Log:Apostate's Redemption, Scene 1

Apostate's Redemption 2018/11/20 	 Moonshadow Jak Amara Revenant Topaz Sinmore Amelia

1

The downtown district, and above all famed York Boulevard, is an area of skyscrapers old and new and the jewel of the city where most of the real money is made. From the lower, older buildings like that of the Colonial Bay Chronicle to the height of the Corporate Tower, the district is alive with bustle through the day; while at night it is well lit by the light of ads and news reporting across the sides of the buildings, and the action is focused on a few clubs and other hotspots.

Downtown Colonial Bay is just not anywhere near as busy as a normal work day, due to the proximity to the holiday this week. The streets are just a bit emptier, and since this isn't a commercial district, the shoppers are mostly elsewhere. Instead, the businesses are working on close to a skeleton crew. It creates a nice atmosphere, almost letting one forget that it's a major city.

Amelia is just coming out of Quinn Tower, where she's been discussing a joint venture with the Quinn Charitable Foundation. It's a quiet day and for once she's decided to walk rather than teleport. She's only a couple of blocks from her residence.

Moonshadow is walking home, having just left Steinburg Tower, where she's been studying at the Arcane Studies Centre. It's such a nice day, that she's decided to walk, rather than fly.

Jak Venture blinks into existence with his Monarch, Queen Amara Ogden in tow. They both appear at the precipice of a building so that they might get a good look at the city in its festive spirit.

Jak sucks his teeth at the site. "Its Thanksgiving week, so its pretty boring around here. Everyone is taking it easy." Jak says, his tone implying that this may be a bad thing though Jak is prone to getting bored easy.

Amara just looks with all the wonder due to the heir of a hermit kingdom. She smiles as she takes it all in.

"Amelia! Hi!" says Moonshadow with a broad smile.

Amelia looks up with a smile on hearing th4 familar voice. "Hi, Moonshadow. Good to see you. Have you recovered from the enchanting yesterday?"

Moonshadow says, "Yes, I'm feeling much better."

"And how are you feeling today?" Moonshadow asks.

Amelia grins, "I'm imagining Nada rushing out buying cosmetics and personal items today."

Amelia says, "I bounced back. I'm finding magic becoming increasingly.. well, innate. Spells I once had trouble casting are now easy."

There's a shimmer of something in the street...like heat rising in the summer. And then...there are five individuals standing there. Four people in power armor, and one other obvious metahuman.

Topaz(#2909TOnp)

This young lady is in excellent shape. That is more obvious now than it might be otherwise given the way her costume clings to every curve of every muscle of her body. It is almost as if the costume were not even made of fabric, and yet it is not sheer and does not break any boundaries of decency. It is simply impossible to find any seams or figure out where it starts or ends. Her medium length hair is almost glowing a golden color and her eyes -are- glowing with a bright yellow energy. She wears a simple domino mask of solid yellow on her face and from the base of her neck down across her torso and the arms all the way to the gloves and it flows down over her waist and hips down the legs to the feet. It is all one piece and looks impossible to get into or out of without destroying it. The entire one piece suit is a deep yellow, with a swirling pattern of color, looking reminiscent of wisps of smoke. As if the designer had little imagination, but the only variation is the two inch wide topaz attached to the back of her right glove that seems to pulse and glow with an inner light.

CB Delta Strikeforce(#2897TOn)

These power armor suits look somewhat similar to the standard Starguard Delta suits, but much like the normal soldiers, the insignias on the armor appear to be different from what is expected. There are a couple of commonalities with the soldiers, such as a stylized 'CB' logo as well as two sideways S's overlapped linked to look like a wave.

Topaz looks around, "This is the dimension. He's here someplace." She blinks a few times. "Wait...I know this place. We were here before."

Jak suddenly feels the need to pull his foot out of his mouth after seeing five people shimmer into existence down below.

