Earth Victoriana: The Brit Machine (IC) (GM)

[Aoiroo]

Leaning down she held her jacket arm to the girl to let her wipe her nose among other things. Her voice was soft as she said,

"It may not always seem like it, but you can always do something else, you always have a choice. You made the choice to steal, instead of perhaps asking if someone had some clothing they didn't wear anymore, or even just talking to someone. Speech is a very powerful thing, if you talk to people before you do something bad maybe you can get what you want without having to resort to stealing. After all, there's a lot of really nice people in the world who won't do what you're mother did and leave a little girl out in the cold."

Standing up and pulling the copper tube out of her purse and fiddling with it she looked to the woman,

"I trust this won't happen again madam, I do hope that you have a good day and that this chill wears off soon."

[Avenger Assembled]

Confronted with a steampunk version of the Beatles, Mark said the only thing he could say. "Gentlemen! Quickly, the GAME is AFOOT! I shall require your services as background music." With another generous bribe in gold, he had the bandmembers marching along as accompaniment, and soon they were all piling into the good-sized cab he'd held in reserve, with an extra bribe for Cabbsy to keep him sweet. With Richard clinging manfully to the outside seat while the others piled in, Mark ordered the cabby to take them back where they'd started. Mark pulled out his pipe and blew a large, colorful soap bubble, rolling with the moment. "Gentlemen! Are you familiar with a tune called 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'?"

[Supercape]

GM

Camden Market: Silhouette

Leaning down she held her jacket arm to the girl to let her wipe her nose among other things. Her voice was soft as she said,

"It may not always seem like it, but you can always do something else, you always have a choice. You made the choice to steal, instead of perhaps asking if someone had some clothing they didn't wear anymore, or even just talking to someone. Speech is a very powerful thing, if you talk to people before you do something bad maybe you can get what you want without having to resort to stealing. After all, there's a lot of really nice people in the world who won't do what you're mother did and leave a little girl out in the cold."

"I trust this won't happen again madam, I do hope that you have a good day and that this chill wears off soon."

The saleslady drew up slightly stiffly "Indeed madam" she replied, with a little reserve and bountiful politeness "there is quite a nip in the air for a summer's day. Must be those newfangled atmospheric balloons, I dare say. "

Emily was crying a little less. "What's your name kind lady?" she asked Carrie, tugging at her jacket. "Why are you dressed so strange, no corset an 'all? what do I do now?"

[Supercape]

GM

In the Cab with Cabbsy and the Fab Four: Edge

"Gentlemen! Are you familiar with a tune called 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'?"

Paul looked at John. "I don't know, like, but I think we could rustle up something, sir!" he replied, eyeing the silver and gold that was adorning the cab. Cabbsy had a grin on his face that threatened to sunder his head in 'twain.

With the double bass and percussion instruments poking out of the cab, it was a strange sight indeed, compounded by the sounds of a totally remixed and ad libbed version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" as sung by a four piece string band in the manner of a jolly spiffing Victorian park-band.

It was pure fortune (thanks to Edge) that a stray cymbal, or the head of the double bass didn't snap off at some lamp-post or decapitate a pedestrian. The crazy mobile gig made its way back to Ms. Wells, to the sounds of claps and applause from passers by, who celebrated the vigorous plebeian music.

"Say, John, I think we may have hit upon a rather decent ditty here..."

[Aoiroo]

She smiled down,

"My name is Caroline, and I'm not exactly from here."

Glancing at the whirling of the cogs and the parts in the copper tube,

"And, I shouldn't stay here much longer. I've got something I have to do before I go home, but before that."

Reaching into her purse she shuffled around before she pulled out a clear plastic pouch with a purple bottom. Inside could be seen several small spools of thread, a thimble, several different sized needles in a pack, a pair of tiny scissors, and a folded up printed sewing cheat sheet. Handing it to Emily she said,

"You have rather small hands, just like me. You know what that's good for, making nice neat little stitches that can patch up tears nice and tight and can't be seen without really close inspection."

She looked up at the salelady,

"Some of you're product has some minor tears here or there, would it be terribly much a burden if you let her sit in the back and see if she can't learn to fix them away from the could street."

[Heritage]

The Tower of London: Grim and Blake

"Cold it is indeed. Purity for the head but hard on the heart. From whence it comes I know not. "

"But not of this world, and not of this universe, I can tell you!".

Grim nodded as Blake set up his canvas. "Well that would kinda make sense; things are clearly very messed up here, y'know, outta balance."

