Learning Curve

From HOTGT

Mark was back at underHill Technologies after the fight with Kaija studying his own self as best he could. He felt different some how. Was it the proximity to the chaos energies, or the vast cosmic energies Kaija itself? He didn't know. He began noticing small changes. For one, he discovered that his forcefields were no longer invisible. They always seemed to glow a little reddish to him before, it was how he was able to keep track of them, but now, he discovered they were reddish to all. Was this a temporary affect, or some permanent change? With Impossibilities it was hard to know. The device they used to banish Kaija may have altered the very fabric of reality. Another discovery was that his forcefields seemed permanent attached to himself. It was tiring to maintain even the smallest forcefield at a distance. His own body's forcefield seemed as strong as ever, and now he could project additional forcefields at a distance, but still connected to him. He also noticed he could almost feel them, in much the same way he could feel an attack through his own forcefield.

A package arrived from Defense Corps. It was the requirements for their universal communication system. A simple satalite phone system, but one that would be rugged and inexpensive enough to use in the deserts of Sudan, or the Jungles of Burma. He looked took the package from the UPS woman and heard her comment almost under her breath about him not looking like the sort of nerdy scientist. He looked up and said, "Thank you, you don't look so bad yourself." She seemed puzzled and started to ask him what he meant, but instead she left quickly. Mark sensed something was different. Had he somehow added her to his mental network, or did he read her surface thoughts. As she walked to her truck he thought to her "wait a second." She spaused and turned around. Looking at him expectantly. "Nevermind" he said aloud waving her off. She shrugged her shoulders and got into her truck and left.

Hmmm.. there are more changes than I realized, he thought to himself. He seemed able to project and read thoughts at a distance. He began to devise a series of tests to find the limits of his new abilities.

While some of his abilities seemed greatly limited. His mental blasts were not wildly inaccurate (compared to before), but their power seemed considerably more. His force objects seemed more powerful too, he found himself able to generate a bolt of force more powerful than a tank blast, and somewhat more accurate than before. He would need to practice more to learn the limitations. The other thing he noticed was that he was able to use both his personal forcefield and project force simultaneously a trick he was never particularly good at before. This would open up more possibilities in the I-hero front, but only after he learned his limitations and abilities. He spent the better part of that night working out the details of his powers, and testing them as best he could. He could not test out the limits of his mental blast safely, since he didn't want to hurt anyone (and there were no squirrels about), so he limited most of his practice to his force powers.

Even though he was limited to projecting his force objects from his body, he fould he could extend it about 25 meters and create platforms attached to his field capable of lifting a tremndous amount of weight, far more than before. He also noticed that he needn't make a special platform to lift himself, since he reasoned his one forcefield was just a platform. Stepping out onto the roof of his building, he donned his suit and tested the new limits of his flight. Hurling himself into the air he found himself out over the ocean in seconds, so fast that it took him some time to find his way back since he soon lost sight of the land. He would need to equip himself was some navigational assistnace if he were to use this in the future. He eventually flew up high enough and in the right direction to spot land, when he flew toward the city, he saw the skyline of Seattle in his sights. He had clearly increased his speed considerably.

"Maybe I should change my name." He thought. "Not really a slow moving Tank, any more." But the thought vanished as quickly as it came.

He angled southward and flew to Paradox City, as he got closer, he surveyed the city he called home. Things seemed right for a change. It no longer felt like his powers were an ill fitting suit, or his life was turned inside out. True, he could be faced with death again, at any moment, true his identity was always in jeopardy of being revealed, true, he still hadn't been able to muster the courage to talk to Lola Deveraux, but things felt better somehow. His thoughts were clearer, quicker and more cogent. He dropped down through the skyline, sent the wake of his red energy trail following him through the twists and turns of the cityscape and descended into the unfinished olympic park, into a currently deserted section. He dropped his shields, and pulled off his mask. he pulled a loose-fitting nylon shirt out his small storage unit at the small of his back, and pulled it over his head. He looked like someone out for a run or bike, and he jogged back to his building.

After a quick fully clothed sonic shower (he reminded himself to send in for the patent for that little invention) he walked over to the phone. Punched up the number on his anonymizing line, and waited for the answer. After a few rings a machine picked up. "You've reached the office of Agent Deveraux of the IAT, at the tone.." He hung up.

Grabbing his mask and a second change of clothes he tapped his comm-link.

"Hey ThinkTank," he heard Fortune's Agent say through the ear piece. "I am coming in to do some work if you want to take off early," Mark said into the comm.

Seconds later he was in the air angling towards the site of their hidden base.

Heroes of the Great Tree Topics
Impossibilities	I-verse background • Player Characters • NPCs • House Rules
Phantapunk	Aeryn Background • Player Characters • NPCs • House Rules
Concrete & Crimson	World Background • Scoobies • NPCs • House Rules
Keep Flying	The 'Verse • The Crew • NPCs • House Rules
Polybius	The World • Investigators • NPCs • House Rules
Labyrinth	The World • PCs • NPCs • House Rules