MMXGame/Officer Exam/Log

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Session 14

gralBot: ``========================``Session SAVE THE GAME START!``=============================``

gralDM: Last time, the group arrived back at base, had a bit of a review session, and we had our typical complete and utter lack of luck

Aether: The group was luckier and got cookies, though.

gralDM: You learned that PMX-CB's officer candidacy exam is just around the corner, and today you will learn about the target... once I remember to open that page of my game notes

PMX-CB tried tea. With sugar. A lot of sugar.

Astros can shrug off the review. After all - cookies. And eventually new weaponry!

gralDM: After a few hours of merriment and fun, you guys are called in for briefing.

[OOC] gralDM: Anything you want to do before the briefing, cover now, otherwise let me know how you arrive

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove slips in quietly, taking a seat in the back

Aether brings yet another bag of cookies in for the briefing, accompanying her usual thermos of tea. This bag has a new note from Refresh, but hell if Aether is going to be arsed to read something written in blindingly bright pink ink, and smothered in hearts and tildes.

PMX-CB reports as always, the only outward sign of what might be nervousness is his turning to look around a few more times than average.

Astros heads on in. Spots bag of cookies, then spots note. "...the hell?"

Aether: "Don't ask. -Please-."

Aether: "Seems she threw in shortbread along with double chocolate this time."

Aether: "I can question her motives all I want, but in the end, she's still pretty good at baking."

Aether opens up the bag and offers it up to the rest of the crew.

Astros thrusts his hand in, fetching a couple. "Right then. Time for more important stuff."

Astros: "What's the situation, boss?"

gralDM: Koala, back from engagement nods, "The target is a bit unusual, but its a good match for a ride armor specialist. The 10th squad has been tracking this guy for a bit, and Husky Fencer is waiting in backup in case you fail to take down the target."

gralDM: "A prisoner warden reploid, turned Maverick recently, which is making us nervous for all sorts of reasons."

Aether: "Cherry! Explicitly provided backup this time."

PMX-CB: "...Why the armor?"

Aether: "Ooof. Yeah, that's definitely worrying. Does he still have control of the facility?" Aether asks, offering the bag out towards Koala.

gralDM: "It used to call it Incarce. He's tough as bricks, almost as if he has the ride armor built in. So you make it an even fight"

Astros: "Hmm..."

Astros: "Do we know why he's Maverick?"

PMX-CB nods.

gralDM: "The automated defenses forced him out, he however has taken a few of his abilities and tuned them to war. Currently he is wondering down the streets of San Francisco.

gralDM: "As for why he went Maverick, unclear. But the 10th had him under watch already, its why we can react so quickly."

Astros: "On the streets? Aw *shit*."

Aether: "Sounds like an opportunity and a complication."

Astros: "Man, that's gonna complicate everything."

Aether: "Yeah, we've got civvies, but an urban enviroment's a tactical boon if we can lead him right."

gralDM: "Exactly. Take him in, don't let civilians get hurt, and pray he isn't smart enough to hire Human mercs."

PMX-CB: "Are we cleared for nonlethal takedown equipment if he does?"

PMX-CB: "...Rules on capture of main target?"

Aether: "You mean you don't have some by default?"

Aether: "I guess it's harder on a ride armor, but....yeah, if he's got human mercs, nonlethal's the way, full stop."

gralDM: "All I could get you guys is a reinforced transport wagon, and even for that I needed to call in a favor from Schwarz. For some reason all the equipment is tied up."

gralDM: "Rules are simple: Take him down or in, by any means necessary."

Aether: "In's probably preferable. Do we have a psychological profile on him? If all we've got is stuff from before he went Maverick, it'll do, but after...."

gralDM: "Yes Aether. On the bright side, we have a pretty full suite of information on him - psychological, tactical, etc."

Aether: "Mind putting it up on the tac-com channel?"

Aether: "Psych profile's going to be useful when we need to lure him into a safe zone."

gralDM: Koala uploads the data, the psych data pulling up first:

Unit 231ADE42, "Incarce" was designed as a prison warden, the heavy muscle. He was harsh but fair, and known for his love of history. Working in a historical prison facility was pretty much his dream job.

However, just before going Maverick he became increasingly irritable and illogical. He claimed the old ghost stories of the prison were true. That they had tried to talk to him.

Aether: "....a couple of possibilities spring to mind."

PMX-CB jots something down on a small datapad at that.

Aether: "We play to his paranoia, possibly employing holo-tech."

Obviously, this caused an indepth analysis of his mental and physical state, but there was no detectable abnormalities. We sent his data over to Dobbler, and he confirmed the early stages of infection.

Aether: "Or we fake risking the integrity of a historical site, but for obvious reasons, I don't really find that one appealing."

Before he could be transported to Doppler for treatment, he broke out, swimming to the mainland. He seems to be searching for something, and hasn't acted out... yet, but he is a timebomb.

gralDM: "Any questions before we go on to combat data?"

PMX-CB: "That data is as of... recent?"

gralDM: "Most recent entry is from 12 hours ago. Hard to get more recent then this."

Aether: "Just going to need a little time to research some urban legends...."

PMX-CB: "Known armaments?"

gralDM: "Uses a giant Morning star made out of an old style prison ball and chain. He uses it as a zoning tool instead of just a brute ball."

gralDM: "He also has an array of seismic spikes, that can enter the ground and attack independently, pretty brutal."

Aether: "...high ground, then."

Astros: "What's the range on that?"

gralDM: "Around 10 feet. In fact, entering 10 feet around him is likely a dangerous move... though the ride armor can probably take it"

PMX-CB: "Where do we enter compared to his reported location?"

gralDM: "You will be coming in about 3 blocks away from him, ontop of a large hill. It should give you the advantage. Be warned though - he was damaged during his escape, but by the time he got to shore he was undamaged."

gralDM: "He isn't designed with any regenerative abilities though."

Astros: "Sounds to me like he's either been upgraded or we have a co-conspirator."

Aether: "A third party planting the Maverick seed, hm? Sounds likely."

gralDM: "Suspicious indeed. He doesn't have any notable weaknessses, and he might be reckless in his madness."

Astros: "Possibly even going so far as to arrange the 'ghosts' talking to him."

PMX-CB: "...Before escape and outburst, reasonable?"

gralDM: "Yes quite. He was more likely to bore you to death talking about that damn prison then he was to beat you down."

Aether: "I don't think any of us are great with illusions."

Aether: "Misdirection, yes, but not illusions."

Aether: "So, barring some other equipment, this might be Kitty's time to shine."

Aether: "Some smoke, some speakers, maybe a wire job."

PMX-CB: "Could backfire."

gralDM: "Any other information you need before you get ready to move out?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove speaks up, quiet. "I can hold his attention for a while, and if we can get him penned in and stop him from running, my gear is set up to keep him impaired."

Aether: "Make him angry? Always a possibility, but if you've got something to add to the plan, I'm definitely willing to consider more possibilities."

Aether: "Wonderful! If we keep him locked down for long enough, we should have enough ranged options to wear him down."

PMX-CB: "Recommend we try to secure peaceful detainment first."

Astros: "Might be prudent to see if the virus infection is a false positive."

Astros: "...although with command breathing down our necks after that last one, there's a fair amount of risk there..."

Aether: "...no, both of you are definitely right. I guess it's a matter of what tack we're taking, and who's going to talk to him."

gralDM: "Husky Fencer will meet you on location. If things are going badly, he will step in. But if you succeed, your chances of having two officers on the team is quite high."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove nods. "Yay."

PMX-CB: "Copy."

Transport is arranged and before you know it you are on top of the hill, nav markers clearly placed. Husky Fencer waves you over, "Alright, we are about 60% evacuated, but some people think we are being paranoid."

PMX-CB: "No government assistance in evac?"

Astros: "Gee, I fucking wonder what's going through THEIR brains or circuits right now."

Astros sighs. "Potential Maverick running around? Naaaaaaaah. Just gonna sit around."

Astros: "Hope nothing bad happens."

Aether: "...look, do you need me to assist with the remaining evac? Because mostly I'm just going to find a nice high perch with Astros and provide ranged support."

gralDM: "Government assistance is here and helping, unfortunately some people seem to exist just to cause us problems."

gralDM: "He is down there, I don't think he has had the chance to contact anyone, but if he does have an ally, who knows."

Astros scans the area. Anything out of the ordinary in sight?

gralDM: "Evac support would help I suppose."

Aether: "Going to head down to help with that, then. Once I've confirmed full evac, I'm going to join Astros."

It seems like a typical city block, some balconys that could be used as high ground, and quite a few narrow alleys that Incarce is obviously too large for.

PMX-CB is also a bit large for them.

PMX-CB: "Hm."

Aether switches her headset/monocle combo to the proper team channels. "You know how to find me. Fencer, can you flag the ones who haven't evaced yet?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove scouts around.

PMX-CB: "Any observation of primary target?"

A bunch of buildings are lit up on Aether's display. Visibly inside one is a group of Serious Business People having a Serious Business Meeting.

Aether: "Bloody -hell-."

gralDM: "He is slowly heading south and west. He has not yet engaged anything unless it has gotten to close to him."

Aether: "Going to just creep around behind him then to get to our Very Important Businessmen."

