On the "plane'.
Dr. Destruction: ".... our kind..."
Jack's eyebrow rises in surprise.
Jack rests quietly during the trip. However his eyes rove over the interior of the ship.
1. Have there been any alterations to this M'buna? Any sign of how long it has been since it was in alien hands?
2. Is it clean? Immaculate? Dirty?
3. Any gear stored on the walls? Survival vests/Parachutes that sort of thing?
4. Any sign of a crew? Does Dr. D pilot the craft? If there is crew do we see or hear them? If so what are they like?
Home sweet home.
"Anyone have any idea where we are? I for one could use a drink."
A. Like Jack said, where is the warehouse? Star City? Neighborhood?
B. What is the area like? Run down? Flattened buy the fighting? Or are there signs that economic life still flows through here?
C. Any gang scrawl that Jack recognizes? Whose turf if any are we on?
D. Does the Lair building show any damage? Smashed windows, Doors pried open, old hobo fires etc...
E. What are the neighboring buildings like? Any showing activity or power/lights?
1. Number of floors?
2. Was the building built to be secure, thick brick or concrete walls heavy doors, old fallout shelter etc? Or is this a light building with quick to put up metal walls and the like?
3. Is there power? Grid or is there a generator here?
4. Is there water/sewage? Water tank on the roof?
5. Any supplies or gear left for us?
6. Any signs or logos that might indicate a former owner or business that was once here?
Jack Follows Wolf inside.
"Well, home sweet home. I suppose it could be worse."
"The opportunity to destroy the people who almost captured us and would have killed us is recompense enough." burbles the Doctor.
Alpha finds an out of the way corner, preferably with no windows as they serve to be structural weaknesses. He splits into three and immediately begins to do a perimeter search.
Jack - by "our kind", you understand he was referring to supervillians - the ones being hunted by the V'sori.
I'm making your questions and my answers public since most everyone would have noticed the answers on their own.
1. Have there been any alterations to this M'buna? Any sign of how long it has been since it was in alien hands?
Very few alterations from what you can see. It's hard to tell how long Dr. Destruction has had it.
2. Is it clean? Immaculate? Dirty?
Slightly dirty. There's lots of scuff marks on the floor and benches.
3. Any gear stored on the walls? Survival vests/Parachutes that sort of thing?
Nope.
4. Any sign of a crew? Does Dr. D pilot the craft? If there is crew do we see or hear them? If so what are they like?
There's a door at the front of the back bay area you're in that presumably leads to the cockpit, but it's closed. Dr. Destruction is riding in the back with you, so he's not the pilot.
Questions, environs:
A. Like Jack said, where is the warehouse? Star City? Neighborhood?
As I said before, you're in one of the rattier neighborhoods of Southpoint (for those of you that don't have the book, Star City is shaped like an 8-pointed star, and Southpoint is the southern "spike" - there's a map HERE [Thanks, Jack!] that would be good to download). The immediate neighborhood is a warehouse district. In Southpoint as a whole, drugs are by far the neighborhood’s greatest problem, with perhaps half the adults in the community addicted to alcohol or some sort of narcotic.
B. What is the area like? Run down? Flattened buy the fighting? Or are there signs that economic life still flows through here?
Your immediate neighborhood appears abandoned and run-down, but relatively intact.
C. Any gang scrawl that Jack recognizes? Whose turf if any are we on?
You know that Southpoint is filled with "Dregs", people who have become addicted to a V'sori drug called "EZ". You've heard that unorganized groups of Dregs often roam the streets.
You also know that the major players in Southpoint are the Slashers (a gang of Dregs who win V'sori favor by ratting out any supervillains they come across), and The Family, a large organized crime gang of non-super humans who are opposed to any Supers, and is rumored to have enough fire-power to take a Super down!
D. Does the Lair building show any damage? Smashed windows, Doors pried open, old hobo fires etc...
There's a few smashed windows on the first floor. The doors were heavy enough that no one apparently got in that way.
E. What are the neighboring buildings like? Any showing activity or power/lights?
Your immediate neighborhood appears abandoned and run-down, but relatively intact.
Questions, Lair building:
1. Number of floors?
Two above ground, and a basement.
2. Was the building built to be secure, thick brick or concrete walls heavy doors, old fallout shelter etc? Or is this a light building with quick to put up metal walls and the like?
It has "normal" brick walls, but the doors are steel with steel frames and are very sturdy.
3. Is there power? Grid or is there a generator here?
You try a light switch, and a light comes on. After looking over the building, you find no sign of a generator. It appears that Dr. Destruction has managed to get power to the building, but excessive use might tip someone off to your presence there.
