Log:More Powerful Than a Locomotive

Best of the Best 2058 2008/06/17 	 Lightray Lorelei Sable Sword Dancer Variable Wasp 1

Variable is once again 21' tall and squatting in the tunnel, trying not to take up too much space.

Sable moves as directed by the colisseum staff, who quietly and efficiently herd her through the labyrinthine bowels of the stadium to the gathering area just inside the tunnel where she elects to wait behind the gargantuan Variable.

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

Wasp makes her way to the contestents area, "Hello, everyone."

Sword Dancer comes out of the changing room mere seconfds after going in. She actually came dressed like this and has done nothing but to dump her bag.

Sable politely waves the water-boy away, her lips curling into a soft smile. . o O (THAT would be a neat way to poison a city's super-hero population in one fell swoop)

Sword Dancer says "Tjasivju," to each of the competitors in turn. She looks dubiously at the Meta-Ade.

Sable nods to Kihzra. "Hi, how are you?"

Variable accepts the Meta-Ade, confident in her ability to metabolise just about anything.

Stadium rock blares over the stadium loudspeakers as fans mill about and find their seats.

Sword Dancer says, "Am good, and you?"

Lorelei comes out of the locker room rather later, wearing a different outfit than for the last event.

[To Lorelei] Sword Dancer says, "Tjasivju."

Lorelei says, "Hey. Everyone ready?"

Lightray enters the tunnel and squeezes past Variable's knee. He looks up at her and smiles as he says, "Been eating your Wheaties I see."

Sable's shoulders lift slightly. "As ready as I'll ever be I suppose.

Lorelei says, "Nervous?"

Sword Dancer says, "In stadium what is vat? Rooks rike magrev track....."

[To Lightray] Variable says, "I think someone said that last week."

Variable says, "I thought it best to eat a lot for this event - get my strength up!"

Lightray smiles. "I wish I had thought of that. I have always hated running."

Sword Dancer says, "Isn't running vis week, vough, no?"

Lorelei says, "Doesn't make much difference to me. I don't really stand a chance except in the swimsuit competition. And I'm not even sure about that in this outfit..."

The music blaring of 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!"

Sword Dancer frowns. "What is swimsuit competition?"

The crowd goes wild with raucous shouting and applause.

Lorelei grins. "Don't worry, you've got a headstart on most people at that."

Variable says, a bit nervously, "Sounds like we're about to be called out...."

No entry for 'loudspeaker man announces, "Here's your host... Syndey Crosheeeeeere!" Fooosh! Sydney Cros'.

Lightray pats Variable on the part of her arm that is nearby. "No need to worry, Variable. I am certain you will acquit yourself well."

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.

[To Lightray] Variable says, "Good luck!"

A production assistant in the tunnel hands out lane assignments. "When Sydney calls the heroes out, you can head to your assigned lane."

Sword Dancer says to everyone, "May ancestors be wiv you."

Lightray nods. "Thank you, Sword Dancer. And good luck to all of you."

Lorelei says, "Good luck, everyone!"

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

Sword Dancer runs quickly out, then slows, unsure which lane is hers.

Wasp shrinks in readiness to appear.

Lightray flies out as the the announcement occurs, waving to the crowd. He alights at his appointed lane with a cheerful smile.

Variable too makes her way forward, stooping till she's out of the tunnel then striding to the correct lane.

The assistant runs out to Sword Dancer, almost losing her headset in the process.

Sword Dancer hurries to the lane once shown which one it is.

Wasp flies out to her lane.

Lorelei hangs back just a little to be fashionably late, then, entering to the expected tumultous applause, makes her way to her lane turning about and waving to the crowds.

Sable jogs out to the treadmills in a leisurely fashion, giving a wave to the crowd as she moves. Once she's close to the treadmills, she slows a bit, to allow herself a chance to peer at the devices closely before she takes her position.

Chrissie looks at the equipment and wonders if this competition really is just about stopping a 'train' with brute strength.

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!"

Lorelei thinks. o O (This will convince people I'm not a real meta if nothing else....)

