Dominique Wakeman"Right, later?" Dom said, unsure. That entire encounter had been... bizarre. She examined the chitin in greater detail before putting it away in a pocket, wondering what use it would be to her besides a novelty.
You roll the bit of chitin over in your hands. [Observation 2] It's slightly warmer than room temperature and quite hard. For all that you can tell, the Immortal gave you an object with the approximate value of a heated rock. Smiling immortals wearing armor and wandering around giving people rocks. Eh. It's better than having them wandering around attempting to murder you.
You check your armor one last time, slip the chitin nodule inside one of the suit's pockets, and head back up to the hangar.
***
Ashley, Harry, Taric, and your two immortals are already there, waiting for you in the same room where you said goodbye to Tarran and James. Harry looks pissed, Ashley's difficult to read, Alonso and Basilio look like they always do, and Taric seems vaguely amused by everything.
"Ah, the woman of the hour," Taric says as soon as you enter. "Harry here was just about to chew off one of his feet in worry, poor man is sure that I'm about to spring some daring ambush."
Harry glares at Taric. There's a lot more than dislike in that expression.
"Eh, he's just upset because I put a bullet through Jordan," Taric explains with a shrug. "Anyway, I have your real-fake identification for a Harlequin Ayveen. Just, ah, don't get in a situation where you'd need to spell your name." Taric hands you a swipe ID and a three color sword-and-loop insignia designed to adhere to your armor and be scanned by passing security.
You take a look at the swipe I.D and blink. The name on the I.D is 'Aoibheann'.
"I have no idea what language that name is derived from, but I had the computer double check the pronunciation. So, as I said, just avoid signing things." Taric gives you an apologetic look and hands you a second parcel. It's a thin box box a little larger than your hand held flat. "This is to change how you look. It's a nice little makeup box, and I added a preset for Harlequin Ayveen's actual appearance since makeup and you... Well, I just thought this might be easier for all involved. There's just one little quirk; I didn't have time to refurbish it entirely, and it belonged to a Technocrat administrator for use on... Well, short version is that I couldn't get the existing presets of naughty-nurse and wounded rebel hostage off of it quickly. Just make sure you show up as Harlequin Ayveen, not naughty-nurse Ayveen." Taric blinks at you, then grimaces. "Sorry, winking isn't a strong skill right now. Anyway, I moved part of a bar from one the restaurants onto the shuttle, plus that bottle of wine you found. Anything else before you throw yourself to the cybernetic wolves?"
(Wolf, you can act here as you like.)
Health: 128/128
Stamina: 120/120
Carried Weight: 124/210
Attire: Harlequin Uniform, Styx Assault Armor (150/150, 60lbs. Integrated Power cell charged 3/3, Internal Ammunition Supply [Cerico, 16])
Inv:
Dominique's Abassy Heavy pistol -laser sight- [6, 8lbs]
.50 pistol clip (7 0.2lbs) x5
Artemis Railgun (3/3 A, 3/3 E 18lbs)
Size S-3 rail spike pack (3, 0.6lbs) x2
Cerico Shotgun (24/8 A, 16lbs)
12 gauge shells (8, 0.3lbs) x5
Stun club (50/50 11lbs)
Advanced Medical Kit (10/10) (5lbs)
Energy Cell (Full, 0.5lbs) x5
ORS (3) x2
Chitin Nodule
Status: Fine.
---
James EvanJames grimaced, as he heard the gunfire and the kinetics. How the hell did he manage to land in the middle of a battle?
Nevertheless, he had work to do. James started to raise his hand to do... something to protect himself, though his increasing fatigue certainly didn't help. Unsure what to do, James had an idea! He'd been using blades at distance quite a lot, really... but what if he could truly use them at long distance? Maybe, he decided he could make a blade he could throw. Trying this, James goes across the roof of the ship and creates three shrikes, difficulty modifier -1, shaped like crescent shaped, flat blades.
[A.Kinetics 16-1] [Control 19-1, Cost -25%] (-8 Stamina) You feel a... potential swell across your skin. Your muscles are relaxed, but at the same time you feel as if some detached part of your body is tensed to strike. It's a very odd sensation.
You cross the upturned belly of the virtue, trying to get your less than cooperative eyes to focus on the figure approaching the ship. You make a big target, standing tall on the top of the virtue, but you've got a few tricks now. You don't know exactly what that stored potential is going to do if you trigger it, but you know that it's going to be dangerous.
[Observation 2-1] [? observation 21] The approaching figure stops, and you get the feeling that it can see you just fine. Your fears are confirmed when it speaks.
"James Evan, place your hands on your head and kneel, or you will be killed. You are a criminal and a traitor, and you will face judgement for your crimes." The voice is unfamiliar and inhumanly cold. The fact that it wants to kill you probably means Technocrat, but knowing your name is a very bad sign.
