(Gamma World) This is Not a Test #64 - The Quart and Funnel

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  are spending the winter at KIA Academy.

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Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  

Sonny Helianthus: a sentient sunflower artifact examiner with trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades.  Very interested in a "Children's Alchemical Laser" he recently acquired.

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble, and finding it often.  Previously "gave birth" to a litter of sentient earthworm babies, but recently has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.  No Name has recently been fitted for a artillery device of the Ancients that chucks spears further than any human.  Looking for trouble in all the right places.  Former jousting champion of Fair-Town and has been awarded... a peacock he has named Chambray.  He's recently been struck by a weapon by a strange race of people and transformed into... something else... multiple times.

RHA-9: A lab assistant piece of "Living Metal" that seems to have befriended the group... for now!  Currently getting repairs done by the Restorationists. Currently safely in their hotel room on KIA Academy Level Zero.

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The next day, with Dr Kallax not having "Office Hours" and thus Sonny had no opportunity to visit the Level 8 Library, the entire group got the chance to explore.

Pete and Lathar decided on drinking at a new bar, Sonny picked the level, and Squiggles just asked that they venture down into new passageways and neighborhoods to do so,

Deep enough into Level 0 of the facility, they found an establishment called the Quart and Funnel.  It was sparsely populated but seemed to have a "good vibe."  

The patrons of the establishment were mostly normal human/mutant human types, dressed in the typical clothing of Level 0.   They sauntered up to the bar and grabbed a drink.  While Pete inquired about the drinks, Sonny and Squiggles debated between putting in a singing competition or simply better "Fung Schway."  

 picking out three obvious folks who weren't typical Level 0 patron.  

A white mutant cat, sitting on the barstool, swatting at its drink.  

A huge (6'8") mutant human who looked like he had been through a war or twelve.  His bones were taught over his skin, giving a bit of a skeletal look.

An older woman with silver hair, who appeared out of place. 

Lathar tried to size up the three unique options, but the man's stare back made the barbarian scoot away and order and extra drink for the woman.  

"Hey, don't forget to see the cat."  Pete added.

Lathar glanced over to the cat's spot at the bar, "It's gone!"   

The cat's drinks were all finished and their was no sign of it.  

Pete became paranoid, expecting a trap or ambush, although no one could figure out exactly why anyone would want to attack them.  Lathar had even tried to drop notes about the "lights in the yew tree,"  but no one knew what he was talking about.  

Instead of dropping his tales, he decided to use his pure charisma with the silver-haired woman.  As was his usual style within KIA Academy, he strolled up shirtless, with just a furry vest on.  

The woman took one look at Lathar, and it was obvious she was letting the free drink happen.  

"Hello...."  the woman started the conversation.  

Lathar found his opening, "We're staying the winter here at the Academy.  What's going here on level 2?"

"We're on Level Zero, Lathar."  Sonny the Sunflower, right behind Lathar, corrected his friend.

The woman laughed at the guffaw, "I only come down here for a little inspiration.  What do you know about Resilient and Adaptive Vehicular Technologies.

Lathar smiled, "What do you want me to know about it?"  

With that comeback, Lathar earned a spot at the table across from her.  They learned she was Dr Liora Voss, Vehicular Research on KIA Academy Level 9.  She had been spending most of her recent time on "Biometric Markers for Mutation Integrated Transportation System"

The others were quite confused, but Sonny was not amused, "I don't know how that will work if you can't get your cart rentals to drive outside." 

Dr Liora Voss - Adaptive Vehicular Research - Level 9

Dr Voss dispatched Lathar for another of her green drinks, and got into a technical conversation with Sonny over the e-carts, the need for real roads, that need for the "duo-cycle".  It seemed the woman respected the plant more than the others.  Sonny even volunteered "Zeke" (as Pete was assumed dead from the e-cart incident) to test out of his electric powers on her test vehicles.  

"I bet she has a much better tool she likes to use up in her lab."  Lathar interjected, bringing her green drink to the table.   Dr Voss stared down and sized up the three explorers on the table.

There were three because Squiggles hadn't joined the group to overwhelm Dr Voss.  He had found a high table and nursed his drink.  

The group realized that Lathar's words gave her pause, despite his charms.  

Dr Voss spoke, "Oh my, now THIS is far more interesting than your electrical power."

Pete realized no one else noted her speaking, that she was talking directly to his mind.

Pete: "Oh, you're much more advanced that I gave you credit for..."

Dr. Voss: "I'm not some simple Academy girl"

The others merely noted Dr Voss and Pete giving each other knowing glances.

Sonny continued to ramble on about flying devices he noted in the scientific journals he purchased at Fair-Town.  He also inquired about the flying objects that he had seen in the sky occasionally. 

Dr Voss: The ones belching smoke, that look like a suit of armor?   We see them from the view of Level 9.  One even circled the complex before returning downriver from wherever they come from.

The conversation turned to power cells, jet engines, and vehicular weaponry...

Meanwhile, Squiggles was trying to lip read the conversation with the silver-haired woman.

"Did you just say 'tacos make penguins dance'?"

The worm also realized the skeletal human started paying attention to the loud conversation over at Dr Voss' table.  

He was surprised by the four-foot tall cat that suddenly appeared by Squiggles side.   "If they expected her to take them up to her lab for god-knows what, that's a foursome I don't want to see."

Squiggles giggled, and in an instant, the cat was on his other side.

"Blink technology or power?"  he asked.

The cat shook his head, "Just very flippin' fast."

"Super-speed, Ka-pow!!!!"

"Exactly, what are you?"

"A furry worm.   I wasn't always like this..."

"I understand.  One day you're in a swamp full of chemicals, and you're hit with an electrical attack and you gain super-speed blessing."

Larry the Cat was in charge of some of the scout units at KIA Academy.  As a piece of advice, he told Squiggles not to venture outside for the next few days, a horrible cold spell was coming, and it was going to be deadly to the unprepared.  Larry was piqued by Squiggles and "Zeke's" skill set and offered them some jobs and probably trouble.  

"If the sunflower wants to stay indoors, I wouldn't blame them.  Plants are always fair-weather friend."

Larry the Cat - Level 2

Meanwhile, back at Dr Voss' table, Lathar was laying it on thick.  He couldn't figure out what had caused him to have his ale splashed into his face, but she did take her leave soon thereafter, giving a knowing nod to the tall mutant human before leaving.  

?????

Lathar:  She so wants me....

GM Notes:  I didn't include the last ten minutes of the session, as Squiggles reconnected with the group.  To many innuendos involving "getting lucky"  "trying to pollenate" and Sonny trying to "Pistil punch Lathar with his chances with the doctor.  

Next: #65 - Waffles in Peace