(Jan. 26, 2002/2215)

Command Center <Hunter HQ>

Monitors and computer consoles line the walls of this cavernous room. In the center of the room is a round computer with holographic display, its lights flashing busily as it processes information about mavericks, and their last known sitings. Computers along the walls are also occupied with an information processing task. Technicians and other Maverick Hunters run about hastily, monitoring the computers, and making sure the information is as accurate as it can be. The whole air of this room exudes purpose and drive, and the hustle and bustle seems neverending. On the south wall are two large bulletproof windows which gives you a view of the rooftop runway and Hangar Area. A large blast door in in the middle of the two windows, giving easy access to the landing strip.

Stealth Nekojin [On-duty] [MH]

Arafina [Jeans] [MH]

Lucent [MH]

Signas [MH]

Powder

Obvious exits:

East <E> leads to Teleportation Chamber--Hunter HQ.

Pneumatic Door <GL> leads to Grav Lift <Hunter HQ>.

Blast Doors <South> leads to Rooftop Runway <Hunter HQ>.

Bowie takes the elevator up to the Command Center. Not that he's entirely sure where he's going - he hasn't even been here long enough to get the old-fashioned nickel tour yet.

If you know Signas, you know what he's doing. And if you don't, you'll soon find out--Signas is what they refer to as a workaholic, one who is always doing /something/ productive and rarely wasting his time with frivolous "activities". Who needs rest, anyway?

At the moment he's pacing back and forth before a large display screen in the corner of the command center, hands folded behind his back; upon the screen is a tactical map of a battlefield covered in blips. Some blips are labeled "RM," some "M," and some are labeled "MH." Obvious.

[Radio: (B) None] Main Rigger transmits, "Solar Dragon. Nevermind, he stopped now. I'll check on it."

Lucent calms down after a moment, resuming his staccato typing. What's he doing? Working on Mnemosyne, natch.

Stealth Nekojin looks over at the screen. Then back at the other screen, which is still doing Disco Rock thanks to Arafina. He grins at that, then looks at the tactical display curiously.

[Radio: (B) None] Ether Skunk transmits, "What? What's wrong with him?"

[Radio: (B) None] Main Rigger replies calmly, "I'm trying to figure that out, Ether."

[Radio: (B) None] Ether Skunk peeps. "Okay."

Bowie steps out of the elevator once the doors open, pausing to look around before approaching the others. "Sergeant....ah, new recruit Bowie reportin fer duty."

Stealth Nekojin looks over at Bowie, and blinks. Then waves towards Signas, "He's the one to talk to. Wanna watch the movie with us before you go talk to him? S'hilarious."

Bowie nods in thanks and walks over towards the reploid pointed out to him. He does not repeat himself, seeing as how they're both in the same room and he certainly should have been heard the first time. He simply stands there, waiting.

Arafina gives a little finger-wave to Bowie. "Wanna see that movie?" she inquires. "I cen start't up again if'n ya want."

[Radio: (B) None] Main Rigger transmits, "On second thought, someone should come retreive Solar. We're a few blocks from the labs."

Bowie echoes curiously, "Movie?"

[Radio: (B) None] Ether Skunk transmits, "Uh... is he... chewed up?"

[Radio: (B) None] Main Rigger transmits, "No. He's just in shock, and my presence isn't helping him right now."

[Radio: (B) None] Ether Skunk transmits, "Alright. I'll be there shortly."

Signas reaches out and pauses, one hand hovering over the screen. Then with a rapid series of 'clicks,' he taps the screen in several different locations, moving around most of the "MH" blips. The "M" and "RM" ones move of their own accord, and lines of text trundle down the side of the screen. Damage reports, perhaps. Or maybe the computer is cussing at him. Or maybe it's a recipe for cookies.

Wholly absorbed in his wargame--or his simulation--or his tactical planning--or his recipes, Signas doesn't note the presence of Bowie in the room until he is actually standing next to him. The commander, at least twice as tall as the ranger, glances down with idle curiosity; that curiosity shifts into mild surprise when he doesn't recognize the face thereupon. "Good evening," he intones, after a single eyeblink.