GloomKitten quickly finds him, and ... actually sees some people hanging out in the alleys with weapons.

Aether does The Creep(tm) to get to the business meeting.

PMX-CB: "Any civilians in his path?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove sends a text over the Com line relating the discovery of people with guns in the alleys.

gralDM: "Well other than idoits, it doesn't appear so. We haven't done a full sweep yet."

PMX-CB: "Armed civilians. Criminal activity? Private contractors?"

Aether: "....who the shit is doing business in the middle of a bloody emergency?"

Aether approaches the building, and makes her way to the meeting room with a knock.

gralDM: "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? CAN'T YOU SEE YOU ARE INTEREFERING IN OUR IMPORTANT MEETING? MILLIONS OF STAKEHOLDERS ARE AT RISK HERE."

Aether: "Aether, Maverick Hunter Command. Chat software is a thing and has been for ages."

The humans look like Punks, but it might be a good disguise

Aether: "You're all in grave, grave danger. We've got a confirmed Maverick sighting in the area, and the evac's happening -now-."

gralDM: "CHAT SOFTWARE DOESN'T WORK. YOU NEED TO BE PRESENT. NOW SIT OUTSIDE AND DEFEND US UNTIL WE FINISH THIS MEETING!"

Aether: "....bloody hell, really?"

Aether: "Either the stakeholders', er, stakes die with you, or you can postpone it until you're in a more favorable position to continue."

Aether: "And I'm not your personal security!"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove pings a 'I'm coming to assist' at Aether. 'It's going to be scary and violent but they shouldn't be hurt in the ensuing event'

gralDM: "WE ARE LOSING PRECIOUS SECONDS. DON'T YOU KNOW THAT DEALS ARE DECIDED IN NANO SECONDS THESE DAYS? CLEARLY A TWO HOUR LONG, CATERERD LUNCH, MEETING IS THE ONLY WAY. ALSO WHERE THE HELL IS OUR CATERING?"

Aether: "FLEEING THE BLOODY CITY LIKE YOU ALL SHOULD BE"

Aether is getting into the allcaps madness.

PMX-CB slowly tromps over, letting the footfalls shake the floor.

Aether sighs, and replies with the "copy" ping.

Aether: "And because catering's now -officially- out of the picture, this is a meeting that's clearly not going to be complete. So please, get out of here."

Astros stays on overwatch. The long-ranged guy staying far away from the fight? Who could've guessed?

PMX-CB shakes his head and starts making his way out vaguely northeast

[OOC] gralDM: It's @

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 25

gralBot rolled: [1d20-3] -1

[OOC] gralDM: Thats his reflex save

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove comes bursting through their window, saber active as she glares bloody murder around the room and then picks whoever seems to be in charge and POUNCES on them, starting a grapple and ending with the fucker flat on his back and her sitting on him, her saber at his throat. She stops then, glaring at the rest of the people in the room. "You're all dead now. Because we cannot guarantee

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove being able to stop a maverick that tries to slip the cordon. That's why you are evacuated ahead of the mavericks. "

Aether: ".....you heard the kitty."

You can smell their fear... ewww... They run out.

Aether: "Well, that's -one- way to handle it. But if it works, it works! Nice job, Kitty."

Aether: "Moving on now."

Meanwhile CB and Astros come into sight of the Maverick it looks up and saids, "Out of my way."

Astros: "First things first - where're you going?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove nods to aether, sheathing her saber and making her wat back out the window toward the maverick

Astros watches him like a *hawk*.

Aether moves on towards the next ping.

gralDM: "To the source of the ghosts. They must be stopped. The city is in danger!"

PMX-CB sounds hesitant, trying to speak with authority. "We...We can help. But you need to... trust us."

gralDM: "None of you believe me. You think I don't see what is happening? At least my presence has lead to an evacuation."

Astros: "I wouldn't say I don't believe you."

Astros: "So where are these ghosts coming from?"

In the background Aether is entering a hospital where someone is actively being operated on, and a woman is in labor. Oh dear.

gralDM: "The ghosts come from the old Library."

Aether: At least -this- one is understandable.

Aether: "Fencer, this is TCX-Aleph-Null. Hospital's mostly clear except for urgent cases; woman in labor and what looks a like a life-saving operation in progress."

Aether: "We can't move them, so we need eyes on it so I can move on."

Astros: "What are the ghosts doing?"

gralDM: "Planning, plotting. Inside the books is knowledge, and they have nothing to do but read."

Astros: "...When did you start seeing ghosts?"

[OOC] gralDM: About now Gloom would enter

Aether Soon has some guns at the hospital but not a lot of them, and moves on.

Aether: "...I'll take what I can get. Thanks."

Aether moves on to the next civilian ping.

gralDM: "See? I don't see the ghosts. They are invisible."

gralDM: "But I hear them."

PMX-CB tries again. "Hearing them. What do they say?"

Astros: "And are you hearing them right now?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove settles on a nearby roof, ready to engage if needed.

gralDM: "They speak it again and again... 1011100"

PMX-CB frowns behind the helmet.

Aether: "CB, status?"

gralBot rolled: [1d20+5] 8

gralBot rolled: [1d20+8] 20

gralBot rolled: [1d20+5] 13

PMX-CB: "Speaking with Incarce. Does not show ill will towards humans. Trying to stop ghosts. Hearing 1011100. Idea?"

gralBot rolled: [1d20+6] 11

Aether: "Well, the obvious tack is that it's 92 in binary. The less obvious one is the ASCII representation of the backslash character."

Aether: "Old programming languages used it as an escape character - you know, a signal to ignore the next piece of input."

Aether: "Repeating it sounds like an error."

Aether: "Unless we're being -literal-."

Aether: "And his ghosts are telling him to escape."

Aether: "Past that, I'm stumped, I'm afraid. Let me know if anything else comes up - still making the evac rounds here."

PMX-CB looks for an avenue of conversation. "You liked the prison you worked at?"

gralDM: "Yes. Until the Ghosts came. Please move, I need to stop the ghosts."

Astros: "What are the ghosts going to do?"

PMX-CB: "Did you ever find anything there?"

gralDM: "...Yes. The Ghosts led me to their plan. I SAW IT. Under the prison. I have to stop them before its too late. Burn the knowledge, hide the fire."

Astros shrugs. "...alright, we'll walk with you there. How long's the walk, and what's their plan?"

gralDM: "Not far now. They will break the city into two. A crater. Delightful cover for the real plan."

PMX-CB: "And that is?"

gralDM: "No Idea. But gotta stop them."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove frowns. "Ask him how they're breaking the city in two."

Astros: "Break the city in two, huh..."

Astros: "That'd take a lot of power. You know how they're going to do it?"

gralDM: "Below the prison. They need knowledge though. Destroy it all, no issue!

PMX-CB: "What if we take on what's below the prison?"

gralDM: "Can't be done."

PMX-CB: "Why?"

Astros: "Wait a goddamn second."

gralDM: "Hide it, cover it. KEep it in prison"

Astros: "Annie! Was this guy's prison built on top of something?"

gralDM: "The ruins of something called Alcatraz, whatever that is."

gralDM: "Database suggests it was... another prison."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove: "Corpse City R'lyeh, home of Cthulhu."

PMX-CB radios. "Husky. There's something at the prison."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove: "Or he thinks so anyway."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove: "Recommend sending a human engineer to check it out."

gralDM: "I'll send some guys to look at it, but if you don't get that guy to come with you soon, he will commit some damage."

PMX-CB: "How fast can they get there?"

Astros: "Yeah, if it gets that bad we'll step it up."

gralDM: "20, 30 minutes. You should reach the library in 5 minutes."

Astros sighs. "Alright. Do you know what knowledge they need?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove: "Anything on the LIBRARY?"

PMX-CB: "Good idea."

PMX-CB turns to Incarce. "We can help you, but we need to protect the people and the city. I know that's what you're doing, but we have to...We have to be a scalpel. Remove the threat, remove the ghosts, destroy the plan, leave the rest unharmed."

PMX-CB: "Can you help us with that?"

gralDM: "The library just is an old public city library. Shouldn't be anything too dangerous in there"

gralDM: "No. You can't stop the threat. Destroy the knowledge, stop everything."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove: "Pull the book list. Anything that has a duplicate at another library, discount for now."

Astros: "...huh. Could be a problem."

PMX-CB: "Was it built on top of anything?"

Astros: "But before we address that - what were the ghost stories in the prison about?"

gralDM: "Dead prisoners, etc. Nothing all that unsual."

gralDM: Incarce glares as the group, "You don't beleive me. You are working with the ghosts. They whisper to you."

Astros: "Not at all."

PMX-CB: "I believe you hear them. I believe you're trying to help."

gralDM: "LIES. I should have known better. They are distracting me with you. I have to hurry. They are buying time."

He speeds, at this rate, he will probably be at the library within a minute.

speeds up*

PMX-CB dashes around in front, using the boosted EAS. "They could be turning you against us. Forcing a fight! They know we can stop them together!"

[OOC] gralDM: That will need a diplomacy

gralBot rolled: [1d20] 11

gralDM: "I ... I trust you. The ghosts are dangerous. Almost had me."

PMX-CB: "Thank you."

PMX-CB: "Do we have time to investigate the prison, Incarce?"

gralDM: "No. they are already trying to buy time. We must strike before they can."

