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Summary: Hulkling arrives at Avengers Mansion for some research. He runs into Lionheart who gives him an assist.
Date: March 5, 2009.
Dimension Watch
Rating: G
Avengers' Mansion
Having left a quick note with the rest of the team saying he was going to the Avengers mansion to borrow some equipment, Hulkling's made his way over to the mansion. One small fight along the way where he smashed an alternate version of the Shocker (that guy just sucks in all dimensions), and he's wandering into the kitchen in search of Avengers. "Anyone home at all?" the big, green teen calls.
In the Kitchen, the newest returning arrival has a sandwich near her face, and her mask off. Hearing the call, she immediately grabs the mask to cover her upper face. After all, she can't let her children accidentally pop in and see her. "I don't know where anyone is right now, but I'm in the kitchen." The British Avenger calls out, glancing around. She's currently forming a half-mask out of hers, so that she can actually EAT and keep hidden.
Hulkling blinks a few times, looking the woman over. "You're…" he tries to remember all his British super heroes. "Lionheart, right?" he asks. "No idea where the Avengers are? Then why are you here?"
Tilting her head, Lionheart gives Hulkling THE look. "Because I AM an Avenger. I've been on sabbatical and just got back a few hours ago and haven't been able to locate anyone." She pulls her own identicard out of a thin space in her side. It's an old model, not the upgraded ones. "Haven't been able to reach anyone either." She says with a sigh.
Hulkling winces a little. "Sorry, thought you quit after the whole…" he just gestures vaguely in relation to the event that wrecked the mansiobn before and caused the Avengers to temporarily disband and lead to the formation of the Young Avengers. Glancing at the Indenticard, he nods. "You'll probably need to get the new version," he nods towards the card. "No one?" he asks. There's a slight curse under his breath. "I don't suppose I could get authorization from you to use the Avengers scanning equipment then? And probably borrow a QuinJet?"
"Oh?" Lionheart asks, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't know they upgraded. I was trying to get Braddock to get the stick out of his arse." She says, looking down a little grumpily. "I miss my kids. I need to check on them, but I don't dare." She shakes her head. "No one yet. But then, they may be on a new frequency and out there. I had a little run in with a few people meself." Pondering for a moment. "Scanning equipment, sure. But why a Quinjet? I don't think I can make that authorization. I've been away for too long.'
Hulkling nods, taking his own Young Avengers Identicard out of a 'pocket' and showing it to Lionheart. "Yeah," he says. He just nods in response to the missing of children. "I dunno. I haven't been able to reach any of them either and neither has Vision," he frows, looking around as if hoping Iron Man's about to step out of the fridge. He then shrugs. "Just incase we need to go somewhere. Wiccan can teleport us but he shouldn't have to spend the energy if we can get a jet."
A small nod comes from Lionheart as she looks at the Young Avenger. "So, what IS all of this about out here anyway? What's takin' over the place?" She asks as she moves to actually take a bite of her sandwich, since she hadn't gotten a chance to yet.
Teddy shakes his head and then shrugs one shoulder. He goes to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, finding it devoid of Ironmen. "An alternate dimension is invading for revenge because they think we invaded their dimension and took it over. Some of them are under the control of a being called the ShadowKing and some are just villains. And then there's a few that are actually on our side but got fooled into thinking they're doing the right thing," he explains. "I want to scan for a few things and bring the data back to Vision to see what we can do."
Hulkling shakes his head and then shrugs one shoulder. He goes to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, finding it devoid of Ironmen. "An alternate dimension is invading for revenge because they think we invaded their dimension and took it over. Some of them are under the control of a being called the ShadowKing and some are just villains. And then there's a few that are actually on our side but got fooled into thinking they're doing the right thing," he explains. "I want to scan for a few things and bring the data back to Vision to see what we can do."
Hulkling doesn't know the woman under the mask anyway, popping the cap off his bottle and taking a drink. "Thanks. It's good that atleast someone's here. I can't even find Jarvis these days," he says, starting to head out of the room and towards where he can access the sensors.
