Mission Log #1

[modaccount]

How It Works

Welcome to the first mission log in Annexed!

How Mission Logs Work: There will generally be two main missions per month, with different focuses tailored to different skillsets (usually stealth vs. fighting, though other skillsets will be tapped on). Each mission will be posted in phases, with a prompt for the start of each phase. The plotting post will give you a rundown of what the missions are, how they might go, and what might be discovered. Characters may partake in whichever pat of the operation they choose, whether it's a large prominent part or a more supporting role. Characters may participate in both missions, and as many phases as they wish.

Mod Guidance: Players may request occasional scene-setting when they hit a point where they're unsure what might happen next in a log or what their characters might encounter. There will be a "Mod Guidance" comment that players can reply to in order to request this kind of scene-setting.

Completion of Missions: There will be a submissions comment for anyone who's threaded out a portion of the mission. Once a thread has been completed at least halfway, please submit your character's progress and plans for the thread to the submissions thread. These submissions are the main way that the mod will decide how the mission went in the next month's wrap-up post, so they are very important!

Plotting Post: Here!

The Cure For Immunity

The Witches have received intel through their spies in Zephyr that a lab located just outside the outskirts of the city is engaged in experiments on sentient beings to create a serum that will change those people who are incompatible with Sylphid reproduction. This serum would allow the Sylphid to take over the bodies of people who would usually be fatal to them.

The serum is said to function at a 45% success rate already.

Obviously this would be a major blow to all life on the Broken World, as 70% of the population is immune to being taken over by Sylphid. This serum would allow them to increase their population numbers exponentially and turn a powerful takeover into a nigh-unstoppable one.

The Witch will be calling a general meeting at the Command Center where she will explain the situation and the proposed missions to stop it.

Mission A: Into the Lab

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped or Stripped
Mission Focus: Stealth and recon.

This mission will focus on stealth and recon, with operatives conducting surveillance on the lab to work out the rounds of the guards and other staff so they can infiltrate and take the information on the Sylphid serum in order to reverse engineer it and hopefully make a serum to make everyone immune to Sylphid takeover. The Witch passionately states in her opening speech that this would be an immense blow against the Sylphid and is a very important mission.

PHASE I
Nestled in the jungle a few blocks outside city limits is a low cement building with a high barbed-wire-topped chain-link fence around it. The lab is built like a fortress with thick walls, very few windows, and a thick roof made of cement and tile, almost bomb-proof. All in all, the Sylphid aren't exactly subtle, the place might as well scream 'secret lab to create top-secret serums.' There's also a regular round of security guards accompanied by guard dogs that make their way around the perimeter, and security cameras at every entrance and exit.

There is plenty of cover around the building for operatives to watch the rounds of the guards, the way the cameras swivel, and get a feeling for what kind of people enter and exit the building. Surveillance can be conducted the old-fashioned way, by just watching the building from many different angles and sharing observations by camera. They can also be done in a variety of other ways, depending on individual powers and abilities - want to pretend to be making a delivery so you can scope out the front desk? take photos or videos of rounds or entrances and exits to study? draw a rough map of the grounds to show everybody? Go for it!

There are a variety of ways to get into the building, but surveillance will boil down to four main routes of entry:

⇝ The first is a direct frontal entry, where characters may bluff their way inside the building in a variety of ways including pretending to make a delivery, taking down a single guard and stealing their uniform, or otherwise working out a ruse to get inside.
⇝ The second is a through a single bulletproof glass skylight in the roof of the building, directly above the mess hall, which should be empty just after lunch time. There is a strong lock on the skylight, but it can be picked and there are no traps.
⇝ The third is through the back entrance, near where the guards' staff room is, in a secondary building. This route will require taking out several guards as silently as possible and entering disguised as guards.
⇝ The fourth is through a ventilation system that can be accessed by a panel high up on the wall at the one side of the building that is facing the jungle. This one will require some acrobatic skill and flexibility and might be best for a small character.

PHASE II
There are four major routes of entry into the lab, and characters who try any route of entry should keep in contact with people outside via radio or network to relay information found out during the infiltration phase. The rebels are trying to get as much information about the internal layout of the lab as possible in case the Sylphid opt to reuse it for another purpose in the future. They would ideally like to be able to map the entire internal structure of the facility. In all cases, photos, videos, and sketches of the inside of the lab would be welcome to the rebels.

⇝ Frontal Entry: Characters who opt to enter through the front via some kind of ruse and who gain entry will find themselves faced with a maze of corridors and rooms. This may be difficult because anyone who is allowed entry into the building generally knows their way around. Success of this particular route of entry will depend on confidence and being able to keep the ruse alive as the characters run into various different people - scientists, guards, deliverypersons, janitorial staff, and other staff. Keep the ruse up for as long as possible and make sure you get as many details of the inside of the building as possible to relay to your colleagues outside as possible.

