The assault begins.

The tele-portal delivers the team to just between U and V buildings.

Teleporting was minimal strain on Empress, but it adds on top of her previous exertions in the battle.

When everyone has come through and the portal closes, she says, "We're just across the street, but I could use a short break before we go into this battle.

Would anyone mind if we stop at that coffee shop over there, and I get a latte and a biscotti?

I have enough resources to fight now, but I'm concerned I will run out of energy far faster than if we take a quick rest.
Plus it will be a chance to get to know each other better."

She looks around.  "I'm buying.  Any objections?

It generally takes 1 hour or so for paparazzi to swarm me, if I'm spotted, but I don't think people will recognize me in this poorly fitting uniform, right?"

Despite wearing a janitorial/hospital attendant-looking uniform, her face and figure are hard to miss.  She seems to have no idea that for her to blend in, she would need a motorcycle helmet and overcoat, or she is being overly optimistic.

“Not at all sure coffee is a good idea, we are no doubt expected and should be working on evacuating the surrounding area,” Agent 9 says as he surveys the tops of the buildings and pulls his rifle off his back to check double check it. “We may not have to engage for a bit but it could happen at any time. “

Kraken stares up at the building.

“Which floor is he on?”

"Well, I'm thirsty and need d snack.
If you boys need to get tactical, go for it..
I'll catch up with you after my latte."

Empress makes a beeline for the coffee shop.

Agent 9 points to the top of building K, “ top three of that one according to what we know. I’m thinking of a recon from the roof of the taller one across the street “

"Wow. Just like stepping through a television screen." He rubbed his eyes and surveyed the new downtown scenery. "Um, look I really have no idea about the best way to plan this. I am going with the lady to the coffee shop. Let me know when you want me to go in."

He quickly followed the Empress. "I guess I'll have a drink as well. Maybe a cake too?"

“I can climb the building as a distraction”

As an afterthought he looks back to Agent 9 who seems to be more in charge than anyone else.

”Do you want him alive or dead?”

“Not so sure about a distraction but it would avoid having to deal with any building personnel to get onto the roof. And of course we want them alive, for one thing dead people seldom offer much additional information” he gives Kraken a small strained smile and slings his rifle while looking for the best way to climb the building.

At the cafe, Empress says to Still Standing (SS), "
So do you mind if I call you SS, or Still?  What would you like?  Cake and...?  Espresso maybe?

See if you can eyeball the villain lair or see the rest of the team?  I wish they'd come with us, but you know how boys are -- they never want to let a girl lead, am I right?

Hi there.  Latte 16 oz and a croissant please, and whatever this handsome hero would like as well.

Sure I' m happy to autograph your shirt.  Ok, we can all take a selfie, but after that I need to keep it low-key, ok? I'm here on business."

After a selfie with the entire coffee shop staff, and a few autographs, as they eat their snacks , Empress says, "Maybe I can teleport us up to a building across the way and then we jump over maybe 10 floors under their villain HQ and then we elevator up?

Or go with original plan of ground floor, badges and uniforms?  What do you think, SS?"

Darkling joins Empress at the cafe but rather than coffee, she buys an orange juice.  She sips it while looking out of the window to get the lie of the land.  There were several buildings from which she thought she could jump to the bad guy's roof, but the real question was whether she could stop.  She looked pensive as she sipped her orange.

The paunchy disguised hero indicated that he would be happy with just a standard coffee and cake. He waved off being in the photos, preferring that his heroic-ness not be documented. "Probably best I go by the name of Still. SS sounds, um, problematic. Still Standing does sound long-winded. But factual I suppose."

When they were seated he considered their problem. "I didn't mind going through your teleport windows Empress. Wierd, but no bother. If we can get up there quickly, why not do that. I think they could stop elevators if they wanted to. At least that's what I would do if I owned a bad-guy headquarters. Maybe even wait until they were high and then release them dropping to the ground in a big explosion. Would probably cost a bit to do the repairs. But it would certainly get rid of, um, well us."

He looked at Darkling who seemed deep in thought. "What do you think Darkling?"

"I can also throw one of us across at a time using TK, and that person could open up a way in."

Empress had tried teleporting into a villain's lair before, and it hadn't gone well -- but that was decades ago.

