csyphrett

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Reading through Lisey's Story by Stephen King. Still wondering what's going on. CES

Re: The New Circle 6 Character Name: Soldier Real Name: Deever Brothers Nationality: American Hair/Eye Color: Brown/brown Place of Birth: Amalgam City Date of Birth: 1/2/1980 Height/Mass: 5'9", 170 pounds Cost Characteristic Value 20 STR 30 45 DEX 25 20 CON 20 40 BODY 30 11 INT 21 40 EGO 30 10 PRE 20 COM 10 PD 6 ED 4 5 SPD 4 REC 10 END 40 STUN 55 OCV: 8 DCV: 8 OECV: 10 DECV: 10 Phases: 3,6,9,12 Cost Powers and Talents (END) Multiform (Deever Brothers) 102 pts Weapons 60 pt Multipower OAF -1 30 pts 6u Arrows 12d6 Energy Blast, Variable effects +1/2, Variable advantages +1 OAF -1, Gestures-1/2 1u Arrows 6d6 Entangle Requires a Wall -1/2, OAF -1 Gestures -1/2 No defense -1 ½, Cannot Form Barriers -1/4 13 pts 3u Arrows Grappling line 60" Swinging OAF -1 30 pts 3u Sword 12d6 HA hand to hand attack (-½) OAF -1 30 pts 3u Revolver: 12d6 Energy Blasts only versus PD Stun Only -0 OAF -1 30 pts Sleep Gas: Drain 2d6 Stun 20 pts Ranged +1/2 NND + ½ Area Effect 6" +1 OAF-1, Visible -1/2 24 pts Armor: (20 PD/10 ED) 45 pts OIF -1/2 30 pts Armor: Self Contained Breathing 10 pts OIF -1/2 7pts Cost Skills 3 AK: Amalgam City 13- 3 KS: Underworld 13- 2 TF: Wheeled Vechicles 3 Combat driving 14- 3 KS: Sports 13- 3 KS: Martial Arts 13- 3 KS: Martial Underworld 13- 1 WF: Swords 4 Block 4 Disarm 4 Strike 1 Weapon Element Sword 3 KS: Chemistry 13- 3 PS: Chemistry 13- 3 Computer Programming 13- 3 Forensic Medicine 13- 3 Paramedics 13- 3 Criminology 13- 3 Deduction 13- 2 Survival Woods/Jungles 13- 3 Tracking 13- 2 Navigation: Land 13- 1 WF: Bows 2 Weaponsmith 13- 2 WF: Small Arms 3 Stealth 14- 2 Animal Handler 13- 3 KS: Writing 13- 3 PS: Writing 13- 3 Research 13- 3 Streetwise 13- 3 Interrogation 13- 3 KS: History 13- 3 KS: Birds 13- 3 KS: Anatomy 13- 3 KS: Bird Anatomy 13- 3 Climbing 14- 3 Oratory 13- 4 TF: Jets, small planes, helis, jet fighters 3 Combat piloting 14- 2 Navigation: Air 13- 3 Systems Operations 13- 3 Mechanics 13- 3 Electronics 13- 3 PS: Military 13- 3 KS: Science 13- 5 Cramming 13- 3 Teamwork 13- 150 Points Disadvantages 15 Secret Identity 25 Hunted by Underworld 11- 25 Hunted by Viper 11- 15 Watched By Primus 11- 10 Reputation: Erratic Vigilante 11- 10 Rivalry with other street level heroes 15 Psych Lim: Protective of Amalgam City 20 Code versus Killing 10 DF: Psychic Noise 5 Accidental Change when asleep 8- 187 experience pts CHA Cost = 191 Total Powers Cost = 209 Total Skills Cost = 137 Total Cost = ________537__________ Character Name: Soldier Real Name: Deever Brothers Nationality: American Hair/Eye Color: Brown/Brown Place of Birth: Amalgam City Date of Birth: 1/2/1980 Height/Mass: 5'9"/170 pounds Cost Characteristic Value 5 STR 15 15 DEX 15 16 CON 18 10 BODY 15 10 INT 20 40 EGO 30 1 PRE 11 COM 10 PD 3 ED 3 5 SPD 3 REC 6 END 36 STUN 31 OCV: 5 DCV: 5 OECV: 10 DECV: 10 Phases: 4,8,12 Cost Powers and Talents (END) Mind Link, no line of sight 35 pts, only to other brothers -1 Feedback -1 Cost Skills All (13) 3 AK: Amalgam City 13- 3 KS: Underworld 13- 1 TF: Wheeled Vehicles 3 Combat Driving 12- 3 KS: Sports 13- Bruce (23) 3 KS: Martial Arts 13- 3 KS: Martial Arts Underground 13- 1 WF: Swords 4 Block 4 Disarm 4 Strike 1 Weapon Element: Sword 3 + 1 Dex Clark (23) 3 KS: Writing 13- 3 PS: Writing 13- 3 Deduction 13- 3 Research 13- 3 Streetwise 13- 3 Interrogation 11- 3 KS: History 13- 2WF: Small Arms Ray (23) 3 Electronics 13- 3 Computer Programming 13- 3 Mechanics 13- 3 KS: Sciences 13- 3 System Operations 13- 5 Cramming 13- 3 Teamwork 13- 1 + 1 Int Oliver (23) 2 Survival: Forests 13- 3 Tracking 13- 2 Navigation: Land 13- 1 WF: Bows 3 Weaponsmith 13- 3 Stealth 12- 2 Animal Handler 11- 3 Paramedics 13- 3 + 3 Str Carter (23) 3 KS: Birds 13- 3 KS: Anatomy 13- 3 KS: Bird Anatomy 13- 2 Navigation: Land 13- 3 Stealth 12- 3 Climbing 12- 3 Oratory 11- 2 Survival: Woods 13- 1 + 1 Int Harold (23) 4 TF: Small and Large Planes, Helicopters, Fighter Jets 3 Combat Piloting 12- 2 Navigation: Air 13- 2 Survival: Woods 13- 3 System Operations 13- 3 Mechanics 13- 3 Electronics 13- 3 PS: Military 13- Barry (23) 3 KS: Chemistry 13- 3 PS: Chemistry 13- 3 Computer Programming 13- 3 Forensic Medicine 13- 3 Paramedics 13- 3 Criminology 13- 3 Deduction 13- 2 +1 Con 50 Points Disadvantages 15 Secret Identity 10 Reputation: Erratic Vigilante 10 Rivalry with other street level heroes 15 Psych Lim: Protective of Amalgam City CHA Cost = 102 Total Powers Cost = 12 Total Skills Cost = 36 Total Cost = _____150_____________ Plot Hooks 1) The players come across a closed research facility. It looks abandoned and cleaned out hastily. A discarded file mentions the fact the research was about building squads of troops who could merge into one super soldier. Is the research still going on? And what happened to the test subjects? Plot Hook 2) The characters have been left a clue to a robbery in the form of a puzzle. The problem is the same puzzle has been sent to other heroes across the nation. What is being robbed and why gather so many vigilantes together? Plot Hook 3) The team psychic has an encounter with someone who carries a mental noise signature that promptly vanishes inside a crowded area. He then encounters Soldier who also has a similar signature few days later. Hilarity ensues. Background Information: Phillip Robertson worked as a stuntman and physical effects designer. He enjoyed the job despite increases in technology away from physical effects for new CGI paintings. His latest job was to test fire a rocket plane with pilot to be filmed for a new hero show. Everything looked okay, so Phil decided to be the pilot and ride the plane to a planned landing in the Pacific. The rocket exceeded expectations by a 1000%, carrying Phil into low orbit through a radiation cloud, then back to Earth. The vehicle crashed, exploding on impact just off the beach. It left a radioactive man behind, turning the sand into glass. Phil built a makeshift suit to contain his new body with the assistance of his fellow engineers and builders. He became a recluse for a long time before someone spotted the Amalgam City tryouts and his former employers were loading him on a plane to Kansas. Phil cut loose with his radioactive body, realizing that he could still do something with his life even though he had essentially turned into a freak. When the team gathered together, his shell proved good enough to take a beating, while his burning self dismembered anything mechanical with lightning swiftness. Newsmen named Phil Patrolman D for the almost letter that was formed by his closed plastron. Quote: "I'm ugly? You're not that good looking yourself." Personality: Phil is prone to bouts of self pity over his appearance, and the state of his life. That leads to anger at the world, and the need to punch something. Phil will allow this to lead him into situations where he could be hurt by greater numbers, clever devices, or ambushes. Appearance: Patrolman D is a robotic shell that resembles a plain bronze marionette. The chest is actually a hatch that opens to reveal his inner self to the world. His real self is a flying silhouette with glowing eyes. Powers: Phil basically has two bodies. One is the outer shell that functions as a robot with armored strength. The other is the radioactive silhouette that can fly, burn things with a touch, even change shape to a limited degree. The robot is powered by Phil and shields others from his powers. When he leaves, it patiently waits for him to return to it. He has looked into better materials and ways to repair damage faster to keep the danger to the Legionnaires to minimum in case his shell is broken in battle. So far he has been able to build two lesser shells for housing.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Unleashed was on last night. Bob Hoskins wasn't a nice guy in that. CES

