6740/Pantheon the Social Worker

Pantheon the Social Worker
Date of Scene:	03 March 2019
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Captain Marvel Jr., Mon-El

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Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy is doing exactly what he would have been doing a year ago, shooting hoops. It is a lot harder doing it left handed because you need a crutch i your right hand to move about though. Still, he continues at it with dogged determination, and rarely misses a shot. Limping to recover the ball adter each shot is the hard part. He could try out for a wheelchair basketball league, but he does not need a chair, just a single crutch. He will have to head home soon and do his homework, but being as good an athlete as he an be matters, even if that is not what it once was. He wonders if he will ever walk normally again, they are making strides in cybernetics, so who knows? Freddy misses a shot, sighs, and goes to retrieve the ball.

Mon-El has posed:
    The ball bounces off toward the street, but the fence around the courts keeps it from actually going out there. Instead, it just kind of rebounds off of the chainlink, causing it to vibrate slightly before falling back onto the concrete.

    The bus stop is just beyond the spot where the ball bounced--empty at the moment. But as Freddy is moving to retrieve the ball, something that looks like it's maybe about the size of his fist suddenly goes through the roof of the stop and lands with a crack on the ground under the now-shattered covering. A small plume of smoke rises from the damaged bus stop.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy frowns, that looked like some kind of explosion, he should check it out. Probably NOT as Freddy Freeman though. Freddy says, "Shazam!"

Instantly lightning strikes and the lame youth is replaced by a mighty figure in blue and gold with a white cloak. Pantheon easily leaps over the fence, landing beside the bus stop and peers within, wondering if he can put out fires as easily as create them. The ball remains on the court, momentarily forgotten.

Mon-El has posed:
    Well, by the time Pantheon gets over to the bus stop, the fire isn't really a concern any more. The sidewalk is sort of blackened and smoldering where a crater has been created, but nothing is really on fire. The roof is pretty much destroyed, but that'll be the city's job to fix.

    At the center of the crater, is what appears to be a metallic sphere of some kind. It is covered in strange markings and breaks that seem to indicate outer plating that can shift around easily or move about in some way. Small pinpricks of light flicker feebly across its frame.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy frowns slightly. *Pick it up child* urges the voice of Ate as he starts to reach for the sphere. He does so, reasonably confident he can survive, but slightly worried that it might be a bomb or something. He wonders if it could be something alive or some kind of plea for help, perhaps the Compassion of Apanel can tell him...

Mon-El has posed:
    Nope, it isn't a bomb. Well at least it doesn't appear to be...yet. When he picks it up, it starts to turn and the panels shift and move apart from each other, with more panels emerging in the space between them. Yes, it appears to be expanding, until it is a bit larger than his head. If he allows it, it hovers an inch or two into the air above his hand. One of the panels that retracts reveals a single optic that focuses on in on his face as a light passes over his body. Must be some kind of scan, but nothing to indicate any hostility or danger just yet.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Well, whatever it is is still active, and so far does not appear hostile. He could easily ctush it, but implusively (thanks Ate) lets it expand to see what it does. As it scans him, he is curiousabout what it can detect about him. If they can communicate, perhaps he can find out. He can tell from it's actions that it is something aware, compassion makes him want to find out its motives (score one for Apanel).

Mon-El has posed:
    Up and down, up and down, the light moves several times. Finally, it stops. Then it turns and if he'll let it, it floats out of his hand, headed back toward the basketball court. It flies over the fence and fires some kind of tractor beam at the ball that Freddy had momentarily forgotten about. The beam catches the ball, swinging upward and then shuts off, causing the ball to be thrown toward the basket. Though, it doesn't quite get through, instead just sort of bounces off of the rim of the hoop and falls back to the concrete, bouncing several times before coming to a stop. But the machine is already after the basketball even before then, trying to fire the tractor beam again to catch it. It misses several times, but finally grabs it again. It's actually...kind of cute.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy easily vaults the fence and picks up the ball after it drops. Very carefully he tosses the ball, it shakes the pole and bounces off. He needs to practice more at doing mundane things in this form. *Careful child, you have strength enough to wreck the planet,* cautions Apanel. *The Planet, bah, if it were solid and not gas he could smash the sun,* responds S'ivaa proudly.

Mon-El has posed:
    After Freddy has tossed the basketball, the creature...robot...whatever it was, seems to eagerly go for it again, firing the tractor beam a few times before finally catching it once more. Except this time, instead of going for the hoop again, it tries to throw the ball to -him-. Though, passing a ball along a more lateral path is kind of difficult when you don't have hands, so it kind of flies upward too high and he'd have to jump up to grab it or try to estimate where it will land in order to make the catch.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy elects not to jump, far too easy to get excited and jump too far. Instead, he backs up to catch the ball and tosses it back, letting his instincts (guided by Ate) tell him how hard to throw. That seems to work. He wishes these powers came with an instruction manual, there is a lot to learn.

Mon-El has posed:
    The ball goes forth again, and the spherical robot rushes after and fires the tractor beam again, catching it on the first try this time. It makes a bleeping sound that -could- be interpreted as giggling or an expression of enjoyment.

    But suddenly, it drops the basketball and darts behind Freddy, as if frightened of something. Indeed, there is now a young man not too much older than Freddy himself standing a few paces behind him, though Pantheon may have heard him coming flying like a man-sized bullet. For the moment he just looks kind of flabberghasted, just goggling at Pantheon and his new...basketball partner.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Pantheon turns when the...robot? Well when the one he is playing with seems to try to duck for cover and he hears the sound of an oubject rapidly flying through the air. He looks at the man who has just arrived, "We are playing a pick-up game, feel free to join us." Best not to assume hostility.

