The Force of Justice - IC Thread

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Scene Music

"Signs of Life" by Pink Floyd from their album Momentary Lapse of Reason

Dreamy sends messages to both the Melari and its host Carbonite. Via Telepathy, she sends, "Galaxies above! I never thought to meet your people out here either. And look, you're bonded to a Carbonite! Hello there! I'm Dreamy the Starborn! I'll play nice if you do!"

Opening communication to Dreamy, the Melari inside Deb sends out, Greetings, fellow star traveler. I had not expected to meet any of your race here on Earth. What brings you to this wonderful place?

"An Earth machine! The library calls it the Voyager One Space Probe! It welcomed us here. I volunteered since I was the one that found it and... well... here I am trying to evolve into a Starchild. Are you here because the Xeros are also threatening this world?" Dreamy gives a worried look. "I hope not. I just arrived here. Does this mean you, your host, and I might be... teammates?"

Dreamy turns to Lady Justice and back to Luminary. "Um, Lady! There's... um... she's... ah..." Unable to speak without giving away something that might be dear to Luminary or the Melari, Dreamy points her fingers at both heroes. "Lady Justice! This is Luminary! I think... she will play nice!"

 

[Psychie]

Dreamy sends messages to both the Melari and its host Carbonite. Via Telepathy, she sends, "Galaxies above! I never thought to meet out here either! And look! You're bonded to a Carbonite! Hello there! I'm Dreamy the Starborn! I'll play nice if you do!"

The Dude chuckles. I shall 'play nice' as you put it. Well met, Dreamy the Starborn. I have the dubious distinction of being known in this human's mind as 'the Dude', and she seems to refuse to try and pronounce my true name, so I have accepted this title.

"An Earth machine! The library calls it the Voyager One Space Probe! It welcomed us here! I volunteered since I was the one that found it and... well... here I am trying to evolve into a Starchild. Are you here because the Xeros are also threatening this world?" Dreamy gives a worried look. "I hope not. I just arrived here. Does this mean you, your host, and I might be... teammates?"

I have seen signs that the Xaros fleet is on the move once more, and Earth was in is path. I hope to be able to rally the Terran defenders and be able to present a unified front against the world-ravagers. I shall share with my host that you are to be given a friendly greeting and that things have gone well between us.

While this conversation is going on, Deb smiles and offers her hand to the other assembled supers here. "Hi there. I am Luminary, but I guess that you guys probably already know that. I am happy to (hopefully) be on the same team as you."

 

[D. Rex]

Colt decided to stay in his suit for the tome being. Though with it being so late in the date, his goggles and visor were at full transparency, artificial indoor lighting was much more along the lines of what he was used to. Not only was it comfy, but his HUD gave him plenty of information about what was going on. That and he was just wearing a jumpsuit underneath. Hardly worthy of a nice event of which his hosts had prepared.

Dreamy gasps and gawks. "Wha-a-a-t? You mean... your choice of name and theirs are simply a matter of coincidence? Oh, Lady Justice! I thought for certain I had the situation right this time!" She crosses her arms. The stargirl's bottom lip protrudes as she allows herself to sulk for a moment and for that moment, she just looks so adorably lost. But she recovers her poise as her train of thought continues merrily down its cosmic tracks. "Well, perhaps we can be teammates!" Dreamy looks Lady Justice over, but this time she appears to be openly examining more than the superhero's costume. She looks the superheroine in the eyes and comes to a conclusion.

"You are nice to meet too, Lady Justice!"

"Carbonite? Oh, the term is more than an implication. Your race and mine? While your world and your bodies are connected chemically, your race and mine are connected atomically!

Spoiler: We Are All Connected

Symphony of Science - 'We Are All Connected' (ft. Sagan, Feynman, deGrasse Tyson & Bill Nye)

"Your people have more carbon in your physical forms than we Kairissians, hence... Carbonites! It's a pleasant reminder for us that while our physical forms are in many ways compatible," she taps the tassels on her bikini causing their fiery colors to dance as she begins to bounce to a beat apparently only she can hear, "they are remarkably different too! Isn't that neat?"

Dreamy shakes her head she completely misinterprets Lady Justice's word choice. "Oh! I have chosen to call myself Dreamy, not hermosa. Being a Starborn is very real! I was not generated on Earth; I was produced on... what you call... Europa! You know, the pretty little ice moon that circles... uh... Jupiter?" She aims her finger confidently at a point in the ceiling as if the planet Jupiter were in plain view of everyone.

"In these moments, I am the least-experienced and most-recently formed of my people, hence my life-stage, Starborn. But just you wait! I'll soon transform my experiences into a destiny of my own choosing... and thus become a Starchild! Ohh, I can't wait!" Hands joyously clasped to her breasts, she beams a moment and then the young female alien looks around the room.

"Lady Justice? Do you think the robot and the Carbonite with the purple glow are like us?" Dreamy indicates Terranaut and Luminary as if they were the aliens in the room. Dreamy then realizes that, in her enthusiasm, she has been talking loud enough for either of the others to have overheard, but she doesn't know what, or if, she should do about it.

Psychie D. Rex

Once inside, and having greeted his hosts, he took pause. When the practically naked lady spoke of robots and looked at him, he looked over his shoulder and to his sides. No robots around.

Oh! The suit. He supposed he did look a bit like a robot, didn't he.

He took a good look at her, trying not to let his eyes linger. But come on.... she didn't appear to be human. Humanoid, but that shade of skin was certainly not natural. Possibly power related. Possibly alien? He wasn't sure on the latter. Colt didn't have a lot of knowledge on the extraterrestrial. She spoke of carbonite. While his first thought was of a movie, under context it seemed she was talking to us. Which from an extraterrestrial perspective, he supposed fit given earth life was primarily carbon based. Not all that specific... Though if that was her distinction of humans, what element would her biology be based on?

Well, he had to be social at some point. "No, not a robot." He said to Dreamy, his voice coming from a speaker. "I'm Colt Campbell, but they all call me The Terranaut. " He smiled at her, trying to keep his gave decent, and extended his hand to shake hers.



Epiphany

Turning to look at the other woman, there was a face he did recognize. While he hadn't met her in person, Lady Justice was someone he had heard of frequently. The prodigal American superhero.

"Lady Justice." He introduced. "I've heard a lot about you. When I heard of the invitations, I had a feeling you would be one of those chosen for it. Not many I can think of that would be as a good a fit for such a team as you.



Psychie
This purple girl... while she wasn't as big a name in media as Lady Justice, he did recognize her. That distinctive color scheme was hard to miss. Luminary, as her introduction confirmed. She seemed pretty quiet (he was not aware of any telepathic conversations going on)

"And I'm the Terranaut." He said to Luminary, shaking her hand in turn. "I have heard about you too."

"From what I gathered from Blue Bolt, this event is here for us to ask questions for us decide we should join or not. It seems they have already done all their research on us, and we are more or less in should we decide this is the place for us."

 

[Sherwood]

Legion smiles, and says, "We have indeed done our homework on all of you. We hope that is not a deal breaker, but we need to know as much as possible about the people we are inviting into our confidence. Let us assure you, we will keep your own secrets close to our vests. We have our other guests waiting upstairs with a few of our fellow members of the Force. If you will come with us, you can meet them."

