Gands

Edgeknight
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per day
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
Genres
sci fi, modern magical, horror
There was an idea:

To bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to. To fight the battles we never could."

This is a continuation of Rise of the Marvels...
CLOSED SIGNUPS - Rise Of The Marvels (IC Thread)

Our story thus far....

It has been a few scant weeks since Hydra attacked several landmarks around the world. Our heroes were involved in a secondary attack some time later on a fashion show in New York city, then that same night a massive gang attack on a policeman at the port of New York. They have faced off against the most dangerous Mutant terrorist known, Magneto. On the eve of a scheduled move to a new base, there was a new attack, something more devious. A scent released into the ventilation system caused one member to attack her team mates, and another to have been revealed as a shape changer.

Our team has moved now, into a new base. Old abandoned camp Lehigh in New Jersey.

latest


There have been changes since our team first started. Personnel have come and gone. There has been a week and a half since the move into the new base.


Our heroes

Captain America
Fandral of Asgard
Jessica Jones
Wanda Maximoff

Maya Lopez
Lincoln Campbell Medical officer
Jubilation Lee
Sarah Rushman aka Marrow
Frank Castle aka Punisher
Hank McCoy aka Beast
Phil Coulson

Posting Order

GM
Captain America / Lincoln Campbell
Punisher
Jessica Jones / Jubilee
Fandral / Wanda

Marrow
Maya Lopez
Beast
Phil Coulson

to be announced




 
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After a half hour cat-nap, Hank woke, stretched, and swung his legs off the bed. He stood gingerly; the pain and sprains were already gone, great. Fortunately he wasn't coerced into a gown displaying his backside. As he looked for a way out of the medical wing, he found himself walking along the glass window of a surgical center where Lincoln was working on Wanda with Agent Simmons assisting. Hank felt tremendously guilty and sat heavily on a bench outside. He revisited the events of the day. He should have known that blocking a launch tube would keep just that tube from launching. He should have just bashed each of the tube openings and kept bashing. Stupid; she's on that table because of me. He could have withstood injury better than her. Stupid, stupid idiot.

He activated his newly issued secure base phone to order flowers to the delivery address Agent May had told him of; then sat and studied the floor tiles.
 
Susan Storm

Susan jogged lightly through the base looking for something, finally bopping herself on the head with her fist, she linked into the base security. Then she made her way to Dr. McCoy.

"Dr. McCoy, I hear you are good at ... well.... everything. Do these skills extend into computers ? I have an extraordinary application providing anti hacking and while I think I'm pretty good...no, damned good with computers, I could use a hand with this. The other hacker at the base was injured in the combat. "

She looks at him expectantly...She look over at the operating theater... then back at him.

" You know, she is a tad fool hearty with her powers. I also think that missile you blocked, had it gone up with this others might have over come her completely. "

@Cork
 
Fandral of Asgard

Fandral noted the absence of his exercise partner, he spoke quietly to May about it. With the adequate use of his own personal charm and her loyalty to Cap, and Shield... He got her to open Cap's door.

He is carrying a tray of food with a cup of tea and a shot glass with just a bit of Asgardian brandy.

"It's not like you to miss dinner. I managed to convince Shield Base Manager May that perhaps you needed your dinner more than you were willing to admit. You'll find a bit of my favorite Brandy on the tray. I think by the way, by the time we finish our run tomorrow, we'll know what the people on that sub knew. "

" You have good people on this team, even if one or two are clinging to sanity ( he chuckles here, as always, everything can be funny to Fandral ). They will need you. "

He turns to leave after giving Steve a wink.

As he is leaving...

'" You look better after a shave. "

On the tray is Frank's note.
 
"Ms. Storm, I've built many computers over the years, but I'm not sure I'm the best up-to-date hacker. Given that, I've got an alien neural computer we can use to analyze your security. It's a bit young but terrestrial security should be a nice challenge for her. I'll be glad to introduce you to Mendellia, she'll be here this evening."

"And thanks, Susan, for trying to lift my spirits. I made a mistake; I should have known better. You're right, I helped, but I might have solved it. It won't keep me from the fight I've volunteered for. Hydra will pay."

"I'll be glad to help you."

BrokenWings davewski Drixe Gands LuckycoolHawk9 Sonevar Michale CS
 
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Captain America

Captain America wondered if anyone was going to notice that he was going to notice he was gone. He didn't know how Fandral had done it, but he had managed to get his locked room open, even after he had locked it.

He noticed the tray of food and the cup of tea and drink. Okay, maybe he should use something to eat or drink.