PMX-CB: "What's your plan to stop them?"

gralDM: "Burn the library, stop them from learning. Then prison will be safe."

Aether: "...isn't just moving the books out as well a perfectly reasonable method of sabotage?"

At about this point you arrive at the library

gralDM: "Good, now we can destroy it. Burn the knowledge, save the city."

PMX-CB: "We should recon first. They could have accounted for this."

gralDM: "They could also use that time to finish. Burn it now. Where is my plasma torch."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove descends from the roof, landing with CB between her and starts a high definition scan of the entire library.

GloomKitten's map reveals some underground tunnels, heading north east, back the way you came.

Astros: "Hey, Kitten."

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove frowns. "We've got an underground system. Annie, are those registered?"

PMX-CB: "Wait. We might have found something."

gralDM: "Nope, they aren't."

gralDM: "Of course there are tunnels. That is how the fire will work. Where is my plasma torch..."

PMX-CB: "Wait. Please. Let us scout the tunnels."

PMX-CB: "If we fail to report, you can proceed as planned."

gralDM: "You are wasting time. You are with the ghosts. How many layers is there to their infernal deceit?"

GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove glances at CB, then at Aether. She throws a quick text over the com and then sprints into the library. [I'm going in. Let him torch it behind me. Annie, I'm feeding all this data to you as I get it.]

Astros: "There's a possibility you've discounted, actually."

Astros: "More than one."

PMX-CB: "I'm not with the ghosts. ...What possibility?"

Astros: "No, you aren't. That much I believe."

Astros: "You considered that the ghosts might be playing you for a fool?"

Aether: "Careful, now...."

gralDM: "...What do you mean?"

Astros: "Right. Let's assume these ghosts are an outside force. Have their own agendas."

Astros: "This'd line up with some Mavericks we've been having trouble with."

Astros: "What if they're lying to you to get you to cover their tracks?"

Astros: "That library," Astros thumbs for emphasis, "is connected to something that's *not on our maps*. Usually that means Secret Stuff. MAVERICK Secret Stuff."

gralDM: "Maverick Ghosts? No that would be crazy. Next you will be saying Sigma is still alive."

PMX-CB: "No, no. The mavericks working with them."

Astros: "Not inconceivable, actually..."

Astros: "You know they found out about the Virus, right?"

PMX-CB: "Think about it. Mavericks want all living humans dead. The ghosts are no longer human...and bear a grudge."

gralDM: "...They are the perfect allies. I HAVE TO BURN THIS LIBRARY RIGHT NOW. STOP THEM."

[OOC] GloomKitten-DestroyerOfLove: Just fucking burn it.

PMX-CB pauses. "After the library is burned, will you come back with us, to see Doctor Doppler?"

gralDM: "...Why. I am not Maverick. The ghosts are tricking you aren't they?"

Aether: "....it's been a long day. Need repairs. Something like that?"

PMX-CB: "You're not maverick, no. But they will think you are. You burned a public building, and they'll demand an explanation."

PMX-CB: "If you see Doppler, he'll vouch for you. Prove you're right."

gralDM: "...Yes of course. Okay. I'll burn it, and come with you to doppler."

gralBot: ``========================``Session SAVE THE GAME END!``=============================``

Session 15

gralBot: ``=============================`` SESSION START ``===========================================``

GralDM: Last time, The group faced down Incarace, a jailer reploid, and managed to bring him in alive.

GralDM: However, there is a number of unexplained questions still... What happened to the armed Humans that Gloomy say? Why 92? What is under the prison? And where do the tunnels lead.

GralDM: The tunnels, where Gloom went down, extend back towards the prison. They are old, with mysterious large drops and floating out platforms. An odd design. Following them eventually leads to a set of two large metal doors, locked closed.

PMX-CB starts making his way through the fire, heading for the tunnels.

Aether: "Hm. If I've got permission from Command, and if these aren't too thick, hi-phasing this door shouldn't be too bad."

Astros is quite a bit behind the others. Acrobatics/platforming and Astros don't get along very well, you see...

GralDM: Since there is no enemies, it doesn't take long for the group to gather. The engineers at the prison report in that they have hit a strange metallic structure, just as you have. Both teams are given permission to start making an entrance.

Aether ignites her N-Saber. "Might want to stand back, boys and kitty. This might get messy. You know, melty and slaggy and lots of hot sparks."

Aether plunges the blade into the door and begins carving away.

PMX-CB keeps armordukes up.

Astros: "Gotcha." Astros keeps his buster trained on the door.

GralDM: After a few short minutes you are an abandoned hall that seems filled with old traps that have long since ceased functioning. The entire area is filled with a light dust... except for a few footprints leading further onwards.

Aether crouches down, trying to figure out who was here before them by the footprints. It coulfd have been the engineers, but it could also be trouble.

PMX-CB examines the walls for signs of machinery, either the recessed trap-springing kind, or the overt thing-moving kind.

GralDM: Over the com the engineers confirm entering a similar room, but this one is fille with strange cyclinders... possibly old teleporters?

Astros looks at the footprints. What size are they?

GralDM: The machinery is there, but wrecked and smashed, once you suspect this was clearly a deathtrap.

Aether: "...tech's more my think. If anyone's really itching to play Holmes and track these footprints, feel free. But this - THIS is just fascinating stuff."

Aether carefully approaches one of the old teleporters to figure out some interesting things about its functions.

GralDM: The footprints are about the size of a humans, just a bit larger. Certaintly not Incarace's, but maybe a smaller reploid.

Astros: "...not the jailer. Someone else."

PMX-CB: "...Should excavate."

PMX-CB keeps his eyes peeled, setting up a portable scanner.

Aether: "Certainly a possibility, but if we only had better digging equipment."

Aether: "Or more -subtle- equipment, for that matter."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+4] 15

PMX-CB examines his surroundings carefully!

GralDM: Dusting off the old wreckage, it seems to be mostly gold and bright chrome colored. What was once some form of backing tile is bright green in color. Broken cannisters and mysterious piepes whose purpose is unknown lie broken across the hall. An obvious ladder heads further down, but is blocked with pipe wreckage.

GralDM: The trail heads further on, carefully weaving around all of this old equipment. USing keen reploid senses you detect the smell of stale water ahead

PMX-CB: "Recommend following tracks."

Astros: "Sounds like a plan to me. Boss?"

Aether: "Seems obvious enough to me, but I'm not a very good scout."

Aether: "I can hang back and provide the usual tactical data and the feed from Tac-Com. Kitten, going to take point with CB?"

KittenOfGloom nods. "Can the Hungry go quiet?"

Astros!``~``Cainen@h207.27.88.75.dynamic.ip.windstream.net: has quit IRC (Quit: Leaving)

Aether: "....I don't think it'll do much good by virtue of its size and paint job."

Cainen!``~``Cainen@h207.27.88.75.dynamic.ip.windstream.net: has joined #MMXGame

Aether: "If we have to go in quiet, we need Kitten to go on ahead and tell us if it's safe or not."

KittenOfGloom: "Then I'll take point 100 ft out; you guys move slow and as quiet as you can. Try not to fuck things up."

Aether: "Roger-roger."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+10] 20

gralBot rolled: [1d20+2] 6

gralBot rolled: [1d20-1] 18

GralDM: Kitten follows the tracks, it doesn't take long to find a hole filled with dark, stale water, and a glint of sharp steel spikes along one side. The bottom seems to be clear, and the tracks clearly lead into the water... Who the hell built something like this?

KittenOfGloom frowns and signals for them to advance slowly. Once the party catches up she motions toward the water. "Any of us particularly good at swimming?"

Aether: "Even if we were, uh....spikes. Spikes of doom."

Aether: "Even if I'm just being redundant because spikes inherently have doom-y qualities."

KittenOfGloom stares at.

KittenOfGloom: "Okay, so I'll go down and you guys can wait here."

Aether: "I'll track you, then, and keep you posted with Tac-Com."

PMX-CB: "Could probably walk over them. Would keep distance for stealth."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 13

GralDM: Kitten easily makes it through the first set of spikes

GralDM: And the rest of the spikes up to the ladder, are simple.

Astros sits himself down while they wait. "Aaaand now we wait. Hey boss, you still have any cookies?"

Aether: "....really, Astros? -Now-, of all times?"

Aether checks her bag. "Shortbread."

PMX-CB: "Can hardly make fun of him if you have 'em."

PMX-CB: "...Think I'll get it?"

KittenOfGloom stares up at the ladder, mapping the area behind her before she makes a valiant effort to jump/swim up to the ladder

Astros: "Not like we have much else to do."

Aether: "Honestly? I don't know. Just because this is going well so far doesn't mean they won't nitpick."

PMX-CB: "Shame about the building."

Astros: "The whole Incarcere thing will probably piss someone off... not that there was a way to handle it that the brass would've liked."

GralDM: On the other end, up the ladder, Gloom sees the back of a reploid, hopping up some strange blocks that vanish and reappear continuously, and grabbing onto the ladder. The other reploid seems to have a near avian frame, but it seems... not quite right. A bit to human in shape, a bit to light on its feet.

Aether: "Too many variables, too many risks. For the record, I thought you made something resembling the right call, though, CB."

Astros: "Yeah. But if we would've fought him? That wrecking ball on his back wasn't for show."

