World War II - Lionheart Issue #1

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
Initiative Lionheart 9, Nazis 7. 1 frame to our hero... In his favour the soldiers will be firing at range, and the robots will be moving, for the most part.[/i]

OOC: Lionheart will continue to dodge where possible, relying on his charm, whit, dazzling good looks and a whole lot of skill - assuming he didn't leave it on the ground with his wits.

"Oh boy, momma told me there would be days like this, except I was grown in a vat and I didn't know her, but I'm sure she'd have said something like that!"

Flipping around to use his time as wisely as possible, the banter just a ruse, Lionheart was going through the intricate dance he'd have to perform to dodge bullets and pull pipes and wires as he tried to stay long enough to set things in motion or rather stop them!

OOC:
ok save the frame and dodge, dodge and pull, pull as I can where I can! Its at a time like this that I could do with some hero points or something!
Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

OOC Hero points are a good point - not something we've used more than once or twice. Will look in the house rules (might have to dust it off first) and see what's in there. Probably nothing. As for Lionheart - I assume he will use future frames too?

Lionheart danced about, ducking, weaving, finding what cover he could as bullets zinged in here and there. Some of the Soldiers were wary of shooting the glass tank, others had heeded the orders that the tank was resistant to a high degree of damage.

Lionheart, in a rare breather as soldiers reloaded, glanced down. It was like standing on a frozen lake, save it was boiling beneath his feet! Cracks like someone had thrown a rock on the thick ice appeared all over it. He glanced about. Everywhere inside this thick he heard hissing in the brief respite between shots and a glance about showed some of the gas bags had been punctured! With Hydrogen being odourless, the soldiers in here didn't realise...

Or perhaps they did. Everyone stopped shooting and glanced about.

Lionheart looked down at himself.

OOC three decent hits, rest missed with guns. One shot was a critical. Response? The first was dodged, leaves the critical and normal hit. With Lionheart being as he is, a simple 'dodge' requires no roll against goons like this. LH is looking down at himself in case any shots struck him.

There was nothing in the way of the hum, the quiet propulsion system of the Gondola being absent! Only the interminable CLANK! CLANK! of the robots as they closed in!

OOC Depending on your actions the Robots are within arms reach (5m) for them to make melee attacks with their stretching limbs. There is a LOT of Hydrogen floating about in here. Not as much as oxygen thus far, but Lionheart is no dummy. The slightest spark and... *kaboom* (makes separating motion with hands and using puffed out cheeks exhaled and so on)

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
OOC Depending on your actions the Robots are within arms reach (5m) for them to make melee attacks with their stretching limbs. There is a LOT of Hydrogen floating about in here. Not as much as oxygen thus far, but Lionheart is no dummy. The slightest spark and... *kaboom* (makes separating motion with hands and using puffed out cheeks exhaled and so on)

As much as Lionheart wanted to hang around he knew that there was little more to do and more importantly little more he could resist if the ship did suddenly explode at this point.

He again moved, focusing not on just dodging but getting out of this area, for surely soon the loss of Hydrogen would either cause the ship to plummet or explode and he didn't feel like hanging around for either.

OOC: OK dodge like crazy, you'll have to roll for me on dodges mate as I can't remember what I was supposed to be rolling. I did roll on a D20 and got this if its any good: 1d20=5. But if I have to take a hit I take a hit. I am trying to dodge my way back toward the way I came in or get away from them as best I can.

OOC Hero points are a good point - not something we've used more than once or twice. Will look in the house rules (might have to dust it off first) and see what's in there. Probably nothing. As for Lionheart - I assume he will use future frames too?

I think it was something you'd mentioned but I am not sure if the original rules had it in there or its just so much houseruling from over the years ;-).

Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

OOC D6 for dodging. Against these opponents (mostly WC0, some WC1) no roll reqd thanks to his amazing Dodge mod. Biggest prob for Lionheart is running out of frames to dodge with, or if dodging attacks that take actions, and therefore suck up his frames at a rate he can do without. In this case...

Sprinting across a narrow metal beam that would give circus acrobats or olympic gymnasts pause for thought, Lionheart ducked, keeping his head down and jumped every now and again to an adjacent beam or to grab onto a higher support, then to twirl 360 and land lightly on the original beam and head for the hatch he'd opened earlier! Though it was only a few metres away the bullets zinging around him made the distance seem monumental!

Finally within diving distance of the hatch he heard a bullet hum, that split fraction of a section that told him he had to roll to the side, when a robotic hand shot out, trying to snag his leg!

Hopping over that, he heard a 'PANG!' behind him, and thanked his lucky stars the bullet appeared to have struck one of the metal struts instead of punching into his back!

With a cheeky grin and salute to the soldiers who reloaded and pumped round after round at him, he dove through the hatch... and not a moment too soon!

Falling through the air, rather than hitting the roof of the Gondola, Lionheart twisted to see where the undercarriage of the Zeppelin had gone, noting that they were on a course towards Bletchley Park, though there was still some way to go! At the moment it hovered over what appeared to be fields, and nearby, a boating lake, though thankfully being night there were no sailors out!

When it exploded the shock wave sent Lionheart tumbling through the air, the powerful mushrooming hydrogen reaching out, seeming to claw at him, and angrily falling short as he fell away, the burning wreckage of the Zeppelin slowly seeming to drift to earth, a fiery ball of destruction that would have put paid to anything underneath it! There was a secondary explosion, if anything more powerful than the first, which elicited a grunt from Lionheart and lit up the night sky for miles around!

Dazed, the hero tumbled towards the ground...

=========

Cold air brought him round...

That, and his superhuman ability to act faster than most people could think! His shirt, in tatters, flapped about him and he sped downwards trailing a wisp of acrid smoke, then remembering the controls on the gloves he wore and igniting the jet pack on his back! With a roar and thrust he righted and spun, starting to gain altitude again, then smelt burning...

Glancing back, he had enough time to shout "Oh no!" as flames flickered from a hole in the Jet pack, spraying fuel and fire over his back behind him! Suddenly it got very hot! Inside the jet pack the flames ate their way through the fuel line towards the diminishing store of rocket fuel... and ignited!

There was a terrific explosion, like a few grenades going off at once, as the jet pack exploded! Lionheart, seconds away and falling having released the straps in the blink of an eye which held him to the device, turned, twisting in the air, wondering how many pieces his body would shatter into when he struck the...

SPLASH!

Seconds later, he broke the surface of the boating lake, the water lit orange by the furious inferno crashing to the earth! Diving underneath the water he escaped another mushrooming wave of fire that lit up the depths, then turned and started swimming, powerful fast strokes that would have made him the envy of Olympic swimmer cum Hollywood actor Larry 'Buster' Crabbe!

