Cosmic Centurions

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Hi, all.

 

With any luck, I should be able to get the next-to-last parts of the Star Centurions

entry of this thread done in the next couple of days (Yaaay!! ) -- then, it'll be

time to delve once more into the dark side (Heh-heh-heh ).

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Allies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

The Star Centurions (continued)

 

After leaving Cerolon, Mentor-Prime and his young recruit travelled to a distant

region of the galaxy, one which the Elysians had only explored by means of un-

manned probes. Mentor-Prime explained to Arielle that one of their probes had

detected electromagnetic transmissions on several frequencies that his people

had used several hundred years ago, when they were still using simple radio for

communications. He also told her that the transmissions had come from a solar

system with eight worlds of various types, with a pair of smaller planetoids in a

larger, more elliptical orbit at the system's outermost edge, and that they had

been identified as having come from the third planet in the system. Before long,

the pair arrived at the system, and made their way to the third planet, where

Mentor-Prime -- as he had done previously in the course of his journey -- used

his telepathic abilities to learn about the world.

 

What he learned was terrifying, to say the least. Mentor-Prime learned that the

planet -- whose inhabitants referred to it as the planet Earth -- had, only one

of their years previously, just ended the second of two global wars. Even more

frightening was the fact that the war had ended only when one of the major

nations -- the United States -- deployed crude (by Elysian standards), yet

devastatingly effective nuclear weapons against the last of the aggressor nations

still fighting at that time. Even worse, every nation with the technological means

to create such weapons was in the process of building a nuclear arsenal of its

own, with the two most powerful nations -- the United States and Soviet Russia --

possessing the largest such arsenals.

 

After everything he'd learned about Earth, Mentor-Prime was seriously considering

leaving the planet and going elsewhere to search for a candidate. He was within

seconds of doing just that when his telepathic search found what he'd come for:

a candidate for the job of galactic protector. Quickly travelling to the location that

he'd sensed where the candidate was -- the eastern coast of the United States --

both Mentor-Prime and Arielle were surprised to find themselves at what they both

recognized as a cemetery; one which, as Mentor-Prime learned from the minds of

those paying their respects to the dead, was called Arlington, and where soldiers

of the United States that had fallen in battle were interred with honor. Using his

telepathic abilities to scan the mourners while keeping Arielle and himself invisible

to sight, Mentor-Prime soon found who he'd been looking for: a young Earthman

wearing a military uniform of some kind, who was standing near a group of head-

stones.

 

Telepathically entering the young man's mind, Mentor-Prime learned that his name

was Alexander MacNeill, and that he had been what was called a 'non-commiss-

ioned officer' -- the specific rank was known as 'Sergeant' -- in the service branch

known as the Marine Corps, and that he had seen combat during the war. He also

learned that Alex was there to pay his respects to those of his friends that had

served alongside of him during the war, and who had died in the line of duty. Look-

ing deeper inside the young man's mind, Mentor-Prime also saw the memories of the

times that he'd had to kill the enemies of his country, but what truly astonished

him was that Alex had felt sadness rather than satisfaction at having had to kill, in

spite of the fact that it had been necessary at the time.

 

Examining other, older memories, Mentor-Prime saw that, from the time that he was

old enough to understand the difference between right and wrong, Alex had always

acted to defend those who were unable to defend themselves, no matter what the

odds were against him. Indeed, the more that Mentor-Prime learned about Alex, the

more that he began to believe that he was the right choice to become a galactic

protector. Deciding to wait until he could speak with Alex without causing a public

disturbance, Mentor-Prime and Arielle followed him until he reached his home, at

which point they appeared to him. To say that Alex was startled would have been

an understatement, to say the least -- people suddenly appearing from out of thin

air is not a normal occurence at all. Once he'd gotten over the surprise of their

appearance, Alex asked the two strangers who they were, and why they were there.

 

Introducing Arielle and himself, Mentor-Prime explained -- as he had done previously

with the other candidates -- about his mission, and of the need to find and prepare

selected individuals to face the coming darkness. Although he was skeptical about

what he'd been told, Alex was willing to give Mentor-Prime the benefit of the doubt;

after all, one of his two visitors was clearly not from anywhere on Earth. And as for

the idea of something having the power to cause death and destruction on a planet-

ary scale -- well, one had only to look at Hiroshima and Nagasaki to understand that

the possibility of such a thing was only too real. Before he made his decision, though,

he asked Mentor-Prime if there was anything that he could show him that could help

him to understand what he'd be facing if he accepted.

