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

Miss Victory blinked.

OOC Mind Probe 15 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,2,+0 Total:13 (28) vs
OV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,7,+0 Total:8 (16) Success + 5 (to 20EV) vs RV8=12 RAPs.

Viktoria Volkov was in her lab. She blinked, looked around. What? Where was...? What had...?

<I said> shouted a voice from across the laboratory <What progress have YOU made Ms Volkov?> (OOC translated from Russian)

General Orlov? What? He'd been in charge of the super soldier project and didn't suffer fools - or failure - gladly. Had she been transported back in time? The other white coated scientists - all brow beaten and sweating freely as the stern General slowly marched through the sprawling lab/warehouse. The guards kept their guns trained, ready to eliminate any Scientist on Orlov's command.

Like poor Dimitri.

She glanced at where her friend lay against the wall, a bloody smear trail behind him. His efforts to introduce specific animal DNA from Lizards to enable limb regrowth had shown promise - but not enough it seemed, and he'd paid for it with his life.

<Well?> snarled Orlov as he stood near Viktoria.

She looked over at her friend Olga who seemed on the verge of panic. A look back at the table and the apparatus. The white powder she was forming - would form - into the very first prototype of the Vita Pill. She'd invented it based on the research and theoretical modelling of a dozen failed experiments and solved the various problems of all of those, her keen analytical mind relishing the problem as she overcame what Russia's greatest scientific minds had failed to do! Now she would... what. What did she do?

Veronika/Victoria couldn't remember what she'd said next! Had she been transported back in time to relieve this scene or was it happening even now with the future as yet unwritten???


Not remembering and not really understanding what was going on, she decided to try to stall with half truths.
"There is progress, General, but I am having problems with impurities. The equipment, it is not the best there is, so impurities keep getting into the powder. Impurities that could kill anyone who takes it. If I could have ...."

she lists a couple of devices that actually are better than what she currently has and would help.

"...and a better "Clean Room" with fewer people accessing it who bring in impurities of their own even in clean suits, I am sure I can get something more positive for you."

She cringed and trembled. A plain woman with a large brain, living amongst brutes, trying to survive until she could escape. Groveling and trying to be unnoticed were her only options. She wasn't pretty enough to even think about trying to sleep her way into protection - not that she thought she would ever sink that low, if she ever actually was pretty.

LIONHEART

"Going somewhere?"

The first to rise from the tons of dust and rubble spun at superspeed in the air and cleaned himself!



"Is that it? You thought you'd take us all down and fly off? I don't know who you are but you have somethin to learn about us. We're not all wet behind the ears noobs who just got our powers and wanna knock off the first bank they walk past!" he laughed.

Then he blasted at Lionheart!

OOC Energy Blast 22 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,12,+0 Total:20 (42) vs
OV26 (switched points back to default superspeed) + Acrobatics FIVE D + Roll(7d12)+0: 5,7,10,1,9,8,12,+0 Total:22 (no doubles??? 48 total) MISSED!

The powerful blast sizzles past as Lionheart calmly floats to the side and watches it move past him. It's fast, but he is thought process fast. faster than that even.

There were more mounds of dirt shifting and Lionheart knew in the next few seconds more would emerge! Rightly, he'd figured that only the toughest and most durable would still be on their feet after what he'd done. The problem was that leaving them here would be tantamant to giving them free rein. Or he could risk everything in some brawl that would slow him down and mean that whatever was going on in the HQ would continue to happen whilst he was wrapped up here!

OOC Still to go back to base? One or more of these guys will give chase...

VIKTORIYA VOLKOV/Miss Victory

General Orlov sneered "You are weak. You are better at excuses than you are at getting results." He glared at her then cast his cruel gaze around the room at the dozens of cowed scientists.

"However, worse than that. You are disobedient and should know your place. Guards!" he roared and the armed guards stepped to attention with two marching over to the General. "Put her in the hole for 12 hours."

=========

Naked, dirty, eyes blinded by the glare of the hatch opening, Viktoriya shielded as best she could as rough hands grabbed her and dragged her out of the 'hole'.

It was - literally - a hole in the ground with a metal door locked over the top. The only way you could get sustenance was if it rained. It was cold, wet and ... the only place to go to the toilet was the hole itself.

Captain Ureyev stood there along with half a dozen guards in the grounds of the science facility. The scientists also stood there, trying to look anywhere else other than Viktoriya's filthy bruised body - the guards hadn't been gentle when putting her in or out of the hole.

"Now you see the price for defiance. This was just a taster. Wash her."

A powerful hose jet was brought up and blasted her from her feet, blowing the grime and muck from her and threatening to burn her very skin off! The hose stopped, mercifully, and a handful of white lice powder was tossed over her.

"Now. Dress and get back to work."

Her clothes were thrown at her.

=========

Her bruised lip was giving her trouble but she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing her whimper!

Looking at the screen Viktoriya looked at scrolling numbers and letters, her brilliant mind decoding it and looking for gaps, flaws, errors in the program. The mixing process, the minute amounts of trace chemicals, animal dna extractions... it could be anything. The powder *should* work but it was inert.

Doctor Zuleyev had dared to suggest that treating the scientists better might speed the process along. He'd been in the hole for more than a day now.

No one spoke up much. The guards were watching them like hawks, AK47s lowered but cocked. Row upon row of petrified scientists were working with trembling hands and nervy eyes, sweat dripping and fear so thick you could cut it with a...

OOC Int 8 + Scientist 3D + Roll(5d12)+0: 2,12,1,10,8,+0 Total:22 (30) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,6,+0 Total:14 (24) +3 (to 11EV) vs RV10=1 RAP

1) Miss Victory has found a flaw in the program. If left there the amounts required to perfect the vita pill will never be right and results will range from nothing to painful death to temporary (seconds to a minute or so) boosts depending on the recipient. She doesn't know the right amounts or the fix (need a higher result) but it's a start.

