MarkK Posted April 16, 2008 Posted April 16, 2008 Word had spread through the city's hero community that while there was always a certain level of availabity to the Freedom League's training center in Freedom Hall, today it was particularly open to anyone from it that wanted to come by and avail themselves. This was the brainchild of the Emissary, who suggested the idea as a way for more of the city's emerging superhero population to meet, get to know each other, and gain some sense of each other's capabilities. Perhaps even to get an idea of who might be best to call on to help for particular situations. There was some initial resistance, but the Emissary was nothing if not persistent, earnest, and relentlessly cheerful. And so the combat drones were prepped, the simulator programs readied, the maze of steel bars that is Wreck Room's ornate gymnasium shined to a gleam, and even a table of barrels of Gatorade and paper cups readied just outside the room. ("What?" said the Emissary as he carried them in. "Your films, television advertisements and football seem vigorously insistent on that this is the beverage of athletic exertion. Admittedly it is a sad thing that this could not have been done for cherry cola instead. It is delicious.")
shazam Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 Captain Wonder flies an eighth of a mile over the new Freedom Hall, eying it with just a trace of suspicion. It looks...wrong. Perhaps it's just an old man's fancy, but Freedom Hall looks like a glass brick. Beaumont House, the 19th century mansion that housed the Liberty League and its successor organizations until the Terminus Invasion, now that was a headquarters. This looks like just another low-level office building, if a remarkably 'hi-tech' one. After a moment's pause, Wonder shakes his head. He's almost eighty years old; holds the Courage of Rameses, and is a veteran of two wars. There's no reason to be afraid to set foot in the headquarters of the greatest super-team on Earth. He's here to make friends, get to know some more people in the trade, and hopefully practice for a real super-fight. There's nothing to be afraid of. Pull the other one! A bit irritably, he makes a landing before the front doors of the Hall and cautiously pushes them open. This was much easier back in the old days, when you rang the bell for Jervis. Of course, Fletch Beaumont's elderly British butler is no doubt long-dead...
nareik123 Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 Legionnaire looked around at the building. Apparently, this building is special, but he hasn't been around long enough to find out why, and what it was. He walked into the building, throwing spear in his hand.
Dr Archeville Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 Doktor Archeville had heard of the open invite via the soc.superhuman.hero usenet, and almost immediately decided to go. No better way to introduce myself to both the newcomers and the ones who've been at this for some time. And make no mistake, I am a newcomer here, even though I've been operating on my own for some years back home -- there are different cultural and social factors here, and I don't have the same level of contacts, so some things I'll have to re-learn and re-establish. What he did debate on, though, was how to enter. Walk right up? Too mundane. Fly in? Straightforward, certainly, but again too 'vanilla.' Fly in cloaked and invisible? Unusual, certainly, but possibly too startling, and it might send wrong first impressions. Hijack the internal video feeds to show my face on all the monitors and introduce myself through all their intercoms? Again, wrong first impressions.... Which is how Archeville found himself flying from his new home in Hanover to Freedom Hall in the City Center. The place impressed the German engineer & scientist: Daedalus' design was elegant in it's simplicity, though he was a tad surprised at the Mesopotamian ziggurat-like form, given the architect's apparent Balkan heritage. He'd taken the tour of the ground floor back when he was a college student at HIT, back in 1999, and was impressed then, but had not been back since it had been destroyed and rebuilt back in 2001. The current version was even more elegant and awesome, and Archeville paused now and again as he floated his way to the sub-sub-level "wreck room" to jot a few notes down on his notepad. He was busy scrawling a note even as he floated into the "wreck room" where a few of the others were already gathered.
Thevshi Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 As Captain Wonder pushed open the door to Freedom Hall, he felt a rush of wind as a yellow blur speed by him. "Thanks." He heard a female voice say as the figure passed. Velocity sped into the entry way of Freedom Hall, having been something of a regular visitor here over the last couple of months. Looping back around, she sped back to the door, coming to an abrupt halt in front of Captain Wonder. The brunette ponytail of the wig she wore with her costume swished to the side due to the sudden stop as she stood looking up at the legendary hero, her hands clasped behind her as she gave Captain Wonder something of a quizzical look. "Your not quite as tall as I expected. Please do not take this the wrong way, but weren't you dead?"
shazam Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 Thevshi said: The brunette ponytail of the wig she wore with her costume swished to the side due to the sudden stop as she stood looking up at the legendary hero, her hands clasped behind her as she gave Captain Wonder something of a quizzical look. "Your not quite as tall as I expected. Please do not take this the wrong way, but weren't you dead?" Speedster. Be patient. That's just the way they are. Wonder remembers John Wade in great detail. From what he's seen from television, Johnny Rocket II has a lot more in common with his grandfather than most people realize. "Young lady, I don't believe I've had the pleasure." Despite his increasingly short temper these days, it's hard for Wonder to play the cranky old man too long. Especially with a pretty girl.
