Electra

"Did we beat up Quo-dis's father?" Erin asked, distracted for a moment by trying to remember who of the many villains they'd fought might have been close to Quo-dis. Surely no one recently? She pulled her attention back onto the topic at hand. "Just because she's going away for awhile doesn't mean you have to do anything crazy like get married," she reminded Corbin. "You're both still really young," and here there was a tentative note in her voice, since Quo-dis was quite old by some standards, "and you shouldn't rush into anything you're not ready for. She might not even understand what she's asking you to get into."

Fleur rubbed at her face and chafed her arms as they walked, her face growing more blotchy and her hair losing some of its greenness under her hood as they went deeper. When Gabriel felled the guard, she reflexively moved to drop the unconscious man into a flower, only to remember that she'd better conserve her own and the plants' energy while they were here. She let him lay where he fell and followed the others. At the central chamber, she noticed the camera as the Captain did, but was rather relieved he knew how to disable it. She wouldn't have had the first idea what to do with technology like that! As the Captain disabled the camera and the party moved on, Fleur stuck by Scraps and Penny, well within arm's reach of both children. "Stay close," she murmured to the pair, "and get on the ground if there's any trouble. We'll protect you."

Looking around, Gina peered past the tangles of damaged and redirected code and found Danson, half-buried in a nest of nonsense programming like a tunnel spider in a web. She glanced at Gina in return, making the cyberkinetic glad her mind had automatically put her in her featureless avatar, but most of the disturbed woman's attention was obviously on controlling the half dozen robots menacing the others. Gina took advantage of that by rapidly building her own web, taking scraps of discarded code and building it together into a wall that blocked off the vital system functions of the network. It wasn't her best work, not with the mess in here and all the mental energy she'd already expended, but it would hopefully hold up long enough. With the computer network under her control for the moment, she took control of the wall speakers to address Sharl and the others. The listeners would hear a voice certainly similar to Miss A's, though lacking in timbre and polish, and just a bit squeakier. Any of it could simply be artifact from shoddy speakers. "Render Sergeant Danson unconscious now," she ordered tersely. "She's in the computer and the robots, knock her out to get her out."

Gina's going to take control of the computer mainframe and lock it down securely while Danson is distracted by operating the robots. +2 circumstance bonus for her impressive knowledge of technology! Ha-ha, that's a terrible roll. 38! I'm going to let it stand for the moment and hope someone cracks Danson over the head/cries her to sleep before she has a chance to contest the roll. Free action, Gina will use the computer speakers to address her colleagues.

Erin had turned her attention from relationship drama to the dangers of lunch, and was eying the bizarre spread with some distrust when Corbin suddenly cried out and teleported in a burst of flames. In an instant, she was back on alert, halfway out of her chair before she realized there was no actual threat. She glanced over at Trevor, raising an uncomfortable eyebrow, before looking at their hosts. "Um, you guys sound like you might need to talk this out some more. We could catch up with you another time?"

Just auditory dazzles.

