2014.09.04 - Stolen Future (Collector of Cities I)

All the Guardians and some of their allies had been alerted, and yet, at the end the sensors of Knowhere failed to detect it. Even Adam’s usually sharp cosmic senses failed, because they were expecting a wild space-time rift, and that is not what happened.

In truth the great city of Chronopolis slid through the cracks of continuity, as even the powerful 40th Century Hyperspace engines that provide energy to the time machines of the city could never have time-ported all the millions of tons of ferroconcrete, inertron, promethium ultiglass that compose the glorious metropolis. But space-time is weak now, and the master of the city has seized the opportunity and brought war to the 21st Century. But its arrival is no accident!

So it is the terrified reports of alien attacks what alerts the heroes of the problem: Strikes against military and civilian targets all around the Colorado Plateau, and reports of a city that has appeared out from nowhere. Adam contacts with the Guardians through the Passport system, asking them to teleport to a set of coordinates at northeast Arizona.

For Jack it is different. He feels the alien (or is it alien?) city arrival. An overbearing, arrogant presence that scares the hell of all nearby settlements.

Scares the hell out of him, truth be told. In fact, it induces distinct, fairly powerful flashbacks in the citywalker. This. This. This is an imperative that is almost biological, perhaps replacing other drives with its unnatural strength. The city's appearance and the fear that echoes through Tucson, through Flagstaff, through Phoenix, through Las Vegas. But this...this is not quite the same thing. This is no rogue AI, leaping through time and then sending its tendrils into Tokyo, trying to convert that city into more of itself, to enslave the population, to take away free will and impose only City.

No, this is an attack of a quite different nature, and while Jack's bones might be essentially made of steel, it takes all of his willpower to psych himself up to do it, the simplest of commands to New York, "SEND ME THERE." And the transit feels rushed, feels unnatural, feels *wrong* even as the symbiote forms out of the substance of Chronopolis, far faster than the normal limitations. Into a city that does not know him. Into a city that is *hostile* to Earth and *will* fight him, he knows, caught off guard for now. He crouches in an alleyway, pieces of his transit cocoon falling to the ground to be slowly reabsorbed into the ferroconcrete his bare feet now rest on. He only has one word to sum up the situation: "Fuck."

Thara is moving quick. She had picked up Jon and was well on her way to Arizona. Little is said. There is so much going through her mind that there is little room for talk. Along with her kryptonian armor which she has worn since she was in Kandor, She has another toy or two on her back. While she will still maintain her powers, she is definitely not taking chances. A very wicked looking sword, and an energy rifle that she had made herself. Sure, she could pound things into submission but that is simply not her style.

As they come up on the Arizona and the place where they need to be, "Alright. Lets do this." Thara states as they enter the Chronopolis. If not for the dire situation, she would be admiring the place. Immediately her thoughts go to the conflict ahead.

Working in Stark's R and D department Peter Jason Quill whistled away happily. A television interrupted the happy tune as it declared, "Breaking News: Alien Invasion!" The report caused Peter to stop working. His focus went onto the report and what frantic details it could give. "Welp, looks like I'm quitting early," Peter mused. Hurrying toward his locker he practically tore it off the hinges. Grabbing what looked like a Bluetooth device. The small little wonder went around his ear. Pressing a button blue covered his face then metal followed shortly after. His face was covered in a metal helmet. Red glowing eyes lit up the room that gave him a readout on everything. Nodding to everything Peter then placed on a long red coat over his person that provided some armor. Swapping out his simple shoes for black boots Peter ran toward another part of the R and D department.

Peter looked over a small personal ship. It was big enough for two people, but that was it. He went to Stark in the hopes of building something bigger. Sure there was an exchange of information to be had between them. Honestly, it was worth it to Peter because he simply didn't have the money to buy a large ship, be it on Earth or out in the galaxy. Plus if Peter made it then it was going to everything he could have wanted. The small ship would have to do to make it out in Colorado though. Getting inside he flipped switches and the ship took off. Part of Stark Tower opened up, usually meant for helicopters. Stark's PR department was going to have a field day. Still, it was better than letting people suffer. The ship made it to Colorado in no time. Plugging in the coordinates the autopilot had a landing path set out. When he made it close to the scene Peter ejected from the ship and let some rocket boosters near his boots carry him the rest of the way. Settling down on the ground Peter looked around and pulled out his laser gun. "What do we got here today?" he had no clue who the attackers were really, just that there was a threat.