=========

Soaked...

And battered, Lionheart clambered from the lakes edge, where people were gathered, pointing and gaping. Most were dressed in fine clothes, jackets and suits, and sipping from expensive crystal as they pointed and wondered what had happened, before looking at the singed bedraggled figure clambering from their boating lake. Behind the people, the club house, a large building where an annual meal was taking place. A number of women tittered and pointed at the dashing young figure, leaned and chiselled like a Hollywood actor could only dream of being, as he turned to look at the remnants of the airship smashing into a field and setting it ablaze...

"I say old chap! What in the blue blazes was THAT all about, eh?" shouted a fellow in a smoking jacket, waving his expensive whisky in the direction of the inferno...

Lionheart turned to look at the inferno. What indeed?

OOC Lionheart is... well, a few miles from anywhere really. A few miles away he'd left the Peeler and the rocket packs in the woods with the Germans he'd downed, then a few more miles away, the nondescript military hospital where Saladin had been held, and a few miles away in another direction, Bletchley Park, where the Zep had been heading.

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
OOC Lionheart is... well, a few miles from anywhere really. A few miles away he'd left the Peeler and the rocket packs in the woods with the Germans he'd downed, then a few more miles away, the nondescript military hospital where Saladin had been held, and a few miles away in another direction, Bletchley Park, where the Zep had been heading.[/i]

"What, oh that" He said gesturing to the quickly burning incendiary of flame, "well a chap positively has to make the right kind of entrance, dontcha know."

Lionheart quipped, trying hard to cover his nervous exhaustion. "Look old chum" He continued, "There are some army types at Bletchly, be a good chap and give a shoot over the old phone, will you. I think they'll want to hear about this Nazi spies and what not. Hop to it dear fellow and I dare say there's a medal in it for you. Pip, pip!"

Turning back to the ball of flame, Lionheart knew he had to get to the location and check for survivors as quickly as he could. There was no telling who might have survived and more importantly what prying eyes may be around to look in or even help out. Whilst the crowds back was turned and his hastily procured messenger went to make the call, Lionheart was gone, a shot gust of wind whipping hair and draises alerting people to his sudden high speed departure.

OOC:
Ok I speed away to find out who or what is left in the flaming ball of mush that was the Zeppelin. I'm taking precautions in that I want to surround the area before heading in, but seeing to keep an eye on anyone who might have tried to get off - including Trowers or Saladin. As well as any Robotic defenders who might have been able to survive, if somewhat singed!


Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Sifting through the burning rubble...

Lionheart could see there would be no human survivors. A glance out into the darkness of the night revealed the faint lights of small settlements away from the danger of big cities, where blackouts were enforced. One of these things falling on a village would have instantly wiped out all life there. Even in a city the firestorm would rage and causing devastating damage!

He heard something move and tensed, creeping towards where a pile of twisted framework had landed. The metal moved aside as a metallic hand grasped it and shook the metal, though with limited effect. Underneath, what remained of a robot - half of the torso and a smashed in head, along with a single arm - tried to free itself. It was a simple matter to reach in, gasp at the heat coming off the thing from the surrounding flames, then grab a handful of delicate electronics and grind them to dust. The robot fell silent. Scouring the night sky, Lionheart saw what he thought to be twin points of blue light disappearing through cloud cover and away! Cursing, he turned as he heard distant bells of the fire service, and saw car lights as vehicles sped along narrow lanes. With a sense of foreboding at what Trowers wanted in this time, and the damage that the man could do with his knowledge of future technology and cloning techniques, Lionheart knew that he would cross paths with him again, but wasn't confident at the outcome.

He was modelled, in part, on Trowers designs. The man knew every strength and weakness of the PSI corps agents. There was something about Saladin and Lionheart that he wanted, something from the 1st Corps and the 2nd, in order to advance his plans. With a frown Lionheart turned as a car with Peelers turned up. "Mr King? You're wanted back at Bletchley. Now."

=========

General Forbes was dressed in a dinner suit...

He paced up and down in his office, clearly angry. "I was called away from a dinner with the Prime Minister and chiefs of staff because I was informed of a metahuman operative who had ignored orders and gone after an escaped criminal. Now you tell me this Zepellin had the means to remain completely undetected and that with the technology at the Nazis disposal they can move about in British airspace as they see fit? And that they use Rocket pack technology, but the one you were using exploded, and the others left in the forest weren't there when we investigated, and nor was the Peeler? Agent King, I realise that we 'backwards types' are perhaps unworthy of your talents and knowledge, but we have a way of doing things. There is, after all, no 'I' in team work. Charging off on your own could have resulted in utter disaster, your own death, and the destruction of Bletchley park without us knowing a damn thing about it! As it is..."

He sighed, ran a hand through thinning hair then continued "You have stopped the Nazis and uncovered another part of their insidious plans it seems, and forewarned is forearmed. I hate to commend you for disobeying orders, but in this case you got lucky, albeit getting singed on the way. Now. if you CAN obey orders, we do have another problem that you may be able to help with whilst we clear your mess up. In the sewers under London several workers have disappeared in the last day. There were reports of horrendous noises, like those of some vast animal, or lots of animals. I want you to head down there and investigate. There are attacks and plots coming from every direction! I can only guess as to the reason the Nazis, with their superior power and numbers simply don't crush us beneath their heel! It's as if they fear us, or perhaps seek to test us. Lord help us if they realise that we are so woefully underpowered that we rely on half a dozen ill behaved superhumans!" he barked.

"I can only hope General Wynns program of recruitment produces results!"

Lionheart knew the old General had some kind of ability that called forth superhuman powers in the otherwise normal people of Britain. The problem was, there were certain conditions, and so the General had taken to inspecting barracks and training areas, watching for the right circumstances and people to empower, and bring into the Vanguards' fold!

"One more thing." said Forbes. "In Regents park a couple were attacked by what they describe as a Crocodile that walked on its hind legs, and brandishing a machine gun! If that wasn't unbelievable enough, they were saved by a child, a boy, who seemingly came out of Nowhere!"

OOC ready to wrap on this issue and start another, OR we can continue, no real problem in either case.

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

OOC: Firstly Happy New Year to you to, its been such a year of turning points for me, and so much better than what came before. In part the Vanguard has been a consistent factor in making my mornings an even greater pleasure and sometimes frustration as I've worried over what to do. But its been great mate and I hope we'll be able to continue to go from strength to strength this year.

Admin wrote:
"One more thing." said Forbes. "In Regents park a couple were attacked by what they describe as a Crocodile that walked on its hind legs, and brandishing a machine gun! If that wasn't unbelievable enough, they were saved by a child, a boy, who seemingly came out of Nowhere!"

