<> <> <> (I cast magic missile.) (There is no darkness to cast it at.) (I cast it at Luanne.) * Vera enters, duster billowing behind her. She's got a hat and a gun, which she proceeds to slam a clip in. "Let's get this party started." * Threnody walks down the hallway, wearing a marked change of clothes: a black bodysuit with khaki hiking shorts over it and plenty of pockets, a black ninja mask-type thing, and over it all a dark black hooded cloak which obscures most of his features. It's very Luke-in-RotJ. (Mars is sort of Tatooine-y. Can we have a scene on a sail barge?) (*huttish* Cha no hoosha te nala. Oh ho ho ho ho.) (He makes it sound all ominous, but you know what he really said "This stone hurts my tushy.") * Rochelle walks on in. She's dressed as usual, with the jeans and the t-shirt and her windbreaker and worn down boots. A beaten up cap's on her head. * Rochelle waves back at Luanne. * Threnody gives Luanne a nod. <> "Goin' in undercover, huh? Exciting. I'm excited. This is the most fun they've let me have in ages." Yeah, I'm really undercover. * Rochelle eyes Thren. ( The most fun she's had since 45 minutes ago. ) (What was forty-five minutes ago?) * Threnody can only be described as "expressionless". The fact that only the top of his nose and his eyes are visible might contribute to that. ( DunnoWood! XD ) <> "Ron said this is your line to me. Scrambled or crypted or something. I've got the other one." * Vera nods. * Threnody cycles through his idle animation a couple times! <> "Hello, people. Sorry, busy briefing the other team." (Ronnie's having flashbacks.) (Technically it's happening simultaneously.) * Threnody tilts his head a little, but doesn't say anything. Hey, R. (DOesn't take a telepath.) "Right. Grab the comm, and I'll get talking about what little we know." * Rochelle reaches over and takes the unit, because why not. * Threnody listens. <> "From what we can tell, all the gangs have been infiltrated. At the very least the upper levels and some of the scrubs." * Rochelle looks the comm thing over, then puts it on. She looks over at the map. "Okay." "The presence of the controlling Old Ones seems to mean they've stopped trying to possess normal people. At the least, there's not rioting in the streets. Looks more like enforced slavery for some, and a general house arrest kind of thing for everybody else." <> "'Halt, schwein, show me diener papers, ja?' And so on." <> * Rochelle scratches at the back of her neck. Her nails are green. * Threnody furrows his brow at the pictures and the description, but doesn't say anything. <> "Heaviest fighting has been in these areas. It might be wishful thinking, but it's possible there's some kind of halfway organized resistance." Why don't they just possess everyone? <> "Fuck if I know. Not enough personnel or time or resources? Maybe they just want the workforce. They have a hard time controlling the possessed non-24s." "Most of what we've got is guesses. Any info you can relay is a major plus for us, you know? (+") I'll keep that in mind. Yeah, okay. * Threnody nods. * Rochelle steps forward, pointing out a spot in one of the gang territories (since they're *all* in gang territories), but not in a red area. "My house is about here." <> "While we're unsure about resistance, we ARE sure there's a driving force behind the Old Ones. They're being run out of City Hall, in the center of the city." <> "By someone who knows what the fuck he's doing.... " "Or she. Or it. Who the fuck knows." <> "How close can you get them?" So someone's controlling them? * Threnody tenses up slightly. <> "There's a donut shop here, I think I could... or is it?" <> "There's definitely orders coming out of City Hall. Probably the high Old One Muckamuck or what the fuck ever, you know? Guarded like all hell." But before I didn't get a sense of... * Threnody trails off. "It's been six months. I guess our earlier experiences are out of date." * Rochelle nods. Soooo... what happens if we kill him? * Rochelle looks it over, trying to think of a good place for Luanne to drop them off. "You're asking questions like I know the answers, Vera. All we've got is the little our informants gave, and the shit from the spy sats." "What I DO know