Call to Arms Meeting

Ugh, why do we have to be a part of this? It's not like Syn and I can handle our own against these blast creatures.Lena complained as a group of 'misfits' walked into the council room. There had been a recent number of attacks at camp all involving CB machines and it was not ending well.Because this is OUR home you twit.Andy said smoking a fresh cigarette. She laid down a map of the camp,which she had gotten thanks to Exy from the Hermes cabin, and marked the few areas the creatures had attacked in already.Lets just crash skulls and get this over with. If the five of us work together we can take them down.Ash said annoyed as ever. The only ones who hasn't spoken yet were Synyster and Alice, who had taken refuge in a corner. The petite blonde was leaned against the front of the taller son of Thantos. If people didn't know better they could have been dating but in all honesty they were like brother and sister. As the group waited in the hall they wondered who else would come to the meeting. After all, Andy was the unofficial leader with Lena and Ash at her side.

OOC: Jumping in with Vic cause I haven't RPed her in ages and kinda miss it.

BIC: Victoria came in, carrying her helmet under her arm; the white and black horsehair crest was lightly tickling her skin but she had grown accustomed to the feeling.
She didn't greet anyone as she walked in, simply sitting down in a lone chair in front of the ping pong table and crossing her arms. According to her habit, her clothes (today a white tee and gray camouflage trousers) were scribbled with formulas, theorems and equations. Her messy blonde hair was pulled back and her Harvard sweatshirt was comfortably wrapped around her waist.

She had listened to the others talking, her hematite gray eyes intense as they rested on each of them. She let out a little snorting sound at the daughter of Thanatos: "Neither you nor your brother stand a chance against these machines," she flat out told them, her hyperactive hands starting to toy with her survival knife.

Lena withheld a growl.Don't test me Vic. I am not in the mood for you. She said with a clenched jaw, her scythe now in her hand and her knuckles white with her grip. Syn simply rolled his eyes and started whispering with Alice who couldn't stop giggling.

THANK YOU! Andy said gesturing to Victoria. She didn't really know the demigod well but it was good to have someone else on her side in the argument. Ash just rolled her eyes and started sharpening her bastard sword with a sharpening stone she swiped from a hermes. The girl may look like an Aphrodite but she was not a typical Aphrodite in any way shape or form of mindset.

"I swear you're th Evil Queen." I said to Salem as we walked into the meeting room. There were already demigods inside. "Oh, hey all." I didn't know any of  them in there except for Andy and that's only because I spend so much time in the Hecate cabin visiting Morgan, Salem and sometimes Dino. I was dressed in simple khaki pants and a green v neck t-shirt. Salem rolled her eyes. "You're just too nice, Alex." The daughter of Hecate turned her head to see a couple of her friends. "Alice and Andy. Fancy seeing you here." They took their seats. "Oh and the death kids...and Queen V." She gave them half of the amount of excitement. At least she was real. I smirked, shaking my head slightly. "Uh, Malcolm was going to come, but something happened with Sawyer so he'll sit this out until she's better." I didn't get the whole story, but knew it was bad. "And G-Hilde will help with the victims sense she can heal and crap." Salem chimed in glancing at Syn.

Jourdan wasn't planning on making a huge scene of arriving to this meeting, but Casey had other plans. The son of Ares bursted through the door with a wide smile in place, sharing a cheerful "Hello!" to each person he saw and waving vigorously to the people he already knew. Andy was there, so he took his seat beside her. Jourdan on the other hand rolled his eyes and wandered to where there weren't a lot a people, which unfortunately was beside a tacky plastic plant. He didn't know as many people here as Casey seemed to. That was good.
America was very late. It wasn't her fault, though. It was Kate's. She walked in about fifteen minutes after Casey and Jourdan did, her spear slung across her back and a concentrated expression dominating her features. She sat down in a chair that had an open one next to it for Kate. "Sorry we're late. There were a few...complications." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Never fear, the gayvengers are here." Kate announced as she entered the council room behind America. She was pumped to finally tackle a real challenge. To be honest, the targets on the archery range had gotten old. They didn't move, nor did they pose any type of danger. And sometimes what she needed was some real risk taking adventures. Something to get her blood moving and her adrenaline running.

