Right Makes Might! - In Character

[Sophistemon]

It's safe to say that you were disappointed, at first. As children, when you had attended the Domain operated education centers, your fellow students had regaled you with hushed and forbidden stories of the Freedom Force, an alliance of men and woman who had been empowered with supernatural abilities the likes of which your world had never seen before or since. With their powers, or so the stories went, these colorful heroes had done battle against the ravenous forces of evil in the names of Truth, Justice and Equality. When history repeat itself and you were similarly empowered, when you were approached by Ted Taylor, the Man-Bot and his mechanical companion Microwave, when you learned it had all been true, you had honestly expected more than what you'd gotten. The Freedom Fortress, rather than the gleaming, Olympian domicile that you had dreamed of, turned out to be an abandoned hanger that hid beneath the artfully preserved pile of blackened rubble of what Man-Bot claimed to have been the original Fortress. Dirty, cobwebbed and badly in need of some repair, this Freedom Fortress is a monument to the desperation of your ragtag resistance.

Man-Bot, perhaps noticing your disappointment, had said "This is all we need," as though that should have settled the matter.

Your recruiters themselves also left something to be desired. Man-Bot wheezed with every breath as though it were an effort and walked with an unsteady gait, his patchwork armor repaired with equal parts alien technology and salvaged junk. Microwave's faceplate was badly scarred and chipped at the edges, his mechanical body stripped of its human shape to resemble nothing more than a twisted, chrome-coated skeleton. One of the knees on his left leg squealed where metal met metal, evidence of a burr in the steel. On that first day disappointment had hung heavy in the air. After all, your recruiters had expected an army. Instead, they'd gotten you. But that was months ago. Now, you respect the two of them for accomplishing so much, alone, with so little. Together, Man-Bot and Microwave, or 'Mike' had trained you in the use of your powers and in what functional equipment that the Freedom Fortress had to offer. Whereas before the two of them had fought solely for survival and to keep the Fortress as operational as possible, with you at their sides they've been able to accomplish successful raids that have resulted in a restoration of dignity to your new place of residence.

With your help, the Freedom Fortress once again has a medical bay, a communications center, relatively comfortable living quarters and a fully functional freedom flier. Microwave is even working on restoring one of Mentor's back-up laboratories to operation, although it's slow going; Mentor was a genius even by Domain standards. Tonight, you prepare for another raid. Microwave, who is capable of monitoring Domain transmissions, has become aware that an alien scientist, Klodd, has managed to invent sophisticated scanning equipment that is capable of pinpointing those who have been altered by Energy X. With it, he could not only locate those other persons who were changed a few months ago, but the hidden Freedom Fortress itself, which would mean the end of the resistance. Klodd plans to present his prototype to Governor Arzlik in only three days. Man-Bot wants to storm Klodd's laboratory, steal the prototype scanner and destroy Klodd's records. "While this won't stop him from creating another," explains Man-Bot, "it will buy us some time. And, with the scanner in our possession, we can more easily find other heroes to bring into the fold." He motions to Microwave, who details the plan.

"I have successfully pinpointed an architectural imperfection on the ground floor that, if properly exploited by the liberal application of an incendiary device, will allow you entry into Klodd's laboratory," he explains. "The building will be heavily guarded. Man-Bot and I will deal with the external security forces. It will be your duty to ascend to the third floor, retrieve the device and destroy Klodd's records of its creation." As he speaks, the computer screen behind him fills in the relevant information, complete with a map of the premises, responding to his digital thoughts. "Does anyone have any questions?"

[Arstense]

Theta stands with his arms folded as he listens. His hand rises to stroke his chin as he contemplates the immense task before them.

"Hm... Klodd's laboratory is an important facility.

Do we have any idea what sort of special defences are in place? I doubt the Domain has simply posted mundane guards."

[Blarghy]

Hive

"And even if that is the case, more capable and numerous reinforcements seem likely, if we intend to use explosives for our entrance. How much time can we expect to have before soldiers swarm the building, once we are discovered?"

The words buzz a bit, made as they are by the rapidly fluttering wings and rubbing legs of insects in the doctor's mouth and throat. He's almost amazed that he can still speak at all, really.

At the moment, Hive is relaxed and loosely arranged in an only vaguely humanoid shape. Bugs shift across one another and cause his "skin" to quiver in a way that would probably alarm normal people, assuming they were not sufficiently startled already by the collection of crawling insects. His mostly formed head transitions into a pyramid of tiny legs and exoskeletons, with a single, fingerless appendage clutching his multitool--currently a silvery mass of metal the same size and shape as an egg. A few of the winged bugs hover a short distance from the rest to peer at the map on the screen. They return quickly, though; unlike some species, this unusual swarm isn't comfortable with sending members out of the group.

"Also, I suggest that we take great pains to eliminate Klodd during this trip, if it is even remotely feasible. That should hamper efforts to reproduce the scanner, as well as any other projects he is working on, or might create in the future."

[Leotholdus]

Ink rubbed at the back of his neck and mumbled under his breath "A smash and grab like common criminals...fantastic." with a slow sigh he turned toward the intrepid leaders of their band of renegades. "What about alternate routes? Is it possible we don't have to make a scene?"

[industrious]

Revelation

"We'll be planting explosives in buildings, Ink. I doubt we can avoid a scene."

Revelation looks as he always does. A corpse, dressed in the style of suit that the dead wear and the living cannot afford, wrapped in a translucent funeral shroud. The shroud is always swaying too and fro as if in a breeze. The corpse's features are always changing.

