Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Play-by-Post => Topic started by: inca1980 on <04-24-11/0413:41>
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@Stryker:
Zach wakes you up by tossing a couple packets of Stuff'it© nutri-soy bars which, aside from the occasional roasted devil rat, has been your diet for the last month. You quickly sit up and tear open the silver plastic wrap and munch away at the bars since it's the first mouthful of food you've had for more than 24 hours. You rub your backside which is a little sore. Doc Watson did a great job of pulling out all the shrapnel from your rear-end but having your healing wound pressed up against the concrete for a whole night doesn't help you out much at all. Despite the fact your shoes and socks are still soaking from last night's rain, you're feeling pretty good. Actually come to think of it....you don't know if you've ever felt better. You managed to endure it so far roughing it out here on the streets with your only concerns being avoiding getting mugged by the Stilettos or becoming some street critter's lunch. Zach's really helped out with that cuz the old ork has a way of managing to stay alive you've noticed. Even though you feel that it's something you'd do for anybody in danger, it's quite clear Zach feels indebted to you for still being above ground and the two of you have struck up a rather functional friendship of sorts.
The Divers of the Astral Sea, which somehow contacted you based on the recommendation from an unnamed raven shaman, just recently accepted you into their fold and have also been particularly helpful in interpreting the dreams you have been having. Through their help and the guidance of your personal communications with the Eternal Ones you came to the realization that what you thought was your greatest weakness could actually become your greatest asset. Your ever keen desire to take the weight of the world onto your own shoulders needed to be put to the test and it was decided that a test of endurance would be the only way for your to turn this desire into a strength.
In a way very analogous to a training regime of weight lifting you have spent the days on the street lifting the weight of magical spells and holding them until the strain burned your mind and you felt that you could not bear the load anymore. But just as muscle grows and the weights which were once too heavy soon seem liftable, after a month of carrying around cumbersome mana constructs you suddenly realized one day that you were holding up quite heavy spells without even realizing that you were even doing it. It became second nature and with the right amount of focus you could weave a spell about yourself and hold it with only your subconscious mind doing the "lifting". Your dreams have also changed and sent you hurtling off to unknown realms deep within the fabric of the universe, following the mana stream to its source. Everytime you are about to cross over, the crushing realization of your own inadequacy suddenly wakes you up in a cold sweat.
You've also had your commlink turned off for the whole month and you've been wondering what Brick's been up to. Zach crouches next to you. "We gotta move, Stiletto's patrolling. Brick call. He has job...are you ready?"
@Zach:
Well you're alive. It could be worse. But even a vat grown type O liver just isn't the same as the old one. No matter how little you drank, you still never had a problem metabolizing alcohol. It didn't bother you in the least that Doc Watson said that it was just plain good sense to stay away from booze, but you didn't realize that he meant COMPLETELY. Well, you see how Stryker has given up so much in the last month and you decide it ain't so bad having to give up that single shot of vodka that you toast with on new-years.
Brick called about a job from Amazing Larry and your ready to take any work that's coming your way. Doc Watson called a few days ago talking about some Russians who came through looking for you. The Doc just played stupid and they bought it, but you could feel them getting closer. The Vory already knew weeks ago that you were in Seattle, it's just a matter of time before they catch up to you.
[OOC: i'm gonna go ahead and give you a Mild Alergy to alcohol to reflect the difficulty your liver has with alcohol. ]
@Brick:
You just dropped the little one off at the monorail station. Anita being the sweetheart that she is has managed to get a hacker friend of hers to move around a little paper-work and get your little girl into an Evo Urban Achievers Charter School with some state subsidies, and even though it pains you to send her to what for all intents and purposes you could call "corp camp", something inside of you feels it's what's best. Why not give her the best of both worlds. You mentally run-over what a typical day's curriculum is usually like: 06:00 wake up with 15 minutes of kalisthetics, 06:30 breakfast and go to school, 08:00-15:15 school day learning anything from factoring 3rd degree polynomials to deconstruction of Shakespearian sonnets, 16:00 arrive home and watch the trid, 16:30 Weapon's training, 17:30 demolitions, 18:00 dinner....and then the rest of the evening could be anything from situational training exercises, target practice, urban survival to a bedtime story. 21:30 lights out, daddy goes to work. As long as she knows how to separate the garbage from the real-deal, you know she'll end up being even better than you at what you do but'll have the paper-work and the book smarts that you never had a chance to get. At least she'll have the ability to choose, and especially being a human, she'll have no door closed to her.
On your walk back home a few blocks from the chinese restaurant you get a call from Amazing Larry. You put the ARO on hidden mode and take the call, talking as you walk.
"Alright listen up big guy, i've got a job, no frills and pretty cut and dry. It's a babysittin' run for a courier. New start up software company Odyssey Multimedia ain't AA yet doesn't wanna sell out yet to the big boys cuz they think they stand a chance and make a name for themselves. Apparently some heavy players don't like that kind of stubbornness, especially when the Odyssey programmers seem to have come across something pretty fresh. Don't know all the details but one of their leading programmers by the name of Dustin Manugian doesn't have much confidence in Odyssey matrix security and wants to run a hardcopy across town himself and he's looking for some babysitters. This time I got you something a lot better than that old beat up Daihatsu van, a rigger that goes by the name Wagner, here's his number. He's known to be good at hacking nodes too so he's the whole package. Manugian wants to meet the team to hash out the details. 23:00 tonight over at The Icon night club, VIP booth reservation under Parker party of 5. Should I give the green light for the meet?"
[Edited]
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Well, Dr. Watson. Thank you for your concern. Now I owe you even more, but there is nothing I would not do for you, as you represent something very rare and valued to me. I would like to ask you for one more favour in this cause. Could you please grant me some photoes, signature or something like that, of those men who were asking about me? I would really appreciate to have a little "talk" with this gentlemen...in the time and place of my own choose, of course.
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"Al I don't know where you keep finding this last minute help but I'll take it. Shoot me a file on him if you've got anything after the call, I want to know how much he's worked in Seattle. it would be best if we met him before we meet the client, make sure we're all on the same page. Otherwise this sounds good Al, Set it up. I'll bring the crew in."
Brick Hangs up and walks back to his apartment going over his mental check list. Once inside he goes through the daily routine, 2K run, workout, shower, and makes lunch. As he eats and reads over the notes from Larry he reminds himself needs more packets for the soy flavors next time he can go shopping. After lunch he does a full function check on his weapons, Checks his armor's patch work, loads the extra clips he figures he'll need for the panther settles them in his CLV and stages everything in his bedroom shuts the curtains and goes to sleep at 12:38 as another thunder shower rolls overhead. Just enough time to sleep before picking his little girl up.
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Stryker stood up, following Zach without a word, and munching on the soybars without any emotion on his face. What he saw during the time he spent on the streets with Zach was bleak in comparison to the wonders that the Initiation opened for him. That, and the amazing people he met, who adopted him into their circle. Now he knew how much power and wisdom he had. Next to none... And this discovery made him silent, while he tried to rebuild his own world...
"Okay, Zach. I'm in. I need the job as much as you do, and working with you and Brick was a boon, despite the circumstances. I'd be long dead on my own... Oh, and thanks for the company. I learned a lot...
Stryker re-adjusted his backpack, and checked his weapons and equipment before moving on. After that, he looked at his clothes, and sighed.
"And if there's going to be a meet, I need to at least take a shower and buy a change of clothes. Oh, and my Explorer suit also needs cleaning... I don't think the street suits me, despite all what it taught me."
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Zach is packed in the minute. He checks his guns, one hanging on the sling under the trenchcoat, another one in the smuggling compartement on the bike, tsts his knives blades, draws three times tke Claw from the arm slide, trying if the mechanism and holster runss smooth. Then he puts the respirator, googles, helmet and long trench coat on, and starts his chopper.
It was about the time, pointy ear :). Well, it looks like it is safe no more to stay close to me. So back to the saddle, boy. I think I will need some money very soon...Im heading to the city, so I can take you to some coffin motel. I`ll be around, so if you need me, you got my callsign, I may hear the call....And if anyone asks about me, kill him...or better...let me know where to find him, I`ll kill him myself.
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"Yeah, a coffin motel would be cool. And don't worry, if anything - I've got your back. You saved my neck back then, so I owe you..."
Stryker finished packing, and with just a quick thought weaved a Watcher into existence. "Watch his back, Shardling." He speaks into the spirit hatchling's undeveloped mind, mentally pointing at Zach. "If there's any danger he's not aware of, warn him, and try to distract the enemy. But do not risk your existence, just a warning will do..." He joins Zach on the bike, and after a while he's at the motel, daydreaming about a shower and some spare clothes...
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The auto-lobby teller node at the coffin motel needs you to slot 20¥ for an hour before it gives your access ID clearance to a room or to the showers.
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Stryker sighs, looking at his credstick, and pays for the hour. He takes a rationed shower - he's used to that though - and changes into nondescript, but durable looking flats from a vending machine nearby, carefully frying all tags with his eraser before putting them on. Afterwards he packs his stuff, and calls Brick.
"I've heard there's a new job waiting for us. What's the detail? Oh, and do you know any good dry cleaning business that takes care of armor suits? I've been living in my UE for a month, and believe me, it's not something I'd like to repeat. Or be reminded of..."
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You just lack the proper knowledge. You`ve noticed, that Zacharias is almost always clean and without any wrong odour. You wonder if he is really bathing in the ocean, using the sand to clean his clotches...but on the other side, Cats tend to be cleanly :)
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@Wagner:
Brick calls you up, presents himself and asks a few questions then pretty much just gives you the details of the meet.
@Everybody:
You all show up separately and the bouncer at the Icon let's you all in. A very scantily dressed stout homo sapiens pumilionis woman leads you through the writhing throng of dancers and it's hard to not lose her in the flashing strobe lights and the crowd due to her short stature. On the far side of the club she finally leads you into the VIP room and leaves you there. You all enter shutting the door behind you and see sitting at the table a human in his early 30's and dressed in quite chic urban-casual with an earpiece commlink. The earpiece also has a little imagelink monocle jutting out so that it's FOV covers his left eye. Before he begins to speak he puts a little black dome shaped device that looks a little bit like an insect's compact eye on the table which you can tell is a smart-jammer. He turns it on and begins to look at the readout from some ARO's.
"I thank you very much for being able to meet on short notice. I won't waste any of your time. Amazing Larry has done some good work for us in the past so I trust his judgement when it comes to the caliber of his associates. ....Oh...don't mean to be rude....name's Dustin." He starts to rise from his seat to reach across the table and shake one of your hands but then halts as he sees the blank expression from your faces and sits back down. "In any case, tomorrow night at 22:00, I need you to transport me and a package I will be carrying in a briefcase from my home at Overlake Corporate Park in Bellevue all the way to one of my companies main nexus clusters up in Everett. That means we're going to take I-405 North and the total trip is 28.3 km. I don't expect any complications because there is no way any of our competitors could know about the time that this delivery will occur, however you are being hired just in case due to the sensitivity of this package. Upon the successful delivery of myself and most importantly this package to our destination my company has authorized a transaction from an escrow account of Amazing Larry's choosing directly to each of your accounts for the amount of 2500¥. Since we are using your vehicle my company has also instructed me to inform you that there will be an insurance policy in place to cover damages and injuries up to 5000¥. Is there any questions?"
