Enter: Starfire

[newoutsiders]

The sight of you flying through Gotham's red-tinged night air is one to behold, as your contrailing hair seems to continue straight into the infinity of the sky. But the usual joy which comes to you with flight is replaced with concern-- since getting called up to the Justice League, Dick hasn't been speaking with any of his friends, other than presumably Barbara. It seems like protecting the world is consuming him. You know Dick better than practically anyone. He's a people person- he thrives when it comes to getting a team to work together. Dealing with A-List, world threatening villains isn't his forte.

But then, maybe that's exactly why these substitute Leaguers need him. Either way, you tell yourself you'll feel better after you get to talk to him yourself. Hopefully, he's not spending the night on the satellite.

Your cell phone vibrates as it plays a catchy Puffy AmiYumi song on your hip.

Comments

[glowymeatshield]

Kori has to stop mid-air when her phone rings to answer it, and unfasten the friction-guarded pouch she has secured to the side of her costume to take it out. "Hello?"

Hovering, she's a single bright spot in the Gotham skyline, and something of an easy target, so she lands on a rooftop for the duration of her phone call, checking to make sure she's alone. She will hand it to the vigilante crowd, the rooftops do give one excellent cell reception, almost as good as the sky itself.

[newoutsiders]

"Kori, sweetheart!" a familiar voice bursts out over the phone. You immediately recognize it as Rex Leech, your new modeling agent. Your old guy quit the business after one too many alien bounty hunters came searching for the lost Tamaranean princess in the middle of a photo shoot. Rex is kind of a sleaze, but he has a good heart, and he's used to this sort of thing- as he'll remind you at every given opportunity, he represented Superboy for years.

"I just closed an AMAZING deal. You absolutely have to say yes. Promise me, Kori! Promise me you'll take it."

[glowymeatshield]

"I'm not making any promises before I hear what it is, Rex," Kori says, taking a seat on the ledge of the building. "Give me the details first, then we talk. I'm not exactly eager to dive right back into the business, so unless you have something that's right..." she warns him.

She'd invested the money from her early career well. She wasn't hurting for new jobs. She wasn't living in luxury, certainly, but she wasn't desperate. Still, Rex seemed pretty excited. It must be good to get him that revved up.

[newoutsiders]

Rex wheezes a laugh over the phone.

"Okay, okay. I know you ain't exactly hurtin' for work, but look. This is your chance to get to the TOP! I couldn't DREAM a more perfect opportunity!

"Listen, honeyface: I want you to think about the biggest supermodels in the world. Heidi Klum. Tyra Banks. Lia Briggs. What do they all have that you don't? How do we get Kory Anders to the next level? The "A" List? Two words: REALITY. TELEVISION."

[glowymeatshield]

"Don't you think that would be a bit dangerous, Rex?" Kory asked, visions of super-villains with the exact same thought dancing in her head. "That just seems... terribly irresponsible. The possibility of civilian causalities alone if someone dangerous decided to attack.... There would be even more people at something like that than there would be at a photo shoot, or even a televised interview. Looker can get away with it because she barely spent any time in the capes and tights game..." she trailed off.

"What exactly are you pitching? A one time thing for PR?"

[newoutsiders]

"A one time thing? Oh, no! Way, WAY better! As a host! We're talking major leagues here! GBS wants you to be their new star! You're gonna love this, trust me! All the up and coming names in design are gonna be on board for this: they're calling the show Project Rooftop."

[glowymeatshield]

"Before I say no, I have to ask- have you already committed me to anything?" she asks, apprehensively.

She wouldn't put it past him to agree to a pilot to get her the chance at the gig before talking to her. It wasn't really his fault he was so enthusiastic... If only she could get him to start realizing the risks involved...

[newoutsiders]

There's a brief silence.

"W-well..."

The night air fills with sirens. You see a squad of police cars below, chasing a speeding orange tanker truck, weaving through traffic and showing no signs of slowing down.

[glowymeatshield]

"Text me, Rex, something's come up," Kori says, and hangs up tucking the phone away. She takes off, and after the tanker truck.

When it looks like traffic ahead is clear enough to attempt to stop the truck, she picks the tanker up by its rear axle and digs her heels into the ground.

[newoutsiders]

The truck drags you behind it for a bit, but eventually comes to a stop-- that's when it starts gunning ahead at full speed. You struggle to keep hold as the police pull up behind you.

[glowymeatshield]

Starfire grits her teeth and looks to the officers. "I can only slow him down so much," she tells them. "Could you maybe get the driver out of the vehicle before I damage the asphalt of your fine city any further?" She gives them her best runway smile despite the circumstances.

[newoutsiders]

One cop beams brightly and starts walking ahead, but a sergeant holds him back.

"I'll handle this, officer," he says. As he marches towards the truck, though, the trailer hitch snaps from the pressure and the truck speeds off. The end of the tanker crashes on the asphalt, and it cracks open. Toxic looking orange, acidy liquid starts oozing everywhere. It's giving off fumes like burning plastic.

