4235/The APOSTLE Initiative

The APOSTLE Initiative
Date of Scene:	19 June 2016
Location:	Scorched Earth
Synopsis:	With Eryl absent, it falls to contracted Elites to bring civilisation back to the world, starting with the ruins of Vancouver. No clowning around.
Cast of Characters:	Eryl Fairfax, 673, 774, 981, 1005

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Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Vancouver.

    Once a bustling city, it now shares the fate of the rest of this world. Broken spires that were once proud skyscrapers rise up from the dust-choked earth. The Fraser River is clogged with mud and grime, flowing out into a filthy Pacific shore. The skyline, once dominated by hills, is now mostly flat and even, the great mounds of earth having been ground away to nothing.

    This has had a major impact on the city ruins. For once, the streets have been entirely obscured. Indeed, anything less than a storey tall is utterly obscured underfoot. The ground is loose dust, the kind that your foot sinks into, inch by inch with each step.

    But thankfully, there is a solution. The request asks Elites to convene on the roof of Waterfront Station, which pokes out from the soft-packed surface. Thankfully, a warpgate hovers right there for people to arrive from.

    Awaiting them is Staff Sergeant Lily Cooper and Corporal Bonnie Moon. Both of whom are rather 'low-key' equipped right now. No knife in the hand of the former, no shield on the arm of the latter. "Good day everyone," the elderly Lily says softly. "Our plan is to walk along the train tracks. They should provide stable footing, and give us a route that is bound to bring us close to any settlements... if they exist."

    Bonnie jumps in at this point. "Signs of life include smoke columns, waste - including human and otherwise, any markings on anything that seem recent. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't feel stupid for asking. We don't want to miss anyone out here."

    The track is a bit of a jump from the roof, but some kind of deployed crash pad has been dropped onto it for the less athletically-inclined. Indeed, the two EDF soldiers use it themselves to safely land. The walk begins... it's probably going to take them all across the city. The world is quiet, barring the occasional breeze and groan of the partially-buried city.

    Plenty of room for chit-chat.

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    In all truth, Dorian's not here purely for unselfish reasons. He's not with one of the superfactions, so he has to make his own money. The offer of credits was enough to bring him here. But, credits aside, he does seem a good fit for the mission. He has some diplomatic capabilities, AND he can also fight. Everything ReGenesis asked for.

    Dorian arrives through the warpgate, and finds those in charge of the mission. Fortunately they're close by. Mages are good for diplomacy; a staff is generally not a threatening-looking weapon unless it's scary-looking. Which is precisely why he swapped out that serpent-headed staff he usually carries for one with a large white orb that looks like it's nestled into branches at the top.

    The briefing is... well, brief, but it's understood. He does have a question, though he realizes there will be plenty of time for asking as they're traveling. So it isn't long before he's hopping down from the roof and walking with the others.

    Then he takes the opportunity to ask, "Will we be dealing with anything of a magical nature? I have a few... techniques for detecting magical disturbances that might be of use."

Danse (981) has posed:
For his first steps into the wider multiverse, Danse certainly chose a doozy. With Rhys on the mend, and most of the nearby threats in Cambridge having slowly succumbed to a combination of automated defenses and patrols, the police station was threatening to turn into something that had been wholly unexpected just a couple of weeks ago: A relative safe haven. It gives the Paladin a chance to explore what some of these other worlds are like, though he intends to seldom stay long. His heart is still with improving his own world, and insuring that it has a future to look forward to.

    With that in mind, the ReGenesis advertisements had captured his attention, in those first 'missions' to the outside. Locating and assisting settlements, hmm? Could be a good warm up for what will be expected of the Brotherhood, when they arrive in full force in the Commonwealth. The 'diplomacy' angle was somewhat skipped over, as his organization's idea of diplomacy fits him well enough. When the day of the assignment finally arrived, after a brief check in with Rory White, to insure that no cross-contamination would occur, he otherwise shows no hesitation.

    Arriving through the warp gate, Paladin Danse is of course kitted up in the usual way. Power armor completely covers him from head to toe, having donned the helmet before leaving the police station. While he doesn't have it in his hands for the moment, what appears to be some manner of energy or beam weapon is fastened to his side within easy reach, in a handgun form factor. Taking a few moments to adjust to his surroundings, and adjust the power armor's heads up display for the local conditions, he takes notice of Lily and Bonnie, and briskly pounds his clenched fist into his chest in apparent salute. "Affirmative," he responds, agreeably. "It'll be easier on Scribe Haylen, if there's less dust in the servos." He *could* wade through all that...silt, of course, if necessary, but their approach is sound.

    Jumping to the track isn't difficult, after a slight running start. The suit of power armor's pneumatics audibly kick into another gear, propelling him over, before sticking the landing with a light hiss of pressure release. It does kick up its share of dust, but thankfully there is less on the rail. He's still accustomed to doing things the Brotherhood way. The desolate landscape and the ponderous groan of decaying skyscrapers is an unfortunately familiar background song to him, as they get underway. "Never thought I'd say it, but Boston got off easy, compared to this." There are at least things moving there, even if it's usually raiders and supermutants shooting at each other.

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
Rescue work isn't exactly Tatusko's specialty, but work is work, and her Family needs it right now. And despite it all, her gentle nature makes her far more suited to a potential diplomatic mission than, say, her brother.

The high schooler gives the briefest of frowns as that runs across her mind before slipping back into a gentle smile.

"Hi~! She offers in turn, before dipping into a traditional japanese bow. Right, best behaviour.

"So we'll be doing search and rescue? Mmm, never done that before. But it shouldn't be hard. Mmm, just like taking care of my sisters. Just with a little more fire...or, I guess the same amount of fire sometimes." A slow, lethargic nod, just before she lets off a yawn. As ever, her eyes are lidden, and her walk is utterly unhurried.

Still, when she leaps down with the others, the tall woman hits the ground effortlessly. But it's Dorian that gets her attention.

Suddenly, she leaning in, the slightest hints of her eyes can be seen. Thankfully, no yellow. Her lips purse in curiousity.

