Children of the Flower (IC)

[Denny2669]

On 2019-09-02 at 6:44 PM, DaMadReaper said:

"Before I dismiss the meeting and allow my dearest Aurum to guide you all to the feast, are there any questions you'd like answered? Concerns my speech did not address?"

Andrea listened, more than she would usually expect her to. The Gauss' overly long sentence structure was nothing compared to that long a$$ speech. Typically she'd nod off already.

But something kept her listening. Some sort of... curiosity? It was odd. For some reason she wanted to know more, not because it's interesting though. It just felt... familiar.

He used to preach about such things, didn't he?

This whole thing seemed like a waste of time to her. The Lotus ditched them, she couldn't care less. She didn't fight for the good of the system, it was her own gain she worked for now, credits and resources alike. Only thing her strength could give her. Such dedication to a properly organized cause whose main goal wasn't profit completely went against all she stands for.

And yet, she's listening, all the way till the end. Why is she here again? To confirm whether this is a clownshow. Her suspicions have been confirmed, and now she wants to join for whatever reason. She raises her hand, thinking she might be going crazy.

"If we sign up, we can bail any time, no strings attached, right? If so... count me in."

[ShrimpOverlord]

Spoiler

10 hours ago, ImagoX said:

The Imago steps forward. The bone white Umbra gleams in the mellow light of the relay, catching from the tarnished silver of its edging. 

"Yes, I want to know something," he says, using Umbra's seldom-used voc box, turning up the volume to send his voice to the corners of the assembly hall. "I agree wholeheartedly that an army needs a general. Someone with a strategic mind, and the resources to guide it. The Lotus was our general for many years. Guided us into battles that she said needed to be fought, against enemies she said threatened the peace. That threatened the planets of the origin system, and the countless lives of its people.

"But now, the Lotus is gone,"  he continues, turning now to address the assembled beings ringing the stage. "Left us to go back to her... people. Abandoned us when we needed her the most, to rejoin—"

The Imago stops as his voice momentarily breaks. He shakes his head, seems to gather himself for a moment, then straightens his shoulders. There is a shimmer along the Umbra's chest. The flash of voidlight, the glow of a higher, parallel dimension as The Imago emerges from the shelter of his Warframe. He is tall for an Operator, almost six feet, with wide shoulders and long, well-muscled limbs. His interface suit, ancient, battered, still bearing the almost illegible sigils of the Zarimon Ten-Zero, is black as the inside of a mine, trimmed with the same tarnished silver that adorns his Frame. The vac suit's hood is closed tight, silvered goggles allowing none to see inside. Not showing a square inch of skin. Of vulnerable flesh.

The Operator strides forward, and the Umbra, remarkably, follows behind, stalking at his heel like a bodyguard. Its masked face swivels, animated by some internal intelligence, taking in every corner of the room. Assessing each of the assembled.

Taking their measure.

The Imago walks to their host's side, and peers into his face. His goggled eyes are inscrutable, unknowable. When he speaks again, his voice is flat, free of all emotion. Calculating. Hard, and sharp, as the edge of a blade. Cold as the vacuum between stars.

"My question is this, 'general': why do you think you can lead us?" he asks, gesturing back towards the assembled host. "And why should we follow?"

With that, The Imago crosses his slender arms, head cocked, waiting, as the Umbra stands at his back, poised.  

 

 

Dov looked at the newly revealed Tenno with his brow raised. That guy clearly thought very highly of himself, and was either very brave, or very stupid. 
Probably the latter. the symbiote thought to himself with a chuckle, then turned his gaze back to the speech giver.

That sure was... a lot of words. The dazzling speech was clearly carefully chosen, woven into an intricate mesh of words in order to show intelligence and status. And that... didn't really impress Dov as much as Argent's first act.
Everyone knew the current situation in the system. Everyone knew Tenno were being slaughtered like cattle. The entire speech could probably be condensed into a few simple sentences. Every fool with a thesaurus can write such a speech, given enough time.

But on the other hand... it was a pretty solid speech. No need to think about it too much. 
 

[ImagoX]

1 hour ago, ShrimpOverlord said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Dov looked at the newly revealed Tenno with his brow raised. That guy clearly thought very highly of himself, and was either very brave, or very stupid. 
Probably the latter. the symbiote thought to himself with a chuckle, then turned his gaze back to the speech giver.

That sure was... a lot of words. The dazzling speech was clearly carefully chosen, woven into an intricate mesh of words in order to show intelligence and status. And that... didn't really impress Dov as much as Argent's first act.
Everyone knew the current situation in the system. Everyone knew Tenno were being slaughtered like cattle. The entire speech could probably be condensed into a few simple sentences. Every fool with a thesaurus can write such a speech, given enough time.

But on the other hand... it was a pretty solid speech. No need to think about it too much. 
 

The Imago feels the pressure of unseen eyes and turns to the assembled host. A bizarre, green and white-striped Warframe eyes him, before looking quickly away.

Well, he thinks. He must be a very good fighter to avoid death for even a single mission, wearing that targeting pattern on his chest. I suppose skill can win out over basic good sense. For a while anyway.

Still... if I find myself assigned to a squad with that harlequin, I must remember to put him out in front.

Edited September 3, 2019 by ImagoX

[MetroFallout]

20 hours ago, Locky122 said:

 

Lucas did likewise - staying quiet during the speech, while mulling over his decision on joining this organisation for the time being.

As a whole, Lucas saw the Tenno as a double-edged sword in terms of the system's balance of power. They were defenders, yes, but unorganised; even volatile at times when things get overly messy with gray areas. A structured and organised entity working to bring this incredibly powerful group into a more uniform mass would work wonders to amplify their effect on the system as a whole. And for the most part, the human believed that these "Children of the Flower" were true to their word - wanting to use the Tenno to bring balance and perhaps peace to the sol system.

However, healthy skepticism was always there in the back of Lucas' mind - reminding him that it still had plenty of time to go t!ts-up if the wrong guy is in charge. And he was already making mental contingencies in case that indeed began to take hold.

After the speech, he turned to Zero, responding to his query.

"Yeah, could use a feed. I've got no questions either - guy just stated all that was on the package when i signed up. Still, I've got an inkling of skepticism about the true goals of this group. More than likely completely unrealistic paranoia, but I've been burnt before, so i'm still being a bit wary. But, as long as they stick true, i'm in. It'd be god for the Tenno to finally be an organised force again - god knows the system needs it with the corpus and Grineer walking all over it like a damn welcome rug..."

 

"I intend on being as big of a pain in the a$s as possible to the Corpus. I know just one man might not be much but believe me when I say that I will do my part." said Zero, his eyes narrowing when the Corpus was mentioned before relaxing for a moment. "Still, I don't feel that hungry. I might get something light to keep me going before conducting more tests with my Archwing project. The Children funded it for the sole purpose of having someone who can perform close air support and I need to make sure that I can perform that role as well as I can."

19 hours ago, ImagoX said:

The Imago steps forward. The bone white Umbra gleams in the mellow light of the relay, catching from the tarnished silver of its edging. 

"Yes, I want to know something," he says, using Umbra's seldom-used voc box, turning up the volume to send his voice to the corners of the assembly hall. "I agree wholeheartedly that an army needs a general. Someone with a strategic mind, and the resources to guide it. The Lotus was our general for many years. Guided us into battles that she said needed to be fought, against enemies she said threatened the peace. That threatened the planets of the origin system, and the countless lives of its people.

