A Heavy Dose of Science [IC]

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

Hanover Institute of Technology

 

Today was a fine day to be one of the few who had the luxury of sporting a lab coat to work every day. Doctors, biologists and scientists all over made their way to the Hanover Institute of Technology. Today they were hosting the annual GBCE (Grant Biochemical Expo). This was started some 20 years ago by Grant Conglomerates to show off its newest hardware, but had since been expanded into an industry wide affair. Everything from microscopes, to MRI machines to DNA sequencers was on display.

 

The expo was being held in HIT's largest gymnasium, and even spilled out into the nearby hallways, as well as having several outdoor booths. There were of course refreshments in the cafeteria. There were representatives from a multitude of think tanks, hospitals, police forces, government agencies, and investors looking to get in on the action. This was of course in addition to all of the students who were taking the opportunity to try to do some networking for their subsequent job hunting. A few lucky students even had a booth set up for some of their research that they've done at HIT over the past few months. Suffice to say, the place was packed. There was no telling who you might run into.

[Geez3r]

Cassandra Steel made her way up the familiar steps to the gymnasium.  She was honestly a little overdressed for this sort of function, but today she was dressed to impress.  She was wearing a full business suit, and even when the extra mile and had a tie.  All black of course.  She wore flats rather than heels simply because she knew of how much walking there was to do at a day like today.  Her hair was drawn up in a tight bun, and she only had on subtle makeup, mostly her own skin tones. 

 

She had been on campus a few times since her graduation, but it was always to visit friends, or attend some sort of function.  This was the first time she had come back in a professional capacity.  To say that she was giddy at the prospect was an understatement.  She wasn't technically on the clock like some of her coworkers working the booths were.  However, Grant Conglomerates wanted some members of its special research division on hand at these sorts of things in case a serious investor wanted to hear some in depth technical details. 

 

To that end, she carried with her a laptop bag, which was laden down with specs and documents on projects that were being shown at today's expo, not to mention a fist full of business cards.  She had a feeling that today was going to be a good day. 

[Thunder King]

Tyrone had been on the campus of HIT only once before, so this was a bit of a treat for him. He was always interested in the growth of medical science, so he was excited to be there. He wore a charcoal gray suit that suited his dark complexion. He wasn't the type to be showy or ostentatious, but he felt it was necessary to dress for success.

 

As a doctor who'd gone into medicine to help people instead of make money, he found himself somewhat on the low end of the social and economic strata of the attendees. That didn't even come to mind, as he was too busy scoping out new ideas and new biochemical innovations.

 

Yes, today was shaping up to be a good day.

[Geez3r]

The gymnasium was absolutely packed with attendees.  Towards the front of the hall was the receiption area where everyone got  a name tag, which also listed their company.  This is also where many companies that were present had recruitment booths and information packets.  This was after all a school, so an impromptu job fair had more or less become the standard over the years.  This is where you could see all of the students milling around trying to get up the courage to make their introduction. 

 

Along the sides of the gymnasium, were all of the projects and ideas that were getting ready to head into the clinical trials stage and/or were looking for investors.  Naturally, many businessmen and investors were trading business cards in the area.  Along the back wall (and thereby closest to the main power feed) were all of the large pieces of medical hardware.  Prototypes for new MRI machines, mass spectrometers and the like were all on display. This is where you found most of the medical professionals and members of hospital staff looking to upgrade their equipment. 

 

In the center of the gymnasium was where all of the theoretical and academic research was being shown.  You could find a representative from just about every field here.  Cassandra Steel for one was having a lovely chat with Dr. Wilhelm of the Freedom Medical Center.  He was one of their doctors that specialized in metahuman biology.  He was discussing a recent trend he's noticed in patients who come in for treatment after taking max.  He thinks there may be a way to use Max as a basis for medical research for improving the health of patients, maybe even be used a super serum if handled properly. 

[Thunder King]

Tyrone spotted Dr. Wilhelm talking to a woman he'd never met, and, wanting to speak to someone he knew, decided to go say hi. He walked up to Dr. Wilhelm and nodded, waiting patiently for a moment to speak.

