"Strangers At The Gate"
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Once again, battle and death pound the complex in Wundagore Mountain. For the first time in twenty-one years, the mountain is invaded, with the Brood unwilling inhabitants. And when it is over, the main landing pad and hanger are strewn with battered and broken bodies. The broken hinges on the hanger doors are the most notable damage to the facility, but far from the only reminder of the battle. Far below in the mountain valley rests the still smoking wreckage of the vessel that bore the invaders, the LexCorp vehicle that contained two Brood siblings when it exploded.
When Skeeter finally peeks his head into the hanger, he is shocked by what he sees. The body of Ambrose is embedded in the wall next to Skeeter, while the bodies of Manticore and Master Phoenix lie in lifeless heaps not far away. Emeralde and Quicksilver begin to unravel themselves from the power draining energy nets the LexCorp invaders had used against them, although Emeralde is injured (-3 BODY, left arm). Also injured are Black Cat (-1 BODY, left leg) and Sky Trompis (-3 BODY, chest and head), who collapses again, still fighting his random growing pains. Jonna Constantine stands dumbstruck by the scene.
Meanwhile, far below in the incubator room, the final Brood is awakened. He is green-skinned, with brown hair and patches of blond just above the side-burns. He appears to be around 18-19 years old. His blue eyes blink as he comes to. As the door to the chamber opens, he stumbles out, his arm reflexively stretching to grab the open door, which appeared to be just out of his reach. He coughs a bit, then looks around and gets his bearings.
The teen hears noises and explosions above him, and looks around to find some clothing. 'Hmm,' he thinks. 'Perhaps I could be of assistance.' He finds a black jumpsuit with a white band around the waist. Digging some more, he comes across a pair of white boots and a pair of white gloves. Finally, he puts on a lab vest slung over one of the machines. He goes to leave when it dawns on him there is no way to get to the higher levels, with the exception of a rope ladder left hanging.
The teen walks over to the ladder and tugs on it to make sure it is secure. 'How primitive. I'm sure I could rig a simple elevator system to allow access to the higher levels.' Filing some basic plans in the back of his brain, he uses his stretching powers to quickly climb the ladder and ascend to the battlesite. 'I suppose I should have some form of identification.' He ponders this for a moment. 'Dox. Vreed Dox should suffice as a name.'
While back above, as Felix timidly follows his twin into the room, the Brood known as Prometheus strides over to the three LexCorp troopers who had been struck by Sky Trompis. Although he was a big man, powerfully built and almost as tall as Quicksilver, he moves with a perfect balance, like a dancer. After a brief examination, he declared them all dead.
He turned to Quicksilver, saying, "It's Nathaniel, isn't it? Nathaniel, I need you to check out the crash site. I fear our sisters are dead, but we must be certain, and you can search the area quicker than anyone else can. Jonna and I will stay here, and take care of the injured. Our newborn will have to take care of him- or herself for the moment."
At nearly the same moment, Quicksilver finally frees himself of the netting. He looks around at the ruins and remains of the HQ and his siblings. He hangs his head for a second in what appears to be either shame or sadness, oblivious to Prometheus's words. Then quickly he looks back up and begins moving. " Black Cat, Emeralde and Sky Trompis, find Bova and get her to look at your wounds and if you are okay then get back out here we have some work to do. Janna, you go check on our newest sibling and make sure everything is alright, Prometheus come with me, let us check the rest of the remains both here and by the ship in case there are any survivors…" His voice trails off as he realizes two Brood are giving orders.
Prometheus waits for Quicksilver to quit speaking before he continues. Prometheus is distracted for a moment by how ungainly were some of the names the High Evolutionary had assigned to his Brood. Jonna, Trompis (Prometheus, for that matter). But he dismisses the thought; more important matters were at hand.
"Jonna," he says when Quicksilver pauses, "we need to get the wounded to a safer and more comfortable place. Please help me."
The blond beauty hears Prometheus ask for help taking care of the wounded. It sounds at first as if it is very far away, but suddenly she comes back to this world. "'Elp? Al'right then... levitos!" she says as she uses a simple spell to levitate the Black Cat.
"Hey! What you doin', girlie?!!?" he says.
"Y'can't use that leg with the way it is. You'd only 'urt yehself more." Jonna replies as she takes Black Cat upstairs to the main living quarters.
The Black Cat tries to relax, as the sensation of floating in the air is alien and strange to him. He looks at his leg, "Mannn, would you look at that. And I just permmed the hair on my legs."
Jonna looks down on him with disbelief; "You perm the hair on your legs?"
"Only as an aid to the natural curl", the Cat responds. The Cat turns to look at the invaders as he is floated out of the room, his large white fangs gleam in the light, "You guys are deader than polyester suits." He extends his claws to emphasize his point.
Jonna continues to float the Black Cat out of the hanger, "There'll be plenty of time for revenge furball, after we get your leg fixed." Jonna falls silent as they enter the elevator. *So it happened to you too,* she thinks as she looks down on the body of Master Phoenix. *Everyone who is close to me 'as a tragedy befall 'em. No reason why you'd be any different, I guess.*
Looking around herself Emeralde is shocked at the enormity of the death and destruction that has occurred in the short time that she was stunned. Shying slightly away from the newcomer. "Was he responsible for all this?" she thinks, trying to look even less threatening than she already does. To the observant she seems to get very slightly smaller, the green pigment of her skin becoming more subtle as she appears more child-like; almost a caricature of innocence.
Gravitating to the back of the group, she seems to regard most of the other Brood with either awe or fear. Only warming to those who seem least threatening or anyone who tries to care for her or anyone else. Hearing Prometheus's call for help, Emeralde moves over to the unconscious form of Sky Trompis and, with her good arm, lifts him back into the service elevator on the south side of the hanger.
With all of that in motion, Prometheus kneels over the only remaining living LexCorp armor as he says, "Now…what have I missed?"
"We must give the dead bodies a proper burial or cremation" says Quicksilver, thinking "I guess Master has installed that idea into my head too."
As Jonna returns to the hangar, Quicksilver again asks her to check on the newly awakening sibling. "Yeah, sure, why not?" she says, pausing to look at the bodies of her siblings. "Y'know, we should give these people a proper burial, don't 'ya think?"
Quicksilver stands over Prometheus's shoulder, also examining the unconscious LexCorp. "When the rest of you are done getting checked out come out to help us because after we finish this we need to decide our next course of actions because our existence is known and so are our whereabouts so hurry."
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As Jonna uses her spell to levitate Black Cat further into the mountain, she thinks to herself, "When the bloody 'ell did 'e 'ave the time to PERM 'is legs?!!?" Jonna hands Black Cat over to Bova and then descends to the main floor again and continues towards the rope ladder leading down to the lower levels.
About halfway down the ladder she runs into the new Brood, who is ascending. "'Scuse me. You must be the new one, then?" Jonna says to the Brood below her.
"I am. Will you continue up this crude device that you and the others have fashioned?" He asks.
Frowning in the darkness around them, Jonna realizes just about how well she thinks she will get along with this Brood. Then she says, "Alright then, you got a point. But this ain't too crude, best one can do on short notice, eh?" She begins up the ladder again. A few moments later she asks, "'Ay. Y'got a name or do I 'ave to make one up fer ya?"
"My name is Dox. Vreed Dox. Yours?" he asks. "Jonna Constantine is me. Where 'ave I 'eard the name Dox before...?" she muses for a moment. She then reaches the top of the ladder and she and Dox enters the upper levels.
As Dox and Jonna reach the top of the ladder, Dox surveys the scene. The battle scene is quickly taken in and analyzed by his 12th level intellect. "Hmm. In any battle, there are wounded. Perhaps I can be of assistance?"
"Yeah, we could use it. Bloody troopers stomped all over us. Hurt are over there,." Jonna thumbs over to indicate the wounded survivors. "Ya want to take 'em up a floor to see the cow lady. Dox turns and walks over to Bova and the others without a word. "Yer welcome, ya green-skinned bastard..." Jonna mutters under her breath.
Prometheus waits for Quicksilver to quit speaking before he continues.
"Nathaniel, I must overrule you." Prometheus's expression is bland, his tone reasonable. "I am a physician. Emeralde, Sky, Jonna and the Cat will remain under my care for the moment. And I would only hinder you as you search for survivors. I cannot function at the speeds of which you are capable."
