Iron DM 2023!

gavins38 · #31 Mar 15th, 2022, 11:01 AM

Nathan Roberts

As the elevator doors opened Nathan allowed an expression of awe to cross his face as he took in the sight before his eyes: Q Branch! At last! He noted the lines of desks, each with their own technician and an apparently specialist workspace. His eyes scanned the room for the infamous Quartermaster, Q, who he spotted at the far end of the room in conversation with an agent in a black suit. It seemed wrong to make an assumption but the height, the fashion sense, the way he held himself; how could anyone not recognise MI6's most famous agent! He felt the childish urge to run over and introduce himself, but the group was suddenly impeded by another young techie who introduced himself nervously.

"A multi-pronged, auto-cable reeling grappling launcher?" Nathan spoke for the first time since arriving in M's office. This young techie was someone he could talk to freely and openly. "You've piqued my interest. Please, tell me more!"

He gestures towards Andy's desk, inviting the young techie to lead the way.

Acathala · #32 Mar 16th, 2022, 09:53 PM

Tom gives the guy a brusque nod in greeting. He heads over to the gadget and tech table. Given his height and physique, they probably thought he was a meathead jock. Whilst it wasn't an entirely unfair assumption, they were about to find out he spoke their language. "I would like a cyber intrusion kit, for getting to computers quickly." Tom rattles off the laptop, the software that should be on it, current malware he can use to hack a computer, and an excellent antivirus and encryption so he would be near impossible to hack back. "I'd also appreciate you putting Skyrim on it, so I had something for the long boring parts."

Lighting Lad · #33 Mar 17th, 2022, 10:50 AM

Jonas Sanders

While in the elevator, Jonas gingerly takes the itinerary from Percie, "Thanks, Perc. Never hurts to start studying early." and gives it a once over. He knows he'll have time to study and reference it later, but it never hurts to get a jump on the mission.

Jonas was a little hurt to hear that he couldn't expect a laser garrote hidden inside of a lighter, but maybe if he worked his way up he could get that commissioned. Subtle is the name of the game now. He'd learned a lot and his expectations from the start of his mission to where they are now have changed a lot since his official training. But that's alright, he's still living his dream.

As Andy leaves the group to their own devices, he gives the man a handshake and introduces himself. "Hey, I'm Jonas. It's nice to meet you. I'm sure you see all the awestruck new agents in here. I don't suppose you know of anything that's... understated but extremely helpful in the field do you? You know, something most new people wouldn't think of but all of the older agents always take with them? I'd love to get a protip from you?" He'll spend a few minutes talking with Andy about this stuff, before moving on.

Jonas knows from training with the group, that he's one of the more physical agents in their class. As such, he may see a little more action than they will. He follows where he saw Andy indicate he could get some armor and protection and sees Percie over there and sidles up next to her. "Hey Percie, I guess great minds think alike. Figured it may be a good idea to get suit with a little extra cushioning in it if possible. Wouldn't hurt to look extra good and be extra safe. What are you looking for around here? Hello Susan, I'm Jonas. I was hoping you could fit me in too with some measurements?"

The next thing Jonas would look for if he had time was some X-Ray glasses or something like that. If he'll be helping to cover their VIP, it wouldn't hurt to know who is carrying a gun or weapon and who wouldn't be. But, he'd have to wait to see if he had the time.

Amarga · #34 Mar 17th, 2022, 07:31 PM

Sullivan Conray

Sullivan was somewhat disoriented in this place, walking from table to table, humming and hawing as he thought about what to requisition. "Thank you Andy, while the sound of electric shoelaces does entice me I suppose we'll have to stick to more conventionally useful equipement. For now."
After deciding that he'd probably want a pistol and knife, he moved over to Andy again. "If I may ask for something, a sort of folding baton wouldn't be amiss. A knife is a solid enough weapon but I may want to have something less lethal to hand." he blinked as Percie suggested a sword-cane. "Why thank you Miss Huntingdon, I can't believe I didn't think about that earlier, that'd be perfect! Also some sort of auto-translator would be nice to have. It doesn't have to be stellar it just needs to help me along."

He also moved with Jonas and Percie to talk to Susan, "Being fitted for some tougher attire is a good idea. I'd be thankful if you could help me out."

Reason for Editing:

RossN · #35 Mar 19th, 2022, 06:16 AM

Dr. Siobhan 'Jane' Kelly

Siobhan bustled out of the lift in a wave of excitement. The blonde woman had heard about the fabled Q-Branch throughout training and her imagination - that particularly spacious part of her brain - had gone wild in picturing the gadgets and gizmos the boffins would be working on.

She smiled brightly and shook Andy's hand. "Wonderful to meet you Andy! I'm Siobhan but you can call me Jane, everyone does." As always when very excited and not making a concious effort to conceal Jane's Irish accent became a touch stronger.

