8613/Founder's Meeting

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Founder's Meeting
Date of Scene: 01 August 2019
Location: Oracle's lair, The Clocktower, Gotham
Synopsis: The original three sit down over ramen to compare notes. Verdict? Things are getting a bit hairy out there. Some plans are put in place for next step directions, including finding someone who can deal with vampires, and sending Skye out to be a diplomat. No boys allowed! Them's the club house rules.
Cast of Characters: Oracle, Quake, Shadow




Oracle has posed:
Babs is just coming off a rather successful Op and is feeling pretty good about herself, all things considered. Huntress was amiable to work with, Cindy was in a safehouse, she'd gone back to watching comm traffic on her monitors with a lollipop turning slowly between her lips. The redhead has her hair pulled up into a messy bun on the top of her head, a headset in place, sunk WAY down in her chair with bunny slipper covered feet crossed on the corner of her computer desk. She's wearing pajamas and a Ask me about my feminist agenda t-shirt.

Quake has posed:
Skye.. actually had some free time on her hands that wasn't being eaten up by personal matters, medical tests, Sentinel business, or Arnim Zola. It was weird. But hey, after you dropped a mountain on someone they tended not to be a pain in your ass anymore. Which left the girl with not only free time on her hands (she'd actually requested time off - fat lot of good that had done, thank-you Sebastian. Not.) but scads of things to bring her fellow Birds up to date on. And since she wasn't required anywhere else for at least a couple of hours, for once she was going to do it in person rather than by digital means.

It was a deliciously extravagant feeling to be letting herself into the Clocktower and using her fob to take the elevator up to the upper floor where Babs lived.

And, because she's Skye and May has taught her well, she's come bearing gifts of Ramen from her favourite ramen joint. Chef's specials, even. He likes Skye.

"Hey, anyone alive and kicking? Thought I'd, you know, show my face for a change."

Shadow has posed:
    One less drug den in the Bronx; a promising lead on the smuggling operation that supplied it; a half-dozen operators out of business and three times that many dealers cut off from their supply line, meaning they'll have to look for a new supplier -- and since they don't Know that the Shadow already Knows who they are, they won't cover their trails nearly as well as they should, and when they find a new supplier, they'll lead her straight to them.

    All in all, an evening well spent, Natasha muses as she reclines in the back of Benny's cab, her scarf and hat on the seat next to her. But it's not over yet, and she really should make sure the Birds are kept up to date. "Gotham, Benny. The Clocktower."

    Benny nods and turns the wheel, pulling into the next on-ramp with practiced ease. "Traffic's pretty light tonight, Boss. Should be there in ten minutes, tops."

Oracle has posed:
Babs is kicked back, hands laid on her stomach, watching all the various camera feeds and drones she's got flying about the city. A half dozen patrols, information trails scrolling code text in a little pop-up, and various schematics for package sends to agents.. Not to mention the dozen or so safehouses where they've put up P.I.s means those monitors are a plethora of a hundred things that SHOULD take all of her concentration, but most of it runs on auto-pilot by now. There are keyphrases programmed into search patterns to alert her if her attention is absolutely required to take a more active, hands on, involvement.

She's just glad for the relaxation.

A proximity alarm clicks a red indicator on one of her screens and Babs leans over with a grunt to tap the display open with a hand holding a lolli, her pinky stabbing at the button to see Skye ascending up by elevator. "Ooooo... nice." And another from Shadow, tugging her headset up into place and pushing the button on the side, the disembodied, androgynous voice of Oracle replies to Nat as she makes her way towards the Clocktower, "We have a visitor. Looks like she has brought dinner, hope you brought your hunger. See you in ten. Oracle out."

The lollipop slides back into her mouth as her feet drop off the corner, already making her way towards the door before Skye has even had a chance to get comfortable, literally leaping over obstacles with a dancers grace, "Gimme gimme." Grabby hands at the take-aways.

Quake has posed:
Skye laughs as the elevator door slides noiselessly shut behind her. "I should have figured you already knew I was on my way up. And I have no clue what we have tonight. I let the chef make whatever and I enjoy the fuck out of it." She's not even sure if it's three separate meals, or three of the same. She hadn't peeked yet.

The bags are handed over, "One each. At least I presumed Shadow is joining us?" By now Babs should know Skye and Natasha had had their meeting of minds and bared all secrets, so for once, this little gathering wans't going to be cloak and dagger. They'd come a long way since the group's inception.

Shadow has posed:
    "Late night munchies are an occupational hazard in our line of work," Natasha replies to Oracle's comm. "Anyone I know?"

