with a slight chuckle Canary murmurs "I'd imagine it's hard to find a balance when you were born into this"
"Those without powers are required to sleep. To eat. I do not have these limitations. I will devote myself to protecting them. That is my life," Sentry says as he bites into the side of a piece of deep dish pizza.
"What is it that we are seeking in our patrol? I have no life to balance."
Mariner listens to the conversation and becomes quite sad for the test tube heroes. He still had some time before he had to get back to his life and duty, "Oddball, Canary, how long will it take you to hack the computer and understand what they stole and why?"
"Then, we can decide what to do in the mean time, yeah?"
"You will become better at saving people by learning some of the things that they value in life." He says to the more determined people in the group.
[CEREBROTHER ONLINE▸ HOBBY. DEFINED AS AN ACTIVITY DONE REGULARLY IN AN INDIVIDUALS LEISURE TIME FOR PLEASURE. ARCHAIC DEFINITION IS A SMALL HORSE OR PONY]
OMAX-23 mulls the collective words and CEREBROTHER'S input, her nose wrinkling quizzically;
"Hobby... Activity or horse?"
She nods at The Nightwing's words;
"Knowing what they value shows where their weaknesses may lie. Better to exploit when engaging in combat or executing a termination directive."
"You will become better at saving people by learning some of the things that they value in life." He says to the more determined people in the group.
"And what do you value? What do you do with your life?"
"You will become better at saving people by learning some of the things that they value in life." He says to the more determined people in the group."And what do you value? What do you do with your life?"
"Fine dining, plays, nights out with friends, and of course going to the movies." The last one was particularly special, as Batman tended to avoid the cinema.
"Its also how we bond with each other and become friends. Friends are better than allies any day." She says remembering the lack of those when she was one of the only children in the circus of crime. She also worked her fingers across the keyboards seeking to delve into the files and see what the serial numbers possibly could be.
"I will have to try those things. Maybe some of you will want to try them with me."
”if you want tickets to an opera I have tickets to Le Cid next weekend, I’d love to invite all of you!” Canary pipes in
"I'm game for this. always up for a little spectacle." he says with a smile.
"Sorry, Canary. I don't know what an opera is. Or Le Cid. But yes. I accept your invitation."
"Count me in for the opera, too. Never gone, but I'll try anything once. If we're done for the night, I need to return to station. Call me if you need me." Mariner nods to everyone, fist bumps the few who know how to do it on his way out of the lair.
With his Fog of War in place to disguise his identity, he makes his way to the water and jets underwater to the Coast Station.
OMAX-23 mulls the offer, her eyes flickering as she downloads data;
[CEREBROTHER ONLINE▸ OPERA - DEFINED AS MUSICAL PLAY IN WHICH MOST OF THE WORDS ARE SUNG.]
[CEREBROTHER ONLINE▸ LE CID - AN OPERA IN FOUR ACTS AND TEN TABLEAUX CONCERNING A MIGHTY WARRIOR AND HERO OF SPAIN.]
She nods slowly;
"Le Cid. A great hero. I'll come to... I may learn more of his combat techniques. "
"I'll admit, the battle strategy isn't likely to be addressed much at the opera." Canary concedes. "Traditional operas tend to be adaptions of classical romances told through song, in this case it centers a mythical warrior but it focus on his relations mostly. It'll be a good chance to get to know human 'culture' a bit better, even if that 'culture' is about 400 years outdated" She finishes.
" I will make time to come with. I may have more homework. I mean granted I am trying to double major two different sciences but still engineering and biochemistry will take me far...I hope" she days with a sigh Remembering uncle Eggs drilling in her all he knew which was supprisingly alot. I mean she can see why so many people wanted him outta college, but was sent packing after the wunderkin Stark. Add in his corporate espionage and well later criminal activities he wasnt gonna be a great scientist legally. Hopefully she could though.
" Maybe someday 23 Ill take to school with me and let you meet some normal folks Like my roomate Janet." she says as she types away lettinf the code now work for her
"Oddball, I don't have any homework. Maybe I could do some of yours. Then you would have time to go with us."
