World War II - Lionheart Issue #2

"Don't you hear that?" asked the boy in the tattered black robes.

"Hear what boy? And why aren't you at home?" yelled one of the home guard. He moved up "I'm gonna get you to a shelter! This place is dangerous for kids!" he swung a hand to cuff Nowhere Boy, only for his hand to swish through, and the rest of him follow to fall flat on the floor!

Nowhere Boy turned to the man in the tattered breeches, shredded shirt and with a sad look on his face. "Richard? Don't you hear that? Like a... like a 'Boom, Boom, Boom' sound. One of the... voices inside says its a magical place calling me! I have to go, before it sends me crazy!"

"You're already crazy! All of you!" yelled the other home guard as he helped his friend up. "I don't know how you got behind us and took our weapons, but we're not gonna surrender to you! No sir!"

Lionheart couldn't hear anything. Truth told he was aching, tired and heartsick. Saladin was the prisoner of a man he'd believed to be a benevolent leader, and one that'd had a hand in Lionhearts own birth. Beth was dead, left behind in that... that Savage Land. The war went on he felt like a twig in a stream, catching onto something to slow his progress, but inevitably swept along!

He knew he had to get back to DICE HQ to report- so much would have happened since he'd been gone, and what about Bedlamm? That crazed man/ape had escaped! With a glance he looked over at the P'utinarians. Wisely they'd stayed out of view, flowing like liquid to the shadows so the home guard couldn't see them. It was imperative they were warned about the threat posed by the Ani-Men and those who'd abducted Saladin!

He looked out across the darkness. The heath afforded a view of London, and he saw the searchlights probing the sky, heard the distant sirens...

OOC Lionheart can choose his own path - there is no 'wrong' or 'right' choice here - back to DICE HQ or go with Nowhere Boy to... well, he doesn't know where!

Lionheart felt as if he stood at a crossroads, where all paths led to darkness and doom! Which one offered light at the end? He wasn't sure... All he knew was that he was



Now and forever!

Admin wrote:"Don't you hear that?" asked the boy in the tattered black robes. Like a... like a 'Boom, Boom, Boom' sound. One of the... voices inside says its a magical place calling me! I have to go, before it sends me crazy!"

Lionheart heard Nowhere Boy from a distance even as the homeguard tried to re-establish control.

His mind flitted over all the possibilities that lay ahead of him, but in truth if he'd played things by the rules he'd never have ended up knowing about Trowers and his capture of Saladin. In truth he felt the need to fill Dice in on what was going on, but a day out of town to make sure Nowhere Boy was safe, wasn't going to make a big difference.

And with no one else to look out for him, save his former selves, Lionheart did feel he needed to keep an eye on him. What was this 'sound' he heard. Whether he liked it or not, if James was about to get into trouble, it would be better if Lionheart tagged along.

Turning to the others, he spoke up for the first time, "We've got a side mission to take on, we're going to accompany Jimmy, then we can sort out how we introduce you to the British Government as our allies."

Then turning once again to the ship, Lionheart scribbled out a hasty note, "Gone with a New Meta human, but an old friend, be back soon. PS we've got P'utinarian allies, with us. PPS, take care of the ship. PPSS..." Lionheart was about to write about Beth. But in truth he couldn't write about her as a footnote. A day wouldn't hurt, they'd been missing already.

Turning to the home guard, Lionheart quickly and authoritatively gave instructions to get the Government here, giving them a contact name to ring through and make sure one of them stayed guard on the ship finishing by adding his own code name as a means to get his message to the right people at Bletchley. Before nodding to Jimmy, to lead on.

OOC:

Note sure if this is a good idea, just want to tie up a loose end with Jimmy and do the responsible thing rather than let him find his own way. But I'm kinda hoping this will be no more than a quick diversion drop him off and return, so I feel I've done the decent thing by him, rather than let him fend for himself.

I'm still keen to return to DICE HQ, as much to make sure Beth's parents know about their daughter and a funeral, post humourlessly can take place.

Sj

Lionheart
(Richard King)
Nowhere Boy
P'utinarians (6)

Nowhere Boy turned to Lionheart, a vacant faraway look in his eyes. "The land...calls." He straightened, looking about. "I can only take two. And even then..."

The P'utinarians looked at each other and decided without a word being spoke. "I am P'ertaria. I will travel with you. My companions will remain here with the pod, acting as..."

As she spoke, the P'utinarians flowed over the pod, matching the background from the perspective of the viewers, and rendering the pod invisible save from close up!

"Camouflage" P'ertaria finished.

