World War II - The Vanguard Issue #3 - Operation Dynamo! Dunkirk group

Frostbite and Lionheart
Also:
Spartan
Boadicea
Anchor

Admin wrote:Boadicea pondered something, chin in hand, eyes narrowed. "I think Lionheart should put it on." she stated. Everyone turned in surprise! Boadicea shrugged. "Seriously, I think he should."

Frostbite looked across at this friend, wondering what he might make of this suggestion. But at Spartan's warning, he realised now wasn't the time. "Quick, we'll pull back for now, till we can get to a safer place."

Frostbite fully intended to let Lionheart decide, but he wanted to make sure if any happened, they were ready for it. Judging by the way he looked, Lionheart, more than any of them, needed some sort of effective defence or he and the other Psi agents where going to be in big trouble.

After withdrawing to a safer distance and explaining to the others his thinking, Frostbite handed back the skullcap device to Lionheart.

"My hesitation is partly based on my 'weakness' to all things gold. We'll that and I didn't want to turn on you all. At least if there is a problem, you can stop me before I do anything stupid." He smiled, but there was no humour in his smile.

"Here goes, everything!" He said to all and no one. Lowering the cap on his head and switching the belt on, he closed his eyes ready for anything, he hoped.

OOC:

Frostbite will have arranged the team around Lionheart, that in the event there is a problem, we can get ready to take off the device if need be. So Spartan is ready to grab the cap, whilst Boadicea, would be ready to switch off the energy source.

Anchor and Frostbite are ready to grab Lionheart in the event that he also resisted, holding his arms, after he places on the helmet.

Just to move things forward, if this is beneficial, then we need to take care of two things, 1) is to regroup with Hotshot and Sentinel and 2) is to take out these forces.

If this isn't beneficial, then we're on the back foot and as Spartan has suggested looking at a fall back plan of some sort.

Sj

Sentinel had finshed tying strips of hotshots uniform tight around the young mans wounds in attempt to stem the bleeding when

he heard shouts from somewhere behind him. Troops headed this way! If they found Hotshot like this, it would be a simple matter for them to put a bullet in his head!

'Bloody welcoming commity I bet'

"Come on lets get you out of here" Steve grunted as he through hotshot onto his shoulder and making a run for it in the opposite direction of the on coming troops

While on the run to no where in poticular Steve reached out with is mind

Frostbite......... Lionheart..........can you hear me? Where are you? Hotshot is down, I'll make my way to you. We need a plan B

Frostbite and Lionheart
Also:
Spartan
Boadicea
Anchor
Silver Sentinel
Hotshot

Having made their way deeper into the woods, the group heard distant shouts and random shots go off, along with the odd isolated BANG! as the Nazis thought to flush the group out of hiding.

Finally, with the heroes set around Lionheart, he placed the skullcap on his head.

There was... nothing.

"Strange." said Boadicea, "I'd have thought there'd be at least..."

ZEEEEACCCCKKKKK!!!!

The pack flashed, and the wire glowed white hot for an instant as it lit up the skull cap on Lionhearts' head! As the group rushed forward, he fell aside, unconscious!

"No! That shouldn't..." said Boadicea. Spartan turned on her. "You knew that would happen! Are you working for Bentham?"

Anchor whirled on the pair of them. "Are ye both workin' fer th' enemy? All ah know is, ya just got a man killed!"

Frostbite knelt by his friend. The skullcap was fried, smouldering. He felt... ah, a pulse. But it was weak!

"Listen!" said Spartan. "Do you hear that?"

The group looked up, and about. The shooting had stopped! In fact, the only sound to be heard was that of boot jets as Silver Sentinel ran from the trees, then changed direction to head towards the group whilst carrying Hotshot in his hands!

When he stopped, the group listened again. What had happened? There was deathly silence...

Boadicea broke the silence by moving alongside Lionheart and kneeling down next to him, checking his pulse and his eyes under the lids. "No.. I never meant..." she looked up towards the group. "He's in a coma!"

OOC Lionheart is comatose. His pulse rate is slow and weak, but steady. There are no sounds of shouting, guns going off or anything else in the forest, but it may be a Nazi trick? All the group is back together now...

Frostbite and Lionheart
Also:
Spartan
Boadicea
Anchor
Silver Sentinel
Hotshot

Admin wrote:OOC Lionheart is comatose. His pulse rate is slow and weak, but steady. There are no sounds of shouting, guns going off or anything else in the forest, but it may be a Nazi trick? All the group is back together now...[/i]

"Right now we need to get away and get Lionheart to safety. We've not the time or energy to second guess one another. Besides Lionheart knew the risks." Seeing the already wounded and exhausted Sentinel, Frostbite and the others didn't need to guess the half of what had gone one.

"Sentinel you can fill us in as to what happened," Frostbite gestured to the wounded Hotshot, "When we get to safety."

Frostbite scoured his thoughts for anything he might have seen that would be sufficiently removed from immediate danger to act as a place to hold up for now.

OOC: Ok first we go to ground and get somewhere safe and find out what has happened to Lionheart, do I know as the character what has gone on? Am i shut down on the outside but awake and conscious inside?

Once we've got the group to safety we can sort out what has gone on and find out what we might need to do next. I'd suggest one of the team acted as a scout except I'm not sure that anyone feels particularly trusting to the PSI agents at the present time. So I think we're going to have to just stay together as a group, I'll have Frostbite intangible and flying ahead to scout the way, but remain within ear shot if not sight.

Sj

Frostbite and Lionheart
Also:
Spartan
Boadicea
Anchor
Silver Sentinel
Hotshot

As Anchor and Silver Sentinel glanced at the two PSI Agents, wondering what to make of them, Frostbite flew on, intangible. Slightly unnerved by seeing Lionheart 'shut down' like that, he knew the chances of them making a dent in that Nazi force and that robot in particular were near zilch now. With half of the team beaten up, the other half untrustworthy, things looked as grim as ever!