"Well at least that answers how you managed to get into my room. Sorry, I got a little lost in my work tonight, overthinking a lot. Thanks for the brandy and maybe that would help me calm down a bit. I guess once we know that, things will start to make a lot more sense than before at least," he said.

Captain America did have to remember that the team needed him. It was a good thing to here that from someone on the actual team and he nodded with a smile back to him.

He couldn't help but laugh a bit about Fandral's wink.

He turned back to him.

" I'll take that under consideration."

On the tray is Frank's note.

He noticed the note on the tray and he gave it a brief read and nodded, heading to the bathroom to do a quick grooming of his face and to have some dinner. Maybe some sleep would help after all. It was worth it after all as well.

@Gands
 
Agent Coulson finishes organising his new office and heads to the standard cafeteria. Most senior agents wouldn't eat here, having thier own area, but Coulson allways felt more comfortable with the " rank and file" agents. Grabing a tray he gets in line and waits with the others.
 
Night passes.

By the morning, some of our heroes and the Shield tech team have broken the code on the submarine's data storage.

Wanda while still out of it is resting comfortably.

Fandral is up at the grey light of pre dawn cooking up breakfast.

In her room, Jones will eventually find her clothes, all of them, washed & folded.. Put away in a room safe she didn't know was there. Luckily, Fandral left post it notes with arrows and the safe was open.

Taking a turn at the security room, son of Coul might notice footprints leaving Cap's room long after bed time. There was no visible body to go with the footprints as they were being made.

A couple of the team members watching Wanda during the night were treated to a pleasant if slightly R rated dream.

There will be a detailed report on the Hydra Base at Cap's desk. In addition a letter from the desk of one Patricia Savage of New York.

@Sonevar @Michale CS @Drixe @davewski. @Cork @BrokenWings
 
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“Thanks for the use of the warehouse, Agent May. Mendellia will appreciate it, don’t you girl? I’m volunteering her for covert drop-offs or spying, but no more. She has no serious combat training as yet and she’s one-of-a-kind for… Earth, so I insist on being careful with her. She’s not even adolescent and hasn’t grown a proper ship’s hull yet. She can now accommodate 6 passengers with little luggage. She’ll be on base mostly to sleep or train, and in the ocean to feed and grow.

Please let Chief Agent Coulson know that I can help with genetically analyzing the captured prisoners, genetics is my expertise. I only need catnaps, nothing like as much sleep as most folk.

Also, I need access to a Danger-Room if you’ve got one. I’ve gotten badly out of practice lately, what with concentration on research. If Cap has time, I’d love to train with him, he taught me how to fight again after my recent genetic changes.

No, I’m not gaining weight! That’s my winter coat. I have to eat twice as much or more than most, it’s simply my metabolism.”

Twice a day Hank checks in to see how Wanda’s doing.

@Sonevar @Michale CS @Drixe @davewski @BrokenWings @Gands
 
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She was really worried about Wanda at first, but camping out near her seemed to help calm her down. There were water bottles in the room and some snacks like granola bars, so she didn't even leave her side until Wanda would come around. Jubilee wasn't even sure why she had developed such an attachment for her so quickly, but it wasn't time to question - it was time to be there as a friend.

jessica-jones-banner-png.157751

When I got up, I was buck naked. But, I didn't have that familiar feeling that came with that. I wasn't still queasy from barfing - either from booze or my usual byproduct of having sex and then remembering all the fucked-up shit in my past, so I guess he was a gentleman again.

At first, I was upset that I couldn't find my clothes, but then I saw the note. I got into my regular clothes, then threw the SHIELD jacket over the top of it and didn't toss on the scarf this morning. I knew were I'd find Fandral.

"The hell was your job in Asgard? Short order cook? You're always in the kitchen." I ribbed him as I went to go get my water out of the fridge as usual. But damnit, within five minutes I was helping him cook again.

"If you're not careful, you'll end up domesticating me. Then I won't be fun anymore..."



BrokenWings ] Cork davewski Drixe Gands LuckycoolHawk9
@Sonevar
 
Maya waited for a long time... Damn Matt's words for getting her here.... Damn Fan- she cut the thought off... even in her thoughts he didn't deserve a bad nickname like 'fanboy' but Damn his words for keeping her here anyway. For all her mental grumblings though, she tapped her telescoping staff, retrieved from her gear strategically against the wall, watching the sound outlining what was around the corner... All clear? She proceeded to the room and pulled the same trick. She didn't want to cross paths with the protective young agent again, there must be something going on there... a sisterhood thing? She didn't know, she honestly didn't care. She promised Fandral a turn at watch... so she would watch.

