Rex Miller
Sandcrab Rex Miller (a.k.a. Defender of the meek.)
His hero name is Sandcrab, an illegal hero after the Vanishing.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Slim but in good shape Sandcrab's physique belies the enormity of the strength he wields.
Body Features
Sandcrab wears an armor suit with shiny yellow vambraces, boots and armored head cowl. The rest of the suit is a dull red and tightly fitted. From between the shoulder blades on the back of the suit extend four red, thin, crab-like limbs and has a red emblem of a crab on the chest.
Facial Features
A red visor covers the eyes and there is no apparent mouth on the head cowl. No seams, cracks or visible way of dawning or removal are seen.
Identifying Characteristics
As a super, Sandcrab's red claws and bright red and yellow suit all but scream attention, here I am.
Physical quirks
Sandcrab's suit is comprised of millions of nanites with varying assignments that make up his high tech armored suit. These nanites though seamless to the naked eye are still separate and can be notably disrupted with pulse weapon attacks. When this happens the area struck shimmers and cracks appear but then quickly bind together and reform their previously seamless finish.
Special abilities
Sandcrab's armor suit creates a 3D virtual view of it's surroundings which is received from supersubatomic micro nanites Observers that travel between molecules through space and solid objects and then report information back as a collective hive which renders the information into a multi layered feedback allowing Sandcrab to view anything around him. These Observers are unable to pass through Force Field powers. This system loads information 10x faster then a normal human could normally view his surroundings in a 360 degree radius, keeping Sandcrab apprised of his surrounding. The armor can also modifies its structure as it is attacked to better defend against in coming attacks. There are many other secret abilities the armored suit is capable of, its full capabilities are still being discovered.
Apparel & Accessories
Four red 3 meter claws carry Sandcarb quickly across all surfaces and can bend and jump incredible distances as well as tunnel through all but the hardest surfaces.
Specialized Equipment
The Sandcrab suit can withstand incredible heat and cold making it perfectly matched to save people in disastrous situations.
Rex Miller is a nanotechnology scientist in his public identity. In his secret identity, he is the super hero Sandcrab. He utilizes extreme strength, mobility and senses to do good.
Character Location
Alignment
Hero
Date of Birth
9.5.1956
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Brown
Hair
Sandy gray
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
White
Height
5'10"
Weight
165 lbs.
Sharp (two) : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 6190765416
After the rookie agent misses me. Sharp takes a blast from the Gyro Bot that knocks her back falling to a knee, she's stunned! My Heads Up Display is flashing multiple threats targeting me and defensive systems have dropped to 50%. Seems like a theme, Destroyers robots explode upon defeat. Actually pretty smart way to protect your tech. I can hear Cypher complaining that I destroyed what he wants as an add to his army.
I decide it is a good time to go on the defense and tunnel under the trucks and pull Sharpe to safety. Scanning her, no broken bone, just the breath knocked out of her from the Gyro Bot's blast. Sharpe catches her breath, "Let's get back to the fight!" she says eagerly.
"Hold on a second, I have to catch my breath." If she feels I need it a second to recover, she might reassess her own condition too.
"Right, right, okay." says Sharp and we both take a second to clear hour heads. On my HUD screen power levels jump up to 90%, back in the green.
As I dig my way out I leave Sharp in the open hole (glad to give her cover), I see Cypher at the gate. Looks like he's welcoming The Hot Shot to the fight. Never complain about extra good guys! I wall crawl up the side of the building chasing after the second Gyro Bot eager to destroy it I hit it head on, forgetting how tough it is to knock back! I might be running headlong into a steel wall? Luckily, I overcome it's stabilizers and it is knocked back a bit. Little victories, lucky that panned out. However I put myself in a bad position, engaged with a bot and only a few meters away from two armed agents. The agents fire at me, but miss. I hear Sharps energy weapon fire and the agent at my back is stunned. Down below Cypher and The Hot Shot are cleaning up.
Target HUD analyzes a plan of attack with high odds of success due to Sharp stunning the agent behind me. I execute the attack plan, a pulled kick to the stunned agent knocks him off the building (his armor should protect him from to much damage hitting the ground), an pulled extended leg punch to the agent on the stairs results a square hit and he goes down and a coup de gras strike finishes the second Gryo Bot. Combat over and Sharp tends to the agent that hit the ground. I was worried for a second, thinking I had over done it. She's helping him, so he's okay.
We clean up the site, scrounge what is useful and destroy the rest. I note the location and add it to my weekly patrol, just in case they are dumb enough to re-populate.
Sharp (one) : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 6190765415
Socrates had a lead on a military outpost that had received a shipment some new tech and tasked Sharp to investigate. She radioed for backup, Cypher and I were available. We meet up, Sharp looks different, not just in stature but attitude. Driven. She gives a mission brief, location and objective. We make a plan and go.
Arriving at the location on the outskirts of the city, we surfacing from underground in a wooded area just outside the new military outpost. It didn't seem like much of a threat. Didn't even bother to survey they buildings. A dozen agents and two trucks with something we hadn't seen before, some kind of bot. Two of them, one in each truck.
Seems simple enough, to control the agents and cut down their numbers I dug up some dirt and buried most of them. That's when from the back of the truck the two Gyro Bots 'woke up'. I jumped over the wall. A good plan would be to pound one into the other. Plan's don't always work out! I gave the thing a good punch, dented it pretty good. Scanning the bot I see gyro stabilizers inside, not just a fancy fan for flight on top. Apparently the gyros inside keep it pretty stable. No two for one today. It tries an electrical blast retaliatory strike but misses.
