The NEW Vanguard! FROSTBITE ISSUE #12 "Something bad this way comes."

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc:  Sorry to hear you got COVID, hope it is minor and you get well soon.

OOC: Thanks mate I have turned a corner, thankfully. Still can't taste anything, but energy levels are starting to come back.

Sj

OOC Ugh. What a week (or at least since Wednesday anyway). Thankfully work won't bother me for a few days so here's hoping (fingers crossed) no interruptions! Covid booster was horrible. Like having flu injected into you.

Anyway...

Frostbite analysed what he knew.

An alien being of some description without a physical form that he or Battlebug could harm - and they were the Vanguard's biggest hitters - had been dormant here for decades after seemingly having drained the life from the moon base inhabitants. Not that they didn't deserve a grisly end but it did pose the question.

If this thing drained life force for sustenance, and it had run out on the moon, where else might it find some?

"RETREAT!" barked Frostbite. "BACK TO THE SHIP! NOW!" he roared.

Relfex and Surge didn't need telling twice, their bulky suited forms running past their leader whilst Battlebug backed away from the glowing swirling mist as it tried to surround him.

"What gives with this thing boss?" he called out. "Think it can survive in vacuum?"

"NOW, BUG!" repeated Frostbite and Battlebug spun on his heel, sprinting/jumping down the corridor - as a mistlike arm reached from the mass to grab at him...

Frostbite fired his ice to form a solid stronger than steel barrier between the hand and the youngster. It probably wouldn't hold this thing but it might slow it down!

With Battlebug past him Frostbite continued to fill the corridor with ice from top to bottom, backing off all the while...

=========

"skrrzzzzz ... to get out of here. Fire up the flier!" squawked Surge over the comms.

Catherine turned and set down the toolbox she'd been using to pry off a panel. This was something of a parts jumble, cooked up by Wandafar with Timmy Jones help from scrapped Valkyries including the last one which was trashed.

That meant most of the functions didn't work, there were no weapons, no stealth, the life support sort of worked, electricals and guidance was hit and miss... the dashboard was held together with tape and shook itself to pieces on take off... It was a miracle it flew, never mind got to the moon!

Still, they were the Vanguard, and miracles were their business...

"Barracuda!" she called out over the comms. Frowning, she toggled a switch again, muttered a curse then banged the side of the panel. It crackled into life. "Barracuda! Back on board! We're leaving!"

She went through the pre launch sequence then had an afterthought. "Might need muscle to wind the outer doors of this place open!" she called on the comms.

Outside the ship Barracuda bounded over in the near zero gravity to where a great rusted wheel sat on the wall, attached by chains and pulleys and made to operate the docking bay doors of this ancient moon base.

=========

"Boss?" asked Battlebug as Frostbite rounded a corner. His blue chestplate bathed the youngster in light and the pair of them looked back down the way they'd come.

The corridor was full of ice, and aside from Frostbites' chest glow, was in total darkness.

"We're the Vanguard..." he whispered. "We shouldn't have to run from anything."

"What WAS that thing?"

Frostbite felt a chill run down his back. It had been the right call to run. The creature they faced was powerful, but a different kind of power to what they normally faced. Frostbite couldn't imagine coming up against anyone physically stronger, tougher or more agile than himself or Battlebug. There just weren't that many more powerful supers in Britain certainly, and they'd both qualify as Ultrahumans in America as shoe ins.

But this was a different kind of power, one they were not equipped to fight against. It would be like going to war with blank ammunition ranged against the enemy with cannons...

"Keep moving." whispered Frostbite.

=========

[Down this corridor and to the right.] said Frostbot.

The pair turned and entered the room overlooking the docking bay.

Shutting the door behind they entered the bay where Barracuda (suited up) stepped from the ramp.

"Where are the others?" she called out.

Frostbite glanced about, then at Battlebug, then back at Barracuda. Surge and Reflex. They'd gotten lost, taken a wrong turn, something. Not hard in this place, and the signs - what signs there were - in German!

"Comms are down boss." said Battlebug, "Or restricted to line of sight. Want me to go look for em? I'll be back in a jiffy after I use my... Huh. Or not. My super sensitive nose doesn't work well in a place with hardly any air..."

Catherine appeared at the ramp. "What's the hold up? Wait, where are the other two?"

BOOOM!

Somewhere in the complex there was a loud crash and dust sprinkled from the ceiling!

Admin wrote:Catherine appeared at the ramp. "What's the hold up? Wait, where are the other two?"

BOOOM!

Somewhere in the complex there was a loud crash and dust sprinkled from the ceiling!

Frostbite's heart sank. "They must have taken a wrong turn...quick Battle Bug get respirators we might need them if we have to exit through unconventional means. Catherine have this on standbye. Bug clear that doorway, we need these guys to be able to get out, and possible meet us on the surface if worst comes to the worse!"

Once Frostbite had the zero atmosphere gear, he switched to thermal vision to see if he could retrace the steps of Reflex and Surge, mindful that the two of them could already be lost if he didn't hurry. But if he failed, they could all be too late.

Sj

Battlebug scarpered up the ramp into the Flier and came out with respirator packs in a backpack, shrugging it on.

Barracuda started spinning the rusted wheel and the clatter of chains indicated the docking bay doors shuddering open.

Frostbite switched to his thermal vision. Carefully the pair made their way back, tracing their tracks through the labyrinthine place.

"We can't go back the way we came boss." whispered Battlebug. "We know they didn't come that way or we'd have seen them."

Made sense. Unfortunately there was plenty of old metal in this place that would block the ability to see heat signatures.

For minutes the pair moved through the darkness, Battlebug using his sonar and night vision to get about whilst Frostbite could see the variance between open spaces and walls.

"Did they go down? Maybe they HAD to go down." muttered Battlebug in the thin barely there air. The two glanced at each other. How deep did this base go? What else lurked in this place?

Suddenly there was a crash and a door in the corridor fell open, Nazi zombies tumbling out!

The pair of them nearly jumped from their skins but moments later the zombies had been reduced to crumbling body parts. No matter how terrifying undead soldiers were, Battlebug and Frostbite were leagues beyond them in terms of power.

"Down?" muttered Battlebug as they looked at a stairwell leading into the depths of this place, the darkness absolute...

Admin wrote:"Down?" muttered Battlebug as they looked at a stairwell leading into the depths of this place, the darkness absolute...

Frostbite nodded leading the way his chest plate illuminating everything before them in its cold blue light. He knew they were against the clock that thing, magical as it was wouldn't stay bound for long. If they were caught...it didn't bear thinking about. But what was interesting was that it was or appeared to be trapped behind a door. Was the door or walls of this place made with something it couldn't pass through. Something to consider, but Frostbite gave himself to the moment, straining his ears for any noise or sound of the others. All the while trusting in Battle Bugs incredible range of abilities, to detect them. 'How could they have gotten this far...?' he wondered as they pressed on.

OOC: I have visions of Alien and every other stalker in the dark type of movie. It's just as well you are not interested in an iron man campaign where we died and had to start again, I often think that our characters know so much better than we do, but we blunder around without a clue - it's a wonder we get as far as we do.

Sj

"Just a simple wrong turn Boss. Or... maybe there's more than one of those things..." whispered Battlebug. "Things we can't touch or affect but that can drain our souls..." he shivered.

The pair continued downwards, Battlebug hopping from wall to stairwell to wall and Frostbite simply floating down.

"There!" indicated Frostbite. A fading heat signature/footprint on the floor in front of a door on the stairwell and the handle was a lighter shade of blue indicating it had been used in the last minute or so. Beyond that Frostbites' vision couldn't pick up heat signatures too well.

With a nod to Frostbite who stood ready to blast Battlebug opened the door... into a pitch black corridor. No problem for the two Vanguardians who could both see in their own way. The corridor had doors off it and dusty footprints indicated a large pair of feet (Surge) and smaller (Reflex) had been this way very recently. Indeed, the dust was still floating about.