Player Name: Electra Character Name: Wander Power Level: 12 (232/250pp) [374] Trade-Offs: None Unspent Power Points: 18 Older Version In Brief: A survivor of plague and apocalypse in her home universe, Wander began as a shell-shocked dimensional refugee, but has worked hard to recover and make a place for herself among the heroes of Freedom City and the people of Earth Prime. Alternate Identity: Keeley Erin White, Erin Keeley White (her original name, legally changed to distinguish her from her Prime-native counterpart) Identity: Secret, though she does little to protect it. Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, Earth EZO1(e) Occupation: Head of Security at Halloman Advanced Experts (HAX) Affiliations: Liberty League, Young Freedom (alumnus) Family: Father: Roger White (1962-2007), Mother: Clarissa (Anderson) White (1967-2007), Sister: Megan White (1999-2007), Paternal Grandparents: Martin and Cecily White (1937-2007)(1942-2002) Maternal Grandparents: Donald and Eileen Anderson (1942-2007, 1945-2007) Description: Age: 19 DoB: November 11, 1992 Apparent Age: 19 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'8 Weight: 175 Eyes: Brown Hair: Auburn Tall and solidly built, Erin's average appearance allows her to blend into the background more easily than many superheroes. Her eyes are medium brown, her hair auburn and shoulder-length, held back by a band when she works. Her physical invulnerability gives her the pale, smooth skin of someone who's never gone out in the sun or worked with her hands, but it also means she never gets acne or freckles anymore. Most people would say Erin looks and moves like an athlete, but anyone who's been in a theater of combat would say she moves like a special-forces veteran, a somewhat dissonant description for a girl still on the cusp of adulthood. Erin's wardrobe consists mainly of classic pieces in interchangeable styles. She does not dress to stand out, but has finally managed to acquire more clothes than she can wear in a week. Her uniform is a purple and black bodysuit with a partial face mask to conceal her identity. When she is on duty at HAX, she wears a simple gray jumpsuit with an identifying patch on the arm and a badge. Power Descriptions: Wander's powers are less flashy than many of the heroes of Freedom City, but nonetheless quite effective. She is strong and resilient, healing quickly from injuries and with a metabolism that allows her to do a lot with very little. She is a superlatively trained fighter, either barehand or with her specialized bat, and is able to leap great distances, either horizontally or vertically. She runs at tremendous speed, and when going all-out can even run up walls and across water. History: Erin was born in an Earth-variant universe that would eventually be classified Earth-EZO1(e). Her universe split off from Prime in 2006 when a contagious and fast-acting disease arose that began wiping out huge swaths of the world population. A vaccine was quickly developed and widely distributed, but instead of curing victims, it destroyed the higher brain functions of all vaccinated individuals and rendered them superpowered and homicidal zombies. Erin, who at the time time vaccine was distributed was sequestered on the ranch of her eccentric genius uncle, was protected from its ravages. Instead she received a vaccine her uncle devised, one that gave her enhanced immunities and superpowered strength, speed, and endurance. It was enough to keep her alive, even as the rest of her family and her world died. Eventually she reached Freedom City and was able to contact Prime, with the help of Doctor Atom, and was brought over as a refugee. Once on Prime, Erin was placed into quarantine for several months, then spent more months trying to acclimate to the world. She was introduced to the Prime counterparts of herself and her family, but although they are on cordial terms, the decision was made that she should not live with them permanently. Instead, she was given a place at the Claremont Academy, where she worked very hard to catch up on a year and a half of missed schooling, as well as training her powers for a world where survival usually didn't require lethal force. She made friends at school and joined Young Freedom, the second Claremont superteam, where she has had many adventures. At the climax of her career with Young Freedom, Wander was part of a mission that required them to face off with Omega, Lord of the Terminus. Wander went toe to toe with him and, against all the odds, not only survived but came away triumphant. In the aftermath of the battle, her cat Oliver revealed his true nature as a sorcerer and a guardian of the multiverse, who had chosen and empowered her as a champion specifically for the battle she had just fought. With the battle won, he offered her the choice to go with him to fight battles throughout the multiverse against the powers of the Terminus, or to stay and take advantage of the life she had earned for herself, but without the powers he had granted her. Erin chose to stay, and gradually learned to live with the loss of many of her powers. It took a long time for her to disclose her “disability†even to those closest to her, which resulted in more injuries and stress than if she'd come clean to start with. Just as she was becoming acclimated to her powers, a fight with Madrigal's Hounds for the amusement of the Terminus resulted in a nearly life-threatening injury. The Furions healed her, and in the process, revitalized her with some new abilities that she is still trying to get used to. At the same time, she is continuing her long-term relationship with Trevor Hunter, Midnight II, and working full-time as chief of security at HAX. Personality & Motivation: Erin is a serious young woman with a strong tendency towards single-mindedness, though she shows occasional flashes of an offbeat sense of humor, especially around her friends. Her reputation as a vicious fighter is well-earned, though it brings with it an unflattering characterization as a loose cannon. In reality, she is extremely concerned with not hurting anyone who doesn't deserve it, and trains constantly and thoroughly to ensure she is battle-ready on all counts. The past year has been a difficult one for her, losing many of her powers and questioning her own fitness as a hero, but by overcoming her own doubts and learning she could still be a hero without Oliver's loaned power, she's turned a corner in her self-perception. Erin is a grown-up hero now, for good and bad. She's less plagued by doubts and nagging feelings of worthlessness, but beginning to perceive greater problems in the world outside herself. Luckily, she is a hero and can try to do something about it. Powers & Tactics: Wander's style has mellowed from her school days, partly from necessity as her