World War II - The Vanguard Issue #2 (Crossover Silver Sentinel, Frostbite, Lionheart)

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

Admin wrote:"You are not the Ssssshadow Prince! Tell me, mortal, where I may find the coward... and your death sssshall be ssswift!" snarled the creature...

Frostbite went quiet and within himself. It wouldn't do to alarm the Colonel any more than he was already. But Joe knew he had a problem, firstly he could not allow the shadow Prince to full manifest - that would be terrible and short lived as his body was consumed. But even letting him out a little could cause dire consequences, tactically he wasn't sure what he could do.

"Prince, I'm glad you haven't decided to leave just yet. But what can we do against that thing, your suggestions would be appreciated?"

Meanwhile Lionheart looked aghast at the creature before him. "Wow, I guess you were a good boy and ate your greens just like mummy told you!" But flippancy couldn't disguise the fact that the ship from which the creature disgorged itself was become a one way portal for the Nazi's and whatever else they had there, to invite themselves into American soil.

But was it possible that the portal that sent the creature here, might also send it back? Lionheart was out of suggestions and also had no idea where his companion, Frostbite was.

OOC:

Not sure what to do here, as I am betting that Lionheart is going to struggle to beat up on this guy, as will Frostbite, so I'm not sure what to do? Hiding won't last long, but if I just pop out, unsure of what I can actually do then I'm likely to make a worse error of judgement. I know I've got four frames but I don't want to jump out until I have some idea of how the Shadow Prince can augment me or not.

But beyond that I am not going to let Lionheart take the creatures wrath, I'll stand out and face it. At which point I will go on the offensive going for a quick blast allowing Lionheart to snap at it with a Psi bolt and then both throwing stuff at it to stay out of reach of its nasty rending claws. Is my thinking assuming the Prince has no other suggestions.

What I am going to suggest is that Lionheart will try and get into the ship to see if there is something onboard that can send it back, or help us to neutralise it.

Sj

Silver Sentinel
Steve Jenson

Silver Sentinel leapt from the bed with his gloves having finished their formation. They powered up with a blue hum and he turned them on the creature that was still in the room. Even he had to stand and gape as he saw what looked to be the body/husk of a soldier sliding from the form of some grotesque red slime creature! Flesh and bone slid into a wet pile on the floor, along with clothes and any evidence that the soldier had once been a living being...



It turned on Silver Sentinel, and spoke, having 'absorbed' the English language from its Victim. "Weeee Sssseeeeek you mortal! Weeeee have job... kill you then weeee eat P'utinarians as payment! Tellll ussssss.... where P'utinarian?"

It reached a hand towards Silver Sentinel, stretching out with a leaving breathing group of tendrils that shot through the air and threatened to engulf the hero!

OOC Silver Sentinel attacks with two quick blasts: Roll 12, hit, 12htc 16htk. I assume you are trying to kill this abomination - knocking it out would only mean you'd have to go through the whole process again, and the place will soon be overrun unless it's sorted out! Roll 18, hit, 17htk, 13htc

The energy punched a hole through the vile thing, and Steve got the idea that it was 'newborn', some strange alien creature that had undergone a very short gestation inside its human host and changed into this horrible killing machine!

The body slowly reformed over the hole as the creature recoiled in pain, and it seemed to be struggle to gather itself. Indeed, it had shrunk somewhat! A second blast had it screaming in agony, and the creature writhed about before splatting to the floor as a red puddle...

Looking up, Silver Sentinel saw the other enter. Despite its outward appearance as a soldier he knew otherwise, especially when a foot long tongue protruded from its mouth and it hissed with an extended jaw full of sharp teeth!

OOC 'Sentinel has used 14 of his 15 energy dice. Initiative 5 Silver Sentinel, 4 alien thing. It is 3m away, at the door. You have 1 frame then it has 3, then your remaining three. Your updated character sheet is in the character sheet section. Sorry for the delay in the update - had to get some sleep, so will be up all night now on call and updating posts/character sheets if I can...

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

As Frostbite and the Colonel hid behind the creates they watched Lionherat make his usual flippant remarks, goading the creature and doubtless annoying it. Without his costume Lionheart looked like any other young soldier, but his movements, agility and reactions marked him as something far, far more. There was something else, something Frostbite had never seen before - a kind of glow about him occasionally, but Frostbite had no idea what that was.

The Colonel hissed "Damn fool! What's he... Lord above! Look at that! His speed! It's amazing! If we had a few more like him... and you... That reminds me - where are the three you brought with you?"

As if in answer the hanger doors filled with the silhouettes of three figures. One was muscled, abnormally so. Another was in flames, lighting up the darkness, and the other thrust a hand out, causing metallic objects to rise into the air and swirl about! Spent shell casings, even guns, nails, pipes and small metal ammo boxes began to rise and move at the soldiers command!

"About time dammit!" hissed the Colonel, gazing with undisguised admiration at his new acquisitions. "But can even they do anything against this thing?"

OOC We have:
Henry Buckfield Fireman E10 S10 D10 V13 Htc47 Htk42 Powers: Field Manip (flame) Energy Attack (Flame, -3DD) Flight (grd 1) Fire Sheath (1D6htk to any incoming attacks as a parry, and does 1D6htk -3DD with a touch)
Charlie Mayburn Blocker E9 S34 (12) D10 V20 (10) Htc75 Htk81 Powers: Tough Skin (grd 1) Strength (grd 2 +14, +10) Vigour Grade 1 (+10) Div Htk4 htc3
Gary Mahone Lodestone E13 S9 D11 V11 Htc42 Htk38 powers: Field Manip (magnetic) Energy Attack (magnetic, quick blast) Force Field (General Force Barrier 14htk) Flight (grd 1)

All have 4 frames/round. No costumes yet but will be something typically gaudy if they survive this ordeal!

Lionheart glanced past the creature to see the three at the doorway. Having just discovered their powers these three would be little other than a means to slow this thing down - he figured it'd slaughter them! Glancing past the creature he saw the room with the teleport pad inside the spaceship. The place was full of dust and dirt, and a number of panels were off, wiring exposed and trailed across the floor as the American Scientists had left it.Clearly they hadn't a clue what they were dealing with, but had wisely tried to figure it out rather than chopping and snipping, and breaking something. If he could get inside and grab a handful of that stuff, a wrench might do enough to disable the machine.

Meanwhile Frostbite heard the inner voice. 'Despite my earlier... misgivings, we are bound, you and I, until the death of your mortal body! It seems this alien life form has been possessed by one of the inquisitors, the clergies 'Secret Police' in my realm. I explain things in terms your mortal mind might comprehend, but they have far ranging powers and are formidable in their own right. The Shadow Demons will be drawn to this place like moths to a flame with two of the Vanguard in the same area.' As Frostbite frowned, glancing at Lionheart, the Shadow Prince continued 'No, not him, though he is a formidable warrior and a worthy foe to the Inquisitor. I mean the other, the latest recruit, my distant cousin, the Duke of <unpronounceable>. He has become symbiote to the mortal you know as Steve Jenson, Silver Sentinel. he is nearby. With his help, perhaps we can defeat this usurper without calling on potentially catastrophic powers...'