"No guesses as to what the dust is from. Eeeeew." whispered Battlebug. Checked the first door. An office. Nothing living (or unliving) inside. Storage room, janitors cupboard, some kind of mess hall... Next room... Locked.

Battlebug pointed at the handle. Dust had been disturbed and Battlebug pointed at the door then clenched his fist. He would open it, stand ready to attack in other words!

He did so... and Surge flew out at him!

OOC AV8 + 2D M Arts + Roll(4d12)+0: 9,4,7,12,+0 Total:21 (29) vs
OV16 (Dex + power Reserve 8) + 4D Acrobatics + Roll(6d12)+0: 4,11,4,12,12,12,+0 Total:24 Double (Boom) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,8,+0
Total:36 (52) Attack Missed!

Surge fell forwards as Battlebug swayed to the side. Kevin was an excellent fighter but nowhere near Battlebugs' league even if the youngster didn't tap into that mysterious bottomless well of power that he used to empower himself!

"Dude!" exclaimed Battlebug. "Chill! Same side! It's us!"

Kevin looked wild eyed, terrified!

"They... they took Steph!" he spluttered.

Battlebug glanced at Frostbite as he helped Surge to his feet. "They? Like, more than one of those things? The things we can't touch or hurt in any way?"

"I tried to fight them off... it was like... they were made of smoke! My punches went through em! They did something to Steph! She froze... and one entered her! I tried to shake her out of it but she threw me off like I was a 98lb weakling! I had to run! She went that way... With them."

He pointed down the corridor into the darkness. "Stairs down the bottom of the corridor. Leading down." muttered Battlebug.

Frostbite glanced at the floor. No footprints in the dust.

"Reflex can only fly when she'd drained some energy." muttered Battlebug. "She might have some left in her unless she drained you?" he asked Surge.

"No. She didn't need to drain me. She was much stronger than me. As strong as she ever gets. Whatever that glowing mist cloud did, it powered her up. We need to go boss! NOW!" he hissed, clearly still shaken.

"Can't leave Steph behind boss." muttered Battlebug.

"Are you mad kid? We might ALL get taken over like Steph was? What do you suppose those cloud things could do in my body... or worse... one of you two? I can't beat either of you in a scrap - if one of you - or both - gets taken over we'll lose the entire team! We need to come back, properly equipped."

[Reflexs' air supply will last another 6-7 hours, estimated. It is a special compressed mix that utilises specialist rebreathing apparatus that Wandafar designed.] said Frostbot.

"We get back to Earth, grab someone who can fight these things and come back for her?" suggested Battlebug. "Will we have enough time?"

Frostbite looked down the corridor. Whatever these creatures were - mentallists, mystics, something in between... it was clear that they wouldn't respond to being punched or blasted!

Admin wrote:Frostbite looked down the corridor. Whatever these creatures were - mentallists, mystics, something in between... it was clear that they wouldn't respond to being punched or blasted!

Frostbite had to know what he was facing, what they needed before they ran off on a possible wild goose chase to get a magician or mind monkey to wrench that thing out of Steph and leave her intact. Turning to the other two he said, "Get Surge to the ship, I am going to be following. We will not leave her, but we might need help. But I've got to let..." and at this, he tapped his chest plate, "My old friend get as much info as possible so we can tell whoever we can to help what we are facing if we're to get Steph free. I've got a better chance of escape if need be, so I will be fine. So take off when you're back to the ship and await my return - it might be in a hurry. But I don't want anyone else caught by these things. And BB, wait for me, don't come after me - understood?"

The final comment was said with a hard but kind stare into his friends face. He knew it was a hard order to follow but one he had to give.

OOC: OK so I go looking for Steph, see what I can discover and then I am thinking of getting out, either phasing out through the roof or flying back out the way we came in etc. And it looks like we're going to need a magician or mind mechanic to monkey with these things!

Sj

Battlebug squirmed, visibly uncomfortable. "Boss..." he started, but the look from Frostbite cut him off.

With a sigh the youngster turned to Surge. "Come on, let's get you back." He turned to Frostbite. "Comms are down in this place. I guess they used a lot of lead in the 1940s. Huh, what am I saying? 1940s? Look at this place! On the moon! Mind you..." he pondered. "I'm someone who can toss a supertanker into orbit, Kevin grows to like, eight storeys high and your energy blasts punch holes through mountains so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Ten minutes Boss. Then I come back for you?" he offered.

OOC Your call as to whether you go for that.

Frostbite watched the two make their way back to where they'd started, although this time Battlebug led and Frostbite knew the youngster had a good head on his shoulders. Impetuous, brash, fool hardy, sure, but there was a keen mind too and in time he'd be a great superhero.

The Vanguardian leader turned to float down the corridor, body dispersed and in a cloud form (OOC most defensive state. Harder to hit with OV17 and harder to damage with power reserve thrown at Dispersal so Resistance value is 29. For reference a nuclear warhead is in the low 30s but anything less than that in physical terms like bullets, bombs etc Frostbite can ignore)

[Mapping as we go] stated Frostbot.

[The youngster will - as you know - defy your orders and return for you in any respect, possibly in a shorter time frame than the 10 minutes. My prediction - with a 99.6% accuracy rate - is that he will charge in like the proverbial 'bull in a china shop'. That will render most of this facility irreparable. In terms of sheer destructive power Battlebug cannot be measured. Somewhere in the region of a thousand - or more - times destructive than the most powerful nuclear weapon.]

That gave Frostbite reason to pause. Was Battlebug too powerful? Whether he liked it or not Frostbite and Battlebug were - with Adjutants' absence - the most powerful super beings in Britain and most likely the majority of Europe. And yet here he was creeping through the darkness hoping to find and rescue his team mate before the nasty invulnerable cloud things got him! It was almost laughable.

Then he paused. Several minutes had gone by with Frostbite carefully checking in every room he passed by simply drifting through the walls as he floated. Not too fast - he didn't want to blunder into something - but enough time had passed that he'd felt his body repair itself.

OOC Full everything Body/Mind/Spirit

At the end of the corridor he looked down a stairwell that wound in on itself as it dropped. Right at the bottom of the shaft, maybe 100 feet down and well below the surface of the moon, was an orange glow. He couldn't see any heat signatures but that didn't mean Steph/Reflex was dead, simply that she might be behind walls that blocked his vision.

The orange glow was very much like what they'd encountered when they first came across the entity...

[Beware.] stated Frostbot.

Admin wrote:The orange glow was very much like what they'd encountered when they first came across the entity...
[Beware.] stated Frostbot.

Knowing that this was a statement of the obvious didn't make the warning any less meaningful. With a nod, Frostbite descended toward the glow...seeking all the while to avoid being trapped with the thing. But wanted to know more before he ran from it, without a clear idea of what it was they faced and what they needed to free Steph from its grasp.

Sj

Moving without much in the way of sound Frostbite floated down towards the orange glow.

This level of the complex was some kind of machine/engine level, meant to provide the entire facility with power and presumably heat/light/oxygen. All too advanced for the 1940s but using technology and materials derived from that era.

The place was as it had been left in the forties. Something had happened and the Nazis based here had died and reanimated as zombies.

[Perhaps the creature or creatures that now 'Haunt' this place are the cause of that. They require life force for sustenance and without it do not have the power and energy to access their abilities to their full extent.] suggested Frostbot. [In which case we should leave and not provide them with the means for sustenance.]

Hmmm. Too late for that. Still, Frostbite never gave up hope. He and his people had been in all manner of scrapes. They still had to get back to Earth to make sure Stonelord was captured and paid for his treachery. The UKChampions were in total disarray and the nations' capital still reeling from the effects of the electromagnetic pulse set off by Eurotrash who it seemed were under the leadership of alternate dimension versions of himself and his good friend Lionheart. They went by the names Frostbyte and Saladin and had proved more than a match for the Vanguard so far.

