With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Mr Zoat · Aug 16, 2023

Coda said:
its

Thank you, corrected.

Ngamer11 · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
And then a gaser cannon deploys from the armour and I recognise Socialist Red Guardsman as he fires directly at Karshon, who takes the hit with a small wince before firing back. I activate my graviton deflator at the same time. Finality Man tries to bend the attack back once again and fails, the shot striking its torso armour and… Doing nothing that I can see.

I hope the rest of the Great Ten were able to resist the Anti-Life.

Darko · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
**I'm a shark

King Shark is a shark.

Mr Zoat said:
**I'm a shark. Humans have emotions. Dreams. I'm a shark. I have targets. Prey. I don't have what it's attacking

It was mentioned that animals aren't affected by the AL.

Mr Zoat said:
directly, manifesting in into

"it into"

Mr Zoat said:
recognise Socialist Red Guardsman

Shit, they got a walking nuke.

Zig · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
**I'm a shark. Humans have emotions. Dreams. I'm a shark. I have targets. Prey. I don't have what it's attacking.**

"Oh."

I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised. His brain is 'shark plus', not 'ape in shark body'. Atlanteans who look like fish are still humans with fish bits stuck on.

That doesn't seem right but I don't know enough about sharks to dispute it.

RoninSword · Aug 16, 2023

This just seems like a waste. The Mask is right there, grab it and bolt. Take Carlyle and Karshon if you can/want to but the entire point of this was to get the mask, not try and fight.
Well written and all, it just seems like Paul has forgotten the actual plan.

Chojin Patriarch · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
15th February 2013
19:18 GMT -5

**Where is the mute?**

I remove the helmet from the last Justifier… Don't recognise her. Not that that means much. Aside from the fact that even Batman doesn't have a completely comprehensive database of all metahumans in America, the Alliance had the effect of encouraging a lot of metahumans who hadn't got into the vigilante lifestyle to stick their toe in.

And honestly, not everyone affected by the Anti-Life enough to be Justified would have necessarily been good guys anyway. She could be some minor criminal with a sneaky power trick that never got enough attention to be on Batman's radar...

I prop her up next to the others. Since the fear broadcasts are still going on, none of them are remotely functional. I could start making behavioural regulators for them all, but I don't know any of these people and I doubt that any of them will be any use against Mannheim even as a distraction. Better to let Karshon use them as fuel and try evacuating them later.

"Do you mean Onomatopoeia? Because I'm pretty sure that he could talk."

Not that he ever said much. Not outside of combat or that you've seen, anyway.

**He makes noises and things happen.**

"Not any more. I removed his helmet before I spoke to you. Why?"

Ah... Karshon looking to get some payback?

**He attacked me before. I wanted to fight him.**

"He attacked you here? After you got your body back in S.T.A.R. Labs?"

...Wouldn't have been much point attacking him before, after all.

If he was the city boss… Did he take offence at Karshon hanging around? Was that his job? Between Klarion and Mannheim I doubt that his brain was in any fit state for rational thought.

**Yes. Where is the Green Lantern?**

Oi, oi, mind on the now, man-shark. You can run off after the Lanterns when this is settled.

"Ah, the one you used to fight? Not sure. His ability to move large numbers of other people around is too useful to keep him anchored in one place."

**He cannot defeat Mannheim?**

...If he could, this wouldn't still be going on. I know Karshon's a shark, but he... He is not really all that smart, despite the psychic enhancements, is he?

"The rest of-. Most people are adversely affected by the Anti-Life. I couldn't help but notice that you aren't. Is that due to your psychic-?"

**I'm a shark. Humans have emotions. Dreams. I'm a shark. I have targets. Prey. I don't have what it's attacking.**

A rare moment where the 'I'm a shark!' meme could apply.

"Oh."

I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised. His brain is 'shark plus', not 'ape in shark body'. Atlanteans who look like fish are still humans with fish bits stuck on.

Only reason he's smart enough to talk is psychic chicanery. Because he seems to tap into the intelligence of the humans near him.

**Why isn't Mannheim here now?**

"I don't know. There are a lot of possible reasons. He might have better things to do. He's more interested in testing the Anti-Life than in normal conquest, so it's possible that he actually finds this useful rather than threatening-. Actually, can Agent Carlyle extend the fear affect to other broadcasters?"

Or he's off dealign with something else. You aren't the only anti-Mannheim operation going right now.

