Ari

Standing amid a pile of shattered reptiloid bones, the normally immaculate(if dowdy) Planet Inspector Dol-Druth looked downright disheveled, his iridescent beige suit torn and slashed across his bulging chest, a notch missing from one slender antenna and his metallic blue briefcase lying crushed on the sidewalk in the imprint of a raptor's talon. Panting as his eyes began once more to blaze blue, the mentally-linked alien shouted gutturally "Whoever is responsible for this, come out! Your grievances have a significant increase in the probability of being heard and redressed if you refrain from attacking your own kind! Show yourself!" As that didn't seem likely to happen any time soon, the husky alien bureaucrat reached out a hand like a hamburger attached to a radial of sausage links and focused the collective of willpower that made him Speaker of Dotrae, concentrating millions of minds into an azure bolt of telekinetic force that reached out to crush the nearest of the hammer-tailed skeletons. To his frustration the bolt only held the corpse for a splintered second before it burst apart under the strain of containing something so heavy and...well, lively. Dol-Druth gritted his teeth, and felt the anger of a million minds at this failure. His harsh voice rang in the air again "I repeat, miscreant, show yourself!"

So much for that resolution. So first, for a free action, Dol-Druth is going to ask whoever is responsible for this to come out and explain themselves. Move Object Grapple attempt on one of the ankylosaurs:11. Critical failure. HP re-roll: 24. DC25 TOU save if that hits, and likewise opposed Grapple DC25.

Sausage-thick fingers darting away at the illusory keys, Dol-Druth had started to turn to #3 to ask something when the powerfully-built new arrival sat down with them and shared his views. Blinking in surprise Another! And is that...? No, your imagination the ambassador collected himself and smoothly discorporated another holographic page with the same questions as he'd given the other three, sliding it over to this 'Mike Harris'. "Thank you for joining us, and if it is all the same to you, Sri Harris I will omit your name from the poll. Please take your time with the preliminary, though I do have one question: you say that Dakana Africanis would benefit more from more trade, while I understand its wealth and power comes from tight-fisted monopoly over a certain valuable mineral uncommon to this planet. Is there more to this than I am aware? What would be an example of how they would benefit from more contact?" As he spoke, the white-skinned alien was still tapping away, noting the points of disagreemtn radiating from a central base assumption. The general consensus was a reassuring shift, at least. Aloud, his antennae twitching at each of the Earthlins in turn, the Dotrae asked "So the best hope is that the like-minded cooperate with each other, while allowing for differences and alternative views. Does this mean that, in some respect, the criminal use of exceptional abilities must be allowed for? Even accepted as a price of that tolerance and leeway? If not, what steps would be acceptable for curtailing it? Will the expected increase in exceptional population help or hinder such processes?"

Removed the Communication Link, as I already got the free PlotPhone, changed it to add Tracking to Infravision. Took a rank off of Luck and used that to buy a rank of Attack Focus(Melee).

GM With little further discussion, the plan was put into immediate action. Tesla hovered above the ground in a brilliant display of golden green nucleonic energy, a tremendous drill of high-tension power forming with meticulous precision out of thin air. In mere moments the noiseless thing was churning meters deep into the soil, transferring the waste into a mound a good distance from the Pegasus. Only a few minutes passed before the steady rustle of the ground and the thrum of the drill was abruptly stopped with a metallic screech. "We've hit it! Whatever it is!" Tesla called, her eyes snapping open with a flood of golden light. Quickly the drill reshaped and got back to work, and a stairway of packed earth led to down a a vast series of overlapping silvery plates, one lip more than big enough for an adult to walk under, or fly. Other plates and domes could be glimpsed below, attached by sinuous, twining lengths of the same strange metal and seeming to grow out of the bedrock. "Well, nothing else for it. Let's go." Tesla led the way, vanishing like a darting firefly beneath the silver skin and pausing for the others to follow.

Initiative is a result of 17. Dreadfully sorry for the delay, olopi! I will be more prompt in future.

Unless this gets too crowded, The Speaker is aboard.

GM With probably another sequential tap of the belt's...heart, Lavernius quickly collapsed back into full view, beaming at Amir and his fellow Redshift employees. Evidently his glee at the success of his tech was pushing small matters like the crowd of protestors outside to the bottom of his priorities list. Turning proudly to the papa of Summit Transnational, the scientist asked blithely "So, what was it you wanted me shrunk down for, Amir? Oh! Do you want to see the inversion principle at work? Maybe-!" "He wants to know about the power source." Monday broke in wearily, running a hand through his thinning hair "Mr. al-Misri, I promise you and can readily demonstrate those people outside are mistaken. Our work has nothing to do with the Terminus, that's all a smear campaign orchestrated by the ECHO Group down in Silicon Valley. They might even have arranged this protest, you know how unscrupulous they can be!" The ECHO Group was, admittedly, not exactly known for strict adherence to ethical integrity. Unless those ethics involved the phrase "screw you got mine". Their work in the super-technology field was (grudgingly) praised as being at least in the realm of the public output of super-geniuses like Archetech's boss Miss Americana, but riddled with unnumerable violations of the spirit of the law and labour standards. But an East Coast giant like ECHO trying to slander floundering Redshift Energy about a secret pet project by one of its sparse wunderkind? Even one involving a mass-shifting suit? That excuse just raised further questions.

