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GM: Pixel
Players: Dalton, Alice, Air, Vera
Synopsis: A group of runners are hired to clear a gang, the Old Bludz, out of an office park in the warrens. Under the office park there is a toxic domain and powersite and the gang's four mages provide difficulty for the runners. The group sows chaos and gets to the powersite just in time to stop a ritual to bring something horrific out of the great beyond and escape the firery aftermath as their Johnson's forces move in to take the site for themselves.
Date: Jan 7, 2071
LOG GOES HERE
«Plot» Dalton says, "I consent"
«Plot» Alice consents to whatever you want! *is an Autoconsent Character*
«Plot» Vera says, "I consent to any and all things needed for this plot. :)"
«Plot» Air consents to ICA=ICC.
Word has come down the line through various fixers and shadowchatter that a gang calling themselves the Old Bludz has been holed up in an old office complex out in the warrens, pushing back attempts to get them to vacate the premises by a Japanese Johnson. Pay-offs and the usual barrage of gang vs gang manipulation hasn't worked but rumor says it has destroyed all ops the OBs' had except for keeping their crib. Now the J is looking to try runners and through your sources you've found the meet. He's reserved the back room of a bar just outside the wall Northside of the warrens and is waiting to interview those who might help with his problem and pay them well should they succeed.
The bar is built in what was once a small Baptist church the pews replaced by tables and a dance floor and the bar built where the alter once was.
Air attends the meet having taken a taxi to the restaurant. NO car to identify him, which is good, because he's in disguise of course. A handsome Siouz gentleman in a fine business suit turns up to the bar. Walking through the old church he heads for the back room the meet is indicated to be in. Once in there he greets the J politely with a nod and a murmured, "Good evening," before seating himself to wait patiently.
Dalton goes incgonito, that means, all his tattoos are active, and he is holding himself witha physical mask spell to look like a young ganger punk. He makes his way through the establishment and into the back room of the bar, nodding to those here already, and then moving over to stand/lean against a wall. He switches on his astral perceptions, so he can assense everyone in the room, and everyone entering the room. Yes, he has issues with privacy, be glad he isnt reading your mind for fun. (I'll avoid rolling for the physical mask spell unless people really want it.)
Lucy sends out a call to someone 'special' (LOL). So then, there is a normal blonde-looking woman with hazel eyes (no face paint) in a black coat with other armors underneath and forearm guards. She has hardliner gloves and some steel toed boots, and she has tried to disguise herself as best she can do. Alice, it is. And, she is not very twitchy today! Thank goodness. Moving through the old church to the special room, the special lady opens the special door and heads inside. Dalton will be able to tell that this is Alice right away, but her normal physical self is doing a decent job of the disguise she provides! Perhaps, there are also weapons hidden under the Mortimer greatcoat, but they are kept out of sight for now, and she smiles with sparkling teeth! *PING*
The place is mostly deserted with the barkeep nodding to any new customers cocking his head towards the back room. In the back room the Johnson, dressed in an utterly unremarkable black bussiness suit and looking very unremarkable himself, utterly so, a average Japanese bussiness man sitting on an old pew flanked by two larged chromed up Oni, that look like twins.
Entering the meet, the rather wide and shapely Posh arrives in a swish of black leather, turning over the events in her mind. She has come tonight as a striking green-eyed brunette, her makeup hollowing her cheeks slightly and a few faint touches rendering her nearly unrecognizable to those she has not worked with closely before. Some jobs are just going to be quick and violent, and she finds it worthwhile to go disguised to such things. In any case, she offers a smile to the rather professional blonde, and moves to join the J as well.
Dalton can't help but almost sneer as he spots Alice, though somehow, it ends up as just a nervous twitch in his facial muscles, like a spasm. As for the others, he simply watches them move in, and finally he directs his attention to the Jay, waiting for the meet to get started.
The smartly dressed Sioux runner passes his glance right over the business suited blonde, but seems to take his time giving the more shapely Posh a look. After a few moments he swiftly rubs his nose and twists his attention back to the Johnson. The ganger punk is given the very barest of glances in the meantime.
Just to make things worse, the coincidence is there that Alice smiles at Dalton just as he tried sneering. Maybe, it will make him a little nervous! Then, she nods her head to the other woman, winking to her a bit lasciviously while really just seeming to be playing coy. She nods to the Sioux fellow, Air, too, letting her eyes linger just a bit longer than on anyone else before turning to the Johnson and then letting one of the other runners speak up firstly because it looks like at least the Posh lady might be the most socially adept!
Mr. Johnson stays calm still as everyone assembles seeming to look through everything in the room. The Oni move, right or left they seem identical down to their implants nearly mirror images of one another except left has both of his arms chromed while right still retains most of his left arm flesh. One or the other bows politely as runners enter and askes them to take a seat.
The Sioux (Air) bows politely when bowed to and switches to slightly accented Japanese for a moment. "Hello, good evening."
The blonde woman with hazel-to-blue eyes bows as if doing martial arts and then slips into a seat with an expectant smile, quiet for now.
Dalton steps away from the wall, and takes a chair.
Posh settles herself down as inviting, offering a poised, polite smile to Mr. J. She has herself slightly turned, her hands resting in her lap, and she regards the Japanese man rather quietly. She seems to be considering for a moment, before she bows politely. "It is indeed a pleasure to be asked here, Mr. Johnson," she says, her accent gently dropping from her words. "And it is my great hope that we will be able to condust business to mutual advantage. It is my pleasure to present my associate, Mr. Macawi," she says, leaning forward and bowing her head again. She seems to be playing the perfect role of assistant, rather than brazenly taking the lead, this time.
Finally the Johnson stands, bows politely, and looks over you with an apraising stare, his eyes finally focusing from the beyond they were gazing upon to the present runners in the room. "Thank you for coming. I shall endevor to make this time profitable for you if you are able to make it profitable for me." He speaks with a crisp brittish accent, Cambridge. "As you probably know I have asked you here to help me deal with a group of undesirable individuals currently inhabiting some property of my employers. You should also know that I have offered them what I am going to pay you to leave that property, a generous sum, and by their refusal and subsequent actions it is safe to say that they have descovered why my employers are interested in the property and that they have at least partially managed to turn it to their own uses." He makes a gesture to the trolls who immediatly set up a trid projector. The Johnson pauses while the projector is set up looking you over for a momment.
Macawi the Sioux slides his gaze sideways to Posh when she introduces him and then flicks his attention back to the Johnson. "They have found something worth more to them than this value of money you are offering. I see."
The blonde chick was just about to muse over that same thing, as well, but Macawi got it out first, so she smirks and then looks to the projector.
Dalton remains quiet, just listening for now. He glances briefly at Posh and Macawi, then looks back to the Johnson and his projector.
As the trid image flickers into life, showing a three dimensional map of an office park three four story buildings in a neat horseshoe arrangement. Under the buildings is a bright spot marked on the map. The Johnson nods to Macawi, "Yes indeed. A powersite. One that I had hoped to capture with less notice but time and circumstances have conspired otherwise." He shows a flicker of regret a momment before adding, "It is my indescretion, but time is of the essence and I need results quickly without causing more dust and noise to spread. That is why I have called you."
Posh glances over to Alice with another smile, a slightly curious furrow on her brow, but she knows enough not to gawk and try to pierce the fog of memory to see if she might recognize this person. At least not while looking directly at her. She considers what the Johnson says quietly, surprise showing in her eyes. She glances back at
Macawi questiningly, apparently wondering whether he will drive this advantage to the hilt.
Dalton arches a brow, and raises a hand. "Your telling me that gangers have access too and the capibilities of using a magical powersite?"