⇝ Skylight Entry: Characters who opt to enter through the skylight will find themselves faced with a heavy lock as their first obstacle. The lock is able to be picked or hacked, depending on the characters' skillset. Once the skylight is open they will have to lower themselves into the room underneath, a mess hall for the staff in the lab, and subdue the cafeteria workers. From this point, they will need to keep themselves hidden from passers-by in the hallways, and rely on stealth and silence as much as possible while mapping out the inside of the lab, and keep in radio or network contact with those on the outside.

⇝ Back Entry: This is the method of entry that requires the most fighting. Characters will enter the back area of the building where there is a smaller outbuilding that is used by the guards for a sort of staff room while they are taking breaks, and subdue several guards to take their uniforms. After the uniforms and keycards for the building are secured, they can enter through the back door and maintain the ruse of being guards that are patrolling the building. This is where knowledge of the guard rounds comes in handy, and all that surveillance will certainly help. These characters will have to be careful to avoid the real guards as they will be able to clock that they aren't their coworkers and the "I'm new" story will only work so many times! Characters in guard uniforms will have an easier time communicating out loud on radios and the network as they're expected to be communicating by radio, and will also be able to give spare walkie-talkies to those on the outside.

⇝ Ventilation Entry: This is the most physically challenging method of entry, but a very valuable one. After accessing the ventilation system, characters will be able to crawl through the duct work in a virtually undetectable way and take photos, videos, or sketches of the rooms they can view through vents. The duct work goes everywhere throughout the building and mostly poses obstacles in the form of the mazelike system of them, occasional fans and other blockages in the ductwork, and dust and debris in the ducts including possibly rats and spiders. Some of the spiders are poisonous, as jungle spiders tend to be, and anyone bitten by the spiders will experience pain and hallucinations that may hinder them. As with all other entry methods, the people in the ventilation system should be communicating with those on the outside by radio or network.

PHASE III
Phase III is more straightforward than the other phases of this mission - once the infiltrators have mapped out the inside of the lab, they should locate the central computer banks and anyone with the technical expertise should make a copy of the databanks. This will require some hacking and all characters doing infiltration will be provided with a device that will allow them to hack through any passcodes required by the computer to access the information inside. Copying the database will take at least a half hour, so characters may have to create diversions, talk themselves out of hot water when people come to stop by the computer room, and otherwise distract the true staff of the building from entering the room and catching them in the act.

Once the computer banks have been copied, characters should use another device they will be given before infiltration to plant a virus in the computer banks that will corrupt everything in them. The virus will take about 10 minutes to get to the point of critical mass, a guaranteed disruption of the whole system. This phase of the mission will take at least 40 minutes total, during which characters are going to have to keep any of the real staff of the lab out of the computer room through whatever means possible, making it the point in the mission most likely to go off the rails.

After the computer system has been disrupted by the virus, characters will have to escape the building without being caught by the Sylphid staff, and may leave through any exit available so they can melt into the forest and make a clean escape.

ADDITIONAL MISSION
Characters infiltrating the lab will discover several rooms where sentient test subjects are located. Some of them will be in very ill health due to side effects of the treatments they've been enduring, and all will be very willing and eager to be rescued. While some characters stay with the computer banks to copy and sabotage them, other characters may go find these rooms full of test subjects, about 45 in total, and smuggle them out of the building. Once the rebel force has been alerted to the presence of test subjects, they will send a truck to wait near the back entrance, and operatives will simply have to cut the chain link fence to make space for the subjects to get into the truck to be transported back to the Witches Camp. This mission will likely involve having to subdue several guards as the back entrance is near the guards' room.

Mission B: Disrupt The Supply Chain

Mission Appropriateness: Chipped or Stripped
Mission Focus: Recon and open battle.

This mission will focus on open battle and guerilla tactics, with operatives locating and disrupting the supply chain to the lab. It will focus on identifying shipments of equipment, food, and other supplies to the lab and interrupting them, destroying the vehicles, subduing the enemy, and taking whatever supplies they can back to the Witches Camp.

PHASE I
The highway leading past the lab is a seldom-used four-lane highway that snakes its way through the jungle in a mostly uninhabited area. While there are a few scattered farms and other occupied areas, most of the highway is bordered on by wild jungle, which provides a lot of cover for surveillance of the delivery vehicles that approach the lab to drop off supplies. Most of the trucks will contain food, equipment, and other sundries for the function of the lab. The trucks can be wheeled or hover, and will have various brand names emblazoned on them. Characters tasked with surveillance in these areas will settle at safe and well-hidden spots in the jungle to watch the roads and keep detailed notes on which trucks with which brand names enter the lab to deliver supplies. They will also need to keep in close contact with home base to relay this information, with notes on the times the deliveries happen and what sort of supplies may be being delivered, based on the logos on the trucks.