She turns and leads you through the visitor wing and over to a pair of elevators and presses the call button. Once the car arrives, she steps in and holds the door open for all of you to enter, then once she is inside and the doors shut, she presses and holds the button for the sixth floor for a moment, then releases it as the car starts to move on up. As the doors open, Legion steps on out and guides you through the halls, speaking as she walks.

"The lower two floors of the building are, at the moment, going to be open to the public. It is going to feature a gift shop and museum where someone can come and see many of the good works that the Force of Justice have done, along with giving them the opportunity to purchase souvenirs of their favorite members of the team. The upper floors of the building will be kept secure, with many offices, laboratories, and full living quarters available for the team or honored guests to use. The very top floor of the tower has a landing pad for the west coast team's private jet and for other flying vehicles to be able to land, along with the various flying members of the team, of course."

Legion finally turns a corner and you are all able to see a formal dining room with several people in it, some in fancy tuxedos and dresses, others in superheroic costumes. You recognize the American Spirit in his signature red, white and blue costume, while Francesca Parks, AKA Lady Liberty, is in a sexy little black dress. A few of the other people here that are not members of the FoJ that most of you know of: there is Turbo in his hero costume, Ultraweapon in his powered armor suit, the cyborg known as Guardian, and the computer construct known as TARU is standing off to the side, watching the group with an unreadable expression on its face.

Finally, there is also a man in a hovering chair that is obviously lacking any legs that is chatting to a woman that is a silhouette with no features visible and another one of Legion's duplicates, and there is a teenager that looks very much out of place in his 'Can't Sleep; Clowns Will Eat Me' t-shirt, with a very uneasy expression on his face as he looks around at the plethora of older superheroes in the room.

The quiet chatter in the hall comes to a stop as you enter the room, and Francesca smiles and heads over to the group with a wide smile on her face. "Welcome! I am so glad to see that all of you have agreed to come. Thank you very much for your time. Please, come and join us and I will make introductions."

 

[Psychie]

As the group heads up the elevator, Luminary is doing her best to keep her composure and not get totally excited at being around all these heroes. She says, "Quite the digs here, Legion. This is hardly what I expected when Lady Liberty and American Spirit called this a manor house. This is more like a hotel than a large house, even if there is living quarters for everyone inside."

When they all get to the sixth floor they are led to the dining room, she pauses for a moment to take in the place, seeing Lady Liberty out of her heroine persona and all dressed to the nine's in the cocktail dress, along with the other supers in the room. She says, "Good evening, Lady Liberty. Or do you prefer Francesca when you are not in costume? Thank you for the warm greeting, and I am honored to be offered the invitation to be a possible recruit into the newest branch of such a decorated and beloved team."

Once more, Deb wonders if she should take the leap and drop the energy field around her and reveal her civilian identity to the others. In her mind, she can hear the Dude saying, "If it were me in charge, I would already know who you are when not acting as Luminary. I can only guess at that, but it seems to me to be a reasonable expectation that our hosts have that information. The ones that might not are the other candidate heroes. They are the ones that you must consider the possibility of revealing ourselves to."

He's right. But, to let anyone here see her as Deborah Leavy instead of Luminary is a scary thought. After all, she knows so little of the people behind the masks, and some of these heroes are ones that she doesn't even know. Well there is time to worry about that later. Right now, she waits her turn to shake hands with the leader of the Force of Justice, not wanting to push her way to the front of the line; assuming that she is not the first to do so, that is.

 

[Purr]

Psychie

I have seen signs that the Xaros fleet is on the move once more, and Earth was in is path. I hope to be able to rally the Terran defenders and be able to present a unified front against the world-ravagers. I shall share with my host that you are to be given a friendly greeting and that things have gone well between us.

Dreamy sighs and frowns deeply, her hands briefly reach toward Luminary. "Ohh, Dude, even if we don't wind up as teammates, I think we should discuss the details of your mission soon and how you might succeed. Your world is far from what it once was. For the same to happen to Earth? I don't want to even imagine it!"

To Deb, Dreamy sends, "It is sooo nice of you to take on a Melari host! I've never met a mean Melari! You know Dude cannot survive without you, don't you? I bet you're just the nicest person to share yourself so freely like that!"

* * *​

Spoiler: Dreamy Music

"Destination Unknown" by Missing Persons

Partial lyrics

Life is so strange
Destination unknown
When you don't know
Your destination
And something could change
It's unknown
And then you won't know
Destination unknown

You ask yourself
When will my time come?
Has it all been said and done?
I know I'll leave when it's my time to go
'Til then I'll carry on with what I know

D. Rex

Well, he had to be social at some point. "No, not a robot." He said to Dreamy, his voice coming from a speaker. "I'm Colt Campbell, but they all call me The Terranaut. " He smiled at her, trying to keep his gave decent, and extended his hand to shake hers.

Dreamy's attention is purely on the electronic speaker the male voice is emanating from. "Hello there, Colt Campbell! If you are not a robot then--" her hand pauses as her eyes slowly, gingerly, look up and notice Colt's very Carbonite face for the first time.

Though with it being so late in the date, his goggles and visor were at full transparency...

(ellipsis mine)

Dreamy lets out a cute little shriek and exclaims. "Oh! Oh galaxies! You're not a robot - you're a--" Dreamy spins around to her newest acquaintances. In her excitement, she gets their names wrong. "Captain Justice! Luminaires! Look! There's a Carbonite trapped inside this robot!"

"She was also in the news not that long ago for helping free people trapped in a nasty multi-car pileup."

Memories of the events that occurred at the crash site Luminary privately recalled roll through Dreamy's mind - the faces of the trapped Carbonites, who were not badly-injured, but unable to free themselves from the mechanical... cars?... they had been traveling in. Oh, how she had struggled to free them, at first with body's own youthful strength, then with her far more powerful natural abilities. For now, she was trying to rely on the former, but it was only a matter of time until the latter would come to mind.

"Oh, what a mean robot to trap him like that! Don't robots know that Carbonites eat... and... and... they, um, excrete? And... what's the word? Oh, they breathe, too! Besides, how can you hug anyone in there?"

The Kairissian begins pulling and tugging, pushing and turning on the Terranaut everywhere she can reach. "Here? Or perhaps... here?" It is clear in moments that never in a thousand years is she going to be able to get him out of the powered suit on her own - it seems she lacks mechanical talent - but while she appears aware of her chances, she keeps on trying and trying and trying some more.

"Bad robot! Bad!" She smacks the armored skin. Dreamy pushes her long hair out of her distraught face as she suddenly pops up in front of his helmet, her hands bonking at his helmet and haplessly pulling at what she hopes are seams. "Um, could you try not to breathe too much, Colt Campbell? We'll find a way to get you out of there! Really, we will! Maybe even soon too!"

 

[Epiphany]

Purr
Dreamy the Flame Girl was a weird mixture of hot and about 70% the vibe that Bryony picked up from Gabrielle, her youngest sister. Kid sister and hot definitely don't belong together.

