Intruder (RP; everyone at Cameron's Base - Probably not Linden unless someone invites him)

[Civit]

Trying to ignore that Z had just announced all of their identities in front of Linden, "Z, I thought we were friends? And to relegate me to second string? And who said you get to assign a command structure."

So Aria overreacted. So she shouldn't have yelled at Z. But the prospect of having to stay away from her friends for their safety was more than she could handle at the moment.

[Roughtrade]

"Okay... Let's take a step back." Kennedy interjected. "Mister Linden, well, I suppose we have to trust you now."

She gives Z a pointed look, but does not add on to Aria's scolding.

"Big picture. The Temps have the means to find us. But it's like a compass, they don't know anything else about us really, so our people are safe. And given their structure, it isn't as if they have twenty-four hour surveillance, just the ability to find us."

Kennedy comes closer to Aria, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're worried, so am I. But I think we can safely go home. The Templar has to fly back to France or whatever, go through debrief and then come up with another plan. We are safe right now and have time to come up with how to defend ourselves."

Stepping back again, Kennedy addresses the room. "Three, if you encounter Templars, contact us first. Protect yourself. It is possible you three fall under this Essence thing they hunt. Do not engage without backup." She leans closer to him to repeat. "You must not let them capture or contain you. Alert us and wait for backup."

"Two, base rebuild first. We are exposed to mundane discovery. I will help with exterior repair and camouflage tonight. But I really just move heavy things, I will need your guidance on where to move those things."

"One, tonight is containment. If you could look at reestablishing our internal security, communication and cameras. Getting eyes on our exterior. Tomorrow we can begin on things like anti-Templar scanner field or whatever. The first thing is to make our current location as secure as possible and prevent further discovery."

Kennedy takes a deep breath, tsks at the state of her wardrobe again. But then shrugs, it isn't the worse she has come out of one of these things.

"Mister Linden, if you have a cover-name you'd like us to use, speak up. I understand you're good at getting information? We have a captive who is in a sort of suggestible state and a dead guy in armor. Can you use your whammy on any of that?"

---

Karma = 246 Health = 200/150 

I do not think anyone has explained Linden's ability. Kennedy is making a logic leap for the sake of moving things along. She is sort of assuming Linden is like her friend that is an information broker. Somehow it is super-power, but Kennedy doesn't really need to know how it works.

If Varuna would like to take a moment to explain his powers, do not let me step on your chance to show off. Lord knows I rarely pass one by.

Otherwise, a chance to confirm information we already have, or for Linden to discover new stuff, would be helpful.

 

I have more things to work on, but don't want to get ahead of myself too much. Current focus, tighten our security against anyone else discovering the base and see if Linden can get more useful information. And if he makes the dead guy talk out loud, Kennedy is not sticking around to watch that.

 

[Papa Bear]

One seems to panic and you can only tell because his hands start twitching. "I have made a grave mistake, one I should not have made. I had assumed that because of the communication between myself, New Friend Linden and Aria... Kylie Aria, that your identities were known to each other. This is a mistake that I cannot correct and for which I am enormously sorry." It explains to Kylie. "It was also not my intention to slight you by 'relegate me to the second string' (this latter is in Kylie's own voice, recorded) but an observation that Tom-Hawk Swashbuckler and Kennedy Roughtrade deal with threats more directly while you, Cameron Chameleon and New Friend Linden are much more subtle. In fact, One has not seen New Friend Linden engage in any manner except for showing up at the Meteorite strike site. But then, One has only ever seen New Friend Linden this other time."

"Furthermore, I have overstepped my bounds giving orders to 000 00 2 and 000 00 3. I am simply used to providing them instructions. Their computational functions and algorithms are not as advanced as my own."

Both Three and Two warble in what sounds like begrudging consent to Kennedy's 'orders'. Though, as Two rolls out of the room, it seems to realize that it enjoys building things much more than it enjoys doing R&D and seems to develop a 'spring' in its step. Three really would rather be a 'front line fighter', launching missiles and lasers at many unfriendly targets.

"Systems appear to be online and fully functional." One replies to its own 'orders' and you know from Cameron that One is tied into the base's computer systems... which is why no one ever has to serve on 'monitor duty'. "But I shall perform several diagnostics to be sure full functionality has been restored and to check for signs of the Templar arrival to determine if early warning systems can be put into place."