Re: Teen Guardians Thursday the fourth Mr. Four landed on the deck, making sure that Nariko was behind him. The sailors looked aghast. Maybe flying men weren't a common sight around the desert. "Who goes there?" One of the sailors drew a glass cutlass, the blade glowing with internal fire. Nariko backs up a step and smiles nervously, her hands moving in a universal "waitaminute" gesture. "Hey, hey...we don't want any trouble here! We're explorers..." "Explorers, eh?" The sailor brandished his cutlass. His friends brought up glass flintlocks, long of barrel, some kind of mineral under the hammer. "What kind of explorers can fly? I say we fill them full of holes." The growl emitted by the other sailors seemed to echo the speech. Saturday the Sixth The past three days had gone without incident with no news about Heartbreaker except a calm in the storm. School was recovering a bit from the death of the Principal. Some students have taken the chance to grieve or to actually ditch school. Patty wasn't one of those--she went, even though she probably could've gotten away with it... The day was Saturday 6 in the morning and Eric was bringing in a few things he'd purchased from an electronic store. But he was being followed by the most interesting of creatures. Not a Human or Monster, unless you where allergic, he was being followed by a tabby. Eric had sent a text message out earlier to meet at the base whenever they could today. If they where really serious about being teen heroes and dealing with their youthfulness at the same time. They were going to need to actually sit down and plan out what they needed. Thus he brought electronic components to see about building a few communicators. After all it was just a matter of time before someone noticed the cell phone use. Patty rolled over at the sound of her cellphone vibrating on the table by her bed--she flipped it open with sure hands and read the words with bleary eyes--and smiled. She stumbled out of bed and down the hall in her comfy Packers nightshirt to the bathroom--a few minutes later, her hair pulled back into a pony-tail, she tip-toed past her parents bedroom with a hushed, "Going running, back later!" and pulled on her sweatpants and sweatshirt over her familiar and comfortable costume. Entering the base he smiled "Anyone else here yet?" He called out. The cat behind him meowed as it walked in after him as if trying to imitate him. From behind him, he heard light footfalls and the words, "Just got here," as mumbled from around a bite of donut; Patty padded up with an already open box of sugar-coated donuts. "Where'd the kitty come from?" She made herself comfortable, hopping up to a seated position on a dusty counter top. "There's a new girl down the block from my house." Eric looked over at the cat "Well.. to be honest the cat's been following me since I found a 24 hour electronic shop. It was kinda impressive. The cat doesn't seem to have a collar or anything though." Patty knelt down: "Nice kitty?" she said, reaching to pet it. The cat hissed at Patty as it moved closer and around Eric almost as if it was being scared and possessive at the same time. She pulled her hand back quickly. "You've got a friend who's jealous." She flashed him a smile. "Maybe she's a girl cat then..Weird never had problems with female animals before." "Really?" Eric looked at her with a smile "Think she's one of our kind or just a normal teenage girl?" "Dunno, she seemed nice, walked home with her yesterday--she and I are going to the mall this afternoon." Looking towards the door Eric raised an eyebrow "Hope everyone is able to make it in alright. It is a Saturday. No telling how parents are reacting to their kids running off instead of watching cartoons. Speaking of which, how'd you get away from your folks. "I would have thought after this week your dad would tie you to the bed to keep you home and safe." Eric of course meant what happened at the school. He didn't really know if Patty's parents knew about her powers or her desire to be a hero. Patty made two more donuts disappear at lightning speed. Licking her fingers, she said, "I left before they got up, told them--and left a note--that I was going running, they know I wanted track, or at least, that's what I"m telling them, not that I can actually do it, wouldn't be fair, and the only person...tied up?" She looked at him and smiled. "Uh...no." Eric smiled "well that works I suppose. Well I was asking people to come by so we could discuss maybe creating some sort of organization with our group. Such as maybe a communicators so that we don't have to depend on cell phones." The cat leapt up onto the counter and batted it's head against Eric's hand as he spoke, yet creepily enough the cat seemed to stare at Patty during the conversation. Pusher stepped through the wall marked GARAGE in big letters. He went over to the screen marking off his living quarters from the rest of the area, and dropped his keys on the end table. "What's going on?" He looked at the cat. "No pets." Patty looked at the cat and nodded. "That's right, kitty, no pets, that means your pet human has to leave," she giggled. "Sorry, it's a good day." She folded her legs up beneath her on the countertop and proffered the box of donuts in the direction of Pusher. "Donut?" "I don't see why not." Pusher kept one eye on the cat as he took a donut. The cat looked at Pusher a moment before starting to groom itself. "Well, I was thinking if where going to be the big team of teen heroes we might start with making communication a bit easier. It's only a matter of time before someone starts to notice the cell phone use in the school and start to work towards tracking us down that way. I found a place where I could buy some cheap electronic supplies so I was going to get people's ideas on what they wanted the communicators to look like. Something that doesn't call attention to our normal identities." Eric added. "I don't have a normal identity." Pusher looked around at his new home. "Anything is fine as long as it's untraceable." "How about we talk about that later, when we're alone. I'm aware you guys probably want matching decoder rings but maybe it would be better if we all had something different looking, something that goes with our secret IDs and has no features that would identify us as part of the same team. Say a bracelet/earring combination for the girls (all different of course, let the girls choose the style) and possibly a watch or something for the guys. Of course I'll probably have neither since while I trust you guys about as much as anyone, I don't trust your ability to block out telepathy." said Hardball walking in. "Oh and speaking of things I don't trust, who brought the cat in and has *anyone* checked it for, say, bugs? I hear they all have chips these days which allow them to be identified and, possibly, tracked which would lead whoever owns it to our 'secret hideout.' Patty felt his accusing stare on her. Eric nodded "That was an idea I was thinking about. Something to match each of us. But no one will force one on you Hardball. As for the cat, it's been following me since I left the electronic store. It's a stray as far as I can tell. It doesn't have a collar and no obvious bugs, except maybe the organic kind. Although it doesn't seem that fond of Patty for some reason." Eric looked down at the cat as it walked towards Hardball and took a seat on the floor as if pondering if it should jump up at him. Patty ignored him--she'd already made her feelings known about him, and as far as she was concerned, his opinion on any subject didn't matter in the slightest. "Tall order," Patty considered, "who gets this, and who calls us into action, I don't see you giving one to the police commissioner." "We can give one to Detective Allen." Pusher picked up the cat and put it through the ceiling and out on the street. He sealed the hole up behind him. "He is still running down everything we gave him on Blanche. He knows he can depend on us." Hardball almost chokes on his donut at the thought. "They should probably be two way so any one of us can call the others at any time. If we see crime going down in our secret IDs, or even something during our patrols that we think the group needs in on we can call them and fill them in. For instance on the night you guys caught Heartbreaker, thanks for that By The Way,... (he seems to be aiming that as Patty, now that his suspicions of her and the cat have turned out to be unfounded)... there was an attack on the Burger Barn and when I took off after the people responsible I found myself up against and entire gang. Time was I could have handled them alone, but at the moment it would have been good if I could have called in back-up. Far as I can see that's what we would use the communicators for." "Some depend, I let her get away," Patty said, "but that's a start--anyone else?" "There are other members of the police force, perhaps Emp's company might need one for later." Pusher knew it was Eric's employer but why deal in specifics. Eric coughed a bit "I'll think about it. But if everyone likes the idea of watches for the guys and ear rings for the girls I can start drawing up plans. I think with Pusher's powers we can mold the communicators into existance with the supplies I got." He smiled as he looked up where the cat had been removed "Well that was certainly one way to get rid of a pet. So that's all I wanted to discuss this morning with you all. After losing Heartbreaker, I feel the need to try and do something fun. Any ideas?" "I'm building a vault for our trophies downstairs." Pusher indicated the small box by the chalkboard he had constructed. "What are you thinking?" "As a group?" Patty asked aloud. "Um, not sure if that's a real good idea--my idea of fun