[
The Arrival of Rikki
]
Inner Harbor Beach
This wide ribbon of fine black sand runs for about two miles along the western shore of the Inner Harbor. The blue waters of the Inner harbor lap gently at the shore. Tourists and residents alike flock here on sunny days to enjoy the waters. Several single-story buildings dot the beach, housing rest rooms, changing facilities, and food vendors.
Out in the bay, private and commercial boat traffic can be seen, coming to and from the piers and docks lining the eastern side of the harbor. The southern edge of the beach terminates at a rocky mass of broken black stone. Several ramps and stairways lead from the beach level up to Bay Drive.
Sherman continues, after a moment, to take notes, sitting down heavily on the prow of the beached sail launch.
Phoenix looks at Sherman, a quiet grin on her face. "Was that a yes, or a 'too busy with mind on other things'?"
Sherman says, "Uhhhhm. Uhhh." He jots more notes. "Fashionable. Possibly hypnotic effects.""
Beautiful night. Sparkling stars, a half-moon, and a small, orange fireball in the night sky.
Chris Rivet walkes down onto the beach from the road.
Sherman looks up. "Hrm." He adds the notation, "meteor activity observed in the eastern quadrant, elevation sixty two degrees."
Lookout looks up at the meteor-like thing.
Sherman looks at his wrist watch. He jots down the time.
Phoenix looks up as well, "huh?" She squints her eyes, "Oh dear. That can't be good." She lifts off from the sand, flames ablaze around her, "Anyone know what that is exactly?"
Lookout says, "... That not a meteor."
Sherman says, "Well, astronomy is not really my strong suit."
Sherman says, "Should I be fleeing in sensible, abject terror?"
The fireball is growing larger...
Chris Rivet glances up, noticing the fireball for the first time. He frowns.
Phoenix ohs. "Any ideas as to what it is? I'd fly in front of it to slow it down if that would help." She grins slightly. "It's less dangerous to me than you might think."
Sherman takes that as a 'yes' and launches his sailboat, hauling up the anchor and unfurling sails. "I have to save the boat!" He announces. "Take cover!"
After a few minutes, the fireball disappears from the night sky.
Phoenix frowns. "Okay. Now I'm confused."
Chris Rivet shrugs. "Must have been fireworks." He waits to see if any more will be set off.
Lookout says, "... It's a spaceship."
Lookout says, "It probably stopped burning cause it's slowing down."
Mantank soars in along the shore, landing near the others. "Phoenix. Did you just see a quasispacial anomaly?"
Lookout says, "Nah, it's just a spaceship."
Mantank thinks . o O (Imagine the scientific salvage opportunities!)
Phoenix looks at Mantank, "I think it looked like a fireball, actually. But our friend here says it's a spaceship, so I'm going to see where it lands and hopefully clear the landing site." She flies upward, toward its last known spot, her vision changing to view heat patterns.
Mantank says, "Hi. I'm Mantank. Space ship.. Er.. We need to track that, naturally."
Everyone on the beach seems to be looking....up.
Chris Rivet looks into the sky, but can't see anything in the dark. "Spaceship? Woah."
Mantank says, "Did you want a lift, Aviator?" He asks Lookout. "To the crash site?"
Lookout says, "It's ... Uh oh... it's going to land on the city."
Lookout says, "Uh, if you want... I can show you where it is."
Singularity drifts in from the downtown area, a soft shimmering purple trail floating behind her as she comes to a hover several meters above the beach. She glances around, then taking a cue, looks up as well.
Mantank reaches for Lookout, "Hop aboard!" Once he has the man held firmly, he launches.
Lookout climbs on Mantank's back and holds on.
There's a small explosion in the sky that the unaided eye can see...
Chris Rivet says, "Woah! Someone call NASA already."
Mantank announces, "All you bystanders, take cover. Stay away from the water's edge in case of a tsunami!" And he's off, jetting toward the explosion.
The people on the beach start running for some kind of cover.
Phoenix flies faster, eyes wide. Occupants of that ship might really need some help now..
Lookout says, "OK, it's changing direction... it's trying to slow down but it's failing."
Singularity frowns. "Uh-oh..." The purplish trail brightens and she zips upwards towards the explosion, an odd hum rumbling as sand blasts some underneath her.
Lookout says, "Keep going, keep going..."
Mantank accelerates up to eighty-eight miles an hour, scanning with sonar. "Where?"
Lookout says, "OK OK. Keep going in this direction and you should get under it in a few seconds."
The ship is a smallish vessel, maybe no more than 8 feet long and 4 feet in diameter. There look to be various ports on the outside where things seems to have been burned or ripped off by re-entry. It is not NASA design.
Lookout looks down. "Agh." looks up again.
Chris Rivet stars off into the sky as the heroes fly off. "Wow. That was freaky."
Phoenix phews. One piece. Now.. "Okay, heroes! Let's do this right and do this fast! I need someone strong underneath, and a couple of us who aren't so strong up top to guide this thing! We probably won't stop its plummet, but we can darn well slow it enough to minimize damage!"
Mantank says, "The impact will be lethal! I'll need someone to take Aviator if I'm to try! It's just too fast!"
Lookout says, "Momma."
Phoenix calls, "If we aim it for the water, it'll have less impact!"
Singularity blinks some as she quickly nears the object... she glances over at Phoenix and makes sure she's NOT underneath it. Her face furrowing in some effort, she reaches a hand out and a thin pale-indigo beam flashes out, stretching to envelop the ship as she tries to grab it with her telekinesis.
