Opposites Attract [IC]

[Dr Archeville]

Binder knew there was someone there -- probably the Doktor himself, with that damnable cloaking field of his! The one thing he had not taken into account was the he would be here! He fired a blob of resin wildly at the area from which he'd been struck, then kicked on his jetpack and flew out.

He is escaping!

No, he's not!

Fulcrum heard Binder fly by, and guessed he made it to the courtyard, then heard a stutter in the jets as the cloaked Archeville laid a precise blow to the gap at the neck joint in Binder's armor. ""

The Castle's defenses turned from the bound Radium to the one threat still active: Thunderbolt. The interior nozzles fires, and the electrokinetic was engulfed in capturefoam!

[Dr Archeville]

Cyclone, Slick, and Blackstar all lay unconscious. Binder was barely better.

Radium, still bound, saw what Fulcrum did to his teammate, and saw her run off. But he also saw the Castle's defenses were no longer targeting him -- he was bound, and thus not a threat as far as the Castle's sensors were concerned. But he didn't need to move to be a threat, and the capturefoam binding him didn't block the deadly radiation he was now emitting. When that amazonian Iranian returned, she would be in for a surprise!

Thunderbolt was furious at this indignity, but showed amazing restraint... for a moment. He tried accessing the power core's computer control system, to start an overload from there, but the security was too good. Bah! He did not need to do that, he could simply transmit himself into the power core! And that's exactly what he did, using the grating in the floor to conduct himself out of the noncondcutive foam and into the Castle's systems.

[Dariusprime]

The amazonian Iranian nibbled at a bit of, well, some sort of sausage. Nodding her approval, she zipped off again. Somewhere along the way, she muses to herself, "Eli has all the fun, I swear."

Smiling, she proceeded into the hangar in a flash, assessed the situation, and thumped Radium. Yes, her hyper-accelerated senses managed to pick up the telltale feel of strong radiation. In some way this technique was to be expected. Unable to physically attack again, Radium went defensive with a nasty back up. Fortunately, Fulcrum was confident she could handle a brief dose of the nasty stuff.

Thus and therefore, she went with the tried-and-true paragon technique of punching stuff really hard. Which she did, then zooming away again, up into the courtyard. Binder sounded as if he was leaving the castle, and only a moment's search revealed both he and the good Doktor. She stopped just outside the main doors, shaking her head.

"Villains."

[Dr Archeville]

"" Binder coughed out. "" a sinister laugh echoed from his helmet, ""

Clever girl.

... I am fairly certain Binder is a man.

I can change that.

"Den ve had best get him out of dere before you can send a signal, und before de timer runs out. Fulcrum," he said without taking his eyes off the villain below him, "can you round up everyvon und bring dem outside? Dere are staff in de main labs, de vons ve passed by vhen ve first arrived, und also in de kitchen, behind de dining hall, und de hangar below de courtyard." He began making swift adjustments to his Gravimetric Belt, "retrieving mein Screwdriver from de speedster vould be very good, too."

Mona had seen something that could have been Archeville's Screwdriver, poking out of the pocket of the purple speedster, whom she'd seen laid out on the floor in the kitchen.

[Dr Archeville]

At that exact moment, down in the sub-sub-sub-sub-basements, Thunderbolt was at the Castle's fission reactor, and getting antsy. Why should he wait for 'orders' from Binder? He was his own man! He was power!

With outstretched hands he focused on the Castle's fission reactor, feeling the ebb and flow of currents, and twisted! Most of the castle was suddenly plunged into darkness, while in others, equipment exploded from power surges!

[Dariusprime]

"On it," said Fulcrum, but she was already gone by the time the sound reached the good Doktor.

First stop through the sparks and darkness was the kitchen. Killing two birds with one stone, she bodily scooped up the kitchen staff, the unconscious speedster and the Screwdriver all in one go. A few seconds later the pile reappeared in courtyard. The villain didn't much mind, but the staff looked startled and more than a little confused. Tossing the screwdriver to Viktor before heading back inside.