powers have fluctuated over time. Rather than rushing headfirst into combat, she will usually look for ways to get a tactical advantage, whether that's sussing out the situation with surveillance or reconnaissance, or by using her impressive acrobatic skills to confuse her opponent before delivering a blow. If a teammate is threatened, she's generally the first to throw herself in the path of danger, and when pressed into a corner, will fight with uncompromising ferocity. Complications: Triple Threat: Erin is an extra copy on Prime, there is already one perfectly serviceable Erin Keeley White going about her non-powered business in Seattle. Legally, Erin has new papers as Keeley Erin White, but there's still tons of room for confusion. Things have only gotten more complicated now that the Erin White who was trapped on Anti-Earth, codenamed Singularity, is also on Prime, and may even be released into Freedom City eventually. Overprotective: After one miserable failure to protect someone she cared about, Erin isn't about to let it happen again. She will step in front of a teammate or a civilian whenever possible, even if it would be objectively unwise or unnecessary. She may also underestimate peoples' abilities to take care of themselves, something that can cause friction when working with her peers. Post Traumatic Stress: Violence and death in Erin's past has resulted in PTSD that tends to express itself mostly in combat situations. Therapy has allowed her to overcome the worst of her instinctive reactions, but when her life or the life of a friend is threatened, or when she is very afraid, she may lose the ability to modulate her attacks or correctly read situations. Growing Up: Wander has a secret identity as Keeley Erin White, one that's gotten more important now that she needs it to do grownup things like pay rent and bills. She has neighbors now, and a cat who can't fend for himself. She's also got a full-time job that, while flexible with the needs of her hero career, demands lots of energy and attention. That comes with subordinates to worry about, and a whole new potential rogue's gallery. Love and Loyalty: Loyalty is extremely important to Erin, and for those people who have earned it, she will extend herself far beyond convenience or even practicality. There is virtually nothing that Erin would not do for her boyfriend Trevor, (Midnight II), whether he would want her to or not. She also has deep and abiding loyalty to her friends from Young Freedom and her Liberty League teammates. She takes her job at HAX very seriously as well, and would give her life to protect Dragonfly or Jill O'Cure in particular, and to protect the facility as a whole. Abilities: 6 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 22PP Strength: 34/30/20/16 (+12/+10/+5/+3) Dexterity: 20/14 (+5/+2) Constitution: 34/30/20/16 (+12/+10/+5/+3) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 12 (+1) Combat: 20 + 20 = 40PP Initiative: +9 Attack: +10 Base, +12 w/Cosmic Power Grapple: +27/+13 Defense: +12 (+10 Base, +2 Cosmic Power), +6/+5 Flat-Footed Knockback: -11/-9/-1 Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 6 = 10PP Toughness: +12/+10/+5/+3 (+3 Con, +7 Enhanced Con, +2 Cosmic Power) (10/8/2 Impervious, Reflective 2) Fortitude: +12 (+3 Con, +7 Enhanced Con, +2 Cosmic Power) Reflex: +9 (+2 Dex, +3 Enhanced Dex, +4) Will: +7 (+1 Wis, +6) Skills: 96R = 24PP Acrobatics 12 (+17) Skill Mastery Craft (Electronic) 4 (+5) Craft (Mechanical) 6 (+7) Drive 10 (+15) Knowledge (Tactics) 6 (+7) Intimidate 10 (+11) Skill Mastery Notice 14 (+15) Skill Mastery Perform (Dance) 6 (+7) Sense Motive 13 (+14) Stealth 6 (+11) Survival 9 (+10) Skill Mastery Feats: 19PP Acrobatic Bluff All-Out Attack Challenge (Fast Acrobatic Feint) Defensive Attack Equipment 2 (10EP) Evasion 2 Improved Initiative Interpose Luck 2 Move-by Action Power Attack Quick Draw Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Intimidate, Notice, Survival) Takedown Attack 2 Uncanny Dodge (Audio) Equipment: 2PP = 10EP Share of Midnight Manor [10EP] Powers: 18 + 11+ 16 + 3 + 14 + 6 + 14 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 8 + 5 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 6 = 117PP Cosmic Power 3.6 (18PP Container [Passive, Permanent]) [18PP] Enhanced Attack 2 (to +12) [4PP] (cosmic speed) Enhanced Constitution 4 (to CON 20 [+5] or 34 [+12]) [4PP] (cosmic toughness) Enhanced Defense 2 (to Defense +12 [+6 flat-footed]) [4PP] (cosmic speed) Enhanced Impervious 2 (to Impervious 2 or 10) [2PP] (cosmic toughness) Enhanced Strength 4 (to STR 20 [+5] or STR 34 [+12]) [4PP] (cosmic power) Cosmic Power Array 5 (10PP, Power Feat: Alternate Power 1) [11PP] Base: Damage 0 (Extra: Autofire [10]) {10/10} AP: Enhanced Speed 3 (to Speed 7 [1000 MPH/10000' per move]) {3} + Super-Movement 3 (Water-Walking, Wall-Crawling 2, Flaw: Limited [Only While Moving]) {3} {3+3=6/10} Device 5 (Wander's Bat; 25DP, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose [-2], Power Feats: Subtle [Collapsible]) [16PP] Damage 0 (Power Feats: Extended Reach 2 [15'], Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Improved Throw, Stunning Attack, Drawbacks: Non-Lethal Only) [5DP] Impervious 0 (Extras: Duration [sustained, +0], Reflective 10 [2, all ranged]) [20DP] Device 1 (Sunglasses and Earrings from Midnight; 5DP, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose) [3PP] Immunity 2 (Auditory Dazzles) [2DP] Super Senses 3 (Infravision, Visual Counters Obscure [fog/mist]) [3DP] Enhanced Constitution 14 (to 30 [+10]) [14PP] (chemical enhancement) Enhanced Dexterity 6 (to 20 [+5]) [6PP] (chemical enhancement) Enhanced Strength 14 (to 30 [+10]) [14PP] (chemical enhancement) Features 1 (Temporal Inertia) [1PP] (dimensional refugee) Immunity 2 (Disease, Poison) [2PP] (chemical enhancement) Immunity 2 (Sleep, Starvation/Thirst, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect]) [1PP] (chemical enhancement) Impervious Toughness 8 [8PP] (chemical enhancement) Movement Array 2 (4PP; Power Feat: Alternate Power) [5PP] Base: Speed 4 (100MPH/1000' per move) {4/4} AP: Leaping 4 (x25, Running Long Jump: 550', Standing Long Jump: 275', High Jump: 137') {4/4} Quickness 4 (x25, Flaws: Limited [Physical Tasks]) [2PP] Regeneration 6 (Recovery Rate: Bruised 3 [1 round/no action], Injured 3 [1/minute]) [6PP] Super-Senses 2 (Normal Hearing, Extras: Accurate [+2]) [2PP] Super Movement 1 (Safe Fall) [2PP] Super-Strength 3 (effective STR 49; Heavy Load: ~12 tons) [6PP] Drawbacks: 0PP DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC27 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Bat Touch DC27 Toughness + Autofire (Staged) Damage (Physical) Abilities (22) + Combat (40) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (24) + Feats (19) + Powers (117) - Drawbacks (0) = 232/250 Power Points