She gets up, following along with Hulkling, since she's only spent a few weeks here before. "I was wondering where he was, myself." She says with a bit of a shrug as she leaves her sandwich on the plate. It's not like it won't be there when she gets back. "So, what are you trying to sense, anyway?
Hulkling takes a breath and downs the rest of his water. Big guy, he probably could've drank it all in one go. "He could be in one of the bunkers with the mansion's non-Avenger residents but I haven't been able to reach anyone so," he just shrugs. "Well, I have a few things. Got some intel from the X-men I want to look into as well as tracing teleporter signals and seeing if I can get any news of change in the other two domes since the activity with the barrier around the city," he explains. "And I want to see if we can detect just what's bringing these people here…and send a call to Mr. Fantastic to see what he knows."
"It's possible. And since I've been… offworld for a bit, I haven't a clue." Lionheart says with a quick nod, following Hulkling. "I'm sure everyone's safe, though. But then, considerinng some of the bruisers I saw out there, I may have to go take on a few."
"Offworld?" Hulkling asks, arching an eyebrow and frowning. "Once Vision gets back from his little recond trip, the rest of the team and I are going back out," he says. He scans his identicard on the sensor near the scanner-room door and waits for Lionheart to scan hers so it'll actually let him in.
Fortunately, the identicard is still readable to the systems. Even if it's not the newer Stark-Phone models, it does it's job there. She holds it to the sensor and the door opens. "After you." She offers, casually. "So… where did your group come from anyway?" She's been gone since about that time, after all. She doesn't know the details.
Hulkling smiles in thanks and steps into the room. Taking a seat, he starts booting things up and typing in what he wants to look for. The shapeshifter got the quick 'this is how you use it, do not break it' speech from IronMan after all. "The Young Avengers? Iron Lad brought us together while the Avengers were all temporarly disbanded following whatever wrecked the mansion before. He wanted us to help him fight Kang and after we did, we kept together. We took a break after the fight with the Zodiac with the U.N. and just when Wiccan and I were talking about starting back up…Cap called and said we were being officially recognized now."
"Ah. And just who ARE you all anyway?" Lionheart asks casually as she stands behind the kree-skrull watching. "I mean, I've never heard anything, so I'm curious. Could be more than I need to know, or maybe I need to know more."
Hulkling sets the scans to run and leans back to wait for results. Not even StarkTech's instantanious afterall. "We're the Young Avengers. Patriot, Speed, Stature, Hawkingbird, Vision, Silent Image, Wiccan, and myself…Hulkling. Turns out that all of us except for Hawkingbird and Silent Image have some sort of connection to current or former Avengers. We're heroes," he shrugs. Not much more to it than that for him. "Oh yeah," he says, turning to the second screen to fire off an URGENT e-mail to Mr. Fantastic to ask if his equipment picks up on anything the Avengers' doesn't. After a moment of thought, he sends one to the Invisible Woman too just incase Reed's too busy to check the urgent messages. Iron Man did joke about that with Hulkling once before but the shapeshifter took him seriously.
"Ah, Hulkling. Then you're the strongarm." Kelsey says with a nod. "Good. I need someone to train with. Most of the other around here can't deal with my strength." She watches and can't help but chuckle. "Good man. You understand that sometimes the men don't pay attention, and you need to let the women behind them know."
Hulkling smirks slightly and flexes an arm just a little. "Ms. Marvel's pretty tough too, whereever she flew off to," he says. Hulkling is currently the strongest rated Avenger in terms of pure superstrength other than She-Hulk afterall. "And IronMan's new holo training grid can give you anyone from the Juggernaut to Paste Pot Pete to work out against too," he adds. There's a slight chuckle. "IronMan warned me that Mr. Fantastic often gets lost in his little projects."
"I'm stronger than Brian was, but he had other things he could do." Lionheart says with a quick nod. "Maybe the holograms are nice, but I still prefer a good tussle with a real person. Someone who can think and act spontaneously, rather than follow programming guidelines." She shrugs, leaning against the wall to watch the displays.