Given enough time, in the count of eye blinks, all of the staff were carried to safety, be they conscious or unconscious. Yes, she rounded up any remaining villains too. This superspeed thing was really fun!

[Dr Archeville]

My Castle!

My people!

"" Binder (weakly) cursed, ""

But Archeville was not there to translate, for he had already teleported several levels down as soon as he received his Screwdriver from Fulcrum. Flying to the power core room, he found the entire chamber was sparking, especially the reactor, and he could just make out a man-shaped light inside it.

With his mighty science, Archeville tore Thunderbolt form the power core, and with his might fists of science, he knocked the temporarily-dazed villain out!

Ha!

One punch!

Moments later Archeville appeared at the main gate, flying up from the hole in the courtyard that Blackstar and Radum had bashed in, carrying an unconscious Thunderbolt over his shoulder. "It vould appear your plans haff been ruined, Binder. I haff already called de authorities, dey are on de vay to pick you all up. You are going to be avay for a long, long time."

[Dr Archeville]

Binder said nothing, as he was too busy beating his head against the ground.

However, it would be many minutes before the Ubermensch Eindämmung Streitkrafte (Superhuman Containment Force) would get to Archeville's remote Schloss, and before they arrived, the team recovered! Binder shouted something, and Blackstar and Thunderbolt both began to glow! Then the entire team began to glow, and suddenly disappeared in a blinding flash of blue-white light! A brief sensation of vertigo also passed over everyone, similar to the side-effect those near the destination or arrival point of Archeville's own teleportation experienced.

And with the Castle's systems either down or overloaded -- and Archeville's Screwdriver overloaded due to being in his hand when he punched the bioelectric Thunderbolt -- there was no way to track them!

[Dariusprime]

Standing in the courtyard, which was now a hive of activity, she patted Viktor on the shoulder. An ironic laugh followed. Looking down to him, she said, "Ever wonder if karma existed? I don't know about you, but I haven't had an uninterrupted date since my powers developed."

"So did they get away with anything? Destroy anything," Glancing down into the hole, she continued, "What were they looking for anyway?"

In a quick blur, her costume disappeared and the stylish dress returned. "Better take care of your people. Dessert can wait."

She just sighed, looking relieved.

[Dr Archeville]

NO! Binderrr!

It could have gone worse, it could have gone a lot worse.

Really? How?!

When Mona had first approached Archeville to pat him on the shoulder, his fists were clenched and teeth were gritted, and he was staring down the hole in the courtyard. "Should have kept them separate... need backup power sources und better surge protectors for de nullifier cells..."

At her touch, he seemed to relax some. He looked up to her, "I would not dink someone of your... stature vould get dat. Several of mein haff been interrupted, but I do not look all dat imposing."

Power Corrrrps!!!

This is a worrying recurrence, yes.

He glanced back at the hole again, "from here, probably after von of mein experimental vehicles, or at least data on sem if not an actual prototype. Vhat I am more concerned about, dough," he looked up to the third and fourth floors of the castle, "is vhat Binder vas able to get from de main laboratories. He may not haff gotten anyding, if he vas not able to bypass de security, but he alvays plans dese dings months in advance. But until power is restored und I can check de logs, I vill not know vhat he took, und even dat may not vork if de surges Thunderbolt sent corrupted de hard drives."

He let out a heavy sigh, and hung his head. "Diese is not how I envisioned de evening going..." he mumbled.

Look on the bright side!

What possible bright side is there to this? They made me look like an amateur!

But if we had not been here with Mona, they would have gotten away with so much more! They might have even taken hostages and made demands!

... you're not wrong there.

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum knelt down next to him so she could put an arm around his shoulders. She smiled and said, "The evening was lovely while it lasted. The locale was romantic, the dinner top notch and the presentation stellar." A sweeping gesture with her free arm emphasized the marvelous castle. "Besides who can plan for villains? My last date was interrupted by Dr. Simian. I doubt the big ape cared that I was eight feet tall."