By chance he soared over where Nazis were laying on the ground. Not crouching, or sniping, just sprawled, flat out, some at odd angles. He risked taking a closer look and landed.

Moments later, he confirmed his suspicions and spied on the robot and its convoy from above. The robot was still 'running' (as in engines going) but still leant over at an angle with trees resting against it.

Every single Nazi was on the ground, or lay where they'd been sat in a vehicle, and like the group he'd come across before, they had the same thing in common.

Brain dead.

Every single one of them!

Returning to the group, Frostbite now had other options. Aside from running with tail between legs and getting back to the lines, they'd - somehow - wiped out the entire convoy, all of whom had been wearing those skull caps to protect them from the intense mental rays coming from that metal monstrosity!

He looked at Lionheart. Had he known? It would be just like him to sacrifice himself so that the others could escape, but he was effectively the 'ace in the hole' of the Allies. Without him...?

========

He was in a dark place, without light, unclothed and feeling, if not afraid, somewhat lost

Richard King (Lionheart) knew what had happened - his interaction with the neural network had overloaded the devices and instantly shocked everyones brain completely stone dead, including his! Except... he wasn't dead, or didn't think he was...

OOC Lionhearts in a coma, but unlike the Nazis isn't completely brain dead. How he's going to recover is another matter though - that's if he CAN recover... You have more options - taking vehicles and equipment from the Nazis, shutting down, destroying or even trying to steal that robot, or leave a clear message for the Nazis, and a scene of death and devastation for them to find... Over to you

"You mean to tell me Lionheart unintentionaly wiped out all those gold device wearing goons?"

There was a moment of stillness as everyone just stood there reflecting on what just happened to Lionheart and his selfless act. It seemed like not even the birds made any noise for those few moments, as if almost a sign of respect for the brave man who lay so still on the ground.

Minutes later the team were discussing there next move.

"If theres one thing my old man taught me it was 'never leave an enemy structure or vehicle in tact'. I suggest we ether rig charges on the robot and all the vechicles and wait till the gerrys get here then BOOM we pop them like a boil" sentinel said with a smile on his face as the thought of using exsplovises flashed through his mind

"Or if you want to be namby pamby use your little 'hot wire' trick on the robot frostbite to return back to the Nazi HQ to report back, giving them false intel, and giving us inside infomation unknown to the enemy obviously..............then maybe blow them up??? Maybe???? ......................What?? Oh come on, cant we blow something up for once?"

Anchor
+
Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Lionheart (down)
Hotshot (down)

"Ah like th' way you think pal!" said the huge man, clapping a meaty hand lightly on Sentinels back. "Ye're could be onta somethin'. Ah wus thinkin' you go inside that thing an' melt it with ye're weird power, maybe."

Spartan spoke up "Regardless of whether you trust us or not, Boadicea and I have played our parts in this. I would suggest we move from here before the Nazis come to investigate why their entire task force has been wiped out!"

Hotshot woke then, still bleeding and battered, but he chuckled "We could blame it on Anyman. The Nazis have it in for him anyway, this would only 'increase his standing' with 'em *cough* "

Boadicea knelt beside him, then looked up and walked over to Frostbite. "He's dying. There is internal bleeding and unless he's operated on in the next hour or so, he WILL die."

Once more the weight of leadership lay on his shoulders. Boadicea frowned then "But..." she glanced at Sentinel. "He can help. If he can call the metal - in this case the bullet, from Hotshot we may get away with patching him up with a first aid kit, but he still needs medical attention, and those wounds need cleaning."

"Don't listen tae her, man!" growled Anchor, walking over, the ground thumping with every step. "It was her that suggested Lionheart put tha' thing on..."

Spartan moved to Boadiceas' defence "No one knew the ricks more than Lionheart! He saved all our lives - and countless others - with his sacrifice!"

"He's not bloody dead yet!" bellowed Anchor "But ye will be soon unless ah get some straight answers from ye're! Are you workin' wi' th' enemy?"

Spartan bristled, moved into a fighting stance, and narrowed his eyes. "You're calling me a traitor?"

Things looked about to kick off!

=========

Elsewhere: "ETA 5 minutes" said the pilot

The PSI Agent stood next to the pilots shoulder nodded, looking through the viewscreen. Bentham had given his orders, the target was down and to be retrieved! He looked back at the rest of those in head to toe black, the latest iteration of Benthams' PSI Agent cloning process, and with a few special modifications made, it was clear that they'd have no trouble retrieving that which would give them even MORE power...

Anchor
+
Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Lionheart (down)
Hotshot (down)

Admin wrote:Spartan moved to Boadiceas' defence "No one knew the risks more than Lionheart! He saved all our lives - and countless others - with his sacrifice!"

"Ok pipe down team. In one sense we've already done more than we hoped for. This was a serious setback, but we're already down several team members, so we owe it to our fallen to get them back safe. Sentinel, see what you can do to render that robot to scrap, if there is anything our boys can use, then lets get it. But first see what you can do to get that bullet out. I'll call for the ship."

There was a bitter taste in Frostbite's mouth, he hated to leave the bunker untouched; its secrets undiscovered. But he knew, with half their number already dangerously close to death he'd turning this into a suicide mission.

They'd done well, but the Psi team were close to Lionheart, this seemed to be hitting them as bad as everyone else. The team needed some sort of down time to cool their heals and get things sorted out. They were all tired and stressed and being aggressive, suspicious and scared.

"Spartan get what you can of those skull caps, our guys might as well take a look at them, Boadicea bring Lionheart with you. Lets stay alert folks who knows what the Nazi's might still have ready to throw at us. Anchor I want you to go with Sentinel make sure he doesn't blow himself up."

=====
Meanwhile John looked about the darkened atmosphere of the space he occupied. Was this some sort of extension of his consciousness? Was there some way he could break free. "Saladin!" He shouted at the top of his voice, repeating the name with more urgency, "SALADIN!, CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

He didn't fancy staying here too long, that much was for sure, since he was in a place where within his mind, perhaps it was with his mind he could shape the world in which he found himself and begin to see if he could find a way out.

