"It really depends on how long it takes to dismantle the War hound. Anubis knows his form better then anyone else. With his input a bit of quick salvage might be possible. He should be aware of his system status as of the moment he left his chasse. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got anti tampering protocols. It could blow without his help. Our rescue mission is time sensitive and we are not the only ones here. Unless we can do it quick I say we move on. However since T'risa is here in the end it's her call."

She continues to scan her weapon at the read while they await the final decision of salvage, destroy or just move on. Anubis would have valuable input on that matter no doubt.

"Salvage is distinctly second in comparison to the rescue part of our mission. Leave the body, we'll come back for it later and perhaps repair it then. Until that point we have a few people to rescue." T'risa followed the spider.

Leo also took to following their spider guide.  The blade on his hand fragmented apart into harmless flickers of light.  He had lamps on his shoulders active now they were not overly strong, but at least lit up a small area around him.  He utilized the memorized templates of the halls and adjusted them for damage as they encountered it, puting them back on T'Risa's little network with lables and every so often he updated names and positions on their schematic.

Smiling she speaks softly to Elsbeth. "Let's move out." Following the spider she remains alert in case they run into trouble. With Anubis the rescue mission would likely go a lot smoother. It would be interesting seeing what prometheous's stand in would have to say once they had him up and running again.

 Anubis crawled forward beams lighting the way for others. as he scrambled along. occasionally stopping and projecting a holo of the area, and overlaying changes to it as they discovered them.

  "My bloodhounds are offline, or I could have them map the damaged sections for us."  He reported after a moment.  "This damage has me worried, these conduits running on either side of the hallway carry coolant and nano fluid to the primary core, if they are this badly damaged Prometheus may have some trouble keeping secondary matrices online, to house the crew if they had to bail out of their shells."

   It shouldn't be a problem for another hour or two but we need to switch the Life pods for the crew over to internal systems if they haven't kicked in already."

 He navigated the wreckage for the crew for another hundred meters till they came to a heavily secured blast hatch with the Symbols for life support, and main core emblazoned on the door, several tool kits, and discarded heavy weapons lay around the area, most of then unknown models and oddly designed if meant for human hands. "here we are, main core, Marshal, I'd suggest you pair off a couple of your marines to sweep the area while we get this door open, might save you a nasty surprise..those are Marduk weapons."

T'risa hissed indicating her appreciation for the violence that the Marduk's had caused in the past. "Let's see Balkiir and Elsbeth. Leo and M'Kira, please make sure we're clear of Mardukians." she requested before setting to the task of freeing up the core. "Remember you can update through me, as well as by radio."

" They must have came aboard during the battle, or after our internal defense grid was dropped."Anubis replied as she scrambled up poppy and wrapped his legs around her midsection resulting in poppy squirming then slapping at him like a too eager date."easy girl, I promise not to do anything too kinky to your code. Just need to borrow your transfer some files directly, cant send them net wave."

"You can ask first, maybe a nice romatic dinner, a dance, then some snuggling in front of eeeeaaarrrrrrppppp gnnnnggggggggg! poppy went wide eyed then seemed about to swoon.

"Damn and they say I am dangerous." Anubis whistled, his tome somewhere between surprise, admiration and a hint of shock."I'm rewiring some of her inhibition codes, and giving her a bit more freedom of action against Marduk, nothing serious. Well other than getting rid of the rest of those safety codes she's alread chewed to ribbons anyway...Just be careful for a bit, until she reworks her own internal morals she will be a bit trigger happy around hostile synthetics."

" gotta tell you though she has a vivid imagination and some of it seems to involve... the color blue." </DarkBlue>There was a low growl, and a slap at Anubis' casing as Poppy stirred." and Rhic....damn I know him, ..nooooo way. nobody lives that long.....ow damn girl, watch that recursive code... that huts.....where the hell did you learn to do that anyway."

"Oh here and there, you would be surprised what you can figure out to keep people from poking around where they shouldn't Poppies tone was light, almost flirty"Girls gotta have some secrets ya know."