The speed at which the mad master worked was astonishing; he seemed to literally paint through the power of his will alone!

"a present from Blake!"

The shapeshifter could only gape in awe at the freshly-painted masterpiece. "Dude, that is....amazing! Oh, I need to make you a gift, too, something to brighten up the place." She absently held out her hand and conjured a tube-shaped leather map case, which she then slid the rolled-up painting into for easier carrying while aloft. After a bit of thought, she nodded to herself.

"Okay, I think I've got it."

She closed her eyes to get an image formed clearly in her mind, then held out her hand and summoned forth a heavy wooden chair, carved with scenes she recalled from her visit to Avalon: tiny faeries dancing on a toadstoool, a brave princess besting a troll in a riddle game and similar images. She opened her eyes and smiled, very happy with the result.

"Nice! Okay, this is a glamour chair, so keep it away from iron and it should last pretty much forever, alright?"

[Supercape]

GM

Camden Market: Silhouette (And Emily)

"Some of you're product has some minor tears here or there, would it be terribly much a burden if you let her sit in the back and see if she can't learn to fix them away from the could street."

Emily nodded "I can do that missy! I was doing stitchy stuff for mam!"

"Hmph" replied the saleslady, not totally unkindly. "I suppose it will keep her out of trouble. And with her eyes, it will stop anything else getting stolen, I suppose. I can spare some soup and bread for you, girl, and some clothes. And I suppose you can learn a craft whilst you are at it. Better than the workhouse, it is true. If you have the wits to survive on your own, you should have the wits to survive in Camden Market!"

The deal was apparently signed, by nods and goodwill rather than with ink.

[Aoiroo]

"Good to hear,"

Spinning the rod quietly before putting it back in her purse she gave slight wave as she made her way back to the street and flagged a taxi. Looking onto the Victorian streets much like she did on the ride over, she continued to think of the little girl who wouldn't freeze tonight and the saleslady who would be preventing that from now on. It was a wonderful feeling she hadn't felt in a while, maybe she should try working with others a bit more in costume. She wouldn't know where even to begin, no one would ever recognize her in costume, she was always careful about that. But maybe for this sort of thing she didn't need that, charity didn't need to be faced with a shadow like crime did.

Though her face seemed taxed to maintain it, she held a smile all through her ride back, and as she stepped out of the taxi. It seemed rather hard pressed for her to lose it as she started towards the Tavern that Ms. Wells had indicated they meet at and she even held it as she started to hear music drifting along the outside. However, the smile didn't remain as she looked at it's source and found the face of the traveller in hunting garb riding down the street with a full band in tow. Glancing down word and surpressing a deep sigh she found her indexed finger pressed firmly onto her temple as the pleasant feeling from eariler completely disappated,

He really doesn't comprehend the concept of blending in does he.

[trollthumper]

GM

Hyde Park: Cannonade

The crowds were gawping at the felled man.

"Thomas the tank...is an engine!!!" gasped one of them, reflecting the general sentiment.

Combined with Cannonades impassioned speech, the crowd were now thoroughly disorientated - and Nedd Ludd had all but lost them. He was giving Cannonade the evil eye, but mingling angry people blocked his path. Some of the crowd had been significantly swayed by Cannonades logic, a few called out "well said, man!" and asked for his name.

The slippery copper tube started whistling and spinning, indicating its data collection was complete, as the crowd started arguing amongst itself. The throng started to become passionate, with heaves and pushes, and it wasn't long before Thomas was the centre of a group of men tugging his body this way and that.

"I'll get you for this, young man!" yelled Ludd, above the Hubris. "ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! TRAITOR TO THE COMMON MAN! ELITIST SCUM!!!"

"Oh, stuff it," yelled Cannonade back. "And the name's Macayle. Joe Macayle." What the hell, it's another dimension, he thought. Might as well get it out there.

He pushed his way to the center of the crowd, past the wreck of Thomas and right to the speaker's corner. "You band together, and you fight," he said. "Not with your fists -- that's the last resort -- but with your voices and your votes. The bosses wanna toss you out for a machine? You make a machine of your own. You fight for what's yours, and you show 'em your strength. And you show Parliament, too -- get the MPs on your side. The bosses can change their minds, but the law's a harder thing to change once it's written."

Getting down off the corner, he found Ludd. "So," Cannonade said, "don't know about you, but I'd know if a close acquaintance was a robot. What's your game?"

[Supercape]

GM

Tower of London: Grim and Blake

"Nice! Okay, this is a glamour chair, so keep it away from iron and it should last pretty much forever, alright?"

