Guild War Episode 1 Scene 1

Past Time's Coffee Shop
The smell of fresh coffee is the first thing that assails you. The next is the very old style. It seems the owner has gone for the Edwardian style from early last century. Lots of imitation wood panelling and prints of old English countryside. There are many partitions between the tables, affording some privacy and the sound seems hushed in the room, this has been achieved mainly through very good design, which muffles sounds. At the counter service is quite quick and cheery, conveying a welcoming and friendly attitude. The menu boasts the fact that for a little extra real coffee is served along with light hot and cold meals and snacks. All in all a pleasant place to pass a bit of time.

The Warning
Jade sits in the coffee shop in front of a mug of hot chocolate, well wrapped up in knitted sweaters and the like. She's tinkering with her 'omniscanner', set on the table next to the mug.

The door of the coffee shop opens and Malcolm Dace walks in. He grins sardonically as he tells Jade, "The resonator cavity is out of phase."

Jade doesn't acknowledge if he's right, wrong or just joking. SHe just says coldly, "Malcolm."

It'd been a hard shock, seeing that big D carved into the Burg. Riot had been pissed. Had it not been for quite a few years of anger management, he might've snapped. As it is, one can hear Riot coming from a ways off ... Boom. BOOM.

Malcolm moves over and sits at the table without asking. "Yes. Not the Malcolm you know, and seemingly dislikes as much as the one I know dislikes me. When are you going to get over that old grudge? I'm smarter than you and there's an end to it."

Jade snorts. "Hardly-that even-when-you're-borrowing-time-on-my-brain." She looks Malcolm over for confirmation of the claim he's a different Malcolm.

Riot lands for a final time outside the coffee shop, and takes a deep breath. Despite what his personality is, Riot has become incredibly self controlled since he was a kid. He then opens the door with a gentle nudge of a finger: Crash. "Eh-yo!"

Malcolm laughs, "Well someone mught as well use your brain. It's not like you overtax it. Or you'd be ahead of where you are now. But enough of the social chit-chat. You're right. That research you're doing about the Guild. They're starting to get concerned by TransMat's activities. So they're going to strike at the gate. Within the next few hours is the best probablility we can calculate."

There are many slight differences, notoes Jade, that would suggest either Malcolm is intentionally trying to deceive and doing a terrific job, or he really is an alternative.

Attracted by the 'boom boom boom' of Riot's progress through the city, Imaginary Girl descends from having been flying about on patrol. Coming down to hover behind him, she crosses her arms and peers about... and actually looks a little relieved at the lack of a landing-crater. Then he 'crashes' the door open, making her wince.

Jade looks suddenly interested. "Plausible what's-your-evidence? and-for-that-matter-where=are-you-from-and-what's-your-interest?"

Jade pulls out her PDA to alert Transmat as she talks.

Malcolm leans forward, his manner changing to a more serious and sober mood, "We're ahead of you. That's how I know about the resonator cavity. Our Jade was stuck on that for a while and only figured it out a couple of days ago. I don't have any evidence other than what happened to us. So we're warning all the close timelines. The evidence will be whether an attack takes place. If it doesn't what have you lost by taking precautions?"

Riot seems slightly despondent by the lack of reaction. True, he WAS trying to be careful with the door while pissed, but the dramatic entrance is wasted. And the Iggy pops up. "IG! What th' hell? WHY nobody tell me de Burg got hit!?"

Jade nods. "Fair-enough." Jade calls Transmat promptly to give the news. "Hi-this-is-Jade talking-to-someone-from-another-Earth he-says-the-riftgate-is-likely-to-be-attacked-in-the-next-few-hours-if-our-history-follows-theirs."

Hovering near the door of the coffeeshop (she's actually outside), and facing Riot (who just 'threw open' the door of the place), Imaginary Girl unfolds her arms from in front of her chest and puts her hands on her hips. "Well, it was, like, in all the news and stuff. Where've you /been/ that you didn't know that?", she asks of him, not sounding upset or teasing... more curious, really.

Bard walks to the front of the Store behind Imaginary Girl, he sees IG standing there. He smiles and says "Hey Asima." He looks at the door, noting the meta he has yet to meet.