Astros: "Would've probably taken a few more buildings and roads with him. Not to mention repair costs."

Aether: "....Kitty, report?"

PMX-CB: "Plus, he wasn't mav. Would trade bunches of buildings for that."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+3] 8

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 29

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 23

KittenOfGloom links Aether into her visual feed, tagging the target as 'Unknown Potential Hostile

Aether: "Huh...."

GralDM: Kitten follows it up the ladder into the next room, following after it as it traverses more of these damn vanishig blocks, over a pit lined with these strange spikes. It gets to the end and climbs up a pipe noisly, and seems to come to a rest.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+8] 19

Astros: "Kitten find something?"

Aether: "Reploid marked as a UPH."

Aether: "Trying to see if I can glean something, but it's not easy from the feed..."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+3] 22

PMX-CB sits up, checking his buster SMG.

GralDM: Kitten gets a clear glimpse as it jumps of the front, and both Aether and Kitten at the same time realize it is a Human, in some sort of ride armor like contraption, scaled down to be worn by a human. Trouble is, that technology shouldn't be in use - all prototypes command has have had issues with crippling human pilots.

Aether: ".....wait. That's no reploid."

GralDM: And there seems to be a girl, no older than a teenager, in it.

Aether: "Kitten, smack me over the comm if I'm imagining things, but is that a human in small powered armor? Confirm or deny."

KittenOfGloom sends an affirmative. "Engage?"

GralDM: Now that you know what you are looking for, the resting makes a lot mor sense, she is obviously winded after all that and is catching her breath.

Astros blinks. "Human? What the hell?"

Aether: "Probably not hostile, but almost definitely on a mission. We'll try to find another way around, but just try to talk to her."

Astros: "Wait."

Astros: "Might not be on our side."

Astros: "Remember the human parts from the airship?"

PMX-CB: "Humans acting against hunters. Great."

Aether: "...yeah, I do. Maybe we should try to rendezvous with Kitten first."

KittenOfGloom switches off her outward audio output, instead focusing on the radio, watching the human carefully.

Astros: "I'm not sure we can get through the spikes and water."

GralDM: After a while the human gets back up and starts moving, grimacing noticably in pain when it moves its right leg. It looks like she hasbeen favoring it for land the jumps, and its starting to take its toll... She heads up the ladder into the next room.

KittenOfGloom: "I think I should disable her myself. There's the possibility she's a potential hostile, and... if she is, I think I could take the resulting backlash better than any of you."

Aether: "Seems premature to engage without knowing what she's after."

KittenOfGloom follows carefully. "It goes against everything I've learned to observe on the off chance you'll be able to act before they complete their goals."

Aether: "...fine. But we -really- need to find another way around to meet you."

KittenOfGloom: "you guys don't trust the spikes? They weren't hard to get past."

KittenOfGloom: "Hardest part is right at the beginning."

Astros: "It's more of an issue of, well. Water. Ride armor."

KittenOfGloom: "CB isn't welded to it."

Astros: "You want to run the risk of Mavericks or whatever the hell these guys are getting his ride armor?"

Astros sighs. "Boss, see if you can get into contact with the engineering team again."

Aether: "Engie team, this is TCX-Aleph-Null. Report."

PMX-CB: "Can remove a few key components, render inoperable."

GralDM: "Engie team here. It seems like Incarace found his way in here somehow, finding these weird fragements on the ground, and radiation signatures - there might be active uranium. With 4.5 billion year half life, if there is a working nuclear reactor here..."

GralDM: "Fragments seem to be some form of blue crystal, possibly a data matrix of some kind."

Astros: "Well, that explains the whole '92' thing..."

Aether: "Indeed it does."

Aether: "Might explain what our little friend is going after - either she's insane enough to go after the reactor remains, or this data matrix."

KittenOfGloom is waiting for permission to engage.

Aether: "Engie team, do you have enough of the place mapped out to suggest an alternate course? We need to meet up with Kitten to catch up to a UPH; sending her coordinates over now."

GralDM: "Confirmed, alternate map points being sent over. You will meet up in a big room that has a Met marker on this map here for some reason. Guessing this is how Incarace knew about those tunnels."

Aether: "Got it. Kitty, you have my permission to engage when you and the UPH reach Point Alpha."

Aether: "We're going to meet up with you shortly."

GralDM: Meanwhile, the human is almost there, having made it up, at this point she seems to be taking it slow, confident in her mission. Gloom has a good tail on her, and she hasn't noticed yet. You come up to a door, featureing a large "Dr. W" sign. She breathes in and activates a com channel.

GralDM: "This is Agent-1, I've reached the main room. Entering now. No sign of trouble."

KittenOfGloom is so tempted to engage now...

GralDM: She opens the door and heads in, reaching point Alpha.

gralBot: ``=============================`` SESSION END ``=============================``

Session 16

gralBot: ``=============================`` SESSION START ``===========================================``

GralDM: Last time you entered Wily Castle 4 stage 1. The place has really gone to hell. You found a young human woman wearing dangerous power armor, who seemed to be here for a mission. She has just entered a room that is your designated ambush point

GralDM: Gloom, who was tailing her can start battle whenever, the rest of the group will arrive soon. 1 or 2 minutes away assuming they are willing to make noise

Astros doesn't have much of a choice in it - bulky model with not a whole lot of finesse in the movement category.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+6] 16

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 15

AssassinCat slips up behind the target and attempts to cut her razor through the powerlines of the suit!

gralBot rolled: [1d6+6] 9

She dodges out of the way at the last instant - though her left arm isn't working any more

gralBot rolled: [1d20+6] 9

She turns to look at her attacker and... "AGHHHHH A CAT DEMON"

gralBot rolled: [1d20+3] 8

AssassinCat: "Actually, I'm a catgirl, not a cat demon"

AssassinCat: @Roll 1d20+9

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 11

AssassinCat lunges forward with her Razor, intent on grappling, but misses.

GralDM: She twirls around and aims an attached rifle at the cat girl, "Why are you here? No one is supposed to be here."

AssassinCat: "Yeah, well, no one is supposed to be here other than me either. Lord Sigma was pretty clear on that."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+3] 11

gralBot rolled: [1d20+1] 9

GralDM: "Wait, you work for Lord Sigma? I wasn't told..."

AssassinCat: "And here I find a pretty little human wearing a nifty suit of armor. Imagine my surprise."

GralDM: She actiavtes a com, "This is agent-1, I have a cat reploid claiming to be a sigma agent. Can HQ verify? Over."

GralDM: She keeps her gun pointed at you, but doesn't act this turn. (Ready)

AssassinCat smirks. "Of course, I'm going to have to kill you. Can't let the secrets of this place get loose."

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 26

gralBot rolled: [1d6+6] 7

AssassinCat makes another lunge forward, stabbing into the power supply and initiating a grapple!

GralDM: The cut takes out her right arm, "Wait! I thought we were supposed to be allies-" , over static you hear, "Damnit agent-1, you have no allies there. I repeat, no allies. Retreat immediately"

gralBot rolled: [1d20+2] 5

GralDM: She is grabbed by Gloomy and is having an awful hard time getting away.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+4] 20

gralBot rolled: [1d6+3] 6

AssassinCat gives a manic grin. "And the prey is mine. You know, I was built for this. Made to kill you organics. Carve your skin and muscle and bone off. But I didn't behave quite the way they wanted me to. It was supposed to just be a job, but... you wanna know a secret?"

gralBot rolled: [1d20+9] 23

gralBot rolled: [1d6+6] 7

GralDM: She whimpers as her power suit is cut dead.

gralBot rolled: [1d20-5] 9

GralDM: And then falls to the ground

AssassinCat smiles down, her hand resting gently on the 'cheek' of the faceplate. "When I made my first kill, bathed myself in blood for the first time, it was the first time I felt normal, like there was a great weight off my shoulders and everything became perfectly clear."

GralDM: "Oh god, I'm trapped with an insane reploid who is going to eviscerate me."

GralDM: She starts sobbing a bit, and trying to move one arm, not making any progress.

AssassinCat chuckles. "How do you feel about deals, prey? If I promised to make it quick and painless, are you willing to do something for me?"

GralDM: She cires out, "I can't give up. Not yet. D.d.do your worst."

AssassinCat sighs, adopting a pout, pinning her to the ground and dragging her razor just barely off the surface of the face plate. "Your armor's out of power, you're flat on your back, and you can't get away from me. I know enough of your anatomy to carve you slowly, to peel your skin back without touching the muscle under it. It would be harder to do if you struggled, but then you'd just be

AssassinCat hurting yourself. And really, I wasn't built JUST to kill them. There are functions I have that I haven't explored yet. "

kill organics

She is just in speechless shock now, trying to figure out what what the hell she can do to escape.

AssassinCat starts carving along the edges of the faceplate, giving a soft smile. "You have no idea how it feels, to be pent up and stuck with no one to exercise all of my functions on. No one to torment, no one to pleasure. How about you be my toy before you die, hmmm? Maybe if you're a good enough toy I'll keep you around."

GralDM: "...Oh god, I thought reploids like you were a myth. GET AWAY FROM ME."

She desperately struggles to try to escape.

