TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[neosapienmods]

JANUARY TEST DRIVE

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1: SPRAWLING WASTELAND, GLOWING IN THE DARK

No sunlight reaches the Underground, but there is rain: grey, oily droplets that slowly trickle down from the city above, seeping through layers of concrete until they drip from broken light fixtures onto the aptly named black markets below. The glow of neon signs keeps the shadows at bay, just barely. What was once a system of utility tunnels and basement bunkers is now a warren of tiny shops offering reprogrammed ID chips and back-alley cybernetic upgrades, where hitmen and slave traders operate with lawless impunity. But someone is always watching... the eyes of Yakashbah, graffitied in bioluminescent paint, stare unblinking from the walls.

People come to this place for only two reasons: they're either looking for something, or they're trying not to be found. Whatever your reason, the Underground welcomes you.

2: A MIND OF DARKNESS, A HEART OF LIGHT

Outside of manicured parks and glass-enclosed vertical farms, green space is rare in New Gate City, so the elites flaunt their wealth in private rooftop gardens. Fragrant, exotic flowers bloom amidst strings of lanterns, and real grass - an extravagant luxury - carpets the ground beneath partygoers' feet as they sip champagne and admire the dark cityscape below. Tonight, one of the Douman Zaibatsu's myriad charity organizations hosts its annual fundraising gala... but this year, the special guests attract even more attention than the celebrities and fashionistas in attendance. Representatives from the Neo Sapien Organization have been invited to speak on the topic of Human/Meta-human relations, and to raise money on behalf of job placement programs for impoverished Metas in the Last Ward. Of course, most within the Douman Zaibatsu would prefer that these "job placement programs" send Metas to the farms far outside New Gate City (or better yet, to the lunar strip mines), but at least for tonight, members of both factions hide behind false smiles and false words.

3: AS FEAR'S REPLICATING, YOUR WORDS RESONATING

Someone gasps, and everyone looks up. Arcadia's central shopping district goes silent, save for the distant sound of pop tunes played over tinny speakers, as a massive black banner unfurls down the side of a building. A crudely drawn eye fills the banner, bisected by a line of white paint... the unofficial symbol of the Meta rights movement. People start to whisper, and somewhere, there's a cheer. Police drones buzz through the air above.

Meta rights protests aren't uncommon in this part of New Gate City, even though they're soon dispersed by local security forces. This banner, too, will be quickly taken down and destroyed, but the photos and videos of the event will be harder to suppress. Already, the bystanders are murmuring to each other, some in support and some in fear. Others keep their heads down, wary of expressing their true feelings about the rising numbers of Meta-humans. And as security forces move to block off the area, others are frantically trying to disappear.

4: A NEW HOPE GLISTENS OFF THE STREETS

The blocks surrounding the Neo Sapien Organization's headquarters in the Middle Ward are like an oasis at the center of an otherwise inhospitable city. Old buildings have been renovated into bright and cheerful apartments that accommodate a variety of Meta-human physiologies, Meta schools and Meta-owned businesses are flourishing, and Meta-friendly shops and cafes line the streets.

The best coffee in the Middle Ward can be found at The Mean Bean, just across from the NSO building, where the shop's fire-breathing Meta owner personally roasts every batch. NSO employees and and other patrons of the popular cafe congregate to discuss local news and gossip: a proposed Meta registration and identification law, rumors of vigilante gangs near the border with the Last Ward, and rivalries between NSO university sports teams. Arguments occasionally grow heated (especially when it comes to sports), but overall the atmosphere is friendly and congenial.

5: WITHIN THE CHAOS, I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE

The Last Ward's electrical grid is reliably unreliable, but blackouts on this scale are rare. Half the ward has been dark for the past three days, save for a few emergency generators and dwindling battery backups. As winter winds batter old, drafty concrete apartment blocks, the residents grow restless and frustrated. Police have already put down several riots, but there's no stopping the spike in looting and other petty crimes.

In the Parish, many people have opted to barricade themselves inside their homes until the blackout ends, but others are taking advantage of the chaos. Most, though, have chosen to band together to protect each other throughout the long nights. The people of the Parish may not have much, but at least they have a sense of community.

Comments

[jediparkour]

1. SPRAWLING WASTELAND
He might not stand out much from the crowd here, but Cal is as furtive-looking as they come. With the hood of his poncho pulled low to shield himself from the oily rain, it's a bit easier for Cal to hide his uneasiness with being in this part of the Underground. Necessity might've driven him here, but there were a lot of bad things going on in the dark that he wanted no part of. He hated it enough to wish that the police would finally decide to sweep through and arrest them all, but since when could they be counted on doing anything for the Last Ward?

