Superheroes of the Trust Game Thread III

[Hammerhead]

Errant can't help but laugh at Hope's suggestions of some kind of mystical geas. "I've kept secrets for a living, and had security clearance up to here for both the government and the Trust," he says, holding up his hand above his head. "And yet to help you learn your own secret, painful childhood, you require some kind of mystical bargain in exchange for my help?" Errant laughs again at the sheer ridiculousness of the affair. "Not in a million years, Hope. I make it a point to not let others control my actions," he adds. "Just what kind of secret would an eight year old be protecting?" Family, obviously. Maybe dear Hope is the illicit lovechild, er...lustchild, of Captain Thunder and the Hellqueen. Heh.

"Oh yeah," he adds, snapping his fingers in sudden recall. "Speaking of medical backup, you want to head down to the hospital and pay a visit on our recovering superheroine? Raven, I mean. It might help if she sees a friendly face when she wakes up, so she doesn't flip out, knock half of us unconscious, kill the power, and crawl up the ventilation shafts?"

"But what kind of intel do you expect to gather from the good lawyers of Wolfson, Shep, and Doe? I have to say, I like Wren's idea of going after Barrington's supply chain. And I'm not sure that putting Star anywhere near a law firm is a good idea right now. Besides, wouldn't that be illegal? Especially for a federal agent? Aren't lawyer-client privileges virtually sacrosanct?"

"Oh Hope," Errant says, shaking his head in mock disdain. "You're such a rebellious anti-hero."

 

[kirinke]

Errant can't help but laugh at Hope's suggestions of some kind of mystical geas. "I've kept secrets for a living, and had security clearance up to here for both the government and the Trust," he says, holding up his hand above his head. "And yet to help you learn your own secret, painful childhood, you require some kind of mystical bargain in exchange for my help?" Errant laughs again at the sheer ridiculousness of the affair. "Not in a million years, Hope. I make it a point to not let others control my actions," he adds. "Just what kind of secret would an eight year old be protecting?" Family, obviously. Maybe dear Hope is the illicit lovechild, er...lustchild, of Captain Thunder and the Hellqueen. Heh.

Hope held up her hands in the universal supplication guesture. "No offense Errant. It's just I have someone I care for a great deal who does have a secret identity. I don't want that compromised. You do understand that right?" she looked at him, he'd know probably she was speaking of Foreshadow. She smiled a little, it wassilly in that light. "Alright, no geas. Like I said, I can get a bit paranoid at times. Sometimes I need slapping down." she said grinning a little more, a bit embarressed, but willing to admit to it being silly. "Just call me the o mightily silly one." she chuckled and sobered.

"And the medical backup. I'm serious about that." she wouldn't budge on that. "Remember, those telepaths who did try to break through?" she asked. "When they tried, they passed out screaming. The last time someone went that far back was when I was sixteen. Going into my head willy-nilly is the mental equivalent of tap-dancing on a mine-field." that wasn't a lie, he'd see once he began and that was just that mental block. Some of her cases would make your normal average serial killer run screaming in the opposite direction and those were the tamer ones. "I don't want you to get hurt going through a deep mind-probe like that and it is a real possibility if you do go in without safeguards in place." you could hear the worry in her voice and see echoes of what happened to those telepaths. Some had been strong indeed.

"But what kind of intel do you expect to gather from the good lawyers of Wolfson, Shep, and Doe? I have to say, I like Wren's idea of going after Barrington's supply chain. And I'm not sure that putting Star anywhere near a law firm is a good idea right now. Besides, wouldn't that be illegal? Especially for a federal agent? Aren't lawyer-client privileges virtually sacrosanct?"