 "I can also do a few things to your  groups immunization nano, give it a bit more..combat orientation if you like. Nano code is tricky but I helped design it....way back when. Mohljaniir strain nano is about as god as it gets, short of O'sahdii nano...seems all of you have the good stuff running in your veins, regular little medical-hunter killers, had to be damned expensive. "

T'risa raised an eyebrow as Anubis spilled Poppy's secrets. "You have a fascination for the colour blue...really. We'll need to discuss this sometime." she laughed as Anubis continued, frowning at Anubis last comments "I think you may be making a mistake. I don't think anyone here with the possible exception of Leo has any form of nanites." she paused a moment "To the best of my knowledge."

"Understood we are on it T'rissa. Leo your with me, stay sharp Elsbith, Balkir. Looks like we might have both bugs and Mardukians to worry about. Hopefully the Mardukians are working against the bugs and not with."

She was a little surprised when Anubis suddenly gets all clingy with Poppy. "She's right you really should ask a girl first. Anubis I like poppy she better be all right when this is over." Shaking her head she was glad to see poppy was all right. It wasn't that she had something against Anubis it's just poking around in and or adjusting a person was a pretty personal thing.

One of her eyebrows shoots  upwards when Anubis mentions vivid imagination and the color blue. "Something tells me you owe poppy something nice for being a touch on the nosy side. Rhic we are hopping is all right even if it's unrealistic to hope. He disappeared mysteriously from his mech when it went down do to a direct hit to it's cockpit. Honestly we are not sure what happened, however we are hopping that against all odds we will see him again. I don't have a problem with upgrades especially if it keeps us all alive."

She looks to T'risa speaking softly with a warm smile. "I will stay in touch. Wish me luck and if it comes to it I will take out whatever tries to shoot at us. Hey poppy if you want to team up with Leo and I your welcome. Being a little trigger happy is fine so long as your sure your target is a Mardukian enemy. It's possible we might run across one of Anubis's friends."

She wanted to keep an eye on poppy more because she's worried for her friend then anything else. M'kira advances carefully weapon at the ready as she speaks softly to Leo. "Hey Leo you want to take point or use me as bait and you strike from the shadows if anything nibbles?"

Leo shrugged, "I have some of the best nanites in me... but that's a more recent development.  I actually considered that we might be able to transfer the boss here into my nanites and smuggle him out under my skin... or at least in the form of my armor and weapons."

"Recall me if you want to just go on through... as thick as they might be I'm the best cutting tool we have.  C'mon big girl, we got mardukian bodies to find.  Is it wrong I look forward to our little outings?"

 " Nano creates a pretty distinct hum on the em frequency just above the waveband created by the human nervous system."You all are singing a very lovely EM choral right now, I can pick out the signature of Mohljaniir tech, could be something you picked up in the environment around here, or something you were tagged with without your knowing it."

  This whole world has a series of EM anomalies Prometheus picked up the second he entered system." even accounting for all the military hardware, weapons discharges, and traces of something massive happening here in the past, there are signals we haven't heard on anything but ultra long ranged survey probes."  Anubis continued to work positioning himself a little less intrusively as M'kira gave him a tongue lashing. "Poppy is fine, tell you the truth I am not even sure what half her code does, it's wedged in there like she used a sledge hammer on it...Tiny is too young for me to make the alterations without hurting her, and someone in your group needs to be able to detect a Marduk infiltrator...unless you want me to do some organo-surgery in the middle of a dirty hallway It's poppy or no one."

   "I'd never get fresh with one of my little sisters, All combat augmented Cyberoids have a bit of my code, and some of Sekmehts in them..it's a little creepy to interface, and hear an echo."

   Leo there has an odd signature by the way, it's not Promethean base code, but it has the same design parameters, and comm sequences as Promethean Cyberneroids, and our nano...and would you please explain where the cat came from, I can access the net of any Promethean in service and link to their data net in combat to form a battle chain, but she's locked me out....completely."


  As he spoke Star leaped up onto T'risa's shoulder and curled around her neck resting easily. Her head cocked in a comical"oh, who me?" fashion.

