INT. - FREEDOM FIVE HQ
The looming figure of HAKA is lounging around the headquarters of the Freedom Five, being regarded with open awe by DEVRA CASPIT and with casual, over-the-glasses appraisal by AMINIA TWAIN. Dressed in a casual button-down white shirt and tan slacks, rather than his usual furs and loincloth, the Maori nonetheless has his traditional weapons, the Taiaha and the Mere, close at hand in case they are needed. Though relaxed, he is clearly ready for action. Suddenly the tentacle-headed alien refugee who goes by the Earther name "Mack Dalton", better known to the American media as TEMPEST, bursts in through the door.
TEMPEST: "Sorry I'm late…I'm afraid I accidentally destroyed the Earth radio you gave me to stay in touch when I tried to remote-activate it, so I had to find a payphone to check the backup voicemail drop. I'm not used to such primitive technology, where you actually have to walk over and push a button when the message comes in."
HAKA (amused): "Primitive?" (raises eyebrow exactly like Spock)
DEVRA: "Hey, be nice…"
TEMPEST: "It's okay, it's an old joke. He likes comparing me to all of your television aliens. And he knows that I don't consider him any more primitive than the rest of you."
HAKA: "Indeed. He comes from such an advanced culture, having long since evolved beyond the need for such barbaric Earthling concepts as tact."
The big man's tone is clearly jocular; their first meeting at the tail end of "Tempest" established their characterization as friendly rivals and participants in mutual affectionate snarking. DEVRA (first seen briefly in "Tachyon") is unaware of this, having barely met Tempest and not in Haka's presence. From the back of the room, AMINIA speaks up in a voice that carries remarkably despite its low volume.
AMINIA: "Well, never mind all that you two. Now that you're here, Mr. Dalton, we have a situation. There have been a series of unsolved burglaries of museum exhibits in various East Coast cities over the past several nights, and the last one was discovered about an hour ago in Centerville, just twenty minutes away from here. Mr. Wakarewarewa has been eager to head out there ever since the call came in, but you will remember that standard FV protocol dictates that there must always be at least two Licensed Respondents for scenarios involving possible super-activity, and the anomalies relating to the previous thefts suggest that the perpetrator has powers of a yet-to-be-determined nature. Our insurance premiums are high enough without our Maori friend running off by himself and getting his jaw broken or something."
DEVRA: "If you need another superhero, I coulda gone out there with him! I've even been thinking about a codename…what do you think of 'The Unbelievable Utility?"
TEMPEST: "It makes you sound like an appliance that one might buy off a late-night infomercial…" (DEVRA looks downcast.)
AMINIA (ignoring Tempest): "You know very well that you're still not old enough to receive an Extralegal Danger Interdiction license…your parents agreed to this internship so that you could learn from Dr. Stinson, not put your life in jeopardy by running around in pursuit of psychopaths. We don't need a lawsuit for reckless endangerment, to say nothing of an international incident. Remember, the eyes of the whole world are on the Freedom Five and their associates; even if the risk is minimal we cannot afford to be seen behaving irresponsibly."
DEVRA: "Awuh…"
AMINIA: "So now that you're here, Mr. Dalton, you and Mr. Wakarewarewa should proceed immediately to the site of the break-in. The 'Wraith' has given you both permission to use her helicopter to get there inside of five minutes, as long as you don't interfere with the pilot."
TEMPEST nods and HAKA gets up from the comically tiny stool he was somehow not crushing beneath his bulk while speaking to DEVRA. Both heroes proceed to the elevator without further comment.
EXT. - HELICOPTER OVER MEGALOPOLIS.
PILOT: "Just our luck. Weather conditions are looking dangerous up ahead, if this keeps up I'm going to have to…"
Tempest sticks one hand out of the window of the helicopter and points imperiously toward the thick clouds that are blowing directly toward the chopper. At a speed that looks just within the realm of natural possibility, the mass of cumulonimbus lightens, thins, and parts before suddenly shifting winds, clearing the whirlybird's path.
