Issue Eight: Get Together

Blackbird just remains ruefully silent, wishing he'd read up more on the AEF before opening his mouth...

X looks at attention after his name I used by EnergyStar. He looks at her as if he is try to figure out her motives. He then sees that she might mean him no Ill will. On the plus side working as a liaison for such an organization might be a good thing on its own. Though he normally does not due such work. X looks on with a tad smile when Hank Pym gives Energy star and Cap uh Minuteman the news. I do believe they will do a dang fine job as section leaders. That is at least in my humble opinion. Though I do wonder what else you founding gentlemen have planed.

Maelstrom put up his hand and offered the obvious. "If that is going to be the case, I suppose that opens some further places, both here and in the new teams in Buffalo. May I suggest that Mr. Tesla, Blue Marvel, Bubbles, Powersurge, Pulsar, Jim, Radical Warrior and Ms. Benni be recruited as well? I wouldn't dare to suggest who deserves to be a full Avenger and who to be the first members of the new AEF, though. Those of us who are to be in the Avengers North have worked successfully with them already and ... well, I'd hate to break up a team that works well together. "

Beorn looked a bit sheepish and hopeful.

MinuteMan looks a little frightened by Maelstrom's suggestion of Blue Marvel as a member of either team.

Blue Marvel responds by hitting the table, throwing his fist in the air, and shouting "Yay! I'm an Avenger!" before Captain America's hand on his shoulder and a stern "settle down, son" force him to regain his composure.

"I have no problem with Jericho, PowerSurge, or Benni", MinuteMan says quietly, but loud enough for both 'Star and Maelstrom to hear. "I still don't think Rad will join beyond reserve membership. Pulsar's opted for reserve membership as well and Jim...well...it's probably still too early to tell..."

"If we are in agreement to keep an experimental franchise, as well as form a new 'North' team, we will need to fully staff both the North and East teams before we consider possible candidates for 'Phase Two' of our farm club."

By the end of the night, and after some cajoling and arm-twisting of people to step up, the tentative East and North rosters are in place...

East Active Membership: Captain America (chairperson), Hercules, Sersi, Spiderman, Warbird (AKA Ms. Marvel I), Triathlon, with plenty of reserves attached to the team (Black Panther, Crystal, She Hulk, Sub Mariner, Ant Man II, Silverclaw, Stingray).

North: EnergyStar (interim chairperson [until the team gets to vote] based on her stints as chairperson of both the AEF and East Coast teams), MinuteMan, MantaMan, Maelstrom, Blackbird, plus one additional opening. Pulsar opts to remain in reserve status.

Any other heroes you have worked with have either never served as full Avengers (acting as members of the AEF only - such as Ka-Zar, Patriot II, Challenger, Captain Electron, Mystic Spiral, DarkBlade, Radical Warrior, and Jim [currently inactive]) or have not been officially affiliated with the Avengers at all (Blue Marvel, PowerSurge, Bubbles, Agent X, Benni, Jericho Tesla). From this group (and potentially others not mentioned here), you will have to select six active members to be the core of your new experimental franchise.

MinuteMan and Maelstrom have already expressed their support for Benni and Jericho Tesla. Maelstrom has a few others he would recommend as well (see above).

ooc

Actually, that's pretty much where I was going, too!

The new Avengers North team leaves the meeting with a full roster (Blackbird, EnergyStar, Maelstrom, MantaMan, and MinuteMan, with Pulsar temporarily offering to serve as the team's sixth active member until their return to Buffalo) and a mission: like the other two Avengers teams, the Avengers North can recommend potential candidates for membership in the new 'Experimental Franchise' (farm club) startup which will be sharing the Buffalo headquarters with the new North team. The team should have a maximum of six active members, but may have an unlimited number of reserve members.

Original AEF members Challenger, Captain Electron, Mystic Spiral, DarkBlade, and Radical Warrior (who reluctantly accepted reserve membership at the insistence of his stepsister, EnergyStar) have all declared their desire to move (or stay, in Rad's case) in reserve status.

If you bump into Bubbles again in Buffalo, you might consider offering him reserve status in the AEF.

Jim the android, currently non-functional, is in inacative status, as is Jack Monroe, AKA Nomad III, who you have not heard from in a while.

