ZippyWharrgarbl

IC: Armani - New Atero Tower

"That is excellent to hear, Captain Branar!" She took the paper from Hakkzan. "Ah, thank you, Your Spikiness!"

She read the document, found it agreeable, and signed it with a signature that was fittingly large and bombastic. "This seems to be in order! I look forward to assisting with this prototype."

~

IC: Rorohiko - Upper Levels, Fe

"Thanks," he said to Xaril. He then registered the presence of not one, but two other beings. One was the one who was sighing loudly to themselves earlier. They seemed angry now. He wondered why. To the border guard, he gave a sleepy smile in greeting.

OOC: The border guard he refers to is Karanta.

IC: Timothy Gyro - With Bulk Crew

"I ain't picky about who goes with me," Gyro shrugged. "This is your first mission, anyway. It's important you feel comfortable with your teammates, so I reckon you should decide who you go with."

IC: Armani - New Atero Tower

"Ah, it seems you are a little confused yet again, citizen!" Armani cheerfully replied. "Captain Branar has already informed us that the pilot of the ship will be wearing a Hau. A Kanohi Hau, if I have my Matoran correct, is the Mask of Shielding, and as the name suggests, it shields the wearer from danger. I am sure, if pilots have been called in to challenge this new vehicle, the new vehicle would be very prepared for any firepower that mere weapons could bring. My question was regarding my personal craft, as it is designed to ram and crush other vehicles, and is very adept at doing so! Skrall cannot make use of Kanohi, and so I am unsure as to their resistance to a large, heavily armoured, skillfully piloted aircraft crashing into the vehicle itself."

She kept to herself the fascinating detail that Branar had already let slip, and filed it away for later. She supposed that the others may not have noticed. She gave Maldrakk a big, supportive thumbs up. "Fear not, citizen! Your confusion is not anything to be embarrassed about. There are many mask powers, after all, and I do not believe anyone would fault you for briefly forgetting one's power!"

OOC: Just to clear this up, Armani isn't attempting to give Maldrakk flack for anything! She is genuinely not trying to insult him. That was me just having her recognise him, because there was mention of him doing things like starting fights that would likely get the attention of the guards in New Atero and from there get him arrested. Also, I used "couple of months" to give some leniency to time, because of course I don't know what Maldrakk has been up to prior to the events in the topic. In any case, you don't have to edit it or anything, I just wanted to clear that up.

IC: Armani - New Atero Tower

"Should we attempt to curb the force with which we are to fight this new vehicle?" she asked. "My vessel is apt to crush the ships of any brigands looking to do harm to innocent citizens, and incredible as this new vehicle may be, I fear even it may not be able to stand before the battering might of..." She flexed her large, muscular arms for effect. "THESE Guns."

She paused, and then said, "That is the name of my craft. It's quite the play on words. This has caused some confusion in the past."

~

IC: Rorohiko - Upper Levels, Fe

Rorohiko was numbly attempting to find what in the world had gone wrong this time when a friend had knocked on his door, bringing news that a journey to Cliffside was planned and departing soon. He had thanked his friend and packed immediately. As a Matoran with no training in battle, his trips to Cliffside were scarce and limited to whenever one was announced to the populace, so it was much more likely compared to other regions that someone had found something new since the last time he had been there. Besides, he really could use the outing. Perhaps he could find something to help move forward with one of his projects. He had some coding work copied onto his device for him to work on on the ride over.

So, he arrived at the upper levels of Fe, soon spotting Xaril, the being who was heading the trip. He'd left his device plugged into and hidden in his arm on the way over, since he had to walk with some manner of haste, and so the being had his full attention, which was a rare treat for anyone.

"Hello," he said with a small, half-hearted wave. Not out of any dislike for the guy, he just wasn't one for big gestures. "I heard you were headed to Cliffside. Could I tag along?"

IC: Armani - With Main Man Hakkzan

She recognised the two Skrall. She'd fought and trained alongside them and many others in Roxtus, on Bara Magna, under the guise of a tall Elite Skrall. After returning to the settlements, she felt no need to keep up the charade. She greeted them both with another salute, deciding to set a good example in her introductions by not assuming prior knowledge. "Greetings, sirs! I am Armani, I serve in the New Atero Military with pride! I look forward to assisting on this exciting endeavour!"