Ureyev snarled "YOU LAZY SWINE!" he roared. "THE AMERIKANERS HAD A SUPER SOLDIER SERUM DECADES AGO! THEY HAVE MORE SUPERHUMANS THAN ANYONE! WE ARE IN DANGER OF BECOMING IRRELEVANT!" he snarled as he marched about. "You risk not only the safety and security of the Russian people with your constant failure and excuses... your FAMILIES will share your fate if you continue to fail!"

"Even now Zuleyevs family is being rounded up for internment and thought correction processes. It seems they shared his thinking and were looking to leave our glorious motherland. We are all in this together. We succeed as one. We fail, as one. Do not fail us." he said with a waved finger that rested on Viktoriya.

She could continue plugging away at the program, mention what she'd found or continue to let it fail... or worse than that. She could insert lines in the code that would prevent the formula from ever working!

Admin wrote:LIONHEART

OOC Still to go back to base? One or more of these guys will give chase...

With a deep sigh, Lionheart quickly surmised that there would be more trouble left here than if he left humiliated and beaten. Could he do it? Would he limit the scope of damage by delaying longer? He couldn't say. But he couldn't leave only to have them chase him back to the base and then what? A lot of what is left is brought into a senseless conflict and the traitor gets to use the confusion to cover their tracks or make things even worse. At least at this stage, they feel safe knowing that all he had were suspicions.

"Little slow today are we? Must be the fact that all you let a little dust get in between your ears. Well, let me see if I can shake it lose son!"

Lionheart then put all his reserves into mind-blasting this guy hoping one decisive takedown would give all the others pause for thought.

OOC: Go for Devastating attack and use my points to boost my mindblast to hopefully overcome his defences, either that or it's down to speed and martial arts!

Sj

=========

Her bruised lip was giving her trouble but she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing her whimper!

Looking at the screen Viktoriya looked at scrolling numbers and letters, her brilliant mind decoding it and looking for gaps, flaws, errors in the program. The mixing process, the minute amounts of trace chemicals, animal dna extractions... it could be anything. The powder *should* work but it was inert.

Doctor Zuleyev had dared to suggest that treating the scientists better might speed the process along. He'd been in the hole for more than a day now.

No one spoke up much. The guards were watching them like hawks, AK47s lowered but cocked. Row upon row of petrified scientists were working with trembling hands and nervy eyes, sweat dripping and fear so thick you could cut it with a...

OOC Int 8 + Scientist 3D + Roll(5d12)+0: 2,12,1,10,8,+0 Total:22 (30) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,6,+0 Total:14 (24) +3 (to 11EV) vs RV10=1 RAP

1) Miss Victory has found a flaw in the program. If left there the amounts required to perfect the vita pill will never be right and results will range from nothing to painful death to temporary (seconds to a minute or so) boosts depending on the recipient. She doesn't know the right amounts or the fix (need a higher result) but it's a start.

Ureyev snarled "YOU LAZY SWINE!" he roared. "THE AMERIKANERS HAD A SUPER SOLDIER SERUM DECADES AGO! THEY HAVE MORE SUPERHUMANS THAN ANYONE! WE ARE IN DANGER OF BECOMING IRRELEVANT!" he snarled as he marched about. "You risk not only the safety and security of the Russian people with your constant failure and excuses... your FAMILIES will share your fate if you continue to fail!"

"Even now Zuleyevs family is being rounded up for internment and thought correction processes. It seems they shared his thinking and were looking to leave our glorious motherland. We are all in this together. We succeed as one. We fail, as one. Do not fail us." he said with a waved finger that rested on Viktoriya.

She could continue plugging away at the program, mention what she'd found or continue to let it fail... or worse than that. She could insert lines in the code that would prevent the formula from ever working!


Just like the first time [Wait! First Time? What was she thinking?] Viktoriya decided to sabotage the code so it would never work. In the hands of these madmen, it could result in another World War but with Millions of Super-Soldiers on all fronts fighting it out. However, she would continue to work on the correct formula when she could so she could escape this place. Her best guess was that to work correctly, it would have to be keyed in to the DNA of the subject, so she would use her own DNA as she worked on the correct formula, and have a second set of data for the unworkable formula.

LIONHEART

Just as he was about to unleash his potent mind blast, Lionheart's danger sense (which had been screaming at him for what seemed like forever but was only seconds) warned him of more forms rising from the dirt!



All of these beings had resisted the supersonic boom that took out the less physically capable!

That meant they were dangerous. Deadly.

OOC you may want to rethink. These guys mean business. Want to spread the attack around, crit or devastating attack? Still want to attack or does this change things?

VIKTORIYA VOLKOV/Miss Victory

Typing quickly, Viktoriya changed certain pieces of code. Here, there... the parameters changed, the program would never deliver the correct amounts of chemicals no matter what readings were input from the DNA of the recipient.

Just like the first time she'd been here. Here. Where was she? What...?

Ureyev marched from desk to desk, turning over papers and sweeping aside cups, keyboards, pens and whatever else was on there! He snatched his pistol from his holster and snarled "You people will not realise that I hold YOUR lives in MY hands until it is made FULLY CLEAR!"

Viktoriya gasped! No! He was about to kill Polina with a gunshot wound to the head! She would fall backwards, crashing to the floor as people screamed and ran for cover! It would be the final nail in the coffin that convinced Viktoriya she had to leave this place and go... go to America! But did Polina have to die again???

The pistol cocked, and seemed to raise in slow motion towards the hapless woman's head!

Something inside her screamed not to let this happen. Before she understand what she was doing, she jumped up and ran at the General and took a might swing at him.

"VICTORY PUNCH!"

Captain Ureyev turned and questioned her use of english and the word "Victory Punch!" as she ran across the room and took a swing at him!