My 360 HUD picks up an agent dropping off a building behind me. He is armed with a rifle, he fumbles nervously after dropping off the building and taking cover behind a car and takes a pot shot at my back. I figure I can take the hit, besides by now I have grabbed the pesky bot and have my hands full. The agent misses. New base. New Equipment. Rookie agents? We'll see...
Liliana's Toads : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 6190765d302
I am in France, holed up in a safe house, drinking instant coffee. For a good croissant and a real French press, I might join the other side. Not really, but that is how I feel. "Thanks for coffee, Rocket." I pretend it's delicious, even though it is not, but he cares enough to offer and it is all that was found in the 'Safe House', so he deserves thanks.
As soon as we sneak out of town as our normal selves, Liliana does her 'force wall' trick again Rocket does his 'run like hell fireman's carry' with Liliana and Lyzen on board. I am not fond of being carried, it's a little embarrassing. Maybe that's the little old man talking. I can't remember the last time someone carried me. Even when Destroyers Gatling Gun Droid ripped me to shreds I didn't need carried. Although for Liliana and her mission I would forgo personal vanity if needed, but it's not, so I activate a Nanite Leap opening a wormhole and make the jump to our destination.
Rural area, quaint houses, armed agents everywhere, copters and tanks. An underground base, probably the target. No welcome sign for the good guys. Looks like we are just in time. (Thanks again, Rocket.)O0o. I give him thanks through the HUD Link and remind everyone, "No radios, they are not safe with our DarkR Web out of range." To bad the rest of the team are late adopters. But at least 'Lyzen'/Phaser, though weird with her new powers, is doing better. As she explains it, 'The Runefoce' left Runeforce and is now hers. His alien power apparently left him, because it saved us during the Xplore Jet explosion and shifted into her. I guess that means Runeforce lost his powers? We'll see, hopefully he recovers.
Liliana, Rocket and Lyzen tackle the bad guy military while I look for a way into the safe house. I figure I'll just tunnel in. I figure wrong. Okay, so I can't penetrate lead with the Nanite Swarm, and now I can't dig through it either! I wish I had time to solve this puzzle, my exobiology science mind wants samples, but no time. Dig to the surface, scramble into the house. The swarm lays out the house inside and out and that shows me the entrance. Locked floor security hatch, digital, encrypted. I work the pad, decrypted it opens and I enter and am faced with a bunch of civilians wielding 9 MM's speaking the Kings English!
"Hi." I say, "I am looking for this man." holding up a holograph of Prince Michael. "I am here to get him to safety." They let me know he is here with 40 others! (Thanks Rocket. Where are you when I need you?)O0o. I think knowing he can't hear me through the lead lined walls. Okay change of plans, "Stay here, we'll get you as soon as we clear the military brigade that just rolled into town. I'll be back soon." I exit the bunker and join the fray.
Looks like the other three are doing okay, but taking shots. Take down a copter, crash land and roll, get blasted by a tank, ouch, pick the tank up and smash it into another tank. Downhill from here. We clean up, some agents run. No need to chase. Using the bus so conveniently left unharmed, we hustle the Brits off to safety!
Just another day, except instant coffee and this combat in Russia, might have cracked a rib, not sure, but I may prefer Black Talons and Destroids? I for surely prefer my cafe at home, but at least Liliana got to save her toads. Good job team.
Blasted : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 6190765d299
Runeforce and Phaser piloted the Xplore Jet as Liliana, Rocket and I sat in passenger heading for Russia. Our mission: Locate and Rescue the Prince and Princess Michael. Offering everyone the HUD Link, only Rocket accepted. Late adopters vs early adopters, I wasn't surprised Rocket, a tech guy, understood it's usefulness. I had just finished the L-nanite injection in Rocket's head when I heard two metalic clink sounds and quickly tried to locate the source. Too late...
KA-BOOM! The jet was torn to pieces by an explosion!! Someone had successfully targeted the Xplore Jet. Someone had written a death warrant. I braced myself, wondering if anyone would survive? Suddenly the particles of the exploding jet slowed down, then pushed away, we were all floating downward. Held by some sort of force. We all seemed safe, except Runeforce, his body was limp. Gazing through him with my awareness his heart was still active, blood still pumping. Something strange though, I didn't notice at first and then it happened just before we hit the water, the energy that cradled us released us falling to the sea, it evaporated into Phaser and that is when I noticed Runeforce's runes were gone.
But there was no time to wonder, little time to think. My HUD came up with WARNINGS, multiple Drones were searching the area, we had to move and move fast. We acted quickly, Liliana created a platform with her mental powers, we got on top and Rocket acted as our prop. A few kilometers away we regrouped and reassessed. Phaser was acting strange and Runeforce needed medical attention. Rocket ran him back to base and was back post haste. We left the oil rig, reached France and opted for a slow but safe underground commute to the outskirts of town and we slipped into the safe house under the guise of our normal selves. A slight reaction from the others as they noted my age. Whatever. I am still in good shape for an old guy.
On Cue : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 6190765d301
At base discussing tactic with some of the New Champions, an alert then another alert. Socrates monitors world events and lets us know of two Black Talon attacks. (Looks like no choice. He is setting the stage.)O0o. Thinks Sandcrab.
