originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Two
(This takes place after the Kings Row radio missions.)

A little used part of the Vanguard Compound was the delivery bay. A wide enclosed area, it was where supplies were dropped off. Typically trucks left pallets of equipment there. The huge bay was little more than bare concrete and metal and seemed even more austere than the typical starkness of the Compound.

Jack Pentecost's booted feet made echoes in the big empty chamber as he walked across it. His hair was unkempt as ever and the lens in one of his odd yellow-tinted glasses was cracked. At his side in her formal dress uniform was the Lance's Liason Officer, Michiko Kaneko, matching him stride for stride, her pen moving like lightning as she wrote on the clipboard in her hand.

"... and make sure the Gaussian knows that the Skulls somehow managed to-"

An enormous rolling boom echoed through the bay, making Pentecost jump. He turned to see one of the aliens, the huge muscular Pole Shift, holding an empty dumpster over his head. In front of him now lay an enormous pile of Rikti weaponry - bulbous energy rifles, curving energy swords larger than a man, the almost organic pieces of their powered armor - all forming a pile that rose above Jack's head. Sitting laughing at the top was the stocky form of Brian MacDice, the grey beret he affected askew, his eyes laughing.

"Also let Gaussian know," Pentecost drawled "that we captured an enormous amount of Rikti weaponry. The Lost were extremely heavily armed."

"Could'na leave it laying in the streets for the kids ta play with," MacDice said.

"We've got another dumpster outside," Pole Shift said.

"Bring it in," Jack replied "just try not to bury MacDice when you dump it on the pile."

"Och, the man's not been born who's fast enough tae..." MacDice's jibe trailed off. Jack turned to seeLady Grey bearing down on him, her face stern with disapproval. In her wake trailed the heavily armored form of the Magdalene, the head of Lady Grey's Internal Security force, her full white armor setting her visibly apart from the rest of the Vanguard. All around him, the members of the Lance were snapping to attention. Michiko's salute was textbook perfect.

Jack Pentecost smiled, pulled a lit cigar out of the air, wedged it in his mouth and waited for the leader of the Vanguard to get to him.

"Commander Pentecost," Lady Grey began in a tone that could shatter steel "when we tasked you to disrupt the riot the Lost were attempting to forment and the intercept their followers in the heart of the sewers, We expected you to conduct your operation in a discreet fashion ... and We certainly did not authorize you to conduct joint operations with the Paragon Police Department! We trust you have a valid explanation for these actions?"

"The operation in the sewers was conducted in a discreet fashion," he said "more or less. We entered the sewers in a remote part of Atlas Park and fought our way down through increasing hostility. Before encountering the Lost we engaged any number of Hellions and Vahzilok. They may be able to report on some of our activities should they recover, but I doubt they'll be perceived as reliable witnesses. Once we've reached the sub-levels we began to encounter growing numbers of Lost. We immediately went on the offensive and by the end of the sewer operation must have disarmed or disabled more than... what would you say MacDice? Three or four hundred?"

"More like eight hundred, all told," the smaller man said.

"Say eight hundred hostiles. As per your directions, we collected all the alien weaponry they had acquired - an amount so surprisingly large I admit I'm concerned. Overall, I'd say the Lance acquitted itself excellently, although there were some dicey moments along the way - no offense-"

"None taken," MacDice quipped.

"-and I don't believe that we were spotted entering or leaving the sewers. We smuggled the weaponry out using two garbage trucks we ... appropriated ... from the King's Row Sanitation Depot early in the morning."

"And your interaction with the police?"

"I had Maridian monitoring the police bands while we were operationally engaged," Pentecost explained "in case one or more bands of Lost escaped. Once we'd cleaned out their leaders, she informed me that the PPD was requesting armed assistance owing to active groups of Lost moving through Kings Row. Several citizens had been kidnapped. Acting on my own authority, I instructed the unit to report to the Kings Row police station where we offered our assistance to the PPD - purely as a courtesy. They were eager for our aid and offered us the chance to take on the Lost prior to any PPD forces."

Lady Grey leaned back. She seemed somewhat mollified.

"We were able to rescue all of the citizens and capture the largest bands of Lost," Jack continued. "More disturbingly, we recovered a large Rikti bomb from members of the Skulls. I'm not sure how that kind of ordnance got into the hands of a street gang."

"We shall have Gaussian look into the matter," Lady Grey said.

"My thoughts exactly," Jack said.

"It's obvious you didn't think at all, Commander," Lady Grey snapped "or you would have reported your status prior to engaging such extreme numbers of Lost. We could then have provided additional forces to cover the sewer exits and prevent their escape. You certainly should have used your radio to call and request permission before revealing your presence to the Paragon Police Department. Even had We been willing to grant you such leeway, and We do not claim We would have, We had specifically ordered you to remain sub rosa on this operation! Your actions are clearly in violation of those orders!"

"I don't think there-"

"We do not brook excuses!" Lady Grey said. "We expect you in Our office in ten minutes to give Us a full accounting of your actions and explain to Us why you should not be stripped of your obviously undeserved rank. Dismissed!"

Without a word Jack Pentecost turned and walked from the bay. Lady Grey turned to the rest of the Lance.

"We abhor mess. Clean this up."

Not even bothering to acknowledge the frantic activity she had inspired, Lady Grey turned and strode from the room.

*** *** ***

"It's obvious you are greatly concerned, Colonel Lennox," Lady Grey said to the Magdalene once they'd reached the comfort of her office. "Please be seated."

Magda Lennox gingerly sank into one of the wooden chairs which stood in front of Lady Grey's antique desk and slid her helmet off, revealing her pinched face and mousy brown hair.

"Feel free to state your concerns," Lady Grey said, gracefully sliding into her own chair.

"Jack Pentecost is a disaster waiting to happen," the Magdalene said "and as the head of your personal security force, it is my duty to-"

"We are aware of Commander Pentecost's foibles," Lady Grey said. "We do not need a recitation of them."

"I don't believe you are fully cognizant of the nature of the problem," the Magdalene said formally.

"We trust you are not addressing the matter of Captain Johanssen again," Lady Grey said. "We regard the matter of the training accident as closed."

"This is not in reference to the assault on Captain Johanssen," the Magdalene said brusquely "this is about a different matter entirely."

"Oh? What aspect have We missed?"

"Jack Pentecost is putting together a fighting force composed of dangerous and powerful individuals with only the most tenuous loyalty to the Vanguard, or in some cases the Earth. Aliens. Misfits. Rogues. The two aliens he relies on the most are extremely powerful-"

"Which is perhaps why he relies on them so much," Lady Grey pointed out.

"...and that madman MacDice," the Magdalene went on "and that... that... that... Bubble Bunny..." Words seemed to fail her.

Lady Grey raised an eyebrow.

"Your issue being?"

"The woman was a stripper!" the Magdalene said. "Pentecost recruited her when she was thrown through the plate glass window of a strip club and landed at his feet! These are not the actions of-"

"Colonel Lennox," Lady Grey bit out, cutting into the tirade. "When We agreed to take charge of defending Our planet from the alien predations of the Rikti, We resolved then and there to use any and every means at Our disposal - that the trite and antiquated concerns of appropriate and suitable companions were not only obsolete but a direct hindrance to success in the face of the magnitude of a threat to the entire planet."

"Yes, but-"

"Do not interrupt," Lady Grey said. "To this end, We have employed thieves, murderers and rapists. Criminals of all stripes. Mass murderers. Serial killers. And after this, after We have taken the very dregs of humanity and hurled them into the relentless maw of the foe, after We have stood side by side with the most vile and accursed refuse that the Earth has to offer and faced down the enemy together - you expect Us to balk that Jack Pentecost has recruited an exotic dancer with super powers!?"

"I just-"

"You are in no position to comment or criticize on the performance of any member of the Vanguard who has not commited a proven offence or a substantiated breach of regulations, Colonel Lennox," Lady Grey snapped "certainly not one who has passed the exacting specifications of Our Drill Instructors and certainly not with the nature of your own background prior to your enlistment."

The Magdalene blushed for a moment before the red flush of her cheeks turned from embarassment to anger.

"He is putting together a strike force of entities with little loyalty to you or to the Vanguard," the Magdalene blurted out "and when he's done with them, they'll be powerful enough that I may not be able to stop them when they come for you!"

Lady Grey steepled her fingers.

"Colonel Lennox," she said, her voice icy. "This obsession with Commander Pentecost must stop. We understand that you are tasked with Our safety and We appreciate the burdens you must bear but understand - the operation of the Vanguard and the safety of the Earth is Our first and only concern. Commander Pentecost and his new unit is forming up exactly as We wish them to and for the very purpose We have planned. You will not interfere with them."

"Lady..."

"This. Obsession. Must. Stop." Lady Grey was adamant. "If you, in your role as head of Internal Security, wish to observe and report on their actions, be Our guest. You will not, however, interfere with those actions nor will you continue your subtle campaign of harassment against Jack Pentecost. Understood?"

"Lady Grey..."

"Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" the Magdalene stood and snapped to attention.

"Commander Pentecost will be here in minutes," Lady Grey said after a moment "please leave Us."

*** *** ***

Jack Pentecost stepped into Lady Grey's office to see her once again busy with a pile of papers. Her archaic fountain pen scritch scritched across forms as she signed them one by one.

"Close the door, Commander," she said without looking up.

Silently Jack did so.

"The operation was conducted without attracting any undue attention from the citizenry?" she asked in a perfectly neutral tone, her eyes never leaving her paperwork.

"Yes, ma'am."

"You are certain the Paragon Police Department was pleased with your assistance?"

"I'm sure."

"There was never any indication that you were doing anything other than acting under your own initiative?" she asked, still signing forms as if he wasn't even there.

"No, ma'am."

"Excellent. Good work Lance Commander."

Jack's eyes went wide with surprise. For a moment he forgot to breathe.

"You play a deep game, Lady," he said after a minute, his tone admiring.

"Dismissed, Commander."

"Yes, ma'am."

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Four
(This will take place immediately after the Midnighter arc and before the start of the Positron Task Force One - The Rule of Three.)

The small briefing room held only the most trusted leaders of the Vanguard. The two rows of seats were mostly empty, but the people who sat in them were amongst the most powerful in the world. Lady Grey, the Dark Watcher, Serpent Drummer, Incendiary, Gaussian, the Magdalene, Levantera, Borea, the Cossack – they had fought and survived in a war where thousands of heroes had fallen. Had seen cities laid waste and millions killed.

Now these powerful beings stared with awe at the table where a little metal stick glowed with a flickering purple-green glow and at the man who stood next to it.

“Any questions?” Jack Pentecost asked. His smirk was insufferable.

“This … wand… can cure the Lost?” Lady Grey asked.

“I’ve used it myself,” Pentecost replied. “It doesn’t matter how far along the transformation they are. See a cranky Pariah and *poof* he’s a normal citizen again.”

“Astounding,” Lady Grey said. “Castanella is a genius.”

Jack Pentecost snorted and shook his head. It figured.

“Does it work against the Rikti?” Serpent Drummer asked, focused as always on the offensive.

“Unlikely,” Jack replied. “The Rikti aren’t humans who’ve been transformed like the Lost are. They’re humans that have evolved differently. They’re not in an unnatural state. In fact, if you figured out how to transform one into a human, odds are the wand would change them back to a Rikti.”

“How quickly can it be duplicated and deployed against the Lost?” Gaussian asked. “Given a little time to prepare, we could sweep the city section by section. Once this area was secure, we could move to other high priority areas – I believe Rome should take precedence.”

Pentecost coughed.

“I don’t know how many of these things we can turn out,” he said. “The ingredients are hard to come by.”

“How many do you forsee having available,” Dark Watcher asked. His voice reeked of cold dark tombs and things best forgotten.

“Maybe ten,” Pentecost replied. “They’re good for about twenty Lost apiece before the spells unravel. I’d figure you could transform about two hundred.”

“That’s useless,” Serpent Drummer spat.

“Not necessarily,” Gaussian pointed out. “Depends on who those two hundred were.”

Lady Grey had not taken her eyes off the glowing wand since the discussion had started.

“We cannot identify all of the energies originating from it,” she said softly. The room fell silent. “What did you do?”

“It’s all based on a spell we nabbed from the Circle when we were helping out the Midnighters,” Jack explained. “We have the spell. Could use it a hundred times. In order to overcome the resistance of the Lost’s transformation process, we combined some items provided by the Midnighters with some stuff crafted by Azuria. I’m sure we can get more of that.”

“We see that,” Lady Grey said. “What else? What have you used that cannot be found?”

Pentecost coughed again.

“A vial of Hero 1’s blood,” he said.

Everyone started talking at once.

“A vial of Hero 1’s blood from after he was sent to the Rikti homeworld,” Pentecost went on. The room fell silent again. “It’s been … transformed somehow. By using the knowledge of a Rikti defector and this Circle of Thorns spell … well … we can undo the Rikti-ization process used on the Lost … but … well … we don’t have anymore of Hero 1’s blood and I somehow doubt we’re going to find more.”

“I thought Hero 1 was dead,” Borea said.

“Maybe he is,” Gaussian pointed out. “His blood could have been preserved for study.”

“What if he’s still alive? What if he’s their prisoner? What if they’re torturing him?” Levantera said nervously.

“None of the survivors of Omega Team reported any indication that Hero 1 survived the initial onslaught,” Gaussian said. “All the information available indicated he perished alongside Ruin during the battle after their insertion onto the Rikti homeworld.”

“We need to know more,” Lady Grey said. “Begin investigating this immediately, Gaussian.”

“Ma’am.”

“We need a way to obtain more of this ‘transformed’ blood or if we can find a substitute for it. I will contact Incandescent immediately and get the U.N.’s best scientific minds working on it. Let us get back to work, ladies and gentlemen. There’s much to do.”

As the meeting began to break up, Lady Grey walked up to Jack Pentecost.

“You have exceeded Our expectations, Commander,” she said “but the reward for good work is always more work.”

“Shoot.”

“Gaussian’s operatives in the Magi indicate that they are going to contact Positron regarding the Tome of T'Jer'imikanu. We understand that your team has just returned from an arduous effort but-”

“Not a problem,” Jack replied. “We’re on it.”

“Do not allow Positron to realize what you are after is the Tome. Simply speak with him regarding … oh … the excessive activity of the Clockwork in the city recently.”

“The Clockwork? Have they been that busy recently? I hadn’t heard anything.”

“We are reliably informed that the Freedom Phalanx and Longbow are greatly concerned with their activity. The Vahzilok’s as well. They will likely grasp at your offer of assistance. They need never know Our real interest is the Circle of Thorns and the Tome.”

Pentecost shrugged.

“Whatever you say,” he replied. “You’re the boss.”

“You would do well to remember that,” Lady Grey replied.

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Six
(This takes place immediately after the Faultline missions and prior to the cape/costume mission.)

Helicopters always bothered Jack. He understood the aerodynamics behind how they flew, but they always seem like potential falling rocks to him. He hated being in them.

It didn’t help that he was stuck on a bench with three excited teenagers.

“I just want to thank you again,” Jim Tremblor was saying. He seemed the best of the bunch. Despite the spiked shoulders on his leather jacket, he was basically a good kid. Muscular, fit, dark hair, dark eyes – he had a kind of Gallic charisma. The goatee he’d added, no doubt to make himself “look mature”, did add a certain rakish charm as well. “I know you and your friends took a lot of risks for-”

“Whoa!” the girl next to him said, staring out the glass “Wow! Did you see that!? Are those Rikti!?”

“There’s a reason they call it a war zone,” Jack said dryly.

Fusionette, the walking human reactor, seemed like a complete bubblehead. She’d almost gotten herself killed twice in less than three hours and seemed to have no sense of self-preservation or even sometimes awareness that others were around her. She looked like a blue-haired teen cheerleader but often acted like a three-year old. Her incessant upbeat cheeriness coupled with her seemingly endless inability to take anything seriously was starting to truly annoy Jack.

By contrast, Penelope Yin acted much more mature than her age. The young oriental girl was possibly the most powerful psychic on the planet, and had been hunted by the Clockwork, the Lost and the Rikti – as well as having her father kidnapped – but seemed unfazed by all of her adventures, aside from moments of happy exuberance.

“Dad was so upset,” she was saying to Tremblor when Jack’s attention drifted back to them “he wanted to re-open the store right away but Commander Pentecost here insisted that we both come back to Vanguard Headquarters. I could tell Dad wanted to argue but after being rescued from all those Lost, he really couldn’t say anything.”

“I’m sure he’ll be able to get back to his business,” Jack interrupted “once we’ve worked out adequate security.”

“The Clockwork King has all those little oscillators around the shop,” Penelope pointed out.

“I’m sure that the Clockwork King’s minions are tough,” Jack replied “but I’m not sure we can consider him reliable enough to ensure your safety. We’ll have to come up with some alternate measures as well.”

Conversation was cut off as the big chopper lurched back and forth a bit before settling down on the helipad. Jack unbuckled himself and started down the ramp. He wasn’t surprised at all to see Lieutenant Kaneko waiting for him, clipboard in hand.

“Good to see you,” Jack said. “We’ve got two new recruits, Fusionette and Ji-"

“Faultline,” Tremblor interjected. “I’m going to go by Faultline.”

“Faultline it is,” Jack went on. “Have someone escort them down to processing and let Sergeant McCabe know we’ve got two new trainees.”

“Sir,” Michiko replied. Her eyes drifted to where Penelope Yin was watching the chopper holding her father and the rest of the unit land. “And the other girl?”

“Inform Lady Grey that we’ve found the source of the psychic disturbances. I’ll leave it to her to decide what to do with her,” Jack said “and with her father.”

“Anything else, sir?”

“Yeah, Lieutenant,” Jack said “I have a pounding headache. Find me two aspirin and then come by my office and help me write up the report.”

“Sir!”

*** *** ***

Scritch-scritch-scritch went the fountain pen.

“We have read your report, Commander,” Lady Grey said, her eyes never leaving the papers on her desk. Jack wondered if this was some avant garde interviewing technique. “After speaking with Ms. Yin, we agree with your recommendations. We will have Levantera station adequate security measures around Mr. Yin and his establishment to prevent a recurrence of the kidnapping.”

“And the girl?”

“She has agreed to spend time studying and training her newfound abilities with Us,” Lady Grey said. “She should be perfectly safe here in the compound.”

“And this way you get some use out of her amazing powers,” Jack added.

“We believe her able to generate precognitive glimpses of the future,” Lady Grey replied, still apparently engrossed in her work. “That is a resource We cannot allow to go unused in our war with the Rikti.”

“Understood,” Jack replied.

“We also wanted to congratulate you on your unprecedented success against the Lost,” Lady Grey went on. She paused for a moment and looked up, her clear grey eyes meeting his. “Twice in less than a month you have annihilated the leadership of this Rikti cult. According to Gaussian, you have obliterated every one of their leaders of note within Paragon City. While the Lost will no doubt continue to operate in splintered cells for some time, their communications with Rikti have likely been cut off and all coordination between groups is lost. Well done, Commander.”

“Dumb luck,” Jack replied. “It was sheer luck they were holding their planning meeting in the same old warehouse they were keeping Mr. Yin prisoner. Once I realized who we were dealing with, wiping them out became a real priority.”

“One makes that kind of luck, Commander,” Lady Grey said. “We give credit where credit is due. We understand you also managed to recruit not one but two new supers?”

“Turns out your living fusion reactor’s boyfriend is the son of Faultline,” Jack said. “He wanted to come along. Didn’t see a reason to stop him. A guy who can make earthquakes has a lot of potential.”

“Agreed,” Lady Grey said “We presume they are in the hands of the redoubtable Sergeant McCabe?”

“If not, they will be very shortly,” Jack said.

“Excellent,” Lady Grey said. “Excellent. You continue to outperform all expectations, Commander.”

“Thank you.”

“There is, however, one other matter…”

“If this is about that Irish whiskey incident and MacDice…”

“We were unaware of any ‘whiskey incident’,” Lady Grey replied, raising an eyebrow “We must inquire further at a later date. No, this matter concerns your … Bubble Bunni.”

Jack rolled his eyes.

“What now?” he said.

“We have received a formal complaint about her clear violation of the Vanguard dress codes,” Lady Grey said.

“I made certain she understood that while in the Compound or involved in non-combat duties with the Vanguard her attire was to always conform with the regulations,” Jack said. “Marissa is really concerned with doing well, with succeeding at this. I can’t imagine she’d knowingly do something that could get her in trouble on base.”

“The complaint was not in regards to her clothing,” Lady Grey said. “The complaint is in regards to her hair.”

Jack blinked.

“Her hair?” he tried to think. It wasn’t too long. BB kept her hair fairly short and tight. “I don’t get it.”

“Use of dye to color one’s hair an unusual or outlandish color is clearly forbidden in Section 8, Article…”

“Hair dye!?” Jack barked, incredulous. “This is about hair dye!? That woman stood tall and kept us all shielded when a dozen Lost monstrosities led their horde of minions at us armed with Rikti broadswords and she didn’t blink, she didn’t hesitate, she didn’t even say a word when one nearly took her head off – she just kept those shields up – and you want me to give her grief over some hair dye!?”

