PrP: Tunnels Off the Rails

[Circe]

What was good camouflage in a storm drain? "Uuuuh, good question Kray. We will do what lost always do. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome."


They were going to recycle dirt into building materials. It was kind of a novel solution to Circe. At least to her 1980s mentality of more more more.


Circe nods, "Thanks Sera, but I'd hafta see if I can even find old surplus suits before we'd need the Glamour," because that wasn't something she could do online. Not with the criminal contacts. The less criminal contacts in props was a maybe, but those might be fake. She'd have to investigate. "If I can find some that are cheaper, we'll give it a shot."


Circe nods as Seraphina shares the sciences. Both protection and attack with the fruit. "Right, let me know what ya need. I'll see what I can locate." Laboratory supplies should be easy enough to get. If meth labs can do it, then a Summer certainly can. Which brings another thought to Circe. Mostly, how BAD, or GOOD depending on your goal, the reaction to chemicals could be. "You need a lab space? We can probably find somewhere and set up some extra sound proofing as a precaution."


Safety and the hope that the solution involves the Lost having a blast. Explosions are fun.


It sounds good to her to say it like that. Beats saying wing it. Oh, had Kray not seen her in a skin suit? Wait, of course he had. He was in the tunnels. Was it too dark? "Well, remember what I wore in the tunnels? Kinda tight? That. It is made from silicon polymer with fake rubber." Bragging time. She was going to start bragging, "It is about as durable as leather, but much more flexible when I craft with it," she raises her right arm straight up, "Leather," then continues bending it in a stretch over her shoulder to the left, "skin suit."


Circe lowers her arm, drinking more coffee. And needs to rise to refill. She gets that. "It has no encumberance, so it should fit under the hazard suits. Problem is, they are kinda difficult to remove," she admits that as she finishes mixing her next coffee. "Pop your spine. Even worse when yer cut and bleeding in my experience."


"Veeeery dead. Lead poisoning, some capsaicin too. Pretty sure it was the 7.62 mil of lead rapidly entering that did it," Circe sounds quite happy as she joins in confirming to Kray that Ann was dead. Though the issue of lackeys was something she had an insight on. The ones she fought and let walk had all been slaves. "A bunch of her lackeys were actually slaves, according to the one that radioed the others that the feds killed her." That had been a lot more pleasing to her than just killing her way through everyone. It also meant Ann had less die hard loyalists. Probably. Hopefully.


"Her most loyal lackey was a cannibal. But Anatole took that filth down HARD," she says with full approval. The other thing to consider was the remaining loyalists. That was a concern. "A few probably were actual loyal lackeys, not slaves or mercenaries. Buuut they should think that the feds are their foe to avenge Ann," at least if things went well. That said, the Freehold had been pissing her off. "They'd be a lesser threat without Ann. But if they are stupid enough, the loyal lackeys might, uuuuh," she thinks for a moment as an idea comes to her.


"The silver guy might not have been a victim of the fruits," Circe declares aloud. "He could have been one of the dumber loyal lackeys. Either the others sent him to die with the fruit without knowing. Or he did it willingly. A very dumb loyal lackey."


Circe was insistent on the phrase. Not calling them Loyalists to avoid confusion with Keeper minions. And to disrespect Ann by not comparing her to a Keeper. Lackey was the bottom of the ranking. Lackey, flunky, crony, pawn, minion was the progression. At least as far as Circe is concerned.

[Kray]

A great grey hand comes up to scratch at his check, crumbs from his earlier extravagance go tumbling. 'Uh. Yeah because a bookcase might stand out. Another fake wall?' The options seem a little limited.

Stage four bio labs? Yeah I am out of my depth here. So with nothing to say, he says nothing at all.

Then nodding. 'Ah. Yeah I remember just not sure on the ins and outs of how it worked is all, thanks for explaining.' That is what he wanted to know and now he did, which makes him happy.

