9163/Invited to N.O.W.H.E.R.E.

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Invited to N.O.W.H.E.R.E.
Date of Scene: 18 December 2021
Location: Colony Zero, N.O.W.H.E.R.E.
Synopsis: Laura and Phoebe meet N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s leader, Dr. Harvest. They also attempt to stab and burn him. He only wanted to talk!
Cast of Characters: Conner Kent, Phoebe Beacon, Laura Kinney




Conner Kent has posed:
After the chat with Omen and Match, the Outsiders have been left mostly alone. A couple of quiet cyborg soldiers and a nervous and babbling technician lead them to their cells, well, guest suit/prison. They have a common room and four bedrooms connected to it. They have to share the two bathrooms. All is very clean and futuristic. The beds seem comfortable; there are desks and a build-in wardrobe. But they are empty. Or are they?

Chances are they are being watched, and that the outfits they are wearing are also used to track them. But it is probably not the worst prison they have been. Unless this is the first time they are in a prison.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's recent confinement has ever been behind wards and magic, for her own safety, to hide and preserve. This was something new, and it was obvious she was uncomfortable with it. Every part of her body language announced it, broadcasting it. Might as well have been shouting it. She scratches at the white circle about her wrist, aura still active, lending its warmth and comfort feelings to a room where she wasn't feeling it.

    Her dark eyes look over to Laura, and she lets her right hand give a twitch. Not one of her normal tics, and then she goes to poke around the room.

    "Worst. Summercamp. Ever."

Laura Kinney has posed:
It doesn't take long after the Outsiders are shown into the room before Laura is prowling around. Her head scanning left and right while she sniffs the air. Trying to work out what monitoring equipment might be installed. Trying to pick out the glint of a camera lense or the telltale humming sound that electronics make as the wires vibrate.

Compared with her own experiences with captivity... Well this place may as well be a palace. The walls aren't made of glass and the cell contains furniture of any kind.

"I've escaped from worse prisons before." A shrug. "And it seems N.O.W.H.E.R.E are far more arrogant than we ever imagined. Keeping us all together like this is almost.. insulting."

Conner Kent has posed:
They have a table (made of glass, probably) and four chairs (made of wood? No, it is some kind of plastic). Tim and Nadia are probably exploring (and maybe dissembling) their rooms. It takes a minute to find a fridge cleverly hidden behind a sliding panel, but it is empty. There is something that might be a microwave oven. Maybe they will get food soon.

Unfortunately there are not air ducts or maintenance corridors for easy escape. Or maybe they are there, but can't be found in a cursory glance.

Humming? That is everywhere. Also, a badly concealed camera near a corner.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Unless one of us is a plant." Phoebe mutters crossly. She rubs the back of her neck a moment and then looks about. She closes her eyes, and brings her left and right hands up, whispering spellwork and trying to divine the same thing Laura was sniffing and using her hearing for. Divination isn't her cup of tea, though, and she wrinkles her nose in dissatisfaction. Laura probably already caught the camera.

    "At least we have a place to keep things cool. I'd still rather like my personal effects back." she mutters crossly.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney does indeed seem to have found the camera. She pops a claw with a snikt and jabs it into the corner camera. It'll give team science another thing to look at. Plus it'll be interesting seeing how they react to the camera being destroyed.

Will it be considered an act of defiance? A test to see how competant they are? Or was that just a decoy to be discovered in the hope it'll make the Outsiders carelessly leave the real monitoring devices alone?

"You all smell fine," she notes. "But you'd have no way of knowing if I was compromised. Nor can we rule out mental control." She is watching for it though. Out of place body language. Unusual speech patterns.

Conner Kent has posed:
The door outside opens, "would it help at getting you to listen?" A tall, slender man (?) steps inside. The doors to the bedrooms slid close silently.