“Commander Pentecost,” Lady Grey said “so long as nothing was reported, We could choose to turn a blind eye to the matter. Once a formal report was filed, however, We are obligated to take a hand in the matter.”

“Someone filed a report on BB?” Jack said slowly. “It was the Magdalene, or one of her white-suited snoops, wasn’t it!? Doesn’t that woman have anything better to do than harass one of my people about hair color!? Isn’t her job supposed to be protecting you? Is Bunni’s hair a threat to your well being!?”

“Hardly, Commander,” Lady Grey sniffed “and We do not wish to waste Our time with trivialities. Be that as it may, a military organization runs on discipline and blue hair is not status quo in the Vanguard.”

Jack coughed.

“Well, er, it is if it happens to be someone’s natural hair color,” Jack said.

It was Lady Grey’s turn to blink.

“Marissa Blankton’s hair color is naturally blue?” Lady Grey asked.

“Did anyone think to check?” Jack asked. Lady Grey seemed taken aback. “BB is a… umm… a mutant. Her hair is naturally blue. She… er… dyed it blonde back when she was working, because she... erm… didn’t want to get into trouble. Now that she’s in the Vanguard she let her hair go back to normal.”

“We assure you We shall investigate this matter fully,” Lady Grey replied.

“I can guarantee you that if you check every hair on Bunni’s head, you find them all naturally blue,” Jack said. At least now, you will, he thought. “And please let Colonel Lennox know that I’m gratified so much of the time and attention of her top flight team of security experts is spent on analyzing Bubble Bunni’s hair.”

“We will certainly address the source of the complaint if it was erroneous,” Lady Grey said. “Dismissed, Commander.”

Whistling to himself, Jack turned and strode out of Lady Grey’s office. Hopefully the Lady would put a stop to the Magdalene or whoever in her organization was so dead set on giving Jack and his team grief. It would be a happy day if the only problems he had to deal with were the Rikti and not his own side in the war.

Now all I’ve got to do is somehow tell BB that I’ve made her hair naturally blue, Jack thought to himself. Hopefully she won’t mind.

---

origianlly posted by Kyle Al Mordu


Timeframe: Approximately 1 month ago.

Brian Tyler was a good worker. At 19 he had landed what he thought would be a great job, working for the Vanguard. As it turned out, reality was not as exciting as he thought. He was assigned to the Atlas DPO doing janitorial and maintenence work. All day long he watched the heroes and soldiers pass by on their way to the War Zone and he longed for a chance to help. However he was under orders not to use the teleporter and not to enter the Vanguard base.

One night, after completing his rounds through the DPO, Brian decided to just take a quick look around the Vanguard base. He went to the teleporter, activated it and was instantly transported to the main Vanguard base. He quickly climbed up to the catwalks above the main corridors so he wouldn't be seen. There were not many people around but he did see a man in a lab coat hurry into the medical area. He was talking into a communicator. " I'm sorry Sunstorm, I've tested everyone here on the base, no one is a match. I'll have to start testing others, but it will take time we do not have." Brian moved closer to try to get a better view of what was going on. The man turned his head slightly to where Brian was hiding and said " I'll call you back, something has come up here." Brian didn't know if he had been seen and he wasn't going to stick around to find out. He started back along the catwalk and down the stairs to the teleporter when a purplish haze formed around him. He was then standing face to face with the man in the lab coat!

"Aren't you a little far from your assigned duties Mr. Tyler?" Brian was freaking out, how did he know his name and how did he get back here? "Don't panic, you are not in any trouble, you just saved me the time of going to Atlas to test you. I'm Professor Martin Starr and I need your help. Just hold still and let me scan you." Professor Starr looked at a readout and smiled. "A 98% match, this is excellent. The help I need from you is to save a life. Tell me Brian, do you know what a Kheldian is?"

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Nine
(This takes place following the AE Lancers Mission - Scavenger Hunt and immediately prior to the Keith Nance missions.)

With all the grace and panache of a water buffalo, Sergeant McCabe sank into the chair opposite's Jack's and sighed. Jack leaned forward onto his desk and looked at the grizzled soldier.

"So how did our newest recruits turn out?" he asked.

"Sir, that Temblor kid is all right," McCabe admitted. "Level head, good instincts, and he can turn into a giant rock man."

"You serious?"

"I've got the bruises to prove it, sir," McCabe said.

"So what's the problem?" Jack said.

"The other one, Fusionette, is a complete idiot," the sergeant admiited "she failed against the drones - the drones. No one fails against the drones. My grandmama could beat the drones."

"The advanced drones? That master eliminator one is pret-"

"The stupid basic drones!" McCabe snapped. "The ones that can barely walk in a straight line! She managed to get every drone on the map targeting her at once. At once! How she did it, I'll never know. Never."

"She washed out in the first exercise?"

"She washed out in the first three minutes! It's a record!" McCabe sputtered. "You can't take that girl into combat. She'll get the whole unit killed. She's like a magnet for badness. An airheaded magnet."

"Well, one out of two isn't-"

"Get this! The Temblor kid turned us down!" McCabe was seriously upset. "He says if his girlfriend isn't going to be in the unit, he don't want to be neither! Says he doesn't want to be seperated from her! From her!"

"Better to let them go now than to have them freak out or screw up in combat," Jack said.

"You got that right, sir! You've got that right!"

"Guess that's it for recruits then," Jack said. "Two washouts."

Sergeant McCabe leaned forward.

"No, it isn't," he said and his smile was so intense it would scare small children. "We got us one more volunteer. Ran him through right after those dopey kids. I was at my wits end, but he looked too good to pass up."

"Sergeant, your eagerness is unnerving," Jack said. "I take it this new recruit was above average?"

"He's a prodigy, sir," McCabe said. "Young kid from Japan. Big grudge against the Rikti. Says he came here to volunteer 'cause we're the best bet for fighting them."

"He's that good?" Jack asked.

"Seeing is believing, sir," McCabe said. "Wanted into the Lance, specifically. You got a moment for him?"

"Sure, sergeant, sure."

"Tokugawa!" McCabe barked. "Get your ass in here!"

"Nice to see yo- What? Whoa!" Jack's aplomb was shattered when the new recruit walked into his office.

"Taro Tokugawa, Razortail, reporting for duty, sir!"

Taro Tokugawa was enormous, bright orange and covered in pointed spines. His darker orange hair was pulled back in a pony tail and his long, thin, razor-edged tail swished back and forth behind him as he saluted. He looked like something bullets would bounce off of and Jack didn't want to think about what getting punched by one of those massive fists would feel like.

"I'm glad your on my side, Razortail," Jack said. "You've impressed Sergeant McCabe and that's hard to do. Welcome to the Lance."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Dismissed."

"You head on down to supply," McCabe said "and get yourself a uniform, or something in the right colors that'll fit."

"On my way, sergeant!"

McCabe closed the door as the young Japanese mutant left.

"You won't be seein' the likes of that every day," the sergeant said.

"If he can fight like he looks," Jack said "one will be enough."

"That's the truth, sir, and no mistake."

"Anything else, sergeant?"

"Well," McCabe began. "Sir, I went down to records and pulled my file."

"Oh?"

"Sure enough, the system says I'm ten years younger than I am," McCabe said. "How solid is that?"

"Solid enough that all your records look that way," Jack said. "If someone wants to verify your credit card and asks you your birthday, knock ten years off it or they'll think you're a crook."

"Does everyone think that way?" McCabe asked.

"Not everyone, every computer system," Jack replied. "I can't control people's minds. People who knew your age before will still know, and they'll notice the system has the date wrong if they check. Try and avoid Lady Grey. If she was going to cashier you out later this year and she still sees you around, she may start wondering what you're still doing on base."

"We're about done with recruits," McCabe said "and I don't see a lot of future except for sitting around the base. Be a tough deal avoiding her eye."

"Actually, I wanted your advice on something," Jack said. "Lady Grey has decided to assign me a dozen Vanguard soldiers as a combat unit to back up the super-powered Lancers. Integrating them into the unit is going to be a tough deal - mixing regular humans and guys who can lift cars has its problems."

McCabe nodded.

"You take a bunch of vets into battle with your newbie supers, there's bound to be trouble," McCabe agreed. "You'll need a top flight top kick. Take a good hand with a lot of combat experience to keep things smooth. You want my recommendation, I know a couple of guys who might cut the-"

"Actually, Sergeant," Jack said "I wanted to know if you wanted the job."

McCabe seemed taken aback.

"Me, sir?" the sergeant said "Not too old?"

"What do you think?"

"I'm your man, sir! I'm your man."

"Let's go and get you another rocker to go under those chevrons, Top," Jack said "and stay out of sight of Lady Grey. I've got enough to explain on a daily basis as it is."

McCabe started laughing.

"You're trouble and a half, sir," he admitted "but thank God you're on our side."

*** *** ***

"Lady Grey, if you have a moment?" Incandescent asked. She walked across the room as the meeting broke up like a model walking down the runway and even the serene Lady Grey had to admire her aplomb.

"Is there an issue?" Lady Grey asked.

"Not regarding anything we were just speaking of," Incandescent said "but rather, there has been some interest in Doctor Pomfroy's work."

"His teleportation efforts?" Lady Grey inquired.

"Only tangentially," Incandescent replied. "Obviously many of the U. N. Charter members are highly curious about it but release of that technology is clearly solely a matter for Vanguard's discretion. No, the interest concerns portal technology."

"Portal technology?" Lady Grey said. "We would think that would be an obvious matter to bring to the Portal Corporation."

"Portal Corporation is very secretive and the United States government moves to block any access to their work," Incandescent explained.

"With good reason," Lady Grey replied.

"Of course," Incandescent said "but Portal Corporation did release a great deal of their research to the Vanguard, and it has been Doctor Pomfroy who has been working with that information."

"That is correct."

"There has been some curiousity if any of Doctor Pomfroy's discoveries in teleportation would have similar applications in portal technology," Incandescent said "and since theoretical physics isn't my field, I'm afraid I'm unable to adequately respond to some of the inquiries. If you don't mind, I'd like to spend some time with Doctor Pomfroy and get a better understanding of his work."

"Certainly," Lady Grey said "We shall inform the Doctor that you'll be speaking with him."

"Thank you," Incandescent said. "I know he's very busy and I didn't want to interrupt his efforts without warning."

"We appreciate your thoughtfulness, as always," Lady Grey replied.

*** *** ***

The man called Biopulse laid his head down on the pillow and put his hands behind his head. After a moment he sighed and closed his eyes. The barracks at the Vanguard Compound weren't luxurious by any means, and he'd heard members of his unit complain about the furntiure, the beds, the air quality, the food and almost everything else.

Compared with living in the burned out shacks of Mercy Island and drinking toxic sludge from the waste recycling system, the place was paradise as far as he was concerned. Maybe in time he'd come to be accepted and then maybe he could convince someone - Pentecost or Gaussian or somebody to help the others. Biopulse was living proof that drinking that slime didn't have to be the end of the road.

He knew he had a long way to go before fitting in. People treated him like he had some sort of plague. They didn't understand that his condition wasn't contagious. They called his kind Infected, as if they'd contracted some kind of disease - confusing them with the Contaminated who'd rampaged through Paragon City a few years ago.

Biopulse knew he looked like some sort of radioactive Dawn of the Dead reject. He knew his discolored skin and glowing eyes made people uneasy. What he had trouble understanding is how giant alien monsters could be welcomed as part of a 'team' and somehow actual human beings could not.

He sighed again. Give it time, he told himself.

Footsteps and laughter interrupted his reverie. He cracked his eyes open to see two women ducking into the male barracks. The way this wing of the Compound was designed, it was shorter to duck through the male portion of the barracks to get to the Embarkation Area than it was to take the hallways - and often people did during the day when the barracks were generally empty.

It was the tiny woman called Pip Squeak and the medic, Maridian. Pip Squeak looked and sounded exactly like an eleven-year old blonde girl, despite the fact that she was something like forty and could put her hand through a brick wall. Maridian was a buxom russet-haired woman whom everyone liked, despite the fact that, as far as Biopulse could tell, she stayed in the background, didn't talk very much and seemed to keep to herself.

"I haven't been out on the town since I got out of the slam," Pip Squeak was saying, her words totally incongruous with her innocent appearance. "You sure this will work?"

"Two-day passes are rare," Maridian said in reply "and I think we should enjoy the one we got."

"I'm just saying..."

"I have psychic powers," Maridian said. "I can get you in the club. What you do after that is up to you."

"That's good enough for me!"

Biopulse sat up on the bed.

"Afternoon, ladies," he said.

Both women twitched at his sudden appearance and then looked at each other.

"Hi... Biopulse," Pip Squeak said slowly.

"We were just cutting through to the helipad," Maridian said.

"I understand," Biopulse said. Neither woman would meet his eyes. Maybe it was their glow.

"We don't want to be late," Pip Squeak said too quickly. "Take it easy!"

The two almost ran from the room.

Biopulse sank back down onto the bed. He still had twenty minutes before his meeting with Doctor Pomfroy. Apparently he'd missed a briefing on some new 'translocation technology' and needed to make it up.

Life in the Vanguard was definitely a step up from life with the Infected on the streets of Mercy Island, that was for sure.

It was a lot more lonely, though.

*** *** ***

"I don't understand," Bunni was saying as she and Jack walked down the hallway. "There are lots of guys on the team better qualified than me. Why do I get to sit down with Colonel Mathers?"

"Because people like you," Jack replied "and a lot of the group, well ... they don't come across as completely trustworthy."

"Everyone doesn't like me," Bunni said. "I keep getting written up."

"I think that's because someone doesn't like me," Jack replied "and they're taking it out on you. I'm sorry for that."

"Well, they suck," Bunni said.

"We're in agreement there," Jack said.

"So run this by me again," Bunni went on "why me?"

"Because you're friendly and charming and pleasant," Jack said "not to mention attractive-"

"You mean hot."

"That too," Jack said "and, add to that the fact that you also seem ... well ... harmless and I'm hop..."

Jack trailed off as Incandescent came walking the other way. Both he and Bunni stared at the woman for a moment before recovering themselves. For her part, the leader of the Herald didn't even deign to look at them, she simply strode by as if they didn't exist.

"There's something wrong about her," Bunni said.

"Oh?" Jack said.

"She doesn't move right," Bunni went on.

"What does that mean?"

"I've spent a lot of time studying how women move, especially how women who want to be attractive move," Bunni explained "and she doesn't move like them. She moves like a man."

"She does not," Jack replied.

"She moves like a man trying to move like a woman," Bunni said. "If that makes any sense."

Jack cocked his head to the side and stared at Incandescent's retreating form. Odd. Very odd.

"She does have a weird sort of ... spiky yellow-black aura around her," he said slowly. "I've never met her before. I don't know if that's normal. I do know that she's not a man. I'm pretty sure she's human."

"Pretty sure?"

"With some of these extreme powers, it can get hard to tell," Jack admitted.

"Don't be all upset," Bunni said with a smile. "She wouldn't go out with you anyway."

Jack laughed.

"She's not my type," he replied.

"Oh - tall, successful and blazingly smoking hot isn't your type!" Bunni joked.

"Entitled, disinterested and condescending isn't my type," Jack replied.

"Gee, it's not like there any of those types around here!" Bunni said.

"The sad story of my life," Jack said.

"So why am I doing this again?"

"We have an opportunity to get someone training on piloting the Heavy Vanguard Assault Suit," Jack said. "I don't think they'd be too keen on the first pilot being an alien - and would you trust MacDice with one of those things!? I'm betting that Colonel Mathers will green-light the idea if the pilot is you."

"Because I'm so charming," Bunni said.

"Because you come across as non-threatening," Jack emphasized "and nobody else in the unit does."

"He doesn't know me very well, does he?"

"No. That's the whole darn point."

*** *** ***

Doctor Pomfroy was highly uncomfortable around Incandescent. He didn't interact one on one with amazingly attractive women that often, and certainly not with amazingly attractive women who were so intelligent. He found it rather intimidating.

"So the Portal Corporation's records weren't complete?" the woman was saying. Pomfroy's collar felt unusually tight.

"We weren't interested in building portals," Pomfroy said "we were interested in blocking them. We don't want the Rikti opening another gate to their homeworld and bringing more troops to Earth. For that we didn't need all the design specifications, we just needed an overview of the general theories and some details about the fields the portal rings create."

"So you haven't seen any of the technical layouts of the concentric gateway array?"

"I didn't say that," Pomfroy replied. "Doctor Macintyre and I have been in constant communication for several years and often exchange information. Without her input, I might never have cracked the Rikti teleportation problems."

"I have trouble following the higher level math," Incandescent said. "Could you show me the portal specs and maybe explain to me how the ring array works?"

"I'd be happy to," Pomfroy said. He started to type his password into the system when a knock on the door interrupted him. Pomfroy looked up to see a mutated zombie in a Vanguard uniform enter his lab.

"I'm sorry," Biopulse said. "You were supposed to brief me on the translocation system at three o'clock. I can come back if this is a bad time."

"Ah, yes, you must be that new recruit from Mercy Island," Pomfroy said. "You're right on time. Just give me a few minutes, this shouldn't take that long."

"Not at all," Incandescent said, her smile bright and wide. "Why don't you come right in. Close the door behind you, please."

*** *** ***

For what seemed like the thousandth time, Jack stood in Lady Grey's office and looked over the Old World furnishings. This time, however, her desk was perfectly clean and organized, it's green leather top free of paperwork and Lady Grey herself was looking right at him rather than signing things with her fountain pen.

"Have a seat, Commander," she said.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"Whatever makes you think something is amiss?" Lady Grey asked.

"You've never asked me to sit down before," Jack replied. He gingerly slid one of the old wood and leather chairs away from the desk and settled into it.

"One must allow for unusual occurences, Commander," Lady Grey says.

"I do try," Jack replied. "Speaking of which, Bunni thinks there's something odd about Incandescent."

"Odd? In what way?"

"Says she's probably a man," Jack replied. Lady Grey's face looked stunned and she fought down laughter.

"Incandescent - a man?" she said, incredulous.

"She did have the weirdest yellow-black aura I'd ever seen," Jack said "but I couldn't say for sure."

Lady Grey shook her head.

"Incandescent has served the Vanguard to the best of her abilities for years," she said "We do not have time to entertain such idle speculation."

"Just thought I'd say," Jack replied. "Why did you want to see me?"

"We have good news," Lady Grey said. "The Divisions Chiefs have met and have approved your promotion to Colonel." She placed a new set of insignia on the desk before him.

"To Colonel?" Jack asked, eyes wide. "Why?"

"In a few short months, you have created an unusually effective military unit," Lady Grey explained. "You have conducted successful operations against the enemy, entirely eliminating their subversive Lost operation in Paragon City and thwarting their efforts to acquire both magical and psychic resources. We consider this ample reason to reward your achievements with visible recognition."

Jack met her eyes.

"Visible recognition?" he asked, his mind latching onto that phrase.

"We also consider it wise to standardize your rank within the Vanguard," she said.

Jack nodded.

"This would clearly make me the equal of the Magdalene, wouldn't it?" he said. "Is that the whole point?"

Lady Grey's face drew closed and her grey eyes bored into his.

"We will not tolerate a private vendetta between our officers," she snapped."We find it unpleasant enough that Colonel Lennox seems unduly fixated on you. Do not start a similar campaign from your own side. Everything We do does not revolve around you or Colonel Lennox."

"Sorry," Jack said and meant it. "Sometimes I do focus too much on that woman. It's hard not to be distracted sometimes."

"You cannot allow yourself distractions," Lady Grey said. "We have agreed to you proposal to rebuild the Tin Mage and We expect that effort to occupy much of your time. Simultaneously, We expect you to continue your operations against the Lost and the Rikti. You do not have the luxury of a private feud with another officer. Are We clear?"

"Perfectly," Jack said. "I'll try and steer clear of Internal Security. You're right, I have better things to do with my time."

"Speaking of which," Lady Grey said "We have a request."

The tone she used made it clear it was anything but a request.

"Yes?"

"Appoint officers," she replied. "Your unit is becoming too large and your operations too broad for one man to manage. Delegation is the mark of a successful leader."

Jack sighed.

"Got it," he said. "I don't know how that works in the Vanguard but I suppose the process takes some time..."

Lady Grey slid a stack of paper across the table.

"We have pre-approved your promotions, whenever you decide what they are."

Jack felt his jaw drop. The forms were all blank, but signed. She'd given him carte blance.

"I dont..." he started then began again. "I don't get it."

"Despite your successes and Our approval of them," Lady Grey replied "We wish to continue to maintain a visible and functional distance between Ourselves and your operation. We have no interest in reviewing and approving your staff."

"You want to be able to claim that you had no idea who my officers were or even when I appointed them!?" Jack asked. "Why!?"