nareik123 Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 Legionnaire catches sight of Captain Wonder talking to a woman and marches over there. Being from Rome means he was dressed in ancient Wargear, making him stand out. His almost inhumane muscles definately showed. Sister Valencia tried to persuade him to wear normal clothes. He thanked her for caring, but he wouldn't take off his armour until he was in a Roman Bath with the other soldiers. "You, fighter, good?" Legionnaire grunted. He had a very basic grasp of English, apparently Valencia did something to him to allow him a small ability to contact with the locals. He still had a slight bruise from the people with strange staffs. However, being from Rome made him a sexist. "You, fighter?" Legionnaire asks Velocity, before bursting out laughing.
Dr Archeville Posted April 17, 2008 Posted April 17, 2008 [[ nareik, I think you mean "inhuman," not "inhumane"... unless those muscles have been doing some very naughty things! ]] Archeville put his notepad away, then looked around the room to see who all was in attendance. Emissary and Captain Wonder! They're no Freedom League, but they're both definitely experienced at the hero gig. Oh, and there's Legionnaire! He looks to have healed up nicely, even without my assistance. And that yellow blur must be Velocity! At least, it is if the descriptions I've heard weren't too inaccurate. Why do we waste our time here? There's nothing these clods can possibly teach us! We're here to make some contacts and allies, you arrogant fool, and maybe a few friends along the way. Bah! We need no friends, we have no peers! Our intellect is without equal, and associating with these worms is no better than associating with chimpanzees! And it's exactly because of attitude like that that we need as many allies and friends as we can get, in case you ever get out of hand and start wrecking things. Wreck? Me? Why, my 'dear' counterpart, you wound me! I would never do anything that would endanger this place, or the people in it... Really? Well, that's-. ... because we'll be using this building as our base of operations, and the people within as my powered enforcers! ......... I should've known you'd say something like that. Say, weren't you supposed to be figuring a way to break the Green Man's control over the plant-girl we fought a few weeks back? Control? Yes, yes, control shall be mine! I just need to figure out how he establishes his mental link; perhaps through some variant of the morphic field.... Yes, you keep working on that (and leave things in my hands). Archeville glided over to Legionnaire, hovering just a few inches off the ground and so appearing to be as tall as the roamin' Roman. "Greetings again, Herr... you know, I never did catch you name, I only know you as zhe Legionnaire. Glad to see you haff healed so vell from vhen I saw you last, zhough."
nareik123 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 "Name? I not know you. You advanced, I am barbarian. I don't know what to do. I want home, I want language back!" Legionnaire replied. At the comment of injuries healing, he chuckled. "Wound? Pah, weak strike. I tough more than him"
Thevshi Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 "Velocity." The yellow clad speedster replied with a very warm smile and held out her hand. "It is not often one gets to meet a legend Captain." The young speedster then looked over at the man dressed like an ancient Roman soldier and smirked as he asked if she as a fighter and then started laughing. "And where did you come from? The set for Gladiator II? If so, is Russell Crowe in that one? And can you get his autograph for me?"
nareik123 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 "You insult honour? I ANGRY!" Legionnaire roared. He took a step forward, hand reaching for blade sheathed at his waist. Apparently, he took his personal honour and pride a pretty high agenda.
shazam Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 "You insult honour? I ANGRY!" Legionnaire roared. He took a step forward, hand reaching for blade sheathed at his waist. Apparently, he took his personal honour and pride a pretty high agenda. "Excuse me, please," says a completely unfazed Captain Wonder to Velocity before he turns to the Legionnaire. His mode changes as suddenly as if someone had flipped a switch; his gentle voice changing into the harsh bark of a drill sergeant. In perfect parade-ground Latin, he replies, "By the blades of Mars, boy, if I see you threaten a woman in these hallowed halls again, I shall personally cast you into the arms of Pluto! Quench the fire of your pride now, or have it quenched for you!"
Dr Archeville Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 He's forgotten us? The Gaul of that man! ... you've been waiting to use that line for several weeks now, haven't you? You've got your sense of humor, I've got mine. I hate you so very much. Archeville turned to Captain Wonder and extended a hand to him as the Legionnaire's attention was captured by the saffron speedster. "Ah, Kapitän Wonder, so good to finally meet you! I've heard so much of your exploits, it is a true honor to be here mit you. I do hope zhat past... elements do not impede our current und future azzociations." At Leginnaire's outcry, Archeville turned to Velocity, "I vould be careful how you address him: I zhink he comes from zhe same place Centurion did, und I doubt you'd talk to him zhat vay, hrm?" [[ I'm assuming it's not uncommon knowledge that Centurion came from a parallel Earth where the Roman Empire never fell. ]] Wow... he's good! Wish I knew exactly what he'd said.... Archeville thinks as Captain Wonder dresses down Legionnaire.