Her face fell momentarily when Andy informed them that all the truly fun sounding stuff was not something they did anymore but she rallied and she joined Percie while she was talking to Susan. Jane's eyes lit up at the intriguing idea of an armoured corset. Talk about killer fashion...

[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Humble Hero · #36 Mar 22nd, 2022, 12:12 AM

Q Branch

As the rookies began to move toward points of interest, the activity in Q Branch continued without pause or disruption. Distant thumps of explosions, rumbling of turbines, sparks and the occasional curse from a techie desk could be heard, quite routinely for most of the time spent browsing.

Across the way, Q continued to speak with the man in the dark suit, as the table imagery - which was, unfortunately, out of view from the group given present positions - shifted, casting the head of the department in different shades of red, orange and blue as the data moved and changed...

R&D Gadgetry - Andy

It was always nice when the rookies were pleasant. Andy smiled:

"It's - uh - good to meet you all, definitely. Haha."

His attention shifted, and Andy nodded with a laugh to Percie, as she commented on the fun stuff happening in Q Branch. "You're not wrong there," He replied quickly, as he glanced around the space, his eyes lingering on a few desks for a moment. "It's one of the busiest levels in the entire headquarters and - uh - for good reason."

When the rookie continued to speak, in something of a whisper, Andy looked over toward Sullivan and listened as Percie spoke about being a fencer, and making use of a sword-cane. Andy nodded knowingly, as he grinned awkwardly and looked beyond the group, as he pointed to someone across the way - a red-headed and bearded man in the weapons area:

"You'll want to talk to Johns. He's... uh... he's very dedicated to his craft, but his work has been top notch since I've known him. He'll probably have something like a baton, or something, I bet."

Then Andy looked to Jonas, as he nodded knowingly, clearly he understood what the rookie meant. "I think you should talk to Giles, over at desk 16... he has some odd-er gear that he makes, but it can be useful in the right hands. Maybe, uh, maybe ask about his sunglasses?"

With a few nervous nods, Andy retreated from the group and started back toward his desk. However, he didn't get far, before Nathan spoke up about the grappling launcher. The techie's eyes lit up, as he motioned the rookie over to his desk and circled around to stand opposite.

"Glad you asked," Andy said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses. He slipped them on, then reached for a weapons lockbox nearby, which was clasped closed. "I - uh - I do need to mention this is still in, um, testing... for legal reasons... but it's basically finished, and I've tried it out a heap of times, and had no problems. I present to you--"

Andy unclasped the box, and opened it, before he turned the thing around to face it toward Nathan. Inside the foam-shaped interior, was something that looked like a streamlined pistol, but was smaller and with some obvious differences - like the pronged end, where a barrel might have otherwise been.

"--the GR2-P-Beta-6 Mk1. Or the grip for short, I guess."

With obvious pride, Andy looked from the gadget, up to Nathan, back to the gadget, then back to Nathan. The techie couldn't contain himself any longer, and his nervousness seemed to have faded in light of his tech:

"So, the thing that makes it super unique is the ability to use multiple grapple hooks at the same time," Andy pointed to the three prongs. "Each one can fire independently and allows for mid-traversal direction change, while having an auto-cabling function, so you don't get caught up in the high-tensile strength wiring... the downside is that it's a bit heavy, because it's got a lot of cabling, and internal mechanisms that feed different pulley systems and -- it doesn't matter."

Andy held up a hand, as he calmed:

"Point is, you can grapple up to 100 feet and can use the third prong to adjust trajectory on the fly. Oh, but it can't hold more than two-ish people, around 500 pounds. So... are you interested in giving it a proper field test, maybe?"

Outfitting - Susan

The desk that was occupied by the individual known as Susan was, in a few words, organized chaos. As Percie, Jonas, Sullivan and Siobhan made their collective way over to the working space, a woman with dark hair and dark eyes could be seen crouched beside her table. In her hands, she ran fingers over a type of fabric that looked unusual, with criss-cross patterns in bright yellow, with another material that she placed over the top and seemed to be studying... yet, at the approach of many footsteps, she looked up and raised an eyebrow.

Especially when the introductions began.

"Oh lord," Susan mumbled, seeing the literal group near her desk. "Rookies, I'm guessing? Did Andy greet you? I bet he mentioned the armor, right, and how it sounded great to head on over and get some orders in for some wonderfully fitted and styled materials?"

With a sigh, the dark-haired woman stood and looked across the way at the techie from before, Andy, and glared. Still, with a forced smile, Susan turned back to regard the group as she studied each individual's face. There seemed a sense that despite the casualness of the gaze, there was fine detail being observed...

"Well, as you guessed, I'm Susan, and armor is what I do. Literally. It's all I do. Ever."

It sounded wry, but there was a hint of pride in the woman's eyes, as she motioned to her workspace and the - almost literal - ton of material in various states across it; rolls, fabric samples, stretching frames, sewing stations, sewing tools, and even a combat knife. Already there could be seen several human-shaped mannequins nearby that had various work in progress suits and dresses pinned to them.