 

As he had done with Viridios, Shayna, Arktosian, and Arielle, Mentor-Prime shared

the vision that the Starsoul had shown him -- the vision of a terrible darkness that

sought to conquer everything in its path. Unlike the previous times that Mentor-

Prime had shared the vision with others, however, this time there was something

in the background -- something dark and evil; something which only Alex could see:

a tall, cloaked and powerful-looking figure, a figure whose only visible feature was

a pair of glowing red eyes. Somehow knowing that what he'd seen was only too

real, Alex realized that someone would have to stand against this menace -- and if

Mentor-Prime thought that he, Alexander MacNeill, had what it took to face it, then

so be it. He'd accept Mentor-Prime's offer.

 

For a week after meeting Mentor-Prime and Arielle, Alex put his affairs in order, and

left a message for his parents (who were out of town at the time) telling them that

he'd been offered a job -- which he had accepted -- but because of its sensitive

nature, he couldn't tell them what it was or where it was. He did promise to get in

touch with them once it was possible for him to do so. Once everything was done,

Alex, Arielle, and Mentor-Prime left Earth, and began the journey to collect the other

candidates...

 

Appearance: Alexander MacNeill (Star Centurion codename: Powerstar) has blond

hair, green eyes, and stands 6'4" in height. He weighs 220 lbs., the vast part of

which is highly-developed muscle. He is 26 years old at present.

 

Personality: Although he is a man of peace by inclination, Alex realizes that some-

times men of peace have to take up arms on occasion in order to not only defend

that peace, but also to protect the innocent. Having seen the horrors of war, he

does everything he can to keep innocent bystanders out of the line of fire, even

to the extent of risking personal injury to do so. He also goes out of his way to

avoid excessive damage to his surroundings, and always attempts to use his pow-

ers in the least destructive manner possible, especially in urban areas. Because

of his past experiences, and his current responsibilities as a Star Centurion, Alex

has perhaps the most serious demeanor of the five; because of this, Starstorm

and Dwarfstar have taken it upon themselves to get Powerstar to smile once in

a while, and not to be (as Dwarfstar puts it) "a stony-faced grumpus" all the

time.

 

Powers: Powerstar is, quite possibly, the most powerful and versatile of all the

Star Centurions. His ability to generate and project any form of energy radiated

by a star -- heat, gravity, light, radiation, etc. -- gives him considerable flexibility

when it comes to fighting the forces of Lord Dark Matter (or any other cosmic-

level villain, for that matter). Whether he uses a focussed electromagnetic pulse

(to neutralize cybernetic enemies such as warbots) or gravitic force bolts (for

those occasions where killing is not an option), Powerstar is rarely, if ever, at a

loss for an appropriate power to use in combat. In addition to his energy gener-

ation and projection powers (which he channels through his hands), Powerstar

also has the ability to project stellar energy from his eyes in one of two forms:

either as twin beams of visible, laser-like solar energy, or as invisible microwave

energy beams (which some of their Cosmic Centurion allies have dubbed "heat

vision") which are powerful enough to melt metal.

 

Powerstar is also able to use certain powers defensively: like Ursus, he is able to

focus gravitational force in such a way as to create a field around himself which

is powerful enough to cause energy beams and physical projectiles to strike the

ground around him harmlessly. He can also use gravitational forces in a somewhat

more mundane manner, in that he can either suspend an enemy in midair, or cause

the pull of gravity to increase to the extent that said enemy is pulled to the ground

and rendered unable to move. His solar eyebeams can also be used defensively; if

he sees an inbound missile attack (and he has the time to react), he can use them

to shoot down the missiles while they're still at a safe distance from him.

 

His non-physical powers -- his senses of hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch --

are just as exceptional. Not only can he hear, smell, taste, and feel things at

levels beyond what ordinary human beings are able to sense, he is also able to

visually percieve the electromagnetic spectrum in its entirety. In addition, he

has the ability to use neutrinos (particles that have enormous penetrating power,

and which pass through objects and people harmlessly) as a kind of "x-ray" vision,

enabling him to see through any known substance. The only things that can block

his "n-ray vision" are certain types of energy fields (deflector and force fields) and

ultradense metals or substances (Neutronium, for example).

 

His physical strength is immense, and he is able to lift over 100 tons at his normal

level of strength; by tapping into his energy, Powerstar can increase his strength

to twice that for a limited period of time (no more than 5 minutes at present), at

the end of which he returns to his normal, 100+ ton limit, and has to wait 24 hours

before he can boost his strength again.

