Dominique WakemanDominique thought fast, then assumed a commanding tone. "Get up and come with me! I want you to explain to these men exactly what happened," she said, indicating Moore and his team. Maybe she would luck out and he'd follow her orders. If he didn't, though, she would open fire with the shotgun and try to dive out of the way so her allies could shoot too.
[Diplomacy 8 Vs Intuition 4] The gibbering man nods vigorously, completely oblivious in his all-consuming desire to please you. "Of course, of course," the man whispers as he scrambles to stand with you. "I know what I did. I know I did it. I can tell you it was wrong, and I'm sorry... I was just so, so hungry. I'm sorry..."
He follows you back to the Lieutenant, constantly uttering apologies for what he did. The more you hear of his apologies, the less you want to hear about what this man did. Despite his constant assurances that he's still sane and not a "Freak", you're fairly certain that the main is operating with a couple screws loose and the rest missing.
When the gibbering man reaches Moore he immediately begins telling his story from the beginning, or, at least what he thinks of as the beginning. "I did it, I'm not going to deny it anymore. You were right, and I'm so sorry. I was hungry, and I was getting old, and she was just so... ready. I know I was supposed to watch them, to protect them, but there were so many, and I thought that... that it was fair." The man's tone grows desperate and pleading, his eyes trying to dig some kind of approval or vindication out of the matte black masks of the HazRec team. "I had to guard them, and I was starting to grow old. I hadn't eaten in days, and she... she said she wanted to help. I know it was wrong, but I had to eat her. I was going to die! I'm sorry I lied to you, I'm sorry I did it without asking, but I had no choice! You believe me, don't you?"
The lieutenants gauntlets flex audibly as he forces himself to ease the death grip on his sidearm. You can't see the man's face, but you can feel the edges of his thoughts. A very great part of Moore wants to shoot the gibbering stranger on the grounds that he's an insane cannibal, but there's also... pity. It's strange, you can sense Moore's surface feelings, and the surface feelings of the rest of his team, much more easily than you could Taric's, Tarran's, or even James'. You're not sure whether it's the second round of orientation, or just because these are the first non-deviants you've been around in a long time.
"Okay," Moore growls slowly,
"I think I can understand what you had to do, but what happened before that? What happened here, why were you hungry?" [PL Gather Information 12+1 Vs Intuition 19] The gibbering man looks at the Lieutenant as if seeing him for the first time, his expression transforming from pitiable to furious in moments. "You... I don't know you. Any of you! You're not one of us, I can feel it! NOT ONE OF US!" The gibbering man's volume rises steadily, building into a deafening roar. [Dominque Reflex 7][Moore Reflex 9]
Neither you nor Moore react in time when the gibbering man's throat expands, bulging grotesquely until the sound of his raging is beyond human. [Howl 13 Vs Moore Soak 1, Dom soak 5+1, Squad 1 Soak 16, Sci Soak 3, Eng Soak 7] [Squad 2 Will 8] Blood flecks the man's scream as the effort necessary to create the sound tears the gibbering man's throat to shreds. (Gibbering man HP -50) Moore catches the full force and direction of the scream, reeling backwards and clutching his helmet in a futile effort to keep the sound out. His squad takes it a little better, but you're caught right next to the screaming... thing. Your ears ring and your eyes water, the howl disorienting you with sheet, impossible, volume. The scientist and the engineer, both of whom are wearing much lighter technical helmets, are affected just as severely despite the distance.
(Moore is Stunned, pending a soak throw and cannot take combat actions. Dominque, Tech Scientist, Tech Engineer are disoriented pending a successful soak throw, and take a -3 penalty to actions requiring coordination or focus.)
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: Disoriented
---
Ashley FeyTake stock, look to see if there are any other routes to where I need to go
You make a quick recheck of the situation, evaluating in light of the fact that your main exit is extraordinarily heavily guarded. [Intuition 13] Well, you have yourselves, a lot of booze, Dominique's I.S, and, importantly, a shuttle. There might be a set of emergency supplies secreted somewhere on the shuttle for unplanned repairs, but you have no idea where that would be. As to other routes, the only way out of the shuttle is through the dock that's currently occupied holding a Technocrat beachhead. At least, as long as the shuttle is still in
this dock.