Okay, so maybe they weren't exactly "on time" but its better late than never, right? Her bow was by her side and her quiver was strapped to her shoulder, filled to the brim with her best arrows. She had to go searching around the cabin trying to find a couple of her explosive arrows, which was the main reason that they were late. Don't even get her started on her staves, they were probably around the cabin somewhere. She didn't even have time to look for them. Nor did she have time to look for her armor, which weighed her down anyways. On the bright side, as long as she didn't have her staves, she wouldn't be doing close quarter combat.

So, apparently the camp was being attacked again. Emphasis on again. Apparently the damned Camp got attacked frequenetly and everyone thought it was a good idea. Did they not learn anything from Napoleon? You never attacked Russia in the winter. Or, at least that attacking a camp filled with hormonal teenagers with super powers was the worst idea you could have conceived. Now, usually Stella had the Titan Cabin stay out of petty squabbles, like that worked, or things that didn’t directly involve them. But, Gabriel had found that he could completely ignore this by involving himself anyway and then somehow working it into his favor. He fought to live and lived to fight, it was natural to him even more so than most of the people here and over at the other camp. It was just something that happened with how he grew up.

But, enough of that. Escrima sticks in their ‘holster’ on his right leg and both of his ‘brass’ knuckles in the pockets of his jeans he made his way towards the Big House where the meeting or Call to Arms, or whatever the hell was going on, was going on. He had no desire to protect his ‘fellow campers’ except for those residing in Cabin Twenty-One, because Demi-Titan Gang or Die, but fighting giant robots? Well what little boy didn’t want to do that at one point in their life growing up? Plus, well no actually that’s about it. He loved the adrenaline rush he got from fighting and practically lived for it. If he ever went to a doctor or psychologist or whatever they would definitely say he was addicted to it. They’d be right to. Nothing got him going like the dance of death.

Lighspeed traveling, as he liked to call it, into the meeting room the white muscle shirt wearing Demi-Titan, whose scar tissue could be seen on his exposed skin as nearly 95% of his body was covered in scar tissue, made sure his entrance was well known as he looked around at those gathered. Very tempted not to say something along the lines of ‘I bet you’re all wondering why I gathered you here today.’ Instead true to his nature he caught the last comment of a girl who just walked in. “The Gayvengers? What did you get rejected from the actual avengers and couldn’t come up with a good name or something? If you’re going to be this Camp’s savior I’ll happily sit back and watch you all burn alive. Then while the robots are dancing on your dead bodies I’ll think about fighting them.”

He said as a flame flickered above his finger, his golden eyes seemingly glowing and knowing him they probably were. All the stuff about sitting back and watching was mostly bull, sure he’d definitely be watching the girl he had addressed when the fighting started. But he definitely would not be sitting back on the side lines as a fight was going on. No, Gabriel McAllister son of Hyperion would be center stage fighting like a raging fire until his last breath. As if it was the only thing he knew how to do. And if you asked the occupants of Cabin Twenty-One it was the only thing he knew how to do. But he was damn good at it.

"And I'm not in the mood for your arrogant and deluded overconfidence," Victoria retorted to Lena. "Cut your ego down and stay, if you're not prepared to look at the situation realistically, the door is right over there."