 

He also possesses the ability to instantaneously travel from one point to another

by means of an Einstein-Rosen bridge, which is more commonly known as a "worm-

hole". At present, the farthest jump that he can safely traverse is 100 billion kilom-

eters (more than sufficient to get clear of a solar system before making the tran-

sition to hyperspace); he possesses a form of extrasensory perception which en-

ables him to percieve where the exit point of the wormhole will be, allowing a rela-

tively safe exit.

 

In addition to the powers listed above, Powerstar also possesses the standard

powers of a Star Centurion: the ability to travel at faster-than-light speed by

means of hyperspace, a special sense that enables him to know exactly where

he is in space (thereby ensuring that he cannot become lost), the power to

fire bolts of pure energy from his hands, the ability to survive the rigors of space

without the need of life-support equipment. He is also immune to nuclear, bio-

logical, and chemical agents; in addition, and as a result of the energy which

grants him his powers and abilities, Powerstar has become immortal, and no long-

er ages.

 

As a result of an accident involving an alien psionic technology, Powerstar now

shares a telepathic link with his teammate Starstorm.

 

Next: The training of the Star Centurions, and their baptism of fire -- the Battle

of Elysia.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Hi, all.

 

I know it's been a while since the last time that I posted anything to this thread,

and there's a good reason for that. During the New Year's Eve weekend, I got

sick badly enough that I had to be admitted to the hospital, and was there for

most of January, during which time I had surgery to clean some sepsis out of my

left ankle joint (the second time in about 5-6 years that this has happened to

me) as well as to have an internal catheter implanted in my arm. Once that was

done, they sent me to a nursing home for physical therapy, and was there for

most of February. And the entire time - at least until the week before last - I

was getting daily antibiotic IV therapy.

 

I'm back home now, and I plan on picking up where I left off on the CC thread,

but not today. I need to remember what I was going to post, so that I don't

contradict what I've previously posted with regards to certain posts.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[DusterBoy]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

I gave you rep in the hope that you can post more awesomeness soon

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

DusterBoy and Egyptoid: thanks for the get-well best wishes. I'm still not exactly

a hundred percent with the leg, but at least they took the Frankenstein Implant

out of my arm before they turned me loose to go back home. And as for getting

around the house... well, let's just say that the folks who built the house I live in

didn't consider that someone who has to use a walker to get around might like

to be able to get through doorways without getting hung up on the doorframes.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Allies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

The Star Centurions (continued)

After leaving Earth with his two newest - and final - recruits, Mentor-Prime made

the long journey back to the Starsoul's world, stopping along the way to collect

Arktosian, Shayna, and Viridios. Upon their arrival at the planet - which would, in

time, become known as Starhaven - the five young people were introduced to

the Starsoul, who welcomed them and told them that, while they would soon be-

gin the training that would prepare them for their new role of galactic protectors,

it was more important for them to become aquainted with one another. The Star-

soul's reasoning was that, by the time that their training - and empowering - was

complete, and they were ready to assume their new responsibilities, that each of

the five would not only know how the others thought, but would be able to trust

each other implicitly.

This "getting aquainted" period - which lasted about three Earth months - proved

to be even more successful than either Mentor-Prime or the Starsoul had hoped

for, as each of their recruits was eager to not only learn about each other, but

also about their homeworlds as well. Since none of them could speak in the lan-

guages of the others, they were provided with universal translators to enable

them to communicate with each other (once their training began, Mentor-Prime

employed Elysian translator technology to not only give them the ability to speak,

read, and write both the Elysian language and Galactic Standard, but several

other languages as well). During this time, certain relationships were established

within the group.

The first of these had to do with the leadership of the team. As the member of

the team with the most experience, militarily speaking (300 years of leading the

warriors of his people in both airborne and ground-based combat), it was decided

that Viridios would be in command, to which the others readily agreed. Viridios

decided that, in order to ensure that the team wouldn't be left leaderless if some-

thing were to happen to him, the team would have a second-in-command. Of the

other two with military backgrounds, Viridios chose Alex for the job; Arktosian, by

his own admission, had no experience in combat in spite of being a soldier for his

people, and was more than happy to let his new friend have the job.

The second was somewhat unexpected by everyone, especially as it was not only

personal, but accidental as well: during an exploration of one of the many labs in

the complex, both Alex and Shayna came into contact with one of the devices

inside of it. The device, which was designed to harmlessly activate any latent psi-

onic abilities in a sentient being, activated as a result of that contact, and exposed

the two of them to its unique energy field. However, the device was only designed

to affect one being at a time and, as a result, overloaded. Knocked unconscious by

the energy surge caused by the overload, Alex and Shayna awakened hours later

to discover that, as a result of their exposure to the alien device - and its over-

loading - they now shared a telepathic link with each other.