"Before we begin, understand that what I do takes time. Don't expect this custom tailoring to be done before two weeks, at least." Susan informed, as she raised her eyebrows. "I do have some Ballistic Mesh Shirt armor, worn beneath standard clothing, which can be adjusted to fit you all for an immediate mission... but the really good stuff, the stuff the double-O's wear? That takes time. But we'll kill two birds with one stone, and I'll get your measurements for that custom wear at the same time."

With a cluck of her tongue, Susan turned to regard Percie.

"So, Percie was it? We'll start with you," Susan said as she reached out and took a tape-measure, and stepped around the table to approach the rookie. "Arms out, stand in a t-pose like you're ruining some CoD kid's life online... and I will begin taking some measurements. What are you looking for, style-wise?"

Susan began to run the measuring tape along Percie's limbs, getting lengths and various other information. She paused:

"Actually, hold that. Let's do this the efficient way, alright? So, this applies to all of you: I can provide either kinetic dampening or edged protection, not both together, because it requires different fabrics and reinforcement layers. So you have to pick - bullet protection or knife and stabby-things protection? Also, will it be skintight, for under clothing, or do you want a specific style made into armor, like a business suit or a dress or something? You need to tell me if you plan to store things, because that requires adjustment of material placements, but if you do, understand that the armor effectiveness is lessened because of gaps and strapping for that storage..."

Susan thought, as she finished with Percie and turned to Jonas, and held out the tape measure with an expectant expression:

"Arms out, handsome. Now, if you do choose to have pockets and storage on the armor, understand that the gear will only be protected insofar as the protection type you choose. So, don't blame me if your fancy gadget gets stabbed, because you wanted kinetic dampening fabrics, okay?" Susan continued, her words quick and seemingly well-rehearsed, as though she had mentioned these things a lot to others. Meanwhile, she kept busy taking measurements for Jonas. "I can also provide some color options, so if you want an outer-wear armor, it can resemble basically anything. I can also offer a reversible option, for anything on the outside of clothing... so, like, a business suit that turns inside-out into a football jacket, or something. Great for changing appearance quickly, but the downside is the armor isn't form fitting. Visa versa with the under-wear stuff, too, since you can wear anything over it, but won't be able to customize it much."

Susan finished with Jonas, as she stepped over to Sullivan and did the same, taking to his form with the measuring tape:

"One thing to also be aware of: outer-wear protects everything, except your head. It's like wearing normal clothing, so the benefit is obvious in that. And while under-wear only protects your torsos, you also have the benefit of versatility of appearance - you can literally wear it under anything, even swimsuits - and you'll be protected... but your limbs and head won't be."

The measurements continued and were finished in quick order, with Sullivan. To which Susan turned to the final rookie in line, Siobhan, and smiled before approaching and starting the same process:

"So, in summary, you have some decisions to make. First, decide what type of protection you want - kinetic, for bullets, or edged, for blades and stabbing. Both types of damage are very different, it's a whole thing, please don't debate why or how, just trust. Next, you need to tell me if you want outer-wear armor, typically a whole outfit - and if so, do you want a reversible option? Or do you want under-wear armor, which is less coverage but able to be worn at all times?"

Susan finished with Siobhan, as she stood and draped the measuring tape around her shoulders. Those being observant likely noted that the seamstress didn't take notes, presumably every measurement and detail being put to memory...

"Also, if you go outer-wear, what styles you want used. Business, casual, that kind of thing. Oh, and concealed storage, let me know if you want to be able to hide things in slim-line pockets or whatever... but remember, that lessens the armor effectiveness, by removing portions and using non-armored seaming."

Susan walked back around her table, and planted both hands on the shiny surface and raised her eyebrows. She looked between the rookies, expectant:

"So... hit me. One at a time, let's hear the decisions, and I'll get the custom work to you in a few weeks - probably for your next mission. But, I'll also adjust some Ballistic Mesh Shirt armor for your current mission, for each of you, that will be delivered by Q. Sound good?"

When Percie asked about the toxicology department, Susan nodded.

"Oh, yeah, across in the other area. Talk to Katie, she handles a team with that stuff... she's the nerdy blond with glasses. Can't miss her. Very bubbly and loud. And regarding your question about the corset? Yes, I can." Then Susan looked to Sullivan. "And if you're after translator tech, or whatever, go speak to Patrick - he's over there, with your other rookie friend, at the computing bay."

Suddenly, the group's attention was drawn, somewhat brusquely, to a nearby table...

