Recap & Disposition

Team Titan

Kayla grips the viewscreen of her tablet tightly with one hand, the fingers of her other dancing across it as her eyes narrow in concentration. The screen flickers, and her persistence is rewarded by an explosion of colors and sound effects.

"Gotcha!" she laughs, shaking an errant strand of hair from her eyes with jubilation. "I told you spawn-camping would be the death of you."

Barachiel, seated nearby and glued to a tablet of his own, merely shakes his head.

"Death is just a shot at a new beginning," he says stiffly. "Perhaps I should be thanking you for the opportunity."

You've experienced 6 such opportunities thus far, to your opponent's 0. I recommend applying the lessons you've learned in reverse.

The words appear in the chat box unbidden, the work of Kayla's bracer-bound AI, Madisyn. The font is somewhat different than what she had been used to, but with Dynamis ostensibly still locked away with Persephone and its remaining crew on Venus along with Gestalt, Susan Darling, and Wendy Tyndall, she'd learned to live with it for the time being.

Rebecca and Fiernas are on hand, as well, though they are supposed to be preparing for their first official stint in the research lab the next morning. Fiernas's cyberpups lounge nearby, eager for a thorough petting from anyone willing to do so.

***

Team Kamikaze

Faust's old flagship, Goethe, is en route to Titan under the command of his second, Captain Vasquez. It contains two particularly important passengers: a Roshak and a Lith. Their estimated arrival is still about a month away, barring any unforeseen complications.

Billy and Xander , working in tandem with Viceroy and the SAGE commander Dr. Pryor, successfully constructed an experimental plasma drive and installed it onto a SAGE transport. They now stand aboard this new vessel, accompanied by two SAGE employees: Bradford, a mechanic, and Whitney, a technician. Together, this four-person crew is completing its final preparations for leaving Martian airspace behind.

Dr. Pryor's flagship, the Dichotomy, and Viceroy's Factory vessel are standing by. While Dr. Pryor will not be able to keep up with the transport if the engine works as planned, the Factory's engine parameters remain a closely held mystery.

An important-looking crystal rests in one of Billy's many pockets. It calls itself Muse, and has expressed strong opinions regarding the use of jump rings to anyone willing to listen.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:49, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 1):

"Are you two ready for your big day tomorrow?" Kayla asks, flicking her eyes upward toward Fiernas and Rebecca. "Barachiel and I are still waiting to be given tasks of our own, so be sure to work twice as hard for us. In fact, you might want to sit down and blow off some steam first."

She motions to the remaining tablets, as though inviting others to join in the game.

The chat box blinks: Flux says: "What's the plan?"

Until the group gathers, Fiernas spends his time with the dogs.  Not playing or training, but something much more unusual.  He has taken a small metal package from his bag and unfurled it into a set of devices, looking like a cross between the inside of a computer and a tray of dentist's tools.  With a little coaxing, Leo pads over to where Fiernas sits and submits himself to being - very gently - poked and prodded with those tools while Fiernas studies the readouts on the machine carefully.

When Kayla calls them all for their covert tablet discussion, he gets right down to business.

<Nightmare, how'd you know that the video was a lie?>

“Looks like you’re driving,” Billy swats Xander’s arm before plopping himself into a seat that isn’t behind the wheel.  He gives a nod at Whitney “If you’re already getting hot and bothered this might not be the mission for you.”

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 4):

<I don't know.  I can't tell if its fake or not but it didn't feel right.  For lack of a better term.  I'm suspicious.  What parts do you think are fake?  Were the parts with me real?  I could barely recognize myself.

Also Dale and Scarlet appear to be augers.  Apex is more akin to Viceroy than she is an auger.  I think she was lying saying that the eyes are an affectation.  I think its like my albinism.  I wonder how she acquired her powers.

Fiernas what did you see?>

She physically winces as Barachial frags her at her spawn location.

One more time!  And I will dedicate myself to making sure you don't win!

Oh, and I asked Apex about her eye modifications, how she made them look that electric blue.  She is going to put me in touch with her person.  I... uhhh.... I think its time for a change...

She then types

<if this person exists.  I'm calling her bluff.>

<Forget what you saw in the video.  I smelled the real version of what happened.  Apex stinks of it.  Lots of important parts of that video are total lies.  You didn't swallow any Roshak.  Apex snuck onto the ship and fused Roshak power cells with her own body.  She's full auger.  Psychokinesis of some kind.  She used the dead Roshak as cadaver puppets to wipe out the rest of the board and then make it look like she stopped them after the fact.  The Roshak didn't draw first blood.  They came here in peace and she butchered them out of greed and spite.  This war is just them defending themselves and seeking justice for human aggression.>

<New rule for everyone: If Apex thinks something is dangerous, that's what we do.  If she thinks it's a bad idea, that's what we do.  If we can stall her research, we do it.  If we can hamstring this base, we do it.  And we absolutely have to find some way to talk to the Roshak.>

<Oh, and your boyfriend has a secret lab with some neat Roshak stuff in it.  He's a pretty bad kid.  I can access it, as long as there aren't any cameras watching.  We'll need to find out what the extent of their security pattern is like.>

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 6):

Kayla continues to play the game, though she misses a few easy shots while she's typing.

>> Flux says: "That's...terrible! I knew there was something off about that woman."

She lobs a frag grenade and hops over a barrier.

>> Flux says: "Don't take this the wrong way, but are your visions always accurate? There's no chance you're wrong about this? DAMMIT, did you SHOOT ME?!"

Kayla glares at Barachiel, who smiles and shrugs.

"You're gonna pay for that," she says aloud.

>> Flux says: "If Hadrian has information or equipment we could use, maybe we can get him to help us. Especially if date night goes well..."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:59, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 7):

Team Kamikaze

"Excuse me?" Whitney says, her eyes widening and her nostrils flaring a bit at Billy. "Excuse me?! Not the mission for me?!"

She puts one hand on her hip and wags the other's index finger at Billy to emphasize her points while she talks.

"I have been working on this project for my ENTIRE career. I am GOING to see whether or not it works in PERSON, even if it means driving us through a STAR. Is that clear?"

Her outburst concluded, she turns on her heel and heads over to the engine room.

"She, uh. Yeah. That's Whitney," Bradford says, watching the woman leave without making the slightest movement at following her. "She's better at working with tech than with people. She'll be fine. Don't, uh. Don't take it personally."

He glances over at Xander.

"So. Um. We gonna take off, chief, or what?"

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 8):

>> Ghost says: HE"S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!!!111

>>Ghost says: Is he genuinely bad or just misguided?  Kids come out of the accelerated program all kinds of screwed up.  Its designed to do that... something I've learned recently.  I'm hoping to get into the lab tonight. 

Rebecca picks up a grenade and attempts to throw at back over the barrier only to have her timing interrupted by Madisyn, the grenade blows up in her hand, killing her.

I hope thats not indicative of whats going to happen tonight...

>>Ghost says: I wonder what the larger implications are of the Roshak coming in peace vs. what we have heard and seem from the Amgine.  I'm getting more concerned about our pact with Roy...

>>Ghost says: Flux is right, we don't have a large enough sample size to determine the %veracity of your senses without further information.  Do you know how accurate your sense are.  Anecdotally? 

<You ever walked into a house and smelled them cooking spaghetti, but it turns out they were actually making lasagna?  It's accurate down to that level.  I trust my sense the way that you trust your eyes.  Doesn't mean it can't be fooled, but it would take really special skills and even then it would be a major mindfuck.  I've got 30 years of sample size on this, day in and day out.>

Fiernas's character happily snipes Kayla from across the map, then displaces to a new location.

<If somebody chops at me with an axe, I don't care if he's evil or misguided, I just fight back.  The shit this kid is doing ain't good.  You wanna try to rehab him?  Fine.  But we're talking brainwash psycho slavery stuff here... Don't get stars in your eyes.>


<I get the sense that the Roshak don't take shit from anyone, but they're happy to coexist with worthy civs.  Worthy meaning strong, reliable, real chest bumpy stuff.  But you bare teeth at em, theyre coming for you.>

He snipes Kayla again moments after her respawn.

"Get it together, girlfriend," he taunts her out loud.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 10):

Team Kamikaze

Xander plops down into the pilot's seat and activates the warm-up sequence. Sophia's voice echoes around the ship.

Integration complete. Shall we?

Xander nods, adjusts the controls, and the transport rumbles to life.

The ship has no trouble breaking free of Martian airspace, and Xander can immediately tell the difference in throttle between the current engine and those he's controlled in the past. Unlike the last time the team used a plasma drive, which involved the press of a button and unimaginable acceleration, this time there's no on/off switch. The drive is fully integrated.

The overall effect is a ship that moves much more quickly, but it responds somewhat slower to the steering. This, Xander quickly learns, will takes some getting used to.

OOC: This ship is difficult to pilot. Pilots suffer -2CS to their piloting rolls until they've spent a cumulative 40 hours behind the controls.

I've finished checking the systems. Everything looks good.

Dr. Pryor and Viceroy both call to wish you good luck, with the latter saying he'll meet you there and the former reminding you once more to send over any data regularly.

With that accomplished, all that's left to do is punch it.

Setting a course to Titan? Sophia asks aloud. Or did you want to go somewhere else first? As of this moment, we're the fastest ship in the sector. There are possibilities before us...

[Crossroads - Billy, Xander]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:16, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

“Please don’t drive us through a sun!” Billy shouts playfully after Whitney before waving off Bradford’s explanation, “Then she’ll get along great with the pilot, he talks to technology all the time,” he grins, looking at Xander sidelong.

When Viceroy and Pryor say their goodbyes Billy perks up, “Yeah, okay, bye mom and dad,” he says, waving at the display dismissively.  Then he leans forward and sends a message to the Dichotomy, Pryor, if you’re interested in being part of that business I proposed during the peace summit lunch I was hoping you could do me a favor.  My ship, the Persephone, should show up near Venusian space or past Ceres on the way to the center, if you could get SAGE to keep an ear out and let me know if you find my ship I’d appreciate it.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 11):

Fiernas’ screen goes red and shows ghost with a knife standing over him.

Watch your back

She says primly. She has suddenly changed tactics favoring stealth and up close knife work it proves effective as she brutally latches onto the other two players in rapid succession

>>ghost says: can you elaborate on Hadrian?  Did he do something or is it a sense you get.  What do you mean slavery stuff?  I’ll need your help identifying cameras. Let’s get a map of the facility and superimpose a map of the cameras on it.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 13):

...

<spotting cameras can be tricky, depending on the tech.  But I should be able to find some.  Let's assume that every square inch of this place is covered.>

<Hadrian has a Roshak artifact.  Secret.  He can use it to hijack your mind, your motor functions.  Control you like a puppet.  And he uses it. That bad enough for you?>
This message was last edited by the player at 16:32, Tue 12 Dec 2017.

Billy sits back in his seat, then makes an uncomfortable face and digs into one pocket, “This thing’s digging into my butt, you hold it,” he declares before lobbing a fist-sized purple stone at Xander.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 16):

An avatar breaks from stealth and shortly afterword is shot in the head by Madisyn.

Nightmare takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, pulsing out of phase as she does so.

>> Ghost has disconnected.

She sets down the data pad and looks at her hands in her lap.

I'm done playing for now.  I have to get ready.  She sniffs and heads towards the bathroom

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 17):

Team Kamikaze


Xander has no trouble catching the gem, perhaps more by reflex than anything else.

(Still awaiting input on destination from Xander. And Billy, for that matter :P)
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:11, Tue 12 Dec 2017.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 18):

The purple stone hisses what sounds like a soft sigh of relief as it flies through the air.

The helm becomes much more intuitive to Xander.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:02, Wed 13 Dec 2017.

Xander cracks a smile. Yeah, but I still haven't figured out if it makes me more or less crazy when the technology actually talks back.

He nods to Whitney.

If you have a mind for mechanics, we're going to get along just fine. Strap in everybody.

Xander activates the drive slowly, providing consistent pressure as the engine spins up.

In game, Fiernas quickly loots Ghost's corpse, then moves on.

<She met the kid for 20 minutes.  She'll get a grip.>

<The more we can learn about their security coverage, the better.>

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 21):

Team Kamikaze

Xander points the still-unnamed vessel in the general direction of what he hopes is Titan (Sophia helps a bit with this), and the group blasts off toward the unknown...

The plasma drive works like a charm, hurtling through space at a rapid clip.

OOC: You have just shy of 2 weeks to spend in the shuttle. Anything you want to accomplish en route? This would qualify as "down time" for karma purposes.

Billy seems to zone out when the ship gets underway but after a while he starts making small talk with Bradford, asking what he's spent his entire career doing.  If Whitney warms up he's willing to chat with her as well about what an entire career spent on one engine is like.  As the hours turn to days he gently pries at the two SAGE employees about their knowledge and experience with other SAGE tech, and anything he can get them to mention about how it works.  He's especially curious about the energy dissipation field from the guest rooms and hints at some of the tech from the Venus raid while trying not to spill his guts about everything he's seen.  Whenever conversations wind down he's more than happy to sit in complete silence for long stretches, staring into space.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 23):

Kayla calmly guides her avatar toward a power-up.

>> Flux says: I agree, but I'm not sure how knowing we're being constantly watched helps us in terms of doing things we're not supposed to do.

<I'm not saying we ARE being watched everywhere, just that until we know where the gaps are, let's assume the worst.  When we learn what's actually covered, then we can work around it, or disable it.>

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 24):

Kaylaaaaaaaaaa

The plaintiff whine comes from the bathroom.

Kayla sighs and runs into the bathroom. There are hurried sounds of voices and a flurry of activity.
finally nightmare emerges wearing very light makeup But very noticeable makeup due to her pale skin and her hair pulled back in a clean but simple pony tail.

She hops around on one foot putting her boots on and brushes off her coat to freshen it up



Kayla puts her hands on her shoulders looking her up and down. After an appraising look and a thumbs up Nightmare stalks out of the room.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 26):

Kayla returns to the room, shaking her head as Rebecca stalks out.

"I don't know why she thought I was a makeup artist, but I did my best."

Kayla raises an eyebrow.

"I'm not even sure where she GOT makeup. Anyway, where were we...?"

She slides back into her seat and glances at the tablet screen.

>> Flux: That's a rational thought. She's a bottle of irrational hormones, though. We don't have the years it normally takes people to get used to it. We may have to step in to do what needs to be done when the time comes.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:10, Thu 14 Dec 2017.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 27):

Team Kamikaze

The voyage is pleasant and uneventful, for a change. Bradford and even Whitney prove to be fair companions on the journey, although they mostly want to either work or play an ancient card game called Pazaak.



