Log:Apostate's Redemption, Scene 2

Apostate's Redemption 2018/12/06 	 Amelia Jak Grimm Moonshadow SG Agent Mina Travers Sinmore Dialydd Tali Apostate Desperado

2

Yesterday (since time moves slowly in a comic book), a Delta strike team and the other-world SG Commander Topaz arrived. Amelia had been familiar with them, as they had arrived once before, when the dimensions came too close together due to the actions of Lazare. The others were from a world that was much more...strict. SG has a stranglehold on Colonial Bay, with curfews and various laws to maintain order. Topaz...had arrived to chase down two criminals, both of whom were supposedly damaging the dimensional barriers. One of those two was an unknown, but the other is a bounty hunter going by 'Desperado'. The working theory is that it is an other-dimensional version of Jak.

Topaz and her Delta strike team have moved eastward, scanning away. But they're no closer to finding either of their targets. In the meantime, the heroes are trying to decide what to do...

Moonshadow suggested asking Starguard for help.

At the prior suggestion, Amelia contacts Starguard, who she has had some contacts with previously. Grimm is the SGG agent who gets the assignment to deal with the matter, since the organization does indeed monitor incursions. The heroes are now gathered in a conference room at SG, just as a agent brings the recent reports to Grimm.

Agent Mina Travers hands over the report to Grimm, "Most dimensional breaches over the last few days have been pretty standard. TransMat and the like. A few that we believe are local heroes, like Radical. But there are a couple of note, which I've highlighted toward the bottom." Sure enough, there are two entries, about 36 hours prior, and two hours apart. A huge amount of energy was expended in both instances.

Grimm leans forward in her chair and starts to review them. Those from CBSU and in any psychology, occult, or criminal law courses may recognize Gabrielle Grimm from class. She's dressed conservative while on duty, wearing Starguard BDUs, but they're monochromatic in blacks and grays. "I'm sure the massive dimensional fluxations around Old Town are in this report, too." Her eyes trail to the two additional entries that were highlighted.

Grimm looks to Agent Travers. "Where did these two occur?" she asks.

Jak Venture relaxes in the conference chair, leaned back with his feet propped up on a bar on the underside of the conference table.

With his glasses obscuring his eyes its hard to tell for sure but his overall manner is very relaxed. Extremely calm despite the working theory pointing to his doppelganger. He's no scientist or StarGuard agent- he's an adventure seeking gunslinger, so he does the only thing he can do which is wait until this Desparado is found. Then- well then he plans on having a good old fashioned duel.

Agent Travers nods. "The coordinates for both were on the west side of town, out near the Blank Asylum."

The agent adds, "Though the techs believe that at least one of those two people headed east. Toward the city, based on some...dimensional 'aftershocks'. At least that's what he described it as. I'm not sure about the technical details."

Moonshadow says, "Teleporting, perhaps?"

The agent points to the entry on the report. "The first arrival. There was a lot more energy in that dimensional tear, as well."

Tali, here at Amelia's invitation, has a read of the notes as well, at some instant when Grimm isn't touching it.

Sinmore stands in a corner of the conference room. For some reason, the fire giantess stands a "mere" 7' tall at the moment. Her fiery hair is pulled into a loose braid that hangs down her back as she stands in the corner, arms folded across her chest. Every so often she shifts her weight and causes her chainmail long coat to jingle-jangle like a set of spurs. Despite her hair being made of fire, it doesn't seem to set anything else ablaze; that's probably a good thing since she's back up against the wall.

Amelia asks, "Do you have a record of the dimensional energy flows, agent? Would it be possible to view them?"

"Well, if you can get me in the general facility of the latest aftershock, perhaps I can track down our visitors," Grimm muses. She purses her lips at the mention of the second tear. "That's just messy. I'll probably have to try and stitch the barriers together and strengthen them. Been a lot of those lately..."

Amelia grins, "Okay. Forget it. The expert has spoken."