**We couldn't test it. We weren't sure that this would work.**

"Mm. Well, with all of the Justified down and everyone overwhelmed with fear, Mannheim should be able to feel it. If what we think we know about his abilities is true. Unless…"

Unless something is stopping him from getting updates from the city.

The barrier Onomatopoeia set up over the city is still there. That's not too surprising; if his power survived Klarion's death then there's no reason why the manifestations of it wouldn't survive the power itself being destroyed. I'd be surprised if it was able to block Mannheim's senses… Or if it hadn't been doing that as soon as it was erected.

"Could you back up a bit?"

Oh, look.And it has seemed to block his scans for the most part. Presumably the effect runs both ways.

**No.**

"Most of your power is coming from Agent Carlyle and the Anti-Life broadcaster. If Mannheim shoots either of them with his omega beams, you'll be back down to normal size."

Which just leaves him with psychic powers, super-strength and the ability to bite a man's head clean off.

**Then you defend it. You're planning to flee from him anyway.**

"Ah, alright."

Probably for the best. I would not be surprised if Karshon tunnel-visioned onto the biggest thing around and focused on killing it.

I drift up and over his colossal head, heading towards the broadcaster. Tuppence is lurking close to it, while Agent Carlyle appears to be completely focused on his work. I form a railgun construct and aim in upwards, loading a mageslayer.

"Three, two, one, firing."

So, all set to yoink the Mask when things go belly-up, then. The timing could be tricky, though.

I fire, the round blasting upwards and hitting the dome. A moment passes, then I see it start to thin.

Okay. If he couldn't feel us before, he certainly can now. But I still don't know-.

Trouble inbound in three... Two...

BOOM!

I instinctively form a graviton deflator construct, but in this instance the aim is to let it come through. I'm only going to use it to limit its tactical mobility. But a gradar construct detects the boom tube as it opens in the distance. I create a target recital in front of Karshon so that he knows where to look.

Though don't be surprised if he snaps at the recticle. Shark instincts and all that.

That's Finality Man alright. It looks… It looks like they added a little more armour since we fought in Bergen, though that could just be added cowling for additional weapon systems. It just stands in the air, looking down at us imperiously as the boom tube aperture behind it closes.

**That is not Mannheim. Why send an automaton?**

Because even with his boosts, Mannheim is a squishy human, and thus not suited to fighting a giant man-shark.

In Bergen it used the Anti-Life directly, manifesting in into the universe to neutralise my defences and heal itself. But there aren't any remaining Justifiers here, and the broadcaster is radiating fear. That… Might be why it's staying back. It's not stupid. Even the most dangerous thing on the planet can be destroyed if engaged properly. With me here, flooding the area with Justifiers to use isn't really an option. They don't have an unlimited supply of them, even if Mannheim doesn't care whether they live or die on an individual basis.

Only so many helmets to go around, even if they've been manufacturing them since the invasion began...

**I will make do.**

Karshon glares, a spatial distortion forming around his forehead. It builds for several seconds and then a colossal psybolt blasts from his forehead! It burns through the air towards-.

Sadly, I don't think an alpha strike will work here, big guy.

Finality Man raises its right hand and space warps, the psybolt bending around and shooting right back into Karshon! He takes the hit, staggering back a pace and tearing up the frontage of an office building.

Ring, message to Karshon: do that again.

I hope you included a sarcastic smiley there, OL.

Message sent.

Karshon's head half-turns so that he can give me the eye, but a new -slightly smaller - psybolt begins to build. Aim the graviton deflator-.

Yeah, I don't think he appreciates the back-seat driving.

BOOM!

Fireitfireitfireit!

Whoops, looks like Mannheim decided the big bot will need backup after all.

The new boom tube opening under Finality Man collapses an instant later, but a figure in bulky power armour has already flown through. The… Head-enveloping torso section appears to include an Anti-Life broadcaster, slightly larger than the usual Justifier helmets though far smaller than the broadcaster base stations.

And then a gaser cannon deploys from the armour and I recognise Socialist Red Guardsman as he fires directly at Karshon, who takes the hit with a small wince before firing back. I activate my graviton deflator at the same time. Finality Man tries to bend the attack back once again and fails, the shot striking its torso armour and… Doing nothing that I can see.

Okay, it's an even fight now. Looks like it's time for Karshon to do the thing he does best...

Ah. Last time it was a matter of precisely disrupting its attacks so that the flashback damaged its internal mechanisms. We'll have to see-.

