| Maybe We Should Recon |
| Summary: | Jack Flag and Stargirl catch up with Marvel Girl regarding space stuff |
| Date: | (2014-09-09) |
| Related: | http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/log:2014-08-30-clubbing-and-beatings-don-t-mix and http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:the-menace-of-mongo |
| NPCs: | None |
| Scene Runner: | NA |
| Social/Plot: | Social |
| Players: |
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-==[ Metropolis Village and Financial District — Metropolis ]==--
Metropolis Village is easy to get delightfully lost in. There are trees everywhere; the streets are narrow and crooked and twisty, and the buildings seem to lean in over them, sheltering the people on the sidewalks from the view of the world. The people who live here take pride in their neighborhood - it's expensive, and it's stylish and always has been, but it's expensive *because* it's stylish, and it's stylish not because of surging waves of artificial gentrification but because the residents work hard at making it that way.
The Village centers around Bimmington Square Park, and spreads outward from there in its own pattern - since it was a town of its own before New York swelled to include it, it's never been forced into the strict grid plan. Significant locations in Metropolis Village include Metropolis University's primary campus, the Oscar Wilde Bookshop, a number of Off-Broadway theaters, and one of the most-frequented basketball courts in the city. Also local to the Village is the annual Halloween parade - which each year draws as many as fifty thousand participants, and an audience numbered in the millions.
To the east of Metropolis Village is the Financial District. When one thinks of Metropolis, that vision which occurs is usually a picture of the Financial District. This is one of the true business district of Metropolis, with numerous corporate headquarters and other businesses spaced along nearly symetric lines across the breadth of Metropolis island. The Financial District is the home of over two hundred major corporations. Skyscrapers reach to the heavens just like most areas of Metropolis, truly and clearly defining this as the City of Tomorrow. The main attraction in the area is the Metropolis Stock Exchange.
As with all of New Troy (the island of Metropolis), this area is maintained by robotic drones that clean the streets, take out the trash, and keep everything looking nice. If damage is done to an area, robotic drones will automatically repair the areas to keep life undisturbed. Above, flying cars zoom through the cityscape.
Another day in Metropolis, the sort that has clear skies, flying cars, and robots cleaning up most of the city. This part of town, the robots are well maintained. Guardians back on the surface, new leads, but also had asked around in space about Mongo and such. Thus free in the city, Jack (or Courtney) gives Jean a call, meeting up, social even. An appropriate location is picked, Jack's showing up in his civvies. He doesn't have a lot that he needs his secret identity too much as it is, no major earth enemies (though, lots in Space it seem, that come to earth, but he still chooses regular civvies and all that). He might be with Stargirl at the spot they choose, close to some place to get food probably.
With a grin, he holds up his smart phone and does a little rear shake and arms up, the video playing is the Cutie Marks in the talent show with their song before they get their marks - she'll get it he thinks.
Yes Courtney arrives, emerging from a near by alley,. She's not in costume or amazingly enough, beach wear, just your usual fitted blouse, jeans and flats. Belt too. Jean knows who she is, hero wise, thanks to the altercation at the bar, but sees not point in flaunting it. Seeing Jack and his shaking rear she can't help but act amused as she walks over to him "Better not shake it to much or passerby will start shoving singles down your pants." the video he shows her gets her attention a moment "Those three are so confused in that episode.
Jean is wearing fairly casual clothes, just a nice mock turtleneck and jeans, as she looks between Jack and Courtney, arriving almost out of the blue, "Is that how you greet everyone?" She sounds a bit amused, and then looks at Courtney, "This must be an outer space thing, I'm guessing."
Grinning at Courtney, Jack nods, "They make the show, that's when …" and does a little more, but stops when Jean calls him out; the dance and the point he was going to return. "Wha," he feigns being startled, "Ya, totally a space thing, on um … Saturn-alpha … uh, omega, 12 …." Bluffed, badly, didn't try, he rubs at his hair looking very serious for the moment. Though for Courtney he continues, "And ya, fellas gotta pay space dept." Looking around hoping for a dollar, no one pays any mind, probably ignores on purpose.
All his embarrassment abated, he says, “Good to see you Jean, figure this was a good place to talk maybe?” He points at the dinner nearby even.
Courtney stifles more snickers as Jack tries to explain his movements to the newly arrived Jean. "Hello Jean. Glad you could make it." she gives Jack a sympathetic pat on the shoulder "Don't ask him to show you what they do on Rigel 7. Though he would probably have to use a cat instead."