[Edited]
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Stryker was sitting in the back, and observing their employer cautiously. He had a good feeling though. This guy didn't do the usual 'Mr. Johnson' charade, and that was a good sign. That, and the fact that he wasn't one of the corporate low-rankers that usually took the Johnson job.
He focused his magical sight at Dustin though, and scrutinized his aura...
Intuition(5)+Assensing(2) (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995415/)
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"A few questions. First, you said don't expect opposition. If you did who would you expect and just how much would they be willing to throw at us to get your package? Second, so say some how we do get intercepted, Worst comes to worst deal, are you willing to slag that package of yours to keep it out of someone else's hands? Or if you're unable for any reason to do so should we? This route of yours just taking the I-405? Isn't going to cut it. If anyone even thinks we're only taking a long straight shot to this drop off they'll have set up plenty of opportunities to take shots at us. We're going to need to switch things up, especially if anyone other than you knows about that route." Brick looks at Wagner and zach, <<"We should plan at least 2 extra routes, Preferably through zones that are matrix dead or low signal, where your drones can keep signal range of each other and you.">>
(OOC: Brick will wait for a response between each question, and is waiting for responses from Dustin before going on.)
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@Stryker:
You see that his aura is in good health with only a datajack in his wrist and perhaps some kind of sleep regulator in his brain perturbing it's flow.
@Brick:
"Aside from the several failed hacking attempts to our systems, and the time my condo was broken into, twice already my company has found my office bugged in a security sweep and I have had strangers attempt rather forcefully to befriend me at the gym i go to and as well as at entertainment venues. I have reported all this to my company and they made the call of getting some security for the transfer of the package which I keep hidden at home all the way to the companies nexus. Other than this I don't think I could really assess accurately what kind of response we'd see in the off chance that they did find out about the delivery." He clears his throat.
"Whenever I carpool up to Everett, this is the route I take and my company tells me that any strange change in behavior could serve as an alert to anybody observing me closely that the package is perhaps being moved. I need this to look like just another late night trip to the office where I often spend the night working with colleagues and you are simply my ride. We sleep regulate to maximize productivity."
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When Zach founds out that the line is silent, he turns to Brick and speaks in Or`zet:
Oh shit. This clawn is probably the decoy, so we may expect the devils shit raining from the sky down ton our heads. Ive catched every second word, but by my opinion he is comiting a suicide...and he doesnt even know that. Even if Im wrong, i had a bad fefeling about this man. He is obviously as green as my yesterdays breakfast, talking about the urban survival. Ask him please if he is able to run, if we are forced to continue on foot. He said something about the gym, I hope that he is at least well fed. I know that you know your job, Brick, so please tell him that if we are his guards, we are in charge.
Zach will roll his map on AR overlay, trying to figure out alternative routes, looking for I 405 crossroads, greatest distance between exits, surrounding, traffic density and accidents statistics for that time (21:00-23:00), security surveillance and highway patrol stations, Wifi coverage.
Just a brief scan to get the feeling about the road from smuggler`s POV.
Mapsoft (http://shadowrun.chinagreenelvis.com/map/index.html)
Intuition(4) + Smuggling routes (3) (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995488/)
Logic(3)+Navigation(2)+Mapsoft(5) (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995490/)
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When Wagner arrived in the booth, he immediately sent an invite towards the other team members for an encrypted channel (and if some arrived after him, he sent it the moment they entered). The signal went dead the moment the fifth guy at the table turned on the jammer.
He listened to the Johnson with a blank expression on his face.
Wagner didn't like it. The Johnson seemed to be an amateur, which meant low pay and most likely a very wrong assessment of the risk involved in the job.
What was worse though, he was apparently expected to play taxi for a guy who was a potential target for unknown corporate enemies. That in itself wasn't a real problem, but the car was brand new and he hadn't nearly gotten all the neccesary upgrades yet... of course, if he didn't take jobs he'd never have the money to buy those upgrades.
He wanted to launch a search on all possible routes from the Corporate Park in Bellevue to the adress in Everett before Dustin could even mention his suggested route, but the jammer was blocking his connection... not an easy feat, must be an expensive toy sitting on the table.
"Please, you set smart jammer not jam me? Is very... strange, no connection." he asks in a heavy Eastern European accent. He looks at the thing on the table with a mixture of annoyment and amazement. "Is very nice... maybe can get one of those?"
His English could be a lot better, but he knew that people generally underestimated the intelligence of anyone talking with a thick accent and broken sentences.
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@Brick:
"With respect to what you said about the package, we would much rather prefer to destroy the package than it getting into the wrong hands. I'd also really appreciate it if your friends spoke so that I can understand being as this is my own wellbeing we're talking about."
@Zach:
You don't know Seattle smuggling routes, but from what you know about smuggling in general, if one is not actually crossing borders, some of the safest routes can be the most frequently traveled routes in order to not arouse suspicion and be singled out. Your map soft does indicate several possible routes but they all take more time and also take you through neighborhoods that may be less than ideal. The only way to pass through a section of low Wifi coverage would be to go completely out of the way and cross through the barrens which could bring with it a whole other set of variables.
@Wagner:
"Yes, this toy does come in quite handy for keeping our conversation here silent. This is my usual club and unless those who are observing me are sitting right outside that door, they should only believe that I came here to have a drink. It's an extra precaution i must take so if you would please be patient and hold off attempting to access the matrix until we are finished here. We actually invested quite a lot of effort in obtaining this one right here."
[OOC: Wagner roll ettiquette.]
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[OOC: 3 Charisma - 1 Defaulting = (2d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995594/) No glitch... that's all I could hope for. ]
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Realizing that this is a security nightmare, client set up the meeting with the bunch of runners at his usual place, even with the music playing outside, Zach turns on his White noise genrator.
Brick, even if there are some bugs that are unable to send out the signal right now, thy should be recording...and if this is his usual place, the risk is too high. Please, talk to him to allow at least me or Wagner to search this area for hidden nodes.
Zach will pull out his handheld sensor, hoping, that MAD scanner would not be affected by the jamming device, and runs the room screening.
Intuition(4)+Perception(4)+ MAD scanner(3) (11d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995624/)
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@Zach:
You don't find anything hidden in the room and it looks pretty clean.
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Calmed a bit, Zach sights:
Looks like we are clear here, at least. Well gents, I`ve scanned possible routes...and I think that the fastest option would be to use the way he proposes. We have two vehicles, Van and a bike, and I should watch you tail on the highway. If we are quick enought, its half an hour of work and we got our money home. Not that I dont expect multiple hits, but the traffic on the higway should gave us some advantage, it is better for defender than for attacker, at least I think.
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"Well, we don't work in the easy delivery business. I'll provide some additional recon, and cover if possible. Maybe even now?"
Stryker focused his mind, and called out two more Shardlings out of the Manastreams. They came without hesitation, eager to find out what he wants from them... "Look around, and see if anyone tries to eavesdrop, or spy on us. Especially if they're Awakened, or of the Manastreams. Just report to me who, and where... "
Summoning two additional Watchers. Buying hits allows me to provide them with an 1-hour attention span (Summoning DP of 7), and stave off Drain entirely (Drain Resistance DP of 10).
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Brick's face remains calm and serious while listening to Dustin explain things. Once the others finish speaking he beings, speaking in a calm and rational tone. "Alright, since you asked for us to speak plainly we shall. Gents lets keep it in english for our friend here please. Now then, I understand that keeping you alive is one of our primary goals just as the safety of this package, please understand that this will be a top priority for us. But you must also understand, This is not a cut and dried plan you're giving us. Just from the things you've told us during this short period of time I have a decent Idea as to what level of threat this will likely entail for my colleges and myself. It would seem someone, likely higher up within your office has to be feeding information to an outside source. So consider this from our position please. We've been tasked to get you from here to there keep you and your package safe. The people who have already been watching you likely know this and are presently assessing everything they can about us right now. The route you've been told you follow is likely a trap that we are expected to fall into as that is the plan the leak wants followed. I am not about to allow myself or my colleges or you to be led blindly into a complex ambush that has already been setup. To follow the instructions you've been given at this point represents a great danger to all of us. We are an experienced team and I speak for us when I say we will get you from here to your destination, and keep you safe as best we can, But everything In between is going to be done our way. This might seem paranoid to you, but that's what you're paying us for, that's why you hired professionals."
Once Brick finishes speaking He pauses waiting to see how Dustin reacts his face settling back into an unemotional and unwavering mask.
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Dustin looks around the room and then back at Brick and speaks a lot lower, if not for any other reason than out of paranoia.
"Between just us, I agree with you, let's do it your way and we won't say anything to anyone."
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Wagner barely managed to stop himself from physically hitting himself on the head when he noticed the dull grey ECCM icon in his AR. He switched it on and a split second later found himself reconnected to the Matrix.
He hoped 'Dustin' didn't notice it and started a scan to find out what signals weren't being jammed, there couldn't be many. While the scan program was searching, a second program was loaded to see what information could be gotten from Dustin himself.
That done, he downloaded Seattle maps and started planning some routes that perhaps weren't optimal for him but likely wouldn't be for persuers neither. Taking the standard route wasn't an option. If they knew Dustin's routine, they'd know being picked up by Wagner's car wasn't part of it.
[OOC: Checking out Johnson: Computer 3 + Analyse 6 + Encephalon 2 + PuSHeD 1 = (12d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995697/)
Scanning for Signals: Elec. War 3 + Scan 6 + + Encephalon 2 + PuSHeD 1 + Math SPU 2 = (14d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995698/) ]
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"I'm glad you understand our position sir." Brick looks at the team speaking quietly. "Gents, I can tell some of you are busy at the moment, but as soon as you're all ready, lets get a move on. The faster we move the better chance we have of upsetting the well laid plans of our enemies and safely dropping off our friend here.
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@Wagner:
As soon as your ECCM program loads up you manage to filter your way through the scrambling algorithm that the jammer is emitting at your comm's frequency. The Johnson has most likely lost wireless connectivity from being jammed.
@Everyone:
"Well, then you need to tell me when and where is the safest place for you to pick me up." You tell the Johnson what your plan is and he nods in acceptance. "Alright, well then I better go now before my prolonged absence in this backroom begins to arouse suspicion. Thank you for doing this guys....i'm trusting you with a hell of a lot." His corporate yuppy veneer drops briefly when he says the last few words. He turns off the jammer and places it back into a sachel backpack that he has on him, gets up and leaves the VIP room.
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The jamming signal dropped and the connection to the encrypted channel was re-established immediately.
