2015-01-25 - Showdown at the Green Lady

Kara Zor-El takes a moment to pose on the front keel of the ship. Need to do a piratey pose. Then walks to the pirate wheel where a crewmember is steering, with Cassandra nearby, holding onto Spider-Man by the wrist.

She gets right in his face, looking him eye to masked-eye. "Arrr... Ye be no captain, of the sky or otherwise. But ya did ask for parley, and I'll honor that. But no food or drink until we're at our secret hideout..."

Which she already announced by shouting to everyone.

"... and since we can't have y' know 'bout its location..."

Kara takes finger and thumb and flicks Spider-Man in the head. With a lot more force than he's gotten from hits from Doc Ock or Rhino or any of his other rogues gallery villains.

Kara says, "TO THE GREEN LADY ME BUCKOS!" and points her sword towards the Statue of Liberty, which is being evacuated by SHIELD unbeknownst to the Kryptonian delusional pirate.

And Now, the Conclusion.

---

Putting in a call to evacuate LIberty Island. She had to hope she wouldn't be cashiered over for this. But, sighing, she went to put in a quick comm call over to Black Bat <<We're evacuating the Statue, the zone should be clear if you can stall her long enough."

The ship turns with reasonable grace and sails for the great Liberty Island of Manhattan. Stalling doesn't seem to be a great issue, as sailing ships aren't always known for speed and an ancient ship is not exactly the fastest of all of its type. But it is sound, and a good ship, and the noble ship pulls in to dock with Kara's skilled hand at the wheel.

At the captain's order, the island is quickly scouted and a stronghold taken, with many windows broken for no real reason, but the island of the green lady is subjugated with ease. There is, after all, no resistance, and the museum quickly becomes the Hideoout of the Steel Maiden. Considering the fact that it is the island of a coper maiden, it has some poetry to the idea.

Cassandra, having found an eyepatch and a sword somewhere, jumps down from the ship's side and brings Peter in to the museum under 'heavy guard', which is to say she's making sure nobody does anything stupid and tries to stab the prisoner. "I will...make sure," she says to Kara as she takes the prisoner. She seems quite capable, after all.

Peter wakes up with a welt on his head. "jeez, and I thought rhino packed a punch... where am I" He looks around his head whoozy great he was out long enough to wake up on liberty island. He' gonna need to think of an excuse to get checked for post concussion symptoms. He gets up and stumbles around. "oh my god i'm here. I'm on ls island! all the time it was here?" He falls to his knees "you finally really did it. YOU MANIAC! YOU BLEW IT UP! GOD DAMN YOU! GOD DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!"

He takes a moment and gets up. "Ok so when is my parley?" Spider asks like he didnt just re-enact the last scene of planet of the apes. .oO(hmmm it's been a while since Kara was exposed I wonder what sort of half life that things has and whether or not some of the radiation has begun to disappate naturally?)

Kara Zor-El is on the balcony of the base of the Statue of Liberty, overseeing her crew to make sure they're following orders. She wanted the island fortified! Lots of pikes with black jolly roger flags so people know not to come to this pirate cove. But of course she can hear Spider-Man as he regains consciousness, and she heads back in to where Spider-Man and her loyal crew swabbie, Swabbie (aka Cassandra Cain) are. The parrot is still on her shoulder. "Yer parley..." she says, walking over to him, "is the only reason, ya swanking codgerball, that I havent sep'rated yer head from shoulders yet. Now what be yer parley request?"

She looks over at Cassandra, "And Swabbie, this parrot, he be defective. He hasnt said one word yet, even askin' for a cracker or talkin about walkin' the plank yet."

Cecannia Eirissach tapping along her commlink, Cecannia thinks.. <>

Swabbie Cassandra looks at Kara as she arrives, frowning, and says, "I...yes, Captain," having no idea what a pirate is supposed to be like. She doesn't watch movies generally. Just the UFC fights because those things are f'ing hilarious. "Do you want me to...fix it?" referring to the parrot. She is generally standing watch over Spider-Man, who is not actually tied up and roaming mostly free at the moment.

She takes a moment and barricades the door behind Kara so the prisoner can't leave. It also makes it so the other crew will have to yell to get in, which will be happening soon and waste more time.

"Aye yes verily. I would like to negotiate my coming into your service in exchange for you not hurting anyone on your raids of new york and that we be drinking buddies?" Spider-man says to Kara trying to think of somethign to discuss on parley and trying hard to get his plan in motion. "I think you can admit I do have some skills and I have the cannon balls to stand up to you. I'd be a loyal and valuable crew member"

Kara Zor-El hands off her pirate to Swabbie, who squawks a lot but doesnt say a single word of english. "Arrrr." she says to Swabbie in acknowledgment. She then looks at Spider-Man. "Y' be the daftest landlubber that I ever crossed paths with in all the seven seas! Hurtin' people is what pirates do! And WE BE PIRATES!" She looks at Swabbie. "Can you believe this daft fool?" She looks back at Spider-Man. "And if you say otherwise, I'd take yer cannonballs and grind them into slag!" She again grips his throat and peers at him. "I could use some pressed service though. Would ye be willing for me to cut off one of y' legs and replace it with a pegleg?" she asks, letting go after a brief moment of that really strong kryptonian grip.

