The Ultrahumans! Issue #3 starring Miss Victory and Lionheart "And there came a reckoning!"

MISS VICTORY

The heroine followed in the direction Atomic Champion had gone.

She saw dents in the wall. Amazing given that she herself probably couldn't manage such a feat and Atomic Champion had done so in a fit of rage. The dents were ironing themselves out though as the building quickly 'healed' itself. The metal used in its construction only obeyed some of the laws of physics and the periodic table and was very probably of alien origin.

Of course, the Ultrahumans would have been active not just on Earth but other galaxies and dimensions too for that matter so will have picked up a few things on their travels.

She sped on then slowed as she saw a pair of doors prized open with pure superhuman strength. The mechanisms were strained and twisted inside the door but acted with the same force field and healing properties of the metal involved in the rest of the construction of this place so would rapidly heal, but maybe not before...

She crouched, peering around a corner.

This was some kind of airlock. Atomic Champion was blasting at the outer door which led directly outside! With the inner door open it would depressurise much of this section of the base and either suck the people inside out into space or kill them outright!

By now she figured they were in space because whilst there was some kind of anti gravity effect going on the amazing machines in this place were compensating to a large degree.

Atomic Champion poured a powerful blast into the outer doors, seeking to split them open then use his superhuman strength to part them! If he succeeded, he might escape and leave death in his wake!

Miss Victory looked around to see if there were any emergency doors that could be used to seal off the passageway. That way only a small section of the passage would become depressurized. She figured the Ultrahumans had to have some sort of emergency doors or bulkheads for such a thing. And she had the ability to survive the vacuum of space for a handful of minutes. If Atomic Champion was losing his stolen powers, that would be long enough for Lionheart and her to take him down outside the base.

Pressing forward now in space Lionheart knew time was of the essence so does up, aware that he'd need to also does down at some point, but that could yet wait. Getting Atomic Champion away from where he could leech unlimited energy and be impossible to contain was the priority. To many had sacrificed too much and now there had to be a reckoning.

Ooc: ok once I'm in position, the next thing is going to getting in. Hopefully, at least for now the base can withstand being here so as to give Miss V and what remained of the team the hero they needed. But there remains the issue of how I get back inside.

Sj

MISS VICTORY

The heroine had been the fly in the ointment, the stick in the mud, the spoke in the wheel. Atomic Champion had been delayed to such an extent that Lionheart had seemingly accomplished the impossible!

Now she considered the next stage of the problem. The base was nuclear proof so that meant there may well be some automatic 'blast doors' to reinforce the weak points of the structure, such as they were. The doors.

She could start tearing up internal doors but chances were they were non structural and made of some light alloy, no stronger than paper to someone like Miss Victory or Atomic Champion.

The systems, sensors, computers in this place would detect the sudden loss of pressure, she hoped, and slam those impenetrable doors down...

Peering around a corner, she heard shouting and saw at the end of the corridor and had to shield her eyes.

Atomic Champion was pouring his considerable power (and then some!) at the outer door! If he did that, the door protecting the rest of the complex would slam down and leave Miss Victory locked inside! Yet if she got closer to Atomic Champion, she might be burned up by what felt like the power of the sun! The outer door, which had taken an army of supers to get through as well as trickery and a code from Wandafar, was already glowing white hot! Such power! Omega Man had been a mere stripling compared to the power Atomic Champion currently wielded thanks to the stolen energy from Silver Sentinel!

=========

LIONHEART

Flying down and around the complex in space - more specifically in the shade of the dark side of the moon - Lionheart looked for some way in. It had been near impossible to get Miss Victory and the others in last time. How was he to do it this time?

Atomic Champion himself provided the answer.

Whilst swooping about a spot of orange, no more than a dot, appeared on the side of the vast structure. Lionheart paused, swooped about and down again and towards the dot. Closer it was a foot across and of such intense heat that the orange was already turning white.

Atomic Champion was going to burn his way out!

OOC Lionheart outside, Miss Victory inside and at risk of being sealed in! Any last actions before we wrap this issue with the final confrontation?

Miss Victory jacks up her Body to 23 and puts the rest into Dex. Then get as close as possible without being seen and hope that's close enough.

OOC: computer not up till Monday at the earliest so doing this on my phone.