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]
---
James EvanWell, damn. James couldn't kill a man like that. And more importantly, he'd been warned by Iscariot. For now, he had a brief reprieve, and he would use it to check up on the man he'd taken pains to save.
Look around and see if I'm being charged at or something. If not, check up on Tarran.
[Hidden] You don't see anything approaching you, and Iscariot doesn't appear to clarify his warning. [Wight Soak 16] The Technocrat's seizures appear to be getting less severe, and you take that as your cue to high-tail it out of here. He may have begged you for mercy, but it might not be a good idea to count on him extending you the same kindness.
[Mobility 14-2] Injured as you are, you barely manage to get through the flaming wreckage surrounding the Virtue and clamber back up onto its hull. You make your way to the breach in the hull that leads to engineering with significantly more ease, and drop down to check on Tarran. Now that your concussion has faded into little more than a throbbing headache, you think you can make the climb back out much more easily.
[Medical 9] Tarran is alive. That's really all you can say for him. You're no doc, and you can't tell whether his condition is stable, degenerating, or on the upswing. [Luck 21] The chest itch that's been plaguing you redoubles, with points of pain gradually resolving across your battered ribs.
[P.Empathetics 18+1] Before you have a chance to do anything else, a wave of... bleakness hits you. You throw it off instinctively, keeping it carefully on the outside of your thoughts, but it's like nothing else you've felt before. It's another psionic, but... you don't have enough experience to judge anything else. They're strong, they don't seem to be friendly, and they're getting closer. That's about all you know.
(Next damping field check, round after next)
Health: 15/88
Stamina: 35/100
Carried weight: 171/300
Attire: Exarch Dress uniform [8lbs] James' Light Body armor 19/50 (35/50) [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 2/7 -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)
Irin Combat Shotgun (3/6, 15lbs)
Status: New Hensfield, inside the wreck of the Virtue
---
Tyrin and Anna"Feel free to shoot him sir. He's pretty much done for as it is." The collective remarked as the rested.
If the Destroyer isn't dead by the time others have shot at him, he commits suicide by slicing his own throat. Otherwise rest until it's safe to disengage the link, then do so.
Fire.
Jenna..
Anna: 84+6-1= 89
Tyrin: 27+3-3= 27
Marshal Feuer: 46+6-3= 49
Unchained Kineticist: 60+3-3= 60
Unchained Psionic 1: —+6-2= — (Linked to Anna)
Unchained Psionic 2: —+6-2= — (Linked to Anna)
Technocrat Destroyer: 37+3-6= 34 (Controlled)
Technocrat Sniper: 19+15-4= 30
Damien Smith: 53+3-9= 47
Anna attempts to force the destroyer to cut his throat once more. [Control (Abi) 13+1] [Destroyer Brawl 7] Her control is firmer this time, and the Destroyer obediently draws his combat blade across his throat. (15 x2=30 HP damage) Anna cuts the control link the instant it's clear that the Destroyer isn't going to make it. The death of a controlled entity isn't as bad as a death in a link, but it's still not a pleasant experience. The Destroyer drops to his knees, clutching his slashed throat and looking more surprised than scared.
Wigs continues to crawl his way out of the ditch, [Mobility 18] slipping out and collapsing behind the cover of the ruined colonist structure.
Marshal Feuer moves over to support Wigs as soon as the Destroyer is down, kneeling beside the wounded man and helping him get stable.
Damien takes the shot. [Marksman 7+1-1] The heavy rifle slams another bruise into his shoulder, and the sabot tears a hole in the fire a few feet to the left of the Sniper's position. Slowly, reluctantly, Damien lowers his weapon. He'd hoped to kill the man. Well, no man can have everything he wants.
The sniper [Mobility 6] flattens down after the near miss, crawling away while trying to present a minimum target profile.