By the time the trip ends, anyone who bothered to play this with them has become quite good at it.

After about 2 weeks, Sophia directs Xander to reduce the transport's speed. When he does so, the view outside stabilizes enough that you can finally see more than just the glow of stars and the dominating view of Saturn and its majestic rings. Also worth noting, your Archive access at this distance from Earth is so weak here that it's practically non-existent.

A hazy orb known as Titan can be seen in the (relative) distance -- certainly, it's the closest celestial body to your present location. You could likely make landfall today if you pushed it. Nearby, a fleet of sturdy-looking ships is holding the line against a pair of massive, egg-shaped vessels that pulse periodically with blue energy that looks an awful lot like Roshak tomfoolery.

The Goethe is not present, so far as I can tell, Sophia supplies. We have beaten them here! Although...that's strange...

A portion of the viewport zooms in, and a digital outline surrounds one vessel in particular. It doesn't take long to see why Sophia has brought this one to your attention, as it looks quite familiar by now.

The Factory! Viceroy beat US here, too, she observes. Should we hail him?
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:11, Thu 14 Dec 2017.

Billy narrows his eyes and takes a deep breath, letting it out through his nose with clear annoyance, "I'm going to shoot him.  I'm going to find something I'm sure will hurt, and shoot him with it.  Yes, hail the duplicitous bastard," Billy grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest and screwing up his face to be distinctly grumpy.

Reading Kayla's last message, Fiernas pauses the game and looks up.  "Have you ever put down an animal?  One that was sick, or wounded, or rabid?  The first time, it hurts.  It feels wrong.  Like you should be helping this thing, saving it.  Protecting it, and here you are, doing the opposite.  It hurts a little less each time, and eventually you realize that there's nothing wrong with it.  It's necessary.  They die so that they're not a danger to the rest of us.  We're all running this race together, but there comes a time when you can't keep up, and it's best to make your goodbyes as clean as you can.  Miss them later, but do what you have to do."

He self-consciously rubs Leo's ears while he talks, the dog blissfully accepting the affection.  "You get me?" he finishes.

He stands abruptly, putting together some of his gear.  "Come on, let's go check this place out.  I want to see what we're working with."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 30):

Team Kamikaze

Billy waits impatiently for the communications console to respond, but it takes a bit longer than you're used to for the connection to be joined.

"I'm not getting a response," Sophia announces. "It's possible we're being scrambled or jammed, or that something was damaged during transit. Or that the Factory was damaged in the firefight, I suppose."

***

Team Titan

"I have some experience with that, unfortunately. It's never pleasant, even when it's necessary.

Kayla gathers some gear, then follows Fiernas out into the hallways.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 31):

Nightmare squares her shoulder and walks down the hall towards the mess hall.  She briefly stops and looks back at the door.

I left Percy inside... I should bring him with!

She remains frozen in the hallway briefly torn between the comforting world with her doll and the new scary experiences that await in the mess hall.

He... doesn't need to see this.

She says aloud to noone in particular.  With a sigh she continues into the unknown.

"We should only be so lucky." Billy grumbles, "You guys are doing diagnostic things right?" he asks Bradford and Whitney, "Does anything look broken?"  He huffs regardless of their response, "Tempted to go out there and bang on his stupid door.  What do you say, fearless leader?"

Let's get closer, Xander says, adjusting the heading. If we're being jammed, short range burst transmissions might still make it through. Though that Roshak fleet isn't promising.

Dumb question: is that actually the Factory, or another similar Amgine vessel?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Fri 15 Dec 2017.

"I would really rather not fathom the implications of more Amgine in our sector, especially without the rest of our guys in tow," Billy replies uneasily.

Only one way to find out, Xander replies, increasing the throttle. Keep trying to hail them, Soph.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:00, Fri 15 Dec 2017.

In reply to Xander (msg # 36):

Team Kamikaze

"I thought Viceroy was a friend and ally," Bradford remarks, his expression one of curiosity. "I mean, Dr. Pryor seemed to trust him. And you guys, too. Even if he is more eccentric than most people I've met."

Xander is able to pilot the ship pretty close the the Factory without any change in their luck regarding communications.

If he wants to actually pull up alongside it or attempt to dock with it by aligning hatches, that will require a piloting check.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:14, Fri 15 Dec 2017.

“He’s an alien spy who has conspired to establish some kind of interstellar politics without going through recognized channels to do it.  He says he’s a friend and has our best interests in mind, but I don’t trust him as long as he’s keeping cards off the table.  If he could’ve gotten us here faster than your new engine there’s no reason he couldn’t’ve volunteered that info.” Billy clarifies for those new to the situation.

"Barachiel, why don't you come with?  We're 80 miles straight down from where we traveled, I think you can stretch it another few hundred yards."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 39):

"That kind of assumption has gotten me in trouble before," the man replies. Still, he rises and gathers a few things. "But I am very, very bored of sitting around in this room. I shall come with you."

He pauses mid-stride.

"Where are we going, again?"

"Just taking a walk around.  I want to see what's up with these new keycards.  If we happen to run into Rebecca and keep her from going even more nuts, even better."

He leaves, Kayla and Barachiel presumably in tow, the dogs bounding ahead of them.

OOC: What can we access now?  Is there a list we can have IC or OOC?

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 41):

Team Kamikaze

Your hails to the Factory continue to go unanswered, even as you approach a much closer proximity. The ship isn't quite stationary, but it's not really moving either -- it's simply bobbing along in the ocean that is the void, allocating no power whatsoever to its engines so far as you can tell.

Team Titan

Fiernas, Kayla, and Barachiel venture out into the hallways, following Fiernas's lead. They don't run into anyone else in the hallways of the guest room, though this may change if they attempt to leave their designated area.

Fiernas leads the group confidently down the halls, having explored enough to know the layout of the base fairly well.  He trades small jokes with Kayla as they go and probes Barachiel for more details about his abilities and where he comes from.


At one point in the hall, Leo begins growling in the back of his throat.  Not in anger, necessarily, but definitely communicating in low, agitated tones.  Fiernas turns to see what's the matter.  No sooner has he stopped than Leo lashes out with his front paw at the wall of the corridor.  His huge claw rakes the wall, leaving a single deep score mark in the metal.  With that, he jumps into the hair, spinning around as if playing a game, tongue lolling out happily.

"Leo!" Fiernas admonishes him without sting.  "What are you doing?  Stop breaking everything around us."

The group continues on, making for the Rec Room to get a workout in before work begins.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:39, Tue 19 Dec 2017.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 43):

Team Kamikaze

"Nobody's home, or they're ignoring us," Bradford says, staring at the Factory as the transport approaches it. "Are we going to dock, or continue onward toward Titan?"

Whitney nods, and gestures toward the moon.

"That's the point, right? You wanted to warn someone about something? We already know the engine works. Let's deliver the message and get out of here before that fleet notices us."

Team Titan

Fiernas leads Kayla, Barachiel, and the dogs along the hallways, eventually reaching the recreation room. This room is distinct from the smaller gym, which is filled with exercise equipment. Instead, this room is mostly empty, containing smooth floors that can be programmed with different patterns to support a large number of different sports and similar activities. There is nobody currently using the facility, so the lights snap on as you enter.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:50, Tue 19 Dec 2017.

Fiernas accesses the room's controls, calling up the scheme for a large handball court.  "Hey, fellas!" He jogs over to the door as the room arranges itself.  He calls down through the doorway to a couple of passing scientists.  "Want a game of handball?  We could use a sixth."  As explanation he waves to the other two humans and two dogs currently milling around in the room.  Leo yips happily.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:24, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 45):

Team Titan

One of the figures stops suddenly, then turns to regard Fiernas. As both are wearing full-body suits and helmets (they look a bit like ultra-thin EVA suits), you're unable to make out the expression on either.

"I'm afraid I don't have time for handball at the moment," the figure who was in front of the other says. "Maybe another time?"

**

Team Kamikaze

We should certainly do something Sophia's voice echoes through the ship. But there are many variables to consider.

"If Viceroy's already whispering in Braeburn's ear there might not be anything for us to tell them, we should dock and find out what the big idea is," Billy volunteers an option.

I agree with Billy, Xander says. If we walk into Titan without getting answers on that front, we're going to be dangerously uninformed.

Xander expertly manipulates the controls, bringing the large transport in to dock with the all the grace you'd normally only expect of a starfighter.

[Piloting: Success]

In reply to Xander (msg # 49):

Team Kamikaze


Xander expertly nestles the transport alongside the Factory's hatch, though the faintest hint of purple can be seen behind his eyes at several points in the process. In short order, the console indicates that the hatches are aligned and pressurized.

"I'm staying aboard the ship," Whitney says. "I'd hate for something to happen to the engine because nobody was minding it."

I am capable of being in two places at once, you know, Sophia announces. But if you'd like to stay, I don't mind the company.

Whitney folds her arms.

"I said I'm staying."

Bradford glances over at her, shrugs, and struggles to put on an EVA suit from the equipment locker.

"Not me," Bradford says. "I saw what Viceroy did to the engine. His technology must be amazing! I want to see his ship first-hand."

He walks over to the hatch, but waits for Billy or Xander to take the lead before following them through.

"You're not...actually going to shoot him, right?" he asks Billy. "That was just a playful expression?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:20, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

Billy slips on his own EVA and walks to the hatch. "How playful I feel depends a lot on Viceroy at this point," he responds to Bradford, not sounding incredibly playful at the moment, before pounding the button to open the hatch.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:59, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

Fiernas flashes a wolfish grin as he approaches the two men, hand extended in enthusiastic greeting.  "Not a problem, not a problem.  You do you.  But let me tell you, you don't want to miss the opportunity to see my boys play ball.  I'm not exaggerating when I say they're the best team sport animals you'll ever lay eyes on."

He grabs the timidly-extended hands of the scientists, shaking them vigorously.  "Skanderbeg, nice to meetcha.  If I recognize the getup, you and I might be working together very soon."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 52):

Kayla yelps inside the handball court.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 53):

Kayla blinks, looks down for a moment, then walks over toward where Fiernas is introducing himself to the two scientists.

"We're probably ok with four," she says, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, look at the size of the court. Playing with six would be a nightmare."

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 54):

Team Kamikaze

Billy marches into the Factory without a backward glance, though the heavy footfalls behind him indicate that Bradford has opted to follow along. Xander is (ostensibly) not far behind.

The interior of the Factory looks familiar, but Viceroy appears to have been busy since the last time you were here. The tables are still strewn with components and the half-pipe arena is intact, but there is a long line of half-assembled battlesuit components along one wall, all set upon various mannequins in varying states of assembly.

No one appears to be on this floor, though there is a lift tube toward the center that would ostensibly lead you elsewhere.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 55):

The smaller of the two small figures nods at Kayla's suggestion

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 55):

Muse spills orchid-colored radiance into the chamber's dark corners. The same hue pools in the whites of Xander's eyes.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:25, Thu 28 Dec 2017.

"The hell...Viceroy!" Billy shouts at the empty factory, "Okay, not what I expected.  Uh...I guess we hack the lift?" he walks over to the tube and pokes at the controls, doubting he has access to the alien vessel but unable to resist trying anyway.

"All right, all right," Fiernas laughs the situation off.  "I can tell a nooner when I see one.  Go do your thing.  But once the bumping is done, make sure you put the same energy into your work.  We've got a lot of Roshak killing to be doing."

He lets the suited figures retreat down the hallway, then heads back into the court with Kayla and the others.  "What did the kid say?" he asks in low tones to Kayla, making sure not to be overheard.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 59):

Team Kamikaze

Billy fiddles with the touchscreen and, to no surprise, is unable to make much sense of it. There's a button that seems intended to open the lift tube, but pressing it pops up a box that requires a keycode.

***

Team Titan

"She wasn't specific," Kayla replies quietly. "It was essentially charades with her doll. I think she wants us to quietly follow them to wherever they're going."

Billy attempts to enter his password from the near earth hub, and if unsuccessful, several other potential codes, ”Did Viceroy ever give you his secret elevator code?” Billy shouts absently, probably addressing Xander.

"Finally, something that I'm really good at."  A whistle brings the dogs to heel.  "Their trail is so fresh I could follow it blind."

Back in the hall, the two suited figures nowhere in sight, Fiernas strolls down the hall with feigned casualness.  He seems to know exactly where he's going, and he's in no hurry to catch up to the others.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 62):

Percy appears in the middle of the group, surrounded on all sides by the dogs and group members, tugs on Fiernas' pants and does an exaggerated leisurely stroll... then disappears.

"There's something really unsettling about being told something that you already know," Fiernas gripes to the others.  His hand tightens around the pistol grip of his shotgun.  He doesn't change pace.

I don't think so? I'm...very confused. Sophia, can we get any kind of ID thumbprint on any of the systems in here?

In reply to Xander (msg # 65):

Team Kamizake

Sophie performs a quick scan while the others look around.

This access panel is coded in Solese, she observes. Give me a moment...

15 seconds later -- precisely 1 moment -- the panel beeps and the lift tube doors slide open invitingly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:11, Thu 28 Dec 2017.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 66):

"Did no one else find that...thing... unsettling?"

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 67):

"It's just Percy," Kayla shrugs in reply. She follows along behind Fiernas as casually as possible.

The group rounds a bend and finds itself in a long, empty hallway that seems completely unremarkable.

"That's...we weren't that far behind them," she frowns. "What now?"

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 68):

Team Titan

Kayla and Barachiel are standing in an empty hallway behind Fiernas and the pups. This hallway has no doors along either wall, and simply extends forward for a ways before reaching a T junction.

The pups seem drawn toward the right-hand side of the hallway...


***

Team Kamikaze

Purple light flickers behind Xander's eyes -- testament to the power of the gemstone in his pocket -- and Sophia perks up.

Fascinating. The layout and structure of this floor is similar to Viceroy's Factory, but there are notable distinctions. The battlesuits off to the side, in particular, lack the nuance of Viceroy's designs. And the arena does not contain the scouring marks left by his previous attempts at perfecting his Enforcers.

Bradford glances over at Billy, who is still standing near the now-open lift tube. The man is clearly somewhat unnerved by the disembodied voice of Sophia, but his general excitement at this treasure trove of tech is helping him overcome it.

"So maybe he didn't get here first?" he asks at last. "Then whose ship is this?"

