| Light My Fire |
| Summary: | Starhawk comes from the 31st Century to send the Guardians after Despero as he tries to acquire the Flame of Py'tarr |
| Date: | (2014-09-26) |
| Related: | Main story line: http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:desperate-measures This follows damage to ship from this storyline: http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:the-menace-of-mongo |
| NPCs: | Despero and Collapsar |
| Scene Runner: | Jack Flag. |
| Social/Plot: | Plot |
| Players: |
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They're in space testing things. Its a beautiful view, despite troubles coming to earth, the moon is there, half of it facing the sun, the earth is beneath them, with the sun cresting its horizon. Coming out of the earth's solar eclipse. On the bridge, running a few dianognostics. All is well. That is when they hear an echoing boom, Vance is probably most familiar with this, transdimenesional space and time is being opened through a tube, something is coming to the bridge.
Its a pink sort of portal right in the center of the group. A figure walks forward, dressed in dark blue uniform, a star on his belt, yellow tendrils coming off his helmet like plumes. A figure he recognizes from the 31st Century. Starhawk, descending of Quantum, keeper of the Quantum Bands. "Major Victory," he calls looking around, "Is that you," looking more towards Vance, "We have interpreted a disturbance in the time continuum, we need your help …"
Justice's Shield is always nearby and when the portal was opening he grabbed the shield, stood and whipped around ready to defend/attack but knows that fighting in the cockpit is a VERY BAD IDEA. When Starhawk speaks and addresses Justice, he is confused and the hostility diffused as he tries to make sense of what is being said. Justice queries, "Huh, What?" as he has no clue of the Major Victory 31st century future stuff nor does he know who Starhawk is.
With arms spread across the back of the pilot and co-pilot chair, Courtney stands between them, taking in the view. It's one that never gets old. Since this trip didn't start as anything really official, she is in her usual beach bum clothing. The noise has her starting, booms are never good in her expeirence and she stands up straight looking at the sudden visitor. She is the color of confusion as she takes in the blue uniformed man addressing Vance. "I guess that is a no, you don't know this guy.
Jack is wearing his normal blazer/jacket with the stars, its sort of a uniform and offers portection if Vance needs a hand with engine stuff. Jack turns the same, "Ya, don't know, he sounds cool." Right along with names like Stargirl, Captain Amarica, and the like. Major Victory is cool.
Starhawk looks directly at Vance, "You, Major Victory … you have the shield. There has been a distrubance, at some point near this time. We need you to make a correction, we believe you are closely related to the incident. Do you know Despero yet, he will come to rise in the next three centuries, but we believe this process has been altered and he will rise to universal power within the next 100 years …"
There's some processing before Justice speaks, "Yeah, we know Despero. He's some goon that.." he looks over to Jack, "Abducted Jack a few weeks ago. We somehow send Despero packing and got Jack back. You saying that this Despero is going to screw things up and you're from the future?"
Stargirl is so glad she changed her heroine name prior to meeting up with GotG. Star-Spangled-Kid was great, but not as cool or as fitting as her current one. She wiggles her fingers atop her head to mimic the comb like thing on Despero's head "The pinksh, Zoidberg looking alien…we don't like him."
Starhawk nods to Justice and Stargirl, "Yes, that is the one, Despero, conquerer of numerous galaxies, the greates threat we have seen." As of the 31st Century at least. Blinking to Justice once more he considers. "You are not Vance Astrovik," he asks as he folds one arm across his chest, to hold the elbow of the other while he scratches his chin. "We had attempted to send him back to his time, it was his wish to return to the Earth he knew." Shaking his head at that perplexity, he unfolds arms grabs a device, "Here is a two way chrono-spatial transcender, it should open a gate that will remain stable for 4 hours. It will take you to the disturbance. Alas, the Guardians of the Galaxy," of the 31st Century, "Cannot go to this location because of paradox. We believe the one you call Jack Flag has helped Despero unearth the Infinity Torch, should he light the Flame, he will be unstable, you must retrieve the Torch before he completes this." He offers over the device, to Major Victory.
Justice presents with a further confused look on his face as Starhawk begins to speak. But as the plan is laid out, Justice's expression turns to that of conviction. He reaches and takes the device from Starhawk's grasp and in a solid voice, he states, "We've got this.".
Confusion gets a beat down by curiousty as Starhawk explains the situation "Wait, wait, wait!" Stargirl says as the device is passed from the future guy to Vance. "Are you saying we are going to the future? To our future?!