R&D Weapons - Johns

From not far away, a redheaded and bearded man, who seemed quite tall and well-built, leaned back in his desk chair and glanced over at the rookies that surrounded Susan. With a scoff, the large man rolls his eyes and calls out to the group - his Irish accent evident:

"If I had a freakin' dollarpound for every time Susan got rookie attention, I'd be able to retire rich," He shook his head, before said individual took a long gulp from a straw in some kind of fizzy drink he held. "Listen, armor's great and all - if ye plan on takin' ye time with dealin' with an enemy - but ain't nothin' better an' a weapon which can end things right-quick, yeah?"

And true to his word, there seemed an assortment of various weapons across his workspace. Guns, knives, some other odd items that may - or may not - have been weapon orientated, it was difficult to say.

"Name's Johns. Don't forget it, ye'll be wantin' me bleedin' gear, trust me."

With a smirk, the bearded man rotated his chair back to his table and leaned forward to continue working on a particular piece before him, as he began using tools to arrange wiring. Johns seemed confident he would get a visit from one - or more - of the rookies, especially since he had a reputation as the big gun guy in the office...

"I'll be waiting... but don't take too long, aye, limited supply an' all!"

R&D Computing - Patrick

When Tom moved over toward the general computing area, he was greeted with a number of techies that were busy working on various desks, observing various screens and data. One of the individuals, who was closer to the walkway through the area, glanced up as he saw Tom approach, and nodded to the rookie.

"Hey, I'm Patrick," The young man introduced himself. He had bright eyes and shaggy hair, and seemed young, but otherwise presented well. "Cyber intrusion? Sure, sounds like you want a MACK... eh, a Mobile Access Cyber Kit. One sec."

Patrick spun on his chair and pushed across the gap between desks on his chair-wheels. He spoke in a low voice to another computing techie, a young woman with glasses, as they discussed briefly, then a laptop was provided by the individual Patrick spoke to. The young techie nodded, then wheeled his way back to his own desk, to which Patrick lifted the laptop and placed it on the desk beside him.

"This is a MACK. Basically, it's a high-performance IT computing laptop equipped with a custom-fitted networking system, designed as an on-the-go data center that's created for rapid deployment and multiple IT operations, for a small team. It's got all the trimmings, dark web monitoring, phishing simulation and auto-protection, password analyzers, the works... you can hack into localized networks, using encrypted WiFi and even distribute malware if you're inclined.

"It also has scan-protected lining, can pass security checks, doesn't appear out of the ordinary and all that stuff. We've basically made a super-powered laptop, without making it look any different, so it shouldn't raise any red flags."

Patrick motioned over his shoulder with a thumb.

"Melanie over there added a self-perpetuating multi-phase network sequencer, so your IP and laptop access via digital means should remain continually updating and cycling, making it harder for counter-hacking... still, just be careful, because - as you probably know - whenever you're connected to something, there's a connection back. So, hack carefully, friend."

With a push of the laptop, Patrick slid the relatively sized item across the desk so it was closer to Tom. He paused, and added:

"Oh. I forgot, it wouldn't be Q branch without something extra, right? Well, there's also a multi-holographic projection display, built into the face of the laptop here--" Patrick pointed to a spot near the top of the keyboard, as he lifted the cover. --and you can basically use any location map app, like Google maps or whatever, and correlate that terrain data into a local area 3D map of around 2 mile radius.

"Best part? You can interact with the map. Zoom in, out, rotate, all that stuff. It can also interact with any spy cameras or bugs, giving real-time updates and feeds you can directly control and check."

Patrick leaned to one side, reached into a drawer, then came back upright with a folded black glove in hand - he placed it on the laptop.

"Here's the holomap glove. It's basically like Minority Report. Not saying we copied, buuuuut... unlike the movie, we made it happen in real life. So we're better."

At Tom's final request, Patrick gave a wry expression.

"And Skyrim? Really? I doubt you'll have boring bits, but you're more than welcome to install the game if you want... anything else you need?"

GM NotesThis was a long one, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask in general or personal threads!

Also, if I have missed something important - a character's question, for example - please let me know; pretty sure I covered everyone though!

Finally, regarding armor:

The choice of kinetic (bullets) or edged (knives) will determine the damage reduction values of the armor you're wearing, based on the system. For example, armors come with a bullet rating (eg level two is 3 DR) and cutting rating (eg level two is 2 DR) - so, you can invert this DR range by selecting cutting as the primary protection (eg level two would become: bullet 2 DR, cutting 3 DR).

Not changing protection types leaves armor as is.

Barrigan · #37 Mar 22nd, 2022, 10:11 PM

Percie Huntingdon

Percie nodded as Susan explained that custom tailoring would take at least two weeks.
"Naturally, quality work always takes time but is worth it in the end," she replied.

As directed, Percie stood in a T-pose while Susan took her measurements, although the CoD reference went straight over her head. She smiled and quietly hoped there would be no follow up questions to reveal her utter lack of anything resembling knowledge of gamer culture. Once the measurements were done, Percie considered the available options. There were a lot more than she had initially thought but what she wanted was certainly included.