Karshon leaps into the air, straight towards Finality Man!

...Ripping and tearing. Until it is done.

So, the battle begins. Man-shark against evil robot. And while standing and fighting doesn't seem the smartest, any chance to weaken Mannheim's power base - say, by destroying his pet robot - is worth a shot. The hard part now will be OL recognising when things turn bad, and it's time to retreat. Hopefully Tuppence can keep him on task on that front by seizing the Mask at the right moment.

I form a railgun construct and aim in upwards...

I form a railgun construct and aim it upwards...

I create a target recital in front of Karshon...

I create a target ~~recticle~~ in front of Karshon... Edit:

Whoops, misspelt that... Credit to m_d for the right spelling, reticule.

Lord Ernest · Aug 16, 2023

Zig said:
That doesn't seem right but I don't know enough about sharks to dispute it.

I concur. And I thought Terran animals were compatible with soul stuff anyway, since Michael was able to be uplifted by Grayven (what happen with him anyway?), so why would they be invulnerable to Anti-Life stuff? Especially if it's an animal with a higher level of sentience or sapience.

Does Karshon not value his own life or its purpose? Does he not have a soul?

Darko · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
**I'm a shark. Humans have emotions. Dreams. I'm a shark. I have targets. Prey. I don't have what it's attacking.**

"Oh."

I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised. His brain is 'shark plus', not 'ape in shark body'. Atlanteans who look like fish are still humans with fish bits stuck on.

If this is the case then I guess one way to potentially beat Manheim is to recruit the teenage mutant ninja turtles, the street sharks and the extreme dinosaurs.

edit: Well, maybe not the sharks, since they used to be human.

Istaran · Aug 16, 2023

RoninSword said:
This just seems like a waste. The Mask is right there, grab it and bolt. Take Carlyle and Karshon if you can/want to but the entire point of this was to get the mask, not try and fight.
Well written and all, it just seems like Paul has forgotten the actual plan.

He lost track of what he wants.

Vaermina · Aug 16, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
I hope the rest of the Great Ten were able to resist the Anti-Life.

Given they were already half brainwashed I think that's highly unlikely.

Stsword · Aug 16, 2023

Zig said:
That doesn't seem right but I don't know enough about sharks to dispute it.

Great white sharks at least seem to be capable of depression.

Either suiciding in aquariums by ramming their heads into the glass, or refusing to eat until they die.

Although Shark is a tiger shark, not the more iconic great white. I guess because he predates Jaws.

RoninSword · Aug 16, 2023

Istaran said:
He lost track of what he wants.

Enlightenment. That is supposed to be literally impossible for him.

Vaermina · Aug 16, 2023

Zig said:
That doesn't seem right but I don't know enough about sharks to dispute it.

Sharkman is not a reliable narrator.

Mr Zoat · Aug 16, 2023

Darko said:
"it into"

Chojin Patriarch said:
I form a railgun construct and aim it upwards...
I create a target recticle in front of Karshon...

Thank you, corrected.

m_d · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
target recital

Chojin Patriarch said:
I create a target recticle in front of Karshon...

My references give me reticule and reticle as accepted spellings, but not recticle.

Mr Zoat said:
a gaser cannon

Is that meant to be graser (Gamma Ray substituting for L in LASER? GASER is according to Wikipedia a coherent graviton emitter analogous to the EM radiation emitter of a LASER - though confusingly it is also sometimes called a GLASER or GRASER)? Gamma rays fit better with his power-set than gravitons as far as I know.

Also, belated congratulations on the ten year milestone.

Mr Zoat · Aug 16, 2023

m_d said:
My references give me reticule and reticle as accepted spellings, but not recticle.

Is that meant to be graser (Gamma Ray substituting for L in LASER? GASER is according to Wikipedia a coherent graviton emitter analogous to the EM radiation emitter of a LASER - though confusingly it is also sometimes called a GLASER or GRASER)? Gamma rays fit better with his power-set than gravitons as far as I know.

Thank you, corrected.

BR549 · Aug 16, 2023

RoninSword said:
This just seems like a waste. The Mask is right there, grab it and bolt. Take Carlyle and Karshon if you can/want to but the entire point of this was to get the mask, not try and fight.
Well written and all, it just seems like Paul has forgotten the actual plan.

RoninSword said:
Enlightenment. That is supposed to be literally impossible for him.