Nowhere Boy nodded, and the home guardsmen were handed back their weapons. He held out his hands for Lionheart and P'ertaria to take. "Hold on. It's normally a rough ride, and this is a time and place that may never have used the standing stone before."

"Standing..." started Lionheart...

There was a dazzling flash, and a feeling not unlike that from a rollercoaster when on the 'dip' part.

"Stone?" he finished.

The trio looked around. It was pitch black.

"Have you found the right place?" asked P'ertaria. Nowhere Boy looked about, and turned to Lionheart.. who'd already adjusted his flash device, pulled out a side panel and pulled a wafer of crystal up - which illuminated like a lantern.

The room was large, a cave of some kind, save that the walls were rough hewn and mostly square. The roof stood around 20' high, but there were no stalactites. The centre of the room was dominated by a long 6' wide slab of stone that acted as a table. The chairs around it had long since rotted and collapsed though. There were seven*.

Lionheart moved to the table. There were indentations on it, only a few mm deep, but definitely in the shapes of swords, save the swords themselves weren't there.

Nowhere Boy looked about. The layer of dust on everything suggested no one had been there in centuries. Passageways, where a door had once stood in a frame, led off into other caves, spider webbed and damp smelling. "The place needs a clean up. And a set of knights. I know why I was called. I was a Lore Knight, once, before I abused my power to save the woman I loved and lost." The voice seemed far older than the boy speaking it was. "I was cast out. I guess the land calling me again suggests I've been forgiven. But why call me here, now?"

Suddenly a light shone from one of the passages. "Oh, here we go." muttered the youngster. He walked through the room to the far side and down the passageway, as Lionheart and P'ertaria followed. This room was smaller, circular, and an obelisk stood in it's centre, with a rune covered circle around it, and smaller circles where seven warriors might stand to surround the stone. The obelisk shone with golden light, highlighting the runes carved in it. Suddenly a female voice, almost musical sounding, rang out. "You have been summoned, Wraith, to heed our warning! The forces of darkness gather to steal the seven lost swords of Wayland! We have sent the call out... but fear no one will heed ... go forth and find the swords, return them to us and your past sin will be forgotten!"

Nowhere Boy scowled. "I put the Wraith part of my life behind me, but the shame burns me still." He turns to Lionheart. "This is something I MUST do. I have no choice, but you do."

OOC So you do, but the seven swords of Wayland are a powerful weapon that, in the hands of the Nazis, will give them an advantage against the Allies. In the hands of the Allies? The Lore Knights will ride again! If you go with this adventure seed, it will link in with Anymans, though Lionheart still has to report to Forbes/Dawson/Wynn. He's missing presumed dead, and they sure could use a powerful superhuman about now...

*this differs from the original Lore Knights game. I think in that there were a dozen, though I might have been wrong. No matter - seven is enough. Besides that, the details and names of the swords are already there on the internet for me to reel off, so the work's already done.

Lionheart
(Richard King)
Nowhere Boy
P'utinarians (6)

Admin wrote:Nowhere Boy scowled. "I put the Wraith part of my life behind me, but the shame burns me still." He turns to Lionheart. "This is something I MUST do. I have no choice, but you do."

Lionheart lent against the stone wall, a deep sigh escaping from him as he contemplated the options before him.

"I needed to see you safely back here, I guess though you inhabit the body of a 10 year old, the..." And at this point Lionheart waved his hand vaguely around, unsure as to what it was that had summoned Nowhere Boy, "thingy here, has other ideas. I'd dearly love to join you, and I know you mission will be of great interest to our people. So I think, if you don't mind dropping me back, we'll do introductions and then see where we go from there."

Lionheart didn't want to say that he also needed to talk about Beth, something he was dreading.

"Besides," He said to cover his momentary lapse into his grief, "I think that these swords could well serve our people maybe giving us a real advantage."

Pushing away from the wall he began to walk around, as he let his fingers drag through the dust on the table, waiting for Nowhere Boy to respond.

OOC:
Ok I thought that Nowhere boy might be hanging out here for a while, I didn't realise Dave was taking him on or he was joining Anyman in any case. So if he doesn't want to come back with Lionheart now, I think he still wants to go back to sort out the situation as regards himself and Beth and then getting the skinny on what is going down with the others.

It wouldn't do to go off half cocked, besides Bedlamm is still at large, we need to mention the P'utinarians and then think about these seven swords. Lionheart is up for the mission but want to tie off things before moving on if that is possible.