Hulkling nods. "Then ya need someone at the controls. The normal sims are tough but it gets tougher when someone's in the box changing and manipulating things on the fly," he says, remembering the training sessions with Ms. Marvel. Looking at the sceen, he waits for the scans to finish. Right now he's running scans to track for the teleportation signatures the enemy is using as well as comparing them to the database to maybe get a potential ID. He's also got the equipment looking for just what might be bringing these invaders into their dimension. The last check is if they can see any change in the Memphis and LA domes since the last scans.
The barriers over both states have weakened considerably. The energy from the barriers seems to be stronger around the LA area than the Memphis area. Teleportation signatures matching Cloak's and Nightcrawlers have been making their way across the country, slowly. Along with those, a few other recognizeable signatures are out there. Dusk. Amelia Voght. Illyana Rasputin. Laura Dean and Goblyn.
Lionheart nods. "I never had time to train. It was a wartime when I came over here." She admits, lightly. Though, most people don't know her under the mask, since her identity is kept a closely guarded secret. Only three people had that secret before. Two of which were Wanda and STeve.
Hulkling records all this information and intends to pass it along to Vision to examine and then pass along to their X-men contact. "There'll be plenty of time to train after we beat these guys," he says, running a few more scans. Again, he looks for the source of the dimensional incursion, hoping Reed Richards' more advanced equipment can find it if he can't. He looks over his shoulder at Lionheart and smiles. "Maybe Cap will assign you to Young Avenger training detail," he jokes.
"Let's hope he doesn't assign me to anything. I still have to figure out how to get Braddock to let me see my kids as myself." Lionheart says with a deep, regretful sigh. "But that's neither here nor there. For now, we'll just take a look and see what we can find out about all of this."
Hulkling shrugs slightly. "Just ask and he won't. Cap's a good guy," he reasons, frowning at the little hourglass cursor while waiting for the new scan to finish or a reply back from the Baxter Building.
There are actually too many points of incursion, though all seem to share the same energy signature. It seems to be a randomly generated pattern of appearance as well. Each one timed within moments of one of the other powered-teleport signatures. As if, as soon as they arrive, they are teleported to another location by someone else.
"It's still strange to be wearing a costume and going out there." Kelsey says with a soft sigh. "Being the Captain from across the sea." She chuckles slightly.
Hulkling narrows his eyes at the results and starts trying to ID the incusion signal and possibly track them. The shapeshifter sets the computer to start marking locations on a map where the teleports already happened. "I think it's a little strange for everyone at first. No matter where we're from, putting on a costume and going out there to do what we do. Unless you're like…born into it, it's gotta be weird for someone."
"Wasn't born. I was apparently chosen." As have all the other Captain Britains in the past. "But yeah." Lionheart looks over the map and points out something. "Certain teleporters are sent certain distances. When it's near one of the major locations, these signatures show up. When it's further, these do." She says, tapping a few visuals on the map.
Hulkling makes a few quick adjustments to the search and tracking, still comparing the incursion data against the database and sending the info to Richards. "I guess that's due to some being able to teleport farther than others," he says. "That or they're sending teleporters under their control to grab certain people and sending ones they just fooled after others."
"Perhaps. Or, do some of them have limits?" Lionheart asks, thinking about it as she looks over the map. The data is showing nothing that comes to the standard eye as of yet. But, every teleport begins and ends near the original spots. Staples Center. Pyramid.
Hulkling nods. "Some of these teleporters have limits on how many people they can take with them and where they can go. Atleast our versions," he says. The shapeshifter starts applying all the scanners and filters to itendifying who or what is the cause of the enemy being teleported from one dimension to the other.
Unfortunately, there's nothing that our scanners have ever seen that compares to it. It can't determine the energy signature. Lionheart nods as she reads over the screens. Holding her head down to look at it, she shakes her head. "I haven't really got a head for that kind of problem solving." She says with a bit of a sigh. "Try bein a mother of two suddenly stuck in a costume. Or… nevermind. I don't think that's something you would do." She chuckles.
Hulkling immediately sends the data to the Baxter Building, knowing the Fantastic Four have far more experience with interdimensional and cosmic signatures and energies. "Vision's our smart guy. Synthoid and all," he murmurs. "I imagine the costume must make PTA meetings and parent teacher conferences either much easier or much more annoying," he says. "What wouldn't I do? Be a mother? Ya got that right," he chuckles. And if Tommy made one more joke about Skrull-eggs, Teddy was going to toss him to the moon.