"Form fitting under-armour for me please. Reversible outer wear sounds versatile but it doesn't help if you need to put on a disguise. Armour in a specific style might work for the gentlemen, a black suit will do anywhere after all, but us girls can't wear the same outfit to multiple events. It's just not done!" Percie glanced at Jane, certain she would agree.

"As for the rest, kinetic dampening as the primary protection and no need for storage. Ballistic mesh in the meantime would be wonderful, thank you. And don't worry about the corset idea. It was just a thought on the kind of underclothes which might be able to be armoured. I'll leave the actual design to you. One does not constrain an artist if one wants the best result after all!" Percie gave Susan an appreciative smile, thanked her again and left her to measure up the others and take their orders.

Approaching Johns' work area she looked up at the bearded Irishman and gave him a wry grin.
"Sounds like you've met a few smart rookies in your time. Nothing wrong with wanting a bit of protection when the bullets start flying," she remarked. Looking at the array of weaponry on display around him though, she couldn't entirely disagree with him. "Still, perhaps as you say, the best defense is a good offense." Percie considered the weapon requisitions she had already made. She didn't want to carry anything too big and obvious or she wouldn't be able to pass unnoticed in a crowd but there was no harm in asking advice from someone so obviously ...passionate about his craft.

"I've got approval for a few items, pistols, ammunition and the like so hopefully I've got the basics covered. Is there anything interesting you've been working on which isn't on the requisition list? Concealable mind you, I can't carry an assault rifle into a formal event. A ballistic knife perhaps?" she enquired.

RossN · #38 Mar 23rd, 2022, 05:33 PM

Dr. Siobhan 'Jane' Kelly

It was a barrage of both boffins and information and it fairly left Siobhan breathless. She wondered if any of the others had been dazed by the sheer amount of information being fed to them.

Following Percie's lead - the other female agent seemed to know what she was doing - Siobhan found herself posing for a fit for Susan.

"I fully agree with Percie, under-armour is the way to go. A girl has to be able to change after all! I'll go with the kinetic dampening too." She smiled at Susan. "Do you do shoes? A pair of indestructable heels would be useful!"

Hustled over to Johns Siobhan tried to hide her surprise that there was a fellow Mick down here as she politely looked at a selection of firearms that, truth be told, looked all too similar to each other. Siobhan could tell a pistol from a rifle and knew how to point, pull a trigger and reload but thereafter her knowledge of guns was slim. "I... uh, guess something discrete, if you have it?"

Acathala · #39 Mar 23rd, 2022, 10:11 PM

"I wanted more for the long journeys to exciting new places. If you're interested I made a couple of mods for the creation club. However I thank you. This is everything I asked for." Tom takes the laptop of myriad wonders. He is pleased, as it is indeed everything he wanted. Except for Skyrim, but that would be easy to get. The Scot is going to enjoy using this technological terror.

Glancing around, Tom thinks he recognises Susan from university. Not wanting to interact with anyone from that life, Tom opts to head over to Johns where Persephone is also hanging out. "No assault rifles at formal events? You aristos and your arcane etiquette! Tell me, with what is the correct usage of a ballistic knife at a banquet?" Tom said, practising his people skills. He asked one more question mainly to see how she reacts. "Persephone, on a scale of one to ten, what's your favourite colour in the alphabet?"
Siobhan is there, so Tom repeats the question for her.
Johns gets this. "I'm looking for a non lethal gun."

Barrigan · #40 Mar 24th, 2022, 12:30 AM

Percie Huntingdon

Percie moved aside to make room as her teammates joined her in front of Johns' work area.
"Good idea Jane, I can't believe I didn't even consider shoes!" Percie wondered if she should have asked for the same. "Are the indestructible heels just so they don't fail you in the field or are you planning to have them bladed?" she asked with a grin, only half joking.

She gave Tom a smile as he approached.
"I quite agree, so old fashioned! How is one expected to accessorise with automatic weaponry in the face of such hidebound traditions!" she laughed at the thought of trying to match her bag and shoes to the new season line from Heckler & Koch. "Banquets are an art in themselves you know," she began, taking on the faux-strict tone of a schoolmistress giving a lecture. "The ballistic knife is rarely seen these days, having fallen out of fashion, but in a full silver service layout it rests between the butter knife and the steak knife and is primarily used for marking a particular item on a serving platter as one's own from a distance lest another hungry guest seek to claim it." Unable to keep up the serious facade over the ridiculous topic, Percie couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

At Tom's final question she tapped one elegant finger against her chin as though deep in thought.
"I can't entirely say I've got a favourite colour in the alphabet, especially on that scale," she mused. "But I can tell you with certainty that Jason is my favourite name in the calendar," she replied with a grin.

gavins38 · #41 Mar 25th, 2022, 08:19 AM

Nathan Roberts

So... are you interested in giving it a proper field test, maybe?"