There was a pause, then the Prince added 'I believe I can augment your form, but as usual, there may be consequences and risks. I will try to funnel the power so as not to completely obliterate our host form and the surrounding area for miles around, and create a space/time vortex that destroys the universe as you know it.'

Frostbite couldn't be sure, but it felt like the Shadow Prince had just delivered some kind of deadpan joke!

Inside him, Joe Rigdon called out 'I can help! I will add my will to the process, and perhaps together we can augment you!'

OOC ok, knowing what you know now, we have Initiative 8 heroes, 3 bad guys. Remember there are the K'atinarians out there, as is P'ertaria somewhere. Despite Lionhearts misgivings she might -just - have a plan... Feel free to assign actions to the American heroes. You face a 6 frame/round creature here though, so don't expect an easy ride, and in Class terms, you are looking at a low Class 5 foe... At this rate I will have to start expanding the power classification scheme...

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

Admin wrote:Frostbite couldn't be sure, but it felt like the Shadow Prince had just delivered some kind of deadpan joke!

Inside him, Joe Rigdon called out 'I can help! I will add my will to the process, and perhaps together we can augment you!'

"Ok lets kick this thing back to where it belongs before any more start showing up."


Meanwhile Lionheart cast a quick glance back at the guys who'd he'd ridden here with. (OOC: I must admit I completely forgot about these guys) "Well aren't you a sight for sore, and about to be eaten, eyes to see!"


At that point coming from around one of the crates Lionheart saw his friend Joe, Frostbite with the Colonel behind. "Well, well its looks like we've got the whole gang here." Lionheart's usual flippant manner wasn't fooling Joe, he looked older, not just different. Clearly a lot had happened since he last saw him. Lionheart however was still in full flow. "I think this calls for a celebration entertainment. Why don't we play beat up the bad guy to kingdom come. Don't worry curly you'll pick up the rules in no time!" He said as he turned on the creature before him.

Frostbite took his place beside Lionheart, "We've got another team mate here to. I don't know him but he runs with the name Silver Sentinel, Steve Jenson." Joe raised an eyebrow as he continued, "Turn you back for a moment and suddenly, loads of us are popping up all over the place. Once we've sorted this thing out we'd better get him out."

Lionheart knew the name from his return to Bletchley, but heard he'd gone missing in Scotland. He shrugged his shoulders after all he'd been missing more than once recently.

OOC:

OK Firstly coordinated attacks. I want Lodestone and Fireman to attack from above its head. giving it enough to worry about from there. I want Blocker to take one of its legs and I'll take the other. Meanwhile I want Lionheart to try and fry it brain with one of his Psi blasts. Frostbite won't know about Lionheart's capabilities. So will defer to him in this combat, to fit in where he can and do what he does best.

Lionheart will Psi blast the creature for 5 points =1d20+18=32 ego roll If he hits he does 10d6=28htk not mucking around.

Meanwhile Frostbite fires as best he can, doing a quick blast: 1d20+3+6=23 for 10 dice damage 6d6=[34htk],4d6=[22 HTC] (I'm glad it rolled it and you can check - 4 6's and two 5's).

I'll let you roll for the other team players and decided what happens next in terms of moves, actions and responses etc. The point being the team is trying to co-ordinate their attacks to do maximum damage and keep it facing opponents on different sides so that its forced to divide its attacks at us.

Admin wrote:OOC You face a 6 frame/round creature here though, so don't expect an easy ride, and in Class terms, you are looking at a low Class 5 foe... At this rate I will have to start expanding the power classification scheme...

I think you should, I've already said I'm happy to change the rules to allow for power ups and knowing now what I know from Simon re the rules I'm even happier to make the changes we've talked about as and when you think we need them.

Sj

The proud would be hero spat on the melting, twitching slop on the floor

Looking up, Silver Sentinel saw the other enter. Despite its outward appearance as a soldier he knew otherwise, especially when a foot long tongue protruded from its mouth and it hissed with an extended jaw full of sharp teeth!

"Oh hell, another one" Steve spoke with almost a air of painic but more from nauseousness at the abominations.

Steve quickly collected himself, now ignoring the smolding puddle of rotting meat on the floor, looked at the bed and eyed up the metal. Placing a hand on the old metal framed bed he assorb as much of the iron as he could ......... after all he had a feeling he was going to need it.

He braced himself for the on coming attack and thought of nothing else.

"You'll pay for what you did to that soldier" Steve added with a grimace

OOC: On my character sheet it says dark powers proberly a silly question but whats that?

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

OOC Roll of 18+12 ego=30. Lionhearts attack strikes home! Most he can do is 5D6. He can expend 10 PSI points (reduced to 5 thanks to his speciality) at 2 PSI per D6, so I'll just halve the damage inflicted (14htk). I think this is something I was doing wrong before, but can't remember - would have to sift through the posts I guess but doing 10D6 would effectively means he's using 20 PSI in an action. PSI is something we should/could overhaul for any potential 'Darkening Shadows Game house Rules'. Lionheart is on 17/22 PSI on round 1 of 5. He has a frame to use.

An energy Lion sprang forth from Lionheart and leapt to maul the creature, which cried out in pain and rage! Whilst it's skin would be impervious to bullets, bombs and knives, the Lion bypassed its defences completely and struck home!

"Damn!" muttered the Colonel, jaw dropping. "Ah ain't never seen nothin' like that!"

Frostbite moved alongside Lionheart (OOC 1 frame)

"We've got another team mate here to. I don't know him but he runs with the name Silver Sentinel, Steve Jenson." Joe raised an eyebrow as he continued, "Turn you back for a moment and suddenly, loads of us are popping up all over the place. Once we've sorted this thing out we'd better get him out."

Lionheart knew the name from his return to Bletchley, but heard he'd gone missing in Scotland. He shrugged his shoulders after all he'd been missing more than once recently. Frostbite turned to the three newcomers and barked orders "You two!" he said, pointing at the slimmer men on either side of the large wide fellow. "Attack that thing! Get it's head!"

Instantly one of the men (wreathed in flames) flew up (OOC 1 frame) then levelled arms at the creature. "What the...?" he cried. "How'm ah doin' this?" Suddenly he laughed. "Heh, who cares! Have at thee, creature from a bad B movie!"

OOC FIREMAN Roll 15, hit, 26htk 16htc from a decent damage roll. Used 10 of 15 dice, round 1, five remaining. The creatures dividers are reduced to 2/2 (from 5/5) meaning it has now taken 27htk, 8htc.

Fireman whoops at his success. Lionheart and Frostbite glance at each other, suppressing the urge to admonish the American. He'd learn to leave the celebrations for later - if there WAS a later...