As for Arielle, the four older members of the team took it upon themselves to be-

come, in effect, her surrogate family. Alex and Shayna were like an older brother

and sister, while Arktosian was more like an uncle - a very protective uncle with

fangs and razor-sharp claws. Viridios provided his youngest teammate with guid-

ance, just as his father had done for him in his early years (up until his 800th

birthday).

Once their "getting acquainted" period was complete, the five candidates at last

began the training that would prepare them for the task that yet lay ahead of

them: the protection of the innocent beings of the galaxy from those who would

seek to enslave and oppress them. A large part of their training involved what

people on Earth would call "classwork", with hours spent learning about the many

races that inhabited the region of the galaxy where they would be operating in -

lessons about their respective belief systems, cultures, and forms of government;

in short, everything that Mentor-Prime and the Starsoul felt that it was import-

ant for them to know. They were also given extensive lessons in etiquette; as

Mentor-Prime pointed out to them, they wouldn't always be fighting, and there

would be times that they'd need to meet with planetary heads of state. There-

fore, it was important that they not only knew how to behave in the presence of

such people, but also what to say (or not say) to them.

The rest of their training involved learning about space warfare and tactics, par-

ticularly as it would apply to the kind of fights that they could expect to face:

squadrons of fighters launched from capital ships, as well as the capital ships

themselves, all of which they would have to outmaneuver using superior speed

and mobility, while simultaneously carrying out attacks of their own against the

enemy. They were also trained in unarmed combat, both ground-based as well

as in zero-gravity conditions. The training was long and difficult, taking close to

two Earth years to complete, but at long last Mentor-Prime and the Starsoul

decided that their candidates were ready for the final phase of their preparation:

being given the powers that would enable them to become galactic protectors.

I'll finish the rest of this entry tomorrow, as it's getting late here.

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Sorry about the delay in getting things posted; unfortunately, Real Life -- inconvenient

wench that she is -- has gotten in the way lately. With any luck, I should be able to

pick up where I left off later today.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Allies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

The Star Centurions (continued)

 

 

Their training complete, the five young people were assembled in the Starsoul's

chamber, where they were told that they were at last ready to be given the pow-

ers which would enable them to become galactic protectors. Because being given

such power would cause them to become immortal like Mentor-Prime, the Star-

soul felt it necessary to tell them that, barring death in combat, they would most

likely outlive their loved ones and friends -- both present and future -- and asked

them if they were still willing to undergo the process of empowerment.

 

The five friends looked at one another, seeing the same thing in the others that

they saw in themselves, but it was Alex who spoke for all of them: that they

hadn't come this far only to turn back at the last moment, and that they were

ready and willing to take the final step. Pleased by their decision, the Starsoul

instructed the five candidates to gather around the orb that housed its essence.

Once they were in position, the Starsoul reached out with its power, transforming

them into beings possessed of tremendous powers and abilities.

 

Not long after their transformation, the five newly-empowered galactic protectors

discovered that, while they all possessed the same general powers as each other,

each of them possessed a unique power that the others didn't. Viridios found that

his ability to breathe flame (a natural power of his race) had been transformed

into the power to breathe a jet of stellar-intensity plasma. Shayna discovered that

she could not only project blasts of fiery energy that duplicated the effects of a

solar flare, but could also surround herself with an aura of that same energy. She

could also fire explosive energy-bolts from her hands as well.

 

Arktosian's special power manifested itself as the ability to manipulate gravitic

forces, while Arielle learned that she could not only shrink in size, but become

incredibly dense at the same time. She also learned that her physical strength

increased as she shrank. Alex's unique power was perhaps the most versatile

of all: the ability to not only project any form of energy radiated by a star --

heat, gravity, light, radiation -- but also to create certain types of stellar phe-

nomena such as wormholes, which he could use to instantaneously transport

himself across vast distances.

 

Upon the completion of their transformation, the five galactic protectors -- who

would, from that time forward, be known collectively as the Star Centurions --

were given special uniforms of blue-and-silver that were emblazoned with a

starburst insignia on the chest area, and given code names to identify them-

selves to the citizens of the worlds that they would be protecting. Viridios was

given the codename of Draco, while Shayna -- because of her special powers --

would become known as Starstorm. Arktosian became Ursus, and Arielle was

now known as Dwarfstar. As with Shayna, Alex was given the codename of

Powerstar because of his abilities and powers. The Star Centurions were also

given masks with which to conceal their identities.