Blake clapped his hands "by Avalon!" he exclaimed at Grim's gift. Bending over, he peered at it more closely. "Needs a bit of refinement, mind!" he commented, reaching for his paintbrush.

"Thankye, creature of fey, from Blake of William! 'tis fair exchange, 'tis fair! and fair it is! divine in providence!" he jabbered, dabbing at the glamour chair. "I shall be seeing you in the neverwhere and neverhence, I shouldn't imagine!" he added.

[Supercape]

GM

Hyde Park: Cannonade and Ludd

Getting down off the corner, he found Ludd. "So," Cannonade said, "don't know about you, but I'd know if a close acquaintance was a robot. What's your game?"

Ludd was seething "my game is simple, traitor. To unite the people and free them from the t'rny of in'dstry! if anything, Thomas served to il'strate the point! machines replacing man! what an ungodly thing!"

Ludds voice was a loud screaming, but charismatic nonetheless. It drew in crowds, but the throng were still debating the outrageous events. Even as Ludd spoke, some of the crowd heard and started to wander over to the two, still debating and jostling as they did so...

[trollthumper]

Cannonade lowered his voice; he didn't want this spilling over into a mob scene. "Yeah, I kinda doubt that," he said, "given how you seemed to order around Thomas like a machine. Now, we could keep this nice and quiet... or I could tell the guys. I bet they wouldn't be happy being led around by a hypocrite."

[Supercape]

GM

Cannonade: Hyde Park

"Yeah, I kinda doubt that," he said, "given how you seemed to order around Thomas like a machine. Now, we could keep this nice and quiet... or I could tell the guys. I bet they wouldn't be happy being led around by a hypocrite."

Ludd looked around, more cautious now. Sizing up his opponent, he clearly came to the conclusion he wasn't dealing with some simple minded pleb he could manipulate. And, it seemed, he wasn't in a strong bargaining position.

Sizing up the options, he came to the simple but effective one. "Farewell, TRAITOR!" he yelled, as he ran away as fast as his boots could carry him.

[Avenger Assembled]

Edge, Cabbsy, and the Beatles

"Gentlemen, you are without a doubt the finest quadrangle of musicians it has ever been my pleasure to witness!" said Edge thoughtfully as they zoomed through the streets, heading back to their starting point. "Have you considered recordings? Perhaps on the phonograph or the wax cylinder, or whatever means of recording sound they have here in the Queen's realm? You could market it under a label, a memorable title to let everyone know who you are..." He hmmed. "Do you have a name for your group? If not, might I suggest...the Rolling Stones, as you gather indeed no moss?"

[Supercape]

GM

Edge, Cabbsy, and the Beatles

Edge, Cabbsy, and the Beatles

"Do you have a name for your group? If not, might I suggest...the Rolling Stones, as you gather indeed no moss?"

"I like it!" enthused John "Imagine us! the Rolling stones!"

"What do you think, Richy?" asked Paul

"Nice ring...oh, star choice!" replied the percussionist, still flailing away at the partially disassembled kit.

[Aoiroo]

Carrie was standing on the side of the road waiting for the cab to start before looking over at Edge and the band chatting with themselves. She really didn't announce her presence instead she just quietly walked behind and tapped him on the shoulder,

"Why are you sharing your cab with a string quartet?"

Some little voice in the back of her head told her that she did not really want to hear the logic, but the alternative words that that part wanted to ask or say were neither polite nor situationally appropriate.

[Heritage]

Tower of London: Grim and Blake

Blake clapped his hands "by Avalon!" he exclaimed at Grim's gift. Bending over, he peered at it more closely. "Needs a bit of refinement, mind!"

Grim smiled as she shouldered her scroll case and flicked a finger across her little copper dohickey a few times.

"Yeah, go ahead, go nuts...well go further nuts, in your case; it's your chair, after all. Hmm, guess I need to try a few more places to get enough readings."

"Thankye, creature of fey, from Blake of William! 'tis fair exchange, 'tis fair! and fair it is! divine in providence!" he jabbered, dabbing at the glamour chair. "I shall be seeing you in the neverwhere and neverhence, I shouldn't imagine!" he added.

"Yeah, maybe; there's a lot of craziness out there." She leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek, then shrunk down to pixie size, the long scroll case dangling below her. "Take care, Blake! Next stop, Big frickin' Ben!"

Out the window she flew, heading for the fabled clock tower.