Lodestone wobbles into the air, flying without means of support. It's more in the way of levitation rather than the thrust like effect of the fiery Fireman, and metallic objects are repulsed from a dozen metres or so, repelled by Lodestones unique power! Confident he can hover, he furrows his brow and aims...

OOC LODESTONE Roll of 20 and 14, Quick blasts. Damage is +7 and dividers reduced to 2 for each. 19htk (+7) from 4d6, 11htc, reduced to 13htk and 5htc. Still pretty good. Second Quick blast not so great. 9htk (divider by 3, so 3htk total) and 13htc, reduced to 4htc. The creature has now taken 40htk, 17htc. Lodestone has 1 energy remaining from 15 for the next 5 rounds.

Concentric energy rings emit from Lodestone and the creature staggers as the iron in its blood is forcibly repelled, creating thousands of tears and ruptures inside its body.

"You sssshall pay for thisss indignity!" it snarls. "I sssence the hand of a Sssshadow Prince behind your powerssss!"

Frostbite let loose with his own energy, freezing cold!

OOC FROSTBITE You described a 'Quick Blast' but rolled 10d6 instead of 7. I'll assume it was a normal blast and you'd rather keep the terrific roll Frostbite is on 5 of 15 energy, round 1 of 5. The creatures dividers reduce this to 11htk and 7htc, leaving it having taken 51htk and 24htc. It has lost over half it's htk in round 1, a good start for the heroes thus far. Reminds me, I need to update the character threads with latest character sheets. I refer to them on my hard drive but it's as useful having up to date WWII sheets in the character sheets area too, and lazy on my part for not doing it, of course.

The creature, struck by fire from above, ice in the middle and magnetic energy to the side, starts to get angry! Blocker, at Frostbites direction, runs up (OOC 1 frame) and delivers two shocking punches to the creatures legs! (OOC Frosty will have to use his last frame if he wants to move alongside the thing).

The Colonel shouts "Lookit ma boys go! get 'em fellas! Fer th' glory of the United States of America! WOOT!"

OOC BLOCKER attacks, hitting with one (roll 13) and missing with the other (roll 10). Inflicts Htk, rolled 2. Damage of 15htk, reduced by dividers of 5 to... 3. The creature has now taken 54htk, 24htc. LIONHEART still has a frame to act but to attack physically he'd have to move the frame to get to the creature.

Battered, singed, frozen and partially rearranged on the inside, the creature roars its rage, shaking the crates in the warehouse, and reaches out for the nearest foe in the air, Lodestone.

OOC SHADOW PRIEST (in alien body avatar) strikes at Lodestone. Roll 16 hit. The thing is using Claws (see, in an 'updated' or v2 version of SQUK I'd have claws reducing DD by 1, give them a bit more... 'bite'). Damage is 5+35 damage bonus. The results are messy.

The creature stretches an arm out, seemingly made of the same substance as those others in the warehouse, and rivalling Puttys own ability to stretch. razro sharp talons propelled by huge superhuman strength slash out. There is a moment of silence then wet thuds as Lodestone lands in two wet, messy places...

The Colonel gasps, eyes wide "No..." he cries weakly as Lodestones blood runs from crates and down the walls. The creature doesn't stop there, turning to Fireman. Frostbite and Lionheart glance at one another. The inexperienced new superhumans seemed to have forgotten the basics of battle, and Lodestone had gone into battle without any protection! Even his enhanced superhuman form couldn't withstand a single deadly blow from the creature facing them!

OOC SHADOW PRIEST (in alien body avatar) strikes at Fireman, having KILLED Lodestone. It breathes fire at Fireman, but misses (roll 3) and expends 2 frames/15 dice with a high power blast of flame.

Fireman is lucky the creatures aim is affected by bloodlust as searing heat sails past him! He realises - perhaps too late - that whilst his energy sheath of boiling flame can protect him from small normal fires, the inferno this creature puts out dwarfs his own! As he breathes a sigh of relief he sees the creature pull an arm back to attack him again!

OOC SHADOW PRIEST (in alien body avatar) strikes at Fireman, using frame 4 of 6. 13, hit and 11+35htk damage. His fire sheath reduces the damage by 3 automatically and inflicts 3htk (reduced to 1 after dividers) on the Shadow Priest. It's now taken 55htk, 24htc. Unfortunately he, too, dies from his horrible wound...

The others watch as the Creature lashes out again, slashing into the fiery form of the flying hero and destroying his head in a crimson spray! The body thuds to the floor, flame dying out, and the creature roars it's triumph! It turns to Frostbite "I'm saving you and your friend till last, Prince! Your time on this plane of reality is limited!" it roars.

It may have a point. It turns its attentions to Blocker who, despite standing defiantly and not moving an inch, looks frightfully small compared to the gore splattered behemoth stood over him!

OOC SHADOW PRIEST (in alien body avatar) strikes at Blocker, using frames 5 and 6. One hits (16) the other misses (4). 11+35htk, 1htc. Reduced to 11htk and 0htc. Blocker is on 70/81htk, unchanged Htc

Here at last the creature is slowed! It's blows shake Blocker, but he stands resolute, even defiant, at the creatures' efforts! Despite being slashed at with claws, he wipes a hand over his bloodied face and grins. "That it, monster? That all you got? Yeah? You gonna pay for killin' my team mates! YOU HEAR?" he screams, shaking a fist at the big creature. The Shadow Priest snarls, narrowing its eyes and no doubt thinking on how to adjust its tactics to make a dent in the powerful humans hide.

OOC Lionheart now has 2 frames remaining, having used 2 for PSI blast. He has 17/22 PSI remaining so can pull the same thing off again if required. Frostbite is on 1 frame but may wish to reconsider before stepping in range of the creatures claws! Blocker has 1 frame, attack, roll of 7, missed.

Suddenly a silhouette falls across the doorway. An odd shape, holding what appears to be a cone to it's mouth! Lionheart risks a glance and sees P'ertaria, restored to humanoid form. She appears to be struggling with the thing she's holding. A megaphone? She turns it around, and takes a deep breath...

OOC over to you for remaining actions. P'ertaria acts at end of the round after all gone, then initiative. This could be close...

Silver Sentinel
Steve Jenson

OOC Sentinel has used an action (2 frames) to make the gauntlets, needs another two to form the rest of the suit around him. having only 1, and wanting to form the suit, I'll assume you save it and hope the creature doesn't slash you to ribbons first! As for Dark Power - that is the symbiote of the Shadow Duke granting Silver Sentinel powers far above and beyond what he has now. Be careful what you do with them - first of all, SS is a new hero, and needs time to adjust to his powers before unleashing the fury of the Dark Power, and second, the Dark Power is just that. Expect bad things to happen. For instance calling on the Dark Power to grant you a powerful energy blast might result in you setting off a nuclear explosion (I'm not joking!) and leave a bewildered Silver Sentinel in the bottom of a mile wide and deep smoking crater! Both Putty and Kitten have unleashed the Dark Power and it's had consequences, so bear that in mind. THAT SAID, Silver Sentinel doesn't know about that and when he finds out he can call on a limitless power supply, he might go mad with it. We'll see how that goes.