She had stayed exactly in the same position, no shifts in her body language indicated the way she was feeling, but her thoughts were spinning, as usual. Biochemistry theories and nano technological projects were unfurling at the same time under her skull as quantum mechanical questions and logic theorems. Between all those layers of thought working as intensely as if she was focused on only one, she was wondering how this sophist could talk to her in such a way. She acted like she was an equal, or someone she could talk down to and tell to shut up. Why? Well, probably because Victoria was 14 and she was 17 -- she probably thought she was superior, but if that was the case and she based it on age, Victoria would simply stop bothering.
In fact, she stopped bothering right then. The others were talking about trivial stuff, a blonde boy making some snide comment about the name of a teen group, though she didn't really understand what the deal with the name was, he belonged to a group called the Demititan Gang. He could talk about uninventive and immature group names. The rest was pretty much the same as when you put a bunch of teenage semi deities together. Threats, some type of "I'm so much better than you I could pick my teeth with those robots" comments. He was as bad as Lena, except he perhaps had the skill to back it up.

"Are we gonna start this meeting or did all of you come for a cup of coffee?" She asked and stood up. The more time they wasted bantering meant more time for the robots to kill others and destroy their home. She pointed over to the map, "We know where these bots are but that's not the most important part of the problem. Before attacking we have to know how to defeat them. If only I could get the hardware of one of these things... But we have to come up with solutions now, and quick, so use your brains and speak only when you have a solid suggestion to make."

OOC:Can we establish an order? Let's just keep doing what we just posted as. Me, Morgan, Alex, Moon Sienna and Shade. That way we don't all accidentally post at once. Sound good?

Andy looked around and gave a quick wink to Casey. He was looking fabulous and sexy as always.Right. We know they're CB and the problem is there has to be something else in them right? I'm talkin hardware and maybe something else even. She said before gesturing to the map of camp in front of her.This is what we have so far about where and when the beasts attack. Alice has been asking the Maniae to search for a hive or something to see if we can eliminate the source and be done with it. She said as Alice giggled, moved to the table, and sat down with Rabid in her lap.I've also been sending Necro loose to contact the hunters. Lena has let Stark do the same and we hope they'll help the hunt. She said as Lena waved it off.

What I want to know. Syn said stepping closer to the map.Is why they're attacking in broad daylight. Ash said she was attacked with Nia at the riding ring at about noon. Why risk being seen by more than one or two victims? He wondered out loud, running a hand through his dark hair as his eyes scanned the map. Lena rolled her eyes and summoned her Scythe, sitting cross-legged in a chair and sharpening it quietly.That's what I wondered too. Ash finally said. It was odd, probably to everyone, that they campers were getting attacked in the broad of day. That's when Andy finally spoke up again.We have to assume for now that we cant trust the sun or moon in this. Anyone have any suggestions about the creatures? She asked, holding a hand to Lena before she spoke.Besides you ya twit. Frowning, the daughter of Thantos went back to her work and Synyster chuckled.

OOC: Works for me, dear.

BIC: Victoria stared at Andy. "Who knows what's in there? It's Hephaestus' work after all, there could be some brand new innovations we couldn't possibly know about. For example, how they manage to counter every power." Victoria would gladly spend ten years in the Augean stables for a look into the plans of these machines. There was so much she could learn ... "However there should be the regular equipment: circuitry, wires, gears, et cetera. "

She listened to them all, but frowned at the son of Thanatos. "Who cares about why they attack in broad daylight? Why shouldn't they? They're powerful enough to attack whenever they please, it's not like they need to hide." Victoria took her head in her fingers. "Why are you even focusing on that, it's not the problem. The problem is, how do we get these things to stop functioning?" She spread her hands. "Powers are useless. Same for spears and swords." She shot a glance at Lena and Ash, who were sharpening their blades as if they could somehow help them in this situation. Oh well, one of them was an Aphrodite girl after all, and Lena could be one just as well in Vic's opinion, the way she acted. "We have to cause a short circuit or somehow get to their hardware, disconnect their control panel. How do we get inside them? Celestial bronze melts, we've all learned that in the forge. Except we can't stick them into an oven so we need a way to get extremely high heat without a) it blowing up in our faces and b) the robots countering it. I say we try with what little Greek fire we have left." Greek fire was one of the most dangerous and uncontrollable substances they had in Camp Half-Blood, reason why they had so little of it, but Victoria was ready to take the risk. Too bad for the others if they weren't.