He whistles instead. "Well, I guess its a Thanksgiving Miracle." He says as he gives a single fingergun in the direction of the five, just in case Amara didn't catch them. If only he knew what an aeagle eye his Monarch had.

Amelia sighs, and steps forward. "I would say welcome back. But I wouldn't mean it. So I'll ask, why are you here, instead?" She's speaking to Topaz.

One of the Delta members seems to notice Jak. "We have a meta making a threatening gesture! Fan out!" The group spreads out and at least two level their cannons toward Jak.

Amara saw the five, but people just teleporting in is a common occurance in Riddersholm. "Those? Do they not belong?"

Topaz grumbles when she sees Amelia, "Not by choice. We're chasing two things. Someone has been creating dimensional anomalies, bouncing between dimensions. No...wait...not someone. Multiple people. The barriers are weakening." She purses her lips. "It complicates matters than one of the two is a bounty hunter. Looking for our primary culprit."

Campus isn't far from Downtown Colonial Bay. Talia is taking advantage of that fact to visit two internship interviews during her usual long break between classes. She's dressed up in her interview best and rounds a corner just in time to watch the Delta Squad fan out while Topaz and Amelia carry on some sort of conversation.

"... What... ?"

The Delta squad weapons power up. One member of the team, the eagle-eyed one, says, "Commander Topaz, I'm detecting dimensional energies coming from the meta threat. Is he our target?"

Jak just watches in gleeful disbelief as he two cannons rotate to point at him. "I'd say they're out of place." Jak says with a chuckle. "Either that, or they want trouble since their response to rad finger gun was two cannons. That's some escalation."

He laughs before asking, "Shall we give some proper introductions?" He lets the toe of his boot hang off the edge of the building as with no fear.

Amara nods once, her expression neutral and controlled. "We shall," she orders.

Amelia nods, "A well formed gate should not weaken the dimensional interface barrier. So that needs to be addressed. I'll remind you that you have no jurisdiction or authority here on our dimension. And also, in case you have forgotten, no capability to impose your influence either." She turns her head to the two Deltas with raised cannon. "So lower your weapons."

Jak puts his hand on Amara's shoulder and steps forward, pulling her into a fall before teleporting them to the scene below.

Jak step forward as bold as ever, drawing his gun and leveling at those who've point their cannons at him.

"Afternoon folks. Strange season for a showdown, but I'm always game." Jak says cheerfully before looking to Amelia. "Who are these chumps?" He asks, pressing his luck immediately.

There's something...familiar about Topaz and the Delta troops. But...most of the heroes can't quite place it.

Topaz nods slowly to Amelia, "I suppose you are correct. We do not have jurisdiction here. We'll just leave the dimensional problem in your...capable hands, then?" The sarcasm is obvious in her voice. "I mean...I'm sure you have never gone anywhere else or to say...another dimension or time...and fixed things outside your own jurisdiction. If you have one."

Amara gives Jak a look at Topaz throws out some shade towards Amelia. "Jak, I don't know that the gun is helping," she says politely. Because she knows darn well it isn't.

Talia frowns a little bit as she studies the goings on in front of her. Canting her head to one side, Talia takes a step back toward the corner she just rounded.

"That... Sounds like a burn. I wonder if they have a history."

Commander Topaz turns her gaze toward Jak, and then says to the Delta squad members, "I can sense the energies coming from him too. He might be the problem. But might not be. We'll have to look around some more. Also...keep a look out for the former commander, Revenant. You are under orders to drop him if you see him." One of the Delta members looks hard at Jak, "Keep a handle on that gun, citizen."

Amelia nods, "Fair point." She does the introductions. "This is Topaz, their dimensions version of Starguard's Sapphire. The guys in power suits are Delta troopers from their version of Staguard. They're from a dimension more influenced by the Lords of Order than ours." She looks at Topaz, "Yes, I know you don't believe in the Lords of Order. But it's true. Anyway, to my left is Moonshadow. Facing off with the Delta troops is Jak, and his team-mate Amara. The other meta I don't recall the name of."

