"No shooting without a get out of jail free card, understood," Billy gives a two-fingered salute to the commander, clearly thinking he's clever.  "Someone should probably intercept that Baxter retrieval too. Him and Charlie need medical attention more than Olsen's attention."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 971):

"I can send someone to handle that," the commander nods. "What else do you need before we sync our comms and go our separate ways?"

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 970):

"That's more than fair, Commander. And if you yourself want to join, that's fine by me."

He turns to look at the group.

"All right. We've got our squad here, bait, a ghost, a man on the inside, and a map of the facility. How do we want to do this?"

A thought occurs to Muse. He radios up to the doctor who worked on Baxter.

"Muse here. Do you have an update on Baxter's condition? If anyone asks, he's being held for observation and that order didn't come from me."

He picks up a replacement helmet for his suit.

In reply to Muse (msg # 973):

"Both Baxter and Charles are stable, but unconscious," the MD replies. "I don't understand a lot of the readings I'm getting from them, but I'm doing the best I can. I'm...not sure I can move them. Will anyone really believe they're both being held for observation in a suite with a hole in the floor?"

Sophia brings up a small hologram of the Depthcharge layout, manipulating data with increasingly-more-precise hand motions.

It feels so strange to be doing this manually, she remarks to nobody in particular. Muse, I note a distinct lack of scale to this map. Do we have any approximation of the dimensions of this facility? Cramped quarters will limit our efficacy and ability to contribute to a dynamically evolving situation by at least 59.8%.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:07, Tue 20 Dec 2016.

"I usually have a couple drinks before I start a dynamic situation in close quarters," Billy quips.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 976):

"And I take it distinct lack of scale is a problem for you too." Muse replies to Billy's remarkably helpful comment.

He gets Stence on the line. "Stence, can you get me dimensions to go with that map? We're going to escort the Doctor up to ask her some questions. And again, this is between you and me. We don't want to disturb the work down there or cause anyone undue concern. While you're at it, would you please check the monitors down there to see if you have a man with a makeshift crutch? I don't think I heard back from you on that. Where's the Doctor now?"

"Honestly I like a little meat on the bones, but I don't really have a preference," Billy takes Muse's jab in a completely different direction with the same flippant attitude he addressed Sophia's comment.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 978):

"Dimensions? I...geez, I don't even know where to find that. But it's huge, Muse. Really big. It's probably as big as that whole complex you're in. Maybe bigger. And I haven't seen anybody on crutches down here but I'll see what I can find out. I think Dr. Olsen went down to the genetics area, but I haven't seen her myself."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 979):

Your not helping! 

Nightmare rebukes the chains.

I've seen you write before... the poetry, can you write it out for me?

If not then we have to do this the hard way.

1. Olson, I assume its her abilities.  Does she have a talent she hasn't shown yet?  Does this talent revolve around mind control?

2. Does the datapad increase Olson's abilities?  Can the datapad stop Olson's abilities?

3. Does the facility have some sort of countermeasures that you know about?

4.  The everything else category... Is it

A.  Personnel at the location
B.  Research being performed at the location.
C.  Something or someone being stored at the location
D.  Something else?


This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Tue 20 Dec 2016.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 979):

"That's good, Stence, thank you. Sophia, that's as good as it gets til we're down there. If the plan is still to offer Nightmare to the Doctor, let's make final preparations. I'll call it in when we're ready."

"I'm telling you, short questions.  Yes or no, otherwise it's agony," Billy walks up behind Nightmare and then speaks at the floating chains, "You were all stressed about the datapad, we're opening it.  That's the key, right?" he looks down at Nightmare, "Can't you like psychic at it or something? If it starts spelling again we'll be here all day."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 982):

Trying... she grumbles under her breath... Stupid Olson shut him up permanently.  I've seen him write before maybe he can do that.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 983):

The chains rustle and rattle, once again striking each of the letters. If they can write, they do not demonstrate that power.

In reply to Strigoi (msg # 984):

Sophia falls silent as she concentrates on the datapad. Now that she knows there are dangers, it is easier to identify them...if not circumvent them.

There are more data wards embedded in these files, Sophia warns. Attempting to crack them without the proper care may result in corruption of the base files. I can, however, make multiple copies of the data, wards and all. We can turn our attentions to the files after our more...pressing concerns have been addressed.

She listens attentively to Stence's description of the size of the laboratory complex.

I see, she replies. In that case...please stand by for Titanfall. Incoming contact is a friendly, she informs the gathered group.

"Yes, copy everything.  Make sure she can see it's been copied if she looks at it.  If we can't get hard evidence of what she's done we can at least have a trump card to hold over her head," Billy replies.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 987):

Muse takes a seat on the floor and pulls the orb out again. He crosses his legs and closes his eyes. The orb begins to circle around him like it did before.

In reply to Muse (msg # 988):

Nightmare continues in the corner

Are you worried about Olson putting everyone to sleep?  Is there a way to stop the 'goo' that she gets from the air?

Skip the datapad for now... maybe we get more once we can open it up.

Do you know the location of the countermeasures?  Do you know their nature?  Does our group have the talents to neutralize them?

Are there others who are talented such as myself and Muse at the Depthcharge?  Do you know if they are likely to be hostile?  Will they fight?

Are there dangerous animals stored at the facility? 

Is there a weapon at the facility that we should be prepared for?

She takes a deep breath.

You are all over the map right now and without getting you calmed down we won't get anything out of you.

Is the single most important thing you are trying to warn us about

A. Olson and her datapad
B. Things at the depthcharge
C. Countermeasures
D. Something else.

You only get one.

As Nightmare starts rattling off questions Billy reaches over her shoulder to point at the chain on the left "Yes," then the one on the right, "No," he suggests.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 990):

Team 20 Questions

The chains rustle and rattle and try to play along with Billy's suggestion.

Are you worried about Olson putting everyone to sleep? (right)

Is there a way to stop the 'goo' that she gets from the air? (right and left)

Do you know the location of the countermeasures? (right)

Do you know their nature? (right and left)

Does our group have the talents to neutralize them? (right and left)

Are there others who are talented such as myself and Muse at the <i>Depthcharge?</i> (left)

Do you know if they are likely to be hostile?  (left)

Will they fight? (left)

Are there dangerous animals stored at the facility? (right and left)

Is there a weapon at the facility that we should be prepared for? (right and left)

Is the single most important thing you are trying to warn us about

A. Olson and her datapad
B. Things at the <i>Depthcharge
C. Countermeasures
D. Something else</i>

(The chains whack D)

Elsewhere

Abraxas begins its descent from low orbit, working its way toward the tunnel leading to the Docking Bay.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:52, Wed 21 Dec 2016.

"If this is sbout us saving you, I told you we'd deal with you after Olsen wasn't at large anymore.  We got the key, we're just having some trouble opening it," he waves at where Sophia's working.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 992):

The chains rattle angrily, then slam against the walls. After the outburst ebbs, the chains fall close to the floor and hang still.

"Yeah, yeah, agony," Billy shakes his head at the display.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 994):

The planning session continues, with some pouring over the map while others continue to question the increasingly irritated chains. Sometime along the way, Abraxas chirps an update: it has arrived at the Docking Bay.

The Siege of the Depthcharge is imminent.

~~ End Chapter 5 ~~
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:22, Wed 21 Dec 2016.