Tarran Smith"Hmm..."
Kick the door repeatedly. But only use the bottom of my foot: don't slam the front into the door.
You square up to the door, cricking your neck and shooing Taric out of the way as you prepare to batter down a steel door with your foot. [Melee 3] [E/O 4] [P.Kinetics 4+2] You slam your heel into the door repeatedly, each impact seeming feather light to you, and each impact bringing fresh moans of tortured metal.
[Door Endurance 1 (Bonus negated)] The door bends horribly around the third heel smash, and you drive it off its track entirely with a heavy sidekick. The door grinds loudly and pops as it snaps free, slamming into the floor on the other side like a metal girl-scout in a heavyweight boxing match.
Normally, you'd try to get a look in the room that you just opened up, but the sound of water splashing down in waves interrupts you before you're able to see anything more than a vague outline of the out-of-sight part of the restaurant. You turn, surprisingly unsurprised to find a pair of small waterfalls pouring down from the second tier. It's sort of pretty, the walkway divided flow glittering in the light of Taric's converted weapon, but it probably means something has gone wrong with Dominique.
You call out to Dom over the noise from the waterfall, ignoring the bits of food and broken bodies that are now floating past your ankles. Her response is muffled, but the gist of it is that everything's fine. You shrug. If she isn't worried, there probably isn't anything to worry about, though it is good timing that you managed to open up the door down here before rising water started to be a problem for the coma kid.
The freshly opened door, or rather, the space behind the door, receives your attention again when you're sure that nothing major is wrong upstairs. What you can see is pretty common, massive stasis tanks for food storage as well as a veritable cornucopia of preparation devices. [Observation 4] The rapidly running water is starting to wash away the trail, but you can tell it turns left once it enters the prep rooms.
---
Dominique WakemanDom frowned, waited to make sure the water was done being a prick, and entered the room. Likely it was nasty as hell; there were probably watersoaked corpses and shit all in there and that was going to be disgusting, but she felt she needed to check anyway. For one thing, she wasn't going to wimp out, and she was sure if she could something useful for Tarran the whole 'maintenance hatch' incident would probably blow over.
You brace up against the wall and wait the water out. It's soggy, cold, and does a great deal to kill the joy of the windfall in the women's bathroom. [Soak 4+1] You stand fast in the current, physically unperturbed by the mass of water and mercifully unidentifiable objects that come rushing by you.
As soon as the flow gets low enough, you start slogging into the men's bathroom, mentally predicting all manner of nastiness. The ancient corpse that you have to unjam from the door before you can get in does nothing to prove you wrong. Inside, the bathroom is a mess of floating bits of garbage and sunk bits of garbage. The efficiency sinks that line the near wall of the bathroom have been shot to hell, part of a long line of gunfire scoring the runs across the wall and up into the ceiling. Water streams from the broken sinks in thin but powerful flows. [Int 3] The fact that they're still running means something, but you can't quite put your finger on it right now- standing hip deep in broken bits of person has that effect. The bodies, and there appear to be three, have been so damaged that it's impossible to tell what killed them. A quick trawl of the bottom finds one of their guns, a short assault rifle similar to the one Ashley uses, but water damage has wrecked it the same way it has wrecked everything else in here.
This bathroom is a total loss, unless you happen to need a near endless supply of recycled water.
---
Aaron WhiteGo for the Knees
Aaron White 87+5-4= 88 (34)
Paula 86+3-1 = 88 (59)
Henry 80+6-4 = 82
Cale 88+6-4= 90
Corrupted Deadhead 4 11-5 = 6
Cale swings his blade around for another heavy chop, [Melee 2+1 Vs Dodge 3] [Melee 5+1] only to have the deadhead block the blade with its stun baton. Cale retorts by punching the deadhead while both his hands are still wrapped around the blade. [Brawl 5] The unexpected attack knocks the deadhead back a step, letting Cale complete his overhanded chop without obstruction. (Deadhead armor -3, Hp -34)
Paula darts across the room, your knife in her hands, and tries to drive it doublefisted into the deadhead's back. [Melee 4 Vs Dodge 3] [Brawl 2] The result is a little shy on driving force, but she's not exactly the type for main force. (Deadhead armor -2 Hp -12)
With Paula sticking pointy bits of metal in its back, and Cale sticking pointing bits of metal in its front, you drive your bone spike at the back of one of its knees for the takedown. [Melee 3-2 Vs Dodge 2] The deadhead is still staggering about too much for you to get in a solid swipe, and your attack just grazes the armor harmlessly.
