James EvanJames grit his teeth. This thing was just too fast, and trying to hit it when it was doing this charging thing would be downright hellish to attempt. On the other hand, with a clever use of psionics, maybe James could stop said charging thing. Taking a page from his reckless side, James decided to draw back a small bit, not enough to deny it its new variety of attack (he intended to use THAT against it). Then, when it charged at him, he would put his plan into effect.
Draw back a bit towards short range. When the Wight charges at me, send a slam centered on the Wight's feet (so that it goes 3 feet up and 5 feet in either direction) at the thing, with 7 kN of force.
James Evan: 4+0-1 = 3
Technocrat Wight: 48+26(+72)-4 = 146
The Technocrat blurs forward, striking fast and hard. [Melee 12+4, 17+4+1 Vs Dodge 5, 22] [James Luck 16] [Brawl 16+1] The first blade slices into your shoulder, but, through a small miracle, you manage to turn the second blow away with your punch-gun. (Shield -8, Armor -6, HP -24, 1 Negated)
You stagger backwards a few steps, not needing to feign a need to withdraw. The hole that thing just put in your shoulder isn't a scratch, and unless it slows down soon, you're not going to be able to match it in melee. [Slam 17, 7Kn][Control 6+1] (-7 Stamina) You prime a wave of force, ready to strike again as soon as it closes with you.
The Wight obliges you almost immediately. [Technocrat Mobility 4+4+1 Vs Slam 17+1] (Wight Armor -3) The psionic attack strikes low, sending the Technocrat sprawling forward as his legs go out from under him. He lands at your feet, momentarily prone.
[Luck 19] Your chest burns, and the rest of your body feels sort of... tingly.
(Wight Charge -30)
Health: 41/88
Stamina: 29/100
Carried weight: 171/300
Attire: Exarch Dress uniform [8lbs] James' Light Body armor 24/50 (42/50) [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
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.
**Technocrat Wight**
Health: 174/175
Charge: 125/175
Armor: 17/100
Weapon: Duelist Implants
Status: Prone, Spider Implants Active (+4, Second Round)
Range: Melee
---
Dominique Wakeman and Ashley FeyCheck ship systems and flight path
"Thanks, Emily. I guess I'll figure it out when we get there. Go ahead and set a course for the place, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I think." Dom sighed.
For the next several hours, Dominique and Ashley sit tight while the shuttle burns toward Teras station. Ashley spends the time reviewing the ship's systems, finding them to be stripped down, overdue for maintenance, and generally on the shadier side of serviceable. Dominique continues reviewing the minimal information there is on Teras station, finding little new or interesting about it. Her cover story is the best shot she's got at making this work, and looking up the number of waste disposal facilities on the station isn't going to help improve that.
***
"We are within range of Teras station," Emily's voice chimes across the shuttle. "One exterior dock is occupied. Hull reads as a Hazardous Recon light transport."
Dominique looks up. Hazardous Recon is perhaps the one branch of the Technocrat active military that is actually liked for a reason beyond Technocrat mystique. HazRec are the soldiers who get sent to cleanse the underworks of the spire cities when mites start killing off too many maintenance workers. They're the people who get sent to drive back natural predators when terraforming kinks create apex predators that enjoy eating colonists. Essentially, they're maintenance workers with guns. Rumor has it that they actively recruit anyone who's managed to survive red-maintenance for more than five years, but you've never actually seen it happen. What's strange is why they're at a research station. This shouldn't be their usual gig. Unless something has gone very wrong.
"The Technocrat vessel has identified us," Emily adds a moment later. "They're opening communications. Relaying now."
"Transport, you are in controlled space. Provide authorization, turn around, or we will disable your craft. Considering that we're a little busy right now, I don't think you want the latter to happen. We might forget to pick you up at the end of our job." The voice sounds male, tired, and perfectly willing to shoot you if it would make his day easier.
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
Health: 159/159
Charge: 159/159
Carried weight: 115/150
Attire: Plain gray under armor padding. Midguard Hardened Armor (112/140, 60lbs)
Inv:
Garou Repeating Cannon (9/12) (19lbs)
15 MM bonding charges x1
Ashley's Leanashe Assault Rifle [10/30 18lbs]
4.73 mm Caseless box mags x1
Cirri Light pistol [20/20 4lbs]
Energy cell x2
basic medical supplies [1/5] (5lbs)
Manticore Pistol [9/10 6lbs]
Mechanical Bypass kit 1/5 [3lbs]
---
Tyrin and AnnaTake a counter-sniper role.