Now this. These creatures were mental or mystical based. The former Frostbite could sort of deal with to an extent. The latter, not so much.

This was more Professor Thoth's area of expertise, or the Sorceress. She was on hiatus after the events involving her former partner Dr Mystical who had tried to take over the alternate dimensional version of Britain known as Albion and ruled by the Queen - and friend of the Vanguard - Elesieth.

So much had happened and now he faced losing one of his own to these mystical 'space vampires' for want of a better word. It proved that there were things out there which the Vanguard faced which they couldn't punch or blast their way through...

Closer now the hero stopped, looking at an open doorway with the bright orange glow coming from it.

After a moment he instead moved to a wall and poked his face through for a look.

Beyond was a large chamber with scattered broken machinery and debris from the 1940s. Some kind of cave, carved from the rock of the moon and abandoned as a dumping ground. Now the place was swirling with orange clouds/ethereal beings ... with a floating Steph/Reflex in the middle of them! She seemed immobilised, hands by her sides and still - thankfully - in her space suit. The readout in the top right hand corner of Frostbites vision indicated the oxygen levels down here were too low to support human life. Plus it was like -183 degrees Celsius. Being on the dark side of the moon meant the area never seemed to warm up.

[I count... 12 separate energy forms, with one larger than the rest] stated Frostbot [I advise we retreat and return when better equipped to take on these entities.]

And leave Steph?

Admin wrote:And leave Steph?

Alerting his friend and companion to gather as much data as could be done from his limited perspectives, Frostbite with a heavy heart withdrew. He had never felt so disheartened. But had never faced an enemy like this that made his own powers and abilities to overcome so insignificant. It took all he had to keep himself floating back out of the base. With every foot he flew up he felt the weight of what he was doing sink on his shoulders. It felt a bit like the despair he faced when Battle Bug was lost in action, thought dead. Now though, he had a different mission, one that had to be weighed against the weight of all the other things going on. And could he find a sufficiently powerful mage or mages? After all, it wasn't just one of their ethereal aliens, but a dozen and one very big bad one ruling them all!

He moved quickly through to the ship and signalled Catherine to go. It was going to be one of the longest flights he'd taken!

OOC: OK, so looks like we are on a mage or two, hunt for help and that urgently. Got to turn this around sufficiently to get Steph before it's too late.

Sj

Battlebug was waiting outside of the ship when Frostbite returned.

"Boss! I... uh sorry I forgot my watch and had to guess at how long ten... uh. Where's Steph?" he asked.

Frostbite shook his head and explained they'd have to come back.

"What? No! We can't leave her! Who knows what... her air is going to run out! Maybe I can have another go, get in quick, in/out.... I'm willing to try ..."

Frostbite put a hand on the youngsters shoulder and shook his head, giving him a pained look. behind the mask Billy looked distraught but his trust and faith in Frostbite was absolute. "You got a plan though right? You always do."

Catherine called out on the comms from the ship. "Somethings' happening!"

Indeed it was. Walls were shaking, the entire structure in fact!

Time to go!

"Boss!" shouted Catherine. "We need a boost!"

Frostbite moved under the ship, grabbed hold of the landing struts and hefted it up. In this low gravity it wasn't difficult and he barely needed any more strength from his icy/stronger more dense form. The ship manoeuvred through the docking bay doors and out into the void with Frostbite underneath it and (with Frostbots' direction) heading back towards Earth. He risked a glance back down.

The Moon Base! Lights were coming on... steam, or gas or something was coming from it. Multiple points where the domes and structures had been punctured over time... The Base was... coming back to life!

What had happened?

Frostbite phased through the body of the ship and into the cockpit, trying to ignore the downcast expressions on Barracuda, Surge and Battlebugs faces.

"Nothing you could do." stated Catherine as she flicked switch after switch and shook her head. "Going to need you to interface and give this pile of junk a head start Joe. Joe! Snap out of it! We need to get back to Earth!" she said with a hand on his arm. "Steph knows the risks. We'll get back for her, but first we need to get back to Earth!"

Frostbite nodded then placed his hand on a console. All of a sudden dead switches illuminated, dials spun into life and there was a CHUG, CHUG... ROAAAARRRRRRRR!!!! As booster rockets burst into life!

Catherine applied thrusters and then throttle and the ship started forwards, launching back towards Earth. The journey would take around 4 hours to reach Earths' atmosphere. Even then it would need Frostbite to use his powers to cool the outside of the ship as there wouldn't be enough fuel to reverse thrust and... they'd need to fly further to get around to Britain... Frostbite glanced back through the misted window towards the moon.

Steph was running out of air and time!

=========

"This is the Vanguard. Do NOT I repeat, do NOT open fire on this vehicle!" said Catherine over the comms. "Commander Dawson of SMITE will vouch for us. Hang on... transmitting authorisation code. Contact ... Justin St Johns of the Department Of Metahuman Emergencies"

The two fighter jets shadowed the flier as it headed towards the Vanguards destination, somewhere north of London.

"Yes, that's right. Justin St Johns. DOME. That's what they are calling themselves. Above your and my pay grade pilot. Fire on us and you'll catch more trouble than you can imagine! We are the VANGUARD." said Catherine.

There was a pause.

"Stand by."

Frostbite concentrated on applying ice to the nose cone - which had started to disintegrate anyway. Wandafar's efforts to jury rig a ship from smashed up previous efforts had been commendable but without Frostbites' powers it wouldn't have gotten back...

"DOME confirm your clearance Ma'am." said a pilot over the comms. "We are authorised to break off and back to base. Thank you for your patience."

There was a pause then "Me and all the others appreciate what the VANGUARD does for Britain ma'am. Any time you need us, the Royal Air Force has your back! Good hunting!"

Catherine breathed a sigh of relief. "This bucket of bolts would shred if they opened fire on us. I genuinely didn't think we'd get back. We ran out of fuel an hour ago."

Thank Frostbot for that. The living computer had rerouted systems and pushed things beyond even their jury rigged limits.

"Don't suppose you'd do the honours to bring us in smooth Boss?" asked Catherine.

Frostbite obliged to phase through the hull and grasp the struts, slowing the ship and trying not to wince every time a heat shield fell off exposing bare innards of the flier.

How on earth would they get back to the moon in this???

The dot that was the mansion homed into view thanks to Frostbots' direction and he set it down gently. Even so one of the wings fell off...

With the juddering rear hatch struggling, Surge sprung it open and tossed his space helmet to the lawn. "What the hell!" he roared, then booted it across the field. "We can't have just..." he rung his hands through his hair. "We left her! I can't believe it!" he roared and marched off in a random direction, swearing and swiping at anything he could kick!

Battlebug watched him go then turned to Frostbite. "I'll make sure he doesn't do anything daft boss. What's the next move?"

Frostbite looked at the flier. The other wing cracked, sagged, then crunched on the ground. The windows were all cracked, one of the booster jets was at an odd angle and most of the heat shielding was gone...

Admin wrote:Battlebug watched him go then turned to Frostbite. "I'll make sure he doesn't do anything daft boss. What's the next move?"

Frostbite looked at the flier. The other wing cracked, sagged, then crunched on the ground. The windows were all cracked, one of the booster jets was at an odd angle and most of the heat shielding was gone...

Frostbite spoke, the first time since coming back to the ship, "We do what we always do, regroup, enlist and endeavour. Fortune favours the bold. I'd better debrief Justin, get a sitrep and find out if we can get ahold of Thoth or Sorceress."

Frostbite headed inside. He knew time was of the essence, Steph wouldn't have long in the suit. However, that the base was coming online would mean it would have a workable atmosphere of some sort. What scared him more, was if the creature, being incorporeal could now, with Steph, interact with the base! And more so, was their ships or armaments there that could defend it from attack?