"Not so fast!" Koshiro warned Indira hastily. "You'll get sick and puke it back up if you keep going like that. Wait for a minute and let your stomach figure itself out." He was still a little skeeved out over eating the fork, and a little more skeeved out that part of him was thinking about going for the rest of the place setting, but at least he probably wouldn't make himself sick on silverware. "Just, you know, smell it and look at it. Food's sort of like art, you gotta appreciate it with different senses to get the whole experience." He twirled his spoon between his fingers, pleased to be getting some sort of dexterity back.

"That's for the courts to decide," Fleur told him coolly. True, the state of New Jersey had no death penalty, but there were plenty of other jurisdictions that would love to take a piece out of Shadivan Steelgrave's hide. That wasn't her business, though. "Our job is to put you where you'll never be able to destroy another innocent life. And if that means solitary confinement in our deepest subterranean prison, then so be it. If I were you, though, I'd be doing my very best to prove myself helpful, cooperative, and maybe even remorseful if you think you can manage it. Your attitude and the intelligence you can provide is going to determine how much you regret your decision to drop by Earth Prime on your way out of the Terminus." It was far from Stesha's usual way of speaking, and for once her face was as hard as stone. "First question," she continued evenly. "Does your ship have any defenses or booby traps that could be triggered when we go in to secure it?"