Sitting down he focused, bringing his mind to bear on what he saw about him, trying to do what always had come naturally to him, through his Psi programming. And to reach out through the one aspect that has been the true source of his power, his mind.

OOC:

Ok trying not to meta game here, but if Bentham arrives, I am so tempted to go apocolyptic on him. Talk about from the frying pan into the furnace.

Anyway Lionheart is trying all he can even within his 'civilian' identity to break out.

Meanwhile Frostbite will try and keep an eye on things getting everyone to keep busy, doing things until the ship arrives. We've got to get out, the Justicars need to be got out, if they are going to survive. But we'll all be on our guard as well, we know that things won't last long, this trap, as it now seems to have been, could still have a nasty surprise or two.

Hope you get a good break mate, wow what a place to leave things. Do email us when you're back for some reason the notification isn't always getting through.

Sj

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (down)
Hotshot (down)


OOC last update before I'm away!

'We have several down, including Lionheart, and need extraction.' thought frostbite to General Wynn.

'Despite that, you've done well Joe. We have reports from the front line that those bloody great robots were turning tanks and men into fragments, and worse - that those who got close to any Nazi soldiers fell back, completely befuddled! To be honest I'm relying on second hand sources who are reporting as fast as they can, and we here at Bletchley intercept it. I've ordered Guillotine and Frostbot to home in on your location immediately, and put aside what they're doing.' replied General Wynn inside Frostbite and Silver Sentinels minds. In his office in Bletchley, he stared vacantly ahead whilst pointing to a map of Belgium. His finger strayed steadily over the map and stopped at a point in the Ardennes forest. "There." he told Forbes and Dawson, stood nearby. Slobotham came up, scribbled a few notes and went to the radio room to contact the ship. "Remarkable." said Dawson. "Never known anything like this! Even with all that's coming out about super humans and what they can do, this, over a thousand miles away, beggars belief!"

"Quiet!" hissed Wynn, ignoring rank. "I'm concentrating!"

Suitably chastised Dawson sat down, sheepishly sipping from a mug of tea.

'I'm going to try and make contact with Lance. Knowing him he's got the whole bloody German army right on his tail, laughing manically and showering them with Shakespearian prose! One day that boy will get into serious trouble, I know it! Slobbies told the ship your coordinates, en route, should be there in minutes. Sit tight. Wynn out.'

=========

Lionheart was still alone in the darkness...

He sat, running through what had happened. He'd been, quite literally, the spanner in the Nazis neural net works. When he'd joined their little networked group to spread the power of the neural jammer, he'd sent a 'reverse pulse' through the network. He figured it best by visualising it as a pond with ripples going outwards, until he, a big rock, was dropped in and sent waves, not ripples, in every direction! The result? Everyone - including him - had been battered by neural waves!

But now what?

=========

Boadicea called out "Frostbite! Come quickly!"

Lionheart was stirring! "Ohhh..." he groaned, clutching his head.

The others gathered about, seeing that he was nearing consciousness now but would need medical attention. Sentinel had used his power to draw the bullets out of Hotshot, and Boadicea was patching him up as best she could. Sentinel sped off to the robot, ignoring the multitude of Nazis laying prone, brain dead, and made light work of the robots joints, melting them completely so that it would not walk or move its arms again, nor could it move it's head! At random points he broke down the molecular structure of the robots outer skin, making it ooze like candle wax, then harden.

He stood back, admiring his handiwork. Well, it wouldn't win any prizes or sculpting, but it would do the trick! He got back to the others, aware the ship was en route to retrieve them. He landed as the others were gathered around Lionheart, and moved over to see what was up.

With blurred vision Lionheart looked through his eyes at the others. The light was blinding, and instantly gave him a skull splitting headache!

"أين أنا؟ ماذا حدث؟" said 'Lionheart'.

The team gaped! Spartan muttered "That's Arabic! What on earth..."

OOC Ok Dave, I know you like the odd challenge or two SALADIN is in charge of Lionhearts body right now! He's selfish, immoral, arrogant, ruthless and to top it all has a strange sense of honour about him. Think Slaymaster from Captain Britain comics and you won't be far wrong (google him for more info if need be). For now he's in the driving seat for Lionheart, so if you want me to run him as an NPC, fine, otherwise feel free to run him, Saladin wouldn't be the type to take orders or a team player though, so just bear that in mind...

==========

On board the incoming craft with Benthams PSI Agents...

"Scan indicates another incoming space faring vessel. Signature code is that which was hijacked by the British!" exclaimed the helmsman. "Orders?"

"Engage" said the lead PSI Agent, clad in all black. He noticed an alarm on the dash of the space jet. "What's that?"

The Helmsman frowned. "I don't know. Some kind of glitch? It can't be right. We have only half a dozen vessels of Theta class - like that which was stolen - thanks to the Skralls being less than generous. And yet.. these readings show that there are thousands... heading towards the Earth!"

"We're being tricked!" exclaimed the agent.

The helmsman didn't look so sure... "Incoming missile from space!" he screamed

=========

The Vanguards vessel homed in on the site for pick up...

The Vanguard readied their wounded for transport, then looked up as they heard the roar of rockets above the clouds... There was another ship!

Frostbite and Sentinel shielded their eyes against the sun, and saw the newcomers ship was smaller than their own, but more sleek, warlike! Just then a bright flaring light shone behind it...

And an explosion filled the sky, buffeting them with a wave of force! The other vessel was gone, mere fragments clattering down to Earth amidst a rain of fire! Before anyone could react to that, they saw another bright light burst through the clouds... another missile, head straight for the ship!

Spartan shouted "What's happening? Are the Nazis firing on their own or..."

"Or the Skralls have decided to take what the Nazis were giving them, peace meal!" declared Boadicea. "If the ship moves, that missile will strike us!"

The missile blasted down, only seconds away!

OOC See you on the 3rd August...