Characters will discover that there are actually several routes delivery trucks are taking to get to the lab, contrary to previous intel-gathering, which pointed to the quickest and most obvious route being the one the trucks used. Some trucks are taking side streets through a nearby occupied area, at the center of which is a rather skeezy truck stop where drivers stop for food before completing their deliveries. Characters will need to spread out to cover these additional routes in order to make sure they don't miss any delivery trucks.

Additionally, the truck stop may become a good source of intel, with staff being amenable through convincing, coercion, or bribing to give information on the drivers that stop in on a regular basis, what they haul, and what their timetables are like. Players are more than welcome to NPC some of the staff at the truck stop for mild interrogation, including waitresses, cashiers, station attendants, and janitorial staff.

PHASE II
As Mission A moves into its final phase, and much more likely to be discovered, phase II of Mission B will go into full effect. Operatives will have discovered four routes that trucks are taking into the lab, and will need to cover all of them for both surveillance and to blockade them or sabotage them and stop the trucks.

⇝ Route 1: The main and quickest route that trucks are taking to the lab, which is directly down the highway and off of it into the lab driveway. This will be the toughest one to blockade due to the size of the highway - four lanes, though seldom used, is quite a distance to cover.

⇝ Route 2: A winding side road that goes over a small creek and then beside it, only two lanes across and through a mostly uninhabited area. Because it's uninhabited and a smaller road with less traffic, it will be easier to blockade and is also the second most used route by the trucks.

⇝ Route 3: A relatively direct route from the truck stop through some back streets that straightforwardly traverse farmland. There is more traffic on this road that is civilian because of its proximity to farmland, and will require a bit more effort due to this civilian traffic.

⇝ Route 4: Another straightforward route, though this time through a civilian-occupied area, and close to a school for the small community surrounding the truck stop. This will be the most difficult to blockade without doing too much collateral damage to the civilian area around it and the school.

Characters will have been given bombs that they may use to destroy the roads themselves as well as access to heavy machinery they can use to move cement blocks into the roadways to block traffic from getting through. Once the roads are blocked or destroyed, characters will have to subdue the Sylphid staff on the trucks through force, which might be a significant fight, as all Sylphid, even down to truck drivers, are well-trained in combat. These drivers are also well-armed, considering the mission they're on to supply the lab, which is one of the top priorities for the Sylphid as of now.

PHASE III
Phase III is relatively straightforward compared to the rest of the missions - unload the trucks and carry the supplies back to the Witches Camp via truck or hover-ATV, then destroy the trucks. This will mostly be through demolitions or by setting the trucks on fire, leaving them as a signal to the Sylphid that they can't go about their research without being challenged.

Characters may disable the trucks in whatever fashion they wish, so long as it leaves a good, lasting message to the Sylphid. The Sylphid drivers that aren't killed should be captured and bound and loaded into a truck to be taken back to the Witches Camp to be interrogated or used as bargaining chips for the more diplomatic side of the rebellion.

Damage to civilian property or injury of civilians, especially children who may be playing at the playground by the school would be seriously looked down on and a huge blow to the rebellion's reputation, so characters are encouraged to keep destruction to a minimum on Route 4 in particular. In fact, the rebellion would prefer if operatives could load the trucks onto heavy machinery and take them to the Witches Camp for demolition instead of leaving them on Route 4.

Additionally, operatives along the routes will find that some of the trucks contain caged and restrained test subjects. Once these are discovered, they should be taken by truck back to the Witches Camp. Unfortunately, these test subjects can't be returned to their families in Zephyr because their chips would immediately mark them for death - the Sylphid would, without thinking twice, kill people that were marked as test subjects who escaped, especially after being rescued by the rebellion, in case they were corrupted by the rebellion. These test subjects will have to be comforted and brought back to the Camp to either join the rebellion or be civilians in the Camp.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[noisecomplaint]

"'Clear' is a matter of perception." Rokuro's airy voice drifts over from a nearby branch, where he has taken an elegant seat.

Exceptionally very calm, cool, and collected for someone who nearly fell out of said tree upon peering into said binoculars only a moment or two ago. Between the zoom and warped depth perception (in spite of the fact it's his singular eye causing the distortion) he has little interest in attempting to spy their enemy from such a distance, not that it stops him from having an opinion on the matter.

"For all we know, they could be deceiving us. I once read of a warlord who had one thousand paper horses and samurai commissioned, so every army who saw them from a distance would surrender without a fight, assuming they could not match him in numbers."

Given he has only seen parked trucks in passing on their way to the mission area, it seems entirely plausible to him that the Sylphid maybe be capable of faking their presence in a similar way.

Which is exactly why he isn't out here alone. Rokuro accepted the position of Tech's bodyguard when asked by the rebel commander, but in some ways Tech was forced to accept the role of Rokuro's babysitter field handler on top of his surveillance role.