Arafina grins. "Yup. Movie." She goes back to the screen Signas hasn't usurped and makes it play the Rock Disco again.

Bowie hints a smile, tilting both hat and head back as he looks up at Signas. "Evenin. Name's Bowie. Ah was told Ah was supposed to check in once Ah got here..."

The page of text on Lucent's screen disappears after a moment, the minimedic wiggling around to get more comfortable in his seat. After a moment, and a surreptitious glance over his shoulder, the screen lights again with--video footage? Indeed, shots from a shaky handheld play across the screen at double-speed, Lucent occasionally entering commands via the keyboard.

"Ah ha," Signas replies simply. "The new recruits seem to be coming in rather quickly, these days. I'm curious if the Commander secretly put out a recruiting campaign recently. Bowie, did you say? I am Signas, the commander of Shoto squad. Have you spoken with anyone else yet?"

Stealth Nekojin juggles absently as he listens to the various things going on. Bored kitty.

Arafina ruffles Stealth's hair again as she returns to his side, absently.

Bowie offers a hand. Hopefully hand-shaking hasn't fallen completely out of style. "Pleased t'meet ya, sir. No, Ah just got here. You four are the first people Ah've met."

Signas smiles pleasantly. "Well then, allow me to officially welcome you to Light Labs, then." He reaches down to take Bowie's hand, giving it a firm shake before releasing it. The tactical display is forgotten as the Colonel lookalike crosses (with a wave for Bowie to follow) to a second computer system next to Kael and Arafina. "Have a seat, please. Are you familiar with our squad structure?"

Stealth Nekojin waits for Signas to see the Disco Rock Screensaver the computer is currently using, grinning up at Arafina and awaiting the reaction. "This ought to be good."

Bowie follows Signas towards the others, nodding to them in greeting. He takes a seat now that it's been offered. "No, Ah'm not."

"Well, there are two major squads here. Shoto and Daito, their names taken from ancient Japanese swords used by samurai. The shoto, or tanto, was a short-sword used for defense. The daito, or katana, was the longer, offensive sword. Our squads reflect their names." The whole time Signas has been looking at Bowie, rather than the computer. "I command Shoto, and Michael Eildath commands Daito. If you would tell me a little about your skills, I could..." He just stops, trailing off into silence, as he catches the screensaver in his peripheral vision. Arafina and Kael both earn a sidelong glance. He doesn't actually say anything, but he doesn't really need to; a single raised brow communicates everything.

Arafina grins back. "Def'nitely," she says with a chuckle. "Oh, hey, Boss," she says when she spots Signas looking at her - and waves.

(OOC: this is the screensaver:)

============================== Maverick Hunter ===============================

Message: 10/62 Posted Author

Welcome to Nekoverse Fri Jan 25 Stealth Nekojin

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

*This Transmission is audio/video and completely open to Hunters AND Repliforce*

The camera comes up on a somewhat darkened room, looking very much like a disco club, complete to the giant ball and Bee Gee's music. In the center is someone standing with his back to the camera*

Music cues up, and the figure whirls around. It appears to be Rock... in a rhinestone-adorned white suit, and striking a classic disco pose with one arm in the air and the other on his hip. The song breaks in, and he starts dancing and lip-synching to it...

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,

I'm a woman's man: no time to talk.

Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around

since I was born.

And now it's all right. It's OK.

And you may look the other way.

We can try to understand

the New York Times' effect on man.

He strikes up another pose as the chorus begins, still singing along..

Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,

you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.

Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',

and we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.

The song continues to completion, before fading out to an image of a black kitten with one paw in the air waving.

==============================================================================

Stealth Nekojin waves as well, exuding the innocence only a cat can muster. "Hihi."

Turning off the live footage after a few minutes of playing, Lucent begins typing in earnest for a minute or two. He then pauses, scrolls back, reads whatever he wrote, nods once, and hits enter rather affirmatively. Then it's back to the movie, scrolling back and forth on the timeline as flickers of firey light illuminate the screen.

Bowie diverts his attention from Signas to the monitor for a moment...and stares. This is not exactly what he was expecting, and for a moment his expression reflects that fact. He recovers quickly, however, and a beat later he begins to answer the question. "'Fore this, Ah was in Texas Law Enforcement. Mah best skills are in pilotin', though Ah've been in mah share of gunfights."