Quicksilver looks on in a bit of frustration: "Prometheus, I don't have time to argue with you right now…
"Then don't," the Prometheus interjects. "Talk less. Do more."
Prometheus glances up as the newcomer approaches, and rapidly draws conclusions. He is a Richards, that much was obvious. He looks just like him, except for coloration. But what else? A Banner? Or a Leader? A Skrull perhaps? But no, there is no visible deformation. On balance of probabilities... "You're a Brainiac, aren't you? I assume you're medically trained? Please see to young Emeralde. She can walk, so you might as well get her to sick bay immediately."
Dox eyes the man for a moment. 'Interesting deduction,' he thinks, 'I'm not sure who he is that he thinks he can give me orders, but I'll play along.' Aloud, he says "Yes, I am a Dox. Vreed Dox to be certain. You would appear to have the stature of a Von Doom." 'And the arrogance to match,' he thinks.
"What is wrong with them?" Emeralde thinks to herself. She carefully avoids the arguing Prometheus and Quicksilver as she starts to shift the now 15 foot tall form of Sky Trompis easily over her shoulder, on her way to the infirmary.
Gently, Prometheus holds her still. "We must move him carefully, my dear. And you should not exert yourself. Please be patient. I'll see to you as quickly as I can."
Even though Sky Trompis's legs still drag behind her as she genlty lays him down per Prometheus's directions, she is clearly taller than before; easily looking down on the quarreling men. 'So many dead and they're going to start fighting again.' she thinks.
Prometheus is pleased to have pinned down the origins of at least one Brood. Everyone else remained mysterious, including himself. Naturally, he had theories; Sky Trompis for example, who was breathing a little more easily by now, is probably a Pym, but could easily be a Farr, or a Barton. He'd have to try him with a bow…
He turns again to the newcomer, surprised at his reaction to the young man. He felt a competitive urge, so strong it was close to dislike. He suppressed it. "Good to have another scientist on the team, incidentally. I'm Promet...no. I'm damned if I'll use some silly codename. Call me...August."
Dox calmly looks at August, then turns and walks away, saying "Yes, your codename is silly." He walks over to the injured green woman and says, "You are injured. You must come with me."
"I beg to differ," says the green now-amazonian Brood. "I feel fine." Vreed looks at her for a moment and, finding no cuts bruises or scars, casts a disbelieving glance at August. "She's uninjured," he announces.
Quicksilver's face registers his frustration with this usurper to his position for just a second, then forms once again into the face of a rugged leader. "We have certain priorities. The injured will go to Bova who is competent to deal with them and since our new sibling too has medical capabilities he can help the injured. Right now I need your help. We need to find the rest of the living if any and deal with the remains of the dead quickly. Lastly we need to devise a plan to deal with the situation we just had. People from the outside know about us and our location which has very obvious ramifications. Vreed Dox is it? Would you please assist the injured and try to get them on their feet quickly? We have a situation to deal with, have one of them brief you. Maybe you can give some valuable input."
Prometheus shakes his shaggy head, the long brown hair still matted with the nutrient bath he had lain in for decades. "Let the dead bury the dead," he said. "The living are our first priority. Once again, I urge you to fly, as I cannot, and check the crash site."
Quicksilver says, " Prometheus, search the base and find the remain survivors and also any other information that you can, we need more information before we can devise a plan. If need be find any serial numbers on the suited men and trace them on the computer to find any match or info." He then turns and flies quickly out of the hanger into the dark night skies.
It is easy for him to trace the paths of the two explosions, with some small fires burning in both directions. One of the paths of fire ends in the wreckage of the LexCorp transport. The left wing was ripped completely off the vehicle by the explosion, end up several hundred yards from the fuselage, itself broken into two main pieces, with metal debris spread liberally around all three main components.
Also from the air, it is easy for Quicksilver to see the faint lights of a village in the valley off to the south of the fires. He can only imagine the effect of tonight's battle will have on the village inhabitants.
During his flying scan of the fuselage wreckage area, Quicksilver thinks for a moment he sees figures darting into the shadows around each fire. Animals, perhaps, but large ones, almost human sized. But the figures disappear completely on his approach, and he is never sure he's seeing more than smoke. As he examines the two fuselage halves, Quicksilver finds eight bodies of armored LexCorp raiders and inside the forward cab section, chained to a retaining plate, he finds the bashed and bloodied body of Frosti.
Ripping the chains that hold her wrists from the restraining plate, Quicksilver carefully cradles her crush form to his. Rising softly into the air, he resumes his search, but never finds Darkstar or her body. After an hour search, he returns Frosti's body to the main complex, before coming out to retrieve the vehicle sections as well.
On his return to the crash areas, he again thought he saw figures dash from the wreckage to the shadows as he approached. But upon landing, Quicksilver finds no one. 'It will be dawn soon,' he thinks. 'We will know for sure by then."
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On his return to the crash areas, Quicksilver again thinks he sees figures dash from the wreckage to the shadows as he approaches. But upon landing, Quicksilver finds no one. 'It will be dawn soon,' he thinks. 'We will know for sure by then."
Quicksilver lands near the crash area and instantly shifts his power reserve into strength. He gathers all the pieces of the destroyed craft and puts them into the craft itself. He also extinguishes the fires so that no forest fire will occur. As dawn begins to peer into the valley, Quicksilver notices tell tale signs that others had indeed been around the crash site the past night. But casual investigation reveals nothing else now in the early morning mist. He takes one last survey of the area and then heads back to base carrying the entire craft and its remains.
While this is going on, the two newest brood had exchanged deductive passes. Jonna Constantine listens nearby. Upon hearing Dox and August's deductions about each other, Jonna has some of her suspicions confirmed. "Didn't guess the Fantastic Man part..." she mutters as she turns to August. "A Von Doom, eh? Should'a guessed. Got the face of a man by the name o' Bruce Wayne, too... No wonder ya so bloody arrogant!" She then exits back to the highest level of the complex, to the High Evolutionary's secret mystic library.
In the hanger room, the two green Broods are examining each other, though in different ways.
"Fascinating," Vreed Dox thinks, looking at Emeralde's perfect skin where he was told wounds should be. "Her control over her molecular structure is impressive. That coupled with her green skin tone would seem to place her in the ma'alecaa sapius genus: a Green Martian"
"Maybe they aren't so unapproachable," thinks Emeralde, gazing down at her fellow green Brood, "he did listen when I spoke, and he is kind of cute: green too. I wonder if we're related?"
As she watches Dox, thinking to herself, Emeralde almost unconsciously shrinks to match him in size and build. So close is the match in fact that the only apparent differences are in their sexes.
Seemingly oblivious to Emeralde's shapeshifting, Vreed walks over to the gigantic form of Sky Trompis and begins examining the big Brood alongside August. Vreed quickly reaches the same conclusion as August, that the young Brood's life is in no immediate danger, but that his metabolism is still unstable.
Tapping a startled Dox on the shoulder after her body form had realigned, Emeralde asks shyly; "Is there anything I could maybe do to help?"
Vreed eyes the girl closely. "Perhaps if you would assume the larger form you were wearing a moment ago? I may need help moving the large one."
Emeralde looks hurt as she replies, "Don't you like this form? I though it was nice."
Pausing she continues, "Anyway if he stays that big, you were right, it would be easier on him to use a gurney of some sort."
August rises smoothly, and speaks to the room in general, "The boy will not die of his injuries, but his powers may yet kill him. This hanger is spacious; it would be best for him to remain here, in case of an uncontrolled growth spurt. You," he said, turning to Felix, or possibly Skeeter, "will kindly escort me to sick bay, and I will prepare a suitable sedative."
"Dox," he said, before leaving, "I'll also mix up something for our prisoner. He hasn't yet been examined. I leave him in your hands." August exits to the upper level where the wounded are being treated.
Quicksilver flies into base and deposits the LexCorp craft in a place away from the other dead Brood still to be examined. He then walks up to where he'd placed Frosti's body and kneels near it. In a whisper he says, "My sister, I wish we could have more time to get to know each other, your loss is felt heavily in my heart. I promise you that I will look after the rest of our siblings with all my ability and heart. Rest in peace and wherever you are I hope you are happy and content." He then lifts her body and carries it to her birthing chamber. Over the next several minutes, he carries the other dead Brood members downstairs one by one and, saying something similar to each of them, he places them into their respective birthing chambers.
