Log:More Powerful Than a Locomotive, Part 2

Best of the Best 2058 2008/06/18 	 Kibin Lightray Nexus Regan 1

Stadium rock blares over the stadium loudspeakers as fans mill about and find their seats. Competing heroes are invited to wait in the tunnel between the lockers and the field.

Lightray stands in the tunnel, his wings waving slowly as he waits for further instructions.

Kibin drinks some coffee with a straw, while waiting for the Best of the Best to start.

A waterboy offers the heroes complementary bottles of Meta-Ade. ( "The new drink for a superpowered generation." )

Lightray looks over at Kibin as he says with a smile. "Congratulations on you first place standing."

Lightray takes the bottle of Meta-Ade and shakes his head as he read the logo on it.

Kibin takes one of the Meta-Ade bottles, looking at the ingredients. Huh. He says to Lightray, "Thanks. I mostly got lucky though."

'Now available in Superberry and Xtreme Orange.'

Lightray sets down the bottle without opening it. "Do people actually enjoy these sports drinks?"

Kibin replies to Lightray, "I used to like them. They taste pretty good."

The music blaring over the loudspeakers starts fades aways. "Ladies and Gentlemen..." the stadium announcer says, a deep voice booming over the loudspeakers. "Are you ready... for Best of the BEST!"

Lightray smiles slightly. "I think I will stick to water. Somehow I do not feel comfortable consuning a drink whose color is day glo green."

Kibin finishes his coffee, tossing it into a trashcan. "Well, the actual drink is probably clear, the coloring is just to make it more attractive I guess."

A wave of applause rises up from the crowd.

Kibin takes a deep breath. He's probably going to do horribly on this event... but he might could make up for it in any other events.

Lightray thinks. o O (Strength. Well, here is hoping I can do better than last time.)

The loudspeaker man announces, "Here's your host... Syndey Crosheeeeeere!" Fooosh! Sydney Croshere, flies into the stadium, carried by a man in wearing a jetpack. The crowd roars as the two of them ascend to the hovering stage and land on it. Sydney smiles to the jetpack man as she sets her down. "Welcome back, Colonial Bay!!!" she says.

Lightray stepss over at Kibin and offers his hand. "Good luck!"

Kibin shakes hands with Lightray. "Good luck to you too."

A production assistant walks over to Lightray and Kibin. "When Sydney calls you out, you're in lane number 1, Kibin. Lightray, you're lane 2."

Kibin nods at the production assistant. "Got it. Lane 1."

Lightray nods to the production assistant. "Thank you, ma'am"

says, "Let's get this show on the road!" Sydney says. "Let's hear it for Colonial Bay's Mightiest! Bring out the heroes!"""

"Let's get this show on the road!" Sydney says. "Let's hear it for Colonial Bay's Mightiest! Bring out the heroes!""

Lightray flaps his wings and then flies out of the tunnel. He smiles and waves to the crowd as he flies over to his poistion at lane 2. He alights with a flourish of his wings.

Kibin doesn't come out for a bit, then figures out with Lightray that they probably won't announce the names the second time around. Whooops. He hurriedly runs out on the field, waving to the crowd as he gets into position at lane 1, surveying the challenge ahead.

The Jurassic Pack is back in full force, here to celebrate their raptor champion. The crowd cheers as the heroes take the field.

Sydney says, "This year's contest is based around some traditional notions of superheroes. Today's contest is called 'More Powerful than a Locomotive!'. Our heroes will have to be strong if they want to win!"

"We've all seen this scenario in the movies," Sydney says. "The bad guys hijack a train and the good guys have to stop it before it reaches it's destination... Well today, we have teams of five hijackers on each train, in order to make sure the train continues on it's 'deadly' path."

Lightray looks down the treadmill track to the train ahead. He seems to be trying to figure something out.

"For the heroes, the task is simple -- stop the train either by brute force, or by applying the brake in the train cabin. The hero whose train travels the least distance before stopping is the winner!"

Kibin hmmmphs. Strength isn't the only thing you can use then, apparently...

Lightray smiles slightly. He thinks. o O (Praise Utu-Shamash for that. No way on Earth I could stop it brute force.)

A referee in a striped shirt stands by the treadmills, ready to field any questions from the heroes.

Lightray raises a hand to try to get the referee's attention.

"Lightray." The ref turns and points a finger to the hero, signalling him to procede.

Lightray smiles as he asks, "Just to make certain: One cannot just blow up the tracks to stop the train, correct?"

Kibin also raises his hand to show he has a question, after Lightray.

The ref nods. "Let me go over a few ground rules... You can't destroy the train or the tracks or remove the train from the tracks. Also, if you use the brakes, the hijacker is free to disengage the brakes, if they are still active."