    A casual question, but like almost anything where the Shadow is involved, a layered one -- The Shadow Knows, after all; what she's asking is whether the visitor knows /her/.

    "I'll be there in a few minutes. Shadow out." she finishes as Benny pulls into the street.

Oracle has posed:
"You know it, I've got this place wired for bear. Aint nobody shooting this beautiful spine.. no ma'am. Not without a House on Haunted Hill level spook fest trying to get to my ass.. hard pass." Babs says with a shit eating grin as she takes those bags off Skye and starts for the kitchen by way of stepping onto her couch and over the back effortlessly on task to get the take-away properly put into some deep-bowls.

"Yeah, Shadow's ten out.. She was a busy little beaver tonight." Said from the echo of the side room, accompanied by the sounds of bowls and drawers opening are heard. The head set is brought back up, listening to the received message, "Our sister from another mister." Babs says into the receiver, coming back into the living room holding a bowl in one hand and balancing two in the other.

The roman noodles are arranged to the egg is on top rather than mixed in, ya never mess up another woman's egg, that's just not cricket. "Haaaaaalp.. this is hot..." Wiggling a bowl in Skye's direction, "Ooooo shit, this was poorly thought out.."

"Roman noodles. Bring your appetite. It smells divine." Skye hear's the regular ol Babsies voice, transceiver button pushed with her shoulder, "How you been, babe? Haven't seen you in forever..."

Quake has posed:
"Heh," Skye laughs. "I liked Silent Hill better, but I know what you mean. Speaking of, have you been shot at recently?"

"Figures she's been busy. I've had a few runins lately, but I can save it till we're all together. And ooo fancy. You know I'd just eat it out of the takeout container at home, right?" Even if May would make them plate the stuff. Most of the time. Sometimes May let them be heathens.

She's quick to grab up one of the dishes and set it down so that she can get the third and save Babs from peril.

"How have I been. Wow, that's a loaded question. How far back are we actually catching up on? I know you've been reading the reports, but they don't really cover it, do they?"

She holds up her arms, "New gauntlets. And I'm finally cleared from the last time I wrecked myself. They threatened me this time with no bone growth accelerators. Seems everyone gets upset when you shatter your arms." She says it all casual like, even though it hadn't been all that casual at all.

Shadow has posed:
    "I would think you of all people would be much less phlegmatic about an injury that renders you unable to work with your hands," Natasha points out as the elevator cage opens to let her out, her hat under one arm while her scarf is comfortably wrapped around her neck rather than concealing her face.

    "And Oracle is right, those /do/ smell divine..."

Oracle has posed:
"Lately?" Babs' chin tucks down until she's created a makeshift double of it from the very nonexistance fat content of her neck, "No... getting shot at isn't my bag anymore." Thumbing, well... head tilting at her computers, "I stay inside where the rain don't bother my hair.. it frizzs... crazy mess.. I'm serious, this is not a-" One plate, "Danke." two plates taken "Double Danke".. "... lost my train of thought." She didn't, Babs doesn't forget anything, but it was a train headed nowhere.

"Sec, grab some chopsticks." She murmurs, heading back with a quick shuffle of feet towards the kitchen to grab up three pair of simple black plastic chopsticks and miso spoons, "For yooou." Setting out the other two pairs infront of her bowl and Nats. "Might as well cover the bullet points." She says in response, stepping up into the couch and dropping down into a lotus position with a pillow laid in her lap upon which she can balance her bowl.

"I know about the sentinels, but everyone knows about the sentinels... Uhh Hook, I've heard about.. I think I have a line on a sample too.. which I'll send along once I've got a full analysis for you." Chopsticks working expertly to twirl up some noodles and blows upon them so as not to scold her lips. The other hand adjusts her nerdy ass pink glass.

"Those are spiffy.." Flicking her hand towards herself in as if requesting to get a closer look, leaning towards Skye in the process, "Sonic dampeners? Good not to shatter your arms, I guess, but does it screw with the shockwave?"

Glancing up then at the silent doors sliding closed to see Natasha strolling in, a grin and a wink directed her way, "Hey boo." Sucking noodles from off her chopsticks like she weren't half raised in Bruce Wayne's manor.

Quake has posed:
"Wuss," Skye teases Barbara. "Get yourself some fancy alien computer tech and suddenly you're too good for being shot at." There's a laugh that goes with that. "Don't worry, I'm picking up that slack. Though, let me tell you, it wasn't on purpose."

And then, right on cue, Natasha arrives.