And then conversation takes a turn and happiness becomes a thing of the past. Kray knows what cannibal means. The name having been justly levelled at himself in times before the now. Anatole killed one of my kith, now isn't that ironic. He hefts and lets out a great sigh. He can't find it in himself to judge or condem another having maybe some kind of idea what they had been through. 'Silver guy? We got a person directly linked to this?' Now that ups the odds of foul play just a bit. Focusing in on the less uncomfortable part of the explanation. 'Sounds like it might be worth trying to find hide or hair of those that used to support her. Rule in or out definitively.' Sarah knows I've eaten people, I wonder though would the rest be so understanding?

[Seraphina]

“Just let me know.” She’d always be available.

“A space might be good. Oh!” as a thought comes to her, “Maybe that cold storage space I rented! Some infectious spores and materials are frozen, at a much colder temperature, to keep them safe. So we don’t have those temps, but it might be a safer space to use. Concrete, security, locks, hell, could throw up a Gate in there.” Notebook was opened as she wrote a few things down. It could work with the right tools.

Spotting the Summer run out of coffee, Sera will offer to pour it, or just slide the carafe to her. “Have you tried using a spray bottle filled with twenty percent dish soap and water?” asks the Nix, “Pull the neck away from your body and spray the water in and simply rub it around with your hands.” A shrug, “It works on latex anyways.” Saying it like it was no big thing, cause, well, it wasn’t.

“They’re still something to keep in mind moving forward with the rust. We can’t count them out and should be cautious and on alert.” Be careful wouldn’t hurt.

“How about a broken shelf of some sort? With some rusted parts on or near it? Make it look like we found it and just left it. Or even some boards leaning up against the wall, broken and unusable.” Just make it look like everything else they had found.

Shaking her head, “I believe the silver guy is someone they came across in the Hedge, not of the Freehold.” If memory served her right. “If we wanted to look into where her supporters might be, we could check the burnt-out orchard. It had been one of her main bases of operations, maybe some of her followers are trying to rebuild it or have visited it.” Shrugging, “Might be some clues there we didn’t see.” Might be worth a look.

[Circe]

Circe gives Seraphina a salute on the matter of finding old NBC suits.


"Could work," she admits to Seraphina. "Though we'd have to be subtle about the lab equipment and gas masks." That could cause a problem for sure. "They'd probably think we were using the space to cook up drugs if they caught it. I don't think the rooms are ventilated. If we get the hazard suits in bulk, take one and a mask for experimenting as a precaution, they should fold up. And ya want need the aprons or pads. Oh, sporting goods for that, could work."

So many ideas for fighting the Rust with Ironside options.


Circe didn't recall every detail about the place. But the air supply was limited when she got locked in, so there is that. Her jaw drops lightly, staring at Seraphina as she brings up a soapy solution. "Che cosa?" Blinking a few times, "Soap. Would sting on the open wounds Sera. That'd make taking it off hurt more." The Summer Queen had misunderstood the directions. Circe thought Seraphina was more familiar with healing wounds than that.


As for the Rust boy, "Silver corpse was dead. Not sure if he was dropping off or transporting the fruit when we found the corpse," she looks from Kray to Seraphina, "Don't know if we could bribe those birds to talk about it. Or find them without getting eaten."


"Debris, trash, the circle on a warning sign on a wall," she shrugs as they go over possible things. "We can probably find something if we look on the other side. Fascade first. Security first," she looks to Seraphina, "Which leaves it to us to scout."


Circe thinks and starts typing on her laptop. "We know the name of the front for that warehouse," she mentions, "We can follow the money records to see if there is any activity from her minions Iron Side easy enough." Then looks back up, "We should go armed for baddies if we visit. If there are stragglers there, some of them might know ME by description."


Ann and her had history from the Bay. "I open my armory, protection and weapons, to all for that." It wasn't much of an armory if you didn't like guns. Or knives. Circe has a bunch of knives, though not as many machetes. Oh hey. She has an idea. "Think a machete on a stick would help with trimming the Thorns without getting stuck?"

