Dominique WakemanDom attempts to use Heavy Manipulation to take the Cellburner's shield away. "Get ready to open fire!"
Dominique Wakeman: 74+3-8 = 69 [Reflex 20]
Cadet Taiya: 20+9-4 =25
Squad 1: 54+3-4 = 53 (Gunner Locked. Gunner Acts Last)
Squad 2: 95+6-4 = 97 (Marine Locked. Marksman Acts First)
Squad 3 (E): 43+2-3 = 42
Squad 3 (S): 64+7-3 =68
Squad 4 (A/B): 96+7-2 = 101 (Double action)
Spine Freak: 63+6-0 = 69 [Reflex 17]
Alonso and Basilio remain impassive in the face of monsters and blood. They obey you unquestioningly, waiting to open fire until after you've done whatever you're going to do.
The marksman squad reacts to the creature's appearance rapidly, [Morale 6-2] and fail to wait for you to remove the scientist before they open fire. [Luck 5,14,20] The marksman and one of the marines use their dart launchers, but the remaining soldier opens fire with his rifle. [Marine 1 Quickshot 20+1-2, E/O 0] (Scientist Armor -1. 1 negated) [Marine 2
Quickshot [Stability 21, no effect] (Scientist armor -6, HP -6 1 negated) (Spine Freak HP -10, -14, -14) [Marksman Quickshot 11+1-1] [Luck 1] The first marine's aim is good, and the dart he fires would have hit the freak if the scientist hadn't thrashed into the projectile's path. The steel needle scratches across the scientist's facemask, making a groove but glancing away without effect. The second marine fires a spray of bullets at the joined scientist and cellburner. He strikes both, but manages to deal the brunt of the damage to the Cellburner. The marksman attempts to time his shot for an opening, trying to avoid striking the scientist. He succeeds, but shoots just wide of the freak in the process.
You [Heavy manipulation 14+2-1] elicit another pained yell from the scientist as you pull her free of the freak's spined pseudopods. The spines don't appear to have been heavily barbed, and, though the scientists is bleeding pretty badly, it doesn't look as though her wounds are fatal. Assuming she doesn't get any more.
The freak reacts to your taking its prize with expected fury. It lunges forward almost as soon as the scientist pulls away, not aiming at you exactly, but at the woman you just freed. [Enhance Attribute: 15. Str +2, Dex +2] (HP -30) [Melee 13+2, 15+2 Vs Scientist Dodge 14+1, 22] [Scientist Reflex 15+1] Those twin pseudopods lengthen and lance down as the Cellburner lunges, but, through a small miracle, the wounded scientist manages to roll out of the way of both spines.
Alonso and Basilio both open fire as soon as the scientist isn't providing a meatshield. [Alonso
Quickshot] (Spine Freak HP -22, -18, -24) [Basilio
Quickshot] [Finesse 7 Vs Soak 4, Critical Confirmed] (Spine Freak HP -112. Limb Lost [2], Psuedopod) Both immortals prove their worth. Alonso puts three rounds straight into the Cellburner's chest, staggering the creature with the sheer mass of metal. Basilio follows with a barrage at the base of one the creature's pseudopods. Two out of three rounds miss, but the third blows tears the limb apart and severs the soft tissue. The spined pseudopod drops wetly to the wax covered floor, dissolving almost immediately into grey ooze.
The scientist [soak 16, no poison effect] struggles to keep her feet and flee to the safety of the soldiers. [Mobility 4+1] Disoriented and bloodied, she only manages to put a few strides of distance between herself and the Cellburner.
The gunnery squad's opens fire without hesitation when the scientist is free, with the nearest marine [mobility 4] pulling the scientist a little further out of the fray while the other marine attempts to dart the Cellburner. [Quickshot 2-1] The dart misses miserably, forcing the gunner to try to use the launcher attached to his LMG. [Quickshot 13-2] [Luck 9] The heavy weapon wasn't designed for snap precision work, and the dart sails just to the left of the freak's head.
The engineers [Morale 21-1], surprisingly, surge forwards to join the fray. [Mobility 14, 4] Only one engineer gets within a comfortable distance to use his shotgun, [Quickshot 3+1, 2-2] and even his attack is more a gesture of defiance than an effective assault.