He stepped aside and cuffed Viktoriya across the face! There was a loud BANG inside her head and everything seemed to spin! Then she was on the floor tasting blood in her mouth whilst rough hands grabbed her and hauled her up!

The Captain snarled, taking a handful of hair in his grip and leaning in close, spitting as he spoke "Your impertinence is your undoing woman!" he hissed. "An example must be set! You will BOTH be shot for this!"

"CAPTAIN!" roared a voice from across the lab.

The officer spun then stood to attention as General Orlov and his staff marched into the lab. "What is the meaning of this? Why are the scientists not working? If there are no results by the end of the week I shall blame YOU Ureyev, not them, for delaying this vital work! However, the Chairman has expressed his dismay at the cost and lack of results. Therefore if there is no progress by the end of the week... the project shall be terminated and all associated staff reassigned to a more... demanding... project. in Siberia. To inspire those reassigned every other scientist shall be shot. Now get back to work. CAPTAIN! Here."

Viktoriya slumped to the floor as the hands dropped her and raised herself on unsteady arms to her knees as blood ran from her mouth and nose. What had she been thinking? She couldn't fight! She was a scientist! She needed to give these monsters something... anything... by the end of the week otherwise ...

She watched the hated Captain march off with the General whilst the soldiers tongue lashed the scientists.

Doctor Zuleyev helped her up. "You should not speak so, my dear. You are young, and beautiful, with a mind to match! One day your chance will come! Seize it! You will escape this place and find a better life... tell me though. What is this 'Victory Punch'?"

At the mention of the word Viktoriya pictured a woman in a red white and blue costume. She was taller, physically more powerful and was as beautiful as any model! She wore a mask and could perform amazing... she blinked. The image was gone. She looked at her desk and the vials of white powder that might make up the vita pill... or spell death in the wrong doses!

Wondering if she could develop the Vita Pill [where did that name come from?] before the week was out or if she would have to look for other means of escape. And why did Doctor Zuleyev call her beautiful? She was a mousy plain woman with bad skin and teeth. Questions kept popping up in her mind. Things, people, places she hadn't been or had never seen but she seemed to know them.


ooc: another chance to break mental control or still live this out?

OOC There is a way out of this without rolling for the control but sure, let's see what happens...

Int 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,1,+0 Total:11 (19) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,1,+0 Total:12 (22) Failed

Sudden splitting headache wracked Viktoriya's head and she stifled a cry!

"You stupid woman!" hissed Captain Ureyev!

Wait, hadn't he just...

SMACK! He struck her and called out for the guards to drag her back to...

"The hole. Another six hours." growled the Captain. The cruel officer smiled as she was dragged from the room again.

=========

It seemed the only way she could think of for escape from this horrible place might be the most dangerous!

Complete the formula.

Then use it on herself! It was dangerous because everyone was different and unless it was keyed specifically to the individual, and even then... That had been tried, with catastrophic results. Brave men and women - volunteers - hadn't lasted long the team of scientists had gotten the blame. The lead scientist had been shot in the head on the spot.

Viktoriya had several opinions abotu what was needed to complete the process to make the super soldier formula. One of them was outlandish, essentially flooding the body with a kind of radiation that permeated the universe but was invisible, harmless and useless... unless one could draw it in for a short time, say an hour and focus it, guide it, use it to enhance their abilities beyond imagination! She wondered if she might be able to do that, then hurdle the fence and make off before they could run her down with jeeps and soldiers.

In the hole her mind wandered. Thankfully her will was strong and Ureyev could not, would not break her mind. Her body was another matter, as she retched again at the stench in here.

=========

Having been dragged out and stripped then hosed down again she was led, exhausted, to her quarters. Little more than a cell really, with a pot in the corner, water in a jug and thin porridge to eat.

Russian proscribed literature was all there was to read, extolling the virtues of being loyal to the state.

She sighed, then settled down for the evening. Ureyev had promised to shoot someone tomorrow as an example that weakness and failure would not be tolerated.

She had a strong feeling that it would be she who was the example to be made... she was running out of time!

OOC Any other plans or go ahead with the crafting - and imbibing - of the Vita Pill prototype, and hope that it works?

Admin wrote:LIONHEART

OOC you may want to rethink. These guys mean business. Want to spread the attack around, crit or devastating attack? Still want to attack or does this change things?

OOC: I don't know how I missed this post? I've been looking out but didn't get a notification, and I think that Dave was posting after I meant I didn't see a response till I just checked.

Lionheart suddenly realised that he was in deeper trouble, and finishing these guys off whilst being aware of the needs of the base left him momentarily taken aback. The truth was these guys were free before he arrived to be ambushed by them. Whilst he had a traitor working behind the scenes that were going to potentially undo his every move before he had a chance to counter it. Might this be the time to retreat?

It cut against his preferences but knowing when to run seemed expedient right now.

OOC: OK I think I know when I am beaten, so let's get out of here at sub sonic reading about Hyper sonic missiles maybe hyper sonic speed. I've got a traitor to catch and if these guys decide to follow me, then perhaps it's best as I can get some back up rather than being beaten six ways to Sunday. Whether I can get away is another story, if they follow me I might see if I can tackle the ones that are fastest, i.e. the ones I'd not easily shake off and that way I might be able to whittle them down.
That is of course assuming I can get out of this energy dome. If not then I guess I go for mind blast group attack and see if I can crit blow the ones who look to be the worst trouble - magic especially.

Sj

ooc: Kind of stuck here. Trying not to metagame but she is having weird flashbacks[flashforwards?] and time skips, so she is confused and wondering what's going on. Trying to make the formula now might not be the best idea.