Unfortunately, the vibration trick didn't go very far in this room, but seeing a stray bottle and wrappers she re-positioned and tried again. Watching the vibrations pass over the slight form as they traveled, along with unidentifiable piles, she guessed the agent was encamped... she sighed, she hated to break her word to Fandral but she was not going to get into the middle of whatever 'this' was. She went to her quarters and grabbed the gear that she had never unpacked, let others save the world, she had a whale to hunt.
 
Maya waited for a long time... Damn Matt's words for getting her here.... Damn Fan- she cut the thought off... even in her thoughts he didn't deserve a bad nickname like 'fanboy' but Damn his words for keeping her here anyway. For all her mental grumblings though, she tapped her telescoping staff, retrieved from her gear strategically against the wall, watching the sound outlining what was around the corner... All clear? She proceeded to the room and pulled the same trick. She didn't want to cross paths with the protective young agent again, there must be something going on there... a sisterhood thing? She didn't know, she honestly didn't care. She promised Fandral a turn at watch... so she would watch.

Unfortunately, the vibration trick didn't go very far in this room, but seeing a stray bottle and wrappers she re-positioned and tried again. Watching the vibrations pass over the slight form as they traveled, along with unidentifiable piles, she guessed the agent was encamped... she sighed, she hated to break her word to Fandral but she was not going to get into the middle of whatever 'this' was. She went to her quarters and grabbed the gear that she had never unpacked, let others save the world, she had a whale to hunt.

jubilee-banner-jpg.157752

When Maya went to open her door after grabbing her gear, Jubilee was standing there. "You didn't think I could hear you tap-tapping that thing outside Wanda's door? Listen, I might seem a little overprotective of her, but damnit... she's the first one who opened up to me here and didn't treat me like some kind of kid. I get what it must be like to be on the outside looking in, and I did what you did a lot, just a couple years ago. Running off because you don't feel like you fit in. Hell, I thought I was kind of an add-on at the submarine! I finally saw a use for my powers and then everyone, as usual, one ups me."

She sighed, and shook her head. "But this isn't about me. It's about you. You've got friends here, believe it or not, and you're needed. Wanda needs as many friends as she can get, not just right now... but all the time. Hell, I need as many friends as I can get. So, why don't we step into your quarters and have a little talk to work this out..."


Echo hesitantly backed into her room, now feeling even more trapped, she kept her eyes on the girl.... using long dormant muscles she spoke slightly off-key "Say what you have to say miss agent."

"What I have to say is... well..." She shrugged. "...I'm sorry. I don't want to drive anyone off, as it's happened to me so many times. It feels horrible, not being wanted. I'm not going to be on the wrong end of that."

She ended that with a sudden hug, which might have triggered Echo's reflexes if she didn't immediately recognize the fact this was her intent by the body language reading Maya could do instinctually. Backing off, it was clear that Jubilation was tearing up. "It's sort of like bullying, and even though I hogged Wanda unintentionally... I can totally see where it might have been seen like I was walling you off. It's horrible to feel that way and I hate that I drove you to almost leaving."

Echo paused for moment, then spoke. "I came here because my ex-boyfriend begged me to take his place because he had issues to resolve.... I did not come to make friends nor enemies... unlike my Ex, or you, I have no beyond human abilities. I can only copy normal human manuvers and skills that I can see... so if there is something that cannot be put down with human skill or a large ammount of firepower, like those things on the beach... I am of no more usefulness than the hundreds of agents that you already have at your disposal... Wanda asked me to stay, to watch her back, but with all of the friends she has inspired here, like you and the Doctor, I am not needed in that regard either.... What is the saying? Too many Chiefs... And so, I was off, to be out of everyone's way... and to hunt the one Whale that I KNOW I can Kill..."

"You do so have superhuman abilities.... that copying stuff is a lot more useful than... fireworks." She rebutted. "And I call bullshit. Wanda needs every friend she can get. If you want to leave... I'll leave too, because I instigated it. If you're useless, I'm even moreso." She literally put her foot down when she said that last. "You could spend two hours with Agent May or Captain America and be just as good a fighter as them. I spend... hours and hours, and I'm only a little better than average with both ranged and hand to hand combat, and half the time my abilities aren't even useful." She went from upset to angry. "You don't get to do this. Gonna go run off because you don't think you're useful when you're clearly way more useful than me, and probably more than Coulson, nifty fake hand or no." Jubilee was pointing at Echo now, as this attitude provoked something in her.

"Possibly" she mused "...but unlike me, you are never without a weapon, and I am not leaving for the sake of leaving, I am in the way.... when my gun didn't put the monsters down, the best I could do was drag the wounded to safety and hope the doctor did not land on me. I have no stake in this, nor people here as you do...and although I may be a little crazy, I will not fling myself at death like your weapons man."