"But now, the Lotus is gone,"  he continues, turning now to address the assembled beings ringing the stage. "Left us to go back to her... people. Abandoned us when we needed her the most, to rejoin—"

The Imago stops as his voice momentarily breaks. He shakes his head, seems to gather himself for a moment, then straightens his shoulders. There is a shimmer along the Umbra's chest. The flash of voidlight, the glow of a higher, parallel dimension as The Imago emerges from the shelter of his Warframe. He is tall for an Operator, almost six feet, with wide shoulders and long, well-muscled limbs. His interface suit, ancient, battered, still bearing the almost illegible sigils of the Zarimon Ten-Zero, is black as the inside of a mine, trimmed with the same tarnished silver that adorns his Frame. The vac suit's hood is closed tight, silvered goggles allowing none to see inside. Not showing a square inch of skin. Of vulnerable flesh.

The Operator strides forward, and the Umbra, remarkably, follows behind, stalking at his heel like a bodyguard. Its masked face swivels, animated by some internal intelligence, taking in every corner of the room. Assessing each of the assembled.

Taking their measure.

The Imago walks to their host's side, and peers into his face. His goggled eyes are inscrutable, unknowable. When he speaks again, his voice is flat, free of all emotion. Calculating. Hard, and sharp, as the edge of a blade. Cold as the vacuum between stars.

"My question is this, 'general': why do you think you can lead us?" he asks, gesturing back towards the assembled host. "And why should we follow?"

With that, The Imago crosses his slender arms, head cocked, waiting, as the Umbra stands at his back, poised.  

 

His attention was drawn to a challenge of authority to the two Tenno that he had been working with for a month and that irritated Zero. Upstarts like Imago always grated on his nerves. He was young, naive and stupid once but never once thought to challenge the authority of those that commanded him unless their decisions will get someone killed, maimed or cause the mission to fail.  Challenging the leadership when nothing of the sort is an immediate threat is, quite frankly, petulant behaviour. He knew better, especially so once he was given his own command to take care of for 8 years and had to live through it before his leaving the Corpus when he was wronged by Nef Anyo and one of his subordinates.

[Oobloobx]

On 2019-09-02 at 5:44 PM, DaMadReaper said:

Argent watches with the same small smile he'd been wearing for the past few minutes as the last of the recruits file into position, some seeming justifiably irritated by the mental intrusion, others impressed, and some... oddly indifferent. He paid it little mind, beyond memorising the reactions of certain faces in the crowd for future reference. They would all become accustomed to the feeling sooner or later. One more roam of the eyes to confirm attendance, a clearing of the throat and he was ready to begin. 

"Hello, recruits, and welcome to what will hopefully be a short and more or less uneventful speech. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone in attendance for making the effort to meet with us today, and at the very least hear us out," explains Argent, seemingly far more focused on his words than he was anything else, as his hands had begun gesticulating alongside his words at some point.

"It would be easy for me to sell you this ideal image of a system-spanning army that will annihilate our enemies and take back the world from cruel tyranny, or some highly organised task force performing precision strikes all along the world. That is simply not realistic when you consider the numbers involved, and the general type of people that ally themselves with us. Instead, allow me to explain the facts. The Lotus is likely not coming back, and she served as the only large-scale organiser of Tenno, meaning that there is currently no real communication between the major cells, and no strategic oversight. We are being overrun, slaughtered, and captured due to superior strategic oversight and a lack of communication between cells.The Children of the Flower, while only loosely organised, allow for collaboration without suffocation. The Children only direct cells in the general sense in order to maintain a semblance of strategy, and to avoid excessive overlap. If you choose to walk away, we will not stop you, nor will we get in your way with your future endeavours. We may even invite you once more. However, I sincerely believe that without oversight like that of the Children, we will only be treading water in this war."

Every word brought with it heat, passion, ever rising. He truly, sincerely believed in his cause, it seemed, or at the very least, he was very good at faking. Nevertheless, he couldn't resist roving the crowd to gauge the reactions of the people involved. He was never really one for a sales pitch, but... the truth was usually the best incentive, right?

"If you choose to disbelieve our goals, then I thank you for hearing us out. If you choose to take your own path instead, I thank you for your attendance. However, if you choose to place your faith in us, then I thank you for your faith. If you're interested in staying, kindly join us for the feast, where you will be introduced to our first assignment and be officially registered as a member of the Children."

He half-turns his head towards the Nyx, in order to confirm that he'd not missed anything, turning back seemingly without having waited for an answer.

"Before I dismiss the meeting and allow my dearest Aurum to guide you all to the feast, are there any questions you'd like answered? Concerns my speech did not address?"

Cyrus froze. 'The Lotus is not coming back.' The words struck him like bullets; deep down, if he was brutally honest with himself, he knew this was likely the case, but hearing it said aloud was distressing. The Limbo frame stands amidst the crowd, its face - or lack of it - betraying nothing.

'No, forget that for now.' Forcing the thought down, Cyrus locks it away, focusing back on the words of Argent. 'Collaboration without suffocation' sounded appealing, and granted him the ability to find like-minded researchers, share their findings with each other. On the other hand, though...how many people dabbled in something so potentially dangerous as the Infested? Maybe best to let other show their work before he showcased his.

As the boy finishes his speech, members of the crowd begin to voice their questions and challenges. Cyrus stays quiet, feeling there was nothing he wanted to voice, though one speech catches his ear.

20 hours ago, ImagoX said:

The Imago steps forward. The bone white Umbra gleams in the mellow light of the relay, catching from the tarnished silver of its edging. 

"Yes, I want to know something," he says, using Umbra's seldom-used voc box, turning up the volume to send his voice to the corners of the assembly hall. "I agree wholeheartedly that an army needs a general. Someone with a strategic mind, and the resources to guide it. The Lotus was our general for many years. Guided us into battles that she said needed to be fought, against enemies she said threatened the peace. That threatened the planets of the origin system, and the countless lives of its people.

"But now, the Lotus is gone,"  he continues, turning now to address the assembled beings ringing the stage. "Left us to go back to her... people. Abandoned us when we needed her the most, to rejoin—"

The Imago stops as his voice momentarily breaks. He shakes his head, seems to gather himself for a moment, then straightens his shoulders. There is a shimmer along the Umbra's chest. The flash of voidlight, the glow of a higher, parallel dimension as The Imago emerges from the shelter of his Warframe. He is tall for an Operator, almost six feet, with wide shoulders and long, well-muscled limbs. His interface suit, ancient, battered, still bearing the almost illegible sigils of the Zarimon Ten-Zero, is black as the inside of a mine, trimmed with the same tarnished silver that adorns his Frame. The vac suit's hood is closed tight, silvered goggles allowing none to see inside. Not showing a square inch of skin. Of vulnerable flesh.

The Operator strides forward, and the Umbra, remarkably, follows behind, stalking at his heel like a bodyguard. Its masked face swivels, animated by some internal intelligence, taking in every corner of the room. Assessing each of the assembled.

Taking their measure.

The Imago walks to their host's side, and peers into his face. His goggled eyes are inscrutable, unknowable. When he speaks again, his voice is flat, free of all emotion. Calculating. Hard, and sharp, as the edge of a blade. Cold as the vacuum between stars.

"My question is this, 'general': why do you think you can lead us?" he asks, gesturing back towards the assembled host. "And why should we follow?"

With that, The Imago crosses his slender arms, head cocked, waiting, as the Umbra stands at his back, poised.  

 

Rejoined? Rejoined what? Who are her people, why did she leave them, why leave him? Cyrus goes to speak...and stops. Ignorance is bliss, and if she was still alive she could come back - would come back. She had to.