Sj

Lionheart
(Richard King)
Nowhere Boy
P'utinarians (6)

OOC I think the 'loose ends' thing is the way I generally run things. Life isn't clear cut, like a game, or comic book, with a defined start, and a finish panel silhouette of a dejected figure walking away and the words 'The End?' tagged on, and to me it gives the sense of a world happening without the direct intervention of the players into every detail. Bedlamm is at large, the Justiciars are back at DICE HQ training, Silver Sentinel is days in advance of everyone else having been in a coma, and DICE have arranged for his current location (the Faroe Isles) to be bombed... Anyman is in Buckingham Palace at about the same time as Lionheart is in darkest Wales, and Kitten has uncovered a plot to resurrect the martian race in Scotland of all places. Frostbite is, as you know, below the ocean and fighting for his life, whilst in America costumed vigilantes are springing up thanks to exposure to Lunarium brought on by Nazis attacks on Frostbite. However, THAT SAID... it is nice to close off one chapter and start anew, so I understand the need to 'sign off' on Lionhearts travels to the Antarctic and confirm a) he's still alive b) Beth isn't c) The P'utinarians are working with the Nazis but they aren't all bad guys d) Bedlamm is a giant mutant ape were creature who uses technology and techniques his great great grandfather passed down in his journals. The same guy who left the Antarctic jungle. Little did he know the knowledge would send his descendant bananas (get it? ) whilst trying to get his head around it.

Nowhere Boy nodded. "Yes, I expect you have to report it. I should too, but I'd prefer to remain incognito for now. I don't think they'll take me seriously as a 10 year old, and this is serious business. The Swords of Wayland were doled out to us as Lore Knights, and we 'absorbed' them into us, granting our powers and abilities. When I was cast out, that sword and the powers were taken away from me, but I regained them when shifting forms through various realities. That, and the relationship with the High Prince of Shadows have given me many of my former abilities back." he flexed a small fist. "But it takes time to adapt a body, as well I know. I wonder if I'll have enough..."

He turned, holding out his hand to Lionheart. "I'll be in touch. Put your hands on the stone and concentrate on the place you'd like to go to. The... Earth mother ... understands I will help her and do her bidding. I do have a choice, but honour and my conscience have already decided it for me."

As Lionheart did as he was bid, the stone glowed and the voice rang out again. "Ancient enemies will combine, Champions of two faiths forming one to become Britains' foremost Protector. The Vanguard protect the Omniverse, you, Lionheart-Sala-Ha-Din, will protect the green isle, though the way be paved with tragedy and despair. Hold true! Stay the course! And when all hope is gone, know that a nations hopes and strength are yours to call on."

Nowhere Boy grinned, young face showing none of the years of struggle and heartache that lay behind the eyes. "Now tap your toes three times and say 'there's no place like home'. P'ertaria?"

The P'utinarian looked about. "You are a strange, fascinating people, most unlike those we have mistakenly aligned with." She stepped up to the stone and placed oozing hands on it. "There's no place like home." She looked down and started to tap her toes together...

As there was a blinding flash Lionheart caught the laughter of Nowhere Boy and saw a great grin spread across his face...

=========

"What the bloody hell?" shouted the soldier. "HALT! Who goes there?"

Lionheart looked about. He was stood on the lawn in front of the grounds of Bletchley Park house, and a guardman was rushing over towards him, submachine gun huddled against his body as he crunched across the snow that lay thick on the ground. It was still coming down, and the place looked for all the world like a winter wonderland. Little did Lionheart know the cold and desolation of winter would last far longer than a season dictated...

The soldier looked P'ertaria up and down, then levelled his gun. He was about to fire!

]Lionheart
(Richard King)
Nowhere Boy
P'utinarians (6)

Admin wrote:OOC I think the 'loose ends' thing is the way I generally run things.

True and its one way in which I love playing this game, but at the same time by providing chapters or parts you yourself are acknowledging breaks, turn of events and a change of pace/scene/focus a chance to put your feet back on the ground. After all part of being a hero is recognising what is at stake with the people around you, that you protect.

For me I was curious to see what Nowhere Boy was up to, but at the same time part of me doesn't like too many loose ends, and I know Lionheart (as I see him ;-) would feel honour bound to get out what has happened to Beth for her parents/family sake. For him, grown in a vat, this need to recognise and do right by people is part of remembering why he does what he does in the first place.

===========

Nowhere Boy nodded. "Yes, I expect you have to report it. I should too, but I'd prefer to remain incognito for now."

Lionheart nodded, to tired to argue with him and more than ever aware that he was more than capable of taking care of himself. But all the same he couldn't help adding, "Well you know where to find me if you get into trouble or want my help." He was about to say 'thanks', but couldn't look Nowhere Boy in the eye, without feeling the uncomfortable pain in his chest. He had to go, it was time.

