668/Lights out at JFK

Lights out at JFK
Date of Scene:	29 May 2017
Location:	JFK Airport
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Miss Martian, 205, Star Shimmer, Dragonfly (Arazello)

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Miss Martian has posed:
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport, the busiest transportation hub in the world. Thousands of jets a day come in and take off. Things are about to get complicated...a flash of what appears to be lightining strikes a youth standing in line...and the lightning KEEPS striking, as arcs of electricity flow in from the surroundings, causing power to go out in a rapidly increasing radius. The Control Tower loses power, causing planes in flight to suddenly lack contact with the ground...

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
"What, no Identicards? How'dyall know who's who?" remarks a masculine voice to a woman behind a counter. <~Ain' got me a damn clue what she's on about. Passports...~> he thinks. The man is tall, burly, and -- thanks to holographic technology -- looks like a guy in jeans, boots and a sheepskin jacket. There's a longshoreman's cap on his head. And there's a horse just outside -- a blue roan.

"Your passport, sir," the woman reiterates. "And... is that your horse? What's it -- how did you get a horse out on the tarmac?"

The man -- Ser Theo Mercier -- rubs one of his temples with a knuckle and shakes his head. <~This ain' gon' work...~> and he immediately alters the attendant's memory of him, his horse... and stops dead in his tracks.

"What'n hell?" he exclaims to himself, and breaks into a run -- for the doors leading outside just as the power fails. "Sun's Almighty Gaze..."

Star Shimmer has posed:
Miles away, In Gotham, Autumn is just stirring. She wakes to a strange voice ringing in her head. A voice she's heard once before. That of the AI in her ring, Libby.

~ Autumn. Its time to wake up. You need to charge the ring. ~

Autumn Stirrs a little and groans, "Charging? No one said anything about charging the ring. I don't see a plug or a USB Jack, so how?"

~ Like this! ~ In through a window flies a Violet Lantern. It glows with power and lands on front of her. ~ Put the ring to the Lantern and say the Star Sapphire Oath. ~ She then tells Autumn the Oath.

"Okay that oath sucks. I am so going to tweak it but until then..." she puts the ring to the lantern. "For Hearts long lost and full of fright for those alone in blackest night, accept our ring and join our fight, Love Conquers All with Violet Light."

The ring is charged quickly. Now awake, Autumn smiles, "I'm going for a flight and I'm going to get Bagels and Shmear from NYC!" With that, her clothing shift to her uniform and she takes off into air, flying towards NYC and of course JFK Airport.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy looks through her purse, fumbling with an organizer in one hand that does the opposite of what its name indicates. "OK," she mumbles to herself. "She'll be arriving in 25 minutes. Just, which gate?"
    The power loss first causes an annoyed groan. Then, as unease and alarm spreads, she looks around, spotting the unusual lightning bolt action. "OK, Nancy, none of your business. There's others around whose business this is and who do a better job than you can."
    She looks around. Notices a lack of heroics. Waits patiently for three seconds. Groans.
    "Unless you're first at the scene, dammit!"
    She hurries away from where the crowd is running to, finding a spot away from people and out of sight. In the gloom between the lockers there's a flash of light. A smell of ozone. And the powerful whoosh of air as something roughly human size zips through the air, and through the plate glass in the direction of the lightning bolt at slightly sub-sonic speeds.
    "Someone's going to answer for this," Dragonfly says, gritting her teeth.

Miss Martian has posed:
M'gann hears the mental shouts of panic from where she is resting. She quickly assumes Martian form, disperses ner mass (so as not to create sonic booms) and flies at speed towards the source of the spreading panic. She quickly realizes that there is something she can do that will take all her attention. She lands on top of the Tower and turns herself into a mental switchboard...creating an illusion for he tower that power is back on and communications and radar are restored...but in trality tranmitting information directly mind to mind from each plane to the ground crew and back. It will do nothing about the source of the problem, but at least the planes will not crash while she is on the job...

The unfortunate young Mutant whose powers have just manifested has no control yet over them. He is syrrounded on all sides by arcs of electricity flowing into the energy sump he has become. He has fallen to his knees and covered is head, and no one can hear him screaming over the sound the electricity is making...

In the darkened terminal, hundreds of people are in various states from anger to panic...

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
Back-up generators around the airport come to life... only to soon succumb to the energy-draining abilities of the young mutant. Security personnel practically flood the terminal, only to be lost amid the far greater flood of panicked civilians.

The mental and emotional turmoil is... chaotic.

It gives a certain Psyber-Knight a headache. It is like a warzone, just without the war. For now. The horse on the tarmac is eerily calm, just standing there while his master makes his way toward him.