 

"Hello, Dr. Wilhelm. A pleasure to see you again. Nice turn-out here." He said, glancing around the room at people talking. Wilhelm's studies in metahuman biology were fascinating to him, and as far as Tyrone was concerned, men like Wilhelm were half the reason he moved to Freedom City in the first place. He worked for Wilhelm briefly, making the rounds with him and learning what he could from him. Even now, on his own, he still felt like a student standing next to more experienced doctors.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Thunder King

[Geez3r]

Dr. Wilhelm looked at Tyrone quizzically for a moment, scratching his beard.  "Don't tell me.  It's right on the tip of my tongue." he said very pointedly not looking at his name tag. "Oh!  Tyrone Mendoza!  Yes, yes.  I remember you now.  You were doing your residency when we had that outbreak of moon-fever that was effecting the telepaths.  Capital work.  Ah, but where are my manners.  Doctor Mendoza I supposed it is now, this is Dr. Cassandra Steel." he said introducing the two. 

 

"A pleasure to meet you." said Cassandra shaking Tyrone's hand, having a surprisingly firm grip.  "I'm more of the academic doctor.  I'm on loan from Grant Conglomerates, research division."

 

"Nobody's perfect, so we'll try not to hold that against her." cut in Dr. Wilhelm jokingly. 

 

"Ouch.  And what would prescribe for that burn doctor?" retorted Cassandra. 

 

"So what have you been up to Dr. Mendoza?  Keeping busy I take it?"

[Thunder King]

"Nice to meet you too, Dr. Steel." Tyrone said, shaking her hand. "I'm working over at FCU in the medical research department." He said, not wanting to mention his work at the clinic in the Fens. He didn't want to come across the wrong way.

 

"Very busy, yeah." he said, chuckling. "If I wanted a low pressure job, I wouldn't have gone into medicine." It was true, he didn't know a single doctor that wasn't always busy. He liked being busy, though.

 

"Grant, eh? You guys do good work over there." He said. It was hard to believe, looking at all the students, that he was once so young and nervous. Not that he wasn't nervous from time to time, of course.

 

"Anything ground breaking in the works today, or is that all hush hush?" He said with a grin and a twinkle in his eye.

[Geez3r]

Note:  I switched Maxima to Blue colored text. 

 

 

"Grant, eh? You guys do good work over there."

 

"Oh!  Why thank you."  replied Cassandra sounding quite sincere and more than a little surprised.  She had gotten so accustomed to Grant's less than stellar reputation, and ofter sour response, that she had almost forgotten that there were people who could still see the merit in their work. 

 

"Well you know how research goes.  Spend 5 months banging your head against a wall until you get a breakthrough.  And then you spend the next year after that trying to make it commercially viable.  Now off the record..." she says dropping her voice and leaning in to the other doctors.  "The 'mitofibroblaster' - working title, marketers haven't gotten their hands on it yet- on display behind me has shown staggering results in its earliest clinical trials.  It radically improves the healing of burn victims, both in speed and in reducing scarring.  Though I'm biased as I had a hand in the project a few months back." she added honestly. 

 

After waiting to hear Tyrone's response she segues into "Dr. Wilhelm has filled me on his research, and I've shared mine.  How about a taste of what's on your plate?"

[Thunder King]

"We're working through tentative ideas right now. Nothing especially exciting or interesting, I'm afraid. I"There's a clinical trial going on right now dealing with how serotonin and sleep deprivation interact. We're hoping to deliver a report next year on the results. I've seen more than my fair share of burn victims, so anything that can expedite that process is definitely a good thing." He nodded.

 

"It's always good when you realize that your work is actually helping people. That's half the reason I went into medicine. That and an excuse to call myself 'Dr Mendoza.'" He said with a grin.

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

The conversation between the three doctors continued for a few more minutes as they traded stories and shared insights from their various practices.  They went more in depth with the mechanics of some of their research, discussing the minute particulars including difficulties they faced, and when they might expect results. 

 

However, this pleasent conversation wasn't meant to last it seemed.  From outside of the gymnasium, out on the campus green, there was a rather large commotion.  You could hear a lot of loud voices, and getting louder.  You could see flickers of movement from people running this way or that through the window in the door.  And was that the smell of smoke in the air? 

