Theo looks over to the chimeric hero. "I don't know. But I'm sure I looked through a window in time and saw my adult son, Helios."
The Olympian shrugged. "It might be possible that they might have an invisible craft."
If they are deferring the pilot's chair, Henri's sliding into it. But he's not a fool (I hope) and asks one of the local pilots to join him as co-pilot. Henri the Pilot, if he's available.
Henri is still getting the feel for this different craft and doubles down on his focus - out in the storm is not the place to be hesitant.
One of the Pilots joins you. They tend to all think of themselves as Henri as they assume that is the word for pilot in your language. One of the Henris joins you. He recognizes going out into this storm is no joke.
Once out from beneath the protection of the shield, Henri finds himself flying in the worst weather he's ever seen. He's heard of worse though.
The storm take a big old non-sentient punch at the ship.
Despite the assistance from the local pilot, Henri loses control of the Utopian vessel. He's almost able to correct it when he hits something big.
Suddenly, there are two ships careening through the air, trying to avoid each other but also avoid the ground.
The storm slams the ships again with a blast of icy wet wind a mile wide and centuries coming.
The second wind hits hard, but Henri anticipates it. The other pilot, apparently, did not.
The large ship splashes down in the water. It's clearly visible now, having lost whatever kind of cloaking it has. You don't recognize the ship's design enough to place it on any particular world. It's not an ancient Utopian vehicle.
The wind dies down for a moment, but it will be back.
Theo, thankful his craft is still in the air, looks around the craft for floation devices and life jackets.
"I'm heading down to check on the other ship."
Henri asks Kate, ”What’s the situation with the other Utopian ship? Can we afford a moment to swoop down to let a hero get to work?” He looks at Henri and asks, ”Is there a way to let a passenger out while still in the air?”
Nissa says, “Not just one hero. I can board another craft if Untiy can get me to it and touch the craft.”
Nissa clarifies to Unity, “That is, if you don’t object to me hitching a ride in your pocket!”
"We could jump," Unity joke with a grin, spreading their wings.
They sober. "I don't think we can afford to split up. By the time you get to the other ship and back here, the storm could have sunk this ship."
The Utopian 'Henri' shows how a passenger can be ejected from the ship. It's not a fun way to exit the vehicle, but any of you that want to exit in mid-air can do so.
"The other ship says they're going to turn back," says Kate.
"They won't make it. They won't have enough fuel," responds the Pilot.
The Olympian makes an Olympic-worthy dive into the water.
Nissa joins her dad, clinging to him until she’s able to make a dash and control her landing!
"Kate, please tell them to continue their approach, we will be coming toward them. The storm has relented temporarily and they may be able to slip into the city."
"Their navigation system isn't working," says Kate. "Can you light this up more?"
The Henri/Pilot shakes his head. "It's fully lit."
"We need to find them! Don't slow down!" pleads Kate. Being telepathically in contact with the Communicator on that ship means feeling their fear. She's showing it.
Theo and Nissa dive close enough to the craft that they can swim and lift themselves up onto it. It's large and silver. Not quite a big enough ship to have a kitchen, but close. About the size of that giant Bananacopter that had a smoothie bar and a small hot tub.
Other than the size, it is completely unlike the Bananacopter. It is silver, not yellow. It is sleek and functional, not crass and colourful. It is made for war, not selling frozen banana daiquiris and pina coladas to influencers at high rise rooftop pool parties.
Also, unlike the Banacopter, this ship has not been used to decapitate anyone that you know of.
There's a hatch in the metal. You don't see a handle.
Perception checks and tell me what you're looking for?
"Mm. I'll hand here with Henri. If we gotta emergency bail I can cushion our impact."
"Light what up? Us? Like a flare? I can make some bright bursts. Should I put it above or below us? Its not strong but it might scorch if they fly into it ." he offers, his runes glowing and sliding into alignment.
Once he gains much of a direction for how they want this. He'll tie himself off using his belt and a cantrip to bond himself to the ship-the air rocks hard after all.
Leaning out, he'll whisper to himself bright, not hot and snap creating a small bright flash flare of flames in the sky
Adhere
Source Galactic Magic pg. 67
Classes Technomancer 0, Witchwarper 0
School transmutation
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range touch
Targets one object
Duration varies; see text
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance no
Description
You create a molecular bond between an object you touch (bulk up to 1 + your caster level) and another object or a surface that object is touching. Pulling the object free of that surface then requires a Strength check against the spell's save DC, although you can dismiss it by touching the object again. If moving or opening the object already requires a Strength check, you increase the DC of that check by half your key ability score bonus. If the adherence is broken, the spell ends. Otherwise, the magic is permanent.