[Varuna]

Information is beginning to fly fast and furiously, and Linden pays rapt attention. Yes, I... know things. And I can learn things. I'm really pretty awful at anything combat related, to be honest. However, things have a habit of speaking to me, figuratively, and quite literally.

 

I'll be happy to talk with this captured Templar. The dead fellow, well, he's dead. His armor though, that could tell me a lot. The Templars came in a vehicle of some kind, right? It was described to me as being like a spaceship? I don't suppose you have any parts or pieces from it?

 

As for a code name, hmmm... Call me Babel. Linden smiles quite broadly at that.

 

Linden will follow whoever leads him to the captured Templar, or the suit of armor. He's happy to try his tricks on whichever one they get to first.

 

---

OOC

Linden hasn't tried speaking to a dead body, so I'm going with he doesn't know he can do it. It could be quite a surprise if the body starts answering instead of/alongside the armor!

 

 

[Roughtrade]

 

"One, it is going to be alright." Kennedy tries to calm the robot. "You made a mistake. It's very human of you. On the whole, I am rather relieved you can make mistakes."

"And Three, I didn't say you can't be up front, I said don't engage them alone. The Templars have always appeared in numbers. Don't want to lose you to them."

She pauses and adds. "What we really need is a secure comm system. I am broke enough as it is, and buying burner phones to call the cops when we need them is costing more than my rent."

 

 

 

---

Karma = 246 Health = 200/150 

 

 

[rauhric]

The Swashbuckler
Health: 150 Karma: 35

---

Tom sees all of this interaction with the robobuddies and smiles. He has always believed that they were more than machines, that they were Alive, and he is sure his team knows that now. Teams are forged through adversity and his team is coming together very well. "OK ... lets huddle up now. Come on ... make a circle. Robobuddies, Babel, Roughtrade, Aria ... we are a Team. For better or worse we are a Team. All of us. I'm proud of each of you everyday. Babel ... I know we just met, but I think I could be proud of you too." He smiles at them and then hugs his collective team.

---

OoC: He continues to show human gestures of affection to the Robobuddies to condition them on the nuances of human interaction.

 

FASERIP CHART

 

Edited April 3 by rauhric (see edit history)

[rauhric]

OoC: The Robobuddies could help us design a communication network based off their unique language. Much like how Babel is able to communicate with objects I think the Robobuddies have something akin to that. One translates for Two and Three, but their language isn't strictly ones and zeroes, but beeps and blips and buzzes (there is the occasional raspberry as well).

This reminds me of the Navajo Code Talkers in WW2. Germans could not break those codes because they didn't have access to Navajos to learn the language. Our team is lucky that we have the Robobuddies. They can be our Navajo Code Talkers. The Robobuddies can create a communication system that just uses their language that Dos and Tres offen use and each of us could have a special phone that uses Uno as the main operator (just like in the Matrix movies). All communications could run through Uno and if anyone intercepts our calls then it will just sound like Dos and Tres bickering at each other.

Edited March 30 by rauhric (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

Since being introduced to Kennedy, her clothing has been calling out in pain and anguish at the tears and rips her battle has 'inflicted' upon them. Her pants seem to think that being purchased at $25 adds additional horror to the fact that it was ripped down one of the seams and it repeatedly mentions that. While her clothing is not terrible after this battle, she usually comes out showing more flesh than she has covered... and her clothes know it. They are both terrified of future battles and 'in pain'. In fact, the way Kennedy's clothes are carrying on, its distracting from the conversations of the real people as each item strives to earn the right of which item has suffered the most.

After my diagnostics, I can begin designing a comm system, though this is likely something Cameron Chameleon ought to design himself. However, One cannot determine what Cameron Chameleon will prioritize." One explains.

The three robots head off to complete their assigned duties.

[Varuna]

Linden Olney (Babel)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Linden tries to focus on what is going on around him, the various conversations, the people and robots moving around, the knowledge there are captured enemies very near by, but he just can't. At first it was just a bit of side eye in Kennedy's direction, then a longer stolen glance, then the occasional head tilt, and finally his lips moving subtly but nothing being said.

 

He has a pained expression on his face, almost like he ate something very sour. His eyes, darting around the room but always coming back to Kennedy, are clear. Oddly enough, he very rarely looks at her face, if at all. He is trying to hide it, but his attention gravitates to her clothing, or rather, the holes in it.