PILOT: "…nevermind."
AMINIA (over loudspeaker): "I've followed up with the director of the Centerville History Center…he confirms that the theft of a Puritan-era Sterling-silver spindle was due to a highly improbable series of security failures, suggesting that it does indeed fit our mystery crook's pattern. In all cases, only one item was stolen, too unique to easily fence and of at best moderate practical usefulness, so the thief's motive would seem to be either artistic, philosophical, or esoteric. And in all cases, their ability to gain access was seemingly due to a string of unusual coincidences, suggesting a subtle and highly versatile powerset. You'll need to be on your g…hang on… … …Incoming dispatch from Centerville PD! Super-combat in progress at the intersection of Strong and Fuller Streets! Two unknown females, one reported to have wings and be armed with a sword, believe it or not, and the other matching the (admittedly rather vague) eyewitness descriptions of a possible suspect linked to three out of the seven robberies. Your new instructions are to intercept, detain both parties and determine their identities and intentions…priority is to avoid collateral damage and then to prevent severe bodily harm to either combatant. Third priority is to bring the non-winged one in for questioning; fourth is to determine whether the winged one is an unlicensed vigilante, and proceed accordingly once her intentions are known. Please acknowledge."
TEMPEST: "Got it, HQ."
HAKA: "Understood, Aminia."
PILOT: "Changing course now, Ms. Twain! Chopper out. …Wings, huh? Bet that'll come in handy, assuming they really work. It'll be hard enough getting one person to fit back there with you, big guy…no offense."
HAKA: "None taken."
PILOT: "I keep telling Miss Mo…er, The Wraith that we might need to have space for as many as six other passengers in this bird at some point…she just said she'll think about it. Anyway, we're coming up on the battle site now…boy, there they are, and are they ever going at it! There's no place for me to land, you two will just have to jump out. I'll hover 100 feet up and drop a ladder when you signal."
TEMPEST: "Jump, eh? I guess I'm about to be 'The Man Who Fell To Earth'!"
HAKA: "Don't worry, little space-buddy! I'll catch you!" (Tempest rolls his eyes.)
EXT: CENTERVILLE
Camera cuts to the outside of the copter as both passenger doors open, then pans down to the street, where FANATIC and KISMET are going at it. As the faint "boom" of Haka landing can be heard, FANATIC thrusts her sword ABSOLUTION at KISMET, who dodges at the last second. The sword sticks in a(n in)conveniently placed telephone pole, and KISMET kicks it out of her hand, causing it to skitter away across the street.
KISMET: "That's a pretty antique you've got, crazy lady! Think after I'm finished putting you down for your midday nap, I'll hang onto it!"
FANATIC: "You have taken far too much already, scoundrel! REPENT!" (Her bursts into holy fire!)
KISMET: "Oh, I doubt that'll happen. And you should do some doubting yourself." (Her hand goes into her blouse and comes out clutching a small brown disk, which we can't yet see clearly.)
Round One
Kismet - Charmed Scoundrel (70)
In Play: The Talisman [7]
Trash:
Start of Turn: All heroes doubt themselves for 1.
Play a Card: Karmic Disjunction reveals Karmic Disjunction, Violent Trickster, Shaky Arm and Unlucky Break. Any one hero takes Shaky Arm. Unlucky Break is played but has no effect. The other two are shuffled and returned to the villain deck. (Since shuffling two cards is impossible, I rolled for it. Kismet will not get lucky this turn.)
End of Turn: Karmic Disjunction is revealed and shuffled into the villain deck.
In Play: The Talisman [7], Shaky Arm
Trash: Karmic Disjunction, Unlucky Break
Effects: Reduce damage dealt by the Jinxed hero by 1.
Hero HP: Fanatic 29, Haka 31, Tempest 25.
