[CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019e073f-cafc-7459-9c99-68f1e7377fa9.webp[/img][/center][b][center][color=green] T H E   L A N T E R N S / C A P T A I N   M A R V E L[/color]
[color=red]T H E   L A N T E R N S / C A P T A I N   M A R V E L[/color][/center]
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[color=silver][sup][i]The Battle of General Techtronics Tower: Prologue.[/i][/sup][/color][/CENTER]

[h3]General Techtronics Lab, New York[/h3]

Sims slowly paced around on the ceiling. Being upside down helped him think. He had run every test imaginable on that staff. He needed to find a way to quantify the unquantifiable. I mean, there was the old saying of "Magic is just science we don't understand" But he had literally witnessed magic... Wait, there was an idea... Maybe, instead of approaching this as a scientist, he approached it as a wizard... God his life really had gone utterly off the rails since Bailey came into his life. He looked over to the holding cell to see Boyd pacing around upside down as well, seemingly mimicing his actions. That thunder bolt really had fried that things mind well and truly. If there was a God or other divine being deciding on his fate... Oh wait, the kid had already told him The Fates were real. Well, in that case, if The Fates were benevolent in any sort of way, please for the love of god, make Christina not be right. That kid was already out of touch with reality as is, no need to add more gas to the fire. He shook his head and dropped down from the ceiling, before approaching the Staff. It floated, bolt upright, a minor hum eminating from it. Reaching out and grabbing it, he stood for a second. Well, he wasn't getting his brains turned to goo just yet... Or maybe it was an Asbestos type thing where his brains would randomly turn to jelly and leak onto the floor at some point 10 years from now... Well, in any case, he was fine for the moment. He thought for a second and then looked over at Boyd, who had his face pressed to the glass, watching with his beady little eyes [color=39b54a]"Sterces Ruoy Lla Laever"[/color] It worked for Bailey, why not him? A few seconds passed, but nothing happened.

Well, to be honest, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Then again, Bailey said that this was part of a test for him. If all the test involved was saying 4 magical words and suddenly, boom, everything laid bare, then, honestly, it wouldn't have been much of a test to begin with. On the other hand, there was always the possibility that this Staff was somehow biometrically coded to only work for the Champion anyway. He'd need to get Bailey in to repeat the test. [color=39b54a]"?Sterces Ruoy Lla Laever Esaelp"[/color] He asked. Scientific method required variation and repetition... Eh, who was he kidding, he just wanted to make sure it wasn't as stupid as "Using the Magic Word." Because he would be kicking his own ass for days if it was that simple. He then heard a beeping from his watch. Time to feed Boyd again. He looked over at the cell, only to see a shivering silvery web cocoon in the corner of the room. He quickly walked over to look. Pressing the intercomm. [color=39b54a]"Boyd? Are you alright?"[/color]

[color=fdc68a]"Averice..."[/color] a voice came from the cocoon. [color=fdc68a]Averice and unending hatred..."[/color] The boy shivered and clearly felt fear. [color=fdc68a]"They come for what's not theirs."[/color] At that point, Sims' Spider-Senses went off. Clearly, Boyd's senses were more powerful than his own. [color=fdc68a]"To paint the world with his own colours."[/color] Sims immediately ran over to his security console. [color=fdc68a]"The Orange is here..."[/color] Sims quickly activated the security grid, only to find most of it was down and all the camera's were just displaying a glowing orange colour.

[color=39b54a]"What in the god-damn?"[/color] He grunted, before pressing another button. As he did so, a small cove opened in the wall, before he rushed inside, before a few seconds later, emerging in a jet black body suit with red webbing patterns all over it. If what was coming was enough to scare Boyd, then he needed to make sure he was kitted up. This was actually somewhat special, because, although he had designed and made the suit and the changing mechanism over 20 years ago, this was the first time he actually had the opportunity to wear it. Looking down at the mask in his hand, he quickly pulled it over his head. [color=39b54a]"Containtment field, maximum. Lights off!"[/color] He ordered as the room went pitch black and the only source of light was emanating from the crystal atop the Staff of the Gods.

