6801/The Russian in the basement

The Russian in the basement
Date of Scene:	08 March 2019
Location:	Markovia Station - Old Gotham
Synopsis:	Kitty Pryde encounters the Crimson Dynamo in Red Hood's cave
Cast of Characters:	Crimson Dynamo, Shadowcat

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Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    She'd been about for days mind, but hadn't been able to get her junk over here until late last night. A chunk of the open floor has been all but claimed, stacked with wooden crates covered in Cyrillic, heavy metal chests covered in Russian warning labels concerning everything from radioactivity to explosive. AKs, grenades, and lets be perfectly honest? All that junk could totally just be Jason's, even if he doesn't seem to fancy the Russian stuff.
    Theres armor here as well though, and well it's owner should be fairly obvious. The Crimson Dynamo is unmistakable, if only for it's size. Even with all it's bits and pieces of armor unbolted and laid out for a fresh coat of matte black paint. Those distinctive undersuits painted in matte black have been laid out alongside, and a trashbin full of empty spray cans. Hell theres a whole different set of powered armor, sleek and aerodynamic just standing over there still painted in it's very Russian Red and white.

    She's built a little table out of ammo crates in the center of this impromptu work area, covered it in bits of machinery and a few anti-tank grenades partially disassembled. A plate of pickles and black bread, a handle of vodka, a mug full of coffee. Hell theres a little speaker hooked up to an old smart phone, blaring....Russian 80s pop? Yeah thats Russian pop music alright.

    Indeed Galina pauses to light a cigarette as she slips into the bathroom, grunting as she flips the water on and shoves her nalgene below the faucet. Idly peering after her oil and grit stained hand, she should probably get some sand or something to get that scrubbed nice and clean. Then again grit would just need to be debried, but then again..."Blyad, I need a vacation."

Shadowcat has posed:
The sound of someone coming down the steps precedes Kitty Pryde. The young woman is carrying a pair of big boxes that make navigating her way down here difficult. She eventually makes it into the tunnel, having to peer past them to see where she's going.

The sound of Galina talking to herself perks Kitty's ears up. "Hello?" she asks, pausing and realizing it might be bad if the person she's expecting here, isn't here. Kitty sets the boxes down so she can look around. Taking in the new boxes that weren't there before, and finally spotting Galina herself. "Oh. Hello," Kitty says hesitantly, lifting a hand to wave over to the other woman. "I... was not expecting to run into anyone just now," she says, having waited until a time she thought Jason would be busy with something else.

The boxes she's carrying look like they are computer equipment of some sort, based on the company name stamped on the cardboard.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    The press photos are always fairly complimentary of course, but Galina in person is perhaps underwhelming. Her face is still a mass of bruises, her throat still bruised. Her non-mechanical arm is covered in bandages which thankfully hide the burns. She looks frankly, beat to hell. Still as Kitty comes down the steps, she peers silently for a moment. Casually ashing her cigarette before responding.

    "You do not look like criminal, or assasin, and you're not Russian so I suppose you're supposed to be here."She offers, yaknow just as casual as can be. "You don't need to worry about me, I'm one of the good guys."Lifting that burned arm to motion broadly to the joint. "I'd offer my hand, but I'm a little worse for wear. So please do accept my apologies for my rudeness, I'm going through something of a transformational period in my career."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde glances around at the boxes and then back to Galina. She has indeed read up on the Crimson Dynamo and its pilot after the previous night. Had to, for her mission report, not to mention it was just wise. Kitty finds herself debating whether to bring up her own identity.

"I was just hoping to make some improvements to the computers," Kitty says, motioning to the boxes she brought with her. She picks them up and carries them over nearer to the computer equipment.

"Transitional period? I thought you came over here on a tour? It seems like you're a little off from the tour schedule though," Kitty comments as she glances over to the woman before turning back to the computer equipment. She walks over to take a look at it. "Hmm. Better than I expected," she says in grudging admiration.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Yes well, opposition to the policies of my government means I am wanted for treason now. This makes it difficult to protect my country, and unfortunately I am not equipped to protect my country from the Kremlin."Galina offers lamely, before limping her way back to her little workbench to settle down. "They brought back old team from the grave to brainwash them, send them to destroy me. My escape is an embarrasment, so such things are not reported widely."

