ic Great Apes

[Electra]

~They're real,~ Paige assured Gargantua, even as she kept a wary eye on the large and not exactly friendly delegation. ~They'd like to see you, to know that you're all right. I think they want to take you home.~ The timing seemed suspicious to Paige, why would the rescue party show up now, after all these years, just when rescue was no longer necessary? She tried to keep those feelings in her private mind, not wanting to prejudice the newly freed captive unnecessarily. ~If you'd like to go with them, that's all right. But if you don't feel ready, that's all right too. I think they just want to see you for now. Are you ready?~ 

[Avenger Assembled]

Harridan drew back from Velocity and Edge, his eyes widening and big nostrils flaring. For a moment it looked like the already tense situation was going to explode into violence before Harridan exclaimed, "Wraagh!" With that, there was a ripple in the air near him, and then more ripples, dozens, hundreds as an army of heavily-armed gorillas appeared all around the center of the compound! They looked like light infantry, wearing loose-fitting camouflage more suited for their forest home than the deserts of Namibia, but carried themselves like veteran soldiers for all of that. (Or like gorillas - none of them were experts in the interpretation of ape body language). 

 

"I do not care about your human laws!" sneered Harridan, drawing himself up to his full height that was still well shorter than either of the humans. "That ape in there is a citizen of the Gorilla Nation and his attackers _will_ be punished by ape law! One who has tortured another must face the judgement and penalties of all the people!" 

 

"Hey, man," Edge intervened, heedless of the restless army of ape soldiers all around them. "that's all well and good, but we live in a planet of laws. Ape laws, and people laws. Gorilla Island is a UN member just like any other nation, which means you've signed all the treaties we have. If you want to try the people who tortured Gargantua, that's all well and good. You can't just show up here and break treaties signed by your own government!" 

 

- 

 

Inside the house, Gargantua shrank back, fear written painfully sharp on his simian face. ~I want to see them, but I...I don't know any of those apes. And I have never heard of Lord Harridan! The only Harridan I know was a criminal and an enemy of our nation; one who sought to make himself king of the gorillas!~

[Thevshi]

Velocity continued facing Harridan while the army of gorillas began to appear around them. But she was busy carefully studying the hundreds of gorillas that were now visible, her speed and goggles allowing her to keep track of what all was going on around them without even turning her head or otherwise appearing distracted.

While she certainly did not like the look of things, all she could do for the moment was see if there was some way of reaching some agreement with Harridan and the other gorilla nobles who had first been visible.

"As Edge, a representative from UNISON, indicates, we are not in a position to just hand any of the Crime League over to you Lord Harridan, even if they were being held nearby." The speedster stated. "Perhaps we should focus on what we can possibly do for you. Would you like to meet your fellow country…ape?"

[Electra]

Paige listened with concern both to the exchange outside and to the mental communication with the freed prisoner. ~Something doesn't seem right here.~ She sent to Gargantua, Edge and Velocity. ~Gargantua says that the Harridan he knows was a criminal and a traitor, looking to take control of the gorillas. If he's taken over, our diplomatic footing could be worse than we think. And if he hasn't actually taken over, he's playing some kind of angle. Edge, do you know anything about politics on Gorilla Island? Either way, we may need some backup.~

 

She tuned her mental focus strictly to Gargantua, lacing it with compassion and understanding. ~Nobody's going to make you go out there if you don't want to. And if you do go, we'll protect you if needs be. Knowing what he wants with you might help us understand what exactly is happening here.~

[Avenger Assembled]

"Yes," declared Harridan immediately. "We must see our countryape and take him back to civilization, where he can recuperate from his time in the tender mercies of soft-handed hairless fiends!" He was in the process of heading towards the mansion when Hologram's psychic message came in, and with a glance at Velocity Edge began to improvise. Angry gorilla of dubious intentions with a heavily-armed force of ape soldiers at his back? Just another day in the life for UNISON's premier super-agent - even if, he had to admit, he hadn't actually faced this particular crisis. 

 

-He can't have just taken over,_ he thought first to Hologram as she read his mind, then as the message was sent to Velocity. _As far as I know the king is still in power there, I mean there'd have been a big thing if there'd been a coup...-

 

"Woah woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Listen, we're not going to keep you from seeing your ape, but he's just come out of a really bad situation, and he may not be ready for all these guys at once," he went on with a nod to the small army that was following their leader - for good or for ill. "Why don't we just make it the three of us heading that way?" he suggested to Harridan, the big ape furrowing his ridged brow as he considered the offer. 

