Raveled

Starlight's teleporting to the top floor, directly into the CEO's office if I can do that.

Starlight listened to the receptionist and inhaled sharply at the news. If the EMTs were more shapeshifters, then they were very likely going up there to finish the job that the false Rosemary had started. Of course, there could be another target in mind and the attack was just to call attention away from some other area... "Follow the elevator car up," Starlight said to Synth, her body suddenly glowing strongly. "Make sure they actually go to the top floor. I'm going to see about heading those EMTs off." There was a flash of light and Starlight was gone, discorporated into a cloud of tiny motes of light. The cloud circled the reception area once and then slipped into a vent, speeding up through the building to the very top floor.

Ironclad raised an eyebrow at Jill's new term for her. "Saving Goldenrod for a special occasion, I take it," she replied, then turned to face the group. "Gabriel, nice to see you here. If we're working off the idea that these aren't villains -- or at least are incompetent villains -- should we take the offer at face value? Go to the conference room and see what they want from us?" She glanced around at the hallway and ducked back inside her room, paying particular attention to the structural elements. "Unless there's reinforcing that I can't see," she added, "I don't think this place can hold us in if we make an honest attempt to escape."

"I'm Ironclad." The armor's blank helmet folded away so Wail could see the young inventor's face and short blonde hair. She blinked at the darkness for a moment as her eyes adjusted, then the armor folded back over her head again and the world was outlined by the suit's sensor suite again. "I'm with the Lab. These guys," she added, gesturing to the warehouse, "stole some very powerful chemicals used in genetic engineering. I've tracked them all over the city, and I believe they still have it stored in the warehouse." She paused and her helmet turned back to regard the older hero. "Why are you looking for them?"

Starlight closed his eyes and drew himself up, the posture of the cowboy vanishing in an instant as the hero drew more deeply on the well of power inside of him. Could he do that, pop in just long enough to grab someone and then head back? Yes, it should be possible; he could do it. The cowboy opened his eyes and nodded at Catalyst. "In your own time, then," he said and turned to watch the line of retreating vigilantes.

Starlight's going to stunt off her White Light Array. Teleport 6 (Extra: Affects Others [+1], Flaw: Short-range Only, Feats: Change Velocity, Progression [5 subjects] Turnabout) [21/22PP] That should let her 'port in, grab a bandito, and 'port back before anyone realizes what's happening.

Well Ironclad has Improvised Tools on the suit, but alright. Keep in mind that with no computers to brain-share with, her Technopath Container is null.

Starlight watched the bandits get turned around and start filing out of the city. He sidled up to Catalyst and spoke out of the corner of his mouth, dropping the affected voice and speaking in his normal, feminine tone. "Good job with that. But do you think you can drop someone without them realizing? Maybe towards the back? We do still need to get a good look at those guns, don't forget. But don't try for the shot if you think it'll bring them all back here."

Jessica woke up with a stabbing headache behind her eyes. She held her skull until it lessened, and allowed her abhuman brain to roam free. She absorbed the contents of the nearby tablet and let the information roll around in her head. This was hardly how she was expecting a kidnapping from a supervillain to go. She was surprised to wake up not tied to something, let alone to wake up in a fairly-comfortable bed. The headache receded and Jessica sat up, then swung her legs off the bed and stood. She touched her bracelet and in a moment was clad in her armor once again. She walked out into the hallway and immediately noticed Jill O'Cure and a large man in a black and white outfit holding a big bow. She could hear someone in another room haranguing the service. She nodded to Jill and her brain pegged the bowman as Arrowhawk. Then I'll put money that the mouth is Jack of All Blades. "Well," she said, "I'm not going to turn down a rescue, but I don't think it's really needed in this situation." She glanced around as her mind probed the computer systems all around them. "These guys get an A+ for the kidnapping, but their follow-up is looking at a solid D grade."

I'm going to assume that any computer system Clad can sense is above her auto-25 hacking attempt?

Don't count it our. Step outside and shift into a man!

Muwahaha!

Ironclad felt the pain of her wounds as the shards of glass sliced through her armor, finding chinks and joints and scouring the flesh underneath the steel. She fought through the pain of her wounds, though, and swung a metal-clad fist at Looking Glass. "I know breaking a mirror is seven years bad luck," Ironclad said as the criminal slipped away from the blow. She'd been planning that, however, and her opposite knee came up to sweep Looking Glass' feet out from under her. "I'll bet you get at least seven years for this job!"

Ironclad's Toughness save, vs DC 30. (1d20+15=27) I will happily take a Bruise from that. Ironclad's melee attack check w/ +5 All-Out Attack, vs Looking Glass' Def. DC 25 Tou (1d20+10=13) Going to spend a HP for a reroll of it. Ironclad's melee attack check w/ +5 All-Out Attack, vs Looking Glass' Def. DC 25 Tou. Reroll (1d20+10=14) Minimum result of 21, at least.

Octopus Hero's Fort save, vs DC 27. (1d20+7=26) 1 pt drained.

