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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8612543" data-attributes="member: 30538">Jack Neutron, The Metamorphic Man<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-7bdnMqG/0/a45d57df/S/Captain-Atom-Redux-II-by-fredmast-on-DeviantArt-S.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />As <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g06ZkerAxa0dSrMZ_7ZxgKdfHmnDt_jf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109062110484778480992&rtpof=true&sd=true" target="_blank">Michael Faulks</a> lay on the street with a crushed rib cage, feeling his life ebbing away as he stared up at the strangely clear sky, he found that his life did not pass before his eyes. Maybe things would speed up in the final moments and he would glimpse scenes of the first forty-eight years of his life. Right now, though, all that he could think about was how things had been going so well in the last few months, and then had gone so horribly wrong in the last twenty-four hours.During the Konan assault on Earth, he had seized the initiative and led his agents on lightning fast strikes against the suspected locations of many of the bombs set by the Combination to prevent outside intrusion against their rule over St. Louis. They had been even more successful than they had dared to hope; from intercepted communications, he learned that there was only one still active, and Faulks swore to find that last threat and eliminate it before the year was out. Unfortunately, his superiors at Argus believed that it would be more productive to launch an assault against the Combination despite the remaining bomb, disagreeing with Faulks on "acceptable losses" and (to be fair) concerned that new bombs could be constructed and render all that effort pointless. He spent as much time arguing with the bosses as he did directing the search.Unfortunately, someone else was listening in on the arguments. Billie Zane had even less concern for the collateral damage that would result from the detonation of the last bomb than Argus did, and saw an opportunity to eliminate members of the superpower oligarchy by attacking the Combination with a large army of Saturn agents. The Powerhouse responded to the attack, making an unlikely alliance with the Combination. Faulks gave the order to his people to help in the defense of St. Louis, and wound up in the thick of it, firing a blaster rifle at point blank range towards Zane in her powered armor. It did nothing, and she bashed him aside without a second glance.From what he could hear, the battle sounded like it was winding down. He wondered who had won. Much more than that, he wondered whether any of the people who had trusted his leadership were going to survive this. He wondered a lot of things, really.And then ...And then, my friends, something strange happened. When a woman who had died when he was nine years old walked up to where he was lying on the street with a somber look on her face, Faulks thought that he had actually passed without realizing it. And then she spoke. "You did a brave thing, just now," said Janey Quantum. "I'd like to apologize for what my daughter did, but ... no, never mind. Here's the thing. If I do nothing, you're going to die, and then I'm going to die shortly afterward. Or I can do something, and then one of us doesn't have to die. I wish I could offer you a choice, but we're all out of time and choices, here." And with that, her hand glowing, she bent down and touched his chest. The world went as white as the gutters of a comic book page.When he woke up, his ribs were no longer crushed, and Faulks had never felt so alive -- confused as could be, but so alive. He got up and half-stumbled over to where the Powerhouse and the Combination were having a confrontation in the aftermath of the battle, with Kingfisher threatening to detonate all the bombs if the heroes failed to depart immediately. It annoyed him, and before he realized what he was doing, he projected an explosive blast right at the winged bandit, knocking him back quite a bit. "Hi, guys," he said to Paragon and the others. "Could I get a lift? We've got some stuff to talk about."At the Argo, it was determined that whatever Janey Quantum had done before returning to the past (and her death) had infused him with powers like those she had possessed, but that Faulks was still learning how to use. One of the first abilities that he mastered was the knack of transforming his clothes and the air around him into a flexible shell of woven steel and cavorite, granting him protection and the power of flight. With this means of concealing his identity, he assumed the ops moniker -- or rather nomme de guerre -- of Jack Neutron, the Metamorphic Man. (His middle name is John, hence Jack.)His life has changed a lot in the two weeks since all that happened. He was fired from Argus, as he was expecting, but the new Director of Combination Activities is someone he helped to train and trusts. On the other hand, he has been promptly recruited by the Powerhouse, who are understandably concerned about the power that he demonstrated. He recognizes that he has a long ways to go before his skill at using that power makes him worthy of the title "superhero", but through the Powerhouse he has access to some of the best teachers in the world for this peculiar occupation. In the meanwhile, he has settled in as the first resident hero of St. Louis since the Combination took over, letting Kingfisher know that the authorities are aware that there is only one bomb left, and that they will know if he builds more. The never-ending battle continues, but the forces of evil seem to be on the back foot right now.There are just two things that make Michael Faulks a bit uncertain about his new role in life. The first is the look of horror and grief that he glimpsed, for just a moment, on the face of Dancer when he created his shell for the first time, while she was watching. He does not know what could have caused that, which worries him. The other concern, probably more serious, is why he keeps hearing the voice of Janey Quantum in his head ... not talking to him, just talking. At least, so far. Jack Neutron, the Metamorphic Man -- PL 9Abilities:STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 1 | DEX 2 | FGT 5 | INT 1 | AWE 2 | PRE 3Powers:Cavorite-Steel Shelled: Flight 7 (125 MPH); Impervious Protection 9; Strength-based Damage 3; Activation (Standard Action) - 33 pointsTransmutation: Array (54 points) <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Basics: Continuous Transform 9 (400 lbs; anything into anything) - 54 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Corrosion: Linked Damage 10, Secondary Effect; Linked Weaken Toughness 10, Affects Object, Secondary Effect - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Explosion: Linked Ranged Damage 9; Linked Ranged Selective Burst Area Damage 9 - 1 point</li> </ul>Advantages:All-out Attack, Assessment, Connected, Contacts, Defensive Roll, Evasion, Fearless, Inspire 2, Leadership, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Shot (Ranged/Cover), Teamwork.Skills:Acrobatics 3 (+4), Athletics 3 (+4), Deception 4 (+7), Expertise: Military 5 (+6), Expertise: Science 3 (+4), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+7), Insight 4 (+6), Intimidation 5 (+8), Investigation 6 (+7), Perception 4 (+6), Persuasion 2 (+5), Ranged Combat: Transmutation 3 (+5), Sleight of Hand 2 (+4), Stealth 4 (+5), Technology 4 (+5), Vehicles 4 (+6).Offense:Initiative +1Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 4/1)Corrosion +5 (Close Damage 10 and Weaken Toughness 10)Explosion +5 (Ranged Damage 9 and Ranged Burst Damage 9)Defense:Dodge 5, Parry 5, Fortitude 5, Toughness 13/11/4/2, Will 7Totals:Abilities 34 + Powers 89 + Advantages 14 + Skills 30 + Defense 12 = 179 pointsOffensive PL: 9Defensive PL: 9Resistance PL: 6Skill PL: 3Complications:Responsibility--Motivation. Nemesis (the Combination). Physical Limitation (artificial leg can be disabled by Nullify Electrical, leaving him Hindered and Vulnerable). Voices In His Head (not hostile ones, just distracting at times.)</blockquote>

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