Earth Victoriana: Yanks in Tanks (IC)

[Raveled]

Starlight took a few moments to get her feet back under her from the interdimensional transition, but when her vision stabilized the first thing her eyes fell on was the tea. She felt queasy even contemplating food and waved the drink off as politely as she could. "I was informed that we would not be acting as agents of this government while we are here," she said icily. "I am not interested in infringing on the rights of others, especially for a few bits of pressed metal."

[Supercape]

GM

. "I was informed that we would not be acting as agents of this government while we are here.I am not interested in infringing on the rights of others, especially for a few bits of pressed metal."

"You were informed correctly" said M, scrutinising Starlight without missing a beat. "The coin is your choice, as is whether you act under out patronage. This..." he said, waving a piece of paper "is an official statement rendering you the status of British Citizen and official" he continued.

"It is yours, if you wish it, but I am under no illusion this why you came. You came, did you not, to stop bloodshed?" he asked, tapping the desk.

"You may do that in any capacity you choose. And in any case" he smiled "we are hardly going to be able to stop you, are we? you are acting alone in Texas. What are we going to do? arrest you? declare war on your dimension? whilst I have no doubt you could do with the imposition of Cricket in your America, believe me, that is not on the governments agenda. What we desire is to stop a nastly little bloody war with nasty weapons in an unstable part of the world. And you are our best hope of sorting out this mess...."

"As for infringing on the rights of others? all rights are relative, as I am sure you know. Do you have the right to murder? to steal? does a country have a right to war with another? does the end justify the means? could you kill one innocent to save ten? a hundred? a million?"

He paused.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't have the answer to these questions, but I can assure you I have to wrestle with these questions daily. At the end of the day, I can only try to navigate my way as best I can, and I expect no less of you, or any gentleman, or lady. How you interpret rights is up to you. Just do your best to uphold whatever principles you see fit to. From my understanding, and Lockwood's report, they are fine principles indeed..."

[Azuth65]

Kyle had to keep himself from making a smartalek comment about a coffin shaped device that carried a risk of death. As he waited his turn he hummed quietly a bit of the song Building Steam.

Once he stepped out into M's office it took him a second to regain his balance. He was less than thrilled at his host's proposition but relented after M's reply to Starlight's chilly comment. "I admit, I have some student loans that could be repaid with that kind of coin if the exchange rate is good but it isn't our place to act as agents beyond ensuring nobody blows up the planet."

[Aoiroo]

Catalyst entered the portal last, it was an interesting experience, one that made her slightly regret eating so much but she managed to hold her posture as she looked upon the man called M and the situation of the others. She walked over and looked at the statement,

"No offense, but would it be wise to have anything that identify ourselves as officials of the British Empire? It seems none of us have the intention of providing anything more then a normal service we provide in defusing any situations that may incite any crisis of a major or minor level. From what I've heard, Texas seems to be a state that values heavily on it's freedom of just about everything, so if it appears we're infringing in the name of the empire even if it's not our intention it may lead to some unnessicary wariness of our presense."

She looked at the others,

"However, I would still like to request that even if we work as independants that you provide us with some local capital and background information, to cover any additional expenses and difficulties that may arrise during our stay."

[Supercape]

GM

"However, I would still like to request that even if we work as independants that you provide us with some local capital and background information, to cover any additional expenses and difficulties that may arrise during our stay."

"As you wish" replied M, congenially, putting the official papers to one side, but not discarded. They were carefully placed so that one could easily take one if one wished.

"These papers are your choice. And, as you say, a double edged sword. On the one hand, if they are discovered, yes, some part of your cover will be blown. On the other hand, without them, you are aliens with no rights. Texas has a variable relationship with the law, but they do have some legal system, even if it is rather tattered and bent at times. These papers do provide you at least with an official identity and some protection. Texas is neither our ally nor our enemy, but even they, crazy and unpredictable as they are, would think twice before executing a British citizen at a whim. They wouldn't think once if you were without any identity. "

He leant back and pressed his fingers together quite satisfied. The papers lay on his desk, untouched.

"In either scenario, you have our support. The Zepplin is warming up as we speak and we can go at any time. You have our resources at your disposal. Texan dollars, for starters. Generous, but not infinite" he said pointedly. "Staff, equipment, the services of our mistress of disguise, Madam Redpowder. Whatever you wish. "

[Raveled]

Starlight kept a smirk off her face when M mentioned a 'mistress of disguse.' "The zepplin will be useful," she admitted. "As for disguises... well, I can't speak for my teammates, but." Her skin flowed like hot wax, her form becoming softer and rounder. In moments she was a mirror-image of M, down to the pattern on his jacket and a bundle papers stuffed in one pocket. "I believe I can suffice for myself on that front." She harrumphed, her voice a perfect match for the spymaster's. "What what. Tea and all that."