Tyrin lowers his rifle as the Destroyer dies without his assistance. With the exception of the newcomer who was also shooting Technocrats, there is no one left to kill.
After the Destroyer dies, Anna, Tyrin, and the Marshal, collectively argue with and eventually convince Damien to drop his weapon. It is a negotiation in the loosest sense of the word, and it skirts bloody battle by the width of a sigh.
[Hidden Roll] With everyone else dead or running, and the shield armored technocrat seeming non-threatening if non-compliant. The three minds brace themselves as one, and dissolve the link together. Their hearts slip out of sync as the link ends, the glorious pool of energy that animated them dissipating. The wave of exhaustion is crushing, but Anna takes it better than the other two. [Psionic Stamina 20] Hickie keeps his feet, barely, but the other Psionic drops down onto all fours, gasping for breath. He'll be fine if he can stay conscious for the next couple minutes.
[Damien Diplomacy 17+1] Feuer's expression turns into an honest grimace when Damien offers aid, but he nods. "Take your pick of the wounded. But you reach a hand towards a weapon, or threaten any kind of harm, and I will kill you."
[Feuer Mechanics 4+1] Feuer grabs the Destroyer's discarded helmet and begins rooting around inside of it. After a moment there's a spark and a puff of smoke, and Feuer throws the helmet away, cursing.
[Hidden Rolls] Damien feels something dark and familiar tickling his mind, but, with the damage the other psionic inflicted, he can't quite pinpoint what it is. Tyrin, however, feels the sensation much more acutely. Anna was the stronger psionic when it came to heavy lifting, but Tyrin had his strengths in more... subtle fields. At the borders of his perception, somewhere to the north, he could feel something approaching. It felt... heavy. Bleak and empty.
(Tyrin gets a double action next round)
Health: 56/79
Stamina: 69/85
Carried weight: 57/150
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Limbo Medium Body Armor (68/115, 35lbs)
Inv:
Medical Kit (9/10, 5lbs)
First Aid Kit (10/10, 5lbs)
Bandages (4/5, 2lbs)
Combat Knife (1lbs)
ALR Broadbeam (5/10 E, 14lbs, Aimed)
.30 Cal pistol clip (10) x1
Status: New Hensfield, South-east.
Health: 48/95
Stamina: 4/105
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. MindBar. Exhausted.
'Hickie', Unchained Psionic
Health: 61/65
Stamina: 5/70
Armor: 59/65
Weapon: Chimera Pistol [15/15]
Status: Fine, Exhausted.
Unchained Psionic
Health: 59/65
Stamina: -3/70
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, Exhausted.
'Wigs', Unchained Kineticist
Health: 17/109
Stamina: 87/115
Armor: 3/90 (0/5 charges)
Weapon: Basilisk Pulse Rifle (8/10), Artemis Railgun (1/3E, 1/3A)
Status: Fine
Marshal Feuer
Health: 126/130
Stamina: 46/135
Armor: 43/100 (Full Cell)
Weapon: Hellhound SMG (15/30)
Status: Fine
Technocrat Sniper
Health: 46/77
Stamina: 5/75
Armor: 91/115
Weapon: Manticore Pistol
Status: Fine
Ranges,
Unchained Psionic: 22
Hickie: 22
Wigs: 18
Marshal Feuer: 20
Tyrin Laveros: 21
Anna Witheld: 21
Health: 79/79
Stamina: 45/85
Carried weight: 80/150
Attire: Technocrat Uniform, Asgard Shield Armor 75/75 (150/150, 35lbs)
Inv:
Hellhound Beam SMG (30/30, 15lbs)
Abassy (6/7, 8lbs)
Laelaps Laser Rifle (12/12, 17lbs)
.50 cal pistol clip (7) x4
Energy Cell (Full) x8
Field Surgery Kit (10/10, 5lbs)
1" sabot rounds (2) x8
Status: Hensfield field, mindbar, ShatterMind (Will -3)
Author
Topic: Deviation-22. The End of All Things. (Read 526927 times)