"You don't have to impress me, Viktor. You're a sweet guy. Lunch, in Freedom no less, would have been just fine. I appreciate the thought though. I haven't had anyone arrange anything this elaborate since I was in college." She sighed and looked around at the bustle of activity.

Glancing sidelong at him, she added coyly, "Now don't let that stop you from trying again."

[Dr Archeville]

Simian? That damn, dirty ape!

So you do have a soft spot for her...

Archeville returned an equally coy look, "Oh, I vill not..."

---

29 days later...

Archeville lead Fulcrum through the cool metal corridors of Archestern, his orbital space station. Not quite what Fulcrum was expecting when he said he had something special to show her on Valentine's Day... but certainly unforgettable! Definitely a more breathtaking sight than the other 'mundane' places Viktor had taken her to on their many dates the past four weeks... which is not to say those dates were dull, of course. Many had been quite stimulating, in fact, though their size differences proved... complicating.

They'd warped in from the the teleport station in his Hanover Home, materializing in the station's south arm. After a bit of observation out the windows there, he began giving her the tour. "By de vay," he said with a sly grin, "dis -- de station -- is not vhat I vished to show you, liebchen,"

But it is impressive! Marvel at my power! Muah hah hah hah hah!!!

This is not about power! It is about exploration, and research, and wonder at the possibilities of the future while looking at the Earth as a whole!

If you get any more saccharine, our pancreas will go to go into shock!

[Dariusprime]

Truth be told, Mona had greatly enjoyed the last four weeks. Rare were the dates that lead to sequels, let alone the ones that initiated anything resembling a long-term relationship. Which up to this point seemed like the logical course of development, as far as Mona was concerned. Yes, none of them were dull either. If nothing else Viktor's proclivity to pontificate on some scientific or academic topic always proved entertaining. His tendency to be an enthusiastic proponent, instead of simply pedantic, made him much more interesting.

The view, well, the view from Archestern was truly magnificent. More spectacular to Mona was the space station itself. She examined every portion of the place, starting with the transporters and working her way over bulkheads and panels until ending once more at the view port. A small smile appeared as she gazed over her world.

Turning to Viktor, she asked, "Okay, you have my attention. How are going to top a space station?"

[Dr Archeville]

"You vill see, liebchen," he chuckled slyly, "you vill see."

He lead her through the core of the station, and there was the first signs of people. Almost half the core was storage space for supplies, so there was a lot of activity as scientists and techies from the other labs came in for components and reagents. All were friendly to the Doktor and Fulcrum; a few approached him with forms, but when they saw his companion they quickly forgot their paperwork and welcomed them to the station.

That's right, you know I'm here with her, so don't bother me with your insignificant requests!

It is nice that they seem to be giving us some space. They are good and considerate co-workers!

The other major part of the core was communications and sensors, both internal and external (both pointed at Earth and facing away). All of the Earth-facing ones scanned the South American rainforests the station was in geosynchronous orbit over, while the others focused on either the vastness of space (unobscured by an atmosphere), or other objects in orbit with them.

From the Core she could see eight large passages, leading to the eight wings of the station. They'd come from the South (power, life support, teleporter). East was quarters and living spaces, West was hangars, repair bays, and landing/launch bays for the few ArcheTech space shuttles which came and went. The 'diagonals' contained all the laboratories and workstations ArcheTech uses (and rents out to other companies) to take advantage of the low- and zero-gravity environments. The North corridor was closed off, though, and the doors labeled 'private' (in several languages).

It was to these doors Viktor was leading Mona.

Passing through, to the left were VIP housing area, a handful of small but comfortable guest rooms as well as a meeting area. To the right was a huge observation deck, big enough to give a sense that one was standing in space! Beyond these Mona could see a nice dining room, and she could smell faint traces of roast vegetables and meat... but her attention was perhaps more focused on the small wooden box she saw floating at chest height (head height for Viktor) in the middle of the observation deck.

