Fox

Fortitude Save vs. Weightless Environment (circumstance bonus) (1d20 + 4 + 2=9) Yeah, her fortitude sucks...it's not really worth trying to reroll that. It'd be auto-success but it's more amusing for her to have her low save exploited.

Dragonfly turned pale, heaving a little and throwing a hand up to her mouth as her last meal tried to zero-gravity its way up out of her stomach. She kept from throwing up - barely - but she was visibly disturbed by the sudden loss of 'down'. hate that effect - hate hate hate - focus - try not to vomit while helping someone give a tour She was frowning as gravity came back - at least somewhat - carefully landing to make sure she didn't bounce right up again (bouncing would not help); she tried to ignore her stomach by keeping her attention was on the walls - or where the walls would be, anyway - as she ran some math in her head. "Lag in-" She paused, swallowing hard. "- lag in gravity cancelling. Thought I'd tweaked that. Working with other peoples' machines is never reliable...complicated to reverse-engineer their science, and diagnose problems, and maintain safety features, and make sure it doesn't harm nearby components. Mm..." She bit her lip, thinking back on the design. "Will have to toy with it later." She shrugged...carefully. "Expensive technology...high power requirements. Slightly abusable, of course. Will be more common when it's commercially viable, likely - currently would cost too much to use without releasing other, more dangerous technology. Suspect that the entertainment industry would get a lot of use out of it."

Gaian Knight tried the rebreather out, though he didn't actually use it; he figured he'd be needing every ounce of air it could provide. Removing it, he held it one hand for inspection. "Hm. Thank you - I wasn't keen on the idea of a diving bell of rock getting cracked open by something like that squid...thing. Though it might have been neat to see if it would work at all." He scratched the back of his neck, shrugging. "I guess I assume we swim, or teleport, or...well, fly, for all that it's underwater. As long as someone's willing and able to be our guide, we ought to make at least fairly decent time. I hope. It sounds like there's a bit of pressure to make sure we get to Atlantis or the...vampire armies," I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth, "before they get to Atlantis."

Dragonfly shook her head as the door closed, pulling her visor off and setting it carefully on the little shelf under her main computer monitors. "Strange pair," she commented aloud to no one in particular. "Think I like them." She set about cleaning up her work bench, tools going back in their places, parts swept away or shuffled back into place on the shelves, scrap brushed into a trash bin. She knew she really ought to be getting some sleep, but just didn't have it in her...some nights were like that. And the challenge of a wrist-mounted, long-living video player was just fascinating.... She pulled over her whiteboard and started erasing to make room.

End of thread? I may do one final post for Dragonfly (in a shameless bid for extra posts this month - almost to gold!), to cap off her end of things, if so.

Dragonfly reached behind her waist to pull out her multi-tool, expertly flicking it open like a switchblade and muttering something about 'no promises' as she slid into the car and got to work. A surprisingly short time later she emerged, carrying a hand-held device that looked like most of the parts from the police-band radio (and a decent section of the car's other dashboard electronics, plus...was that a piece from the engine?), all cobbled together with wires sticking out and at least one vacuum tube humming and full of blue energy. Dragonfly looked awfully satisfied with her little monstrosity, reaching into the rat's nest of wires and flicking something on, bringing it to life and watching the screen light up and flicker, setting it to its task. The front of the police car, sadly, had seen better days. Even a glance showed that most of the dash was either removed or completely gutted, and it would be fairly remarkable if the car would start at all, not to mention be drivable. Dragonfly made a mental note to fix the poor thing up - make it better! - when she had the time.

Jury-rig time! Device 2 (10dp; Easy to Lose) [6pp] A thrown-together detector made out of some spare parts and a police radio; how this mass of exposed metal and wires can do what it does is a bit of a mystery. Super-Senses 1 (Detect Dragonfly-Constructed Battlesuits [radio (acute, ranged, radius); Accurate 2, Extended 4 (~20 miles), Penetrates Concealment 4], Flaws: Action [standard]) [10dp] I hate putting flaws on senses. The math is a pain, but I'm assuming here that things like +accurate are technically extras. So this is a widget you carry around that can accurately find any Dragonfly-made powersuit within 20ish miles, with complete disregard for any material (stone, lead, whatever) that's in the way. DC check to construct is 10 (base) + 5 (jury-rig) + 6 (invention cost) = DC21. Craft (Electronic) Check for a 6pp device (Jury-Rigged); DC21 (1d20 + 15=29) Forgot to add the -2 modifier for working without tools (but with a multi-tool). Still, 27 is more than enough. Dragonfly throws this thing together in about half a minute to a minute.