I can't rule it out entirely, of course, but it's looking increasingly unlikely that this is the Factory we're familiar with.

***

Team Date Night

Things continue to occur.

"Oh I am definitely going to shoot him," Billy grumbles as he steps into the lift, "Who's coming?" he looks at the other two impatiently.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 70):

Three pulses of purple light emanate through the fabric of Xander's suit.

In reply to Muse (msg # 71):

Team Kamikaze

"I'm...is there more stuff up there?" Bradford asks. He's having a difficult time tearing his eyes away from all the goodies on this particular floor. "I'll...yeah, I'll go with you."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 69):

Totally innocent children continue to be totally innocent...
This message was last edited by the player at 18:53, Thu 28 Dec 2017.

"I feel like the alternative is it's an elevator to space, and that seems stupid," Billy says with an exasperated shrug.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 74):

Team Kamikaze

Bradford blinks, as though that particular thought hadn't occurred to him.

"I just mean, uh, we found somebody's workshop, right? And it has all this stuff in it. We might find whoever owns it up there, and they might not be happy to see us."

He frowns, then raises his eyebrows as the bits about shooting seem to register.

"Oh."

Bradford walks over to a table, grabs the nearest thing that looks like it might be a gun, tucks something else that might be a melee weapon into his belt -- awkwardly, and in a manor that will inhibit motion -- and then follows Billy to the tube.

"Ready when you are!"

Billy looks Bradford up and down after he arms himself, "Just...stay behind me and don't do anything I'll regret."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 76):

Somewhere in the ship a girl shoves a foot well and truly down her own throat.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 77):

Nothing to see here.

In reply to Hadrian (msg # 78):

Team Kamikaze

"Of course!" Bradford says, giving perhaps the worst salute you've ever seen and puffing up his chest by sucking in his ample gut. "You can count on me!"

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 79):

A long burst of light issues from Xander's gem.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Fri 29 Dec 2017.

In reply to Muse (msg # 80):

Team Kamikaze

Bradford gets an odd look in his eyes, and turns toward Xander.

"What's that, in your pocket?" he says, glancing down at the source of the purple glow. "Can I see it?"

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 81):

Please move along sir.

"It's an alien intelligence from outside of space and time," Billy says as if it is the most mundane thing in the world, "Hey, you gonna hack this thing to go up, or you staying here?" he shouts Xander's way.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 83):

Everything's fine. Nothing is ruined.

In reply to Hadrian (msg # 84):

Ruined was never even an option.  What are you talking about?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:07, Fri 29 Dec 2017.

...Yeah. Yeah, on the way. Xander follows, distracted. This definitely isn't the Factory. So how is there an Amgine ship here that Viceroy didn't know about. If he knew he had allies in the sector, he would have acted differently.

[OOC - I'll give Muse to Bradford if Muse consents]

In reply to Xander (msg # 86):

Team Kamikaze

Xander fishes the purple gem out of his pocket and hands it to Bradford, who cradles the gem carefully in both hands. You could swear you see him hop giddily from side to side, from one foot to the other, as he holds the gem aloft. It's possible he whispers something involving the word precious.

A purple gleam flickers from the gem, mirrored in Bradford's eyes.

"Wooooah," he says reverently.


After hearing Xander's assent, Billy enters the lift tube, followed closely behind by his allies.

The door slides shut smoothly, and the disc that serves as the floor whisks you upward in a matter of seconds. The door slides upward again, and Billy, Bradford, and Xander exit into a room that is somehow even stranger than the one they left behind.

The most significant difference is that this room is dark -- entirely unlit by artificial lights.

That's not to say there's nothing to see, for ample illumination is provided in bursts as energy weapons tear across your field of vision. Fortunately, those weapons are being discharged outside, in the void of space...

...which you abruptly realize you're able to observe from here. A vast starscape stretches out in all directions, and while the light these stars provide is feeble, it is sufficient to puncture the room's darkness somewhat between blasts.

The walls and ceiling (but not the floor) are transparent, allowing this area to act as an enormous viewing room or perhaps even an over-sized cockpit. There aren't any obvious tables or chairs, but the floor is by no means a flat, featureless expanse -- instead, there are many lumps, humps, cylinders, and other sorts of fixtures scattered around, their use not readily apparent.

Several U-shaped banks of computers and other equipment dot the room's perimeter, while the center of the room houses an elaborately raised dais upon which has been embedded a manhole cover-sized chunk of dark, glass-like material.

There is no obvious presence in the room beyond yourselves.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:04, Fri 29 Dec 2017.

"Elevator to space it is," Billy says, sounding amused.  He flicks on the lights on his helmet after a few flashes of the weapons outside convince him the strobing illumination isn't good enough.  He sweeps his illumination across the room to take it all in and points at the banks of probably computers, "Xander, can you talk to those at all?" before he gets an answer Billy walks over to the raised dais, "Can I talk to you at all?" he says playfully as he looks down at the chunk of material in its center.  There is a pause before he steps up on it and looks around expectantly.  He nudges it with one boot and then bends down to tap it experimentally with his exposed hand, "Hey Bradford, bring the space rock up here."

"Shit," Fiernas hisses.  He pauses for only the briefest of heartbeats before filling his right hand with his shotgun.  "They're in the wall.  There's a secret compartment there, Hadrian's special little lab.  He's got some nasty tech in there.  Roshak stuff, evil mind control.  Talk if we can. I'd rather not fight anyone or kill the kid, but if push comes to shove, go.  We fire and their security will be all over us.  We'll have to rush for the spaceport, fight our way there.  Not good chances, but they're better if we're fast.  Save the girl.  I'll get Hadrian."

He approaches the wall along the side of the hallway.  With his free hand he reaches out to a seemingly-random part of the wall and - placing his fingers carefully - turns a concealed control surface.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 89):

As soon as the concealed surface clicks Percy appears infront of the wall.  Shaking his head vigorously, pointing down the corridor and jumping up and down.

Fiernas freezes, eyes flicking from Percy and along the hall in both directions, alert.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 91):

Percy holds one hand, palm out at chest level, then extends both arms flicking the backs of his hands down the hall.

The door starts moving and he buries his head in his hands and slumps against a wall shaking his head, then disappears.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:22, Sun 31 Dec 2017.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 92):

Team Titan


Percy does not appear until after Fiernas has already completed the activation process on the door, and even though the tracker dutifully freezes in response to the strange apparition, the door is already in motion -- there's no going back.

Team Date Night

There are reactions to this before the door opens.


Team Titan

The wall opens from the ground upward. From the hallway, you can hear a flurry of motion from the other side on the wall (well, door, at this point). A male voice is muttering something, and you hear some distinct snaps and clicks.

Your first impression of the room is that it's rather small -- maybe a 20-foot cubbyhole, with a ceiling that can't be more than 6 feet. There is a groove about three feet above the floorline running along the three walls of the room that aren't part of the doorway, which creates a short of shelving space in which books, binders, and equipment are placed. It's clear that each has its place. The only furniture consists of two angular chairs that look to be made of the same material as the floor itself. It's possible they can be raised or lowered from the ground, based on their placement.

The most interesting part of the room is the section of this groove directly opposite from the doorway: two blue gems, fist-sized, rest on tiny pedestals, resting on either side of a dark, glass-like plate that rests between them. The gems provide the room's only light, faint and weak.

Of course, most eyes would be drawn to the room's occupants -- two figures looking more or less identical to those who passed by the recreation room earlier. Both are dressed in thin, full-body suits with gloves and boots. One is wearing a misaligned helmet that looks hastily jammed into place. This one is picking themself up off the floor while simultaneously pulling up the outfit's front zipper to the neckline.

The second figure is standing between the opening doorway and the one still standing up, facing the new arrivals. This one is just lowering their hands from their helmet, having clearly just snapped it back into place.

By the time the door finishes opening, the standing figure's hands have lowered to their sides, and one is clenched into a fist.

~~ Team Date Night Has Merged with Team Titan ~~

"...you?!" the standing figure says in a clipped voice that filters out through the helmet. "What are you...how did you..."

The figure turns toward their companion and jabs a finger in Fiernas's direction.

"What're they doing here?!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:02, Sun 31 Dec 2017.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 93):

Kayla, who drew her rifle at Fiernas's command, levels it in the first figure's direction. She seems content to let someone else handle the talking, however.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 94):

"Oh," Barachiel breathes, his eyes going milky white. "The peril...is near."

He glances down the hallway toward the T-junction, then back into the secret chamber.

"There is more than one danger here," he says quietly.

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 95):

Team Kamikaze

Bradford gasps from within the lift tube, then stumbles out to follow Billy and Xander. He stops short, apparently overwhelmed by the spectacle around him.

After giving the room 360-degree look-see -- mouthing the word 'wow' the entire time -- he stops abruptly and looks down at his hands. Purplish light gleams in his eyes, and you can see his flabby musculature sharpen dramatically.

"Yes," he murmurs. "I have it with me. I can...that is, I...what? Oh!"

Bradford's eyes continue to glow with purple light. He looks over at the dais, then down at the ground beneath his feet, which he shuffles nervously.

"I think...I mean...guys? I have a bad feeling about this."

He points at the lift tube.

"I'm...I think we should lock that down. Keep it up here."

Bradford does not blink, and the purple light is beginning to become unnerving.

"We won't be alone for long."

"You're not alone now."

The voice burbles outward from the glass dias, which is now lit with a strange, hazy light from within. It looks a bit like a marble filled with lights and gases.

"Was not expecting company. Why are you here?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:09, Sun 31 Dec 2017.

"Huh," Billy answers, staring down at the glowing dais, "We were just a bit curious what the fuck you think you're doing here."  He plants his fists on his hips as the looks between his feet, "One uninvited Amgine is more than I appreciate, how many of you assholes are in our system?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 97):

Team Kamikaze

"Our biology is such that the only 'assholes' here are yours."

The gas and lights within the glass swirl lazily.

"This sector is in danger of falling into Roshak or Lithic control. Amgine presence here is proactive. Your presence aboard this ship, however, is not."

The lights along the dais brighten slightly.

"Return to your leader, human. Tell Apex that nothing has changed. To hold the course. And remind her how little we think of these impromptu visits. Protocols exist to be observed. Are we clear?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:35, Sun 31 Dec 2017.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 93):

The figure on the ground finishes putting themselves together, heavily lurches to their feet and walks over to the other figure placing a hand on his shoulder and running it down to unclench his fist, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.


The second figure takes a step infront of the first and stands arms akimbo, a familiar, but clipped, voice comes out over the speakers.  You can't discern any emotion through the masking.

What the hell?!  I told you I was ok... I told YOU to be cool.  This is decidedly NOT cool.

She points at Kayla then Fiernas in turn.  When Barachiel makes his proclamation she rushes to him.

Do you know where they are?  I assume that one is here... the other is down the hall? 

She turns back to Hadrian walking towards him in silence.

"Does your biology have genitals?  Because I'd appreciate an opportunity to kick them right now." Billy points at Xander, "My chain of command was recently abbreviated. He's my leader and I don't know who Apex is. And I don't appreciate your snarky attitude.  We are proactively trying to stop the Roshak and Lith from declaring war on our species because of whatever happened on that stupid moon," Billy raises his finger toward the transparent dome above them to indicate Titan, "We didn't expect to see a fucking Amgine unaccounted for by your two-faced Viceroy and so I repeat, what exactly are you doing here?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 100):

Team Kamikaze

A burst of purple light flares outward from Bradford's eyes, and his pudgy stature changes dramatically. His ample gut retreats somewhat as his chest, arms, and legs expand. Coils of muscle swirl into place, looking first like purple outlines and then solidifying into what appears to be actual muscle mass.

The light fades somewhat, though the whites of his eyes still betray a slight glow, like a blacklight.

Bradford puts a hand to his head, shakes it slightly. and murmurs.

"Yes...yeah, that makes sense."

He walks over to the lift tube and presses a series of buttons on the panel. The door slides open and stays that way, such that the elevator's disc is visibly on this floor.

Once this is accomplished, he walks over toward where Billy and the dais are speaking.

"You have been discourteous and violent. Why would your opinion of my attitude interest me?" the dais burbles. "If you stand against the Roshak and the Lith, as all sentient species must, then we are allies whether you know it or not."

The gas and lights flicker in a strange sequence that seems to contain a pattern, though you're unable to quite grasp what it might be.

"Viceroy has his orders, and I have mine. What Roy has seen fit to keep private is not mine to disclose. Nor yours."

The lights around the dais grow dimmer.

"Do not play language games with me. You may answer to your silent leader, but he ultimately answers to Apex. All humans do. That you have not been made privy to this is unsurprising, given your brashness. Leaders do not share all things with their subordinates."

At this point, Bradford steps slightly ahead of Billy and spreads his newly massive arms toward the dais.

"You, uh, you should lock down your lift tube," he says, glancing backward to make sure the platform is still there (it is). "I'm...pretty sure something is coming. Something bad. If the tube's up here, we'll have more time to prepare for them."

"Do not presume to issue orders to me, human. It is not you place."

The purple gleam in Bradford's eyes intensifies.

"I see a towering humanoid dressed in...in platemail. Runic armor, with sleek, modern angles. I see a sword. Fire. Screaming."

He glances back at the lift tube and lowers his voice.

"And death."

The lift tube's lights flick over to red almost immediately, and the lights around the dais intensify.

"So, the Lith have come at last. Your presence here has a purpose, after all: you were sent to assist with the defense of this vessel. Ready yourselves. I shall direct the coming battle. And then we shall discuss the proper protocol for these situations in the future."
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:32, Mon 01 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 101):

Team Titan

"There are tests to confirm that," the first figure says, still speaking to the one behind him. "In any case, that would have little bearing on the present situation. Your tracker, zoologist, bodyguard has stumbled into something he shouldn't have."

He glances at Barachiel, cocking his helmeted head to one side.

"When you say he can detect danger, what do you mean? Danger is relative. Does he detect it relative to him, or to others? Or some mixture of the two?"

Hadrian's curled fist relaxes slightly at Rebecca's touch, but he does not appear mollified.

"This location has been compromised! I'll have to move everything..."

He huffs a sigh.

"What's the danger?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:05, Mon 01 Jan 2018.