  ~I do believe he is right, I can hear a little buzz if I listen closely.~ Star whispered directly to T'risa.~ his sensor web must be far more sensitive than mine.~

 ~please dont spill our secret just yet T'risa there are a few questions I have for his superior before we let the cat out of the bag concerning our origins. It seems my interlink system was damaged by someone during my storage...or at least that is as good a tale as any.~`

  "You read Sekmehts journals when you were kids didn't you." Poppy spoke as She reached and detached Anubis from her back." Oh that feels much better, that kink in my combat inhibitors was driving me nuts."

 Poppy shot Anubis a look and put her foot over his shell as if sizing oit up for a squish. Her expression was angry for a second then embrassed and sheepish, then a little mischievous as she nodded slightly as if to confirm the presence of a slight preference. "Umm blue, yes I like blue, well in jackets and lipstick, but I look better in black for a main color, and maybe scarlet if I am feeling a little flirty...." Poppy stopped and looked at Anubis with crossed arm.<purple>" You could have fixed the chatty Cathy routines you know, or maybe that nasty thing for...ummm never mind."

  He's like a big brother sort of personality rude, don't think before he blabs...and all that... I'll kick him in the knee when he gets a new set." Poppy assured her friends." He's a first Gen, fewer social graves, and nothing like interface etiquette, a real knuckle dragger. All kill em and move on, really advance knuckle draggers but Knuckle draggers non the less. I guess all that combat, and tactical data base took up too much room in their matrices.... I mean compared to him Elspeth is Miss manners, and a real party animal... No offense 'Speth."

"It's fine Anubis especially if Poppy isn't trying to shoot you. I now know the why and I suspect things are time sensitive so your in a hurry. It's just a little warning would be a good idea. I don't understand your relationship with Poppy and other cyberoids like she does. Thank you though for the explanation it is appreciated."

She was curious about Bright star however at the moment there were other things going on. Grinning for a moment she looks over at Poppy. "Kind of sounds like what someone would say after seeing a chiropractor. Yeah you know since Anubis owes you maybe you could ask him for a favor. Maybe a new pair of legs, or any other part of you that you want to improve. Why stop there maybe that dream cyberoid body that you always wanted? I am not sure how that works but I do remember you talking about certain parts of your body that you miss because they were damaged and would like to get the same model or better. It seems to me Anubis could pull a few strings and hook you up with something really nice. Well once we are all safely out of here that is." Her tone is friendly and slightly amused at the situation. If poppy did ever kick Anubis in the shin she plans on getting a picture of it!

The tall Praetorian merely shrugged, the shoulders of her powered suit shifted slightly.  "No offence taken, Miss Poppy." came her voice (well, a slightly tinnier version) over the powered armour's helmet speakers.

Elsbeth nodded to T'risa orders and then to M'kira.  "Yes, Ma'am." she responded dutifully to the Marshal and then "Roger that Gunny."  to the Gunnery Sergeant.  The CMC Marine unshouldered her M-37 for a moment checking to make sure that both the breach and the grenade launcher were properly loaded.  Then with the assault rifle stowed back over her shoulder again, Elsbeth checked the diagnostics status on her laser carbine.

Carbine safely in hand, she tapped her big blue partner lightly on the shoulder with her armoured fist.  Then Elsbeth prompted him, "Friend Balkiir, we are ready."  Part-command, part-question.  The statement was semi-rhetorical, and pretty much all playful, since she knew that he had been born ready - in some senses, they both had.  So, it didn't matter to her who took the lead, she felt a quiet comfort in his presence - and a through their bond, Elsbeth could almost sense where Balkiir was, even when she couldn't actually see him.  Which she noted to herself, really did help when doing a proper bounding overwatch...

T'risa nodded at Anubis comments. "Please alter our nanites to assist if and when you can Anubis. The Cat's comms network has been damaged ever since we fought some Mardukians at a nearby battle. I was forced to use an EMP grenade to kill some that had broken our line. It had unintended consequences. I'd prefer one of the heavy combat models, preferably Poppy to remain behind. I'm not terribly good at killing, and neither is Syxis. We also know anubis can interface with Poppy and we might need that to bypass security and rescue Prometheus."