Aim at the sharpshooter and steady for a sure hit with my Broadbeam.
Get into a stable position, preferably prone if possible.
Make the Destroyer club the technocrat next to him with the butt of his gun while he turns around so he can then open fire on his teammates.
Start with a -2 Neural Feedback (15 stamina) on Damien and put some effort into making that one stick. Then follow up with a level 4 Surge at -1 difficulty on the sniper. Finish up with an Override on the sharpshooter to force him to bite down as hard as he can on his own tongue.
Anna: 29+6-1= 34
Tyrin: 93+3-3= 93
Marshal Feuer: 52+6-3= 55
Unchained Kineticist: 34+3-3= 34
Unchained Psionic 1: --+6-2= -- (Linked to Anna)
Unchained Psionic 2: --+6-2= -- (Linked to Anna)
Technocrat Destroyer: --+3-6= -- (Controlled By Anna)
Technocrat Sniper: 98+15-4= 109 (Double Action)
Technocrat Sharpshooter: 55+6-3= 58
Technocrat Trooper 2: --+3-3= -- (Completely Surprised)
Damien Smith: 58+23-9= 72
The sniper reacts fast, swinging the railgun's cumbersome barrel around to take a point blank shot at the kineticist. [Quickshot 16+1-2 Vs P.Kinetics 2+1] [I.Shield, 78. No effect] (Armor -13, Hp -41 3 negated) Wigs staggers backwards from the blast, clutching a hand to the fresh and bloody hole in his side. [Wigs Soak 21] He's hurt bad, but the shot didn't appear to do any additional damage.
Tyrin drops flat and takes careful aim on the sharpshooter, giving his rifle's optics time to calibrate the focus range.
Damien [Mobility 9-1] struggles with his bulky armor, trying to make it to the hooked edge of the colonist home. He doesn't make it, and ends up caught without cover midway between the wall and the trench.
The sharpshooter panics and takes a snap shot at the lead unchained who
isn't in a trench. [Quickshot 3-2+1] The bullet plows into the dirt long before it even gets close the the field of warped light that Feuer is generating.
Feuer maintains the distortion field, (-25 Stamina) and fires a burst from his SMG to answer the sharpshooter's ineffective attack. [Quickshot 4] Firing lasers out of a field of warped light isn't easy, and the Marshal's barrage misses completely.
The kineticist, bloody but unbowed, tries a simpler tactic. [Melee 22 Vs Dodge 16+1] He grapples the sniper, grabbing for the Technocrat's railgun and burning all of the charges in his KES suit to get it. [Brawl 3+3+3 Vs Str 5] The sniper, surprised at being attacked so bluntly, is caught flat footed by Wig's better positioning and sudden burst of strength. The railgun trades hands in the blink of an eye.
Anna 'looks' for a psionic in the opposing party, [A.Empathetics 13+1+1] and finds one bringing up the rear. Immediately, she hits him with a debilitating psionic attack. [Neural Feedback 18+1+1-2] [Control 17+1, -10% cost] (-13 stamina) Like the last one, this Technocrat is maintaining a professionally honed mindbar. In this case, however, that makes Anna's attack all the more painful. (Damien stamina -43) Meanwhile, another two attacks lash out from Anna's subsidiaries. [Surge 17+1+1-1. L4. One Effect: Stun] [Control 3, +25% cost] (-25 Stamina) (Sniper -8 Stamina, -8 Health) [Override 14+1+1-1][Control 9] (-10 Stamina) The sniper reels away from the kineticist, his mind overwhelmed by random signals. The sharpshooter bites down reflexively at Anna's behest, nearly severing his own tongue in the process. (Sharpshooter Hp -1, Pain) A brief mental order brings the Destroyer far enough forward to club the stunned sniper. [Melee 6 Vs Dodge 17+1-5] The proxy attack is clumsy, and the sniper is able to scramble out of the way despite his burning mind and leaden limbs.
The sniper [Mobility 17+1-1] crawls out of the trench and throws himself away from the fight, sprinting away from the fight with a speed born of desperation.
