In reply to Winter Herald (msg # 10):

Crusader was downtrodden. "Not good. Everything I've found is just dead ends. The closest I came was the Dogs of War bar, but all that lead too was a phone tap."

Justicar addresses Crusader and Winter Herald, "Nothing more can be done, for today, here ~ at least I'm returning to my Sea Sentinel to do some data-analysis on the readings I got from today and to continue work on preparations for tomorrow.  I also, have some... construction and Business to deal with for future projects.  If you need me... I'll be listening to the LESP channel.  When the organic samples from the New York Team arrive... please inform me.. I'll stop whatever I'm doing to get on analyzing those samples immediately."

Unless the two stop him he fires up his thrusters and Rockets away towards the Center City Docks... the Young Genius never stops moving...

"That is acceptable. I intend to pursue primary target and improve my own efficiency when possible." Winter Herald waved Justicar off, before continuing, putting a finger on the lowest part of the helmet and holding it like a button. "These Dogs of War - what can you tell me about them? They sound like a mercenary company."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:06, Wed 13 July 2022.

Crusader answered, "A biker gang, into a lot of bad stuff, worse among them is human trafficking like Sexual slavery."

"This alters my usual questions, but not by much. Highest priority is always to figure out where the target is located, and given their nature, they likely have several bases along what is likely a preferred circuit. Their weapon loadout is likely to be limited to whatever they can carry on their vehicles, but the potential for superpowers or hired muscle changes the math of our odds. They're mobile, but the need to receive and transport unwilling human cargo changes their means of transportation. They cannot transport that on a motorcycle. They'd need at least a passenger car, and they would need access to routes that can accommodate their living cargo and themselves."

Winter Herald considered further. "Then there are the matters of both their suppliers and their buyers. Ultimately, these Dogs of War are the middlemen in a horrible system. They are neither the top nor the bottom. Their use is telling us how it is structured. We will want them alive, if possible, and I can record information. Evidence will not be a concern, and combined with our generous legal permissions, we can even enhance the reputation of the Crusaders while doing so, if events go well."

"In short, how do we wish to start to dismantle them? Supply side or consumer side? You possess more information about them than I do, and for now, I am trusting your judgement for how to best take them apart."

Crusader is a little shocked, "You want to help?" She thought for many long moments. "I am sorry I cannot trust you yet to bring you to my home. We can meet at LESPA offices. Give me a few hours to get everything together, your insite might be...useful. Understand that my intelligence is incomplete, I have done this on my own."

"Understandable. Intelligence is difficult work, even for me. I'll be at the LESP offices. We will do what we can within the next twenty-two hours. After that, I will need to return here and prepare. It may be some time after that before we have continued contact. Miss Cook and I may have some challenges leaving the environment she is in, so I am hoping I manage to inspire some leads before I go through."

Winter Herald considered what he wanted to do for the next few hours. "I'll be practicing with firearms when you arrive. I need to brush up on ballistics."

Little is known of the disappearance of Holly Cook, save the exact time and location of the event. The location was ground level at the intersection of Center and Lake street. The time was almost twenty-four hours ago. There are several pebbles with a slightly flattened side that lay, unobserved, along the street. These match some odd blemishes on some of the signage, that appears to have been overly polished.

In reply to Chimp Man Z (msg # 77):

Bellissima got dropped off by a patrol car after having filled out a report of her activities in New York for the LESP offices.  She really wished she could figure out how to fly, that would be very cool and make it much easier to get around the city quickly.  She saw Maharaja was the first one to arrive.

With a wave of her head, she walked up to the big man, "Hello Maharaja, looks like we are the first ones here.  I wonder what will come out of the portal this time and whether we are going to be able to save Holly."  She greeted the big man as she went for a fist bump with him.  "Although I am still not fully recovered from yesterday, so you are going to have to do the heavy lifting today," she rolled her eyes playfully as she looked around the area to get familiar with the area and what is where.

Hikari woke the next day some 6 hours later refreshed of most of his fatigue.  He got a shower and morning grooming done with efficiency, followed by breakfast prepared by Karl and made his way down to the lab.

