Flying Blind [Silhouette] [RP]

fly blind 1. To fly an airplane in extremely low visibility, relying on the plane's instruments instead. 2. To do something based on guesswork, intuition, or without any help or instructions. Vigil is great when it comes to tactics, working a puzzle, or any straight superhero stuff. Not so much with people stuff. She tends to get really busy and unavailable when you're going to ask her stuff like that - no mystery how she knows the questions are coming. Anyway. Between the stuff with Jack, and Colin, and digging into the old records at the base (which you're careful to NOT think about whenever she's around), she's ... not around much right now. So... it's up to you to take care of everyone. Roll +Savior. On a 10+, pick 2. On a 7-9, pick 1. Palacine is dealing with Colin directly, but that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do - there's a trail of distributors for Invictus, and trails can be followed. You are a detective, after all, and you've got something you can act on. Magic and spirit stuff is really not your deal, and it's not easy to fix that - no one's ever made a braille version of the necronomicon, you know? So it's hard to know what to do to help Jack - you're settling for hanging out with him a lot more. You don't know if it's helping , exactly, but he seems to like it, and so do you, to be honest. Where are you hanging out today? Is he helping you with something, or are you helping him? You've been digging through all the audio files Collin extracted from the old video. Sometimes you do it alone. Sometimes Jack helps and scans video. And there's that time you're doing it when someone unwelcome shows up at the base... On a miss, pick 1, but things are already going wrong before you get there, and you're kicking yourself for being so bad at this protector stuff. Take Guilty OR Insecure, and dive in. Cheers, Editorial

[Oh crap.] [Well, the good news is, you're one potential from leveling up! I've marked your potential. Let me know which option you pick and answer any other bits that need answering. Also tell me if you're marking Guilty or Insecure.]

I’m going with the second one and taking guilty

Sounds good. Where were you two hanging out today? Was he helping you with something, or were you helping him?

We were hanging out at the Nature and Science museum. I was trying my best to help him

This is nice, you think, but definitely do not say. Definitely do not think about how many days in a row you've gone without him having to use any of his really Big-with-a-capital-B-and-that-means-Bad powers. Definitely also not thinking about maybe a kiss pretty soon. Gotta play it cool. Gotta - "This is nice," Jack says, then glances at you. "I mean... I just..." He gestures out at the park on the back side of the museum. You're both sitting on a patio ledge. Hands juuuust touching. Just enough. A perfect place to experience the whole area, without being down in it. Perfect for you, that is, and he picked it out, without even asking. "I mean, I hope it's nice. Is it nice? Are you okay up here?" You open your mouth to tell him it's fine. It's great. That it is, in fact, nice. Really nice. And your wristband buzzes. Hard. Loud. And in a very particular pattern. Jack frowns. "I don't... know that one. Is that..." "The base," you say. "Someone's at the base, and not Palacine or Ember." Or Vigil, probably. She wouldn't let an alarm trigger. You start doing the math, and it's bad. The museum isn't exactly on the other side of town from the island, but it's at least forty minutes by tram. Thirty by car, which you don't have, and anyway it's not fast enough. If you don't get back there immediately... there's no - Jack stands up. "Give me your hand." You can hear it in his voice; he's done the same math you have, and come to the same conclusion. Except he can solve the equation, can't he? A portal. Big power. Capital B. "Give me your hand, Sil," he says, calling you by your Mask name. "We have to get back to your base." What do you do?

Is anyone at the base?

Cause this makes me sad and I don’t want to dooo this

Also can I assess the situation 

1. No one friendly is at the base, or the alarm wouldn't've gone off. 2. Please understand that every use of his power is not going to DOOM him. He's got a power, he's gonna use it. We gotta see the doom before you fix it or it won't be coooool think like a writer man. :) 3. NICE. Your options: Except you get to ask THREE instead of TWO because you have Be Mindful of Your Surroundings. "What here can I use to avoid having Jack portal us?" is a legit question.

 What here can I use to help avoid jack portaling us? What here is the greatest threat? what here is in the greatest danger?

Kaylee T. said:  What here can I use to help avoid jack portaling us? What here is the greatest threat? what here is in the greatest danger? 1. I'm pretty sure you guys (Palacine?) set something up where you can use the Teleportal like a boom tube to recall to the base. It wasn't 100% stable (only 1 or 2 uses at the moment), but it would work, if you want to use a 'charge', to keep Jack from doing a portal. 2. Greatest threat:  the surveillance systems in the base indicate there is a BIG dude in the base, dressed in a featureless full body sleeve. Like... imagine someone the size of the Hulk, wearing a ninja outfit with no face opening. They're stalking around the base. 3. Greatest danger: the big dude has already pulled one of the computer systems out of its station and literally crushed the thing into tiny bits with their hands. Left to do what they will, it looks like this guy is going to destroy all the computer/electronics systems in the base. Palacine and the ship are not currently there, so they are not at risk. ... now, WITH THAT SAID, Colin got you backups of anything he thought was 'unique' in your systems, so you're not actually at risk of permanently losing any data, so you don't actually have to engage or stop this guy, except you'll have to replace a bunch of older tech. You could: Try to put the base on lock-down, in the hopes it will trap him, and call Vigil or Hellbinder or someone and get help capturing this guy. It may not hold him long enough, given how strong this guy seems, but it might work. Try to track him after he leaves. Do nothing and let him think he got away with whatever he was doing, because then whoever did it will probably leave you alone long enough to figure out what the heck is going on. ... or do something else I didn't mention. ... or teleport in and take the guy on. Your call!