Meanwhile, in what passes for a sick bay on the second level, August carries out a rapid drugs inventory, and quickly prepares a mild sedative for Sky Trompis and a powerful anaesthetic for the LexCorp prisoner. Decanting the mixtures into self-adhesive dosage monitors, he carefully labels them and gives them to the nearby Felix, saying, "Take these to Dox, if you please. But first, show me the computer."
The ferret child screeches something nearly indecipherable as he points to
an old terminal in the corner of the main living area now serving as triage.
August sets down, quickly tapping out inquiries but gets mostly an overflow of
unrelated data. Wundagore Mountain lies in southeast Europe in an area of mixed
Slavic historic regions, near the country of Transylvania. Petty local rulers
fought for control of the valleys, but no real challenge to the High
Evolutionary's occupation of the mountain complex until, as August notes in the
final system files, the complex's extensive radar and anti-aircraft systems
were destroyed in Magneto's final assault. There is no mention of LexCorp, but
the name Lex Luthor (a scientist and businessman) does appear as a donor of
genetic materials used in some Brood development. Of course, August can't help
but overhear muffled conversations between Bova and Black Cat as the latter's
wounds are dressed, and the occasional use of the 'LexCorp' word by the bovine
nursemaid. <
He is further disappointed to discover there is no virtual reality system used to program the Brood (knowledge transfer was somehow accomplished biochemical. On the plus side, plans of the existing complex reveal lab and storage space that is now blocked by rubble and may not have been raided during the intervening years. Even if it is old, August would have a lot of 'techno' parts to modify as required by the Brood's current situation.
Finishing the first aid, the Cat turns to Bova, " I can understand why you would enjoy working for me, but I will never understand how you could work for those hairless apes at LexCorp."
The Cat leaves Bova to her duties and heads towards the hanger bay. Finishing his interrogation of the computer, August follows the Cat back down stairs.
On the main floor, Black Cat notices that Frosti is on the ground, "This sucks. Of all the people here to die, it is a real shame you had to die. I actually liked you." He continues surveying the area, he sees Ambrose imbedded in the granite wall, "Oh well. At least you left making a good impression."
Quicksilver waits for the other members to finish their duties and activities then he calls them down to the birthing level to pay final respects to their dead family. "We were born from this chamber and so we shall return here at our death. We have just lost our siblings and all we have left is each other, the world out there knows about us and we know only a little bit about them, here in this cave and mountain we are vulnerable and just waiting for other attackers. It is time we make a decision. There is a world out there that somehow we are related to but are yet to fully figure out. I say that we leave this mountain and enter the world and find out about it and find out about these people who attacked us and why. We enter the world and blend in, build a life and learn about it. We need answers and the answers don't all lay here. What say the rest of you?"
"I say," declares August, "the Hell with that! This mountain is our birthright, and I'll be damned if I'll surrender it to those LexCorp pirates! If they want Wundagore, they're going to have to fight for it!"
He faces the others. "What do you say? Are you going to run away, and live like vagabonds, or are you going to fight for what's ours?"
He turns to Quicksilver once more, his voice cold with anger. "Run, if you must. You can 'blend in' easily enough. You can pass for human. But what about Emeralde and the Cat? What about Bova and Skeeter and Felix? And what about those LexCorp will create here, if we let them? An army of super-powered slaves, yet unborn? We have to fight them. You have to fight with us."
Vreed rolls his eyes. 'Ham,' he thinks. Aloud, he says, "I feel I must agree with August. There is much technology in this mountain, and until I can determine what the bulk of it is, it is a bad idea to let LexCorp get a hold of it."
"Eh ..." Emeralde hesitates and tries again, "Excuse me ... could we not compromise? Maybe a small group, er, two of us say, could leave here to investigate. Scout? While the rest of us continue to discover this place we have been left?" She slowly trails off, uncomfortable being watched, before finishing. "If any one does leave though, they should probably be the least conspicuous."
She looks around nervously. "That's all I wanted to say, uh, I hope it wasn't too silly."
Jonna feels an unusual materialistic instinct towards Emeralde. She says, "It isn't such a bad idea, dear. Cheer up. It's actually a good'un. I can't think o' better. Now," she says to the rest of the Brood, "'er idea is good 'cause of two reasons. One, we're scouting, which means that we're findin' out exactly whether this place is worth keepin' or if there ain't nothin' better out there. Secondly, the inconspicuous people thing is a no brainer. I think that we should do this, an' I think I should be one o' the people to go." When questions and protests arise at this, she says, "'CAUSE I've 'ad some bleedin' experience in the world and you 'AVEN'T!!! Unlike the rest o' you, I remember things before this place. I'm not even sure that this place is REAL. I can blend in. I know 'ow things work. We'll 'ave to fight for this place if we stay. Knowin' LexCorp, they'll 'ave the bloody Justice League out 'ere in no time. Trust me that you don't want to tango with THEM."
Quicksilver looks over at Jonna and Emeralde Quicksilver:" Good suggestion, I second that. If there are no other suggestions I say we follow this one. Jonna, Emeralde and I will go into the world. August, Dox, Black Cat, Trompis and the rest of you will stay here. I also suggest August and Dox that you survey the technology and find a why to either transfer it or replicate because I have a strong hunch that another assault will be launched again. Does anyone know of any communication devices on this mountain that we can take with us? Jonna and Emeralde whenever you are ready let us go into the new world."
August appeared faintly amused. "This seems a rather ill-defined mission. Do any of you have a more specific destination in mind, or will you be content merely to reach 'the world'? And what will you do in 'the world' when you get there?"
Jonna speaks up. "I've got a few ideas, yeah. Like findin' out what bloody country we're in an' findin' out what year it is. It can't still be '72. I figure I had to have been out for quite a spell for the' technology to get so bleedin' advanced. If I'm not still out..." Jonna pauses for a moment, thinking of what to say next.
Smiling, at the thought that the beautiful lady didn't think her silly, Emeralde asks, "Can I go with you, out there, to see what the world is really like?" the wonder shinning in her eyes. "And I don't want to fight anyone, to hurt anyone."
"Sorry, dearie," replies Jonna, "but unless you can make your skin the same colour as mine, it won't work. Not to sound rude or anythin', but your colorin' will bring attention that we won't want. In that case, I suggest we bring along DoomBat 'ere instead, With a finger pointing towards August.
"Eh ..." says Emeralde bringing Jonna's attention back to her "Did you mean like this?"
Jonna's eyes widen almost imperceptibly, her surprise well hidden, at the sight of a now blonde, blue-eyed Emeralde; the exact likeness of her if she had ever been a teenage girl.
"Do you like it, or should I look more like someone else? I thought that I could be your daughter. Well the programming I received clearly showed a society dominated by men, where women and children aren't full citizens no matter how exceptional they are considered to be; little better than property. Although there was some evidence of attempts to create a more liberal attitude, it was fairly explicit that those attempts were being met by extreme prejudice. So I just thought that if we posed as mother and daughter we would be less likely to be seen as a threat, and we would be able to get help more easily."
Emeralde looks at the glazed expressions on the other Broods' faces.
"Oh, I was being silly again wasn't I?"
Jonna shakes her head 'no' towards her little sister with a trace of a smile on her lips as she sticks her thumb out towards Quicksilver, "An' perhaps you should stay 'ere Nate. Again, not to be rude, but your attitude will bring attention. You act really the way a super'ero is supposed to act, Nate. DoomBat is arrogant enough that whatever people in whatever villages there might be, well... they'll probably take 'im for some rich son of a... if ya know what I'm sayin'."
August burst out laughing. "I've no idea why you've decided to call me 'Doombat,' (Jonna smiles back and makes the 'bat' symbol with her fingers) but the rest of what you say makes some sense. Unfortunately, despite his...idiosyncrasies, Nathaniel is almost certainly the fleetest traveler among us, and may be our only flier. We are a long walk from the nearest civilization, I fear."
He paused before saying, "I'll be happy to venture outside; it's what I was made for after all. But first, why don't we take stock of our resources here? In a few hours, we may be able to make this place defensible, and who knows? There may be a vehicle that Vreed and I can restore to functionality. In any case," he concluded, " before I leave, I need a shower and you need a plan."
