[Nexus] AMEN XLIII: REVOLUTION!

[UncleWolf]

Ilpholin's Office - Cin

"Hmm... so your projects consist largely of cutting people open and absorbing powers then?" Seems pretty 3 for 3 so far.[/QUOTE]

Ilpholin's Office - Cin

"Not necessarily." Cin says. "This latest one I only needed a tissue sample of for examination. The first two were necessary because that Troll's regenerative powers came from a mixture of cellular growth and new endocrine glands. A couple of which were at the base of the brain." He says, tapping his head. "The werewolf's sensory organs had to be taken apart and dissected as well, which no living person would likely subject themselves to. It just depends on what I'm trying to get from whom."

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Office - Cin

"And is that why you're eager to be our physician? To see what you can get from whom?" Ilpholin asks with a raised eyebrow.

[Ilpholin's Office - Hatteress]

"Better done now than later." Ilpholin says. Otherwise there'd be no plotclones! And it'd take three threads to go through all the interviews.

She passes the Hatteress a form.

Ilpholin's Office - Cat Burglar

"I'll wait." Ilpholin says as he rushes off. And that's what she does too.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ilpholin's Office - Cyrus

Cyrus smiles.

"Now, now. Even if he's right about his defenses, I doubt they're designed to protect the interior of the fortress against perceived allies. It will be child's play. Where exactly is the fortress you speak of?"

It would be really awkward to leave and realize that he has no clue where he's going, after all!

[The Alexandrian]

[Ilpholin's Office - Hatteress]

The Hatteress casually flips through the membership form as it is passed to her, only half-looking it over as the unoccupied side of her mind is left free to wander. She's never been one for paperwork, but with the crisp click of a pen, she sets to work filling it out, confidently whipping out the form as fast as she is physically able.

She briefly scans it over, proofing it for any mistakes she might've made upon setting about jotting it down on the form and hastily scratching a note beside the Name subsection of the report. She'll then attempt to slide the sheet to Ilphy in its final form.

Spoiler

Show

Name: Roxanne Du'laise Kennedy - Addendum: Prefers To And Insists On Operating Under The Pseudonym "The Hatteress" Publicly
Age: 21-ish Standard Solar Years
Sex: Female
Species: Kiroshandian
Profession: Tactician; Mathematician (Focus: Optimization)
Reason for joining AMEN: To amass allies of varied disciplines receptive to my methods, to establish camaraderie with others, and to accumulate power and influence in the Nexus as a whole.
Special skills/items you believe will aid/have decided to contribute to AMEN: The Best Training In Strategy That Money Can Buy; Optimization Expertise; Inventor and Innovator; Can Fly and Maintain Starfighters; Spatial Distortion and Reflex Enhancements; Intense Military Training
References (Victims preferred): The Hatter; Gateway HAC Corporation and Various Other Rival Company-Empires
Past Experience:
Zulu-Recon Force: Squadron Commander
Special Operations Division: Assault Team Charlie
Other Information: I tend to have difficulties taking excessive flak off of people and may be wont to brain a henchman if catch them spreading vulgar rumors about me behind my back.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide you wanted to run AMEN? There wasn't much of a power vacuum to fill and the position, from where I stand, seems more gut-wrenchingly stressful than disarming a live bomb. The experience 's longer lived too."

[UncleWolf]

Ilpholin's Office - Cin

"Only in part." He says honestly. "Primarily, I'm curious as to how Shayan's project will turn out and wish to help that as much as I can, and that means I'd be spending a lot of time here. I've never been a freeloader and have no desire to be so now, so I wish to make myself as useful here as possible."

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Office - Cyrus

Child's play. Hmmm...
"Don't know. The hobbit is returning shortly with our money and will show those going the way. Magtok, Megan, and Jack will also be working on the project. Gather what you need and meet them out in the Main Hall."

[Ilpholin's Office - Hatteress]

"Gordon may have originally saved AMEN, but he got caught up in Inside politics and was slowly driving AMEN into the ground. I couldn't stand by and let that happen." Ilpholin explains.