So instead she smiles and says, "Teammates could be fun." The comment about compatible physical forms and the bouncing of bikini tassels causes Lady Justice to have a rare moment of genuine distraction. Which is just what the disciplined former soldier needs to kick her own ass and focus down on the situation. "Dreamy it is," she says instead of explaining the Spanish word hermosa. Just as well. If she understood the other woman's life cycle, Dreamy was practically an infant, too young to be called a Starchild. Yikes, that's just what she did not need.

When the alien woman points out the others, though, Lady Justice gives them a swift nod.

Sherwood
At which point, the butlers speak up. Bryony's mom cleans homes. She has a high regard for service work. So she says, "Thanks for having us, Mr. Rubio. Mrs. Connor." And makes a point of offering to shake their hands as well. Service work is often unappreciated and a good first impression can go a long way.

The sight of Legion inside brings a smile to Lady Justice's face. Someone familiar. It'd be nice to work on a team with another soldier.

Purr Psychie
Looking at the foyer and their fellow Hero is presumably why Bryony completely failed to notice the talkative girl-on-fire going silent as she and Luminary went into an intense staring contest. Being addressed directly, though, draws her attention right back to them.

"Luminary. I've heard of you." Lady Justice offers a hand to shake and a warm, friendly smile. "I guess they're serious about this being a real second team and not a junior project. Some real heavyweights here, by the looks of things."

D. Rex
The big purple powersuit with the green cape is another matter. Lady Justice frowns slightly, but it's simply a look of concentration rather than real ire. At last she shakes her head briefly and turns the wattage of her smile back up when Colt starts talking to her. "Terranaut, right? I think this is the first time our paths have crossed. Nice to meet you, Colt. You can call me Bryony. Bryony Santos. Looking forward to the chance to work together, if you decide you're up for it."

Not much of a risk giving her real name, given it was already a thinly kept secret. Besides, the Force of Justice was a professional crew. As Legion shortly explained, they'd done their homework on anyone getting an invite, so Colt shouldn't be much of a security risk.

Sherwood
Legion's as personable as anyone can hope for. She boards the elevator with the others and is content to ride it in silence. Then the tour gets underway and she gets particularly interested, having never been here before. The notion of their headquarters being open to the public, even in part, is an instant security nightmare but to Legion's credit the other woman probably gets it, given the 'at the moment' remark. All it'd take is someone sneaking in a backpack full of C4 and simple security protocols wouldn't be enough to confine blast damage to just the two public floors...

Flying vehicles, though. Lady Justice isn't particularly slow, thankfully, but she typically took flights or taxis to get around. No whizzing about via teleportation or rocketing through the sky for her. Force of Justice resources could open some real doors for mobility.

Then Lady Justice comes face to face with some of the members of the Force of Justice. Most of them are legends in their own right. But it's at this point that Bryony realizes her secret crush is walking up within conversational range, wearing a sexy little black dress, and it's all she can do to keep her smile from going as stupid as her brain tries to do. "We're honored to be invited, ma'am," she manages in a tone that's surprisingly close to being a normal human being and not a starstruck idiot.

Psychie
Luminary then strikes up a conversation suggesting the two already know each other. Wait, Lady Liberty's name is Francesa? Did she know that before? Francesca. At least Luminary has her act together and knows how to work a room.

Francesca...

Purr D. Rex
The spectacle of Dreamy utterly failing to comprehend a suit of power armor makes Lady Justice chuckle. "If he really needs help, Dreamy, I can probably pry him out but I doubt he'd thank me for it. I don't think he's wearing a robot. He's wearing a suit of power armor. Mechanical enhancement, probably built in weaponry, something nuclear or more exotic providing power that lets him jet around and pick things up, that sort of thing. Some humans on our world use suits like this to enhance themselves. He's fine."

She does give Terranaut a quick 'You are fine, right?' raise of both eyebrows, though.

 

[Sherwood]

When they all get to the sixth floor they are led to the dining room, she pauses for a moment to take in the place, seeing Lady Liberty out of her heroine persona and all dressed to the nine's in the cocktail dress, along with the other supers in the room. She says, "Good evening, Lady Liberty. Or do you prefer Francesca when you are not in costume? Thank you for the warm greeting, and I am honored to be offered the invitation to be a possible recruit into the newest branch of such a decorated and beloved team."

The blonde hero smiles. She says, "Either one is fine, whichever you feel more comfortable with. I came out of the superhero closet a long time ago, and I don't have any trouble with people knowing who I am." She offers up a hand to each of you, continuing on by saying, "Don't be so coy, Luminary. You have earned the chance to be a part of the Force of Justice, along with all of the rest of you. It is our pleasure to be able to be the hosts of this auspicious evening. Please, come on in and meet everyone."

Dreamy lets out a cute little shriek and exclaims. "Oh! Oh galaxies! You're not a robot - you're a--" Dreamy spins around to her newest acquaintances. In her excitement, she gets their names wrong. "Captain Justice! Luminaires! Look! There's a Carbonite trapped inside this robot!"

The Kairissian begins pulling and tugging, pushing and turning on the Terranaut everywhere she can reach. "Here? Or perhaps... here?" It is clear in moments that never in a thousand years is she going to be able to get him out of the powered suit on her own - it seems she lacks mechanical talent - but while she appears aware of her chances, she keeps on trying and trying and trying some more.

"Bad robot! Bad!" She smacks the armored skin. Dreamy pushes her long hair out of her distraught face as she suddenly pops up in front of his helmet, her hands bonking at his helmet and haplessly pulling at what she hopes are seams. "Um, could you try not to breathe too much, Colt Campbell? We'll find a way to get you out of there! Really, we will! Maybe even soon too!"

The spectacle of Dreamy utterly failing to comprehend a suit of power armor makes Lady Justice chuckle. "If he really needs help, Dreamy, I can probably pry him out but I doubt he'd thank me for it. I don't think he's wearing a robot. He's wearing a suit of power armor. Mechanical enhancement, probably built in weaponry, something nuclear or more exotic providing power that lets him jet around and pick things up, that sort of thing. Some humans on our world use suits like this to enhance themselves. He's fine."

She does give Terranaut a quick 'You are fine, right?' raise of both eyebrows, though.

Many of the people in the room chuckle at Dreamy's antics with Colt's powered armor, and in a moment, the American Spirit is at her side trying to ease her concern by adding his calm and resonating voice to Lady Justice's. "Ms. Dreamy, he is fine inside there. This is a suit of powered armor, much like what our fellow Ultraweapon here has on. There is no need for any concern." He gently places a hand on Dreamy's shoulder with a relaxing smile. "Come! Sit down and relax while you let the Force of Justice be your hosts this evening. Let us start with introductions."

He turns to the other heroes and begins to point to them. "This is Turbo, one of the fastest men in the world, followed by Ultraweapon, Guardian the cyborg, and TARU, a self aware computer program that has come out of the FoJ mainframe." He turns to point at the man in the floating chair next to the woman silhouette. "This is Gregory Pelton, also known as the powered suit operator Steel, and this lovely lady is Kodachi. Finally, we have Marcus Allen, a cyberkinetic of epic proportions."