Jade looks up at the heroes who have come in. "Hey-everyone I've-just-been-warned-someone's-likely=to-attack-Transmat-Research-in-the-next-few-hours I-don't-suppose-you=could-lend-a-hand-guarding-it?

Malcolm pulls a small device out of his jacket pocket and slides it across the table towards Jade. "Phase cloaking neutralizer. Good for about six to eight seconds. What hit us was a hi-tech equippped human with a phase cloak and pinch-nuke. Meta-tech. Nothing from the Guild or off-world. Be careful. He tried to detonate the pinch-nuke when he realized he wasn't getting to the gate room."

"Tried out for college. Sucks." Comes the distracted comment from Riot, before he turns the warmask to Bard. "Huh. Sup, homes?" And then to Jade and Mal inside "Ah hell yeah. Baddies? Zactly the relaxin' I need! Where dey at?"

Bard hears from inside Jade's fast paced speach. He takes a moment to decipher it but then replies. "What? an attack on the Transmat?" He thinks of his promise to the alien Flyne. "I'll help the best I can."

Bard turns to Riot. "Greetings." Bard replies

Jade says, "Hm any-idea-who-made-the-tech? Riot-they'll-be-attacking-the-transmat-research-building."

Imaginary Girl looks around, suddenly beaming a smile. "Hi, Marcus!", she says, happily. Then, grabbing for Bard's hand, she follows Riot inside. "This is Riot... he's been gone a while, trying to go to college, like he just said", she says to Bard, then turns to Riot to ask, "You didn't do good at school?", sounding sympathetic about it. Then she 'processes' what all's being talked about. "The Transmat?! When?!", she asks.

Bard is dragged in by Imaginary girl, not that he minds.

Jade says, "In-the-next-few-hours-apparently."

Malcolm continues, "While I'm at it, can I off-load some timelines on you? Duplicate the neutralizer. You should be able to do it. Then take them and a warning out to some of the timelines that are behind you."

Jade says, "Seems-fair."

"What're we waiting for?", Imaginary Girl says. "We gotta go there and make sure it doesn't get messed up!", she insists to Jade, letting go of Bard's hand to flit over and reach out to pull Jade up out of her seat by one arm. "C'mon!"

Malcolm scowls, "Oh, the Guild made the hi-tech gear he was carrying. We're pretty sure of that. But they used Earth materials and super-tech that gadgeteers had been known to create. Deniability."

Jade nods. "That-fits-with-the-general-modus-operandi."

Jade says, "Imaginary-Girl-is-right-we-should-get-there-as-soon-as-possible are-you-coming-Malcolm-and-if-not-is-there-anything-else-we-should-know?"

"Damn, Iggy. Yo think I'm stupid? Hell, I be RIPPIN' dem studies. Super brain, me." Brags Riot, before staring at Bard. "Whu?" And now to Mal and Jade: "Bounce the baddie, an' get our time funk on. Coo'"

Bard grins at Riot. "Well then, let us begin our trek to the location in question. I'm thinking an ambush is in order."

Malcolm stands, "One more down, another few thosuand to go. Listen, Jade. We probably don't like each other much. You're the same wet behind the ears snotty brat I know from what I've seen. But you and I are Earth's best chance of beating them. Watch yourself. Don't take any silly chances trying to prove yourself."

Imaginary Girl nods her head a few times... then looks over at Bard when he makes it sound like he's going, too. The look on her face says it all - she didnt' realize he was a superhero too, or she'd just plain forgotten. It turns into a smile, then, one of those hard 'butt kicking is soon to happen' kinda smiles. "Let's go!", she says, flitting towards the door.

Bard follows after her. HE is a lot faster than he would appear. He stops at the door and looks at the others. "Shall we?"

Jade smiles. "What's-to-prove? Come-on-let's-go-stop-the-attack."

Jade heads for the door, taking her scanner with her and wrapping her scarf about her neck.

Riot damns. "Iggy and pale boy? Ah, hell.."

Riot then follows!

