"The Black Panther" by Mikel (Midnight)
Logged and Edited by The Sandman.

DCU Golden Age (muds.idyllmtn.com 3333)
Friday, November 12, 1999, 8:20 PM
----------------------------------------

Assembly and Meeting Area (Level Four)
This is the Perisphere's work area. It is dominated by a large 
recessed auditorium, with enough seating spaces to accommodate 60 
Squadron members. Suspended over the auditorium is a massive Zeiss 
projector, used to project files and film loops for all to see.
Contents:
The Sandman
Sandy
Johnny Quick
Obvious exits:
Skylight  Elevator  The Trylon

Johnny Quick says "Hi, Sandy. Who do you pick for the playoffs, this
year?"

If he would stand still long enough, you would see that Johnny Quick 
is a tall, somewhat slim man wearing a red tunic, trunks and boots. 
His leggings are yellow, as are his gloves, and he disguises his face 
with a black cowl, through which his blond hair overflows. His blue 
eyes sparkle with laughter, and he is (almost) always grinning.

The Batman walks in from the Elevator.
The Batman has arrived.

         Before you stands a menacing looking figure with a black cowl 
and cape. As you look this figure over you notice that the cape drapes 
downward covering most of the figure's body. His mask is pointed and 
covers the upper half of his face displaying a very batlike visage. 
Seeming more a living force of darkness than a mortal being, this dark 
black and grey-clad being is humanoid in shape. 
         From the bottom of his feet to the top of his head is six 
feet, two inches, and pointed ears portrude upward another two inches. 
He is dressed in a stormcloud-gray bodysuit that is visible when the 
flowing winglike cloak of midnight blue does not obscure it. All but 
his chin and mouth are covered in a cowl of the same blue, and dead 
white eyes with no pupils peer forth.
        You notice a symbol of a bat plastered on this figures chest 
(=IVI=), and below that symbol a unique looking belt V=V=o=V=V which 
seems to have many compartments. This wide yellow belt of multiple 
pouches, pockets, and compartments is fastened around a pair of black 
shorts.
         His muscular body tenses with energy and you can tell by his 
arms that he's worked most of his life to prepare himself for combat. 
His black boots lead chiefly up to his knees and are made of some type
of new age rubber and leather.
        There also appears to be a dispenser on his belt for 
dispensing apparent weapons including a spool for some type of high 
tense fiber material. His belt compartment also seems lined with other 
types of pouches.
         His long black cape drapes along his body covering him like a 
long cloak and you notice the apparent bracers he keeps on his arms 
and covered in black gloves that have strange spike like points along 
his wrist and arms. The same inky blue forms boots and gloves. Spines 
arc backward from the forearms of the gloves...He meets your gaze with 
an emotionless face showing an almost menacing yet, calm look to it. 
He does not appear to be smiling.

Johnny Quick says "Hey, Sandman. Good to see you."

Sandy blinks in surprise, stopping short at the entrance. "Ah...what? 
Oh, geez...I haven't been following, sorry, Johnny."

        You see a tallish, handsome boy of about fifteen years. He 
appears to be extremely self-assured, despite his youth and its 
accompanying awkwardness. An aura of smug superiority surrounds him, 
and permeates his every movement - yet there's something about him 
that says he's not a -total- wiseacre, or a complete jerk. Kinda like 
Johnny Quick, y'know? Maybe it's his deference to the fairer sex, or 
his respectfulness of (most of) his elders...or maybe it's the way he 
looks out for his partner, The Sandman.
        Wild golden curls, almost Bacchanalian in nature, frame 
Sandy's young face. His bright cornflower-blue eyes hold an 
indecipherable look, which could be construed as arrogance if he isn't 
careful...his identity is kept secret by a red domino mask, which 
match his boots, gauntlets, collar, and the upper part of his 
trousers. His peasant-style blouse and the rest of his trousers are a 
bright yellow, and the ends of the trousers are tucked into the tops 
of his boots. All in all, it's definitely an attention-grabbing 
outfit, which suits the Golden Boy just fine.
   
The Batman walks in from the Elevator.
The Batman has arrived.

The Batman nods to Sandman. "How are things in New York?"
The Sandman touches the brim of his hat. "As well as can
be expected, Batman."

       The Sandman is dressed in a startlingly garish color 
combination, perhaps to reflect the vibrant hues of his sidekick. His 
lean five-foot-eleven, one-seventy-pound frame is clad in an olive 
green double-breasted suit with black buttons over a white dress 
shirt. The jacket conceals dual pistols holstered under each arm. 
Draped over his shoulders is a purple opera cloak so dark as to appear 
black, its Victorian style evoking Bram Stoker's _Dracula_. The 
Sandman's shoes are brown. On his hands are kid gloves of an orangey-
tan, which match the black-banded fedora atop his head.
        The Sandman's face is obscured by a surreal gas mask that 
covers his entire head. The mask is a brilliant blue, set with a 
yellow face panel. The round lenses and snubbed ribbed nose give The 
Sandman a strange appearance. The whole color scheme is distracting 
and difficult to look at. Dreamlike, really.

