VIgil: Return of the Geneva

[Hattish Thing]

VIGIL - Cessie's Office

Oh, some confusion, perhaps! "Oh no, I try not to be pushy! I mean more, the terms of the aforementioned peer review. I would appreciate an opportunity to meet with such a person prior to proceeding with the review itself, to really get a good feel for them. I find review more helpful that way." Dr. Valiance nods knowingly as Cessie continues. Have a look around the base? Hm, this was moving along quite nicely. Already given a chance to inspect the barracks? Things must have gone fairly well! Way better than last time; no arrests! With a smile, Nicodemus rubs his hands together. "Oh, I'd love to take a look around the place. Really get in there!"

"Perhaps one of your people could give me a proper tour of the place?"

[Arkhosia]

Training Grounds - Demonstration

Blanche will arrive fairly promptly in her armor, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder - she was already making her way to the training grounds before the announcement, having taken a couple futuristic-looking firearms out on loan from the VIGIL armory.

[Purple Eagle]

[Training Grounds - Arena]

Svetlana shakes her head as well, sighing. "Hai, that is the worst. I'm so glad we share some common ground, sensei." She adds, smiling.

She nods a single determined nod when she's told what to prepare in order to fight demons. "Would coating a weapon in silver work, sensei?" She asks, already thinking of some ideas. "Do they have tactics, or do they just rush their targets?"

[Zefir]

[Lending Awen a Hand]

Awen looks at the things.
"So...grabbing exercises, holding exercises, and seeing if I can feel things right?" she guesses, looking at them.

She nods. She's fine with resting.
She probably needs it, anyway.

The witch tries out a couple things to get used to the hand and how it feels differently from her other hand, and spends a bunch of time resting.
"..."
"Thanks."

[Lending Awen a Hand]

Yes mostly that. The hand should still feel numb as things establisch and the drugs are still taking place.

"You'r welcome. After all it is my job here." After that Mia will leave telling her to call her if needed, unless she got something right away.

Mia's Workshop

"In the past, I worked with starship drives," Saramond explains, "And I've done some mining and demolitions on the side.

Mia's Workshop

"Hmm," Mia says. "Could you go into a bot more details with that starship drive? And what would you think you can offer us with your skills?"

Training Grounds - Demonstration

Mia will arrive as well. She doesn't seem battle ready. She just got here in her working outfit, but got at least the sword on her back.

[Shadowcaller]

VIGIL - Cessie's Office

"We'll determine the peer review process once I've had a chance to discuss things with whoever I end up selecting as your peer reviewer." Cessie answers curtly. "As for the tour, let me call on someone to show you around." She gestures at the binders again, perhaps for the final time. "As for these, please leave them here for me to review. You probably don't want to carry them around anyway, they look awfully heavy. I'll return them once I get a chance to properly understand their contents."

Mia will be called in as a tour guide, though how much that should be RP'ed out is up to her and Dr. Valiance's players.

[Morty]

[Training Grounds - Arena]

"A silver-coated weapon would work, yes." Wenomir nods. "They take wounds like anything else, but they regenerate quickly unless done by silver. It also causes them a great deal of pain. They're cunning and have many weapons at their disposal, as well. Drowning us in teleported cannon fodder is a common tactic of theirs."

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Wenomir stops with Electra in the middle of the training grounds, around the assembled members.

"Attention, everyone. This is Electra, from MERC. She has offered to show us her combat capabilities, since the new threat some of you might have seen reports of fields many soldiers like herself. This will help us fight them when the time comes."

He turns to Electra.

"Let's start by having you spar with me, when we'll ask for volunteers from among the others."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Electra assumes parade rest when Wenomir introduces her, and nods sternly at the crowd. For those who are good at spotting such things, her mannerisms indicate that she's a veteran soldier. When Wenomir says they should start just by themselves, she nods again.