[Thevshi]

Velocity was grateful for Edge stepping in when Lord Harridan began heading toward the house, with his army apparently ready to follow him and they received Hologram's telepathic message about what Gargantua had reveled about the only Harridan he had known on Gorilla Island had been a criminal and a traitor.  She was now not so sure letting Harridan see the freed ape was a good idea, but did not see a way to prevent it now that he clearly wanted to see Gargantua.

 

As Edge began making the case for only Harridan going in to see Gargantua, the yellow clad speedster nodded her head in agreement.  "It probably is the best thing.  Besides, there would not be enough room in there for all of your soldiers."

[Avenger Assembled]

If I am not alone, thought Gargantua warily. I have known so much...I cannot stand alone against those who would hurt me - even my own people. 

 

Harridan didn't look like he liked the idea of approaching the house alone - if it was possible to read a gorilla's facial expressions. But confronted with two powerful superheroes, one representing the Freedom League and the other representing the United Nations, he nodded in assent and loped off behind the heroes. It wasn't that he was slow, they'd seen the speed of the gorillas already; he seemed to be taking them as an escort! 

Cautiously, Mark led the way towards the building where Hologram and Gargantua were sheltering. He'd seen how traumatized the gorilla inside was, and so played things carefully - knocking on the door despite the harrumph from their escort. 

[Electra]

~I'll be with you,~ Paige promised, moving to stand by the massive simian, ~and Velocity and Edge are coming as well. They are more than a match for Harridan. We aren't going to let anything happen to you.~ She opened the door slowly, looking out at the superheroes and the gorilla leader. "Lord Harridan," she said politely. "You are welcome here as a guest. I trust that we can all behave with appropriate courtesy towards one another." She stepped backwards, keeping out of the way but at the same time standing between Harridan and Gargantua. It was not exactly a comfortable position to be in, but she trusted Edge and Velocity to back her up if anything started to happen. There were benefits to having powerful colleagues! 

[Thevshi]

Velocity followed along as Edge took the lead towards the building where Gargantua and Hologram were waiting.  If Harridan wanted to act as if she and Edge were his escort, that was fine with the speedster, as long as it got him to go along with just them and leave his small army behind. 

Speaking of that army, just because her back was now to them, Velocity did not stop keeping an eye on them as she went.  The speedster used her superspeed and the technology of her goggles to keep watch over the assembled gorillas, looking for any warnings of hostility, and making sure none of them went invisible once more and tried to follow them.  She kept an eye on the ranks of gorillas while also keeping an eye out on the area behind them for any sign of movement from invisible gorillas.

[Avenger Assembled]

"Look at you," said Harridan, shaking his head as he looked Gargantua up and down sorrowfully. "What have they done to you, my brother? What have these ANIMALS done?" he growled, angrily but without the threat of violence in his tone, as he looked up at Gargantua. If Harridan and his soldiers outside were any guide, Gargantua was far larger than even a typical Gorilla Islander! 

 

It was a great trial, s-sir, thought Gargantua, who sounded very uncomfortable around the loud, boisterous black-furred gorilla. But I am grateful to you for coming to my rescue. And for these humans, he added, who have been my friends. 

 

"No matter," said Harridan dismissively. "Come, let us take you back to the island. The King will be _very_ interested in seeing what has become of our lost son in these miserable hellhole!" 

 

-

 

So far the gorilla goons Harridan had brought with him weren't doing anything Velocity could see, but at the same time there was something shifty about them - their uniforms didn't quite seem to match and their weapons were oddly mismatched as well. They were a ragged bunch for professional soldiers in her estimation, if one could judge anything about gorillas with guns and uniforms. 

[Thevshi]

As they made their way into the house, Velocity studied the gathered gorilla soldiers a bit as she looked for any signs of mischief.  Thankfully they appeared to be behaving, although the speedster noted their somewhat miss-matched appearance.  The ragged appearance certainly seemed to hint to the possibility they were not Gorilla Island's normal military force, instead perhaps just a collection of gorillas that were loyal to Harridan, whether or not he had taken over the island.

 

Once they were inside, the Freedom League member stood off to one side as Harridan greeted Gargantua.  Velocity felt sympathetic to Gargantua, and was rather worried about just letting Harridan take Gargantua away.  "If you would like Gargantua, we could help see you safely back home."  She offered.