Supercape

So, doing a full mind probe to get to who was speaking to them on the comms. DC 20 Will Save. Its also a feedback flaw - so if hit do feel free to roll Echoheads resistance (a tough roll equal to 10 from the Mind Reading plus the Purposes' Toughness, if I understand the conflicting entries in UP correctly - although roll whatever your intepretation is!) for me so thread not slowed down! Its all sensory link but I doubt that is particularly important! Also a subtle and insibidous effect! Muahahaha!

Echohead Theft! But of what? And by whom? Something rather cosmic, by the sounds of it! Well, not on his watch! Making sure he stayed under cover, he reached out into the purpoises' head, trying to read his thoughts. As he did, he linked in with the villain's senses. He was half tempted to let the purpoise go - to see whom was behind this, and why...but for now, he just crept, stealthily, into the brain of the purpoise, drilling down... Who was their master?

GM "Mammoth steak? Well I cant very well turn down the opportunity of that!" replied North, quite interested. This job will, for all its toxic stress, afford me some most interesting experiences! "And let us be bold. I doubt I will eat Mammoth Steak again, so Ill trust...er...Thomad...to do them as he best sees fit" he declared. "As for funding, or even equipment, that is being negotiated now with the united nations and member states. You will appreciate that quite aside from the risk of an extinction event, the economic cost to the world of such events is between painful and astronomical" he explained. "The philosophy, and on this I concur, of the united nations is to be a small organisation that is well funded. And that all relevant organisations, such as AEGIS or UNISON, as well as national intelligence agencies and academic institutions, are signed up to a principle of coorperation" "So I think the resources will be there. The problems, I fear, will be in coordinating all the information and agencies. You understand..conflicting agendsa and so on. Dangerous science breeds paranonia. Some states, no doubt, will want to harness it. I forsee the problems being political rather than financiall..." he said, gloomily.

GM "Dinner would be good" noted North, although he was going to try and scan the dish for microbes before he ate. Or at least, for harmful microbes. "As for donations, I thank you for the offer but I we cannot accept. It would stain our public perception...we do not want to be seen to be beholden to any one individual. It is tricky enough with states" he said diplomatically. And image aside, it would behold us to Doctor Deoxy...he reasoned. If WEST was going to survive, let alone prosper, they had to be diplomats and politicians as well as scientists. The political landscape was a quagmire. But best trudge through that quagmire than have nothing at all. "But your own island may well be of use. Ill pencil you in!" he said, more brightly. "As for AEGIS, well, we do work with them, in principle" he explained "but they deal with superheroes, we don't. Or rather, we do, but incidentally rather than it being our remit" he said, shrugging his hands. It was indeed a messy business. "And we certainly are not trigger happy. You don't pull the trigger on the stuff we are dealing with. Not unless we are absolutely sure a trigger needs to be pulled. Might well do more harm than good!"

GM North nodded attentively. He didn't know an awful lot about autism, but it was part of his medical training. He could understand that solitude, or at least sanctuary, would be desirable. He was not entirely sure the island was optimal for the job. "We are considering where to build the Headquarters of WEST" he explained. "We will need small offices in most areas of the world, clearly. We have already set one up next to Astro labs, after cutting through all the normal diplomatic vexations. But if we are to study dangerous science, or contain it, we don't want anywhere near populated land. In fact, as far as way as possible..." "We are looking at Rapa Nui. With appropriate investment and diplomatic balms, of course. One of the most remote islands on the world. And, as many have commented, its old name was Easter Island....a little poetry there. WEST based in EAST..."

GM "That is a fair point" agreed North. "Plenty of discourse around the water dispenser" North got out of the sphere carefully. He could not resist a quick check of his scanner, just to ensure the radiation levels were normal. Or at least close to normal. He wasn't exactly sure who could caretake the island. Several heroes had expressed interest in WEST, and some, like Replica or Gossamer had even helped WEST with some investigations. But he couldn't see any of them caretaking an island of dinosaurs. Still, you never knew... "There is something else I would like to ask. The running of this island. How do you find it?"