Cal's carrying a worn-out looking bag on his hip, only partially concealed by his poncho, but it's still proof that he's carrying something valuable. It's only by sheer luck that he feels the sight tug of the blade that cuts the strap free, and in seconds the thief that slipped behind him has grabbed his bag and started to run for it.

"HEY!" Cal wastes little time in turning on his heel and booking it after the thief. "Give that back!" It's not long before the thief makes for a darkened alley that could conceal any number of dangers, but Cal isn't slowing, either undaunted by what's ahead or oblivious to it.

3. AS FEAR'S REPLICATING
Cal doesn't come here often, but as things go, he's one of those Parish youths that likes to escape to somewhere a little cleaner on occasion. That, and he's finally got enough extra money to indulge himself in getting a holovid or two of his favorite bands. If he looks a little dirtier and unkempt than most of Arcadia's usual crowd, well, it wasn't like he was planning on going to a party.

He's one of the bystanders nearby when the black banner falls, leaving Cal staring up at the eye symbol painted onto it, for the moment conscious of little else but the sound of his pulse pounding in his ears. The Yakashbah symbol wasn't so uncommon a sight where he lived, but the unique danger of being caught in the Middle Ward during a protest made him freeze up all the same. It's seeing one of the circling police drones that snaps Cal out of it, instinct yelling at him to get out while he still could.

Cal starts pushing through the crowd with quick apologies, "Sorry! Coming through!" There's too many people here to start running, but with his increasing panic, it'd be hard to mistake him for someone that's just in a hurry. He reaches the sidewalk only to be met with the sight of the security forces making a perimeter, forcing Cal to turn around and go in the opposite direction. He's beelining for an alley that promises a quick way out, assuming you're not blocking the way, whether well-meaning or not.

5. WITHIN THE CHAOS
This blackout was one of the worst things that's happened since Cal started living in the Last Ward, and considering the usual crime rate, that was saying something. It's hard to navigate in the darkness between the places lucky enough to have a generator, making it a gamble to figure out if the lights shining ahead of you were pedestrians, the police, or a roving gang looking to make a profit off of other people's misery.

Not many people were on the streets if they could help it, but Cal wasn't the type to hide away like that. Instead, he's spending his free time walking between the residential buildings himself, armed with a flashlight and a smaller hand-held light that wasn't as easy to see from a distance. He's familiar enough with the ward now that roaming around in the dark doesn't daunt him, and this way he can help his neighbors get home safely. It doesn't matter if you're a face he recognizes or not; if you got stuck in the Parish, Cal's here to help light the way.

A. WILDCARD

Sprawling Wasteland

[gekkougou]

[ Out of nowhere, a hand suddenly grabs the idiot by his shoulder with a rough yank. ]

I wouldn't do that if I were you-- [ Words of advice from a man who’s used to the seedy underbelly of the Underground. ] The second you prance your ass in there, you’re dead.

[ The Underground is dank, dreary and smelly. It smells like a combination of sewer water and oil thanks to the rainfall. Most people wouldn't be caught dead down here with the dregs of society except for Holland. Holland has a penchant for wandering around in places he doesn't need to be. Maybe he's a thrill-seeker or maybe he's just psycho, either way he knows a setup when he sees one. With a cig in his mouth and his hood pulled over his head, he looks the part of your average street rat. That is until someone notices the black and gray military-themed jacket and that signature yellow scarf. ]

Give up, kid. There's no way you're getting that back.

[jediparkour]

Let go! He's getting away!

[Cal stumbles backwards as he's grabbed and yanked, but being stopped has cost him precious time. He looks between the stranger and the dark alley, clearly torn, but then he finally gives in with a groan. That thief was fast, and while Cal was confident that he could've caught up to the guy, he had to admit that the stranger had a point.

Frustrated, Cal scrubs his hands through his hair, half knocking his hood off in the process. His scarred-up face is far more visible now, not that he's concerned with that right now.]

But I needed those parts! That guy just took off with - [Cal has enough common sense to lower his voice,] Those were worth a lot of money. It'll take me months to find more of those batteries.

[gekkougou]

Quit struggling, dumbass!

[ Holland is many things but he's not patient. He's far from it. However, he is sympathetic. Maybe a little opportunistic too but mostly sympathetic. He sighs in annoyance as he releases him, quick to hide his bandaged hand. Just like the frantic man before him, he got in a bit of trouble earlier but it ended pretty damn badly judging from the slight bloodstains in his jacket.

