Even as the hand wraps around the technician, her flywheels kick back into gear. As the pressure pushes her panels closed, steam bubbles out from the mound of trash.
Critical system alerts fill her vision in red and amber.
for(i in this.owch){
this.core.divertPower(0.1,HULL_INTEGRITY);
this.mood["irate"]++;
this.mood["agressive"]--;
}
Sona, the squeezing fist manages to damage some vital components, but is not lethal. Choose 1: Take the stunned debility or your jumpsuit is damaged until you can repair it on the ship (-1 armor).
Rotgut, the thing groans as your trunk swipes clean through its "leg." It wobbles, then topples forward, partially crushing you. You are stuck beneath it, and will need to defy danger to free yourself.
When BustR tears through the garbage, Sona's small chassis emerges in the tattered scraps of her jumpsuit to remind everyone that only the Θ4 model is anatomically correct. As soon as she is clear of the mess, she holsters her blade, passes the rope gun to Bunker, and pulls herself up to free the massive Θ2's arms.
>initiating battery of repairs
>transmitting location of ascendant exit
>advise covering organics' retreat
$su [REDACTED]
$password: [REDACTED]
$sudo commandOverride.h
>INITIATE FORMATION JERICHO
There is a point where random, awkward climbing becomes sitting and locking in place. A hose protracts from Sona's finger, connecting to a socket in BunkR BustR's shoulder, and structure gel begins flowing between the two androids.
3 damage, with 4 from healing puts me 1 in the black.
Plugged into Sona like so, 2BR can see what she was meaning to do with the rope gun and the pizza construct. Unfortunately, Sona doesn't really have the fine motor skills or brute strength for this kind of work. She was built for repairwork, not murder.
2BR is built for murder.
Just barely managing to spot the garbage ball as it came flying towards him, Kray braced for a slimy impact of pizza debris. What he got instead of a face full of camouflaged scrap. "Ooof!!"
Holding a hand to his injury whilst scraping pizza sludge off his suit with his shotgun, he managed to see the second blob coming. Raising his shotgun, he fired into the blob.
As the blob shattered in a hail of shotgun shrapnel, he continued to fire, sending blast after blast of scattershot into the things bulk.
From his safe position in the rafters, Blast-O-Tron activates a quick series of commands in his wrist console. A compartment in the RAB's shoulder opens and RAE, Jamee's Remote Avian Explorer unit, is deployed. Her metallic wings stretch open and her eyes blink with greenish light as the low-level AI running her flight systems activates.
"There! Kill!" are Jamee's only commands, as he orders Blast-O-Tron to rain hell down on the garbage monster in the chamber below. Aiming his blaster arm once again, a storm of reddish laser fire scars the thing's horrible hide.
Just as her own system alerts collapse and drop from view, a flood of crimson blossoms in Sona's vision, critical system failures transmitted through her connection with BustR. Steam blasts, static arcs, and the spin of flywheels begins to generate an audible hum as Sona diverts all system power to the Structure gel generator.
The micriscopic robots flow into BunkR through corroded conduits. blueprints flash in Sona's head. Centuries of Theta development are aggregated and compared to the mess of repairs, modifications, and jury-riggs that 2BR has been through in his long term of service.
An unfamiliar callsign connects to 2BR, an admin with a high, melodic voice.
$We MuSt GeT yOu BaCk To ShOp, We MuSt;
$ThEsE aBuSeS ShALl NoT sTaNd;
$A wAr TaNk WiTh SuCh GrIt Of HaNd~
$ShOuLd NeVeR tUrN tO rUsT;
Sona herself remains silent.
> SONA
> CEASE AND DESIST
> BunkR BustR line incapable of critical repair of new models
> Return repair gel substrate to self IMMEDIEATELY
The nanobots go where they are more needed with some small resistance. They are not used to taking orders from a Θ2.