It was still a hard memory to shake.  A different team, but most of them didnt make it.

"Teleporting in is too risky, there's too much can go wrong.  I'm thinking we go up another building -- teleporting into a different building should be safe enough -- and then I throw one of you, you get inside, and then we repeat for each of us.  I'd go last since im the thrower -- but I could come across and pull someone over too."

It was too bad the whole team wasnt going in together, but then again -- a distraction makes good cover.

Question was, which group would be the distraction?
This message was last edited by the player at 06:52, Sat 10 June 2023.

Darkling is sucking on her lower lip as she thinks. "I'm trying to work out whether I could make a jump to enemy headquarters from one of the neighbouring buildings. I think I could but I don't think I could stop in time.  Is there another way we could get in?"

”I can climb, carry one or two I think. Now if I had a water source…”

He looks for a fire hydrant or public fountain he can rip up.

There is a fire hydrant on the corner right next to the Montuori Trade and Industries Building. The building itself is 80" in height.

Inside the cafe, Empress gets up and stretches.  Its like watching a cat -- except one bystander faints, and other people have their phones out (recording).  She gives the peace symbol, chugs the rest of the latte, & TK floats her garbage to the trash bin.

"OK team, its go time!
And she opens a shimmering teleport door in the middle of the cafe, which goes to the top floor (indoors) of a building across the street from the villains lair.


"The fastest elevator on Earth is ready for you.  Go!  Go!  Go!"
Empress stands in front of the portal, so that no fans who get any ideas can jump through.

---

Aiming for 40th floor of building R, which matches top floor of building K.
Also fine with 41st floor.
Can Empress open a tele-portal there with no problems?]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:54, Tue 13 June 2023.

Darkling shrugs and steps through the portal, only loooking where she's going when she's there,

Still followed the instruction and stepped through the portal and into the other building. Again it felt strange, but not unpleasant. "So do we really have to jump across to the other building? Seems a bit risky. And not something I have done before."

Kraken huffs to himself and grudgingly enters another one of those portals.

While Agent 9 pursues other ingress, Empress pops open a gateway that leads to an office in a building across the way. The portal functions as expected, but the new vantage point offers no new information.

Darkling looks down at the enemy headquarters and thinks long and hard.  Finally she points.  "There", she said, "See?  The cameras will detect anyone walking along the street, but from that corner there, I'd have a chance of finding any weaknesses in their defences."

"Go and come back, then, Darkling.  I can only hold the portal open for a bit, so make it quick."

Empress opens a tele portal to where Darkling was indicating -- but not under the cameras.

Empress actually can hold portals open for quite awhile, but she gets bored FAST so it's better to do the job and come back quickly.

"Anyone want to go across first?  I can TK you (or me) across, but that doesnt get you in the building, just over to the other side.  I figured I'd go last in case there's action on the other side, so I can keep shuttling people over."

“Um, okay. Send me. I can at least keep an eye out.” Still rubbed his hands together. Possibly it meant he was eager to get some action. Most likely he was cold or nervous.

Empress holds her hand and gestures at Still Standing, who rises up in the air.
"OK, how much did you say you weigh again?"

Other objects in the room begin to swirl around Empress, a protective aura of debris. She sends SS out a window and towards the villains lair, approximately 40 stories in the air.  "Good luck!  And get in quick!"

She watches Still Standing's progress -- there could be a force field, or worse.
"I guess we might have wanted to tie a rope around him?
Oh, he'll be fine, I guess."

---

TK Fly 42", max range is 87", max weight 540lbs.
While she sends him, she also activates TK Defense.

Darkling steps through the portal and hugs the edge of the building as she assesses the chief weaknesses of the enemy headquarters, ways they can enter undetected are of most interest.  Once she has a good idea, she steps back through the portal.

As Empress airlifts Still Standing to the roof of the Montouri Building, Darkling completes her reconnaissance and returns.