is almost certainly not the same as Pusher's, and I kinda thought about just...well, hanging out at the mall today and maybe something later on." She shrugged. "I'm planning on enjoying my teen years this time around instead of graduating in three from High School." "At least you can graduate." Pusher frowned. "What do you have in mind, Eric? Obviously you want to go out somewhere. Why don't you lay on us?" "Rabbit's right." said Hardball "My idea of fun and everyone else's is probably radically different. If that's all we're here for I'll be going. Next time you call, please make sure it's 'work related', some of us need our beauty sleep." He turned and headed for the door. "No it's okay Pusher." Eric felt a bit bad about suggesting they just go and 'hang out together' they were heroes after all. "Well I had the plans drawn up for the basic idea of the comm systems along with a panic tracking system. Although Hardball likely wouldn't enjoy that feature. That way if one of us is in trouble we can home in on where they're at." "Pretty awesome." Pusher nodded. "When do you want to make these? I can build a set maybe but I don't know a lot about electronics." As Hardball left the to head back to the exit outside away from the HQ he found the exit litered with cats, several breeds but at least sixteen cats seemed to be there waiting. Strangely enough they also didn't look happy to see him as he moved forward, the same one that Eric had earlier. It began shifting becoming human shaped, well almost human she still had cat ears and a tail and her clothes formed around her. Sort of like a maid's outfit. The cats meowed around him as they too began changing. Similar in appearance to the first except for hair color. "We are here for the one you call Eric. Mister Hardball." "Well I made one so far, been kinda tinkering with it here and there. Although mine is basically my cell phone. I thought your power might make producing them easier." Eric looked over at Patty. "Although getting them smaller would be a problem for even my skills. Maybe we should just go hang out while I think this over. The mall is starting to sound pretty good about now." "I think I can get them smaller at least." Pusher looked at the spare parts. "I don't see a problem with that." Hardball calmly turned on his heels and walked back to the HQ. "Eric, there's a ... well I don't know the proper term for a group of catgirls ... a pack? ... works for cats but I'm not sure it does for catgirls ... an Otaku? ... anyway discussion for another time ... whatever a large group of catgirls in french maid outfits is called there's one looking for you. You see this is why we shouldn't take in strays, you let one shapeshifting anthropomorph into the HQ and the next thing you know you've got 16. Not that I'm complaining about catgirls in maids outfits, big fan of Manga and Anime actually, but even I can't cope with 16 of them..." Hardball tended to ramble in only one situation. When the inherent wrongness of a situation endangered his reality framework. This was one of those times .. "Tachyon, get Eric out of here." Pusher jumped up and grabbed hold of the wall. "I don't think we should let him near any more cat women after what happened the last time." Patty nodded, the look on her best friend's face firm in her memory. "Yeah, I think you're right," she said. Once that was yelled by the one they called Pusher the catgirls rushed forward. they'd been ordered not to carry weapons.. not that they really could when shifting. They where lucky the master created the special uniforms. Their claws were bared and they were ready for action. "Surrender him now and we shall not hurt you!" They seemed to all hiss in unison, almost like they where linked. "I don't think so," Patty said, stretching to her full height, standing on her toes and arms over her head. "Um, I mean, that's a pretty big threat..." There was a zip-bang as the girl accelerated, leaving behind an empty box of donuts--there had been eight a half-second earlier and Eric found himself in Patty's arms again. "So--you were saying...?" "We'll be glad to hand him over." Pusher gestured for Eric to come forward. Patty's mouth dropped open--and she eased Eric back to the floor, her very fiber vibrating from tension and the need for speed. "Huh?" The catgirls seemed to smile with some measure of relief at Pushers words "My goodness such a polite human, Very sensible. At least Miss Moo won't have to hurt the bus people. Yes that would be horrible." They put there claws away and stood ready as if to receive Eric they had eyes on each member sixteen was a large number of people. Patty touched Eric's arm as he stepped away...and balled within herself the energy she'd need shortly--she'd have to move quick, she suspected. Eric was more than a little baffled by Pusher at this point but walked towards the girls away from Patty. He'd rather make a break for it but he was hoping Pusher had a plan. Still Eric was wondering what they had meant by Miss Moo and the bus people. The speedster stood stock still, waiting... Pusher gave Eric a push on his back, changing his jacket, (or shirt, whichever can be touched) into a mix of mildly radioactive elements and catnip. The small traces of radium would mark wherever Eric went in case they lost him, the catnip would make the cat ladies drunk and lethargic if he was right about their DNA from what they had shown already. Maybe they might even decide that Eric was their new play toy. Eric felt the smack to his back and didn't really notice anything different however the catgirls as they pulled him forward suddenly went from many to only one, which now looked to be hair styled like a calico. "Well time to go." she grabbed Eric. "Just cause I'm going with you doesn't mean you get you manhandle me!" Eric spat trying to get her to let go, While she had a firm grip on her target she tapped her cufflink and with a sudden burst of light both where gone. A panic teleportation system, generally meant for long range but was also generally a one way trip. Patty launched herself, drawing into ever last reserve for one blinding burst of speed--it would be a bit painful later, but for now--if she were lucky...she'd go with him...with a sudden burst of light both where gone. A panic teleportation system, generally meant for long range but was also generally a one way trip. Patty felt the vibration from the transport for a moment it looked like she was in two places at once. There was a man at some sort of computer dressed in some sort of dark armor. She could also see the wall she was heading towards as her vision shifted back to normal as the vibration ended with her missing both Eric and the catgirl by what seemed like inches. It had also felt like the area had slowed during the transport likely a safety feature to insure if a target was traveling at a high speed (or falling) they'd arrive safely where ever it was that Patty had just seen. "Let's go, Tachyon." Pusher headed back to his work space. "We only have a few seconds before they realize Eric's jacket is radioactive. Before that happens, I'll need you to search the city." "NO NO NO NO NO!!!" Patty cried out, hitting her brakes and almost smashing face-first into the wall "I missed him almost got him he's in some place that's got computer stuff and he's in armor and I almost got him!" Patty stopped dead in her tracks, still vibrating hard. "Okay okay but how am I searching I don't have a radmeter or anything what have you got?" She seemed about to panic. "The ability to push molecules around, and the physics to make something that will read radium." Pusher looked at the components from Eric's phones. "The problem is I just turned Eric's jacket into two pounds of Radium. Everything he touches will glow in the dark unless we can find him first." Pusher took two pieces of gear from the box and worked his magic. "This should take you to every source of radioactivity in the city." He handed the chemical strips over. "Mark them and I will check them when I know where they are. The only problem I can think of is if the base isn't in the city, I might have killed Eric and the kidnappers and we might never find them." Her jaw dropped. "Do you realize how much radium that *IS*?" the devices disappeared from her hand and reappeared in hers. "there's less than a trillionth part of radium in each gram of soil--radium dissipates into radon--and that's more than enough to build a *BOMB* to level part of the East Coast if someone knows how to use it..." "Anyone near it will be dead before they can make it into a bomb." Pusher looked thoughtful for a second. "Unless they have a handy lead receptacle." She vanished in a pop and then reappeared. "That could kill the entire city oh my god..." *pop* As Patty began her search she came across one bus that seemed to have people going at it like it was 1960's free love on a bus. As she moved past it she felt like she was under a watered downed version of Eric's aura. Police where already there trying to figure out how to get close enough to the bus. The rad detector was beeping steadily as she moved past, the largest spike was in two locations. One was at Nu-tech building and the other was at an all girls private school. Which place did she want to search more carefully first? Pusher made another detector and got out the Pusher Mobile in the hopes of crisscrossing Tachyon's path. He couldn't drive as fast as she could run, but he could still do a search to help out. After driving and avoiding a few police officers that did want to slow down speeding drivers. Pusher noticed the same locations however there seemed to be some sort of problem with main roads as they where being blocked off by police officers and it was a route that Patty could have taken.

