Fox

I can't resist. Not Dragonfly's turn yet, but getting it out of the way before my tired brain forgets, since it's plausibly something she'd have run across: Knowledge [Pop Culture] check on Fusion's Rep Chart (Untrained, Eidetic Memory) (1d20 + 7=9) Your dignity survives THIS time, Fusion. :argh:

Dragonfly pulled a face as the conversation turned back around to money, but knew better than to comment - because Miss Americana was probably smarter about such things, and because, grudgingly, she knew that she did not have nearly the social tricks and experience to not get talked into a knot and put back in her place. Instead she nodded at the idea of Protectron taking point when biological contamination was a concern, eyeing the satellite and doing rough calculations on its probable mass. She was pretty sure she could - mostly sure she could - fold it away for easy transport, safely, but it'd mean getting close enough to touch it. with the client being predictably vague - unknown dangers - mmh - play it by ear - investigate when I have the chance? - probably not appreciated - still - very curious

Dragonfly frowned, glancing around the table at the varied reactions. She vaguely remembered something about Psyche going public - her memory was good, but couldn't help her with things she'd barely paid attention to in the first place; as she recalled it'd made quite the stir, but she'd had other priorities at the time. She could only assume there was some greater importance at play here, too, somewhere under the static-filled telepathic explanation and the looks on peoples' faces, but without proper context - which she made a mental note to ask Ellie about later, if it didn't come up before then - she resorted to sitting quietly in her seat, listening attentively, quietly popping a grape into her mouth with the hand that wasn't more pleasantly occupied.

Dragonfly frowned around her fork, picking up one of the sodas and opening it, glancing over at her own microwave and oven, which probably didn't get as much use as they deserved. "Could fix that for you," she offered, after swallowing her food. "Fairly simple machine. Deny you storage, but...working oven. Would promise not to...improve it," she grudgingly added while trying to shove various schematics out of her head. "Too much. Wouldn't want to frighten whoever had the oven after you. Unfortunate. Pilot lights and electric coils...very versatile."

Dragonfly tilted her head during the explanation; she did frown at the mention of telepaths but otherwise she was fairly still and focused, splitting her attention between the situation and reverse-engineering bits of the satellite from the provided pictures. And how she'd improve it, of course, but her brain did that pretty much on its own (as much as it could, with so little information to work with). shielding - propulsion - communications array - power - no - power there - atmosphere? - mmh - too hard to tell from a photograph She pulled her head back upright and settled back into her chair, frowning. "Probably won't get an answer. Have to ask anyway: biolab, biological cargo, heavily isolated workspace, grue - what were the recent experiments?"

"Mmh." Dragonfly reached out to grab the paper, fork hanging out of her mouth, and pointed over toward the refrigerator. "Bottom," she said around her food. "On their side. Bottles." flour - chicken - mushrooms - pepper - Marsala - mmh - don't keep that around - not fond of fortified wine - would have to get a bottle She blinked, looking up from the paper as something caught up with her. "Found it in your oven, under your costume?"

She blushed a little, ducking her head down a bit and using the food as an excuse to recover from the unexpected question. may have to get used to that - mmh - well worth it "We're...good," she said, and she meant it - her normally relatively flat voice had some happy color to it as she talked. "Having to...learn as I go, but...we're good. Enjoying things. At our own pace." Dragonfly gestured at the chicken, tilting her head. "S'good. Have the recipe?"

I think Quinn is thinking more about the ability to select where you hear from, in case the power doesn't inherently let you focus it. It may be able to be turned on or off on a continuous duration...but it's still either on or off; you either have relative peace (normal human hearing), or you have every noise in the world in your head. You could choose to invoke a lower rank in the power, but then you have every noise in whatever radius you use. He seems to be offering Selective as a solution, in the way of, "I would like to listen to Africa" or "I would like to listen to this part of the city".

Dragonfly, despite her other assorted social failings, was very rarely late; this time, in fact, she'd shown up early, and was sitting back in one of the conference room chairs. It was less due to respect for who was coming in, however, and more because she'd needed to escort Protectron, who she had no doubt would be useful...but who she still had some minor reservations about allowing loose in the upper floors of the Lab. Partly because his origins were still unknown...and partly because she knew that if she took her eyes off him, even once, she was afraid her office would be flooded with baskets of food and ready-to-eat rations. or something - still don't know how he does that - mysterious - can't review all the footage - tedious - mmh - write a program to review for me? - image recognition annoying - AI training takes too long - faster by hand - less interesting - mmh....