Nathan looked from the presented grappling gun up to the eager face of Andy, and could sense the anticipation in his voice. He was clearly a man who cared about his creations. That meant that even in a beta form the device was likely to be almost perfect already. Nathan had figured that their mission would have mainly involved him watching security cameras on a computer screen while some of his more outgoing colleagues circulated around the event keeping watch, but who knew when a hasty retreat or the need to climb to a hard to reach area would present themselves in the field. It certainly couldn't hurt to take the device for a test drive and it would certainly please the young technician.

"Sure thing! I'll take out on the mission and give it a whirl. I make no promises about how much testing I can give it though; this is after all only a surveillance mission."

Nathan winks at Andy and takes the 'grip' from its presentation box. As Andy warned, the gun was a little heavier than a regular gun but it was still small enough to be concealed in a jacket pocket or a shoulder holster and Nathan didn't expect to be needing to carry any other heavy duty armaments on this assignment. He waits to see if Andy is going to provide any other information about the usage of the device before asking about his next item of interest.

"Tell me Andy, who would I need to speak to about portable surveillance cameras, tools to commandeer a physical camera network and a suitable laptop to hook it all up to?"

Amarga · #42 Mar 26th, 2022, 01:56 PM

Sullivan Conray

Sullivan hummed as he thought about what to order. "I suppose Ms. Huntingdon is right, a good suit would be pretty versatile." He looked over his own grey suit with some familiarity, "I'd like to keep this style and color, it's comforting to me. I'd also like to have an armored under-wear made as well, it seems good to have just in case."

With that done, the scholar eagerly skipped over to the weapons table, gawking at the items on display. "I'd like a pistol with a silencer please," He hummed as he thought about it, "The Walther P99 seems a good choice. A knife would be good, and a folding baton of some sort would be a great touch. And, er..." The man was sheepish now, "A sword cane? I've had some training with traditional european martial arts, and would appreciate something with... style."

From here he moved onto Patrick, "Hello there, I'm looking for an automatic translator. It doesn't have to be extremely accurate, it just needs to help pick out basics and be easily concealed."

Reason for Editing:

OneDarkness · #43 Mar 31st, 2022, 06:17 PM

A meeting with M

Frankie stepped over to the mirror and turned on the water as hot as he could and washed up as one would expect after using the loo, and taking a quick look at his hair in the mirror he smiled for a moment before stepping back out into the hallway and entering Q branch proper. He sees the others over being measured for something and walks quickly over to join them and catches the tail end of Susan's offerings in regard to protective attire, who knew it was so customizable. "Sorry had to take care of something, hope I didn't miss anything too exciting."

Flashing a smiles he eyes the materials and what's on the mannequins. "I know for myself I prefer flexibility over anything else, full range of motion is key for me and if I had to pick between bullets or knives, extra protection from bullets would certainly be more of a concern to me than something up close like a knife. A hidden pocket or to that might be able to hide something from casual scans would certainly be useful or a place where something could be tucked away and possibly hidden."

Admiring the guns, knives and other instruments Frankie is certainly interested enough. "Pleasure Johns, I'll be happy to take you up on something with some punch like an H&K P30 unless you recommend something better? A good quality blade and something less lethal would be handy as well if you have a suggestion?"

Humble Hero · #44 Apr 27th, 2022, 11:41 PM

Q Branch

As the rookies continue to discuss with the techies, the man that spoke with Q finalized the discussion and began to leave via the side passage nearer the head of branch's table - to the right of the long rectangular space.

In response, Q began typing on - what was assumed to be a table-inlaid keyboard - and then looked up and around for the next expected group. Once his bespectacled gaze fell on the general rookie group across the long space, he motioned for everyone in said group to approach, then resumed on the table display for the time being...

GM NoteIf you want to get a better look at the suited individual leaving, simply roll a Perception check (Difficulty Modifier 5), in your private comms.

R&D Gadgetry - Andy

When Nathan agreed to test the grappling gun, there was clear and visible excitement on Andy's face. He grinned broadly, perhaps for the first time since the rookies had met him, without that usual shyness on his face.

"Oh, great, I'm just glad to see it out in the field," Andy said with enthusiastic nodding. "If it works out well, and is field proven, those designs can be standardized and then developed even further... so today the Grip is gun-sized, but in a few months it could be built into something like a watch!"

When the Nathan asked about surveillance cameras, appropriate tools for camera networks, and tech to use it all with, Andy looked around for a moment. His eyes fixed on a shaggy-haired young man across a few desks who had been talking to Tom, up until that rookie walked away with a laptop in hand.

"You'll want to talk to Patrick," Andy said simply, as he pointed to the shaggy-haired youth behind the other desk. "He has all the computing gear. He knows his stuff and won't steer you wrong!"

With the assumption that Nathan would move on to Patrick, Andy began searching around his desk for the next item to work on, before adding:

"Thanks again, let me know how the grapple goes! Good luck!"

