Video - Four days after Malicant's message

[highprofilerichkid]

[Malicant has made his move, and Tony has decided that it's time for the Foreigners to step up their game. Starting with their communication network. As Bakura demonstrated, the consoles are no longer safe from Malicant's prying eyes (if they ever have been).

After a marathon troubleshooting session with Akito, Tony has also concluded that if a truly secure secondary network is going to happen any time soon, there's going to need to be a lot more people working on it. His time and resources are stretched thin, and he needs help.]

The consoles are not secure. I don't know if anywhere is, but we can actually do something about the consoles, at least. I know there've been some attempts to encrypt the console traffic and a couple false starts at a secondary network. I think it's time to get down to business and get a fully independent secure mobile network up and running, as soon as possible.

Magic is too susceptible to influence, so this network is going to be strictly technological. Pure tech and heavy encryption give us the best chance of shutting out our nosy neighbor.

If you have any expertise with radio, electronics, or telecommunications - anything that might be helpful - get in touch. Engineering, physics, cryptography... Hell, if you worked a summer job in IT. I want you here at Stark Industries.

Also, if any foreigners from higher-tech worlds brought any stuff along with them that they don't mind giving up, I'd like to take a look at it. Electronic devices like cell phones would be the best. A lot of post-industrial-revolution consumer goods contain minerals and compounds that are hard to get a hold of here, and we'll need as much of those as we can get.

And one more thing: I've put together a dozen... self-defense devices. Nothing big, but enough to give you a few seconds if you're in a tight spot. Distributing them to the turtle parents is the top priority, but if there are any left over, it's first come first serve. If you want one, meet me at SI and I'll give you the rundown here.

[private to ALL TURTLE PARENTS]

The fewer people are bonded to each turtle, the more vulnerable they are. Protecting the turtles means protecting their parents, so you all get first dibs on the toys. Anyone who's interested, send me a message and I'll set one aside. And come to SI as soon as you can.

[private to AYA, RICHIE FOLEY, CLARK KENT, DONATELLO, and MIKE WESTON]

I'm contacting you all specifically because I know you have tech skills or because Aya told me that you've worked on the secondary network in the past. We need you in on this.


---


((ooc: For the sake of security, Tony will only be describing the self-defense gadgets in person. Anyone who comes to SI to claim one will be given the following information:

There are six aversive devices [remaining: 4]. They consist of a slightly concave hemisphere - sort of like a very thick-walled bowl - that fits in the hand. They work on a principle similar to the Active Denial System. When they are held with the concave side facing out, and a button on the side is pressed, they emit a ten-second burst of radiation that, while harmless, causes immediate and intense discomfort to any person standing in range. Anyone without extreme magic- or drug-enhanced pain insensitivity will be compelled to move out of range. The area of effect is a wide cone that extends out about thirty feet. Each device has enough power for two bursts before it must be recharged.
[claimed by: Enjolras, Annabeth]

There are six force field generators [remaining: 5]. These are devices are disk-shaped, with about the same dimensions as a restaurant pager. Press the large button on top, and they will generate a transparent force field bubble about six feet in diameter. The field lasts about six seconds under ideal conditions, but may collapse sooner than that if it is interacting with a lot of matter (e.g., if the person holding it is swimming, or in tall, dense grass). The field can be moved, and will remain centered on the device when in motion (in other words, you can run with it). Each device has enough power to generate one force field before it must be recharged.
[claimed by: Raine]

Both devices can be recharged at any console, or at Stark Industries.))

Comments

[peacefullywreathed]

You'd have to hit me, first.

[He can't help but be amused. Stark acted like a child with the world on his shoulders, as if his power was the only power around. As if there was nothing that could contest it.]

White marble and obsidian.

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony rolls his eyes. Real cute, Solomon. Like he's never heard that before.] How about let's not test my aim in any more surprise live fire exercises.

[He shakes his head, and turns his attention to Solomon's request.] Obsidian, maybe. Marble, no. What do you need them for?

[peacefullywreathed]

[Solomon's only response to the first remark is a blithe smile. He will naturally test your aim in further surprise live-fire exercises, Stark. At that, though, he drums his fingers against the arm of his chair.]

I can manufacture portals between here and the Dreaming plane. Obsidian and white marble are required elements for a stable doorway. Could you manufacture a stone with a same or similar density, solidity and, above all, colour, to white marble?

PRANK WAR GO

[highprofilerichkid]

[Well that sure sounds exciting. And like something Tony's going to be staying far, far away from if Solomon gets it working. The only things that come out of portals, in Tony's experience, are bad things, and worse things.

For a long moment, he considers just telling Solomon to get his creepy magic portal supplies elsewhere, but eventually, he reluctantly replies,] I might be able to make a material with some similar physical properties, but it would be a serious stretch to call it stone.

[peacefullywreathed]

[Oh, you small-minded child. Portals can also have things, like giant chaos-loving intangible beings, shoved through them. Also, he already has it working. He just needs more stone.]