Jean glances at Courtney, "Must be an outer space thing, Vance sounded about the exact same way." She grins at both of them, "Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so, but I'd be more than happy to get some dinner and compare notes." She nods a bit, looking at the other two.
Blinking a moment, first at having to use a cat, and then Vance sounding the same. "What, Vance actually shook his butt, we have to get that on youtube." A plot is hatched, alas no time. His smartphone is put down, the Cutie Marks turned off. "Even just a shake and fries, those are good any time." Even breakfast it would seem. He'll move to hold the door for them. "It turns out your Ming buddy is a real nutter." He completely tries to sound British on 'real nutter' and fails - its more texas meets georgia mees australia.
Courtney's brows go up at the mention of Vance "Oh so you met the space cowboy. What cheesy pickup line did he use on you?" she seems full of curiousity on this one in a girls comparing notes kind of way. As Jack and probably Vance did most of the research and what not about Ming she lets him do the talking on that subject.
Jean snickers, "To be honest, I can't exactly remember the specific line, but if I were grading it on the cheese scale it would be a very aged Swiss." She shakes her head a little bit, and looks over at Courtney, "Points for your mental fortitude, though, Courtney." She glances at Jack, "So, what's the deal with Ming, aside from him being a real nutter?"
As they enter, seating arranged or booth grabbed, Jack gives pause enough when staff helps if they do, but picks up. "Nothing for me," for putting up with Vance too. Though no telling if he put up or instigated Vance, or vice versa. "Ya, seems that's his thing, going planet to planet, stealing resources, enslaving the population. We're just on the list I guess."
"He's no worse then the football players I had to deal with in college. And at least he takes no for an answer without me having to get mean." whether Courtney means verbally and physically is left up to the listener. She slides into a booth, (Booths > Tables in her mind) and she grabs a menu "Earth is on a few lists, but it seems to be on the top of Ming's. Let's hope we are more than he can handle.
Jean shrugs, "Well, I guess it's nice to be wanted… surprised the Green Lanterns or these Nova people haven't tried to shut him down yet." She hmms, sliding into the booth across from Courtney and Jack, eyeing the menu as she glances between the other two, "Or they tried and weren't able to do so, which is not exactly a good thing for us."
Going into the booth as well, Jack prefers them to tables the same. More comfy. "I think its about jurisdiction. If he's not in the main sectors that Oa established, or not enough damage to hit their radar, they'd not bother. And Nova Corps is limited space, they're just like local cluster - next door neighbors to the Milky Way, smaller galaxy, even if they are the local police." As if that makes sense, he tries to explain it as best he can. "And Ming, all his forces, they're just the planets he conquered, he has a veritable army, few would compare to this, literally entire populations of planets. The guy I asked just thought it best to stay out of his way - Ming's way.”
"It could also be that the Green Lanterns don't have the resources. From the sounds of it Ming has thousand of slaves," the word is distastful in Courtney's mouth "to through at whatever the Lanterns would throw at them. We may have the same issue. It wouldn't be surprising if he sent shock troops in first to try to soften us before the main invasion force.
Jean nods, "So… well, maybe it would be possible to give him a taste of 'shock troops' ourselves." She looks thoughtful, "At least an attempt to recon things, get a feel for what exactly we are going to be facing."
Remembering something, Jack says, "I can see the shock troops. Power Woman mentioned something about him sending attacks already at us, meteors or something?" He isn't all sure of that or how it works. "I think that would depend how much you trust someone to do good in something like that. Sounds like they'd have to basically be enslaved and try to make friends to learn some things." Jack doesn't know who all Jean has on their side, but probably he wouldn't volunteer.
"He's going to have to come up with something better than meteors if he wants to soften us up. Let's hope him and Despero don't hook up. We would be so screwed." Courtney peruses the menu as she talks "Taking the fight to Ming isn't a bad idea. And will keep the civillian loses her at a minimum. Have you guys been able to detect him on sensors yet?
Jean shakes her head, "I don't think so, at least not yet. I'll ask to see if we have an idea of how he's going to approach. But if he's already sending meteors then he can't be that far away, or at least the first elements of his fleet wouldn't be."
"Lady Martuk was looking for that quantam thing," voices Jack on the topic, "To move faster, like teleporting. If he has something similar, it might not be so much about his speed as him taking his time? I know Power Woman mentioned scanning where the attacks came from, maybe the Guardians can coordinate a few ships." Offering a greater sensory array to help triangulate in thier search. He doesn't act like the sharpest tool in the shed, but he gets some of the concepts.