Outfitting - Susan

As Susan continued to work, she mentally took down the preferences of Percie, Jonas, Sullivan and Siobhan. It was a simple task, remembering armor preferences, as it was all that the armor-maker did, really; after almost a year, it was like remembering three colors that kept being paired up slightly differently, by small groups or individuals.

"I see the preference for ballistics still reigns supreme," Susan muttered with a wry smile. "I mean, I totally get that, I would absolutely prefer not to be stabbed by faster moving bullets, too."

Susan looked to Percie, who seemed exuberant and summarized. "Right, so the kinetic form-fitting armor, with no need for storage. Got it. I'll keep the design slimline so it can go under anything, even skimpy bathing suits if need be, so long as its a one piece that covers the torso."

Susan turned to Sullivan and confirms. "Alright, I'll make sure the colors remain a consistent hue of neutral, and I'll get you that armored layer as well."

Susan raised an eyebrow at Jonas, who had been quiet, and just spoke. "I'm assuming you want kinetic, probably a suit. If that changes, drop me a line and I'll adjust... I'll leave yours until last, so there's time to change it."

When Frankie had stepped over, a little after the others, Susan had nodded as his request had been offered. She confirmed his item, too, as she began to write down some notes as they came to her. "Okay, so some under-armor - for full flexibility - that's kinetic reinforced and has a hidden pocket? Can do."

Finally, Susan's eyes turned to Jane, and began to smile as the pretty blonde asked about some shoes, too. "I'll sort out your under-armor, kinetic padding, no problem. It'll be the same as the other one, able to go under anything."

Once she believed the rookies had been helped, as best she was able to guess, Susan began going about initial preparation on getting the requests processed. She had a feeling the new agents would need the armor sooner, rather than later, though not due to any assumption about their capability or skills... but because lately more and more agents had been-- well, it didn't matter.

"Good luck, new group. You're gonna need it... and don't even, Johns."

R&D Weapons - Johns

When the rookies flocked, Johns was validated. He leaned back in his chair, as he stared at Susan with a mixture of confidence and 'told you so', and opened his arms wide in some kind of perceived victory as he spun on his chair once. But he stopped soon after, as the rookies began to make requests known, to which the bearded man chuckled and slowly stood with some level of dramatic slowness.

"I knew you'd all come to Johns, it only makes sense," The Irish accent evident, as he looked between the rookies. "At the end of the day, everyone wants the bigger bleedin' gun... or non-descript weapon. Whatever, anyway, feast your eyes on all. of. this, ay!"

Johns pushed his desk chair to one side and revealed a literal weapon treasure trove. It was a long row of waist height shelving, which had a number of weapon cache boxes set out neatly across them all. Each one was marked with a specific code, handwritten, and were all of varying size - some small, about pistol sized, others obscenely large, almost as long as a person.

"Let's begin, as you now start the Johns experience..."

Johns turned to Percie and motioned her over. He stood next to a smaller box, which he unclasped and opened slowly. "My dear, get a load of this in your eye holes," To which the Irishman stepped to one side, and presented a necklace. "Now, before you get up in arms and assume it's some kind of lame garrot or somethin', let me set you straight: it is also that, yes." Johns paused, shrugged, then continued. "But it's also so much more... this is what I like to call the neck burner - name pending - or, if my supervisors ask, the incendiary necklace. This baby will burn up to 3,300° F once the activation sequence happens, and can cut through solid metal - inches at a time - in literal seconds... pretty good, ay? Yeah. That's Johns for ya. I'll send the specifics to your encrypted line. Next!"

Johns closed the necklace cache and pointed to Jane, to whom the bearded man had immediate familiarity with, given his own heritage. "You'll want these, I think. Now, don't get me wrong, Johns isn't known for subtle, usually, but even I like to mix up me wheelhouse every now and again, ay?" Johns stepped across some rows of shelving, then crouched down to look for a box. Once he had it, he pulled it off the low shelf then stood and motioned Jane over, where they both peered into the now opened container: within was a pair of heeled shoes, in a nice black.

"Your brunette friend made a joke before... one that suits, funnily," Johns muttered, then smiled. "These little lovelies? I call them the man-killers - name pending - but officially they're heel knife dispensers. See the heel itself? That houses a narrow bladed knife, capable of firing at at crazy speeds. You can also use the heel housing to store things, if the knives aren't in use. I'll send you the details on your encrypted line, so check for my message later today... you're going to give them a heel of a time, ay!"

Johns looked to the next rookie in line, which was Tom, though the man's request was simple. "...non-lethal? Boring. But sure, I've got something," And with a sigh that was exaggerated, Johns walked back to another row and pulled out a cache box about the size a pistol could fit into. "Behold, the Walther P99-R... it does everything a Walther P99 can do - which is kill effectively - but... uses rubber bullets, instead, resulting in unconscious - and not dead, sadly - baddies!" However, Johns did lean in closer to Tom and add. "I've taken the rubber ammunition a step further, though. Unlike most non-lethal weapons, which tend to lack some range, my rubber bullets have been given the Johns treatment: it fires and holds up to every standard of the lethal version, no drawbacks... so you can shoot rubber as effectively as lead. Pretty amazing, right?

