equipment orientation ♔ thursday afternoon

[rationalizes]

WHO || Jeanne Gar, the new Squires
WHAT || Equipment Briefing
WHERE || Knights Headquarters, the Dragon's Hoard laboratory
WHEN || Thursday, February 2nd, 2012, 1:00PM
HOW || Actionspam

Considering that there aren't really any labels on the doors in this place, and no one's given any of the squires a map yet, it really is possible to get lost in the castle. But hopefully, all of you have arrived safely finally at the two steel doors with Biohazard signs on the outside, that mark the entrance to the Dragon's Hoard research wing. Sir Gar ushers everyone inside, into what is actually not a sterile looking laboratory setup, but instead a very unusually architectured library with multiple stories. She winds her way through the stacks, seeming fully at home, chirping "This way! Yes, that's the one!" as she makes her way to the staircase. A great deal of models are suspended from the ceiling that look like space age designs for jet planes, cars, boats, and any number of other things. There are other objects that are much more inexplicable: a giant silver ball, suspended by several rods, for example.

There's another set of doors at the end of the balcony, and she swipes an access card through a reader besides them. They depress with a space age hiss and there's the clean white laboratory, with rows and rows of tables and lab equipment set up. Numerous knights buzz around in white lab coats, working under microscopes and on computers, conferring over a number of projects.

"This," she says triumphantly, turning to face you all, "is where we do our research."

Comments

General tour; singular thread, no posting order \o\

[rationalizes]

[She marches to the left, which is a good distance from where most of the actual lab work is going on, waving for everyone to follow, even as she discusses it]

We try to stay on the forefront of technology, as well as researching magical artifacts from a scientific standpoint. [She smiles at the juxtaposition] Which may sound strange to many of you, but magic follows laws just like anything else in the universe. We're working here to unlock them.

Credit Cards

[rationalizes]

[In the side room with its rows and rows of cases and cabinets, Gar situates herself across a big brushed metal table from all the squires, and draws out seven envelopes, passing each across the table. They're all labelled by name, and contain a single credit card.

The cards themselves are silver with this logo beneath the numbers. They each say KARTHUR INSTITUTE across the top.]

These cards may be used for any business expenditures related to your missions. You are asked only to use your best judgment - our finance department will review purchases, and may contact you if they find anything remarkably unusual. But they may be used for hotel rooms, food, airplane fare or other travel expenses, etc.

Questions?

Excalibur brand pistol

[rationalizes]

[Next, she picks up seven aluminum cases from the floor and slowly slides each one over. When unlatched, each contains a weapon that looks something like this, except that it also has the Knight's symbol of a dragon on the handle, and the words EXCALIBUR across the barrel.]

Those of you with no previous experience with... firearms may receive training before taking these to the field, but a standard briefing applies. This is your Excalibur - a weapon designed in our labs and modified from the Glock 17s that officers use in many countries. As far as pistols, it is... extremely safe to carry, because the action remains disengaged until the actual moment of firing. Which means it doesn't require other safety catches, making it very quick to operate, which is essential in the field.

[She opens a similar case, drawing out the accessories.] Each comes with a silencer, which will muffle the sound of blasts, but not dampen it entirely. Each magazine contains 17 shots.

[She seals the case again, locking it down tightly, before looking up at that] Owning a weapon like this is, of course, a tremendous responsibility, but the same responsibility as any other weapon in our care. A sword may take a life as readily as a gun, and so might a wayward spell. We give you the tools but we will also give you the training. You, however, must make the decision of when and where to pull the trigger.

[slays]

[ After the mini-lecture, Buffy begins to push her way through the miniature crowd of squires, up to the front. She's tiny, so it's ... a bumpy ride. ] Ah -- Excuse me -- I just wanna ... [ She slides up to the front, squeezing between two people, and winds up right in front of Gar. ] Yeah. Hi. I was just wondering ... You know, I'm not really a gun person, can we get anything ... you know. Pointier? Shinier? More with the -- [ She makes a slashing gesture. ]

[rationalizes]

[Gar hardly looks surprised by the request, and just smiles slightly] We hardly lack for swords, so you needn't worry. The armory is upstairs, between the training rooms and the Dragon's Hide wing.

[slays]

And I can go get one of those ... whenever? No special squire-y, no-gun pass necessary?

[rationalizes]

That's something of the idea, yes. People tend to be a bit more squeamish around hand guns, so we tend to deliver them personally.

[slay]

How ... thoughtful. [ She makes a stink face at the gun. ] ... So, just to be clear, I don't have to take that, do I?

[rationalizes]

Not at all. There are several of our members who refuse to carry firearms. And if you change your mind, you can always come pick one up.

[slays]

Thanks. I'll keep it in mind.

[rationalizes]

Are you interesting in firearm training, at all?

[slays]

I'm not sure there's a strong enough way to say "no, thank you."

lmao omg so much word fail from me last night i was so half asleep

[rationalizes]

Then swords it is. [She smiles, obviously not put off by the specification, and locks the gun back up, placing it on a shelf]

my brain autocorrected. i guess my brain runs on mac osx

[slay]

[ She gives an awkward but appreciative smile. ] Thanks.

Various gadgets

[rationalizes]

This is only, of course, the minimum standard equipment, and before missions you are welcome to come here and avail yourselves of more specific resources.

