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Saturday, 22 November 2014, 1400 It was a cold winter's day in Freedom City. And across the city... two phones were ringing. Catherine sighed as she sat in the hotel room she was using, resting in her wheelchair. Hopefully, she'd be able to get out of the dammed thing soon enough- her recuperation from her injuries was coming along nicely, although she'd likely never be able to walk unaided again. Well... powers aside. And Dad was working on a powered frame, now, which should let her fight for extended periods of time... Now, though, her concerns were different, although related, as she called the other two heroes involved in that particular series of events, as a pair of medals glinted from where they were laid out on the bed. "Well, let's hope things go well..."

Here's the OOC for Under The Australian Sun!

Sydney, Australia Observation Gallery of the Sydney Tower 3rd of November 2014, 1300 The directions given had asked the various heroes who had answered the call to make their way here- to the headquarters of the Australian Superhero Network- or at least, the central coordination center. One of the sections available to the public, the tower provided a prime viewing location for the vast majority of Sydney, on this slightly cool Spring day. They gathered some attention, standing in costume, but not as much as they might have six months ago- superheroes going in and out of Sydney Tower on business wasn't a rare sight anymore, not since March, and probably would continue for a while. After a few minutes, the three heroes heard the sound of a wheelchair against the floor of the observation deck's floor, as a young-looking woman with brown hair, hazel eyes and light skin pulled up besides them. "Corona, Rift, and... Queenie? I'm Catherine Fields. I'd like to welcome you to Sydney, although I'd wish it were in much better circumstances. Would you like to come with me?"

GM Vector November 28th, 2013, 12.04AM, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Sounding like a gurgling throat, the black waves beat and crashed against the dock. Their motion and power kept the small ship constantly moving despite thick lines mooring it to the heavy concrete and steel. The crew aboard it were crouched against the gunwales, watching the narrow road that quickly vanished into darkness until the main dock lights glared in a cacophony of hellish orange, occasionally shining on a truck rumbling past. Each time one passed by, they visibly tensed, only to relax as it disappeared. Then one turned. It was unmarked, save for a simple, generic logo on the sides proclaiming that it worked for one of the smaller shipping companies out of Gold Coast. It rumbled to a halt before the pier, and the back door swung open to disgorge several heavily-built men who looked about as nervous as the men on the boat, who scrambled to assist with loading long, heavy boxes from the boat into the truck. The driver remained in the cabin, but Vector could see that his eyes were wide behind the balaclava, and his knuckles were white on the wheel. With a dull thud one of the boxes fell from hands that were slick with sweat, and every last man there froze. As one they turned to look at the crate, and sagged with relief. Then glared at the one who had dropped it. "S-sorry" mumbled the man, looking askance as he reshouldered his burden "I just...not used to this stuff, won't happen again" "It better not" snapped a man thinner and more terrified than the rest who seemed to be in charge "None of us wanna get turned into dog food 'cause ya got nervous!" The unloading hurried along, everyone there desperately hoping they could finish their work quickly enough not to be seen first... Graft November 27th, 2013, 8.04AM, Waterfront, Freedom City, USA Tyrone had started hearing about the shipments only a couple of days ago. It had seemed like a normal, generic kind of freight truck that bustled about the metropolis until some of his patients had opened it, and decided to try and steal one of the boxes. Luckily they had survived the strange explosion with his help. Their muddled memory of the event had been light on a lot of details, but their description of the truck meant Graft recognized it at once when he saw it. Or at least one eerily like it. There hadn't been any companies registered with the brand emblazoned on the side(a red circle with a lightning bolt through the center), and the warehouse it stopped at had obviously not been properly used in the last decade, at the least. Rust hung on the main door as it creaked open, and the windows were cracked. Sure were a lot of very fit, very edgy-looking young men though. And the elongated bulges in their winter coats did nothing to make them suspicious. Stormbreaker November 27th, 2013, 8.04AM, Skies above the Waterfront, Freedom City, USA "Captain, ladyship!" barked the voice of Age's Lost's science officer, their multi-faceted eyes gleaming in the light of several data readouts on the bridge "I've got some kind of unusual energy signature, from the hyplothadrooga scanners it appears to follow the main wavelength associated with...Terminus radiation. Odd. A significant cluster of the energy sources is directly inside this structure." spindly fingers brought up a crisp picture of one of the innumerable warehouses far below. A large red rectangle pulsed in the center. "Shall we investigate, captain Silvia? I believe this is very atypical for Earth technology." the science officer's face nearly shone with hopeful curiosity.