"What?", asks Imaginary Girl of Riot. "Oh! That! Yeah... he asked!", she says, as if that explains it all, smiling brightly as she explains it. "C'mon!", she adds, ushering folks outside...

Malcom, "Good luck. I'll be moving on. Got a lot more timelines to cover." He nods around at the heroes gathered by the doorway and slides past them heading out to the street.

TransMat Research Institute - Reception Area
The reception area has muted black tiled floor, with the walls and roof painted off-white. The secretarial desk enclosure is barely twenty feet from the double set of glass doors leading in from the street. To its left is a large double-hinged door labeled Commander RG-1 and, ominously, underneath that Security. A seating area full of soft couches is to the right. Down the hallway that leads deeper into the building is are the offices of the Research Director and Executive Director. The direct elevator to the landing field on the sixth floor half roof is at the end of this hallway.

Planning
Jade says, "Ok, the attacker has high tech, and will be phase-cloaked. And worse, will be carrying a pinch-nuke in case things go wrong. So we need to make sure he doesn't use that."

Riot nods. "...what de hell's a phase cloak?"

Jade says, "He-wants-to-destroy-the-Riftgate - he'll-be-working-for-an-alien-power. Though-he-may-or-may-not-know-that."

Bard nods. He begins to think. "So... We can't expect him to use a door, and we can assume he'll try to kill us when things go sour." Bard thinks. "I don't think greeting him with a large force of Meta's a good Idea. I think some of us should hide and try to restrain him when he tries to make a move."

Jade says, "It-could-be-invisiblity-or-it-may-allow-him-to-pass-through-things-or-both. THis-device-should-neutralise-that-but-only-for-six-seconds."

Bard looks at Imaginary girl and Riot. "Can we count on you fo those six seconds to get a good hold on him?"

Jade says, "More-metas-would-be-good. The-main-thing-now-is-to-be-very-vigilant - we-might-be-looking-for-someone-invisible."

Jade arrange for Transmat security to keep a careful lookout, including for invisible people, both round the perimeter of the building and by the doors to the secure area.

Bard sighs. "We'd best be silent then... we'll have to hear or smell him if the need arises.

There's a TransMat security guard with you. "Jade, you caught us a little unprepared. Janet is off in Washington with Jon. We can be thankful Jon Masters isn't here at least. The walls of the security area are Questonite. That's supposed to be proof against phasing tenchnology isn't it?"

Jade says, "Yes-or-I'd-be-guarding-inside-as-well. But-we-need-a-guard-inside-in-case-he-can-teleport-that-far."

Bard hmms. "What powers do whe know this guy has?"

Jade thinks. o O (And there are ways through Questonite if you know them. I really hope no one's found out that Spitball can dissolve the stuff....)

Riot shrugs. "Fancy toys? Being real squishy?"

Jade says, "High-tech-gear that's-all-we-know-otherwise."

Bard nods. He now knows he'll be trying to sunder the tech off the guy first chance he gets.

Jade says, "Getting-the-nuke-off-him-is-top-priority-then-the-phase-cloak."

Riot cracks his knuckles; it sounds like a tree being forcibly split apart. "Pfff. Easy. I'll just toss both of 'em up."

After a brief delay, Regan moves into the recpetion area of the Transmat research facility. And this time it is in fact Regan though she wears the same armour as Sable. "Hello everyone, sorry I'm late." She speaks in her alter-egos more orthodox English accent.

Jade arranges for the watch to be discrete as well - it helps if he's not aware of heightened security.

"Just help me get the nuke off him and I'll get it outta here where it can blow up safe, if it goes off", Imaginary Girl says.

Jade says, "Regan just-who-we-need this-is-more-your-line-of-expertise-I-believe."

Bard bows to Regan as she enters.

Riot glances aside, and grins. "Yo, baby. Wassup?"

Jade quickly explains the situation to Regan.

The TransMat security guard asks Jade, "Do you want my people on hand or should we pull back to the Gateroom and leave you with a clear field?"

Sable's brows lift slightly. "Oh? Can you quickly bring me up to speed on the sitch?" She smiles and nods to Bard and then blinks to Riot. "Oh, the big guy... we need to catch up once we're done."

