(11:11:02 PM) Clarence|ST: After a job well done, the Starmetal Commander personally congratulates all of the quick-thinking Men & Women that quick-smartly fought off the terrorists, and helped capture a very good amount of them, and hold them in custody.
(11:13:32 PM) Clarence|ST: The men, women, & champions are dismissed after everyone is congratulated precisely for their efforts, so everyone gets to mingle before wasting the rest of their holiday.
(11:13:58 PM) ***Book relaxes again and goes to the drinks.
(11:14:30 PM) Book: "This requires celebration."
(11:15:48 PM) Clarence|ST: All the blood & gore in the building has been cleaned by Servitor Spirits. Everything's spick and spam again. Ruined, but spick and spam nontheless.
(11:15:59 PM) ***Book Any observer will note that Thredot does not seem especially 'celebratory', but rather off-put.
(11:16:45 PM) ***Obsidian is a little on edge, but nobody would notice. He's hunched at a bar just as still as ever. The poor seat creaks under his massive form.
(11:17:16 PM) ***Relentless Shakes the mortal look off and goes to grab a drink and find Thredot, her orientation isn't over with yet.
(11:17:18 PM) Clarence|ST: Any observer will note that no-one seems especially celebratory. After all, TERRORISTS. It's amazing no-one was injured.
(11:18:52 PM) ***Book washes down a drink as an exploratory measure to find out if he has any internal injuries. It's not likely, but internal injuries are a pain in the ass and rather safe than sorry.
(11:19:33 PM) ***Relentless finds(?!) Thredot!
(11:19:39 PM) Relentless: "What're you doing?"
(11:19:48 PM) Book: "M'thinkin'."
(11:20:02 PM) Book: "'Bout those people."
(11:20:22 PM) Book: "This place's supposed to be a good place."
(11:20:27 PM) ***Book downs another swill.
(11:20:46 PM) Book: "So why were they intent on going against the will of the Maker ?"
(11:21:51 PM) Book: "Doesn't make any sense. Not on its own; there has be some ulterior motivating force behind them."
(11:22:06 PM) ***Relentless sips her drink "Because the maker blessed us with free will?"
(11:22:23 PM) Relentless: "Not all mortals think the same way, s'how we get advancement.. some just.. think the wrong way, so to speak."
(11:23:03 PM) ***Obsidian grumbles and tilts a bottle of something strong down the inky depths of whatever lies behind his mask.
(11:23:15 PM) Book: "But why such aggression ?"
(11:23:31 PM) Book: "Come on. I'm getting to the bottom of this, and you're coming with me."
(11:23:53 PM) ***Book walks over to The Bar, where black robots are found.
(11:24:29 PM) Book: "Hello."
(11:24:51 PM) Book: "I'm Vigilant Observer of Necessity."
(11:25:18 PM) Book: "You're the Obsidian Professional, right ?"
(11:25:57 PM) ***Relentless follows, nodding to Obsidian "H-hello."
(11:28:41 PM) Clarence|ST: The Barman pre-emptively makes two more drinks for Obsidian's visitors
(11:30:26 PM) ***Book seemingly ignored by the Professional, Thredot leans against the bar and takes one of the drinks, which he gulps down in short order so that it may catch up to the other drinks and inquire as to what's going on about those internal injuries.
(11:31:18 PM) Book: "I've heard about you. About what you do. It's too much to be a coincidence."
(11:31:22 PM) Obsidian: "I am." He pours another bottle down his mask.
(11:33:20 PM) Book: "Those people we caught today ... they weren't just an odd bunch who felt they had gotten served short in their rationings. They were here for something more."
(11:33:40 PM) ***Relentless Sips her drink slowly ... unsure what to think about the masked Champion
(11:34:27 PM) Book: "I want to know what that something is, and why they were willing to put lives, their own and others, on the line for it."
(11:35:00 PM) Book: "And I'm guessing that you're going to be in the thick of it - whatever it is.
(11:35:09 PM) Obsidian: "Investigations are still underway."
(11:35:29 PM) Obsidian: "I do not question discordant logic. I only correct it."
(11:36:20 PM) Book: "Yeah. Well, the next time you head into the Reaches or wherever it is you do your black-addered job, let me know."
(11:37:08 PM) ***Relentless siiip
(11:38:22 PM) Book: "..."
(11:38:40 PM) ***Book iiisss becoming a bit unnerved at the Professional's attitude.
(11:38:44 PM) ***Obsidian 's head turns very slightly toward Thredot, you can almost hear the metal plates grinding together. "For what purpose?"