Lionheart felt dejected over the talking down, the fact that Trowers was involved and that whatever happened with the Nazi's they were only a convenient foil for the real dangers that existed lurking in the shadows. But as he half listened in the talk of a Child, appearing out of Nowhere...

"Wait a child, rescued these people!" Lionheart let his thoughts drift on, the only member of the team they'd not seen was Nowhere Man, could this be his distinctive mark. And yet into a Child? Lionheart knew from his previous encounter the man had - inhabited others, in this time line was this child the man he would become?

There was only one way to find out, seek out the sewer monster and see if in the process he could make contact with this kid.

"Ok sir, I'll look into it!"

OOC: ready to wrap on this issue and start another, OR we can continue, no real problem in either case.

Seems like a good time to move on as I have no doubt that Trowers and Saladin and my paths will cross again.

Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

"Oh, before you go, Agent King." said Forbes. He leaned over his desk to pick up a phone and made a quick call. "Send in Peeler 33, would you?"



Lionheart turned to face the Peeler as she entered the room. Almost as tall as he was, she looked all business and stood to attention before Forbes gave her an "at ease Captain Carter."

He turned to Lionheart. "This is Elizabeth Carter, rank of Captain. Seeing as you clearly need someone to keep you on track and following orders, she'll be going with you to London. The Captain is an excellent shot, trained in several hand to hand fighting techniques and speaks fluent German. She is also a certified pilot. Captain..." he handed a wallet containing a sheath of papers over. "Your orders. Try and ensure Agent King keeps the trouble and destruction to the bare minimum, would you? I have a feeling that where he goes, insurance rates soon after..."

In the corridor, having been dismissed, Lionheart walked alongside the Captain. She turned to glance at him, then continued walking. "I've read your file. It says that you come from the future and are currently the most powerful metahuman on record in the world. Of course, we don't know what the Axis are capable of fielding, but it seems you're a valued asset. My job is to ensure you do your job, however, and I expect you to help me." she said, oxford educated accent crisp and clipped.

Lionheart gave an involuntary shiver and dropped back a step or two before he grinned.

=========

The train ride was mostly uneventful.

The private carriage in First class held only the two of them, and Carter spent the time reading the dossier. "It says here there were a number of attacks. They seemed to have one thing in common. The point at which all would intersect if they were drawn a line through towards one another is Regents park. I suggest we start there, although..." she took her thin framed reading glasses off, nibbling a frame arm. "I'm inclined to think they are fanciful at best. A Crocodile that walks like a man? Toting a machine gun? And this one... a Gorilla, talking? I feel we'll be starting from scratch, and the Police won't be of much use if this is all they could glean. In any case, all the victims were mostly unharmed, save frayed nerves and hysterical screaming. Ha!" she laughed, without humour. "The latest report suggests a violent talking Gorilla was chased off by a boy, no older than 9 or 10, wearing a dark sheet and black silk scarf as a mask! Whatever next? A tap dancing elephant?"

=========

Regents Park, hours later, in the rain...

"I'm telling you ma'am. I've been a police officer of good standing for fifteen years, and I ain't never seen nothing like it. An Elephant, I swear, with machine guns slung on its shoulders, big ones, and walking on hind legs it were. Look!" the Policeman said, pointing.

The car, parked on the edge of the park, appeared to have been flattened in the middle. Rather as if something large, strong and heavy had trodden on it...

The police pushed stunned onlookers back, and press were scrabbling to get a picture as the Police cordoned off the entrances to the park. In the darkness, there was very little to be seen.

"Should we wait till morning?" asked a bemused Carter. "We still have to check into our hotel. Or perhaps you'd care to go for a stroll tonight?"

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Regents Park, hours later, in the rain...

Admin wrote:
The car, parked on the edge of the park, appeared to have been flattened in the middle. Rather as if something large, strong and heavy had trodden on it...

Lionheart went over to examine the area, aware that they were now facing a string of incidents but with no one single creature but a menagerie of them. Lionheart looked across a the beautiful, but sceptical Captain. He'd listen to her tuts and snorts of derision on the train down, but now on the field he needed her to put aside her small minded opinions.

Walking back over to her, she turned as she asked,

"Should we wait till morning?" asked a bemused Carter. "We still have to check into our hotel. Or perhaps you'd care to go for a stroll tonight?"

"Well first Captain lets check the attitude, Hmm? What we might be facing here might defy your expectations, but you are talking to a man who is the result of genetic enhancement and technological enhancement, and oh yeah, is also from a possible future!"

Lionheart pinched the bridge of his nose, ever since the Zeppelin he was having trouble focusing on the present. What Trowers wanted, planned to do. But more than that his whole understanding of the present, he'd known, was a lie and Saladin, whom he suspected might still be alive, was right in the thick of it. He couldn't help feel the weight of it as he tried once again to shake off the foreboding it brought to his thoughts, as he sought to focus on the present.

"Look, I'm sorry for being a bit testy. You've caught me at a bad time. Besides which, the boy! I think he might be one of ours...although the last time I saw him he wasn't a boy!"

Looking about, flashing his lamp about, Lionheart thought about things as he let the Captain digest his words. "We've come a long way, the trail is still warm I want to look about and see if we can find any other clues, before this place becomes a media circus! Stay close!"

With that he began with the imprint sight and tried to work out where the prints had gone to or come from and for possible signs of the creatures passage from where the trail began.

OOC:

Ok I think I might like this Captain but I wanted to play off this idea that my future is now haunting the past.

Anyway lets see what clues we can find - I know its dark but the trail may yet go cold etc.

Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Despite upsetting the police with the fact they outranked everyone short of the Commissioner himself, and even that would take but a phone call, the pair were allowed freedom to roam the darkness of the park. Already the trails across the grass were being looked at by Policemen in rain cloaks and holding flashlights, mindless of the fact that they themselves were muddying the trail! "Alright!" said carter, hurrying to move alongside Lionheart and hoist her umbrella higher. "Truce! It's just... I worked hard to get where I've gotten. You have no idea how hard it is for a woman to take up an active field role! Mostly they want to stick you in a skirt and sit you behind a desk! It's... infuriating!" She stopped, looked at Lionheart and grinned. "Beth." she said, thrusting a hand out for Lionheart to shake. "Let's get to the bottom of this, eh? Then you can buy me dinner in the hotel and tell me about this place you say you come from - it sounds... amazing!"

Lionheart remembered the food riots and urban pacification program. The educated, wealthy and well connected lived in bright, clean, shining cities, whilst anyone of lower status - the 'lowlies' was treated as human garbage at best. He remembered one day. Protests of teenager lowlies at not having the chance to go to school, and the PSI corps amongst the civil guard who chopped them down with machine guns when things turned nasty. "...King?" said Carter. "Are you alright?"