The Creature came out Silver Sentinel. He didn't have time to form up the suit around him and glanced at the sharp looking claws heading towards him!

OOC 2 hits from three attacks. Damage 10htk and 6htc, 7htk (rolled 2 + damage bonus of 5) and 1htc. Minimum damage on second hit. Any response required, like trying to dodge, or parry the blows? SS is pretty tough and would be on 30 of 47htk, 38 of 45 htc so can keep fighting for a while. If he doesn't parry or dodge (parrying is better for him as he's not quick like Lionheart) he can use his next 2 frames to form up the armour then has 2 frames remaining, either to punch or whatever else he wants to do.

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

Admin wrote:Most he can do is 5D6.

Arghh I knew the cost was 2 per 1d6 but somehow thought that it was 2 per 2d6 so that half cost meant 5x 2, should be 5x1d6 thanks for picking that up, wasn't trying it on, honest ;-)

Admin wrote:OOC FROSTBITE You described a 'Quick Blast' but rolled 10d6 instead of 7.

Yes again sorry I forget some of the details and also I keep referring back to the original I forget where its changed in the newer version.[/quote]

Admin wrote:OOC Lionheart now has 2 frames remaining, having used 2 for PSI blast. He has 17/22 PSI remaining so can pull the same thing off again if required. Frostbite is on 1 frame but may wish to reconsider before stepping in range of the creatures claws! Blocker has 1 frame, attack, roll of 7, missed.

Lionheart was shocked by the shear ferocity of the creature before him and sickened for the two soldiers whose bodies remained sickeningly plastered about the place.

But as P'etaria moved in, Lionheart also knew what moral courage and conviction she must be showing to defy her own fears and confront this monster. He feared she'd be next so he needed help.

Hardly understanding but almost working by instinct, as before in the shuttle, he called on his new found powers of replication to poor out his other self. The glow about his solidified as the being stood before him and it went to move to cover P'etaria.

Meanwhile Frostbite moved forward, close to the creature, so as to stand with Blocker, but not within range of its claws. He too was shocked and horrified by what he saw. But also outraged, with a deep glowing anger. Something within him, within all of him so this thing as a horror worthy only of indignation and destruction.

OOC: Frostbite moves forward to assist Blocker but away from the creature.

Whilst Lionheart brings out his replica to begin to share defending P'etaria and cover Frostbite as well.

Sj

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

OOC Ok, I'll write this up in the next 12-24 hours, but just to confirm. Lionheart took an extra grade in PSI powers, is able to create a replica with the same physical powers and attributes that he has, and it shares the same htc/htk as the original, so damage to one affects the other and so on (coming from the same total). It takes an action to form and costs 8 PSI for one round, 3 PSI/round thereafter. The pair can share senses at will (no frame cost) and act independently up to 20m away, being tethered so if one leaves the other is dragged. The Simulcra has the same skill in use as the original is using. It can speak but is clearly not human, being made of glowing energy. It can be dissipated at any time but to reform costs the 8 PSI again. If the two merge Lionheart can add a grade to any existing physical power or ability, or choose enhanced senses, flight or personal force shield, all at grade 1, though only one power at a time. Again for the same cost, though it can be swapped from frame to frame at will, but NOT for reaction frames (so he can't suddenly increase his agility to dodge, but could increase his agility in a frame where he is attacking,. moving, or doing anything else). Reason being a reaction frame requires concentration and a slip would be harmful. All ok?

Lionheart concentrates for a moment. He'd been feeling strange ever since getting the blood transfusion from his former enemy. Now, who knew what Saladin was, or where? All Lionheart knew was that his former leader, and that mans leader and mentor, were back in the past and had manipulated events to get Lionheart and Saladin together to create the ultiamte 'master race'. As he considered that he saw P'ertaria and the megaphone she was holding in her hand, albeit by the wrong end, so that sounds would not be amplified. Just then Lionheart began to glow and a ghostly image formed on top of him, then stepped 'out' of his body, a perfect copy in every way, save formed from translucent yellow glowing energy!

"You're me!" the simulcra exclaimed, patting himself down. "And I'm me too! This is..."

"...New" finished Lionheart, looking on in wonder.

Frostbite moved forwards, standing behind and to the right of Blocker but staying out of range - with his best guess - of the creatures claws. He looked up, knowing the thing was wounded but that the battle had turned - it now hung on a knifes edge!

OOC Initiative 1 Heroes, 5 bad guys. 2 frames to the Shadow Priest. It breathes fire on Blocker. Frostbite is just out of range, but feels the heat (and his ice form starts to melt some - I assume he formed it around him ) 39htk from 8d6! 25htc from 7d6 and another high power energy blast, using up near enough what was left of the creatures energy. Blockers dividers are reduced to be useless, and he takes the lot. Blocker is now on 31/81htk 50/75htc, still up and fighting though. Heroes frames then the creatures remaining four frames.

Blocker is engulfed in fire, screaming as he's torched. Stumbling to the side, he looks up, blackened and smoking, still defiant. "Yeah? Come on! COME ON!" he bellowed, shaking a fist. His uniform was in tatters but he swung at the creature...

OOC Blocker. 9 miss, 19, hit, 9 miss, 8 miss. 25htc, reduced to 5 after dividers. Shadow Priest has now taken 55htk, 29htc

Near blinded by smoke and flame, Blocker swings wildly, and the creature steps aside for three of the four blows the big man swings! the one that does connect sounds like it's struck a side of meat, a 'slep' sound that otherwise causes little harm despite shaking the crates around it!

P'ertaria screams into the megaphone, and suddenly the battle changes again! Her noise is high pitched, leaving everyone wincing at the racket! The creatures that had hunted down the soldiers in the warehouse were coming into the battle area but now shrieked and slunk into the darkness whilst the huge creature clasped hands to its ears and bellowed "WHAT IS HAPPENING?"

What indeed? Strips, living tendrils, broke from the creatures otherwise solid form and darted for the shadows! Before the others eyes the creature shrunk several feet and lost several hundred pounds in weight! "WHAT? HOW...? WOMAN! YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS!"

OOC The creature now has, for the record, 75htk/htc (from 100) 40 strength (from 50) and its powers are reduced so dividers also drop to 4/4 from 5/5. It 'only' has 4 frames/round instead of 6.

The Colonel gasped from behind the boxes. "That's it! THAT'S IT! SOMEONE SOUND THE AIR RAID... ulp." The Shadow Creature looked up at the man behind the crates. "You are a leader? Let's see how good this snake bites when its head is severed!" it laughed, a chilling sound.

OOC 4 frames Frosty and Lionheart. The others have used theirs. Then 2 frames for the creature.