Taiya takes calm aim with her pistol [Quickshot 19-1] and finally manages to put a dart straight into the Freak's neck. (Freak HP -3, Bacteriostasis)
The cellburner looks almost surprised to have been attacked with such a tiny weapon, and Alonso and Basilio take advantage of the moment to shoot the creature again. [Alonso
Quickshot] (Spine Freak HP -18) [Basilio
Quickshot] (Spine Freak HP -27,-27 )
The cellburner tries to make another growling lunge, but it staggers suddenly, and its melted face looks confused. The wounds that cover it, wounds that had been regenerating rapidly up until Taiya shot the creature, begin to take their toll. Regeneration slows to a crawl, and then stops, leaving the Spine Freak frightfully mortal. Bright red blood gushes from the stump of its severed pseudopod, and the creature collapses mid stride, the sudden and massive trauma your group inflicted catching up to it in a rush.
Everyone keeps their guns pointed at it for a long while, until blood stops pulsing out the stump in the creature's shoulder, until its skin develops the odd and waxy pallor of the truly dead. Then Taiya shoots the corpse in the head with an explosive round. The soldiers start relaxing only after the last of the skull shards settle.
Health: 113/128
Stamina: 119/120 (+14)
Carried Weight: 124/210
Attire: Harlequin Uniform, Styx Assault Armor (150/150, 60lbs. Integrated Power cell charged 3/3, Internal Ammunition Supply [Cerico, 14])
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
Individuals
Cadet Taiya
Psionic
Health: 102/102
Stamina: 110/110
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Kekkai CM Pistol+ (6/7 (Detonating Rounds)) (5 cartridges; 1 Det., 2 Stun, 1 Bleed, 2 AP); +Side locked dart launcher (2/3)
Reserve: Arbiter Blade
Status: Fine. Low Morale [-2]
Squad 1
Haz-Rec Marine 1
Health: 100/100
Stamina: 100/100
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Leanashe Assault Rifle+ (50/50) (4 clips); +Underslung dart launcher (3/3)
Reserve: Salamander suppression pistol (30/30) (2 spare canisters);
Status: Fine. Low Morale [-2]
Haz-Rec Marine 2
Health: 100/100
Stamina: 100/100
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Leanashe Assault Rifle+ (50/50) (3 clips); +Underslung dart launcher (2/3)
Reserve: Ifrit Incendiary grenades x3
Status: Fine. Low Morale [-2]
Haz-Rec Marine (Designated Gunner)
Health: 114/114
Stamina: 110/110
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Surma LMG+ (90/90) (2 belts); +Underslung dart launcher (2/3)
Reserve: Blade
Status: Fine. Very Low Morale [-3]
Squad 2
Haz-Rec Marine 3
Health: 100/100
Stamina: 100/100
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Leanashe Assault Rifle+ (50/50) (1 clip); +Underslung dart launcher (2/3)
Reserve: Salamander suppression pistol (30/30) (3 spare canisters);
Status: Fine. Low Morale [-2]
Haz-Rec Marine 4
Health: 100/100
Stamina: 100/100
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Leanashe Assault Rifle+ (43/50) (3 clips); +Underslung dart launcher (3/3)
Reserve: Blade
Status: Fine. Poor Morale [-1]
Haz-Rec Marine (Designated Marksman)
Health: 86/86
Stamina: 90/90
Armor: Hy-Brasil CF-HES (100/100)
Primary Weapon: Artemis Railgun+ (3/3 A, 3/3 E) (3 clips, 3 cells); +Underslung dart launcher (2/3); Short Range Scope.