Johnny Quick says "A kid not following the games? Kind of...odd, ain't
it?"

The Sandman folds his arms beneath his Inverness cloak. "Perhaps the 
boy has more serious pursuits to occupy himself with." he intones in 
that hollow mask-produced voice.

Sandy crosses his arms, finding a chair to sprawl into. He gives 
Johnny a withering look, brow furrowing. "Ain't it kinda odd to dress 
up in tights, Mr. Quick?" Then he glances at The Sandman, and
looks back to Johnny. "That too."

Johnny Quick says "More serious? Than the Gotham Knights? If something 
is more serious that my team's playoff chances, I want it found and 
shot right now!"
Johnny Quick smiles.

Johnny Quick says "Odd to dress in tights? They've been doing it since
the middle ages, Sandy."

The Batman moves his hands along the belt checking the various 
compartments. His eyes tighten.. He scans the room.. The checks the 
last compartment and nods. . o O (Formidable Group here tonight. The 
Sandman, perhaps my equal. Perhaps. Johnny Quick.)

Johnny Quick says "Hmm... Middle ages. Knights. I seem to keep coming 
back to that."

The Sandman adjusts the brim of his hat before returning a gloved hand 
to the folds of his cloak. "Knighthood and chivalry are a noble dream, 
but one that easily lulls the sleeper."

Plastic Man walks in from the Elevator.
Plastic Man has arrived.

Plastic Man says "Hiya Hiya Hiya, the gangs all here!"
Plastic Man says "I smell trouble brewin"

Plastic Man is a stylish man in his mid-twenties. His dark hair is 
smoothly slicked back behind his ears, and his face is covered with 
thick goggles that obscure his eyes from sight. His costume is red, 
resembling spandex...his shorts seem shrink wrapped around him. His 
bright red shirt is open in a "V" on his chest, which is laced up with 
black cord. His outfit is completed with a black belt around his 
waist, which is notched together in the front with a round, yellow 
buckle.


The Batman takes his seat and continues to check his compartments.

Johnny Quick says, "So, Drinks all around? He gets up. "Coke for you, 
I hope, Sandy. The rest would be coffee? I know Batman will have his 
Black."

Glancing up at the ceiling vent briefly, then returning his attention 
to Johnny, Sandy shakes his head, smirking. "Yeah, and they got 
themselves some common sense 'roundabout the Renaissance, JQ. Face it, 
it's a losin' battle." He leans forward, elbows on his knees, and 
looks at The Sandman. 


Plastic Man elongates his nose to sniff around the room
Johnny Quick speeds a drink into everyone hands.

The Batman nods Plas, "Haven't seen you since we broke up that 
Birthday Party? Remember that? You me and Air Wave?"
The Batman sips a little of the coffee.

Plastic Man says "Now that was fun, we should do it again sometime 
Bats, I luuuuv parties"


Johnny Quick says "Not all Knights are noble, Sandman. Like this Black 
Knight character. Tricky, but not in any way noble."

Plastic Man says "Hey I've got an idea, let's all go and break up a 
birthday party now."

The Batman sips his coffee "Maybe later Plas. Sandman, have you heard 
about the mess going down in Chinatown?"

Johnny Quick apologises to Batman. "It's sort of.. instant coffee, 
Batman."

Plastic Man forms the top of his head into a party hat. "Cmon you'll 
love gatecrashing a kids party, I swear."

The Sandman raises the cup to his lips and stops abruptly, not being 
able to drink it through his mask. He puts it on the table and stands 
behind Sandy's chair.

Johnny Quick says "What mess in Chinatown, Batman? I was on the West 
Coast until a couple of minutes ago."

Plastic Man says "Ooooh I gotta hitch a ride with you sometim J.- what 
a rush!"

The Batman sips his coffee, "It's perfectly Fine Johnny. Plas, 
Remember the last time, we nearly all got electorcuted. Nothing I 
can't handle. I have an agreement with The Dragon. Things should be 
orderly. Though I hear that Sandy and a few others had a little 
adventure their recently."

Sandy winces. "Oooh. Um, ah, yeah. Adventure." He's suddenly really, 
really busy with his Coke.

Plastic Man says "Really? I hope you whooped butt for Truth, Justice 
and softer twinkies"

The emergency signal rings.
Ring ring, ring ring.

The Sandman tilts his head, his attention piqued both by The Batman's 
mention of Eastern underworld contacts, and The Golden Boy's 
apprehension.

Johnny Quick says "Bats? I think you have seniority."
Johnny Quick says "Or shall I get the phone?"

