October 7rd, 2020, Stark Industries warehouse in Upstate New York



Stark's warehouse was located at North Country, almost fifty miles away from Manhattan.  With the roadblocks and congestion, it would have taken Freedom Force hours to drive up there.  Stark did have the foresight of sending one of his executive helicopters to pick them up (he himself flew there in his armored suit), and the flight was therefore only supposed to take them little less than fifteen minutes.

Their chaperone was a chubby man named 'Happy'.  Though he claimed to be Stark's bodyguard, he looked kindly enough that the only reason anyone would ever have to fear him would be if they happened to be a box of donuts.  Giddy as a schoolgirl upon meeting Captain America, he invited his idol to sit next to him, leaving the rest of Freedom Force (and friends), in the passenger's cabin.

OOC: Happy has already made a stop to pick up Kate, Captain America, Newton and Danny from the UN HQ.  They would then stop at Avengers tower to pick up Frank and Ana, and also, apparently, Zoey, because Stark said to 'bring everybody'.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:05, Wed 22 Sept 2021.

Zoey was not entirely sure why she was going along with any of this nonsense. Someone had metaphorically mailed her an invitation by mistake and she felt dirty showing up. At the same time the sphere of traffic disaster around the mutant-caused carnage was increasing and had long since engulfed where she had parked her pickup, so she wasn't going to be getting out of New York for a while yet. Might as well see where all this takes her.

Also, she heard Captain America might be there. Zoey would never admit it to anyone but she held the man up as the closest thing humanity had to an ethical gold standard... although he wasn't 100% pure human anymore, was he? Food for thought...

For now, though, she simply pounced on Kate as if she had feline traits of her own. "There you are!" she declared, hugging the Kitty Kate tightly. A hug that almost immediately turned into checking her for injuries. "I'm so glad you're alright. If something had happened to you while I was fucking around picking timber for a treehouse I... I don't even know..."

"Hey, if we're giving away hugs here, put an old friend down on the list," Frank said, holding out his arms. If he'd missed Zoey a little, he'd missed Kate a lot. "C'mon, bring it in."

It was a sane moment in an otherwise insane day. Frank was especially glad to see that Kate had made it through whatever she'd done at the U.N. without any apparent injuries.

Danny remained with the charred, near-dead remains of their leader, Douglas Price.
It was only Danny constant mutant influence that was keeping the man alive, let alone (hopefully) beginning the regenerative process to re-establish his life force.

Kate put up with Zoey's cheerful mauling with an apparently put upon attitude though for those watching with even average social skills it's pretty obviously a front as the hug was returned, the hair fluffing tolerated longer than necessary, and a slight reluctance to squirm free evident in her protests about being fine.

Once clear she did in fact give Frank a hug.  Thudding into his broad and wide chest with an ineffectual whump and giving a squeeze for all she's worth.  Which were he normal might actually be impressive, but was hardly likely to cause him distress.  Well distress outside of realizing that her cardigan was spotted with flecks of blood and her hands and such were suspiciously clean.

Then it was Ana's turn for a more gentle hug, if the woman would allow it.  At some point after leaving the UN she had gone mostly back to human, her feline traits mostly just impressions at the moment, giving a feel to the younger woman more than an explicit look.

Ana Sofía returns Kate's hug warmly. "It's so great to see you again. Good job at the UN."

She turns between Newton and Kate, "I think you two have met at this point, at least in the helicopter." Then between Newton and Zoey, "You two probably haven't met, though. Newton, the four of us, Frank, Kate, Zoey, and I were all together at the Xavier Institute before Frank and I joined Freedom Force. Kate and Zoey, this is Newton, who joined Freedom Force about when we did."

Zoey giggles as Kate tries to hug the hit points out of Frank. It's a rare sound to hear from the otherwise generally ill-tempered young woman, although it is a sound Kate is likely familiar with. Something about the fuzzball brings out the best in her.

Zoey waves to Newton as Ana introduces them formally. "Hi Newton. Let me guess: gravity control?" Based on that callsign it seemed a reasonable guess. Her next question is directed at the group generally. "So, has this Freedom Force thing been everything you've hoped for? Looks like they're feeding you right at least."

"It might be too early to answer that question," Frank said, settling into a seat. He kept one eye on the time; they still needed to be back in the city to meet Ms. Cooper in... five-and-a-half hours now. "This is our first official mission as a team. A single data point doesn't make a pattern, y'know? But this mission wasn't mired in moral ambiguity, so: bonus."

He didn't add that Freedom Force was paying him very well. If Zoey wanted to jump teams, she'd need to do so for a better reason than that. And she probably wouldn't do it for the money, anyway. She didn't seem the type to put money high on the list of priorities.

Zoey raises an eyebrow at that. "Only the one mission in all this time? That's... huh. Quiet on the home front I guess."

Kate eyed Newton and his obviously military haircut, demeanor and general vibe and just sort of sidled away from his part of the gathering.  Luckily there were plenty of more familiar people for her to hover near.  Riffing off of Zoey's question Kate adds"Yah, what is Freedom Force really?  I mean, I tried looking you guys up online but there wasn't anything there.  Are you supposed to be secret or just sort of lazy at advertising?"

"The program isn't completely 'live' yet," Frank explained. There was going to be a lot of media surrounding their official debut, of course. Hopefully they'd be better received than Space Force had been. (Yeesh.) "Today's events kind of trumped our plans. What's the expression? Man plans, God laughs?"

"Thing is, we're still just provisional government agents. There are courses to pass."

He held out his ID, which still had PROVISIONAL stamped across it.

"It's a vastly accelerated program, though. They're counting on us being able to finish years' worth of course work in months. It's grueling."

Zoey takes Kate's hand in her own as they draw near. Mine, she thinks playfully to her, although uncertain if she is listening.

"Man plans and the Brotherhood spunks?" Zoey tries adapting the phrase.

"Aw man, educational crunch!" Zoey groans. "That sounds awful! I am so glad that I didn't take Missus Tits up on her offer, no matter how delightful her fault line might have been. I have my hands full just getting my license to practice medicine so that I can be a real-world healslut. Not sure if I am going to work at a hospital or be an independent practitioner. I like the idea of having regular work even if I don't really need the money, but on the other hand I've always had an issue with hierarchies... something about needing to watch my language."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Fri 24 Sept 2021.

"Mutants working FOR the government?  I thought you guys were part of the Avengers or something" the Legion was real curious now "They're only using you, you know.  To get the rest of us.  Once your services would no longer be required you'll get the same treatment; locked up, and eviscerated.   You'll see"

Zoey glances at Legion. "Man with the worst case of multiple personality disorder I have ever seen is right, you know. You can't trust government. Not ever."

"But you're more likely to be able to change it from the inside rather than from the outside. I want to help lead the country in a better direction, not destroy the country."

"... Oh, wow," Zoey says in performative wonder. She removes her glasses and shines them with the microfiber cloth she keeps in her pocket, then holds them up to the light. She then advances sharply on Ana and plonks the frames onto her face, turning the distant objects in her vision into a blurry haze of colors. She grins. "Yep, there's no doubt about it, these glasses are turning rose-tinted in your presence!"

"Oh boy." Frank rolled his eyes and rubbed the side of his face. This wasn't going to go well. "Can we dial back the sarcasm?"

"Throttle's stuck at full, capt'n~!"

"Its not about what you want, its about what they want.  Who is going to decide which targets you're going to go after?  Who's maintaining that list of 'dangerous' mutants, and what criteria are they using?  It's not transparent, and not only is it going to be abused, it IS being abused"  The Legion stopped to look at Frank:

"Please don't tell me you believe that all inmates that ended up in Nomans Land were criminals, because if you do, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you. They locked people up just for giving the government trouble, even if they never committed a single act of violence"

"And every person just doing their job in Avengers Tower when it was destroyed was such a hardened criminal, right?"

"And no, I don't believe that the inmates of Noman's Land were all criminals," Frank agreed. "I have a lot of moral and ethical problems with how that day went down. But letting them loose would have been a disaster, too. A bigger one, with a higher body count. "

Zoey fades into the background a bit as it seems things are taking a turn for the serious. She can't stay in the background for long though.

"I spoke to Senator Kelly," she adds. "He claims to be pushing for greater transparancy, but his own employers aren't being transparent with him about things he needs to know to do his literal job. Did you know that he was given the exact same line as the public was about the incident on that forsaken island? Totes all the Bruthas' fault, yo. No secret prison, no inmates cut up and laid out like slabs of meat at market. The guy's head of mutant affairs and they didn't tell him shit."

"Maybe his security clearance isn't high enough. I don't know. I am trying to find more answers to what happened on that island, though."

"What does this have to do with anything?" the Legion raised his eyebrow at Ana
"I didn't have anything to do with the attack on Avengers tower.  It all happened before I was ever born"

"But the Brotherhood did, didn't it? You probably have a shared memory about some of the planning behind that, right? So don't pretend like the Brotherhood can really claim any sort of moral high ground."

Danny sat back quietly, listening to the conversation.
For now, he seemed happy to hear the throughs of others spoken aloud, than chime in.

"But I'm not with the Brotherhood.  And besides, whatever they are doing doesn't excuse your own actions.  That's not how it works" not a coincidence they were sitting with the one Legion clone that had reservations about the way the Brotherhood were doing things.  That's why he agreed to help them to begin with.  Or more precisely, help them so he can enlist the help of Captain America.

"It's fine; suit yourself.  I'm not counting on you anyways"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:57, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

"Dude, you were with the Brotherhood two hours ago." Frank didn't want to berate the guy, but his claims of innocence were somewhat disingenuous. "If we hadn't convinced you otherwise, you'd be with them right now.

"And you were there at Noman's Land, even if this body is new. You've got memories of that... all the way back to childhood, I'll bet."

"I might have the memories, but I'm not the same guy.  I wasn't there" The Legion outright refuses to accept any responsibility for whatever happened at Nomans Land, or any other crimes his ancestors committed for that matter
This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

"So, let me get this right. One of you commits a crime. Then that one splits into two, both of which can then claim they aren't the original that committed the crime. So you can do whatever crime you want and you're always innocent. I don't accept that, and I doubt the courts will, either; and I'm saying this from the standpoint of someone who has argued in favor of one of your clones being innocent."

"Well, obviously, the one that created the duplicate should be held accountable for the crimes he committed.  But how is the new duplicate guilty of anything?  He was only brought into the world.  I don't see why you should judge me only on account of me remembering doing something awful.  Something I would never do myself.  It's not fair"

He shook his head

"And it gets more complicated than that.  When we merge, our memories do as well.  Sometimes we find out one of our clones did something reprehensible only after we absorbed him. Once we are one, we can no longer tell which memories came from where.  Should we be held responsible for memories we absorbed?"

The Legion phrased his objection as a question, because, to be honest, he was quite confused about the entire thing also.  And having that PHD in philosophy only served to make things MORE complicated, if anything.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:36, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

The helicopter arrived to Stark's warehouse before the group concluded their discussion.  Like everything Stark, the 'warehouse' was unnecessarily grandiose; a massive high-tech installation made of hardened concrete, right on eastern bank of Sylvia Lake.

As they approached the helipad, the man watching their descent stepped out of the tree line.    Dressed in black and purples, he was holding a longbow, of all things, complete with a quiver of arrows strapped to his back.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:39, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

Ana Sofía keeps going as they arrive. "If you choose to drink and you get so wasted that you black out and kill someone while driving a car, you'll have no memory of doing something terrible that you probably wouldn't have even done. Yet you're still responsible for killing that person.

"Meanwhile, the rest of the world won't be able to distinguish between an original and a clone. I'm not sure that's even correct. Is it really an original and a clone, or is it one splitting into two? In biology we certainly know of fission. Is that just what happens with you? Of course you want your get-out-of-jail-free card, where you can do anything by just creating a new clone, having it commit a crime, and then reabsorbing it. So of course you'll just argue laws don't apply to you. But, if you haven't figured it out, most people won't think you alone should be above the law."

But she's pretty sure he won't accept anything short of him being above the law, so this isn't likely to lead anywhere. Meanwhile, she and Frank need to get back to the City soon. Ana Sofía gets out when it's her turn and follows along with the others.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

In reply to Legion (msg # 31):

"I played this video game a while back. Fun little indie roguelike, called Heat Signature. There's a faction called the Glitchers that use teleportation technology, fully understanding and making this whole cultural point about what it means to destroy yourself and create an identical copy halfway across space. There's this big conversation in the game about what happens when the tech fucks up and the original doesn't get destroyed. It really got me thinking." Zoey bites her lip. "A lot of it came down to treating the pattern as the individual, rather than any specific instance. But Legion's replication demonstrates considerable value drift with each iteration, so not much of that applies. He's right in that it would be unethical to judge any specific instance for the sins of his progenitors. But even accounting for value drift, claiming complete innocence seems... exploitative."

Zoey is quiet for a moment. "Frankly, Leagie-boy, your power scares the shit out of me. I would be scared of creating a version of me that is better than me. Or... more motivated. More extreme. I already barely trust myself; how could I possibly trust a weird permuted variation of me?"

---

Zoey eyes the weird bowman. She isn't one to judge one's weapon preferences; she herself carries a sword, and there were a lot of reasons in this weird fucked up world to use archaic weapons. Arrows beat ballistic armor, they might be more effective against certain powers too. But if this is one of the Good Guys she doesn't recognize him. She raises her hand, fingers poised to snap, and glances to Happy. "Friend?" she inquires.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:39, Tue 28 Sept 2021.

Frank had fallen into silence as Zoey had mostly taken over the debate with Legion as to the nature of his powers. He had also fallen into step with Ana Sofia and the others as they exited the helicopter and headed indoors.

Then Zoey was pointing to the guy with the bow and arrows. Frank had assumed that he was friendly based on two facts: one, they were on what had to be one of the most secure properties on Earth, and two, he wasn't actually shooting the arrows at anyone. But as long as she was raising the question, Frank certainly wanted to hear the answer.

"I dunno.  I might be the more extreme version of the original Legion, if he even goes by that name.  We know there are some of us that never create a duplicate, or that are unwilling to merge back.  But it's sort of like natural selection - if they refuse to perpetuate themselves, they become an insignificant minority, or go extinct"

The Legion waited until the helicopter landed, and for the rotors to stop spinning them, before he disembarked.  The archer has closed the distance by then, waiting just outside the cockpit for Captain America.

