In reply to Gary 'Rig' Rigan (msg # 38):

Silver's rifle burst manages to catch one of them in the gut.  His vac suit comes open and his bodily fluids spray against the floor like an action painting.

The other men on the floor are obviously practiced enough to know to move at that sound.  They roll or jump, the one Rig having his sights on making it out of the way just a moment before his head would have gone the way of soy flavored soy protein bars.

The terrorists are moving to cover or stand.  One of them shouts "Just blow the bomb!"

The farthest terrorist leaps for a box that's laying on the floor.

Two of them manage to get off shots, but they're too busy taking cover to aim well.

Your move
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:28, Mon 02 Mar 2020.

Silver didn't like the sound of the word "bomb" but she did enjoy it when enemies ran out of cover right into her line of fire. She took aim down her advanced sights and let loose another burst into the guy's back.

OOC:
Minor: Aim
Major: Shoot hitting 13 for 6 damage

02:38, Today: Silver rolled 6 using 3d6.  damage.
02:38, Today: Silver rolled 13 using 2d6+6.  +1 DEX, +1 Laser sight, +1 PHUD, +1 Guns, +1 SR, +1 Aim.

Rig also didn't like the phrase "bomb" and started squeezing the trigger as fast as he could. Maybe if they could pin the other people down, drop one or two he could talk some sense into the others.

OOC:
Minor: Aim
Major: Shoot hitting 8 for 4 damage


02:40, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 4 using 3d6-3.  damage.
02:40, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 8 using 2d6+2.

In reply to Silver (msg # 40):

Silver's really good at this, isn't she?

Silver manages to knock the one rushing for the box in the chest.  The blow sends him backwards and down.  He doesn't look to be getting up.

Rig manages to catch another one.  The woman flinches, bloodies up, but switches her gun to the other hand and fires.  She's a trooper, that one.

"I meant USE THE FREEZIN' REMOTE YOU JAMNUTS!!!" Mirik/the Really Mouthy one screams.

One of the shots grazes Rig's arm.3 pts damage

Silver ducks below an incoming barrage.

If anyone is going for this 'remote', they aren't being obvious about it.

There are three left, including the one Rig hit.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:42, Wed 04 Mar 2020.

Tepha is peering through the grates watching the action unfold. She spies one fumbling at their pockets after Mirik's shout and decides that blowing up isn't worth maintaining her cover.

"It's the one on the left! They've got it!"

That is all Silver needs to know. Trusting in her armor against the incoming small arms fire she rushes forward trying to flank the cover and light up the one Tepha mentioned. If they all survived this Silver would have to rethink her derision for the Captain's floozy girlfriend. She might just end up saving them all.

She moves around the cover and her rifle barks again walking a burst of rounds up the center of mass of the rogue technician.

OOC:
Minor Action: Move
Major: Shooting hitting 11 for 9 damage

08:43, Today: Silver rolled 9 using 3d6.  damage.
08:43, Today: Silver rolled 11 using 2d6+5.  +1 DEX, +1 Laser sight, +1 PHUD, +1 Guns, +1 SR.

As Silver moves to neutralize the threat Rig lays down covering fire hoping to keep the other rogue technician pinned down. When one of them pops up to shoot at Silver in motion he pops up and pulls the trigger sending a round across the room.

OOC:
Minor: Aim
Major: Shooting at first person to shoot at Silver hitting 9 for 6 damage

In reply to Gary 'Rig' Rigan (msg # 45):

Rig manages to finish off the woman he hit before.

Silver manages to catch the guy about the flip the switch.  She stops him by blowing apart his forearm.  The control falls out of his grip and slides across the floor.

Mirik turns towards the grate and Tepha on the other side.  But he realizes he has no idea of who's back there.  And he's the only one left undamaged on Team Terrorist.

He sighs and sets his gun on the floor.  He holds up both hands.  "Alright officers.  Alright."

Silver just snorts.

"Yeah...officers..."