Still peering sidelong at the two comedians, Signas reaches over and lightly taps the Return key with an index finger, causing the screensaver to disappear, replaced by the typical, boring old squad diagram. He says nothing, even then, and adopts a gaze neither threatening or displeased. Sheer neutrality. Does he smile, ever so faintly, as he looks back to Bowie? "Hmm... let me take a look at squad listings to see where you might fit in. Piloting, you say? Are you versed in the usage of Ride Armor?"

Arafina keeps smiling at Signas. Honest. It's her 'I didn't do it' smile, and in this case, she didn't. All she did was turn it on. Is that so wrong? "Hey, Kael, I'm gonna go get somethin' t'eat. Wanna come?"

Stealth Nekojin smiles, levering himself to his feet. "Sure thing. Where we headed?"

Bowie nods an affirmative. "Ride Armors, planes, air-skimmers, cars, transports, ya name it." No hint of boasting in his tone, more a simple statement of facts.

A deep voice bellows to your ears loudly and clearly from above, as if some great deity of the skies was yelling towards you. As the worlds conclude, an image appears in the forefront of your vision, blocking out everything else for the few seconds it appears.

"Osiris and Anubis, guardians of the dead, it used to be said. Take into the afterlife what you have in your tomb, the gold and gems were many explorers doom."

You see an image, a very simple one, of a tribe of Nomads, wearing heavyset dusty brown robes and ambling across a massive dune of sand. Above, the sun beats on them with a harsh, almost red light.

Lucent pauses, blinking very slowly. "Y-yes," he answers, speaking for the first time since entering.

Arafina says absently, "I was just gonna go grab some somethin' in the mess hall..." A blink, then: "Na' really. I get the idea about Egypt, but I don' personally wanna go."

Stealth Nekojin chuckles, "I'm not planning to go myself. Just had the urge. Must be another junk jewelry quest going down." He yawns, "Mess hall 'tis."

Lucent pauses, sighing, and returns to his typing away at the screen. The movie is paused again--instead, a text file is up, the minimedic recording the vision as it appeared.

:gets a mildly irritated look. "Ah hope they finish with this pendant business soon. Ah'm tired of bein woke up by these visions."

Bowie gets a mildly irritated look. "Ah hope they finish with this pendant business soon. Ah'm tired of bein woke up by these visions."

Arafina rubs her eyes with thumb and forefinger as she walks to the gravlift. "Yeah."

Arafina enters the Grav Lift <Hunter HQ>.

Arafina has left.

Stealth Nekojin enters the Grav Lift <Hunter HQ>.

Stealth Nekojin has left.

Ether Skunk arrives from the Grav Lift <Hunter HQ>.

Ether Skunk has arrived.

Solar Draco arrives from the Grav Lift <Hunter HQ>.

Solar Draco has arrived.

Signas nods at Bowie. "Perhaps Daito squad would find good use for your piloting skills... I'll--oh..." At that moment the vision ricochets through his head, and somewhat dazedly, he trails off. He is silent for some time, not immediately responding to Arafina. "...another one." He exhales. "I must find who received it." Another pause. "I apologize for that interruption. I will see about placing you in the Daito support squadron."

Ether Skunk steps off the lift with Solar in tow, taking frequent glances back to make sure he's still with her.

Solar Draco is still with her, he's just really slow in stepping off the grav lift and into the command center, almost testing the floor before he steps off the lift.

Bowie is sitting in a chair next to Signas, receiving (at least as far as he knows) the usual introduction to the Hunters. He nods again to Signas. "Daito Support, huh?"

Lucent closes up his text file after a moment, returning to working on the movie. Footage flickers by--an active volcano, probably from Vesuvius--the minimedic pausing it here and there to tag the footage with ins and outs.

"Potentially," Signas replies. "Do you have any medical training?" His fingers fly across the keyboard, bringing up menus and extinguishing them in rapid sequence.

Ether Skunk finds a chair near the lift and plops her butt down in. The chair beside her pulls itself out, most likely via antigrav encouragement. "Sit here," she murmurs, nodding to the seat, watching Solar.