*Shhhhink. CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUNCH!* rang out as the darkness was pierced by a glowly orange light. A large orange Car-Jack had forced the security doors open. [color=f7941d]"Woo-hoo-hooo! Baby, it's all mine, baby! And i may just have to keep this lovely tower too. Make a BEAUTIFUL Reichskanzlei for my GLORIOUS new Empire! The Empire of ME!"[/color] The flying fat man giggled as he floated lazily through the air, creating a glowing orange effect wherever he went. His pockets were clearly full of things he had picked up on the way through the defenses, suddenly he stopped and looked at the staff [color=f7941d]"OoOoOoOoOoH!"[/color] He cooed as his lips flapped from one end to the other, floating over to it, he was suddenly stopped by an energy field. [color=f7941d]"What in tarnation?"[/color] He poked and prodded it, before slamming his fist against it. [color=f7941d]"Oh well, no matter, it's just more stuff for me."[/color] He giggled, before spotting a computer console and floating towards it, casually strumming the banjo in his hand. Suddenly, the music from Filpot was slowly infiltrated by a pair of *FWIP* sounds, before a spear of black and red catapulted straight through Filpot and smashed onto the floor. Sims looked down at his feet to see no orange glowing bastard underneath his heels. [color=f7941d]"Oh, Pu-LEASE! You didn't think i was gonna assume nobody wasn't home?"[/color] The voice came from behind Sims, who immediately webbed back up into the shadows, but as soon as he started his ascent, his Spider-Senses screamed at him, quickly he changed direction and went to a different corner. Only to be met by the orange glow appearing next to him. [color=f7941d]"Oooh, i love the DIGS, son. Mind if i?"[/color] Sims immediately shot to another corner, but was followed by a pair of glowing, orange webs that grabbed his back and pulled him off the wall, he shot another set of webs to help him swing into a controlled landing, only to look back up and see Filpot now had a pair of glowing, Orange webshooters of his own on his wrists. [color=f7941d]"Oh, and that mask, i'm gonna need that too."[/color] The Orange web shot for his face, but with his instant reflexes, dodged around 4 strands. He flipped across the room and towards the console, banjo music reverberating off the walls. He needed Bailey's help now and he knew it. His spider-senses screaming at him as he went for the console. He knew, danger was in the room, so why was it...

Pressing the console button and landing, he suddenly realized he was in the same cell as Boyd, the door slamming shut behind him. The banjo music cut off as he looked to see Filpot outside the glass strumming himself a triumphant victory fanfare. Filpot pressed the intercom button. [color=f7941d]"Illusions, son, best get used to it. You're gonna have to deal with them every time you escape."[/color] He strummed a few more times. Then stood idly for a second, he scratched himself under his third chin, then pressed the button again. [color=f7941d]"A-and put that mask in the food airlock, because i want it. Comeon, gimmegimmegimme. Also, tell me how to call the big cheese, i need him here."[/color]

[color=39b54a]"I was trying to call him when you imprisoned me."[/color] Sims grunted, the voice filter in his mask making him sound much deeper and more intimidating.

[color=f7941d]"AND A SYNTHESIZER? WHOOO BABY I NEED THAT MASK. GIMME BEFORE I SMASH MY WAY IN AND PEEL IT FROM YOUR CORPSE!"[/color] He growled, seemingly growing increasingly unhinged. [color=f7941d]"No wait... Staff first. Stick to the plan..."[/color] He comforted himself, floating back towards the staff, but then spotting Sims' desk and getting distracted, before going through the drawers, pocketting everything he could grab.[color=f7941d]"YOU HAD TOO MUCH CRAP IN THERE, NEXT TIME, GIMME SOMETHIN' GOOD TO TAKE!"[/color] He screamed across the room at Sims, before he put on his big smile again and floated over to the energy field. He quickly created a large, orange Jackhammer and began pounding away at the field to try and get at the Staff within.
[h3]S.W.O.R.D. HQ, CLASSIFIED[/h3]

S.W.O.R.D. had made it a dedicated surveylance team for each Ring to make sure one team was tracking each rogue ring at any given time. With the Orange Lantern entering New York, a communique was sent straight to the top:

>Orange-Admin: Director, the Orange Lantern has appeared in New York. Initial reports suggest Kurt Filpot, known terrorist, is in possession of it. Requesting Captain Jordan and his team be deployed immediately.
>Director: Negative, Captain Jordan and his team are currently engaging the Silver ring.
>Orange-Admin: Understood, requesting deployment of an Agent team to secure the site and attempt to prevent the rings escape.
>Director: Approved. Team 41 is currently the closest unengaged team.
>Orange-Admin: Understood, sending deployment orders to Captain Briggs and her team.