Sable runs out to the indicated lane.

Lightray smiles as he thinks. o O (Well, this will embarrassing.)

"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..."

Sword Dancer listens for the rules, not being able to make much sense of the equipment.

Sydney says, "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 nods as he listens.

"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!"

Lightray raises a hand as if he has a question.

A referee in a striped shirt stands by the treadmills, ready to field any questions from the heroes. He points to Lightray. "Go ahead." He has his mike off that that his conversations are mainly just between himself and the heroes.

Sword Dancer wonders how exacly you stop a maglev train. With a wheeled vehicle, she'd have more idea.

Lightray nods to the referee. "By using brute force, I am assuming we cannot just destroy the train or thr tracks it is on."

Sables lips purse slightly as the rules are explained, her hands clasping in front of her as she glances toward the train she stands next to. Her weight transfers from one foot to the other as her weight shifts slightly, reassessing the task at hand.

Lorelei thinks. o O (This is going to depend so much on where I start...)

The ref says, "You can't destroy the train or the tracks or remove the train from the tracks."

Sword Dancer swears loudly. Fortunately, no one undestands a word.

Wasp raises her hand.

Lightray nods to the referee wiht a smile. "Thank you.

The ref points to Wasp. "Yes."

Wasp asks, "If the brake in the cabin is used can the hi-jackers release it again? Will the hi-jackers be shooting at the heroes trying to stop the trein by strength as well as by the brake and if so what weapons do they have?

Sable says, "slowly raises agloved hand and waits for the referee's acknowledgment."

Sable slowly raises agloved hand and waits for the referee's acknowledgment.

The referee says, "The hijackers can release the brake. They are armed with energy stun pistols, similar to the ones from the 'Bullet' competetion."

Variable raises a massive hand too.

Wasp has other questions but waits for Sable to ask hers.

At a glance, the high, small windows of the train car make it difficult for people to shoot out of the cabin at someone in front of the train, and probably only two people can fire at the same time.

The ref looks to Sable. "Yes?"

Variable, observing the train, lowers her hadn again.

Sable lowers her hand to fold it back in front of her. "Do we have any idea where in the train the brake lever is?

The ref says, "The lever is large and is clearly marked with a red handle and label. Damaging the brake lever is not allowed by the heroes or by the hijackers."

Wasp lifts her hand again

The ref points to Wasp. "Go ahead."

Sable's head moves from side to side as she follows the refs attention to Wasp, seeming perhaps a trifle disoriented.

Wasp says, "A couple of questions, actually. How quickly will the brake stop the train? What counts as accounting for a hi-jacker? In a contest I have no desire or intention to actually attack people. This is not a real hi-jacking and force is not justified."

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

Variable raises her hand again.

The ref continues, "As for fighting the hijackers, one successful hit will be enough to subdue him; the hijacker will be considered eliminated and have to sit out the rest of the scene."

The ref points to Variable. "Yes?"

Variable says, "Where do we start relative to the train?"

Wasp nods and lets Variable get her question posed before asking another herself.

"A minimum of 20 meters (10") from the train. The treadmill only allows a maximum of being 80 meters (40") from the train." The ref points to Wasp. "Go ahead."

Variable ponders the train and its windows and has starts modifying her ideas.

Wasp says, "When does the train become officially stopped? As soon as it is brought to a stop or when the hi-jackers can no longer restart it?"

"As soon as it is brought to a stop."

Variable shapeshifts into something not very humanoid - or indeed very terrestrial. It has ten stocky legs on a long but strong body, of the same mass as before. Its head is bony and somewhat reminicent of a ram's. In fact the general effect is rather like that of a human battering ram.

Variable says, "Nooooooo."

Sydney says, "All right heroes! On your marks!"

Wasp flies over to be 10" from the front of her train.

Variable positions herself about 60 metres down the track from the train, lining up within the track, to wait for the train to come to her.

Sable moves out onto the track, taking up a position 24 metres in front of the train and then lies down head facing toward the train.

Sword Dancer positions herself just off to the side of the track at the closest allowed points and crouches in readiness.