Hyperslice Power Level: 12 (180/187PP) Unspent Power Points: 7 Trade-Offs: -2 Attack / +2 Damage, +5 Defense / -5 Toughness In Brief: A serpentine star-soaring aristocrat. Catchphrase: "Have a slice!" Theme: Garbage: When I Grow Up Alternate Identity: Skirris Sandwinder of the Silver Shadow Birthplace: Haasaa Prime, The Nest Residence: Coalition Victory Station Base of Operations: Coalition Victory Station Occupation: Aristocrat, Praetorian, Affiliations: Praetorians, Lor Republic, Queenmother Neshath Family: Nasselth Sandwinder (mother), Ashmet Scourtail (father), several dozen sisters and brothers, Description: Age: 18 ( calendar) Apparent Age: N/A Gender: Female Ethnicity: Northern Dune Height: 7' Weight: 250lbs Eyes: Green Hair: None Resembling the naga from Hindu legend, Skirris is a brawny brown and black reptilian alien with a humanoid upper body and snake's lower body. While her head is blunter and more ape-like than a snake or Lemurian's, she is covered in golden-brown scales patterned with red, lacks ears and hair, and has a mouth full of curving fangs and a forked tongue. Like most adolescents of her species she hasn't fully developed the complex network of facial scales that give the haasaan their identification. On duty she wears a silvery costume from head to tip that doubles as a space-suit and armor, off duty she wears all the frills, bands, bangles and bizarre mixes of galactic fashion she can get her hands on. History: Two thousand years ago, in service of the now-vanished Delaztri Empire, there was an army of specially-gifted citizens called the Praetorians. Among their number was the Silver Shadow, a serpentine ghost who could pass through light-years as easily as millimetres and fell a hundred enemies on a hundred worlds before the first could fall. She was a conduit for that mysterious region known as hyperspace, able to bridge material gulfs through a benign mutation. She is thought to have died in the war against the Communion and was lost to history on all worlds but her home, Haasaa Prime, home of the haasaan, a golden-green jewel of deserts and luscious jungles. On that same world two millenia later was born Skirris Sandwinder, who quickly showed signs of having the same talent for manipulating hyperspace. Unfortunately, growing up in the royal estates, surrounded by the wealth and privilege of her rank and with the power to escape any situation she didn't want to be in, the kind of nobility and courage that marked her predecessor evaded her. Quickly boring of her home, by the age of seven she began wandering off to find trouble. By the age of ten she had graduated to petty mischief and the Queenmother of the haasaan knew that only worse was to come. She ordered the secret construction of a device to restrict Skirris's powers, and call her back to the Nest if she strayed. To the young girl, who all her life had been placated and coaxed with the awesome destiny that was her birthright, it was a sign that all along everyone had been lying and just wanted to control her. No longer able to simply leave her classes, the young aristocrat sullenly got back into studies and attending court lessons like all her noble siblings. It was in her thirteenth year that she figured out how to channel hyperspacial energy to empower her strikes, forcing a hasty refit of the Dam. By seventeen however, Skirris had seemed to calm and mellow, showing real interest in the wider world, especially the exotic cultures of other species. The Dam was relaxed, on the condition that she not do anything that had necessitated its existence. The rule proved depressingly easy to break, as every other month the teenaged noblewoman would systematically empty every bar on Haasaa Prime of its liquor and any local alpha female who figured they stood a chance in a fight with her. There was never death or permanent injury, but the constant reports of their misbehaving super-being and the seeming impossibility of correcting Skirris's behaviour outside of force made up for that. Even her parents were at a loss of how to deal with her. The outbreak of the Incursion War, and the desperate struggle for survival in the early days of the Communion attack, proved to be the solution. Despite her lack of experience Skirris was packed off to help haasaan colonies evacuate and get valuables and artifacts out of the growing warspace. Torn from the stifling confines of one planet, one people, and flung into a myriad others, the novice Silver Shadow saw for the first time how small and petty her lifelong-tantrum had been, the wonders and adventure that lay beyond her familiar star. Rushing through the shifting silence of hyperspace, saving innocent lives and priceless treasures from destruction, Skirris found her true calling. However, the war ended, she was recalled to Haasaa Prime, and though the Queenmother formally deactivated the Dam in light of her efforts and unexpected valour, she was forbidden from wandering outside the system until a Republic scientific study could be done on her unusual genetics and she had selected suitable mates. Realizing the years that now stood between her and any chance of getting to live like she had during the war, Skirris sank back into her old ways of boozing and barfights, enlivened wih the occasional scandalous dalliance with some obviously unsuitable male. At last, her parents and the Queenmother had had enough. With the opening of the ranks of the reestablished Praetorians, Skirris was promptly offered as a potential member, nobody more surprised than her when she was accepted. Presented with a specially-crafted Silver Shadow suit she was quickly packed off to the Praetorian base at CoVic Station, cut off from her family, her parents' wealth and prestige, everything she had known since childhood, out into the wild black yonder of infinite terrors and evils. Her life had begun at last. Personality & Motivation: Skirris is an unsophisticated party girl, a thuggish and loud-mouthed extract of a rigidly hierarchal and class-based society. While her name has no weight outside the Haas system, she's never short of confidence or expectation of obedience, especially from men, who she still has trouble taking seriously as leaders or fighters. Her naive ignorance about the world is compounded by an overweening self-regard for herself and her abilities, to the point where she all but reflexively challenges the decisions of anyone she sees as a rival. Lacking in social skills besides a well-honed ability to lie with a straight face, Skirris is largely concerned with getting what she wants when she wants it. Having lacked true peers for most of her life, she has trouble emphathizing with others' problems, though she does have a fierce sense of loyalty to anyone who treats her even a little like she sees as her due. Preferring bars to battlefields and roaming to reconnaissance, as Hyperslice she nontheless puts herself aside, plunging into battles and contests of power she has no chance of winning, both to avoid the nagging doubt of "Could I?" and to make herself into what she knows she was born to be: the greatest hero in all space. Powers & Tactics: Able to dart in and out of battlefields on multiple planets, when fighting alone Skirris prefers to rush in, get her punches into the enemy, and rush out before they can retaliate. When with allies, she constantly looks for ways to tilt the odds in their favour, though her inexperience limits what she can really do even with all her power. Power Descriptions: Hyperslice channels the forces underlying hyperspace, the intersitial dimension commonly used for travel by space-faring species. With it she can hurl herself across the cosmos by opening gaps or lanes to her destination, redirect energy and impacts directed at her into hyperspace, or just turn herself into a cosmically-fast brawler. Whenever she uses her powers, her body is suffused with a shifting silver aura, and in flight she leaves a trail of exotic particles that in some atmospheres create dazzling auroras. Complications: Amazing Traffic Hazard: Sending dangerous things into the most-used transit dimension in the known omniverse is hardly an infallible or safe strategy. Bar Boa: Local watering holes are good places for information and fun, but also good places to get into needless trouble or attract unwanted attention. Skirris doesn't care about that last, yet. Blowing through life: If it even kind of sounds like a good time, Skirris is there. Challenger: Hyperslice must prove equal or superior in all challenges or contests, no matter how improbable. Got Dam: The device created to nullify her powers and transport her back to Haasaa Prime is currently deactivated and partially disassembled. With the right know-how, that can easily change. Easy Mark: Skirris is horrifyingly easy to mislead. Got Something Ancient On My Scales: In the course of ferrying prehistoric artifacts and heirlooms, Skirris could have exposed herself to any number of things, from Preserver nanites to Hierarchy biomoulds, Delaztri energy reformers or the mystic crystal Siphons of Sirrion. Motivation: Living up to her and others' expectations of herself. Responsibility: Helping other Praetorians. Rivals with her boss: Hyperslice has an irrational and utterly pointless combatative relationship with Paradigm, leader of the Praetorians. Rivals with ANY boss: That extends to almost anyone in authority, no matter how earned it is or how good the authority figure. The Replacement: There's more going on with the first Silver Shadow's disappearance than anyone knows. Sucker for a good tail: Surrounded by exotic, fascinating aliens, Skirris is willing to overlook a LOT in someone if she thinks he's pretty. Abilities: 8 + 10 + 10 + 0 - 2 + 0 = 26PP Strength: 18 (+4) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 8 (-1) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +13 Attack: +10 Melee, +6 Ranged Defense: +17 (+6 Base, +11 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Grapple: +15 Knockback: -4/-2 Saving Throws: 3 + 7 + 8 = 18PP Toughness: +7 (+5 Con, +2 Protection, +5/+0 Impervious) Fortitude: +8 (+5 Con, +3) Reflex: +12 (+5 Dex, +7) Will: +7 (-1 Wis, +8) Skills: 44R = 11PP Bluff 12 (+12) Escape Artist 5 (+10) Knowledge(Current Events) 10 (+10) Knowledge(Galactic Lore) 5 (+5) Knowledge(Pop Culture) 10 (+10) Languages 2(Galactic Standard, Haasri(Native), Jerreid) Feats: 22PP Attack Focus 4 (Melee) Dodge Bonus 11 Grappling Finesse Improved Initiative 2 Improved Trip Interpose Luck Move-by-Action Equipment 0 = 0EP Praetorian Personal Communicator(Communication: Flaw: to/from other PPCs only)[0EP] Powers: 17 + 6 + 32 + 27 + 2 = 84PP Device 4(20PP Device; Hard to Lose; Feats: Restricted 1(haasaan)[17PP] hypersuit Technology Immunity 9(Life Support) Impervious TOU 5 Protection 2 Super-Senses 4(Direction Sense(oriented towards Haasaa Prime), Distance Sense, Time Sense, Tracking(Infravision)) Haasaan Physiology(5PP Passive Container; Feats: Innate)[6PP] Elongation 1(5'; tail)[1PP] Super-Movement 1(Slithering)[2PP] Super-Senses 2(Acute Normal Olfactory; Infravision)[2PP] Hyper Array 15(30PP array; Feats: Alternate Power 2)[32PP] Mutant/Cosmic Base Power: Flight 12(50,000MPH, 500,000FPR)[24] + Super-Movement 3(Space-Travel 3)[6PP] = 30PP AP: Immunity 20(All Lethal Physical Damage; Extras: Linked(Immunity(Lethal Energy Damage, Heat/Radiation Effects); Flaws: Half-effect)[10PP] + Immunity 20(Lethal Energy Damage; Extras: Linked(Lethal Physical Damage, Heat/Radiation Effects); Flaws: Half-effect)[10PP] + Immunity 10(Heat/Radiation Effects; Extras: Linked(Lethal Energy/Physical Damage))[10PP] = 30PP AP: Teleport 15(anywhere in same solar system.; Extras: Accurate; Flaws: Long-Range Only)[30PP] Slice Array 12.5(25PP; Feats: Alternate power 2)[27PP] Mutant/training Base Power: Damage 10(Extras: Penetration 7; Feats: Mighty[DMG 14], Knockback 7[DMG 21])[25PP] AP: Damage 10(Extras: Area(Burst, 100ft), Selective Attack; Flaws: Action(Full-Round); Feats: Mighty[DMG 14], Progression 4(Area Radius))[25PP] AP: Damage 10(Extras: Autofire [DMG 14]; Feats: Mighty)[25PP] Super-Movement 1(Dimensional Movement 1 (to/from Hyperspace))[2PP] Mutant Drawbacks: (-3) + (-2 = -5PP Vulnerability(Cold Effects; Moderate(x1.5 DC), Common)[-3] Vulnerability(Gravity Effects; Moderate(x1.5 DC), Uncommon[-2] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 19 Toughness Damage(Physical) Damage Touch DC 29 Toughness Damage(Physical) Damage(Area) Area(100') DC 29 Toughness Damage(Physical) Totals: Abilities (26) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (18) + Skills (11) + Feats (22) + Powers (84) - Drawbacks (5) = 180/187 Power Points