AssassinCat freezes, pulling her razor away. "Oh, darling, our fun's going to be cut short. The problem with deep cover is that it's deep. I better go back to acting like a good little maverick hunter. Can't let them suspect I'm anything but a good little peon to be pushed around." Gloomy leans down and kisses her face plate before pulling back and ending in a much more 'normal' pin position.

AssassinCat "About time you got here." She calls to the rest of the squad.

GralDM: "HELP ME. SHE IS CRAZY. HELP ME."

She doesn't think any of you could possibly be worse

Aether: ".....so, uh."

Aether: "I take it you've got her, then."

Aether munches on a cookie casually.

Astros takes in the scene for about two seconds before bursting into laughter. "I... pff... HAHAHAHAHA!"

Astros: "I didn't think you'd try to seduce her!"

PMX-CB: "..."

Aether elbows Astros in the ribs. "Not my place to judge, and it's certainly not yours."

Aether: "That said, for fuck's sake, Kitten, at least buy her dinner first."

GralDM: "Oh god. Its a bunch of crazy Mavericks. I'm doomed."

AssassinCat grins. "What can I say? My lines between 'partner' and 'prey' are a little off kilter."

Astros shifts away from the elbow. "I dunno, boss."

PMX-CB wordlessly leans across the rim of Hungry's cockpit and flips a switch on the speakers.

PMX-CB: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v``=``9X_bJQdkzjk

Aether: "PFFFFFT-"

Aether: "Where the shit did you find classical music like this?"

PMX-CB: "Retro store."

AssassinCat hums softly. "Exhibitionists the lot of them. How about a show... Agent-1?"

voyeurs

Unparrelled horror is on her face. she starts muttering to herself "They are going to kill me. It will be over soon. They will get tired soon."

Astros bursts into laughter *again*, but manages to steel himself long enough to clap The Hungry on the back. "Setting the scene! I knew there was someone hiding back in there."

Aether: "Something like that, yeah," Aether notes, finishing off her cookie. She's rather terrible at being intimidating.

Aether: "You might want to be a dear and tell us what you're doing here, though."

Aether: "Snappy and truthful answers would be appreciated."

AssassinCat: "That's so not a good name for you. So, here's how this is going to go down. You're going to tell me your name, and then you're going to tell me how to get you out of the armor. Then, assuming my immediate superior is alright with it, we'll keep you around for a little while."

Aether: "Seems peachy to me."

Aether: "Granted, if you don't cooperate, we'll have to make sure you do."

Aether: "..."

Aether: "Like, via knockout, or something."

AssassinCat smiles. "Oh, I'm sure reducing her to a sobbing, violated bundle of pleasure and pain counts as cooperative."

Aether: "Kitten. Dinner first."

Aether crouches down next to the powered armor. "With that out of the way, I guess we'll need to identify you. Cookie?"

AssassinCat pouts at Aether. "I'm not about to start feeding her her own body."

Aether holds out a shortbread cookie.

GralDM: "Agents don't speak. Kill me first maverck."

Aether exchanges glances with Kitten briefly, wondering if playing up the Maverick angle was worth doing.

AssassinCat chuckles. "Now see here, I know enough anatomy to make it quick and painless. My commander here doesn't. I recommend you take the cookie."

Aether: "Soooo, no cookie, then."

Aether: "It's kinda true. I was always a terrible medic. My integrated weapons systems aren't really great at subtlety."

Astros, not particularly being the greatest interrogator, decides to busy himself with something else - namely, looking around the room for other stuff.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+5] 25

Aether: The AIVC on her arm briefly flips through its elements; white-hot fire, dancing blue lightning, and some flickering puple energy.

Aether: "Thing is, I've got other specialties."

Aether: "Research."

Aether: "Hell of an engineering background, with miracles happening with my buddy in the bright ride there."

Aether: "Last one might come in handy for your armor if it comes down to it...."

The armor is shaped like a falcon and is meant for manuverability and speed. If she flew by you, there is a good chance you wouldn't notice she is a human. The armor has minimal weapons compared to even a B rank, but she could probably take on a C rank. Hidden Clasps attach the armor, and CB finds those.

Aether: "Now, then. Cookie for name."

Aether patches in her visual and audio feed to Tac-Com so they can ID her when she talks. "

Looking around the room, at first it seems like just a big empty room, but when astros looks closer, Astros finds a weak spot that turns out to be a hidden trapdoor. lifting it unveils a ladder... and a lot of radioactive signs.

Astros: "Oh fuck. Found what we were looking for."

Astros: "Boss!"

She spits at Aether, "Kill me now maverick scum!"

PMX-CB: "Found clamps to remove armor. ...Would recommend against it in case of suicide or escape attempt."

Aether: "Charming."

Aether: "I think we'll leave them on. Big guy's found something....and probably what -you- were looking for, too."

Aether: "And if it's not? I've got a few educated guesses."

Aether: "I've already tried the cookie."

Aether: "I suppose the alternative is leaving you here and sealing up those doors."

Aether: "Let the nice radioactive haze settle in."

GralDM: "Pft, you don't even know what to look for. Otherwise you wouldn't have bothered ambushing me. I might not be as strong as you, but I'm not tottaly stupid."

Aether: "Like I said, I've got a few guesses. I'm not stupid either, dear."

Astros: "Pretty sure the ambush was to stop you from getting away."

Aether: "So I'd suggest that you confirm my suspicions. Maybe the cookie will be back on the table."

AssassinCat: "Yeah, mostly my desire for a play thing that kept me from being lethal. But then... cats tend to play with their food, don't we?"

Aether looks to the heavy metal doors, then the radioactive symbols.

Aether: "Like I said, we can leave you here, power cut. And it's easy to make sure that nobody will find you for a long, long time."

AssassinCat: "CB, where are the latches on this helmet. I want to get it off and see her pretty face."

Aether: "Easy enough to undo the radioation seals, and...."

GralDM: Annette chimes in to Aether, "After multiple lookups, it seems her voice and face match the records of one Dr. Catriona... the only problem is she is 70 years old. No known family."

Aether replies over text. <So is she an a thrown-together combination of parts like the ones we found on the ship?>

GralDM: "Unknown."

Aether: <Bloody -perfect.- Still better thsan nothing, Annie. Thanks.>

AssassinCat pokes her cheek. "You don't have a suicide pill, do you?"

Aether looks around for stitching on any exposed skin.

AssassinCat: "Cyanide tooth?"

GralDM: "I wish I had brought mine. It was supposed to be a fine mission. It seems you think I want the uranium. I'll let you guess whether or not thats the case."

Aether: "I'd say, but that'd be tipping my hand, wouldn't it?"

gralBot rolled: [1d20+5] 17

GralDM: "I'm the prisoner here, and you haven't killed me yet. I assume you need me for some reason. So It only makes sense that I should resist."

Aether: "Only to make things easier. Again, we're not stupid, but I think we'd both value some efficiency in the matter, yeah?"

Astros heads back; if they're going to check out the uranium, they'd need the engineering team here... or the entire squad checking at once, one of the two.

Astros looks over their 'prisoner'.

AssassinCat frowns at our prisoner as she slides her hands over the armor, inspecting it carefully. "Are you one of those... Made Men that I've heard rumors about? You don't seem right."

GralDM: "Agents. Don't. Talk."

Aether: "Your scars do."

Aether grins.

AssassinCat: "Ah, plural! Agents. She's not the only one!"

Astros: "Yeah, you're kind of... bad... at hiding your reactions."

Astros: "Or withholding info."

GralDM: She blushes, "Not exactly trained to be taken hostage by Mavericks."

AssassinCat: "If she's a Made Man, I wonder if the rest of her batch would be 'sisters' to her?"

Astros: "And we're not exactly trained interrogators. Two peas in a pod, huh?"

AssassinCat pokes the prisoner in the forehead. "Hey, do you have a brother?"

Aether: "Now, keep talking, or we just chew on the info you blunder into giving us, yeah?"

GralDM: She has now managed to drag one of her arms ontop of the other, "...Fine. I'm Agent-1 Una."

AssassinCat: "Like Uno!"

AssassinCat looks excited as she says that before blushing and looking away. "Sorry, continue."

Aether: "First of many, then."

She starts brushing her arms together, "Um. I was here to retrieve an item, and ensure there was no trail left. Both of them, down there" , she nods at the trap door.

AssassinCat moves back a little ways, leaving Aether to interrogate as she moves around, but stays in Una's sight line and makes frequent glances at their prisoner, her expression one of anticipation and... possibly longing.

Astros: "Huh."

Aether: "CB, call Tac-Com for extraction."

Astros: "You or your boss have anything to do with the jailer reploid going bonkers about uranium?"

PMX-CB: "On it."

She stops, "I don't know about any jailer reploid..."

Aether: "Is that so? We'll see what Nine of Swords has to say, then."

GralDM: "Nine of swords doesn't know anything, I'd have to visit ten of swords anyway though- Oh crap."

GralDM: "AGENTS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO TALK"

Aether: "Oh, you poor dearie."

Aether texts Annette. <You heard her, Annie. Check up on Ten of Swords.>

GralDM: "Ten is currently at Doppler's facility, undergoing analysis."

AssassinCat: "So, uny (oo-nee), darling, now that you've given us details, do you REALLY think you can go back?"

Astros: "Yeah, they're probably gonna dispose of you."

Aether: "Oh, nothing that wasteful."