She then smiled at Maldrakk and gestured for him to attempt his newly-explained introduction technique with the two other Skrall. She even gestured at the Skrall, so he would not accidentally introduce himself to the Matoran or the Skrall guarding the door. She didn't want him to be embarrassed; everyone makes mistakes, and people sometimes don't know things. That was fine.

IC: Armani - With Main Man Hakkzan

She turned from Hakkzan to give the other Skakdi a very confused look. Despite what people seemed to occasionally assume of her, she wasn't stupid. Certainly, she knew that it was pretty rude to interrupt introductions to or from someone in a higher station to you. Her confusion shifted into a bright, cheery smile once more, deciding to politely set the Skakdi straight.

"I believe you are mistaken, citizen! I was introducing myself to His Spikiness here, as is customary. Perhaps you are not familiar with such customs, in which case, I am glad to provide you with the explanation! Often, it is understood that you introduce one's self to the highest ranking individual in your presence. It is considered to be polite, and good manners! I am sure the slip was unintentional here, though, and I hope this has been a learning experience." She shook his hand. "Though, your name and visage do seem familiar... Ah! You are the same Maldrakk I arrested for battery a few months ago, are you not? It is good to hear you have given up such rabble-raising behaviour for a career in..."

She paused. What was private services, again? Odd jobs or something? It could mean anything. She finished cheerily, "In your chosen, no doubt law-abiding field! Ah, and I had not met your friend, but I am glad you two are close enough to have given them a friendly nickname!"

To the Matoran, she said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, too, citizen! It is good to see such close friends volunteering to better New Atero together."

IC: Timothy Gyro - With Bulk

"Sure," he said. "I doubt you'll need much aerial coverage of this part of the mission, anyway."

~

IC: Ken Render and Mara Quiver - Mekron

Render, ignored by Stormer, shrugged. "Huh. Guess he's busy, junebug."

"Sh-Shuh-Should we...?"

"Go after him?" Render considered it, but shook his head. "Nah. He's just findin' that there sheriff, pardner. We ain't gonna be much use with that."

She nodded uncertainly, and they rejoined the group. Render asked Stringer, "Guessin' th' sheriff here ain't a fan. Heard what happened here from my team leader; she was one of the Heroes on th' team sent to help. Nasty turnabout, eh?"

Quiver shrunk down a little, staring at the ground.

IC: Armani - New Atero

"Thank you very much for the hospitality, sir!" She entered the room, dropping her salute, and glanced to the Skakdi offering her a seat.

"Your respect for the New Atero Military is duly noted, citizen, but I'm afraid that chair is far too small for one of my might! Fear not, I will humbly accept one of the other seats here." She gestured to the vacant seats, and promptly took one that was positioned between the Matoran and Hakkzan. She turned her attention back to the latter; Hakkzan was very rarely seen, and he seemed very friendly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir! I am Armani, I serve in your military. It is with absolute pride and pleasure that I do so!"

IC: Armani - New Atero

"Thank you, citizen! I greatly appreciate the assistance. Have a very good day."

She ducked through the doorway and followed the servant's instructions, her heavy boots clanking upon the steps. It was a rare occasion that she could meet Hakkzan in person. What a lucky day! She saluted in the doorway smartly, taking note of the other beings presumably also here seeking to assist New Atero's endeavours.

"Greetings, sir! I am here about offering help in regards to an experimental craft."

IC: Armani - New Atero

"I'm here to assist with testing a new vehicle, friend!" she replied to the being at the door. "Would I be able to sign up? I just finished my shift and I am ready for some exciting testing action!"

IC: Armani - New Atero

The air was clean and fresh, and Armani had been having a rather calm patrol. It had ended, and she found herself pondering what to do. This brought her to the message board, which in turn brought her to the address promising trial runs on an experimental vehicle. With plenty of experience ramming her ship into things intentionally, she was well-prepared for any accidental crashes that this ship could throw at her. Besides, she liked to have the extra money around for repairs for her ship.