Koshiro lingered by the door to the van for a long time, well after the others had gone inside. "Haven't any of you ever heard of stranger danger?" he muttered under his breath. "Guess it doesn't matter when you can melt through the freaking walls..." Finally, though, unwilling to be left standing outside alone, he stepped into the startlingly large interior. "Smells like a head shop," he muttered. "We'd get busted every time we stepped out the door." Despite himself, though, the utter strangeness of the spatially warped HQ fascinated him, enough to have him jogging to catch up to the tour group. "This thing has a reactor core?" he asked the giant hairy stoner. "How would we fix something like that?"

Fleur sees it with skill mastery, but cannot disable it.

"The lines of communication with Goodman are surely being tapped," Miss A pointed out, sounding distracted as she diverted most of her attention to the ridiculous speed at which she input commands. "The longer we can keep the Foundry in the dark about what we're doing, the better. But you're right that they should be alerted." She looked up for just a second. "Voltage, can you use that console over there and set up a secure call to the Goodman Building? Don't take any chances, even if it takes a bit longer. The Foundry has some excellent hackers, though nothing like what we have."

Erin blinked a few times, absorbing the sudden shift in topic and mood. She looked at Corbin for a moment and tried to come up with something reassuring. She knew only too well how far away the West Coast was from Freedom City. "I guess Mark would probably give you a ride whenever you wanted to go out and visit," she offered. "And well, she hasn't said for sure that she accepted, just that they offered. People go away to college all the time, right? This wouldn't be that much different." Her note of optimism rang a bit false, partially because it wasn't the attitude Erin normally projected, but she was certainly trying.

Erin blinked a little at the question from Quo-Dis. Nobody had phrased it quite that way before, and she wasn't entirely sure what vril was, but she got the general idea. "Um, pretty good," she ventured. "Still getting a handle on the new abilities, but it's going pretty well. So, ah, what have you been up to this summer?" She was somewhat relieved when they headed towards the dining room quickly. Small talk wasn't her strong suit, and she didn't know Quo-dis well enough to make much more than that yet. Why did it seem like Erin met most of her real friends during potentially-fatal situations, rather than at parties or school like normal people? She shrugged that off to answer Corbin. "Yeah, I'm working at HAX, Halloman Advanced Experts. She hired me as head of security, which was a pretty big leap, but it's working out pretty well so far. I thought I'd be disappointed about not working for the Freedom League, but it turns out it's nice to not spend every day fighting supervillains and traveling the world. I kind of appreciate all the boring moments," she admitted with a quick smile.

On the other side of the wall, Miss a cocked an ear to hear the conversation between Cannonade and Chimera. She frowned at the exchange even as her fingers worked with unmitigated speed. "If Chimera is telling the truth about having a personality profile uploaded elsewhere," she murmured, only loud enough for those near her to catch it, "there could be another copy of the Proteus code as well." Her glance flicked up to D-Gray on the wall, and she refrained from mentioning the possibility of another entire D-Gray/virus bundle. "I'm going to try and dissect the virus itself and trace where it came from, but we may have to secure it in person, depending on where it is and how secure."

"We may need to split up, look for- oh..." Fleur trailed off suddenly and took a few involuntary steps back, her hands going to her face. Even in extremis, the dying plants responded to her change in mood, twitching and lurching away from the doors. That didn't seem to help much, given the rate of plant decay. "Yes, this is definitely the source of the prions," she agreed faintly. "And with what they do to plants, I don't think I can clear the air here the way I did near my home." When she lowered her hands, it was obvious that Fleur was feeling the effects too. A livid red rash covered much of her face, running down her neck and disappearing under her costume. "We have to hurry," she told the others firmly. "We can't let this get to the village." Besides the terrible damage to the landscape that would occur, she was clearly thinking of Sanctuary's other plant controller, safe and helpless and entirely too close for comfort.