"Actually August," says Quicksilver, "I do have a plan. Our computer here might just have information that is one sided, in other words might be giving us biased information. Any competent and skilled planner and intelligence person would know that the first thing you do before acting is to devise a plan, to devise a plan; intelligence is needed. Therefore, our first stop is to the local "library" in the town which would have ample number of sources of various viewpoints on the world and the various players in it. Second we will search on this group (he lifts up the LexCorp sign). I also noticed last night near the crash site there were some sort of creatures or beings too big to be animals moving around. I think we will also search on that. The three of us should be back by nightfall about the world outside, if we have a communicator we can keep in touch. Otherwise we will see each other tonight. Any other questions?" He switches back top his human looking, non-powered form for just a second to remind everyone of just how easily he could fit in.
"No," drawled August. "All is now perfectly clear. You are going to 'the city' which is located in 'the world'. Perhaps while you are there, you might locate 'the department store' and purchase 'the television'. And perhaps even, 'the newspaper'."
But there are no other comments, and Quicksilver accepts that as a mandate and invokes his super strength again, pushing the dead Brood's birthing chambers into the earth like a grave, and at the top of each grave/chamber inscribing the name of the dead Brood member. After the first, August protests: "Please don't destroy the priceless, and possibly irreplaceable, birthing chambers." But his voice trails off as he realizes the futility of his efforts.
Jonna walks over to Master Phoenix's grave. "It don' change, does it? I didn't even know you well. Yet you still 'urt as bad as all the other friends I've seen dead. That my actions killed. Why don' it change?"
When Black Cat hears the others discussing who should go investigate the world outside, he chimes in, "I definitely should go. I need to work on my wardrobe, besides when you are as good looking as I am, people are bound to be impressed."
The Brood silently look at Black Cat then at each other, then finally to Quicksilver and August. Quicksilver looks at August, almost staring through him, then turns around and heads for the main level and the big hole in the wall, followed by his fellow Brood.
Once in the hanger, Quicksilver looks around for a way to close it up. The busted hanger doors. But just then, the sounds of someone scrambling away from large hanger doors attracts his attention. Blurring into super speed, the silver Brood zooms forward, quickly returning holding a female child gently in his arms.
Behind him, a man runs into the hanger bay, several hundred yards behind Quicksilver and screaming out unintelligible phases towards the Brood. Finally, he yells out "Befreiling meine Tochter, Bitte. ["Release my daughter, please! - German]
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After the burial, Jonna walks over to Emerald and says, "I'm too young to 'ave a daughter that looks the age you do. Why don't ya try to look exactly like I do, an' we'll go as twins!"
"You mean something like this ..." and she grows to match Jonna's height and build. While not quite managing an identical copy of her new friend Emeralde's approximation of Jonna shouts TWIN more clearly than any actual copy could.
"I rather liked the idea of being your daughter though," says Emeralde. "I could have looked younger if that would have worked better ... Oh but Dox wanted me to be bigger. Why is he so obsessed with size? After all it doesn't make any difference to who I am."
"No, it doesn't," August agrees, "but I imagine Vreed assumed, not unreasonably, that your physical strength would increase as you became larger. You are a mystery to us, you see."
He smiles at the two near-identical women. He has a nice smile, but Jonna, at least, knows how little that might mean. "Jonna is, of course, far too young to have a grown daughter. But I, though technically her junior, am biologically several years older. It would not seem strange for a man like me to have a ten-year-old daughter, and I should be honored if you were to adopt that role."
As an experiment, August pictures in his mind a pretty, dark-haired girl with grey eyes. "It would be interesting," he thinks, "to see if Emeralde adopts a similar guise.
Jonna looks at August for a moment, then says, "What, us? Goin' out as a married couple? ... That'll sure be one interestin' marriage..." Jonna then smiles sickeningly at August.
"It's sound tactics, actually." Replies August. "Our enemies may be a step ahead of us, but they'll be expecting metahuman displays. If the three of us pose as a normal family, we may pass unnoticed. Alas," he says, turning to the Black Cat, "I fear that you must stay behind, at least this once. Your astonishing beauty would draw unwelcome attention. But I promise that we will bring details of the latest couture. And now, if you will excuse me, I must bathe."
The Cat, however, continues to chime into the discussion, "With the exception of Jonna, I am one of the best people we have to scout out the world of hairless apes." He turns himself invisible, and then visible. He looks at Quicksilver, "This is your gig, so you decide."
August is dismissive. "You're wrong on both counts, Cat. Only Sky Trompis is less qualified than you for this mission, and that's only because he's on sedatives. We need to speak to people, not sneak around invisibly. And this is most certainly not Nathaniel's 'gig'." He walks off towards a corner of the chambers.
Quicksilver agrees. "August is right, your abilities are better served in recon and scouting missions but your abilities in this situation will not be too useful as our mission here is to blend in. This is not my gig either it is our gig."
The Cat shakes his head, "What makes you think the rest of the world is going to react any better than those LexCorp goons. They are bound to jealous and afraid of us. Since I am the LEAST qualified person, that is all I'm going to say." The Cat turns around, "I'll be in my room, if you need me." He climbs the ladder to the shaft leading to the upper levels, quickly disappearing into the perpetual darkness of the caverns that housed the Brood birthing chambers.
With a sisterly look towards each other and a shrug of Jonna's shoulders, the two now blond girls follow Quicksilver to the main level, as does Vreed Dox, though his intention is to review the status of the last living LexCorp captive.
August finds a working shower, strips, and quickly cleans his body, washing away the film of nutrients from his long sleep, and the fresh blood from the battle and its aftermath.
As he cleanses himself, August's thoughts turn to planning.: He'll give a hard copy of the base layout to Dox, he decides, with the sealed (and thus unexplored) areas highlighted. He'll also provide Dox with hard copies of the "Master's notes" and of the Wundagore Knights weapon and vehicle designs.He'll suggest that Dox establish a radio beacon to allow Quicksilver to locate Wundagore on his return. Otherwise, he could spend a long time flying around Europe!
August sketches a design for a crude carriage in the grime of the shower's wall, incorporating three seats from the LexCorp craft. He'll ask Quicksilver if he could make it (and carry it). Next, he'll piece together three sets of LexCorp armor for himself, Jonna, and Emeralde. They don't need to be exact fits, as they're only to keep us alive at Super-speed while Quicksilver carries us, he reasons."Emeralde, of course," he thinks "is guaranteed a perfect fit, and may not even need one!"
Next, August decides, he'll examine the LexCorp armor to determine if a radio is built-in, and if so, what kind of range it has. If this doesn't work, he'll try to find another portable radio in the base. He'll quietly ask the Cat to keep an eye on Bova, and prevent her from using a radio herself. And he'll put the LexCorp weapons to one side for future study or use.
Refreshed and with a well thought plan, he steps from the shower and dries himself. He is built like a prize-fighter, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, narrow-hipped. His long hair hangs lank and damp. He replaces the boots and jump-suit he had been wearing - the fabric is navy-blue, and Sky Trompis' blood hardly shows - but carries his body armor and weapon loose in his hand. Gathering some notes he had made earlier, he follows the others to the hangar deck.
Meanwhile... In the cool morning light streaking into the open end of the hanger a desperate man begs for his daughter's life [in German]: "Please! Please! We were only curious about the lights and fires last night. Please Golem, do not harm my little Mavra..."
Quicksilver gently sits the child on firm ground. "Well, little Marva how did you get here?" He looks over at the father and walks behind the toddling Mavra over to him. Quicksilver speaks to the man in German. "Do not worry friend we will not harm her or you. Here you go. Marva is safe. Please tell us how you got here and what exactly you are doing here. Where are you from? Wait for one second." Quicksilver says, holding up a finger to the astonished father, before calling out "Bova? Can you please bring some food for our three guests? He quickly turns back to the father and child. "I am presuming you are hungry."
Jonna and Emeralde enter the hangar as the situation unfolds. Quickly she says, "Nate! Release the girl. All is good, little girl. Sir and madam, I wish you no harm. Please stay here for now. You are safe here.