[Supercape]

GM

"Very impressive" said M with a smirk "a perfect match. Apart from your class of course. That, dear madam" he said, holding a cup of tea elegantly to his lips and drinking it in an equally refined manner, "comes with breeding, and is inimitable!"

A bit later...

"Tally ho! Chocks away!"

Sgt. McSaunders was a man with a magnificent moustache, a cheerful attitude, and some spiffy goggles. The experienced soldier - a member of the SZS* no less - he was also the pilot of the huge Zepplin that ascended slowly carrying the three heroes across the Atlantic. It's descent may have been slow, but its speed was impressive. Very Impressive. It was hard to understand how such a steam powered balloon could reach such velocities. The laws of physics on Earth Victoriana seemed slightly...bent.

McSaunders gave the three heroes a salute as they plowed over Ireland and across the ocean.

"Good to have you onboard, chaps!" he roared. "Wind's in our favour, all systems tickety boo. Should reach Texas in 16 hours. So get some sleep, and there are some hampers for you down back, with lashing's of ginger beer!" he laughed.

"Flying this thing is a piece of cake really. Some spiffy difference engines, calculate windspeed, compass readings, all of that, keep us level. A bit like an automatic pilot, one might say, ho ho. Anyways, feel free to settle down, eat, sleep. Game of cards if you fancy!"

The Zepplin plowed on, crossing the deep blue sea in a remarkably smooth ride.

[Supercape]

GM

The Next Day, In the Texas Free State...

"Yee Haaar! A rootin tootin Texas welcome to y'all! welcome to the Texas Free States!"

"Never mind him" said McSaunders.

It would have been nice to have got an official welcome, but McSaunders had set the Zepplin down on the outskirts of Austin, next to some beat up old bar, horses, and one clapped out horseless chariot, in the middle of a field.

Their welcome was from a total drunk, who collapsed as soon as he had said it. He looked like a cross between an English gent with bowler hat and mexican bandito with stubble and six-guns. He snored loudly in some hay that the horses were chewing on.

"We have an arrangement with the bar-owner here. Its the closest thing we have to a spy outpost. They may have some information..." he gestured to the bar, called Gunsmoke. It looked like a salloon in the wild west.

"The bartender, O'Connell, is Irish, and loyal to the empire. Well, loyal enough when we pay him sterling gold, that is, the thieving Celt. Anyway, you can get some horses or try to get that old car working. Take you into Austin proper, the less uncivilised parts that is. We have an embassy there, although fat lot of good that will do. I'll stay here and tend to the Zepplin, maybe have a drink in the Gunsmoke. The rest is up to you, Gentlemen and Ladies..."

[Aoiroo]

Catalyst had changed into some clothing provided. Thick tan colored pants with dark boots with a long sleeve maroon blouse and leather gloves. She had her paintball pistols in two holsters on either side of her belt, and had a tan fedora in loo of a Stenson. She had a dark bandana tied around her neck to cover her scars and on her eyes, her blue goggles starkly covering her eyes. They probably made her look bug eyed and silly, but she wasn't going to give the advantage in sight they provide even if she had to give up the protection she enjoyed from her hazmat because of how much it stood out (and honestly how uncomfortably hot it would be in the hot dry texas climate.) Her knapsack was tan like the rest, and was strapped around her so as not to be nicked by a thief. She gripped the strap awkwardly as she walked off of the zepplin onto solid ground. She watched from behind as she waited for companions on this strange trip to what she could only assume was a cliche of every western ever made.

"So, you guys ready to go?"

It wasn't the best question, but really what was she going to say?

[Azuth65]

Kyle stepped off the zeppelin a few seconds behind Catalyst. "Just about," he muttered, adjusting the borrowed clothes. The duster was an almost perfect fit but the sleeves reached just a little too far down past his wrist. He was glad that the cowboy boots fit properly at least. "I feel like I should be quoting John Wayne."

The ride had been fairly smooth and filled with some rather good poker hands on his end. Maybe not retirement money but certainly an extra month's rent. After being given the option of horses or the car he looked over, "I'm inclined to go with the car myself. Assuming it works."

[Raveled]

Starlight sauntered down the gangway, looking... well, nothing like she normally did. The heroine had thought long and hard about the few Western movies she had seen and considered a possible look for herself while the team was in Texas. After some experimentation (involving several mirrors stacked on top of one another, since M apparently didn't furnish his zeppelins with full-length mirrors) she'd settled on a classic look; long legs, a harsh, leathery face, ragged clothes with a poncho thrown over it all, a squashed and abused hat, and several days of stubble. "He" planted his feet on the dusty ground and chewed something vile and black that had the same resemblance to a cigarette that a stiletto had to Excalibur. "Alright pilgrims," he growled. "We're here. Let's get on with this."