Mantank says, "If only acceleration due to gravity were lower! Phoenix, take Aviator. I'll match arc and speed as best I can!"
Mantank watches as acceleration due to gravity lowers. "Phenomenal!"
The air around the ship heats up as friction builds...the ship slows a bit..it's a strain on the gravity controller..
In the darkness of night, a golden glow rockets across the inner harbor, rising up towards the ship as it hurtles through the night sky, reflecting in the light of the descending fireball. Gracefully, El Cid salutes the others rising towards the ship as he rockets upward. o O (Can't stop it by shooting it. Only thing I can do is try to...slow it's fall)
Phoenix quickly moves in to grasp Lookout, her flames going out completely. "Can you hold on to me?" she asks, keeping a grip as she extracts him from Mantank.
Lookout says, "Uh, I -guess- so."
Singularity's indigo beam glows more brightly as she gets a feel for its weight, her eyes opening wider and a whine of effort escaping her her lip as she struggles to slow the plummeting ship. "A... little help?"
Mantank thinks . o O (Oh, sweet Calypso!) Mantank flies rapidly, trying to get to the ship in time to slow it up carefully matching speed with it before the unanticipated collision. He knows he'll be too late.
Phoenix flies around, looking for a place she can help. The thing is too large and heavy for her to make even a slight difference, so she flies down as fast as she can to ensure people aren't in the impact zone.
Chris Rivet remains on the beach, craning his head to watch the action overhead. "Wonder where it's going to land?"
Lookout says, "Urghdon'tletmefallplease"
The trajectory will now be into the inner harbor. With El Cid's help, Singularity can slow it further.
Mantank speed toward the ship, to lend a hand.
Phoenix holds on to Lookout. "Not gonna let you go. You holding on makes it easier to keep ahold of you." SHe smiles, adjusting where she goes to look for people on the water, yelling for them to clear the area. Her thermal vision helps with finding such people and their vessels.
Now that the ship is not falling as fast, the hatch can be seen on the topside.
There are quite a few boats in the inner harbor. They take heed of Phoenix's warnings, but boats don't move all that fast, especially the larger ones.
Mantank maneuvers toward the hatch, reaching for a hand hold.
Singularity grits her teeth and resolves to stop this runaway space taxi one way or another... swallowing hard she puts every ounce of effort slowing it further.
El Cid looks over to Singularity and the beam, his golden armored hands pushing against the ship as the telekinetic beam slowly guides it in. "Nice work, Miss..." he says through gritted teeth. "Don't know...how much longer...I can...resist this..." His lightray jets shine from his boots, the eerie whisper and crackle of light and heat pushing him up against the vessel while it rockets downward. "Never...thought I'd...see alien life...like this..."
Phoenix begins evacuation of the larger, less mobile boats.
Mantank grasps the hatchway, hauling back gently, helping correct the arc.
The ship is now flying under the control of the three strong heroes.
Lookout looks up to see just where they're taking the ship.
Phoenix phews. "fortunate day, wouldn't you say?" She grins a little, landing on the beach with Lookout, setting him down.
Lookout scrambles to the ground. "Uh, yeah."
Singularity tries, to no avail, to blow away a lock of reddish hair firmly plastered against her nose. "Thank you..." she manages to El Cid. "I... where... good lord... this is heavy!"
El Cid looks over to the others as he resists directly from in front of the nose, trying to let the others steer while he keeps the thing from divebombing. "This...really..." He turns to Singularity. "Whereever we can get it to land, for now..." He manages. "I don't know if the batteries in this thing will hold up...long enough..."
Mantank calls out directions. "Easy. Easy. I have the hatch. There's a scrapyard or something with a contained harbor and some cranes this way. Just a bit more, and we're done!"
Lookout blinks. "Where are they taking that?"
Singularity blinks. "Scrapyard? This isn't... your dad's wrecked Chevy...!"
Phoenix shrugs slowly. "I suppose I could go after them and find out.."
Lookout says, "Can, uh, I get a ride? I want to see what's in there too."
El Cid looks over to Singularity for a moment. "Agreed..." He grits his teeth, continuing to push. "Can you...do something...to keep it afloat, while we...push it gently...to shore...Wouldn't be the first time...something weird...came out of the marina..." o O (Could it be a Pirate Council Trick?)
Mantank sets down the ship, slowly and carefully. "It's closer than the naval base, and has all the equipment so far as I can tell for a rescue, if we need one. Also, fewer people who might be hurt.
Singularity lets out a sigh of relief as it appears the three have the item under control. "There's no security down there... we have no idea what is inside this thing."
Phoenix nods. "Sure!" She offers her arms, "Just hold on tight, and there will be no problems."
El Cid turns to Singularity. "Let's not forget the people who work there?" He says for a moment. "If whatever's inside this thing is hostile, it endangers their lives to land it there..."
Mantank feels resistance. "The gates look locked. The base is too far. Even my own cells are powering down. And there may be injured people inside who need our help."
Lookout holds on, what choice he has.
Mantank says, "Work there? It's one in the morning!"
Phoenix flies off again, toward the craft's direction.
Mantank looks in the hatch or window, while they're flying?
Singularity shakes her head to dislodge the errant lock of hair, and nods to the Naval base. "Injured aliens... you mean. We're wasting time... I'm not setting in that salvage yard. The base is safer. Whoever's inside can hold on for a few more minutes."