<~Too much psychic interference ta disperse this crowd, Horse!~> the knight thoughtspeaks to the animal. <~Ah cain't help that way. Ah'ma try'n contain the threat... if ya can call a kid a threat... Sol's Blazin' Balls... ah know, ah know. Sorry Sol. Wonder if anyone else is about can lend a hand... ~>

Mercier vaults up into the saddle, and gallops across the airport in the dark. The lack of light helps conceal the change that comes over horse and rider... and by the time they reach the mutant, the holographic disguise is gone. The horse -- clearly a robot of some kind -- is no longer exactly 'on' the ground.

<~Got ourselves a problem here... It's just a kid...~>

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn suddenly gets a horrible feeling. Hate? She can feel it hitting her. She stops mid flight. The feeling is enough to make her sick. Then Fear adds in. Its the lack of love though that just hurts. Quickly she turns and makes her way toward JFK. Unlock others, She pushes herself to just shy of Supersonic, keeping herself from damaging things.

Finally she arrives to one heck of a lightning show. Quickly she moves to the tunnel. The heart of the emotional chaos. "Why do I have to wear this? I look like a stripper!" She grouches to Libby before she finally lands. "Everyone CALM DOWN!!! We're going to get through this!" Her eyes close as she focuses on the love in her heart. Her mind goes to an idea to protect them. Raising her ring, Violet light erupts and expands, covering the people in a dome. Its a strong force field but... It could be destroyed...

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    The air traffic control may be replaced, but that doesn't help much the aircraft in final approach when the power drain started. Especially when all the onboard electrical systems have gone haywire in response to all the disruption in the electrical fields. One of Boeing's larger jets is in such a position and coming in fast and hard. The crew is desperately following procedure to bring it back under control, but Dragonfly's trained eyes guess that the aircraft will be approximately 35m under the ground before that happens ... unless someone can help.
    "Sound barrier be damned," she mutters as she accelerates to intercept, catching the bulky aircraft gently at the nose before starting to push, hard, straight up, flattening the descent before pushing it upward.
    "That's gonna have to do," she says, releasing the jet's nose, leaving her nervous hand prints in its skin. She hovers briefly outside the window and signals vaguely upward to the crew before zipping off.
    She pauses in midair to catch her bearings before zeroing in on the energy drain, starting to zip toward it.

Miss Martian has posed:
Ser Mercier spots the source of the problem, but realizes it is a problem for him too as his steed has its power drained. It falls to the ground ans slids to a halt. Dragonfly catches the lowest plane and starts towards the young mutant as well...only to realize tha more planes are coming into the zone of power loss. Autumn puts up a shield over the airport...and sees the power arcs still continuing and the power remains out. "Perhaps a tight shield around the mutant," is suggested to her by her ring.

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
<~Ah can probably shield the -- hey!!~>

The Psyber-Knight's mental outcry pierces the cacophony of fear around the place as he is thrown clear of his steed. Now there's an upgrade he'll be building into the cybernetic stallion when he has a chance... but later. He rolls, rising upon a knee, and looks upward through the amber-glowing visor over his face.

<~Ah can feel ya up there...~> he projects to the echoes of 'helpful' minds in the sky. He doesn't pry any further to sense more details; it's enough to know he's not 'on the job' alone. Then he turns his attention to the mutant, and walks slowly forward. A blazing shield of electro-magnetic energy surrounds the man, hands raised in a placating fashion. It should spare him the same fate as his horse.

<~Easy, be easy...~> he tells the mutant. <~Ah can feel ya, kid... Yo' thoughts're all over -- focus on mine. Listen to mah voice in yo' head -- you got this. Weren't so long ago ah was jus' like ya... Listen ta me.~>

A pause.

<~How ya'll doin' with those planes up there?~> he projects upward.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn nods, "Your right. But the civillians needed protection first." She leaves that shield up for now. She quickly moves upwards, flying towards the mutant at high speed. Quickly a sphere of violet light wraps around him. She Holds on tight, focusing on her love and trying her hardest to maintain both fields. Its difficult. Not something she's ever done before. Why would she have. She's only had a little practice using constructs but, Its not like she's using anything complicated.

"Listen to me. You're safe. No one is going to harm you I promise. I just need you to calm down. Please. Talk to me." She states hoping to gods this young mutant is in a listening mood.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    There's a thing about jet aircraft. They make a sound when they're in distress that an aeronautical engineer will hear like fingernails on a chalkboard. Loudly.
    "Dammit!" Dragonfly shouts, her course bending away from the energy sucker as she orients on the next nearest aircraft. "How am I supposed to take care of the source when I have to catch these damned birds!"
    She zips toward the aircraft the most in distress and repeats her earlier performance, this time with more certainty and brusqueness, as she practically tosses the plane upward before going full speed--a thundering crack following distantly in her wake--as she races toward the next plane, almost touching the tarmac.
    This one she can't throw upward any longer; she instead tries to bring it down to earth in a less explosive crash, directing it to avoid major obstacles; she instead lets it grind to a halt in an empty field as close to the fire station as is possible.
    "Sorry," she says, distractedly, looking skyward as she leaps up again. "More to catch."