"What happened to your shield?" the archer inquired as he shook the Captain's hand

"Long story.  Hawkeye; I'd like you to meet Freedom Force, and friends" The Captain quickly cycled through their names, or callsigns, as the case may be

"And this here - " he tapped the archer on his shoulder "Is the bravest man I know" The Captain wasn't jesting.  Hawkeye, the least renowned member of the Avengers, didn't have any supernatural powers, or a high-tech suit of armor.  All he had was grit, and lots of it.  For Captain America, that was all which was required.

"Guess everyone uses hero names here. Hi, I'm Windtalker, with Freedom Force." Ana Sofía smiles at Hawkeye pleasantly. She nods toward the Legion clone. "This one here is actually an informant, a clone of the ones who attacked today."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:45, Tue 28 Sept 2021.

Zoey lets her hand fall. Definitely friend. Probably friend? That definitely looks like friend body language. If Captain America says Hawkeye's a brave boi then she's inclined to believe him. Of course she'd be inclined to believe anything he says. Inside her head a miniature effigy of her is bouncing around doing a fangirl dance. Fortunately no one can see it; it is very embarrassing and not chill at all.

"Zoey," she fills in for the Captain when he momentarily falters. "Civilian."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:03, Wed 29 Sept 2021.

Kate has been listening to the conversation as well, and asks what she thinks is a pertinent question.  "Wait, do you mean that every single clone of you is permanent unless they decide to pick another one of you to merge back with?  Not like temporary or anything like that?"  She certainly didn't know the details of his power before, and now this was an interesting conversation, but he kind of had a point about guilt here, and maybe she wouldn't say much more because maybe she would get in trouble for dealing with a lot of them permanently if it turned out they were real people and not temporary clones like she had assumed.

Then they were landing and she hopped out to stretch gratefully now that they were back on the ground, twisting her back and wiggling fingers and toes.  Those who were watching her closely had seen her ears and tail slowly shrinking towards fully human features during the flight, but now stepping outside again in the blink of an eye she was back to bearing the full kemonomimi treatment of ears and tail.  Though she didn't introduce herself.

"I'm Frank." Frank greeted Hawkeye in turn. Part of him wondered what a bow and arrows would do against someone like the Basilisk... but then he considered one good shot to the Basilisk's one eye, taken from a couple of hundred feet away. He decided then that arrows could potentially be very useful. "I also answer to Tank."

"Nice to make your acquaintance" the man gave them a brief nod.  He didn't waste any more time on idle talk.  They were short on time as it was
"Come.  Doctor Strange has already arrived, and we can't keep a Wizard waiting.  Not to mention Stark; there's no telling what he might do if he gets bored" he extended his hand and pointed not at the warehouse, but at the lakeshore installation " - this way"

"Doctor Strange?" Frank asked, not sure if he'd ever heard the name before. "Why are we getting a wizard?"

He stopped short of asking how they were getting a wizard. Frank wasn't sure he believed in magic, but he believed in the Avengers. If Tony Stark accepted that there was an actual such thing as magic, Frank would take the description on faith... for the moment, anyway.

"I'm playing a wizlord~!" Zoey singsongs, quoting out of context the first time she played Dungeons and Dragons. "So he is a doctor and a wizard? Is he multiclass? Oooh, is he a mystic theurge?!"

Stark's compound was massive, but also quiet empty.  They haven't encountered not a single soul as they followed Hawkeye deeper and deeper inside.  First down a long corridor, and then up the elevator to the meeting room where a very real Wizard, cape and all, was already waiting.

'Strange' was a fitting name for a man who looked like he was transported right off the pages of one of Zoey's roleplaying games.  Long red cape contrasting with the royal blue robe, an adjustable leather belt that was wrapped a few times around his waist, and the one gemstone, that would put any of the queen's jewels to shame, encased in gold and hanging as a necklace over his chest.

Obviously, Strange didn't think much of 'fitting in'.

"Finally" the man's cape fluttered as he turned to look at them, as if it had a supernatural sense for theatrics
This message was last edited by the player at 12:45, Fri 01 Oct 2021.

"Doctor Steven Strange, Earth's Sorcerer Supreme" Hawkeye introduced the man with due reverence

Zoey eyes the wizard. Looks like an Evocation specialist with that red trim. Sub-optimal build, but at least he gets to throw around as many Disintegrates as he wants. Hmm, but he clearly has some Charisma... oh gosh, is he a Battlemage?! "Yeah, he definitely looks like he has at least sixth-level spell slots," Zoey agrees.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:50, Fri 01 Oct 2021.

"Um... hi," Frank said, sticking out a hand to shake. He still thought the idea of a wizard was crazy-pants, much less a Sorcerer Supreme, but he was also still giving the idea the benefit of the doubt. "I'm Frank."

Ana Sofía keeps giving quizzical looks as Zoey makes her comments, clearly not understanding her references at all. "Hi, I'm Ana Sofía, also known as Windtalker. I didn't know there were any sorcerers, let alone rankings of sorcerers."

"Archers and sorcerers and soldiers, oh my", Danny muttered to himself (and possibly anyone near enough to hear him), with a smirk.

He had to admire the scene, though.  Between the Good Captain, the 'bravest man alive' and the becloaked mystic, they certainly looked ready for Halloween ... now all they needed was a demonic clown.  'Oh, wait', he thought to himself, then said out loud, "So I am guessing Iron Man will be joining us".

He was, almost 'making himself at home', wandering over to the nearby seats, and taking whichever looked most comfortable.

Ana Sofía laughs for a moment and cuts herself off. She whispers to Danny, "Sorry, sometimes I just overhear. A demonic clown, huh? Certainly, I do wonder if I'm not dressed right for Halloween in my exercise clothing." She smiles at him.

Captain America, who completely missed out on pop culture from the last seventy years, quietly wondered if Zoey was a sorceress also.  Wisely, he decided to keep his mouth shut until someone clarified that point, which happened to be the Legion clone:

"Hey, don't make fun of Wizards.  I once made that mistake, and had to spend a week as a goldfish in his fish tank.  Not an experience I'd recommend"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:16, Sat 02 Oct 2021.

"We prefer 'masters of the mystic arts'" the question was posed by 'Windtalker', and he took it in good faith:
"We are burdened with the task of protecting the Earth from otherworldly magical forces and attacks from powerful entities from other dimensions"

" - so a few runaway mutants shouldn't pose a problem for you, right?"
Tony, now back in his more formal suit, walked into the room, hands in pockets

"I managed to track them down using satellite surveillance.  They made it to the sewers, at Brooklyn.  If we hurry we might still be able to catch them"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:53, Sat 02 Oct 2021.

"It's more than 'a few'.  The Morlocks live down there.  They are a large community of mutants that can't pass for humans.  Outcasts.  They value their privacy. Don't want anything to do with the world above.  If you go down there with guns blazing you're in for a world of hurt"

Kate was looking a tad uncomfortable in the new surroundings, that nervousness exhibited by growing more and more animalistic so by the time that Tony showed back up she was starting to be quite distinctly fuzzy with soft red fur again.  At least she didn't seem to have any trouble speaking clearly when she asked, "So what's their deal with the Morlock's?  Are they working together? allies? don't know or just don't care that the terrorist you's are dragging people into their home?"

"I have a vague memory of reading about Morlocks back in the library years ago..." Ana Sofía cannot come up with more memory, so she leaves that thought. She asks Legion, "You memories were with the escaped Brotherhood cell until very recently, right? What do you remember of their escape or contingency plans?"

"The Morlocks welcome any mutant, no questions asked.  We figured we could lay low down there for a while.  Not much more to the plan than that"

"You are using them, counting either on our reluctance to antagonize a peaceful community, or knowing that if we do, you will have scores of new recruits to your 'brotherhood'" Strange stopped short of calling that tactic despicable, only because he was too refined to.

"Well, you know. the Legion's hand reflexively reached for the back of his neck, his eyes looking down at the tip of his shoes  "When you put it like that, it does sound kinda bad"

"If I knew their bio-signatures I could snipe them all from street level," Zoey says. "Unfortunately Legion's is the only one I know, and not all of him are valid targets. Not that... uhm... I'm a part of this operation or anything. All of him? All of them? Leagie, what pronouns do you like?"

She folds her arms under her bustline and thoughtfully taps her fingers against her upper arms. "Outcasts you say... I wonder if any of them would like to join my Treehouse Club. See the sun, plant some crops, fight some inequalities... it's lonely just me and Kate."

"We're going to have to convince the Morlocks that they need to give up the bad guys," Frank said. "And we're going to have to do it without the use of force... because we're probably going to be way outnumbered."

"Of course, if they're hiding out under the City rather than out being terrorists, that's a bit of a win already. You don't have to enter a trap like that if can catch them when the emerge... Now that I know they're under New York City, I might be able to figure out where and when they plan to get away from there."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds pretty good. Go Windtalker~!"

... she still kind of wants to see what these Morlock folk are like. She never even knew they were down there.

Ana Sofía gets up and heads toward somewhere quieter while everyone is talking. She's sensed their minds before when she was checking who was present at the hotel, and she knows roughly where they're located. One is too dim-witted to likely even understand their own plan, and one may well be unconscious. That leaves Eileen/Phantazia. Ana Sofía settles herself on the floor in lotus position, closes her eyes, and reaches out with her mind. If Ana Sofia can locate and find Phantazia's plans while the terrorists think they're sitting safe, the good guys will be in much better shape.

d12 Telepathy
d10 Willpower
d8 Pysch
d8 One Step Ahead of You
d6 Enthralling Mind (+1 step effect die)

13:22, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 9,4,8,7,4 using d12,d10,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 9,4,8,7,4.  Digging into Phantazia's mind (mental complication).

That can be 8+7=15 with a d12 effect die stepped up 1. If she gets in, she really gets in. If we're in a new scene with a PP reset, she can spend 1 PP to make that a 19 with a d12 effect die stepped up 1.

"Snipe them? what do you mean by snipe them?  You're not going to go on another murder spree, are you?" The Legion couldn't (and didn't bother) hiding the panic in his voice.  Knowing what Zoey did on Nomans Land, he didn't put it past her to murder all members of the Brotherhood, and the Morlocks too, if they got in her way

"Are you??" his voice rose to a shrill

"Relax" Rogers moved closer to the clone and placed his hand over his shoulder
"No one is going to kill anyone.  Not if I have something to say about it"

Zoey considers the question seriously. It probably would be seen as a bad look for people to be dropping dead right in the middle of the Morlocks, and nonlethal options wouldn't accomplish anything if they weren't down there to retrieve them. Out loud, though, she simply says "Just wanted the relevant parties to know what options were available." And if the Captain doesn't want to use the lethal option, that settles that.

Ana concentrates, and manages to make contact with Phantazia's mind.  Briefly.  Before the connection is severed, she sees through the woman's eyes.  A dimly lighted sewer tunnel.  Phantazia waddling knee deep in the foul-smelling sewage.

The woman stops, and straightens up

"Get out of my mind!!"
This message was last updated by the player at 19:24, Tue 05 Oct 2021.

"But what happens if we go down there, and the Brotherhood politely refuses our request to surrender?  Then what?"  was there really a way to resolve this without a show of force?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Tue 05 Oct 2021.

"Why not just walk away?  I mean why not?  Tell the Morlocks you respect em and aren't going to fight them this time, but that those people are terrorists and that if they do keep going back then you won't be able to stay away forever.  Invite some over to Zoey's place for the sun, cause she isn't government and maybe just point out how they are being used as human shields, not respected."

It seems simple to Kate.  If they go down and don't want to fight, and the Morlocks won't give them up without a fight then just don't fight.  It isn't like they don't have the option of just asking nicely.  "I mean I'm obviously enough a mutant that I doubt they would try and kidnap me for just going down to talk with them, not if they are willing to let the bad guys stay."

Danny suppressed a smile:  he remembered his own recent experience with 'brainstorming ideas' and how a simple suggestion, and offering thoughts based on what one could contribute, could be taken in the worst way possible.
Some people are so black-n-white in their morality, while others saw permutations and the practicality of gray zones between.

He felt sorry for the girl.

"We have to go down there," Frank said decisively. Someone had to draw the line in the sand. "There's no other option, short of letting terrorists get away with it. So we go.

"If the Morlocks put up a fight to protect them, we'll have a much bigger fight on our hands, obviously. But if a bystander takes sides, he's not a bystander anymore."

"Agreed.  I'll suit up, and get our transport ready.  We'll have this thing wrapped up by the time your boss lands at LaGuardia"

"I'll tag along," Zoey says, in a manner that books no discussion. "With traffic the way it is I'm not going to be leaving the city anytime soon anyways and this sounds fun."

"Will Danny be coming with us?" She glances to her rival biokineticist and grins. "I wanna to see which of us is more powerful!"

"Wait, are we planning to go fight them or walk away?"  Because from where Kate is standing it sure sounds like they were planning to fight.  "Won't that just make more enemies if we fight them?"

"We," and by her tone and glance it is clear she is specifically including herself and Kate, "are civilian observers who just happen to be accompanying an operation headed up by the illustrious Iron Man and Captain America, who might be called upon to provide assistance to any fighting that may or not be taking place, if we feel like it is right to do so and it's not too far out of our way. If the mighty Avengers and Freedom Farce will permit it, of course."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:45, Thu 07 Oct 2021.

Ana Sofía gets up and walks back to the others. "Phantazia is still in the sewers. But she was able to kick me out before I could discover more than that. As for the Morlocks, I would definitely just speak with them and back off. Show them we mean them no harm, but that we are hunting the others for good reason."

"Please, lets keep things civil" though he didn't call her by name, the off handed comment was made in response to Zoey's put down of Freedom Force

"Strange; what are your thoughts on all of this?"

"I have to agree with Mr. Tank.  We need to stop the Brotherhood; we can't let them get away with what they've done today.  Hopefully, we can convince the Morlocks to stand aside.  If they decide to protect them though, knowing what they've done..." the Magician shakes his head
This message was last edited by the player at 14:06, Fri 08 Oct 2021.

"I don't want to go down there making demands.  We will try to negotiate with the Morlocks, explain the situation.  Most of us should hang back until they are needed"
He was thinking especially of Stark.  The man was too used to getting his way, and his overconfidence and cocky attitude could potentially inflame a very delicate situation.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:03, Fri 08 Oct 2021.

"So, let's go," Frank said, getting up from his spot at the meeting table. He tried not to shoot Zoey a dirty look for the Freedom Farce comment, but his face betrayed him. Honestly, it hurt his feelings that she decided to go there.