Macawi scratches the tip of his nose nonchalantly, and then turns his attention to the disguised Dalton. "Is that a condescending attitude towards your fellow scum I hear?" He shakes his head and turns back, "If they have found a use for it, that would mean they constitute a certain threat. Not to mention this is a very valuable site. For your employer." He adds the last late, to indicate this is somewhat valuable to a lot more people than just that. Negotiation, it's all in the unspoken words.
The blonde chick almost meets gazes through the shades she is wearing with Posh for a moment but then is directed in attention toward toward Dalton. But, then looks back to the Johnson and follows up with Macawi, "I agree." Yay, winging!
The Johnson nods, "Yes. It seems that at least four of their number are able to wield magic and the last attempt to take the place by force, using their rivals failed utterly." The trid pops up a window showing several feeds from a distance away tracking the movements of a coordinated gang attack on the offices. Mostly orks wielding the usual ganger affair but with new armor and several bearing new weapons. As they enter the compound past make-shift barricades they seem to be picked off most by gun fire but quite a few are eaten by a living dumpster while on the otherside two cars animate into a humanoid shape and tear through a knot of six headed by a big looking troll.
Dalton frowns "So, do you know what this site is aspected towards? If they gangers can use it, it must be useful to a wide variety, and would have supported the assault teams magical support. Unless the odds are totally out of favor and its aspected towards helping ganger mages alone."
Mr Johnson looks over you all and nods as the clips run on, "I am willing to offer your group fifty thousand up front and twice that once the place is cleared. Really it is their mages I want gone. the others should route more easilly."
Macawi frowns to himself, and then turns towards the physmasked Dalton again, just giving him a look. He certainly isn't talking like the ganger scum he appears to be. Turning back he ahems and recollects his composure. "So. Down to the brass tacks here." His Sioux accent takes a little more hold as he sharpens up his voice, "One hundred and fifty, assuming successful completion. And for that we need to root out four mages sitting on a power site. Not to mention their mundane cohorts." He shakes his head as he glances to the rest of the people assembled. "Perhaps we can have a moment to discuss amongst ourselves."
The Johnson smiles, "Yes. It appears that this particular site enjoys outlaws. Our historians belive it was once the site of a gallows. Regardless my employers have a deep interest in such phenomina and a greater intrest in making sure it does not fall into the hands of others."
Alice watches these things. It is almost like a movie that would make her grin if she were at home and watching it, but she is good enough not to break her character as the blonde lady. She just frowns and shakes her head, instead. "Damn…" And then she looks to the others before scooting her chair back as if ready to move if required for the group meeting, or to stay, either way.
Posh remains silent and pretty. Having attempted to make the situation more pleasant, for her to take any further part in the negotiations would break her characters, as a quiet, demure assistant to Macawi. She turns to move with the others to close into a sort of…well, huddle, if the situation calls for it.
Dalton takes a moment to scoot over towards Macawi, then waits to see if the man has something to say.
Air shifts aside slightly and scans the assembled runners again. He doesn't bother to hide his distaste at having to deal with a ganger either. "Does anyone have an issue with me taking the lead in negotiations here?" He isn't going to talk about any particular cards he feels he has, the Johnson is right there, after all.
Dalton shakes his head at Air "No, I'm well familiar with your experience. Feel free to take point."
Vera offers a smile and shakes her head once. She glances at Alice, perhaps a little curious - from the manner that she doesn't look to Dalton, she apparently does not consider him among the people who should potentially negotiate. Beyond that, there's no need for words, really, and Vera isn't running a syllable charity.
The feeds go on in the background with three more spirits showing up, or are they the same just shifted to a different form? In the few fair skirmishes the human/elf gang in red and blue seem to have the decided advantage but the spirits more than even the score. The Johnson goes on, "As you can see they have considerable capabilities. I have included this footage and a small dossier on the site of information that might help you on these chips. They also contain links to the temporary accounts that hold the first of your payment and will contain the rest when you succeed. The left Oni moves up with four chips. "Do you have any further questions before you accept this task?"
Knox has disconnected.
Blonde lady Alice looks over Macawi, and then she grins some, "Well… no problem, if you feel like you know what you're doing. Though, I have a little bit of background doing such… things." She explains, shrugging and holding out a hand that had just pulled a cable from the collar of her greatcoat, nice place to keep those.
Macawi glances at the datacable and shakes his head slightly, waving it away with a hand. Turning back to the Johnson he nods. "No questions specifically. I think the task is rather straightforward. We have to root out four likely powerful magicians, with mundane support, from a fortified position. Not only that, but we then need to walk away from the knowledge of an aspected power site, and forget all about it. I think this is worth more to you and your employer. I think it is worth," he glances over the assembled runners, "Ten thousand more per head."
Blonde lady Alice, nods and just slides the cable back into her collar, as if she half expected that reaction. She watches these negotations, nodding in approval with what is said. Peer pressure, man!
It might be almost imperceptable, but the Johnson smiles, "With all due respect sir. While their power is augmented by the site's power these gangers are hardly powerful mages, and amnesia of certain things is expected as normal professionalism in your line of work is it not?"
Dalton leans back in his chair, and looks to the Johnson. He listens as the Johnson counters, then looks back to Air.
Vera nods in agreement as well, almost mirroring Blonde Alice when Air sets out the figure that is more palatable to the group. She waits to see how things progress.
The Johnson nods finally conceding, "I can offer you all a total of 45 thousand each, any further and I should look to other options."
Alice considers something, aloud then, "Would it be alright with you, if we looted them for all they were worth once we've taken care of business?"
Macawi himself pauses, calculating various things, and then nods his assent. "I would be pleased to accept your offer." Reaching out he finally takes a chip from the Oni providing them. Shifting slightly he surreptiously slots the chip after appearing to place it into his jacket's inner pocket.
The Johnson smiles, "Of course. I would prefer the structures stay intact but the site and any artifacts associated with it are all I care about. We can dig if needs be but that would be more dust and more noise."
Dalton nods and reaches out for a chip himself. He pockets the chip, then looks to the Johnson "Time frame for completion?"
Alice nods, "I'm good with it, and I am in." She follows up, just to make sure that everyone knows. She glances toward the movement of the chip, and then back to Dalton for a moment and then the Johnson after the question.
This time the Japanese man actually chuckles, "It is somewhat cliche but my employers would like to be moved in by the next full moon, so a week before. That gives you a week to operate."
Vera nods and confirms her assent as well. "I'm in," she says, with a smile, lifting an eyebrow. A whole week? She's expected that the employers had planned to move in yesterday.
Dalton nods "Sounds fine. I accept." he then straightens a bit in his seat, and prepares to get ready to depart with the rest of the team.
The Johnson nods, "Yes a whole week, but sooner is better. My employers would certainly be in a more generous mood if you delivered sooner.
Macawi nods and simply waits for dismissal. "I believe that is everything then, for the moment? I'm sure we're keen to get on and start working."
Blonde lady Alice is glad for the time, and she moves to get up from the seat before bowing to the Johnson, then standing upright again. "Thank you, sir. We'll do the best we can."
Fergie looks to Macawi, nodding.
Vera stands up and bows as well. "Indeed," she says, offering her warmest smile. "We will do everything to be as sure as possible to not let you down." She even has a little sugar left over for Dalton as she gives a sweet smile to the rest, moving to get ready to go to work.
The Johnson bows politely and turns to leave through a back door leading into the kitchen. The Oni follow him taking the projector with them leaving each of you with a datachip and a mission.