"Everyone, meet Lady Justice, Luminary, Dreamy Starborn, Terranaut and Dawn. We have a few other invites out for people that may still arrive tonight, but lets not hold up our own festivities. Anyone care for a drink?"

 

[D. Rex]

D. Rex


Dreamy's attention is purely on the electronic speaker the male voice is emanating from. "Hello there, Colt Campbell! If you are not a robot then--" her hand pauses as her eyes slowly, gingerly, look up and notice Colt's very Carbonite face for the first time.

(ellipsis mine)

Dreamy lets out a cute little shriek and exclaims. "Oh! Oh galaxies! You're not a robot - you're a--" Dreamy spins around to her newest acquaintances. In her excitement, she gets their names wrong. "Captain Justice! Luminaires! Look! There's a Carbonite trapped inside this robot!"



Memories of the events that occurred at the crash site Luminary privately recalled roll through Dreamy's mind - the faces of the trapped Carbonites, who were not badly-injured, but unable to free themselves from the mechanical... cars?... they had been traveling in. Oh, how she had struggled to free them, at first with body's own youthful strength, then with her far more powerful natural abilities. For now, she was trying to rely on the former, but it was only a matter of time until the latter would come to mind.

"Oh, what a mean robot to trap him like that! Don't robots know that Carbonites eat... and... and... they, um, excrete? And... what's the word? Oh, they breathe, too! Besides, how can you hug anyone in there?"

The Kairissian begins pulling and tugging, pushing and turning on the Terranaut everywhere she can reach. "Here? Or perhaps... here?" It is clear in moments that never in a thousand years is she going to be able to get him out of the powered suit on her own - it seems she lacks mechanical talent - but while she appears aware of her chances, she keeps on trying and trying and trying some more.

"Bad, robot! Bad!" She smacks the armored skin. Dreamy pushes her long hair out of her distraught face as she suddenly pops up in front of his helmet, her hands bonking at his helmet and haplessly pulling at what she hopes are seams. "Um, could you try not to breathe too much, Colt Campbell? We'll find a way to get you out of there! Really, we will! Maybe even soon too!"

This was... not a reaction he had gotten before. And thusly was not expected.

"Hey-" he started as she began yanking at the armor. Fruitlessly, of course. While there were parts she could tug on, the armor was indeed securely in place.

Fortunately for him, the weight of the armor kept him from being pulled off balance by her tugging. "-wait, it's not- I'm not-" well his words didn't quite seemed to be reaching her. He did at least lean in to her tugs to try and keep her from hurting herself.

While this was never how he expected a woman to cling all over him, he was also fortunate that his armor didn't have the tactile sensory receptors to pick on it.

As she finally made her way to his helmet, and began knocking on the glass of.... well it was actually an advanced crystalline polymer, but why split hairs... of his visor, he was finally able to reach up and catch her hands with his own.

"Hey, easy. I'm okay. I promise." And to show her, with now notable command on his part, the bubble helmet retracted into his suit with a 'whoosh'. Revealing his very carbonite free to eat and breath. With the only side effect being a bit reddened in the cheeks at the other heroes being amused at his expense.

"Its just a helmet. A hat. I am not trapped. See? Watch."

He let go of her, and within a moment his armor began opening and folding into itself. Retracting into a pack in his back that seemed much smaller and lighter than that armor should have been able to fit into. The magic of science.

Colt Campbell was left standing there in a white and blue advanced looking jumpsuit. Perhaps not high fashion appropriate for a party, but he wasn't exactly planning on leaving his suit.


"See? Its like clothing. I can take it on and off. And I promise that I could not be safer than in that armor. Its like a Space Suit for underground. I can swim in a volcano and be buried under a mountain and still be safe. As well I can breath indefinitely inside of it." He explained.

Purr
Dreamy the Flame Girl was a weird mixture of hot and about 70% the vibe that Bryony picked up from Gabrielle, her youngest sister. Kid sister and hot definitely don't belong together.

So instead she smiles and says, "Teammates could be fun." The comment about compatible physical forms and the bouncing of bikini tassels causes Lady Justice to have a rare moment of genuine distraction. Which is just what the disciplined former soldier needs to kick her own ass and focus down on the situation. "Dreamy it is," she says instead of explaining the Spanish word hermosa. Just as well. If she understood the other woman's life cycle, Dreamy was practically an infant, too young to be called a Starchild. Yikes, that's just what she did not need.

When the alien woman points out the others, though, Lady Justice gives them a swift nod.

Sherwood
At which point, the butlers speak up. Bryony's mom cleans homes. She has a high regard for service work. So she says, "Thanks for having us, Mr. Rubio. Mrs. Connor." And makes a point of offering to shake their hands as well. Service work is often unappreciated and a good first impression can go a long way.

The sight of Legion inside brings a smile to Lady Justice's face. Someone familiar. It'd be nice to work on a team with another soldier.

Purr Psychie
Looking at the foyer and their fellow Hero is presumably why Bryony completely failed to notice the talkative girl-on-fire going silent as she and Luminary went into an intense staring contest. Being addressed directly, though, draws her attention right back to them.

"Luminary. I've heard of you." Lady Justice offers a hand to shake and a warm, friendly smile. "I guess they're serious about this being a real second team and not a junior project. Some real heavyweights here, by the looks of things."

D. Rex
The big purple powersuit with the green cape is another matter. Lady Justice frowns slightly, but it's simply a look of concentration rather than real ire. At last she shakes her head briefly and turns the wattage of her smile back up when Colt starts talking to her. "Terranaut, right? I think this is the first time our paths have crossed. Nice to meet you, Colt. You can call me Bryony. Bryony Santos. Looking forward to the chance to work together, if you decide you're up for it."

Not much of a risk giving her real name, given it was already a thinly kept secret. Besides, the Force of Justice was a professional crew. As Legion shortly explained, they'd done their homework on anyone getting an invite, so Colt shouldn't be much of a security risk.

Sherwood
D. Rex
The spectacle of Dreamy utterly failing to comprehend a suit of power armor makes Lady Justice chuckle. "If he really needs help, Dreamy, I can probably pry him out but I doubt he'd thank me for it. I don't think he's wearing a robot. He's wearing a suit of power armor. Mechanical enhancement, probably built in weaponry, something nuclear or more exotic providing power that lets him jet around and pick things up, that sort of thing. Some humans on our world use suits like this to enhance themselves. He's fine."

She does give Terranaut a quick 'You are fine, right?' raise of both eyebrows, though.

"You are correct on all accounts, Lady Justice. I am indeed fine, thank you, nothing harmed save for my dignity." He said lightheartedly to her inquiry of his well being.

The blonde hero smiles. She says, "Either one is fine, whichever you feel more comfortable with. I came out of the superhero closet a long time ago, and I don't have any trouble with people knowing who I am." She offers up a hand to each of you, continuing on by saying, "Don't be so coy, Luminary. You have earned the chance to be a part of the Force of Justice, along with all of the rest of you. It is our pleasure to be able to be the hosts of this auspicious evening. Please, come on in and meet everyone."



