Justicar rolls away to move back to Bellissima side.

"I tried. The AI's both were designed and programmed by a quote ~ 'Sociopath misanthrope of the Worse Kind'... the AI's will not likely behave rationally and could very well react out of spite ~ illogical yes... but just like Dr. Phage!"

Looking at Bellissima, "When the sub floods take a deep breath I will try to get you to the surface fast. I hope you can move both Trishula and Provider with your TK to bring them along."

"I'll do my best to blast hatches open for everyone to exit."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:22, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

It was clear JUSTICAR didn't quite understand how submarines worked. "The sub's AI won't flood itself if it wants to live. The water displaced will cause it to sink to the bottom of the ocean with no way to rise to the surface."

"Seawater corrodes, so eventually the AI's core will be compromised, and it will die."

He then looked at Bellissima, and explained why JUSTICAR's advice of holding one's breath while ascending from deep water was a bad idea. "Holding your breath during a deep ascent will cause decompression sickness, or the bends."

"You'll have to slowly exhale as you ascend, but if we are too deep you will run out of oxygen pass out, and after two to three minutes be brain dead."

Then looking back at JUSTICAR. "Don't be an idiot and shoot the escape trunk hatches. There are procedures for escaping a submarine through the escape trunks."


[Private to GM: 21:49, Today: Secret Roll: Senor Garcia rolled 50 using 1d100.  trust/intimidate 70%.
PASS, well maybe the sub's AI will begin to trust that I know what I am talking about?]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:51, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

Hikari did not bother to explain what he meant focusing on Bellissima efforts to negotiate with the AI.. if that were even possible.

Justicar says to Bellissima, "Talk - think fast before the ship decides to start trying to actively kill us all. Your power can reach it while we can only try to find voice command inputs which have likely all been disabled from Betrayal Protocol. It's only using the speakers to collect data on us."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:08, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

The subs AI speaks, proving JUSTICAR at least partially correct. "Of course I was gathering data, that's what machines do. You're one of those humans that got used to being the smartest one in the room. Now when you're wrong it will always be a catastrophe. You're going to be fascinated by what 'father' built. You seem a lot like him. I imagine the two of you would get along famously."

Justicar grimaced, he had wanted Bellissima to try to negotiate with the AI... but it was interacting with him.  He looked at Bellissima willing to let her speak instead.. her expression said she was possibly uncertain what to say...

But the AI 'was' talking.. it was best to keep it doing so.

"I have often, found myself in the presence of those less perhaps insightful, but I AM certain there are people in the world smarter than I ... Dr. Phage perhaps is one of them?  I AM fascinated by what your father has built... his Bio-tech might very well save the entire world from over industrialization and expanding pollution thereof because of that industrial development.  Mankind could stop building vehicles and tools out of metal or steel for bio-ships like your other half Vastly cutting down upon the pollutants such a industry invariably produces!  I do not know the process of his Bio-tech germination and growth... but if the Bioship feeds off say garbage cast into the oceans.. such Bio-tech could clean up the oceans .. if the Bio-ship waste is not worse... more research is needed on that matter."

"However, you are incorrect, Dr. Phage and I are not alike in a Very fundamental way.  I care about the lives and well-being of all sentient beings... including you and you sister Bio-ship.  I develop my tech to help as many people as possible and Never consider ANY loss of life a 'acceptable sacrifice'. I am regretful I tried to ignite the surface of the Bio-ship.. I had no idea at that time it was sentient.  Even now I'm conflicted as to what can be done to achieve a optimal results namely, the preservation of both the Bio-ship.. and now this Unit ~ You alive and available to examine and yet preserve your freedom as sentient beings with Dr. Phage perhaps in custody but gaining the serious psychological help he needs to allow him to regain his freedom as soon as possible to return to being a productive entity of our human society.  I'm not sure if I have the skill to bring about this result unaided... being the smartest human in the room or not... some things are beyond even the smartest person's control."

"In contrast, Dr Phage is a sociopath. He has difficulty relating any emotional reaction to normal human intereaction which results in him having no care for other lives than his own... that may not even indeed include the 'life' of this Unit or your sister Bio-ship.  He serves only his own desires has no desire to help prevent his species from ruining the world he lives in.  He trusts and respects no one seeing other's lives as tools to be used, abused and eliminated when no longer of use to him.  He actively despises mankind on the whole and has no qualms about using ending or eliminating the lives of innocent beings for his own selfish purposes.  Among our species his mental state is considered aberrant and dysfunctional.  His genius is not in question and perhaps even something of the cause of his misanthrope? He sees no need nor has any desire to help preserve the earth or any other living being not useful to him personally.  Which is a shame he could do so much for others with his Vast Genius."