The importance is the colour, consistency and ability to withstand great force. If you can manufacture a substitute with similar qualities, it may suffice. I'd have to experiment with a small quantity first.

what a grumpy little pissbaby. get over urself u nerd

[highprofilerichkid]

I'll see what I can do, [Tony grudgingly acquiesces. Maybe if Solomon doesn't teleport behind him and surprise him any more, Tony might even feel gracious enough to ask Gene if the matter-manipulation ring can whip up some marble.

Assuming this portal is actually going to be useful and isn't some pointless magical vanity project.]

Do I even want to ask what you're going to do with this portal? Or is it more creepy necromancy stuff? [If there are any zombies involved, here, Sol, he is so out. Tony does not actually know anything about necromancy]

[peacefullywreathed]

I don't know. Do you?

[Have a beatific smile, Tony. In fact Solomon wants to see if they can use it as a weapon--but he's slightly wary of saying even that out loud nowadays.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony narrows his eyes.]

...I'll work on the obsidian. [And you can find your own marble, ya jerk.] Do you need anything else, or are you just sticking around to get on my nerves now?

[peacefullywreathed]

[Children. Solomon hums.]

You are somewhat predictable.

[Then his humour fades and he simply looks impassive.]

If our enemy can't be killed, where, exactly, do you think we might be able to imprison him?

[Use your head, boy, you're meant to be intelligent.]

[highprofilerichkid]

And you're somewhat obnoxious. [Tony glowers. But Solomon seems to have lost interest in annoying him for now, and he's back onto his magic portal.

Oh. Is that what you're on about, Solomon. Tony doesn't look impressed.]

If something exists, it can be destroyed. [Because existence is, fundamentally, information: everything in the universe (or multiverse) is just different different ways of organizing matter and energy. It's just data— and all data can be erased. Tony doesn't believe in things that can't be destroyed.] And things have a way of getting out of prisons. Might solve the problem for us - but that just means it'll be someone else's problem later.

[peacefullywreathed]

[Solomon lifts an eyebrow.]

So you'd put all your eggs in one basket on the basis of an assumption, and refuse aid to the war-effort because you dislike the person asking for your expertise? Hardly a tactical choice.

[highprofilerichkid]

[Nope. No he has not. Still annoying.]

I said imprisoning it isn't a permanent solution. I didn't say I wouldn't help. I already told you I'd work on the obsidian, didn't I? Stop putting words in my mouth. And, here's a crazy idea: maybe you should try not being a huge asshole to people when you're asking for their help.

[peacefullywreathed]

Wherever would be the fun in that?

[Then he snorts.]

Of course it isn't a permanent solution. But not everything can be killed, or at least not without far more time to a plan that death without far more time than we currently have, and I'm hardly so foolish as to pass up a Plan B. Nor am I so foolish as to neglect resources when available.

[Implicit: 'are you?']

[highprofilerichkid]

Great. Good luck with that. Do you need anything else, or can you go find someone else's day to ruin?

[If he's going to be making faux-obsidian, he'll probably have to spend the rest of the day cobbling together a glass-firing kiln and figuring out the proper chemical composition to make the glass black. Which is a big chunk out of his valuable and limited time. So he really doesn't want to waste any more of it.

Also, he still hasn't forgiven Solomon for that disaster with Hayley the other day, and he has no interest in socializing with him.]

[peacefullywreathed]

The white-marble. The obsidian is useless to me unless I have an opposing force.

[Really, you walked into that one. Appreciate the fact he's restraining a smart remark about your insecurity, Tony. It's taking effort.]

[highprofilerichkid]

[Tony grits his teeth. He snatches a piece of paper and a pencil and starts writing down a list of materials - anything he can think of that could conceivably be used in any chemical process that might yield something like white marble. It is a long, varied, and probably strange-looking list. What do soap-making byproducts have to do with creating artificial marble? None of your damn business, Solomon.]

Here. [Tony slaps the list down on the table in front of the necromancer.] If you want to be useful, [instead of just underfoot, and incredibly annoying,] bring me these. Whatever you can find.

[It's not really a wild goose chase - conceivably, some of that stuff will end up in the final product. And less time looking for materials means more time Tony can spend in the lab. The fact that it will probably get Solomon out of his hair for a few days... well, that's just a nice bonus.]

[peacefullywreathed]

[Solomon picks up the list and looks at it, and the corners of his mouth turn up with amusement at a fair number of them. He knows what you're doing, Stark, but if it gets him what he wants then he's going to let you think you've won the round.]

Of course.

[Calmly he folds the list and tucks it into his pocket, and he rises and bows faintly mockingly.]

Do try not to let a few minutes of enduring little old me ruin the whole of your day, Mr Stark. Otherwise I might start to think you're insecure.

[And then he shadow-walks right on out of there before Tony can answer, though the last thing the shadows over is his laughing smile.]