He spent several minutes looking over the various projects he has under progress.
Hikari was disappointed with the miniaturization of the Quantum-Pulse Particle Sensor clearly it would need more dedicated effort to make it smaller, perhaps even rethink its construction materials entirely.

08:26, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 58 using 1d100.  Hikari - Mechanical Engineer [52%]. – [roll=1659270384.46436.355584]

08:25, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 67 using 1d100.  Hikari - Electrical Engineer [57%]. – [roll=1659270312.42336.355584]

He sighed and turned his focus on the data analysis of the reading recorded the day before... nothing stood out from the sensor returns.  The particle collider smashed accelerated protons and electron in rapid regular pulses and all the installed sensors minutely monitored the release of sub-atomic particles but he could see any alteration in the readings indicating any change with proximity with the close dimensional threshold.  The closed Dimension threshold might be affecting a particle emission his device was not scanning for just as easily as not working AT ALL and Hikri would be hard pressed to know the difference... but it was all he had to go on.

At the very least he had a clean sensor-reading of what the normal closed Dimensional threshold was like...so when it opened today near noon there 'should' be some difference to compare too.  THAT could be tracked and scanned for!  Assuming some extra-dimension mutant "Godzilla" did not exit the portal and make a nuisance of itself!

The sensors scans of the bio-samples was still being collated... so still nothing conclusive there either...yet.

This was frustrating.

Hikari decided he'd done all he could to find some means of tracking of finding the dimensional effects that had been used to abduct Holly Cook.. he needed to change his approach and work on something else.  Best way to clear his mind.

So he got to work tinkering on the Justicar.  He decided to install a pair os his recently manufactured Stun Blaster tech.  Unfortunately the stun blasters were still experimental and the tracking and weapon testing of their beam focus for targeting purposes had not be fully analyzed and integrated into his targeting software.  He shrugs and just decided to rely on simple 'iron-sights'.

Hikari shrugged he could blame the targeting software all he wanted but the truth was 'He' was not very proficient with handheld energy weapons.  The opportunity to focus on non-slug-thrower firearms was a rarity he just had not had time to master personally.

But it was only an low-energy electron beam to incapacitate beings with a nervous system so there was no risk even with a missed shot that any real collateral damage would be a risk .. like his fully integrated wrist blasters, so Hikari was not concerned as much.  But the dual-wrist mounted stun blasters were an option that could be very useful in battle to again provide him with more non-lethal means of dealing with criminals.  He added 'iron sighted' stun blasters to the Justicar and all his drones it was a simple add with no time requirements for targeting calibration... they would not be 'accurate' but not inaccurate either!

Speaking of non-lethal, Hikari was disturbed that the mutant dinosaur in New York was only stopped with lethal force.  All life was precious and every attempt should be made to preserve such.  So he pulled out of ammo storage “Spartan” ‘frangible’ 5.56mm ammo.  As a ammo choice it was REALLY sub-optimum, it had Very poor armor penetration and abysmal range... but it tended to mushroom nicely for a heavy broad-area impact on target very little if any penetration... but also non-lethal Exactly because of those properties.  Not usually a rifle round but a pistol ammo type hence its terrible range comparatively... but that was still around 150ft or so.  So it was perfect for a non-lethal or at least 'mostly' non-lethal ammo type for slug-thrower weapons.  Hikari loaded a single 80 round magazine of 5.56mm for his shoulder rifle, hopefully the ammo would not jam the barrel if he used it.

He remembered the fight in on Sebastian Isle and he'd always been annoyed with the memory of using his chemical sprayer to no effect on Snow-Blind and had been pondering a way to not waste his effort in a similar situation again.  He studied the chemical sprayer schematic and sipped his morning coffee grousing over a way to make the chem-sprayer more efficient.  Then it occurred to him from the engineering design the way the chemical-cartridges were switched mechanically he could easily modify it to spray from two chemicals at once with a minor modification.  Then Genius struck!  Paint.  If he had sprayed Snow Blind with a combined chemical of tear gas and spray paint he might not have been affected by the tear gas due to his powers but actual spray paint would still have blinded him... temporarily at least.

He got to work modifying his chemical cartridge options with paint and added a second nozzle to the ejection chamber to allow the option to unleash two chemical loads at once.  He added paint loads of Blue, Yellow, Red and Green.

