Mitch Finds a Coin

Jeff

If he would have to move out of Jo's line of sight to do this, Mitch will sit tight.

Michael

Nah, he's fine. Jo can keep her eyes on him.

Jeff

Okay then, what's the what-what?

Michael

The coin-cleaning machine has a bunch of velvety sacks hanging above it, and some full sacks with room number labels on them. Inside the tumbler is the load that the girtablullû was tending to when he got shot for the first time. The reality shard is in there. Mitch figures out in short order how to turn off the machine and he reaches in and grabs the shard.

Unsurprisingly, it is a coin. And a gorgeous one. On first glance Mitch is like, "Silver dollar." The weight and size is like the old-timey silver dollars that Mitch maybe even remembers from his childhood, in maybe an older relative's coin collection. But a glance at it reveals neither the full profile or face profile of Lady Liberty. The obverse does have a face in profile though. It's Emperor Norton. The obverse has Norton in military cap and epaulets, crowned with "E PLURIBUS UNUM" and the legend "Emp. Norton I" and underneath his profile, the year 1884. The reverse has an engraved image of a vast bridge, stretching off into some stylized clouds in the distance, with two raised-relief hands clasped in the background of the bridge scene. Above the bridge is the legend "Est. 1880." And underneath, the legend along the bottom edge of the reverse reads, "For the Imperial Quadranscentennial." It's a crowded tails side. Quite rococo. The coin gives Mitch a sense of … security. Of communion. Of teamwork. A vague sense that it comes from a better world where big bridges were built to bring people together under beneficent rule. More than this I cannot give you with the state of your analysis roll.

Oh yeah, on the obverse there's a little "S" near Norton's cheek.

Jeff

Well, I'll pocket that, then turn back to Jocasta. "Found a coin, anyways. You feeling up to walking? I can help." He tilts his head towards the stairwell they came down.

Michael

Now Mitch … Mitch knows that Emperor Norton died in 1880. So yeah.

Jeff

It's a puzzle for another day, one without scorpion-men and scorpion-man neurotoxin

Leonard

"Yeah, I think I can walk." (NOTE: She says this even if she actually cannot walk.). "Coin? You wanna get a Coke or something?"

Michael

And Jo is fine. Wounded arm, bruised sternum.

Her legs and Move are untouched.

The toxin isn't affecting her motility.

Jeff

So option one is we find Roger, option two is we do a sweep of the basement which seems empty. If Jo is up for it Mitch would rather do the sweep.

Leonard

Yeah, honestly, that's Jocasta's feeling too — Roger and the rest of the crew have plenty of other things going on, and we don't wanna let whatever is happening down here get worse. That said, she would feel better, especially as she's injured, at least radioing Roger to let him know the situation, tell him we got it in hand but here's where we are if we need backup, have a doctor on hand, etc.

We should be fine if it's truly deserted down here and they all either left or are in a flux state or whatever. But we definitely can't take out four more of those things by ourselves.

Containment should be the goal, Jocasta thinks — one thing we can't have is one of them going up and killing one of the guests.

Jeff

Well, we just as in five minutes ago distributed walkie-talkies so calling Roger should be v simple.

Michael

You do not have to leave the basement to reach him. In fact, having a walkie squawk would add verisimilitude to his FBI/MARPA gig.

Jeff

If Jo doesn't move to call Roger, Mitch will do it, but it seems like Jo has a more solid sense of what he needs to hear.

Michael

Jo. Roll 3d6.

Leonard

>>>> 3d6 … 8

Got an 8.

Michael

Go ahead and call.

Leonard

Yeah, Jocasta will click on the walkie. "Agent Martin? You copy?"

Bill

Roger was not in the middle of a question, but listening to a fight about the power sources for MARPA magic, which he did kinda want to hear out of all the dreck so far. Naturally it’s interrupted. “One minute to secure location” he says as he stands up, and walks over some panel audience members as he heads out of the room.

Michael

(Hah, that's great.)

Bill

“Partially safe environment. Good for sitrep”

Leonard

"10-4. Here with agent Mitchell. Ran into a pretty nasty snag, an irruptor in the basement. Took it down after a nasty little firefight, but I might need a medic later on."

"Agent Mitchell thinks there's a few more down here, so we're gonna try to flush them out — we don't need them mixing with the guests. We're [she'll explain their exact coordinates as well as possible] and are moving out. If there's anyone you can spare who's handy with a weapon, we can reconnoiter, but job one should be keeping civilians away from the basement. Copy?"

Jeff

("That's agent Mitchell Jefferson Hort, M-I-T … ")

Bill

“Roger. Will set guard to basement. Only backup handy is me, unless we pull in agents from outside. Give me ten to put hotel to locking down entrance, then I’ll join you. Over.”

Leonard

"Over and out. Thanks, Roger."

Jeff

Mitch shrugs.

Bill

Ten is not enough time to get to equipment and back, but this is just a reconnoiter, right? (Riiiight.) Roger flags down a hotel bellboy, gives a written order to Lyon about the basement being off limits for the next hour, and books it.

Leonard

"Well, that's done," Jocasta says. "You wanna lead the way? And are you okay with just the ikoter? We got plenty of heavy metal here if you need it."

Jeff

Hm, yeah. It's apparent that an aimed shot from the ikoter is unlikely to drop a scorpion-man, and if he's not taking slow careful aim he's best-off spraying and praying. Mitch will swap to a trusty M-16.

But maybe we'll sweep the basement and confirm nobody else is here! Maybe.

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