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Continuing from >here. Amara Val-Ren had followed after Vince as the hologram led her from the room in which she had been awoken and into the vast chamber beyond, where seemingly endless rows upon rows of cryogenic tubes were stored in the cold air of the room. The cold no longer was bothering the Naram, as she moved over towards the nearest row of tubes, around which lights had just activated and the faint forms of her friends and comrades could be seen behind the frost on the tubes. She carefully counted the tubes as Vince moved over to a nearby control panel and began the awaking process for the other Praetorians. Just about two dozen tubes, the number of survivors she remembered from after their final battle with the Communion. And yet now they were being awoken to face the Communion once again. Amara stepped back from the tubes as she waited for the others to begin to wake. "We will want to see all information you and the Curator have regarding the Communion's advances. As well as that on any power groups that are there to oppose it."

The heart of the Delaztri Empire Over two thousand years ago Amara Val-Ren knelt on the smooth polished white floor of a large great hall of the headquarters of the Praetorians as she repeated the oath of allegiance to the Delzatri Empire. Her voice joined those of over a dozen other beings kneeling nearby, as they all swore their loyalty and life to protecting the Empire and its citizens. Amara was dressed in a full length white bodysuit, with black diamond shapes, surrounded by golden yellow trim, on the shoulders, upper chest and back. Her long black cape rested over her and was spread out slightly on the floor around her. For the young Naram, this was a moment she had long dreamed of, ever since her older brother had joined the ranks of the Empire's greatest protectors. Following in his path had been a difficult one, yet despite the hardships and sacrifice required, Amara had not wavered in her devotion or focus. "And I shall not falter in my duty, even unto death." Amara recited as she completed the oath along with the others around her. As she finished, Amara raised her head, looking up at the room around her once more. Gathered along the wings of the hall were more than sixty members of the Praetorians, gathered to watch the newest members recite their oaths. Gathered at the front of the hall were the six senior most Praetorians, with Amara's own brother, Daar Val-Ren in the center, similarly watching on. Darr Val-Ren was well over six feet tall, with a powerfully built physique. He had dark orange skin which was characteristic of Naram, with short dark blue/black hair. He was dressed in a uniform similar to Amara's, only his was primarily black, with red diamond patters and a long red cape. "Your oath is complete, welcome brothers and sisters, to the Praetorians!" Daar Val-Ren announced in a strong voice that carried easily through the large hall, followed quickly by a booming cheer from the gathered members. Amara stood back upright, an feeling of elation sweeping over her as she looked to her brother with a small smile, before turning to begin congratulating her fellow new Praetorians...

Edges of Grue Unity Space Lor Timemark 1312.4 "Perimeter Vessel Theta-Theta-Gamma reporting all quiet," the Grue Metamorph named Dul'ce sighed, repeating the same message he'd been sending back to command twice a cycle for the entire duration of his posting. Cycle after cycle of staring at a field of stars, empty apart from a patch of asteroids or the occasional comet, lightyears away from anything to conquer or infiltrate or even just observe, just the arbitrary border of Unity controlled space past which there was simply nothing worth claiming. It was busy work of the highest order, that was the worst of it, Dul'ce reflected as he melted back in his chair, dejectedly allowing his form to become slightly liquid. The Meta-Mind could have easily focused on his thoughts, just like any of the Grue, if it truly wished to know what was happening on the frontier. The twice-cycle reports proved that it was simple bureaucracy, a tick in a ledger that no Grue would ever bother reviewing once it was logged. "Pull yourself together, Navigator!" a sharp voice barked, causing Dul'ce's outer layer to go spiky in surprise. The only other Metamorph on the vessel and his commanding officer strode onto the bridge, flanked by a pair of drones. Faa'et had taken to making his form a little taller and broader at the shoulder since his promotion and Dul'ce might have sworn his chin was even a little more square, though he couldn't imagine for whom Faa'et was making the effort. "I don't tolerate loose shifting on the Double-Theta Gee!" Dul'ce hid another sigh. The Unity didn't bother naming its vessels like lesser species and for good reason. Faa'et's attempts to give the scout ship a nickname were ridiculous, though the navigator never would have said so aloud. Just thinking that was about the captain would have been bad enough if Faa'et had ever bothered to read anyone's thoughts apart from his own. "Apologies, Captain. I was just finishi-- eh?" On the console in front of him a green dot blinked on, floating through nearby space before changing direction and heading toward them.

