Aberrant: Quantum Zero - Quantum Zero - Elites

[Asbjørn]

\"All right then.  So, when and where would be a good time to practice something like that?  Or maybe we just want to keep that idea in mind.  Are there any other ideas?\"

- "Practice what? Skydiving? As often as possible, I guess. Trouble is, teleporting is very taxing so I can't do too many jumps in a row before I'm beat. Why? You wanna try it now?"

[Alex Green]

- \"Practice what? Skydiving? As often as possible, I guess. Trouble is, teleporting is very taxing so I can't do too many jumps in a row before I'm beat. Why? You wanna try it now?\"

"I'm up for it if you are. But it might be best if we did that kind of thing during training. I'll bet I'm real loud and a mile up would show up on radar and such. If I were DeVries I would suspect an attack. ::crazy "

"... perhaps we should just call it a night?"

[knave]

(I'm very interested to see what proff has to say about your teleport physics - as that is specifically how it doesn't work in trinity. ::tongue )

[Bahamut810]

Alex blinks. He thinks, *Well, that could have gone better. Unless I'm mistaken, there goes our only flyer.*

((hehe...he is lucky I took the peaceful way out...Alahol on the head is much better then me forcing the pitcher itself to form fit the head...))

[Asbjørn]

\"... perhaps we should just call it a night?\"

- "Yeah... Or we could try some jumps over the australian desert or something."

[Alex Green]

Alex slaps his head. "Duh. Right. You don't sleep. And a couple of hours is fine for me. So provided we go somewhere else, let's do it."

[ProfPotts]

[i'll post this here because...]

(I'm very interested to see what proff has to say about your teleport physics - as that is specifically how it doesn't work in trinity.  ::tongue )

You see, when I 'port, I keep the same momentum, but I can change my own direction. That means that if I took a dive out of an airplane and ported to the ground, I'd still be tomato sauce. Unless I manage to port to groundlevel facing up. Then I'd 'fall' upwards till gravity caught up with me, and when my speed is zero, I can port safely to the ground

[Ok, I'm not convinced that Trinity pseudo-physics apply (since they're pretty specific in talking about Psions - & Psion powers work the same for all Psions who possess them. Nova powers, on the other hand, are pretty specifically individual, & the same effect can be achieved in an almost limitless number of ways).

On the other hand, I'm also pretty sure that you can't alter your momentum or the direction of that momentum with Teleport (that's what Momentum Control is for, right?).

I would allow a certain amount of position shift (otherwise the power can end-up sucking big-time, especially if dealing with 'global' distances & things...) - the amount would be based on how good the Teleport roll was: with just enough successes to make the distance you get no position change (& all the potential problems that go with that, like Teleporting through the Earth & arriving upsidedown, for example), the more successes, the greater the possible finese of the 'landing'.

So, in the example, if he fell from a plane & 'ported to the ground he'd have the same momentum as he'd built-up during his fall. With more successes he could change his facing on arrival (to, say, be looking up), but he'd still be falling down no matter how many successes he got. With even more successes (like 5 over what he needed for the distance) he could change his facing & position completly (from, say, spread-eagle & falling face-down, to standing & adjusting his tie) but, again, he'd still be hitting the ground at whatever velocity he'd built up during his fall.

Ok, hope that's clear as mud... ::confused ]

[knave]

"You guys go... think I'm going to get some shuteye... Seeya in the morning mates..."

Guy heads off to his bungalow.

[Asbjørn]

Stretching, Vinnie shakes his head a bit... "Nah. I don't sleep much, that's true, but those workouts today really burned me out. When I think about it, it's gonna be a couple of hours yet before I'm up for a test-run."

"Let's do it tomorrow instead. The important thing is that we're starting to think tactics and ways to combine our advantages. That's good."

\"You guys go... think I'm going to get some shuteye... Seeya in the morning mates...\"

- "Right. Have a good night then. I'll probably just spend the rest of the night watching a movie or something anyway..."

