witch's cape, not hat

[characterquarry]

Grendyne groans and starts pulling on her boots when the alarm goes off. Again. She quick-marches to the broom hangar, sits on her machine and is handed a plethora of loaded weapons by attentive corporals.

"Two flyers in one day? They're getting way too common."

"It's worse," the commander informs them, "South Karlsland got hit with three at once. We're taking Lytee's express and sleeping there. You can sit out if you absolutely need to, but Freya's still recovering so we could use you as a comms relay."

"No, I'll come. I just reserve the right to complain about it."

The 42nd United Forces Witch Wing takes off and assembles into a perfect synchronized formation as Lytee charges her teleport power.



...This is not South Karlsland wilderness.

[note: halfway through this thread I created a unique account for Grendyne. Do not be alarmed by the change in account. -Rockeye]

Comments

[characterquarry]

"Hm. Alright, I am provisionally willing to work with you in exchange for Coil looking into ways to get me home and - let's say double my salary in the Witches, plus a risk bonus when you send me into combat. I'll work out the equivalency later, it's not likely to be utterly ridiculous, they don't pay us that much. But I do not want to sign a contract at this time because your organization would likely just ignore it if you really felt like doing that. Oh, and if you can get lots of silver and gold and gemstones that would be nice, I can store mana for later use in those."

[wormcan]

"Silver and gold and gemstones? Was that intentionally designed to be expensive? We can get it, depending on the quantity you need, but that sounds like it would be inconvenient."

[characterquarry]

"It's not designed to be expensive, that's just how I work. I don't need literally tons of the stuff unless I want to store a year's worth of juice and use it all on one day, but it would allow me to save up power for emergency situations. I was damn near empty yesterday, but I could have kept healing for maybe another hour if I had a charged locket. Maybe I'll just buy 'em with what you pay me."

[wormcan]

"I'll tell the boss, he'll probably give you that as a signing bonus.

Can you describe your military experience? Superpowers are one thing, but competence is just as important."

[characterquarry]

"Joined the United Forces at age 12, spent a year and a half in training at London Airbase before being assigned to the 42nd Wing as a Witch Third Class. Spent one month as a courier, three doing odd jobs, but by then I was 14 and powerful enough to go on patrols and combat missions. And I started accumulating enough copied magic that I was uncommonly adaptable. I have 39 personal Neuroi kills to my name over the course of about eight hundred engagements - but I usually acted in a support role, so the low count is normal. I've been severely wounded only once. Got promoted to Second Class somewhere in there."

[wormcan]

"Is fighting a Neuroi at all like fighting a human?"

[characterquarry]

"No. They're crystalline black things, supernaturally strong and firing red energy beams. All shapes and sizes. They regenerate from anything short of total disintegration, or the destruction of their core crystal. Other biggest thing is that they're aggressively unpredictable. The one thing you can be sure a Neuroi will do is suprise you. A full flight of Witches, twelve of us, against a lone Neuroi is no contest. Usually. One wing versus three is iffy. Our ground forces can't do much to them, but you've seen our tech level."

[wormcan]

"I heard you had a stack of flintlocks. How'd you like to switch those out for the kind from two hundred years later?"

[characterquarry]

"Sure, as long as they come with a trainer and a range."

[wormcan]

"Of course. We could go now, if you like."

[characterquarry]

"Breakfast first." Breakfast is had, and she follows to their car afterward.

Along the way, "Say, you probably don't have Steelwings, but they kinda-sorta operate on mechanical principles. Any old broom will do for flying, but Steelwings make us faster and more maneuverable, and they're better for endurance too. Do you think someone could make me a better one?"

[wormcan]

"Almost surely. We've got aerodynamics down to a science, and that's not even counting the people whose superpowers are to be good at building things. It'd take a bit of time, though."

[characterquarry]

"Of course. It's an exciting idea, though. Almost more exciting than a futuristic gun. My top speed on a plain old stick is about as fast as a galloping horse, but on the steelwing I can go fast enough I have to toughen myself against the wind. I wonder how much better it can get."

[wormcan]

"If we get Tinkers involved, it depends how well you can harden yourself against the wind."

They arrive at the range, and start testing modern weaponry. It's really Grendyne's abilities with it that are being tested, of course, but that's to be expected since she's joining a paramilitary organization.

[characterquarry]

Well, she hasn't actually trained in long range marksmanship because 'long range rifles' are not a thing where she's from, and she explains as much. She can hit targets at a hundred hundred yards with her bow, but does not prove to be an instant prodigy with rifles.

She's very good with pistols and shotguns, though, and running around or being suddenly presented with targets in unexpected directions or 'hostages' that she mustn't hit (as in the close-quarters-combat testing range) doesn't trip her up.

She's really thrilled about the capabilities of modern firearms. It might be a bit disconcerting to see a teenage girl giggling over guns.

[wormcan]

Not a bit. It's a teenaged girl who is also an ally, this is a plus.

[characterquarry]

After spending most of the morning on guns of various sorts, she finds the guy who seems to be most in charge and informs him, "I worked out the math using restaurant prices as a comparison point, and I want either twelve thousand dollars a month, or three thousand per month plus bigger combat bonuses. If you're going to give me room and board and food, we can knock a couple thousand off that."

[wormcan]

Coil himself has yet to appear. The person she found is Minor, the team captain.

"We could probably hire a team of capes for that. Lucky for you the boss is rich. We'll go with the second one."

[characterquarry]

It's a bit strange that Coil is nowhere to be found. Officers are usually inconveniently in the way.

"Part of why I want so much is how my powers will dry up to the point of near-uselessness in about fifteen years. I've got to save up while I can. Will there be a contract?"

[wormcan]

He nods. "How long do you want it to be for?"

[characterquarry]

"Let's say a year, with a voluntary exit clause at the end of the first month if either side wants it. Just in case Coil finds me less useful than he expected, or I get a better offer."

[wormcan]

When you're a mercenary working for a supervillain who may or may not be a cape, contracts tend not to see the inside of a courtroom. But Minor himself has one, it's just professionalism after all, and his can be adapted easily enough. He agrees.

[characterquarry]

Having a contract seems to soothe the by-the-book sensibilities that the Witch Wings beat into her.

After a few minutes of discussion and editing ("It's really quite convenient both worlds have English...") a contract is signed.

[wormcan]

When Grendyne and the team eventually leave for lunch, they pass a man who smells like teleportation.

[characterquarry]

Tele-whispered into Minor's ear with some urgency, "I smell a cape. Teleporter and something I'm trying to identify. The Far East-looking man who just passed us. Duplication, maybe."

And she starts to channel mana, ready to pop shields in any direction. Just in case.