Saladin had been a generation 1 PSI Corps operative, one of the first batch, if Lionheart recalled. Because ageing was accelerated, then controlled, it was hard to ascertain just how old the man was. Whilst Lionheart himself was and appeared to be coming up to his mid twenties, he had no doubt his body would slow the ageing process at some point. The authorities had invested billions in the PSI corps programs and after many failed experiments, come up with a way of safeguarding the investment for decades. Finally, they would be retired, presumably with a fine pension in recognition for decades of service, though Lionheart had to admit he'd never met a retired PSI Corps operative...

Frowning, he paused and looked down. Rivers of rain pooled on the path and Lionheart absently replied "I'm fine" whilst he knelt. The faint smell was picked up by his keen senses, though had he not stepped in it...

"Ewwww. That's not good luck. One day dog owners will be fined for not cleaning up their animals mess, mark my words!" said Carter, holding the brolly aloft and looking out into the darkness. Lionheart wiped a finger in the sludge and sniffed. The rain wasn't helping, but he was pretty sure... yes. Sewage.

He stood, glancing about. The Boating lake wasn't far away. Animals, walking about? Lionheart frowned. "Weren't Zoos still about in these days?" he queried. (OOC thought I'd add in a bit as we never established much about Lionhearts future - we can make it up as we go) Carter grinned, rain running down her lovely face as she pointed out into the darkness "Thataway!" she said, pointing into the darkness. "London Zoo. Why?" Lionheart shifted slightly so as not to stand too close - her perfume was very nice, and the woman herself was strong, intelligent, courageous... in his time she'd have been a PSI Corps operative, he knew.

Shaking his head he looked through the darkness and rain. Sewage? Or check out the Zoo itself? Though it would be closed there were ways and means of looking around, and it would be a logical place to look for wayward animals, with open cages and the like if it were the case...



OOC London Zoo - I dare say the layout has changed since 1939 and a pile of bombs have shaken things up, but you get the idea. X (red) marks the spot you're at and the blue circled area is London Zoo at the top end of Regents Park. So, a choice - look around for sewer entrances in the park or investigate the zoo? Or maybe another option - your choice

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
She stopped, looked at Lionheart and grinned. "Beth." she said, thrusting a hand out for Lionheart to shake. "Let's get to the bottom of this, eh? Then you can buy me dinner in the hotel and tell me about this place you say you come from - it sounds... amazing!"

Lionheart took her hand, but was himself aware of distant memories, a literal world away drifting in.

Admin wrote:Lionheart remembered the food riots and urban pacification program..."Are you alright?"
"I'm fine"

"This is sewage, whatever has been attacking people, has come up from there. Don't pull a face!" Lionheart said as he looked at Beth Carter. She was a fine looking woman and a meal later sounded rather good. But right now, they both faced the prospect of a hard night if they ended up having to comb the sewers following this lead.

"Ok lets move from here toward the Zoo and keep an eye out for sewer entrances. Whatever has been doing this has to have left a trace. Maybe we'll get lucky, if not we'll have to see what we can chase down at the zoo."

OOC:

Ok taking a pattern of searching toward the zoo, we'll move forward as a sauntering pace flashing our lamps about to check the ground for clues, that might not have been trampled on, as we move toward the zoo itself.

By the way I'm glad you've brought up Lionhearts passed/future. I don't know a lot about what you'd planned for the character and I thought at some point it might be nice to get a better idea of his past/future. I'm glad you brought in Trowers and he is really your character, so I feel you're the expert but it would be good to nail his origins a bit better. I've never asked you how you feel about me playing him, but I'm glad I am - I guess I'm asking for permission to take him further in terms of his character, motives and what not. IN any case I've become really attached to him and its great to have a team mate that isn't a vanguard as he can be the 'everyman' who stands and watches in amazement. If you are happy with it, I'd like to have a stab at writing up some background for Lionheart which you can supplement or alter as you see fit!

What do you think?

Sj

Admin wrote:OOC...So yeah, Lionheart is yours - do as you will

Great stuff mate, I've loved playing him and now I feel I can cut loose. Thanks for sending the stuff through, when I get a mo I'll take a look and start feeding some stuff together.

I guess I've had it in the back of my mind that as I've been playing him...until things returned to some kind of normal (I started when we first arrived in Nazi Britain of course). But as the play has twisted and turned I can see that I should have done this some time ago. Oh well, now we can go forward from here.

Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

The pair were soon sodden as they trudged through the mud. "This is hopeless!" moaned Carter as she fought with the umbrella. Finally, the thing gave out and inverted, becoming useless. She was right. There was little sign other than that found by Lionheart of any passing, and even if there were, finding it in the dark, wind and rain was nigh on impossible. Still, they trudged on.

=========

It took a while...

But the pair reached the gates of the Zoo. Everything looked to be locked up and as it should be, but that meant nothing. Individual compounds or cages could still be open, and there may well be other ways to come and go - though Lionheart doubted that an elephant would fit in a sewer tunnel.

"Looks normal to me." said beth, miserable as her hair hung in lank strands down her face. With mascara smeared on her cheeks she didn't strike so much of a glamorous image. She saw the smile on Lionhearts face and scowled. Taking a step closer she grinned and pushed him playfully, then gaped. Richard King saw the look on her face and turned about. Through the driving rain and wind he saw a sight silhouetted against the moon that chilled even his blood.



"What in... " said Carter, fumbling for her sidearm.

OOC Initiative. This thing is 30m away or so, with the trees behind it. Open ground between you and it. There's the 10' fence surrounding the zoo behind you and running all the way round the zoo itself, and the main gates which are slightly higher, and locked. There's a good chance this thing - whatever it is - will outrun Carter, but Lionheart is another matter entirely. Initiative says LH4, Enemy7, 2 frames to this thing. It has 3 frames, and uses all 3 to dash at the pair of you. Whilst it doesn't have superspeed, it is animal fast so is only 3m or so away after 3 rounds of moving... 4 frames, 2 for Carter.

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
OOC:Initiative. This thing is 30m away or so, with the trees behind it. Open ground between you and it. There's the 10' fence surrounding the zoo behind you and running all the way round the zoo itself, and the main gates which are slightly higher, and locked. There's a good chance this thing - whatever it is - will outrun Carter, but Lionheart is another matter entirely. Initiative says LH4, Enemy7, 2 frames to this thing. It has 3 frames, and uses all 3 to dash at the pair of you. Whilst it doesn't have superspeed, it is animal fast so is only 3m or so away after 3 rounds of moving... 4 frames, 2 for Carter.