Viktoriya was confused, unsure of herself. Her brain didn't seem to work or remember as it should. Could it be that her superiors were trying to brainwash her and this wasn't real? Did she already make the formula and they found out and were trying to get it from her? Is that what was going on? Or was this real and she didn't have much time to finish the formula and to try and escape. She didn't even know if it would work. She needed time to do some tests but time wasn't something she had much of. Without the tests, she could be preparing to kill herself if she went through with it.

Admin wrote:OOC There is a way out of this without rolling for the control but sure, let's see what happens...

Int 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,1,+0 Total:11 (19) vs
OV10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,1,+0 Total:12 (22) Failed

Sudden splitting headache wracked Viktoriya's head and she stifled a cry!

"You stupid woman!" hissed Captain Ureyev!

Wait, hadn't he just...

SMACK! He struck her and called out for the guards to drag her back to...

"The hole. Another six hours." growled the Captain. The cruel officer smiled as she was dragged from the room again.

=========

It seemed the only way she could think of for escape from this horrible place might be the most dangerous!

Complete the formula.

Then use it on herself! It was dangerous because everyone was different and unless it was keyed specifically to the individual, and even then... That had been tried, with catastrophic results. Brave men and women - volunteers - hadn't lasted long the team of scientists had gotten the blame. The lead scientist had been shot in the head on the spot.

Viktoriya had several opinions abotu what was needed to complete the process to make the super soldier formula. One of them was outlandish, essentially flooding the body with a kind of radiation that permeated the universe but was invisible, harmless and useless... unless one could draw it in for a short time, say an hour and focus it, guide it, use it to enhance their abilities beyond imagination! She wondered if she might be able to do that, then hurdle the fence and make off before they could run her down with jeeps and soldiers.

In the hole her mind wandered. Thankfully her will was strong and Ureyev could not, would not break her mind. Her body was another matter, as she retched again at the stench in here.

=========

Having been dragged out and stripped then hosed down again she was led, exhausted, to her quarters. Little more than a cell really, with a pot in the corner, water in a jug and thin porridge to eat.

Russian proscribed literature was all there was to read, extolling the virtues of being loyal to the state.

She sighed, then settled down for the evening. Ureyev had promised to shoot someone tomorrow as an example that weakness and failure would not be tolerated.

She had a strong feeling that it would be she who was the example to be made... she was running out of time!

OOC Any other plans or go ahead with the crafting - and imbibing - of the Vita Pill prototype, and hope that it works?

LIONHEART

"That idiot thinks he can escape!"

"Ha! Encapsulate might be pretty useless at fighting, but now way can ANYTHING get through that dome o his!"

The villains started to encircle Lionheart who considered his options.

"Hang on. Encapsulate can capture stuff in his bubble, or stop things from getting out but..."

"Wasn't he in here when that hero did his sonic boom thing?"

The villains looked at one another, then the mountain of dust and rubble that was still falling, settling and strewn about.

Somewhere under there - along with a dozen or more others - was Encapsulate!

Lionheart stifled a chuckle and took to the sky! A heartbeat later he was beyond where the dome had been and streaking towards outer space, speeding up all the while! The air flashed around him, and somewhere behind it popped with multiple sonic booms as he streaked into the dark blue yonder of space, a trail of fire flaring up and out of existence as he poured on the speed!

Then he was free of the bounds of the Earth, looking at the curve of the planet he called home and scanning with his super senses for where he needed to be. Course set, he took one glance at the glittering dot in the sky above the Earth and his eyes narrowed. The Ultrahumans space HQ, captured and still in the hands of the villains with the President of the United States still a hostage on board!

First things first. He shot through the hard vacuum for a fraction of a second and angled downwards, slowing as he entered the atmosphere...

=========

"You won't get away with this." snarled Manta Man.

The coiled form of a super villain, Lady Boa, constricted about the hero who groaned from the pain.

"I'm impressed Manta Man. Under that suit you are said to be an ordinary man! No ordinary human could withstand the crushing power of my coils for as long as you have!" hissed the beautiful - and deadly - Villain.

Manta Man stayed silent, and tried to ignore the flashing red alarms inside his helmet. He glanced about the chamber where the villains had lay in ambush. Some instinct moments before had alerted him and he'd laid out three of them before being stunned and captured.

Now, with the 'Core' Ultrahumans gone, the bulk of the reserves and affiliates having been evacuated and only a skeleton staff in place, the stronghold, headquarters and main base of the Ultrahumans was in the enemies hands! Manta Man grunted with the effort as he turned to the member he'd thought a friend. Someone who'd he'd trusted, and been ultimately betrayed by...

"Why?" he spat out, gasping for breath.

=========

Lionheart closed in on the HQ. No doubt automated systems were tracking him, possibly even targeting him with various kinds of weapons but he hoped they wouldn't slow him down too much.

The base was in lockdown, with a silver metal covering over every opening. In the surrounding areas - car parks, outer buildings and the like - were masses of gathered multi coloured superhumans. The Ultrahumans had called in all their favours to gather the majority of USA's super heroes into one place to coordinate and strike against the escaped super villains and the threat of Nexus. Which made it a prime target to wipe them all out in one spot! And those coverings... he zoomed in with his vision. He bet they were made of a metal called Promethium, largely resistant to pretty much anything including nuclear munitions! The villains would fire at this base and kill everyone OUTSIDE of it for miles around, leaving whoever was inside safe and protected!

He was still several miles up but Lionheart knew the next few moments might decide the fate of the Earth!

VIKTORIYA VOLKOV/Miss Victory

OOC the villain who brain assaulted her is messing with her memories of events and whatever you accomplish in your dream status may well be the memory you have going forward! If Viktoriya decides (for whatever reason) not to make the Vita Pill or test it on herself, she might 'forget' ever being Miss Victory!!! Think of it as a seamster who has cut threads and is trying to the them to new ones - whilst you struggle to hold onto the existing threads and retain your memories/mind!!!