[trollthumper]

Cannonade gestured to the fleeing Ludd. "Is that the kind of man you want for a leader?" he said. "One who runs when challenged? Big lungs, little spine? You need someone who'll stand up in the face of a challenge."

He felt the scanner poking in its pocket, letting up another little chime. He also felt the cold again, coming in the form of a breeze. He shook his head. "Sadly, it ain't me," he said. "I'm going back to the Colonies soon. I recommend you look to your own -- find the one who'll take up the reins. When you find him, go forward. Don't ever lose sight of the goal, and don't ever forget the real target."

With that, Cannonade tried to move out of the crowd silently. He felt like he was letting the guys down, but... well, this wasn't his world. He could try and set the foundation, but it wasn't like he could stay there to build the house.

[Supercape]

GM

Hyde Park: Joe Macayle and the Macaylites

As Cannonade shifted through the crowd, he received, at various junctures, rounds of applause, the odd jostle, tugs on his sleeve, back slaps, and words of abuse, encouragement, or questioning.

"I think Macayle lad is on to something"

"If we could just get organised, form a committee..."

"Forward with Macaylitism!"

[Avenger Assembled]

What a weirdo, thought Mark, a little unkindly. "This is my musical accompaniment," Mark explained to Carrie. "They provide my theme music." He gave Cabbsy a gigantic tip, hoping he wasn't corrupting the local economy, and then slipped more gold to the band to follow him. Not sure how anyone could miss the awesome, he added, "A string quartet would mean they all used string instruments. Gentlemen!" he called. "Can you play the Yellow Rose of Texas? You may know the tune best as the tune of...GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!" He shrugged. "If you're going to visit another dimension, why not do it with a little class?"

[Supercape]

GM

"Can you play the Yellow Rose of Texas? You may know the tune best as the tune of...GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"

"Right you are Mr. Edge, Sir! Although it is the King these days sir!" saluted Paul, and turning to his fellow musicians, he counted them in.. "A One, A Two, A One two three four..."

An up-tempo, jazzed up version of God save the King rang through the cold air as the fabulous foursome exited the cab. Carrying there instruments and playing at the same time, they dutifully followed Edge.

Meanwhile, Cabbsy grinned from ear to ear "Gawd bless you sir! most generous of you sir! right gent you are sir, and no mistake sir!" as the cab wheeled off down the road a massive cry of "Woohoo!" could be heard from his lips.

[Aoiroo]

There were several things that Carrie wanted to say, really really wanted to say, but it was neither the time nor place. Instead she lightly grinded her teeth and sighed before saying,

"Let's just go inside, I'm starting to feel the cold through my cardigen."

Hastily moving from the cab with the background music greatly reminding her of the others presence she counted her steps quietly as she moved towards the pub Ms. Wells had asked to meet at. Opening the door she moved almost immediately to the bar to have a seat and maybe a drink as well.

[Supercape]

GM

The inside of the pub was pleasantly warm, and the atmosphere jovial. It seemed to have a fair few policemen in it, some off duty, some perhaps resting their feet for a bit longer than normal. "Coppers" Ms. Wells had called them. Must a policeman's pub - very safe.

Beer, Cider and Gin were all flowing freely, along with several other drinks, and cigarettes were being smoked by many.

Ms. Wells sat in the corner, fiddling with a bronze plated device that had two copper spiral wires coming out of the top, and several cogwheels. Seeing Carrie, she gave her a jaunty wave "Hello my dear! nice to see you wrapped up warm!" she gestured to her device "temperature continuing to drop, I'm afraid. "

Cocking her head slightly, she heard the foursome outside "whatever is that noise? God save the King? rather unusual style... rather catchy I suppose. "

[Aoiroo]

Carrie walked towards her with a cup of gin in her hand and a light sigh,

"Edge hired a band to twart all possibilities of him actually going anywhere without drawing a crowd."

Reaching into her purse she pulled out her copper tube and handed it back to Ms. Wells.

"It activated after I managed to get a decent jacket, have you been able to pin point the source? Also how is the repairs on the machine going?"

[Supercape]

GM

"Well" replied Ms. Well, gently sipping a gin and tonic that had so far been untouched "the dimensional vehicle has been transported to the Institute of metaphysical research. It should not be long before it is operational, although I dare say I shall have to do the final calibrations myself. "

"As for the readings" she said, brandishing Carries tube and inserting it into her bronze device "the difference engine here should quadrangulate the source. One down, three to go. I imagine the second is on its way given the commotion outside. "