Blood of Heroes - A 3rd Edition Mutants and Masterminds Campaign Setting
Earth, 2021. An alien race known as the Skree has ruled over the planet for the past 20 years, subjecting the local populace to the sadistic whims of their most brutal reign. True heroes have been all but eradicated during the Skree Invasion of 1999-2001. That or they have fallen prey to the Skree's corruptive influence and mind-altering technology. Those heroes that still survive, do so either in reclusive hiding or by battling one another in gladiator-like fashion as the Skree's amusement. Now after twenty years of servitude, a new breed of heroes are slowly starting to emerge. Fed up with the decadence that now surrounds them and fueled by their own personal desires, these young heroes have decided to try and make a stand for humanity, once and for all.
Does this new breed of heroes have what it takes to rise up against the Skree and take back their homeworld? Are they capable of breaking the shackles of oppression that bind them to a life of unwavering servitude? Time shall tell True Believers, to see whether or not these few elite individuals truly possess...the Blood of Heroes.
Saturday, April 3rd, 2021, Roughly 2:00 a.m.
The Ruins of Freedom City, Cale Refineries
Approximately 56 degrees Fahrenheit, Steady Breeze and Partly Overcast
The whispering drone of Sam's VTOL rotors can be heard powering down as the young Asian woman finishes her landing. Without warning, two mechanical War-Bots instantly rise up from the surrounding debris and begin to train their machinegun arms towards the hero's vessel. An automated response to the agent's arrival, the two robots continue to train their weapons at Sam's aircraft while scanning the vessel with their laserbeam eyes.
In time, the young woman exits the VTOL and stands before the two War-Bots...
Welcome to the Game Hayabusa! Check for a PM.
FYI
Freedom City in my Golden Age campaign was located just off the coast of southeastern New Jersey. How convenient!
Cale Refineries was (going to be) the main HQ for our Golden Age Campaign's first superhero team, "The Foundation." It now serves as home to one of our last remaining pockets of resistance groups, also named such. How ironic!
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After pushing back her seat, Sam Mui releases the buckles of the saftey harness, listening to the soothing sound of the engines. Wondering if she could make them even quieter she makes her way through the main compartment of the aircraft, where all the seats are folded up, until she reaches the loading ramp at the back. Before pressing the large button to drop the ramp she makes a quick check of her pistol, holstering it again. It's not overly wise to appear in front of the war-bots with a drawn weapon. Seeing that everything's in order and her aircraft secure she lowers the ramp but stands still in the entrance until it is fully down and the bots can see her.
"No one else here but me," Mui says smiling, holding her hands up in a mock surrender.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
The two War-Bots continue to aim their weapons at Sam. A wave of sadness falls over the woman. No Luck...
Simply put, the woman's mind senses no 'spark of life' within either of the two robots, their mechanical minds instead pre-programmed with lifeless subroutines and tedious task parameters that makes checking in with her superiors rather mundane. Still however, Sam tries her best to make the best of a droll situation and continues to try and make some kind of leeway with the machines.
"HALT!" one of the War-Bots beckons. "VOICE IDENTIFICATION IN NEED OF CONFIRMATION! PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND BUSINESS!"
Two mechanical arms detach themselves from the War-Bots' bodies, latching on to the first strip of metal and rock they can find. An autofeeder then begins to whir itself into motion as the machines begin to fire up their self-repair devices; transforming whatever bits of iron and scrap they can find into needed circuitry, motor rotors, and ammunition.
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"Samantha Mui," the woman sighs a bit disappointed that these are just regular bots doing their programmed work, like they're supposed to do. "I'm here to see the General. And don't you use anything from my craft for yourself. If you need scrap I can find that but don't, don't you even rip a bolt from my own."
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
The War-Bots merely buzz and whir as their initial reply to Sam. "VOICE IDENTIFICATION VERIFIED! YOU MAY NOW PROCEED TO EN...." *BZZZZT* "Is..." *CRACKLE* "Is that you Sammy!?" *BZZZT*
A young girl's voice crackles over the War-Bot's voicebox. Interrupting the machine's response, Sam hears the familiar voice of young Jenny Anne; better known to those that know her as Sparx. Upon hearing confirmation of Sam's presence, the voice chuckles softly then continues.
"Well shucks! You're back earlier than I thought you'd be! Don't mind the boys, come on down and I'll meet you at the elevator..."