Astros: "Maybe reuse your limbs."

Aether: "Theeeeere we go."

GralDM: She glances back and forth, "I don't think the mission is going to succeed... and I am going to be punished either way... But I'll be damned if I stick around you."

AssassinCat: "Can I keep her? Pleaaaaaseeee?"

Aether: "Sure, why not."

Astros: "We're not THAT bad."

Aether passes a text into the team's visual feed. <Are we done? I'll knock her out if we are.>

Astros: "Ask the last kiddo I pulled out of the fire."

Aether: The text also calls for a vote.

Astros: "She'll probably agree. Or she'll lie to you to spite me."

Astros: "All in good fun, of course."

Astros shoots Aether a Look before responding. <You know, I just realized something.>

Aether: <Shoot.>

Astros: <You noticed how she's not worried about getting into contact with the bigass sword despite it being at Doppler's?>

Aether: <What about?>

Astros: <You really think she's good enough to get in there alone? Gloomy bagged her solo.>

Astros: <So I'm thinking they've got a man on the inside there.>

Astros: <Or something. Either way, bad news.>

PMX-CB: <Or can talk freely.>

PMX-CB: <...Try to get her to come willingly, else KO.>

Astros: <Seconded.>

AssassinCat: <Should I let the jig go?>

Aether: <Someone fake a transmission that they caught her number two.>

Astros raises an eyebrow at that. <Not it.>

Aether: <Not it.?

Aether: >

AssassinCat: <Wait. "Nine doesn't know anything" but "I'd have to visit ten anyway" >

While the group is distracted, Astros, barely, notices her flip up part of the armor, where she was rubbing her arms earlier. A control panel is visible, and she is reaching towards it.

Astros: "Aw HELL NO!"

Astros reaches for the arm that's trying to key in whatever the hell she is.

Aether steps on the armor's free hand.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+2] 9

AssassinCat is reacts from across the room, blades humming to life.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+11] 14

gralBot rolled: [1d20+10] 13

gralBot rolled: [1d20+5] 6

gralBot rolled: [1d20+8] 19

GralDM: @1d20+4

gralBot: GralDM: Error: "1d20+4" is not a valid command.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+4] 22

Astros and aether bats her hands away just as she finishes keying in, an energy barrier forms over her as she goes to transport.... and then she screams as her arms are torn off by the teleporter, the rest of her body going who knows where.

PMX-CB: "

Astros: "DAMN IT!"

PMX-CB: ...Ow. "

Astros: "Stupid kid!"

AssassinCat growls.

GralDM: Annette responds quite quickly, "Analysing... she can't have gone far, not with that little energy. She is likely in the city above."

AssassinCat hisses angrily, lashing out at a nearby (inert) wall with her saber before she bolts back the way the party came from.

AssassinCat is hunting her now.

GralDM: "...Do you think they told her the teleporter would do that?"

Astros: "Of course not."

Aether: "Tell Fencer's team to move, and to get extraction down here to finish combing the place."

Astros: "Annette, get in contact with the engineering team and direct them over here. They're the ones who need to deal with the uranium."

Aether: "We'll be up to assist."

AssassinCat: "Start having Husky and his team start looking for her. she won't be hard to miss. Has the city granted us access to their security system yet?"

GralDM: "We have it now. cameras found her, shes on the bridge... and unoncious."

GralDM: unconscious*

Astros: "Bleeding badly, I'm assuming. Missing arms and all that."

Astros sighs. "Shit. Sorry about that. Would've caught her if I wasn't so bulky."

GralDM: "Yes. Husky is heading over, the engineers are on their way... Honestly with the speed Gloomy is moving at she might get there first."

PMX-CB: "Same. Couldn't wheel around in time."

AssassinCat: "Keep tabs on her. I want a medical team there. If I have to cauterize her stumps myself, I'm going to be pissed. Annette, if anything changes and you don't tell me, I will be very upset with."

PMX-CB is rooting around in his cockpit for something, which he tosses to Cat. It's a first-aid kit.

Astros glances towards CB. "Think you can carry me for this? There's a real possibility of her 'friends' getting there first."

GralDM: "Noted, I'll keep you up to date."

Aether: "I've got a backup kit, and I can swap out repair nanites for medical. Kitten, we're moving."

Aether bolts to the new position of Una.

PMX-CB: "Roger."

AssassinCat just sends a growl over the line as she's moving, abusing her unique nature and taking the shortest route possible.

gralBot rolled: [1d20+3] 10

GralDM: It doesn't take you long to get there. Annette chimes in, "Get out of there, the armed humans you found earlier are moving in... Husky is taking them down, but they might have given a kill order."

GralDM: YOu do manage to stablize her enough to move

AssassinCat growls, moving her to a relatively sheltered location before focusing and surrounding her in Blight; Gloomy considers her an ally so she's safe from blight's negative effects.

AssassinCat is more than willing to murder every single person who gets close.

GralDM: After a few tense minutes, and one person getting awfully close before Aether maanges to stop Gloomy from murdering him, a medical choper lands beside your coordinates. They rush out and ask you to let them treat her.

AssassinCat lets them through, but is watching them carefully. She's trusting her team to handle anyone coming up, but if this medical team isn't actually friendly, she's going to have a lot of blood on her hands.

Astros looks at the helicopter. Considering what Una's 'friends' have done? You can never be too paranoid. "Annette, did we send for this one?"

GralDM: "Well. I uh, had to call in a favor. So yes we did, but it wasn't easy to get it there that fast after the evacuation."

AssassinCat: "I owe you one."

GralDM: After some tense moments they declare her safe to move, but need to get her to an equipped hospital, they invite you onboard, since they doubt you will just let her go.

AssassinCat is not letting Una out of her sight. This is a valuable resource, but more than that, Gloomy let the joke go too far and the girl gave her arms because of it.

Aether: "Any reports of other Agents in the area after we cleaned it out?"

Astros boards after confirmation that it was theirs. "Good. Just a little worried that their boss might've had more resources than we were expecting."

GralDM: "No other reports... It kind of disturbs me."

There is some noise over the connection, and then Annette whispers back, "They just called dead comms as they review this incident. Watch your back."

gralBot: ``=============================`` SESSION END ``===========================================``

Session 17

gralBot: ``=============`` Session Begin ``==============``

GralDM: Last time, you found a girl, Una, in some old ruins that had a nuclear reactor. In fright she teleported herself with her expermental power suit broken and lost her arms in the process.

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GralDM: Now she is in a hospital room, you are outside it, and all the while Hunter Command is deliberating on your performance.

GralDM: At long last, the surgey light turns off and a doctor comes out and tells you she has been stabilized... but looks a bit sickened from what she just operated on.

Astros is on goddamn overwatch.

Astros: "Any problems, doc?"

PMX-CB looks doubly anxious, being disallowed from bringing his ride armor into the waiting lobby. Yes, he asked.

GralDM: "Well. She is vat bon, and then they sliced up all her parts and replaced them with other parts. And then did gruesome damage to her and swapped THOSE parts out."

GralDM: "Whoever brought her into this world is sick and breaking tons of international regulations."

Astros: "Yeah, we guessed that much."

Aether: "Sounds about right, given the evidence we've found."

Aether looks rather sickened - something of a first.

PMX-CB: "...Any citizenship? Records?"

Astros isn't so much sickened as much as he is pissed off; he caught her teleporting first, but he was a little too slow to catch her.

GralDM: "As I said, Vat born. Giving her citzenship and records would admit they cloned her, and THAT is ilegal."

Aether: "Is she getting set up with replacements or artificials for her arms?"

Aether: "We don't want her to suffer, anyway."

GralDM: "Her genes seem to be from a promient genetics researcher, but a lot of them have their genes on file, so they could have gotten that from anywhere."

Aether: "Matches the data I was given there, too."

Aether: "You think the scientists in question used themselves as guinea pigs?"

GralDM: "I doubt it. They probably stole the data. Easier that way and less attachment incase things go wrong. As for replacements... that is under discussion."

Astros: "...I'm assuming the brain is part and parcel of the vat-born thing. Can you confirm?"

GralDM: "The brain comes in as the researcher's was a child. Like all minds, it is shaped heavily by experience. It must have taken them a lot of time and effort to get her anything resembling a functioning Human, socially speaking..."

GralDM: "I can bring her around for a few minutes if you want to speak with her... otherwise its probably best to give her space for now."

PMX-CB: "So... what do we DO with her? She's not... parts."

Aether: "Treat her as well as we can while still keeping her secure here."

Astros: "Fuck if I know, CB. I don't want the kid left out on her own either; she's not legally a person, and that means very bad things."

Aether: "See if we can get her to speak on her own terms."

GralDM: "That is also why the arms are being discussed. She doesn't have the basic healthcare coverage. So the arms are going to have to come from somewhere..."

Aether: "She might be a little bitter - cloning blues and all. It could be a direction worth taking."

PMX-CB: "...How much?"

Gloomy is quiet. "I've got funds. Let me talk to her."

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PMX-CB: "Maybe wait?"

Astros hesitates briefly. "Boss, CB. Think you can handle watching for her, uh, 'friends'?"

PMX-CB: "...Could. Depends when Command needs us."

Aether: "Yep. Can't guarantee I won't be called into Engineering, too, so that's another way they're pulling me along."