Health: 72/88
Stamina: 24/100
Carried weight: 171/300
Attire: Exarch Dress uniform [8lbs] James' Light Body armor 37/50 (50/50) [25lbs]
Inv:
Renfield SMG (10/30, 10lbs)
Riot shield (10lbs 1/30, in hand)
Piru Gauss Rifle (E5/5 A5/5 16lbs)
.45 Gauss slug clip (5)
Simone's Song (6lbs 3/7 -Frangible Rounds-)
.50 caliber Frangible pistol clips (7) x1
Irin Combat Shotgun 3/6 (15lbs)
Dybbuk Flechette Canister Rifle (1/2 35 lbs)
20 mm flechette canisters (x2, 1 lb)
Emergency VIP Drop Suit (30lbs, Armor 35/35)
Status: New Hensfield, atop the Virtue. Mild Concussion, next save [1], 3/8 shrikes.
---
Tyrin and AnnaTyrin lowered his gun as the medic took charge-not one to make his work any harder.
He suggested to the Marshal: "I say we take cover first sir. We're pretty open here, and they've a marksman in their team-someone who I'm sure did in this wound here. We need physical and probably mental cover barring any other..erm, telepaths around.
"Also I got the impression that the hit would've either announced our position in the smoke, or announced the confirmation of still-present-hostiles--I didn't see the man go down, but I assume he just shrugged it off or...They're either going to be cautious, or they'll just issue a wipe-out order."
Take cover by the corner of the building and rest, then put a mindbar over myself and Tyrin. Ask a trooper for a spare clip for my rifle if they can spare it and watch the smoke for technocrats.
Anna: 77+6-1= 82
Tyrin: 90+3-3= 90 (Locked to Psionic 1)
Marshal Feuer: 22+6-3= 25
Unchained Kineticist: 76+3-3= 76
Unchained Psionic 1: 53+6-2= 57
Unchained Psionic 2: 47+6-2= 51
Technocrat Destroyer: 8+3-6= 5
Technocrat Sniper: 81+15-4= 92
Technocrat Sharpshooter: 90+6-3= 93
Technocrat Trooper 1: 61+3-3= 61
Technocrat Trooper 2: 46+3-3= 46
Damien Smith: 68+3-9= 62
The Technocrat sharpshooter detaches from his position behind cover, [Mobility 5+1] barely making the few steps north to the fence around the Colonist fields.
The Sniper follows suit, [Mobility 16+1] except with the smooth precision of a trained soldier. [Observation 22+1] The sniper sights down on one of the unchained [3, Anna], and relays his visual to the HUDs of the other Technocrats, painting the forward Unchained party.
Anna, [mobility 21] takes cover on the corner of the building and requests a clip from one of the other revolutionaries. [Luck 17] The psionic that's bending over Tyrin spares a moment from his work to toss Anna one of his clips. [Mindbar 7+2-2] [Control 18, -10% cost] (-13 stamina) The stimulants, despite giving Anna the power to fight, are also disorienting. Anna's first attempt at creating a mindbar fails miserably, unable to bring her mind to focus on the task.
The Kineticist, Wigs, points a finger at the ground and draws it slowly sideways. [Ripper 11+2-1] [Control 2, Cost +25%] (Kineticist -31 stamina) Earth flies away from the Kineticist's finger, filling the air with earthen hail as the Kineticist literally draws a shallow trench into the soil. Satisfied with his work, the kineticist hops down and kneels the fresh furrow.
Damien's task of identifying the Unchained targets is made somewhat easier when the sniper broadcasts a series of images, pinpointing three members of the enemy force without effort on Damien's part. [Intuition 6+1] Further analysis of the images and the situation yields no more insight into the situation.
[Trooper 1 Morale 18-2] The trooper that Jenna almost killed seems to have regained his heart now that he isn't alone. [Mobility 8] sliding up to the fence along with the sharpshooter.
The unchained psionic that stuck Anna pulls out a medical kit and goes to work on Tyrin. [7, 17+1,6,19+1,13: 64/55] The psionic strips off Tyrin's armor and cuts a hole in his clothing to get to the one. He cleans the wound quickly, gives it a cursory disinfectant, and essentially glues both ends of the wound shut before wrapping Tyrin's entire waist in bandages and buckling his armor back on over it. (Tyrin Bleeding stopped, HP +20)
The second Psionic makes a quick dash past the corner, [Mobility 17] sliding into the cover of the kineticist's ditch.
[Mobility 15] The remaining technocrat trooper dashes up from the south, joining knot of technocrat grunts.