[Thunder King]

Tyrone instantly realized something was wrong. And excused himself from the conversation to go see what was happening. He wanted to make sure there was something worth suiting up for, before he chose to suit up. He kept the suit nearby at all times, and it would take but a moment to retrieve it. He just hoped he didn't have to use it.

Edited June 20, 2013 by Thunder King

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

Tyrone is able to quickly piece together what's happening.  There appears to be a couple super-villains en route to attack the place.  He in fact recognizes the duo.  They're a villainous team up known as Hellfire & Brimstone.  They're a mercenary couple who recently made their escape during a prison transfer.  Hellfire is a petite young woman with long flowing red hair, and wears a leotard of black and orange with a flame motif.  As her name would imply, she is a pyrokinetic, and is currently setting fire to some of the outdoor exhibits.  Her partner Brimstone is a tall and hulking figure that looks more like a demon than a man with dark red skin and horns curled like a ram's protruding from his head.  Right now he appears to be content roaring and scaring the crowd, but given his track record, him turning violent is likely just around the corner.  If that wasn't enough, they appear to have brought a dozen or so goons with them.  They look like they got dragged out of a biker bar, and are carrying bats, pipes, chains and a sour look.  In short, things are about to get rough. 

 

Tyrone is one of the lucky few to spot this early and is able to get away from the crowds and duck away without any fuss.  Cassandra on the other hand was not so lucky, and was delayed in untangling herself from the crowds which were desperately trying to get away from the danger once they realized it was there. 

[Thunder King]

Tyrone escaped from the situation behind the building, where he'd stashed the suit a little while before. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to use it, but, here he was.

 

The creature crawled out from it's hiding place and pooled at his feet in an almost ooze-like form. As soon as he stepped into the center of it, though, it came alive. Tendrils of forest green shot up from beneath him, coating his body in a thick layer. Then pieces shuffled into place, forming plates. Finally, plates shifted into place around his face and head, obscuring his features and revealing only a pair of red eyes.

 

He gazed up at the wall in front of him as his hands shifted into claws. With a growl, he leaped forward onto the wall and climbed straight up it. Not losing momentum, he propelled himself forward the moment his feet hit the roof, sending him hurling forward and over the building.

 

He hit the ground with a resounding thud, using his right hand to steady himself before pulling himself to his near seven foot height. The suit was forest green and shined like an insect's shell. There was no outward indication that a human was inside it, nor even that it was a suit. He said nothing, preferring to let his presence do the talking.

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

Everyone in the courtyard stops what they're doing to turn and look at the newcomer.  At which point everyone one who was running immediately goes back to running having confirmed that the above maneuver was a good life choice.  The mercenaries had a different reaction.  "Looky there boys.  We got ourselves an insect that wants to horn in our territory.  Go do me a favor and squash him for me." taunts Hellfire as she casually chucks another gout of flame at a nearby table. 

 

The goons for their part, look around at each other trying to see who's going to be the poor sap to go first.  Brimstone expedites the process by growling "Its him or me." as he menacingly cracks his knuckles. 

 

Now properly motivated the goons move in on Graft, two of them lashing out to attack him, but missing wildly.  The other form a circle around him, waiting for a sign of weakness to pounce. 

[Thunder King]

Graft scoffed. These guys were barely worth the effort, but he couldn't afford to ignore them. They might turn on the civilians, and he couldn't permit that. He also didn't want to reveal too much of what the suit could do before fighting stronger foes. Relying on the self-defense classes he'd taken years ago, he lashed out with a one-two combo on the first thug before delivering a swift kick to the stomach of a third. He whipped around and delivered a fierce haymaker to a fourth, before knocking a fifth on his back with a brutal uppercut.

 

He hoped they'd assume the suit was just as stiff as a human body. When he fought the real threat, he'd be able to pull a few tricks out from under his sleeve and hopefully end the fight quickly.

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

"Not bad feakshow." taunted Brimstone, even as the other hired goons took reactionary steps away from from the interloper.  "You head will make a fine trophy on my wall!" he roars as large bat-like wings sprout from his back.  With a great flap of his leathwery wings he rushed Graft swiping at him with his clawed hands and misses his mark only barely. 