GM "Nothing wounded but my pride, young lady, though I thank you for the concern." Dr. Chandler close up was striking, from his large, intelligent brown eyes almost dancing with undisguised merriment to a well-tended Mephistophelean goatee curling from his strong chin. Somehow the doctor's legs and arms had gotten tangled up around each other and behind his back, and it was with difficulty that they were gotten to where they belonged. Straightening up, the man gingerly touched a thin red line that broke the dark skin of his cheek, wincing. "I am most dreadfully sorry for your witnessing one of my few professional failures. Mrs. Stenson is one of my longest patients, and that sort of outburst is simply unheard of in my line. Really, it's a damning blot on my psychologist's escutcheon that shall never be dimmed or concealed." For a moment, Dr. Chandler looked very grave, but he grinned, tossed the matter aside with a wave of his hand and marched over his desk, broken clean in half and lying on the floor, to retrieve Robin's file. Pausing for a second to scan it, the doctor was illuminated from behind by the massive windows that dominated his office. The room was not very wide, but it soared upwards and curved so that all the light fixtures had to be on the same wall as his office door. The windows didn't let in much light, blocked by the rest of the Cresswell Building, especially one massive effigy of some obscure founding father with an imperious smile and a patronizng set to his eyes. In fact, you couldn't see any of the street from up here, just the city skyline facing roughly north. "Please take a seat, Mz. Chevalier," Dr. Chandler was already setting back up his deep high-backed leather chair, which he settled into with a gesture to a couch across from him and behind a low coffee table "or stand, or walk about, whatever sets you at ease in unfamiliar surroundings." Scanning the file again and taking out a small tablet and stylus from his coat pocket, the doctor began simply "How do you feel about being here? Why, from your perspective only, do you think Mz. Summers sent you to me?"