The Marshal peers into the smoke, trying to catch a glimpse of any Technocrats other than the Destroyer. [Observation 18] The sniper, crouching along the rails of the colonist fence, is first one he marks with a second psionic flare. [Mark 3] [Control 6, cost +10%] (Stamina -3) Or he tries. The flare sputters for a moment, flickering on the edges of perception, then dies.
The Destroyer moves forward, [12+1] trudging slowly but willfully forward to arrive at the edge of the entrance to the colonist field. He raises the laser cannon with a grunt, training it loosely on the Unchained that the sniper is spotting and beginning the charging cycle.
Health: 38/79
Stamina: 50/85
Carried weight: 52/150
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Limbo Medium Body Armor (78/115, 35lbs)
Inv:
Medical Kit (9/10, 5lbs)
Bandages (4/5, 2lbs)
Combat Knife (1lbs)
ALR Broadbeam (8/10 E, 14lbs)
.30 Cal pistol clip (10) x1
Status: New Hensfield, South-east.
Health: 96/95
Stamina: 45/105
Carried weight: /130
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Lethe Armored Infiltration Suit (36/50, 20lbs)
Inv:
Kapre Light Rifle (11/15, 16lbs)
Renfield SMG (10/30, 10lbs)
Combat Knife x2 (1ls)
.30 cal rifle clip (15/15) x1
.115 spike pack (30/30) x1
Status: New Hensfield, South-east. Stimpack (2), Medium Cover -3 to incoming attacks -1 to outgoing attacks.
'Hickie', Unchained Psionic
Health: 61/65
Stamina: 63/70
Armor: 59/65
Weapon: Kapre Light Rifle (14/15)
Status: Fine,
Ranges,
Trooper 1: Obstructed
Trooper 2: Obstructed
Sharpshooter: Obstructed
Sniper: Obstructed
Destroyer: Obstructed
Damien Smith: Obstructed
Unchained Psionic
Health: 59/65
Stamina: 69/70
Armor: 49/65
Weapon: Sleipnir SMG (Dual, 25/25 A, 50/50E. 25/25A, 50/50E)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Trooper 1:29RI
Trooper 2: 32RI
Sharpshooter: 28RI
Sniper: 22RI
Destroyer: 21RI
Damien Smith: 23RI
'Wigs', Unchained Kineticist
Health: 98/109
Stamina: 86/115
Armor: 79/90 (3/5 charges)
Weapon: Basilisk Pulse Rifle (8/10)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Trooper 1: 28RI
Trooper 2: 31RI
Sharpshooter: 27RI
Sniper: 21RI
Destroyer: 20RI
Damien Smith: 23RI
Marshal Feuer
Health: 126/130
Stamina: 111/135
Armor: 86/100 (Full Cell)
Weapon: Hellhound SMG (25/30)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Trooper 1: 30RI
Trooper 2: 33RI
Sharpshooter: 29RI
Sniper: 22RI
Destroyer: 21RI
Damien Smith: 24RI
Technocrat Trooper 1
Health: 29/70
Stamina: 70/70
Armor: 8/115
Weapon: Jormungandr Assault Rifle (35A 70E)
Status: Fine, Scared, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 29RI
Hickie: Obstructed
Wigs: 28RI
Marshal Feuer: 30RI
Tyrin Laveros: Obstructed
Anna Witheld: 33RI
Technocrat Trooper 2
Health: 55/70
Stamina: 23/70
Armor: 90/115
Weapon: Jormungandr Assault Rifle (35A 70E)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 32RI
Hickie: Obstructed
Wigs: 31RI
Marshal Feuer: 33RI
Tyrin Laveros: Obstructed
Anna Witheld: 36RI
Technocrat Sharpshooter
Health: 49/49
Stamina: 55/55
Armor: 90/115
Weapon: Kapre Light Rifle (11/15)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 28RI
Hickie: Obstructed
Wigs: 27RI
Marshal Feuer: 29RI
Tyrin Laveros: Obstructed
Anna Witheld: 31RI
Technocrat Sniper
Health: 77/77
Stamina: 75/75
Armor: 115/115
Weapon: Artemis Railgun (2/3A, 2/3E)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 22
Hickie: Obstructed
Wigs: 21RI
Marshal Feuer: 22RI
Tyrin Laveros: Obstructed
Anna Witheld: 25RI
Technocrat Destroyer
Health: 96/105
Stamina: 95/95
Armor: 115/150
Weapon: Sol Pulse Laser (100/100)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 21RI
Hickie: Obstructed
Wigs: 20RI
Marshal Feuer: 21RI
Tyrin Laveros: Obstructed
Anna Witheld: 23RI
Author
Topic: Deviation-22. The End of All Things. (Read 527600 times)