Aether: "But I will for as long as I can. Just....good lord, be careful."

Astros: "Gotcha."

Astros heads on in. "Come on, Gloom."

The doctor nods and leads you in, saying she will forward the bill. Una is sleeping in a bed, wrapped up and sleeping soundly. The doctor presses a button and some form of drug brings her to being awake in about a minute.

After Una blinks a bit, she stares clearly at The doctor, then both of you and her face turns grim, "I've been captured then?"

Aether coughs, and gives CB an awkward look.

Aether: "..."

Aether: "So, uh."

Aether: "Cookie?"

Astros shrugs. Takes a seat. "If by 'captured' you mean 'we're footing a medical bill for you and hoping you get better', yeah. I guess."

PMX-CB: "...Sure."

She frowns, "but you are maverick forces aren't you?"

PMX-CB: "...So how'd I do?"

Astros snorts. "You may have jumped to conclusions. Headfirst. Panic mighta had something to do with it."

Aether: "If I were grading you? Probably a solid 85 with a vote to recommend."

Aether: "That could just be bias, though."

PMX-CB: "Heh."

PMX-CB: "Running it over in my head, thinking what I could have done better."

PMX-CB: "...Officer training courses a thing?"

Astros: "Yeah, sure, Maverick's in our name. Part of it."

Aether: "They probably are, but I've never taught one."

Aether: "Just tac-ops, tac-com, and the rank and file."

Astros almost leaves his seat to move over and give the kid a handshake. Realizes halfway through unseating himself that, oh yeah, *no arms*. Seat himself. "Astros. Maverick Hunter."

[OOC] Astros: *Reseats himself.

Gloomy: "I lied."

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She gives a hard look at Gloom, "Clearly. Unless you are still lying to me. How much of what she said did the rest of the team hear?"

Gloomy looks down. "We're Hunters. Claiming maverick affiliation to throw you off was a valid tactic."

Astros shrugs. "I dunno, honestly."

Gloomy shrugs. "Most of it."

GralDM: "Well you have me in your clutches now, and I'm out of escape routes."

Astros: "And - yeah, that. As much as we usually don't want to do that, this entire mission has been a little... finnicky, and from what I know you showed up in some unknown base connected to some Mavericks."

PMX-CB: "...Always had trouble speaking. Speaking up."

PMX-CB: "Actions louder than words, right? So, the Hungry. Loud music. Bright paint. ...Dunno. Talking is hard."

Gloomy glances around at the party. "I can fund you some replacement arms. Probably not organic, but it's better than nothing, right?"

Aether: "Talking's not so bad, but this is coming from a lecturer, so..."

Aether: "Well, that, and a general lack of concern for making things awkward. That tends to help, too."

GralDM: "Probably locked down with explosives so if I try to esacpe again I can get brought back in."

Astros: "Uhh - I... kind of doubt that."

GralDM: "What, did you expect me to just trust you? After the emotional torture you attempted in the middle of your 'mission' to protect Humanity from the big Maverick threat?"

Gloomy: "To be fair, most of what I said was truth."

Gloomy: "Though in hindsight, that is a terrible thing to admit."

PMX-CB: "If you'd told me a month ago, before Vienna, this is what I'd be doing..."

PMX-CB: "Would've found a tank to crawl into and hide."

Astros: "...yeah, you're right. It probably is a little too much to ask you to trust me."

Astros: "So let's take it slow."

Astros: "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry for that."

She srugs, "Not much I can do about it for now. Probably going to be under guard, can't have a witness going missing. Other agents will accomplish the mission. All I have to do is sit here and wait."

Aether: "Well, the point is that you're -not- hiding now."

Aether: "Hell, if people told me a month ago that I wouldn't be a sodding lecturer anymore, I wouldn't have believed them either."

Gloomy gestures at Una. "Arms are going to be yours. That's repayment for emotional trauma. I really wasn't thinking and your arms are kinda important. If you're willing to provide information and collaborate with us, I'm willing to give you funds so that you're actually a person. You're lucky you got captured in the US. I've got a good lawyer and they can probably finangle some sort of

Gloomy immigrant citizenship for you so you're at least a PERSON now. "

Astros sighs, gritting his teeth. He'll say his piece later.

PMX-CB: "Is this what hunting is? What it's going to be like?"

PMX-CB: "

PMX-CB: "Didn't sign up for this. ... ... Didn't sign up!"

Aether: "Hunting is taking the good with the bad."

Aether: "Saving folks while realizing that, well, sometimes you can't save them all."

GralDM: "Information on what? A shadowy group of Humans that end up in Maverick bases? Tottaly Maverick activity there, right in your jurisdiction."

Gloomy: "You're a clone. You were BUILT. that's 15 kinds of illegal, and while I'm not going to hold it against you or other built people, it has to stop."

Astros: "More important - whoever your boss is, or was? There's no way they didn't know what teleporting was gonna do to you."

GralDM: "...What do you mean."

Gloomy: "Exactly what was said. You were expendable."

GralDM: "You are saying that they knew it would take off my arms? Then why even give me the system, if I was supposed to die anyway."

Gloomy: "Because it would keep your ARMOR out of enemy hands. In theory."

Astros: "And your information. I figure that's more important."

GralDM: "...I'll think on this."

orders come in to assemble at the base for debriefing, and for Aether to finally get her upgrades.

Gloomy shrugs. "The armor's more advanced than what -we've- been told about, so chances are it's built on different tech than we're used to seeing. reverse engineering that would pump our tech up."

Astros siiiiiighs. "Debriefing already. Just great."

PMX-CB: "That's our call."

Gloomy refuses to leave until she can vet the security assigned to Una

Astros is sticking around Gloomy for this one, for much the same reason.

Astros: "Or it could be a sidegrade with some drawbacks we don't know about."

The security that arrives is a couple of Standard issue Steel Berets.

PMX-CB nods to them-newer model.

Aether: "I'll connect remotely for the debriefing. Hopefully this engineering run won't be too bad, but from what I'm led to believe..."

Aether: "This one's going to be a big one."

Astros looks them over for a bit...

Gloomy examines them and threatens the squad with extreme physical pain if Una so much as falls out of bed.

Gloomy also taps into their tactical net to observe.

Gloomy is paranoid

Aether heads directly to Engineering. If the upgrades are nearly as major as they said they would be, the process itself wouldn't be fun, and might have some side effects.

PMX-CB presents himself in person. His mission, after all.

The group eventually arrives for the debriefing, and Koala is back in the field. Unsurprisingly, Snow Swan is there in his place. More surprisingly, Terrorist is also there. He waves at the group happly. Swan glares at him.

Gloomy gives an idle wave, her mind focused on watch Una.

PMX-CB salutes.

Astros doesn't even bother with that; he's obviously sour over the whole thing and keeping to himself for awhile.

Aether: A hologram of Aether from the shoulders up appears on a nearby table.

GralDM: Swan coughs before starting, "Since we seem to all be present in one form or another now, we can begin. First off, the officer exam."

GralDM: "The mission was to capture or defeat one Incarace. The reviews of this were biased. Of the five observing officers, two of which are here, there was very disparate opinions."

GralDM: "In quite a few of the officers views, it was well done. A mass production acting outside its normal shell, and bringing in Incarace alive earned you major points. However, there are two opinions that were quite against you."

Gloomy waits for the full review to be covered before moving in on her defense of CB.

PMX-CB speaks up. Quietly. "Will I have a chance to make my case?"

GralDM: "Yes. Once you know what the problems were. Defenses are valid, and it is often a different perspective in the field."

GralDM: Terrorist speaks up now, "In my opinion, you fucked up. Hard. Your goal and focus on the mission was good. However, you got off lucky from your mistakes. Your first mistake was assuming your information was good."

GralDM: "This could be seen in how you approached Incarace, and your handling of the library itself. You acted based off the fact he didn't seem to be immediately hostile. You risked a lot of possible damage on whether you were right about how his mental state was."

PMX-CB resists a flinch, and instead nods.

Astros: "...not just immediately hostile. Checked with HQ for more info repeatedly."

GralDM: "The second mistake ties into the first. You trusted us tottaly."

PMX-CB: "..."

PMX-CB looks genuinely perplexed at that. Through the opaque visor. Somehow.

GralDM: "Your decision to let the library be burned was done before you did a thorough analysis of the situation. Say for example that we fucked up. There was a kid in the library. Then right now we would have a burnt little skeleton in front of us all, making us want to get extremely drunk."

Astros: "Wh-we were stalling him to get better info on the situation. Kitten went ahead."

Aether: "Completely true. We already had an in."

Aether: "Kitten combed the place over to -confirm- that very information."

PMX-CB clears his throat, looking over at the team.

Aether: "Ah, yes. Sorry."

Astros slumps back in his seat. "...sorry."

GralDM: Terrorist nods at CB to respond

Aether looks to CB, allowing him to say his piece.

PMX-CB takes a moment to steady himself before speaking up as best he can, voice wavering here and there. "First... target was not immediately hostile. He declared a desire to preserve human life. When it was clear that all he wanted to do was burn an old building, I made the call. I stand by it. If he then moved on to new targets, we would have moved to subdue. As it stands, with some talk,

PMX-CB he came peacefully. "

PMX-CB: "Second... We did send Gloom in. Held him as long as possible for more info-from him and from Command. And we can only work within our intel as we receive it. When the situation on the ground changed, I tried to match it. I feel I succeeded, both in response and in results."