"...Magic? So, you're a wizard? That's so niiiice. Little sis Angel would be so excited! She wouldn't leave you alone." A tap to her chin.

"First a knight, then a mage. But mages are small and squishy. Mmm. Tatsu gets to play knight today!" Then, she leans down, grabs part of the railroad track with one hand, and starts pulling. Rivets and metal strain, and after a moment, there's sound of ripping and popping as she yanks a large section out of it, making herself a makeshift club about as tall as she is.

Hefting it over her shoulder, she hums as she surveys and walks protectively near Dorian. Danse and the rest get curious looks too. Especially that power armor. She makes no efforts to stave her blatant curiousity.

Back to the Corporal though. "...This place /is/ pretty messed up. What happened here?" Yaaaaawn.

Rory White (673) has posed:
Once again Rory White's sleeved into her Flexbot, and it's configured in a sphinx-like form - four thick feline legs with claws where they ought to be, a vaguely human-like face with a bob cut of blue hair and sky-blue eyes (that said, it's unmistakably robotic and shiny). What differs from the typical sphinx is that instead of bird wings... well it has 'wings' but they're more like bat wings, and end in multiple clawed graspers much like a bat's wings without the thin webbing.

    There's no doubt this form would be EXCELLENT for mobility and climbing.

    Up in the air, one of her Saucers follows along as fast as it can, giving her and anyone who can join her TacNet an eye in the sky map...

    "You're right. At least Boston has PEOPLE left in it." Rory answers Danse upon getting a view of the endless wasteland... there's nothing here but ruins and dust...

    She goes LEAPING off the building after Danse, once she's affirmed the mission with ReGenesis... but near the ground, ROCKET THRUSTERS fire from her feet, slow her descent, and let her land without damage. They don't look powerful enough for sustained flight, but those are new!

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    The tracks underfoot, long-since rusted and crumbling from constant exposure to sea air with no maintenance, creak with each step. Especially with Danse's power armour stepping on them. Lily turns and offers a motherly smile to Dorian. "No magic here fancy-pants, unless someone off-world wormed their way in. Which I doubt. Better places to be."

    The track curves, offering a different perspective on the city. The once-tallest building, the Living Shangri-La, has actually snapped in half, the upper floors long-since fallen to be buried in the dust, leaving twisted girders exposed like an old wound. Bonnie winces at the sight, before glancing to the imposing Danse. "Our diplomat saw Boston. It's been flooded from the dust raising the sea levels. Said it stank. Yours anything like that?"

    Tatsuko is probably the most out-of-place here, but the EDF is used to this kind of thing, so she gets the same treatment as everyone. "We're unsure dear," Lily says. "All we know is that a lattice of lasers encircled the planet at some point, which somehow caused... this." She waves at everything around them. "Well, not all of this. Time eroded things afterwards."

    Rory's strange form? Also taken into stride. But her words are not. Bonnie fixes her with a firm glare and says, "There might still be people. That's why we're here. If you're just here for some easy paycheque, you can piss o-" Her words are cut off by an even firmer glare from her superior. The mocha-skinned woman grumbles before muttering a half-hearted apology.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Needless to say, the barricade on the tracks crumbled away at some point long ago. It does require the party to watch their feet so they don't accidentally stumble off of it. However, they soon reach a point of interest. A row of doors, planks and other flat objects, laid in the dust to form a path from the rail line to nearby roofs.

    Lily and Bonnie immediately stop to examine it. Those with keen eyes might pick up on the faintest hint of footprints on the dust that settles on the rudimentary path, mostly obscured by winds. "Detour?" Bonnie asks. "Detour." Lily concurs. "Okay, listen up everyone. We're going to follow this and see where it takes us. Watch your step, and try not to break any of it." A pointed look at Rory and Danse, probably due to being the heaviest.

    They trot across the boards, lightly as possible, to reach an adjacent roof. Here, signs of life are terribly evident. Drawings in the dust that had settles on it, as well as a broom left nearby that shows little sign of weather damage, obviously left here to sweep it clean when it gets too much. And yes, even the lingering smell of waste.

    "Signs of life," Lily breathes. Bonnie grins triumphantly, before scanning the nearby sky. "Any of you lot got any fancy tricks to show, now's the time. This is a lot of ground to cover.

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian coughs a little bit at the dust Dance's jump raises. He concentrates a moment, mentally reaching for the Fade to 'snap' it around him gently , to clear the dust away from his location. A magical shiver in the air, possibly felt by those with magical abilities. Aside from that, it just looks like the dust in the air around him was fanned away. He peers at Danse for a moment, not quite sure what he's looking at. But he doesn't ask. He's aware of the fact that he's small and squishy to a power armor.

    Though it's not long before he notices that he's got someone's attention, and looks in Tatsuko's direction. He blinks at the question. "I'm a mage, yes," he confirms. Then he offers by way of introduction, with a graceful bow, "Dorian Pavus, Altus mage of the Tevinter Imperium." The mention of 'small and squishy' gets a scoff, half in amusement because he was /just thinking that/ (though regarding Danse), and half because... well, he's really not that small and squishy, really. Not when compared to most mages in his world. But that's HIS world. This most definitely is not. Also he can't pull a railroad track apart to use a tie as a club! So in comparison? Yes, 'small and squishy' probably applies.

    The bat-notwinged sphnyx-like thing gets a double-take from Dorian. Though it becomes clear it's not going to attack when it speaks. So he relaxes. Though the mention of there being so few people here -- possibly none -- gets a tilt of his head. "Look at the bright side. That means there's less chance of something that thinks we're taste morsels finding us while we search," he offers.

    Lily's answer gets a nod. "No offense meant, but I can see what you mean," he notes, regarding 'better places to be'. Though he winces a little at Bonnie's words. "I'm sure she didn't mean it like that," he offers, in his best 'diplomat' voice, gentle without being patronizing. He didn't think he'd need to use it this early, but he's at least showing that he has what it takes.

    The appearance of the pathway does indeed draw Dorian's attention, though it's anyone's guess if he can see the footprints or not. Clearly the fact that there's a path there indicates that there's someone here. Friendly or not, he doesn't know. But that's what they're about to find out, he assumes. He's not that heavy, though he makes sure to keep some distance between himself and the heavier members of their current party, to avoid causing damage to the path.