Re: xialin showdown page 19- Dr. Gadd led the way to the upper deck, his monitor beeping excitedly as he walked out on the wood floor. He pulled a vacuum hose off the side of his machine, starting the fan with a press of his thumb. "He's close, real close." Dr. Gadd pulled the goggles down as he looked around. Jade felt a chill in the air, her breath forming a fog in front of her. "Yes, I know he is. I can feel him near by." Jade looked around. "What are you doing in my beautiful house?" The ancient master appeared, frosting the floor with his presence. Gadd aimed the vacuum at the ghost and pulled the trigger. The stream missed as the ghost jumped out of the way. It swept his hand down, hurling blue energy at the doctor. The little man headed for the balcony, flying toward the edge to the street below. Jade quickly leapt over to keep him from falling over the balcony. She grabbed a leg to stop the doctor from falling to the street below. "Pull me up! Pull me up!" Gadd's pockets started emptying because of the dangling. Gunfire rocked the night as Jonny Woo shot into the ghost with pistols in both hands. Jade quickly pulled Dr.Gadd up as she said, "Are you all right? Oh and next time please jump the other way away from the balcony." "I was pushed if you don't mind." Dr. Gadd hit the switch on his equipment, reving the fan up. He pointed the hose end at the disturbed ghost. Jonny Woo caught another of those waves, sending him toward the stairs. The doctor pressed a button that turned on a light under the hose. The flashlight beam hit the ghost, the fan started whining as Song slid toward the machine. He tried to pull away but was torn to shreds and vacuumed out of the air. The detector turned green. "Oh, I am sorry. I did not know. So I'm guessing that means you got the ghost?," said Jade as she looked at the green light flashing on the machine. "I'm sure of it." Dr. Gadd swept the detector around. "It looks like you're clean at the moment, young lady." "That is great. Now let us move down to the cellar." Jade led the way downstairs. "Right behind you, young lady." Dr. Gadd followed Jade to the stairs. They found Jonny Woo getting up from his rough landing from where he had been hit by the ghost wave.