Miss Martian has posed:
The dome over the Mutant stops the inflow of electricity. The other planes will no longer lose power as they come down and the power in the airport will soon reboot itself. Even the robot steed will quickly recover. However, the mutant is having trouble...his metabolism is geared to function on a constan inflow of electricity, it is as vital to him as breathing, without it he feels like he is suffocating...something both Ser Mercier and Autumn will realize.

M'gann spares a thought, <~Keeping up so far, once the tower reboots things will be a lot better.~>

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
<~Catchin' flyin' craft...~> Mercier muses toward Dragonfly with a mental smirk to accompany his words. <~Now ain' that a thing...~> To M'gann, whose alien mind doesn't seem all that different to the knight -- in fact, he finds it oddly soothing, encountering another alien -- he also offers a mental nod.

<~We doin' our best down here... but if we cut off this lad's access ta power sources... ah reckon he'll die. Need another solution...~>

To the mutant, he remarks: <~ Di'n yo' parents teach ya not ta be greedy, son? You can take big breaths or little breaths -- think like that or yo' gon' be treated as the threat y'are. Ain' gon' end well then, son... Goddamnit.~> A fiery-golden shield forms around the youth as well as Autumn's own forcefield. To Autumn, Mercier asks: <~We gotta get him away from here... an' mah horse is... a...ha. Sleepin'. Reckon you can get him out? Ah can help keep him shielded. Cain't think o' nothin' else.~>

Star Shimmer has posed:
"Oh Crap." Autumn can sense the problem. As the lightning ceases, she drops the shield over the Airport. "Listen to me. Just hold on a few minutes. I'm getting you to safety so I can let you out. Just try to calm down."

Autumn finally reaches out telepathically to those around her. ~ Heads up, I am going to move this guy. He needs to go somewhere that he can't hurt anyone and I can let him out of the bubble. If I keep him in this it will kill him. ~

Then She takes off pulling the young mutant along with her. She quickly gains altittude and carries him towards an open area, Outside of NYC. "Just a moment more. Hold on." ~If you can still hear me, Outside of Vailsburg is where I'm heading. There is a clearing there.~

Her ring chimes in to her, ~Autumn I'm detecting electricity in he earth that this young mutant is drawing on. If you can help him to lighten his draw, it would save him.~

Finally She stops and lets the young teen out. "Listen to me. You're pulling electricity from the Earth itself. Close your eyes and imagine your drawing on the electric like a sponge drawing water. Imagine squeezing that sponge, preventing too much of that energy entering you. You can do this kid. I know you can."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    As the aircraft begin to take over their own control, Dragonfly corkscrews into the sky, looking for the mutant at the heart of the problems. Spotting him she starts to race toward him just as Autumn's message gets through. She redirects and slows down, riding shotgun, ready to assist should the problem escape the force field it has been temporarily contained in, rolling around it, keeping within a second's flight in case things should go west.
    When the teen is let out in the clearing, Dragonfly stops, hovering a short distance off the ground, staring at the teen.
    "Got that out of your system?" she snaps. "Or am I going to have to stop hundreds of other people from getting killed?"

Miss Martian has posed:
At the Airport, things are reverting to normal, M'gann slowly stops acting as the switchboard as individual systems come back on line. Once things are back to normal, she flies over to join the others. She simply observes for the moment...

The problem should be evident to Mercier (and M'gann), the part of his mind that controls his powers is not yet fully developed and he lacks experience, thus he has no control yet on how deeply he draws on the electricity around him. Someone might possibly show him the linkages he needs mentally if they could sense and map them.

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
Ser Mercier backs away from the mutant, in the direction of his fallen cyber-horse. He cautiously extends a hand toward the automaton, and encases it in a similar shield, charging it at the same time. He nods to Autumn.

<~Not a bad tactic there,~> he tells her with approval. <~Got me an idea also...~> The psychic knight puts an image in the mutant's head -- a picture of how the heliokinetic Mercier manages to control his own powers... which begin with absorption as well -- except from the sun.

"You can draw yo' energy from the earth, like the woman done said, son," he remarks aloud, the accent vaguely reminiscent of Louisiana. "Jus'... soak it up, like she done toldja. Ah gotta do the same thing."