"Hey I don't answer to anyone! Who the fuck is Apex you stilted alien–!" Billy attempts to shout down the Amgine's claims, clearly frustrated, before Bradford puts himself forward with his warning about the Lith.  Billy huffs and rolls his eyes behind his helmet, "Good, the last Lith was more reasonable than this fucker.  Maybe he knows how to twist an Amgine's arm, we can get some straight answers before he does his whole returning to dust mumbo jumbo.  Xander, Sophia, do you have a recording of that other guy's name?  I can't pronounce it,"  Billy walks toward the open lift tube casually, the direness of Bradford's warning apparently lost.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 20:30, Mon 01 Jan 2018.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 103):

She nods silently as as he says that he stumbled onto something he shouldn't have.  When he says he has to move everything she grabs his forearm and squeezes
Something he shouldn't have found, but perhaps he needed to find.

Barachial's talent brings him at great personal risk into danger for those at his location.  He left us in an area where we were safe to come some place with an unknown danger to those involved.  He is named after an angel... and he has saved my life, and brought me here.

....perhaps we should close the door, and put away the guns so we may talk in private again.  Do you want this on tape?  I have a fantastic story to tell you.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:15, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 104):

Team Titan


There is a brief pause before the figure shakes his head.

"No," Hadrian says aloud, closing the door panel from the outside to seal off the chamber. "There's not enough room for everyone, and I'm not locking myself in a room nobody else can find with people like you who just casually wave guns around."

He puts one arm on his hip and gestures with the other while he talks.

"Augers? Rifles? You travel with a small army. No matter what you wrote on their CV, these people are dangerous."

He glances over at Fiernas and Kayla.

"What are you expecting to find here that would require weapons?"

Hadrian turns to face Rebecca, still helmeted.

"Dangerous people aren't bad company, don't get me wrong. Titan's a dangerous place. But you're all going to have to learn to relax a little bit. The battle's out there," he says, pointing upward. "And if it ever makes it down to us, we have the most advanced military technology in the solar system right here to protect us. We'll be fine."

He faces Barachiel.

"There's danger everywhere," he says. "Barachiel, was it? Look, I appreciate all you've done for Rebecca and the others, but you're safe now. Everything is under control -- especially the dangers. You don't need to be strolling down the hallways causing a panic, with your friends here armed to the teeth. You're going to scare someone. Or worse."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

In reply to Hadrian (msg # 105):

"Nothing is under control," Barachiel replies, glancing back at the T-junction. "It slipped through your fingers long ago, though none have noticed it. The danger is coming. It is already here. It will be with us soon."

He adjusts his stance slightly, and from the hallway you can just begin to make out the sound of approaching footsteps...
This message was last edited by the player at 12:59, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 106):

"You don't stay alive long in dangerous places by placing blind faith in defenses you know little about," Kayla shrugs, though she does point the rifle upward rather than in Hadrian's direction.

At Barachiel's uttering, she turns toward the T-junction as well.

"So," she says, lowering her rifle once more to aim it along the corridor in the sound's direction. "Should we nip this in the bud, or what?"

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 107):

"It's probably just staff," Hadrian says, though he glances over toward the junction in a nervous manor as well. "You're making ME jumpy now. Put that thing away!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

In reply to Hadrian (msg # 108):

"Relax," Kayla says, drawing a bead down the length of the hallway. "If it's just staff, I promise not to shoot them."

She glances over at Hadrian and "shrugs" with an upward nod of her head.

"Unless they're dangerous, of course."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:07, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 109):

Team Kamikaze

Sophia complies by playing the Lith's name aloud, which remains an unpronounceable slurry of sounds reminiscent of a commercial cement mixer.

"You've made contact with a Lith?"

The dais lights flare brighter.

"You were instructed not to do that. All diplomatic communications should go through the Amgine. For your protection."

A red light blinks into place along the glass walls that surround the room, actively moving the trace the path of...something. A cluster of small, orb-like objects that look a lot like asteroids, all heading in your direction.

"Proximity alert. Lithic boarding vessels detected. Their trajectory is consistent with an attempted breach on the fabrication level. If the automated defenses are insufficient, prepare to engage them when they enter this level. Brace for impact in...30 seconds."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 110):


Please stand down, we may end up creating the danger we hope to avoid.  I mean you don't even know what you are nipping in the bud or if a rifle is the right tool to nip it!

Barachial, Fiernas, can you tell us anything about what is here or what is coming?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:29, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

"Yeah, that, can you send me an audio file over a short band or something?  I'll go see how pissed off they are," Billy says casually, blatantly ignoring the Amgine's reaction, "You wanna come or hold down the fort with the jerk in the floor?" he asks looking between Xander and Bradford once he gets to the lift.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 112):

Team Titan

"I never know what the nature of the danger is until it is upon me," Barachiel replies. "Unfortunately even that is difficult here, where danger appears to be everywhere at once. I am getting a particularly strong sense from nearby. Below. And coming toward us."

"I'd rather have it ready and not need it than the reverse," Kayla says. "The last time I was in a very dangerous situation without a rifle and I needed one, I ended up hiding in a meat locker."

"You're all being overdramatic," Hadrian says, though he continues to glance at the T-junction. "I hear the steps, too, but that doesn't mean anything. Just staff, likely. You're chasing ghosts and you're dragging our minds into paranoia with you."

He turns toward Rebecca.

"I'm glad we got a chance to...talk. And visit the labs. I hope we'll have more opportunities soon. But the purpose of these suits is to not be seen, and it is defeated if we stick around for whoever's coming. We should go."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 113):

Nightmare grits her teeth.

You are right, of course.  Unfortunately I can't leave my team, not when every alarm bell is going off.  These exact warnings have saved my life more than once.

Nobody will see this suit, I will change out of it in the room.  If the danger is addressed and abated then I will bring it back to you.  Would it be an acceptable solution for me to leave the suit in the room?  If this turns out to be a nothing then I will bring the suit back to you.

Hopefully, next time is less eventful.  K?

/ooc would we be able to stash me in the room before the steps come round the corner?

"Meat locker it is," Fiernas declares gruffly.  He shoves his way into the compartment, pushing Hadrian out of the way in a quick dash to the back wall, the dogs adding their mass to his.

He grabs the two glowing gems off of their pedestals within the wall, quickly stuffing them into two separate pouches on his exosuit.

"We move," he orders in a commanding tone that you haven't heard before.  "Quick, that way."  He points down the hall, away from the approaching newcomers.  Leo and Phillip start to goad the others out of the room.

Fiernas turns to Hadrian.  "Can you keep your mouth shut, or should I knock you out and carry you?"

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 115):

"Sure, keep the suit. We can always-"

He breaks off when Fiernas moves into action.

"What're you..." Hadrian sputters impotently as Fiernas barges into the den, swipes the gems, and begins to move back down the hallway.

"Hey! Those are part of an extremely delicate and precisely calibrated experiment!"

Once the door to the den is shut and it's clear that Fiernas is intent on absconding with the materials, Hadrian takes a measured step backward -- trying to edge away from the guns, the dogs, and everything else all at once.


"By all means, go ahead," Hadrian replies to Fiernas . "There's no need to hit me or gas me or whatever. Keep the gems, if you want. I won't tell a soul."


"But you know, I really should come along to supervise whatever experiment you plan on running with them. You don't know what those things can do, particularly if they're mishandled. You could be maimed, or worse."

He glances over at Rebecca.

"And we wouldn't want that."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

"Sure thing, Doc.  K, B, you two keep an eye on him."

Fiernas holsters his shotgun, trying to appear unthreatening.  He checks the door to the secret room to make sure it's securely closed and secret, then begins moving quickly down the hall.  Leo and Phillip position themselves at the rear of the group, to the right and left, to more efficiently protect and herd the others as they walk.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 117):

Nightmare stares in slack jawed horror at the scene unfolding infront of her, unable to stop it for the moment.

She casts about and listens for the footsteps direction

[intuition: Green success]

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 118):

Rebecca stares at the hallway thoughtfully.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 119):

Team Titan

Fiernas and his pups begin to usher Barachiel, Kayla, Hardian, and Rebecca down the hallway, away from the oncoming footsteps. The group is larger than most of the groups you've seen wandering the hallways, particularly during evening hours (it's currently the equivalent of about 9:30 p.m.)

"Don't worry, I'll stay out of the way," Hadrian says. "Where are we going? I'm going to need to freshen up my air canister if you're taking us through an airlock. I wasn't expecting to need a full one."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:59, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 120):

Team Kamikaze

Billy walks over to the lift tube, but as the glowing red lights hinted at, the device is frozen in place.

Xander remains quietly standing off to one side, though Sophia's voice pipes up.

"Think this through before you shoot anything. Any action you take -- even inaction, at this point -- removes any claim of neutrality we might have had."

Bradford looks thoughtfully at the dais, and back at the lift tube. His eyes continue to glow.

"Swords, fire, and death. None of it makes any sense," he says quietly. "But I think...I think we don't want to be on the fabrication level."

Bradford grins suddenly, the visions of horror briefly suspended by the surge of a pleasant memory.

"Almost said lower level, but we're in space! Ender would have been ashamed."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:13, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

"I wasn't going to shoot anything that didn't shoot first," Billy replies to Sophia, "Turn this stupid thing on. they're going to be even less willing to talk if we hole up in here while those machines downstairs try to tear them apart, I'd rather pre-empt the whole thing.  Besides, what about our ship and Whitney?  They just gonna ignore it while they wail on the Amgine?"

Fiernas leads the group around a corner, calm and casual in his movements despite his alert eyes.  "Where do you go when you need to be alone, Doc?"  It's not a request, it's an order.  "Other than your little secret cubby back there.  No people, no cameras.  You want to help us out, save Titan, finish your experiments, then we're gonna need a nice quiet place to chat."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 123):

Team Titan

"That's the place," Hadrian says, jerking a thumb backward toward the cubbyhole. "I had to pull schematics and blueprints to find it. And even then, you can only approach it when you're wearing a scrubsuit."

He gestures to his and Rebecca's outfits.

"These things aren't captured by the station's surveillance equipment. It's not invisibility, but it's as close as I can get without a ship-sized power source. There's also a...gap...in the camera coverage to block out the side of the hallway the door opens from. But you have to approach it in a scrubsuit!"

Hadrian's voice gets a bit shrill.

"They're gonna see you coming and not going otherwise. As it is, they'll see you approaching the hallway and looking to your right, doing stuff, talking, rushing away. Someone's going to check, and then they're going to find it!"

He pauses, tapping a finger against the "chin" of his helmet a few times in thought.

"There's one other place that might work, but we'll need proper EVA suits to get there."

Hadrian looks over at Kayla and Barachiel.

"We'll need to go to a ready room for them, unless you've got the right gear in your room. And like I said, I'll need to go back to my room to change out of the scrubsuit and into a proper EVA myself. And so will Rebecca."

In reply to Hadrian (msg # 124):

"We've got our own gear back in the room," Kayla says, glancing over at Fiernas for direction. "Would rather use it than a Braeburn guest suit -- it's already fitted."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:23, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 125):

A doll appears laying sloppily on the ground outside at the wall near the entrance to the secret cubbyhole looking for all the world as if it had been kicked there.  Its dull eyes stare down the hall in the direction of the footfalls.

[Illusions: Green success (marked down spending karma, will do so if greater success is needed.)] 

Remember that thing I said about creating your own danger?  I hope you know that you are turning us into fugitives, and putting me in an impossible situation, right?!  You had better have one hell of an endgame for this.  Your early returns are not good. 

She follows along behind the group with Hadrian.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 126):

Team Kamikaze

"I...the transport!" Bradford says, looking more nervous than he did a moment ago. "Those things could crush the plasma drive when they dock!"

He blinks.

"And Whitney, too, I guess. Right. We...uh...we should tell her to launch, but she's not...I mean, she can't..."

I am capable of piloting the transport from here, or assisting someone in doing so, as long as it remains nearby Sophia says. But it will take a lot of my concentration to do it.

Bradford looks over at Xander and Billy, unwilling to make this particular decision.

"20 seconds," the dais sends. "Why have you not readied your weapons?"

Fiernas wheels on Rebecca.  "You got a better idea?  I'm all ears.  Convince me.  I don't like any of this, but until you put it back in your pants and give me some shred of evidence that Little Lord Frankenstein here isn't gonna make us beg for death, this is all we've got."

He thinks for a moment, recalling the layout of the corridors from when he was exploring earlier.  "You're right, Kayla.  We can circle around to our room through the next row of dormitories.  Should be pretty quiet at this time of night."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 128):

HE ISN'T LITTLE LORD FRANKENSTEIN HE IS THE RANKING SCIENCE OFFICIAL ON THIS BASE AND MY PEER!  I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOUR TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, IF YOU WANTED TO TALK YOU COULD HAVE WAITED FOR ME TO ARRANGE A DAMN MEETING, TOMORROW!  WE WOULD HAVE HAD GILDED INVITATIONS, REFRESHMENTS COULD HAVE BEEN SERVED.  BUT NOOOOOOOO YOU HAD TO COME RUNNING THROUGH LIKE A GOD DAMNED CRASH OF RHINOS NOW

THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG

THE MILK HAS BEEN SPILLED

AND THE POOCH... THE POOR POOCH HAS BEEN SO THOROUGHLY SCREWED THAT HE MAY NEVER WALK AGAIN!

So yes... now we do it your way because you have destroyed all the other options. Do it fast, you are running out of time.

She says into the helmet not activating the comm links.

...Billy was right.  This IS just like a Holovid.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:54, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 129):

Team Titan

Once the teenage tirade has subsided, the group has little trouble working its way through the quiet dormitory hallways.

Soon enough they find themselves back at the door to their room. The door slides open upon request, and Kayla and Barachiel hurry inside to gear up. Hadrian fidgets impatiently in the hallway, clearly ill at ease with this sudden turn of events.

OOC: Does anybody else need anything from the room?
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:17, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 130):

Nightmare drags Kayla into the bathroom, grabbing her skin for the eva suit.

Getting out of this thing is a two person job. 
This message was last edited by the player at 19:24, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

"Tomorrow could be too late.  He doesn't get another day with these things."  He pats the pouched crystals.

"You're not his peer.  I really hope you would never do the kinds of things this monster does.  He's the real nightmare here."

Fiernas grabs his full kit and instructs the others to do the same.  "Hopefully everything will be cool and we can come back here.  But if not, we need to be ready to cut and run at a second's notice."

"Now, let's head to wherever you think is safe for a chat," he tells Hadrian.  "Unless you also have some bullshit attempt at moral outrage."