"Let us hope that you never need to find out," Lady Grey said.

"Lady," Jack said "this is getting too-"

The phone on her desk rang. The sound was so jarring that Jack jumped and even Lady Grey seemed startled. She pushed the button to put the call on speakerphone.

"We are right in the middle..."

"You had better get down to the labs," came Dark Watcher's sepulchral tones "Doctor Pomfroy is dead."

For all her austere charm and royal dignity, Lady Grey could really move when she wanted to. Her high-heeled boots left echoes down the hallways and Jack was hard-pressed to keep up with her. She took the stairs three at a time and before Jack could gather his thoughts, they were at the door to Pomfroy's lab.

Lady Grey slid to a stop, gathered herself, and walked in as if she were taking a walk in the park. Jack simply sauntered in and then stopped dead, jaw dropping.

Blood was everywhere. It had pooled on the floor, was smeared on the walls, and lay spattered across the mangled bodies of half a dozen lab workers, their once white coats now stained bright scarlet.

"I always forget how bright blood is..." Jack mumbled to himself "... until I see it fresh again."

Lady Grey looked at him blankly for a moment and turned back to the room. From the shadows, Dark Watcher stepped forward.

"Do not touch anything until a forensics team is here," he said.

"We understand," Lady Grey said in a quiet tone.

Jack took a moment to collect his thoughts and cast a subtle spell.

MacDice, he sent grab whoever's around and get down to Pomfroy's lab right now.

Commander!? came the startled thought.

Just do it.

Very carefully Jack took a couple of steps forward. The Dark Watcher moved to block him but Lady Grey waved him aside. Jack squatted down next to the bloody remains. Most of them he didn't recognize, members of the physics lab he'd never met, but the twisted form of Doctor Pomfroy was amongst them. The Doctor had died hard. His face was frozen in a rictus of agony and his limbs all seemed dislocated.

Without touching him, Jack moved to the next body. This one had just been slashed to ruins, and awful purple bruises showed where a powerful hand had crushed her windpipe and snapped her neck. All of the bodies showed signs of marked violence but only Pomfroy had been tortured. As he slowly moved amongst the wreckage, Jack heard Lady Grey and Dark Watcher calling for assistance.

Clattering feet warned Jack of his approaching soldiers.

"Keep everyone outside of the room, MacDice," Jack said loudly.

"On it," MacDice replied. His mustached face peeked into the room for a sec and then twisted up in an expression of pain. "Saints preserve us! It's the Doc! They've killed him!"

Jack turned back to Lady Grey.

"This place is a slaughterhouse," he said. "I think they got the whole translocation research team."

"Rikti do not kill like this," Lady Grey said.

"I didn't say it was Rikti," Jack replied. He saw Levantera and Borea step by MacDice and enter the room. The sisters gasped in unison.

Jack felt dangerously angry. Angerier than he'd felt in a long time... since he'd been on the Rikti Homeworld and Tor'saad had brought out the Spine of Obedience... Jack dropped those memories. They had no purpose in the here and now.

"...we won't know until the Forensics Team begins its investigation," Dark Watcher was saying as Lady Grey folded her arms and scowled.

"Hell with that," Jack said. "The hell with that."

He turned back to the bloody room and took off his glasses, handing them to whoever stood behind him. His mystic vision sprang to life and after taking a moment to focus, Jack began to peel back the veil of time. Shapes and figures moved, not visible forms but outlines or spirits - movements on a higher plane. Jack traced the motions through the actions and interactions of souls. After a few moments, he rolled his focus back to the present.

"Two people were here alone, talking," Jack said, still staring into the room, not looking back at the people behind him. "I'm guessing the Doc and someone else. A third person knocked and entered the room and they all stood by the computer for a minute or two. Then one of them, Doctor Pomfroy again, I guess, made a call and his research team trickled into the room one by one. Once they were all there, the person he'd been talking to originally tortured him while they systemetically slaughetered his team one by one before his eyes. When they were done, the fiddlied on the computer a bit, then killed the Doc."

Jack turned back to the room and reached for his glasses. Levantera had been holding them and she met his eyes and started, going white. Jack Pentecost's eyes were pools of green fire and gazing into them was like staring into the raging gates of hell. Jack calmly fixed his glasses back onthe bridge of his nose and turned back to the scene of carnage.

"Only one managed to crawl off," Jack said "back over here."

He took a few steps around the console and behind the big translocation unit to find a body laying face down on the floor, its Vanguard uniform a shredded ruin.

"Oh hell," Jack muttered "it's one of mine."

He knelt down next to the broken form of Biopulse. The mutated engineer was cut so badly he looked like a jigsaw puzzle with a bunch of pieces missing. Deep red blood, darker than a human's, oozed from the open wounds which covered his body.

"Dammit," Jack muttered. "He deserved better than this."

He reached down and rolled the mangled once-hero over. Biopulse's eyes were closed, their eerie glow now quenched ... or not. The Infected hero coughed weakly and his eyes flickered open, shedding a sickly light.

"You're alive!?" Jack gasped, incredulous.

Biopulse coughed again. Lady Grey and her subordinates came running around the console.

"Take... more than... that bastard has... to... put... me down," Biopulse gasped.

"I need a medical team down here now!" Lady Grey was shouting into some transceiver "I want this man kept alive at all costs!"

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"Came down... for that... stupid... briefing," Biopulse said weakly. "darn... whine(r)... was talking to... the Doc..."

"Who was?" Lady Grey demanded.

"Incan... descent," Biopulse said.

"Her body is not amongst the dead," Dark Watcher intoned.

"She asks... the Doc... all sorts... of questions," Biopulse went on "so he... has to... get his... team down here."

He drew a long shuddering breath.

"Once they're... all together... she..." he hacked weakly and spat blood "she changes into this... this... snakey-like freakazoid guy... and goes berserk..." he coughed again. "I hit that bastard with... everything I had... and he laughed at me. Laughed at me... and then... his hands started... glowing with... energy and... BAM... I'm across the room. I got... up... but he started... ripping into me... dunno... what happened then.... blacked out."

"Take it easy, Biopulse," Jack said.

"Screw that," the Infected shouted then subsided "might not... make it... need to know... this freaky guy... killed everyone... ripped them... apart.... he hurt... the Doc... bad."

"Pomfroy is dead," Jack said.

Biopulse closed his eyes for a second.

"Sorry," he said when he opened them again. "Couldn't... stop him."

"Jack!" MacDice called from across the room "got some guys with a stretcher here!"

"Enough of this," Lady Grey said. "Let them in, MacDice! Take Biopulse to the Infirmary immediately. We want every inch of this room examined. We want to know what happened! And We want to see all of my Division Chiefs and you Colonel Pentecost in the briefing room in one hour!"

The room became a blur of activity.


*** *** ***


"We are not pleased," Lady Grey said in a tone like a drop forge "and We demand answers."

All of the Divisions Chiefs stood at attention around the table where Lady Grey sat and on the other side of the table stoof Jack and Colonel Lennox, the Magdalene - head of Lady Grey's personal Security team.

"Watcher," Lady Grey snapped "explain to Us what is going on."

For the first time Jack had ever seen, the Dark Watcher seemed nervous. He wrang his hands like a schoolboy called up before the class by the teacher before recovering himself.

"It was Protean," the Dark Watcher said.

"Protean!?" Lady Grey inquired.

"Reports indicate that Protean penetrated the Portal Corpoations secure networks and stole several of the details of their dimensional portal technology," Watcher went on "however, he tripped several internal system alarms and was forced to flee the facility before he could copy all of the plans."

"Why were We not informed?" Lady Grey demanded. "An assault on such critical and classified information should have resulted in an emergency bulletin going to all parties who share any of that information!"

Gaussian coughed.

"Standard protocol is to send such a report through channels," he said, not meeting anyone's eyes "and in this case those channels run through our U. N. representative."

"Incandescent," Lady Grey breathed.

"We believe that Protean murdered and replaced Incandescent prior to word reaching her of the break in at Portal Corporation," Dark Watcher said "thus he was able to block word of the incident from reaching and gain access to our facilities."

"How long prior?" Lady Grey asked, her voice stern.

"We... er... we don't know," Gaussian said.

"You don't know!?" Lady Grey snarled. "Gentlemen, this is not acceptable! Protean could have access to our facilities for months!"

"We do not believe that Protean's interest was in any of our operations nor in helping the Rikti," Dark Watcher pointed out. "We believe his sole interest was the portal technology. By accessing our files, he was able gain the missing pieces to the data he stole from Portal Corporation."

"We do not care what you believe!" Lady Grey shouted. "We wants facts not idle suppositions!"

"As you say," Dark Watcher replied.

"Why did he want this information?" Lady Grey asked.

"We don't know yet," Dark Watcher replied.

"We are not amused," Lady Grey snapped. "Furthermore," she continued, turning to where Levantera and Borea sat "We wish to know how this vile shapeshifter was able to replace one of Our key personnel and penetrate this facility entirely undetected!"

Levantera and Borea stared at each other for a moment, their faces white.

"And how was this miscreant able sit next to Us in council and not be discovered!" Lady Grey said, turning her anger on the Magdalene. Colonel Lennox snapped to attention.

"In her defense," Jack Pentecost said slowly "Protean has fooled Longbow, the Freedom Phalanx, Hero Corps, Manticore and Back Alley Bralwer."

Lady Grey's eyes blazed.

"I don't need your help," the Magdalene said through gritted teeth, somehow managing to speak without moving her lips. Jack doubted anyone else in the room had heard her.

"You're getting it anyway," JackPentecost whispered quietly.

"Drop dead," the Magdalene replied.

"Colonel Pentecost," Lady Grey said, oblivious to the exchange between her subordinates "you alone managed to warn Us of something amiss with Incandescent and We disregarded your opinion. We regret that now. However, now is not the time for your typical levity. We need answers and We do not have them!"

She whirled on Gaussian and Dark Watcher.

"We want to know the fate of Incandescent! We want to know how long this thing has been impersonating her! We want to know what he had access to, what he took and where he went and we want to know now!"

Both men swallowed and nodded.

She rounded on Levantera, Borea and the Magdalene.

"Obviously Our secuity is wholly inadequate!" Lady Grey thundered. "We want to know how anyone, anyone, shapeshfter, spirit or superbeing could enter the most secure areas of Our demense, slaughter Our subjects and simply saunter out of our facility! And once We know how this could possibly have happened We want to know what you are going to do to prevent it from ever happening again!"

None of the women dared make a sound.

"Colonel Pentecost," Lady Grey said, turning back to him. Her voice was as sweet as honey which somehow made it all the more sinister. "We have a special job for you."

"Lady?"

"We have been contacted by the FBSA regarding this Protean," she said sweetly. "A Special Agent Jenni Adair has been recommended to us. She has some theories as to his activities and has requested information from Us given recent occurences. We have spoken with her and an associate of hers, one Keith Nance. He very urgently wishes to speak with you and your team. We believe that these agents are on the trail of the very same Protean. We wish you to offer them every assistance."

"Understood," Jack replied.

"We do not believe you fully understand Us," Lady Grey said. "We wish to make certain."

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"We wish you to take every resource at your disposal and locate this Protean," Lady Grey said. "We wish you to track down this man who has violated Our home, murdered Our people and stolen from Us and We wish you to make certain that his vile presence no longer continues to pollute this planet. We want Protean dead. We do not wish to hear of his arrest or his detention. We want him to suffer Our just and terrible vengeance! Are we clear!?"

"Quite clear," Jack Pentecost said. "I want to make one thing clear..."

"We do not require your opinion," Lady Grey seethed. "Ours is the Right of High and Low Justice and Ours is the Right to dispense it as We see fit!"

"Listen to me very carefully," Jack Pentecost snarled and his voice brooked no refusal. "I am not an assassin. I do not accept commissions to murder people. I'll do this - I will hunt down and kill Protean like the scum he is because he wasted Doc Pomfroy and I liked Doc Pomfroy. I'll do it because he probably killed Biopulse and the poor guy deserved better than that. I won't do it because you're paying me to do it and I won't do it just because you want me to."

"We do not care as to your reasons," Lady Grey said in a cold tone. "We care only for your results."

"Fair enough," Jack Pentecost replied.

"You have Our permission to be about your business," Lady Grey informed him. Jack turned and waked from the room. Before he could close the door, he could hear Lady Grey snapping orders out at her Division Chiefs.

Jack stood in the hallway and breathed deeply for a moment, gathering himself. A very concerned Michiko stood at attention infront of him.

"Get ahold of everyone you can," Jack said "and tell them all to meet me in Talos Island in two hours. We need to find Field Agent Keith Nance. Let them know I'll fill them in along the way."

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Eleven
(This immediately follows the Jenni Adair missions.)

The air was filled with acrid soot and it burned his throat as Jack struggled to breathe. For what seemed the millionth time he wiped the sweat from his eyes and readied another spell. The battle had set most of the lab equipment on fire and the generators by the portal were spewing vile clouds of toxic ash that made the whole room seem murky. The huge metal rings which formed the portal aperture were screaming, making the most awful sounds Jack had ever heard something inanimate make - but at least no more neo-nazis were coming through it.

This entire operation was coming apart and the whole team was looking ragged for the simple reason that Protean would not die. Even as Jack watched a bloody and soot-stained MacDice raced in, blades extended. For a moment blood flew everywhere and their enemy was covered with a dozen gaping wounds... but then the wounds closed an Protean's hand were glowing with crimson energy. He lashed out at MacDice and only the man's preternatural speed enabled him to dodge the attack.

They needed to come up with something different, something Protean wasn't expecting. The team was going to wear down long before he did, and the results wouldn't be pretty. This day has just gone from bad to worse, Jack reflected.

The morning had started with his sitting in the infirmary next to Biopulse's bed. Despite the fact that Biopulse looked like a radioactive zombie, he certainly wasn't as resilient as one. His man to man battle with Protean had left him so badly mauled it was a wonder he was still alive. The doctors had the unconscious man hooked up to a dozen machines and it was all they could do to keep him alive. Apparently his physiology was so severely mutated from the norm that typical measures were of limited effectiveness - or so the physicians said. They were at a loss what to do next. They'd managed to stabilize Biopulse, but beyond that it was up to fate.

"Got some good news and some bad news," Jack said to the unconscious man. "The good news is, believe it or not, you've been awarded the Purple Heart for services rendered." Jack laid the little case with the medal and ribbon in it on the night stand. "The bad news is, we still don't have a clue where Protean is, so I'm not too sure if we're going to be able to get payback for what happened to you-"

The communicator on his belt buzzed. Jack picked it up and the little holo-display activated.

"Pentecost," Jack said. "Talk to me."

"This is Special Agent Adair," a sharp voice said. Jenni Adair was a petite woman with dark hair but her every movement crackled with a barely contained energy that made her seem twice her size. That somehow came across even through her voice and the fuzzy little image in the holo-field. "We've got a location on that rogue portal. It's in on old warehouse on Talos Island."

"We're there," Jack said. "Thanks, Jenni."

"Stop Protean," Special Agent Adair said "and be careful, Jack, the man is dangerous."

"Not as dangerous as we are," Jack assured her. He clicked the transceiver off and the image disappeared. "Good news, bud," he said to Biopulse "we've got a solid lead on the guy who did this to you. If we find him, we're going to be bringing him back in pieces."

Jack's Lancer team had armed itself to the teeth before using poor Doc Pomfroy's translocation device to teleport them right to the warehouse. It had been a moment's work to charm the locked gate open and go in, guns blazing - which they'd needed to do as the old warehouse was simply a facade for a major Fifth Column base.

The Fifth Column were a bunch of fascist madmen spawned by the super-powered survivors of the Axis' attempt to conquer the world. Despite endless attempts to exterminate the Nazi group, it somehow managed to survive, always coming back and striking from some hidden vantage point. The "warehouse" was a classic Fifth Column operation. A rusty shell on the outside, on the inside it boasted a dozen underground levels and a seemingly endless horde of red-and-black garbed goons armed with machine guns, rifles, rocket launchers and flame throwers.

Not that any amount of paramilitary nutjobs with conventional weapons stood a chance against the Lancers. Jack's team had ruthlessly fought their way down level by level, clearing every room and leaving nothing alive behind them. Jack had mystically sealed every exit as they moved forward, making certain no one could escape if they managed to get by his assault force. If Protean was in this base, he'd have no chance of slipping out, no matter what form he shape-changed into.

They'd finally managed to force their way into an enormous red-lit laboratory, dominated by a massive portal gateway - a huge device made up of circular rings which generated an energy-field capable of bridging the gap between dimensions. Even as Pole Shift kicked the heavy steel security doors to the room open, a company of soldiers was rushing from the gateway and into the room. The newcome army looked for direction to one man who stood before the portal laughing, and that man was Protean.

The arch-villain certainly wasn't much to look at - a thin man in a ratty trench coat and brown hat wearing a rumpled pair of pants and little else. His skin was more reptilian than human and his eyes glowed with an eerie yellow light. Protean radiated a malevolence that belied his slim form. He seemed to have an almost superhuman aura of menace.

Those inhuman yellow eyes took in the tide of angry Lancers that charged into the room and Protean's mouth smiled a hungry smile that showed far too many pointed teeth.

"Pentecost, you think you can stop this?" he laughed. "Funny. I'll enjoy making you scream for mercy - just like Incandescent."

The man's sheer confidence was unnerving. Jack realized that Protean had been well aware that his base was under assault and simply had not cared. He had sacrificed all of his troops simply to buy himself enough time to get his portal properly aligned. He viewed this attack by the Lancers as an annoyance and not as a threat.

It was time to teach him otherwise.

"Take this asshat down," Jack snapped and the team had sprung into motion.

That seemed like hours ago. The newly arrived Fifth Column troops had fallen quickly but the battle with Protean was unending. The Lancer's close-in fighters, MacDice, Teen Tyten, Pole Shift, Star Queen and the rest had been on the murdering shape-shifter in an instant but Protean would not go down. He took wounds that would kill a dozen men and just shrugged them off. His hands glowed with a pulsating energy that left brutal wounds and he was strong enough to bodily hurl people across the room. Maridian's healing talents were hard-pressed to keep up with the injuries that Protean dealt out and Jack had tried every spell he could think of to no avail. Protean could be staggered but he couldn't be brought down no matter what the team did.

The titanic struggled had raged around the room and as energies had flared and powers had been unleashed, the equipment powering the portal had finally succumbed and exploded into flames. This had seemed to cause Protean more distress than anything else the Lancer team had done and the angry shapeshifter had lashed out in a frenzy. His anger made him vulnerable but despite the fact that he'd taken twice as many wounds as before, it made no difference.

Protean would not die.

"How is he doing this?" Jack muttered. Razortail ducked under a powerful swing and his spines cut into Protean's chest and stomach. Unfazed, the shapechanger hit the young Japanese warrior hard enough that Razortail skidded fifteen feet across the room before getting up and moving in again.

"Doing what?" Bunni asked. She'd shielded the entire group, each Lancer had a glowing energy field around them - bright pink no less - and Jack was certain without this added level of protection he'd have had casualties on his hands already.

"Healing like that," Jack said. "Standing up. No one is immortal. No one is indestructible. He has to be getting all this energy to keep himself going from somewhere. Anyone - even Statesman or Recluse or whoever you want to name - isn't invincible. They can be hurt. They can injured. It just takes a lot. This guy - nothing gets to him. How's he doing it?"

Jack gestured and launched a volley of green and purple mystical energy that crackled as it flew across the room. It hit Protean in a wave and for a moment he shook in place, twitching, until he shook off the effect and continued the fight.

Maridian looked up from where she'd been healing MacDice.

"He's draining it from us," she said.

"What!?"

"He draws his power from those around him," she said. "He's leeching it from us. That's why we can't finish him off. I can see it."

"Really!?" Jack said.

"See for yourself," Maridian said and put her hand on the back of Jack's head. For a moment his vision blurred and then he could see. A sickly yellow-black field extended around Protean, an awful miasma that pulsed and during its strong pulses it latched on to anyone around him and drained their life forces. Protean was literally stealing his enemies' life to heal himself.

"Crap," Jack muttered. "Everyone! Get away from him!"

"What!?" MacDice shouted.

"Back off!"

Jack's hands moved through an elaborate series of gestures and a wide greenish smog rolled across the floor under Protean. The reptilian killer's movements slowed noticeably and the Lancer team had time to scramble away.

"This isn't over," Protean laughed. "Manticore couldn't kill me. What makes you think YOU can!?"

Straining as hard as he could, Protean's form seemed to be running in slow motion - moving closer and closer to the group.

"He's stealing our own energy to heal himself," Jack explained to his ragged team. "Anyone who's close to him is just making him stronger."

"I don't think we have the juice to kill him at range," Teen Tyten said.

"I am open to suggestions," Pole Shift put in.

Jack's boosted vision could still see Protean's energy field pulsing, but the time between pulse's was slower now. Apparently the spell Jack had cast had not only affected Protean's movement but whatever part of his metabolism controlled his healing power.