(OOC: Got it, Prof. I have a few more questions, but we'll take that in private. But what's Momentum Control?)

[Alex Green]

Alex leaves, goes over to Andy's cabin, and taps on the door...

(If there is no answer or someone says to go away, he leaves).

(If some says come in, he will).

[knave]

[Ok, I'm not convinced that Trinity pseudo-physics apply (since they're pretty specific in talking about Psions - & Psion powers work the same for all Psions who possess them. Nova powers, on the other hand, are pretty specifically individual, & the same effect can be achieved in an almost limitless number of ways).

On the other hand, I'm also pretty sure that you can't alter your momentum or the direction of that momentum with Teleport (that's what Momentum Control is for, right?).

(Your call obviously - but consider the rationale behind the trinity teleporters taking on the momentum (ONLY) of the area they port into is twofold: Firstly - we're on 'starship earth' (if you'll excuse the phrase) - which is moving pretty quickly - so really any momentum you have is in addition to that possessed by earth. So if you maintain your momentum and you teleport off earth - what are you using in place of basic earthly momentum... do you have to teleport onto something bigger than a certain size or do you keep Earth's momentum and float off? Also whilst still on earth - maintaining your momentum would mean it is impossible to teleport onto any sort of moving vehicle without serious injury or having to accelerate to that vehicle's velocity and possibly also its vector.

The second big reason is game balance. This generally involves the effect of firing a rail gun into a warp gate or similar. Truly horrible.)

[Asbjørn]

(OOC: Just for the future. Can we make a separate thread for technical discussions? It's no big deal, but it's always a letdown when I expect to see a new post in the story ::smile and instead find an offgame comment. Much like this one, I know... ::confused )

[Bahamut810]

Andy hears the knocking. "Come in if your not an ass."

When/if alex comes in, Andy is laying on the couch in his bungelo with an opnet music station going at a medium sound level. Andy looks up at Alex.

"Eh? Oh, its you. have a seat...i hope you dont mind 'techno'. I know you probably hvent heard this stuff. I found an entire opnet site dedicated to classics like this. Its from an old game that I remember seeing when I was really young. This is...DDR 3rd season remix i think is what its called."

((for thoes who must know...current song on is Captian Jack...available at your local P2P station:D))

[Alex Green]

Andy hears the knocking.  "Come in if your not an ass."

When/if alex comes in, Andy is laying on the couch in his bungelo with an opnet music station going at a medium sound level.  Andy looks up at Alex.

"Eh?  Oh, its you.  have a seat...i hope you dont mind 'techno'."

Alex walks in and sits down. "Hey there."

Alex is holding an open beer and a closed one seems to have attached itself to his side via a jet black strap. He holds up the closed one and then makes an easy underhanded toss to Andy.

"Ah... dude... " (Alex pauses for thought) "...the day may come, real soon, when you need that guy to save your ass."

(This is one of those times when Alex regrets that he didn't gain any enhanced social skills during his eruption.)

[Bahamut810]

Alex walks in and sits down. \"Hey there.\"

Alex is holding an open beer and a closed one seems to have attached itself to his side via a jet black strap. He holds up the closed one and then makes an easy underhanded toss to Andy.

\"Ah... dude... \" (Alex pauses for thought) \"...the day may come, real soon, when you need that guy to save your ass.\"

And opens his hand at hte can and it stops as if cought. He then shifts his finger to point at a table and the can floats to land softly.

" The same can be said for him. Dont worry though, Ill save his ass if he needs it. And just because I might need him for something someday...far far in the future...dosent mean im going to stand by and let him insult a **** load of people that mean something to me. Hell I was even *nice* enough to let him have hte rest of the amp wells. "

Andy smiles for a second. " It was almost worth the Uber-favor I owe Andy Vance now. Almost... And in case he asks you...PLease inform him I am not going to introduce him to Andy's lady friend."

[Alex Green]

Andy smiles for a second.  " It was almost worth the Uber-favor I owe Andy Vance now.  Almost...  And in case he asks you...PLease inform him I am not going to introduce him to Andy's lady friend."