    Fancy tricks? "Only for running, I'm afraid," he notes. He'll stick with the ground-bound on this trip!

Rory White (673) has posed:
Rory White pauses in her boundings upon that accusation and turns back to face Bonnie. "My apologies if that manner offended. No, money doesn't motivate me even slightly. I've never had or spent any in the entirety of my uptime. But it's a clear fact that this city's far, far emptier than the one Paladin Danse is stationed in. That equally-ruined city hosts a fairly sizable settlement in what had been a baseball stadium. If there were settlements of such noticeable size here, you wouldn't need an on-foot investigation, a simple aerial sacan would suffice. Since the entire town's half-buried... any settlements must be on the smaller side. Or so I'd imagine. Or, in less exact words... compared to that Boston, this is a ghost town."

    Upon reaching the unusual PATHWAY of planks and debris she glances over that way. As it turns out the 'sphinx' isn't really that heavy. Not even as heavy as the creature it looks like it is: it's the same mass as an average adult human female, more or less, thanks to the sophisticated metamaterial engineering.

    "Could be plenty of tiny ones though! Think we found something!"

    Rory directs her Saucer to follow the trail from above...

Danse (981) has posed:
"Magic?" Danse would normally call bullshit, on that kind of thing. Yet, the presence of psychic powers in his own home world is no longer in doubt, and that is essentially the same thing. Plus, he'd already seen a man jump insane distances on his own power and, levitate, another similarly. The lenses of his helmet are trained briefly on Dorian for that moment of consideration, before he decides to split the difference, "I've already seen stranger things." Especially when Dorian demonstrates his own, personal ventilation fan spell. If it came to it, he would of course take point, as a knight, as Tatsuko put it. He is of the Paladin rank, after all. Speaking of, her somewhat weary-looking manner gets a glance, as well. Did she get enough sleep last night? Hopefully it won't become a liability, if they run into something unexpected.

    "I'm Paladin Danse, of the Brotherhood of Steel," he mentions, to those he wasn't yet familiar with. Rory not being one of them. He's still a bit unnerved, admittedly, by how easily she switches out her...format, but she at least makes no secret about what she is. Also, she's proven both useful and loyal, enough that he trusts her to manage the comings and goings from the Commonwealth and the multiverse, to insure nothing harmful gets in, or especially, out. It's a very conflicted kind of feeling. "White," he gives a nod. "It may seem empty, but don't let down your guard." He makes it sound like giant spiders are going to come crawling out of the sand, or something. After realizing as much, he returns to the original mission's focus, "Humans can survive in the most unlikely of conditions." Though, it's hard to imagine growing even the resilient mutfruit or razorgrain in this dust bowl, especially with no clear source of useful water. Those chances seem bleak, unless something like a mass converter exists out there. (Hah, as if.)

    The actual, presumptive natives -- their nature is compatible with Danse's, he can sense. Little talk ahead of time, right to business, even if there's room for conversation on the way. Bonnie, in particular, asks for a comparison. "There was some coastal flooding," he confirms. "Much of the East and South end are already being reclaimed by the sea. Sometimes the prevailing winds will pick up dust from the Glowing Sea." Not much is there to really stink, though, except near settlements, or supermutant and feral ghoul encampments. Still, it was nothing quite like this level of devestation. He had heard other metro areas had gotten hit even more badly than D.C. and Boston, but it's another matter to see what that level of bleakness must look like.

    The poor condition of the rail is cause for some concern, so once he heard the resisting creaks, he did audibly lighten his footsteps, insofar as he can while in a wearable tank. That serves him well, as they come upon those signs of recent reconfiguration of the terrain, if not outright habitation. Hopefully his bootfalls didn't kick up enough dust to obscure any further trace evidence. "Incredible," he admits, in a somewhat admiring tone. Yet, looking at those boards and planks, they clearly aren't weight rated for T-60 power armor.

    "I'll bring up the rear," he offers, for obvious reasons. No need to take out the walkway for everyone else if this somehow collapses. And so, he waits, for now, keeping his eyes open all the same, since it's still part of the mission. Fancy sensor gizmos is basically Rory White's specialty, he realizes.

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
"That's a shame. It might have been a nice place before they did all the lasers." Offhandedly comments Tatsu as she spins that railroad track in her hand. Rory gets a look, an 'ooooh'. Her hand raises, very nearly going for a good pet of the sphinx-bot, but finally gets distracted by Dorian again.

Instead, it's Dorian who gets a few headpats. "Tatsuko, second daughter of the Itagaki Siblings! You're so polite. Brother Ryuuhei could learn a thing or two." Her sigh is more of a snort. There's a short snoring sound, before she shuffles forward and wakes back up.

For now, though, she'll let Dorian et al do the soothing over of feelings.

She does try to stuff some candy into Bonnie's hand while smiling, practically /exuding/ Big Sister Aura (tm). It works on Angel, anyway.

When they come across the rooftops, though, she looks down at herself. No, she's not going to risk breaking those. She turns to Danse, with a very well meaning, slightly mischief-filled smile.

"That armor's so big, you could fall and hurt yourself." Hands on her hips. Tatsuko chucks her weapon two roofs over, then tries to haul the power-armored clad man up on her shoulders in a piggyback ride. Even for Tatsu, there's a bit of grunting and straining. She waits for everyone else to cross over.

"Hut, ta ta ta ta! Up you go with Tatsuuuu~! Kawakami Style...LEAP!" The high schooler takes a running, bounding leap that's more like a very coordinated stumble, sending her and Danse over by extension. Her first landing is a little shakey.

"Awawawaaah!" More stumbling, she rights herself, and this time her second leap is nailed. She puts him down with a likely loud thud of metal on wood. Streeeetch languidly. She picks up her railroad-club.

"Nice to meet you, Paladin Danse. What's a Brotherhood of Steel? Is there where you got that armor? Ryuuhei would like it. I bet you could punch really hard with it." Nod nod nod. Smiiiiile!