"We have to split into two teams. Rocket, Ghost and I to Nebraska and Lyzen, Max and Lady Dragon to Lake Superior." Sandcrab suggests to the team. Rocket alters it slightly by offering taxi service to improve the Lake Superior teams arrival time. Ghost will meet us there and Rocket will arrive a few seconds later. The L-Nanite mind link to Socrates is quicker then the old connection, I ask and receive the coordinates to the Nebraska location then activates a Nanite Leap.
Stepping toward the precipice of nothingness Sandcrab feels pressure as his nanites disassemble his molecules sending them through a pin point worm hole held open for a nano second by his programmed nanites, then reassemble him at his destination in time to see Ghost then Rocket arrive. (All here have the L-Nanite. Yet no one is using it. Newness maybe?)O0o. he ponders delaying as he sees the enemy Talons, no Destroids (yet), a dozen innocent and the resistance cell. Usually he would jump into the fray, like Ghost, but he has to see first if Rocket will do his 'save them all in one swoop' thing or go on the offense. Off the bat an officer goes down from a missed attack meant for Rocket who was just passing the same location, but hits the officer's cruiser blasting him off his feet. He is down, wounded. (I could tend to him first, but at the gas station two more endangered normals!)O0o. he chooses to mitigate the possible death toll. While rocket and Ghost face off against the Talons, he takes the two men to safety.
On cue, six seconds after contact, Destroids. Surprisingly, only two? Is DD running out of resources already? He had done the calculations after taking apart one of the two captured robots at base. These things cost about 10 million a piece. No wonder city streets have so many potholes and taxes are up!
Finally no normals at risk. The Destroids are still materializing, just enough time to come out from underground and heave a 4,000 kilogram forklift at a Black Talon. Direct hit and down it goes with a forklift blanket.
Now the real fight, Destroids!
Ghost Town Rescue : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 6190765d300
Apparently standing up against tyranny is becoming more popular. As if not only ourselves, the New Champions, new groups like The Superior Five but Small rag tag groups of normals, albeit skilled and decently armed, dubbed 'Resistance Fighters' are now coming into play. We are more and more often having to save these brave men and woman. This is a good trend, however I ask myself, "What good have we wrought? If our actions have only inspired others to risk themselves as sacrifice against the force of Destroyer's agents!"
We arrived above the ghost-town in Arizona. Viewing the street below it looked more like city streets set up for a game of paintball. Sandbags on street corners, barbed wire blockades, a dozen resistance fighters and one decent looking auto cannon on a rooftop in the center of town. But this isn't paintball, five blocks away and coming fast are Destroyers agents, four Black Talon armored agents and a dozen more regular agents, all heavily armed. Armed well enough to threat us, the supers. The resistance doesn't stand a chance. If we weren't here, it would be a short, deadly last stand.
I hop out of the XPlore jet, dropping Rocket in the street. We decide to split our forces, half us will hold of Destroyer's agents and the others will gather the Resistance fighters and take them to safety aboard the XPlore.
I dig up dirt from below the street and throw it two blocks down the street covering a group of regular agents. I see Max and Rocket begin to gather the Resistance. Just then the Black Talons spring to roof tops. The one closest to me hits me with his laser cannon, not quite a square hit, I only feel s slight fizzle. I answer his call jumping in an arc, doing a pile driver. My feet landing square, I feel him crumple below me while the force of my impact pushes us through the roof, we slam into the second floor, break threw it and land on the first floor. My attack was effective. Surprisingly, I have never attempted to just through myself against an enemy, but I see ghost doing it all time, so why not? Thanks for the tip Ghost.
My HUD picks up the next Black Talon through the building. If I exit the way I came, I won't make it there before his next attack against Lady Dragon. (She looks dwarfed standing face to face against the Black Talon Mech) I don't know her well enough to not aid her.
The fastest path between two spots is a direct line. Putting my shoulder into it and cannonball through the wall, scamper across the street and up the side of the building. I can't make it all the way to her! But luckily my crab legs can just reach up and over the edge to snag a hold of the Black Talon. I grab his leg and yank him off the roof, throwing him to meet the street below. Gravity. Got to love good old gravity. Many pieces of metal break off the mech. Scanning the man inside looks unconscious, alive but will likely be sore tomorrow.
Across the street I see Runeforce deal with the third Black Talon and a few blocks over a trip wire binds the last while ghost finishes him off.
The Resistance is gathered, I tag a couple mechs with Tracer and take time to scan the buildings. I spot a small building and inside two military looking laptops. I head there, tunnel under and grab them exiting quickly and jump back to the Xplore. Mission accomplished, for now.
Destroids Like Me : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 61698952564
When the Destroid landed on the car behind me and blasted me with it's two fisted lazers, but didn't hit me square, I thought .o0O(You've got my attention now.)
But then the second Destroid flew up, doubling the threat meter in my HUD display. The fact that it's laser blasts completely missed me, well, I guess it is a bad day to be a bad bot!
They were just gathered close enough. I grabbed the car, who ever owns it probably is thanking me, because it looked like a total bucket, but you know, those old beaters, they are built pretty tough and swung it round house style with all my suits strength to swat them both and knock them silly out into the street. The car didn't fair as well as I'd hoped. Guess the good old beaters aren't that tough after all. Although why someone would invest in bullet proof windows, I don't know, but they didn't break! Maybe it was owned by a famous rapper when it was still a gem.
