SLJ: The Zero-G Experience [Open][M]

[Corrik55]

Downing his bottle, Rigel allowed himself a little chuckle as he was certain now that Zara had dealt with Earth governments before if she feared such an outcome. Granted he could not blame her, and setting down the empty bottle made a calculated shot. But the drink was starting to sink in and he almost missed his quadruple-bounce off the side corner pocket shot.

Don't worry! It was gonna happen regardless, intruders breached Sanctum and nearly killed citizens. There was no way the entire organization was not going to go up in arms like bees that had there hive attacked. City security aside, you are doing right by not hiding in the most obvious sanctuary most run too for safety. But we can check in on your here, or take you to safer places if need be.

The twin's agreed with a mere nod as they itched there leather like muscles impatiently waited for any hope of taking a shot in this game. Looking to the dark haired beauty, they arched a scaled brow and chewed on there lip while Orion's green eye glanced sideways at Zara. It would certainly be fair if she wanted to trust them to be open with her. Keeping an eye on Rigel, uncertain if he cared at this point in his life to admit the full context, the two toned voices summarized.

We come from all over... But the American government collected us all as kids... Because we all had powers. We grew up in old Horizon city... and... are a part of its destruction, part of why the SLJ was founded on Earth, and why it was rebuilt. Everyone knows the history about why the age of heroes ended, but exact identities have been unlisted for obvious reasons. As for powers, how bout you go first Rige?

[Deleted]

Zara listened to the slightly vague backstory and decided not to press for more details. She wanted to keep some things private, too. And yes, she had decided this was as good a place as any to keep a low profile until she worked what to do next.

She was dying to know about their powers, though, and so listened intently to what Rige said next...

[Corrik55]

Relenting on his next shot, Rigel sighed and gave up the table to walk around it and take his first drink next to Zara while the twins went to try and catch up. At least the blue eyed man felt certain they would not use any magic trickery to cheat in front of someone else. Pushing back his dreadlocks, he leaned back against the wall beside Zara's table while she remained largely wide eyed and close lipped now. At least she did not seem to know a great deal about them, or pass judgement if she did.

...Well it took me ages to accept what I have as a super power. As a kid I thought I was just smart and everyone else was dumb because... well, we were all kids. But exhaustive testing proved what my parents knew when they gave me up to the government recruiters. I am a scientifically proven super genius. Even in the run down south African village I was born in, I managed to teach myself up to a high-school level education just by absorbing information and data before I was ten. But... obviously... being in a place that lacked almost all basic human resources, I'd never reach my potential, so they brought me to America where I started learning... and never stopped.

Looking down at his broken flesh and pulsing blue veins, the hard part was coming next, and it was the one everyone always wanted to know about. Rigel sucked up a breath and tried to remain casual as he did not leave Zara waiting on that part.

...This ...mutation is not my power. Its not a damned power at all! ...It's a permanent illness caused by a betrayal when we were in college... Same as Orion's changes. In my case, my lab was sabotaged, blew up, and collapsed on me. This alien genetic material I was safeguarding spilled all over me. The species is highly radioactive and so the D.N.A. is incompatible with my human body. I had to scrounge together an energy absorbing suit while buried alive under my house and my body was melting to stop the process.

[Deleted]

Zara's eyes gradually widened... and widened... as Rigel explained his powers and... burdens. It was true she had learned she was somewhat lucky in that her own mutation was invisible; she would pass for a non-mutated human always, until she started doing her gymnastics. But she had known that feeling of being different - once she started floating from the floor and the other kids in the gymnastics programme began to look at her as some kind of freak. Then she was carried off into the government agent programme.

That was when she had met Shi Leung...

Zara quickly shook away that memory. At Rigel's last words, she gasped.

"Oh no! That's terrible!" was the best she could muster as a reply. She looked again at Rigel, and Orion - whom he had also indicated received his powers from an accident involving radioactive alien genetic contamination.

Zara had come to the Sanctuary city to answer a question. Ever since her betrayal by her government masters and her escape from the US authorities, the question had stalked her. She wondered if these supernatural and amazing men had the same question, and perhaps they could answer it together.

She said, "And what is it you do now?"

[Corrik55]

Letting Rigel distract himself with some one on one chatting, the twins began taking shots with there tail acting as an additional appendage to control the cue stick at impossible angles for arms. Perhaps a shot or two was just a smidge off course, and needed a bit of correcting with a subtle breeze of wind, but otherwise they were doing well at keeping up with the doctor and his machine like performance.

...We mostly play pool and double date.

They said nonchalantly in there two toned voice while smirking at Zara as she must have seen and heard plenty of mishappenings in her previous line of work. The dreadlocked man arched his brow at their coy little non-explanation and prodded the scaly being with his stick. No way were they going to slither around giving there side of things as well if the twins were going to make him go on and on about his past. Zara knew that Rigel had likely looked up her profile, or whatever he could find that was not scrubbed from record after Zara went through the clinic. It was uncertain if that background mentioned her former associates.