"I'm… not allowed to. My children don't know I'm alive. If they find out… I'll lose them forever." Kelsey says softly as she closes her eyes to think about it. The information sends, and there's a response almost immediately from Susan. 'We see the same thing you do. We'll keep you informed as soon as we find something'.
Hulkling lets out an annoyed grunt at the reply from Invisible Woman. This lack of results is getting on his nerves. Good thing he's not like his namesake. He shifts the scans to start trying to indentify just what kind of energy those domes are made of and how to counter them. He turns when he hears Lionheart and offers a sympathetic expression. "I'm…sorry…" he trails off, not knowing what else to say.
"That's why I was offworld. In Otherworld trying to track him down and take this back so I can have my babies again. But, until it happens, I'm stuck and will make the best of it." Lionheart says with a firm surety as she looks at them again. Of course, the energy signature of the domes matches up to something another group has already recognized. Reyes.
Hulkling looks down for a moment. "Maybe some of his old teammates could help find him. I remember something about some of the X-men being part of Excalibur at some point. Maybe they can help when this is all over," the shapeshifter suggests. He knows what it's like to lose one's family and wants to help out someone who atleast has a chance to get their's back. Plugging in data, he checks tha database for anything that could penetrate or disrupt Dr. Reyes' forcefield powers. He also checks to see if the Avengers have anything laying around in terms of teleport equipment that could get through it. Getting an idea, he sets the computer to make an educated guess of sorts on where and when the next teleports might happen based on current data.
Reyes has taken hits from the Juggernaut and survived. No known breakers exist. But then, our Reyes has never stretched her fields so large and so thin. The tracking system will take a while to come up with any estimates, but offers a low percentage of potential accuracy.
Lionheart shakes her head. "It won't do any good. Brian's not here. He's in Otherworld, ruling the Omniverse at the moment. It'll be his wife who changes his mind, I think."
"Maybe they can help you find her or get in contact," Hulkling suggests. "Unless you already spoke with her…" he sighs. Storing the tracking data to the side and directing the computer to keep trying to improve the results atleast three more times, he starts a new scan. Bringing up both the LA and Memphis domes, he directs scans looking for the weakest points in both fields.
The domes are stretched very thin. Normally, Reyes's fields are about two inches thick around her body, but these are barely a millimeter thick if that. However, they can see no CLEAR way through. Force may actually work now.
Lionheart nods. "I've spoken. I simply have to come up with reasonn to convince her." She says with a nod. "Maybe… between the strongest of us, focussing on one particular spot, we might be able to break through long enough to get inside."
Hulkling nods and tries to have the computer find where the domes are at their -absolute- thinnest. "Concentrate enough force and we should break through. Maybe Vision can get through as well. The question is what to do when we get in there. According to Wave, there's no light at all inside the domes and they have small armies waiting in there."
"I doubt there's no light. I have a feeling they have a person that can block it from being sensed." Lionheart says, thinking about it. There's no actual thinnest spot that it can detect. "I have run into darkforce manipulators before that could do that.
Shrugging, Hulkling marks a location on the map anyway. Seems like the best place and maybe the defenses on the 'rear' side of the pyramid in Memphis and Staples Center would be the weakest. "Dark Force…" he grumbles. "Still doesn't give us an idea of what we do. Do we go in and start smashing until they take us down? Or do we go in stealth mode and see if we can capture a few of them to get information out of them?"
The river side of the pyramid would be the back of it. "Perhaps." Lionheart says, thinking. "Send bruisers in to distract while the stealthy ones go further in. A combination of things. Let the stealthy ones check further in while the bruisers hold off the front lines."
Hulkling types a few notes in, nodding. "We break their field, send in some stealhy types, get any info they can, see if they can take down whatever machines they might have aiding them and maybe see if they can take that Enhancer kid they have making the enemy stronger," he shrugs. Leaning back for a moment, he takes a deep breath. "What has these people thinking -we- were the ones that invaded…" he wonders aloud. "Those aliens that took over their world were shapeshifters according to what Silent Image pulled out of some of their heads…" he mutters, running an Avengers Database search for non-skrull shapeshifting alien races that may or may not have a grudge against Earth.