He had to know more...first he'd fill in Justin, speak to the UKChampions and then track down Wandafar and tell him in no uncertain terms the problem. Then on top of all that, he had to find a first-class spell sling or 7 with time on their hands to lend a hand, against a foe, he and his best couldn't even harm on their best day! Who ever said being a hero was easy!

Sj

"Frostbite!" exclaimed Justin St Johns as he turned to face the screen which allowed their face to face meeting from his office in London.

He turned to the governmental ministers who were present and politely asked them to leave before taking up a remote control and pressing a button. A light came on above the door confirming that the conversation was as secure as could be made without someone being there to physically eavesdrop.

"Catherine sent me a message. Sounds like another nasty to sort out." said the former superhero. "Not your area of expertise either. I've sent a message for Thoth but as usual he's 'out of town'. For him that might mean 'not in this timeline or on another plane of existence'."

Frostbite filled int he gaps and Justin frowned. "Right. We can't rush off half cocked but time is running our if we're to rescue our girl. Hold on." He reached over to a keyboard off screen and tapped in a few sequences.

"Sorry about that old boy. Catherine, hello." he added.

Catherine had entered, still garbed in space suit but without helmet and gloves now. "Bet you're glad you don't need this stuff." she muttered, with hair plastered to her face from all the sweat. "I'll stick about for this but need a shower soon! Wandy's on his way."

Justine settled onto the edge of his desk and was able to see a wallscreen and the monitor which he spoke to Frostbite through. A similar wallscreen popped into life with Atomica, Bombardier and Champion (a heroine you haven't met yet, who is Shamrocks' deputy. Shamrock has injuries that prevent him from participating). Atomica nodded when she saw the people on the screen in front of her, having calmed her demeanour much in her several times with dealing with Frostbite. Indeed, if it were up to her Frostbite would be one of the leaders of the UK Champions.

Bombardier was his usual scowling self. "What is it St Johns? This is a priority channel. Don't you know the shi... Frostbite." He cooled slightly. Then sighed. "I suppose I should thank you. Again. The Vanguard have uncovered a serious threat to the UKChampions and the nation as a whole. Whilst we're waiting to gather concrete evidence on Stonelord we have people out looking for him. Bloodhound you know, of course. He suggested the boy - Flea or whatever - could help in that regard. Most I've ever heard him speak." he grumbled. "With Adjutant still in a semi coma and half the team fighting fires or disasters that have popped up since Eurotrash set off that EMP this is one more thing we don't need to deal with. Now what is it?"

Justin kept a calm demeanour and explained. "Battlebug was transported to the surface of the moon by one of the Eurotrash friends that Stonelord is running with now. The Vanguard went up to rescue him and uncovered a hitherto unknown Nazi moon base up there..."

"What? Impossible!" said Champion, who'd not spoke thus far. She wore a half face mask and red/blue/white costume. "How can they...?"

"It's abandoned." said Bombardier. "No signs of life."

"UN life." said Justin. "Zombies, right?" he turned to Frostbite.

"Indeed." said Frostbite.

Bombardier harrumphed. "Well, I'm sure you can deal with a few shamblers. Our records put you at a four, possibly a five on the scale..."

Justin held up a hand. "The Zombies aren't alone. There is an entity, or entities, up there which are beyond our area of expertise. Magic."

Atomica frowned. "What do you intend to do about it? We can't leave a potential threat up there while..."

Justin held up a hand. "Excuse me Princess, but that's the reason for the call. Sorceress, Dr Mystical we know and have had dealings with."

"We are DEALING with Dr Mystical in our own way. He won't be a problem any more. Sorceress is on a leave of absence." said Bombardier.

"Who else do we know that covers mystical stuff?" asked Justin.

Just then someone stepped into view.

"What the blood hell!" gasped Justin, standing up and knocking his tea over.

"What's he doing there!" roared Bombardier! "St Johns! We'll have someone over in a jiffy, keep him busy!"

Nowhere Man turned to the camera. "You were always an idiot Bombardier." he rasped. "I'm here to help."

"How do YOU know about all of this?" asked Champion. It was clear the UKChampions weren't Nowhere Man's biggest fan.

"I go where I'm needed. Don't blame me. Blame my powers." he growled. He turned to the screen to look at Frostbite. "We'll need to talk." he declared. Then he vanished!

"How the hell does he DO that?" asked Justin with a sigh.

Bombardier looked furious. "We can't respond that quickly St Johns! Your security is a shambles!"

Justin turned, holding his fury in check. "I need to requisition one of your space capable jets. The fastest. Your ramjet mk vi design."

"What? That's top secret! We haven't... how did you know about that?" blustered Bombardier.

"Who do you suppose 'leaked' the slipstream engine designs to your techs?" asked Justin. "have it ready to fly in the hour. That's an order."

Bombardier stood, furious. "An Order? AN ORDER!" he roared. "Who the hell do you think that..."

His display winked off leaving Champion looking embarrassed and Atomica resolute. "We'll sort it out Justin. Frostbite." she nodded respectfully. Then Atomica and Champion winked off.

Justin shook his head and turned to Frostbite. "Bombardier." He shook his head. "Whilst they are prepping I will see what the Lore Knights are up to. If there IS a Lore Knights still... I'll be in touch shortly."

Justin winked off.

Catherine shook her head. "Putting Bombardier in charge ... who do... oh!"

The pair looked up and across the room to where Nowhere Man stepped from the shadows.

"Hello." he growled.

Admin wrote:Justin winked off.

Catherine shook her head. "Putting Bombardier in charge ... who do... oh!"

The pair looked up and across the room to where Nowhere Man stepped from the shadows.

"Hello." he growled.

OOC: Love it!

Frostbite turned from Nowhere Man to Catherine, "Battle Bug knows where to find the evidence we have on Stone Lord, let him and Surge and Barracuda go retrieve it and deliver it as a sign of good faith to the UKChampions. But they might need a grown-up to keep them from squabbling if you don't mind giving lifts! Hopefully, it will smooth the way if we need to borrow this experimental craft of theirs. Best get Wandafar on stream with it. Meanwhile, let me and Nowhere Man have some 1 to 1 time."

He nodded in thanks to Catherine noting her lingering look of distrust as she went from the room.

Turning back to Nowhere Man, he lead him to more comfortable seats and offered him refreshments before taking a seat and appraising what version at one time, this Nowhere Man had appeared from, before adding, "At some point are you ever going to join a team or get some much-needed colour back into your mission, let alone your life, in trying to single-handedly save the multiverse?"

OOC: I'm adding this in because once we've talked about James and his mission, and very solitary life, it would be good to find out why he has shown up and what he thinks he can offer, or indeed what it is that we need to do now. Hopefully I can tie off the Stone Lord Mission as well, if the youngsters don't get into trouble Hmmm now what are the chances of that not happening🤨

Sj

Mask half peeled up, Nowhere Man sipped on tea. Frostbot had already pointed out some differences in the costume Nowhere Man wore. Seams in different places, new/different pouches on his belt.

Otherwise it was all matt black, pretty much all business. Frostbite noted the grey frosting of stubble on the mans' lower face.

"Since you first surfaced as a superhero, you and I seem to have crossed paths more times than I can count. Do you ever miss those days as Joseph Rigdon, researcher at UCB defence systems? I'm not that man who guided you and Stormwarden in your earliest faltering steps at the old Battersea power station. You've come a long way since then, and with as varied a path as could never be imagined. You even wear a different face now, with a different name. You are still the same hero though." he said, then sipped at his tea. "I've changed. I am not the man you met, and I don't think I have personally met you before. My powers allow me to share information across multiverses though, between my different selves."

"I'm not the only one who can do this. A far more powerful chap calls himself NEXUS and your friend Lionheart is having some trouble with him and his friends in new York right now I think."

He sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Good tea." he muttered. "Look at the threats going on in the world right now. This is a 'skim off the top' view, what's relevant to the Vanguard right now. In Britain Eurotrash are run by an alternate version of you and Lionheart. They were a mess before, as likely to fight amongst themselves and a bit of a joke. Now? They 'turned' Stonelord, one of the UKChampions and they are running around like headless chickens, wondering what secrets have been spilled and who else might have been compromised. I know what happened in another reality, dozens of others, but there's no telling on what might happen here."

"Why is that important?"

He sipped again. "Something is happening. An entity is heading to Earth with the intention of wiping us out. Adjutant met its 'heralds', creatures who pave the way and save certain parts or stop others from escaping the devastation. Another of your problems - the Aliens known as ADVENT - have escaped this process of annihilation and think themselves safe when in reality they have enlightened this entity to Earths' existence. They were escaping, needed somewhere to go and found an opportunity on Earth to settle and extend their influence. It became clear turning hearts and minds would be easier than defeating beings who can withstand thermonuclear explosions."

"They have their hands in all sorts of pies. They provided assistance, resources, knowledge and the means to sort out a prison break for the worst of the worst. The most powerful villains on this planet. In doing so they took out Silver Sentinel - different to the one here. Think... 'more' in every conceivable way. He really is very, very powerful and the only one who could stop Nexus before - and the Ultrahumans." he held up a hand to quell any questions. "Lionheart is still alive as far as I know. He's made new friends but going to America dropped him in the deepest of ends. He's just about treading water I think."

"Every country is watching what happens in America. Advent are ready to pounce. The UKChampions are in disarray. The villains are rising up. Even groups thought to have disbanded or retired are looking at Eurotrash and thinking they can get a cut of what they are getting. In short?" he said, taking another sip.

"The Earth is ripe for getting flattened. And the entity won't have much of a fight to get through to do it."

"So, why am I here? Those things on the moon are - or were - Heralds of the Entity. Separated from the horde, they wandered about until they got to the moon and drained those on it. Friends of Lionheart - well, that might be stretching it - went back in time to help the Nazis build a moon base. In this reality anyway. Then the Heralds came along and fancied a snack and that was that. Probably saved us from a reality of having to deal with Nazi rule if you think about it. Funny that." he said with another sip.

Frostbite thought back to the early days. He and Stormwarden had crossed paths with Eurotrash and a speedster called Vitesse and his buddy Chevalier Noir. During that they'd met Yeoman and Frostbite had to remind himself they were different people. HE was a different person, in a different place now. But still the same. Confusing. He asked "Why?"

"Why? Oh the Entity heading this way? It's the mess that's caused from travelling to different realities. Multiple, uncountable, infinite realities spreading in every which direction. Most of the time it doesn't matter, we don't know anything about it and carry on oblivious. Some of us, like myself, Thoth, Nexus and others - both good and bad - move or manipulate these realities. More than once I've transported a bad egg from this one to another and vice versa where they were a good guy. The end justifies the means. For example one guy became a superhero here and was doing well till one of his missed shots cut through a coolant line and caused a nuclear meltdown killing tens of thousands of people and making hundreds of thousands critically ill with half of the country uninhabitable. Never happened. Well, not now anyway. It means that some of those people he saved in his time as a hero died or were injured, but in the grand scheme of things the greater good was served."

He held up a hand. "You are about to ask who appointed me as saviour of this reality? Answer, I don't know. The demon who granted me my powers? Some higher power? I'm no saint. All I know is right now unless you get back up to the moon and stop those rogue heralds from using the power they have left to empower your friend Stephanie, she's going to accelerate the process of the Entity getting here. The only way to do that..."

He sipped his tea again.

"...is to kill her." he sighed.

Admin wrote:He sipped his tea again.

"...is to kill her." he sighed.

Frostbite had an itch at the back of his head that as the man spoke only grew worse. He knew what this prickling sensation was. It was that creeping feeling that he wasn't going to like what and where Nowhere Man was going with this. NO wonder the man had a problem making friends. Frostbite was probably the closest he had to any such like.

"So your telling me, James. That for all the worlds you've travelled, the places you've seen and the things you've done, it all comes down to this? Surely there is always another way? Don't get me wrong I hear the speech about the greater good, but when the means to justify the ends are so downright wrong, the end suddenly looks like it's in the wrong place. I understand the needs of the many, I understand that Steph knew what she was taking on. Accept she didn't. She has come close to death but I don't suppose she imagined with would happen to her. So somewhere inside her, there is someone, alive and ever so afraid of what is going on to and around her. I get that we've got another big bad, and they are high tailing it here, to gobble us all up. But, my friend, you might have found it easier not to make friends so you can make these hard decisions about who lives and dies, but I cannot give up that easily. I do not let by law my authority comes from credibility, if I killed or allowed Steph to be killed, I'd end up like you without a team and without hope with the things going on that you mention. If we've got to do this, we've got to do this in a way that the only time we kill, is when it's the only solution left having tried all other scenarios. And you cannot tell me you've yet exhausted every other possibility, or else you'd be doing this yourself because you know this is where we'd land."

Frostbite looked hard at Caldwell, he knew his impassive mask would give little away, easier to make the hard decisions. But he noted the line of his jaw, his hands and his body language to see if he'd give anything away. Frostbite lead by consensus, with integrity with courage, throwing in the towel now it was difficult by killing someone on his team for being in the wrong place and time, just didn't wash with him. Not after the lengths he went to rescue Battle Bug, he was not about to give up on Steph either.

Sj

Nowhere Man peeled off the rest of his mask and sighed. He looked tired.

"Don't you think I know that? I *know* you Joe. I have met... or an alternate version of me... has met hundreds of versions of you. I have this... noise in my head. I feel ... pulled in every which direction and always I scream to the sky 'Why Me?'. Why am I the one to make the hard choices for the 'greater good'? And someone, somewhere is laughing." he sighed.

"I was booted from the Lore Knights because I went after the people who killed my fiance. I lost my powers, I was close to the end. Instead of stepping off a cliff to fall onto rocks far below I stepped back and wondered - after all the things I'd seen - whether there was a different path to take. That lead me down this one and the curse I now bear. The powers I have, the ability to go where I am needed... there is a cost. That cost is to be brutally ruthless when I need to be because I don't just see the BIG picture. I see EVERY picture, and I have to tell you, it's looking pretty grim right now."

"I'll give you an example. I looked at ways to rescue Reflex. I 'asked' my other selves who had been through - if not the exact same scenario then pretty darn similar - this and what they did. Here are the choices:"

"Somehow gather enough mystical might to take on the entities who are turning Steph into a Herald. How's your Magic 101 these days? I am magical based and I'm not powerful enough. I work in different ways."

"Find Thoth, or someone with that level of power. The Lore Knights are a non starter. They are gone. They didn't last too much longer after I was booted. In some versions of reality they limped on. Most of the time they all died in some blood splattered last stand against an evil man wasn't meant to know about."

"Scour the world for someone with the mystical power to take them on. Heck, what about an artefact? The Holy Grail in the right hands - which aren't mine by the way - or Excalibur or any other doodad from way back when. Some are real, some are just stories. With all that is going on in the world right now that would be a challenge, but Reflex's air runs out in hours."

"Get in there, grab the girl, get out. Hell, 'nuke the site from orbit' to quote a film. The boy is... well you know what the boy is. He's a conduit to an untapped source of cosmic power, coughed out in an accident and somehow you are the only person in any reality I have met who stops him turning into a villain, going over to America to crush those people who were his uncles' team mates and going full on bad guy with punches that flatten cities. He hasn't reached his true potential yet and he may still waver, but I've seen him go bad and it's above my pay grade. That's why the UKChampions have so many blazing rows about you. They think you can't handle the kid and only they have the means. They are wrong, quite, quite wrong. I saw the battle between Adjutant and Battlebug. What was left of London didn't see who won, let's put it that way."