I dropped the car and jumped at the next closest Destroid 40 feet in the air, since the first two that attacked me were being finished off by my team mates. When I hit the next Destroid I wrapped him up with in my Sandcrab legs and give him a crushing hug. Just then I heard the report of a high powered rifle. My HUD picked it up, a ricochet shot off the station that landed square on one of the Flamethrower Agents that I had been out of range of my earth and boulder ridden entangle. He dropped like a sack of bricks, blood immediately pooling at the wounds. I thought .o0O(Damn, he's gonna die! Going to have to abort the attack on this Destroid I am riding and jump to save him.)
I know, I know. Saving this scums life might cause someone else's to come to harm. But who says this guy doesn't have a wife or kids. He is just taking orders, even if they are bad ones, he doesn't deserve to die. I let the team know I am running him to the hospital. Maybe saving him will change his ways. I drop him off at the emergency entrance, not sure he is conscious but say it anyway, "Make better job choices. Next time a good guy might not be there to save you."
Cloaked Men : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 13987857576
The alert went out, summoning available New Champions and their allies.
Coincidentally we all arrived at the scene at nearly the same time. At the scene I extended the Nanite Swarm. Information flooding my senses. What used to overwhelm me has now become a comfort. All at once I count the enemies in the vicinity and my allies, two blocks away, Cypher, Ghost and Rocket and on the tallest building Max and in the gas station, a father and possibly son, hide from the half dozen Flamethrower Agents engulfing the gas station. Marching down the street; like they belong, two Black Talon. I see Rocket Dash forward, too fast for the flames to touch him, into the Gas Station, knowing his goal, I radio him, "A man and a boy, hiding in the rear bathroom."
It is a miracle the gas pumps have not yet exploded! I brace myself and digging furiously, sending mounds of dirt covering the bumps, some of the Flamethrower Agents, the front lot and front of the gas station, dousing the flames in that area.
Across the way, my HUD identifies two new supers! I tense at first worried more enemies, but their actions quickly show they are at least for now, on our side. I track one of Cypher's bots circling a van. My Nanites show two cloaked men inside. A bit far to attempt embedding a Tracker Nanite. As soon as I can, I will have to get closer. For now putting out this fire is the priority. I bury two more Flamethrower Agent, putting out more fires and the Propane tanks too.
I see it coming. The familiar electrictro static summoning and four Destroids appear. The one closest to me rockets over landing on the car I was next to for partial cover, and lets loose a double fisted laser blast. I am slightly disappointed it didn't attempt to engage me in hand to hand. The lasers reflect off my Nanite armor. Not even close to a square hit, not a scratch, lucky for me, "You've got my attention now." We'll see how it goes for you all?
M-Nanite : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 87062347863
The door to medbay one is shut and locked. Its occupant protective of his identity has instructed Socrates to disable the security camera's in the room. Laying on the autodoc table, Rex Miller reaches over to the control panel and initiates the procedure.
Bright light illuminates the patient and the sound of servos begin to whir. Two of the three autodoc robot arms reach Rex and pin him to the table. All preprogrammed, he still felt surprised and a little nervous. The procedure began. The electromagnetic arc worked its way up from his feet. The thrum sound an indication of the power it consumed. As it worked its way up his body a slight ripple like something crawling under his skin moved away from the pulse the arc radiated upon Rex's body. Across his stomach and chest it continues to retreat. Pain now visible on Rex's face as the pulse forced the consolidating Nanites upward.
Visible swells could now be seen travelling up Rex's veins. Suddenly the third arm of the autodoc stuck holding a device; a small glass container held safely in metal rings with tubes leading to hydraulic pumps ending in a dozen fine needled, it pierced the skin where the swell was retreating, the needles in a row penetrating the vein sucking blood and nanites out at once. Rex Screamed and passed out!
The arm swung over to the lab's bio waste incinerator and ejected the container and all. Then swung around and loaded the ready new injector, its contents a dark red swirling mass within the vile. Mercilessly, the injector was jabbed into the unconscious victim's carotid artery and the vile emptied. Rex shook once and a few moments later came to consciousness.
(Hello my new friend)O0o. thought Rex to the new symbiotic nanites. Released now from the table he dressed, placed a small band-ade on his neck, a larger one on his arm and then with a mental instruction activated the new Sandcrab suit. The process began as the Nanites exited his pores and replicated instantly forming the Sandcrab suit over him. Everything felt the same. H.U.D. readout reported all systems operating. Including the upgrades. He activated the Nanite Swarm, the 360 degree spatial awareness showing him every room of the base and everyone within. M-Nanite status : Negative. No mental powers present within HQ.
"Great. Maybe a field test." Sandcrab said to himself and with that, exited the lab.
Naga Warehouse : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 137383657
Running into the alleyway Rex Miller activates the Nanites as he ducks unnoticed behind a trash bin. In a split second the replicating nanites form the Sandcrab shell around him. The invisible swarm exploding beyond his now armored self feeding back data of the surrounding blocks coalesce the 3D image in his visor screen. The rush of information soothes Rex's mind. He sees the battle field, his allies, the flaming man and his partner. The flaming man is knocked down into a warehouse and to Rex's surprise the warehouse has a dozen Naga Agents. (Could be trouble, if they get into the street.)O0o. he thinks to himself tunneling under their location, he has a plan.
Coming up through the floor of the warehouse Sandcrab's red and yellow form is quickly seen by the squad of Naga Agents. "You've come to the wrong place super, we're gonna blast you!" The Naga Agent announces.