4. Is there water/sewage? Water tank on the roof?
It also appears that Dr. Destruction managed to get water and sewage turned on. Their use isn't as likely to tip someone off.
5. Any supplies or gear left for us?
Nope.
6. Any signs or logos that might indicate a former owner or business that was once here?
Any logos that were on the outside of the building have long been painted over by gang art. The inside is stripped bare.
"Ok, let's make this dump liveable. Maslow time.
Shelter looks good, assuming we can block off the broken windows and get his place weathertight.
Water is good.
Food is a problem. Also there is no gin, but that might be more self-actualization that survival.
Clothing is a problem. With the exception of Enkidu and maybe Rowland. We are in sore thumb territory. We need street clothes."
Jack looks around in resignation
"So current needs are Gin, Food, and Clothing. We have nothing to trade so looks like we will have fall back on good old street crime. It has been a while but I think I remember how to run a mugging."
Jack smiles. It does not reach his eyes.
"Options, we need to decide on tactics."
"Do we want to split up and hit some small targets at random? Couple of muggings, maybe a home invasion or two. Upside, easy. Downside, makes enemies."
"Alternately we can try something bigger and go after the predators. Dregs will have more cash and gear than a random citizen plus no one believes addicts so we will not be bringing heat."
"Another option would be to hit the Slashers. This is a higher risk play but the reward for hitting one of their drug houses would be high as well. Guns, supplies, cash, there for the taking. Downsides are getting shot and given the Slashers history with the fish heads it might bring some heat. On the other hand the Slashers are not known for their organization. With a little care they will never know who or what hit them."
"I strongly recommend against hitting the Family. They are organized. hitting one of them is hitting all of them. They don't seem to be working with the fish but they can bring their own heat."
"Finally, the police or the V'sori. They will have the best gear but we will need a good plan to get it without getting dead."
"My preference is ambushing a wandering group of Dregs or Slashers. Hitting a drug den or a crib is also an option but fighting on their turf will be a little harder."
"I suppose we might also try our luck at scavenging. With our abilities we can get into places the average scav can't. Vaults wouldn't mean much to Doc, and Angel can reach the less picked over upper stories with ease. So it looks like low risk but we are trusting to luck for any reward."
"Well that was too much talking and we are burning nighttime. We are in this together so what do you see as our best options?"
"I think I'll go out and get us some clothes." Wolf Spider says. "I'd want to get the lay of the land anyways."
Unless objected to, he will slip out a window and go for a few circles around the area in expanding rings, being careful not to be seen. He will look at other warehouses and see if he can get an idea of what's in them.
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Alpha considers the options. He nods along with Jack's precise breadown of the situation. It was nice to have him along for these sort of things. While he could plan, Alpha didn't have the depth necessary at times.
"Beta, Gamma, and I will see what clothes we can get. It'll allow for more tactical approaches later, and shouldn't be a problem to actually procure. Bound to be an old thrift shop nearby."
He sets out without another word, Beta and Gamma following close behind.
"42 long" quips Toxic. "I agree about hitting the Dregs or Slashers. They'll have more of the things we'll need."
"Nature provides, should you but ask." says the young girl before fading into nothing.
Nature is going to head to the first grocery store she can find, wait for it to close, then teleport in and out several times, taking as much fresh food as she can find, then return to the HQ.
Dark Angel shrugs. Though she wears a bodysuit, she does not see the human need for clothing and could as well go naked. She walks the perimeter of the building, ensuring that there are no obvious weak sections or walls ready to collapse.
Alpha and Angel walk around the outside, and see nothing suspicious or noteworthy.
Alpha and Wolf leave, and come back about 30 minutes later, having found nothing but ratty old clothes in various places too disgusting to mention.
Around the same time, Nature returns, her arms full of grocery bags full of various types of food. She seems to have chosen at random, and you have everything from frozen dinners to fresh fruit to cheese puffs.
"Ooh, cheese puffs!" Wolf Spider says, snagging a bag and peeling his mask up so he can munch. "So what now? We're gonna need money to get this dump up and running. Wanna hit a bank or are we gonna swipe from someone less noble?"
Her inspection tour finished, Angel rejoins the others. Though she does not have to eat, she does enjoy the sensation and taste of certain foods. She rummages through the bags until she finds a tomato and bites into the fruit, the juices running down her chin.
Enkidu grabs a bit of food; mostly predator stuff, beef jerky, pepperoni sticks, and a pint of blueberries.
Looking around the joint her says, "I'll take a room up near the top. One with a window, and if it doesn't have roof access, I'll be adding that, so we'll need it tied into whatever security system we end up running. I want to be able to come and go easily, and I suspect the other flyers might want something similar."