El Cid turns to Mantank for a moment as his jets continue to push against the nosecone of the ship. "Why don't we...just add breaking and entering...to our list of crimes, and join the fight...for evil?" He manages sardonically as he continues to push against it. "Miss...can you...set this thing down...somewhere...safe...and soon?"
Mantank says, "There's someone inside! I can't tell if they're alive! You're willing to risk killing them for the sake of some sort of wierd quasilegal issue when you've both admitted you can't fly much farther? Do you have any idea how much farther the base is?"
Chris Rivet has made it to a pay phone by this time. "Someone better tell the authorities. That might be one of ours, or it might be one of theirs. Either way, the government's going to want to have this thing."
Singularity nods to El Cid. "I know a place on the Naval Base where it can go, and I imagine us coming going in like this, we'll get some help fast." She smirks a bit and sighs. "If you can't handle it boys, I'll take it from here..."
El Cid looks over to Singularity. "Got...a radio?" He manages as he pushes against the ship. "There isn't one in this thing. It's too complicated to install without disabling half the weapons..." He takes a breath. "If we can radio ahead, someone can clear a runway...if not..." He pauses. "It's too horrible to think about..."
Mantank pushes down. "Have to save innocent life," he grunts.
Singularity shakes her head. "No... no ra---HEY!" She frowns as Mantank starts pushing down.
Lookout says, "... Oh lord... Phoenix, the thing is breaking apart!"
Mantank stops pushing when he feels resistance. "Are you two insane? You'll tear this apart, killing the occupant!"
Singularity blinks and glares at Mantank. "YOU'RE THE ONE PUSHING DOWN!"
Mantank says, "There's someone inside. Do either of you have any idea where the base is from here, how far, what it looks like from the air at night, or any way to radio them so they don't shoot us out of the sky?"
Mantank says, "Because it's, you understand, a military base?"
Chris Rivet continues talking over the phone, "Yeah, just came right down over the harbor. A bunch of those heroes caught it. I don't know what they're doing now, think I hear them yelling or something."
Phoenix goes wide eyed. "Guys!" she flies faster forward. "Work together and fast! That thing's coming apart!"
There is the sound of metal wrenching as the heroes struggle in different directions.
Lookout says, "You might have to do some welding."
Singularity sighs and shakes her head. "You're ready to tear into that capsule when you have no idea what's inside, alien or human, what contagions they might carry..." She points with her off hand. "The base is THAT way, and it's not far, and YOU'RE wasting time."
El Cid looks over to Singularity. "Quick, guide it towards the military base..." He grits his teeth and pushes harder, his armor whining with the strain as he looks over to Mantank. "Stop...resisting, and do this...for justice! A salvage yard...is no place...for untested...technology..."
Lookout says, "Mr. Torpedo, it's two against one. Please go with the team."
Phoenix frowns. "I can't do that and carry you at the same time.." She looks worriedly at the ship. "If that comes apart, we all lose. All of you stop flying and decide where you're bringing that and -then- work as a team. Otherwise this is going to turn a lot uglier!"
Singularity nods to El Cid and moves to take the lead towards the Naval Base.
Mantank starts to speak. "This is Mantank, the superhero. I have a crashing space ship with an alien aboard in distress. I need guidance. The ship's being torn apart. What do you suggest. Over?
A large aircraft carrier can be seen in the outer harbor.
Mantank listens. "Do you have medical personel standing by? Er, no. This is Mantank. Check with your Superhero's Operations Officer. Surely you have one?"
El Cid turns to Singularity and joins in her motion, his fingers pushing the ship in conjunction with her motion. "Look!" He shouts. "An Aircraft Carrier!" His gaze turns to Singularity. "Head for it, perhaps there's still time!" o O (I have to lick this radio problem.)
Mantank says, "Now, I suggest you two let go. I have the captain of the aircraft carrier on the radio. Another bump like that last idiocy from you two and the alien is in serious trouble."
Atop the USS Intrepid, several sailors are scrambling. The flight deck is clear.
Mantank thinks . o O (Insane jingoistic murderous superhumans. Great.)
Phoenix stops flying, letting out a sigh. She can't help things here. She looks to Lookout. "Anywhere you want to be dropped off? Or do you want to stick around for this?"
Lookout says, "I'd rather go along. Is that OK?"
Singularity looks away from where she's headed. "What?? Why you..." She shuts her mouth abruptly. o O (Idiot self-centered blinder-wearing non-team player hero... Great.) She nods to El Cid. "The carrier!"
Mantank tries his best to keep up so the ship isn't destroyed by the bickering or the occupant jostled too much.
Phoenix nods. "Perfectly." She heads for the carrier, landing on deck with Lookout when she reaches it.
Mantank focuses on the welfare of the alien, looking in through the hatch.
The being inside seems unhurt, but nervous.
El Cid looks over to Mantank. "We're going to guide this one in to the carrier, since they've been so kind as to clear a landing path for us..." He turns to Mantank. "And don't call me an idiot again. It's not polite..." He moves in tandem with Singularity to slowly guide the ship to a landing on the carrier, the dull whomp of the carrier net catching the ship and making a whipcrack noise. "OOOOFF..." He manages, pinned between the net and the nose of the ship, turning to Singularity. "Remind me...never...to do anything like this...again...miss?" He pauses. "Oh...I'm sorry. You're much taller on the ground, ma'am."
Lookout says, "... Where did you two come from?"
