8458/Bolts from the Blue

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Bolts from the Blue
Date of Scene: 28 October 2021
Location: The Danger Room - Titan's Tower
Synopsis: There is practice, and then there is more practice.
Cast of Characters: Kian, Kate Bishop, Kara Danvers, Victor Stone, Terry O'Neil




Kian has posed:
    Kían has been a different birdman ever since returning from his homeworld, altogether more relaxed and comfortable.  He had, of course, already decided that the Earth would be his home, at least for the foreseeable future, so that part was easy—and even easier when that plan was given the imprimatur of the Imperial household.
    And he brought a few things back with him—communications gear, a personal computer, clothes… and probably a few things that one wouldn't expect, especially from him.
    Which brings us to the room that everyone else calls the Danger Room, and that Kian insists on calling the Practice Room, because why tempt fate?
    He's airborne, of course.
    So are a few targets.
    In his hand is what looks to be an unusual type of crossbow, and hanging from his belt is a quiver of bolts.
    If anyone's watching… well, he must be out of practice.  A bolt sails well wide of its mark (who knows which target it was, it was that poor a shot) and *whack!*s into the wall about three inches left of the door.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Which is right about when Kate steps through the door looking back towards someone else.  "So I've been working on some new scenarios.  I just need some people willing to test them out.  I figure we have some new faces so it would be good to wrangle them into drills and make sure we work on team work before we get into the field… Ohh crap what"
    She dives to the side as the bolt whacks the wall about half a foot from her.  The door and control zone of the room is supposed to not have live fire in it for gods sake the danger room floor is.  That was genuinely one hell of an off shot.
    She does come up from the roll with her bow in her hands blinking across the space at Kian flying with a crossbow of some sort in his hands.  "What… the hell is going on."  Because Kian with a weapon is strange to even begin with.  Do his people ever even use weapons.  Christ.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara is folowing Kate to the Danger room, nodding at the explanation from the bowman.  Bow-woman.  Kate.  "Well, I can certainly help testing out the scenarios.  Don't have to worry about me getting hurt if the difficulty is set too high or anything…."  Then the bolt nearly misses Kate, and Kara swoops into the room, looking for the threat.  She lowers her fighting stance when she sees Kian with the bow-like device.  "Kian…" she says with a relieved sigh.  "You should have locked the room down if you were going to do target practice…."  She doesn't really scold; she's just letting off some anxiety from Kate's near miss.

Kian has posed:
    "Ai, qokh!!"
    Kían dives down sharply, collecting the bolt from where it lay on the floor—it is blunt-tipped and could not penetrate the wall.  "h'Sóret—nnh!  I am sorry, I did not expec' anyone to come in, and I definitely did not expec' that I am that much out of practice!"
    Yes, he was very angry at Kate for the way she spoke to Terry, but Terry has told him that it is settled now, and it's not his place to hold a grudge on his tenár's behalf… and regardless, he could never take a deliberate shot at her, no matter how angry he was.
    "I am… I haf… I was… nnh!  I brought my kórak back wit' me, an' I am so very sorry for so bad a shot that it put you at risk!"  He looks genuinely stricken, almost ill that even accidentally he put someone at risk.
    He blinks at Kara.  "Lock the room?" he asks blankly.  "It iss not my room, I may not assert ownership…."

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate straightens up to stand and tucks her bow back into the holder and the arrow fitted back into the quiver. She peers at Kian when he is picking up the bolt and then apologizing.
    She doesn't have any idea how mad Kian evidently was about the Terry thing.  They patched it up like, what, two days after it happened thanks to Donna intervention.  Terry even said they were sorry really for the whole evil dopplegnager thing.
    She also doesn't look even irritated she was almost crossbowed.  The comment about asserting room ownership makes her laugh.  "Kara is just referring to there is a safety protocol setting which lets people know the room is in active use and it might be dangerous, Birdy Buddy."  She peers at it now.  "Can I see that… uh, korak?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara lands next to Kate and Kian, nodding.  "It's okay to lock the door when you're training in here, Kian.  Especially if you're training with a weapon."  Her tone is gentle and soothing, not upset any longer.  "We can always override the lock and come in, but it lets us know that there's something going on inside, so we can be ready to react."  She smiles and pats the bird-being comfortingly on the arm.  "So, is that a weapon from your homeworld?" she asks while looking at the device.