"A bridge crossing a river was mentioned during the briefing. That seems like an overly obvious place to stage an ambush, but considering the Sylphid have used the route for this long, perhaps they are overly confident. If we are to engage the enemy, I would prefer to do so near the water, as I will be most effective."

A sigh, idly kicking his feet while looking up through the tree-tops at the glowing moon.

"My master would have come up with a far greater plan."

[tech_nically]

"Assuming the Sylphid are no stranger to these sorts of supply raids, I don't think bringing along an entire army to guard their transports would be practical given the terrain and the road," Tech notes. "But I would not rule deception out of the question. Like as why we have more than one set of eyes out here, in case another route is discovered."

He puts the binoculars to his goggles again, scanning along the road between what he could make out through the trees and about where he recalls it should run along. "Bridges are very vulnerable positions for an ambush," he agrees. "Finding the weak points in it to set proper charges shouldn't be a problem, however to make the most out of it we'll need to have a better idea of the shipment schedule and how many trucks might be en route at a time." Not to mention how many people might be in those trucks that they might have to engage.

Lowering his binoculars, Tech glances over at Rokuro. "We're still formulating a plan. I'll admit, I'm more used to working with only a squad of five, and we'd usually be left to our own methods so long as we got the job done." He pulls out his tablet, tapping at the screen to bring up the rough map he's been compiling. "I suppose having more people to scout and survey the rest of the highway is more practical, but it does stretch things out. I haven't heard any updates from anyone else yet."

[noisecomplaint]

"I suppose I am accustomed to a group of ten, although it is rare we all work as one together in the field. Everyone has their place, and mine is by most often by my master's side. Without him we are nothing." Not for the first time, Rokuro finds himself incredibly homesick. Every morning he wakes up alone in this world, his heart aches anew. Reclaiming his abilities hadn't 'fixed' that broken feeling in his chest the way Rokuro assumed it would. His body, mind, and powers are intact, but a piece of his soul is missing.

"It isn't necessary to destroy the bridge. Let them attempt to cross, and I will cause the necessary amount of chaos while leaving the supply route intact-- at least until we commandeer their supplies, and no longer have need of it."

Rokuro's brows raise as Tech 'creates' the map from nothingness, as if it were illustrated in magic ink. Still amazed in spite of the fact he had held the strange device in his hands, and was forced to admit it was real.

"The others can see what you have drawn, no matter where they are, and respond in turn? Truly, this is a powerful scrying object. Far more convenient than sending message by bird. One can only hope they aren't struck by an arrow, and the information absconded with-- or used as kindling to roast the unlucky creature." Tentatively, he reaches out to prod at the screen, almost jumping when it responds in turn.

"Next you'll tell me it functions as an abacus as well." An almost laugh, because wouldn't that be utterly ludicrous?

[tech_nically]

"Your master must be an admirable person," Tech observes. It does make him think. They had no direct master, but perhaps the Republic would be most comparable as a whole. After all, without the war, the Republic would have no need for an army, and they would not be.

Not having the rest of his squad with him has been a constant adjustment. It had been almost unthinkable that they hadn't all been brought along by the Sylphid, something that Tech supposes he should be thankful for. Still, it had been a hope of his once they'd reached the Witch's Camp that he'd see their familiar faces. Disappointment has never hit him so strongly than it had then, but while that feeling is more identifiable, it's morphed into something that he hasn't been able to really place. For good reason, considering he's never had an actual opportunity to feel lost, before.

"How will you do that?" he asks, thoughts returning to Rokuro's proposition. It's not a question of the man's skills so much as genuinely curious as to how he will carry it out. Rokuro hasn't exactly struck him as an exaggerator after all.

Tech nods as he looks back down at the map. "So long as there's a stable network to connect to, and more importantly, a secure one. It's similar to how we can contact each other over the comms over distances." He smiles faintly as Rokuro reacts at the screen once it shifts at his touch. "An abacus? Oh! I believe I've read something about those... For calculations, right? Actually-"

He brings up a menu and pulls up the calculator application.

[noisecomplaint]

"He is. I have devoted my entire life to serving him. To be here, away from him..." Only makes Rokuro more eager to assist the rebels in their cause to overthrow the Sylphid's regime.

"I will harness the power of water to wear them down like rocks upon a beach, until their trucks are little more than smooth pieces of scrap metal, and the bones of their men become sand." Rokuro has held grudging respect for most of their enemies, but as the Sylphid took him away from his master, from his life in Japan, from his purpose and destiny, he feels hatred and nothing more.

Then Tech pulls up the abacus, and the dark storm clouding his eyes disappears almost immediately. A mobile abacus that can be shared with others? Yukimura and his braves will never have an excuse to while away the castle budget ever again.

"Oh! How does this work?" Rokuro leans in, prodding at the surface of the tablet, fingers touching upon numbers at random. Sixty-nine. Nice.

"How does one add and subtract? Is it capable of multiplication and division?"

