Aberrant: Infinite Earth - Fiction - Just another day at Stonehenge [FIN]

[Mech]

"Don't talk about them like they cannot hear you, or understand." There was a tone of cautionary warning to his voice.

The two meter tall nova garnered alot of attention, he was stunningly attractive, and his manner was of someone who was accustomed to being in charge, though it was clear he wasn't.

[The Traveler]

"Hey, they're just doing their job..." Sakurako says, shrugging her shoulders. "Just stating the facts as I have assessed. If they took exception they'd let us know, right?" She says gesturing with her thumb to the snipers, a grin on her face.

"Tryin' too hard, Professor..." Sarah says with a sigh.

Sakurako sighs. "Yeah... You're right. Umm... I never asked your name... I just can't call you 'Tall Guy' or 'Hey You'..." She asks Mech.

[Mech]

"Don't know anything else to tell you on that one. I do not know who I am, as I've previously told you."

[The Traveler]

"Chris. You look like a Chris. Chris' are cenerally nice guys in most universes I've been in." Sakurako says, patting the newly christened Chris on the shoulder. "Anyways all ashore whose coming ashore! Bloody hell I'm a cruise director."

She walks over to a wall and leans on it. "Looks all clear, I wager..." She says as she picks some lint off of Sarah's peacoat. "Should take better care of your school coat, Sarah."

[Mech]

Chris nodded, and sighed. "Lets get on with it."

[Dash Carpenter]

Director Harris looked gravely at everyone while grasping and shaking Irma's hand. "No one is perfect, but the Houses are ultimately dictators over the entire planet. They have to be brought down. And unfortunately, they're winning. We've operated like this anyway, Professor, but the open is almost entirely lost. We're being overwhelmed. But like I said, this is a cause that must be fought for."

Dash spoke up suddenly. "And let me speak from personal experience. The Houses are rotten at the core, and there are a number of novas who've suffered their depredations. Who see what needs to be done." His voice was darkly bitter, and his eyes reflected a warning.

"So are you in or out?"

[The Traveler]

"I need a terminal. I need access to whatever equivalent of the OpNet you have here. Simply put I need to check on a few things and start paving the way."

She clears her throat. "I'm not the fighting type but at least with me being your eyes in the sky things should hopefully work out."

She has another curiosity... if she has a counterpart in this universe there may be... may be... a way to sway her to their side. But she has to be cautious. If Novas are as shrewd as they are touted to be... playing your hand too soon would be suicide.

She flips a pen-like device around in the air, letting it land in her hand with a deft accuracy. "So when do we start? Sarah! You remember that marksmanship training Captain Jane taught you? It might come in handy. Stay safe and follow Jeremy's orders." Sarah nods obiediently.

"Sir..." Sarah says walking up to Director Harris. "I am presently armed with two modified M1911 target pistols rechambered for .454 armor-piercing casull ammunition. Also I am trained in their use. I thought I should come clean before some metal detector goes off... And I am ready to assist in any way." She says in a matter-of-fact tone.

Of course this response from a 16 year-old schoolgirl is highly unusual.

Click to reveal..

If Dash takes a close look at Sarah's coat, he'd realize it's a very well made anti-ballistic coat made to look like a school overcoat or naval peacoat. She's well protected.

[Heather 10093]

Heather turned to Dash and said, "I don't mind helping out while I'm here." She frowns briefly before smiling widely, "My itinerary has been completely shot by landing in a different world, but that just means I need to make a completely new list of places to visit. Tell me, do you have a Paris here? I've always wanted to visit Paris, see the Edifice of Enlightenment, the Astral Beacon, you know, the classic tourist traps."

[Karren Gaunt]

Irma wasn't particularly impressed with Harris' 'woe is our planet' spiel. She had seen five, six if she counted her own, Earths where Baselines had been perfectly on track with a scheme to inflict the same kind of planetary dictatorship on their own kind and would be again if they solved the 'Nova Problem'. It was only fair the multiverse produce the situation the other way around for once, and nicely enough to not set the planet on fire in the process.

The only bad thing is that Director Thetis, or whatever she called herself here if she was alive, would be unlikely to be an easy find on this world. And the last world had been a bust, too. Oh well. She'd pay her dues as 'Melody' and get access to all the skulls she could steer the ship towards, save some time.

"I'm in as long as you have the Professer's confidence," she warmly added to the chorus with a nod and released Harris's hand, "You have a specific plan in mind?"