Maybe they weren't friends.

"Huh?" Zoey asks, unaware of her own Freudian slip but not doubting that she probably said something to be earning those looks. "What'd I say this time?"

Danny raised his hand, like a kid in class:   "Why don't we let Windtalker talk to the Morlocks?  From the safety of up here.
Things can't really go 'south' if we are not there".

Of course, if this Phantasia blocked the effort, so be it.   Another solution would could then be enacted.
Besides, who here wanted to get shite on their shoes without trying other options first.

"I could do that. I try not to go into people's minds unless they're criminals I need to interrogate, or friends and we're just thinking loudly to each other. As long as I'm not digging around, it's not as offensive, but how would the Morlock know I'm not digging around. I also don't know who any of the Morlocks are, so I'd just be targeting random people down there, likely to be Morlocks, until I finally get to the right ones."

"Whatever.  It might let them know we're coming, but they're probably preparing for us anyways.  Do it"

"OK."

Ana Sofía separates from the rest again in her style to get a little more quiet. She knows where to focus her mind, especially since she just located Phantazia. But she has no idea who leads the Morlocks, so she extends her inner voice to all the others down there who are not part of the Brotherhood cell. 'This is Windtalker. I need to speak with the leader of the Morlocks.'

Don't know if I need a roll for that communication:

d12 Telepathy
d10 Willpower
d8 Pysch

13:05, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 9,9,2 using d12,d10,d8 with rolls of 9,9,2.

That 18 with a d8 effect die.

Ana broadcast her thoughts, and is nearly overwhelmed by the number of responses.  Thousands of voices call out in response.  Some confused, some angry, but most are fearful of the intrusion into their mind.  Focusing, she manages to single out the one name that is being repeated by the more cooperative minds; Calisto.

The woman with the disheveled short black hair doesn't look like a freakish mutant that has been forced to seek shelter out of sight of everyday humans.  The only odd thing about her was the eyepatch covering her left eye (if there was, indeed, an eye underneath there)

"You are not welcome here" ...here being neither down below, or in the woman's mind

Ana Sofía now only communicates with Calisto. 'I'm sorry for contacting you this way. Do you know the terrorist group who destroyed Avenger Tower are using you as human/mutant shields against retribution?'

"What happens on the surface world does not concern us.  What do you want?" though the woman didn't need to speak her thoughts out loud, she did so anyways.  Others nearby must be listening.

'So you have no concerns about Ironman and his friends blasting their way through your home to get to the terrorists? I'm not talking about what's on the surface; I'm talking about mutants with you who are using you as shields against the world's mightiest heroes. But maybe you're not worried about protecting the Morlocks, so there was no need to contact you?'

"Threats!  Exactly what we've come to expect from surfacers" she rebuked Ana with open derision
"The only reason YOU don't have any concern about mutants blasting their way through your homes is because we have chosen seclusion rather than address our grievances with violence.  But I guess being left alone is too much to ask for"

The mention of Ironman, and the rest of the Avengers, were clearly not enough to sway her mind:

"I am not going to fight your wars for you, nor allow you to turn our safe haven into a battleground.  Stay out, and we won't have any problems.  Not like they are any threat to you as long as they're down here"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:56, Mon 11 Oct 2021.

'I'm trying to prevent your safe haven from becoming a battleground. If I didn't care, I wouldn't have warned you when I learned they might head down there violently. But you seem to think I'm in control of them. Meanwhile, look at history. The whole world sided with the US against Afghanistan for harboring terrorists after September 11. Harboring terrorists has never been considered an act of neutrality. And it's considered a crime to harbor fugitives. Do you really think it will be any different this time?'

"I don't care what they've done up there, as long as they behave down here" Calisto's patience, already short, was starting to run out "I'm willing to let you know if they ever leave, but if you  come here looking for trouble, then trouble is what you're going to find"

«If your policy towards mutants is that all are welcome as long as they don't make trouble, then would you allow a squad of mutant agents to come and take the Brotherhood?» Freedom Force had to be good for something, right? Callisto's stance had obviously become one of mutant solidarity. But Freedome Force were mutants, too. «No Iron Man, no Captain America... just mutants?»
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Mon 11 Oct 2021.

Zoey listens in on the telempathic conversation but doesn't contribute. This Calisto woman already seems annoyed and fixed in her position and Zoey did not want to deplete further Calisto's already rapidly diminishing patience. Plus, again, she wasn't really that involved with anything that was going on here. Being a civilian means she has a license not to get involved. Being a civilian kicks ass.

'So I, a mutant, am not welcome peacefully? But those terrorist mutants who choose to make your safe haven a defensive battleground are perfectly welcome? To those who were listening - the ones she knows, Freedom Force and her fellow mutants from Xavier's, but not the X-Men - it's clear Ana Sofía is getting fed up with the at-least-perceived hypocrisy.

Tank's comment gives her a moment to collect herself. 'What do you think of Tank's suggestion? We don't really have any way to stop the Avengers, but they might listen if we offer them an alternative.'

Danny was smirking, over nearby in his chair.
He wasn't contributing to the discussion.   As Telepathics were involved, some may sense that he expect no different from this situation ... and didn't expect that anything would come of it, no matter how much was said.

"ALL mutants are welcome down here, as long as they keep it civil.  I'll be happy to grant you asylum, or allow you to visit, as long as your intentions are peaceful" she paused before adding "which currently, doesn't sound like they are"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:12, Tue 12 Oct 2021.

In reply to Calisto (msg # 101):

Kate had been listening in and was also getting a little upset.  Being a telepath as well she could voice her opinion directly.  It took her a little bit to try and properly figure out her argument.  'So is it okay for a morlock to leave the sewers, kill someone and come back to hide?  It doesn't matter what they do outside the sewers?'

She was pretty sure that was what the woman was trying to get across.  'Because if that is your argument, then why should the humans up here not think the same way? That it is okay to go to the sewers, kill someone, and then leave and go unpunished?'  She had seen what happened to that Pierce guy, and she projected a clean clear image of that to the woman's mind, including smell and the faint taste her exquisite senses could pick up when she had been in the room.  'This is the kind of thing they did and you say it doesn't matter.'

Kate's question gave Calisto pause.  Never had a Morlock left the sewers for a killing spree (or at least, she wasn't aware anyone did).  But saying it never happened would be sidestepping the argument.

"We would never allow anyone who left us, for whatever reason, back again"

Still not good enough

"You have to understand my position" she was thinking this time, rather than talking out loud "Most Morlocks won't shed a tear if the upside world burned down, with everyone in it.  I can't ask them to fight your wars.  They don't trust the people walking under the sun, and would never cooperate with them, no matter how justified you think your cause may be.  I can't go against the wishes of my people"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:59, Tue 12 Oct 2021.

«We're not asking that you necessarily cooperate with us,» Frank 'said'. He did his best to pick his next words very carefully. «All we require is a lack of interference.

«Please, allow me to put this into context for you.

«These Brotherhood agents are not Morlocks. They're simply using you as living shields. If we were to simply let them go because we respected your 'borders' and didn't pursue them into your territory, that wouldn't be the end of it. They will attack the surface again... after which there will be reprisals against the Morlocks for harboring fugitives. You would be tarred with the same brush, so to speak.

«All we ask is that you stand aside and allow us to do our jobs. In exchange, we promise to do everything in our power to leave the Morlocks and their home precisely as we found them.»

'We're not asking them to fight in these wars. The terrorists using them as living shield are.'

The man was right.  The Brotherhood were not Morlocks.

"You may come here to retrieve them; with one condition.  If any member of the Brotherhood wishes to forsake his past and join the Morlocks, in earnest, you must let him do so.  Those who won't have no business being down here anyways.  I warn you though - if either you, or the Brotherhood, harms our safe Haven, then I promise neither of you will see the light of day again.  Are we clear?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:22, Wed 13 Oct 2021.

Danny stood, now, from where he was sitting.   His hands raised defensively, as he said, "Please, may I speak with this lady a moment?"   He was speaking directly to Windtalker and Tank now, "Please?"


And without waiting for an answer, he said to Calisto, "Ma'am, I need to say, that is unrealistic and unfair.
You cannot possible expect that if we attempt to come down there, no matter how peaceful, and apprehend these butchers and murders, that they will not resist ... in a way that will threaten harm on your safe haven.  They will resist, with the same bloodymindedness and self-serving manner that they displayed up here on the surface.
And that is a certainty.

What I want to ask is this, though:
I don't know if you are the Morlock's leader, or their spokesman.   But does turning a blind eye to murder and the casual brutality of innocents something that sits and fits with your own morality?  Is harbouring that kind of selfish, vicious butchery and animalism something that the Morlocks see themselves as?

Because if it is,", he just shook his head and threw his arms into the air with resignation, "I am just going to sit my ass back down, shut the fuck up, and let you and my counterparts here continue talking yourselves around in the same circles and threats until one of you gets pissed off and ends this little conference call, ya know?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:19, Wed 13 Oct 2021.

"Phantazia tells a very different story.  About mutants stripped of their rights. Incarcerated. Experimented upon.  She tried to enlist us using very similar words.  'casual brutality of innocents'.   I can't tell who's telling the truth, and honestly, I can't be bothered to.  All I care about is MY people.  If you harm them, there will be a reckoning"
Calisto was ready to end the conversation, though she wasn't really capable of doing that.
"I gave you my terms. I will offer the same to Phantazia.  Perhaps it would incentivize her to leave, if putting all of us at risk isn't reason enough"

Zoey glanced at Danny with a surprised expression. "Wow, uh... wanna get dinner after this?" she says with a sheepish smile.

Danny nodded at the non-present woman, and said genuinely, “I understand.  Thank you”.

With a nod of acknowledgement to Windtalker and Tank, and a hand gesture to ‘carry on’, or ‘take it away’, or whatever, he plonked himself back down on his seat … putting his feet back on the table.
He’d learned more than enough about Molock morality now, and had nothing more to say.

He did, however, glance towards Zoey with a curious grin.

'Yes, that's been done, too. And if I can, I will bring those responsible for the atrocities on the island to justice.'

Calisto didn't want to involve her people in the apprehension of dangerous terrorists? What a shock!

"Why don't we go?" Frank asked, nodding his head towards the door, and making a gesture in that direction with his hands as well. "We can continue the conversation along the way... if there's anything left to be said."

"Um!" Zoey starts, holding up a hand. "In light of the conversation with the charming lady, it seems like things could get political down there. If they do, you don't really need the Murderer of No Man's Island down there shitting things up for you. Plus, sounds like these Morlocks are pretty entrenched and I probably shouldn't be messing with them until things have calmed down."

"SoooOOOOooo~, with our hosts' permission, Kate and I are just gonna kick our feet up here and wait for traffic to chill out so we can get outta your hair."

"aww but I wanted to go see what it was like down there.  Besides don't you have like business cards or something to hand out to try and get people to come to our new spot?  We don't need to go get in any fighting or anything.  Just say hi or introduce ourselves."  Kate had hooked an arm through one of Zoeys, and dragged her a little.

Hawkeye wasn't privy to the mental conversation, but he did hear Captain America's plan earlier, and now Frank's:
"Cap; we shouldn't let them go on their own.  Things are gonna get dicey down there.  They're gonna need our help"

"We'll be nearby in case they need us, but lets give them a chance to negotiate things first" Cap picked the manhole cover that served as his replacement shield and knocked on it a couple of times, to test its strength.  It would have to do, for now.
"Let us not lose anymore time.  The Brotherhood knows we're coming after them, we shouldn't allow them reprieve to plan their next esacpe"

Danny turned to Ana, "Its obvious what Frank wants to do.  But he isn't in charge.
With Price out of action, and Newton staying by his side, this becomes something of a team decision.

What do YOU think we ought to do?"

"I'm torn. I'm not sure what going down there immediately will do. The Brotherhood cell won't just surrender, as we've seen. If we fight them down there, there will be a lot of collateral damage, both to the Morlocks and perhaps to the city above. Going there seems like it will only be useful if it is to talk to the Morlocks to convince them that the Brotherhood cell is using them. The best current option would be if Calisto gives them the ultimatum of leaving or renouncing the Brotherhood, and they choose to leave."

Danny nodded, “I agree.   I say we go down with the intent and purpose of negotiating with this Calisto; not to drag out whatever is left of Legion.  We walk in with our arms up and hands open, and be willing and prepared to leave the same way”, he said.  “We show them the respect they demand; and hopefully more than Legion is.

And we have a defined mouthpiece prior, so we’re not all talking at once.
The aim is to convince her … and them … like Ana said.   That they make the decision to protect themselves by denying threats to enter, or remain in, their nest”.

"If the aim is to convince Calisto further, we're just going to piss her off," Frank said. They'd heard her in that conversation, right? She was done talking. "She's said her piece.

"And for the record, I never said that we should go in guns blazing. I said we offer the Brotherhood a chance to surrender. But asking the Morlocks to actively help us? That's never going to happen."

“What is ‘never going to happen’ is those Brotherhood agreeing to surrender.
What also will never happen is a peaceful interaction with them … because some hothead on one side or the other is guaranteed to start something.   Then we’ll have the Brotherhood AND the Morlocks to deal with.

The ONLY way we make this work for us is to make the Morlocks see that protecting those Brotherhood is a liability and a threat to them.
If the Morlocks boot them, THEN we have the chance to track them. THEN we’ll have the chance at a second shot at them”.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:36, Sat 16 Oct 2021.

"But it must be that protecting the Brotherhood is a threat to them, not that all outsiders are a threat to them. If it is viewed as the latter, then the threat remains whether or not they protect the Brotherhood, and they're better off with the Brotherhood as allies. So if we show the latter, we play into the Brotherhood's plans and we're worse off."

"One. We're going to go into Morlock territory," Frank said, emphatically. He ticked his points off on his fingers for Tanner's benefit. "Two. We're going to have as little direct contact with the Morlocks as possible. Three. We're going to place the Brotherhood under arrest. That's. Our. Job.

"If the Brotherhood won't go peacefully, then they'll be the ones to start a fight. That's the best we can do to prove that Brotherhood Bad, Freedom Force Good. Calisto made it pretty clear that whoever raises a fist is going to lose it.

"If the Morlocks get involved, we're outnumbered. So we do our best to keep them uninvolved. But we do our job."

"I seemed to remember that Calisto made it clear:  if either side starts anything, the Morlocks will come down on BOTH", Danny replied.