Riot actually tosses off a salute at Regan; Albeit, sloppy and parodic. The one woman he really respects. "Sho'nuff."

"We got a guy in bounds heading to destroy the gate. He's got a phase cloak, advanced tech and a pinch nuke. Any ideas?" says Bard.

Sable nods as she is brought up to speed. "Ok, like most bombs if you smash a nuke you render it harmless. That should be Riot's job." She looks to Riot. "Try and hit it away from us."

Sable nods. "Bard, with your music can you slow the target down?"

Bard shakes his head. "I can keep us from being KO'd, some illusions, a few energy attacks but thats's all."

Riot nods, shrugging. "Hell, yeah. I can punch the -sheeeeet- outta dat bomb."

Bard adds "Also if you're feeling you're running out of steam I can fix that."

Sable points to IG. "You and I...are going to grab the perp. Jade takes care of the gadgets, Bard is going to cover our presence and distract the target. Everyone clear?"

Riot raises his hand.

Sable nods to Riot.

Riot says, "And I punch de nuke?"

Bard perks a brow. "How am I supposed to cover you're presence?"

Sable nods firmly. "Yeah..."

Sable says, "So your illusions can't do that?"

Bard shakes his head. "Sights and sounds only... My powers aren't as advanced as most my species."

Riot grins. "Hell yeah. I knew you sweet on me, givin' me the badass assignment."

Sable says, "I would have though an illusion of us not being here would be helpful. Would that be visual?"

Imaginary Girl nods to Sable. "I can get the nuke clear and out to where it won't hurt anyone when it blows, if we need to do that", she adds.

Bard thinks. "If we hold close enough together we might beable to throw up a fake wall or something."

Sable says, "So let's try that. Does that make sense to everyone?"

"Uhm... can we just move the thingie and let him make a picture of still being here?", Imaginary Girl says, pointing at the riftgate - the 'thingie' to which she refers.

Riot sounds delighted. "How close we gotta be, sug?"

Jade nods. "The-main-thing-is-going-to-be-spotting-him-in-the-first-place?"

Bard nods. "Spotting this slippery eel may prove to be the challenge..."

Bard adds. "Regan, there is a catch to my powers... they aren't very discrete... I must be playing for them to work."

Riot points "So put on some rags an a beggin' cup, foo'"

Jade says, "You-are-strret-musician-aren't-you? COuldn't-you-play-on-the=street-there?"

Bard nods to teh question. "Yes I could play from outside, as long as I keep a clear idea of where I need to keep this illusion.

Sable says, "Well, is this an image or are you affecting the target's mind."

Bard says, "An image"

Bard goes to set himself out where he can see where Regan wants the illusion, once he's given the word he will start playing.

The Attack
Time passes while the heroes wait. This is TransMat Research's main entrance, so there's a steady stream of visitors going in and out. Then Jackson, one of the technical staff, comes in carrying his toolbox.

Jade watches everyone and every carefully.

Bard keeps playing slow melodies, some old stuff and waiting for anything suspicious.

Jade whispers, "It's the technical staffer there!"

Jackson heads to the reception desk to sign in, showing no sign of having noticed the heroes hidden by Bard's image.

Riot has been rather well behaved behind the wall; Only a few attempts to look down shirts. Then nudges his fellow hidden heroes carefully and nodding at Jack.

Jade activates the device and runs to kick the weapon from his hand!

Sable leaps out of concealment, her feet whirling in a flurry as she closes the distance on the target, her hands lifting to wrap around Jackson's wrist and twist it behind his back.

The illusion of the technician Jackson snaps off as Jade activates the cloaking neutralizer. Instead everyone can now see a figure in battle armor, with a web of optical emitters draped over the armor and a belt sparking and buzzing from overload. He is carrying a toolbox and has a large energy weapon in his other hand.

Jade finds that aiming and firing the neutaliser slows her down and so the diarming attempt will have to wait. She looks over at the opponent's equipment as he appears, though, trying to determine what is what.

Sable leaps out of concealment, her feet whirling in a flurry as she closes the distance on the target, her hands lifting to wrap around Jackson's wrist and twist it behind his back.