 

Um... he begins tentatively, Kennedy? He has moved closer to her so he doesn't have to shout over all the noise he hears. Do you have a change of clothes? Your current outfit is... in distress. Your... your pants are in fear of another fight and your shirt really thinks its barely hanging on. Your... modesty... is in peril and your clothes are terrified. They've been beat up pretty badly and they're suffering.

 

Linden looks distinctly uncomfortable. I hate to ask this, but could you maybe take a bit better care of them? They think there's a pretty good chance they're going to be torn right off you in the next fight, and that has them all upset. Some nice, tight stitching and a few patches would do them wonders.

 

It's hard to tell what Linden is thinking at the moment. He's trying hard to not come across as a complete lunatic, but the look on his face is difficult to read. Is it embarrassment? Is it concern? Concern for clothes?

[Roughtrade]

"Excuse me?" Kennedy glares at the new guy.

"I got hammered by a guy in a mecha suit, walked through fire and I am pretty sure that I have two broken ribs!" Kennedy steps over in front of Linden and...

Well. Being just a half inch over five foot, Kennedy cannot tower over anyone. But she stands on her toes to try and get into Linden's face. She curls her hands into fists and punches the wall next to Linden.

"The bullet holes are from last week!"

"Find me an indestructible costume, and I will wear it. Until then, shut the expletive up!"

Kennedy turns on her heel and stomps off to help Two rebuild the base while giving Linden the finger over her shoulder and not giving him time to apologize unless he follows her down the corridor.

 

---

Karma = 246 Health = 200/150 

 

 

[rauhric]

The Swashbuckler
Health: 150 Karma: 35

---

Tom feels the need to interject here because his team is all kinds of upset at everyone. "OK lets all just calm down now a bit. Kennedy ... don't yell at the interpreter here. The clothes are talking to him and he is just passing along the message. Thank you Linden, or Babel. Which is the codename again?" He wanted to ask him what his stuff was saying but felt it was inappropriate at this moment. He will make a mental note to ask him another time.

---

OoC: Tom would not likely know the difference between Linden and Babel as names or their meaning. Everything in this world and time is alien to him, though TV really has helped him get assimilated quick.

 

FASERIP CHART

 

Edited April 4 by rauhric (see edit history)

[Varuna]

Linden Olney (Babel)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Linden flinches as Kennedy punches the wall, then flinches again as he expects to hear from the poor thing. That went... well, it went.

 

As he watches her head down the corridor he answers Tom. I think you should call me Babel. I'd rather keep my identity secret for as long as I can. I'll probably need a mask or something, now that I think about it.

 

Will she be OK? Do I need to apologize to her? He waits a moment or two, then asks, Where is your prisoner, and the suit of armor? Maybe the armor first? I'll see what I can learn from them.

[Civit]

"Space is probably best for her right now. Our 4th member did create supersuits for us... no capes... Not sure why she isn't using hers. Once things calm down maybe I'll try to do a girls day out and go shopping."

Kylie was pretty sure Kennedy had never done a mall/spa day.

"Anyway, our prisoner and corpse are in here."

She leads Linden into the other room. To the prisoner, "add this gentleman to the people you will answer questions from."

[Papa Bear]

Karl Müller glares at Kylie as he replies, "I will answer his questions." He is obviously not pleased and hates that she has this power over him. Müller and the dead Templar are dressed similarly, but not identically.

[rauhric]

The Swashbuckler
Health: 150 Karma: 35

---

Tom doesn't really "Hate" much of anything as a baseline emotion. His upbringing in his world was just "survival of the fittest" and not the intentional cruelty towards others. Life was too hard to spend it focusing one's negative emotions on someone else. These Templars "hate" Tom and Co. He can rationalize it, but he can't understand the dedication to it.

Turning to the Templar prisoner he says, "Sorry about your friends. Did you know them well?" He is not trying to antagonize the prisoner on his team's failure, but connect with him on a sympathetic level to let him know he understands his loss. "I hope you know we didn't want to harm your team the way we did, but if defending ourselves means killing them then so be it, right? Survival of the Fittest and all." Once again he was not trying to antagonize the Templar, but connect with him on a rational level of action and reaction. Tom is not a spiteful man, he is just Zen.

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OoC: Tom is honestly trying to make a connection with the prisoner before he goes to work with the Robobuddies.

 

FASERIP CHART

 

Edited April 4 by rauhric (see edit history)