_Essex_

((Then maybe I"ll wait until after Thanksgiving. D: Introducing a character and then being gone for half a week is a little counterproductive.))

((Is this still open? :3 Because working in the 'future' would be rather fun...

Don't you think so, Estrelita?

Lita: *tightens glove* >:3 ))

"Oh...right. Hecate is the one around. But I remember hearing about Hequat." Rosie said, scratching her head sheepishly. "The Soul Police have their eye on that situation too, but...the enchantments imprisoning her are a little beyond our league. And that's sayin' something, you know?"

She waited for Archlich to finish his meditation, her arms folded.

"So where do they need us?" she asked him. "It's not often the high-and-mighty heroes deign to ask us neutral powers for a hand that doesn't involve some sort of dumb moralistic power struggle."

Vanessa grinned at Vern.

"Aye lad, dinna worry. After all, I'd nae be worth me own salt if I did'na have me own research facility 'ere, a fact that's likely well known what with all th' carryin' on me laddies do. I dinna keep any o' the sensitive stuff there..."

She turned to the others with a toothy grin. "But ye know, I'd like t'give ye the grand tour all th' same. At very least, it's 'eated."

"Heated, Mother." Rotor said fastidiously. "You've really got to work on your H sounds. You can't just go dropping consonants left and right, and --"

"You culturally insensitive socket-sucker!" Spindle screeched, firing a laser across Rotor's arm. "Mom can talk Scottish 'cause she IS Scottish!"

"Speak! Speak in a Scottish Dialect!" Rotor corrected her as he bubbled himself for cover.

Vanessa facepalmed quietly. "Ye see what I mean?" she said with a sheepish grin. "We're regulars. Nobody thinks anythin' about us one way or another."

Essex looked up at Ryat99 sheepishly, and tugged at his 'hand.'

"Don't worry about sir Drechi." she whispered. "What matters is that you know who you are."

"Essex." West said, glancing over his shoulder, "No more Mr. Rogers for you. At any rate..."

The scientists gathered could feel the train beginning to slow.

"Ah, it seems we have arrived." he said, stretching.

Vanessa was having trouble controlling her snickering at the argument, and trailed off the train, as her bots trailed along behind her conversing with each other.

"Didn't Mom program us herself?" Spindle asked.

"Yep." said Rotor, carefully helping the more delicate robots down.

"Do we have souls?" Prickle chirped, tilting its head.

"Does it matter?" Gasket asked, shooing the smaller bots ahead of his huge frame. "We have a job to do. I'm not gonna worry about all of that metaphysical nonsense; not when there's lasers to be shoved down someone's throat."

"Guess he won't notice if I take his femur to chew on." Rosie said, leaning down to tug at the skeleton's leg-bone cheerfully.

But she paused.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeey." she said, pointing to the statue of Hequat. "I know her! She's that...Hecate...chick. Since the Old Gods got bored of running civilizations, she's got a Coney joint up in the Bronx."

Archlich's portal was soon disrupted.

--------

As Rosie glanced back at Thermoplast and Balsk, she made a beckoning motion by glancing towards the door and glancing back. Once the door was opened for her, she turned a corner.

Before them all stood a large, grand, arcane portal, crackling with energy. Rosalind leapt through it without a second thought.

--------------------------

Landing on the other side, she tossed the cosmic travel out of her fur and transformed.

"I [censored] hate doors!" she fumed. "And 'doggie doors' are soooooooooo [censored]' humiliating. This one time, this one time, I chewed on a doorknob for FOUR HOURS trying to open it. FOUR HOURS! UGH! Humans."

With that said, she turned to Archlich, holding out a hand.

"Sup, old man. Slap me some bone."

((Zealstorm: ... ;_; I feel so uncreative.

/wrists ))

"This is a volunteer mission." West said, turning to face Drechi only slightly. "This was made amply clear in your invitation, I trust."

With this, he slid a glance to Vanessa, who returned a thumbs-up.

"Took care o' it, Ocky." she said.

"That having been said." West continued, "This organization has several cordons of various weaponry, strategic equipment, body armor, scientific devices, and the like that I believe we, as a group, have deemed unnecessary for them to remain in possession of for much longer. I believe these commodities will net you, considering you know the proper buyers..."