Player Name: horngeek Character Name: Vector Power Level: 11 (155/161PP) Trade-Offs: -2 Attack / +2 Damage (For close-combat attacks only), +/-variable Defense / +/-variable Toughness (A Dynamic Alternate Power array allows changing of this on the fly) Unspent Power Points: 6 Progress To Bronze Status: 11/30 In Brief: Vector-manipulating Australian mutant who's the daughter of a rich businessman. Alternate Identity: Catherine Fields Identity: Secret Birthplace: Sydney, Australia Occupation: University Student Affiliations: None Family: Michael Fields (Father), Opal Fields (Mother) Description: Age: 22 (DoB: 12 July 1990 Apparent Age: 22 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 152 cm (5'0") Weight: 46 kg (approx. 100 pounds) Eyes: Bright Emerald Hair: Brown Catherine Fields is a small figure. Her bright emerald eyes make her stand out from a crowd, and her looks, with fair skin, brown hair, a rounded face and a certain level of fitness all serve to make the young university student quite attractive. In her civilian identity, Catherine generally wears casual clothing, not at all expected from the daughter of a multibillionaire. Jeans and a t-shirt are most common, and she's well-known among the social newspapers for almost always wearing an akubra hat- indeed, she only takes it off it it's inappropriate to wear a hat. Vector, on the other hand, wears a body-hugging suit (made out of Dr. Atom's morphic molecules- her father is not above recognising when someone else beats him hands-down on something), almost all blue, except for a white cross on the chest and a golden seven-pointed star on the chest. It should be noted that the blue is the same shade that appears on the Australian (and British) flags, and the star is a direct copy of the Commonwealth Star. Power Descriptions: Vector's powers revolve around, appropriately enough, changing the vectors of forces acting on objects. She can only do this for object's she's touching, but it's still a very flexible power- she can propel an attack away from her body, use it to fling objects at opponents (or drastically increase the force of her own punches), and even propel her own body and enhance her leaping ability. History: To fully understand Catherine, you first need to know a bit about her father. Michael Fields was born in Sydney in 1960, and developed mutant powers in his teens- the young man had a mind uniquely suited to understanding and developing technology, and his mind worked incredibly quickly. A self-made man, he created several inventions, the funds from which made him a multi-billionaire. His powers could have made him a superhero... except he never went through with it, although his company, Fields Technology, has always sold equipment to superheroes at discount. Michael wasn't a coward by any means, he... just wasn't a martial man, and had no taste for fighting. He was content to help his company. And... he eventually married his childhood sweetheart, Opal Aiken (and the pair still joke about how cliched the whole relationship is). And then, in 1990, they had a child, Catherine Fields. The birth went fine, with the only real unusual thing being Catherine's pure white hair. As she grew, they realised that Catherine had inherited a part of her father's mind, the young girl excelling at maths and science (especially material sciences). They didn't realise she had... more... until she put a hand on her bike one day when she was 17 and accidentally propelled it across the room. The Fields had some decisions to make after that happened. Michael knew his daughter needed teaching how to control her powers- and he had a favor to call in with the Claremont Academy, so he could certainly arrange that- but he didn't want to pull her away from her Higher School Certificate. Ultimately, they decided that she'd stay at school in Australia... but during school holidays, she went to the Claremont Academy and learnt some control over her budding powers. And once she graduated from high school, she went to Freedom University. Now, she's working to gain her degree, on a stipend from her parents... and she's starting to learn the whole Superhero business. I mean, sure, she doesn't