"In the limited time we have, the only option is to get in, zap her and get out. Those nasties on the moon don't have enough energy to become a threat without a physical form to focus and gather more life force. You want to know what will happen if she/they get down here? Whatever you saw on the moon, you can multiply that by millions of people. This place will be a tomb. Then they spread, with Reflex their dark queen."

"It's a hard choice and as leader you have to make it. I can't see any other."

He sagged into the seat/bench and swept a hand in frustration at the mask which flipped onto the floor.

"And that really burns me. In here." he said, thumping his hand on his chest.

Admin wrote:
"It's a hard choice and as leader you have to make it. I can't see any other."

He sagged into the seat/bench and swept a hand in frustration at the mask which flipped onto the floor.

"And that really burns me. In here." he said, thumping his hand on his chest.

Frostbite had never seen James show any emotion as Nowhere Man, had he sufficient capacity and time he'd have liked to talk about it some more. But that was laid aside by the enormous weight he felt on him from the expectation that Steph was more than likely doomed one way or another. But something puzzled him...

OOC: I thought I'd write this out as an in-character question and then I thought it looked dumb. So I am going to ask this out of character.

If Steph is running out of oxygen, why not just leave her, end of her story...I don't mean it in that callous way, but isn't this one way to resolve this? By not rescuing her? The reason I say that is because even James hints that her oxygen is running out and so that is a factor here.

He says, "with all that is going on in the world right now that would be a challenge, but Reflex's air runs out in hours." So to rescue her with sufficient magical force, isn't an option, but if her oxygen is going to run out then this seems like the best way to deal with this. Unless...if these creatures could combine their efforts and then make her a herald. But here I've got another question, why didn't they do this before with the Nazi's? Unless Reflex ability to syphon power makes her unique!

However, the worry I have is what if they can somehow combine their powers but one of these things are already so powerful I can't even take them on and neither could Adjutant, so how could confronting Steph stop them/her if she has their combined power? Isn't she going to be unstoppable?

So this leads me to my wondering how to get around this, a) can we leave her and that takes care of things (i seriously doubt it) b) if she becomes the herald through these things combining their powers, why hasn't this been done before with the Nazi's and c) if I couldn't stop one, how can we stop their combined powers in one person like Steph?
However, I do see one glimmer. If somehow, despite the fact these things give her their power, might she somehow retain a semblance of herself and be able to fight back? Don't know, just trying to work out what it is I am facing here and how I can possibly make a difference. Without spending pages saying this in dialogue.

Also, I have to say that if abandoning her is the way that we have to go...then James will have to tell everyone else. I want the group to hear it because they need to know why we'd do this if we do it.

Sj

James Caldwell stared at this man - the nearest to anyone he could call a friend - and sighed. "Leave her to her fate. That might be the easiest way. Hope she dies from oxygen starvation and it's not too painful."

He let those words linger and shook his head slightly. "Is this what it's come to? Is this why you torture me? Why I can never find peace? To let a good woman die because it's easier than anything else we might try and probably fail at? Does that make me a 'hero'?"

Frostbite was about to answer when he saw the fallen hero was talking to himself - or someone inside of him.

Caldwell reached over and scooped the mask off the floor. Pulling it on he became all business again, Nowhere Man.

"Get your people ready to go. There's one last thing to try, but it might be the end of me." growled the vigilante the world knew as Nowhere Man and Frostbite knew as the failed hero, tortured soul, James Caldwell.

The door opened then and Wandafar waddled in. He stopped as he saw the two men and stared at Nowhere Man. "You know zis men is a blinkin nutter, right?" he said to Frostbite with a nod towards Nowhere Man. Shaking his head the diminutive genius walked across the sumptuous lounge towards the drinks cabinet. "I can't get ze flier back in space. Zet vas a vun shot. Back to the drawing board. Justin vill have to sort something out."

Nowhere Man started. "Justin." he hissed. "Wandafar, you're a genius!" he declared!

"Vut? Tell me some sing I do not know." set Wandafar. He glanced at Frostbite, then back at Nowhere Man... who'd vanished!

=========

Bombardier paced across the office. "Where do you get off ordering US what to do? Only part of the funding comes from the UK Government. We are NOT your lackeys, St John!"

Several ministers squirmed in their chairs. A SMITE official found a spot on the wall that required study.

Justin St John, former superhero, former boxer, businessman turned government special liaison on metahuman affairs, bristled but held his tongue. "National security, the lives of fifty odd million people and knowing something of the nature of the enemy you face." replied Justin. "Those things, and being a fighter since before you were born tell me we have the fight of our lives coming and it starts by giving us your experimental jet plane. And..." he looked at the expensive watch on his wrist. "I need it 14 minutes ago."

Bombardier snorted. Majestic, the powerhouse often (wrongly, but not by much) compared to Adjutant in terms of power, rested against the wall. "Hand over a ... quarter billion pound and change project to the Vanguard? Your buddies? They in your pocket?"

Justin bit his tongue, looked at the SMITE operative and wished Dawson were here, but he was up to his eyes in it!

Instead Jordan Carruthers, SMITE regional Commander, made a face that said "don't rise to it."

Justin St John sighed, then smiled, forced. "Look, we can sort out reparations later. After all Frostbite tipped you off on Stonelord..."

"With no proof!" roared Bombardier. "You want us to hang one of our own out to dry on the say so of..."

"He's getting it." replied Justin.

"Well, where is it? Give us the proof we need otherwise Stonelord - if he IS as you say - will walk away scott free!" hissed Bombardier.

"I don't always remember you as being a dick head." snarled Justin, barely able to hold his temper.

"Bring it old man. Let's see what you still have." smiled Bombardier. People started to rise, Majestic sighed and stepped from the wall...

"While you lot squabble a woman's life hangs in the balance and if she dies, it might mean the end for all of us." rasped Nowhere Man from the shadows in the corner of the office.

"Someone get security!" roared a man from the Ministry as the scrambled back to find cover. Majestic, quick as a flash moved in front of Nowhere Man. "Got you now scumbag!" he snarled.

Bombardier spun, then grinned. "Take him down Maj!" he laughed.

"What are you doing you idiot!" roared Justin. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

Bombardier turned. "Oh so the vigilante IS working with you, like we thought eh St John?" as he stepped up to spin Justin St John from his feet and face down with arm behind his back.

"Now I don't see there's a need for..." started Carruthers.

"LISTEN TO ME." roared Nowhere Man with a strange voice that compelled all present to turn! It got darker in the room until only the bare outline of the man could be seen!

Majestic stepped forward and... swept a hand through him! "Fight me coward!" he snarled.

Nowhere Man walked through him and stood before Bombardier. "Let Justin go or I will reach into your chest and squeeze your heart until it stops."

"GET OUT OF HERE!" barked Justin, still pinned. He could fight back but knew his status as a former superhero wasn't well known.

"Last warning." rasped Nowhere Man as Majestic's hand flew through him!

Bombardier glanced at Nowhere Man then stood, backing off. Justin sprung up, ignored his natural instinct to swing at Bombardier and turned to Nowhere Man. "You idiot!" he hissed. "What are you...?"

"I can't go back there. But you can. Sound the call. Let those who would hear it answer. Do this, save the woman and you save the country. And you get me." he said with a glance at Bombardier. "No tricks. No escapes."

"I want more than that." said Bombardier. "I want the boy, with or without Frostbite! Those are my terms! Nowhere Man and the boy St John! We have you now! Aiding and abetting a known wanted felon! We have you!" he snarled.

Justin shook his head. "You idiot. What have you done?"

Nowhere Man stood silent. Then he pulled his mask off revealing greying hair, bloodshot eyes that had not slept in a week and a tired, worn out expression. "What I have to do. The rest is up to you now. Go home. Back to Caer Alwyn. Make the call."

