Ophelia agrees that fouling the rotors would be the best bet to bring down the drone, and posits that you may find some chains suitable for the job lying around given the predilections of the badders...

Bedlam glances from Thunderbird to Arcus as they discuss metals and magnets; the giant's expression shows some doubt or confusion, but he does not say anything.

When Thunderbird returns with a fresh report of the object's composition, he nods in understanding.

"Hovering weapon platform. Smaller than me. Chains in the rotors."

"But we don't know if it is hostile. If it attacks, we should draw it closer to the ground. Then, while it is distracted, T-bird, and maybe Arcus, can attack from above with the chains."

The giant man grins, "I like the sound of this plan. Hopefully we won't need it. But just in case, let's go see if the badders left some chains."

Bedlam heads for the trap door.

"Weapons only, for now," he parks the cart and stows his budget and canteen. "It might be too cramped for all the gear. Ophelia, would you please lead the way?"

ophelia nodded and drawing her sword she prowled out into the street leading the way for the others to follow

Arcus nods, "Ya..chains.. tha's a waaay betah ideah... let's collect some o' them."

Arcus draws his bastard Sword and readies his shield following Ophelia... but giving her at least a 60'ft lead for scouting the tunnels.

Thunderbird nodded in agreement, "That will work and be a lot easier to carry."he said "We can try to see if they are friendly. If not, I can dive bomb them from out of the sun and if that does not work, try blasting them with the shotgun. If you can get on top of a roof Arcus, you can also try from a different direction."

 She looked in wonder at the group and silently muttered under her breath, from the sound of those interested in the invisible sentry, they were ready to destroy it.

 "Perhaps i should be the one to approach it?, i have no thoughts of how dangerous it is or that it is waiting to shoot me, i would not give off vibes of hostility.

 If it does choose to defend the place..since it is a machine, it will do what it is programed to do."

You descend into the cellar below, which is covered in trash and stinks. Holes have been smashed in the walls to the north and south. Taking the route to the south, you squeeze through a badder sized tunnel, inadequately shored up by assorted debris. The whole thing is close to collapse and you are relieved to reach the end, a cellar under one of the buildings on Soup Kitchen plaza. There are no other exits save for a rickety ladder up (A15), but this place was evidently used by the badders and a storeroom and hideout, and they left a lot of gear behind them. Mostly inferior to you own, but perhaps you can find something useful...

Arcus turns to Rose, "..Ah think yur perhaps misunderstandin' our intentions Miss Rose.. wer'e not lookin' fur a fight, but bein' prepared fur one is jus' being prudent y'know?  If'n tha' ...drone er whatevah it is starts ta shootin' at us... we need ta' have a plan ta' deal with it!"

"Thing is.. we got no ideah who er what left it behind..chances are..since we knows who tha' last folks in control o' this place were.. its likely tha' Badders who left it, an they ain't no-one's friend!"

Arcus turns back to the room and begins to search through the left over gear of the Badders.. looking for anything useful or even just ammo.

Regardless ALL ammo that is portable he begins collecting.  Ammo not in the enemies hands is ammo that cannot be shot at him and his friends!

Not use to being underground, let alone being in such narrow confines, Thunderbird was happy when the got into the room. He started searching the area to see if there is anything of use with Arcus. "Lets see if there was something they let behind." he said

OOC:12:41, Today: Thunderbird rolled 26 using 1d20+11. Search room .

Bedlam, following some of the smaller crew, pushes his lamppost maul out into the second basement room before pulling himself out of the badder hole. Climbing to his feet the giant dusts some of the tunnel dirt off his clothes and hands.

"Not looking forward to going back by that route," he rumbles.

Surveying the abandoned badder gear he scowls. "Hardly worth the effort to haul it back. Let's see what we can salvage. Watch for traps and don't make too much noise. I'll keep an eye on the ladder."

Bedlam holds his lamppost at the ready as he positions himself where he can watch and study the exit.

Thunderbird uncovers 3 sets of manacles with busted locks that you reckon would make a good weapon against the drone's rotors.