"Sure, sure, everyone is a critic," Skye complains at her. Then, "Oh, chopsticks. Hey, nab me some too. I'm actually able to do that again. Oh my god I was getting so tired of the restrictions. Like shoot me now if that ever happens again."

It will. Knowing Skye it not only will, it won't even be before this time is out of memory.

"You might know about the Sentinels, but I've been talking to Sebastian. So there's that. And let's see, you know about the mountain on top of Zola. Thanks for the backup on that, by the way. Not sure what happened with the Justices being paid off with those funky coins - afraid Zola and the Sentinels ate my brain."

She looks at her wrists and then back to the others. "Yeah. If I understand it right, that's what they are. Specifically tailored to me so I can focus enough.. well, power isn't the word, but you know, to be able to direct the vibrational waves I'm acting on. Lots of gobblygoop science that comes down to if I leave mountains alone my wrists don't shatter."

Natasha gets a sheepish shrug. "I know. But what else can I do?" Sometimes figuring out you had a hell of a lot of power you never expected you'd have meant you brushed it off like it meant nothing so that maybe you didn't scare yourself from time to time with thinking about it.

Shadow has posed:
    "It's not just judges. And it isn't just coins," Natasha replies as she settles in with her own bowl, somehow managing to make a vigilante in a greatcoat sitting down for noodles look perfectly normal. "We aren't the only ones working on this; a certain group that bases out of Hell's Kitchen has been doing a lot of good as well -- but from what they've found it looks like the Foot has convinced almost every gang and organized crime family to accept their leadership."

    "I /think/ Hook wasn't part of their original plan, but they were quick to capitalize on it when it showed up. The MD12 massacre was almost certainly the Foot's work -- an example of what happens to anyone who defies their rule."

    She frowns. "This has all the hallmarks of being about to escalate /rapidly/ and I'm not sure at this point whether we /can/ derail it before it gets to the point where some terrified city official decides to declare Martial Law..."

    She sighs. "At the same time, I've received a... Warning, is probably the best way to put it, from an enforcer for a group of vampire clans. She wasn't very forthcoming on the details, but apparently while a majority of the clans prefer to stay under the radar and cause a minimum of fuss while they feed on us mere mortals," Her tone goes entirely flat for a moment, demonstrating her feelings on the matter. "... But a different faction is actively looking for mystical artifacts that will empower them somehow, possibly presaging a disaster of biblical proportions."

    "I'm keeping tabs on most transportation of 'antiques' or 'archaeological finds' via CMS, but I have my limits..."

Oracle has posed:
"Wuss.." Babs snorts into a miso spoon of broth, "Try being cripple for a few years and see how you feel about getting shot at." Technology has reversed it, but scars don't heal like that. "I'm not afraid to get back out there anymore, but there's enough agents and vigilantes in Gotham that I certainly don't need to... and so I see no point in needlessly risking this oh so very pretty ass doing dumb shit that some other dumb shit can do just as well, if not better."

PRAGMATIC

Slurp.

"Sebatian? What the hell is a Sebatian? I swear to God if you say a sentinent sentinel, I'm quitting science fiction forever..." That is such a lie. There's no way she's ever quiting science fiction. Just a silly notion to suggest, really. She should be ashamed of herself.

"Oh shit..." Babs sucks juice from her pinky and plops her bowl down on the table so she can hop over the back of the couch like a gymnist rather than a shut-in computer hacker. Can take the woman out of the Batgirl, but not the Batgirl out of the woman or something. "I found a meta-human tonight.. new one I mean." She pushes her glasses up, bending over her computer keys to type up the file she's codenamed: Stickyfingers. "Caught her stealing food tonight. She's fast as hell .. leaping up the sides of business like the other spider people in New York. Got her holed up in one of our safehouses waiting for a debrief with Natasha." Juking her head back. She's blanked out the name, but Cindy Moon's face from an areal drown is visible on the screen, coming back to the couch after checking a few traffic lines, and letting her headset hang back around her neck.

At the couch she steps back over and replaces pillow and bowl.

Babs is sucking up noodles, head bowed forward, nodding along with Natasha's assessment of their current situation while gobbling away at the roman with a ruthlessness that borders on assault. Seriously, someone get this bowl a social worker. Maybe get her a bib.

Tongue drawing across the inside of her lip at the front of her bottom row of teeth, "Did you say vampires? Like... real vampires?" Why isn't she even surprised? "God damn, man.. remember when things were simple? Weirdos in clown makeup or.. like.. a dude who throws gas filled woopie cushions?" She rolls her eyes and brush hair behind her ear, "Fucking escalation..." She gobbles down her half an egg, "We need to try and get ahead of this Hook business. As soon as Martial Law is called, the government will use it as an excuse to roll in Sentinels and I don't think anyone wants or needs that shit."