As there was a blinding flash Lionheart caught the laughter of Nowhere Boy and saw a great grin spread across his face..."What the bloody hell?" shouted the soldier. "HALT! Who goes there?"

"Soldier, stand down, I am Richard King, codename Lionheart and if you do not follow my order I will put you in hospital. This person is with me!" Lionheart was not in the mood to be challenged by some upstart, but part of him realised the man was only doing his job.

P'ertaria's people had tried to infiltrate Bletchley before after all. Nonetheless Lionheart was ready to strike the man if need be. "Soldier, we will wait here, call General Forbes or the Brigidier. We will wait whilst you confirm our identity. Tell Forbes, The man formally from the future is here back from Hyde Park. He'll know what I am talking about."

OOC:
Ok Lionheart will put himself between P'ertaria and the soldier if he tries to shot and more importantly will try and disarm the man if he tries to carry orders.

Hopefully my message will get through to the General, last thing I need is to start to fight just to get into the building.

However when we get a chance I will suggest that P'ertaria becomes a less obvious threat and takes on a human appearance.

Sj

Lionheart
(Richard King)

"Both out." said General Wynn. "Company business. It's good to see you Lionheart." said the 'old' soldier. Lionheart had been escorted with P'ertaria, who'd assumed the form of a non-de-script female officer to avoid attracting attention, in in this most secret and unusual of places. A look from Wynn had confirmed that Lionheart was who he said he was, and a shrewd glance at the P'utinarian, followed by a nod, was enough to get him waving the guards away and reaching to the drinks cabinet.

"With Forbes and Dawson out I'm running the place. Damned well near enough ran it anyway, me and Slobbie that is. We have a bunch of new recruits to perform as backup if you lot should ... go AWOL. I told them that wouldn't be the case, but these are dark times we live in." he looked over the desk at Lionheart. "As well you know. I'll see they get your report. If only the others would write it up as fast!" He handed a drink over to Lionheart, waved the bottle as the young lady sat on the chair next to him and shrugged as she shook her head. "I was wondering when you lot would show up. Question is... now that we've changed things, which side are you on?"

"Our own. We have no interest in your wars over small tracts of land." answered P'ertaria. "We wanted the element you call Lunarium to power our mother vessel and allow us to leave this area of space. The nazis promised us they would help us get it. So far.. they have kept their promise."

Wynn/Stormwarden glanced at Lionheart, leaning back in his chair. "So why are you here? You made your deal with the devil. At some point you will realise the folly of your decision. I... or at least, a strange voice inside of me, tells me you will be betrayed and slaughtered in your thousands once the Nazis have no use for you. He knows it too." said Wynn, waving his glass gently at Lionheart.

There was a silence from the P'utinarian. "We have been stuck so long in this backwater star system we will try anything to get away. There is a small number of us who realise the error of aligning with one force over another in this conflict that is taking place across your small world. What we cannot understand is why otherworldly powers and civilisations have taken interest in this place. Believe me... they are coming, and by that, I mean delegations of every starfaring race in the universe will converge on this small blue world."

Wynn looked at Lionheart, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "That we didn't know."

Lionheart thought for a moment. The 'simple' act of travelling back in time by the Vanguard had altered forever the time stream of this world. But why then would the planet suddenly become of great interest to other starfaring races? He knew from his own time that there'd been limited official contact with other civilisations, and mostly they wanted to be left alone. Of course, Earth had always been the site for spacecraft crashing into her, half baked alien invasions, warnings and messages from celestial powers. The metahuman communities of the ages had sent them packing for the most part. One thing he had to admit though - the history he knew had never mentioned anything about the Vanguard, and what he thought he knew about the Executive and the Lore Knights vanished like smoke on a breeze when he tried to remember it.

History was being rewritten, but why all the interest in Earth, now?

He looked across the desk at Wynn, the form Stormwarden wore. Stormwarden, a Vanguardian. Symbiotic host to a Shadow Prince, some otherworldly power of incalculable force! One of several. Gathered into a relatively small place. Suddenly he knew why other powers were taking an interest in Earth! Had the Vanguard stayed in their own time long enough, they'd have visited Earth then, too! Instead it seemed like the Earth might well be invaded when it was at war with itself! Another axe over the future of Planet Earth, ready to drop!