A tall blonde man in khakis runs out to meet the heroes and the ship. He calls out, "I'm Seargant Ted Curren, military paranormal division. Do you think we need Hazmats?"
Singularity flexes her hand, stretching it, as the ship is finally set down on the deck of the carrier, the indigo beam fizzling and dissipating. She lands next to El Cid and crosses her arms, the night breeze fluttering her reddish hair.
Mantank says, "No one do anything else rash. There's a frightened being aboard. I don't know what they breath. Do you have an equipped sampling laboratory, here?"
Mantank thinks . o O (Like the one at the salvage yard.)
Mantank watches through the window, waving, he hopes, in signs of friendship.
Lookout says, "You an alien expert?"
Sgt. Curren shakes his head, "No. We're not equipped for that. We were called down here for extra defense against Cuba." He eyes the ship. "I don't know that we have any alien experts."
Phoenix shakes her head to the officer. "I don't know, sir." She remains well out of the way of the incoming landing party. "I'm just here pretty much for moral support.."
Green eyes peer back at Mantank through the small window in the ship.
Lookout says, "You an alien expert?"
El Cid turns to Mantank. "Rash?" His eyeslits narrow. "You tried to guide an alien spaceship into a private salvage facility, with absolutely no knowledge of what's inside, and you're calling us rash?" He turns to Singularity. "Good job, Ma'am." His eyeslits unnarrow. "And thank you, Phoenix, for being always vigilant, and clearing those people out of the way."
El Cid thinks . o O (Maybe the alien has those uniforms and underwear.)
Mantank says, "I'm a Renaissance ... Hold on. I'm getting a radio call." He listens. "The 'salvage yard' as you call it is offering assistance. They have labs. Compression chambers.. Do we want to use them?"
Singularity nods to El Cid. "Very welcome... I... you can call me Singularity." She blinks at Mantank. "Again with the salvage yard... why would they be calling /you/?"
Sgt. Curren looks at Mantank, "A civillian operation?"
El Cid turns to Mantank. "I'm sure that we'll be fine here in the hands of the US Navy..." He says confidently.
A hissing sound is overheard, loudly, as the ship hatch opens.
Lookout says, "Maybe we should ask him?"
Rikki
Standing at around 5'6" tall, this woman seems to be made entirely of a silver metal. Bright green eyes stand out from her silver complexion, as strands of silvery hair frame her face. Her skin shows a dense musculature, and she seems female, although her chest is mainly flat.
Her body is covered by a light grey bodysuit that tucks into short, black boots. There is a strange insignia on the upper right arm that looks almost like a rainbow pinwheel.
She seems at ease, although alert. Her eyes take in her surrounding with interest.
Mantank says, "I believe the choice is out of our hands, now."
Lookout points a thumb at the opening hatch. Lookout looks again. "Er. Her."
Singularity hops back, a startled expression on her face as the hatch hisses open, her purplish translucent forcefield coming up instinctively.
Rikki emerges from the ship, slowly.
Sgt. Curren jumps back, "Cripes! Now what do we do?"
El Cid looks over to Mantank for a moment. "Indeed..." He takes a few steps back from the ship after finally struggling out of the netting, and looks up at Rikki. "Welcome to Earth!" He says pleasantly. "From our people, we extend the hand of friendship."
Mantank waves toward the Alien. He attempts to calm the situation. "No one do anything .. more rash than this."
Rikki looks around, eyes wide, then says, cautiously, "Lu syam hom?" She imitates the wave and the hand extending.
Mantank says, "No one make sudden movements. Be calm. That appears to be an adaptive communication technique. Draw no weapons."
Mantank says, "Lu syam hom?"
Singularity mumbles something to herself, but keeps her forcefield up.
Rikki nods to Mantank, "Lu syam hom."
Lookout says, "I think that's a Chinese food."
Phoenix smiles, "well, it seems friendly," she says, looking at the unusual creature. "Or at least, non-hostile.. maybe she just got lost?
Rikki hears Phoenix and points to the ship, "Broke."
El Cid looks up at Rikki. "El...Cid!" He says slowly, indicating Singularity. "Sin..gu...larity..." He turns to look at the Sargeant. "Sargent...Curren..." He adds, indicating Phoenix and Lookout. "Phoe...nix..." He turns to Lookout. "I can't say your name, son. It might confuse the alien."
Phoenix grins. "hey neat. She seems to understand english." She points at the ship, "Can fix?" she tries, simple sentences.
Lookout says, "..."
Rikki makes a negative expression, "No fix."
Mantank eyes the ship, and doesn't notice El Cid's snub.
To Rikki- Lookout says, "Miss, what's your name?"
Rikki looks at Lookout, then says, in a higher pitch, "Hfir'h din'Vt Vl't."
Phoenix hms. "that means either can't or won't.. probably can't." She looks to Curren, "I think any alerts you have right now can be stood down. If none, then great."
Sgt. Curren nods, "You're right." He sighs, "She seems to speak English."
Mantank tries again. He points at Rikki, and asks, concernedly, "Broke?"
Phoenix wells.. "Maybe she has some kind of translating thingie. Gets basic nouns and little else?"
Lookout scratches his head at the name.
To Phoenix- Lookout says, "Tried normal phrases?"
Rikki points to some burns and holes on her ship, "Shot." then points to some other things, "Gone. Broke. Smash." She shakes her head ruefully, "Wartalk to beaver."
