Invisible Horizons IC

[angrydurf]

Ace shrugged into his jacket and nodded, "Well I was on a flight to survey the Triangle," he explained assuming they would know what triangle he was speaking of, "There were some anomalous readings and upon further investigation I found an uncharted Island." he finished nonchalantly as he patted himself down as if to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything before leaving the house.

Turning to wards the back of the plane he beckoned them to follow as he continued, "So I made a survey of the island and landed." he entered a quick key code to open the door to the cargo bay, "I found a cave with a ... Wait ... Howling?" he asked suddenly alarmed as he whirled to look at the heroes who had aided him. He quickly rushed into the cargo hold and winced at the destruction.

"That's ... Not good." he intoned with concern.

[Cyroa]

Torque followed Mr Danger into the back. He listened to Ace even as he walked up to the container. He walked around it, studying it intently. "An island? Anything else on it besides this thing? Why would you take something like this back with you," he said idly. "Um...I think I can make this out. Give me a second; I'm rather adept at deciphering languages and codes." He slowly continued his walk around it, studying the symbols.

[Supercape]

I found a cave with a ... Wait ... Howling?"

"That's ... Not good."

Supercape coughed politely.

"Do excuse my impertinence, Mr. Danger, old bean, but you I take it from your tone that something rather not good at all has happened. One might infer you are at a sticky wicket...."

He trailed off looking a the wreckage himself.

"Something escaped?" he asked, taking a stab in the dark. "Whatever your problem, I would be glad to lend my assistance..." he continued with a little bow. He was still at a loss whether to salute the man, or slap him on the back and have a hand of cards with him over a glass of something or other.

[quotemyname]

Torque blinked slowly. "I...didn't realize," he said quietly. "Isn't this Ace Danger person supposed to be immortal and unkillable? I thought I read some history bit on him somewhere about that,"

"Un-killable? Heaven's no!" Mac responded. "In fact, I'm pretty sure the fact that he often dies and comes back to life is the plot of at least two of his movies. Ah, he's coming around now, see?"

---

Torque followed Mr Danger into the back. He listened to Ace even as he walked up to the container. He walked around it, studying it intently. "An island? Anything else on it besides this thing? Why would you take something like this back with you," he said idly. "Um...I think I can make this out. Give me a second; I'm rather adept at deciphering languages and codes." He slowly continued his walk around it, studying the symbols.

Blueshift picked up the conversation as if she'd been there all along, "Hi, Ace! Blueshift! Mac's kept me up to speed. Here's a summary of my findings so far, Torque, see if your translations differ," she provided him with a small memory stick that would easily interface with his suit.

"And yea, 'Cape, when Ace says something is 'not good', you should start worrying," She was already back to the central control console typing away, "Something, someone, or somewhatever did in fact get out. The mystery is, or course, 'what' or 'who' that was."

She pulled a hand away from the console and began tapping the side of her visor, likely cycling through displays and screens, "The Atlantean here is rather vague. It's very 'you had to be there.' As if anyone seeing this thing should already know what was inside. I'm scouring any and all Atlantean legends for world ending threats that might have been thwarted or locked up as we speak." Finally, she turned to Ace for the first time since he'd walked in, "Of course, you can feel free to narrow down the search parameters at any time if you already know what we're dealing with." She gave him a friendly smile.

[angrydurf]

"Wish I could." Ace said with a shrug, "But that is largely why I brought it back with me." he admitted as he somewhat idly poked at the busted containment unit. Signs pointed to it running low on power, not sure how, usually these things have internal supplies that are effectively inexhaustible."

He looked to the heroes and flashed his all to practiced smile, "Well Regardless it is certainly dangerous and I think we're first on scene to track it down." he suggested sounding almost pleased at the prospect. "The game is, as they say, afoot."

[quotemyname]

"Got that right, Ace." Blueshift was tapping rapidly at the keys, despite their foreign languages, "Okay, here's our first lead. Looks like whatever was in this thing was designed for one of two purposes. Either it was created and purposed to exterminate the inhabitants of Atlantis, or their technology. Various searches conclude that Lemurian programming follows case by case, 'best fit' evaluation." When she looked around it became clear that her audience wasn't following, "Layman's terms, if there's no more Atlanteans, it'll go after the closest thing that looks like them. So, basically every person it sees on the street. But I've got good news! No one is dead yet." Seeing that the impact of this revelation may have failed to sink in as well, she pressed on.