The man is wearing a dark grey armor, lines of white and red on the chest and legs make it look like a more protective version of the Tron outfits they are wearing, he hides most of his head under a blue hood, what little can be seen of his face under the hood and the helmet, seems to be badly scarred, maybe burnt.

And he has wings, blue wings, right now folded like a cloak arond his shoulders.

"Good evening, I am Harvest, your host," he says. His voice sounds human, although the accent is a bit strange.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Our captor." Phoebe corrects, dropping her hands as she turns to regard Harvest. She balls her fists a moment, looking him up and down critically. Eyeballing the Tron outfit that he's wearing. Her dark eyes narrow, and she crosses her arms, closing herself off slightly as she regards the winged person who's now invaded their space. Her eyes dart to Laura, and then back to the helmeted Harvest.

    "And probably not." she answers his question.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"If I was to abandon my team there would be nothing holding me back from killing you," Laura points out matter-of-factly. Turning to focus her enhanced senses on Harvest. Trace scents, clues about his mood based on pheromones, heart rate and other biological tells.

She tilts her head slightly at Balm. Trying to decide if the two of them could take Harvet out now in a sudden attack.

Her muscles tense slightly.

Conner Kent has posed:
"Lets wait then for a special occasion, then," says Harvest to Phoebe, then he studies Laura for a few instants, before chuckling. "I wouldn't be here if you had any chance to harm me." He is strangely devoid of any human scent. Either his armor is sealed or he has some ability to disguise his scent. Laura can hear the armor shifting, articulations moving to adapt to his movement. The wings are not organic, despite the appearance, of that she can be pretty sure.

Harvest moves a few steps closer to the busted camera. "Teenagers usually think they are much more interesting than they really are, but I suppose giving you an obvious target was necessary," he turns to the girls, "now you will spend several hours looking for the inexistent backups of that camera. I expect Red Robin is already doing it in his room."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Or he's already made sure there's none." Phoebe replies. Her faith in Red is definitely high, she betrays her attachment to him as she looks towards one of the other bedroom doors, and then she looks to Laura. If they had another, maybe they could take him, but she's still testing things out. She stretches her right hand a moment, then curls her fingers, as if she were going to hide something dropped into her palm. Not that there'd be anything physical, but kids and their odd powers.

    "I'm excedingly uninteresting. I can see why you'd nab Robin, and my friend here. After all, they'd be the ones who can give the little cuckoo a run for his money. I just have a few tricks of light."

    Keep him talking. Phoebe's fingers curl.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney prowls around the edge of the room. Circling Harvest like she's a hungry lioness sizing up a particularly brazen gazel.

"I trust you see the irony in that? Claiming we believe we're more interesting than we are when you've come to attempt the stereotypical supervillain speech." Her shoulders roll into another shrug, or is she warming up for a strike? "Besides I don't really care if you monitor us. It won't make a difference in the long run." Her mouth shifts a fraction. Almost into a smile. "Even your own precog doesn't think trying to capture us was a good idea."

Conner Kent has posed:
"What you are is more interesting than what you do, Balm," admits Harvest. "Inheritor to an ancient lineage. There are few of you in these days in which science is decisively replacing magic."

He looks at Laura, "and mutants and metahumans greatly outnumbering the supernatural." Then he nods, "Omen is cautious, but the alternative was wasteful. I think you have great potential, and present only a small danger. I am curious what you will do to escape the next few days. I have rarely brought here younglings as well trained as you are."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... yeah, there aren't many of mine in recent days." she states dryly, and carefully as she looks at Harvest. Balm also circles around. "No, seems like you like to bring in the untrained and throw them at some challenges and see what sticks." the mage says, taking a step back from Harvest.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura waitings for the best moment to try and strike. Giving Balm time to move around and looking for the optimal moment where Harvest is focused on Phoebe. So she can spring forward and snikt him.

It's a calculated risk. He seems more intent on recruitment than killing them. Confident he's immune to harm. Which means he's either stupid, arrogant or has something up his sleeve. So in theory a failed attack now... Well it's as good a time as any.