Ka-Zar, Jack Frost, and Patriot II have all requested a downgrade to reserve status but have said they are willing to step up to active status again if absolutely neccessary.

Benni and Jericho Tesla, both displaced in one way or another, might be good candidates for the new AEF. Agent X might also be a good candidate...or, he might be a good option for the new North Avengers government liaison, as EnergyStar suggested, if that can be arranged. Unfortunately, EnergyStar was informed that the North Avengers' government liasison would be in addition to the AEF's own government liaison, which would remain EnergyStar's nemesis, Byron Justinian Gamble.

Other characters you have worked with recently who might be candidates would be PowerSurge and Blue Marvel...although MinuteMan would have some initial reservations about offering Blue Marvel membership...

Of course, you do have Spiderman's former enemy, The Human Fly, also waiting for you back in Buffalo...although he might have a criminal record, which may pose a problem...

Based on the feedback so far, I believe the current North team supports Agent X, Benni, and Jericho Tesla for membership in the new AEF. Suggestions for the three open slots?

Shopping Spree: Beyond that, I suggest all players look through the Marvel rules and see what equipment you would like to purchase (normal stuff - up to normal vehicles and apartments are OK, but no purchasing a fleet of LearJets). Post a list for your characters in the OOC thread, along with which book(s) you selected the equipment from. My Resource system is partially based on a blend of the Original Basic rules and the Advanced rules, so once I know what you want to pick up, I will tell you how long it will take to acquire it.

The following day: The day is spent moving resources and equipment back to the newly restored Avengers mansion. That evening, the night before the Buffalo teams are due to head back to their home town, a huge reception is held at Avengers Mansion with a score of personally invited guests, including the current roster of the Fantastic Four.

She-Hulk and Wyatt Wingfoot (both currently of the Fantastic Four) are inseparable for a good portion of the night, except for when She-Hulk takes the opportunity to pass a bit of advice to EnergyStar. "Administering two teams out of the Buffalo headquarters...much less two new teams...your going to need some support staff you can rely on...I happen to knew a great secretary..."

"Smile!", Rick Jones interrupts, as he snaps a photo of the two heroines together. Rick makes a point of recording a good portion of the nights activities on his camera. He catches a photo of Black Panther and Agent X (in Michaels form) shaking hands. He takes another of the greatest scientific gathering of several worlds and time periods as he catches Hank Pym, Benni, Jericho, and Beorn in conversation. He even manages to get a photo of MantaMan in conversation with Stingray and Namor where Namor doesn't look completely annoyed...not an easy task.

Jericho Tesla gets reintroduced to Jacqueline Falsworth, who is there as a guest of Jim Hammond, the Human Torch. At first, Jericho can hardly believe it, as Jacqueline looks even younger than she did when he knew her four decades ago. She asks Jericho if Blue Marvel is actually the Robert Grayson they worked with back in the 1950s, but Jericho has to inform her that, sadly, it is not. Noticing MinuteMan standing alone cross the room staring at another group of heroes, Jacqueline excuses herself to go over to him and take him by the arm. "C'mon", she tells MinuteMan, "I know you want a photo!" She leads MinuteMan over to the group of surviving Invaders from World War II - Captain America, Jim Hammond, Namor, and herself, and asks Rick Jones to snap a picture for MinuteMan, who looks like an awkward fanboy at the moment.

You are at a party with the Avengers. Post whatever photo opportunities you would like to take!

Jericho would like to get a picture with the original members of the Avengers(Iron man, Spiderman, Captain America, etc) He'd also relate to them some of the stories and adventures he had with former heroes of his time during and after WWII(a-la Watchmen style, ie 'i remember when Dr. so-and-so had a death ray and how super-what's-his-face and I crashed into his lab...)

Benni is very shy around people, although she loves talking with Hank Pym and Bjorn, and pulling Jericho into the conversation at some point. She gets too involved in scientific conversations to seek out photo ops at this party.

Manta attempts to drink some of the more receptive Avengers under the table. He manages to get himself slapped by more then one of the female members ("Man Shulkie can put a sting on a fella!")and later blames it on intoxication. In reality Mantaman's virtually limitless stamina all but prohibits him from getting drunk...much to his chagrin.