Young Justice IC

Super Namicchi

"We can't afford to risk the chance," she said to Nightwing, squeezing his shoulder before moving past him to the workdesk scattered with components.

Most of this stuff is way over my head...

Biting her lower lip she pulled a dangerous looking energy projector from one of the top shelves and set it on the work desk. Grabbing a few extra components she set them next to the weapon and nodded. "Okay. I think I can make this work."

With the tools of the lab at her disposal it only took a few moments during the heated exchange to affix the components to the projector. "... Soooo I have no idea if this will do what I think it will do, but if my numbers are good then we shouldn't have to nuke Captain Atom."

She picked up the hefty device from the table and thumbed the activator. It hummed to life and began to emit a strange blue-black glow. Batgirl grinned. "Sweet. Everyone needs to step back. Like back back. This thing is going to create a micro wormhole into the Speed Force. Theoretically. It should be able to absorb the excess energy leaking off of Captain Atom."

for SCIENCE!: 1d20+10 25

SCIENCE!

Sakutian

Nightwing beamed at Batgirl as he stepped out of the line of fire. "Nice to see that all that time you spent studying in the cave over the years wasn't a complete waster of time."

destroyah87

Hearing Batgirl's plan, Beetle tried to help.

The scarab showed him schematics and scans of the device, but Jaime couldn't make heads or tails of it.
"Uh, you should make sure the batteries are put in the right way."

[Idiot.]

Technology: 1d20+1 3 Rolled a whopping 2. Horayy

Sakutian

The hum from the projector continued growing steadily louder until the noise became deafening. Emitting a single beam of light the projector traced a path in front of the glass pyramid. Enormous bolts of lightning erupted across the laboratory and arced through Captain Atom lifting him off of the ground. Claps of thunder rattled the beakers and test tubes littering the table and left the Riddler huddling for shelter next to the dented filing cabinet. The overhead lights flickered wildly and then exploded showering everything in the room with sparks.

[Unknow energy signature detected caution reccommended.

Firestorm watched as his mentor writhed in the throes of an onslaught the seemed to be causing him agony.

"Fascianting, if you can convince Batgirl to recreate that device I'd like the chance to study this Speed Force. more closely."

"Not now doc."

The emitter began shaking violently in Batgirl's hands and the pitch of the hum changed to a much higher frequency.

"Get down!" Batman leapt in front of Batgirl knocking her to the floor and shielding her with his cape. The emitter exploded showering bits of fire and ruined components across the lab. Batman pulled his cape aside and helped Batgirl back to his feet allowing her to glimpse the ruined lab.

Captain Atom stepped out of the shattered remains of of his prison crushing powdered glass beneath his feet and with steam curling off of his metallic skin. "I think it worked."

Solar

Firestorm laughed in relief. "Well, I'm glad that worked and we didn't have to send you through time, Cap." He would never admit as much, even to himself, but Jason really did value Atom as a mentor and a father figure. "Well, now that's over we can get this loser-" he jerked his head towards the Riddler "-to where he belongs."

Sakutian

The Riddler tried to straighten himself up agains the filing cabinet but his bindings made it a difficult feat. "Oh, but if you do that whatever will become of poor Doctor Dayton?"

Sakutian

Batman stood up advancing on the Riddler. "No more games Nigma, tell me what you've done with him."

"You don't really expect me to let my last bargaining chip fly away do you Batman? After you release me, I'll be more than happy to tell you where to find Dayton."

destroyah87

Jaime spoke quietly, pitched so only the scarab would hear, "I've got an idea, follow my lead."

Blue Beetle fixed the Riddler with his best death glare and moved towards the green-clad villain. "You little shit." He growled, "I've been through hell tonight, thanks to you."

The new Blue Beetle gripped the Riddler by his collar and lifted him up till he slammed into the ceiling. "Tell me where Dayton is and I won't eat you." The scarab, picking up on Jaime's plan, helpfully deepened the young man's voice and reshaped the armor's teeth into sharp points. The alien intelligence even punctuated the threat with an inhuman growl.

Intimidate: 1d20+1 18 This is actually a 19. I forgot my Presence was 2, not 1.

Sakutian

Terror flooded the Riddler's eyes as he gaped at the Blue Beetle. "He's in the Penguin's gambling parlor beneath the Iceberg Lounge!"

Solar

"Then let's get going!"