"Fair enough. ... Although, if you aren't going to introduce him, could you introduce me?" ::smokin

[Bahamut810]

\"Fair enough. ... Although, if you aren't going to introduce him, could you introduce me?\" 

"Of course. Next time we are at the Amp Room ill see if I can...motion you two together. We can all take a trip down there after our first mission. Hell...I might let Vinnie go if he promices to behave."

Andy considers a second. "Have you ever been to Izbela before?"

[Asbjørn]

When he's alone, Vinnie sits down with some of the supper he salvaged from the mess hall, finds a movie and relaxes with some more or less braindead entertainment. Halfway through the movie, he's interrupted by the phone ringing. Cursing a bit under his breath, he reaches for the receiver.

" ::angry Yeah? ::smile ...Oh hi, grandpa! What's up?

... No it's fine. I haven't been working out this much since I considered going pro with the boxing, but it's cool.

... No, I got all kinds of classes, not just combat and physicals. I could learn accounting if I wanted to! ::biggrin

... No, not yet. I've only been here a few days. Gimme a break, ok? I'll let you know when there's anything to know. Besides, I haven't been made yet, so I'm still just hanging with the other rookies.

... Dunno yet. They're just kids, and I'm not sure this is even the right place for all of them.

... Yeah, one or two of them might be useful. ...Yeah.

... What?!? No, I'm not coming over for dinner. ::rolleyes Why?! You gotta ask why? Mierde... Come on, grandpa. You know I can't do that. Cause I wouldn't be back in time for the first classes, that's why. They'd be going 'where's Vinnie?' 'He's stuck in the f**king atlantic ocean'... Besides, I have to think a bit more about tomorrow.

... No, nothing big. Just that I was trying to get the other rookies to pull together as a team, and this stupid bambino got all upset cause of something I said. ... I just said I don't like fags, that's all. So he poured his drink over me. Can you believe that?

... I didn't, actually. I wanted to, sure, but I didn't even touch him. You'd be real proud of me.

... Yeah, that's what I thought too. He probably is. So anyway, I have to figure out if it's still possible to work with him or not.

... Well, he's a childish, overreacting, unprofessional prick, but he's a prick with magnetic powers... So of course he'd be good to have on the team.

... Yeah, we'll see. Well, what would you do?

... ::biggrin Hehe. Well, I can't do that. I'm not the capo around here, remember? And I don't think I have time to start building favors from scratch either... I'll figure it out somehow. And if I don't... ciò è la vita.

... Yeah, I will. And I'll pop by for dinner some day too. ...Yeah. You too. Take care, ok? Ciao!"

He hangs up and looks at the phone a moment contemplating making a few more calls, but decides against it. Checking the time and seeing that he's got more than enough hours ahead of him to be completely rested for tomorrow, he gets up and does a few practice rapid 'ports inside the house before taking another shower and going to bed.

[Alex Green]

"Of course.  Next time we are at the Amp Room ill see if I can...motion you two together. We can all take a trip down there after our first mission.  Hell...I might let Vinnie go if he promices to behave."

Andy considers a second.  "Have you ever been to Izbela before?"

"Actually, No, I haven't. I erupted a few months ago and only got out of the clinic a few weeks ago. What I know of Ironskin and the world's top nova bar I learned from baseline media when I was a baseline. It didn't seem all that relevent at the time." (Alex shrugs).

"Which raises the question, how about you? When did you erupt and how do you know Andy?"

[Bahamut810]

\"Actually, No, I haven't.  I erupted a few months ago and only got out of the clinic a few weeks ago.  What I know of Ironskin and the world's top nova bar I learned from baseline media when I was a baseline.  It didn't seem all that relevent at the time.\"  (Alex shrugs).

\"Which raises the question, how about you?  When did you erupt and how do you know Andy?\"

"My eruption? Beh...It dosent matter. Ive been a nova for a little over a year though. I have had DeVries jobs before, but Andys husband, Jake said I should go elite. So here I am!" He raises a hand in a "ta da!" type fashion.