"Because fuck you, that's why," Billy shouts at the dais before returning to Bradford and Xander, lacking a better avatar for Sophia, "Have the transport broadcast to the Lith that it is not hostile and will not hinder their dance of war as agreed with the Lithic Envoy to Sol. Namedrop that mouthful of gravel for good measure.  If they don't hold back or respond have her clear the hatch.  As long as she can keep the ship safe we can do a spacewalk to get to her if things really go to shit in here."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 132):

She comes sweeping out of the bathroom in her plug suit rolling her eyes.

He's been nothing but compliant, while you've done nothing but badger and berate him...

Also you don't understand.  How many males 25-35 are in the solar system?  Billions.

How many 11-15 year olds from the Braeburn accelerated program are there in solar system?  A few dozen.

I have as much in common with a normal 11-15 year old as Persephone does to a horse drawn carriage.

When I was 8 I was the leading science officer on this base.  What were you doing at 8?  Would you have ridden your tricycle with me?

So say what you want I can't just paint him with the broad brush of irredeemable villain.

You may want to go help Kayla get into her suit.

She gets into her EVA suit with the helmet off her head looking tiny in comparison to the fireplug body of the suit.  She speaks quietly to Hadrian, taking her turn at guard as the others change.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:46, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

The Lith isn't going to like the space rock, Xander says, gesturing to Muse. Sophia, do an emergency startup sequence on Abraxas. Get him in here, just in case. We're neutral observers, but I'd like to observe neutrally while at the same time being obviously capable of defending ourselves.

Xander turns to the Amg. Listen, I don't know who you are. I get along quite well with Viceroy, so I don't want to get things started off on the wrong foot. But I honestly have no idea who Apex is. Humans don't report to a singular entity. Whoever told you they did is lying. So let's clear that up straightaway.

We're here to stop a war. In what capacity are you here?

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 133):

Team Titan

Rebecca and Kayla hurriedly change into their EVA suits in the bathroom while Barachiel does the same in the main room. Equipment is gathered, as well, including Barachiel and Kayla's various weapons.


The door abruptly slides shut the moment everyone has entered it -- with Hadrian in the hallway and the rest of the group within the room in varying stage of collecting their kits and getting dressed.

It comes as no surprise that the door is now locked, as well.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 136):

"I'm good on moral outrage," Hadrian replies, his voice muffled from the door. "Just sit tight. I'll be right back."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:05, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

"Then put it in a pocket.  The envoy thought it was one of those," Billy points at the dais, "I think it's more paranoia than yet another alien vendetta."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 138):

"What was that?" Kayla steps out of the bathroom, half-dressed in the EVA suit, moments after the door seals them in.

"Oh, goddammit!"

She glances around the room in search of answers.

"We're not going to just wait patiently, right? Anybody have a way to cut through metal?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 138):


She comes out to find the door locked and starts laughing.

So what now?  Everything is lost.  Anyone have anything to say to Hadrian?

She slumps to the floor half laughing half crying.



She gets the helmet from the scrub suit and wears the mismatched outfit.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:08, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 140):

Soon she turns to fiernas stripping off the helmet.

What the hell did you think was going to happen?!

What do you know that I dont?!

Spill!!

The last is punctuated with a half shove half punch. She then begins stripping her Eva suit off
This message was last edited by the player at 20:35, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 141):

There is no indication that Hadrian has walked away, nor that he is still there. You can't see through the door and there are no windows.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

In reply to Hadrian (msg # 142):

Team Kamikaze

OOC: At T-30 seconds

We have observed that humans have not advanced sufficiently to agree upon a single voice to represent the unified will of the species. It is one of many reasons why this sector is under Amgine protection.

The lights on the dais blink.

Apex speaks for the sector's interests within the context of this limitation. She is your leader for all practical intents and purposes, regardless of acknowledgement.

OOC: At T-20 seconds (ie: the present)

I do not have time to hack the lift, considering everything else that requires my attention. And either way, I can't get Abraxis onto this floor in 20 seconds, Sophia says. I can get him into the fabrication level, though. Stand by.

There is a brief pause, and a faint rumble from below.

I can't establish comms with the incoming craft. Our systems may not be compatible, or they may simply be ignoring us. I will prepare to move the transport...

Bradford gently places the gem in his pocket, but he continues to lower a hand to pat the pocket, ensuring it's still there, every few seconds.

OOC: One round (10 seconds) remains before the estimated arrival of your guests.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 143):

Nightmare slumps, defeated.



We should all surrender when they enter.  She says her voice flat.

She re-secures her EVA suit on and puts the mismatched helmet back on.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 144):

"What, and let her take Fiernas apart?" Kayla says, still looking for a weapon capable of dropping the door. "Pass. There's something wrong with this whole damn station, and Apex is at the center of the web. You didn't trust the video she showed you, right? Why's this different?"

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 145):

"I can't cut us out," Barachiel says, twisting a cylinder of metal from his sack of equipment onto a piece of the EVA suit covering his wrist as if it were a silencer being placed onto a gun. "But I can get us out. Cover your ears and stand back..."

Kayla makes no move to stop him.

OOC: Pausing for possible intervention.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:14, Wed 03 Jan 2018.

"Broadcast on an open channel or something, just do what you can to make sure they have no good reason to shoot our ride." Billy says, his voice tense as he apparently empathizes with the stresses of Sophia's multitasking.  He huffs and stomps on the immobile lift, "This is so stupid.  Why does every alien who doesn't know shit insist on telling us how our own species operates?  Hey glowing fuckhead," Billy shouts back at the dais, "do the Lith do interrogation?  Or torture? Or is it all just dancing war and turning to dust?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 147):

She responds to Kayla

He started it.  The rest of us are just along for the ride.  As far as the video she showed me?  I am a notoriously unreliable narrator.  Hell I don't even remember the papers I wrote, so no it doesn't feel right, but I also believed I was dead for 5 years... and I still have a hard time admitting I'm alive.  So take your pick.  Look at all of the no bad stuff that has happened to us, until we made it happen.

Lets face the facts, Billy is dead, Xander Muse and Blaise as well.  There is no cavalry coming for us.  So my options are, either fight and die, again, with you.  Integrate into Braeburn once again and assume my rightful position.  Or go beg Dr. Spence for a job at SAGE. 

Nightmare's hand closes on the cylinder.  Gently, not trying to take it just in a wait gesture.

What are you planning to do once you get us out of here?  Cut a bloody swath until we kill Apex and then get thrown in the brig or die valiantly?  Hide around the base stealing scraps of food when people aren't looking, avoiding the cameras and living under the bleachers in the handball court until we are exonerated?  What is your endgame?  Hell what is your midgame?  Get out Thrash three augers, maybe four if half of your unsubstantiated accusations against Hadrian are true... as well as any guards they bring along?  Then what?  Break into Apex's office find the smoking gun unedited tapes and broadcast them to security who will immediately accept them as real and will exalt us as saviors and liberators in a war zone?!

She looks at Kayla and gives her the same look that Kayla gave her asking about Fiernas

Pass.

You need to give me something better than that. 

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 148):

"My goal is always the same: find the peril, defuse the danger, and Travel onward," Barachiel says, still pointing the weapon at the door despite Rebecca's touch. "My curse does include the blessing of not needing to dwell much on what happens afterward."

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 149):

"You're right, of course. There's no neat and tidy way to get out of here, and the safest option would be to sit here and wait. And if you want to do that, I'm more than happy to lock you in the bathroom -- for show, of course, since we both know that wouldn't actually contain you. You can say we forced you in there, and afterward you can try to build a life here after we're gone."

She smiles slightly, then it fades away with a shake of her head.

"This whole business with the Roshak reeks of dishonesty, and it's too close to what happened with the Winze for comfort. Braeburn had to have been up to something from the moment they built this base. Nobody fortifies a nascent moon colony like they did on whim. It's expensive and impractical."

Kayla snaps the rest of her EVA suit into place, and a defiant gleam rests in her eyes that you're sure is there even after places the helmet on. This is proven accurate when the viewplate slides upward at her command.

"You've heard my story, Rebecca. I risked everything to stop ACE from mulching slaves it considered unimportant because they weren't technically human. I almost died. I should have! And you know what? I'd do it again."

She nods grimly toward the door.

"In fact, I'd say I'm about to."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:21, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 150):

Team Kamikaze

Abraxis has entered the fabrication level. The transport has fallen into a tight orbit around this vessel. That's the best I can do.

As Sofia falls silent, the voice from the dais perks up.

"A devout Lith's sense of honor would prevent them from causing physical harm outside the confines of the Dance of War. This restriction is lifted if an individual is offered the opportunity to Dance and dishonors themselves by declining through cowardice. BRACE."

The vessel shakes and rumbles with the force of several impacts, and warning lights flicker across various panels.

"We have run out of time. Fabrication level has been breached. Defenses have been activated, but at current power levels their efficacy is underwhelming. Stand by..."

***

Abraxis lumbers through the massive hatch, clomping through the workshop tables (and, in same cases, plowing over them) to make its way to the inoperable lift tube.

By the time it gets there, the ploy of the incoming craft becomes clear: the Lithic ships do not truly 'dock' at all. Instead, their ships smash into and through the hull of the ship, depositing a warrior each onto the floor. These warriors immediately turn and seal the holes behind them with a sprayed substance that immediately hardens -- similar to what you've seen used before, aboard the Goethe.

There are 5 Lith in all, each dressed in angular, metallic armor adorned with a central rune. They take in the room, draw their swords, and advance toward the lift tube.

They make it about a dozen paces before the scattered battlesuit parts swirl around them room and assemble themselves into vaguely humanoid shapes consisting of mismatched parts. A tall robot Abraxis recognizes as similar to Viceroy's Enforcer robots lumbers out of the half-pipe arena to assist.

The Battle Map of the Fabrication Level:

    A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1 |   |   |   |ENF|   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |ABS|   |L3 |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 3 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 4 |L2 |   |ABS|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 5 |   |   |   |   |^^^|^^^|   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 6 |   |   |   |   |^^^|^^^|   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 7 |L4 |   |   |   | A | A |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 8 |   |   |   |   | A | A |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 9 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
10 |L1 |   |ABS|   |   |   |   |   |   |L5 |
   +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

Above, the dais burbles again.

"The Lith will regret entering this sector. We shall keep you secure."

OOC: I'm not posting stats until you decide which is the friend and which is the foe. Xander, let me know if you intend to engage or observe.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:49, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

Please send the lift down to bring up my battlesuit, or I'll have to break the platform, Xander says to the Amg. I'd really rather not it be confused for one of your enforcers. Which, incidentally, I hope you improved on the designs that Viceroy came to the system with. They needed a lot of work before they were anything close to effective.

In reply to Xander (msg # 152):

Team Kamikaze

"Why not utilize the battlesuit as a defensive emplacement?"

Because A) it's far less effective when I'm not piloting it, and B) we're not here to fight your war. With the abysmal lack of information that's been provided to us, taking a side at this moment would be extraordinarily short-sighted.

If you have information you feel should change our minds, now would be an *excellent* time to fill us in. Either way, send the lift down or I'm breaking it. Sophia is too busy to hack this bullshit right now.

In reply to Xander (msg # 154):

Team Kamikaze

"This is only our war in as much as it is your war, as our actions protect you from conquest. But if the concern is efficacy, it is valid."

The lift tube flicks to green and the platform begins to move downward (this would be Billy's chance to hitch a ride, incidentally...)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:30, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

Xander will instruct Abraxas to ride the lift back up the bridge as soon as it is available. Abraxas' railgun is unpowered and pointed downward at the moment.

Billy sighs "I vote for the enemy we know over the enemy who's a broken record and a jackass.  He already thinks he's in charge and isn't going to tell us anything important.  We know where we stand with the Lith, they're willing to talk if Braeburn is, and they hate his glowy shit.  They'll let us carry on if we're not their enemy.  He's never going to give us what we want and as far as I'm concerned his presence here is as harmful as anything the other aliens are trying to do. As much as it sucks we kinda have to pick a side now, boss." Billy says, glancing down the lift with a clear desire to hitch that very ride.

Xander purses his lips, disliking the entire situation. There's one last card we can play. These Lith likely aren't aware of our accord with Glargleblarkblark, he says, attempting to replicate Sophia's pronunciation of the Lith delegate's name. We might be able to convince them to postpone their Dance, at least until their delegate shows up.

It's worth a shot. If it doesn't, work, then I say we peace out. Let the Amg clean up their own mess.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:41, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

"I'll pass on the message." Billy says, jumping in the lift, "If it doesn't work, I'm shooting the robots!" He shouts as he descends.

Sophia, can you go ahead and replay the diplomatic meeting downstairs over whatever holo-display or PA intercom they have set up? Try to isolate the Lith audio track if you can.

Fiernas bends down and grabs Rebecca by the shoulders.  "Listen.  This isn't what I wanted.  But you don't know what you got into with that kid.  I didn't have a choice.  Now our hand is forced, we've gotta run.  We can't take Apex now, but we can get out and come back more prepared.  You think I'm wrong, you want to stay here?  I won't force you.  But I promise you this: You will die here.  And not the walking-around-as-a-psychic-ghost dead, but really dead.  You will die, and you will never find the answers you're looking for.  You should come with us."

He stands up. "Get everything we came with.  Arm up.  Helmets on.  Barachiel, blow the door when I say.  Stay with me, I can guide us out of here.  First ship we find that can make orbit, we take it.  Avoid where we can, kill where we can't.  We've got their crystals, we know the truth, that's something.  If we can kidnap Hadrian instead of killing him, do it.  He'll be valuable, too."

To Kayla he adds: "If I die, take care of my boys.  They won't understand, and they'll need someone."

He broadcasts an empathic message to Leo and Phillip: Danger here.  Get away.  Wouldn't want them in the path of an explosion.

Locked and loaded, he gives the signal to Barachiel.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 161):

Team Titan

Speeches are given. Glances are exchanged. An order is promptly carried out.

Barachiel places the hand of his other arm on the wrist-mounted device, steadies himself, and with an apologetic look at Rebecca, activates the weapon.

A brief thrumming sound fills the air, and blue-green lights work their way around the device. A moment later, the canister is fired toward the door with a metallic BLUMP!

It makes contact with the door and snaps fast against it. The lights blink once. Twice. On the third pulse, door and canister alike are torn apart by a blast of energy that is as blindingly bright as it is unnervingly silent.

The cry of anguish from the boy behind the door, however, is a bit more noisy.

"Whu-aaaaarrrghgghg!!"