"No. We are Not anything alike, though I am able to acknowledge his great intellect it is doubtful he could ever do the same because of his self-absorbed selfish nature."

"But he need not suffer this mental dysfunction.. there are counselors who might help him learn to form emotional connections to others so he could more easily understand them and learn to 'feel' normal emotional states currently denied him."

"I am uncertain as to how logical he has crafted your mental processes.. it is possible he has left you also unable to relate to other sentient beings on any other level than cold unreasoning. Though your initiating conversation IS unexpected and hopeful to some rational dialogue."

"May I ask what is this Unit's named designation? And what are this Unit's current intentions?  Will you allow I and my comrades to depart? I assume you are also in communication with the Bio-ship?  We would like to End hostilities. I do not view this Unit ~ YOU or the Bioship as mere vehicles.. you are both alive, sentient beings and as such your lives and freedom are important to me.  Your father has committed crimes within our society that demand punishment in our society... but need not ruin his life for all time once he has made suitable restitution he could certainly regain his freedom. How can we equitably resolve this?"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:56, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

In reply to Chimp Man Z (msg # 245):

Winter Herald reached down and picked him up by the hand. "You look terrible. You are supposed to be with the rest. Lady Armageddon isn't going to like working with you. She's misandrist. Sounds like she's given an inch and had a mile taken."

"That was metaphor." He started to carry Chimp Man Z very slowly, in a human crutch carry. "We need to gain control of this vessel before you all die. I believe that is possible, provided we do not fall on each other."

He paused, although his deliberately slow movements continued. "What are you doing here?"

A close observer would note, however, his normally grey eyes were currently blue, as the ion beams in them were charging up to deal with a potential threat to his colleague.

OOC: If someone attacks CMZ, Winter Herald will shoot them.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:16, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

I'm sluggish, thanks to Chiroptera "feeding" on me.  He is not sure if the analogy is appropriate, but it seems to be.  Couldn't leave you behind.  You're one of us.
He stands, though slowly, shakily.  We need to move.  This thing's going underwater.  Let's get this hatch closed.   He shakes his head.  What is it with people and these meshugenah fake islands?

Bellissima rubs her forehead in pain as some people can't wait for 30 secs to let people gather information.  She doesn't have much longer that she can be effective and Justicar keeps opening his mouth and changing the equation. She reached out to the sub with her thoughts, [Private to group Telepathy: We have a problem.  Justicar is on the verge of panic.  We are trying to keep him rational, but he is spiralling.  The only to keep him from losing it completely and blasting a hole in your side and killing all of us., Dr Phage, You, everyone, is for you to rise to the surface and let us leave peacefully.  You have heard his plans and seen his emotions bounce all over the place, they are not rational.  To defuse the situation, you need to take us to the surface.]

Bellissima checks to see if the AI Sub was still in contact with the Bio-Ship.  As she holds up a hand to Justicar, asking him to wait a moment.


Notes:
Light Armor: AR 10

Auto Parry Rolls: 13:41, Today: Bellissima rolled 29,22,22,21 using 1d20+9,1d20+9,1d20+9,1d20+9.  Auto Parry.

ISP: 4/156
4th round of combat
Abilities active:
Telemechanics: 9 mins still active: 5 feet range, 18 mins.
Super Telekinesis:6 mins, lift up to 300 lbs,
See the Invisible: 2 mins

always active:
Mind Block
Sixth Sense: 2 ISP/activation

Hikari's sour expression was thankfully hidden behind his visor.  But then he pondered his impatience with 'slow-thinking' and slow-action people... wondering at its source?  He was getting more and more impatient with the pace of resolving this issue... which in its self was strange.. no one in the Sentinel's had been injured nor at present at threat of their lives... his feelings of impatience were ... odd.  They just ALL seemed to be moving... So SLOOOWWW!!  Perhaps it was his fears of all that could go wrong ... or maybe he really felt Belle's power to communicate with machines was, in this instance, useless against machines with an actual will of their own?  That was unfair.. everyone was trying their best.