"Oh, hardly an intru...not bothering me, no." Atraxia hastened to reassure her impromptu guest, flitting ghost-like around the room as she cycled up the lighting systems and meticulously adjusted the pressure generators. Almost at once Meatheral felt the awkward lightness of Lunar gravity replaced by solid, comfortable Terrestrial weight. For her part, Red Moon had a rare reason to thank her transformation, since being able to simply float above the ground at will meant she didn't have to feel her bones and sinews struggle and crack under the punishing grind of Earthly gravity. With a final swipe of her fingers across a many-coloured control board, the basic lighting of the Warrens was replaced by proper illumination. What it revealed was quite beyond what Jerry had seen even in the most fanciful of sci-fi. The stark white walls, floor and ceiling were lined with glimmering currents of power under semi-translucent strips running through and across the room. From the dais the Hub radiated in a rough circle, a crystalline pillar pulsating gently at each edge of the room acting as conduit for the strange energies powering the Moon base. Despite their solidity, the structure felt as fluid as light, seeming to course with some hidden energy and waiting to fly apart in a moment. Even the floor trembled and pulsed to the eyes like it was some kind of illusion. Overhead the already low roof dipped, until Jerry could have reached up and touched the broad, dark inverted dome bare meters above his head, a single point of pale blue light lurking in its depths. It was uncomfortably like looking into an eye. Above a small, one-person control station in front of him and off of the dais, a hologram of the Earth was projected, unintelligible letters and symbols surrounding one location he did recognize: the damp island he'd just left. Orbiting it was a representation of the Moon, different letters and symbols around a spot near a deep crater on the dark side that was probably where he had ended up. All of it was shades of blue and purple. Beside the red, black and grey his host wore the place already looked incongruous and ill-fitting. But as she drifted up to her guest and extended a spidery limb, Atraxia felt quite at home in asking "So, where first? What first? Power? Quarters? Matter Transfer? I have an incredible find in the Lab, though it will be tricky to fit two in there at once. I can expand the room if you want?"