"Maybe Whitney can do something to the sensors on our ship to increase it's distance." Courtney suggests to Jack. Whitney could probably boost whatever sensors the JL has to but it isn't her place of offer the services of another, especially when that person isn't a team member in an official capacity, "If the Guardians are going to be scanning there is no reason they can't do recon missions as well.
Jean considers, "Might not be a bad idea, I'll talk with PW and the others, see what exactly we have. Stark might have a few tricks himself, to be honest." The telepath looks a little thoughtful, and not more than a touch pensive. Apparently alien invasions aren't exactly something she's used to
"Its done, team America wins again," says Jack with a pleased grin, agreeing to the plan to coordinate sensors and have all the smart people figure out the work so he can fly into space again. "Wait, wait waa …. aa … ait," he slows his roll. "Like us do recon, near this pyscho? Hey, Ming, don't mind us, we're just sneaking around?" Half for Courtney's benefit, she pondered the thought.
There is a nod of the blonde girls head "Yes, we do the recon." Courtney holds up a hand to stave off any protests Jack may be ready to give "Hear me out. We have the skrull bounty hunters hot on our trail right. Us reconning this Ming guy gets us off thier radar." she pauses briefly as that sinks in "And even if they do go after us there, they will report to Lady Martuk what Ming is up to. The last thing she is going to want is for someone else to get thier hands on our planet before she does, so she might just try to stop Ming herself.
Jean grins, "Well, that might not be a bad idea." She pauses, and tilts her head, "Did you want some help with that? I mean, I can probably help out with some things if you needed some assistance." She smiles, "Plus having a telepath around might help."
"And if Ming goes after us, slavery doesn't sound fun," he says, his voice giving in, even though he doesn't want you. He's a sap. But a nod to Jean, "Could you like help us get around Ming wanting to enslave us? Maybe mind block us or something too?"
"Is that how he keeps all his people in line?" Courtney asks with obvious concern "Some form of mental coercion? I figured it was just some boot to the neck thing, but if it isn't we are going to want to have someone around that can circumvent that." she nods at Jean "You are welcome to join us as far as I'm concerned.
Jean shakes her head, "Well, I don't know how he does it, but I could probably screen a small group, in theory. If that is how he's doing it… and we could even try to destroy the source of that power if that is what he is doing. But that's an if. In any case, having me along might not be a bad idea."
"You're cute, that helps," for joining along, from Jack's perspective, "But then, we might have to hear Vance lay on more cheesy pick up lines." As in, he isn't sure where they conversation ended, and/or if Jean indicated he could stop with the cheese at least much like Courtney did. "But, I'm good too, cause Courtney vouches for you. And you might better know what we're looking at with the mind zotting stuff."
"It's not that hard to get him to stop. I managed it and I didn't have to get mean either." Courtney nudges Jack "I think I want a dessert first." she slides out quickly and goes to check out the options circling around in the dessert case.
Jean smiles, "I think I scared him enough that he won't be doing that again. But we'll see. I don't know if he could handle a woman that had more seriousness than he did. Especially when she's a… well, a lot younger." Not that she knows how old Vance is, but she has a rough idea.
"What, you're all seriousness," ponders Jack, "That's it, deals off." Though a grin just the same, grinning as Courtney nudges and goes to ponder dessert, he's all in for that. "And don't think about his age so much, older, and like without the time warp, he'd probably be in his 50s or 60s. I mean, he could of had a kid when he was an astronaut that could be old enough to be our parents." He doesn't know how much younger Jean is than him, but he assumes sort of close at least, knowing she's underage - he wasn't around for the 21-b-day planning after the club.
Jean grins, "Well, let's just say that I legally shouldn't have been in that club, and leave it at that." She winks and looks a bit amused, "So I thought it was a little weird."
Jack gives a pause, "What, really." Now starting to ponder her age and him thinking she was cute, which she is all the same, but his mid-20s himself. Its too mind boggling to ponder though, so he gives a grin. "Too bad, I can't justify taking you to the space bars now either if you go up with us."
Jean grins, "Well, I'm /almost/ old enough to be in that club… just another month, really." She chuckles a bit, "So I wouldn't mind visiting a space bar, I'm sure I'm twenty-one in some alien timekeeping system, right?"