<strong>Hero Points:</strong>4 (Neko), 4 (Hornet), 2 (Scarab)<br/><br/><div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/vqURXQI.png)</div><br/>Alysia was placed in restraints, escorted between two pairs of Chessmen: one pair was in front, the others in back with guns pointed at her to 'encourage' her movement.<br/><br/>"Get moving!"<br/><br/>The place was clearly indoors, and likely a ways away from Royal Heights. It was likely some sort of facility, and the sound of rushing water in the distance likely placed it near the Red River in southwest Emerald City judging by Alysia's understanding of the urban layout. The place was multi-story, with walkways spanning over dark depths of wire mesh and steel beams. Innumerable automatic sliding doors branched off into other hallways and rooms, and every so often a clear feminine voice spoke over the intercom system.<br/><br/><em>Harmonia has reached the destination. I repeat, Harmonia has reached the destination.<br/><br/>Operation Southern Condor debuts in 1800 hours.</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Insight or Perception DC 15</div><div class="spoiler_body">None of the Chessmen seem responsive or alter their activities in regards to the intercom voice, even those who should ordinarily be relegated to the likely task (she must be 'Harmonia'). On the contrary, none of the Chessmen are communicating in any visible way, and it's clear that they're human (or metahuman) and not artificial life forms. It could likely be a redundant system in place, or perhaps a red herring for those not part of the Chessmen's true security system.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Two Degrees of Success, DC 20</div><div class="spoiler_body">The system is not operating based on what Alysia knows of military-style security. They're too timed in response to the corners she rounds to be coincidental. It's a deceptive effort to throw off intruders; they could very easily give fake orders over the intercom while the Chessmen silently receive an entirely different set of instructions. Gain +5 on the below Technology roll.</div></div></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Technology Automatic</div><div class="spoiler_body"> The facility is likely near the Red River Dam, either part of the complex or (more likely) siphoning off its power source. The infrastructure is actually several decades old; this facility dates to the Cold War, but received extensive renovations.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 20</div><div class="spoiler_body"> The intercom system's wired and part of a closed circuit. The Chessmen are clearly using a wireless communication system between themselves, which means this a redundant system.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Two Degrees of Success, 25</div><div class="spoiler_body">Several of the hardware around the area Alysia recognizes as MarsTech knock-offs. Some of which only ever remained internal R&amp;D and never released to the public for one reason or another. A nearby server room is set up similarly to the highly secure servers used by intelligence agencies. It's likely that the Chessmen's lair was formerly a government blacksite.<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Three Degrees of Success, 30</div><div class="spoiler_body">It then comes to Alysia; the MarsTech knock-offs are more than just reverse-engineered copies. It is re-purposed technology! The silent communications array bears remarkable similarity to TacNet, or "Tactical Network" for short. One of her father's pet projects which acted as a software communications network where every user is a node of a larger shared network. The sensory interface rapidly processes and transmits data in real time, making calculations of movement patterns, projectile trajectories, and other environmental operations in fractions of seconds to be instantly shared across the whole network. Furthermore, the more people (or in this case Chessmen) are in closer proximity the greater the processing power of TacNet. With this data, soldiers can effectively act as a psychic hivemind, transmit the data of a hidden sniper, predict escape routes, find hidden weaknesses in a target's defense, and even able to "precognitively" dodge attacks.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br/>Alysia was led to what looked like a sort of futuristic hospital: shining white floors and walls with rounded blob-shaped beds and furniture designed to be bereft of sharp corners. A neatly folded set of black and white checkered shirt, bra, and pants was on a round table. Although it looked a size or two too large for her, it soon proved a perfect fit for Alysia as the fabric shrunk to fit over her curves without squeezing her tight.<br/><br/>"The Grandmaster wants to see you now," one of the Chessmen guards said after she got dressed. "Be on your best behavior."<br/><br/>There he was, sitting proudly in the dead center of what could only be described as an honest-to-God communications center of a classic supervillain lair. Holographic displayed from scenes and locations, likely battlefields by the flashing muzzles of gunfire and janky chaotic movements of the HUDs. The same man on the television, the Grandmaster, was the only figure in the room to acknowledge Alysia's presence, the others too immersed in their duties to even so much as say 'hello.'<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/3W3wCPn.png)</div>"Finally," he began, "we now have all the time in the world. Hello Alysia, and welcome to the Board. I'm sure that you have many questions burning on the tip of your tongue, but we cannot afford to linger on trivialities. I acquired you here quite simply because Emerald City has become a more chaotic place. Such a place was spared the worst of crime and terrorism for decades due to a secret alliance, but after the Silver Storm this is all undone; trust me, my former allies are not as rational or productive, so I had to act first."<br/><br/>The older man clicked several buttons on his arm-chair, displaying other scenes around the metropolis. Armed men in business suits exchanged fire in Chinatown, only to be disarmed by a flurry of expertly-timed arrows from a higher vantage point; up in the Atlas Mountains a group of miners ran in fear as large rockmen literally rose up from the earth to smash up cranes, trucks, and other equipment; floodwaters in the Stepstone Islands rise to devour seaside property as men in yellow robes knelt in prayer, undeterred by the danger around them. Hornet flew over to land by the men in yellow, telling them something while excitedly waving her arms, only for her protests to fall on deaf ears.<br/><br/>"The public protectors will swoop on in like they always do," he said, "wielding their powers or their institutional authority. But there's no going back from this; we are not like Freedom City, the people are not ready for this rapid change. The policemen will ask for emergency funds, some of those afflicted by the Silver Storm will don the cape and cowl, but they'll be flailing like newborn babes, putting down fires while ignoring the source."<br/><br/>The Grandmaster leaned forward, his face of worry. "Your genius would go wasted in joining them, like how your father's idealism stunted his potential. But I've prattled on long enough; I have enough time to answer three questions of yours, then I must return to my surveillance. Merely greeting you has cost me a strategic position in Beirut, I cannot afford any more sacrifices."<br/><br/><em>Feel free to go along or do something else. Alysia can roll various social skill checks if she so desires, depending on her approach.</em><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Neko and Scarab gain 1 Hero Point each for the previous scene.</div></div>