Lionheart will seek an opportunity to blast at Atomic champion as soon as the breach occurs, with Mind Blast, and then seek to move in through the breach to tackle him. Points into mind blast, then switch to force field to get through the glowing hole without being burnt to a cinder.

Sj

MISS VICTORY

Atomic Champion was pouring so much energy and heat into blasting out of the complex that he couldn't notice Miss Victory moving up from behind!

Even with the maximum protection her incredible vita energy gave, she could feel her skin burning! It was like being close to the sun!

Still, the determined heroine inched forward and used the cover of the door and corridor as best she could to shield her... until she noticed the alloy starting to melt! The structural parts of the building which held it all together despite it having been ripped from the floor were still energised by the force field that boosted the protective capabilities of the metal to withstand any nuclear assault. Those parts of the Ultrahuman HQ not boosted by the force field though were 'merely' the strongest alloy the world had ever known - and it was not enough to withstand the power that Atomic Champion poured out!

Indeed, the power systems of the base kicked into overdrive to pump energy into the force field where Atomic Champion was attacking and as a result systems started shutting down - including the power to lights, doors, even the air conditioning!

If Atomic Champion kept this up the interior of the base would heat up and cook everyone inside if that door he was attacking didn't give way!

Shielding her eyes Miss Victory knew she was close enough to launch an attack but this man was probably the most powerful super villain on Earth with most of the others on the Ultrahumans' satellite HQ. Boosted by his power stolen by Silver Sentinel... how long could even the mighty Miss Victory hope to stand against him?

LIONHEART

The hero floated in the darkness of space now illuminated by the glowing light which grew with every second thanks to the villain on the other side pouring incalculable power at it! Indeed, Lionheart noticed something else.

The glow intensified at the point Atomic Champion was trying to breach. That meant power was taken from everywhere else to compensate.

'Don't float here waiting for the enemy to come to you, fool!' hissed Saladin inside his head. 'Use YOUR power to find the opposite side of the base and punch through the weakened structure!'

Yes, Lionheart could do that, but the base would then switch energy to seal the ruptured wall and probably lose enough power than Atomic Champion breached on this side...

That left Lionheart with a choice. Go in through the opposite side of the structure on his own terms or wait for the villain to exit...

MISS VICTORY

Inside the heat was becoming unbearable! The metal of the non structural corridors was melting, her feet sizzled where they touched the floor and she actually felt pain!

Thanks to her ability to survive in harsh environments (Sealed Systems) she had some time before she struggled with the lack of oxygen but elsewhere in this place she knew time - and air - was not only running out but burning up! The corridor filled with flames and she grit her teeth. Mere fire couldn't hurt her - even up to a raging volcano - but this was getting ridiculous!

OOC Miss V is going to start taking damage soon. You can imagine what its going to do to the weaker heroes - and villains - inside this place, let alone any unpowered civilian staff/agents!

Admin wrote:LIONHEART

Yes, Lionheart could do that, but the base would then switch energy to seal the ruptured wall and probably lose enough power than Atomic Champion breached on this side...

That left Lionheart with a choice. Go in through the opposite side of the structure on his own terms or wait for the villain to exit...

As always Saladin's cold calculating methods were brutal but not always incorrect. Though it pained him to think of depriving the base of much-needed resources, waiting here whilst all vital functions, including life support stopped, to get a shot at Atomic Champion didn't sit well with the hero. Moving as only he could he diverted his resources to his strength and went to attack the formidable structure, from his previous journeys within seeking to find a place that was least likely to have anyone in it. Then hoping that he could get through from the other side sufficiently quickly to take on the villain, from within.

OOC: OK Paul you know what LH needs to do to breach the defences and what might be his best play, so let's take that angle and hope we can move unimpeded within to get to his location in time.

Sj

Miss Victory felt she was at an impasse. She used her Vita power to max out her Body but now was on the verge of taking damage. That meant that if she attacked him now, she wouldn't be able to increase her Stre much or even use it to increase her dexterity to insure a hit. But if Lionheart didn't show up soon, she would have no choice but to attack. Maybe if she did she could use the knockback of the attack to actually help Atomic Champion to blast through and protect everyone?

She would wait just a bit longer but not too much longer.

Admin wrote:MISS VICTORY

Inside the heat was becoming unbearable! The metal of the non structural corridors was melting, her feet sizzled where they touched the floor and she actually felt pain!

