Posted Sep 02 2012 - 04:28 AM
IC - Gadgeteer @ Lone's workshop
Gadgeteer gazed through at the workshop as he went to grab some coffee. The equipment at hand... how exactly had Lone come by all this? Was he rich, or was he one of those heroes that didn't mind engaging in a little petty theft now and then? Of all the workshops he'd had over the years during his time as the mercenary Dreadnought, none had been so extensive as this. But then again, the nature of his work had meant that all his workshops were temporary setups. This was permanent; Viktor mused that it must be nice to have a fixed hideout that one could build upon without fear of discovery.
It was only as he poured the coffee (black) that he remembered something critical. The engineers Carapace had arranged for them! He darted back out through the door. They were outside, milling about as inconspicuously as possible. Of course in the middle of forested hills that was a futile task, but you had to admire the effort. Gadgeteer waved them over, inwardly cursing himself for the oversight. That coffee better do its job.
"Lone, here are the engineers I mentioned earlier," said Gadgeteer as he strode back inside with the four men. "You two, do everything he says. You two, you work with me." He thought it best to split the workforce evenly between himself and Lone; though he would obviously prefer all four to himself, doing that could risk a time-wasting argument. Viktor drained his cup of coffee, exposing his jaw and nothing else; he didn't know who these engineers were so there was no way he was going to expose his face in front of them, not when it was the face of a wanted supervillain. He'd just have to work with the helmet on.
Inhaling, he strode into the workshop proper. The smell of machine oil and freshly-welded metal was so familiar it comforted him. Looking at the variety of tools on hand it was like Viktor was a child in a sweetshop. He began removing portions of his armour, releasing the stench of sweat and dried blood that he had been trapped with for hours now. He'd liked to have showered, but frankly that was an optional pursuit.
Perhaps it was the delight at having a proper workshop at hand, or perhaps it was the coffee, but at that moment something happened in Viktor's mind - the exhaustion, the frustration, it all took a backseat, shunted aside for a new stream of consciousness:
Lady Hexas. I do not know you, but because of your threat I have had to endure costumed madmen - as allies. I have been beaten, magnetised, and burned. I have had control of my armour taken from me. I am tired and hungry. But... I am a greatly-experienced engineer. I have a vast supply of tools and materials before me, as well as components salvaged from a League Jet. I have two additional helpers. And during the next hour this - all of this - will be wrought into one purpose: finding and defeating you. If you are not defeated then my entire contribution to this mission has been useless and I am no more secure in my status as a solo hero than I was before. Be it through my own hands or those of my allies - whom, frustrating as some of them are, are all resources I must utilise to maximum efficiency - I vow that you will be destroyed when this mission is done.
It wasn't a grudge or vendetta exactly. It was more like Viktor was imagining Lady Hexas as a representation of all that had gone wrong in his life recently. He was angry and she was a target he could take it out on. It was the drive he needed to get his head back in the game. Grabbing a wrench, he set to work...