ic Next-Gen : Almost Heroes

[Tiffany Korta]

Since you've been approached, in secret, only a few months ago you’ve all been training to become the newest version of Claremont’s own super team the Next-Gen. The seven of you have been training to operate as both a full team and as two smaller teams imaginatively called Team-A and Team-B. And now both teams have been assigned their own mission.

Team-B

Moffat Morphology Headquarters, Hanover

10:00 Wednesday 2nd July 2014

Moffat Morphology is one of those companies that seems to exist mostly in Freedom City. Using a combination of advanced polymers and nanotechnology they have developed technology that allow creation almost any tool imaginary with only simple computer control.

Recently however there have been several baffling breakins of other hi-tech companies where the only evidence left on the scene was a polymer similar to that developed by Moffat’s. Helpfully the company is proud to offer tours of it’s facilities for budding young students so you’ve been assigned to investigate to find out if the company is in anyway involved in these robberies.

Next-Gen isn’t the only one investigating this company for possible criminal activity. In one of those strange coincidences Alexandria Watson, aka Somnium, is also investigating the company after a half remembered mention of possible dubious activities connected to her families collapsed criminal empire. Detail are hazy beyond the simple mention of there name, it could be nothing...

A small group of students, including yourselves, are gathered in the lobby of the company where you are met by a rather keen young woman in a sharp business suit, her red hair done up in severe bun.

 

 

“Hello there and welcome to Moffat Morphology. I’m Gillian and I’ll be your guide to today’s trip. If you’d just like to follow me...â€

Edited July 4, 2014 by TiffanyKorta

[MindMessiah]

Despite her best attempts to feign interest, Alex couldn't help but stifle a yawn as she followed behind the tour guide. She'd barely had time for a quick nap and change of clothes in-between her little adventure down in the sewers and running off to Moffat Morphology. That said, the thought of taking a little more time to recuperate hadn't even crossed her mind. This tour was a chance to get a first-hand look at Moffat's facilities without having to break in, and if there was even the faintest chance that they had a connection to her father's criminal enterprises - no matter how tenuous - then she wouldn't rest until she'd found proof. She'd even gone out of her way to tidy herself up and buy something smart to wear for the occasion. So long as no-one thought to take a closer look her school records, she'd easily pass for an overeager student.

 

After a quick scan of the lobby, she glanced down at the PE bag hanging off of her shoulder. Her gas mask was sitting at the bottom, along with her laptop and the rest of her costume. None of it had triggered the security alarms, thankfully. With any luck, she'd be in and out without ever once having to change, but it always paid to be prepared. Getting caught out of costume by a company that might have links to her father's empire... she didn't want to dwell on the potential consequences of that for too long. Best to finish up her investigation here as quickly as possible.

 

"Excuse me, ma'am," she asked as innocently as she could, "but would you be willing to provide a few details about some of Moffat's more major projects?"

[TheAbsurdist]

Elias paid as much attention to this as was required.  But then, he always seemed like something of an ADD case.  Of course he was paying attention to several things at once, but then he was also absorbing the information as well.  Plus he was good at looking like the bored, disinterested, and sullen teenager he was supposed to be.  Hands in the pocket of his hood sweater, with it pulled over his head, to obscure the earbuds that were in his ears.

 

His head tilting a bit, as he took a gauge of the woman when the artless question was asked by the girl.  Sure it was a fishing expedition, but sometimes you can find almost as much from the reaction, as by the actual response.

[KnightDisciple]

Aleksander glanced at Gunnar, Elias, and Juno, still a bit unsure of this whole "infiltrate the building as normal students instead of your super-selves" business. He supposed that, in the abstract, it made some sense. Especially since they had their gear on their persons. It's just that, in his case, this meant leaving the majority of his costume in an over-the-shoulder bag done up like a high-end "messenger" bag. 

 

He'd been going along for a quiet tour, hoping to be able to just kind of "take in" the setup of the place, on the assumption they might have to slip in later.

 

Then someone he didn't recognize asked a question that seemed likely to red-flag them...

[Thunder King]

Gunnar generally found Earth Prime clothing comfortable. Different, perhaps more advanced cloth could do that. He had a hard time acting like he was from this planet, let alone acting like an 'ordinary student', but he figured if he looked unremarkable and nondescript, that was good enough to suit his needs. He was glad to have Juno and Aleksander on this. He knew them well enough. If things got bad, and they might, they could continue the quest undeterred while he and the others provided the distraction.

[GooseInduced]

Juno was probably the only excited one of the bunch. She knew Gunnar and Alek well enough to know that this wasn't their forte. She liked technology and was a bit of a techie herself. Though that was partially because of her grandmother. She was pretty sure the woman was a certifiable genius. She designed her entire costume. From the thin protective suit she wore under her clothes (a nice jacket, shirt and a good pair of jeans) to to the belt pack and goggles that are folded up in her insulated messenger bag. If it wasn't insulated her other tech (phone, tablet, headphones) might end up fried.

When the girl she didn't know piped in with the question, Juno found her ears perking. She was curious, eager to know. Maybe she could put two and two together.

[Tiffany Korta]

The woman’s smile didn’t even falter as she answered Alex’s question.

 

“Unfortunately many of our major projects are for important clients and we’re not allowed to reveal any information about such projects. We do have however many other exciting projects to show you all.†turning on her heels she began to walk across the lobby only briefly looking over her shoulder to see if everyone was following her.

 

Leading everyone further into the building she casually led them past several obviously secured laboratories probably where there classified research is carried out.