have to... but she figures that she might as well use the powers she has. Personality & Motivation: For the most part, Catherine doesn't have a radically different persona for Vector- she's cheerful, sometimes frighteningly intelligent, and loves coming up with new solutions. As Vector, she's a lot more physical, moving around a lot more, although always being careful, and she honestly loves being a superhero. The fact that dad's so, so proud of her helps too. Her primary motivation, however, is simply a way to help people, and a way to use her powers responsibly. Powers & Tactics: Vector is largely a Powerhouse, using her powers instead of brute strength. She fights intelligently, and tries her hardest to protect civilians. Complications: Name: [Description] Example: Secret: Identity. While this wouldn't be a massive disaster for Catherine if it was revealed she was Vector, it would be... enough of a nuisance that she'd really rather it remain under wraps. Funds: Or rather, lack of. Catherine has immediate access to enough funds to sustain her, for the most part, at a middle-class standard of living without having to find a job. Accessing her full wealth represented by her Rich Benefit requires contacting her father and telling him exactly why she needs the funds. This Complication only awards a Hero Point if the reason doesn't satisfy Michael (rare- the request would have to be completely frivolous for this to happen) or if the lack of immediate funds is an issue. Enemy: Michael's open support of the hero community has made him several enemies. His daughter, right in Freedom City? More than a few supervillains might be unable to resist the chance to strike at her. Not Actually Telekinesis: While Vector's powers are a fair stand-in for touch telekinesis in most circumstance, they aren't actually telekinesis- while she is capable of amplifying fairly small 'force vectors' and is fairly adept at doing so, she does actually require something to be moving relative to her within her (rather short) range of vector manipulation. As such, if she is immobilised, her powers are effectively neutralised. Abilities: 0 + 4 + 2 + 12 + 8 + 8 = 34PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 12 (+1) Intelligence: 22 (+6) Wisdom: 18 (+4) Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 16 + 10 = 26PP Initiative: +6 Attack: +8 Melee, +10 Ranged Grapple: +8, +20 w/Move Object Defense: +15 w/Enhanced Defensive, +5 Base, +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -12/-2 Saving Throws: 6 + 6 + 7 = 19PP Toughness: +15/+5 (+1 Con, +4 Defensive Roll, +10 Force Field) Fortitude: +7 (+1 Con, +6) Reflex: +8 (+2 Dex, +6) Will: +10 (+3 Wis, +7) Skills: 32R = 8PP Computers 5 (+11) Diplomacy 3 (+7) Investigate 6 (+12) Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 4 (+10) Knowledge (Technology) 4 (+10) Knowledge (Business) 4 (+10) Knowledge (Streetwise) 2 (+8) Sense Motive 4 (+8) Feats: 9PP Attack Focus 2 (Ranged) Beginner's Luck Benefit 2 (Rich) Defensive Roll 2 Improved Initiative Luck 1 Powers: 23 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 24 = 57PP Vector Control Array 10(PFs: Alternate Power 2, Subtle) [23PP] Base Power: Move Object 10 (Effective STR 50, Heavy Load: 12 tons) (Redirect Gravity, Physical) [20pp] Alternate Power: Deflect 10 (Vector Deflect, All Physical) [20pp] Alternate Power: Strike 12 (Vector Punch, Physical) [12pp] Quickness 6 (x100, Flaw: Limited [Mental Tasks Only]) [3 pp] Immunity 4 (Disease, Environmental Conditions [Cold, Heat, Radiation]) [4PP] Leaping 3 (x10- running long jump: 100', standing long jump: 50', high jump 25') [3PP] Speed 2 (20MPH) [2PP] Vector Control: Reflect Array 10 (Feats: Dynamic Alternate Power 2) [24PP] Base Power: Force Field 10 (Vector Shield, Physical; Extras: Impervious) [20pp] Dynamic Alternate Power: Enhanced Defense 10 [20pp] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Gravity Control Object Throw DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Vector Punch Touch DC27 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)Totals: Abilities (34) + Combat (26) + Saving Throws (19) + Skills (8) + Feats (9) + Powers (59) - Drawbacks (0) = 155/161 Power Points