Viktoriya was struggling. Should she create the ... no. Was that right? What did she do? What should she do? The image of a handsome man sprung into her head. Who was he? She tried to remember who he was, how she knew him. Was he important? Was there anything ... Clark.

Clark? Clark who? She strained to remember...

OOC Let's fill in the story of how her and Clark met as she pieces together her mind (which is under constant assault) and we'll go from there. Don't worry about the rolls and metagaming if you need to - this is filling in the blanks of her memory and gets another shot at breaking free with bonuses depending on how much detail you fill in.

Admin wrote:The base was in lockdown, with a silver metal covering over every opening. In the surrounding areas - car parks, outer buildings and the like - were masses of gathered multi coloured superhumans. The Ultrahumans had called in all their favours to gather the majority of USA's super heroes into one place to coordinate and strike against the escaped super villains and the threat of Nexus. Which made it a prime target to wipe them all out in one spot! And those coverings... he zoomed in with his vision. He bet they were made of a metal called Promethium, largely resistant to pretty much anything including nuclear munitions! The villains would fire at this base and kill everyone OUTSIDE of it for miles around, leaving whoever was inside safe and protected!

He was still several miles up but Lionheart knew the next few moments might decide the fate of the Earth!

OOC: Oh a puzzle, I hate puzzles I always feel stupid for never being able to crack them! So I guess I will have to rely on Lionheart's intelligence. Promethium is covering portals, weak points...maybe, so might there be a point underground, or where there has to be something uncovered? I'm pretty good with breaking into things as I proved with the jail, before. Might there be a door or some portal I can find a way in through? This seems like jail break no 2? Dejavu. So in the first instance, I'll see if I can go in via some portal, doorway or covering. Even an unbreakable building must have a failsafe for reasons like this, villains take it over and what not? Boy if these gathered heroes got slaughtered here, talk about thinking the herd, Advent would be laughing if we defeated Nexus and the bad guys after this, we'd be so depleted the USA would be ripe for the taking. Anyway, if anything else occurs to my super-genius brain, unlike my own, then I'll go with that. Otherwise, the whole fate of the Earth thing sounds like real high stakes! Ekkk!


Sj

LIONHEART

OOC Kind of like the Prison in reverse. Sort of. Good guys trapped outside while a nuke goes off but would be safe inside. Or is that what happened with the Prison? Hmmm. Maybe the bad guys see some irony in taking out the heroes in a similar way as was inflicted on them!

Moving at superspeed Lionheart scoured for a way in. He would have to use his skills (which were world class) to figure out a way in.

A heartbeat later he was at an innocent looking service door around one side of this vast structure. Tearing that off revealed a way in - if you knew the code and could bypass the biometric locks...

OOC And Lionheart is pretty much the world's greatest thief (that we know about thus far) with Thief:14. That grants FIVE extra dice but he's going to need them! This is an Intelligence based task to outwit the mechanisms and even then only possible because with Superspeed he can input millions of codes in a second...)

Power Reserve boosts Int (to 25, Wandafar is smart but even he ain't THAT smart...) + Thief 5 Dice + Go for Broke +4/-6 + Roll(7d12)+0: 9,10,11,11,9,7,2,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 12,8,+0 Total:42 (67) vs
OV18 (Int of the locks creator - not Wandy I might add) + Modifier 14 (Beyond the limit - this is uncrackable) + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,5,+0 Total:6 (42) Success + 7 (to Will 14) vs OV 18 - RV6 (RV12)=2 RAPs. Even so it took doubles and a staggering roll to get in! That's for the world's best thief with superspeed...

There was a hiss and a flashing light as the door (promethieum and therefore it takes energy from that which strikes it to make it stronger so a Nuke would actually help the base defend itself, as would most supervillains pounding on it) hissed open, a short beep sounded and it started to close again as the system discovered an unauthorised method of entry! Lionheart frowned. Surely he was authorised as one of the Ultrahumans, and more than that, one of the 'Core'?

Was the computer system faulty?

'More likely someone has tampered with it. The same person or persons who ordered the evacuation of those fancifully dressed individuals outside who are being served up like lambs.' said an inner voice inside. Saladin. he almost sounded like he admired the plan.

'An inside job. Good work on the lock though.' the voice said, grudgingly.

Lionheart sped through the place checking every door and corridor/room as he went.

He found ... something grisly. He didn't need to lean down and place a hand on the throats of the uniformed staff who lay at odd angles, bodies still smoking as if blasted by a weapon or super power... The place was locked up, all the good guys had been ordered outside and anyone left inside had been murdered so far, it seemed. He counted a dozen dead and looked at the blast pattern.

OOC Still with Int 25 + Detective 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 2,7,1,3,11,3,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE (though the 18 was high enough to consider) + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,9,+0 Total:21 (46) vs
OV9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,4,+0 Total:14 (23) Success +7 (to EV14) vs RV9=5 RAPs

1) This was no weapon blast. A single shot was fire and it wiped out all twelve Ultrahuman support staff.
2-3) Lionheart moves back, considers the angles and the way the bodies are tumbled/lay. The corridors are made of tough stuff - not promethium but enough to withstand impact, explosives, acid you name it. All par for the course for the world's greatest superteam. Except here the corridors are melted, twisted, deformed, ruined beyond use and exposing conduits and ducting, which is also mangled. Even beyond there the blast punched through wall after wall...
4-6) The nature of the damage, the blast and the deadly effectiveness suggests radiation powerful enough to break down objects at the subatomic level. Such power would exceed even that of a nuclear device and there are few such individuals that spring to mind but Lionheart had to admit he wasn't well versed in the comings and goings of very high powered supers. In fact such a blast, delivered with such deadly accuracy, in the circumstances... could only have come from Atomic Champion who was it seemed working with the enemy!