Even so, Holland doesn't seem too perturbed. The same could be said for when he finally sees the guy’s face. Nothing really phases him anymore.]

Batteries, huh? [ He lets out a pensive hum as he strokes his chin. ] Those would fetch a pretty penny.

[A smirk suddenly curls onto his lips once an idea comes to him. ]

I tell you what, cut me off 20% of the profits for those batteries and I'll get them back for you.

[jediparkour]

[Cal doesn't seem too phased by being cussed at. He just huffs and tugs his hood back over his face.]

Done.

[He didn't even have to think about his answer. Having to give up a little of the money was a far sight better than coming out of this with nothing at all. It didn't even occur to Cal to try to haggle, not when their window of opportunity for getting his goods back is getting narrower by the second.]

But wait, if it's so dangerous down there, how are you going to get it back?

[gekkougou]

Let's just say I have a reputation around these parts.

[Holland answers while pulling out something that looks like an unholy union of a Glock 19 and a Beretta G2. It shouldn't come as a surprise that most of the rats scourging around down here are armed. Only an idiot would wander into the Underground without a handy weapon. Hopefully, Cal isn't one of those idiots but just in case, Holland does have his trusty combat knife on him.]

I learned a long time ago that negotiations go better when you use a gun.

[He gestures for the guy to follow once he starts heading down the alleyway.]

Are you coming or what?

[jediparkour]

[Cal bites back the obvious retort, that he doesn't know who this guy is or what sort of reputation he has. He didn't want to outright insult the man that had agreed to help him, even if he's not all that happy to see the gun. Cal is hardly a pacifist, but getting into a firefight wasn't how he had pictured spending the rest of his evening.]

Let's just... be careful. You don't want to use your share to pay off medical bills, right?

[And with that, Cal follows after him, still doubtful about how this was going to pan out. He does have a weapon on him, but he's reluctant to pull it for all sorts of reasons. Waving around a plasma sword was a great way to start rumors, and that was the last thing Cal wanted traced back to him.]

5

[windblownrose]

A bobbing light on its way down the street caught Andrei's eye, and he hooked his arm around the plascrete pillar supporting one end of his balcony, twisted a few wires together, and squinted into the darkness.

"Hello the light!" he called out, a touch of manic cheer in his tone. The flickers of electricity around it said human, no obvious cybernetics, another little hand-held light beyond the one that Andrei could perceive with sight. Not a cop, probably not a gang member, though chemically propelled weapons were hard to see.

The string of LEDs he'd wired across his balcony flickered, and snapped on; he glanced down to notice the tiny blue spark arcing from his fingers to the wire.

"Oh, I've got to watch my nerves," he murmured, but left the lights on. As long as he kept looking away from them, they wouldn't spoil his night vision any more than it was spoiled by being as nearsighted as a mole.

[jediparkour]

"Hello up there!" Cal calls out in reply, waving to the voice with his hand light clutched between his fingers. He's already approaching the building when the balcony lights flare up, which helps considerably in leading him to his destination.

There are old metal pipes bolted into the outside wall for siphoning away rain water, and a tug confirms that they're sturdy enough. Cal secures his flashlights on his belt and then up he goes, using the pipes and other footholds in the form of windowsills and balcony supports to keep himself moving upward. After years of climbing in and out of large hulks of metal like boats and planes, taking them apart piece by piece, he had long since grown past any fear of heights.

When he arrives, Cal hauls himself up to perch on the balcony railing, careful to pick a spot where he wouldn't damage the lights. "Hey, Mr. Andrei. How're you holding up?"

[windblownrose]

"Oh, tolerably, tolerably. I wouldn't dare complain." Andrei's eyebrows quirk wryly, and he lets the electricity snap off, pulling a roll of electrical tape out of his pocket to cover the new burnt spot in the insulation. "It's lovely to see you, Cal, but are you sure you should be out and about tonight? Poor Mr. Andrews was mugged for his groceries this morning..."

And Henrich Andrews is taller than Andrei, ten years younger, and nearly twice as broad in the shoulders. The Underground's blackout is encouraging all of the worst of the local petty criminals.

Frankly, Heinrich is lucky to have gotten away without losing any particularly high-ticket body parts.

Electrical tape repair finished, Andrei tucks the roll back into one of his dozen coat pockets and produces a small rechargeable battery pack from another. The plug on his LED lights is just barely within reach, if he stretches one arm to its limits-- but he's got a potential helper on the balcony now, doesn't he?

"Can you hand me the plug? Much obliged!"