Wynn seemed to have figured it out too. "Lionheart, I'm sorry to hear about Carter. She was a good soldier, and she won't be the last to die, unfortunately. I need your head and your power in the game. Effectively immediately, you are promoted to Squadron Leader. Yes, that's right, air force. You'll undergo pilot training and we will be coming up with the best design we can for a craft that gets the Vanguard to the hottest spots in the shortest possible time. The others will get their promotions, when they get back, and two already have. Someone else joined us too." he said, a slight grin crossing his face. "An old friend. He's with Silver Sentinel now, and he's another weapon in our arsenal. Talking apes, werewolves, alien invasions, Nazis flying in with jetpacks and rayguns, Metahuman goose steppers and all the rest of it... we'll beat 'em all."

He stood, walking to the window. "I need your advice though Lionheart. What should we do about the P'utinarians? I have my own idea, but I want to hear thoughts from you." he looked out, and up.

Towards the moon.

Lionheart
(Richard King)

Admin wrote:He stood, walking to the window. "I need your advice though Lionheart. What should we do about the P'utinarians? I have my own idea, but I want to hear thoughts from you." he looked out, and up.

Towards the moon.

Lionheart looked up for the first time in their discussion. He'd been pleased not to have too many questions asked. He'd been thinking about the P'utinarians as well, partly to take his mind off things. So he spoke his thoughts out loud.

"Well, firstly we ought to ask them. I know they are more interested in getting away from here than fighting. And that the Lunarium is what they need. I guess in exchange for some, we could ask if they'd help us improve our technology. Truth is, that we know that we're already way behind in this war, technology that should not even be present is and everything is different. The future I went back to protect, is already been irrevocable altered. There is little point on sitting on our hands to see if it turns out alright.

Our problem is we have no Lunarium, no means to manufacture advance tec quickly. But I guess if we could capture some of what the Nazi's have, or get the Lunarium ourselves we might have a fighting chance?"

Turning to P'ertaria, Lionheart added, "Then there is the problem of a split within your people and indeed what you are willing let alone able to do for us. What do you think, P'ertaria?"

OOC:

I'd be interested to know what SW/Wynne has in mind here. Do we go get some Lunarium ourselves and obviously how? Or do we start using the rocket ship and other tech we do have to reverse engineer our own tec?

Then there is the whole issue of the P'utinarian split - what we do there is a challenging enough issue. If we gave them the Lunarium they need, maybe they'd just up and leave, levelling the playing field a bit more?

Sj

Lionheart
(Richard King)

P'ertaria pondered. "Many of my people are so desperate to get away from this place, and either find the rest of our fleet or somewhere to live, that they will listen to the Nazis, cling to the slightest shred of hope. If you... if you can give them something else, something better to hope for...?"

She shrugged. "Your technology is backwards though. This world, everything in it, is like being transported to the past for us. You have vessels that travel on the water. You crawl across the skies in your wooden and metal slugs, the only time mankind shows any innovation or inclination to improve his lot is when he makes war on his brother, his sister. You have no chance of getting to the moon!"

Wynn filled his glass up again. "Oh yes we have. Your bases. Your vessels. There's one in the Faroe islands being obliterated right now - hopefully. There's another in America, but its broken." He took a sip. "You could fix it. Help us fix it, and use it."

P'ertaria looked at the old, fat man. "And what? A few of you will go to the moon? Where legions of troops are being trained, where the Nazis work on their new breed of superhumans, called Megahumans? Where we believe they are being cloned in their hundreds in the unique conditions on the moon that give them incredible abilities, making them supreme warriors?" She laughed without humour. "Despite all your power, your resourcefulness, you would perish. It would be a one way trip. A suicide mission."

Wynn looked to Lionheart. "Maybe so. But we aren't what you'd call 'metahumans' or even 'megahumans'. We are more. We are the Vanguard."

P'ertaria laughed, but the smile slid from her face. "You're serious?" She sat back.

Lionheart was distracted. Something was happening to him. He held up a hand, his skin, the bones, the muscle, tendons, everything about it, was alive to him. He felt the movement of every atom in his hand, and frowned. Mixing Saladins blood had done something to him. Something had happened to him. He felt... more than he'd been.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and without waiting for leave to come in, Sgt. Major Slobotham charged in. "General! Word just came in over the wire. The Germans are attacking France, but not where our people thought! They have encircled the British Expeditionary force and are pushing them back to the sea... and get this! They are using troops, armour, planes... superhumans, Giant robots, aliens in space craft shooting heat rays... our people are being sliced to ribbons!"

