New Outsiders

Backup arrives- it is, perhaps conveniently, or inconveniently (depending on how much stealth would be needed), also its own light source. Starfire leaves her signature fire contrail behind her as she flies northward to the Slaughter Swamp from the city, until she slows enough to begin searching the area for signs of Green Arrow and Batgirl.

Finally, she touches down at their location. "Oracle said you might be in need of a little help. It's nice to meet you, Batgirl. I've heard good things. Nice to see you again, Green Arrow."

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stephbrown

"I'm glad you could come," Steph says. She really, really is. This whole mess is gonna be, well, messy anyway, but with Starfire here, it should at least not be deadly. Hopefully. "So. What's the plan?"

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Connor nods in greeting at Starfire as she arrives.

In response to Steph's question, he speaks: "We need to get past their defenses first." He gestures to the remote in his hand. "They have some kind of raisable fortress underground right now. This should bring it up, but we've been warned it's heavily trapped - laser turrets for certain, plus who knows what else. Inside, we know they're keeping at least three people in there who have been given some kind of Gingold-based formula. I fought one, Sal Handy, earlier - it was like fighting Plastic Man. They have some way of controlling them - it's called a responsometer, and it's a long story - so they'll probably all be hostile. We also believe that Solomon Grundy may be inside, with an unknown number of guards. Grundy should be our first priority - if we take him out, he may not be able to control the Gingold captives. Do you think you can smash us a way in, Starfire?"

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"I do happen to specialize in that sort of entrance" Starfire responds with a nod, holding up a glowing, lightly starbolted fist, and striking a tiiiiny bit of a pose. It becomes a bit of a habit when one has as long of a modelling career as she's had. It bleeds into your Other Job.

"Just say when."

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"Ready?"

Seeing no objections, Connor brings up the opener, braces himself, and presses the button.

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The entire swamp bubbles and ripples as you see an enormous structure rise from unseen depths in the center of the swamp. It looks almost comical in its ominousness- like a big Darth Vader helmet caked with years of moss and mildew.

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091211040240/superman/images/9/98/Legion_of_Doom_Headquarters.jpg

Connor briefly spots a face in one of the windows, which looks back at him and then darts away.

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"There!" Connor points to the window, making sure the others know the one he means. "There's someone in there!"

He turns to Starfire, waiting for her to move.

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Starfire darts ahead of the other two, firing a few starbolts ahead of her to open a door where before only a window currently exists. She's handy for remodeling projects like that.

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The window resists the first couple starbolts, but your third shatters it open- but not before six laser turrets whir to life.

Three of their opening volleys go wide, but two train on the brightest glowing target and open fire. Moving by instinct, Starfire manages to dodge them both.

As for the sixth... maybe the three of you were too preoccupied with the rising of the fortress, but Professor Bravo attempted to make that opportunity to escape. Trained on his hastily retreating back, the final turret converts him to a fine mist.

Edited Date: 2014-10-23 04:53 am (UTC)

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Connor realizes too late. "No!"

Idiot. What had he been thinking? He'd given fair warning that he was going to raise the fortress, too, but he hadn't even though to check to make sure Professor Bravo sought cover. Nevermind that he was expecting the man to just meekly go back into the shack where he'd been held captive for weeks, with his only hope of rescue about to storm the fortress. Of course he'd run.

He pushes the guilt aside for now, moving to follow the others in.

From:

stephbrown

"Crap," Steph mutters, but there's nothing she can do now. She needs to focus on the task at hand - hopefully she can take out a turret while Starfire's up there being a big glowy distraction. She takes out two explosive batarangs, aims at one of the turrets, and lets both fly.

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Maybe it's the shock of the professor's sudden disintegration, but both of your batarangs miss the mark of the turrets- but one does manage to blow open some of the other windows.

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Starfire aims starbolts at the remaining turrets.

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Kori fire off two starbolts, disabling both the turrets trained on her.

Two of the remaining turrets continue to attempt to lock onto a target, but the two others find Connor and Stephanie, respectively.