[Azuth65]

Kyle looked over his shoulder at Starlight and sighed, "Bugger it, you win." He made has way to the car, rolling his sleeves up, the breeze blowing the duster behind him as he walked. Looking inside the driver's seat he found the hood latch release and pulled it. Lifting the hood up he peered under and immediately wished he'd spent some time in Freedom U's mechanic's program.

He didn't know much of what he was doing but he checked for loose connections and cracked hoses. Or at least tried too. As the jumble of parts and wires lay before him he wanted to start cursing his own mechanical ineptitude. "Cata, Star, either of you mechanically skilled by chance?"

[Supercape]

GM

Whatever the degree of Kyle's mechanical ineptitude, the car actually worked.

Sort of.

By the standards of Earth Prime, it was a messy, loud, and uncomfortable affair. By the looks of the occassional horseless chariot that passed Texan roads, it was a messy, loud, and uncomoftable affair by the standards of Earth Victoriana. Smoke belched, engines rattled, and every bump in the road threatened to snap spines.

But it moved. Not fast, but it hurtled along at 50 miles an hour without any evident danger of exploding. Pushing it further might have been a step to far, even if the speedometer did reach 100mph.

The trip into the centre of Texas was filled with sights. Gaslights, horses, a round of celebratory gunfire in the air, and a cowboy being slung out of a bar in classic style.

As they approached the centre, some screaming and yelling started.

"Turn back, turn back!" yelled one running man, in a Texan drawl and fabulous moustache. "Some of Old Finnigan's boys are ripping up Independence park! they shootin' at everything, with hell know what, come straight out of the mouth of Satan!"

Even as he yelled, the heroes could hear some gunfire and explosions ahead. More people started running down the road, some injured, and a few jumping on to the heroes battered car, demanding that a u turn was performed!

[Raveled]

Starlight sprawled in the single back seat of the rumbling car, leaning back with 'his' arms spread. It would be easy to misinterpret him as a man at his ease, especially how he was chewing on a vile black cigarillo, but his eyes darted from place to place, never resting, catching everything. As the panicking civilians reached their car and tried to commandeer it, he leapt out the back with a swirl of his poncho. "Feel free to take it, pilgrims," he growled, eyes slitted, "but I'm feeling a mite thirsty. So I'm gonna go into town. And if Old Finn's boys want to stop me, well." He swept the poncho back and rested a hand on a gleaming, ivory-handled revolver. "They're welcome to give it a try." With that the hero-cum-cowboy walked into town, long strides eating up the ground.

[Supercape]

GM

The centre of the town was, indeed, a scene straight out of Satan's mouth.

The square was shot to pieces, at least two statues crumbling away, riddled with large calibre bullet holes. The surrounding buildings (mainly wood) had not faired particularly well either. Even the ground was torn up - about the only point of serenity in the entire square and small central park was a small pond. Probably half a dozen men and women were strewn around the outskirts of the square, wounded. One man, bruised and bloodied, was tied up and bound to a half-shattered statue, and subject to taunts by two of the men.

There were ten of them, four mounted, and two on a horse drawn wagon - which housed what could only be described as the most enormous, steam powered Gatling Gun ever conceived of, let alone seen.

The men were dressed as bandits and cowboys straight out of a TV show. They all held Rifles, that hissed steam in their hand and looked rather powerful too.

The leader of the men, a tall thin man with an equally thin moustache and an incongruous tall top hat, paused to study the arrivals. He had small dark eyes that bespoke of more intellect than his thugs. A livid scar trailed unevenly across his forehead.

"What have we here boys? some more meat for the grinder?" he laughed, before shooting off a stream of automatic fire from his rifle.

"Old man Finnigan, will be pleased!" he drawled, with an evil grin.

"What do you say to that, Mr. Mayor?" he laughed, referring to the bound and battered man in the centre of the square.

[Raveled]

Starlight strode into the middle of town at a slow, measured pace, deliberately moving slowly and letting the rowdy cowpokes get a good look at 'him.' "Alright there, pilgrims," he said, his voice carrying easily over the town square, "I think you've just about had your fun. Its time you vamoozed out of here, before you have to deal with my two best friends!" He swept his poncho back and put a hand on either gleaming pistol at his hip. "Unless you boys want to face the latest and greatest gun in Texas, I'd mosey on back over the horizon and leave these here city-folk at peace."

[Supercape]

GM

Old Finnigan's Posse looked at each other, taken aback.

Their leader put his hand to his moustache, and stroked it, letting his pistol loll in his other hand.