Mon-El has posed:
    "..." Lar continues to stare at him, as if he seriously cannot believe this ridiculous thing is happening, and isn't sure how to react. "Uhm." Finally, he exhales audibly and makes a decision on what to say. "Soooo, that that machine is in Legion custody. You'll need to turn it over to me -now-." he says, pointing.

    At this, the bot shrinks back to the size it was when it landed, and starts to tremble in fear, clinging to Pantheon's leg.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy frowns, "I am not familiar with your Legion, but the sphere does not appear to be doing any harm. Might I inquire what it needs to be in custody for?" The thing about compassion, it makes you sympathize with the fearful...and the sphere is evidently afraid of the man in red and blue.

Mon-El has posed:
    That was the frustrating thing about being stuck in the past, is that the Legion didn't have the notoriety here that it had in the 30th century. Okay, it wasn't really -his- past, technically he was from the era too, but he'd spent so much time in the future that it had become as close to home as you could get.

    Lar sighs, facepalming a bit. "That 'sphere' is called Proteus-1, an advanced artificial intelligence that belonged to a convict who recently escaped from Takron-Galtos. We need to use it to track him down." He is careful not to divulge -too- much information, here.

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
H'ronmeer notes, *That isss a prissson planet usssed to hold galactic criminalsss.* Freddy says aloud, "I have some familiarity with the Prison Planet." Thanks H'ronmeer. "The Sphere, however, is apparently aware, intelligent, and capable of feelings. It seems you are punishing it for guilt by association. Perhaps you should try reasoning with it and persuading it to help."

Mon-El has posed:
    Lar groans. He -really- can't believe this is happening. "Listen, whoever you are. Proteus-1 is an -artificial intelligence-. It's not alive. All it knows is that it's programmed to protect its master. Whatever 'feelings' you think it has, it's fake. It's just trying to make you feel sorry for it so that you'll protect it and prevent us from tracking down its owner." he explains, trying to sound as patient as possible. But seriously, he should be glad it's not Brainiac here instead.

    Proteus-1 is still shaking there, but it peeks up at him with its big bright optic, as if begging him not to turn it over to the Legion. Brainiac is a meanie, okay?!

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy frowns, while what the man in red is saying may be true, it is possible he is wrong, "Here on this world, there are many cases of artificial intelligences who have become completely aware and overcome their initial programming. Give me a moment, I will attempt to see if this is one." OK Apanel, show me, is this JUST a program, or is it alive and aware.

Mon-El has posed:
    "Ugh, I -know- that." Lar replies impatiently. "But I'm telling you -this- one isn't. Trust me, Brainiac already examined its code in detail." Not the evil Brainiac, the good Brainiac. Well...okay 'good' is subjective. But if you compare this one to the other one, he's definitely good.

    The Daxamite sighs. "Fine, fine. Do your thing, but the bot comes with me, whether it's the hard way or the easy way." As in if Pantheon doesn't hand it over, he'll take it by force.

    As for Proteus...well, sometimes, whether something is alive or not is a difficult question to answer. It definitely seems terrified of the idea of being turned over to the Legion or to Lar, but whether this is just part of a program to protect its owner or not remains unclear. It seems Freddy will have to judge for himself whether or not to give this thing the benefit of the doubt...

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
The Compassion of Apanel is a power, one fully equal to Strength, Lightning, or any of Pantheon's other powers. It is an intangible power, like Boldness, and thus more subtle, but is potent enough to restrain the forces of Death, Destruction, and Evil. It allows Freddy, as Pantheon, to reach out to the spirit of others, to know and understand them. As such, he can tell there is a living spirit in this creature, whether or not it was artificially created.

Freddy turns back to the alien hero, "I can sense the spirit within this creature, and artificial or not, it is a living creature, though one young and inexperienced. It looks upon the one you see as a father, it craves his approval and his love, and is protective of him. While there may be justice in your search for this child's father, I can not allow it to come to harm in the process."

Mon-El has posed:
    Lar is tempted to facepalm hard enough to level this basketball court and shatter all the concrete. This is seriously not happening. "It's. A. Robot. The Legion has been studying it for the past six -months-. You JUST found it, and now you're telling me that you know more about it than we do?" The nerve. And now he's calling it a child and its criminal creator a 'father'?! "This thing's owner was locked up in Takron-Galtos. You -don't- go to Takron-Galtos for stealing candy from a kid."

    "Now, either you hand it over, or I'll punch you until you -do-."

Captain Marvel Jr. has posed:
Freddy says, "It might prove dangerous for you to try. Perhaps we should move this someplace less inhabited. I think Mars is currently pretty much deserted. I will meet you there." Freddy gathers his power and transports himself and the sphere to the surface of Mars in what amounts to no time at all, as he steps outside of space and time and then back. Fortunately H'ronmeer is the Martian God of Fire and can guide Freddy to the destination. He can not easily go places he does not, in some way, know.

Mon-El has posed:
    Ugh. UGH. "This is really happening...." Lar mutters to himself, followed by a string of curses in his native tongue. Fine, it seems this was going to be the ONLY way. He zooms after Pantheon. Although he can't step outside of time and space on his own like the other guy, he is still pretty darn fast.

    It's a good thing Brainiac put a tracker on the machine, so he will have no trouble finding it...