GralDM: "While the search through the building wasn't in the report copies we recieved, nor the footage, it still leaves an issue: What decision would you have made if you didn't have time to check? Not knowing if it was safe, would you burn the building, trusting us to do our job? Or would you suspect we screwed up and try to stop him? Neither is nice and right, but an officer has to be able to make the call."

Gloomy raises her hand like a kid in school.

PMX-CB steps back and nods, letting Gloom have her say.

GralDM: Terrorist nods at Kitten, "Yes?"

Gloomy smiles at CB before addressing Terrorist. "Field teams are SUPPOSED to be able to trust Command to do intel work. That's part of the relationship we have. While the Virus throws everything off, we double checked our information. Trusting our Navigator to be able to pull appropriate records and give us up to date intel is why we have them. I -took- those classes. You're supposed to only

Gloomy give confirmed information. "

GralDM: Terrorist nods, "Sounds nice in theory doesn't it? You are working with the second now. We are the ones who get the beginning recon which means some of your info is going to be bad. For everyone other squad, the information has been acquired, so much as is possible, before they begin."

GralDM: "We have to go get it. We are good at it, but screw ups happen."

Gloomy: "Of course. That's why I'm -on- the field team. To gather that information.

Gloomy: "But that's a point I hadn't considered completely. Thanks for the education."

Gloomy leans back, gesturing CB forward as she resumes her silence

Aether: "Any other performance notes, then?"

GralDM: Terrorist nods, "Thats my say. The other issues come from the annonymous officer, there is always one, keeps you on your feet to not know who thinks poorly of you."

Gloomy: "As long as it's not Zero."

PMX-CB nods.

Aether briefly emites a mute, fangirlish squel at the mention of Zero, and promptly shuts up.

Aether: "Apologies."

Gloomy eyes Aether like she's grown a second head

Gloomy: "Really? Tall and Blond? I could go for Commander X if he weren't, like, my grandpa or some such."

Astros sighs. "Any other officers care to give their say on the matter?"

Astros: "Or are we gonna skip straight to the point?"

Gloomy shuts up, blushing

He takes out a tablet and starts to read over it before just tossing it over his shoulder, "Mostly boring. Heres the point of it. You let your team split up a lot. It worked. However, if the ghost had ended up being a sniper like myself, or a steath based officer. You would have been picked off before you knew what was happening. Of course I think the old guy is considerng an S rank or higher opponent."

GralDM: "Stuff about video feed tampering and the like. Not really a concern yet."

Astros blinks. "Video feed tampering. Huh."

Astros: "At the library?"

GralDM: Terrorist frowns, "Yeah I guess now that you mention it. Werid."

PMX-CB: "Possibility of sniper always exists. Stayed in comm contact with Husky Fencer of 10th, as well as within team itself. Without full complement, was the best a strike team could hope for while realistically achieving objectives."

Astros: "Aaaaaaaand that's why you didn't see footage of Kitten."

PMX-CB: "Ideally? Armor, artillery to suppress marksman's position, move in with flankers."

PMX-CB: "Only we were in a city."

GralDM: Swan nods and continues, "The other three officers praised your ability to focus on the mission. Keep the group alive, and focus on keeping everyone alive and damage to a minimum. Koala noted the unusual move to ask other squads for help, with the engineers at the prison an excellent touch."

PMX-CB air-guitars in his head.

GralDM: "Husky Fencer liked you being right where you had to be, in front of Incarace, and the delay to get people out of there. Unusual for a ride armor user. Our verdict is the promotion."

PMX-CB [air guitar intensifies]

Aether: "Oh, bloody hell, I had something for this occasion."

Aether: "Dammit, wait. I think I've got it. Yes, here!"

Astros exhales. While it wasn't *his* crucifixion and promotion, CB was still his friend.

Aether: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v``=``g9MdbEtfqiA plays over Aether's comm.

PMX-CB: "...heh."

Gloomy is distracted by one of the security crew doing the hokey pokey and misses the promotion.

Astros gives Aether a flat stare. "Not gonna lie. I was expecting wine."

Aether: "Tell me how to server wine over a bloody hologram and I might consider it."

Astros: "Sounds like your problem."

PMX-CB: "Speaking of my problems... One thing at a time."

PMX-CB salutes crisply.

Aether: "Sounds like you're being a dick." >:(

Aether: "But yes! Congrats!"

Aether: "Any other comments to be made? Other considerations for the rest of the team, so on. You know. Other good stuff."

PMX-CB: "Was going to offer to refund the city from my wages for the library..."

Astros shelves the petty insult trading - for now.

GralDM: "Well, Annette is now assigned full time to your team. This means she will start being able to give more active help during missions, since she will only have the one call."

Gloomy: "Is the unit getting a new Navigator?"

GralDM: "Astros and Gloomy both performed well. While I don't have a reward to hand out to the two of you, eyes are on you. You might get an exam of your own soon."

GralDM: "We are getting a different navigator as our primary, yes. Don't worry about us."

Gloomy shrugs. "I'd like the increased pay grade, but I don't want to lead. I fucked up bad anyway."

Aether briefly casts aside glances to the rest of the crew.

Astros matches the shrug. He wasn't all that enthused with the end result, either; minimizing collateral, not getting into a real fight? Cool. Accidentally ripping some girl's arms off and putting her in the hospital? Not cool.

Aether then coughs.

GralDM: "As for the... other incident. Take some time off, we can talk about it latter."

Gloomy gives a salute to Terrorist and Swan before she turns on her heel, heading back to medical.

Aether: "Mmmkay. We done?"

Astros: "Thanks for understanding."

GralDM: Terrorist nods, "We are done here. I'll be in the bar."

Aether: "Righto. Swapping to team comm now."

Aether: And indeed, Aether's audio feed shows up for CB, Astros, and Gloomy just as the hologram disappears.

Aether sighs. "Ah, well. Congrats on the promotion, CB, and congrats on the kudos, you two."

Aether: "Was hoping to be thrown a bone by Command, but I guess I didn't distinguish myself there. It happens."

PMX-CB nods. "Thanks. Legs feel like jelly."

Aether: "Arms spaghetti."

Astros addresses Terrorist before leaving. "Hey - if you hear about anything related to our mystery humans, let us know first thing. I've got a personal interest in this one."

PMX-CB: "...So. Warrant officer CB."

GralDM: Terrorist nods, "This is getting really weird."

PMX-CB: "...Feels weird."

Astros: "Understatement of the decade. Thanks, though."

Aether: "Anyway, from what I've heard from Engie, these upgrades and VWES toys should be really interesting!"

Aether: "So far the process hasn't been so ba-OH SODDING HELL MY OPTICS"

Aether 's feed cuts off.

PMX-CB: "..."

PMX-CB: "Should we check, or drink?"

Astros rejoins CB. "We can probably do both."

Aether: It takes some doing, but Aether is able to convince a couple of Lifesaver bots to physically drag her to the bar. It's not hard to see why - her eyes are completely glazed over, and she is not happy about it.

Astros raises an eyebrow. "I think she just made that a non-choice. Huh."

Aether: They lift her onto a seat, and she fumbles blindly in order to find the counter.

Aether: "Fuck my -life-."

Astros takes his own seat.

PMX-CB: "...Y'okay?"

Aether: "Side effect of a tactical optics upgrade."

Aether: "Temporarily blind."

Aether: "Well, okay, that's not strictly true."

Astros: "I doubt you'd be able to see much after what we're gonna do to the bar, anyways."

Astros: "So buckle up."

Aether: "The way it works is that the computers at Tac-Com are going to be able to provide live information on weak points and replay all of that to you."

Aether: "What's -supposed- to happen is that I only get your targetting data."

Aether: "What's -actually- happening right now, at least until all the crosstalk gets eliminated, is that I'm seeing a fuzzed superposition of the entire team's optic data right now."

Aether: "So I'm sitting here. And standing there. And there. And in medbay."

Astros: "Huh."

Astros: "Hell of a way to cause a headache, isn't it?"

Aether: "Point being, the weak points get relayed to all of you, and I give the command for all of you to take the opportunity to hit it."

Aether: "One of us opens up their defenses with the data's help, and the rest pound it. So far latency tends to limit the effect to about fifteen feet of me - roughly in range of the repair nanites."

Aether: "But it will definitely improve coordination."

Aether: "Until then, though."

Aether: "Fuck my life."

Astros: "I can work with that."

PMX-CB: "...Neat."

PMX-CB: "Put in for an improved toolkit."

Aether: "Shiny."

Aether: "What else...."

Aether: "They gave me cryogravitics from the train heist, and a kinetic booster upgrade for the nanites from our sword friend."

PMX-CB: "Got some custom work planned on the Hungry, too. Gonna do it myself."

Aether: "What's your plan for it?"

PMX-CB: "Calling it FOLLOWTHROUGH. Should let me-or you, if you know how, can teach-power through opposition. Good for breaking a line or reaching a guarded goal."

Astros: "Bet that'll be fun to watch."

GralDM: Terrorist walks in after a few minutes, and buys a round for the group before sitting down, "Good hustle out there. You made a good impression on some important people."

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