[ShrimpOverlord]

-

Edited September 4, 2019 by ShrimpOverlord

[vodkacrepper]

On 2019-09-02 at 6:44 PM, DaMadReaper said:

Sniip

Donovan simply wasn't impressed by the Tenno's speech, he expected a lot more, passion and sincerity were present, but were was the propaganda, the cry for change everyone wa expecting? The Prince was almost tempted to get on that stage, he would have done a much better job and he knew it, but this, this was just a small piece of the grand stage and well, he can't keep all the fame for himself can he?

 

On 2019-09-02 at 6:55 PM, Drakeardian said:

Snoop

But as Don was trying to get his thoughts back together,  a rather interesting question arose from the same Tenno that lamented about his sword skills before, and that question actually hit close to home.

"Yes, yes, the prime here has a good question, what about pirates, raiders... ...what about me?"

Donovan smirked under his helmet, knowing full well how such a revelation would hit in-between all these honor-bound Tenno's, he could smell the drama from a mile away

On 2019-09-03 at 12:39 PM, ImagoX said:

Sneep

But just as he waited for a response, something mjldly interesting interrupted his performance, a Tenno in a white Excalibur moved on the stage, starting to ask questions that clearly didn't came from his head, but more by his heart.  The whole act wasn't pleasing to bear for Donovan, and at one point, as deafening silence would fill the room as everyone waited for an answer, the mass of wallmeat recomposed himself, loudly cleared his throat and looking The Imago straight in the lenses of his Zariman suit he spoke.

"I may not be able to respond to your first question, but for your second one, well, tell me this lionheart, do we even have another option?  As of now, the children are the only option to survive this war, whenever you think of them as capable or not to lead, you should look at the facts, or should i say, you should look at Mars?"

He would then stop and stand completely still, letting the inevitable fact that they were all going to join, not only for personal reasons, but also because the only other option was death or slavery, sink in for a moment.

 

[MetroFallout]

-redacted-

Edited September 5, 2019 by MetroFallout

[DaMadReaper]

His speech finally over, the boy takes a deep breath, scanning the crowd for any alarming reactions. Most seemed... content enough, which was more than he really could have hoped for. He heard a few statements of agreement ring out throughout the recruits, some expressing reluctant acceptance, some excited, and some... resigned. Nevertheless, this was a good thing. They would need as many bodies as they could get in order to truly stand a chance during the evening's mission. Ah, well. What was the worst that could really happen? For now, he had questions to answer.

On 2019-09-03 at 2:25 AM, Drakeardian said:

The truth was hard to take on board.

The Tenno were scattered, some choosing to embrace this freedom to become slaves to the Grineer and the Corpus but the Prime knew better, It didn't help that the couldn't feel like they would have to face their disgraceful counterparts in mortal combat. she raised her hand and inquired with a voice that spoke of concern "If the Children happen upon a Cell that requires aid or rescue, do we offer them the same choice to join you like you have given us?" she asked with a raised brow. "And what of those who disgrace our honour with their piracy and lust for cheap credits? what do we do with them?" She hoped she didn't have to spill Tenno blood but she couldn't help but feel as if it were unavoidable.

Ah. Fantastic. Of course the questions would begin with the most difficult of them all. How would the Children react to pirates of all people. Just... fantastic. Well, he would only be able to stall for so long.

"Well, your first question is quite a simple one to answer. The Children are not willing to allow any needless blood to be spilled under our watch. If we come across any Cells that we can feasibly help, we will. That goes for any civilians as well. While we may slaughter our enemies by the hundreds, it does not mean that the value of life should be ignored. Beyond that, while we may offer membership, it is only after the rescue. Saving them is not dependent on that answer."

He feels a ghost of a brush against his hair. Intellectually, he understands that it's nothing but urging from Aurum to continue before the facade of confidence in his answers fades, but it is nonetheless a disturbing sensation. Touch without the intricacies of physics. Touch without the gentle sensations that make it up in reality. Touch, but only in concept. He forced himself to exit that line of thinking before he went too deep in once more.

"As for those who, as you put it, 'disgrace our honour', I would refer you to my previous answer."

A sharp tug alerted him to his mistake, forcing a familiar feeling of pure, undirected negativity to spread through his mind. Right, he should elaborate before he pushes any of the recruits away.

"While I... disprove of such methods, as you do, I believe that it depends highly on the targets of said piracy. If they are only attacking our enemies, or at the very least avoiding interfering with the Tenno trying to save the system, we may have to make compromises. We do not have the luxury of numbers large enough to hunt down members of our own, barring the most egregious of offenses."

 

On 2019-09-04 at 6:29 AM, Denny2669 said:

Andrea listened, more than she would usually expect her to. The Gauss' overly long sentence structure was nothing compared to that long a$$ speech. Typically she'd nod off already.

But something kept her listening. Some sort of... curiosity? It was odd. For some reason she wanted to know more, not because it's interesting though. It just felt... familiar.

He used to preach about such things, didn't he?

This whole thing seemed like a waste of time to her. The Lotus ditched them, she couldn't care less. She didn't fight for the good of the system, it was her own gain she worked for now, credits and resources alike. Only thing her strength could give her. Such dedication to a properly organized cause whose main goal wasn't profit completely went against all she stands for.

And yet, she's listening, all the way till the end. Why is she here again? To confirm whether this is a clownshow. Her suspicions have been confirmed, and now she wants to join for whatever reason. She raises her hand, thinking she might be going crazy.

"If we sign up, we can bail any time, no strings attached, right? If so... count me in."

Thankfully, the next question was much less difficult to answer. 

 "So long as you do note take any... drastic measures, such as feeding information to the enemy, or directly going against the Tenno efforts throughout the system, there will be no issue."

On 2019-09-03 at 8:09 PM, ImagoX said:

The Imago steps forward. The bone white Umbra gleams in the mellow light of the relay, catching from the tarnished silver of its edging. 

"Yes, I want to know something," he says, using Umbra's seldom-used voc box, turning up the volume to send his voice to the corners of the assembly hall. "I agree wholeheartedly that an army needs a general. Someone with a strategic mind, and the resources to guide it. The Lotus was our general for many years. Guided us into battles that she said needed to be fought, against enemies she said threatened the peace. That threatened the planets of the origin system, and the countless lives of its people.

"But now, the Lotus is gone,"  he continues, turning now to address the assembled beings ringing the stage. "Left us to go back to her... people. Abandoned us when we needed her the most, to rejoin—"

The Imago stops as his voice momentarily breaks. He shakes his head, seems to gather himself for a moment, then straightens his shoulders. There is a shimmer along the Umbra's chest. The flash of voidlight, the glow of a higher, parallel dimension as The Imago emerges from the shelter of his Warframe. He is tall for an Operator, almost six feet, with wide shoulders and long, well-muscled limbs. His interface suit, ancient, battered, still bearing the almost illegible sigils of the Zarimon Ten-Zero, is black as the inside of a mine, trimmed with the same tarnished silver that adorns his Frame. The vac suit's hood is closed tight, silvered goggles allowing none to see inside. Not showing a square inch of skin. Of vulnerable flesh.

The Operator strides forward, and the Umbra, remarkably, follows behind, stalking at his heel like a bodyguard. Its masked face swivels, animated by some internal intelligence, taking in every corner of the room. Assessing each of the assembled.

Taking their measure.

The Imago walks to their host's side, and peers into his face. His goggled eyes are inscrutable, unknowable. When he speaks again, his voice is flat, free of all emotion. Calculating. Hard, and sharp, as the edge of a blade. Cold as the vacuum between stars.