Turning his attention to Ana, he said, "I am of the opinion now, that going down there for any reason is going to turn into a bloodbath, and a lot of people, including us, are going to get very hurt.
Frank seems to vote for  'doing.  Our.  Job'.
I don't think its our job to turn this situation into a second bloodbath of the day.

I vote for monitoring the situation, and waiting for a second opportunity at these guys, without involving the Morlocks.
What do you think?"

"Sorry, but I'm not a 'wait-and-see' type of guy.  If you can't negotiate with them, I'm coming in" Stark took a quick look at his watch "Or I might go in regardless.  Already wasted enough time as it is, and I can't see how you're going to convince the Brotherhood to surrender.  Lets get real here"

In reply to Kate Messer (msg # 114):

"Shh, those cards are still in beta! Gosh, Kate," Zoey teases, sounding playful but lacking that little glint in the eye she gets when she's joking. Yeah, okay, she's been hinting at wanting to build her own little communist utopia on her little plot of land, but she doesn't want the Avengers or Freedom Force to know she's gone to that length. Honestly, Zoey isn't sure herself if she wants to resort to handing out cards. But she does have cards.

Zoey sputters and puts up a meek, token protest when Kate makes a show of literally dragging her back into the discussion, making indistinct disgruntled noises with each halfhearted struggle.

---

Zoey listens, trying her best to not cut into the discussion. Danny becomes more interesting with every sentence he says. Intelligent, responsible, but with a bit of a take-no-shit attitude. She wonders if other people see her the same way.

Even though she is attempting to remain at arms length from the discussion, she can't help but get increasingly irritated with Stark. She shoots him a dirty glance, then looks over at Frank questioningly. That street she had passed through... it was wrecked, yes, but it didn't look to be Frank the Tank style of collateral damage... ah, shit. He's gonna be problems, isn't he? Legion had just fucked up his tower, and stolen his fellow Avenger's famous shield. Dude's got a chip on his shoulder.

Zoey's left eye turns blood-red as she takes note of Iron Man's bio-signatures, committing them to her eidetic memory. If he does something rash, she'll be able to drop him from anywhere in the city.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:22, Sun 17 Oct 2021.

The Avengers were going to do this, whether Freedom Force went with them or not. But on the other hand, monitoring the Morlocks was as close to literally impossible as a thing could get. Freedom Force lacked the manpower, the resources, and the budget to do it.

So, of course, Tanner wanted to sit and watch as the Brotherhood slipped through their fingers.

Frank moved to stand by Stark. The Avengers were going. He was going with them.

"Mr. Stark, we have been negotiating. Only minutes have passed. Stating time's up and that you're rushing in is akin to the SWAT team leader ordering a strike when a negotiator is still on the phone with the hostage-takers. No, we won't be able to convince the Brotherhood to surrender. But if we can convince the Morlocks not to harbor them, then we will have gotten innocents out of the line of fire.

"I would like to give our negotiations a chance to protect the innocent rather than recklessly endanger the lives of innocents. We are supposed to be on the side of protecting innocents from the bad guys, right? Whether we're Freedom Force or the Avengers?

"I'm not proposing we just let them go. We can monitor them and prepare to catch them, not just sit around waiting and doing nothing."

"Monitor them how?" Frank asked. This was the sticking point, where he was 100% not convinced. "There are thousands of miles of tunnels down there, with many of them not on any charts. We have a handful of agents and one telepath. So explain to me how we monitor the situation. Explain how we're not letting them get away by just standing here."

Frank liked Ana Sofía a hell of a lot more than he liked Tanner, but she was making the wrong choice here. Tanner sounded reasonable, but he was dead wrong here.

"Price would send us. You both know it. The day's objective hasn't changed just because the boss is out of commission."

"You're welcome to try and convince the Morlocks while I fly back to New-York.  If you can't do it in five minutes, you won't be able to in five days either" he lowered his sunglasses for a second, just long enough for Zoey to catch him winking at her

"Lets go, Tank.  I'll hook you up"

"I think I better go with them" Captain America almost sounded apologetic.  He could see the wisdom in both points of view, but he couldn't stop Stark from going, and it wasn't like he was of any use in a warehouse far away from the action "Maybe I'll be able to talk some sense into them, once I'm down there.  Best I can hope for"

"Frank, how will you find them right now? They're in thousands of miles of tunnels, with many of them not on any charts. You've only got a handful of agents and one telepath. It's the same predicament. What I'm arguing is that they're on turf we don't know with living shields, so it would be better to find an alternative. Price would not agree with you. Consider the hotel. He knew they were there and spent the time to bring his agents there instead of launching a strike from an airplane on the spot. You know he believes in intelligence.

"But if you give me some time I may be able to lure them out so we have more control over what exits they take and can prepare for them. The plan I'm working on formulating is to get into some of their minds to convince them to make a run for it in a certain direction: into Central Park where there are fewer innocents we might be able to clear out ahead of time."

"He knows." Frank pointed at Legion. "He knows where they are now, because he knows what their escape plan was. But the longer we wait, the less valuable that intel becomes. They won't just sit there forever.

"And remember: Price sent me and Newton into the building in Brooklyn when it became clear that the Brotherhood wasn't coming out."

"Legion, do you know where in the tunnels they are right now?"

Kates kitty ears are back and flattening somewhat in upset or irritation at things.  She gets both sides but really it does seem that some of the people here really have no good ideas, or just want to rush things.  Luckily there are still Ana and the redhead, so she subtly, or not given she's a teen guides herself and Zoey to stand over by their side of things to provide support by numbers.

Pout. Mumble. Gripe. Complain!

"Oh dear it seems like I'm being literally dragged in," Zoey stage-mutters. "Alright, well, no one asked for it but here's my two bits... which in this economy are worth jack and all but hey. We know that guy," she points at Stark, "already has poor opinions on freaks like us, and our quarry just fucked up his ivory tower so he has a grudge to fulfill. Now if the Murderer of No Man's Land could make a delicate political situation worse I can't imagine that a rich corporate white boy wearing a suit made of guns is going to be well received either. The Morlocks have as many reasons as any other mutant to be mad at humanity and far fewer fucks to give. You want a war? Letting people like him down there is how you get a war. Our own personal Sabertooth we later have to disavow."

"Frankly I find this whole discussion stupid. Boss 2: Electric Boogaloo is just a few hours out, yeah? If the reason ya'll're acting rashly is just 'cause you don't have orders like a mad dog whose master is asleep at a wheel, there'll be a new one coming in like no time at all. At least give the cogs of underworld politics a bit to turn."

"But hey, what do I know. I'm hungry. Anyone up for some tacos?" She whips out her smartphone and starts looking for a Mexican place nearby.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:49, Mon 18 Oct 2021.

"How about this:   an amalgam of previous thoughts.

Ana and I go down.   Fewer in number will also alleviate the threat.   We try to talk to Calisto.
We try to avoid contact, let alone conflict, with the Brotherhood down there.

Frank and the Avengers,"   'there's a good name for a rock band' he thought to himself, "can be waiting nearby, if somehow things go south.
That way, maybe, you get your shot at thems-downstairs, as well as getting to rescue us and doing a 'told you so' dance into our faces", he suggested.

He had not included 'the girls' off to the side, because he wasn't sure how much they wanted to be a part of either plan: but he was open to their contributions.

Stark didn’t wait to hear the rest of the conversation.  He left the room, unbuttoning his jacket on his way out as he prepared to exchange one suit for another.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:40, Mon 18 Oct 2021.

“Umm, the tunnels… “  the Legion mumbled nervously.  He was already thinking what the next follow up question would be, and how he would answer it “yes, we know them well.  The other me would have led the Brotherhood to one of the few entrances to the Morlock fiefdom, down through the abandoned Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. They must have reached their destination by now”

"Come on!" Frank ordered. He was tired of waiting around, but not as tired as Stark, apparently. He was definitely tired of listening to Tanner, though, as he was just getting more and more obnoxious. Irritated, he started after Stark. "Our ride is leaving!"

Legion wasn't sure if he should run after Frank, or stay put.  So he went with what he always did in such cases; split off into two, with the braver (or more obedient?) clone rushing out of the room on Stark's heels, and the more composed (or cowardly?) one remaining with the others.

"Stark! Wait!!" Captain America, too, dashed out of the room, but with a slightly different intention in mind.  He still hoped he could convince him to wait.  And if not, at least buy Ana a bit more time.

"Was anyone else listening to Legion's response?!?!?! We know they went in through one of several entrances and are now somewhere in the tunnels. That's really vague. Did you hear what else he said? They know the tunnels well. This isn't like surprising them. They're on somewhat home turf."

Ana Sofía directs her next part at Frank, "Please, give me a chance to lure them out. We don't have good intel to even lose right now by delaying."

Ana Sofía stops trying to make an argument and separates herself from the others like before. They're going to probably need her to find the Brotherhood anyway, so she'll have to make a link at some point. She relaxes and reaches out. Let's mess with their plans before they know what's going on. This time she doesn't mind a stupid mind. She starts with Mike. First she attempts to find his mind, however minimal, down there. Once she's linked with it, she'll try to push him.

Connecting to Mike's mind:
d12 Telepathy
d10 Willpower
d8 Pysch
d8 One Step Ahead of You
d6 Enthralling Mind (+1 step effect die)

17:29, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 3,5,3,7,3 using d12,d10,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 3,5,3,7,3.  Connecting to Mike's mind.

Total of 5+7=12, with a d12 effect die stepped up 1 further.



To save time, assuming she's in...

The thought Ana Sofía is pushing: "Oh, crap! Iron Man is pissed and coming down here. I'd be better off finding a new hiding spot not in the tunnels."

d10 Willpower
d8 Mind Control
d8 Pysch
d8 One Step Ahead of You
d6 Enthralling Mind (+1 step effect die)

17:32, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 6,2,2,8,4 using d10,d8,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 6,2,2,8,4.  Pushing a thought on Mike.

Total of 6+8=14, with a d10 effect die stepped up to d12.

Damn it, why did she have to make this harder than it already was? He didn't want this to turn into a rift between the two of them, but Frank believed that they needed to — that they were required to — give chase into the tunnels. The fact that he hadn't been able to convince Ana Sofia made it difficult for him to fully justify the action... but he believed what he believed.

Worse, Stark believed it, and he was going down there either with them or without.

Frank opened his mouth to reply, not even sure what he was about to say, when Ana Sofia's eyes glazed over. She was miles away, attempting to sway the situation. If she failed, she was going to make things that much harder still, but she believed what she believed, too.

"I'm sorry," Frank said, and left.

Danny frowned; looking at the door through which Stark, then Rogers, then Guberman had left.
And then there were 6.

Turning to look at the only Avenger left in here with them, he nodded to Barton and said, “I’d love to hear your thoughts”.
The man had remained very quiet for the duration.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:45, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

Zoey glances over to Danny. "Wanna know something crazy?" she asks him with a wry grin. "Before he joined Freedom Force, Frank was known around campus as having both brawn and brains. While I've certainly no doubt he could outmath me in any subject, his street smarts are... ehhhh... I'm not sure if I'd call him dumb or if he just doesn't let facts get in the way of being a Golden Age era hero."

Zoey sticks her hands in her hoodie pockets. "I've been thinking about it and I think I might have a way to locate this Phantoma chick. It has some limits, though, and I need Ana's help to do it. It could take some time, too, so I need permission to incapacitate Stark."

"Yeah, I haven't known Frank for long, but he reminds me of the old adage: 'When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail', if you know what I mean", Danny replied to Zoey.

"I'm Danny, by the way.  Danny Tanner.  I guess you'd say I count as the medical specialist on this team", he said, standing and walking over to offer his hand.

"May I ask:  where do the two of you fit in ... cos I know you are not Freedom Force, and I don't get the impression that you are Avengers".

In reply to Danny Tanner (msg # 148):

"Um, I guess we fit in wherever nosey do-gooders do." Was Kate's reply to Danny's question.  "I mean That or nosey being bad at doing-gooders, but I think it's more of a two wrongs situation for Zoey, so don't blame her too much, and I may have technically killed Legion a lot... but I helped save everybody at the big UN building so I don't think I'm in trouble?" The last is asked with a glance towards Barton as well.  "At least the police didn't arrest me so there's that."

As the trail of leaving hero's gets further away Kate adds one other question.  "Where are they even planning to start looking?"

Danny shrugged, but suggested, "I am guessing that Stark has access to blueprints of the entire city, and the ability to tech-scan the three-D landscape.  I figure they intent to simply go down into the tunnel, and if the Legion that left with them doesn't show them the way, they'll just find ... or 'make' ... an entrance

Either way, I think our time 'prior to bloodbath' is swiftly running out".
He glanced at Ana, and knew that there was little he could do until she had done what she could do.

Getting back to 'chatting with the ladies', though, Danny leaned on the edge of the table, "So, you are independent of any organisation?   Two wild cards, two cats among the proverbial pigeons of life?  The spanner in the works?" he smirked, with a nod.
"Nice".

"Ana, Frank, Kate, and I trained together before philosophical differences caused us to drift apart. They think government is part of the solution. I don't." She shrugs. No need to get into the particularities of who trained them. "Now I focus on the bigger-scale problems, the ones that don't make for exciting comic books. Not that I mind a good punch-up now and then. Today, though? Kate happened to be in the area on a quest for personal enrichment when shit went down at the UNHQ, I came to get her, but now the traffic's just fucked and we can't get out of the city again."

---

Zoey nods at Danny's speculation of Stark's plans. Seems reasonable enough to her. Well, unreasonable, but a reasonable interpretation of unreasonable...ness. "Under all that sparkly armor he's just a man. All I gotta do is..." She poises her fingers to snap. Looks down at them. Back up to Danny.

Danny smiled as Zoey explained her place in the world; a smirk that grew bigger as he wondered just how much she enjoyed that latter part.
"Sounds exciting.  But can you give someone an equal amount to pleasure?" he asked, out of curiosity.

Then his eyes turned to Kate, though his face kinda still remained towards Zoey, "Are you are man-wrecker and world-breaker too?" he asked.

Zoey smirks, a tiny line of blush crossing the bridge of her nose. "You mean... nonlethal incapacitation? Oh yeah."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:30, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

Strange, the only Avenger who didn't leave with Stark, eyed both Zoey and Danny as they discussed the idea of incapacitating Stark. Temporarily or otherwise
"I will not allow you to do anything of the sort" the wizard moved to stand in front of the two, already mentally preparing a spell in case they don't take his warning seriously.