Still delivered the maximum amount of oohs-and-aahs and whoah-steady-ons throughout his aerial assault. Landing on the rooftop he adopted the wholly unnecessary, but seemingly appropriate crouching stance, which incorporated a slight bouncing motion. Remaining in his chosen stance, he surveyed the area heroically. Then, because he could, he dramatically dashed up the steps onto the helipad. He waved back to the other building signaling that he had arrived apparently safely. Despite probably not able to be heard he called out. If anyone could hear or lipread they would make out the following: "All good. No bad guys about. Looks like there is stairs and an elevator into the building. Shall I try and open the door?"

Darkling fills as much of the ground and lower or higher floors as she can with darkness¹ and steps back through the portal and is ready to make her own entry.  "Roof it is, she said, unless Last Man Standing wakes up too many guard dogs... actually, even then, I'll just go in slightly later when they think the breach is done.  Initially they'll be concentrating on the ground floor, I imagine.  I gave them a little something to think about."

¹ OOC - a quarter sphere of radius 57' centred on her position on the corner at ground level but contained entirely within the building

Without a word, Kraken flexes his extra limbs and catapults himself to the roof of the other building.

Empress goes last, "Last but not least.  Coming gents!"

Empress employs her TK levitation and floats quietly towards the villain's lair.

---

She also keeps her TK defense active.

Darkling took a run up of nowhere near her maximum speed and jumped across to the target roof immediately turning on landing to brake.

Empress looks up to see Darkling sailing overhead.  "Huh, good form!"

Darkling is glad she was a speed skater and not a figure skater. Braking is important in the Elfstedendocht and looking down, she thinks it may just have saved her life.

The only person on the roof when the others arrive is Still Standing. As Empress floats down and Still Standing, Darkling, and Kraken start to organize, the motor on the swing stage comes to life and reels in the steel cables holding the scaffolding. Rising up, the ubiquitous window washing equipment reveals... Agent 9.

a. This is the observation walkway. It is made out of steel and
is raised six feet above the deck of the roof. It can be reached via the
elevator on the roof or from the stairs to the roof deck behind the
elevator. There is a four foot steel railing running around the exterior
and the interior circumference of the walkway.
b. This is the helipad. It is made of steel mesh supported underneath
by a heavy steel framework that leads to the single 36" steel
pole that connects the helipad to the deck 10 feet below. There is
a metal stairway that leads to the roof deck from the helipad.
c. This is the stairwell leading down. A magnetic card key is
required to open the security door into the stairwell. The door
is unlocked from the inside.
d. These are hangar doors, probably for some vehicle below.
e. This is the microwave transmission tower. It is a steel framework
that stands 50 feet high from the deck.
f. This is the elevator. A magnetic card key is required to use the
elevator from the roof.

"Nine, good to see you.  Clean the windows on the way up?"

Doing a quick look about, Empress offers, "Stairs or elevator, team?

You missed a nice latte, Agent 9.  It wasn't Italy, but not too shabby for USA."

While Empress could likely rip a hole through either stairwell lock or elevator lock, she was still a lady -- she'd let the men open the doors.

"Nine, good to see you.  Clean the windows on the way up?"

Doing a quick look about, Empress offers, "Stairs or elevator, team?

You missed a nice latte, Agent 9.  It wasn't Italy, but not too shabby for USA."

While Empress could likely rip a hole through either stairwell lock or elevator lock, she was still a lady -- she'd let the men open the doors.

---

Empress ignored the helipad and observation walkway, even though it could be a good move to disable the helipad -- but some villains could make a nasty lawsuit hurt more than a 1-2 combo, so Empress generally held off on significant property damage.

Once you've fought lawyers and lost, forever will the legal ramifications of your actions pop in your thoughts.

Breaking down a door after a robot attack on the city when the team had probable cause made sense.

Destroying a corporate helipad could be argued to be property damage unrelated to the crime, and thus -- liability.

A helipad like that could cost a few million, no doubt. While Empress had access to deep pockets, not everyone can call a prince or king for backup.

Supervillains or lawyers -- which was more scary?

"While you were all coming over I was thinking the stairs might be best." Still wandered down from the helipad and moved towards the stairs door. "If we are lucky someone might have left it open?" He tried to open it. Trying a little bit harder each time.

OOC: Not sure what is needed to bash the door open if it is locked. I think Still is strong enough, but he hasn't really tried to open a security door before. And I am uncertain of the mechanics.

