Arkady jogs down the hallway, only to find a small gang of ghosts heading his way- more serfs, by the look of it.  They take one look at him barreling down the hallway, see the glow coming from his body, and suddenly decide they have much better things to do- like dropping their pipes and wrenches and getting the fuck out of the way.

He barrels through until he finds the single doorway that leads into the bridge.  The hatch has been sealed shut from the inside.

Arkady approaches the door cautiously. He lets the ghosts scurry away. The cleaning squads will eradicate them once he has commandeered the ship anyways so he doesn't bother spending bullets on them. He walks towards the door, convinced that whoever or whatever is behind that door knows he's coming, so why play around.

He knocks the door very loudly with his fist and tops it with a good shout:

"KNOCK KNOCK!!! WE NEED CLEANUP ON ISLE FIVE! SOME OPEN-MINDED LADY SPILLED HER THOUGHTS ALL OVER THE FLOORS, AND THE CLEANUP CREW RAN AWAY!"

"Away with you!"  The ghost on the other side shouts, "I do not have time for your jokes!"

The voice is... distinctly Russian, feminine, though garbled, as if shouted through torn rubber.

Arkady then hears the hatch make a *CRINKLE* sound as it seems to expand in place, tightening the seal.  In all likelihood it's stuck in place now.

((10, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 & 1.
Staying alert for anything unusual: 31 + Awareness 10 + 10 = 51
Survival instinct: 22 + wu wei 10 + 10 = 42))

"But It'll only take a mome..."
*Crinkle*
"Aww blyat..."

His current tools probably wont be enough to crack this door. He needs to borrow some of this ship. like explosives. There should be some in the Armory, or at least enough ammunition to craft an IED.

He makes his way towards the armory, It doesn't take a genious to figure out that it's probably heavily guarded by those security type ghosts so he peeks all the corners and keeps his eyes and ears open for enemies or means to bypass them.

It's as safe as it's going to be.  Whatever the ghost just did, she just basically jammed the door.  Opening it is gonna be... problematic for most now.

The armory, on the other hand, is more or less abandoned.  Either the ghosts have abandoned their posts or he's already dealt with the worst of them.  Sadly, the damn thing looks pathetic.  This isn't a boarding ship, equipped with deadly soldier-ghosts; it's more of a prison ship, and the armory has a few rudimentary explosives, blunt instruments, a fucking rusted sword, and some old firearms.

((blowing the door open: 10, 10, 10, 7, 5, 3 & 2
Clarity in openness +10 craft / 3chi
Channel 1 chi for +5 craft

Blowing open the door: 30 + craft 25 + 10 = 65 / would take IT))

Arkady grabs the explosives, couple of firearms and the rusted sword. He has no idea what to use it for, but it he'll figure it out on the fly.

He then jogs back to the bridge door and starts setting up his explosives.
He meticulously inspects the door to locate the locking bars and the expansion mechanism. He tries to remember the exact sound of the door as it expanded shut, and the layout of previous doors and hatches he had encountered on the ship to get a clearer picture of what he's dealing with.

He then breaks the rusty sword apart, mixest the residue rust powder in the explosives and places the bits of the blade inside the explosive, and duct tapes the satchels tight to create  shaped charges, and places them according to his idea of the door layout.

Now he just needed some spare wiring from a busted lamp and a couple of primers from his handguns bullets to make some detonators, which he carefully puts in place.

He then takes cover, and with a smirk on his face he connects the wires to the power source of his left arm...

Thermite is a hell of a drug.

The shaped charges can only do so much when they're just duct tape.  The thermite takes out the door, yes, and showers the hallway with little bits of molten iron and sharpnel.

The inside of the bridge isn't much better.  He's blown a hole in the bulkheads that looks suspiciously like a hand giving someone the finger.  Air begins to rush into the bridge, implying that Arkady has blown several small holes in a bulkhead someone in the bridge!

He can't see if there's a ghost in the room afterwards, but knowing his luck...

Arkady knows the sound of a leaking bulkhead, even with his ears still ringing. He immediately detaches the space suit's helmet from his belt and latches is on. Once he turned the valve on the supplemental oxygen he draws a deep breath and spends a few seconds admiring his handiwork.

holds on to whatever he can and 'test's the water' by shouting towards the bridge as well as he can with the atmosphere howling.

"HAH HAH! IT WAS NOT A JOKE! IT WAS MORE OF A PRANK! HAH HAH HAA! YOU STILL THERE??? I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M COMMANDEERING THIS GHOST SHIP!!! I'M DEAD SERIOUS!!!"

If anyone hears him, they're not answering.  The howl of wind and the void beyond calls, but that's it.  If an Abyssal is in there, they've either held on admirably or gotten sucked out; if it's a ghost... well, a ghost isn't really affected by gravity or air.

That didn't go as planned. He expected some banter in return, but instead he was replied with only howling wind. It made him feel uneasy.

Takes his pistol out and ties a lanyard on it with some spare wire, attaching the other end on his belt, checks the chamber for brass and starts creeping towards the bridge.

Once he gets to the entrance, he peeks into the bridge. He needs to make sure the threat is no longer present so he can try to relay a signal to spiderweb.