Gaian Knight chuckled, half in actual amusement at their antics and half just to keep his nerves in check, trying his best to not be too close to those snapping jaws and sweeping limbs. More than anything else, he tried to keep his mind on what he was doing. Little stones and clods of dirt had taken up an orbit around him as he worked, both hands and eyes glowing pretty much constantly as rock and soil pulled themselves into a much smaller version of the hive he hoped to build for his new...friends. For all that they made him feel like he was going to be made into 'rezin', they were pretty helpful; he'd underestimated how big they'd need tunnels to be, not to mention how broad some of the chambers would have to be made for them to be comfortable. Or was that bee comfortable? Oh god, it's contagious. Before too long, at least, he had something that might work - the earth made itself pretty sturdy when he told it to, plenty of big, general-purpose rooms they could socialize in or repurpose, and most of the walls had a thick coating of nearly natural-strength dirt the bees could dig into for honeycombs or widened tunnels or whatever decorations they thought their hive would need. If it needed any. Are there bee artists? I think I like the idea of bees in giant artsy hats, arguing over poetry. "Well, ladies and gentlemen?" He dusted off his hands, most of his little orbiting rock friends settling back to hover behind his shoulders. "Anything else you want to make sure gets changed or fixed before I start working on the big version?"

Dragonfly sighed, leaning back against one of the rubble piles as the medics did what they do best. She didn't really have the energy to be furious anymore, but she still turned a frustrated eye toward where the - her - powersuits had been last she'd seen them. would be nice if I could track them - suits weren't designed to be subtle - still, leave very little in the way of energy trails - power source shifted - mm - could smack my younger self - didn't know any better - shame they fly so fast She blinked. Shame they fly so fast.... She heaved herself back upright, dusting off her hands and turning to face any of the building residents that were still hanging around. "Did any of you own CB radios?" she called out, hopefully. "Older the better. Will replace it - new or custom version - if I can...borrow parts."

He was awfully glad to see someone who could take care of a hurt ally (I really ought to take a night class on medicine, or...something.), but shifted uncomfortably at the question. "Afraid not. I could probably make something like a bathysphere, and I could go under the ocean well enough, but if I have to be in the water myself I'll need to grab something like a scuba tank." Hands in his pockets and feeling a little like - well, like a fish out of water - Gaian Knight tried to think about his options. There were probably shops selling scuba gear somewhere around this part of town...that bathysphere idea was kind of neat, but he'd need some mica or crystal to avoid being almost blind. Feeling vibration from water was like watching TV on an ancient black-and-white set with a bad antenna.

Dragonfly waved a hand, gathering up some of her tools and putting them back into their spots. "Glad to help. Good cause. Not that complex a piece of work...let me know if you want a better version later. Have some ideas for better power sources...though probably best not to use one that could tear reality if broken. Mmm..." She tapped a finger on a workbench, thinking on that one. "Will work on it. Safe power source that small would be very useful regardless." "Anyway. Good luck. Be careful on your way out. Neighborhood thugs know better than to come near this area, but the rest of Greenbank isn't as safe at night. Best to avoid trouble."

Gaian Knight furrowed his brow, pulling out a group of little rocks and cupping them in his hands. Trying awfully hard to ignore the weather (Fingerless gloves were perhaps not the best choice for winter.), he willed them to flow together and wrap upwards, shifting between different designs as if they were made of clay molded by obscenely fast, invisible hands. He was glad to not be thinking about giant, fire-breathing bees - they seemed pretty nice so far, but you never know; instead he tried to focus on what he did know: rock. Building most of the hive out of proper stone - or really, really compact dirt - would solve a lot of the structural problems, and anything underground could be reinforced with dense, heavy rock and whatever building supports lurked under the soil. Aside from making the thing big enough and not likely to collapse under its own load, the hard part was trying to make sure the darn thing was suited to their needs. He just really didn't know much about bee hives, and they didn't seem to know much themselves.... What was it Fleur said? Caught between instinct and intellect? How can I possibly make sure tunnels and combs are the right sizes? Unless I don't have to, came the little voice in the back of his head, that whispering spot where scientific breakthroughs and artistic inspiration lurk. He frowned, eyeing the landscape and letting the little clay-like model collapse back into chunks of mixed stone, which he shoved back in his pockets to idly fiddle with again. "....hm. If I built a little hive - a scale model, big enough for a bee or two but not big enough to house all of you - could you tell me if it suited you?" And not turn me into honey to test the combs?

