The Balance #1
Origin: "The Balance' is an impromptu team of superheroes all going to college at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Their team name stems from the diversity of the team members and the balance between then.
Members:
1. Ellipsis. Stephen Wolcott is a mutant with the power to control minds, especially his own. He can set his mind into different configurations, some quite bizarre. This makes his thought process quite strange at times. The power manifested itself at puberty; the control came later.
Stephen's control was shaky during high school, resulting in his being a social outcast and occasionally causing poor performance in class. He found his studies the only thing he could live for, though, and applied himself to them. His mental control thus evolved to the point where he could learn a lesson instantly and recall it totally. He graduated with honors and obtained an academic scholarship to MSU.
While he was in high school he may also have exercised his power to control other minds unconsciously. School records show instances of a number of his fellow students pouring milk on themselves in the school cafeteria several times. But for the most part, he seems to have used his powers only to "suggest" others to leave him alone, and to eke out a minimal living after his mother died.
Stephen finally realized his power to control his mental configuration shortly after entering college. He tried to deduce a logical explanation for this, but could not. He finally decided he could only be the result of a genetic mutation.
During college Stephen discovered his powers to interface with other minds and control them. He exercised this power sparingly at first, but later cane to "read" emotional states habitually. As he encountered people with problems caused by others (bureaucratic, being mugged or otherwise) he felt logically drawn to secretly help with his mental control powers. This is a thing of pride for him, pride at standing outside the morass of human society. At the tine "the Balance" came together he had recently foiled his first mugging.
Stephen has decided to assume a secret identity, not because of villains striking at his hypothetical loved ones, but because of normal humans. If they knew he has mental powers, he is certain they would ostracize him. He calls himself Ellipsis due to the expanding nature of his powers.
Stephen was scared witless when he realized how close he came to madness during high school. He sacrificed much to achieve his mental control; he remembers nothing from before he achieved this control. To control himself, he keeps his mind in a state of transcendent will most of the tine. (He'd enjoy being in other states, such as pure intuition - but he does not dare.) Control - mental control of his own mind - is the central element in Stephen's life. This control has always been repugnant to bin; it hasn't grown much more palatable with age.
Stephen is 6’2”" tall, and about 150 pounds: a slightly meaty cadaver, almost. He has glasses and a mustache, and looks somewhat like a caricature of H.G. Wells.  His eyeballs have appeared inverted (white on black field) since puberty. The effect is rather spooky.
Stephen is studying computer science. At times he literally cannot stand to be among other people; he still regards himself as an outcast.
He lives by himself in a snail apartment above a storefront. He is an only child. His mother, a divorcee, died during his senior year in high school and left him more or less enough money to make it through college - if he got a full academic scholarship, which he did. Though he has been in college only two years so far, he is currently a senior, having taken extra courses and having studied during his two summer terms.
2. Captain Gonzo. Bob Brannigan is being sent to school by his middle-class parents from a middle-class suburb of Detroit. HIs powers came about by accident; when he was walking past the Cyclotron one day, he was bitten by something radioactive, (Shit, he didn't notice what the thing was.) The bite gave him great strength, stamina, and agility,
He first noticed his abilities when playing Frisbee one day, when he could catch any shot no matter how difficult. That night he figured he had superpowers. Shortly afterwards he made a financial deal with a local radio station to appear and show his powers for promotional engagements. At the time "the Balance" came together he had not yet fought crime at all.
Bob is 5'8" tall, and stocky. He is a freshman with no major declared yet, and lives in a freshman dorm. His parents give him money for school. He is making no secret of his powers; they help make him the life of every party. Of course, being a party animal helps too...
3. Morningstar. Laura Greene was converted to Christ during her freshman year, and promptly joined the local Maranatha Christian Fellowship. She is now a sophomore, thin and 5'10" tall. and is a literature major and foreign language minor at MSU. She lives in an all-girl dormitory. Her parents, brothers and sisters live in upstate Michigan. Her parents pay her tuition, room and board; she earns spending money through part-time and sunnier jobs. She gained her powers in the adventure in which "the Balance" first came together.