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Bonnie seemed like she was biting the inside of her cheek after that little exchange, but the words offered by Dorian and Tatsuko calm her some. She takes the candy and stuffs it into a pocket that materializes on her suit somehow. Lily meanwhile, seems quite content to just get on with it.

    When the time comes to cross the path... well, Tatsuko's little display is impressive! But landing like that on such an old structure? Probably not the best idea, since it immediately starts crumbling under the impact. If she and Danse don't move fast, the roof will collapse under them!

    And don't think the noise of it went unnoticed either. Rory's little saucers might catch glimpses of movement among the other roofs. Heads peeking out, the glint of sunlight reflecting off things...

    This could be bad.

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian nods to Danse's question. "That's right. I'm a mage." He gives a bit of a smirk here, a little narrow-eyed almost-evil smirk. Mages are generally not well thought-of where he's from, after all, nor are people from Tevinter. Though he does add, "Don't worry. We don't ALL eat people." Yes, he's kidding; the tone is pretty clear.

    Headpats? Dorian scoots out from under those, and raises a hand to fix his hair. "Please. I'm almost thirty, that's far too old for being patted on my head," he grumbles. Well, there goes the polite! "There are quite a few people in the Multiverse who could learn a lot from me," he notes, with a raised brow. There's pride in that tone. "Alas, I haven't the time to teach them all. But it's still a pleasure to meet you." A pause. Did she... just fall asleep?

    Suddenly Tatsuko is leaping over their heads with a power armor -- and the person inside it -- on her back. Having that much metal flying over his head is not something Dorian was prepared for. "Fasta vass!" he declares, ducking instinctively. Not that it would have done much good if she'd dropped Danse.

    And when he sees the crumbling roof, he curses again in that not-quite Latin language of his, this time under his breath. He probably isn't going to be able to get there in time, but he's going to try. A blue-white glow seems to be emanating from his body, and he runs towards the roofs. But not at normal human speed. He could probably outrun a car at that speed!

    Dorian stops when he's in range of the roof, and the glow dissipates. He lifts his staff from the ground, and clouds of condensation begin to flow off of it into the air. When he taps the end of the staff against the surface below him -- lightly, mind -- he directs a burst of ice at the crumbling roof, hoping to freeze the crumbling pieces together. It's a temporary measure at best, but it might give them a few minutes to move.

Danse (981) has posed:
Danse isn't normally known for his sense of humor, but he's willing to entertain Tatsuko for at least this much. "Every standard issue type power armor frame contains pneumatic servos for shock absorption. It might not always be pleasant, but surviving from this height wouldn't--" It seems doubtful that she's even listening at this point, since she's already making a move as though to heft him up. It's hard to believe, but she actually seems to be succeeding. The shock and bewilderment even for this hardened soldier has him not truly respond immediately, but once he does, "Doesn't this...hurt you?" It's like carrying a small car, practically. He's still not used to human skeletons and muscle systems being able to tolerate this kind of pressure. Before he truly gets his answer, they're off, and landing on another building. And then another. "Ah...thanks," he adds, still a bit uncertain about the experience, as they reach the destination, with apparently less disturbance of the environment than if he would have done it with the power armor itself.

    It's not all fun and games, though, especially now. Sensors in the suit begin blinking ugly and garish warnings almost immediately after the landing. Seems that unmaintained buildings don't make the greatest places to land, especially when you have aforementioned small car apply pressure over a teenager's literal footprint. Predictably, it's already begun to buckle and crumble. In fairness to Tatsuko, it might have done so even with all of their collective weights on it. "Clear out," Danse calls, on instinct, already beginning to move whether or not Dorian's ice spell meets with success. The support is usually better towards the edges, so that's where he heads; the hopefully more load-bearable walls should hopefully provide some refuge. A power armored hand still keeps a mechanically tight grip on the lip of the roof, just in case. "This is what happens when you act recklessly," any relief short-lived as he realizes the calamity likely would have drawn attention from the possible life closeby, and he still can't be certain that said attention would actually be friendly to outsiders.

    He'd say something about 'not even joking about' eating people, to Dorian, but there are more pressing matters, at the moment.

Rory White (673) has posed:
"Move! Danse, Tatsu!" Or was it Tatsuko? In the confusion she has possibly mistaken the girl's name, but that doesn't matter for delivering a warning!

    "Be more careful of the surroundings! These are old! old buildings! And debris! Don't abuse it!"

    The Saucer spotting movement though, alerts her to possible trouble. The Sphinx ceases its approach... and instead starts looking about every which way with THERMAL IMAGING. If people are hiding but aren't behind walls of THICK, SOLID METAL OR STONE, that's probably the end of their cover....

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
"No one's too old for that." Counters Tatsuko, nodding several times.

But she has /problems/ soon. As it turns out, giant power armor and leaping long distances doesn't really work well with old rooftops! Crunch crunch crunch!

Thankfully Dorian's thinking, and starts to freeze the rooftop. She /does/ however manage to slip on it, very nearly spilling with Danse in towe! She does the smart thing, and tries to seperate herself /and/ Danse so they destroy rooftops less!

Only once they're safely on a /non/ crumbling rooftop, Tatsuko falls to her knees. "Waaaaah..."

Both hands are poking fingers together, she's on her knees, looking back to the group, Danse and Dorian in particular. "...Ah...I'll be more careful..." Poor thing, she looks guilty after all of that.

Face blushing, she quiets down, trying to sense the aura of anyone nearby. She grips that railroad club intently. Her eyes are even part way open!

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Ice spreads along the cracks forming in the roof, helping to hold it together long enough for Danse to move off of it. Thankfully, more bridges have been made, stretching from each one to the next. So while the initial building is risky to walk on right now, the rest are quite safe.

    But those scans and ki senses are picking up people, and they're moving towards the party! They soon come into sight, scrabbling across rooftops, crossing bridges. With their garish, painted faces, monochromatic clothing, eerily silent... mimes?

    Yes. It's mimes.

    They stand upon the roofs adjacent to the ones occupied by the party, saying nothing. But they do walk up to the edges and start... miming? Sure, that's a word. Miming placing their hands upon walls that aren't there, walls that separate they and the Elites. A very clear nonverbal message. 'Come no closer.'