GM Lavernius grinned at the faint sign of assent "You won't regret that, Amir." He tapped the ovular mark(button or buckle just didn't seem right) on the front of the belt in a vaguely Morse-like sequence, and suddenly the physicist began to glow red. Faintly, at first, so the dimmed lights helped make the process a little less abrupt. The air shivered, and as if unfolding the rest of a suit of armor began expanding from the belt, covering Lavernius from head to toe in moments. His body began to grow, filling out like a close-up on camera. His head and shoulders and feet were past the floor almost before the armor had covered them, and soon his torso alone was in view, filling most of the meeting room. But the ceiling didn't buckle and the floor was intact. The red shell of Lavernius' armor was immense but hazy, passing through Amir in a faint wave of heat. "As you can guess, Amir," the physicist's voice rang metallically through the meeting room's sound system "I did not want to grow so large I came through the building, but also not so little that I had to walk through a wall to show something had happened. But that's just the first part! Not only can I disperse my mass using this technology, I can choose where and how much! To make this a proper demonstration, I would like to invite you and my colleagues to the roof, where there is no risk of-" the scientist's voice changed sharply "Hold on, something's going on outside, people carrying signs and shouting around the building." A casual glance quickly showed that was the case. A remarkably large gathering of Freedonians from a broad swath of the city was outside, many of them carrying signs and effigies, most of them bundled up, and all of them looking very angry. Inside the building their chants were just a dull roar, almost unnoticeable unless you really tried to listen for them. Amir easily caught Monday and one of his associates looking fleetingly at each other, some unspoken, terrified question and ambiguous, unhelpful answer passing between them in just a horrified second. Unaware of this, Lavernius went on blithely. "Let's see, magnification and focusing lenses are working as intended, let's see those signs..."Better DEADshift than REDshift", I don't understand that one, "No More T-Gates", ditto...ah! Got one! "Mad Science Costs Lives: Stop Terminus Experiments" which is just ridiculous. Nobody is doing anything of the sort, they know how dangerous that is!"