Reserve: Salamander suppression pistol (30/30) (1 spare canister);
Status: Fine. Low Morale [-2]
Squad 3 (Low-Com)
Tech Engineer 1
Health: 60/60
Stamina: 60/60
Armor: Annwn ACFUS+ (50/50) (Masked)
Primary Weapon: Cerico Shotgun (8/8) (8 shells)
Reserve: None
Status: Fine. Low Morale [-2]
Tools: Mechanical Bypass Kit 5/5
Tech Engineer 2
Health: 60/60
Stamina: 60/60
Armor: Annwn ACFUS+ (50/50) (Masked)
Primary Weapon: Cerico Shotgun (8/8) (8 shells)
Reserve: None
Status: Fine. Poor Morale [-1]
Tools: Mechanical Bypass Kit 5/5
Tech Scientist 1
Health: 50/50
Stamina: 50/50
Armor: Annwn ACFUS+ (50/50) (Masked)
Primary Weapon: Fenrir Energy Pistol (7/7) (2 cells)
Reserve: None
Status: Fine. Average Morale [0 ]
Tools: Universal Interface Kit, Advanced Medical Kit (10/10)
Tech Scientist 2
Health: 17/50
Stamina: 50/50
Armor: Annwn ACFUS+ (19/50) (Masked)
Primary Weapon: Fenrir Energy Pistol (7/7) (2 cells)
Reserve: None
Status: Wax Poisoning (Weak). Poor Morale [-1], being used as a shield by Spine Freak.
Tools: Universal Interface Kit, Advanced Medical Kit (10/10)
Alonso & Basilio
Basilio, Combat Carapace
Health: 49/49
Stamina: 55/55
Armor: 129/150
Weapon: Edimmu Assault Rifle (14/20 A 34/40 E)
Status: Fine, Utterly Obedient
Alonso, Combat Carapace
Health: 49/49
Stamina: 55/55
Armor: 132/150
Weapon: Edimmu Assault Rifle (14/20 A 34/40 E)
Status: Fine, Utterly Obedient
---
Toomas Amk"Abomination coming our way," Amk says to Rob. "Have any countermeasures? Opinion on success of violence?"
What kind of door am I looking out of? An automatic one? And the woman's body is on the ground inside of our cozy little nook, right?
Also, consider my portable welding kit - is there any way to overload it explosively? Plasma should do a number on a creature like this, should it not?
Rob curses at the mention of the abomination, but doesn't leave his seat. "My
countermeasure is holed and dead! You can't kill the fucking thing, just get me enough time to finish!" [Intuition 12+1] Finish what? Transfer has to be completed after the reboot finishes, but he should still have plenty of time to help you slow this thing down in the meantime.
Setting that thought aside, you take a quick stock of what you have. The door into this room can be shut, but the abomination is quite capable of ripping it apart or bashing it down if it's sure of prey. The dead scientist is on the inside of the room, and her corpse might prove useful in slowing the creature down to feed. [Intuition 22] Even if you ditch her, she's seeping enough blood that the trail into this room would be too tempting for the Abomination to pass up. Of course, she'd leave a pretty convincing trail wherever you dragged her...
When it comes to killing the creature, Rob isn't, technically, correct. It should be possible to kill an abomination. You've just never seen it done, or, for that matter, heard of it being done. It repurposes its own damaged tissues like any cellburner, but the sheer size of an abomination typically allows it absorb impacts and catch its own spatter. Worse, they have the disturbing tendency to adapt. They grow thick carapace systems when exposed to fire, low density layers of sloughable flesh when exposed to extreme cold, and myriad other rapidly evolved defenses when attacked. If that alone didn't make them stunningly difficult to kill, Abominations also had the ability to split freely, and paring off more than a tenth of the creature would cause the removed piece to become an independent organism. Unfortunately, though they kill and eat everything else in sight, Abominations ignore their own kind completely and two split organisms have never been seen to attack one another.
[Mechanics 22] (Free action if you decide to do it) The torch you have is a high-power but cheaply made maintenance kit, and it already has a build history of killing welders who don't keep a careful eye on the temperature. Making it explode on purpose won't be difficult, but even that kind of explosion won't do more than slow this creature down.
Time Until Abomination Reaches Entrance: 1-2 rounds
Time Until System Resets: 1-4 rounds
Health: 582/590 -[1,6]
Degeneration: Near Nil
Carried Weight: 57 /120
Attire: Plain Technician Uniform, White. Annwn CFUS (50/50, 15lbs)
Eldjotnar Shotgun (4/4 A, 12/12 E, 10lbs)
Energy Cell x3 (Fully Charged)
20 gauge gauss canister x12
Portable Welding Kit (20lbs, Plasma, 100/100)
Mechanical Bypass Kit (10 lbs, 10/10)
Mechanic's Utility Knife (1lb)
Pad (Charged, significant free space, 1lb)
Status: Fine
---
Tyrin Laveros,
Anna Witheld,
James EvanUse Energy Drain on the disintegration field and unleash the all energy on the technocrat in the form of a -2 blank that's focused on his Active Empathetics. Stay in cover as much as possible!