OOC This is a prelude to the evacuation from Dunkirk. I hope to include some or all of the others in the mission to help evacuate the British forces, but like everything else we do, history is being rewritten. So... what if... what if the British Expeditionary force was completely destroyed at Dunkirk and Britain left defenceless when Germany started the Battle of Britain? It happened before, when the Vanguard saw their timeline changed. Will it happen again...? Lionheart has several choices - the swords of Avalon and Nowhere Boy (and in the process recruit more, powerful, metahumans), get to America and the moon to grab Lunarium to persuade the P'utinarians to help (and with that get the allies a huge boost in technology they sorely need), try to help/round up the other Vanguardians from their current predicaments (though some are location: unknown) or help in the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of British troops before they are killed on the shores of France by an unstoppable Nazi horde? But what can one man, even a Lionhearted man, do in the face of an overwhelming enemy? I expect to have something to offer you by way of upgrade. Basic outline - using PSI powers to enhance and change his body, and adopt some of the powers you suggested at the end of issue #1

Lionheart
(Richard King)

Admin wrote: The Germans are attacking France, but not where our people thought! They have encircled the British Expeditionary force and are pushing them back to the sea... and get this! They are using troops, armour, planes... superhumans, Giant robots, aliens in space craft shooting heat rays... our people are being sliced to ribbons!"

Lionheart lent forward, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Although he wasn't capable of getting a headache, in the conventional sense, he still felt like there was yet a pain behind his eyes.

He could see a decision lay before him but till now it felt as if all he was doing was fighting a rearguard action. The report Slobotham had brought in my have sounded inconceivable to many, but to Lionheart he could well imagine the devastation the German's were causing.

In his mind the English forces were as good as dead, though he might wish to do what he could to change that, he knew there wasn't a great deal he could do on his own. Especially since he didn't have the advantages the other Vanguardian's did. No he knew his place was scouting and espionage. Till now they'd been fighting this war as a rearguard action and now they had to make a step up.

Lionheart knew that with the help of the P'utinarian people, a vital link in the chain of organised defiance, let alone resistance was necessary. Besides if P'ertaria, was right, then the forces being prepared on the Moon, had to be stopped.

OOC:

I think that though Lionheart might wish to get involved in helping the British retreat from Dunkirk and France, I am going to be at my best when I'm sneaking around the lunar base, trying to capture secrets and finding the Lunurium or even the Lunurium x to help the P'utinarians out. Its a shame I can't be multiple man, because part of me wants to help on three of these fronts, searching for the others might be a bit tricky though, having said that Kitten and Anyman seem up against it at present.

yet most of all I know Lionheart can't help feeling like he was able to go help the British forces retreat. But from what you've written, it seems that the moon option is the only one no one is taking. The others are involved in lots of different ways, but the moon is the one place none of us are signed up for, and yet contains the potential for advantages to swing our way.

So I think its got to be the moon. Cold, hard decision but I think in truth thats where I'd be best deployed. Lets hope I'm right.

PSi power changes makes this option sound even better in terms of being the stealthy scout member of the group.

Sj

Lionheart
(Richard King)

Wynn sucked in a gulp of air, swilling the drink in the glass, before speaking. "You know, the people at the top will want all of our heavy hitters... you lot, probably me included, and all those Justiciars I have in training, some barely competent, thrown in the front line to slow down the Nazi advance? The biggest problem we have is that our people are scattered. We are so busy fighting fires that the Nazis, who have overwhelming numbers and technology ranged against us, will simply crush the BEF and march on London unless we can turn it around."

"We need the P'utinarian people to denounce the Nazis and if not join us, then be neutral. Those that will join us will be welcomed with open arms, and the technology they bring will be put to good use resisting the nazi scourge." said Wynn. He turned to Lionheart. "you're right, but we don't have long, and my backside will be on the line for letting you go. You need to head to America and get that crashed ship working, and get up there..." he pointed upwards. "Before there's nothing left worth fighting for. Right. I have people working on hauling that lifepod from the moors, and we will get the boffins right on making it a fast way to get you across the ocean. We will talk to the Americans, and tell them what we are doing. They may not like it - they want their own toys and superhumans - and so..." he finished his drink. "I'll offer to give them what they really want. General Freedom. They want a superhuman figurehead and they want their own superhumans."

P'ertaria nodded. "If you do this, if you can get Lunarium for us, enough to power the mother ship, I will try my best to persuade our people to break all ties with the Nazis and join your cause, or at least not oppose it. It's all I can offer."

Slobotham growled "And what of the men dying on the beaches of Dunkirk? Who's going to save them?"

No one answered...

=========

General von Rundstedt surveyed the forces arrayed before him...