Re: Hero All-Stars 2008 I was going to mention some of those by Sketchpad but he covered everyone I could think of at first, but you know with Angelus and Spike, you leave space for Frankenstein's monster, any breed of werewolf, Lord Baltimore, maybe Time Cop, Morgan or any of the wizards from the Dresden files as well as earlier knights of the cross. Geez that's a mix right there. CES

Re: Superhero Archetypes Gadgeteer: Forge, Fixer, Toyman, The Ted Kord Blue Beetle. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... The Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher- Tavi makes peace with the Canim Baltimore by Mignola and Golden- A soldier looses a plague on humanity. CES

Re: Magistrate's end [story] 11 The Chemist used a gate from New York to Los Angeles. He appeared outside of the Los Angeles Speedway. He staggered up the steps close to where Enoch had turned Quick into a statue. Once he broke the spell they could return to the Tower. He still needed to work on his body and repair it. The Chemist checked his bearings as he walked along the steps. He decided on a spot from his memory of the vision he had created. He wrote on the concrete with a misshapen finger. Each symbol was an effort. The concrete boiled producing a statue out of the staircase. The Chemist grimaced before writing the stone away to reveal a breathing friend. Quick glanced around, taking in the situation instantly. "Where's Enoch?" Quick took off her racing helmet, holding it under one arm. "Kevin Reilly shot him." The Chemist sat down. "He's dead." "Reilly shot him?" Quick sat down beside the magician. "That's almost impossible to believe." "That's what I thought too." The Chemist looked up at the sky. "The rest of the team are in sick bay. I don't know how they're taking what happened so far." "We should get back and talk to Silver." Quick stood, pulling on her helmet. "Reilly's in charge for right now." The Chemist also stood, brushing off his pants. "I don't know if the team will stick together, if the UN will want us together." "Reilly is in charge?" Quick put her hands on her hips, looking up at the slightly taller Chemist's face. "What happened to Silver?" "He didn't make it." The Chemist tried to look her in the eye. He thought it felt harder than it should have. "He burnt out defending the tower." "You don't think we'll keep our sanction without the old man." Quick had no problem looking him in the eye. "I don't know." The Chemist decided to look away. "The others have been returned home. As soon as you're checked out, I can fix my body." "I'll get on that." Quick tapped her foot once. "Do the others know?" "Only if Reilly told them." The Chemist shrugged. "I think he's waiting on me to do it." "I'll do it." Quick walked toward the exit. "Are you coming with me?" "I have a couple more things to do." The Chemist wrote on the air. "I'll see you back at the Tower when I'm done." Quick nodded before vanishing. The Chemist watched the dust trail settle before putting in his last finger stroke. Another gate opened for him to step through to a place in Kentucky. Time to check on the most important prisoner in the facility. The Chemist walked through the cell blocks full of mental patients until he got to Scriptus. The former writer barely looked up when he entered. No magic meant he didn't have the advantage he had used to build his empire again. "I have some bad news, Scriptus." The Chemist stood next to the door, hands ready to use. "Your son was killed during a battle. His body will be cremated in a few days." "Why bother to tell me this?" The former writer stared at the floor of his cell. "I won't even be allowed to be there for the cremation." "You're his only family." The Chemist held up one hand. "You should know what happened to him, and you should have his ashes." "What can I do with his ashes?" The writer stood, eyes glaring from the shadow of his brow. "What good will that do me?" "It will remind you what you threw away for your dream." The Chemist's face was stone. "It will remind you of what could have been." "I don't need a reminder about that." The writer sat down again, hands folding his legs to his chest. "Every day is a reminder of what could have been." "I doubt it, brother." The Chemist wrote and stepped out of the cell. "I doubt you really know what you lost." The Chemist waved at the guard before translating himself back to the Tower. He still had things to do.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Read through The Enemy and Killing Floor by Lee Child. Not SF but still good mysteries/thrillers. Read Buso Renken 9. Kazuki and Victor are heading for a last showdown on the moon. Reading Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher. Five chapters in and the hero has to face his wolfish enemy and the human allies they have made while dealing with court politics by people who don't know what the enemy can do. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Reading the Enemy by Lee Child which isnt scifi and Buso Renkin 9 which is kind of, picked up Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher and Baltimore by Mignola and Golden. CES

