Semi-Autogyro

John frowned and retrieved his smartphone from where it was clipped to his belt. "My apologies. I have been recently spending most of my time in the campus sub-levels helping to locate potential security loopholes and there is limited to no cellular reception. Regardless, I would be honored to join you for dinner tonight." He locked his phone and put it back on his hip. "While Miss Kristen is font of information irregardless of its source, she did not inform me of your identity. While I typically maintain a passing acquaintance with most campus personalities, I will freely admit that in this case that information was given to me due to my direct involvement in recent events." The teen held his hands up in a placating gesture. "That aside, please do continue. I have no wish to distract you from your sparring, Miss Shade, unless if you want my observations. Though I am not a devoted practitioner of the blade, merely utilizing it as a tool not an art." He looked around for an out of the way spot to park himself.

Myrmidon Data Log XIII-217 Type: Audio/Video Record Subject: LACUNA Suit Subroutine testing Timestamp: ***Data Expunged*** Location: ***Data Expunged*** The video shows an large, structurally reinforced room covered with various scorch marks, small craters, and carbon scoring. There is a slight warp to the image, as if it is being filmed behind some sort of protective glass. Myrmidon walks in from behind the camera, and faces it. "This is a documentation of the capabilities of the LACUNA suit." He gestures at his uniform. "The base suit has four modes, or subroutines as I will refer to them. The default mode uses the suits neural interface to adapt the suit to various hazards the wearer might face in the field. My research indicates that this mode is remarkably similar to a exosuit prototype that was stolen from a Japanese defense firm two years ago." The suit begins altering itself, reflective plates of red and silver forming across its surface, with tubes running underneath them. A luminescent yellow liquid begins circulating throughout the suit. Seconds later the transformation is complete, the formerly matte black suit replaced by what looks like form-fitted ceramic armor. "I have just mentally commanded the suit to adapt to provide protection versus high temperatures." He turned to address someone who was off-screen. "You may fire when ready." A second later, Myrmidon is hit by what appears to be a flamethrower for a period of thirty seconds. When the flame subsides it shows that Myrmidon has not moved, his armor is glowing white hot while flaming rivulets of napalm streamed off the armor and onto the floor. "As you can see i am unharmed, while staying quite comfortable. Theoretically, this resistance would even allow up to full immersion in magma." The following hour of the video is continued battering of the hero under laser, firearm, and other typical dangers a hero might face in the field. Apparently that list included falls from terminal velocity. "I am sorry that I could not procure a test site that would feasibly allow that test." the helmeted hero apologized to the camera. "Though if I am correct, I believe the suit could handle orbital re-entry and its respective hazards." He walks off-screen and the camera cuts off. The camera comes back on, still behind the protective casing. This time, Myrmidon is against the far wall. "In the cases where there is no time to reconnoiter and adapt to a battle, the LACUNA suit has a dedicated armor function. Much of it seems adapted from the failed Laufpanzer research project attributed to roboticist & weapon designer Dr. Ferron 'Rusty' Oxford AKA Doc Oxide, a known SHADOW sympathizer." As he spoke, the armor started to bulk up, forming overlapping segmented sections of a dark grey metallic material. "The added weight of the armor is rendered negligible through the use of servomotors and an under-armor conductive weave that prevents liquids and gases from penetrating." Myrmidon lifted up his arm, showing the dark under-armor that showed at his shoulder joint. "In addition, the exterior armor is made of an impact hardening material, which significantly reduces the chances of a lucky hit causing excess trauma." He gestured to something offscreen, and the camera moved to look a table with an assortment of weapons. "This armor is rated to anti-vehicle scale weaponry, which would typically be overkill on a single man. Typically." The camera panned back to the helmeted hero, as he was bombarded by veritable fusillade of firepower. It was capped off with what looked like a 20 mm cannon round impacting center-mass, the kinetic transfer of energy enough to knock him prone. A few seconds passed before the figure regained his feet, dusting off the chips of masonry that had fallen on him. "Of course one would still need to take adequate precautions, but the ability to ignore most small-arms fire would help in my normal fieldwork." Myrmidon makes a slashing motion across his neck, and the video stops. A few seconds follow, and the camera snaps back on. Judging by the appearance there was no more protective screen. Myrmidon this time is already on camera. "Next up is the stealth functions of the suit, which is remarkably similar to the Geisterjäger armor that SHADOW has employed in the field for the last few years." The armored hero appeared to shimmer as if a mirage, before fading completely. "Testing has shown that while effective at stopping visual and acoustic detection, this cloaking effect still remains penetrable by radio imaging and olfactory sensors, not to mention of no use versus mental scrying. Though for basic infiltration it is superior to most alternatives." As the bodiless voice spoke, the camera cycled through various imaging modes to no avail. Myrmidon popped back into the frame, three feet away from his previous position. "The last subroutine is the flight mode, which has been documented by numerous Freedom City media outlets. The suit changed again, into something resembling a wing-suit with a streamlined jetpack integrated into the suit. "Flight speed can easily exceed the sound barrier. This setting appears the only in house research applied to the suit, though it takes some cues from the cancelled Valkyrie experimental bomber by 'surfing' on its own sonic wake termed 'compression lift' which allows for extended flight at supersonic speeds, AKA super-cruise." The wing-suit and the jetpack retracted back inwards. The video cut to local media channels recordings that had picked up images of him in flight, mostly grainy ones during the night. There was one in broad daylight that was tagged Jan. 15 2013, and gave the best look at the suit in action. After a few minutes of these clips, it cut back to the stark facility with Myrmidon once again in front of the camera. "That concludes the base demonstration of the LACUNA suit. Due to the adaptable nature of the suit, I will probably discover or create more subroutines for future use. Myrmidon out." The image goes dark.