Many of the people in the room chuckle at Dreamy's antics with Colt's powered armor, and in a moment, the American Spirit is at her side trying to ease her concern by adding his calm and resonating voice to Lady Justice's. "Ms. Dreamy, he is fine inside there. This is a suit of powered armor, much like what our fellow Ultraweapon here has on. There is no need for any concern." He gently places a hand on Dreamy's shoulder with a relaxing smile. "Come! Sit down and relax while you let the Force of Justice be your hosts this evening. Let us start with introductions."

He turns to the other heroes and begins to point to them. "This is Turbo, one of the fastest men in the world, followed by Ultraweapon, Guardian the cyborg, and TARU, a self aware computer program that has come out of the FoJ mainframe." He turns to point at the man in the floating chair next to the woman silhouette. "This is Gregory Pelton, also known as the powered suit operator Steel, and this lovely lady is Kodachi. Finally, we have Marcus Allen, a cyberkinetic of epic proportions."

"Everyone, meet Lady Justice, Luminary, Dreamy Starborn, Terranaut and Dawn. We have a few other invites out for people that may still arrive tonight, but lets not hold up our own festivities. Anyone care for a drink?"

But events still played in motion. And it was quite nice to see that others were stepping in for him. Such as Lady Justice and American Spirit.

The mention of Ultraweapon made him take a good look over at them. The pilot was a mystery, but the suit was not. A fine piece of equipment if Colt had ever seen one. Amd it was always a marvel to see the advancements the surface dwellers had managed to achieve. Laser technology and power crystals... no. No it wasn't laser, kinda yes but not really. Energy, radiation of some sort perhaps, but not light surely. Certainly from his power source though. Colt would be very interested in knowing what sort of crystals were being used and their properties, as well as his armors alloys. Though short of an advanced ranged analysis system or getting his hands on the suit, those answers would likely remain Ultraweapons trade secrets. Much like how Colt kept his suits secrets close to the chest. But it wasn't just Ultraweapon. As there was yet a third power suite here! A popular night for his kindred spirits, it seemed.


Brought back into the moment of hearing himself be introduced, Colt Campbell gave a bit of an awkward wave at being addressed. Definitely not looking as impressive as he had been in his power suit. "A drink, that would be most kind. I think I could use one right now."

 

[Purr]

Epiphany

Spoiler: Somewhere in Dreamy's head

"R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People (Official Music Video)"


Partial lyrics
Shiny happy people laughing =)

So instead she smiles and says, "Teammates could be fun." The comment about compatible physical forms and the bouncing of bikini tassels causes Lady Justice to have a rare moment of genuine distraction. Which is just what the disciplined former soldier needs to kick her own ass and focus down on the situation. "Dreamy it is," she says instead of explaining the Spanish word hermosa.

Before the Kairissian gets distracted, Dreamy clasps her fingers together and smiles at the attractive and learned superheroine. "Wow, Lady Justice! You look like you've been a Starchild for some time! Maybe later you can teach me some of what you've come to understand?" Dreamy's expression is that of a person who hopes she has made a new friend.

* * *​

D. Rex

Many of the people in the room chuckle at Dreamy's antics with Colt's powered armor, and in a moment, the American Spirit is at her side trying to ease her concern by adding his calm and resonating voice to Lady Justice's. "Ms. Dreamy, he is fine inside there. This is a suit of powered armor, much like what our fellow Ultraweapon here has on. There is no need for any concern."

Absolutely flabbergasted, Dreamy repeats the words as if linking them together in a sentence for the very first time. "'Powered... armor?' What is that?" She has never in all her years ever heard of this concept much less seen it. "Are you certain?" Then Terranaut demonstrates.

"Hey, easy. I'm okay. I promise." And to show her, with now notable command on his part, the bubble helmet retracted into his suit with a 'whoosh'. Revealing his very carbonite free to eat and breath. With the only side effect being a bit reddened in the cheeks at the other heroes being amused at his expense.

She points at his blushing face. "Oooh, look! You're changing color! Just like Agent Dan Phillips did!"

"See? Its like clothing. I can take it on and off. And I promise that I could not be safer than in that armor. Its like a Space Suit for underground. I can swim in a volcano and be buried under a mountain and still be safe. As well I can breath indefinitely inside of it." He explained.

"Swim in a-- Wait! Where is it--" Dreamy watches in astonishment as the entire suit shrink, fold, and somehow fit into a backpack there on Colt Campbell's back. "You're free! Bright nebulae, that's amazing!" Her glowing eyes soften in very real relief. She calms down a little, folding her hands in delight. "I'm so glad you're all right! It was like those Carbonites I helped! They were trapped in their broken and burning cars."

"Wait..." The cosmic explorer inside of Dreamy then digests the facts before her and states, "'...Soot.' 'Soouit?' 'Suit'! Oh! That's your... suit! I guess that's not so strange after all. Look, Colt Campbell! I have a suit too!" Dreamy does a slow spin and happily tugs at the tag of her Sun Top bikini causing its molten colors to shift and swirl about her colorful skin and hair. "Carbonites call it a swimsuit! Isn't it pretty? I just love it!"

And just like that, Dreamy is back to her normal bouncy self, internally rocking out to beats only she can hear. It was then that the memory of his earlier introduction returned to her.

"And I'm the Terranaut."

"Terra...nut? Terra... not? Oh! Terra-naut! That's like... astronaut, right? Astronauts are space-learned Carbonites! But... 'terra' is another word for Earth, isn't it? That's where the word 'terraform' comes from! That must mean..." she makes gathering motions with her fingers, "...do you terraform too? My father likes to terraform small continents for creatures who can't do it for themselves! Otherwise, they would recycle prematurely and that would be a shame!" Dreamy reminds herself that certain details were fine to share with Carbonites as long as she did not cross a line. The statements she had shared were within proper bounds, but her duty to her people and the promise she made to her parents reverberated through her mind like an echo from the past. A very happy echo.

"A... terranaut! Wow! Lady! Luminary! Dude! Come meet the Terranaut!" Hands behind her back, Dreamy openly admires not only the suit, but the man who commands it.

"Come! Sit down and relax while you let the Force of Justice be your hosts this evening. Let us start with introductions."

He turns to the other heroes and begins to point to them. "This is Turbo, one of the fastest men in the world, followed by Ultraweapon, Guardian the cyborg, and TARU, a self aware computer program that has come out of the FoJ mainframe." He turns to point at the man in the floating chair next to the woman silhouette. "This is Gregory Pelton, also known as the powered suit operator Steel, and this lovely lady is Kodachi. Finally, we have Marcus Allen, a cyberkinetic of epic proportions."

"Hello there!" Dreamy says to everyone as she tries to remember their names. "I'm Dreamy the Starborn! I'll play nice if you do!"

 

[Silanon]

"Everyone, meet Lady Justice, Luminary, Dreamy Starborn, Terranaut and Dawn. We have a few other invites out for people that may still arrive tonight, but lets not hold up our own festivities. Anyone care for a drink?

"Nisha's fine, too." It's pretty much the first thing Nisha says. There've been a few words here and there, where they were needed to remain polite. But for the most part, she has only observed, both the place, and the people around her. Making mental remarks in the back of her mind, things to understand better when there's time. There will be, eventually.