She knocked on the door smartly and waited expectantly. She wondered what the ship looked like as she waited, smiling and nodding at passersby as she did so.

Thanks for approving, Nato! And for checking out THESE Guns!

New profile who is not a nerd eating 2 minute noodles in a dark room for a month straight. She even has a ship!

Character:

Name: Armani

Species: Skrall

Gender: she/her

Powers:

-      Very strong, ridiculously ripped

-      Hardy, high stamina and endurance

-      Possibly technically able to give official names to Skrall, depending on which Skrall you ask

-      Extensive training and experience in battle and military

-      Decent tactician

-      Impressive flexing

Gear:

-      Thick, heavy armour- she’s used to the weight of it, but it still slows her down somewhat

-      Sword of a Skrall design, can be kept in a scabbard on her belt

-      Shield with New Atero emblem on the front, can be kept strapped to the arm or hooked on her back

-      Firework revolver, can be kept in a holster on her belt

Personal Aircraft: THESE Guns

Allegiance/Role: She resides in New Atero, and serves in the New Atero military.  

Appearance: She’s very tall and bulky; not on the level of a true Leader Class Skrall, but taller than an Elite Skrall.

Personality: She takes immense pride in her muscles and if it weren’t a severe disadvantage to do so, she’d have her arms uncovered to show off her awesome biceps. She’s actually kind of happy with her life now, and is awfully chipper and friendly with other races for a Skrall. She cannot stand those that would leave others to suffer for their own benefit, and likes to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Bio: Armani was born with a genetic condition that caused her to express male Skrall Leader Class genes, despite being female. This meant she had lost any ability to use psionic abilities, but gained size, strength, and significant muscle mass. She found comfort with the other females, as though they were not entirely sure what to do with her, she was welcome with them.

As she got older, she managed to acquire some armour roughly her size and sneak out to train in physical combat with the males, as she did like to fight and strengthen her body. On one of these occasions, she and the other trainees were rushed from the city as the Baterra swept through their homes along with bright, all-consuming flame. She joined in the mass migration to the Wastelands of Bara Magna, and later learned that the rest of the females had been left to die to the Baterra.

At first, she blamed the other male Skrall for going along with such an absurd, monstrous plan. But, there was nowhere for her to escape to from them; a Skrall would not be welcome among the Glatorian, and the Wastes were certain death. She felt she had to continue the charade. Over time, she realised that it was not the fault of the entire population that fled the city; they were following orders. She instead shifted that resentment to Tuma, for ordering that horrid act. When she learned the Sisters of the Skrall were, in fact, alive, she was overjoyed. She promptly took the excuse of going on a Baterra hunt to seek them. They thought her allied with the very males who left them to die, and turned her away in shame. She returned to Roxtus, hurt beyond what she thought possible.

She followed along with the Skrall for years after that, until Tuma’s defeat at the hands of Mata Nui. She fled with the other Skrall in that embarrassing defeat, but decided to journey into the mountains to attempt reconciliation with the Sisters. She found them, powerless and angry and confused in the wake of something that turned the world on its head for everything they believed. She stayed with them, and when the planet started becoming unstable, she and the others headed into the villages.

From there, she joined the New Atero military. She was surprised and delighted that being a large and muscular female Skrall no longer mattered- in the wake of the world messing up, old feuds and hatred had to be buried. Some male Skrall show varying amounts of discomfort in her presence- she’s not quite a Leader Type, but is pretty darn close to one, so it’s debated how much standing she should have in that regard. She made her way up the ranks in the military and now serves as a decently ranking officer, defending her new home to the very best of her ability.

~

Aircraft:

Name: THESE Guns

Model: Rockoh

Weaponry: One Hagah Plasma Cannon aimed towards the front, nestled in the armour plates to prevent damage when ramming other ships.

Customisation: Extra armour plating to better its function as a battering ram and protect the pilot. This takes up two slots. That is how armoured this thing is. Also I assume it needs extra to protect the pilot if the plasma cannon blows up or something.