Dalton stands up from his chair, and straightens his long coat. If anyone looks closely, the colors of the clothing do not fit any gang you've ever heard off, just a few spray painted symbols on the coat that give it that ganger feel, along with the short multicolored hairdo on his head. "So, we moving somewhere private then?" He inquires of the others.
Macawi stands and rubs a hand over his face before nodding. "Have any suggestions? The Cool Cat isn't far from here. Otherwise…"
Alice comments, "More than likely. Anyone got a place we can go?"
Posh nods. "I don't think my verbal or provocative skills will serve us so well, unless we're looking to party with these gangers," she says, her lips curving into a wicked smirk. "So I think that means I need to head home for a little hardware. Perhaps the Rez, or the Bastille Courtyard, might be appropriate?" she asks.
Dalton arches a brow, and looks at Alice "What about the private room at Chrome?"
"Sounds good to me." says Alice, who might get distracted by the strippers.
Alice narrows her eyes toward Dalton, looking at him sideways, "Maybe…, but you have to call ahead and inform them you want a conference room."
Macawi ponders for a moment and then shrugs, "The Bastille courtyard works for me. I suppose. I do need to collect some hardware also, I will be along a little late." With that, and nobody to stop him, he'll turn and head out, eager to get on.
Alice nods, "Bastille is fine." which is actually quite handy, and then the woman moves out of the room after Macawi, to go there.
The Bastille is as it has always been that lovable cuddly fortress for many a runner in the warrens.
Vera smiles as she picks up her helmet, which had been resting on the small card table she had brought out to corner of the Bastille Courtyard near the heating system vent, the area kept warm enough. Already dressed in her dark urban camo, with the reversible pattern switched to 'night,' she starts to put the appropriate liner on her helmet and then starts to pull it on, allowing her red hair to flow in a ponytail behind her. An errant lock still dangles from her helmet, however. A large hard case that contains her Walther rifle stands nearby, and she nods. "So. Quiet and clean. It sounds like a good plan."
Macawi arrives a little late, as promised. He is now wearing what appears to be at least two layers of armour, with a jacket on over a vest. He carries a large duffel over his shoulder with some apparently heavy bulky items in it. Over his chest is a webbing festooned with different items, including at a glance, wire clippers, a radio and a maglock passkey. His own urban camo is also turned to the night pattern.
"Quiet, hopefully clean. Stick together, cover each other, check your corners. Stay in communication at all times. Cycle radio frequency every fifteen minutes."
Dalton shows up, well, with his regular armor and gear, maybe a few grenades in his pocket. What he does do though, is after everyone recognizes the ganger him, is drop his spell to reveal Dalton himself. Other than that, he follows Airs lead, knowing him to have the most experience. He avoids talking to Alice.
Alice shows up while looking like the blond lady as described before, but exitting the garage where she put all her gear in the UCV for now, and will suit up in it later. They have a whole week. People can wait for her to put that shit on sometime before going into battle! Alice nods in agreement to what Macawi says, having heard him even out in the garage. But, when she realizes Dalton is here, she stares momentarily but then just shakes her head and pushes her blonde hair back over her shoulder. She avoids talking to him, too, even if she is in a getup disguise.
Vera gives a nod to Dalton. "This might be a silly question, and I apologize for my ignorance if it is. But do you have any attack spells that are subtle, an equivalent to me using a silenced weapon, perhaps?" she asks, opening the large case and checking the magazine of the Walther. She has brought stripper clips for fast reload of the internal magazine, two of APDS and two of standard ammunition, and she stands ready.
Dalton smiles at Vera "I have several. One that stuns, one that stuns a group, and what that makes you explode from the inside out."
Dalton says, "Ohh, and if we can catch a ganger alive after I stun him, I can read his mind and get information on who are mages are, in order to identify them quickly"
Fergie threads a cable up into her blonde hair and starts to sync radios, whoop!
Commlink-Fergie> Fergie check! (Electronically Transduced for Physical Silence)
Macawi nods to the rest. "I'm ready to go immediately. Unless anyone particularly needs anything, I don't see a reason to wait. The job is particularly simple."
Vera allows herself a smile in response to Dalton. "I must say, in this case, that sounds…incredibly useful," she replies after a moment.
Vera nods to Macawi. "Yes, let's." She slides her goggles on over her eyes and switches to low-light, which should be plenty given the starlight in the Warrens.
Alice says, "Call me Fergie on the radio. Or even when we are doing all this, yo." Her professionalism is not quite what it was earlier, but at least it is only in the words chosen rather than any actions done… yet! "And, everyone on the channel? Oh, and I got one spirit buster round. Anyone have any extras for sale? Aside from that, I can probably just punch em."
Dalton chuckles faintly "You do that…you punch those spirits." he seems very amused by the idea.
Macawi nods, "I'm Macawi. If anyone has a vehicle they don't mind using to take us over there. I suggest we head out then." He pauses then, to put his duffel down carefully, and extracts from it a Sabre assault rifle, and a Walther sniper rifle. Slinging the Walther on a traditional strap, he clips the Sabre to the webbing on his chest, enabling it to hand down his chest within easy reach.
«Plot» Air says, "We're planning to approach from an angle so that we can use nearby buildings as cover. Infiltrate one of the 3 buildings, clear it, and move through the entire 3 building complex that way."
«Plot» Air says, "I think we're ready to go. We'll travel in the UCV. and use that as a base of operations near the ganger base, then head the last way on foot."
You approach from the North as the place gets dark. As you come closer to your objective the neighborhood becomes quiet. The recent fighting hangs in the air and you can still see an uncliamed body lying in the streets, nearly naked after being picked over now frozen in the winter's air. There are lights on here and there in the three buildings. You are able to pull up near an old bank's drive through teller overhang and park the UCV out of sight from your target location. The place has a desolate tense feel to it as if the buildings know something more is going to go down and just waiting for the next spasm of violence to spill more blood over this ground.
Dalton watches the scene with his astral perceptions, ready to spot anything that might be spirit related that could cause problems. He sticks with the team, and remains visible, cause, well, people cant see him if they start shooting.
It is fairly obvious to all of the runners where the guards are. There are several milling about in the courtyard, the distant beat of some troll music playing making the only sound of life in this area. Wrecked cars and dumpsters line the opening of the U to make a barricade patrolled by three orks. While up in the building closest to you in one corner office with the glass long blown out of the windows there sits a human and what Dalton spots as a the barrel of a rifle a soft flickering glow, probably from a trid screen givign away his position.
Air rides with his head poking out of the ring mount on top of the UCV. Unfortunately, there is no mounted weapon. Instead he has his sniper rifle couched in his arms, and scans left and right. Alice/Fergie drives, since it's her armoured vehicle.
As soon as they stop Air lifts himself up out of the ring and hops off the side of the APC. His boots clop quietly to the ground as he scans the surroundings and starts taking note of defenses.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "To begin with. Anyone see any snipers? Anything extra we're going to worry about? If we do see something, we should take it out from here and then storm the building"
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "I see a sniper, closest building, corner office."
The building has a barricaded truck dock on the North side and no doors on the East side. The windows are boarded up on the ground floor but quite large. Sections of sheet metal have been put up over the boards in spots to re-inforce the ground floor but it isn't an even covering.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "How attentive is the sniper? Sneaking past would be preferable."
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Really? Should we leave the sniper able to join the fight if things go wrong?"
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "I see something glowing, he could be watching trid"
The buildings are done in brick with a late 90's feel and are nearly a century old. The Sniper is looking out over his territory every couple of minutes with the rest of his attention on the flickering trid he has with him.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Yeah, but unless we are perfect with our stealthy entrance, he seems like a problem that could bite us in the arse."
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Alright, fine. I'll invis everyone until we get inside, sound good?"