"As for going after Sheppard and Doe, well going into another country with the express purpose of stealing information from them... Is just as serious a crime, if not more so, because you are usually inticing people to commit treason to their own countries." she grinned at Errant, wagging a mocking 'naughty, naughty' finger at the spy. "You guys break international law all the time. What's the difference between that and our own domestic law?" she chuckled. Now he was being silly. "Both carry significant penalties if caught. Besides, what I'm doing here isn't exactly... Um legal by any stretch of the definition." she really didn't see much difference. The prisons in the states though, were much nicer than the ones in China.

She steepled her fingers together. "Sheppard and Doe have been involved in a number of illegal activities, ranging from extortion to outright murder to get their clients off the hook. Don't get me wrong, we can't prove any of it in the courts. They have alot of judges in Freedom city bought or intimdiated into leaning their way in any case. We can trace alot of activity from them to Barrington and back again. The business at the docks?" she looked at him.

"We traced to Sheppard and Doe as well as Barrington. "Right now, if we can get a hold of their data and computers, I can lay serious odds on finding more information including money trails. They're right in the middle of all this Errant." her easy going grin turned wolfish. "We take them out of the equation, Barrington will be crippled on several fronts."

She chuckled at the rebellious anti-hero comment. "At least I'm not wearing a nose ring, listening to death metal and sporting fish-nets." she shook her head. "It's just a general consensus among the more traditional superheroes." she grinned. "I did that once for Halloween," she admitted.

ooc:
She's getting better, at least she is willing to admit she's being foolish, unlike some feds/Aegis agents who do think they're never wrong. It's one of the reasons why cops and people from other agencies generally respect her and like her. That and the fact she won't ask anyone to take any risks she wouldn't be willing to take herself.

 

[DM_Matt]

Skylark returns to her office and unlocks her desktop. The order to go out and help deal with the riots might come at any time, but she figured there was no sense in just sitting around! She downloads basic Mandarin lessons into her iPod and listens to them while writing a report on what happened that day.

The reports of Daedalus's implosion bomb nagged at her. She decides to try and access any Trust files she can about the technology (Computers at +11), with a particular eye toward any measurements made of the implosion that just happened (if there are any). Her aim is to come up with a theory about which dimension, if any, that Freedom League HQ ended up in (Physical Sciences at +21; Int at +7 if some other Knowledge is more relevant).

Skylark eventually drifts off to sleep at her desk, causing her to float in the air.

Skylark accesses the Trust files, and this time gets a different interface. She has direct access to Mr. Grey now, who appears in a side window on her computer. She thinks he actually can be in multiple places at once, and hold numerous simultaneous conversations, some of which are basic semi-sentient subroutines but many which are apparently real. The advantages of being one with an alien supercomputer.

"Hello Skylark. Here is the data on singularity weapons from the Geldaran database. As you can see, they encountered them, but they never had that technology themselves. Fortunately, I have now gained access to Daedalus' database. After the first attack on Freedom Hall, he sent encrypted copies of it to the Trust and to Duncan Summers. His suit's emergency transmission included the decryption key. Here are the specs on the self-destruct device."


Skylark examines the specs, and finds that it used a series of extremely short-lived micro-singularities to minimize explosion when they faded. The result was highly destructive within their range, but did not rely on dimensional transfer to relieve the pressure, except the final, cleanup strike, which did drain away into another dimension, but would not have left anything big intact.

 

[DM_Matt]

"Well, if that's the case, then perhaps since we have a sample of this spore, and Grant says they are able to counter it, let's put it to the test. If it works, then something is fishy. If it doesn't, then we should get someone like Grant or those two kids to see if they can help in coming up with some antidote. I would like us ALL to have it on hand, in case one of us gets infected. Or, rather one of you. Luckily it doesn't work on me."

"That HUD capability looks like it's something that we may need now. With the recent events, and our getting separated all the time, we need some form of locating each other. Black, can you devise some small tracking device or tagging that we can all wear? I would like to make sure each of you wears some small discreet locater, that has a minute amount of cosmic energy. That way, should I need to get us all out of a situation and not able to see you, I can sense the tracking devices, and get us to safety. If you don't want that insurance, it's your call. But, with things going as they are, our safety is a high priority. Without us, it would seem, things are going to get worse."