The drow looks over the form. "What is Kiroshandian?"

Ilpholin's Office - Cin

Ilpholin frowns a bit. "Well no taking powers from AMENites unless they volunteer. People get rather... protective of such things." Everyone else is open game of course.

She motions to the form. "And you still need to fill that out."

Door => Main Hall

Speaking of payment, Marciano comes around back. Except now, he's riding in a black van. A man with brown hair and a business suit walks out of the van too. He smokes a cigarette thoughtfully. Marciano walks inside leaving Grantaire and the man in the van. He carries a large bag of cash....looks like it was freshly stolen from somewhere too, judging by a blood-caked spot on it. Marciano skips! That's odd....Well, now he'd only have to pay half the price of the building from his own coffers. The other half once belonged to a Baron Ashen. He skips over in his little suit, looking like some kind of greaseball salesman and heads over to find Ilpholin. Oy! Ilphy! Wher are ye luscious? O.o Apparently Marciano is content to annoy the hell out of Ilpholin because she made him pay so much.

Main Hall

Marciano should find the group assembled here. Ilpholin looks up. "Got it in one bag this time, huh? You were barely able to carry 2 million last time."

[UncleWolf]

Ilpholin's Office - Cin

"Perfectly reasonable, though I should note that I don't remove their abilities, merely copy." He says before filling out the form and handing it to Ilpholin.

Name: Augustus Cin.
Age: Approx. 30 Years Physically
Sex: Male
Species: Human.
Profession: Professor of the biological sciences
Reason For Joining AMEN: Curiosity and Facility Use
Special Skills: Decades of medical expertise, ability to mimic other abilities of a "natural" and humanoid origin.
References: Lord Magtok(Peer), Shayan Vermoss(Peer)
Past Experience: See Attached Binder for more details.

"Do you require anything else?" He asks idly.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ilpholin's Office - Cyrus

Well, chances are it won't go as well as Cyrus thinks it will! Still, I don't think Cyrus has ever COMPLETELY failed at something he tried to do onscreen...

"This is acceptable. If that is all, then I will take my leave. It has been a pleasure, Ms. Ilpholin."

Assuming nothing else happens, he retrieves his illusionary hat from the illusionary hat rack, tips it to her, and leaves.


Main Hall

The unusually dapper presence of Cyrus encroaches upon the room!

"Hello, everyone. If I am correct, this is the project that I have been assigned to. Something about a halfling and his mad inventions?"

[ThirdEmperor]

Ilpholin's Office

In maybe a minute or so the Cat Burglar returns, holding in his arms a mangy white cat that seems distinctly displeased with being carried.

"This is, uh, Mittens, she's an Atlantean Shorthair. Um, they can like change hair color, in case you didn't know. I stole- I mean, I rescued her from some rich *******." Huh. Do believe that's the first time the Cat Burglar ever used such foul language. Must have really hated the guy.

Setting Mittens down, the Cat Burglar retrieves a newspaper clipping from his pocket. Sure enough, the story's about some rich merchant who I can't be bothered to think of a name for losing a very valuable purebred cat to thieves. Valuable along the lines of six figures, not that Mittens looks it. 'I know she's not like, a magical sapphire or something like that, but all the other stuff was sold or traded."

[happyturtle]

Front Entrance

A young woman walks in without knocking...

... and is promptly knocked down and glued to the ground by a Pantherbot.

"KAAAAAAAAAAL!" she shrieks in outrage. "Where are you? Call off your attack cats!"




((Anyone is welcome to encounter the new girl))

[The Bushranger]

[Hallway]

Somewhere, a vuvuzela blasts in a player's ear as a reminder about a forgotten plot involving Becky in the Bunker. >_>

...but Becky is also walking down a hallway, possibly near Ilpholin's office.
Stretching and yawning in her tight, revealing outfit.

