5364/Expedition Exposition

Expedition Exposition
Date of Scene:	09 July 2017
Location:	Brimsteel Frontier
Synopsis:	Catching up on recent events.
Cast of Characters:	Corona Arclite, 770, 1119, 571, 750

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Corona Arclite has posed:
It's been a quiet week. So to speak. At least in comparison to the previous encounters that have been cropping up almost as soon as the expedition had first left Loadstar Depot.

The survey crews have kept busy in the lull, laying out where the power pipelines will eventually be laid between the gasworks in the Gaslands and the re-established mining operation farther north, and making sure the tracks ahead of them were still servicable.

Everyone else has been asked to check in so the various adventurers can get together on the same page before the frontier journey continues onward. The caboose that's been serving as a base of operations sat on a portion of tracks along the border of the Gaslands. To the north the mountain ranges that surround the towering form of Mount Thundersmack can be seen on the horizon.

The inside has been relatively cleaned up. I say relatively because it's never entirely clean, there's just too much dust from the wastelands and grit from the steampunk loitering about to get that tidy.

A large table sits in middle of the caboose, the model map of the frontier already in display on it. The skunk-girl from Gaslight Gultch and the collie woman that's in charge of the things are standing around it, tweaking the display. For whatever reason there's no sign of Corona just yet. She must be working on something, because even she wouldn't be crazy enough to go wandering out on her own again.

Right?

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    Also in the caboose, in a seat near the windows of the car, the Ragners representitive is basically relaxing, glancing out into the landscape outside, idly nursing some sort of drink all the while. In recent days, he'd rush out for one thing or another around Gaslight, but for the most part? Very quiet. Very simple. Nothing to really deal with! Only the occasional issue with the VEX which was easily fixed.

    On a random glance over, the kobold pulls on his drink again, tilts his head, then reaches for his radio, "Where you at anyway, C'rona? Wouldn't it be easier to work from the train?"

Josuke Higashikata (1119) has posed:
    Josuke had only really happened across one of Brimsteel's big problems, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned. Since it seemed to do so well last time, Josuke's dressed the same as he was last time he was here -- that lime green sleeveless mock-turtleneck under a light chocolate brown V-neck sweater, darker brown slacks, and gloves.

    However, there's been two very important alterations to this. One, a bandana he could use to cover his face if things got too dusty or gritty for him to breathe; two, a pair of actual BOOTS. Mind, it's no less expensive footwear than he usually wears, but it's actually made to take a beating.

    And a beating they're probably going to get, since Josuke's on the Hush Puppy Limousine service for the most part! Hopefully there's a train or carriage that he can take out there, or he's going to be really tired when he gets there!

    Either way, whether on foot, or via train or carriage, Josuke will eventually get there! He peeks into the base camp area, being careful his face isn't covered. He doesn't want anyone to think he's trying to rob the place, and he wants to be recognized by those who would be his allies. Then again, who could mistake that hair for anybody but Josuke's? And who else would wear their hair like that? Anyway.

    "...Hello?" he greets hesitantly as he pokes his head into the base camp, raising a hand to wave.

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka doesn't take long to arrive just yet. Knocking on the door, the cyborg nudges the door open and makes her way in, "Yo." She greets Josuke, recognizing him from before, then grabbing a seat. She nods curtly to Target, the skunk, and Ms. C. "Where'd Corona go? You'd think she'd be here by now."

Rebound (750) has posed:
For whatever reason, Rebound is hanging out, upside down, dangling over the side of something and playing a game on her phone. She seems to be distracted by the phone game and not really worried about what all is going on. She's sure that wherever Corona is, she's fine. Otherwise she'd have called for help by now.

Corona Arclite has posed:
"Oh don't get yer duster inna knot," the radio crackles back at Target. "Ah ain't gettin' into trouble this time." This time.

"Corona will be back shortly, she ran a quick errand for us using her ship in orbit as a quick bypass." Most of the people that have shown up are familiar faces from before. Josuke, or more so his hair, is hard to miss even without familiarity, and he gets a nod from Miss C as well. "Thank you for your timely assistance in Gaslight. But we will get to that shortly."

