Having just taken the furthest to left of the row that Cindersnap was bopping along in, Arachidamia, was, by comparison, almost a model of calm. A long case she carried with her had been stowed behind, and now she just sat, waiting. At moments, it almost looked like she could have fallen asleep, but anyone who'd known her for any length of time would have known this as a false calm, a professional focus and poise that only came with training and experience. Still, the fact she was holding onto her last coffee like a talisman would have raised suspicions of nervousness anyway.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Misha Hannigan, the yellow cheeta woman takes a seat in an isle seat. Misha is clad in the black armour of the UV, but without the identifiable white stripe as well as a leather coat and skirt.
She straps herself in as soon as she's seated. More nervous about the flight then their destination, or so it would seem.
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
Burned Ice, a young girl of 14 and a recent addition to the Unity Vigil, boarded the craft. Clad in her usual white armoured leotard with blue shoulder flashes and sleeves, and her blue and red shades, and her padded gloves and boots. A black eye was just about visible under the left visor. Her bright red hair had taken on its usual slightly bedraggled look and she tried to smooth it down with her left hand as she boarded.
She glanced about nervously for somewhere to sit and spotting Misha, moved quietly to the seat next to her. As she sat, she looked around the interior of the aircraft, somewhat awed by the technology of the Unity Wing.
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Richard Huntington, dressed in figure-hugging black leather, festooned with buckles, walked up the steps into the Unity Wing, his head for once uncovered. In a small pack clutched in one hand was his cape, his mask, environmental filter and the 'cloth' wrap - actually a flexible anti-ballistic and puncture-proof weave - he used to cover the lower half of his face, neck and shoulders. He felt more than a little self-conscious as he looked around at the other occupants of the jet - he wasn't a member of the Vigil and the Warriors of Darkness weren't even loosely affiliated with them, but he couldn't not be here. Because Linda was in trouble, and he had made it his job to look after her out there in the Isles. And he never shirked his responsibilities.
He had been in bed when the call came through, and he fondly remembered the grumbling moans from Vicky as he slipped away after Helena patched the message through to him. It was the work of only a couple of minutes for him to shower, dress, and head into the basement to access his teleportation network.
An almost preternatural calm washed over him as he moved into the cabin and strode, with a confidence he really didn't feel, to the front of the plane. Leaning with a forced casualness on the back of the pilot's chair, he murmured quietly to BODICIA. "Good morning, my dear. I'll have you know that there are very few ladies in the world for whom I'd get up at this time of the morning. You happen to be one of them."
As he waited for her reply, he vaguely considered the probable impact of his presence on the Isles. His yacht had been moved overnight to a spot just over the horizon from the Nerva archipelago, its active defences fully online. Helena had inserted one of her avatars - Mark 4, the fully independent unit - into Crimson Cove, and she had been quietly and carefully spreading rumours amongst the populace that Crey Biotech were sweeping the streets at night with press-gangs. As far as Richard was concerned, no action was too extreme to minimise casualties, and he had spent enough time out here recently to actually care for the general populace. If the wrong people saw him, though, and identified the Unity Vigil correctly, Rich Hunter could end up in a lot of trouble from the wrong people. Which was why he'd elected to go for his most striking and recognisable hero costume, rather than any of the outfits he normally wore while working the islands.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise 
; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.* Burned Ice stared open mouthed at the handsome man that had just entered the craft, a faint redness rising in her cheeks. Leaning towards Misha, she whispered quietly. "Hey, who's that guy?"
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Misha looks from BurnedIce to Richard and back.
"That's Shadowe, unless I'm very much mistaken. Not Vigil, but a friend."
Aiming her hands into unoccupied and well out of the way air she extends her wolverine like claws and mumbles "Darned regenerating armour..."
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
Burned Ice took off her shades for a better look at him. "Wow, I've heard of him... He's some kind of heavy hitter isn't he? He's really cute..."
Looking away after a long moment, she went wide eyed at Misha's claws. "Wow, they look sharp!"
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Misha retracts her claws and glances at the black eye.
"He is, yes. On both front." Her nose twitches a little. "Curious choice of perfume, at least it's faint."
Looking at the slits in the gloves. "Sharp enough to slice through most metals."
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
Burned Ice blinked, then half stifled a giggle as she blushed again. "He's wearing perfume? Guess the call from Bodicia interrupted something!"
Coughing a little to cover the giggle, she slipped her shades back on and began to strap in. "Are there any others coming on this thing, do you know?"
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Misha looks around.
"Well, as far as I know, there's supposed to be 2 non Vigil members, so at least one more, maybe some more from the Vigil too."