PAN: "So, some of you have own bike or car, or I play taxi for everybody?"
He mutters something under his breath, anyone speaking Polish might have understood several complaints and swearing about a set of tires almost costing more than 5k and how insulting this was to him.
"Please, see if anyone's following that guy who just left." he said in Polish to his feet as he sent a command to Luka, ordering it to see if anyone's shadowing Dustin, without being detected itself. A microdrone detached itself from his left boot, crawled towards the door and up the post and put its sensors to work.
He immediately established connection with Sylwia, his Dragonfly drone, too. Watching the entrance of the club from the shadows beneath his car, ready to follow Dustin.
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Brick looks at wagner. No car on my part, but you don't have to ferry me around unless you want to. taxi, train, works just fine for me. But before we move along I've got a plan that might help us yet. depending on the people following dustin we might be able to pull the wool over their eyes a little more if this trick works well. Brick goes on to outline a plan by where they would meet Dustin the next day at a mall parking garage allowing him to appear to be driving himself yet giving them a chance to for him to change cars unnoticed. After which, Wagner could hack the car's grid guide system and program it to drive unmanned to his work place, while the team escorted him there by a different route. (OOC: Once he finished he'd ask for input from the team. fielding questions and such. Once this is all done, if wagner wants to give him a lift he'd take it. (at least to inside everett.) Otherwise Brick knows the trains. If theres nothing else team/legwork wise I'm ready for the jump.)
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OK. Ill stay away from you and I will follow, keeping the distance, making sure that nobody is tailing you. Lets hope this would work.When I notice the threat, or you do, what next? Do we have any tactics? Would we lure them to the trap to finish them quickly, or would we try to outrun them? I think I should let them pass by me to get them between us and then join the fun from behind...if I dont get shot first.
Not sure about big guns...Everet and Bellevue is not Barrens, KE has a central right next to the interstate.
Stryker, I know some spirits can conceal us. Would you give it a try?
What are your opinions?
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Brick folds his arms together and leans in on the table. "As it stands my bet is that when they hit us it'll be a mix of physical, magical, and matrix coming at us. Stryker will have to cover us magically, I'm hoping between wagner, his drones, you, and myself we can cover the physical aspect as I'm sure he'll be as busy if not busier than the rest of us. (to Zach) If you're going to tall behind us as a watch out, be careful. Once the shooting starts you'll be in our lines of fire and maybe theirs too, On your bike if you could stay safe, you'd force them to split their focus between us and you but you'll also be more vulnerable with out the car's armor to keep you safe, so this is fair from a safe bet for you. Keep in mind too, if you get injured to badly or lose control of your bike, we can't come back to help you. I'm not going to tell you to ride with us, but I'm saying right now, you should be considering these things. (to the crew as a whole) If we get hit by magic that's Stryker's area to cover. Protecting us against spells and spirits. Wagner will be handling whatever assets he's got while keeping the car from getting hacked, to evasive driving. I'll be inside the car playing medic as necessary and acting as a physical guard for our package. I suppose I could start shooting out of the back end of the car, but I don't want to presume that. Otherwise if things go bad I'm the last line of defense for package. beyond that, As medic I'll save time and hook Stryker up to my med kit off the bat and maybe wagner to another. Your choice of course Gents. But if we do get into combat it'll help save time we won't have."
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I know the risk, but Id take it...it is better than have all targets in one vehicle, that would be an easy kill. Ill try to stay out of the line of fire, dont wory...and out of sight for most of the time, Im not a heavy hitter. Just try to imagine that you are standing at the vans back doors. I don`t think there would be enought place for me to make a difference, that space is like a too short coffin. But thanks for your concern. You should also be carefull, this won`t be anything like the rosegraden walk.
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"I like second vehicle Zach, maybe surprise the ones surprising us. And plan sound good, Brick. Maybe I hack gridguide main server too, green lights for us and guide traffic to trouble people behind us? Can try find backdoor before we start." He likes the idea of screwing with gridguide... driving should be about freedom, not following tracks like a train. He also liked the idea of Zach drawing some bullets away from his car... the fact that those bullets would be flying towards a different target didn't cross his mind.
"I give lift home if you want, if you don't mind a little muzyka."
He shouts something Polish in the direction of the door. You can make out he's addressing someone(something?) called Luka; he's asking whether it's found anything.
[OOC: Drone perception: Sensor 6 + Visual Enhancement 3 + Clearsight 3 = (12d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997087/)
Drone Covert Ops: Pilot 3 + Covert Ops 3= (6d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997089/)
Anyone getting in the car for a ride home will be immediately bombarded with Bach's Cello Sonata, blasting through the speaker system at incredible volume.]
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"I'm okay with that. Wagner, does your car have real windows, or just cameras? I need a visor at least to work my magic... I have the proper spell to damage a car, if needed. Off course it works on people and drones too, but in case of metahumans it depends on body mass - bigger, tougher targets are more difficult to hit with it. Besides that I can provide Healing and if things go south, we could pick up Zach. Brick, you've seen me Levitate things already, I leave getting something massive - up to a hundred kilos or two - and hard to hurl in case we need to do that. I could also provide you with more protection if needed, or enhance your combat sense, but that's pretty taxing, especially since I can only use my focus to sustain the protective and levitation spells. And only one at a time... Besides that, I have an assault rifle, and a few tricks in my sleeve... Magical and not. I could ask for additional support, but I'd rather keep that support to a backseat role. I'm not one of those slave drivers who pushes Spirits around. They don't do my bidding, they provide assistance because I ask them nicely. And I do have to repay that favor in time..."
Stryker finished his monologue, and you see that there is more to it, than just a summary of things he can do. You can see his mind working, cogs moving and the mental machinery making up scenarios as he talks...
-
Brick stands up from the table hefting his bag."Alright Gents. looks like we're done here. Study the routes, and get everything you want ready done tonight so we don't have to scramble tomorrow. I'll take that ride Wagner, it'll give me a chance to check out what you've got for tomorrow night." Brick turns to Stryker "I know how you are about your spirits, and I won't impose, but make sure you have everything on stand by for this, I expect this to go south harder than the last run,Brick's eyes look wary and we don't need a repeat of that." (OOC:When wagner is ready Brick will ride with him, most likely plugging his ears most of the way. :P)
-
Zach will wait until others leave, take a walk around the club, watching his back...when he came back, he is at the opositre side of the street, finds his place amongst the garbage and waits for the johnson. His chameleon is ON, his chopper is parked ten meters away, also hidden from the street. When Dustin leaves the club, Zach will wait for a few minutes, watching people who are here, tring to figure out any suspects. Then he will move to his bike and drives by sideways in the way that he would close to Dustin`s path twice again maybe on some crossroad, where he would came from different direction. I know where Dustin lives, and assuming he drives by the grid Ill try to figure out his way home.
Ill try to meet him twice...once crossing his parth in right angle, once standing in oposite road side, with the engine turned of and my chameleon, an also my bikes chameleon ON. Im trying to figure out, is someone is tailing him. Just for sure, you never know.
Finding the road:
Intuition(4)+Navigation(2)+Mapsoft(5) (11d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997205/)
First meeting:
Intuition(4)+Shadowing(3) (7d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997209/)
Second meeting:
Intuition(4)+Shadowing(3) (7d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997211/)
-
"Is got windows, still have many work on Klaudia..." He sounds somewhat disappointed, but then brightens. "Her machine gun and grenade launcher is completed, is good, no?"
-
Stryker nods to Wagner with a smile, and replies, making sure no one will eavesdrop first.
"I take any music in return for a ride. I have to go with Brick, he has my cash and I need to either go apartment hunting, or just have my cred with me to get a more contemporary one. Besides, I need to meet your girl, if we're going to work together. What can I say - I'm an old-fashioned spellslinger. I need to get to know a woman if I'm to trust her with my life... Oh, and Brick, I can make the package disappear if you want. It would be a pain, but only a mage or spirit can find it if we're lucky."
While they were driving, the Shardling he asked to watch Zach's back - and remembered to hold his attention by supplying it with both constant mental chatter, and magical infusions of Mana - reported something unusual. The elf asked it to show him what's happening, and smiled when the image arrived through the mental link. He whispered through the connection they shared. "Thank you, little one. I would be very grateful if you'd continue keeping an eye on him. I'll also send more help his way, so tell him - and whisper that to his ear, so he can hear and no one else - 'Stryker sends assistance. The Eternal One called Mirror Twice Unseen will help you stay hidden. He can turn you invisible, like the spell Stryker used or conceal you and your bike further with his own magic.'" He took his time, and fed the fledgling spirit with information slowly, and with focus, so it's underdeveloped cognitive abilities would be able to process it all. He took caution to ask the spirit pup to repeat the instructions, so it wouldn't do anything wrong.
With a slight mental exercise Stryker summoned one of the Spirits he worked with already. This one was a silent and all-business type, and making people unseen was his business. He bargained with it for a while, and the strain of it broke cold sweat on his face, but in the end the Eternal One sealed the deal and followed the Shardling's trail to silently approach Zach and assist him.
Magic(4)+Summoning(3) (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997258/)
Force(3) (3d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997261/)
Drain Resistance (10d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997275/)
Total of 1 Service and 2S damage.
Without a word he took out his medkit, and worked it's wonders. He knew how to fight magical strain damage pretty well by now...
Logic(4)+FirstAid(1)+Medkit(4)-3(conditions) (6d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997282/)
-
Tell your master that Im gratefull. Im trying to find out if Santa is already watching the package. Ill fill you as soon as I got something.
-
@Wagner:
You don't notice anyone following Dustin as he leaves. After tying up a few loose ends in the plans with Brick you drop him off and then go home to get some rest.
@Zach:
Mirror Twice Unseen materializes as a homeless man in tattered clothes with never the less an etherial mystic glow about him. He climbs on the back of your bike and as you race off with him you notice a shroud of night-essence wrap the both of you and the bike. You park you bike and lock it up in it's usual spot and spend the rest of the evening over near a little fire you made out of old crate pine wood listening to Mirror's drunken singing. You fall asleep wondering how such a magnificent being would choose such a humble way of displaying himself in this world.
@Stryker:
Bringing Mirror Twice Unseen into the the world was quite a bit more painful than you would have wanted but after a few hours of rest your headache goes away.
[OOC: you're healed up to full Stun now.]
@Everyone:
The plan goes down quite perfectly and before you know it Dustin's car is cruising up I-405 with even an AR image of a passenger which Xzylvador managed to generate so that only someone with a decent Analyze program or their image-links off would notice. Most passengers on I-405 though are all living through reality filters so you should be fine. Meanwhile, after picking up Dustin from the parking ramp where you pulled up right behind his car and he got in, you are now on a different much more round-about path which you nevertheless hope will end up being safer.
Dustin sits quietly in the back seat with a briefcase on his lap. Brick's way to big to be at all comfortable in the car seats and he is in the back flatbed part of the van next to a few drones. Stryker is in the passenger seat and Dustin is in the backseat.