[Mech]

Chris hadn't spoken in some time, listening to the others.

"So we do this, and we win, and then what? What's to guarantee things will change for the better on this world? Do we have the right to dramatically alter the way this world is?"

He looked at them. "You may think it callous, but I ask you all to consider the precedent this action sets. We establish ourselves as a team to set worlds "right" by how we determine they should be. Are all of you ready for such responsibility?"

He had the bearing of a warrior, and an aura of command that was hard to ignore. Still he wasn't trying to dissuade anyone, simply being a voice of caution.

[Heather 10093]

Heater looks honestly puzzled, as if she is trying to articulate something that is so basic that she had never needed words for it before. "You do what is right when the time is right because it is right. The world is what it is, and will continue to be so no matter what we do; all we can do is do what is right for us to do."

[The Traveler]

The Professor turns to Chris. "I'm already drafted to the greater good, Chris... long story. Needless to say I know what tyrants are our there in the multi-verse and there are a few that now fear my name. Made some enemies in the process.

I don't relish conflict, in fact I would rather avoid it, but I would see the people in control, not a select few."

She leans against Sarah. "In my companion's world, Novakind use their powers for the greater good, serving the people as per their talents direct. They do not lord over the world or tell them what to do. Hell, a Nova can be a teacher if they want and no one bats an eye." Sakurako says as Sarah smiles. "I want what's best, and right now a good first step is removing this cancer that is the Nova houses."

The Professor walks over to the Director. "In storm and sun, I'm with you." She says offering a hand for a hand shake.

Click to reveal..

In reality, The Professor has an ulterior motive for working with The Directive in this universe. Simply put the more allies she can have that can notify her if The Hive is making a move the better, also the more allies she can call to her aid if needed.

[Karren Gaunt]

Meh. Every traveler went a little insane on their journey and the Professer's brand of madness was aparently the hope of making a difference in a Multiverse where literally everything that could happen did happen. Irma had no such illusions and the only greater good she had ever been willing to fight for died nine years ago far as she was concerned. Still... She could use the practise fighting other Novas.

"I believe I asked a question about whether or not you had a plan or not, Director Harris?" she repeated, making her stance clear, an Elite's answer of a job being a job and the implied promise that said job would be done to the best of her ability. Not that this Baseline may have heard of an Elite, actually. That idea made her wonder.

[The Traveler]

Sarah noses about the docks not to far from the Professor as The Professor nods in agreement to Irma's deduction. "Indeed. For us to even go in like a bunch of errant knights, we'll have to have a battle plan first."

She adjusts her coat. "Then again, I want to put a slight edge to whatever plan we have. Sarah... Pull out your datapad and see if you can find a access to any information network that exists... full encryption and proxy... does this universe have a Sakurako Hino or Sakurako Hideyoshi." The stating of that name startles Sarah for a moment. After all, Sakurako is her middle-name. Given to her by her mother of Japanese decent. She gets to work.

"I think I might be able to nudge her along to our side... unless she's a right git, then to the void with her." Sakurako says, gripping her waistcoat with both hands like the studied professor that she is. "After all, I should know myself. If she has at least close to the ethics I do... it should be a way to set a Trojan Horse into the network of the houses."

Sarah tries her search, but folds of frustration furrow her brow.

"What's wrong."

"I think... you don't have a analog in this universe... Or whatever info there is, is beyond my ability to extract..."

Sakrauko sighs. "That's one plan out the window then."

[Dash Carpenter]

"Well," the Director announced with a certain firmness and delighted panache, "there is a mission plan that can move forward with this many novas. Carpenter, take them inside and there should be refreshments in the briefing room." His eyes fixed on Dash, "we're moving ahead with Contingency Mars now."

That elicited a whistle from Dash, who looked stunned and impressed. "Ambitious, sir. Alright... follow me, ladies and gentleman."

[Mech]

Chris nodded, following behind Dash. "Come on, let's get this done then if you're all resolved to go through with this."

[Heather 10093]

Heather perks up a bit as an idea hits her. "Analogues? You mean there might be another me here? I wonder what I'm like here..." She continues to mumble to herself as she follows Dash to the briefing.

[The Traveler]

Sakurako scratches her chin, wondering about the situation. "Yes, Heather, I've noticed with alarming regularity that I have an analog in many universes I've visited. Now most are ordinary individuals, and Sarah here a bit lucky in that department being blooded royalty. Well... abdicated royalty... long story. Needless to say I've not run into a analog of me as a Nova yet."