"My question is this, 'general': why do you think you can lead us?" he asks, gesturing back towards the assembled host. "And why should we follow?"

With that, The Imago crosses his slender arms, head cocked, waiting, as the Umbra stands at his back, poised.  

 

3 hours ago, vodkacrepper said:

But just as he aited for a response, something mjldly interesting interrupted his performance, a Tenno in a white Excalibur moved on the stage, starting to ask questions that clearly didn't came from his head, but more by his heart.  The whole act wasn't pleasing to bear for Donovan, and at one point, as deafening silence would fill the room as everyone waited for an answer, the mass of wallmeat recomposed himself, loudly cleared his throat and looking The Imago straight in the lenses of his Zariman suit he spoke.

"I may not be able to respond to your first question, but for your second one, well, tell me this lionheart, do we even have another option?  As of now, the children are the only option to survive this war, whenever you think of them as capable or not to lead, you should look at the facts, or should i say, you should look at Mars?"

He would then stop and stand completely still, letting the inevitable fact that they were all going to join, not only for personal reasons, but also because the only other option was death or slavery, sink in for a moment.

 

That had taken noticeably longer than usual. If he were to be frank, Argent was prepared for the first question of the day to be a direct challenge to his authority, relished the idea even. It would be the perfect time to assert their successes without seeming as though it was intended to be manipulative. Sure, the fact that it had taken this long to be asked undermined the impact of his words, and didn't quite color the discussion as he had hoped... what else could you really do? However, he would not get a chance to state his position before... someone else had taken his place? The pirate. Of course. Well, at the very least he had made good points.

Another aggravating tug on his mind. Of course. He could not let the control of the discussion escape him. He clears his throat, loud enough that it would reassert his position as the one giving the speech.

"While I would have phrased it more... delicately, our friend here is correct. The Children are leading the Tenno as they are the only ones who have showed the initiative to organise a resistance movement. If you need proof of our efforts, then simply take a look at Mars. Even under the Lotus, the Tenno had never truly managed to maintain a ground base that had not been overrun within days. If any new resistance movement manages to rise up, the Children would be more than happy to cooperate with them, and to assist in their development as well. However, such a movement has not occured yet, and so, it falls to us to carry the burden, at least for the time being."

With that said, Argent took a deep breath, hoping that it would be answer enough. Whether it was or not, he would not give them a chance to bring it up.

"If those are all of the questions, then I would direct you to my colleague-" he says, pointing at a Steel Meridian operative who'd, at some point, come to stand by the side of the stage. "So that she could lead you to where the briefing will be taking place. Once again, I would like to thank you all both for attending, and for choosing to remain here through what I can only assume was a mindnumbing speech. Frankly, which ones aren't? Nevertheless, please make yourselves at home, and I hope that this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship."

A quick nod of the head, and the Grineer woman would begin making her way to the Mission Control room.

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As soon as the doors to the Mission Control room open with a hiss, the recruits are greeted by wafts of what could best be described as... an orchestra for the senses. Round tables line the newly repurposed room, each housing platters of food, each letting off steam bearing a variety of aromas, ranging from the sweet of fresh fruits, to the faintly smokey hints of roasted meat. Delicacies of all kinds adorned the tables, and any with even a small knowledge of prices would recognise that this had likely cost a small fortune, especially in the current climate. The Steel Meridian recruit extends her hand in invitation, beckoning the others to enter and find their seats, before explaining that there would be some time for the new people to mingle among each other, and to develop some familiarity with who they will be working alongside before being thrust into a situation where life and death were on the line.

[Agent_Maine]

Marie had decided. She was definitely going to join and follow the Children of the Flower. That speech had convinced her - she had wondered on how they would respond to that rather brazen Tenno's aggressive questions, and they indeed answered in the best way possible. Marie was at a loss when the Lotus had gone, and was hoping that whoever appeared to replace her as a leader figure was decent at the least. The Children of the Flower definitely fit that description.

2 hours ago, DaMadReaper said:

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As soon as the doors to the Mission Control room open with a hiss, the recruits are greeted by wafts of what could best be described as... an orchestra for the senses. Round tables line the newly repurposed room, each housing platters of food, each letting off steam bearing a variety of aromas, ranging from the sweet of fresh fruits, to the faintly smokey hints of roasted meat. Delicacies of all kinds adorned the tables, and any with even a small knowledge of prices would recognise that this had likely cost a small fortune, especially in the current climate. The Steel Meridian recruit extends her hand in invitation, beckoning the others to enter and find their seats, before explaining that there would be some time for the new people to mingle among each other, and to develop some familiarity with who they will be working alongside before being thrust into a situation where life and death were on the line.

After hesitating for a moment, Marie was one of the first who walked into the newly opened room full of food, drink and tables. She wasn't really a party person - she didn't even understand the concept after all - but Marie recognised that interacting with the other Tenno around her and learning of their personalities, capabilities and mannerisms would improve her own usefulness on the battlefield. After all, it was not that long ago where she had spoken with the Tenno named Andrea for that very same reason. After walking in, Marie went straight to a nearby table and sat down without getting any food. Needless to say, she wasn't really hungry. So, Marie sat a table practically immediately, not really attempting to do anything else.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Agent_Maine

[ImagoX]

The Imago listens carefully to the speaker’s replies. He notices that the leader sometimes twitches before answering, his eyes drifting away momentarily, as if listening to something. As that something pains him.

Suspicion blossoms in The Imago’s mind - he knows all too well the dangers in silent voices. The hazards of intimate speech, shared mind to mind. The false intimacy of the hive mind.

Could be nothing, he thinks, looking at the Nyx standing at the leader’s side. It may just be her. You know how Nyxs are. Maybe you’re just overreacting.   

Momentarily thwarted, he turns, instead, to the answers they were given. The leader’s response to his direct question - that they should all follow the Children simply because they were the first to show enough initiative to try and organize them - is... disappointing. Lacking in vision. 

They want to replace the Lotus with... this? he thinks. Still... I suppose it could be better than nothing. Assuming the officers aren’t all fools.

As the doors open, letting forth a spill of aromas and light, he waits beside the Umbra, watching his fellow Tenno and the others that have gathered, studying their reactions. Some seem impressed by the spread, their Operators clearly under the sway of their base, animal senses. Some are clearly  inspired by the leader’s words, while others, like he, seem more wary, either not swayed by the leader’s vague, circular logic, or holding themselves carefully neural, offering nothing. 

A few of the passing Tenno even glare at him, as if he’s spoken out of turn. Broken a chain of command he has not yet agreed to follow. As if it was wrong, somehow, for him to challenge the simplistic assertions of a person he does not know, and who he has never, to his recollection, followed into battle.

As if wanting to see if a leader asking for their fealty - a leader that approached them, for reasons still unknown - is, in fact, worthy of their service. 

The Imago shakes his head. He remembers  that, for all their power, and their physical prowess, they are still, at heart, just children. Stunted things, denied the benefits of proper parenthood. Damaged, broken things, twisted and deformed by their exposure to the Void. By the things done to them by their loving ‘mother’. By the wounds, and terrors, and mind-bending experiences they’ve all had to endure. By all the things that has made them more and less than human. 

That has shaped them into weapons. 

The Imago shrugs, and imagines his annoyance as a heavy cloak, dragging down his spirits. He removes it, and drops it to the floor. Spirits lightened, he turns to the banquet hall. 