Especially while Harvest is convinced they're just engaging in misguised teenage rebellion.

Conner Kent has posed:
Harvest shakes his head, "I bring here all kinds of super-humans, for many reasons. But my goal is to save the world from the wars that are coming and destroyed mine." He raises a hand, and with a flash of light, there is a staff on it.

"Don't," he warns Laura. "I purchased the Facility's dossiers on you, lass. Yes, I am afraid they are still earning money thanks to you. I know what you can do, and I know how you think. Adamantium blades will barely scratch my armor. You are not strong enough to cause any damage."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Laura's got his attention now. Phoebe's eyes narrow a moment and she draws her hand, palm-up, and hisses a breath of a Spell, begging of a lion-headed goddess of war to give her flame in the tongue of Khemet and tries to set Harvest aflame -- provided she can get the spell out. Takes a hot minute to cast without her fireball gloves!

    And she hadn't had time to prepare a circle, otherwise you bet your bippy she would have tried to capture Harvest in something!

Laura Kinney has posed:
Harvet might have tough armour. He might be physically strong. And he's certainly better informed than X-23 was expecting, if perhaps a little out of date. But every suit of armour has a weak point. The joints. The faceplate. Vents to allow air & heat in and out. And Laura is an expert at picking those points out.

So when Balm opens up with her magic Laura darts forward. Even though her target is expecting an attack there's still value in the attempt. In her mind at least. How he responds will tell them more about his abilities than speculation alone.

Besides if anyone has to get hurt testing a theory it's best it's her.

Conner Kent has posed:
Harvest stance changes subtly. From relaxed to martial in a second, hinting perhaps he was military at some point. "Impatient," he comments, meeting Laura's attack by raising his left arm, the adamantium blades meeting the metal of his armor with a clank. Some sparks flare up, but as he said, the armor is only faintly scratched.

That is some very tough metal; even the best steel would have been insufficient to protect Harvest arm.

Then he spins his staff, even if Laura dodges, there is something around it, a gravity wave, that drags Laura and tosses her to the other side of the room. Hard enough to break bones, but the smartsuit absorbs most of the blow.

Then Phoebe sets him on fire. "Really, Miss Beacon," he mutters. The room lights go red, and a drizzle of foam falls over the villain and the nearby furniture. Harvest reaches for Phoebe's neck, his arm lightning-quick, but stops himself just before grabbing her.

"I merely came to talk. Perhaps Robin and the young Wasp will be less reckless than you two, hrm?" He steps back, the door sliding open behind him.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Fire alarm. That's useful information. Phoebe was ready to be grabbed -- perhaps she had another couple of tricks up her sleeve, her eyes narrowed a moment at Harvest, but she steps back and away from him as he steps back towards the door.

    she was already trying to form what she would need in her head.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney bounces off the wall with a crunch. If anything the suit protecting her against injury seems to shock the mutant assassin more than the gravity stave or the resilient armour. Harvest did after all make a very big show about how well protected he was.

In the confusion she makes what would seem like a dazed attempt to get to her feet. Stabbing her claws into the wall for support. Playing up how badly hurt she is as an excuse to test how tough the walls of their prison are. And if she can't do more than scratch that either? Well it's another set of samples for Nadia & Tim to take a look at. Perhaps they'll be able to figure out what Harvests suit is made of?

"You know you'll have to take that suit off eventually," she informs. Her voice low and yet the sense of menace still somehow carries over the fire alarm. "Sleepsoundly while you can.."

Conner Kent has posed:
Harvest chuckles from the door. "Alas no, I can't take off the suit, Miss Kinney," he informs her. For free. On the other hand the claws went a few inches into the wall. It might be a little harder than concrete, but hardly indestructible. "We'll see each other again soon. Get some rest, and try not to wreck your own living space."

He steps back; the door closes with a metallic slam. There were cybernetic guards outside, Laura can smell them.