Planning

[time_dancer]

Val's room is something like a mix between a New York warehouse studio and a high tech lab. Instruments glow and beep along one wall and the windows (or are the flat screen monitors?) show the New York skyline in the early evening of Autumn. Over the center wall is a large portrait of the Fantastic Four family; Reed, Susan, Johnny, Ben, Alicia, Val, Franklin, and Jennifer figure prominately. On an opposite wall another family portrait shows a happy Susan with a seemingly equally happy Victor von Doom (in armor), an older Franklin (teen aged) and Val. Over by the lab area there is a dry erase board with the words "Save Johnny" written very large.

There is a round table in the center of the room with enough chairs for everyone. Food and drink (digital variations are present) are on a side table next to plates and cups. Floating above the table is a 3D holo-map showing a flat asteroid about the size of a couple football stadiums with several smaller asteroids floating about it. There is a red light blinking just off the center of the large rock island.

"So here's the landscape. Aunt Jen, you've had more experience with the Negative Zone. Would you mind explaining its nature for us?" Val asks once everyone is settled. All traces of her usual cheery self are gone, today Val is all business. At the head of the table there are also a few floating screens showing several different species of the insectoids and some stills of the character of N-Zone space.

Comments

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

"Of course I will, Val."

Jen beams a maternal, warm smile at Val.

"Okay, ladies and gents and in between, here's what we're facing."

She gestures at one of the screens showing Negative Zone landscape.

"Firstly, getting there. I know Val's got a portal, but getting there for some people is a profoundly disorienting experience. You might hallucinate vividly, see colors and abstract shapes, or get nauseous and dizzy. I suggest a large dose of ginger before we leave as a precautionary preparation. I'll bring ice cubes for people to chew on just in case. You might pass out but don't worry, you'll wake up quickly.

"Next up: the terrain may seem sparsely inhabited, but there are life forms, almost all of them hostile to humans and mutants from various Earths."

She points at one of Val's screens showing an insectoid.

"This is one of the nicer ones, and it'd eat you in a New York second. There are other planets in the Negative Zone, but for our purposes, they're irrelevant. The three most imporant things we need to be aware of: the Tyannans, Blastaar, and Annihilus. The Tyannans are the self-proclaimed rulers of the Negative Zone, but they're mostly benign towards humans. In fact, they may even help us if they bother to notice us. They tend to be self-absorbed.

"Blastaar is an evil bastard who, oddly, has fought on the side of good a few times. He was supposedly dead - he got stomped to presumed death during a universe-spanning war two years ago, but I hear that he got better. The reason I mention him is that he claims rulership of the Negative Zone and doesn't like humans intruding on his fiefdom.

"The more important threat is Annihilus. He's got legions of bug-eyed monsters at his beck and call and if he knows we're in the Negative Zone, he'll set them on us quicker than you can eat a slice of grandma's peach pie. There's more, but let me pause for questions. Any questions?"

[will_scarlett]

Jen's description makes Will think of the Amberites and nods,

"Aye, get in, get out an keep quiet as we can?"

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

"We'll no doubt be noticed. Annihilus's soldiers have overrun the place and are everywhere, and there are other creatures native to the Negative Zone that are aggressive. Some of them are fortunately easily frightened and subdued. The place has a certain beauty to it once you get used to the strangeness. But yes, get in, get out, and be as quiet as possible."

[time_dancer]

"I don't know if Annihilus is at the site so if you see any of these guys with bat-like wings, alert Jen or myself. He is big, nasty and has given experienced meta-powered individuals a run for their money."

[a1enzo]

Enzo, whose plate is piled high with food from the Special Dietary Needs section, swallows hastily. "What're their capabilities? Any of them, I mean."

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

"Val, I assume you've got a stable portal? Were you able to get a portal close to Johnny's location?

"Val's right - if you see bat-like wings, yell for us. They are not to be trifled with. Super strength, large numbers, sentient and likely upset we're there. They might have weapons. Val's right, though - Annihilus might be off in a snit trying to conquer other planets. Sadly, though, he might have left a guard behind him so he can retreat to the Negative Zone if need be.

"Enzo, what defensive capabilities do you have?"

[time_dancer]

"Actually, I'll be the gate," Val says a bit shyly. "I can make portals now which function just like a doorway. I can bring us to within a kilometer of uncle Johnny or farther out if we want to get an idea of what we are going up against first. All the info we have is from the point of view of that cameras in Dad's lab."

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

"I'm impressed, kiddo. I suggest getting as close to Johnny as possible, but it's up for a vote as far as I'm concerned."