Zach is out ahead of the group at medium range.
Diagram:
Zach++++++{medium}+++++++++Rover
So far you've made it about halfway to your destination and you see Dustin visibly relaxing a little bit.
[OOC: Xzylvador, make a perception test with your vehicle sensors. I'm assuming you're currently jumped into your Rover. Also anybody with the Shadowing skill make a shadowing test. Also i'd be careful Zach about riding with chameleon suit and chameleon coating on, if KE even sees that at all you are BUSTED. Just letting you know it's a risk that i might make you roll for occasionally. But the rolls will be rarer than they would have been because your route has less KE on it.]
-
Stryker took the front seat, but he was prepared to join them at the back if needed - and possible. He had a good view and the rear mirrors provided additional coverage. He could even see Zach at the edge of his field of vision once in a while... He found a cozy spot on the seat, and let his Mind wander, leaving his body... It took him less than a second to synchronize his astral speed with the car, and he decided to use its cabin for cover, peeking out once in a while...
His three Watchers were on duty. The Shardlings felt like they're almost chirping - one scouting the road ahead, trying to be as much inconspicuous about it as possible, the second circling around the van high above, scouting for company, or ambushes from other directions, and the third inside the van, literally on Dustin's shoulder, keeping watch.
Stryker felt at ease with the speed of thoughts, and so he decided to follow the plan, this time summoning a Spirit that he did not know yet. He sent out a call, and the response was swift and noticeably interested. The Wise one that showed up as a cloud of visions and images of the past - Stryker felt a pang of confusion when he recognized several of them as his own repressed memories - and pitted his will against the Spellweaver. Stryker didn't flinch, nor did he let the flow of Mana between them ground itself through his body. In the end, it was his will and his conviction that won. The spirit flickered, and agreed to protect the whole team - Zach included, thanks to it's bodyless speed - from outside magical influence, and to use his powers of divining to warn them of any ambushes...
Magic(4)+Summoning(3)+Edge(3) (10d6.hitsopen(5,6)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997979/)
Force(4) (4d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997981/)
Drain Resistance (10d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997982/)
Total of 2 Services and no damage, 2/3 Karma.
After a few seconds, that felt like minutes in the realm of Manastreams Stryker decided to take a good look at their target again, and make sure he's not deceiving them, or being manipulated...
Intuition(5)+Assensing(2) (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997996/)
-
After a good night's sleep, Wagner woke up, drank his soycaf, polished his drones, washed his car before spoofing a second access ID and adding appropriate accounts for it to his drones, then getting in his cocoon and starting to find a way into GridGuide.
Wagner had reluctantly turned down the music, Tchaikovsky's Allegretto in E. It was still playing but wasn't deafening. In his head of course the music was much louder.
From inside his cocoon -and inside his mind- he was cursing to himself again for driving around doing jobs with an unfinished vehicle. Klaudia simply wasn't ready for this kind of job.
Luke and Lena luckily could help out on the sensor part, one sitting on the front windshield, the other stuck next to the rear view window. Karina, the "weaponless" doberman was sitting in the trunk next to Brick. It seemed to be a bit uneasy sharing its space with someone, as if the thing had personality.
He was tempted to slip into HotSim, but decided to wait. It gave him an extra edge but it was a lot more taxing.
[OOC: Software ID Spoof: Hacking + Software, buying 2 hits.
Backdoor to GridGuide VR: 1 hour interval extended test. Threshold = target's System + Firewall + 6(Admin).
See how long it takes Wagner. Hacking 4 + Exploit 5 + Optimization 1 + Encephalon 2 + PuSHeD 1 = 13d6 = (13d6.hits(5)=2, 13d6.hits(5)=4, 13d6.hits(5)=3, 13d6.hits(5)=4, 13d6.hits(5)=4, 13d6.hits(5)=6, 13d6.hits(5)=4, 13d6.hits(5)=0, 13d6.hits(5)=9, 13d6.hits(5)=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997478/)
Depending on how long it takes, if he feels he's got time left, he'll try to hide the account. Hacking + Stealth (Firewall, 10 minutes): Unwired p97.
Hiding Account: Hacking 4 + Stealth 5 + PuSHeD 1 + Encephalon 2 (12d6.hits(5)=8, 12d6.hits(5)=0, 12d6.hits(5)=4, 12d6.hits(5)=6, 12d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998061/)
-- First attempt should be more than enough to clear it. If not, second is a critical glitch. Will spend edge to avoid it.
-- This is under the assumption that he can do this without having to log into the account (just having access should be enough) and risk being caught. If that's impossible, he won't try to hide it and just hope it remains undetected for a couple of hours.
Wagner Perception Perception 1 + Sensor 2 + Jumped-In 2 (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998038/)
Lena (Front) and Luka (Rear) Perception: 3 Clearsight + 6 Camera + 3 Enhancement (12d6.hits(5)=3, 12d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998042/)
Doberman in trunk: Karina Clearsight 3 + Camera 3 (6d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998049/) ]
Wagners voice sounds through the speaker. "Mister... Dustin, you have smart jammer with you? Maybe you block all channels not ours?"
-
Ill buy some rations at the before I set my camp. It would be better to be well fed when it comes to dying...
Im following the van from max. 80 meters, but Ill try to keep on 50 meters distance. My chameleon is OFF for now, programed to look like standard bikers armor, Im trying to look less suspicious, not being the part of the transport.
@wagner: Slave my commlink and encrypt the channel. We should swap frequencies randomly, coordinating that with the smart jammer...
I have my Holoprojector ON, drawing ugly Orkish woman dressed in black leather clothing, helmet without face cover, sitting behind my back.
Motorcycle Chameleon is programed to immitate running wild cat painting on the vehicle body.
My scan looking for high signal transmitions.
EW(2)+Scan(5) (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998590/)
EW(2)+Radio Signal Scanner(6) (8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998591/)
Intuition(4)+Shadowing(3) (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998575/)
EDIT: I`ve forgot perception and driving test, so if they are needed:
Intuition(4)+Perception(4)+Vis.E(3) (11d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998618/)
Reaction(7)+Bike(6)+Vehicle(2)+AR(1)-Offroad(-1-1) (14d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998633/)
-
Brick sits hunkered in the back watching out of the back window, scanning everything in the rear view. (Visual perception (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998603/))
<<"Wagner my smart jammer is on only allowing our team comms.">> (Smart jammer ratingx2 (12d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998614/) 8) )
-
@Wagner:
The Grid Guide system took about six hours for you to delicately probe to find a loophole in bypassing it's firewall but you managed to create an Administrator account. As you logged in with with the account, your stealth program managed to hide your true access ID and the system never logged the entry. The inside of the quite advanced node looks like a single dark room with giant computer generated 3d model of most of the Seattle road network floating in the air like AR with little cars streaming over the little streets. Each model car represents an icon which receives datapackets from all the different vehicles.
[OOC: Upon entry the Grid Guide rolled Grid Guide node's Analyze 6 + Firewall 6 = (12d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3000120/). Less than your stealth program.]
Now that you're on the road with the team you still have an active subscription to the Grid Guide node.
[OOC: rolling your matrix perception. Computer 3 + Analyze 6 + Enceph 2 + Pushed 1= (12d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3000165/). It was TH 3 test to catch alert in time.]
@Everyone:
So far everything is running smoothly.
-
@Wagner:
All of a sudden you notice that your Analyze program has picked up an alert, but not quite fast enough for you to intercept anything. The Grid Guide system has just sent out a standard protocol alert to ground tech support and Knight Errant in response to several very strange reports of cars disconnecting from the Grid Guide system right in the vicinity of Wagner's van. The source of the problem is still unknown. KE immediately issues back a response that a patrol drone has been dispatched to investigate. ETA 30 seconds.
-
Wagner's voice sounds through the speakers and over commlinks at the same time, creating a weird reverb effect for the ones inside the car.
"I think problems. Cars near dropping from GridGuide. Knights sent drone, half minute away. We run or we make them run?"
-
Stryker looked down over his shoulder at Wagner, and laughed.
"It's our jammer! Just turn it off..."
-
Dustin starts sweating and he looks around out the windows. "What's going on guys!? What does he mean cars are dropping off the Grid Guide!?" He closes his eyes and tries to do some breathing exercises. When he sees the more jaded older-looking Stryker laughing he seems even more confused. "Jammer? I don't have my jammer running, that would alert too much attention here on the road jamming all the cars in our vicinity. Is that why cars are dropping?" He reaches in his pocket and pulls out the little black dome he had before and makes sure it's off. "My jammer's not running, it's off. KE's coming?!" He closes his eyes and starts doing breathing exercises again.
-
This time Stryker's voice was not in any way amused. They were scaring their package, and that's never good. He could do something stupid.
"Brick, turn your Jammer of! You're scaring the other drivers, and our passenger. And by now you've alerted both KE, and our welcome committee. I bet they're also in the system..."
-
Brick scowls and changes the jammer's setting to allow all, but keep track of the nodes it's found. (To himself)"Drek,frak,drekingfrakingdrek!"
-
@Wagner:
You notice that after about 30 seconds all reported disconnects have been resolved and it seems to you that it indeed was Brick's jammer. Nevertheless a few of the cars which are still in your vicinity have been tagged and the public node of your car has been alerted to be prepared to submit to KE interrogation.
The drone approaches from the rear and slowly starts to hover past a few vehicles around you.
[OOC: unless you decared it explicitly i'm gonna say that all your comms are 1-3 Passive, 4-6 Hidden: (1d6=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3000770/).....so hidden. Rover's node is 1d6=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3000774/).....also hidden.]
It comes close to your vehicle and since it cannot communicate with any of you via wifi, turns on it's loudspeaker and blares out. <<Citizen, you are in direct violation of code 498203A29, failure to broadcast System Identification Number pertaining to owner of vehicle. Please comply and pay fine.>>
-
@Brick:
Despite the little slip up, you decide it's no good crying for spilt milk and you just focus on assessing the situation. Your unusually grounded common sense kicks in and the first thought on your mind is that Zach is riding on his motorcycle with a his HK-227's sling around his shoulder and quite visible if the drone passes by him.
@Stryker & Brick:
[OOC: Stryker roll infiltration with a +2 for the cover of car. Brick roll infil with +4 cuz you have more cover in the back. Dustin's infil= Agil 3 + Default -1 + Cover 2= (4d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001114/). KE Perception: Sensor 4 + Clearsight 3 = (7d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001117/). His comm is on hidden too.]
-
Polish swearing can be heard through the speakers and is abruptly cut off the moment the drone sends its message.
Wagner lets his mind scans the wireless signals in the air, trying to isolate the signals between the drone and KE central, looking for the access ID of a KE operator to send an all clear signal to the drone.
[OOC:
1 second: Scanning: Hacking 4 + Sniffer 5 + PuSHeD 1 + Encephalon 2 + Hotsim 2 (14d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001092/) Beats threshold 3.
