Feb 12 05:07:27 109 PA - Dropping In
From Chronicles
Feb 12 05:07:27 109 PA.
UNCOMMON MECHANICS
Bartholemew is heading for the door to make his way back into the blizzard once again, dressed in his Vaqueroes armor to protect him from the cold among other things.
Tek is sitting on a bench with a half-smoked cigar in his mouth. It seems he is working on a repair on some Crusader armor which sits on a nearby workbench. Only one baylight could be seen as you approached Uncommon Mechanics in this awful blizzard.
After a few taps on the door, a man enters, very working class by all appearances. His business here is left unknown as he stops, looking for some unknown someone.
The armored form of Bart is the first person he would see as the businessman enters and the soldier intends to leave. The speaker rings out, "Hey Tek. You got a customer."
Tek stands up and looks over to the newcomer, "We don't actually open for some hours yet sir, but since you caught me here... what can I help you with?" A smile spreads across his face as he starts to come over towards the door. You can see on a nearby workbench it looks like Crusader armor is being worked on.
The fellow in overalls and a shirt right out of one of Steel Street's factories gives Bartholemew a smile. "How's it going, Bart?" Gabriel asks, though there is no drawl in his words. A hand is raised to Tek, and the body language of whatever persona he was wearing falls away. Once more he's standing tall - or short - and confident. "Got a question for you about machines, Tek."
Bartholemew pops open his visor to get a better look at the man, "Do I know you?" he asks the factory worker in front of him. Though when the mannerisms change he tilts his head to the side a bit. This causing him to hesitate in his departure, though he remains by the door.
Tek scrunches his face a bit, "Gabe?..." pausing a second you finally see the light bulb come on, "Ahh it is you. Sure thing what can I answer for you?" A smile spreading back across his face before he goes back to smoking his cigar.
Gabriel looks to Bartholemew, full face. His own face has been altered, clearly. To those who know him, he likely looks like a faux-Gabriel on close inspection. "We haven't spent a lot of time together, but you know me, Bart. Gabriel." He offers the last just as confirmation. He waves a Tek, then seems to have a moment of pause. Speaking to Bartholemew, he asks, "I came here to talk to Tek, but if you have some time, I'd like to speak with you, as well."
Bartholemew finally catching on, smiles with a light chuckle. Deciding to stick around a bit longer he removes his helmet again, hooking it over the butt of his pistol in its holster, "Nice getup. Out slummin tonight?" giving a chuckle as he moves to where he can be more in the conversation.
Tek motions to an empty bench, "Come on in Gabe. Have a sit, what can we do for you?"
"Slumming? No. Just out," Gabriel replies to Bart, finally allowing his drawl to enter his voice as well. For now, only his clothing and modified head and face remain of whatever or whoever he was pretending to be. "Nice armor, I don't know if I've seen you in it before." A few tugs at his shirt are habit when describing another man's clothing. He then takes the steps to reach Tek's bench, though for now he begs off politely from sitting, cracking his back and mumbling about 'damn intentionally stooping.' Still, when he speaks again, it's strong. "Both of you know about the Ivory Lady, everyone does. I came here to recruit you for something special, Tek. Now that I ran into you, Bart? Maybe we can talk as well."
Bartholemew gives the other soldier a nod, "Sure, I can listen. This the same thing you mentioned a while ago?" pulling out from a pouch a half smoked cigar that he re-lights, creating a thick bit of smoke as he puffs away to get it burning just the way he likes it.
Tek nods and motions for Gabe to continue, "Sure thing. Just let me know what I can help with. I went in the other day and got a look at the inner layout. At least where the public is allowed."
Gabriel nods, then jokes about the dual cigars, "You know, those things're gonna kill ya. But yes, Bart. Hitting the club. New plan, better plan, thorough plan, winning plan. Still, Tek I need your expertise with machines. Specifically, tapping into security systems. Basically what you were going to do weeks ago, but a little more thorough for me." He waves a hand to the mechanic. "Your interior recon, what'd you find? I doubt there's anything new, unless you tapped into systems?"
Bartholemew leans up against some sort of machine or large vehicle part to listen, and that is what he does for now, letting the questions already asked be answered before posing new ones.
Tek shakes his head, "I did not use any of my powers the last time, I wanted to see if they were actively looking for supers. I can go back and really dig in and see what I can find out though. Not a problem."
The fellow in a weird workman's getup says to Tek, "Okay, great. Yeah. Just do your thing. Anything in that building that's electrical, anything that you can run, anything that you can't run. Just browse?" Gabriel grins, trying to find a good single-word summary. Bartholemew is asked, "Are you at all geared up for undead duties? I have some good stuff, but I'm afraid that I might have lost two, possibly three major players who'd promised themselves to the new mission." He grunts derisively. "Some promise, right?"
Bartholemew gives a light chuckle, "I'm plenty ready for a fight with the blood suckers, can arm a whole damn platoon to fight the buggers, I need to know a few things before I sign on to this soiree. First, who you got goin on this better planned raid? Second, what agreements have you made with those going regarding payout? I may have a few more questions when I know the answer to these."
Tek looks from Bart to Gabe and remains quite seeming interested in the answers to those questions but he really perks up when rewards are spoken of.