"As for appropriate targets, I'd vote we hit a Slasher shack or depot. Scumbags no one will miss; not pissing off anyone important, and a good chance of scoring a decent supply of untraceable cash as well as weapons. To boot, if we're going to technically be Freedom Fighters now, we're probably going to have to be mindful of our image. Too many civilian casualties and such and we might end up with our own people turning us into the V'Sori."
Toxic satisfies himself with the inedible remains. The desiccant packets from the jerky, cellophane wrappers, and zucchini.
Reclining ten feet up the wall, Wolf Spider holds out the empty cheese puffs bag to Dr. Toxic. "Alumnum foil?" he asks. "I think I remember where one of the Slasher hangouts are. Let me think."
"Ah, I think it's still in operation, though things might have changed since I was caught." he admits, scratching the side of his head.
Alpha takes a share of energy bars, maybe a few bags of nuts.
"Unfortunately, the area's been a lot harder than I anticipated. We'll need to add civilian clothing for a dedicated supply run. That would increase my surveillance capability by a large margin. Also, it'd be useful during commuting mid mission should we need to remain subtle. Slasher would most likely have a large and diverse selection. Keeping in mind the other amenities needed, my vote goes to them."
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Thomas sighed as he saw the state of inside of the building. He hadn't expected much, but even this was "roughing it".
As his stomach grumbles, he just says to the group, "Um, my ma lives near here. I'm gonna grab a quick bite there, but I'll be right back, 'kay?"
I have a narrative all set for Red, so she'll make her appearance. But for now...she still has most of a haunch of squid friendly policeman in her freezer. His murder was the one that lead, indirectly, to Thomas' arrest, but he was careful enough that they've not yet tied her to him.
For her part she survives on a small monthly check and does odd jobs in the neighborhood. She's not very picky about the nature of the jobs, and that's made her somewhat trustworthy to most people.
Tom comes back 45 minutes later still licking the grease from his fingers. "Mmmm. Sorry. I had me a hunger that only hands could satisfy. Haha! That's what she calls her sliders. Don't really know why.
Anyway, yes! Slashers are fine. Mind you, banks are ALSO fine. Why limit ourselves? Eventually I hope we can work our way up to insurance companies. No, really, I've got a plan to kidnap some high muckitymuck, mind-rape him for his passwords, then walk in and transfer truly insulting amounts into accounts that we can access. If we liquidate them quickly enough we should be able to get away with it.
So, uh, I guess there should be at least one chain of banks that we don't rob and are friendly with. Just sayin'.
So ya wanna start with the Slashers? Let's go start with the Slashers."
"They don't dress too badly, either. In case you wanted a new pair of kicks." he adds.
"Humans. You concern yourself overmuch with lesser needs. Your greed blinds you to the true problem, the V'sori," Dark Angel scoffs.
Jack enters the main room with a full wash tub.
"Yes Angel the V'sori are the true problem and if you want to fly that pretty tuchas on up to orbit and go toe to toe with a battleship then the door is behind you."
He proceeds to rinse the worst of the filth of the random clothes.
"Alternately if you would prefer a more earthbound target, Beachead is just a scenic flight away. I am sure Warlord Grypon, his V'sori soldiers, K’tharen shock-troops and thousands of drones will extend appropriate hospitality. Flap-flap, time's a wastin."
He works to clean, sort and repair articles of clothing.
"On the other hand if you want to be breathing in a week then our lesser needs become paramount. We cannot go toe to toe with the invaders. I don't know if you all were watching tv on the night the world ended but they fried Guardian with an orbital cannon. One shot, no more Guardian. No more Alpha Squadron. We have no defence against that kind of power."
The clothes neither look nor smell pretty but they begin to look less like trash and more like clothes.
"Yet."
He pauses. A Metallica t shirt in his hand
"We need tools, we need information, we need food. To get those things we need money, guns and help. Also known as lesser needs. Give us some tools, some time, more luck than we deserve and maybe we can do something about the orbital cannons and the Fish-heads. If you want to be part of this little girl then pull your head out of the clouds and stop thinking like a predator."
Jack looks around the room.
"That goes for all of us. We are tough, we are all badasses. But we are nothing to the V'sori. Sure we can bust us a couple of drone squads at a barely defended prison camp. But Gryphon has hundreds of squads, plus his real soldiers and the shock troops, and the cannons. If we become a target we are dead."