"C'mon Anna, you can do this." Tyrin whispered as he controlled his breathing. With one steady shot, this would be a disrupting show of force.
Fire.
Attempt to disarm Jeremiah, and if I can, subdue him. This involves using my bare fists, mainly.
Anna Withheld: 62+3-3 = 62
James Evan: 19+0-1 = 18
Tyrin Laveros: 45+3-3 = 45
Marshal Feuer: 45+6-3 = 48
Hickie: 35+6-3 = 38
Jeremiah: 12+6-2 = - (Linked To Presbyter)
Wigs: 85+6-3 = 88
The Presbyter: 73+2-6 = 69
Wigs [intuition 13] doesn't miss the sudden transformation in Jeremiah, and he dashes forward. [Psychic Chain 7+2-1] [Control 17, cost -25%] (-4 Stamina) The kineticist attempts to charge something as he moves, but can't quite bring the energy together and dash at the same time. [Melee 5 Vs Dodge 8] Wigs lunges for the controlled man, but Jeremiah deftly blocks with his empty assault rifle.
The presbyter turns towards the marshal and draws in energy from the surrounding fires. [Energy Drain 16+6] (+67 stamina) The fires wink out instantly, and a cloud of thin mist forms around the presbyter as the air temperature plunges. The presbyter doesn't bother trying to strike the marshal down with a precision attack. To do so would invite an element of uncertainty and provide a chance for the rebel to survive the encounter. Much more efficient to simply destroy everything in the marshal's vicinity. [Razor Bloom 12+5-4-1] (-60 stamina, 7 stamina wasted) [Kinetic Parry: N/A (Direct hit). Instinctive shield: 42, activated] [Marshal P.K 3+3, 30 HP shield] Invisible wires of force rend the area around the marshal, flinging fungal earth into the air, burning faint lines in Feuer's instinctual shielding, and plunging through the man's weakened armor to draw out brighter lines of blood. (Feuer Shield -6, Armor -6 (AP I), Health -89 2 points negated) [Feuer Soak 18+1, no maladies] Despite the bloody lacerations crisscrossing his body, the marshal appears as solid as ever was. If the fact that the Presbyter very nearly killed him with a single blow evokes any sort of fear in the man, he doesn't show it.
Anna attempts to glean a little more energy from the fading disintegration field, [Energy Drain 10] and succeeds in taking all of the kinetic energy that remains. What little that is. (7 stamina) [Blank 14-2+2] (-7, Presbyter A.E -2) The resulting attack, despite it being everything Anna has, is almost pitiful. Anna succeeds, barely, in penetrating the presbyter's defenses, but only shaves off the most specialized memories of empathetics that the presbyter carries.
Jeremiah, against his own will, turns his abilities against wigs. [Slam 1-2 (bonus negated] [Control 2, +33% cost] (-40 Stamina, -20 health) Enough of Jeremiah is still fighting to sabotage the proxy efforts of the presbyter, and though unfocused pulses of psionic energy surge inside the ruined building, no harm comes of them. At least, not directly. A good eye would notice the sudden frost burns appearing on Jeremiah's extremities, spiraling up from the thinnest and most vulnerable tissues. The presbyter's link is abusive, and it appears quite capable of forcing Jeremiah to destroy himself even as it forces him to destroy his companions.
The Marshal [mobility 7] ducks back as far as his injuries allow him, and dumps the rest of his suit's charge into the laser cannon, supplementing it with the last of his energy cells to fully recharge the heavy weapon.
Tiruin aligns his shot through the frosty fog that the Presbyter has been raised, take only a moment to compensate before he fires. [Marksman 18+1+2-1] The rail spike slams into the presbyter's shield, lingering there for a curiously long time as the shield piercing round screams against the psionic barrier. (Presbyter Shield -69 [Shield Piercing III, Hard Barrier]) It too is flicked aside in the end, joining the metallic pile of previous attempts on the presbyter's life.