Dragonfly just kept staring at her presents, having at some point - she couldn't remember when - reached out and taken the scarf, which she was now clutching like it was going to evaporate while staring at the little pet rolled around the warehouse floor figuring out which shelves had the clearance to roll under, which didn't. Eventually, though, her brain caught up and she tried to shake herself out of it, those little redundant thought processes poking her brain and reminding her that she'd been asked a question. "I- no. Short heels on the costume, I mean," she corrected, lifting a foot to point at them, "but haven't made them any taller. It's a side-eff....mm." She paused, trying to get her mind working again to remember how much she'd told anyone about anything from before she came to the city. "....artificially delayed growth," she decided on, with a little grump and a touch of bitterness in her voice. "Suspected it might happen. Annoying - should have been done a long time ago, normally. Suppose I can't complain. Could use the height." and other effects

Dragonfly relaxed a little, looking around the familiar room with something vaguely approaching calm happiness on her face. She'd been spending a bit of time in these rooms recently - she'd never gotten to spend much time in nature, and didn't have the free time to do it now, so these simulations tended to be the next best thing. They were almost...relaxing. "Engineering was...interesting. A challenge. Wasn't my project, but I lent a hand...mostly getting various systems to work together as a whole. A lot of creations to get to cooperate and interact without shorting or overheating or whatnot. Or," she added as a last-minute thought, thinking back to the mess of wires hidden behind the walls, "building a fire hazard. Final product is actually very safe. Popular off-hours spot for employees...can't blame them."

He put his hands in his pockets, frowning at the hives and trying to imagine them less as a giant building full of huge, man-eating insects and more as a really, really over-sized rock sculpture that was trying to hold up under its own weight. A sculpture made out of...what was it made out of? He closed his eyes behind the goggles, pausing in flight long enough to reach his senses out into the hive itself. I can't actually feel part of this, so I assume that's...I don't know. What do bees normally use? Wax? The rest is...good god. How is this thing standing up in the first place? Whatever they're using to reinforce all this dirt must be insanely tough....without it the critical angle of repose on this pile would be just awful. Hmm. He opened his eyes again, idly fiddling with one of the little stones in his pockets. "You've actually done a pretty good job...I think if humans had tried to work with what you have, they wouldn't have managed something half this big. What do you actually need in a good hive? So far I just know that it needs to be warm and protected...what's the inside like, and how big is the...ah, ideal home?"

Not one to avoid a good old-fashioned pow-wow, Gaian Knight brought his rock in toward the rest of the group, finding himself unable to take his eyes off where the squid had disappeared into the ocean. "A literal vampire squid? Tell me you're joking. At least tell me the sea's not full of those things...." He trailed off as Nereid shared her slightly cryptic warning, still looking out over the water. Atlantis? Did she say Atlantis? He sighed. "We have to go for a swim now, don't we." It wasn't really a question.

Dragonfly blinked, shaking her head. For just a moment she'd felt...something, a chill up her spine, half-formed thoughts in her head, before her brain took over and swept them away. She knew that feeling. And given recent events, it wasn't much of a stretch to know where it came from. The young heroine got to her feet, force field twisting back into being around her profile as her best friend panicked and took off...through a wall? didn't know she could do that - head hurts - head ALWAYS hurts - focus "This has been a very long - very bad day," she observed, turning an extremely unamused eye on the Horned One. "And you...you do not impress me." She raised an arm, firing off a twisting shockwave...that went wide, flying off to harmlessly impact against one of the warehouse walls. She swore, and started running a quick diagnostic on just how badly her gear had fared in that earthquake.

Ranged Attack Roll vs. Horned One (Blast) (1d20 + 8=9) Dang you, invisible castle. New enemy, new fight, and there was at least a short break after the last one; I'm assuming Master Plan has completely run its course by now, and no longer offers anyone a bonus to anything.