His attention returns to the washing
So we hide, we blend in. We find soft targets and leave no witnesses. We hit quislings like the Slashers who no one will miss. We take out a few SOCOP and drone patrols we make it harder for the V'sori to rule Star City. We bleed them, drop by drop. We stay alive.
He holds up the ruin of a large garment. [b]"Who makes a dry clean only trenchcoat?"
He tosses the oversize garment to Angel
"And that means, my beloved Dark Angel, that people with giant f****ng wings do not go outside! Some bum sees you and trades that info to SCOP for vodka and we are done. Same thing if we get too frisky in the neighborhood. SCOP is corrupt and the V'sori are stupid but too much activity in the same place and even I could find us. So be careful, 'ca canny and stay alive."
Easily lifting the full tup of soaked clothes. Jack turns towards the kitchen and the largest sinks.
"Here endith the lesson."
Comparing notes, Wolf and Jack realize that they're thinking of the same place - a Slasher house in Southpoint that's rumored to be one of their main holding places for their cash from selling drugs. There should be a sizeable amount of cash there. Also a sizeable amount of Slashers in, and around, the house.
How do y'all want to approach this?
The big wild-man shape Enkidu currently wears smiles, showing wicked sharp teeth, "I'm all about inclusion. That's what makes me a team-player."
"Alpha? You copy powers, don't you? Care to join me for a little weasel in the hen-house scenario?
"Sounds good to me." Wolf Spider says, nodding.
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Dark Angel sulks slightly, her feelings clearly hurt by being called out by a human, no less. However, she does see the wisdom of the words and will pull the trenchcoat over herself and join the others in planning.
Nature follows the rest of the group, humming to herself.
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Tom trades looks with Jack before snickering at who's "weasel" is going to penetrating who's "hen house". "Hey, business before pleasure guys.
Alright, let's do this. Imma head out to the place, see what's going on. Just congregate a block or two from it and I'll meet up."
That said, Tom turns Invisible, Intangible, and flies out the wall toward the strong house Jack was talking about.
... a Slasher house...
...in Southpoint...
that's rumored to be one of their main holding places for their cash from selling drugs. There should be a sizeable amount of cash there. Also a sizeable amount of Slashers in, and around, the house.
How do y'all want to approach this?
Oh right.
...
How's that?" he says with a smirk.
"That is an excellent idea Thomas, but I think we can do better.
You ghost in and scout the place. Find guns, valuables, information, anything really. You check the place attic to basement. Then come out and let our lady of the stormfront here pop in, grab the goods and pop back.
If there is a safe or suchlike then Thomas and Nature will create a safe path for Doc to get in and do the needful.
If we need to go in Angel and Wolf Spider can take the roof while the Alphas, Doc and I remove sentries and provide a distraction. With a two front assault the slashers should be unable to mount any kind of resistance. Especially as Enkidu, Thomas and Nature will be slipping and sliding through the main part of the house spreading chaos.
But it should not come to violence. The goal here, if you agree, is to hit them with out them knowing they were hit. If we pull this off then the first clue that something is wrong will be when they notice half their guns and all their money is missing.
The people up the line in their little gang will not like that at all. They will be angry but they will not know who to punch. With a bit of luck the higher ups might even get suspicious. Did the money and weapons really vanish in the night or is an underling getting ideas? Gangs like this are not big on loyalty, Dead man's shoes are the traditional path to leadership. This fear and distrust will create many opportunities for us.
Even if they are sure it is not an internal matter they should suspect the Family or other gangs before looking for new players in the neighborhood.
Of course this all depends on them not seeing us or not knowing they are seeing us. So quick in, quick out and confusion to the enemy."
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Alpha looks to the large beast-more-than-man Enkidu.
"My copying is only partial, but I should be able to back you up. If you have a pack master mentality, I wouldn't even mind you taking lead."
"Though, I doubt these guys will roll over when we walk in, we should be prepared for countermeasures..."
"They weak bow to the strong, or they cease to matter." says Nature.
A. Size and layout? Detached single family home? Row rouse? Former bodega? Nightclub?
You've heard it's an abandoned nightclub. You don't know anything about its interior.
B. Immediate environs? Residential, Commercial, Industrial or Mixed? It's Southpoint so how run down is it?
Commercial near residential, somewhat run down but still livable.
C. Distance from Lair? Easy Walk? Long walk? Are we there yet? Bring a tent? Near the mag lev? Anything interesting (overpasses to snipe from, ruins to hide in, kindergartens to flee from) nearby?
It's about 2 miles away as the Thomas flies. :) How can you tell if there's anything interesting nearby until you've been there?
D. Define sizeable please. Round numbers are fine. Both for the amount of cash and number of Slashers if you would be so kind.