[jediparkour]

"Sure," Cal says, reaching over to grab the plug and pass it to him. Frankly, he thinks Andrei has as much right to complain about the blackout as anyone, but it was a relief to see that he wasn't doing badly. A bar could be just as tempting a target as any other kind of store, something that wasn't lost on Cal even if he wasn't quite old enough to drink yet.

"Our neighbors getting mugged is exactly why I'm out here." Cal settles back down on his perch, leaning forward slightly with his arms draped over his lap. "If there's more of us out on the streets to come running when there's trouble, then we won't be an easy target anymore. Once all the gangs around here figure that out, they'll go back to smashing in store windows and leave us alone."

Cal wasn't a stranger to getting into fights, usually because he couldn't stand to step back and let trouble happen right in front of him. Of course, most people that got a look at his face assumed he'd gotten cut up from doing something similar, and Cal never bothered to correct them.

[windblownrose]

"How many of us are there?" Andrei inquires, plugging in the LEDs. They blink a few times before remaining on in a steady, blue-white glow. "Because I'm afraid if you're a lone defender, you're just ensuring there will be two people with their kneecaps broken. No offense to your combat skills, of course.

"And I do hope they'll leave store windows alone -- not that I've gotten around to replacing the glass in ours yet..."

Enyart's isn't a usual target for violence, thanks to the owner's careful policy of never talking to the cops or choosing favorites between the local gangs, but that doesn't save them from nuisance vandalism. Or petty theft, for that matter. For the past half-year, the front window has been a sheet of plywood with a holographic open/closed sign nailed to it.

Andrei hangs the battery pack from a rusty nail driven into the side of the balcony and crosses his arms on the railing, resting his chin on them as he looks up at Cal.

"In short, if you're running around out there, you need company."

1. I can't not.

[failinglight]

Barriss can't help but get involved. This is her corner of the Underground, a place where she's scraped out a safe place, and seeing someone brazen enough to pick a man's pocket tips her from ambivalence to annoyance pretty damn quick. The fact that she could tell from her time in the Order that he was a Jedi made it worse. Slipping out of a shadow halfway down the alley, a slender form shrouded entirely in a black hood, she didn't cut an intimidating figure exactly...and even her blue eyes tilting up to glare at him wasn't enough to stop.

Heavy footfalls carried him closer, intending to shove past her, when he hit something solid.

A twist of her hand sent the man tumbling backwards with a curse. The bag rips free of his grasp and floats back towards Cal, the thief dazed and shaking off the psychic push.

"You must be new," she says in a flat voice, to nobody in particular. "This is not a good place for you."

Is she talking to Cal, or the thief? Perhaps both?

ohoho

[jediparkour]

He's still in hot pursuit when the thief is suddenly stopped in his tracks and shoved away, barely giving Cal enough time to stumble to a stop past the mouth of the alley. It's been years, and while the feel of another psychic is hazy at best, more a tingle at the back of his mind, his memories are still crystal clear.

Cal freezes up completely, and it's only once his bag is right in front of him that he reaches up to take it with nerveless fingers. Clutching the bag to his chest, he makes no move for the thief, just staring at her like he's seen a ghost - and he's not convinced yet that she isn't one.

"Who... who are you?"

[failinglight]

"Just someone that has an inkling of what you are."

That's all Barriss says at first, her eyes locked onto the thief that's now scooting along the ground away from her as she takes her first step out of the alleyway.

"This is my territory, thief. Not even the gangbangers that hang out down here try stunts like that in my space. You're lucky that I'm more interested in your mark than you. You run along now, unless you want more trouble than that bag is worth."

After another menacing step, the man scrabbles to his feet and takes off, top speed. She does not pursue, but she does watch his departing back.

"I'd say criminals are a cowardly, superstitious lot...but you likely already knew that."

[jediparkour]

That was an ominous phrase if he ever heard one. Any person that had any idea of what he was could put him into serious danger, but... Cal wasn't getting that vibe from her. Not yet. Still, he's been left fairly spooked by all of this himself.

He shuffles off to the side as the thief gets up and runs for it, not willing to turn his back to either of them. Once he's gone, Cal takes a shaky breath and stuffs his bag under one arm, facing her with squared shoulders and a confidence that he didn't truly feel.

"Cowardly, sure. Are you... like me?" Cal wasn't just talking about that little display of power. He had spent years hoping he'd find another Jedi, but his daydreaming had never conjured up anything quite like this. "I thought all the others were dead."

[failinglight]

"I am."