What Paul wants is to defeat Mannheim. The plan is indeed to grab the Medusa Mask and use it for the Big White Light Whammy - but no plan surivives contact with the enemy, or with giant sharkmen.

The presence of Karshon presents an opportunity to at least weaken Mannheim in some way.
The best case is killing him outright, of course - it might be a 1% chance, or even 0.1% chance, but it's one worth taking.

The reasonably good case, and much more plausible, is at least damaging Finality Man, if not destroying it.

Since Karshon and Carlyle (who I presume had been psychically subverted somehow?) were doing their thing anyway, the worst case scenario is the same whether OL assists or bugs out: Mannheim deletes Philadelphia pour encourager les autres. Which sucks for Philadelphia, but at least then nobody will have to deal with Karshon again?

Basically OL literally can't make the worst case worse by assisting this cockamamie scheme, so there's no reason not to at least take the shot.

Patrick Holt · Aug 16, 2023

BR549 said:
Basically OL literally can't make the worst case worse by assisting this cockamamie scheme, so there's no reason not to at least take the shot.

Why do you taunt Murphy like this?

This is Paul he always has the ability to make things worse, not the inclination but the ability.

Lord Ernest · Aug 16, 2023

BR549 said:
What Paul wants is to defeat Mannheim. The plan is indeed to grab the Medusa Mask and use it for the Big White Light Whammy - but no plan surivives contact with the enemy, or with giant sharkmen.

The presence of Karshon presents an opportunity to at least weaken Mannheim in some way.
The best case is killing him outright, of course - it might be a 1% chance, or even 0.1% chance, but it's one worth taking.

The reasonably good case, and much more plausible, is at least damaging Finality Man, if not destroying it.

Since Karshon and Carlyle (who I presume had been psychically subverted somehow?) were doing their thing anyway, the worst case scenario is the same whether OL assists or bugs out: Mannheim deletes Philadelphia pour encourager les autres. Which sucks for Philadelphia, but at least then nobody will have to deal with Karshon again?

Basically OL literally can't make the worst case worse by assisting this cockamamie scheme, so there's no reason not to at least take the shot.

Gotta disagree there. First, the Illustres watched Carlyle enable Karshon's evolution back into his empowered form, so there's reason to believe this wasn't originally instigated by the shark but by SHADE.

Second: the worst case scenario would actually be that the Illustres gets defeated and/or infected once again, then captured and turned into a vector to spread the infection to the Orange Light. Oh, and then who will implement the "colours united" White Light thing in his absence?

He's been made aware that he's not invulnerable to direct Anti-Life infection and that Mannheim developed a method to do that, with his clones. The Illustres should be aware that he can't defeat Finality Man, as demonstrated in his last battle against it was with Guy as back up, so I can't believe he thinks Karshon presents a better opportunity for that. It is a big shark with psychic powers, yes, but who says Finality Man is even susceptible to psychic attacks? Add the approptiate Justifier, one capable of giving the Illustres enough problems, and it's a recipe for the disaster.

Azure Mirage · Aug 16, 2023

RoninSword said:
This just seems like a waste. The Mask is right there, grab it and bolt. Take Carlyle and Karshon if you can/want to but the entire point of this was to get the mask, not try and fight.
Well written and all, it just seems like Paul has forgotten the actual plan.

Seems like an opportunity to do "What Superman Would Do" he is trying to be better at the heroics instead of just killing everyone. Paul is in story the human with the most kills alive that is not a dictator leading an effed up cause.

I am glad the character is trying to be better because sure it is fun having a well written Marty Stu win pretty much all the time. But having decided to do a "low gear" run by changing up his tactics during battle to be less lethal if possible is pretty great.

I mean its opened up better banter options already!

PDV · Aug 16, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
The new boom tube opening under Finality Man collapses an instant later, but a figure in bulky power armour has already flown through. The… Head-enveloping torso section appears to include an Anti-Life broadcaster, slightly larger than the usual Justifier helmets though far smaller than the broadcaster base stations.

And then a graser cannon deploys from the armour and I recognise Socialist Red Guardsman as he fires directly at Karshon

So China's not doing so hot, then.

Ngamer11 said:
I hope the rest of the Great Ten were able to resist the Anti-Life.

Physician: Probably fine like the other Justice Leaguers

August General: Unclear but I'd give him good odds, strong-willed guy.