[Destroyer Will 16 Vs Anna [P.Empathetics 11+1+1] The Destroyer may break free of its domination next round.
(Technocrat Sniper is fleeing)
Health: 56/79
Stamina: 61/85
Carried weight: 57/150
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Limbo Medium Body Armor (78/115, 35lbs)
Inv:
Medical Kit (9/10, 5lbs)
First Aid Kit (10/10, 5lbs)
Bandages (4/5, 2lbs)
Combat Knife (1lbs)
ALR Broadbeam (7/10 E, 14lbs, Aimed)
.30 Cal pistol clip (10) x1
Status: New Hensfield, South-east.
Health: 96/95
Stamina: 64/105 (Linked 152/229, Regen 6, Threshold 69)
Carried weight: /130
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Lethe Armored Infiltration Suit (15/50, 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, S2 (3), Mind Bar, shrouded
'Hickie', Unchained Psionic
Health: 61/65
Stamina: 64/70
Armor: 59/65
Weapon: Chimera Pistol [15/15]
Status: Fine,
Ranges,
Trooper 2: 8
Sharpshooter: 8
Sniper: 6
Destroyer: 6
Damien Smith: 10
Unchained Psionic
Health: 59/65
Stamina: 55/70
Armor: 26/65
Weapon: Sleipnir SMG (Dual, 25/25 A, 50/50E. 25/25A, 50/50E) [holstered] ; Loaned Kapre Light Rifle (14/15)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Trooper 2: 9
Sharpshooter: 9
Sniper: 8
Destroyer: 7
Damien Smith: 12
'Wigs', Unchained Kineticist
Health: 57/109
Stamina: 75/115
Armor: 29/90 (3/5 charges)
Weapon: Basilisk Pulse Rifle (8/10), Artemis Railgun (2/3E, 2/3A)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Trooper 2: 2
Sharpshooter: 2
Sniper: Melee
Destroyer: Melee
Damien Smith: 3
Marshal Feuer
Health: 126/130
Stamina: 70/135
Armor: 65/100 (Full Cell)
Weapon: Hellhound SMG (20/30)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks.
Ranges,
Trooper 2: 7
Sharpshooter: 6
Sniper: 5
Destroyer: 4
Damien Smith: 9
Technocrat Trooper 2
Health: 55/70
Stamina: 23/70
Armor: 90/115
Weapon: Jormungandr Assault Rifle (35A 70E)
Status: Fine,
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 9
Hickie: 8
Wigs: 2
Marshal Feuer: 7
Tyrin Laveros: 7
Anna Witheld: 8
Technocrat Sharpshooter
Health: 48/49
Stamina: 55/55
Armor: 90/115
Weapon: Kapre Light Rifle (11/15)
Status: Fine, Pain (-2 to all actions unless soaked)
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 8
Hickie: 9
Wigs: 2
Marshal Feuer:6
Tyrin Laveros: 7
Anna Witheld: 8
Technocrat Sniper
Health: 69/77 (-8, 2)
Stamina: 21/75 (-8, 2)
Armor: 115/115
Weapon: Artemis Railgun (3/3A, 3/3E)
Status: Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks. Stunned (2).
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 8
Hickie: 6
Wigs: Melee
Marshal Feuer: 5
Tyrin Laveros: 5
Anna Witheld: 6
Technocrat Destroyer
Health: 96/105
Stamina: 95/95
Armor: 115/150
Weapon: Sol Pulse Laser (50/100)
Status: Fine, Light Cover, -2 to incoming attacks, Fighting Control
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 7
Hickie: 6
Wigs: Melee
Marshal Feuer: 4
Tyrin Laveros: 5
Anna Witheld: 5
Health: 79/79
Stamina: 42/85
Carried weight: 105/150
Attire: Technocrat Uniform, Asgard Shield Armor 75/75 (150/150, 35lbs)
Inv:
Hellhound Beam SMG (30/30, 15lbs)
Abassy (7/7, 8lbs)
Laelaps Laser Rifle (12/12, 17lbs)
.50 cal pistol clip (7) x4
Energy Cell (Full) x8
Ichneumon (2/2, 25lbs)
Field Surgery Kit (10/10, 5lbs)
1" sabot rounds (2) x8
Status: Hensfield field, mindbar