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

Admin wrote:OOC Ok, I'll write this up in the next 12-24 hours, but just to confirm. All ok?

Yes.

Admin wrote:"...New" finished Lionheart, looking on in wonder.

The duplicate of Lionheart stood over by P'etaria, guarding her should the other forces come in. Whilst Lionheart sought to rush into combat and strike the depleting Shadow Priest, before it could make good its threat to the Colonel.

OOC: Run into combat: 1d20+3+6=25 for 2d6=[5, 2] 7 HTC, 1d6+20=[5, 20]25 HTK If I can I'll deliver another couple of punches, trusting in my dodge modifier to keep me out of harms way when their is a counter match. So two more punches 1d20+3+6=27 second a miss [11] damage on second attack = [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2955137/]1d6=[4 HTC], 2d6+16=[6, 6, 16] 28 HTK

Admin wrote:Frostbite moved forwards, standing behind and to the right of Blocker...the battle had turned - it now hung on a knifes edge!

Turning to Blocker, Frostbite sought to give him cover so that he might try to get around the creature where it wouldn't see or attack him so obviously. Frostbite raised his hands once again and said, "You'll regret what you've done to these men and to our planet. You and your kind will not be staying long, so don't get comfortable."

OOC: Another blast at the creature, if I've used 7 before I'll use the remainder so 8 dice, spread 5HTK/3HTC: To hit: Urgh Missed: 14 to hit 1d20+3+6=14.

Ok I'll pick up a case to use to throw when I can, but in the mean time hold it to help me auto parry if the creature takes a swipe at me, but also to help stand in between the Colonel and the creature. Lionheart duplicate will stand his ground with P'etaria making sure nothing tries to attack her.

Sj

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

OOC One thing I didn't specify was the number of frames. Normally a duplicate would have 2 frames/round but this is a more powerful - and more limited version, so 3 frames per round seems fair to me - ok with you?

The duplicate of Lionheart stood over by P'etaria, guarding her should the other forces come in. Whilst Lionheart sought to rush into combat and strike the depleting Shadow Priest, before it could make good its threat to the Colonel.

Lionhearts duplicate turned and saw soldiers running towards the hanger. The pair or Lionhearts was cheered for a moment, then considered the foe they faced. Would wholesale slaughter occur when the soldiers turning up, firing what would probably be ineffectual weapons at their foes?

OOC I assume you'd want to inflict more Htk from the looks of things so the charge+punch on the end attack would be better off doing 2d6htk and 1d6htc. That's +4 from the charge, so 27htk, divided by 4=6htk, 1htc (after dividers). Second hit does 7htk, 1 htc. The Shadow Priest has now taken 66htk, 31htc. With the racket that P'ertaria is making, it is almost hospitalised.

Turning to Blocker, Frostbite sought to give him cover so that he might try to get around the creature where it wouldn't see or attack him so obviously. Frostbite raised his hands once again and said, "You'll regret what you've done to these men and to our planet. You and your kind will not be staying long, so don't get comfortable."

OOC you used 10 dice before, so only 5 remained, so don't feel too bad about the miss, though it would've helped quite a bit

Lionheart slammed into the creature, staggering it, then delivered a terrific shocking blow to its jaw! The creature swayed visibly, rubbing its jaw even as Frostbite turned, grabbing a square crate up to hold out in front of him.

"Holy..." spluttered the Colonel. "Those crates weigh over a quarter of a ton, son! Don't put your back out!" he shouted over the screeching din that P'ertaria was continuing to put out!

The creature turned to P'ertaria and stretched an arm across towards her!

OOC One hit from two, 20htk, 8htc inflicted. I will *assume* Lionhearts energy replica moves to block the blow. Any damage that gets through will be transferred to Lionheart/his replica. Successful parry blocks 24 points. 4htc gets through to Lionheart dropping him to 39/43.

P'ertaria widened her eyes but continued to scream into the megaphone. Despite the noise ringing in his ears the brave energy Lionheart leapt to her defence and swung a leg out to karate kick the barbed tentacle away! He grimaced as the power of the blow ran up his leg but the look of anger on their foes face made up for it!

"You are powerful, and resourceful, Shadow Prince! There will be another time though!" bellowed the Shadow Demon, gathering itself and glowing redder, brighter...

"He's going to explode!" shouted Lionheart!

OOC Initiative 3 heroes, 5 Shadow Priest. It has a frame, but needs an action to blow itself up! Four frames to the good guys - can they take it down in time before it takes them down?

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

Admin wrote:"He's going to explode!" shouted Lionheart!

OOC Initiative 3 heroes, 5 Shadow Priest. It has a frame, but needs an action to blow itself up! Four frames to the good guys - can they take it down in time before it takes them down?

Frostbite shouted to the others, "...not if we can take it down first. If it explodes it'll take the craft and maybe the base to. We can't let it stop us. Poor it on!"

He shouted as he threw the box at the creature. OOC: 1d20+6+2=19 to hit - i'll let you worry about damage but HTK obviously

Frostbite went to grab another box, if all else failed he wanted to use it to shield the Colonel.

Meanwhile Lionheart spoke through his double to the soldiers running closer. "Hold men, this creature and its allies cannot be harmed by small arms fire. You are at greater risk if you come close, stand your ground and stand ready."

Meanwhile as the duplicate stood his ground, protecting P'etaria, the real Lionheart continued to press home his attack.

OOC: four attacks, and hit three times 1d20+6+3=17, 1d20+6+3=21, 1d20+6+3=12, 1d20+6+3=18. For damage as before 2d6 x3 =28HTC, 3x16+16=48 HTK Before its dividers kick in. (made a mess editing this data, but the links good so you can check my numbers are accurate).

If it still going to go then Lionheart will do his best to cover the others Blocker looks like he'd be ok. Frostbite will try and parry damage so the Colonel is safe and secure, more than himself. And the Energy being will again try to protect P'etaria, moving her out of range if need be.

BTW like the write up for his counter part and three frames is great.

Sj

OOC: Sorry Ive taken so long to reply, I sent one a few days ago but somehow it didnt go through and Ive just now checked.

The Creature came out Silver Sentinel. He didn't have time to form up the suit around him and glanced at the sharp looking claws heading towards him!

IC: Steve tired to parry the frenzyed bone like claw attack and wrestled to hold the now inhuman arms of the mutated soldier as he willed the iron bed frame to liquidate and roll across the ground similar to mercury. The now silvery substance formed from the ground up, swirling around his feet and harding to the futuristic yet somehow still medieval armor it had done many times before. The suit although heavily jointed and heavy in looks still allowed Steve to be quite adgile, and as the suit forms Steve always was awaire of some extra weight but the properties of the metal asborbed seem to have changed making the suit lighter than it looked.

It indeed was a mysterious magic like suit who's mysteries may never be fully answered.

OOC: I would like to parry if I can then try to hold/grapple the abomination as im suiting up.