If you instead touch a surface (one 5-foot square), that surface becomes charged with adhering magic for 1 round per level. If a creature touches the surface of the affected square, the creature must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or become entangled until they successfully save against the spell (they can attempt a new save at the beginning of each of their turns). Once the entangled creature escapes, the spell ends. It also ends if you cast this version of the spell on another area.
Hazard
Source Character Operations Manual pg. 136
Classes Witchwarper 0
School evocation
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area 5-foot-radius burst
Duration 1 round
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance yes
Description
When you cast this spell, choose acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. The spell gains that descriptor. You summon a minor hazard from an alternate reality, creating a splash of acid rain, a blast of freezing air, a static electric discharge, a burst of fire, or a roar of thunder. Each creature in the area must succeed at a Reflex save or take 1d3 damage of the chosen type.
Nissa has no idea what she’s looking at because she really wants to get outta this storm!
“I’m going in, Dad! Kate, if you can hear me, warn them about the incoming fairy!”
Nissa uses her subatomic size to slip inside!
• • •
When she grows back, she says in Atlantean, <I come in peace, here to help. Have you a Communicator aboard?>
Unity grumble about their friends being crazy and eject out after them.
"You don't have wings, Theo!" they shout as they dive towards the downed ship. They spread their wings to slow their descent, coming to a landing on top of the craft.
"Or were you thinking Henri could land on this thing to pick you up afterward?" they continue as they look around. Is it possible this is something from the past of the world, an ancient defense activated by the opening of the sky? Or could it be from the future--Theo's child that he was talking about seeing?
They search for any kind of access panel or the like.
She sees a Nissa sized and shaped entity obviously made of nanites, Charles (not Unity, but Charles), a young man with Theo's good looks but auburn hair, an Atlantean male (one that she hasn't yet met but once you've met one you've met them all), and an androgynous Utopian with wings and an H on their chest.
"Nissa!" they exclaim but with a range of emotions. The Atlantean male says it with embarrassment, nano-Nissa say it with frustration, the red-headed Theo says it with lust, and the winged person says it with joy. Charles pants happily from his fox head but says nothing.
"I knew I should have destroyed all of you," fumes Nano-Nissa. The others roll their eyes.
"DON'T WORRY!" The Olympian yelled over the waves at the people in the downed craft. "WE'RE COMING TO SAVE YOU! THE DOOR IS JAMMED!"
She says this with a smile, but then considers that the nanites were programmed to believe Mother Must Die. Too soon? Just for me, since they’re from (Theo-Jr’s age) years in the future.
“Okay… judging by the eye-rolls—” She notices Theo Jr’s eyes are rolling up her thighs. “—you’re obviously not here to destroy us.
“But you are here. So… how can my friends and I help?”
You can hear someone on the outside of the ship. The door creaks.
"Dad is going to pull the hatch off!" says the auburn-haired boy looking at a security screen.
"Poseidon isn't going to like that," comments the Atlantean.
Everyone except Nano-Nissa looks at each other and smiles.
Nano-Nissa, catching on, says to the ship, "Poseidon, de-activate defens---"
A buzz hums through the outer hull of the ship.
"-sive hull shielding"
A voice from the ship says, "Defensive hull shields deactivated. Should I open the door?"
"Yes!" say four of the crew.
"No!" says Nano-Nissa.
The hull beneath you buzzes and cackles.
Charles and Theo take 5d8 in electrical damage. Make a DC 20 Reflex save for half damage
The hatch stays closed.
“But one flaw of mine that you’re mirroring right now is the way you say No when everyone else says Yes.” She can’t help but feel she was right about Prince Fishdicks, but— “Do you resolve your differences with a vote, a discussion… or perhaps an outsider’s perspective.”
Nissa can’t help herself. The Nano-Nissa is very cute, and daughter or shaped-robo-swarm, she floats to her/their side and speaks gently.
“How about you tell me the issue, and how I might help? —or how we might help if someone would kindly let my dad in.” To the lustful boy, she rephrases: “Our dad, Little Brother.”
