Piratecat Comics & MnM presents six issues of Code-4: Reunion (updated 4/06)
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
AGONY'S GAMBIT: Issue 1, Chapter 3
Magetti’s Bar
Southside, Freedom City
“Out of the bar, fellas.”
The regulars looked up from their beer steins in surprise. The man at the end of the bar rubbed his bleary eyes. “Whaddaya mean, Vinnie? It ain’t even eight o’clock. I ain’t seen my must-see TV. You can’t kick us out.”
“See it at home, buddy. Bar’s closed.” The front door to Magetti’s swung open and closed, and Vinnie nodded to the man entering.
“But home’s where my wife is!”
“Things is tough all over. We got a private party here tonight.”
“A party? Here?” the regular scoffed. “What kind of a freak would want to. . .” He broke off as he suddenly realized that the light from both the street and the overhead lamp had been eclipsed. He was suddenly sitting in relative darkness. He turned in confusion and looked up, and up, and up at the huge silhouette looming over him. His eyes bulged as he fell backwards off the bar stool.
Boulder just stared at him, eyes hard.
A few minutes later the last of the regulars were gone. The silent TV was showing clips of the Freedom City Comets at spring training in Florida. Vinnie snapped off the set just as a flare of golden light erupted on the street outside. The bartender coughed politely. “Tony, I think that’s for you.”
“I think yer right.” Boulder’s face twisted into what might be a smile. “Vinnie, do me a favor and pour the Eternal Sentinel a whiskey straight up.”
The door swung open to reveal an older man with gray hair, a short gray beard, and eyes of blazing light. His costume was military in style and slightly archaic, a uniform of woven radiance that covered his lanky frame.
“Yer early, Barnabas,” said Boulder. The new arrival gave him a piercing look.
“I’m well aware of it, Boulder. And you’re ‘late’. And yet we’re both here.” His tone was ironic.
Boulder held up a massive stone hand. “I didn’t mean it like that, Barnabas. Don't be so touchy. Vinnie, this here’s the Eternal Sentinel.”
The Sentinel nodded at the bartender and then strode across the room to a far booth. He knelt beside the sticky table, emerging holding a passed-out patron that both Boulder and the bartender had missed.
“I’m just going to fly him home first.” Slinging the drunk over one shoulder, the Eternal Sentinel reached for the bar and downed his whiskey in one gulp. Boulder’s brow furled.
“How do ya know where he lives?”
“I read his wallet when I came in. Be right back.” He reached the door and there was a flash of light.
“He looks tired,” said the bartender.
“He always looks like that,” said Boulder.
Another flash of light, and the Eternal Sentinel was back. “Just a beer this time, please,” he said. He sat down next to Boulder. "How’ve you been?”
"Keepin' busy. No Freedom League means more work for the rest o' us."
"Been a long time since we were all together."
"Not all 'o us. You heard anything from her?"
"Not directly, but we were never close. I understand that she's out of the Providence Asylum and out of the life. Retired, retrained and relocated by AEGIS, somewhere in Ohio."
"Poor Jane." Boulder rested his jutting chin on one massive fist. "She stopped him when the rest o' us couldn't, though. That bastard."
The Eternal Sentinel nodded. "I'll drink to that. And I hear someone else coming. Let's go say hi."
Please flip page to continue.
Magetti’s Bar
Southside, Freedom City
“Out of the bar, fellas.”
The regulars looked up from their beer steins in surprise. The man at the end of the bar rubbed his bleary eyes. “Whaddaya mean, Vinnie? It ain’t even eight o’clock. I ain’t seen my must-see TV. You can’t kick us out.”
“See it at home, buddy. Bar’s closed.” The front door to Magetti’s swung open and closed, and Vinnie nodded to the man entering.
“But home’s where my wife is!”
“Things is tough all over. We got a private party here tonight.”
“A party? Here?” the regular scoffed. “What kind of a freak would want to. . .” He broke off as he suddenly realized that the light from both the street and the overhead lamp had been eclipsed. He was suddenly sitting in relative darkness. He turned in confusion and looked up, and up, and up at the huge silhouette looming over him. His eyes bulged as he fell backwards off the bar stool.
Boulder just stared at him, eyes hard.
A few minutes later the last of the regulars were gone. The silent TV was showing clips of the Freedom City Comets at spring training in Florida. Vinnie snapped off the set just as a flare of golden light erupted on the street outside. The bartender coughed politely. “Tony, I think that’s for you.”
“I think yer right.” Boulder’s face twisted into what might be a smile. “Vinnie, do me a favor and pour the Eternal Sentinel a whiskey straight up.”
The door swung open to reveal an older man with gray hair, a short gray beard, and eyes of blazing light. His costume was military in style and slightly archaic, a uniform of woven radiance that covered his lanky frame.