2 seconds: Assuming Encryption: Decrypt: Hacking 4 + Sniffer 5 + PuSHeD 1 + Encephalon 2 + Hotsim 2 + Math SPU (16d6.hits(5)=5, 16d6.hits(5)=8, 16d6.hits(5)=5, 16d6.hits(5)=4, 16d6.hits(5)=3, 16d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001097/) If R6 Encryption: hacked after 2 CT's.
3 seconds: Car starts slowing down as slowly as possible. Buying as much time as he can.
4 seconds: Encryption broken, start Tracking: Hacking 4 + Sniffer 5 + PuSHeD 1 + Encephalon 2 + Hotsim 2 (14d6.hits(5)=4, 14d6.hits(5)=5, 14d6.hits(5)=3, 14d6.hits(5)=3, 14d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001105/).
Threshold = 10(+Stealth?) 1 seconds per attempt.
Spoof: Opposed test vs Drone's Pilot + Firewall. Hacking 4 + Spoof 5 + PuSHeD 1 + Encephalon 2 + Hotsim 2 = 14d6 (14d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001113/) 'All clear, proceed to next vehicle.'
]
-
Brick Transmits in subvocial to Zach "Zach, We might be blown. If we are the only way I can see out is you play decoy then disappear, If Wagner can't take care of it. The only way we're getting this drone off our backs is to give it something juicier to chase. If it sees your weaponry it'll pull off of us and chase you, once it does go chameleon and flash ECM to give it the slip and us enough time to spoof a new ID and and slip away. If we need this I'll tell you, but I won't ask unless it's completely necessary."
(subvocially to Wagner)"What's our status? Do we need a decoy or are we clear?"
Brick's infiltration roll (11d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001131/)
-
As soon as the drone starts hovering around the vehicle trying to get a good visual on the inside he ducks down and lays on the seat and it appears to you that he was unseen. The loud speaker blares again.
<<Passenger on board detected in violation of code 498203A28, failure to broadcast System Identification Number pertaining to owner of vehicle. Please comply and pay fine.>>
[OOC: rolling Intuition + Logic for Spirit to see it will understand the situation enough to hide. Spirit's Logic 4 + Int 4 (2) = (8d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001133/). Rolling to see if drone understands it's magical, KE drone: Clearsight 3 + Pilot 3 (3)= (6d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001144/). It doesn't.
-
Back in his body in no time, Stryker just tried to hide from the drone's field of view, so it won't try to scan him, as his commlink had a cobbled-together ID that made no sense in the long run, and no SIN to broadcast. At the same time he tinkered with his commlink, trying to restrict any interactions to just his teammate's comms. He didn't really know how to do that, but he tried anyway... And it seems that he at least partially succeeded.
Agility(3)+Infiltration(2) (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001138/)
Logic(4)-Deafulting(1) (3d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001151/)
Even though he barely managed to do that, he decided it's not enough. He focused his mind on a single task - warping the light around his body, and fading out of view for everyone. It broke a cold sweat and sent a rush of pain through his body, but he managed to pull it of. The spell held, and should be strong enough to fool the drone. As he heard the drone calling out again, the elf send a mental advice to the Wise One, a bit humbled by the sheer improbability of advising a Wise One, to depart from the material world for a while.
Magic(4)+Spellcasting(5) (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001146/)
Drain Resistance (10d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001147/)
3 hits on the roll, 2S damage
-
[OOC: Rolling to see if the drone thinks that the spirit disappearing like that is weird or not KE drone: Clearsight 3 + Pilot 3 (3)= (6d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001155/).]
The drone is silent for a little while seemingly confused. Then it blares out again. <<Citizen, you are in direct violation of code 498203A29, failure to broadcast System Identification Number pertaining to vehicle and code 534243A32, driving an empty vehicle down city streets. Please comply and pay fine.>>
-
@Wagner:
You know you don't have much time to lose before KE starts to get suspicious that the drone is not reporting anything. If you could just find out what's the access ID of the rigger or agent that's sending this drone it's commands. You start analyzing all the wireless traffic and billions upon billions of data packets this drone is trading over it's wifi connection and your Sniffer program and starts snooping in on all of it once it's been decrypted. You then pipe the data that your Sniffer program is siphoning off to your browse program which quickly finds the access ID which is sending the drone command protocol. Just for kicks you run a trace on it and just as you thought the agent or rigger sending out the commands is working from the central KE network.
You then have your Spoof program confuse the drone into thinking that the KE access ID is what sent the bogus command and bingo! it works.
The drone blares out: <<Thank you citizen, drive safely>> and accelerates ahead of you and soon out of sight.
You know you've just bought yourself some time, but the report log of the drone is gonna show that something fishy was going on and then the recordings of the events that transpired will be analyzed. Could be a few hours, with any luck a few days.
-
"Is ok, I fix!
The car speeded up again.
All in all, Wagner was quite satisfied. That KE Access ID might come in useful later today, and it was good to know their reaction time. He celebrated with playing Ode to Joy.
He ran a security check.
[OOC: Analyze Node (Checking for traces and stealthed Icons): Computer 3 + Analyze 6 + VR 2 + Encephalon 2 + PuSHeD 1 First Roll = Commlink, Second Roll = GridGuide (14d6.hits(5)=5, 14d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001194/) ]
-
@Wagner:
The Knight Errant central node which the trace takes you to appears as a towering police shield with the KE symbol etched in it. This looks like a typical gateway node which is merely the entrance node to handle quite mundane activities and as well as route communications to and from more internal nodes.
Inside the Grid Guide node which you have a subscription in has several agents teleporting to and fro in the node running their scripts and ignoring you. You also see two IC agents which look like two glowing flourescent green body builders which simply think that you're a system Admin.
@Everyone:
With that little hitch out of the way Dustin breathes a sigh of relief but remains silent but still rather sweaty. You continue down the planned route and you are starting to enter a residential neighborhood in Everette, your ETA to the drop off location being aproximately 15 mintues.
[OOC: Brick roll a teamwork perception test for everyone in the car since with your vision enhancements you have the largest pool. Add +2 for teamwork.]]
-
Stryker sighed with relief, and released the spell, re-appearing in their view rummaging through his medkit with inhuman speed. He hooked himself up, mumbling something about wild Manastreams and medkit stims being the end of him.
Logic(4)+FirstAid(1)+MedKit(4)-Conditions(3) (6d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001475/)
1S damage healed; Status: 1/11S, 0/10P, 3/3 Edge
As soon as he felt the meds working their wonders in his bloodstream and fighting the spasms and neurological complications of absorbing excess Mana, he sent a loud mental command to his Watchers. "Shardlings, report please." He made a gesture that Brick should recognize, and left his body again, pushing his astral form through the vehicle walls on all sides, trying to scan for Astral and mundane dangers.
Intuition(5)+Assensing(2) (7d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001501/)
Meh, as usual... My Watchers will do better.
-
after all the chaos from the jammer and KE, Brick felt on edge. "So much damn attention. Anyone tailing us would know the score of what was going on. It's only a matter of time before anyone looking to intercept us makes their move, and they're running out of time..."
Brick Subvocializes over the team's whisper channel <<"Alright guys, we're 15 out, This is where things are going to get dangerous If they are going to hit us it'll be soon. check around us and if you see anything, call it out.">> Brick scans the surrounding area, and the map of the area looking for possible ambush points and people tailing us. Brick and the team do a visual perception check of the area around them looking for threats (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3001591/)
-
¨So far...I`d feel better if we leave the highway and find a way throught streets...I know Highway is pretty secure, but we should choose the battlefield if something goes wrong...well I didnt seem to see the good option, it should take some time to figure better way
-
Comms & Speakers: "Why so pessimist? Drone gone, we clear, no enemy. Maybe decoy worked! Klaudia enjoys drive, is good, she like to be outside. You enjoy drive too, yes? She's very comfortable. You want seats warmer?"
{Health: 0 / 9P and 0 / 11S damage, no Wound penalty} | {Edge: 3 / 3}
{Defense: 2; Initiative: 5; IP's: 1} | {Ballistic Armor: 4; Impact Armor: 4}
{Running Software: Analyze6, Armor5, Biofeedback5, Stealth5, Encrypt6, 1.Exploit5+1, 2.Command6, 3.Spoof5, 4.Free}
-
<<"Just because we aren't under attack now, doesn't mean we're clear Wagner. We aren't safe or clear until our package is safely at the drop off, and there's cred in our pockets. There are still plenty of ways this could get sideways on us so don't let your guard down.">>
{Status: No damage No Stun damage, no Wound penalty, }
{Initiative: 9IP's:2 / Armor: 9 Ballistic 7 Impact / PDefense:5 ADefense:8}
Panther ammo:19 in clip, 1 in the chamber on safe
Launcher: loaded and on safe.
Ingram X ammo: apds 40 clip loaded on safe
-
@Wagner:
Your Firewall lights up and has suddenly issued a restricted alert on an access ID which is attempting to enter your PAN illegally. The sculpting shows it as someone pressing against the white space as if it were made of rubber, trying to push through.
@Brick, Stryker:
You notice a car about 20m (medium range) behind you is changing lanes several times a little bit too eagerly.
[OOC: Everybody roll initiative, Wagner roll Matrix initiative. Guidance Spirit Init: Fx2= (8d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002029/). Matrix Intruder Init: (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002055/). Forgot hotsim: (1d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002057/). Driver of Vehicle: (11d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002166/). ]
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Wagner's Matrix Initiative: 13 Response 5 + Int 4 + VR 1 (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002051/) 10+3 = 13.
{Health: 0 / 9P and 0 / 11S damage, no Wound penalty} | {Edge: 3 / 3}
{Defense: 2; Initiative: 5; IP's: 1} | {Ballistic Armor: 4; Impact Armor: 4}
{Running Software: Analyze6, Armor5, Biofeedback5, Stealth5, Encrypt6, 1.Exploit5+1, 2.Command6, 3.Spoof5, 4.Free}
-
Stryker noticed it, and braced himself for action, his nerves suddenly infused with surges of both neural impulses and mana, that gave them even more speed...
"Here it comes..."
Intuition(5)+Reaction(6) (11d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002052/)
Total Initiative of 16
{Health: 0 / 10P and 1 / 11S damage, no Wound penalty, no Sustaining penalty} | {Edge: 2 / 3}
{Defense: 6; Initiative: 11; IP's: 4} | {Ballistic Armor: 6; Impact Armor: 6} |
{Sustained spells: None.} | {Summoned Spirits: 1/1 Guidance (1/2 Services, F4, +Engulf), 3/3 Watchers}
-
Brick see's the car approching from the rear of the van and chuckles. Brick's initiative roll (9d6.hits(5)=4)=13 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002104/) <<"Party crashers, Right on time.">> Brick looks to Dustin. "We have company. For your safety, I strongly suggest you get as small as possible."