 

Above them, Hellfire calls out "Move away you idiot so I can blast him!" as she focuses fire into her hands.  After a brief pause she screams "NOT!" and douses the area in flames, which Brimstone seems to ignore outright.  However, after the flames stop flowing, Graft notices that the flames covering him don't seem to be going out.  Hellfire's hands are still held in the same pose and she's staring intently at Graft. 

 

Sensing weakness one of the bolder goons shouts out "Now's our chance!  Get'em!" and they swarm on Graft en masse, beating on every part of him they can find with every bat, pipe, club and chain they brought with them. 

 

 

[Thunder King]

Graft felt the hits strike him as he gazed up at Hellfire. He felt the intense heat of the flames, but had yet to be harmed by them. His eyes narrowed, the target was above him. At once, the suit obeyed his mental commands and shifted more mass into his legs as he took off with a shot.

 

He took one look at Hellfire and balled up his fist. He slammed his hand into her, practically spiking her like a volleyball. She blasted away from her position, away from the building.

 

Graft turned over in mid-air and hit the ground with a thud. "I think you fail to see the situation for what it is. I will not permit you to harm anyone in this building, or anywhere else." He said, his voice transforming from his normal tenor into a deep bass, a low growl augmented by the suit filtering his voice to disguise it.

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

Though she desperately wanted to, Hellfire was unable to get out of the way of Graft's assault, being surprised at his sudden burst of speed.  She hit the ground with a satisfying thud, chewing up the landscaping as she skidded to a halt.  She was still moving but was obviously still reeling from that hit.  As an added bonus the fires on Graft went out with a puff of smoke.  

 

"Hey!" roared Brimstone indignantly "Nobody hits my girl but me!"  He once again charges Graft, this time even more heedlessly as he tries to clock Graft with a viscous hay-maker.  

 

"Let them fight the cape!  We's gots a job to do!" called out the goon who appeared to be running the show.  They seemed to have had some sort of plan as some of the goons get to smashing while the others try to head inside without any more needing to be said.  The ones on the lawn started smashing up all of the exhibits and posters pretty much indiscriminately, while their compatriots made it about halfway up the stairs to the gym.  

[Thunder King]

Graft felt the blow rock his jaw, but luckily the suit protected him. He rubbed his jaw a second, and spotted the thugs running towards the building.

 

"Excuse me a moment." he said, suddenly turning around and running at the thugs. With the speed the suit granted him, he reached them in seconds. The suit shifted slightly to take some of the weight off of his hands and ensure he didn't hurt the men any more than he needed to. A few smacks to the head later, and all four were down.

 

He turned around and cracked his knuckles. "Where were we?"

[Geez3r]

Meanwhile, inside the building Graft was protecting, Cassandra had finally managed to untangle herself from the crowds.  She ducked into one of the side rooms which she knew had a door on the other side of the room, and after going through that door she arrived in an almost deserted hallway.  She quickly darted into the nearby women's locker room, and finding it similarly empty breathed a sigh of relief. 

 

She stashed her pack in one of the lockers, and gave one more last look around.  Alright.  All clear.  she thought to herself.  As she Max'd out, muscles pretty much exploded from her body as she practically doubled in size.  As always, she was half frightened at how quickly the change took place.  She just thought about the change and then, bam, she's nearly 9ft tall. 

 

A few moments later she made her way out the side door before a quick leap put her in the midst of the action on the campus green.  She surveys the surrounds before raising her dukes and asking the air "Alright... who's first?"

[Geez3r]

GM Post

 

Seeing things were clearly not going their way, Brimstone shouted at Hellfire "Get up!  We still got a job to do!  Plan B!" before he took to the air and started streaking across the campus straight towards a group of expo attendees who had fled the scene. 

 

Brimstone for her part dusted herself off, cursing Brimstone as he took flight.  She lept back into the air and headed back at a 90 degree angle from her partner over to the nearby parking lot.  As she flew over it, she strafed it with fireballs, blowing up four or five cars and lighting a handful more on fire. 

 

The gang members for their part made a big show of continuing to smash up the outdoor displays.