"This is de first half of vhat I vished to show you, liebchen" he said after they spent some time enjoying the view. "They are replacements for de errant power dampers I had made for you," he nodded towards the noticeable but not quite clunky devices she'd been wearing on her neck, wrists, waist and ankles, "smaller, lighter, and far more fashionable."

The box contained what appeared to be simple yet elegant necklace, bracelets, anklets, and belly chain, all of fine gold links. Some of the links contained tiny blue or dark yellow gemstones in them.

Accept my gift! It is awesome!

Oh, I hope she likes them!

[Dariusprime]

Mona smiled and greeted the workers, curiosity growing by the minute. What could he possibly have up his sleeve? Over the last weeks, she had discovered that, given the free time, Viktor displayed a very child-like streak. Not only in enthusiasm, but in a sense, a child-like sense of scale. With his considerable fortune, she knew he'd always come up something new to try and impress her.

She was flattered, but on the flip side, a little intimidated. Her rejoinders against such ostentatious displays phased him not. Was it really love then? The heart thrown upon the pyres of passion's delight? In her heart, she felt it creeping up, like a warmth in her mind. He was so very sweet. Penniless, she'd still love him. Yes, she admitted.

The box did draw her attention. In the back of her mind, she had an idea of what was coming next. Not exactly, but an idea of some sort. Still patience won out, and the view was especially nice her on the observation deck. Once the topic came to the box, her smile gave away her excitement. As for the power dampers themselves, well...

"Oh, Viktor, they're beautiful! How...how did you ever get them so small?" she exclaimed, holding up the necklace to the light. "You shouldn't have. These things must have cost a fortune. I nearly panicked when I heard how much these others cost...thank you!"

To whit she followed up with a big kiss, although by addendum she restrained herself, lest his forcefield be down.

[Dr Archeville]

"Sey are not... dat small," he said after he was able to breathe again, "I mean, your... stature does make some dings easier to vork on. But, er, I haff been doing a lot of research into nanotechnology lately, und many of my findings dere haff been qvite useful in getting dese dampers into someding dat is as elegant in form as it is in function."

He'd been with scores of women, but none of them were anything like her. And it wasn't just the powers, though he would admit they did engage his scientific curiosity. The fact she chastised him for being so generous to her was something new, and that intrigued him. She didn't try to impress him, didn't act in a way she thought would entice him (as many other had), yet she impressed and enticed him all the same, through her quiet strength and dignity. A calming Yin to his raging Yang... though she did not suspect just how raging.

And, try as she might to deny it, her "Iranian/Persian Amazon" looks were hot.

She likes them! She likes them!

Of course she does, you fool! Why wouldn't she?

He set the box aside (which floated next to him) and slid his hands around her neck, to undo the clasp of the damper at her neck. She felt a slight warmth there -- a reaction to his touch? or surging Terminus energies? -- which faded slightly as he replaced it with the far more elegant gold necklace. He did the same at her wrists and ankles, his touch sending tiny electric arcs through her forearms and calves. "We can do the belly-chain... later," he whispered to her ear. "Amongst other things..."

Ohhh yeah....

Patience!

"For now, though," he said, floating a few feet away and speaking loud enough for the servants in the dining area to hear, "a light snack, featuring fruits and vegetables grown in ArcheStern's aeroponic gardens."

Wait... did you-

Yeah, yeah, I guess we can dispense with the accent, for tonight.

Thank goodne-

Don't get used to it. I'd still prefer if we spoke nothing but German.

We... we could teach her.

... hrrmmm....

[Dariusprime]

Amazon though she may be, Viktor was very much right, he'd never find her describing herself as such. For that matter Iranian didn't come up much either. No, she was Persian, and proud of her heritage, and all these hassles of politics and religion were just bumps in the road of a history stretching back toward the beginnings of human civilization. To that end of her ancestry, she paid great heed with every pose and thoughtful act.

But that was neither here nor there. At the moment she felt like a damn teenager again. Her stomach churned with butterflies at his touch. Yes, butterflies. Something more than electricity ran through the air. Yeah, he was putting the moves on her, and she shivered ever so slightly. Damn it all, every shred of willpower barely kept her from seizing him right here and now and ravishing him.

