Malik has ideas

[loyalrebel]

Now that we have had some time to relax after the events of Harrowgate, I have some ideas about how to improve our responses as infiltrators to situations.

For those of you who are newly joining us, greetings and apologies for what will likely be uncomfortable discussions. The previous Jaunt was… not a good one for many of us despite the successful outcome.

We, as a group, need to get better at talking about what happens to us on Jaunts, no matter how emotionally difficult it is. I understand not wanting to think or talk about a traumatic event, but talking about it allows others to avoid the same situation in the future. Avoiding something doesn't make it unhappen or stop existing.

We have people, including myself, who know how to keep to facts and events when relaying information to prepare others. I cannot speak for them, but if you wish to use my services my door is always open and I will not think lesser of anyone for finding it difficult to speak openly.

Which brings me to my second suggestion, and the reasons I see for it.

We need a better system for gathering information and taking action as investigators. Running headfirst in to something without a plan keeps getting people arrested, killed or worse.

I know that dying may not be as bothersome to some of us as it is others, but it is not a pleasant or always acceptable price for information.

What I propose is that we put together a dedicated response team of investigators willing and able to follow an actual plan and work in coordination for gathering information in sensitive or dangerous situations as well as extracting those who get in over their heads.

Powers beyond use of the mental network that I believe would be beneficial or crucial to this are teleportation, shapeshifting, interface, summoning Travelers, portal creation, and some sort of healing knowledge. Nobody needs to have all of them, but a few or a willingness to learn them would be good.

Stealth and combat skills can be taught, but most important will be an ability to take and follow orders of whomever is taking point as coordinator for the jaunt based on their knowledge and experience as well as put aside personal opinions and egos for the sake of a greater good.

I know that we have no idea who will or won't be themselves on Jaunts but if there are enough people in this Response Squad, for lack of a better name, then the odds are that at least a few will be themselves and able to act.

...and yes, this is a request for volunteers, regardless of your personal opinions of me or other Travelers.

If you wish to speak with me privately about this, my door is open through the Workshop Library.

Comments

[thornsofmalkav]

I can help. You know I'm good for heals. I can do portals and interface too.

[And she can spy but that's a secret.]

[truerevelation]

Okay. Yeah. I've got a few of those tricks, and ... I totally agree that we need to get some plans worked out. Freaking out like idiots and running off alone is not gonna help anyone.

But. I just wanna check.

Is this you sayin' ... you wanna run the thing, or just saying it would be a good thing to get together?

[Not that he doesn't respect Malik's abilities to coordinate such an activity, but at the same time... his mind's 'leader' slot is well and truly filled, never mind that it's drifting back to Pogtopia.]

[loyalrebel]

I am indeed intimately familiar with your healing skills.

Thank you, I expect there should be some sort of meeting should there be enough interest.

[loyalrebel]

It would be a good thing to get together.

There inherently cannot be any singular leader anyway, who takes point depends entirely on who is investigating and what the situation requires.

[scarsolderthanyou]

Shapeshifting isn't always as useful as it sounds, depending on what you turn into.

[Here's a brand new voice for you, Malik. He sounds... old. But strong, and a bit wry.]

But the rest doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm a little new to all this, so you'll probably have to do a lot of explaining, but I might as well help out.

[Since several days of being grumpy about this whole thing, and still no talk with these "Arcana" things has been forthcoming, Stone figures he might as well engage. It'll keep him from being bored, and he can't sustain real anger and resistance for days on end without running out of any enjoyment of it.]

[claudiometer]

Having people willing to charge headfirst into the unknown gets us the information we need to do the rest, half the time.

But you're right that we could use something more coordinated for after that. I'm in. Got teleporting, portals, and interface, and I can't be far off Thorne's goo-healing trick.

[truerevelation]

Alright. And ain't that the truth...

[loyalrebel]

True, though if someone is looking for one person they tend not to be looking for whatever else you can turn in to.

New is fine, we have all been there before and will be again eventually.

What do you still need to know about?

[papacerberus]

This is a good idea. I will stand with you. I'll teach what skills I can, and I'm willing to learn as well. Once we have a well-rounded group, we can begin making a difference.

We'll also need strategists; that will make the planning go more smoothly.

[scarsolderthanyou]

When you turn into a very large winged thing with sharp teeth, it's not going to be all that helpful to the rest of you people. Unless you want to scare all the locals, or need to get into someplace in a hurry.