He peeks in just in time to see a pistol held right at head level, right where he'd peek in!  A ghost, once a beautiful young woman with no visible injuries, has pressed herself against the wall near the entrance to ambush him as he entered.  She looks vaguely familiar... from somewhere on old Earth, judging by the fragment of Malfeas throbbing in her chest.

"Die, cyka."  She hisses.

((She has ambushed you, roll init!))

((Init R1: 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 5 & 1
Blue flame dragon w/ unarmed/ranged
Init: 40 + 20 + 10 = 70
Would take IT, Coz I'm an idiot))

Arkady has a split second to react, spitting out a surprised "Blyat." that conveys disappointment in his own sloppiness. He drops down on his back and pulls his pistol towards the ghastly woman.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:47, Sat 23 June 2018.

((Init:
9, 8, 8, 7, 7, 3 & 2
*Focus on Breath 27 + Breath Skill 5 + AB 10 = 42
*Float 8-8
*Init 19 + Speed 5 + AB 10 = 34
*Her gun is a Saber/Ranged.

Interesting Times:  Her initial shot, if hit, may cause a Disrupt/Disorient.


You have init))

The woman tracks his downward movement, though perhaps not as fluidly as an Exalt might.  Arkady at least can still get in the first blow!

((Attack R1: 10, 8, 5, 4, 2, 1 & 1
Strike: 18+5+10=33
Float 1-1))

Arkady's dodge does not make shooting easy. He flukes out a desperate shot in his opponents direction, more as a distraction and forcing his opponent to react than an actual kill shot.

((Defense R1:
9, 7, 4, 4, 3, 1 & 1
*Defense 24 + Dodge 5 + AB 10 = 39, dodges

Attack R1:
10, 7, 6, 6, 4, 2 & 2
*Attack 17 + Strike 10 + AB 10 = 37, better Blocked than Dodged, Dodge -5
*Disrupt Strike with Flowed 28 + Finesse 5 + AB 10 = 43
*Disrupt Dodge 26 + Finesse 5 + AB 10 = 41
*Disrupt Speed 22 + Finesse 5 + AB 10 = 37))

The Imperator just ducks under the attack with a sneer on her face.  She all but unloads her magazine on Arkady, targeting him at specific points and spreading out a cloud of bullets that never seems to end.  After the first 9, the rest of the shots appear to be made of glowing ectoplasm.

((Defence R1: 8, 8, 6, 6, 5, 3 & 2
Dodge VS. Strike: 15 + FW10 + AB10 - 5 = 30 vs 37 - Ripple
Vs. D.strike: 28 + WW10 + 10 = 48 vs 43 block
VS. D.dodge: 26 + WW10 + 10 = 46 vs 41 block
Vs. D.speed: Flowed 21 + WW10 + 10 = 41 vs 37 block))

Arkady rolls towards the corridor,away from his assailant, with pure instinct. His opponent however is nothing like the other ghosts he defeated on this vessel. The Hail of bullets seemed impossible to Dodge without getting hit, and it was. He feels something ripping him, but he's too jacked to even recognise where. All he knows that he isn't dead or incapacitated.

Getting a flesh wound wouldn't be anything too serious... Normally. If he's bleeding It means his environment suit is compromised.

((Disrupted Footwork - Recovery 37.

Init R2:
10, 6, 6, 5, 4, 2 & 1
*Float 6-6
*Init 15 + Speed 5 + AB 10 = 30
*Her gun is Saber+Ranged
*She's in Bridge zone, Arkadyis in Hall zone))

The shot skims his leg, drawing blood and letting out a loud *HISS* as air starts to escape.  But the suit designs are self-sealing, to a limited degree, and his blood certainly helps with the sealing process.  But his leg's gone momentarily numb from the quick exposure and bullet trauma.

((Init R2: 9, 7, 7, 4, 4, 2 & 1
Subtle force w/ unarmed/ranged
Init: 19+10+10=39 /first
Float 7-7
Recovery: 24+10+ medicine 5= 39/ recovery
FoB: 12+10= 22/ 1chi

Attack R2: 9, 9, 8, 8, 5, 4 & 2
Strike: 29+15+10=54
force of lightness -3chi
Secondary strike: 28+15+10=53))

Arkady strikes his thigh with his elbow to introduce a slight shock to his nerves, in an attempt to feel his leg and gain his stability. He raises his pistol towards the doorway and takes a steady stance.

"So that's how you want to play, CYKA?!  I gave you a chance to surrender! Get fucked!"

After his words of warning he lights up the doorway with his enchanted pistol.

((Defense vs Arkady:
10, 8, 7, 6, 4, 1 & 1
*Defense vs Primary Strike with Flowed 36 + Block 5 + AB 10 = 51 vs 54, a Ripple
*Defense vs Secondary Strike 21 + Block 5 + AB 10 = 36 vs 53, a Ripple + Roll

Damage:
*19 + Superficial Damage 15 - Toughness 5 - IKF 15 - Chi Aura 18 = 0, no damage

Attack vs Arkady:
9, 8, 8, 6, 5, 4 & 2
*Attack 28 + Strike 10 + AB 10 = 48, Better Blocked
*Weird effects if this hits))

The ghost tries to catch the bullets.  This doesn't turn out too well for her, but she hardens her corpus and the bullets drop to the floor afterwards.