OCC: OWW you cant leave it like that, you just cant. Talk about a cliff hanger

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (down)
Hotshot (down)

Admin wrote:OOC Ok Dave, I know you like the odd challenge or two SALADIN is in charge of Lionhearts body right now! He's selfish, immoral, arrogant, ruthless and to top it all has a strange sense of honour about him. Think Slaymaster from Captain Britain comics and you won't be far wrong (google him for more info if need be). For now he's in the driving seat for Lionheart, so if you want me to run him as an NPC, fine, otherwise feel free to run him, Saladin wouldn't be the type to take orders or a team player though, so just bear that in mind...

Even as the missile came in, Frostbite knew they had little choice, the ship had to be sacrificed. "Frostbot, take defensive action, see if you can blast that missile out of the sky"

Meanwhile Saladin was still adjusting to the change that had resulted in him being dominant. But looking at the oncoming missile it seemed his victory was going to be short lived. He had far too much to accomplish, not least of all killing Bentham. Honour demanded the man pay his debt's.

Tentatively Saladin, reached out a hand, toward the missile, he was weak and he knew it but if he could switch off the guidance or tamper with the propulsion, anything he might be able to yet save the day.

OOC:

Long shot time, but since everything is changed, not sure what to do here.

Ok I guess this might mean the ship is going down? Not sure if that is the case or not so we'll take defensive options as our first recourse. See if we can't try either to blast the missile out of space. Alternatively Frostbot got that anti grave, grave beam going, maybe we can use that to knock it away? Or can we teleport it so its back out in space?

Saladin, meanwhile will try to use his mind powers to fiddle with the components within to try and see if he can't change or disarm the device.

On a separate note I was wondering what I should do with Saladin. If he isn't one to take orders he's going to quickly come unstuck, which makes me think that he might well just strike out on his own. I can imagine him trying to either vie for leadership and when that doesn't work, I imagine him leaving and becoming a one man nuisance to Bentham and his co-horts and trying to complete his intended mission of capturing and putting him on trial.

I say this because I'd really rather not do this with Lionheart, but equally I don't want to go anywhere without him, and if Saladin is in charge I'm trying to work out what logically he should be doing.

Anyway hope holiday went well.

Sj

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (Saladin in charge)
Hotshot (down)


"Taking defensive action sir." announced Frostbot. "Deploying flares and countermeasures. Unfortunately this vessel is hampered greatly in atmosphere. All of its systems are geared towards working in zero G environments."

"dinnae tell us wha' you canna do robot! Do wha' you can! An' quick!" spluttered Anchor.

Saladin reached out with his mind. Instinctively he knew that with Lionhearts body he could save himself, but not save the others! It would be childs play to throw all of his mental abilities into a multi layered force field that would bend with the explosive impact, rather than resist it and shatter. He would be battered, thrown clear and possibly rendered unconscious, but better that than the fate of the others! He chuckled as he realised it would give him a tactical advantage, Trowers and Bentham believing he was dead. Then he remembered they wanted him alive, and the question raised itself - who was trying to kill them now? He thrust a hand out, waiting for the missile to come within range, even as the ship spat round after round of explosive shells into the air to clatter harmlessly against the deadly projectile! Saladin would have one shot at this, then...

Silver Sentinel wondered if his power would somehow be able to deflect this missile... Frostbite thought about using his cold...

And there wasn't enough time!

The Vanguard watched as the missile homed in on them via the screens on the bridge of their ship... Then, suddenly, there appeared another being between them and the missile!



"WARNING!" blurted the Frostbot. "CLASS 5 HUMANOID OF UNSPECIFIED ORIGIN IN CLOSE PROXIMITY!!!"

"Now what?" muttered Spartan, though in truth he could tell that this was no mere enhanced Nazi agent.

The missile struck the woman - if that was what she was - in the back... and winked out of existence!

Suddenly she disappeared again... and appeared on the bridge of the ship!

She looked slowly about, even as the Vanguard wondered what this new threat represented! Saladin felt something very alien about her, and the merest probe of her mind sent him backwards a step or two! Her eyes rested on Frostbite and Silver Sentinel.

"I bring a warning. Your world is about to become the battleground of the cosmos! However, that is not the true threat! The stone you call 'lunarium' is highly prized, and the presence of cosmic deities such as yourselves has attracted the attention of higher powers, that will test even your limits!" she said, without speaking, though all on the bridge - human and skrall alike - heard the words.

"The devourer is coming."

'Our brother saw this one only a short time ago.' said the dark power inside Frostbite and Sentinels' heads. 'There must be truth in her words. We feel it. Your mortal forms may yet be too weak to wield the full power we wield, but there may be no other choice but to call on it anyway! Even the shadows will retreat in the face of this new threat, to plan and plot anew in another place once the Earth is a barren rock!'

"Heed your others, Vanguardians. The sands of time run out for humanity. Your petty dreams of empire and ruling over one another will blind you to the true danger - extinction as a race!" said the woman.

Then she vanished!

Spartan looked over at the monitors. "No sign of her... or the missile. What do you make of that?"

OOC As far as Saladin goes, there'll soon be a time when Lionheart can attempt to to wrest control of his body again from his former foe. Just play Saladin as a more ruthless, cunning version of Lionheart for now, both in word and deed. When the time comes to test who wins the contest of wills, it'll come down to a simple roll, which I know you love doing with your 'lucky' dice


Boadicea checked the scanners again. "Long range scans show the Nazis have stopped their assault on the Dunkirk force by land, but air assaults are hammering them! If you want to help them, we should get moving, but what can us few do against an entire army?"

'The human female is right!' uttered the Dark Power inside. 'For too long the power has threatened to overwhelm you and crash like a wave over your weak human wills! But the longer we co-exist, the more your body adapts. Perhaps though... perhaps it is we who should also temper our power, work in concert with you.'