"We stand on the first step of a ladder to history!" he shouted. "At the top? Victory and immortality! What we do in the next few weeks will establish a glorious reign of the third reich for a thousand years or more! Britain will fall, and with her, the last hopes and defiance of those few remaining countries that oppose the Fuhrers' will!" Looking across the field, the General saw rocket pack troopers, armed with ray guns, superhumans in red, white and black of various shapes and sizes. There were dozens of them, ready to smash the allied forces into pieces. Aliens of various species, including red skinned martians and the oozing grey monstrosities that were P'utinarians. There were men from the future, clones, blonde, powerfully built, the ideal of the Nazi dream and a real wild card. No one knew what they could do, but all agreed that the demonstrations they'd seen so far indicated they were a potent force, even if they were few in number. Giant robots stood with menace in the background, each possessing the firepower of half a dozen tanks, striding across the fields like mechanical men, belching fire and death on the foolish enemy.

In the skies, jet aircraft zipped overhead. The fledgling technology had been brought on in leaps and bounds in the last few weeks, so that ideas on drawing boards had been modified and put into production. The result were planes that would out turn and out run anything the British had. More, there were flying saucers that gathered heat from the Earths core and released it as a searing death ray, scorching the planets surface and all who stood on it.

Invincible. No one could stop them. It was inconceivable that the war would last longer than the time needed to wipe out the British Expeditionary force and send a delegation to London.

If the British did not surrender, the houses of Parliament and all in them would be razed!

"HEIL HITLER!" bellowed the General, and the crowd echoed...

OOC unless Lionheart wants to add something, I'll move him on. The Lifepod can be used - albeit for a one shot - and he'll hook up in America with Silver Sentinel, hopefully...

]Lionheart
(Richard King)

Admin wrote:Slobotham growled "And what of the men dying on the beaches of Dunkirk? Who's going to save them?"

No one answered...

Inwardly Lionheart cringed, he knew things must be bad out there. But as Wynne said, if all they did was fight fires then soon they'd be completely overwhelmed and what he witnessed in the future will still have come to pass. Something had to be done or else this cycle of death would continue, his efforts in France would be no more than a bump in the road. No serious threat. But why did he feel so torn?
=========

OOC: Ok lets move it on to the America's - Lionheart hasn't yet met Silver Sentinal, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

But the way you've got things going, makes it sound as if when Lionheart returns, if he returns, he will find Britain overrun and under Nazi occupation. Can't fault your similitude, it makes sense that things be bleak given that Germany has had such a head start.

Sj

Lionheart
(Richard King)

The future technology of the lifepod made it easier for P'ertaria to help with. She likened it to 'playing with the innards of a clock' as opposed to 'marking the dirt for the sun to pass over and tell the time with' with regards the machinery in the pod against anything the year 1939 could offer. Even so, her idea of how to get the pod high enough into the air where it could make use of refilled booster pods had caused some concern.

"You want to what?" squawked one of the Scientists, a man working for Forbes named Albert Von Martens. The Professor had put his considerable mind to the problem and still been baffled until the P'utinarian explained things. "Piggyback the lifepod onto one of your bombers, as high as it will go, then release it, and use the rotation of the Earth to slingshot the lifepod to America, where the boosters will cut and the pod descend."

She looked to Lionheart, who shrugged. He offered the 'binoculars' to Von Marten, who waved them away. "I can't read the gibberish on those things anyway. It seems to talk in some kind of ... 'machine code'. What does it say?"

"Gives trajectories, the amount of time the boosters need to fire, and calculations with some margin for differing wind speeds. It's all quite simple really. I'm just glad the Lifepod can convert the Ethanol into something it can use. Actually, it makes sense. The lifepod can use just about any fuel source in some way to power its miniature fusion engine. The problem is heat. When we came from the Antarctic the freezing air helped a lot, and gave us this slim chance of using it again."

"And now we're handing it to the yanks!" spluttered the Professor. Despite his slight Dutch accent he spoke perfect English, and had picked up quite a few mannerisms in his time working for the Strange Sciences Section (SSS) of DICE.

Lionheart shrugged. "If the mission is successful, we gain far more than we lose."

"And if it isn't?"

Lionheart glanced at the Professor and P'ertaria, then shrugged. "Who wants to live forever anyway?"

=========

"Sorry, but that's the way it has to be." explained Wynn. "The Americans are unhappy about the whole thing, but these three will redress the balance I think."

He referred to three American servicemen, soldiers stationed at the American embassy in London, brought to DICE HQ (blindfolded), explained to what Wynn planned to do with them and asked to sign a release form.