    Upon the frozen, creaking roof, Boonie takes the first step towards forging bonds. "G-Good day," she starts, clearly taken aback by such opposition. "We represent the ReGenesis Corporation, and we are here t-" One of the mimes makes a finger gun and points it at Bonnie before cocking the thumb. From somewhere, a bullet slams into the ground before Bonnie's feet!

    The mimes are backed by snipers.

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian's not worried much about movement in the ruins at the moment. He's more concerned with Danse and Tatsuko not falling through a roof. Admittedly, that's partly because there might be people inside the building and the falling debris might hurt them. Tatsuko's words get a sigh. "Please do," he says, looking and sounding rather cross. Though the truth is, he's cross because he's worried. "The last thing we need is to have you dumped onto the heads of any survivors."

    And speaking of survivors... there's people all of a sudden. And they're... very odd. He blinks, looking at the group of people. And jumps at the bullet being fired, and moves back a few paces.

    Silent people are silent... and they also look like they're in charge. Maybe that's it -- silence? It's an odd thought, admittedly. But why not give it a try? So, while keeping his distance, Dorian... bows in greeting to the group. He says nothing. But while not nearing them, he doesn't back up either.

Danse (981) has posed:
He may be no-nonsense and harsh at times, but Danse is also fair. Once they're relatively safe from further structural collapse, he offers to Tatsuko, "We all make mistakes and errors in judgement. You only hope that they're survivable to learn from it." And, thankfully, this one was. He's become aware that worlds such as this one, and his own, are common, but still somewhat in the minority. Perhaps in her own world, the roofs are far more stable, or even reinforced for multiple Elites to go hopping across. "I'll explain the Brotherhood some time later. For now, we've still got a job to do." He doesn't reach for his laser pistol quite yet, but once he's got more stable footing, he does try to keep a lower profile. Well, as low a profile as a suit of heavy power armor can amidst the crumbling landscape.

    And then, here come the mimes. Or as Danse puts it, just under his breath. "I've never been much of a fan of clowns." Not that there are many that remain in the Commonwealth and Capital Wasteland, but you still run into their iconography quite often. It's the closest thing he can think of when he watches the curious people begin to do their wordless routine. Well, it's certainly strange, but he gets the idea. "Putting a wall between us, are they?" Well, this is where the diplomacy part of things come into play. The ReGenesis operatives are presumably the experts at this sort of thing, so he sits pat and lets them take point. They don't seem to be meeting much success at first, though, especially when an incoming long range rifle shot comes in. He takes just slightly more shelter behind a retaining wall, but still keeps himself visible. It's more a precaution than trying to sneak off.

    "What's your usual protocol for hostile or isolationist settlements," he wonders to Bonnie and Lily? Since he's assuming they don't have one written that's specific to clans of mimes. "I'll follow your lead on this." With that, he's spoken his thoughts on the matter, and similarly goes silent for the moment. Waiting to see what happens might open other options. Yet, he's guessing, if it comes to it...they'll probably respect their apparent wishes and back off.

Rory White (673) has posed:
Faced with one of the strangest welcoming parties in history, Rory White's four-legged approach comes to a stop. She takes a few moments to mentally consult with her muse on the type of attire and strange behavior, and gets instantly briefed on the concept of mimes. Such odd, odd professions.

    She edges back a few steps... then seats herself, the clawed arms folding up to her back in a show of peace.

    Then one of their own's warningly shot at!

    Analysis of its trajectory lets Rory instantly trace the bullet back to its origin point, and it might just freak out the sniper when the sphinx turns to look their way EXACTLY, no question about it. The power of math reveals all for an AGI with analysis software running on high alert!

    "We have not come to fight or harm your livelihood. Quite the opposite. We bring the hope of restoring life to what it once was, before everything fell to ruin"

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
Tatsu takes her chastisement well, nodding several times before sighing. But she does end up smiling at the end. "You're sounding like Master." That's enough to get her back to her feet, holding her weapon. Dorian's words help too, but soon there's important things to deal with!

Like mimes. With sniper friends.

"We're not here to riot. If everyone comes down here, we can all have dinner. Won't that be nice?"

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    It's a tense, oddly ludicrous stand-off. Rory's machine brain calculates the trajectory of the round, and finds it comes from a surviving tower, a small distance away. The mimes stare cooly, hands occasionally moving to mime pressing against the nonexistent wall... until Dorian wordlessly bows to them. They seem surprised, and some even reciprocate! And this seems to open them up to listen to the words everyone else says.

    They look among themselves, before one of them mimes opening a door in the 'wall,' and gestures at everyone to follow! But, he also mimes the finger gun again without curling the thumb. A warning not to try anything. But, they've gotten an invitation, so that's good! The mimes scamper away, crossing crude bridges between roofs and climbing ladders onto taller and shorter ones, a mix of salvaged ones and ones cobbled together.

    They are approaching that tower the shot came from, but that doesn't seem to be the destination. Instead, it's a relatively low-rise building, the remains of a sign poking up from the dust with a 'V' on it. The start of what might be an 'O' is under it, but the rest is hidden. A trapdoor has been built into the roof, one that the mimes gesture everyone into.

    Inside, they stand upon catwalks that stretch above a faded, converted theatre. Seating has been ripped up everywhere but stageside to make room for beds, the air is heavy with the smell of simple cooking and the BO of several people living together. Peering down, some kind of show is actually being held on-stage, some slapstick vaudeville act.

    It's odd. But it's life.

Rory White (673) has posed:
The sphinx-bot... smiles. Keepingg the clawed 'wing-arms' folded up into long, thin nubs, Rory White stands again and plods over after the mimes. She momentarily ponders speaking - but the strangely silent way they conduct themselves has creeped her out, and speaking feels almost taboo now. So for now she's silent but just sort of... plods along. She maneuvers through the trapdoor by strangely just trotting STRAIGHT DOWN THE WALL , fett clinging like geckos walk. And onto the catwalk. She starts looking around... and smiling.

