Operation: Express Car; [train plot log]

[these_balls]

Who: Everyone who wants to participate!
Where: Goldenrod City, the Magnet Train, Saffron City.
When: November 23rd, 11AM-5PM
Summary: Heist on the Magnet Train!
Rating: Might go up to PG-13, possibly R if exceptional violence of swearing occurs.
Log:

Comments

PHASE 2 – 12:45

[these_balls]

[ locked to Phase 2 Rockets! ]

[Be quiet. Be subtle. Remember: act like you belong, and no one will suspect you don't until it's too late. Knock out the attendant, take out the driver. At least two of you man the train, at least one lookout, while the rest set up the explosives. Upon successful completion, a picture of the bomb with the keywords THE EGG IS HATCHING, are to be sent to an Admin.

Work fast, soldiers. The clock is ticking.]

[hasearthbooks]

[Aliens, Archer? Pray, what aliens? Gorthan is just your average duck from Earth! ... Except for the part where he's literally anything but that.

For the last few days, a question has been pounding in the Branch Chief's head and in his chest, its viral influence keeping him wide awake at night with the effectiveness of gallons of caffeine.

If this mission relies so heavily on the amplified power of mass fear, and thus is, without a doubt, destined to succeed...

... why must the explosives be real? In such a setting, shouldn't an empty threat and a fake bomb suffice? Why should we put the lives of so many people in actual danger?He's given himself countless different answers, from the perfectly Evronian "it's the only way they'll take the threat and the Team seriously", to more absurd, and yet perhaps slightly true, things such as "to titillate people like Kimblee

[rideonmyharley]

[For all his talk about trying to get out of Team Rocket, once it comes down to it, Kia's right there helping out because he likes the idea of causing a bit of trouble and not being bored out of his mind.

Setting up explosives is second nature to him, so he looks up at the others keeping an eye out, making sure they really are paying attention, as he winds wires together and makes sure the detonator is in the best possible place.

If anyone thought Kia was stupid, this is a good time for them to be proven wrong.]

[hackintheaster]

[Robin definitely notices how easily Kia is setting up the wiring of the bomb, and watches as he works.]

You seem pretty comfortable. Have you worked with explosives before?

[rideonmyharley]

Yeah. The army trained me in them at home and I had to use them once or twice to take care of some jobs.

[The jobs hadn't technically been related to being a soldier, but Kia saw no point in explaining that to anyone in Johto.]

[hackintheaster]

[So he was in the army back home? Huh, Robin continued to watch him as he worked.]

What kind of jobs?

[rideonmyharley]

Rescued a guy that got kidnapped by a corrupt businessman, for one.

[hackintheaster]

[To say that Robin was nervous would be wrong, but excited gave too much of a positive tone that didn't really fit with the mission. No, Robin was prepared. He had the very slightest twinge in his stomach from nerves, but it was far enough away that it didn't bother him. It never bothered him. His training made sure of that. The training he had before coming to Johto. Whatever training Team Rocket put him through was nothing compared to a single night in Gotham.

But what he had to make sure was to not blow his cover. He needed this mission to go smoothly, with as little damage to innocent civilians. Robin needed this mission to go over so there wouldn't be doubt of his alliances, so his cover would be strong enough to get him somewhere.

So of course he would sign himself up for the bomb aspect of the mission. He had to make sure the bomb didn't actually go off. Batman gave him basic bomb training, and Team Rocket gave him a bit more. With all that and what he knew about bombs from his own research, he should be able to defuse it

[hasearthbooks]

[At one point as Gorthan works on the bomb, his hands are shaking so badly he needs to stop for a moment. He twirls one of his hands emptily in the air, pretending he hurt himself with one of the tools. That's when he notices Robin. Well, doesn't that make two currently very pensive people in the same room.]

Something on your mind?

[hackintheaster]

[He doesn't jump when Gorthan speaks to him, though he was quite close. He shrugs, noticing how Gorthan's hands are shaking.]

Thinking about the bomb. [His eyes move to some of the other rockets in the room before coming back.] How it's not all that...I don't know, necessary? [He shrugs, playing it off like he doesn't really care all that much. He's following orders, that's what they do. Rockets follow orders.

Then he motions to Gorthan's hands.] You okay there?

[hasearthbooks]

Indeed. A fake would probably have worked just as well - such is the power of fear. But, orders are orders.

[Also, there are people who just like playing with things that blow up. He can mention one or two Phase 2 Rockets who are currently having the time of their lives. He's rather obviously not one of them.]

And I am reasonably fine. Thank you for your concern.

[He'll check his hands - still shaky. Dear Evron, why.]

[hackintheaster]

[He nods, looking back around at everyone there with them. Roughly ten minutes before everything started going to hell.]

Do you think there are escape measures? For us, if they have to blow the train?

[Robin can see his hands still shaking and wonders if it's the bomb or what. Demeanor-wise, Gorthan looks fine.]

[hasearthbooks]

Of course there are. [Though he can't quite name them at the moment. Though given his precedents, he'd likely survive jumping off a moving train.] What makes you doubt that?

[His tone is a little harsher now. It's not like he doesn't have any doubts of his own - he does - but he's not prepared to side with an eventual traitor should he discover one.]

[hackintheaster]

[Robin turns back to the bomb, working at connecting some of the wires despite his first instinct to keep them disconnected. He keeps his eyes down when he answers, realizing he's getting into dangerous waters.]

Because we weren't briefed on one.

[hasearthbooks]

Well, that just means we'll have to improvise, should things head down that path. It's not that big of a problem, is it?

[Good. He's working. At least that's a good sign. Gorthan resumes working in turn. The pause was a good idea - his hands are a little more steady now.

... But when he thinks of all those other people, and Pokémon, and children in the other cars...

... The steadiness in his hands doesn't last longer than two or three minutes.]

[hackintheaster]

It'd probably depend on what you consider a problem.

[He shrugs before completing one of the connections, moving on down the body of the bomb to check the connection to the detonator without actually touching anything.]

Have you worked with explosives before?