Powerboy was quick to respond when Thara called him, already in uniform himself, the god made armor a sorely missed weight on his body. Making small talk in a playful manner on the way across the country when the large futuristic city comes into view he sighs. "That doesn't look like it's from this time period. What's with Time travel and me lately." The man who would become Hyperman comments. "Ok, let go of me, I can handle the fall." he says, the boy tough enough to handle re-entry, much less a fall from a few hundred feet.

One day, Adam's going to summon Rachel Summers to help him save the universe at the same time that she's helping the X-Men save the world. And then she's REALLY going to have a problem. Fortunately for her, today is not that day. She'd already been watching the confused news reports when the summons reached her Passport bracelet, and she wasn't remotely surprised to be contacted. What she'd been watching looked exactly like what Adam had been warning of. Rachel hesitates only long enough to make sure she was dressed for the occasion, telekinetic fire crawling over her body as she rearranged the molecules of her clothes into the red and yellow of her uniform, with a spiked leather jacket on top, and then she triggers her Passport.

Considering the alien tech can take her from here to, well, Knowhere in the blink of an eye, the transition to Arizona is instantaneous. Despite all she's seen with the Guardians so far, the city is still an impressive sight. And one she has no real idea how to go about dealing with. She's about to trigger her comlink, trusting that Adam doesn't intend her to deal with this /alone/, when a ship blasts past overhead, and someone ejects. It looks like a decent place to start. Her powers ignite, outlining her in telekinetic flame, and she flies over to where the pilot of the ship landed. "No idea." She answers his rhetorical question. "Feel like helping me deal with it anyway?"

Half-city, half-fortress. That is the impression Jack receives. This is a place geared for war and conquest. It doesn’t welcome intruders, although Jack’s presence surprises and intrigues the city’s consciousness. She has never seen anything like him. It is not an alien place, however! There are humans living there. Humans of all races and times!

On the other hand, Thara is not received with curiosity, but by barrages of high energy discharges. Advanced sensors detect the incoming Kryptonian, and the city definitely has the power to defend itself even from those.

The Passport com-link activates: “Thara, do not try to break through those defenses, join with us,” it is Adam’s voice. “This is not a rift. It appears to be an invasion from the future.” Adam himself materializes on the top of a stone outcropping several miles from the city. Hopefully not in sight of its cannons, although it would be too much to hope the city inhabitants have not detected the Guardian’s arrival.

That...curiosity...is probably the only way Jack got here in one piece. A human-occupied city, but one that doesn't know him. No doubt he's dust...or something very different...by the time it was built, this invader from the future. "Easy," he murmurs to the city, as to a fractious horse. Okay. Next step...find out what is going on here. The what and the why, and he reaches out to her. Oh, he can try the human inhabitants, assuming they have translators or speak something resembling English, but anyone can do that. Jack is doing his job. Why are you here? Where are you from? Why do you attack? Simple concepts, although this city, oh what a city. There's a growing part of him that isn't sure he wants to leave right away, but he can't let her drag him back into the future. New York is already upset enough about losing her statue. She wouldn't be too keen to also lose her pet. Especially when he hasn't retrieved said object for her yet.

Thara gets the message loud and clear. She indeed has energy blasts and while she is no fan of being shot at, she does follow orders. Quickly she looks over the city. The slight gleen of a force field is enough to give her ample warning to not be cute... At least not that way. Redirecting she makes her way to the other Guardians and quickly lands. "How far down does that field go?" She asks immediately. The gears are turning alright. "If it doesn't form a bubble around the city I can tunnel inside."

"You alright?" Calls out the boy of wonder as the blasts hit Thara. Seeing her turn away and start heading to where the small space ship has flown in, Powerboy changes directions as well, putting on a burst of super speed and kicking up a trail of dust in the Arizona desert, he appears next to Thara as she lands his arms crossing in front of the 'S' Shield his red cape snapping in the wind at his sudden stop. "Do any of you know what this city is, or why it's here?" he asks politely.

