Silicon & Sorcery: FREEDOM RADIO

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

Small breaths exited her nostrils. Her rifle would be useless at this range. Even if she could get to cover long enough to assemble it. She rubbed her right forearm in nervous anticipation. One thousand practice efforts later and she could have the blade out and lodged in an opponents stomach in two seconds flat. Waiting now, she worked to keep that idea at the centre of her mind. Though, thoughts of her blade were never going to be as comforting as the scope of her rifle.

Keeping her distance from the others, she passed her glance around, absorbing the context. Her gaze was hidden behind her eye garb. A cloth grill, it connected into tight-fitting, cloth, black head garb she wore, itself tucked into the neck of a tight fitting black top. The top made no effort to hide the kevlar underneath--she was prepared for a fight, and let everyone she met know that. The doubt in her features was palpable, though invisible to those around her. This wasn't in-character, heading out into a situation like this was nuts. It got people killed. Especially in Ven-Lo. The sensible course of action would have been to sit in a building across the road and observe. Just observe. Then, perhaps, make an advance on the place, if it was clear there was no trap awaiting her.

But she had allowed enthusiasm to drive her to the door. It was a fault, one she would punish herself for later. But a chance to meet the illusive DJ Fade-Out on back of a message so cryptic? It revived something of herself from back in her old Rockpine days--a daring, an excitement...and, she recalled, a stupidity that had got her brother killed and herself near-enough. She would have to punish herself later. Her fingers rattled against that right forearm of hers in remembrance. Right now, though, she only asked that God extended her strength and shepherded through the consequences of this folly.

She looked at the door into the building and made no move towards it. One of the others could go first.

[Baloth-Kul]

Álfvor

The troll amongst those called to meet Fade-Out wore an undisguised scowl, along with his armour. [&@%!] has some nerve. But 'take the fight to the Black Sun'? I'll hear what he has to say. Oni slammed his right fist into the door a few times.

[The SheoDovah]

Xu-Dráo

I must be mad to even consider this. Xu-Dráo had came prepared for a fight as a precaution. She made no effort to hide her semi-automatic rifle or machete. She wanted to scare off any potential small time thugs from harrassing her without needing to lift a finger. She could trust Rachael to run the Winged Terror without any issues. A black heavy kevlar vest was over her buttoned blue shirt. Two reinforced braces adjorned both wrists and was wearing a pair of black combat trousers with black boots. Even if this is legit, am I willing to stab them in the back? They gave me a purpose, honed my skills and to stab them in the back would be harming myself. But on the other hand, I'm retired, they turned this place into quite the [&@%!]. It's the damn reason why I have to smuggle in stuff for the community. So yeah, I think I can handle the potential outcome of me fighting them.

"Lovely evening, isn't it?" She remarked upon seeing the small group gathered outside the theatre. Bit dangerous to assume that they all heard the message but no real reason to gather here in this small a number either.

[The-Shadow-One]

Haley breathed out, rubbing one foot against the other as he looked around. It's all good. Nothing weird here.. His ears were revealed when he pulled off the hoodie, and not like he can really hide his tail. Both of them twitched about nervously. Whatever this was it put him on edge. He kept his hands to himself, rubbing thumb against finger. Not like he was.. well entirely defenceless but magic wasn't something he could rely on all the time.

"Uh.. So you guys got that weird transmission too right? To come here?" He asked, pale eyes flickering around, nestled under his blond hair. "Weird right, like why us?"

[Baloth-Kul]

Álfvor

"Diverse people, diverse skills." Álfvor replied to Haley's question, still facing the door. "That's the impression I get, unless all the gear you bunch have is just for show. Cyberware, likely bioware, weaponry...a couple of you probably use magic, too."

[The SheoDovah]

Xu-Dráo

"Straight to the point." Xu remarked after the man made his enquiry about the transmission. "I am." She smiled at the human. "Xu's the name." She looked at the troll as he spoke. "Not for show. Ok, it is partly for show but it scares off the weaker gangs and saves me having to crack open some heads in self defense." She reached for her rifle. "This may not be the best and has seen better days but she'll do her duty in a fight." The rifle had seen better days, the black paintjob was faded and had a few dents around it but it was something she knew she could rely on. "Name's Xu. I heard the transmission and it's quite an interesting topic." Though, if this is a trap, our chances of surviving are low. I would have snipers positioned at all angles and two teams for suppressive fire. A bit unneccessary for 8 people but that is how I would do it.