Connor sees the turret gunning for him and moves out of the way before it even comes close- but as Steph attempts the same maneuver, a bolt goes right through the cape trailing behind her.

You all see four men in black pinstripe suits peer through the open windows, and all four start firing submachine guns.

Edited Date: 2014-10-23 05:32 am (UTC)

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Oh, that's not good. Connor considers taking a shot at the turrets, but they look heavily armored, and so, trusting Starfire to take out the other two, he picks a man in the window and fires an arrow at his hand.

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Like some kind of superhero whose expertise is in shooting arrows, Connor hits his mark perfectly- maybe a little too perfectly, as the arrow penetrates the center of the gunner's palm.

He, uh. Drops the gun. Obviously.

Edited Date: 2014-10-23 05:43 am (UTC)

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stephbrown

"I need a jetpack," Steph decides, yanking the remains of her cape off. She flings it away from herself and hopes one of the turrets decides it makes a better target than she does now.

Connor's got the right idea; it'll be better for them to take out the people and Starfire to take out the turrets. She pulls a stingerang out and aims; it's full of a jellyfish toxin serum, so if it hits, it'll cause a lot of pain in short order. She aims at one of the gunmen and lets fly.

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The gunner to the left of the guy with an arrow in his hand looks over in a moment of concern- just enough time to get a face full of jelly.

It's not a pretty sight... let's just say he's out of the picture too.

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Kory decides to go a little more up close and personal with the remaining two, flying at high-speed towards them, fists extended for a double-punch, fists glowing with just enough energy to really make it sting... though probably not as much as Steph's little invention there.

If she happens to be able to disarm them while she's at it, all the better.

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Blazing with righteous fury, Starfire rushes into the remaining two attackers, giving them only enough time to register abject terror. They're out cold, and Starfire is inside a perimeter hallway.

"SEND OUT THE TEST SUBJECTS, ASS!" she hears a low, growling voice shout. "Christ! Who's at our door, the freaking Justice League?"

Those top two turrets have been missing their mark since they started firing. You get the impression their targeting system might have a little too much swamp water in it.

Connor continues to elude the turret trained on him- and it seems the other turret has taken Steph's bait, for now.

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Connor takes a moment to assess the field. He's not really sure where the best place to make their stand is - with Starfire inside, they're splitting the team just by being here, but at the same time, forcing them to send the "subjects" out divides their forces as well. Not to mention that there could be any number of unknown traps inside - he'd already gotten more than his fill from that trap in front of the door.

Then again, he's also seen full well just what those turrets can do. The way they've been following him, though, makes him wonder if there isn't a way to gum up their targeting system.

"Batgirl!" he calls out. "Do you have anything that can take these out?" As he speaks, he looks over the turret nearest him as best as he can, trying to see if he can spot a camera. If he can, he'll try to put an arrow in it.

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You spot some mounts where cameras might have been at some point, but they might have rusted off. This place has clearly seen better days.

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stephbrown

"I'll give it a try," Steph yells back. She's got a few kaboomerangs left. Now seems like the perfect chance, so she pulls one out and aims for the turret that got her poor cape.

Better her cape than her, though. She's glad Operation: Matador was a success.

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With aim straight and true, Steph pulls out her kaboomerang... which is... already... flashing.

Crap.

Thinking fast, Connor turns around and shoots an arrow right at the batarang- rappelling it with extreme speed towards Steph's turret, with is blown to smithereens.

Steph briefly appreciates how nearly that was her. Connor briefly appreciates the power of an explosive arrow.

As for the three remaining turrets, the two on top hit some tall trees. One crashes on top of the base, sinking it slightly back into the swamp- but not to window level- and one crashes on the remains of Professor Bravo's shack.

Distracted by his trick shot, the laser trained on Connor finally catches up to him- but it's been streaming for a while now, and the power seems to be ebbing. It gives him a nasty second degree burn and knocks him from his feet.

***

Meanwhile, inside the Hall of Doom, Starfire hears a trio of moans approaching her- ones which do not sound too dissimilar to the police sergeant who melted in her arms.

Edited Date: 2014-10-23 10:16 pm (UTC)

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