A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

[Mark Rand]

This wild idea came to me today. Here are the assumptions.

 

Superheroes exist in the world.

 

Josiah Edward Bartlet, from the series The West Wing, was elected President in November of 2004, not Dubya.

 

The public knows that he has relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

 

Two weeks after the election, Zoey, his youngest daughter, a skilled gymnast, announces that she's going to forego college and join the Ross Brothers Circus, probably as a showgirl. She then claims to know the risks and states them to her father and Secret Service agent Ron Butterfield.

 

She then adds that she has her own vehicle, a 22 foot Class C motorhome, and plans to drive there. Agent Gina Toscano agrees to go with her.

 

Comments, questions, ideas?

[sinanju]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

I'm not sure what you're asking for. Critiques? Suggestions?

 

The Secret Service can't actually stop her. She's a private citizen, albeit with federal protection, and what she wants to do is legal. That doesn't mean they're going to like it. (And there's always the possibility of sub rosa pressure being brought on the circus to turn her down, either by her father or by the Secret Service.)

 

Or even overt pressure--such as by requiring such strict security around her that it makes it impractical for the circus to operate normally.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

If Jed Bartlet, or the Secret Service, calls, they will be told that Becky, the head showgirl, won't let Zoey, or anyone, do acts that they're not qualified for. (Becky, Rebecca West Reese, is a fifth-generation circus employee and started performing when she was 10.)

 

They will also be told some of the safety measures that Becky takes. These include a mechanic (a safety harness rigged to a rope and pulley), padding under the floor in the practice area, and compitent medical help two minutes away. (The show employs a physician and a nurse practitioner.)

 

They will then add that, if she can't be hired as a showgirl, they'll employ her in either the cookhouse or circus office. Gina will, of course, be briefed on everything about the area Zoey works in.

 

Any ideas about handling the President's MS?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

Right after Zoey made her announcement, and she and Gina went upstairs to pack and plan their route, Jed asked, "What do you think, Ron?"

 

Agent Ron Butterfield replied, "I think it's safe, sir. She's less of a target than you are. If you like, I could call the circus, explain the situation to them, and find out what I can. We will, of course, have the FBI run background checks on the circus employees."

 

"Fine," Jed said.

 

"I'm going to talk to Zoey and see if I can get her to postpone the trip until tomorrow morning," Abbey said as she stood. "I also want to make sure she has a good first aid kit in her motorhome."

 

"Gina will make sure," Ron said. "That's part of her job."

 

"I know," Abbey said. "However, I'm both a doctor and a mother. It's my business to worry." Ron called the circus and got the information in the above post. They also agreed to fax him the personal list.

 

When Abbey came back down, she said, "They have a good first aid kit, and they're leaving tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. They're going to fill the motorhome's gas tank in town before heading for the interstate. They expect to spend about nine or ten hours a day on the road."

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

A quick note, in the above post, I changed the motorhome's fuel from diesel to gas and had them take the interstate instead of the turnpike.

 

At dinner, Zoey gave Ron a copy of their planned route. After dinner, Jed asked, "Ron, Dubya told me what really happened in Sunnydale. What protection do we have to vampires and demons?"

 

Several eyebrows were raised at that question, and Ron replied, "We've got it covered. There are a Slayer, a Watcher, and several white witches on the White House staff."

 

"Where?" Jed asked.

 

"Here," Nancy, his secretarial assistant, replied from where she was sitting with Deloris Landingham, his personal secretary. Toby Ziegler, his communications director, Bonnie and Ginger, Toby's assistants, and Cathy, Sam Seaborn's assistant also chimed in.

 

"I want at least one of you with me at all times during public functions," Jed said.

 

"No problem," Cathy said

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

Gina and Zoey headed out the next morning and arrived at the Durant, Oklahoma winter quarters of the Ross Brothers Circus on Thanksgiving morning. They got settled in and Mary "Cowgirl" West, the show's 24-hour advance agent, showed them around.

 

They had turkey dinner in the cookhouse. The next morning, Zoey began training under Becky's watchfull eyes. As expected, there were mats on the floor and Becky made sure that everyone she was training had a chance to examine them.

 

As the days progressed, Gina noticed that Becky pushed everyone, including herself, hard. She wanted this to become second nature, so that when a performer was 30 feet in the air, they wouldn't panic.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

Gina herself got a bit of circus training in, too. Although she wasn't going to be 30 feet above the ground, she wanted to understand what Zoey would be doing.

 

The preferred garb for the training barn was sweats and sneakers.

 

The barn they were in was as wide and high as the big top and twice as long. This was due to the fact that one end was for training while the other end had three rings and all of the rigging used in the show.

 

That included American Beauty, a circus cannon. It launched its round of human ammunition, Becky, 195 feet, 6 inches twice a day. If everything was fine, she hit the net squarely in the center.