 

They spent the year following their transformation not only learning what the

limits of their powers were, but also how to use them effectively as well. Not

long after the completion of this part of their training, Mentor-Prime summoned

them to the Starsoul's chamber, and gave them the news that they'd all been

waiting for: that the dark enemy that they had been brought together to face

had at last appeared, and that it had a name -- Lord Dark Matter. Mentor-Prime

also told them that an invasion force from Dark Matter's fleet was enroute to

Elysia to attempt its conquest.

 

Knowing from their studies that Elysia -- being a peaceful world -- had few ships

with which to defend itself against a determined and ruthless aggressor, the Star

Centurions knew that the time had at last come to begin the task for which they

had been chosen and trained. Leaving Starhaven, the team entered hyperspace

on its way to Elysia, not knowing what to expect when they got there -- only that

the upcoming fight would be their baptism of fire. Dropping out of hyperspace near

the planet, the team saw that, while Elysia's defenders were putting up a good

fight, they were being gradually pushed back by the enemy.

 

Deciding that surprise was their best weapon, the Star Centurions hit the enemy

from the rear, causing severe damage to several of their ships in the process. As

a result of the unexpected attack, the commander of the invasion force had no

choice but to redeploy his fleet in order to deal with the new threat, thereby re-

ducing the amount of firepower he could bring to bear against the planet. While

the invasion force was in the process of redeploying, the Star Centurions had the

opportunity to notice that they weren't alone in aiding Elysia's defenders against

the enemy: an armored figure -- which they at first thought was a robotic weapon

of some sort, but who they later learned was the Positronic Man -- was flying from

one ship to another of the invasion force, blasting them with immensely powerful

bolts of anti-energy.

 

Between the attacks from the Elysian ships and the Positronic Man -- and now from

the five newcomers who fought with the power of an army -- the commander of the

invasion force had lost some of his most powerful ships. Even worse, there was the

distinct possibility that reinforcements for the Elysian forces would soon be on their

way. It was even possible that some of those reinforcements would be Cosmic Cen-

turions. Faced with those terrible possibilities, the commander made the decision

to withdraw from the Elysian system before his entire force was destroyed. He also

knew that Lord Dark Matter had to be informed about the incredibly powerful beings

who'd come to the aid of the Elysians.

 

As his remaining ships began to retreat from Elysia, the commander decided that,

if he was going to return to face his master with the news of his failure, he wasn't

going to return empty-handed. He therefore decided that he'd try to capture one

of the blue-and-silver clad interlopers...

 

 

I'll finish up with this tomorrow, as it's getting really late.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Allies of the Cosmic Centurions

The Star Centurions (continued)

When the enemy ships turned around and started to pull away from Elysia, its

defenders thought that the battle was over. What none of them could have ex-

pected was that the enemy would try to capture one of the beings who'd come

to their aid, as they saw the invasion force's command ship seize one of them

with a tractor beam. Starstorm -- who'd been fairly close to the leading edge of

the enemy fleet -- suddenly found herself in an invisible and powerful grip, one

which, in spite of her best efforts, she couldn't free herself from.

Fortunately, Powerstar had seen his teammate's danger, and immediately flew

to her aid. He wasn't alone in this; the Positronic Man had also seen that one

of those fighting to defend his world was in danger of being captured by the

enemy, and he wasn't about to let that happen. While Powerstar attempted to

free Starstorm from the grip of the tractor beam, the Positronic Man attacked

the command ship itself, in an attempt to destroy the tractor beam projector

or at least damage it enough to make the rescue attempt possible.

Although the Positronic Man was able, eventually, to damage the projector, it

wasn't enough to allow Powerstar to pull Starstorm free. The two Star Centur-

ions decided to try to combine their power in an attempt to break free of the

tractor beam. The combination of their powers had an unexpected result: as

they held tightly to one another, they began to spin at incredible speed before

suddenly being surrounded by what looked like a tornado composed of flame.

The sensors on every ship on the battlefield -- Elysian and enemy alike -- sud-

denly registered a massive temperature surge near the command ship, one

which was on a par with the surface of a sun.

With the damage that had been caused by the Positronic Man's attacks, the

tractor beam was no longer strong enough to maintain its grip, and the two

Star Centurions were able to escape. Instead of retreating from the command

ship, however, they turned and -- still spinning and surrounded by flames --

headed straight at it. Hitting the command ship near its engine section, the

fiery vortex blasted through the hull, emerging on the other side of the ship

through the hole created by its destructive exit.

Scant seconds later, the command ship exploded, taking all hands with it. With

the destruction of their flagship, the remaining enemy ships made the jump to

hyperspace before the same thing happened to them. With the retreat of the

enemy forces from the Elysian system, the defenders were at last able to relax.