She secures Miriks gun and begins zip tying the surviving terrorists. When she reaches the one armed one she just shrugs. After collecting everyone's weapon and especially the detonator switch she didn't figure he was keen to start trouble with only one arm.

Rig dragged the terrorists out of the back room one by one, keeping his pistol trained and at the ready in case one of the guests decided to get cute.

It was time to start the heist. He went back to the airlock and brought out a cart, alternating between moving them to the back and bringing secured weapons back into the shuttle. When the carts were unloaded he and Silver switched spots with her covering the main room with her big rifle while he loaded up the carts with the valuables. Normally identifying lots would be tricky but with Tepha whispering key lot numbers to him he was able to secure the choicest pieces.

He and Silver had a smooth operation going. He would load a cart and push it out to the main room, she would load it onto the transport and bring a fresh cart out. They both knew time was of the essence given the debacle with the terrorists and moved with speed and purpose.

In reply to Silver (msg # 47):

As Rig and Silver begin to empty the auction, they spy the black box Mirik was holding...

Can I get a Edu/Electronics (Computer) from both please...

---

Tepha hears a knocking sound coming from somewhere outside the bathroom.  She goes to the door and listens...

It sounds like someone is knocking something heavy against metal.  And it's coming from the area near the entrance of the private auction space.

If there was one thing Rig knew it was computers...

OOC:
18:23, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 11 using 2d6+4.  +2 EDU +2 Computers.

Meanwhile Silver could barely work a phone...

OOC:
18:24, Today: Silver rolled 2 using 2d6-4.  -1 EDU -3 Untrained.

In reply to Silver (msg # 51):

Rig may be a little surprised to see a PEAK See Rumors and Such if you've forgotten lying on the ground.  It's usually associated with high end banking accounts.

Not something one would expect to see lying on the floor...

You may do with that what you wish.

Let's wrap this caper up.  Give me the last few steps everyone follows.  You may assume Rig and Silver are on the last run of auction pieces.

Thanks.

Tepha heard the tapping as if someone rapping, rapping on the security door.

"Tis security, and nothing more."

She smiled at herself but then the reality of the situation hit her.

"Oh fuck. Security is at the security door!"

She unlocked the bathroom and ran out, running around to find the row of guards and Ledo all tied up. She ran beside him trying to free him from the ties but this allowed her to get close and whisper and update to him.

"We have to get going. Security is already trying to breach..."

Rig let out a grin and scooped up the PEAK on their way out, trusting Silver to handle things if Mirik decided to give them any trouble.

As soon as they were out from backstage the smiled died as he saw Tepha out of position trying to free Ledo. Something must be wrong. He motioned for Silver to get the shuttle going.

"HEY! STOP THAT!"

He pointed his gun at Tepha who recoiled and ran for cover. Scooping up Ledo he put the gun back against Ledo's temple and backed out through the airlock dragging Ledo alongside them.

"If anyone tries to follow us he's getting a bullet in the brain pan."

And with that last threat the three of them were back on their transport.

As soon as the door had cycled shut Silver used her knife to cut the zip tie and Ledo rushed to the controls starting up the drives. Security was on the alert and they needed to get down to the surface ASAP.

OOC: Pilot-Small craft?

18:41, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 8 using 2d6+1.  zip on out of there.

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 55):

It would be Pilot Small Craft, yes.  But since we're focusing on non-ship related skills and game example, you'll get down to the surface fine. Ledo would've made the roll by the way.  So that just leaves us with...

O'Henrix waits until Rig and Silver (and Ledo) have secured the airlock behind them.  Then he shouts out at Tepha, "Hey!  Lady!  Untie me!  We need to move fast!"

There's a loud WHAMMMMP sound that reverberates down the hallway.  Security must have gotten through the blast doors...

Tepha moves fast but all she has is a nail file. She fiddles with it trying to pop the pin on the tie but she juuust isn't fast enough to help O'Henrix in a timely manner. The whole time she is yelling at the security guard.

"Where are they taking him!? Where are they taking him!? Why did they grab him!?"

In reply to Tepha Pezal (msg # 57):

If only Tepha carried a Traveler's Handitool...then she would never have been in this situation.