Unity detect a slight buzz just in time to leap upward, breaking contact with the hull before it can shock them too badly. They hadn't wanted to test their electrical insulation, but it seems to them like they're shocked less than Theo, so... that's something, at least.
"It seems like they don't want us to come in," they comment to Theo, as they spread their wings and start circling slightly above the hull in case of repeat shocks. "Perhaps we should wait a bit to see if Nissa comes back?
"Should I let them in?" asks the boy with Theo's eyes and Meo's auburn hair.
"We talked about this. Anything you say to him could result it a temporal paradox," says Nano-Nissa.
"Darkstar, I think you're overestimating the influence he has played in my life," says the boy.
"Should we let them in," asks the winged one.
“Ironically, you can’t help but affect this time period just by being here. I was about to teleport a bunch of people to my girlfriend on World 12, and now we’re here zapping my dad.”
She realizes her words might seem to contradict each other.
“The best thing to do in this situation is make good choices—like I did with April.” She’s pretty sure Darkstar knows how impossible forgiving Ms. Gray once seemed. (And how proud Nissa is of shipping Aprantula.)
She gestures toward the door like a gameshow hostess.
"AaAaAaAa!!" Theo yelps as he does a back flip to break contact with the electrified metal ship.
Getting back his composure, Theo shouts, "AH! AT LEAST TELL US IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE! Ow! Fu<k!"
Nano-Nissa glides forward and hovers between these new heroes and Unity & Theo, "You aren't supposed to be here. You were supposed to leave before that survey ship crashed."
She then turns to the new heroes, "I told you this was a bad idea!"
The young man throws the door open and says, "Hi Dad," in English (or Greek, if that's what Theo taught him). Others follow behind, leaping on to the surface of the no longer electrified ship. Theo and Unity see a young Atlantean warrior, a Charles clone, a winged person with H on their chest, a red-haired younger version of Theo, and a naanite version of Nissa. I imagine that the non-naanite version of Nissa follows the group out.
Theo Nephus just stands there and smiles, eyes welling with tears. "Hello, Son. It is good to meet you." The Olympian rushes forward to hug his adult son.
Theo shakes with barely contained joy. First, Nissa is reborn as his daughter, then the son he just conceived, now is being held in his arms.
I Have A Family Again! Theo inwardly exalts.
Nano-Nissa bristles and shouts, "No communication. We are already risking a temporal paradox. We cannot risk changing your childhood relationship with your father by telling him about all the ways in which he failed you as a parent."
"Darkstar! I never said ..." the boy begins to object.
Darkstar/Nano-Nissa flies forward and puts a tiny dark finger to his lips which instantly freeze shut.
"Now, contact your teammates and cease your rescue attempts. That ship crashed today and all lives were lost. You are risking a change in the timeline and I cannot allow that," says Darkstar to Nissa, who she naturally treat as being in charge.
Theo puts his comm away, not losing eye contact with Darkstar. "Listen here, little girls. Under normally situations, I'd admire you sticking to your guns in the face of authority. But, you've clearly had little exposure to godlings other than my son. Godlings have a long history of thumbing their noses at Fate, The Will of the Gods, and Destiny. So my team is going to change history and Save. Every. Single. Person. On that Transport. And I don't give one fly FU<K what you say or do about it!!"
She looks cute, despite the dark gnashiness.
“Dad… please. Let me talk to her.”
Nissa does not wait for a reply. She is the size of a spark, floating toward Darkstar’s right eye… and then Nissa is nothing at all!
She flies to the center of Darkstar’s Iris and is the same size as a single Nanite. She flies close.
Like mother like daughter… I suppose I would say the same to my human mother. She gave me up. She had no interest in raising me. I became what I am today despite her, not because of her.
But without even thinking about how it might impact you, I… I did the same thing. I didn’t cook breakfast or read stories like in that dream, so of course you don’t think me as a mother.
And now you carry this resentment. You’re angry. I’m so sorry, Dau.. Nissa stops herself. …..Darkstar. You don’t want me to call you ‘Daughter.’ I deserve that. But what of the people on that ship?
What do they deserve?
Darkstar gulps down some emotion. Turns away and hides her eyes and does several other things Nissa would do if trying not to show someone she
was overwhelmed with emotion.
Finally she composes herself, "Those people cannot enter Utopia. I will not allow the Utopian continuity to be changed, no more than you would allow yours to be changed."
At the same time they look to their 'clone'. "We can't say we expected to see someone that looked like us. What happened?"