His voice is ever shifting as well; at one moment light and airy, at another as slow and deep and rumbling as the earth itself. That voice turns thoughtful as the man who was constantly harangued by a multitude consults those within him.

The spirits agree. Mary and Rebecca and Mark are in dissent, but nobody likes them anyway. After all, Mark ended in a murder-suicide.

Creepy. But they know, after all this time, that the man who was Revelation could not help it.

[Norts]

"It certainly won't be the first time I've gone sneaking around Domain territory. The only thing I'm worried about is what kind of guards they have. As Theta has said already, this Klodd character probably isn't running around with normal goons."

[Sophistemon]

Microwave quirks his blank, featureless head towards Theta, acknowledging him. "Klodd is a skilled mechanist and engineer, a brilliant inventor even by the lofty standards of his species. He may be one of the most important non-political aliens on the planet, although even that is changing. I surmise that by presenting the scanner to Governor Azlik he plans to make his entry into Domain politics." The screen behind him shows the imposing figure of an alien sergeant and his attending warriors. "He will be guarded by his kin. There is a ninety-six-point-two percent likelihood that he will be defended by at least one sergeant and a respectable contingent of warriors, in addition to whatever personal defenses that he may have at his disposal. This could be anything from automated turrets to sophisticated robotic bodyguards." He shrugs his thin, disturbingly skeletal shoulders. "I simply do not know."

Man-Bot steps forward upon hearing the others discuss secondary routes of entry. "There is another way," he says, the scuffed helmet that he wears distorting his words with an echo. "Mike, illustrate Plan B." The screen reconfigures to display the laboratory and the surrounding city blocks. Another building, a warehouse, blinks red. "This is a weapons depot. Heavily guarded. Rather than use our bomb on the laboratory, Microwave and I can attack here, causing a distracting and luring guards from the surrounding area, away from Klodd's lab." The screen zooms back in on said laboratory. "With the bomb gone, you'd need to find another way in; the building's locked down tight and reinforced with alien technology; our bomb was built to crack it and we've only got the one. As luck would have it, though, there's an A/C vent not too far away from a service entrance towards the rear of the lab." The screen displays it. "If one of you can get through the vent and open the door for the others, you can then make your way to Klodd against, we hope, what amounts to minimal resistance. When you're finished, just signal us and we'll come and get you in the flier."

Microwave nods. "Subtlety may be preferable to force in this instance."

"As for Klodd... if you can capture him without killing him, do it. But don't kill him. If he's captured by humans, that makes him a disgrace and the higher-ups will abandon him as weak. But if he's killed they'll make examples out of innocents in reprisal."

[Blarghy]

Hive

"I could fit through the vent quite easily," Hive offers. "Also...I assume that once we're eventually noticed in the lab, Domain forces in the area will recognize the ruse and redirect most of their soldiers from the weapons depot to come for us. If that's the case, it could be a prime opportunity for you to genuinely raid the storage facility until the initial mission is over. Even a small collection of Domain weaponry would be useful."

[Leotholdus]

Ink nodded in agreement "The less explosive of an entrance we make should also give us the element of surprise and more time to capture this Klodd. Do we have a layout of the ventilation systems? It will be a waste of time if Hive goes in blind."

[Sophistemon]

Microwave inclines his head towards Hive. "The unusual composition of your physiology did come to mind during the composition of Plan B," he says. Over the many long years his vocal modulator has approached, somewhat, being capable of producing a good-humored inflection. "Regarding the weapons depository, your prodigious intellect does you credit once again. I estimate a forty-one-point-five-five-five-repeating chance that Domain forces will be ordered to assault the laboratory once they discover our attack on the depository is a ruse, so that they might reclaim from you the prototype scanner."

Man-Bot steps forward. "Once that happens, you'd be facing unfavorable odds. The Domain will send both aliens and their human lackeys after you in order to get the prototype back. The mission is going to be dangerous enough; I can't ask you to take the risk. That said, yes, the additional weaponry would be useful in updating the armaments on the freedom flier. We could even wire some of them into the fortress defensive grid." He folds his armored arms across the broad plain that is his chest. "It's up to you. Talk amongst yourselves - we're a team, now, which means that it's your choice to make, together."

Microwave tilts his head to Ink. "I have taken the precaution of downloading the building's blueprints. I shall display them now, for your perusal. Hive, you may wish to copy these documents onto your multitool, for posterity." The screen behind him changes to show an internal view of the building's ventilation system, highlighting the path that would be most expedient. "Here is the entry point. You will follow this ventilation tunnel here, to this room. It is the security office. There will be a control switch that will open the way for the others. It may then be prudent to shut and lock the door, to hinder interruption."

[Norts]

Cosmic Avenger looks at the blueprints, checking things out. "Definitely the sneaky way, no doubt about it. Once we're all inside, and those doors are locked, I think we could have a pretty good chance of getting this thing without too much trouble. Let's hope it fits in the vents, though. If things get out of hand, could Hive make a getaway with the scanner?"

[Blarghy]

Hive

The mass of bugs oozes up like a reverse waterfall, soon forming legs, then a torso, and finally arms. Once he has a humanoid shape, Hive's insects shuffle into position, ending with the flight bugs on the outside. Their transparently thin, tan-gray wings overlap into something resembling skin, although the occasional flutter and underlying layer of insects peeking through from beneath make it a flimsy disguise at best. More disturbingly, the colony has nothing to simulate eyes, leaving those sockets full of gently writhing creatures.