"No not really Leoulin. It's a chance for you to dance after all. Hmmm? I thought we had to bring his core out intact. Are you thinking about trying to download him to your Nanites? Honestly even if that works I think it might get uncomfortable. He might want to take charge once in a while until you can put him back in a proper core."

M'kira simply nods when she hears what T'risa says. "We will call if we run into any security problems."

Leoulin shrugged, "He's earned my trust.  Wierd as it may seem.  He's almost as bent on ensuring the freedom of others as I am... or is it the other way around?  It might work to show the official salvage security the empty core, then take it with us.  After all, it is pretty much useless without the big man in it."

Leoulin started picking his way around not really caring where he went because he would ALWAYS be able to find his way back thanks to the odd network they had opperating among them.

"Regardless of the official position of the Imperial Fleet, Prometheus is a free person and we'll plug him back in wherever we need to. If necessary and he doesn't have a spare starship, we'll plug him into our dreadnought and I'll deed it over to him. then he can enjoy the same quasi legal status he had before."

  Thank you Captian K'mahda." An distorted static filled voice sounded form the intercom speaker by the blast  hatch. Using her Imperial rank instead of her Title as marshal." It's nice to hear that my efforts at making the relations between man and Cyberoid one of mutual acceptance have been successful..

I hate to put you and your crew to such trouble, i should have worn a bigger ship for this one...But you seemed to be the only one who knew about the dreadnaughts...I must speak to Intelligence about that glaring oversight."


  "I can barely sense anything outside this core, and i am afraid my control is limited to keeping the light on and the fires fro spreading to anything volatile. However i am detecting hostile signatures in several locations, i felt boarding pods worming their way past my hull just before That last barrage from HER... If you dont mind I'd like for you two cut me out of here.

   There is an emergency survival core just inside the door simply plug it into the main access panel and i can transfer myself over...be careful it's rather heavy, and rather expensive..i already owe the TAE for a dreadnaought i'd hate to have them take the core out of my pay as well." the voice sounded mildly bemused, but also worried, as if he were trying to keep the severity of the situation well disguised.

  "I may take you up on that offer of a new body Captain, and i am looking forward to speaking with that young man and woman your speaking to...And yes Poppy I am looking forward to speaking to you and the others as well, it's so seldom i get to chat directly with any of my children out in the wilderness."

  By the way the hatch is heavily shielded against conventional cutting devices, it may take some time unless you have something Psionics based about. That's the one means of cutting I have yet to fully compensate for with the alloys I designed into the core shielding."

  Data began to stream into the cyberoids systems, as well as the computers the organic crew wore, detailing the locations of several unknown signatures, and the locations of unstable or dangerous regions of the ship, including munitions and the onboard warheads.

"Can you provide routes for access so we can rescue survivors in your crew and prioritise rescue to the areas which might be prone to destruction after we free your cortex? In addition, we'll need to know that your nuclear weaponry is safe and unlikely to pose a threat if we pop you out." T'risa nodded to give Leo the go ahead to start cutting at the hatch. "Leo has a mind blade. He'll help in retrieving your core. Everyone else, go hunting the unknowns, rescue any survivors en route."

  "Aye," Balkiir replied quickly, he paused by a panel smiled slightly and popped t open the unmarked storage cabinet held what looked like a heavy squad automatic and backpack ammo canister, instead when he strapped it one leaving his own machine gun in it's place the electronic hum of a plasma weapon charging sounded instead of the metallic click-shunk of a projectile weapon arming.
 "Gotta love TAE engineers they always put the weapons lockers in the same places on their vessels and always hide them behind electrical access panels. If you see one they usually hide a few goodies for rainy days in them." he took out several satchels with a selection of baseball sized spheres and cylinders." Plasma grenades...we never got to play with these int he field."

  " Lets go marine." he smiled slightly, not at all a warm and friendly smile, more a baring of teeth." Lets go hunting." he handed a satchel to Elspeth and moved toward the hatch." You know one of these days we are going to have to go on a date that doesn't involve high explosives and people shooting at us....ya know something safe like swimming with Kraken, or sunbathing on Thuderhead."