O'Henrix sighs but says nothing.  Station Security comes barging in...

Tepha, along with the others who are still in the room, are questioned at length.  She's asked to give a statement and description of Ledo I will need to know what she tells them so they can try to find him.

But the Officer who's interrogating her lays it on the line.  "You may need to brace yourself.  These terrorists aren't well known for releasing captives."

She can overhear some of Mirik's interrogation.  Security seems to think Rig and Silver were part of his plot.  He says nothing one way or the other.

It all seems to go smoothly.  Almost.  Tepha notices O'Henrix watching her for a while.  Not in the 'look at that body' way either.  She sees him stop the Officer who questioned her and ask him something.

But no one tells her to stick around.  She is free to leave when she wants...

Please see OCC thread.  Thanks

In reply to Bad Code (msg # 58):

The auction goods make goofy looking piles.  All those masks seem to stare back at Rig and Silver as they place them in crates and the crates in the storage unit.

The shuttle gets dropped off easy enough.

Ledo still going to turn up as rescued?

Tepha sits in the uncomfortable security chairs nervously crossing and uncrossing her legs.

"Seriously? Why do I have to go over this again? My boyfriend is out there somewhere, maybe even dead, and you're asking me because you're too stupid to have cameras installed? Or ask one of your guards...oh wait, that's right. Half your staff turned out to be robbing us or shooting us or something.

I'll say this one more time before I'm getting a lawyer to kick your ass, alright? Ledo and I were here for the auction same as everyone else. I wasn't feeling well so I went to use the bathroom. There's a vent in the bathroom and if you're quiet you could hear what was going on through the vent. So I was touching up my make up when I heard some asshole start robbing people. Someone said "Don't move" or something like that and I heard some people scream. I peered through the vent grating and saw that one guy who was directing the auction and some of his buddies holding guns. I ran over to the bathroom door and locked it. Like hell I was going to be robbed easy. I then sat there and texted everything I overheard to my boyfriend. Ledo. You know the Navy Captain you guys let get kidnapped? Anyway so I texted him what information I could like how many there were, what they were doing, oh and the fact that they had a freaking BOMB on your station.

Anyway suddenly there was a bunch of shooting back there. I thought it was security coming to clean up the mess so I started shouting out stuff like "Behind that box" or "That guy has the bomb detonator." I thought it was station security because they had big rifles and heavy armor or something. Anyway once everyone was dead or tied up things went quiet. I heard them talk a bit about auction lots. I thought they were looking at evidence or something. Eventually I got bored and decided to go see what was happening so I unlocked the door but when I went to the main auction room I saw Ledo still tied up. I went to try and free him but then some jerk comes out from backstage and points a gun at me. I dive for cover and next thing you know they're all gone. The guys with the guns, Ledo, everyone. One of the guards called me over to help him so I tried to free him but do you know how hard it is picking a zip tie with an earring?

Then I guess actual security barged in and arrested all the wrong people. Does that about cover it?"

She paused and looked around with an irritation stamped all over her face.

"That's it. I swear. I spent the entire time locked in the bathroom trying to make sure we didn't blow up. Wait...there was one other thing. One of the fake security guards said a name I remember. Started with an 'M'. Mary or Molly or something. That's it though. That's everything. Now quit wasting your time with me and go find my Captain!"

"This is going to suck..."

Silver just gave a sympathetic nod.

"You know we don't have to do it this way..."

Silver shook her head. She reached out and tore off the elaborate broach on his uniform leaving a jagged tear in the fabric.

"Just remember to tuck and roll..."

"Wait I..."

But it was too late. The transport was low over the ground and not going too fast but still being pushed out of a moving vehicle onto pavement was going to hurt no matter what. The loot had already been transferred and now it was time to free Ledo and ditch the transport. To make it look good the plan was to shove him out while moving. He would pick up some scrapes and bruises, maybe even a broken bone or two but it wouldn't kill him and the more injured he was when the cops found him the better.