{Status: No damage No Stun damage, no Wound penalty, }
{Initiative: 13IP's:2 / Armor: 9 Ballistic 7 Impact / PDefense:5 ADefense:8}
Panther ammo:19 in clip, 1 in the chamber on safe
Launcher: loaded and on safe.
Ingram X ammo: apds 40 clip loaded on safe
(OOC: Smart jammer scanning for hidden nodes, (not active jamming yet, but standing by to do so. (12d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002367/) failed, Oh well.)
-
Initiative so far:
CT1,IP1: Stryker-16, Driver-14, Wagner-13, Brick-13
Edge: Driver-Full, Stryker-3/3, Brick-3/3, Zach-1/1
[OOC: Wagner and Zach both make a vehicle test, Reaction + Pilot Ground Vehicle with a 2x(+2) - 1x(-2)=+2 bonus. Wagner get's his control rig bonus too + hotsim bonus. Drivers Vehicle Test: Reaction 7 + Pilot 3 + Speed advantage (180-140)/10= 7+3+4= (14d6.hits(5)=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002190/). So in the diagram below, being right next to each other is Short Range (which can mean right behind, right along side, or right ahead of), one space=Medium Range, two spaces=Long Range, 3 or more spaces = Extreme Range. So Rover is Long Range from Car, Zach is Extreme Range from Car and Medium Range from Rover.]
|Weaving Car|+Medium+|Zach|
|Weaving Car|+Long+|Rover|
-
Initiative(7+4) (11d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002689/)
Initiative: 16
Reaction(7)+Bike(6)+ Vehicle(2)+AR(1)-Off road(-1-1)+bonus(2) (16d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002691/)
[OOC: Im driving cca 50m behind the Rover, as I wrote before, and nothing changed since then...So the car is between me and Rover, they have me aprox 30m at their backs]
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"Have hacker too. Brick, you take jammer, yes? I need you block my frequency when I tell you... we give hacker nice surprise!"
[OOC Driving: Skill 2 + Response 5 + Bonus 2 + Rig 2 + Hotsim 2 + Handling 1 (14d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002732/)
Not 100% sure about the handling, if it's included in the vehcle stats or no. Last 3 dice were no hits though, so it shouldn't matter.]
-
Initiative so far:
CT1,IP1: Stryker-16, Zach-16, Driver-14, Wagner-13, Brick-13
Edge: Driver-Full, Stryker-3/3, Brick-3/3, Zach-1/1
Wounds: Stryker{1S}
Chase Setup:
|Driver|+Short+|Zach|
|Driver|+Medium+|Rover|
[OOC: Driver won the set-up vehicle test and can change the engagement range with both Zach and the Rover, so he changed from medium to short with Zach and Long to Medium with Rover.
@Zach:
The car which was changing lanes rapidly has started to move up closer and closer toward you and even though you try to maneuver your bike to keep some distance the other drivers exceptional reaction time brings him right up behind your bike and your heart starts racing.
[OOC: Do a vehicle test (3) to turn off of the road and leave the current route you're on if you want. I've also been forgetting the Multiple Oppenents Modifier when there are more than two sides. So -2 to EVERYONE'S, including enemies, Vehicle tests, pg. 170. If you fail it doesn't mean you have an accident, it just means you weren't able to maneuver well enough to be able to make the quick turn. So you and Stryker can act now on the same Initiative.]
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Stryker tooked at the car trying to gain on Zach, and with a strong gesture released his power through the visual link, targeting any of the visible wheels. Damaging their car should be enough to get them of the team's tail. This time he easily managed to contain the energy gathered...
Magic(4)+Spellcasting(5)+Specialty(2)+Mentor(2) (13d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3003462/)
Drain Resistance (10d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3003464/)
With 5 hits on Drain Resistance I can get the basic 4 DV (4/2+1=3)+2damage from the net hits, for a total of DV 6
-
@Stryker:
As you focus on the tire through the review window you see it burst with mana flash and burnt rubber flakes off as you see the car swerve a little and try to keep control and then falls back a little as you can see it is noticeably harder for the Driver to control the car.
[OOC: The car now has a handling of 0 and it's max speed was reduced to 160m/turn. Drivers Vehicle test: Reaction 7 + Pilot Ground 3 + handling -2 (2) = (8d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004258/), he maintains control.]
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OK.
With the results from his navigation,
Intuition(4) + Navigation(2) + Mapsoft(5) (11d6.hits(5)=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3002831/)
Zach decides to continue like he is not the part of the game, being casual biker: Options:
1) there is the crossroad or alley that would allow Zach to drive on the parallel street until the next crossroad (Like turn left - turn right - go paralell in max 100m distance from van and driver-turn right-turn left - reconnects with the "Chase street")
2) There are no crossroads nearby, that would allow Zach to do 1). In that case Zach will drive to park on the side of the street...
Allows the pursuiter to pass by...
-
@Wagoner:
Your analyze program all of a sudden picks up the same access ID that is hacking your PAN to also be inside the Grid Guide node. No login or anything was detected, it just suddenly appeared and that can only mean that it's been there all along and just uncloaked itself. Since your vehicle basically "is" you, this info appears to you as ARO windows in front of the headlights of your coaster as if they were your eyes. You look at a ARO window which monitors your subscription to the Grid Guide node and the sculpting of the hacker is quite eerie and sends a little shiver down your fuel injectors.
(http://www.snomonki.com/Photos/3D%20art/SpiderMech2med.jpg)
It suddenly pounces and grabs on to your robotic persona (http://trexandme.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/picture-13.png) and attempts to sink in it's mechanical fangs which drip with malignant code.
[OOC: Spider's Cybercombat 4 + Blackhammer 4 + hotsim 2= (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004595/). Roll Response + Firewall (+hacking if doing full D). If the attack is successful then resist damage with Willpower+Biofeedback. Also roll a Stealth + Hacking because the Grid Guide system IC are scanning suspicious activity. Grid Guide IC: Analyze 6 + Pilot 6= (12d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004612/). Now seeing if IC see the Spider's attack: Spider's Stealth 4 + Hacking 4 + hotsim 2= (10d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004613/). Nope.]
@Zach:
The driver starts passing you by, but a little bit too close for comfort. You try to inconspicuously move away but the driver changes lanes over with you and then you notice him accelerate suddenly sideways at your bike!
[OOC: Driver's Ramming test: Reaction 7 + Pilot Ground 3 + Multiple Opponents -2 = (8d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004624/). Roll a Reaction + Pilot Ground + M.O. -2+ Handling test. If you get <= number of hits then your bike must resist 10DV and you resist 10P. If your bike takes more than 8DV, then roll a crash test (Reaction + Pilot ground + handling+Wound modifiers....don't add the M.O. -2)]
-
Reaction(7)+Bike(6)+ Vehicle(2)+AR(1)-Off road(-1-1)-3 (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004745/)
EDGE: Reroll misses: Edge rerolling misses for ramming test (11d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005926/)
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@Wagner:
With one robotic arm you push the mandibles away and with the other you clamp down on the spiders legs and throw it straight at a wall and it lands gracefully and sticks to it, turning back around at you.
[OOC: It's your and Brick's turn]
Initiative so far:
CT1,IP1: Stryker-16, Zach-16(holding), Driver-14, Wagner-13, Brick-13
Edge: Driver-Full, Stryker-3/3, Brick-3/3, Zach-1/1
Wounds: Stryker{1S}
Chase Setup:
|Driver|+Short+|Zach|
|Driver|+Medium+|Rover|
-
@Zach:
As the sports car tries to ram you, the rear view ARO mirror window which hovers over your field of view shows you that the left lane is totally clear of on coming traffic and you know that now is your chance. You pop the clutch and switch into a lower gear, and just as the car is side swiping at you hard your quick slow down instantly places you back behind it and as soon as you clear the bumper you jack-knife the Harley Scorpion to the left, your leg almost touching the pavement, and take off down a cross street. You see the sports car continue on after the Coaster with Dustin and the team in it.
[OOC: The team is still broadcasting it's gps coordinates. In order to link back up with the team I'll say that you need to first make a Navigation test and every 2 hits are added as 1 die to a Vehicle Test with a threshold of 5. You can use the off-road handling for this test. This reflects the fact that you're gonna have to basically be flying through alleys, parks, and even driving up and down a few staircases....basically anything to be able to keep up with the team.]
-
The window in the car's back hatch popped open, allowing its passengers to fire outside.
Wagner, GridGuide SysAd, sent an alert to the IC patrolling the node. He hadn't loaded any attack software so couldn't fight the enemy's spider icon and even if he had, too much attention would be drawn to him on the GridGuide system.
System has been hacked by user: #426sd:od864:9p761:im461-127, non-registered admin account. Engage IC.
[OOC: Computer 3 + Logic 5 + PuSHeD 1 + Encephalon 2 + HotSim 2 (13d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005928/) ]
{Health: 0 / 9P and 0 / 11S damage, no Wound penalty} | {Edge: 3 / 3}
{Defense: 2; Initiative: 5; IP's: 1} | {Ballistic Armor: 4; Impact Armor: 4}
{Running Software: Analyze6, Armor5, Biofeedback5, Stealth5, Encrypt6, 1.Exploit5+1, 2.Command6, 3.Spoof5, 4.Free}
-
Stryker almost didn't have time to feel relief, as he noticed Zach barely managing to outmaneuver the enemy car. As he saw his teammate's bike disappear from view, he whispered to one of his Watchers, mentally targeting Zach. "Guide him back to us, Little One."
[OOC: Using the remaining Free Action to issue a command to the Watcher.]
-
@Wagner:
[OOC: Spider Hacker's Logic 4 + Computer 4 + hotsim 2 = (10d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005930/). You beat it.]
The spider expecting you to attack suddenly looks shocked when it notices you initiating command protocols and it quickly tries to overide you but it's too late. The icon of the spider suddenly lights up red as the system issues a restricted alert against it. He scurries around trying to hide....but the eyes of the IC remain transfixed on it. The right glowing humanoid figure charges it and starts swinging punches which the Spider tries desperately to dodge. The other glowing figure let's off a glowing little dog which leaves the node and starts sniffing out the Spider's node of origin. Both figures are oblivious to you and it's most likely that with a restricted alert flag, the admin account of the Spider hacker has lost all it's privileges.
[OOC: IC1 Blackout 6 + Pilot 6 = (12d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005948/). Spider hacker's Response 4 + Firewall 5 + HS 2 = (11d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005949/). IC2 Trace 6 + Pilot 6 (10, CA)= (12d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005950/). Brick's turn.]