"Get behind me!" Lionheart said as he took command. He wasn't being chivalrous and gallant, he just doubted in the low light and with the speed of this thing how much chance Beth had of hitting this creature.

He then shouted at the creature, "Stand down, we are not here to hurt you and we wish to talk!"

King had seen many strange things in his short but eventful life, he had learned a lot recently about the appearance of things not always corresponding to the conclusions one could draw. So he waited, to see if there was any sign that the creature had intelligence or was being driven by animalistic instinct, before attacking.

OOC: Assuming the reaction is negative then I attack, if however it stops and seems to demonstrate intelligence and comprehension...I hold off, but am ready to use this attack if things go badly. I'd like to try an engage it in conversation, assuming if it does have intelligence and also has the means to talk or at least communicate. But I am not dropping my guard and will tell Beth to keep her gun at the ready.

If things go badly then use this:

Taking no chances, Lionheart concentrated, from beneath his chest, eyes glowing white, a Lion of Psychic energy reared out of him and slammed into the creature ahead.

OOC: 1d20+18=35 psi roll to hit I'll use 5 psi points so rolling d6's HTC = 10d6=36 HTC.

Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Sprinting up to the pair, then slowing, finally to stand, and walk like a man, the creature - clearly a wolf of some kind - looked about. Then Lionhearts hopes sank. A half dozen or so of the things which were larger than a wolf, about the size of a large man, appeared from the shadows. Suddenly Lionhearts options diminished, and the pair of them were surrounded!

"Youuuu smelllll difffferenttttt..." growled the lead wolf/man. If Lionheart was surprised by the thing talking, what it did next was astounding!

"Ddddocttttorrrr..." it growled, into a small silver wristband. "We werrre abbbout to returrrnnn but have found somethingggg... interesting ..."

"Vat is it? Interesting you say? In vat vay?" squawked the voice from the wristband.

"Mmmmore thannn hummmannnn. Dangerousss...."

In much the same way an animal could sense when things were wrong sometimes, so too had this hunting wolf pack sensed something about Lionheart. Though they outnumbered him, his was an aura and a presence they had never encountered before in their few nightly forays!

"Bring zem up. If zey resist...? Bring vat is left up. Bind zem..."

Moving forwards with what Lionheart knew to be 'zip ties' save made of thin metal, it was clear they intended to capture him! But what was that? Bring them up? To where? He looked up at the night sky, and the clouds above. Surely not another Zeppelin?

"King...?" asked Carter, slipping her arm through his. Brave, though not stupid, she held her gun up, ready to use it, but against a solid looking 6' wolf she wondered what it would do. Stories as a child and of the recent (form a few years ago) Lon Chaney films about the wolfman came unbidden, and she hissed "What if we can't harm them? Silver bullets... wolfsbane?" Not given to flights of fancy, she was nonetheless shocked to her core by what she saw. Wolfmen, speaking and walking on hind legs! And using technology that didn't exist!

The Wolfman growled "Your mmmooove... higherrrr mannnn...."

Whatever it was they could sense about Lionheart, it was clear they were wary. Lionheart felt slightly more confident, but the squeeze of his arm reminded him there was not just his life at stake! What on earth was going on here? Was this some kind of... he glanced at the zoo... experiment? To splice humans with animals to create...

He muttered "The ultimate invasion force?"



OOC Was looking for a font based on the old Serials/Cliffhangers but couldn't find one. Anyway, that'll do

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:"King...?" asked Carter, slipping her arm through his. Brave, though not stupid...

"Trust me it will be ok. Don't fight back...yet!" He finished in what he hoped was a whisper to low for the creatures to hear.

Although he didn't want to let either of them be captured he wasn't sure how else they could find out what was going on. If he made his move now, he knew Beth would be the weak link, they'd go for to subdue him into surrender. And they might not be to easy on her as a result.

But all the same he felt he was taking a terrible risk.

The Wolfman growled "Your mmmooove... higherrrr mannnn...."

Whatever it was they could sense about Lionheart, it was clear they were wary. Lionheart felt slightly more confident, but the squeeze of his arm reminded him there was not just his life at stake! What on earth was going on here? Was this some kind of... he glanced at the zoo... experiment? To splice humans with animals to create...

He muttered "The ultimate invasion force?"

"You might look like animals but surely you'd not tie a lady up. Beth give them the gun" Lionheart winked at her, to tell her it was ok.

"There we come peacefully, you can bind me but not her. Understood!"

Lionheart was hoping that the unwritten social niceties that meant women were often treated as the weaker sex in this time line meant she'd be free. Lionheart doubted there was any weaknesses when it came to Beth Carter.

OOC:

Ok I'll keep close to Beth and make sure that she isn't harmed. If my bluff doesn't work I will use the roll I took earlier to attack the lead wolfman and hopefully take him down. As a warning to take us on our terms not theirs. If they attack I will go for Beth seeking to get her out and us to higher ground.

I want to try and turn the tables in our favour, without making it look like that - hence the talk of treating Beth with respect etc.

If this isn't going to fly, I think I'd better get out and see if we can't pick up the pieces on the way. I'm intrigued by the Doctor - and the potential for more of this Zeppelins to be flying about?

Sj

OOC only got time for one reply before I hit the sack, so more later...

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Beth glanced at Lionheart, then sullenly handed over her firearm. in the rain and darkness it was easy to be intimidated by these creatures of nightmare.What Hollywood wouldn't give to have these things as stand in s for Lon Chaney Jr!

Saying that, people would run screaming from the cinema in droves!

"Now...bring zem up!" squawked the voice on the bracelet of the wolf.

"Nooo fffffunnny businesssss" snarled the lead wolf as he cuffed Lionheart with conventional handcuffs (!) and reached behind, to where a satchel hung from his back. Fishing in, he pulled out two bracelets that magnetically attached around the wrist, and put one on each of the two humans. Lionheart noted the rags the wolfman wore.

It looked very much like the remnants of a police uniform. Glancing about, he saw tatters on another wolf of a pinstripe suit, on another a uniform of some kind, possibly a zoo employee, and on another, a smaller Wolf creature, the remnants of a bra, though the creature itself was undistinguishable as male or female save for the size, being smaller than the others by a head.

Beth glanced at Lionheart. "I hope you know what you're..."

She didn't get to finish the sentence...

=========

Everything turned blinding bright white before Lionhearts eyes...

He gasped, then squinted to readjust. He swayed back slightly and a vibrating charge shot through his shoulder and the rest of his body! With a gasp he looked about. He appeared to be in some kind of energy field all around him, going to the floor and ceiling! Trapped! Looking about, with eyes adapting, it was clear he was aboard another of those P'utinarian craft that he and the others had come across in the changed future timeline! The slime creatures moved about, monitoring machines. There were dozens of them. Stood about were a number of the Wolf creatures, as well as a strange seal/woman hybrid. She had smooth dark skinned and a cross between a seals and a human face. Actually beautiful, and striking despite the horrific splicing of species that had taken place!