Danse (981) has posed:
Wastelands have this kind of thing happen frequently, it seems. When pressed to, people will recreate culture around whatever they can. Sometimes it's looking back to the world that was and mimicking (heh) some facet of the greater whole. Anything to give some kind of sense and order to life. There's just a trace of hesitation, once the 'door' is opened for them in the 'wall'. Was that an invitation into their inner, pantomimed sanctum? Or at least, something akin to it. "Guess it won't progress to violence," Danse says, a tinge of relief coming through the loudspeaker on the power armor's helmet. "Think I'll chance the planks this time," to Tatsuko in particular. Not as a censure of her actions, but, "We likely want to avoid anything flashy, to not spook the civilians." As if a suit of power armor isn't flashy enough.

    For the most part, he moves behind the others that don't weigh as much, for the sake of safety. He takes extreme care on the planks, not spending an undue amount of time on them, since it will inconvenience not only the settlers but them, as well. It's times like this that he ponders the rumors that the pre-war government had been working on more light weight variants of the armor they had sent to the front. Ones like that certain other power armor-favoring group had further developed. While others' olfactory bulbs might be assaulted, as they move around the odd collection of re-constructed and salvaged buildings, Danse has been in his share of Wasteland settlements, where water can be a precious commodity. He casually and reflexively dials the suit's filtering up a few notches, but it never completely eliminates the unpleasant odor.

    "Entertainment," he muses, upon seeing the remains of the theater, still in use, and not seeming to feel the same prohibition on speaking, themselves. "They've rebuilt to that degree." Or maybe it is simply so much a part of their culture that it's as natural as eating and sleeping. The close proximity to apparent living spaces seems to indicate that. It does still leave open the question of where they actually get the necessities for life, but perhaps they'll yet see. There is cooking apparatus presumably closeby.

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian breathes a sigh of relief when he notes the mimes 'opening the door'. He lets the movement be seen, since that seems to work better, to let one's actions speak instead of words. However when they're told to follow, Dorian nods once, firmly, and salutes. Looking to the others with ReGenesis, he observes quietly, "It's a start. Hopefully not the beginning of the end." He says nothing else, though, and follows the mimes. He keeps both of his hands where they can be seen, and doesn't try anything on the trip.

    And once they're all there? "...A theater," he observes quietly. Yes, he can definitely smell the odor there. But this has his attention, and he's got something to focus on besides the foul smell. Besides that, he's been in a medieval city's sewers, and very little smells worse than that.

    He watches the act for a few moments, and Danse's words reach him. "Or maybe it's the only thing that distracts them," he suggests. "Entertainment is often maligned. But sometimes it's all you have."

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
Tatsuko follows along. She does blink a bit though. "The Multiverse is strange. There must not be many martial artists here." Finally concludes the middle Itagaki. Fresh to the Multiverse, she doesn't quite get how /strange/ Kawakami Style feats can be.

"I'll be sneaky then."

Tatsuko is mostly observing for now, both her allies (particularly Rory as she walks down the side of the wall!) and the show going on down stairs. The odor she can live with. She's smelled her brother's socks before. Ugh.

"All work and no play makes the day boring, and makes people want to go beat others up. So entertainment is good." Adds in Tatsuko. She ooooh's lazily as she watches the act below, giving a laugh every now and then. She likes this place already.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    The mimes urge them on, down some ladders to the floor below. Just in time for the act to end, via the classical pie-to-the-face routine. Plenty of laughs and cheers from the spectators, all of whom dressed up like stage performers.

    The one who got pied pops up with a lithe movement, accepts a rag to wipe her face clean. She's dressed like a certain Mister Chaplin, and the looks everyone gives her seems to mark her as the leader, in spite of the lingering cream on her earlobe.

    And then she spots the party.

    In quick, bounding leaps, she's running across the backs of the stageside seats to stand before them. And then she starts getting invasive. Tatsuko has her cheeks squeezed, Danse has her power armor rapped on with a walking stick, Rory has a cheek pressed against her robocheek, Dorian has his clothes plucked at...

    "I'm Daisy Jane. Who the bloody dickens are you?" she asks, all while looking inside Lily's mouth. Bonnie just looks terribly weirded out, so it looks like introductions fall to the Elites!

Rory White (673) has posed:
"H-hello!" Squeaks Rory, who was FAR from expecting that one of the Mimes would spring over to them on approach and start getting all... affectionate! She stammers and makes a few other flustered noises, only able to speak properly when she's released again. And regain a little dignity.

    "Glad to see someone talks. Rory White is who I am. WHAT I am is more complicated and can wait..." Her Flexbot's begun to shift, though two or three minutes will be needed for a full transformation. Joints slowly reshape, limbs take on different proportions, her body's mass starts subtly altering. The Flexbot's shifting to humanoid form. "... Scientist and roboticist!"

Danse (981) has posed:
"Some of the larger settlements can afford it," the Paladin responds to Dorian. "It's not usually the first order of business, but once the needs of life are met, it can improve quality of life." He makes it all sound somewhat academic, as if he is aloof of such concerns. Being in the military, or what's left of one in his world, leisure time can be little and far between. The lenses of his helmet do turn to catch the finale of the current act. Little did he know that the scamp that just received a pie to the face -- they can afford to use pie in such ways! -- would be the point woman going forward.

    Clong! The tin can, as the Raiders might call it, rings solidly but still hollow. There's obviously someone inside of it. Danse gives a light grunt, not out of pain, but out of slight displeasure of having Brotherhood equipment treated so callously. Yet, since a casual strike of a walking stick doesn't really put much of a dent in it, he doesn't do anything regretful in response. The lightly voxed voice, due to second hand speaking through the helmet's loudspeaker, replies, "Paladin Danse, with the Brotherhood of Steel. I'm currently working with ReGenesis." The name of that presumed coroporate body meshes oddly with its field operatives. It sounds a bit presumptuous, like some of his world's pre-war conglomerates would have festooned their placards with. They've given him no reason to distrust them, however, yet.