Singularity stands, stunned and reeling from this whole scene. She gawks at the alien, her forcefield dropping and fizzling away into the night air.
Phoenix pauses. "Y'know.. that was kind of stupid of me." She grins a little. Then she ohs and frowns. "Someone's after you?" she asks of Rikki, looking skyward.
Mantank tries to scan with his radio for anything coming from the ship. "Who shot?"
Indeed, even the sailors are flabbergasted, and not sure what to do.
El Cid looks up at Rikki. "We...want to help you..." He says quietly, looking over to Singularity. "Wartalk...to Beaver?" He turns to look at Rikki. "Slowly now. Who is Wartalk, and why is he fighting with a Beaver?"
Mantank says, "We may be in danger. If there's a homing beacon on that."
To El Cid- Singularity says, "Maybe she means peace negotiations that went awry."
Rikki tries to tell Mantank, "Onedazaliss. Tatamoon!" She points up into the sky.
Mantank turns and tries to follow Rikki's gestures, turning his sonar and radio in turn to focus. "Officer Curren, do you have radar?"
Sgt Curren replies, "Of course we do. But aside from her ship, we didn't pick up anything odd."
El Cid looks upward. "I think...someone shot her ship up...there..." He says momentarily, gazing up at the stars before looking back to Rikki. "Sargeant? What...are we going to do with her?"
Mantank says, "If I can modify it, I may be able to create a radar telescope for the alien to use to identify what she is talking about. I'll need an able electrician, and about a thousand yards of cable."
Sgt. Curren scratches his head, "I'm not sure. There's no real procedure for this."
Mantank says, "It's too bad we don't have any top-notch astrophysicists at hand."
To Rikki- Lookout says, "Say, do you need anything right now?"
Singularity hmmms and steps nearer to the spaceship, apparently tuned out of the conversation now. She starts looking over the burn marks and other signs of obvious damage.
Phoenix smiles, "well, since she isn't hostile, I'd say there's no need for procedure. All we need to do is keep her safe."
Rikki tries to make a smile at Lookout, "Dalek."
El Cid looks over to Sargeant Curren. "Well...we can't really release her into the civilian population yet. Something...could happen..." He turns back to Mantank. "Think for a moment, man. This is a sentient alien. You are worried about what might have shot her down, when...Dalek? What's a Dalek?"
Phoenix thinks. "And fed. Fed might be good to."
Lookout says, "Daleks are those things that look like vacuum cleaners. You know, on that weird English show."
Singularity mumbles to Mantank at his idle mention of an astrophysicist. "Why...?"
The Seargant rubs his chin, "We'll have to have her checked for medical. Diseases, health. Let the brass figure out what to do."
El Cid looks over to Lookout. "Eh?" He says curiously. "We don't get English TV here in the states." He pauses for a moment. "Ward? June?" He asks Rikki for a moment. "Beaver?"
Rikki makes some hand gestures to El Cid and Lookout, "Wally!"
Mantank says, "Seargent, do you have any idea what it takes to shoot a ship out of space? The weapons? The technology? If something shot her down, you are seriously mistaken to be considering the innocent victim a threat and ignoring the thing that did it."
Lookout says, "why did it have to come from here? It could be another ship."
Phoenix looks confused, and at El Cid. "Huh?"
Mantank tries again with Rikki. "Robot? Lost in Space?"
Sgt. Curren frowns, "I'm not ignoring anyone, nor mistreating her. But who knows what she could be carrying, or what could affect her?"
Rikki nods "Danger!! Will Robizon!"
Mantank says, "Danger?"
Lookout says, "Oh dear. She gets earth TV."
El Cid looks over to Rikki for a moment. "Gunsmoke?" He asks curiously. "Bonanza? Andy Griffith?"
El Cid looks over to Lookout. "This could be serious. Her vision of our society could be seriously distorted."
Mantank says, "Cowboys? Indians? Marshall Dillon?"
Rikki nods to El Cid, then starts whistling (badly) the Andy Griffith theme.
Phoenix ohs. "So that's how she learned some words. Cool!" She pauses. "This is going to make communicating for me difficult.."
Lookout says, "'I Love Lucy'."
Rikki calls out, "Babaloooo."
Mantank says, "Spock?"
El Cid looks over to Lookout and says "Now you've done it..." He sighs. "Oh, well. No time like the present. Heyyyy, Luuuucy...I'm Hooooomeeee."
Rikki nods again, "Not real."
Mantank says, "Well, there's a relief." He points at Rikki's ship. "Phasers?"
Rikki shakes her head, "Shadow. Unknown."
Mantank thinks. "Lamont Cranston?"
El Cid looks over to Rikki for a moment. "Welcome to Earth..." He manages again. "We hope you enjoy your stay on our planet."
Lookout looks at the ship. "It might be a bit of a long one."
Rikki seems displeased, "Stuck. Too far."
Singularity scratches her head and shakes her hair a bit in her fingers, fluffing it. She looks to Rikki. "Was there an accident?"
Rikki turns to Singularity, "Accident! Whirl. Bad, different star. Not know! Here I am!"
El Cid looks over to Rikki for a moment. "Oh..." He pauses. "She's lost and marooned here." o O (I feel terrible.)
Lookout says, "Maybe she can send a signal home?"
Singularity murmurs mostly to herself: "I doubt it..."
Rikki nods sadly, "The Minnow was lost."