Legato flaps in the window humming a tune, and thinking about dinner to avoid looking down.
When Nissa suggests finding a place for them, Darkstar reflects and agrees. "As long as they 'die' today they don't have to ACTUALLY DIE," says Darkstar. "I guess that's better than killing them."
“Darkstar… this is not going to be easy for the survivors to accept, so let’s be sensitive about it when we do rescue them.” Nissa is kind of afraid to ask, but… “Any chance they’re unconscious?”
Everyone laughs.
The winged one volunteers themself to be the team's speaker, [b]"Addressing them in their own language might be best. I should speak."
Their words are communicated to you by the creature that looks like Charles. When you notice this, he turns and nods and telepathically communicates, "Mother gave me the gift. I've never quite learned to use words."
The creature turns to Unity and says, "I'll answer all your question next time we meet."
"The ship has to crash," interrupts Darkstar. "You need to bring it down in the water. Can you get the people off?"
The Atlantean on the team steps forward. "I could help."
"We're sure that will be an interesting time," Unity say to their 'clone'. "Perhaps there is something you'd want to ask us now, if you're afraid us knowing too much will change things here for the worse?"
On the outer hull of the downed Atlantean timeship in the water:
All of the teenage heroes soon begin to roll their eyes and start objecting in Atlantean, English, Utopian, telepathy, and Greek. The gist of it is, "You (collectively) always so chill about other people's timelines but take very seriously threats to your own" and other things to that effect. Apparently, this is not the first time you have debated time travel with these teens, from their perspective.
Darkstar explains, "The continuity we left is one in which the Genetic Authority has not successfully resurfaced. We have fought to ensure that. As such, it is one in which my Father has not needed to destroy everything. This is good."
They gesture towards Darkstar in emphatic agreement.
In the sky above the downed Atlantean timeship:
The Utopian vessel you flew roars directly overhead barely 60 feet above the surface of the water. Legato is, somehow, standing on the side of the vessel, shooting flares from his hand, lighting the sky. Lightning flashes in the dark storm that chases the ship. Very loud rock music plays somewhere.
Behind this vessel wobbles the craft you came to rescue. It's having trouble staying in the air and is followed by a trail of green fumes.
"Woah, who is that?" asks Theo's son in English, pointing at Legato.
"It must be his Majesty, Ta-Hashar. I've got goosebumps!" replies the young Atlantean in Atlantean.
"It's Legato," replies the Utopian.
"Who?" ask the rest in their own languages but otherwise in unison.
“Dad, how about comms-on so Henri and Legato can hear?” She waits a moment, then goes on:
“Unity… think of our attempts to be discreet in 1938, before we realized we were in a Superman comic. You know if it were the real 1938, one wrong move could have erased someone from existence. Deflating a teenager couple’s excitement simply by passing a car and preventing a pregnancy? Assassinating Hitler?—which, for all the horrors we’d prevent, would have erased existing lives, possibly our ancestors and our own.
“Maybe there are branching timelines and other protections in place so that no one is truly deleted… I want to believe that. But Darkstar has my heart and a Nanite mind. I think we need to accept Darkstar’s terms.
“It means no innocent will die, and the continuity won’t be disrupted by my Daughter’s calculation.”
She hopes by backing her up, Darkstar permits the use of ‘Daughter’ from a proud mom.
(Darkstar’s use of the word ‘Father’ gives Nissa some interesting thoughts. But that is a much later conversation to have with L.C., who will already be in for a shock when she sees me like this!)
Darkstar's smile is cartoonishly large. She remains, after all, a mass of nanites that takes the surface appearance of Nissa. She is not actually constrained by any fixed internal anatomy.
She points at the wobbling Utopian ship, and with glee orders, "Bring that ship down! ... And, uh, get the people out first!!"
Nissa points to Darkstar, her expression intense. “You and I are so hugging it out later.” The words are spoken like a threat-promise but there is much love and remorse behind the words that she hopes Darkstar can understand.
Saving lives now. Head in the game.
Nissa skyrockets toward the crashing ship.
Subatomic size is her way in—
<I’m Nissa van Donk,> she says in Atlantean, <here to keep you all alive. Please tell me you understand me.>
"We're not saying that not changing the timeline isn't desirable, we're saying that it's too *late*," Unity complain. "But we'll go along with trying, so long as no one gets hurt."
"We could help carry some people, if needed," they suggest.