[tech_nically]

That is quite a vivid imagery that Rokuro provides, and yet Tech manages to merely arch a brow. It's almost poetic, actually. Still, Tech can tell that Rokuro is not an enemy one should ever want to make. That look in the man's eyes certainly underlines that.

"Is that ability something you've developed as I've heard occur here?" he asks. There's already a lot to unpack about the fact that some people just have these extraordinary abilities otherwise. His only exposure to such has been watching Jedi in battle, with superhuman agility and skills that aren't so easily explained by mundane standards.

It's kind of funny to see Rokuro, so serious one moment and then so eager and curious in the next as he taps at the tablet again. "Here," Tech explains, pointing out the rows of symbols. "For instance, if you enter your first number, then you will tap this, and then enter the second number you wish to add to the first. You can add more numbers by repeating the same method, or you can retrieve the total by touching this symbol here," he demonstrates. "To subtract, it's this symbol, and then for multiplication and division..."

TW: Ritual Suicide/seppuku

[noisecomplaint]

"No. I was born with a connection to the moon and tides. Upon arriving here, my power was sealed away. Only through removal of the cursed chip was I able to reclaim it. To have lost another precious heirloom... I would have no choice but to reclaim honour through death, or risk shaming my family further." Matter of factly, because ritual suicide is an ingrained part of his culture. Rokuro would be more shaken at the prospect of living through such failure than taking his own life.

He hardly looks away from the tablet, absorbed in Tech's teachings and the array of new, exciting symbols before him. While he doesn't grasp the intricacy of their meaning, their purpose (once explained) is simple. Rokuro plugs in a series of simple equations, delighted when the answer flashes bright and true almost immediately before him.

"How crude... although I suppose it isn't necessary for math to be beautiful. I would rather calculate in this more practical fashion than carry an abacus under my arm when purchasing sundries." A glance up at Tech, actually smiling. Mission momentarily forgotten.

"It is good to know that there are interesting and wonderous things here. I was beginning to think it was an ugly, godless world. So different and uniquely cruel from my own that I felt like an exotic animal brought to a foreign land for spectacle."

[tech_nically]

That's not something Tech's ever heard nor read about before. Being born with a direct connection to a natural satellite sounded more like something out of a myth, but perhaps wherever Rokuro comes from, myths are based in truth. It's nevertheless intriguing. Tech may be more logically and scientifically aligned but he's still very much open to learning about things no matter how much they go against what should be physically possible.

There is a slight frown that appears on his face at the mention of the chip, but he nods. It would have been a kneejerk response to have it removed, especially after realizing what it did. And yet he finds himself on the fence about it. If they can turn it into a useful advantage that doesn't take away too much... Of course that doesn't go for everyone, and after listening to Rokuro, he can understand to a degree just how important that sort of a thing can be to a person. Even for himself it's a near thing.

"I haven't yet removed mine, if only for potential strategic reasons," Tech admits. "It's a difficult matter, perhaps not exactly the same but along the same vein. I don't possess any sort of connections or abilities such as what you've described. It's a bit complicated actually." Given how the man's been reacting to a calculator, Tech isn't sure how he'll process the science of the cloning process, much less the reasons. It takes him a moment to figure out how to trim all the technical explanations out.

"My squad is comprised of my brothers and I who each have a different specialized skill," he finally goes with. "My brother Hunter has excellent, sharp senses, making him an excellent tracker. My brother Crosshair has sharp eyesight, and never misses his target. Wrecker is the strongest of us, able to lift and move things many times his size. As for myself, my intelligence. Normally I can process things on a level that can compete with devices such as these. Ever since I got here, my mind's had a harder time to focus on too many things at once. I can still do things but it takes some effort. But having something integral to whom you've become suddenly not there...yes, I think I understand."

Not so far as to kill himself, of course, because dead people can't get anything done. Honor... For his squad honor's more on a sliding scale, not as highly prized as it might be with the standard clone trooper, but that's probably to be expected when you've been written off as defective.

"There are a lot of things and ideas here that are quite different from anything I've ever known as well. But there are many useful things that I'm sure we haven't seen everything of what's available," Tech says, gesturing at his tablet. "We can get one of these or something like it for you if you want. It's sure to come in handy."

[noisecomplaint]

"I also have a brother. My twin. I am the elder, and our family's power was passed down unto me alone, so there has always been distance between us. I cannot blame him. The only reason he wasn't drowned at birth is because they weren't certain which of us would be chosen by the gods, and once it became obvious I received their blessing he was treated as my lesser. We both serve different lords of the same clan, and see each other infrequently."

A pause, finger stilling upon the touchscreen. Not quite looking at Tech. This isn't a conversation he would have with a stranger, but in escaping and working beside Tech, Rokuro has come to see the man as something more than that.

It's strange to have a comrade that wasn't chosen by his Master, although Yukimura would say there is no such thing as an accidental encounter. Everything comes together as it is meant to be, and one must make the most of it.