(11:39:39 PM) Book: "Discordant logic correction exercises."
(11:39:45 PM) ***Book glances around.
(11:40:00 PM) ***Book nods back at the young Alchemical. "She needs the practice."
(11:40:00 PM) ***Obsidian 's head turns back to stare into space "You intend to work with me."
(11:40:29 PM) ***Book smiles a bit. "Yeah. You make it sound like heresy."
(11:40:59 PM) Obsidian: "I apologize." You can't really tell if it's sincere or sarcastic.
(11:41:25 PM) Obsidian: "Nurad is... Different, than other nations."
(11:42:05 PM) Obsidian: "Here things are... Quiet. This job becomes... Routine. As does everything. As it should."
(11:42:45 PM) Obsidian: "I was built to make sure things run in their routine. When I am somewhere already running routine, I am not operating at full efficiency."
(11:42:58 PM) Obsidian: "I do not enjoy running at suboptimum efficiency."
(11:43:16 PM) ***Obsidian downs a third full bottle
(11:44:04 PM) Book: "I understand."
(11:44:23 PM) ***Relentless siiiip
(11:44:50 PM) Book: "I also understand that Nurad is under siege by the anomalic void."
(11:45:15 PM) Obsidian: "Constantly. My people need me."
(11:45:41 PM) Obsidian: "I would wring the neck of whatever councilman thought this exchange program was a good idea. Alas. All cogs of the machine are necessary."
(11:46:41 PM) ***Book turns his head to Relentless, briefly. "Nurad is neck-deep in the void, with gremlins crawling in all over the place. Nuradions tend to be pretty grim as a result ... not that you see them that often; as Professional says, their state needs them."
(11:46:56 PM) Obsidian: "Over here it's all... Craftsmen. Socialites. Minglers."
(11:47:05 PM) Book: "And free drinks."
(11:47:15 PM) ***Book waves over another such.
(11:47:35 PM) Obsidian: "So many chosen. So many unable to lift a finger. Pathetic."
(11:47:45 PM) Clarence|ST: Another such rounds are delivered; cogs ornate the bottom of the glasses, in colours appropriate to their respective castes.
(11:48:31 PM) ***Book would appreciate the detail more if he wasn't so worried about the continued failure of his internal injury-investigation teams; this is the fifth such team he's sending down the hatch, and he hasn't heard a single thing from them.
(11:48:35 PM) ***Book burps.
(11:48:38 PM) ***Obsidian turns his head once more to the two "I am... Glad. That there were some able to act." His faceplate twists slightly and audibly, the metal seeming pained as its expression changes to a very slight, very eerie grin.
(11:49:33 PM) Book: "We operate alike, Obsidian. My hands tremble with unspent energy."
(11:49:56 PM) ***Relentless siiip
(11:51:17 PM) Obsidian: "A whisper built for field work... You are... An assassin, then?"
(11:52:43 PM) ***Book bows his head. "Almost. I serve in a cloaked manner. I make sure that plans work out as they should."
(11:53:03 PM) Book: "Truthfully, assassination has been my assignment before."
(11:53:34 PM) Obsidian: "I see."
(11:53:42 PM) Obsidian: "And the fledgling?"
(11:53:59 PM) Book: "I was asked to instruct her - but I believe she is able to speak for herself."
(11:54:46 PM) ***Relentless looks "erm.. I'm.. not much of an assassin.. but.. I am a doctor.. if that's useful?"
(11:55:36 PM) ***Relentless shrugs "However, I do need field experience, so.. if I can be of use..."
(11:56:02 PM) Obsidian: "I am not ignorant to the importance of a medic."
(11:56:47 PM) Clarence|ST: A new band assembles itself on the stage, and produces a far mellower, relaxing sound. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=HMnrl0tmd3k )
(11:58:39 PM) Book: "Do you know why you were chosen, Relentless ?"
(11:58:55 PM) ***Book thinks of asking her the basic stuff, all of a sudden.
(11:58:59 PM) ***Book must be the drinks.
(11:59:43 PM) ***Relentless shrugs "I assume, given my name, and the memories embedded in my charms.. My previous selves were innovators, scientists and doctors that made advancements... But i've never really thought on it."
(4/4/2010 12:01:16 AM) Book: "Ah. You'll have time for that, yet. Autocthonia's a big place. Getting around takes time."
(12:01:34 AM) ***Book tips his glass to Professional, before he notices that it's empty again.
(12:02:10 AM) Clarence|ST: Thredot's glass is assailed by yet another round.