OOC: Posting order is taking too long, I asked Neri on chat and she said she was okay with taking it away.

BIC: Victoria gave the girl a frowning look. "Greek fire feeds on everything, all it takes is a spark," she said. She had done a couple of experiences with Greek fire in the forge and in her room -- not all of them had ended well, but each had taught her something. "We can launch jars at them, but I don't know if we have more than five. Maybe the children of Hephaestus could make more, but it takes time and time is what we don't have. Now, what we need are teams. Each team gets one jar, and needs at least one person with good aiming skills (preferably a child of Apollo) and one person with mechanical skills. Go for the head with the jars. The Greek fire will weaken the robots, as soon as they're on the ground, you have to find the control panel and keep the robots from countering the attack. Who is tech-savvy here?" Victoria asked, then held up a hand. "When I say tech-savvy, I'm not asking for people who are fond of forging, I'm asking for people who actually understand how complex techniques work and are able to find solutions quickly. This is Hephaestus we're talking about, there could be anything under those shell and we need people who can deal with that."

If the Hephaestus kids are the best option then why not ask them about it? We need all the help we can get. Alice asked with a giggle as she lifted her hat off her head and began cradling Rabid in her arms again. Andy looked at the daughter of Mania and thought for  second. It WAS a good option but she wasn't so sure the Hepheastus kids were going to be so nice about it.We could ask Terra, that daughter of Hebe who has her nose in a book all the time. She has to know something and I'm willing to bet she knows a lot about computers and such. She said taking a wild guess. This was going to be pushing the limits of her tolerance of campers but someone had to do it.Arcas knows a lot about a lot of things too, it wouldn't hurt to ask. Synyster said as Lena rolled her eyes and dismissed her scythe. Ash glared at the daughter of Thantos and clenched her jaw, the two didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things and this battle was going to be the true test as to how much they could tolerate the other.

America was ready to jump at the guy who turned Kate's name for them into something morbid, but she instead tightened her crossed arms and took a deep breath. It was over now anyways and there was planning to do. She listened as the discussion took place, doing some deliberation on her own. What she really wanted to do was get a hold of one and punch it a little, but she had a feeling that these robots wouldn't take kindly to that. Then the happy Ares kid spoke up, and her thoughts broke.
"Greek fire is very dangerous. If we work with it, we shouldn't be launching any of that stuff too close to our bodies. Catapults would be better, but their aim is only so reliable." Casey frowned as he thought aloud, his hand picking subconsciously at a spot on the table. "I agree with finding someone tech savvy...but they would have to be unbelievably close to the  bots. We would need a way to gain as much access as possible while reducing the risk of fatality. But how?"
"Flip it over." America suggested. "Like a burger."

"Good thing I said we needed people with precise aiming skills," Victoria told the guy sternly. Hadn't he listened? Or was he too busy exchanging glances with that girl Andy? Well, if she's the kind of girl he falls for, it does say a lot. "Yes, the tech person would have to get extremely close to the robot to shut it down, I'm glad you figured that out," she carried on in a sigh. "If you're too scared to do it, that's fine. You don't really strike me as the person for the job either. As for the fatality risk, well, I guess that's what the team is for, ward off whatever attacks it's still able to muster while the tech person breaks down the control panel. Any more time-wasting questions?"

Without waiting for a reply, she turned back to the other people. The girl with bleached blonde hair and the hat said they should invite the Hephaestus guys in. "Great idea, why don't you go and get them?" she immediately told her. At least it would save her from the pain of listening to her giggles for five minutes. But after Alice's next statement, Victoria frowned at her, taking a second.

"You're messing with me, right?" She frowned more. "I can never tell if people are messing with me. Whatever the case...  I didn't ask for people who read books about computers. Do you even know the beginning about computer science? Or automated reasoning? Cybernetics? Wait, don't answer, I know you don't." She sighed and dropped her hands, drumming her fingers across the blade of her survival knife very fast. "Right, let me rephrase. Who here has gotten close up with advanced AI or knows anyone who did?"