Victor Stone has posed:
    Vic was just on his way up to get in a little target practice himself, he's been fiddling with some adjustments to his gear… but there's already people in here, three of them.  He steps in just behind Kate and Kara, blinking in astonishment at Kian… holding a weapon.
    But Kara asked the question, so he says, "Whatever it is, it looks cool, Kian."

Kian has posed:
    It holds two bolts, and without apparently even thinking about it he removes the second unfired bolt, and offers it butt-first to Kate.  It's light, no more than two kilos, and made out of something that's either some sort of ceramic or plastic…and of course the handle is fitted to a small three-fingered hand rather than a human hand.  "It iss a traditional sport," Kían explains.  "I had not thought I had got so bad at it, but it has been a long time.  Caitlin has tol' me this iss call a… cros-bow?  I think.  What you use, Kate, we woul' call a 'tórak'."  He mimes drawing a bow—although he pulls upward, as if the bow was grasped by his feet.  "It iss said it dates from a time before we learn to live wit' each other an' was use as a weapon, but I can not imagine that, not between Akiár'yw."
    Which may address Vic's astonishment, and Kara's question: clearly, Kían doesn't think of it as a weapon, but as a sporting implement.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Well if anyone in the tower is to be handed a bow adjacent weapon, handing it to Kate is probably one of the safest moves.  She looks it over carefully, especially now that is unloaded, turning it this way and then that way to get a feel for it.  "The material is super light, which makes sense if you are going to be flying with it."
    She shifts her grip and aims it across the room still unloaded and feels the handle in her hand.  "Definitely would be tricky for a person to use effectively."  Despite that she seems to have it aimed pretty well towards the far wall.  "I would love to see a torak I think," at the pantomimes.  "Pretty cool Kian, happy to help you practice with it if you want."
    She flips it in her hand smoothly catching it and offers it back to Kian butt-first.  "Was talking to Supergirl about getting some of the newbs like Ben and Irie and the other prospects in some training sessions."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara smiles as Kian talks about the bow.  "It doesn't matter if you're a bit out of practice, Kian.  It's more important that it's a connection to your home; your culture.  That's more meaningful to you.  I know what having things like that can do for you.  How they can help your feelings.  So, I'm glad you have it.  Just keep practicing with it and I'm sure you'll be back to your former level quicker than you think."
   She looks over at Kate and smiles.  "You could probably also work up some trick arrows for him to use, as well.  Wouldn't hurt to have some more flash arrows or net arrows as back-up, yeah?"  At the mention of training for the newer members of the Titans, Kara stifles a little laugh.  "Training for the new folks is just Titan speak for 'Let's have them try to hit Kara', right?"
    She gives a welcoming nod to Vic as he joins the gathering.  "How you doing, Vic?"

Victor Stone has posed:
    "Oh, is this for that sport you were talking about the other day, Kian?"  Vic comes closer so he can look at the crossbow over Kate's shoulder.  Not too close, not to crowd, but just to look."
    He flashes a grin at Kara.  "Pretty good, actually.  Life's been treating me well.  You?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "Okay, so who forgot to tell me we were doing an ice cream social in the Danger Room?"  The Cheshire cat enters, and glances around.  "Sans the ice-cream.  This is the worst ice-cream sosh."
    He's attired for exercise: running shorts, tank top, gloves and appropriate footwear.  By the amount of perspiration, it's obvious that he's just come from the gym.  "So what's going on?  You have an awesome and terrifying new scenario to run for us, Kate?" he says, after he has given everybody a wave.  A pause as he appraises Kian's bird-crossbow.
    "Maybe something William Tell themed?"

Kian has posed:
    "I haf not brought a tórak back wit' me.  If I haf fail to impress wit' my kórak, it woul' be even worse wit' one of those."  Kían reclaims the crossbow, clips two bolts into it with a practiced move, and takes aim on one of the targets still bobbing around in the air, as close to directly away from everyone else as is available.
    This time at least he hits his target, although neither is dead center.  "Nnh.  I haf not practice in a long time," he complains, without reloading.  "It iss a good thing I am not needin' this for more than just' playin' around."
    He's still sighting down it when Terry comes in, like he thinks the targeting is off.  Without looking back, he remarks, "An' what iss a wil-yam-tel?"