Shuffling yet carefully deliberate strides take the scientist to Microwave's computer, where numerous insects beneath Hive's "skin" peer past the layer of wings to study the blueprints. The hand holding his multitool unfolds its fingers, which then mold together and flow over the item. Those bugs work together to expertly pull and push at the metal, and soon, the cooperative nanites reform, one panel at a time, into a small, rectangular screen with an equally tiny keyboard. Normal fingers would be too fat for the keys, but the insects composing Hive's hand work them easily, while other bugs scrape their feet back and forth across the screen, painstakingly drawing the lab's layout.

"I see no reason to decide one way or the other about the weapons depot just yet. Whether or not we raid it should depend on how the rest of the mission unfolds. Either way, I personally consider capturing Klodd a more important objective, just under stealing the scanner and destroying his records. However, if we have the time, and the Domain soldiers are abandoning the depot in favor of the laboratory, then I would hate to miss the opportunity to add more of their equipment to our resources."

In his hand, the multitool's screen brightens, and after the insects pull it horizontally like the keyboard, a light blue hologram rises a few inches above the device. Hive tilts his head down just a bit to look at it, purely out of habit, but a few hundred of his bugs have already confirmed that the blueprints seem to match Microwave's. A detailed map of the building should help more than almost anything else, he thinks with satisfaction.

[industrious]

Revelation

"So we essentially wing it once we're in. I can live with that."

[Blarghy]

Hive

"I would prefer as little winging as possible," Hive disagrees. "However, some flexibility to our plan sounds appropriate, but that should not keep us from having a plan. In the interests of forming one that extends beyond our entrance and exit, I think we should decide where to go once inside the lab, as one group or two. We might consider splitting up, with some aiming to steal the scanner while the rest find and capture Klodd."

To Microwave, "On that note, do we know anything about his habits and schedule, to suspect where he might be when we infiltrate? I don't dare to hope that we will be lucky enough to catch him working on the scanner."

[Leotholdus]

Reaching into his top shirt pocket Ink pulled out a small silver cigarette case, a gift from days gone by. Carefully selecting one from inside, Ink slipped a pre-rolled cigarette between his lips. He wouldn't light up, it was merely a nervous tick, but it brought him moderate comfort. Something was bothering him, that was obvious, but he couldn't pinpoint just what it was. The plan was sound enough, get in, get out, get gone. Staring at the screens, the maps, all the information was there, it was too perfect.
"At the very least do we know where the scanner is being kept? If it's stored away in a safe, we'll need to account for the extra time it takes to get that open."

[Sophistemon]

Man-Bot nods his head in response to the Cosmic Avenger. "Subterfuge lacks the style of how we used to do it in the old days, but you can't argue with results." You can't see it, but behind the grim line that marks the mouth of his helmet, a smile graces his withered lips. "From what we've been able to find out, the scanner's about the size of a football, and..." He grows silent, remembering that a game of American football hasn't been played in over thirty years. He lays out the dimensions with his gauntleted hands. "It's about this big. It'll have input and output ports on the side, for where it plugs into the reconnaissance equipment. God willing it won't come to it, but yes: if Hive's the only one of you that can escape, he should be able to take the scanner with him." He shakes his head. "It shouldn't come to that. You five... you're good. Good enough to remind me of better times. You'll pull through. As for the plan, Hive has a point. The odds are that the Domain in the area will deem the weapons depot as more important than the lab. I'd focus on the primary mission. Just keep your wits about you in case things go bad."

It's at that point that Microwave decides to intervene and answer bot Hive and Ink at the same time. "The scanner will most likely be here, in Klodd's personal workroom." The display zooms in on a room of the third floor, which blinks red. "Klodd will be in a hurry to have it polished enough to present to Governor Arzlik in three days. Even if he is not with the scanner when you arrive, the odds are..." He tilts his head, calculating. "... good that he will rush to its defenses when he was heard of your arrival. Where you find Klodd, you will find the scanner, and the opposite is equally true." He taps a slender finger against the scarred glass of his faceplate. "Splitting up could be beneficial in certain circumstances. However, given the opposition that you are likely to face, it may be more prudent to stay together. I would suggest that you... cross that bridge when you come from it." His vocal programming catches at the use of a colloquialism.

[Blarghy]

Hive

There's no smile thanks to his lack of lips, but some wing-fluttering might indicate that Hive considers this unexpectedly good news. "In that case, I see no reason to divide ourselves, considering that if Klodd is with the scanner, we will have to overcome whatever defenses the lab has and his personal bodyguards. Still, I prefer this scenario to hunting for Klodd across the facility."

He adds a moment later, "Where should we make our exit, assuming all goes according to plan? Is there an access point to the roof, where you could more easily meet us with the flier?"

[Norts]

Cosmic Avenger

Grinning, Avenger says "Sounds like we've got a lucky break here. Course, that makes me worry a bit, but it looks like we should be able to pull this off with little trouble, I think."

[Sophistemon]

Microwave's faceplate blinks green for a moment. "I concur, Hive. I believe that it would be most prudent for you all to stay together, barring the intervention of unforeseen circumstances, once you join up with the others after opening the door for them." The display behind him zooms out to show the building's roof. "Unfortunately, the building is sealed shut so as to prevent intrusion. There is no roof access for you to take advantage of. You will have to rendezvous with us in the parking lot in order to make your escape."