    "This is," he pauses, diplomacy, "Quite the setup you've built." Now that they're indoors, and presumably not in immediate danger from being gunned down by mimes, vaudeville performers, and stage hands, he reaches a large, power armored hand up to his helmet, removing it with the light hiss of a pressure tight gasket releasing. It proves that there is an actual human under there. Plus it doesn't add the slightly odd effect to his voice where it sounds like he's about to take their order at the Drive Thru. On Rory's behalf, he notes, "The forms she takes are...often strange, but she's been of great help to me in getting some infrastructure up and running."

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian nods at Tatsuko's words. "Exactly." There's a smirk there. Then a pie in the face happens to one of the onstage performers, and he's chuckling. Of course he applauds, that's how you thank a performer for their hard work. Though he does seem a little surprised when she starts bounding over the seats for them. Suddenly his clothes are being plucked at! They're made of material that's not from this world, that'll be clear pretty soon. Most of it's leather -- beige-colored, with diamond-shaped metal bits on it -- but there's a tunic and breeches underneath made of a light gray cloth. And there's a thick white cloak over the lot.

    "Er...?" Dorian pauses, blinking a little at the clothes-plucking. He actually laughs quietly when the women starts looking in Lily's mouth. But he composes himself... just in time for Rory to start changing. It's a little weird. Just a little. Danse introduces himself and then Dorian follows suit. "Dorian Pavus, Altus mage," he offers. "I'm here assisting ReGenesis. Apologies if we've strartled or frightened anyone. We're not here to cause trouble."

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
A leaping, ninja-mime appears! Tatsuko briefly wonders if she also wears maid outfits. Maybe that's just at Kawakami City.

The cheek-tugging has her giggling and her cheeks going a happy red! She looks happy, nearly enough to fall asleep. Which she does, snoring away as introductions are made.

Hrrksnortmmmm?

"Ah! Tatsuko Itagaki! Middle daughter of the Itagaki Siblings! Hiii, Miss Daisy. You're so quick."

"Oh, and I'm working for ReGenesis too. They pay good. You have no idea how much my brother and sisters eat."

Right, back to what they're here for. "We're here to help surviving civilizations in any way we can. I'm strong, and I can cook too." Nod nod nod.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Daisy looks to Rory as she tugs at Bonnie's cheeks, much to the woman's chagrin. "WHOTHEWHUZZAT?!" she exclaims before going into what looks like a terribly rehearsed near-pratfall dance, wobbling and flailing her arms and legs to avoid falling down. Finally, she steadies herself with the walking stick, regarding the group with a wary eye.

    "A mage, ya say. Like a magician... Some techno-knight of old, a little girl, a slightly less little girl, a not-little-at-all girl, and a... whatever you are, you are clearly more than that," She gestures at Rory. "I'll be honest. You lot make less sense than pants packed with mongeese." Having one's sanity doubted by a mime woman dressed as Charlie Chaplin is a harsh blow to the ego.

    "And to be frank, you're in this for the money, but what's this ReGenesis thing? What do they get out of this?" Obviously, not a question for the Elites, so Lily begins to explain. "ReGenesis believes that it has a responsibility, as the most powerful organization around, to help those without their advantages."

    Daisy rubs her chin... before raising that walking stick, and using the hook to pull all the Elites away from Bonnie and Lily! "Private conversation ladies, don't mind us~" she says, before talking in a loud stage whisper. "Okay you lot, unbiased opinion. What do you make of these ReGenesis people?" she asks in a crafty tone of voice. "Don't worry about them not paying you, we have plenty of food here!" Seems she uh... hasn't really understood that the Multiverse is a thing.

Rory White (673) has posed:
"Just shifting to a more human-like form! ... I would have come in a body that can fit in better, but ruined worlds are full of danger and conflict." Explains the self-proclaimed roboticist. Who cringes at Daisy's apparent topple, unsure if it was real or not... "Are you alright?... You might not believe me if I use the words 'artificial intelligence', but that's what I am. I can change bodies as you would clothing." Despite the outlandishness of this claim it's delivered in a gentle, polite tone.

    She doesn't want to freak people out. "As for ReGenesis... my honest opinion is that their heart is in the right place, they do indeed have the knowledge needed to begin rebuilding civilization as it was, but they're woefully underequipped and understaffed, and nothing could have prepared us for a welcoming party of Mimes!" The last point's delivered with a twinge of nervous amusement. By now Rory's quadrupedal form has managed to hoist up on its hind legs and the density shifts, locking into place into a vaguely feminine humanoid form. "There... that's better."

Danse (981) has posed:
It is a bit odd, that the outwardly out-of-place Elites are the ones that are deemed the most trustworthy of the options presented here, despite Daisy herself having proclaimed them to not make much sense. But then, in this apparent society they've built, maybe that's considered a worthwhile asset. They seem to be a culture of performers, after all. There's a brief moment of consideration for just what's being asked here; ReGenesis is technically his employer at the moment, even if his interest isn't in monetary compensation. He eventually decides to simply be brutally honest, "I trust most corporations very little. In my world, where they weren't directly responsible, they helped precipitate the downfall of mankind. However..."

    He glances back in the direction the EDF field agends had been drawn toward. While the company they represent might have its own agendas; "The operatives we were travelling with, however, seem to have genuinely good intentions. They risked bodily harm to discover your settlement, and others like it." That doesn't necessarily prove anything on its own, of course. Raiders would just as easily take the same risks. But it certainly is compatible with their professed mission. "If you want my advice, accept their assistance, on a provisional basis. You seem to have been thriving even before their arrival. You can turn them away at any time."

    Though, on that point, he does wonder. "If you would satisfy my curiosity, citizen. Where do you procure your water and food? The city seemed entirely devoid of life, right up to your doorstep."

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
Waaaaah! Tatsu is pulled away like one very, very tall high schooler. That is, lazily flail-stumbling along before she rights herself. That smile never quite leaves, the dopey little martial artist.

She taps her chin, pondering the question seriously. "They pay well, and when I signed up, they even made sure I wasn't going out to get killed. Most of my employers don't do that. They just say 'have fun getting yourself killed, stupid kid'. So I like them." Blunt, is one Tatsuko Itagaki.

Pause. Point. Right at Rory. "She's saying she's a robot." How helpful, Tatsu.