Re: Magistrate's end [story] The Chemist arrived at the tower two days after the battle on the roof. His eyes were still mismatched but the rest of him looked in okay shape. He wore a set of casuals copied from a magazine. Kevin Reilly waited on the roof, unshaven, red eyed from the lack of sleep. He smiled slightly at the magician in greeting. "How are you, Kevin?" The Chemist tried to keep his voice steady as he limped across the pad. He hadn't quite got one of his legs right yet. "Better than you it looks like." Reilly turned to lead the way into the Tower. "That magic guy said he had everybody. We can't find them with the Step." "Take me to the body." The Chemist made an adjustment on his leg to get it working right. "I'd like to question it." "It's down in the morgue with the Chief's." Reilly headed for the elevator. "The goverments want us to give him over for research. They want to know what made the electricity tick. I told them to hold on until I figured out where the team had gone." "Good." The Chemist followed at a slower pace. The two rode down to the morgue in silence. Kevin led the way down to the refrigerated room next to the sick bay. Silver and Enoch lay side by side, covered with sheets. Their personal belongings sat in plastic bags on their chests. "Autopsies will be done as soon as we can get Maker back." Reilly stood by the door. "We pretty much know how they died." "Could you bring me a mirror, Kevin." The Chemist picked up each bag in turn, frowning at the contents. "The faster we do this, the faster we can find out what happened." Reilly stepped out of the cold room. He returned with a small hand mirror he had gotten out of a drawer. He handed it over, wondering if it was too soon to let the Chemist do magic. The magician looked like death warmed over. The Chemist wrote on the surface expanding it about two feet. He needed to be able to see what had happened. "Stand here with the mirror." The Chemist placed Reilly exactly where he needed him beside Enoch's head. "Don't move." The Chemist wrote a formula on the glass, carefully marking each symbol. The mirror clouded bit by bit, became black. Then scenes appeared before his eyes. He kept his mismatched eyes open to catch each symbol marking magic worked. That would make his counter magic easier to perform. He rubbed off the writing when he was done. "What did you find out?" Reilly put the shrunken mirror down on a table. "Everything." The Chemist dumped out Silver's bag, picking up the flash drive. "Luckily he didn't kill any of them. He just changed their existence." "What do we need?" Reilly stepped near the door, ready to get arcane ingredients. "Just a place to start." The Chemist wrote on the plastic shell. It opened under the pressure of his magic. Luna and Phaeton appeared, washed out by their prison of darkness. "And the right counter spell. Take care of them while I get the others, Kevin." "Will do." Reilly asked for help from the staff medic with his cell phone. He held both of the freed magistrates up, walking them out of the morgue. He didn't want them to see Silver on a slab as the first thing back in the real world. The Chemist wrote on the air. He stepped into the gate, looked at New York when his unmatching eyes cleared. Maker should be another easy one. Then John Public, who would be slightly harder. He would have to send them back to the sickbay when he got them together. The Chemist had to orient himself before taking a smaller step to the stadium where John and Maker had put on their show. He touched a wall, writing a symbol. He wrote another. Maker fell out of the wall, senseless. He wrote on her forehead to ensure she would heal and to send her to Reilly. He would know what to do when the engineer appeared at the medical station. Chemist pulled out sunglasses and covered his face. He had to get John back from being split up among the various people he used as a battery to enhance his being. To do that, he needed to locate a piece to use to locate the rest. One shaky finger wrote the word he wanted. The Chemist limped around the stadium, hunting for one person who would do. He found a group of them working in a nearby fast food place. He made a pretense to order, touching the counter girl's hand with a nervous squiggle of his finger. When he walked away, he held a tiny disc the size of a dime. The Chemist wrote a set of words on the disc, concentrating to make the signs as tiny as he could. Other pieces appeared, adjoining to the original until John Public appeared. He seemed almost his old self as the Chemist sent him back to the Tower.

Re: Magistrate's end [story] Thanks Jerome. I appreciate it. CES

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Daywatch: Anton saves the day by just saying no. CES

Re: Magistrate's end [story] 9 Enoch sneered at Jerry Silver, holding the drive in front of him. The hero would only look menacing. One chance bolt running across the magician's body would wipe Luna and Phaeton away forever. The old man wouldn't risk that. "Put it away, Silver. We both know you won't do anything as long as I am holding your friends." Enoch laughed as his monsters approached the tower from the cardinal directions. Soon the edifice would be broken pieces at the bottom of the ocean. "I don't have any friends." Silver fired a piece of lightning across the open space. Enoch had made his clothes lightning proof, had built a ring to catch it like a lightning rod, had done everything he could think of to make it where his enemy couldn't fry him where he stood, plus produced hostages. He neglected to make his shoes keep him on his feet. The bolt carved up the roof, flinging him into the air with a roll of thunder. He dropped the little cassette as he fell over the roof's edge. Silver leaped forward, grabbing the plastic cube. He slipped it in his pants pocket as he looked at the four monsters soaking up what Reilly was handing out. He didn't want to do it, but he had to. Silver took aim at the whale marching down on him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't want to expend everything on one shot that missed. The giant looked at him with its black eyes, raising a fist. Silver cut loose, hoping the monsters couldn't take what he could dish out. The lightning hit, sank in, blasted out the other side. The air boiled from the super heated lance. The whale fell over, splashing down far below. Silver coughed, threw up blood on the roof, turned to face the next giant in line. He staggered closer, hand unsteady as he pointed. He blasted the thing, burning away tentacles on a bulbous head as yellow eyes rolled up. Tiny wings flapped once. Then it sank to the bottom. Silver staggered to the other side of the roof. He felt something shaking loose inside. No pain yet. That was good for now. Cranking out the watts racked his body with coughing and more vomiting. He just needed two more bolts. He could do that. It was a piece of cake. He couldn't quite see the whole of the third monster as he tried to take aim. He braced his arm on the rampart. Then he fired, glad to actually hit the thing on the chest. He saw that it was made of water that turned to steam from the hammer blow he had given it. It would have to do. He still needed to deal with the last monster. Silver held back his insides, crawling to the last corner so he could line up on the last monster. He closed his eyes, tasting blood and bile. One finger shook as it pointed. Then he cut loose with what he had left. The skin of his hand peeled away as the thunder followed with a deafening crash. The last beast crashed down into the water, smoke drifting from its mouth. Silver collapsed against the short wall. One hand clawed at his shirt pocket for his cigarettes. He gave it up as a bad job. He idly wondered why he was surrounded by blood, and why his clothes were sticky. A spear stabbed into his chest, pinning him to the rough granite. He looked down at it. He didn't have the strength to pull it out. "You don't get off that easy." Enoch stood over him suddenly. "You're going to watch as I rip your little Tower apart. You'll watch as I kill your friends for good. You'll suffer the whole time." "I don't think so." Silver closed his eyes. "What makes you say that?" Enoch's eyes glimmered in the clouded sky. "Who do you think will stop me? All of your friends are my prisoners. You're done." "Not...," Silver smiled, "all my friends." "What?" Enoch heard a crunch behind him. He started to turn, hands coming up to make a defensive gesture. Sharp cracks dropped him on his back. He had made himself as electricity proof as possible, he never dreamed one of the staff would take a pistol and shoot him. Kevin Reilly jogged up, pistol aimed at the fallen mage. He had been a good shot back in the service. He put a couple more in the villain to make sure. He was getting paid to protect the Tower. He hoped the review board would understand about making sure. "Put yourself down for a raise, Reilly." Silver smiled, still pinned like a butterfly on a specimen board. "I'll do that." Reilly put the pistol away as he bent over the fallen hero. Silver wasn't alive to hear.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Eragon. Someone said it was like Pern and Star Wars and they were right but my son didn't mind the dragon effects and the battle at the fortress at the end. CES