Arcus fills a bag with assorted ammo but all of it is low quality and unsuitable for his precision engineered handgun.

 The tunnel was almost like being reborn to the memories she has and she kind of enjoyed the narrow walk into the light of the exit. She took time to look over the remains of the place and began to search out what might be useful for making engines or gadgets that could be useful.

 Talking to Crinkles she mentioned an idea she was thinking about, "i would like to get the parts together for a battery powered tiny robot with sensors, we could send it ahead of us into dangerous areas and see what might be ahead or maybe a drone of some kind."

15:13, Today: Rose rolled 9 using 1d20. Search chk.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:14, Mon 20 July 2015.

OOC: Assuming Rose, Ophelia and Crinkles have had their chance to search for salvage. Search rolls would probably be appropriate, folks.

Bedlam glances at the salvage and nods.

Peering up past the ladder to the building above.

"Next step? I think we can get out here without being seen by the watcher. Though this ladder may need some reinforcement before Crinkles or I try it."

"We're probably inside the plaza. I'd like to check the bolt hole and the kitchen basement before we leave."

"Thoughts?"

Crinkles too lent a hand searching for salvage as well.

16:04, Today: Crinkles rolled 24 using 1d20+4. search.

Arcus, nods, "Sounds fine by me, Mistah Bedlam... I've nevah, been in heah..so I'll just follow ya'lls lead on this."

08:23, Today: Arcus rolled 27 using 1d20+7. Arcus' Search roll.

Crinkles finds another two chains under a moldering blanket, and Arcus unearths a cache of precious bullets for his gun.

2 extra ammo Arcus. You now have 5 sets of chain.

You head up the ladder to ground level (A15). This room was evidently used to house slaves, given the dozen iron rings that have been hammered into the wall. Marks in the dust show materiel was also stored here, but whatever it was the badders took it with them. Outside through the wide arched doorway, you can see the Soup Kitchen plaza, placid and empty in the bright sunlight. But somewhere above, a drone is hovering and if you step out it will surely spot you...

Bedlam peers out across the plaza to the ruins of the soup kitchen and the gaping front of the warehouse. Turning back to the crew he lays out the next step of his plan.

"Thunderbird, Arcus, two chains each. I'll take the extra."

The giant wraps a length of chain around his waist as he continues.

"I'll go out into the plaza, pretending I don't know about the drone. I'll make my way to the kitchen while the rest of you stay hidden."

"If the drone attacks, I'll run for the warehouse," Bedlam points toward the building across the plaza. "I will try to keep its attention so Thunderbird and Arcus can get airborne unseen."

"Once they are aloft, assuming the drone is close enough, Ophelia, Rose and Crinkles can join in shooting at it. Use your crossbows - no point wasting good ammo on something we can barely see..."

"If it doesn't attack, I will continue to move around the plaza. I'll use my telepathy to keep in touch."

The big guy pauses for the others to critique his plan.

Arcus opens his mouth to speak... likely some protest.. but.. keeps his peace, instead merely nodding solemnly and offering a simple, "...be careful, Sah!"

He moves over to the side of the door way wrapping one chain around his waist and the taking the other in both hands... ready to make use of... should worse come to worse.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:43, Mon 27 July 2015.

Thunderbird nods in agreement as he took off his extra gear off along with his man-portable laser in the chamber. Checking the Megashotgun and Omniscient Goggles to make sure they were ready for action, he picked up two of the chains and wrapped them around his waist. Looking around in the dirt, he took a big hand full to make a mud pie like he had seen others do when they were young. "I'll drop this first to help spot when they are and then one of the chains."

 Rapping both hands around the Xbow string and pulling it back before she sit it at the trigger latch, then she will brush her hands off and double check to be sure the safety is locked in the on position before following everyone else up to where the room was. Once there she will take a position to see the unseen.

Bedlam approaches the remains of the Soup Kitchen, now a pit of rubble strip mined of anything useful by the badders' slave labour. By the look of it they did not discovered the buried entrance to the escape tunnel and reactor hidey-hole.