“Yer early, Barnabas,” said Boulder. The new arrival gave him a piercing look.
“I’m well aware of it, Boulder. And you’re ‘late’. And yet we’re both here.” His tone was ironic.
Boulder held up a massive stone hand. “I didn’t mean it like that, Barnabas. Don't be so touchy. Vinnie, this here’s the Eternal Sentinel.”
The Sentinel nodded at the bartender and then strode across the room to a far booth. He knelt beside the sticky table, emerging holding a passed-out patron that both Boulder and the bartender had missed.
“I’m just going to fly him home first.” Slinging the drunk over one shoulder, the Eternal Sentinel reached for the bar and downed his whiskey in one gulp. Boulder’s brow furled.
“How do ya know where he lives?”
“I read his wallet when I came in. Be right back.” He reached the door and there was a flash of light.
“He looks tired,” said the bartender.
“He always looks like that,” said Boulder.
Another flash of light, and the Eternal Sentinel was back. “Just a beer this time, please,” he said. He sat down next to Boulder. "How’ve you been?”
"Keepin' busy. No Freedom League means more work for the rest o' us."
"Been a long time since we were all together."
"Not all 'o us. You heard anything from her?"
"Not directly, but we were never close. I understand that she's out of the Providence Asylum and out of the life. Retired, retrained and relocated by AEGIS, somewhere in Ohio."
"Poor Jane." Boulder rested his jutting chin on one massive fist. "She stopped him when the rest o' us couldn't, though. That bastard."
The Eternal Sentinel nodded. "I'll drink to that. And I hear someone else coming. Let's go say hi."
Please flip page to continue.
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Emperor Valerian
First Post
I think the phrase, "Goody goody!" in excited tones is now appropriate! 
*Starts flipping through comic pages*
*Starts flipping through comic pages*
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
AGONY'S GAMBIT: Issue 1, Chapter 4
Somewhere in the vicinity of Freedom City
The gorgeous young woman caught a meaty swell and roared down the unseen tube, blond hair caught by the wind and streaming out behind her. Her feet gripped the surfboard as she balanced with her arms and body, carving her way across the face. The girl’s bikini top was soaked with sweat and mist, but her grin was luminescent. She was having fun.
An unexpected current caught her from the side just as she was trying to do a tricky jump, and her board skittered out from underneath her feet. She fell. For a few seconds it looked as if she was falling into an endless sea of white foam. Then she cleared the cloud and was tumbling, freefalling, out of the sky and down towards the skyscrapers of Freedom City.
The falling girl let out a mighty whoop of pure and utter joy. Her surfboard of hardened air rematerialized beneath her bare feet and with astonishing grace she kicked out of the fall and was suddenly soaring over the spires of the city. After one quick flyby to buzz the tourists in the space needle, she checked her watch. It was time.
Buoyed by unseasonably warm wind, the girl twisted her muscled body and aimed her board towards the lights of Southside. Her laughter trailed her through the air as she spent a few minutes chasing birds.
The bar wasn’t hard to find. The girl tugged up her bikini top, flipped the hair out of her eyes, and used a gust of air to blow open the doors before surfing through them. The board dissipated with perfect timing and she landed on her feet. She recognized the few people who had already arrived, but she didn’t really know any of them.
“Flashy,” said the Eternal Sentinel from where he leaned against the bar, his back ramrod straight. It wasn’t clear if he disapproved or not.
“You weren’t no member o’ Code-4,” grated Boulder. “Who’re you?”
“I’m Wave.” Her smile faded a little as she looked around the dive. “Nice to meet you. Boulder and the Eternal Sentinel, right?”
Boulder nodded; it was like watching the start of a landslide. “Yeah, and that’s Vinnie. This is his place. ‘Wave’ your real name or your superhero name?”
Wave wrinkled her nose, and her crystal blue eyes flashed. “Both. Growing up, we didn’t believe in artificial barriers to communication. That’s like so east coast. The same with last names. They’re just there to shackle down your soul. No thanks.”
Boulder regarded her. “Where you from?” He tapped a slablike finger on the bar, denting it slightly.
Wave raised one eyebrow in disdain. “California. Duh. I was invited here by AEGIS. I kind of like the place, except you have to make your own waves.”
The Eternal Sentinel let out a mirthless chuckle. “You so often do.”
“California?” Boulder nodded again, sagely. “That explains it.”
Wave narrowed her perfect brows. “Drink?” asked the bartender, interceding.
“Do you have any fresh squeezed fruit juices?” Wordlessly, the bartender shook his head. “Any margaritas?” He shook his head again. “No problem. Then give me an organic beer.”
He blinked like a lizard. “Organic beer?”
“You know.” Wave looked impatient. “Microbrewed from the best ingredients, pure water, no bio-engineered or irradiated hops, glass bottle you can recycle afterwards.” Her eyes narrowed. “You do recycle, don’t you?”