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Invis works, do it two by two if you need to."
As you watch two bikes roll out from the middle of the barricade and turn on the street heading away from your position heading down a block and turning to the west.
Dalton focuses his mind on the task at hand, and then begins to manipulate the mana energies into a spell to create the illusion of invisibility. A black cloak and hood cover his features, and then, he vanishes from sight.
Dalton shudders after somehow managing the final spell, and grits his teeth as he holds them all in his concentration, maintaining three spells is not an easy task. «Alright, done, lets get moving. I'm useless till I drop this.»
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Try to hide anyhow, cause this wont do a thing on the astral plane"
«Plot» Air says, "The UCV will be locked and left. For now, Alice can stay and guard it, since we've seen they make patrols. Last minute changes to plan. Yay."
With her rifle at the ready, and her pistols holstered with silencers on, Vera in her urban camo is not the easiest to spot. She nods to Air, who she's worked with before, and quietly accepts the invisibility spell, which will no doubt help with some of the gangers, although she is most eager to look around for the influence of mages. The motorized belt attachment on her rifle sling will conveniently bring her rifle around to her back, partly hanging on the sling, if she releases it. "Good to go. Let's head in," Vera whispers.
GM paged Dalton with 'ON the astral you see a watcher spirit at the corner of the building and every so often down the line. You however do manage to spot a place where the watcher's view is blocked by a depression in the earth, a recent crater at teh base of the building that has been hastilly covered with the rusted hulk of an old honda truck.'.
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Stick to the left, and head through a crater in the road, by that honda. We have a watcher spirit, hopefully its rather stupid, unless they have some insanely powerful mages in there."
Air takes note of what Dalton recommends and head left, he begins to sneak across towards the buildings. Eager to get on with the job at hand.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Stay close."
Vera moves slowly and carefully along behind Air, glad to be out of the 'spirits' path thanks to the mage. The invisibility doesn't hurt, either.
Dalton moves along behind the others, a tad distracted by holding the two invisibility spells, but he has enough thought to keep hidden and follow.
The honda has been rusted out and you can see through it to the interior of a building, scortch marks and burns all around from the blast that caused the crater the wreckage of a newer truck sitting in the room beyond being the cause having been thrown into the building while on fire apparently. The honda makes a good barricade blocking your way. How are you going to get around/through it without alerting the guards?
Air snugs himself up to the wall of the building next to the shell of the Honda and grumbles. «Do you have a levitate spell? Otherwise we're going to have to peel a barricade off a window.»
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "I do, but….what do you want me to levitate?"
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Take the car and move it out of this hole."
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Alright…give me a second…this, this is normally a totally different spell, but I think I can manage."
Dalton takes a few deep breaths, and focuses his mind. This time its a struggle, he has to concentrate on the background count, the two invisiblity spells he is holding, and finally the casting of the levitate spell itself. A bit of sweat drips from his forehead at the concentration, but eventually he feels that he has grasped the vehicle with magic. He slowly, very very slowly, lifts it up, and slides it aside just enough to make room for the team to enter. Then brings it down to rest.
GM paged Dalton with 'As you cast the spell you feel a sensation around your neck, rough itchy. It is fleeting there and gone. (OOC note this is flavor mostly)'.
As the group is about to head inside, Vera slings her rifle and quietly eases her pistols, loaded with APDS ammo, from the two tactical holsters at her thighs. She checks to make sure the silencers are properly screwed onto the threaded barrels, and then nods.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "How about I take point? My weapons are very quiet…unless you're using silent pistol, Macawi?"
Air shakes his head mutely and indicates his rifle to Posh, and remains where he is with a nod and a hand signal forward, pointing her inside where the tiny slot for entrance is.
Vera nods once to Air and tries to move stealthily inside the tiny slot, switching to automatically adjusting low-light as she enters the building, which might have some power and light. She looks for a light switch, to turn it off…that is, if there aren't any gangers to take down quietly, first.
Dalton finally releases the truck when he is sure its stable again, and manages not to groan with the effort. He moves after the other two at that point, still maintaining the invisibility spells.
Vera seems to follow the plan and Air's orders carefully, alternating which doors are being opened quietly. The general pattern goes: one opens the door and the other moves smoothly through immediately afterwards, checking at the corner.
The first room you encounter is empty ecept for the wreck of the ford surveyor (new truck). Some tools sit near the truck apparently some attempts are being made to dismantle it and take out any useful parts but work for the day seems to be done. There is a light on in the next room beyond the door closed half way. The room was once a meeting room and beyond is one of the two main open office spaces for the groudn floor.
Dalton follows behind, keeping out of sight and using cover for himself, and basicly holding the invisibility for everyone.
In the office space there are six metahumans asleep with a single portable light on a human sitting beside it reading a real hard back book on a crate.
The procedure is the same - open the door at full alert, ready to engage any target not of the team, trying to get the drop on anyone. With the decision to fire already made, the party may have a half step advantage.
When we left off Vera has just dropped a single ganger reading by the light of an electric lamp wathching over his sleeping companions. The shot, even silenced seems to fill the air with a tension that all can feel as the man drops in slow motion managing to knock over the lamp and dropping his book. Lamp body and book land with a small amount of clatter and for a momment the nearest body to the newly-dead man stirrs growling "Shut up Avry I gotta sleep!" rolling over groggilly to glare in the direction of the noise lifting his head up.
Dalton is doing his magical support thing. That being shielding the team, watching for spirits, and keeping everyone nice and invisible. Its fairly complex actually, and takes up most of his attention. He lets the woman enjoy her bloodbath though.
GM paged Dalton with 'The ork waking up does have an aura
Vera immediately shifts her body through the door, moving as quietly and quickly as she can, her silenced pistols releasing wisp of smoke as they trap heat as well as sound. She moves to cover the sleeping gangers, nodding to Air, allowing him to enter. Her pistols line up on the sleeping forms, glancing over to Air for a second, before her attention shifts to Dalton, subvocalizing quietly before she hears a sudden groan.
The ganger falls back down in his bedding but not before letting out a startled cry that is just enough to start rousing the other five. Three of the gangers shift mommentarly and then settle back down not even bothering to oepn their eyes at first for the commotion but two a blond human with short dirty hair and a dark skinned ork rouse the human sitting up and looking blearilly around, "What the fuckis going on.." While the ork looks over at the corpse of the dead gaurd the gears in his head spinning faster as he starts up.
Air steps inside the room after Vera, bringing his rifle up to the ready position as he goes. As Vera takes out the one awake guard, he spins the rifle around to the ganger that is woken. The smartlink activates, highlighting the target, pointing out the bullet path from his rifle and with the quiet puff of a silenced rifle the waking ganger is blown back into a lay down position on his bed. Though now there is a bright red stain, that grows ever steadily larger.
Dalton peeks his head into the room, noticing that people are now getting up, getting angry, and are about to shout and give away thier position, he raises his hand and simply acts like he is throwing something. His mind focuses to a razors edge, dealing with all the crap he is holding, and he lobs a stunball into the room, it detonates and spills over the gangers, sending 2 back down, making 2 ofthem stagger, and 1 of them just looks pissed. Dalton grimaces as a wave of pain rolls through his head.
Air seems ot just slide into action, the first ganger is shot and then more are waking up. He barely hiccups as he slides his rifle sideways, spending a fraction of a moment to center it on the Ork's head with that horrible mohawk. A pull of the trigger and the rifle kicks back into his shoulder, then he moves it again. He doesn't even pause to see if the ork goes down, he just moves to the next target. The rifle whispers it's smoky death as it kicks him in the shoulder again. Air offers a silent apology to the rifle, the kick it's own way of telling him off for using it in anger.