OOC: Standard arms locker contents
1 plasma repeater
1 assault gun 35mms cut down low velocity cannon
6 plasma assault rifles ( with grenade launchers)
36 40mm grenades duel purpose armor piercing frag
12 standard fgenades
12 plasma grenades
12 EMP grenades
12 smoke canisters
12 ttear gas cannisters
8 prtective masks
emergency medical kit
8 stimpacks
8 trauma patches
1 motion tracker
1 tool kit with plasma cutter
8 communicators


Note: Sunbathing on Thuderhead, a generic term for doing something ridiculously stupid and dangerous...due to extremely dangerous predators common on waterfronts of Thuderhead colony...as in sea scorpions as big as ponies.


As I understand the plan
Command team ( rescuring crew)
T'risa
M'kira

team one ( esxtracting core0
Leo
Star

Team Two ( hunting hostiles)
Balkiir
Elspeth

Team Three ( securing warheads)
Poppy
Tiny

Anubis will remain at the door and direct local defense guns.

"Right let's get the big man out of here. It's going to be interesting making are way back out with unfriendliness and raging fires/unstable battle damaged areas all over the place."

Grinning at T'risa then Balkir and Elsbeth for a moment. "Good hunting. Make us all proud." Needless to say she's prepared to shoot a few herself while they go about
rescuing people. "I think the forces coming will mop up the hostiles. The biggest worry is the ordinance going boom. If it gets bad enough this entire dreadnought could go in one big super heated plasma explosion."

Humming to herself she grabs one of the plasma Assault rifle with grenade launcher. Plus six of the 40mm Duel purpose armor piercing frag grenades making sure it's fully loaded. Three plasma, three EMP, 3 tear gas and 3 smoke grenades. Two trauma patches and two stim packs. Plus the tool kit with the plasma cuter. "In case we need to cut someone out. Let's keep a eye out for electrical panels. Never know when we will need some extra ammo. Let's get to rescuing people."

She takes point for T'risa unless something else is in mind. "Any emergency signals detected fro rescue?"

Leo shrugged, "We've met." It wasn't much but it explains a little more why their hampered host had selected himself as an ambassador of sorts.  His mindblade flashed into being and he began working on the door.  "Just how thick is this door?" his mind was going through schematics... a certain amount of armor and defensive matrix made most weapons more trouble than they are worth... but if the door was thick enough the wall to the side was more frequently the answer.  While just as shielded, sometimes beings forgot about all that.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:39, Fri 04 Oct 2013.

"Yes, Ma'am" Elsbeth intoned dutifully, her visor open for a moment as plans were made.  As soon as Balkiir popped the hatch on the weapon cache, the tall Praetorian marine dug into the armaments with gusto.  Stowing her laser carbine for the moment, she took two plasma rifles and a dozen reloads for good measure.

She only stopped for a moment to glance at her giant, blue male companion when he grabbed and brandished the plasma repeater.  "It suits you well, Friend Balkiir." she noted rather deadpan, "perhaps we will have to get matching ones someday."  As she spoke, the tall colonial marine powered up both rifles and checked the breach of each underslung grenade launcher before shouldering one of the rifles and holding the other at the ready; the light hum of generator and magnetic containment a comfort in her hands.

Taking the offered satchel from Balkiir, she inventoried the contents and then slung it over her other shoulder and across her chest, bandolier-style.  She started to follow the huge Valkiir male.  She'd only heard of Thunderhead some time back in boot camp - but had never been there or even seen the vids.  "Thunderhead would likely be too boring." Elsbeth noted off-hand.  She flexed the fingers on her left armoured gauntlets.  And then rather disconcertingly and despite the hard armoured exoskeleton, there was a faint popping noise as the knuckles cracked.

As they approached the hatch, her visor snapped shut, sealing itself and enabling the self-contained enviroment.  Her HUD reignited and painted the visor's surface with a cascade of augmented reality overlays.  Elsbeth's amplified - if slightly tinny - voice noted over the helmet speakers, "I was born ready, Friend Balkiir.  Or rather I was breed.  And then trained from birth to be ready..."  She appeared to be ready to go once more into the breach with a dear friend.