Amara looks to Jak with a raised brow for a moment as she mouths silently, "Teammate?"

Jak narrows his eyes but he listens to Amelia nonetheless, though he is likely itching for trouble.

"If you say so." Jak murmurs, spinning the gun back into its holster preparing to mouth back to Topaz and what he thinks of their 'orders or suggestions and where they can shove them' when Amara interrupts his train of thought.

5r"Well, yeah. That seems alright. Whatelse would you have the Mainlanders think?" He inquires with a raised eyebrow.

Revenant(#2783TOnp)

This man...assuming that's what it is...stands about five and a half feet tall. His body glows constantly, giving off light...in fact he appears to be made of pure darkness with a glowing halo of energy. No facial features can really be made out. There's no clothing on the figure...but then again, there's nothing that seems offensive that's visible, either.

He almost looks angelic...the glowing body, the slightly disembodied voice...but there are no wings.

Talia offers a squeak of surprise when her presence is given voice. She half-jumps, eyes wide as she looks at the various troopers before looking back at Amelia and Topaz. After taking a couple of seconds to sort herself out, Talia quietly comments, "I'm, uh, Talia Sintergaard. Just... Trying not to get shot by random guys in armor."

One of the Delta troopers notices Talia and levels a gun at her as well. After a moment, he relaxes. "That is wise, citizen." They really do seem to be on edge. Even Topaz seems nervous about something.

Moonshadow says, "Random guys in armor who have still not said who they are looking for."

Amelia adds, "Or why?"

Amelia also adds, "But if the dimensional barriers are being weakened we -do- need to stop that. The last thing we want is another Rift crisis."

Topaz tilts her head, "Did I not explain to you what you need to know? Were either of you listening? There are two people damaging the barriers. Both are here someplace. I know the name of one. Or his pseudonym. He's a dimensional bounty hunter that goes by 'Desperado'. The other...I only know by signature. I don't have a name. So, I can't give you it."

Talia raises her hands when the gun is leveled at her. She swallows uncomfortably, stormy green eyes studying everyone nervously. It was a really bad day to not wear boots, Talia decides.

Jak's quick hand slides towards his holster when the Delta Trooper levels his weapon at Talia.

"Pointing weapons at our citizens isn't wise either- especially if you didn't come looking for trouble. But if you did. Well, I'm your first dance partner Deltaboy. You leave her on out of it." He says, his tone full of warning.

He nods as Moonshadow and Amelia make their points.

He's got more to say when someone named Desperado is mentioned. "A bountyhunter?" Jak says, his tone giving away how curious this makes him- as if he might find a rival in soemone named so.

Topaz shakes her head and says to the Delta troopers, "Fan out and scan eastward. We'll meet at the island where the observatory is. I've sent you the coordinates." The sergeant nods, "Yes, commander." And with that...the four Delta troopers take off with boot jets and start a slow flight eastward.

Moonshadow asks Amelia, "Have you heard of anyone called Desperado? I know an old song, but..."

Amelia shakes her head, "Only in an old western novel."

Amelia recalls the name, but has never seen the man. Supposedly he's from a high-tech world, but has a bit of an Old West affectation. He travels through time and dimensions, hunting down bounties.

Amelia frowns, "Hold on a moment. Oh heck!" She switches to the Atlantean language, "I'm remembering something. I have heard of him. I think... from what I recall, he might be an other dimensional version of Jak."

Topaz looks at Jak, "Desperado is related to you in some way?" She looks him up and down again. "Interesting."

Jak looks to Amara with the same look a hound might make when he wants to give chase but he holds his ground, for now.

That is until Amelia gives him reason to doubletake. "Say what? Another Me?! Preposterous. I'm Prime Jak. Best of the Best." He sounds especially certain about this despite what interdimesional physics might say.