Kibin says to the ref, "Nevermind on my question then..."

Lightray nods. "What counts as making a hijacker non-active?"

Kibin hmms, actually he has another question now.

The ref adds, "The hijackers will be armed with stun pistols, like those from the first round of the competition. A single tag on a hijacker and he becomes in-active and has to sit out the rest of the competition."

The ref looks at Kibin. "Do you have a question?"

Kibin says to the ref, "Do they have any protective equipment?" If it's only one tag, the claws on his hands will work faster, but he doesn't want to hurt them.

The ref says, "They do have protective equipment, but it's more to prevent injury in case of a maglev accident."

Nexus descends from the MagLev station.

Nexus appears. Late, again. You'd think he was a speedster or something.

Kibin replies, "I was thinking kelvar or something... thanks."

The heroes seem to have taken positions on giant maglev treadmills and there are open lanes available.

Nexus ports to one of the treadmills, trying to look like he knows what he's doing, which he doesn't.

Lightray smiles aa NExus appears then turns his attention back to the referee. "How far will we be starting from the train? And will we know ahead of time the entrance/egress points?"

An assistant points Nexus towards one of the treadmills.

Nexus ports to one of the treadmills, trying to look like he knows what he's doing, which he doesn't.

Sydney says cheerfully, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a late entry... it looks like it's Nexus!" She makes his arrival sound like the bestest thing in the world.

Nexus grins and waves at Sydney.

The ref says, "You can start anywhere between 20 to 80 meters away from the train on the treadmill, in front of the train."

Nexus takes the opportunity to memorize a port location behind each of his two competitors.

The ref adds, "Once the train is stopped, you've completed the event."

Kibin says to the ref, "So I can move up to 20 meters away from the train before the event starts?"

The train is available in plain sight. It's 1" wide by 1" tall by 8" long. There are doors on the sides near the front and one at the rear. There are two windows on the front, several along the sides and one in the rear door.

Nexus memorizes a third port location through the windows of his train, if he can.

Nexus raises a hand and asks "How fast do these things go?"

The ref says, "The train will be travelling at 45 miles per hour. While engaged, the brakes should stop the train in 9 seconds."

Nexus says, "Thanks, ref."

Lightray looks at the others then back to the referee. "Well, I have no more questions. Thank you, sir."

Nexus does some calculating on his PDA... scrathes his head... does some more calculating... nods.

The ref says, "Are there any other questions?"

Kibin stays at the minimum distances the contestants can be from the train when the event starts, shaking his head.

Nexus takes his starting position around 70 meters (35") away from the train, hoping he calculated that right. "I'm good."

Lightray moves to a position about 20 meters from the front of the train. He flexes his wings, seemingly unaware as they pass through physical objects. He rises off the ground slightly and holds position.

The ref waves up to Sydney. Sydney nods and says. "Heroes: On your marks!"

Kibin crouches, getting ready to hopefully use his speed again to do good on this event.

Lightray smiles slightly in anticipation.

Nexus just kinda stands there.

Sydney says, "Set.... GO!"

Kibin stands in the trains path, getting ready to act when the train moves just a little closer...

Lightray flies towards the train as a field of sunlight solidifies around him. He seems to be heading towards one of the windows near the front of the train and grabbing onto it.

Nexus watches Lightray go flying into the audience and hopes yet again that he calculated this right.

Nexus does not move a muscle, just stands there with his hand outstretched, fist on hip in a classic hero pose. "Halt, in the name of the law!" he shouts, very fast.

Kibin attempts to leap inside the train, pull down on the train lever with his foot, and then slash at three of the simulated hijackers assuming they have protective equipment.

Lightray getsclipped hard by the train and ends up behind it. He seems to a bit groggy.

The crowd collectively 'oooos' at Kibin's extraordinary feat of acrobatic train-dodging.

The Jurassic Pack goes wild!

No, we were lying. We only _thought_ they went wild before. NOW, they go wild.

Kibin successfully does a flip through the window, landing with his foot on the lever pulling the break and landing gracefully on the ground. He then tags three of the hijackers with a light tap from a claw, sliding a bit while the train starts coming to a stop keeping his balance easily.

The train on Nexus's track closes to within 10 meters of the hero.

Nexus disappears from the train track. Quick-eyed observers will (hopefully) spot him re-appearing inside the train, pulling the lever.

The train lurches as Nexus pulls the break.

All the the hijackers on Nexus's train manage to keep their feet.

Nexus continues to stand before the lever, braced. "Please don't make me hurt you..."

Two of the hijackers on Kibin's train try to shoot him with stun pistols. On Nexus's train, only three of the five hijackers have a clean shot.

All of the energy blasts miss, striking the interior of the train harmlessly.