Myr uses Skill Mastery on Stealth for a 31 total, and will activate his 'Cloak Subroutine' - Concealment 6 [All Visual & Auditory] (Drawback: Action [Move] -1, PF: Close Range) + Super-Movement 1 [Trackless]

I'm fine with Tiff's compromise suggestion.

John was headed out of the locker rooms, having finished his daily workout regimen and was headed outside when he heard someone that had not been on campus for some time in one of the rooms. Changing his destination, he caught the tail end of a conversation and rounded the doorway. He gave a nod to Mali and Katherine before smiling at Etain. "Good evening, ladies. Had I known you would be on campus, Etain, I would have further delayed my training." The smile changed into a bemused smirk. "But it seems that you have found a sufficient challenge regardless." He moved to an out of the way corner. "Do not mind me. It is a seldom pleasure to watch competent sparring." He raised an eyebrow at the wooden safety sword in Etain and Kats' hands. "Well, instructional sparring. You should take advantage, Miss Shade. Etain is a superb sword-mistress, one of the best you are likely to encounter."

Ignoring the scenic vistas in favor of keeping focused on the mission, the Claremonter had spotted the group of serpent people nearly the same time as Kazra, even being the rearguard. Kneeling within the shadow of a tree, Myrmidon surveyed the group of serpent people while weighing their various options. He was hesitant to attack this group as he did not know the extent of the force composition of his current foes. Additionally, even if they did capture one of them and was able to coerce it into talking there was no guarantee that they could understand it. He doubted seriously that it was a common tongue at the very least. A second glance at their force makeup and Myrmidon had a good grasp on their current situation. << One moment. >> the statement was quiet, but forceful. << They are gathering materiel for another strike. Note they do not carry provisions, so they will be likely taking their spoils back to their base of operations. If we shadow them they will likely lead us to our objective themselves, sparing us from searching for it. >> At this point Myrmidon was sorely wishing that his classmates could use sign language. << Taking out this party would likely make our opponents wary, even if it was denying them some forces when they fail to report back. As for interrogating one, chances of it being or having viable and/or understandable information is minimal. >>

