Postby Horsenhero » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:53 pm
This was supposed to be the Chapter titled "Love & Gravity", but a funny thing happened and that chapter has been delayed, so I could shoehorn this one in.
Ch. 9: A Quick Quarrel. A Spurious Spat. A Fight.-
At the first signs of dawn, a lightening sky and a fiery line of gold on the horizon, Vlad frowned. Niloticus should have made it back to Baki long before now. A rescue party led by Jack or Otso or Randy should have arrived on the scene. What could have delayed them? The Romanian freedom fighter puzzled over the question even as he sought to find better concealment for him and his fellow diplomat. If he had known the answer, he would have snorted in disgust at the predictability of it all.
"Let's concentrate on Vlad shall we?" Was all Jason had the chance to say before all hell broke loose.
"Tyrant!" Roustabout bellowed before slamming a thunderous blow into Jason's chest. The punch hurled the NS criminal across the parade grounds where he landed with a crash.
"Jack," Martin spun on the metamorph, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You failed to mention you cooperated wiz terrorists. You alzo failed to mention zat zee terrorist Tyrant, eez Jason Lamperouge."
"Christ on a crutch!" Jack groaned as the Vindicators surged forward. This could be a problem.
The Abolitionists were somewhat at a disadvantage, despite being on their home turf. Only two of their number were unknown quantities to the United Nations strikeforce. Aziza Awaale Samatar, codenamed Gorrax and the mystic Ifrit, Siam had never been students at any of the New Vindicator Academies. While that counted for something, it also meant they didn't get the formalized combat training the Vindicators received. Sure Vlad made certain everyone practiced, but access to the Wreck Room provided certain advantages. Despite all their best efforts, the Abolitionists never had the wealth to finance building an equivalent facility. Even Jason couldn't McGuyver together anything suitable. In the end, when it came to training facilities, wealth mattered, and sufficient wealth, the freedom fighters simply did not have. Combine that with the presence of Roustabout, Shinobi and Roan, all unknown quantities and Jack was left feeling uncertain of his team's chances.
Rapidfire flares of brilliant light yanked Jack's attention back to the burgeoning melee. Roan, morphed into her centaur form, was pelting the armored genius with shimmering arrows loosed from a silvery bow. Roustabout was hurtling through the air, a ghostly image, in pursuit of the man he'd just hit. Shinobi was nowhere to be seen, but Jack expected as much. The American ex-patriate was by no means fluent in Japanese language or culture, but he'd watched enough anime' to know what a Shinobi was. It wasn't just the newbies Greystone was worried about though. Viktor bolted into the sky, gaining speed as he went. Ellen caught Beatrice with a spinning back kick, sending her sprawling. Lex powered up, lightning dancing over his muscular physique. Emily lashed out telekinetically, bowling over Aziza and Siam. Curiously, Martin froze, his body bubbling and warping, yet locked in some sort of indecision.
The more experienced of the combat hardened SPB's of Free Somalia did not fail to react though. Otso charged across the field, his body shifting into his Werelion form. With a deafening roar, the monstrous beast slammed into Roan, lifting her massive, equine frame into the air and slamming her into the turf. Meanwhile Randy completed his own transformation into a massive, humanoid Oak tree. A sweeping blow sent Maze and Catalyst tumbling. Despite intellectually knowing he should try to restore order, Jack changed into a combat ready form. Covered in armored hide, with thick, cloven hooved legs, a Rhino-like horn and massive fists, he could practically taste the blood he was going to spill. Before he could take two steps Roustabout was upon Jason again.
Giorgi Dyemenov, the Vindicator called Roustabout was a mass controller. He could manipulate his personal density to shift from ghostly to denser than Osmium and all points inbetween with a thought. Having glided across the parade grounds in pursuit of the armored villain in an ephemeral state, he pushed his mass to near maximum, landing next to Jason Lamperouge with an earth shaking thump. The landing plunged him knee deep into the soil. Without hesitation, he swung a hammer blow at his target, only to have his arm caught. Alex Murphy, the rockstar, the lightning wielder, the super fast Neo-Sapien had halted his strike. The Russian powerhouses' eyes grew saucer wide. Nothing in Murphy's file indicated this level of physical power. he didn't even have time to gasp before an explosive punch slammed into his chin and hurled him backward, tearing up earth and sod as he ripped free of the ground.
Before anyone else could act, an electronically amplified voice boomed; "Enough!"
A massive gravity well slammed all the combatants to the hard ground. Most just collapsed, but Viktor, caught airborne, hit the firmament like a meteor. Floating above, black cloak fluttering, magnitude snarled at the two groups of super-humans. "You have no authority here Vindicators, except that which we afford you. You will not be permitted to commit violence on our soil. Abolitionists, you have far more important duties than mindless violence. This battle ends now! Understood?"
During Kasimir's speech, Jack, Giorgi, Lex and Siam all fought their way to their feet. Fighting the pull of gravity was all they could do though. Given the struggle merely to remain standing, all four acquiesced.
"Thank you Magnitude, I appreciate the intervention." Jason said, clamboring to his feet, after the gravity field was dispelled.
"I would say my pleasure, but honestly, I found the entire display ridiculous."
"Oh come on Kas," Lex snickered. "don't you know that mindless violence is one of the staples of super-heroing?"
The German Neo-Sapien harrumphed in response, obviously not finding the same humor in the situation Lex did.
"Zpeaking of mindless violenze," Martin said, eyeing Lex speculatively. "Exactly 'ow did you manage to ztop Giorgi from crusheeng Jason? You 'ave nevair demonstrated zat degree of physical powair before."
Lex shrugged. "I'm not sure when the ability to supercharge my physique developed. I DO know, it rocks."
"Oui, zat eet does, zough I am no longer zertain zee codename Current properly expresses your level of formidability."
"Well I've been thinking of changing it. Until today I was considering changing it to Thor, but now I don't think that's cool. I mean, it turns out, Thor was real, and since Thor was real that's goota mean the giants of Jotunheim were real. I'm not sure I wanna be sporting the name of a guy freakin' giants want to kill! Assuming there are any of the bastards still alive."
"That's fascinating Lex." Kasimir deadpanned. "Still, as it turns out, surprisingly your codename isn't a top priority. Vlad, Fathia and Theoris are the top priority."
With a gesture, the blind man lifted Catalyst into the air. "Emily and I will locate Vlad and the others. We'll radio back with the location."
The Esper glared at her countryman, but didn't voice any objection. "I can fly myself." Was all she said.
Kas nodded, releasing her from the grip of his power. Free, she used her own psychokinetic prowess to remain aloft.
"Come on then." Magnitude said, and the pair rocketed westward.