Henry, meanwhile, takes the shot that he's been lining up. [Marksman 4+1-2] The deadhead's skull explodes as the bullet burrows through its temple. It falls to the floor woodenly, the motion yanking the knife out of its shoulder blades in the process. He might be a pain in the ass to carry, and a bit of a downer in social situations, but you're glad you saved Henry and his skill with the rifle. (Deadhead armor -2 CPU -28 and kill)
All four of you pant for a bit, wordlessly taking in the joy of having not been beaten to death with clubs. The rhythmic sound of approaching feet, though, cuts a big inroad through your break.
"That's the security team coming," Paula says, flipping your knife back over to you.
"We have to move." Cale's head jerks up, a look of injustice painted across his face.
"I thought this was the security team!" "Have you ever seen deadheads that looked like this?" Paula asks, kicking one of the deadheads as her voice rises in a mix of frustration and fear. You have to admit, you haven't seen deadheads as... damaged as these. The bone spike that jutted from the arm of the one you stabbed through the eye, the strangely hard flesh of another, the warped body structure, none of it looked like any sort of deadhead you'd seen before. The basics were right, the same clone body that you're familiar with, the same clothes, but everything else is dead wrong.
"I don't know, maybe it's the clone version of psoriasis!" Cale shoots back without any conviction other than mad hope.
Curiously, though all the other elevators have closed back up, the middle elevator, the large one that held nothing, still stands open.
---
James EvanAs the tendrils ate the land, and the fighting around him was stopped, although that might be ending, James ran for the holocube, outright sprinting for it.
James Evan: 21+0-0= 21
Blight: 2+5-0= 7
Shadow James: 54+0-0 = 54
Deranged Psionic Torturer and Acolyte of the Technocracy/Topless Tropical Waitress: 88+3-0 = 91
Sample 18: 1
The waitress picks herself off the ground slowly. Most of her face, part of the flesh along her ribcage, and a chunk of her thigh is missing now, not to mention the layer of acid burns. The regeneration that instantly patches over your wounds, if not their damage, seems to be a trait that she does not possess. Unfortunate, this visible damage seems to have no more effect than deeply pissing her off. [Will 2+1 Vs James Will 6] That, however, does her no good. She dashes for your shadow, but the same lengthening of space that she pulled on you now happens to her, making her dash as amusing as it is pointless.
Your shadow, [Will 5 Vs Acolyte will 2+1] however, suffers from no such problem as he walks over to her, raising his remaining fist to stove her head in. [Melee Melee 5 Vs Dodge 1] [Brawl 6+1] His fist smashes into her burned head, tearing away what remained of her clinging flesh and slamming her back into the sand. On normal circumstances you'd feel bad about beating up a woman, but you're pretty sure this isn't really a woman. (Acolyte Hp -45)
With the waitress on the ground again you take your cue to run like hell for the cube. [Will 3 Vs Will 3-1] [Dex 5] You clear the distance in a quick dash, snatching up the cube and holding it expectantly. It occurs that you don't know what to do with it at this point.
[Blight Str 5, End 2+1, Int 4, Will 5+1, Luck 5. 36/50]
[Luck 3] The pillars of darkness grow and split, with more touching down all the time. The life of this island is measured in minutes, destruction might not be imminent, but you seriously doubt you've got more then twenty before you don't have anywhere left run.
"Remember what I said," your shadow yells over to you, still standing over the broken waitress.
"Decrease D-serine and somatostatin, increase acetylcholin and anandamides. Do it!" "NO!" The waitress with the fungal arm in her back, struggles to prop herself upright.
"I told you, that will only kill us, and I don't want to die any more than you do. Give that thing to me, and I'll fix the problem with your head, or at least make it so that it can be fixed. Then... perhaps we can work out an arrangement."---
Turn RecapTarran is in a western town, again.