Quake has posed:
"No thanks," Skye says of being a cripple. "It was bad enough being on hand rest for the better part of a month and then on restricted use for even longer."

Natasha gets a *look*. "Fine. You're right. I need to be more careful. But in my defence I didn't meant to do that much damage to myself. things just got away from me.

"Sebastian?" Skye pauses. "Oh, see? That I thought you knew. He's a.. well, Sentinel. Only, right, so just us, right? Because May would kill me, but yeah. He seems to be able to control the others. Turns out when you shove your head up Zola's ass for months on end you miss out on everything. I thought they were his Sentinels. Nope. And man was he pissed when I suggested that. Long story short, he's not happy with Trask, but I don't know how this is going to play out. He wants to stop the Sentinels, but I think it might be a race to see who seduces him first."

She sighs, stirring her chopsticks in her ramen in a very disrespectful fashion. "Everyone wants to shut him down. It's getting really complicated. And if we lose control of him we're fucked, but if we shut him down we may be fucked. My gut says we keep faith and let it play out, showing him we believe in him, but if I'm wrong.." That thought just drifts off.

"And wait, so, we're talking the Defenders, right? The Hell's Kitchen group? Because they're who came to us with the first coin we had in our grasp. We set up a sting operation with them, and then the shit hit the fan with Zola who was ass deep in our systems. That was not fun." Everyone knew that wasn't fun. It was why her home had been turned into a technological circus.

"Meta human? Did you need any help from my quarter on that? Turns out I know a thing or two about surprise powers. And yeah, vampires? Seriously? Man, I've been out of touch. So, what do we need from SHIELD in this? You know we can divert the resources."

Shadow has posed:
    "Vampires," Natasha nods. "Werewolves as well; although I think she referred to them as 'Lycans' for some reason."

    She sighs. "To be honest, I'd just as soon hand that case over to someone with a bit more expertise in the supernatural. It's a bit outside the Birds' general skill set..."

    At Barbara's comments she raises an eyebrow. "Another Spider? They seem to be proliferating lately. I've run into at least two of them while investigating the Foot..."

    She studies the image for a moment. "That isn't either of them, so that makes three. I take it she'd prefer a friendly debrief? I'll gladly help, but my alter ego isn't what you'd call sociable or reassuring... Perhaps you'd care to fill us in on the story while we eat?"

Oracle has posed:
"Yeah." Babs says around a noodle in her lips held aloft by the light clamp of her teeth. The chopstick up near them just to control the slurping motion that sees it disappear into her mouth and spray juice all across her like a heathen who's never seen a napkin in her life. But she has seen one and she is using one, right now infact, to wipe at her face with a chortling apologetic grin.

"I think I know someone that would be better suited to vampires and werewolves... we'll figure that crap out later.. I'm not equipped for it." She confesses her own supernatural shortcomings readily and honestly. Who wants to be vamp-food?

Not this redhead, nope.

"Okay, well.. I spotted her flinging webs from her fingertips.. so I sent an all-call. Huntress was in the area so I sent her a resource package and let her on pursuit.." Her head jerks back at the photo on the screen, "She's pretty well trained, but she looks rough around the edges. I don't think she's comfortable yet, and I know she's not from Gotham... definitely got some trust issues too." Another noodle packed away in her mouth, this time with a slight bit more class.

Only slight.

"I'd like to do a full debrief on her. She'd be insanely useful if we could get her onboard with us, but if not... she definitely seems to be running from someone. Only facial recognition I could get was from a ten year old High School photo. Then her trail literally just disappears into thin air. So, I'm thinking I might work her up something else to work under, get her set up with some cash, if she amiable."

Babs always did have a soft spot for the orphans.

Quake has posed:
"I can see what SHIELD can dredge up, but it's not likely to be more than you have already if she's been off radar." If the girl had been more on radar they wouldn't be working from such a small pool of information.

As for vampires...

"There's WAND you could throw the undead at, but if you have a better source I'm not going to argue."

Shadow has posed:
    "So either hiding, or being hidden," Natasha muses. "My first questions would be 'By who?', 'From who?'... And 'Why come out now?'. I suspect the answers are related, and that especially the latter is going to turn out to be acutely important..."

    She takes a moment to consider. "If she's skittish, the Shadow might not be the best person to make contact. A... Friendlier face... Might make her feel more at ease. And while I can /present/ one, most Spiders I've encountered tend to have a sense for deception. She'd likely take it poorly, especially if she already has trust issues..."