[Slii Arhem]

Hallway

Also in the hallway outside of Ilpholin's office is a certain disinterested symbiosed lady by the name of Shayan, waiting for Cin's interview meeting to be finished up. She yawns behind a hand, idly toying with a free vine by slowly wrapping it around her other arm and squeezing. She half imagines that with a bit of practice and her newfound knowledge of anatomy she could take her own blood pressure this way.

Leaning against the wall and propped up by four of her tendrils, she doesn't notice Becky's approach right away. The shadowcaster is free to say hello however.

[The Bushranger]

[Hallway]

And so Becky is walking along when she spots the unfamiliar woman by Ilpholin's office. With tentacles...

...

"...why, hello there. I don't believe we've met, have we?" the shadowdancer asks, abruptly changing direction to approach Shayan, smirking as she gives her a second apprasial. "Must mean you're new. Name's Becky."

She does offer a hand for shaking, surprisingly enough.

[Slii Arhem]

Hallway

They're vines thank-you-very-much, with flowers, leaves and everything. Shayan is quite proud of them. She takes Becky's hand with her right, which happens to be the one still wrapped in vines.

"Oh I've been around Becky-blackbird, but you could call me new to the flock. I'm Shayan, and it's a pleasure to meet someone who's first order of business isn't an attempt at my summary execution." Shayan, of course, looks like my avi, only somewhat less smug. Currently her eyes are unfocused and bored.

[The Bushranger]

[Hallway]

"Blackbird? That's a new one." Becky grins, her handshake firm and enthuiastic.

...and they're totally tentacles. At least, Becky thinks, they have the same...potentials.

"...and heh, you've met some of the madboys around here, eh? Don't worry, they're more bark than bite. Oh, and if you get hungry, just grab a henchie, they're replacable. Except Pink. She's off limits."
And those red eyes narrow a bit.

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

Shayan has the presence of mind to feign offense, but it's clearly an act.

"Me, eat people? Why I never. I am a lady of Science! little Blackbird, and I demand to be treated as one." The mock disdain lasts about as long as that sentence does before Shayan begins to giggle, of all things.

"My apologies, but I haven't been able to be properly jubilant for a long while now."

[The Bushranger]

Hallways

Becky's eyebrow arches gracefully at the declaration of being a lady, but before she can look over and make a snarky comment about the tentaclesvines, the giggling starts.

...and she can't help but giggle a little, as well.
"I can see how that might grate a bit. But hey, lots of people around here get hungry for a little Soylent Green now and then, and that's one of the roles of the henchies. Only a few of them have gone mad from the regenration so far."

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

Shayan coughs into the hand she still has near her mouth, "Yes, well, Ilpholin has informed me I'm not to use henchmen for any experiments unless they volunteer, so even if I was feeling peckish in the middle of an operation, I wouldn't reach for one right off. My plants may hunger for the brains of sentient beings, but I do not share their weaknesses." Despite being attached to one, oddly enough.

[The Bushranger]

[Hallways]

"...she did? Hm, the Henchman's Union must have gotten to her then." Becky smirks. "And they do, do they? Does that include the one attached to you? 'Cause if it hungers, it's Sinistarit puts a damper on some thoughts I wasn't having."

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

"It's very hard to dampen thoughts that someone doesn't even have, so I'll take that as testament to my skills at disturbing people. As for hungers, I've run thorough testing on the symbiotic process, and this one is thoroughly sated by spinal fluid. It would be more accurate to say that this genus of plant only grows in cerebro-spinal fluid, and simply uses the brain matter as mass to speed up the growth." Very very clinical when speaking of her plants, it seems. Shayan's eyes have also cleared as she's begun to speak more at length with Becky, and she takes a closer look at just what the shadowcaster is wearing.

"You have a very unique taste in clothing."

[The Bushranger]

[Hallways]

"Huh. Intriguing. So the fact it's...what, symbiotic? Means that it's satisfied by yourself, then." Becky smirks, the thoughts no longer so dampened. "And thanks. I used to go all in black and ruffles, but Ilpholin straightned me out," the demonically-tainted shaadowdancer declares...then giggles. "Although 'straightened out' might not be the best choice of words..."