"...fine. If you want to walk, walk. But if you do..." She moves to the exit of the room. "...I hope you can live with bailing out. I thought you were brave... but you're just a coward. I guess we don't have as much in common as I thought. I thought you were leaving because I did something to piss you off. You're just leaving because you don't give a crap about any of us, or because of your own self-esteem issues." She opened the door. "...it's a chicken-shit move either way."


EDITED added collab convo between Echo and Jubilee
@Sonevar
 
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An agent knocks on agent coulsons door telling him of beast's offer, smiling he tells the agent to confirm with the beast that he'd be gratefull for his services. He opens up his laptop and begins the process of setting up a lab, and transferring the prisoners to the doctor's authority. Dspite being able to autherise this all by himself it still takes a bit just to put it in the system. He adds a small note to the file only able to be accessed by Beast reading "I appreciate your help in this matter. You will be given total control over this operation, at any time if this goes from a "necessary evil" to an "evil" i'm counting on you to stop it. You have my total backing in this, with level 9 clearance behind you you should have no trouble doing what you have to. If you do run into an issue contact me immediately. Agent coulson".
 
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Captain America

Captain America felt a lot better when he woke up in the morning. If it was from the note that he had received from Frank or something else, it was entirely uncertain which it was to the rest of the team.

Captain America, despite knowing it would probably make Fandral feel better dove straight into his work, looking over the detailed report on the Hydra base and reading the letter from the desk of Patricia Savage. He would try to remember to do it the next morning or soon.

@Gands
 
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I wait for a while, sitting in my room, wandering the complex, reviewing the "Data" in the main conference room. "I think to myself, "We can't feel soft. They'll take advantage. They NEED to be crushed."

I understand what I must do. I go to the conference room, pen a note, and leave it dangling from a military knife.

"The world is governed by fools. They'll try and hoodwink everyone, but their causes are all the same. I go to attack Hydra at 2100 tomorrow. You can come if you will, or convince me why this is a fool's dream."

In the evening, as I walk down through the base, I notice Beast's ship, at her mooring and in my frustration I lash out.

"Hank says that you are ALIVE. Sentient. He says that "You are just a baby". "I don't understand. IS THAT TRUE. Are you "Just a Baby"? Are you truly alive?" Would you even understand GOOD vs EVIL?"

I walk away, working to fulfill my calling.

As Frank walks away, behind him, a hatch slowly opens.
 
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Maya's conversation with the not so bubbly 'cheerleader' fireworks girl left her with a great deal to consider. She needed to re-evaluate herself and her place in the world. If she was truly so crazy and messed up as to leave the 'cheerleader' hurling low-blow insults at her, and her way of living, then maybe she DID truly belong in a group that took in the likes of The Punisher.

If only to spare the world from Maya's own brand of 'Crazy'... it was an idea worth considering....which she did as she flopped back on her bed and drug her hand across her face where her father's blood had been.

@Gands @Michale CS @Drixe @LuckycoolHawk9 @davewski @Cork @BrokenWings
 
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Sarah took the downtime to practice her marksmanship in the firing range. Her upbringing in the underground had lent her plenty of experience with a knife, but she never had the same experience with firearms. She hoped that getting better in this one skill would transfer into becoming more precise with her own brand of projectile. She branded her shatter proof glasses and hearing protection (safety first) and began practicing.
 
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Mendelia wasn’t happy about learning to hack code. While she doesn’t communicate with words, she’s a wizard at translation… translation being key to a starship crew. Personally she communicates with images on the main display and ultrasonic or subspace whale-like mood sounds… “Help”, “Danger”, “Beware”, “I’m Here”, etc.. With a few minutes of conversation she could start translating a new language, plus she could quickly figure out how to communicate with grafted subsystems so Hank McCoy thought she could easily master computer code. Kind of. She could do it, but she hated it. She kept complaining, through images, that it was idiotic baby talk. Hank promised more flying trips, fruit treats, and skin scrubbing treatments. Hank said a silent prayer for a quick recovery of the team’s hacker. He swore he’d never ask this again as he watched Mendelia type away on a keyboard with extruded interior tentacles… but she succeeded in hacking into the Hydra submarine computer. Many files were still encrypted but she could hand over complete control. All traps were disabled. She snoozed as he typed up a message to Susan and Chief Coulson about how to access the Hydra submarine computer and hit “Send”.