4. The Mighty Tim. Mike Roberts is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. He is one of the finest combatants in the Duchy of Northwoods (the medieval entity of Michigan State University) and stands a decent chance at becoming King of the Middle Kingdom, the entire Midwest.
Mike is part of the fantasy gaming subculture at MSU. While playing superhero games, he tended to have his heroes do unorthodox things, like making rude gestures at the villains - and thus get Hero Points deducted. As a result, his impression of being a superhero is that it's quite dull. If he could change that, though...
While contemplating a cellular-level biology problem one day during lab, he fell ill and was rushed to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. It was later found that irradiated tissue which was earlier analyzed with complicated equipment had been exposed in the lab next to Mike’s station.
Mike recovered fully and did not press charges against the university. He did not reveal that he now had the ability to create spatial warps with great bursts of flame associated. His best guess is that the radiation gave his mind the power to punch a hole out of this reality into a dimension composed of fire energy. The energy continues to empower him, to punch further holes between the dimensions.
Enjoying his new powers, Mike practiced them secretly, honing his ability to generate fireballs, teleport, and strike objects from all angles with a quarterstaff.  When that was not enough, he composed a costumed identity based upon a Monty Python character and took to the streets to find adventure in the style of comic-book roleplaying characters. (Note that he never took comic books or role-playing games very seriously...) He calls himself "There are those who call me... Tim.' He goes by "the Mighty Tim" for short. Before "the Balance" came together he mostly sparred with students out for a night at the bars who made fun of his costume.
Mike is 6'6' tall', due to his exercise he is quite powerfully built. He is a grad student studying biophysics. He gets through college with a combination of grant money and earnings from graduate assistantship. He lives in a house with four roommates.
Mike's personality is quite forceful, when he wishes it to be. He's a natural to be the Duke of Northwoods, except he missed the last tournament. He might be a natural leader, he'd love to exercise what potential he has. Too bad the SCA doesn't allow coups d’etat. (Awfully unrealistic of them, anyway.)
Adventure 1: Convergence
Russell Anvernacht came to campus one day as a guest lecturer on VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) chip structures. This was a cover for his true project; to gain access to a restricted local database in the Engineering Building. He came equipped with a pocket microcomputer, interface lines, and a selection of all-purpose "agent" firmware cards, as well as a weapon or two for self-defense. He was also carrying a crystal stone with strange properties which he wished to examine upon return to his home base.
In the evening Anvernacht set to work. First he placed remote-control force wall devices at the approaches to the database area, for activation if necessary. He then moved on to the database room itself.  Easily gaining access, he placed and activated a force field at the door and set up his equipment to crack the computer codes.
When the codes were just cracked and the data transfer had begun, one of the regular crew opened the door and ran nose on into the force field. Noticing Anvernacht beyond, he threatened to call the police.  Anvernacht casually lowered the force wall and raised his weapon. The man ran and yelled for help. Cursing to himself, Anvernacht activated every other field in the building. He then donned a hat and cloak that hid his features and walked down the hall after the crewman.
Stephen Wolcott sits at a remote terminal in the Engineering Building. It's further from his apartment than the main Computer Building terminal room is, but he wants the privacy. Lost in thought, he does not notice the commotion outside for several seconds. He walks outside the room to find himself surrounded by confusion - mentally. The hall is quiet, but people are in panic in the building, and the panic is spreading.  He casts about: he is surrounded by people who are somehow constrained by a force field. He psionically locates the most intense commotion as two men down the hallway.
Laura Greene stops at the restroom on her way to a Maranatha meeting. She also emerges within the field, directly behind Anvernacht. He has the other man cornered at gunpoint against the field.' As the cloaked man fires, Laura shouts. "Stop it!" At that point Stephen, oblivious to her arrival, strikes with psychic force.
Anvernacht, his mind reeling, turns and sees Laura. Concluding that she had somehow attacked him, he fires his gun at her. Fortunately his aim is off. Stephen, sensing his attack, tries mind control to stop his fire, But Anvernacht slaps Laura instead, downs the nearest field for an instant, and runs for cover,
Stephen runs down the hall and examines the wounded. The girl is stunned but recovering, but the man has had his mind wiped clean!  Stephen and Laura quickly decide that she should call the police. Stephen then goes into a side room.
