Scene #7977: Lukeghamm City Blues

Owner	Pose
Ishirou	Lukeghamm City. A city that never sleeps. A city where pollution and industrial zones have destroyed the ground, where Cybarians attack the lower floors of various skyscrapers. The Lower parts of the Skyscrapers are where the poor and disenfranchised live. Where crime is rampant, where gangs run things, and organized crime happens to take advantage of the poor. That's when the Rich isn't taking advantage of them. Right now, in one of these buildings, Ishirou is flanked by small robots with large round heads and beady eyes. He's trying to set up a small factory with robots, that run on clean energy, that produces soup. He's also trying to establish pollution-sucking tech to help try to clean the air.
Staren	Staren Wiremu, science catgirl, is on the scene! She's followed by Syril (a short green wears gloves-and-shoes-and-scarf cartoon animal) and the KNIGHT of STORMS (a teenage human girl in fitted shirt and pants and, to match the zone's aesthetic, a black leather duster) who are tkaing the opportunity to see more of Secundus while elite protection is still available before they choose where to resettle to. "Ishirou." Staren nods. Trying not to think of fights, but about how she is HERE to HELP. "I see. I think I've got some ways to help with this." Taking a quick look around, she surmises the purpose of the factory-in-progress and calls her forces to assist in construction -- humanoid robots and large stone golems, mostly, but also leather-clad punks from the neighboring zone around Kukuru's house (some of whom are driving construction vehicles), repair-focused machine spirits from Autocthonia, and initiate mages on loan from the Izzet who despite their Mad Science tendencies have expert knowledge of infrastructure -- and who have the latest vine-based power transmission technology that can also help clean the air!
Featherman Neo	Featherman Neo is here! He's been MIA for about two months, and suddenly appears one day. It's definitely him, though, in that red superhero suit. He doesn't have much in the way of building skills - he can juryrig a broken generator, but he can't build one. What he can do is bring supplies by the truckload - literally. Mechanical parts, drone fuel (magitech equivalent), and plenty of filters have been brought in the back of a small truck, parked outside the building. Featherman starts carrying them in load by load, handing them off to the drones who mamy want them. "If I'm in the way, just say so."
Ishirou	Ishirou looks up from his work, more robots come to help the ones already here. Well, that's helpful! Though Ishirou is less than pleased at the source itself. Taking a breath, he decides to just accept the help at face value. Also, if she tries anything, he'll just ask Kale to squeeze her again. Featherman Neo comes up with a literal ton of supplies, which is very helpful! He shakes his head at the comment, "Not at all Featherman, I might ask your opinion on some things because this seems to be your skill set more than mine..." a pause, "Well, I'm trying to expand that skillset!" To Staren, he nods once he sees things starting up. "The air quality here is the worst, thankfully I still have the parts inside me that allow me to survive in terrible environments, but geez," he says, scratching his head. "I'd like to establish defensive help for the people down here too...I eventually want to go see what the Cybarians do for a living..."
Staren	Knight and Syril have pulled scarves over their faces to protect from the air quality. It doesn't really help. "It's almost as bad as Robotropolis." The short one opines. Staren barely notices, the basic magitech protections woven into her coat able to handle this level of air pollution without activating more severe measures. Staren smiles at Ishirou's words. "Air quality... hmm. Usually you'd want to switch the city over to cleaner sources of power, but I guess that's not really practical. Still... planting trees and grass, magic wards, and air filters might be able to improve a local area. I'll get some filters set up in this area at least. With the air this bad, you might need to change them every day for awhile..." She warps in some air-cleaning devices and sets one up nearby, while her robots take others. The two with her watch with interest. Staren asks, "So... this is a good start. Getting them power, air, and food. But do you have plans to address the more... systemic issues? The corruption and greed crushing the people at the bottom even as the air pollution smothers them? Or perhaps that's where Featherman comes in..." Knight asks, "Is it really that bad? I could see living here... it's less weird than the world where everything runs on magic coffee, or where they're from" she nods towards the Izzet initiates, "and I stick out less than the worlds where everyone's an animal-person."
Featherman Neo	As the supplies are offloaded, Featherman listens to the others. "I'm not much of a builder, unfortunately, but if you need combat or exploration, I'm your Featherman!" He beams somewhat proudly, as he nods towards Staren. "We might need to deal with the corruption and greed, if it remains stable long enough." He grabs an air filter, and moves to see if there's anywhere he can...put it. "But I doubt we want to start a big conflict during all of this. Perhaps knock some heads together and get some people to 'see reason'?" There's a hint he's smiling under the helmet.
Ishirou	Ishirou nods at Staren, "Usually, but I think we're a bit beyond cleaner sources at this point. It might be a thing for the long term, but that's a future problem." "I think we can also tap into the main power grid and repair the current infrastructure here. I think that'll help people, but also establishing food lines or ways to feed the people that aren't reliant on the people up there that profit off them.." He nods once at Featherman. "That is what I wanted to ask you. In a situation like this, there needs to be a combination of pressing the upper parts to see reason about making lives better for everyone...violence is one way, and one way that is often relied on.." "But is it the only way?" The question is put out for both of them.
