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

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

[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.]

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Attention all Legionnaires. We're now on High Alert for a 10 X 10 galactic threat. I repeat: this is a 10 X 10 galactic threat. I want everyone in uniform and ready to dispatch within ten minutes.

[She was in civilian clothes at the time the call came in, and is already in uniform. She's gearing up in her transuit as she speaks.]

Right now, we're getting reports of constructs in orbit around almost every UP planet.

[She sends a briefing that has a lot more information about the constructs than the news had, including some of Brainy's theories on their construction, possible purpose, and how they're apparently broadcasting data to the anomaly in space where Chronoblivion has latched on.]

Brainy's theorizing these things might literally be Chronoblivion's eyes, which means a full dimensional breach may be imminent.

[She draws in a deep breath.]

Apparently, the guards down in prisoner holding guarding War and the Joker say they're laughing.

We need to -

[The ship takes on an impact that makes it shake hard enough to knock everyone off their feet. Kid Q lands on her butt and calls out a report.]

Ops, report. What was that?!

Edited 2017-12-18 01:34 (UTC)

[Timber Wolf has Monitor Room duty right now. He braces himself against a console as there's another impact.]

Boss, we've got company.

[He patches through video of something that's warped into place near Legion World, right into Earth's orbit - Apokolips. Even worse, there's something lashed onto the war machine planet with strange energy traction beams, like they're keeping it trapped.]

[It's a terrible thing to behold, the creature they've captured. Massive, almost as big as Legion World itself. It's covered in spiky protrusion and masses of swirling tentacles that keep forming and reforming themselves into something non-Euclidean. Something made of swirling organic parts shouldn't have that many angles.]

[It cuts a silhouette against reality that suggests its mere existence is digging into the edges of it a little bit, like it's too solid for this universe but at the same time it looks like something ethereal, like it's barely solid at the same time. It hurts to look at for long, and the longer one looks at it, the more strange, alien, paranoid ideas fill their heads.]

[Wherever The Penitant, Chronoblivion's Herald, dredged up this creature, it wasn't from the material universe. The munitions bombardment stops as the tentacles reach towards Legion World and then inside it, passing through solid matter like it's not even there. While the actual structure of Legion World itself is unaffected (for now) the unfortunate Legion staffers that are the path of the massive tentacles are unfortunately vaporized on contact.]

[Fortunately, for most of the ship, the main areas some of them pass through are current;y uninhabited. Engine areas that don't have much staff or that are automated and the Hab deck, which is large enough that not every inch of it has people at any given time.]

[It's a close call, though. The Labs, Medbay, and Crew Quarters are all missed by less than 20-30 meters. Sheer luck saved them.]

[The tentacles apparently have more of an ability to intrude than the rest of the creature, like a jellyfishes tentacles sting more than its body does. Though its got a solid hold, as it presses the rest of its body against Legion World in an effort to consume all organic matter on the ship, the shields fortunately hold, preventing it from doing so. But still, it's got a solid grip and isn't letting go, and the shields aren't going to hold up against it forever. If they can't get those tentacles loose, it'll break through the shields and be able to scour through the entire mass of the ship.]

Edited 2017-12-18 01:39 (UTC)

We're getting reports of multiple fatalities in areas where the tentacles managed to reach through the ship. Apparently despite the fact the tentacles are mostly intangible, they're caustic to organic material on contact.

Sensors are indicating that - sprock, they're not indicating anything. It's all junk data and nonsense, they can't get a read. Whatever that thing is, it's highly unlikely that it's from the material universe.

The tentacles have a solid grip on our power core, but its main body seems to have less of an ability to intrude. But our shields aren't going to hold against that much pressure for long. We have to remove its hold or it'll breach the shields and be able to phase its main mass into Legion World. If the rest of its body is as toxic to organic life as the tentacles, it could vaporize every living thing on board.

[Umbra is in Ops too.]

There are already minor shield breaches appearing in multiple areas of the ship and - [The ship starts vibrating as multiple mini-ships start breaching the outer hull.]

Boarding parties from Apokolips are breaking through the hull in areas where the shield is breached!

We've got reports of Catastrophists boarding in multiple areas. All Legionnaires, prepare to engage the intruders and standby for location fixes on the boarding parties!

[She starts sending out locations to Legionnaires that are closest to each of the breaches.]

Legionnaires with energy-casting powers or other long-range abilities, get on your transuits and meet me in Landing Bay 4. We need to see if we can break off those tentacles from the outside.

Everyone else, prepare to engage with the boarding parties! Move out!

Everyone get ready for decompression.