"Everything here suggests whatever we're after does quick work. There are plenty of applicable human targets around." She gestured toward the hole in the ship, If none of them are dead yet, it can only mean that this thing is after something else. The tech."

She raised her hands from the keyboard, typed a few things into a wrist mounted interface that seemed to reveal itself out of nowhere, and pressed a button on her visor. "Now there are some remnants of Atlantean tech nearby, as it happens. Looks like the closest is..."

"The Super Museum and Champions!" Mac interrupted her, effectively stealing her thunder.

Blueshift visibly deflated, letting her arms drop to her sides and frowning at Mac, "Gee, thanks, buzzkill. Not like I wasn't going to say that or anything."

[Supercape]

"Not really my cup of tea, mass exterminations" replied Supercape, alarmed at the prospect.

"So, if we aren't going to be out for a duck, then we best stop this chap. Or whatever it is. And the museum looks like the best bet. Lets just hope there aren't any ancient doomsday devices lurking there ripe for the picking..."

"Lets be off!"

He was about to start folding time and space to get there, but with the strange elemental storm roaring overhead, raining down all sorts of peculiarities in the electromagnetic spectrum, he paused.

"On second thoughts..." he conceded "...regular transportation may be advisable given the peculiar weather we are experiencing. And I would imagine this plane isn't going to be airborne soon. So, anybody got change for a cab?"

[angrydurf]

Ace looked at the strange caped brit quizzically for a moment and shrugged, "I think we are unlikely to mange that give the state of the street." He said good naturedly. He looked around the various dislodged boxes and crates in the cargo hold for a moment and emerged with a gleaming steel finned cylinder attatched to a harness. "Ah I haven't seen this in years!" he exclaimed excitedly and began to attach the various straps to his chest affixing the device to his back with a satsified grin. "Right then," He said pleasantly, "I can probably cary at least one of you with this," he tapped the side of the rocket pack confidently, "And I know Supercape here has his own means of locomotion." he added with a pleasant grin. "So it's only a few blocks away shall we see what we can see?"

[Cyroa]

Torque nodded in agreement with Blueshift's assessment. "Indeed. Though I have to wonder why they locked it up and left it there instead of simply ending the threat," he said absently to himself. It certainly seemed like a more pragmatic and logical avenue. "Well, hopefully we will have better luck apprehending it...and building a better prison for it as well I suppose." He looked out of the plane towards the museum. "I suggest we get moving then," he said, realigning the tertiary power matrix. It wasn't that far and he preferred moving under his own power.

[quotemyname]

"Works for me. Shouldn't need a ride if it's just a few blocks. I can walk. Gotta stay in shape somehow." Blueshift offered as she worked her way toward the hole in the ship, brushing her hair behind her ear as she went, "Mac!"

"Right, coming!" The little robot sped over and rested on her outstretched hand. Since his jets wouldn't keep up with her, she simply deactivated him temporarily and placed him in the specialty harness on her back below her cloaking device.

"Now, no telling what we'll see when we get there. Or won't see. Eyes sharp, boys. Other senses too." With that, Blueshift vaulted over the scrapped edges of the hole and fired up the jets in her boots. She sped off toward their destination like neon blue streak of light.

[angrydurf]

GM

It was a short trip to the Super museum only a few blocks away as it was and a good thing too given that Ace's Jetpack seemed to have some mechanical issues shortly after arrival. He discarded the pack and looked to the steps cautiously.

There were no signs of trouble the visitors going about their business with almost eerie regularity. For a moment it seemed as if they may have been led astray no signs of trouble of any sort, no panic, nothing to suggest anything but a regular day at one of Freedoms favorite tourist destinations. Already the presence of the Heroes was gathering a small crowd of tourists snapping shots of real life supers to take home and bore their relatives with.

The seeming peace was however shattered by sudden blaring alarms from within the museum itself. As the heroes looked on they could see the slowly descending barricades lowering over the windows and doors to ensure whatever malefactors were within could not escape.

[quotemyname]

"Well, that's no good."

"Sensors indicate that the controls for that door are on the inside. We can't do anything from out here, Blue!"