is that our informants all died trying to get close." * Threnody glances at the map. "That's not a surprise." <> "Crock of shit. It's all a crock of shit." * Rochelle points out a place not far from where she originally indicated. "That's an alley. I think it'd work." <> "I know that alley. Yeah, that'll be good." Where we headed once we get there? * Threnody looks at Roch. She might know! To where I used to live. Zak or Mom should still be there. It's close. Gotcha <> "You might want to try to lay low for a bit, confirm what info we've given you. Up to you." * Threnody glances at the map. "I think... if the information comes to us, that's one thing, but going to seek it out is a bit suicidal." * Rochelle nods. "Yeah." After all, Rochelle's family *must* know something. * Rochelle says, with total neutrality, "They just live there." * Threnody nods. "Exactly. They'll have seen and heard things the spy satellites won't have." In the middle of a war zone It's always a war zone. So, what happens if theu're already possessed? <> "Subdue them. The rings do a pretty decent job." (Nuke from orbit. Only way to be sure.) (Are we already wearing rings?) You got a tranq gun or a taser or something I can use? (Not yet, Roch.) <> "I barely got you the rings, Vera. Ordnance is very hard to come by." * Vera shrugs. "I'll aim for the legs then." Happens to him a lot anyway. * Threnody flexes his fingers. "Subduing them without hurting them shouldn't be too hard." Good. You get to do that. <> "Catch. Take a halo and pass it on." * Threnody catches, wears, passes on! He's a good student and deserves a gold star. <> * Rochelle takes one and fits it around her head. She hands the bag over to Vera. * Vera takes a halo and tosses her hat into the air. She puts it on and catches her hat as it returns to earth, putting that back on too. <> "Stylish. Ready?" * Threnody nods. Yeah. Sure. <> "I'll meet you back here." <> "Right! Who's ready to fly Air Luanne?" Let's go. * Threnody circles his arm a bit like he's loosening up a shoulder joint, then nods at Luanne. "Ready when you are." "Link hands." <> * Rochelle takes her hand. ("Link hands what?" "Link hands you RUPEES SHUT UP") * Threnody takes Luanne's other hand! Even though girls are icky. * Vera gets stuck with the leftovers. (Yes. LUANNE'S THIRD HAND.) (It's like a third eye, only less Buddhist.) <> * Vera looks for a refreshment stand in the Nullspace. (Not the hardcore nullspace with Space Jesus) <> (HARDCORE NULLSPACE.) <> <> * Vera glances down the alley. * Rochelle stretches. * Threnody makes a face on reflex. Luckily half of said face is out of sight behind the mask. * Rochelle looks blankly into nothing for a moment, then she nods to herself. "Okay. Thanks, Luanne." <> <> "You guys call me wherever, I'll come get you. I've had to do it under fire before." * Threnody smiles a little. "At least once in my memory, anyway." <> "Yeah." "Good luck!" < (Vera has the rings, right?) ( I do? ) (You had the bag last.) ( I guess I do >.> ) * Threnody watches Luanne go, then looks around before settling his gaze on Rochelle. "Well?" <> * Vera waits a bit and then heads towards the exit. "Come on." <> * Threnody shrugs and follows, keeping an 'eye' out. * Rochelle watches that person go, then she walks out, looking around. <> <> * Threnody is unable to restrain a pained wince. "...what a sad place." It's home. * Rochelle starts walking down the street, probably towards where she used to live. <> <> * Vera follows, shrugging. "I've seen worse." * Threnody says, unapologetically, "I haven't." (Where? ;P) (A good question.) ( Lizardland :P ) (...) (*stamps 'LIAR' on Vera's hat*) (Well, if you've ever been to the surface of modern Sleythin, *that* is in fact worse, I think.) (TC might be nasty but it's inhabitable and not on fire.) (Well, mostly not on fire.) (... Are those fires not out yet?) (Most of them.) (The *fire* was on fire.) (It's pretty hard to put that shit out, when it's pulling energy out of a sun.) (Moving on.) * Rochelle walks along, not looking at particularly anything, and not, apparently, disturbed by anything at all. "The burned out buildings are new," she comments, turning on a street, then walking that way for a bit before cutting through an alley. * Dicesuke (akodomakot@ip68-13-166-245.om.om.cox.net) has joined #atc2too (Perception rolls, sight-based.) * Vera follows. "Reminds me of home." * Threnody trundles after, looking over his shoulder at practically *everything*. "Really? Where are you from?" 