Man-Bot taps a thick, armored finger against the chin of his helmet. "Not necessarily," he murmurs. "What about the vibro-cannon our informants warned us about?" Microwave's faceplate blinks red once... twice... and then green as his internal databanks work to cross-reference the designation.

"You are referring to Klodd's experimental sonic resonance device?" The display shifts to show a large, clunky-looking weapon, longer than a forearm, studded here and there with bulbous metal protrusions and thick rubber tubing. "If Klodd has managed to get it working..." He turns to you. "The sonic resonance device was Klodd's most recent attempt to impress Governor Arzlik. It was planned to be a weapon capable of firing beams of vibrational energy of such a destructive frequency that it could shatter the hull of a starship. Thankfully, he failed to realize his intentions. But if you could find a prototype of the weapon, it may be capable of blasting a hole in the roof, through which you could make your exit."

[Blarghy]

Hive

"And if we cannot, I may be able to do the job on my own, depending on the strength of the roof. My only concern with Klodd's device is how mysterious it is; I would prefer to avoid damaging the structure's integrity if the cannon is more powerful than expected. Still, I believe it is a better option than the parking lot. I would also love the chance to take this, or any other noteworthy invention, and add it to our resources. If luck is on our side and we manage to raid the depot as well, this could be one of our most fruitful missions."

He leaves it at that, having brought up everything he thought was important. Hive, for his part, is more or less ready to proceed.

[Leotholdus]

Ink removes the cigarette from between his lips and flicks it into the air. Nodding to the others he states "I agree, lets get this show started." His eyes close, and when he opens them they have sudenly changed from normal brown pupils to completely black. While this occurs an inky black substance shoots over his skin, sliding over arms, legs, and torso. Finally, as if pulling on a mask, Inks facial features dissapear into the Inky black mass that shaped his moniker. As the cigarette falls, but before the it has a chance to hit the floor, a black tendril snaps out and catches the cigarette placing it back between his lips "I love that trick" he mildly muses to himself.

[Norts]

Cosmic Avenger nods with Ink. Passing a shimmering field of reddish-blue light over himself, he becomes bathed in the glow of cosmic power. When the glow subsides, he is dressed in a classic hero spandex-type outfit stretching over everything but his mouth. The suit is mainly red with a large blue X across the chest. Yellow gloves and boots complete the outfit, along with a pair of sleek gold-rimmed, blue-lensed goggles.

"Let's do this."

[Arstense]

Face set with determination, Theta pounds one mighty green fist into his hand.

"Time for the Domain to suffer a few setbacks."

[Sophistemon]

With the plan thusly decided upon, Man-Bot and Microwave lead the five of you towards the hanger, wherein you can see the sleek, gleaming shape of the Freedom Flier. Of all the machines of the Freedom Fortress, Microwave has made it a priority to take the best care of this one, so vital is its function to the continuation of the mission. Whereas everything else in the fortress is old, worn and haphazardly repaired due to the restraints of time, the flier looks as it did all of those years ago, as sound and capable now as it was when it conveyed the original team on their many missions across the globe.

While the rest of your board the aircraft, Man-Bot hefts a large, asymmetrically-assembled machine into the flier's cargo hold. The bomb, powerful enough to crack the armored shell that defends those buildings that the Domain deem indispensable, is carefully strapped into place. That done, he climbs into the pilot's seat and the flier's engines roar to life. The Freedom Flier, which travels nearly silently when cloaked, carries your swiftly to your destination, only a few blocks away from Klodd's lab, equidistant from the weapons depository. "Wait here," commands Man-Bot. "When you hear the explosion, make your way to the rear of the lab. The duct should be easy to see; it's right next to the door." He raises a hand and salutes the five of you. "Good luck."

Microwave nods his disturbingly featureless head. "Be wary of the guard post at the outer gate. The Domain may leave someone to defend it, despite the emergency. You may have to overcome him. Conversely, you may simply avoid the gate in whatever manner you choose. Avoiding notice may be the wisest course of action for as long as you can maintain it." With that, the flier's engines growl themselves back to life and the aircraft rises before speeding them away, towards their business at the weapons depository. Minutes pass with agonizing slowness as you wait for your cue. Five. Ten. Fifteen minutes go by before the ground shakes beneath your feet and a thunderous shock-wave precedes the startled wailing of alarms.

[Blarghy]

Hive

While they wait, it occurs to the scientist that they're a group of rather colorful individuals in the middle of a hostile city. Maybe the human citizens won't rush to contact Domain if they're sighted, but anyone closely involved with the aliens will probably take note. This, of course, assumes that their descriptions haven't been well-documented and distributed by this point, which, considering their past raids, is likely.

So, the many insects in Hive's hands swarm back and forth over his multitool, pulling at the nanite-composed, suggestible metal. He soon has a slightly larger device than before, shaped like a scepter. Pressing a freshly made button causes a hum to shiver through it, followed shortly by a pulse of faint light. If he's lucky and it works as hoped, then the next step will be hard to see--quite literally.


I dunno if this is reasonable or not, and it seems to be bending the rules at least a little bit, but here's my idea for the latest Gadgets power arrangement:

Conceal: 4 ranks (all visual senses)
Extras: Affect Others (+1) and Area (Burst) (+1)
Point Total: 16

The goal being to cloak the whole group, with a range of 20 feet radiating from Hive.

