Dr Archeville

The revenant blinked at Scholar. "That... is... awesome! Wow!" Dead Head laughed and clapped his hands, "I mean, not that ya crashed, I mean, I feel sorry fer that. Are ya gonna be able ta get yer ship fixed? Wow!" he exclaimed again, "A real, not-tryin'-ta-kill us alien! An' she's workin' as a hero! This is great! So, where ya from? What's yer world like? Is it Earth-like, like what all the movies show, or is it vastly different? Got any undead where yer from?"

Protectron deposited Electrolux into the Labs' holding cell, then contacted the others via its now-activated internal comms. Its voice, while still flat, sounded somehow clearer. "Do scans show Grue/LV-13 hybrid is susceptible to the extreme alkali properties of calcium oxide? If that is it, could a less-alkali solution, one that is less harmful to other organics, be utilized, to at least weaken it so it can be subdued and moved to a location where it can be safely contained? If necessary, then a more caustic agent can be used on it, without fear of harming other organics."

Archeville chuckled, "you want to see introverted and taciturn, you should see me when I get really involved in a project." "And 'implying' nothing," he said, leaning in a bit closer, "I am outright asking you if you would like to move in with me. Not tonight, of course -- I know things like this take time, there would be much to do in preparation. Though, if we put our mind to it, we probably could get it all done in one night..." He pulled back just enough to show her his Cheshire Cat grin.

"Oh, believe me, dearest, I have asked myself those very questions countless times!" He turned around so he could lean back against her, tilting his head so he could look up at her. "If it is still in me, it is only those parts that I do require. I still feel as energized as ever, as creative, as quick-witted; I have experienced no lassitude. My mind is whole -- all the parts are there, but none dominate any other. I still have the drive, the energy, provided by my id, but all the baser instincts and gross desires it embodies are firmly under the thumb of my conscientious superego." This was not entirely false. The Other in Archeville's mind did represent many of the same things a person's id does -- dark, chaotic, neurotic, instincts -- but it also represented something far, far older than anything in human thought processes. Without its overt presence, Archeville was at long last the man he'd be if he'd never had the Other in him, if perhaps a bit giddier than usual, the way anyone who'd been freed from lengthy torture would be jubilant at a newfound freedom. "As for scans," he reached up, took her hands in his, and gently laced the tips of her fingers on his forehead, "I have seen Scarab twice since it happened, and she has found no unusual activity, no sign of a second consciousness in me. She was, of course, equally concerned about it all, but as near as she can tell, whatever happened to me at the Faretti's has freed me!" "I really do need to talk to those two again," he said idly, "see if I can get their help on my studies of 'magic.'"

... yo'ud still need a write-up so you'd know how many pp/ep to dump in. And if it's a team thing, wouldn't it make sense to be a team expenditure? Especially if you're planning on retiring Colt after he & Grim cap out (and they ride off into the sunset together)? I'm a touch uncomfortable with PCs benefiting from a Player Award given to another's NPC.

Remember that Powers for Vehicles cost the full amount, not 1 ep for a "Power" feature.

"Dat sounds vunderbar, liebchen," he replied with a smile. Present Day (Wednesday, September 15th, 2010) Archeville broke from the long, deep kiss for a gasp of air, and gazed into her eyes. One hand came up and caressed her cheek. "You really do mean the world to me, Mona."

"It would please me to assist, Friend-Supercape," the strange robot flatly responded. It returned the incomplete food baskets to the large refrigerator, "what is the 'chap's' name? Also, has he spoken with Friend-Americana? Her interest in prostheses, as well as her charismatic nature, make her a natural candidate for discussion." Food stored, it moved towards the main lobby.

"Oh, I am sure their wedding will go fine," Archeville began, "and I am sure they will have a won-" He grinned and let out a soft chuckle, "I suppose that is something we should discuss some time. Though if we did go down that path, I would like for us to live together for a bit. Fourteen days from now will be our one-year anniversary, and you are still in your Waterfront loft apartment, and I in my humble Hanover home."

Archeville nodded, "I know of whom you are speaking, and I have been keeping an eye on her for some time." He took another sip of water, "her and her parents. Shame about what happened during last year's prom." He cleared his throat, "been keeping an eye on them for about a year, off and on, with some help from Lynn. Zephyr's superlative speed may well be due to her Terminus-infused nature, since Terminus energies have a nasty way of breaking quantum probabilities down to complete indeterminacy. My few scans of her have yet to point out anything concrete -- another aggravating aspect of Terminus-infused metahumans -- but my hypothesis is that she is in fact a chronomanipulator, albeit one working on a wholly subconscious level."