The Batman picks the phone up... "Nonsense Johnny, but I will answer 
it. And only in Gotham."
The Batman says "Batman here."


Johnny Quick thinks . o O (He acted like he was waiting for the butler 
to answer the phone.)

The emergency signal is activated, and the familiar face of Gotham's 
Police Commissioner Gorden appears on the viewscreen, with a slightly 
fuzzy picture. He says, "Is this on? I can never work this dadgummed 
thing."

Sandy is curiously silent, not even making a crack about seniors in 
Gotham.

Plastic Man tries his hand at ventriloquism "It's Catwoman, Batman- 
come home little bat-love child is getting restless"

The Batman says "You're coming through just fine Commissioner, whats
the problem?"

Plastic Man shrugs, his shoulder hit the ceiling.

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "Oh, thank god it's you 
Batman. There's a problem with Catwoman."

Plastic Man grins.
Plastic Man says "Am I psychic or what!"

Johnny Quick scores one for Plas.

The Batman narrows his eyes. "Go on."

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "Have any of you heard 
of Katherine Dunham?"

Sandy frowns. "Ain't she that dancer?"

Johnny Quick thinks . o O (I'm relieved Batman didn't blush. I 
couldn't have taken THAT.)

The Batman turns his head and rubs his chin. o O (She's going down 
this time.)

Johnny Quick says "Katherine Dunham? I don't know her."

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "Yes young man, that's 
correct. For the past several years she has been a sort of unofficial 
American representative touring Africa, gathering anthropological data 
... she is also a Negro civil rights leader"

The Sandman puts a hand on Sandy's shoulder and inclines his head 
slightly. No words are needed to say 'Good work' sometimes.

Sandy straightens slightly as a result. It's not too hard to see he 
appreciates the unspoken encouragement.

The Batman turns his head back and looks at Sandy. . o O ( I gotta
get out of the Batcave more often.)

Plastic Man thinks o o (I'm an Oscar Meier Weiner....How does that
song go again?)

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "At any rate, she has 
also been gathering information on a new dance piece. Her last trip 
was to a small African country called Wakanda, where she was loaned 
for her American tour, a legendary black panther statue. Guess who has 
expressed an interest?"


The Batman lifts an eyebrow. "Who?"
The Sandman says "Catwoman, of course," dryly.

Plastic Man thinks ooo (How do I get one of those nifty AllStars 
Communicator things...?)

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden nods, "Her latest dance piece, 
'Black Panther', is starting it's tour in New York tonight."

The Batman rubs his chin. "And that might just be the place for 
Catwoman to try and steal it."

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "Exactly."

Plastic Man jumps up and down excitedly "Oooh goody a dance show"

Sandy just listens quietly, thoughtful look on his face. He eyes 
Batman dubiously, shaking his head very slightly.

Johnny Quick worries. He's still hasn't figured out the Charlston.

The Batman narows his eyes. "Not on my watch. Well, that is if Sandman 
doesn't mind a little assistance in stopping her." He nods toward 
The Sandman.

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "A box has been held for 
you, at R.C.M.H."

Sandy stands, setting his cola down. He glances at The Sandman, then 
up at the viewscreen again; there's an impish look on his face. "Didja 
get us tickets, Commish?"

Plastic Man says "Change of plan guys, lets crash a dance performance 
instead"

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden says, "Of course, young man."

The Sandman's cloak shifts slightly as his shoulders move. "I did not 
mean to step into your territory, Batman. It is we who will be 
assisting you, as you know the feline fence's modus operandi the 
best."

Johnny Quick says "Sounds like an oppurtunity for a LOT of bad Cat 
puns. I'm in."

Plastic Man thinks o 0 (I'm gunna need a new name for this group- The 
Palstic Man Quintet sounds good...)

Plastic Man says "And I'm right there with ya J."

Johnny Quick says "Let's hope we can prevent a catastrophe, gang."
Plastic Man says "The repercussions could be cataclysmic"

The Batman nods and smiles. "I believe toinight her fiendish feline 
flashiness will find a firm journey straight to the joint."

Sandy catches The Sandman's reaction, and looks down quickly, hiding a grin.

Johnny Quick thinks . o O (Did Batman make a joke???)

The Batman rubs his mouth.. "We're starting to sound like the Penguin. 
All of us. Maybe we better stop."

Johnny Quick says "Oh, that's easy for you. Bad jokes are my whole 
schtick, Batman."

Plastic Man says "Don't get catty on me Bats."

>From the viewscreen Commissioner Gorden looks at his watch, "The 
concert starts in an hour, maybe you had better try to get there on 
time."

Plastic Man thinks o o (Need more cat puns, brain hurting...)
Johnny Quick says "Color us there, Comissioner."

Johnny Quick says "Now, where's this R.C.M.P.? In Canada?"
Johnny Quick says "Or is it Radio City Music something?"