Lionheart considered the deduction. He could be wrong but things were starting to drop into place. Drop inexperienced supers into the melting pot of a prison break, go missing when he was needed to lead and help out. Again when Silver Sentinel was injured and... what was that all about? Silver Sentinel was more or less invulnerable. Sure, he'd been injured before but this was different, a wound that wouldn't close leaking out his super radioactive energy that formed up his person... Radioactive energy that Atomic Champion as a master of radiation of most types might be able to absorb and use himself, amping up even his staggering power levels to those near of Silver Sentinel! That would weaken the Sentinel and draw the most powerful Ultrahumans away to tend their leader as he recuperated in the sun...

But he wouldn't recuperate. Not while Atomic Champion had somehow managed to alter his energy or control it. Once Silver Sentinel's skin was pierced he was fair game for Atomic Champion.

A cold shiver ran down Lionheart's spine.

'Sometimes being one of the smartest beings in the universe has it's drawbacks when you can see far clearly than anyone else.' said Saladin, a sombre note in his voice.

Lionheart knew there would be other operatives trapped in this sprawling, vast place, as well as supers and government officials. They'd be hunted too. And Manta Man. Was he in on it? Or had he stumbled into this hornet's nest?

OOC Lionhearts 25 Intelligence (beyond any chart or IQ reckoning by multiples of thousands I'd say) allows him to work this stuff out at superspeed. You can continue to search the corridors or head straight for where the teleporter is for the Ultrahumans Core sanctum where you just came from and from where the disgraced Atomic Champion is probably operating. Lionheart is smart enough to know that in an one on one fight against a powered up Atomic Champion he'd be the underdog - especially if Atomic Champion wasn't alone. He really needed someone else by his side. Someone he could trust. The Vanguard? Sure, but other than Frostbite and maybe one or two others this was way beyond their paygrade.

Miss Victory. She was fast, smart, tough and super strong. Where was she?

Clark? Clark was important to her. She knew that somehow on a visceral level. But how? She hadn't met him yet. He must be American. She has never met an American. Hadn't she? She tried focusing on the man. Maybe it would give her clues as what to do?

Admin wrote:VIKTORIYA VOLKOV/Miss Victory

OOC the villain who brain assaulted her is messing with her memories of events and whatever you accomplish in your dream status may well be the memory you have going forward! If Viktoriya decides (for whatever reason) not to make the Vita Pill or test it on herself, she might 'forget' ever being Miss Victory!!! Think of it as a seamster who has cut threads and is trying to the them to new ones - whilst you struggle to hold onto the existing threads and retain your memories/mind!!!

Viktoriya was struggling. Should she create the ... no. Was that right? What did she do? What should she do? The image of a handsome man sprung into her head. Who was he? She tried to remember who he was, how she knew him. Was he important? Was there anything ... Clark.

Clark? Clark who? She strained to remember...

OOC Let's fill in the story of how her and Clark met as she pieces together her mind (which is under constant assault) and we'll go from there. Don't worry about the rolls and metagaming if you need to - this is filling in the blanks of her memory and gets another shot at breaking free with bonuses depending on how much detail you fill in.

Admin wrote:OOC Lionhearts 25 Intelligence (beyond any chart or IQ reckoning by multiples of thousands I'd say) allows him to work this stuff out at superspeed. You can continue to search the corridors or head straight for where the teleporter is for the Ultrahumans Core sanctum where you just came from and from where the disgraced Atomic Champion is probably operating. Lionheart is smart enough to know that in an one on one fight against a powered up Atomic Champion he'd be the underdog - especially if Atomic Champion wasn't alone. He really needed someone else by his side. Someone he could trust. The Vanguard? Sure, but other than Frostbite and maybe one or two others this was way beyond their paygrade.

Miss Victory. She was fast, smart, tough and super strong. Where was she?

With a deep sigh, Lionheart once again realised why he wanted and indeed needed to be part of a team. He would have to tread carefully at least in a figurative sense. Atomic Champion might well be aware of his intrusion and set up countermeasures. But at the same time if he could recruit any who had remained within the building, or overwhelm the base defences to let those outsides back in, then he might have a chance. But what troubled him most was how he could stop AC from continuing to use the power he'd gained, how did he find a way to turn off the faucet?

OOC: OK now I am in, I'm going to see whom I can find, recruit or draw onboard as I make my way up to where I started on this leg of the mission. I'll rely on Super speed and my danger sense to warm me as I move about.

Sj

VIKTORIYA VOLKOV/Miss Victory

The false papers had cost almost as much as the ticket, the last of the borrowed money from her grandfather. Exiting the train in Moscow she'd tried not to look behind. The security services were looking for her and simply cutting her hair and hoping for the best wouldn't fool them for long. Pretty soon there'd be posters, news bulletins, informants looking out...

Viktoriya blinked. She was still in the lab. Something was happening though. This was something new. New.

New.

New Orleans.

Suddenly a vision, some ... memory or other, popped into her head! Looking across the water at coiling smoke in the sky, a ... car? A car flying through the air, smashing against the side of the building? Trying to ignore that. Scouring the sky for... a missile?

A nuclear missile?

Viktoriya blinked.

"...here often?" said the handsome man as his mouth curled up with a smile. She turned and caught her breath! The man she'd noticed when she'd come into the room was stood next to her! Talking to her! Compose yourself Viktoriya! You are not a schoolgirl any more! With that she blushed and smiled in return.

"I mean, it's not exactly the place to hang out, after all." he said with a wave of the gin in his hand at the stuffy scientist types gathered in the large hall looking at stalls/exhibits and company stands. "Oh, my manners!" he exclaimed. "Doctor Clark Wylde at your service ma'am. I'm here, like everyone else, to see what's new and exciting in the World of science. And you?"

Viktoriya had run out of money and options. The flight to Europe had sucked up the last of her funds and she'd seen this science exposition, bluffed her way in and thought about touting for a job or... she felt the pill box in her pocket. That was a last resort. After all, it had worked on her but there was no guarantee that...