"I've slowed his healing factor down," Jack said "but nowhere near enough."

"He'll be out of your field in a minute," Maridian pointed out.

"No problem, I can cast another one," Jack replied.

"So the best we can achieve is to cause our foe to take fifteen minutes to walk across the room and escape instead of three," Razortail said. "Respectfully, this is suboptimal."

"Why don't we call for help?" Bunni asked.

Jack blinked.

"Call whom?" he said. "Vanguard? If we can't hurt this guy-"

"No," Bunni went on "the PPD."

"The Paragon Police Department!?"

"He's almost out of the field!" Maridian warned.

Jack tuned and repeated his earlier gestures. A new field formed with Protean at the center. The shape shifter began cursing.

"I have a couple of friends who are PPD auxiliaries," Bunni explained "we used to have a girl's night out on alternate Fridays. They have kind of like slow-y powers. You made a big splash with the PPD enhanced units when your Lancer team helped them out during those Lost riots a month ago. Ask them for help."

"You have friends with 'slow-y powers'," Jack said.

"Yeah," Bunni said. "They're PPD auxiliaries."

"Stop," Jack said. He handed her his transceiver. "Call them. Get them. At this point I'll try anything."

Bunni took the unit and dashed off. Jack turned to his battered team.

"Let's lock this guy down until reinforcements get here!" he said. The whole team of Lancers piled onto Protean and knocked him to the ground. Jack heard the distinctive rumbling that was Pole Shift forming some sort of molten weapon and then he saw the shape changer fly across the room and crash into a computer console. Luminous Lad's form exploded into a blaze of white light and in its place was a radiant floating form, an eerie ethereal being the sailed through the air and unleashed a dazzling array of white energy that blasted Protean again and again. Just as the angry killer regained his feet, Razortail and MacDice were on him, blades and spines slicing.

Unconcerned with actually hurting Protean, it was less effort to keep the man simply so occupied he stood no chance of leaving. Jack tossed bolts of crackling energy while the rest of the team knocked Protean around. Maridian made sure no one got too hurt in the process. Gradually Protean's effort turned from trying to kill or cripple his enemies to moving out of the room, as if he realized the Lancer team was up to something, but between the variety of attacks coming in and the valiant efforts of the Lancers' fighters, he never got very far.

The Lancers couldn't hurt Protean but Protean couldn't get away from them. Jack's biggest concern now was the building burning down before Bunni got back. The flames were starting to lick at the ceiling and the rings screaming in the portal array were starting to wobble.

"Colonel," Bunni said from behind him and Jack jumped. He could've sworn she hadn't been there a moment before. "This is Fortissima and Nitroshout."

Jack blinked and almost swore. Between them Bubble Bunni, Fortissima and Nitroshout looked like some sort of cross between Charlie's Angels and the Power Puff Girls. Jack opened his mouth to say something and then closed it, he was in no position to be critical.

"We need to slow this guy down," Jack said. "Way down. He's healing himself by draining the life from everyone around him and we can't let him get away."

"On it," one of the girls said - Jack thought she was Nitroshout - and a weird greenish-blue light flickered from her. Suddenly all of the Lancers were moving faster and Protean was moving slower.

"Piece of cake," the other one said and did something similar. Jack cast his spell again and the greenish smog rolled out under Protean again. The pulsing energy leeching field Protean gave off had slowed to where it has almost stopped.

"Hit him now!" Jack said. "Give it everything you've got!"

The Lancers jumped on the shape shifter and now bruises and wounds that appeared on his reptilian body did not instantly heal.

"We've got him!" Jack crowed.

"OHMIGOD!" Fortissima shouted. "That's Protean!"

"Welcome to the big time," Jack replied. Luminous Lad hit Protean with a burst of pure white light that staggered the shape changer. Protean fell to one knee.

"This isn't the end!" Protean shouted and steadied himself. His hands began to glow even brighter. Jack could see the leeching pulse starting.

"Everyone back away from him!" he yelled. As one, the Lancer team withdrew. Bunni's friends renewed their efforts to keep Protean's speed reduced and Jack re-cast his own spell. Once the pulse had passed, the Lancer team moved in again. Protean took a massive swing at the Star Queen but the alien ruler was easily able to duck under the blow and grab Protean's arm. Jack could hear bones break as she brought the limb down over one knee. Protean screamed and wrenched himself free.

Teen Tyten raced in behind the shapeshifter and launched a kick that hit Protean's spine. Grabbing his foe by both shoulders, Tyten rolled backwards and brought Protean down to the floor hard. The shape changer laid there twitching.

"Finally!" Jack enthused and just at that moment the portal array ring's crashed out of the frame. The entire building shook. Flames were now crackling everywhere and the room began to shake violently.

"Get out of here!" Jack said to Fortissima and Nitroshout. They looked at him. "Run! The whole place is going to blow!"

"What about you!?" one of them asked.

"We can teleport out, you can't!" Jack shouted. "Run!"

The two took off at super-accelerated lightning speed. Another explosion rocked the floor and Jack staggered his way forward to where a broken Protean lay on the floor, vainly trying to regain his feet in ultra-slow motion. There were maybe minutes before the entire complex came down but minutes would be enough. Jack was glad he'd had an excuse to get the two PPD members out of the building.

Protean slowly raised his head and spat blood.

"You think there's a jail out there that can hold me?" he laughed.

"I don't think I care," Jack said. He knocked Protean's hat off and discovered the reptilian shapechanger was bald.

"Going to kill me over that Incandescent fluff?" Protean scoffed.

"I never knew her," Jack said. "This is for Doctor Pomfroy-"

"The geek!?"

"-and Biopulse."

"The geek and the zombie!?" Protean choked. "How sad is that."

Somewhere a generator blew and the floor tilted at a dangerous angle.

"Boss, we don't have time for speeches," Tyten said nervously.

"You're right about that," Jack said. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a bag. "MacDice!"

There was a whisper of steel and a flash and Protean's head was on the floor. Jack picked it up and put it in the sack.

"You're taking his head!?" Bunni asked.

"I know how these things work," Jack said. "Sometimes it's better to make sure."

Beneath his feet, Jack could hear beams buckling.

"Let's go," Jack said. "We're done here."

*** *** ***

It was late at night and Lady Grey was going over the manpower reports for the Sword when there was a soft knock at her door. Somewhat surprised at being disturbed at such an odd hour, she knew better than to display any such emotion and didn't even bother to look up as she continued her review.

"Enter," she said. The door opened and she could feel the distinctive aura of Colonel Pentecost come into her office.

"What can We do for-" she began when something hit her desk with an awful and distinctive thud. Lady Grey started and jerked back in her chair. A soggy and somewhat soot-stained bag lay on the center of her desk. Its contents were just about the right size and shape for...

"There's your parcel," Jack said. "You can mount it on the wall or stick on a spike or whatever you royalty-types do with such things."

"So Protean is dead?" Lady Grey asked, her composure completely recovered.

"As dead as we can make him," Jack replied. "Maybe he can regenerate like an earthworm or bud a new head or split into two like an amoeba or something. Nothing surprises me these days."

"We are satisfied to know that he has suffered as he caused others to suffer," Lady Grey replied.

"Yeah," Jack said.

"You dislike the task We set you to," Lady Grey said. "It bothers you, Colonel Pentecost. This is what fueled your little head-bouncing escapade a moment ago, yes?"

"It's not..." Jack began, then stopped. "It doesn't... it doesn't feel clean."

"And fighting the Rikti does?"

"Actually, yes," Jack replied. "Otherwise I wouldn't do it."

"We are over five centuries old, Colonel Pentecost," Lady Grey said "and We have seen much in Our time. One thing We have learned in all those years is this: there are some people who cannot be made dead enough. If anyone deserved such a fate, it was Protean. In fact, We strongly feel that his punishment was in fact too lenient."

"Yeah," Jack said. "I know that. In my head. Still doesn't feel right."

"But you have no qualms about fighting or killing other sentients at Our command?" Lady Grey asked. "Why? Do you not acknowledge the justice in Protean's death?"

Jack mused for a second before replying.

"You weren't interested in justice," he said then "you were interested in revenge. You wanted Protean dead because he poached on your territory, not because he was a cold-blooded killer. The right or wrong of it didn't matter to you. He'd offended your pride and you wanted him dead for it."

"That is Our burden to bear, Colonel Pentecost," Lady Grey said.

"And because he'd killed a friend of mine, I went along with it," Jack said. "It doesn't sit right with me. Maybe it never will. And that's my problem. I'm just telling you, I don't like it. Next time you need someone assassinated, call the Stiletto."

"We are certain We have no idea what you are talking about," Lady Grey said.

"I didn't think so," Jack said. He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. After a moment, Lady Grey returned to her manpower reports, the bag containing Protean's head carefully placed in her inbox, where it wouldn't stain the leather of her desktop.

*** *** ***

Taro Tokugawa stared at the shreds that had once been a towel. The mutant known as Razortail had luxuriated in the endless hot water of the shower - the battle against Protean had left him covered in soot, blood, sweat and who knew what unmentionable fluids and a long hot steaming shower had seemed like a dream come true. Unfortunately, he had slipped while drying his hair and the towel had caught on a couple of the razor-tipped spines his mutant body sported. What followed would have been a great routine for a vaudeville act and in the end had left his spines covered in little white wisps of wet cotton and him holding a soggy pile of white rags. A certain sense of propriety had forced him to remain in the washroom until he had hand-picked every tuft of cotton off of his body, but the towel could not be fixed.

With a sigh, he tossed it in the garbage bin. Taro was especially glad that no one from the unit had been there to see his escapade. While he enjoyed the weird camaraderie the Lancers had evolved, Razortail knew he'd never have been able to live down MacDice's comments if he'd been caught doing the "tear off the stuck towel" dance.

Tying the waistband of his elastic "Vanguard shorts", Taro walked out of the bathroom and stopped dead. There was a little blonde girl in the men's barracks.

"Excuse me, miss," Taro said politely "but you must be lost. I can escort you to the recreation hall if you'd like and you can find your parents or your escort there."

The blonde girl looked up at him and her mouth scrunched into a wry expression.

"Look, Pokey," she said in an annoyed voice "I am not some lost kid. I'm Lancer Penelope Sequeda, also known as Pip Squeak. I was cutting through the hall here to get to the elevators, and I heard these weird ripping sounds from the men's room. I was debating going in when you came out."

"I am Taro Tokugawa," Razortail replied carefully "better known as Razortail. I would love to join in your game, but there is dangerous equipment here and it is not a place for children. We can play pretend upstairs in the main gymnasium if you wish and I can-"

"You don't listen real well, do you?" the little girl said, shaking her head. Her braids danced back and forth.

"English is not my native language," Taro replied "but I am quite fluent. I also know that the Vanguard does not permit underage recruits. If you are lost, I can perhaps..."

"I'm not lost," the girl said, angry now "and I'm not underaged! Forget it. I'm out of here."

"Unauthorized personnel are not allowed access to Lancer facilities without escort," Taro pointed out. "I can direct you to the elevators or the stairs and-"

"You keep this up, I'm going to bust you one," the girl threatened.

"I am probably three times your weight," Razortail said "and covered in spines. Attacking me would be futile-"

"That's what you think."

"Let me take you upstairs and we'll see if the cafeteria has ice cream while we wait for your parents," Taro said gently, reaching for her arm.

The next thing he knew he was flying across the room. Razortail hit the wall with a bang and slid downwards onto his head. He found himself upside down, looking between his legs at the little girl, who was rolling up one sleeve.

"You touch me again, Pokey, and I'm going to break something!" she said.

"What the hell is going on here!?" a voice shouted and they both turned to see Jack Pentecost standing in the doorway to the men's barracks.

"This child has assaulted me," Taro explained, rolling to his feet.

"This jackass..." the girl began but Jack waved them both to silence.

"Enough," he said. "I can guess what happened. Get out of the men's barracks Squeak and don't let me catch you in here again."

"But he-"

"Squeak! Either you can obey orders or you can't."

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

"And Squeak?"

"Yes, Colonel?"

"Hitting fellow soldiers will be a court martial offence when you pick up your stripes," Jack said. "Head down to McCabe's office and see him about the paperwork."

"Stripes!?"

"I read your fitness report and the after action report on that mess in Bloody Bay. I'm making you a sergeant."

"A sergeant!?'

"Is there an echo in here?"

"No sir!"

"Now get!"

The girl left without another word.

"She hit me and you promoted her!" Razortail said, incredulous.

"Kid, that was Lancer Pip Squeak," Jack said. "She's not twelve, she just looks it. She's also super strong and has anger management problems. She may look like a refugee from middle school but she's hell on wheels in the field. You do as well as she does, you'll have your own stripes. Until then, steer clear of her for a while."

"But she-"

"Just leave her alone," Jack said. "You didn't know and now you do. That's that."

"But she hit me..." Taro began but trailed off when he saw his commanding officer staring at his face. "What?"

“I think you’re going to have one hell of a shiner there,” Jack said.

“Shiner?” Razortail asked, unfamiliar with the term.

“Black eye,” Jack replied “although in your case I guess it would be ‘orange eye’.”

“Your pardon,” Razortail replied “but my skin is yellow.”

“Looks orange to me,” Jack said.

“It must be the lighting,” Razortail explained “in normal sunlight, I assure you, I am yellow.”

“If you say so,” Jack replied. “You’re still going to have one hell of an orange eye in the morning.”

Taro was about to make a witty rejoinder but his eye caught motion behind Jack and he stopped dead as Bubble Bunni walked into the barracks. Jack turned to see what had caused Razortail to pause and his jaw almost dropped.

Bunny was wearing a few scraps of purple armor strategically placed over purple lingerie, high heels and a mask. The effect was devastating.

Jack coughed once before speaking.

"New outfit, BB?" he asked.

"You like it?" she asked.

"It's ... well ... stunning," Jack admitted "although it might be a little risqué."

"Is that a problem?"

"Er ... no."

"Then thanks!" Bunni enthused "I'm off to HVAS training. Catch you guys later!"

Jack and Taro watched Bunni walk away and then turned to look at each other.

"Enlistment in your unit was nothing like I expected," Taro admitted.

"It does have its unexpected advantages," Jack replied.

"Indeed," Razortail said, then winced as his eye started to ache "and disadvantages. Excuse me."

*** *** ***

With a sigh, Jack settled into the chair behind his desk. There were new stacks of paperwork and forms all over it. He sighed.

"What is all this junk!?" he asked.

Michiko stuck her head in the office door.

"I have sorted the requisition forms and approvals in alphabetical order," she said. "Your base construction project has generated a number of invoices. Also, your 'Tin Mage' project requires multiple signatures to the project plans."

"Lovely," Jack said. He picked up a pen and began signing. "Is there anything else?"

“Lady Grey suggested that you promote additional officers in the Lance,” Michiko reminded him.

“Yeah,” Jack said. “I’ve got a couple of ideas. A couple of people are natural leaders. I’ll make some sergeants while I’m at it. I’ve already put stripes on Pip Squeak.”

“You promoted Penelope Sequeda!?”

“Once you get past her appearance, she’s got a really good head on her shoulders,” Jack said. “I’m hoping some responsibility will help keep her temper under control.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“As fast they come in, they can go right out again,” Jack said.

“Being demoted or drummed out of the service would crush her,” Michiko said after a moment.

“Squeak isn’t a problem,” Jack said. “I’m more worried about BB.”

“Marissa Blankton? Why? She’s trying very hard to fit in,” Michiko pointed out “and to make up for her lack of any military background or training.”

“She’s pushing the very edge of acceptable clothing,” Jack replied “and I don’t want to give that wackjob running Internal Security any more ammo to use against the Lance.”

“Perhaps you can kill two birds with one stone,” Michiko said. A mischievous smile flickered across her face. “When the subject of promotions came up, I reviewed the regulations on officers. Here.” She placed the open manual in front of Jack. “Read Article 4.6.3.1”

Jack scanned the page for a minute and then started laughing.

“That’s perfect,” he said. “That’s perfect. Done. Done and done!”

“I was kidding,” Michiko pointed out.

“I’m not. Let me clear all this stuff off my desk and fill out the forms and then I'll have you call our new officers in here."

"Officers?"

"Can't have just one," Jack said. He worked feverishly through the piles of forms on his desk until he'd authorized every one. That killed the better part of an hour. It took him minutes to fill out two promotion requests. Since Lady Grey had pre-signed them, they took effect immediately. He handed them to Michiko who looked them over, sighed and handed them back.

Jack put the two forms down on his desk and waited while the lieutenant went out to find his two new officers. After a moment she returned with the Star Queen and Bubble Bunni. The two women stood to attention, an odd mix - one a towering brunette martial amazon, the other a diminutive blond ex-dancer.

"Sit down, ladies," Jack said. He slid the forms across his desk. "In recognition of your ability, your leadership potential and my experiences in the field with both of you, I am immediately promoting you both to officer. Congratulations, Lieutenant Star Queen. Congratulations, Lieutenant Bubble Bunni."

The Star Queen bowed her head for a moment.

"I am honored by your recognition," she replied. "Thank you for the faith you have shown in me."

"After ruling an entire planet, I expect it's small potatoes," Jack said "but I have no doubt you'll do your usual superb job."

"No position where you are responsible for lives is a small one," the Star Queen answered. "I will do my best to safeguard the people entrusted to me and to fulfill my duties."

"I never doubted that," Jack said. He turned to Bunni. She was wide-eyed, staring at the paper like it was a viper.

"I'm an officer?" she said. "Me?"

"You are now officially Lieutenant Blankton," Jack said.

"I'm not- I don't-" Bunni fell silent.

"You think fast," Jack said. "You react well. You keep your head when everything come unstuck and you're not a violence obsessed maniac."

"I'm not- I don't-"

"You've never missed a single op since you joined the unit," Jack went on. "You never complain and you always get things done. I notice little things like that."

"I'm not- I don't-"

"I think you will do an excellent job in your new role," the Star Queen said. Bunni turned to her. "If you need any advice or assistance, I will be there to help you."

Bunni nodded and turned back to Jack.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're very welcome," Jack replied. Bunni stood suddenly and after a moment the Star Queen followed her. Both women saluted. "I'll have Michiko post your new promotions at once. Go and enjoy yourselves."

Bunni nodded and the Star Queen smiled, they turned to leave.

"Star Queen," Jack said. She stopped and looked back "can I speak with you for a moment?"

"What can I do for you?"

"Not to pry," Jack said "but to be clear, as an officer, fraternizing with enlisted personal, in a romantic way, is expressly forbidden."

"I do not follow."

"I've seen the way you and Pole Shift look at each other sometimes-"

The Star Queen snorted.

"The man is little more than a brutal thug. I wish nothing to do with him."

Jack shrugged.

"No problem then," he said. The alien queen nodded and left. Wordlessly Michiko entered his office and Jack handed her the promotion forms.

"Will that be all?" she asked.

"No," Jack replied "I've also promoted Pole Shift to Sergeant. We need to make sure that he and the Star Queen aren't assigned to the same squad ... and make sure that Razortail isn't ever put under Pip Squeak."

"I'll make a chart showing possible squad assignments based on personality conflicts."

"I don't know that that will be necessary," Jack said.

"It will be," Michiko asserted.

"Dismissed."

"Mari will be at my desk for a bit while I go and post your staff changes," Michiko explained.

"That's fine," Jack said. He pulled up the personnel roster and Michiko walked from the room. He might need to make a few more sergeants. For now, two officers should be enough. The Lance had a lot of transient members but it rarely fielded more than twenty at any one time. Two officers should be enough to run multiple missions simultaneously, or to take over in the field if he was incapacitated. There was a cheery thought. A soft cough broke Jack’s concentration and he looked up from the list on his desk. A short blond man in a dark suit and mirrored sunglasses was standing there.

“Can I help you with something?” Jack asked.

“I’ve been assigned to your unit,” the man said in a calm voice. He dropped a pile of paperwork on the desk.

“Assigned?” Jack asked. No one had been assigned to the Lancers. Every member had been run by Jack first. He glanced down at the papers and saw a transfer form signed by Gaussian. “You have a name?”

“Agent Three.”

“You’re kidding,” Jack said. He glanced down. Sure enough, first name – Agent, last name – Three. “You’re not kidding.”

“Nope.”

Where do they find these people!? Jack wondered for the thousandth time. He sighed and reached for the phone. Gaussian picked up before the first ring was done.

“I’ve got a guy down here named Three that says he’s in the unit,” Jack said “the papers have your name all over them.”

“Don’t ask,” Gaussian said.

“What do you mean ‘don’t ask!?’,” Jack replied. “I’m asking.”

“Don’t,” Gaussian said. “He’s good. He’s in. That’s it.”

“That’s it!?”

“That’s it.”

“I guess that is it,” Jack sighed. Gaussian hung up. Jack put the phone down.