Gaian Knight sighed, turning his attention back on the struggling, panicked criminal. "Yeah, alright. Hold still, will you?" Motioning with two glowing hands, dirt and rocks from the temporary enclosure walls he'd put up swept together into a large dome over the bound criminal, leaving him a decent amount of space and a few small holes in the top for air and light. Another wave of the hands and the rock binding him in place fell away, crumbling into dust and rubble to leave him free...within the bounds of his new, much larger cage. "Are you happy now? Honestly, I didn't mean to give you a panic attack, but you really ought to think about these things before you run around with super-intelligent monkeys and a werewolf."

Dragonfly finished attaching the wrist strap with a satisfied noise, picking up the watch and turning around...just in time to see Creature Feature's frown. She glanced at where he was, and then up to the railing, visor calculating the distance. She blinked. "Are you alright? Long fall. First aid kit, if you need it. Look fine, though - no obviously broken bones. Sprain, perhaps...mm. Should be more careful around the railing, maybe." She shook her head, shrugging. "Watch is done, anyway. Loaded with the video...just have to press the button on the side. Silhouette was correct - best to remove it before changing. If you forget, the strap will break free and not hurt your wrist. Battery will only be good for a couple uses, at best...bring it back if you want to change the video or charge it. Might build something better in the meantime. Engineering challenges are very interesting...."

Dragonfly winced as the building came down, glad she'd managed to get out of the way in time...and by extension, get her cargo out of the way in time. Speaking of her cargo, Dragonfly held her arms out, reality folding around itself as the denizens of the building - ex-denizens of the ex-building, now - twisted back into reality. "You're safe," she stated, rather redundantly. "Authorities will be on their way soon, if they haven't left already. Recommend you wait for medical response to show up, get yourselves checked for injuries, concussion, shock." That, apparently, was good enough - she left the confused and disoriented civilians there in the street, jogging back to the pile of rubble and doing what she could to clear it out of the way; small bricks and chunks of stone got thrown off to the side, while larger pieces of wall and frame got folded into her dimensional pocket (she had to disable the warnings and alerts on her gauntlets, for that one - the little program that monitored these things was not awfully pleased by the stress this was putting on her systems). day has been bad enough already - do not need a killed hero no top of things - please

Tilting his rock forward a bit, Gaian Knight looked down at the remaining land-crawling squid and scowled. I'm not sure I can make a significant dent in that without hitting somebody. Well, then. Tilting back up, he moved himself toward the docks and in to reasonable attack range; bringing up both softly-glowing hands as bits of earth and soil from the ground jumped up into the air and sharpened to dangerous points. The stream of projectiles hung there for a moment, gathering in force until he swept his arms forward, sending the lot of them hurling through the air into the giant sea creature like so many guided missiles. Sharp, pointy guided missiles.

Ranged Attack Roll vs. Giant Vampire Squid (Autofire Blast) (1d20 + 11=22) Invisible Castle is kind and generous. Base DC25 Toughness save, up to a maximum of DC30. Just autofire 1, though.

Dragonfly just kind of stood there, occasionally moving her mouth but not really saying anything. She just had no idea how to react to gift-giving - vague memories of time with her mother was all she had, and that was so long ago that she was lucky she remembered anything at all. She was, in a word, completely floored - surprised at the sudden gifts, confused at the possible meaning behind it all, in love with the gift quality, and depressed that she didn't really have anything to give back. She briefly considered crying, but decided she was a little too proud and a little too shocked. Instead she stammered out a, "I...I don't...thank you? Thank you."

Gaian Knight was a little disconcerted having mouth parts that close to his weak, fleshy parts. "I, er. Yes, that sounds...wonderful." Turned into honey. "It would be pretty useful to see what you've made so far...." Loose rock and rubble - most of it from the hole Beatrizz had made, so as not to disturb any plants - lifted up and pulled together, forming a flat-topped chunk of rock. He took the opportunity to step up onto it, away from the nudging leg. So very strange. He pulled his hood back up. "I can fly, yes. Not awfully fast, but usually fast enough. Er...Fleur?" He glanced at the woman, realizing he wasn't quite sure how she got around, aside from grass-scented teleporting. "If you need a ride...?"