"I'm recruiting, so I can't tell you yet who I have. I'll be holding a meeting tomorrow, you can come, take a look and see if you want a piece of the action. As far as pieces of the action, it's at least half a million waiting to be split," Gabriel advises. "Split the same for everyone," comes a clarification. "Still, when I say I'm 'recruiting' I'm talking about those experienced, those specialists, or both. Half-a-dozen foot soldiers and a tech are already on the ticket. Is that a reasonable start?" Gabriel's head quirks sideways by a smidgen, and he shoots a questioning glance at Tek as well, as the other man had proven to be quite the mercenary himself last time.
Bartholemew smiles giving a point with his cigar at the factory worker, "It's enough to get me at that meeting to hear more. Mind me asking who you plannin on inviting, besides us two and the small platoon? Anybody I might know? And I take it you're the commander of this operation?"
Tek smiles and nods, "Well I already told you I would do the recon. As far as getting in on the actual combat... I will need to hear the plan. You can expect me at the meeting tomorrow. Sounds good so far though."
Dressed in overalls, Gabriel shrugs and starts ticking off names. "I don't know if you know off these names, but Bernard's interested. Sebastien's going to be there - said he wants to be bring that Eskimo chick of his, but I haven't heard back. Rasputin wants to come out of the 'Dregs for it. Those are the ones who have already said they want to come. Otherwise, it's open to anyone, with a psychic standing by to make sure that there's no one there just to listen in and get the plan back to the vampire bitch." Turning his head to look at Tek, he says, "Recon is good. But if you find something, I'd ask you to come along. Not to get into a shooting match, but doing things as simple as keeping the lights on, preventing emergency radio beacons from going out, things like that."
Bartholemew nods along with the list until it gets to Sebastian. "All that get worked out with that Sebastian guy? The rumors I told you about?"
Tek nods as Gabe asks him to come along, "Just like last time I am in so long as the plan sounds like we have a chance of succeeding, but knowing there is a pile of foot soldiers in makes me feel a lot better about the whole thing. Like I said I will be at the meeting tomorrow."
Gabriel offers Bartholemew a smile and nod. "Yeah, thanks. Got it all cleaned up." He then actually grins wide enough to show teeth. "Tek, this time it's actually a plan. I'm not saying that I'll live, but my eternal spirit would be shocked if the battle wasn't won. It's been this long because I've been doing homework. Your electronic scan is just one more piece to bring to tomorrow's table. No plan is ever perfect - but... I took my time on this one to do it like I would have done it back home."
Bartholemew smiles, nodding his head in approval, "Then I'll be there. Right now I got some other things to deal with. Where's this meeting taking place?" popping on his helmet, the visor still open.
Tek seems distracted for a moment and then it looks like a light bulb seems to go off, "I met a Major Thomas Samson, who said he was with the 21st Brigade Combat Strike Team under Colonel Gabriel Blaze. And I was thinking it couldn't be but I wasn’t sure. Is that you he was talking about?"
Gabriel is halfway through informing Bartholemew that the meeting is going to be held here - surprise! - when Tek interrupts, and his mind immediately jumps to another topic. There's a long period of silence, then a simple, "Come again?"
Bartholemew's actually curious about this, so he sticks around a bit longer, just listening.
Tek looks over to Bart, "You remember it was that military guy from the boat, the one who seems like he was in charge of all those other guys. They had those weird uniforms, umm Leonard said they were from... Umm someplace. Gimme a sec and I will remember."
Gabriel stands fast, crossing his arms slowly, waiting to see what this is.
Bartholemew gives a shrug, snuffing out his cigar in his palm. Good thing it's armored. Being too short, he tosses it into a trashcan nearby. "I never got the chance to really talk to the guy. Leonard talked with him the most. What did he tell you Tek?"
Tek shrugs, "I did not really talk to the guy. Leonard was telling me about it, you should ask him I bet he... Twentieth Sentry... yep that’s what he said. Ha see I knew I would remember."
"Twentieth Sentry? Sounds like a fairy tale," is all that Gabriel has to comment on those minor bits of information - even if one of them did obviously catch his attention quite readily. "Probably just some guy dressed up for Halloween playing soldier. So. Anyway, yes, we'll be having the meeting here. I'll get you on the radio before it stats, Bartholemew."
Bartholemew shakes his head, "Nah, no fairy tale, time travel shit. A really big boat with a very valuable power source. Pyramid with a big orb above it." looking to Tek, "That’s right, right? You mind melded with the thing. Maybe he'll recognize the boat. Anyways, ask Leonard about it. I gotta git."
Tek nods, "It was an old boat for sure. I could describe it I know it bulk head to bulkhead." Then looking to Gabe, "Leonard really is the one to ask questions about those guys to. But you didn't answer my question. Are you the Colonel Blaze they were talking about?" Tek waves to Bart as he leaves.
After another few seconds, Gabriel offers, "Well, I did command a Major Thomas Samson, who was part of my CIA 21st Brigade Combat Strike Team. But that man's been dead since September of 107."
Tek nods with a smile, "Well then I am thinking time definitely got warped. Like I said Leonard is the one who actually got the chance to talk with them."
Gabriel nods, and then fades with amazing rapidity back into.. whomever and whatever he was when he arrived. Doesn't even say anything, just collects his lunchbox and departs.