Another of the voices spoke in Silver Sentinel and Frostbites heads. 'A threat greater than the Shadow Demons taking over all of reality is inconceivable. But this 'Devourer' sounds like a threat that could bring terror on a scale unimaginable! The shadow demons would merely have to feed on the fear of those doomed to die, and their power would grow beyond reckoning, so long as they stayed a step ahead of this cosmic force and did not themselves become victim to its power! We have perhaps been guilty of colossal arrogance, looking down upon your puny mortal forms and considering them unworthy of the power we grant, when instead we should work to bring you up whilst bringing ourselves down, to meet in the middle. It is something we should think on...'

Anchor sagged into a chair. "Ah cannae understan' this. if tha' weren't a Nazi, who were it? An' who's this Devourer bloke? Seems we're beset on all sides an' all too few. Ach, we're all droppin' like bloody flies!"

Boadicea repeated again. "What do we do? Head to the front to tackle the Nazi army or continue to evacuate men from the beaches? Or do we head into space to find out who launched those attacks? And what do we do about his... Devourer?"

Frostbite and Silver Sentinel looked at one another. The fate of humanity seemed, all of a sudden, to rest on their shoulders!

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (Saladin in charge)
Hotshot (down)

Admin wrote:Boadicea repeated again. "What do we do? Head to the front to tackle the Nazi army or continue to evacuate men from the beaches? Or do we head into space to find out who launched those attacks? And what do we do about his... Devourer?"

Frostbite and Silver Sentinel looked at one another. The fate of humanity seemed, all of a sudden, to rest on their shoulders!

OOC: Is there such a thing as too much choice ;-). Welcome back Paul.

====

Frostbite considered matters for the moment, he was concerned that their presence within the ship might draw further unfriendly fire toward them and their allies, wherever they went. But unless he saw further proof of that, he had to assume that they had their orders and they were to stop what was going on here. Still at the back of his mind it nagged him, what was beneath that bunker, he'd seen earlier. But now wasn't the time to deal with it.

"We have to stop that Dunkirk force being pummelled back to the stone age. So lets head there, we can see what is what from here. Take long range scans, to give us an accurate picture."

Meanwhile Saladin, sat with a sneer on his face, now was the perfect time to jump ship. But without the tactical advantage he was hoping to ring from the situation, he knew he might well be captured too quickly. What to do, he knew the others were simple to busy to stop to question him, but delaying leaving would only permit more time for questions to come.

He had to bid his time, play nice, at least for now.

OOC:

Ok the one downside to this plan is that only a few of us can fly, so I might need the ship to drop the others off and get them to help the rescue efforts on the ground, whilst we continue to fight from the air.

I suggest that when we are close enough, the fliers among us disembark to draw attention away from the ship and the ground, if we give them more than one target, that might give the ground forces a reprieve that they need.

Sj

OOC: Welcome back mate, trust alls well?

The fate of humanity seemed, all of a sudden, to rest on their shoulders!.

not for the first time eh?

Sounds like a good plan about the flyers SJ, priority number one should always think of others before your self in this case the rescue efforts on the ground. Which reminds me (1,2,3 everybody................)
no one said being a hero was easy

that should be our moto

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (Saladin in charge)
Hotshot (down)


Without further delay, the ship spun on its axis and headed towards the front lines, those on board nervously watching the skies via the scanners and screens. The only thing that was clear was that this was no longer about the ambitions of Adolph Hitler and the third Reich alone. There were powers yet to be revealed, and the Vanguard knew that when they were, they would face the biggest challenge of their lives!

Frostbite knew that whatever was in that bunker would have to wait. In his gut, he felt that the Nazis would realise it would be compromised, but there was little he could do about them packing up and leaving an empty facility behind!

=========

Allied Lines, fighting a rearguard action against Stukas and Ju88 bombers...

The Captain swore, then reached for the field telephone, snatching it from the hands of the operator. "We need air support! Bloody well now! We're being chopped to pieces down here! They are buzzing about us like hornets! About the only thing that went right was those bloody robots stopped marching at us! Keep getting men off the beaches but get us air support! Now!" he was about to add more, when the operator pointed...

The silver disc shaped craft rumbled through the sky, ungainly but at least as fast as even the modified Nazi bombers, what with their add on jet pods and armour churning munitions! As it soared over Nazi lines, rail guns mounted all about it sliced into the canvas and aluminium frames of the bombers, sending several spiralling towards the ground in flames! Their payloads shook the ground and filled the air with thunder, scattering some of their own forces as well as leaving vast craters in the floor!

=========

On Board the Vanguards' craft...

The heroes looked on the screens. The air was buzzing with Nazi bombers, picking off the valiant rearguard at will! The Nazi forces were vast - a sea of dark grey dug in and shielded behind armoured divisions which fired long range guns at the Allied forces. Long range scan showed the beaches were still being evacuated at Dunkirk, though it was in danger of becoming a massacre should the rearguard fail!

The minefield they'd laid for tanks and those huge robots would slow down the Nazi advance - the robots could more or less ignore the explosives, but the churned up ground would make things very difficult indeed. Plus of course, they needed to be close to use their neural jammers now that the third corner of their deadly triangle of doom had been taken out of commission!

Things were far from decided though!

Spartan turned "We're taking fire. Ten.. no... fourteen fighter planes in pursuit. Rail guns are targeting... Their bullets have scored hits on the aft. The shields appear to absorb kinetic energy, but the drain on power is massive. We can speed up, but that would leave the rearguard defenceless. ETA 5 minutes to the beach. We have soldiers to drop off. Orders?"

Frostbite glanced at Sentinel. Anchor looked ready for a fight, Boadicea was strapping on Nazi machine guns and a jet pack. Spartan was coordinating the ship based assault, and Saladin?

Who knew what suited Saladin? He was single minded and selfish, but for now, Frostbite hoped their cause suited his purpose, and that somehow Lionheart would come to the fore again. He knew all about conflicting personalities, and didn't envy the power struggle going on in that head! If only there were some way to help Lionheart!