Time was getting short so he suited up and went into the manufacturing autofac to look in on the progress of the Justicar-Paladin.  To his delight it was now at 87% completion!  Close enough for emergency field deployment if needed.  Hikari couldn't help grinning broadly at the 24'ft tall powered armor mecha vehicle.  This was not a subtle thing it was meant for taking on BIG threats!  Currently it was laying prone on its back in its launch cradle... but it was mostly ready for use save for some final avionic and targeting calibration.
Hikari instructed Karl to have the Justicar-Paladin ready for rapid deployment should the need arise.

Calling in Justicar inform LESP HQ he was back on duty as he rocketed across the skyline of Center City to land at the Harmon Building Street intersection with his Quantum-Pulse Particle Sensor in hand {now the size of a thick paperback novel}.

"Morning Belle, Maharajah... I see the police have already set up the security cordon.  Excellent.  Hopefully we will get some idea of the nature of the portal and its connection to Holly Cook."

Gesturing with a strange handheld device, "I have designed and built what I hope will be a sufficient sensor device to detect the opening or closing dimensional threshold of the portal...  and potentially track the location of it opening and exit."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:40, Sun 31 July 2022.

Winter Herald had spent much of his spare time prior to this practicing, and when he could not follow up on the notes that Crusader had provided on these Dogs of War, he expanded the issue he was actually tackling. The portal was not a concern. He was as prepared for that as he was going to get with the time and information they possessed.

Hour 24-48 for Holly Cook: Status unknown but endangered

This was a side note, a project connected to tracking Major FORCE themselves down, although that in itself was beginning to become a side project in the "End-Exploitation" consensus debate. The Dogs of War had a separate debate dedicated to them that was part of the "End-Exploitation" debate: the "End-Slavery" consensus sub-debate. Crusader, to him, seemed focused only on the most extreme branch of this, of those who had been abducted and forced into slavery for vice purposes.

Winter Herald had no intention of limiting himself in such a fashion. The entire enterprise it was a part of needed to be eliminated as part of the higher objective of eliminating the ability for one entity to unduly exploit another. The elimination of free will had been briefly debated and dismissed - a world of machines without will would not be capable of adapting to a change in the world, and would steadily break down if no one had the ability to change their role as needed.

Besides, his inclination was action oriented anyhow. Acquire as much information as time allowed to make the best decision possible, then execute said action with the precision that being informed permitted. And right now, he had been training with the drone, learning its limits, what it could do, how smart it was, and how much supervision it required.

After all, this was potentially his communications, if circumstances allowed for it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The reality was that he had been waiting near here for some time, in the event something went wrong. There were a few people about - those with the instinct to understand that some superpowered beings were about to do superpowered things here, and were getting ready in their own way. Clearly fleeing was not one of their plans, and he wasn't sure how he was going to account for them.

He waved to Hikari as he considered his actions to come. He would have to enter at the exact moment something would likely be coming out. This alone was going to be quite dangerous and time sensitive.

If things went well here, though, it would improve the team's soft power tremendously, which could be leveraged into smoothing over international incidents. This would be required - the course of their duties and their very impressive power at assault and lack of power at holding lines meant that feathers were going to be ruffled and they could not afford to stand against an angry populace or government. And angering governments in particular, for the greater good of the world, was going to be an essential part of their job - the Zeroth Law was clearly their guide.

Senor Garcia parks his SUV as close as possible to the Harmon building and walked the rest of the way. Upon reaching the building if there are any local law enforcement present, he shows his LESP credentials. If any members of LESP are present whom he recognizes he waves.

Walking up to the point at street level where directly above Holly Cook had disappeared, Senor Garcia scans the area opposite of the Harmon building.

Looking around for good place to set up with a sniper rifle.

Justicar watches as the Sentinel Team slowly assembles at the site occassionally monitoring his q-pp  sensor.  When he regards Senor Garcia, surveying the area looking for... something.

Then something occurs to him, something he had not considered before, until he realized what Veteran Elite super-soldier was doing.