"So. This whole "weakening the barriers" thing sounds bad?"

Talia looks around for confirmation, eyebrow still raised as she tries to figure out exactly what's going on.

Moonshadow cocks her head at Amelia, not undstanding what she's saying at all.

Amara looks back to Jak and shrugs. "You want to have a ...what do you call it? Showdown?"

Amelia nods, "Yes. The last time it happened, when I was still in grade school, parts of the city got moved to other dimensions, and parts of other dimensions got moved to here. It was a mess. They made a movie about it. Starring Lorelei and Titan."

"I suppose that is what happens when holes keep getting punched into dimensions through reckless means? We've never had such issues with our dimensional technology," Amara comments. She looks down at her bracer and considers armoring up, just in case.

Moonshadow says, "I've never heard of that happening in Limbo, either."

Topaz shakes her head, "I need to catch up my troops and make sure they don't get into trouble. If you citizens will excuse me..." She takes off slowly and like the Delta troops before her, she moves eastward, scanning as she goes.

"Well of ocurse I do! How the heck are we supposed to know who the best is if not a Showdown?" Jak asks exasperatedly. "Plus- hes running around alling himself Desparado. If there's a better reason for shooting my otherself int he face, I can't think of it."

Amelia asks Topaz, "What are the charges against your primary culprit?"

Amelia flies after Topaz to ask her question.

"Oh! I remember that movie."

Talia muses thoughtfully over that information while she stares into space.

Moonshadow flies after Amelia, above and to her right.

"And if you get killed?" Amara asks as her armor materializes around her. "Well. You'd better catch us up to them," she says and touches Jak's shoulder. She looks to Talia. "I think you're safe now, Citizen," she smiles.

"Killed? Me?" Jak asks incredulously before he laughs out loud in the moments before he teleports them away and activates his Outrider Rig simultaneously.

Topaz continues flying, but does turn to speak to Amelia, "At the moment, the weakening of the dimensional barriers. As we do not know the person's name, it is hard to charge them with anything else.."

Moonshadow says, "Is that a crime, here?"

Amelia says, "No, Moonshadow. But it darn well ought to be. We have to stop it."

Topaz tilts her head again, "Ask yourself if you would not stop someone doing the same to your home. If you would just let them do as they like, we will be willing to leave."

Topaz adds, "Do not attempt to hold us to a higher standard than you would hold yourself."

Moonshadow says, "I didn't point guns at anyone."

Jak and Amara appear mid-air behind Topaz, Amelia and Moonshadow, their appearance punctuated by a flash of light.

Jak maintains his positon in air as if the ground had just reached up to meet him. He seems quite stable.

He snickers at Moonshadow's barb.

Topaz stops and says to Moonshadow, "And? Your point is...what? That you can then tell us to ignore the safety of our dimension just because you're annoyed? Even when you would likely do EVERYTHING in your power to protect your own?!" He voice continues to raise as he gets angrier. "You are a hypocrite! You would tell us that our world should DIE!? Do not get in my way while I do my duty here. This is your last warning."

Talia watches everyone else take off after Topaz and the Delta Crew. She purses her lips and considers their retreating forms for a few moments. With a small, slightly dramatic sigh, Talia makes her way into a nearby alley. Looking down at herself, Talia focuses on the fire within and allows it to pulse outward. Rapidly, Talia stretches upward to her full 13' height and her clothing starts to shred before her Muspel Mail flashes into place over her body.

"I liked that outfit too," mumbles Sinmore as her hair bursts into flames that flows and billows behind her in an almost imaginary wind. With that, the fire giantess starts to jog down the streets in pursuit of Topaz & Co.

Jak whispers to Amara with a sarcastic inquiry, "Maybe everyone from their world is just extremely high strung and that's the primary difference between here and there?"