OK. I’m gonna lock the base down and use my influence to call Brahma and vigil for help.

"We don't have to go there. Not yet, anyway." You issue a verbal command and the base virtual intelligence confirms lockdown. You're already calling Brahma. It rings long enough you think it will go to voicemail, but at what you think might be the last second, Brahma picks up. He's speaking quietly, and is probably using some kind of earpiece/microphone setup, based on the quality of the sound. "Silhouette. Is this an emergency? I'm in the middle of a field operation." You explain the base has been breached, and that you're systems have virtual 'eyes' on the intruder. "I... see. That's very sophisticated surveillance systems for a high-school - " He stops himself. "Very clever use of the lock-down as an impromptu trap. I'm only sorry I can't help. I'm afraid I can't assist at the moment. Do you have... anyone else to ask?" [Suggestions:] Pierce the Mask to see what his reluctance is. Provoke him to get him to help out. Let it go and assure him you and Vigil can handle it. Something else!

Peirce the mask

Can’t spell * Pierce 

Okay, that opens up a whole pile of stuff. First, that's the last potential you need to level up. Yay! We can talk about that in a bit - I think clear options will present themselves. Second, you can still get a success out of this at a cost. I will answer one Pierce the Mask question, and the cost is you'll lose influence over Brahma. (Plus he'll probably try to shift your labels in the process, which you're at a penalty on resisting right now, but whatever.) Third... there is no third. Wait I lied. Third is you can just take the 4 and not get any success. Brahma's going to get pissy with you and it probably means scolding and harsh words and typical "I rolled 6-" consequences. But you get an advance.

[per phone call: Sil is taking Pierce the Mask, succeeding at the cost of losing Brahma's Influence] [Answering "What are you really planning?"] "Do you have... anyone else to ask?" "Sure. As soon as I get off the line with you I was going to call Vigil." You pause for a second, but decide to reassure him it's fine if he can't come. "It... doesn't matter much anyway - we have multiple backups of all the computer files that were on the base systems." There's a long silence. "So you've wasted my time." There is another, shorter, tense pause. "I think you need to consider, ' silhouette ' if this is really the right career for you." The words make your chest go tight. "I suppose it's easy enough to understand, with the mentor you've been saddled with - delusions of adequacy. Obviously, with Vigil as a model, you think that some special senses are enough to actually accomplish anything." There's a sound in the background of the call - Brahma's breath is deeper, and you think he might actually be in the middle of some kind of physical activity. It's hard to tell, and also difficult because there's still noise coming from the monitors in the base, playing back on your wrist comms - the big skulking figure, having glanced at the closing lockdown doors, is methodically crushing computer systems - even some of the practice bots. "You see some huge, strong adversary, and think locking them down in your secret clubhouse will hold them? You ridiculous child. You're no threat at all - not to anyone, and certainly not the sort of threats that play on the global stage. Neither is Vigil; I can't believe she is still unable to understand that. Perhaps you will." "I think we're done with our collaboration, Miss Quinn. Rethink your life choices." Just before he cuts the communication, you hear another sound in the background - something so faint only you, really, could have heard it on his combat-rated throat microphone. The crunch of metal.  The same crunching sound, coming through your wrist comm, from the monitors, where the big shadowed figure is crushing the last of the computer systems, before they turn, walk to the exit tunnel, smash apart the blast door, and disappear down the tunnel. ANSWER: What are you really planning? To destroy all the records in your base computers. Okay, so: Lose influence over Brahma. He wants to shift your labels: You're harmless and no threat - Danger down, Mundane up. You can choose to resist that. Lemme know. Do you think you take a powerful blow from what you just figured out at the end? That's entirely up to you. You have an advance. Two cool options: +1 to a stat and permanently revoke someone's influence over you. May I suggest revoking Brahma. Take 4 more 'things' from your mentor - Vigil gives you all the access codes for the base that she's been keeping back (shut off the 'nanny' protocols) and the base gets a major upgrade.  She'd probably only do that if you tell her what you just figured out.

So: Pick one from the list. You only need to "act immediately to prove them wrong" if you want to clear a condition or mark potential. The other two you can just do.

Cancel influence and gain +1 FORWARD THEN WE CHARGE MORDOR jk

And here are the mentor resources, if you're interested in that at all.