((OOC: Victoria has gotten even more arrogant and SPD in the months I didn't RP her.))

OOC: Oh what the heck, I only have one Greek being killed right now...

IC:

Galena had slipped into the meeting around the time someone asked how they would get Greek fire to stick on the automatons that were terrorizing camp. The daughter of Athena was surprised to see her sister, Victoria, actually talking to real life human beings, but wasn't surprised to see the look that said 'you are all truly morons' that dominated her features. Galena had always felt that Victoria did not share the personality traits of their mother as much as Hephaestus, but then Gally favored Hermes more herself.

The discussion went back and forth, including discussions about fatality risks, aiming, and who understood complex circuitry. As much as Galena was regretting coming to this meeting, and the idea of putting her neck in danger, she swallowed a little before speaking. "Uh, not as much AI, but I am familiar with complex circuitry. And no matter how complex it is, what Lord Hephaestus has come up with, of we could get any of that Greek fire in the main control panels, it won't stand a chance. I mean..." She looked at Victoria slightly hesitantly, "Most of us aren't going to have the ability to reprogram something Hephaestus has made. Even if we are tech savvy."

Alice smiled at the quiet girl when she talked about not having to be tech savvy.Let's just make it go boom! She said mimicking an explosion with her hands and giggling. Synyster told her to go have some tea with the Maniae and she nodded before skipping out of the room singing about Wonderland. Lena stood up as well and looked around at the campers.This is never going to work. She said before walking out with her scythe in hand and her headphones over her ears.

Andy, who was on her last nerve with the daughter of Thantos let out a sigh.Please tell me I'm not the only one who has about had it with her? And I thought I was horrible. She laughed a little before a daughter of Hebe walked in. Terra looked around a little nervously with her chakrams on each hip and her katana on her back sheath.I heard there was a meeting about some monsters. I though I may be of help somehow. She said kinda shyly. Moving to stand next to Ash she watched as all eyes seemed to follow her, almost like they were waiting for her.Greek fire would work and it would cause a lot less problems than having someone find the circuit board. Plus who's not to say the panel hiding it isn't welded shut. With that being the case it would be a death wish having someone go in there without knowing it was welded shut. She said softly.

Victoria let out a silent sigh of relief as the two girls left the room. Two less sophists made the room already easier to breathe in.

"You are horrible," Victoria confirmed in a flat voice before looking up at the daughter of Hebe. Two people left, two others walked in, but at least one of them was one of her siblings -- one of the competent ones. The other girl had brown hair and a rather slim frame, armed with a katana and chakrams. She sighed at the sight of the weapons before frowning at both her and Galena. "Did it ever occur to you two that there might be some kind of defense mechanism protecting the control panel, something that we'd have to work around to shut the robot down for good?" Her eyebrows rose every so slightly only to fall back down at what the brown-haired girl had said last. "Welded shut? Which inventor in their right mind would ever think of welding shut a control panel? How are you supposed to fix things, clean up the circuitry? Did you ever open a book about robotics, uh -- what was your name again?"

Terra started to go back into her she'll again.Well....think about it....if it is a demonic type thing then there was no reason to fix it. And if it's God based and full of magic there wouldn't be a need. She said justifying herself and her reasoning. Why are people so mean?She asked herself.

Andy laughed at the remark about her being horrible and smiled.And yet I'm probably more likes than you.She said with a smart @ss tone and went back to looking over the map and making notes in the margin in one of the languages she learned from from her book.

"Right. As amusing as all of the petty infighting and insults are, can we actually pay attention before someone gets killed? Because I think given that the entire reason most of us are here is to learn how to not die, we should be able to work together long enough to, you know, not die. Preferably. Or at the very least me not die." Galena interjected, tired of the biting comments back and forth from Victoria and...whoever that was.