Turning to Star, he simply smiles at her. She's been through hell, and Hope's constant mothering is working the opposite affect. Star doesn't need a mother, she needs support and trust. She's earned it.

"Star, you get some rest, if you need it. You did well today, as without your heading out quickly, Raven and the others would not have been saved. Thanks. If you need me, I will be checking up on something. Call me."

Ending the discussion, he takes his leave from the group, to let her get some much needed rest, or solitude to sort things out. Sometimes people needed to get through things on their own, and in their own time.

Wren then decides to do some investigating, with his own sources. Delving into his own past, he rifles through all information about this Animus Queen, her kind, and their purpose. (Gather Info +14)

Black is not here. Presumably, he went on that mission to south America he was talking about before you left.

Blue, however, is the one to address. He says "We'll have the plans completed and the order into the matter assembler by the end of the day. I warn you though that others with powers like yours will be able to sense them as well.

Hopefully we'll soon be able to upgrade them with subspace communication technology. Daedalus's distress call gave us the decryption code to the backup of his database he left with us. It gave us a bit more insight into how to apply certain Geldaran technology, not to mention plans for so much more."

Wren also gets some results from his investigation of the Animus Queen. Its DNA indicates that it is a distant cousin of the imperialist alien parasites, the Dao'Lug, sort of like chimps are to humans. He also finds an interesting story by cross-referencing Daedalus' database with the Geldaran database (Grey hasn't finished combining them yet).

Apparently, the Dao'Lug homeworld, where they first evolved and where animus beasts are from, played an important role in Ares' downfall as a Geldaran lord. Ares led his allies in what he told them was a bluff attack against that planet, which is largely-undeveloped but is of symbolic importance to the Dao'Lug. The intent was that the Dao'Lug would divert forces from a nearby planet of great strategic importance, leaving it open for Ares' real strike. However, their bluff was anticipated, the the forces dispatched to defend the homeworld were instead sent to destroy one of Ares' allies, whose fleet was headed for the strategic planet. Meanwhile, the defenders there were ready, and easily beat back the attack. Ares ordered an immediate retreat, saving his forces from the brunt of the damage, but failing in his mission objectives. Ares took the Dao'Lug homeworld with no problem, but another Geldaran lord was killed and his capital destroyed. Ares, meanwhile, held the Dao'Lug homeworld for two days before retreating in the face of a Dao'Lug counterattack. Note also that Barrington's first batch of alien technology was a Dao'Lug cache sold to him by Ares...

 

[DM_Matt]

After the others leave, Red says to Star "Sorry if they're getting you down. You gunna be alright?"

...sudenly, one of her underlings comes in and says Raven is waking up.

"Oh yeah," he adds, snapping his fingers in sudden recall. "Speaking of medical backup, you want to head down to the hospital and pay a visit on our recovering superheroine? Raven, I mean. It might help if she sees a friendly face when she wakes up, so she doesn't flip out, knock half of us unconscious, kill the power, and crawl up the ventilation shafts?"

Leaving aside the arguments about what to do next, everyone gets a page from Red that Raven is waking up, and everyone should probably go to the infirmary. (Feel free to respond to stuff that happened earlier too though)

 

[kirinke]

After the others leave, Red says to Star "Sorry if they're getting you down. You gunna be alright?"

...sudenly, one of her underlings comes in and says Raven is waking up.



Leaving aside the arguments about what to do next, everyone gets a page from Red that Raven is waking up, and everyone should probably go to the infirmary. (Feel free to respond to stuff that happened earlier too though)

Hope gripped Errant's hand in a friendly gesture. "Let's table the mind-probe idea for now okay? I've dealt with it this long, I can deal a little while longer okay? We have more important things to deal with right now. Let's go see Raven." you can tell there is a deep-seated terror there, something that Hope herself probably isn't aware of. But it terrifies her just the same, even if it is well-hidden.

ooc:
Matt, your user name on the atomic think tank is justice_usa right? I think we need to figure out why her mind won't let her remember her past.