[Kray]

Kray stays out of the conversation regarding testing the spore, he had made his suggestions, most of which he could not follow through on yet personally, not until he works on his contracts a little more. Chemicals, labs, and the like just are not something he can offer. But he does listen quietly, carefully taking each thing in.

'Ha. What about some kind of warning tape, I like the idea of a sign.' Something to actively deter interference sounded smart.

Bulbous eyes squint as another detail is made sort of know, 'Uh. Birds?' Talking birds that can be bribed. 'These hob birds you talking about?' Not enthusiastic about even the prospect of having to deal with that. But if they can talk I can probably get something from them.

Oh that's an easier fix. 'Hm. They might know you, but they don't me. And I'm part of the ashen court, less suspicious to be showing an interest in a fellow courtier.' And I'm hardly oozing signs of wealth. 'Could pretend I'm looking for work easy enough. Plenty of lost can find use for ...' Gives Circe a glance. 'Cannibals.' If some good can come out the reputation then I can stomach it. 'That's if they are even there.' Better to know for sure.

[Seraphina]

“I’ll look into what is needed. But if the equipment is brought into the unit in boxes, marked as perishable goods for my coffee shop, we should be good. I get shipments weekly, and can set some boxes aside, as well as some filled with product if you were worried about throwing people off.” Finishing her tea, “I don’t think there is a need to over complicate this, at least, not yet. Let me get some basic findings about what we’re working with and we can go from there.” If they needed to move it, so be. “Plus, if I throw up a Gate in there, it buys me time to escape or throw out anything we don’t want to find.” Just let the Nix do her thing.

A flat look was fixed on Circe, “Soap may sting, but it also cleans out the wounds and prevents any other damage with you taking it off. You hurt a bit more to do less tissue damage,” shrugging, “take your pick. But it does work, I’ve done it. And also, cornstarch for getting them on.” Side note.

All that sounds like stuff Circe could do, but what could Sera do? “We can still find our way back to Orchard in the Hedge. If believe if they were going to rebuild it would either be there or close to it. There is the building, well, what is left, and the ability to reopen the Gates at some point. So I’d like to check it out. Plus we should make sure the trees are still dead.” Cause that was important. “Some Lost that we didn’t know very well lost their lives there and I would like to set up a memorial of some sort there.” Probably just a simply sign or something. Maybe plant a regular Hedge flower.

A shrug, “Well, it couldn’t hurt and can second as a weapon if needed, so bonus.” Worked for her.

“That’s up to you Kray, we cannot ask you to put yourself in such a dangerous position.” It felt wrong. “I know you can handle yourself and take care of yourself, but I don’t want anything to happen to you, you’ve only just arrived here. I say we get some recon going, know if we’re dealing with any stragglers and then regroup.”

[Circe]

Circe sips her coffee, sharp ears paying attention.


"Right," she nods along with Seraphina, "Safety equipment first. Think we got another suit and two masks, you will box one. Then we m1ove boxes to freezer, then mad science," she looks at Seraphina, "If you choice is between For Science," somehow Seraphina and Kray actually heard the capitalization from Circe, "And safety, please go with the latter."


"Yup," she nods in confirmation to Kray's question. The hob birds had cost her a few c-notes in meat bribes.


And how did Seraphina know what worked with armored rubber-skin tight garments? "I don't recall you wearing one of the armored cat suits." Had she given Seraphina one? She didn't recall. "But next time, I'll give a try though NOT water." She had learned that lesson. Slippery was not helpful for removing. Then blinks, "Wait, I've heard that corn starch thing in a not kids cartoon. Or, is that a Spring fashion thing?"


"Do we want to bring gasoline, dynamite, or both in case the orchards are intact?" She asks Seraphina. Because of course the Summer thinks in that direction. She didn't ask what guns to bring. She'd bring many.