Sakutian

Captain Atom took the trembling supervillain from Blue Beetle, but Batman turned and moved purposefully towards the exit.

“Batman, where are you going?”

“To have a chat with the Penguin.”

“I don’t think either of us are in any shape for a fight, it might be better if we let these four handle it.” Captain Atom tilted his head towards Batgirl, Blue Beetle, Firestorm, and Nightwing.

“Do what you want, I’ll manage.” Batman stepped over bookshelf that had been overturned during the commotion. Captain Atom raised his hand and fired a broad beam of yellow light into Batman’s back knocking him to the ground in a heap.

“Don’t worry, that was only a concussive blast, if he couldn’t dodge that then he must be in worse shape than I thought. I’ll take him to the Hall of Justice so we can both get patched up.” Captain Atom crossed the lab and lifted Batman up onto his shoulder awkwardly. “I’m trusting the four of you to get the last hostage to safety.”

Sakutian

The Iceberg Lounge

Near the heart of the city the wealthy elite of Gotham were swarming outside of the Iceberg Lounge. The streets outside of the club were free of litter, and none of the buildings bore any of the graffiti that seemed ever present throughout the city. The Penguin had gone to great lengths to make his club the premiere destination for everyone who is anyone in Gotham, and his efforts had paid off beyond even his lofty ambitions. Spotless limousines and sports cars continually pulled up to the curb depositing celebrities, socialites, and politicians on the Penguin’s doorstep. Photographers clamored for the guest’s attention as their camera flashed. Security guards wearing dark suits opened the frosted glass doors ushering the guests inside. A line of people waiting for their chance to get inside started behind a velvet rope outside of the doors and stretched around the corner.

Super Namicchi

Batgirl skid to a stop on the Batcycle a little bit away from the main entrance to the Lounge, removing her helmet. Nightwing pulled up behind her a second later. She tapped her ear for a moment and activated her cowl's commlink.

"Hey Beetle, Firestorm. Do you think you guys can play cavalry if we need you?"

Solar

"Yell when you need us, Batgirl. we'll circle around the back and check things out. Make sure you save some action for us though!" Firestorm swooped down onto a rooftop opposite the Lounge, and looked at Blue Beetle, who had landed next to him. "We'll only draw attention to ourselves in a place like that, buddy. Let's have a look around while those two poke their nose in Penguin's business."

destroyah87

Jaime grinned, "Sounds like a plan."

[This unit is programmed and equipped for infiltration. We could enter the target zone, eliminate Penguin (and all other threats) and even retrieve this scientist Dayton, if he is still alive.]
"Yeah, but Batgirl and Nightwing are better trained and have way more practice then I do at this. I'm sure you're the best at this, just like everything else, but would you just shut up for two seconds!" Jaime said, annoyed by the scarab's constant commentary.

Firestorm turned back to the blue armored hero, "What was that?"

"Uh, what I said was, 'Lead the way.' So ... lead the way."
[Smooth cover.]

Jaime realized that the alien intelligence was picking up human sarcasm very quickly. This night just kept getting better and better.

Solar

"...Okay then." Firestorm wondered if Blue Beetle was a little unstable

[indeed, only someone with mental deficiencies would talk to a voice in their head

{oh shut up}

Floating forward a little off the roof, Firestorm began a wide, low circle of the building, attempting to stay at least somewhat out of sight. Giving the lounge guards plenty of distance, the two superheroes gently banked around to the rear where the came to a gentle stop on a tall building overlooking the lounge and began to observe the rear. Jason hoped that Batgirl and Nightwing would give them a shout at some point. It'd been a long night already, but he wanted to make sure everyone who had been behind the various plots they had pulled apart already was locked up behind bars before he went home.

Besides, it was hardly like he wanted to get back in time to say good night to dear old Dad.

destroyah87

Jaime groused to himself in the privacy of his own thoughts. Firestorm probably thinks I'm crazy. The moment of silence stretched out between the two heroes, the scarab tracking the movement of guards and highlighting security cameras and sensors.

"uh hey. Firestorm?"

"I'm not crazy. My armor is alive and it talks to me."

[You fool! This one has told you time and again, my existence is not to be revealed! My mission on this planet is a secret that must not be compromised. If our enemies ...] The scarab trailed off and Jaime sensed a flash of confusion from the alien being. Another example of the memory loss the intelligence seemed to suffer from, Jaime thought.