Alright fine! We still technically do heroics. But since the age of heroes is over, its more like police work. Anything supernatural pops up, we intervene. Anything mundane, we let the world sort out its own problems. Its all that is permitted these days because of the devastation caused by freelance heroes like ourselves back in the day. After all, look at how we turned out by making a pact with a dragon? Empowered people like all of us clearly cannot be trusted to control ourselves, so empowered citizens are invited to live separate from Earth in Sanctum city, where nothing can threaten us... and we cannot threaten the world.

[Deleted]

Play pool and double date...

Zara threw her head back and laughed at that. It was a mixture of the alcohol and needing to release the tension of the last 24 hours. She had no idea who was winning the pool game but decided maybe... just maybe... she could find a role with these guys.

"Hero police, huh?" she took a sip of the strong stuff. "I used to be a thief - catburglar - sensitive business files, industrial secrets, stuff like that. All for the Motherland, you understand? I wonder... you got a place for someone like me in your precinct or whatever you call it - your squad?"

[Corrik55]

Rigel arched up from his low and long shot across the table for another corner pocket. The only official Peacekeeper in the room, he was the only one to make any decision on such a matter. Despite being very active in and among heroic matters, Rigel was technically a citizen since he made a point not to join the ranks of the SLJ's front line order enforcers. The only empowered people allowed to intervene during combative events were seen less like rampant vigilantes and more like supernatural law enforcement now.

Become a Peacekeeper you mean? Well it will certainly keep you active. Though you will probably find much more important things to do with your powers than be a trained dog for some random Earth agency... Tell you what, lets have conversation on such thoughts another day... after we have sobered up, and not just gotten off patrol.

The twins growled as Rigel nodded in agreement. The end of a busy day and a half dozen bottles cumulatively was not the time to be discussing career changes. Besides it was getting late and he wanted a chance to investigate Zara's case before they went from hiding undercover to becoming public guardians. Taking his final shot, the blue eyed man landed a side pocket while the red and green man put away his cue.

Quite agreed. Why not go with your first idea of laying low Zara, then work on the application after. Lets clean up and head home. Are you staying here... with Scarlett?

What is wrong with that Rige? we have done that several times. Still, if you need a place to stay, we have a place here in the city, so you need not travel back up to Sanctum.

[Deleted]

"Are you staying here..."

Zara opened her mouth to answer the question with a yes, when he added the ending; "... with Scarlett?"

Something in the tone caught her attention, even through the slightly fuzzy haze of the drink.

"What is wrong with that, Rige?" said the other man, but the following attempt at reassurance did not sound, reassuring.

Zara reconsidered, glancing at the charismatic Scarlett. Every time she looked at her, she felt mesmerised by the barkeeper. But then, every now and then, just a for a second when she blinked, she thought she saw an after-image of something large and predatory and ravenous. She shook her head. You're just imagining things, she told herself. Being chased halfway across a city by a gigantic psychopathic dragon-man will of course make you paranoid.

But these men - complete strangers, really - were offering her a place to stay for the night, for some reason. She knew it was breaking every rule her mom had ever made, but Zara felt good about them, and she swore it was not just the drink lowering her inhibitions.

"Okay," she said, smiling. "I'd like that. Let's go..."

[Corrik55]

The game being wrapped up, Rigel put away the pool balls as he quietly nodded in agreement. Knowing Scarlett as long as they had, he had nothing against her personally. It was more a principal based paranoia that kept the scarred man politely out of her reach. It seemed out of his circle of friends, all of which were permanently altered by demonic influences, he was the only one smart enough to learn his lesson. Still the twins abode was at least magically warded and concealed. He never understood magic, and hated how it cheated natural laws, but it had its uses.

Settled then. I'll handle the clean up and you can handle the bar tab since I won this time fellows!

We have no problem with that Rige... Seems everyone has won a little bit tonight.

The twins hissed in there synchronized tone with a teasing smirk. They may be paying the bill tonight, but clearly they were not going home alone. Once the barkeeper was payed and told the unfortunate news that Zara was leaving with them, the twins let her fly with them towards one of the downtown penthouses. It was easier than taking an elevator up, and for once they did not have to carry their guest with them. The lights were on, and Zara doing an amusing swaying path with her drunken flight saw a figure walking about inside the glass walled rooftop.

[Deleted]

Zara had trouble with the flight. She should have known it would involve flight, but just hadn't thought about that.

Her powers worked with concentration, like tensing a muscle or focusing her eyes on a distant object - a little part of her brain needed to engage in order to slough off the invisible chains of gravity.

So she swayed a bit on the way, as her vectors and little gravity pushes were not quite as concise as when she might be performing an Olympic gymnastic routine.

When they landed at the glass-walled rooftop, she saw the twin's look and shrugged defensively. "What? It's not the drink, honest!"

Then she spotted the figure walking about inside and frowned. "You're not alone?"