What are the advancements I can take?

❑ Take another move from your playbook ❑ Someone permanently loses Influence over you; add +1 to a Label ❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add + 1 to a Label ❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth ❑ Choose up to four more resources from your mentor I think those are the ones you haven't done yet.

Someone permanently loses influence and what are my stats so I know where I want to add

 danger 3, freak 0, savior 0, Superior 3, Mundane -1 :: who's losing influence?

 benefits to mundane is it might help with anything going on on the date, benefits to savior  is it gives you more play on " I can do this all day"

Add to mundane and Abrams loses influence 

Brama*

"So... Brahma's a ... " Jack shakes his head. "A bad guy? The biggest hero in Oversight? How does that even..." Again, he shakes his head, as if he's trying to wake up from a hard middle-of-the-day nap. "What was he doing ?" He holds up his hands. "Sorry. I know you don't know. I'm just processing. That's just... crazy." You can feel him grin. "God of Death. Someone who conquers planets as a day-job. Shape-changing super-agent, and now Brahma. You guys pick some pretty tough enemies." He looks out over the park next to the museum. "Should we get out of here? Do you need to talk to your - to Vigil?"  (Whatever he was going to say, it wasn't 'mentor'.)

“No I want to stay here. Lemme just give her a call”

He nods, leans in and bumps his shoulder against yours, then goes to get you both something to drink. You dial Vigil. [I'm not 100% sure what I want to do here, so I'm going to let the dice tell me a little bit about what's going on.] Just Checking in: When you check in with your mentor because things are getting weird, roll + the Label they embody. On a hit, they're above it and have some perspective on your situation, and can give you some advice. On a 10+, mark potential if you follow their advice, and take +1 ongoing to follow it. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward (one roll) to see it through, if you do it their way. They've also got some stuff going on themselves and need some assistance. On a miss, something big has gone down; mark a condition, GM’s choice, and buckle up. Well okay then. More to come.

The sigh, on Vigil's end of the line, after you finish catching her up, goes on longer than you'd have thought possible. You find yourself wondering how long she's trained herself to hold her breath. "Casey 1 , this is..." crazy? stupid? ridiculous? "... exactly what I was really hoping to keep you away from as long as I could. " whoa. unexpected. Vigil goes on to explain, in very vague terms 1 , that while she's never had anything even she could call 'proof', she's had a weird, bad feeling about 'some things' for ... well, years. "It's the reason I'm working with... that company 1 . To keep an eye on things." Her voice is flat. "Otherwise I'd never put up with most of their BS." "Anyway." She clears her throat. "Next moves. We need proof. Now we know where to look. The data you already have might be where it lives, but that's probably not all of it, and it's probably not all buried, if you know what to look for. Hopefully - we do. Time for research mode, detective..." Vigil tells you to waste NO time, head for the city library archives, and get digging into Brahma's past. If you go immediately, cutting the date short, take potential and +1 ongoing on the research. If you go... eventually... after your date, you still get the +1 to the research, but no potential. Also, Vigil will - somehow - know. She won't be mad 2 , but she'll know. ----- 1: Wherever she is right now, Vigil's clearly out in public, and in her 'normal' persona, so she's being very subtle in the conversation, and using your real name, which she almost never does. 2: Mad, no. Ironic and darkly amused, definitely.

Adding footnotes to all of Sil's posts is my new favorite thing.

Ok that was really cool. So I am just going to continue with my date because I WANT TO. So I just say “I will get on it as soon as I can” and then I just wait for Jack to come back.

The rest of the date is, really, pretty great. Not like "can't wait to tell the girls" great, because it probably sounds pretty boring. You sit on the ledge over the park. You walk along the lake. You meet and pet a lot of dogs. The cool thing - the thing it would be hard to explain to anyone - is that Jack is always thoughtful about what you do, and what he does. Food is subtly flavored. Crowds and music are kept at a good distance. Touches and contact are kept light and brief - no holding hands, but a good - maybe perfect - amount of intentional, light touches on the back of the hand while you walk. Things like that. He didn't plan out some kind of long, structured afternoon, but every individual thing he does shows consideration for you and your situation. Even the kissing is... well... Pretty great. 

And, when it's all winding down, and you know you need to do at least some research before you see Vigil again, he's happy to move from date-mode to research-mode and stay with you. So, let me know the question you ask, and we'll let that go into a follow-up.

What embarrassing secret did they hide?

Brahmas early history is a bit of a hot mess, with an abusive stepfather, some siblings he was separated from an early age, and things like that.  All of that stuff is a matter of public record, however. Something that seems to have been overlooked, or quieted down or something, is the fact that in high school, before he was officially identified as a super, he beat three colors of hell into a classmate at his school. No charges were filed, and no explanation for the assault was given, but it was bad enough that the kid had to go to the hospital for as near as you can tell at least a month.

I want to double back on security records for stuff with brama in it