[Sophistemon]

The five of you fade from view just in time. Only moments after the alleyway in which you stand is made to appear empty of inhabitants, a group of conscripted human soldiers rush past, lead from the rear by a bulbous-headed minion of the Domain. The creature floats about six inches above the ground, her deceptively frail body held aloft by the softly humming levpack that she wears upon her back, one hand waving a vicious looking beam weapon. "Onward, dogs!" she shouts, her voice distorted by the translation machinery embedded in her throat. "If the depot falls, I'll have your heads for my wall!" They pass by rapidly, their frantic footsteps fading into the night, swallowed up by the sounds of a nearby battle. You can see, only a few blocks away, the domed roof of Klodd's laboratory. With the way there apparently clear, you could head for it now.

[industrious]

Revelation

The ghostly form of Revelation starts muttering to himself, speaking both quickly and quietly; nearly panicked.

"John was a commando and fought for six months behind enemy lines. Francis loved to play hide and seek. Margaret loved to surprised people. Anne would strangle blonde-haired men from the shadows..."


Using Boost to give myself 5 ranks in Stealth.

[Sophistemon]

Already hidden from view by the exceptional technology of the entomological Hive, when Revelation concludes his communion with the dead souls that inhabit his corporeal form the evidence of his passing is even further diluted. His steps, his breathing, everything about his non-visible self becomes muffled, difficult to hear, as though he were buried beneath many pounds of soft, wet earth - six feet of it, maybe. Thusly ensorceled, he is prepared for infiltration. As for the rest of you, the coast is clear, your garish appearances are veiled by a field of invisibility and your point of entry is in sight. Once you have managed to successfully pass by the outer gate and what remains of its guardians, you can enter Klodd's laboratory.

[Leotholdus]

Ink sticks with the group as they make their way through the back alley streets, carefully picking his way around garbage cans and past litter strewn about. You would think aliens would want to clean this place up at least he thinks to himself. When they are finally in sight of the labs, he stops to assess the area.

[Blarghy]

Hive

The group's technician is also careful to look for trouble, scanning the upcoming facility as well as the path behind them with dozens of tiny eyes. At the very least, he wants to find the guard Microwave warned them about. Hive also suspects that there'll be more trouble waiting for the group, as there so often is. Either way, he'd much rather notice any dangers before stumbling on top of them.

[Arstense]

Theta also keeps an eye out as the group gets in sight of the lab.

"Let's do this quickly. Surprise is our greatest asset here."

[Sophistemon]

Klodd's laboratory resembles most of the architecture that become prevalent after the Domain took over. It is an ugly building constructed like a bunker out of bland gray bricks that have been molecularly reinforced for exceptional durability. The domed roof of the laboratory is a slab of pale blue metal, alien in origin and resistant to even the most explosive of attacks, to help protect it from the threat of aerial bombing. As you approach the rear of the building, where the necessary supplies are delivered, your eyes take in (from across the street and behind Hive's veil of invisibility) the sight of a single Domain soldier - his green uniform denotes him as a warrior - and his three human attendants. All four are armed, the Domain with a standard-issue rad pistol, the humans with vicious-looking sluggers. The humans look nervous, the alien annoyed. They're standing at the gate that leads to the rear of the building, between you and your objective.

"I heard it's the Man-Bot, down at the depot", says one of the men. "And that robot, Microwave. Did you hear that explosion? Maybe we should go check it out." The other two nod, but the alien bites his thin lower lip between small, knobby teeth.

"Silence," he hisses. "You have been stationed here to guard the rear entrance, which is the most likely point of entry. I must have done something wrong, because I have been told to supervise you mongrels, kept from the glories of battle on the off chance that they manage to survive my comrades and make their way here." He shakes his bulbous head. "What a waste of my time."

One of the other men speaks up. "But what if they do come here? I hear that Man-Bot's more metal than human, that he can't be stopped... and that robot... what do we do if they show?"

"You aim low," replies the alien, "so that I might present their heads to Governor Arzlik and be relieved of this excremental assignment once and for all."

[Leotholdus]

Assessing the situation Ink takes the opportunity and sends a thick black tendril towards the Domain warrior. The tendril seems to come from nowhere as it flies out from the invisibility field and wraps itself tightly around the warrior pinning his arms to his sides.

[Norts]

As Ink wraps the Domain overseer in black tendrils, Avenger points his finger at one of the humans, and sends a blast of red and blue cosmic energy rocketing at him.

[Sophistemon]

The alien warrior stands in as haughty a posture as he can manage while floating a good half of a foot off the ground thanks to his softly humming LevPack. In the days of the original Freedom Force, lowly warriors weren't granted the technology of flight. But the bountiful resources of planet Earth afforded those stationed there certain liberties that were denied to those on other planets. Ink's Assessment tells him that this is a dangerous creature, born and bred for battle, but more than that he cannot determine.

He decides to risk it and sends an slick black tentacle whipping through Hive's veil of invisibility. The alien warrior's gray eyes widen as it stumbles backwards, but the tendril quickly encircles his abdomen, pinning his thin arms to his sides. He struggles - valiantly - but the strength of your unnatural extra limb is too much for him and he is successfully grappled, the air forced from his lungs, leaving him gasping.

The Cosmic Avenger also takes advantage of his invisibility to launch a beam of the di-chromatic energies of the universe at one of the black-suited paramilitary policemen. It strikes him in his right shoulder and the force of it sends him spinning in a helpless circle before he crumbles as though boneless to the ground, his slugger skittering over the concrete. He moans as he is swallowed by the black tide of unconsciousness.

