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[armach]

Titus slowly raises his empty hands and faces the assailants.

[~Neri]

Local KX9 Unit Koi - Carrier Rated Pilot Psion of Scicore, On loan to Purgecore. Current Status: Dimensionally Displaced. Utilizing Local Ambulatory Materials for labor, additional Minds, and material supplies. Do not excessively damage the livestock. It is expensive to replace with low local infrastructure level. Living flesh keeps better than deceased flesh.

[WillowLuman]

Avi attempts to cause a short-circuit.

The internal workings of the things are entirely unfamiliar to you, you'd need more time to think of a way to mess with them. Though you sense life force there: something is alive inside those mechanical shells.

Local KX9 Unit Koi - Carrier Rated Pilot Psion of Scicore, On loan to Purgecore. Current Status: Dimensionally Displaced. Utilizing Local Ambulatory Materials for labor, additional Minds, and material supplies. Do not excessively damage the livestock. It is expensive to replace with low local infrastructure level. Living flesh keeps better than deceased flesh.

INSTRUCTIONS: ENSURE COMPLIANCE OF OTHER UNKNOWN ELEMENTS
YOUR USEFULNESS IS BEING EVALUATED

One of the things speaks, and lights on either side of its "head" flash in time with its words. "UNKNOWN ELEMENTS WILL IDENTIFY! IDENTIFY!"

[FallacyofUrist]

"No. Warlock of the Nevermore clan."

Then whispering, "Traveler. Any input?"

[WillowLuman]

The Traveler, hands raised, whispers back. "All I know is they've got guns pointed at us. Let's try talking our way out, and failing that keep an eye out for any chance to sucker punch them or escape."

[~Neri]

"Local Units. Identify Yourselves to the Guests and Behave. They most certainly Can hear you judging by observed Chassis Capabilities. Cease whispering."

[WillowLuman]

"SPEAK ONLY AS DIRECTED OR BE EXTERMINATED!"

"Alright, I'm, uh, a traveler. An opportunist you might say, going where flights of fancy bring me."

[~Neri]

"To clarify as that Local Unit is suffering from severe cognitive impairments Which Will Be Fixed Later. That one refuses to go by any identifier other than 'The Traveler' or 'Traveler.'"

[WillowLuman]

"Hey, technically speaking, that's just what you all keep calling me. I just don't object because it works about as well as anything else. And c'mon, dude, united front."

Concern: noticing behavioral and emotional spikes in Koi. Situation stakes appear high. Additional concern: unknown mechanoids have unknown level of access to grouplink. Performing security assessment...

Resalth casts a look at Titus, as if trying to surreptitiously communicate something, and then thumps a hand on his chest. "I am Resalth, Knight-Errant of Her Majesty's Order of the Secret Watchfires and certified Master of Magecraft of the Ancient School. To whom do we have the honor of speaking?"

"WE DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS!"
"THE REST WILL IDENTIFY! IDENTIFY!"
"IDENTIFY!"

Jaden seems about ready to break into tears and/or wet his pants. His words are evidently choking in his throat. Espada, displaying yet more concern, pats him on the shoulder and sends identification to the newcomers. Name: Jaden Amundsen. Primitive electrical engineer from variant Earth history, 21st century. Alternately sourced human genome: evolved from rodents rather than primates

[~Neri]

Running Diagnostics.

System Analysis noting Major Deterioration in Limiter Macroimplants. Insufficient Reserves for repair. Notable Deterioration in notable cerebral structures. Insufficient materials for repair. Recommendation: Monitor for additional neurological deviations. Proc failsafe Class 1 as required. Escalate to Class 2 should Class 1 prove ineffective. Raise Acquisition and Processing of materials to Maximum Priority.

[armach]

Titus raises an eyebrow not completely understanding what Resalth is trying to convey, but plays along. He thumps his hand on his chest before proudly exclaiming. "I am Titus Maccius Curio, Prima Centurion. I serve as the commander of the First Cohort of First Imperial Legion of the Aquiline Army in the service of the Terran Empire." He lowers his hand and looks over to Jaden. "And in my many years of service I have yet to have lost a even a single civilian under my personal protection. So take heart young Jaden, you're not dead yet and I don't plan on breaking the mold today."

[TheBiggerFish]

I don't need to know how it works to set up a low-charge and high-charge area?

Or...fuckit let's just cook them in their convenient little ovens.  Should be really easy.

Avi builds a contingency spell to dump...How much energy does she have to spare at the moment?...Let's say 1kW for 1s over 1cm^2 of collimated infrared (laser!) into the fleshy bits.

[WillowLuman]

Titus raises an eyebrow not completely understanding what Resalth is trying to convey, but plays along. He thumps his hand on his chest before proudly exclaiming. "I am Titus Maccius Curio, Prima Centurion. I serve as the commander of the First Cohort of First Imperial Legion of the Aquiline Army in the service of the Terran Empire." He lowers his hand and looks over to Jaden. "And in my many years of service I have yet to have lost a even a single civilian under my personal protection. So take heart young Jaden, you're not dead yet and I don't plan on breaking the mold today."

Jaden nods hurriedly ^{"I-I'm 27..."}

I don't need to know how it works to set up a low-charge and high-charge area?

Or...fuckit let's just cook them in their convenient little ovens.  Should be really easy.

Avi builds a contingency spell to dump...How much energy does she have to spare at the moment?...Let's say 1kW for 1s over 1cm^2 of collimated infrared (laser!) into the fleshy bits.

You're not sure what kind of life is in there, but chances are you have enough output to kill that much tissue. If they're the size you think they are (though the interior of the shells makes things murky), then split between three targets you could probably cook them with about 15 seconds of concentration. You could probably do it faster but that'd sacrifice efficiency and leave your reserve drained. Or maybe if you just focused on one at a time. Hmm, this would be easier if you had some cover...

Hmm, perhaps if not an immediate kill, the pain might break their focus enough for people to dash to cover?

Running Diagnostics.

System Analysis noting Major Deterioration in Limiter Macroimplants. Insufficient Reserves for repair. Notable Deterioration in notable cerebral structures. Insufficient materials for repair. Recommendation: Monitor for additional neurological deviations. Proc failsafe Class 1 as required. Escalate to Class 2 should Class 1 prove ineffective. Raise Acquisition and Processing of materials to Maximum Priority.

Espada confirms the protocol, though feels some apprehension about the responsibility. Espada also worries that, as the situation stands, defenses against potential mental assault from apparently mindlinked group might prove inadequate. Devoting additional resources to KX9 grouplink security...

[~Neri]

Acknowledged. Recommended Active Filter Types: CO047-CO124, BL012-BL033, and HV121-407.

[WillowLuman]

"NONCOMPLIANCE DETECTED!"
"INTERLOPERS MUST BE EXTERMINATED!"
"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

It is said that in the moments prior to a car accident, those involved seem to see events in slow motion. Perhaps those facing a firing squad experience something similar, but of course one could not hear their accounts. But perhaps those who were there at that moment could provide an answer.

*STREEEEEEEEEEEE*

The three things twitched their metal appendages, and some could see clearly where they were pointed, though there was little time to react. Espada moved to get out of the way and to push Jaden, who seemed the least likely to react in a timely manner of anyone, but the beam that screeched through the air still grazed past their side: for a moment, there was a brilliant flash of green and Espada's skeleton and major implants could be seen right through the flesh.

Two of the beams converged, striking Titus squarely in the chest. Arcs of energy crackled across the surface of his armor and the displays flickered off...

"Power at 400% capacity"