    "In anycase I am guest here, so please do not let me distract you from your purpose. I do not want to inconvience our mutual friend, he has already done much for me."See she's not a complete bitch, right this second anyway. "If it is no bother, I have computer issues I could use help with as well."Thumbing towards that red and white swoopy armor over her shoulder. "Flight control software never finished, ran out of funding unfortunately. Program has had issues with getting it operational since the early 90's, I'd had it modernized but the software is still not capable. Too dangerous to use, unfortunately."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde looks over towards Jason's computer setup. She'd figured she could hack it in about five or ten minutes, but after a look at the thorough job done with the hardware? Kitty is thinking it will take a lot longer than that. So much for just surprising him with the upgrade.

Kitty moves over to join Galina. "Sure, I can take a look," Kitty says. "If it's that old... I should probably just write you something from scratch. Though, let's take a look first and see?"

Kitty moves over, not touching anything, figuring it's probably booby trapped after all. "I was going to try to surprise him, the mutual friend. He didn't know I was bringing the new equipment down," Kitty admits. "So, if you don't mind the question... what was it your government was doing that you were willing to end up wanted like that?"

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Ursa Major, and the Dark Star."Galina offers, before rising to her boots to pop the latches on that armor's backplate. "Most powerful mutants in Russia, and the best friends I've ever known. Well Dark Star died, I thought. They Threw Ursa into some siberian gulag, because he was a mutant. Army has always opposed state mutant policies, always tried to shelter them in uniform where it could. See Russian army swears oath to protect the People of Russia, FSB and so fourth swear oath to the state. Difference, yes?"And out come those drives just as pretty as you please, a pair of heavily armored and insulated hard drives in some sort of EMP-resistant enclosure.

    "Russian Mutants, are Russian people. I have spoken about this as loudly as I could, so they cut my funding. Kept giving me sorties to defend moscow, knowing I'd go. Trying to get me killed in combat, so I could be manipulated in death to stand for something I opposed."Galina offers over those drives with a smile. "They are behind the madness of sentinels being shipped to America, used me to cover some of these shipments. When I objected?"

    Galina settles back down, chaining up another cigarette. "They brought back a brainwashed Darkstar, her brother the Red Guardian, Ursa Major and that prick Titanium man. The reunion did not go well as you can see, yes?"And a wry little smile as she snags her coffee for a sip. "Pretty sure the Titanium man will never walk again, if he survives the month. So that's nice."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gets to work on the hard drives. She opens up the boxes, just using the equipment she brought rather than dealing with the other things. The harddrives are soon hooked up and she's going through them. "Wow, this does date back to the 90s doesn't it?" she asks.

Kitty is mostly reading through code, though she'll as a number of questions about the technology to save time as they engage in the other talk. "Nice of you. Caring about them like that. Many people here... well I guess you were at that one rally from what I saw. You've seen how a lot of Americans feel about mutants," Kitty says with a sigh.

"So what do you plan to do now that you're stuck here? Or, still working that out?" Kitty asks. She pauses, looking at the code thoughtfully and then makes a few notes. "I should be able to upgrade it and get it working,' she says. "An hour or two and we can probably start some tests."

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    The code is indeed, well -ancient-. It was also never completed, theres the bones of a whole OS there but they never got far enough to finish anything. "I was present for their unveiling yes, fought some but not as the Dynamo. It took time for me to discover where things were coming from, but yes I was present at their initial control site and then the other day."And a pause to swish that coffee. "Could not get very far, too many amatuers trying to get involved. This is of course very good, but slows down operations."

    As to the other question, Galina inhales slowly. "I have been soldier my entire life, started at the military Academy when very little yes? So I will fight, because that is what I do. I will fight until there is nothing left of me, and then I will retire or be dead."Shrugging some as she settles back down. "This today, something new tomarrow. Will need to find new sponsor to keep myself in the fight, but I'll figure something out."

    "And you, what have you gotten yourself into with all of this? You are smart, so you know how dangerous involving yourself in these affairs is yes?"and another sip. "Is this business or, complicated?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a soft laugh at the final part. "Oh, great question. Complicated. Definitely complicated," she says with a nod. "But... ah... worth it, I think," Kitty says. She begins typing away. "So I'm just going to focus on the flight systems for now. But if you're ok with it, I'll make a backup of everything and can start in on a completely new operating system for you. It'll take some time to get it working with your hardware, but well worth it in the long run," Kitty offers, glancing over to see if that is something Galina would like for her to do.