"A Russian."  Her voice sounds strangled but her accent is unmistakably Russian as well, "What part of Russia are you from?  Shouldn't you know that surrender is never an option?"

As if to prove a point she fires off another spray of shots, filling the hallway with ricocheting rounds.

((Defence R2: 10, 10, 9, 6, 5, 5 & 1
Def vs. Strike: 25 + block 5 + 10 = 40/ ripple

Init R3: 10, 9, 8, 8, 2, 1 & 1
subtle force W/ unarmed ranged
Init: 28+10+10=48
FoB 21+10+10= 41 / 2chi))

Arkady tries to block the Hail of Bullets, with little success. Blocking is not his strong suit. It doesn't break his spirit though. He tries to regain his stance and shoots off with a confident tone:

"You don't seem to know shit CYKA. survival matters, and you already fucked up."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Sat 28 July 2018.

((Init R3:
10, 9, 9, 8, 7, 4 & 2
*Float 9-9
*Init 18 + Speed 5 + AB 10 = 33
*Saber+Ranged, still
*Arkady still in Hall, she's still in Bridge))

"You think I wasn't willing?" She sneers back at him, "This is a reward!  You can't imagine the things we have been given.  The power we have!"

((Attack R3: 9, 8, 8, 7, 6, 2 & 1
Strike 28 + 10 + 15 = 53))

Arkady fires off a couple of rounds in the direction of the bridge, into nearby walls and the door frame to get at least some shrapnel in.

"So a traitor then?!? to both our country and the living?! You should know what traitors get in Russia, blyat. If you need to know where I'm from, it's St. Petersburg... A place that doesn't exist because of your cowardice."

((Defense:
10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 7 & 6
*Defense vs Strike 39 + Block 5 + AB 10 = 54 vs 53, blocks

Attack:
8, 4, 4, 3, 1, 1 & 1
*Flood 9 on attack:  Inflicts Disrupt if hits
*Attack Arkady 31 + Strike 10 + AB 10 = 51; better Dodged than Blocked, Block -5
*Disrupt Arkady Dodge 24 + Inspire 10 + AB 10 = 44))

"You don't really know, do you?" She catches one of the bullets with her ghostly fingers, tossing it behind her with a faint sizzle.  She raises her gun up to point at Arkady, aiming right at his neck.  "Russia is a paradise now.  We've been working for it for years.
 Now the world belongs to us."

That's when he recognizes her.  He'd seen her on television before, during the 2014 annexation of Crimea.  Natalia Poklonskaya stands before him.

((Defence R3: 10, 9, 9, 7, 6, 4 & 4
vs. Strike: 29 + 10 + fw15= 54/ dodged
Clarity in openness +10 confidence / 3chi
vs. Disrupt 24 + 10 + confidence 15 = 49/ avoided

Init R4: 10, 10, 8, 8, 8, 4 & 2
Subtle force w/ unarmed/ranged
Init: 14 + 10 + 10 = 34
CG to bridge: 20 + 10 + 15 = 45
Wave craft: 38 + 10 + 10 = 58 to close the hull breaches.))

Arkady Dodges the shot in a motion that seemingly takes minimal effort, yet astounding amount of precision, moving his head just enough for the bullet to miss his neck.

He locks his eyes on the familiar figure with his eyes showing clear contempt. "I remember you. You sure are pretty. Perfect face to hide everything that was fucked up, even in our country, and no you try to play ME like a puppet. Well fuck you, I'm not a puppet, And I'd rather choose to live in hell as a free man than in paradise as a slave. You aren't Russian, You're just a corpse with a pretty face, who probably got the position by crying for mercy and sucking enough cock, Cyka."

He then makes an attempt at the bridge. He takes advantage of the pull of the escvaping atmosphere to slide in through the door and grabs a maintenance panel by its handle, pulling it off in a single motion. he punches his fist in the cables and attempts to trigger the bridge emergency blast shielding. He even throws the panel at the breach and shoots it a couple of times to break it into pieces, fitting the breach holes.

This was not the work of an ordinary man. This was not luck. This was the work of a man touched by the unconquerable sun, who would not yield to adversity.

"Your move cum-bucket."

((Take a ChivJoss AND a MalJoss for a great post, and also for rolling init first again.

Init R4:
10, 10, 10, 5, 4, 1 & 1
*Float 1-1
*Analyze Style Qualities 30 + Tactics 5 + AB 10 = 45
*Init 15 + Speed  5 + AB 10 = 30

Arkady wins init))

The ghost doesn't get a chance to react.  Arkady blows past her, riding the suction of what's left of the air to slam his arm into the maintenance panel.  Not only does the door seal, but blast shields slide down over the bridge window, sealing it from the outside.  Arkady is now a little bit safer.

"And now you're trapped in here with me."  The ghost sneers at him, "When I rip your ghost from your body I'll be throwing what's left of your soul to the hungry ghosts so they can eat and fuck you to death."