The cyber-horse climbs to his feet, and starts acting like a living creature again. Mercier mounts up, and rises into the air, knight and steed reunited. "'Least we don' have the military breathin' down our necks... yet," he mutters. Or neo-religious groups hellbent on the control of people with powers. Ai...

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn nods to Ser Mercier. She gives him a smile. Then its back to business. "He's right. Listen to him kid. We're here for you. We don't want anything bad to happen to you. What happened at the airport is not your fault. You're a mutant. Thats not a bad thing. You do have a responsibility now though. You need to learn how to use your abilities so you don't hurt others with them."

"We believe in you. You gotta believe in yourself. Don't be afraid." A smile crosses her lips as love begins pouring out of her toward him. She doesn't even realize it is happening. "Love Drives Out Fear. Focus on what you love. Not on being afraid of this. Its new. That doesn't mean you should fear it."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Dragonfly just continues with the hovering and glowering, the hippy stuff flowing past her as she regards the newly broken-out mutant.
    "Isn't there a school for people like this?" she wonders aloud. "Xavier's or something like that? Should someone maybe go drop by that place and bring in some specialists who know what they're dealing with?"

Miss Martian has posed:
M'gann knows how to "ghost" someone, a learning technique that lets you copy someone who already knows what they are doing...for a time. She mentally Ghosts Mercier and helps relay the information to the young mutant. Between the two telepaths and the empathic help from Autumn, the youth is under control, for now. M'gann says loud, "I am not from around here, I do not know. If you can contact someone from there for us, it might help."

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
<~You can say that again...~> Mercier replies psychically to all four heroes. Accompanying his words is an image of a moon (not Luna), terraformed, with futuristic cities... and then the image is gone.

He shares with the mutant the same techniques M'gann had shared with him, and then shifts his attention to the humans left in the dark down on the ground. In response to the problem, Mercier conjures numerous glowing spheres of amber fire, and floats them around the airport. It isn't much... but it's light, and shielded from the boy's powers.

<~These places that train kids like this...~> he ventures afterward. <~They don'... hurt 'em, do they? Ah'd be awful reluctant ta leave him with folks might have... ill intentions, if ya'll take mah meanin'.~>

To Autumn he inquires: <~We gettin' through? Kid's so caught up in terror... hard ta hear anythin' else.~>

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn frowns, "I don't know anything about such a school. Sounds pretty cool though. My abilities aren't innate. Well my intellect is but I'm not like you all. My super powers come from a ring."

She looks over at Ser Mercier and nods. ~ Yes he is. He's calming down. ~ But yeah, I wish I had a school I could go to so I could learn to use my powers. But, At least my ring is helping me to learn. AI and stuff." she laughs a little.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "No, these guys advocate for mutants," Dragonfly says, hastily, obviously shocked at the implication that she'd recommend hurting the child. "They've got a team that goes around and punches up bad guys for PR, even. X-something. I know where their mansion is, I think. I can zip off and get them and they can take over."
    She hovers a bit higher off the ground, looking around to get her bearings.
    "Say the word and I'll fetch them."

Miss Martian has posed:
Miss Martian says, "It is probably the best solution available. We can teach the basics, but there is only so much we can do. A place that specializes in training people with similar powers is probably best. We who are helping him should stay here while you do so."

Ser Mercier (205) has posed:
The cybernetic Horse gallops across the skies, running as though upon solid ground. He stops at a good vantage point, and his rider -- Mercier -- looks across at his new acquaintances.

<~Ah can go with the kid, if ya like,~> he offers. <~Ah wanna see this here school. From the looks o' things... folks're gettin' power restored on the ground. Ah can hear me the traffic.~> And he taps the side of his helmet. <~Let's do this. Yo' gon' be awlright, son. It'll be awlright.~> That last part is to the mutant.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn nods to Dragonfly, "Do it." She looks at the kid. "Don't worry. I'm going to stay here with you until friends show up. You are safe. I know you are probably worried about your family and the people who got hurt. Its okay. They are receiving help. We will get word to your family that you are safe."

A glint hits her. A feeling... Abandonment... It echos inside her. "Hey, listen to me. No matter what, your family loves you. You are still their son. If they can't accept this, others will. You are not alone, kid." She frowns and reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Follow my lead, then," Dragonfly says to the weird guy on horseback. "I'll keep it down speedwise. No need to shatter windows if the purple goth chick there can maintain our friend's cool for long enough."
    She takes off into the sky a few dozen feet and spins in the air.
    "That way, I think," she calls down, pointing. "We may have to stop at a tourist information centre, though, if I get lost." With that she flies off, slowly at first, then increasing speed for as long as the techno-magic telepathic knight can keep up.
    "We're off to see the wizard..." her voice floats behind her as she sings in flight.