Bowie says "Ah've had the standard police First Aid course for humans."

Solar Draco eventually slips out of the lift and moves toward Ether, doing as directed.

Ether Skunk turns to watch Solar quietly, hands resting in her lap. "What happened?" she asks, quietly... her usual annoying exuberance gone, her expression calm and patient.

Solar Draco hardly seems comfortable in that chair, he'd so much rather be curled up at this moment. "....Er.. It's... a bit hard to explain... just total ... abandonment.. dark.. cold... no one around... ...I think we all got sent to hades for a few short moments.." he swallows a little.

Ether Skunk settles back quietly, swinging her legs where she sits. Ether Skunk, counselor. "Who sent you?" she asks, tail gently swishing.

Bowie casts a glance behind him as he hears more people enter and sit down somewhere behind him.

Solar Draco shakes his head, "No one sent us it... just happened..."

Signas tappity-tappity-taps--and then some more. Eventually, he scrolls through about half a dozen menus, adding or changing something in each, and reaches a tree-diagram for Daito squad. "I think I'll put you in Daito proper, in that case. The support is generally reserved for those with technical or medical skills." Clickclicktaptaptap. Clickclick. "Congratulations." He turns in his chair to Bowie and extends his hand. "You're now a member of Daito squad."

Ether Skunk folds her hands, swingin' her legs a bit more. "What happened afterwards? You got back to Tokyo somehow... and that's a long way to go."

Solar Draco shakes his head, "It's mostly a blur after I started running... if I was running... I mean there was ground but you couldn't see it.. Something hit me and sent me flying... but after that... I can't remember much until I got to Tokyo..."

[Radio: (B) None] Fugue transmits, "Guys? I'm going off duty for a little bit. If I don't check in or something in an hour... keep on waiting."

[Radio: (B) None] Zero transmits, "...hell, don't even bothering calling Rock and I. *hiccup*"

[Radio: (C) None] Signas clears his throat. "Is there any word on who succeeded in collecting the latest artifact?"

[Radio: (B) None] Arafina transmits, "I'm afraid t'ask what's goin' on."

[Radio: (C) None] Blade Raven transmits, "Ballade."

[Radio: (B) None] Fugue transmits, "...Zero, you're not drunk -already- are you?"

[Radio: (C) None] Blade Raven transmits, "And he killed some UN chick, or something."

[Radio: (C) None] Blade Raven transmits, "F*** these pendants. I'm sick of this sh*t."

[Radio: (C) None] Signas sighs.

[Radio: (B) None] Zero transmits, "We're working on it."

[Radio: (B) None] Rock belches. "Pardon."

Ether Skunk leans in, patting Solar on the shoulder. Assuming he'll let her. The skunk has rotten luck with getting her hands where she wants them. (And no, that isn't meant to be naughty, sickos.) "You know, I'm sure it was like those visions... all in your head. Well..." She pauses. "It might not have been. BUt it came, and it passed... it's over, now. You're back here."

[Radio: (B) None] Fugue transmits, "Don't corrupt poor Rock too much now."

[Radio: (B) None] Arafina transmits, "An' I'm missin' this? Hey, Zero, if'n Rock gets drunk, ship him over t'his room. There's a surprise for 'im."

Another few clicks, and Lucent saves up what he's doing, nabs the sleepy Powder, and darts out with a brief wave to Ether.

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "... surprise?"

[Radio: (B) None] Zero transmits, "Not tonight, Fina. Not tonight."

Lucent enters the Grav Lift <Hunter HQ>.

Lucent has left.

Solar Draco just nods a little, not minding the pat.. "It was just... ... I've never felt so utterly alone.. I couldn't even see my hands infront of my face.. or my gauntlets, and I know they were glowing at that point.... And the two screams I heard..." he shivers.

[Radio: (B) None] Stealth Nekojin transmits, "Incidentally, has he seen that new music video of his that popped up last night? Or is there another reason he's getting drunk?"

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "... music video?"

[Radio: (B) None] Chill Snowcat transmits, "Hey what's he doin! Tell him ta stop! He won't even let me see what he's doin! Its not fair!! I want a lawyer! He's makin too much noise too and I'm tied down and can't move and he's got a saw and its not fair!!!"