A woman, presumably the child's mother, cowers near hanger doors. All three new comers are clothed in sturdy, though obviously hand made garments.
Quicksilver bows: "Ma'am please come in. We mean you no harm. My name is Nathaniel but you my call me Nate. These are my brothers and sisters." He gestures as he leaves room for them to introduce themselves.
Emeralde, already shrunk to child size during the trip from the lower levels, glances around the hanger, but as none of the visitors seem to be reacting to the newcomers she steps hesitantly towards the little girl, smiling. "Hello, my name's Emma." says Emeralde in German; "Would you to be my friend? I don't have any friends and we could play together? Oh, maybe you're hungry, my daddy used to say that food always makes things better. Would you like something to eat or drink, we could have ice cream and orange squash. And your mummy and daddy could have some too."
"Be careful ya can deliver on yer promises, 'Emma,'" whispers Jonna. "Them noodles an' cabbage we ate last night is a far ways off from ice cream." But she keeps a smile up for the new family.
"Please," says the exasperated father in German, "We mean no harm. We are not like the dark ones. They can only come out at night." The woman comes up to kneel beside and hug her young daughter, looking up at Emeralde and Jonna. "It's just....all the fire and lights...we thought bad men had returned, or perhaps the Master of Wundagore...little Mavra only wanted to see...she was gone before we knew it."
Jonna leaned over, hands on knees in a forced show of niceness. "[In German] Isn't that just the way it is with children. Believe me, I know." Nodding her head towards Emeralde. "What say we get to know each other? I'm Jonna, and you've already met Nate and Emma. Now don't get too shook up because Nate's all silver and such. Some of us here are silver."
Just then, Vreed Dox enters the main hanger and begins to examine the remaining LexCorp invader, who is lying unconscious against a wall.
"And some of us are green." Jonna says weakly, as Emeralde giggles to herself.
Almost unconsciously, Vreed catalogs the new tech contents of the room. Nine sets of the remains of LexCorp armors and the remnants of their vehicle remain. They should be interesting to examine, he noted. Repair and service facilities built into the hanger were certainly old technology. Already, he was devising plans to improve their capabilities, while only wondering about the communications and security suite of Wundagore Mountain.
Bova and Felix enter carrying several hands made local cloaks and Mortermer Toynbee's bag of (allegedly) protective trinkets. "You'll want these if, I should think, if you're going to explore." She stops talking as she sees the guests. "Oh, my." She says as she turns back towards the stairs. "I'll need to add more roots to the stew." "Yeah! Yeah!" squeaks Felix, scampering after the shuffling cow woman. "Felix maybe eat real root for lunch!"
Eventually, August returns from the lower levels and lends his charm to befriending the newcomers. Quicksilver also returns in his non-armored form. By mid morning, everyone was comfortable and enjoying Bova's wonderful cooking. The visitors open up.
Gregorri is the name of the father. He tells of 'dark monsters' that inhabit the country side and perhaps even the village in the valley. The 'dark ones' have always existed, but have been gaining strength for the last several years. Gregorri's family has not gone to the village for seven months now. He hunts, gardens and fashions family furnishings out of wood. There has been no activity in the complex of Wundagore for more than 15 years, so Gregorri and Sylvi (his wife) have built their cabin on the upper slopes of Wundagore, away from the politics of the Balkan civil war and most of the excursions of the 'dark ones.'
Sylvi notes that she and Gregorri coat the doors and windows with garlic and ancient runes to keep the 'dark ones' at bay, but that there are nights when the 'evil' (her word) activity scares her. She would gladly take refuge in the complex. Much of her fears would be alleviated behind the massive walls of Wundagore.
"But Sylvi, you know we can't do that," says Gregorri as he stands at the end of the lunch. "We should leave now for home. It will take us an hour to get home by the safe trails."
"How long to reach the village in the valley?" asks Quicksilver, "And what is the name of the village?"
"It is called 'Somille'," replies Sylvi. "We would be lucky to reach there by dark fall by the safe paths. And dark fall is…too late." Gregorri nods solemnly as Emeralde and Mavra play tag in the background.
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Black Cat retreats to the upper quarters formally occupied by Mortimer Toynbee and other former masters of Wundagore. Using an antique telescope from the relaxing balcony, Black Cat spends the morning surveying the clouds, the sky and the countryside.
The immediate valley is lush forest, with a narrow river running through it. There are patches of cleared terrain for small gardens and of course the dark streaks burned by last night's twin explosions, but the majority of the surrounding lands are populated by woods, at least below the forest elevation line.
The skies are clear and bright blue. The Cat realizes he is at an altitude that could some days be shrouded in clouds or mist, and appreciates his time in the sun. He decides to claim this suite of rooms for himself, especially since August made everyone think the Cat wasn't fit for outside contact. When he feels hungry, Black Cat ventures downstairs for lunch.
Meanwhile on the first floor living area, when it becomes evident that the visiting mountain family is staying, Jonna snags a moment with August and says to him in English, "'ey, we should start actin' like the lovin' couple now, shouldn't we? I've already put in a line 'bout Emma there bein' mine, so if we're gonna put this up then we should get started.... hon." She then leans up slightly and somewhat awkwardly gives August a peck of a kiss on the cheek.
Taken a little aback the big man seems to blush, but rallies quickly, putting an arm about Jonna's shoulders and escorting her to hear the newcomers' story. "Whatever you say...liebling." He wanders back to the conversation with the visitors.
In the hanger downstairs, Vreed examines the prisoner and their armor at the same time. 'This armor is surprisingly high-tech,' he thinks. 'A closer examination should allow me to cobble together some protection for myself and the others.' The armor appears to incorporate flight, energy blast and force field systems in addition to the obvious physical protection. The face plate interface may also enable enhanced senses.
Turning his full attention to the man, he asks, "Are you conscious? Can you hear me?"
The prisoner does not respond. Vreed removes the faceplate and quickly discovers his patient in the throes of traumatic shock. There is something more wrong than Quicksilver's quantum blast to the shoulder. Either he is boiled inside the armor or he is bleeding internally. The young green Brood rapidly removes whatever armor pieces he can, but he realizes the armor is electronically applied. It would take him several minutes (in his estimation) to build a device capable of undoing the seams. His patient doesn't have that long. Alone in the side of the hanger bay, Vreed Dox watches the LexCorp employee's vital signs flatline. Unexpectedly, he feels sad. With a sigh, he wipes away the start of a tear, rights himself, and then goes to the stairs to join the others for lunch.
Upstairs, Quicksilver responds to Gregorri. "Sir, you can stay here for as long as you like. Don't worry if you desire to go home tonight myself, August, Jonna and Emma will accompany you back to Somille. But either way I am quite curious about these "dark" ones. Maybe they can offer clues to us, what do you think August? Dox, can you please run a search on the computer database about these "dark" ones who are held at bay by garlic and ancient runes and only come out at night? These things might be what I saw at the crash site."
"Perhaps," August mutters. "Please excuse us sir," he says to Gregorri, as he leads Quicksilver away by the arm.
"I have something to show you. Jonna, Vreed, please join us." August takes a sheet of paper from his coverall, saying, "These are design notes. For us." He pauses, to make sure of their attention, then hands the sheet around, saying, "They're incomplete, but look at number 2."
(See http://www.eskimo.com/~someone/brood/notes.html).
"You have a blood-relative, Dox, with emphasis on the blood. You woke too late to see him, but Code-name: Will-O-Wisp killed Toynbee; he might have acquired a taste for it. I don't know if it's wise to let these people stay here." August nods in the direction of Gregorri and his family.
Vreed examines the notes. "Interesting, if true. This "Will-O-Wisp" and I would seem to chare a common genetic heritage."
Jonna then goes over the sheet of paper containing the listed combinations of genetic material. "'ey, think I recognize myself 'ere."
"Even if Shroud, as he apparently calls himself, can be trusted," says August, "LexCorp could attack at any time. When they come there will be more killing."
"That is logical" concurs Vreed. "I've examined their armors and vehicles and I believe I can cannibalize their systems to reinforce the security in the mountain. Their circuitry makes the development of a hard-particle field a good possibility."
"That's good news," August replied, "but a long-range radio system might be a higher priority. It would certainly improve our odds of getting back to Wundagore without becoming lost. You should see these," he continued, pulling a sheaf of papers from a pocket.