Firing off a few shots from his energy gun to test the shield Peter knew they'd do little good. He knew his weapon against a city's forcefield would be like expecting marshmallow gun to hurt a car. Honestly, it wasn't going to do much of anything. He was just testing the shield's responsiveness. Hell, he expected to drive his ship into the floating and have just as little effect. "Well, this is going to be fun," holster his weapon Peter activated his thrusters just to get a better look at the city. His eyes scanned the area trying to find any generators or the like that maybe could have caused a breach within the city. Sure it was an armored fortress, but it worked in Star Wars. Why couldn't it have worked for anyone out here?

Rachel's attention is drawn away from the man taking potshots at the city by the rather more impressive display of defensive fire it puts up against Thara. And it has to be Thara. Rachel's only met one person capable of that kind of speed in the last few days, and the merest brush of her telepathic talents confirms the identity of the city's target. Rachel winces at the intensity of the fire being directed Thara's way. "Careful..." She says under her breath, and is a bit relieved when Thara turns away from the city and heads for Adam. About time he turned up, Rachel decides. Triggering her own comlink at last, she says, "Nice of you to join us, Adam. I'm on my way."

As the former pilot she didn't exactly sneak up on is still busying himself checking out the city, and has now taken to the skies himself, Rachel just looks at him for a moment and then shrugs. Telekinetic flame flaring up around her again, she lifts into the air and flies swiftly over to the rock that Adam's perched so dramatically on, dropping to her feet beside him just after the others arrive, just catching the question asked by the newcomer she hasn't met. "Adam's the one with the answers." She offers, nodding at Warlock. "What's the plan?" She asks him directly.

Peeeeer? Jack feels observed. +Oh, but you are pretty!+ That is a city talking for the first time. +I am Chronopolis!!+ Dramatic pause. +I am the city of the Conqueror. The last city. The best city! The city where the greatest warriors of all times live forever. I come to conquer this time. But you are pretty. I will request father-Kang so you can stay!+ Looks like Chronopolis also wants him as pet. Lucky Jack. Or maybe not, she is going to tell Kang the Conqueror that Jack is around!

Once everyone (but Jack, obviously) is within speaking range, Adam speaks quickly. "This is not what we expected. This is an invasion from the future, and the power readings I have from the city are off charts. I also sense hundreds super-humans within those walls. We can't strike directly, and... quite frankly we shouldn't have to."

That is, of course, when they get hit instead.

Five figures teleport around the small group. Some are familiar, others aren't: There is a huge monster of a man with red skin and yellow eyes. Bare-chested, but wearing armored pants and boots. But few would recognize he is general Thaddeus Ross, the Red Hulk.

There is a tall, heavyset man in alien uniform. He carries a shield with a green and purple emblem on it. Few would recognize Isaiah Bradley, called now Captain Chronopolis, although he was one of the greatest soldiers ever serve the US army. As was Slade Wilson, the white haired gentleman armed to the teeth that flanks the man with the shield.

As will be some day Luther Manning, the undead cyborg known as Deathlock.

The fifth warrior is a legend in the 21st Century, as are the wars he fought many centuries ago. He wears a gold armor and full helmet, and wields ancient weapons. His name is Achilles.

The red giant smiles. "Well, look at this. I was expecting the Avengers would get here first, no matter," he claps his hands, and the shockwave is terrifying. Sonic book and a pressure wave so strong even Adam is blow off his perch.

"Ross, damnit! We didn't need to start..."

"Shuts up, Bradley. They wouldn't surrender without a fight, I know the type." Replies the red titan.