Moonshadow says, "You entered a foreign city, and immediately started treating the citizens as a threat. You tell us that you're following a criminal out of your jurisdiction, but you do not attempt to contact your counterparts for assistance and/or intelligence. You now say that your world will die, but you can't admit that someone might be able to help you if you just asked?"

Amelia chastises Topaz, "Lose your temper. It's not helping. Are we stopping you? Our dimension is in as much peril."

Topaz folds her arms and says to Moonshadow, "Ask yourself this: Would you go to the authorities in a land where the government does not think as you do? Would you? Or would you act of your own accord? I know enough about the Raven and her compatriots...even the one that might be related to Desperado...to know that they do not tend to do so."

Topaz turns to leave, "Again, do not attempt to hold me to a higher standard than you hold yourself to." And with that, she goes about her business again, scanning eastward.

Moonshadow turns to Amelia, "Is this how relations between dimensions is handled? Stealth missions, going around the rules, just doing whatever you want?"

"Are we really going to just pretend this is about the rules?" Jak asks. "None of us want to see any world destroyed- even if its full of self-righteous asshats. So can't we at least play nice til I find Desperado?"

Moonshadow says, "Would StarGuard - our StarGuard - have any tech that would help us find him?"

Sinmore continues to jog along after the others, unaware of the on-going tensions up above.

Amelia has to acknowledge in many cases, yes. "Often it is so, Moonshadow. I personally try to avoid changing or interfering with other dimensional issues. But these people are from a far more regulated and authoritarian earth. However when the survival of your world is in question normal rules tend to be overlooked."

Moonshadow says, "I'm guessing by what Topaz said before about jurisdidction earlier that we don't have any legal authorities governing time and dimension travel?"

Amelia shakes her head, "Actually there are two major time travel enforcement organisations. The Time Patrol, and the Temporal Police. You know Elizabeth of course. She's an agent of the Temporal Police. And I've got the impression is kind of keeping an eye on our activities."

Moonshadow says, "What we did was at her request, wasn't it?"

Amelia adds, "I don't know of any such organisations in regard to dimensional travel."

Amelia chuckles, "Maybe I should start one."

Moonshadow says, "Do either of those have official standing?"

Topaz and her troops have rapidly gotten out of speakign range. But they also don't appear to have found anything as of yet.

Sinmore jogs along at a steady pace, trying to keep up with the rest of the group.

Jak snickers at Amelia starting a dimensinal agency to guard the infinite reaches between universes.

Jak stands there, arms crossed with Amara in tow- sliding along laterally on an invisible floor, keeping pace with the true fliers.

Amelia shugs, "The time police? They have 43rd century tech. That gives a considerable degree of authority all on its own."

"Unless you're from the 44th Century." Jak muses, wondering how that tech compares to the advanced technology of Riddersholm- his & Amara's homeland.

Moonshadow says, "Does anyone have the tech to watch our dimensional borders?"

Amelia says, "If anyone, Starguard. Or maybe TransMat."

Moonshadow says, "So if Topaz had gone to Starguard and asked for help, would it have likely speeded up the process of locating Desperado and his target?"

Moonshadow says, "For that matter, if WE go to StarGuard and ask, would they help us find these guys?"

Jak likes where Moonshadow's head is at. He nods as he considers her question, and wonderis if they should do what Topaz didn't. Though in truth, Jak just wants to meet this 'Desperado' and show him that Jak Venture the Outrider plays at a whole different level.

As if on cue...some SG agents show up at the location that Topaz's team arrived. They start scanning the area.

Amelia stops in mid-air. "That's not a bad idea. I'm not used to working with outside groups so it never occured to me. Shall we?" The question is addressed to those in the area, Moodshadow, Jak and Amara, and Sinmore.

Moonshadow says, "Right behind you."

Sinmore skids to a halt, passing underneath the rest of the group as everyone comes to a halt overhead.

"... I missed something. What are we doing? Did you guys figure out where the living Antonio Banderas movie is?"

Moonshadow says, "Mexico, once upon a time."