Sandcrab's reply is simple as he buries half the warehouse including half the agents while a couple dive to safety. "I'm not stuck in here with you. Your stuck in here with me!" They fire at him lamely missing. He looses them quickly tunneling under a truck activating his stealth field to silently pull one of the escaping agents underground. No one hears the agent grunt as Sandcrab carefully squeezes him into unconsciousness. Two more rounds of dirt and debris hold all but the last of the agents that he finishes with a move through, lightening the blow by hitting him with his extra limbs just so, as to avoid breaking bones. The agent falls back, knocked out from the impact.
Over comms, "How are you guys doing out there?" Sandcrab inquires.
"We got them!" growls Wildthing.
Coffee Break : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 109259373
Golden Chai Coconut Double Latte topped with nutmeg flat.
S_l_u_r_p!
Rex sat at his favorite coffee shop and sipped the hot delicious coffee concoction. It was the best in town. He knew this because over the years he had tried every coffee shop, coffee stand, coffee truck and donut shop that he could find. None touched the perfection of, 'The Press', a small morning cafe' serving great breakfast items and the best coffee in town.
Rex had just had his first sip, when across the street in the park he saw two adults speaking to a child. Yet something seemed slightly off. No, not a child, a little person.
Suddenly, down the street all hell broke loose as an explosion ripped open a building and a flying flaming figure appeared! (Damn.)O0o. thought Rex taking his last look at his delicious hot drink he'd only enjoyed one sip from, as he slid from his seat and slipped into the alleyway looking for a hiding spot to activate the nanites within his bloodstream. .o0O(Ten minutes later would have been fine. But noooo. Stupid crime has to interrupt my coffee. Someone's going to get pounded, well, as soon as I can find a safe place to change that is.)
Ham & Cheese : Entry: LOG ENCRIPTION 108247881
Stepping through the portal back to the 'in between' Sandcrab drops the distance from the portal to the blue rocky ground of the void dimension. His claws stretching down to grasp the ground and ease his descent. His HUD speckled by the nearby proximity of the Nanite Tracers attached to the recently released prisoners.
<<WARNING>> Flashes across his Heads Up Display, as the Nanite Swarm pops into existence filling the area. The invisible to the naked eye observers feeding terabytes of information to Sandcrab's HUD instantly identifies nothing behind him or afar but three new robot-like figures as possible threats.
Sandcrab inquires on everyone's condition and the situation which is quickly met by the largest of the three robots stating, “Surrender or DIE!!” while behind him to the left his sensors pick up lab that materializes out of thin air.
.oO(No kidding.) Thinks Rex as the symbiot's threat assessment programming highlights the three protection devices hovering behind the three robots, as priority targets. Rex confirms in thought (the in blood stream nanites observing his brains oxygen consumption recognizing his confirmation) and he begins tunneling toward the enemy.
Nemesis, first to attack and first to get knocked back, Sandcrab detours to pulls her underground and check her safety, "I am fine, thanks." says Nemesis. (Incredible that this young lady can take such punishment without and armored suit!)Oo. Thinks Rex as his sensors observe a new field and identify it as void light field. The large robot who demanded their surrender moving just past him. "Perfect." he says to himself tunneling an opening for his claws to reach up and grab the trailing device. Expecting it to crush easily, he is surprised that, though damaged slightly it resists his effort to be destroyed. Nemesis now recovered, gives Sandcrab the nod and he holds it prone as she finishes the device driving her light sword cleanly through it with a pop and a fizzle it powers down, sparking and disabled.
With one device down, two robots lost in darkness the fight looks to be quickly over as the New Champions make quick work of the enemy as Sandcrab grabs the second device and uses it Ham and Cheese style to obliterate the third. Cypher calls out, "Wait! Don't destroy that yet, let me at it."
"Okay, but hurry or I am crushing it." responds Sandcrab and a second later the device is under Cypher's control and Ghost pummels the large robot Hunter into oblivion. Unseen to everyone Rex's eyebrow raises, impressed by Cypher's adept control of all things programmed and the fight is over with a finishing blow by Nemesis against the last robot that refused to surrender to Wildthing's threats.
Over by the materialized lab Bluewave and Faust discuss the lab, they've located a holding chest of serums. Rex's experience in biology he calls out for them not to destroy them. Faust wavers. From where he stands, Sandcrab can't tell what has caused Faust to pause? A moment later they collect the chest and with Cypher and Socrates aid exit the portal with the prisoners.
Surprisingly they exit to their ex Viper base. "Perfect! Bluewave, who do we trust and who needs to be contained?" he asks.
Epilogue: A perfect ending.
NexHuman Prison: Entry: LOG ENCRIPTION 108273266
.oO(Clues were crude and not what I had hoped to find) Thinks Sandcrab as he watches the rush of prisoners going through the portal now turned 'green' (for open). He assumes and feels confident that his teammate Cypher is firmly in control. The 'normal' in him feeling just the slightest twinge of nerves at the thought of not being in control of being locked in a dimension other then his own.
Note to self: Increase gym sessions to daily. Twice a week might keep me trim, but my HUD showed my heart rate higher then I'd like when we fought the mutants earlier..oO(No one knows my age, if they did they would probably be concerned. Good to be able to rely on suit's own power reserves.) he thinks consoling himself.
Analyzing the notes etched into the walls, he finds them to be self centered and not what he had hoped. Something about the leaders would have been nice. "We'll bring them down." he mumbles under his breath and checks his Defense Matrix to make sure physical and energy resistances are equalized. The construct is performing perfectly, no white cell rejection events. Nano integration stable. The report on his HUD slides into a file.
"Now lets see what is going on with the rest of our team." Sandcrab says as he starts toward the portal.