Power Level: 10 (150/150PP) Trade-Offs: None Abilities: 14 + 6 - 10 + 0 + 4 + 0 = 14PP Strength: 24 (+7) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: -- (--) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative +3 Attack +6, +10 Melee Grapple +29/+39 Defense +10 (+6 Base, 4 Dodge Bonus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback -5 Saving Throws: 7 + 4 = 11PP Toughness +10 (+10 Protection) Fortitude Immune Reflex +10 (+3 Dex, +7) Will +6 (+2 Wis, +4) Skills: 16R = 4PP Notice 8 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Feats: 13PP Attack Focus (Melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Grapple) 1 Dodge Focus 4 Fast Grab Improved Grab Improved Grapple Prone Fighting Powers: = 61PP Additional Limbs 4 (10 Limbs) [4PP] Immunity 30 (Fortitude Saves) [30PP] Protection 10 [10PP] Strike 3 (Extra: Penetrating 3, Feat: Mighty) [7PP] Super-Strength 5 (Str 52) [10PP] DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 15 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Abilities (14) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (8) + Feats (13) + Powers (61) - Drawbacks (0) = 131 Power Points

The green, glowing mass launched another assault on Catalyst. It was obvious that it didn't know exactly where the heroine was, but it was equally obvious that knew approximately where she was. A thick pseudotentacle smashed down on the car the paintball-wielding heroine was crouched on, making her drop to a crouch for a moment to keep her footing. Upstairs, Ironclad's opponent had retracted into a ball, shivering for a long moment as it recovered from the savage blow the heroine had dealt it. However she wasn't of a mind to let it recover; she zoomed up close and pounded the creature again and again with servo-assisted strength. However it seemed too elastic for the assault to make any impact, and her blows just rebounded off the thing.

The Blob is dazed, so it does something. Octo-Blob swipes at Catalyst. Ironclad SMASH Blob! Ironclad's melee attack check, vs Blob's Def. DC 25 Tou (1d20+10=26) Hits! Hulking Blob's Toughness save, vs DC 25. (1d20+12=29) Initiative 25 Octo-Blob -- Uninjured -- GM 25 Ironclad -- Uninjured -- HPx3 17 Catalyst -- Uninjured -- HPx1 6 Blob -- Staggered + Bruisex2 -- GM

Starlight strode into the middle of town at a slow, measured pace, deliberately moving slowly and letting the rowdy cowpokes get a good look at 'him.' "Alright there, pilgrims," he said, his voice carrying easily over the town square, "I think you've just about had your fun. Its time you vamoozed out of here, before you have to deal with my two best friends!" He swept his poncho back and put a hand on either gleaming pistol at his hip. "Unless you boys want to face the latest and greatest gun in Texas, I'd mosey on back over the horizon and leave these here city-folk at peace."

Starlight's gonna put the fear of, well, herself into them. Starlight's Intimidate check. (1d20+4=18)

Starlight's Ini. (1d20+7=18)

Jessica made a soft noise of excitement and leaned forward, examining the display. She did as instructed and ended up with a single egg over easy, hash browns, some chilled fruit, a shaker of chili powder, a glass of milk, an empty mug, and a steaming carafe of coffee. She stomach gurgled in anticipation and she grabbed he utensils, cutting into the egg eagerly. As the briefing proceeded the young woman was speechless, happily masticating her food. When the captain mentioned the odd activity of the ruins, she shot a glance at Paragon. Could it be reacting to his other-worldly physiology? It bore keeping in mind; he could literally be the key to unlocking the entire complex. By the time Captain Mirta got down to mentioning the failed team, Jessica was pouring herself a mug of coffee. "We'll make sure that they did not die in vain," she said. "Will the current archeological team be staying on Sedna while we investigate?"

Jessica set the wrapped present on the floor and settled back against the couch. She sometimes forgot just how hard it was to carry something big without her armor. For a moment she worried that it might be too heavy for the smaller woman, but she dismissed the thought with a mental wave. Mara was smarter than even Jessica herself. she'd be able to deal with such a minor issue. "Getting an unexpected problem can be fun," she agreed, nodding slowly. "Sounds like a lot of demands on your time, though. This job, the Lab, patroling, having a girlfriend. Are you, ah, taking care of yourself?" The image of Mara's malformed brain, meticulously reconstructed from Finagle knew how many scans, fleshed through her mind's eye and Jessica squirmed uncomfortably. Part of her wondered if it was proper for her to butt into Mara's life like this, but dammit this was her best friend! And Mara was a big girl, if she didn't want to answer the question she wouldn't.

Jessica's mind continued to work rapidly as she scanned the available data. Her gut said they were in the right place, but there just weren't the facts to back it up! They had a musician diagnosed as depressed who tried to commit suicide, and a worker at the Center who tried to choke a club owner and who had co-opted some of the Center's rhetoric. None of it pointed conclusively to Wilikins, or any other therapist, as being involved. She received the request from Silhouette and sat on it for a few seconds of real time, an eternity in the digital realm. Finally she transmitted back to the sneak. "Silhouette, I'm unlocking some of the rooms for the patients Wilikins works with personally. See if any of them remember the dark man, like Kyle talked about. I'll handle the security." And she did so, unlocking the doors and setting the cameras to loop almost as fast as thinking, as she turned her attention to the camera recordings. If she could watch the encounter between Jack Renner and whoever had programmed him, that would be solid evidence.

Ironclad had opted to report to the mission briefing as herself -- that is, as Jessica Parker, the woman under the armor. She hadn't really planned on being out the suit, though, and had not packed any appropriate civilian clothing. A quick conference with the ship's quartermaster, though, had procured for her a tailored suit of some dark-green-almost-black material with a blindingly white blouse underneath. The slippers on her feet were the same white as her shirt, but provided excellent traction. The material felt like silk, breathed like cotton, and seemed spill-proof. A genuine marvel, and a part of the woman's mind was devoted to how she would smuggle it back to Earth. "The Admiral seemed rather well-informed on Earth heroes," she said, "if rather inexperienced with the breadth of them." She shrugged faintly and sat back in her chair, wondering idly what kind of breakfast the Lor favored. "It's understandable. We're just one planet, after all."