Thanks to her ability to survive in harsh environments (Sealed Systems) she had some time before she struggled with the lack of oxygen but elsewhere in this place she knew time - and air - was not only running out but burning up! The corridor filled with flames and she grit her teeth. Mere fire couldn't hurt her - even up to a raging volcano - but this was getting ridiculous!

OOC Miss V is going to start taking damage soon. You can imagine what its going to do to the weaker heroes - and villains - inside this place, let alone any unpowered civilian staff/agents!

OOC Apologies for the delay (if you didn't see the other post). Things are getting a bit much to juggle at the moment!

LIONHEART

Building up speed Lionheart swooped close to the outer shell of the enormous structure.

Applying superspeed he hammered a hand against the metal as he flew, a blur through the darkness of space!

The defence system took the super strong hits as attacks and piled on the power for the defence...

Lionheart sped up and hammered a hand even faster ...

The power increased...

MISS VICTORY

Inside, the lights flickered and went out! The hum of air conditioning went off!

The faint glow of certain supporting walls flickered and died and she wondered if the onslaught that Atomic Champion was applying would be causing the automatic defence systems of this place - capable in most circumstances of resisting multi megaton nuclear blasts and most superhuman abilities - were being taxed to their limits!

Miss Victory had to move back. It was like standing near the sun! Shielding her eyes, she could no longer see Atomic Champion, he was blinding white light and the door beyond was turning from orange to bright white!

LIONHEART

Swooping around, still hammering on the structure, Lionheart swooped to where he calculated the opposite side of the structure to where Atomic Champion was trying to melt through (judging by the glowing orange dot which must be the fallen hero now arch villain...) and sped to being beyond a blur... before arcing about and driving straight at the structure!

OOC Should be reasonably easy.

Str 29 + Speed which gives +1 boost + 2d12+0 11,11+0 = 22 DOUBLE plus 2d12+0 4,10+0 = 36 (66) vs
OV25 + 2d12+0 1,4+0 = 5 (30)
Success +8
EV30 +8 (EV38) vs RV25=13 RAPs
Success

THOOM!

The self healing metal started to creep back to fill the hole Lionheart made instead of rushing to fill the hole like it ordinarily would.

He looked about. air rushed about as a feeble forcefield flickered and tried to contain the atmosphere inside the breached base!

Floating in a silver metal corridor with a hole in the wall behind him, Lionheart estimated with his boosted mind his position and the location he needed to get to.

He set off. Even his speed was tempered by having to open doors and ensure he didn't fly into ... or through ... anyone stood in his path!

MISS VICTORY

The corridor suddenly blew out as the door ruptured, molten metal flying into space followed by Atomic Champion who swooped out into the void!

Taking a grip on a wall Miss Victory hung on and held against the flow of air threatening to suck her into space! Atomic Champion had breached the defences, the lights and air con were still out as were the other systems like the power to doors and amenities. The metal started to creep together where the molten metal tried to reform itself but was struggling...

OOC Lionheart is on his way and Miss Victory is looking at a hole in the structure into space. Atomic Champion could be back at any moment ... or he might be minutes whilst he scours about looking for Lionheart! He'll probably also try to figure out what to do about the Ultras HQ in orbit of the moon...

Holding her breath, Miss Victory moved closer to the slowly closing hole Atomic Champion had made. She was hoping Lionheart would show up soon to face the Atomic Villain, then she would launch herself into the fray, probably a mental blast rather than trying to leap out into space and punching him..

DavidMcMahon wrote:Holding her breath, Miss Victory moved closer to the slowly closing hole Atomic Champion had made.  She was hoping Lionheart would show up soon to face the Atomic Villain, then she would launch herself into the fray, probably a mental blast rather than trying to leap out into space and punching him..

OOC: I'm hoping that Silver Sentinel now functioning can join us, at this point. In any case, once I get to Miss Victory I will obviously look to do what I can to stop this mad man once and for all. As Dave said, I think I'll also go for Mind blast as my go-to, with points to speed or dex to increase my defense and to my mental blast to increase its potency. And also go for a Devastating attack as we've no choice but to seek to get this guy down before he can turn on us.

As an aside whenever there is a period of down time I assume that something has come up Paul, so no worries. But my sympathies with dealing with so much.