Justicar walked over to Senor Garcia, "Good morning Sir, your looking for a sniper position correct? Something, just occured to me. I've come to beleive miss Holly Cook was abducted by Vitaly / 'Provider', using some device... not a superpower because there was no obvious meta-human activity recorded in the footage. But annoyingly there was also no obvious use of tech either. I ... stupidly let the matter drop there rather than continue with the logical progression of that theory. The device was used from concealment... a sniper position. How foolish of me NOT to follow that line of logic. So I ask you Sir, if you wanted to snipe with some device or weapon at falling woman at this intersection and be completely unseen... where would you position?"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:13, Mon 01 Aug 2022.

In reply to JUSTICAR (msg # 26):

“Yes, I’m looking for an adequate firing position, to be in when the portal opens up and something nasty comes out .” In surveying the area he found a few good places to set up. Each would need to be assessed to determine if the homeowners or business would allow him to set up. Each would have to be check out regardless in case JUSTICAR was correct that a device was used to poof Holly Cook away to….well wherever she was poofed away to.

Crusader was camped out near the building as well, waiting for others to show. As they did she made herself known.

In reply to Senor Garcia (msg # 27):

Justicar nods, "In your search, Senor Garcia, could you point out the sniper positions with the most potential concealment for where a criminal miscreant might have set up ~ definitely Without permission?  I would like to investigate those locations to see if any clues remain, it has only been 24 to 48 hours since Holly Cook vanished there possible could still be evidence present."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:52, Tue 02 Aug 2022.

Bellissima turned toward Justicar as he arrived in his suite, her face was covered by her collar pulled up over her nose and her wrap around sunglasses covering her face with her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.  She was wearing the armored outfit that Justicar had provided her with, although he did a very good job of making it look like normal clothing.

"Excellent, we didn't get any warning at the bank and it had closed before anyone could get a look to see if you could see across.  Hopefully we will get enough of a warning that we can look at the portal and hopefully see to the other side.  I am going to be ready to try to reach through with my TK if I see Holly on the other side."  She informed Justicar and the others of her basic plan.  She was hoping to avoid dealing with anything coming out of the portal, this time and focus on trying to rescue Holly.  "I have no idea if I will be able to reach through the portal," she shrugged as she acknowledged the obvious first flaw of her plan, "we will find out together," her smirk covered up by her face mask, "Hopefully there is no explosion that goes with it."

She nodded to Winter Herald, Garcia and Crusader as they showed up or revealed themselves.  of course beyond the police barriers, there were a lot of people gathering to see what was going on.  If something really dangerous came out of the portal, all those spectators was going to make life much harder.  Hopefully the police had set the barriers far enough back.  She really didn't like operating under the watch eyes of all the spectators, let alone all the media cameras filming what was going on.   The police were doing their best to keep everyone away, but with the barriers going up, rerouting of traffic from the area, the media had caught wind that something spectator might be happening today and the Sentinels appearance only confirmed that.  Maybe she figure out how to make herself invisible in the future to avoid the media.

A thought she had was that maybe Holly was the one making the portals.  Although there was no evidence of her having that power, she hadn't sensed Holly being part of the bank heist, but as Justicar had mentioned while talking with Garcia, was that there was no sign of external activities during Holly's disappearance.

Winter Herald chose this as his point to cross the police barrier, offering his membership in the Sentinels if he had to in order to cross, in as robotic of a voice as he had to.

He crossed to Bellissima, catching some of her plan. It was hard to hear Bellissima through the crowd, so he missed much of her plan. "I will be going through the portal. Hopefully, I will return with her before it closes. If not, I will be on the other side for twenty four hours, and you can expect us then. As far as you know, is she still alive?"

OOC: 17:43, Today: Winter Herald rolled 75 using 1d100.  Recognize Voice Distance to make out Bellissima. TN 72.
Just barely failed to hear the correct location.

Justicar 'seemed' to regard Bellissima and Winter Herald's declarations... but his visor hid his expressions.

He purposely opened his visor to meet them both eye to eye... to punctuate his seriousness to them.

"I cannot say more strongly how much I advise Against ANY of us trying to cross the Dimensional Threshold.  We have no idea of the physics inherent of that alternate dimension ~ how that will affect our biology from the laws of physics of Our dimension.  Winter Herald has insisted upon trying to cross the threshold, against my warnings, but as I have no actual authority to refrain him from doing so, I have decided to equip and arm him for the best surviveability and sensory telemetry recording."