[Blarghy]

Hive

It seems like a better use of his abilities to keep his companions hidden while they attack, at least for the initial assaults, so Hive waits silently until the rest of the group has had time to abuse their enemies in some fashion or another. He doesn't plan to keep his invisibility device active for the entire battle, though; as useful as it is, it demands that everyone stands in a fairly clustered group and avoids moving unless they do it collectively. Lucky shots from the humans and their alien master seem possible with such a compact arrangement, not to mention the damage a grenade could cause to the lot of them.

So, once the others have done as they see fit, Hive shuffles away from them to spread out while rearranging his multitool. Its cloaking properties fade in time to show some sort of slim, sleek rifle forming.


New Gadgets arrangement:

Blast (8 ranks, 16 points), Force Field (9 ranks, 9 points)

[industrious]

Revelation

"The dead have spoken. They seek vengence. And I cannot deny their request.

His low, murmuring chant is broken, and the man who contained an entire appears more solid; one can still see through his funeral shroud, but only just.

A hand that is more bone than muscle extends, and gestures upwards, as if lifting a glass. And from the ground come the incorporeal spectres of the dead, clawing and biting and seeking to drag all three of those remaining guards back into the ground with them.


Area Blast 7.
Reflex Save DC 17
if they make it, DC 20 Toughness Save
if they don't, DC 23 Toughness Save
Lethal Damage

[Sophistemon]

At Revelation's unspoken command, a ghostly legion of the dead arise from beneath the hard black asphalt of the complex and begin to grasp and claw at the jackbooted members of the P.C.P.D. in an attempt to drag them down into the murky lands of the deceased. Two of the three paramilitary policemen manage to throw themselves completely clear, escaping with tattered coats and more gray hairs on their heads than yesterday, but one man isn't so lucky.

Gripped about his legs by a dozen spectral hands, he is forced to kneel on the ground. More hands emerge to grasp his abdomen and shoulders. He whimpers in terror, too afraid to vocalize his protestations, as the ghosts pull his corporeal body down against the unyielding asphalt, pulling and pressing so hard that his whimpers turn to screams of pain. These screams are soon silenced by the sounds of snapping bone and gurgled blood. Where once there was a man, only a broken corpse remains.

The remaining two back away from the carnage and a harsh retching sound indicates that one of them has vomited inside of his gas mask. The other makes the sign of the Cross - long since outlawed as a symbol of human resistance - curses. "Mother of God," he moans. The two of them look up as Hive disengages his sphere of invisibility, revealing the team to the naked eye. The two policemen take in their opposition: three monstrous beings, one an inky-black horror with five writhing tendrils, one of which has snared their Domain overseer, one a squirming mass of insects arranged in a vaguely humanoid shape, holding a dangerous-looking rifle and the third a grave-eaten corpse, undoubtedly the source of the recent dismemberment. Behind them stand two large and imposing figures, perhaps less monstrous but certainly no less dangerous.

After a moment's consideration, the two men drop their guns and raise their hands over their heads. "We don't want any trouble," says the one, and the other nods in agreement.

"Cowards!" wheezes the overseer, his arms still pinned to his sides. "Miserable cowards!"

[Leotholdus]

Ink pulls the Domain Warrior in close and stares darkly at him for a moment before speaking.
"This could go one of two ways ugly. One way is you tell me something I want to hear and I consider letting you live your pathetic life. The other way isn't quite so pleasant," The inky appendage squeezes the warrior for a moment before letting him breath "So, what's it going to be?"

[Blarghy]

Hive

That went well, the technician inwardly admits, pleased. He expected a bit more trouble, if not too much, given the group's advantage of a surprise attack. Of course, now they have to decide what to do with the prisoners, which is less convenient.

Hive comes to the conclusion that it can wait until they've handled the interrogation. Since Ink appears to have that covered, he loosely rests his multitool on his shoulder and advances on the pair of humans.

"Step back and lie on the ground, if you would," he says. The casual, distant tone may not put much weight behind the command, but maybe Hive's gun and companions--namely Ink, at the moment--will make up for it.

Not that the scientist is particularly concerned with their defeated enemies. Most of his bugs are peering at the recently fallen weapons, interested to see if they're worth taking along.

[Sophistemon]

The alien overseer narrows his already squinting eyes and bares his small, knobby teeth. "By the rings of Rexxor, Earth-dog, I will never betray my oaths." Ink can hear him gather saliva and phlegm at the back of his throat in preparation of spitting defiantly in the face of his captor. But when Ink's slick, sinuous tendril tightens around his abdomen, squeezing the breath from his lungs, the fight drains out of him unexpected rapidity. "Wait!" he gasps. "Wait! You want inside the laboratory, yes? I have access codes! I know the passwords you'll need to get inside!" Sweat beads on his wrinkled, worry-creased forehead. "Spare me, and I swear on the soul of my mother that I will get you in."

Meanwhile, a few steps away, the two conscious guards glance at one another and lie down. Appropriately, they fold their arms behind their backs in a way that they've forced others - mostly political dissidents - to do hundreds of times before. Their discarded sluggers draw Hive's many eyes. The standard armament of the P.C.P.D. and replacing the earlier, far less lethal pistols of the distant past, sluggers are large, brutish-looking combat shotguns that fire equally large and brutish-looking slugs, hence their popular nom de guerre.

[Leotholdus]

Ink drops the overseer to the ground "I knew you would see it my way." he says with a sneer. "Now wrinkles, why don't you go and open the door for me and my friends."