The ork with the mohawk gets up clutching his head and suddenly falls to the floor dead as the bullet passes neatly through his hands on either side of his head. The Human is a bit more lucky taking his bullet in the chest a knock-off vest, still worn for the warmth managing to stop most of the damage from the bullet but knocking him over in stunned confusion as it dawns on him that he is in incredable danger just starting to open his mouth.
Vera smoothly rises to her feet from her crouch. Though ordinarily this would be far from a serious combat option, the double smartlinks Vera possesses along with her ambidexterity means that ordinary sighting is not necessary. As a result, it is relatively easy for her to smoothly line up the twin reticles in her vision and simply focus on center mass, pffpffing a double-tap simultaneously into two of the gangers reaching for weapons. Done, and done. Her twin silencers smoke with their effort, and Vera is unprofessional enough to, after checking to make sure the immediate area is secure, to put both barrels to her lips and blow.
The wired ork yelps like a kicked dog as the bullets plow into his body rolling over onto his back as the light fades out of his eyes forever. The human looks up into the empty space and dances as two more bullets thud into his chest one finding a crack between his unzipped vest. He looks out at the wall with a stunned expression a trickle of blood running down out of his mouth.
Dalton leans against the door frame, and sighs «<Alright, I can't do that again, or you'll be carrying me out of here. So if stuff gets heavy again, I'm dropping the invisibility so I can fight.»
Air moves among the sleeping gangers and cuts each of their throats carefully if he finds them alive. A small switchblade is used, and he covers their mouths before stabbing the blade sideways and diagonally into the flesh of their necks.
Vera covers the doors while Air goes about the dirty work, nodding at Dalton. Her playfulness seems to have faded as the task starts to get grisly, but there is no possible way she or the team can risk leaving them behind. Besides, every one of them would do the same if the situation were reversed. Or worse.
This room is clear and taking a better look at is has six exits besides the door you came in, three along the wall to the south two on the oposite end of the room and one on the same wall as the room you came inon. There is also an alcove wich once held a small break room on your side.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "You don't have to. This is probably most of them in this building."
Pixel says, "The far exit towards the south obviously exits to the lobby. The ones to the south lead to small personal office rooms as does the one down the wall you came in on. The other far exit leads to the mail and storage room with the loading docks."
Vera nods to Air and Dalton. «I'm going to sneak and see where the nearest opposition is. I can be quiet alone. I will report back.» At least, as she goes scouting, it will be an opportunity for Air and Dalton to check the killed gangers, see if any of them appear to be mages.
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Stay here, Spirits will see you and you cant see them"
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "All right. But won't that attract the attention of the other spirits, the ones the mages have?"
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "We actually have a problem. As soon as a spirit spots us, I'll have to fight it, and when t hat happens, everyone will know we are here. Well, they will know something killed thier spirit."
Dalton moves someplace to peek into the lobby, and check out the spirit. Trying to hide.
GM paged Dalton with 'What you see is a pale female figure floating in the three story lobby. Its body is wound tightly with copper and fiber-optic cabling digging deep into the flesh with open scars revealing steaming asphault burned into pallid dead flesh.'.
Dalton pages: What force is the spirit?
GM paged Dalton with 'It is big filling the lobby, don't you need assensing or something to get the force?'.
GM paged Dalton with 'It isn't ~right~ what ever it is. You think it is a spirit of man, a big one at that, but you can see feel the desolate pain rolling off the thing.'.
Dalton pages: IS it really powerful?
You paged Dalton with 'You think it could be force 6. Perhaps more.'.
Dalton frowns as he watches the spirit outside, shaking his head and moving back towards the others.
GM paged Dalton with 'You know it is a toxic spirit of man and think it is force 6 but are not certain on that.'.
GM paged Dalton with 'I know force 6 might not be much for you'.
Dalton pages: Thats pretty strong really
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "We got a nasty spirit outside, might be toxic. If one of these gangers is actually a toxic totem, this might be alot harder than we assumed."
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Alright, back into the room we just cleared, this is going to get tricky, I'm going to cause a bit of chaos"
Dalton makes his way back into the room, the one with the bodies, and as soon as Vera and Air are safely inside, he drops the invisiblity spell and takes a deep breath. "Alright, give me a few minutes here."
Air withdraws his blade form the neck of the last ganger after twisting it within his neck. He holds the man down with a hand over his mouth as he struggles and bleeds to death, and then wipes the blade clean on the dead man's shirt. Flicking it away he stows it in a sheath on his belt and nods. «We can wait for a while.»
Dalton proceedes to conjure, and conjure he does indeed. His black cloak and hood cover his features, billowing as if caught in a wind, and rather dramaticly at that. The cloak, unlike normal, does not vanish, and remains in place for quite some time. First, Dalton summons up 10 F6 Watcher Spirits, then he summons up 10 F5 Great Form Hearth Spirits. It takes perhaps three or four minutes work to accomplish all this, before he finally sags in some exhaustion.
Dalton speaks to his spirits "Alpha, your WAtcher Leader. Take your team, fight together, I want any spirit or astrally percieving mage within 100 meters of this place that isnt me attacked and destroyed if possible." He then turns to the great form spirits "Stick together, clear the buildings room by room. Materialize, confuse, then destroy. I want every single ganger in this toxic hole killed. If you encounter mages, confuse them first, then kill them. Remember to move as a team."
Occasional puffs come out from Vera's pistols, as two of the gangers start to gurgle a little more than Vera is comfortable with, so she precisely drills the jacketed subcaliber mono-rod-warhead rounds, ending that gurgling. As she and Air complete the grisly work, it seems it is up to Dalton to perform his profane summoning. Vera reaches up to check her helmet, ejects her magazines, tops them up, stows them and loads her pistols with EXEX-filled magazines, then holsters them and unslings her rifle from her back.
From the secret little arcane center of purest evil, Vera's eyes shine as she watches the raising of the spirit army. "Well, I suppose this is what they pay us for," she remarks, a little curious to see how it will play out. She glances at Air, wondering his thoughts on the situation.
Dalton leans against a wall and nods as his spirits depart. "Alright, they move fast, so in a few minutes, we should start hearing gunfire when they manifest and start killing people. Thats our queue to move out and help."
Air let's Dalton get his spirit army on the march, he moves to the door then and peers out, doing a quick check up and down the corridor. If it's clear he waves a hand to bring the others over, "Let's move up, prepare ourselves… I'd like to see that sniper dealt with also." He switches the quiet normal speech for the moment, since that doesn't run the risk of being intercepted 4 kilometers away.
You hear cries coming from the west towards the northern part of the building where the loading docks where as the Great Forms get to work. While the battle rages between spirits on the astral the air seeming to get heavier and more opressive as things come to life.
You hear a stirring in one of the offices off to the south, as someone talks into a commlink of somekind. A momment later a pale human with scars on her face bursts out of the door, "Wake up you idiots we're under attack!" She screams as she notices you.
Air spins around as a door opens behind him and a women starts shouting. Well, there are no gangers in here to wake up, and there's about to be one less. The rifle is into his shoulder immediately, and he goes to work. The final two rounds in his magazine are sent flying in her direction, one between the eyes, one in the sternum. Thanks to the caseless ammo, there isn't even the tinkle of empty brass.
GM paged Dalton with 'It occurs to you there might be more danger as that city spirit might be bolstered by the background count and not summoned as a force 6 but a force 3.'.
GM paged Dalton with 'First round none of your spirits die.'.
Vera had been coming up as backup for Air, but had not moved quickly enough to be a part of this one. She nods in silent impressed approval as the bullets arc their silent, deadly path towards the scarred human.