While the Guardians have their own problems? So does Jack. He hasn't gone into full meld but he already knows what this city would look like if he switched into that mode. About twelve. Which is amusing, but not something he appreciates. On the other hand, this is an opportunity to get information. On the third hand, he's not entirely sure he can extricate himself without assistance. A city has never refused to let him leave before, and he can feel her power. It throbs through him. Eventually, that second hand wins. << Tell me about this Kang. >> She's more verbal than they usually are without going into full meld. Which he isn't quite going to trust...he might be protected from all other threats, but he would be utterly vulnerable to her. She could simply keep him by holding him there, outside time, until he left. What he does do is drop to sit on the alley ground, legs crossed, eyes closed. He's not oblivious to Thara triggering the defenses, but he doesn't know about the superhuman battle about to start up. THAT is outside the city, after all.

"Oh goodie. Sounds like a real blast!" Thara brushes a fire out on her shoulder from the blasting. Not that she was being burnt by it. Just more for dramatic effect. Then the crew showed. "Well. This is definitely interesting. Just umm... One moment please." She turns to the Guardians and Jon of course. "Umm... I have read about big red there. I will see if I can get him away from the group and maybe outsmart him." She smirks to her friends. At the sonic clap, Thara is shaken not stirred. She doesn't really move all that much. Mostly just pushed back.

Taking a few pot shots at Deathlok, Peter was rushing away from the group of five. He wanted to create distance. Deathlok was chosen for a few reasons. One, he looked the most season. When you have an implant in your mind that gave you photographic memory and one-hundred percent recognition picking the most seasoned guy had its advantages. Any move they used against you could have been later analyzed and dissected so many times over it was like they trained you on how to do those particular moves. Two, having an implant or two himself, Peter had a good idea how to dismantle a cybernetic-zombie, "Let's tango," he cried out wanting a good old fashioned shootout with the deadliest robot out there. Pressing a finger of his helmet over any channel available he cried out softly, "This is Star-Lord. There's five opposition forces on the ground. The Hulk's Red Brother, a couple of assassins, a Captain America wannabe, and a zombie-robot. Be advised." Hopefully anyone that was flying around got the message.

"Tell me about it." Rachel agrees with Thara, glancing toward her and looking vaguely impressed by the offhand way the Kryptonian deals with being slightly on fire. Her distraction only lasts a moment or two before she switches her attention back to Warlock. "Shouldn't have to?" She asks him. "What are you expecting..."

That's as far as she gets before they're surrounded. Rachel swings around, startled by the feel of the hostile minds appearing around the group, but she's far from a novice. As soon as she felt those minds appear on her mental radar, a telekinetic shield went up around her.

And that's the only reason this battle's not over for her right now, because she'd seriously underestimated the quality of the opposition they're facing. The shockwave from the clap doesn't penetrate her shield - but it does blast her right off her feet, sending her flying through the air to plow into the dirt a short distance away. Fortunately her shield saves her from the worst of the impact, too. Momentarily woozy, she shakes her head to clear it, knowing from bitter experience that she can't afford to stay down. Anger and adrenaline push her back to her feet, and then her power flares up again, lifting her a couple of feet off the ground. "You're going to regret...!" She begins, her whole body crackling with telekinetic flame as she points at the Red Hulk, only for Thara to call dibs. Rachel looks around, her eyes blank orbs of white heat, and her voice arrives in Thara's head. << All right. You can have him. This time. >> From her tone, she's gone from incandescently angry to amused in about a heartbeat and a half.

Still, there are other targets for the redhead. Star-Lord's taken the zombie, Thara's got the Hulk... and Rachel's not sure what state Adam's in. So she lashes out with her telekinesis, aiming to grab up the other three and slam them into one another.

@emit Chronopolis seems distracted for a moment, but after a few seconds, she replies to Jack +Kang is my architect/father. His machines made me 150 years ago.+ Jack was right, she is young as cities go. +He says he wants to speak with you. But there is something coming, so he is busy now. It is odd. I/we can barely see it. The cloaking is very good.+

Since Thara is just shaken, she got the Red Hulk attention. “Aha. A Kryptonian. One that wasn’t in the files, I guess. You seem too young for this, girl. But war is hell. And Kryptonians... they are my business.” He grins, and gestures with a hand. And Thara can feel the extremely unpleasant sensation of every erg of solar energy in her cells being extracted, and absorbed by the red giant energy control abilities.