Circe nods as she now has another project to engage in. She was lucky she'd done a few big deals earlier in the year. She might be busy for a bit. "I am gonna need coffee in the future, though zapping a blade onto a pipe shouldn't take too long," bragging. Of course she is bragging. Hell, she already had a few big ones for trade. Welding on a longer pommel into a haft should be easy enough.


Speaking of modification, that gave her an idea for disguises.


"If I modify the riot gear a lil' bit," she types on the computer, showing a picture of the type she'd acquired. Then something that looks different, "Purely cosmetic, but It could look different. Armor up a gas mask, and toss on a trench coat or Hedgespun fur coat for disguise." Picture goes to some artwork instead, probably from some videogame. The bulk would also hide her figure. Come to think of it, "Armor with face covering would help everyone have anonymity too. Even a welder's mask, like the dude at the start of Lethal Weapon 4," she doesn't consider the implications there. The intro scene villain had died after all.


"I will not discourage bravery Kray," she looks to the Troll with approval. Then casts a glance at Seraphina, "But necessary risks are one thing. We don't even know if this is necessary. Plus," she sips her coffee, "We know that there are ex-slaves once bound to Ann. They are likely NOT fans of the loyal lackeys. That is a second risk. Hmmm," seh hums as a stray thought enters her mind. It probably isn't worth mentioning. But Hell, why not. Be positive sometimes. "Best case, we find some of these ex-slaves are running a crusade against the lackeys. We just supply them so they can kick more ass for us." Circe holds up both hands, "I know, unlikely. But why not think positive."


She gives Kray and Seraphina each a thumbs up. Her smile however, doesn't convey confidence in the idea. It is very forced. Then a thought occurs to her. "Holy fuck, we got a lot ta do, don't we?"

[Kray]

Sarah the mad scientist. Big white coat, fashionable of course, crazy hair, fashionable of course, smiles a lot. I can see it actually. Kray chuckles to himself absentmindedly.

Apocalypse survivor Circe is even easier to picture, and pretty badass. 'Uh. Circe while I do not doubt you could pull off armour and fur no problem.' He taps the tip of a horn nubbin. 'For disguises to all, unless you plan to put me in a massive.' And it would have to massive. 'Scuba helmet these will always poke through.' Add in that he was closer to eight feet tall then seven and built like a barrel has sprouted trunks for arms and legs and well. Short of magic not a lot is going to disguise me from anything but the blind. 'It might take more then a fake moustache is all I'm saying.' That doesn't mean I'm not tricky, just in other ways.

He grunts. 'Ah. I think it's pretty necessary to know if this was intentional. If its as bad as you make it sound knowing if we should be trying to stop something more natural or more planned should help. Besides if it's planned what's to say they don't have more, can do it again, spread it around.' All well and good solving it in one place just to have it crop up in another. And besides if this was the work of an ashen courtier it could well be this is just the distraction, the attention grab. But that being utter speculation he keeps to himself. 'Sarah. I'm not going to go knocking down the door hollering for a fight. You want recon that's what I offered, am offering it's safest for me over anyone that might be known to them. The lackies won't have reason to shoot on sight.' Beyond standard lost reasons for doing so. 'The freed slaves won't associate me with the lackies because they've never seen me before.' Beyond standard lost reasons for doing so. 'Based on who is there if anyone I can make it work.' Best case I find nothing and no one, we cross it off. 'I can find things in the hedge, I can usually get people to do what I want and if things go really bad ... then yeah I can fight.' It makes sense. 'So. Tell me where I need to go. What to look for.' Looking between the two queens.

He just nods in agreement with Circe. There is a lot, granted mine is mostly digging, basic building and checking out a former battle ground but add in my other obligations and I'll be busy for a while.