In reply to Still Standing (msg # 38):

The door is a steel security door. Still Standing begins to pull, and soon realizes he'll need his full strength to open it.

Still tried to force the door, but failed. He frowned and appeared to concentrate heavily. Resulting in a course grunting sound and clenching of teeth. He tried again.

OOC: Looks like the dice roller is conspiring to make thing difficult. Initial damage 12. Density increase to 540lbs. PP 2.7. Second damage roll 12 again. I am guessing he is denied again.

15:47, Today: Still Standing rolled 12 using 2d10+2.  Take 2 door damage with density .
 15:44, Today: Still Standing rolled 12 using 1d12+2.  Door damage .

"Steel doors can be a challenge!  Good practice for us, since they dont hit back.

Hmmmm.  I should have gotten a coffee to go.  Oh well."

Empress is briefly interested in SS vs door, but as she grows bored her gaze wanders around the area.

---

Looking for other ways to gain entry that might be easier while the 'battle vs portal' rages.
08:50, Today: Empress rolled 14 using 1d100 with rolls of 14 - Detect Hidden

Kraken tries to help SS by slamming against the door twice.

12:29, Today: Kraken rolled 8,3 using 2d8,2d8 ((4,4,1,2)).

In reply to Empress (msg # 41):

GM facepalms.

"Well, that was amusing.  Excuse me, big boys."

Pulling out 3x keycards, Empress opens the nigh-impregnable door,
"Those mecha operators loved me, gave me their access badge.
Here's one for you, and one for you.  OK gentlemen, onwards...?"
and then hands out the remaining cards.

---

OMG, I totally forgot about that, I think we had outfits AND badges.
I think we might be wearing the outfits as disguises?

So ... hard ... to ... remember...

Feeling less than heroic, having been defeated by a door, Still shrugged and looked at the access badges. "Well least we can say we haven't broken anything yet." He held back waiting to see who would take the lead into to stairwell.

As you can see by the main map
and this

The stairwell is five feet wide. Please indicate how you plan to head down the stairs.

"Gentlemen open the doors, then ladies first."

She rises up and levitates through the door, a small debris field circling around her.

---

TK defense active, Empress levitates down the stairs

Kraken follows, his extra limbs carry him with ease.

Still followed Kraken and Empress into the stairwell.

Empress asks, "Lets keep our eyes open, boys!  And if you have any special senses, good time to use them!"

---

Rolling Detect Hidden / Detect Danger.

23:49, Today: Empress rolled 16 using 1d100.  Detect Danger -- SUCCESS!
23:48, Today: Empress rolled 36 using 1d100.  Detect Hidden.


This message was last edited by the player at 06:51, Thu 13 July 2023.

The door at the bottom of the stairs opens into a hallway. Other doors are visible, no personnel are seen.

Signalling the others to move along quietly, but walking confidently as though she works there, Empress continues towards the door at the end of the hall.

She peers around.

---

Not sure if Empress is best for recon, but she's wearing the operator costume and shes very charismatic, so maybe she can talk her way past the first obstacle...?  Also no one has done anything yet that moght set off amy alarms, so they might still have surprise on their side...?

"Nope senses are normal. Do they have cameras? Maybe they know we are here?" Still followed along vaguely. This was the first time he had done anything like this. Well maybe not since he was a kid sneaking around, but that was about it.

Empress peers around the corner -- and continues to move through the building until she encounters someone,
where she will attempt to bluff them (likely to work due to her amazing Charisma).

---

Ready to go around the bend, continue navigating the map.

This message was last edited by the player at 17:37, Sun 23 July 2023.

It's quiet, perhaps too quiet. For reasons that may or may not come to light because that's what reasons do, it stays quiet.

Empress signals with her hands that its all clear and that shes continuing and to follow.

She turns the corner and looks around, hoping her outfit and badge might give her the edge if she meets anyone unseemly.

"Should we be opening any of these doors? Or are we looking for stairs." Still appeared uneasy and confidently confused about their situation. "I guess we could be ambushed at any moment."

Empress looks at Still Standing with exasperation. "My signals were to NOT TALK!  You didn't understand that?

Anyway, unless one of you can find the bad guys, we just search until we find them -- or maybe get ambushed.