Jak raises and eyebrow. "More aftershocks in a specific direction? I'd bet that's our 'Desparado'." He says, saying his alter's name with just a hint of disdain.

The agent nods to Amelia, "I do have those numbers, if you still want them."

Dialydd, fully robed and veiled for some reason, stands quietly in another corner of the conference room, listening quietly apparently. He's not so tall as Sinmore, but just by a hair.

Amelia nods towards Grimm, "Ms. Grimm answered my implied query when commenting on the need to repair the dimensional barriers in those locations."

Moonshadow says, "Can she teach us how to do that?"

The agent nods and then looks to Grimm, "I can have a transport ready in about ten minutes, if you want to visit the location."

Amelia chuckles quietly. There's Jak and herself in the room. Transport in ten minutes is so slow.

"Desperado?" Grimm sounds amused by the name. "I hope he's real eccentric." She looks to the others. "So you came to Starguard. Is there anything else you can fill me in on," she says, pushing the reports off to the side a moment. Perfect for Tali to steal.

Tali takes a second or less to read through the report.

"Hmmm," Moonshadow ponders aloud, "If the dimensional barriers are weakening, would teleporting into or around that area be a good idea?"

"I think we can mange getting there just fine, Agent. But the offer is appreciated." Jak replies, still cooling his heels casually.

Agent Travers says, "So, does mending the dimensional fabric involve dimensional needle and thread?"

"We think he looks like him," Sinmore explains, gesturing toward Jak to illustrate her point, "But with a diabolical handlebar mustache."

"Not if you're passing through dimensions to do it," Grimm suggests to Moonshadow. "But I can get us there without that if needed."

Amelia says, "Some details of the dimension from which the alter-SG force came from. It's a realm far more under the influence of the Lords of Order. So highly authoritarian. Tropez and the troopers will be used to instant obedience from anyone they encounter. And that is likely to carry over while they're in our dimension."

Tali draws a quick sketch of Jak with an especially diabolic handlebar moustache.

The robed figure murmurs softly, "How can a mustache be diabolic...Cha, yes, I see." His voice is deep, rich and smooth with a Sacnadanavian soun ding accent.

Grimm smiles and politely declines the agent's offer. "I think we're good on transport," she says, starting to draw a large circle in the air beside her as she stands up. A very real, matte black circle appears in the air, widening. "Should probably track down the worst of the aftershocks."

"Are the troopers then the greater threat to innocents?" inquires Dialydd.

"They didn't really seem very interested in anyone except their targets," notes Sinmore to Dialydd. She shrugs slightly and shifts her weight with a jingle-jangle. "They spent most of their time scanning for "the intruders" and kind of ignored everyone around them."

The agent nods and returns to stand by the door, in case she's needed for anything.

Amelia says, "I suspect that to the troopers, and possibly Topaz as well, that anyone they encounter who isn't totally subservient will be considered at least passively hostile."

Moonshadow says, "If by 'ignored', you mean 'pointed guns at'...."

"So it sounds like they're a danger, too. We may need an extra squad to deal with them," Grimm says.

Amplitude says, "So, I guess if they're sticklers for laws, they only care about *their* laws. Nega-mild."

"I did say kind of," notes Sinmore.

Amelia nods, "For example, in their dimension the University is a re-education camp for dissidents."

"Sounds like a delightful place." Jak says sarcastically. "Next time I get bored and decide dimension hopping sounds like a treat... someone shoot me instead."

Grimm rubs her chin. "I can only be in two places at once," she sighs as her own shadow starts to move on its own, detatching from her feet and curling upwards until it stands up like a sheet of black acetate. It starts to gain bulk and form, and then comes color...until a second Grimm is standing there.

Moonshadow says, "I'm guessing you don't need help to sew it back on?"

Amelia says, "That's one more than most can manage, Ms. Grimm""

Grimm says, "I'm sure the Commander will have something to say about this squad's opinions on laws and jurisdiction." She looks to her shadow double. "Please assist the additional Starguard squad and provide support. Summon me if we're needed." Her double nods to her and looks to the Agent to assist.