After meeting with the Star Centurions to find out who they were, the Positronic

Man introduced himself and invited the team to come down to Elysia, so that

the Science Council could meet them.

While the Star Centurions were meeting with the Science Council, news of their

appearance at what was being called the Battle of Elysia -- and of their part in

successfully driving the invaders from the planet -- was spreading rapidly from

world to world. By the time the news reached those worlds furthest from Elysia,

the free races of the galaxy knew that a new group of champions -- ones every

bit as powerful as the Cosmic Centurions -- had risen to defend them. As for

the Cosmic Centurions themselves, they decided that they'd keep a discreet eye

on the newcomers for the time being, until they were absolutely certain that the

Star Centurions were indeed on the side of the angels, so to speak.

As for Lord Dark Matter...suffice it to say that anyone suggesting that he was

less than amused by this new obstacle to his goals would be indeed guilty of

an enormous understatement.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At last...this entry is finally finished. Sorry about the delay in getting it finished; my

laptop started acting up on me last night, and I had to quit until today. But now

that this is out of the way, I can once again indulge my dark side () and come

up with backgrounds for the rest of LDM's minions (heh-heh-heh)...

But that, as they say, is a job for another time.

Major Tom 2009

 

 

 

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

THREAD ADVISORY:

 

This is to let those that have been following this thread know that a change has to

be made in one of the character backgrounds that have been posted thus far. I had

forgotten when I was doing the background for Kor the Hunter a few posts back in

this thread that there was already a published Champions character with the same

name (in The Circle and M.E.T.E.). As this material might (or might not) be publish-

ed in some form at some point in time, I'd rather not leave something in it that

might lead to a copyright infringement suit.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

The first of the Star Centurions, Draco:

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38691[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

The second of the Star Centurions, Starstorm:

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38783[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Ursus, the third of the Star Centurions:

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38784[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

The fourth and youngest of the Star Centurions, Dwarfstar:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38785[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

The last of the first to be chosen to become Star Centurions, Powerstar:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38786[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Mentor-Prime, agent of the Starsoul and advisor to the Star Centurions:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38787[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Pamun Dyrakk, a.k.a. the Positronic Man:

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38788[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Bloody brilliant. Some descent writing too.

 

More please.

 

QM

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

Tribune Primaxus (commander of the 4th Cohort, 1st Shadow Legion, the

Hammer of Oblivion)

 

 

Most of those worlds under the iron-fisted control of Lord Dark Matter were, for

the most part, conquered with little difficulty. On some of those worlds, however,

his control has not been as unopposed as he would wish for; the resistance move-

ment on these worlds has proven to be surprisingly effective. When measures to

bring the resistance fighters to heel undertaken by the Nth Legion fail to achieve

the desired result, Lord Dark Matter sends in his top unit to rectify the situation:

the 4th Cohort of the 1st Shadow Legion, under the command of one of his most

brutal -- and effective -- commanders, Tribune Primaxus.

 

A member of a simian/humanoid species, Primaxus has been in charge of Lord

Dark Matter's counterinsurgency unit for many years, and to date, has never

failed to carry out his orders to crush any resistance movement that may prove

to be a threat to his master's control of a conquered world. He does not negoti-

ate with rebels for any reason whatsoever; his personal philosophy regarding

rebels can be neatly summed up thusly: Search and Destroy. The only exception

to his "no prisoners" policy is when Grom Jabar, Lord Dark Matter's personal exe-

cutioner, joins him in the field in order to seize captives for one of his elaborate

executions.

 

Primaxus is assisted in these endeavors by his trusted aide, R'hn'ghali, a member

of the serpentine N'gahri race.

 

Abilities: Primaxus has the abilities common to his race: increased stamina and

strength (STR 30), and can move at a fairly fast rate on the ground, either on

all fours like an Earth primate, or on two legs like any humanoid being. He can

also brachiate (swing from limb to limb when in forest or jungle) with great ease.

 

Personality: Primaxus isn't the most pleasant being to be around. His attitude

regarding his master's enemies could almost echo Conan's sentiments in Conan

the Barbarian ("I'm not here to make friends...I'm here to crush the enemy,

drive them into extinction, and to hear the grieving cries of their families.

That's all I care about."). Nice guy, isn't he?

 

Powers: The only power that Primaxus has is a genetically-engineered "healing

factor", which enables him to rapidly recover from even the most serious and

life-threatening injury, given time.