Lionheart was drawn then to a voice, German in accent, and a wild haired man (OOC ok, ignore the Gene Wilder 'bonkers' look. He was hamming it up and besides, the man was hilarious with Richard Pryor in a few movies back in the day, so I always cut him slack for his crazy hair...) "Ahhh ha!" he cried, moving over to a panel. He was human in all respects as far as Lionheart could see. A glance sideways revealed Beth was laid out on the floor, encircled by a force field much as he was. Luckily her small frame wasn't touching the field itself, though it may well have been adjusted so as not to harm her.

"These scans!" remarked the man. "Can it be?" He whirled. "You are ze most unique individual I hef ever come across! Never have I seen such genetic potential! When my work was ridiculed - that of suggesting animals had many traits a human would do well to possess - I never dreamed zey vould let me out of ze asylum und able to experiment freely! Und zey hef given me all zis technology which makes it possible!" he cackled, moving to another panel. "Despite your incredible strength and power, you vill find zat forcefield is capable of stopping anything you can do. Und if any attempt to escape is made it vill close in on you, und cause incredible pain!"

His eyes widened. "Und as added insurance against your amazing powers, ze force field around your beautiful companion vill close also! yes... she is beautiful..." he gazed on her, then at Lionheart. "You are a lucky man to have such a one! But she is about to become more beautiful! Once my hybrid army is made, zey vill be unleashed! Brainwashed into serving me, zey vill obey my every command und seize control of your capital! Zen zer fuhrer will stride in, unopposed! Only a few... like yourselves... possess ze vit to figure out zat ze missing people und wandering animals are no coincidence! My field trials... and all successful! But first, before I proceed, and elevate you to a higher state of being... tell me... what do you know of ze boy... ze boy from Nowhere who foiled my plans these last few days und had me send my Animen out to find more material to cross-splice? He is like you... but only a boy! His power must be also like yours. Imagine... cross-splicing a normal human creates powerful hybrids! Cross-splicing a superhuman...?" he lapses into maniacal laughter, having monologued for the last five minutes. Lionheart had used the time to glance about. There were numerous controls on the panels, but nothing so obvious as to turn off these force fields. His shoulder still felt numb where he'd touched it! Still, this nut job wanted information from him. He could maybe turn the situation to his advantage but there was only one problem.

With someone as deranged as this, it would only take the slightest shove to push him over the edge! He glanced at Beth. She was stirring. Pride swelled in Lionhearts chest. A normal woman might have been out for hours, and even a strong man would have been out for longer than Beth had been!

He heard a cackle, then muttering "I vill show zem! I, Herman Von Bedlamm vill show ze vorld I was right! Now... which animal... ah yes! YES!" he whirled. "Tell me! Tell what I vish to know about ze boy!" he snarled, eyes gleaming.

OOC Say hi to Dr Bedlamm...

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
He heard a cackle, then muttering "I vill show zem! I, Herman Von Bedlamm vill show ze vorld I was right! Now... which animal... ah yes! YES!" he whirled. "Tell me! Tell what I vish to know about ze boy!" he snarled, eyes gleaming.

"Oh Doctor, I can see that the world has yet to fully appreciate your genius." Lionheart could tell that this man's ego was fragile, more importantly he could tell that the man was egotistical. Stroking his ego might at least lower his guard, even if only a little. Although he couldn't be sure, he hoped his mental powers might still work within the force field, such that he could operate the machine via his telekinesis from where he was. But first he might as well find out all he could.

"Yes, yes the boy. Well a genius like yourself, probably realises that the boy isn't really a boy at all." Lionheart waited to see if his words were having the desired effect, one thing was for certain that the professor was a wack job, but a fragile one. He could probably be just a vindictive as he was vain.

"But professor, he's now just a boy, you on the other hand are something else. I have to say had fate been different we might have been working on the same side. And what a side we'd make. This technology, this potential. How on earth did you're genius go unrecognised for so long?"

Lionheart wanted to get the professor to relax, to think about what had inspired him to come up with this idea and to reflect on his struggle. It occurred to Lionheart that this tortured 'genius' was as close to madness and magnificence. But that the pain, hardship and most importantly rejection he'd endured was undoubtedly just below the surface, waiting for someone to ask the right question. The right sympathetic tone, the willingness to listen to this madman's ramblings in a non-judgemental fashion. He hoped that his reading of the prof was right, and that he'd be only too willing to share his lonely struggle with another willing to listen.

OOC:

1. Ok hopefully I am reading him right and the tortured genius who is misunderstood would love a chance to justify himself and get the recognition he feels he deserves. I hope I am providing a sympathetic ear and his own desire to justify himself and get the recognition he feels he deserves will carry him beyond any natural inclination he might have to mistrust my motives. His need to be affirmed outweighs his natural tendency to be cautious and suspicious in other words.

2. With that in mind I want to try and use this opportunity to engage him with the genetic technique I will ask questions knowing, as I do from my own past, a lot about genetics. So something like:

"You might recognise I am the product of gene Splicing myself. I'd love to hear more about your work, how did you get the recombinant DNA to work without destabilizing itself into its constituent proteins?"

I can use this to further reassure him that not only do I understand the principles involved (putting aside the ethics) that I can ask intelligent and informed questions about his work that further reassures him I'm being genuine and hopefully he might open up about how he does what he does. I am assuming that the process is irreversible, but if its not I'd love to know so I can restore these people to normal.

3. Also in the back of my mind is that fact if this goes "pare shaped" I want to stop this guy in his tracks. Two courses seem open to me, well possible three.

a. If he doesn't listen and assuming I can use my psi powers through the shield, I psi blast him to stop him pulling the switch. Don't know what happens if he does pull it and I get converted. Playing Whaleheart or a real Lion Heart might be fun, but ultimately frustrating! So I want to stop him if I can.

b. Plan b is a use my telekinesis to stop him pulling the switch, and throw all the other switches or just shut off the power.

c. Plan c, is if all else fails and it seems as if I might fail on the above, I go for wrecking the joint either breaking the tube I am in, by pulling pipes, power leads or conduits or doing that around the ships interior so as to try and buy time. I know that the ship can repair itself, my next worry is that it doesn't turn its defences on us, but then again from within this chamber, that might mean the chamber takes the brunt of the damage and not me!

Anyway the stakes seem high, so I've tried to lay out some contingency plans to make things easier for you and to try and get things moving along, in the hopes that neither me or Beth become Lion people!