Oracle has posed:
"Yeah, maybe.. but I don't know if it's skittish or just..." Babs considers what Natasha's said and motions at her friend with the end of her chopsticks, "You might be right, but who do we have that can play diplomatic relations with some virtual unknown." Virtual figuratively and literally, actually. "Spoiler?" She wonders around a spoonful of broth up against her lips, glancing back and forth between Skye and Nat. "I'd go, but.. no.. and I doubt a green face on a computer screen is exactly the easy road to putting someone at ease either."

The bowl, mostly empty save scraps of noodles and broth, is set down on the table and the pillow fluffed so she can lay it back behind her head and drap her legs off the back of the couch near to Skye. "How about you, babe? You want to do some diplomacy work for us?" Grinning over at Skye from behind a short curtain of red hair, turning eyes to Nat.. nodding upwards, "I'm curious about that myself, but I don't know if it's hiding so much as running from? She referred to them as jerkface... so.." Both hands up in a shrug.

"Sounds like your typical y crhomo bullshit to me, but I'm bias."

Quake has posed:
"Hey, I offered already. I totally can be a friendly face." And Skye really was a heart on her sleeve kinda gal. She might not tell you everything, but she didn't make a habit of lying, or being deceptive. If their little friend had a spidey sense about such things she wouldn't get terribly far with Skye.

"I"m up for it. Shoot me the deets and I can make it happen."

Shadow has posed:
    "That might be better," Natasha agrees, giving Skye a smile. "You're sincere when you want to be and naturally good with people -- not to mention closer to her age than either of us. She's much more likely to open up to someone whose face she can see... And once she's told you who she's hiding from and why, we can work out how we can help."

Oracle has posed:
"IF she tells us.. I don't want to scare this one, Skye." Babs says from her position laying back on the couch. She lifts her headset back into place for a second with a glance over at the monitor... "mmm.. shots fired with GCPD in the bowery.." Turning over a little to face Natasha, "You want this one or should I route it over to the Knights? I know you've had a busy not..." Always working, always on call. That's Oracle.

Not so much so as to lose her train of thought though. She looks back to Skye, "I'll send over the information dump to you before you leave. She's timid and flighty, so... I mean you know what're doing. Just don't be surprised if she's a little snippity. I thought Huntress was going to gut her."

Quake has posed:
Skye gives a crooked little smile. "Right. Don't scare the new girl. Make nice over get the secrets." Even if people generally found themselves wanting to tell her their secrets.

Her chopsticks are set down and she slurps up the broth in her bowl - almost all that's remaining of her meal.

"Anything I need to take back to the shop? I think you already have all the news from our end. Amd I'll check out the info dump on the girl when I get home. I think my bed is calling me."

Shadow has posed:
    "Nothing they likely don't already know," Natasha replies. "Just that among the Agents in my network are three separate low-level practicing mages making a living selling minor charms and telling fortunes to the hopeful and gullible... And all three of them contacted me to inform me they're taking a vacation /far/ away from the Tri-state area, effective immediately, for indefinite duration."

    She frowns. "None of them could give me any details, just that they badly want to be elsewhere for a while..."

Oracle has posed:
Babs brings her hands up to link behind her head, nudging a toe in Skye's side playfully, "It was good seeing you." Since she's made it clear she's about to take off, it's a bunny slipper toed, Barbara Gordon goodbye, "I'll seend the information packet over in a few minutes so you've got some light reading for your trip home."

She looks back over at Nat with a smirk, "Do we have anyone who dabbles in the arcane? We really should... kind of becoming a big deal recently, seems."

Quake has posed:
"I'll be looking for it," Skye confirms, and nods to both as she takes her leave. "Nice seeing you both, and hey, someone else picks up the lunch tab next time."

Shadow has posed:
    "I'm not so tired I can't check in on that," Natasha replies, rising and picking her hat back up. "I'll head over; forward me the pertinent details while I'm enroute," the Shadow finishes as she settles her scarf back into position before turning toward the elevator.

Oracle has posed:
Babs pops up from the couch and flings herself over the back on her way towards the super computer that is Oracle, "Alright, I'll get you details enroute." She waves her fingers in little curls at Skye, "Seeya around babe." Plopping into her chair and spinning to face the screen with the jerk of her wrist. The headset is pulled back up and city planning layout is brought up for that section of the Bowery. "Good evening Officer Daniels. I have assistance on the way. Instruct your men that they should concentrate fire on the southwest section of the street and my agent will reenforce you.. no reason to look around, officer. I am everywhere. I am Oracle."

This part of the job never gets old.