Mantank examines the ship every way he knows how. "She seems to be able to breath air, and unharmed by it. I would postulate that, given her composition, she is incapable of carrying terrestrial diseases, therefore unlikely to endanger the general population. Her ship must have radio communications for her to have learned television. If I don't miss my guess, I believe the accident must have taken her so far outside her own home space she cannot find it using her own technology."
El Cid turns to Lookout. "I don't think she knows where home is, son...' He turns to Singularity for a moment. "The Minnow Was..." He pauses. "No, wait, Gilligan's Island. She IS marooned here."
Sgt Curren looks at Mantank, "You're probably right, and none of us has collapsed, yet. Anything on her ship would be burned up in re-entry, no?"
El Cid turns to Sargeant Curren. "It's impossible to tell, really. Who knows what strange dangers lie out there in space?"
Rikki mutters, "The Shadow knows.."
Lookout says, "Maybe it's a weird alien disease that waits five days to incubate then explodes out of your chest!"
Lookout smiles cheerfully.
Singularity nods to El Cid then looks back to Rikki. "You were flying close to a star? Trying to get away from the Shadow?"
Mantank says, "Anything that has ever been alive on earth before would certainly not survive that heat. Anything that could live through that would be spectacular indeed. Best to quarantine this entire ship until tests are run. By that I mean the aircraft carrier. We have nothing that can aid her. Not without someone who understands space phenomena far better than I."
Singularity blinks a bit and then stares at Lookout for a moment.
Phoenix scratches her head. "so.. um.. she will need a place to live."
Lookout sniffs Rikki a bit. "She doesn't smell of anything bad, tho."
Rikki seems to respond to Singularity, making a 'ship flying' gesture, "Seekin." She makes a second ship, "Bad. Shoot." She makes the first ship do an evasive gesture, then makes a round-and-round one, "Oh no."
Lookout says, "She got caught in something."
Singularity looks back to Rikki as she responds. "She got caught in the gravity well of a star... no... not a star."
Mantank says, "Who knows what Evil lurks in the hearts of men? The shadow knows."
Rikki gestures the ship going into the round thing, "Stars funny! Scotty, I need more power! Canna." She indicates the blown out engines.
To Rikki- Singularity says, "You got caught in a black hole?"
Rikki seems to not understand that word, "Accidents."
Mantank says, "A black hole? But surely, those are only hypothetical?"
El Cid looks over to Lookout for a moment, then to Phoenix. "I think so...' He says for a moment. "Well...where are we going to put her?" He says. "She seems to be functional, but she could have a lot of trouble interacting with people..." He turns to Singularity. "Excellent thought!"
Lookout shrugs. "Ask her."
Mantank says, "Right. Does anyone have a cannonball?"
Phoenix smiles, "We could teach her normal interaction stuff.."
Sgt Curren asks, "Why do you want a cannonball?"
Mantank says, "I believe I can explain to Rikki what may have happened to her, if Singularity is correct in her speculation."
Mantank says, "Also, a sheet of rubber would help."
Sgt Curren says, "We don't have cannonballs. Just artillery shells."
Singularity looks to Mantank. "Theoretical maybe, but certainly more than hypothetical. Surviving one... that would be hypothetical." Turning to El Cid, she continues, "It's consistent with what I'm observing from her, and her ship. She's been through something quite extraordinary, on the order of severe compression."
Lookout says, "Maybe it's something -like- a black hole?"
Rikki suddenly seems distressed, and then looks at her ship's communication array, "BROKE!!"
Mantank says, "Bowling balls would be better, or.. Wait, I'm thinking like a man without the ability to form iron in his hands. Do you have a lead weight? The kind used to anchor tethers on flight decks?"
Phoenix looks confused. "okay.. so.. is it okay if we find her a place to live before we theorize how she came to be stuck here..?"
El Cid looks over to Mantank quietly. "Well, that's interesting, certainly." He says for a moment. "But I really don't think that's a solution to the problem we face." He turns to Singularity. "I like Phoenix's idea, personally." o O (Maybe Jason Medina should provide her with a place to live. It might jeopardize my secret identity. I'll have to wait until some news reports come out.)
To Rikki- Lookout says, "... Don't worry, we'll find a replacement."
Mantank says, "Well, I'd be more comfortable if we ascertained that she's unlikely to be followed by hostile forces with unknown evil intention first, but housing is certainly a priority, too, I suppose."
Sgt Curren nods to Phoenix, "As long as you keep us informed."
Phoenix nods. "I don't think my cave is the best of places to have someone else live, but I can accomodate if it's needed. It's pretty spacious. It just lacks electricity."
El Cid looks over to Phoenix. "I think life without television might be...disturbing for her at first."
Mantank says, "We should ask about biological needs." He points to Rikki. "Food? Eat? Water? Drink?""
Rikki seems agitated, replying to Lookout, "Fort Courage on!"
Lookout says, "..."
Singularity rolls her eyes some at Mantank and looks back to Rikki. "I agree El Cid... No... I don't think she's going to be followed." She addresses the alien again. "Around and around and then... here?"
To Mantank- Lookout says, "TV. I think TV is important."
El Cid turns to the Sargeant. "Sir, if we could have...a television and an extension cord?"
Singularity says, "My guess is she picked up what English she could from the signals coming from Earth when she determined her trajectory would take her here."
The Seargent shakes his head, "We don't exactly get TV out on the boat, you know."
Phoenix smiles, "I'm going to have a room mate for a while? or..?"
Mantank says, "Correct me if I'm wrong, Phoenix, but don't you live in a cave on a mountainside inaccessible except by flight?"