The Legion duplicate quickly stepped behind Zoey and Danny, cowering as he mumbled  something about a 'goldfish'

In the meantime, Ana successfully manages to make contact with Mike's mind.  The big man was still unconscious, resting, and dreaming of very large women.

OOC: Mike Columbus (aka Basilisk) was knocked out by Frank, and was taken away by the police before Freedom Force stormed the apartment building.  He isn't with the rest of the Brotherhood, but on his way to a holding cell.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:31, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

Zoey cocks her head at the possibly-multiclass spellcaster. She does a very quick mental threat assessment and then concludes equally quickly that the balance of power in this situation is tilted waaaay too far in the wrong direction for her liking. She sighs and makes a show of dropping her hand. No reason to clue him in that the finger-snap is just for theatrics.

"You're comfortable letting that man potentially start a war, then?" she asks quietly. She still isn't sure what she thinks of Strange.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:02, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

“I’m … pretty confident … that she’s only joking, Doctor.
Just explaining what she can do, and all”, and he resisted the urge to reach out and pat the man amiably on the shoulder.

I thought it was Hawkeye that was left. :-p
“Tell me, sir;  what’re your thoughts on this situation?” he asked genuinely.

In reply to Danny Tanner (msg # 152):

"um... no." Is Kate's rather simple answer to Danny's teasing question.  "I'm just me.  I'm not nearly the scary kind of powerhouse the others are."

As things continue to grow more tense Kate asks what she thinks is kind of important. "So who's in charge of the Avengers and Freedom Force with that one guy super hurt?  I mean on TV it never looks all disorganized like this, and isn't there always supposed to be someone higher up the chain of command in the government?  Why not just ask that person to stop them if you want to?"

"I think the Morlocks would be the ones culpable of starting a war if they decide to side with the Brotherhood, or offer them shelter.  Yet, a subtler, more cautious approach would still be preferable.  Which is why I am still here"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:22, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

“To lead?” Danny asked, “or to aid us?”.
There’d be a significant difference between the two.
          ‘Or to keep an eye on us?’ Danny considered.
"Do you have a plan to suggest, sir?  or any advice?"

Right now, Danny was still waiting on his partner to do her thing.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:31, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

"Darn, well, at least we don't have to worry about Basilisk. The police still have him. So I guess his buddies just ditched him."

Ana Sofía ponders a moment. "Dr. Strange. I don't know what you can do as a sorcerer, but the man we're down could sort of cut off regions. If I can locate the Brotherhood agents for you, he could have cut them off from the Morlocks so we could engage them separately. Can you or someone else in the Avengers do that? I could share my scan with you when I locate the ones we want."

"Kate, out commander is on the way. We're just trying to salvage things in the midst of chaos at the moment."

Frank threw open the door and came back in. He was livid.

"What happened to 'Ana and I go down. We try to talk to Calisto'??" he demanded. "Were you just talking out your ass, or did you actually want to be of some use here?"

Tanner obviously liked telling other people that they were wrong. Whatever Frank thought, Tanner had to think the opposite. But Frank had accepted Tanner's compromise, and Tanner still wasn't doing anything. To not even get on the jet? To just stand around? Useless. Totally useless.

"I said: Come on. Now let's go."

Kate shy's a little from the intensity Frank is projecting.  "Oh, it looked like you were ignoring that for Mr. Starks scorched bull in a china shop thing."

She then offered him a tentative smile.  "I'm glad you're just impatient.  Come on everyone lets go before it starts catching... or has it already?"

Danny quirked an eyebrow, and was about to respond to the irate Frank, when Kate spoke up, answering much more eloquently than he would have.

Instead, he turned his attention to the conversation that Ana was now having with Strange, "Thats an interesting possibility", he acknowledged.
"Are you ready to head off?  Accept Stark and Guberman's 'kind offer'?" he asked Strange and the three ladies.

He was clearly hesitant:  in Danny's mind, this was going to turn into a shitshow, because ... as already demonstrated in this room ... some in their number were going to fly off their heads, and 'take things into their own hands' at some point.

“I could have– if the Brotherhood haven’t already mingled with the Morlocks”

Strange turned to look at Ana now, though Zoey had the nagging feeling he was still staring at her.

“The Legion is everywhere. Phantazia in the company of Calisto, Pyro is in the Crystal Chamber, and Shocker is paying a visit to his sister”  as he was talking, the sorcerer whirled his fingers in a wide circle.  Sparks of fire leapt from the circumference of the ring, in the center of of which appeared the semi-transparent reflections of the mutants he just named.   Going about their business, they had no clue they were being observed from afar.

“Any spell strong enough to affect them might very well impact the Morlocks also.  I will only consider it once we exhausted all other options”

"... Scrying is so overpowered," Zoey mutters. "Well, I maintain what I said before; you don't need a known mass murderer shitting things up for you down there. Kate, I'm sure you don't want to get involved in this nonsense..."

"Frank, please, slow down a moment. No one knew where they even were until a moment ago. Now we actually know. Give us a moment more, please."

"Zoey, could you incapacitate someone from this far away if you can see them this way? We need that sort of precision to avoid hurting any Morlocks and hopefully to prevent any damage to their home. If not, if there is some way we can get right to a spot when one of them is alone, all the better, as we could take them prisoner."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:26, Wed 20 Oct 2021.

"I'd give you all the time in the world if I had it," Frank said, glancing back over his shoulder. Stark was about to leave, and the other Avengers were going to take the jet to follow him. If Freedom Force didn't get their collective butts on the plane, they'd be left behind. "Is there any way that you can just do this from the jet?"

"Incapacitate" Strange repeated, for emphasis.  He felt it needful after Zoey just confessed to being a mass murderer "But if we're not there to pick them up, they might very well recover by the time we arrive"

"Thus Frank's question: Can you do this scan from a plane or helicopter?"

"Danny, how close do you have to be? Could you incapacitate an individual with what Dr. Strange is providing for guidance? I can check on Pyro, see if he's even conscious, as I was told he was hurt badly. I could do that from the plane."

In reply to Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez (msg # 168):

"From here? Shit, probably from anywhere in the state. But not by sight. It's a little more esoteric than that." She rolls her eyes at Strange. "I can maintain the effect as long as I concentrate. And yes, Frank, I can do it from the heligyrothingy, gosh."

If her presence is desired, she follows along onto whatever flying contraption they want her on.

Kate is grinning a little when Zoey breaks down and agrees to come along, though she hides it before the woman can catch her at it.  After all, it isn't nice to gloat just because your plans are working out a little bit.

Danny shrugged, honestly, "I don't know.  I've never tried using my Powers through a psychic telemedium created by another.
I'm willing to give it a try, though.

I think we are all agreed," Danny said, standing from where he had been leaning casually on the table, "that it is time to leave.
Time to attempt these things, and see what we can achieve".

With a mock bow and over gesticulation, he gestured to the ladies to lead the way.

It's barely been a couple of minutes, but Stark was already long gone by the time they left the facility.  Captain America, and the Legion, were likewise about to leave, already climbing up the hatch of the sleek fighter/transport jet parked by the road leading to the main building.

"Sorry we're late," Frank said, putting himself in the hatchway so it couldn't close and waving to the others to hurry up, "Some people took a ridiculously long time to decide to come along at all.

"C'mon people," he added in his best 'coach' voice. "I wanna see butts in seats, ASAP."

Just after hustling out the door Ana Sofía takes to the air and lands beside the transport in what appears like a controlled leap more than general flight. She's belting herself in as Frank gets to the hatchway to hold it. She gives him a little wink as he calls out to hurry everyone up, somewhere between apologetic and 'see, I can move quickly so I didn't have to rush.'

Once belted in Ana Sofía starts to focus again, this time in Pyro. She wants everything prepped before they all arrive. She's trying to ascertain if he's conscious, unconscious, or brain dead. His body may be somewhere, but that could be his remains from what the others said. So she reaches out with her mind.

Connecting to Pyro's mind:
d12 Telepathy
d10 Willpower
d8 Pysch
d8 One Step Ahead of You
d6 Enthralling Mind (+1 step effect die)

12:18, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 1,10,7,5,2 using d12,d10,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 1,10,7,5,2.  Connecting to Pyro's mind.

That's 10+7=17 with a d10 effect die.

Meanwhile, that's +1 PP and a die for the doom pool.
0 PP + 1 PP = 1 PP
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Fri 22 Oct 2021.

The interior of the jet had the same layout of a military transport aircraft; large cargo space (the passengers were sitting on fold-out chairs in two opposing rows), with an aft ramp wide enough to drive a small vehicle up into the jet.  Or more conveniently – a motorcycle, which was the current payload of the jet.

Hawkeye was already sitting at the pilot's seat, and Captain America stood by the hatchway and made sure everyone was safely onboard before he would sit down and buckle up.  The Legion duplicate that originally left with Stark was in no such hurry, however.  He walked up and down the cabin, inspecting the baggage containers, and the motorcycle, before heading toward the cockpit.


Ana has little difficulty reaching out to Pyro.  The man was barely conscious, laying flat over a stone slab in a dimly lighted room.   Two figures, barely distinguishable through the haze, hunched above him, talking in whispers about his condition.

+1d6 to doom pool from Ana's opportunity.


This message was last edited by the GM at 14:03, Sat 23 Oct 2021.

"What the #&%@ do you think you're doing?!"

The Legion clone that stayed behind with Ana, Danny, Zoey and Kate was the first to fasten his seat belts, and was now looking incredulous at his wayward clone:

"You're not suppose to go back there.  Sit your ass down, now!"

"Take a chill pill, buddy.  I'm only going to have a quick look-see"  The Legion dismissively waved his clone off.  "The bravest man alive", he decided, needed a copilot, and it just so happens that the Legion had more flight hours logged than either of them have been alive.

Kate followed the others in, ushering along Zoey, "See it's fine."   Arranging to let her sit next to Danny.  Sure she might be being obvious but Kate didn't care.

Then louder to Tank as she found her own spot, "Calm down it's only been a few minutes it's not like they are going to get away anymore than they already have.  We're not in a car chase or something."

"First of all," Frank said, arranging himself in a seat and strapping in, "yeah, they could get away more. If they left the tunnels and split up, we'd lose them all. But secondly, we're not chasing them right now, we're chasing Iron Man before he goes into the tunnels alone. Because that would be the worst-case scenario."

Phantazia had electromagnetic powers that could conceivably turn the Iron Man armor into a high-tech statue. Stark needed backup.

"Looks like Pyro is alive after all, just severely injured. No need to fight him. That just leaves Phantazia and Shocker... and all the Legion clones. Hey, Legion clones, do you have any recommendations about how to deal with Legion clones without punishing innocent Legion clones? While you think on that, I'm going to do a little more scouting." Ana Sofía now wants to check in on Shocker, and maybe figure out his plans before he knows they've been compromised.

Connecting to Shocker's mind:
d12 Telepathy
d10 Willpower
d8 Pysch
d8 One Step Ahead of You
d6 Enthralling Mind (+1 step effect die)

12:19, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 3,4,1,4,1 using d12,d10,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 3,4,1,4,1.  Connecting to Shocker's mind.
Oof!

Use 1 PP to get an extra die to the total. 3+4+4=11, with a d6 effect die (d4 stepped up).

+d8 to Doom pool, and +2 PP.

PP: 1 -1 (extra die) +2 (opportunities bought) = 2 PP

"If it's worst-case then Strange shoulda let me KO him," Zoey mutters as she straps herself into the weird seatbelt-like contraption. Why do aircraft have such weird seatbelts? She is so inside her own thoughts right now that she doesn't even notice at first who Kate had surreptitiously arranged to have her sit next to. "Oh man could you imagine the street cred I'd get for incapacitating an Avenger?"

She can't help but giggle at Ana's repeated use of Legion clones. A wittier person than she might be able to put the words to a rhythm and get a catchy beat going. Legion clone, legion clone, make me a- no, no, she's missing a syllable...

"Oh, that makes a lot more sense."  Kate admits to Tank.  "Chasing Iron Man I mean, not losing the brotherhood cause apparently awesome Doctor can find em wherever." She looks at the mystical master and adds, "That was totally cool by the way."

Turning back she asks, "So what's the plan when we catch up to him to stop things going further out of control"  At least she sounds like she's willing to listen, maybe even back his play as leader of this band of miscreants.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:17, Sun 24 Oct 2021.

As Danny strapped in, he couldn’t help but smirk at Zoey’s commentary.
Man, this chick was one wild vixen.  And damn, didn’t that turn Danny on.
Then again, she radiated a definite ‘psycho ex-‘ vibe.    And damn, didn’t that just turn him on that little bit more.

Strapped in, he contributed to the discussion, “I still support my suggestion to let Ana and I attempt a parley … with all of you close by.
But I get that hot tempers may preclude that.
If need be, I’d prefer that Ana’s given the chance to mind-lull them out into our tender embrace … and/or making it possible for Zoey and I to act through any mental connection she and the Doc can create”.

Before her intrusion is detected, Ana manages to get but a glimpse of Shocker in the embrace of a creature that looked like something out of H.P Lovecraft's novels.  The man-octopus hybrid writhed its tentacles in excitement as it pulled Shocker's face closer to its maw.  Despite it looking like Shocker was about to have his face eaten off, there was no fear in his mind, but overwhelming sadness.

Mutant Guerilla distinction 1d8, wits 1d8, expert psych 1d8
Shocker rolled 21 using 3d8 with rolls of 7,7,7.  resist telepathy.
Total 14 vs 11, Telepathy resisted.  +1d8 to doom pool.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 12:40, Sun 24 Oct 2021.

"Please don't" unlike his counterpart at the cockpit, this particular Legion clone was both uptight, and skittish to boot.    "Last thing we need is to antagonize Stark.  He doesn't look particularly tolerant of Mutants as it is"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 12:18, Sun 24 Oct 2021.

The 'quinjet', as Captain America called the jet, could travel at twice the speed of sound.  It's VTOL capabilities allowed to take off (and land) anywhere, without wasting time in taxi, and so the entire flight back to Brooklyn took little less than five minutes - not a small amount of it spent in an unpleasant, if not downright painful, hard acceleration.

Breathing a sigh of relief, and finally feeling his blood climbing back from his toes to his brain, the woozy Legion unbuckled himself once the jet has stopped.  He didn't realize they  haven't quite landed, but were hovering ten feet above the street, as he was still busy trying to keep his last meal down

"- I think I'm gonna hurl" 

Forget seatbelts, hard acceleration was the worst part about flying with these people. Between the tiny little X-jets (which she supposes could now be called ex-jets) and now this quinjet thing clearly had no consideration for civilian comforts! Augh!

