Ellie laughed.  "Well I never was much for team play," she said. "I usually play solitaire... both sides," she grinned.

Then, to Oscillator's comments, she smirked lopsidedly and said, "I dunno.  I don't think I can follow the 'natural American culture'.  Unless you lot can agree to use the Queen's English and get on like proper Britons?  Nah, didn't think so," she chuckled.

"Seriously, Oss - there's diversity, and there's unity, and the two don't have t'be mutually exclusive.  We can all come from different places and get to the same goal.  Lighten up a notch.  Have some coffee," she offered, producing a mug full of steaming java. "We'll take it easy on you.  Won't we, lads?" she offered, hoping Poco and Onyx would ease back for the sake of the stiff collegiate type.

   "Yeah, man, shoot, we can take it easy on the Man- but the Man gotta take it easy on us, ya dig?" Bruce, grinned at both of them.

   "See Ossy, you gotta lighten up, jack!  You squarer than a pack a smokes right now!  But it's cool, daddy-o, it's cool.  You got yo thang, that's what makes you, you.  That's outta-sight!" Onyx pointed both index fingers at Oscillator, thumbs extended upwards, like guns, and shook them quickly, "But you gotta let me be free ta be me, ya dig?  Martin and Malcolm- they both got good points- from different sides of the same coin- but we all gotta right to be free- all men is created equal, jack!  Not the same, but equal.  Can ya dig it?"  There was an odd sense of urgency in Bruce's eyes, as if the concept was intensely important to be acknowledged and agreed upon.

   Almost uncomfortably so.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 13:59, Fri 23 Mar 2012.

"Depending on where you have come from, we are all equal. There are those that hold our souls have come into existence numerous times in numerous states, to hold that our state in this life is more or less than someone else's is to claim our previous existence may have been of lesser worth."
"Still, none of that should matter between us. About two decades ago, a great evil split the entire world. There were those in the vanguard on both sides, and we are fortunate that right triumphed. At this point, we are together to insure that doesn't happen again. I doubt we would disagree on that."
Lamar begins to rummage in the cupboards. "My grandfather was creole, he taught me to make coffee. I'm actually from the midwest."

Oscillator is impressed to see that, despite first appearances, Onyx is both moral and intelligent.
In fact, this team in general may have significant merit.

To Onyx he replies, "All have equal rights to existence and freedom to be oneself, I agree without reservation.  I conjecture this is a foundational social and moral dilemma, and one which it seems we share the same perspective."

He continues, "Men AND women, and also children.  In terms of vibrational quanta, experiential processes, and the bio-energy potentia in living matrices, I could also propose that animals and plants merit similar rights as well, however I question if our conteporary society is prepared for this type of reasoning at this time, such as it is."

Last point, "And no doubt, one must be true to oneself.  But what do you mean, 'square as a pack of cigarettes'?  Wouldn't that be a complex quadrilateral oblong with many cylindrical pyro-meta-oxygenic dispensers contained within?"

"HA HA HA  -- I'm kidding, I'm kidding."  Does anyone laugh?  SILENCE.
OOC: I sure hope no one laughs -- if so, I wanna know WHY?!? heh

"No doubt I might appear to you to lack the social 'savoir-faire' which you display.  Interpersonal interaction has never been one of my strong points, I acknowledge, and thus I will not seek to be team leader for public representation purposes -- however my services would be more valuable as a primary analysis source for strategic planning and tactics."

Oscillator comes across more as a lecturing college professor than a nice guy, but when facing a deadly mind-bender challenge, would you rather have a cheerleader or an Einstein on your side?  Assuming Oscillator can learn to speak concisely.

   Onyx looked at Nightmare and then Oscillator, his features stone cold.

   Finally, after a moment of silence, his face slowly cracked into an expansive smile.

   He clapped his hands together slowly, saying, "Alright, alright, alriiiight!" His grin increased, "This team really might be about somethin'!  And y'all can use all them fancy words to ya talk that equality!  I love it!  Ossy," Bruce gave Ossilator a friendly, soft punch in the shoulder, "You alright wit me, jack!  And Spooky- I knew it was somethin' ta that chickory, bwoy!  Laize ay lay, Bon Tomps, Spooky!  Dats what my cousin say.  She from Nawlins."