"GET ME SOME POWER DAMPERS!" roared Bombardier from the open door as Majestic reached out a hand to Nowhere Man... and felt solid shoulder! "Got ya now punk!" he hissed! With a backhand he smashed Nowhere Man across the office into the wall opposite! The unconscious man couldn't withstand a power that could crumple a main battle tank and slumped in a heap!

"No!" said Justin, and he stopped, glaring at Majestic before looking at Nowhere Man's still form. "If you've killed him..." he breathed. The footsteps of security staff running down the corridor suggested he had only moments to act.

Standing, glaring at Bombardier, he shook his head. "Caer Alwyn, the GHOST KNIGHT calls upon you. DRAW ME HOME!"

And he vanished!

=========

"I sink he is going to do some sing stupid." said Wandafar as he poured a drink.

Frostbite sighed and sagged into a chair. Leave Steph to die? Could he do that? Was that all he could do?

His power, all his power, seemed useless. This was a different kind of challenge, one he brought the wrong kind of weapons to. The mystic arts were beyond his level of expertise. yet... he couldn't just do nothing, could he?

Buuuhhhh DIP!

Wandafar turned and hissed "Ice up." to Frostbite. Once he'd done that he flicked the view screen on. It was Bombardier. In Justin's government office? Where was Justin?

"Your buddy just tipped his hand." said Bombardier. At Frostbites' frown the UKChampion nodded and Majestic held up an unconscious Nowhere Man by the throat! He had a pair of clunky metal shackles covering his hands and forearms and SMITE agents waited to apply more to his neck and head!

"Justin St John has some questions to answer, and so do you Frostbite. Like how long have you been in league with a known criminal, wanted for murder, extortion, treason and a list longer than your arm. You can have the jet and all the mystics we can muster, but the cost? Hand the boy over to us. He's our problem now. I expect Justin's resignation on the Prime Ministers' desk in the morning but right now he's gone somewhere called 'Caer Alwyn'. We're running it through the databanks and I'm sure we'll have SMITE standing there to arrest him. As for you, stay out of public sight. Any public appearance by Frostbite or the Vanguard will not be viewed favourably. You can have the jet as a one off then there will be a serious conversation about the way things are done around here... Sending coordinates for the jet. See that it comes back in one piece or we'll bill you. I don't think Justin St John will be picking up the tab any more after today..."

The screen winked off and a google map came up with a secret bunker location.

"Yup." muttered Wandafar, draining the drink and looking at the blank screen. "Pretty stupid." he whispered.

Admin wrote:The screen winked off and a google map came up with a secret bunker location.

"Yup." muttered Wandafar, draining the drink and looking at the blank screen. "Pretty stupid." he whispered.

Frostbite held the bridge of his nose, he felt he might be getting a headache, save he didn't have time to bid it welcome. His mind raced, Nowhere Man had a plan, he mentioned Justine and then 'outed him' there'd be repercussion. What upset him more was the way Bombadier was acting so militant, trying to reclaim lost credibility and going all Marshall Law on him. Battle Bug and the team should have retrieved the evidence to convict Stone Lord, which might exonerate them.

He certainly had not agreed to any of their demands, he wasn't even invited to comment after all. So he passed over their demands to get Battle Bug into their ranks. Nowhere Man's warnings about future possible versions were chilling enough. But all that aside, what he didn't know was what Nowhere Man planned to do!!! He couldn't go half-cocked to the moon, without help...but who was there going to help? What had Nowhere man meant?

Turning to Wandafar, he said coming out of his reverie..."So we are in a world of hurt, Steph remains on a desperate timer, we've got allies now turning the heat on us, and our only lead as to what we were supposed to do, incarcerated. Magic isn't my thing, so I'm all out of ideas here. Be nice to know what Justin was up to and if he understood what James was planning since he doesn't play nice and share such details."

Frostbite stood down, deiced and started to think about the things that needed to be done - could they find the legendary castle? Could they get the UK Champion on board, moreover, what was happening to Steph?

OOC: I keep thinking of that line in the Incredibles where Mr I talks about just fixing up the place when it gets all broken again. Nicely played sir, this is a whole world of hurt.

Sj

OOC the way I figure, the ability of the world to keep breaking is inversely proportional to your character's ability to fix it. Kind of like Super powered whack a mole. Believe it or not you have the power, ability, leadership, charisma and experience to get out of every situation in front of you. Frostbite isn't too bad either  

Jethro - the computer hologram given physical form in the grounds of the mansion thanks to 'hard light projectors' of Wandafar's design, appeared.

"Sir. Ms Stowe is calling you on the secure line." He turned with a gesture to the screen.

"Vat now? Let me guess. A bleck hole has opened up und ze universe has seconds before it is sucked in." he muttered whilst fishing through a cupboard for snacks.

The screen winked on and Catherine appeared on it. She glanced at the screen whilst half tracking where she piloted the helicopter. "Frostbite.. ah, we're secure. Joe, you'll have to have a word with Billy! That kid..." she shook her head.

Frostbite glanced at Wandafar who mimed a huge explosion with his hands, then stuffed some crisps in his mouth.

"Said we were going too slowly and..."

"Zet helicopter is limited only by ze physics of ze design! I upped ze engines to give a hendy boost!" declared the alien genius.

"What's he done?" asked Frostbite, pursing the bridge of his nose.

"Well, he opened a side door, hopped out and he's gone. Surge said he was going back to the mansion and would be back in a jiffy. Tracking showed he was here, then he's gone, out of range. You know how fast he can be." said Catherine.

"No, ve do NOT know how fast ze boy is. Or how strong, or any sing else." commented Wandafar. "Ze Bergstrom metahuman classification scale says he's a three. I say phooey! A three can't lift Mount Everest."

Frostbite glanced over at that. Battlebug created shock waves on a scale only seen with nuclear weapons, but in a much smaller area thankfully. The theories surrounding his powers were many and the UKChampions - and whoever pulled their strings - wanted in on the action.

"Point is boss, he's a loose cannon. You'll have to have a word." said Catherine.

"Kid needs his ass kicking! I told him to stay put!" said Surge.

"And who vill kick his ess Kevin? You?" interjected Wandafar.

That quietened Surge down. Then Catherine spoke up again. "Huh. Transponder says ... high speed ... that's Battlebug! he's coming ..."

FWOOOSH! Alarms rang and the helicopter swirled about whilst Catherine struggled to control it. "He's on his way back boss." she said. There was a pause then "Looks like he was right. He still needs talking to though."

"BWARRR BWWAAARRRR Proximity Alert. Proximity Alert. Incoming projectile Mach... Ten plus. Unable to read tracking details" said an automated voice.

"Bet it's ze boy." muttered Wandafar, picking at peanuts.

"Transponder confirmed. Vanguardian. Battlebug. Stand down alert." said the computer voice.

A moment or two later Battlebug came into the lounge, peeled off his mask and walked to Frostbite, a grim look on his face. "Boss..." he said, trying to find the right words. "We have GOT to get a move on back to the moon if we're gonna save Steph! We CAN'T leave her there! We just... I'll go back on my own if I have to!" he said, looking upset and desperate.

Wandafar looked up for the first time. "No! NO! You do NOT jump into orbit! NO! NO! If you miss ze moon you vill be lost in space! NO!" he said.

Frostbite wondered if paracetamol or aspirin would make much of a dent in his headache. Frostbot quashed that [few if any earthly drugs will affect you.] he declared, smug.

Then the phone rung just as Frostbite contemplated tearing a strip off Battlebug. "On speaker. Secure line. Source: Justin St John."

"Frostbite! Any Vanguardian! I need you at CAER ALWYN, now! There is a situation!" said a desperate sounding Justin.

Battlebug hopped about, desperate. "Boss! We HAVE to save Steph!" he wailed.