'Lionheart has an immense will. Saladin is near his equal. But if he tires, perhaps from exhausting his mental abilities, we know that he needs a little time to recover, like a sprinter after a race. If there's any chance of getting back in control, it must be then!' said Joseph Rigdon, the Frostbite of the future inside Joe Hoskyns head! The young American glanced at Saladin. Possessed of superhuman senses, Saladin turned and smiled at Frostbite, though without warmth or humour!

Boadicea was armed to the teeth, strapping on a string of stick grenades supplied by fallen Nazis. "We need to give the Nazis something to think about other than the rearguard. The Royal Air Force will be out of fuel if they get over here, so the rearguard needs to be given time to get to the beaches where the Allied air support can help."

Silver Sentinel felt sure his metal morphing power could be of great use. A single shot with that would reduce a planes engine to useless metal sludge, but getting close enough was the problem! The Nazis buzzed about at several hundred miles an hour, faster than his top speed by some margin!

Spartan cursed, then called over "We have a new problem. Intercepted radio communications reveal that all available Nazi superhumans be diverted to the front to help press with the attack. We have no idea of knowing when or where it'll come, but they are on their way!"

From the sickbay Guillotine reported "We have wounded that need dropping off! Can someone tell me what's going on up there?"

The ship shook as an Me109 smacked into the side of it!

"No structural damage, but we lost rail gun 17 on the port side! repair crews on their way!" shouted Spartan.

Looking at a map of the battlefield, Frostbite could see they were in a tight spot!



OOC Red=Nazis. The two red dots are the Nazi giant robots with supporting armoured divisions and soldiers. Their plan had been for the third robot to join the assault, the two on the field to walk at top speed and move to the left and right of the allies, then the third come up in the middle and rear to form a triangle. Then they would, quite simply, turn the brains off of all in the deadly triangle! The Green are the Allied forces, the blue circle the current location of the Vanguards ship. Not shown are hundreds of Nazi aeroplanes in the skies above the Allied Rearguard. Also the rearguard are dropping mines and laying barbed wire behind them as best they can to slow the pursuit, but have been told to hold at all costs! It's a suicide mission for them, unless the Vanguard can help! Into that deadly mix will come some of the Nazis superhumans - those too slow to get to Berlin under their own power who've been ordered to turn around.

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (Saladin in charge)
Hotshot (down)

Admin wrote:OOC Red=Nazis. The two red dots are the Nazi giant robots with supporting armoured divisions and soldiers. Their plan had been for the third robot to join the assault, the two on the field to walk at top speed and move to the left and right of the allies, then the third come up in the middle and rear to form a triangle. Then they would, quite simply, turn the brains off of all in the deadly triangle! The Green are the Allied forces, the blue circle the current location of the Vanguards ship. Not shown are hundreds of Nazi aeroplanes in the skies above the Allied Rearguard. Also the rearguard are dropping mines and laying barbed wire behind them as best they can to slow the pursuit, but have been told to hold at all costs! It's a suicide mission for them, unless the Vanguard can help! Into that deadly mix will come some of the Nazis superhumans - those too slow to get to Berlin under their own power who've been ordered to turn around.

Frostbite took in the others as he issued his orders, "Spartan, you and Anchor get to help on beaches, take the ship and do what you can there, then get the ship out of here, she'll only prove a distraction and a target.

The rest of us get out there, we might not have speed but we can make a lot of noise and draw a lot of attention, but few of us are totally bullet proof. So it goes without saying to be careful. We're going to have to be creative, use our size against them. Get on a plane, and crash it into another, or at those robots you get the idea. I buy the first round to the person whose more creative." Frostbite finished with a dry laugh. Utterly devoid of humour.

At this point even Saladin looked interested. Truth be told there was no gain for him whatsoever in this endeavour, he admired the honourable qualities that he saw in the team, but he had no use for them. Bentham and his lackies was his single purpose as far as he was concerned. And yet, yet could he honestly walk away from this and let these people die? That he even had to ask the question surprised him. But then another thought worked its way into his mind. If he could get aboard the Robots, without loosing his mental abilities, might he be able to find out more from the commanders there? Possible read their minds and find out where Bentham might be? Right now he had little else to go on, so he thought it might be worth it. Standing up he said, in his gentle Arabic voice, "I do not drink you're alcohol and your tea tastes like dirt, but I accept!"

OOC:

Ok so lets get to it, if there is anyway we can maximise our advantages and use them to leverage against the enemy so be it. We won't try to fly to them but draw them to us.

Frostbite will become intangible act as bait so the others can swoop in when they try to blast him, and so on.

Sj

"I do not drink you're alcohol and your tea tastes like dirt, but I accept!"

"I'll drink his share then" sentinel smiled, the first time in a while people believed it to be genuine, as he started to form his suit back on leaping out off the craft via the boarding ramp even before his jet boots were finished forming.

With a twin flash of replusion jets firing up a couple feet below all you could fainly hear from the silver sentinel was

FOR ENGLAND AND KING GEORGE

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (Saladin in charge)
Hotshot (down)


"Wha' th'...?" spluttered Anchor. "nae way man ah'ma stayin' outta this feight!" he spluttered (OOC and I'm sure my 'scottish accent' is getting worse...)

Spartan answered him. "We have our orders. Is saving the lives of British soldiers less important than you seeking glory on the battlefield?"

"Wha...? Ye canna speak tae me like..." replied Anchor, before his voice trailed off. "Ah don't like it, but ah'll do it."

Guillotine came up from the medical centre. "Hotshot is stable. He would have been handy in this fight, but we'll have to make do." she took a jet pack and strapped it on, the Skralls handing them out from captured Nazis.

Frostbot stepped up "It may be possible to change the munitions of the rail gun to fire a wide dispersal shot. Even with the reduced range they should penetrate the primitive aircraft used by the Nazis. They have, it seemed, made them faster and with greater firepower, but without thought for manoeuvring or pilot protection."

As the most powerful Vanguardian in the current state Saladin had considered his options. For now it suited him to stay with the group and help out, but his mission remained uppermost in his mind.

Vengeance.

Boadicea pulled up her pistols, checked the ammunition in each and nodded. "Let's get on with it!"