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
Richard tried hard - very hard - to ignore the conversation going on behind him, thoughtfully played to him at enhanced volume by Helena, but couldn't resist half turning his head and winking at Burned Ice, a wry smile of shared cameraderie quirking his lips. He certainly didn't think of himself as a 'heavy hitter', but he was well aware of his own capabilities, and he supposed that the definition could fit - while not as universally powerful as, say, the high-ups in the Guardians of Destiny, the fact that he was effectively immortal and had never even scratched the surface of his total potential energy output, because it hurts, damnit, meant that his concern for self-preservation was somewhat sub-par. Not that it would make him any less cautious where the wellbeing of those around him was concerned.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
Burned Ice saw Shadowe turn and wink at her, and her face burned a bright red as she tried to slide down in her seat. "Oh maaaan.. He heard me...." she muttered, fervently wishing she could turn invisible right now.
"Maaaaan, I wish I'd stayed at home... I could just about die right now..."
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Misha chuckles and pats Burned Ice on her knee.
Not saying, but thinking: if this is the worst, we'll be lucky indeed.
"He is cute though, in a way."
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
Richard smiled as the young woman flushed brightly and shrank away - time later to try putting her at her ease, which would be either exceptionally easy, or harder than going toe-to-toe with Lord Recluse, depending on whether 'cute' translated into 'he's a nice looking man who teases me and it's fun!' or 'Oh my gosh, I'm crushing on him sooooo much, talk to me Richard, please!'.
Nodding politely, if briefly, to Misha, he turned back to BODICIA, then blushed hotly himself as he realised that without his cape to cover up, his leather-clad backside was being rather prominently - and tightly - displayed to everyone aboard.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
Ryan gave a nod to the others, still looking pensive as he waited in his chair. The expression added a couple of years to his features. Probably not a bad thing in all circumstances.
"Do not mind Serious Simon back there. It is his first time flying." BODICIA chuckled from her seat, getting up to regard the crew. "And thank you for coming, Richard. I suppose I could make some crude joke about being able to get a man up at any time, but that would be uncouth." The gynoid chuckled cheekily.
Glancing over at Burned Ice and Misha, she smiled. "We are currenty waiting for Nightschild and Starborn, who are currently en route here. I hope."
"Hey, I'm just a little nervous about going to the Rogues! And flying for the first time, yeah, but like..." Ryan objected after some delay, taking his headphones out.
BODICIA rolled her eyes and looked to the others.
"Anyway. Welcome to Unity Wing, the SARACEN class aircraft created by ZorTel Industries for use in infiltration and extraction missions, as well as general transport and rescue. I will give this talk again later once Starborn and Nick arrives, so if you are not paying attention now, you better pay attention later."
BODICIA wandered into the isle and gestured towards the back. "At the rear of the Unity Wing is the deployment chamber, with ample overhead storage and store cupboards, and two bathrooms. Please stand clear of the central floor panel in the room, that is for emergency drops and loading large objects."
"At the rear of this room, you will find a machine able to dispense hot and cold snacks and beverages. Trash compactors are located in the marked panels on the sides of the room, please make sure to recycle. Failure to comply gets the pilot snippy, and I do have access to the ejector seat function. It will be a long walk to the Isles or to Paragon from where you land, I guarantee it."
Moving to where Ryan was sitting, she ruffled his hair with a smile before tapping on the touchscreen.
"You have access to intra- and internet services through this, as well as TV and radio. You can link the audio feed in to your commslink, or headphones are provided under the seats. In the event of an emergency, oxygen masks will drop down, and a field generator under the seat will generate an orb of kinetic force around you to prevent injury in the extremely unlikely event of a crash. First aid and emergency supply kits are located under every seat."
Musing for thought, the blond haired being wandered down the aisle before turning. "Ah yes, a selection of non-descript clothing has been stored at the rear of the plane. Please feel free to make use of this to disguise you further if you wish. Upon leaving, our estimated time of flight will be one hour and nineteen minutes to Crimson Cove. I could go faster, but you may need the time to prepare and adjust to time differences."
Looking around, the gynoid smiled. "Any questions?"
Burned Ice raised a hand, though the direction she was looking kept wandering back to Shadowe. "Umm, yeah... I got one... What kinda clothes? I mean... I figure if we go in our colours like this, we'll stand out like a sore thumb and stuff so... What kinda clothes do they were over there? Don't wanna put on something that makes me stand out more than I do already, y'know?"
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Richard's gaze turned to follow BODICIA as she moved down the aisle, and he smiled at the question posed by Burned Ice. "Well, unless things have changed drastically in the last few days, my dear, black leather is pretty much standard." He looked down at his own outfit and chuckled. "Though perhaps this is a little much, even for me." He favoured the young woman with another wink and a smile.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.* BODICIA nodded to Burned Ice. "Basically, as Richard said. Try to dress down and look inconspicuous. I have loaded some example files of attire commonly worn, and Hannah was kind enough to provide some e-Dye to apply to your hair and colour. During the flight, you may wish to work on cover stories and identities."