Just then Mendelia woke up, let out an ultrasonic whistle and displayed her exterior view showing Frank Castle. Hank said, “Don’t worry girl, he’s fine”. He tapped on the lower hatch and dropped down to the concrete floor. “What’s up, Frank? Don’t sleep much? Me neither. Let me introduce you…”

Hank explained how the Shi’ar Empire gave him Mendelia because he’d saved their homeworld from a techno-organic bio-weapon and educated their leader’s son. He waited some years until he was sure he could care for a newborn ship. Hank was surprised the newborn resembled a terrestrial cuttlefish. The Shi’ar fighters are insectoid, but apparently their freighters are not.

Now her hull is as strong as the hulls of most naval subs, but when she’s full grown it will be a starship hull able to withstand all terrestrial non-nuclear conventional weapons. She can’t go into vacuum for long now, but when she’s full grown she'll produce enough atmosphere to sustain herself and passengers on extended voyages. Her skin over the armored hull can mimic textures and colors with amazing speed. Even now, her tentacles can rip apart smaller creatures, and her jaws can crush rock. When her tentacles are retracted they’re protected by an armored cone that flowers open. Underwater, she can navigate by passive or active sonar. In the air she can use passive or active subspace “sonar” to see objects at a distance. She can see infrared, ultraviolet and normal ranges. She has distributed sight sensors, but only her armored eyes yield telescopic vision. She can bellow ultrasonic sound as a weapon, enough to stun or even kill those unprotected up close. She can hear sound into the ultrasonic, as well as hear radio and subspace waves. Her primary motive power is gravitonium, which she controls in an organ designed for that purpose. It allows her to fly and move at speed underwater. She can swim by moving her fringe (without using gravitonium), and can angle her fringe for better airflow in flight. She eats primarily kelp and seaweed.

The Shi’ar use stargates to travel vast distances, their ships only travel at a subspace speed taking weeks or more to go a light year… though it’s said that some of their largest ships can generate their own gates.

Hank brought Frank into the ship and showed him the physical controls that can extrude and retract, and the glowing display which covers the entire interior. Her passenger/cargo hatch is below her belly and she can lower a leathery ramp through it.

Hank spoke of her as his own child. His eyes glowed and features beamed with pride at her abilities and foibles.

“Frank, sorry to go on and on, I have to go analyze the prisoners soon. What brings you here this time of night?”

@Sonevar @Drixe @Michale CS @davewski @BrokenWings @Gands
 
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Slowly, I walk back to the hatch that Frank has offered. While he tells me about all of HER merits, I wonder. IF she's alive, will she help us. Will HE help us. Most everyone the team seems caught up in their own personal tragedies. The path is clear to me.

After listening for a long while in frustration, I reply, "I go to strike against our enemies. The enemies of society. You can come as you see fit. You can bring your baby, or maybe let her and the others to hide further and to decide their own destiny. All of them here. Will they spend all of their time burrowing into themselves, or will they ACT?"

"Namor is right. I go to damage as much as I can to make the road easier for those who struggle for the future. Come along as you will, unless you can show me a better plan"

I think about the team. MAYBE, there is hope. Some of them may eventually understand. If not, then we'll all go to the nuclear future that I expect will happen.

I turn and walk out the hatch.
 
A shadow stands there as Frank exits... she read the note, she gave her answer. Dressed in the Ronin ninja style outfit, a white handprint across her face. Very few knew what that handprint meant to her...even fewer still knew what it meant to her people.

Anyone who knew what to look for could just make out the ballistic reinforcements under the cloth. She had one short Katana strapped to a hip, the other slung diagonal across her back, both rigged for Iaijutsu. On each leg was holstered a large caliber pistol loaded with Judas rounds... she would NOT be caught unawares again. Lastly a pair of 'Logan' style punch claws was on each hand.

She held the ronin helmet in the crook of one arm as she looked over to Frank with an expression that clearly said: "Are we going or what?"

@Gands @Michale CS @Drixe @davewski @BrokenWings @Cork @LuckycoolHawk9
 
Beast's fur bristles. He talks to the air where Frank was: "I wake up sore every day, Frank, from all the places I've been stabbed and shot and from falling out of airplanes, of being caught in exploding buildings. I go to bed in pain and half my teeth are dental implants. Did you know that? Half of them. Don't you get tired? I the hell am."

Then he texts Cap and Agent May: "Frank is planning an attack. I volunteer myself and Mendellia. She has no effective inter-vehicular weaponry, but can hold weaponry within her tentacles. We've breathing gear for myself and others."

He pats Mendellia and says, "OK girl, we're going to war."

@Sonevar @davewski @Drixe @Michale CS @BrokenWings @LuckycoolHawk9 @Gands
 
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