Unless you have better ideas?  I'm all ears."

Still shrugged and mouthed a 'sorry statement'. "Stairs. Likely in the middle somewhere. Probably near the elevators. If bad guys are coming they will use those. Perhaps we could ambush them?"

Empress looks at Still Standing with amazement.  Her mouth drops open.

She whispers, "We invade a supervillain HQ amd you think we're going to get attacked by low budget bad guy henchmen doing cardio running up 50 flights of stairs?

We're about to face real supervillains with superpowers!  Not grunts in uniforms with pea shooters!

The real baddies are likely on this floor, we're in the penthouse of their lair!  Charge up your powers, boys, this is the boss fight!"

Empress laughs, her surprise at Still's idea reminding her of her early heroing days.

"Ha Ha!  If we survive today, we are going to have a laugh about this!"

”Both of you. Stop arguing.”

Kraken has had enough of the squabbling.

”It makes no sense that there is no alarm yet. I suspect we are walking into a trap.”

Empress laughed. She doesnt take orders well.
"This is not an argument, its a discussion, Kracky.

If it was an argument, I'd make sure everyone sees things my way.

This is training.  Still is new to this, but I've been fighting villains in their lairs for more than a few hundred years.  It's not that sexy anymore.  (Yawn.)

But you are right, its most likely a trap -- unless we are really lucky."

It's really quiet. A quiet that seeps into the soul and whispers "shush" to a normal man's courage. But our heroes aren't normal men...

Still tries to open the double doors at the bottom middle.

The doors appear to be steel security doors. They are locked.

Whispering, "Before you rip these apart, I'pl make a teleportal to the other side?
Yanking the doors down is likely to set off a bunch of alarms."

She opens a teleportal directly in front of the door.  It shimmers with golden light.  On the other side of the door appears another portal.

Empress walks through the portal.

---

The teleportal has a golden glow, so unless she has a stealth mode for teleportals, its likely quite visible, which could alert anyone in the vicinity.
Don't think teleportals make noise, (so it could still be stealthy).

Not spending PR since we're not in combat.

Still followed Empress through the portal. He was nervous, but dod his best to hide the fact.

Yes, the plot thickens. It's almost gravy, by now.

Still blinked and his nervousness was relegated to disappointment. "Cosy but not what I was expecting. I think we should try another door?"

Agent 9 says, "a building like this is sure to have enough security features that they know we're here. We shouldn't leave any closed doors behind us, that would be where the ambush would come from. Let's check the door on the end of this hall and then work our way through the rest of the place without leaving any unopened doors behind."

The portal remains open.

Empress looks at the elevator controls.  Is there a level with any marking or indication -- besides ground floor?

"If we smash through a bunch of doors and dont find anything, thats going to be quite a bill to pay.

I'm no lawyer, but we're breaking and entering and trespassing, so we need to find proof, find the baddies, or exit here without doing significant damage.

So stealthy or using our uniforms to get access might still be the better approach."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:21, Wed 09 Aug 2023.

The elevator has the usual panel of numbered buttons for the floor to be visited in addition to a slot for a security card of some sort).
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:40, Sat 12 Aug 2023.

Empress drops the teleportal, takes her keycard/badge, and tries it in the elevator's slot.

"Maybe this will do it?"

The elevator's speaker drops the muzak for a second and a female voice intones "my building, my keycards, my elevator. You're not wanted, here, but let's see you just TRY to leave!"

Empress sounds annoyed.  "Who the heck are you, lady?  Why attack the city with that robot?"

Whispering, Empress sounds more concerned about their position than annoyed, "Oh, this is not good.  Can anyone knock down that door or get us out of this box?  Anyone have any ideas?

I can try porting us out, if necessary."

Empress prepares to open a teleportal, but holds on because it may be best used as a last resort.

Please indicate your character's location on this crude map:

G1-G3 STAIRS
U2-U3 AND V2-V3 ELEVATOR
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:28, Wed 23 Aug 2023.

OOC:  Unclear how elevator works on the map,
but Empress should be standing in the elevator.
Not sure if thats U or V or which # 2 or #3.

3 is my lucky #, so maybe V3 bc it sounds the coolest?