Breaking News Update [video] ["Lights Out" plot post]

[legionnpcs]

[Apparently Shellee and Tammee - er, Gertix and Yil - have hit the ground running, because it's the day after they quit at Neutrino News and already they're set up in their new digs at Earthlive News, where they were hired by actual reporter Hannah Wells.]

[The two look different without their glam filters. Oh, sure they have a little makeup on, but their eyes are less enlarged and the flaws on their appearance are more visible. They also don't have a pink and blue glow anymore. And the fake smiles are gone. They have the serious and collected expressions of actual newscasters.]

[The words "Breaking News Update" scroll across the bottom of the screen. The video is a little static-ey, like there's interference, but apparently Earthlive News has invested in some heavy duty emergency signal-boosting tech.]

Gertrix: This is Gertrix Shur -

Yil: - and Yil Bak -

Gertrix: With a breaking news update from Earthlive News.

Yil: According to satellite imagery and eyewitness accounts from all over the UP, strange constructs are warping into orbit around multiple UP planets.

[Grainy video from a satellite shows strange structures floating around Braal, made of some unknown material. They're spiky and have eyes in the middle. The eyes are all directed towards the planet.]

Yil: So far, reports indicate that these constructs have been spotted around Earth, Colu, Braal, Rimbor, Titan, and Imsk, with more appearing as we speak. We'll continue listing new planets as this report goes on.

[New planets continue to be listed at the botton of the broadcast, scrolling across the screen: Daxam, Zuun, Talok IV...]

Gertrix: The nature and origin of the constructs are still unknown, but according to UPgov, they're thought to be related to the threat of Chronoblivion, as they appear to be emanating from the area of space where Chronoblivion has breached our universe. Efforts to communicate with the constructs seems to be unsuccessful, according to UPgov experts.

Yil: Unfortunately, intel about the constructs is thin due to widespread interference in long-range sensors and long-range communications between the Titanet Towers. Top UPgov scientists believe the constructs to potentially be responsible for the disruption. While communication between worlds is still possible, it's very limited.

Gertrix: [Listens to her earpiece.] This just in, UPgov has put into place a full state of emergency for all UP worlds. Authorities are advising all UP citizens to shelter in place, gather up emergency supplies within their homes, and to limit Titanet communications as much as possible so governments and law enforcement can have their vital communiques prioritized on Titanet networks.

[Click here for emergency information and links to official UPgov instructions.]

Yil: While communications are limited, the Science Police, Galactic Emergency Guard, and Legion of Superheroes are reported to now be in communication and will be dispatching to respond to the situation shortly. Authorities are advising UP citizens to remain calm and stay off the T-gate network and public thoroughfares, to avoid mass panic and allow law enforcement freedom of movement.

Gertrix: Here at Earthlive news we will continue broadcasting live to ensure the UP public is informed about ongoing news updates, as well as providing resources on emergency information, and information that will allow UP citizens to safely shelter in place.

[The news report goes on but by now UPgov and the Science Police have finally broken through the interference and managed to communicate with Legion World. Klaxons start blaring on Legion World and they don't have any more time to watch the broadcast.]

Comments

[lovernotafighter]

You call that going easy?! [Because fuck you, Locus! Do you know how many times he limped back from training with bruises and muscles hurting like hell? Sure, the speed-healing made them fade before he made it back to his bed, but it still hurt.

But facing what they were now, maybe that shit wasn’t so bad. He wanted to say that he didn't sign up for this, but he did. Fuck, he really did.

Tucker waited for that arch to finish (getting cut in half would have been embarrassing as hell) before he slid forward, moving around Locus to go ahead. Waiting for him? Nope. No thanks. He wanted to clear this way as soon as he could so they could figure out how to fix this shit. You know, if it could be fixed. Besides, moving ahead, however slight it was, felt like winning.

Don't worry, though, he had learned some things, and one of them was not to get too far ahead of the rest of his team.

He slid to the side, trying to avoid a few shots being popped off. Fuck this, fuck them, fuck everything as he tried to rush forward, close the distance, and stab forward. Some things were tried and true; stabbing was one of them. Tucker didn't feel great about the death sounds, but...he'd focus on that later.]

[agnominal]

[ It was not going to be an enjoyable fight, that much was clear. But if they were going to help defend those unable to fight back, this was necessary. If they were going to repel whatever monstrosity was attacking, they had to keep the halls clear for the others.

This was their part to play. And he did not intend to go down easily.

When Tucker pushes ahead, Locus takes the opportunity to engage anyone trying to slip past him or around, guarding his back and ignoring the smell of searing flesh as the blades did their work. Some distance ahead, he can see the cultists lining up to take aim, intending to clear them at a distance. ]

Tucker, down!

[lovernotafighter]

[There was a time when he would have told Locus to fuck off, that if he wanted him to go down, he'd have to wait a lifetime or twelve bowchikabowwow, but those days were done. Training together had done wonders for the shaky trust that Tucker didn't even realize was there, and he listened without argument. He ducked down without thinking, some automatic movement, pressing himself against the wall.

Later, he might reflect on what it meant, but for now? Now he just wanted to fight.

Tucker clenched his jaw, eyes flickering to the ceiling. Metal? Metal. Cool. After all, he didn't use his powers nearly as much as he should have (pulling unopened beer cans to his hands from across the room didn't count. Or, at least, they counted a little.). It took more power than he thought it would; the panels were bolted in fucking tight (no surprise).

He just...needed a few seconds and maybe he could take out a few and get them a distraction.]

[agnominal]

[ He could see him pulling from where he stood, the effort clear. He just needed time.

That, Locus could provide. One hand extended, grabbed a cultist by the throat, and hurled him bodily into his fellows. That ought to grab their focus for a time. Then, he started to withdraw, far enough that he wouldn't be caught by the panel once Tucker had ripped it loose.

Not far enough to avoid a shot that grazed his side. There was a grunt, but no flinch, no faltering, just continuing to hold back and move for cover. ]

Now!

[lovernotafighter]

Locus!

[He heard the grunt, heard it, and it was enough to distract him for a second, to make him start over. Locus was still moving though; he clearly wasn't dead, but the whole thing-- the whole thing scared pissed Tucker off. Gritting his teeth, he yelled (Godfuckingdammit!, such a hero thing to scream surely), before he pulled his arm down.

The panel, sizable and heavy, was pulled down with it, crushing quite a few cultists with it. That will teach them.

Tucker didn't wait to inspect what the fuck just happened, instead falling back to Locus.] You okay?

[Nope. Tucker didn't care. Didn't care at all. Probably deserved it on some level, uh huh, he wasn't worried. Psh. Nope.]