...and, yes, she poses, the better to show off that unique taste in clothing.

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

"Indeed. My symbiosis was a fluke, but ever since then I've been working to replicate it stably, as it provides certain fringe benefits beyond the obvious. Thanks to AMEN's facilities and the help of a dear colleague, I'm ready to begin live testing." Which would undoubtedly be the fun part of her years of research coming to fruition. Strapping someone down to a table and forcibly inserting... well, that could come later, after she went to Riverside.

The rest of Becky's comments barely get a raised eyebrow. Well, to each their own of course. Not that she has any interest in such things.

"I do notice certain similarities between your outfit and hers. Of course, hers covers significantly more." Not that it hides it whatsoever.

[The Bushranger]

[Hallways]

"Well, she's better at showing without showing, you know?" Becky smirks, although she does look somewhat jealous.

Ilpholin oozes sensuality; Becky, on the other hand, applies it with a hammer. And she isn't fond of having to do that!

"...but hey, I like it this way. I don't get any restrictions to my movement and it feels good, especially compared to how I used to dress." The shadowdancer chuckles. "...and live testing, eh? Got any subjects in mind?"

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

"Anyone interested in a bit more functionality, surviveability, and stamina, as well as some more esoteric benefits such as being able to hold your breath for much, much longer." Shayan somehow knows exactly how to make this sound appealing. Her eyes dim a bit as she remembers just how she applied that extra lung capacity in her efforts to illuminate every corner of Cin's mouth with the tip of her tongue.

"First though, I'm making sure the process is safe by testing it on the terminally ill. If they survive, they'll almost certainly be cured. If not, there's no loss to AMEN. If you aren't busy, you're welcome to come see how the process works, and perhaps join me for a bit of looting afterwards in one of the many abandoned hospitals. I find myself short of medical equipment I'm willing to pay for."

[The Bushranger]

[Hallways]

"...hospitals don't sound like the kinda place that would have cool loot, but hey, there might be gold and that could be something I could convert into fun. Already got plenty of stamina and breath, but who knows, more never hurts."

Yup, Shayan knows exactly how to push Becky's buttons (metaphorically, at least, so far...) but seeing as she's already demonized...

"So yeah, count me in on the loot. A little B&E is good R&R."

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

"Yes, I'm afraid a hospital run will be more focused on utility than the fun of the looting, There will undoubtedly be plenty of sharp knives and sacks of old blood though, if either of those are your thing. Drugs too, if we're lucky. At most we'll be warding off a few unruly ghosts as we pass through." No sense making it seem glamorous, as abandoned hospitals usually weren't. Becky can decide more on whether or not she wants to go through with a procedure of her own when she sees it done first hand, but having another set of hands for the looting would be invaluable.

[The Bushranger]

[Hallways]

"Bah, nothing like what they have at the Den I'm sure. And I do not drink...blud."
Becky somehow manages to pull off the Transylvanian accent perfectly!
"And scalpels really aren't my thing. But tearing stuff up never gets old."

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

"So true. Let's try to keep the equipment in good enough condition that it will work when it gets here though. I'd hate to have to make the same trip twice for spare parts." Shayan smirks a bit, but not overtly, and unwraps her right arm to check her wristwatch. Just how long would Cin be in there for?

[The Bushranger]

Hallways

"So, to avoid a run for spare parts, don't reduce the equipment to spare parts. Got it." Becky chuckled, leaning back against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway, somehow making the simple movement appear seductive.

And not in a totally hammery way. Huh...

"Waiting on someone, Ivy?"

[Slii Arhem]

Hallways

Shayan sighs and looks up from her watch, somewhat embarrassed, "Why yes, Blackbird. My colleague, Professor Cin. I'd like for him to accompany us to the patients, as he has more medical experience than I do, and something of a stake in my project. firstly though, he has to finish his interview with Ilpholin to see about becoming a member, probationary or otherwise."