Starhawk says nothing and steps back through the portal. It closes and leaving the heroes to decide how to approach the situation as well as work out the details which they were amiss.
Justice replies, "I think that's what he said… But time travel is really wonky and breaks my brain." he begins moving toward the rear of the ship and states, "I'm going to analyze the device before we use it. Jack, could you see that we don't fly into the sun?"
Jack replies an affirmative in his patriotic voice, "Of course, Major Victory."
Justice rolls his eyes and moves from the cockpit to the aft where he will enter an engineering/science/research area. Hopefully Stargirl will follow, otherwise it's going to get really quiet in here as Jack Flag has to use all his brain power to fly the ship. Not even able to chew bubblegum.
Stargirl hmmms as she follows Vance back to check out this device as well. It's something that will send them to the future! Of course she is interested. "It's not all that complicated. There are only three true theories out there, fixed timeline, dynamic timeline and multiverse.
"I'd go with multiverse. There are too many studies that suggest we are not the only show in town." states Justice as he moves to place the object onto a station and begins clipping on sensors. "However, the way that guy talked, it has to do with our own. So when we get there and we find that you're pregnant with our third baby, don't be surprised." Justice smirks and is teasing.
"I agree. Of course that means there is no chance that we could go back in time to change the future." Stargirl gives a shrug, it's a theory that won't be proven in her timeline. "It sounds like we are heading to the 31st Century. I doubt I will still be alive, much less child bearing age.
"Or that we find Justice washed up somewhere, overdosed on drugs and smelling like booze …" retorts Jack. Chuckling as he comes in. "Hopefully I'll be like Captain Jack or Sargeant Jack by then, right Major Victory, you can promite me for like Justice Corps or something?" The ship is not flying into the sun, its hovering at a floating free point in Moon Orbit presently.
"Who says it won't happen again like it did for me? I was frozen. This time, maybe it'll happen to our entire team. He did say, Guardians of the Galaxy when referring to the future." states Justice.
Guardians from when he called the current team that … sorry, I confused everyone again"
"Who says it won't happen again like it did for me? I was frozen. This time, maybe it'll happen to our entire team. He did say, Guardians of the Galaxy when referring to the future." states Justice.
As Jack enters and tosses in his two bits, Justice adds, "Captain Jack, more like it."
Stargirl shakes her head "Sorry no Courtney flash frozen girl here. I don't want to be a real life Fry." more Futurama references "Captain Jack sounds like a cocktail made of rum and whiskey." she comments to Jack as he joins them.
"I sound pretty tasty, who want's a bite!" Laughs Jak at the coctail reference, "I'm down with being a pirate for a day. So, is that device checking out, can we jump in and do what he says we need to do, or is this a trap?" He looks more at Vance. Then pauses, more to Courtney, "Does it always boil down to drinks and clubbing?" Grinning, not quite a smirk.
After a few buttons are pushed, Justice discerns and reveals, "It's what that guy said it was. We gonna do this now or wait? I mean it is time travel. We could wait 30 years and this click the button and we'd still end up in the other place right on time."
"No there is surfing to, never forget the surfing." Stargirl corrects Jack with a grin "I don't see why we should wait." she thinks for a few moments "You do know what this means though don't you. The visit from Starhawk and his warning.
"Oh yeah, if it doesn't include beach, then its not the same," grins Jack coming to stand close to Stargirl, nodding along that they should do it now. "That we're so cool, we'll be around in a thousand years, or the team name will be?"
"We are probably all heads in a jar in some space museum." apparently Stargirl really likes Futurama "Though this Starhawk mentioned that the reason the future Guardians can't do anything is because of a paradox. That subcribes to the dynamic timeline theory and to the multiverse one. Brain pain indeed.
"You'll have to diagram this for me, and use little words," laughs Jack as Vance messes with the device, double checking and preparing that portal. Not being familiar with Futurama, he says, "Really, in a jar, like specimens?"
"Sorta, except talking and being feed fish food." Stargirl looks at Jack "Less MLP more Futurama. At least for a couple of weeks." A glances is given to Vance as his tweaking. "Maybe we should land this ship somewhere. We don't want to leave it free floating in space while we go kicking butt in the future.
Vance is close, Jack nods, "Good call, I'll park us and come back. I have to watch Futurama, it has that cute one-eyed girl right?" He says, making sure its the right one. He knows which one it is at least. Grinning, he goes back to the bridge to park the spaceship so its not just in space.
Vance is very close and finally he says, "Ok, we have a four hour window to knock this out. If we don't, then we'll be living in whatever future we're going to. Not that it's a bad thing for me since I'm already out of my own time, but you two will probably not like the culture shock."