Lorelei too selects the closest distance.

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

Wasp would disable the hi-jackers and then use the brake if this was real. But she decides to give more of a show. It's supposed to be a display of strength, and before her encounter with Dragonfly she used to be strong, so she tries to use that. Flying up to the front of the train she puts her hands out to push and with wings buzzing fast and furious she starts trying to bring the train to a halt.

Wasp starts slowing the train down while her wings creating a loud waspish buzzing.

Sword Dancer waits for the train to reach her before leaping aboard, close to the front as she may.

Sable lies in the track waiting for the train to approach

On Wasps train, two hijackers appear in the front windows of the train. They raise them open and open fire.

Wasp shudders as both the hi-jackers manage to hit her with the stun weapons.

Sword Dancer swings herself up the side of the train onto the roof, guessing the hijackers won't be expecting that.

Variable stands solidly in the tracks, head lowered, and waits for the train to reach her, bracing as it strikes her.

Sable waits for carriage to tremble over her before rolling smoothly onto her shoulder to kick powerfully at the floor of the carriage, her booted feet smashing through the floorboards. She kicks up onto her feet. Sticking her head through the floor. "SURRENDER OR DIE!"

Variable's heavy feet drag backwards along the ground as she slows the train by about a third of its speed.

Inside Sable's train, the hijackers are caught off-guard. They hesistate before the shift their positions in the cabin. One hijacker guards the brake at the front of the car. Two men stand in the same hex between the first man and Sable, 1" from her. Behind Sable, towards the rear of the car, two men stand in the same hex, 1" separating them from the hero.

Lorelei adopts much the same tactics as Kihzra: wait at the side of the train and try to jump on as it passes - though she's trying to get into the train, not onto it. She just prays she can time this right.

Lorelei opens the train door and enters with a smile. "Hey boys - you don't want to shoot little old me, do you? People would get most upset at you."

The hesistation of the gunmen in Sable's train likely saves her from eating stun-pistol fire -- for now.

Inside Lorelei's train car, two hijackers guard the brake at the front of the train, two stand in the middle of the car, and one man is by the rear door. They all seem stunned by Lorelei's appearance, and the two of the men in middle of the car turn to one another, deeply considering whether they want to shoot.

On Variable's train, two hijackers fire at Variable through the train windows.

Wasp gives this her all, the buzzing of her wings rising in tone and volume as she strives against the oncoming locomotive.

Sable rises to her feet inside the carriage and twists into a smooth pirouettes which she uses to swing into kicks at both the hijackers standing next to her.

Sword Dancer swings herself down the side of the train, shattering the window with her sword, then taps all the 'hijackers' she can reach with her sword to put them out of the fight.

Sword Dancer tags all but the guy at the rear of the carriage almost before they have time to react to the breaking window.

Variable digs her feet into the track and trying to stop the train, pushing as hard as she can. At the same time she shifts as much of she can of her vital organs further inside to defend from the weapons, so her outside mass is essentially dead matter.

Variable cuts the trains speed to less than half, but looks a lot less pretty now.

Lorelei says to the hijacker closest to the brake at her most charming, "Please put on the brakes and don't let anyone release them!" She adds for all of them, with a grin, "And kisses all round for anyone who doesn't shoot me!

Sable's foot sweeps into the first hijacker's chest then she steps and spins a second kick into the midriff of the second before turning to face the remaining bad guys up the carriage.

Wasp continues to give her effort everything she has to give as she strives to bring the oncoming locomotive to a halt.

Sable moves down the train car to where the man stands by the brake to aim a blow at the intersection of his neck and shoulder

Sable takes two smooth steps beforespinning into a practiced back-fist which lands solidly, rocking the hijacker slightly but doing no real damage

On Wasp's train, the train hijackers try and shoot her through the front train windows.

Two hijackers try any zap Variable as well.

Wasp is stuck by another shot from the hi-jackers and winces without letting up on her efforts.

Variable doesn't even seem to feel the shots as the hi-jackers shoot at Variable's dead-matter shell.