Let them be annoyed with me if they must, he thinks, striding towards the food, the Umbra following close behind. They will all make their own decisions - as will I. Let’s see what happens when children partake in rich food, and flowing wine. Let’s see how our host uses this... display... to their advantage. Then we shall see what price is asked for their generosity. 

And then, I will decide, one way or the other.

He spots Marie, sitting alone at the table, no plate or cup in front of her, and walks over. 

“Not hungry?” he asks. “Or are you waiting for others to eat first?”

Before she can answer, he leans forward, and whispers, “I very much doubt they’d try poisoning us... not with what this spread looks to have cost.”

Edited September 5, 2019 by ImagoX

[-AoN-CanoLathra-]

Takar followed the group to the banquet, trying to avoid getting in anyone's way.

I'm not sure I trust this group. Maybe it's because of my unique past, but they seem to be trying to hard.

At least they aren't openly planning war or control. I suppose I will have to keep watching them.

Even so, it will be good to finally be doing something.

Takar found a seat and waited for the feast to begin.

[Gamer4Christ]

-REDACTED-

Edited September 5, 2019 by Gamer4Christ

[Gamer4Christ]

Volt-Edge was somewhat annoyed that they didn't give him the chance to respond with further questions, but he moved on.

Entering the dining room, the aroma is too tempting for him to stay mad forever.

*He looks around to see if Naradin is still around and finally spots him amongst the crowd*

"Hey bro, over here!" he says as he waves him over to a pair of empty chairs. 

13 minutes ago, -AoN-CanoLathra- said:

Snippity Snip

He then notices Takar.  "She seems nice enough," he thought to himself as he saw her sit by herself.  He felt rather guilty just letting her sit there all alone.

"Psst!  Hey!" he whispers as he waves her over.  There just so happened to be one more seat next to him and Naradin.

[Drakeardian]

The Prime followed away, somewhat unsure of the Leader's answer but she'd have to see in time. She'd probably have to decide how to deal with the traitor tenno amongst their ranks.

In the meantime, she approached the table, following the feminine Saint of Altra lookalike and sitting down next to her but the other Excalibur had garnered her attention with her words. She frowned and spoke out, her hearing more keener with the fact she was closer to Marie "Sir. I have NO idea why you would even assume they'd poison us in the first place but I am very hungry and I'd rather not be put off my appetite." she answered aloud to the rest of the party then back to the food, she was quite annoyed in many regards. Coming out of the primed shell's chest and hovering over like a ghost though a wall was a young lady who seemed to be quite pale, with snow white hair and pale blue eyes. She picked out two items, a set of strawberries and a boiled Karkina, pulling them over and starting to dig in with a knife and fork.

She loved Karkina and fish meat in general, it had the right texture for her and she liked to chew her food. She then let off a few sounds that indicated that she loved her meal so far.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Drakeardian

[Psychotoxin]

5 hours ago, DaMadReaper said:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the doors to the Mission Control room open with a hiss, the recruits are greeted by wafts of what could best be described as... an orchestra for the senses. Round tables line the newly repurposed room, each housing platters of food, each letting off steam bearing a variety of aromas, ranging from the sweet of fresh fruits, to the faintly smokey hints of roasted meat. Delicacies of all kinds adorned the tables, and any with even a small knowledge of prices would recognise that this had likely cost a small fortune, especially in the current climate. The Steel Meridian recruit extends her hand in invitation, beckoning the others to enter and find their seats, before explaining that there would be some time for the new people to mingle among each other, and to develop some familiarity with who they will be working alongside before being thrust into a situation where life and death were on the line.

Following the flow of bodies, Insali headed in. The banquet was lavish, yes, but it was a mere flicker of a candle to the roaring bonfire of the larger Orokin feasts. Either it was due to shortage, or due to people being less decadent, he couldn't yet tell, but he still disliked the excess. It was clear that there was way too much for just the people gathered. An unneeded waste of resources.

Not having anyone to annoy with his presence, the Excalibur took a slice of bread, sat down at one of the walls, and slightly raising his faceplate, started to slowly nibble on the soft, still slightly warm slice. It brought recollection of older times. Ones that he could only identify by a strange, warming feeling in his chest. A faint smile crested the revealed mouth.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Psychotoxin

[ImagoX]

1 hour ago, Drakeardian said:

The Prime followed away, somewhat unsure of the Leader's answer but she'd have to see in time. She'd probably have to decide how to deal with the traitor tenno amongst their ranks.

In the meantime, she approached the table, following the feminine Saint of Altra lookalike and sitting down next to her but the other Excalibur had garnered her attention with her words. She frowned and spoke out, her hearing more keener with the fact she was closer to Marie "Sir. I have NO idea why you would even assume they'd poison us in the first place but I am very hungry and I'd rather not be put off my appetite." she answered aloud to the rest of the party then back to the food, she was quite annoyed in many regards. Coming out of the primed shell was a young lady who seemed to be quite pale, with snow white hair and pale blue eyes. She picked out two items, a set of strawberries and a boiled Karkina, pulling them over and starting to dig in with a knife and fork.

She loved Karkina and fish meat in general, it had the right texture for her and she liked to chew her food. She then let off a few sounds that indicated that she loved her meal so far.

“Oh,” The Imago says.  “I didn’t realize you were so close. Apologies for-“

But the young woman is already past, emerged from her Frame and at the buffet. He watches as she serves herself, then raises the food to her lips, chewing and swallowing with obvious relish. He can’t help but smile. 

When was the last time I enjoyed something that much? he wonders. HAVE I? Ever? Certainly not that I can recall.

Tentatively, he places a small portion of the fish on a plate, then carries it to where the pale-haired girl and her rigid companion sit. Dropping into a seat nearby, he splits the lower edge of his suit’s hood just far enough to take a bite, and chews slowly. 

Beats nutripaste, he grudgingly admits, taking another small bite, careful to not show his face, quickly sealing the hood as soon as he does. The food is delicious, but very rich on a palette where a pinch of salt on his daily ration is considered a treat, and he pushes the rest of the plate away gently.

“So since it’s clear that the leader doesn’t mean to give us meaningful answers,” he asks them, “maybe the best question now is: why have you decided to cross the Origin system to hear the Childrens’ pitch?” He nods to the pale-haired girl’s plate. “Was it just for the food? If so, I guess I can’t blame you.” 

He smiles, forgetting that they cannot see his face behind the closed hood.  

Edited September 5, 2019 by ImagoX

[ShrimpOverlord]

Dov almost gasped as he smelled the room. Such a varied assortment of food... Such a refreshing view after months of eating the same 3 dishes.
He grabbed himself a plate and quickly (but not too quickly) paced from table to table, picking himself up a bit of almost everything, and a bowl of soups he mixed.

The Volt finally sat down near a table, setting his plate and bowl down, looking at the food in anticipation. That was a lot of calories - absolutely perfect for his wrestler body. He retracted his helmet and revealed his face to the rest of the new recruits. Black, messy, curly hair, sitting atop an oval-shaped head. His skin was brown, with a few tiny scars around his forehead. 

He picked up his spoon, taking a sip of his mixed soup, then cleaned some droplets off his messy, untended-to mustache. He recapped the events in his mind, thinking about the other recruits. Most of them weren't noteworthy, except for a few that piqued his interest. 

Specifically, he was most curious about the pirate. What a strange, strange person. That sword, those mannerisms... this guy was a natrually-born actor.

He waited for him to walk into the room, and waved at him to catch his eye, hoping he would notice him. A man like that was bound to be an interesting person to converse with.