[KnightDisciple]

Aleksander's mind was racing as they walked through the hallways, though his face was calm and relaxed.

 

Secret projects were pretty standard in high-tech firms; it's how you stayed competitive. But still, he was getting a chance to at least see where they were. He'd have to try and compile a computerized map later. Between himself, Elias, Gunnar, and Juno, they should get a pretty solid map made in a short amount of time.

 

Plus he was curious what not-so-secret projects they'd get to see. It would help set up a comparison for the much-more-secret projects later on.

[Tiffany Korta]

The tour was led by to room that looked like it was designed by a Hollywood special effects team each wall was filled with display screens and in the center of the room were several glassed domed structures each  containing a rather unimpressive lump of pink modelling clay like material. Gillian entered the room and gestured for them to gather around the structures, before activating the view screens for a presentation.

 

“The patented Moffat Moleculestm combine the qualities of memory metals and morphic molecules into a long string polymer plastic. To put that into english it allows the material to be molded in shape which it will then retain until changed again, all with the use of a simple app.â€

 

She gestured towards the material inside the domes, which was apparently this wonder material.

 

“Please feel free to try it for yourself I believe with a little practice you can even do moving parts.â€

[TheAbsurdist]

Elias almost took notice of that, and the asker.  Almost.  That was a dangerous question, and he could almost hear (or imagine he heard) the facial muscles tightening to hold the expression of the woman leading them around.  His attention switched to the screen, and he frowned a little bit, eyes narrowing as he took in the information greedily.  Not that he had any choice in the matter, he couldn't elect to not memorize data he was exposed to.

 

Of course his aware of his surroundings was being mapped, the telehaptic sense moving through the walls around them, being pinged by any movement on surfaces he was connected to.  As usual he was sorting through several feeds of information at any given time.  It was a bit much sometimes.

[KnightDisciple]

Aleksander moved to one of the terminals, genuinely intrigued by the possibilities of this material. He knew bits and pieces of science himself, but wasn't quite as well-versed as his mentor, a fact they'd ultimately accepted in his training. Spreading himself too thin this early would just be harmful...

 

He shook his head slightly as he typed away, trying to program the blob of material into a simplistic cityscape of Freedom City's skyline. As he typed and watched the material, he spoke up with a question.

 

"You mentioned that the material is at least conceptually based on memory metals and Morphic Molecules, but that your final Moffat Molecules product is actually a plastic. Does it generally stand up to at least similar stresses as the inspiring materials? What sorts of places do you think this material would be useful for, besides classrooms and other learning environments?"

 

He hoped the potential for demonstration and clarification in education and learning was obvious to their tour guide.

 

He was also familiarizing himself with at least a simplified version of this company's native OS and GUI. He had a feeling computer searching would be something he'd be doing a lot of soon enough. 

[Tiffany Korta]

The woman beamed with pride as she answered his question, she seemed to genuinely seemed proud of the product she was promoting.

 

“The bond can be easily broken and reformed within the structure it can be as light as paper or as strong as iron. We can also give the structure piezoelectric properties. WIth a little practice you can even create quite complex moving parts. Allow me to demonstrate.â€

 

She tapped a few key’s on a tablet and the lump of the stuff in front of her began to shift and remold until it looked like a rather robust screwdriver of some kind.

 

“We already have interest from several Space Agencies for this one.â€

 

She picked up the screwdriver, which still had that slightly strange pink appearance, a squeezed the handle gently causing the end to rotate at quite a speed.

[GooseInduced]

Juno’s eyes narrowed as their guide spoke. Moffat Molecules…. She heard that there were advancements in morphic molecules in the works. Various companies trying to copy and improve upon what many of Freedom City’s heroes use every day.

 

She walked up to one of the consoles and began typing, trying to coax a shape out of the blob of…. Stuff. Moving parts…. It might be a little childish but only one thing really came to mind. The blob started to shift and move, like clay come to life. Four wheels and…. A box on top. It was supposed to be a little car. Nothing too complicated but more than what she got. Still, it was better than nothing. She kept typing, hoping to make it work.

[Tiffany Korta]

With a little practice the go can be made to create quite complicated structures with moving parts that could potentially do amazing things. Compared to that the rest of the tour is a bit of a let down with the host gleefully showing the vats and pipes that allow the material to be made. From the tour it possible to work out that there’s a big chunk of the building made up the part of the building you couldn’t visit.

 

At least not during the day...

 

 

Later that Night

[KnightDisciple]

While the tour had given Nevermore a couple of ideas to work on with Boss Lady for future techno-goodies, shopping for new wonderful crime-fighting toys wasn't the primary purpose of the visit. Especially not when their information was so vague.

 

Which was why the now-costumed Nevermore was perched on a building opposite Moffat Morphology Headquarters, peering through his night-vision lenses to try and get a sense of security patrols and the like.

 

Of course, actually sneaking into the place might be tricky. While his companions were the sort he wouldn't trade in a fight, the hope was that this wouldn't end up a fight. Sadly, hopes were often dashed, even in a shining metropolis of the future like Freedom City. 

[Tiffany Korta]

The building was a circular glass structure with a solid core that made up the lab running through the middle. Like many building these days in Freedom it wasn’t lit up, the only light was from the glow from the Security station just off from the main reception.

 

Actually it was slightly odd that a building that conducted such cutting edge research had such light security. You would have thought they’d be concerned about Industrial Espionage, but no only a few rent a cops patrolled the building.

Edited October 31, 2014 by TiffanyKorta