=========

The hatch opened in the belly of the spacecraft as the Vanguardian ship made its way towards distant Dunkirk

Those equipped with jet packs spilled out first, whilst those able to fly under their own power followed close behind...

And the world became a riotous maelstrom of bullets, screaming engines and flashing scenery!

Silver Sentinel was, at first, bewildered! The sky was full of diving and whirling Nazi planes! The Stuka dive bombers aimed at the forces on the ground and dropped devastating bombs - some were explosive, others appeared to be gas payloads!

The reason why became apparent as high flying squadrons of Nazi bombers used the smoke as markers to drop hundreds of explosives from on high using advanced targeting systems brought from the future!

Frostbite, intangible knew they would have their work cut out. The Vanguard were so few, and could only hope to chip away at the Nazis forces... it was like trying to hold back the sea with a bucket!

'Then don't try. Call on me. Together, we can find some compromise. The risks are great - there is much... fear... terror... pain... that remains tantalisingly delicious to me. Do not judge me mortal, I am what I am. Instead, consider this. Whilst your wrestle with your conscience the men you have been assigned to protect die in droves.' said the voice in Frostbites head. From where he flew, Silver Sentinel heard it too, and knew it applied to him also, though Frostbite, having the benefit of three consciousnesses in his head seemed better suited to call on the dark power. As usual though, there was the issue of cost...

Was it a price worth paying?

Planes zipped past, as close as several hundred metres away. The Vanguard spread out, using their unique powers and abilities as best they could...

Boadicea and Guillotine were expert shots, able to hit what they shot at, but their weapons were of too small a calibre to do anything save punch a hole through what they struck! Occasionally though, a shot through the cockpit or the engine sent a plane screaming to its doom!

Silver Sentinel found it hard to track the aircraft, so instead let them come at him! His energy blasts tore wings away, whilst his metal morphing power caught the merest sniff of the metal components of a plane that passed too close and had rivets turn to liquid, engine components ooze like wax... with the resulting fiery inferno as a plane smashed into the ground!

Frostbite turned tangible enough to freeze propellers and tails of planes, able to bring down one, then another plane. The dive bombers were easiest to target - they would set up their runs and dive straight down with that terrifying whine of the engines accompanying the deadly attack! Even so, he found his energies running low after taking out only a few targets... he was, unfortunately, still 'only human' though a normal human would of course see him as much more!

Saladin was the most successful. He sped through the sky, punching through any aircraft in this path, able to fly amidst a squadron and tear off a chunk of wing here, smash a cockpit there. He revelled in the power that Lionheart had with his body, a power that represented the ultimate evolution of the super soldier! Burning wreckage fell from the sky where he flew, and the others wondered if he were enjoying it - perhaps a bit too much!

Even for him though, there were limits, and the sky seemed full as even more planes joined in.

The pounding of long range guns on the ground was something the Vanguard could do little about - unless they wanted to take on an entire army!

Still, their valiant efforts were not going unnoticed. Brave reporters took pictures and filmed the action in the skies above Belgium as the morning wore on. After the previous few days headlines declaring "Gods walk among us!" and "Nazis have super agents! Heaven help us!" they would - at last - be able to shine a ray of hope to the people of Britain with pictures and words describing the heroic deeds of the few against the many. The world was changing so fast it seemed impossible for the Allies to keep up, and the tide of Nazism seemed destined to wash over the shores of Britain and flood the land with its evil regime!

Each Vanguardian had been issued with a radio unlike any seen in this era. Small, compact and worn on the belt, a wire trailed from it into a discrete ear piece and a microphone pinned to the collar. The range was limited to a mile or so, but the signal was encoded and not easily broken. Frostbot had, it seemed, been busy, and the Skralls seemed happy enough to help with the construction of the half dozen or so devices which looked crude but worked well.

"I'm running low on Ammo and we've barely made a dent!" shouted Boadicea over the radio. "And there's worse to come! Look!"

Those able to look where she pointed saw a cloud of black dots approaching in the sky. Nazi jet pack troopers in their scores! "We finally made a nuisance of ourselves enough for them to deal with us!" said Guillotine, grim.

Up and down the field of battle, the Vanguard could see they were affecting only a tiny area. Despite all their powers, their skills, their bravery, they were few against a legion of merciless, well armed foes!

OOC This isn't the sort of fight where initiative would be rolled and frames declared - the group would be using most of their frames moving anyway. That said, they are making a difference, but in the grand scheme of things those Nazi bombers will flatten the Allied resistance and clear the path to the sea for the main landbound army to smash the BEF unless the Vanguard have any bright ideas...

The Vanguard

Frostbite
Spartan
Silver Sentinel
Boadicea
Anchor
Lionheart (Saladin in charge)
Hotshot (down)

Admin wrote:'Then don't try. Call on me. Together, we can find some compromise. The risks are great - there is much... fear... terror... pain... that remains tantalisingly delicious to me. Do not judge me mortal, I am what I am. Instead, consider this. Whilst your wrestle with your conscience the men you have been assigned to protect die in droves.'

Deep within Frostbite considered as he continued to fight away. "I hear you, but as always I am uncertain as to how greater a control I can exert to blend what you can bring with what we need. I still carry the terrifying memories of what you sister and brother did, when fully unleashed. I do appreciate you are what you are and its a credit to you all that despite this you seek a better and nobler purpose for your power. But we both know that once we make that decision its has costs for us all."

Looking for Saladin, Frostbite motioned, "See our friend isn't unlike us. His alter ego empowered him and now has the upper hand. Both set out to do the right thing but one has far less conscience than the other about how to go about it. But the other has to live with the consequences. The cost to these human frames and the people we are carries on whenever you occupy another body. If we let you loose, at what cost not only to us, but ultimately to you who has several consciences to deal with not just the one. I am not afraid to pay the price, I will do what is necessary, but will you? Will you show restraint so that both this body and this mind will not be reduced to ash and you must start over again, occupying yet another form, but with the additional burden of my souls. The price for avoiding that is equally high, restraint, discipline, focus. High prince you are a leader, but I am a soldier, can you must the control and the cost of a good soldier as well as of a good leader?"