Appearance: The ship is black with red highlights, and has the symbol for New Atero stencilled into its sides. Comparisons have been made between it and a giant metal fist with how armoured it is.

Someday I will make a second character in this RPG who is not a reclusive nerd who sits in his house for weeks on end.

IC: Timothy Gyro: Antropolis Hero Huddle, Nex and Bulk Edition

Gyro considered the two options he had. Nex seemed to have everything sorted on his side of things, if he just needed people to watch him do networking. He said, "I might tag along with Bulk on this one. I'd probably mess up your flow or something."

~

IC: XPlode - Antropolis

He answered Blink, "Perhaps a local bar? Anywhere there's people, there's information."

~

IC: Mara Quiver and Ken Render - Mekron

"U-Uh," Quiver said quietly, having spotted Stormer's receding form.

At Render's quizzical look, she pointed. Render raised his eyebrows. "Shoot, junebug, looks like we should be over there, 'steada here."

To the Heroes he greeted, he said, "I'll leave y'to it, y'all."

He and Quiver quickly caught up to the Heroes heading into the police station. Render greeted them cheerfully. "Howdy. Mind if we tag along, pardner?"

IC: Rorohiko - Fe

His home was pleasantly dark and warm, the only light coming from his machines, which also provided the warmth as they hummed and buzzed to themselves as if they were full of insects. He rubbed the top of one, feeling the thrum of power under his fingers, and carefully upended his groceries onto the floor. Deathrot and Doomslayer shuffled over dutifully to pick up his mess. He'd tried leaving his groceries in the bag before, but they just put away the entire bag without unpacking it. They understood mess, though. They dealt with it enough.

"Thanks," he said to them. "I really appreciate it, guys. You know how it is. Got some work to do."

He spun his desk chair a few times and sat on it, cracking his knuckles. He removed his device from his arm and instead plugged it into some cords snaking from the multitude of machines before him. Another screen crackled to life, beside a dimly lit panel of cycling letters and numbers, and on it was the work he'd done on his device so far. He sat his visor on the desk beside him, balanced precariously on a bundle of wires, and got to work.

A week or so ago, someone had delivered his current project to his door. He tended to bounce between projects a lot when he hit a road block with one, either because he needed parts he didn't have, or information he had yet to find. Or, if he couldn't immediately find a solution to something, he let it stew for a bit so he could come back to it with a clearer head. This one was a rather frustrating riddle, but in a serene, almost likeable way, like a complicated puzzle toy. And, if he cracked it, the possibilities were endless.

He paused briefly to look at it. From what little he was told by the messenger, it was an implant. Some of the older Bara Magnan species had them from before the Core War. These were tiny, advanced devices made by the Great Beings to enhance the capabilities of those they were implanted into. After the Core War, of course, there were no more in production. They were a rare commodity, beyond rare even; the only way to find one, outside of being very, very lucky and somehow finding a hidden Great Being treasure trove, was from a Glatorian or Agori. And, from what he'd heard from Agori friends, they were tricky to remove and besides that often had sentimental value, on top of being extremely useful in day to day life. Often, the only way to get a new one was from inheriting it from a dead friend. Or... what was that other thing? Related people? Yeah. He didn't really get that part, the way it was explained to him, but he got that it meant people were close enough to give each other things of great value.

He wasn't sure what this one did. The dried blood he had to clean off told him it was probably not an incredibly rare, unheard of find of an unused implant, and had in fact been inside a body at some point. He thought it was pretty nice for someone to donate something this valuable so it could hopefully be mass-produced for everyone. He was pretty sure it was donated, anyway. His eyepieces spun as he looked at the fine handiwork of the device's insides. The Great Beings sure could make a doodad, that was for sure.

He looked up at his code. Therein lay the problem; the Great Beings were excellent at creating, but they had such intricate everything that unravelling it all was a trial and a half. Right now, he was trying to make something to sort the device's data into something more recognisable.

The other screen flashed. He'd been making a copy of the device's electronic contents into his own so he couldn't accidentally damage it, and it seemed to be done. Now, he could see if the code he'd spent the last two days working on nonstop was finally ready. He unplugged the implant just in case and set it safely in its box.