Initiative so far:
CT1,IP1: Stryker-16, Zach-16, Driver-14, Spider-14, Wagner-13, Brick-13
Edge: Driver-Full, Spider-Full, Stryker-2/3, Brick-3/3, Zach-0/1
Wounds: Stryker{1S}
Chase Setup:
|Driver|+Medium+|Rover|
|Zach| --out of chase combat
-
OK: My actions until next CT, when I re-enter the scene:
Re(7)+Bike(6)+AR assist(1)+Off road(2)+Navigation(8/2=4)= (20d6.hits(5)=9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006248/)
Agility boost:
Magic(5)+ AG Boost(1) (6d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006251/)
=Agility 6 /4CT
Strenght boost:
Magic(5)+ ST Boost(1) (6d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006253/)
=Stenght 6 /4CT
Chameleon suite - ON
Bike Chameleon Masking - ON
Googles Ultrasond - ON
Lenses TG - ON
Commlink - hidden, Signal set to 0 (3m) + Bike slaved
Other peripherals - OFF
SMG - left hand
Holoprojector: Zach driving the bike 3 m to the left from me following my bike...
-
The back hatch of the coaster opens Brick lifts the rocket launcher up and aims through the back hatch. (Simple aim action +1 DP now 11 total DP for the shot.) Brick lines up the shot and fires. (11d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006381/)
( :o Inevitable glitch is inevitable. Saw this coming, did it anyway. Using 1 edge to re-roll my misses.)(edge used on misses, lets see how this goes.) (10d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006383/) (3 hits total.) for scatter (4d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006400/) (Inca you're gonna have to help me figure out what this all means, sorry.)
(*edit*) As the road behind the Coaster explodes Brick turns to look at Stryker. "Cover me."
{Status: No damage No Stun damage, no Wound penalty, }
{Initiative: 13IP's:2 / Armor: 9 Ballistic 7 Impact / PDefense:5 ADefense:8}
Panther ammo:19 in clip, 1 in the chamber on safe
Launcher: Spent.
Ingram X ammo: apds 40 clip loaded on safe
-
@Brick:
The glowing red irises of Bricks cyber-eyes narrow and he let's off the rocket....but a sudden swerve Wagner had to make to avoid pedestrians threw off the shot and it spirals toward the car but lands about 8m away and explodes in an bright orange fireball creating a pillar of black churning smoke which even covers the car for a moment. When the sports car finally exits from the wall of black smoke, the whole left side is covered in flames which quickly are put out by the wind blowing past.
Pedestrians scream and one elven lady on the sidewalk is desperately trying to put out some flames which are covering the whole top part of her torso. As she becomes smaller and smaller in the distance you see her go limp and fall to the ground.
[OOC: Driver's defense: Reaction 7 + Handling 0 = (7d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006415/). We'll say drop off for the burning is 2d6=7 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006418/), so it would burn for only 1 CT. So the vehicle has 6P incoming. Vehicle Body 10 + 1/2 impact 3 = (13d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006440/). It resists all the damage.
The top sky light of the sports car slides open and still surrounded by a few little flames you see a female ork metavariant
appear holding a strange glowing greenish orb which looks like a translucent bowling ball filled with some kind of greenish glowing fluid. The whole thing is quite obviously magic in nature.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRhobgoblin.jpg)
She raises it above her head and hurls it at the Coaster. You see it coming straight towards you but a service rotodrone just out of shear luck flies in between you and the sports car. The green orb shatters as soon as it hits the drone and explodes in a large splash of glowing acid. This sends the drone crashing straight into a parked car and before it disappears behind other traffic you see it's chasis bubbling and disintegrating. The woman visibly curses and looks quite angry.
[OOC: Acid grenade spell: Magic 5 + Spellcasting 5 = (10d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006499/). Drain is 6S. Drain Logic 4 + Will 4 + fetish 2= (10d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006507/). She takes 1S. Next IP, Stryker is up.]
Initiative so far:
CT1,IP2: Stryker-16, Zach-16, Driver-14, Wagner-13, Brick-13, Spider-12, Mage-10, Guidance Spirit-9
Edge: Opposing Team-Full, Stryker-2/3, Brick-3/3, Zach-0/1
Wounds: Stryker{1S}, Mage{1S}
Chase Setup:
|Driver|+Medium+|Rover|
|Zach| --out of chase combat
-
Stryker clenches his teeth and closes his eyes for a split-second, calling out to his patron, and fueling all power he could into a spell that should - with a bit of luck, and gods knew they needed that - hurt the ork woman. He couldn't keep his attention on the enemy well enough, the image of the elf lady was burned on the inside of his eyelids, like an AR screen almost off-view. As the spell came into life, he sent a mental shout to all of his Shardlings, to get help for the elf woman, wishing that they'd be full fledged Spirits. He knew his Wise One ally couldn't help much here...
Complex Action: Casting Powerbolt at Force 4
Magic(4)+Spellcasting(5)+Specialty(2)+Mentor(2) (13d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007483/)
Edge Re-roll (11d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007484/)
Total of 5 hits.
Drain Resistance (10d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007485/)
1S damage from the Drain, no additional hits as bonus DV taken, DV of 4.
Free Action: Send the Watchers to get help for the elf lady. Hoping they'll be smart enough...
-
@Stryker:
[OOC: Mage's Will 4 + Counterspell 3 = (7d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3008199/). She also has good cover 4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3008204/). She resists.]
You're powerbolt flies at her right through the rear-view window being unimpeded by physical barriers but as soon as it comes with her viscinity, she bends the mana around her and she's untouched.
@Everyone:
The Driver is begins maneuvering his vehicle to try to clear some traffic and get closer but the route you've chosen makes it harder with the narrower streets and city traffic.
[OOC: Driver's Vehicle test: Reaction 7 + Pilot grnd 3 + multiple opponents -2 + handling 0 (3)= (8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007916/). No net hits. Wagner and Brick's turn.]
-
Wagner's Robot concentrated on the Spiders next move while contemplating his options. Hopefully the IC would keep it occupied so he could focus on the real world.
[OOC: Delaying until after hacker, before the mage.]
-
Brick watches as the Bolt streaks by then dissipates as the Mage spells it away. "Alright lets see her dis-spell THIS." Brick lifts the panther and as the smartlink reticle comes up he fires. (8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3008410/)
(OOC: A narrow burst called shot 3 at the car's engine. also using edge again to up my net hits.Edge on the misses! DON"T FAIL ME NOW! (6d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3008459/) that's four hits in all, and all I can afford. Logic test to figure out details about the car. (2d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3008500/))
(turn breakdown: ready weapon: simple, called shot: free, fire short burst: simple.)
{Status: No damage No Stun damage, no Wound penalty, }
{Initiative: 13IP's:2 / Armor: 9 Ballistic 7 Impact / PDefense:5 ADefense:8}
Panther ammo:17 in clip.
Launcher: Spent.
Ingram X ammo: apds 40 clip loaded on safe
[/quote]
-
@Brick:
[OOC: Driver's Evasive Driving: Reaction 7 + Handling 0 + Pilot Ground 3= (10d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3008486/).]
The driver apparently saw you aiming your giant gun at him and just starts swerving back and forth trying to avoid your burst. You see the 3 cannon rounds tear 3 large chunks out of the pavement right around which keeps on swerving evasively.
@Wagner:
Your analyze program shows you that the Spider is a attempting to terminate his VR feed and jack out. The Grid Guide system also is receiving user reports of calls to KE in your vicinity.
[OOC: you can interrupt the Spider Hacker if you want. The Gridguide system is merely showing alerts which were placed directly to KE, so you're unable to intercept them. Either way it's your turn cuz you said you wanted to go before the mage, but i don't know if you want to interrupt the Hacker's Jack out.]
Initiative so far:
CT1,IP2: Stryker-16, Zach-16, Driver-14, Wagner-13 (holding), Brick-13, Spider-12, Mage-10, Guidance Spirit-9
Edge: Opposing Team-Full, Stryker-2/3, Brick-3/3, Zach-0/1
Wounds: Stryker{1S}, Mage{1S}
Chase Setup:
|Driver|+Medium+|Rover|
|Zach| --out of chase combat
-
Yes, you run, drekhead! Now let's see if I can get rid of that other nuisance too.
On the roof of the Toyota, a well oiled and perfectly timed piece of machinery quickly unfolds a turret that wasn't there before. Mounted on it a machine gun and grenade launcher. A dull "thump" can be heard as Wagner wills it to fire a HE grenade into the open roof of the vehicle behind them.
[OOC: If I'm not jumped in anymore, the dice pool is -1, Command 6 instead of Response 5 + Rigging 2. I'm really trying to fire into open roof, so the grenade will (hopefully) bounce inside of the car and we get the nice "chunky salsa" effect in such a confined space, so I expect you'll take off some more dice from the roll. Apply other modifiers as you see fit.
Response 5 + Gunnery 4 + HotSim 2 + Rigging 2 + Edge 3: 16d6.hitsopen(5,6) → [5,[6, 5],5,[6, 1],5,[6, 1],5,[6, 4],4,3,4,4,2,1,2,1] = (9)
(http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009250/):o ... Awesome! Also, last 8 dice aren't hits, so up to a -8(-7 if remote control) penalty on the shot should still net me 9 hits. First 8 dice: 9 hits!
High-explosive grenade: 10P, -2AP, -2DV/m, airburst link on launcher, so explodes at the end of this IP.]
-
@Wagner:
[OOC: Driver's Defense: Reaction 7 + Pilot Ground 3 = (10d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009395/) That means you have 8 net hits so you reduced scatter to zero, direct hit, with a called shot to get it in the sunroof. Well, you did it. I'm not even rolling defense. That's minimum 20P.]
Your Analyze program shows that the Spider hacker has jacked out and the Grid Guide IC are back to their normal guard posts.
The targeting reticules you see overlain on your turret sensors begin to calculate millions of possible trajectories and begin outputting statistical assessments. You see that the female hobgoblin blocks most of the sunroof opening, but there still is a little 10 cm space which you could land a mini-grenade into the cabin of the sports car. You readjust the targeting parameters and rerun the ballistics and your output statistics give you a 13.8% chance of success. You decide it's time to spin the chambers and just go for it. You set the airburst link timing to detonate a few fractions of a second later to make sure the grenade goes off once having bounced in the cabin a little bit.
Popping a grenade out of your turret has been rigged to feel like spitting a marble out of your mouth and you spit with all your might and watch it fly. The mage hobgoblin sees the turret fire and tries to duck but this just widens the open gap in the sunroof even further and the next thing you know she disappears from sight while the tinted windows blow right out and the whole top part of the car is ripped clear from the rest of the chasis and becomes covered in rolls of greyish black smoke. The bottom of the vehicle explodes as well causing the sports car's rear to flip over it's front and just start to tumble down the street completely on fire. It finally crash into a series of parked cars and is consumed by one more giant explosion.
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The chasing car taken out and the hacker probably suffering dumpshock for a while, Wagner's back in a good mood, forgetting all about the screwup with the jammer. Too bad about the car, it looked nice, but there wasn't much left of it now.
"Reminds me of old job. Good times, everythink okay! Zach, you good?