“You’re in,” he told the newcomer. “Presuming you get by Sergeant McCabe’s training regimen…”

“Can I talk to you a moment?” Levantera said from the doorway. Something in her expression made Jack realize it was serious.

“Sure thing,” he said. He turned back to the blond man. “Down the hall and to your left, Recruit Three.”

“No problem,” the man said. He left as quietly as he’d entered.

“Recruit Three?” Levantera asked. “You assigning them numbers now?”

“In his case,” Jack said “I think they’ve taken away his name.”

“I know better than to ask,” Levantera said. She was shifting from foot to foot as she stood, and rubbing her hands together in front of her.

"Something bothering you, 'tera?" Jack asked. She seemed unusually nervous.

"I just- I wanted to- I..." she stopped and collected herself. "I like you..."

Jack blinked, nonplussed.

"...but I've seen what's behind your eyes," she went on, not able to meet his gaze "and what I've seen there... it's not... it's... I don't think I can be around you. But I wanted... I thought you should know."

"I understand," Jack said softly.

"It's not- it- ohhh, I promised myself I'd do it better than this," Levantera said, tears starting to run down her face. "I don't... I can't-"

Without another word she fled the room.

Jack leaned on one hand and sighed. He knew that he had a significant lack of any sort of dating experience, but he was pretty sure that being preemptively dumped was a rarity. It still felt like crap, though.

The door to his office suddenly opened and Maridian stuck her head in.

"What did you do to Levantera!?" she said. "I think she was crying."

"She realized I'm on the express elevator to Hell," Jack snapped "and wanted to get off before we hit bottom."

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Thirteen
(This takes place immediately following the first Respec Trial.)

Gaussian's stern blocky face was drawn up in a tight scowl as he squinted at the holographic map of Paragon City. He turned to where Lady Grey's petite form was leaning on the projector table.

"These are all the known locations of Sky Raider activity," he said. Red dots appeared scattered across the map. If there was a pattern to them, he wasn't able to see it.

"This is not gaining us any advantage," Lady Grey said. "It would not take that many Raiders to endanger the reactor."

"Sometimes all you can do is wait," Gaussian said.

"Sir!" a tech said from across the room "We've got Colonel Pentecost on the line!"

"Put him through," Gaussian ordered. A scratchy image of the sorcerer appeared in the middle of the map.

"We managed to get some information out of one of the Sky Raider leaders," Pentecost said without preamble. "They're intending to steal the reactor fuel - direct from the core."

"That's insane," Gaussian replied. "They'd all die."

"I don't think these guys are thinking all that straight," Pentecost replied. "They seem kind of off-kilter, if you ask me."

"The Rikti have several strains of powerful telepaths," Lady Grey pointed out. "Mental interference is quite possible."

"We're on our way to the reactor now," Pentecost said. "We'll just have to fend off whatever the Sky Raiders send at it. You might want to consider letting Virgil Duray know that aliens are messing around with his men's minds."

"A capital idea, Colonel," Lady Grey said. "We shall look into forthwith. You make certain no harm comes to the Terra Volta reactor."

"On it," Jack Pentecost said and the screen winked out.

"Make certain that Borea and Levantera keep our forces focused on the Rikti Mothership," Lady Grey told Gaussian. "We suspect all these efforts will be perfectly coordinated."

Before the head of the Sword could reply, the door to the room banged open and the golden-sheathed form of the Envoy strode into the room, dragging two unconscious bodies behind him. Flashing a megawhite smile, the hero slid two members of the Lost to the center of the room.

"These are the ones who were working with the Sky Raiders," the Envoy said, his voice deep and resonant. "They managed to convince one Captain Clayton to assault the Reactor. I believe they used their mental powers to induce a hypnotic state where they were able to sell the idea of directly opening the core. I suspect time is of the essence..."

"Colonel Pentecost is already at the reactor with his team," Lady Grey replied. "He has captured Captain Clayton and is moving to intercept the Sky Raiders assault."

"Good man, that Pentecost," the Envoy replied. "Should I lend him a hand?"

"Not at all," Lady Grey replied. "As head of our public relations division, We have a different task in mind for you. Locate Colonel Duray of the Sky Raiders and inform him that his men have been psychically suborned by Rikti telepaths. Convince him to recall his wayward forces and cease the assault on the reactor."

The Envoy flashed a thumbs-up.

"Good thinking, Lady Grey," he said. "That kind of brilliant strategic command is why the Vanguard is always on the forefront of any threat. I'm on my way!"

He turned and strode from the room.

"Sometimes I wonder if he's for real," Gaussian said when the Envoy had left.

"Be thankful that he is," Lady Grey replied.


*** *** ***

The heart of the Terra Volta reactor glowed a blazing greenish-white, bathing the room surrounding the reactor core with an unearthly viridian light. Jack Pentecost kicked a Sky Raider helmet away from the core and looked for somewhere to sit and rest - only there wasn't any. He sighed, debated leabing on the metallic cage surrounding the reactor and decided against it. Pole Shift tossed the last of the unconscious bodies from the room and made his way back up to the circular walkway that spanned the room, studiously avoiding looking at where the Star Queen stood with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

"What sort of moron would attack a fission reactor with a flamethrower?" she asked.

"I don't think these guys are in their right minds," Jack replied. "I think their brains have been tampered with by the Rikti."

"Bear in that we be standing in a room bathed wi' radiation and our only protection is a glowy red bubble put out by a bubble dispensin' machine," MacDice pointed out. "There's crazy enough to go around, I'm thinking."

"He does have a point," Agent Three added.

"Is it over?" Bunni asked.

"I see more squads making their way through the facility," Pole Shift said, looking at the monitors in the control room. "They'll be here soon."

"It's not over," Jack said. "Take a few minutes and rest. We can't afford to slip up here. We let this reactor go and it'll make what happened on the Rikti homeworld look like a picnic."

"What did happen on the Rikti homeworld?" Bunni asked.

Jack looked up and found everyone in the room staring silently at him. He sighed.

"I was a prisoner of the Rikti for a long time - years. They were trying to figure out how to use magic. They viewed their loss in the war as a direct result of human magic and wanted to create their own class of spell casters - the Magi. I wasn't the only one. There were a lot of other kids. I don't know what happened to any of them. Whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant.

"Anyways, they'd come up with some spell or incantation and then make me cast it - and they'd all sit around and watch and try to figure out what I was doing and how it worked. Then they'd try it. Then they'd make me try it again. Over and over again.

"If I didn't want to do it, they'd - well - they'd torture me. The Rikti have any number of unique devices for doing that. They had this thing called the Spine of Obedience ... nevermind."

Jack looked up and saw that everyone's attention was riveted on him. It was unnerving. He coughed once and then continued.

"Along the way, I guess I grew up. As I got older, I got more powerful and they'd try bigger and bigger rituals. Once they got the basics of magic down, they wanted to work on the more complex stuff. The Rikti aren't really good at abstract or esoteric rituals, but they're very comfortable with the more grounded magicks - things like elemental spells they excel at - fire, water, earth - you get the idea.

"So one day I find myself in this big room, surrounded by a hundred Rikti Mages and Tor'saad - he was one of their big muckety-mucks - he stands me in front of this big open book and wants me to lead him through this ritual.

"Only, I don't think they realized what it was. It was a big fire ritual, something they thought they could use in Second War, I think, but what they'd done was hand me the Mu Codex and right in front of me was the ritual the Mu used to rain fire down on Oranbega - the rite that caused the Oranbegans to move their cities underground. The beauty - the dark beauty - of it was that the ritual required this massive sacrifice of sorcerers - I guess the Mu used captured Oranbegans - and I had a hundred of the most powerful Rikti Magi right with me willing to participate, including that asshole Tor'saad.

"So I launched right into the ritual and before they realized what was happening, I drained every one of those bastards to a husk and I launched the focus of the ritual right at their God-damned Hall of Sorcery!"

Jack paused for a moment and he couldn't look up.

"I don't know what that ritual actually did but it didn't rain fire. That must be how the legends describe whatever actually happened. The explosion was enormous. It was kind of like green flame, or tentacles, or maybe both - I don't know - coming down from the sky. It tore apart everything in this burning vortex and just ... swelled outwards until everything I could see as far as I could see was consumed. There were Rikti screaming and burning and flying through the air and being torn apart and ... well ... it went on for hours.

"When it was all over, I was standing alone in the midst of the devastation. There weren't even ruins. Everything was gone. There was just this vast plain of fused green glass. It took me two days to walk across it and out of the blast zone."

"Why didn't you fly?" Bunni asked in a small voice.

"I hadn't figured out how to, back then," Jack said, looking up. "I only worked out the spells a month or so ago, before we went into Oranbega looking for Etherium. I had worked out my 'hide from the Rikti' spell, though. That's the only reason their drones didn't spot me as I walking across that glass field. I dream about that sometimes. Walking across an endless flat plane of green glass that's all that's left of millions of people. Anyway, once I got into the wilderness I just hid from their damn drones and made my way to the nearest city. They call the Omega Team the 'Omega Terrorists' but I think I'm one of their biggest war criminals..."

"Do you think that you'd-" Luminous Lad began but before he could finish his question Pole Shift called out.

"Here they come!" the Kootharnian said as three doors burst open and a wave of armed Sky Raiders poured into the room.

*** *** ***

Doc Pomfroy's lab phased into focus and Jack stepped from the field generator to see Lady Grey and dozens of Vanguard senior officers standing there. His tired team all looked at each other puzzled until one by the one the entire room began applauding. Jack smiled.

"All in a day's work," he said. "The reactor is safe. Out of the blue, another wave of Sky Raiders showed up and drove off the attackers. Things got pretty calm about then."

"The Envoy managed to convince Colonel Duray that the Rikti had taken control of some of his men," Lady Grey said. "It appears that Colonel Duray was less than pleased with this eventuality and took steps."

"I'm glad that worked," Jack replied.

"You've all earned some much needed rest," Lady Grey said. "and We thank you for your efforts not only on Our behalf, but on those of every citizen of Paragon City. Our liaison with the United Nations, Lincoln Louis, has informed Us that every one of you is to be granted a medal for your efforts."

"You're kidding," Agent Three said.

"Absolutely not," Lady Grey replied. "There will be ceremony tomorrow where you will all be awarded the Stalwart Medallion for efforts above and beyond the call of duty."

"We should save a city more often," MacDice quipped.

"I thought we had," Maridian replied.

"Full dress tomorrow, gang," Jack said. "For now, dismissed. Get some R&R and enjoy yourselves. You've earned it."

MacDice whooped and the group began to walk off.

"Colonel Pentecost," Lady Grey called "We would like to speak with you in Our office."

Swell, Jack thought.

*** *** ***

Lady Grey indicated one of the leather-bound chairs before her desk and Jack sank into it.

"We realize it hardly appropriate to bring up a disciplinary matter at such a time, but We also recognize that some matters do not improve for being made to wait."

"Disciplinary matter?" Jack asked. "What did I do now?"

"The matter does not concern you, Colonel Pentecost," Lady Grey replied "or at least not directly." She steepled her fingers. "It centers on your Bubble Bunni."

"She's not my Bubble Bunni..." Jack began then blinked. "Wait. This isn't about uniforms again, is it!?"

"Colonel Lennox has filed a formal complaint," Lady Grey replied. "Actually this is the second one ... or perhaps the third..."

"The woman just fought in the heart of a nuclear reactor and was awarded a medal and you want to punish her for her dress code!?"

"We have seen her latest variation on Vanguard attire," Lady Grey replied. "It appears to be a thong and some bits of lingerie with a few pieces of armor attached. The woman persists in pushing the very limits of the regulations and beyond. It cannot be allowed to continue."

"I've seen outfits far more extreme on any number of super beings conscripted by the Vanguard," Jack said "In fact, I think I saw one woman who's entire outfit consisted of blue flames and some guy who's actual registered name is Naked Don or Dan or whatever. Some of them were rolled right into the Shield without any preamble and continue to wear whatever costume, or lack thereof, they had on prior to enlistment."

"There are regulations for inducting heroes into the ranks and certain leeway is granted to those with established outfits or appearances, yes," Lady Grey said. "Those regulations are very specific."

"I know," Jack said. "I want to call your attention specifically to Article 4.6.3.1 - it's in Section Sixteen."

Lady Grey gave Jack a hard stare and reached for a volume on one of the bookshelves behind her.

"You are the last person We would expect to play barracks-room lawyer," she said. She flipped through the binder until she found the relevant section and her bright grey eyes moved back and forth rapidly as she scanned the page.

"These regulations apply only to heroes or heroines who had established themselves in one or more battles with super-villains prior to enlistment," Lady Grey pointed out.

"Bunni had just defeated the known villain NoxLux using her powers before she was enlisted," Jack replied. "I can't think of a more clear-cut example of a heroine establishing herself in a battle with a super-villain, considering I saw it personally."

"We believe that your 'villain' knocked 'Bunni' through the window of the 'gentleman's club' where she danced immediately prior to your enlisting her," Lady Grey drawled.

"I wasn't aware that the Vanguard discriminated based on employment," Jack replied. "We've certainly inducted powered supers who were criminals, smugglers, drug dealers and outright murderers."

"We shall let your point pass," Lady Grey said. "The regulation also clearly states that the person in question must be an officer. Bubble Bunni is not..."

Jack slid the promotion approval across the desk. Lady Grey picked the page up and saw her own signature on the form. She stared at Jack in shock.

"You made her an officer?" Lady Grey asked. "You made her an officer!?"

"It seemed the wisest choice," Jack said.

"Get out of Our office!" Lady Grey snapped. "And get Bunni out of the Compound for at least a week! Make it two! We shall have to gently explain to Colonel Lennox the ... nuances of your machinations in the best light possible!"

"Out of the Compound?" Jack said. He looked at the ceiling for a moment and stroked his chin, thinking out loud. "She won't take that well at all. Exile. Wait... wait... I'll put her in charge of building our base! Give her a crew of workers and turn her loose! It's perfect!"

Lady Grey coughed and Jack's attention returned to his commander.

"You're insane, aren't you?" Lady Grey said sadly. "Simply, plainly insane."

"Insane with genius!" Jack said.

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Fifteen
(This takes place immediately following the Twilight Son's Task Force and prior to the Citadel Task Force.)

Gaussian looked up as the translocation field flickered to life. There was a momentary flicker of light and Jack and his Lancer team phased back into the Ready Room. At Gaussian's suggestion, they'd moved the late Doc Pomfroy's equipment to somewhere they could make better use of it. The Ready Room was where strike teams prepared for missions and, as such, was the perfect place to situate a teleportation device.

The Lancers looked exhausted. They'd been fighting all day and this latest crisis involving the Circle of Thorns had to have been rough.

"You want to give me a run down before you debrief Lady Grey?" Gaussian asked.

Jack Pentecost rubbed his eyes for a minute and sighed.

"Rollister's plan was coopted by Baron Zoria," Jack said. "We scragged Baradan, Juikon, Sitrix and the Baron, but before we could get them all, they killed Breakneck."

"They kidnapped Cyrus Thompson?" Gaussian asked.

"Yeah, and they killed him," Jack said. "He was one of their three sacrifices. We saved the other two - Candy Lebeaux and some kid named Jimmy Preston."

"But you killed Baron Zoria?"

"We killed the body he was in," Jack said. "He'll have possessed another one before the night is done. So will your hentai loving buddy and his friends. I have got to do something about that. Recycled villainy is getting annoying."

"And Rollister?"

"He got away," Jack said. "I know we won and everything but it doesn't feel like a victory."

"Lady Grey would like to see you right away," Gaussian said.

"Swell."

=====

Brian Tyler, better known as Luminous Lad, slid onto the end of the couch in the barracks and put his feet up on the arm.

"I can't believe we met Candy Lebeaux," he said "and her twin sister!"

"Don't get your hopes up," Maridian said, pulling up a chair, reversing it and sitting with her chin leaning on the chairs 'back'. "She was totally into Jack."

"How can you even say that?" Tyler asked. "All she did was yell at him!"

"Respectfully, that is how you can tell," Razortail said. "The Colonel has a fascination for powerful women. His preferred method of seduction appears to be based around getting them angry with him."

"You guys are all nuts," Luminous Lad said.

"Dinnae fret, laddie," MacDice added. "She has a sister, a twin sister. As I recall, Mandy didnae say a word to the boss."

"Like I'm ever going to meet any of them ever again anyways," Tyler grumbled.

"Don't be like that," Bunni said. "You're a super hero! You save the world! If you're interested in someone, they should be flattered."

"Maybe..." Tyler replied, skeptical.

"It's been a long day," Maridian said. "I think it's time we all get some sleep. Who knows what'll happen tomorrow?"

"Something exciting, I'm sure!" Bunni enthused.

"Hey!" Luminous Lad asked. "Whatever happened to the tentacle porn? I thought it was supposed to be a prize for whoever took down Rollister?"

"I have not seen it since we left," Razortail said.

"Doesn't matter since we never even laid a finger on Rollister," Maridian said.

"Why are you even asking about the tentacle porn!?" Bunni teased.

=====

"...and so you released their prisoners once you had disposed of the Circle Mages, including Baron Zoria," Lady Grey said, her attention seemingly focused on the papers on her desk. Her antique fountain pen moved with almost mechanical precision as she worked through things.

"Yeah," Jack said. "We put down a whole 'nother group of these Circle goons - but they'll be back again."

"You informed Us some time ago that you had ideas on how to prevent such a recurrence," Lady Grey said.

"Yeah."

"You now have Our permission to pursue such avenues of research."

"I'll get right on it," Jack replied. "I may have to conduct some field research."

"We understand."

"Some ... unsavory field research," Jack added.

"We understand."

Jack nodded once and turned to leave.

"Colonel," Lady Grey added as he opened the door. "Be prudent in whom you include in your ... field research team."

"Always," Jack said, closing the door behind him.

=====

Jack had slept restlessly. He had too much on his mind and there was too much going on. He was bleary-eyed as he walked into the commissary and poured himself a black cup of coffee - a big black cup of coffee.

"Excuse me?" a diffident voice said from behind him. "Colonel Pentecost?"

Jack turned to see the Envoy, wearing an olive suit and rimless glasses, with his blond hair parted on the side instead of brushed back walking towards him.

"Envoy. What can I do for you?" Jack asked.

The Envoy laughed. It wasn't at all the deep resonant sound Jack expected. It sounded like a weak chuckle.

"Oh, please," he said. "I'm Lincoln Louis, legal attaché to the Herald's UN offices. I work with the Envoy, but you couldn't mistake me for him. That's funny."

Jack blinked.

"Lincoln Louis," he said. "Legal attaché. Now I've heard everything. You really think that by putting on some glasses and coming your hair differently, I wouldn't notice?"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, Colonel," Louis said.

"You're serious? You're really serious?' Jack said. He stared hard at the man. "You're a legal counsel to the Herald?"

"Of course, Colonel," Louis said. "I'm here to get you to sign the papers accepting the medals for your unit."

Jack was having trouble keeping his face straight. The idea that the Envoy could somehow provide himself a cover by putting on glasses was preposterous.

"I realize the ceremony was days ago, and that you've all received the actual medals, but the forms do need to be authorized," Louis was going on. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Jack shook his head. The whole concept was ludicrous - but why would the Envoy push it if he knew it wouldn't stand up to questioning? Maybe that's how it worked, no one was rude enough to hammer him about it. Maybe the sheer absurdity of the idea provided some sort of shield.

"Fine," Jack said. "Whatever. Where do I sign?"

"Here, here and here," Louis replied, pulling out a pen.

Jack had just finished tracing out his name when his comlink beeped.

"Pentecost, go," he said into it. Lincoln Louis nodded to him as he collect the papers and walked off.

"Borea is looking for you, sir" Michiko's voice came over the unit. "She said to meet her in the Science Bay."

"Tell her I'm on my way," Jack said.

=====

"I wanted to bring you up to date on some developments in Pomfroy's lab," Borea said, opening the door. Since the Protean incident, access to the experimental labs was restricted to section heads and above - something Jack found perplexing since disguised as Incandescent, Protean would still have had access to the labs even with the restrictions.

Jack was amazed to find Pomfroy's lab organized and clean. Gone were the scattered half-finished devices and bulky equipment. Two lab technicians in white coats were bustling about, apparently cataloguing and labeling items, and a third man was bending over the translocation device.

"Jack," Borea said "I want you to meet Doctor Rheinhart Collins. Doctor Collins is MIT's leading expert in theoretical physics and has written a dozen published papers on the theories behind Rikti teleportation. Doctor Collins, this is Colonel Jack Pentecost, the head of our rapid assault force. Jack was probably the person who worked most closely with Doctor Pomfroy in those last days."

Doctor Collins was very tall and very thin, with pale blue eyes and wavy brown hair. His narrow face was dominated by his hawk-like nose, which sported enormous nostrils. Staring at him, Jack was reminded of looking down the barrel of a 12-gauge shotgun.

"Glad to meet you, Doctor Collins," Jack said.