"To work so closely with your brothers in such a way may be a blessing as well as a curse. Especially if you are the 'head'. Losing them must feel like losing your limbs. Every time you move, or even think of doing so, you cannot help noticing their absence. It would be difficult to think clearly through such pain. I am impressed by your fortitude."

Then, at the mention of being gifted his very own map/abacus/communication device, he looks up at the other man again, genuinely surprised. It's been a long time since anyone has given him anything. Rokuro has always bought what he needed with the funds provided to him by the clan, as Yukimura Sanada's retainer it is imperative he appears well-appointed at all times.

Frivolities are few and far between, although the scrying tablet would be incredibly useful on both a personal and professional level.

"I couldn't accept such a valuable gift. I do not have the means to repay you."

[tech_nically]

Despite having come from something far from a normal family setting, it's still a startling thing to hear that something could be done to one's own flesh and blood, and only in this case avoided because of a family heredity. Unfortunately clones wouldn't have a say in such a thing, although knowing the Kaminoans to be perfectionists, Tech would not be surprised if any of their developing clones showing less than favorable growth would be terminated. But they treated the clones as property and product. He would assume that true families functioned differently, although with cultures and religion, perhaps complications arise in different frequencies. Hearing a personal matter is much different than reading about it.

Brothers torn apart by expectations and loyalties. That certainly strikes close to home.

Tech sighs, nodding then. "Yes. I...hadn't thought about it that way," he says, blinking at this perspective. "We've always been a singular unit. Being without them has been...unsettling." Pain? Ah, perhaps that's what it is. Pain of absence. He can identify it now, but he likes it no better.

His smile flickers back at Rokuro's surprise at the suggestion. "It'll be useful, and it seems that on the whole if we're better equipped for this place, then payment is the least thing to worry about. If the camp resources do not still have some readily provided, then I'm sure I can find the necessary components to put one together."

[noisecomplaint]

"I feel the same in regards to my Master. Having spent my life in his service, I hardly know what to do with myself in his absence-- and with no one to fix his kimono, brush his messy hair, or scold him, I am not certain he will know what do with himself in my absence."

As for Nanakuma, well... Rokuro can only assume he is alive and well be Nobuyuki's side. If only his twin could see him now, so far away from his own master and duties. He would never let Rokuro live it down. Rokuro doesn't exactly miss his little brother, or his impertinent attitude, but he is glad at least one of them is doing their part to protect the Sanada clan.

"You can make one of these?" Now comes the real shock and awe. Rokuro is descended from a long line of powerful sorcerers, and yet he cannot command brush to paper with magic, never mind binding images to glass.

"It seems you were dishonest in saying you do not have an ability. To fashion an object of such power must require great mastery of many skills and materials. How do one bind so many beads into such a small space, I cannot even hear them--" Yes, he is shaking the tablet beside his ear, listening for the clink of wooden beads inside, and almost drops it when he is rewarded with a loud beep, which Tech would recognize to be a notification from Rebel HQ. Rokuro, intent on not disturbing or disrespecting the 'magic' trapped inside the tablet, cradles the device more gently in his arms against his chest.

"I am sorry for any distress I may have caused. Please continue to work hard."

[tech_nically]

The handmaidens of the previous queen of Naboo are the first thing that comes to mind as Rokuro describes his service to his master, but this relationship seems to be more interdependent. It's a strange concept to him, but then he and his brothers have served no one so directly nor to such a degree. Then again they hardly knew how to take care of themselves given the constant mess their old barracks and ship are in.

"The most complicated part would be programming it, after finding the specific parts, of course," Tech says, his tone matter-of-fact. "Tinkering is more of a hobby, really, and I'm not the only one who handles repairs of such things, of my squad-"

He has to stop and stare a moment as Rokuro begins to shake his tablet. "..." The man must be from a more backwater place than he'd thought. "I-" He blinks at the beep that comes from the tablet, pausing again as Rokuro takes to cradling the device like some kind of beloved pet. Tech brings a hand to his face with a bit of a sigh before he reaches out to take the tablet. Realization hits him before he even looks at the screen, and he hands over the binoculars.

"-has there been any movement?" Right, mission. He taps at the tablet to bring up the message, hoping they haven't missed anything vital during their conversation.

[noisecomplaint]

Tech isn't far off in his assessment. Many lords have multiple 'pages' in their service to help them with dressing, grooming, and basic courtly functions. Rokuro is long past the 'appropriate' age range for his position, but has kept his title nonetheless, and will continue to stay by his Master's side until the day he dies.

"To say you 'tinker' in matters such as these would be to say I 'tinker' with water and tea." Those who craft abacus are considered masters of their trade, and so why wouldn't Tech be a master in his own right?

Rokuro reluctantly parts with the tablet, trading Tech for the binoculars, of which he is much less affectionate. Squinting his left eye and twisting the scope as directed, he attempts to focus in on the branch of roads just outside the laboratory.

