Rollout

[Urson]

As people are examining their new Guides and otherwise chattering, Dahlia speaks up to Harry.Boss- SamanEric is sending a Mayday!

Harry steps off to the side the speak quietly with his Guide for a minute. Then he raises his voice to cut through the chatter in the room.Alright folks- we gotta cut this short! My friend SamanEric is at the Apophos off-ramp, in deep shit. Let's roll!

With that, he heads out to Mother Beast and fires it up.

If you have other questions, comments, whatever- the Guide acts as a cellphone net, so you can keep in contact.

[Pulpatoon]

Tel fishes around in a few pockets, pulls out enough change to leave a healthy tip at the counter, and heads out to the parking lot. Starting up the engine, she tries the comm system, "Ahoy! Tel, here. I'm heading out, but my wagon isn't built for speed, so it may take me a bit to catch up. See you on the road!"

[ylinett]

Speaking back to the brick he replies "Put the petal to the metal. Roll out." The looking to his passenger "Buckle up your seat belt, baby
It's gonna be a bumpy ride." Throwing the car into reverse he executes a three point turn and shifting through the gears takes off like a shot.

[Spectreman17]

Bait, Desert Runner

Alright, A little action! I jump out of my chair and grab Brick. Looks like I don't have time to mount a new auto cannon on my skimmer, so we're going melee I pull a rasp out of bag and jog out to my vehicle. I spend a minute as everyone else is flying out of the lot sharpening the spikes mounted to the bumper guard on my old F-body.

Alright, these'll do just fine I say once I'm finished. I jump into my car through the non-existent driver's side window and fire her up with a roar.

Brick, give me directions, and make it snappy! I say as I burn out of the parking lot and fishtail down the road after Mother beast. The car easily flies down the road and catches up to the caravan, almost over shooting them before pulling alongside Mother Beast.

Should I run ahead and clear the way or maintain caravan? I shout out the window at Harry, before remembering Brick, Brick, relay that to Harry!

[Zhym]

"It's about time this party got started," growls Marlowe. He gulps down a drink and heads for his car.

[Monsieur Rose]

Axel, having drunk a bit too much, eventually gets to his feet shaking his head.

"Well, you said you wanted adventure, you seem to have it now." He mutters to himself.
"Lana? Can I call you Lana? I was watching this video program and you remind me of her. Dark, smooth, and a know-it-all."

He looks around at the remaining group, shrugs, and grabs the bottle for the road. Axel climbs aboard his party bus, fires it up, honks the horn three times, and gets moving.

"So, Lana. If I want to talk to everyone, I just tell you so? Ok, then.

"Guys, group, press-gang, whatever we are? I'm new to this whole highway thing. What the hell is Apophos 2042, and what is a Black Decade? I've been two places, home and where I got this bus. I'm up for causing shit, but I'd like to know a bit more about the structure here. None of this would be permitted where I'm from."

[Urson]

Sorry, I'm behind on my replies. BAD GM! No cookie!

Harry says "Tel- how fast will that Black Beauty of yours run? Maybe you oughta take lead, so ya don't get left behind.

"Axel- Apophos 2042 is what we call a Disaster World. As near as anyone can figger, it's about the year 2042 there. Some 20 years ago, a giant asteroid- their scientists had named it Apophos- hit. It was what they call an Extinction-Level Event. Between the impact, the earthquakes an' tidal waves after, the wildfires, and the dust thrown up from the asteroid, almost everything on that version of Earth died.
"There's a skinny little strip near the equator with some tough plants and small mammals. Nothin' bigger than a rabbit lives on that world- most of it is barren dirt and frozen mud. Folks go there alla time to salvage stuff.
"Black Decade is the damn stupidest dick-measuring contest you've ever heard of. Some of the rich Travellers that settled up about the year 5000 came up with the idea. They declare Black Decade on somebody, then they get ten tries to kill 'em... while their rich buddies watch and bet on the outcome. First time I had one called on me, I found the idjit that declared it and killed _him._ Second time, I just rode it out."

"Bait- just run pace for now. If I need ya, I'll probly send ya ahead to scout."

[Grognardsw]

Ike Heinlein, space scout



"Lift off."

[Urson]

Harry: "Ike- ya prob'ly know this already- stay low, things git real squirrelly when ya git too far above the Highway."

[Pulpatoon]

Harry says "Tel- how fast will that Black Beauty of yours run? Maybe you oughta take lead, so ya don't get left behind.

Tel: "She's a period piece. Top speed is about 75 before bits start to shake off. She'll cruise comfortably at 60, if the roads are good."

[Urson]

"Thet works. We'll run 60 then."

[Pulpatoon]

Tel pulls out onto the highway. "Jiminy, let's have some music to drive to."

Now Playing: Red China Blues

[Urson]

Driving The Highway is a lot like traveling through Kansas in the summer. The Highway winds gently through low hills covered in yellow-brown grass, with offramps leading out into the prairie and disappearing. The sky is darker than you would expect, and the Sun is a solid arc of light from East to West, far too bright to look at. Occasionally, you see a vehicle heading by in the other direction- some of them pretty outrageous looking.
A shiny silver bullet-shape, looking like a bead of mercury, weaves through the group's vehicles and flashes red behind Mother Beast.

Crap. Council Cops. Keep going, I'll catch up.Harry says through the comm link.

[Pulpatoon]

Tel: "Jiminy, what's the buzz on Council Cops?"

[Urson]

Council Cops is a colloquial term for members of the Road Council Patrol. The Road Council claims authority over the Highway, claiming to be a deterrent to 'Potential Temporal Anomalies Caused by Unauthorized Transport of Weapons, Goods, or Materiel'. Their claim is commonly rejected or even scoffed at, as there is no evidence that such transport affects the Master Timeline or the Highway in any fashion.

[ylinett]

"Thet works. We'll run 60 then."

Speaking to the brick "When I drive that slow you know it's hard to steer, and I can't get my car out of second gear."

When the request for music comes over he takes the initiative. "Angels sing, Highway to Hell.". Turning to his passenger he smiles and winks.

[Pulpatoon]

Tel: "Jiminy, on what basis does the Road Council claim authority? Do they represent a government? And if so, which one, from when and where? Is this network secure from their interference?"

[Spectreman17]

Bait, Desert Runner

"should we knock them off your tail to keep the caravan moving? can't make it far on a contract mission with out our contact" Bait asks, as he flips his rig into reverse and spins it around, maintaining around 60 mph, but facing the wrong way in traffic.

[Zhym]

Marlowe grasps the wheel of his Tucker a little more tightly. "Effie," he says to the device sitting on the passenger seat, "what are the odds ol' Harry's really going to be catching back up to us?"

[Grognardsw]

Ike Heinlein, spaceman

Ike circles wide above Harry to watch what happens.