3) If taking off from an airport w/o a control tower inside Class C
airspace you are required to?

b) takeoff without permission, but contact ATC as soon as practical

Although, some satellite airports (Pearson, IIRC) have freqs posted to
contact ATC before departure.

It's been a while since I flew there (1985?), but at that time, it was
just a courtesy notification "... Cessna departing runway ...", and
not requesting a clearance.

Reason it states "as soon as practical" is because at some airports in the
Class C, you can not raise the Class C on the radio, until you get into the
air a little bit.
--
Jim in NC