He decided to take his own advice and just stop trying to help.. and let people ask for help if THEY thought it was needed. 'Sometimes the Best thing for "The Smartest person in the room" to do  is just shut up.'

He sighed {Alright, let's just think then.  Can we think ourselves out of a metal-hulled, air-sealed environment without getting everyone else killed?}

He checked the Justicar telemetry, GPS, and inertial navigation systems to get the current depth of the  Escape Sub and to tel if it were in actual motion by his gps/inertial-compass readings.  On his solo Recon he had determined the continental shelf was approximately 66 meters below the Bioship... not Very deep... but if the team would hurry.. they might be able to disembark before the sub actually got to that depth...

He brought up the schematic of the old Soviet Victor III submarine... to study ~ focusing on the escape trunk systems...





{Escape Trunk}


He studied the schematics to determine how many could fit into the escape trunk at once.  Also contemplating if through the normal pressure hatches of the compartmentalized submarine could a chamber with an exterior hatch be sealed and flooded for egress if one of his drones served as a ballast pump welded temporarily to the hull and breaching it to pump the water in and out as a jury-rigged makeshift airlock pump.  He had the tools to accomplish that... but did he have the time ...? That was always the question.  Plus with the Escape Sub's partial Techno-Organic interior.. could it 'self' heal and seal hull breaches unlike a hard tech metal hulled sub?

12:06, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 39 using 1d100.  Hikari - Mechanical Engineer [57%].
12:07, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 8 using 1d100.  Hikari - Naviagation [98%].
12:08, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 6 using 1d20.  Hikari - Read Sensory Intruments [82%].

Hikari queried Karl, "Karl how are those scans of the micro-chip going anything interesting? Would it make a good component for a neural-net computer?  Trying to figure out WHY Dr. Phage would want it.. any conjectures or insights?"

12:11, Today: JUSTICAR rolled 57 using 1d100.  Karl - Electrical Engineer 'Identify chip function and copy chip schematics' [92%].
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

Having initially gone unnoticed by CMZ and Winter, Runa announces her presence by saying, "I am here, let me help you. Winter, CMZ, are either of yoy injured?.

Getting telemetry from his sensors Hikari got a clearer picture of the situation.

Transmitting ovet the secure LESPradio2 channel...
[Private to group LESPradio: LESPradio2: +"Sentinels, I have determined a brief window of escape is still possible. The submarine is only 10 meter deep it will take a few minutes for its drives to spin up as it is not in motion now.  The escape trunk will take a few minutes to cycle as well. If you were all to hurry you could effect escape before the sub gets in motion. I could call the Shadowhawk to be ready for pick up."

"I could continue the search for the needed files and make my escape when they are found."

"We should cut our losses and just be satisfied with the prisoneers we have. We cannot seize control from the AI vehicles. They will likely get away."+]

Justicar studied the Sub floor plan and looked for where it would be easiest to load cargo onboard the vessel without using the relatively tight sail main hatch entry...

The sub was once a soviet military vehicle... surely there was a main cargo hatch for on-loading supplies in bulk? That is where he would load 'loot' if he was looking to store it enmasse for a quick getaway.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:18, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

I got hit by Chiroptera again, the mutant responds, I'm not sure if you can help me.  And Winter is an android.  Don't think your powers can help him either.
He turns to Winter Herald.  What is going on up here?

Runa smiles at them both as she raises her hands to touch them on their chests. She mutters a prayer to Ishtar as her hands glow with a soft, white light. After a moment, she steps back, lowering her hands. "How do you both feel now?"

OOC
Power Touch - Healing Touch (30) and Restorative Touch (60)

Heal 20 SDC / 10 HP for CMZ
Restore 20 SDC for Winter

Power Points: 2000/1436

In the corridors of the island-ship, Runa attempts to work her mystical healing on Chimp Man Z and Winter Herald. Unfortunately, the actual damage Chimp Man Z has taken is minimal. Runa's abilities are, apparently effective for both man and machine as Winter Herald is mystically repaired from the damage Lady Armageddon dealt, but nothing else. In an odd way, it's accurate to say that Chimp Man Z had a piece of his soul eaten while Winter Herald has been cursed with a temporal sickness. Both of these instances are outside Runa's ability to heal.
[Secret to JUSTICAR:The microchip in question is beyond Karl's abilities to decipher. Not because the material is unusual, but because the concepts behind it aren't available. It's clear it's intended to regulate certain autonomic functions, but until it's placed in a subject it's impossible to know what will be affected. If the medical professional know this, they can place it in a specific place and it should help alleviate some breathing problems.]
The sub decides to clue in its passengers. "We're now at 22 meters and descending. Our final depth should be around 72 meters."
[Secret to Bellissima:The island-ship isn't following the protocol to the letter, probably due to some replacement parts being bought at Walmart. Specifically, it has informed the sub that it thinks Lady Armageddon might have a point.]