Phoenix nods. "Yeah. I figured that was going to be a problem, but it's not something I can't accomodate."
El Cid turns to Phoenix for a moment. "We could always find a philanthropist to rent her a place."
Phoenix nods. "That would probably be better. I can volunteer to help keep an eye on her and guide her. I wouldn't mind doing that at all.."
To El Cid- Singularity says, "I... huh? Better be pretty cheap rent."
Rikki seems to look straight out at the city, "Don't change that channel."
Mantank says, "I would offer the Mantalab's secret resources, but they are undersea and, well, secret."
El Cid looks over to Rikki for a moment. "Oh...she's watching television through her...head..." He manages, his gaze looking over to Mantank. "Don't worry about your secret base for now."
Mantank tries to speak through his radio to Rikki, to confirm El Cid's guess, apparently missing El Cid's snub.
The heroes are aboard the USS Intrepid, which is making its way to the Naval Base.
Mantank focuses on radio communications with Rikki a moment. "Signal. Compensating. Testing. Testing."
Sgt Curren comes back, "The Liberty Squad is off-island right now, otherwise, they'd be the ones to take her. Can one of you keep her with you until Guardian comes back?"
Rikki seems agitated and tells Mantank, "Missing show."
El Cid looks over to Sgt Curren. "I nominate Phoenix for this job." He says congenially, turning to Rikki. "It will be rerun soon."
Singularity grins. "You're blocking her signal, and not even during a commercial."
Phoenix looks around, "I'll keep an eye on her. No problem. It'll be fun. Like a foreign exchange student and a slumber party all in one.." She smiles, happy with the idea.
Mantank says, "I think she may be dependent on radio broadcasts. One way or another. Out here we're too far. We have to get her to land."
Singularity nods in agreement with Phoenix and El Cid. "I think out of the city would be better, for everyone's security."
The Seargent tells Mantank, "We'll be docking soon. Not that it matters to people who fly, I suppose."
Mantank asks Rikki, trying to confirm, "Radio mmm-mmm good?"
Rikki nods and replies, "Mmm. Mmm. Good."
El Cid looks over to Singularity for a moment. "I hope to god she's not into soap operas. She'll be completely lost and have a hysterical fit. Given the progress of radio waves versus the rate of episodes shown..."
Singularity chuckles a bit at El Cid, shaking her head in mild amusement.
Mantank says, "Okay, I don't know if she has time to wait. She's a radiovore. We have to get her into range of the broadcast towers now.""
El Cid looks over to Mantank for a moment. "Excuse me?" He says for a moment. "I don't think she's dependant on radio waves for her livelihood. Otherwise, your broadcasts would be keeping her alive."
To Mantank- Singularity says, "Radiovore? Did you just make that up?"
Mantank points to Rikki's ship. "Mount up, Buckaroo." He points toward the city. "We're riding in to Virginia City." He turns to El Cid and Singularity. "I generate point oh five microamps. A broadcast tower fifty thousand kilowatts. Do the math."
Rikki shakes her head at Mantank, "Minnow is lost."
Mantank points to himself. "The Professor."
Rikki asks Mantank, "How come can't make boat?"
Singularity . o O (Not enough coconuts on the island to fix this ship, genius.)
Mantank explains, "Sea water eats coconut glue."
El Cid looks over to Mantank and shakes his head. "Your thesis is incredibly inaccurate. You have absolutely no proof whatsoever. So far, your only claim to fame is...." He chokes off for a moment and sputters. "She got you. Skewered you without even trying." He tries to restrain laughter and fails.
Mantank thinks . o O (He's so self-pleased he'd let this creature die rather than believe anyone else could be right.)
Singularity looks at Mantank. "Are you suggesting we cart her and her ship off to the base of the transmission towers?"
Mantank says, "Of course, something else generates thousands of watts. At this range, it would be enough to prove the point. Sargeant, can you request your navigator to fire up the ship's radar into the near microwave range, beaming forward to this vector?"
Singularity blinks. "I don't think that would be a very good idea, unless we all want a very intense tan..."
The Seargent looks aghast at Mantank, "Yes, but..are you sure?"
El Cid looks over to Mantank for a moment. "That's crazy! You'll irradiate everyone onboard. Sargeant, you can't do this. People will be hurt, and there's no telling how the spaceship will react to beamed microwaves."
Mantank says, "I'm quite sure we can endure two or three minutes exposure to the minimal radiation in the non-ionizing zone. We're talking about a radar procedure that's repeated thousands of times a year in naval ships worldwide."
Rikki makes a clicking sound, then tells El Cid, "Done. Funny Orork."
Singularity stares at Mantank incredulously. "Oh, Naval ships routinely aim their radar at the deck to 'warm it up'?"
Mantank thinks . o O (I wonder if I mentioned the sky was blue which of these two would scream orange first?)
El Cid looks over to Mantank for a moment. "Yeah...funny..." He manages. "What's an Orork?" He turns to Singularity, and activates his flight jets for a moment, lifting about six inches off the ground to whisper in Singularity's ear.
Phoenix sighs. "wow. All this just to find out.. Rikki? What do you eat? And are you hungry?"
Rikki nods to Phoenix, "Had bars in ship. See food. Not know yet."
Phoenix smiles. "Show me?"
Singularity nods to El Cid idly then looks at Phoenix. "See, now there's someone thinking."
Rikki walks back to the ship and reaches in to grab something. She brings it back to Phoenix, "Bar."