"Let's start with a bit of space, then, since that's the most likely encounter scenario." She she says plainly, before moving into the practice area Wenomir has chosen for this demonstration. She doesn't draw her weapons as she backs up, but the control surfaces and thruster nozzles on the backpack of her armor move back and forth a little bit, reminiscent of someone stretching before doing exercise. Once there's a few dozen meters between them, she'll take up a loose stance, hands near the weapons on her hips, and call out to Wenomir.

"Whenever you're ready, Commander."

[Rebonack]

[Bear Necessities]

Well.

Isn't this a sight?

Two completely unremarkable children riding a bear through the VIGIL campus laughing their heads off. Who allowed these precocious children into VIGIL, anyway?

Oh wait one of them is in a VIGIL custodial uniform.

That's probably Lapis so no doubt everything is fine and absolutely nothing could possibly go wrong.

"The pool the pool! Jump into the pool!" Lapis squeals with delight. "You're so fast Anika I love it!"

Hopefully no one is currently using the pool for any serious exercise.

Having a bear cannon-ball into it while you're doing laps might be distracting.

[Morty]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

"My sword can deal non-lethal damage if I want it to, so there's no need to worry about that," Wenomir adds as he unbuttons his surcoat and hands it to a member, leaving him in his chain shirt. Then he draws his sword and takes up his position. Despite his assurance, it still looks perfectly normal. He raises his sword in a plow-guard, closes his eyes, breathes deeply, opens them... and moves.

From Wenomir's perspective, everything is slowed down as a supreme battle concentration takes over. He rushes in Electra's direction, intending to finish with a forceful thrust to her chest, where she said the reactor powering a Reploid is located. Even his own movements seem ponderous and restrained to him for a moment. To everyone else, Wenomir almost vanishes, becoming a blur of motion and a rush of air as he charges Electra. Of course, with her enhanced senses and reflexes, she might be able to respond in time to his opening move. If his weapon does strike her, it will pass through harmlessly, but weaken and slow her by doing so.

[Purple Eagle]

[Training Grounds - Arena]

"I'll get started on acquiring silver coatings, then. Much obliged, sensei." Time to prepare for demon-scum and hear their screams of pain for daring to attack VIGIL! It's okay to be sadistic towards evildoers, is Svetlana's thought.

"Can I ask more about the world you came from?"

[Bear Necessities]

Asher raises his hands and squeals delightfully while they ride. They're heading for the pool, so he hides his wings away so they don't get in the way, looking more like an unremarkable boy with silver skin... much like an aasimar. Though, he's not wearing VIGIL wear, dressed instead in a white linen robe and a gold belt around his waist.

He's with Lapis, though... so it's probably okay!

"Pool! Pool!" He chants along with Lapis, ecstatic. "Faster! Wheeeee!" He giggles, hugging Lapis and anticipating the plunge into the pool!

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

The moment Wenomir takes his first step is the moment Electra moves, a graceful move, and fast, even in Wenomir's slowed-down perception. His senses can still follow her movement, though she seems to be moving at "normal" speed, even in his slowed down perception, as she draws both of the weapons that hang at her hips and lunges-rolls to the left, bringing both weapons up as she recovers and leaps further to that side and back, the massive energy pistols for once being terribly quiet as two small, white beams streak from their muzzles towards Wenomir. He can probably dodge them, but he'll need to alter the path of his forward motion.

To the onlookers, Electra herself becomes a black-gold blur as she moves, unless any of them are able to perceive objects moving at high speeds. She's not sure how much use this is going to be for the onlookers, but oh well, they need to know that facing someone like her from this new enemy is a very real possibility.

[Morty]

[Training Grounds - Arena]

"You may, though I feel like I should ask you a question or two in turn," Wenomir replies, a little amused. "This conversation shouldn't be all about me."

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Wenomir... doesn't dodge. Instead, he stops in his tracks and parries the rays with quick motions of his sword. Once the second ray is deflected, he crosses the rest of the distance between him and Electra with a sudden leap, aiming an overhead chop when he lands.

[Ilphirmary]

Wenomir doesn't look a lot less awkward than Anika after the sudden argument.