On Sable's train, the two remaining hijackers act. One tries to shoot at Sable with his stun pistol. The other follows up by trying to grab Sable from behind.

The blast misses Sable. Sable is much to fast for the other man to even lay a glove on her.

On Kihzra's train, the sole surviving hijacker shoots at her.

The blast strikes the wall of the train harmlessly.

In Lorelei's train, one of the hijackers reaches for the level and pulls the brake.

The train lurches with the sudden decceleration

All of the hijackers manage to keep their feet, steadying themselves by grabbing on to objects in the cabin for support.

Sword Dancer pulls the brake lever: luckily she was told the colour so she can identify it - and moves purposefully on the last 'hijacker', grinning.

Sword Dancer, accelerating to blinding speed despite the lurching train, runs right down the carriage to tap the last man.

Sword Dancer taps the last man and then spins to grin at all the 'hijackers'. "Tjasivju!" Then she waits for the train to stop.

Wasp has already brought her train almost to a stand-still. Continuing her effort she tries to halt it completely.

Sable says, "ignores the man behind her to abruptly yank the brake lever before turning to rap him firmly but unhurtfully in the middle of the solar plexus."

Sable ignores the man behind her to abruptly yank the brake lever before turning to rap him firmly but unhurtfully in the middle of the solar plexus.

Wasp halts her train and flies up to hover above it.

Variable just stays dug in hoping finally to stop the train.

Sable manages to land the blow, her gloved fist thumping distinctly against the hijacker's body armour.

Variable finally brings the train to a complete halt. Then her ten legs give out under her, completely exhausted.

Lorelei alas can't expect all the men to stand around staring for ever, so she resort to her trademark stunning poses.

Lorelei watches as the two of the three men at the front of the train collapse and turns, smiling, to face those at the back.

Sword Dancer heads to the roof of the train to ride it to a stop in style, waving to the crowds

Kihzra's cheering section has returned in full ren-fair garb.

Wasp flies over to Variable to congratulate her on a terrific performance. "Well done. It sure takes it out of you doesn't it? Not to mention those stun weapons have a real sting."

Variable lies on the ground still, gasping. "Yes... I barely stayed conscious.... You beat me... again...."

Sable stands by the brak, her gaze fixed on the remaining hijacker at the far end of the carriage and allows him to act first

The remaining hijacker on Lorelei's train tries to clear the cobwebs from his head. "Whu...?"

One Sable's train, the final hijacker places both of his hands on his gun to steady his arm for a moment before taking a shot.

Sable takes the heat, rocking slightly with the impact befor e leaping out the window of the train and grabbing the train to try and speed its deceleration.

One hijacker on Lorelei's train tries to clear the cobwebs from his head. "Whu...?" The other two at the rear of the car open fire.

Wasp smiles, "I've been doing this a long time. Even I can manage to learn a few tricks eventually. You're young too. You'll be growing into your full abilities for another years or two. I'll warrant in a year's time you will be far ahead of your current capabilities."

Lorelei thinks. o O (Darn. I've really messed this up.)

Both of the gunmen on the Lorelei's train miss her with their weapons.

Sable strains at the front of the train, her boots scrabbling across the track as she puts her whole weight behind her shover, her biceps straining with the effort as the train slows impreceptibly.

Lorelei realises she messed up in shaking the brakeman from his obedience. She turns back and strikes a stunning pose for him, hoping the other two won't notice how tired she is.

The brakeman collapses. Lorelei turns back to the two at the back, and smiles. "You really don't want to shoot at me, do you? Put those guns down, and you might still get the kiss."

Sword Dancer, seeing Sable, realises she missed a trick. She jumps down in front of the train and tries applying raw strenth to stop it faster.

Sword Dancer proves a lot stronger than she looks - as befits a descendant of Brun.

Sable strains with all her might, shoving the train as hard as she possibly can, her boots ploughing gouges in the track as the train shoves her relentlessly backward

Sword Dancer shouts "Bruohn!" as she tries with all her might to bring the train to a stop at last.

Sword Dancer brings the train to a halt, though frowning, annoyed she let Sable beat her.