 

Skills: As a member of one of Lord Dark Matter's most elite units, Primaxus has

recieved full training in both armed and unarmed combat (as practiced by the

Legion), and is also an expert with the full range of weapons employed by Lord

Dark Matter's forces.

 

Weapons: While he has, in the past, used advanced weaponry in the course of

his duties, Primaxus' favorite weapon is a huge hammer with a long handle. He

fights with it in the same style as Ajax from the movie Troy, and just as effect-

ively (if not more so).

 

Appearance: Primaxus is 6'6" tall, weighs 400 lbs., and has dark gray fur covering

his entire body except for his face. He also has black eyes. As an officer of Lord

Dark Matter's forces, Primaxus wears the standard officer's uniform of the 1st

Shadow Legion.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Centurion R'hn'ghali and her superior officer, Tribune Primaxus.

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38794[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]38793[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

I don't know what's wrong, but for some reason R'hn'ghali's pic doesn't enlarge

when you click on it. Sorry about that.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

Black Nova (Weapon of Lord Dark Matter, the Black Flame of Annihilation)

 

 

When the survivors of the failed attack and invasion of Elysia returned and gave

their account of the events leading to their defeat to Lord Dark Matter, one of

the things that stood out was the existence of a being who was somehow able

to use anti-energy as a weapon. The Positronic Man, as Lord Dark Matter would

later learn was who this being was known as, represented a threat to his plans

of galactic domination. He immediately commanded his scientists to devise a

means of creating a being with similar abilities, one who would serve him --

after, of course, first giving orders for the execution of the commanders who

had failed him.

 

Using every scrap of data that had been collected by the ships of the abortive

invasion, and engaging in covert attempts to gather yet more information, the

scientists took several months to devise a process that would -- in theory --

create a being like the Positronic Man. They also undertook a search to find a

suitable candidate upon whom they could test their process, finally settling on

a low-ranking member of the Nth Legion of Infinity. Finally refining the process

they intended to use, and after carefully preparing their candidate, the scientists

placed him inside the mechanism and threw the switch...

 

The first that Dark Matter or any of his minions who were in attendance knew that

things hadn't gone quite according to plan was when the building housing the ex-

periment went up in a blast of black flame. When emergency crews arrived at the

scene of the explosion, they were confronted by the sight of a huge being striding

out of the wreckage -- a being whose only visible facial features were the flames

that were where eyes should have been, and an aura of cold, black flame that

surrounded its entire body -- wearing what looked like a Legion uniform. When

Lord Dark Matter arrived at the scene, the being turned to him and asked in a

strange voice "Who art thou?"

 

When Lord Dark Matter identified himself, all of those who served him were amazed

when the being suddenly knelt before him and asked "What is thy bidding, my

Master? Tell me how I may serve thee, for I am thy faithful servant."

 

Lord Dark Matter told the being that there were those who opposed his destiny to

rule the galaxy, and that it would be his mission to destroy them. He then asked

the being what its name was. With what could only be described as an air of con-

fusion, the being said that it had no name that it knew of. Lord Dark Matter smiled

then, and said, "Then I shall give you one."

 

"From this time onward, you shall be known as Black Nova, for you are the dark

star that will shine the light of destruction upon all those who dare stand against

me."

 

Still kneeling, the being bowed before him and said "So be it, my Master."

 

With a darkly satisified smile, Lord Dark Matter thought that it wouldn't be long

before the accursed Cosmic Centurions -- not to mention those upstart newcom-

ers, the Positronic Man and the Star Centurions -- discovered that their lives were

about to become even more hazardous.

 

Personality: None to speak of; Black Nova exists solely to do Lord Dark Matter's

bidding, which usually involves the attempted destruction of any of his master's

many enemies. He's not particularly imaginative when it comes to carrying out

Dark Matter's orders, though, fortunately for his intended targets. On the rare

occasion when he speaks to his targets, he sounds much like what Star Wars'

Darth Vader would sound like -- if he were possessed by a Goa'uld.

 

Powers: Although the scientists who attempted to transform the Legionnaire into

an anti-energy being like the Positronic Man didn't succeed in their attempt, what

they did manage to turn him into is dangerous enough. Housed within the special-

ly-prepared body of the Legionnaire is not an anti-energy being, but what could

best be described as an entropic energy elemental, whose powers are extremely

dangerous to matter of any kind, whether living or non-living. His power also

enables him to fly, leaving a trail of weirdly-luminescent black flame in his path.

Black Nova is also able to survive in space without the need for life-support

equipment.