(12:03:24 AM) Book: "I have three previous incarnations who were all obsessive numerologists. Two of them worked for the Statistics Department; the third was just really good at math."
(12:05:56 AM) Book: "What I'm trying to say is, your past incarnations are just that: past. You're not defined by it."
(12:06:04 AM) ***Book turns to Professional.
(12:06:07 AM) Book: "What about you ?"
(12:07:38 AM) Obsidian: "Trenchfighters. Repairmen. Investigators. Soldiers. A commander or two."
(12:08:52 AM) Book: "Lots of grime and dirty work."
(12:09:12 AM) Obsidian: "A very vivid memory of a single young man. No more than 18. Facing down an advancing gremlin horde with only a repeating mounted crossbow. No fear. Only duty."
(12:10:47 AM) Book: I don't take it you lived through that particular incident ?"
(12:11:03 AM) Obsidian: "No. But it is one of my proudest."
(12:11:21 AM) Obsidian: "That child's district still stands this day."
(12:13:44 AM) Book: "Hmm ... I got one; I worked at a chemical plant, long time ago. Some burrowing mechanical thing comes crawling up and out of the gridwork below, starts murdering it
(12:14:39 AM) Book: it's way through the plant. I remember strapping together a makeshift bomb and going at it; I remember using too much explosives."
(12:14:57 AM) Book: "Half the plant had to be rebuilt, but it worked."
(12:15:05 AM) ***Relentless sips slowly .. she glad she's never had any horrific deaths to speak of
(12:17:48 AM) Book: "Honestly, I think I'll take 'blown up' over 'torn apart by gremlins'. Take my word for it: it's quick and mostly painless."
(12:18:12 AM) Book: "The trick is to use as much explosive as you can get your hands on ... don't wanna risk surviving."
(12:18:30 AM) ***Book laughs and drinks.
(12:22:37 AM) Book: "Y'know, you don't seem all that bad, Obsidian."
(12:23:07 AM) ***Obsidian downs a fourth bottle.
(12:23:12 AM) Book: "I came over here expecting to have to wade through mounds of nationalistic garbage and formality, and ..."
(12:23:21 AM) Book: "Well, you just drank another bottle."
(12:23:59 AM) Obsidian: "I know only wear home is. And what needs fixing. That is all I need to know. That is all I care to know."
(12:25:25 AM) Book: "Okay, good word again."
(12:26:27 AM) Book: "Well. You think about what I said, all right ?"
(12:26:37 AM) Obsidian: "Very well."
(12:26:59 AM) Obsidian: "Perhaps while I am in town."
(12:27:11 AM) Book: "Preferably before you leave it."
(12:27:38 AM) Book: "See you around."
(12:28:38 AM) ***Book turns to the smaller Starmetal. "Today's lesson is over; I expect an essay three days from now on hostile take-downs, hostage situations and the possible uses of alcohol in reducing Clarity."
(12:28:53 AM) Book: "Three pages."
(12:31:46 AM) ***Relentless nods "Okay."
(12:34:47 AM) Book: "Good. See you tomorrow."
(12:34:59 AM) ***Book takes a drink for the walk home.
(12:35:02 AM) ***Book walks home.
(12:35:13 AM) ***Book goes to sleep.
(12:39:02 AM) ***Relentless finishes her drink and heads home herself, well, to her newly fabricated apartment, the location of which she has been told but not actually been to yet!
(12:41:16 AM) ***Obsidian downs a fifth bottle and heads back to HQ; he prefers not to rest unless he's recovering from something.
(12:41:28 AM) Clarence|ST: Thredot and Relentless make their way back to their respective apartments. Relentless finds her apartment to fit precisely what she needs, and then some, to cater to her innovative, creative needs.
(12:42:21 AM) Clarence|ST: Obsidian makes his way to HQ. HQ being a solemn site; As he walks through the front doors, he sees a conga line of captured terrorists, awaiting processing, incarceration, and then interrogation.
(12:43:24 AM) ***Obsidian sees about getting a patrol assignment or something, he'll read the interrogation reports tomorrow and hopefully have a gremlin cell to fix.
(12:45:20 AM) Clarence|ST: Right at the assignemnt desk, Obsidian is told that the Commander wishes to see him.
(12:48:49 AM) ***Obsidian heads off to see the commander then
(12:51:03 AM) Clarence|ST: The Commander greets Obsidian in the hallway, and walks with him to his office. "Greetings, Professional. Did you enjoy mingling with the Whispers?"