Admin wrote:[color=#0033ff]"Frostbite! Any Vanguardian! I need you at CAER ALWYN, now! There is a situation!" said a desperate sounding Justin.

Battlebug hopped about, desperate. "Boss! We HAVE to save Steph!" he wailed.

Turning to Jethro Frostbite said, whilst holding a hand to stop the overwrought Battle Bug for a moment, "Tell Catherine and the others to retrieve the hard drives we stored in this location...and return them to the UK Champions as a show of good faith." And Frostbite handed the solid light hologram the details he needed to direct them accordingly.

Turning to Wandafar he added, "You weren't wrong about that black hole if I understand the concept correctly. Look after things here, if we are going to need that ship to get to the moon and back, we'd best be prepared we might even need you to tear yourself away from the soaps for a bit..."

Not waiting to see the look or acknowledge the groan from his diminutive friend and genius Frostbite then turned back to Battle Bug. "Right you and I are going to save Steph, but not by disobeying orders, and not trusting the friends we've got who tell us what to do, and expect it to be done because we can't afford to go off half-cocked and have things blow up in our face. Steph went off the route, she and Surge got lost and look what happened. We alone are powerful but together we are something more. Billy, I need you to trust me...that is what you are going to find yourself doing with your own team in the future. You need them to know you can take an order and trust, as you will need them to take orders and trust in you. When I gave that order, it was part of a plan, to save Steph, no matter how it might otherwise appear. When we break ranks we are handing our troubles a bigger stick to beat us with. Let's try and avoid that. Right, since you are here and we can't do much about the others, we've got to help Justin he's at a Castle that we'll need to get to quick...so come with me. And yes this is all about rescuing Steph. I want to save her too, as do we all."

With that talking to Frostbite showed Billy and told him to follow...all the while mentally telling Frostbite he needed him to overlay the course for Caer Allwyn and hopefully Justin, whatever problems he'd lined up.

OOC: Hopefully my fatherly like talk has sunk in on Billy, lets hope so. I am amazed at his impatience, I thought he'd do better. Still these things are sent to try and and try us they do.

Sj

Battlebug looks agitated... then chastised. "I know Boss. I get what you say. I WILl try harder to follow orders it's just..."

He looks uncomfortable and keeps his voice down. "You and me, we're like..." he raises a hand above his head as a level. "And everyone else is..." another hand, about knee level. "That's not their fault but ... This is Steph we're talking about! One of our own! We need to..."

He looked at Frostbites' face, his cool gaze. "Ok. I just get frustrated that's all."

The Vanguard leader was reminded that Billy Watts was still a teenager, albeit one with off the scale power. He would need careful managing to make sure he didn't go off the rails...

=========

With the map overlay on Frostbites' inner vision the pair stepped outside.

Jethro appeared from thin air thanks to the thousands of small 'hard light' projectors about the place. "Sir, Catherine has diverted to Caer Alwyn and will be there in ten to fifteen minutes."

Frostbite glanced at the ETA on his HUD. 4 minutes, give or take.

Playfully he quipped Battlebug. "Race you? Bear in mind I know where you are going and you don't"

"Hey no fair!" said Battlebug as Frostbite took off and accelerated to maximum speed!

=========

Just under five minutes later, with course adjustments, slowing over built up areas and giving the place a good look over taken into account...

"Slowcoach." snickered Battlebug, sat on tree stump.

Frostbite had to admit the boy had reeled himself in. Even without trying he was by quite some margin faster than Frostbite could travel and by Frostbots' internal measure the Vanguard leader clocked at over Mach 9 (7,000+ mph).

Battlebug had messed about, taken his time, and still beaten the Vanguard leader with time to spare. Just how fast WAS he?

[Catherine reports eta just over 7 minutes. She had some trouble with the RAF again and no fly zones but she says the Vanguards' security clearance is still good] said Frostbot.

That was a relief. Nowhere Man may have 'folded' and caused Justin to display his cards but Justin St John still had clout. Added to that SMITE still considered the Vanguard their best ally even over the UKChampions. The UKC hadn't covered themselves in glory lately and looked like to have to dig themselves out of more slime in order to restore their standing in the eyes of the British Public. How much an association with Nowhere Man would hurt Justin remained to be seen. Anything that hurt Justin would in turn hurt the Vanguard.

Frostbite wondered how much he still had in savings. Frostbots' answer suggested 'not much' and he filed that as a problem for another day.

Caer Alwyn was a small medieval village near the coast of the Western tip of Wales. (OOC I think we figured out exactly where once but it doesn't matter int he grand scheme of things) The primary reason for it being here was fishing for all intents and purposes but the real reason was as a seat of power for the Knights of the St John family (or however the lineage dictated the name was held by birthright). More than that, it was the home of the LORE KNIGHTS, called by different names over the years.

Justin St John and Wraith/Nowhere Man/James Caldwell had belonged to a version of the Lore Knights known as the CRUSADERS. Their short but successful run as superheroes came about when the land called ordinary people together to this place to take up a sword and be granted mystical superhuman abilities. Though he was long retired Justin still held influence over the place and other than being the home of his ancestors he was the last person to hold the title of GHOST KNIGHT, leader of the Lore Knights.

Battlebug crouched low on the roof of a three storey house. "Geez Boss. The houses here are so old! I can feel this one isn't even straight? What's that place?"

He pointed to St John Hall, the huge mansion dominating the landscape, Justins' home. Set some distance away from the village if Justin was likely to be anywhere, it was there.

As if not more imposing was the celtic mound, overlooking the village, and beyond that Frostbite knew there was a circle of standing stones beside the old keep which was a tourist attraction now, albeit fenced off thanks to its' run down state. National Heritage laws prevented Justin from restoring it, so it remained a monument to days gone by. Of course most of this wasn't known to the general public and even high up government officials were aware of only a few of the facts.

Frostbite looked about. People going on about their business. Shopping, kids playing, out in the bay fishing boats bobbed about... Nothing out of the ordinary. And yet...

OOC options...

The Manor House. Justin's modern ancestral home, albeit over 100 years old still.

The Standing Stones. Put up in the time of the druids.

The old keep. Run down ruin of the former castle. Time has taken it's toll.

The Kings' Dozen inn. Stop in for a meal and a pint!

The village. Mostly houses, a couple of rows of shops and a pleasant somewhat 'land that time forgot' type of place. Ordinary people going about their day. Probably not used to seeing costumed types bound about. Or are they?

Admin wrote:OOC options...

The Manor House. Justin's modern ancestral home, albeit over 100 years old still.

The Standing Stones. Put up in the time of the druids.

The old keep. Run down ruin of the former castle. Time has taken it's toll.

The Kings' Dozen inn. Stop in for a meal and a pint!

The village. Mostly houses, a couple of rows of shops and a pleasant somewhat 'land that time forgot' type of place. Ordinary people going about their day. Probably not used to seeing costumed types bound about. Or are they?

OOC: Just got back late last night from Mum's funeral and seeing family etc. It all went well but took out two days so late reply. Thanks for bearing with me. As you can appreciate it's busy, so I'm not going to answer fully as I'd like, but this keeps things moving along.


Frostbite mulled over his options, he spoke allowed so that he could invite Billy into his deliberations..."I would like to take a look at the mansion but chances are the word is out and Justin's home might well be under surveillance if not guarded and Justin wouldn't hide there for that reason. For that reason, I think going into town might get us red-carded, so it's either the ruin or the standing stones, at least at first. What do you think?"

Frostbite wanted to show Billy he had some say, not just some power to push himself forward with. He mattered and his opinions could be taken into consideration. Frostbite might lead, but it didn't mean he had to dictate every move. Why effectively nulify the opportunity to collectively pool talent rather than just have one voice make all the decisions.

OOC: I'm happy to go to either the stones or the ruin, so not worried how we go forward.

Sj