"Sizeable" is all you've heard, with Streetwise rolls of 4 and 5.
E. Usual and customary arms for Slashers on defence? Knives and bad language? Pistols? Shotguns and SMG's? Assault rifles? V'sori tech?
If Fish-Tech are we talking hand weapons, blaster rifles or heavy weapons and grenades?
You've heard that Slashers usually carry vibro-weapons, but they also use whatever they can take away from others.
Keep in mind, Nature can only teleport 72 feet, which depending on the size of the nightclub could mean she's going to have to be standing right beside it (and its outside guards), and the first time's going to be with heavy penalties since she hasn't been inside it yet.
Ok The plan as it stands.
Part the first: Walk towards the night club.
1. Do not draw attention
2. Steal a getaway car. An SUV or commercial van type for preference.
Part the second: Park 2-3 blocks from the target.
1. Thomas and or angel flying ahead can tell us when we are close.
2. Remember where we parked.
Part the third: Find a staging area in sight of the club.
1. Suss out the ground.
a. What is nearby. Are there buildings that share walls with the club.
b.Slasher activities/Patrols. Are they guarding the back door/ loading dock/ stage door/ roof.
Part the fourth: Send in the ghosts.
1. Thomas and Nature are in charge of this bit. May want Angel or Wolf, or Big E as backup. Doc may be needed to open doors/walls/safes.
2. Thomas scouts the club. Number and location of enemies. Location of loot. Doors to lock to limit Slasher response. Things to set on fire.
Part the last: Move the loot/guns to the staging area, Then to the car and vanish.
1. Profit.
Not I do not expect anything past part the third to actually work.
Suggestions welcome otherwise time to be going.
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Thomas nods and follows along as Jack draws a diagram and hands out pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what it was.
"Alright chief, scout the area! I'm on it. See you losers there!" says Tom as he turns invisible and flies out an open window.
Tom turns Intangible on the way there and starts circling around and scouting the surrounding area.
Thomas, ask me what you're looking for and I'll give you answers.
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Tom wanted to do a good job for Jack, even if the man was showing signs of being OCD. Like, a lot. Like, padded cell-level stuff. Or maybe the man just needed booze and sex. Yeah, that was probably it.
So he wanted to fill in a lot of the blank space they had for the neighborhood. Maybe some general stuff about what the neighborhood was on the way there? Nice? Functional? Or just ghetto crap? Maybe get more ideas of where to shop and where to rob.
Should probably find some nice places to hide too, if we need it.
Mostly he just wants to answer the first and last question of the hide-out: What is it? What's the interior look like? How many guards, what weapons do they have, and, and this is really the most important question here, how much ph4t l00ts do they have?
The immediate neighborhood is all warehouses, some of which appear abandoned (so, good places to hide).
Nearby is a "suburban" neighborhood, filled with low-rent housing and low-rent people. Not much to steal there. Some neighborhood grocery stores would provide both heat-and-eat meals and raw materials for someone to cook up on their own (anyone have the Cooking skill? No? Well jeez, why not? :)
On the way up to the night club, you pass thru a business district, which also seems low-rent but functional. Probably some places to rob there (but probably not much income), or shop there (clothing, tools, etc.) if you're so inclined.
The night club itself is 100' by 100', or about 1/3 of a block on a side. The interior is one big hangout for gang members on the first floor in what was the dancing room, with small offices off of it for the higher-ups to do their business. The second floor is all small rooms being used as bedrooms by the gang members.
There are several dozen guards patrolling the entire block around the building. Official "security" is more lax inside, but virtually everyone you see has at least a vibro-weapon, and some have laser pistols.
After looking around at length, you finally find the Boss Man's office, which has a huge (6'x6'x6'), old-fashioned safe in one corner. Sticking your head in, you see stacks and stacks of cash, as well as bags and bags of drugs. You'd estimate at least $70,000 in cash.
Next up (according to Jack) :
Steal a getaway car. An SUV or commercial van type for preference.
Park 2-3 blocks from the target. Thomas can tell you when you're close.
Nature continues to hum while ...skipping? really? towards the club.
Alpha takes Beta and Gamma, and the three of them begin to do a sweep of the area, locating a suitable vehicle. The more optimal option would be to come across one that was merely out of fuel. Would draw less suspicion if an abandoned vehicle were to disappear, and an owner that couldn't get the gas to use it wouldn't miss it too bad either.
Alphas, you find a suitable vehicle (large enough to hold all of you in the back, if a bit tightly), but it's not out of gas.
The Alphas return to the lair in a large white van, with "Dan's Plumbing" written on the sides.
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