She blinked again. The lab, the rows of tables and work stations. The computer terminal in front of her. She knew that every keystroke was recorded and watched by people behind the glass windows, but the dream had been so vivid! It had 'mentioned' the pill had worked on her... she bit her lip, wondering. Might it be the way out of here? Even if it only gave a temporary boost to her abilities, might she be able to overcome the guards over there?

Pfft. It would have to make her bulletproof again. She shook her head. Foolish! the blows to her head had given leave to her senses ... and yet... the man. Wylde. Clark Wylde, had seemed so real!

That chance meeting at the expo, a loan of cash to get to the States, meeting up again with him. A whirlwind romance, marriage, refining and perfecting the pill... a costume, super human abilities, the Ultrahumans, Lionheart...

She blinked again and looked at the computer screen. She could play it safe and stick to the plan. The Soviets would not have a working super soldier program from the research gathered here or...

She glanced at the components, the test tubes, beakers, baking apparatus... or she could try the formula on herself...

LIONHEART

He sped through the place relying on his speed, danger sense and consummate thieving skills to avoid the armed patrols of robots - no doubt commandeered by Atomic Champion and reprogrammed to recognise any Ultrahuman as a threat! In turn whilst engaging such threats they would employ every mean to slow them down whilst AC and his new buddies could home in...

He probably couldn't take Atomic Champion in a fight. Astonishing Reflexes, Strength and Endurance, near incalculable energy generating and control, matter manipulation at the subatomic level, a range of super senses, the list went on.

That was before he'd gotten a leg up the ladder from draining Silver Sentinel's energy. Enough that Sentinel could survive in the sun but taking so much that Silver Sentinel was held prisoner by the intense gravitational forces and trapped until Atomic Champion needed his next fix! Doubtless the fallen hero had made some deal with a criminal mastermind to arrange for the injury to Silver Sentinel and the fall of the Ultrahumans, and when the dust settled? AC and his 'new' superhero partners would save the day. Except they'd be villains in disguise and above suspicion so long as they were careful! And they were.

His enhanced mind reverted to its normal 'genius' level and Saladin quipped 'You have to hand it to them.'

Hmmm.

Lionheart turned a corner and screeched to a halt.

There were four teens arguing amongst themselves.



"TOLD you this was a dumb idea!"

"Yeah? Why didn't you say so at the time?"

"I did! Twice!"

"Well you didn't stop me when I hacked the system to hide our visitor ID's."

"That's because I was too busy looking out for Ultrahumans who would kick our asses if they found out!"

"Relax! What's the worst that could happen? We're the grandkids of the world's greatest super heroes!"

"Former greatest super heroes. Even Superman can't measure up to ... Uh guys?"

They turned to see Lionheart stood there, arms crossed and listening.

The green skinned young lady smiled nervously and spoke up "Ummm we're lost. We heard the alarm and made for the exit but we got lost. Again."

The young man with the S on his chest scowled "You can't get lost in this place. The cards are supposed to guide and light the way and ..."

"You mean the ones HE disabled?" said the redheaded young man in the yellow suit, pointing at the young fellow in the red/yellow/green costume with the R on the chest.

He in turn scowled and turned to Lionheart "So uh, which one are you? I mean, the Ultrahumans are like an army and there are so many... I ... I don't actually recognise you. Thought I knew em all."

"Knew IT all more like!" said the kid in the yellow suit. They started arguing with each other whilst the kid in the black t shirt and the S sighed and leaned against the wall. The green skinned girl rolled her eyes and smiled nervously at Lionheart.

Admin wrote:"Knew IT all more like!" said the kid in the yellow suit. They started arguing with each other whilst the kid in the black t shirt and the S sighed and leaned against the wall. The green skinned girl rolled her eyes and smiled nervously at Lionheart.

Lionheart looked on a winsome smile crept onto his face 2nd generation, much like himself. Out to prove themselves and get out from under the shadow of their forebears. Lionheart relaxed his danger sense didn't so he could afford to be affable for a moment. "I'm Lionheart, a new recruit from the UK, if the accent didn't give it away. And the reason everything has gone so badly is that we have a traitor in our midst. One who is aided and abetting the enemy. They want to control and they've almost got it all. The heroes outside are in real danger, whilst everyone is here is safe from whatever is coming. So it's up to us - since you've already proven so resourceful, to stop them and find any other recruits we might end this madness before things get stuck this way. So we are going up against one of the most powerful Ultrahumans in this place.
Ergo, it doesn't take a genius to realise that we might not all make it out of this little tango. What do you say?"

Lionheart's smile had long since vanished as he went on. These were teenagers, albeit with amazing abilities, he didn't want them to underestimate the task and the risk at hand though.

Sj

The kids looked at each other then the one in the yellow spoke up "So, the fate of the world is at stake and we're the only ones who could help?"

The youngster in the domino mask and cape spoke up "We're in!"

The green skinned teenager sighed and shrugged whilst the teen in the black t shirt with the S rolled his eyes then nodded.

"I'm Robin! I'm the Batman's ... former... sidekick. He doesn't do team ups so often. This is Kid Flash, Miss Martian and Superboy." said Robin.

"We're ... uh, powerful and all but the Ultrahumans are kind of out of our league." said Miss Martian. Superboy frowned. "Don't put yourself down. We can fight as well as anyone!"

Kid Flash seemed to think... "Lionheart... Lionheart. One of the others in the canteen were talking about new recruits. I'm sure one mentioned you and Mrs Victorious or something like that. One said you are as fast as the Flash! Is that right?"

OOC Danger Sense 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,1,+0 Total:11 (20) vs
OV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,3,+0 Total:8 (16) +3 9to 13) vs RV8=4 RAPs. Success.