Dragonfly sampled the food as Silhouette talked, making an appreciative noise but otherwise letting the woman speak. Finally she shook her head, dismissing a thought with the wave of one hand. "Not judging beauty. Said yourself - too subjective. Suspect society isn't as big a factor; likely mostly exercise, deliberate or incidental or power-fueled. Attractive traits - toned body, and so on. Miss Americana is...mmh." The engineer tilted her head, frowning. "Natural, as far as I can tell. Would have to be...beyond excellent work. Depressing thought either way." She shook her head again, shrugging. "Not really what I meant, though. Physical fitness. Some overlap with beauty, but not my major concern. And, ah, gifts...would prefer not. Very...awkward? Don't mind having company now and again. Food is fine, you can enjoy that too. Clothing...mmh." She shifted a bit. "For special events, maybe. Christmas."

Dragonfly frowned, leaning against the counter at bit as she dredged up her scant biology knowledge. "Women have a propensity for lower muscle mass, but variance is too high. Widespread average body type breaks down when applied to individuals. Statistics...mmh. Even at a broader but local level. Am statistically about average height, but short compared to most people I meet. Gender may statistically predispose me toward lower muscle mass, but would still be less strong than many, and less strong than most heroes. Skip meals - usually an accident - and don't exercise much beyond fights. Not that concerned by it. Would be nice to be more fit, but would take too much time out of my schedule. Can make up the difference with technology."

Dragonfly nodded, grimacing a little. "Have thought of that. Has actually happened...just as vulnerable now as I would be in a suit. More, even - unpowered, a suit is still metal. Offers some protection. Current outfit does not. But will at least design it so that I am not immobile from the weight if it loses power...sacrifice some protection for mobility. Always tradeoffs." She frowned, looking back at the framework. In her mind's eye she pulled it apart, stripping things that wouldn't be in the final version, adding other things that would, filling in design details that didn't belong on a prototype. "Offers advantages. Inherent protection, better identity concealment. More room for special additions, better power sources...protection from environmental factors will be a bonus. Generally prefer not to freeze or suffocate. Might build in some strength multipliers...will see. Fun engineering project, regardless, and I can always return to smaller, individual creations if I dislike it."

"Sweat? Mmh. No, not a problem." She shook her head, brushing the thought away. "Not strictly water-vulnerable - didn't want you to get electrocuted when it rained. Wouldn't recommend the washing machine, no, harsh motion...but should stand up to gentle cleaning. Can always bring it in if you need it repaired...much easier to fix or replace parts than build." Dragonfly made her way over to join Silhouette in the kitchen, caught somewhat between her grim amusement that everyone seemed to think she never ate...and the knowledge that she'd skipped two meals today while working. She blinked as Silhouette glanced past her, though, shaken out of her thoughts by the question. "Mmh? Ah. Not...strictly speaking. Still working on flight. Prototype armored suit. Iteration...mmh. Five? Depends on how you count. Won't be the last version...too big, bulky. For testing out engineering ideas."

Dragonfly snorted, closing the door behind the ninja. "Get busy sometimes. Turn my phone off. Better for concentration...don't get many phone calls anyway." telemarketers stop calling when you send back signals that disable their phone lines - word gets around? - very mysterious "Glad the mask works well. Still comfortable? Flexible circuitry...fun project."

Gaian Knight spotted the runner, swinging his rock in closer and trying not to listen to the screeching, cut-off cries of the ex-blobette more towards the center of the dust storm. "No no. You stay in there, big guy." Rocks had been, almost unbidden, gathering up in the air behind his shoulders; more than a few of these broke off from the rest, arcing around the earth-wielding hero to stream into the cloud at the fleeing threat before it could reach the edge. Even said hero was surprised, however, when the assault stopped the thing in its tracks - it slumped to the ground and apparently disappeared, withering away into invisibility. "....huh. Well, then. That's what you get...I guess. Shows you?"

The Blob managed, this time, to weather off the attack. The previous radiation blasts had taken their toll, however, and it shifted uneasily before seemingly turning its attention not on trying to find heroes outside the cloud...but on trying to find its fellows inside. One of the blobettes, who had managed to avoid the worst of Gaian Knight's earthen spikes, apparently knew what was coming; it fled as fast as it could (which wasn't very) away from its bigger sibling. The other two, who hadn't fared so well against the stone assault, were not quite so lucky. The more injured of the pair drew the short straw; the giant blob simply engulfed it, leaving no trace of its morsel and almost immediately looking (or, through the dust cloud, at least moving in a way that implied being) healthier.