"Victoria has a point, even god-based automatons tend to have controls somewhere. Only maniacs intent on suicide make weapons that cannot be controlled. I think," Galena paused, then sighed, "I think, I think that Victoria might be right. She has more.experience with automatons, but I think we also need a backup plan. In case of death and failure."

"Liked by a bunch of people with room temperature IQ, I envy you so much," Victoria continued despite Galena's input. She did feel angry and embarrassed at being reprimanded and labelled as petty by her sister, who was socially much more mature than her. The shame stung as much as the adjective. I'm not petty! But instead of apologizing or rising above the trivial argument, she decided to ignore Galena and reply to the brown-haired girl. "What do you mean, demonic? Weren't you there when the cabin 9 kids identified the robots as Hephaestus' work? They're carved with the letter Êta." Did she really not get the least bit of information about the situation before coming to the meeting? What are you even doing here, did you see light and walked in? Victoria thought, before carrying on. "I think the very fact that these are faulty pieces of Hephaestus' work proves that even godly creations can malfunction," she said in a controlled voice. "Can we please stop wasting time now and actually get to work?" But then Galena interjected with a backup plan, which was the typical thing a child of Athena would say. You didn't walk out into the field with only Plan A, you needed Plan B, C, D, D1 and D2 as well.

"Right. Let's assume something goes wrong. We're not able to shut down the robot, or the Greek fire doesn't work. What else could work? The bronze superheater perhaps, but the application would only be local."

Galena's mindset, as much as she hated to admit it, was shaped and moulded by her time in the detention center and group homes. She saw Victoria still arguing, although at least now also talking about the backup plan. It was disrespect, it showed Galena had no authority. In truth, she didn't, so in order for people to stop fighting and listen to her, she was going to have to obtain some authority. Obtain some respect.

Her mind played against the odds as she tapped against her leg in seven sets of three. Victoria was armed, but unlikely to actually try to harm her except in self-defense. She was probably stronger and faster, but she lacked the understanding of social cues and was prudent. It was an acceptable risk.

Galena crossed the room in four steps, coming up to the left side of Victoria. She moved quickly, one hand pulling her knife and poking it hard enough in the other girl's side to leave an impression, while simultaneously reaching for the other girl's knife hand to hold her arm in place.

"I will shiv you right here and now if you do not drop the arguments, snide comments and insults until after the automaton crisis is over. This is not the time for your ego, or your pride." Galena said, her voice low and quiet to keep it from quavering. She was right up near Victoria's ear and hoped that the girl couldn't feel her shaking. This was a little more dangerous than throwing a haymaker at the head b!tech in the detention center, and she had gotten beaten for that. But she had more experience looking scary now.

Victoria felt a sharp cold through her shirt as Galena pushed the blade of her knife up against her side, threatening her in her ear. The fourteen years old looked back into her eyes without any expression, not even trying to get her wrist out of her grasp. "Stab me, go ahead. Then have fun deactivating automatons without my help. You think this lot is going to be of any use?" she told her, jerking her head at the people in the room. "Half of them couldn't count their fingers and get the same answer twice."

Then a girl stood up and walked to the vending machine and next thing she knew, an electromagnetic pulse shot through the room. Victoria recognized it immediately, it wasn't the first time she experienced one. Lights flickered, most of them shutting down. The objects relying on electricity gave a groan, including Victoria's phone in her pocket.

"Maybe you should take your own advice and save your energy for the robots too," she flatly told her. "What's the point of turning the lights off?" Only then did she rip her wrist out of Gally's hand. "But you're right. We have to stop wasting time and come up with efficient solutions quickly. The more we banter, the more they destroy! But before we go into your plan B, Galena, I just wanted to say. Catapults. They're unreliable, what if the robots simply duck? They have visual recognition, they would see the jar flying towards them. We need to attack from above, we could use pegasi. I can use my hoverboard." She breathed in, having said all that very quickly. "Fine. Now, what's your suggestion for plan B?"