Sarah nods, massaging her temples. "This temporal mechanics thing has been a bit of a stretch."

[Karren Gaunt]

Irma ignored the matter of philosophy and daily facts of life in the Multiverse, following the rest of the party to this briefing to see what the last great hope for Baseline kind had to propose. She had to keep supressing the smirk which threatened to escape onto her face at the fact four new Novas was considered extraordinary or that this Directive was desperate enough to discard it's traditional hubris towards her kind.

[The Traveler]

Sakurako turns to Sarah. "Sarah, dear, could you head into the ESS and prepare her for departure. We'll probably want to get underway as soon as we receive this mission..."

Sarah nods and heads back to the ESS. The Professor on the other hand follows with everyone else. "So... Contingency Mars... sounds exiting!" She says with a giddy smile, almost schoolgirl like.

[Mech]

Chris looked at them, the thought of analigues intriguing him.

"So Dash, now what?"

[Dash Carpenter]

The room is sparse, and rather spartan as to be expected, but the assortment of desserts and fruit adds a touch of comfort and home. Considering that according to Dash's explanation that most Directive personnel spent their time down in the bases, one wanted to avoid the effects of claustrophobia and the fact that they were underground.

But minutes pass, and the refreshments are demolished. Soon it is a half-hour, and Dash is getting bothered, clearly this was not meant to be this long. "Excuse me." he announced to the group, getting up and stepping through a hand-print locked door.

[Mech]

He looked around and shook his head. "Hurry up and wait."

[The Traveler]

The Professor looks about, wondering just how long this is going to take. Being in a chamber surrounded by nothing but London above and water below isn't exactly what she calls a good spot.

"You think we should check to see if everything is alright?" Sakurako says, adjusting her clothes. "Damn... I shouldn't have told Sarah to stay with the ESS..."

Sakurako rocks nervously. almost uncharacteristically.

Click to reveal..

Sakurako is afraid of the fact there's only one person in the ESS at the moment, and that person is her ward. With everyone else gone, she'd be an easy mark.

[Mech]

"If it isn't we'll handle it. It's too late now to go check. I think these people need our help too much to jeopardize it."

[Karren Gaunt]

"It's not too late for me to check," 'Melody' volunteered as she brushed one lock of hair behind her ear from where she sat, "And I've seen counterparts of this organization reject far less vital help in my time in the name of Baseline pride and paranoia. Be Nova enough to fly or read minds, no matter your loyalties post eruption, and you're considered another case file."

Her eyes danced with bitter-sweet experience, and only the sweet part of that emotion was faked as she glanced at a hidden security camera, "Not that I expect that kind of behavior this time around."

[The Traveler]

"N..no, I don't want anyone to jump to conclusions here. Just be ready to act, come what may." Sakurako says, calming down. "Something I've learned is that nothing follows the expected pattern. Hope for the best and fear the worst at the same time."

She sits back. "If they intended to actually swerve us, I don't think they would have put on this production with one of their own. From what I saw, our new travelling companion is well into the Directive. Something other Novas in other universes have hot achieved with their analogues."

"Trust then verify... no wiser words were spoken."

[Heather 10093]

"If you're worried about your friend, that's easy enough to check on," Heather tells them. "Galahad?" The bronze dragon appears from nowhere and lands on Heather's outstretched hand.

Reaching for the link between them, she sent, *Would you mind checking on this lady's friend for me? She's in that really interesting ship, remember?*

*Yes, Mama. That place was fun* came his telepathic response, followed by him disappearing.

"Hopefully this will keep him out of trouble as well."

[The Traveler]

"Thank you. Or should I say Thank you, Galahad." She says with a giggle.

"You know... It's odd that we got sucked into all this through random consequence. But... if you guys are looking for a little vacation, My current home universe makes a good trip. No political madness, and I'll introduce you to the Ministry of Powers. They've been... very admirable in their treatment of Novas, Humanity... and even myself."

She sits back, smiling. "Hopefully we survive whatever is planned here though, right?"

[Dash Carpenter]

That line preceded the distinct sound of an explosion by approximately 1.3 seconds.

The door where Dash had exited the room through swung open again. Director Harris and Dash both came in. Dash couldn't help but look overwhelmed by shock, and Harris seemed resigned to some terrible fate.

"It sounds like your home is a good place, Professor." Harris said gravely. Then to everyone: "For agreeing to help us, I thank you. Unfortunately, for your safety, I'm going to send you back to your ship so you can get out of here. Carpenter is going with you."