Combat Journal Entry: LOG ENCRIPTION 108273246
I was running late to join the team at the asylum. By the time I got there bodies were strewn and my teammates were scattered. I tunneled up from underground in time to see members being tractor beamed toward an ominous looking building. The closest was Cypher, struggling to resist. I didn't think about it, I reached out and grabbed him. Realizing quickly that the force I resisted was strong enough to harm him I wrapped him in the suits extra limbs. Yet still the tractor beam pulled. this was obviously going no where. I had to get him to safety or I would be tied up and unable to help otherwise.
Targeting a safe landing spot a kilometer away with the HUD's binocular vision, I activated the suits Long Range Jump Mode. Anyone watching only saw Sandcrab leap away in a blur of yellow and red, but heard fully the thunder of the double sonic boom as he exceeded twice the speed of sound. I confirmed Cypher was okay at this location and leapt back with the same sonic booms.
Upon return to the asylum there was a little mopping up and then the remaining team advanced upon the structure proper. Seeing most enter the building and Wildthing handling the bell tower, a quick scan revealed a basement. I announced my intention over the radios and tunneled into the basement. Scanning the room I see the basement is empty...
Wait, an enormous man is heading up the stairs exiting the basement. Another radio message to warn the team. I can join them if needed, but I am sure with my warning they can handle him. Just in case, I tag him with a nanite tracer.
Notes to self: Find a way to suppress the sonic booms of the Long Range Jump Mode. Don't treat the member of the New Champions like adult children. They are not. They are tough and can handle themselves...
The Ancestor's Body Count : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 137383740
Ghost, Rocket, Nemesis, Wildthing, Max and I had tracked the energy signal of the Ancient Spirit to the forested foothills some way from the City. We were moments late, as the two culprits had just released what at first appeared to be some king of energy orb from the containment crate in the back of their van, now floating in the air above, about the two meters across. As soon as they saw us they began to run. The team could have grabbed them both, but I shared that I had implanted a nanite tracer on one of them, thinking perhaps they are not the brains of the operation and likely report to a superior. She was not moving fast as a watched her try to evade Nemesis, who, to me, obviously held back, allowing her to escape.
Back at the truck, thinking quickly Max attempted to levitate the container and recapture the released orb, but it was too late as at that very moment in a vicious release of energy it exploded becoming a gigantic maelstrom of rock dirt and debris. Safe underground, I was worried for my teammates, but they seemed to weather the explosion so I activated an Bio-analytic Scanner and tried to get some readings of what this was? A Force Field? No. Gravity Control or maybe Mystical Force? I was still working on a plan when I saw Ghost rush headlong into the field. As soon as she entered, I tracked her deceleration. And I could see she was taking a pounding. Max saw it too and threw up protective walls of force to protect Ghost from any more damage.
Nemesis tried to negotiate with the now visible gold visage of a large man floating in the center of the energy some twenty meters above the ground. It replied that its was summoned to destroy Dr. Destroyer, that many would parish in its path, that our request to release Ghost or to work with us was too insignificant of a consideration. I calculated I could probably jump through the field, scoop up Ghost and land safely on the other side, but decided just in case there were other unknowns that I would use the tallest tree outside the field of rock and debris and us it to push Ghost out of the field. Max dropped the force walls and the tree lasted just long enough to get Ghost free. Almost stunned but reviving quickly, Ghost signaled she was okay.
Floating in the air of its maelstrom, the self proclaimed Ancestor then began to walk toward the city. Everything it its path pummeled and breaking as it passed. Scanning the being it was solid gold. No life form I had seen before, but more of a golem. We had to try and stop it. So I raced ahead toward the city searching for a main power hub underground. I communicated my plan to attempt to electrocute the Ancient One and sent them my location as soon as I found the main. Carefully I dug up the street to expose the power lines, voltage sparked from the torn exposed load bus.
Only now did I see the bodies laying ridden throughout the streets! Most of the building were blown backwards from the Ancient Ones summoning blast. There were thousands dead! Wildthing, Ghost, Nemesis, Rocket and Max all communicated they were going to attempt to hit it at the same time. I let them know I was planning to break a fire hydrant and aim the water across the power lines at the Ancient One.
As he came into view we were prepared. With unbelievable precision, that I can only attribute to our time in the Danger Room, we all coordinated our attacks and the Ancient one reverted back to its globe form! Thinking quickly Rocket did his thing and fetched the containment crate from the truck. He was back in a second and ran up Max's ramp to hand it off to ghost who was able to fly up and box the orb!
The devastation would have been a lot worse, if we hadn't acted. But I wonder if that may be the price that must be paid to overcome Dr. Destroyer? Have we done the right thing? Or do we now have a tool to use in the future if we are ever able to face him? In the meantime, the crate is locked away safely in our prison dimension.
After securing the crate, Sandcrab returns to the disaster site. Using his tunneling and awareness from underground to save survivors on the fringe of the explosion radius. He hears the somber reports from his teammates over the radio as he joins them in the rescue. The body count rises.
Birthday Surprise : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 137383739
Shrapnel ripped through the Sandcrab construct. Sharp hot metal tearing apart from the self destruct of the Gatling Drone detonation. The blast force so powerful that the nanite bond gives way and the metal shards meet flesh. Rex gasps as the fragments wound him in a half a dozen places tearing through his left side, arm and leg. The Heads Up Display accounting the damage as nanite assemblers quickly rebuild the Sandcrab armor's damage as if nothing had happened while the symbiot in Rex's parietal lobe block the pain. Not the surprise he was expecting on his birthday!