She nodded to Windrose, and the skunk-girl pushes one of the buttons on the side of the table. Gears can be heard clicking to life somewhere inside, automatronics sliding open a section and a scale replical of the cannon train and Copperchoke's steam-mech rise to the surface.

Miss C stood upright, folding her hands behind her back. "A lot has happened since this expedition started and there's been little time to fill in the details for you offworld folk."

Josuke Higashikata (1119) has posed:
    Josuke waves in Maaka's direction, returning her greeting, "Yo." He'll actually enter the place when he's sure it's the right place, too, and find a place to sit down. Once the presentation seems to be beginning, Josuke sits up straight to listen. And when the scale replicas start to rise up to the surface, Josuke's eyes go a bit wide. "Whoa." Yes, he's still of the sort to be impressed by steampunk tech. But yes. He goes quiet to listen, since he doesn't know much of what's going on.

Target Sparktail (770) has posed:
    The kobold ranger gives everyone that enters a nod, a wave, and a hello as needed, waving the more timid-seeming Josuke further in. "Take a seat, folks. Things to be said," he informs before Miss C gets started. "Tell'm what we know. I'll jes be over'ere. Never know if I'm gonna have to get outside for whatever reason."

Corona Arclite has posed:
Miss C waits for everyone to get settled as they see fit before continuing. "For those of you that weren't present," which is primarily Josuke and Windrose of the current company, "We were accousted not more than a few hours out of Loadstar." Listening to the businesswoman speak sounds a little out of place in her own right, seeing as she doesn't have the same 'Space Western' drawl that Target and Corona do.

One hand is removed from behind her to jesture at the models. "Initially it appeared to be a hijack attempt by the Black Hat Gang, notorious technology thieves. Only for it to come to light that the Black Hats are being lead by Alexander Copperchoke the Third, going by the alias of 'The Copper Kid'." Which is both stupid and funny, being he's a short goat person.

"Copperchoke Industries has been a long-time economic rival of my family's own business. Copperchoke Senior and my great-grandfather were rivals, but it was much less... anatognistic. Junior, who currently runs the company, is much less of an honest businessman, and has been using the Black Hats, through his son, to try and cripple other companies... Though for some reason the kid seemed to have something out for Corona personally as well."

"Shoot, funny y'all should mention me now." As if that had been a cue Corona comes ambling in, carrying a rather large covered platter. "As fer Grumpy McShortShort, he was... after somethin' personal of mine. Leave it at that fer now."

Corona set the platter on the other end of the table. "Figgered y'all could use some real vittles fer a change." With a flourish she pulls off the cover, revealing a rediculously tall pile of nacho chips, cheese and sour cream, with the meat and sauce drenched over it in a way to resemble lava and rocks floating down a volcano. "So help y'selves."

Miss C... is trying really hard not to visible twitch. "When you said you were going for snacks..."

"Oh com'n, these folks been kickin' ass fer us. Ya can afford to splurge a little. Bitter's a'ready tabbed it for ya."

Windrose scoops up a big lump of everything with a chip, then peers at Miss C while munching on it. "What's wrong with her?"

"Eh. Prob'ly cuz it's the most expensive thing on the menu," Corona replies, unflustered by her boss having a, well lets say a moment to recompose herself.

Rebound (750) has posed:
Did someone say food? Rebound tucks her phone away and flips back off of the rock she's hanging over. She practically appears next to the giant plate of nachos, scooping up a massive plateful with a spoon, and shoving a bunch into her mouth, mumbling a thankyou to Corona with her mouth full.

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    Maaka stares at the nachos. "You're a saint." She grins to the fox, before snagging a nacho and scooping up some salsa and cheese dip, DELICIOUS salsa and cheese dip.

    "SO, what have the Hats been up to lately? Can't have been sitting idle after we kicked their asses, if I were them I'd be working overtime to figure out just -what the fuck- happened." She says, devouring delicious nacho goodness.