 

[Victim]

After the others leave, Red says to Star "Sorry if they're getting you down. You gunna be alright?"

"... I don't know. This sort of seemed hard enough as it is, and then Thess and now losing control of powers and killing someone..."

"I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to keep doing this."

...sudenly, one of her underlings comes in and says Raven is waking up.

"Something always seems to come up when we talk."

 

[Elric]

Nitro gets the message. Well, you can always check the latest news about yourself on TMZ later he thinks, putting away his Blackberry.

He heads back to the infirmary.

 

[Hammerhead]

"Yeah, but I don't live in China," Errant responds. "Last time I checked, we're both American citizens with a responsibility to protect our country and respect its laws. Not that I mean to go all Boy Scout on you, but all things being equal, I'd rather work within the law than outside of it. Besides, your badge makes any evidence we'd gather in a quick burglary inadmissable in a courtroom," he points out, frowning. I can't believe she's jeopardizing this team in so many ways by maintaining her connection to law enforcement.

"Also," Errant adds with a quick smile, ""I' don't recall admitting to ever breaking international law or even stealing information from anyone." And I never will, unless it's relevant to a current assignment.

And hasn't this atypically evil law firm batted close to a thousand in making you guys look like a bunch of vigilante chumps? Again, you do not want to bring Star anywhere near these guys. I'm also a little unsure just what Hope thinks to get from a money trail. She's got some fixation of them, to be sure. They must be mystical in nature.

"So," Errant adds as he walks to the infirmary, "In your antiheroic days, have you ever ticked off the Raven? I've always admired her, especially when my abilities were more conventional. Of all the League, she probably has the greatest power."

 

[kirinke]

"Yeah, but I don't live in China," Errant responds. "Last time I checked, we're both American citizens with a responsibility to protect our country and respect its laws. Not that I mean to go all Boy Scout on you, but all things being equal, I'd rather work within the law than outside of it. Besides, your badge makes any evidence we'd gather in a quick burglary inadmissable in a courtroom," he points out, frowning. I can't believe she's jeopardizing this team in so many ways by maintaining her connection to law enforcement.

"Mmm. There are ways around that. What we need is something justifiable to get a warrant. We do have clear evidence linking Sheppard and Doe to Barrington, what we have to do is capitalize on it." she looked thoughtful.

"Also," Errant adds with a quick smile, ""I' don't recall admitting to ever breaking international law or even stealing information from anyone." And I never will, unless it's relevant to a current assignment.

"Preaching to the peanut gallery Errant. You don't have to admit to it, for it to be true or not." she teased. "Not that I can throw stones at this point, anyway."

And hasn't this atypically evil law firm batted close to a thousand in making you guys look like a bunch of vigilante chumps? Again, you do not want to bring Star anywhere near these guys. I'm also a little unsure just what Hope thinks to get from a money trail. She's got some fixation of them, to be sure. They must be mystical in nature.

ooc:
They represent Faust and most of the supervillians in town. So yeah. Major fixation of Sheppard and Doe there.

IC
"Yeah, point taken. What we need is a warrent to excute a search on them, we have enough evidence to get one, I just haven't found any judge willing to issue one." she looke grim. "Nor have we really had the time to do it, these past few days." she nodded at his comment on Star. "You're right though. We shouldn't let Star anywhere near them. She's fragile enough as it is,"

"So," Errant adds as he walks to the infirmary, "In your antiheroic days, have you ever ticked off the Raven? I've always admired her, especially when my abilities were more conventional. Of all the League, she probably has the greatest power."

"Who Raven?" Hope shook her head. "No, she understands why I went ballistic on Faust and his little coven. She doesn't agree with what I did, but she understands. Something to do with Dr. Sin, I think."