 Cassandra Cain says, "You are having way too much fun with this, aren't you? :)"

 Kara Zor-El says, "I BE A PIRATE!"

 Cecannia Eirissach says, "It looks like it, yes. ;)"

 Kara Zor-El says, "ARRRR"

there's a sigh, and over the comm channel Cecannia tries to hit upon something.. "Try and get her signing. Then tell her she's singing it wrong and otherwise try and get her to do as many different thigns as possible."

Cassandra Cain collects the parrot, not pirate, from Kara and puts the thing somewhere reasonably safe, on top of a bust of George Washington in the lobby. Good a place as any, she figures, and there are more important things to deal with right now. She can tell what Peter is trying to get Kara to do, and she says as she returns and watches her release him, "P'raps we...send for...drinks? There might be..." and she pauses, sighing as she actually says it, "drinking song that we...should sing. The parrot could...learn." She's fighting all her inner urges to roll her eyes at the idea of having to drink mead and sing drinking songs. It's a mission, keep focused.

"I be daft but those be my people. Captain I don't ask much you have been taking as you please with out much civilian damage." Spider-man make his case. He winces at the idea of loosing a leg. He need to calm her down. "listen captain I'd rather keep my legs intact they hold sentimental value you know. but I know of things things that could be of great value to yah I'm a man of science, if you get me the right equipment I can make gold for you! out of worthless metals. and beyond on that I know of a place. not far from here. there be a treaure there dug deep and boobie trapped every time someone tries to tunnel down to the treasure they believe be there. the sea claims their tunnel. but you you can claim that treasure with ease imagine a treasure so jealously guarded that even modern tech can't take it." Spider-man hope he's got her attention now.

There's a rubbing of her nose then, and Cecannia lets out a sigh. Her comment is not verbalized as she sits at the communications console, but rather purely mental. ~Teenagers.~ Letting out a sigh, she goes to clip over and watch. "Try and get her to perform or sing. Especially if the rest of the group doesn't know proper traditions and you can get her to show them to you."

Kara Zor-El takes out her sword and points it at Spider-Man's throat. "I'll have none of yer Sorcery and witchy words! VILE HE-WITCH!" She looks at Cassandra's suggestion. "Brilliant swabbie! That be what's missing! Piratey songs!" She gives Peter a powerful shove - pretty much like how everything the space-born blonde does is powerful - then tosses Cassandra "Swabbie" Cain her sword. "I'll go tell the boys, Arrrr, and get a raucous song playin' in their bellies! As fer our sorcerous village fool.... cut off his leg and fit him with a proper wooden one in the meantime."

At which point she opens the window, closes it behind her, and flies out to her men.

Cassandra Cain watches Kara leave, steadying Peter. As soon as the door is closed, she turns him to face her and puts a finger in front of her lips, doing the 'shh' thing. Then she whispers, 'red kryptonite...wears off...after one day. Stall...ing for..time.' Simple, to the point, and she adds with Cecannia's orders, 'make her...sing maybe...' as she buckles on the sword. She likes swords.

Outside, Kara is yelling at her confused crew about singing. "NO! REPEAT AFTER ME! AND A YO HO HO!"

There's silence and confusion from the crew, until Kara fires heat vision by their feet.

Then the crew starts to sing, unsuredly. "And a yo ho ho!"

Kara nods. "That be better! AND A YEE HEE HEE!" She glares at her cantankerous crew, who comply and sing "And a yee hee hee!"

"Now pass along the musical crib sheets the third mate is passin down and all together now!"

"We take to the New York Sea! We'll brave the squalls and bust yer balls! The Life of a pirate HEEE!"

"Good, next song!"

Lots of groaning can be heard, until another blast of heat vision occurs.

"yars singing and dancing yes! throat cutting and force amputationss no boo!" Spiderman says jumping back slightly.

Spider-man hears the swabbie tell him to stall and he nods. she must know whats going on better than I do. Red Kryptonite...may a note to study that indepth. Spider-man sings out "out on the lendless oceans we tear along the gales!

With rum inside our bellies warm and freedom in our sails! A wayward bunch of scoundrels, assassins theives and slaves The rich and blue bloods fear us when we hunt upon the waves! and when you see it cominG! that flag of baleful black! is no point in turning tail. there's no escaping our attack! YO HO YO HO WE ROLL BENEATH THE BLACK FLAG!"