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Threnody (2d6-2) and gets 1. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Vera (2d6-2) and gets 7. (I think that's a make.) * Vera shrugs. "Dunno. Maybe here." ( I missed ) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Rochelle (2d6-2) and gets 4. (Got it!) * Threnody furrows his brow. "You don't *know*?" How'd it remind you of home if you don't remember it? Lotta stuff I don't know. * Threnody just... eyes Vera in disbelief a moment, before scanning the area again. "Uh, Rochelle..." Yeah? <> * Threnody points at some fresh graffiti. "Something you recognize? And what do you mean, the burned out buildings are new? Were they not burned out before?" Nope. * Rochelle looks at that. "And no, that's new. I think it's from the alien guys." * Rochelle pauses before stepping out of the alley, then takes a right, fingers brushing on the corner. She walks along. * Vera follows. "Alien graffiti, eh?" * Threnody follows Rochelle slowly. "There's people in those buildings..." he says quietly. "They're terrified." (Rochelle: "It's becauseof my reign of terror." Thren: "...?") * Rochelle nods. "Yeah. They got a good reason to be, too." * Rochelle crosses the street and keeps walking along the same direction. <> <> ( @_@ ) * Threnody walks along, looking for that graffiti whenever he can spare a glance in some direction or another. * Threnody then freezes. "Someone's coming." He pauses a second. "And they're possessed." * Vera glances to the side, looking for a hiding place. "Can you take him out quietly?" * Threnody shakes his head. "There's more than one, I just can't tell how many." Then we'd better get out of their way. * Rochelle glances around for a place to hide. <> * Rochelle heads straight for the burned out building. * Vera picks the burned out building. Just in case they burn the non-burned out building instead. * Threnody follows along. Gold star! <> * Threnody hides behind some rubble! * Vera hides behind some rubble, drawing her gun. <> <> ( Because someone died! ) <<... and then, finally, they move on again, picking up their conversation.>> * Threnody breathes out. Citizens demand it. * Rochelle peeks out from behind the rubble for a moment. She stands up after another. * Vera gets to her feet and listens. <> * Vera waits, then motions towards the door. She keeps her gun out. * Rochelle walks over to the door, peeking out one way, then the other. Assuming it's clear, she walks out. * Threnody brings up the rear, stalking along behind Roch. <> * Rochelle heads off down the way she was already going. (Yay, our radar is unjammed now! *blip*) * Vera follows. * Threnody does likewise! * Rochelle walks for a while longer, then crosses the street (again) and comes up to a run down apartment building. They're all pretty run down, so this shouldn't be anything new. She rattles the handle, then pulls a key out of her pocket, puts it in and turns, and kicks the thing. The door opens. <> * Threnody glances around. And looks patronizingly distressed. <> * Rochelle pulls the key out with a quick jerking motion. She doesn't bother looking at the powdery stuff, instead saying, "Don't get any on you," as she steps over it, heading up. (*fingerquotes* "Flour".) * Vera makes sure not to as she follows. * Threnody does his level best not to get dusted. Hahaha. <> * Threnody looks around, and speaks quietly as he walks. "Is this where you grew up?" Yeah. * Rochelle keeps going up. Third floor now... <> * Rochelle steps over that person, too. Fourth floor. She still goes up. * Threnody climbs! * Rochelle reaches the fifth floor. Here she tries opening the door, and finding it locked, shoves another key in and turns. She doesn't need to kick this one, as it opens well enough. * Threnody stays a few steps back, and seems to be *extra* scrupulous about avoiding any and all white powders. * Vera waits, still with her gun drawn. <> "... Rochelle!" <>