A round fruit nudged his ankle; it had slipped from Doomslayer's stubby fingers. He picked it up with a thank you gesture at Doomslayer, and clutched it in one hand as he ran the code with the other.

The screen went blank.

He leaned forwards, eyes wide.

'ERROR', the screen blared.

Rorohiko groaned, and then growled, and then yelled inarticulately for a good long while.

IC: Rorohiko - Fe

Having gathered all he needed from the shops, he headed back home, bags on his back and around one forearm so he could tap at the device mounted on his other forearm. There was something amiss, preventing it from working right, but the small screen only allowed him to scan a small part of the code at a time. He had a bigger screen and keyboard at home, rigged from scraps and sun-scorched metal, that was easier for checking over data like this. Still, it was doable with his device, and he needed to make up the time he lost getting groceries.

A repeated sighing caught his ears, and looked up hesitantly and briefly from the glow of his device, thinking someone was trying an obnoxious method of getting his attention. It was from another Onu-Matoran, this one armoured, patting a vehicle and apparently sighing to... himself? Well, if that was what he wanted to do with his time, so be it. Seeing as the Matoran wasn't trying to call him over or anything, Rorohiko quickly lowered his gaze back to his device and kept walking for home.

From BS01:

Most of them are either physically damaged, mentally deranged, or in some other way warped by Spiriah's experiment.

Yes, there are a good number of Skakdi that are physically damaged.

Also, the K letter seems very prevalent in Skakdi names, along with N. It's most likely people trying to make names that sound like what a Skakdi would be named based on the Skakdi from canon. It's like how people tend to try and name Matoran with Maori-sounding names, or Agori/Glatorian with Latin or Greek-sounding names.

IC: Rorohiko - Fe

The light of Solis Magna did not reach the underground homes of Fe, much less the homestead of Rorohiko. He woke late, having been up late; Matoran didn't need as much sleep as, say, an Agori, but he often did not sleep for several days, and so when he did sleep it was for a much longer time. He groped for the little clockwork clock he kept on his nightstand and saw the time, groaned, and rolled out of bed. A little green bobble shuffled in his peripheral vision, and he lowered a hand to pat Deathrot's head as the drone moved with purpose to his unmade bed.

He found his personal computer on his cluttered desk and clicked it into his arm. Starting it up revealed the code he was working on had saved; hopefully, soon he'd be able to use it to get into a particularly tricky databank in a device the seller had found in a waterlogged cave. He absent-mindedly waved his hand at the pile of broken glass cards he'd been analysing, as if considering going back to his work, but instead settled for heading towards his pantry. He'd forgotten to eat his last meal, though he was sure he'd sent Doomslayer to grab him something.

That question was answered by the Fire Drone staring at the empty shelves of the pantry, almost quizzical. He took in the sight with annoyance.

"Thanks, Doomslayer," he said wearily. "Overwrite last command, back to your usual routine."

The drone shuffled back out. Rorohiko let out a long, pained sigh. He would have to go outside.

He rubbed his face under his mask as he rifled through his mess for his money and his bag. He hated groceries. He'd send the Fire Drones, but they couldn't really make sense of that kind of thing. Maybe he could fix that one day. Until that day, he was stuck with doing it himself.

He left his home and locked it before heading towards the upper levels, where the stores were. He realised, as the limited yet painful sunlight pierced his eyes, he'd forgotten to take out his tinted glasses. He cursed under his breath, squinting like mad as he searched his bag for them. His hand hit the glass, and he slipped them over his head, alleviating the head-pounding brightness somewhat. Even for an Onu-Matoran, his eyes were sensitive to light.

This was, arguably, the worst way to start a day. He started going through the shops, even buying himself breakfast to eat as he went about it.

OOC: Rorohiko is open for interaction, if there's anyone around.

Ah, yes. I remember: I am banned from giving Rorohiko a fractal arrangement of arms.

After throwing a whole bunch of goofy joke concepts at Nato offsite, I've made an Actual Attempt at a Character. I've gone over this character with Nato to make sure I had the lore all correct, so rest assured I didn't just decide to make my character really rich and connected to important people without any discussion beforehand.