The woman's eyes go wide just as the bullets impact her body and send her flying back with the sounds of exex ammo going off in her chest. She collapses like a ragdoll in the room beyond.
Dalton glances over, then looks to the others "Well, lets wait a bit longer, another few spirit battles should thin thier ranks."
The woman's eyes go wide just as the bullets impact her body and send her falling back like a sack of grain from the impact. She collapses in the room beyond still quite dead.
Air racks the bolt back on his rifle and feeds in five more rounds loose by hand in moments. Racking it back in with the quiet metallic sound of metal on metal he grins. «That one sounded like a leader.»
Dalton frowns "That one was one of the mages too, so that leaves us with three."
GM paged Dalton with 'One of your hearth spirits blinks out and then a couple of watchers go out soon afterward.'.
Dalton frowns "Alright, something out there is managing to knock out a few of my spirits, its gotta be a mage. Lets get a move on while they are distracted."
Vera nods to Dalton. "All right. Let's move out to the area of least danger. Don't worry about the spells - just keep those spirits off our backs, and stay with us in the combat team." She offers a quick smile. "Let's do this."
Dalton nods and falls in behind the others, actually pulling out his shotgun now that things are going to get noisy.
Air lifts his rifle after reloading it and nods, <Spell defense if you can.» Then he waits, falling in behind Vera, as she is designated point.
«Plot» Dalton puts Shielding r7 on the team.
GM paged Vera with 'You hear people shouting "North Building" They know where you are or at least you are in a particular here.'.
Vera seems to lift her head, her sensitive elven ears picking up the sounds of shoulting. «They know where we are. I can hear them shouting North Building. I say we leave immediately, let them rush in, and then hit them while they're looking for an enemy trying to escape, not one attacking them from without»
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Staggered retreat then, take down as many as we can before they see us, but pull back towards the UCV. Fergie, bring the UCV round and wait for us."
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Stay inside the buildings, no sense getting out in the open"
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Wait, they are eventually going to kill my spirits, we need to go now while they are distracted, just keep sweeping room to room"
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "We can't take a direct assault. We need to circle round and come from a different angle, flank them."
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Alright"
After a few seconds you start to hear screams out in front of the building in the middle of the U, and catch cries of "Its attacking!"
Dalton follows along with Vera and Air in the lead, fully ready to fall back with them and let his spirits run amok.
Vera nods. «Let's move out» she says, intending to move the team towards the sound of the group, around the side, and start picking off the gangers cleanly in the conclusion. She's not so worried about hitting the possible beasts, she's more interested in helping the group clear out potential opposition that could stop them getting to the mages.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Quickly, round the building outside, flank them. Mages will probably be at the back."
Air moves close to Vera, keeping his rifle aimed slightly away from her in case of accidental discharge. Keeping his ears peeled and his eyes flicking back and forth in case of stray gangers.
Dalton shields everyone and follows along, ready to unleash the power of his magics should the need arrise.
«Plot» Vera says, "Out through the lobby. The one that was in there probably was one of the first to go down to Dalton's spirits."
You head out into the lobby now shattered. The toxic spirit was not killed by Dalton's spirits and has matirialized and is attacking gangers randomly as its master is dead and it is insane. Above you the sniper you is hurrying out lining up a shot at the insane spirit.
You paged Dalton with 'more of your watchers die you are left with four still up and have lost two hearths.'.
«Plot» Vera says, "I'm guessing a TN of 3 for light mods, so I'm going to do a karma reroll on second shot"
The sniper doesn't see you and you manage to put a bullet through his head as he takes a bead on the spirit. He collapses behind the railing.
Vera, who'd been taking point manages to get a good line on the shot, preserving the more experienced battle members for some more dangerous comment as she manages to get a step faster than him, and gets a pair of excellent shots to take the man out, leaving him unable to take out the frenzied spirit. «Let's look for more of those mages,» she says lowly. «Seems like we're really ruining their day»
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Lead on folks"
Commlink-Macawi> Air agrees in his tone dead transduced voice, "Point out any mages."
Vera continues to lead the group around the outside of the buildings, hopefully sticking to the shadows, looking for running reinforcements to take out, and particularly the more gaudily dressed mages or people acting as leaders, along with the rest of the group.
Dalton watches astrally, so that a mage, well, shows up and he can tell people to shoot it.
Air runs in the center of the party of three and then sidesteps to let Dalton pass him. Taking up the rear he takes responsibility for anybody sneaking up behind the group.
Vera quickly moves the group around to the side of the building, to lead the group not to another building but to a different entrance, from which hopefully she and the others can get the drop on any gangers dealing with the crazed spirit.
Dalton follows along, keeping his eyes out for mages and spirits and well anything magical. He sticks with the team though, hoping that they will kill the mundanes for him.
GM paged Vera with 'All the gangers seem to be swarming towards the North building. You see one guy heading away with a large ratty book up under his arm. He's headed for the Southern building'.
Air draws up the rear, his own attention split between where to walk and keeping an eye out behind them. Nobody likes to be shot in the back after all.
You find an old emergency exit just around the side of the building opened up into a stairwell leading up into the northern building
Vera moves to try to open the emergency exit, hopefully rapidly opening the door for Air to shoot or Dalton to spell through, immediately.
From afar, Vera wants to shoot the guy with the ratty book.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Guy with a ratty book. Headed for the Southern building. Take him out, Macawi."
«Plot» Air says, "Can I see him?"
Pixel says, "the door opens easilly as one ganger runs in not noticing you and up the stairs."
«Plot» Vera says, "If he can't, I'm immediately trying to shoot the guy with the book now, as Air can try to shoot the ganger."
Vera sees a man running with a raggedy book under his arm. Based on her prejudice about who and what mages are, she focuses immdiately on trying a snapshot at the man's back, managing to pull the trigger twice. Surprisingly, both shots are relatively on target, center mass, at the fleeing quarry.
The man running across the quad falls as the bullets impact his book falling and papers flying out as he goes down. You can't see the body but he did go down.
you did notice the spray of blood
Air is the one that is slow to react this time, as he swings around upon hearing that and starts to draw a bead on the running mage ganger. He is just in time to spot a spray of blood and his trasndeuced voice sounds grim in it's tonelessness, «Good shots.»
Vera has to confirm the kill. «I think I got him. Let's make sure,» she says, moving away from the open door, in the shadows at the base of the wall of the building, in order to check the body. «That's two out of four, is that right?»
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Careful of snipers in the other buildings."
As soon as the group might have to leave the shadows, Vera holds up her hand. She's the least valuable of the group, and if she gets injured, the one to least affect the group's capability. So she takes the risk of sneaking out to check the body, doing a sweep for snipers to call out as well, while she takes the risk.
Dalton keeps his eyes open, the astral ones, scanning for mages and threats, and basicly trying to be alert.
The quad is filled with junk that is compounded the closer you get to the buildings it is easy to keep in the shadows if you stick to the base of a building.
«Plot» Vera says, "I am going to check on the body, leaving Air and Dalton in the shadows right at the edge of the building near that where they would be very hard to see. I'm trying to sneak out, while checking for visible snipers in particular, but enemies in general, and make sure this guy seems like he has magical doohickeys and is dead."
Air shifts across to another shadow and sets up, trying to scan as much of the buildings as are visible to him, on the lookout for more sniper hides, while Vera sneaks out to check the body.
«Plot» Vera is going as far as she needs to to get a good clear look at the body. Has to be within ten feet or so.
«Plot» Air is hiding to cover Vera, if possible. Or pre-empt any snipers.
«Plot» Vera says, "Right. I'm the spotter right now."