"For one I strongly do Not believe Holly Cook is still in the alternate dimension.  My reasons ~ Provider's tattooed artwork is very similar to the Frazetta's stolen from the State Bank Heist so a connection to Holly Cook.  Also Holly was an ex-girlfriend of his that he wanted a more permanent relationship before she broke off seeing him.  Provider not using his mind control powers upon Holly Cook to force her to accept him denotes a deeper concern for her than just controlling desire."

"Second the effects uses int he State Bank Heist and the ...as I believe, abduction of Holly Cook, lead me to believe Provider is involved for personal reasons."

"My conclusion Provider would NEVER strand Holly Cook in a hostile primordial dimension... he loves her... and wants her with him.  She is likely here in our dimension in some secret lair for Provider and his Refusenik 'Villain Super-Team'."

"Now granted, Provider could have a secret lair in this alternate dimension... but we have nothing but pure conjecture on that.  Provider's 'known' powers do not coincide with super genius or dimensional traveler..so how he has gained access to dimensional abduction capabilities is STILL a VERY annoying puzzle piece that Does Not Fit!"

"BUT Third and most importantly.. we have no means of dimensional travel if one of us goes to the alternate dimension we have NO means of returning or retrieving them from said dimension!  That is Unacceptable!"

"As not only would Holly Cook remain lost we would also loose a vital teammate!"

His seriousness in his tone is insistent on these points and his eyes burn with certainty!

He takes a deep breath...

"My intent here is to with my sensors when the portal opens determine if I can detect its anomalous sensor returns... if I can.. THAT I can search for, THAT I can track.. potentially to where Holly Cook was sent or taken!"

"And as for violent, mutant-dinosaur, mega-fauna... I have... made preparations to combat such a threat and it is on standby ready to deploy if needed."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Tue 02 Aug 2022.

Bellissima arched an elegant eyebrow up over her sunglasses, "Have no worries, Justicar.  I have no intention of physically passing through the portal.  I will just try to reach through with my telekinesis." She stated concisely, "I am not crazy enough to going through a portal when there is no guarantee that I can return."

"And frankly we have no proof that Vitali has anything to do with the bank robbery or Holly's disappearance.  The tattoos looking like Frazetta's artwork is very circumstantial," Bellissima shook her head in frustration. "We only have my vision of him to make that connection and that he might have powers." She forestalled any rehash of the circumstantial evidence that surrounding Vitali, "Oh, I agree that he is likely involved, but I am keeping my mind open to other possibilities until we can gain more evidence.  So I am not assuming that Holly is safe at the moment.  And being in the hands of a criminal with possible mind control powers is definitely not safe, he might be able to rewrite Holly's brain and make her think she loves him.  Of course he had plenty of time to do that in the apartment when he caused her to go blank for a time.  Completely bypassing the need to stage an elaborate public kidnapping."

Bellissima knew the theory of how she could insert memories into a person's brain, although she has never attempted to do so.  She knew it could be very useful, but she found it highly unethical, doing so even for the best of reasons would make her no better than a criminal.  For the greater good had a line it should not cross.

Justicar, grimaces ~ closing his visor and slowly nods, "...regretably, Bellissima, I must agree ~ we have a lot of circumstantial clues and no 'real' solid evidence at all.  I do not think it would matter even IF we had a veteran forensics detective team  leading this investigation we would have any bettter intel to persue! No clues is STILL, NO Clues!"

He sighs, a strange sound with his suit's voice demodulator as he goes back to monitoring his hand-held q-pp sensor...

"All we can do is our best and hope we can help eventually.  But I fear the longer Holly Cook remains missing the less chance we have of finding her unharmed or even alive!"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:09, Wed 03 Aug 2022.

Remembering from her days in the Army that its important to keep your team updated, especially on your location, Lilibeth activates her LESP issued radio for the first time.
[Language unknown: "Ing u Resrutthethe, ereateset en m ovehi llto si Disssa hatillicaart. As er ngsi ic ngli reaencmenany, k eveal acndcant u ic."]

EDIT: This transmission happened the previous day from the current in game day.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:02, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

Winter Herald paused to allow everyone to finish. "I am going to ask a series of questions, and unlike the usual routine when such questions are asked, I will present my own conclusions with each question, followed by a consensus. If you have a better answer, I would like to hear them."