Frostbite didn't know that Joe was subtly suggesting the words he spoke, until that final challenge came forth. Truth was they knew they're backs were against the walls. The impact they were having was minimal and the other supers were yet to arrive. Despair had begun to weaken Joseph's resolve, Joe had to take the upper hand. Now both struggled with the tremendous temptation to use the power within, but could Joe exert the same sort of control he had used in previous times, this time. Would he be able to use the power to attack the Nazi's or would he end up sinking the whole continent? He had to know, the Shadows needed them, but he needed to know that he'd rather die that cause untold destruction just to win!

Meanwhile Saladin, continued to ripe through ships as they passed, revealing in his power. "Agent king I helped you out and to think you've been peddling about when we could have gotten on with the real mission. Had you left these war games, " he spat the word out in disgust, "we might have got to Bentham and his lackeys and stopped all this needless bloodshed. As it is, now I can show us the way."

Looking down Saladin could see the large robots below, he swooped lower. Using the momentum of the plans he allowed himself to descend where he could ascertain what was going on. He even began to direct the plan wreckage against them. He was close, but had no desire to come within the range of their nullifying powers. He'd not only die from the fall, but be rendered useless and that wouldn't do.

OOC:

Ok I know there is a cost, but in game terms or otherwise what are we talking about here as a result using the dark power and how can I get Sentinel to stay in control. No offence Ross, but you character would find it even harder than mine does already.

Second can Saladin find out if the robots are transmitting and use the plane wreckage to bombard the troops and robots of that whole area.

Sj

OOC: Your quite right Dave, plus I dont think Jenson would want to use it just yet (next time maybe -if we make it that is) and prob ask you to use it instead. Although Jenson has learned alot and grown since then, he knows now its about the bigger picture- like when he used the dark powers last time yes he would of stop the war and potentionally all wars to come but at what cost.

I didnt think sentinel could keep up with the planes anyway and I was going to suggest let the planes come to me as well.

IC: 'How long can we keep this up?' Jenson thought

He then stretched out with his mind and made the pysic link once again

'What are you thinking my friend, they seem to just keep coming.'almost knowing the answer already

OOC:

Paul I can see you've gone to a whole lot of trouble and this makes this even tougher, but you and I know how bad my dice rolling consistently is. I just don't fancy my chances with this mate, nor the risk of killing everyone and having that on my conscience.

Lets run the numbers hypothetically:
Ok I will stick to low numbers (what else can I do, even my ego is low!)

so I choose 2, 1d20+12=1d20+12=14 True to form as usual. So here is the dark points I choose: 2d10=13

So with the Dark prince saying having an average ego of say 15 or 16 maybe (unlikely more likely to be 20 or something) +2 +1d20 1d20+15+2=37 Oh dear I am beaten in the first round and everyone gets wiped out.

I read this through and thought I have to stay low to win, and second I don't know (but I can guess) what will happen if I loose control.

So there you go, my first roll and I failed, I know if I were playing this for real, it might not happen in the first a whole round, but it will happen pretty quickly and then I'd have wiped everyone out and I'd feel terrible let alone my character.

I can't speak for Ross/Sentinel but we're going to have to fight this one the old fashioned way and then when I've got nothing left see where we go from there.

But I'd rather fight honourably and see people die trying, than me be the means of their destruction - hence the whole speech thing.

I hope you read this right and don't think I am just being awkward, by rolling the numbers above you can see even choosing a low number I'd have failed on the very first roll. And for all my trouble when I rolled those 2d10 I got 13 points. Measly, I couldn't have even upgraded a single power.

So sorry mate, I am not being funny without crunching the numbers (something I'm not good at anyway, so I might have got something wrong here) and I am not trying to be difficult, honest. Just trying to play with integrity as a player and a character.

Lets fight on, till the end. Thanks mate.

Sj

Admin wrote:OOC Thing you misunderstood (and maybe that I wasn't clear). The 'Ego' of the Dark Power is the number you choose, from 2 upwards, so it doesn't have an Ego score as such until you state how much power you're wanting to attain. Obviously your lousy rolls ( ) are getting legendary by now, but the math would be:

Frostbites Ego (12) +1d20

Vs

<Number of Dark Power Points you want, a number from 2 upwards> +1D20

That's for the first check.

Assuming you use all the points up (or they fade), to get more the contest becomes:


Frostbites Ego (12) +1d20

Vs

<Number of Dark Power Points you want, a number from 2 upwards> + number of rounds using the Dark Power previously + 1D20

Example:

Frosty wants 6 points (6D10) of Dark power to use. Contest is Frostbites Ego (12)+ 1D20 vs 6 (no of Dark power points you want to use) + 1D20. If Frosty gets higher, he can use the power. If he doesn't the Dark Power takes over

Rolling 2 for you and 20 for the other guy will always go bad (!) but I'm considering the Hero Point use of being able to reroll your die for a Hero point. Make more sense?

yeah I hear you but in my previous example the roll would still be 24 v my 14 I'd have lost having chosen 2 points. I see I got it wrong, but the point I'm making is still right - lousy rolls = bad all round. If I choose more than 2 points and still get lousy rolls - its like why did I bother in the first place.

Sorry mate without the use of hero points to offset my legendary and often consistent bad rolls (I must say its not this bad in real life, but invisible castle has it in for me - but its the only way to have arbitrated and fare rolls) I won't even bother. As it stands my example above - even playing it really safe, has me hoisted on my own petard on the first roll.

Sj

OOC: This is why I leave Paul to roll the dice for myself because I dont think he'll believe how bad my rolls are.

You have experienced them first hand Dave, what was it out of about 20 rolls last week I scored two hits and I have only ever rolled a natural crit on an attack once in 12 months.

So what is your plan which the dark power? EMP the planes so they would have to attempt to land and reducing casualties?