Kibin slashes three times at the remaining two guards, in case one of them misses. That should be the last of the hijackers.... and the train is still slowing down.

Kibin tags the remaining kidnappers, missing only once. Now that that's taken care of, he looks out of the window at the track below. Hmmmmm...

Nexus sighs. "I _asked_ you not to do that." His already-hard-to-see arm becomes even harder to see as it flicks out at the nearest actor.

Nexus 's arm flickers harmlessly through his target's chest, tagging him out.

Nexus grins. "Anybody else want a piece of me?" He continues to stand in front of the lever.

Lightray shakes his head as the little maglevs circle it blasting their shrill little horns. Or so it seems to him. He sighs as he watches the train move 'away' from him.

On Nexus's train, one of the hijacker goes for the break lever. Two of his mate shoot at Nexus, while the fourth and final one moves up behind his teammates.

Nexus tsks. "uh-uh-uh! Bad idea, getting between a hero and the thing he's defending. He smacks the first goon.

Zam, Zam! Both of the hijackers miss.

Nexus 's arm swings harmlessly through the goon before he's hardly started moving. It sure does tickle, though. "And yerrrrrr OUT!"

Kibin flips over the window, deciding to slow down the train just a little more than the brakes are currently doing, now that all of the hijackers are tagged. He grabs onto the side of the train with his teeth, and then pushes against the track to slow down the train to shave even a few seconds off his time.

Lightray waves back.

Lightray smiles ruefully and shakes his head as he again gathers a field of sunlight around himself. He flies after the train, his wings moving slower than his speed would seem to indiacte.

Kibin succeeds in slowing the train down and keeping it on the track. He wonders how much faster he's slowing down the train now, but too preoccupied to find that out right now.

Kibin continues to work on slowing down the car, trying to stop it in as few seconds as he can. He has no clue how many seconds everyone else managed to do it, so works his hardest.

Kibin finnally stops the train, breathing heavily and looking up at the clock at his time.

Nexus sighs again at the three remaining goons. "Well, I suppose that is what they pay you for, right? Go ahead, take your shot."

Right now on Nexus's train, one man fires at Nexus, and then two of them rush for the brake.

The hijacker misses.

Nexus ducks the blast and spins, his phased-out leg hopefully passing through both targets in one aesthetic kick...

Nexus returns to a standing position and raises an amused eyebrow at the last goon. "You think maybe you could spare yourself the humiliation?"

The hijacker shrugs. "Just doing my job."

Regan mills around the Colisseum,gliding through the throng of spectators as she moves through the stadium, her somber gaze playing over the crowd

Nexus nods to the hijacker. "Yeah, I guess. I suppose you get good exposure. You guys aren't bad, actually."

Nexus takes a swing at the remaining guard.

Nexus's train grinds to a halt.

Nexus taps the guard lightly on the chest... well, OK, on some unidentified organ about an inch behind the chest... and grins. "And, we;re done."

Lightray finally catches up to the train. He moves to the rear door but does not try to open it yet.

Kibin leans on the train after he quickly catches his breath after those few seconds of pushing himself, and then sits on the broken window of the stopped train as he watches Lightray.

Lightray grabs ahold of the train and opens the door. As he opens it, he lets loose a wide blast of sunlight into the interior of the train.

Lightray manages to hit one of the two hijackers, but the other seasuily sidesteps LIghtray's blast.

The hijacker that Lightray missed ducks and return fire with his stun blaster. The others position themselves in front of the brake level.

Nexus frowns and ports near Lightray's train... not interfering, but making sure he's OK.

Lightray flies into the train and tries to strike the hijackers in the front of the train. He seems a bit shaky as he moves but a slight smile is on his face nonetheless.

The last hijacker tries to shoot Lightray in the back.;

The blast misses.

Lightray flies forward to the brake swtich and throws it, then turns and fires off a bolt of sunlight at the last hijacker. He shakes his head as he does so, "Quite in character, eh? Shooting at someone's back like that."

The hijacker looks down at where Lightray zaps him. He shrugs and sits down on the floor.

Nexus, relieved, returns to his train. "Heh. Who left this train just sitting here?" He grabs the edge of the car and seems to strain.

Lightray smiles widely as the train begins to slow down. "Well, I am certainly feeling this round." He takes a couple of deep breaths. He then says to the hijackers. "Thank you for the workout gentlemen."

One of the hijackers nods to Lightray. "Way to hang in there. You ok, man?"

Lightray's train grinds to a halt on its track.

Kibin wonders how good he did compared to everyone else in the event that did it earlier....

Lightray nods to the hijacker. "I will be fine in a bit. Seems I need to practice more."