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

OOC Did same damage as per a sharp thrown object because of the weight of the crate. It's more likely to do lethal damage. Unfortunately the roll was hopeless, 4 on 2D6, +3 +15 from damage, divided by 4 equals 5htk. he's still up...

The crate crashed against the creature, sending shards of strange pottery tumbling across the floor.

"No..." moaned the Colonel. "That was proof aliens landed on Earth a thousand years ago..." he said looking at the broken shards scattered all over the place.

The creature reeled, roaring to the rafters. It was close! It would lose, but succeed in its primary mission if only...

Lionheart skidded to a halt in front of it. The creature snarled "What do ..."

The fist punch slammed through its head, and Lionheart pulled his hand clear. The red ichor that made the creatures body solid collapsed, becoming a red puddle that splattered on the floor. And the threat of the shadow creature was over.

The Colonel stood. "NOW will someone shut her up?" he said, referring to P'ertaria.

The alien girl let out a breath and croaked, barely audible. "The other... K'atinarians... each time... they kill... they can take that form or... incubate in the body... a new offspring! All who... report as unwell... must be torched!"

The energy Lionheart glanced to his living counterpart. The Colonel wouldn't be pleased at that! Speaking of which, he marched over to Frostbite and Lionheart, and turned to where an officer was running up. "get a body count sergeant." he ordered. As the man ran off he turned to Frostbite. "Take the damned ship! It's yours! I want it off this base as soon as possible, before those damned things show up again!"

Blocker was stood aside, gathering a sheet of tarpaulin to cover first one, then another of the bodies that had been his comrades. The air raid siren rang out across the base and the Sergeant returned. "It's... not good sir. There are plenty missing, no firm reports yet but everyone in this warehouse, bar us, is dead." The Colonel raised his head, sucked a breath in. "Time to go bug hunting!" he spat. "BLOCKER! With me!" he shouted turned again to Frostbite "Well? What are you waiting for? Take your damned ship!"

OOC Battle over. Close run thing, and not without cost. Taking something down like that was never going to be easy, and I dare say had not the vulnerability to sonics have diminished the things power, you'd still be fighting. Right now though, you have a ship half submerged in the floor of the hanger (it's buried where it landed/crashed years ago and the warehouse was built around it) but have several super strong types who can make like cranes. Speaking of which...

Silver Sentinel
Steve Jenson

OOC No problems on the delay - real life is my posting bane, not sure if that is a battle I'll ever win though!

'Sentinel parried the blow, seeing sparks ring off the suit even as it formed over his skin! Suddenly there was a piercing screeching sound ringing out somewhere in the compound! The creature gasped, clapped hands to the side of its head and ...

THWACK!

A fist splattered its head across the wall, running down as thick gooey liquid. The rest of the body collapsed, making a gruesome red puddle on the floor where it landed! Fully armoured, Silver Sentinel looked down at his foe and wiped the gore from his armoured hand, then strode into the corridors. The guards were dead, of that there was no doubt. He rounded a corner and saw a couple of Military Police lying in the corridor clutching their heads, trying to blocking out the piercing screeching sound! Frowning behind the helmet, 'Sentinel walked closer. The way out was this way, he figured, but what was wrong with the MPs? As he neared, one looked up, and Silver Sentinel was shocked to see the mans eyes were solid red!

"K...k...kill me!" he cried. "Please!" he screamed!

The other started to rise on unsteady legs, and Steve saw the mans veins under the skin turned dark red, almost black! The skin started to darken, and he looked up, red eyes like the other, and rows of razor sharp teeth that a shark would be proud of! It was still transforming, and clearly the sound was affecting it. Would Silver Sentinel strike them down, or try and help them?

Frostbite and Lionheart
(Joe Hoskyn and Richard King)
With: P'ertaria, a female P'utinarian
Where: Area 51 base, Nevada, USA

Admin wrote:Take your damned ship!"

OOC Right now though, you have a ship half submerged in the floor of the hanger (it's buried where it landed/crashed years ago and the warehouse was built around it) but have several super strong types who can make like cranes. Speaking of which...

Lionheart reabsorbed the energy form he'd created then turned to Frostbite. "What now?"

"Now," He said solonmly, "we find out if the Silver Sentinal is still on the base and try to figure out how to get that ship free." Turning to P'ertaria, Frostbite simply nodded his thanks. He wasn't looking forward to the grim task of finding soldiers infected and having to dispose of them before they awakened into this alien symbiotic form.

OOC:

From now on the party goes together to protect one another and to make sure no one gets taken over. Before heading over to the rest of the camp, we'll get P'ertaria to make sure no one else can beam through the ship. Then we'll head together to the main body of the camp to locate the cells and find Steve/Ross's character and give assistance wherever possible. Then we get back and the super strong among us, work with P'ertaria to try and free the ship. Assuming we've also mopped up all the aliens. We also, before try and help with that if need be.

Sj

"Good god man whats happining............." Steve asked rushing over and shaking the first MP to try to get sence out of him.

"Tell me so I can save you"

All the while the MP was twitching and writhing as veins exploded in his neck and eyes

"K...k...kill me!" he cried. "Please! Ive seen what happens" again the man screamed!

OOC: I can guess what happens next but the silver sentinel wouldnt just let them die. When he changes can I (seen as Im holding him) hover off the ground a little and pummel him into floor? Kind of like my profile picture. Or is that too much???

Silver Sentinel
Steve Jenson

OOC No problem on the move in the pic...


Even as Silver Sentinel watched the man turned completely red, his skin seemingly melting away and jaw extending several inches that opening wide to hiss at him! Without hesitation the Sentinel hovered up, then dropped, his full weight and superhuman strength smashing through the creature and into the floor, sending cracks outwards in every direction!

He turned to the other creature, then looked behind him.

"STAND ASIDE SIR!" shouted a soldier. The creature turned, then was engulfed in flame as a flamethrower spat burning death over it! With a horrific scream the creature writhed and thrashed about, before being silenced with a powerful blow from Silver Sentinel. There was no glory in this though, no elation at victory. These had been two soldiers, young men with their futures in front of them, cruelly snuffed.

"Follow me sir, the rest of your team is waiting. You men! bag this lot up! Off to the lab!" ordered the Lieutenant.

Frostbite
Lionheart
Silver Sentinel
P'ertaria

OOC I will start (after this section of the adventure) to list health and energy levels in brackets after the characters name instead of their secret ID. I would like to post graphics up every time but it's time consuming and slows page loading down at times. Not ruling them out, but for now text will do.

Silver Sentinel was lead outside where soldiers dashed about. The air raid siren was blaring out, and it had the effect of making the alien infestation surface and try to find solace from the noise. Then they were vulnerable to flamethrowers, and the soldiers set about their grim work in teams. Frostbite and Lionheart walked from the hanger with the Colonel, eager to help, but it seemed the Army was determined to clear up the mess itself, with the aid of Blocker, their only superhuman operative.