Re: Notes from NSU Day Five Simon Poole and Ashlee Summer headed to Kenton, Kansas to investigate the TROLL armor theft. They looked through files, deciding that one of the techs had faked her own death and stole the suit. As they were eating dinner, the TROLL attacked the city, using a boom gun on the buildings. They worked on rescuing the wounded while Frostburn and Inferno forced the Troll to leave. They hooked up with Roy Orleans, and Hound Roberts, from the Kenton office as they worked. Nathan Fellowes searched the Lilith household after following a bat around town. He didn't find the sisters, but did find a trap door in the dining room. He started investigating the hidden room and was locked in. A psuedopod tried to drain his blood, but he poured a bottle of holy water on it to wash it away. Kendo Hitashi found marks on his neck in the morning. He called out sick, went to the Lilith house and talked to the sister. Then he went to Simon Poole's store and found it closed. He returned to the Lilith house and found the sister was doing internal work on her mechanisms. She /it took offense as this and decided to eliminate him as a witness. Kendo called on Zero to defend himself during the fighting. Nathan broke out of his cell. They destroyed the robot. Nathan retrieved more holy water, and stole the sisters' silver to sell for spending money. Kendo discovered the implant when it tried to burst out of his neck. Nathan killed it with holy water before it broke out. Shana Goldstein arrived to help Kendo and Nathan with their problem. The three put down the monster, burning down part of the house to do it. SRJ shut down Nathan and captured Shana after Kendo had went home. She woke up in a holding tube. She used her magic to get free. She went back to the partial remains of the Lilith household and stole some burnt clothes to wear. The magician knew Ryoshi and decided to go to the dojo and talk to him. Not finding anyone at home, she found a message from Will Blake and decided to talk to him. Will Blake got his raptor bite stitched closed and started asking around about the beast. He is sent to James Graham. The doctor was in the middle of working a cure and Blake decided to help out. Blake returned home with some information. Shana Goldstein showed up while he was sleeping and they talked after he heard her breaking into his apartment. They decided to help each other. Ed Durga investigated the Captain Video bank robbery. After a careful check, he made the connection between Captain Video's personas and video games. He alerted the police to the car. Ed hooked up with a detective serving a warrant on Harry Clotho's base. They and a swat team walked into a trap. When Ed actually got into the house, the defense system blew the place up. Frostburn went clubbing after the battle. She spotted a creepy guy in a beret picking up a girl. She didn't realize that was Tam O'Shanter and his first victim. Evan McCone borrowed a boat from Harry Clotho to investigate a fishburning in Star City, California.

Re: Animated Justice League write ups I dont have files per se but JMoz and Chad Reilly both wrote members of the League. http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4075&page=3 The thread for JmOz CES

Re: Power creation flexibility in Heroes Unlimited There's nothing really unstoppable in Palladium, but combinations of powers are really great for collateral damage. Sonic speed and growth will allow a character to punch a hole through a city with a sonic boom. Sometimes its easier to get a description of a character before you try to roll him up. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Finished Crashing Paradise by Golden and Sniegokski- The Menagerie battle and angel, a demon, hordes of vampires, and Clay's evil brother to save Eve and the Garden of Eden. CES

Re: Power creation flexibility in Heroes Unlimited While Palladium has a built in imbalancer in the way the classes don't match up, you can impose a certain amount of balance with your choice of classes and powers that are allowed. All Hardware, Special training, non powered classes will give you a group of soldiers, mechanics, agents, martial artists for example. CES

Re: Writing a good character origin Hardly ever use them unless I need to such as DNPCs, Contacts, NPCs to explain perks. CES

Re: Power creation flexibility in Heroes Unlimited As a Palladium Gm, I can say that building or adjusting powers is easy. Sometimes you can take a power in the book and scale down, or use one piece out of it for a minor power, or scale up to increase effectiveness. Most of the problems are going to be in the character generating. What do you want to do, what can you do, and what are you willing to settle for or hand wave? CES