The place - the opposite of what she's used to. It basically screams that it's different, important. With the security, the towering appearance, and the plans to show off the good deeds in the lower floors. Her premise has been to avoid all the flashiness, do her job quietly without raising attention. It'd be quite the change. Being a prime target, even if noone ever finds out that she moved in. Sure, there's defenses in place, precautions. But you don't gather these kind of people to then not tackle the worst this world has to offer. And against those, any preparations could be in vain. Perhaps better to stick with the stealthy approach, let others draw the attention? Certainly, as long as it doesn't go wrong. Being stealthy means standing alone when things actually go wrong for once...

Well, the other part of the deal are the people. And those are... well, hard to judge just by spending a few moments near them. There's questions, weirdness, stiffness, incidental heroism and dedication. Good people, certainly. All in their own way. Or they wouldn't be here. Not like people are invited here for their good sense of fashion. Though some might've gotten close with that alone... she's never clothed to impress. That'd be quite the opposite of what she has in mind, really. Funnily enough, that might just let her stick out amongst these people.

"Glad to be here." Well, somewhat. There's a bunch of people in one place. People who should know better than to try anything stupid, but there's always a chance. Even now, she makes sure that noone's standing outside of her field of view. Old habit of hers, really. About as old as her past with the Book. "Thanks for the invitation." That's what people say in moments like these, right? It's been a while. There's no reading circle for the kind of books she reads these days. Hopefully. "I'd take something nonalcoholic, if that's alright." With power comes the responsibility to remain clear-headed at all times. The Book has seen many guardians, but a drunkard has never been amongst them. As far as she has managed to decipher the writings, that is.

 

[Sherwood]

As everyone starts to make their way towards the table, Ultraweapon doesn't move. You hear a synthesized voice say, "You never told me that there were going to be aliens in this group." He has no expression thanks to the full face helmet, but Dreamy and Luminary can almost feel the intense glare being fired off at the two of you.

American Spirit and Lady Liberty both seem to be caught off guard by the sheer amount of venom in his voice. Lady Liberty turns to look at the figure in the powered armor and says, "I had no idea that there was some kind of issue with the addition of these two on the west coast team. Its not like they are the only non-terrestrial that we are looking at." She glances over at TARU, then back to Ultraweapon. She continues, "Is there something you'd like to share with us, something we can help to resolve?"

 

[Purr]

What was this?

Dreamy examines Ultraweapon with a completely different type of wonder than what she has shared with Terranaut. A Carbonite that seemed to hate aliens... simply because they were aliens?

Dreamy had never before encountered discrimination and had no concept of what it was. Character mattered. Sure, threats had to be recycled or incarcerated, but Dreamy possessed an open mind, even a natural desire for friendship, among all non-threats. Ultraweapon had just firmly put himself in between these two concepts. Was this a bully? Which way will he stray? she wonders.

Actions matter too. With a neutral expression, Dreamy turns her shoulders toward Ultraweapon while gliding alongside Luminary. Dreamy's mental voice fill with straightforward resolve combined with a strong touch of loving protectiveness.

"Don't worry, Luminary and Dude - I'll be your friend, even if Ultraweapon won't."

Sure, Dreamy figures, Luminary can protect herself, but togetherness and teamwork amplified Luminary's chances for success if the worst should come to pass.

 

[Silanon]

The Book does not discriminate. It sees all beings, living or not, both as likely threat and potential guardian. Knowledge, they say, can be gathered by any mind open enough to seek in the right places; alien or not. There hasn't been a guardian from elsewhere yet, but that's only a matter of time. Eventually, one will be the best available choice.

Nisha's eyes harden as Ultraweapon speaks up, focusing on the proof that even here, narrow-mindedness can find its place. A good warning, just in case she had doubts herself. And perhaps a good reason to speak up. For those inclined to do so, that is, for people who are good with words. One of the aliens - the one from the beginning, Dreamy by name - makes an effort. It gets a message across, one could say, but not the one that seems to matter. Both of them sticking together; likely. It's the others in the room that matter. People like both of the responding heroes. People like herself, too, as potential part of the new team.

She moves in place, shifts her weight from one foot to the other - the rune-covered chain wrapped around her arm clangs. "There's a witch here, too. Maybe burn her as well, while we're dwelling in the past. Then continue with women capable of reading, and move on to whatever else seems unnatural. Like people in strange protective suits. Time's change, luckily for all of us. They're here now. What's the difference between them, and someone transformed on Earth, other than a new perspective? " Just a thought, spoken out loud. She shifts her stance again, leans back a little. As if she hadn't said a thing. The words matter, not the speaker.

 

[Psychie]

Luminary is at first shocked that a known hero could have such a problem with her, especially since she is certain that they had never met. She looks around to see how the rest of the people in the room were taking his statement, and is happy to hear the mental touch from Dreamy, then the snarky retort from Dawn made her smile even more. But, there is something going on here that she feels that she needs to know about.

Looking directly at Ultraweapon, she says, "What happened that makes you feel so set against us? Is it all non-humans, like TARU over there, or just aliens that you have a problem with?"

 

[Sherwood]

Ultraweapon's head snaps around to fire is glare at Luminary, then says, "My issues with aliens are just that - mine. It is nothing that I feel like sharing, and I am not comfortable working with such beings as these."

Gregory Pelton, the man in the floating chair, floats his way to put himself between Ultraweapon and the two aliens in the room. He says, "Hey bud, there is no need for such hostility. We all have the greater good to look after, and-"

"And nothing!" Ultraweapon snaps out, "If we are seriously considering having these . . . beings . . . with us in the team, I will not be a part of it!" His fists are clenched, and he is obviously quite angry.

Lady Liberty and American Spirit trade a look, then Spirit says, "Well, if that is the way you feel, perhaps I should have you escorted out."

"Yes, that is how I feel. Besides, are you looking to have a serious member of the team, or these two poster girls? Are we planning on protecting America, or posing for pictures with tits and ass sticking out?"

Lady Liberty's face grows cold, and with a chill in her voice (which is odd, since she is a fire manipulator) she says, "Legion, please escort Ultraweapon to the door and make sure he doesn't get lost along the way."

 

[Purr]

Lady Liberty's face grows cold, and with a chill in her voice (which is odd, since she is a fire manipulator) she says, "Legion, please escort Ultraweapon to the door and make sure he doesn't get lost along the way."

Dreamy grimaces as Ultraweapon leaves. "I wish we could have talked." When he is gone, she turns to Lady Liberty and the others. "I think the proper expression is... 'oof?' Lady? Does this sort of thing happen often?"

"As a member of the Force, even a satellite team like what is being put together here, you are expected to maintain a high level of personal integrity, keeping your behavior above reproach, and if you ever have any questions about what is considered 'appropriate', the team can help to teach you how to adapt to human society. Render aid to those that need it, and to protect those in danger. Those are the big things that the Force stands for."

These were the words Agent Dan Phillips had used when Dreamy had wondered what she was getting herself into. Lady Liberty had shown this Ultraweapon the door when he did not display sufficient... integrity? His behavior was far from above reproach, too or so it seemed. Dreamy tries to take the empathic approach and see things from (what might be) Ultraweapon's point of view as she recalls his words.