Celestial Archer: Divine backing should protect him

Ghost Fox: Probably fine, her backers should give her resilience. Might have vanished like Themiscyra.

Immortal Man-in-Darkness: Presumably nonexistent at this time

Mother of Champions: this could be pretty bad

Seven Deadly Brothers: yeah he's going to be Anti-Life.

Shaolin Robot: probably immune

Thundermind: no reason to expect resistance, he's probably in bad shape

Mr Zoat · Aug 16, 2023

PDV said:
Thundermind: no reason to expect resistance, he's probably in bad shape

No, he's fine. He just can't change back into his unenlightened form.

RichardWhereat · Aug 16, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
I hope the rest of the Great Ten were able to resist the Anti-Life.

I don't see how, they live under a smaller aspect of it as is.

Ardy · Aug 17, 2023

PDV said:
Mother of Champions: this could be pretty bad

So I just looked her up and WHAT THE FUCK

Ngamer11 · Aug 17, 2023

PDV said:
Mother of Champions: this could be pretty bad

Ardy said:
So I just looked her up and WHAT THE FUCK

The good news is that she's a normal person in this timeline, as seen when she was working with Arno/Hugo on enhancing rats and dogs with the Danner Formula.

Darko · Aug 17, 2023

Ngamer11 said:
The good news is that she's a normal person in this timeline, as seen when she was working with Arno/Hugo on enhancing rats and dogs with the Danner Formula.

When did that happen exactly?

I know that Ras' daughter worked with Hugo, but I don't remember Mother of Champions doing that.

Mr Zoat · Aug 17, 2023

15th February 2013
19:21 GMT -5

I usually experience a degree of 'bullet time' in combat thanks to the rings accelerating my mental processes… If not completely transferring them from my brain to the orange light. But it's just a little extra thinking time, rather than anything truly radical. But now I focus. I need extra thinking time in a fight like this. I already know that I can't drain it. I already know that it can give random Justifiers the ability to hurt me with normal guns no matter what barrier-type defences I use to protect myself.

And I-.

It's Socialist Red Guardsman, a man who combines all the worst aspects of supervillain and state-sponsored superhero. A murderer dozens of times over, even if his total kill count isn't anything like mine at least the people I killed weren't on my side at the time! If I could justify killing anyone here it would be him and not the robot!

Railguns.

Compliance.

Tuppence could take hits from his graser before Mannheim upgraded him, based on its peak energy output and her observed resilience feats. Now, I don't know. The Chinese had trouble precisely focusing his energy output and I somehow doubt that Apokolips had the same problem.

The orange light for the railguns crawls into place as I'm reminded that Karshon can actually fly at high speed. Nothing like Superman or even Diana, but faster than we've recorded Finality Man moved.

Actually…

Ring, message to the Justice League. Finality Man is in Philadelphia. Initiate other operations at your convenience.

Compliance.

I watch as Socialist Red Guardsman flies closer, dropping down under Karshon's flight path. Unlike Finality Man -where I have to wait until he starts an attack and then disrupt it- the issue with Guardsman is that breaching his suit is actually pretty easy. It's just that I don't want Philadelphia irradiated and everyone here killed.

Bit curious that Mannheim cares about that, but maybe this is an automated response. We don't really know how intelligent Finality Man is-. No, no, he's always been in a position to carry out mass killings. It's a choice on his part. Perhaps he won't take hostages because that would mean acknowledging that we have power that he needs to guard against?

I'm drifting. This is a problem with this level of acceleration. I get… Disconnected. Reality is otherworldly. Things don't seem real, except they are.

My railguns have nearly fully formed.

Guardsman's gun starts to glow. Still nothing much from Finality Man. Was the intent to bring through more than that? I don't know.

But I do know how to deal with a graser. It has to deploy to fire, and his flight systems haven't improved all that much. Track and fire with crumbler-

"Anti-Life justifies their actions." Inalienable Truth.

-rounds and I remember that! I dodge down as Guardsman fires, the line of his gamma beam slashing across the city. His manoeuvring thrusters must be very good if he's moving at a-.

I'm at normal speed. I don't know why but-.

Railguns fire, crumbler rounds screaming towards his cannon as lasers aim for his canopy, not to pierce it but to ruin his vision. Karshon closes with Finality Man as the god-robot's eyes glow red-.

Retrain railgun, solid shot, fire.

Compliance.

"TT to Orange, ah need ta worry 'bout these guys?"

Scan-.