Character:

Name: Rorohiko

Species: Onu-Matoran

Gender: he/him

Powers: 

-      Night vision, the usual fare for Onu-Matoran

-      Isn’t as strong as the average Onu-Matoran, but a little stronger than the average Matoran in general

-      Extreme proficiency with electronics and code

-      Intelligent

-      Good at repairing machines

-      Modified his body to have various plug-ins and outlets, hidden under armour plates

Gear:

-      Equipment for repairing electronics, kept in his bag

-      Very small computer, able to be plugged in to other devices for code work, his pride and joy and can be fitted into his forearm- can be hidden under an armour plate

-      Wears a powerless Akaku, mostly for the eyepiece

-      Energy shield generator. He’s not much of a fighter so he tends to just hide behind a shield when threatened. It’s essentially a physical shield in function, but can be summoned and dissipated at will.

-      Rechargeable all-purpose battery, for plugging in electronic devices. Can also use his inbuilt outlets, but obviously it’s not ideal to be using his own energy to charge everything

-      Tinted shades for when he has to go out into the gross bright sunlight

-      Fire Drones, usually kept in his home but occasionally accompany him if he needs an assistant. He has named both of them with really cool names: Doomslayer, and Deathrot, Who Death Forgot (Deathrot for short). Rorohiko put a blue neckerchief on Doomslayer and a green beanie on Deathrot to tell them apart.

Personal Aircraft: Rorohiko helps to make parts of ships, but doesn’t fly them himself. He usually hitches a ride with the trade ships, or pays someone for a ride, or borrows an airship from the Council.

Allegiance/Role: He hails from Fe, and has a workshop there. He works on building rather than mining, but also leaves with trade caravans on occasion to scope out new additions to his collection.

Appearance: Rorohiko is a little lean for an Onu-Matoran, and he’s often hunched over- usually over his computer. He often looks very tired. His body modifications are rarely on show unless they are being used. He is rather proud of them, though. He has black armour with neon green highlights, and his eyes and heartlight are also neon green.

Personality: He is not keen on social events and gatherings, instead preferring to sit in the dark and tinker with his relics. However, he is not outright hostile to other people, and does have and make friends; he just prefers to do his own thing. He can be a little sarcastic at times. He is very, very keen on what he does and will quickly warm to anyone who shows a similar interest. Though very bright when it comes to machinery, he is not as well-learned in operating as an independent adult, hence the need for Fire Drones to assist him in both his work and home life. He loves them very much, and has an interest in robots in general.

Bio: Rorohiko has always been very keen on machinery and electronics. His designs for new equipment have earned him decent wealth, which served him well on one fateful day; back then, he rarely left Fe, but was prompted to go meet with a client in New Atero to clarify some design plans for a project. There, he saw a curious device on sale that the Agori selling it claimed was from the laboratory of a Great Being. Seeing no harm in buying it- either it was a very small waste of money or an interesting new object to study- he took it off the Agori’s hands and thought nothing more of it until he was back home.

He spent many, many weeks prodding and examining the device between working on his other projects. It was nothing like he had ever seen before; it did not run through clockwork pieces, it used wires and diodes and glassy cards in a very complex maze. He went out more frequently, buying more of these objects when he could find them; most were in very poor repair, but he had a feeling these would prove to be very important. Then, one trip, he found an ancient tome with some brief but world-shattering information. From there, he worked on his original device like he had never worked on any other machine before; it was not the simple, laughable question of whether everything was clicking together physically, now there were electronic elements. He knew enough about that kind of thing from upkeep done on his own body. His friends worried about him when he had not been seen outside his home for months, but eventually, he burst from his shelter, holding aloft the product of his work: a small device with a screen that worked almost like a very simplified Matoran brain, able to solve problems fed into it by a user.