[Seraphina]

Shaking her head, “I’ve never worn one of your suits, but I’ve worn latex before, and it sounds similar in a few ways. So I’m simply sharing tricks I learned a while ago.” A sip of her tea was taken as she shrugged. “The cornstarch? Just something you can use it for, and it has nothing to do with Spring. I mean, I could look up the specifics as to why it works if you want, but I just know it works.” Sure, there was baby powder, but some were allergic to it and cornstarch was cheaper.

“I would hold off on gasoline, we have no way to control a fire, and burning down the whole damn Hedge is a bad idea. I say we lay eyes on it first, then make a plan from there.” Lets see what they had to work with first.

“Just tell me how much and where and it shall be yours.” Sera had no problem supplying Circe with as much as she needed.

What did she miss? “Gear for what? Going to the old orchard shouldn’t need any gear or disguises. We were able to sneak up on it before, no reason we still can’t.” plus that just sounded uncomfy.

“I certainly would say so, amazed how the topic of the tunnels got so off track.” But she didn’t sound upset by it.

A look to Kray, “If you truly wanted a disguise, it’s going to take Hedgespin. Now I’ve only made things that hide what they truly are, not what the wearer is. Not saying I couldn’t do it, I’m pretty sure I could, but I don’t know what materials would be needed exactly. That would take some research.” She was up for the challenge, “If it’s something you want, I’ll look into it and let you know.” If not, then it’d be good info to have anyways.

She still didn’t like it. “I don’t have to like it, but I also cannot stop you. I can though, offer you aide if you get into trouble and need an out or get hurt.” But that’s all she had. And getting people to do what you wanted? Well that was just one of the Treasureds specialties.

[Circe]

"Oh," she pops the O in response to Seraphina. "I think I'd try baby shampoo then when wounded. Probably less sting," at least that is what the Summer thinks. The commercials emphasized not stinging a baby's eyes. Wait, she could have a break with this subject. "Sounds like a corny solution, but aww shucks. I guess you know something about sili-corn fabrics, so I'm all ears for the advice."


And Seraphina is against the incendiary solution. Well, it was a bad idea. "Carry more stuff without the petrol," she admits to that being good. "The sticks are light though. Just saying Sera. And thanks for the coffee in advance."


Circe looks at Kray. Then his horns. Then back down to his face. She is picturing him with a Snidely Whiplash style mustache. "I am certain that a mustache would fool certainp simple folk of the dirt. Ya know. Morons."


Then back to Seraphina. "Because we DID sneak in before. If hostiles are there, they should have learned," the martial Lost points out. "Whilst I'd relish fooling them twice, caution better. As the saying goes, to have and not need beats need and not have."


Circe chuckles, "We have," she clears her throat and adopts a Valley Girl accent, "Like, totes derailed the discussion."


Thankfully, the vocally diverse Fairest does not maintain the false accent.


Though she does have a thought on disguises. "Does a Hardened Mask work in the Hedge?" Because that could solve a problem. "Also, Ann didn't recognize me in the riot gear and gas mask, so there is that. When I said disguise, I ment face covering armor for those of us they'd be pissed at." Circe sips her coffee. She wasn't clear it seemed. "I think we got a lot to do as is Seraphina. Though, if you want to research disguises, I can lend you my glasses." She nods towards the door, "We know they help with makeup for Ironside disguises. So, it could help."


Or just wear a literal mask. Lost and Hobgoblins in the Hedge tended not to frown on those wearing Hedgespun plating to protect their face from fights in her experience. Mostly because they were too weak to object, too strong to be threatened, or looking to hire muscle.


"I have armors I could resize for you Kray," she offers as he seems set on solo-ing the infiltration/investigation. "Hedgespun plate, football pads, leather dusters, ummm, maybe the kevlar?" She thinks on that small vest. "That'd have gaps, it is the female model." She shakes her head in the negative. Then Circe smirks, "And if you insist on going in, I am going to insist you take somethings from my armory. Any preferences? Oh, how are ya with shotguns?"