Sandy silently facepalms. He starts edging toward the door. "Hey, we 
should do like he says, try and get there before it starts?"

Johnny Quick Are you going like that? I assumed it was Formal.
Johnny Quick straightens his tie.

The Batman narrows his eyes... "Hold a moment..."
The Batman says "how should we go?"

Plastic Man says "Quickly?"
Sandy says "By car, I'm guessing."

The Batman says "if we go in in costume, Catwoman will be expecting 
us."

Johnny Quick bows to Plas. "Thanks!"
Plastic Man spits out his tounge and examines it for flaws.

Johnny Quick says "Sandman, I assume you can find a suit?"
Johnny Quick winks.

The Sandman says "Is she not already expecting you, Batman? If you 
will forgive the expression, it is part of the cat-and-mouse game the 
two of you play, is it not?"

Plastic Man morphs into the picture of a theatre goes, with wispy 
black hair, a pencil thin moustache and a red suit with yellow bow 
tie.

The Batman narrows his eyes. "The only game I play with her is knock 
knock. and the answer is always her banging on the side of a jail 
cell."

The Sandman brushes an unseen something from the back of his glove. 
"My mistake."

Plastic Man thinks o o (He's really cracking the funnys tonight. I 
could lose my post as resident wacky guy)

The Batman rubs his chin. "Let's take The Special. C'mon. Maybe it'll 
throw her off her game."

Johnny Quick says "Well, I paid for the tux, and I'm wearing it. The 
man said I might as well buy it. One year as ambassador to France and 
it would pay for itself."

Plastic Man says "And I kind of like this outfit, I think it's 
dashing."

Johnny Quick says "I'll meet you guys there."
Johnny Quick walks into the Elevator.
Johnny Quick has left.

The Batman rubs his chin, "I'll meet you at Radio City Music Hall. I 
have something to take care of."

Radio City Music Hall
Nearly everything about the Music Hall is trememendous. It seats 6,200 
patrons, the staff of 600 employees is paid some $35,000 weekly. The 
300 ton steel truss that supports the immense golden proscenium arch, 
sixty feet high, is the heaviest yet used in theatre construction. The 
orchestra is the world's largest theatre orchestra, and the screen, 
seventy by forty is the world's largest. The stage, which cost more
than $400,000 to build, has seventy-foot sections that can be raised 
forty feet from the subbasement to a position fourteen feet above the 
normal stage level. Another Music Hall superlative concerns the troupe 
of "Rockettes," whose claim to the title of "world's finest precision 
dancers" has never been challenged.
Contents:
The Sandman
Sandy
Plastic Man
Johnny Quick
Obvious exits:
Out  

Johnny Quick says "Ahh. Nice of you to CATch up."
Plastic Man says "Ha Ha very funny mister speedy"
Plastic Man says "Hmm now there's an idea"
There is a quick explosion of rubbery limbs and Plastic Man
dissapears to be replaced by a duller entity.


The Batman walks in from the Rockefeller Plaza.
The Batman has arrived.
The Batman slips in and gets his ticket.
The Batman rubs his chin. "Sorry I'm late."

Johnny Quick says "Hey, who's this guy and why is he in Plastic Man's seat?
I heard New York fans were pushy, but this is rediculous!"
The lights start to dim.
Eel O'Brian returns to his previous theatre goer form.

Johnny Quick says "Now, no catcalls, fellers!"
Eel O'Brian says "Sorry J, just playing aroun, I have a great range you know"

Eel O'Brian says "Or umm, eer, I'll catapult you onto the stage..."

Sandy leans over, whispering to the Sandman, "It's a good thing I keep 
an extra suit in the Perisphere, huh?" The kid's wearing black 
trousers and shoes, and has a suit jacked on over his yellow shirt. 
Instead of his usual domino mask, he's wearing a pair of sunglasses.

The Batman rubs his chin and leands toward Sandman. "I can't tell you 
how UN-comfortable I am. How can we expect to catch her sitting in the
audience in costume."

Slowly the curtain opens. Strange, rhythmic music starts, pounded on
drums. On the center of the stage is a small pedestal, on which is a 
seated statue of a small black cat, eyes glittering with green jewels.

Eel O'Brian says "So who's in costume Bats?"
Johnny Quick says "Good music. CATchy."

The Sandman bends his head and nods his approval to Sandy, a more
full nod then when he was wearing the gasmask, which is now stuffed in
his pocket. With his hat pulled low, the Dream Deulist is just another 
man in a suit at the opera, although his face is obscured in the dark.

The Batman rubs his chin... "Fascinating. I'm sure she'll be interested
in stealing this."

Eel O'Brian thinks o O (He's good, maybe too good.
Could be the Riddler in disguise..hmmm)

A man and a woman slither onstage, dressed from head to toe in black, 
their bodies held low to the ground. For a moment it almost looks 
like a pair of panthers are moving, until you blink.