Daniel tossed Drechi a disarming smile.

"Which I am certain you do, as any proper businessman is certain to know his market..."

He turned his attention back to the front.

"...More than a fair sum, with a great many zeroes involved."

West glanced at Dr. Phillis with a neutral look in his eyes.

"Doctor Midas Phillis." he said with a wry smirk. "If everything Essex has told me about you is true, then I am certain that your abilities will find quite a stage to perform upon very soon."

Was that a hint of something else in Daniel's voice? Suspicion? Of course he didn't trust Dr. Phillis completely. But that tone in his voice was almost a good-natured assurance that West had his eye on him.

"And my android is not apt to lie." he chuckled, glancing back at Essex while they rode the train to their destination.

"Miss Rosie said she's seeing some Freakshow guy lately..." she was prattling to Vasquez. "His name is Volt Bishop or something, and I guess he's pretty cool, but I never really liked the Freaks...Should I tell her I saw you?" The little android absently scratched Felix's ears as she spoke.

Vanessa, on the other hand, had her arms folded, watching the crew with a crooked grin. Eyeing some of the mercenaries accompanying Drechi, she snorted. "Some o' Reikoff's ol' boys..." she muttered, turning away ever so slightly in distaste.

The woman scientist raised her voice to Vern. "Actually, would it nae be better t' hunker down somewhere it's bloody difficult t' find us and send out our surveillance from there? Seems t'me that usually when ye find a place ye can see everyone, everyone can also see you pretty easily."

"I can't believe we're doing this..." Essex murmured ever-so-softly as she trickled behind the main group, trying to stay out of sight. She did, however, keep an eye on the vitals of those in the group...boosting a bit of nanoaccelerants to Solid to further hone his already unbelievable aim.

----------------------------------------------

The dog snorted a bit at Balsk's words, but her tail wagged easily even as she glanced up to Thermoplast.

"Wuff."

With that, she began trotting purposefully over to the room that had been predesignated to the group...

Essex sighed, fidgeting. She had only heard of the 'Slinger', as Reikoff and the other commanders had, for some reason, kept her sheltered from the crazy fellow...

"...I have a full and working knowledge of the Maltan communications systems." she offered quietly. "I...I can help you jam them. I mean, it'll probably get me in trouble, but this isn't something I can really ignore..."

She looked quite troubled at the prospect, however, but it was true -- she had spent quite some time hooked up to Maltan communication machinery on the Battle Planet, so manipulating it would be second nature for the little android.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Arf!"

Bounding out of the car to catch up to Thermoplast, a black-and-white border collie sprinted, rather self-importantly, towards the operative. The guards gave it no notice, letting it out of the car - it was a security dog, after all, as denoted on the car's identification.

The border collie slowed as it trotted beside Thermoplast, tail wagging neutrally and tossing him a glance with strangely intelligent orange eyes...

*waves*

You'll be fine. :3

"Very good." West said, with a slight nod to Drechi. "Then let us make preparations immediately."

Turning, he regarded Toy and Dr. Phillis with a genial smile. "I propose that we use the aforementioned surveillance drones at several vantage points about the area. Being merely in that distance should place us in a good position; we are merely looking for the compound itself and are not worrying about infiltrating it at this time. Vern, may I have a map, please?"

When the image of the map was provided to him, he frowned slightly, pointing out several points in the area between the two Russian outposts the Krayten had specified.

"If we place surveillance in the following places we should be able to at very least see anything that may be in between. I trust your drones have infrared and ultraviolet capabilities, as I suspect their compound is at least partially underground."

"But did'na th' surveillance tapes show it outside?" Vanessa wondered, raising an eyebrow.

West snorted. "No self-respecting organization with any degree of secrecy they wished to maintain would operate in plain view. I suspect a sustained underground ecosystem, likely for the purpose of growing food. They likely wished as few contacts with the outside world as possible. Purchasing enough food to support a facility...well. It would turn a few heads."

Vanessa whistled a little. "Aye, then. Wish I'd brought me diggers."