«Plot» Air has hearing amps, spatial recognisers and an orientation system with accurate map for +4.
«Plot» Air says, "+6 to locate by sound."
«Plot» Vera says, "Okay I think one mod is -2 for moving at slow speed, but that's still 19. I'm at a 9 to see things. Do I see any enemies on my 'sweep?'"
GM paged Vera with 'You see the guy dead on the ground and what is obviously a spellbook nearbye. You geeked a mage you are fairly certain of it as certain as you can be w/o seeing him actualy work mojo.'.
Vera pages: Any enemies?
As vera reaches her destination the Western building seems to errupt as another spirit matirializes and starts to attack any living thing in its surroundings. If Vera wasn't sure before she is sure now.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Looks like I got a spell flinger. There's a book with some exquisite tooling of dragons or some other such rubbish, and he's as dead as Pitt the Younger. Sounds like I've pissed off another spirit, as well."
«Plot» Air will line up a shot on him, spending one action to aim.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Sniper in southern building, and another in the western… cancel that. Just one in the Southern."
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Got it. Can you take him out?"
Air leans his sniper rifle down against the twisted metal that used to make up a car door. His smartlink highlights the enemy sniper in a nice, bright red, putting his entire exposed body into lucid relief against the dark backdrop. The reticle slides across until it hovers over his target, and after a second, a held breath, and he mentally pulls the trigger. The only physical feedback is the recoil of the gun into his shoulder, softened by the shock pad. This time he does pause, waiting to see if his target goes down.
The Sniper is knocked back catching the shot in the stomac. You see he is wearing decent armor, probably scavanged off of the raid from earlier. He goes on his back and stays down out of sight from your angle of attack having dropped his rifle. The sporting riffle falls a couple stories to the lobby floor
Vera grins, nodding to the rest of the group. She glances toward the southern building. «Looks like that spirit's doing a good job for us in the western building. Let's work through the southern building and call it a night.»
Air instinctively twitches as the sport rifle impacts muzzle down. That probably won't fire accurately again, and he hates to see firearms damaged like that. «Sniper won't be sniping again. Cannot confirm kill.»
Dalton grunts «Keep moving, I'll act when something magical comes up, or if you dont manage to shoot it before I have a chance.» He keeps following along after the others, just, watching.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Quick run through, ground floor, kill any opposition we see, and then bail. There's no way this gang is recovering from this. We've already killed double digits ourselves, including two of the mages. Let's clear out that ground floor, fast and heavy."
GM paged Dalton with 'You feel the other watchers go out. And notice your hearth spirits emerging as you head towards teh southern builing to attack the gangers heading into the lobby of the nornthern building'.
And with that, Vera stows her rifle again, slinging it on her back, and once more draws her pistols, loaded full tilt with EXEX. She nods, and moves to lead the teams through the shadows, to an entrance of the southern building that faces the quad.
«Plot» Vera says, "Okay. Here's the plan. We just sweep through the ground floor of the southern building, killing everything we see. Then we exit on the 'outer' side of the building and then book it over to Alice, and contact the corp. They'd be very easy for a cleanup crew to take out now, no doubt."
GM paged Dalton with 'There is a big spirit in the southern building standing guard in the lobby.'.
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Big spirit in souther building lobby, its mage is still active"
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Can you take out the spirit, Dalton?"
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "If you can, give it everything you've got."
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "On it"
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "I'd prefer to do a full sweep and then check the bodies. These magicians are interestingly powerful for gangers."
Air comms as he displaces from his impromptu sniping position, moving along the shadows towards Vera to relink and continue the extermination.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Roger. Well, why don't we modify my plan so we do a bloody swath through the building, and then we can have an easy excape to the 'outside' or go back for a more thorough sweep from there?"
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Escape, rather. Dear me."
Vera keeps sweeping the area, looking for more familiar, two-legged opposition as Dalton locks into mortal spiritual combat with the powerful enemy. With Air with his rifle, she particlarly looks for closer threats, feeling more comfortable in a close and cozy battle with her pair of antiquified Max-Powers.
ocks his gaze on the big spirit in the distance, he senses its power, but also understands that its not supposed to be in this world, and that is a weakness. He reaches out mentally, starting to pluck and tear at the binds that hold the spirit to this world, severing its connection to this plane slowly.
Air finds himself a nice little spot with at least cover on one side and sinks down into it. In a squaddies crouch he rests the rifle but constantly moves his head, scanning windows for snipers. They've dealt with three already, there may be more.
«Plot» Pixel says, "Dalton reduces the spirit down to force 5."
«Plot» Pixel says, "Ok after my math is done I Dalton has it down to force 3"
Dalton grimaces, still struggling to rip away the spirits bindings and get it to leave this realm. Its a struggle, but somehow he is managing.
Vera, during one of her sweeps, turns to far on her ankle and stumbles a bit, probably causing enough of an unnatural rustle for her to be spotted.
Air remains fairly stationary in his cover, just trying to use the shadow cast to break up his humanoid outline.
Dalton stays slow, focused on dispatching the spirit that he is currently fighting an astral battle with.
Out of the corner of his eye dalton sees a second spirit dart out fo the building towards the runners matirializing by gathering trashcans into its forms. The rest see trashcans rolling together and opening spilling refuse including the dead body parts of several eleven gang mebers that were slain in the fighting before. The parts reanimating including a couple of heads that open their eyes and give unholy screams.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "What's happening? There's a big…thing here! Should I shoot it?"
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Shoot it"
Around you the gangers are in a route abandoning the place if they are alive. Though not many running still. Dalton's hearth spirits return to his side their orders complete (if they have any services left there are 6 of them left.)
IN the lobby the spirit disappears into the void whence it was summoned.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Shooting it. Yes."
«Plot» Air shoots the Spirit.
Dalton finally reaches out, making a fist and jerking, and drawing the last of the spirits energy away, hopefully destroying its bindings to this realm and sending it away.
Around you the gangers are in a route abandoning the place if they are alive. Though not many running still. Dalton's hearth spirits move about chasing the last of the stragglers still running from their post going by as the battle goes on
Air spts the spirit, and it does cause his eyes to widen. He happens to have some knowledge of magical bits and bobs though, so he immediately drops the Walther to it's auto-retract sling. While that rifle clears around to his back he drops his hand to his thigh. A cerberus pistol is drawn up, and he mentally switches it to Spiritbuster ammunition. It pays to be prepared, as he raises it and fires once. The pistol isn't as quiet as the rifle, lacking a silencer, but the spirirtbuster doesit's job, passing right through the spirit and onwards into a ferrocrete wall. The spirit, thankfully, disrupts back to it's home plane, the bins and rubbish dropping piecemeal to the ground around Air.
Quite stunned, as Air goes all Murtaugh with a single quickdrawn shot on the spirit, Vera nods as well, equally impressed by Dalton able to dispatch the other spirit immediately, with aplomb. Taking point again, the elf moves to head into the lobby of the last building, to help secure it as all the other gangers seem to be either fleeing or dead. «Looks like we might have pulled this one off.» If all the activity is truly over, she will reach for her pocsec, connect it to her encrypted radio, and send the 'all…well…mostly clear' signal to the clients.
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "Alright, my spirits are back, so either the buildings are clear, or there are some warded rooms."
Dalton turns towards his spirits "Did you see any wards in there?"
GM paged Dalton with 'Your spirits did in the bottom of the Southern building. Something is going on down there something bad.'.
GM paged Dalton with 'They are afraid of what is happening down there.'.
Dalton frowns and nods "Alright folks, big time. Southern building, basement. Bad Mojo, lets get a move on and clean house."
Dalton tells his spirits to go back to thier home plains and wait, he should not need them again, and he thanks them for thier help so far.