Cassandra Cain watches Spider-Man burst into song, having expected him to wait until Kara was at least in the room. She considers putting the sword in the door then pictures exactly what would happen if Kara put even an iota of her strength into it and ducking flying metal shards, and then says to Cecannia, "Best I can...do," under her breath, as she stolidly refuses to sing. Just no.

Spider-man looks at 'swabbie' and shurgs. "no good? well ok then." Peter thinks for a moment. "well if my song wont work. I don't have anything that wont also make her mad and hit me again. aw rum! where is the rum? WHERE HAS THE RUM GONE!" That should get the pirate's attention.

For the next hour, it's a lot of forced labor singing of the crew until they get the song in halfway relative harmony for deaf people, which is to say .... it still is horrible. Captain Kara frowns. "We'll break for now, the lot of ye! I have business to attend to, then we go to the mainland and plunder the likes of which this land has never seen!"

She flies back to where Peter has been shouting stuff about rum, trying to get her attention (despite the rum being in the ship, where the rum they stole is located). And his singing a jaunty pirate tune, which is admittedly better than a lot of the men in the crew.

Kara just enters the room again. "I be thinkin, as I was teaching me crew jaunty pirating songs."

She starts talking more, walking towards Peter and Cassandra. "First, I be wonderin' what Swabbie meant by 'stalling for time.'" Mayhaps ye be plottin' with the king's men or the East India Company?"

Her fists clench.

"Then I be thinkin, the prisoner has quite a lovely singing voice. But finally, I be noticin, his leg hasn't been lopped off. And that brands both of ye as traitors in me book! And ye know what happens to traitors!?"

As Kara noted, Cassandra aka Swabbie has not in fact lopped off any limbs. She has basically found a place to sit and wait, having played all of her cards at this point, and she knows that her best bet is in letting Kara ride it out. The singing outside seems to have ended, and she raises an eyebrow as Kara enters and speaks.

Turning to Spider-Man, she says, "Die young." It seems to have some significance, as she closes her eyes and seeks a place inside of peace.

Opening them again, she looks Steel Maiden Kara in the eyes, and draws her sword. Let's do this.

Spider-man looks at the fearless young girl seemingly ready to accept death. I can't let her do this I can't let this girl take the fall. I can't beat supergirl she's like the sentry and captain marvel had a terribly short tempered love child. But I'm Spider-man I cna put up a fight by some time, save her life. I hope. He gulps, goes into action. "hey supergirl for give me but-" BOOM! Spider-man throws his best punch at kara with all his might. then flips up into the rafters.

Kara Zor-El turns to see whatever the annoying prisoner is babbling on about... and is punched by Spider-Man. Right in the face.

Ow.

That is to say, Ow because punching Kara in her face feels like punching the Hulk.

Wrapped in Adamantium.

Which is then wrapped in Adamantium's big brother, Ow-this-is-freaking-hard-mantium.

The girl doesn't even so much as turn her head or move her head back from the impact of the webslinger's fist to the face. Hell, she doesnt even bat an eye from it. And when Spider-Man flips backwards into the rafters after punching her 'with all his might,' he can speculate on how his fist feels, becuase it sure didn't look like Captain Kara thought much of the effort. Especially since her eyes glow red and heat beams fier out from it, slicing through the steel I-beam rafters onto which Spider-Man is sticking, causing the rafter to fall with him on it.

It's a safe bet that parley is over.

Kara Zor-El says, all menacingly, "Arr, I be goin' to rip both of ye apart with me bare hands and feed the bits as chum to the sharks!"

Then Cassandra Cain is attacking as well, having no fear of Kara or of anything the girl from Krypton can do. She's seen it, she knows in every fibre of her being that she can't win. And without the slightest hesitation she tries everything she's ever even considered might have a chance. Cassandra feints with the blade toward the eyes while Kara is distracted, forcing her to use her peripheral vision only to react. The sword, even done with perfection, is a fake to allow her to use a foot to deliver a pressure strike; the kick would create a pressure wave inside Kara, bouncing around inside her and disrupting internally even though it could not penetrate her skin.

The kick is ALSO a fake though, giving her time to duck and spin the sword. It was Kara's blade, there's a chance it is good enough to do some damage, and she uses her last thought to spin at absolute maximum speed to try and bring the blade across Kara's legs, wrists and eyes in helixical rising spin slashes.

Though she be but little, she is fierce!

Things are going too fast for Cecannia to keep track of now as the melee breaks out, and the communications is on the fritz thanks to a trio of metahumans brawling with oneanother. At this point, all she can do is cross her fingers and hope backup arrives. Soon.