'Ode to Joy', still sounding through the speakers, reached its end and was followed by Chopin's Nocturne, solo piano. Wagner is a lousy DJ and refuses to spend money on a Smart-DJ program originally designed loud trash music.
The turret vanished back into the roof.
"Brick, you close window, please? Then you three sit back and relax!"
He activated the backseats vibration function. Inside his cocoon, a grin appeared on Wagner's otherwise absent-looking face.
He issued commands to his drones. Together with the electronic signals, the commands also sounded spoken in Polish through the car's speakers.
Karina, stand watch and attack whoever Brick attacks, maybe next time you can have some fun too.
Lena, watch for trouble ahead. Luka, watch for trouble or pursuers behind.
Klaudia, keep following planned route, you're doing great! Don't you worry, I won't let them hurt you.
Wagner himself went back to focusing on GridGuide, updating his information on traffic and searching for routes where traffic would let them travel quickly but could be a hindrance for pursuers; or could be made one with a few simple commands. Despite his dislike of the Matrix's graphics, he liked GridGuide's. A map with cars on it, that's how he'd do it too.
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Cooll, right behind you. We are not out of this yet. This is not Renton, we would have the horde of howling KEyots on our backs in a notime. Heavy weapons in the streets should mean even LAV deployment , so better GTFO or hide for a while. Watch out for street surveillance...Ive just heard the Kaboom, but I suppose it was nice shot, you seem pretty sattisfied :) good work. O&O
Zach is trying to figure out best and most secure way from this point to destination - a lot of bridges, maybe tunel or something like that. If nothing is good enought,
Intuition(4)+Navigation(2)+Mapsoft(5) (11d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009579/)
Intuition(4)+Shadowing(3) (7d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009580/)
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Brick Pulls the back window back down into place. Marveling at the lucky shot he just witnessed. "<<Damn fine work Wagner! Lets get out of here though, KE won't have missed all that. Stryker, think you might be able to hook us up with some invisablity so we can Dodge em'?">>
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You notice the Johnson is still on his back in between the seats on the floor of the van clutching his briefcase trying to keep as quiet as he can.
@Wagner:
[OOC: Since Zach's smuggling routes is the same DP as his shadowing, i'll just take his shadowing roll as a smuggling routes knowledge skill and that'll give you a +2 on a Vehicle + Edge +{bonuses i'll accept: rigging, handling, +1 morphing plates, hotsim, +2 Zach's smuggling knowledge.} opposed test to see if you can avoid KE, they'll roll perception (+3 for actively looking, +2 pseudo-teamwork, -4 for spirit concealment). TH 5 cuz of all the destruction. This is basically a luck + how well you can maneuver. You can use edge on this test if you want...but they can too. Here it is: KE Perception 5 + Sensor 4 + Concealment -4 + Actively Looking 3 = (8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009801/). What the hell, Edge re-roll: (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009803/). 4 hits. You need >= 4 hits.]
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[OOC: Since the others seem so worried about being chased, Wagner will focus more on driving himself. Not like jumping in and out is that much of a problem out of combat and not like GridGuide's helping much. He'll jump in and out regularly, hopping across nodes to check if everything's ok.
Avoiding cops: Driving 2 + Response 5 + VR 2 + Rig 2 + Edge 3 + Bonus 2 + Plates 1 (17d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3009823/)
-- Wasn't sure about Handling, does the listed Handling from Rover include the bonus/penalty from off-road suspension; if so, which does it list? ]
"You all worry too much, Klaudia is nice for you, enjoy!"
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Brick notices Dustin's positioning and looks down at Him and grins. "Don't look so tense Dustin, Just remember to keep breathing. We're still on schedule, you're still safe, and everything is going according to plan." Brick takes a look at his AR. the medkit he's hooked into's biomonitor shows Stryker's vitals are a little elevated. <<"Hey Stryker, your vitals are up a little. You want me to fix you up?">>
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@Brick: Yeah give him a hug, after those days spent with me Stryker may be eager for a change :)
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@Brick:
Dustin seems to relax a little bit. He gets up back into the seat and smooths out his clothes a little bit with his hands and looks around nerviously. As he lays down the massaging seat relaxes him even more and leans his head back and closes his eyes.
@Wagner:
Zach makes a few corrections to the route which don't much sense to you why his route would be any better, but you've learned that trusting a teammate is usually the best, if not the only, option when faced with a complex set of variables most of which are completely out of your control.
You skillfully weave through traffic, morphing your plates every few blocks. As your navigation systems tell you that you're only 1 km out from the drop off you breath a sigh of relief which revs the engine and you focus on the last little stretch, feeling the pavement bristle your tires and your sensors tuned to any KE attention.
@Everyone:
You finally reach the address and sure enough it isn't an office compound at all. It's a building so old that it's still made of brick but has been clearly restored and refitted to be an upscale studio apartment complex called the "Palisades". This whole neighborhood in Everett looks like an industrial quarter which in the last few decades has become gentrified and rather retro-chic. Not as grungy and off-beat as the late Razor Girl's apartment building which was basically just a few rich kids living in a not-so-nice part of downtown, these several blocks nevertheless had a relaxed feel to them. Somewhere an off-enclave Evo employee might opt for. You notice two human men in suits standing outside the entrance to the apartment complex.
Dustin quickly grabs his brief-case and looks out the windows a few times. "Those are the guys i'm supposed to meet with. I don't know how to say this guys, but ....thank you so much. I've got your number and if there's anything I can do to help any of you out, do not hesitate to call me on this number. Good-day gentlemen." An AR business card flies from his PAN to yours and a request prompt asks you if you want to accept number to your contact list. Almost immediately you receive a message from you shadow-bank account that the escrow account has deposited an amount of 2500¥ to each of your accounts. You see Dustin hustle over to the gentlemen and they all go inside.
[OOC: Add Dustin Menugian as a L2/C3 contact.]
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Stryker waited silently for Dustin to get out off the car, and then scurried into the back, standing up to the troll.
"Yes, Brick. You can do one thing for me. Don't. Kill. Bystanders." The last three words he punctuated with his index finger placed and pushing at Brick's sternum. It looked silly, with the kid elf and a troll built like a literal house. Stryker was serious though.
"Napalm rockets?! What the hell! One shot from your Panther to the engine, and we would be clear. Did you even think about it?"
He stopped abruptly, and fell to his knees, his hands both on the sides of the head.
"I owe you. For the last three times when you saved my life. And for the one you spared me... Damn, you know what I mean. I would give my puny life for you. And for Zach. I owe you both that much. And now to you too Wagner. But please, I cannot take stuff like that in..."
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On the second thought, he may need more time to spend with me, otherwise he will grow up as an elven girl... :-\
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Brick's eyes narrow, his face goes blank, and voice low as to only be audible for them. "Your point is well taken kid. I didn't mean to hit anyone but the car behind us and I'll apologize to you for that, but it's done. I can't change what happened and I'll adapt my weapons usage if possible in the future. Now please get out of my bubble, I don't want to embarrass you by putting you back in your seat."
(OOC:once stryker goes back to his seat) Brick sighs loudly as wagner pulls away rubbing his face in his hands some of his own tension washing away. then turns in the back to get more comfortable. "Good job boys! Lets eat, My treat! I know a good place too, if you're up for it.."
After the team decides if they want to eat, Brick will call Larry and brief him about the job. As for the joint to eat? Brick knows the exile's bar in Everett and loves the BBQ there and since things went so well on this run He's more than happy to drop 125-150 nuyen on a good team dinner before going home and cleaning up. He'll contact anita for munitions the next day.
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Wagner emerges from his cocoon and talks while inspecting his car for damage, visibly relieved he can't find any.
"No need be so tough on big guy, was accident. I made accident before, people hurt, I learn, yes? No evil done. And no need giving your life to me, was only grenade in car. Haha, you see that? Nice explosion, in my top 5!"
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Brick grins wide. "That was a damn fine shot you made there!" He turns to Zach as he gets an alert that cred is transfering over. "Don't mention it man. If you need any more work done, just let me know. I'll do what I can to get you good to go."
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Hey Brick, thanx for trusting me. Now, good accounts makes good friends.
Zach transfers 250Y to Bricks account.
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@Stryker:
The Spirit of Man you summoned and sent off on a remote task to heal the elven lady informs you that he found her but the paramedics were already wheeling her into a Doc Wagon chopper in a plastic bag.
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Before leaving from the Palisades and dropping you off wherever you want, Wagner reboots his commlink, instantly removing the ID he spoofed earlier that day. He saves the ID's code -there's still a hidden GridGuide account linked to it, never know when that comes in handy- but removes all traces of it from his comm and drones.
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BBQ...well, this time Ill enjoy the meal made by someone else...Wagner, you`ve got a shop or something? I may have some work for you, mods done to my chopper. We may talk it sometimes else. Now, lets eat
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(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRDiner.jpg)
The IO Diner, or known by locals more affectionately by it's former name "The Exile", is a refreshing change from the yuppy community where the Palisades is located. Mikonos, the owner, is an ork with a graying ponytail that always finds some excuse to complain to you which part of his body is giving out on any given week.
The team arrives a good 3-4 hours after the drop off and it's about 2 AM. The place is quite full and you guys all crowd into a booth at the Exile with Brick in a troll-chair on the end. The smell of krill-bacon and soycaf makes Brick breath a sigh of relief to be home. The rest of the team however looks around rather curiously taking in some of the "native" Seattle culture. You know you're in Everett once you see a room half full of Shalish-Shidhe tribesmen and the other half a diverse array of mark-ass marks, trick-ass marks, punk bitches, skig-skag skanks and scallywags, ho's, heifers, heehaws, and hoolihoos and they all seem to be getting along just fine.
The waitress is a tough-cookie type red-headed ork chick with a name-tag that says Miranda. After taking your orders she winks for a moment at Zach and drops him her telephone on his PAN. <<If you wanna fuck some time, call me.>> The AR window is not even private and all of you can see the little message before Zach quickly puts it away.
Amazing Larry rings Brick back on his comm and since the wings still haven't come out of the kitchen yet, he decides to shoot it over to conference call. A 3d translucent image of Amazing Larry in his office appears in the middle of the table and only the team has viewing and listening rights to it.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRjohnson1.jpg)
"Alright you crazy fucks, please tell me THIS wasn't your doing..." He turns around a piece of AR paper and shows you what's on it. It's a video from the evening news showing torn up concrete, burned out cars and the rolling smoke from what you recognize to be the place where Brick shot off the inferno rocket.
"You know, what.....fuck it....i don't even care....I don't even want to know, so don't say shit. The Johnson was happy so you didn't make me look bad. Alright gents, we'll be in touch as soon as I line-up some more work for you guys. Later."
As if on queue, the wings and synthanol-beer come out and once you all start digging in it becomes apparent that Brick wasn't bullshitting....those are some pretty damn good wings. When it came to BBQ, Brick didn't like to cut corners....real chickens was a must. Of course, in the troll's book, devil rat was the next best substitute .