Hickie groans at the shattered mess that used to be the stim and crawls across the roof towards Anna. [Mobility 4] He doesn't get far from the lip, but he gets far enough to hopefully keep him out of the Presbyter's direct fury. [Telekinesis 18-3] (-10 stamina [complex manipulation]) The medic squints, and a ripple forms on the roof behind Anna. The ripple takes shape, a pinky sized blob of amorphous and somewhat dusty fluid rises from the roof and looms up behind the exhausted Anna. The blob hangs suspended for only a moment before driving down like an arrow, straight into one of Anna's more open wounds. (Anna Stamina +24, Anna health -3. Anna is now regenerating stamina) Hickie rolls back onto his better side after completing the small task, fishing for one of his medical kits.
James [mobility 13] is able to slide down from the roof, despite his injuries, and throw himself at Jeremiah. [Melee 20 Vs Dodge 6] [Enhanced strength 20, triggered] [Brawl 19+2+8] [Jeremiah Soak 4, REALLY Unconscious] The resulting altercation is a landslide in James' favor. The presbyter's control of Jeremiah serves poorly, the Technocrat too used to psionic methods to respond to physical confrontation with alacrity. The Presbyter's control hesitates for a moment when James charges, clearly expecting some more nuanced attack. That hesitation costs the presbyter his tool. James doesn't slow down as he approaches Jeremiah, and he collides with the psionic, grabbing the lighter man by the front of the head and slamming his skull into the metal wall of the building repeatedly. It isn't pretty, but Jeremiah's eyes roll up into his head on the third slam. The man may need some stitches in the back of his scalp, but his skull feels like it's in one piece and he isn't the Technocrat's marionette anymore.
Total Damage Dealt to Presbyter's Shield: 571
Total Stamina Lost by Presbyter: 161
Health: 15/88 [MHD 36]
Stamina: 80/100 (+3)
Carried weight: 171/300
Attire: Exarch Dress uniform [8lbs] James' Light Body armor 15/50 (40/50) [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 (0/2 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, Mindbarred (Anna). Medium Cover, -4 to incoming attacks, -2 to outgoing attacks.
Health: 27/95
Stamina: 16/105 (+6-3)
Carried weight: /130
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Limbo Medium Body Armor (8/115, 25lbs)
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
.225 Convention magazine (25/25) x1
.220 Gauss Magazine (5/35)
Combat Blade (8lbs)
Jormungandr Assault Rifle (25/35A 35/70E, 16lbs) -Reflex Sight-
Satyr Light Pistol (25/25, 4lbs)
Status: New Hensfield, South-east. Mindbarred (controlling), +25 A.Empathetics (2), Stimpack (3, second dose).
Health: 59/79
Stamina: 85/85 (+3)
Carried weight: 95/150
Attire: Colonist Worksuit, Limbo Medium Body Armor (54/115, 35lbs)
Inv:
Energy Cell x1 (Full)
Artemis Railgun (0/3E, 0/3A, 18lbs)
Kapre Light Rifle (8/15, 16lbs)
Medical Kit (9/10, 5lbs)
First Aid Kit (10/10, 5lbs)
Bandages (4/5, 2lbs)
Combat Knife (1lbs)
ALR Broadbeam (4/10 E, 14lbs)
.30 Cal pistol clip (10) x1
Field Surgery Kit (9/10, 5lbs)
Satyr Light Pistol (25/25, 4lbs)
Technocrat Tags
Status: New Hensfield, South-east. Mindbarred (Anna)
'Hickie', Unchained Psionic
Health: 25/65
Stamina: 65/70
Armor: 59/65
Weapon: Kapre Light Rifle (14/15); Ichneumon AA Rifle (1/1)
Status: Fine
Jeremiah, Unchained Psionic
Health: 39/65
Stamina: 68/70
Armor: 26/65
Weapon: Sleipnir SMG (Dual, 25/25 A, 50/50E. 25/25A, 50/50E) [holstered] ; Jormungandr Assault Rifle (25/35A, 60/70E)
Status: Unconscious
'Wigs', Unchained Kineticist
Health: 57/109 (MHD = 40)
Stamina: 71/115
Armor: 71/115
Weapon: Basilisk Pulse Rifle (2/10)
Status: Fine
Marshal Feuer
Health: 37/130
Stamina: 135/135
Armor: 37/100 (Emptyl)
Weapon: Hellhound SMG (30/30), Sol Laser Cannon (100/100)
Status: Fine