Spying a familiar queeziness in the Legion in front of her Zoey opts to apply a little bio-manipulation magic to help settle his stomach. It wouldn't do anyone any good to litter the floor with his stomach contents. Soon after Legion's gut is settled she turns the power onto herself. She had burritos for lunch.

Having been through lots of flight recently, Ana Sofía's stomach was used to it. But her flight didn't come from a side, but through the whole body, which changed at lot with regard to blood pressure and other things. She'd certainly felt lightheadedness from some of those g's. So she ended up taking her time unbuckling on the far end. "It may have been quick, but this is not the way to fly." She slowly made her way to the hatch and stepped out, floating comfortably down to the ground.

Kate agreed with the other about the flight.  "It wouldn't be so bad if the seat's weren't sideways.  Why do the seats have to be sideways?" Though beyond that bit of grumbling she seems to be bouncing back fairly quickly from the high G flights acceleration and then landing.

"I'm just glad that the seats actually fit someone my size," Frank said, following the others off the jet. "I've flown Coach on a commercial jet since my mutant growth spurt, and let me just say: never again."

Kate sticks her tongue out at him and says, "You're just fat, those chairs are perfectly comfortable."  Though her tone is teasing and the smile on her face certainly give away that she isn't actually being mean, or at least trying to be so.

Looking around she asks, "So where are we, and where's Iron Man?"

"That sound pretty awful," Zoey says to Frank. "Even first class is a little too cramped for my taste. I can't stand sitting still."

There was not enough space for the quinjet to land, so Hawkeye was forced to keep it hovering in place until everyone managed to disembark – one way or another.  Captain America simply jumped out (ten feet didn't so much as inconvenience the super solider), but the Legion hesitated before taking a leap.  Not because he was concerned about getting hurt, but because absorbing kinetic energy resulted in the spontaneous (and involuntary) creation of duplicates, and he wasn't much feeling like having more of him around at that point.

Sighing, he dangled his feet over the hatch, trying to minimize the distance as much as he could.  He still managed to hit the pavement rather hard – one of him losing his balance and ending up lying face down on the road, and a second executing a perfect shoulder roll.

Hawkeye (and his Legion copilot) hovered in place for a few brief seconds more, to make sure everyone made it out safely, before levitating higher, searching for a place to land the aircraft.  In the meantime, Captain America tried contacting Stark, even though it was all too easy to guess that he must have accessed the underground tunnels though the uncovered manhole further down the street.

Note: Strange didn't fly in with the rest of you, and isn't present in the current scene.

Frank stepped out and dropped the last several feet to the ground. Having watched the Basilisk drop several dozen stories earlier in the day, Frank couldn't help but wonder how far he could fall unharmed. A lot farther than this, obviously. But how much farther? Could he do the skyscraper exit that the Basilisk had?

If the situation ever called for such a thing, he hoped he had the guts to try it out. It was really cool to watch.

Danny joined the others on the ground.

Without knowing where IronMan was, or if the more combatant's among them were going to let he and Ana attempt a peaceful parlay, he took to scanning the area for any threats.

"Oh God, the smell" The Legion wrinkled his nose as he stood over the entrance to the sewers.  The nauseating odor was bad enough where he was standing.  It would be much worse once they descended into the tunnels "I don't suppose any of you can do something about it?"

"I can", Danny offered Legion, "If you let me, I can remove your sense of smell temporarily".
He walked over, ready to help the guy with that, if he so desired.


What possibly wasn't evident, was that Danny was already bio-scanning the man;   both in preparation for this 'favour', but also because having a bio-blueprint of one Legion clone, meant having a bio-blueprint of them all.
Action:  create asset 'Know thy Enemy'
d6   Wits
d8   Leave no man behind ... and knowing Legion biology would aid in that
d8   Superhuman 'Lifeforce' Senses
d8   Medical

- rolled 5,5,2,4 using d6,d8,d8,d8
Total: 10
Effect: d8
Opps: -

"Temporarily, right?" While apprehensive, both of the Legion duplicates preferred anosmia over inhaling the stench for the next couple of hours.  If worse comes to worst, they could always merge back with a health clone and restore their sense of smell

"-do it"

OOC: Sneaky.  I like that.  Danny gains 1d10 asset for any actions vs the Legion during the current scene

"Can't get a hold of him.  Likely no reception down there" he hoped that was the case, rather than Stark screening his calls

"Lets get going"

Rogers would never consider asking anyone else to take the vanguard, even if they were more suited for the job.  He was he first to climb down through the manhole, his makeshift 'shield' left behind so the last person in could use it to seal the entrance.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:40, Thu 28 Oct 2021.

Kate hesitated.  While to part of her smells were just smells, interesting or uninteresting the other part was very much in agreement with the Legion clones.  But unlike them she didn't consider giving up the ability for a minute.  Instead she just let that part of her which was less bothered by the type of smell and more interested in it's content take over, growing much more canid in appearance, full red fur growing out and ears shifting from catlike to sharper fox triangles along with her entire head shifting to one decidedly inhuman with muzzle and all.

should I make rolls for he Legion clones?  And for everyone else.
It’s all pretty narrative; though perhaps you wish to see numbers because it might become appropriate later?
Rolls, if called for, will need to be a little later … when I get to my computer

Frank stood by the manhole as the others descended. As the last one through, he would move the cover back into place. Those things were heavy for normal people, but he could flip one like a tiddlywink.

Zoey takes a moment to heighten her reflexes and then takes a running leap from the quinjet. She lands in a roll, rolling down the street further than she expected, up the curb, and right into a trash can with am embarrassing crash. Owwwwww...

If she doesn't comment on her mistake maybe no one will notice!

She limps back towards the smelly hole, peering down into it and then having to pull back to retch. "Oh gods!" New York is clearly in a desperate need of modernization in its sewer system. "There are really people living down there? Fuck. I'm not sure I wanna do this."

Yeah, she could kill her sense of smell, but she really liked this hoodie and didn't want to have to burn it after. And that manhole looked really small... and dark... she takes one step towards it before her subconscious realizes her intention and sends her reeling back again. She flashes back to the elevator back in the mansion. Long, vertical tubes... and this one she has to lower herself down manually. "Sorry... claustrophobia's acting up again. I think this is as far as I go."

Zoey looked to Kate. "If you go down there I'm going to have to bathe you within an inch of your life," she warns her.

In reply to Zoey Fujino (msg # 208):

Kate hadn't had anything like Zoey's dramatic deplaning.  It was a simple hop skip and a fall to land adroitly.  So she very definitely did notice Zoey, despite her elder's really wishing that she hadn't.  "Well then I guess I get a free bath out of things, I'll want pampering and special soaps and everything."  The younger fox woman responds in a teasing tone, not feeling threatened at all before she preceded Tank down into the hole.

Once Frank pulls the top over the manhole the group find themselves in pitch darkness.  Other senses soon make up for the loss of vision; the slush of water at the distance, rats scurrying against their ankles, and most palpable than anything else; the reeking stench of human excrement they were waddling in.

Captain America, always thinking two steps ahead, has brought flashlight with him, but the meek beam of light it produces doesn't provide much comfort.   It barely illuminates the damp, moldy tunnel up ahead, and does nothing at all about the deep shadows at their back.  Every intersection they cross provides another opportunity for someone to sneak up behind them – not an unfounded concern, considering the Brotherhood already know they're coming.

The Legion navigated the tunnels without the need of a map.  They didn't so much as pause when they reached each junction, knowing exactly which turn they were supposed to take.

"You know" one of them cleared his throat "The Legion would know we are coming down through these tunnels.  The exact route and all.  I'm sure they are lying in wait wait for us, somewhere…"

Kate is probably less concerned than some of the others about the low light levels and high stench, both being ameliorated a bit by her powers an shifting form.  Even the prospect of being ambushed worries her less as she starts to cast her mind out to feel for other intelligent creatures in their path.  But her comment might set some of the others at ease as well. "I'm sure Iron Man will stumble into the ambush first, so we will just need to run to the sound of the boom."

Well, this was disgusting. Frank would have expected the Morlocks to stick with the storm drain system, which primarily diverted rain water to the rivers. But no, they picked the sewage system. Frank was going to have to burn his suit when they were all done.

"It shouldn't even matter if they know we're coming," he said to Legion. "If they attack us, they're screwed, and they probably know it by now."

This was, of course, a bit of a gamble. But they still needed to capture and contain the Brotherhood, regardless.

Zoey stares at the manhole cover as she is left alone. Paces anxiously. Massages her temples. Does some other stuff, which fails to answer the question of what am I doing? She had come to New York City to retrieve Kate, and here she was letting her march right back into danger. Legally, she was Kate's guardian now. She was not being a very responsible guardian right now. And that's saying nothing about how there's a major mutant incident about to erupt right under her feet and she's not doing anything about it. How can she call herself a social justice warrior if she'll let a little thing like stink stop her? And claustrophobia. She's not really that claustrophobic. Just a little sweaty palms and racing heart. She can control that shit. Totes for sure like absolutely.

And yet... Frank's down there, and while Zoey might not agree with him on a lot of things she knows he would never let anything happen to Kate while he is able to draw breath. Kate and Ana can both yell up to her with their brains, and Zoey could call down the equivalent of an air strike if they needed. Danny seemed really cool and could tend to their injuries. And Captain America is down there and he wouldn't let anything bad happen.

Captain America the Avenger. Yeah... there's that to consider too. If it was just Zoey she wouldn't balk for more than a second about going down there, but Strange had made it clear that taking the steps she felt were necessary could end badly for her if they did not meet with Avenger approval. Zoey worked best free of the suffocating straitjacket of authority. They didn't need her down there shitting things up for them. And, lest she forget, she is a mutant of ill repute and this is a situation that could turn political...

"Damn it!" Zoey yells out, punching a nearby wall. The calculus of power was clear. Kate wanted to do this, and she'd be able to do it better without her getting involved. With a loud, frustrated sign Zoey makes her way to the nearest coffee shop. She could at least remain close by.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:54, Sun 31 Oct 2021.

The Brotherhood didn’t prepare an ambush.  Their plan consisted of little more than sneaking past Freedom Force and the Avengers.  A plan that the Legion leading them was the first to realize was an abject failure, once they noticed the heroes staring at them from the other side of the tunnel.

“Ummm, Phantazia – I think they can see us”

“That’s impossible!!”  the woman pushed Shocker aside, and moved all the way to the front to stand by the Legion clones
“I’m bending the waves at a wide spectrum around us.  Visible. Audible. We’re completely invisible”  there was a shadow of a doubt in her voice, however.  If the heroes couldn’t see them, why weren’t they moving?
This message was last edited by the player at 09:07, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

“I’m pretty sure they can hear us, also” the Legion waved at his deserter clone ”You can hear us, right?”
This message was lightly edited by the player at 09:10, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

It was hard not to chuckle at the super-villain Epic Fail. Either she'd simply run out of juice (which was possible, but unlikely) or something was dampening Phantazia's powers.

Then again, if something was dampening her powers, it might be dampening theirs as well. They'd need to be careful. Still, they had Captain America and Hawkeye on their side (and Iron Man, somewhere), let alone simply having numbers in their favor. Advantage: Good Guys.

"You're under arrest," Frank said for what felt like the dozenth time that day. "Let's not do this the hard way, for a change."

Kate was a bit confused by the clearly obviously false claim.  "Um, yes we can see you, and hear you too.  Can we not fight though?  This is the Morlocks place, and it really wouldn't be right to ruin it by fighting down here."

She thought that Tank was maybe being a little too aresty, cause if they didn't agree, and didn't throw the first punch then it would be the good guys who became the bad guys.  Better to avoid that.  She almost blurted out an offer to go upside to fight it out before realizing that they might just give up peacefully, which would be nice.

”Didn’t we have this conversation already, like, a couple of hours ago? ”

No, the odds didn’t look very promising, but considering the alternative she would still rather go down fighting

”Lets save some time and fast forward to us making our escape” she raised a pale hand and pointed her delicate index finger at the heroes, more for dramatic purposes than anything else.

”Sleep!”


Phantazia’s couldn’t really make anyone ‘drowsy’.  Rather, her mastery over electricity allowed her to disrupt cell signals, down to the neurons in the brain.  It was painful, but only for a split second – there was no way for the mind to register ‘pain’ (or produce any coherent thought altogether) if the neurons weren’t flowing where they were supposed to.




OOC:

Spending doom pool die to go first in the initiative round.

Terrible goddess distinction 1d8, wits 1d8, combat expert 1d8, bio-electrical disruption 2d10 (unleashed SFX), 5d6 for extra targets

Phantazia rolled 8,6,16,1,15 using 1d8,1d8,2d10,1d8,5d6 with rolls of 8,6,8,8,1,5,4,3,2,1

Total= 24 (spending 1d8 from doom pool to keep extra die), effect = 1d8 vs captain America, 1d6 vs Danny, 1d6 vs Kate, 1d6 vs Tank, 1d6 vs Legion clones.

Reaction required from all.  Total 24, effect per above, or suffer a 'stunned' condition

Available powers for defense: bio manipulation powers (if you got any), and supernatural stamina, only!

Status tracker updated.

Next up: any and all heroes.


This message was last edited by the player at 12:45, Tue 02 Nov 2021.

Frank braced himself. Phantazia's power was hard to resist, but he needed to keep his feet or the whole affair could become a fiasco. And even if he didn't, he'd nearly captured Phantazia the last time, and he had a bigger team with him this time. Someone would take her down.

Unless they decided to talk more, in which case: fiasco.

Wits d10
Brains plus Brawn d8
Combat Expert d8

Frank Guberman rolled 2,5,8 using d10,d8,d8 ((2,5,8)).
Spending 1 PP to keep 3rd die.

Total: 15 (vs 24)

He wobbled. He yawned. But he didn't fall.

This wasn't really Kate's sort of deal.  It wasn't really lethargy overtaking her but she still felt wobbly and uncertain on her feet.  Something she wasn't really happy with.  "Hey Don't think you can get away just by making me feel all wibbly wobbly!"

But though she did say that she didn't rush forward to start fighting yet.  Just trying to stay on her toes in case she needed to cut them off from running, and trying to get a count on just how many they were dealing with here.

OOC:
1d8 Ride the tiger
1d6 Combat expert
1d4 Distinction
08:08, Today: Kate Messer rolled 7,4,4 using 1d8,1d6,1d4 with rolls of 7,4,4.  reaction.
Total 11, effect d6

"That'll be four ninety-five."