"That would be cheating, but if you are willing to help me study sometime,I'll take you up on it"She says as she types away.
"Why would that be cheating? There is work to be done. We do it."
"The purpose of homework is not the completion of the work, but rather for her to practice her skills."
"Exactly and I know administration is really looking at me so I have to do this on my own merit and not through bias, thinking a circus girl with...criminal connections could cheat" She says as she worked her magic across the keys and sighed.
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A few days later, Sara is studying for yet another test, this time for the class with the history professor/lawyer who talks a mile a minute without seeming to breathe. All her classmates record his classes just to be able to fill in their notes afterwards, because anything he says can and probably will be on his tests.
An email alert starts flashing on the Crash Pad's screen. She didn't even know there was an email account on the hideout's computers.
Sara clicks on it after making sure cameras' are disabled on her computer. 'Weird but okay"
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[Attention: Outsiders]
Mr. Queen certainly paid for top-notch anti-intrusion software for this place. Took me 1379 nanoseconds to crack it, a new record.
Regardless, I believe you were looking for these. It is imperative that Sinister does not unlock their potential upon my fellow mutants. When you agree, reply to this missive for further directions.
Regards,
Braniac.
[Attachments(24): Operation: Umbrella; Project Files: Terrigen Mutant Synthesis]
Sara blinks and then gets on her phone and sends a message to her team mates whose nbers she has.
:::Got an email from a Brainiac, need to meet tonight and discuss at The Pad, OB2:: she says as she then grabs her gear and changes into something more comfortable. An old pair of training gear her parents had gotten her and with a simple move of the window she was out using her inhuman legs to spring from building to building heading to the crash pad.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Noah Weatherby was patrolling the coast on board a crusier when Oddball's message arrived. He noted it and went back to his duty.
After returning to station and changing jumpsuits, he wanders to the dock and drops into the water when no one is looking. Then, at torpedo loiter speed to avoid cavitation, he swims up river to a slow part of the warehouse district. Up and out of the water covered in his Fog of War is flies to the crash pad using a low flying cloud to cover his arrival.
Inside the crash pad, his Fog of War melts away. "Deuce, what's this about a message from Brainiac?"
"Brainiac?" his brow furrows as he begins wondering why he would come after us.
Sentry arrives in a blur. "Who is this Braniac? Friend? Foe? Classmate?"
He holds a Labriola's pizza box in his right hand.
"I am gonna believe they are all of those and none in one. They are a mystery, but also seem to have breached the security we need to et to the information on what our friends last night took" She says as she wonders who the mystery man is.
"Though that is if we wish to take the information. It may be a trap" She said in after thought as she remembered some of the lessons her circus family taught her.
OMAX-23 looks up quizzically;
"If it is a trap we will overcome and eliminate. Track to the source and terminate the threat."
Mariner tells them team that he will meet them at the address. He approaches the warehouse underwater and looks for any waiting boats or entrances near the water. And waits.
Over the comm to the teams, "I'm in position with eyes on the warehouse. Can provide fog cover if required."
Night wing will sneakily move in and see if it's impervious to his radar as well.
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Upon entering the building, you are greeted by a young blond man with a technological arm and leg. "Salutations. Do not be alarmed by the protections placed over the building. They are here so our conversation may take place unmonitored,"
Mariner accompanied the crew into the building. "You must be Brainiac. Why don't you tell us why you sent us the message?"
"Okay,I get that. But, you cant fault us for being on edge" she says as she puts her balls back on her belt.
" As for the theft, I am curious as what was taken." she says looking at the man and looking at his technological limbs slightly fascinated.
"Yes, tell us what you want."
The Sentry hovers inches above the ground, his feet dangling, his arms crossed.
Nightwing watches, alert for things not being what they seem.
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"I want many things. But, from you, I want you to stop the Legion from trying to use the Terrigen Mutant Synthesis to unlock secondary mutations within our members." Brainiac says. "You'll have two more chances. There are two more components we need to acquire before the machine I designed will unlock this goal. The details of the robbery's plans, as much as I have access to them, are on this drive."