Lionheart spun. He senses danger and can hear... robotic whirring of motors. Near silent but not to one with senses like his - even though the teens were jabbering away to one another about how useful they'd be. The problem was he wasn't too well versed with the defences of this place. He'd not had much of an induction, more like a simple shove into the deep end with an order to 'Swim!'.

That said it made sense to have androids as security and menial tasks - less danger to humans and more compliant, as well as as or more effective in many circumstances.

Androids that were coming this way. He was stood in a corridor and could force one of the side doors but that would trip an alarm. Come to think of it, this place was camera'd up on every corridor and room so there was little chance of escaping a vigilant watcher...

OOC You have only seconds before *something* rounds a corner and sees you stood in the corridor. Lionheart can take out just about anyone, but these kids? Unknown quantity...

Admin wrote:Come to think of it, this place was camera'd up on every corridor and room so there was little chance of escaping a vigilant watcher...

OOC You have only seconds before *something* rounds a corner and sees you stood in the corridor. Lionheart can take out just about anyone, but these kids? Unknown quantity...

Lionheart quickly spoke urging the others to be ready saying, "We've got company, look lively, the base's defences are onto us. Robin use some of that super smarts you've got that fooled the computers before, I've a feeling that we're in for a world of hurt unless we can turn the base's defences away from us or our position with those camera's giving us away ever time."

With that Lionheart put his energy into speed and his incredible dexterity, so that in the narrow confines of the corridor he could work around the others and hopefully together against their oncoming enemy.

Sj

ooc: Just throwing up my original origin, before it was tweaked, as a memory aid.

Veronica Chase, was a bio-chemist in Russia who was forced to work on a top secret Russian Supersoldier Program that resulted in the deaths of many. She wanted out and kept working on a formula to give her the power to flee the country. She eventually came up with a two-step program to give herself superhuman powers and it would only work for her as it was coded only for her DNA. The first part was a bio-cocktail that permanently, seemingly, increased her physical stats to 7 APs. The second part was the Vita Pill, as she called it, that allowed her to access energies in her body to increase her physical abilities as she willed but only for 1 hour and then she had to wait another hour before taking another one as the adverse reactions of not waiting were too painful to consider. Using this power, she fled the country and made it to England which she promptly fell in love with. A short time later, she met Dr. Clark Wylde, an old school adventurer of the Doc Savage vein. He helped her set up her new Identity as Dr. Veronica Chase the Bio-Chemist. She took on the persona of Victoria Vita as a way to repay her newly adopted country and to help breakdown Clark's reluctance in marrying her as he said his career would leave her vulnerable to his enemies if it ever became known that they were married. And they were married a year ago before the attack on London.
She maintains her own residence and hidden lab/HQ away from him. She is set up as a private contract Bio-Chemist, most of the time working for one of her husband's philanthropic research facilities, which allows her much free time for superheroing.

Admin wrote:VIKTORIYA VOLKOV/Miss Victory

The false papers had cost almost as much as the ticket, the last of the borrowed money from her grandfather. Exiting the train in Moscow she'd tried not to look behind. The security services were looking for her and simply cutting her hair and hoping for the best wouldn't fool them for long. Pretty soon there'd be posters, news bulletins, informants looking out...

Viktoriya blinked. She was still in the lab. Something was happening though. This was something new. New.

New.

New Orleans.

Suddenly a vision, some ... memory or other, popped into her head! Looking across the water at coiling smoke in the sky, a ... car? A car flying through the air, smashing against the side of the building? Trying to ignore that. Scouring the sky for... a missile?

A nuclear missile?

Viktoriya blinked.

"...here often?" said the handsome man as his mouth curled up with a smile. She turned and caught her breath! The man she'd noticed when she'd come into the room was stood next to her! Talking to her! Compose yourself Viktoriya! You are not a schoolgirl any more! With that she blushed and smiled in return.

"I mean, it's not exactly the place to hang out, after all." he said with a wave of the gin in his hand at the stuffy scientist types gathered in the large hall looking at stalls/exhibits and company stands. "Oh, my manners!" he exclaimed. "Doctor Clark Wylde at your service ma'am. I'm here, like everyone else, to see what's new and exciting in the World of science. And you?"

Viktoriya had run out of money and options. The flight to Europe had sucked up the last of her funds and she'd seen this science exposition, bluffed her way in and thought about touting for a job or... she felt the pill box in her pocket. That was a last resort. After all, it had worked on her but there was no guarantee that...

She blinked again. The lab, the rows of tables and work stations. The computer terminal in front of her. She knew that every keystroke was recorded and watched by people behind the glass windows, but the dream had been so vivid! It had 'mentioned' the pill had worked on her... she bit her lip, wondering. Might it be the way out of here? Even if it only gave a temporary boost to her abilities, might she be able to overcome the guards over there?

Pfft. It would have to make her bulletproof again. She shook her head. Foolish! the blows to her head had given leave to her senses ... and yet... the man. Wylde. Clark Wylde, had seemed so real!

That chance meeting at the expo, a loan of cash to get to the States, meeting up again with him. A whirlwind romance, marriage, refining and perfecting the pill... a costume, super human abilities, the Ultrahumans, Lionheart...

She blinked again and looked at the computer screen. She could play it safe and stick to the plan. The Soviets would not have a working super soldier program from the research gathered here or...

She glanced at the components, the test tubes, beakers, baking apparatus... or she could try the formula on herself...

Vickie grabbed her head as she felt dizzy and felt like she had a migraine. It was wrong, everything was wrong. The pill was the last part of what she needed. First, she needed to prepare the bio-formula targeted to her DNA. It alone would make her stronger, faster, more dexterous and give her great endurance. It was needed to survive the Vita Pill. Without the bio-formula, the Vita Pill would kill her. Vita Pill? Why is she calling it that? And why is she thinking of a nuclear missile? She would make the bio-formula, she had that memorized. Then ... it would depend on whether she was still alive or not after drinking it.