Deathlok dives for cover when Star-Lord starts firing, immediately replying fire with a laser handgun. They are all extremely fast, avoiding Rachel’s telekinetic grasp with insulting ease. Achilles, the faster, engages Powerboy armed with twin (heavily enchanted) short swords. Deathstroke and Captain Chronopolis are just a hair slower, and still blindingly quick. They go after Rachel and Adam, armed with a huge promethium broadsword and an adamantium shield respectively.

“Stop!” Shouts Adam, standing up and jumping back to avoid the shield. “We are not here to fight. We are all in danger.” But it is too late.

The landscape darkens, a shadow falls over Chronopolis. A huge shadow that covers most of the sky. No longer blue, but dull, metallic grey. Over the distant clouds there is a spaceship of such size that it dwarfs Chronopolis. And it is descending.

+I don’t like that thing+ Whispers Chronopolis to Jack. She sounds a little nervous.

Jack had his eyes shut. Focused on the city. It takes him a moment to register...and then he's moving immediately. Up. Bouncing out of his meditative position, against the wall, zipping up the wall to the top of the building. Nervous? He's nervous too. His senses tell him, at least, that the spaceship is not a city...something which could easily happen. A generation ship? City, for sure. Narrowing his eyes, he focuses on...this city might be hostile, but she is not crazy, she is not insane, and that switches him to the other half of his purpose. To protect. He can't fight that thing, though. What defenses does she have? Does she have enough to encourage that thing to leave? Shooting it out of the sky would be a bad idea, the debris raining down on streets and buildings.

Thara is suddenly feeling weakened. She drops to her knee feeling a little woozy from being drained. "I... Ugh... You... You monster... How could you. I'm just a weak helpless little girl!" She states to big red. Suddenly that rifle on her back is pulled around and shouldered. She fires sending a pair of spheres connected by some high tensile cord at the hulk's feet in an effort to tangle him up. She is quickly up on her feet and her sword is drawn. "I've heard that before. It's amazing how the idiots wind up hurt when they make those assumptions about even a young girl like myself." She takes off away from the team in an effort to lead big and mean in her direction, The sun is still out and she is slowly absorbing more of those beautiful solar rays. Sadly though she is still quite drained so her speed is just a bit better then human.

Taking his own cover Peter fired off a few more shots. Laser bit into rocks and other nearby cover as Peter hid. As the shadows grew he looked up to the sights in the sky, "Anyone else see that?" he asked unsure who could even hear him. Not being an official part of the Guardians made the team chatter hard. Sure, he's met members before it was just none of them were present here and now. Breathing hard he was hoping beyond all hope and prayer that someone was going to chime in about what to do next. As much as he would have liked to get ina shotout with a cyborg-zombie it seemed futile now.

Rachel grits her teeth as her targets dodge her TK. She's definitely back to being angry now, and the flames surge up hungrily around her as if fanned by the power of her emotions. "I don't think they're interested, Adam!" She calls to him as his noble attempt at diplomacy is answered by an attack from the man with the shield.

Adam's going to have to fend for himself, though, as Rachel switches her full attention to the swordsman rushing toward her. Still levitating, she gives ground before him to buy herself an extra second. "Yeah, you're not coming anywhere /near/ me with that sword." She hisses through gritted teeth. She tried finesse, this time she's going to go for something a bit more... widescreen. She raises her arm, slicing it outward as if to backhand the charging swordsman - and a wing-shaped wall of red-gold telekinetic energy roars into existence, mirroring the motion, and aiming to bat the man away from her. Forcibly.

It's only then that she feels she can risk a glance upward. << See it, pretty sure it's bad news. >> Says a voice into the back of Star-Lord's brain, even as Rachel is calling to Adam. "Adam? This is what you were worried about, right?"

The Collector of Cities has arrived.

// CHRONOPOLIS. POWER DOWN SHIELDS AND WEAPONRY. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE //

The synthetic voice is heard from Phoenix to Salt Lake City. But Chronopolis response is a barrage of continent-shattering energy blasts. The sky glows yellow and red as the shields of Brainiac starship repeal the assault. In response a hundred thousand Terminaut robots fly down from the ship towards the city.