John nodded. "Well, I do not read a situation as a whole. I typically break individual things down. For example." He did a quick scan of the room. "There are twenty-three feasible improvised weapons that I could respond with if you suddenly attacked me. Four exits, not counting the ability to make my own." He looked back to Mali. "I can control the battlefield by activating the fire alarms, disabling the lights, or use those screws and nails on the shelf behind me as impromptu caltrops." He stood. "But you have to realize, that thinking that way has been permanently ingrained upon me. I was forcibly made to think in this manner. I can teach you a little yes, but there are aspects to my training that I cannot and will not share." John shot Mali a sad grin. "Not that it has ever stopped Morgan from trying."

Of course it will be needlessly complicated, when magic is involved. Myrmidon internally groused as the alarms went off. He racked his brains at her question for a few seconds before responding. << The practitioners I do know, I would prefer their uninvolvement in this situation. I would not be unopposed to calling them after clearing this facility, but it would be unlikely there would be much to save. All SHADOW bases are fitted with a self-destruct mechanism, which is used when the facility has been compromised in some form or another. Which means that we have lost the luxury to loiter. >> The clone hero pointed at the obviously magical stave. << Would taking or breaking that do anything to help or hinder us? >>

Myrmidon (4) (8) (3) (13) (1 pp)

John checked his oil level, before turning back to Mali. "Chakrams? Interesting weapon choice, favoring ulility over direct force." He gave a bit of a smirk. "It is true that my repitorie is somewhat limited when it comes to...disabling targets. But my training was more proof of concept than anything else. I am a generalist as opposed to a specialist, which was what my instructors wanted. But I would gladly assist in any instruction you might need or think that I might be lacking in."

"If you would like I could assist you in that regard. While I am not a pure martial artist, I am familiar with a eclectic range of styles that I have integrated together to best suit my needs." He gave a wan smile. "Besides, having a hidden weapon is always a good idea." John moved to the other tire. "I am also very familiar with military style training, and I probably could figure out a couple of exercises to further assist you. Tactical training on the other hand, well, I have been bothering Headmaster Summers and Mister Archer for quite some time to create a mandatory class for that."

John laughed as he sat down by his bike. "That might matter if I had interest in any relationships of that nature. My existence is complicated enough as it is and dragging others into that morass is something best avoided." There was a hiss of air as he used the tire pressure gauge. "No sense in taking others down with me." "You mentioned that your style was weak against Akido earlier. Have you considering expanding your training to shore up the weaknesses inherent in your style? I know some people are purists for their style, but rigidity is a weakness unto itself."

"Possessing a survival instinct is intrinsic to a persons' well-being. You have a higher degree of said instinct because you are keenly aware of the consequences of your actions, but sometimes that same instinct can leave a person paralyzed with indecision." He stood, done with the tools he was using. "I have seen that first hand, all to often. Granted, most people cannot ignore their instinctive responses...but sometimes being willing to perform the bold action or make the sacrifice play is better than caution." He returned the tools back to their original locations, and returned with a tire pressure gauge. "Although, I am a bit of a hypocrite where it comes to supporting my mental outlook on things."

"All too true. But you have to admit, there is probably some common sense lacking from our direction for keeping on doing what we do." John pointed out. "Well, and knowing some of our mutual acquaintances I could probably state that as an universal truth as well." He chuckled ruefully. "What was that quote? 'We are all a little mad here?'"

John sighed. "Honestly, we are likely to keep running into that scenario. it is easier to gain power with all the numerous shortcuts such as Black Magic, Illegal Tech, and the like. So those will be invariably chosen a more over training which takes time and effort to get results versus instant gratification." He gave an 'eh' gesture. "Though I have heard magic users complain at length about neophytes meddling in things that they should not. So I would hazard that our complaint is more cross-discipline than we think."