Vera stops, perhaps a little embarrassed, and puts her pocsec away, the message half-typed. She reslings her rifle, as her pistols are more appropriate in her mind for indoor combat, and gets ready to take point again, nodding. "All right. That must be the last area," she says. "Let's go clear out the warren." And so she starts to look inside the southern building, with the rest of the team, for a door or stairway to the basement.
Air keeps the Cerberus up as he stands, pondering, «Bad mojo, spirits? Or will standard ammo do the job?» He even glances at his stun baton, pondering chances at battering the magical issues to death.
Commlink-Nightmare> Dalton says, "The spirits wouldnt go down there, that means something bad is going on, nasty toxic stuff. Keep the ammo handy."
You make your way into the southern building unchallenged and find the stairs down to teh basement lined with wax candles. You can hear two people chanting calling out for blood in Orzet, blood and revenge those most of it sounds like ramblings (fi you speak orzt they are being loud.) The basement is filled with old machinery boilers crates and flickering candles. In the back of the place you find a pit dug into the floor large enough for a ritual circle and see two figures. One a woman her breast beared and looking up in exctacy at an emaciated man holding a dager above his head looking down at her ferally, both chanting.
Air is in his tactical walking mode, pistol up and ready the whole time. His body is twisted at the waist slightly, and despite Vera being first to head down, he's the first to choose an action and shoot. Right over the shoulder of the elf, he shoots a single shot right for the exposed and raised knife. Option one had been to kill the sacrifice, option 2 had been to kill the priest. Neither worked for Air, not on the off chance of it not mattering who killed the sacrifice, or the priest dying and slamming the knife into her anyway. So option three: Be a badass. Shoot the knife.
The knife explodes sending rock shards every direction. The Apprentice falls back out of the circle bleeding from her cheek. The Master's hands are bleeding quite a bit with some drops landing on the circle and smoking. Tendrils curling up and turning into flesh reaching out for any living being nearbye especially the wounded sacrifice, now the master. The quivering hateful anticipation that had filled the air becomes exhilleration as purpose is fullfilled and more of the dead-flesh tendrils rise from teh dirt wrapping around both apprentice and master, burrowing into flesh to their screams.
GM paged Dalton with 'It looks worse on the astral as the Master tries to control the reaction gone wrong consuming him and his apprentice instead of just her.'.
«Plot» Air says, "Say -what-?"
Vera's still quite a bit slower on the first step than either of her teammates, working with the older model of wired reflexes as she is, and so she doesn't have much of an option. Her pair of pistols still comes up to the ready, covering both of them at first. "Oh, dear," she says. "Maybe should have tackled them?" she suggests, looking down at the horror. She raises her pistols to begin to follow the instinctive response of 'OH FRAK SHIT BOLLOCKS OPEN FIRE'
GM paged Air with 'It is a summoning of somekind and the only thing you can think of is the way rituals were described in some old pre-awakening horror, called Lovecraftian for some writer that popularized them.'.
You paged Dalton with 'Lovecraftian is the word that comes to your mind. It isn't a blood spirit..they are more bloody.. this is rotting flesh mixed with living, eating living. It is digesting them and unconcerned with you. You think fire would help…lots of fire'.
Dalton pages: I dont have fire, but I do have lighting bolt. I also have Cleansing, would cleansing clean up some of this?
GM paged Air with 'You are sure the ritual has gone wrong and is out of control. What ever it is it is focused on them not you and you have an oportunety. Burning comes to mind.'.
GM paged Dalton with 'You dont' think so. Lightning might help You need the ritual space annihalated as much and as quickly as possible.'.
the tendril thicken turning into tentacles that wrap around the two digesting them form the inside out, smaller tendrils sprouting from their skin and pulling them down quickly a fleshy carpet of skin and meat begins to grow inside the circle and begins to spread outside of it up the sides of the pit.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "I suggest fire. Lots of fire. Quickly."
Tt isn't growing terrably fast but it is growing.
Dalton raises his hands "Stand back…." He steps forward, his eyes cold and hard. "Fools." he says to the two people being engulfed "There is no easy and quick path to power…" His fingers arc with electricity, and a black cloak and hood cover his features. Suddenly lighting leaps from his fingertips, arcing over everything in sight, and just keeps coming out, bolt after bolt, obliterating both the dying people, and then the tentacles. Blast after Blast of raw electrical power sizzles through the air, sparks vaporizing everything they touch.
the bolts carve holes in the flesh carpet but it devoirs the dead flesh and keeps growing. They slow it even push it back but it is still growing from a source as the last recognizeable bits of the two sink into it, their eyes still looking as if they know what they are feeling.
Air begins to search for flammable objects, especially ignition sources. He carried a lighter with him but he needs far more than that to throw at the summoning circle gone wrong.
GM paged Air with 'you spot a can of gasoline'.
Air holsters the pistol hurriedly and heads for the backhoe. First stop, the tank of gas still out, and he checks it for contents. If it's not very full he'll need to find a tube to siphon the gas out of the backhoe itself with.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Keep it up, but we need fire."
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Look for any hose!"
The can air finds is about half full of gas and it is a large 4 gallon can.
GM paged (Dalton, Air) with 'It occurs to you that the thing needs to be burned back and weakend and the circle must be broken so it can't bring more of itself into the world.'.
Commlink-Posh> Vera says, "Just throw the can, I'll shoot it! I'm loaded with EXEX."
GM paged (Dalton, Air) with 'the lightnign may have broken the circle but it is still albe to spread. You won't know till it starts burning and then this place will fill with smoke rather quickly'.
Commlink-Macawi> Air says, "Fine!"
Air grabs the half empty can and shrugs, no time for any siphoning. Hefting it in both hands he staggers towards the pit a little and then hefts it, rotating and tossing the can whole towards the pit.
Vera manages to get control of herself, even as she watches the disgusting growing horror. As the formulates a simple plan involving the gas can and her pistols, Vera tracks the can, 'locking on ' mentally as it spins towards the pit. She opens fire almost indiscriminately with her explosive-round-loaded pistols, thanking that she had switched from APDS earlier and is not relying on just sparks from the penetration of the metal can, right when the can plumps into the middle of the growing creature. Though her silencers are still on the weapon, the PFFPFFPFFPFF of the four explosive shots rings out much more loudly on the metal can, tearing through and then bursting in the gasoline.
there is an unearthly scream as the creature goes up in smoke and flame the stench rising upwards and filling the rooom with thick gouts of black ichorous smoke. You have time to run out of the building as more things catch fire escaping as the building itself begisn to burn. You are all left alive outside as the place goes up in flames.
"Well, I hope they're not upset about that," Vera quips, as the group manages to escape the flames. "But I doubt something like that can actually take out the site. In any case," she says, with a grin. "We're all alive, and we're hopefully getting paid. And that's what matters." She offers a grin to her two teammates, and then brings out the pocsec, connecting her encrypted radio again to finish her earlier message. Mostly clear. Job completed.
Dalton stops, and turns to watch the building burn. He keeps his astral perceptions acutely focused, making sure no residue of what was in that basement escapes out into the world. He says nothing to the other runners, merly stares at the fires.
Air breathes heavily of the fresh air as he watches the building go up, shaking his head. "I haven't seen something that… stupid… in a long time." He sighs heavily, "I hope that's the end of rituals like that done here…" He sounds pensive, as if perhaps this corp might try the same.
It doesn't take 15 minutes before the first couple citymasters and fire-choppers show up firing watercannons with chemical fire suppresants into the flames. Even in the warrens firefighters occasionally will show up by air to douse or at least contain a large blaze lest it spread.
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