Once within the side room he considers a man lying in the hallway right now, with his full mind removed!  If any offense ever required his power to rectify, this one does! Stephen removes his shirt, leaving a brown turtleneck sweater and brown slacks on. He then dons a lightweight brown mask from his pocket and jumps out the window. Stephen will, for the first time, take action under an assumed name ... Ellipsis.
Hiding in the bushes, he seeks the villain out with his mind. Anvernacht is running for the doorway. He senses as Ellipsis makes contact, dives into the nearest classroom (where the Maranatha Christian Fellowship was meeting), raises his weapon, and says; "Back off, or they'll die!"
Ellipsis, stymied, breaks contact. With no obvious way to proceed by himself, he casts out with his minid to see if the police are nearby. They are still far off, but he does find two other people who might be helpful. He can surmon them - and leave. He wants no part among others tonight...
Bob Brannigan and some friends are walking out of a movie at Wells Hall that moment. He suddenly gets an impression of something going down at Engineering and steers himself and his group over there.
The Mighty Tim is perched atop a building near the bars, on his usual weekly adventure. Receiving a mental impression from the Engineering Building, he teleports there a second later.
He arrives in a burst of flame, just outside the bushes where Ellipsis hides -.surprising him before he can fade into the night. Ellipsis, trapped among others - and with someone in need within the building - masters himself, with an effort.
Mighty Tim arrives in a burst of flame; as he does, Ellipsis steps out of the bushes and enlists his help. He responds, "Of course! The power of Mighty Tim exists to wipe out injustice! Injustice and yuppies!" (Ellipsis thinks; Truly great this is...)
Others have gathered, including Bob Brannigan and his friends. The sight of the two costumed figures causes Bob's friends to jeer (especially at the Mighty Tim's outlandish costume). One of them calls out to Ellipsis, "Hey, Elephant Man, whatcha doing?"
Mighty Tim obligingly offers to scatter the crowds.  Bob, standing in the crowd, yells, "Don't try it, geek!" Ellipsis reminds Mighty Tim that they have a hostage situation on hand. The word spreads through the crowd:  hostage situation!  The crowd grows.

Ellipsis knows someone else with special powers is in the crowd - in fact, he’s the guy who called Mighty Tim a geek, and he calls himself Captain Gonzo. (So much for name-calling...) Ellipsis gets the idea of getting someone in the crowd to call out for Captain Gonzo, and puts that idea into a girl's head. It comes out, "If Captain Gonzo were here he's show these bozos who s boss.' ('Truly great this is,' mutters Ellipsis.) But it has the desired effect.
Bob happens to be wearing one of his custom T-shirts produced by his radio station; he puts on his shades; to make the costume semi-complete, and strides forward to the crowd's acclaim. "Great, just great,' Mighty Tim says,
Gonzo begins to take charge; so does Ellipsis, then Mighty Tim.  A three-way hubbub results. Ellipsis, increasingly disgusted, drops out of the hubbub and starts reading the minds of the hostages to keep himself occupied. Soon he has found the layout and pinpointed where Anvernacht stands. Meanwhile, the police have arrived, and are now arguing with both Tim and Gonzo. Ellipsis has had enough!
The other two heroes suddenly hear the voice of Ellipsis in their minds as the officer begins a harangue,  Ellipsis rains the coordinates of the hostages into Mighty Tim's mind and commands then to move when he gives the word. To Captain Gonzo's objections his mindvoice roars, "DO IT!"
As the officer finally halts for breath, Ellipsis sweetly says, "Absolutely right, officer, we simply disappear." Now! The heroes teleport.
Anvernacht has introduced himself to his hostages as Domesday, and has his gun aimed at the audience.  Suddenly the three heroes arrive in a burst of flame.
Ellipsis throws Domesday off balance mentally for a moment; as Domesday recovers, Mighty Tim aims a fireball at him. As Domesday dodges, Captain Gonzo slams into him. Domesday gets away from him, but has lost the advantage; he begins to flee back to the relative safety of his force - walled area. From there he may access the infamous MSU steam tunnels to escape; after all, they do run under most of the campus.