"What a mess." growled the Colonel. As Silver Sentinel joined the small group P'ertaria called out from the hanger. "I've disabled the teleportation pads. No more will come through!"

The Colonel shook his head. "Ah'm not gonna pretend to understand what that means. If no more o them things are comin' through then maybe we can get this place back to normal." The group watched in silence as the army continued its grim work, searching through the early evening darkness then lighting up the night with fire.

"If you'll excuse me Gentlemen, ah need ta get body counts. And get that damn thing off ma base." he said, referring to the spacecraft.

Frostbite and Lionheart turned to Silver Sentinel, making introductions for the first time. Wynn had advised them about one another, and now finally they'd met. P'ertaria joined them, and Silver Sentinel couldn't help but stare a little. "Perhaps if I appear as a human woman."



She morphed into a statuesque blonde and asked "Will this suffice?"

The Vanguardians were taken aback somewhat. As was every red blooded male within sight. The Colonel marched over "Ah don't know what you're playin' at missy but you better get some clothes on 'fore my men set each other on fire, dammit!" he snarled, chewing off his cigar, snatching it from his mouth and glancing at it, before throwing it to the floor. With a shrug P'ertaria gave herself a replica of the colonels uniform. Shaking his head, the Army man strode off.

=========

"Ready?" shouted Blocker as he took the strain on the rope.

Hours later, a series of pulleys and lots of lifting gear had been arranged about the craft. Engineers had taken the roof off the hanger over the craft and P'ertaria had been going through the ship in the meantime. "It has enough fuel to get us to the astral body orbiting this planet, but that is all." That meant it would be a one way trip - unless Frostbite and the others could secure Lunarium! The superhumans, all endowed with great strength, acted in concert along with lifting machines and lines of volunteers. At first the spacecraft would not be dislodged from its decades old resting place, but after hours of digging (including that done at superhuman speed by Lionheart, and the various Vanguardians blasting away at the ground around the craft) they were ready to try again. Finally, with the ground cracking and ripping, the thing started to lift up, and despite a number of ropes snapping, some panicked shouts and hurried movements, the ship was lifted free of the ground.

Pertaria cringed. "It will need work to make it space worthy." she groaned. Explaining the task at hand, she was delighted to find that Frostbite could, in a limited fashion, interface with the ships computers and find out what was wrong with it. The list was extensive. Without spare parts the weapons systems were offline, the life support only worked on several decks, and the sensors were mostly smashed. There was also evidence of dead P'utinarians in the ship, victim of coolant leaks which had frozen their forms and caused them to shatter. In the partially smashed hold servant robots lie dormant, devoid of power and some of them beyond repair. It was a mess, but their best, only, way to get to the moon!

The team continued to work on into the night.

OOC My next post will have the group set off for the moon base proper - the team is together and the ship almost space worthy. The base has been purged of the evil aliens who proved far less of a challenge than the one possessed by the Shadow Demon, but the death toll was tremendous. The Americans aren't happy at two of their three superhumans 'buying the farm' but one is better than nothing. Unfortunately for Blocker his main role for the forseeable future will be study case, as the Americans attempt to duplicate his abilities for their own superhuman army. If you want to post/speak to each other feel free. I'll react to that and get you going on your trip to the moon in my next post, which will hopefully be tonight when I get home from work.

OOC: Thanks for that attack, I will call that move 'mighty hero smash of furious anger'

IC: Later that night in the hanger

"So if you dont mind me asking whats going on here, why are people getting ripped open like cans and from the inside?" he asked outloud to no one in particular as he stepped over yet another bloodly pile of flesh while carrying a metal sheet three times the size of him like some kind of worker ant then melting it into place with the tip of his index finger as if he were welding.

"Or should I stop asking questions in future ........ god I feel Im outta my league"

Frostbite
Lionheart
Silver Sentinel
P'ertaria

Admin wrote:"So if you dont mind me asking whats going on here, why are people getting ripped open like cans and from the inside?"

Joe drew a long breath and gave a sideways glance at Lionheart. "Well its like this..." Lionheart begun. "P'etaria is a P'utinarian a race of people from beyond our solar system, but trapped here, through lack of power. The creatures you see are a off branch of their race called the calling themselves the K'atinarians. A pretty nasty bunch with a taste for flesh.

Though I'm not sure how the Nazi's came by them?" He said turning to P'etaria? "I thought you said you guys underwent a mas exodus and I kind of assumed that since you'd never seen one before you don't mix? How did they find themselves here and working with the Nazi's? Do you have any ideas?"

<Assuming response>

Frostbite joined in after P'etaria had finished. "The Nazi's had promised P'etaria's people some of the mineral they're mining on the moon. It both empowers us humans and drive ships like this one." Frostbite banged on the hull of the now emerged ship they had spent a while freeing from its place. "We're taking this ship, to get whatever Lunarium we can from the moon and in the process try and shut down Nazi operations there once and for good. Somehow we've got to strike a decisive blow, if we don't we'll all be speaking German by winter."

Frostbite went back to what he was meant to be doing in order to try and get the ship ready for take off.

Sj

"Right ....... ok then, the whole world has turned into a bad B movie then? Thats all you had to say, just point me in the direction you want me to shoot" and Steve turn back to his welding.

After all the repairs were done Steve had trouble of letting go of the image of the half soldier half 'thing' burning, one of its eyes was still human and it looked at him for help as it writhed in the flames. He had seen people die before, some even by his own hands but he had been lucky enough never to see an innocent die. So Steve took to the skys and practiced his ability to fly pushing the limits of the suit almost as if to punish himself for not doing more for the soldier.

After an hour or so, although late in the morning Steve visted P'etaria in her make shift quarters and hold her of the brave P'utinarian who gave his life to save Steve after going against the Nazis which Steve had persuaded him to do. He tryed so hard to save him and to do the right thing but war .............war is never 'right'

Frostbite
Lionheart
Silver Sentinel
P'ertaria

OOC first of all, apologies for not posting - work the last few days has been taking the **** and my time has not been my own. Second, arrgh. Misclick meant I lost all I'd typed for the last 10 mins. *sigh* Here we go again ...


P'ertaria turned uncomfortably to Frostbite. She'd been reassembling a panel inside the ship, which was, quite frankly, a mess. Thanks to superhuman strength many of the doors could be prized open, but the main power reactor would be touch and go. It needed a 'cold start' P'ertaria had explained, in that the remaining Lunarium would be subjected to a fusion reaction before it was properly prepared. That was the only way the required power could be generated before the stuff burnt out completely, but it had its own risks.

"Like what?" asked Lionheart, making sense of shredded wiring faster than the eye could follow. "Blowing up or something?"

"yes."

Lionheart paused in what he was doing, then glanced down. "Damn. I'll have to start again. Again!"