"You got some mighty fine bravado coming here like that" conceded the man "you must be packing some heat of your own, if you thinking of taking on Finnigan. Some serious heat..." he mumbled, scanning the horizon.

"Can't see them...yer mighty smart..." he said, putting his hand over his eyes to look more closely. "Guess you caught us nappin, today, boy, we won't make the same mistake again..." he added eyeing up Starlight and the two others.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Don't give me none of that Sherrif in town bull, boy, you ain't wearing no badge, and we paid off all the law ages ago..."

[Aoiroo]

"Well then we have a bit of a problem here."

Catalyst walked forward into the crowd of them, tilted up her head so the leader could see his reflection in her blue goggles as she spoke,

"You're right, we ain't law enforcement, which makes us more dangerous then any sheriff. Cause you see, we ain't going to be bought, we don't have a secret agenda to be filled or an angle you can be using against us. No, we're here cause we don't like what you're doing to folks, acting like you can push others around just cause you got a big gun."

Taking a pistol out of each holster she held her paintball guns at the ready,

"Your big gun, you think it's something hot but,"

With the next words she immediately dropped the accent,

"I can assure you that in this case, size does not matter in the least. So unless you want to see what I'm packing, I suggest you put away your toys and clear out."

[Supercape]

GM

"I can assure you that in this case, size does not matter in the least. So unless you want to see what I'm packing, I suggest you put away your toys and clear out."

The tall man studied Catalyst's guns for a second or two. He seemed to know a thing or two about pistols, and it was clear he hadn't ever seen anything like that before.

"What in sweet Samuel's name are those, lady?" he asked in amazement.

"More of Chun-Su's little toys? the oriental devil!" he barked, with interest and disgust.

He considered his position again. Some of the boy's had itchy trigger fingers - no doubt pumped up by their little play with the guns. But the tall man was wiser than his thugs.

"Come on boys, lets find another shootin' range!" he said, firing his pistol into the air, and turning his horse.

[Raveled]

Starlight watched the bandits get turned around and start filing out of the city. He sidled up to Catalyst and spoke out of the corner of his mouth, dropping the affected voice and speaking in his normal, feminine tone. "Good job with that. But do you think you can drop someone without them realizing? Maybe towards the back? We do still need to get a good look at those guns, don't forget. But don't try for the shot if you think it'll bring them all back here."

[Aoiroo]

She smiled at Starlight before she put the pistols in the holster and undid the strap for her bag. Pulling out the large case that filled the shape of the bag she popped it open and put together the long range paintball rifle in a matter of seconds,

"I can drop a straggler or three from five hundred feet away, but you have to snatch them before the others notice. You think you can manage that?"

Walking over she grabbed a barrel from the side and set it in front of her as she propped up the sniper rifle on the perch, leaning as she adjusted the scope for her hit,

"If so, I'm ready when you are."

[Raveled]

Starlight closed his eyes and drew himself up, the posture of the cowboy vanishing in an instant as the hero drew more deeply on the well of power inside of him. Could he do that, pop in just long enough to grab someone and then head back? Yes, it should be possible; he could do it. The cowboy opened his eyes and nodded at Catalyst. "In your own time, then," he said and turned to watch the line of retreating vigilantes.

[Aoiroo]

Catalyst smiled and pulled the trigger. The shot didn't make much of a sound for a gunshot, in fact, compared to those things it was pretty much silent. There was no echo of sound, so no warning as the pepperspray rounds hit a straggler right between the eyes as he turned to look around. That would of definitely done it. He dropped more or less like a sack of potatoes and left up a little dust,

"Go."

[Raveled]

There was a slight woosh of in-rushing air and Starlight disappeared from 'his' position. A heartbeat later Catalyst could see 'him' kneeling next to the unconscious bandit. 'He' touched the real man's shoulder and they disappeared again, only to reappear right back in the middle of town. Starlight stood up quickly and looked towards the line of retreating vigilantes. "Did they notice?" 'he' asked even as a hand of solid light lifted the unconscious man into the air and floated him behind a wall, keeping him out of sight of his compatriots.

[Supercape]

GM

The poor man was knocked clean out by Catalyst's dead aim, and was mumbling incoherently about "Cheatin' Mexicans" and "Five Aces", his eyes quite askew, as he lay on the dusty road of the town square.

A few stragglers had started peeking out of the debris and shot up buildings, some holding more primitive firearms. A few broke out into applause. Some started to attend to the wounded.

The ruffian's gun looked like classic Earth Victoriana steam punk technology, only souped up. It was a little bigger, a little clunkier, and no doubt a lot louder. But one thing was different about it.

It was automatic. An assault rifle in a world which used lever action rifles.