"It couldn't be any worse than the culture shock I experineced when I first went into space." Stargirl comments, though she has no true idea. Slipping out a view for a moment she does her quick costume change and pops back into view "Let's get going.
Jack grins, "Or the culture shock when Vance did … uh, something … disco …" Fail. He shakes his head ready to go.
The button is pushed, the Boom Tube is opened, they three stride in, coming out at an alter. This is an undergound evil temple sort of vibe, on some distant planet. Its literally in the side of the mountain in some purple stone or stone/crystal like mix. It is open air on one side, similar to some old Egyptian temples. With large pillars. They can see some starlight beyond that, revealing a mountain and crater marked landscape beyond this temple. This would be all but abandoned except for the light they see nearby.
They are slightly in the dark, and can hear voices, "Yes, yes, thanks to that idiot that was with Major Victory, the way to the Flame of Py'tarr is open, I hope they enjoyed their present. Now, bring the torch so that I may light it." It sounds like Despero, he and mabye someone else at least are in an antichamber. They can see the shadows of at least two figures dancing through the opening from which the voices came.
Justice pulls the star spangled shield from his back and slides his left arm into the grips. He lifts off the ground by 5 inches in a quiet telekinetic hover. He whispers, "Looks like we've got a fight on our hands."
With staff in hand Stargirl doesn't so much walk through the portal as fly through it. Will it be bright? Should she have worn shades? "We already knew that." she whispers back as she also hovers between the two guys.
"If its fishhead in in there, its payback time," says Jack actually doing some fist clenching stuff. "He has someone else, what's the plan, bust in on the party?"
If they give it a moment, Despero is in there, not yet souped up with the Flame of Pyt'arr. He has another man that looks half muscle, half gold cyborg too. Maybe another muscle type to replace the mind-zotted Jack. Despero says to him as they work in the anti-chamber. "Collapsar, you have to light the Flame, you can withstand the mystic force released, then it will be mine and we shall rule the Galaxy."
Justice seems to know the plan, "Jack, you take the gold guy. Stargirl and I will take down Despero. I'll go in first. Stargirl you take up the flank. I can somewhat resist his mental attacks moreso than the rest of you, since my powers stem from my brain. Do not make eye contact and we've got to hit hard and fast before he can focus. If he focuses, we're doomed."
Stargirl gives a jaunty two finger salute "Right whatever your name is." he has three now, which to use….she waits for Justice to start moving, hopefully fast, because she doesn't do slow, especially in these cases. As soon as they hit the door she is shooting Star Blasts right into the face of Despero, multiple blinding stars that hit like a 50 pound sledge.
Jack follows suit, waits for the signal before bum rushing goldguy. Stargirl catches Despero by total surprise. He's not super duper strong just yet, so he wavers and falls back, then puts up TK shield to block, using another TK to try and pull the ceiling down near Vance and Stargirl.
Jack tackles Collapsar with a flying superman punch, all 75 tons of force from Jack. Collapsar eats it, but falls back, and returns a fist to Jack. It glows yellow, like a supernova and they two start hammering at each other.
Justice does act quickly. He angles himself and flies directly toward Despero with force field up and the star spangled shield before him. His eyes do not look into any of Despero's three eyes and he intends to start blasting as soon as he possibly can.
With the possible collapse of the ceiling, Justice will ensure that his team is protected and will cast his own TK in that direction and will struggle with Despero for superiority. "I've got the ceiling. Take him down!"
She could have probably handled the ceiling herself, but Stargirl is in no position to argue. Not looking in the eyes she focues on Despero's chin instead. Her staff comes around and she sends a blast of concussive energy toward the crazy looking alien guy.
Against one of the Energy/TK users, Despero might have a much better chance, but he's being pushed by both. "Vance, it is too early for you to return to this game," Moving back, as TK shields push against each other. Another Despero appears by Stargirl, "Think you can fool me," he punches at her from there. She will discover, by acting or not, that its an illusion as it has no force. It is only a distraction to remove some of Vance's backup.
The ceiling and temple starts to rumble a little. Between heavy TK battle and the Bricks, it taking more damage. Collapsar kicks to push Jack back, and tries to get the torch up towards the big stone bowl they're trying to light, which Jack in turn gets back up and punches Collapsar. The special torch thing goes flying, no one has it now.
Justice continues to struggle, he realizes that Despero isn't where he should be and will try to identify his true location so that he may relay that to Stargirl. But in the mean time, he will continue to support the ceiling while working against Despero's own TK energies.
