The entire time from the opening of the gate until Solitaire could grab the device took perhaps 3 seconds. Unfortunately, the reaction that would cause a massive explosion was set to go off after only 10 seconds.
Comstock is able to turn some of the exotic material to inert lead, but the material was not very pliable under his seeking quantum fingers, especially when the work was done from yards away. Solitaire manages to fly it higher, but even moving faster than the speed of sound, she is able to move only a small distance in the time remaining. Those nearby can feel the energies building within the device through their nodes a split second before the blinding flash of white fire sweeps over the area.
Even with Comstock's manipulations and Phantasm's quantum cocoon around the bomb, the device is incredibly powerful, overwhelming Solitaire's energy absorption and burning into her flesh. Even as her clothing disintegrates and her flesh begins to sear off, it never occurs to Solitaire that this explosion would be her death. Perhaps that confidence, and the Marvelous display of a woman standing in the heart of a nuclear explosion, is what allows her to live. As the energy coruscating over her skin forms into a glowing energy matrix, wrapping her in a protective shield and replacing burnt skin, Solitaire feels a strange transformation beginning to occur as she drops from the sky like a falling star. Only a short bit of time remains to Solitaire before becoming... Other. Minutes, perhaps an hour; enough time to see the end of the war, and to say goodbye.[
Private to Solitaire: you're alive, but that threw you into chrysalis. I was planning on downtime after the war anyway, for people to go into chrysalis, so not as bad as it sounds.]
On the ground, the blast is incredible, searing all life within a mile of the blast. Or at least all life not infused with its own internal quantum fires. Solitaire's energy absorption reduces the blast enough that most of the T2M members come through mostly intact. Forcefields buckle under the blast, eufiber bubbles and screams, skin blisters under the heat and debris thrown by the shock wave pierces bone and breaks skin. But through their combined efforts, most of the team lives. The army, and the forest around them were not so lucky however; the ground is littered with skeletons of the dead and the earth is a twisted and scorched mockery of the verdant jungle it once was.
Comstock, one of the few who remained standing through the blast, looks around at the holocaust before him, and despairs. At least his orders to move people had saved lives; much of the army was out of range of the blast, though radiation treatment would be required by virtually everyone in the area. Slider had ported out moments before the blast, saving many. But there were still so many dead, even a few of their own: Giesha and the Commander, lacking significant defenses and staring at the sky when the blast hit, were scattered to the winds.
Of the Americas team, injuries are severe, with multiple broken bones and severe burns, but all are alive. Quinten is perhaps the most injured of the group; his left leg below the knee and the fingers on his right hand were outside the area of Phantasm's shield. Now those parts are simply... gone. He is also severely burned and likely suffering radiation poisoning and broken ribs from having Phantasm pressed into him. Cruelly, he is still conscious, his superior brain no longer capable of 'turning off' in the face of trauma.
The others are at least intact, but are still badly injured, crippled by the wave of destruction. After a few moments, Slider reappears, Saul following close behind. They look in awe at the destruction, marveling at the damage, then averting their eyes in horror and shame. Silently, they begin helping those left alive to stand, and healing those they can. The earth rumbles, and seems to moan, almost as though a sentience bound to it is crying out in agony and impotent rage, and then goes still.
For those left standing and who can think past their pain, the inevitable thought now is: what now? They were broken and battered, and the enemy still could have more of weapons like these. But Utopia did have 2 advantages... First, they had allies nearby, the Teragen. And second, the enemy thought they were all dead. With that in mind, another question loomed in the minds of the T2M members still conscious: how much more were they willing to endure, and how far were they willing to go to see this war finished?
Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
How far indeed. Everyone, even after healing (both from Flare and Saul), will be down at least 3A wounds. Grav is down 5A after healing. And quantum is running short for many. There is plenty of tainted Quantum for a recharge lingering in the area (hey, maybe the background radiation of the area would even go down a notch); I'll even give you a once in a lifetime deal, and let you take a point of Permanent Taint to refill your quantum to full. There might be time to spend an hour recharging, if you want to leave Zero to his own devices (they think you're dead, and they're going to want to posture and threaten for a while). Up to you on how you want to finish things off. Oh, and for those wondering, the deus ex machina that is Anteaus is out of the picture, his senses overwhelmed by the blast.
---
Zero was spotted shortly after its arrival, but quickly disguises itself, taking the form of a nearby soldier and diving into their ranks. In the moments of confusion before the Nova orders both the soldier and his new twin shot, Zero does manage to intuit the powers of the Teleporter however. While far more durable than a human, the 'porter is hardly a peak specimen of nova virility; rather, he seems to have a very strong talent for teleportation, one rivaling that of Slider, but little else to defend himself with aside from slightly superhuman speed of thought and reflexes.
As it analyzes the 'porter, and the soldiers shove their teammate and his double from their ranks to shoot them, Zero feels the wash of quantum energy as the nuclear blast hits its former location. What happened? Did its friends survive? What about the helpless baselines? This war had claimed far, far too much, and all in the name of petty power struggles and wealth... A cold anger rolled across the Doctor's skin as the soldiers' guns barked, tearing through their fellow and bouncing off of Zero's armored skin.
Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
You take no wounds from the gunfire, but your position is exposed (the minimal successes on your stealth roll didn't hold up unfortunately). Oh, and you're trapped inside this quantum bubble, 'porting out won't work, though you can 'port around inside it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:26, Tue 16 Nov 2010.