"There's Sentinels starting to operate over the cities. Government ones," Kitty says, shaking her head. "I don't suppose you know much about Trask Industries that makes them? They've been in the news a lot more lately," Kitty says.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Take your time, I am too injured to make use of that armor for time being anyway. Supposed to still be in hospital, story of my life."Galina chuckles there, wincing immediately and well switching from coffee over to Vodka. "Still need to fix sensor array, fabricate Venko generators and find armament. Current equipment is all reliant upon Russian supply chain, need to find NATO automatic weaponry."

    "Complicated is good, he deserves something good in his life. He saved my life, saved me from the Duchess."And a pause to hit the booze again with a little shiver. "I am aware of Trask. I do not believe offensive operations will solve current problem. Mutants should make radical shift in strategy, need to prepare safe places and focus on developing tools and technology to bypass mutant detection. They should be preparing their defensive stategies, so that when Sentinels are deployed in force it will not shatter them. Unfortunately, few American Mutants seem to have served in the Military or studied Military arts."

Shadowcat has posed:
"Very true. Most are just normal people. They aren't weaponized here," Kitty says.

Logan.

"Or, very few. Most don't know how to fight. Or want to fight. They just want to live normal lives," Kitty says, and perhaps a little bitterness enters her voice. Her fingers hit the keyboard just a little harder than before. "I'm sure there are some who are working to oppose what it is going on. But if their numbers keep building, it's just going to turn into a war if they go on the offensive." Kitty says.

Or a slaughter.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "A war that can not be won, not by standing up. Every fight gives them excellent data to refine the machine, and for now wins nothing. They should be stockpiling, networking, preparring for the resistance. Now is the time to let others fight, so they can not be so easily villified. All it takes in America, is for the President to declare that the Mutants present a "Clear and present danger". Then this will be ugly."Trask will die of course, but it should not be a mutant who does this. This is not too dissimilar from the sorts of things I did in Middle east, or Africa, Chechnya, so fourth."And a pause, as Galina extends that Vodka towards Kitty.

    "Americans and Russians fought together in last great patriotic war, I feel as though we will do so again in the next. I will fight here in America, and make a place. Then if my friends are ever, lucid? I'll have a place for them to be safe."Theres a little nod at that. "Also American junk food and cigarettes, excellent. Worth moving here if only for the Carrot Cake Oreos." They have those, they totally exist and they are amazing.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde sits back and looks over at Galina, looking thoughtful. "Those... are some interesting thoughts," Kitty says, in a tone that suggests she's hearing some wisdom in them. Kitty reaches out and takes the offered vodka with a grateful expression, taking a sip. "Though I think the mutants probably need to try to keep the numbers from growing. Or, well, everyone does. I just don't know if there's enough people willing to do anything about it besides the mutants," Kitty says.

She goes back to work typing on the keyboard. "Should be able to improve... oh. Just about everything a little bit," Kitty says as she screws up her face trying to make sense of something. The programming language is older than she is. Thankfully she learned it just for grins when she was younger. "So, might be best to not go into too many details about me, with him. I mean, I was going to surprise him and all," Kitty says.

Crimson Dynamo has posed:
    "Complicated, yes. I will not betray a secret which is not my own, no concerns there."Slowly she rolls onto her boots, pausing to grab her coat. "I am going to get dinner, would you like me to pick you up something? Russian combat rations are, not terribly appealing this many days in row."Theres a pause there as she sources her pistol and a roll of cash ever so casually.

    "You do not need so many to do so much, you have me now after all. I protected Moscow by myself for many years from all who came, great and small. This man Trask, and his machines? They are of little consequence to me, Once I begin my work again I will make quite the dent."And a tired little smile as she starts towards the exit. "Have faith, the Dynamo is here with you now. The protector of the prolitariat shall never yield to evil men, for them there is no land beyond wherever I stand."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde smiles gently towards Galina and says, "I'm glad that you're here. Just please e careful. Especially while you're still healing." Kitty's eyes glance over her wounds. "I'm good. I will hopefully have the new software installed by the time you're back, and then we can start doing some tests," Kitty says.

She gives Galina a wave and another of those soft smiles. Once the woman is gone she settles back into typing. "Never quite know what is going to happen anymore," she comments to herself. In the Bat cave, ok, not the Bat cave but close enough, talking to the Crimson Dynamo about how to fight mutant-hunting robots.

She sighs. Should have asked Galina to bring back some cereal.