(12:51:55 AM) ***Obsidian keeps his eyes ahead "More than any alternative options, I suppose."
(12:54:59 AM) Clarence|ST: The Commander himself is made of Starmetal, however carries himself much in the fashion of an Orichalcum.
(12:56:24 AM) Clarence|ST: He opens the door to his office, and makes his way inside, beckoning Obsidian. The room is clean, organised, yet intricate in design & purpose. The nameplaque on the desk The Commander sits at says "Five-Point Stratego"
(12:57:28 AM) Clarence|ST: A few things catch the eye; A map of Claslat & nearby reaches behind The Commander's chair, the Commander's hat on the desk, and a series of pens lined up along the side of a stack of papers.
(12:58:35 AM) ***Obsidian steps inside without a word.
(12:58:48 AM) Clarence|ST: "The fact that terrorists could make their way in so deep without being noticed is a cause for concern, as you may understand."
(12:59:53 AM) Clarence|ST: "We've even found an aerial vehicle ontop of the building, sabotaged I assume by one of the attending Craftsmen."
(1:00:27 AM) ***Obsidian nods
(1:00:58 AM) Clarence|ST: "They are well equipped, and apparently well-trained. Either we were amazingly skilled, amazingly lucky... or something doesn't fit."
(1:02:17 AM) Clarence|ST: "They were well trained, yet threw themselves at such an easily defendable building, so close to defensive forces."
(1:02:41 AM) Clarence|ST: "It doesn't take a Champion to figure what happened; this was a diversion."
(1:03:01 AM) Obsidian: "I see."
(1:04:17 AM) Clarence|ST: "Diversions only work if something is done in tandem. Since no attacks were carried out at the same time, this means the real action was subtle."
(1:05:37 AM) Obsidian: "Theft or sabotage, then?"
(1:05:37 AM) Clarence|ST: "I fear there may be explosives planted somewhere else within this city, namely buildings of much importance."
(1:06:17 AM) Clarence|ST: "If they are as well-trained as I imagine, then likely both."
(1:06:44 AM) Clarence|ST: "However, theft would draw attention. As would immediate sabotage."
(1:06:57 AM) Obsidian: "Have interrogations uncovered anything regarding such a plot yet?"
(1:07:03 AM) Clarence|ST: "Not yet."
(1:07:44 AM) Clarence|ST: "Or, rather, not to my knowledge."
(1:08:30 AM) Clarence|ST: "After all, processing only began a couple hours ago."
(1:08:46 AM) ***Obsidian clenches one of his massive fists "Requesting permission to perform accelerated interrogation."
(1:09:01 AM) Clarence|ST: "Permission granted."
(1:09:45 AM) Obsidian: "Excuse me for a moment."
(1:10:20 AM) ***Obsidian lifts himself from his seat and turns towards the door, making sure his thumping footsteps are audible as he makes his way to the processing sector.
(1:16:37 AM) Clarence|ST: The Commander sits back in his seat, and calmly pores over his papers.
(1:18:44 AM) Clarence|ST: In no long time, Obsidian finds himself in the starkly lit processing sector, the aesthetics designed to help the detainees see the error of their heresies quicker.
(1:19:57 AM) Clarence|ST: Obsidian finds himself standing on the other end of one-way glass, seeing an interrogation currently in progress. The other detainees are in cells further down the hall.
(1:20:28 AM) Obsidian: Am I with anyone?
(1:23:18 AM) Clarence|ST: Obsidian is standing beside an armed guard, and a couple of investigators, cigarettes in mouth and pens in hand.
(1:23:56 AM) Obsidian: "May I?"
(1:26:31 AM) Clarence|ST: The nearest investigator, the shadow of his hat covering most of his face, turns his head to the Professional, Nods, and then buzzes the current investigator out.
(1:26:47 AM) Clarence|ST: *Interrogator out.
(1:27:10 AM) Clarence|ST: The interrogator pushes open the door, jacket over shoulder, and pats Obsidian on the shoulder.
(1:27:41 AM) Clarence|ST: He makes way back to his cubicle.
(1:29:32 AM) ***Obsidian storms into the room at a brisk pace and grabs the man by the throat, knocking the table over and the man in the process, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the opposite wall hard enough to leave a large crack in it. He holds him there "Your head contains information I need. You can give it willingly, or I can break it open."
(1:43:21 AM) Clarence|ST: The man, brown eyes under black hair, struggles to breath, again, under Obsidian's grasp. One thing that he can't seem to understand is that people need throats to broath.