Re: The New Circle 5 Character Name: Creature Commando Real Name: Lon Karloff Nationality: American Hair/Eye Color: Brown/yellow Place of Birth: Haynesville, Kansas Date of Birth: 12/9/1972 Height/Mass: 6'8"/350 pounds Cost Characteristic Value 60 STR 70 42 DEX 24 40 CON 30 40 BODY 30 5 INT 15 20 EGO 20 5 PRE 15 - 2 COM 6 PD 14 ED 6 6 SPD 4 REC 20 END 60 STUN 80 OCV: 8 DCV: 8 OECV: 6 DECV: 6 Phases: 3,6,9,12 Cost Powers and Talents (END) Shapeshifting 40 pt multipower 1u Tentacles 8 Extra Limbs 5 pts limited manipulation (-1/4) 4 pts 1u Wings: Flight 10" 20 pts restrainable (-½) 13 pts 2u Stretching: 8" 40 pts always direct (-1/4), no noncombat (-1/4) 26 pts 1u Entry: Desolidification 40 pts not through solids (-1/2), does not prevent damage (-1) Concentration (-½) 13 pts Enhanced senses: nightvision, hearing (N ray perception), smell: discriminatory 20 pts Hard to kill: Healing: 4d6 healing 40 points self only (-½) can heal limbs + 5 pts, 30 pts Supercharge Healing: Transfer 2d6 body to healing 30 pts, must do body to target first (-½) 20 pts Hard to Kill: 50% resistant physical and energy Damage Reduction 60 pts Total Life Support 45 pts Primus 50 + 25 Gadget pool OAF (-1), can only be changed at base (-½). 30 points Cost Skills 12 WF: Common melee weapons, common missile weapons, small arms, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, flame throwers, shoulder fired weapons, emplaced weapons 9 TF: Common ground vehicles, tracked and wheeled military vehicles, small planes, large planes, combat aircraft, helicopters, basic parachuting. 3 Combat driving 13- 3 Combat piloting 13- 3 AK: Amalgam City 12- 3 AK: The United States 12- 3 AK: Haynesville 12- 3 KS: Supervillains 12- 3 KS: Underworld 12- 3 KS: Heroes 12- 3 KS: Law 12- 3 KS: Prominent Police 12- 3 KS: Superhuman history 12- 3 Paramedics 12- 3 Criminology 12- 3 Deduction 12- 3 Forensic Medicine 12- 3 Security Systems 12- 3 Electronics 12- 3 Bugging 12- 3 Navigation 12- 3 Stealth 13- 3 Shadowing 13- 3 Teamwork 12- 6 Lightning Reflexes +4 for all actions 2 Perk: local police powers 5 Contact: Captain Steele, PRIMUS agent in charge 11- 150 Points Disadvantages 20 Watched by Primus 11- 30 Hunted by Viper 11- 30 Hunted by Demon 11- 15 Afraid of Blood Lust 15 Must Excel 5 Reputation: Berserk killer 11- (known to a small group) 20 Subject to Orders 15 Public Identity 169 Monster Experience CHA Cost = 214 Total Powers Cost = 205 Total Skills Cost = 100 Total Cost = ___519_______________ Plot Hook 1) Lon Karloff wasn't the only monster created by PRIMUS's special projects. What happens when a group of them arm themselves and begin a war on PRIMUS and normal humans in a quest for blood? Can the Players stop them? Plot Hook 2) Viper has grabbed a sample of the Creature Commando's blood and flesh and tried to reproduce the experiment that made him for their own foot soldiers. They succeed in creating a blood sucking beast that takes over their nest and begins to prey on the citizenry. Does Viper hand over the location, or try to use the monster for their own ends? Plot Hook 3) Lon Karloff apparently suffers a breakdown and goes on a spree leaving drained victims wherever he goes. Or is he? Who is the Vampire stalking the city? Background Information: The man known as Soldier is really seven men. He is the Deever brothers; Bruce, Clark, Carter, Barry, Harold, Oliver, and Raymond. Born at the same time, they have shared a link all of their lives. Then one day they found they could all merge together into one man who was each of them, and something more. They debated what they should do with their gift until a few of the local bullies tried to molest a schoolmate. The Deevers attacked, using their template to do what they had to do. The Deevers started patrolling the city, with each brother taking turns at being in charge. They amassed a small reputation battling street crime. When the Legionnaire tryouts were announced, they jumped at the chance to move into the big time. When the tryouts were attacked, they realized they might have stepped out of their league. That didn't stop them from outlasting other street level vigilantes killed during the conflict. All Star extended the invitation to them to join the team thinking they were one man. Instead he got a small squad of heroes. Quote: "Make way for the one man army." Personality: The Deevers tend to be almost the same despite being seven different men. They share the same tastes, outlooks, and interests. The only way to tell them apart is by the way they talk and act. Bruce is moody and grim. Clark tends to be helpful and looks out for others. Carter is conservative and argues with Oliver who tends to take things to the opposite extremes. Barry is the only brother interested in chemistry. Harold is the risk taker of the group, almost fearless. Ray is the shrinking violet. Appearance: The Deevers are all athletic men with brown hair and eyes. Their civilian clothes run the gambit depending on their jobs. As Soldier, their costume is a weird composite of armor, clothing, and weapons. It essentially looks like a knight, a cowboy, and Robin Hood got into a fight and one of them walked away wearing parts of the others' clothes. Powers: The Deevers have a mind link which allows them to share their feelings, skills, and information. They can also merge into one man with higher strength, dexterity, speed. They use various weapons they designed themselves from six guns that shoot rubber bullets, trick arrows, or a cloud of striped gas to cover their movements during combat. The arsenal reflects whomever is in charge when they are summoned together. Each brother can use the others choices, but most have a preference that Soldier uses when he appears. Bruce has mastered some basic martial arts and uses his hands mostly, while Oliver uses the aforementioned trick arrows, and Harold uses the six guns. And sometimes they will split up with each wearing a part of the costume so they can get the element of surprise against an enemy. So far they have the city believing they are one man who happens to be able to split up which protects their identities to some degree. Most people wouldn't believe the opposite was what was really going on unless they had proof. And the Deevers don't plan to give any such proof away.

Re: Magistrate's end [story] 8 Kevin Reilly wondered why he had taken the job of operations officer for the Tower. He wasn't superhuman, essentially sat on a bull's eye, and had to sit and wait for trouble to descend on his station which it did all the time. He could have stayed in the navy for this much trouble. He looked at his screens, feeling his insides clench up. Four large radar and sonar sources suddenly appearing within stone's throw of the tower couldn't be good. They were standing in place for the moment. That couldn't last long. "Battle stations." Reilly waited for a moment before repeating himself. "Battle stations. This is not a drill. All personnel get ready for emergency evacuation." At least that made one part of his job easier. Most of the people in the tower were civilian planners. He had some fire and damage control people, but most didn't know which way a gun was supposed to point. To get those uncombat ready people clear in case of an emergency, Maker had built badges the Step could lock on and beam them away. "What's going on, Reilly?" Jerry Silver burst into the room. He trusted his operations man's judgment but an announcement of trouble should have followed a call to his office. It meant he could leave the world of red tape behind for something he could handle. "These things just appeared on the screen." Reilly pointed to the radar and sonar displays. "Weapons locked and loaded." "Can you get us a picture?" Silver listened as the cannons and missile batteries came to life in the outer walls of the monolith. Reilly hit some buttons. One of the secondary screens showed something that looked like a whale on legs standing at the transport line. Several more buttons lit up the other three giants waiting for whatever was supposed to happen. "This doesn't look good." Silver lit up a cigarette. "They're standing right outside the shipping markers." "If those things come after us, I don't think our guns will stop them." Reilly had his hands over the fire controls for the missiles and lasers. "Jerry Silver." The voice reverberated through the tower. "Please come to the roof where we may talk." "That didn't sound good." Silver held up his hand, electricity dancing around his fingers. "See if you can find the others. If things get bad, get out of here." "You don't have to tell me twice." Reilly bent over the radio and sent out for the Magistracy as Silver left the room. The electric man walked down the corridor, puffing on his cigarette as he went. He threw the butt away as he reached the roof elevator and rode up to the jet pad. He didn't like being called out on his own turf, especially when the rest of his team had decided to go into town. He might need the back up. A man stood at the other end of the deck, coat whipping around him as he held up his hands. One of his hands had something that looked like a flash drive. The stranger was smiling as the older man lit another cigarette and waited. "You're friends are inside this container." The stranger smile grew wider. "At least two of them are. You can have them after my friends crush this building into the ocean." "I don't think so." Silver pointed his crackling hand at the newcomer.