GK punishes the fleeing blobette, hopefully before it can get out of the Obscure! Ranged Attack Roll vs. Blobette 3 (autofire blast; Power Attack -2/+2) (1d20 + 11 - 2=28) Ooo, almost a crit. So close - and I seem to have forgotten my fatigue penalty, so that should be a 27, not a 28; still, more than good enough. DC26 (base) + 2 (power attack) + 5 (autofire) = DC33 Toughness. Toughness Save vs. Gaian Knight's Autofire Blast, DC33 (bruise x1) (1d20 + 15 - 1=15) ....a natural one. My goodness. Failure by 18, that's a KO. Bookkeeping: I just realized that the Blob should have two timers going for poison, as that affliction almost certainly stacks (and the Ecal agrees). Round summary updated to reflect that. ROUND THIRTEEN: (19 rounds remaining on Obscure) 9: Gaian Knight - 0HP - bruise x3, fatigued 6: Supercape - 3HP - bruise x1, fatigued 2: Blobette 4 - bruise x2 -2: The Blob - bruise x1 (8 rounds to gamma blast poison, 9 rounds to gamma blast poison)

Fortitude Save vs. Supercape's Gamma Blast, DC25 (1d20 + 10=28) Alas, it does manage to save that time. The one Blobette who isn't stunned - #3 - has a highly effective strategy. Blobettes 4&5 are not so lucky, and spend the round recovering from stun. The Blob eats Blobette 5, and recovers a bruise.

Dragonfly blinked, turning away from a shapeless framework nearly as tall as she was to glance at her main monitor and bring the outside camera up. Silhouette? - unexpected - visor, visor, visor - ah Putting down her tools she grabbed her visor off a nearby shelf and put it on, not really bothering with the rest of the costume as she walked over to answer the door in her t-shirt and overalls. "Silhouette! Come in. Wasn't expecting...mmh. A little cluttered. More than usual, anyway. What did you need?"

As it suddenly dawns on my tired brain that you're probably waiting on Dragonfly's init, even though they're not strictly fighting yet. Initiative Roll (1d20 + 7=19)

Gaian Knight raised an eyebrow at the disoriented-looking, shadow-indicated blob, smiling as he reached his power down into the earth under the blind and ravenous group. "Well, it certainly seems to be doing something," he encouraged. "More than I managed to do it, anyway. Guess I'd better stick to what's worked in the past...." He pulled a hand up, like yanking something out of the earth, and stone spines erupted from underground into the amorphous shadows, jutting out at every possible angle before most of them collapsed. From the sounds of things it wasn't a fight-winning move, but he'd hit something....

Deep in the sand cloud, upset-looking shifting shadows flailed and bumped into each other, enraged and impotent without their ability to see something to attack. The large shape belonging to the biggest of the group seemed extremely disoriented after Supercape's last attack, shuffling uneasily back and forth; one of the smaller shapes grabbed something nearby and threw it out of the inflicting dust storm, but without being able to see the heroes it only managed to trail dust into the air as the projectile burst free and was graciously caught by a nearby bush.

Gaian Knight hits 'em with the good ol' area attack. Blob reflexes suck, so DC25 toughness saves all around. Toughness Saves vs. Gaian Knight's Area Blast, DC25 (bruise x2, bruise, bruise, bruise x2) (1d20+18-2=34, 1d20+15-1=32, 1d20+15-1=17, 1d20+15-2=20) Save, save, bruise+stun, bruise+stun. ROUND TWELVE: (20 rounds remaining on Obscure) 9: Gaian Knight - 0HP - bruise x3, fatigued 6: Supercape - 3HP - bruise x1, fatigued 2: Blobettes 3-5 - bruise x1; bruise x2, stunned; bruise x3, stunned -2: The Blob - bruise x2 (9 rounds to gamma blast poison)

Fortitude Save vs. Blindness, DC20 (second attempt) (1d20 + 8 + 1=20) Blobette 3 recovers from its radiation-inflicted blindness, for all the good that does it. The Blobettes have no target, and just sorta mill around. The Blob is stunned, and spends his round recovering. Obscure/blind + flight + poor super-senses + GAMMA BLAST for victory!

Tremmorsense only typically works when he's on the ground - technically I guess I could fluff it as working by just feeling the ground move from afar, but I may save that for when his Detect Earth is a bit better. The save is DC25, I believe. Normally a fortitude save is 10+rank, but when you use Alternate Save to change a save away from being Toughness, it retains its 15+rank save - that's one of the major reasons it's a +1 extra for toughness save powers. Very tired, so I could be wrong, but that's what UP tells me. Fortitude Save vs. Supercape's Gamma Blast, DC25 (1d20 + 10=20) Its luck breaks! The Blob picks up a bruise and is stunned to boot. Proper GM posts when I'm not so incredibly, braindeadily tired.