Those wearing an EVA suit's glare-resistant helmet are able to see the aftermath a few seconds faster than anyone else.

The scene is one of quiet carnage. Pieces of burned and broken metal fall to the ground where the door once stood, the ground blackened outward in a cone-like shape that splatters against the wall across from it.

Fiernas is quick to note that both of his loyal pups have survived the blast without incident, having been given warning to steer clear prior to the explosion. They await his further command.

Hadrian received no such forewarning, and in testament to this is now laying on the floor of the hallway, flat on his back. About a third of the heavy metal door has landed upon him, pinning him between the floor and the wall in a sort of abstract triangle.

He's not trying to get up. In fact, he's not moving at all.

~~Hadrian is defeated!~~

The scrubsuit Hadrian wears is torn at the knees and shoulders, and a fist-sized hole has been punched through the faceplate of his helmet. Through it, you can see that his eye is closed and a streak of blood in dripping downward from above his eyebrows. Offhand, it doesn't appear as though he'd necessarily die if left there until help arrived, but then again, without taking a closer look it's impossible to be certain.

The hallway remains empty, and is ominously quiet.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 05:56, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 162):

INCOMING

She screams too late... The anguished cry is followed shortly by one of Nightmare's as she quickly assesses what happened.

HADRIAN!!!!

She rushes forward to his side checking his vitals and determining the best course of action (i.e. can I move him or do I need to move the door what is crushing him and the extent of his injuries and if there is a med kit in our room or the nearby vicinity.)

As Fiernas moves to collect Hadrian or go out the door she takes up a defensive posture infront of him she looks him in the eyes

YOU COMPLETE UNBELIEVABLE WRECKLESS ASSHOLE!  YOU DIDNT THINK TO GET HIM FREE WITH THE DAMN DOGS?!  OR YELL THROUGH THE DOOR?!

YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH.  OUT.  If you try to touch him it will end badly, the others may help if you are gone.