Sj

OOC I'll spare you the details but this week had to deal with a chap who was 'in distress'. Railway code for 'waiting to jump out in front of a train.' That's two in three years I've personally dealt with/talked out of going ahead with what they planned and I'd already had a rough week at work topped off by that. Anyway, the guy is in one piece but obviously needs help, which I hope he gets. Crazy times out there at the moment. Seems to be not a day goes by without an incident to deal with.

Apologies for the delays. It's been a bonkers couple of months and every time I think it's settling down something else crops up. It's part of the job but tough to deal with sometimes.

LIONHEART

Moving faster than most people could think, Lionheart moved through the structure and didn't stop for much. There were villains he came across in prison orange, badly beaten superheroes held captive by bad guys, civilian/agents gathered in rooms watches by orange suited villains... the place was overrun. It would be too easy to be distracted and get tied down dealing with any of that so he gritted teeth and pushed on.

Whilst he was doing that he sent out a mental 'pulse' to Miss Victory, one that she would recognise as being from him but others 'listening in' would simply register as a mentallist sounding off. Hopefully she would allow a mental liknk so they could communicate because even as (somewhat reduced) superspeed it would take a while to scour a dozen floors of this place to find out where Atomic Champion was, and besides, it would be good to know the heroine was still alive and well!

MISS VICTORY

As she moved closer to the closing hole in the wall that the villain had made Miss Victory saw a mental image of Lionheart in her head with a single word.

"Link?"

ooc: sorry to hear you've had such a bad week. And good on you stopping that guy from offing himself.

"Atomic Champion just blew a hole to the outside," Miss Victory sends back telepathically, "he's outside and the hole is closing. You hit him first and then I will follow up with my attack."

She tries to give either a mental image of where she is or of whatever sign she saw that would tell him which floor and corridor she is down.

LIONHEART

'Hearing' Miss Victorys' mind speech in his head, Lionheart could breathe a sigh of relief. Somehow, against all the odds in this place full of powerful villains, she'd survived and tracked Atomic Champion.

Using that in his head and getting a mental image of where she was thanks to his mental link...

OOC Think of it as what Prof X does with Cerebro in the movies

... the hero sped off at superspeed, going down several levels, ignoring - with gritted teeth - the sights of beleaguered superheroes being battered by powerful orange suited prison escapee bad guys and making his way to Miss Victory...

MISS VICTORY

"...up with my attack." she finished speaking/mentally speaking and there was a wooooosh! of air - in addition to the atmosphere escaping!

Lionheart screeched to a halt and was with Miss Victory again. Both stood only feet away from the closing hole of the Ultrahumans HQ, the outer wall healing itself - though not as fast as it should - and in moments it would be nigh impossible to break through again!

That said, the reactor that provided the power had taken an awful battering from having to pump out more energy that it normally would for an extended time...

"ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!" rang the voice our over the tannoy. "REACTOR SHUTDOWN, CORE BREACH IMMINENT! ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY! ULRAHUMAN CORE MEMBERS TO THE REACTOR ROOM. THE CORE WILL NEED EJECTING INTO THE SUN AS PER PROTOCOL ALPHA 842. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."

It never rained but it poured...

OOC: I'm in the Lakes till Saturday. I brought my laptop and have just got access to WiFi so will try to reply but may end up being delayed.

Sj

Miss Victory is going to try team attacking Atomic Champion with Lionheart. Maybe we can take him down fast enough to go save the reactor.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Miss Victory is going to try team attacking Atomic Champion with Lionheart.  Maybe we can take him down fast enough to go save the reactor.

OOC:OK so I never got to reply, but I am now. And yeah I agree team attack on Atomic Champion, Devastating attack, all points to mental blast to see if I can take him down before we get blown to kingdom come.

Sj

Miss Victory will try devastating attack too with mental blast.

LIONHEART and MISS VICTORY

Lionheart swooped about and found his target. He 'carried' Miss Victory with his telekinesis hoping the heroine could hold her breath in space, otherwise this would be a short fight!

He needn't have worried as the heroine gave him a thumbs up.

Atomic Champion wasn't hard to find - he was swooping about the Ultrahumans HQ aghast that it had been ripped from its place and lifted lock stock and barrel into space!

Luckily as there was no air in space words would not carry but Lionheart could read his lips to a certain degree as he shouted something.