Stargirl learned that lesson with Despero the first time they encountered him. She nearly faceplanted by attacking an illusion that wasn't there, she'll take her chances, doubtful he would hurt her anyway. The girl is plenty durable. Another blast of blinding Stars flash from her hand, homing in on Despero's last know location, assuming that he could be mentally making himself invisible or something.
"Fools," hisses the Despero that they first saw, the one near Stargirl fading as the illusion is revealed for what it is. He is directing that to Collapsar as well, as the torch is in free man's land, "Get the torch you idiot"
Collapsar returns, "I'm not an idiot." And he can't just get it, him and Jack are locking into a powerhouse grapple. He picks up Jack to body slam him, Jack judo throws him off and rushes for the torch.
Vance and Stargirl combined fire power knocks back the TK shield, but Stargirl's blast reveals the first Despero to have been an illusion too. His is most likely invisible. But, the torch is picked up, either by him or his TK powers.
Justice has an idea. His TK is roughly an extension of his mind and his senses. He looks to Stargirl, "Grab the ceiling. I've got an idea." He doesn't waste time and sends out a mental TK wave like a sonar ping that will not do damage or actually push anything, instead will give him a 360 view of the area that is unseen - including Despero.
With a wave of her staff a forcefield of energy forms under the collapsing ceiling. She takes a different approach though. Letting the ceiling fall into the forcefield so it forms a bowl full of rock and rubble, "Heads up Jack!" is the only warning she will give before dropping all that rubble on top of the Golden Cyborg guy.
Its warning enough, Jack disengages and rolls away as he looks and sees the rubble coming. Justice's trick works like a charm. The real Despero is close to the door, using his TK to grab the Torch. He feels the slight disturbance as Justice uses his TK like a sonar. "You fool, this won't stop me." He starts backing up, but tries to pull the torch with him. He doesn't care about Collapsar for the moment, just getting out and, importantly, with that torch.
Knowing where Despero is helps him to focus on one of two targets. Despero or the torch.. The Torch is more important. So Justice will reach out and attempt to steal the Torch away. He can lift upwards of 80 tons of weight, hopefully that is enough.
With Collapsar hopefully buried, if only in a temporary fashion, and Justice going after the torch, Stargirl sends a blast in the direction she heard Despero yell from, fanning the blast out just to make sure she hits him. Unless he suddenly became visible to everyone.
Jack moves to stand up, his guy down, looking around to see where he can help.
Justice is the superior at TK, Despero's isn't bolstered yet, and the Torch is grabbed. He feels a slight tug back, as if wrestling for control, but Stargirl's fan hits him enough to stumble him. Vance feels the torch give completely and the invisible Despero makes haste to flee instead. TK flying like a bandit out of dodge.
Not sure where to go, Jack goes near the other two and moves to use hands to support any collapsing ceiling if necessary.
Justice pulls the Torch into his immediate area, he does NOT touch it physically. Instead he allows it to remain hovering in front of him by a foot or two. Justice looks around, "Despero is gone, but we have the Torch. Does that mean our job is done?
"No clue."Stargirl replies as she drops to the floor "Maybe we need to give it to future you…or that Starhawk guy for sage keeping? Or are we supposed to take it with us?
"If that's what lights the Flame thing," says Jack Flag, "And Despero can't do it know, I think we're done. Your friend Starhawk can find us again right? I just think we might be close to him or others if we're avoiding Paradox." He heads for the door, intending to seek out their current open wormhole/boom tube.
Following Jack, Justice will allow Stargirl to go first, and intends to move through the time portal as well, "I've no idea, Jack. Far as I know we're flapping in the wind and a huge target by having this thing."
"Good reason not to have it." Stargirl enter the timewarp tube as she glances at the torch in question "I say we take a trip to Hawaii and drop it into Mount Kilauea." which also serves double duty for surfing.
"You're saying Hawaii cause of surf and drinks on the beach," says Jack following Stargirl as Vance picks up the rear.
The portal goes back to their parked ship, the device they were given closes it. As they are going to Hawaii with the ponderance of Mount Dooming the Torch, Starhawk shows up again. He's slightly confused if he's been there or will be there, the hit or miss of time travel in that instance. But learn's he has been there, his past memory of that visit is there past as well. He gladly takes the device to be dealt with. He warns that Despero could light the flame in other manners, but this instance of stopping it, has left the timeline he is from stable and he thanks Major Victory and his companions for assisting with this cleanup.