/ooc EDITED to remove heartfelt goodbyes until later.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 163):

~~~Placeholder for unlikely heartfelt good byes~~~~~
This message was last edited by the player at 18:05, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 164):

Team Titan

OOC: Neither Kayla nor Barachiel will move down the hall or say much of anything until Fiernas has reacted. At that point I'll be able to process their responses and such.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:22, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 165):

Team Kamikaze

Billy hops onto the lift platform and quickly finds himself standing beneath/between the legs of Abraxis, which occupies the floor directly outside the lift tube's doorway.

I'm unable to find a better broadcasting platform than Abraxis's audio suite, Sophia says, sounding annoyed. This ship probably has one but I can't spare the bandwidth to find it right now. I can't even separate out the different voicestreams, it's all just one big file and I don't have time to parse it. And between us? Whitney has NO BUSINESS flying a ship of any size. I am growing increasingly cross with her."

Provided Xander offers no real opposition to the idea, she decides to suspend Abraxis's upward momentum in favor of broadcasting the requested message to the Lith boarding party. There are no images or holograms associated with it, and the audio quality isn't exactly HD, but it does get the job done.

The Lith lower their weapons slightly and move closer to the mech while the conversation is played, looking increasingly curious.

At first, the robotic countermeasures position themselves to take advantage of their distraction, but when Viceroy's words are heard they, too, pause to listen.

~~ End Combat (for now) ~~

OOC: The conversation will take a while to play through in its entirety. @Xander, did you intend to play the whole thing? @TeamKamikaze, do you intend to listen through it again or do other things in the meantime?
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:19, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

Billy slips between Abraxas's legs and climbs up to knock on its cockpit hatch, "Hey do we really need to hear all of this?  You got a fast-forward button in there? I can help you find the high points."

Uncowed by Rebecca's outrage, Fiernas speaks to her with surprising compassion.  "Rebecca.  I'm not the bad guy here.  You don't know what you'd be fighting for."

Seeing the carnage in the hall, Fiernas quickly grabs his spare EVA suit (the one he replaced with his new exosuit).  He stows the stun bolas that he'd readied for Hadrian and pulls out his shotgun, absently covering the hallway with it while he goes to Hadrian, EVA suit in the other hand.  With Phillip and Leo's help, he moves the twisted metal off of Hadrian.  He gives the young doctor a quick examination and starts to stuff him like wet laundry into the too-big EVA suit.

OOC: Some of Fiernas's next actions depend on how bad Hadrian is hurt.  Specifically, if he's going to bleed to death any time soon.  #1 priority is to keep him alive.

The whole time he talks reason to Nightmare.  "Kid, listen.  I know you feel like he's your kind.  Maybe you've got some kind of connection.  But he's been lying to you this whole time.  Just like Apex has.  Just like everyone in this whole place has.  This is a prison and a slaughterhouse.  These crystals aren't going to explode.  Hadrian isn't working for humanity, or for scientific understanding.  You don't want to be a part of this.  Come with us.  We'll get to safety, fix the kid up, and make a plan to deal with all this."

He looks to Kayla for help soothing Rebecca.  Her voice clearly has weight with the girl.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 168):

Team Titan

Removing the wreckage and getting a better look at Hadrian reveals that he's probably just knocked out. Possibly concussed. No obviously broken limbs, and no other visible wounds aside from a gash above his eye where bits of the shattered faceplate struck him.

Barachiel moves into the hallway quickly, helping Fiernas cover their field of vision.

"Oh, geez, is he ok?" Kayla asks, walking up to the doorway to get a better look at the scene. When the extent of the injuries are revealed to be somewhat minor, she exhales softly. "Whew. Could be worse. Much worse."

Taking a cue from Fiernas, she walks over to Rebecca, who is twitching and quivering with rage, and squeezes her shoulder. She's seen this look before.

"Hey. I know. This sucks," Kayla says, crouching down to be closer to Rebecca's eye level. "We all want answers, ok? But they won't come from Percy. And they won't come from another round of doctored holo clips, either. And those are the kinds of answers Apex provides."

She watches Rebecca's attention surge over toward Fiernas, who is trying get Hadrian into an EVA suit.

"Look at me," she says. "It's ok to be curious. It's ok to ask questions. But you have to remember to be skeptical, especially when you're hearing all the right things from a pretty face. You're a little young for the bar scene, but the stories I could tell you..."

She quickly tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and returns to the topic at hand.

"...but right now, we've got to get out of here. Maybe you're right, and Hadrian's a great guy who's been tricked into working with a monster. Or maybe we've misjudged this whole situation and everything's on the up-and-up. But we were never going to get the chance at straight answers by sitting around on their terms, on their turf."

She furrows her brow, digging for an example that might resonate with Rebecca.

"You, uh, you wouldn't trust the results of an experiment that proved a connection between a soft drink and a disease if it were carried out by scientists working for that soft drink's rival, would you? You'd run a, whatchacallit, confirmation study, right? Because context matters."

Kayla puts her other arm on Rebecca's other shoulder and looks her in the eyes.

"So that's what we're going to do. We're going to find someplace neutral. Someplace safe. And talk it out. What do you say? Can we find the truth together?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:51, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 169):

Fiernas' first step towards Hadrian is met with the lights flickering in the room, small bits of debris raising up from the floor and a heavy feeling of dread as a MASSIVE amount of psychic energy flows into the little girl.  She appears to glow in the darkness, her face starkly contrasted despite the dim light, her eyes seem to glow sickly pink.  Irrational fears buffet the edges of everyone's consciousness and threaten to coalesce into solid form with each step Fiernas takes.

The compassion in Fiernas' voice seems to be the only thing keeping the irrational thoughts at bay.  The fears continue to close in, reaching out, grasping at your clothing and hair, everybody's vision tunnels as he gets closer to Hadrian.  Each person is walking a tightrope with no net, and a fall into an endless sea of terror and madness on either side.  One wrong step and everyone will be uncontrollable in the grasp of every fear and insecurity they have ever had.

Just as the feeling of dread is about to go critical it breaks as Kayla steps in, the lights restore the pebbles drop, your vision returns to normal... the dread, however, remains.  She looks diminished, small, fragile.  Her normally pale face is crimson purple, her hands are dripping blood from where her fingernails have dug furrows into her palm.  She doesn't look at Kayla, she stares blankly forward, her jaw set, her entire body shaking, and pulsing in and out of phase.



She doesn't say anything else to anyone.  She doesn't make eye contact for a moment.  When Kayla puts the second hand on her shoulder her attention snaps over to her.  Pink eyes meet mismatched eyes and she loses herself in Kayla as tears well up and run down her cheeks. She lets loose a jagged breath that she has been holding for some time.



She muses quietly to herself unaware she is broadcasting it to everyone.

She shakes her head to clear it and then walks back into the room committing career suicide.

She grabs her chameleon suit, her EVA helmet, and her tablet.  She comes out of the room a moment later.  Once again apparently unaware she is broadcasting her thoughts.



She glares lasers at Fiernas, Billy's fist could only aspire to the baleful power of her eyes.


This message was last edited by the player at 00:35, Mon 08 Jan 2018.

Fiernas tends to Hadrian with single-minded focus, shutting out the psychic horrors closing in around him.  His breath comes quickly and a light sheen of sweat covers his cheeks, seen through his faceplate, but other than those signs he appears stony calm.  The dogs surround him, hackles raised, and growl in low tones at dangers only they can see.

When he's done, he turns to face Nightmare.  "I agree.  This isn't what I wanted.  It's dangerous and wasteful.  I don't like being reckless, and you better believe that if I thought we had another option, I would have taken it.  But this is what we have, and we have to deal with it.  Buck up, little campers, this is what happens with evil empires.  Hate me if you want, but I'm still going to try to keep you safe."


He straightens and tosses the unconscious Hadrian over his shoulder, rifle at the ready.  "We make for the docks.  We get a ship and we get out of here.  Everyone stay as tight as you can.  If Barachiel Travels, we want to make sure we're with him."  He turns to the quiet angel.  "If you get a sense that you're about to Travel, let us know.  If you think you can force it to happen, do it.  Right now I'll take a peril we don't know instead of this snake pit.  But don't worry, we'll come back to finish this one, I promise."

He meets Kayla's eyes for a second before leaning in to give her a surprisingly tender kiss.  "If you do have powers sleeping inside you somewhere, now would be a great time for them to wake up."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 171):

She assumes an awkward uncomfortable pose, head down one arm down at her side, the other crossing her chest and holding her elbow, Percy dangles from the crook of her bent arm.  When he says hate me if you want her eyes open wide, she makes a mock startled look and her posture straightens she adds dripping with sarcasm...



She lets him finish otherwise uninterrupted



When she mentions Apex she points at her mismatched helmet.  Her posture as more normal, but there is a feeling of a great expenditure from her.  She looks exhausted.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Sun 07 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 172):

Team Titan

"I may be able to force myself to Travel, but doing before the peril is resolved may not actually take us anywhere," Barachiel says. "I will let you know if I feel it coming on."

He falls silent as Fiernas and Kayla share a kiss, his expression carefully neutral. Those watching might notice that both of their feet rise above the ground by about an inch, and that the pair rotates slowly before landing in the same place a moment later.

"It really would be," Kayla says, smiling in response to Fiernas's actions more than the statement. She runs a hand up the back of Fiernas's suit absently, her fingers ending at his shoulder to give it a squeeze. "But my 'powers' only show up when I panic. Maybe they're instinctual? I'm still working that out. Point is, I've never been able to consciously tap into them the way you guys do."

She looks over at Rebecca's glowering form.

"Half a day? Rebecca..." Kayla begins gently, "We're still pretty sure she can see and hear us inside the room, right? I don't think we have that kind of time. If we're going to go, we need to go immediately."

Pausing just long enough to squirrel away loose food, water, and electronics (like your tablets), the group is soon ready to depart.

"The landing pads are atop the Compound," Barachiel reminds them, looking down the hallway in either direction. "We can fight over every inch of hallway to get there the normal way, or we could pop out of the airlock in the park and work our way around from the outside. Unless you have a better idea?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:04, Mon 08 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 173):

Team Kamikaze

I really think they would benefit from hearing the whole thing, Sophia replies.

By the time the recording has finished, the Lith's attention are squarely upon one another as they discuss something in their gravelly language.

The automated defenses remain active, the robotic countermeasures always near at hand.

***

"Fascinating," the voice from the dais says to those still on its floor. "You really are foolish enough to trust the Lith and the Roshak to attempt diplomacy? Viceroy must have understood this as the proof that it is: you are not ready for sector politics."

The lights flicker around the stone.

"This Vasquez has been duped and should be considered turned. Her fleet is now a Lith/Roshak fleet. But we know their origin, their speed, their destination. The way is clear: we must intercept the incoming fleet while it is vulnerable and in transit. I shall prepare to move the ship. Cleanse the Lith from it in the meantime."

Bradford's eyes glint purple, and he looks over at the lift tube questioningly.


OOC: You'll get a surprise round if you attack anything on the fabrication level.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 173):



Fiernas goes in for the kiss and she rolls her eyes at Barachiel.  Though she raises an eyebrow at the two floating mid clinch.

When Barachiel chimes in she nods in agreement and adds fatalistically.

Billy sighs and leans against Abraxas as the recording plays, arms crossed impatiently.  Once the recording ends he lets the Lith rumble at each other for a moment before stepping forward and waving his arm, "Right, so, hi there.  I'm Billy, I was at that meeting with your envoy.  We just stopped here to figure out why there was another Amgine, since that didn't make much sense after our talk about how no one knew what was going on on Titan.  He's upstairs but not really giving us straight answers.  Was just wondering if you guys could offer any help to get him to talk, or just give us a little more time before you turn him to dust or whatever you were planning?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 176):

Team Kamikaze

The Lith rumble some more, then one of them turns toward Billy.

"Mind. Stone. Dangerous."

The words are painfully pronounced, slowly and agonizingly slurred into being. The effect is quite difficult to understand, though you're able to manage it with care. Clearly Solese is easier to understand than to speak, at least for these five.

The Lith points upward, using a finger instead of a sword for the gesture.

"Corrupt. Rock. Must. Dust."

The other four Lith crowd around, moving toward the lift tube, though they do not appear to be in a particularly aggressive posture. The speaker looks at Billy curiously.

"You. Can. Talk. To. Mind. Stone. And. Not. Hurt?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:50, Mon 08 Jan 2018.

"Yeah, uh, I guess?  I'm not really sure how it works, I thought it was just the Amgine talking.  It didn't feel like it was in my head, is that now how they work?  Seriously, I've got not problem with you dusting it.  I just want some answers first.  Do the Amgine handle their mind stones getting busted well?  I mean, physically?  If he can still talk without it we can do it your way.  The robots probably won't stand for that though, they're not on my team," Billy waves at the automated defenses off-handedly as the conversation casually turns to destruction and potential murder.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 178):

Team Kamikaze

"Dust. Stone. While. Talking. Destroys. Mind. And. Stone."

The Lith give no attention to the robots, as though they thread they might pose is irrelevant.

"Dust. Stone. While. Quiet. Ends. Mind. Stone. Only."

"My thoughts exactly," Fiernas tells Barachiel.  "Outside is the safest route."

They start down the hall, Hadrian's limbs dangling from Fiernas's back like a forgotten feather boa.  Leo sniffs at him with concern.  "You know Apex well enough.  Keeping her distracted is a great way to go.  Best guess."

OOC: I have nothing further until we either reach the airlock or have an encounter.

"Oh.  Huh.  Okay that could be inconvenient," Billy says to this new information.  He doesn't immediately say anything else, but after a moment of ruminating he slowly speaks up, "Do you know what happens if you just...damage the stone while it's talking?  Just a little bit?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 181):

Team Kamikaze

"There. Are. No. Little. Bits. You. Either. Break. Stone. Or. Don't."

The various defenses grow more vigorous, and begin to close in on the Lith...

OOC: Need to know if Abraxas took the lift up, and if Bradford took the lift down.

Billy drums the tips of his fingers together as a grin creeps across his face. "That sounds like a challenge,"  he says, sounding on the verge of laughter.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 182):

Team Titan

Kayla, Barachiel, Fiernas, Rebecca, and the pups head down the hallways like the big happy family they are, passing no one as they work their way ever-closer to the airlock leading to the outdoor "park" they've visited several times before.

The going is tougher with Hadrian being lugged along for the ride, of course, and those who are not immune to paranoia and stress find themselves wondering if the halls were always this empty and this quiet...

You get the airlock without incident, but the hatch leading from the hallway to the depressurization chamber buzzes angrily at your command to open it, remaining stubbornly shut. You can hear footsteps rapidly approaching from the hallway you just left, while the hallway beyond the airlock remains quiet and somewhat inviting until it T-junctions a few dozen meters further along.

Barachiel frowns intensely at the airlock, tossing a cylinder absently into the air and allowing it to land back in his palm several times.

"If we blow this door open, the airlock won't be able to cycle," he says. "Which means we'd have to blow the other side to get out. That risks almost certain explosive depressurization. I think we'd be fine, depending on where the shrapnel hits us, but it would vent a lot of the station's air and heat before they could get anyone down here to fix it."

He glances at the others.

"Are we sure everyone here is complicit enough to inflict a hazard like that onto them?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:44, Mon 08 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 184):



she says sounding bored.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 185):

Barachiel blinks, turning toward Rebecca.

"That does not answer the question, or assist us in any way. If you want to stop being treated like a child, you need to stop acting like one."

He looks over at the others.

"I'm open to suggestions."

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 186):

She strips off the mismatched helmet and turns it off, putting her EVA helmet on.

You want solutions?! Fine.

/ooc waiting on resolution with watcher...

Xander turns to the Amg. No. You don't get to decide who the human sector is or isn't at war with. I've bent over backwards trying to keep this GIANT FUCKING MISUNDERSTANDING from spiralling out into a conflict that threatens to wipe out my entire species.

I'm not trying to save Vasquez from what she deserves. Namely, a bullet in the brainpan for turning on her colleagues and vaporizing them...including my girlfriend, Xander continues, glossing over the exact nature of his relationship with Director Kelce, due in large part to uncertainy over whether or not the 'it's complicated' relationship status would translate well into Amg. You will not engage the Lith or Roshak forces while this truce is active. We are going to all talk this through, like FUCKING ADULTS.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:37, Mon 08 Jan 2018.

"The dogs could claw through it, if they had a minute.  That still leaves us with the depressurization, though.  Either way it would probably only depressurize this one section of corridor.  People should be able to get to safety.  And it would slow down anyone behind us."

"Whatcha got, kid?" He asks Nightmare curiously.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 189):

Get the dogs ready for space.

She paces down the corridor until she finds an exterior wall.

So Barachial, I'm going to fix this but you have to say something for me... repeat after me.  'Oh Nightmare I didn't realize you were an actual goddamn space wizard!'

She smiles at him as he scowls at her.  She returns the scowl with a flippant

I've been emancipated since I was 3, and ran this facility at 8.  I'm an adult whether you want to recognize it or not.  Now say it....

She sings the last bit at him smiling mischievously.  She gives Fiernas a side eye...

You're next buddy...
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Tue 09 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 190):

"I am certain that you 'ran' this facility in the same way Hadrian does. Which is to say, nominally," Barachiel says, his expression more stoic than usual. "In any case, no, I did not realize you were a...space wizard."

He puts the cylinder away.

"You seem to have a better solution in mind. What is it?"

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 191):

Team Kamikaze

"The Lith will not speak to or through a mindstone. It causes them physical pain, and being in the presence of one without attempting to destroy it is considered dishonorable," the dais burbles. "We have an opportunity to wipe out a mutinous fleet and take a Lithic boarding party out of the war. I do not understand your reticence to do so."

Bradford backs away from the lift tube, the purple light subsiding in his eyes somewhat as he does.

"I, uh, I think we should see what they want," he says.

"Weren't you listening? They are here to destroy me."

"Well, yeah, but that's...er...that's short term. Right? I mean, it's a long trip to come all this way just to destroy a ship. And their ships broke when they docked. What, uh...what do they plan to do next, if they, er, did what they came here to do?"

The lights flicker around the dais.

"Lith boarding parties do not travel in ships. They encase themselves in stone and are rapidly accelerated toward their next target, usually through a vessel's weapon systems. Though there are other methods. They would simply move on to the next ship if successful here."

Bradford blinks, and it's clear he can't decide if this revelation is brilliant or stupid.

"I suppose there is value in the information the boarding party may contain, if you can get them to part with it. If they enter the lift tube or otherwise approach this level, however, I will have no choice but to destroy them. You will be expected to assist, under the terms of our agreement with your leader."

Belowdecks, on the fabrication level, the piecemeal bodysuits swirl away as if controlled by unseen magnets or strings, falling to rest on various mannequins or tables haphazardly. The Enforcer clomps over to the lift tube and stands there, more sentry than bouncer for the moment.

OOC: Still not sure where Abraxis is in the grand scheme of things.

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 191):

She giggles in glee.  Then shoots an impish look at Kayla.

Hey Kayla... do you remember how we met? 

She holds out her hand to Kayla who takes it.  They both go translucent as they simultaneously push a hand through the wall into the vacuum of space.



She chokes up a bit when mentioning Billy and Xander the triumph of the story turning to ash in her mouth.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 193):

Kayla is phased through the wall of the airlock and then, moments later, the outer wall without incident. She stands outside, awaiting the others.

In reply to Kayla Wallin (msg # 194):

Over Comms

What do you think?!

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 195):

"I think if you'd volunteered that skill earlier, Hadrian might not have been injured," Barachiel says, though he walks toward the hatch to await his turn through. "We should move quickly. Someone is coming."

In reply to Barachiel (msg # 196):

You blew the door on Fiernas' command, without my input, without asking me, and even THROUGH MY HAND!  So next time maybe put a little effort into getting me onboard.

Though I would have told you then what I'm telling you now.  I think staying in the room was our best chance.

Her good mood now totally fouled, she waits for Fiernas' input before coming back to get the rest of the group.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 18:26, Tue 09 Jan 2018.

"Gimmie ten minutes." Billy says to the Lith slipping back into the lift tube, "Uh...what units of time do you use?  Look, let me have a short conversation; I need to try something.  Then you can get on with what you came for." Without waiting for a reply Billy starts jabbing at the control panel "Hey someone let me up!"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 198):

Team Kamikaze

The lift tube flicks back to green, and Billy is able to use it if he desires.

Abraxis remains in place, partially blocking the opening. The Enforcer is nearby, but neither would prevent Billy from taking the lift if desired.

Billy takes the lift up, leaving the aliens and machinery to talk amongst themselves, "Hey, lemme borrow the rock" Billy shouts at Bradford, holding up his open palm to catch it as he walks purposefully toward the dais.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 200):