GM "I will see what I can do" said North, neutrally. The truth was, of course, that WEST was embryonic. It did not have much clout, yet, and whilst it had a database of interested scientists, and was training field agents, it was not the best forum for research. Or at least, collaboration. It was not, however, the worst. And there might be an angle - a stamp of approval from WEST would at least partially dissolve many scientists reluctance to work with the Doctor. "A good word, here and their" he added, to refine his statement. "WEST isn't really a research organisation. At least, that is not its focus. But it could certainly do with your expertise, particularly when it comes to biological threats" he said, sounding the Doctor out. "If that is something you would be interested in. Saving the world, that is. Not always glamourous, but always vital!"

GM "Nothing is fool proof" agreed North. "But the safeguards are certainly prudent" "You are astute, doctor. But before I make my point, as you say, I should perhaps explain W.E.S.T. We should have time before we reach your laboratory" "I suppose you are aware of the World Health Orginisation, and the United Nations" he started, hoping the Doctor was at least starting from that position. "Essentially, the WHO was set up by, and is run by, the United Nations on the premise that certain health risks are a risk to the entire world. HIV, the Ebola Virus, these things do not respect borders. At least, for the most part. The world needs to be aware of, and respond to, global health risks" he explained. "And I imagine you are aware of some of the things that have happened over the last decade and more. The Terminus invasion, the problems with Dr Archeville. You might even have heard of the Darwin-X virus, or the problems with Neutron Industries last year. Such threats are not confined to one border. What if a dimensional rift opened into Sagitarius A? Or a Comsic Energy Bomb was unleashed by Overthrow? What if a grey goo spread across the globe, or a Self Replicated Prion destroyed the worlds crops? The number of potential catastrophes are growing exponentially..." he explained, grim and glum. "WEST is the World Exotic Science Taskforce. Set up on the same prinicples of the WHO. To monitor global threats from, well, exotic science...."

GM North enjoyed the sphere ride. Better than walking, and safer too, I would imagine. It gave him time to collect his thoughts. He had not anticipated trouble (despite his nerves), but it was still going better than he had expected. I hope he can be helpful as well as reassuring! "I daresay" he responded a little dryly as they travelled through the island. "However, I was more worried about your specimins leaving on their own volition. What if a megaladon reached the ocean and started breeding? Or a Pterodactylus flew to the mainland?" he inquired. "Are your defence mechanisms as suitable protection against that?" "I am reminded of the Great Wall of China. Constructed more to keep the population inside, that barbarians out...."

GM It was a spectacle of sugar! A catastrophe of caramel! A galvinisation of glucose! And thus it was that the factory starting emptying it employees, who were running away as fast as they could! One fellow, of magnificently rotund proportions and delightfully spotted skin (and, if he grinned, of spectacularly rotted teeth) thanks to years of snaffling away chocolate, elected to try and drive away on a loader trolley that barely reached 5mph. Still, the net effect was that most, if not all, of the employees had elected to run. A few brave souls (from a distance) where, predictably, taking photographs and selfies of the drama that unfolded.

Mr Murk And so, in the cab... "It is but five minutes, traffic permitting" said Mr. Murk, who still judged it too early to let his disguise drop. The streets were neon lit and had a refreshing cool hint to the heat now the sun had set. The skies were clear and the stars were out, even if hard to see in the light of the city. Not that this mattered to Mr. Murk, of course. "To cut oneself off from one family, mmm....a tale of scars, one way or another. Other the leaving, or the thing that made you leave. Often both" he commented. "You are bold and admirable to do so" He could not see the way to Club Immortus, but he felt it, somehow. He smelled the smells, heard the rumbles, felt the turn of the cab. "Here we are" he said, as they pulled up. "Club Immortus. The refuge of the immortal. There is but one rule, for now. No harm or violence towards any other that lies thereine. If to this you can agree, it is your sanctuary too..."

