Space Safari (Master Thread)

[Supercape]

June 18th

Professor Quentin Quill picked up a very strange signal. Fractal signature, based on particles that barely even existed outside of the minds of high end specialists in the fields. And in the middle of a lecture at the university.

He couldn't wait to wrap it up.

Such was the curse of having a brain that was picking up more and more esoteric events. He was a living sensor, more accurate than most technology on earth (or if it, come to that). As far as he knew, only the Lab, and Doctor Archeville's institutions had equipment that was as sensitive or more so.

Requesting the assistance of codename Supercape. Meet at sixteenhundred hours, aquariam, blue carnation.

It was straight out of a James Bond film, as far as he was concerned. Of course, he was going.

He arrived, as Supercape, dead on time. Well, two minutes early to be precise. It was a little annoying, to be honest, having to sign a few autographs and pose for photographs. He smiled and waved, and even created a toy quantum spinning hoop for a young child, before spying a totally unremarkable man with brown hair, olive skin, a grey hat, grey suit, and bright blue carnation.

He walked up to the man. "I got your message" he said, by way of introduction, a little nervously.

"Thankyou" said the man, a little stiffly. "You may call me Mr. Flowers. Please, hold on to this..." he said, holding up a totally perfect and smooth metal ring about six inches in diameter.

As soon as Supercape touched it, he felt himself being transported through vast light years...

...landing in a pure white room, full of computer screens.

"Mr. Cape" said Mr. Flowers, again, somewhat stiffly. "You are aware of course, that some stars in our galaxy do, on occasion, reach sufficient speed to eject themselves from the galaxy. This is a a loss that is... unavoidable and yet the... organisation which I represent which to preserve key life forms which are of great value to the biodiversity to the galactic whole. "

He punched up a star chart on a screen.

"We have identified three ejected stars, each now outside of the range of our own means of transportation that you have just experienced, but within range of our own scanners. Within the three systems we have identified three high priority life forms that we wish to preserve. We understand that you are able to transport to these planets and we wish you to aide in capturing a specimin of each species so that we can ensure continuation of said species in perpetuity..."

Supercape was flabbergasted.

"Well yes..." he nodded. "I can do that, and... well, I am all for animal conservation and all that. But I confess I am not much of a hunter..."

Mr. Flowers turned back to Supercape and pressed a small disc with holographic information and displays of the three creatures on it. "We have every confidence" he said, somewhat flatly. "To aide you, we have three transport rings, which destabilise the dimensional inertia in...as you would say...rosenberg non-euclidian wave collapse. You understand. The maths is on the disc..." he pointed at the screen he gave the hero. "It should allow you to transport the specimin back to us, with your abilities. "

Supercape looked at the maths that was complex beyond all reasoning. It was advanced. Very advanced. Not human. Nobody could understand this... surely. He could barely scratch the surface and he was an expert.

"I suppose so" he bluffed. "Very interesting stuff you have there..." he said, pointing and the frightening equations. "I'm sure I can, er, do something with them. "

"You have our... thanks" said Mr. Flowers. "We shall stay in touch. I shall meet you back on Earth once the three Specimins are transported to our facilities here. " With another touch of a button the transport ring Supercape was holding briefly glowed faintly and he was back at the Aquarium.

[Supercape]

Supercape looked around the crowd who were pointing at him excitedly. Not the best environment to clear his head. With a Jaunty wave, he took off to the skies.

That evening

It had taken a few hours to clear his head. It was still spinning from the events, but he could at least begin to think about the events. And the challenge. And begin to study the disc he had been given. He had soon realised that the maths on the disc was totally beyond him, much as it galled him to say so. Possibly Doctor Archeville could make some sense of it. An outside chance Miss America could - but he wasn't certain on either counts. It was like the whole universe was condensed into mathimatical formulae of infinite complexity.

The studies of the three targets was more comprehensible. Supercape was well versed in biology, even if he wasn't a world expert as he was in physics. He scratched his head. He was a scientist, not a hunter.

He paced his room, pondering the problem.

The first target was a creature of momentous size and strength. Tracking it would not be a problem. Lifting it and carrying it would be. And subduing it would be no joke either.

The second target was quite the reverse problem. A small simian creature that would be no problem in subduing, but who lived on a jungle planet and was faster than any earth creature, moving like a blur. He would barely be able to find it, let alone catch it.

The third target was a more esoteric problem. A cave creature, some kind of silicon based slime with unparalleled regenerative powers. Easy to find, but how to actually subdue to the creature?

He sat down, and tossed the disc to one side for a moment, sighing. A noble cause, for sure. All creatures with extraordinary biological properties, quite aside from the natural instinct to preserve life in all forms.

What he needed was some help. Supercape was the taxi service of the universe. That was one thing he could do better than anybody he knew - any time, any place, any dimension. But hunting was another thing.

He sat down to his computer and started searching the known heroes of Freedom City.

GIant Beast... need some heavy lifters...

Whizz ape... need something whizzy...

Slimy thing... need... I don't know... inspiration will strike!....