Team Kamikaze

"I...uh..." Bradford blinks, putting a hand down to his pocket reflexively. "I don't think he wants to go with you."

Billy stops and looks at Bradford with an eyebrow raised, "Well I don't think I'm going anywhere.  Gimme the rock, I wanna try something."

Fiernas, on the alert for anyone approaching, dumps Hadrian's body on the floor next to Nightmare's chosen wall.  "Take the Doc first.  Then my boys.  They go before me."  Leo and Phillip whine in unison at the idea.  "Don't argue with me, boys."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 203):

She becomes all business as she gets to work...

Round 1:

Barchiel, please pick up Hadrian. Fiernas, are the dogs ready for space.  They are next.

She instructs as she comes back into the airlocks reaching a hand out for Barachial to take.  She phases him and Hadrian through the wall and to the exterior.

She says over the comms

Barachial, you may want to blow the airlock from the outside.  Causing less collateral damage, but hindering their pursuit. 

[Phasing: Yellow success]

Round 2:

She comes back for the dogs, and grabs them by the collar.



She grunts as her hand phases through his collar.

[Phasing: White Fail]


She ends up on the outside of the airlock, the dog stubbornly on the inside.  She slams her hands against the ground and gets up determined.

Round 3:



She grabs both dogs by the collar and with a grunt and heave she pulls them through the airlock.

[Phasing: Yellow success]

Round 4:

She comes back, and grabs Fiernas by the scruff of his neck (on his eva suit) and pulls him gently, backwards through the airlock so he can keep watch as long as possible.

[Phasing: Yellow success]

She queues up the comms and she is, disconcertingly, breathing heavily, considering you have never really heard her breathe at all. She slumps against kayla and says, her voice weak between the rasping breaths

Who.... here...... can fly?   

She says raising her hand.

Pair.....up........with someone who can't.

Fiernas.... lead the way.

/ooc Watcher feel free to disrupt whatever turn you feel like but my actions are set.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:22, Wed 10 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 204):

Team Titan

The group is transported outside relatively quickly, leaving them free to move about outside the structures in Titan's weak gravity and hazy atmosphere.

Whoever is approaching is not fast enough to clear the hallway before you exit, though they're probably not far behind at this point.

The Compound looms in the distance, less than an hour's journey you'd estimate. The only hangars you're aware of rest atop the Compound, one on each of the stadium-like structure's four towering upper platforms.

Neither Kayla nor Barachiel, they are quick to reiterate, are able to fly.

Team Kamikaze

Bradford's eyes flicker purple for a moment, and he sullenly tosses Billy the crystal.

The moment he does so, he whumfs back to his pudgy, useless physique. His expression toward Billy at this point is not kind at all.

Billy snatches the rock out of the air and finishes his approach to the dais without paying Bradford any more mind.  Once there, he gets down on his knees and places one of the vertexes of the stone's facets against the surface of the mind stone.  "Okay, third time's the charm," he says after a pause, "We're looking for an honest answer, a complete answer, accept no substitutes: What are you doing here?"

"They'll be ok.  They can breathe out there for a long time before it starts giving them trouble," Fiernas assures Nightmare.  "The wonders of modern science," he adds bitterly.

Leo yips in trepidation as Rebecca tries to phase him through the wall.  The first attempt fails and he comes fluttering back to reality, gently shaking off Rebecca's hand.  Fiernas kneels down next to him and Phillip.  "It's ok.  It's ok, shhhh.  It's just a little uncomfortable, but it'll be over in a few seconds."  The dogs seem to take him at his word, even if they're a little anxious about it.

Once outside, he quickly searches through the yard, rifle at the ready, the dogs sniffing the air in front of him.  "Hold tight for one second."

OOC: Watching input needed

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 207):

Billy's slender form bolsters a bit and the dais in front of him reveals itself to be a more attractive and easily assailed target.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:26, Wed 10 Jan 2018.

In reply to Muse (msg # 208):

So... so... I'm the only one who can fly huh?  Fiernas?  What can your new fancy suit do?

She is perfectly content to wait a minute as even in the light gravity, she sinks to a knee infront of Kayla.

Wait, we never cycled the airlock right?  I'm not sure I'm totally comfortable blowing it.
 Though I'm sure it will cause less damage than breaching from inside.  Also you may hurt yourself.
 

She shrugs but won't put up much of a fuss if Fiernas is gung ho to blow the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:34, Wed 10 Jan 2018.

"Yeah, I can fly.  Just for a while.  But my boys can't.  And I'm not comfortable pissing away our battery that much when we're out here with no support."

"If we blow the airlock from out here, it'll just ruin the outer door, but probably not breach the interior, right?  No one gets hurt, but then they can't cycle the airlock to follow us.  Right?"

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 210):

Team Titan

"That'd be my guess," Kayla says with a nod. "The equipment here isn't that much different from a ship's airlock, and I've seen my share. A breach should make the airlock useless until they fix it. And they'll probably have to come fix it from the outside unless they want to make the problem worse. Will probably slow them down by a lot."

Barachiel frowns, difficult to make out from behind his helmet but present in his voice. He screws the cylinder into place, then pauses.

"I only have two more of these, if that makes a difference in your decision."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 211):

Team Kamikaze

It is profoundly unwise to threaten me. I am here at the behest of Roy, to protect this sector from conquest by-

That's as far as the voice gets before Billy's readied action is triggered...

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 212):

I'll be able to phase shortly if need be.  I think that this will be fine.

What do you need to make more?  we've got quite a hike ahead of us...

Unless you want me to fly ahead, steal a ship and bring it back.

/ooc I'm dying to do a stealth mission with Nightmare.  However, it may be impractical right now for a number of reasons.

Billy leans into the small rock Bradford tossed to him as he drags it from one edge of the mindstone to the opposite the second the Amgine says the word "protect," "I'm sorry, something must be wrong. We asked for an answer and all that came out was a bunch of bullshit. Try again?  Might be on our end."

((69 to scratch it like a cheap record.  40 damage?))

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 214):

The two resplendent surfaces shriek from friction as Billy drags the crystal's tip across the face of the dais.


Purple fog swirls into the mind stone and quickly withdraws while Billy's grip on the gem slips, causing his borrowed brawn to wane.


This message was last edited by the player at 00:47, Thu 11 Jan 2018.

In reply to Muse (msg # 215):

Wait... Fiernas... do we blow the door or hope for stealth?  I think Apex has kept this pretty hush hush.  We may set off every alarm in the place blowing the door.... Up to you, I think that each upside has an equal downside...
This message was last edited by the player at 01:27, Thu 11 Jan 2018.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 216):

Team Kamikaze

Billy, Bradford, and Xander watch as the the purple fog swirls into the mind stone immediately after the gem is used to scratch visible rents into the dais's inlaid stone.

Nothing further happens (nothing obvious, anyway), and the voice falls silent.

"Uh...hello?" Billy taps the stone against the dais gently before holding up his other hand to the rest of the team, "Wait for it..." he says cautiously.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 218):

With that last bit of speech expended she lapses into a moody silence.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 219):

Team Kamikaze

The gem pulses and glows against the dais as Billy holds it there. The purple fog within causes the colorful lights and other gases to swirl and flicker in strange and wonderful patterns.

It's safe to say that...something...is happening.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 220):

The purple haze intensifies inside the dais.

Fiernas curses.  "I've never carried grenades, but I'm starting to wish I did.  Blow it, B.  But make sure all of us are away from the backblast before you trigger it."

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 222):

Team Kamikaze

The dais continues to do, in a very visible way, nothing extraordinary.

Team Titan

Barachiel allows everyone to draw back before blasting the airlock apart in much the same way as the door to their room before. Shrapnel and bits of electronics go flying every which way. Through the more transparent hallway tubes, you can see that orange-red warning lights begin to flash as the emergency system comes online -- and that they flip off a heartbeat later, as though someone manually shut them down prematurely.

"Nice shot," Kayla says, nodding her approval. "Where to?"

Fiernas glances carefully around as though looking for something...

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 223):

More amethyst haze pours into the dais, but a strobing of light from within forces the haze to the inner edge of the glass.

So uh...is the purple rave light being inside the mindstone a good or bad thing? Xander asks.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:20, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

"Yes," Billy responds cautiously, staring at the rave happening in the floor.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 226):

Team Kamikaze


"But we are not friends. I told you, one cannot be a friend and a guardian simultaneously without sacrificing the duties of one to the other. I am here in the capacity of a guardian."

The burbling voice makes itself heard once again, speaking aloud as if carrying on a conversation you can only hear half of.

"You can find the human leader, Apex, on Titan. There is a passable habitat there suitable for humans in the moon's northern hemisphere, at 49.2827° N, 123.1207° W."

"We must warn her of the incoming fleet, which will approach from the flank and could break the blockade we've carefully established to keep the Roshak at bay. And we must clear the Lith from this ship before it is too late."

Belowdecks, the Lith continue to move closer and closer to the lift tube. The Enforcer blocks the way, and looks as wary as a robot can manage given their naturally stiff features.

"You are here in the capacity of an uninvited guest!" Billy declares as the Amgine's voice comes back.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 228):

Team Kamikaze

"Just because you personally did not invite me, does not mean I am uninvited."

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 229):

Nightmare kicks some rocks as she watches the alarms suddenly go off.

Tolja she was keeping it quiet.

She sits down, having gained her breath and seems perfectly content to make Percy run around and perform some fairly impressive gymnastics
This message was last edited by the player at 21:44, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

"Then how about unwelcome?" Billy sneers down at the dais, "Whoever did invite you is an idiot.  You gonna answer my question?  Or give me my purple guy back?"

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 231):

The purple fog exits the dais and briefly encircles Billy's hands before dissipating. Billy feels his resolve strengthen.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:36, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

In reply to Muse (msg # 232):

Team Kamikaze

"I have answered the question of what I am doing here several times. If you dislike or mistrust the answer, that does not change its veracity."

"Interesting.  Why wouldn't she want the base on high alert?"

Fiernas heads to the edge of the yard,  and calls to the others.  "All right, let's get out of here.  We should be able to jump it easily in the low gravity."

He pauses, studying the air in front of him.  "Heads up, team.  Got something weird here.  Someone has gone this way already.  At least a day ago.  And they ran off into the wilderness."  He continues to examine the area curiously, the dogs sniffing around beside him.

Billy stands up and looks at the rock in his hand, "Keeping the space for Amgine.  Now that I believe," Billy looks past his own hand to the stone in the floor, "Protecting, not so much,"  He turns back to the rest of the team, sparing no more attention to the Amgine, "Well, in Viceroy's defense, Margrave here isn't actually here.  I guess the whole ship is remote controlled or something?  I say we go and leave the aliens to sort out their differences on their own. He's been whispering in this Apex's ear for a month, convincing Braeburn to talk to the Lith and Roshak might be harder than we expected.  Your dirt better be as good as you think it is, fearless leader," he says, tossing the stone back to Bradford.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 235):

Bradford bobbles the rock, but when it finally settles in his hands, he turns right back into a hunk.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:47, Sat 13 Jan 2018.

"Wait, what?  What did he say?" Billy points at Bradford accusingly.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 237):

Bradford blinks from view. Those looking closely might still make out his form as light bends around what seems like adaptive camouflage.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:47, Sat 13 Jan 2018.

In reply to Muse (msg # 238):

Team Kamikaze

The cloaked form that is probably Bradford wanders around the room aimlessly, unsure of what to do next.

"So we're going to just...leave?" his voice says, coming from somewhere nearby. "Won't this Apex person want to know who, uh, who won?"

Team Titan

Fiernas studies what appears to be nothingness for what feels like a long while, his dogs milling about his feet in anticipation. In actuality, only seconds have passed by before his eyes snap back into focus.

"No shut up, go back, what did he say before I threw him to you.  That doesn't make sense," Billy demands of the predator blur.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 240):

Team Kamikaze

"Who said what? What do you mean?" Bradford's voice sounds confused.

"Wha- the rock!  Ask Muse what he meant!" Billy shouts, a mix of flustered and impatient.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 242):

Team Kamikaze

"What he meant about what?!" Bradford's voice replies, equally confused.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:02, Mon 15 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 243):

"How can he not know Viceroy?!" Billy cries, apparently nearing his breaking point.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 244):

Team Kamikaze

"Maybe, uh, maybe he's heard the name, but isn't friends with him or anything. He just, er, just respects him or his rank or something?" Bradford suggests, still invisible behind his predator cloak.

"Of course I know OF Viceroy," the voice from the Dais burbles indignantly. "But I have not met him, nor do I know him personally. How can YOU not know Apex?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:05, Mon 15 Jan 2018.

"Oh," Billy seems to deflate significantly, "Oh, don't scare me like that."  He kicks the dais with his heel irritably, "I didn't even know of Apex until you mentioned his name, so shut it you glowing green douche-nozzle."

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 246):

Bradford fades back into view.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:47, Mon 15 Jan 2018.

In reply to Muse (msg # 247):

Team Kamikaze

"We have wasted enough time. If you will not destroy the Lith, I will handle them myself. Apex will not be pleased when she learns of your insubordination, either."

On the lower level, Abraxis watches as the Enforcer standing at the lift tube advances toward the group of Lith, who are now gathered near each other and discussing something.

"If, uh, if we're leaving, we should probably tell Whitney that," Bradford says, as surprised to have popped back into view as anyone. "So, er, so she can dock?"

She is aware. It will take a few minutes to get back into alignment." Sophia's voice chimes in.

"Great. That's great," Bradford says. He heads over toward the lift tube and hops onto the platform. "What're we waiting for? It's definitely going to get violent here soon. You, uh, you heard Margrave."

He lowers his voice into an exaggerated whisper.

"We've got to go!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:42, Mon 15 Jan 2018.

"I'll insubordinate you!" Billy snips irritably at the dais, kicking it again for good measure.  He looks at Xander expectantly, gesturing to the lift with a shrug.

Fiernas absently beckons the others closer.  He speaks as though he were commenting on a fine wine at a tasting.  "Four men.  The leader, a scientist.  Avoiding Apex.  They stole some things, went off into the wilderness.  Important things.  Roshak things."  He throws a significant look at Nightmare.  "Whatever's going on here, they know more about it than we do.  And it looks like we have a common enemy."

"We might not want to head off-world just yet."

OOC Edit: The logistics/appearance of the yard are unclear to me, but during this talk assume I'm taking all reasonable precautions to avoid being overheard by any surveillance devices, up to and including going off comms and talking through helmet contact.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

In reply to Fiernas Holm (msg # 250):

She perks up a bit at the idea that some left the station fleeing Apex before teenage indifference takes over.

In reply to Nightmare (msg # 251):

Team Titan

Kayla and Barachiel join Nightmare in following Fiernas as he blazes a path away from the facility, following a trail that only he can see.

The going isn't rough, necessarily, but as you draw further and further away from the Compound and its environs, you become increasingly aware of the life support monitors humming away cheerfully on the edge of your EVA suit's HUD -- slowly counting down the time you have left to survive. The numbers are large (many hours, or even days in some cases), but they still lend a bit of urgency to your travel.

Barachiel is the exception to this, of course, as he does not wear an EVA suit at all -- apparently Titan's rock-and-ice surface and gauzy atmospheric conditions present no greater a challenge to him than Venus's heat and crushing pressure did.

The group continues in this way for more than 2 hours, with Fiernas periodically offering words of encouragement to the others and confirming that they are definitely still following a trail to...somewhere, anyway.

Kayla hangs back, scanning the Saturn-dominated skyline for approaching vehicles or any sign that something is wrong, but the moon itself appears to be covering their escape as dark clouds gather overhead. A gentle methane rain begins to fall, but beyond the strange drops of liquid spattering your suits, the group remains quite alone.

Their destination becomes apparent as they near the 3-hour mark, at which point their path has taken them to the eerie shores of a silent lake (or perhaps a larger body of water -- you cannot see the opposite shoreline from where you stand) that your sensors indicate is comprised of liquid methane. The storm has intensified by now, and a strenuous breeze whips the raindrops across the "water" in dazzling patterns you haven't seen since leaving Earth.

While you cannot see the other shoreline from where you're standing, something else arrests your attention: a small structure nearby that looks for all the world like a docking slip, with room for two boats. There's only 1 boat there now, and it looks more like a jetski with a fully enclosed bubble hood than a proper vessel. The capacity of this vessel looks to be a maximum of 2.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:24, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 252):

"I can swim if we have to go across," Barachiel observes, bending down at the shoreline to touch the surface with a fingertip. He looks at his fingers carefully, then flicks the liquid away as though it were only water. "Or are we going around?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:36, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

"Let's see what we can see." Fiernas leads the group to the boat dock, hunched over as he follows the trail intently.  It's an interesting sight, how he hunts for the scent when he doesn't feel the need to appear casual or sociable while he does it.  With the dogs flanking him, the three of them really do look like a pack of beasts.

At the dock, Fiernas's pack combs over the structure, the dogs sniffing and Fiernas examining with his hands and eyes.


OOC: Hang tight for Watcher input, team.

Yeah, this is dumb. I'm out.

Xander shrugs and rides the lift down with Billy, waving to the Lith as he hops into Abraxas, then stomps off to the docking bay.

[OOC - obviously unless they shoot us or something]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

In reply to Xander (msg # 255):

Team Kamikaze

"I will be sure to inform Apex of your cowardice," the voice from the dais burbles as the humans begin to depart. "And of the alien presence with which you apparently consort."

Despite this, Margrave does not lock down the lift tube.

Xander, Bradford, and Billy make their way down to the fabrication level and head toward the hatch, the lumbering Araxis nearby.

The Enforcer, which had been guarding the lift tube, has moved somewhat in order to better obstruct the path of the Lith boarding party, and the automated battlesuit parts remain inert at the moment.

The hatch irises open a moment later, and you can see that your ship has once again docked in place there.

"Steady. STEADY!" Sophia's voice can be heard, a sharp reprimand to the transport's hapless pilot. "Hurry up, let's go!"

The Lith glance over at the hatch, deem it uninteresting, and continue their conversation even as the Enforcer continues to draw closer to them.

Billy follows after the rest of the group into the lift and toward the hatch.  Just as he sets foot onto their ship he turns over his shoulder and swings his fist up, "The mindstone's upstairs, watch your backs," he shouts, firing a bright red beam at the enforcer before continuing into the transport, "Let's go," he remarks, as if nothing happened.

((97 + karma to green actually gives me 100+ to hit.  the enforcer gets a 99 to survive it though, and I decide to stop rolling for my enemies.  60-armor damage to the enforcer))

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 256):

Team Titan

Fiernas and the pups approach the docking slip with purposeful strides...


While Fiernas focuses on the slip, the rest of you notice that Hadrian's EVA suit's vital signs have increased -- your captive is likely again conscious, if silent and still for the moment.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:43, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 258):

Team Kamikaze

Billy holds his shot until the others are already aboard the transport, then lets loose. His blast punches through the Enforcer's back shoulder panel, causing it to spin around like a top with smoke billowing from the damaged component.

The Lith surge into action even as Billy et al hurry into the transport and allow the hatch to slide shut.

The last thing any of them see of the scene that rapidly unfolds behind them is one of the Lith throwing the damaged Enforcer against the wall near the half-pipe arena while another slices deeply across its torso with a razor-sharp blade...

***

Xander, Abraxis, Bradford, and Muse are joined by Billy moments after boarding. Provided Xander headed directly to the cockpit to relieve Whitney (likely at Sophia's urging), it's possible he didn't even hear the parting shot.

Bradford hurries over to plasma drive, ready to monitor its performance during what he expects to be a rapid acceleration.

The transport disengages from the Factory-like ship, pulses the afterburners to gain a little distance, and wobbles hesitantly in space.

"So..." Bradford says, looking from the drive toward the cockpit expectantly. "Now what?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:46, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

"I guess we go blackmail Titan," Billy says with a shrug.

In reply to Billy Laser Fist (msg # 260):

The hum of the plasma circuits reveal more of the drive's character to Bradford than ever before.

In reply to Muse (msg # 261):

Team Kamikaze

"Did you have a good time while I was busy keeping our ride home afloat?" Whitney says, abandoning the pilot's seat to Xander at the first opportunity. "Let's never do that again."

"Agreed."

Bradford looks transfixed by the plasma drive, and jots down a quantity of notes as he watches its passive functions take place.

"Did I hear you correctly?" Whitney continues, sounding somewhat exasperated. "You wanna BLACKMAIL somebody? And not just anybody, but BRAEBURN? You're crazy. I thought we were gonna make nice with them. What happened in there that changed your mind?"