"As for knowing Andy Vance? After my first job I headed strait there. The stories of parties all week are just about true...if you have powers like that. But I met Andy and Jake there that night. And let me tell you...Andy is the greatest guy you have ever met. Jake is cool too... dont get me wrong...But Andy is the nicest guy you will ever know, powers or no powers. I made it a point to get his attension, and we became friends. Nothing big...but we do eachother favors and hang out whenever."

Andy sits up and looks at the other man in the room strait in the eyes. "I dont appreciate people talking badly about my friends...not even some latino guy who thinks he is all that. But thats neither here nor there..."

Andy lays back down. "Anyhoo...what do you do exactly? Power wise that is..."

[Alex Green]

Andy lays back down.  \"Anyhoo...what do you do exactly?  Power wise that is...\"

"Me? I erupted during a black out" *which I caused by not hooking up the power cables correctly* Alex mentally adds " when I dropped a hammer on my foot. I got bigger, buffer, healthier, more athletic, and gained the ability to mold darkness, well, dark matter." (A dark matter hammer appears in Alex's hand. It morphs into a fork, then a ball, then into nothing) "I can also turn into this stuff."

"Human, I'm a bullet proof Olympic athlete who doesn't tire and can make tools. As DMD I'm insanely strong and tough. The PR guys were talking about having me juggle tanks tomorrow for my resume. Oh yeah, and part of my power lets me use all these tools. Engineering, weapons, or whatever, if I can make it I can use it."

[Bahamut810]

Andy makes an impressed face, nodding his head. "Niiiice. Looks like the Nova power giving god smiled on you. You have one of the more interesting eruption stories I have heard. And I have heard a few, believe you me."

he sits up on the table and opens his hand in the beers direction and it floats to his hand. "One of my few abilities. So you know I can also speak about 15 different languages. A few of them old tongues...like ancient egyption...but I have my fair share of new ones."

He lets go of the can and it floats over to Alex. "Thanks for the thought...but I think you would enjoy this more then I would tonight."

[Alex Green]

He lets go of the can and it floats over to Alex.  "Thanks for the thought...but I think you would enjoy this more then I would tonight."

"Well, thank you kindly," Alex says, and then he heads back to his cabin.

[ProfPotts]

(OOC: Just for the future. Can we make a separate thread for technical discussions? It's no big deal, but it's always a letdown when I expect to see a new post in the story  and instead find an offgame comment. Much like this one, I know...  )

[Yeah, sorry, my bad - I thought there was just a game-related interest in my ST ruling on this, rather than an interest in a discussion on it. You're right though, & I'll post a thread on the Aberrant 'General' board about Teleport / Warp mechanics to answer the points raised. Now, back to stately Wayne Manor... ::smile ]

Day 3:

The Novas are again called from their beds early to begin the day's intensive training - if anything each day seems to get harder, as the collected instructors, doctors & scientists learn the Novas' limits - then push them.

Ms Cable is available to offer any needed assistance or answer questions, but leaves the new recruits more to get on with things, now that they've settled-in a bit (they're all given her pager & mobile numbers in case she's needed - in fact, those without their own 'phones are issued with company ones: essential tools of the business world ::cool ). During the morning physical excercise she checks on each of the newbies, pausing a bit longer than necessary to 'observe' Vinnie sweat... Then, in a moment when the instructors are busy elsewhere, she whispers quickly in his ear,

"General Chang will be touring the base & pass by your Quantum training session this afternoon..."

... then blushes ::blush , & hurrys off (hoping that no-one picked up on her indiscretion).

[Bahamut810]

The Novas are again called from their beds early to begin the day's intensive training - if anything each day seems to get harder, as the collected instructors, doctors & scientists learn the Novas' limits - then push them.

Andy wakes, eats and actually dosent complain as much as he usually does today!