One thing I've noticed about the Healing power -- moreso than Regeneration -- is that, since it heals you instantaneously, it takes a lot of the drama out of a fight. Yes, you still need to get to the HQ to heal up, but once you're there, you can be back in tip-top shape in little time. An alternative -- something I've been toying with for Dok's own HQs -- is instead of Healing, give it an Affect Others Regeneration power, to boost recovery rate and the time needed to heal. Perhaps something like: Regeneration 12 (recovery bonus +9, inured 1 [20 mins], staggered 1 [20 mins], disabled 1 [5 hours]; Note: Sustained Duration; Extra: Affect Others, Area [60-ft. Burst]; Flaw: Affect Others Only; PF: Selective) [13PP] This could represent advanced medical facilities that require someone conscious to operate them (hence the Sustained duration), and can be used to treat multiple people at once (hence Area). The ESP has both Rapid and Linked Quickness. But Rapid is Quickness, Limited to Sensory (Notice/Search) checks. I'd suggest just adding moar Rapid. Suggestions for additions to HQ: Defense System (nonlethal Blasters, Snare) Power/Super-Senses (maybe a Cerebro-like thing Jack or Jill can plug in to to boost their existing senses) Suggestions for MAVERIC Communications Computer Impervious (sustained active effect) for Toughness (force field) Nullify Fire Effects (uber-fire extinguisher) Snare

"Affirmative," the strange robot said flatly. "However, I do advise you take caution. Though the Grue/LV-13 hybrid is unable to directly influence you or I, this confrontation has shown that we must be wary of superpowered organics under its thrall." "Protectron to Lab," it radioed in via the Lab commlink, already heading back to the center of science with its infected cargo in tow. "Sharl and I were attacked by an infected superhero, codename Electrolux, but Sharl was able to subdue him. I am bringing him back to The Lab for containment and study. Sharl is going on ahead to Lonely Point, to continue scouting, and attempt to stop the infected; one I drop Electrolux off I shall rejoin him, barring any new asks you have set for me."

As an anniversary present, my wife bought me the Inventor Archetype. So now I've made Dok!

"Whoa!" Dead Head was quite surprised at the eruption of werewolves, but that was largely due to their sudden appearance from an unexpected angle, less from what they were. He glanced up at Crow, tried (and failed) to suppress a smirk, then looked up to the pack. "Much appreciated; an' if'n I do ever call on y'all, I'm bettin' I won't be hard fer y'all to sniff out!," he said with a laugh. The zombie turned back to Scholar, "Xenobiologist?," he repeated enthusiastically. "Neat! Whoa, waitasec -- when you say 'alien life,' d'ya mean us, too? Is you from 'round these parts?" Could it be? An alien what ain't tryin' to kill us? I hope so!

In the small kitchen on the first floor, Protectron busied itself with the creation of snack-baskets for the Lab members. Particular care was taken with the basket meant for Dragonfly. "Affirmative," the strange robot replied flatly. "How may I be of assistance?"

Protectron looked back and forth between the falling Electrolux and the floating Sharl. The strange robot dove down, hands outstretched to catch the swandiving Swede.

Protectron will save the sparking Swede. Do I need to make a grapple check to do so?

"I have not, though," he slid his blade along Erik's until it was freed, "my not knowing how close an eye to keep on you all, how much I should be supporting -- or meddling, depending on your view -- is something with which I have long struggled. Between everything else on my plate -- running ArcheTech and membership in the Freedom League being simply the two biggest pulls on my resources -- it is a difficult equation to balance, even for me. Although, I must say," the Doktor held his blade up, and began slowly circling the swashbuckler, "you all have done remarkably well for the city, and for yourselves." "And, no, I do not want robots, I want people. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people!" he said with a lunge, then pulled back to deflect any counters. "Alright, so Vince is fine, and Billy and Lynn are good. What about the newest member, Eli?"

Let's try this again! Free Action: Reactivate Flight Move Action: Move to melee range (assuming it's within 250 feet) of Electrolux Standard Action: Initiate Grapple Melee attack to start grapple (1d20+7=15) and no HP for re-roll

"Thank you for halting my descent," the now-fully cognizant robot said to Sharl. It then turned its head to Electrolux and flew towards him again, arms outstretched. "Attention organic being," it announced, "I do not wish to harm you, but I cannot allow you to continue in this way."

Protectron's separated head nodded at Blue Shift's words, then flew back to its body, which still held on to the centaur. "I hope my body did not damage you while my head was separated," it said flatly to the creature in its mechanical vise-like grip. "However," the robot continued, "I cannot release you until I know you will not run off, but you seem unable to communicate with me. Until one of the other superhero organics comes over here and can properly interrogate you, I must keep you in custody."