Ultraweapon's head snaps around to fire is glare at Luminary, then says, "My issues with aliens are just that - mine. It is nothing that I feel like sharing, and I am not comfortable working with such beings as these."

Ultraweapon had indeed concluded that he had genuine "issues" with aliens. That seemed to imply that he saw them not as positive elements in his life but negative - and thus, accurately - hopefully things to be resolved peacefully. Dreamy realizes that because of his unwillingness to share, she and Luminary were especially unwelcome in any efforts to help him. Still, something in Dreamy wanted to sit down with him, help him work it out, even share her special hugs with him if it would help him heal.

The Starborn allows herself a moment to wonder where Ultraweapon, an apparent but not verified Carbonite, could have developed these feelings of fear from. Had he perhaps fought against the Xaros and came away alive but scarred toward all aliens? Perhaps Ultraweapon or someone he cared for had encountered the xenomorphs? Everyone hated or feared them and they did not want friends; only more like themselves. Perhaps he had spent sometime off-world, somewhere very warm and prosperous and run into the challenge-seeking trophy-hunters? They saw other races as playthings and the few that knew about them held no positive feelings towards them whatsoever - a stance well-justified in Dreamy's mind. There were also the small long-necks with their angular heads and wonderful glows. They were compassionate. Harmless. But what could someone find in them worth fearing? What besides ignorance could lead to such a conclusion? No, Dreamy did not at all comprehend this thing called discrimination.

Sometimes, Dreamy reasons, fear is a thing to be afraid of simply because one lacks the means or desire to travel onward with any other emotion. Dreamy held onto love because it worked for her. But for someone else, if fear keeps one alive, why use any other approach? Ultraweapon's fear towards aliens (not just Kairissians or Melari but evidently all aliens) seems to imply that he was fully consumed by whatever decisions contaminated his mind.

Dreamy finds herself hoping that if he is unwilling to share his fears with the Force of Justice (or would-be Force of Justice), then perhaps he will find peace, wisdom, and most importantly - facts - to battle whatever it is lurking inside of him and come away a person that would be welcomed back to this good place.

 

[Psychie]

Deborah looks at Ultraweapon with a bit of pity and disgust. She thinks to the Dude, Such a highly esteemed hero, having such hate for another, just because they were not born on this planet! I wonder why he's so hung up on ETs?

With a sad expression on her face, she looks over at Dreamy, and says, "Please do not judge all humans by the hate and distrust that we just saw from Ultraweapon. Humans can hate one another for something as simple as the color of their skin, so it is not a big surprise that there are a few out there that will be intolerant to the likes of us, just because of who and what we are." At this point, she doesn't give a damn if that arrogant prick can hear her words or not. People like him are the reason that groups like the KKK and the Pure Earth Society have been formed, and it is enough to make her sick.

Let that ass try something. I will teach him a thing or two about good manners!

 

[Purr]

Dreamy returns a comforting grin to Luminary for her troubles, "Perhaps I should be pleased to tell you - Ultraweapon is the first Carbonite I've ever met who has displayed such fear and lack of comfort in my presence. The majority of your San Franciscan people have treated me well, or at the very least have walked their way while allowing me to walk mine." She looks to the portal where she last saw Ultraweapon and pauses. "I would be surprised if that were the last we saw of him though. Everything I have learned about superheroes in San Francisco point to a strong desire to see their goals turned to reality."

She holds out her hands and asks aloud to anyone who might respond. "But that's why we are forming a single unit, correct? To guard and guide against these kinds of troubles?"

 

[Sherwood]

Lady Liberty nods, still looking a bit perturbed. "Precisely, Ms. Starborn. There is an old Earth expression saying, 'united we stand, divided we fall'. The Force of Justice seeks to protect all people, regardless of their color, creed, or religion. While technically we are only supposed to focus on the goings on in the US, we are quite capable of deploying ourselves globally, and have done so on several occasions."

TARU takes a step forward and says in a somewhat distorted voice, "I believe that we all share the concern and displeasure at the attitude of Ultraweapon. While his presence in this organization would have been useful, it is hardly a deal breaker for myself. As you say, we are stronger together, and if we ever do come across the viral programs that I seek, I will gladly welcome the aid of any and all members of the Force."

American Spirit smiles, trying to recapture the good mood of earlier. "Well said, my friend. Come! Let us have a good drink, share a few laughs, and see if Lady Liberty and myself can answer your questions without having to call on our legal team led by Justin Case. Justin is the chief counsel for the FoJ, and works tirelessly to keep us out of trouble."

 

[Silanon]

TARU takes a step forward and says in a somewhat distorted voice, "I believe that we all share the concern and displeasure at the attitude of Ultraweapon. While his presence in this organization would have been useful, it is hardly a deal breaker for myself. As you say, we are stronger together, and if we ever do come across the viral programs that I seek, I will gladly welcome the aid of any and all members of the Force."

"We'll manage without his charming attitude." Nisha speaks the words, but refrains from going any further. The man, surprisingly, had a point. Not about aliens, of course, or their appearance - looks can be deceiving, after all. But about having issues that others have no business meddling in. Many here should have that sort of thing, power rarely comes without a cost. Some of the pasts are bound to not go well with the others'. Hers? Time will tell. You never know on which side a coin lands until you actually flip it, and it's the same with people as soon as it counts...

Time to move on, for now. Or so they propose. American Spirit, that is. Spirit and drinks? There's a joke there, somewhere... she goes back to observing, maybe for the better. Some of the others seemed reasonable, just there. Potentially good allies, one might think. Perhaps not for the worst, Ultraweapon's brief appearance. Gives others the chance to find common ground right from the start.

 

[D. Rex]

Colt Campbell watched Ultraweapon go with a sigh. While others seemed to feel offense or anger, Colt himself could not help but feel pity.

"A lot of us heros have villains. Some are simple individuals. But others are forces. Be it an army of robots, subterranean creatures, or even aliens. When fighting tooth and nail against these threats, protecting what we can with everything we got, it is easy to train yourself so thoroughly against your threat that you can not turn it off when something similar arises."

"And as we fight, over time, heroes take wounds. Physical wounds we can shake off. But wounds to the heart can break us. Losing loved ones, being betrayed, having to go against our beliefs, or put in a situation where we can't tell right from wrong, or even being forced to focus so much on an enemy that you exclude from yourself what really matters. Yet it is the mark of the hero to stand tall and strong even when we feel we can't. And sometimes we fail. Sometimes we learn the wrong lessons."

"I don't know what happened to Ultraweapon to make them feel that way. But let us not forget that they have done great things, and that they would not have been invited here if the FoJ did not see good in them. Yes, we should be holding them to a higher standard, but I think losing faith in them is the wrong answer."




"I think I will take that drink... and start us off with a question, if you don't mind, American Spirit."



"Working with a team like yours, I'm sure is quite a bit different than what a lot of us are used to. As such, I'm sure we have each developed our own methods of not just finding threats, but also in handling them. Methods we may not always agree on. To that end, how are we being implemented? As subordinates or peers?"


"And secondly, some of us would be switching focus from our usual duties to stationing ourselves here. And for some of us, that means leaving our prior territories defenseless. I have put in a request for a a squad of terranauts to come up to take my place, but as shorthanded as home is, they may need more help to make that happen. Is their an option of aid or replacements to fill in the gaps of what we are leaving behind?"