As everyone in the group enjoys themselves in their own ways and feel each other out the warning klaxon sounds and red lights in each room start flashing brightly....

OOC: This is it! The first mission alert (you hope), so people should make their way to the Situation/Ready Room thread...

OOC:  Situation / Ready Room thread: link to a message in this game

Vosper threw her bullet-holed, blood stained leather bomber jacket against the wall in a fit of pique.  Storming through, a proverbial black cloud over her head, the lithe Brit made a beeline for the kitchen, scowling and not stopping for any pleasantries.

Once there, in a blur of speed, she made a giant hero sandwich and began to devour it silently, tearing into it like a shark feeding on its prey.

Without a word to anyone, Nightmare calmly finds his way to medical care. Unlike Vosper, he does not heal faster than any other human. Right now, he needs an aspirin.
Plus, he wants to check his hearing to see if there's any degradation.

"Well, that was certainly disturbing", says Oscillator, in the kitchen with Vosper, watching her hi-speed eating, "but at the same time, I am most impressed with your enhanced healing.  Did you know I pushed some of your innards back -- while some of them slid back in of their own accord?  Astounding!"

He watched Vosper eat.  Not only was she pretty, but her powers made her quite an achievement as well.

"Might you let me study a sample of your tissue in my lab?  My expertise is in emitted wavelength variations, but I do have a rudimentary understanding of biology."

By rudimentary, Jonas actually had a degree in biology -- but not a Phd.

During the missions conclusion and wrap up, and the subsequent travel home, Eddy had been in the finest of moods; joking and playing around in a mischevious, playful way.

She still seemed pent up on endorphins and adrenaline, but now in a relaxed state that reminded one of small, enthusiastic baby animals.


Upon returning to base, he joined Nightmare towards the medical facilities; walking alongside the quiet PI type, nattering on about the fight they just had (who did what, and 'did you see ...').

His enthusiasm seemed almost uncontained.

Vosper had the courtesy to finish chewing before she answered Oscillator.  She'd done her level best to just ignore Poco; the cat-man's incessant cheer was annoying as all get out, given her sour mood.

"Lovely," she replied dourly. "Well, sorry to bleed on you, mate.  Seems to be about what I was good for in that one."

"I've been poked and prodded in labs since I was a nipper," she added.  "But if you want to take a look, why not.  Seems you've seen me in worse shape."

"I suppose I could've taken samples when your tissues were all over --- ha ha", says Oscillator.  Even as he says it, he realizes this joke will not do well.

Vosper saying she'd come by his lab was a success.  He didn't need to tell her that he'd developed an attraction to her -- particularly not in the kitchen, it was too public.

"Ahem, I mean... 'cough cough'  Hey, Poco, my you look happy.  What makes you so full of good cheer?"  Oscillator awkwardly changes the subject.

Just off from the kitchen, a young woman sits on the couch, reading a book.  When everybody comes in, her first response is to lift her book a little bit higher, as if trying to hide behind it.

For the moment, her plan seems to be working.

"Don't get cheeky," Vosper retorted when Osc mentioned her being all over the place.  But though she pouted, a moment later, the first hint of a smile she'd worn since the ill-begotten battle touched her lips.

"Here now," she said, her gaze focusing over his shoulder. "Who's this?"  There was a young woman on the couch with a book just off the kitchen.  One she'd never met before.

After a fair bit of Poco's nattering on, there is a somewhat awkward prolonged pause as Poco awaits an answer to a question. After a moment, Nightmare smiles at him, saying, "Sorry, I'm a little distracted from the ringing in my ears. You did quite well, but I think I missed most of the action. I was attempting to hide behind a desk to get the drop on one of the enemy."
"Next time, I'll have to do things a bit differently."

Oscillator jumped in to answer Vosper, "Didn't you read the memo?
Apparently Onyx has left our acquaintanceship for the time,
so we've gained a fascinating new teammate.  Amaranth --"

OOC:  I cut off Oscillator here so anyone can introduce Amaranth, including herself.
As I didn't get an actual memo, I don't really have any info on her.
But in-game, Oscillator would probably be 'in the know' ... er, maybe?   :D

Eddy smiled at 'Mare Man, "You did awesome.  You are our freaky weird dude^TM. And you did your thing" he said.