GM North thanked the Doctor and tapped on the screens, studying the data carefully. He asked technical questions now and again, and demonstrated an impressive grasp of the subject. North knew his biochemistry and genetics, although his expertise was clearly microbiology. Whatever else North was, he was a master of his subject. Still, he seemed satisfied with the data. "This all seems in order" he said. "Not without risk, but not risky either. I congratulate you on your procedures and scientific methodology, Doctor" he added earnestly. "But sterile as this all is, there is the issue of one of your creations leaving by air or water...do you have contingencies in place?" he asked. "Ill explain a bit more about W.E.S.T. once the inspection is complete, if that suits you. I rather suspect that you can help us..."

Snakebite "Jelly Jouster?" The name was specacularly silly, but she kept a straight face. She actually rather liked the name. "Don't worry. Ill pay to get you off the island. I keep my word. As long as you keep yours" she explained. She didn't like the man one bit, but she wasn't going to back out of the deal. "Although if I cross paths with you again and find you doing wet work, then its not going to go so pretty" she added. "Now sit tight and let me check what you said pans out..." She pulled out the phone and pressed the icon, ready to follow the man's instructions...

GM The Orange haired punk shrugged his shoulders, a punk smile on his punk lips. "Yeah, sure. I gave him something special" he answered. "My name's Smokey, by the way. I like a bit of smokin'! That's why I came to this here joint..." he explained, pointing vaguely at the BBQ festival. "So lets just all chill out and be cool, huh?" he offered. "No need to get hot under the collar about this. See, I got this freind. Crazy chick, deals with chemicals and plants and all that stuff. Said she had something to try out for the festival here. Something real spicy. Now, she knows her greens, does this chick. So I figure, lets try it out!" he said, grinning a big grin. "Hey, I was a bit drunk...and...ah...well, this Greenfingered chick, she also...ah...grows stuff...." he said, vaguely.

GM The slip did not go unnoticed. North was an astute man. He didn't answer immediately. He was also a patient man. Dr Deoxy had a moment to study North in return. In his fifties, at a guess. No athelete, but he had not let a life of academia turn his body to fat. He wore glasses and a well groomed moustache. A studious man with a kind but firm face, neither handsome nor plain. Careful in his manner. Dr Deoxy got the impression of a clever man who neither shied from decisions, nor recklessly jumped onto them. An introvert, by his estimation, but not a shy one, quite at home with social discource even if he might prefer his own company in general. "I would like to see those precautions, if you will. Ah...you will also be aware of the risk of other biological contaminants, microbes and viral. If I could see your laboratories that would be excellent" he explained. "I used to work for the W.H.O, as you might be aware" he added, wondering if Doctor Deoxy had done his homework. "So that's a particular issue I like to cast my eye over..."

GM "That's very generous of you" replied North. "I'm not here to judge what you do on the island. I'm not even here to enfore laws. We are here to ensure the safety of the world. So, for the most part, if we can establish that what you do here is not going to spread, then there isn't going to be a problem..." "Being on an island is a good start. A good idea, actually, and one we are going to steal" he smiled. "But before I come to that, are you the only...ah...human inhabitant on the island?" he asked. "And if you are experimenting on...ah...marine life....or avian life come to that. Is there any possibility that the life forms on this island might leave?"

GM "Thank you for your hospitality" replied North. He had the itch to get down to business, but he admired the view and slowed his engine. Diplomacy was not achieved quickly, and he was in no rush here. It was, he felt, just his nerves getting the better of him. He thought back to his hours preparing for this. Studying all the information sent to him on Doctor Deoxy and related. Some redacted, of course, but overall, a cohesive picture had formed, and it was not malign. Probably the opposite. He looked at the sea life and recognised some specied. Not really his field, but he knew a bit. "I...suppose you know why I have come?" he started with, carefully. "The world is uneasy at your experiments, and by extention, you. They have asked me to provide assurances. Assurances, of course, I can never give. But still, it would be prudent to calm their nerves, just a little..." He turned from admiring the maring life to face Doctor Deoxy. "I have other reasons for being here, myself. Your help. But I'll come on to that later!" he said, more brightly. "For now, let me introduce myself formally. Doctor Norris North, director of W.E.S.T. World Exotic Science Taskforce, operating under the umbrella of the United Nations. Our mission? Stop any number of catastrophies orginiatic from science. Which is a broad scope, but given the events of the last ten years, you can I hope grasp the philosophy..."