[(PSN)Razor9045]

8 hours ago, DaMadReaper said:

His speech finally over, the boy takes a deep breath, scanning the crowd for any alarming reactions. Most seemed... content enough, which was more than he really could have hoped for. He heard a few statements of agreement ring out throughout the recruits, some expressing reluctant acceptance, some excited, and some... resigned. Nevertheless, this was a good thing. They would need as many bodies as they could get in order to truly stand a chance during the evening's mission. Ah, well. What was the worst that could really happen? For now, he had questions to answer.

Ah. Fantastic. Of course the questions would begin with the most difficult of them all. How would the Children react to pirates of all people. Just... fantastic. Well, he would only be able to stall for so long.

"Well, your first question is quite a simple one to answer. The Children are not willing to allow any needless blood to be spilled under our watch. If we come across any Cells that we can feasibly help, we will. That goes for any civilians as well. While we may slaughter our enemies by the hundreds, it does not mean that the value of life should be ignored. Beyond that, while we may offer membership, it is only after the rescue. Saving them is not dependent on that answer."

He feels a ghost of a brush against his hair. Intellectually, he understands that it's nothing but urging from Aurum to continue before the facade of confidence in his answers fades, but it is nonetheless a disturbing sensation. Touch without the intricacies of physics. Touch without the gentle sensations that make it up in reality. Touch, but only in concept. He forced himself to exit that line of thinking before he went too deep in once more.

"As for those who, as you put it, 'disgrace our honour', I would refer you to my previous answer."

A sharp tug alerted him to his mistake, forcing a familiar feeling of pure, undirected negativity to spread through his mind. Right, he should elaborate before he pushes any of the recruits away.

"While I... disprove of such methods, as you do, I believe that it depends highly on the targets of said piracy. If they are only attacking our enemies, or at the very least avoiding interfering with the Tenno trying to save the system, we may have to make compromises. We do not have the luxury of numbers large enough to hunt down members of our own, barring the most egregious of offenses."

 

Thankfully, the next question was much less difficult to answer. 

 "So long as you do note take any... drastic measures, such as feeding information to the enemy, or directly going against the Tenno efforts throughout the system, there will be no issue."

That had taken noticeably longer than usual. If he were to be frank, Argent was prepared for the first question of the day to be a direct challenge to his authority, relished the idea even. It would be the perfect time to assert their successes without seeming as though it was intended to be manipulative. Sure, the fact that it had taken this long to be asked undermined the impact of his words, and didn't quite color the discussion as he had hoped... what else could you really do? However, he would not get a chance to state his position before... someone else had taken his place? The pirate. Of course. Well, at the very least he had made good points.

Another aggravating tug on his mind. Of course. He could not let the control of the discussion escape him. He clears his throat, loud enough that it would reassert his position as the one giving the speech.

"While I would have phrased it more... delicately, our friend here is correct. The Children are leading the Tenno as they are the only ones who have showed the initiative to organise a resistance movement. If you need proof of our efforts, then simply take a look at Mars. Even under the Lotus, the Tenno had never truly managed to maintain a ground base that had not been overrun within days. If any new resistance movement manages to rise up, the Children would be more than happy to cooperate with them, and to assist in their development as well. However, such a movement has not occured yet, and so, it falls to us to carry the burden, at least for the time being."

With that said, Argent took a deep breath, hoping that it would be answer enough. Whether it was or not, he would not give them a chance to bring it up.

"If those are all of the questions, then I would direct you to my colleague-" he says, pointing at a Steel Meridian operative who'd, at some point, come to stand by the side of the stage. "So that she could lead you to where the briefing will be taking place. Once again, I would like to thank you all both for attending, and for choosing to remain here through what I can only assume was a mindnumbing speech. Frankly, which ones aren't? Nevertheless, please make yourselves at home, and I hope that this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship."

A quick nod of the head, and the Grineer woman would begin making her way to the Mission Control room.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the doors to the Mission Control room open with a hiss, the recruits are greeted by wafts of what could best be described as... an orchestra for the senses. Round tables line the newly repurposed room, each housing platters of food, each letting off steam bearing a variety of aromas, ranging from the sweet of fresh fruits, to the faintly smokey hints of roasted meat. Delicacies of all kinds adorned the tables, and any with even a small knowledge of prices would recognise that this had likely cost a small fortune, especially in the current climate. The Steel Meridian recruit extends her hand in invitation, beckoning the others to enter and find their seats, before explaining that there would be some time for the new people to mingle among each other, and to develop some familiarity with who they will be working alongside before being thrust into a situation where life and death were on the line.

Naradin did not trust this one bit. It seemed to be too good to be true, with the varieties of food and drink. It seemed to be a bribe to the recruits for incentive to join the Children.

Why would someone spend this much money on a banquet, Naradin thought, This would be understandable in a government situation. However, they are recruiting for a flipping military service! What are they planning?

 

Naradin walked into the banquet room. Merely being inside the room was a feast for the senses. The smells of exotic foods and spices caused Naradin’s mouth to water. The meals were worthy of kings and queens. If he could-

Stop that thinking, Naradin thought, This is a bribe. They want you to enjoy it, so that they can use it as a leverage in some way. Instead of pigging out, you should start cementing yourself in a position where you are indispensable. Remember that one mission with you Steel Hand squad? Because y’all were greedy, y’all were nearly killed. 

 

 

3 hours ago, Gamer4Christ said:

Volt-Edge was somewhat annoyed that they didn't give him the chance to respond with further questions, but he moved on.

Entering the dining room, the aroma is too tempting for him to stay mad forever.

*He looks around to see if Naradin is still around and finally spots him amongst the crowd*

"Hey bro, over here!" he says as he waves him over to a pair of empty chairs. 

He then notices Takar.  "She seems nice enough," he thought to himself as he saw her sit by herself.  He felt rather guilty just letting her sit there all alone.

"Psst!  Hey!" he whispers as he waves her over.  There just so happened to be one more seat next to him and Naradin.

“Hmm?” Naradin muttered.

The tenno, Zachary, waved him over, gesturing towards an empty pair of chairs. He seemed to wish for Naradin’s company.

It was assuring to Naradin that he made an ally in this place. Usually, he would have to watch his own back. He still didn’t completely trust Zachary yet, but he was glad for the chance of establishing a powerful friend, for those rarely came.

 

He went over to Zachary, and slowly sat on one of the empty chairs. He knew he must make conversation, for the sake of being polite. He pondered which subject to discuss and one popped into his head.

 

”So,” stated Naradin, “What’cha think about the speech?”

Edited September 5, 2019 by (PS4)Razor9045

[Gamer4Christ]

7 minutes ago, (PS4)Razor9045 said:

Naradin did not trust this one bit. It seemed to be too good to be true, with the varieties of food and drink. It seemed to be a bribe to the recruits for incentive to join the Children.

Why would someone spend this much money on a banquet, Naradin thought, This would be understandable in a government situation. However, they are recruiting for a flipping military service! What are they planning?

 

Naradin walked into the banquet room. Merely being inside the room was a feast for the senses. The smells of exotic foods and spices caused Naradin’s mouth to water. The meals were worthy of kings and queens. If he could-

Stop that thinking, Naradin thought, This is a bribe. They want you to enjoy it, so that they can use it as a leverage in some way. Instead of pigging out, you should start cementing yourself in a position where you are indispensable. Remember that one mission with you Steel Hand squad? Because y’all were greedy, y’all were nearly killed. 

 

 

“Hmm?” Naradin muttered.

The tenno, Zachary, waved him over, gesturing towards an empty pair of chairs. He seemed to wish for Naradin’s company.