Sj

OOC I thought it might be a nice twist to actually become 'part lion' - aside from the extra strength and speed, Lionheart would have a lioness to keep him company Of course, things aren't always as clear cut and often are too good to be true...

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

The scientist seemed captivated. "Yes... yes! Zey hed me locked up in ze asylum, und only ven ze aliens came... yes, yes, aliens! For years I hed been telling zem zat... where was I... yes! Genetics! Ze science of ze future! You are... curiously well versed... und zese readings... incredible!" He seemed to wince, and clutch his head. "Ze damnable Nazis vont to be ze master race... let zem. I vish to see animals elevated... become their true potential... not just... curious in a zoo, pacing around and driven mad... yes mad! Like me... like me... pacing..."

There was clearly something wrong with the man. That he actually hated the Nazis was no surprise - from what Lionheart knew they were evil through and through. This man was completely mad though. Whatever he'd been through, all that he'd lost, then tossed into an asylum and electrocuted... Lionheart saw the gaps in the hair on the back of his head and puckered scars. The scientist slumped over a panel, quietly sniffling. "Zey tortured me. Saw my mind was an asset, sought to strip me of my knowledge..." He looked up, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Zey made me experiment on ze people. Ven I hef provided enough evidence zet an army of controllable animal/human hybrids can be turned out, zey will loose zem!"

He reached over to where a silver pear sized object, complete with sharp prongs down the back, was resting on a bench, then felt along his own neck, and pulled his collar down. A device like that which he held was embedded there, through some vile surgery. The skin around it was purple and mottled, angry looking. "I told zem I vud never hurt ze animals. Zey made me scream ... ze pain... incredible..."

Lionheart glanced about. Every animal/man hybrid had one of the devices implanted in them. Beth looked over. "Richard? We need to get out of here! What this man is doing.. .it's evil!"

At her voice the scientist sat up, and another personality came to the fore! "Ha! I vill show you who is evil! You, my dear, are to be the next recipient of my new technique! No surgery! Only the power of zis fabulous alien technology! But you..." he looked at Lionheart. "You are not genetically superior... you are impossible! A genetic abnormality! I see chains and strands zet have been recently modified! I hef no idea how zis can be so, but in time, your potential... you are ze TRUE master race! I must... must..." he lasped onto his chair.

It was then Lionheart knew a direct mental attack would be fruitless against this man. With layer upon layer of personality inside that tortured head, it would be like wading through treacle! By the time he found a mind to attack, the personality would have switched again, and the attack dissipated!

Beth gasped in horror, then touched the energy field around her. "ARGGGH!" she screamed, falling back, arm numbed.

The scientist whirled. "No! NO! You stupid woman! You must not damage yourself! Ze process vill be ruined! Ruined I tell you... like my dreams... my precious Nadia... they killed her in front of me... to break me ... Nadia..." He collapsed into a sobbing fit.

All about, the P'utinarians, having witnessed the madmans rantings, carried on as normal. The Animal/Men hybrids stood like statues, animal glares seeing everything. What was going on in their minds, who knew?

Suddenly the Scientist sat up, then lunged for a switch!

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:OOC: I thought it might be a nice twist to actually become 'part lion' - aside from the extra strength and speed, Lionheart would have a lioness to keep him company Of course, things aren't always as clear cut and often are too good to be true...

Hmm, yes but, I think the washing and dressing not to mention keeping my claws in trim and the meat bills could be a real drag quite quickly.

Admin wrote:
All about, the P'utinarians, having witnessed the madmans rantings, carried on as normal. The Animal/Men hybrids stood like statues, animal glares seeing everything. What was going on in their minds, who knew?

Suddenly the Scientist sat up, then lunged for a switch!

"Wait doctor, clearly what you've been through has been awful and what no person ought to have gone through. I feel your pain..." Even without using his Telempathy, Lionhearts questions had clearly struck a cord. Whether the man had recanted on his previous decisions or was about to go forward regardless Lionheart couldn't tell. And with multiple personalities in evidence he wasn't sure either.

Dare he take a chance, no! Too much was at stake to trust in the fickle whim of the doctor. He had to take action, though he regretted it. Given all this alien tec the man's dreams had been realised, but at what price? Lionheart tried one last question, as a thought occurred to him?

"Professor, tell me about Nadia, she was the love of your life, was she not? Did she understand your work?"

Lionheart was stalling him now, trying to get him to a place where he might be able to make a decisive attempt to free them.

OOC:
1. Just to say my last line, was a thought that Nadia might be the key to leverage the professors actions. From reminding him of the memory of her, it might be possible to move him away from the fanatic to being hero and doing the right thing - Something like,

"Why fight for the Nazi's when you can fight for the memory of Nadia and help stop them? Be remembered as the hero you were meant to be, rather than the slave they've turned you into?"

Perhaps yet we can salvage some good from his shattered genius and put him on a path that puts him above his Nazi masters rather than their lacky!


2. If this doesn't work he may release us, he may change us? I can't take the chance!

So I will use all my powers to try and free us if need be. I'll have used the time to study the panel to work out where the release button is? Is it what the prof was going for? In which case I let him do it.

If not, I'd better use telekinesis to get us free asap. I'll let you decide how that is best deployed given that unless you gave me a minute description of everything, its from here to make a tactical decision as to what I should try to flip, spin or twist - to get us free!

3. if it comes between me and the prof, I'll try and knock is arm, rather than try and prevent him from doing something. Hoping that in showing my Psi powers I don't deepen the hole I'm in right now.

4. In any case I will use whatever resources are available to us to get us free.


Sj

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

The Scientist paused. "Nadia? NADIAAAA? Noooo!" and with that, he collapsed in an uncontrollable heap, sobbing.

One of the Wolf People came forward. "It is... hard... to guess the mannns intentionssss. He... made us this wayyyy... but freeeed us from the cage. Nowwww it seeems they want us to fight for themmmm, these people who killled hissss mate. And these thingssss.... So much weee cannot understandddd... but with more time. I fear our time is runnning out." he turned, then nodded. One of the other Wolf people moved over to a console near the Scientist and reached over, pressing a button. "We watched... part of us... was shaped like you. Now we are people who belong nowhere...."

Just then a youngster, clad in dark hood and cloak, no more than about nine or 10, appeared not far away from the Animal people! They turned, snarling, and crouched, ready to pounce!

"I can relate to belonging Nowhere..." said the young voice from within the hood. "Don't waste your time" he rasped to the crouching Wolf People. They instantly shivered, sensing something about the boy that wasn't right! One of them tentatively moved forward, and swiped a paw through the youngster! The young lad calmly walked over to the panel where the scientist laying sobbing, looking over it. "Almost." he said, referring to the attempt made by a Wolf Man to free Lionheart and Beth. He pressed a sequence of three buttons, and suddenly the energy field around Lionheart and Beth vanished!