GM "My pleasure" replied Doctor North. It was a pleasure, of sorts. That emotion was something of a cacophony of other emotions all swirling around his amygdala. Still, if he could get Doctor Deoxy on side, and reassure the world that this was not a threat (presuming he wasn't a threat), that would make the embryo that was W.E.S.T. more palatable. He approached through the swirling portal. "Space-time bridge, I presume?" he asked Doctor Deoxy. This wasn't really his field. He was a medical doctor by origin, but he considered himself well-rounded in science. And apparently, so had the United Nations when they asked him to set up W.E.S.T. "Easier than travelling by foot...." he muttered as he stepped through, in order to butress his resolve.

GM The Sea-plane landed in due course, coming to an expert halt just by the lapping waves that danced onto the sand of the southern beach. Doctor Norris North stepped out, suitcase in hand, wearing a West Environmental Suit. Pale purple, close fitting, very effective. He did not fancy radiation poisoning. In the other hand, he consulted his field scanner. The radiation levels seemed acceptable at least. Deciding diplomacy would go better if his face was viewable, he flipped open the visor of his suit and awaited the doctor. The air, he felt, was rather pleasant, at least.

GM Doctor Norris North, director of W.E.S.T (World Exotic Science Taskforce) was nervous. His job of course required spinning a lot of plates, and he was not a nervous man by nature. But right now, he helped himself to a vodka. Just the one. For nerves. He was on board a Sea-plane which was descending to the cove of Dr Deoxies island. Hidden. Concealed. Remote. And by invitation. Still, even if he was invited, it was an island populated by dinousaurs and infused with radiation. He would be taking every precaution. Whilst the plane was being flown by the pilot (an experienced ex-US air force woman of stronger nerves than he), he pulled up the communication link to Doctor Deoxy. "Doctor? Doctor? Do you read me? This is North. Doctor Norris North, Director of W.E.S.T. Do we have your permission to land and...ah....where should we do so safely?" he asked, politely.

GM Farouk was a thin man, like a snake, full of veins and spring loaded muscles, bald as you like, with deep brown eyes that looked like they might pop out of his head. He was dressed lightly for the heat, as where his two thug friends, stronger and stupider. In such heat, in such crowds, they had come without any Daka-weaponry. It was hard to conceal anything in this heat. Perhaps theyhad conventional pistols or knives under their robes, but the Daka-weapons were simply to bulky to lug around incognito. "Misi! You devil!" hissed Farouk, bumping right up to Misi. The Scarab could see he had pressed a small knife right into Misi's leg, by the femoral artery. "What did you do to those guns, you snake!?" he demanded. Misi gulped through his sweat. "Uhhh....." he whispered faintly, looking at the Scarab for support.

So this will work in terms of clearing out the factory...by and large. Can you each throw me a bluff roll, ill average the results. See if we can get a DC10 for a reasonable performance!

Snakebite "I find its best to offer a carrot when someone has felt the stick" replied Snakebite. Her tone was polite, firm. A soup of hot and cold flavours. "But you haven't earned your carrot yet, Bugs. And the stick is still fresh. That's interesting information. Worthy of a few drinks and pat on the back. But what I really need is to get Tate back" she explained, very very slowly and very very clearly. "So what I need is to find those guys who paid you top dollar. Then they can feel what it's like to get on the wrong side of me. As opposed to you feeling it..."

GM Weaving through the cars on foot, Replica could see the genius of it. Three autonomous cars had positioned themselves at the juntion to cause complete paralysis of the traffic. The armoured transport truck was completely stuck it. It could barely move an inch. Inside, she saw two nervous armed guards, sweltering in full body armour and carrying firearms. They were radioing in the situation, and Replica could pick up on the transmission, although it was too encrypted to understand. Overhead, she heard, then sensed, then saw a helicopter coming in, swooping then hovering fifty feet in the air. Ropes came down, two on either side, followed by armed and armoured men, rappelling down the ropes....

She does! (as per IC!)