"What the hell? Are you trying to get us killed?" Roger points his laser at the one who tore off the paneling. "Put that back now! Before that thing gets here!"
You point your laser at Leon.
((Well, atleast I'm alive, and not about to be murderized because of one idiot ))
Go exploring the immediate area.
You look around, clopping around with your crutch. The immediate area around you looks clear of robots and populated only with empty buildings of various types. There is a rather sturdy looking building a little bit down the road; the type of place someone might want to hide in case of a bombing.
"If you do that again I.will.shoot.you. Got it?"
Warn whoever broke the computer then say sorry to the computers.
You join the increasingly large group of people screaming at leon.
stand back up
"I. hate. you. so. much. right. now. In fact, I hate you with such a force, I'm going to compose a nice piece of poetry, just to spite you."
Clear my throat, then start singing
Oh it's bad luck to be you, deep down in your heart you know it to be true.
When we'll run out of luck, we'll all know that YOU'RE the schmuck.
Oh its bad luck to be, really bad luck to be, you really cannot disagree, I give my freaking guarantee!
Its bad luck to be YOU.
Tiddly doo.
take a small bow
((Nice poem. Also,))
You activate your lamp and look around. The room is full of similar computers to the ones you saw before, however there's something different in the center of the room. It looks like a throne or chair at the center of countless cords and wires. Upon that chair is a man, or what used to be a man; a shriveled, dehydrated husk, mummified by countless years.
((Holy frak, It's his holiness, the God Emperor of Mankind. Make sign of aquila))
((my thoughts exactly. I actually had to will myself not to actually make an aquila. Damn 40K.
You know what? ))
Make sign of the aquila.
(Over radio, but also over speaker): 'Hey, whoever is messing with anything, STOP DOING THAT. NOW.
Ahem. Sorry for that, it seems some of my colleagues were a bit to anxious to explore this place. It won't happen again, I promise. The journey here was long and arduous, and some of us are really on edge.'
(On private comm to everybody on the team but the one harassing the computer): 'Could you please make sure that that doesn't, in fact, happen again? Just keep yourselves busy for a moment. We really can't afford to screw this up, or we're as good as dead.'
'Now, would you please relate the history of this place to us? How long have you been working already? And would you tell me who that man in that chair is over there?'
Diplomacy. With a giant corpse-computer.
((Corpsputer?))
"I'm afraid I cannot stop what will happen next." The voice says, "The actions of the individual machines are outside of my control. And those below me have had more then enough time to adapt a design to counter your intrusion."
It pauses for a moment.
"That body was mine once, when I first came here. Before I became part of this installation. As per the history of this place. It is as you have seen, Competition over hundreds of years. It began with Builders and demolishers and guardsmen, endless modifications to form and AI, trying to be faster, better at what they do. Soon, builders were seen as impediments to demolishers, and demolishers as dangers to the city. And so they began to fight. If you technical information, I'm sure there's more then enough down stairs for you. "
"You idiot! You've just doomed yourself! Everyone, take cover and hope it doesn't come for the rest of us!"
Grab the guys who are not currently running away from the soon to be dead idiot and drag them quickly away from him, behind the computers, and take cover! Be ready to shoot if it makes a hostile move towards us.
((SOFT?! I'll show you soft!))
Before I move the others, kick the idiot out the door, elevator present or not.
[dex:6]
[leon dex:2-2]
[str:5+1+1]
[leon end:2+2]
As you zip across the room you notice leon running in the same direction, apparently intent on dragging everyone down with him. You don't spare a second: You cut the rockets on one side of your suit bring your foot around in a mechanically enhanced, rocket propelled, spinning kick. Your blow catches Leon square on the chest, carving a gash like a ice cream scoop had been dragged across his chest. He goes skidding backwards, stony feet grinding against the metal floor and throwing sparks, and slams into the closed door of the elevator.
That done you promptly tackle Pancaek, Roger, and Jack into a corner and begin praying to Pathmas that whatever hellish retribution is coming up that shaft ignores you.
Check my rifle and follow the group.
(( If I'm gonna die your going with me . ))
[dex:3-2]
You try to right yourself, get your balance back after Bishop's blow, but you barely get a few steps before the elevator doors begin to open, just a crack.
[leon dex:2-2]
A dozen skeletal, metal, vaguely humanoid hands explode out through the crack between the elevator doors and wrap unyielding fingers around Leon, clutching limbs, clawing at his face, dragging him back toward the elevator door.