The Batman is also wearign a long back coat. And a fedora. If you look 
very closely you'll see his mask, but this has been real hard for him.

Eel O'Brian Let's out a long, sustained catcall

The Batman narrows eyes. "How can Gorden expect us to be on guard if
most of the folks are in cat suits.."

Johnny Quick pokes the rubber man in the ribs. If he has any.

The dancers stop, frozen in place, and the music likewise stops, and 
then jumpstarts again, and the pair leap off to the wings from a 
standing position, which looked almost impossible.

Eel O'Brian 's body jiggles uncontrollably "Don't that tickles.."

The Batman smiles. "That's not so hard. I mean I can do it."

Johnny Quick says "You mentioned catapaults, Plas? You think...?"

A third man runs onstange, also dressed in a catsuit. He leaps with 
great agility, grabbing the cat statue, whirling around, and running 
backstage.

The Batman says "Bingo..."

Johnny Quick sits up.

The Batman says "Plas! Form into a catapalt and get us on stage NOW!"

Johnny Quick says "It Could be part of the show..."
Johnny Quick chants "3X2(9YZ)4A!"

Eel O'Brian forms into a catapult.
Eel O'Brian says "Batter Up!"

Johnny Quick flies down at invisible superspeed to check it out.

Eel O'Brian says "Cmon all aboard the Plas express!"

The Batman says "Hold on, let Johnny check it out."
The Batman ducks back down. He doesn't like this not one darn bit.

Sandy sinks into his seat, hand hiding his grimace. If these guys ruin 
the show --!

Eel O'Brian says "Not that anyone would have noticed my little change 
of suit."

The music continues, but the stage is quiet. Slowly, murmurs of 
confusion start to be heard from the audience.

The Batman leans into his All-Star communicator. "Talk to me Johnny." 

*>BZKZT<* The King of Speed radios "It's real, All Stars! The dancers 
are being held hostage by Catwoman and a gang and a bunch of *big* 
black cats!"

The Batman says "Now Plas!"
Eel O'Brian says "Okay hop in!"
Eel O'Brian the head of the catapult, also Plas's head winks.
Plastic Man winds his catapult head back, ready to launch.

Plastic Man says "No crowding now, there's enough catapult to go 
around"

Sandy mutters, "Oh, *that* was subtle." He checks to make sure he has 
his equipment, then waits, sitting forward, for The Sandman's cue.

The Batman jumps in throwing his coat off.
Plastic Man says "ready?"
Plastic Man catapults The Batman on to the stage.

The Sandman is no longer in the seat next to Sandy however. As the 
Golden Boy leans forward he sees his partner running from stage left 
to right like the Phantom of the Opera, cloak streaming behind him.

*>BZKZT<* The Sandman radios "Come, lad! the game is afoot!"

Plastic Man turns his hand into a hook and throws it onto the stage.
Plastic Man reels himself in.

The Batman flies forward. Landing on the stage he tumbles and spins 
about looking for the hostages.

Plastic Man stands next to Batman and scans around, his eyes whizzing 
around the stage.

*>BZKZT<* The Batman radios "Johnny, give us your position."

Plastic Man forms into a mini tank with a boxing glove stuck in the 
nozzle of the cannon.

The All-Stars fly across the stage, drawing points and gasps from the 
audience. As they make it back, they see the dancers huddled in a 
corner of the room, armed men pointing guns at them to keep them
quiet. Catwoman is seated on a desk, speaking into a phone. A handful 
of large black panthers are stalking back and forth across the room, 
they spy the All-Stars first and growl deeply.

*>BZKZT<* Sandy radios "Right."

Plastic Man says "TALLY HO"
The Batman holds his hand back "Wait Plas!"
Plastic Man says "YLLAT OH"

Catwoman hisses, "Batman! And I see you brought your friends with you 
too."

Plastic Man grinds to a halt and waits for a signal.

The Batman says "Alright Catowman. What is it you want? I guarantee 
you I have enough firepower to take you in this time. So how about 
surrendering?"

Sandy silently stands, getting out of his aisle; he sprints down the 
side of the galleria and comes at the action from the other side, 
waiting in the wings.


Johnny Quick says "Catwoman. I see we're expected. You've played us as 
Cats-paws?"

Catwoman just laughs, "I think for firepower I have the slight edge,
lover." Most of them swivel around, aim guns at the All-Stars, and the 
panthers go into a crouch. "You know very well what I want, I want the 
statue. Shall we call it a draw and my friends and I will just walk
away free?"


Plastic Man forms into a little red puppy and runs behind Batman's 
legs.
Plastic Man says "Yike Yike Yike"

The Batman narrows his eyes. "You're delusional Catowman, but that's 
okay, I've brought my delusional Medicine." He slips his hand 
behind his back and carefully unhooks the batarang. "You've already 
lost, you just don't know it yet."