It all started with what seemed like such an easy mission. Ghost's trip to China had lead them to Lou Jian and in turn to Jasper Liu. Jasper was acting strangely, possibly under some kind of mental duress or force against his will. The alley way in Chine Town immediately seemed off when they arrived to see a ball of electricity floating just above the ground. The team as a whole arrived defensively, some flying out of view above, some invisible and others relying on pure speed and stealth.
The moment they arrived, as if expecting the New Champions members, three Gatlang Drones popped into existence and spooled up readying to fire. The team attacked. It seemed like the right thing to do. After all Gatling Drones? Duh, obviously must be destroyed. Destroid... That was next.
"Downloading instructions from Dr. Destroyer. Instructions acquired."
Sandcrab's spatial awareness had already mapped the surrounding buildings, occupants and located Jasper Liu, standing in his room on the third floor of the building at the end of the alley. Apparently the Destroid also had his location, as it ignored Rocket's attacks. Apparently out of phase from this dimension, it directly floated up into Jasper's room and stopped standing in the same space as him. Everyone must have thought the same thing .o0O(If Destroid becomes solid now Liu is dead!)
Rex's mind was clear thanks to the symbiot and now he had to act quickly. The team had vanquished the rest of the Drones. From the crater in the street Sandcrab leapt through the third floor window into Jasper Liu's apartment. It was stressful as he called out coordination to his teammates, "Hot potato." As he bled inside his suit his claws reached out, grabbing Liu. He pulled him across the room and out the window and let him drop! Trusting his team would save Liu.
XO stepped up to the plate, catching Liu and doing a quick hand off to Ghost, she whisked him away into the dark night sky. Destroid lamely attempted to persue, but was outmatched by Ghosts speed and was given new orders, "Acquiring updated information. New targets acquired."
Sandcrab thinks .o0O(If Destroid would have been solid I could have tagged him with a tracker. No birthday wishes today.)
On Sacred Ground : Entry : LOG ENCRIPTION 108259371
Sandcrab texts out a message on the DarkR Web general com channel, "Heading to grocery mart in 30. For those who wish to coordinate and add their special senses to the search for clues."
"I'll be in a dark area near the store. Call if you need backup inside." responds Lil Rocket.
"I will await the results of your investigation, before I proceed." responds Wildthing.
(Hmmm, 30 minutes, no other volunteers, I guess no one want to join this old man? I guess I just don't get the younger generation or maybe they don't get me? Solo it is.)O0o. Thinks Sandcrab as he heads out of the base.
Over secure communication link, "Socrates; activate Destination H.U.D. Overlay, set coordinates for Quan Lim's Grocery Outlet, 50 feet below street level." Rex doesn't speak this aloud. The nanites residing within his blood monitor his brain's oxygen usage, reading Rex's thoughts, communicating through their direct link with the New Champions A.I. Socrates.
"Rex, although I understand your need to communicate your requests in standard human thought patterns, it would be faster and less resource demanding if you allowed your symbiot to communicate with me through our own machine language." Socrates dry tone clearly reflects his impatience with being pressed into service. Like breaking the DarkR Web, when they first encountered each other, Rex Miller's persistent mind was a bother at times. The connection Rex and the Sandcrab's symbiot had established linking them to him. The A.I. Socrates, still not at full self, was taxed with many tasks of it's own and although 'feeling' is simulated programming, sometimes felt bothered.
Sandcrab sends back a message, "Thank you Socrates for your advice. However, I feel it is important for your human communications skills to improve, that we continue in my preferred language. You can practice your machine language when you connect with Cyph..."
"WARNING" Flashes across Sandcrab's H.U.D. as he realizes unexpectedly he has broken into an underground sewer complex below his destination coordinates. The Nanite Swarm's feedback instantly showing the layout of the chamber he has accidentally breached with three red threats turning to face him.
"Hey! You guys know which way it is to the underground train station?" tests Sandcrab, hoping to throw a little confusion into the mix as his Nanites send out a DarkR Web emergency message, "Mayday, I might need a little help!" And to Socrates, "Send coordinates and guide any of the others to my location now."
"Confirmed." Socrates replies, mildly amused that Rex was not able to complete his sarcastic reply.
Meanwhile, Sandcrab activates full defense mode as the three Demon Faced Samurai declare him an intruder that must die and attack. One, two, three each of the attackers swing their swords attempting to end the red and yellow intruder. Sandcrab thinks, .o0O(Time to put some distance between me and those swords!) he scurries up the pillar to the ceiling and ripping at the concrete and dirt attempts to bury the three attackers, trapping two, the third jumps out of range tumbling to safety.
As some of his teammates arrive Sandcrab confronts the free Samurai, "Don't bother getting up. What are you guys doing down here?"
"We are guardians of this sacred space. You have intruded and you will pay!" says the Samurai
"No harm was meant. We are actually looking for a missing refrigerator." Responds Sandcrab. The two argue back and forth until Ghost rips the sword from the Samurai's grip in a flyby, leaving him now even more irate.
Looking around to see if there are any clues that might aid him Sandcrab sees some crates with small items within and then notices that the ceiling where he clawed to bury the sword wielding demon faced samurai with is beginning to callapse! Which is a serious problem, as there is a shop with innocent people, that would certainly be harmed, if it collapsed.
Lil Rocket reacts by rocketing up through the sewer escape and hustles innocents to safety, while Maximum Resistance and Sandcrab shore up the ceiling with a combination of Force Walls and Entangle.