I'll take the HP, it seems like I might need it later. Plus, DRAMA!

Fleur watched as Gaian Knight removed the debris from in front of the door, marveling slightly that all of this had been buried just under the surface and she'd never known. After this was all over, a more comprehensive survey of her world might be in order. Who knew what surprises might be waiting to jump out next? When the way was clear, she studied the doors, then reached a hand into her belt pouch and scattered a few seeds on the rocky and inhospitable ground. "Everyone stand back," she warned, then raised her hands as though she were about to conduct an orchestra. All was silent for a moment, then a soft slithering noise began among the rocks and dirt. Vines sprang up, thin at first, then more robust, gaining power and speed as they grew. Leaves unfurled and flowers opened, bright yellow squash blossoms twice the size of a man's hand, and the vines sped towards the door like they had an appointment. When they reached the sealed portal, they began to climb, unfurling spiraling tendrils that caught onto any small protrusion and held tightly, then continued growing. In less than a minute, the door was nearly obscured by greenery. Fleur closed her hands into fists and jerked them back abruptly, taking all that growing energy and focusing it into a single sharp movement of opening.

Wildcard's stumbling journey carried him straight into Wander's path, just as she was turning away from the unconscious Orion. She automatically took on this new challenge, feinting with a quick bounce off a display case before diving into him, but the tight quarters and his natural luck control put the odds in Wildcard's favor this time. He dodged at the last moment, leaving Wander to come up in a neat tumble, her bat having brushed past him close enough to ruffle his hair. "Let's wrap this up," she said in disgust, rising once again to her feet.

"A power source?" Koshiro demanded. "He couldn't have told us that before, when we were at the shop?" He'd been keeping an eye on the reconstruction of the device, but now he began looking around the vacant building for anything that might serve as power. This place hadn't seen electricity in a long time, and nothing looked too promising. "What kind of power source?" Koshiro asked. "Like some kind of actual battery, or something weird?" He could understand his double's frustration, but he suspected that if Tulink was stalling, there was a reason for it. Or maybe it was simply that a normal battery wasn't going to do the trick. He gave his own flashlight a doubtful look, suspecting it couldn't be that easy.

"My god, just one Shadivan Steelgrave is bad enough..." Fleur murmured, appalled. She'd only lived in Freedom City a few years now, and she'd been a child when the Terminus had invaded, but those images were indelibly imprinted on every American. She'd also been privy to information about Steelgrave's more recent atrocities, both on his own and in service to his dark master. To see him standing in front of them, or some version of him anyway, was like a strange nightmare. With a flick of her hand, one of the vines on the ship loosed its grip, coiled like a snake, and wrapped itself securely around the smiling demon. She was a little surprised when he didn't so much as twitch an eyelash at being restrained, despite his words of surrender. "Shadivan Steelgrave, by the authority of the Freedom League I'm placing you under arrest for crimes including terrorist actions, kidnapping, and mass murder. You will be bound over for judgment according to our laws, which is more than you deserve, but luckily we're better people than you. Do you want to tell us exactly what you're after first?"

Wander will attack Wildcard, figuring that a villainous luck controller is much more dangerous than the bound Devil Ray. Move action acrobatic bluff, DC 27 with skill mastery. Follow it up with a regular charge attack that will drop her defense by 2. 1d20+12=18. Ugh! Anyway, on the off-chance that hits, it's DC 25 toughness.

she promised, and indeed the chains were slackening, even as her mental hands began to tire.

All right, Cyberknife will remain fatigued and release the captive... whatcheecallee. That's a full round action, so ta-da!

Wander Celebrating Liberty Through Meat and Explosions (7) And Countless Screaming Argonauts (4) A Briefing With Friends (2) Faded Giant (3) Gathering Like Clouds(8) Fleur de Joie Sanctuary: Panacea (6) The Devil Shovels Coal (5) Miss Americana Unfair Science Fair (4) Pepper's Ghost(7) Papercut A House is Not a Home (11) Mile in My Shoes (6) In Another Life (4) All points to Wander for tabulation, then to Papercut, cause where else will they go?