It was assuring to Naradin that he made an ally in this place. Usually, he would have to watch his own back. He still didn’t completely trust Zachary yet, but he was glad for the chance of establishing a powerful friend, for those rarely came.

 

He went over to Zachary, and slowly sat on one of the empty chairs. He knew he must make conversation, for the sake of being polite. He pondered which subject to discuss and one popped into his head.

 

”So,” stated Naradin, “What’cha think about the speech?”

"I think we should've done this a long time ago.  I honestly can't believe it took them this long to figure it out.  I'll never forget the day I assassinated one of the Gri-" *He cuts himself short as he notices the Grineer amongst them*

"The Grineer queens," he whispered to him.  "The day the Lotus apologized for not telling us... about our powers.  I knew something was up.  Margulis may have kept it hidden from us to "protect" us, but not the Lo-... Natah." he says with a whispered growl.  "I see it now.  It was all a scheme.  We were merely puppets, and she the puppeteer.  With every gesture of her fingers, we performed her ruthless bidding.  And when she realized we had achieved power too great for her and her kind, she plotted against us.  The others may not have seen it, but I did.  The anger written ever so subtly on her face.  The slight hint of fear in her voice.  She knew what would come next if we found out, but it's too late for her now.  One of these days, we must unite against her."  *Speaks with a muttered growl*  "And burn her like the witch that she is..."

[MetroFallout]

18 hours ago, DaMadReaper said:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the doors to the Mission Control room open with a hiss, the recruits are greeted by wafts of what could best be described as... an orchestra for the senses. Round tables line the newly repurposed room, each housing platters of food, each letting off steam bearing a variety of aromas, ranging from the sweet of fresh fruits, to the faintly smokey hints of roasted meat. Delicacies of all kinds adorned the tables, and any with even a small knowledge of prices would recognise that this had likely cost a small fortune, especially in the current climate. The Steel Meridian recruit extends her hand in invitation, beckoning the others to enter and find their seats, before explaining that there would be some time for the new people to mingle among each other, and to develop some familiarity with who they will be working alongside before being thrust into a situation where life and death were on the line.

To the end of getting something to eat before properly being deployed in any official capacity, Zero grabbed a plate of barbequed sand skate. As objectionable as they look, sand skate actually does make for some good eating. Its fish-like texture might catch some off guard despite its habitat of land but it tastes decent when grilled.

"Honestly not used to something like a proper meal since I usually get rations but I suppose it's fine to have something that's a real meal once in a while." said Zero, digging in and cutting up the sand skate and ignoring anyone who wasn't his probable work partner, Lucas. "Even though it feels like I'm spoiling myself and I haven't actually earned it."

[Agent_Maine]

22 hours ago, ImagoX said:

He spots Marie, sitting alone at the table, no plate or cup in front of her, and walks over. 

“Not hungry?” he asks. “Or are you waiting for others to eat first?”

Before she can answer, he leans forward, and whispers, “I very much doubt they’d try poisoning us... not with what this spread looks to have cost.”

21 hours ago, Drakeardian said:

The Prime followed away, somewhat unsure of the Leader's answer but she'd have to see in time. She'd probably have to decide how to deal with the traitor tenno amongst their ranks.

In the meantime, she approached the table, following the feminine Saint of Altra lookalike and sitting down next to her but the other Excalibur had garnered her attention with her words. She frowned and spoke out, her hearing more keener with the fact she was closer to Marie "Sir. I have NO idea why you would even assume they'd poison us in the first place but I am very hungry and I'd rather not be put off my appetite." she answered aloud to the rest of the party then back to the food, she was quite annoyed in many regards. Coming out of the primed shell's chest and hovering over like a ghost though a wall was a young lady who seemed to be quite pale, with snow white hair and pale blue eyes. She picked out two items, a set of strawberries and a boiled Karkina, pulling them over and starting to dig in with a knife and fork.

She loved Karkina and fish meat in general, it had the right texture for her and she liked to chew her food. She then let off a few sounds that indicated that she loved her meal so far.

20 hours ago, ImagoX said:

“Oh,” The Imago says.  “I didn’t realize you were so close. Apologies for-“

But the young woman is already past, emerged from her Frame and at the buffet. He watches as she serves herself, then raises the food to her lips, chewing and swallowing with obvious relish. He can’t help but smile. 

When was the last time I enjoyed something that much? he wonders. HAVE I? Ever? Certainly not that I can recall.

Tentatively, he places a small portion of the fish on a plate, then carries it to where the pale-haired girl and her rigid companion sit. Dropping into a seat nearby, he splits the lower edge of his suit’s hood just far enough to take a bite, and chews slowly. 

Beats nutripaste, he grudgingly admits, taking another small bite, careful to not show his face, quickly sealing the hood as soon as he does. The food is delicious, but very rich on a palette where a pinch of salt on his daily ration is considered a treat, and he pushes the rest of the plate away gently.

“So since it’s clear that the leader doesn’t mean to give us meaningful answers,” he asks them, “maybe the best question now is: why have you decided to cross the Origin system to hear the Childrens’ pitch?” He nods to the pale-haired girl’s plate. “Was it just for the food? If so, I guess I can’t blame you.” 

He smiles, forgetting that they cannot see his face behind the closed hood.  

Marie was curious about the Tenno who had suddenly sat down next to her, asked a question, and then started speaking about poison before she could even answer. Such interactions were what fuelled Marie's lack of understanding regarding how people converse with eachother. He had just asked her a question, was he not supposed to wait for Marie's answer? Strange. Marie thought. And then, suddenly, another Tenno, this time using an Excalibur Prime rather than the first Tenno's Excalibur Umbra, had also sat down alongside them. And now, the Imago was asking Morgan about why she was here. Curious about Morgan's answer, Marie stayed quiet and waited to hear the response.

Edited September 6, 2019 by Agent_Maine

[Drakeardian]

On 2019-09-05 at 6:08 PM, ImagoX said:

“Oh,” The Imago says.  “I didn’t realize you were so close. Apologies for-“

But the young woman is already past, emerged from her Frame and at the buffet. He watches as she serves herself, then raises the food to her lips, chewing and swallowing with obvious relish. He can’t help but smile. 

When was the last time I enjoyed something that much? he wonders. HAVE I? Ever? Certainly not that I can recall.

Tentatively, he places a small portion of the fish on a plate, then carries it to where the pale-haired girl and her rigid companion sit. Dropping into a seat nearby, he splits the lower edge of his suit’s hood just far enough to take a bite, and chews slowly. 

Beats nutripaste, he grudgingly admits, taking another small bite, careful to not show his face, quickly sealing the hood as soon as he does. The food is delicious, but very rich on a palette where a pinch of salt on his daily ration is considered a treat, and he pushes the rest of the plate away gently.

“So since it’s clear that the leader doesn’t mean to give us meaningful answers,” he asks them, “maybe the best question now is: why have you decided to cross the Origin system to hear the Childrens’ pitch?” He nods to the pale-haired girl’s plate. “Was it just for the food? If so, I guess I can’t blame you.” 

He smiles, forgetting that they cannot see his face behind the closed hood.  

Just the food?

The Prime paused then turned to the Umbra, she didn't like the Umbra frames much anyway. She found them to be...volatile at best but she respected their users for their power and their savagery and their power. She hummed and eased herself into a more comfortable spot whilst she addressed the Umbra, speaking in a polite yet assertive tone to indicate her professional manner. "I've come here because the Lotus is gone and I do not have anywhere else go to." she answered. "I have come because I have questions that have only had a half answer so far. I have come because I do not know what else to do and I would rather die than turn to employment by the Corpus or slavery by the Grineer Empire."