"It seems there is a gathering of trucks, although they have yet to leave the grounds. Perhaps they are preparing to do so."

[tech_nically]

As much as he can see Rokuro's point, Tech still feels that 'tinker' is the best application to what he does. He throws things together from parts he finds in his spare time, sometimes not quite sure what he's intending the end result to be. Other times he'll manage to cobble something together as might seem necessary, but all the same, it's usually from scrap, and technically as soldiers they weren't really allowed to possess anything. Since they had always been kept on a loose leash they didn't particularly follow a whole lot of expected protocols either way.

Tech frowns, looking from the tablet towards Rokuro and the general direction that they'd been observing. Well, supposed to have been, anyway.

"How many? We need numbers and designations- identifying symbols for what they might be carrying."

[noisecomplaint]

"There are five trucks. Half are covered with canvas and the other appear to be clad in some kind of armor. I do not understand what the symbols are supposed to mean-- a skull and crossbones? Is the driver some form of pirate? In that case, it is likely they are delivering a large amount of sake..."

This is what happens when Rokuro's in charge of the binoculars, which function more like a monocular with the awkward way he's holding them over his one eye.

"The last time I was made to engage with pirates I had many regrets." Primarily of the hang-over variety, though there was the matter of the company he woke up with. Rokuro is almost entirely certain nothing untoward happened, although he continues to receive barely legible letters of proposition from half the crew.

"I believe the next truck is carrying refuse to be disposed of by untouchables."

[tech_nically]

As Rokuro begins to describe what he sees, Tech starts typing up the information. Five trucks, half in canvas, the other armored...

His hand hovers over his tablet as he looks at the other man, arching a brow. And people say he goes off topic? "...pirates are notorious for being unsavory sorts- however I highly doubt that these shipments have anything to do with pirates." He pauses to adjust his goggles. "Skulls are typically used to serve as a warning, to underline that something is dangerous or deadly. Actually my squad makes use of skulls as our force's particular insignia, however much more stylized."

There's a flicker of wistfulness as he speaks, a brief furrow of his brow but nothing further as he pushes it aside.

"Like as that particular truck carries hazardous materials, which would be fitting for lab supplies. I'll make note of that; extra care should be taken around that sort of load as it may be highly flammable or even explosive. Better confirmation on the contents would be advisable. Is there only one truck with marked with such? I'm not quite sure what you mean by the other truck."

[noisecomplaint]

"There are three trucks marked with skulls and crossbones." It doesn't seem so off-topic to Rokuro. Sometimes pirates happen. Usually when you least expect them to.

"And two carrying refuse. By that I mean filth, pollution, the leavings of production..." A wrinkle of his nose. What Rokuro really means is garbage, though on a potentially different level than Tech will grasp. In his particular era of Japan, those who handle waste and 'tainted' material such as blood, meat, and hides are considered polluted by society, and treated as outcasts. Forced to live in shanties on contaminated ground.

Which means Rokuro has very little interest in going anywhere near the waste-disposal trucks unless absolutely necessary.

"Regardless, how are we to confirm the contents without closing the distance and looking ourselves? Unless there was a device that would allow you to see through objects to the contents inside--" A concept so absurd he won't bother to finish voicing it.

[tech_nically]

Tech frowns, looking over again. "That doesn't particularly sound like what we're looking for," he says carefully. "I suppose other trucks using this route shouldn't be a surprise..." Which does make it difficult if they are intent on targeting specific ones.

"The markings will be the easiest thing to go by, although they can also be misleading. Depending on if this sort of a strike has been done before, I would not be surprised if the transports are purposely mislabeled or lack any clear labeling at all. Why would you advertise what you were carrying through potentially hostile territory?" Of course that just means that their job is going to be a lot more complicated than simply truck-watching from a tree. He perks as Rokuro starts voicing what he believes to be the impossible.

"Technically there do exist such devices. They won't give you an exact image but depending on the specs, can reveal accurate enough details to identify otherwise hidden contents- at least to a certain degree."

[noisecomplaint]

"It is a common tactic to use humble wagons and old rice sacks to disguise more valuable resources. Travel ostentatiously and you will be immediately set upon by bandits, or worse, enemies intending to starve towns and war-camps." Rokuro has learned much about strategy from books, but his most important lessons were learned the hard way. He is no stranger to siege and the suffering and famine it brings.

"The only way to be certain of the trucks contents is to inspect them ourselves, unless you happen to have another miraculous device on your person." He glances away from the facility, watching Tech for a long moment. Curious as to how truly dedicated he is. They have only just met the rebels, and each other for that matter. Fighting another man's war isn't the same as fighting your own.

"Of course, by making contact we risk discovery and battle. Are you prepared to confront the enemy, or would you rather leave the task to another? I will go along with whatever you choose, although I am interested to know if my abilities have been fully returned to me." Coolly, in spite of the violent implications. Rokuro is no stranger to war.