"A pleasure, I'm sure," the scientist said. His tone was both annoyed and condescending. He sniffed loudly.

"If there's anything I can do to assist you in-" Jack began.

"I don't believe that will be necessary," Collins said, sniffing again. "I've already read Doctor Pomfroy's notes and once I've disassembled his prototype, I have no doubt I should be able to reproduce, likely even improve, his work."

"Well then I... wait," Jack said "disassemble the translocation device?"

*sniff*

"Yes, of course," Doctor Collins said.

"Why do you need to disassemble the translocation device?" Jack asked. "You just said you had all of Doctor Pomfroy's notes."

"Doctor Pomfroy was somewhat cryptic in his explanations, *sniff*" Doctor Collins said. "There are a few minor details I haven't been able to fully encompass - doubtless due to his lack of thoroughness in documenting his work. All of his assistants, indeed his entire team, are inconveniently dead..."

"Yee-ah," Jack drawled. "Inconvenient, that."

*sniff*

"Do you have some kind of sinus problem, Doctor Collins," Jack said "or are you trying to indicate disdain?"

"Jack!" Borea said, taking his arm.

"It's quite all right," Doctor Collins said, sniffing again. "One of the many burdens one must bear when operating on the edge of science is the endless effort to tolerate the uninformed."

*sniff* *sniff*

"Uninformed or not," Jack said "I can tell you one thing - you can't take apart the translocation device."

*sniff*

"I have no doubt that once I've gotten a solid look at its inner workings, I'll be able to clarify the few remaining missing variables in the Collins Equation."

"You can't... wait... the Collins Equation!?" Jack said.

"Once I've perfected translocation technology," Doctor Collins said "I intend to write the definitive paper on the nature of Rikti teleportation theory."

"You can't take apart the translocation device," Jack said bluntly. "Call Maria Jenkins and get her notes from her work with Pomfroy or do whatever else you have to, but leave the device alone."

*sniff*

"Doctor Jenkins and I are no longer on amicable terms," Doctor Collins said "and I certainly don't need any of her input on this ground-breaking effort."

*sniff*

"Look," Jack said "that device is the single most important strategic weapon I've got. Almost every operation we've launched in the past two months has hinged on it. Using it and the element of surprise it provides is vital to the war effort. I don't care if it takes twenty years for you to duplicate it, you can't wreck it."

*sniff*

"I can assure you, young man, that I'll have a dozen such devices available very shortly."

"I don't care about your assurances," Jack said. "Leave Pomfroy's device alone."

*sniff*

"You cannot expect your mundane concerns to stand in the way of science," Collins explained. "I'm certain your time is as valuable as mine is, Colonel Pentecost, so I'll allow you to get back to your work."

Doctor Collins turned back to the translocation device and reached into his toolbox.

Jack suddenly had an enormous nickel-plated revolver in his hand and it was pointed at Doctor Collins. He clicked the hammer back with his thumb.

"You touch that device and I'll blow your head off!" Jack snapped.

The scientist turned and froze, his eyes wide.

"Jack!" Borea shouted, a warning in her voice.

"That unit is more important than he is. If he touches it, I'll kill him where he stands," Jack said, his voice cold. The menace in his tone was obvious.

"Jack..."

"You know I'm right, Borea," Jack said. The muzzle of the gun never wavered.

The blonde woman sighed.

"Leave the translocation device alone, Doctor Collins," she said.

The scientist blinked.

"This is intolerable!" he shouted. "I'm taking word of this outrageous incident to Lady Grey immediately!"

"You go do that," Jack said.

Doctor Collins raced from the lab and down the hall.

"Do have any personality trait that isn't built around pissing people off!?" Borea asked.

"At least he stopped sniffing," Jack replied. The revolver was gone just as suddenly as it had appeared. Jack pulled the comlink from his belt. "Lieutenant Kaneko," he said into it "I want an armed guard on the translocation device 24-7. It is to always include at least one powered individual from the Lance. Their orders are to prevent anyone, and I mean anyone, from damaging the device in any way. They are authorized to use deadly force if necessary."

He listened for a moment.

"Yes," he said then "I think that MacDice is an excellent choice for the first watch."

=====

"Give me some good news," Jack said as he walked into the AI lab. "It's been a piss-poor day and it's not even noon yet."

Alex Kord looked up from where he was working on the new Tin Mage's open cranium.

"It's not a hardware error," he said "it's a design flaw."

"That's good news!?" Jack asked.

"I don't know what you've done to generate this much power," the younger Kord went on "but it's overloading some of these circuits. The original design wasn't really intended to handle voltages at these loads. There's something really odd about this multivariate coupling. I think you're got the ground going off into some kind of alternate universe or something..."

"Can you fix it?" Jack asked.

"Not like this," Alex Kord replied. "We'll need to use a different board."

"What kind of different board?" Jack asked.

"One I don't have," Alex replied.

"Who does?"

"Well..." the young engineer delayed. "The only AI card I'm aware of able to handle this kind of input is ... well ... in Citadel's head."

Jack blinked.

"In Citadel's head!?" he snapped. "Can't we make another one!?"

"The original design was put together by Crey," Kord went on. "They've never shared it. We'd have to disassemble Citadel's brain to copy the design."

Why does everyone want to disassemble something today? Jack thought.

"Can't we just raid Crey for it?" Jack asked.

"We don't know where they keep that design," Kord replied "but it doesn't matter. Word is that Vandal stole the design a month or so ago. So the Council has it now."

"That's the good news?" Jack asked.

"No, the good news is that Citadel is looking to raid the Council's factories and recover the designs," Alex said. "I think he's been planning this raid for a while. He's just waiting for some of the Phalanx to free up and help him."

"I've never met Citadel," Jack said. "I'm not too sure how he'd react to me calling out of the blue and offering to help out just so I can swipe a copy of the plans to his brain."

"Let me make a few calls," Alex Kord replied.

"Colonel?" Michiko said, sticking her head into the lab. "Lady Grey asked to see you. She seemed kind of upset."

"Swell."

=====

"...and then he claims you put a revolver to his head and threaten to blow it off unless he stopped immediately!" Lady Grey said, her voice like ice.

"He was going to disassemble the translocation device," Jack replied.

"There were a thousand ways to dissuade him without using firearms," Lady Grey replied. "The man is the top physicist in his field."

"He's an idiot," Jack replied.

"He is a genius and it took an enormous amount of persuasion to get him here," she snapped. "We are not amused. Did alternative options never occur to you?"

"He didn't seem to be taking me seriously," Jack said. "Things in the magnum range people tend to pay attention to."

"You are a sorcerer of some repute," Lady Grey said. "You had alternative means."

"You're suggesting I commit mystical assault on him!?"

"Certainly not!" Lady Grey replied. "Colonel, you are-"

Her phone rang and she scowled before answering it.

"Yes. Yes, I understand. Put him through," she sighed. "What can We do for - yes, he's right here as a matter of fact. What? You want to... when? Now? Now!? No... no... yes, We understand. Of course, the Vanguard is happy to assist. Yes. We will let him know. Yes. You're very welcome."

Lady Grey put the handset down and turned to gaze at Jack.

"That was Citadel," she said coldly. "He has just requested the help of you and your Lancers in an operation against the Council."

Jack blinked.

"Seriously!?" he asked.

"If We ever find out how you engineered this, Colonel..." Lady Grey said ominously.

Engineered is the right term, Jack thought.

"I can't take credit for this one," he said.

"Get your team together and go," Lady Grey replied. "We shall discuss this another time."

"About the translocation device," Jack said. "I can't just leave it there for this imbecile to pick apart."

"We shall make certain that Pomfroy's original creation remains untouched," Lady Grey said.

"Thank you," Jack replied.

"You may go, Colonel," Lady Grey said. "It seems your amazing luck continues to hold up."

"Something's got to work for me," Jack said. "Nothing else has been today."

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Seventeen
(This immediately follows the Medner Lazarus Task Force and immediately precedes the Manticore Task Force.)

The Magdalene squinted at the massive array of characters on the screen before her.

"I see a lot of communication logs and a lot of door entry and exit logs," she said. "Tell me what I'm looking at here."

Captain Petroff rubbed his thick black mustache with his hand and leaned forward, his bright blue eyes intent.

"We've been unable to install any kind of surveillance equipment in Jack Pentecsot's office or his personal quarters," he said "but we can trace any incoming or outgoing calls and use the door access records to verify the time that anyone ever enters or leaves either location. It occurred to me that that, combined with video feeds from the hallways outside these rooms, should give us a reasonable baseline of activity - who is in the rooms, who they're talking to, and pieces of what they're doing. From that we can infer activities that occur during periods we're not able to directly view."

"I'm with you so far," the Magdalene said "and good thinking. What am I not seeing? These are door logs and call codes from all over the base."

"When I compiled the access logs, there were some odd gaps," Petroff said. "Gaps where the communication logs indicate someone was in the room, but the door access codes show no entries. It was too weird - so I pulled the maintenance records."

"Maintenance records?"

"Our logs show anytime someone has used an access badge to open a secure door," Petroff said. "We record the identity of the person and time of entry. The maintenance logs are for the service crew. They simply record the number of times a door has opened and closed, and when it gets past a certain number - I think it's five thousand - they signal for a tech to come and service the locking mechanism."

"So?"

"So the maintenance logs show that the doors have opened and closed more times than the access logs show someone has entered the room."

The Magdalene turned and stared at Petroff.

"Son of a bitch," she said. "Son of a bitch."

"Yeah."

"Someone has compromised the system."

"Yeah."

"Is there anything on the video?" the Magdalene asked.

"It doesn't even show the door opening and closing," Petroff said.

"Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn!" the Magdalene looked through the logs in front of her. "The comm feeds?"

"It's tougher to tell, but I suspect calls have been erased or not logged," Petroff said.

The Magdalene swore like a sailor.

"How sure are you of this, Petroff?" she asked when she was done.

"Pretty sure," he said. "I thought it possible the records are just off and have been for months, or years - so I cleared the counters on the doors and checked them after a week. I show doors opening and closing with no record of it in the access card logs."

"God damn it," the Magdalene breathed. "We're entirely compromised. Entirely."

Petroff nodded grimly.

The Magdalene stared at the logs, her eyes cutting through them like razors.

"It can't be Pentecost and his bunch," she said in a low grim tone. "I've got them under 24 hour surveillance. We'd know it if they were doing this..."

"Yeah," Petroff said.

"There's someone else..." the Magdalene breathed.

"Someone with as much an interest in the Lancers as you have," Petroff said.

"Do we have any idea how long this has been going on?" the Magdalene asked.

"I've got a team going through the door counters and the access logs and matching things up," Petroff said "but it has to be done manually and it's time consuming. It could be a while before we know. I'd never have even caught all this if you hadn't insisted that we pull all the records that had anything to do with the Lancers. It's not in any of the individual logs, it only becomes apparent when you try to reconcile them all."

"It's brilliant work, Petroff," the Magdalene said. "Brilliant."

"Yeah well," the man said diffidently "I had a lot of time to think doing those sweeps of Crey's Folly."

"Cancel that," the Magdalene said "we need every man here. We've got to get to the bottom of this. Get into the system and pull the records of everyone has access to these systems - not just administrative, anyone who can even view the logs or log into the servers that run the logging programs. Put together a list of everyone who could possibly have accessed these systems and let's start going through it. We need to find our rat."

"On it," Petroff said.

"Where is Colonel Pentecost, by the way," the Magdalene said, her mind never straying far from her obsession. "I see he's not on base today."

"He and his team are on some kind of reconnaissance mission for Lady Grey," Petroff replied. "They should be back soon."

=== === ===

Jack Pentecost pulled the field glasses from the case his belt. The things were a marvel of electronic technology. Small enough to fit in a pocket, they enabled better than 200x magnification. He slowly eased out over the railing and took a look at the huge area below the landing he was on.

"I make out a hundred, maybe two hundred soldiers," Pole Shift rumbled from next to him.

Jack's eyes roved the assembled troops - all in red and black uniforms sporting an endless array of automatic weaponry. All of them were looking upwards as a dark figure who was speaking before them. Jack's gazed followed theirs to the raised platform on the opposite side of the room.

"Someone mark this down," Jack ordered. "I can ID three grade one threats: Requiem. Maestro. Vandal."

"Kicked his ass just two days ago," Pole Shift said.

"He seems pretty well recovered," Jack said.

"That's a lot of troops," Bunni said. "A lot a lot of troops."

"'Tis a fine target selection," MacDice crowed.

"Little to no resistance," Jack muttered. "Mostly automated. Personnel limited to maintenance staff."

"Boy, was that wrong," Bunni said.

"If I ever listen to an intelligence estimate again," Jack said "someone hit me."

"Deal," MacDice said.

"So what do we do?" the Star Queen asked.

Jack looked out over the room again. The place was huge, with catwalks and walkways spanning several stories. Platforms existed at varying heights and stairways and ramps led up and down. A massive open area, obviously designed for troops to assemble, was at the bottom and above it was the platform and podium where Requiem was speaking. Large metallic doorways were on either side of the main floor and Jack just knew they were there to flood the room with even more Fifth Column soldiers if necessary. Huge banners - a white skull on a red and black background, hung from the rafters.

"You're sure we have to go through here to get to the main computer console," Jack asked.

Agent Three consulted his map.

"You see that doorway behind where Requiem is?" he said.

"Yeah."

"According to Gaussian's information, that's where the main control room is."

"Swell."

"I have the details on the villains right here," Razortail said.

"How'd you manage that?" Jack asked.

"I went to the Superhype website on my iPhone," the young mutant replied.

Jack laughed.

"Okay, shoot."

"Requiem is Nictus," Razortail said. "He is an energy vampire. He can leech the life force from everything around him and turn it into a dark damaging energy he can project."

"How truly marvelous," Jack drawled.

"Maestro has sonic powers," Razortail went on. "It says here he has no hand to hand skills whatsoever."

"What do you want to bet the Superhype website is more accurate than Vanguard's database?" Luminous Lad said.

"No bet," MacDice laughed.

"Vandal is-"

"Big and strong," Jack said. "We know. We fought him a day ago."

"There are twelve of us," Bunni pointed out "and over two hundred of them."

"Requiem will ha' to send out fer more Nazi guys," MacDice joked.

"Okay," Jack said, his voice commanding attention. "Here's what we'll do..."

=== === ===

Lady Grey?

Lady Grey looked up from the paperwork on her desk and looked around. The room was empty.

Lady Grey, can I talk to you a minute?

The head of the Vanguard was puzzled for just a second.

"Penelope!?" she asked.

Yeah. I didn't want to disturb you if you were busy. You mind if I drop by?

"Not at all, child," Lady Grey said. "Please come down to my office.

The faint touch of Penelope's mind on hers faded and Lady Grey shook her head. Young Ms. Yin had grown powerful indeed is she was able to make telepathic contact at a distance.

A soft knock on the door came very quickly.

"Come in, Penelope," Lady Grey said. The door opened and the young Chinese girl came into the room. She'd removed her usual baseball cap and was wearing the purplish Vanguard t-shirt that seemed to have caught on with all the younger members under a greyish vest. "What can I do for you?"

"It's a couple of things," Penelope said. "I need your advice."

"Anytime, Penelope," Lady Grey said. "What is the matter?"

"Well..." Penelope hedged. "It's the Clockwork King. He's getting mad because I won't talk to him."

"We discussed this, Penelope," Lady Grey said "and we agreed that you would do best to avoid him. His obsession with you in unhealthy - for him as well as you - and he is, to be blunt, a dangerous sociopath."

"He's always been nice to me," Penelope said. "I feel bad for him."

"Do you recall our shared visions," Lady Grey said "in the future you saw his plans for you - as a clockwork being similar to him. As I recall, your reaction was extreme."

"I've been thinking, too," Penelope said. "Maybe he only got like that because I was ignoring him. Maybe if I'd paid him some attention and gotten to know him, he'd get better instead. Maybe I can change the future, if I act differently than I would have..."

"And maybe by doing so you will create the very future you're trying to avoid," Lady Grey said.

"I don't know what to do," Penelope said "but I have to do something."

"We find that to be the most dangerous state to make decisions in," Lady Grey said. "Until you have some idea of what you are hoping to accomplish, it is better to hold off on making any decisions."

"I guess..."

"Was there anything else?"

"Yeah," Penelope said. "You told me that the Rikti were looking for me because I'm such a powerful psychic."

"We did."

"So, after working with you so much, I started looking for them," Penelope said.

"You what?"

"I've been scanning the city for Rikti," Penelope said. "It's not that hard. Their brains are all funny."

"You've been scanning a major city for Rikti thought patterns?" Lady Grey asked, holding her voice steady. The amount of sheer mental ability it would take to sift through the thoughts of millions of people looking for unusual thought patterns was staggering.

"Yeah," Penelope said "and there's a lot of them."

"A lot of Rikti in Paragon City?" Lady Grey asked, alarmed.

"Not in it," Penelope said. "Under it."

"Under it?"

"In the sewers," Penelope said.

"The Rikti are conducting large operations in the sewers under Paragon City!?" Lady Grey almost shouted.

"I don't know," Penelope said. "There's something big down there. Something big and inhuman. I think they're hurting it."

"What!?"

"I thought maybe you should have someone check it out."

=== === ===

It hadn't worked.

The plan had been simple - create a distraction and hit the Fifth Column's leadership while they were split up. Jack had sent Agent Three and Two Smoking Barrels to pull the fire alarm in the fuel bay. The minute the claxons started going off, Requiem's speech had stopped and the troops started breaking up. Maestro and Vandal had left the room and that had seemed like the perfect moment to launch an all-out attack on Requiem.

Unfortunately Maestro and Vandal had turned around. From there things went downhill rapidly. A flood of troops came back into the room and all hell had broken loose. The main floor had dissolved down into a chaotic melee with no coordination and no strategy at all.

Maestro had fallen quickly enough. MacDice and Razortail had jumped on the man the minute he stepped back into the room and blood had flown in between a few ear-piercing shrieks. The website had been right, he had no combat skills at all. He'd gone down in a pile of bloody rags within minutes.

That was when things had taken a severe turn for the worse. For a brief moment the Lancers had the initiative and had tossed the Fifth Column soldiers around like rag dolls. Pole Shift had pounded on Requiem and the Fifth Column's dark leader, his head enveloped in an inky black smoke that only two burning eyes shown through, had been hard pressed to even keep his feet under the assault. Then a squad of Fifth Column troops had riddled the Star Queen with machinegun fire. The bullets hadn't really hurt her, but they'd staggered her back and that had allowed Vandal a chance to sneak up behind her. His huge armored form had raised a fist the size of a cinderblock and brought it down on the top her head. She'd dropped soundlessly.

Pole Shift let out an inarticulate cry of rage and rushed to her rescue. Bullets were useless against him so at first a handful and then a dozen of the Fifth Column soldiers had leapt on him. He'd ended up slowly staggering forwards as a mob of men hung off him and then Requiem had launched something like a swirling black cloud of smog that arced through the air trailing black vapors and it had hit the huge struggling mass of men and Pole Shift.

The Fifth Column soldiers fell to the ground, white and dead, and Pole Shift had been left staggering where he stood, barely able to keep his feet. A second blast from Requiem had taken him down as well.

Jack had stepped in at that point, having cleared a space around with a mystic blast that knocked the Fifth Column troops away and launched a volley of mystical energies at Requiem. The dark villain hadn't even noticed. Those burning eyes turned towards Jack and the next thing he knew he was flying across the room and then lying on the floor staring mindlessly up at the ceiling trying to figure out where he was and what he was doing.

By the time he'd regained his senses and managed to roll over and get his arms under himself enough to push himself slightly off the floor, the whole team was down - except for MacDice.

The scrappy Scotsman was gamely fighting Requiem, dashing in to slash at the smoldering villain, then dodging back, ducking and weaving between blasts of dark matter, jumping around to avoid the gunfire the Fifth Column troops were sending his way. It was a brave effort but Jack could see it wouldn't last. The Scotsman was covered in blood - places were bullets had grazed him or he'd caught the trailing edge of Requiem's black energies. It was only a matter of time before MacDice went down as well and that would be it.

Jack cursed and forced himself off the floor. He couldn't make it to his feet. Whatever Requiem had hit him with had sucked the life right out of him. Not for the first time, Jack wished Maridian was there. They hadn't been able to reach the field medic when they'd canceled leaves and so the assault on the Fifth Column had happened without her.

He had to get the team back on their feet or they were all dead. Who knew what Requiem would do once he'd captured the whole group? Jack was sure it wouldn't be pleasant.

An awful idea hit him. He understood, at an intellectual level, what Requiem was doing. It shouldn't be that hard to do it the other way ... steal the life from the people around him and feed it to the Lancers. There were a lot of Fifth Column troops around.

Do it.

Jack already knew how to pull from the Dweller. That being's entire existence was draining energies from others and turning it to its own purpose.

Do it.

They were enemies. If things had gone differently, a lot of them would have died anyway. Did it really make that much of a difference?