From then on, the Fe Council took some interest in Rorohiko’s work and funded his endeavours. Though it is slow work- the tech scavenged from the Matoran Universe and found in the Wastes from the Great Beings was very rarely in anything approaching good condition, and Matoran Universe and Great Being devices have some differences that complicate his efforts, the reverse engineering of the technology is making progress. Though it seems the Council is more keen on having these computers kept as a private, elite commodity, Rorohiko dreams of one day being able to create a computer that is cheap and useful enough to bring to the world at large, and become known for improving everyone’s life with his creation.

IC: Ken Render and Mara Quiver - Mekron

"Sounds like we're up," Render remarked, pushing himself up from the seat. Quiver stuck close to him as they climbed off the ship and joined the group of Heroes waiting outside. "Howdy, y'all."

~

IC: Timothy Gyro - Antropolis

He got free of the pilot's seat more gracefully than he had entered it and left the ship, tucking the keys into a compartment in his armour. He stood a few paces away from the others so he could give his wings a good stretch with a quick hover a metre above the ground, and then returned to the group.

"We're finding information, right?" he asked. "About the runaway ship."

~

IC: Rotor and XPlode - Antropolis

Rotor brought the ship to touch down in an area sheltered between two warehouses, away from prying eyes, and it could be seen from the open doors that there was no one about. XPlode stood, took a cloak from within a cabinet, and threw it across his shoulders with a flourish, his spines retracting as he did so. "Very good, Rotor. Stay with the ship, now; hopefully, we shan't be long."

Rotor frowned and took a digital tablet from the ship's glove compartment. He set his feet up and started flicking through games saved on the device, looking annoyed still.

XPlode led the way out, flipping his hood up as he did so. He waited outside patiently for his other companions.

OOC: I completely forgot Wolfe's post D:

IC: Eloise Thumper and Wilbur Flood - Arena, Backstage

Thumper's eyebrows raised in surprise. "A distress call?! Let me just fix this..."

Flood gestured out the door. "We can patch you up on the way, I am sure. They have Heroes on the way already, but it did sound rather urgent."

"Ah! Sure, Flood!" She grabbed her bag, absent-mindedly poking the corner of a familiar costume inside it, and followed Flood out, hastily saying goodbye and thanking the guards as she did so.

OOC: I'm happy for a timeskip!

~

IC: Ken Render - Jade's Ship

"Yeah," Render said, thinking about his hat fondly. "Was a good ol' Wild West kinda cowboy hat. Got it from a friend as a joke, but heck if it weren't comfortable. Was chasin' a good-fer-nothin' across this planet with big ol' sand worms, and wouldn't y'know it, wunna them varmints snapped up my hat. Ate it in one big gulp. No other hat's felt th'same since."

IC: Rotor and XPlode - Villain Friend Ship

Rotor started to bring the ship in to land proper. "Looks clear. Might not wanna prance out or nothin', but it should do."

"Thank you, old friend," XPlode smiled. He said to the others, "It's showtime. And remember: if you're caught, you have nothing to do with the rest of us."

~

IC: Ken Render - Jade's Ship

"Ayuh. I was there fer th'end, same as Mara here. Couple'a teammates were right at the forefront, you mighta met 'em. Was one heck of a ride, eh? Reminds me of th' time I lost my hat." Render's smile turned wistful. "That sure was a good hat."

OOC: Aw shoot did I forget Gorn

IC: Mara Quiver and Ken Render - Jade's Ship

"S-Sometimes," she mumbled, barely above a whisper. "Y-Yeah."

Render figured it would be best to draw attention away from Quiver. He asked, "Weren't you helpin' at th'Mechna hootenanny, pardner?"

~

IC: XPlode and Rotor - Villain Friend Ship

Rotor and XPlode exchanged a confused, vaguely worried glance before XPlode responded, "Well... As I just said, friend, you will be visiting the establishments and listening out for information. Or, as I and my comrades will be doing, exploring the port from which the ship left from. They should have left some records of their flight path, after all- and if they deviated from that path, then likely someone may have seen them- which is where you come in, chum, you and the Pluppy."

OOC: Just to let you guys know, Nato and I will be providing information on the area when we arrive. This is gonna be a pretty open-ended part of the mission, where you'll get to choose where to go to get info. There'll be some indicators if necessary, of course, but otherwise you'll have pretty free reign.