Wherein Grimalkin finds someone is defiling Jewish graves, and calls in Dead Head for help. The culprit: Neo-Thuleists, and their lackey, White Knight! Kaddish: a prayer found in the Jewish prayer service. The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. In the liturgy different versions of the Kaddish are used functionally as separators between sections of the service. The term "Kaddish" is often used to refer specifically to "The Mourners' Kaddish", said as part of the mourning rituals in Judaism in all prayer services as well as at funerals and memorials. When mention is made of "saying Kaddish", this unambiguously denotes the rituals of mourning. Along with the Shema and Amidah, the Kaddish is one of the most important and central prayers in the Jewish liturgy. "Whole Kit and Kaboodle": a lot, group, or bunch; a collection of things. Possibly derives from kit (one's equipment, as used in their job) + boedel (household effects, possessions); literally, one's professional and personal belongings. Also of note: in 4 days (March 19th) is Purim, "a festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people living throughout the ancient Persian Empire from a plot by Haman the Agagite to annihilate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther."

Date: March 15th, 2011 (Tuesday) GM Post Flowing down from Lantern Hill (site of some of the oldest settlements in Freedom, as well as the oldest cemetery) toward Greenbank (a depressed area once known as a railroad stop where good -- and people -- moved in and out of the city) is the West End, the boisterous, lower middle-class area of the city. A melting pot of cultures, it houses large pockets of African-American, Asian, Greek, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, and Jewish neighborhoods, and with them a plethora of churches, mosques, shrines, synagogues, temples, and other places of worship. It was also home to the Interceptors, and one of its member was most troubled. For the past three nights, several graves in Jewish cemeteries had been disturbed. Lynn Epstein, better known as Grimalkin, had gotten wind of this after the second night, but her attempt at a stakeout on the third proved nothing -- the cemetery she thought they would hit next was not that night's target, but rather they hit a different one. Now slightly more sure of the pattern they were following, she waited, hoping that the fourth time would be the charm.

"If it were easy, it vould not be so rare a ding," he replied, his heavy accent returning. He looked up and smiled at her, a strong and supporting smile. "I dink you are being too harsh on yourself, dough, liebchen -- de only flaw I see in you is your unfortunate veakness to Daka crystals. As for my flaws, dough," he cocked his head slightly, "I shall continue therapy under Scarab-" "and consulting with other colleagues in the psychiatric and psychological field. But... but your support will mean the most of all."

Shortly after the meting Archeville retreated to his personal section of the station -- the entire northern wing -- and set about his own task. He had to make a bomb, one that could take out an asteroid the size of the state of New Jersey. Doable, but not without difficulty. He had prepped his room just in case he had needed to do this -- in his small laboratory he had brought in assorted vitals monitors, a comfortable chair to fall back on, an IV and a few units of O neg blood, and what looked like a silver metal basketball. The Doktor's fantastic mind was usually up for any task, but sometimes even he needed more brainpower. Like most athletes and Metahumans, he could push himself beyond his normal limits, but like those exertions he risked damage. His blood pressure spiked, and while his intracranial blood vessels were just robust enough that he would not have to worry (much) about dying of a stroke (and if there were danger, the small medical robot by his side could tend to him), some of the more peripheral vessels -- such as the sphenopalatine and lacrimal arteries -- were not. Blood flowed freely from both nostrils, as well as (by flowing back up the nasolacrimal duct) the eyes. It felt like his beloved Mona was pressing her thumbs into his eyes, but that was not the worst of it. No, the worst was that this newfound mental power took some time to properly focus. "Big rock!," he gasped after he stopped screaming in pain, "get Supercape to teleport it out! No, too big! And interference! Quantum-um um om om OM NOM NOM Cookie Monster! Blue! Goo! Gray Goo! Nanobots! Self-replicating, have them at the thing! No, disaster if they fell to Earth in five years. And, do not know composition, would not work if made of ice... ice... Ice Ice Baby Vanilla Ice vanillin 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehydeydeydeide my side your side my side! your side! side steak stake - vampires! no, would still freeze in space. And vampires do not eat rock rock rock and roll disco ball wheel skates stakes stakes - tent! Equidistant spacing, pulling fabric taut taught aught naught naughty naught nothing vacuum vacuum energy! HA!" He abruptly stopped, and looked over the gear in his personal workshop with cool, calculating eyes. "Yes. I know what must be done now." A few hours before take off "Glad to hear the space-plan meets your approval, Major!," Archeville said with a smile as he entered. A quartet of worker followed him, each carrying a large case. The Doktor had not been seen much in the past two days, and when he had we was unusually brusque, one might even say rude. Noticeably paler, too, and with dried blood on his upper lip. But now he seemed back in his usual condition, smiling and encouraging everyone along. "I have a good feeling about this!"