"Here is a plan of the complex. Note that these areas are sealed off, and may be in better order than the parts we've seen. And here are blueprints for weapons, body armor and vehicles, designed by Wyndham for his Knights. Finally, I have a list of the genetic material available to Wyndham when he created us. I believe your speculation on my lineage may prove correct, although I don't yet discount the Skrull and Gamma possibilities for Emeralde."
Green Martian could also account for the shape-shifting," Vreed says, matter-of-factly.
:"Hmmm...." muses Quicksilver. "August and Vreed, if you can give me a copy of the complex, I can develop a more defensible base using the military skills given to me. But I would need a basic run down of the various types of functions of different equipment. I will work with you both on this."
August turns to Quicksilver and Jonna. "We should visit Somille, but not in strength. Jonna, Emeralde and I will learn more in a major city, such as Zurich. Why don't you escort Gregorri and his family to the village, Nathaniel, after dropping us in Switzerland?"
Nathaniel: "Good idea August." Quicksilver nods his head. "Don't worry, I will get you all to Zurich. I will then go with the family to Somille and check it out, I think there is something quite important there and possibly we can help these people."
"Whoa, wait a minute. Why Zurich?" Jonna says. "From what I've seen, we're somewhere 'round the Translyvanian boarder. Switzerland, although not too far away by Nate's standards, is still too far to be useful. We're scoutin' the surroundin' area, not goin' on a field trip miles and miles away!"
"Alright, you've got a point there... but won't th' original Mr. Von Doom be usin' that bank account? It'd be rather suspicious if suddenly there was two of yeh, now wouldn't it?" Jonna asks, one eyebrow raised. "I'll take yer advice about the boogymen... at least you've finally got a clue as to who I am... took yeh bloody well long enough. I mean, th' name itself should tell ya, if you'd bother to think..." Her voice trails off as she sees a suppressed smile tug at August's lips.
Naturally, August has no idea what Jonna means. All he knows is that Jonna appears, by some telepathic means, to have shared the post-1973 experiences of one of her forebears from within her birthing chamber, and that she seems able to work "magic" as a result.
But it seems churlish to disillusion her, so he changes the subject. "The account doesn't belong to Dr Doom - if he's still alive, you mustn't call him 'Mister' - and if it did, I'd have more sense than to touch it. No, Wyndham set it up in 1971 for my use. I was supposed to be his ambassador and agent in the outside world."
"Bloody well call 'im Mister if I want to..." Jonna says. "What makes yeh so sure that yehr supposed to be the 'ambassador', huh? If yeh 'aven't noticed, I'm human too yeh know...."
August looks her up and down, enjoying the view. "Yes, I have noticed. But Wyndham's plan for me was as I have said. Not that it matters, because Wyndham is dead. Our destiny is in our own hands."
Jonna, disgusted to the point of phobia at August's obvious enjoyment of her form says, "Yeah... Whatever... I'll be leavin' now..." Upon receiving an answer, Jonna returns to the room within the birthing chambers, to the computer terminals in the room. She sits down and begins to process information, accessing bank account information in particular. Something August said regesterd in her memory about bank accounts and the Brood on the computer. After sifting through information for a while, Jonna leans back in her seat and lets out a long moan of, "God! I need a bleedin' cigarette! I know yehr up there, Big Guy!" she says, rolling her eyes towards the heavens. " I met yehr cousin downstairs. Just one, please!"
"We'll have to salvage LexCorp armor for life support during the flight," August continues, "and we'll need a carriage of some sort to protect us from the acceleration. I can sketch something makeshift, using the gee- couches from the wrecked ship. You should be able to build it in seconds, Nathaniel, and I've no doubt you'll be able to carry it."
"Give me the blueprints and parts and I will have it done for you as soon as I can." Quicksilver says, once again returning to the table with the Brood's guests. "Vreed, do we have any communications devices to keep us all in contact?"
The slight green youth merely stares back at him.
August turns once more to Dox, to ask, "Vreed, did you notice if the LexCorp equipment includes radio sets?"
"Only short range," Vreed answers mechanically, still analyzing his own emotional reaction to the death of the prisoner. "No doubt, the craft contained longer ranged systems, but I haven't examined it yet."
Nate asks Gregorri: "Gregorri sir, what exactly is the civil war taking place? What of the "heroes" like Justice League and others?"
Gregorri seems puzzled. "Who is fighting? Who is always fighting? The Serbs. The Croats. The lunatics. There are no heroes for us. Only the stories old women and foreigners tell…and the dark ones. They are real."
Jonna sits quietly listening to Gregorri and Sylvi talking of the 'dark ones.' When they are done, she pauses for a moment then says in German, "You are talking about Vampires, aren't you? Certainly sounds like them. These 'dark ones' are creatures that steal the blood from you, right?"
Sylvi's eyes snap wide open staring back at Jonna. "How do you know such things?" she demands. She seems suddenly nervous and for the first time, Jonna notices the scarf around Sylvi's neck which she's worn all day.
And in the background Emeralde runs and plays with little Mavra, learning the preferences, dreams and wishes of a precious little girl.
And so the plan is made and agreed to, by most of the Brood, at least. August, Vreed and Nathaniel will spend the rest of the day preparing the transport bubble and armor suits the team will need. Vreed and Jonna draw the unpleasant task of removing the LexCorp corpses from the armors and recycling the armor as best as possible. Quicksilver dug a mass grave outside and buried the physical remains. Then, since the Brood would spend another night in the Wundagore Complex, Quicksilver and Emeralde set the hanger doors back into place, although there were still some small openings due to the dents left by the previous night's explosions.
In the morning, Quicksilver would fly August and Emeralde to Zurich to investigate the modern world in a big city and to access this bank account August speaks of. Then, Quicksilver will fly back to Wundagore and accompany Jonna, Gregorri and his family into Somille to check out the local populace. Vreed and Black Cat will stay at Wundagore to protect Bova, Skeeter and Feelix, along with the complex itself, while trying to learn more about Wundagore and it's technology.
Since there are chinks in the mountain's armor, it is decided a guard should be posted at the Hanger doors and Quicksilver volunteers for the first watch, followed by August, Emeralde and Black Cat. Gregorri, Sylvi and Mavra find beds upstairs and Bova once again offers the bags of artifacts Mortimer Toynbee had thought important (though they didn't save him from Shroud). The rest of the Brood sets to their tasks.
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Jonna Constantine stays close to Sylvi, the visiting mother from the mountainside as the day progresses into evening. Every so often, she questions her guest about the 'Dark Ones.' "I 'ave a... hobby, yeh might say, about knowin' these kinda things." Jonna says.
Then in a conversational manner, she says, "My, Sylvi, what a pretty scarf!" Jonna reaches a hand up to Sylvi's neck, as if she were admiring the scarf, gently tugs at the top trying to see what she can see underneath it. Two small puncture wounds are exposed "Where ever did yeh get it?"
"Yes," says Gregorri, moving to embrace his wife. "My Sylvi has been bitten once, but she was lucky and got away."
"How long ago?" asks Jonna.
"Three days," answered Gregorri. Sylvi turns her face into her husband's shoulder and sobs softly. "But we have protections," he continues. "It was a good harvest."
"Harvest of what?" asks Jonna.
"Garlic?"
"Garlic?!" exclaims the blond Brood woman. "You're trustin' yer wife's good bein' to a root? Sylvi isn't lucky, she's bein' converted! If a vampire had a bite on, he only gave it up 'cause he's thinkin' of makin' you a vampire."
Sylvi turns to look at Jonna, her eyes wide in fear, still clinging tightly to her husband. Jonna forces the best smile she can (Charisma: 9AP) and moves to put a reassuring hand on Sylvi's shoulder, and the visitor relaxes. "We're gonna help ya, luv," says Jonna "Don't worry about that. But it would be nice to know a bit about them before we face them. Do you know how many Dark Ones there are?"
"Many," says Gregorri. "We do not know how many."
"Have you ever seen more than one at a time?" asks Jonna.
"There were four," says Sylvi in a near whisper. "Only on had me. He seemed to rule the others."
"Don't worry any more. You are safe in this mountain." Says Jonna. "Now you should get some rest. My brothers and sisters are on guard tonight, and tomorrow, everything will be better."