Her businesslike tone falters and her voice sounds weary with worry.

"What condition is Johnny in?"

[time_dancer]

"I…" Val says before needing to clear her throat. "I'm not sure. The last the cameras caught was that Johnny was being overwhelmed by the horde, Annihilation wave, whatever you want to call it. With the time stamps, I'll be putting us right after the vibranium shield closed so I am hoping he won't be too hurt. I don't want to go earlier as that might cause a paradox as uncle Ben has already told me what happened before then and we have the cameras to prove it."

[a1enzo]

Enzo uses the time Val takes to answer her question to engulf several more bytes of binary burger. Then he stands briefly and pats a dingus attached to his belt.

"Force field. It's self-recharging, but heavy fire might take it down faster than it can refresh. I've also got my grapnel, for evasive manoeuvres. And judo."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen's only half listening to anything anyone says. She's too busy peering at the various pictures, and the holo-map and insect species displays. Especially the displays. If she sees even one little green three-fingered beady-eyed species in there, there are going to be flames.

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

Jen nods in acknowledgement at Enzo.

"Think you can judo flip a giant bug?"

She smiles.

"Good for the force field. You'll need it. You've got skills we need."

She turns to Ellen.

"Ellen, I'm presuming you're bringing some BFGs? Is Fawkes joining us?"

[a1enzo]

Enzo beams. "Sure can."

They cover these things in class. Besides Games, not all viruses are humanoid.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Fawkes isn't coming," Ellen says apologetically. "He's working with Elder Lyons on something, I'm not sure what. Something involving 'thermobaric weapons' is all I know..."

"As far as weapons go I've got my plasma rifle and a couple of alien guns I don't have ammo for, but if someone can produce energy cells to fit them, they tend to disintegrate things pretty well. If anyone needs an ordinary bullet gun, I've got several I can loan out, but they've all got a lot of recoil, so that might not be a great idea here. Um... I can bring the Shishkebab if someone thinks they'll need melee weaponry that happens to be on fire, but it takes some getting used to... oh, and after looking at these pictures, I'm bringing Mjolnir. I think I'm going to need it."

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

Jen takes a moment to stare openmouthed at Ellen.


"Mjolnir? As in the hammer of Thor? How did you get Mjolnir?"

[will_scarlett]

"Nay, I think its another weapon, but I might need somethin' else. Me arrows can do a lot of damage but na 'nough but I'll be bringin' my sword,"

As its his sword and it helps everywhere.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"He's right," Ellen says. "I couldn't wield a warhammer if I tried. Mjolnir is a Tesla cannon. It's a shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft weapon that fires- well, lightning, essentially... enough to destroy an armored troop transport big enough to hold ten men and all their gear with a single direct hit."

Her mouth twitches as she adds, "Remember how we were going into Olney to retrieve a Tesla coil from the prewar power plant? That's what they made it into."

[gammagammahey.livejournal.com]

Jen laughs.

"Bring it, bring bring bring it. Can I carry it and try it out once? I promise to give it back. I've always wanted to use something with a Tesla coil but Reed never lets me."

"And Will, yes, your sword. Make sure it's sharp for stabbing and cutting anything nasty."

[biggerstingers]

"There's probably a reason for that Jen," says Janet dryly, "Do we know if any of them are going to be especially resistant to my blasts?"

First guess: yes, all of them.

[itwasjustified]

Raylan's quiet, studying the displays and absorbing every piece of information offered.

He shifts in his chair to draw his P226 from the holster at his hip. He places it on the table without a word, knowing he's going to need a hell of a lot more than a single sidearm for this trip.

When Janet speaks, his eyes flick from her to Jen.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Oh, hey, familiar face. And... rather small gun. Oh dear.

Ellen's going to move over and settle herself down near Raylan, if there's space for it. Got to start somewhere.

[itwasjustified]

He turns to Ellen, and offers a wry half-smile.

Low: "Ever get the feeling you've brought a water pistol to a five-alarm fire?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"A few times, yeah," says Ellen. "Would you like a shotgun? I have one you can use. Twelve gauge, semiautomatic, drum fed... or other things, if you'd rather pick and choose."

She can't sell everything she retrieves from the Wasteland, after all.

[will_scarlett]

Will laughs though its grim,

"Oh aye, all the damn time. Think I might need to get me a gun rather than arrows for this one."

[a1enzo]

"I have a stunner," Enzo offers, "if we're bothering with non-deleting weapons at all."