John shot Mali a shark-like smile. "If I had fought fair, I probably would have had some injures. However, I lured him to a narrow hallway and used a flash-bang grenade to disorient him. It was a small matter of dealing with him then." He nodded at the mention of Aikido. "Joint-lock and grappling styles tend to be a pain to deal with, but the majority of the styles that people like us will run into in the field are the more hard styles. Akido and similar styles typically do not go into those lines of work, after all."

"Unfortunately I tend to run into more trained individuals than gang-bangers and the like, but I still occasionally see a flying kicks every once and a while. Granted, most opponents are nowhere near the caliber that I had to fight during the recent incident. But our freelance work is an interesting way to see a whole plethora of styles." He shifted slightly, to reach a hard to get part. "I think the most unusual fighter I have come across was a capoeirista practitioner who used boot knives."

The blonde nodded in sympathy. "I understand perfectly. At least I managed to stop wincing every time I see poor weapons handling in movies. I assume it is the same with you for martial arts, as you were properly trained in a style." He paused, checking the tension in one of the cables. "I think I nearly choked when I saw a movie with firearms held 'gangsta style'." He actually provided the air quotes, voice dripping with sarcastic contempt. "I thought it was a Hollywood joke until I ran into on the street."

"Apparently all mt friends think I am a bit old-fashioned when it comes to my taste in things." The teen said with a wry smile. "I was not a much of a fan of those at first. Little bit too much fakery for my taste, even though I enjoy the heroic bloodshed movies like Hard Boiled. Then Morgan threatened to make me watch romantic comedies so I would not have anything to object to." He chuckled, remembering the other Irregulars faces as he stoically endured the sappy movies, seemingly entranced. "Turned out I liked those as well."

"Thank you as well. I am glad that there other enthusiasts on campus." He checked the tension of one of his cables as he continued talking. "I was introduced to the hobby after Victoria gave me an impromptu Steve McQueen marathon. Seemed interesting at the time. How did you start?" John asked idly. In truth since the whole incident a little over a week and a half ago he was getting a bit antsy with how...sedated everyone on campus appeared and it was getting to the point that even he felt the need to somewhat normal conversation to resume between students. Even if he was not suitable at all for that task.

John recognized the familiar height of Mali even if she was sitting on the floor, and shot a friendly half-salute in her direction. "Good Afternoon, Miss Mali. I have to admit, I was not expecting company today." He sat down cross-legged next to his bike, clicking on the penlight as he started to check the state of his ride. "Usually it is pretty quiet around here, since most of the students do not bother with transportation or rely on their powers." Moments later, he realized that he had almost committed a faux pas. He leaded around from behind his bike and gave her bike an appreciative nod. "My apologies. That is a nice ride you have there."

John had to admit, the girl was a skilled pathfinder and he let Blodeuwedd and her take the lead. With Subito and Giang in the middle, he could bring their offense up quickly if needed while he kept a few paces behind them while keeping the others in sight as much as possible. He kept their pace normal even though he knew that they could easily cover ground but lose the chance of surprise. But he needed to make a identification method in the off chance they were infiltrated, even if it included Kazra. An hour or so later when they were about to cross a small stream he stropped the others. << Hold please. >> He extracted a length of bandage wrap from his medical kit and retracted his suit from his left arm. << We need a way to determine if we are ever infiltrated. So we will use a double mark system. >> Taking a marker from another pouch, he inscribed a large 'X' on his left forearm and proceeded to wrap a length of bandage covering the mark before tying it off and holding the marker to the nearest person. In this case, Giang. << Same location, same symbol. If you have a reason to doubt one of the others' identity, have them show you the symbol. Doppelgangers typically miss small details that cannot be ascertained, and in the case of perfect mimicry the mark is not a naturally occurring feature and requires knowledge that only mental magics can typically have. >> He reformed the suit over his left arm and waited for the others to finish. << When we arrive at our location, I will need a small amount of time to reconnoiter the area and develop a plan of attack, so do not stage an attack unless you are in danger. >> Looking at Kazra, he nodded towards the north. << Lead on, Miss pathfinder. >>