She says that simply, looking him right in the eye so he can tell she is not lying. That she is not afraid, or concerned. She waves her hand towards the alleyway, beginning to retreat back a ways. One hand does pull back a fold of her robe to reveal the hilt of a plasma sword, hoping he'll take that as proof.

"I'd rather not talk on the street, though. I run a medical clinic on the other side of this building, if you'd care to join me? I've tea."

She turns to leave, regardless of his answer. He can come or not, she isn't going to be offended.

3

[defencive]

Here Weiss was, just minding her own business - well, she considered keeping an eye on the slashed eye of Yakashbah her own business, as well as an ear to the ground when local security inevitably overreacted to them - when some random just barreled into her. It's only years of ballet training that keep her from tumbling to the ground in her too-nice-for-this-ward clothes, and she still barely manages to grab onto a brick wall to right herself.

Fortunately for Cal, the woman he just clipped has far too little mass to actually block his way into the ally. Unfortunately for Cal, she's got the temper of a small dog and is turning to call after him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

Wait, why is that guy in such a hurry?

[jediparkour]

Cal honestly didn't mean to run into her, he just hadn't noticed the smaller girl in his way until it was too late. He manages to keep on his feet, but he's lost his momentum and the instinct to stop and apologize cuts through his panic somewhat.

He ends up turning to face her, holding his hands up pleadingly. "Sorry! Sorry, I'm just - I have to get going!" Even as he says it, he's backing towards the other end of the alley that promised an easy escape route. Cal isn't even thinking about how suspicious he must look, not with the threat of arrest or 'containment' looming so close. It's not the police he's afraid of, not exactly, but it was the kind of trouble that could lead to something far worse.

[defencive]

Yeah that's incredibly suspicious. Weiss could do a lot of consideration and deduction and try to figure out why someone would be acting like this in a situation like this, or try to quietly pursue him to satisfy her curiosity.

She could do that, but her temper is as short as the rest of her, and she's not exactly thinking straight at the moment.

"Oh you do, huh? Care to explain why you're running so fast from that?" she demands, gesturing up at the banner.

[jediparkour]

"Who wouldn't run from that?" is Cal's immediate retort.

There's no subterfuge on Cal's mind right now - he really, truly doesn't get it. Maybe it was thanks to spending half his life being told about the Sith, another Meta-supremacy group that he'd never heard referred to as anything but evil. The Yakashbah might not be bogeymen in the same sense, but some of the ideas they pushed made Cal's blood run cold.

"The Yakashbah don't care who gets hurt. I don't think they ever have. If those people ever set foot in the Last Ward, they wouldn't be stopping to watch or post pictures promoting them!"

[defencive]

"Don't you think I know that?" Weiss demands, despite the obvious fact that this guy legitimately has no idea who she is. She temporarily course-corrects in her brain and gets back to the point, pursuing him but only so she doesn't have to shout her next point.

"If you're running, how do I know you didn't put that up there?" she hisses, trying not to cause a panic in the crowd.

5

[burndownforwhat]

Hey, don't worry about it! I'm not gonna send you a bill or anything, these cookies are more than enough!

[ Yang exclaims with a mouthful of sweets as she backs out of a dimly lit doorway into the darkened street. she swallows it down, laughs and waves goodbye to the kind woman who had sent her husband to dig for some way to repay her for the work. she's got a heavy tool belt on her waist, a backpack on, and is carrying a flashlight in her left hand while her right grips the handle of an even heavier toolbox.

as she wanders away from that building she bites the end of the light with her teeth so she has a free hand to swipe at her tablet screen. she murmurs to herself as she marks off another job complete. upon hearing footsteps approaching, she jerks her head up, shining that light straight at the source of the noise. ]

Wooph thawh? [ oops. mouth full. hopefully the message comes across; in her squinted stare if nothing else. ]

[jediparkour]

Woah! Hey, not in the eyes!!

[Cal reels back a couple of steps, holding his hand up to belatedly shield his face. When he had seen the bobbing flashlight nearby, Cal stepped over to investigate without knowing if it was someone on their way to work or some shady person up to no good. It was just his bad luck that he'd gotten his night vision ruined before he could announce his presence.

Blinking rapidly, Cal flicks on his larger flashlight, passing the beam over their feet - no, her feet. Those were boots he's seen before, he's sure of it.] Wait, Yang? Is that you?

[burndownforwhat]

Oophs! [ Yang dips her chin to point the light at the ground before she can free her hand to properly grab it. ]

Sorry, Cal! Couldn't, uh, take a chance there with getting surprised. [ she's already run into at least one pack of mischief makers out during all this. ] You okay?