"What the hell is that?" Red Hulk grunts when Thara bolos his feet. "Don't start, girl," he growls. "I have lost contact with the citadel," he states, looking at Deathlok. "Coms are down," confirms the cyborg, shooting a few more blasts at Star-Lord's general direction to keep him ducking. "I detect a neutrino screen, teleporters will be down too."

Deathstroke is hit, but rolls with the telekinetic wave, landing on his feet with inhuman grace. He switches from sword to energy staff, but instead of firing, he stands on guard. "Ah, I think we got robot problems coming, general."

Adam gets smacked by the adamantium shield. Because he looked up. For his cosmic awareness, this is the equivalent to see a train-wreck in slow motion. There is not a little thing he can do.

Speaking of watching train-wrecks. Suddenly, and silently, a big-headed humanoid about 20' tall appears a mere fifty yards from the fighting group. He stares impassibly.

And...Jack is pissed. He could leave. He would have to force her, not something he likes doing, but he could leave.

He doesn't. He crouches there, watching the robots, trying to use his awareness of the entire city to divine their intent. Are they here to pillage? To burn? To take out this Kang guy? He can't go up to meet them in any case, not being gifted with flight, but he's ready to fight. True, it's defending one enemy against another, but when push comes to shove? She's a little girl, to his mind and senses. So, he's ready...and if a robot comes within his reach, he'll do his best to smash it into spare parts.

That voice is one that has haunted Thara's dreams since she was little. She freezes, "General Ross, I know right now I am the last person you want to listen to but I have far more experience with what this is then you do. If you want to live past this day and keep your city from being stolen, you need to trust me. General, from one soldier to another, trust me." She turns over to look at the others. "We can stop him if we work together." She takes a deep breath. Thara is definitely no Kal-El. She is however someone who has lead military strikes on the very forces that are attacking. That is her only guiding star right now.

Peter looked at the skies and he thought, "Anyone know how to take that thing down?" he wasn't sure how to even hit that thing. Everyone was rethinking strategies and he figured from the ground he couldn't even begin to find a weakpoint. Breathing out he centered himself a little, "Job's never done," Peter mused to no one in particular.

Success! Rachel feels a certain amount of vicious satisfaction when when Deathstroke fails to completely avoid her telekinetic wave. "Dodge THAT." She says, rather unnecessarily, before she sees the man regain his feet and switch to a different item from his arsenal. "Don't even think about it." She tells him, eyes narrowed. She's getting irritated with his resilience, and if he takes a potshot at her she's probably going to do something disproportionate in response.

She's no match for Thara when it comes to diplomacy and negotiation, that's for sure.

Dropping back to the ground, Rachel glances toward Adam. "Snap out of it, Adam, this is definitely your department!" Considering he just got smacked by a shield, it's a bit insensitive, but Rachel's tone broadcasts how out of her depth she's feeling right now! Moving toward Thara, who she's finally noticed is looking a bit more fragile than usual, Rachel stands ready to back her up if diplomacy fails. Quill's question is a good one. << Assuming they listen, what do you want me to hit first? >> Rachel silently asks Thara.

Chronopolis is not really controlling the weapons. Kang's soldiers and computers are the ones doing the fighting. They are part of the city as Jack understands it, but not really the city 'spirit'. Said spirit is scared.

The Terminauts are destroyed by the hundreds, but more keep coming. Finally, the city force-field activates and it 'bubbles' the entire town, cutting the attacking force in two. The robots are relentless, attacking cannon positions, generators, armored vehicles and everyone they can find in the streets. Kang's soldiers respond in kind, deploying with practiced efficiency and systematically destroying the attackers.

Jack can feel the city being attacked at multiple levels. It is not just the robots (they take punches well, by the way, tough as hell). Computer virus launched against its networks. Psychic attacks against the organic population. In response sophisticated firewalls are raised. And city-wide neural nets cast.

Outside the city, general Ross and the other Anachronauts seem to have lost interest in beating up the Guardians. "We have to get back there, general," says the one called Bradley. "Not now," replies Ross. "We can't get through the field. We fall back to the prearranged positions." He rips the bolas around his legs. "You dropped this," he tosses them to Thara. "Next time, heroes," he says to the others. Unless the Guardians keep attacking, Red Hulk and the others leave.