Player Name Thievish Character Name: Paradigm Power Level: 15 (244/250PP) [254] Trade-Offs: -3 Def/+3 Toughness; -3 Atk/+3 Damage (+3 Atk/-3 Damage for Heat Vision) Unspent Power Points: 6 In Brief: An alien paragon who defended an ancient space empire, recently revived after two millennium in suspended animation. Alternate Identity: Amara Val-Ren Identity: Public Birthplace: Naram Prime Occupation: Former Praetorian of the Delaztri Empire; Current Imperatrix of the Praetorians Affiliations: Praetorians Family: Daar Val-Ren (brother - deceased) Age: 49 (DOB: over 2,000 years ago, was 40 when taken out of stasis in 2014) Apparent Age: 20 Gender: Female Height: 5’ 8” Weight: 3,000 lbs Eyes: Yellow Hair: Dark Purple/Black Paradigm, like others of her race, has skin that is a dark orange in color. Her hair, which she wears down past her shoulders, is black mixed with dark purple and her eyes are a dark yellow. Slightly taller than average, she has a lithe build, which disguises her true strength. Paradigm's costume is a full length white bodysuit, with black diamonds on the shoulders, upper chest and back, which were surrounded by golden yellow trim. Black gloves go up almost the length of each forearms, and her black boots go halfway up her calves, both also having golden yellow trim. A long, black cape completes the outfit. Power Descriptions: Paradigm's already alien physiology was radically altered by the enhancement treatment she underwent over two thousand years ago. Her body's density was greatly increased, making her far stronger and tougher than the normal members of her species, but without any visible change to her appearance. History: Over two thousand years ago, the Delaztri Empire ruled an area of space encompassing hundreds of worlds. After more expansive conquests centuries earlier, the Empire’s growth had greatly slowed, the Empire turning away from aggressive expansion and instead focusing on governing the diverse races within its borders. What little growth that continued to occur was mainly the result of diplomacy, and planets choosing to peacefully integrate into the Empire, looking to gain the benefits of Delaztri rule. During this time, the greatest defenders of the Delaztri Empire were the Praetorians (the closest English/Lor translation of the original title), an organization consisting of hundreds of individuals of incredible power, recruited among the many different races within the Empire’s boarders. Amara Val-Ren was born on Naram, a planet long under the rule of the Delaztri. Amara's people were genetically stronger and tougher than many other humanoid species, with members of the species chosen to undergo genetic and radiation treatments to produce powerful members of the Praetorians. The numbers of Naram subjected to such treatments were usually kept low by the Delaztri, for fear of creating a force of superpowered Naram that might choose to depose them. Amara's older brother, Daar, had been selected to join the Praetorians when she was still a young girl, eventually rising to be one of the leading members of the organization. Inspired by her brother, Amara dedicated herself to trying to earn the right to undergo the enhancement treatments and become a member of the Praetorians as well. When Amara had reached her thirty-fifth cycle (roughly about eighteen for a human), she competed in a contest with other Naram for the honor of being selected for the enhancement treatment and membership in the Praetorians. Although the various trials were grueling, Amara managed to finish ahead of the other competitors, earning herself the chance to follow in her older brother's footsteps. Amara left Naram behind, traveling to the seat of the empire to undergo the enhancement treatment. The process was painful, but resulted in the young Naram's body density vastly increasing, with no outward change to her appearance. Her natural strength and durability were vastly increased, with Amara also developing the ability to fly, even through the cold expanse of space, and to survive unharmed in almost any environment. It was not long after that Amara was inducted as a member of the Praetorians, joining her older brother in defending the empire. For the next five years, she served loyally, facing numerous dangers as a Praetorian. Then, a new enemy appeared at the boarders of the empire, pushing quickly into Delzatri space, and swatting aside the initial responses from the Delzatri Navy and the Praetorians. Ultimately, the entire might of the Praetorians was thrown at this threat and following several climatic battles, the enemy was defeated and driven from Delzatri space. But the victory came at a high price. Just over three quarters of the Praetorians were dead before the enemy was finally repulsed, including Daar Val-Ren. As the few dozen weary and battered survivors made their way back from the front, the damaged Delzatri Naval ships they were aboard were intercepted by one of the Curator's museum ships. The ancient Preserver created AI had decided that the surviving Praetorians needed to be collected and preserved by him. The surviving Praetorians naturally resisted, but were overwhelmed by the Curator's drones and placed in suspended animation and brought back to his vast ringworld. The Delzatri Empire collapsed not long after, while Amara and the others have sat in suspended animation for millennia. When the Communion recently returned, overrunning parts of the Stellar Khanate and destroying Lor-Van, the Curator reviewed Amara and the other surviving Praetorians. Although initially shocked by how much time had passed and the fact the empire they had sworn to protect was no more, the Praetorians realized that the galaxy still needed protecting from the Communion. By the decision of her fellow Praetorians, Amara