Dol-Druth frowned at #3's mention of telepaths in government positions. "Yes, we have encountered considerable difficulties trying to install mentats into positions outside advisory and supplemental roles. The temptation in lonemind mentats to change others is...phenomenally difficult to combat with the law alone." Fastidiously cleaning crumbs from his face with pinches of a napkin, the mountainous alien nodded shortly at the answers from the interviewees, his eyes once more fixed on the scrolling Galstandard letters unraveling elegantly upwards. He glanced up once at something #1 had said. Leveling of the playing field. Curious choice of words. Hmmm. Inquire? The answer was quickly decided: yes, let us see what that means "You mention "playing field". In your society, individual accomplishment often overshadows joint endeavours in both media and language choice, do you think this mindset, seeing your civilization as necessarily a contest or struggle between each other, will continue?" "More broadly," his antennae quirked towards #1 "do you foresee an end to the factionalism and separation in your power structures? Or is that necessarily human nature, something your species will always depend upon for improvement and innovation?" "For example, if New Freedom on the Southern Continent or Dakana in Africanis abandoned their semi-isolationism, whom would that benefit?"

Removed 4 points from Charisma to buy up the two ranks of Defence. As for the Communication Link, what would you suggest instead? Personal subspace comms? Covic Station? Edit: Ah, the free "cell phone" thing was reminded to me. That puts paid to that, changing the Communication Link to Hyperspace Awareness.

First draft is done, after two months of nothing! I am good at this game. Anyway, how does this look? What instantly strikes you as needing tweaking?

GM "Alright." Tesla stood up, her brief reverie broken as she took command. "Terrifica, you and the technicians and scientists will remain on the Pegasus while me, Chase, Velocity, Wayward and Tristan look into this, you'll be safer-no offense meant-and better placed for data review. Wayward, if you would, I think a mental link between you and Chase might be a good idea so we can better transmit what's going on and what we find as we find it back to the ship. If it's nothing dangerous, we can easily come back "Doctor Delacroix, you have made clear your desire to stay, so that leaves Mz. Cain's crew and you Ms. Celeste." Tesla Atom nodded to the reporter "Given what we know about the Infraverse your hypothesis has considerable merit, would you like to see it out for yourself? I warn you, Chase's TK is still on the clumsy side, and his flying is appalling." Glancing at her brother, Tesla was rewarded with a faint, distracted shrug as he approached Wayward, looking utterly serious. Moving along, the Atom suggested "So, this silver thing is under the ground, rather than traveling to where it's a,ready uncovered, what if I just dug us a hole to it?"

This is going to be a long orbit. While the humans had been talking, Dol-Druth had been busily taking notes, the linked alien drawing on several thousand other minds to help process, refine and translate the debate into its most salient points and details. Inevitably, some things just couldn't be made to fit in the PIR's data format, either because they referred to concepts so antique as to be untranslatable in modern Galactic Standard, or because they required additional explanation and context that hadn't yet come up in the course of the talk. For instance, the disseminated and largely decentralized nature of Earth's infant infoweb and its effect on public discourse. Mumbling something under his breath, Dol-Druth glanced up from his holocor as the discussion grew more heated. The two upper-class humans appeared to be at an ideological impasse, one the inspector frankly had little sympathy for. If the humans were going to preach conformity and individualism at the same time and expect things to just work out, that was their problem. "We respect your views, but must remind you that this not simply an open forum. Let us keep on track. There are only a few questions left, and afterwards you will have plenty of time to explore your differences. Now then," Dol-Druth's large, black eyes scanned the document in front of him, pausing on the next vein of this bureaucratic artery "your exceptionals have a very prominent and active engagement with your society. As they are in many cases of superior ability, do you think they will come to lead your civlization or remain in their present, auxiliary role as peacekeepers and emergency services?" "I apologize, number three," the alien added with a frown of his snowy head at Cassidy "I was distracted and did not think to give you a preliminar. I am Dol-Druth, speaking for Dotrae. Would you please fill this out?" another hard-light 'sheet' was detached and handed to the red-haired man, with the same questions as asked of the first two. Taking a bite of his muffin, pausing to wait for the surge of disgust to wash by, Dol-Druth checked over the notes on the holocor. "Hrmgh. In particular, what are called science-heroes, such as this city's Miss Americana and Dragonfly, or Daedalus or the shamed Doktor Archeville. They have significant reach and an authority via economics that even the likes of the Freedom League cannot easily replicate. Do you think they are a likely example of what future superheroes will be, technologically-focused and active in your global marketplace? The internet allows for the spread of information much more quickly than before, and to keep pace with the arms-race of super-powered criminality people need a good deal more money." Swallowing with a grimace, the alien concluded "Not to mention that modern Earth science can now mimic much of what was once the sole province of the superhumanly gifted; except for exceptional intelligence, and even that gap is closing."