Silver had already spent the last few minutes using him like a punching bag. His lip had been split open and he would sport a shining black eye as well as a bruised rib. Ledo reminded himself that later on he would remind her that their policy was not to pistol whip prisoners. He hurt all over even before he was shoved out of a moving vehicle but he was above all pragmatic. Broken bones would heal and bruises would fade a lot quicker than completing a prison sentence for murder and armed robbery so he told Silver to make it look real and so she did.

The pavement hit him like a sack of bricks and he did his best to roll but his head bounced off of the pavement a couple of times. He couldn't even sit up immediately after as he was in so much pain and his vision was spinning. When his eyes could focus he saw he was staring at a red smear on the ground. He couldn't even reach up to check because his hands were still bound behind his back.

The transport was idling at the far side making sure he got up afterwards. The backup plan was for an anonymous emergency call but having Ledo stand on his own two feet would be much better. With a grunt he got himself to a seating position and wiggled his way to his knees. This last part was tricky so he waited and took his time, regaining his sense of balance and strength before trying to push himself up to his knees. He got it on the first try and grinned slightly before spitting out a wad of blood on the pavement. He needed to get help sooner than later. Already blood coming down from where his head had hit the pavement was dripping close to his eye and eventually it would start getting into his eye and he would have to keep it shut. In his mind he had the route mapped but with his vision still blurry he took a blind guess and started walking and stumbling in the direction of a convenience store that would be open. If he could just make it there and be rescued it would all be worth it. The bruises, the blood smears on the road. All of it were helping to sell everyone on the idea that he had been roughed up and either escaped or pushed out. The head injury would make it easy to claim amnesia.

It was getting really hard to walk. He had all but given walking in a straight line and was stumbling back and forth barely able to hold his balance. Just a few more blocks and there would be people around again. Heck he would take a mugger at this point. Its not like he had anything of value. Rig and Silver had emptied his pockets of everything before his departure.

Just another block. Just a little farther and he could finally go to sleep. Sleep sounded really good right about now...

The guard keeps his best smile on as he tells Tepha, "Sure.  Sure.  We'll get right on that."

No one stops her from leaving.  O'Henrix watches her.  But he doesn't move to intercept.  Within a half hour, Tepha is on a shuttle, headed home.

---

There's this little voice.  It's tipping an tapping at the edge's of Ledo's wakefulness.  It just won't let him slip back into beautiful, wonderful sleep.

"...knows for sure.  But no damage came up on the scans.  He should be up..."  It's like someone turns the volume up all of a sudden.  It's not loud.  It's only normal volume.  But the sudden transition makes Ledo's body involuntarily jerk.

His eyes open.  A hospital room.  Obviously.  There is a man and two women gathered around his bed.  One of the women wears the blue overalls of a doctor.  She holds a tablet in one hand, which seem to be displaying someone's vital signs.

The man and other woman are on the other side of the bed.  Cops.  They just had that look.

All three suddenly stare at Ledo.

"Mr. Typhin..."

"You can talk to him after I check him over," the doctor says.  She scans him.  Pokes him.  Lifts up an eyelid and peers.  She then studies her tablet.  "Minor concussion.  You'll need to stay here overnight Mr. Typhin.  You had two broken ribs, a dislocated thumb, damage to your kidneys, and a twisted ankle.  Just minor stuff.  The nanos are already working on it.  You should be clear for discharge in the morning."

She then waves to the detectives.

The woman leans in. "Mr. Typhin.  We won't take much of your time.  We got an account of what happened at the auction.  You're a brave man.  We just need to ask one thing please.

"Who were you representing?  The organizer said you were representing other parties.  We just need to know who please."

Ledo can't help but smile and laugh although he instantly regrets it with his broken ribs. The smile quickly turns into a grimace of pain.

"Nobody. Wasn't working for nobody. Just trying to find a treasure map or something. I just told the sales guy that to try and weasel a free ticket out of him..."

The truth will set me free was all Ledo could think as he realized their plan might just get pulled off. He wasn't in cuffs so at least that was a start...