Catwoman slips her hand behind her back and carefully unhooks the 
CATarang. She purrs, "We'll just have to see, won't we?"

The Batman runs full out and jumps striaght over the two panthers. He 
aims his batarang straight at Catowman's hand, aiming for her 
catarang!

Plastic Man forms into a Tyrannasarus Rex and roars with all his might.

The Sandman folds his arms beneath his cloak , gripping the gasgun 
under his armpit, his eyes darting unoticed from his gasmask to find 
Sandy's hidden position. He dashes abruptly into the stage curtains, 
firing a cloud of green sleeping vapor at a cluster of gunmen.

Plastic Man rushes the assembled panthers, trying his best to look 
intimidating.

Johnny Quick says, Superman isn't the only one faster than a speeding 
bullet.." He tries to whisk the hostages to safety.

Sandy puts in his gas filters in one smooth motion, and jumps a likely 
catman from the back, kicking at the fellow's knees.

Catwoman recoils, whipping out her CAT-o-nine tail's and catching 
Batman's ankle, yanking him so he crashes to the ground.

The Batman narows his eyes and hits hard. "Ugh!"

The panthers scatter, then all regroup and leap atop the Plastic 
dinosaur, sinking their teeth and nails in.

Johnny Quick winces. "That's GOT to leave a mark!"

Plastic Man says "Arrggg sharp pointy things!"

The gunmen are affected by the gas, "kaff! kaff!" and one or two of 
them fall, but the others reach into bags at their hips and don air 
filters.

One of the gunmen trips Johnny Quick, and the other tries to pistol-
whip him.

Johnny Quick says "I'd CATagorize this as dirty pool, fellas!"

One of the last gunmen is surprised by Sandy, and falls, but tries to 
roll around and outwrestle him.

Plastic Man "I catagorically agree" Plas whimpers.

The Batman reaches down and gives the cat-o-nine-tails a pull hoping 
to catch Catowman offguard. " I see you've prepared. You always were 
crafty."

Johnny Quick says, "That was just the CATalyst we needed, Catwoman!" 

He speeds up to dodge the gunmen as he returns to evacuating the 
hostages. 

Johnny thinks, oO (If I can tell the hostages from the crooks, that 
is. Everyone is wearing a Cat-suit. Lucky Wildcat isn't here, or I'd 
probably take a poke at him, too)

Plastic Man bleeds profusely ( a substance not unlike aeroplane glue 
but twice as toxic) and deflates, trying to stretch through cracks in 
the stage.

Plastic Man says "Ooooh sharp, pointy things baaaad"

With a Tai Chi-like movement, The Sandman draws the wirepoon pistol 
from the right holster and slides the gasgun into the left holster 
with the other hand. He fires the cable up to the CATwalk, and swings 
in an arc toward the rear of a gunman. The heels of his Italian patent 
leather loafers are pointed at the thug's back. "Sleep puss-in-boots, 
and dream of fish."

Sandy feels slightly ridiculous, fighting with the bad guys while 
wearing a suit-jacket and sunglasses, but hey, you take what you can 
get. Outwrestle the Golden Boy? I think *not* - he hauls back and 
attempts to slug the guy good in the face. We're talking knockout 
force, here.

Catwoman is pulled off-balance for a bit, but lands on her feet (of 
course). She hisses, and turns to her men, "stop acting like fools, 
I've prepared you for this," and jumps at Batman, claws bared.

One of the gunmen nods, and draws a small mirror from his belt. "I've 
been studing CAToptrics, blondie," and reflects a beam of light 
straight into Johnny Quick's eyes, blinding him.

Two of the gunmen are knocked out by the Sandman and Sandy. The 
panthers, looking around befuddledly at the vanished Plas, lunge for 
the Dusty Duo.

The Batman smiles and deftly spins to the left, prepared for 
Catwoman's Attacks he swings his arms trying to block her aiming for a 
carefully placed Judo chop to the body. "Course you have."

Johnny Quick thinks fast. (Of Course)

*>BZKZT<* The King of Speed radios "All Stars! Cover your ears!" 

He begins to vibrate like a high frequency tuning fork, trying to stun 
the area with a sonic attack.

Johnny Quick says "Someone tell me if this is doing any good. I can't 
see!"

Plastic Man ,still bleeding noxious green fluid, pops up in the cracks 
under the panthers feet and forms into a trampoline, hoping to 
catapult them into the air.

Plastic Man says "Take that evil pointy fingered men...ooooh I don't 
feel so good"

The Sandman lets his momentum take him around in a semi-circle near 
Sandy. As he approaches he slaps the wirepoon pistol in the youth's 
palm and presses the recoil button. His feet hit the floor as he lands 
between Sandy and the oncoming cats. Both of them converge on him, 
man and beasts surrealy covered by the wafting purple cloak. 