"When did they say the aliens left their world?" Kelsey asks, looking over things on the screen. "And how do you know that there's someone making them stronger. They seem to be being defeated just fine, from what I can tell. Maybe too easy."
Hulkling shrugs. "They didn't. Silent Image said he got up to them having a massive battle with the aliens that somehow brought then here and then two years of absolutely nothing," he replies. There's a pause. "Even if they don't. They apparently keep mentioning this Enhancer and it'd be better to have him off the table than ready to be used."
"Check the reading from a few years ago? Roughly two, for interdimensional transitions?" Lionheart offers helpfully. "I mean, we have access to stark mainframes and all. See if any have similar energy signatures." She offers.
Hulkling nods and does just that, checking through the database for what Lionheart suggested.
The energy signatures do appear. Coming in in a small area in Minnesota. The energy signature lasts for a few days, apparently before vanishing. It happens again about three months later, but seems to stem from our own dimension that time. Along with that, there's a slight pulse of energy left beaconing from there. It's nothing harmful, and honestly something easily overlooked before. Just a small pulse of energy, though it's a unique signature.
Lionheart watches the screen with a thoughtful expression. "Make anythin' of that?"
Hulkling starts to dig around for every bit of data in all the databases the Avengers computers have access to. He's looking for every tiny bit of data on that energy and anything unusual that may have happened in that area before. "Something moved from our dimension to out there?"
The only time that small stream of energy occured was to leave that one spot. "No, the other way around. It came from theirs to ours, and then from ours, to another." Lionheart says, pointing at the similarities between the others and this. Suddenly, there's a flare of outgoing energy from beneath the LA shield. One sending back to another dimension. Perhaps, they've opened a way back.
Typing several more notes, Hulkling frowns at the console then up at Lionheart. "So whatever left their dimension tricked them into thinking ours was their home. Just great," he mutters. When that surge from LA occurs, he starts trying to track itand get all the data on it's energy signature, source, and destination. "What're they doing over there?" he wonders aloud.
It only appears as a now-steady dimensional warp. Multi-directional dimensional energies… as if a permanent gate between the dimensions has been opened.
Lionheart stares as it happens. "Do you think they've brought something… because they're sure they're going to win?"
Hulkling frowns. "Or they're sending something big," he says. "What's that big that they could have?"
"No idea." The energy levels… well… level off. There's no change now, but the flow is consistent. "Could be anything." Lionheart whispers as she stares at the screen. "I think we're gonna have to get the brains in on this one."
Hulkling sends an immediate alert to Dr. Richards and where ever IronMan and Pym and their Identicards went. They are the three biggest brains Hulkling knows afterall. He's sure to get copies to give to Vision and for the synthoid to hand off to the X-men and their brainy types. "Whatever it is, we're gonna have to be ready for it."
"That's about all we can do, lad." Lionheart says, clapping a hand on Hulkling's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. It's enough for him to feel, of course. "
Hulkling glances up as his scaley shoulder gets clapped and squeezed. Not many people can squeeze enough for him to feel it through that natural armor after all. He closes up the last of the information into portable drives, saving it to the Avengers Database as well. "I gotta get this to Vision," he says, holding up the drive then slipping it into his 'pocket'."
"Alright. I'll be keeping an eye out here." Lionheart says."Keeping the place safe.
Teddy nods, standing up after putting everything back into standby mode. "Call us if something happens or the other Avengers get back, please?" he requests with a small smile.
"Of course." Lionheart nods quickly as she runs a hand through her hair. "Cause I think we'll need to assemble to get through this."
Hulkling stares for a moment before chuckling. "Well, that's how the battle cry goes afterall," he says. Starting to walk towards the nearest exit, he shapeshifts himself a pair of wings out of the hole in the back of his costume that may or may not have been there a moment ago but keeps them folded up until he's outside to use them. "See ya. And thanks for the help."
"Leave the sandwich in the kitchen. I'm coming back to it." Lionheart chuckles as she heads back to her dinner. Afterwards, she's going to go out for a bit and take things under her own hands.