Sydney is still on her floating platform. "And there we have it, folks. Tonight's event is complete with Kibin finishing first, then NExus, then Lightray. But how did they stack up to the others?"

Editor's Note: The heroes hear a dull tone that starts softly but builds to a crescendo over the span of a few seconds. Suddenly, just as the tone rises to the point of being uncomfortable the tone cuts off. It has the sound of audio feedback, but none of the hijackers or production crew seem to react to the sound.

Nexus turns to the others. "DId you hear that?"

Kibin looks around. Hmmmm.... tries to search for something.

Lightray shakes his head and reaches up to touch one of his ears. "What was that?"

Nexus, already nervous about previous shenanigans around the BoB, ports up about 40 meters and looks around for the big picture.

Sydney says, "We've pulled out our measuring tapes, and we determined the top three heroes. In third place with a valiant effort, it's... Kibin!"

Kibin sighs. Who stopped the train before he did? Though he really shouldn't complain, he expected to be last.

Lightray walks over to Kibin and offers him his hand. "Congratulations, Kibin."

Kibin shakes hands with Lightray, "Thank you. Sorry about your horrible bad luck with your train, there's still one more event coming."

Kibin says, "Well.... I think one more. Not sure."

Sydney says, "In second place, it's... Variable!"

Nexus slowly glides to the ground. If he saw anything interesting from up high, he mentions it to Lightray and Kib.

Lightray smiles slightly. "Able to leap a tall building in a single bound if they follow true to form." He glances up at Nexus.

"And in first place, proving that good things do indeed come in small packages, it's Wasp!"

Nexus grins. "Long as porting counts as leaping, I'm all over the leaping tall buildings... or low-orbit satelites, for that matter."

Regan frowns slightly as she as she wanders slowly through the colisseum. She eventually comes close to a support beam which she reaches out to touch.

Nexus says, "Can't _quite_ jump over the moon, I don't think.""

Regan's lips purse as she stares at the beam, her gaze climbing its length then sweeping down to floor level.

Lightray continues to smile as he murmurs softly to the others. "Did either of you hear some feedback a minute ago?"

Nexus nods. "Yeah. Or something like that."

Kibin nods at Lightray and Nexus. "Sounded like it came from the stadium, second tier of seating."

Nexus says, "Took a quick look around and didn't see anything funky, but..." he shrugs "that doesn't mean much." He looks over at Kibin, surprised. "Oh?"

Lightray looks over at Kibin. "Any idea what section?"

Nexus shrugs. "Worth taking a look, I guess." He disappears and reappears at the spot Kibin indicates, or the closest plausible approximation.

Regan shakes her head slowly fro side to side, inspecting the column,

Regan folds her arms in front of her.

Kibin points Nexus to the approximate section of the bleachers the noise came from, saying, "Somewhere near there."

Nexus shrugs. "Worth taking a look, I guess." He disappears and reappears at the spot Kibin indicates, or the closest plausible approximation.

Lightray stands next to Kibin and watches that section. After a minute, he reaches up and absently rubs one side of his neck as he waits.

Nexus looks around for hidden stuff, interdimensional anomalies, inappropriate security, and more or less anything else he can think of.

Regan glances over her shoulder to Nexus as the hero approaches and nods to the girder she is standing next to. "This thing was just ringing like a bell."

Fist enters from North of Colonial Bay.

Nexus frowns. "Weird." He phases out and sticks his arm into the girder. "If I don't come back in a minute or so, call in the cavalry..." He takes a deep breath and drops slowly through the pillar, checking it out.

Regan nods to Nexus. "Certainly."

Nexus pops back in, next to Kibin. "Dude, that was some _amazing_ footwork back there."

Kibin says to Nexus, "Thank you... I guess. I noticed you didn't tag all of those hijackers at first?"

Nexus chuckles. "Nope. I'm OK in straight fistfight, I guess, and the dimensional tricks give me an edge, but I ain't _that_ good."

Kibin nods at Nexus, "I guess I'm just fast."

Nexus laughs. "Yeah. Guess you are." He thinks about it. "Actually, what I should've done was stay on top of the train and hold the lever down from there. Course, they probably would've shot my hand."

Kibin asks Nexus, "Couldn't you teleport the hijackers outside the train?"

Nexus nods. "I guess. Easier to KO them, though. Even easier to tag 'em."

Kibin hmmmms. "I guess."

Nexus says, "Porting 'em against their will ain't much easier than carrying 'em, really."

Kibin ahs. "I see. So you just tagged em then."

Nexus nods. "Yeah. Seemed nicer than KOing them when I didn't have to. "

Kibin nods. "I just tapped them lightly with a claw."

Nexus says, "Right. Same deal, I guess." He looks the claws over and adds "'xcept you could've really killed them with those things, huh?""