Darwin, Australia March 1, 2014 They all had different reasons for being there. Steve Murdock, not a man who traveled much, had come across the picture of the sword during one of his long, sleepless nights on the Internet. Discussing it with Gina hadn't been easy, especially once she'd divined his true intent, but the Omegadrone could be a very persuasive man. The Sword of the Liberator was indeed an ancient Atlantean artifact; one so old that it predated whatever long ago branching point had come between his world and the world of Gina Evans. Wielded by a champion of justice, broken by Steelguard during his conquest, the sword had been targeted again and again in every world since. Surely he had to try and buy it! And so it was that with a very large check deposited in his name through his extremely wealthy girlfriend (who had been entirely in favor of this), Steve had boarded a private flight down to Darwin, Northern Territory for the estate auction of one Clement Johns, a wealthy collector of antiquities who had passed away weeks earlier. He was at the auction site hours early, sitting in the vast lobby of the Skycity Darwin, once again reading through the manual of auction procedures that Gina had written up and sent with him. With his scarred face and hands, deep brown skin, and new suit and tie, he looked more like the bodyguards of the wealthy Australians filing into the casino/hotel than a bidder at the forthcoming auction. --- Argonaut had been in debriefings before, some of them very personal indeed, but this one (given by one of her usual colleagues, the thoroughly Scandinavian-American Sven Johnson) was something different. "As you know, Yves, during the 1993 invasion five Omegadrone transports were deployed against Australia and New Zealand. Of those seven, _four_ were sent to Perth. Australian heroes on the ground during the invasion reported that the drones were targeting the mansion of Clement Johns, a wealthy collector of antiquities, even abandoning standard targets to seek Johns out in particular. Johns was investigated and cleared afterwards by the Federal Police, but we've recently unearthed accounts that the drones that hit his house were looking for one thing in particular - an Atlantean artifact called 'The Sword of the Liberator.' We need you to get down to Australia, using our offshore holdings, and try and find out what's so special about this sword..." --- "I am so proud of you!" said Michael Fields, smiling as he looked his daughter over. They had a family suite at the hotel-casino, giving them privacy to talk about her career. "First the Freedom League, now back home with your old man and a costume in your suitcase!" Vector had been called back to Australia for a crisis - rumors of Grue infiltration in Perth had called many of the motherland's defenders home, but she'd had time to surprise her father while passing through Darwin for an evening of bonding before her due date across the continent the next day. "You may not like the evening much," he confessed to her. "The firm had a contract with Johns so I'm representing our interests, but this is mostly about seeing and being seen. Feel free to skip out and wander the casino floor, Ms. Old Enough to Gamble," he added with a wink.

The OOC

OOC for >this thread.

NSW Trainlink Melbourne, Australia December 1st, 2013 6:15 AM The construction of a high-speed rail link along Australia's Eastern coast from Melbourne to Brisbane had long been a dream denied fruition until the government finally came to a resolution in funding such an ambitious project. A bullet train capable of scaling the distance between Melbourne and Sidney in only four hours was like a dream. But Michael Fields was no ordinary dreamer, so he made sure that Fields Technology intervened during the design phase lobbying for high-end cost-effective improvements on the overall design. Until eventually Fields Technology was given the helm of the project, and they wasted little time improving the Bullet Train's speed to cross the distance between Melbourne and Sydney to only two hours. If the experimental railway proved successful enough, Fields Technology could possibly even get the green light to improve railways all over the country. The Government was also quick realize the potential increase in revenue due to tourism if such a venture was indeed a success. Michael Fields was quick to join in on the new bullet train's maiden voyage after all his company's reputation had a lot riding on the investment. And it was still a work day after all. The new train wouldn't set off for another half an hour. But commuters were already lining up trying to get a seat. Some on their way to work. Some on vacation. And others were simply wanting to hitch a ride on the bullet train early on. Luckily, there was room for any matter of passengers.