Thankfully the more rational side of her personality prevailed. Viktor Archeville loved watching a 'nefarious scheme' unfold, and Mona would not deny him his master plan. Even if the conclusion was foregone at this point.

"Well, in that case, thank you, Viktor," she finally said, a bit huskily, straightening up and clearing her throat. "I didn't want them to take away from your other research." With that in mind, she waited for the lovely snack spread she knew he had ready, and smirked ever so slightly at his sudden lack of accent.

[Dr Archeville]

"Oh, I have several new research projects I intend to start this evening," he said in a low, conspiratorial voice as they approached the table. Ever the gentleman, he pulled out her (appropriately oversized) chair for her before seating himself across from her.

Prussian nobles wish they had my grace and etiquette!

There are several things wrong with that statement.

Mona's eyes -- once she actually looked at the table -- were drawn to the centerpiece first, consisting of blue, lavender, pink, and white flowers. "Nigella damascena, better known as 'love-in-a-mist,' due to the flowers being nestled in a ring of lacy leaves. It was one of the first flowering plants to be grown via aeroponics in space. Those," he pointed to the blue, lavender and white ones, "are a type known as 'Persian jewels', while those," he indicated the pink ones, "are 'Persian roses'."

The trio of servants uncovered the last of the dishes, then removed themselves to another part of the station. Apples, apricots, carrots, eggplant, grapes, plums, pomegranates, quince, raisins, and tomatoes, in a variety of cuts and combinations, all arrayed as tastefully visually as they were tasteful to the tongue. "Ah, I am very glad to see the pomegranates turned out so well! We had been having some problems with them, getting the nutrient sprays and the light levels juuust right."

But with just the two of them, alone in the northern wing of his space station, Archeville found his hunger for food had gone completely out the airlock. Between playing footsie with her under the tables, leaning forward to hand-feed her peeled grapes and baby tomatoes, and a smoldering, ravenous gleam in his eye, she probably picked up on it, too.

I can think of three dozen better uses we can be putting our lips and tongues towards....

Be patient! The surprise will be all the better if we prolong the anticipation! She knows we are up to something, but does not know exactly what! This is great!

It'll be greater when I'm finally-

[Dariusprime]

"Why thank you, sir," replied Fulcrum as she sat down and examined the centerpiece. Looking up to him after his exposition, she laughed lightly and replied, "You really went to a lot of trouble, Viktor. You're the biggest ham I've ever met, and I mean that in only the best ways possible."

"Not to mention you're featuring pomegranates, clever fellow," she replied after accepting a grape. If nothing else, saying something kept her focused and her nervous anxiety down. Yes, she was anxious, and showed it at times. Nothing really to be nervous about, but nonetheless the flutters were still with her. In time, and a few bites later, she relaxed a bit and settled down to really enjoy the evening. And a little footsie.

Viktor really was a special man. That realization fully dawned on her at some point and was followed by a loving smile. He was the complete package: affectionate, loving, compassionate, witty, brilliant. Not to mention a real hunk, wealthy and charismatic to all get out. For all the darkness in his past, that which he had shared, life was beautiful to him and that optimism shown brightly in his eyes. That, above all else, she found attractive and more than a bit infectious. When he smiled, she wanted to smile, and every time her heart nearly skipped a beat.

She wouldn't mind sharing lives together.

[Dr Archeville]

"I like to think I have picked up on a few things that you like, liebchen," he said, voice full of promises.