"No, the Seven Deadly-"

Karshon fires a psybolt's face-. Fire the graviton deflator just in case.

"-Brothers are just-"

A tiny red flicker is all the recognition I get that the Omega Effect has been disrupted, and some sort of shimmering energy field deploys around Guardsman's body. The crumbler rounds that were on target are destroyed in a puff of decaying matter.

"-human martial artists."

Okay, what did Guardsman do?

Gamma-irradiated particles detected.

How would-? Plasma. A diffuse plasma field charged by his body's radiation. He melted the crumbler mechanism before it could trigg-

He drops his shield to slash his ray across the sky again. I evade but Karshon takes a nasty burn across his side… Which heals almost immediately.

-er.

Karshon's psybolt hits Finality Man in the face a second before he rams him, biting down on the giant robot's right shoulder and frantically gnawing on it. Finality Man raises his left hand, pointing it at Karshon's right eye as it glows-

Cold beam.

The plasma charge winks out, Finality Man simply trying to punch Karshon in the eye instead and finding his hand parried by a psybolt.

"Slippery little-."

Behind me, Tuppence is having trouble getting to grips with the Brothers. Fortunately, they've decided to focus on her rather than charge the broadcaster. A little of their natural arrogance shining through despite their new helmets.

Guardsman flies up behind Karshon and points his gun directly at his back. Karshon's trying to tear through Finality Man's armour, but there's no visible progress yet. Giving him the yellow ring might help, but there's no way I'm risking it. Instead I stick a rocket booster construct on my back and blast myself towards Guardsman, grabbing him with a construct claw and turning him as he goes to fire.

He's got good trigger discipline though. Only about a tenth of a second's worth of gamma beam actually gets fired, hitting Finality Man on the left pauldron. And unfortunately, the boost he's getting from the Anti-Life doesn't appear to work on his ally. Guardsman lashes out, trying to destroy my claw-construct. I let the construct shatter and aim my railguns at his cannon. Solid shot and fire, full automatic!

Compliance.

His plasma field crackles, but the solid slugs don't have any delicate mechanisms to disrupt. They're on target, but the armoured cowling is resilient enough-. Got it! Hit the graser mechanism itself and snapped off the end part. Don't know if that's a mission kill, but from the way Guardsman is snarling through his faceplate I'd guess that it's out of commission.

He lunges through the air at me, and I retaliate with a kinetic amplification baton, swinging in down onto his faceplate and sending him careening towards the Philadelphia streets below us. I use the opportunity to check on Karshon-.

Finality Man has gotten his hands on Karshon's jaw and is gradually forcing them apart. They're already off his shoulder, and-. There's some damage, but it's nothing like enough to make me think this is a viable way to destroy the robot. Karshon chomps, his jaws pulling free of Finality Man's grip and a psybolt hitting the area damaged by his bite-.

Finality Man's eyes glow solid slug! Fly up, try to-!

The red lines zigzag and hit Karshon in the forehead, an energy field enveloping him.

Ah…

I gain more height to get a clearer shot and fire everything: cold beams, railgun rounds of all types, orange light energy pulses… Nothing does anything and Karshon is… Shrinking.

Alright then. You want to kill Mannheim.

Finality Man shudders, Karshon-. Who has somehow been returned to the form of a normal tiger shark, falls to the ground as Finality Man flies at me.

Ngamer11 · Aug 17, 2023

Darko said:
When did that happen exactly?

I know that Ras' daughter worked with Hugo, but I don't remember Mother of Champions doing that.

She was working with Hugo in Episode 13: Beta Male. She was only mentioned by her real name though, so it's easy to miss.

Mr Zoat said:
"Slipper little-."

That should say 'slippery'.

Mr Zoat said:
Alright them. You want to kill Mannheim.

Paul isn't up for a metaphysique battle, or whatever would be a more appropriate term, so I'm curious as to what he's doing now. Also, that should say 'then'.

Chojin Patriarch · Aug 17, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
15th February 2013
19:21 GMT -5

I usually experience a degree of 'bullet time' in combat thanks to the rings accelerating my mental processes… If not completely transferring them from my brain to the orange light. But it's just a little extra thinking time, rather than anything truly radical. But now I focus. I need extra thinking time in a fight like this. I already know that I can't drain it. I already know that it can give random Justifiers the ability to hurt me with normal guns no matter what barrier-type defences I use to protect myself.