Dialydd watches Grimm for a long moment then moves to further away from the heroine. He looks at the black disk she created then murmurs, "And where does the, cha, Gate lead to?"

"So... What's the plan we're going with here? Splitting up to hunt down the people breaking dimensional barriers and also babysitting fascist stormtroopers who are also hunting these dimension jumpers?"

Sinmore looks and sounds skeptical of this plan.

Grimm suggests, "I thought my shadow and a Starguard team would babysit the invading team, while we look for their target before they get into a shooting match in the streets."

Amelia volunteers, "I can set a watcher on Topaz and the troopers, and get us there in seconds if we need to intervene."

"Oh. Well, okay then," replies Sinmore with a shrug.

Grimm shrugs. "Sounds good. My shadow can also open a portal right to me for us."

Amelia nods, "Double coverage then. I like it." She summons up a watcher spirit, new improved version, and sents it to baby-sit the alien SG force.

Moonshadow says, "Are we ready?"

Agents Travers also places a call, and a regular set of agents in sent out in short order. She says, "And we're hunting who they're hunting?"

Grimm's portal starts to fade in the middle, revealing a street near the last coordinates given by Traver's report. "If it takes a squad of them to hunt this being down, they're probably very dangerous."

Amelia stands ready to step through the portal. "So," she says, "are we."

Agent Travers says, "sometimes even on purpose."

Grimm keeps the portals open for the others, scanning about for any signs of a rift.

Moonshadow stands at Amelia's shoulder, and sticks her tongue out at Tali.

"Well, there's a squad hunting two dimension hoppers. Plus they're stormtroopers," comments Sinmore as she follows the others through the shadow gate.

Jak just chcukles before vanishing and appearing on the other side of Grimm's portal aperture.

Dialydd steps through the portal, his senses on high alert. He shudders lsighlty as he passes though.

Amelia steps through as well.

Moonshadow follows Amelia.

Tali precedes Amelia. Being so fast. :D

The heroes are now standing outside the Blank Asylum, on the far west edge of town. This is the building that Yellow Jacket is currently residing in, for those that remember the name. Grimm can indeed sense a rift...a tear in the dimensions. In fact, it reaches across multiple dimensions.

Sinmore bends over a bit as she steps sideways through shadow gate. It looks kind of like a professional wrestling diva entrance to the ring.

Grimm can sense...that there's something familiar about the signature of the dimensional tear, but it's...hard to place. It's sloppy, like there wasn't any real care taken.

Amelia shivers. She doesn't have the refibed dimensional sense of Grimm but she is sensitive enough to be aware of the 'wrongness' in the dimensional feel.

"Oh crud. How did they manage that?" Grimm murmurs as she grows a pair of black feathered wings and flies towards where she can sense the tear. The portal closes after the last person gets through. "This is just a mess. They tore right through several dimensions getting here."

Tali does a quick scout of the area. *Hopefully* without accidentally ending up in another dimension.

Amelia asks Grimm, "Fix this first? Or try to stop it happening again first?"

Jak keeps his eyes peeled, looking for another cyan-haired bad*** with a gun while the wizards work on dimensional barriers.

Dialydd slowly moves around the area, his head turning from time to time. He stays well away from the area Grimm flies towards. Upon hearing Amelia's question, he murmrs, "I would think it depends on what dimensins have been breached and the danger of their inhabitants to this world?"

Tali does manage to find something out of the ordinary. One of the houses fairly close by has had its mailbox blasted off its post. Something strong hit it and crushed it, sending it flying, most likely.

Tali reports this back to the others.

Amelia...senses soemthing about the dimensional tear that also seems familiar. There's something that reminds her about how Radical's dimensional harness works. Though his is...well...more careful. But the signature is similar.

Grimm slows near the tear to inspect it, frowning, "I think we can fix it later. So long as nothing major happens to it..."

Amelia opens her mouth to speak. Thinks better of it and keeps quiet. She's not sure, and it probably doesn't matter anyway.