[Blarghy]

Hive

He inspects the guns for a bit with professional interest, but, after finding nothing abnormal about them, merely kicks the weapons away from their previous owners. Maybe the designs are worth incorporating into his multitool, depending on the situation, but the actual shotguns don't seem impressive enough to take along.

The prisoners, however, might need to come with the group out of necessity. Hive doubts his companions will feel comfortable killing them, although that seems like the most logical and convenient solution, to Hive. They certainly can't be trusted to stay here on their own, nor can they easily tag along; doing so would jeopardize the mission, which should not be allowed. If the alien and his lackeys had been apprehended at the end of the assignment, matters might be different. Now, however, they're incredibly inconvenient.

Maybe luck will smile on the rebels and there'll be a convenient place to lock their enemies up in the facility. Hive decides to wait and see; at the very least, there is no wisdom in suggesting the execution of their captives before the alien opens the door.

[Norts]

"I've got my eye on you, Domain bastard. Don't even think of trying anything." Avenger keeps a hand trained on the Domain warrior, ready to blast him if he tries anything funny.

[Leotholdus]

With two whip-like snaps, the black tendrils slap down on the heads of the two still conscious humans rendering them unconscious. "Gentlemen, we're on the clock, let's get these men somewhere less conspicuous. Avenger, Hive if you would be so kind as to escort our host to the door, I'm positive he'll want to let you inside." With a slight strain of effort, the tendrils wrap around one man while Ink leans down and picks up the another. "Theta? Can you grab that last one? We'll tie them up in the alley then catch up with the others in a moment." he says before turning to carry them to the alley.

[Blarghy]

Hive

The wings composing his skin flutter a bit; Hive would rather do something just a bit more permanent with their enemies to ensure that they don't end up causing trouble once again, later in the night, but this is, admittedly, the easiest solution. They'll likely have plenty of other obstacles soon enough, so these few probably don't matter.

Since Avenger seems to already be guarding the alien soldier, Hive is content to let him keep that role. It'll allow the scientist to watch for other threats. Accordingly, he moves ahead, leaving the other hero to presumably walk behind their prisoner. He doesn't expect trouble, but this close to the lab, he readies himself even more than before, the bugs of his hands settling over the buttons and trigger of his rifle. Advancing causes the occasional bit of dust to settle against the colorless force field surrounding him--the only sign of Hive's otherwise limited defense.

[Sophistemon]

Regardless of Hive's logistic misgivings, the two conscious guards are swiftly rendered not and then, in an example of bitter irony, their hands are bound behind their backs with the very shackles they'd kept clipped to their belts. With a nod, Theta grasps one guard and slings him over a shoulder as Ink's writhing tendrils take hold of the other. Together, the two of them deposit their recent enemies in a nearby alley, familiar to them only because they had emerged from it, invisibly, only a few minutes prior. While this leaves the paramilitary policemen at the mercy of whomever finds them, this punishment is almost certainly preferable to death.

Probably.

Meanwhile, the Cosmic Avenger, one glowing appendage poised ready to dissolve the overseer's bulbous head in a scintillating explosion of energy and gory chunks of brain, directs said alien towards the door and its access pad. Hive, his 'fingers' sliding nervously over the contours of his rifle, follows closely behind, his defensive force field buzzing in inaudible tones. The overseer stands before the pad and examines its many buttons. In the time it takes him to raise one gnarled finger, both Ink and Theta have returned from their brief errand to the alley. The overseer quirks his head and, with a grim, determined look in his eyes, rapidly presses thirteen of the buttons in quick, practiced succession.

There is a long moment of silence before the rear access door, sized to admit delivery vans and the like, slides up and into the building with a pneumatic hiss. Behind it, looking just as grim and determined as the overseer, are two more Domain warriors, their weapons drawn and primed to fire, the barrels glowing deep, malevolent red. The overseer chuckles. "Just so you know," he bemuses, "I hate my mother."

Everyone: Please roll Initiative in the OOC thread. This will not be treated as a surprise round for either party.

[Sophistemon]

As soon as enemy combatants are visible, the older and more accomplished of the two interior guards raises his weapon and, snarling, fires off a shot of super-heated, intentionally irradiated plasma at the amorphously conglomerated Hive. The projectile sizzles as it pierces the air, the heat of it splitting almost blinding in its brightness.
(Attack: 14; Toughness DC: 20.)

Using the confusion to his advantage, the Overseer pushes away from his captors and spins around, drawing his own weapon as he does so. He grins rabidly, displaying a mouth full of small, knobby teeth and a thick black tongue. "Earthling dogs!" he curses. "Die! Die like the animals you are!" He takes quick aim and fires his own rad pistol at Revelation, hoping to remove the '-like' from the ghost-like vigilante.
(Attack: 18; Toughness DC: 20.)

[Leotholdus]

The surprise attack catches him unprepared, and in a desperate effort Ink whips a tendril at the Overseer, missing him by several inches. Recognizing his failure, Ink steps to the side in the hopes of spreading the fire of the enemies and giving the team more room to work in.

[industrious]

Revelation

Revelation does not even bother to defend himself against the Overseer's attack; he allows the radiation to spread over his form. It dissipates harmlessly, the gestalt being laughing horribly all the while.

"You can't kill me..."

He lunges forward, bone-like hand reaching outwards to touch the Overseer; a single touch to bestow the weight of ages upon his victim.

"Death and I are too interwoven for such a word to have meaning!