BTW the secondary entrance to the escape tunnel is the in the sub-basement of an abandoned, collapsed and ruinous office building (5 squares south of Z19), accessed via manhole that you were careful to cover with debris when you exited.

Half way across the plaza (I12) Bedlam is hailed by a voice you all recognise - Wilbur's!

"Hey big guy, where are your buddies? I think we got off on the wrong foot last time, what do you say I step out and we talk"

The voice is coming from somewhere inside the building next to the Soup Kitchen that took a lot of punishment during the porker assault (Q18-ish) The front wall is half collapsed and the whole structure looks ready to collapse.

At the sound of Wilbur's voice Bedlam interrupts his telepathic updates to the crew. Straightening to his full height, the giant scowls in the direction of the damaged warehouse. There is a significant silence before he responds.

"My buddies," he hisses venomously. "Did not fare so well against the badder ambush. Thanks, in part, to your betrayal."

Bedlam's thoughts sound in the minds of the crew ~Remain hidden. If he attacks, Crinkles, follow my charge to the warehouse. Our plan is still to draw in the drone before launching Arcus and T-bird. Rose and Ophelia, you remain in reserve until we know what we are up against.~

"Why don't you say your piece from where you are, salesman. I can hear you well enough," While talking to Wilbur, Bedlam begins scanning the plaza, as if looking for an ambush. "You might start with whether or not I have satisfied the terms of our contract. And follow that with what reparation you are prepared to make for the destruction of my multi-bot."

While speaking to Wilbur and searching the plaza, Bedlam steps closer to the cover provided by:
- the armored car?
- the generator?
- the remains of the original warbot defender?

"Ah well I'm real sorry about your crew big guy" says Wilbur insincerely "but how about for this for a deal? You hand over the multibot and show me the entrance to the deep shelter and I will let you live and maybe even you walk away with some extra loot. Otherwise we're doing this the hard way"

Crinkles listened to Wilbur's words and prepared himself for a fight, ready to rush to Bedlam's aid.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:29, Wed 29 July 2015.

Bedlam is incredulous.

"Really?!? And they call you a salesman?"

"Wait. Let me see if I have this straight."

"You represent the Restorationists. The Restorationists are working on that robot factory in the L.I.Zone. And they've set up a little market to trade for salvaged tech here in the Burbs. Trade with salvage crews like me and mine. So you're going to renege on the first contract you have with me? How many salvage crews are going to bring you goods when word of this gets around? And it will get around. The badders already know. The dabbers already know. Folks in Compton know we were heading out to set up trade with you. Have you even started to consider the ramifications of isolating yourself in this manner? If this is how you plan to do business why even bother with the outpost?"

"Now that's the big picture. Well, more along the lines of the medium-size picture. And you. Don't. See it?" Bedlam shakes his head in genuine confusion and dismay.

"Understandably, you're just a robot running on limited programming," the giant reassures Wilbur. "So let's go back to your deal and see what we can work out."

"First, there is no need for insincere condolences. Your attempt to intimidate me is pointless. You already know I have survived the cook, the porkers, and the badders. Something which, I might point out, you did not do."

"Furthermore, I have already, on numerous occasions, expressed an interest in trading with you. We spoke of it while traveling here. Why would you even consider threatening violence in such a situation? It jeopardizes any future relationship."

"Seriously, I would be happy to discuss tactics in negotiations with your programmer. It is just so...," the giant shakes his head. "I am at a loss for words."

"Now, as for the location of the escape tunnel," Bedlam switches back to negotiations. "We already have an agreement - though I will admit its worth is questionable after your actions yesterday."

"And finally. The multi-bot?" Bedlam holds up an empty hand (the other still grips his maul). "You blasted them, or it. Whatever. I had badders to deal with. Which included a long, running battle. I was lucky to find the remains of my crew, let alone a bazillion scattered marbles."

"Now," he says in a conciliatory tone. "Do you have some way of contacting the Restorationists to get updated instructions? Do you want to try again?"

OOC: Bedlam Jones rolled 26 using 1d20+15. Interaction roll.