Grimm calls out, "I don't suppose anyone can track down a scent, can they? I can only track the trails of shadows."

Sinmore takes a brief walk around the immediate area, though she doesn't seem to be as attuned to matters as other people seem to be. The giantess idly runs her armored fingers through her fiery hair, gradually making it more and more tightly braided behind her. At Grimm's question, Sinmore shakes her head. "Not me, sorry. I'm pretty much just muscle."

"With the angle of attack on the, cha, mail box, it might indicate the general direction of travel. Assuming that it was not just knocked odwn in a fit of, cha, irritation?" murmurs Dialydd.

Agent Travers says, "Nope. And there's nothing interesting within half a mile. That's Newtown for you."

Amelia says, "I might be able to arrange something like that. But it would take a couple of hours most likely and success is not assured."

Grimm wipes her forehead with the back of her wrist. "Probably been too long. They were here three days ago..."

Agent Travers says, "I could go back and have a look to see where they go."

Amelia nods, "Oh. That long ago. In a city street? Forget I said anything."

"Go back?" Grimm says, not understanding the meaning.

Amplitude says, "Of course, if they spot me they might change what they have done."

Amelia says, "36 hours is a fairly tight time loop, Tali. Are you sure it would be safe?"

Amplitude says, "Almost certainly not. I mean, they could think I'm hostile, if they see me."

Tali shrugs. "But, you know, if we run out of other options, I can risk it."

There's a loud sound that comes from the east. WHOOOOMMM! The heroes all look in that direction, and perhaps a couple of miles away, a house literally implodes in on itself, getting reduced to a meter-wide ball of matter. Grimm can sense that another dimensional rift opened. Right there. Right then.

The SG agent says, "Or we could check that out."

Jak's head spins to the sound, his eyebrow raising mid swing. "Wha--" He says before nodding at what Tali says. "Alright. Let's go." Jak says holding his arms out to either side for those riding the Jak-Express to Implodesville.

Tali hangs on to Jak.

Amelia hands on to Tali.

Dialydd reaches out to Jak and grips his arm.

Grimm curses several times. With a wave of her hand, she opens another portal. "Muscle! Gonna need you to go first! We have another dimensional rift. This...this is real bad."

Sinmore's head snaps toward the sound of the implosion. For a moment, Sinmore starts in that direction before she pauses and looks between Grimm and Jak. After a second's hesitation - calculation? - Sinmore heads toward the shadow gate. That seems like a proper freight elevator for the giantess.

The heroes arrive...and there's still an active singularity where the building is. What's left of the building is no longer a meter wide. It's now down to a few inches across. And there's a black sphere around it.

Apostate

This man stands about five ten, and he's dressed in a white and green costume of sorts. The shirt and pants are solid white and look like they might be armored. Over this is a white trenchcoat. He conceals his hands and face with leather gloves and a full mask over the head. There are two obvious special lenses built into the mask. Setting off all of this black is a series of green highlights on his knees, boots, belt, and piping on his jacket and mask.

Moonshadow takes Jak's hand. (not his shooting hand)

Desperado

A fairly attractive young man in his mid 20s who seems to have a very real, almost palpable presense about him. He carries himself well, as reflected in his body language, poise, and posture. He is of (Southeast) Asian decent but its clear he has numerous traits that imply there is much more to his (very international) lineage than meets the eye- namely a skintone of rich nutmeg, and his one natural eye is blue. He has a slight yet muscular build and has light stubble on his chin & upper lip. He also has a scar on his right cheek that gives him a slightly dangerous appearance.

On his head is a well-worn Stetson, and his limbs look to be mostly mechanical. He's obviously a cyborg. Jesse 'Desperado' Fortune has a name to make.

Apostate seems to be the source of the singularity. He's casually maintaining it while Desperado is clinging to a nearby house. He's closer to the singularity than the heroes are, and he's getting pulled toward it. Strongly enough that his feet are off the ground and he's holding onto another house with both hands. His mechanical fingers have sunk into the brick. All of the heroes can feel the pull of the miniature black hole in space. Sure enough...cars are starting to slide toward it.