Do it.

They were all going to die here anyways if he didn't. He'd be dead in less than a year no matter what. What difference did it make?

Do it!

Jack pulled. Jack pulled harder than he'd done since the day he'd launched the ritual on the Rikti Homeworld. Power flooded into him - not from the universe or the environment or from the Dweller but from every living thing around him. A huge black wave rolled out from Jack Pentecost and enveloped everyone in the room. There was a soundless implosion and streams of black energy flowed into him and he regained his feet. He raised his arms and waves of blackness rolled out and suddenly all of the Lancers were swirling in the air, revived. The Fifth column troops staggered, dazed and weakened and Requiem's burning eyes turned to look at Jack Pentecost and they promised death.

Jack smiled his mocking smile but before he could do anything else, Agent Three leapt into the room and there was a massive impervium sword in either hand. He fell on Requiem from behind and while somehow the blades couldn't penetrate Requiem's dark aura, they staggered him. A revitalized MacDice moved in as well, claws flashing.

Two Smoking Barrels jumped down from the balcony above and landed next to Jack, a smoldering cigarillo in his mouth.

"You'll be smoking a turd in hell for that one," he said.

"You can light it up for me," Jack replied with a grin.

"We hurried back as quick as we could," Two Smoking Barrels explained, pulling out his guns. "Thought you might need the help. Looks like we were right."

"It's gotten ugly," Jack said. "Alright! Don't just stand there looking stupid!" he yelled. "Take down Vandal then everyone pile on Requiem!"

As the Fifth Column troopers started to recover, the Lancers were already moving. They'd taken down Vandal once - with the group focused on him, he went down quickly. The team shifted focus to where Agent Three and MacDice were taking turns dodging in out and striking at Requiem.

"Three!" Jack called. "Get up to the control room and grab that data! Razortail, you watch his back! The rest of you, let's get this done!"

Requiem's dark energies surged around him but now Jack was using his own sorceries to pull back. Dark power surged back and forth across the room along with bullets and energy blasts. Two Smoking Barrels gestured and all of a sudden the Fifth Column were moving slower and the Lancers were moving faster. Requiem sensed the tide of battle was turning against him and he cursed. He made some subtle gesture and in a black flash, he was gone. The doors on the sides of the room opened and hundreds of Fifth Column soldiers poured into the room.

"We have the files!" Razortail shouted from the podium.

"Let's get out of here!" Jack said. He watched his teammates wink out one by one before hitting his own teleport beacon. In an instant he was with his ragged bloody band in the embarkation zone in the Vanguard Compound.

Gaussian uncrossed his arms and his typically stolid face had a shocked look on it.

"What happened!?" he asked.

"Little to no resistance," Jack said.

"Mostly automated," the Star Queen said.

"Personnel limited to maintenance staff," Bubble Bunni said.

"Don't quit your day job," Jack said. "Here's your data."

Agent Three tossed Gaussian a flash drive.

=== === ===

Levantera leaned on the walls of Fort Baldy and looked out over the devastation that the Rikti Mothership had left when it had crashed into what was now called Sunken Road. The wreckage and the ruin all around seemed to weigh down on her sometimes. There were moments when everything seemed so hopeless. Victory was simply managing to fight another day. At times the war seemed like it had no end.

Borea walked up next to her, her long blonde hair blowing gently in the breeze.

"It's nice night," Borea said to her sister.

"How can you say that?" Levantera asked. "It's seriously depressing."

"Just smell that cool fresh air," Borea replied.

Levantera looked out to where dozens of Rikti bodies lay sprawled in the streets. They'd made an attempt on the fort earlier and been bloodily repulsed.

"It smells like death," Levantera said.

"What are you going on about?" Borea said. "Somethings set you off."

"We've gotten reports of Nemesis and Arachnos setting up operations in Pavia and around Fort Montgomery," Levantera said "and we know the Malta has staked out the area around where the White Plains Hospital used to be. They're like vultures, circling. Doesn't anybody care about fighting the Rikti!?"

"Not as long as we're doing it," Borea said.

"That's the point," Levantera said. "Can't they leave us alone? What are they going to do if we lose?"

"We're not going to lose," Borea said. "We've got the best technology, the latest science, and we're on the cutting edge of everything. Of course they all want a piece of that. We'll keep them at bay, we always do."

"I'm getting tired, Borea," Levantera said.

The blonde powerhouse turned to look at her sister.

"You're not still mooning over that Pentecost jerk, are you?"

"You were right, Borea," Levantera said. "He's not who I thought he was."

"He's not that bad, really," Borea said.

"I'm agreeing with you, you idiot!" Levantera snapped.

"I changed my mind," Borea replied.

"Can't you agree with me for five minutes!?"

"Don't get all huffy with me because you fell for him and then decided to blow him off!"

"How can you like him now!?"

"I don't like like him, you doof."

"You know what I mean!"

"He's got a good heart," Borea said.

Levantera blinked.

"You didn't look into his eyes," she said. "He's burning himself up. He's taking himself apart and he doesn't care who or what goes down with him. Lady Grey has pointed him like a rocket at the Rikti and nothing is going to survive the explosion. He's dark, Borea. He's really dark."

Borea's bright eyes met her sister's dark ones.

"Lev," she said "you were a villain. Don't go casting stones. I fought you for years."

"I was a villain," Levantera said "I wasn't dark."

"Toh-may-to, toh-mah-to," Borea said.

"I hate it when you do that."

"You get so emotional, Lev," Borea said. "You need to stay on an even keel. Someone's either always the best thing ever or they're dark and vile. People are just people. He's not that bad. He's a jerk, that I'll grant you - but so what - the Envoy is a total jerkoff - and don't even get me started on the Magdalene..."

"There is no point in ever talking to you!" Levantera said.

"Then why do you keep asking my advice?"

"I don't know!"

"Let's go downstairs and see if we can figure out what Arachnos and Nemesis are doing," Borea said. "Planning to attack things always cheers you up."

"It does not!"

"You were humming and singing for weeks after we planned that assault on the Mothership," Borea pointed out.

"That was different!"

"Oh?"

"We won. I like winning."

"Who doesn't? Come on. If we come up with a good plan, Lady Grey will probably green light it and you can take heart from the fact we saved the day again."

"Okay," Levantera gave in. "You're on ... I know you're just distracting me, you know. This doesn't really fix anything."

"You add up enough distractions," Borea said "and you've got yourself a life."

=== === ===

"Are We correct in Our understanding that you attempted a frontal assault on a full complement of Fifth Column soldiers, including their core leadership?" Lady Grey asked, not looking up from her work.

"We took down more than a company of Fifth Column troops and Maestro and Vandal," Jack said, no trace of apology in his voice "and we forced Requiem to flee his own secret headquarters."

"So we are now at war with the Fifth Column," Lady Grey said.

"I'd say we were from the moment Protean replaced Incandescent," Jack replied.

"You seem less intimidated by Us than you were previously," Lady Grey said.

"At this point," Jack said "I don't think I have a lot of room left for fear. Fear of failure, maybe."

Lady Grey nodded.

"We acknowledge that the errors leading to this confrontation were not yours but belong instead to Our intelligence units," she said. "You handled yourself admirably given the circumstances. Gaussian has the information?"

"He's working on breaking the encryption on the files now," Jack said. "He has no estimate for how long that will take."

"We have learned patience over the centuries, Colonel," Lady Grey said. "Eventually, like a millstone, we shall grind out results."

"Look," Jack said. "Lady Grey..."

She looked up.

"My guys need a break," Jack said. "It's been non-stop for weeks."

"We expect things to slow down for a while," Lady Grey said. "With our recent strikes against the Rikti achieving such success, there should be a brief reduction in hostilities. It will doubtless take Gaussian sometime to decrypt the Fifth Column's data. Give your forces a furlough, Colonel. They've earned it."

"That should go over well."

"Except for you," Lady Grey went on. "We expect your recruitment efforts to proceed apace."

Jack sighed.

"I hate that stuff," he said. "These people are just crazy..."

"The sooner started, the sooner finished."

"Yes, ma'am."

=== === ===

"Let me just make sure I have this right, Mr. Gottlieb" Jack Pentecost said, leaning forward on his desk. "You can make your body break out in spots, and you can change the color of those spots?"

"Yes!" the portly man replied, a wild look on his unshaven round face. His hair was receding and he'd valiantly attempted to hide the fact with a poor comb over.

"I'm afraid we have no need for that particular ability at this time," Jack said. "Thank you for coming by, however."

"What!?"

"Have a nice day, Mr. Gottlieb," Jack said. "Next!"

"My power is beyond your comprehension!" Gottlieb shouted as two armed guards took him by the arms.

"That's exactly why we can't use it," Jack explained. "Please show Mr. Gottlieb out."

The door to the room opened and rather than the next candidate, Bubble Bunni walked in.

"Have you guys seen Luminous Lad?" she asked. "He was supposed to show up at the infirmary with everyone for a checkup but he missed his appointment."

"I think he left to go see Mandy Lebeaux," Jack said. "I kind of interrupted his date when we canceled leave yesterday."

"He got a date with Mandy Lebeaux!?" Bunni asked, excited.

Jack hemmed.

"Not yet," he said. "I think he's going to ask her out."

"That's so cool!"

"I guess," Jack said. His own dating life had been spectacular only in its failure.

Before Bunni could say anything, a tall man in electric blue powered armor walked into the room, barely managing to squeeze through the door. He lifted his helmet's golden visor, revealing a blunt plain face.

"Steven Frost," Jack read off the file "Arctic Strike."

Bunni took one look at the man and her eyes went wide.

"I'm going to go and tell the Doc that Brian can't make his appointment and schedule one for tomorrow," she said quickly. "See you!"

Jack blinked as she left the room. Arctic Strike's eyes followed her out.

"It says here that you've modified a suit of experimental Rikti armor giving you the ability to generate a 'defense of intense cold' and release 'bursts of electricity' in combat."

"That's right," Arctic Strike said. "Who was that? She looked kind of familiar."

"Bunni?" Jack said. "She's an officer in my unit. Why?"

The man shrugged.

"Dunno," he said. "I've never met a Vanguard officer before. Nevermind."

"Standing orders are that all Rikti technology is to be turned over the Vanguard," Jack said. "Why didn't you turn this equipment in when you found it?"

"The Rikti were attacking my home," Arctic Strike responded. "The suit worked for me. I put it on. Tried to save my family..."

"And..?

"I failed," the man said in a sad voice. "Because I could use the equipment, I got a waiver. I've been tinkering with it ever since."

"And now?"

"And now I want to hit the Rikti back," he said, passion in his voice. "I want to hit them back hard."

"You're in," Jack said. "Down the hall and to your left."

Arctic Strike nodded once and closed his visor. He walked from the room.

"Finally got a good one," Jack said.

"It's rare to go through so many without even one viable candidate," Lieutenant Kaneko said.

"I think we've already gotten all the good ones," Jack replied. "What's left are the nutcases and the losers."

"If you say so, sir," Michiko said.

Jack opened his mouth to ask who was next but before he could, the door opened and a huge man, his muscular body covered in an intricate design of unending tattoos walked into the room liked he owned the place. He wore baggy pants of some maroon color, tied off with an intricate white sash, and the lower part of his face was covered with a white scarf. A disordered thatch of black hair so dark as to almost be blue and dark intense eyes were all that was visible above the scarf. Strapped to his back were two enormous swords, their hilts jutting up above his shoulders. He crossed his hands over his barrel chest and stared down at Jack with dark eyes.

"I am Ting Ping Lau, the Steel Serpent," the man said in a deep resonant voice. "My mastery of the arts of combat and skill with a blade is unmatched in the Western world. I will join the Lancers now."

Jack blinked.

"Ting... Ping... Lau," he said, struggling to keep a straight face.

"The Steel Serpent," the man said, as if the name meant something.

"Judging by your markings, you'd be Tsoo," Jack said, his eyes looking the man up and down. "As I understand it, most of the Tsoo spend their time in Steel Canyon or Independence Port living the wild life - parties, blood sports, fast women, drugs, the whole nine. What are you doing here?"

"I was a young fool," Ting Ping Lau said bluntly. "I was misled by Tub Ci. I have mastered the art of the Swift Steel. I can control the speed and rhythm of battle at will, making me unmatched with a blade or in any form of combat. Tub Ci convinced me that this mastery entitled me to earthly pleasures and I was foolish enough to believe him. He was and is gravely mistaken. The true mastery comes only from honing such skills in service to a worthy cause - and there is no cause more worthy than saving humanity. I seek to refine my spirit through the perfection of my craft in service to the Vanguard by testing myself against the Rikti hordes. I will join the Lancers now."

Jack's took off his glasses and his blazing eyes met Ting Ping's dark ones.

"You get through the training and you're in," Jack said. The Steel Serpent nodded.

"It is already done," he said.

"Down the hall and to your left," Jack replied, putting his glasses back on. Ting Ping Lau turned and walked away, his back straight and his head high. "If he's half as good as he thinks he is, we're two for two today."

"The next one looks good too, sir," Michiko said. She handed him the next dossier.

"Send him in," Jack replied.

The man was tall and slim, muscular but in a lean quick way rather than the bulky form of a weightlifter or wrestler. He had a wave of tawny hair and a knowing smile. He was wearing some kind of golden-brown paramilitary outfit and he hooked his thumbs in his belt and nodded.

"Liminal," Jack read. "Says here that you've developed psychic powers - mainly the ability to control your own body's autonomic systems - making you able to move and react faster than normal, as well as manage feats of strength and endurance beyond the normal."

"That's exactly right," the man said in a firm voice. "It also allows me to radiate an extremely powerful charisma at times, but I try and keep that toned down."

"That's good to know," Jack said. "What can you do with all this strength and speed?"

"I've studied a handful of combat techniques," the man said. "I've also developed a series of wrist-mounted dart throwers and projectile weapons to allow me a ranged attack. I'm very good with them."

"You're a hard one to read, Liminal," Jack said.

"It's that psychic thing," the man replied, smiling.

"You have any other psychic powers?" Jack asked. "Read minds? Telepathy? Telekinesis?"

"I wish," Liminal replied. "All I can do is influence myself and my own body. It's not a bad deal, though."

"You got a name?"

"Blake," Liminal said. "Blake Coyn."

"You're in, Blake Coyn," Jack replied. "Down the hall and to your left."

"Thank you!"

"Thank me by doing a good job," Jack replied.

Liminal nodded and left the room. Jack turned to Michiko.

"Keep an eye on him," he said.

"Sir?"

"Something about him makes me nervous," Jack said "but I can't put my finger on it."

"Will do, sir," Michiko replied.

"We're on a roll here," Jack replied. "Who's next?"

Michiko handed him the folder even as the door banged open and a young woman walked into the room. She was about average height but had golden skin and long flowing black hair. She was wearing a skintight outfit out bright yellow and black and there was a faint shimmery aura around her. Jack put her at about seventeen - a precocious seventeen since she was stunningly beautiful and from the way she held herself, obviously knew it.

"Ms. Midas," Jack read.

"That's right," she replied, putting her hands on her hips.

"Any relation to..."

"King Midas is my father," she replied.

"So your father is a super-villain?" Jack said.

"My father is an idiot who runs a candy factory and hires losers to jet around with sonic guns and steal stupid crap," she replied. "It's embarrassing."

Jack closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Midas has super powers," Jack began.

"...and so do I," Ms. Midas said. "Same as him. My skin is impervious to harm and I'm super strong. I can bench press a Buick."

"Why are you here, Ms. Midas?"

"My father is such a loser!" she said. "He could do so much and all he does is sit around his stupid factory and steal stuff! My brother ran off to Paragon City and now he's a big time super hero - Kid Midas! I want to do something that matters. I've got powers, too. You guys matter. I can get training from professionals, pick up some combat techniques, get my act together, and make a big splash. You guys are in all the papers. You just worked with Citadel. I have super powers. I just need a chance to do something with them!"

Jack looked at her frankly.

"Strikes me, you've got an attitude problem," he said.

Ms. Midas smiled and raised her hand. She placed her fingers about an inch apart.

"Yeah, but it's a little one," she replied.

Jack laughed.

"Okay, you're in," he said. "Down the hall and to your left."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Aces!"

"Go!'

"This is so cool!"

"Go!'

"Wait 'til I tell Mandy!"

"Get out of my office!"

Ms. Midas laughed and walked out of the room. Jack shook his head.

"Four for four is some kind of record," he said. He took the next folder from Michiko. "This is too good to be true. Who's next?"

"The Globulator," Michiko said in a small voice.

"It says here he has the power to make himself increasingly fat," Jack said, incredulous.

"Don't you have a wider door!?" an angry voice said from the hallway.

=== === ===

Brian Tyler stopped and combed his hair again. The day was windy and he wanted to look perfect. He'd picked up the roses from the florist and tried on half a dozen outfits before finding clothes that were casual but had a 'dressy' feel to them. He wanted everything to be right.

Finding Mandy Lebeaux' address hadn't been all that hard. He'd looked up her address in the Vangaurd database and called to ask if he could come over and speak to her. She'd seemed very receptive. Brian was excited. Maybe Bunni was right - maybe he'd underrated being a super hero.

Mandy's place was a townhouse in the nicest section of Founders Falls. Places around here went for millions as Brian understood it. He walked down the paved front walk and rang the doorbell.

He straightened his collar nervously as he waited. After what seemed forever, the door opened and there she was - bright eyes, a long cascade of reddish hair and the perfect face. The perfect which scrunched up in anger when she saw the flowers in his hand.

"What's this!?" she demanded.

"I'm Brian Tyler," Brian said quickly. "Luminous Lad. I called your earlier. I was wondering if-"

"I thought you had some news about the Circle or a threat to my sister," Mandy said angrily. "Not that you wanted to go out with me! You tool!"

Brian opened his mouth to say something but she slammed the door. He tried to jerk the flowers back but the heavy oaken door slammed on the bouquet, leaving him with a handful of thorny stems and rose petals all over the floor. Brian stood there with his mouth open, unable to believe what had just happened.

"But... but..." he began, talking to the air "but I rescued you..."

"That didn't go so well, did it, sport?" someone said from behind him. Brian turned to see a dark haired woman standing behind him. She had blue eyes and thick, full lips which broke into a wide smile. "Don't let Mandy get to you. She's a real bitch. This was her on a nice day. Her sister is worse."

Brian blinked.

"That doesn't seem possible," he said.

The woman laughed.

"I've seen them all," she said. "You'd be amazed."

"Are you a model, too?"

The woman laughed.

"I wish," she said. "Actually, I don't. I'm a booking agent. I've worked with models, actresses, heroes, you name it. You need publicity, you talk to me. Melanie Keller."

"Brian Tyler."

"You really a superhero, sport?"

"Yeah," he said.

"People say all kinds of stupid things," Melanie said. "What are your powers?"

Brian stepped down from the stoop and threw his arms back. he exploded in a dazzling blaze of white light and when he was done a towering alien armored form stood on the front lawn of Mandy Lebeaux' townhouse.

"Okay," Melanie said. "That's pretty cool."

There was another blaze of light and the massive hulking shape collapsed back into Brian Tyler.

"I can do more," he said.

"You know," Melanie said "I was going to talk to Mandy about a show she's got coming up on Peregrine Island, but screw that. There's a coffee shop down the block - why don't we take a walk and you can tell me about exactly how you rescued Mandy and her sister."

"Deal," Brian said. Melanie nodded and they began walking down the block. Maybe there is something to this superhero stuff, Brian thought. Even if it's not quite what I expected.

=== === ===

Lady Grey walked into Gaussian's office. Computer equipment was everywhere, a dazzling array of systems and monitors. The man himself was leaning over some print out and his face was clenched like a fist.

"It's been two weeks," Lady Grey said. "We are glad to see some progress on the Fifth Column data Colonel Pentecost collected."

Gaussian looked up.

"We've only begun to scratch the surface at decrypting the Fifth Column information," Gaussian said "but we've gotten enough. Incandescent is dead."

Lady Grey paused.

"Protean kidnapped her," Gaussian said "and brought her to one of the Fifth Column's facilities in Independence Port. We have yet to resolve exactly what transpired there - the files are somewhat vague and we've got a lot of material still to decipher - but whatever happened there, at the end she was dead."

"We shall enact a terrible vengeance for this, Gaussian," Lady Grey said.

"That's not the problem," the man said "our estimates already indicated her termination was probable."

"What is the problem, then?" Lady Grey said.

"They sold her body to Crey," Gaussian replied.

Lady Grey blinked.

"Why?" she asked. "Why would Crey Corporation be interested in Incandescent's cadav..."

Lady Grey went white. Gaussian nodded.

"We had thought their repugnant Revenant Hero project terminated," she said.

"Apparently not," Gaussian replied.

"That avaricious slut and her ghoulish minions have gone too far," Lady Grey said in a cold hard voice "and they shall pay. Get me Colonel Pentecost."