He holds forth a thumbdrive.
Mariner arches an eyebrow at Braniac’s response. ”First, please tell us who you are and what other things you want, so we understand more about you and your motives.”
“Then, please tell us more about what exactly happened at that laboratory. What did Legion want? Who was involved besides those who we incarcerated.”
“And tell us what this “machine you designed” does? And why it will stop Legion from using the TerrigenMutant Synthesis?.”
“Essentially, please us signifcantly more about what’s going on.”. He crosses his arms waiting for a full story. He would prompt any explanation with obvious follow-up questions to assemble a complete picture of the situation.
Even his Coast Guard commanders put their missions in way more context than what he has at the moment.
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"No, you misunderstand me. The irony of which is quite amusing." Braniac says. "I built the machine for the Legion. It is missing two components. When it has those two components, it will be able to perform its function, which is to further mutate mutants using a modified terrigenesis process."
"I simply cannot allow this to happen, nor may I stop it from my current position within the Legion. That is where your group becomes useful. If you stop the Legion, it is 98% likely Sinister will send them against you in a manner that will lead you to the location of the device, where you may destroy it."
Now, even more confused, ”Wait. What? You built the machine? Why? What does it do? What are these two components?” He does pause between questions for Brainiac to answer.
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Braniac sighs. "If you do not understand the context of what I have said, I am afraid I have no idea of how to communicate the subtext. I am a member of the Legion. I made the machine because Sinister would kill me if I didn't, or if I built it so that it did not function. Sinister has enough knowledge to know if I build in errors, but not enough to build the machine himself. As to your other questions, the details are on the thumb drive, and my time here is too limited to explain it in simple enough terms for your comprehension."
Nightwing pulls out a small handheld computer , disables it's communication, pulls up the antivirus window and puts in the drive. This unit will be suspect, but the systems he carries into the field are all considered disposable if need be.
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As you slot the drive, Brainiac nods and presses a button on his belt, teleporting away.
The drive contains an immense amount of information about the device he is building and the likely energy signature it would give off if it were ever activated, noting the potential to track it as a failsafe if you are unable to stop its creation.
The two components are explained in detail as well, giving their locations and the security rundown of what is around them security-wise.
One is at an Advanced Ideas in Neural Technology facility, heavily guarded by an advanced AI-run series of modified SIT-T called Machine Men and fitted with advanced weaponry. The Strike Team assigned to retrieve this component consists of Timber Wolf, Dawnstar, Bouncing Boy, Sun Boy, and Phantom Girl, with backup by Saturn Girl and Vanishing Lad.
The Second is held at a government facility off the coast called PLASMUS, and has at least one Superhero Soldier named US Guardian, with the possible back-up of another called Agent RWB. For this mission, Sinister is sending Star Boy, Ruby Eye, Shadow Lass, and Chameleon Boy, again backed up by Saturn girl and Vanishing Lad.
The thumbdrive also has brief files on each of these Legion members, not nearly as thorough as Oliver's files, but it lets you know what they are capable of.
Timberwolf has enhanced senses, regenerative abilities, and an adamantium-laced skeleton and claws.
Dawnstar has wings, enhanced eyesight, and incredible agility.
Bouncing Boy is practically immune to kinetic energy and can redirect it as well as use it to fuel great leaps.
Sun Boy has fire powers.
Phantom Girl can phase through solid matter and can short circuit machinery while phasing through it.
Saturn Girl is a very powerful Telepath and Telekinetic who functions as the communications coordinator from an undisclosed safe house.
Vanishing Lad is able to teleport and may take people with him if he is adjacent to them. he works as the escape route once a component has been located.
Star Boy manipulates gravity.
Ruby Eye absorbs solar energy and shoots concussive blasts from his eyes, and has an amazing innate sense of spacial geometry.
Shadow Lass utilizes an energy called the Darkforce to fly, project force fields, create solid Darkforce shapes, or create areas of cold darkness.
Chameleon Boy can change his appearance and voice to appear like other people, including odd-looking mutants.