Kate Bishop has posed:
    "Hey Terry," she quips and then peers at the target and nods.  "That wasn't bad.  You just need a lot more practice to shake the rust off."  She looks between Kian and Terry.
    "William Tell.  Coming right up."  She pulls a tablet out of her hip pouch and fiddles for a moment.  An apple appears on top of Terry's head.  "You shoot the apple off Terry's head."  Which should be very daunting for Terry seeing as Kian's last shot and all.
    Kate probably isn't serious.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara smirks as the holo apple appears on Terry's head.  She stands off to the side, arms crossed, and smiles.  "Go ahead Kian.  Take the shot.  Knock the apple off his head with your korak…."  She uses the same term that Kian uses, and watches nonchalantly.  She's not terribly concerned about Terry getting hit.  After all, she's faster than a speeding bullet, and crossbow bolts are sub-sonic.  She can intervene if it's necessary.

Victor Stone has posed:
    Vic just… grins at this.  "You asked for it, Terry," he says, and steps to one side.  "Hey, any bets on whether he can make it?  Five bucks says he beans Terry right in the eye."
    He wants to know the rules of this sport Kian keeps talking about, how to use the korak in the air and all… but this is too good to pass up.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry looks up at the hologram and raises an eyebrow.  "Wait, don't I get a say in the matter?  I love Kian dearly, but I just saw that shot he took!"
    He glances at Vic.  "I would not look good in an eyepatch, you know.  I'm the Cheshire Cat, not Blackbeard.  Kara, Vic, don't encourage him," he says.
    And then he makes a face, like he is holding something back.  After a few seconds, he finally says, "I hope you are proud of yourselves.  I almost gave myself an aneurysm by holding back the very inappropriate thing that came to my mind about this whole situation, and I feel like I deserve ice cream for my efforts."

Kian has posed:
    Kían looks absolutely scandalized by even the suggestion that he aim in Terry's general direction.  "I am not shootin' anything into Terry that he does not want shot into him!" he says, holstering the crossbow… and apparently completely oblivious to what he just said.
    Maybe.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate makes a snort choking laugh noise.  She shakes her head and tries to not just bust out laughing and it takes a moment to master it.
    Mostly.
    "Oh come on Kian… Kara would have totally caught it if your aim was off and I was going to bet Vic you would do fine and win five bucks."
    "Seriously though, what kind of things do your people hunt for sport?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara blushes and clamps a hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle.  "Okay, okay," she says in a mirthful tone as she walks away from Terry as it looks like there'll be no William Tell Titan today.  "Kian, you don't have to shoot at anyone if you don't feel like it.  If you only want to shoot at targets for practice, that's great.  Sometimes we forget that just because you enjoy something, doesn't mean you have to optimize it for practical use.  So, I'm just happy you get to enjoy using a cultural tool after being away from them for so long."

Victor Stone has posed:
    Vic barely manages to keep a straight face at Kian's comment.  For a moment.  Then he snorts, and has to turn away to hide the laugh he can't quite manage to pull in.
    When he's recovered, he turns back to say, "You'd look great in an eyepatch, Terry.  Why'd you come up here if you want ice cream?  There's no ice cream here."  It's a shame they won't be watching Kian shoot an apple off Terry's head, holographic or no.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry gives Kian a look and then mutters something.  Those with super-hearing like Kara will easily be able to pick up the word 'telepaths', followed by 'pain in the….'
    "I guess it could be worse.  Gar could have been here and added his own commentary," the Cheshire smirks.  "You are all so mean to me.  One of these days I will be crowned emperor of the galaxy through an improbable and rather unbelievable set of circumstances, and you will all go 'Oh, how awful we were to him!  If only we had known!'—it happens all the time."
    He stretches and grins.  "So are we going to do some training that does not involve using me as the target?  Or should I saunter over to N'yawk and get me some Big Gay Ice Cream?"

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara turns to Terry and smiles at him sweetly.  "Emperor of the Galaxy, huh?" she asks in a saccharine voice.  "I'll make sure Kal mentions your ambitions net time he's fighting Darkseid.  I mean, it's only fair that Darkseid knows that his path of conquest is going to have to go through you, right?"  She smiles widely, then sticks her tongue out at Terry playfully.
    "I guess I'm up for training, if anyone else wants to," she says in response to Kate's question.  "Can't remember when we've had a group session last."