I'd be amazed if he was still entirely flesh at this moment anyway. Which would make Justified weapons more effective against a body of Want. Still, good to have recognition that yes, he usually is working at some measure of faster-than-normal speeds.

And I-.

It's Socialist Red Guardsman, a man who combines all the worst aspects of supervillain and state-sponsored superhero. A murderer dozens of times over, even if his total kill count isn't anything like mine at least the people I killed weren't on my side at the time! If I could justify killing anyone here it would be him and not the robot!

Yeah, this guy is not a nice fellow. He's certainly no Captain America.

Railguns.

Compliance.

Ah, the old mainstay. Good for all occasions.

Tuppence could take hits from his graser before Mannheim upgraded him, based on its peak energy output and her observed resilience feats. Now, I don't know. The Chinese had trouble precisely focusing his energy output and I somehow doubt that Apokolips had the same problem.

The orange light for the railguns crawls into place as I'm reminded that Karshon can actually fly at high speed. Nothing like Superman or even Diana, but faster than we've recorded Finality Man moved.

So he's more than likely been upgraded, and with more than just armour plates.

Actually…

Ring, message to the Justice League. Finality Man is in Philadelphia. Initiate other operations at your convenience.

And elsewhere, Batman just groans, pinches the nose of his cowl, then initiates said operations. Because of course a simple information/resource-gathering mission has gotten out of hand.

Compliance.

I watch as Socialist Red Guardsman flies closer, dropping down under Karshon's flight path. Unlike Finality Man -where I have to wait until he starts an attack and then disrupt it- the issue with Guardsman is that breaching his suit is actually pretty easy. It's just that I don't want Philadelphia irradiated and everyone here killed.

Indeed. The man is basically as or more radioactive than the Elephant's Foot in Chernobyl, at its most potent.

Bit curious that Mannheim cares about that, but maybe this is an automated response. We don't really know how intelligent Finality Man is-. No, no, he's always been in a position to carry out mass killings. It's a choice on his part. Perhaps he won't take hostages because that would mean acknowledging that we have power that he needs to guard against?

I'm drifting. This is a problem with this level of acceleration. I get… Disconnected. Reality is otherworldly. Things don't seem real, except they are.

Joy of having plenty of time to think while constructs assemble.

My railguns have nearly fully formed.

Guardsman's gun starts to glow. Still nothing much from Finality Man. Was the intent to bring through more than that? I don't know.

Don't assume that's the only place they dropped backup, OL. It's not impossible that he has Hush Tubes, or that you missed auxiliary Boom Tubes.

But I do know how to deal with a graser. It has to deploy to fire, and his flight systems haven't improved all that much. Track and fire with crumbler-

"Anti-Life justifies their actions." Inalienable Truth.

Whoops, he got the first shot off.

-rounds and I remember that! I dodge down as Guardsman fires, the line of his gamma beam slashing across the city. His manoeuvring thrusters must be very good if he's moving at a-.

I'm at normal speed. I don't know why but-.

Huh. Not the first time you've slowed like that today. Why do I get the feeling it's because of that Anti-Life spike in you?

Railguns fire, crumbler rounds screaming towards his cannon as lasers aim for his canopy, not to pierce it but to ruin his vision. Karshon closes with Finality Man as the god-robot's eyes glow red-.

Retrain railgun, solid shot, fire.

Multitasking at its finest.

Compliance.

"TT to Orange, ah need ta worry 'bout these guys?"

Oh, joy, another distraction.

Scan-.

"No, the Seven Deadly-"

Ah, they did pop more backup through elsewhere.

Karshon fires a psybolt's face-. Fire the graviton deflator just in case.

"-Brothers are just-"

The Brothers, despite their name are just one man with a lot of martial arts tricks. Including a self-cloning technique.

A tiny red flicker is all the recognition I get that the Omega Effect has been disrupted, and some sort of shimmering energy field deploys around Guardsman's body. The crumbler rounds that were on target are destroyed in a puff of decaying matter.

"-human martial artists."

...I expect that's a new trick. Someone's been learning. Or someone else found a new toy to give him.

Okay, what did Guardsman do?

Gamma-irradiated particles detected.

A force-field made of Gamma Rays? Nasty stuff. Basically turns him into a walking natural disaster.

How would-? Plasma. A diffuse plasma field charged by his body's radiation. He melted the crumbler mechanism before it could trigg-

He drops his shield to slash his ray across the sky again. I evade but Karshon takes a nasty burn across his side… Which heals almost immediately.