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Say Something

What's going through Dreamy's mind right now. =)
"Kylie Minogue - Say Something (feat.The House Gospel Choir) (INFINITE DISCO)"


Partial lyrics
I can't help thinkin' 'bout 'cha
I'm always thinkin' 'bout 'cha

S-S-S-Say something, say something
Tell me how you're feeling

'Cause love is love it never ends
Can we all be as one again?

American Spirit smiles, trying to recapture the good mood of earlier. "Well said, my friend. Come! Let us have a good drink, share a few laughs, and see if Lady Liberty and myself can answer your questions without having to call on our legal team led by Justin Case. Justin is the chief counsel for the FoJ, and works tirelessly to keep us out of trouble."

Dreamy approaches someone who seems like they have 'drinks' and makes a request. "Could I have the contents of hot cocoa served in a steel container, please? I like to warm the cocoa myself. I find it... how do you call it... self-soothing?"

Though the Kairissian does not need to breathe, she seems to take a deep breath of preparation while absently adjusting her colorful hair over one shoulder. "I... I am really new to your world! So... I... have lots of things about you that I wonder about, but I would rather not take up everyone's time with them all so... here's just a few!

"You are all the first superheroes I've really had the chance to interact with! Not only do most of you seem like Carbonites, but many of you are unusual even for your own incredibly-diverse species. So... as a community of superheroes... some of my questions are about your superhero culture. Like... just which among you are from the East Force of Justice and who among you are also trying out to become the West Force of Justice? Who is staying here and who is going?

"Why do some of you wear masks while some of you don't? Are you wearing them for your protection or someone else's?

"Please tell me some of the dos and don'ts of the superhero community? I embarrass myself enough as it is. Really. Just ask anyone." Dreamy thinks back to saluting Lady Justice thinking she was in charge of the Force of Justice... and just frowns for a moment.

"Some of you use the first name 'Lady.'" Dreamy glances to each of those who fall under this description. "So... should I just call you by your first and last names? Lady Justice? Lady Liberty? And Lady... Lady?" she tries to smile as she addresses the mysterious magic-user. Then a sudden thought strikes the cosmic explorer and she clasps her fingers together in worry that is comical to see.

"Oh, I hope I'm the only Dreamy around here!"

 

[Sherwood]

With Ultraweapon gone, the level of tension in the room fades away, even if a few of you may still feel a bit awkward. Moving to the table, there is a seat and place setting for all of you, even for such beings as TARU and Dreamy that do not eat (but Dreamy may eat for the enjoyment of food, while TARU doesn't consume food at all). Waiters come around with drinks for those that want them, providing your choice of either alcohol or something a bit tamer on the system.

Now that there are some beverages out, Francesca looks over at Dreamy with a smile. "You have so many questions! Don't worry; that is a big part of why we are here tonight. I want to make sure that everyone has a full understanding of what we are asking of you. Lets begin, shall we?"

"You are all the first superheroes I've really had the chance to interact with! Not only do most of you seem like Carbonites, but many of you are unusual even for your own incredibly-diverse species. So... as a community of superheroes... some of my questions are about your superhero culture. Like... just which among you are from the East Force of Justice and who among you are also trying out to become the West Force of Justice? Who is staying here and who is going?

American Spirit says, "If you agree to this, you will be a part of the Force of Justice, even though for most of the time you will be based out of this facility here in San Francisco. The people that we plan on having in the West Coast team will be:

Blue Bolt,
Dreamy Starborn,
Lady Justice,
Luminary,
Dawn,
Terranaut,
TARU,
Kodachi,
Steel,
Guardian,
and then there is Mr. Allen, who will not be deploying in the field with you, but will act as a part of your support system.

"Not every threat will need every one of you to respond, especially since we want to make sure that there is not some kind of feint to call the team away and leave some target vulnerable to an attack. But there may well be events that will take all of you to help out with." He takes a swallow of his wine before continuing. "We also understand that there are other responsibilities that many of you have." Spirit nods over at Colt with this comment, continuing with, "Rest assured, the Force is not here to monopolize your time, and everyone understands that you have lives to live without the masks on."

"Why do some of you wear masks while some of you don't? Are you wearing them for your protection or someone else's?

With this question, Francesca says, "It is a little bit of both. As you may know, I announced my identity three years ago, and no longer maintain an alternate identity. Before I did, I talked it over with my family and asked each of my relatives if they were ok with this, since it is possible for a criminal to use their lives against me. After that, I had a press conference where I announced who I was, and now I spend my time operating in the public eye, similar to Lady Justice over there. Other heroes like American Spirit or Luminary maintain a secret identity. A part of it is helpful to be able to keep loved ones safe from being used as blackmail against you. Others simply wish to be able to avoid the paparazzi and be able to lead a normal life when not operating as a hero."

She leans forward and says with extra emphasis, "Rest assured, your personal identities are yours to reveal if you choose. We will never reveal who you are without your express consent." She looks between Luminary, Dawn, and Kodachi when saying this.

"Please tell me some of the dos and don'ts of the superhero community? I embarrass myself enough as it is. Really. Just ask anyone." Dreamy thinks back to saluting Lady Justice thinking she was in charge of the Force of Justice... and just frowns for a moment.

At this point, one of the men in suits chuckles. "I am Justin Case, the chief counsel of the FoJ's legal team. I assure you, Ms. Dreamy, that you will not be the first member of the team that breaks a few rules, and you certainly will not be the last. There is just too many 'do's and don'ts' of being a hero to go into here, but I am sure that you will be able to follow the lead of your fellow team members to keep out of trouble. And if you don't, I will be there to pick up the pieces. Everyone on the Force has me on speed dial on their phones."

"Some of you use the first name 'Lady.'" Dreamy glances to each of those who fall under this description. "So... should I just call you by your first and last names? Lady Justice? Lady Liberty? And Lady... Lady?" she tries to smile as she addresses the mysterious magic-user. Then a sudden thought strikes the cosmic explorer and she clasps her fingers together in worry that is comical to see.

More chuckles dance around the table at this one. Francesca/Lady Liberty says, "In a relaxed setting like this, just call me Francesca. If we are ever in the field and working together, use my code name. It is easier to keep track that way."

 

[D. Rex]

Colt would take a seat and make himself comfortable as things were beginning to be explained to them. He, as well, took a light beer, as offered by a passing waiting. Nothing too hard for him, never know when an emergency could pop up.

"I haven't explored this facility yet, but I can imagine that you spared no expense. And I would go as far to assume that you accounted for those like TARU, Steel, and I when designing this place. As such I imagine that you have labs and workshops available for us to do our work. For specific needs and projects, to what degree would we be allowed or able to make modifications should we determine such changes would be beneficial to our upkeep and performance?"


"Tying into that question, is a matter of resources and contribution. So please do not take me asking this as me being greedy, but instead as something that I feel I would need to plan around. What is the budget or stipend you are giving to the team or individual, if any? Amd would we be allowed to bring in our own resources and innovations to build in the foundation you have set in place?"