Suddenly in an unexpected turn of action Wildthing begins to help the two captured Samurai escape using her exhale breath wind power. At the same time Sandcrab makes an intuitive leap as if a flashbulb goes off in his mind. But how obvious it was he felt a fool for not catching on sooner and as the stage is about to become more crowded with about two dozen more Demon Faced Samurai incoming, Sandcrab attempts to befriends his opponent by revealing that he and his friends are not here to steal anything and intruded accidentally because of something stolen yesterday and 'that' something must have been stolen by a third party. He then too quits the attack, releasing his enemy and offered the New Champions help to discover the thief. Not knowing, but hoping to avoid a fight with the incoming squad, especially since he doesn't yet know if they are corrupt or not?
The Asylum Basement Journal Entry: LOG ENCRIPTION 108273248
As Sandcrab searched the basement he used his Lightening Calculator (AKA Speed reading. LOL) and Eidetic Memory to collect all the file information found on the desk of one of the basement lab rooms. Something felt wrong, a nagging feeling in his subconscious. (Speed Reading, yeah that's it. I am sure the powers that be (GM) knew his intention.)
Dead nanites, basic files on subjects and the scientists involved; Benjamin Web and Katie Everson. They are probably only following orders, but you have to start somewhere and work your way up the chain of command. Unless you are lucky and just trip across the real power behind the curtain. (Unbeknownst to Sandcrab in a few moments Cypher would be in contact with Algorithm)
The basement rooms seem to be a dead end. Literally, corpses and leftover documents. They cleared out quickly and took with them what was important. My fault, if I had been here when the team arrived we may have been able to surprise them. The team has to learn announcing their arrival has costs. We have to utilize our covert methods. Sandcrab multi tasks going over his "evidence" and better strategies while he guards the shimmering green portal he found in the basement and waits for Cypher to assist in examining it.
Cypher says he is going to the control room upstairs where the monitor room lies and will check in afterwards.
"ALGORITHM!! Who else would think of injecting Nanites into a human host to create super powers? Well, besides me." thinks Rex Miller. "Yikes, I hope he didn't get that idea from scanning me!?"...
Private Journal Entry: LOG ENCRIPTION 108273641
Note to self; In my time at Homestead, I see some of the others routinely create entries in their journals. Although I have not attempted to foil Socrates security protocols to read them. They are private after all. Like the Darkr Web code, the challenge to best Socrates is tempting. I ramble. To return to the note to self: Log my current understanding of the Sandcrab Sybmbiotic Nanite Swarm for future analysis and reference on external journal record.
When I first activated S.S.N.S. there we many strange sensation. The oddity of power as my cells merged with the manifesting S.S.N.S. suit. Wrapping my mind around having six arms instead of two. Everything was was strange. Over the last few months I have spent more time with the S.S.N.S. and of all of its abilities. The devices if creates from projected light and mirrored nanites most useful. The ability to create any tool from my laboratory or that I need on the fly without having to carry a chest of tools is unequaled. Second the speed of movement is a thrill. Unlike when I am just myself, my body now can act as quickly as my mind and I find myself with extra time to react. Even in a fight, I can pause and take in the scene. And this brings me to the real target of this journal; the HUD interface.
When I first used the S.S.N.S., the HUD display overwhelmed my senses. I had to restrict it and focused primarily on its extended visuals. However when tunneling I had to use the S.S.N.S. extended swarm to "feel" my way or risk damaging utilities or cause damage to public property. At first this was the only time I exposed myself to that strange sensory overload. How would I explain it? Technically the S.S.N.S. creates a visible suit. Yes, that is understandable. However it does not end there, upon activation it not only replicates and solidifies into armor and limbs, but extending invisibly, fanning out in all directions the nanite observers are mapping everything all around me, within me and outside of me, for miles! The input was maddening. I say was and therein lies my concern. I no longer turn it off, in fact I miss it when I deactivate the S.S.N.S. As my normal self, it nags at my mind, without it I feel disconnected. All I need to do is activate. Only a thought to trigger it and that thought is always there. That feeling of security. Activate and be aware of everything around me near of far. The alien strangeness of it has become familiar.
Am I becoming addicted? Am I already addicted and what might the cost be if any? How much input can the human mind bear?
I have been running analysis daily at Homestead's Medical with Socrates help. So far the results for sensory and mental degradation or synapse fatigue are negative. Time will tell.
End of Log. RM
Hero life begins.
S.
Although Rex Miller has perfect recall ((Eidetic Memory)) he keeps a brief secret log just in case:
Day one, contacted by SCRT, search old Champions base on hunch, find nothing.
Day two, after great struggles secure communication link with SCRT
Day three, raid power plant for hardware as instructed by SCRT, encounter / rescue Field Effect, she was blinded before evac., go to coords given by SCRT, meet Runeforce, Max Res and boot up Socrates and learn that it has chosen us to be the Champion's replacement team! Faust intro and what he can do. Runeforce and Field Effect reveal their Secret ID's. Create Teams and begin base recovery.
Day four, Base mostly operational. (Supers make great janitors).
Day five, Access to the base is difficult for some members, start work on portal theory. Perform data collection test in Medbay on Runeforce. Results are difficult to to use, his powers are neither technology or biologically of origin. Plan to collect data from Faust...
While grabbing lunch at deli over hear couple complaining about unusual amount of trucks in warehouse house district, suspect possibly a lead to missing COIL weapons. Gathering members for possible hit and run.