Staren	>Is violence the only way? Syril pounds a fist into his palm. "People are being bad, you and your buddies stop 'em. Seems pretty straightforward. I leave the... planning and running stuff to the people who... plan and run stuff." "Certainly it's been my go-to for some time. But it never really worked all that well." Staren muses as she installs the air filtration device. "And I think trying to use it all the time... thinking my dream was to be able to force everything to become better... was part of the problem. I'm focused on a new dream now, although there will still be need for violence at times." She stops, hmms thoughtfully, and stands up straight, rubbing her chin. Muttering, "No one else gets to decide whether I 'get to' help people... One way is to violently remove anyone who gets in my way, but..." Staren considers other paths. "You can get more people working on this. Spread it like a movement, then they help others, more than you can aid directly on your own. Maybe you arrange for likeminded folks to find caches of resources that can't be traced back to you. When people don't depend on the ones exploiting them anymore, then..." Staren shakes her head. "I haven't got all the pieces yet. There are others more experienced at this, at how you can fight the corruption. Maybe hit them in their pockets somehow? Anyway, it's definitely gonna come down to fighting sometimes. They're not gonna like your meddling, obviously. ...Maybe you can offer folks on the crime bosses' payrolls a better life?"
Featherman Neo	"Violence is the easy way." Featherman explains. "I don't kill people, and don't intend to, but intimidation isn't beyond me. But if we can appeal to their hearts, like a Tollywood musical..." Yes, not Bollywood. He watches in Telugu. "Even the rich and greedy have ways to be appealed to. Some might require reading into their minds, or prying into their personal lives, to find out. But if it helps people, and spares their lives, it's worth it." The filter is finally plugged into the machine. Featherman fistbumps the nearest drone with fists.
Ishirou	Ishirou rolls his eyes at Syril, "Not everything is black and white. Moreover, as a Paladin, there is an adherence to the rule of law that needs to be maintained," he says with a shake of his head. "I know it's not how everyone thinks.." "Actually, just the opposite I would do, Staren. If we do it without drawing attention to ourselves, then it's the people we're trying to protect and help that'll get targeted first. Though...like-minded movement. getting the people here to start supporting themselves..." Featherman makes a couple of good points. Fear does drive people to rethink their positions, but it can also cause people to blindly lash out. Though it's also what he says that causes Ishirou to think and speak again, but a bit slowly. More picking his words carefully, or thoughtfully speaking. "So it comes down to having the knowledge on how to help others. Understanding why and how to make things go forward.."
Staren	Staren reaches down to the air filtration device she was working on, fiddles with something, and slams a panel closed with a sense of finality before pressing a button and making it hum to life. She stands again. "True. On the one hand, a big enough movement would make it hard enough to stop all of them, but some unlucky few will be the ones who get caught. Or the corrupt folks will escalate and then you have all-out war in the streets." As this conversation goes on Knight looks like she is very much reconsidering the idea of living here. Staren's ears perk and rotate towards Ishirou and she turns towards him at his words. "...Thanks. I might not have thought to put it that way. I'll think on it." She'll also feed all available information to her AI and ask it what can be done to move towards a world where people aren't exploited here.
Featherman Neo	"I used to be a reckless fighter...always caring about my own beliefs of the cause. I'd hurt people. But..." Featherman Neo swallows. "I have a pitch. If I can get in with whoever's in charge, I can gather information. It might require a small fight - I'll limit violence, and limit association with the locals. I just need a deep dive, and those take time and presence." "If you have a beter way to gather the information though, I'm game." Featherman says, honestly. Ishirou's smart. He can trust him.
Ishirou	Ishirou nods towards Staren, "I feel that one thing we can do is...honestly stand and take it better than those who aren't us can. We're not better, but different...and I know that might clash with the idealogy with the Concord, but that's what I think." Ishirou smiles and nods to Featherman. "I know, and I'll trust you're wisdom on this. Anything you can learn for me, and I can turn it around to better plot a course."
Staren	Staren sighs. "Right... Well, while normally the Concord would move in and take over..." She flips open a panel on her left vambrace and looks at a clock display on it for effect. "We don't have time. You can't shield them forever. I guess in this case, we should be thinking about what we can do in the next few days, that will help people the most even when we're gone." Staren blinks, considering Featherman's suggestion. "I guess with the Concord's funding I could try to move in on their turf and see how people react, but... I wouldn't really know what I'm doing there."
Featherman Neo	"I'll do it, then." Featherman says, with a thumbs-up. "Just give me a time that works best, and I'll go draw some intel up." Staren gets a casual laugh. "It'll be fine! We just work quick. Gotta believe, right?"