Sticking a clawed finger in his ear and wiggling it about, he continued, "Yeah, that boom stone really did a number on the drums, eh!"

He'd heard Oscy call something out from the kitchen area a while back, but hadn't made it out, exactly, and had not responded.

He looked at the medico who was wrapping some kind of bandage around the wound on his arm.
Eddy knew THAT wasn't going to last there long; it was already annoying him.

And he was hungry.
"When these sawbones get through with us, you wanna hit the kitchen. I can smell me a huge steak in that there fridge, and it's got my name all over it".   His feline nose twitched appreciably.

Nightmare peels his mask off, a different lividity and flecks of dried spirit gum showing where it was. He smiles at Poco and says, "Steak? Perhaps. I think I'm just going to have some coffee, then a nap."
"Interesting times, we'll just have to try not to think of it as a curse."

As the others are speaking a well built man in the uniform of a Master Sergeant serving in the newly formed US Army Special Forces. He is about six foot one, with an athletic frame and carries himself with a military bearing.

"I am Master Sergeant Patrick Muldoon." Muldoon said with gravely voice, somehow at the same time both gentle and threatening.

"Uncertain whether I was expected, but my orders say I am now a member of this project. If there are a few beers to go along with that steak, then count me in." Muldoon was always hungry .. and thirsty for a beer.

He seemed unfazed by the odd assortment of those gathered or the wounds.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:05, Fri 11 Jan 2013.

Quirking a blond brow, Vosper nodded crisply to Muldoon.  "Hail and well met, Master Sergeant," she said in an elegant British accent.  "Callsign Vosper, attache and liasion from M-I6, at your service."  She brushed a breadcrumb from her lip and regarded their new arrivals.

"Of course, being in the Colonies I made sure to be properly supplied," she allowed with a smile.  "So while the beer may be a bit strong for your liking, there's a cold Newcastle in the fridge."

"I have crossed paths with your agents before ma'am." Muldoon said with no hint of what judgement he might have made in that regard, or in fact what the out come had been.

"As far as being a colony, I think we straightened out that little misunderstanding back in 1776." The Sergent said seeming a bit put out.

"But I'll forgive you seeing how much I like a good beer.", but then a big grin appeared on his face. "As far as strong .. I think I can handle ma'am."

Amaranth looks at the Sergeant, honestly somewhat relieved at the distraction, but she still finds time to nod to Oscillator.  "Amaranth," she confirms.  She carefully puts a bookmark into her book and sets it on the end table, standing up to offer a handshake if anybody's interested.  "And, I don't know about fascinating, but yes, I'm told I'm a new teammate, too.  `Orders' is a very apt description," she says, a bit wryly.

Vosper raised a brow at Muldoon's brass.  "Oh, we're going to get along swimmingly," she said deadpan.  Without further ado, she blurred to the fridge, got a pair of ales, and popped the caps, offering one to the cheeky yank.  "You wouldn't happen to be from Texas, by any chance, sergeant?"

Glancing to Amaranth, she said, "Well then, welcome to the zoo," and took the proferred hand in a right proper shake.  "Don't mind the bandages and bloodstains, we just got back from a toss up with a right sorry lot and came out the worse for it."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:25, Fri 11 Jan 2013.

"Not a Texan, just an American." Muldoon downs half the beer in one gulp.

"But like a lot of Americans my folks are from somewhere else. Mine were a penniless Irishman and a Russian maid. Though to hear my mom tell it she was the third cousin of the Czar himself. Heck on a Friday night my old man used to say he was descended from kings as well." Muldoon downed the second half the beer in one more gulp and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Then with a big smile added "Thanks for the beer ma'am."

"So little lady guess what makes you so special, besides your beautiful eyes, is being as fast as quicksilver."

The Sergent glanced around the room, settling on the cat like man beast a moment longer than the others.

"Guess some of our gifts .." Muldoon said the last word a bit uncomfortably "..are more obvious than others."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:08, Fri 11 Jan 2013.