"Harrrgh!" growls The Sandman. Is it from concern for The Golden Boy, 
Johnny's sonic attack or both? And oh no, now there's a trampoline 
underfoot!? This must be a dream!

Never one to miss an opportunity, but also not a heartless jerk,
Sandy grabs the back of The Sandman's jacket so the recoil pulls
at them *both*.

Catwoman groans in pain, knocked to the side. She rolls, and lands on 
her feet, in the same movement drawing a weapons, "Face the CATwhisker 
gun, lover," and fires, sending dozens of sharp needles straight at 
Batman.

As Plastic Man catapults the panthers into the air, the movement 
throws off The Sandman and Sandy's balance as they head ceilingwards, 
making them swing wildly all over the room. One of the panthers lands 
on one of the gunmen, the pair of them conked out from the impact. The 
other tumbles and rolls straight into Johnny Quick, cancelling out his 
sonic vibrations just as his vision was starting to clear. When it 
ends, the hostages stop screaming in pain.

The Batman narrows his eyes and jumps to the left reaching into his 
belt. He deftly moves past the darts and does a series of tumbling 
moves pulling out small little smoke Bombs. "As I said Delusional." He 
tosses the Bombs straight at Catwoman.

Johnny Quick says, "Thanks for the jolt, guys! Just the CATharsis I 
needed!" 

He shakes his head. He's still seeing spots. Johnny thinks that he'd 
better watch his step for a bit, so he repeats the sonic attack, but 
this time, at a frequency above the human ear's range, but well within 
a cat's hearing.

Plastic Man forms into a bull and turns his goggle eyed gaze on the 
gunmen, "Now you guys I can handle" he shouts as he chrages them.

The Sandman careens through the air, twisting to reach for the pistol, 
fluidly switching from CATchee to CATcher with Sandy. He snakes an arm 
around the youth's waist in an arial ballet. The Sandman takes the 
impact with the oncoming wall, and hurls Sandy at the cat statue. 
"Thanks, chum! You win the door prize!"

"Yow!" yells Sandy, suddenly finding himself flying through the air,
directly at the prize. He makes a grab for it and tries to land in a
painless somersault; once he's on the ground again he looks up quickly
to see how his partner's doing.

Catwoman jumps up on the table, "That old thing? You call *me* 
predictable, lover?" She throws down some small CATaclysm grenades, 
exploding the smoke bombs prematurely, as she disappears into the 
mist.

Catwoman emerges near Johnny Quick, who is sending her pet into 
paroxyms, "I simply cannot allow cruelty to animals," and she draws 
out her CAT compact, filled with knockout powder which throws Johnny
Quick into a CATaleptic sleep, freezes him into position.

One of the gunmen grabs a red tablecloth and duels with Plastic Man.
The remaining gunman starts firing wildly at Sandman and Sandy.

The Batman jumps straight at Sandy, trying to push him out of the way. 
"Sandman Get Down!"

Johnny Quick grabs another *quick* catnap.

Plastic Man forms into a red and yellow tablecloth and attempt to 
tango with the cloth the gunam's holding

The Sandman grunts as he hits the wall. With a flick of his wrist, 
he unhooks the 'poon and slides down the curtains toward the floor. 
Bullets tear through his swirling cloak as he lands in a heap. With 
the Inverness surrounding him and his fedora on top, The Sandman looks 
like a purple and orange siesta-taking mariachi. Is the Silent 
Somnambulist shot or simply stunned?

Holding the cat statue close to his chest, shielded by the suit 
jacket, Sandy scrambles for the curtains and disappears behind them. 
The bullets follow him in; there's some poking at the outside from the 
inside, and suddenly the red drapes of heavy fabric are still.

Catwoman appears near the hostages, grabbing one of the women and 
pulling her into a chokehold. She is holding her CATarang, which has 
claws in the center, against the woman's terrified face. "Ok, friends, 
this is it, we walk out of here -with- the statue that your little 
buddy has, or this lovely lass ends up looking like our mutual friend 
Harvey Kent."

The gunmen who are still awake ... and the big cats ... form into a 
circle facing outwards, ready to make their move.

Plastic Man says "Ooooh I need duct tape"

The Batman leans over The Sandman and stands firmly. "You never know kids 
today Catwoman, He could be long gone. Looks like you'll just have to cut
your losses. You won't make it five feet. Now be a good Kitty and let the
hostage go." Batman is slowly poking at The Sandman, hoping to put his hand
on the Gasgun or something.

One of the big cats growls at Plas, as they slowly back away. Catwoman 
drags the dancer with her, CATarang poised at her face, "I'll mar her 
long before any of you make your move."

The Batman says "Do you think Gorden's stupid, there are at least fourteen
cops outside waiting to take you down."

Catwoman smiles, "We can take care of them. Now you will let us go, 
and this little lady will survive the night."