"...right. We've probably spent too long standing here and arguing anyway. She needs to recover, so let's clear our heads."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Electra watches as Wenomir parries the shots from her pistols, but as he leaps, her armor changes colors, from black, trimmed with gold, to purple, trimmed with white. Her right hand snaps up to track his trajectory through the air towards her, before she fires....but no energy beam emerges. Instead, a massive whirlwind vortex slams out from around the muzzle of the weapon, a wall of air at its center streaking out towards Wenomir, powerful enough to pull a man from his feet and carry him dozens of meters, were that man standing on the ground. If it hits Wenomir, it will at least stop his trajectory in mid-air, if not throw him back a few meters, but the pressure waves are compressed enough that they can be seen, and if Wenomir can somehow maneuver in mid-air, he might be able to avoid it.

Electra, for her part, seems amused, at least. There's the start of a predatory smile playing at the corners of her mouth, though she is trying to be professional about all this.

[Zefir]

VIGIL - Cessie's Office

"We'll determine the peer review process once I've had a chance to discuss things with whoever I end up selecting as your peer reviewer." Cessie answers curtly. "As for the tour, let me call on someone to show you around." She gestures at the binders again, perhaps for the final time. "As for these, please leave them here for me to review. You probably don't want to carry them around anyway, they look awfully heavy. I'll return them once I get a chance to properly understand their contents."

Mia will be called in as a tour guide, though how much that should be RP'ed out is up to her and Dr. Valiance's players.

VIGIL - Cessie's Office

Mia will soon arrive.
"Hello Miss Mithar. Is this the person you mentioned?" She says as she arrives.

[Ilphymary]

Mia has nothing more to add right now.

[Morty]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Whether or not Wenomir can change direction in mid-air to avoid the vortex, he doesn't do it. Instead, he twists his body in the same direction as the vortex and meets it head-on in a graceful spin. When the vortex hits him, he seems to keep control of his momentum, combined with the vortex's push... and emerges from it in Electra's direction, aiming to simply barrel into her as he spins rapidly in a silvery blur.

[5a Violista]

[Training Grounds - Watching]

Awen watches.

Wait!

From this far away, how are they supposed to see what's going on if they both are going so fast?!

She does her best to watch what's going on, but can't follow the minute parts. They've got to be recording this, right?


[Lending Awen a Hand]

Awen smiles, and thanks her, and gets to practicing and everything with the new hand.

[Purple Eagle]

[Training Grounds - Arena]

"Of course, sensei! You may ask me anything you want, I will answer to the best of my ability. Though, I am indeed curious about your home world and origins." Svetlana asks, smiling.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Electra's eyes widen as she realizes what Wenomir's trying to do, and leaps straight up, trying to avoid being slammed by Wenomir. Unfortunately, she's not quite able to get enough height before he reaches her. Instead of slamming into her broadside, he slams into her outstreched leg instead, knocking her head over heels. She lands unceremoniously on her back a few feet away, and lies stunned for a moment, blinking, before she breaks out laughing.

[Hattish Thing]

VIGIL - Touring

As Mia enters the office, Dr. Valiance waves politely towards her, long fingers fluttering and waggling strangely. This one was very, very young. For a brief second, Nicodemus felt slightly uncomfortable before simply shrugging internally. Perhaps she's older than she looks! Surely, Ms. Mithar wouldn't allow actual teenagers to serve as footsoldiers. Maybe this Mia person was secretly a really old demon, or dragon, or something! Just like those anime games he certainly didn't play.

After spacing out for several seconds, Dr. Valiance rises before striding over to Mia, extending a hand. The good doctor hated children, even teenagers, but it wouldn't do to be rude to his tour guide. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Dr. Valiance! Tell me, where are we off to first?"

[Shadowcaller]

VIGIL - Touring

Cessie smiles. "Good, Mia, you're here. If you don't have anything else planned, do me a favor and show Dr. Valiance here around the base wouldn't you? It shouldn't take too long I hope. Just show him where everything is. He will help us establish a scientist branch in VIGIL so perhaps you can tell him about the technology you're using while you're at it?"

