Mom's home, hide the beer [video]

[relativityspeaking]

I've got good news: Reinhardt and Brainy are both stable and safely tucked into healing pods. They're both expected to make full recoveries.

I figured I'd get that out there up front. The rest is going to get long, so it's split into parts.

[ooc: People can respond to the two parts of the briefing in the subthreads below.]

Comments

Basic Briefing [video]

[relativityspeaking]

I'd also like to say that I'm very proud of how you all handled that situation. You were fast, thorough, and put saving lives first, which is exactly how the Legion operates. [She cracks a smile.] I can't say I've ever been rescued to musical accompaniment before, but that was also a very nice touch.

[She sobers.]

That being said, I've been informed about some of the conversation that took place during the planning phase, and I'd like to amend Nova Prime's reminder: if you kill someone when you don't have to, you will not be watching the apocalypse from the sidelines as a civilian. You will be watching it from a jail cell, because murder is, in fact, a sprocking crime here. If it is not a case where there was literally no other way to stop the sentient and it was vital to the preservation of your own life or the lives of other sentients, then don't sprocking go for the sprocking killshot. I like all of you, I appreciate what you've done by joining the Legion, don't make me plant your ass on Takron-Galtos. Because I will, and I will do it so fast that you'll be tasting yesterday's breakfast.

[She takes a deep breath and lets it out before changing the subject.]

The smaller, planned mission was also a success. We got our hands on the Spear of Destiny, it's currently being stored in a box labeled "open in case of Spectre" because I'm sure that there's more than one person who'd be tempted to crack anything labeled "do not open." Seriously though, even when we take out of secure lockup for response against the Spectre, try to minimize contact with it as much as possible. We're going to have to make sure our response plan to the Spectre utilizes it as safely as it can be used.

We also got a bonus gift from the sentient known as the Wizard; it's a book that should be able to help us with a number of things: tools to combat Chronoblivion and ways to block magical spying, for two. Magic isn't personally my bag -- my background is in genetic engineering, not archaeology -- but if anyone wants to take swing at it, let me know.

I especially want to prioritize using it to see if we can identify the...whatever-it-was that claimed it was using the suicide bomber in the studio as a "meat-suit."

[Kid Q gets her Extra Serious Business face on.]

Now it's time to talk next steps. I'm going to start off by saying that the next part of the briefing will be extra encrypted, with something Brainy worked up that will make it secure from even Legion staff. Hit the button for a security scan to view the second part of the briefing when you're somewhere free from prying eyes.

[Audio]

[thedreamisdead]

[It's probably a good thing no one can hear her eyes rolling.]

Wasn't one of the Dark Judges. Not enough rotting flesh and hissing about "You cannot kill what doesss not liiiiive". Or, my personal favorite, "The crime issss life, the sssentence isss death!"

[Then again, if it was a Dark Judge, they'd all be dead now. So there's that.]

Speaking of that last mission, though, I couldn't help but notice the diversity in loadout between members. Rifles, pistols, knives, flaming swords, giant hammers... Maybe we should look at something more standardized. Especially for less-than-lethal alternatives.

[There's a beat.]

Also, I need more high explosive rounds.

[Because grenades that you fire out of a hand cannon is what has to be discussed right after talking about non-lethal weaponry.]

[Audio]

[legionnpcs]

The question of what specific weapons are necessary is a difficult one to answer when everyone's skills are so varied

By your standards, everyone would need to learn to use a firearm. By mine, no one would need to be armed at all. [Yes, he just survived an ambush, but to be fair, there was a reason they worked him over extra good (albeit not as badly as Brainy), so that he was weakened even when freed.] Perhaps it is best to let each Legionnaire play to their strengths.

[Audio]

[meanmonkey]

I can understand the desire for standardization, but also the difficulty in implementing it that Karate Kid mentioned. By your standards, firearms. By his, unarmed. By mine - for example - swordsmanship. I am willing to train further in unarmed combat, but have no desire to use firearms, or for my son to learn them. I'm sure there are people here who would not want to learn swordsmanship.

How would you propose we settle on an acceptable standard for everyone to fall back on? [ It's a sincere question ]

[video] possibly-misplaced nervous breakdown in 3...2...1...

[captainbuzzkill]

Meatsuit? What whatever-it-was?

[Dipper raises an eyebrow.]

What are you playing at, Kid Q?

[relativityspeaking]

If I had more details on it, I'd have been more specific than 'whatever-it-was'.

[She answers wryly, but sobers to give him more detail.]

One of the sentients on the Legion of Supervillains -- we're still trying to identify him -- seems to have been possessed. He referred to himself as being a "meat-suit" and suddenly seemed surprised to find himself holding a bomb seconds away from detonation. We've yet to identify the possessing entity as well.

Why?

video;

[resist_the_future]

How long until Reinhardt is able to have visitors?

[it's not like she cares or anything.]

video;

[relativityspeaking]

Hard to say, even the best medi-tech in two galaxies can only do so much.