[Kerr]

Anton Atlas
Anton wasn't the first person to arrive, but neither was he the last. His SMG was in the rucksack on his back but his .223 revolver could still be reached with ease. The zip on his grey hoodie was open and you could see the combat armor and Rockpine Rovers jersey underneath.

"No, the cat... kid... is right. Doesn't matter what our skills are, this isn't how you hire people. I mean, how does he know about us? What does he know about us?" said Atlas. He shook his head. "I don't like it. You make enemies in my line of work, the sort of people I don't want being directed to my front door."

[BetaB17]

♡Teal♡

She didnt like it, not one bit. Up there on her perch, as she settled in with her scope and tuned in her radio for her scheduled relaxation session, kicking back to the DJ all by herself. But when she was met by only static, something troubling started to sink in. Of all this time, never once did he fail to tune in. She wasnt unsettled just by what that could mean down below, but more importantly, what could have happened to the DJ himself

Before it had time to really sink in, she got that message, from the DJ himself. Her first, and instinctive reaction was grave, like, as if Master himself was issuing orders. She snapped into action, ready to set out. But before then, something came to her attention, and washed away a bit of the stirness that normally overcame her. She was possibly gonna meet the enigmatic DJ himself! As if in a teenage panic, she quickly gathered up the best she had, this fan was absolutely gonna make a stellar first impression
-----------
As she approached, being cautious enough to stick to the safer routes or in high elevation where she could, by the time she finally reached the destination, she already spotted a few others approaching the same. She shifted the weight of her rifle on her shoulder, her firing hand easy enough to grab her revolver if it came to it, with a sigh of antocipation, she approached, after turning on some music to level her mood

Coming up, the colorful munchkin began to sowl as she got a better look at the company, it's not just she didnt like a crowd this day and age but she liked it less that she wasnt exclusively on the meet-up. And then her mood turned to sour, as she saw the troll. She had nothing to fear from the likes of them, but under her poncho and beret, and face covered by a bandana, she was at least more under profile than him.

Showing no kindness or social courtesy, she pushed right pass Fatima, and then the troll crowding the door. She had a paintcan in her hand, and with a small burst, left a pink dot on the wall beside the door. She looked back at them, a sharp look in her eyes like she was judging them back, while just the cuff of her mixed color was in display.

Why knock anyways? He already was expecting them.

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

Her rifle sat in a shoulder bag and it imposed a comforting weight on her deltoids. She knew why she was here, why she would be asked. The the cat-boy-thing didn't seem to understand why they might have been called was a more worrisome detail. It wasn't one she questioned. Her face maintained a neutral expression, she passed her gaze onto other details.

The troll was a troll. She didn't extend a second glance. The Elf in the Rockpine Rovers shirt received a raised eyebrow and a sharp intake of breath. Her Lord didn't deal in coincidence, and his appearance made the entire meeting seem that bit more ominous. Her last few days in Rockpine had been ones of terror and destruction and death. Was this intended as a sign to leave? She steeled herself against such anxiousness. She'd hear the DJ out, perhaps that would impose some order on the entire situation. The considerations were halted by sounds of movement from behind, she stepped out of their direction and further into the shadows.

The girl pushed passed next and kept moving towards the door. Gramsci's gaze followed, locating itself first at that sniper and then toward the bandanas and finally at the hair. The paint dashed onto the wall confirmed it. Least there was some professionals invited alongside herself. "Little Bird." She nodded. It was a declaration. The voice, holding a German accent, passed through the cloth on her mouth as if it wasn't there. "Fan of your work." A compliment, she decided, was only professional.

[BetaB17]

♡Teal♡

She wasnt use to being called directly by her call sign. She was so caught up with finally meeting DJ Fade Out, she forgot to hide some of her more vibrant tones. It didn't unsettle her, no, it's just something she wasnt use to, especially, socializing. She slowly pivoted on her feet, making her pan across the group, turning to see who exactly it was that called her out.