"Oh. And to answer your weird question, about the scale and alphabet and color: Maroon 5."

With a chuckle at his own obvious intelligence, Johns pointed to the next rookie with a sudden jump of activity, which was Sullivan. "Step right up, professor, and be amazed. Johns has all the things... which aren't typical or standard. So, if you want a Walther P99, put in a request for it on your mission paperwork. But I'll make sure one's added, anyway, ay?" To which the bearded man jogged to another row and pulled up a long, but narrow, cache box. He opened the lid and revealed... a cane. "Behold. A sword-cane is what you wanted? A sword-cane is what you get. Johns delivers, again, you hear that Susan? I call this one the Archibald - name pending - but, ay, it's a sword-cane.

"But, don't be fooled by the simple beauty of the wooden cane. For Johns has improved on it, taken it to the next level, ay... the blade is protected by scanner disruptive lining, and the cane itself is heavily reinforced, so you can use it as a baton in a pinch, or even block other blades!"

Johns smiled and nodded to himself. He turned his attention to the last rookie, Frankie, even as Sullivan walked away.

"You want a H&K P30? Sure! I'll add it your the mission kit, ay," Johns nodded with a bearded grin. He then stepped several paces to his right and pulled up a weapon cache box. "However, for something less-than-lethal? You'll be wantin' this..." Johns opened the box and revealed a mean looking taser weapon. "I call this Dracula - name pending - but it's officially an armor-piercing capable taser weapon. Self-explanatory, really, I think?"

Johns raised his eyebrows.

"Anyway, this is the Taser Model-B, and it packs a wallop. Not only is it super-charged, of course, but it has a secondary mode - for armor - that uses specially crafted probes to stab and zap. Just, uh, don't use the AP function on non-armor, okay? Might be a tad... messy... yeah."

But, with that, Johns closed the box and turned to look at his adoring rookies. Clearly each of them was awed by his genius and weapon capabilities. So, with a bow, Johns walked back to his desk and looked between each of them:

"I'll send you all specifics, ay? And I'll make sure you each get the special item shown. So, without delay, move along so I can get back to work - I hope you've enjoyed your first, but certainly not the last, foray into the Johns experience!"

Then, without pause, Johns resumed his desk seat and continued working on the device wiring as he had been...

R&D Computing - Patrick

Patrick glanced up when Sullivan approached his desk.

"Hello," The youth said in a monotone, as he listened to the request. "A translator? I don't have anything like that specifically made, but we do have encrypted mobile phones that we use and those can be used to call our linguistics department?"

With a frown, Patrick leaned to one side of his desk and began writing some numbers onto a sticky note. When done, he pulled the small piece of paper free and handed it across the desk to Sullivan.

"Here, this is a friend of mine in the linguistics department, her name is Mary," Patrick explained, before he settled back into his chair. He picked up a pen and tapped his chin, before he began writing as he spoke. "If you're stumped, give her a call. She's excellent at her job, a genius polyglot. She can expedite a personal order for you... just, uh, don't call her too often. She's busy, too, you know? Emergencies, mainly."

Patrick shrugged. It was the best he could do, but at least the rookie had an option, and likely a more accurate one than a translator.

"Anything else?" Patrick glanced over to where Q, his boss, stood at the far table. "Oh... looks like Q is ready. Might want to let the others know and head over."

GM NotesSorry about the delays, covid was not great, but hopefully back on track and able to be consistent again. Recovery feels near complete, but secondary infection or illness could be a thing - hopefully not!

If I have missed something important - a character's question, for example - please let me know; pretty sure I covered everyone though!

Finally, regarding Q:

He is now free of the individual in the suit, feel free to approach him after concluding interaction in the next round. Q will then give final mission goodies, and then we begin your first assignment in earnest with this threads conclusion!

RossN · #45 Apr 29th, 2022, 10:31 AM

Dr. Siobhan 'Jane' Kelly

The sheer rush of dealing with all the techs and their different equipment and methods left Jane dizzy, but at the end of it all she was very satisfied with her new gear. In fact she found it hard to stop squeeing over the "man-killers" and insisted on trying them on then and there. Removing her own shoes she donned the black heels and walked up and down in front of Johns and her teammates. At the end of a walk she turned and struck a pose, smiling playfully at the others.

"Well, what do you think?"

She was also very happy with Susan's designs for armour. A girl did have to look good on these expeditions.

Jane looked at her fellow rookies, trying to gauge their reactions to their less fashionable but probably equally useful technological and engineering wizardry.

Are you confused and wondering what is going on here? Check out this YouTube video to get the scoop.

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