Dominique was not comforted by a lovely waterfall lately
Aaron is failing to stab people, but still winning
James has a choice
Relevant ItemsMemory Stick (Dom)
Security Card November (Dom)
Broken Pad (Taric)
Ident Badge -Pyotr Ivanov- (Taric)
Ident Badge -Kira Masse- (Tarran)
Ident Badge -Naomi Weiss- (Tarran)
Unpowered Pad (Tarran)
L1RF Key (Tarran)
Technocrat Acolyte Shadow
Health: 14/200
Armor: None
Weapon: None
Secondary: None
Status: Fine
Range: Short to all
Flying Knife
Health: 10/10
Armor: None
Weapon: Itself
Status: Coming around for another pass (1)
Range: short to all
Health: 71/85
Stamina: 85/85
Carried weight: 81/180
Attire:Red Maintenance Jumpsuit, Heavily Modified Red Maintenance Suit (46/115, 45 lbs).
Inv:
Phoenix pistol (2/3) (9 lbs)
CFG bars x2 (3)
Crowbar (8lbs)
Simple Knife (2lbs)
Bone Spike (1lbs)
Fifty feet of rope (10 lbs)
Homemade grappling hook (2 lbs)
D-Grade rations x4 (4 lbs)
Status: Floor Twenty
Paula Ria
Health: 39/55
Stamina: 32/55
Description: Short, brown haired. The years she spent as a researcher at Delphi added lines to her face, the year she spent as a prisoner here added a decade and stole what weight she had from her frail body.
Personality Complication: Soft. Despite her recent hellish ordeals, Ria was a born and raised Technocrat. She's gotten conditioned to hardship, but the pain and the cold decisions that need to be made in her new life still stun her.
Skills: Mechanical 3, Intuition 1, Dodging 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 1
Dexterity (Dex): 3
Endurance (End): 1
Charisma (Char): 4
Intelligence (Int): 9
Willpower: (Will): 3
Equipment: Light Body Armor 36/50, Stained Labcoat, Military grade night-vision goggles. Chimera Pistol 15/15, Diagnostic pad, energy cell x2, Light Plasma Torch (60/100), Basic Medical Kit (2/5), Fifty feet of rope, Homemade grappling hook, D-Grade rations x4.
Henry Myers
Health: 13/75
Stamina: 16/75 (Light Bleeding, -3 stamina per turn)
Description: An emaciated man of average height. He's mostly bald now, thanks both due to a receding hairline and to a chemical spill that permanently injured his scalp.
Personality Complication: Maudlin. Henry has a dark streak a mile wide, and he usually shares it at every available person. He's a good man, but the tendency to vent every depressing thought that runs through his head makes him a little irritating.
Skills: Soak 2, Marksman 2, Stamina 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 6
Dexterity (Dex): 6
Endurance (End): 3
Charisma (Char): 1
Intelligence (Int): 3
Willpower: (Will): 4
Equipment: Maintenance Jumpsuit, Heavily Modified Maintenance Suit (23/90). Kapre Light Rifle 9/15, .30 caliber clips (15) x2, Pack of Flares, Fifty feet of rope, Homemade grappling hook, D-Grade rations x4.
Cale Levi
Health: 100/105
Stamina: 105/105
Description: A tall young man, blond and brown eyed. He's in fairly decent shape, considering his recent lifestyle.
Personality Complication: Young, and kinda Stupid. Cale is a young man, and though time has aged him quickly, he still occasionally acts on wild impulse.
Skills: Mechanical 1, Melee 2, Dodge 1
Attributes,
Strength (Str): 3
Dexterity (Dex): 6
Endurance (End): 6
Charisma (Char): 4
Intelligence (Int): 3
Willpower: (Will): 1
Equipment: Maintenance Jumpsuit, Heavily Modified Maintenance Suit (78/90). Sleipnir SMG (5/30 | 35/60), .223 clips (30) x2, Energy cell x2, Crude Combat Blade, Neuroflash grenade x2, Fifty feet of rope, Homemade grappling hook, D-Grade rations x4.