It looks like a brown bar of dirt.
El Cid lands again with a clinking noise on the deck, looking over to Mantank for a moment as he begins wandering away. His chest rises and falls with whhat appears to be a visible sigh of relief. "It's an alien ration..." He pauses for a moment, studying it. o O (I wonder what it's made of...)
Phoenix opens her hand to accept it, looking it over. "Well.. let's see." She takes a little sniff, breaking off a very small amount to taste, looking thoughtful.
Phoenix hms. "You probably won't find this in stores.. can you make more of it?"
Rikki winces, "Hope not. Taste bad. For trips."
Phoenix ahs. She smiles. "well.. hm. we don't know if you'll find what we eat good.."
Singularity looks at El Cid. "I think that debunks that... assertion."
Rikki nods, "Will die if not eat here." She seems to be at peace with this.
El Cid looks over to Rikki for a moment. "Sargeant, if you could get the boys in the mess hall to fix her something?" He says pleasantly. "It's got to be better than the bar of dirt."
Sgt Curren nods, "Good idea." and sends one the sailors to get something for Rikki. The sailor returns with what looks like a tuna salad sandwich. He holds it out to Rikki.
Phoenix nods. "so.. it might be worth the risk to discover." She grins slightly, though looks a little unsettled with how accepting Rikki is with the idea of death.
Rikki takes the sandwich, and seems to know what to do with it. She bites into it, then nods. "Food ok. Not die here. Stuck."
Singularity visibly holds back a yawn, then nods to everyone. "Well, I should be going... glad I was in the right place at the right time."
Rikki waves to Singularity, "Y'all come back now, hear?"
El Cid looks over to Singularity. "Thank you, Singularity..." He says. "I hope we meet again under less dire circumstances." o O (I hope I never see Mantank again.)
The Seargent tells Phoenix, "You'll be responsible for her until Guardian returns. If this is not all right, let me know. They have room on the base for her."
Singularity holds up a gloved hand in a wave to Rikki, a little chilled by the alien's casual use of a familiar TV farewell line. "Thank you, El Cid. Yes, I hope so. Goodnight." She smiles genuinely and a indigo glow lights up around her feet, rumbling the deck some as she lifts upwards and into the night sky.
Phoenix stretches her wings out for a moment, taking a long breath. It's late. She briefly considers how Rikki will react to her babysitter being on fire.. she nods to the Sergeant. "It's perfectly all right. I can easily juggle my career and act as a guide." She smiles.
Phoenix looks to El Cid. "I'll bring her to the cave for now, and stay with her til we can get something more suitable set up."
El Cid nods to Phoenix. "Sorry about arguing with Mantank back there, but I didn't want a group of salvage operators studying this thing before our boys got to it."
Phoenix nods. "I don't really think what happened back there is any longer important."
El Cid looks over to Phoenix and extends a hand. "Still friends?" He says congenially, turning to Rikki. "Oh, that's a Tuna Sandwich."
Rikki seems to have finished it, "Good tuna."
Phoenix nods, taking the hand offered. "No reason not to be. Right now we just need to worry about getting things settled after what could have been a very major disaster." she looks to Rikki, smiling again. and indicates herself. "Ashley." she bows slightly, an introductory gesture. She then offers her arms, "Fly with me?"
Rikki eyes Phoenix, but then moves to hold on to her. "Like Nun."
El Cid chuckles to Phoenix for a moment. "You could be...habit forming..." He says, his mask betraying no signs of emotion as he looks over to the Sargeant. "I think Phoenix has things well in hand for the moment, sir. Let's have a look at this spaceship in the meantime, hopefully, we'll be able to take some readings.'
Phoenix smiles, wings spreading out. "Like bird." Her wings light aflame, and she lifts into the air, going only a little higher than absolute minimum altitude for avoiding buildings. She decides to take a slightly scenic route to the cave.
Rikki makes clicking noises, "Up up and a way!"
El Cid loooks over to Phoenix and Rikki as they fly off. "Well, Sargeant, it looks like Phoenix has everything in hand, and I've got to be going now. The fight for justice never ends, you know." o O (Huacl will crucify me when I get back. He's going to wonder why I am putting a dry cleaning facility in the research center.)
Sgt Curren nods, "Thanks for the help. It would have been a disaster if that thing had crashed in the city."
El Cid rockets up into the sky, a blazing beacon of light as he races through the night, the swish of his lightray jets carrying him across the Gulf City skyline, justice on the metal wing.
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[Daily Olympian- March 20, 1967]
What at first appeared to be simply a meteor in the night sky became the subject of much chaos, after a group of superheroes realized that it was a small spaceship crashing to Earth. Phoenix and Lookout evacuated the possible crash sites, while other heroes flew up to try to intercept the ship.
Singularity, El Cid and Mantank managed to catch the crashing vessel, and deposited it on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Intrepid. Sergeant Ted Curren, of the Department of Defense, was on board and helped oversee the landing and the first investigation of the alien who was aboard the disabled vessel. Dubbed "Rikki", because her name is unpronounceable, and because the first words she spoke were an accented version of "Lucy, I'm home." from the "I Love Lucy" show, the alien seemed friendly and unharmed by the ordeal. She was questioned, and then released into the care of Phoenix until such time as Liberty Squad returns from their latest mission. The Navy is keeping the vessel for study, although a spokesman said that the ship was totally disabled and almost no part of it was salvageable.
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