This came as an added surprise to Dash, and Harris added to the blond youth, "You've performed beyond the call of duty. You've been as good an agent as we could hope for. And in recognition of that and what you've already suffered by them, I have no intention of allowing your death or capture at the hands of the Houses to be on my conscience. It's an order, if I must say it."

Dash nodded slowly, unpalatable fact that it was. "Yes sir."

"Alright," he snapped to the others, "let's move and get you out of here. I'll fill you in as we move along!" He pulled out a pistol and waved for the others to get moving.

Click to reveal..

Do me a favor and roll Initiatives please...

Jeremy *rolls* 1d10: 7+14: 21

[Mech]

Click to reveal..

Long6 *rolls* 1d10: 2+15: 17

Chris looked at them and heard the explosion. "This doesn't sound good."

[The Traveler]

Click to reveal.. (Allons-Y!)

The Professor *rolls* 1d10: 8+10: 18

The Professor calmly speaks over her communicator. "Sarah, prep the jump rotor for emergency cross-time escape. Default setting!" She says, looking like she's going to run out. But then inexplicably stops and turns back around re-entering the room.

"Everyone... RUN!!"

[Karren Gaunt]

Click to reveal..

[Joani] 9:57 am: I think it is +5 there, but don't quote me on that
[envoy] 10:03 am: close enough for government work
[envoy] 10:04 am: activating Enhanced Iniative for 1 Quantum point
envoy *rolls* 1d10: 8+18: 26

The chronokinetic didn't say anything as she rose, brain kicking into high gear and internally sighing in relief that a) she had had a chance to recharge her reserves and that it looked like they were leaving this universe sooner rather than later.

Combat was really just a second language to her and whatever got inbetween them and the ship was about to be the target of a very frustrated young woman who needed to blow off some steam.

[Heather 10093]

Click to reveal..

Wyrd *rolls* 1d10: 3+12: 15

Heather looks bemusedly to the others and follows behind, saying, "Dang it, now I have to update my travel itinerary again."

[Dash Carpenter]

"Idiot!" Dash snarled as he ran and led the group through the corridors at high speed. "The Houses are assaulting this place... we're all that's left now, since the last transmission came in not too long ago from Director Thetis' base." The sounds of battle and explosions become louder and had a frightening clarity to them. Soon, the entrance to the outer hangar and the ESS dock loomed.

Then, the ESS was there, but a pair of screams caught your attention, and dead bodies laid on the ground were bathed crimson. The last two Directive agents had just been impaled by twin spears, wrenched out by a muscled figure in a golden skull mask once he saw you all.

Dash swallowed even as he directed with an unholstered gun for you to get to the ESS. "Totentanz... go!"

Jeremy *rolls* 1d10: 2+17: 19

Irma: 26

Dash: 21

Totentanz: 19

Professor: 18

Mech: 17

Heather: 15

Dragons: 12

[Karren Gaunt]

Irma didn't need the name to know who that was. She had been raised on classroom tales of the terrible boogieman Totentanz and how she should be both like and unlike him, stories and scars from her Father's friends who had had run-ins alongside and against the terrible invisible killer who could suck your quantum dry before you knew he was there. There was courage and there was common sense. This was time for the latter.

"I'll be back," she whispered over the com bead and touched the Professor's shoulder, teleporting them both away to the bridge of the ship in a tick of quantum and the faint implosion of twin vacumns.

[envoy] 7:27 am: okay, rolling for teleport onto the bridge of the ship, burning a point of will.

[envoy] 7:28 am: last two dice mega.

[Wyrd] 7:28 am: Yes, rats.

envoy *rolls* 8d10: 7+2+6+10+9+3+4+6: 47

[Wyrd] 7:28 am: Though I really wanted to do the scene in mind with squirrels. Unfortunately, we are underground.

[Jeremy] 7:28 am: literal rats? none that I can think of

[envoy] 7:28 am: four successes.

Edit: Wait. Plus five successes for her Quantum Value, so nine total.

[Dash Carpenter]

Dash leveled his pistol at Totentanz, and a glow settled around the gun as he fired. The masked nova charged in return, shrugging off the first energized shot. Dash tried to retreat and fired again, but Totentanz struck him along the side with a blow from one of the spears... Dash rolled back from the blow, but remained quite frightened and trying to keep his cool.

Activating Quickness x1... and 'Gun' Claws.