Kian has posed:
    Kían does not have super-hearing, which is probably just as well.  "We do not hunt for sport.  Some still hunt for food, but as a matter of choice.  I do not have the stomach for that.  The only thing I hunt are high scores."  He pats his crossbow.  "I was never that good at it, but it iss fun."
    He gives Terry an odd look.  "I thought you said Carol Channin' was empress."

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate rolls her eyes and then chuckles.  "Well you can go for Gay Ice cream… though I was about to have volunteers help me with a scenario for the current batch of prospects."
    She has the same tablet still in hand that did the apple, so she lifts it up and taps a few times.  "Carol who?" she asks as she works on loading the scenario.

    The room fades out and then fades in, some sort of Island with sandy beaches and an impenetrable jungle beyond.  Which is rustling here and there in the bushes.

Victor Stone has posed:
    "If you were Emperor of the Galaxy, Terry, I'd stage a revolt," Vic says, but he's grinning.  "And don't you know better than to believe Terry about this stuff yet, Kian?"
    As the room fades out and back in, Vic looks to Kate and Kara and nods.  "I'm up for it, for sure.  That's why I came up here, after all—gotta keep the edge."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "She was.  But she died.  Then they lit the Great White Way up for her in commemoration of her passing.  So now the crown is up for grabs," Terry says, deadpan serious.
    He eyes the jungle surroundings, and then shrugs.  "Sure, I'm game.  Gotta be in shape for when Darkseid tries to come for my tiara."

Kian has posed:
    "I haf an empress of my own already anyway," Kían remarks, beeping Terry on the nose.
    His reaction to the new room contents is… probably predictable and entirely misses the point.  "Oooh.  This iss very nice," he says, immediately kicking into the air.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    With the room being 'reset', and a new environment rezzing into view, Kara also lifts up into the air.  She has a dual purpose, here.  First, to use her various vision modes to scout the surrounding terrain for threats.  Second, to provide aerial support for a literal wingman, Kian.  "Alright, Kate.  Whatcha gonna throw at us?  And are you cranking it up to my level, or just showing us what you have planned for the new members?"

Kate Bishop has posed:
    "Well it is mostly for the newbies to practice team work and see how they use their powers and fight together against adversity.  I think I can crank something up for you though Kara.  Cause you're cute and want to punch so nicely."
    There are so many shapes moving in the brush.  When Kate taps another button on the tablet in her hand a stream of small feather death machines race out of the underbrush at Terry, and Kara.  A whole pack of pint-sized velociraptors are just swarming down onto the beach right at the tasty mammals.
    About the time Kian turns and is probably mortally offended by all the feathery assailants is when the Pterodactyls swoop up on an updraft behind him from the jungle going for the kill as well.

Victor Stone has posed:
    It's a good thing Vic didn't take into the air, so he can be still on the ground to deal with those damn raptors on the beach.  He still rockets up a little bit, to gain an advantage, while aiming his sonic cannon at one of the raptors and firing.  He's trying to angle himself so he and the others on the beach can make a kill box of sorts.
    "You should have a big boss fight anyway, Kate!" he suggests.  "A bunch of little guys and then a big guy!"  Not that that's how life works all the time.  But.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    "Oh, aren't they absolutely adorable?" Terry says, as the tiny toothy killers come out of the underbrush.  As they approach, their efforts to reach the feline are met by a glowing, purple wall that appears out of nowhere.
    "Aw! You want to catch me?" he says from the other side of the construct, "Then you're going to have to find me!"
    He climbs up on the wall, which becomes thinner and taller once he is atop it, to put as much distance between them while also presenting an attractive target.  "Come and get me, you CGI monstrosities!" he says.  He appears to be goofing around, but he does have a purpose: to concentrate as many of them around the base of the wall in order to present a nice row of sitting ducks for his team-mates to pick off.

Kian has posed:
    "Ki-AI!"
    Fun fact: there are creatures not unlike pterodactyls in Akiár legend.  They're entirely mythical of course and no one really believes they ever existed.
    Which might be why Kían reacts with a startled squawk, a sharp word with the tone of some of Vic's choicer language… and an electric charge with just about the force of a bolt of lightning at whichever one is nearest.  "I liked it better when it was jus' a jungle!"