Essex glanced back to the portal, and brightened at the sight of Drechi and his operatives.

"Sir Vasquez!" she chirped, springing down from Gasket's shoulder and looking up at the massive Cuban in adoration. "How are you?"

((Zealstorm: Hahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahha...hahahaha...haha... Ohhhh....

*delicately flicks an artificial tear away mockingly*

Oh Nethy, you never fail to make me see the lighter side of life.

= yey moar. :3 ))

((Sorry guys. I've been having loads of company. X_X))

"Ah, lovely." West said, helping Vanessa through with a slight nod. "Thank you, Vern, you've pulled through for us again."

Vanessa let out a low whistle, admiring the inside of the Labtower. "Blimey." she muttered. "'Tis a bloody great place 'ere..."

"That it is." Daniel said, stroking his small beard slightly. "Nonetheless, we must focus on the task at hand..."

Nessie's assault bot, Gasket, clomped through, the little android Essex clinging to its back. "Hurrah for Siberia?" she offered sheepishly.

((Oops! Fixed. Early posting is early. =_=))

Essex ceased her efforts to filter the air upon being assured that it wasn't poisonous. Still, though, her eyes widened upon seeing the pillar of flame.

"Wo-ow..." she barely breathed, taking in the sight.

When Sah'Teece translated the script, she narrowed her eyes slightly at the inscription. Essex loved protocol, and had made it her personal goal to learn as many languages as possible...and so she set to learning the Rikti written language as best she could. Nonetheless, looking at everything, it all seemed so dire...

"...I hope this is where I'm supposed to be." she worried aloud. "This situation is more important than many of the ones I've dealt with before. I...I hope you guys will tell me what to do."

West nodded absently, looking over the group of assorted scientists with a mild sigh.

"Whenever you are ready, then, I am prepared. I will be taking Essex along, as I have outfitted her with a bit of new biometal that should aid our endeavors."

Vanessa was less adroit in her words.

"LADS, LASSIES!" she barked to the hallway. "QUIT PLAYIN' WITH UNCLE TOY'S LADS AN' GET YER SHOES ON! WE'RE GOIN' T' GRANDMA'S!"

"But Mooooom..." Spindle whined, the battle drone poking her head in the doorway and what looked like the detached arm of a protector bot. "Prickle and Mini Bot and I were playing mad scientist with Rotor!"

The sound of thumping was heard as the protector bot clomped into view, swiping the arm and batting the drone over the head with it. "Ask next time!" he snapped, fastidiously reattaching it.

"Tha's an order, lass!" Nessie said sternly. "Time for work, an' time for play. Now it's time for work."

Turning to Vern, she nodded. "Me an' my crew are ready. Jus' tell us what we need to do."

((Edit: I'm sleepy. X3))

Essex quietly trailed in the midst of the group, looking about in silent wonder at the alien world.

"...This is...this is certainly different than anything I've seen before..." she murmured in wonder, taking in the sights. "It's almost like a naturalized Earth with an ecosystem built entirely on the propogation of toxins instead of a hydrogen-based system."

At that moment she visibly started, as though remembering. "Oh yes, toxins..." she murmured. Glancing around at the group, the android frowned slighlty. "Everyone is breathing all right?" she checked, opening a small vent on her right buster arm to collect some of the air and analyze it for substances harmful to the organic body.

((Yes, groups of scientists going into Siberia aren't unusual in the least, precisely because there are so many squirreled away groups that need their services. :3

And I'm back, by the way. ROAR!))

West stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"...You have a point, Dr. Phillis. That would be likely a grand distraction for our purposes."

Vanessa looked to West, surprised but hopeful. "Oh, Ocky." she said affectionately. "Ye're beginnin' t' sound like yer old se--"

"However."

"Damn."

"For one thing, we have little idea where their rival factions would be located, or even if we would be able to count on their technology to provide such a distraction. Additionally...if we provided our own, I trust that the operation would be efficient enough -- too efficient. No matter what happens, we do not want to draw attention to our activities out here. And if the Russians are one thing, they're...fastidious."