The Corpus she could at least fathom being a mercenary under their employ but the Grineer? After The Worm Queen and her sister demanding their deaths? It was inconceivable. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Drakeardian

[ImagoX]

1 hour ago, Drakeardian said:

Just the food?

The Prime paused then turned to the Umbra, she didn't like the Umbra frames much anyway. She found them to be...volatile at best but she respected their users for their power and their savagery and their power. She hummed and eased herself into a more comfortable spot whilst she addressed the Umbra, speaking in a polite yet assertive tone to indicate her professional manner. "I've come here because the Lotus is gone and I do not have anywhere else go to." she answered. "I have come because I have questions that have only had a half answer so far. I have come because I do not know what else to do and I would rather die than turn to employment by the Corpus or slavery by the Grineer Empire."

The Corpus she could at least fathom being a mercenary under their employ but the Grineer? After The Worm Queen and her sister demanding their deaths? It was inconceivable. 

The Imago nods. "I have many questions as well. Glad to see that not everyone here is untroubled by the... less than comprehensive details we've been given so far. I don't mind laying my life on the line... provided that sacrifice serves a good purpose." He quickly takes another bite, still hiding his face from them. "But... if they're full of crap, at least I got a decent meal out of the trip, and I hear Darvo might have something on clearance I'd be interested in."

The Umbra stands at his back, poised, head swiveling to track diners and passers-by. Seemingly oblivious, he wipes his gloved hand carefully on a square of cloth, then holds it out.

"I'm called The Imago, by the way," he says, tilting his head to include the still-silent Gauss in his greeting. "Were... either of you on the Zarimon? I don't remember ever meeting you before, but my memories of that cursed ship are... imperfect at best. And I suppose that thanks to Transference, it's quite likely that we may have served together on countless missions and wouldn't recognize each other. Yet another 'gift' from our dear, dear mother." 

Edited September 6, 2019 by ImagoX

[Oobloobx]

21 hours ago, DaMadReaper said:

His speech finally over, the boy takes a deep breath, scanning the crowd for any alarming reactions. Most seemed... content enough, which was more than he really could have hoped for. He heard a few statements of agreement ring out throughout the recruits, some expressing reluctant acceptance, some excited, and some... resigned. Nevertheless, this was a good thing. They would need as many bodies as they could get in order to truly stand a chance during the evening's mission. Ah, well. What was the worst that could really happen? For now, he had questions to answer.

Ah. Fantastic. Of course the questions would begin with the most difficult of them all. How would the Children react to pirates of all people. Just... fantastic. Well, he would only be able to stall for so long.

"Well, your first question is quite a simple one to answer. The Children are not willing to allow any needless blood to be spilled under our watch. If we come across any Cells that we can feasibly help, we will. That goes for any civilians as well. While we may slaughter our enemies by the hundreds, it does not mean that the value of life should be ignored. Beyond that, while we may offer membership, it is only after the rescue. Saving them is not dependent on that answer."

He feels a ghost of a brush against his hair. Intellectually, he understands that it's nothing but urging from Aurum to continue before the facade of confidence in his answers fades, but it is nonetheless a disturbing sensation. Touch without the intricacies of physics. Touch without the gentle sensations that make it up in reality. Touch, but only in concept. He forced himself to exit that line of thinking before he went too deep in once more.

"As for those who, as you put it, 'disgrace our honour', I would refer you to my previous answer."

A sharp tug alerted him to his mistake, forcing a familiar feeling of pure, undirected negativity to spread through his mind. Right, he should elaborate before he pushes any of the recruits away.

"While I... disprove of such methods, as you do, I believe that it depends highly on the targets of said piracy. If they are only attacking our enemies, or at the very least avoiding interfering with the Tenno trying to save the system, we may have to make compromises. We do not have the luxury of numbers large enough to hunt down members of our own, barring the most egregious of offenses."

 

Thankfully, the next question was much less difficult to answer. 

 "So long as you do note take any... drastic measures, such as feeding information to the enemy, or directly going against the Tenno efforts throughout the system, there will be no issue."

That had taken noticeably longer than usual. If he were to be frank, Argent was prepared for the first question of the day to be a direct challenge to his authority, relished the idea even. It would be the perfect time to assert their successes without seeming as though it was intended to be manipulative. Sure, the fact that it had taken this long to be asked undermined the impact of his words, and didn't quite color the discussion as he had hoped... what else could you really do? However, he would not get a chance to state his position before... someone else had taken his place? The pirate. Of course. Well, at the very least he had made good points.

Another aggravating tug on his mind. Of course. He could not let the control of the discussion escape him. He clears his throat, loud enough that it would reassert his position as the one giving the speech.

"While I would have phrased it more... delicately, our friend here is correct. The Children are leading the Tenno as they are the only ones who have showed the initiative to organise a resistance movement. If you need proof of our efforts, then simply take a look at Mars. Even under the Lotus, the Tenno had never truly managed to maintain a ground base that had not been overrun within days. If any new resistance movement manages to rise up, the Children would be more than happy to cooperate with them, and to assist in their development as well. However, such a movement has not occured yet, and so, it falls to us to carry the burden, at least for the time being."

With that said, Argent took a deep breath, hoping that it would be answer enough. Whether it was or not, he would not give them a chance to bring it up.

"If those are all of the questions, then I would direct you to my colleague-" he says, pointing at a Steel Meridian operative who'd, at some point, come to stand by the side of the stage. "So that she could lead you to where the briefing will be taking place. Once again, I would like to thank you all both for attending, and for choosing to remain here through what I can only assume was a mindnumbing speech. Frankly, which ones aren't? Nevertheless, please make yourselves at home, and I hope that this is the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship."

A quick nod of the head, and the Grineer woman would begin making her way to the Mission Control room.

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As soon as the doors to the Mission Control room open with a hiss, the recruits are greeted by wafts of what could best be described as... an orchestra for the senses. Round tables line the newly repurposed room, each housing platters of food, each letting off steam bearing a variety of aromas, ranging from the sweet of fresh fruits, to the faintly smokey hints of roasted meat. Delicacies of all kinds adorned the tables, and any with even a small knowledge of prices would recognise that this had likely cost a small fortune, especially in the current climate. The Steel Meridian recruit extends her hand in invitation, beckoning the others to enter and find their seats, before explaining that there would be some time for the new people to mingle among each other, and to develop some familiarity with who they will be working alongside before being thrust into a situation where life and death were on the line.

Cyrus listened to the Tenno answer the crowd's questions in turn, mostly content with what he said. He hadn't really had any qualms, or not any that seemed worth mentioning, after all. 'Slaughter our enemies by the hundreds' was a strange juxtaposition to 'it does not mean that the value of life should be ignored', and the boy wondered what was meant by it. The value of the life of the Children? Or respectful and swift deaths to their enemies? Maybe he meant to rescue people in need, that seemed to make the most amount of sense.

'The most egregious of offences' piqued Cyrus' interest too, wondering what those offences might be. He...probably hadn't done anything egregious, but his line of research could be something that lead down that path, not that he'd ever do anything deliberately.

The answers wrapped up, and a Grineer woman begins leading the crowd to a new room, one full of possibly the best looking banquet Cyrus had ever seen. If only he could actually eat it. He entertains the idea of coming in person, flipping between the gratification of actually eating, and the vulnerable state he'd feel in. He resigns himself to just watching people eat; maybe he'd be able to dine on such delicacies some other time...?