Gaussian turned a monitor around and Lady Grey saw Pentecost's craggy face.

"Colonel," she said.

"Right here, Lady Grey," Jack Pentecost replied.

"The Vanguard is forbidden from conducting operations against civilian targets, no matter the cause," she said. "You understand this?"

"I read the charter," Jack replied.

"We would be very appreciative if someone were to assault Crey Corporation, invade one of their data processing centers and recover any information pertaining to the whereabouts of Incandescent's body and any clones made of said body. However, we cannot order such an action."

"Understood," Jack said. "There's likely to be heavy resistance. Might get messy."

"We do not care if you have to hospitalize the Countess and her bodyguard Hopkins so long as it gets done."

"We'll see what we can do," Pentecost replied.

"We have every faith in you, Colonel."

---

originally posted by Jack Virgo

Interludes & Excursions: Eighteen - Part Two

It had taken the better part of four hours to put the Armory back into some sort of workable shape. Liminal was dusty and tired, more tired than he had been from the practice exercises. He flexed his shoulders and nodded as Sergeant Squeak - what kind of name was that!? - dismissed them. Rather than jog with the rest of the Lancers back to the barracks, Liminal volunteered to return the mops and equipment to the janitor closet, it would give him a couple of minutes alone.

He pushed the little bucket trolley thing along the hallway, waiting until he was sure no one was around before speeding up to get to the closet. Once inside, he closed the door. The place reeked but it was private. Liminal pulled out a small box and activated it. After a minute it beeped, indicating that the encryption parameters had been established. He waited patiently and the light on the box turned green, indicating his contact had picked up.

"Control," Liminal said "this is Razor."

"Acknowledged," a metallic voice said. The box modulated sound, making voices unrecognizable. He had no idea if the person on the other end was ever male or female. "Communication inside the Compound is extremely risky. Make this brief."

"I have passed the training regimen and am now in the unit," Liminal reported. "I should shortly have access to Vanguard resources. Request objective."

"Confirmed, Razor," the one called Control said. "Your objective is to obtain the schematics and design specifications of the teleportation device located in the Experimental Science Lab. The project is currently headed by Doctor Collins."

"Understood, Control," Liminal said.

"No physical violence is authorized at this time," Control said.

"It shouldn't be needed. My own capabilities will be sufficient," Liminal replied. He thought of Flambeaux. "I have begun acquiring additional resources if alternative options become necessary."

"Acknowleged, Razor," Control said. "Be extremely circumspect. Vanguard has numerous entities capable of resisting or detecting your powers. Under no circumstances are you to attempt to influence Lady Grey, any of her Chiefs or Colonel Pentecost. Be especially wary of Sergeant Maridian. She possesses prodigious psychic powers."

"Understood," Liminal said. "What about the personnel of the Experimental Science Lab?"

"They are normal humans," Control replied "and possess no extraordinary abilities. Caution should still be exercised, however, as they may be under surveillance or in proximity to individuals who can detect your powers."

"Understood Control," Liminal said. "I'll be careful."

"Resume contact when you have something to report, Razor."

"Understood."

"Control out."

Liminal nodded to himself. He'd turned the power on the unit down as low as he could - which greatly reduced its range. Partially to avoid detection by any of Vanguard's security but also to test something. Whoever his contact was, whoever was 'Control', they were in the building somewhere. Liminal figured knowing who he was taking orders from would be amazingly useful, if push came to shove.

=== === ===

The metal mesh of the walkway was brown with rust, but looked solid. It offered a perfect vantage point to see what was going on beneath her and she was getting very tired of floating around.

Karen Colby - Ms. Mist - pulled herself together and assumed a solid form, taking shape on a catwalk far above the Rikti activity below. The Rikti were everywhere. Those Vanguard guys hadn't been kidding. She'd spotted more than a hundred Rikti in the sewers themselves before she'd found this massive pit behind a maintenance room door. They'd tunneled out the back of the room and from there driven a massive shaft downwards. They were moving what looked like heavy weaponry down and truly awful noises came from somewhere deep in the bowels of the earth below.

Ms. Mist gathered herself and was about to assume her mist form again when an incredible roar startled her. She spun to see a massive form reaching for her but she was too slow - a hideous gelatinous hand closed around her neck.

She had only seconds. Seconds...

Karen Colby struggled to assume the mist form that had given her her name but she couldn't concentrate.
She couldn't breathe...

Everything went black.

=== === ===

Darsis shook uncontrollably. He was lying in a dark alley and an angry bearded face under a crooked beret was snarling down at him. Huge pointed claws were digging into his throat, and he could feel the skin above his Adam's apple stretch. His left arm throbbed with intense agony and he was afraid to even blink.

"Wh-what do you want with me!?" he asked and his voice quavered.

He heard hard, booted footsteps before a tall man came into view - a sorcerer obviously. He had a craggy face and his eyes burned with green light behind yellow glasses.

"We're about to conduct an experiment," he said in an even tone, squatting down next to the bearded man with the claws "and, well, you're going to be its victim."

"But I haven't done anything!?" Darsis almost shouted.

The claws pushed higher and he felt his skin break. A warm trickle began to snake its way down his neck. Darsis wanted to swallow but he didn't dare.

"That's not exactly true, is it?" the man with the glowing eyes asked. "You Circle mages have been kidnapping people here in Kings Row for weeks now... isn't that right, Squeak?"

The little girl - that infernal little girl - walked up next to the men. Her face took on an angelic, wide-eyed innocence.

"You should have seen it. 'Please, mister, can you help me? I missed the last bus to Founders and I'm afraid to walk to the tram station by myself at night, it's so dangerous around here...' He came right up to me, all smiles and friendship," the girl's face took on an almost demonic countenance. "He was going to help me alright - help me into some kind of sacrifice ... until I broke his arm."

"It - it wasn't like that!" Darsis insisted.

"Keep your voice down," the sorcerer said. "Not that anyone pays much attention to screams around here - but if we're interrupted I may have my friend here do something unpleasant to you until I can contain the interruption. If we kill you, you'll just possess another body but I'm sure you can feel pain and I can keep you in a lot of pain for a very long time - are we clear?"

"Who are you!?" Darsis breathed.

"I'm Jack Pentecost," the man said.

"Ermeeth save me!" Darsis prayed. "My - my associates will find you! You won't get awa-"

"I'm afraid MacDice and Squeak here put down your little ritual group. You're the only one left," Pentecost said. "We only needed one mage."

"What are you going to do to me!?"

"I'm going to have MacDice here open a vein and you're going to bleed to death," Pentecost said "or at least that body is. I expect you'll be looking to transfer. Understand something - if you move or if you struggle while that's going on, my friends are going to have to do things to keep you from moving. You won't like that."

"Can I break his other arm?" the one called Squeak asked.

"Only if he struggles," Pentecost said.

"Wh - what!?"

"Okay, MacDice," Pentecost said grimly. "Do it."

There was a sharp pain in his neck and the warm trickle became a spurt. With a sick sensation Darsis realized that the one called MacDice had sliced open his jugular. He was bleeding to death!

"Dinnae be movin' now," MacDice said. "It'll only mean it hurts more."

Darsis had to get out of here. If the Lancers were hunting down mages, the Circle had to be warned. He closed his eyes and let go ... only ... only ... nothing happened! He was still in this pathetic dying shell! Darsis thrashed, panicked, and the claws dug deeper into his neck, their points digging into the soft flesh under his jaw.

"I said to nae move," MacDice said.

Darsis clenched his teeth and pushed. His spirit stretched and for a moment the pain and agony faded ... but only for a moment. He snapped back into the weak mortal form, now growing cold ... there was something ... something like a black web surrounding his dying form. A dark net that held his spirit in, anchored him to the flesh he had worn for the past year.

"For the love of Ermeeth, what are you doing!?" Darsis screamed.

"Locking you into that body you stole," Pentecost said. "Tough deal, isn't it?"

He had to get out. The body was dying. Its heart rate falling. Its limbs growing cold. He had lost sensation in his fingers!

Darsis screamed again, a wordless cry of agony and he pushed out with every fiber of his being. His body spasmed and again his senses grew dim - the pain and coldness fading as his spirit pulled away ... but not far enough.

He was caught. He was caught!

There came an awful stab of red pain and Darsis realized that vile child had broken his other arm - but it didn't matter - he was dying! A great well of darkness reared up underneath him and he realized he had instants before he faced the true death. With a last soundless wail he ripped outwards, the black net stretching and then, suddenly, there was a gap - a tiny tiny hole. Darsis forced his ragged soul forward and writhed invisibly until he was free ... free! His ties with that wretched clay severed for good!

Darsis floated upwards until the buildings of Kings Row were beneath him and spent a moment luxuriating in the absence of pain ... then the urgency hit him. He had to get back to Oranbega! He had to warn his masters! If Pentecost perfected his ritual - if he mastered that black web he was building - they were all at risk. All of them!

Pentecost and his crazed Lancers had to be stopped! Stopped at all costs!

Frantic, Darsis floated downwards - it would take hours to reincarnate himself. There was no time to waste!

=== === ===

Brian MacDice stood up and stepped back, away from the corpse. He and Pip Squeak looked at Jack hopefully.

Jack Pentecost shook his head.

"Nope," he said. "He got away."

"That's the fifth one tonight," MacDice said. "I dinnae think we hae time fer many more."

"No, you're right," Jack said. "I don't think it would do any good, anyway. I'm missing something. There's some flaw in my spell. They manage to get away at the end. It's not their native body, so it's tough to anchor their spirit to it. The body's natural urge is to repulse a foreign spirit - it's hard to overcome that against that spirit's will if it wants to leave. I've got to rethink what I'm doing."

"Next time they'll be ready for us," Pip Squeak said. "Those ghosts are going to report back in and we won't be able to surprise them, like we did this time. We'll need more people."

"I'll work on that," Jack said. "This is a tough job. Not many have the stomach for it."

"Ye should be askin' Bunni," MacDice said. "She's a tough lass and she's a real trooper. She'd do it iff'n you asked her."

"That's exactly why I'm not going to ask her," Jack said. "She'd do it for the team but she'd hate it and herself for doing it. She doesn't need that and I'm not going to do it to her. If we need more people I'm sure we can find some volunteers. It's not like the Circle has any friends."

"I'll see who I can come up with," Pip Squeak said.

"Let's head home, gang," Jack said. He'd have to promote MacDice to sergeant. He might need squads to hunt down Circle mages at night, and he'd need two good leaders to handle the job. Jack grimaced. How had he ever gotten into this?

Because I have to stop Rollister, he reminded himself. Immortal eternal foes were willing to take risks, to do things that normal people weren't. Leveling the playing field would go a long way to keeping the Circle of Thorns in line - he had to keep reminding himself of that.

"Let's go home," Jack said again.

=== === ===

The Heavy Vanguard Assault Suit was a towering behemoth of impervium armor that could stride across the battlefield like a titan and wreak havoc like a god of war - which was why the Vanguard was very particular about who they would allow access to one. Bunni had been taking lessons in the simulator for weeks now and she was finally getting the hang of operating the thing.

Her instructor, Colonel Mathers, was a tall white-haired man who had the classic lean and mean look so many military commanders develop. Surprisingly he was soft-voiced and gentle, which had been the last thing Bunni had expected. When she'd first sat in the big seat in the simulator, her feet in the big metal pedals and her hands on the two metal operating grips, he'd pulled down a helmet bristling with wires - she'd later learned it was called 'the bonnet' - and held it out to her.

"You'll have to remove the ears," he'd said in an even tone, indicating the rabbit ears she'd salvaged from her old stripper outfit and added to her uniform "there's no way to guide an HVAS without wearing the headgear."

"You have no idea what you're asking," Bunni had quipped.

"We all must make sacrifices for the cause," Colonel Mathers had replied in a dry tone and she'd known they'd be getting along just fine from that moment on.

Twice a week, for four hours at a stretch, Bunni had sat in the simulator with the bonnet on her head and Mathers had taught and she had learned. She'd learned that the bonnet reacted to the positioning of the head and to certain facial expressions. The targeting and guidance systems swiveled the chain guns and the plasma cannons to whatever you were looking at - they could track eye movements. This made it possible to lay down a withering array of firepower with a look. It was a devastatingly powerful sensation.

She'd learned that the foot pedals controlled the forward and backwards motion of the HVAS - the lumbering giant stomping forward or back, and side to side once you learned what you were doing, based on the positioning of your feet. She'd learned that the handgrips controlled the other arm-mounted weaponry and the special weapons - the incendiary air burst, the seeker drones, the tear gas dispensers and the rest.

A couple of weeks ago, while she'd been strafing holographic targets with a clustered energy barrage she'd noticed something and asked a question - you only had to wear the bonnet for a few minutes before it became apparent you wouldn't be turning your head or taking your eyes off the battlefield for a second. The first question she'd had, she'd shifted in the chair to look at the instructor and she'd walked her line of fire through a holographic array of 'friendly' tanks and soldiers. She thought she'd never live that down until Colonel Mathers had explained that everyone does the same thing the first time around.

"Colonel?" she'd asked, her eyes never leaving the simulated Rikti drones she was gunning down.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" Mathers always referred to her by her rank - he never called her by name or by nickname.

"The 30mm chain gun?"

"What about it?"

"Saying it's a 30mm weapon implies it has ammunition," Bunni said "a bullet or something - but all I see is blue energy blasts. How does it work?"

"That's a good question," the Colonel said, surprised. "Most of the people in the trainer never even think to ask it. You've obviously been reading the manual - which puts you miles ahead of the average trainee. The design of the chain guns is based on the Hughes M230 chain gun-" which meant nothing to Bunni "- but rather than firing a metal-jacketed projectile, the HVAS chain gun contains a charge of compartmentalized magnesium-tungsten in a protonium wrapper."

"A what?"

"It's a special compound that, when ignited in the proper way, is entirely converted into an energized gas. The expansion of the molecules going from solid to superheated gas propels the compound out of the barrel and downrange. That's how we produce those 'energy blasts' you're seeing."

"So it's not really generating energy," Bunni said. "It's still bullets."

"The plasma cannons are energy generators," Colonel Mathers had said "but the chain guns have bullets, you're right, special bullets that turn into superheated energy discharges, but still bullets, yes."

"So they can run out of ammo?"

"I suppose," Mathers admitted grudgingly. "I've never seen it happen, though."

"I'm shooting a lot of these things," Bunni pointed out as she looked around and airborne drones exploded around her.

"The chain guns fire a thousand rounds per minute."

"That's a lot," Bunni replied. "How much ammo do I have?"

"The forearm magazines contain one million rounds," Mathers replied.

"That's a thousand minutes of continuous firing," Bunni said "which is... umm..."

"16.6 hours of constant use," Mathers replied.

Bunni laughed.

"I guess I won't be running out of ammo anytime soon," she admitted. "It was a dumb question."

"Wanting to know the capabilities of the equipment you're piloting is never dumb," Mathers said.

"Wait..." Bunni said and she slacked off on the triggers. The guns fell silent. "What happens if something sets the forearm magazines on fire?"

"That would be..." Colonel Mathers fished for a word "...bad."

"I guess it's a good thing they're made from impervium then," Bunni said.

"Try not to leak the design specs to the Rikti," Mathers had replied in that dry tone that Bunni had learned was his way of joking.

"They don't talk to me," Bunni had sniffed and gone back to the exercise.

That had been three weeks ago and since then she'd worked through every possible control, weapon and mechanism that the Heavy Vanguard Assault Suit had. She knew the simulator by heart. Bunni wondered what was next. She was rushing down the hallway - she'd never been late for a class but Colonel Mathers was an early riser and a firm believer in early morning classes. Bunni had overslept and so she'd had to skip breakfast to make sure she arrived on time.

"Going somewhere Lieutenant?" a familiar voice called out from behind her as she headed down the stairs to the lower level.

"Sir?" Bunni said. "We're scheduled for another HVAS run today."

"That's right, Lieutenant," Colonel Mathers said "but today is different. Today you're piloting the real thing. We're heading out of the Compound. Let's see how you do."

Bunni swallowed.

Now she knew what was next.

=== === ===

Blake Coyn stepped into the lab and looked around. There was massive equipment everywhere and huge cabling - power cables - wound their way all over the floor. Two techs, a tall weedy guy with glasses and a short plump girl with a long mane of brown hair - grad students at a guess - were busy bolting down a huge square metal plate on the floor while a tall man in a white lab coat with the biggest nose that Blake had ever seen loomed over them.

"Excuse me," Blake said and the man looked up, his eyes intent through his thick glasses.

"Can I help you?" the man asked in an angry voice.

"I should hope so," Blake said. "I'm known as Liminal and I'm looking for Doctor Collins."

"I am Doctor Collins," the man said, and sniffed.

"I was wondering if I could be of any assistance, Doctor?" Blake said. "Colonel Pentecost asked me to-"

"Colonel Pentecost!" the professor yelled, raising his arms above his head. "Colonel Pentecost!?! First he mocks me, then he assaults me, now he sends his flunkies to sabotage my work!"

"Er..." Blake was at a loss. "What!?!"

"Out! Out of my lab, you saboteur!" Collins was livid. "Get out or I'll have you thrown out! Security! Security!"

"Have a nice day, Doctor Collins," Blake said, backing towards the door. He quickly exited the lab and stood in the hallway for a moment, dazed.

What was that all about!?

=== === ===

Piloting a real HVAS was cool.

Bunni pushed forward on the grips and stomped on the pedals and the huge machine began jogging forwards, its massive feet making thunderous booms as they crashed down on the pavement.

"Target ahead, Lieutenant," Colonel Mathers said from the HVAS next to her.

A little red crosshair started blinking on her display. She saw the burnt out hulk of a ruined tank.

"Plasma cannons online," Bunni replied.

"Plasma cannons inoperative for this exercise," Mathers replied. "Your next choice?"

"Activating chain guns," Bunni replied "One and two."

"Confirmed, Lancer One," Mathers replied. "You may fire at will."

Bunni stared at the ruined tank and made what she called 'the face'. The chain guns roared to life, their motors humming as they spun up for a few seconds before the weapons actually started firing. A barrage of blue bolts crackled from the machine she rode and the shell of the tank exploded outwards, smoking metal flying in all directions.

"Incoming drones, Lancers One," Mathers said in an even tone "three o'clock."

Bunni stopped making 'the face' and the guns spun down, falling silent as she turned in her seat, swinging the grips. The HVAS spun in place and its guidance systems painted a dozen blips in front of her. By their shape they weren't real Rikti drones - the must be some kind of Vanguard device - but it didn't matter. She made 'the face' again and the chain guns roared. One by one the little lights winked out and the sky was filled with explosions. The last one was still falling, leaving a smoky black trail when Mathers' voice crackled over the comlink.

"Rikti assault squads infiltrating the wreckage at nine o'clock," he said. Again, Bunni spun the HVAS and she saw a huge lot filled with rubble and ruined vehicles. There'd be no direct line of sight to anyone crawling through all that wreckage. "Weapons selection, Lieutenant?"

"Excalibur cluster bomb airburst," Bunni said without hesitation " followed by seeker drones."

"Seeker drones inoperative," Mathers replied. "Proceed with airburst, Lancer One."

"Confirmed, Sword One," Bunni replied. Her thumb toggled the trigger on the left grip while her eyes moved the crosshairs over the ruins. Her right thumb guided the rangefinder. Bunni smiled to herself as she triggered the airburst. She could feel the heavy thrum of the launcher as it fired. The Excalibur was basically an artillery shell and it flashed out from the right shoulder of her HVAS and came down right in the center of the collapsed building. It exploded about twenty feet above the ground and a downpour of white phosphorous and shrapnel rained over the ruins. The entire expanse burst into flames and the ground shook from the blast. If anyone had actually been huddled in there, they'd be burning along with the wreckage of rocks and metal.

"What if survivors rushed from the ruins armed with energy weapons, Lieutenant?" Mathers asked.

"That's what the seeker drones were for," Bunni replied.

"Seeker drones are inoperative," Mathers said.

"Chain guns one and two are still online, Colonel," Bunni replied. She started to make 'the face' and the weapons began to spin up.

"Good enough, Lancer One," the Colonel laughed. "Good enough. Let's lock down the weapons systems and head back to base."

"Confirmed, Sword One," Bunni replied. The guns spun back down.

The two huge war machines began trotting back towards the Compound.

"Question, Lieutenant," Mathers asked as they lumbered down the streets and the walls came in sight.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"During the exercise, in every instance, you picked the most lethal weapons response. The plasma cannons over the chain guns, the cluster bombs over the tear gas or even the grenades. Your reasoning?"

"If someone's going to be shooting at me with energy weapons or fusion projectors or whatever the hell it is those Rikti Assault Units have, I'm going to hit them hard with whatever I've got," Bunni said. "I'm not going to spray tear gas at them. Screw that!"

Colonel Mathers laughed again.

"Pentecost trained you well," he said.

"Oh, I came like this, Colonel," Bunni replied. "He just added a little polish."

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