He had shared much with her, more than any other woman -- well, girls, really -- he had been with. Largely because he had never been with any of them for more than two weeks; his relationship with Mona had already lasted twice as long as that, and they hadn't even had sex yet! (Well, not all the way, and certainly not for lack of trying; her Terminus-infused physiology proved certain challenges, which made him all the more determined/frustrated.) The tales of his own heroic exploits were easy enough to regale her with, and he was equally enraptured by her tellings of her own exploits. Stories of his grandfather, the Nazi super-scientist, came later, a dark spot in his past that we strove to mitigate, to prove he was not his grandfather's grandson. He even spoke more of his extended family line, stretching back nearly a dozen generations, of their contributions and the weight he felt from that. His closest living relative, though, he had not spoken of until more recently, and when he at last did, she realized why: his father's actions, and his own brand of madness, made him in some ways an even darker spot in Viktor's history than even his grandfather. (He did spare her the specific details of his self-mutilations, though, but if she still insisted on seeing him, he would tell her well before they reached him.)

But there was one thing he had yet to tell her, in part because he was not sure how to tell her. A secret that only one other soul in Freedom City knew, and that due to her ability to delve into his mind. He had slipped a few times, of course, let his Other Side 'peek out' from time to time (or lost control and was unable to rein it in before it said or did something regrettable), but he dismissed those outbursts as either jokes, or an unfortunate lapse from overwork or lack of sleep. He would tell her, he knew that -- she deserved to know the full truth of him, for her sake and his own -- but even he was stymied as to how to tell her.

Why does she need to know?

Because not telling her is dishonest!

Pft, couples hide stuff from each other all the time.

Because she cannot know us until she... well, until she knows us!

Oh, please. You still think this is going to work? We may have been with her for four weeks -- for long, frustrating weeks -- but this is still gong to end like all the others. Except this time, you're the one who'll be crying, and I don't want to have to put up with that!

You are horrible! And that is another reason to tell her -- so she can prepare in case you ever do slip out for more than a second!

Oh, like she's a threat. Daka crystals sap her strength, and guess what we're wearing at almost all times?

But that could wait for another night. Tonight, he had plans, and needed all of himself on board for it.

Look, can we... can we please just table this debate for tonight? We have other matters to attend to, and-

Yes, this, finally.

Thought that would get you to drop it.

Oh, lots of things will be dropping tonight. Oh, yes...

"But as fine as all this is," he placed his hands top her, ran them slowly up her arms, across her shoulders, and up her neck to stroke her cheeks, "I can think of something far more pleasing that I think we should share." He slid his hands around to the back of her head and pulled himself towards her for a deep, passionate kiss.

Moments later, they had gone up the hall from his private dining room, past the private kitchen and small study to his private chambers at the northernmost tip of the space station. Their clothes littered the floor, and they rolled about on the special reinforced bed Archeville himself had made for just this evening. He soon pulled himself away, though -- "stay there, stay there!" -- and his bare feet padded across the chamber to another floating box, similar to the one he'd presented to her earlier.

coldfloorcoldfloorcoldfloor!

Walking! We do not do enough of it. Need to hit the gym more to maintain our leg muscles!

"This," he panted, holding his arms wide to indicate the chamber, "and this," he lowered his arms and held the box in front of him, "is the second half of what I wanted to show you." He opened it, and pulled out a small gas mask, the kind that only covered the nose and mouth, of transparent plastic. The filters on the sides, which were usually round, were on this one diamond shaped, and blue. "Watch carefully, liebchen; I think you are going to love this!"

He depressed the two buttons in the center of the blue diamonds, and the mask filled with a light purple gas, which he inhaled deeply. A moment later, his whole body begin to glow the same color, and he grew over two feet in height! He was now a few inches taller than Fulcrum!

"Nanite suspension, co-developed by Doktor Atom, suffusing my cells with the same energy his grandson Maximus uses when he grows. Very safe, tests dozens of times over the past week; duration is approximately 235 minutes. Now then," he said, tossing aside the empty inhaler and crawling back into the bed with her, "I believe we were about to test just how much exertion your new power dampers can safely contain...."

I am a Sexy Beast of Science!

Just remember, we are both in this.

---

ArcehStern's internal sensors picked up several energy spikes from the north wing, and a few dimensional energy spikes, but nothing intense enough to be concerned about. A few of the staff monitoring the sensors glanced at each other, and nodded knowingly.

~fin~