P'ertaria looked again to Frostbite. "We are a peaceful people, for the most part. We generally eat a form of fungus that grows in an area of our mother ship under controlled conditions, but there are a number of plants on Earth that can supply our nutritional needs. We do not eat meat. Normally. But when... when force fed, or in some rare cases, by choice, living flesh, a change comes over us. We become a different being. Evil, with our baser instincts taking over. Some can resist the change, but they are older, wiser. Those of us who have not been trained are vulnerable. The K'atinarians are an offshoot of our people. At one time they warred with us, so we fought them and wiped them out, declaring the eating of flesh abhorrent. It seems some have taken to the old ways. If denied living flesh to devour the K'atinarians will quickly die out. Unlike us they cannot enter a dormant state to survive for long periods without air or sustenance. They have other advantages though - they can eat their prey to mimic them completely, or implant a portion of their body to eat the victim from within and transform them into a K'atinarian, but that would reduce their available food source as many fight over a dwindling resource. They are berserk in combat and utterly remorseless, but they are vulnerable to high pitched sounds and fire. Once we discovered that, we could defeat them. I was... afraid one would implant me, and transform me into a vile creature like them. There is no cure I can think of."

With that revelation the others looked at P'ertaria in a new light. She could have simply hidden, run from the creatures that would have changed her into one of them. Instead she'd faced her fear, but now the problem was that the P'utinarians were living time bombs! The knowledge that the P'utinarians could be transformed into a living plague of murderous aliens was disturbing, but made the objective even more vital. They MUST be freed from Nazi influence, if only for their own races' survival!

P'ertaria got back to work, but knew the others must be wondering, even now, if she were friend... or foe?

=========

Silver Sentinel told P'ertaria of the P'utinarian who'd sacrificed himself so Steve could escape...

She nodded, head lowered. "Some of us would do anything to leave this solar system. Others would prefer to do what was right rather than serve our own interests. The Nazis are an evil we have difficulty comprehending. Our people would prefer to ignore the evidence their own eyes give them in return for the Lunarium and damn the consequences, not realising that the Nazis have no intention of keeping their side of the bargain. We are a dying race. We need to get back to the rest of our people, or we will steadily die out here in this backwater corner of the universe!"

She stood and changed the clothing on her human form to become a jumpsuit. It rippled, shifted and clothed her with a thought. "Time to go." she smiled. "If we don't explode on the launch pad of course!"

The pair joined the others outside where the dawn greeted them. The spacecraft looked battered, patched up, and dirt was etched deep into every panel join. In truth, it was a mess, but it was their only hope of getting into space! Colonel Haggard chomped on a cigar. "You know, this smacks a lot of comittin' suicide." he drawled, squinting at the thing. "Offers always open. Come work with us. Sooner or later we'll HAVE to get in the war, and we'll show you limeys how ta fight, eh Frostbite?"

American scientists flashed away with cameras and made constant notes whilst supplies of food, guns, ammunition and diving suits were loaded aboard the available rooms. With their superhuman strength the team would find carrying Diving helmets around cumbersome but not difficult, and they were the closest thing anyone had to a space suit!

=========

Finally, it was time...

The morning had dragged on, and finally preparations were as good as they'd ever be. The team strapped themselves in. Each had a role to play. Frostbite would cool several large hoses running through the room to keep the reactor temperature down, Lionheart would help with navigation and flying the vessel, whilst Silver Sentinel would use his ability to morph metal to 'weld' any seams that broke under pressure on the jury rigged frame that criss crossed the various rooms in the ship to hold the thing together. The crash landing should have destroyed the vessel but by some miracle it still had life in it, albeit for one last journey. Assuming it got off the floor without exploding!

Outside, the countdown was called out on a megaphone...

Flicking switches on several panels with her tendril arms and back in her native state, P'ertaria fired up the converters. Somewhere in the bowels of the ship an unhealthy sounding noise rang out, eliciting a wince from P'ertaria, before a rumble rang out and the few remaining lights in the place flickered into life, the rest run from a generator supplied by the Americans.

And then they were off!

Gs pressed them into their chairs, but the small crew were able to move without hindrance should they so desire by exerting some of their superhuman strength.

In minutes they were above the clouds, then the world turned dark outside and the gravity lightened. The ship compensated some, but that system was damaged too. "Oh no." said P'ertaria. She looked at a partially damaged flat panel screen. A corner had broken off, but the rest worked, and it showed the growing moon. A flick of a switch revealed something else - a flying saucer coming around the curve of the Earth right for them!

"I don't know who's in that - it's not P'utinarian!" she wailed. "And we have no weapons!"

OOC A UFO is approaching. You are around 3 hours away from the moon with this rustbucket in its current state, but that's still knocking on for 75,000mph! Any plan before the UFO intercepts?

Frostbite
Lionheart
Silver Sentinel
P'ertaria

Admin wrote:"I don't know who's in that - it's not P'utinarian!" she wailed. "And we have no weapons!"

OOC A UFO is approaching. You are around 3 hours away from the moon with this rustbucket in its current state, but that's still knocking on for 75,000mph! Any plan before the UFO intercepts?

OOC:

Ok I know our options are limited - in fact I'm thinking that our options are almost nill.

All I can think of is the following:

Lionheart can do Psi attacks at range or his duplicate can go outside and attack without worrying about the atmosphere? But only up to a distance of 20m!

Frostbite can fire on them, but again only up to a limited range and only form outside the ship - no idea if he can fire through a suit.

Other than that we've got the dark power or at least two of us have, but since that's been used recently not sure if we can go for that again, yet. And besides which I know its going to be a ever present temptation in the face of overwhelming odds to just go dark.

My other and most obvious thought is we go for the dupe by having P'etaria convince them we've lead the attack on Area 51 and decimated the people and retrieved the ship from the base, but its in bad shape. If they can offer us a lift with our 'vital' cargo to the moon? If we can get them close we may at worst still be able to attack?

======

Lionheart turned to P'ertaria, "Quick if you can get communications up to talk to them, perhaps we can convince them we're part of the group that attacked area 51. You've liberated this craft to bring meta human specimens for testing back on the moon."

Lionheart looked unsure and uncertainty to the others, Frostbite shrugged. "What choice do we have, at least if they get close we might yet be able to attack them if worst comes to worst." He nodded his approval as he let her set about trying to make a connection. Whilst the others ducked out of view, but within range of hearing what was going on.

OOC:

Have I missed anything.

NO worries about the posting rate, you don't need to apologise for a day or so, its if it goes on for a week without any idea that I get concerned ;-).

Sj

"Shame I cant breath in space ......... can you make a force field/air bubble around me? Im proberly to small to be picked up on their radar and lets see how well they can chase us with a whole in there hull or when I melt their engines, whatever I can do to get you guys to the moon. Like you said 'one way trip right'..........

As the rest of the crew turned at looked at the rookie Steve answered before they could

"yeah I know, stupid idea right? Steve looked down crossed arms like a child who had been told off.