Tali dashes about, rescuing any small objects in the area before they get sucked in - while being sure not to get to close herself.

The heroes are about...40m from Apostate. He's on the far side of the singularity, which is...30m away. He appears to be completely unaffected by its pull, even though he's likely well within its gravity field.

As soon as Jak and his retinue arrive he steps and slides (unnaturally) away from the others while simultaneously drawing his side arm smoothly. His instinct is to draw on his double but he can't help but admit that it seems Apostate is the one causing the trouble.

He scrunches his nose, purposefully keeping his eyes off his double and on his new target.

While he does, he tries to find a location exactly opposite Apostate so he can be behind him and flank him with the others' assistance.

Moonshadow lets go of Jak's hand.

Tali is busy doing damage control, stopping further things being sucked into the black hole, and so avoiding any direct interaction with Apostate.

Moonshadow casts Flare upon Apostate

The flare goes off in Apostate's face, and he doesn't even flinch. Then again, he's wearing protective eyewear.

Sinmore climbs through the shadow gate, straightening up just in time to feel the gravity well tugging at her long coat and fiery braid. Offering a rumble, Sinmore takes a couple of steps to the side to leave the shadow gate clear for any others. Promptly, Sinmore's body pulses with heat and power as she swells upward in height and mass. Inexplicably, her chainmail and scalemail grow with her body, remaining properly "tailored" to her 13' tall frame.

"This is... Not what I was expecting," comments Sinmore, fiery green eyes scanning around.

Desperado draws his weapon...one remarkably similar to the one Jak wields, though slightly different. He fires at Apostate...only to have the man in white leather raise a hand and create a small portal to deal with the blast.

Sure enough...the blast goes through the small portal and speeds toward Jak himself.

A small portal opens up in front of Jak, but with his quick reflexes, he ducks and Desperado's blast screams over his head, where he had been standing a moment before.

Jak looks like he's struck dead on- but the pulse of hypersonic resonance seems to roll right over him to no effect. To those with dimensional sight, Jak simply moved all of his self into a dimension (his own personal dimension) slightly out of phase with ours.

Grimm merely narrows her eyes at Apostate. It's very understated.

Apostate winces a little, feeling Grimm's attack as it hits his mind and he fights it off. He then...laughs. Laughs like...well, he sounds unhinged. Like multiple voices all coming from one person.

Grimm sighs. "C'mon, man, the evil laugh is my deal," she mutters under her breath with a hint of jealously.

Amelia runs to the side before teleporting across towards Apostate. She was planning to try and talk him out of hostilities... but that unhinged response doesn't give her much hope. Even so, worth at least a try. "Hey. Shut down the singlarity and lets talk this out." she calls to him.

Amelia braces herself against the pull. "Be careful. This this has got a lot of pull to it even at this distance."

<< Well, it seems the green one wants the mustachioed one in the singularity. Let's give him that then... >> thinks Dialydd as with a simple touch on his bracer he brings the defensive powers of his bracer to life as he pushes himself into a sprint forward. Then, with a thought, he weaves a waking dream and drops it into Apostate's mind; a dream, or nightmare, of Desperado losing his grip and falling into the sigularity, a scream cut short by the fantastic gravity.

The robed figure braces his feet against the pull of gravity. His edges of his robes and veils do, however, flutter towards the singularity.

Tali gets right round so the singularity is eclipsed by Apostate and, picking up a large stone, hurls it directly toward Apostate.

Apostate does notice Tali...almost like he's familiar with her. But his attempt to put up a defensive portal is...too late. He's struck by the rock, and sure enough, he's knocked off of his feet, and toward the singularity. There's a bright flash...and he disappears as soon as he comes in contact with it. The remains of the building falls to the ground...and rolls around. Everything else that was getting pulled...falls to the ground.

Both Amelia's watcher and Grimm's shadow double report at the same time: Topaz and the Delta troopers are on their way. And moving fast.