 

Since everyone had to set up and take down their own rigging, Paul Lopez, the show's properties manager (or prop boss) came in and taught them about rigging.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

A quick note before we return to the circus and the Bartlet family farm.

 

The campaign is set in the IST Universe. Although supers can't be in the military or federal law enforcement, they are permitted to serve as bodyguards or in a non-military specialty.

 

Toby is a speechwriter and scholar.

 

Cathy is a secretary, occasional speechwriter, and Slayer.

 

Bonnie, Ginger, and Nancy are secretaries and witches.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

At the beginning of December, Gina's partner, Mike, arrived. Since Zoey's motorhome only had room for her and Gina, he was in the winter quarters bunkhouse.

 

Zoey stayed at the circus over Christmass instead of going to her family's Manchester farm. However, she and Gina went to church with a number of other circus employees.

 

The fact that Zoey was a circus showgirl was revealed to the press in early January. When she was asked for a comment on various political goings on, she stated, on live television, that she didn't follow it, then added that Becky, the head showgirl, was a strict boss.

 

This was followed by, "Arms, Zoey."

 

"Oops," Zoey said, adjusting her position. "Sorry, Becky. My hands slipped. I think I'm getting a cramp."

 

"Come down," Becky said.

 

"Okay."

 

"Ready," Gina said, positioning herself to catch Zoey if needed.

 

"Ready on the mechanic line," Mike added, referring to the safety line he held that was connected to the belt around Zoey's waist.

 

"Set," Zoey called out.

 

"Hep," Mike called out, using the traditional call to go. Zoey released her grip and was gently lowered to where Becky and Gina stood.

 

"Thanks," Zoey said after unbuckling the belt. "My fingers are beginning to cramp. Think I'll see Annie and Cat."

 

"Who?" asked a reporter that had been conducting the interview.

 

"Annette Campbell, M.D. and her daughter Catherine, a nurse practitioner," Zoey replied. "They're the show's medical staff. We're health-conscious here. We have to be."

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

Days and weeks passed.

 

"We head out in three days," Gina said as Zoey played with Muffin, the gray tabby kitten they'd adopted.

 

"I know," Zoey said, setting Muffin down. "One day before we head out, Cowgirl will head out to arrow the route."

 

"I know," Gina said. "Beth will be with her."

 

"Makes sense," Zoey said as Muffin ate breakfast. "You'd want an agent along with the show's 24-hour advance agent to check out the lot."

 

"Yeah," Gina said. "Breakfast."

 

"Good." They both left for the cookhouse and their own breakfasts.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

Finally, departure day came. A truck horn sounded at 5:00 A.M., waking them up. After dressing, converting Gina's bunk back into a sofa, and securing Muffin, they headed for the cookhouse and coffee and a pastry.

 

Show vehicles started heading out at 5:10, while Zoey and Gina were at the cookhouse. Returning to the motorhome, they pulled in their power cord and sewer hose, then waited for Mike. When he arrived, they left with Zoey at the wheel and Gina in the shotgun seat.

 

"We're going to stop for gas at the first station we come to," Zoey said as they drove along, between the pie car and the medical bus.

 

"Ahead, on the left," Gina called out. "Just before the right turn arrows. It's open."

 

"I see it," Zoey said. Their motorhome was the first of many vehicles to stop there for gas.

[Shaft]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

What is the tie-in to IST? Or superheroes, for that matter? Does Zoey become a metable or a highly trained vigilante? Or a Slayer with a Secret Service Scooby Gang?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

What is the tie-in to IST? Or superheroes' date=' for that matter? Does Zoey become a metable or a highly trained vigilante? Or a Slayer with a Secret Service Scooby Gang?[/quote']

 

Rumiko, the show's vet is a metahuman. She can communicate with animals over a two meter range. When she uses her power, her eyes glow, as do those of the animal(s) she's talking to.

 

Additionally, she raised the two big cats in the menagerie (Ebony, a black leopard) and (Maya, a mountain lion) from birth and, since she bonded with them, they think she's their mother.

[Shaft]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

How much interaction do you expect these NPCs to have with the player characters?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

How much interaction do you expect these NPCs to have with the player characters?

 

I suspect that it'll only occur when the circus comes to town.

 

Of course, the Secret Service might ask the local heroes for help when the circus is in their part of the country.

 

As a thought, in the IST campaign, Sir John or Lady Elizabeth could be a member of the organization that sponsors the show's appearance in the city. The same for Nightman or Nightgirl, in their civilian identities, in that campaign.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question

 

I'm thinking of doing a version 2 of this thread.

 

It'll focus more on the White House and the Scobby Gang the Vice President's teen age daughter, a Slayer in the campaign city, is part of instead of Zoey's adventures at the circus.

 

Oh, either CNN or C-SPAN has a television program named The West Wing. It's on just before coverage of speeches in the White House and lets people watch the White House staff at work.