If there is nothing else, Cessie will let the two go on with their tour after a quick farewell.

[Morty]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Wenomir notably takes a second or two to steady himself after the collision. Once he does, he also starts laughing as he walks over to help Electra up.

"I can't believe it worked! I thought I was going to be thrown back."

[Training Grounds - Arena]

Wenomir looks away for a moment, staring off into the distance pensively.

"You seem eager to take on evildoers and hurt them. We have many members with similar sentiments. While others prefer to treat violence as a tragic necessity and last resort. What I'm curious about is why you feel this way."

[Purple Eagle]

[Training Grounds - Arena]

Svetlana sighs and turns to look into the distance as well. She knew this question would come, not that she ever tires of telling her story. "I've told you a bit about my story. Once, I was a happily-wedded pregnant woman with a husband, a home and a pet fox. A multiple figure-skating champion turned cyberneticist. I was happy." She's silent for a moment before continuing. "A fleeing violent criminal in a car, running from the police, took them from me. He T-boned the car we were in, my husband, pet and I. I was the only survivor, and could only be saved by being cyberized. Not only did I lose the love of my life, I lost my little girl... and with this body, I'll never have my own biological children. Later, I saw the news... he'd escaped capture and was at large."

At this point, her voice is one of cold, stoic rage. "That experience changed me. Some might even say it broke me. I decided he could not go unpunished. So, I hunted him down and punished him... and it felt good. The media didn't agree, of course. The grieved woman took the law into her own hands instead of letting the baka police handle it. Good thing I ended up here the next day, where my actions aren't so demonized. Better still that I found this organization."

She shakes her head. They didn't understand back home, not at all. "You know why I kill evildoers? I do it for their victims, so they won't steal the dreams of others like one did mine. It won't bring back the love of my life, but I can prevent another person from losing it all." She turns to him, gauging his reaction. "While I'll appreciate advice, I hope you don't try to stop me or change my mind on this. I can't not smite violent evildoers. Not after what I've lost in the hands of one. They must be punished."

[Zefir]

VIGIL - Touring

As Mia enters the office, Dr. Valiance waves politely towards her, long fingers fluttering and waggling strangely. This one was very, very young. For a brief second, Nicodemus felt slightly uncomfortable before simply shrugging internally. Perhaps she's older than she looks! Surely, Ms. Mithar wouldn't allow actual teenagers to serve as footsoldiers. Maybe this Mia person was secretly a really old demon, or dragon, or something! Just like those anime games he certainly didn't play.

After spacing out for several seconds, Dr. Valiance rises before striding over to Mia, extending a hand. The good doctor hated children, even teenagers, but it wouldn't do to be rude to his tour guide. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Dr. Valiance! Tell me, where are we off to first?"

VIGIL - Touring

Cessie smiles. "Good, Mia, you're here. If you don't have anything else planned, do me a favor and show Dr. Valiance here around the base wouldn't you? It shouldn't take too long I hope. Just show him where everything is. He will help us establish a scientist branch in VIGIL so perhaps you can tell him about the technology you're using while you're at it?"

If there is nothing else, Cessie will let the two go on with their tour after a quick farewell.

VIGIL - Touring

Mia nods to cessie and then turns to the man and takes his ahnd for a shot shake.

" A pleasure, I am Mia Mechanicus High Priestress of Deus Mechanicus." she replies and then turns to lead him out of the office. "Since we are at the top we just go down. The Upper Village will be our first target."

Since the details are already writen down how much should we play it out?

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

Electra kips up before Wenomir can offer her his hand, but keeps chuckling to herself as her armor changes colors back to black and gold and her weapons retract and fold as she "holsters" them at her sides.

"It was supposed to! Usually people can't get close enough to the edges of Storm Tornado to do that!" she says, enthusiastically, then laughs again, and shakes her head, before giving him a gentle, playful punch to the shoulder. "Good job! I've never seen anyone do that before."

She giggles a little more, then finally settles down, before gesturing back towards the observers.