[Blarghy]

Hive

Although he didn't expect this latest development--something he chides himself mildly for--Hive's main thought as the plasma blast comes at him is to wonder why they didn't disarm and cuff their prisoner. That should've been the first order of business, in hindsight. He makes a mental note to remind his teammates of it later.

When the alien's blast hits, his force field only whines for a brief moment before betraying him and letting the vast bulk of the attack sink through, burning several exterior insects to crisps. The disappointed surprise of that is muted somewhat by Hive's dazed, fuzzy state. It's brought on by the handful of freshly dead brain-bugs in his head; the remaining ones scramble to compensate, but for the moment, he can only stand limply.

[Sophistemon]

The Overseer's aggressive smirk fades as his irradiated plasma bolt melts harmlessly over Revelation's wraith-like features. When the ghoulish figure reaches out and prods him with a skeletal finger, his mind is flooded by visions of inevitable decay - not only of his own mortal body, but of the Empire that he has devoted it to defending. The sight of cells corrupting with disease, flesh withering away from bones, the infestation of insects and other squirming profiteers of opportunity commingle with those of collapsed buildings, burning wreckage and smouldering rubble. As his mind is assaulted, his body is likewise wracked with disjunction, as his physiology is rapidly aged to near death. When he snaps out of his stupor, which lasts for only a moment, his lip quivers and the rad pistol drops from numb fingers to clatter on the ground. He looks at his hands, now so much thinner than they were only a second ago, and screams. Before the shrill sound fades, he shoves his way past the two other aliens and flees into the depths of the compound.

He chose to stand against the might of Freedom Force. He chose... poorly.

The final alien, his line of fire now clear now that the Overseer's made his exit, raises his rad pistol and fires a burning bolt of irradiated plasma at the slick dark skin of Ink.

Attack: 21; DC: 20.

The first shakes his head at the Overseer's cowardice and grins smirkingly at Revelation before re-aiming his own pistol and firing another hasty bolt at the woozy Hive. He then activates his levpack and flies backwards into the compound. "Come and get me, heroes!"

Attack: 9; DC: 20.

[industrious]

Revelation

"Why should I come and get you? Let the dead have their vengeance!"

Revelation reaches out with his hand once more, forming fingers into a claw. He beckons, and some of the spirits that share his body exit once more, a semi-solid mass of ghostly yellow-green. The dead given temporary life, and hungering for the revenge denied to them.


Area Blast 7.
Reflex Save DC 17
if they make it, DC 20 Toughness Save
if they don't, DC 23 Toughness Save
Lethal Damage

[Leotholdus]

The blast hits Ink in the shoulder with a concussive ripple along his dark liquid skin shifting him to the side slightly, but otherwise not damaging him. Angry, Ink stares at his opponent for a moment before flicking a thick tendril towards the warrior. The alien struggles valiantly, but Ink only tightens his grip, coiling tighter like a snake, watching the pain flash across the face of his foe. "You pissed off the wrong guy ugly!" Ink spits.

[Sophistemon]

The gray-skinned Domain warrior breathes a sigh of relief as he leaves his enemies behind and safely sequesters himself within the darkness of the garage. The rotting human outside, who had appeared impervious to his firearm, would be foolish to follow him in here, where he had both flight and darkness on his side. It's at that moment, when he feels safe, that the dead begin to rise. Ghastly, wraithlike figures emerge from beneath the concrete floor and begin to float towards him, bony fingers outstretched, their mouths howling open to reveal maggot-eaten tongues. The alien shrieks his disbelief and discharges a round at these new opponents, but it streaks through them and does no more damage to the servants than it did to their master. They tear at him, clawing with their skeletal hands and biting through his suit with their jagged, broken teeth. He sobs, pitiably, after they vanish back into the aether from which they came, too traumatized to do much but float, bloodied, in the air of the garage.

Meanwhile, outside, another alien is snared by Ink's writhing tendrils. They constrict around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides, but his superior alien physiology refuses to give in to a human, despite that human's admittedly unusual characteristics. "Is that all you've got?" he snarls. "I've had pets that can scrap better than you!" He flexes his muscles and attempts to break free. It is... a rather pitiful display of athleticism. "Don't... don't judge me, human. Guard duty isn't very strenuous."

[Blarghy]

Hive

With his force field down and his mind foggy, limbs loose, Hive only stares blankly and watches as the clumsy plasma blast hisses at him. The result showcases his scientific, bookworm nature, as opposed to the warriors beside him: lacking the help of his gadgets, many more of his bugs all but evaporate beneath the attack, and what remains collapses into a disgusting, slightly writhing pile. On top of it rests his rifle, looking rather like the marker of a grave.

[Sophistemon]

Alien Warrior #2

While his compatriots are either fleeing in terror from an undead abomination of a hero or being ravaged by the summoned souls of the dead, conjured up by the same, the ensnared alien warrior tests his strength against the living bonds that constrict him. As he tries to free his hands, his speaks to Ink, his words labored by his effort: "What is it you want? Money? Amnesty? Asylum? We -aurgh!- cannot help you. We risk death to even consider collaboration!" He spits, but his lack of breath prevents it from doing much more than dribbling down his wrinkled chin and leaving a slick, viscous streak on the chest of his uniform. "Even if we die here, human, your raid is in vain. We draw our ranks from infinite worlds across countless dimensions - your will never free your planet. It is ours, ape, and you lickspittle mutants are nothing!"

[Leotholdus]

"I've had about enough of your blathering" Ink tightened his grasp "It's time for you to shut that gob of yours." With a flick, another tendril balled up and was sent spiraling at the face of the warrior.