[When as many of them get there as are going to get there in time, Kid Q hits the airlock and they all get launched outside. It's not going to be easy even getting to the tentacles, with Apokoliptian boarding ships whizzing around them and laying down fire. Before long, Catastrophists - styled as parademons - start directly attacking while zooming around on jetpacks, too.]

[Kid Q calls out orders as they move, directing certain groups and pairs to work together to target certain tentacles or the attacking ships.]

[ooc: Team up into any groups or pairs that you like. You can god that Kid Q has given them orders on who to team up with and what to attack.]

Edited 2017-12-18 01:57 (UTC)

[ooc: absolutely no tentacles allowed in this thread.]

[This was not the time to play nice, to play law enforcement officer, to pretend to be a hero. This was it and Widowmaker was going to do what she did best: kill.

Gone were the attempts to fake the emotions she couldn't feel. Talon was gone, but she had purpose - one of her choosing - and right then she needed to be the death machine she'd been made to be. Lethal rounds, visor down and Widow's Kiss at the ready, Widowmaker set herself up at the breech point where the most Catastrophists were boarding. She had a bone to pick with them anyway.

Long-ranged shots rang out from up high, taking out enemies with headshots when possible, hitting environmental objects like pipes venting hot steam or freezing coolants, when not. Maybe an enemy went down mid-engagement with you, targeted by the sniper, or perhaps that Catastrophist that sneaked up behind without being noticed was stopped before landing a debilitating blow. Either way, Widowmaker didn't stay in one place long.

But her fellow Legionnaires should know who had their back. She was still contactable over comms.]

[ Robbie is assigned to the external team on a technicality, but he's fine with that. He'd never object to saving Legion World, only... ]

Tentacles?! Again?! Why can't it ever be fifty foot hotties?

[Ray's outside as well. True, his powers aren't ranged attacks, but he dragged his boson pack outside with him. The perfect weapon for dealing with a large, intangible foe.]

Just be glad it's not a 100-foot-tall marshmallow man. Trust me, that's much worse than a few tentacles.

[ Robbie considers this while scrambling to avoid a feeler/sucker/alien dongle. ]

That is awesome, and not, at the same time. I'd hate to have to reevaluate s'mores due to potential sentient ingredients.

[Being a bit of a tentacle-space monster himself, this is where Aku belongs. Plus he has the added advantage of not being organic, for whatever it might be worth. He takes aim at one of the oncoming ships with his laser eyebeams and gives it a quick zap. There's a flash of red as part of the ship's side explodes.]

If only I were at full power! I could destroy ALL these ships!

[What a delightful fellow.]

Edited 2017-12-18 04:23 (UTC)

[Wash has just come on active duty, fully armored and armed, when the attack starts. He has the bad luck to be near one of the tentacles when it sears through the hallway he's standing in; he has the good luck to only be near it - it's maybe fifty yards away when it impacts, and the force throws him away from the point of impact instead of towards it.]

[Well. Fuck literally all of this.]

[He has enough time to send out a brief ping to anyone else in armor with his location and a request - please bring him any extra ammo if they have it on hand - and to draw both his pistol and his knife and get in position before the first of the Catastrophists land in his hallway.]

[This is his house. These are his people. And if these apocalyptic assholes think they can take it from him, they have another thing coming.]

If you're looking to die, you found the right person.

[The first of the cultists goes down from a perfectly aimed headshot, and the rest don't hesitate before they rush him. Fuck the nonlethal rule; he'll worry about the court martial once they come out the other side of this battle.]

En route.

[ A friendly blip comes sailing in on Wash's sensors, and more Catastrophists start dropping. They may be nonlethal rounds (the Chief doesn't exactly have the time to change that) but they're still enough to put people on the ground and "nonlethal" doesn't mean nobody's getting hurt.

Cavalry's here. ]

[ooc: I'm travelling starting tomorrow, so I'm planning all my threads. Hit me up at

greenanddying or via PM to plot something.]

[It's not Val's first time at the interdimensional invasion rodeo. It's not even her second. Or third. In fact, depending on how you classify some things, she's up to the double digits. So, when the alarms go off and it becomes clear to her this is probably going to end up as an everything's-on-fire, abandon-ship kind of a day, she finishes her juice and begins shutting down the lab. There is way too much stuff here that could rip a hole in the already fragile fabric of reality, or be turned against the Legion if the lab were to be captured.

She's not the only one with that idea. A vanguard of Catastrophists has targeted the laboratory, and the massive security doors...slide aside for them in what is much too obviously a trap. The group hesitates, squinting nervously at each other and into the room. It gives the makeshift teleportation system Val tossed together the few seconds it needs lock onto them and trigger. She didn't have time to calibrate the transit algorithms, so Uatu only knows where they end up when the green-white glow of superscience fades from the now-empty corridor, but Val doesn't care.]