"I probably should have stipulated a speed for this; you and I can probably move a lot faster than many of your members can; and we were actually going faster than the generic soldier bodies can. We should maybe explain to our audience that this isn't exactly typical."

[Ashen Lilies]

Barracks

Blanche does indeed practically run into Kal, jolting once more when she feels his hands against her. Her face turns red again as she notices first that the man’s bare-chested, and secondly that it’s Kal. Well, speak of the devil.

”N-nothing.” She tries to excuse herself before he notices the very obvious signals of what she was just up to, taking a step back. “Really sorry about bumping into you Kal, won’t happen again.”

[Barracks]

Kal smirks a little, shaking his head.

"No big deal. I can tell you have something going on at the moment."

His smirk widens into a grin, eyes briefly flicking to Blanche's pocket. "See ya around."

[Sword Introduction]

Though he was more stoic at first - martial arts always give him focus that overrides most other considerations - close grapples with Cass do make Wenomir's mind... wander as well. He does his best not to let it interrupt the training, but can't quite keep it up, so it ends just a bit more quickly than perhaps it should. He steps away and takes a few deep breaths, looking at Cassandra.

"I think that's enough. As far as first lessons go, this was a good one."

[Sword Introduction]

"Y- yeah. I guess so," says Cass, blushing and breathing hard. "Pretty intense, huh? Quite a work out. I could use a shower."

[5a Violista]

[Training Grounds - Watching]

Well, that was so fast and - apparently it can't even be matched by the regular soldiers. So which part is she supposed to get out of it? The wind move? The way they move? Awen wonders this all.

Regardless of whether the 'generic soldiers' can go that fast, the fact is that both Electra and Wenomir can go that fast. If the enemy has even one person who can move that fast, then they could easily kill Awen if she doesn't come up with some way to stop that from happening. Some way to survive, or to get away, or...

But what should she do? She's not sure this is the sort of thing she answer in-the-moment. And it probably also depends on various other circumstances.

She runs her hand along her headscarf, as she tries to think of possible things to do.

[Arkhosia]

Barracks

Anything Blanche intended to ask Kal goes completely out the window as he starts to leave, leaving her standing there stunned and completely red faced.

”W-wait, erm” she stutters out, regaining the slightest bit of composure. “Can I, er, ask you for some advice, later?”

[Morty]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

"Not many people can match me in speed. We'll address the people and then let someone volunteer for the next bout."

Wenomir turns back to the Vigil members as he sheathed his sword.

"This might have been just a little bit hard to follow for many of you," he says. "Electra says most models used by our enemy can't move quite as fast, however."

[Sword Introduction]

Wenomir looks Cass up and down. A shower... ideas play in his head that he doesn't quite dare voice.

"I think we both could. There's only one shower here that I really use. Let me show you there."

[Training Grounds - Arena]

Wenomir is silent for a good while. Svetlana's passionate response isn't unfamiliar to him, neither is her desire for vengeance. Or making the world right by means of righteous retribution. One piece of scum at a time.

"I understand how you feel, Svetlana. I lost someone I loved to the demons. Lost my home and people who looked to me as their leader. And I've seen what depths people can sink to if given a lick of power. I won't try to change your mind about this, but I do need you to control your anger. It has to be your tool, not the other way around. It has to come when you call it."

[Zefir]

[Training Grounds - Demonstration]

"Most means there are a few that can match this demonstration." Mia says. "If that is what you wanted to show us then how should we face them? Or will one of you be around?"

Mia is no fighter. Even with the training she got she barly scratched Wenomir. Indeed she never caused him to break a sweat as far as she remembers.

[Earl of Purple]

Training Grounds

"I could see what was going on, just about. They aren't that fast? Good. I am not that fast, but still pretty fast." She's got a giant alien crystal supercomputer connected to her brain that lets her cheat.

This demonstration also has Makuro reconsidering her stance on weaponry. She's encountered things that she can't easily punch, but now... If she finds herself fighting androids like Electra, she might need a bit more power to her punch. Possibly some knuckledusters are in Makuro's near future.