[Bahamut810]

((Deleted duplicate post))

[knave]

Guy goes to training and gets on with it as per normal - pushing himself hard in each event (but staying in full costume as much as possible to get used to it). When Ms. Cable has a spare minute (like when she's eyeing up Vinnie for example!) he motions her aside (which hopefully doesn't require more than a gentle touch on the arm!)...

"Scuse me, luv. But that Mr Sauvage bloke from Superimpose and I were talking up some gizmos to go with this get-up. I was wondering if per'aps I can get 'old of some kit to dream a few up, like."

[Alex Green]

*How do people who need to sleep deal with this?* Alex wonders to himself.

Alex will train as normal. (Since the weight training equipment is in front of everyone....)

For Alex, who has never done any weight training before, this means lifting as much as a talented but untrained baseline. For DMD ::ninja , this means (on the extra large equipment) 100+ tons. ::shocked

[Asbjørn]

Sweating over the manuals, Vinnie's pushing hismelf too... "Twentyone.... twentytwo... twentythree..."

During the morning physical excercise she checks on each of the newbies, pausing a bit longer than necessary to 'observe' Vinnie sweat... Then, in a moment when the instructors are busy elsewhere, she whispers quickly in his ear,

\"General Chang will be touring the base & pass by your Quantum training session this afternoon...\"

... then blushes ::blush , & hurrys off (hoping that no-one picked up on her indiscretion).

Looking up at her, Vinnie smiles ::sly ::cool , mouthing the words 'thank you' in between his count.

[ProfPotts]

When Ms. Cable has a spare minute (like when she's eyeing up Vinnie for example!) he motions her aside (which hopefully doesn't require more than a gentle touch on the arm!)...

\"Scuse me, luv. But that Mr Sauvage bloke from Superimpose and I were talking up some gizmos to go with this get-up. I was wondering if per'aps I can get 'old of some kit to dream a few up, like.\"

It takes a few moments for Ms Cable to gather her wits (brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she does) ::blush , & a few more for her to mentally translate from EastEnders to English... ::confused

"Yes... right...", she gets out her palmtop computer & taps a few icons, bringing up a list of equipment, "I've made a preliminary list based on what you said at Superimpose - is there anything specific you needed?"

[knave]

It takes a few moments for Ms Cable to gather her wits (brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she does)  , & a few more for her to mentally translate from EastEnders to English... 

::smiley1

\"I've made a preliminary list based on what you said at Superimpose - is there anything specific you needed?\"

Guy rattles off a list of bits and pieces - parts for his little winch and grapnel gun mechanism, lockpicks (not that he knows how to do it yet - but it looks like fun, a couple of ceramic knives, some cable ties (for handcuffs or whatever) a couple of tracer bugs and some parts for the locator, a few paintball style pellets for marking runners, a pistol with AP ammo, a taser, a few shuriken, a mini-cam - and other bits to be built into into his headset which includes an earpiece/mouthpiece transmitter and light intensifiers.

Yes... Guy is definitely a fan of batman

[ProfPotts]

As Guy finishes his list Ms Cable taps one final thing on her computer, looks up, & says,

"No problem, it'll be ready in the morning."

She smiles ::bigsmile ,

"How'll you be paying? Cash or plastic?"

... then laughs ::laugh , adding,

"Sorry, bad joke. It'll just be taken out of your first comission as normal." ::wink

[Asbjørn]

Vinnie finishes his repetitions and looks over at Guy and Ms Cable.

As Guy finishes his list Ms Cable taps one final thing on her computer, looks up, & says,

\"No problem, it'll be ready in the morning.\"

She smiles ::bigsmile ,

\"How'll you be paying? Cash or plastic?\"

... then laughs ::laugh , adding,

\"Sorry, bad joke. It'll just be taken out of your first comission as normal.\" ::wink

He wipes some sweat off his forehead and takes a sip from his waterbottle as he approaches the two. "Come to think of it" - he says as he gets over to them - "I think I need a few such items myself. Scramblers, sensors, electronic countermeasures... I'm not sure what kind of equipment you have here yet, but basically anything I'd need to screw up the security system at Fort Knox."