Chronoblivion needs to hire smarter lackeys.

Edited 2017-12-18 19:45 (UTC)

[Like any good hero, Pete runs towards the explosion, skidding around a corner and arriving behind Wash just in time to hear him make the standard badass threat. It's pretty good. Solid B+.]

Can I take a rain check on the dying?

[Yeah, he knows Wash isn't talking to him, but smartass isn't just a pastime. It's a way of life.

Pete fires a single round from one of his pistols into the cluster of attackers. It lands center of mass on somebody in roughly the middle of the group, seemingly an indifferent shot at best...until the grenade-sized explosion goes off a fraction of a second after impact, thoroughly breaking the charge.

Explosive rounds, hell yeah.]

"You wouldn't want to eat it anyways. It was evil marshmallow, possessed by an ancient Sumerian god worshiped by a series of apocalyptic cults." Ray says as he fires an overcharged boson dart, causing the tentacle to retract in pain.

"Basically, exactly the kind of god these lunatics would pray to."

[Cortana has a problem and the Chief is pinned down over on the other side of Legion World. That cuts the number of people she trusts to do anything right down by a substantial fraction.

Still, she has options.]

Widowmaker. Got a sec?

[Cortana's voice crackles across the comms, more staticky than usual in light of all the interference.]

Several. [Her words were followed by the loud repeating of her sniper rifle - three successive shots.] Who do you need me to kill?

[No point in pretending that wasn't the reason anyone other than command or Marjara would be contacting her for. It was what she did best.]

Everyone between you and me.

[Well, that narrows it down, thanks Cortana.]

The integrity of Legion World's data systems is failing, so I have to be on a chip right now. Unfortunately, the only one I could get to when half the hardlines went down is in a sector that's on literal fire. And full of Catastrophists.

[Pause.]

I need a ride.

“There’s no accounting for taste,” Robbie said with a shrug as he watches the tentacle pull back. “And what do evil marshmallows taste like? They’re sinfully delicious - or just sin?”

The space kraken hasn’t taken a second swipe at them yet. That was impressive in and of itself. He eyes Ray appraisingly. “We need to get you some sort of sniper spot or something. Thoughts?”

[Funny enough, Widowmaker didn't mind the 'everyone between you and me' request. She immediately adjusted her visor to focus on omnic signatures (as that's how the AIs showed up to her) and began scanning for Cortana's location while she reloaded.]

I will be there shortly. Be aware that neither my visor nor my neural net is capable of supporting you on its own; I am not Sombra.

Edited 2017-12-18 21:50 (UTC)

No problem. The chip's designed to host me, but my legs are purely holographic.

[Cortana has helpfully placed a navpoint on Widowmaker's visor, because that's what she does when she's ordering people around.

And yeah, thermal is gonna show a whole lot of fires.]

Big chunks of the hallways in this section are open to vacuum right now, so if you hit a closed security door, check the temperature before you crack it.

[Ask and ye shall receive, huh. He grins (rather viciously, but nonetheless) under his helmet and focuses fire around Chief, downing any cultist that looks like they're thinking of getting creative.]

[The first wave goes down fairly quickly, and there's a moment to breathe before the inevitable next wave arrives. He takes that moment to switch to his rifle and toss Chief a clip of standard ammo.]

I knew I loved you for a reason.

[The couple that slays together stays together, right?]

[Wash's HUD picks up on the incoming flight ring and paints it as friendly; a moment later, Wash recognizes the voice. It's Rich's friend, and if he's been running with Rich long enough to be as close as they are, then he's probably 1) experienced and 2) competent. Perfect.]

[The banter just cements it, really.]

Sorry, the offer's only good for card-carrying suicide cultists.

[Holy shit- Wash recovers from his surprise at the explosive round more quickly than the catastrophists and quickly picks off the distracted stragglers. That's easily halved the first wave, and the hallway prevents the survivors from spreading out too much - another explosive round or two ought to do it.]

If you have an extra clip of those, now's a really good time to share.

Edited 2017-12-18 22:57 (UTC)

Unless the Kree are making the Legion's weapons now, that's not gonna work.

[He holds up and waggles one of the pistols to emphasize its non-Legion design...and puts another explosive round into the surviving cultists with the other. Pete's looking at Wash the whole time, but the shot still goes more or less where he wanted it to.]

I brought these from home.

[He looks like "home" is a Buck Rogers strip, and his outfit resembles a three-way collision between World War I, art deco, and space.]

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

Important info post, do not comment to this

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Landing Bay 4 - Fighting Outside the ship [action]

Open Action

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ota

Indoors; OTA

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Brainy's Lab [semi-closed, see ooc note]

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