Burned Ice blushed furiously once again at Richard's smile, and tried to hunker further down into her chair. "Umm.. May.. maybe I'll take a look in the rear... I mean... In the backsi... In a minute!" She managed to stammer.
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Struggling to avoid laughing at the teenage girl's expression, Richard nodded slowly to her, still smiling. "Well, my dear, if you need a hand slipping into something a little more comfortable, just call. Oh, I'm Richard, by the way, if you think that 'Shadowe' is too ostentatious. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to working closely with you - well, with all of you, I suppose - today... and perhaps even closer in the future?" He turned his gaze to BODICIA and winked slyly. "While I think about it, and while we have time, can I just ask if there is any news on Cassandra, my dear?"
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
Misha flashed her middle claw for a brief moment at Richard.
"Does that dye work with fur? And easily removable?"
Looking to Burned Ice she comments "Casual jeans and jacket, with a bandana face mask would be best, I think."
@ShadowGhost & @Ghostie
The Grav Mistress, Mistress of Gravity
If you have nothing useful to say, you have two choices: Say something useless or stay quiet.
BODICIA gave Richard a raised eyebrow. "I think she is a little young to get helped into her clothing, Richard. Cassandra is still unconscious but stable, while you ask." The gynoid replied, before looking to Misha and giving a nod.
"It works on fur, yes, and to remove it we have a simple solution at the Tower. Just spray it on and shower."
Burned Ice looked with some relief and thanks at both Misha and Bodicia, "Thanks.", she muttered, then taking a deep breath, looked back to Richard. "I'm Ca.. I'm Burned Ice... N... Nice to meet you too..."
She looked back to Misha for a moment, then asked. "Would you mind helping me find something suitable, please?"
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Nightschild steps out of a patch of shadows near to the aircraft. He glances about, shrugs, and heads for the boarding ramp. It's probably the place, how many aircraft like this are fuelled and ready to go at this hour?
"BODICIA?" he asks as he walks up the ramp. This is a Vigil craft after all, and she seems to be plugged into just about every other piece of technology they own.
((I'd post this elsewhere if I had elsewhere, but with all the players having active forum accounts, it's easiest to have this RP thread here, dealing with the Unity Vigil +2's attempt to rescue Liberty Girl, who went missing in Nerva. Aside from myself, obviously, those involved are:
Gideon, Happy_Dan, ShadowGhost, Shadowe, Tantavalist, CatKeeper and FloatingFatMan.))
The Call
It was three AM when BODICIA, the OverAI of the Unity Vigil, sent out the message to those involved to gather at a penthouse apartment in Steel Canyon. Issuing access authorisation to the heroes as well as information, it allowed them to pass through the doors and then past the secret door into the main part of the penthouse to have access to the portal within.
Said portal would whisk them away to Rolando Island, in the South Pacific, into the darkened cavern under the ocean bed that was attached to Unity Vigil HQ. Situated within was the means of transport BODICIA had arranged for them.
The Unity Wing
At around the length of a Greyhound coach and double the width at the back was a sleek looking aircraft, poised on three landing gears to suspend it off the access elevator surface it was parked on. The wingspan was currently in its compact mode, slid into the side of the ship ready for being moved up to the surface for take off. Dark metal was lined with various field generators and devices, designed to give it a near indetectable status.
Just right for infiltrating part of the Etoile isles on a covert mission.
The interior had seating for eleven at the front, and the rear deployment section had space for at least 12 more sitting. A couple of bathrooms were fitted into the rear section, as well as storerooms for supplies and packing away cargo.
The front part of the plane had the seats set out in a 4-4-3 formation, the pilots seat set into the front of the craft, the rest of its nose extending out from below that point. Touch screens set into the backs of seats, safety features, provision packs and all the other essentials and not so essentials were installed, and it was ready for launch.
Vigilants, the black and white costume clad automatons that assisted the Unity Vigil, were ready to guide the arriving crew from portal to seat, and in the cockpit was sat the now familiar form of Vigilant 84, the prefered avatar of BODICIA, dressed in tight fitting black armour, making all the pre-flight checks.
A seat behind and to the right of her sat Cindersnap, the young hero having plugged his ears into his MP3 player and headphones, his black and orange clad boot tapping on the floor as he mouthed along to the current song on his music player. He seemed slightly nervous, and the tapping and other fidgetting only heightened that perception.
SUPPORT - IT'S NOT JUST A GROUPING OF ATs
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More Than a Game
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