 

Black Nova is able to project blasts of entropic "flame" at his targets, immediately

disentegrating them; only energy-shielded beings or objects -- or 'indestructible'

super-materials -- are safe from his power. Because his powers are replenished

by the entropic energies of his native dimension, they are self-renewing, enabling

him to fight for extended periods of time with very little reduction in the strength

of his attacks.

 

Skills: While the consciousness that originally inhabited the body which Black Nova

now occupies was destroyed when the entropic energy elemental took over his

body, the knowledge of the skills that the Legionnaire had been trained in had been

passed on to the elemental. Black Nova therefore possesses the skills of a member

of the Nth Legion, but hasn't yet made use of them -- but it's only a matter of time

before he does.

 

Appearance: Black Nova looks like a 7-foot tall Nth Legionnaire wearing a modified

version of the Legion's uniform, but surrounded by an aura of black flame and with

flames where his eyes should be.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Here's Black Nova, just in case anyone forgot his previous appearance on the

boards when The Arc originally posted his pic:

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38795[/ATTACH]

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Egyptoid: PM sent.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

Zorick Thule (personal Jester of Lord Dark Matter, the Harlequin of Fear)

 

 

Even someone like Lord Dark Matter needs to unwind and enjoy a good laugh

now and then, and one of his minions is the right being for the job: his person-

al 'court jester', Zorick Thule. Thule's job, like his counterparts of Earth's past,

is to amuse his master; unlike his counterparts, however -- whose goal was to

make people laugh with amusing but harmless antics -- Thule's ideas of what

make people laugh tend to be slightly sadistic, and are always done at some-

one else's expense (usually someone who's annoyed Dark Matter, but not en-

ough to warrant his or her execution).

 

On those occasions where Lord Dark Matter requires the execution of an under-

ling who has failed him in some way, but feels that it would be a waste of Grom

Jabar's talent and time, he gives the job to Zorick Thule -- who does his best to

arrange a suitably amusing execution, and always without the victim-to-be being

aware of it until it's too late. One such execution involved dropping the victim

into a pool filled with piranha-like fish which devoured him within seconds, armor

and all.

 

Thule also takes particular delight in making people underestimate him due to

his appearance, as most people don't consider a jester to be a threat of any

kind. This sometimes proves unfortunate for some, as Thule has at his disposal

a dangerous variation of the "joy buzzer" trick: a set of neural disruptors of the

type used by Nightveil and Phantos. The discharge mechanisms are built into

his gloves (which are insulated to keep him from getting zapped by his own

weapons), and the power sources are disguised as copies of the power-bands

worn by the Cosmic Centurions, only in red and black. His usual method of

getting close enough to someone to use them involves asking for help in get-

ting up off the ground (which is usually where he winds up if a hero's knocked

him down); once he's gotten a good grip on his unsuspecting victim, he triggers

the disruptors, rendering said victim helpless.

 

Abilities: Zorick Thule's chief ability, if you could call it that, is the ability to make

Lord Dark Matter laugh, usually at things that normal people would find horrifying.

His other talent involves coming up with embarassing ways for those who have

failed Lord Dark Matter to die. Unfortunately for those on the recieving end of

this talent, he's very good at it. He is also a skilled acrobat.

 

Personality: Think of the Frank Gorshin version of the Riddler from the Batman

TV show, complete with the laugh, and you'll have a good idea of what Zorick

Thule is like.

 

Powers: None known at this time.

 

Skills: Thule is a skilled acrobat, and has also recieved training in hand-to-

hand combat; he has combined the two to create a surprisingly effective

combat style.

 

Weapons: Zorick Thule employs two weapons, the first of which -- the neural

disruptor "joy buzzers" -- have been described in the above text. The second

is an electro-shock prod, which is housed within a four-foot long red staff.

Normally, he only uses it to deliver low-level shocks to the backsides of un-

wary female members of Dark Matter's retinue (not surprisingly, Discordia,

Nightveil, and all female members of the 1st Shadow Legion are exempt from

this sort of "humor"; Thule might be looking for a laugh now and again, but

not even he's crazy enough to tempt fate in that way -- besides, some of these

women scare the living hell out of him). The power level, however, can be ad-

justed upward to lethal levels.

 

Appearance: Zorick Thule's facial features are unknown, as he is never seen in

public without his jester's mask -- which resembles the helmet worn by the Dark-

hunters, but with a huge grin added to it. The only things that are known is that

he is a hairless male with silvery-gray skin and pointed ears. He wears a jester's

outfit in red with black trim; the hat he wears is alternating red-and-black with

bells attached to it. Physically, he stands at 5'6", and weighs 160 lbs.

 

 

Major Tom 2009