"The transit ray shouldn't have stayed in place, that doesn't make any sense." Red Moon was crouched by the dais, fiddling with an array of glowing lines that curved and crackled at her touch. Straightening up to her full lean, spectral height, the Farsider scientist went on anxiously "Please do not hold onto this. I did not expect anyone, using the artificial atmosphere generator is a waste for me...in this suit, I mean, usually I keep it off." Sounding as wretched as she felt, Atraxia added in her strangely echoing voice "I am deeply, terribly sorry for hurting you." There was an awkward silence as the Farsider struggled to think of an appropriate follow-up, at last hitting on "Would...would you like me to show you the rest of the Warren? The atmosphere is on, you are quite safe in human form. I promise!"

GM From outside, at first Robin couldn't hear anything. Then the faint drone of voices behind the door grew, and grew, until she could clearly hear a woman shouting "Calm down? You want ME to CALM DOWN?! I will show that miserable pile of £{+[ that he does not DESERVE Throb Stromsturm! Out of my way!" There was a horrific crash of breaking wood, a cry of surprise and pain, and suddenly the door was wrenched open by a stocky woman with dirty-blonde hair, a face blazing red, and one black eye. She was suddenly eclipsed by another, taller yet slighter figure in an elegant red suit with their back to Robin who began "Please, Mrs. Stenson, control yourself-!" Mrs. Stenson let out a roar like a lion, picked up the man and flung him out of sight into the office with another crash, and stormed out into the hall. As she passed Robin, she smiled sweetly "Sorry if I kept you waiting, dear. If you'll just excuse me...!" with that she vanished around the corner. From inside the dark office the other voice called out, rich, aristocratic and refined despite the awkwardness of it needing to say "I beg your pardon, Mz. Chevalier, but would you please come in and help me up? I appear to be, er, stuck. In my wastepaper basket."

Alert, atmosphere leak Atraxia started up from the viewscope, staring in complete bafflement at the transmitter on the wall. What atmosphere? She hadn't turned that on when she arrived, and- Her dead blue eyes widened. Of course! When she had come back from Earth, some of the atmosphere around her had been transported at the same time. Now it was doing a valuable job and showing her a flaw in the Warrens' transit hub. Lurching away from her experiment, the nanites temporarily forgotten, the Lunar vampire hurried over to a viewscreen; a few sliders were pressed and a full climate readout of the Hub was presented. The results were...unexpected? Atraxia was forced to admit the undeniable: somehow there was a miniature cyclone in her home, and unless the United Kingdom had been even more severely affected by temporal anomalies than usual, this was no carryover of a few whisps of water vapor and some nitrogen. This was something that bore immediate investigation! For completeness' sake, the Farsider skipped back a minute to see how the mystery whirlwind had begun. It took longer than she cared to admit to agree with the evidence that it had somehow begun after she had arrived. Switching to the visible spectrum recorders, she started as she watched a replay of Jerry's arrival, the intruder alert from just a short time ago quickly taking on a very different context, now that she saw for herself that it wasn't just some error. Hastily activating the Warrens' artificial atmosphere, centralizing it on the Hub, Atraxia raced back to where she'd arrived. Sliding noiselessly through a wall, the black-suited scientist croaked, her dry, rasping voice echoing with the sound of a dozen other languages whispered in the background "Hello! I-I am sorry, I did not realize you were here. Are you alright?" There was an awkward pause before she offered, tentatively "Who are you? How did you get here?" "I am Red Moon" she added, remembering herself "These are my Warrens, you are on the far side of Luna."

GM February 20, Saturday, 11.25AM, 2016 The Cresswell Building, corner of Lombard and Madison, Freedom City After making a full physical recovery from the harrowing battle in the Goodman Building, it was necessary for the Claremont students involved to undergo psychiatric evaluation. Riley already had regular sessions with Claremont's experienced counselor, and Naomi was signed up withhim as well, but Robin's trials and the workload on-campus had led the Headmistress to, in a rare moment, contact an outside expert for help. Which was why Robin was standing outside a dazzling Art Deco skyscraper in the heart of downtown Freedom, stylized City Fathers and their hangers-on smiling patronizingly down at her. The sun shone down with unusual warmth for mid-February on the Atlantic coast, the sky was clear, the air marginally fresher, the seagulls making their plaintive cry over the gentle rumble of late morning traffic. A perfect day for sitting in a room answering a stranger's questions. The terse note in Headmistress Callie Summers' handwriting instructed Floor 15. Dr. Chandler. Be polite.