[Radio: (B) None] Stealth Nekojin chuckles, "Punch up entry number sixty-two, Rock. It went out to Hunter AND Repliforce, apparently. I never knew you liked rhinestones."

[Radio: (B) None] Arafina transmits, "Nice suit, yeah."

[Radio: (B) None] Dr. Edward Cain transmits, "I have to get that armor off to replace your spinal collumn and lumbar systems, Chill."

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "Rhinestones? What the... hang on."

[Radio: (B) None] Arafina transmits, "Y'get best effect if t'speakers are on loud."

Ether Skunk settles back, hand returning to her lap. "Well, ah..." she murmurs, thinking. Obviously, she's not as adept a counselor as she thought.

[Radio: (B) None] Rock is silent, but his radio's playing 'Stayin' Alive'.

Bowie nods and shakes Signas' hand. "Daito it is. Thank you, sir."

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "... I say this now in all honesty."

Solar Draco sighs a little bit, shivering a little at those memories again. "Either way Ether... thanks...... I... just... I just don't know what came over me... I mean... I thought I was in hades itself..."

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "I have never owned a rhinestone suit in my life."

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "Nor do I plan on ever *hic* owning one."

[Radio: (B) None] Zero chuckles insanely. "Wonder if any Mavericks come with rhinestones as their buster colors." Hee hee *hic* Hee.

Signas exits the menu currently on-screen. "The radio frequencies are 1089, 3798, 2517, and 6709. That's Chat, Main, Secure, and the joint frequency that we share with Repliforce. Take a look around Light Labs, get familiar with the surroundings. You'll be stationed in Fort Sam Houston in the Philippines, as soon as the hypervelocity tunnels are completed. Be sure to check the message-boards regularly. Ah, and be sure to speak to Michael Eildath. He's your commander, so you should get to know him." Any more sage advice from The Hat?

[Radio: (B) None] Rock transmits, "I'm not going to Buster someone with rhinestones. That's just shil--silly."

Ether Skunk stands up slowly, giving Solar another pat on the shoulder. She offers a quick smile. "I don't think there's much I can do right now," she says, in all honesty. "I think... I think for now, you should take a break. Go find something quiet to do that you enjoy, and just spend some 'me' time. If you want to talk or get somethin' off your chest, go ahead an' give me a ring, I'll be happy to help."

[Radio: (B) None] Arafina transmits, "Hey, for all you know, my systems make rhinestones."

Solar Draco just nods a little at that, but after what he just went through.. "After what I just went through, i'd much rather be in here then by myself.."

Seismic Earthworm has disconnected.

Bowie again nods as he lets the new knowledge sink in, and begins to reset his radio to the new frequencies. "All right. Whare can Ah find this Michael Eildath?"

Ether Skunk smiles a bit, swishing her tail slowly. "You're back home now," she murmurs. "You're with your friends... you'll be safe. Trust me, okay?" She pats yet again, before slipping past and heading towards the lift. "You know where to find me if you need to."

Solar Draco nods a little at Ether, "Thanks.." he replies before glancing around a bit. That done he starts trying to pull himself together, find out what else is going on in the world.

Signas stands, and salutes Bowie. "Michael can be found about the Labs--usually he is in here in the command center, though he does take his lunches in the mess hall. Ah! Also, if you'll check the rosters--I recommend you do this--you'll find a man named Wildrider who is in Daito Support. Have either he or Michael introduce you to our Armors."

Bowie stands up as well, his return salute a little rusty. "Ah will." He pauses. "One other question. Do ya know if thare's a stable nearby? Ah know Ah'm gonna be transfarred, but Ah need a place to baord mah horse in the meantime."

Signas blinks. "Stables? Ah--I'm actually unsure. We've no need for such things, you understand. But if you require them, I could point you toward a neighborhood directory that would certainly have in it the service you need."

Bowie nods. "Ah appreciate it." Another pause. "With yer permission, Ah'll go get familiar with the base..."

Signas bows slightly. "Of course. Have a pleasant night, Bowie."

Bowie says "G'night." and heads for the elevator.