He throws some concussion grenades to cover his escape; Ellipsis is stunned for a moment. Domesday makes it back behind his force walls.
He forgets one thing, though; there are still people behind the barrier who might give him resistance.  Laura Greene is still there. She's taken a look at Domesday's victim, and now knows he's catatonic, what she's seen Domesday do tonight has her angry enough to hit him.
When he steps through the barrier, she's in a side room. She steps out and confronts him; "How can you explain what you've done tonight?" He remains silent. He remembers what happened to him the last time she confronted him; his momentary hesitation at facing her apparent mental powers again gives her an opening. Laura, now angered extremely at his proud silence, slugs him.
He drops his gun and his briefcase. The briefcase pops open; the strange stone rolls out.
The two grapple for the gun. Domesday shoves Laura away and raises his gun. Desperate, Laura grabs the stone to throw it or something. Then the Mighty Tim arrives.
He sees a girl in mortal danger!  Yeah... heroes have to deal with that sort of thing. Instinctively, he tries to teleport her away from danger. But as he docs, the force bolt from the gun hits the stone. The combination results in a massive explosion, and Laura simply disappears. As Tin picks himself up, he sees that Domesday has fled.
Ellipsis (walking with a limp) and Gonzo arrive outside the force wall; Mighty Tim (not knowing how to pursue the villain himself) teleports them within. Ellipsis can track Domesday, but there is no trace of the girl.
Mighty Tim thinks; If she didn't come out somewhere, maybe she's still being teleported!  Ellipsis senses this thought.  As Gonzo pursues the villain, the other two heroes enter the dimension of transport to try and find Laura.
Laura is very distraught and in panic. She feels strange, she's floating through dark nothing and she can't move or breathe. (She doesn't need to breathe here, but she doesn't know that.) She's convinced she's dead, and prays God to end this torture. Is it His judgment on her, for trying to take His judgment into her own hands?
Ellipsis and Mighty Tim have the same problem at first, but Ellipsis confers with Tim psionically; "Seem to be in no danger of air deprivation."  Mike Roberts thinks; maybe their bodies are in stasis here! Ellipsis responds, "But movement occurs. Perhaps by will we master it?" This turns out to be true. Ellipsis tracks the girl, and they move to rescue her.
(As they leave the dimension with Laura, something takes form behind them. We may see it some other time...)
Domesday escapes into the steam tunnels. With his weaponry he holds Captain Gonzo off long enough to place one last force field between them and get away. By the time he reaches his hotel en route to the airport, he vows never to let these heroes so panic him again.
Laura screams as they return to real space. Ellipsis, realizing she may be insane forever if he doesn't act quickly in the most efficient manner, reluctantly yanks his mask off and begins to calm her psychically. Her screams turn to sobs, which gradually taper away.
The impromptu team reunites. They decide that Laura need not be hospitalized, and Stephen starts to walk her hone.
As they depart, Mighty Tim says, "This was kind of exciting. Maybe we should do this again sometime." (Why not, after all; it's like role playing games, but more real.) Bob Brannigan makes a rude remark.
As they separate, Ellipsis makes Tim and Gonzo forget they ever saw his face.
Epilogue:
Stephen decides he must walk Laura hone. (His ankle is sprained, but he finds that body is no obstacle to mind now.) Her mental state is still too fragile to let him trust her alone. He does not even dare make her forget his face, as he did the others.
As they walk, she notices that she still has the stone she grabbed from Domesday. She tries to throw it away, but it sticks to her palm. Trying to shake it off, she finds herself - and Stephen with her - high in the air.
At his urging, they descend. They land in a fenced-in athletic field.
Briefly Stephen has her experiment with her powers.  She can fly, move other people, attract or repel all objects, and hit objects with force bolts.
Laura is overwhelmed.  Stephen tells her not to worry; it can sometimes be convenient to have powers.  (Is the control of them that is the difficult part.)  Laura shudders for a moment.  (Powers, to her, are the evil created beings that rule this world, according to Romans 8:38.)  They walk home in silence.