I'll be sure to keep you all in the loop though -- and you specifically, if you'd like.

[video]

[superscholar]

... I'd like to study the book.

[ a beat. ]

I'm passingly familiar with magic, although most of my experience is with life energy. I'm a professional scholar though, I know how to research and find what we're looking for.

If someone more familiar with magic would rather have the book, that's fine too. I'd just like to help.

[video]

[relativityspeaking]

Great. Unless someone else steps forward with further experience, I am delegating the study of the book to you. Any thoughts on what you might need, or to you need to look at the book first?

Super Encrypted Part 2 [video]

[relativityspeaking]

[A button pops up that'll force them to use the highest security scan the omnicoms have to continue, whatever each Legionnaire agreed to set when they started using their omnicoms, whether it's fingerprint scan or ridiculous password or retinal scan. It's extra inconvenient, which is why she doesn't use this setting for briefings that don't need it.]

The reason this is so encrypted is because the corrupt Council-members that have been selling us out are going down, so we're going to have to discuss undertaking technically-criminal actions. We're not talking a full mutiny -- not unless the entire UP government is colluding with Chronoblivion, the Legion of Supervillains, and/or criminal parties unknown, in which case, we'll have to instigate a nonviolent coup. Again.

[She rolls her eyes and says this like it's a regular thing. Because it is. They've overthrown the government or exposed corrupt factions of it enough time that it's a habit.]

But right now we're treating this as a standard small-scale infiltration-slash-collusion incident, and if it needs to be more we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Babbage compiled voting records and other communications we can use to try tracing the Council-members behind all this.

[She provides access to a highly secure, encrypted file exchange, with a file dump that they can comb through to find out who all was involved.]

Anyone that feels they have valuable tactical insights to offer are welcome to contribute. We need to cross-reference and isolate the Council-members that were involved in multiple decisions that adversely affected the team, and there are a lot of documents to work through.

Payback has offered to re-form the Legion's Espionage Squad. Once we have leads, we'll execute espionage operations to gain proof we can use to have the guilty parties taken into custody. For that, we'll need hackers that are willing to break UP security laws -- and more importantly, can do it without getting caught. We'll also need squad members with infiltration skills, and probably some specialized abilities, as well as some muscle. All espionage operations will be informed by whatever leads we find.

Think back to what we did back when we took back that artifact for the Dryads from the casino. Only this time we're going against far nastier customers, and we're playing for keeps. Individual orders will be forthcoming as we narrow down what to look for.

Obviously, the fact we're taking a swing at UPgov is considered confidential. Alpha-level. That is our highest level of confidentiality. Breaking it means instant dismissal from the team. Because what we're doing is technically treason.

Alright, people, it's time to get to work. This nass has gone on long enough.

[legionnpcs]

I've always wanted to see a politician's face when I got to waggle a datapad under their noses and tell them that the jig is up.

Be still her beating heart

[vata]

Espionage, secrecy, hacking, stealth... [It's sighed out with clear affection in her voice.] Hermosa if you wanted to write me a love letter all you needed to do was ask.

text; private

[agnominal]

Specialized in infiltration. Might qualify as muscle as well. More disposable than other heroes.

Seems a fitting choice.

text

[mylawn]

I sure hope you know what you're doing.

Special ops.

[Audio]

[kingtyrantranger]

From what Parker's told me, you guys might want to pack some firefighting gear.

And a potato.

text

[fantasmaniac]

Strengths lie in special and covert ops.
Give me a team, and I'll lead.

[ nevermind he already has a team in mind, but there's always spots that need filling. ]

[i_got_this]

Fuck yeah, count me in. Those guys are assholes.

[goddamngrenades]

You know me boss lady- Encryption, infiltration and breaking the law for the right reasons is kinda what I do. Count me and Delta in.

video;

[deafleppard]

I can stick to walls, beat people up, and get around without using those flight rings.

You know you want me in on this.

[unrecovered]

I'm in. Moderate infiltration and lock picking, eidetic memory, hand to hand and ranged combat, and on a good day I can even keep Locksmith in line.

As for cross-referencing, Cortana, Delta, and Theta can do that a lot faster than most of the rest of us can.

[steelandtemper]

The system I can't infiltrate doesn't exist.

[prettycoolguy]

Ma'am, yes ma'am.

[ He is so pleased to hear this. ]

I think you have some idea of what I'm good at.

[ The Legacies thing is officially old enough to make dark, deadpan jokes about now. ]

[video]

[ghost_bait]

[It's a small wonder that she doesn't even look like she wants to offer herself up, but that's likely for later, after the pad's turned off and she can pray for guidance.] Should I... [Miku purses her lips, and straightens her shoulders.] Should I go ask Payback if I'd be useful, then? Since I just need to be in a location to see what's gone on?

text

[wallsofjericho]

I've never heard it called an espionage squad before, but I'm good at infiltration and I can get around bio locks. I'd like to sign up.