A shrug. "But I think anyone who says things like 'I'll pay you to help us give stuff to people' either is looking to turn around and take advantage of you, or are too stupid to not help themselves." She is, at the end of the day, still a criminal.

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian chuckles at the statement. "Do be careful," he notes. It'd be a shame for the woman to hurt herself on their watch. Suddenly he's being hooked! "What...?" He pauses, though, at the words 'private conversation'. Oh, that makes sense. Though there is a problem. "I haven't been working with ReGenesis long enough to know one way or the other," he admits. This is, after all, the first time he's dealt with them. "And yes, I admit, I did come here for the money." He frowns a bit, though for emphasis, not because he's upset. "But even I will only stoop so low for money. If there was anything untoward going on that I know of, I wouldn't have come here. As far as I'm aware, they do really want to help."

    Danse's suggestion gets a nod. "There you are," he agrees. "Cautious optimism, perhaps. Things can always get better, particularly if there's someone willing to help. So much better if it's with no strings attached. If there are, you can always cut ties with them later."

    A look at Tatsuko. "Not necessarily. There ARE people that are that naive. And while I doubt ReGenesis is doing it for free, for NOW at least, there's someone willing to help them out. Miss Daisy's people are clever, they'll see when trouble is beginning. And in the meantime they can take advantage of the assistance."

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Behind the group, Lily and Bonnie seem a little offended at the opinions being offered. No doubt that these will be going into their PERMANENT RECORDS. "Hmmm... the kind whose hearts will outlast their wallets then?" Daisy asks Rory, in a tone that sounds like it's some movie quote. The look on her face seems like she's really hoping Rory will get it, before she is distracted by Danse. "Heheheh, I hear you... oh, food? We got a synthesizer in the basement. And plenty of goop that it runs on too!" Darn, no fresh stuff then. But at least it wouldn't be radioactive.

    A look to Tatusko... and a look of genuine concern breaks through that mirthful expression. No one likes to hear a child talk like that. "Well, um... okay, got it." She recovers just in time to smirk at Dorian. "So they pay well, are seemingly good-intentioned, and can be cut away if they demand too much? Sounds good to me~"

    She breaks up the huddle and turns to the two EDF soldiers. "All right! We'll accept help, on the condition that we can break away any time, and you send some forces to help us deal with stuff. And hey, try to get these guys back for that, okay? I like 'em." Plenty of pats and nose boops for the Elites, while the soldiers just look a little chagrined.

    "Very good," Lily says, crossing her arms and nodding to the party. "Thank you for your help. We'll need to hang around here and sort things out, so you're dismissed for now." Daisy chips in with, But don't leave yet! Let us put on a show for ya!"

Tatsuko Itagaki (1005) has posed:
Tatsuko either is too oblivious to notice, or too carefree to care about that look. It's probably a mix of both.

"I'm good at fighting! Or that's what Master says. So I hope they'll hire me back. This place is nice for being 'post apocalyptus'." Tatsu might have it slightly wrong there.

But, food, and there's probably kids here. "I'll start cooking!" She offers another yawn, a wave, and a stumble-walk downstairs to get to work. No matter her opinions, she's earning her keep today. She'll soon be a domestic whirlwind.

Danse (981) has posed:
"A synthesizer?" Running off likely some kind of nutrient goo, from the sound of it. Danse had heard of that kind of technology pre-war, but it was understandably not popular back then. With, well, anyone the government tried to force it upon. Plus, there were whisperings of side effects, such as that it made people irritable and violent, but that's certainly only rumor. There's just a tinge of disappointment in his voice, as he'd been hoping for some kind of particularly hardy crop, but he gives a nod of his head, "Thanks for the information." He's feeling more diplomatic already!

    It seems that they might be in this for the long haul, too, since the local settlers seem to have taken a liking to them. It's, admittedly, an unfamiliar reception for a Brotherhood Paladin. Most places on their own Earth eye their presence with suspicion, like they're going to simply show up and grind the local culture under their bootheel. When the group reconvenes with the ReGenesis group, proper, Danse only responds to those earlier piercing, offended stares with an offering, "I've only just met your organization. It will take some time to feel them out. I refuse to blindly sell optimism until I can see it at work for myself. I'm sure you understand." Well, maybe they can't, but he's seen plenty of even well-meaning groups in their place fail, sometimes disastrously.

    Then they're asked to stay, for a time. Normally, he'd be back to business, but something about feeling welcomed is...nice, for a change. "I'll remain for dinner," he decides. Haylen and Rhys can presumably keep the police station in one piece for that long. "And, I'd like to see this synthesizer you mentioned." Though he doubts they could replicate the design only from his memory of it, there might be something useful to take from it.

Rory White (673) has posed:
"W-without a global economy, I wonder how much value money really has?" Rory replies, only half-getting the joke. "... But I'd say yes... if it weren't so, they could have already focused what resources they have in creating a fortress city for their own and calling it quits at that! And... ah... finally, a straightforward manufacturing method. Fabricators!" Rory beams. Did they really find fabricators here?

Dorian Pavus (774) has posed:
    Dorian does offer an apologetic look to Lily and Bonnie. "No offense, my dear ladies," he offers as he rejoins the pair of them. "But where I'm from, one doesn't offer free things unless there's something in it for oneself. Particularly not in a situation like this." His tone is open and truthful, no malice or contempt in the tone. But he's not a member of the Union, and so he doesn't really know what altruism in practice is.

    Daisy's words get a nod. "Exactly. Though for what it's worth, I do hope it actually is altruism motivating them," he says. Here, though, his voice takes on a bit of a wry note. "That said, I haven't found a unicorn in my world yet, despite looking." He's careful to specify HIS world, since he's aware they exist in others. And then he's nosebooped, and he draws back a bit, in surprise. He gives a half-smile at the praise. "Thank you."

    He'll remain for a while too. He can help out, and doesn't really mind doing so. Particularly in lighting cooking fires and keeping drinks cold. He doesn't view such things as 'beneath' him. He can do them, and Dorian is very much a believer in magic as a tool for mankind to use in mundane life as well as battle.