OOC:

character	initiative roll	actions taken	other
JUSTICAR	24	3	armor assisted movement inert for 56 more rounds
Bellissima	22	3	prepared to parry with TK if necessary
Trishula	17	x	bound and gagged
Chiroptera	16	3
Winter Herald	16	3	Spd, attacks, dodge, parry all one third for 6 more rounds
Provider	15	3
Runa	10	3
The Whisperer	8	3
Dr Phage	7	x	bound and gagged
Lady Armageddon	5	3
The Maharaja	lost initiative	3	only this round -2 actions, etc
Señor Garcia	lost initiative	3	one more rounds -2 actions, etc.
Chimp Man Z	lost initiative	5	two more rounds -2 actions, etc.

"I don't feel much, but rudimentary diagnostics note repairs. Almost original composition, in fact. Excellent work. I suspect Z will enjoy similar benefits once the shock wears off." Ned kept moving slowly, in case Chimp Man Z needed it still. "The island is diving on its own. I do not fully know why, but I'm guessing it is something related to Phage. I spoke with Lady Armageddon, and after a brief misunderstanding, we have a truce that I am hoping to leverage into an agreement. For now, we need to regain control of the island, so we can surface and leave with what I came here for."

"I confess to competing with Smohk. I don't know his masters, but the presence of mercenaries implies a private interest with military connections. So, I would like to see these files and record them. I am hoping to find data I can cross with other information to find Major FORCE's current location. Everything else I am expecting to find can be dealt with after the entity with a nuclear weapon. Then they should be turned over to LESP evidence regarding the Holly Cook/Vitaly case. Anyone who wants them can go on record to sign them out and leave a paper trail for anyone interested to follow."

He gave a wry smile, even as his eyes remained quite blue and scanning the area. "Runa might be safe here. I am safe due to a technicality. You, on the other hand, are quite male. I may have to appeal to a mutual desire to live to stop a fight, or use currently hindered force to reinforce my appeal. I intend for as many of you to live as possible, no matter who or what they are fighting for."

OOC: Still alert for an attack. The slow movement helps. The plan is to regroup with Lady Armageddon, consolidate known resources, and form a plan based off of what is known.

Upon hearing the submarine speak up about their current depth and final depth, Señor Garcia thought about their options.

A 72-meter free dive ascent was doable, but would require exhaling as they rose to the surface. It would still be risky as their prisoners may or may not exhale on the way up, and unless the Shadow Hawk magically created one, it had no decompression chamber.

“We should wait this out, escaping the sub now poses more risks then rewards.”

Then looking up he spoke directly to the submarine. "Submarine, if you surface for us will you be willing to lets us off?"

Justicar turned to Bellissima, "Belle, I do not know what your trying to do with your Telemechanics, but it is Not stopping the situation from getting worse! You, Maharajah, Senor Garcia and the prisoners should exit the sub Now while we are only at a 22 meter depth! It will only become more and more difficult the longer you wait! I can search for the files and retrieve them before I leave."

He ponders, "I have no concern about what the Sentinel's Decide to do with the files.  I'm not an American, I have no stake or interest in US politics. I will only retrieve the files and turn them over to the team to decide what is to be done with them... I Promise!"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:03, Sat 04 Feb 2023.

CMZ chuckles a bit.  I'm also Jewish.  Did you know in Judaism, if a man wants a divorce from his wife,if shes doesn't, they stay married.  But, if she wants the divorce, it happens.
He shrugs.  Ever since the days when all Jew were Hebrews, we have been marginalized.  Even enslaved for a long time.  But, we treat our women with respect.  From before our first breath, everyone's life is dependent upon a woman.  And, from first breath to last, you feel the need to repay that.  That's what my father always told me.
He shrugs.  A Jewish man who does not show a woman respect is not really a Jew.