Adam stands up again. Wincing. Adamantium shields hit hard. "Starchild... I could..." he looks up. "Take us inside... no, it is shielded even from the power cosmic." He winces again. "I can feel... forty thousand years of history unraveling. What is that city?!"

Suddenly a circle of light forms in the spaceship, now 10 miles over Chronopolis. A beam of green light falls over the city, the forcefield stands, but it hits the ground in all sides, even beyond the metal walls. Jack can feel Chronopolis screaming in panic. The connection with the Bleed breaks and the Hyperspace engines are shut down. Powerful backup anti-matter power plants immediately activate, but all hope to time-jump out of the situation is gone.

Then the earth trembles, crumbles. And Chronopolis and a huge chunk of the Colorado Plateau is ripped from the ground and begins rising up, towards the ship.

Which is the point where Jack...stops punching robots. Instead, he takes three running steps and dives off the building. Yes, dives. As if he was diving into water. When he hits the street, it ripples in a splash pattern, flowing outward from him, then flowing back into its former form...and Jack is gone. Not leaving, no, but he's no longer in any physical form vulnerable to, say, being punched by robots. The best thing he can do at this point is calm her down. And make a plan to escape from a situation he could not possibly have predicted.

That's right. The god of the cities has been abducted many times. But never citynapped.

Thara just rolls her eyes. "Idiot." She states under her breath. "The target is not the city. It's the ship. Those shields will be down in minutes and the entire city is going to be crawling with Brainiac's forces. We need to get to the ship, get inside, and deactivate it there." She explains to Rachel, "Relayyyy... Shit." She sees very well what is happening. "He's bottling it! We have to get in there now!"

Suddenly feeling himself get lifted upward, well the ground beneath him, Peter gripped the ground as he went up. "So not used to flying this way!" Peter cried out as he was flying upward. "And it's Star-LORD," peter cried out trying to emphasize the name in case Adam was speaking to him. Pulling out his blastered Peter rolled onto his back and tried to fire up toward the source. Rounds went off again and again. "Kevin Bacon help me," Peter wasn't much to believe in Gods or figureheads. His father was a king of a galaxy, but one he never wanted to be like. People spoke of things like they were miracles when Peter figured they were happenstance involving incredible things. They weren't miracles though. He boasted of Footloose being a legend so it felt like it could have worked.

Rachel lets the Red Hulk and the others go. Much as she wouldn't admit it, at best they were fighting to a draw and anyway, it's become abundantly clear that the unpleasant little group are the least of their problems. Rachel doesn't waste any more time on being annoyed with them, instead focusing her attention on Thara. With Adam still recovering from being shield-bashed, she's the redhead's only source of useful information on what's going on, and what they can do about it.

Rachel gives a single, sharp nod of understanding, then looks quickly up at the ship when Thara becomes alarmed. If she took a moment to think about what she was doing she's realise that it's a remarkably bad idea, but... she's impulsive like that. "I'm on it." She says, sounding utterly confident, and then a streak of red-gold flame is arcing upward.

Rachel flashes past Star-Lord in an instant, barely noticing him, not even slowing down. She's focused intently on the ship above her. Drawing heavily on her powers, pushing herself toward her limits, she stretches out her arms and her burning aura of telekinetic fire forms the rough approximation of a firebird as she climbs. Higher, faster, the air becoming thinner as she blasts through the robots who were left outside the city, trusting her shields to carry her through. Past them, she continues to ascend, only now becoming truly aware of the vast scale of the ship as she approaches. She's a speck against it. A flicker of doubt enters her mind, and she squelches it at the same moment that she lashes out with as much telekinetic power as she can muster, right at the source of the beam the ship is directing at the city.

Chronopolis is the size of Manhattan, but Brainiac ship must be twenty times larger. If Rachel had the full power of the Phoenix, she might have a chance. Alas, she doesn't. Touching the emerald tractor beam with her telekinesis is like trying to stop racing truck using her hands. She gets smacked hard. And on top of that, she drew the attention of several Terminauts that are going to try to fry her.