Initiative 21 Action:

[Jeremy] 10:45 am: Megas first two dice

Jeremy *rolls* 12d10: 4+8+9+6+7+10+10+7+5+6+4+6

7 sux.

Damage Dice: Jeremy *rolls* 5d10: 3+3+2+1+6 = 0L dealt :0

Initiative 19 Action: Split between firing and a dodge...

Jeremy *rolls* 10d10: 7+8+5+8+8+2+1+1+8+6

7 sux again.

Damage dice: Jeremy *rolls* 5d10: 3+9+8+9+4 = 3L dealt to Tot.

Dodge roll: Jeremy *rolls* 9d10: 8+1+10+8+7+3+10+1+7 = 7 sux... lucky numbers.

--

Totentanz's turn...

Jeremy *rolls* 15d10: 4+7+4+7+3+3+10+8+8+8+9+4+10+4+3 = 10 sux - 7 def = 3 total hit.

Dash activates Durability... Jeremy *rolls* 2d10: 4+10 - Success.

Jeremy *rolls* 9d10: 4+1+10+8+4+2+9+4+7 - 4 bashing to Dash.

The Professor is up.

[The Traveler]

The Professor stumbles from Irma's Teleportation and leans against the captain's chair, and holds back vomiting. She sees Sarah frantically flipping touchpad controls on the OLED touch screens on the security console.

"Son of a... don't TELL me that we're facing THAT." Sarah screeches.

Sakurako is scared herself... scared for her passengers. Which as captain of the ship are her responsibility alone. She opens a channel to the team. "Retreat if you can, a fighting one if you must. Just get back here. SARAH! Get a hold of yourself and take the Conn!"

[Mech]

Chris reacted without thinking his form seeming to blur as he moved at suprising speed. His body seemed to flow, becoming metal, elongating and growing When he reached the gold-skull masked attacker, he looked like a great black and silver Lion, his massive claws gleaming in the remaining light before he slashed at Totentanz.

activating accellerate time

Long6 *rolls* 9d10: 1+10+3+7+2+8+10+7+1: 49 5 successes (+3 actions)

shapeshift last dice is mega on each

Long6 *rolls* 12d10: 5+5+1+7+3+7+5+10+6+5+1+10: 65

Long6 *rolls* 2d10: 6+9: 15 8 successes (1 for form 2 for sizemorph, 1 for bmod (tendril/tail) 4 for claws)

Forcefield

Long6 *rolls* 8d10: 4+1+6+3+10+6+3+9: 42

Long6 *rolls* 1d10: 10: 10

Long6 *rolls* 1d10: 8: 8 5 successes +32/32 soak

Bodymorph metal +15/15 soak

claws

-8 quantum

Attacks 1

Long6 *rolls* 14d10: 1+6+2+8+3+8+9+2+9+8+4+1+4+6: 71 5 successes

Damage- Long6 *rolls* 12d10: 3+4+1+7+2+10+4+6+1+3+5+8: 54

Long6 *rolls* 1d10: 2: 2 3B

Attack 2

Long6 *rolls* 14d10: 4+8+3+5+1+5+6+1+4+6+4+9+4+2: 62 2 successes

Damage- Long6 *rolls* 9d10: 5+7+1+9+8+3+7+7+7: 54 6B

Attack 3 Coup de grace

Defense 1 tbd

The first swipe of his claws did little damage to the Goldmasked nova. The second crippled him, sending him into the realms of unconsciousness. Coldly, mechanically, The great mechanical lion's foot raised, and the claws flashed as he sliced down, severing the head from the body. The lion, ever alert, made his way to the ship.

"Let's go, I do not wish to do that again. I doubt he's alone. Run a full diagnostic and get us out of here."

[Heather 10093]

Heather wanders forward. Slow to react to what everyone else had correctly deduced was a threat, she did little beyond watch the short and bloody fight. As Mech leaves with the head, she pokes the bloody stump on the body and examines some of the wounds. "Is this a common tradition around here? There doesn't appear to be much of the poor fellow left." Intrigued by the spears, she picked one up just as Galahad and Ariel appeared--or re-appeared it would seem, as Galahad bore a nasty gash along one side and they both seemed to be absolutely furious.

Across the multiverse there is a lesson that has been learned many times, though never twice by the same person: Never piss off a dragon. The reason for this was amply displayed as flames so hot they were nearly black shot out of the two cute flying reptiles, flames that consumed the body so thoroughly there was not even ash left behind. Then, ire sated, they followed their friend/mother figure into the ESS.