From what the heroes knew Atomic Champion was a powerful hero with extensive physical powers focused around heat, fire, flame and energy of various types. Physically he was nigh on unbeatable especially boosted as he was by Silver Sentinels' energy - or had been. With the moon 'in the way' his power source was blocked - until he moved out of the moons' shadow.

The heroes didn't have long to try and stop him bathing in the light of the sun - and of Sentinels' stolen energy!

OOC Team Attack! DEV ATTACK!

Lionheart Mind Blast 15 + Accuracy 4D + 6d12+0 5,5,2,9,6,9+0 = 18 DOUBLE plus 2d12+0 2,10+0 = 30 (45) vs
Atomic Champion 8 + Dev Attack 8 - Surprise 4 - Team Attack 2 - Range (not a problem with telescopic vision) + 2d12+0 6,3+0 = 9 (19) Success + 7
Mind Blast Ev15 + 7 (EV22) vs RV20 - 12 (Dev Attack) (RV8)=14 MENTAL DAMAGE RAPs

Atomic Champion absorbs 6 RAPs (takes 8 damage) but is STUNNED this round and next (no dice action)!

Miss Victory blasts at Atomic Champion (but will probably miss as Mental Blast is a physical attack and Atomic Champion is very, VERY powerful in that regard. Still, the dice may have other ideas...)

Miss V Mental Blast 23 + Accuracy 4D + 6d12+0 4,6,7,10,12,6+0 = 12 DOUBLE plus 2d12+0
11,5+0 = 28 (51) vs
Atomic Champion OV 30 (Dex + Fluid Form) + Dev Attack 8 - Range (not an issue with Telescopic Vision) - Team attack 2 - Surprise 4 + 2d12+0 6,10+0 = 16 (48) Success +2
Miss Victory EV 23 + 2 (EV25) vs RV35 - Dev Attack 12 (RV23)=2 PHYSICAL DAMAGE RAPs

Despite all the odds Atomic Champion rocks from a mental blast by Miss Victory!

Suddenly Lionheart and Miss Victory look back to the Ultrahumans HQ... all the entrances suddenly hiss open! The reactor protocol means that a full evacuation is required and has opened all the outer doors! The sudden explosive exhalation of so much air means the building is suddenly speeding through space... towards the moon!

Meanwhile despite being stunned Atomic Champion flies out from the shadow of the moon and into the glow of the sun, and renewed power! He would soon recover - his recuperative abilities were second to none and he would soon obliterate those two new upstarts! He had to admit though to being somewhat surprised that Lionheart had mental powers enough to overcome his formidable mental shields and Miss Victory could blast him despite his astonishing speed and reflexes and nigh on invulnerability!

With a growl he knew that...

He looked.

What?

He wasn't absorbing Silver Sentinels' power any more... that meant...

He looked in the direction of the sun and altered his vision to protect from the glare...

Meanwhile Lionheart and Miss Victory saw the Ultras HQ - made of indestructible metal and weighing millions of tons - speeding towards the moon! They also saw dots - zoomed in to reveal people - leaping from the exits! Some had breathing apparatus and space suits - it seemed the base was prepared for anything - whilst others didn't need artificial means to survive in vacuum!

OOC Should be caught up by later today (tonight) all being well. Going to the seaside with the kids so out most of it but will get a chance later on....

"We need to take him down," Miss Victory telepathed to Lionheart, "before we do anything else or its all for nothing! I'll try to distract him while you take him down."


actions: Team attack, devastating attack best attack.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"We need to take him down," Miss Victory telepathed to Lionheart, "before we do anything else or its all for nothing!  I'll try to distract him while you take him down."


actions:  Team attack, devastating attack best attack.

It chaffed at Lionheart that the people many of whom were staff together with heroes who had helped to fight back might be at risk. let alone the building itself making an enormous impact on the moon. Should it fall without intervention?

But at the same time, Atomic Champion had changed so much from the once stalwart hero he had to have been to have gained standing in America's let alone the world's heroic team. But now he had changed and shown a callous disregard for human life of any kind. Not only had he turned his back on what he once stood for he went much further than many villains could or would. He could go to help the people, but that would leave them open to attack from Atomic Champion, it was in many senses a no-win situation. But with AC still active, and in play there was no telling what damage he could do! Miss Victory was proposing the option he least liked, but knew had to be taken.

OOC: Go with the same attack as before. All points on the attack with mental energy and use then on Atomic Chump and see if Icarus can be brought to earth.

Sj