[She moves back to the cases, unlatching one with her keycard, her eyes lighting up as she draws something out.] This is a popular favorite. [She holds up what looks to be a regular wristwatch] In addition to telling the time, [she smiles slightly and presses a button, causing a tiny hook and cable to go shooting out of the side of it rapidly. A pin at the end hits the wall and sinks into the metal easily creating a taut line of cord] it also contains a grappling hook, recording device, miniature circular saw, and high grade laser.

[She retracts the hook, sets it down on the table, and goes to another case, drawing out several tubes of lipstick] We also have a very popular line of female accessories. [The first tube, when uncapped, contains a wicked looking knife. Another has a camera. And she holds up a third, smiling proudly] This one contains a stun gun, capable of delivering 350,000 volts.

It also has an LED light. [She clicks the button on the end merrily and a tiny beam shoots out.]

[militarized]

I didn't realize we were getting squared away by MI-6. [ Ethan takes one of the wrist watches, giving it a once over, then sets it back down. He already has a watch, and it's not one he's replacing with a shiny gadget. ] What else have you got?

[rationalizes]

Actually, Captain Mavery, [She seems to enjoy saying his title, but not in the slutty way Dumage would. Just because it's fun.] we've worked with MI-6 engineers in the past.

[Either way, if he wants to be impressed, she will find a way, gdi. She goes back to another case and pulls out more shit, like a man's ring.] This is an ultra high frequency single digit sonic agitator. Simply twist the top and it emits a pitch that can shatter even bulletproof glass, at a frequency that could render someone unconscious upon hearing.

[A pause, and then she adds quickly:] It, of course, comes with ear plugs.

[militarized]

[ Ok ok, he looks impressed. He reaches out to take the ring, inspecting it more closely. ] Quite the arsenal. Guessing we don't get to play until we're past our training pants.

[rationalizes]

[She lets him take it, seeming quite pleased to have gotten a reaction out of him, at least] You're free to come in for demonstrations or equipment training at any time. So long as you've been properly instructed in the usage of a device, and providing you sign out anything taken, it's all at your disposal when assigned a mission.

[militarized]

[ He inspects it, then glances back up at Gar. ] And you just let anyone who signs up for the Knighthood and watches an instructional video walk out of here with these?

[rationalizes]

Not just anyone can sign up for the Knighthood, Captain Mavery. [YOU HAVE TO GET THE STAMP OF WYNN APPROVAL AND THEN YOU GET YOUR LICENSE TO KILL] And we encourage and monitor proper training both on and off the field.

[militarized]

[ So basically that's a yes. ] Monitor with what? [ He glances around. ] You guys have a gadget for that one too, or can I look forward to Big Brother shadowing all the knights in person?

[rationalizes]

Dragon's Claws are the only Knights allowed out in the field alone. Everyone else works as part of a team, and naturally we're expected to report any abuses of privileges within our unit. Not that we're rewarded for it, but because we want to look out for another.

[militarized]

You know, the cops have a word for that. Good Ol' Boy system. You let your partner slide once, he covers your back. [ He's judgy. He can't help it. ]

[rationalizes]

Wynn has his ways of knowing when anyone lies to him. And there are very simple spells for that.

Plus, we have telepaths in our employ. [Yep, she's just fixing you with a 'now what, come at me bro' stare]

[militarized]

So, I was right about Big Brother.

[rationalizes]

Do you feel you have something to hide, Captain Mavery?

[militarized]

Now, that wouldn't be very knightly of me if I did, would it?

[rationalizes]

We're all still entitled to a few secrets.

[militarized]

Some more than others? [ He raises an eyebrow at that. Because now he's curious -- what kind of secrets does a woman like Gar have? She seems too ... quirky ... to be real secretive. ]

[rationalizes]

Well, naturally. Knights come from all different walks of life.

[militarized]

So I'm beginning to notice.

[rationalizes]

Personally, I think it's one of our greatest strengths. Wouldn't you say?

[militarized]

Too much diversity can loosen the bonds of a unit that's supposed to work together. Dissent is good to keep the higher-ups in line, but too much gets dangerous. [ /old-fashioned /slightly racist. ]

[rationalizes]

[And now Gar will look actually a bit miffed] I hardly think there can be such a thing as too much diversity. That's not the same thing as dissenting viewpoints.

[militarized]

Might not be the same thing, but they go hand in hand. People come from different places, they look at things differently. Get hung up on things they shouldn't.

[rationalizes]

Everyone has their own personal hurdles to get over in order to work as a team, but that doesn't make it a bad thing that they offer a unique perspective.

[militarized]

Didn't say it always is. Just that too much can make a unit stop working as a unit because of those unique perspectives.

[rationalizes]

I suppose that's why we try to promote the idea of compromise here.

[militarized]

No one's happy with compromise.

[rationalizes]

I'd say fewer people are happier with extremists.

[militarized]

So, what you're saying is diversity works best when everyone's a pushover.

[rationalizes]

What I'm saying is a stubborn attitude is hardly conducive to teamwork.

[militarized]

It is if you're all the same kinda stubborn.

[rationalizes]

It seems you could give us all a lesson in stubbornness, Captain.

[militarized]

Consider it part of my diversity.

[rationalizes]

I'll have to do that.