Vinnie looked at Boulder in desperation. “Tony?”
“Give her a Schlitz, Vinnie.”
The bartender swallowed. "We got a rule, Miss. I don't know if you got any ID on that outfit, but we gotta make sure you're 21. Also, we got a 'no shirt no shoes no service' rule." He looked pointedly at her bare feet, instead of at her bikini top.
Wave just rolled her eyes.
Please flip page to continue.
Somewhere in the vicinity of Freedom City
The gorgeous young woman caught a meaty swell and roared down the unseen tube, blond hair caught by the wind and streaming out behind her. Her feet gripped the surfboard as she balanced with her arms and body, carving her way across the face. The girl’s bikini top was soaked with sweat and mist, but her grin was luminescent. She was having fun.
An unexpected current caught her from the side just as she was trying to do a tricky jump, and her board skittered out from underneath her feet. She fell. For a few seconds it looked as if she was falling into an endless sea of white foam. Then she cleared the cloud and was tumbling, freefalling, out of the sky and down towards the skyscrapers of Freedom City.
The falling girl let out a mighty whoop of pure and utter joy. Her surfboard of hardened air rematerialized beneath her bare feet and with astonishing grace she kicked out of the fall and was suddenly soaring over the spires of the city. After one quick flyby to buzz the tourists in the space needle, she checked her watch. It was time.
Buoyed by unseasonably warm wind, the girl twisted her muscled body and aimed her board towards the lights of Southside. Her laughter trailed her through the air as she spent a few minutes chasing birds.
The bar wasn’t hard to find. The girl tugged up her bikini top, flipped the hair out of her eyes, and used a gust of air to blow open the doors before surfing through them. The board dissipated with perfect timing and she landed on her feet. She recognized the few people who had already arrived, but she didn’t really know any of them.
“Flashy,” said the Eternal Sentinel from where he leaned against the bar, his back ramrod straight. It wasn’t clear if he disapproved or not.
“You weren’t no member o’ Code-4,” grated Boulder. “Who’re you?”
“I’m Wave.” Her smile faded a little as she looked around the dive. “Nice to meet you. Boulder and the Eternal Sentinel, right?”
Boulder nodded; it was like watching the start of a landslide. “Yeah, and that’s Vinnie. This is his place. ‘Wave’ your real name or your superhero name?”
Wave wrinkled her nose, and her crystal blue eyes flashed. “Both. Growing up, we didn’t believe in artificial barriers to communication. That’s like so east coast. The same with last names. They’re just there to shackle down your soul. No thanks.”
Boulder regarded her. “Where you from?” He tapped a slablike finger on the bar, denting it slightly.
Wave raised one eyebrow in disdain. “California. Duh. I was invited here by AEGIS. I kind of like the place, except you have to make your own waves.”
The Eternal Sentinel let out a mirthless chuckle. “You so often do.”
“California?” Boulder nodded again, sagely. “That explains it.”
Wave narrowed her perfect brows. “Drink?” asked the bartender, interceding.
“Do you have any fresh squeezed fruit juices?” Wordlessly, the bartender shook his head. “Any margaritas?” He shook his head again. “No problem. Then give me an organic beer.”
He blinked like a lizard. “Organic beer?”
“You know.” Wave looked impatient. “Microbrewed from the best ingredients, pure water, no bio-engineered or irradiated hops, glass bottle you can recycle afterwards.” Her eyes narrowed. “You do recycle, don’t you?”
Vinnie looked at Boulder in desperation. “Tony?”
“Give her a Schlitz, Vinnie.”
The bartender swallowed. "We got a rule, Miss. I don't know if you got any ID on that outfit, but we gotta make sure you're 21. Also, we got a 'no shirt no shoes no service' rule." He looked pointedly at her bare feet, instead of at her bikini top.
Wave just rolled her eyes.
Please flip page to continue.
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RangerWickett
Legend
I think EN World has it's next 'Server Drive'. *grin*
So, how did this play out as a game? It reads like a comic script - are you taking dramatic license, or do your players magically grasp pacing? No problems either way, but the feel here is distinctively different from your normal storyhour, I'm curious how the actual game went.
So, how did this play out as a game? It reads like a comic script - are you taking dramatic license, or do your players magically grasp pacing? No problems either way, but the feel here is distinctively different from your normal storyhour, I'm curious how the actual game went.
Dirigible
Explorer
Fantastic! I'll be watching this with rapt... raptness. I'm kinda glad you didn't decide to do it in actual comic script form; a face to face game would be a bit illegible in frames.
I really dig Wave's character. She is so very yoink'd.
A wise man once said "Every man has his price; integrity is pretending to hold out until at least the third offer, for the sake of appearences".
Well, I was assuming they're made out of concrete, like the rest of him...
I really dig Wave's character. She is so very yoink'd.
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