Vreed Dox, the young green skinned blond, steps out of the elevator from the first floor main living quarters onto the hanger floor. On the inside, Vreed is contemplating his reaction to the death of the LexCorp soldier. 'How illogical.' He thinks. 'The man was attempting to kill these people, and yet, when I think of him dying I am saddened. I must endeavor to control these emotions if I am to be successful as a life-form.' Vreed pauses for a moment, then continues. "A radio system should be simple enough to put together, and sufficient for now. I'll get to work on it right away."
He remembers how he had reported the news to the others. Aloud, Vreed had cleared his throat. "I also...regret to report the last LexCorp soldier died before I could gain any information from him. It should be noted that it was not Quicksilver's blast that killed him, but rather some sort of self-destruct mechanism." He had choked out the last sentence, and he felt his throat tighten once again as he quickly began analyzing the LexCorp armor and vehicle in depth.
As the only feline Brood saunters through the background from the upstairs to the lower levels, Quicksilver calls to Black Cat. "Black Cat, I am in need of your assistance. We need to search the blocked and hidden areas on this mountain to get a better understanding of its layout. You can do this well so I want you to come with me and help me out."
Quicksilver begins to search the hidden and blocked off areas of the mountain base. Carrying a copy of the map with him, he details every defensible spot and every weak spot. He spends a good amount of time in each room (10 minutes) trying to understand its layout and its different points. He then formulates a defense assessment.
Wundagore mountain has very few access points at present. The main hanger doors, the living room balcony and the balcony in the Master's quarters are the only direct openings. [Side note: it appears to Quicksilver that Black Cat is moving into and redecorating the Master's quarters.] There are several vent shafts that go to the outside, but they are screened and sensored, though Quicksilver is unsure the sensors are still active. The 'sealed off ' places on the floor plan appeared to be solid rock 15 or more feet thick. No outside analysis was performed. When complete, he gives the report to both August and Vreed.
When Quicksilver found August, the blond woman was expounding her opinion on Shroud. "Also, don't worry about Shroud." Jonna says. "'e won't be any problem. It's because of the very same material that you share with 'im Vreed that won't make 'im difficult. 'e may have killed Toady, but that was never 'is intention. If I'm not mistaken, th' same genetics should be makin' you feel rather sorry for the poor Lexcorp bloke...Am I incorrect?" she asks.
Quicksilver hands the analysis to August, who looks it over quickly. "Good," says August, "You and I should explore the sealed areas as soon as we have the time."
Quicksilver runs off as August turns to Jonna. "Mmmm. One part alien genius sociopath, one part blood-sucking creature of the night, and one part unknown. Nothing to worry about there," said August. "I know we've all got skeletons in our genetic closets, but I really believe Shroud could be a threat."
"Oblivious fool..." Jonna mutters under her breath. Out loud she says, "Believe whatever ya want, I see yeh ain't gonna listen to me..."
"I am listening, Jonna," August replied, "but I saw him murder Toynbee with my own eyes. Nothing you have said makes that right." Though his voices trails off for once, as the blond woman walks away from him.
August sighs and moves on. The delay is frustrating, but he can see no way to avoid it. Even with Quicksilver's superspeed as a resource, some tasks - such as disposing of the broken carcasses of the LexCorp squad - could not be accomplished instantaneously. Fortunately, the Brood had been able to keep Gregorri and his family away from the corpses. He watches the visitors talking with Emeralde and Jonna, then Black Cat slinks by in the shadows, stopping for a moment to sniff the newcomers, then with a shrug, continues past. August then heads back to the hanger level and to work.
Later, Jonna runs into August again, and says, "I guess you'll be doin' some shoppin' while yer out. Get me a case of cigarettes?"
"What's your brand?" he asks, looking at Emeralde put the little Mavra down to sleep.
"Daddy, if mummy gets cigarettes, can I have some Ice Cream please?" Emeralde smiles happily. "And some chocolate, and some real clothes; so that I can go out dancing once we leave here."
On the hanger deck, Vreed moves to examine the craft. He snaps himself out of his funk and gets back to work. 'I can use the armors' radio equipment as portable units and the long-range unit in the craft as a hub.' He soon devises a network consisting of seven communicators (recovered intact from the armors) that can receive a message from the hub as long as the small communicators are within 2500 miles of the hub. However, the individual communicators can only transmit 1000 yards with accuracy.
August bends to this tasks and sorts through the dead men's armor to find two intact sets: one in his size, and one in Emeralde's (which means any size). With pressurized water and compressed air, he starts cleaning. When the armor is clean and dry, he carefully examines the suicide devices built into the suits, looking for trigger mechanisms and back-ups. The armor is highly advanced, even for Augusts dream training. He quickly identifies the self-destruct mechanism (used by two of the three LexCorps hit by Sky Trompis) but not the trigger. Then, as he begins to remove the corpses from the armor, he realizes each set of armor is keyed to the individual user by a neural link in the neck.
"This must be the destruct trigger." August thinks. "Damn! It will take time to circumvent this, and the armors are almost useless until I defeat the safety protocols. Although I do admire the genius that went into the design of this armor."
[Armor:
[DEX:] 7, [STR:] 9, [BODY:] 11, Flight:8, Sealed Systems: 8, Radio Communications: 6, R#:5
Life Support ineffective against radiation attacks. Only usable by wearer. The Brood have five working suits of armor, if the security issue is answered.]
[Blaster:
BODY:6, AV: 9, EV: 10, Range: 5, Ammo: 20, R#: 5. The Brood have seven working blasters and eight loads of ammo.]
[Omni-Gadgets: 9 AP Type C. The Brood have seven intact gadgets.]
This takes a few hours, and by the time August, Dox and Quicksilver build a transport bubble for next day's journey, the business centers of Zurich are closing for the day. But there is still work to do, so he straps on his body armor and side arm, and trys to enlist the help of Quicksilver and Emeralde to break into the sealed areas of Wundagore. He even makes a point of inviting the Black Cat on this errand. Everyone responds the same. "You want all this done by morning, and you want us to go mining? Sheesh!"
August puts off further exploration of Wundagore's long hidden recesses until after he returns from Zurich.
During the whole exercise, Black Cat continues to carry sashes, drapes and other clothes from the birthing chamber supply room to the upper levels of the complex. As the evening ends, the Brood has a suitable bubble of steel to withstand supersonic speeds, as well as two sets of armor, although Quicksilver will have to seal both Emeralde and August in the armor and release at least August from his. With the proper preparations made, the silver skinned Brood lifts the massive transport bubble onto his back and, having already pushed the hanger doors aside, flies up into dawn sky. The remaining Brood had no real idea how long it would take him to find Zurich, much less get to it.
As Quicksilver, August and Emeralde fly off into the unknown, Jonna turns to the remaining Brood. When he gets back, Quicksilver and I are gonna go back to Gregorri's and Sylvi's place." Noting that she is outside earshot of the visiting family, she continues. She recommends secretly and heavily that each and every one of the Brood wear one of Bova's offered trinkets during the night, slipping an extra one to Marva in a friendship trinket kind of way. In answer to the question why, Jonna says, "Just trust me on this, igit! You'll thank me in the mornin'!"
She herself is wearing a silver crucifix along with several chains and rings. "They're mostly small time protections, but ya never know." she says. Sooner than expected, Quicksilver returns.
"August and Emeralde are on their own in Zurich as of 4:30 a.m. Zurich time." he states. He calls the remaining inhabitants of Wundagore to him. :"Since Jonna and I are accompanying Gregorri and his family back to the village, you two, Vreed and Black Cat, are the ones left guarding this place while Sky Trompis recovers. I'm sure this is a task you both are capable of. I need you both for another reason, while Jonna and I are down in the village, we might run into some trouble with these "vampires" and if that happens, Black Cat you will be needed as you can probably get down there without being seen or heard. You are our backup. Vreed you have to take care of our communications between August, yourself and us. Keep us in constant contact. We are new to this world and we need each other right now to survive and more than that we are family and we need to stick together. Any questions or comments? Okay,
August and Gregorri, lets go. I will take you to your destination."
With that, Quicksilver, Jonna and Gregorri step outside the hanger doors and Quicksilver pushes them back into place. With two of the LexCorp blasters and two Omni-gadgets, Vreed and Black Cat assume defensive duties at the complex.