"Prices in the city are out of control," Zoey mutters as she fishes for the appropriate coinage out of her wallet. All she wanted was a latte, not all of New Hampshire! But the cute goth girl behind the counter was very cute and very goth in her little tartan skirt and red cross-pattern stockings, and Zoey couldn't muster up the energy to complain more than that. She completes the transaction of evil capitalist tokens for steamy beverage and is about to flop into one of the cafe's beanbag chairs when she senses a disruption in Kate's biosignatures.

Wow, that was quick, she comments internally, unable to decide whether she was impressed or annoyed. She veers away from the comfy seating and heads back out into the streets, walking towards what she suspects is a fight. As she walks she analyzes what is happening to her favorite catgirl and hardens her own biology to compensate.

---

Spoiler for game mechanics: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
15:33, Today: Zoey Fujino rolled 23 using 1d10+1d10+1d8+1d6 with rolls of 4,10,8,1.  Create a resistance asset.

Creating a "resist Phantazia" asset on self with 1d10 wits, 1d10 biokinesis, 1d6 stamina, 1d8 medical. 18 pool, d10 effect.

---

This message was last edited by the player at 15:37, Wed 03 Nov 2021.

Gritting his teeth against the effect of Phantazia's attack, Tank stepped forward and placed a hand on the pale woman's shoulder. He firmly shoved her towards the floor, while doing his best not to smash her into it. A pair of steel cuffs dangled from his other hand.

"On your knees," he ordered, "and lace your fingers behind your head."

Creating 'cuffed' Complication on Phantazia:
Prowess: d8
Gentle Giant: d4
Godlike Strength: d12
Combat Expert: d8

Frank Guberman rolled 3,3,8,5 using d8,d4,d12,d8 ((3,3,8,5)).

Total: 13
Effect die: d8

While Captain America didn't want Phantazia to escape again, he didn't want to seriously hurt her either.  He was at her mercy a couple of hours earlier, and knew she wasn't a killer.  She deserved better than having her lights knocked out, especially after she herself have chosen to subdue them (as unpleasant an experience as it was)

A sleeper hold, he decided, while not as 'elegant' as Phantazia's powers, would still serve the same purpose - render someone unconscious in a matter of seconds.

But as it turned out, it didn't matter whether he intended on wrestling her down, or knock her out with his fists.  He couldn't get within arm's reach of her.  Moving his body felt like controlling a marionette with half its strings severed.  His left leg wouldn't move, he couldn't curl the fingers at his right hand, or raise his arm above his shoulders.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tank was likewise affected, barely managing to push Phantazia to the ground and failing to follow through and cuff her.  As for the Legion - the two of them were already down for the count, lying paralyzed in the muck.

He still had the sense to duck (by falling sideways) Shocker's lightning, but the situation was beginning to look ever so desperate

"Tank - we need to take her down, fast.  Tony - where the hell are you?!! we NEED you!"

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Captain America rolled 7,7,2,6 using 1d10,1d8,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 7,7,2,6.  reaction to bio electrical disruption.  Total: 7+7+6 = 20 vs 24 (use PP for extra die), Captain America 'sleepy' condition at 1d8

Legion rolled 4,1,13,2 using 1d8,1d8,2d8,1d10 with rolls of 4,1,8,5,2.  "Good" Legion clones reaction.  Total = 13 vs 24, extraordinary success steps us effect die to 1d10.  All Legion clones eliminated.

Captain America rolled 3,4,6,7 using 1d8,1d10,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 3,4,6,7.  sleeper hold vs phantazia. Total 13, effect 1d10.

Terrible Goddess 1d8, Prowess 1d6, Combat Expert 1d8, Captain America complication 1d8
Phantazia rolled 3,1,8,8 using 1d8,1d6,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 3,1,8,8.  reaction roll vs Captain America. total 16 vs 13, Phantazia dodged Captain's America attack

Phantazia rolled 3,5,5,1 using 1d8,1d6,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 3,5,5,1.  reaction roll vs Tank. total: 5+5+3 (spend 1d6 from doom pool) = 13 vs total of 13.  Tie,  Tank's effect die stepped down to 1d6.

Shocker rolled 5,10,6,2,1 using 1d8,1d10,1d8,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 5,10,6,2,1.  electrical blast vs Captain America. total = 16, effect 1d8

Prowess 1d10, Resolute Tactician 1d8, Enhanced Reflexes 1d8, Master Combat 1d10
Captain America rolled 1,8,5,9 using 1d10,1d8,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 1,8,5,9.  reaction vs shocker's attack. Total 17 vs 16, Captain America dodged Shocker's attack

Zoey successfully created an asset at 1d10 to resist Phantazia's powers (doom pool too low to  bother rolling)

+2d6 to doom pool from Legion/Captain America opportunities, -1d6 from Phantazia keeping extra die.  Three opportunities available to heroes
Next up this round: Kate

---

This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Wed 03 Nov 2021.

Okay, the talking was over, well mostly, maybe Tank and the lady were still doing that, Kate wasn't sure, and couldn't spare the brainpower right now to figure it out.  What she did see was that somebody was throwing lightning at them!

So a bit muzzy minded or not Kate wasn't going to let that stand.  She rushed Shocker, and only at the last second decided not to evicerate him like she had grown used to doing while fighting with the Legion and held in her claws.

OOC:
1d10 In touch with her wild side
1d8 Natures Response: indicates as much as ten times the response time and coordination of an ordinary human.
1d8 Hybrid Versatility: Split Superhuman Reflexes into 2d at –1 step,
1d6 Combat Adept
1d8      Distinction
PP = 2

13:56, Today: Kate Messer rolled 5,4,2,6,6 using d10,d8,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 5,4,2,6,6.  Non-leathal takedown of shocker.
Total 12, effect d10
(also, didn't phantazia only apply a d6 effect on Kate, you have it as d10 in the status thread? just asking as I'm not great with the rules yet)

This message was last edited by the player at 13:40, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

Shocker wasn't particularly quick on his feet; Kate would have tagged him for sure - if she wasn't limping.

Prowess 1d8, Mutant Guerilla 1d8, Combat Expert 1d8, Kate's complication 1d10
Shocker rolled 7,5,8,10 using 1d8,1d8,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 7,5,8,10.  reaction to Kate's attack.  Total 18 vs 12, attack resisted.

The Legion had sense enough to know he couldn't do much to stop Tank, and likely not Captain America or Kate either.  He knew Phantazia would be able to bring them down, eventually.  All she needed was time, and he was going to buy her some, even if it costs (some) of his life.

The duplicates all moved to surround the pale woman, forming a wall of flesh around her.  If anyone would wish to harm her, they would have to go through them first

Prowess 1d8, Multiple Men, Multiple Trouble distinction 1d8, Maddox Mob power 2d8, Combat Master 1d8 (should have been a d10...)

Legion rolled 5,4,11,1 using 1d8,1d8,2d8,1d8 with rolls of 5,4,7,4,1.  human shield asset. -1d6 from doom pool to make asset persistent.
1d8 asset created for Phantazia
This message was last edited by the player at 04:58, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

Zoey jogs to the point on the street above where it feels like the battle is happening under her feet. She closes her eyes and lays fingers to take the literal pulse of the situation beneath her. Kate is not the only one showing the symptoms, she also sees it in the unmistakable super-biology of Captain America. That must be Tank, and there's the Legion... and more Legion. Combining what she is sensing with what she has been told of this Phantazia chick, she concludes that the people who are not showing the weird bio-electric disruption must be the Brotherhood goons. Not counting the Legion there's one... no, two. Who's the other guy? He must not be very important. Kate seems to be committing to an attack against him, so he must be a bad guy.

The Zoey Air Strike hasn't been called in yet, so for the moment she simply continues to analyze and search for weaknesses. She leans against a lamp post and sips her latte. Ahh, delicious.

---

Spoiler for game play stuffs: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
05:35, Today: Zoey Fujino rolled 23 using 1d10+1d10+1d8+1d6 with rolls of 7,6,4,6.  More assets!

Creating a "optimize powers against" asset on Phantazia with 1d10 wits, 1d10 biokinesis, 1d6 stamina, 1d8 medical. 12 pool, d10 effect.

---

This message was last edited by the player at 05:45, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

The wave of nausea that the neuro-manipulation brought bothered Danny a little, but his own Bio-Manipulation attempted to counter the effect without much thought on his behalf.
His medical training meant he knew immediately what was happening to him, and his Willpower kicked in.
Reaction to Phantazia's power
d10 Willpower
d8   Leave no man behind ... including himself
d10 Bio-Manipulation
d8   Medical

- rolled 6,10,3,3 using d8,d10,d8,d10 with rolls of 6,10,3,3.
Total: 16  ... not good enough, of course
Suffers d6 Complication


Danny, while everyone else seemed to be moving forward, stepped backwards.
He noticed the 'Legion' of guys moving to surround and protect Phantazia, and decided that it was best if he returned the favour, and redirected Phantazia's own trick at them ... hopefully leaving them unable to protect her as they had hoped.
Action:  counter the 'Human Shield' asset around Phantazia created by 'Legion' clones.
d10 Willpower
d8   'I don't want to hurt anyone'
d10 Bio-Manipulation
d10 'Know thy Enemy' asset vs Legion
d8   Medical Expert ... again, understanding the biological process

- rolled 6,5,10,3,8 using d10,d8,d10,d10,d8 with rolls of 6,5,10,3,8.
Total: 18
Effect: d10
Opps: -
Spend 1PP to create a second Effect:  Return the Favour to Phantazia, inflicting with the same effect she just attempted to use on all us.

PP: 2

Next: Any

Beating Phantazia at her own game wasn’t going to be easy; while she couldn’t manipulate biological cells to the level Danny and Zoey could, electrons were still very much within her area of expertise, and budging even a single one of them was like pushing against a mountain.

Terrible Goddess 1d8, Wits 1d8, Electrical Manipulation 1d10, Combat Expert 1d8, (Danny’s Complication 1d8) :

Phantazia rolled 1d8,1d8,1d10,1d8,1d8, with rolls of 8,8,8,1,8. Reaction roll vs Danny.  Spend 1d8 from doom pool to keep extra die. Total 24 vs 18.  Attack resisted

Phantazia rolled 1d8,1d8,1d10,1d8 with rolls of 4,1,6,5. Reaction roll vs Zoey

Total 11 vs 12, Asset created at 1d10

Next up: Kate/Tank
Status tracker updated


This message was last edited by the GM at 08:50, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

Phantazia was surprisingly at the top of her game for someone who'd been beaten on so thoroughly the last time. She'd won that round, but at a cost... which she no longer seemed to be paying. And despite her total confusion at being caught at all, she was singlehandedly defending against the entire team of good guys. And now Legion was swarming all over, making everything into a clusterfuck.

It was time to punch someone. Tank had been hoping to do this with a minimum of violence, but that ship had sailed. Hit a reef. Exploded. Now, not only did he need to start throwing punches, he needed to start throwing punches that could blast through a crowd of Legions to get at their real target.

Prowess: d8
Brains Plus Brawn: d8
Godlike Strength: 2d12
SFX - Mighty Blow: Spend 1 PP or add d6 to the doom pool to double Godlike Strength for one action.
Combat Expert: d8

Frank Guberman rolled 7,2,3,7,7 using d8,d8,d12,d12,d8 ((7,2,3,7,7)).
Spending 1PP to keep 3rd die in total
Total: 21
Effect: d12

Reaction Needed: Phantazia
Next: Kate

The Legion standing in Tank's way had as good a chance of slowing him down as they did a speeding semitrailer.  Serving little more than speedbumps, Tank easily stepped over the men to deliver his 'punches'.  Not more than one was needed, however.  Phantazia's mutation didn't include an enhanced physique, and one super-powered punch to the midsection was enough to shatter her ribs and crush her diaphragm.

Gasping for air, she collapsed at Tank's feet, reaching out with her pale fingers to grasp his leg before finally succumbing to asphyxia

Terrible Goddess 1d8, Prowess 1d6, Legion Asset 1d8, Tank's complication 1d8, Combat Expert 1d8
Phantazia rolled 8,6,4,7,1 using 1d8,1d6,1d8,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 8,6,4,7,1.  Reaction roll vs Tank.  15 vs 21.  Effect die 1d12 stepped up.  Phantazia is stressed out, and suffers 1d6 trauma as well. 

Tank didn't want to kill Phantazia, but it looked as though he'd come within inches of doing so. Still, as bad as he felt about that, it would hopefully end the fight entirely.

Slapping on his best game face, he turned to the remainder of the Brotherhood and snarled, "Who else wants to do this the hard way?"

Shocker made a quick assessment of the situation.  The Legion, he knew, couldn't be stopped by mere physical blows, no matter how powerful.  He didn't know what the ginger mutant could do, but he was potentially the only thing which could stop them from escaping (as improbable as that has just become).

"Try that!" he yelled in frustration as he zapped Danny with lightning, illuminating the dark tunnel for but a brief second


Mutant Guerilla distinction 1d8, Prowess 1d8, Electrical Blast 1d10, combat expert 1d8, Danny's condition 1d8
Shocker rolled 4,1,6,7,5 using 1d8,1d8,1d10,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 4,1,6,7,5.  electrical blast vs Danny.  Total 12 (7+5 for total), effect 1d10 physical stress
This message was last edited by the player at 20:52, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

"Get off her!" The Legion threw themselves at the heroes, attempting to overwhelm them with sheer numbers without any regard for their wellbeing.  Or at least, most of them did.  At least one duplicate decided to use the chaos to make his escape, running down the tunnel as fast as his feet could carry him.


Legion rolled 1,5,8,5,2 using 1d8,1d8,2d8,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 1,5,7,1,5,2.  wrestling down Tank, Danny, Captain America., additional d6's: 4, 4
Total = 7+5+4 (spending one last die from the doom pool) = 16, effect ('submission hold' complication): 1d10 vs Captain America, 1d8 vs Tank, 1d6 vs Danny

Kate was feeling woozy, and really off her game, why she hadn't even been able to properly figure out where electric guy was much less hit him.  Deciding to try and shake off whatever it was the woman had hit her with she took a moment to flee, shifting down to a little red fox.  Yes it meant her current sweater was a lost cause being in a sewer and all but she felt immediately better as she scrambled free of her clothing, more alert and the world brighter.  So either she had done it, or maaaaybe Tank punching out the woman had helped.  But Kate chose to think it was up to her natural skill and savvy.