was made the new Imperatrix to lead them, taking the role her brother had once held along with a small group of others. Making contact with the Lor, the Grue and other galactic powers that were trying to resist the Communion, the Praetorians helped in organizing the Coalition and fighting against the Communion. As the leader of the Praetorians, Amara was not only involved in the fighting, but also attended meetings of the Coalition leaders, helping to provide a neutral viewpoint that was not clouded by allegiance or bias to any of the existing factions in space. Once the Communion had been defeated, Amara continued to lead the majority of her fellow Praetorians in serving as defenders for those Coalition governments that wished to accept their aid. The Praetorians came to work in concert with the Star Knights, who were working to rebuild their numbers following the Incursion, and added one of the interstellar protectors to their ranks as a representative from the group. Several other Coalition governments sent representatives to be members of the Praetorians, including the Lor. Personality & Motivation: A large portion of Amara’s life was spent in preparation for and then as a defender of the Delzatri Empire. She was driven to live up to the example of service set by other members of her race, including her older brother. Her powers tended to lead her to be confident and forceful, not relying on subtlety. Although Amara was just as shocked to learn that the Delzatri Empire had ceased to be, she quickly shouldered the responsibility of leading her fellow Praetorians against the returned thread of the Communion. Along with most of her fellow Praetorians, Amara has found new purpose in offering assistance and protection to those parts of the galaxy that request it. Having been thrown into working with leaders from the Coalition, the young Naram learned to hone her diplomatic skills, along with some guidance from Elite. Amara has settled into her role as the leader of the Praetorians, although part of her wishes she could share the burden as her bother had with several others two thousand years ago. While decisions may ultimately rest with her, she does not hesitate to seek counsel and advice from her teammates and even puts matters to a vote by the team when appropriate. Powers & Tactics: Paradigm’s powers make her very strong and durable, but she also spent years as part of a larger organization, so her tactics tend to reflect both these influences. Her natural instinct is too quickly to close with threats, relying on her durability to protect her. But years working with her fellow Praetorians has made Paradigm realize the importance of teamwork and understand the roles that all of her fellow teammates can play. Complications: Stuff of Legends Although the Delaztri Empire has long since ceased to be, there are still parts of the galaxy where the Empire and its Praetorians are legends. On some worlds, the Praetorians are recalled as legendary heroes, but on other worlds, history has come to paint them as oppressors and conquers. Abilities: 2 + 4 + 12 + 4 + 6 + 10 = 38PP Strength: 12/36/46 (+1/+13/+18) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 22/34 (+6/+12) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 20 (+5) Combat: 16 + 14 = 30PP Initiative: +10 Attack: +8; +12 Melee; +18 Heat Vision Grapple: +30/+35/+46 Defense: +7 base, +12 with Dodge Focus (+3 flat-footed) Knockback: -20 Saving Throws: 7 + 8 + 11 = 26 PP Toughness: +18 (+15 Impervious) Fortitude: +13/+19 (+6/+12 Con, +7) Reflex: +10 (+2 Dex, +8) Will: +14 (+3 Wis, +11) Skills: 60R = 15PP Diplomacy 14 (+19) Kn: Galactic Lore 10 (+12) Language 4 (Delaztri (native); Lor, Grue, Galstandard, English) Medicine 3 (+6) Notice 10 (+13) Pilot 1 (+3) Sense Motive 18 (+21) Feats: 19PP Attack Focus: Melee 4 Dodge Focus 5 Environmental Adaption 3 (Zero G, Low G, High G) Equipment 39 (free from Veteran Awards, for Praetorian spaceships and HQ) Grappling Finesse Improved Initiative 2 Interpose Luck 2 Move-by-Action Powers: 2 +39 + 11 + 8 + 5 + 6 + 9 + 1 + 38 + 3 = 122 PP Flight 1 (10 MPH) [2PP] Density 12 (+24 Str; Impervious Protection 6; Immovable 4; Super Strength 4; x25 Mass; Feats: Subtle 2; Buoyant; Extra: Permanent (+0)) [39PP] Enhanced Constitution 12 (Drawback: Power Loss when exposed to Delaztri Crystals (-1)) [11 PP] Impervious Toughness 9 (Drawback: Power Loss when exposed to Delaztri Crystals (-1)) [8 PP] Super Strength 1 (5 ranks total, up to 21; Effective Str: 61 to 141; Heavy Load: 60 tons to 3.84M tons; Feat: Shockwave; Counter Punch; Super Breath) [5 PP] Super Movement (Space Travel) 3 [6PP] Immunity 9 (Life Support: disease, poison, suffocation, cold, heat, high pressure, radiation and vacuum) [9PP] Immunity 2 (Aging, Sleep; Flaw: Limited [half]) [1PP] Paragon Array 16 (32 pp Feats: Dynamic; 3 Dynamic Alt Powers; Drawback: Power Loss when exposed to Delaztri Crystals (-1)) [38 pp] BP: Enhanced Str 10 (Feats: Takedown Attack; Improved Crit 2 [18-20]) {0 to 13 pp} DAP: Super Strength 16 {0 to 32 pp} DAP: Flight 12 {0 to 24 pp} DAP: Blast (Heat Vision) 12 (Feats:Accurate 5; Improved Range 2 (600’ range increment); Progression: Range (3,000’ max range)) {0 to 32 pp} Super Senses 3 (Extended: Vision (100' increments); Extended: Hearing (100' increments); Ultrasonic Hearing) [3PP] Drawbacks: Weakness (Delaztri Crystals, Frequency: Uncommon [-1], Intensity: Major, cumulative -1 to all stats [-2 Plus -1 as effects CON], Time: every minute [-2]) [-6 PP] Totals: Abilities (38) + Combat (30) + Saving Throws (26) + Skills (15) + Feats (19) + Powers (122) - Drawbacks (6) = 244/250 Power Points Note: While the Delaztri Empire is no more, their artifacts are still present in various parts of the galaxy, allowing for Delaztri Crystals to turn up from time to time.