Well, good to know about that. Staggered or reinforced Crumblers, then? Something to take the heat, yet deploy the crumbler head against the target in an instant.

-er.

Karshon's psybolt hits Finality Man in the face a second before he hit, biting down on the giant robot's right shoulder and frantically gnawing on it. Finality Man raises his left hand, pointing it at Karshon's right eye as it glows-

I can't imagine the metal tastes at all good. Though sharks will eat just about anything they can get in their mouths...

Cold beam.

The plasma charge winks out, Finality Man simply trying to punch Karshon in the eye instead and finding his hand parried by a psybolt.

Not that Karshon would acknowledge the help.

"Slippery little-."

Behind me, Tuppence is having trouble getting to grips with the Brothers. Fortunately, they've decided to focus on her rather than charge the broadcaster. A little of their natural arrogance shining through despite their new helmets.

And I'm guessing that all seven minds are letting their love of violence out freely now.

Guardsman flies up behind Karshon and points his gun directly at his back. Karshon's trying to tear through Finality Man's armour, but there's no visible progress yet. Giving him the yellow ring might help, but there's no way I'm risking it. Instead I stick a rocket booster construct on my back and blast myself towards Guardsman, grabbing him with a construct claw and turning him as he goes to fire.

He's got good trigger discipline though. Only about a tenth of a second's worth of gamma beam actually gets fired, hitting Finality Man on the left pauldron. And unfortunately, the boost he's getting from the Anti-Life doesn't appear to work on his ally. Guardsman lashes out, trying to destroy my claw-construct. I let the construct shatter and aim my railguns at his cannon. Solid shot and fire, full automatic!

Risks breaking open his containment, but worth it to remove his ranged capabilities.

Compliance.

His plasma field crackles, but the solid slugs don't have any delicate mechanisms to disrupt. They're on target, but the armoured cowling is resilient enough-. Got it! Hit the graser mechanism itself and snapped off the end part. Don't know if that's a mission kill, but from the way Guardsman is snarling through his faceplate I'd guess that it's out of commission.

And now he's going to be focused on you.

He lunges through the air at me, and I retaliate with a kinetic amplification baton, swinging in down onto his faceplate and sending him careening towards the Philadelphia streets below us. I use the opportunity to check on Karshon-.

Finality Man has gotten his hands on Karshon's jaw and is gradually forcing them apart. They're already off his shoulder, and-. There's some damage, but it's nothing like enough to make me think this is a viable way to destroy the robot. Karshon chomps, his jaws pulling free of Finality Man's grip and a psybolt hitting the area damaged by his bite-.

Yeah, kind of obvious in hindsight that the fleshy giant man-shark wouldn't stand a chance...

Finality Man's eyes glow solid slug! Fly up, try to-!

The red lines zigzag and hit Karshon in the forehead, and energy field enveloping him.

...And there he goes. Whatever they're going to do, it's bad for Karshon, and for you.

Ah…

I gain more height to get a clearer shot and fire everything: cold beams, railgun rounds of all types, orange light energy pulses… Nothing does anything and Karshon is… Shrinking.

No point shooting it, OL, you're just reinforcing its Narrative of invulnerability and inevitability.

Alright then. You want to kill Mannheim.

Finality Man shudders, Karshon-. Who has somehow been returned to the form of a normal tiger shark, falls to the ground as Finality Man flies at me.

And now you've got the big guy's attention. Hope that was part of your exit strategy?

Welp. That didn't pan out anywhere as good as expected for OL's side. And now Tuppence is tied down fighting the multi-body martial artist, Carlyle is at risk and OL's having to face down two powerhouses. And if Karshon doesn't retain any air-breathing capacity in shark form, then whoever survives will be able to have a jumbo fish-fry at the victory party.

Vaermina · Aug 17, 2023

Mr Zoat said:
It's Socialist Red Guardsman, a man who combines all the worst aspects of supervillain and state-sponsored superhero. A murderer dozens of times over, even if his total kill count isn't anything like mine at least the people I killed weren't on my side at the time! If I could justify killing anyone here it would be him and not the robot!

That's some weak justification.

Mr Zoat said:
Alright them. You want to kill Mannheim.

Finality Man shudders, Karshon-. Who has somehow been returned to the form of a normal tiger shark, falls to the ground as Finality Man flies at me.

Run LePaul run!

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