Raising a hand to touch his jawline in a seemingly subconscious motion, he shook his head.

"Remember, we want to intercept this research before -anyone- else gets their hands on it. If the Russian military, Japanese military, our own military even hears a word breathed of this sort of potential, we -will- have to blast our way out."

He glanced to Experiment. "...Casualties will only draw attention. They may be necessary, but I would rather incur them in swift, calculated, precise strikes instead of mass maulings."

Essex was holding Felix now, somewhat to comfort herself. Her eyes were on Dr. West, wide and surprised.

She'd never really heard him speak this way before...

Essex listened quietly to the discussion, and began to nod slowly.

"I agree that the sanctuary seems the safest place, for now..." she murmured, wringing her hands slightly in thought. "After all, it'd also be somewhere that it would take them at least a little while to notice us...and by that time we could have our defenses ready."

Noticing Toy and Solid sitting at opposite sides of the table, she fidgeted slightly before trotting over to Acid and standing next to the reptilian instead.

Essex bit her lip. So they were considering opening diplomatic relations with the Rikti...

"...I wonder if I've still got it." she murmured to herself. Tilting her head quizzically, she made a thoughtful face. "Okay. So our priority is finding proof that we should work together against a common enemy. Where do we start?"

Sighing, the little android rubbed her head. She wished she'd remembered the briefing from earlier. Stupid freakshow electricity...

West seemed to be thinking about the logistics of transportation.

"...Vanessa's the one whose surveillance picked this up in conjunction with my own." he murmured thoughtfully. "She would know more exact coordinates than I."

Piping up, Nessie regarded Vern. "Aye, we could very well take th' train. Th' Russians are always shippin' scientists out there anyway, so another batch will nae seem so suspicious."

To Midas and Toy, she barked a laugh. "Well, if ye two lads have Scissors and Paper covered, I've got rock. We could use all th' surveillance we could get to give us th' best picture o' what to do. If ye both want to send in somethin', I can send a distraction their way - a bot model a li'l outside their border with a scrambled GPS signal. It'll cause such a fuss, they'll nae even notice surveillance bots. 'Specially if I dinna put any surveillance equipment in me own."

Leaning forward in her seat, the woman let loose another jagged grin. "An' this looks like a grassroots movement t' an extent - well, ice-tundra, as it's in Siberia. If I plant a wee bit o' false information about an 'idden weapons cache, we can even get some o' them out of th' way for th' moment."

Essex looked up at Sheldon, wide-eyed. "Katie? Who's that?" As Felix grunted, she chuckled a little in false admonishment. "Oh, don't get jealous." she cooed as she nuzzled it back. "It doesn't suit you, little guy."

West chuckled at Klaus a little.

"The field isn't entirely from my line of study, you see."

Nessie piped up from the front. "What Ocky means t'say is that th' Russian military found out 'bout 'is Rogueside days an' blackmailed 'im into doin' their KGB dirty work. Ye can thank me later, Ocky."

Daniel facepalmed. "Yes, thank you, Vanessa, for putting it so...succinctly. Regardless, let us say since the experiments in Siberia I have kept a special eye on the area."

Standing at the podium, he made a sort of 'settle down' motion with his hands.

"Listen to each other. I have said it before and I have said it again, I did -not- bring you here as heroes and villains, but as men of science."

"A-HEM, lad."

"...And women, yes."

"Thank ye."

"Regardless, I am glad that all of you are thinking of valid concerns. Vern, M, I have transports, but sadly they are small and would not suit our needs properly. If we could utilize a ship from you I would be in your debt. Dr. Phillis, the surveillance robots are a capital idea."

West stroked his chin. "This is certainly a classic situation - brains versus brawn, and all that. However, the 'brawn' has something we have yet to understand fully, and...well, we have a little brawn of ourselves to command."

Daniel smiled a little from behind the podium. "I look forward to working in conjunction with every one of you." he said, bowing his head a little. "Perhaps I have been around the S-6 unit for too long, but I am really starting to enjoy the times when people stop arguing for long enough to get along."

Essex, in the meantime, was quite occupied with Felix. "You're such a cute little fellow." she cooed, hugging it affectionately.