Rolling a perception here, casing the joint from outside was largely for flavor, but... Perception: 1d20+9 29

Solar

"Same here man, I had an AI copy of the guy who invented my powers downloaded into my head."

Blue Beetle turned to look at him, head cocked and one mechanical eyebrow comically raised. For a few seconds, neither of them said anything

"An AI? Downloaded into your brain?"

"Yeah. And it speaks to me. All the time. Does your do that too?"

"Dude like you would not believe"

Sakutian

Nightwing slid his helmet off and tucked it underneath of his arm. "If Penguin sees us coming this is going to get messy, I really hope you have a plan because sneaking in there isn't going to be easy."

Meanwhile above the club Blue Beetle's eyes were drawn to a small light on the rooftop. Another security was smoking next to the rooftop access while propping the door open with his foot. The scarab also highlighted a few security cameras which were positioned on each corner of the building. Every few seconds the camera turned a few inches in a steady patten. Luckily the Penguin clearly hadn't planned for an attack from the air and neither the cameras or the guard had taken any notice of Blue Beetle of Firestorm.

Sakutian

Firestorm and Blue Beetle

A sudden gust of wind whips the bouncer's cigarette out of his hand and carries it off. Cursing he looks up and spots Firestorm and the Blue Beetle hovering overhead. He is clearly too stunned by this sight to take any immediate action but his foot slides back towards the door.

Batgirl

The private comm in Batgril's cowl buzzed to life and Alfred's voice came through the line. "Miss Barbara, the Penguin is hosting a event to raise money for the Gotham Aviary this evening, Master Bruce recieved an invitation. I believe you could slip in among the other guests. I took the liberty of placing some evening wear in the hidden compartment on your motrocycle."

Solar

Raising his hand, Jason acted fast. The guard would almost certainly have radio equipment, and indeed with a quick check there was an earpiece and microphone coming up from his shirt collar, snaking towards the guards ear. He felt the warmth of the Matrix spread through his body as he drew on its powers, and chemical sequences began to filter through his mind. Turning the radio into anything particularly dangerous wasn't necessary at this point, he only needed to render it defunct. A quick acceleration of molecular decay, causing the components to degrade into dust, was the easiest choice.

I think, to target someone as opposed to something, you need to make an attack roll. That doesn't really make sense for this power, but I suppose it could represent getting a lock on the target substance and analyzing it properly. Really should have represented that with perception accuracy compensated for requires check flaw, but you live and learn!

Transform the Radio: 1d20+8 13

Sakutian

Clearly anticipating some sort of attack from the flying hero the security guard ducked to the rooftoop with surprising speed. The door behind the guard changed into an sickly orange color as the metal turned to rust before Firestorm's very eyes.

[Hmm, it seems your aim needs some work Jason.]

So I'm going to consider the security guard's radio to be a small device, meaning he gets a +5 to his dodge to avoid having it transformed. 1d20+7= 20. Looks like Firestorm fails to transform the radio.

destroyah87

Whatever the Penguin was paying this guard, it wasn't enough. He dodged aside from Blue Beetle's clumsy swoop and made it look easy.

Grabbing Guard (basic melee): 1d20+4 5

Sakutian

After avoiding Blue Beetle's attack the security guard pressed his hand to the microphone on his collar. "I need backup, we've got party crashers on the roof!"

Drawing a pistol from the inside of his jacket he aimed for Blue Beetle and Firestorm and unleashed a volley of nearly silent gunfire at both of the heroes. A spray of bullets soared through the air around Firestorm but none of them came anywhere close to hitting him. Blue Beetle wasn't so lucky.

Security Guard Multiattack against Firestorm: 1d20-1= 0
Security Guard Multiattack against Blue Beetle: 1d20-1= 12
Toughness DC 18.

Sakutian

The door behind the security guard flew open followed by a woman with a large pistol in her hands. Her hair was cropped very short except for a few trailing dark strands on the right side of her head. She was wearing a dark leather jacket over black clothes, and a black choker was wrapped around her neck. She looked up at Firestorm and Blue Beetle then spoke into the wrist of her coat which must have concealed a radio. "No, it's not the bat sir, looks like a couple of brats making trouble. Don't worry I'll take care of it."

destroyah87

Ignoring the bullets as they ricochet off his cobalt armor, Blue Beetle swoops low. He lands on the rooftop and socks the security guard square in the jaw as the man kept discharging his weapon.