Thevshi Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Velocity had not moved or changed her casual stance in the least as Legionnaire had begun to threaten her, only to be intercepted by Captain Wonder. After all, Legionnaire was all but moving in slow motion in her eyes, and she could have acted in a millisecond to any attack if needed. Wishing she had some idea of what Captain Wonder had said, though the tone sure got a lot of the message across, the teenager looked back over at the other man who had come over and warned her about how she should address this hot head. "No, I would not talk to Centurion that way. But, by the same token, Centurion would have treated me with more respect as well."
nareik123 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Legionnaire glared at the man. "You do not know how it is! I am far away from my home, and I may never see my regiment, my family again! You might be a God for all I care, but at least you have somewhere to rest! I have no where, no body, no place of rest! I was not asked by a kind Shaman if I wanted to go somewhere else! And who do you think you are? You are no Roman dressed like that! I only follow two people; The mighty Generals of Rome and Sister Valencia!" Legionnaire replied back in Latin, enraged. Those who did not speak Latin did hear about Sister Valencia, because she was a name.
shazam Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Legionnaire glared at the man. "You do not know how it is! I am far away from my home, and I may never see my regiment, my family again! You might be a God for all I care, but at least you have somewhere to rest! I have no where, no body, no place of rest! I was not asked by a kind Shaman if I wanted to go somewhere else! And who do you think you are? You are no Roman dressed like that! I only follow two people; The mighty Generals of Rome and Sister Valencia!" Legionnaire replied back in Latin, enraged. Those who did not speak Latin did hear about Sister Valencia, because she was a name. In English, Wonder replies to the others. "A pleasure, ah, Doctor." He sternly reminds himself that not all German scientists are insane mass murderers with a castle full of Nazi death machines and grim and terrible experiments underway...well, probably not. The mention of the Centurion, as it usually does, makes the smile fall from his face. "The Centurion came from a world that no longer exists." Shifting smoothly from stern taskmaster to fatherly influence, Wonder studies the Legionnaire carefully before speaking. "I am this plane's champion of Re and Isis, soldier. They call me Captain Wonder." He says his nom de super in English, of course, but then returns to Latin. "You are displaced between worlds, then, as was Persephone to Tartarus?" He pays close attention to the displaced man with whom he shares a common language. "If so, I do know of the mighty magics that pass between the worlds. When my business here is complete, I can help you."
nareik123 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 That made Legionnaire shut up. "Captain Wonder? Champion of Ra and Isis? Aren't they Egyptian Deities? I remember back home of the Egyptians. They were mighty warriors, mounted on noble chariots. Whilst they refused to fight head on, they were skillful tacticians. It seems I might have misjudged you. Tell the female in this places native Language I mean no offense, I am still adapting to the differences" Legionnaire replied in Latin.
Dr Archeville Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Thevshi said: Velocity... looked back over at the other man who had come over and warned her about how she should address this hot head. "No, I would not talk to Centurion that way. But, by the same token, Centurion would have treated me with more respect as well." "Hrm, a fair point, ja. Still, is it not best to avoid, as zhe saying goes, 'taunting zhe dynamite money'? I mean, I'm sure he cannot harm you -- if zhe stories of your speed are true -- but zhat doesn't mean you zhould be so flippant, nor so qvick to match his own level of... crassness. Such is not becoming for so beautiful a voman as yourself." "Ah, zhere I go, trying to give advice vhen it is not asked for. And mitout even introducing meinself!" He bows slightly to her, "I am Herr Doktor Viktor Archeville, of Germany. I've only been in Freedom City for a few months, und so hope to use zhese exercises to make some new contacts."
shazam Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 That made Legionnaire shut up. "Captain Wonder? Champion of Ra and Isis? Aren't they Egyptian Deities? I remember back home of the Egyptians. They were mighty warriors, mounted on noble chariots. Whilst they refused to fight head on, they were skillful tacticians. It seems I might have misjudged you. Tell the female in this places native Language I mean no offense, I am still adapting to the differences" Legionnaire replied in Latin. Wonder translates obligingly, glad that the chances of a battle now seem considerably less likely. "The Legionnaire is a man out of time and place, and our customs are strange to him," he says for the benefit of the others, "we shall all keep a close eye on him." With that issue settled, Wonder returns to his previous conversation. "Yes, I think I am a little familiar with both of you," he says with a momentary trace of uncertainty.