It was the lady she brushed by, and by the looks of it, she at least had the whole discrete thing under wraps. She couldn't exactly tell what, if any profession she was. Looking up and down the lady, she shifted her rifle's sling a bit on her shoulder, still clearly holding on the spray can, the hum of music playing off of her dated headphones. What would master say in a situation like this? She asked herself

"Kay." She said, in a typical teen disinterest

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

With the girl pivoted, she caught her features for the first time. Little Bird was younger than she had anticipated, younger than the rumours had suggested--the malnourishment creeping into her features somewhat unsettling. Her gaze only lingered monetarily though, absorbing those facts immediately. Some part of her wondered how many knowingly got this close to the sniper. In her situation, she could count them on one hand.

Her thoughts made the length of time the declarations hung seem shorter. She almost smiled with the childlike arrogance of the response, gaze returning to the door now that her point had been made.

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

"An astute observation." Xu surveyed the surrondings to see who else was there and their general equipment as well. Those two are too young. The girl is a teen and the cat boy looks just as young. Why is the girl even here? The boy may be barely a man but at best, he is bound to be an experienced [&@%!]. At worst, a kid trying to play hero with a peashooter. . "Sometimes, it is the only way to recruit people." She told Anton without looking at him. She rubbed her thumb across the sheath of her machete out of an old habit whenever she suspected something was about to go south.

[Baloth-Kul]

Álfvor

'--has seen better days--', 'You make enemies in my line of work--', 'Fan of your work'. Their words echoed in the troll's mind and painted a much clearer picture of the people who stood at his back.

"Fade-Out didn't look into you people enough. He wants to stick it to Black Sun, when at least half of you would sell out all Ven-Lo if they'd make you a better deal. This isn't a trap we're walking into, it's just damn foolishness. So if you're going to shoot me in the back, do it now rather than later, please? ...Because you won't get another chance." The tone in his voice was one more of a disheartened weariness than anger.

[BetaB17]

♡Teal♡

She looked at the troll, he literally dwarfing her size, especially being so muh closer to hom, but she looked up at with the same trained eyes. She didnt feel intimidated, not in the slightest, if anything, she was willing to take those bets.

Reaching out fast, like a quickdraw, and leveling towards the angle at the troll's face, she had her pink spray can. "Sure. Wh'y not." But she made no hiding it to him, it could have just as easiky been her revolver there, she would have already cocked back the hammer, and been done. But it wasn't "Anoth'r chance then"

Of all the people kicking up a stink, it had to be the samurai wanna-be. Like he had any right to say what's best for this dump. She clearly had a disdain for the 72 member from the start, since she wasnt giving the glare to any of the other strangers

[The-Shadow-One]

Haley watched. Ears twitching. Cat...kid? I look that young? He asked, frowning ever so slightly. "Aaa." He sighed loudly. "And to think I've used time coming here.." His tail swished, low and slow. dejected. "I'm Haley." He stated in response to Xu. "If DJ Fade-out got us together then obviously we should exchange names right?" He added cheerfully to the others. "Cause I don't want to have to call you the kid, the troll, and stuff like right. It's just rude right? So call me Haley, what can I call you?"

[BetaB17]

Teal relaxed her arm, cocking it back along with her aim, now no longer on the path to the troll's face. She tilted her head to the side, to look at the cute boy who just called her the kid.

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

As the girl and the troll seemed to argue, the Faustian observed the duo. She raised her eyebrow(though, she lacked the hair) at the girl's choice of weapon. "Nice to meet you, Haley and that is a wonderful idea." She smiled at the cat boy. "He wants all of us for a reason and the key to a good team is jolly co-operation. Thus, let's begin with sharing a bit about ourselves." That girl is gonna to enrage the troll and if a fight breaks out, I will have to break them apart. Great way for this potential team to work. "Let's start with names. I've introduced myself but to cover all the bases, I'm Xu Dráo. The human with the unique gear is Haley." She smiled at everyone after walking in front of the group to address them.

[BetaB17]

'Did she just say her name for the third time already?' Teal thought to herself, eyeing Xu the wannabe friend maker

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

Jolly co-operation.

She couldn't help it, and sniggered softly.

[Kerr]

Anton Atlas
"Says the Street Samurai." said Atlas with disdain in his strongly accented voice. They weren't off to a good start. It certainly didn't look like he was taking the insult to his character well. "You and your 71 friends want to dress up and jet about playing kings of the neighborhood. But once that wall goes down, dream's over. If the shogun decides that dream should end by being incorporated as a new Black Sun special ops force, you'd betray us all in a heartbeat. So don't act like you're better than me."

Atlas leaned up against a streetlamp.