Health: 58/70
Stamina: 70/70
Carried Weight: 138/140 (-25%)
Attire: Technocrat Commander Dress uniform [11lbs] Standard Body armor, 66/100. [35lbs]
Inv:
Energy Cell x6 (3 lbs)
Taric's Frankenstein Versatility Rifle (A30, E65, 31lbs, in hand,) (Can't use laser)
.220 gauss clip x3
Basilisk pulse rifle 4/5 (13 lbs)
Piru Gauss Rifle (4/5 4/5 16lbs)
.45 Gauss slugs x2 (5)
Disruptor Pistol (4/4 4lbs)
Saun's Helmet (Quarter full of ants, enclosed.) (3lbs)
Box of terrible scrap components (20lbs)
Short Range Radio, (Off)
Memory Foam centerfold
colonist rations x5 (5lbs)
Tripwire emitter
Status: Restaurant, middle tier.
Health: 75/75
Stamina: 75/75
Carried Weight: 146/150 (-25%)
Attire: High-prelate Uniform [8lbs] Standard Body Armor 48/100. [35lbs]
Inv:
Tarran's Ichneumon Anti-Armor Rifle -Scope- (1/1, 20lbs, 1 rounds in speed loader)
1' sabot packs x1 (2)
Combat Knife (1lb)
Sleipnir SMG (A0, E25 9lbs,)
Sleipnir SMG (A0, E25 9lbs,)
Energy cells x4
8 .220 gauss clips (35)
Basic First Aid Kit 3/5 (5lbs)
1 .220 gauss clip (25)
Jormungandr Assault Rifle (A4, E39), 16lbs. In hand,
Artemis Railgun (E 3/3, A 3/3, 18lbs)
.50 Rail Clip (3)
Credit Chit (Unknown)
Status: Unknown Restaurant, middle floor.
Health: 105/135
Stamina: 115/115
Carried Weight: 135/210 (-25%)
Attire: Arbiter dress Uniform, pristine [10lbs] Standard Body Armor, 20/100. [35lbs]
Inv:
Dominique's Abassy Heavy pistol -laser sight- [6, 8lbs]
Stun club (50/50 11lbs)
Fuath Riot suppression carbine [6, 13lbs, Caustic load]
.50 caliber pistol clips x7 (7, 2lbs)
Full Bottle of Wine x1 (1lb, sealed)
Jormungandr Assault Rifle (A35, E70, 16lbs. In hand)
LR Jormungandr Battle Rifle (13/35 A, 8/15 E, Damaged, 17lbs)
Artemis Railgun (E 3/3, A 3/3, 18lbs)
.220 gauss slugs x1 (35)
.220 gauss slugs x1 (30)
Smoke Grenades x1 (neg)
Energy cells x3
Energy cell (90%) x1
.50 Rail Clip (3) x1
Field rations x1
Phoenix Pistol [2, 9lbs]
Basic medical kit (1/5) (5lbs)
Data storage drive [Romance novels]
Unknown Chemical Hypo x3 (Neg)
Partially sorted (1/3) stack of Technocrat stamped papers (Bad novel)
Status: Unknown Restaurant, middle tier.
Health: 29/75 (Dreamspace HP 72/200)
Stamina: 75/75
Carried weight: 105/240 (-25%)
Attire: Exarch Dress uniform [8lbs] James' Light Body armor 47/50 (50/50) [25lbs]
Inv:
(Dreamspace: Satyr Light pistol 9/18)
(Dreamspace: Eldjötnar shotgun (A 4/4 | E 12/12))
(Dreamspace: ORS 3/3)
Renfield SMG (10, 10lbs, in hand)
Riot shield (10lbs 30/30)
Piru Gauss Rifle (E5/5 A5/5 16lbs)
.45 Gauss slug clip (5)
Simone's Song (6lbs 4/7 -Frangible Rounds-)
.50 caliber Frangible pistol clips (7) x1
Dybbuk Flechette Canister Rifle (1/2 35 lbs)
20 mm flechette canisters (x2, 1 lb)
Status: Unknown Restaurant. Incredibly Smelly. Regenerating 3 DHp per turn. (2)
Author
Topic: Deviation-22. The End of All Things. (Read 526730 times)