So while everyone else was busy and distracted she took off after one of the fleeing Legion.  She mentally sent back over her shoulder to the rest, 'I've got this one!'

OOC:
Using my action to shake off the debilitating effect, now that Phantazia is out.

Looks like one of the signatures is making a break for it. Zoey won't be having any of that. She strikes the fleeing Legion(?) like a bolt from the blue, aiming to paralyze the man's legs.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
21:02, Today: Zoey Fujino rolled 12 using 1d10+1d10+1d8+1d6 with rolls of 2,6,2,2.  You won't escape!
21:05, Today: Zoey Fujino rolled 6 using 1d8 with rolls of 6.  Aspect addition.

Creating an "immobilized" complication on the fleeing Legion. Pool 12, d10 effect.

---

Even without his shield, and partially paralyzed, Captain America was still a match for the Legion Clones.  He sidestepped one of the duplicates as he tried to dive his legs, then assisted him with his forward momentum, sending him flying right into the wall on the opposite side.

Resolute Tactician distinction 1d8, Prowess 1d10, Enhanced Reflexes 1d8, Master Combat 1d10
Captain America rolled 1,3,7,10 using 1d10,1d8,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 1,3,7,10.  reaction to Legion. Total 17 vs 16, attack resisted.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:14, Fri 05 Nov 2021.

The wayward clone felt his legs buckling from underneath him.  Barely able to stand, he leaned against the wall for support "Crap!"

Legion rolled 4,4,6,6 using 1d8,1d8,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 4,4,6,6.  Legion reaction to Zoey.
Total 12 vs 12, attacker wins ties.  Legion runaway eliminated.

Legion clones again! This guy / these guys are never ending! At first she'd taken a hiding place she'd since she knew she couldn't take shots of lightning or similar like many of the others. From just around that little corner she can still sense minds, and the brief flash of lightning let her make out the current scenario overall. She pushes a thought on the Legion clones, 'Phantazia's down, probably already dead, and we're going to die! We don't want to die! Surrender!'


d10 Willpower
d8 Mind Control
d8 Psych
d6 Area attack (Size 2 Mob, keep an extra effect die)
d6 Enthralling Mind (step up effect die)

08:42, Today: Ana Sofia Garcia Mendez rolled 2,7,7,4,1 using d10,d8,d8,d6,d6 with rolls of 2,7,7,4,1.  Push surrender on Legion clones.

Spend 1 PP to add an extra die.

That's a total of 7+7+4=18 with a d10 and a d6 (d4 stepped up one) for effect dice.

+1d6 to the Doom Pool, +1 PP.

PP: 1 -1 (extra die) +1 (die to Doom Pool) = 1

An attack from a handful of Legion clones wasn't going to hurt Tank, but they might manage to knock him down... which seemed to be their objective, Tank realized as the floor started to slip under his feet. They were trying to pin him down. And with leverage, they might still manage it.

He'd hurt Phantazia a lot more than he'd intended. Now Tank found himself pulling back on his own defense, trying extra hard not to hurt Legion.

Prowess: d8
Gentle Giant: d4 (+1PP)
Superhuman Strength: d12
Combat Expert: d8

Frank Guberman rolled 8,3,8,4 using d8,d4,d12,d8 ((8,3,8,4)).
Total: 16
Effect die: d8

Seeing the legion clone she was chasing go down like it's strings were cut Kate spun around and headed back towards the previous fight, aiming to take lightning shock boy from behind.  As she grew with each step, from small fox to large foxy woman she sent a thought trickling up towards Zoey on the assumption it had been her.  'I said I had that one.' The message coming with a mixture of amusement and mild displeasure at her prey being stolen.

So as she got back she was more than ready to play with her NEW toy leaping for him in an attempt to pin him to the ground.

OOC:
1d10 In touch with her wild side
1d8 Superhuman Reflexes
1d8 Hybrid Versatility
1d8     Distinction
1d6 Combat Adept

10:51, Today: Kate Messer rolled 7,8,2,7,3 using d10,d8,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 7,8,2,7,3.  create complication vs shocker pinned.
Total 15, d10 effect
2 PP
This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Fri 05 Nov 2021.

Some of the Legion clones have reached the foregone conclusion that the battle was already lost, and if they're going to end up in prison anyways, it was better to do so without losing a few teeth.  A couple of others though were determined to see the fight to its bitter end.  Not even Shocker's predicament was enough to change their mind - it was a matter of principle now.


Shocker rolled 6,1,5 using 1d8,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 6,1,5.  reaction to Kate's attack.
Total 11 vs 15.  Shocker gains 1d10 complication (pinned)

Legion rolled 11,7,9 using 2d8,1d8,1d10 with rolls of 4,7,7,9.  resist mind-control
Total 16 vs 16, ties goes to attacker.  Legion Mob size reduced by 1, AND gains 1d8 complication

Sighing that his suit was ruined from all of this muck (and trying not to think about what exactly was in it) Tank knelt down next to Shocker and *flicked* him in the side of his head.

Prowess: d8
Gentle Giant: d4 (+1PP)
Godlike Strength: d12
Combat Expert: d8
'Pinned' Complication: d10

Frank Guberman rolled 3,3,4,1,8 using d8,d4,d12,d8,d10 ((3,3,4,1,8)).
Total: 11
Effect die: d12
Opportunities: 1

PP: 1+2 = 3

Tank's 'gentle' flick ended up giving Shocker a mild concussion. And between his giant lobster hands pinned down by Captain America, and the dog-woman pressing down on him his chest, he was, for all intents and purposes, no longer a threat:

"No, No, No" Barely cognizant of where he was, he threw his head from side to side as his eyes widened with terror  "I won't go there, I won't! Don't let them put me in there!"

Shocker rolled 10 using 3d8 with rolls of 8,1,1.  reaction roll vs Tank.
Total 8 vs 11, Shocker gains 1d12 Physical Stress
rolled 4,4,4,3 using 1d8,1d8,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 4,4,4,3.  reaction vs Captain America. Total 8 vs 10, Shocker gains 1d12 pinned complication

"Good job, team"
Strange, who hasn't accompanied the heroes on their mission, now contacted all of them via telepathy.  He expected them to defeat the Brotherhood without too much trouble, once his little spell allowed them to see through Phantazia's trick.  He was right, and now all they had to do was wrap things up:

"Pyro is severely injured.  You can pick him up without resistance once you make it into the Morlocks hideout"

OOC: ending the combat here.  The couple of Legion clones remaining aren't really much of a challenge vs all of you combined.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:50, Sat 06 Nov 2021.

"As for Pyro, I suggest Tank head in alone. He's a mutant and can carry Pyro out, and he's tough in case someone tries something. A single person should be a good sign, rather than sending all of us..." Ana Sofía stops to consider what's left out in her statement. "So where is Ironman? He's clearly not fighting these criminals. If he's fighting someone down here, then he's probably fighting innocents and starting a war. We cannot have that."

"Stark zoomed past Phantazia and the Brotherhood while they were invisible.  He's circling around now"
Of course, Strange could have nullified Phantazia's 'parlor' trick as Stark passed them by, but he felt it better to leave things to Freedom Force and Captain America.  Less chance of collateral damage this way, and while he did admire Stark and his technology, he couldn't count on him beating the Brotherhood all by himself.

"I'm sure you can take things from here. We will talk again, soon"
And with that the wizard severed the mental connection.

"I'll go get Pyro," Tank agreed, heading further into the tunnels. "I'll give a mental holler if I need help."

"Thanks, Frank... Captain America, can you help Danny and me escort these prisoners back up top? No offense, Kate, but I still won't assign dangerous tasks to minors, no matter how capable they are. I couldn't stop you from coming here, though."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:40, Sat 06 Nov 2021.

'I said I had that one.'

With everyone engaged in close quarters combat it would have been risky for Zoey to throw down any area of effect manipulations without hitting her allies, a concern that people with physical eyes on the situation didn't have. It had just seemed like the logical choice to her. She feels bad about killstealing on Kate, though. Sorry Kate, Zoey thinks back. You know how idiosyncratic my power's targeting is.

She waits a moment longer. Heartrates are slowing and movement has ceased; looks like the fight is over. Another signature is leaving, a big one, at a leisurely walking pace, but going the wrong way. Is that Frank leaving the group? What's going on down there?

The first thing the Legion did after he recovered was split-up and triage the wounded members of the Brotherhood.  While he did abandon their cause, they were still his friends:

"Phantazia needs urgent medical attention.  Three broken ribs.  Collapsed Lung.  Internal bleeding" he reported as he kneeled next to her, using a copy of Captain America's flashlight conveniently created when he duplicated while holding the original "And Shocker needs a CT to rule out intracerebral hemorrhage"

"Can we move them?" Cap was genuinely concerned about Phantazia and Shocker.  He wanted to apprehend the Brotherhood, not kill them "And where is the nearest exit out of the sewers?"

Once things are under control Kate lets Captain America and the others take over for holding shocker. 'We're done, we won, and hes off to collect pyro or whoever the last one is.  I'm a little surprised we didn't see a morelock.' Kate answered fishgivinggirl as she got up and wet to collect her clothing pile, eww, it would need a good wash, and she would have to stay all furry till then because she was not putting those back on.

"So where do you put them?  Not anything like nomans iland right?  Some big public prison with good optics and no evil scientists I hope." She asks the rest of the group, not having deigned to acknowledge sourceofcookies complaint.  "Because that would have to be super illegal." She can't help but remember the discussion with the senator.

As something else comes to mind she tells fishgivinggirl.  'Hey we caught these guys, you gonna tell the Senator so he can follow what happens with their going to jail this time?'
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Sun 07 Nov 2021.

"Lets see about getting them proper care first" besides being the more immediate concern, he really didn't want to put the Brotherhood's ultimate fate up for discussion - yet.  It was a question best left for later, when they had some time to consider all options.

"Legion; one of you better go with Tank.  You're the only one who knows these tunnels.  The rest - lets get out of here"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 19:51, Sun 07 Nov 2021.

"Move!" The Legion poked one of his cuffed duplicated at his back.  There were seven 'evil' clones in total, and each of them looked exactly like the Legion clones who joined with the heroes - down to shabby jeans and collared shirt.  The only thing telling them apart was the fact that the Brotherhood ones were in handcuffs.  Supposedly.

Resist Shocker's  D10 effect
d10 Willpower (to resist and stay active)
d8   'Leave no man behind' (including himself)
d8   Intangibility
d6   Combat trained

- rolled 10,1,4,1 using d10,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 10,1,4,1.
Total: 14
Effect:   default d4
Opps:  2
Current PP: 4


Resist Legion's  D6 'submission hold' complication
d8   Wits (to resist and stay active)
d8   'I don't want to hurt anyone'
d8   Intangibility
d6   Combat trained

- rolled 1,3,7,4 using d8,d8,d8,d6 with rolls of 1,3,7,4.
Total: 11    ... suffered then from d6 'submission hold'
Effect: d8
Opps: 1

Current PP: 5


Danny had managed to will his biology to turn insubstantial at the moment that Shocker's electrical blast had come sizzling towards him.  And remained that way when the Legion piled on.
The Legion had managed to, through sheer power of numbers, find some substance to latch on to, though, and Danny had been dragged down ... until they decided to surrender, and get off him.


Now, with things turning civil again ... and Tank headed off to 'collect' Pyro ... Danny made his way over to where Phantazia lay.
That punch from Tank had really sounded, and looked, devastating:  and Danny wanted to check her over before she died (if she wasn't already) from internal damage.

Action:  create   'See her harm'  asset (to be used afterwards in the healing process)
d6   Wits
d8   Leave no Wo/man behind
d8   Superhuman/Life Force senses
d8   Medical expert

- rolled 4,7,3,4 using d6,d8,d8,d8 with rolls of 4,7,3,4.
Spend 1PP to use 3 dice for total
Total:  15
Effect: d8 asset
Opps: -

Current PP: 4

Next:   we are out of combat, aren't we?

"How are they looking, Danny?"

Ana Sofía looks over to Kate for a moment. "No, nothing like Noman's Island. There are a people who need to be brought to justice for the atrocities there."

Tank trudged through the tunnel next to the Legion clone he'd first arrived with... maybe. He couldn't keep them straight, really, but it seemed like it was the same version of the guy.

"How far until we reach Morlock territory?"

Phantazia's injuries, while severe, were not immediately life threatening.  Some internal bleeding, and the broken ribs that would take a long time to heal (unless Danny used his powers to speed up the process).  She should probably be alright, provided they get her to the hospital without too much delay.  As for Shocker; he was exhibiting all the symptoms of head trauma; confusion, dizziness and vomiting.  The bleeding, fortunately, was contained between his fractured skull and outer membrane of the brain. He, too, should be fine, but it was probably wise to keep watch on him to make sure his condition doesn't suddenly deteriorate.

"They will be brought to justice" Cap wasn't entirely clear on what happened in that prison, but he intended to find out.  And He wasn't about to handover Phantazia and her crew either, unless he knew for certain what the government was going to do with them

"...I think it was down this way" after getting the clear from Danny, he hoisted Shocker over his shoulder and started heading down the tunnel toward the exit

OOC: anything more for this scene?

Once Danny had checked the two over, Danny gave the all clear to move them.

As Captain America claimed Shocker, Danny quickly slung Phantazia over his shoulder.  And began to follow on towards the exit.


Nothing more for me in this scene.   Move it along, citizen

Kate trudged with the others back out, soiled cloths in a bundle.  "Hey do you guys have good showers?  Because I think I need a good shower."

The team has little difficulty finding their way out of the sewers.  Phantazia, Shocker, -  all were evacuated to the hospital, with Captain America tagging along both to make sure they do not escape once they recover, and that no government agency tries to make them disappear off the face of the earth.  The 'evil' Legion clones, in handcuffs, are all detained by the police, with Hawkeye volunteering to keep watch over them.

It was a victory, of sort.

Price was comatose, the center of Downtown Brooklyn was in shambles, and the attack on the UN would have far reaching consequences, even if it didn't result in any fatalities. But this particular Brotherhood Cell has been dealt with, at least.

Or was it a victory?

Floating high above the city, a man in a purple cape crossed his arms over his chest, his face fraught with grim determination.
"Failure is not an option in the war for Mutant Liberation"
His fingers clenched into a fist

" - Not an option"


Act II concluded!
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:48, Tue 09 Nov 2021.