"And as far as I am concerned... anyone who allies themselves with the Sylphid has already chosen to risk death."

[tech_nically]

Tech types out his updates and the concerns brought up, the possibility of subterfuge. He flicks a look towards Rokuro at the suggestion, calculating the added complexity of what was supposed to initially have been surveillance.

It's true that they have no real ties to this place or its people. They don't even really have any ties to each other, and yet here they are, having volunteered for missions that can potentially be dangerous. But to Tech it seems only right to do something.

"Risk is a constant factor in these sorts of missions. My main concern is that confrontation with the enemy prematurely will alert them to our plans and have them double up security or seek more alternative routes." He looks back out past the trees again, contemplatively. "If I recall correctly, the road does weave for some time just beyond this point. They'll have to slow their speed. We might not have much luck depending on how complicated the locks are on the armored vehicles, but we can certainly have a better look at the ones covered in canvas. Quick in and out. No need to engage unless absolutely necessary."

Tech looks back at Rokuro then. "As much as I know you'd like to exercise your abilities, we should probably keep a low profile as much as possible. Although..." He pauses, thinking. "To what extent is your control of water?"

[noisecomplaint]

A nod, listening intently in spite of his neutral expression. Tech raises valid points. Maybe that's why Rokuro trusts him to make the decision, because Tech has yet to say anything truly stupid, and knows far more about this type of realm and the objects within it than he does.

"The only limit to my power is my own mortality. Water exists in almost everything, and thus I do not need a body of water to summon from. As your device is able to see 'through' objects, I am able to see the water inside of all living things and bend it to my will. To observe someone's heart is easy, to stop it requires additional concentration." A pause, adjusting a piece of hair behind his ear. Almost shyly.

Rokuro's position as the Brave of Water is well known within his own world, and his power has been observed publicly, but to speak of his sacred abilities aloud after decades of secrecy still feels strangely intimate.

"That is to say, I am confident in my ability to accomplish anything you may ask of me. Do you have a specific plan of attack in mind?"

[tech_nically]

Well. That's certainly more than Tech was expecting, but given more thought, he supposes he shouldn't be surprised. What Rokuro says is quite true, and while the clone's eyes widen slightly at the example of stopping someone's heart by this method, he otherwise doesn't seem absolutely horrified, giving only a perfunctory nod.

"I see," Tech replies, stroking his chin. "I'm considering our options to slow down the vehicles, although it might look suspicious if we stopped too many all at once. But if they're all traveling in a line and the road is narrow enough, we'd only have to hinder one."

He gestures back towards the road, far off as it is. "Vehicles usually have some type of cooling system to keep them overheating so that they can operate smoothly. It can be a very delicate balance, however, and most coolant is a mixture of water and other chemicals, so I'm not sure if that would affect your control. But if you can use it to compromise one of the trucks, they'll have to stop and figure out what's wrong. I suggest we not aim for the first truck of the line, but perhaps the second or third, just so it seems more like a random occurrence. In the time they take to assess and take care of the problem, we can verify the contents of the transports."

[noisecomplaint]

"An interesting proposition." Rokuro understands on a conceptual level, even if the chemical jargon goes almost entirely over his head. Force the trucks to stop innocuously by blocking the road with one of their number, and take advantage of the opportunity to investigate their contents.

"I do not know if I can manipulate this 'coolant' you speak of, as I have never encountered it, however... I could give the second or third driver what looks like a heart-attack, which may cause a similar delay and upset. As these things occur naturally in people, I doubt they would immediately suspect foul play or outside interference." It's not the most savoury of plans, but it may be the most reliable. Attempting to control the chemicals inside the vehicles, not knowing how Rokuro might affect them, is a risk.

[tech_nically]

It's not a suggestion Tech had considered, but when it comes to sabotage, it's second nature that he looks to the more technical aspect of things. He considers Rokuro's proposition.

"Very well. We'll do it your way. I think it could be beneficial if you further investigated how acute your abilities can operate in such circumstances as I earlier spoke of, however. We can exploit that later when time is not a factor."

Tech glances over his tablet again before tucking it into its pouch. "Shall we head out then? We've a ways to go through if we're going to try to catch the transports."

[noisecomplaint]

"Agreed. It is important for one to know their limitations." And better to learn during a controlled training exercise than out in the field, where failure could get them both killed.

Rokuro jumps from the tree and lands in a graceful crouch. Stripped, he would pick up on the Sylphid's radar when infiltrating their laboratory, but out here... he is quick and quiet enough to escape the attention of most, and dressed ever so subtly in black.

Ignore the entirely bare midriff and slices of pale skin showing through cut-outs in the glossy leather. This is exactly how ninja dress back home. Stealth.

Standing outside the canopy of the jungle, he looks up at the moon glowing brightly against the starry sky.

"A fine night for a walk."