The attacker's strength is boosted by the powerarmor and Sable finds her grip broken as the attacker wrenches his wrist free of her grip.

Jade says, "Powered-battlesuit some-kind-of-energy-weapon gas-grenades wrist-slashers electric arc-thrower and GET-THAT-TOOLBOX-OFF-HIM!"

Gathering herself, Imaginary Girl follows Sable out, darting after the other heroine to grab the toolbox, wrenching at it hard as she can... and pulls it free of the villain's grasp, sorta - the /handle/ of the toolbox is left in the bad guy's hand, while the box itself briefly is in IG's hands.

The toolbox simply cannot take the opposing tugs as Imaginary Girl grabs it and the attackers tries to pull it free. The toolbox plastic shatters and a ovoid about the size of a football drops out.

As the toolbox falls apart and something falls towards the floor, Imaginary Girl instinctively snatches at it... and ends up with a nuclear weapon in her hands. "Oh... so this is what they look like!", she quips.

Bard busts into the room at the sound of the tool box being torn apart. He notices IG holding the nuclear devise and thinks to himself (Good going girl!) but he doesn't have time to waste, he strums a power chord, a bolt of red energy flies from the frets and at the suit of armor, trying to smash it.

The belt blows out in a bright flare of electrical sparks as Bard's sonic blast hits it.

Riot pops out shortly after the quicker folks, laughing like a madman as he lands by the fellow for a big ol' bear hug! "Ah SHIT! We broke ya'll shit, bitch. NOW We gonna break yoself!"

Bard thinks. o O (I hope he doesn't mean kill the poor bastard.)

Jade doubts she can do much to a guy in that much armoour, so she tries to kick his gun from his hand.

The powered battlesuit hand retains hold of the energy weapon despite Jade's powerful kick.

Jade sighs. "I-doubt-I-can-scratch-this-guy."

Sable's lips compress as she clasps her gloved hands together and in one swift moment swings them in a sharp downward blow to the armoured figure's weapon, lending her entire weight to the impact as she strains for every ounce of force.

Sable's fists smack into the weapon though the impact lacks the conviction she was straining for.

The attacker is unable to reach the grenades, and finding it difficult while grabbed to aim the now damaged weapon. Twisting in Riot's grip he pushes his hand against Riot's thigh and activates the built-in wrist slashers.

The wrists slashers spring out of the sheath in the forearm of the battle suit and punch into Riot's thigh drawing blood.

Riot yelps as his flesh is -finally- penetrated, a little blood trickling and splattering on the ground. "... You motherf-"

Jade doubt she can do much physically, so she retreats to cover, pulls out her omniscanner and uses it, trying to learn what she can about Mechwarrior's equipment.

Imginary Girl flies the pinch-nuke out and takes to the sky getting as high as she can without breaking too many windows.

Bard again strums another chord the bolt of energy flying to cut off the wrist-shredders.

With herculean effort Riot squeezes the enveloped Mechwarrior, springing loose seams in spots on the battle suit as he crushes the attacker's form.

Jade says, "The-small-of-the-back! Go-for-the-small-of-the-back!"

Sable steps to one side and spins in a smooth arabesque to swing a deceptively powerful kick at the power-pack Jade has spotted, her weight transfer precisely time to lend maximum force to the blow.

In an instant, with the destruction of the battlesuit's power unit, Mechwarrior is transformed from a dangerous fighting machine to a slightly above normal strength man trapped in almost a ton of ultra-dense armorplastic. The suit sags and goes limp in Riot's grip.

Overhead, a fraction of a second after the battlesuit is disabled, there's a brilliant flare of light and a spreading fireball high over the city, followed long seconds later by the rumbling sound of a distant but powerful explosion.

Sable rocks back a little after her foot impacts the power unit and heaves a deep breath. "Man... how much armour do these guys use?" She blows a loose lock of hair from her eyeline even as she sets her hands on her hips. "Always nice to know we were within a few seconds of being blow to atoms."

Bard gasps. "Asima..." he breathes under his breath staring up at the skies for some sign of Imaginary girl.