Someone should go rescue her, really.

Meanwhile the Watcher (who is not going to help Rachel) is looking at Thara, and then he points to the horizon, to the moon. A second later he vanishes.

Chronopolis is swallowed by the spaceship, taking Jack with her.

Thara takes off like a bat out of hell. She is weakened but she can still pull off a decent amount of speed. Quckly she sails towards the ship catching Rachel. Without thinking her eyes go red and her heat vision flies at the ship hoping for a hull breach. Doing that though does weaken her a bit more. Carefully she flies down. With Rachel. "Sorry. If Big red wouldn't have drained me We might be able to get in quicker." Gingerly she sets down and sets Rachel down. Looking up. "We need a ship or something. We gotta get in there. Right now I am wishing there was a teleporter on the team."

The call went out, but Heather Douglas was busy. She didn't teleport in to help on the mission. Why? She didn't say. No explanation given whatsoever. She just didn't show up.

Until now.

The Sensia bounces into the atmosphere above the Colorado plateau with a corruscating flare of multi-hued light as her hyperspace drive's bubble bounces against the atmosphere. She takes in what is happening rapidly, as her mind connects with the entire force arrayed against this ... all at once, and without asking permission.

Moondragon is like that.

<< You're not going to be able to stop that thing. Obviously, you will need a ride. I am cycling the aft hatch and airlock now. All aboard who are going aboard. I'm tracking the escape vectors ... >>

Did Moondragon know it would go down this way? Is that what this is?

Groaning as the shots did nothing Peter just braed himself to see where he was going to be taken. Today was just not going well for him. Breathing out he thought to himself, "At least you're giving this the college try." His eyes scanned the area as he kept going up.

Rachel barely has time to notice her telekinetic strike connect before the feedback hits her like an icepick to the brain. The pain is so shocking and intense that for a moment everything seems to go white. Even when her senses clear after a few seconds, concentration is impossible. And without the concentration to use her telekinesis, she's falling. Fast, and faster by the moment.

She really has had better ideas.

"Ooof!" Rachel lets out as Thara catches her, and for a moment she's not sure which way is up. "Wha... thanks." She says, managing to get a grip on herself. She looks upwards, at the receding ship. "Damn. Didn't even /scratch/ it...!" She growls in frustration. She stumbles a bit as Thara sets her down, but recovers her balance through an effort of will - and then smiles as she hears Moondragon's mental voice. "You wanted a ship?" She asks Thara. << Nice timing. >> Is sent back to Moondragon, who'll probably feel the edge of Rachel's headache along with it.

Thara sighs, "Stupid villains. If they would have listened to me they wouldn't be in this situation. Damn!" She is definitely a little frustrated now. "And who was the the little bald guy in the cape!"

Moondragon comes just in time, as the massive spaceship is gaining height, and causing such an atmospheric disruption that is going to drive the weather crazy all over North America. Adam speaks to the Passports. “Cosmo, can you track that ship. Guardians, please gather at Moondragon’s ship. Bring Star-Lord too; we are going to need him. We can’t attack that ship directly; we need to find a way to board it.” A pause. Because he heard Thara. “He was Uatu, the Watcher that dwells in Earth’s moon.”

Rachel looks from Adam to Thara and back again as the Watcher is mentioned. Mostly to see if she knows what Adam's talking about. "OK, you're going to need to explain him later. But I'm guessing you're going to tell me he's bad news, too?" Rachel says in a resigned tone. Rachel looks up again, toward Moondragon's ship, wondering if her head will explode if she tries levitating herself up there, and whether her dignity could survive asking Thara for a lift. She hesitates before testing either question. "Star-Lord." She says, looking toward Adam and shaking her head. "That's never going to work if you keep calling me Starchild. People are going to think he's my Dad." And from her tone, she's not looking forward to having to explain that. "I'll get him." She announces, and grits her teeth against the headache as she lifts off the ground again. Rising more slowly and cautiously this time, she snags Star-Lord with her telekinesis and guides them both into Moondragon's ship.

Thara just nods, "Well he looked at me and pointed to the moon."