He smiles, a mock innocent look on his face ::halo "Not that I'd ever dream of breaking in there, of course... And a camera and communications would be good. Could you have that fitted to my suit in addition to the armoring?"

"Just put it on my tab. ::wink "

[Asbjørn]

Later, as they hit the showers after the workout, Vinnie approaches Andy when nobody else is close enough to hear. He doesn't mind Guy and Alex overhearing them, but waits until nobody else can.

- "Listen. We might get a team job today. I don't know if we have any choice in the matter, but I have a feeling we don't. Turning down your first job offer is bad for your career, so if he wants us all, we can't say no. Now, I know I can make us a good deal on this job, but I need to know if you're with me on it or not. Capisce?" He looks expectantly at Andy, his expression all business.

- "You gonna be a team player?"

[Bahamut810]

Andy looks at Vinne and smiles, hideing the forced expression very well. "If we get hired together then I will do my job 110%. Just because someone pisses you off dosent mean you can't work with them. Besides, I already owe Andy for thoes Amp Wells...I need to find some way to pay him back for them."

[Asbjørn]

- "Good." - Vinnie almost smiles - "Then we both know where we stand. That's good."

[Bahamut810]

"Do you know who is coming? Where are they from?"

[knave]

Ms Cable - during training

\"How'll you be paying? Cash or plastic?\"

... then laughs  , adding,

\"Sorry, bad joke. It'll just be taken out of your first comission as normal.\" 

Guy lets out the breath he took in preparation for a bleedin' tirade... ::blink \"Right then... see if you can't chuck in a couple of flash-bang grenades too then.\" *Thinking: Bleeding bloodsuckers - 50% and then some... daylight bleedin' robbery!*

Vinnie:

He smiles, a mock innocent look on his face  \"Not that I'd ever dream of breaking in there, of course... And a camera and communications would be good. Could you have that fitted to my suit in addition to the armoring?\"

*Wonder what's stopping 'im... maybe it's just that 'e doesn't 'ave the right gear yet... ::unsure *

Later - In the changing room.

Andy:

\"If we get hired together then I will do my job 110%. Just because someone pisses you off dosent mean you can't work with them.

Thinking: *Good. I was right about 'im. 'e's impulsive, but not stupid. I just 'ope 'e doesn't do somefing impulsive to get us killed... just as easy... 'ell I hope I don't do somefing dumb to get us killed.*

Guy wanders over to join to group and participate in the conversation in a more formal less eavesdroppy kind of way.

"Yeah, (wh)o's this bloke that wants to 'ire us? An 'ow come you getting all this goss then?" *You flash bastard.*

[Alex Green]

Guy wanders over to join to group and participate in the conversation in a more formal less eavesdroppy kind of way.

"Yeah, (wh)o's this bloke that wants to 'ire us?  An 'ow come you getting all this goss then?"

Seeing (and hearing) the conversation, Alex steps close enough to listen. He isn't trying to hide his presence (but he isn't advertising it either).

*My thought exactly* Alex thinks without saying anything.

[Asbjørn]

\"Do you know who is coming? Where are they from?\"

\"Yeah, (wh)o's this bloke that wants to 'ire us?

Vinnie starts getting dressed as he informs the others. \"To tell you the truth, guys, I don't know a whole lot about him. His name is Chang. General Chang. Ring a bell?\" - He pauses for a few seconds to see if any of them recognize the name. - \"He's supposedly the kind of client who likes hiring groups. I dunno why. All i know is he's gonna have a tour of the base this afternoon, and he'll be visiting our Quantum training session. So we gotta look sharp, ok?\"

An 'ow come you getting all this goss then?\"

Looking at the curious expression in Guy and Alex's eyes he adds. "You know I can't tell you that, guys. Someone broke the rules to give me this info. I ain't gonna rat on him. Not even to you. You understand that, right?"