The underside of the clouds dim as the bright flare of the fireball starts to dim. No sign can be seen of Imaginary Girl.

Bard grows weak at the knees... his face falling heavily. He feels like this can't be happening, this isn't real. His eyes begin to water.

Jade goes over to the downed Mechwarrior - to extratct what tech she can.

A bit of red cloth, from Imaginary Girl's cape, flutters down out of the skym

Bard graps the piece of cape as it flutter past him. He can't believe what's going on. "No..." He shakes his head. "No...no..." He trembles a bit.

Riot has left the bent power armor to Jade's touch as he staggers outside; Muscles ache. Bleeding heavily from the thigh. It's been a good fight. His warmask turned upward, where he heard the thunder from ..uh... up..yonder?

"Oh.." He starts. "Crap." he adds. And, thoughtfully, scans the sky for yon falling maiden.

"Knock it off, asswipe. She's okay." Riot barks at Bard, and then goes back to looking up. "She's gotta be."

Sable's brow furrows as she spots the fluttering piec of cape, her jaw dropping open. After a moment she lifts her hand as though to activate her communication pin before realising that it won't have survived. "Can anyone fly."

Riot glances back. "Sorta"

Bard looks at riot. "I pray you're right." He says. "Please." He clenches his fist about the cape piece.

Riot goes back to just =looking= up. C'mon. One solid speck he can leap at and catch. Hopefully not many small specks.. Blegh.

Jade says, "Surely-she=wouldn't-be=caught-in-the-blast?"

Riot scratches his leg at Jade's comment; It's already starting to heal, the blood flow stopped. Nothing holds the Child of Kaos down long. "Dunno. Think her clothes survived?" He asks, looking pointidly at the scrap of cape. Then goes back to looking up.

Sable's lips purse before she reaches up to hit her communicator pin. "Dorian? Nexus? Is anybody who flies on the channel?"

Bard hears Sable talking to something. HE looks over... "Wait.... ask if anyone has seen a flying object strike the earth." He asks Sable. "Maybe she already landed."

Suddenly, there a thunder-peal in the sky overhead... without an attendant explosion.

Sable looks to Bard and blinks. "And maybe she was teleported at the last minute to fluffy-bunny land. But until we find her there's no way we'll know."

Riot -has-. "Hear that? That's my -girl-, man. Listen her."

Jade says, "There what-did-I-say?"

Bard looks up, trying to spot Asima. He smiles, praying it's her. "Please be..."

Sable blinks and returns her attention to Riot. "I think it's time to peel our prawn, see if laughing boy is so tough outside of his shell." She looks to Bard. "Call the police, tell them we also need Medics, and NEST, they'll want to take some readings."

Jade says, "I-agree."

Sure enough, IG comes down out of the sky, her costume singed and badly shredded... nothing showing tho, Riot. Coming down to 'land' at a hover just off the ground, she's seen to look like... like she got hit really hard by something really big. She even has a split lip! "Didya beat him up good?", she asks, her blackened hands balled ino fists; she was apparently holding the nuke when it went off.

Jade starts to get him out of what's left of his armour. Not least because she wants too examine the tech.

Bard nods. He pulls out a cell phone and hits the 3 button and enter. "Speed dial." He goes to hug IG. "Don't do that to us again, okay?" He begins talking to the 911 dispatcher.

Bard stops, realizing she may be radio active.

The man can be peeled out of the technology. He is blank eyed and although conscious in a technical sense he seems to have little awareness of what is happening.

Riot pssh. "Damn straight we did. Course, I did most of the work. Got a little help. You know how it be." States Riot, before grinning at IG's state. "Damn supah suit! Can't even get blowed up in the right spot. Alright, lets go.." He then winks at Sable before heading back inside. Because, you know, he can peel metal back-like- one would a prawn. "Motherlovin' sumbitch stuck my leg. DAMN that pisses me off."

"Do what?", asks IG... then, as she relaxes, her eyes roll back and she collapses, unconscious.

When the helmet is removed you discover a thin wire leading to a socket implanted into the base of the man's skull. The implant is new judging from the soreness and not fully healed state of the neck around the socket.

Jade says, "Hm...."