The big man collapses roughly, falling to the roof in a heap. Jaime aims his left arm at the woman as it transforms into energy cannon configuration.

Blue Beetle smiles, "You'll take care of it huh?" he says as the energy cannon hums with power. It was set to stun, but she didn't need to know that. "I have a better idea. How about you take us to the boss so we can have a little chat."

that 12 doesn't beat my Dodge DC of 18. Toughness would be 10+12 or 22. And taking the automatic 10 for minions, that would be a check of 14 for a basic melee attack beating his Dodge 12 and Parry 12.

Strength 6 means Toughness DC 21 Toughness: 1d20+3 5 Failed by 16. Four Degrees of Failure. Dude is knocked out.

Sakutian

The woman casually glanced at the humming energy cannon inches from her face, then she raised her arm. "Yes sir, I heard you."

Turning her back on Blue Beetle she stepped over the unconscious guard stopping just inside the rooftop access. "Mr. Cobblepot would like a word with the two of you."

Sakutian

The dark haired woman lead Jason and Jaime down the steps and through a bustling kitchen. Line cooks continued preparing ornate dishses while waiters whisked the plates out through a swinging set of double doors barely sparing them a glance. Clearly the Penguin's employees were used to unusual guests. Their escort swept past two gorilla-like men flanking a reinforced door and ushered the young heroes inside.

The room they enetered was decorated with large expensive looking furniture, paintings of birds, and a thick rug. The Penguin was standing next to a large cage filled with colorful birds that chirped and squaked continually. He scratched one of his perching pets under its beak while scooping seeds into its dish.

"Lark, I think you can leave us for the time being. I don't think either of these young men intend to murder me in cold blood." He turned and his monocle caught the light flashing brightly as he looked up at them past his pointed nose. "Do you gentlemen?"

Solar

Jason hated guys like this. Back home in Detroit he'd known a few, those who thought that some glamorous trappings and a false sense of honour made them somehow better than other criminals, like it gave some romantic legitimacy to what they did. Really, they were just as bad, and often worse, than those scrabbling for a life outside on the street. After all, at least on the street you had that excuse, you broke the law to eat. Cobblepott and his ilk just broke the law because they were greedy, no amount of money or power would ever satisfy them.

"Murder isn't our style, Cobbelpott. Nice place you got here, shame about the pets though. Always was more of a dog guy myself."

destroyah87

"It is a nice place." Blue Beetle smiled, "Though it's only murder if there's a body."

[A cannon blast at maximum power is more than sufficient to vaporize an unenhanced human.]

Sakutian

Jaime heard someone moving behind him and turned to find Lark advancing him, but she froze in her place at a qualing look from the Penguin.

"You'll have to excuse Lark, she's rather protective of me. That will be all for the moment."

The raven haired bodyguard left the room hesitantly while the the Penguin took a seat behind his desk. He opened the lid of a box of cigars, took one for himself, and then offered the box to Blue Beetle and Firestorm. "Can I tempt either of you gentlemen?"

destroyah87

Blue Beetle shook his head and flopped down into a chair, "I don't smoke. Those things'll kill you."

The Penguin smirked, "Suit yourself." and lit his cigar. The foul smelling smoke drifted over to Jaime, [Analyzing ... Smoke contains addictive substance: Nicotine. Trace elements also known to cause cancer and other assorted conditions. Filtering intake, targeting harmful elements.]

The harsh smell of the cigar smoke was suddenly reduced in intensity. It now smelled like somebody had smoked in this room over an hour ago, instead of the Penguin sitting there with the cigar in his mouth.

"So Mr. Penguin, nice place you've got for yourself. What services don't you offer? For the right price of course. I mean, you've got gambling of every stripe. I know I've read in the papers what is suspected in the champagne rooms. Sex, drugs, and gambling. A nice little trifecta. Though I have to wonder, how long until you try your hand at kidnapping and human trafficking. Seems to me, that's the next logical step."

Blue Beetle started over at the Avian Asshole, waiting for a response and/or reaction. The scarab, as it usually did when in dangerous situations, was busy cataloging the threats, lines of fire, and possible escapes. The information was scrolling unobtrusively across one side of Jaime's field of view.