"You and every planeter ever inspected." The corpulent alien offered his white hand to Samantha "Dol-Druth, Speaking for Dotrae." "Mentioning "worth", that is not accurate. "Compatibility" is more to the truth. It would be useless to try and quantify or qualify the "worth" of any species. Besides the matter of evolution, the future is still largely a mystery, despite our efforts. What we do not value, such as human faith in the supernal, has proved very valuable to them and us." Dol-Druth picked up his coffee, looked at it, visibly turned the concept of drinking it over in his mind, and set it back down again. "Besides, humans have already demonstrated their 'worth' before a higher court than any Rotunda. You can thank AEGIS for that." Tapping at the screen of his computer, the rounded Dotrae swiped to another part of what now seemed to be connected or branching documents, this one marked with a symbol everyone at the table recognized as a Greek delta. "You say there is no 'objective standard' for your exceptionals. Does this mean anyone can claim to be a 'superhero' or 'supervillain', there is no process to legally or culturally define oneself as such besides personal actions and public reactions?" He looked at both Tristan and Samantha as he asked this. As he spoke, Dol-Druth 'detached' a part of the screen, which turned into a holographic page that he 'placed' in front of Samantha. The alien letters on its steely blue surface quickly changed to Mandarin, reciting the questions the planet inspector had asked Tristan at the start of their interview. To Tristan the alien looked almost pleasantly surprised as he added "A forward-thinking attitude. Even in Dotrae, sometimes we look at the past and shudder, unable to see then how good it is we can feel such shame where once we thought nothing of devouring ourselves and other worlds. Do you think humans will become so introspective en masse, or will that remain something for members of the upper class, like yourself?"

Even at the speed of a photon it takes a few minutes to reach Earth's largest natural satellite, but energy-shift transport sidesteps such archaisms. Meatheral was still pondering the wisdom of his compulsion when the Earth drifted serenly away beneath him, and he was flung at impossible speeds toward the brilliant ghostly disk of the Moon. Indeed, for a heart-stopping second he passed through the Moon, only to emerge inside a dim, silent, very vacuum-filled room covered and full of things that would have hummed, shone or vibrated if the environment had suited such exuberance. Exposure to vacuum is not instantly fatal for humans, but Jerry could feel the constricting, horrible sensation of not being able to breath, and knew his time wasn't long to find a source of air. Meanwhile, elsewhere, Atraxia switched off the vivid red warning that unidetified persons had entered the Warrens. The nanites weren't combining....but what if she could make them join?

Dol-Druth took a bite of his muffin, and visibly regretted it "Defence is not precisely the problem" he explained, fastidiously removing the grease and crumbs left on his skin "considering even back when your planet had scarcely fifty exceptionals, they repelled an attack by the Myconid. Their knowledge of an obscure dimensional frequency was pivotal to killing the Communion. The issue is how those attacks affect the mindset of your fellows. Put baldly" the Dotrae rubbed his shiny scalp absent-mindedly "the problem is that such constant need for defence, coupled with the individualism and inherent competition and violence of your dominant cultures and ideologies, may mean that when your race achieves regular interstellar travel they may see resources and threats where others see opportunities and comrades." The Speaker held up a forestalling meaty hand "We should stress may. It is entirely probable those fears are unfounded. We are here to gather information, not pass judgement, that falls to the projection branch of the mentats and the Legal Rotunda. And certain cosmic entities whose abritrary, self-righeous and self-appointed natures make them wholly unsuitable for the job." Casting off that tangent with a snort, the planet inspector skimmed over the holographic text again, landing on a forbidding block with a sudden brightening of his broad face. "Speaking of the Freedom League, and the Lighthouse, you have a largely positive relationship with your exceptionals, would you say? You are comfortable with the role they have assumed in your society?"

GM With commendable speed, the various members of the away mission were woken up and all hands brought on deck. Tesla quickly relayed what was going on to the crew of the Bee, and the Pegasus was warmed up and bulkier items stowed just in case. While that was being handled by the "mundane" crew, Tesla, Chase, Tristan and their superhuman escort gathered for a hasty meeting. "Obviously, something is altering this planet" Tesla said, arms folded on the table as she stared, as if hypnotized, at the recording that showed the telltale-glimmer "the question is what we do with what we know. Personally I'd like to stay and study things for a while longer, maybe explore and find the source and reason for all this...reversion. But I won't risk it if you," she looked at the others, especially Velocity "disagree that it's a reasonable risk. This is a totally unknown phenomenon after all. Chase, anything on your mind? You've been looking kind of out of it." Her brother refused to look up from the floor, mumbling "No, no I'm okay, just...tired." His sister frowned, unconvinced, and reluctantly turned back to the rest. "...Okay then. Terrifica, doctor Delacroix, any thoughts or suggestions? Wayward, picked up anything?" the lifelong science-heroine seemed much more at home using code-names than regular ones, almost stumbling over Tristan's.