Friday January 25, 2013 1400 hours Claremont Academy Workshop John easily pushed his motorcycle into the workshop, intending to get some preventative maintenance done before the weekend. He was wearing his 'dirty work' clothes, a jeans and t-shirt ensemble that possessed more stained than clean areas with his sunglasses sitting up on his forehead. He knew that doing this should not take the clone teen much time, which was good, because after he was done here he still had to clean up and make the weekly movie night at Victorias'. Flicking open the kickstand, he left his bike resting on it as he started scrounging the workshop for the needed tools. He had just picked up a belt tension gauge and was reaching for a nearby penlight when he heard thought he heard someone else approaching. Picking up the penlight, Who would be here on a Friday? Usually it is pretty quiet around this time of week. He mused to himself before succumbing to his curiosity by moving back around to comer to see who else would be here.

*Pokes head in* Did somebody mention SHADOW?!?! Yeah, The vibe I get off of SHADOW in universe is like a competent version of COBRA from GI Joe, with the higher echelons divided by technology or magical leanings. There's minor squabbling between the two, but nothing really crazy. Also, don't forget OVERTHROW which is the 'public' persona of SHADOW as represented by bomb-throwing terrorists and anarchists. A plot with them could easily lead to their behind the scenes handlers. Think of the first Sherlock Holmes movie with RDJ, the scapegoats (Lord Blackwood/OVERTHROW) run around and cause problems while furthering the goals of (Mortiarty/SHADOW). As for Myrmidon himself, he is a fake German so the European threads sound fun, and I have already pretty much set off his mirror evil double to be Overshadow himself.

John resisted the urge to audibly sigh, instead settling for an internal one alongside making a mental note to have Mister Archer work on Subitos' situational awareness skills once they returned to Claremont. He remained silent while the young noblewoman argued her case to his classmates, listing to their reasons for the decision for her to stay or go. In reality, he knew that this was a catch-22 situation, and that either choice was not optimal. So he would go with the lesser of the the two evils, keeping her here. Not to mention that other than 'go north to reconnaissance the river delta' was not as concrete of an objective as he would have preferred. With Subito saying that he would return the girl he finally spoke up, walking over to the Puerto Ricoan teen and shaking his head. << I believe that course of action would be unwise. >> He said, before turning to face Kazra, her defiant look reflected off his faceplate. << This is not a game, or a adventure. We are facing an enemy who has the ability to look like anyone, and not fifteen minutes after we set out you show up claiming to be Princess Kazra. Which strikes me as rather convenient, timing-wise. >> He held up a hand, forestalling the counter argument he knew was coming. << We do not know you, so you cannot adequately prove your identity to us one way or another. So I will choose the option where I can keep an eye on a potential saboteur, as returning you to the others would possibly insert a spy into their ranks. >> He kneeled down, facing Kazra on an eye-to-eye level, if she could see his eyes behind the darkly mirrored surface. Judging by his tone and inflection John was not at all amused with the current situation. << I do not mean to belittle your skills, but terrain obstacles and pathfinding are the least of our worries. Mister Subitos' flight ability is just one of his many skills allowing us to easily bypass earthbound dangers while transporting others if need be. The quicksand you mention is a moot point with Miss Giangs' considerable abilities, not to mention making dehydration a non-issue. Miss Cerys is perhaps one of the most skilled operatives I have had the pleasure to work with in the field. As for myself, this mission is very much along the lines of what my training and abilities were intended for. >> He paused, letting it sink in. << Whereas I do not know your abilities, other than what you claim, and I therefore cannot rely on that supposition to keep everyone safe during this journey. So I and the others can not and will not tolerate any errant behavior or intentional falsehoods from you. Do you understand? >>