Jade says, "I'm-not-going-to-touch-that-but-we's-better-get-him-scanned."

Bard turns back to Sable closing the cellphone. "They're on their way. He looks to IG on the ground. "I could heal her in a sense, but I think she needs a true rest..."

Riot tilts his head a bit at the wires, and glances at Jade. "Hell wit' dat. Lets -rip- it out." He glances back down to the man. "Or, hell, 'least crumple dat suit."

One of the TransMat technicians pops his head in, "Jade. We've checked on the explosion. There was a burst of neutrinos but no radiation and no fallout. We're thinking a implosion fusion device.

Bard says, "I wouldn't Riot. It could be connected with his brain stem, and to rip it out could result in simple function like... breathing would be stopped. We best leave it in him examine the suit and if we can get that implant out of him to ask some questions."

Jade says, "I'm-thinking-it's-some-sort-of-mind-control-device."

Riot pssh. "So? Sucker stabbed the -Riot- in the leg. Only seem fair I pull dat dam wire out." He considers for a moment, then grins. "Hell, I'm jes kiddin'. Figure I still jes' take dat armor and toss it into da sun, baby."

Jade says, "No-leave-his-stuff. It-may-be-our-only-way-to-trace-who-was-behind-this."

Bard shakes his head. "There is powerful information to be gained by studying that armor, let's not dispose of it yet."

Bard walks over to Jade who is studying the armor. "Anything of interest?"

Riot shrugs. "Whatever." He states, shoving his thick hands into his pockets. Then frowning at his torn pants. "Ay, yo, gimme his shows. I'mma hock dem suckers, fo'real. That mother owes me some -pants-."

Bard laughs. "Learn to play an instrument and get a permit, you get money a lot faster than hocking wares. That or find information, people pay for that stuff."

Riot pssh. "Instrument? Hell, baby, I got the best in-stro-ment of all." And he crotch grabs. Who saw that one coming a mile away? "Unf." And the hand goes back in the pocket. "SO. Who dat cat, and where I find his owner at?"

Jade nods. "This is all UEMS tech. Or-possibly-Starguard-if-old-enough. Interesting-if-the-Guild-is-behind-this."

Bard ignores the vulgar actions of Riot. "Interesting... I could start asking around to see if I can find someone willing to give us a little hint as to what's going on."

Jade says, "I-thought-I'd-call-the-UEMS-and-ask-if-they're-missing-an-agent."

Riot pssh again. "Hell, it simple what goin' on. -DAMN- Aliens, that what! They already sittin' there, tryin' ta make us anothah pearl on the string. Now they putting wires in folk head? Sheet. Time to -throw down-."

Bard perks a brow. "You have a problem with aliens?"

Jade says, "Yes aliens the-Guild the-trick-is-to-prove-it."

Bard sighs. Some race give all aliens a bad rap. He looks at the man with the wire. "Maybe we should see if Network will talk with the device in his head once we deem it safe for him to look at it... or get it out of the guys head." Bard remembers what happened last time he didn't wait and forced Network to interface with a machine in someone's body.

"Damn straight I do." States Riot, to Bard, tsk'ing again. "Hell. Dem dat jes' gettin' straight? Got no skin on 'em. But them what think they -better- an' all us? Sittin' there playin' diplo games? Sheeet. Time to slap they asses back to they ship and send ET home. Done."

Bard doesn't turn around and states. "My grandmother was an alien."

Jade says, "We-get-him-medically-examined-first."

Bard nods to Jade. "That'll be wise.

Riot grins. "That make yo quarter ET, baby. Heh."

Bard nods. "That's correct."

Riot tsk, and pulls his hands out to cross them over his chest. "Then yo a -anchor- baby. Ain't nothin' wrong on dat. You know who my granmammy was? .. Hell, neither do I. HA! Alright, I'm done. Less ya'll need somebody punched, I'm hella out."

Bard looks to Jade. "I take it you can handle this situation... I'm going head out to start asking questions... see if anyone knows of a high tech armor sale on the black market.

Bard moves to leave.

Jade says, "Ok"

Jade says, "I'll-check-some-other-directions."