The carriage slows gradually to acrawl, before finally pulling to a stop. Wispy tendrils, of dust, dirt and what might be smoke curl languidly skyward from the soles of Sable's boots.

Lorelei strikes a stunning pose for the last two men, though she knows this will hurt - these extreme poses take a lot out of her.

Lorelei causes one man to fall unconscious and distracts the other, but at some personal cost.

Lorelei's train grinds to a halt.

Lorelei breathes a sigh of relief. Had she realised it was that close, she wouldn't have done that last move.

Sydney says, "And there we have it folks! Wasp come up with a big win in this heat, but will it hold up against the other heroes? Come back tomorrow and we'll find out!"

Lorelei steps shakily to the door of the train to wave to the crowd.

[To Wasp] Variable says, "Well done - even quicker than last week!"

Sable straightens slowly from the front of her train carriage to look around the stadium, her lips compressing. "Well done people."

Lorelei, after waving to the crowd, goes back to make sure all the men are ok before going outside.

Wasp looks over at the scoreboard and then gives Variable a grin, "There's tomorrow's heat to come yet. I can think of more than a few heroes who could beat my time if they turn up."

Wasp nods to Sable, "Everyone did excellently. There was very little in it really."

Variable says, "I thought I could at my strongest - but you beat by being so fast! I can't be fast and strong at the same time."

Wasp nods.

Lorelei waves to the crowd again once the men have come round and she's apologised - not that her attack is exactly unpleasant. She says with a wry smile walking over to the others, "I was solidly last this time."

Sable's shoulders lift slightly. "In these sorts of contests even small margins can seem large. tenthes of seconds add up."

Editor's note: Several of 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 sound cuts off. It's similar to the noise of audio feedback, but none of the hijackers or production crew seem to react to the sound.

Wasp frowns. "Did anyone else hear that?"

Sword Dancer says, "What is noise?"

Lorelei nods.

Variable says, "No - but then I've buried my ears a bit. Hang on....."

Sable looks around, her feet shuffling slightly as her gaze sweeps in a smooth arc to cover her surroundings. Her hands curl smoothly into fists.

Variable shifts back to her 21' human form.

Wasp says, "I don't know. It seems odd they," she gestures to the production crew, "don't appear to have noticed.""

Sword Dancer looks to see if anyone seems to have reacted.

Sable says, "What was it?"

The hijackers from Lorelei's train try to straighten their uniforms as Lorelei approaches.

Sword Dancer suggests, "Maybe noise is near here? From trains?"

Lorelei congratulates the hijackers. "You did a good job there - had me worried for a while."

Wasp says, "That maybe it, Kihzra."

Sword Dancer examines the trains, though she has no idea what's she's looking for, especially now the noise has stopped.

Sable takes some slow steps forward, her attention fastening on one of the tunnels, her head tilts forward, cocking slightly.

"Thanks," One of the hijackers said. "We aim to please," he says jokingly, gesturing to his stun pistol. Another hijacker talks quietly to one of his mates: "I don't get it, Manny, why did you pull the brake?"

Sable starts jogging purposefully toward the edge of the field.

Lorelei grins. "Oh don't worry about it. Guys tend to get a bit confused when I'm about."

Manny smirks slyly to the hijacker who asked him the question. "Dude. Do you even have to ask?" He turns his smile to Lorelei and waves. "Heya."

"Hey. Thanks." Lorelei does give Manny a kiss, as promised, as he's the only one who didn't at least try to attack her in the end.

The fans are leaving their seats, heading to the exit tunnels and slowly making their way out.

Sword Dancer loses interest in the trains. "Is time to go, yes?"

Sable's knees flex and she leaps smoothly from the field up to the second tier of the grand-stand, merging with the flow of departing spectators and gliding deftly through the throng.

Sword Dancer, Variable and Lorelei all head back to the changing rooms to prepare to leave.

Wasp flies up and away also.

Caleb shows up at the stadium gates as people start to file out. . o O (Damn... missed it.)

Caleb uses his PDA to set the home entertainment center to record the broadcast version.