Issue Seven: Infinity Quest

Maelstrom's eyes widened as the woman attempted to crush his hand. "Good grip," he muttered. When she asked about his ski career, though, he was utterly flummoxed. Good God! She was from his world!

"Ummm.... Yes, I guess I was, but surely you must be too young to remember that. It was ... 1978."

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To Dr. Strange:
"The Astral Plane?" Maelstrom asked stupidly. He had been a physicist for the space programme, after all, in his other life. "It doesn't look like outer space to me. Unless we're floating in some nebula. Interesting. You must be creating some sort of life support bubble?" He tilted his head curiously, "Did you say you created a time pocket as well?" Blink ... blink. The ramifications for space travel were infinite. "That's ... amazing. No, beyond that. That's ... unearthly."

Stunned out his usual shell by the lovely traveller from his own world and the incredible events of the last few minutes, Beorn forgot to be shy. "Of course, I'll help find these gems, but you must agree to talk with me a while when this is all finished. Please."

ooc

Mantaman just stood silently. Thankfully his full facemask his his slack-jawed expression. Derek was a smart enough guy, he could grasp abstract ideas. But the Existential phenomenology of physically being in an astral plan and non-linear time bubbles where a bit much for the neophyte hero's fragile Psyche.
"Well I don't know what just happened here, or half the crap the Strange guy with the weird cape and the Chester the Molester mustache is talking about. But if I get to smash Thanos's face, I am in!" he paused and then added; "Is that a tuning fork on that guy's head???" indicating Black Bolt.

Benni looks flabbergasted that she wasn't brought here on accident, but after a moments consideration, "Well, if you need a science geek, I am your girl. I have Doctorates in Engineering, Physics, and Computer Science and no tests have been made that can measure my intelligence accurately."

Benni nods acceptingly as Dr Strange tells what he did, but of course to her, at this point, anything is possible as she builds theories on how to get to an "Astral Plane" and how to remove a group of people from the standard view of time as being linear.

"Of course Beorn, I would be happy to talk to you. And it is some trivial I collected, although I must have collected it for a reason." Benni smiles at the earnest Beorn as she quickly releases his hand when his eyes widen, "Umm.. sorry." Benni looks down at her hand wondering at her strength, having never been very strong.

"Hmm.. why don't I go with umm.. these two," points at The Cap and Energystar and not knowing their names yet she can only point at them, "since," she points at Dr Tesla, "he is knowledgeable about science and is apparently on the other team, this will balance out the science geeks." And what she doesn't say is that The Captain is the only hero she even vaguely recognizes from comics she read as a child since he is styling himself after Captain America. And Energystar is only other woman in the group.

There's more silence as Blackbird puts all those pieces into place - at least, as much as he can.

"Very well, then - I believe I shall join Dr. Tesla and Rad." And hope they do not find themselves in need of a pilot.

X turns and takes a look at the whole area and group gathered. This whole thing seems interesting and odd. Now X knows these things have to be done and gathered. He will have to report when he gets the chance as for now he has no problem helping Dr. Strange. Yet something is obviouvlsy weighing on his mind. X turns and takes a look at Energystar.

Well it seems that the two of us are going to but heads here star so I think I shall go with Tesla. I do have a question for you if you wouldn't mind having your fellows keep this a bit quite. Things like this go easier if we do not stir up the populace. Also keep what you see next a secret as well please if you would not mind.

Agent X begins to change he reduces by a few inches as does his outfit with him. This man now looks like the Chris Micheals attachment in the character thread.

"OK, Thankyou Agent X for choosing my team i guess....though i think stealth will be necessary for the other team as well, well whatever. My team will also need someone good at distractions and defense"

Tesla's specialties are in stealth, energy control and melee and engineering

"As i mentioned before, the arch i saw had similar markings to the ship i arrived in the present....or rather the present we just left which is.....oh for the love of realitivity i hate time travel!
he pauses a moment to wrap his head around this current situation

Yeah, most superscientists will blow a gasket at the whole magic stuff

"OK" he sighs, "Sorry about that folks. Now who esle would like to join my team?

Manta doesn't hesitate. "I'm with you Leader-Lady...I'll try not to tackle you again!"

"It helps to stop thinking of time as linear, ..Tesla? Think of time as a continuous whole where the present only exists and all experiences are happening in the present." Benni offers to Tesla.

"And I would love to learn about the markings you are speaking off. I would like to see if they match the markings I used in my OTD." Benni looks very hopefully at Tesla. Maybe there is a way to recreate her device.

"Show me something that has circuitry instead of theory, and I might be able to lend a hand too."

Firepower, Flight, Excellent-strength force field, and mechanical intuition.

Maelstrom shrugged and moved to stand beside Tesla. It was only then that he seemed to realize he was taller than he was supposed to be. He spread his arms and looked all around at himself and then just sighed - bitterly. One of these days he was going to lose it and just disappear. Not today though.

"I'm with you, then, stranger. I ... I suppose I can take some of the heat if we come under attack." He rapped his glassy chest, making a hollow rap-tap. "This seems to keep me more or less in one piece, and having died at least twice now, I guess I could do it again."

He shrugged sheepishly. It was unclear whether that last bit was a joke or not.

ROLE