Soon after the second departure, Bova comes running into the Hanger bay, as fast as her aging hooves can bring her. "Master Vreed! The Sky boy is changing!"
Vreed Dox follows her to the main living level as Black Cat takes up guard duty by the hanger doors. Vreed finds a Sky Trompis going though size changes to individual body parts similar to when he was 'born.' The boy had shrunk to only eight feet tall, and different body parts were growing and shrinking by themselves. Vreed bent to the medical task before him.
While outside, Quicksilver hurried his charge along to Gregorri and Sylvi's cottage, strewn as it is with garlic. After a thorough examination, nothing seems amiss, so, at Gregorri's request, the trio half walks and half flies down into the village of Somille
Near the same time, August and Emeralde, traveling in disguise and without LexCorp armor, enter the busy business section of Zurich and realize they are standing in front of the bank they had come to this town to visit.
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Quicksilver carries the steel bubble containing his two
siblings August and Emeralde into the pre-dawn sky and heads off in the general
direction of Switzerland. He had only
the atlas from Wundagore's library and the 'dream learning' of the Master as
his guide. (Note: Check here for Uncle
Dave's Eastern Europe map in a couple days.
http://www.eskimo.com/~someone/brood/easteurope.jpg)
[The bubble is relatively small, but seats two comfortably
and is made of very sturdy material.
The GM rules that it weighs about as much as an automobile. This is slightly more than Quicksilver can
lift naturally, so he uses a point of Power Reserve to boost his STR to 6.]
[The remaining 9 points of Quicksilver's Power Reserve is
put into Flight, bringing that up to 16 AP.
Zurich is roughly 800 miles away from Wundagore, about 20AP. Finding Zurich on the first attempt given
the information on hand is considered 'Strenuous' by the GM, who rolls
Quicksilver's INT(7)/WILL(6) vs. an OV/RV of 6/6. A roll of 12 yields 2 RAP, so the Brood make it to Zurich with
little delay. 20 AP distance - 16 AP of
Flight = 4 AP of travel time (1 minute), leaving a quarter-mile wide sonic boom
path that shatters windows on the outskirts of Zurich. In addition, breaking the 16AP speed barrier
activates an atmospheric attack against Quicksilver and the steel bubble. The attack is travel speed (16/16) vs. Body
plus skin armor (16/16 for the bubble, 14/14 for Quicksilver). A roll of 9 yields no RAP against the bubble
and 6 RAP against Quicksilver, who spends 6 HP on last ditch defense to absorb
the damage.]
The supersonic flight is short and direct thanks to
Quicksilver's study, military skills and superspeed flight. In fact, it was too good. Wide area sonic booms trail behind the Brood
trio as they pass two time zones in tens of seconds and the high friction and
wind resistance wear on the silver clad speedster as he quickly decelerates,
though not in time to avoid shattering windows in East Zurich. His military training provides him a new
plan and he has learned from his first real encounter with superspeed
flight. Dipping under radar altitude,
he swings widely and much more slowly around the south of the city, finally
coming to rest in the industrial outskirts of west Zurich. He opens the sealed door for his siblings.
"Wow! That was
really quick." says Emeralde, as the young girl exits the bubble craft.
"And rough," snorts August as he follows his
'daughter' out of the craft..
"Live and learn," replies Quicksilver, resealing
the bubble door. "By my
estimations, it's 4 a.m. here. Will you
two be alright? Do you need me to fly
you anywhere?"
August smiles. He
had left his armored vest and his firearm back at Wundagore, but he felt little
apprehension. The girl beside him would be formidable if provoked, and he
himself was scarcely helpless. Besides, in his hip pocket was the reassuring
weight of a LexCorp Utility Module, a compact assembly of multifunctional
devices that he'd taken from one of the fallen troopers. The Utility Modules
were remarkably advanced, and each had 25 discrete preset functions. An hour's
work the night before had left August's unit with 26. "We will be fine, Nathaniel. We have plenty of time to find the right location. We will meet you back here at sundown local
time."
"Very well."
Replies Quicksilver as he lofts the bubble onto his shoulder for the
flight back to Wundagore. "Good
luck, then. I will meet you here at
dusk." With that, Quicksilver
floats into the dark night sky and begins a relatively leisurely 15 minute trip
back home, leaving only small, high altitude sonic booms in his wake.
"Come, Emeralde."
Says August, putting his arm over the shoulder of the young girlish
figure. "Let's go get
breakfast. But first, an all-night pawn
shop for some money. Jonna was
right." He says, pulling Bova's golden trinket from his pocket. "This thing will come in handy."
The two find a shop and pawn the trinket for (the equivalent
of $150), enough for a map, newspaper, good breakfast and cab ride to the Master's
chosen banking institution. By 8 a.m.,
they were standing in front of the building.
Between the two of them, they were up to date with current news, events,
fashions, sports and weather. [Private
mail sent to August and Emeralde.]
August stands beside Emeralde for a moment, watching the
people and the traffic go by. "How disappointing!" he says dryly.
"Here we are in the year 2000, and there's not a flying car to be seen.
Nor even a Nehru jacket."
Emeralde giggles to herself at the thought of August in a
Nehru jacket.
The two of them look a little out of place, dressed as they
are, but no one pays them much attention. Many of the passers-by are speaking
loudly into tiny radio-telephones. "We'll have to get some of those,
Emma," he says, "but first, we need money."
He opens the bank door, allowing her to precede him.
"This may prove tedious, but the afternoon should be more
entertaining." He catches the eye of a member of staff, and says,
"I'd like to meet the Accounts Manager immediately, if you would be so
kind." He paused briefly, recalling the previous night, his own genetic
code, his mixed emotions; "My name is August. August von Doom."
"I'll take you to Ms. Ruter," says the young man,
"but you should know up front that this institution will have no dealings
whatsoever with Latveria.
Meanwhile, Jonna Constantine is checking through the
Master's occult library in what is rapidly turning into Black Cat's suite. She finds a diary detailing the Mater's
personal encounters with vampires and werewolves (some thirty years ago) and a
small tome from the 1500's with detect and protect rituals. She pockets both as Skeeter's screeches
announce Quicksilver's return to Wundagore.
As she returns to the main living level, Jonna notices Bova
giving a crucifix to Sylvi, having treated the wound on her neck. Gregorri was talking with Vreed, Black Cat
and Quicksilver. After hugs, handshakes
and good wishes, Jonna, Quicksilver and Gregorri start down the mountain side
towards Gregorri's cottage. Assisted
slightly by Quicksilver's speed, the trio reach their first destination in 10
minutes.
The cottage appears meager to the two Brood, but realizing
this is Gregorri's home, they say nothing.
Instead, Jonna searches for signs of Vampires, while Quicksilver
assesses the defensive capabilities.
Jonna detects a relatively high level of magical energy, but no real
evidence of the supernatural.
Quicksilver rapidly came to the conclusion that the cottage was not
defensible from a concerted attack of any means. He would be better fighting outside.
Finding nothing different than when Gregorri and his family
was last home, the trio start off for the village Sommile. A short flight and nearly an hour of walking
finally sees the dirt road turn into cobblestone near the outskirts of the
village. Sommile turns out to be an old
world small town. A sign at the edge of
town says the population is 512, but the sign is old and Jonna doubts the
figure, given the lack of human contact as the trio moves through town.
Children run out of the alleys into the cobblestone streets,
but retreat when a non-silvered Nathaniel attempts to talk to them. Not wanting to scare anyone away, he decides
not to chase them down with superspeed, for the moment.
"I do not understand." says Gregorri. "Sommile has never been this quiet,
this empty. Though it has been several
weeks since my last visit."
The weather from the previous day continues and the sun
beats down into the valley from the clear blue skies above. It is mid-morning by the time the trio reach
what passes for a town center for Sommile.
The buildings are a little larger and have a sense of permanency that
implies public use. There is a fountain
in the middle of the square that appears to be hundreds of years old. Nathaniel notes the sudden presence of more
people in the alleys and shadows surrounding the square.
And there, in the middle of the square, just in front of the
fountain, is a large, crudely constructed wooden cross. And literally nailed to that cross is the
unmoving, apparently lifeless form of the Brood known as Shroud.