For what I need to know about... how to do most of that stuff. It's news to me that you can actually summon people. Or interface, whatever that means. And what exactly do you mean by some of you might not be yourselves?

[He's gotten a pretty patchy explanation of Traveling so far. This one is new to him.]

[loyalrebel]

There's a difference between running in headfirst without a plan and running in headfirst with a plan.

I am not going to try to stop people from jumping in to the void, I am simply looking for people willing to put on, or act as, a proverbial safety harness first.

[awitchdidit]

I'm in complete agreement with your basic idea, and for once I don't see enough problems that I feel a need to nitpick everything, so let's talk details.

For example, I'll volunteer. I don't exactly expect trust from everyone here, but I think I've shown enough dedication to positively resolving Jaunts that hopefully no one has a problem with that. Seeing as I'm volunteering, I'm quite capable with Liminal Skills and a number of other magical support abilities, but I've no head for Psychic communication beyond the basics. It might be beneficial to make sure we recruit large numbers of people skilled in both Psychic and Liminal abilities that make coordination and logistics easier.

[claudiometer]

Trust me, I know all about making sure the exit strategy is in place before diving in. [And she knows Malik does too, since it's the reason he's the Black Knight and not 'briefly as dead as Armin was.']

Addendum to the portals bit, as many people as possible who can do long-distance portals would be good. Backread that there was a massive bottleneck on that front in Ninjaville, and even on the individual level, if the idea's pulling people out of trouble, the last thing we wanna do is drop them right back into it.

[loyalrebel]

Or we need a distraction.

[He is, in fact mostly teasing.]

I cannot summon people, but I know it is possible because I have been summoned.

Interface is effectively connecting your mind directly to another person or thing, usually computers or other technology but I expect you can do so with trees and the like as well. It is a rapid means of gaining or transmitting information, and some people take offense at the idea of it being done without permission.

[Malik... is not one of them.]

On Jaunts we are either investigators or infiltrators. An infiltration involves very literally becoming a different person for a time. This other self is sometimes refered to as an Overlay.

[loyalrebel]

Not everyone does.

Having someone set up an inconspicuous and reliable portal location isn't terribly difficult. Besides, minimizing the number of locations may not always be a bad thing.

[loyalrebel]

Strategy can be taught easily enough through following another's example.

Thank you, having you on board certainly improves odds I think.

[claudiometer]

And if you only have one person with portals available? Unlikely, yes, but it's possible.

[loyalrebel]

It is only minorly about trust, it is mostly about reliability as far as I see it.

I cannot think of many psychic skills that would be specifically useful but having someone who can keep them private is not unwelcome.

I care more about having a group who can keep their heads and function together to accomplish a task than being the heroes of a situation.

[loyalrebel]

For example, if we had to deal with a high school or a 20th century setting again? You would be a better pointman than me.

[loyalrebel]

Then we figure out a different extraction method.

Sometimes being calm and having a believable story is a better option anyway.

[papacerberus]

It's true that everyone should have at least basic skill at strategy and planning, but there are benefits to specialization. A dedicated strategist can take the time to consider all outcomes from a secure position and relay information to different strike groups. No plan survives engagement completely intact, and that's when a strategist is at their most valuable, because they have the perspective to determine the best option of several to adjust the plan with fewer distractions.

Given the time we spend joined with our other lives, having multiple strategists would be the best. You count as one, I would say. If... If Gale is willing to join this initiative, he'd count as another.

[loyalrebel]

Altaïr as well, though there is nothing saying that adapting in the middle of circumstances is never going be necessary.

Problems happen, but that is why we stay in contact as best we can.

[papacerberus]

It will be, certainly. The importance of reducing casualties and ensuring other things go as smoothly is increased because of that fact.

Finding other ways to keep in contact besides this network would be useful, especially if we can make them secure. I could recreate radios, but... they were meant for the Junkyard, and I'm not sure how best to adjust them so they don't plug in directly.

[AI problems. Lupa is aware that most people can't just plug their scopes and radios into their heads, at least.]

[smokeandcarbs]

[First time the voices in his head make any kind of sense and then...

What?The what?]

I'm an inspector...I perform audits. If you tell me where danger is, I'll probably be able to walk in the opposite direction.

[Sorry, Malik. At least shounen hero he is not.]

[claudiometer]

True. I still think there's room for being able to move a lot of us as quickly and efficiently as possible, since sometimes the plan of action requires a lot of people in one place.

Or a lot of people not being in the danger zone.