"Do we have a lead for Holly Cook's location beyond 'through the dimensional portal?' The answer is 'no.' Do we have a time limit? The answer is likely 'yes.' Do we benefit from further analysis of the situation? The answer is likely 'no.' Do we need to act? The answer is likely 'yes.' We have an absence of information, a tenuous lead, and a time limit. Information must be translated into action. Probability dictates that refusal is a forfeiture of Holly's life."

Winter Herald moved into position, and insured the drone was secured and ready to go. "Since the entire team has deployed itself to locate this missing celebrity, I have drawn the consensus that to get them to reinvest their resources back into locating Major FORCE, I must get this distraction out of the way as quickly and efficiently as morals, ethics, resources and information permit. That means I go through the portal to the unknown. Other options have been eliminated by logic."

"Chimp Man Z is known well and liked by the public, and will need to remain for damage control. You, Justicar, are too valuable to endanger and if the technology you possess fails, you are only human beyond your impressive mind."

He looked from Justicar to Bellissima. "Crusader, Goliat and you are not as resilient as myself. Garcia and Runa are new, and their willingness and ability to enter to an unknown dimension for a blind rescue operation is in question. Patriot is not available, and they have organic internals besides. I am the best qualified to step through and rescue Holly while the rest of you dispatch whatever is coming out."

His attention focused back on Justicar. "So again, if you have a additional data that makes a better answer that does not endanger my brief existence, I would like to hear it before I endanger my brief existence. Myself not going through the portal, in the absence of additional data, is not a better answer. That is the end of my report."

He glanced to the place the portal was due to appear. He could be there and jump through quickly enough. He just had to have faith the existing systems behind him would be able to deal with whatever was coming out.

Justicar chuckles, "Yes, A Very clinical, logical and precise assessment of the situation Winter 'As usual'.  And you are correct you are the, most likely, best choice to cross into an unknown dimension due to certain structural advantages such as not having fragile biological processes that sustain your life functioning. None of your questions and focus upon the situation is in error, but with one point ~ You are Also Too Valuable to risk your existence.  You, at least to me, are no less important or valuable than I."

"So my one suggestion would be ~ Send that drone I loaned you through the portal first! It IS expendable... I an make another. If telemetry and functioning of it can be verified through your Telemetry Head Visor linked to it ~ you will likely also be fully operational there."

Justicar notes Senor Garcia wearing his combat rig as he searches for a sniper position and over to him with'Karl' maintaining monitoring of the sensor returns as the time ticks down.

"Senor Garcia, I noted your wearing your combat rig.  Impressive.  I had designed a suit of armor for you but had not expected you would find full class 4 hard armor flexible enough?  It seems I was in error from your current armor... including some stealth properties as well!  That is a armor surfacing project still in my que of research."

"Regardless I have a suit design for you, it will need to be modified now that I've seen your current rig.. I see no need to reinvent the wheel...so I can reduce my plans to just additional components to add to your current rig if you so choose to accept such. I'm particularly impressed with that Kel Tec KSG-12 shotgun!  I might have to do some research for adapting such a fine flexible weapon to the Justicar's possible loadouts!"

"I see your 'Forearm Datapad' has what amounts to a field battle computer.  Very impressive... I refrained from adding such to the team's outfits to not overwhelm to less 'technically' inclined' with tech they would not feel comfortable of fluent in use."

"Here is the proposed suit specifications I have under construction in my workshop.. Again.. I'll adjust it to just added components as I can clearly see your suit is far superior in certain aspects already!"



"Clearly, with your Forearm data pad, some of my design's functions are redundant and unnecessary, but since the whole design is modular.. I can just refrain from installing those function.  Honestly, I see no need to upgrade your armor specifically its just as good if not potentially superior to Crusader's armor.  Though I could add some additional functions similar to Crusader's Mk II helmet."



"Mostly all I have done is taken the 'free' Standard Issue LESP field gear available to all team members and just integrated it all into a 'hand's free' costume of their choice in style adding a few items of great use in 'fluid' rapidly changing field situations."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:21, Thu 04 Aug 2022.