Be given superhuman powers? Maybe able to fly, lift huge weights, see through walls? Be a hero for Uncle Sam and in the eyes of the American People?

They practically fell over each other to sign up!

"The Ambassador was a bit of an idiot. bit. Well, lot actually. He seems to support the Nazis and has said so, publicly, that America should sign a peace treaty with Hitler and his goons! I tell you, if America finally does get its act in gear, that man Kennedy will be discredited as the idiot he really is! Thankfully his objections at taking his men were rejected out of hand by the President." explained Wynn. He looked into the room where the three Americans were dressed in white smocks, and waited in turn for Wynn to 'power them up'. They would be passengers aboard the lifepod, which threw all of Lionhearts calculations out. Still, it was a simple matter to look into the flash device and work new ones out. He'd helped with the construction of an airframe for the Lancaster bomber on which to mount the pod itself, and the bomber would get help from two others with cables attached to frames on their bodywork to help pull the encumbered one into the air.

The speed at which the project had taken place was remarkable - when push came to shove DICE had unlimited resources, though Chamberlain had been very vocal about losing his most powerful super agents on some 'fool errand'. Churchill had seen things differently. "If we don't do something to turn the tide, even if it's persuading the Putty people to abandon the Nazi cause, and therefore not attack us, we may as well roll out the red carpet for Hitler on Downing street!" he'd barked, silencing Chamberlain. The PM had looked increasingly ill of late. Worry, stress and the sure knowledge he was no war leader had weighed down on him. He knew Scandinavia, with her natural resources, would be a target for Hitler, but the speed with which the Nazis had moved through a foul winter suggested they had powers that could predict, even control, the weather, whilst the beleaguered BEF had suffered through winter in tents and makeshift shelters. They were in little condition to fight, and now it seemed the Nazis weren't waiting for the weather to break - regardless of the weather they were intent on pushing the BEF into the sea!

Time was of the essence.

"Well, we have to run simulations, and perhaps a couple of dry runs." said the Professor. Lionheart waved him off. "One shot. That's it. The fusion engine won't give more than that."

The room was silent. The price of failure weighed heavily on them all.

=========

"HOLD ON!" shouted Lionheart over the howl of the wind.

A seal had burst on the main door, causing the cabin to de-pressurise. Luckily all of the occupants were more than mere human! The three Americans hadn't had time to figure out the extent of their powers, one able to summon flame, another was strong, whilst the third was able to take on the properties of whatever substance or liquid he touched! Their excitement had paled when the mounting frame had broken on the Lancaster, and Lionheart had given the order for it to release the pod. The bracket had twisted and stuck, however, and the window for launching was fast escaping!

Reaching out with his mind, he knew his telekinesis wouldn't be enough. Used for lifting only small weights, he knew it was a long shot. What had happened had surprised him. It was as if he himself were stood out on the body of the plane, and used his own telekinetically enhanced strength to tear the metal frame up! The others had gaped as they saw an energy simulacrum of the man from the future step from Lionhearts body, pass through the wall of the pod, and out onto the plane! The energy being was transparent, and seemed not to feel the effects of the wind on its form! Looking exactly like Lionheart, the agent knew he was somehow projecting his body, his essence, his will, out to a distance, as if he were two beings - an energy form and a physical form. He had time to wonder what would happen were he to combine the two, but then the pod broke free!

"FIRE THE BOOSTERS!" he yelled over the howl of the wind. The P'utinarian stretched an arm across the small pod to hit a red button, and the occupants were thrust backwards as Gs slammed into them!

"ALRIGHT!" yelled Lionheart as he counted in his mind. "RELEASE!" he counted several seconds more, and the life pod arced in the air, pointing just above horizontal! "NOW! HIT THE BUTTON! DON'T LET GO TILL THE BOOSTERS STOP! A PRAYER MIGHT HELP TOO!"

All three Americans instantly started praying! P'ertaria grinned, a gash in the grey ooze, and yelled "HAVE FAITH IN YOUR OWN ABILITIES! FAITH IN A HIGHER POWER SHOULD BE SAVED FOR WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT!"

Lionheart smiled, shrugging. He wondered just what had changed with his abilities, and how much faith he could place in them as the pod arced over the sky. He turned, concentrated, and placed a telekinetic glowing seal, a 'bad aid' on the main door, stopping the hissing of air and allowing everyone to breathe out again!

He concentrated once more, and the energy body left to go outside the craft. It was seemingly tethered to Lionheart, so wasn't instantly sucked away as the pod sped on!

"It's working!" he cried out. "Next stop... America!"

OOC To be continued in the new crossover issue posted later today (16th)