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara lays off, some.  She occasionally shoots some of the fliers down to keep Kian's backside clear of threats, some occasional sniping and strafing at the groundlings.  But she knows her team can handle even this deluge of dinos without relying on her.  And she needs to practice keeping everyone safe, instead of just plowing her way through everything.  So, Kara lets her teammates handle the bulk of the work, while she keeps all of them safe with eyebeams of blazing hot dino-death.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate whistles impressed as Kian goes all Sith lord and fries one of the pterodactyls.  "Harsh Kian… harsh… and it is just a mad science jungle… like there aren't evil lairs with dinosaurs."  Several more zoom in at Kian though Kara helps deal with them.
    The small raptors swarm and one even leaps onto the wall Terry makes, before he joins it and it becomes taller and narrower.  It scuttles along with disturbing skill towards Terry along the wall while Terry catcalls the ones below taunting them into a convenient spot for his teammates.
    Meanwhile the bushes explode out towards Vorpal's wall with a whole slew of giant herbivores, which hit it hard and ricochet off down the beach.
    Is that it.
    Nope… there comes the thunder lizard that everyone was running from, with a crash of trees as it heads right for Terry and his wall.  Supergirl sized problem.
    Oh and that one raptor tries to make a leap for Terry at the same time too.

Victor Stone has posed:
    Vic keeps firing sonic cannon at the raptors Terry's corralling… until suddenly something on his arm backfires.  The cannon suddenly starts smoking.
    "Shit!" Vic yells.  Language!  Eeesh.  "Over-tuned the damn… Kate, I gotta tap out!  My cannon's on the fritz."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
    Terry leaps off the wall just as the creature makes a lunge for him—this may seem like a suicide maneuver, there being a veritable deluge of dinos waiting to tear him apart down below.
    Which is a perfectly reasonable conclusion to make, if you were bereft of Rabbit Holes.  The Rabbit Hole opens up and drops Terry right next to Vic, giving him a quick breather.
    "No worries, Vic, I've got you covered!" he says, just as the Thunder Lizard comes out to play the final boss (which clearly looks like a job for Supergirl!), Terry opens the Rabbit Hole again, making sure to connect the other end to the realms under the surface of the water.  The result is a portal that sends a massive deluge onto the land, towards the mess of little lizards, as well as the big ones.  That might not do it by itself—fortunately, he knows people in high places.
    "Kian!  Throw some lighting down!" he shouts, pointing towards the wave.

Kian has posed:
    Kían throws another bolt towards the pterodactyls to keep them away, then wheels about and drops another one right where Terry is pointing.  Kían is not Thor, but he can bring the lightning when needed.  "This iss not the kind of target practice I was wantin' to do today!"
    He glances back to make sure none of the aerial beasties are closing in, and has another go at the ones on the ground.  "I am startin' to think bein' prayed at might not haf been so bad.  We could haf stayed a little longer, Terry."  He's kidding, of course.  Mostly.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    "I hear you, Vic," Kara says into the com system.  "Kian, you're flying solo…" she warns.  And she zooms downward, punching a raptor as she lands next to Vic.  "Go," she tells him.  "I'll cover your retreat…."  And now Kara starts to punch the ground-based dinos.  She even grabs a raptor by the tail and smack down a small pack by doing an airplane spin with her opponent before releasing it and launching it through more ranks of its fellows.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Water + Lightning is Terribly Frightening.  Also Super Effective.  Pick your vague movie or pop culture reference.
    The large charging dinos, the T-Rex, and Raptors on the beach suffer from that lightning strike that Terry set up for Kian little shuddery spasms as they cook.  It smells a bit like cooked chicken in the danger room now.  Roasted bird.
    Kate meanwhile watches and is taking mental notes.  Not just for her newbie scenario but also on her more seasoned team members.  She takes a lot of mental notes.  "Good shot Kara!" she encourages as she bowls with Raptors.  "Perfect nine ten split."  She kids.
    She taps her pad and the scenario fades way vanishing.  "Okay I got what I need.  Thanks all!"  She starts to head back to the door already hyperfixating on the pad as she starts to make tweaks. "Good job!"