Thevshi Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Velocity smiled at the Doctor as he apologized for giving unasked for advice and then introduced himself. "That's okay, particularly when the advice is given along with such a nice compliment. It is very nice to meet you Doctor Archerville. Though you seem to already know, I call myself Velocity." "And contacts can be a very good thing. My parents have always stressed the importance of networking."
Thevshi Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 shazam said: Wonder translates obligingly, glad that the chances of a battle now seem considerably less likely. "The Legionnaire is a man out of time and place, and our customs are strange to him," he says for the benefit of the others, "we shall all keep a close eye on him." With that issue settled, Wonder returns to his previous conversation. "Yes, I think I am a little familiar with both of you," he says with a momentary trace of uncertainty. Velocity looked back over at Captain Wonder as he provided a translation of what Legionnaire had said, along with the additional information about his background. "Well, I guess that is a good enough apology and excuse." The young speedster replied. She looked back over at Legionnaire. "Sorry for calling you an extra from a period movie." Focusing back on everyone, she then added, "So, shall we go find Emissary so we can get things started? I should be able to find him pretty quick and get back to the rest of you." She said, then muttering slightly added, "and maybe I'll get lucky and meet Bowman coming out of the shower."
Nyrath Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Mongrel Angel arrives the way one would expect someone with a wingspan over twice their height to do. She drops out of the sky onto the lawn near the main entrance, reasoning that the lawn is easier on her legs than the paved pathway. She'd known of the Freedom League even before coming to this dimension, after it wasn't like she hadn't procured some information about this world before moving in. Not doing so would have comparable to moving somewhere picked by blinded-folded dart throwing at a map of the world, though she wouldn't have end up as wet as such a strategy was likely to get one. After adjusting her wings somewhat so they don't take up too much space she enters through the doors and finds that she's certainly not the first one to arrive. In fact she enters just in time to catch one of the earlier arrivals saying something short and then starting to laugh at the one he said it too. The laughing one is fairly big, clad in armour made from iron or steel, carrying a large shield, a bunch of throwing spears with long weak necks, and a short sword. He's seen fighting this one, but it's rather the one he's laughing at that grabs the silver haired angel's attention and holds it firmly. A brunette, slim, athletic, half a foot taller than herself, and quite simple stunning. Three facts quickly form in Alex's head; that she wanted to get to know this girl better, preferably much better, that it was highly unlikely such a looker would happen to be available, and that there was something going on which might result at least a bit of bruising, a good deal more than that if any of the bruising occurs on the brunette. But as the winged one finally starts to move in from just standing in the doorway she notices that one of the older ones there starts to quickly diffuse the situation. At which point it occurs to her that she's been perhaps overly fixated upon the, in her mind, most visually pleasing person in the room to such an extent she's not really noticed who else is present. For now she resolves to stay silent and check out the others, none of whom she recognizes.
Dr Archeville Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Mmm, I've been meaning to... study a speedster. Cut it out, we're here to make friends, not perv out. Besides, she looks almost young enough to be our daughter. That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age. EW! Archeville nods at Velocity's words, then turns to see the winged newcomer arriving. He smiles and waves to her, then waves her over. With that issue settled, Wonder returns to his previous conversation. "Yes, I think I am a little familiar with both of you," he says with a momentary trace of uncertainty. Archevile seemed truly surprised at this, "Kapitän Wonder is familiar mit me?! I am honored, presuming of course zhat is is me you are familiar mit und not von of mein ancestors. Mein family is a... troubled von -- it is a regrettable truth zhat mein grandfazher served mit zhe Nazi Party -- und I do vhat I do in part to atone for zheir misdeeds und clear zhe family name." You fool! Now he'll never give us a moment's peace, he'll always be on us! Exactly. I'm taking every measure I can to make sure that, if you do ever take over, there'll be plenty of people prepared to stop us.
Thevshi Posted April 19, 2008 Posted April 19, 2008 With no one objecting to her plan to search out Emissary, Velocity prepared to take off as she spotted a winged young woman that had arrived. The speedster gave the newcomer a small smile and a wave, and then was gone with a rush of wind and a yellow blur. A few seconds later, she was skidding to a halt near where she had found Emissary. "Hey, good to see you again." She said with a friendly smile. "So where do we want everyone to head off to? Several others are waiting near the main entrance."
shazam Posted April 19, 2008 Posted April 19, 2008 "Yes, I am familiar with your grandfather's work," says Wonder with great firmness. "Very intimately so, as a matter of fact." For a moment, in the back of his mind, Fred is fourteen again and facing down a 50 foot robot with a machine gun for a mouth and death rays for eyes. He shakes it off, after just a moment's pause, and asks, "Is he still among the living?"
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