(1:44:04 AM) Clarence|ST: He seems very willing to not be choked, and thus will likely give Obsidian what he needs.
(1:44:18 AM) ***Obsidian sets the man down. "Your answer."
(1:45:35 AM) Clarence|ST: He presses himself up against the wall, like a cornered rat. "What do you want from me!?"
(1:48:49 AM) Obsidian: "Your superiors. Their origins."
(1:48:59 AM) Obsidian: "Their plans and other actions tonight."
(1:52:06 AM) Clarence|ST: "I.. U-Um, uh, my Superiors, I take orders from the Luitenant, Luitenant Grey. We uh, we were supposed to stage a hostage situation for a diversion."
(1:52:48 AM) ***Obsidian clenches his fist, making sure it creaks audibly "For?"
(1:54:13 AM) Clarence|ST: He glances at the fist, then back to Obsidian. "For covert infiltration and sabotage of a number of key facilities in this city."
(1:55:34 AM) ***Obsidian grabs the man's head and throws him back into his seat, giving him a pen and a notepad "List them."
(1:56:28 AM) Clarence|ST: "Namely, uh, the military factory-cathedrals, media centres, and... and bureaucratic places." He writes those three down. "I don't know the specifics."
(1:59:36 AM) Obsidian: "Who does?"
(2:04:10 AM) Clarence|ST: "The luitenant should."
(2:08:23 AM) Clarence|ST: *Lieutenant
(2:09:09 AM) Obsidian: "And he is where?"
(2:09:42 AM) Clarence|ST: "I don't fucking... Maybe back in those fucking rat cages you call cells?"
(2:10:34 AM) Obsidian: "Then he was part of the insurgency."
(2:19:34 AM) ***Obsidian turns and leaves "The lieutennant. Show me to his cell."
(2:20:16 AM) Clarence|ST: The door closes behind Obsidian, and he's lead to the cells by another one of the investigators, large of trenchcoat.
(2:22:09 AM) Clarence|ST: The luitenant can be seen sitting down in the middle of the cell; a number of his men scattered among the cell around him.
(2:22:51 AM) Clarence|ST: The Luitenant has the looks of a coyote, and a number of wrinkles.
(2:24:24 AM) ***Obsidian throws the door open and storms into the cell much like the last one, throwing his kneecap into the luitenant's face before anyone has a chance to react, then placing his foot over the side of his face and pressing down just enough to pin him and cause pain "You are an insect. You will give me a reason not to squash you."
(2:26:44 AM) Clarence|ST: The men around the Lieutenant stand, alert, and watching Obsidian. A few are scared, a few hesitant, most of them angry.
(2:28:30 AM) Clarence|ST: A small grunt emits from the Lieutenant, but nothing else.
(2:31:51 AM) ***Obsidian twists his foot slightly and reaches down to grip the man's hand, holding it firm and placing his thumb against the pinky "I'm going to count to ten."
(2:32:44 AM) ***Obsidian presses his thumb forward, bending the pinky back and closing it in the exact opposite direction it shouldn't close "One."
(2:33:11 AM) Clarence|ST: An extended grunt of pain escapes the Lieutenant.
(2:33:51 AM) ***Obsidian moves to his ring finger and does the same "Two."
(2:35:18 AM) Clarence|ST: The Five other men in the cell all pile to one side of the room, then move to force the Alchemical off of their Lieutenant
(2:42:32 AM) ***Obsidian doesn't move, flinch, or tilt his head. A generator in his back roars to life with an ungodly scream and black lightning arcs across his form, throwing a screaming wind through the cell and making hairs stand on end, and doing a hell of a lot more to whatever's touching him. He merely continues his routine with a sickening crack above the screaming. "Three."
(2:51:32 AM) Clarence|ST: The Luitenant, and his five men all singe, and the crackling lightning singes their flesh, and flays their cloth. The Obsidian Professional is caught off-balance, and pushed off of the Luitenant, and into the bars of the cell.
(2:52:13 AM) Clarence|ST: One of the men tell Obsidian to "Get the hell away from us."
(2:52:19 AM) ***Obsidian is unamused. "You are in obstruction of justice. You will be removed if necessary."
(2:52:59 AM) ***Obsidian firmly backhands the first one to speak "Cooperation is mandatory."
(2:58:13 AM) Clarence|ST: The one who spoke's face caves in, as Obsidian's soulsteel fist crashes through his fragile bone
(2:58:23 AM) Clarence|ST: The other four make a fucking break for it; The Obsidian Professional left the door wide open, and they're taking that chance to escape.