing sound as another ruptured pipe started pumping green gas into the corridor... it would be down here in moments!

Gas! It would not even be an issue had he still posessed his hyper-metabolism. There was no telling what it might do to him now. Kid Kinetic groaned. "Aw, man. How do I get myself into these situations? And most importantly, how do I get out?!" His only hope was the alien could share some of his immunity or at least know a way out. Kid Kinetic timidly extended his index finger...