The Maharaja stands with the prisoners, casually holding one in each arm. He is looking at JUSTICAR and shaking his head. "I am sorry, my friend."
"My country is a place of wonders. It is some of the highest land anywhere in the world; the air is thin and cold. Much of the area's water comes from my country, but, we do not spend much time in it. The effort to get aboard this vessel was... epic. Trust me when I say that I am probably in more danger leaving this vessel."
"I have spent my life attaining mastery over many skills, but I have never learned to swim."

In reply to The Maharaja (msg # 278):

Justicar nods, "I am the same.. I also do not have any skill in swimming, thank you for admitting that.  It just means I'll definitely need to assign one of my underwater drones to assist you all in the ascent.. WE cannot stay here! You Must leave! Now while you can at all!"

"Also, Bellissima has Telekinesis... she cannot lift herself but she can lift at least two of you."

With the knowledge that some of the team didn’t know how to swim, Señor Garcia was glad no one could see the shocked look on  his face. Who in their right mind would go out into the open ocean if they didn’t know how to swim?  but he couldn’t hide the shaking of his head.

“The fact that some of you do not know how to swim, and we have three prisoners means we should not be attempting to make an ascent to the surface through the escape trunks.”

“Some of you may drown, or suffer decompression sickness, and the same may happen to our prisoners.” Sure, the drones could help someone to the surface, but that would not solve the problem of exhaling on the way up to prevent the bends. For a person who didn't know how to swim it would be extremely difficult for them to exhale as they made their ascent.

[Private to GM:
Waiting to see if the sub answers my question if it will surface for us.

Also, what the status of JUSTICAR's power armor? is it still disabled?]

Runa looks at the only two companions eith her on the now sinking island. "Is the island hurt? I can heal it just as I healed you two. Can it hear us? Understand us?

Winter Herald gave a genuine smile. "I doubt your religious convictions and traditions will move Lady Armageddon, Z, but it will not hurt you to try. At least, not any more than saying nothing will. I don't know if she could actually endanger you or not, come to think of it."

"And I don't think it can hear us, Runa. Phage's cell phone was the control mechanism, and it is destroyed. However, the existence of that device tells me there is a receiver somewhere. Perhaps if we can reach it, maybe there is a manual override we can use. There are a lot of maybes here, admittedly."

Winter Herald was considering the options. "I will not lie about our chances. My understanding of electronics is specific to explosives. I could tell you how an IED is wired up and how to disable one. But if you showed me an electric board that wasn't intended to blow something up, I'm going to have to do a lot of guesswork. So unless Phage rigged this island to be a gigantic bomb, I do not know how to manipulate it, and my understanding would be limited to 'ready to explode' and 'will not explode'."

"We are going to have to improvise, unless one of you is an electrician and the other is a medical doctor."

Justicar shrugs, "We will not be better off at 72 meters down than we are now... we may not get another chance to leave.  My suit auto decompresses me from deep dives.. but I can monitor its system to know how fast to ascend, you are correct that does not help our prisoners exhale properly, is it possible to buddy-system the Dreagers? to give them a chance?  My drone can ascend at the proper speed to help and can move the mass of four people at once without slowing its underwater movement.  I just think we don't have any choice ~ risk some harm ascending now or be totally trapped at the 72 meter level. Runa could heal any tissue damage from an ascent as a last ditch emergency."

"Now another thing is a possibility.. I could leave now and retrieve trained SCUBA divers from the Gemini to assist us in getting everyone properly topside?"

"You are the expert at this Senor Garcia, is any of that viable?  I just don't see how we are better off 72 meters down inside than taking a risk now at 22 meters down?"

Switching to the LESPradio2...
[Private to group LESPradio: LESPradio2: +"Honestly at THIS point ... screw what Lt Smokh wants; I'm just as willing to offer to leave Dr. Phage just so the sub will return to the surface so we can all get out of here alive... his ass is not worth my team's lives!  We'll chase him another day if needed!"+]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:06, Sun 05 Feb 2023.

[Secret to Bellissima; JUSTICAR; The Maharaja: Continued in Inside Dr. Phage's Submarine]
[Secret to Chimp Man Z; Runa; Winter Herald: Continued in Inside Aeaea Island]
Separating threads.