The P'utinarians, having seen all this, suddenly took up defensive stances with ray guns - pistols the likes of which Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers might use in the Saturday morning serials!

"I don't know who you are..." said the boy to Lionheart "But I followed you on board. I seem to have strange abilities, which I cannot explain. There are voices in my head... " He sounded confused. The Scientist suddenly looked up "They took my Nadia away! Now, I shall have my Revenge!" he snarled! With that, he fished a box from his pocket with a large red button on it!

OOC What we have here, is a good old Mexican standoff. Lionheart still has his full quota of PSI, there are a bunch (7 in view) of Animal People, half a dozen P'utinarians with ray guns, the Doctor with his box and the button, and the youngster stood a few feet from him, Intangible. Lionheart and Beth are 5m away. The energy field surrounding them has gone.

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

Admin wrote:
OOC What we have here, is a good old Mexican standoff. Lionheart still has his full quota of PSI, there are a bunch (7 in view) of Animal People, half a dozen P'utinarians with ray guns, the Doctor with his box and the button, and the youngster stood a few feet from him, Intangible. Lionheart and Beth are 5m away. The energy field surrounding them has gone.

Lionheart shouted at Beth, "Get down and get away from the tube." Whilst at the same time he reached out with his mind to what, he hoped would be an unsuspecting professor to snatch the box away.

OOC: Hopefully since I can pull it 6m in one frame I can get it too me before anyone else can react! I will not take chances and though it probably is less then a kilo hence only need one point I am happy to use more to snatch strongly and with speed toward me.

Then turning to the lad, Lionheart continued as the box (hopefully) was reeled in like a fish unerringly toward his hand.

"Good to see you James, although you've look younger than ever. You do know me because we both arrived here from the future together. Although I've retained my body, you've taken over either a younger you, or a host suitable for the powers and person you possess. I appreciate that up until this point you were a happy go lucky 10 year old, but what can I say...you are now also James Caldwell the Nowhere Man. I hoped I'd run into you. Glad you arrived when you did."

Lionheart needed James, to function at his best, right now he also needed to make sure Beth wasn't used against them, as she was vulnerable without a gun and still try and shut this operation down successfully.

OOC:

1. Ok I guess we need a map, we also need initiative and we'd better work out what we are going to do from there.

2. I'm working on the basis that the control box - if I've got it - will help me control the animals, or the ship and I'm willing to give that a try or at least use it to threaten those who surround us. Also I will try and get to Beth to protect her. Or failing that knowing that James can fly her out, ask him to do so, so she can alert the authorities and get us back up.


3. I think I'll also offer the professor the chance to rethink, that he can still work in memory of Nardia, at least he can with the right supervision, help and therapy - but I won't tell him that part. But if push comes to shove, I will lead with my psi attacks and then enter physical combat as necessary.

4. Of course this is all the while with the P'untarians having weapons trained on us, so some of this might need to be revised on the fly. I'd hoped to try and keep the enemies between us and them, so ray blasts are more risky for fear of hitting their own people!

Sj

Red Dots - P'utinarians (with ray guns)
Blue Dot - Scientist (Bedlamm)
Orange Dot - Nowhere Boy
Yellow Dots - Animen (mostly wolves. Furthermost right is a seal/woman)
Green Dots - Lionheart and Beth

Grey Areas - Along the top it's all machines, readouts, controls and panels.
To the left (behind LH and Beth) - Blank walls with several doorways set into the wall. There are no handles on the doors, simply smooth metal, sturdy looking.
To the right - more doors and several windows set into the walls, as if this level were an observation chamber/lab.
To the bottom - more panels and readouts/controls.
Centre - a few panels but there are doors set at each wall face where the dark grey rectangle is. This is the lift that runs through the ships core.

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart


The youngster gaped. "James... Caldwell...?" he gasped. Suddenly he appeared to 'flicker', as if changing back to a solid state!

Beth called out "This place is a madhouse! Richard! We need to get out of here!"

Thrusting out a hand Lionheart concentrated. The energy flared at his eyes, flickering golden flames without heat from his hand that formed into a giants cats paw of a sort! It lashed out, leaving traces like a flame would when whipped around quickly, and the box came into his hand!

"No!" cried the Scientist, starting to move towards Lionheart! "It's mine! I MUST have control!"

The P'utinarians levelled weapons, waiting to fire - the Scientist was in their line of sight. The Animen tensed to pounce.. but at who?

The Scientist paused to snarl. "In a moment, these slimey aliens will fire upon you, cutting you down! Your one, only chance is to surrender! Give me the box, fool! Or die!" He thrust out his own hand for Lionheart to hand it to him.

The Wolf Men started to move around (OOC on the map, towards row 15, so closer to Lionheart.) He still couldn't be sure whom they would target though -the scientist, the box, Lionheart or the P'utinarians!

OOC your move - you have the box, but are caught between a rock and a hard place...And the boy wonder seems rather less wonderful now that he's looking at his hands and wondering what is going on. He's also tangible...

Agent Richard King
Codename: Lionheart

The youngster gaped. "James... Caldwell...?" he gasped. Suddenly he appeared to 'flicker', as if changing back to a solid state!

Lionheart stepped down, with the procured box tightly in hand. He took a quick couple of glances at it to ascertain what it did, and hoped it would prove useful.

Moving slowly toward Beth, he called out to James. "James this isn't any time to be having an inner crisis of conviction. I need you to pull it together. if we get out of this we'll sit down for a nice cup of cocoa and a chat about the good ole days. But right now I need your help. Starting with this device. The James Caldwell I knew before knew what this would do and would have it disassembled and reworking better than before by just breathing in its general direction."

As he backed away he threatened with the device, although he didn't know what it did, judging from Bedlamm's reaction it couldn't be good.

Beth called out "This place is a madhouse! Richard! We need to get out of here!"

"Sure thing Beth, just as soon as we find out where, here is and how we can stop what here is doing!"

Lionheart stole another glance at the box, having waved it at James, hoping the boy would not present another pawn they could use against him.

OOC:

1. Ok I want to try and shock James out of his sudden shock back into the real world of tooth and claw and laser beam. If I can get him to tell me what the box does then I am happy to use it.

2. If not I am hoping that my initial views and the way I saw Bedlamm handle it might give me a clue as to how to operate it. If not I might just push a few buttons randomly and get Bedlamm to tell me more or else I might just continue.

3. I am also backing Beth away trying to get some space between the difference factions and us.

Sj