Josuke Higashikata (1119) has posed:
    Josuke suppresses the snicker at the whole 'Copper Kid' being a goat thing. Nope, not going to laugh! This is serious! Still. He can't completely suppress it, but only a quiet snort escapes. He listens to the story, though. "So it's all because a businessman is using dishonest means to eliminate his competition?" he asks.

    He looks up when Corona appears, blinking. And his eyes go wide at what she's brought. That is a really big pile of nachos! And sure, he'll partake of them! Though he may end up feeling a little bad if it cost too much. At least he's keeping his intake of them in moderation, right?

    As for questions, other than the one he offered, he doesn't have much, since he's not been privy to the evil-doing that's been going on here. Though he's turning over a few things in his head. Not ideas, but just seeds of them at the moment.

Corona Arclite has posed:
"Prob'ly that. Or tryin' to find some place to ambush us again." Corona's all nonchalant about it as she nacho scoops for herself... but there's a faint twitch to her ears that say the situation isn't as simple as she makes it sound.

Miss C is just rubbing her forehead with her hand. "If you weren't so good at your job..." A long, slow breath and she looks up again. "It would appear that way. 'Shorty' is the runt of the family and a bit of an outcast. So no one is gonna bother too hard to trace him back to his family, so Junior keeps his hands off and clean."

Miss C taps the controls again, and the map shifts to focus on Gaslight Gultch's location next. "As for this Grim Wrangler..."

"He's dead. Undead.. Somethin'." Corona huffs as her tail twitchs. "Somethin' other. A'parently he's frankensteined back together by that brain-in-the-squid-jar that tried to hijack me at the moonshine raid."

"A literal ghost in a machine," Windrose whimpers at the thought. "That wrangled up other restless spirits to terrorize the town for... some reason. An' still has a chip in his shoulder over Target."

Alexis Maaka (571) has posed:
    "Oh god." Maaka grumbles, "Fuckin' knew we'd hear from that squid robot again." She groans, before she steals more nachos to devour. "So, Target, what DID you do to piss that other bloke off anwyays? 'cause you don't come back just because someone didn't owe you ten quid."

Corona Arclite has posed:
"Punched him offa bridge he was tryin' to steal." Corona says that with a tone that can only be true no matter how rediculous it sounds. "His body may be piecemetaled t'gether by means even Ah ain't understandin', but Ah reckon it's the vengeful spirit that keeps him runnin'."

Miss C makes an authorative *AHEM* to get the conversation back on track. "Regardless of the complications, we must continue forward with our operation." And despite her prim and proper silent protests to it finally helps herself to some of the pile of nachos. It was bought with her money, after all. "That mine reopening is crucial to keeping Loadstar operation, and not letting the crooked business barons like Copperchoke get a bigger foothold in taming the frontier. I can only hope you all will continue to support the effort."

With that said she finally sits back down. "Regardless of where Corona has decided to work when it's not for me, Loadstar Depot will remain a neutral operation and continue providing economic support to where it's desired." She glances, and smiles a little in Maaka's direction. "While we have gone seperate ways we do still have contacts with our previous League aquaintenances as well... Depending on the jobs at hand, of course."

Corona just snorts softly as she rummages out one of her flasks of cactusjack to wash down the nachos and salsa. She's stayed out of certain recent events to not get between allies and old friends.

Josuke Higashikata (1119) has posed:
    Josuke remains quiet, occasionally nibbling at the nachos, as the explanation of all of what's been going on is given. He doesn't have too much context, but that shouldn't be much of an issue. He's gone into situations with less information. Besides, he's not going to be working alone, from the looks of it.

    So, as Miss C mentions continuing to provide support, Josuke nods. "Well, I can't contribute money, but I'll help out with anything I can," he offers. "I can repair things and heal people -- that'll probably be of some use. And you saw that I'm pretty decent in a fight." Miss C was there, wasn't she? If not, someone here likely was. More likely multiple people.

Rebound (750) has posed:
Rebound hasn't really had much to add, she's been eating nachos and nodding along, but she's been along for everything that's gone down on their adventures, so she doesn't really need much of a recap.