"I'm Atlas. Was a freelancer working in the city, locked in when the wall went up, same as all of you." He chuckled lightly. "If I wanted to be put in a prison, I would have stayed in the Dominion." He held his hand up, raised an index finger and swirled it about to indicate the general area. "Although this one is a lot bigger. And the inmates have guns. Anyway, I want out of here as much as anyone." Atlas gave a non-committal shrug. "If the DJ has a plan on how to do that, might as well hear him out. And he can explain a few things."

[Dirty Spaceman]

Anduroth

The tall, dark-skinned Faustian walked onto the dimly lit scene, after spending a few moments to size up the group. On average they appeared somewhat rough around the edges, and some of them were clearly the combat-ready type. He was unsure of how well he would fit in with this company, but he knew he must join them if he was to help end Ven-Lo's isolation and see his family again.

Anduroth stopped walking when he was visibly among the group, and stood there with hands in the pockets of his khakis. He arrived in time to pick up on the other Faustian trying to take charge of introductions - and not meeting a very enthusiastic response, from what he could tell. Nonetheless, he felt obligated to give his own name, all the more fitting as the latest arrival.

"Hello," he said in his solemn, Bruck-accented rumble. "My name is Anduroth. I do not think I must explain why I have come. Fade-Out brings hope to Ven-Lo, and I would like to help turn that hope into reality."

[Baloth-Kul]

Álfvor

Seen to none but 'Little Bird', the troll's scowl managed to deepen even further at Atlas' retort. "The Shogun would never be a tool of the Black Sun, and neither would I."

He turned about, his loincloth fluttering somewhat as he did so. Affixing his gaze on Atlas, he pointed a meaty finger at the merc. "You. You, I might trust. ...I am Álfvor." His dour expression faded.

"And you," he continued, now looking at Anduroth, "...I believe I've seen you around."

[Unionhack]

Apollo Theater Exterior

It took a few minutes following the knocking on the door, but those gathered finally noticed a noise; a high-tech security camera extending from a wall nearby zoomed in on each of their faces, and a below it was attached a small panel showing a glowing audio equalizer that was still for the moment. The camera, extending from whatever hidden panel it had sprung from, was a stark contrast in cleanliness compared to the building it came from. Soon a voice spoke, causing the audio equalizer to begin moving.

"Apologies, one and all, ol' Fade-Out had to make sure the house was clean before he accepted guests. Looks like enough of you are here; let's talk. Watch your feet and make sure you aren't followed."

A dirt-crusted patch of road a few inches from where Haley stood creaked and lowered, accompanied with mechanical groans. After getting lower than the rest of the surrounding road, the panel slid underneath it, revealing a staircase descending in the direction of what would be underneath the theater.

"Head on in, and mind the turrets. They don't bite if they know your face, so eyes forward, a'ight?"

[Velvet LeChance]

Gramsci

She never extended her own name. Even if she had desired to make that level of an acquaintance at this early stage in their relationship, DJ Fade-Out's voiced erupted in their direction before she could. She struck to immediate attention. When the camera emerged, she knew it would want to see her retinas and she obliged it that. She reached up and drew down the grill, revealing a set of golden-coloured eyes. They were obviously feminine, confirming any final suspicions others might have had, and were startling in their vividness. Surrounding them was light olive skin, hinting at her Tehrani heritage, the barest hint of lines creeping in. Then, above, sat a pair of black, thinly-arched eyebrows, which suggested a natural hair colour.

She crinkled those eyes as the camera stared in as if wanting to stare back.

With the procedure complete, she didn't roll the grill back up. If the turrets needed to keep watching those eyes in order for her not to get shot, she'd continue to allow that. With even steps, she began to descend the stairs revealed to them. The constant watchfulness of her gaze visible to all now, she glanced across each point of interaction.

[The SheoDovah]

Xu Dráo

Xu smiled at Anton as he revealed his name and a bit of himself. "Nice to meet you, Atlas." That troll could be a liablity. Takes offence too easily and may be the type to do his own thing. Seems like a simple brute and that can work. "I'm a retired merc, myself. I run the Winged Terror." She informed Anton as another Faustian arrived. "Nice to meet you, Anduroth."

"Fair enough." She remarked after the DJ gave the group instructions on how to enter. She rubbed the sheath of her machete with her right thumb as she descended into the theatre. Hope I'm not blocking anyone's view with my wings.