"Roger that! In we go, then!" Blueshift fired up the afterburners on her boots. In a second flat she'd reached the top of the stairs in front of the doors. She used her momentum and the slick material of her suit to allow her to go sliding under one of the vertically closing barricades. She popped up into a standing position immediately afterward. Mac also scooted under the door right after her.

First things first, she gazed around, trying to get a good indication of the situation.

[Supercape]

Supercape still wasn't particularly keen on teleporting given the strange local disturbances. Given enough time, and a few paracetamol for the headache, he could probably have analysed the distortions to his satisfaction, and been confident enough. But he didn't feel like chancing it.

So, a mad dash it was.

With a few long strides and a leap he half-flew and half-dived through the closing gap, spinning and rolling on the floor on the other side in a rather clumsy manner. Lying sprawled and disorientated on the floor, his enormous cape folded over him, he spied the closing gate about to jam shut on his immaculate cape, and with a shimmering blink, he contracted the cape, shrinking it away from the jaws and escaping further embarressment.

[angrydurf]

Ace had half turned toward his fellows to begin supposition on where else the 'beast' may have gone when the alarms began to blare. He swung on his heel and began to race up the steps, "Sounds like they're playing our song." he joked as he dropped into a slide to barely skirt under the descending barrier his hat for once becoming dislodged on the other side before a nimble hand shot out to snatch it back under before the Doors closed with a resounding thud and click of heavy bolts engaging.

"Hmmmm..." Ace mused as he cast about himself, "Looks like we lost that armored fellow..." he made a small shrug and glanced about, "Well I'd say that whatever it is it is in here. Let us just hope, there are not too many innocents in the things way ..." He was cut off by a shrill cry seeming to come from the central mezzanine.

[Supercape]

"This looks like a sticky wicket chaps..." said Supercape, his uncanny senses alert for any sign of danger.

"Call me a silly sausage, but I have an awful inclination that there is something rather awful here before us. And no doubt related to Mr. Danger's recent experiences. I smell hocus-pocus, myself..."

Supercape didn't understand magic, and knew it. And he didn't quite understand the nature of the strange disturbances. And anything he didn't quite understand had the whiff of hocus-pocus to him...

Precaution was the name of the game here. With a moments concentration, he erected the shimmering lattice of wave-matter strings he called his quantum force field, and his Costume started sparking and glowing with purple-green energy.

[quotemyname]

"Hocus-Pocus?" Blueshift turned to look at Supercape accusingly, her eyes narrowing somewhat, "Come on, 'Cape. You know there's no such thing. Least you should. Hanging around me enough."

Suddenly, Blueshift disappeared into thin air right before their eyes. "Only sufficiently advanced technology, see?" Came the echo over their comm links, "Well, no, you don't. I digress. Heading in to see what this thing is up to. Mac's tagging along." At that, the little robot hovering nearby also disappeared.

[angrydurf]

GM

As her robotic companion began scanning the next room he was nearly bowled over by a somewhat overweight woman fleeing the scene. As she stumbled around MAC she cast a fearful glance back the way she had come and continued to flee in panic. As the hovering bot righted himself and fully entered the room she had fled he and his master could see some of what had caused her panic. The displays of atlantean artifacts were shattered and several of the priceless pieces lay already sundered in the center of the room with more floating through the air seemingly under their own power. Sparks and strange flames danced already over the pile of destroyed artifacts who knows how much more havoc may be wrought if this thing continues its ancient task.

[quotemyname]

"Hop to it you two!" Blueshift radioed to her companions. She was busy adjusting the viewfinder on her visor. She quickly flashed through multiple different views and finally found what she was looking for. "There. Got a bead." She quickly drew a few small devices from her belt. She tossed them upward and three small electronics stuck to the walls with a sticky goop. The devices quickly spouted three lasers which triangulated and targeted the thing's position. It was a strange form of invisibility. Not reflecting light, but not bending it either. Instead it seemed to simply not be there. The light from the lasers disappeared in mid air, and reappeared exactly on the other side of whatever it was they were fighting. Although it didn't have exactly the desired effect, it still achieved the desired effect; Her friends could now see where it was if not what it was. Now they had a fighting chance.

"That should do it. Invisibility nixed. Who's next?"

[Supercape]

Supercape cracked his knuckles and dusted down the immaculate blue and white cape of his costume.

"RIght then" he said with a small cough. "No time like the present, eh?" he said with a wink.