The sergeant is unfortunately in the splash zone. He screams out in pain.

[glowymeatshield]

Kori drops the axle to to rush to the Sergeant, tearing off his uniform where the ooze hit, then scooping him up to rush him to the waterfront and into the river like a streak of fire to minimize the damage the chemicals are doing to him, before rushing him to the hospital.

[newoutsiders]

"Actually, I... I think I'm okay," the officer ekes out in your arms, on the way to the river. "I don't feel anything. I don't feel... anything."

His bones seem to dissipate as he nearly oozes out of your grip, a mass of still living, breathing flesh and organs.

[glowymeatshield]

Okay, she skips the river, and the hospital. And starts... gathering the officer... (oh god please don't make her like... wind him around any part of her) and take him to Waynetech R&D, which is the only place she can think of that might have any resource to help the poor man. At least there are a few officers back at the scene to try and keep things contained- and hopefully other vigilantes on their way, if she knows anything about the way Gotham works.

She wishes she had some way to contact that Oracle person.

[newoutsiders]

You arrive at WayneTech R&D, puddle of a man in your arms.

"Welcome to- what in the world!" the secretary shouts in horror.

"Blrbblgggbbllbbl," says the sergeant.

[glowymeatshield]

Starfire does the best she can to explain what happened, in a minute or less. She's sure someone on the premises will have a better handle on things than she does. It was very difficult carrying a semi-solid person while in flight.

Time to return to the puddle of goo that is not sentient, and, X'hal help her, hope no one else has been liquified.

[newoutsiders]

Hazmat trucks speed behind you as you get back to the scene. The cops have done a pretty good job of beginning to cordon off the area in your absence. Looks like there'll only be one victim tonight- unless something's up with those fumes.

[jlf_oracle]

Oracle's screen lights up with a series of alerts, and her server fills up with chatter from police radios. Something is very, very wrong, and there are at least two focal points of Weird Central.

Green Arrow is stationed at one, and the last time she checked Starfire was at the other.

Time to make contact with alien life.

[glowymeatshield]

"Now's not a really good time, Rex-" Kory starts to say, before noticing her agent's number isn't on the call display.

There is no number on the call display.

"Hello?"

[jlf_oracle]

"Hello, Starfire. It's Oracle."

Babs is itching to ask how the cop is doing, but she can't afford to push Kory around; they've rarely worked together.

[glowymeatshield]

"Oh!" That makes sense.

Kory immediately goes into Info Dump Mode. Having an actual Leader Type Person to report to puts her faaaar more into her comfort zone.
"The police have the chemical spill contained. The officer exposed is alive but... Altered. The substance seems to... well. Liquify... people? But... Leaves them alive. I'm not sure if it's anything like what Plastic Man was exposed to, or something more like what gives Elongated Man his powers. Either way it's definitely not the original formula, it acted much faster... I think? I guess you'd have to ask them. But... It seemed to happen very, very quickly. It was very difficult carrying him."

A sigh.

"I really didn't mean for this to happen. I acted very impulsively. I didn't think the police would leave their vehicles. Or approach me. I... assumed they'd cut off the truck's path. I assumed too much. This man's suffering is on me."

[jlf_oracle]

Oracle bites back a sigh of her own. "You did the best you could under the circumstances. Even the big bad Bat can't control everything. Watch yourself out there, though. I'm fielding reports about fumes coming from the tanker."

[glowymeatshield]

"Still," Kory said, rising into the air, to begin searching for signs of the driver.

"Are there any others on the way? Should I hold position and maintain crowd control, or pursue the driver?" she asked, changing the subject.

Maybe she'd take that job Rex had called her about. She'd have money to donate to the city for cleanup, and to the officer's family, if he had one.

[jlf_oracle]

"Last I heard, Green Arrow was in pursuit of the driver." Everyone's been suspiciously silent since then, and Babs doesn't like it.

[glowymeatshield]

"If he needs backup, let me know. I'll stay here and assist with the crowd until the hazmat crew has this cleaned up," said Starfire.

"I'm guessing since I'm not a glowing glowing puddle after carrying that officer, I've got at least some resistance to this stuff."

[jlf_oracle]

"That's the first good news I've had all night," Babs replies. "I'll keep you in the loop."

[glowymeatshield]

"I appreciate it. Let me know if I can be of help anywhere else. Have a good night, Oracle. As good of a night as you can make of it, anyway."

[jlf_oracle]

Babs checks the clock. It's been a long night but hopefully Starfire's still awake.

She crosses her fingers and clicks the call button.

[glowymeatshield]

"Yes?"

She certainly sounded awake and alert.

[jlf_oracle]

"If you're still up for knocking some heads together, Batgirl and Green Arrow could use some backup at Slaughter Swamp."

(http://thenewoutsiders.dreamwidth.org/2260.html#comments)

[glowymeatshield]

"On it."

[jlf_oracle]

"Excellent. I've patched you through to Batgirl's comm. Good luck."