Plastic Man forms his head into a panther's and snarls back.

The Batman says "I think we're at an empass. You have something we 
want, and I have something you want. Hurt that girl and you'll never 
get the panther."

One of the panthers growls back, unsheathing its claws, as the 
villains back away.

Among the hostages, a tall woman, dressed in blue, suddenly shouts 
"yonvalou!"

The hostage, reacts instinctively, her body folding up, dropping 
through Catwoman's arms, leaving the criminal standing there, stunned.


The Batman throws a gas-bomb straight at Catwoman! "Looks like you 
can't tell teh dancer from the dance Pretty miss Kitty!"

Johnny Quick snores softly and mumbles something about someone he 
calls 'Libby'.

Catwoman shrieks and falls back. The dancer runs back through into 
the rest of the troupe.

Plastic Man 's arms shoots out and envelops the hostage, quickly he 
retracts his arm trying to drag her to safety.

The dancer is brought back to safety.

Plastic Man forms into a giant bowling ball and rolls down at the
assembled minions.

Catwoman is still wearing her noseplugs that they all donned because 
they were carrying sleeping gas like the kind that got Johnny Quick, 
so she is uneffected but the with all the confusion the gang gets 
flattened by Plastic Man.

Sandy stashes the statue somewhere behind the curtains and steps out 
as soon as the action's started again. Trusting Batman and Plastic Man 
to mop up the evildoers, he immediately makes for The Sandman, checking 
on his fallen comrade.

The Sandman suddenly rises to his feet behind Batman, the motion a 
fluid pillar of darkness strecthing upward. His right arm pistons out 
in a flash of green, aiming the gasgun shakily at the remaining 
crooks. He places his left hand on Sandy's shoulder as the boy 
approaches, no one but Sandy realizing that The Sandman is literaly 
leaning on his partner. "It's safe?" he says, looking at the combat.

Plastic Man holds his breath.

The dancers come out from their huddle, looking notably relieved. The 
woman dressed in blue walks over to Plas, checking to see if the girl 
he rescued is alright.

The Batman nods and steps to the side. He looks at The Sandman shaking
but doesn't say anyhting. he puts his own hand to his stomach and hods 
it there for a moment breathing.

Plastic Man forms his face into a gas mask, his fists into battering rams
and looks to see if any of the crooks get up.

Catwoman and her friends are too stunned to be doing much.

Johnny Quick continues to CATch forty winks.

Plastic Man forms into a giant cage and tries to envelop any crooks 
that he can.

The Batman reaches into his utility belt and takes out some smelling 
salts. "Rise an shine Johnny," he says, waving it under Johnny's 
nose."

The girl hostage gets up and hugs the woman dressed in blue, who 
smiles. "Thank you, All-Stars," she says, "I'm Katherine Dunham, and 
I can't tell you how grateful we all are."

Johnny Quick says "Huh? Wha..."
Johnny Quick sees the crooks.

Johnny Quick grabs some rope from offstage and weaves a tight Cats-
Cradle around the villians.

Katherine Dunham looks arouns at the assembled team, "I was hoping 
that the Negro gentleman, Amazing Man, would accompany you. Pity. 
Perhaps some other time."

Plastic Man says "No problem missy, All in the interests of truth, 
justice and dancers in skintight cat-suits!"

The Batman tuns his head and smiles. "Well give him the message you 
missed him."

Johnny Quick says "I'm sure he's here in spirit, Miss."

Katherine Dunham beams, "And please, meet the brave girl without whom 
you may never have captured those criminals." The girl smiles shyly.

Johnny Quick whispers to Plas, "What did I miss?"

Plastic Man leans in to look at the girl "That was some quick thinking 
little lady, well done."

"It's safe," answers Sandy decisively, doing very well as an impromptu 
crutch. He runs a hand through his hair, doing his best to look 
nonchalant, and to *not* look like he's holding The Sandman up. His 
attention goes to Ms. Dunham, and he pushes his shades back up on his 
nose, admiring her. "Hey, we were happy to come," he says, not sure 
how to phrase it.

The girl extends a hand, "I just recently joined Miss Dunham's 
company. My name's Eartha Kitt."

Sandy flashes the girl a thumbs up and a winning smile.
The Batman looks over at the body of Catwoman. "We'd better take her 
in."

Johnny Quick glances at the wall clock. "I hate to say it, but I'm 
late! And I still have to try to run down The Black Knight! Gotta go!"

Plastic Man says "I make a great set of handcuffs."

The Batman shakes his head sadly. "No Plas. We'll use regular ones. 
It's a shame with her skills she'd be a great crimefighter. Well, no
cat and mouse this time my dear. No cat and mouse."

Johnny Quick speeds away too fast for the eye to follow. A swirl of 
air is all that indicates where he stood, a moment ago.

[The All-Stars leave taking Catwoman and her gang away.]