"That is, if one takes a quantum event based strictly linear mono-non-paradoxical perspective on event causality within an uncurved four dimensional Einsteinian view, of course" he added, in a somewhat longwinded addendum, pausing for breath afterwards.

With his quantum force-field well and truly wrapped around his magnificent sparkling costume, Supercape strode in to meet the...thing...

His amazing senses could only just pick up the creature. It seemed to be shifted, in a way Supercape concluded meant it was only loosely existing in this dimension. It's shape was horrific, and he actually shuffled back a step or two back as his brain took in the form in front of him. Too many limbs.... too many joints.... too many.... dimensions...

"We're going to need a bigger cape...." he whispered to himself, before he steeled his nerve...

[angrydurf]

Ace rounded the corner moments after Supercape taking in the scene with concern and obvious worry at the building flames and smoke over the ancient Atlantean devices. "How are those ..." He spoke before the glinting light of the lasers limned the creatures absent form. "Well that is certainly ugly." he said with a shudder as he tried to think of anything he may be able to use against such a creature.

[angrydurf]

GM

The creatures head parts whipped toward Blueshift as it became aware of her as a threat. There was a low roar that was more felt than heard as it turned to face her with vicious intent. As the light of the lasers outlined its form it thrashed as if in shock or perhaps pain and dropped the remaining artifacts. With more meddlesome heroes arriving it shook with what almost seemed contempt and the walls vibrated once more with unheard roars. It turned and charged away from the interrupting heroes in an attempt to flee. The thick wall would prove impediment to even some of the strongest heroes. for the creature though it was almost as if it wasn't there at all and in fact as it vanished through the wall the waiting heroes could see that it left the wall near unmarred.

[quotemyname]

"Crap! It saw us!" Blueshift gasped. She glanced back to see her two heroic comrades walking through the door behind her.

Letting her cloaking device drop momentarily, she rolled her eyes at the pair, "No, I don't suppose Ace Danger would be known for subtlety, would he?"

She fiddled with something on her belt full of nice shiny gadgets. The lasers on the wall deactivated, and she tossed a small electronic device onto the floor between them. "Well? Now what are you waiting for? Let's go after it!" She stepped forward toward the device and suddenly disappeared.

Moments later, Blueshift and Mac appeared just beyond the wall the creature had disappeared through...

[Supercape]

Supercape could still see the horrible, cortorted shape of the "thing" in his head.

"What is it?" screamed his mind. He realised that his mouth had echoed his thoughts.

The thing was warping the very nature of reality around it, scrambling his own senses, and adding to the horror of its form. As it dissapeared through another wall, he acknowledged a very real reluctance on his part to follow. He paused and steeled his nerve once more.

"Its fast...too fast. How to we follow it?" he asked his companions. They could barely see it. Still, he reached over to his allies and, against the basal revulsion in his primitive brain, sought to bend space again. He could fold space to take them to the end of the universe - but it took time. Complex, difficult manipulation of dimensions. And the thing was fast. It did not matter if he just needed to go to the next room or to a distant sun on a distant galaxy, the process was the same. And it was not fast...

[angrydurf]

"Something Ugly" He replied as he emerged from the portal with a small shudder.

Ace leaned against a wall with one hand as he caught his breath, "Well it seems at the least to flee when discovered." he noted with some satisfaction. "On the downside it's invisible and can travel through solid matter almost as if it wasn't there..." his face twisted in distaste as he looked to the wall and pulled his hand from it, "Oh Eww!' He cried, "That is disgusting." he noted as he pulled his hand away and tried to shake the sticky viscous liquid from his hand.

[quotemyname]

"Hey, hey, hey!" Blueshift jumped forward as Ace pulled his hand from the wall. "Careful, Ace! That's evidence. Wouldn't want the oils on your hand messing up any of this sample! Blueshift attacked the gooey stuff on the wall with a small vial pulled from her belt. She used an assortment of tools to gather a good amount of the goop and then she held it up in the air.

A small mechanical arm extended from Mac, who had just passed through the teleporter. The little robot stowed the sample in his chassis. ""To answer your question, Supercape, we don't. Not yet anyway."

"He's right," the robot's owner agreed, "We need more information. I say we fan out, case this place for more evidence like that goop, and then figure out a plan of action. Starting with..." She pulled up a small screen on her wrist and showed the others some data across the screen, "The next nearest supply of items it might be after..."