Jeesus it's like hitting Sabretooth, but he can't let this slow him down the only chance he has is to keep distances and keep moving now that he has her attention. He's incomprehensibly fast, but you're no slouch yourself Pete, all you have to do is move out of the way fast that she can close in on you. I don't have to be faster than her just fast enough. Spider-man leaps from the melting beam to another before it falls. As it falls though Spidey manages to web it and swing it down towards Kara like a battering ram. Though he does this with great strain and pain in his ruined hand.

Captain Kara watches as Cassandra swings and feints with the sword, then her foot, then finally swings the sword across at her legs. And the sword IS made of damascus steel, which is a particularly hard type of sword, known for being able to do things like cut through modern steel like butter.

The Girl of Steel nickname, unfortunately, is just a nickname. The blonde teenager who is currently a pirate? She's waaaay harder than steel. The blade slices at her leather pirate pants, and stops quite abruptly upon striking the Kryptonian skin of the girl's hip/thigh area. And there's still almost a minute left until the 24 hours is up.

At the same time, Spider-Man grabs the falling I-Beam rafter and uses a web to ram it into Kara.

It has about the same effect that the punch had, and falls to the ground after hitting the girl's midsection, with 30 seconds left.

Although it does seem that Captain Kara gets really angry at that point, grabbing Cassandra's sword-wielding arm and squeezing it until the sword drops - which really doesn't take that long at all given the types of pressure being exerted, then throws her into Spider-Man, sending both of them into the wall at the 15 second mark.

She doesn't even let them fall from the wall to the floor though, as she then moves (faster than a speeding bullet, mind you) to grab each of them by the throats and holds them off the ground, with grips enough that if she squeezed just a tad more, it would crush their throats.

10.... 9.... 8.... 7....

She tilts her head. "We've all had enough fun now, savvy? Methinks it's time for ya traitorous curs to put yer heads together!"

5... 4... 3... 2...

Kara smiles cruelly, "G'bye buckos..." and pulls the two of them from each other, then proceeds to slam their heads together!

Or... she would have, except she stops with their heads about half an inch from each other when the teenager stops, and looks very confused.

Kara looks at them, bewildered. "Um.... I have questions. Question 1.... what's going on? And on related question 2... why am I wearing an eyepatch and these clothes?"

Cassandra's thought processes are sped right up at the moment, all her thoughts in her native tongue, but one thought gets through right before she sees death. She feels, more than thinks, that she was hoping to see her father again before she died, and resolves to visit him someday if she makes it through this.

As her head is brought toward Spider-Man's, ready to be cracked like an eggshell, she looks at them both calmly, but a slight wince is evidence that she has a bit more training to do. Then, suddenly, Kara speaks. The real Kara. And she says, "Oh hey...welcome back," from under Kara's grip, as if it's meeting over coffee.

Outside, the sound of Cecannia barely avoiding hitting her head over on the console can be heard as she lets out a mumbled sigh, and then goes on, "Secure the area and the transport for debriefing and transfer of assets."

Spider-man catches his breath and breathes a sigh of relief when they don't die. "oooh don't super girl, you just had a little bit of the old pirate sickness. some red thing she called it kryptonite and you acted a little silly thought were a pirate almost killed us but you're good now I hope and things are all right. I'm your friendly neighborhood spider-man by the way nice to meet you" He offers her his hand to shake.

Spider-man catches his breath, and breathes a sigh of relief when they don't die. "oooh don't super girl, you just had a little bit of the old pirate sickness. some red thing she called it kryptonite" Peter points at cassandra. "and you acted a little silly, thought were a pirate, and almost killed us. But you're good now I hope and things are all right. I'm your friendly neighborhood spider-man by the way nice to meet you." He offers her his hand to shake. "You hit like Thor by the way."

As the SHIELD HOvercraft goes over to dock, troopers come in to secure the -extremely- cooperative looking 'pirates' who are sobbing, "Please, arrest us! Arrest us! Lock us up and throw away the key! Just make sure she never comes near us again!" The SHIELD Agents as well look over at Kara with fearful, respectful glances while giving her a wide berth.

Kara Zor-El watches all the 'pirates' give up without even a fight as soon as they have the option to do so. Probably has something to do with how they were forced to plunder rum, burgers and chicken nuggets, and when she even heard one of them WHISPER to another that she was nuts, she hung him upside down from the mast until he recanted. She takes off the eyepatch and tri-corner hat and rubs her head a little. "Uh.... nice to meet you too. Red Kryptonite?" She sighs. "I hate that stuff. Hope I didn't actually hurt anyone."

When she finds out later about stuff like, in addition to almost killing Spider-Man and Cassandra, she also knocked out Stature, she's going to have to figure a way to make it up to her.

HallMark should make a gift basket for occasions like this.