Jenny's voice is spoken with a prominent Jersey accent and can be old-fashioned at times, making references to the 30's and 40's phrases a lot.
Make your way to the elevator, located amongst a loading platform formerly used to store ore in need of smelting in Cale's refineries.
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"It certainly is me, Jenny," Sam replies, her smile turning into a grin. She steps down the the ramp and when she's off she triggers the remote lockdown so her aircraft is closed up and sealed. She throws a parting glance to the dark gray vehicle before turning towards the path to the elevator, looking at the war-bots as she passes them on the way. "You know, I really like those self-repairing system. It makes maintenance sooo much easier and wear is pretty much eliminated. That is fascinating.
"Shì, the guys in Delaware were quite quick. Or your calculations were off which would mean mine are too," she adds and the thought makes her wonder if that may be true.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
Jenny's mirth is ironic, given the dismal surroundings. The young woman simply cackles like a nerd. "Knowing me, I probably just lost track of time is all. Come on down and we'll talk shop!"
The two War-Bots' self-repair mechanisms continue to run for a moment or two and then contract themselves and shut off. Having replaced any faulty circuitry or motor servos since the last time that they were activated, the two mechanical brutes slowly lower themselves back down into slumber.
Sam makes her way inside one of the ruined refineries. At one time, the facility here manufactured Iron and Steel ore, its smelters running nearly non-stop. Now however, those days are over and the blasted out shell of a refinery seems to be all but abandoned.
To the local eye that is.
Sam continues inside the refinery until she reaches a loading platform used for one of the abandoned smelters. Once there she then proceeds to step into a particular section of the platform. Contacting her commlink, the young woman then asks the hidden elevator to politely open. Complying with Sam's wishes the floor beneath her feet separates in front of her and slides to either side of where she is standing; opening up in turn to reveal a newer-looking section of floor that is comprised of well-polished metal segments, resembling a serpent's scales. In time, the new flooring spirals itself open much like a human iris does to reveal a freshly risen elevator platform beneath of it. Stepping unto the platform, Sam politely asks the elevator to take her down.
The elevator platform descends for several moments, eventually stopping itself at a specific level. The doors found here slide open and reveal a narrow hall. Following the hall, Sam makes her way to the debriefing room. Seated amidst the tables and chairs of the debriefing room is a teenage redhead girl clad in oily coveralls and a checkered flatcap.
"Howdy Sam!" the girl beams proudly.
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Sam is not overly cheery because of the location, neither just the refinery but the whole city, but it is always good to see someone still doing something against the S'kree. And seeing The Foundation's place is almost like a second home, aside from all other homes she can recall, though no place really is a home to her aside from a mobile one.
"Jenny!" Sam replies, glad to see the android's face, who is like any other human to her. "I thought you might be tinkering with something not relaxing down here. You don't mind if I see what the General has in mind for me, do you? I mean, I looove to hang out a bit discussing nanocircuitry or get a bite of those tasty MREs but only a little bit of time is my own."
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
Jenny returns Sam's smile with one of her own. "Oh I'm always tinkering..." the girl giggles, "I just had to double time it here to get your debriefing. The General's tied up at the moment and gave me instructions to record your testimony before filling you in on what he has in store next."
Jenny's voice suddenly breaks into an recorded copy of the General's.
"Be a dear Sparks, go and see to Sam for me will you? I have several things to do here still and want to make sure that they get done before time for bed."
The playful android then grins even larger. Her voice returning to normal, she then inquires. "So then Sam? I pray everything went well in Delaware? Was everything dropped off where it needed to go?"
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"I'm shocked," Sam replies with an obviously mock dramatic gesture. "It hurts me deeply that anyone would assume I dropped the cargo at the wrong place. And only because of that one time where someone confused a minute with an hour I ended up in the middle of Shibuya," she says but gets more serious afterwards.
"Everything went alright. Pickup went smoothly, no delays, everything was clear and we had the package secured and we were ready to go a couple of minutes before schedul. Delivery was on time, a couple minutes late to check the area but no disturbances at all. The cargo was in good condition, no damages and the medical supplies were in order. The cold chain wasn't broken for some items either and I got no complaints about. Though I had dot on the radar before reaching the Delaware bay for some time. Patrol boat near Cape May but I'm quite certain he did not spot me. At least I got no active targeting warning. After that, smooth sailing, a couple miles of terrain-following flight and no encounter. Nothing on the way out either so I think it went alright, a clean run. I may need a refuelling before I leave though."
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