Kray, your shells rip through its giant torso, cutting gaping holes in the rubbish. This allows 2BR to carry out Sona's plans. Still carrying Sona and linked by a flow of repair nanites, 2BR grabs the grapple line and runs a quick analysis of the creatures structure. The now gaping holes allow you to adjust the line just so, and you begin charging around the circle. Once the thing is fully wrapped, you pull as hard as you can. The noose tightens and then the top half topples to the floor. The two halves begin to reform into separate forms, but the process appears slowed by the spreading fire. You appear to have a few moments respite.
BoT, unfortunately you cannot say the same. As you line up your shot your jet pack misfires, causing you to lose your footing and you fall to the floor far below. Take 1d10 damage ignoring armor. You find yourself between the two reforming piles.
What do you all do?
> BoT, clear the firing line immediately
> Commencing ignitive bombardment in 3...
> 2...
2BR isn't actually going to fire until BoT is out of the way. Additionally, he needs to reload. How long will that take, in this situation?
'Ka-chunk... slurp.'
Ready to fire as soon as BoT is clear.
"Acknowledged! Firing jetpack!" Jamee's voice booms through BoT's speakers. Ignoring the warning klaxons sounding throughout his VR helmet, he slams his fist on the activator button for the jetpack's firing apparatus, blasting backward on his back until he's free of the two reforming piles.
2BR releases the final canister of propellant onto the pizza pile with a soft 'WHUMP' and a burst of heat.
> Sona, notification
> Flamethrower fuel depleted
> Risk factor: Low
> Notification confirmed query?
> Confirmed
Seeing the damages Blast-O-Tron has sustained, Sona takes control of the defunct fluid propellant arm, rerouting the structure gel into the empty canister.
> third = MAINTAIN range WITH "Blast-o-Tron"
> second = DESTROY
> first = CLEAR escape_route
> Priority.set << third << second << first
> Initiating combined maneuver AQUA VITAE
> stand by
BoT, you take to the air without issue and 2BR takes the opportunity to unload on the two coalescing forms. The flames grow ever higher, until the two forms are completely engulfed. Unfortunately, this time the fire does not seem to be negatively effecting the creature. In fact, the flames seem to come alive of their own, caressing the moving garbage with what almost seems like a sense of fondness. The garbage appears to be feeding of this energy, and the forms finish coalescing quickly. One turns to focus on Kray, the other on Sona. Each sends a jet of flame towards its target.
What do you do?
Her stationary link to 2BR limits Sona's defensive options. She vents steam and hopes she can avoid catching fire.
While on fire, Sona addresses the party over VOSSIP. "All crew members please report to the escape ladder in the back of the garbage silo in a calm and orderly fashion. Be advised, oxygen levels within the silo are depleting rapidly."
Jamee orders his RAB to fly over to Bastian Kray, before gesturing to the ladder at the far end of the room. "We gotta go! Hang on to me!" he says, holding an arm out and gesturing at his jetpack with his head.
If Kray doesn't make a stink about doing so and allows BOT to carry him, he will fly directly toward the escape ladder, trusting Toober to clean up the remaining pizza.
Bone'ead looks around in confusion
Time..go? What bout pizza!?
Sona simulates a cajoling tone. "These pizzas are burnt and gross. There's more pizza upstairs that's less... inflammatory."
She's still on fire.
Cursing loudly, Kray dove for cover for the umpteenth time this day.
His metabolism working on overdrive, ragged breath, fast beating heart and enough adrenaline to kill a small animal, Kray was getting drunker by the moment. As he made to combat roll, he slipped, the roll becoming clumsy. Still it worked well enough.
"We need to help Sona!" He called to Jamee, accepting the ride with one hand while pulling his medical kit out with the other. "Theres a flame blanket in here, we put her out, then we go!" He called, gesturing for Jamee to steer them towards their burning companion.
Jamee uses his joystick to guide his RAB over to Sona's location, attempting to give the flaming garbage monster a wide berth.
Jamee, you dive in and swoop Kray out of the way of the burst of flames. However, your jet pack is not really built for two, and you don't quite clear a fiery hand as you fly towards the exit. The hand bats at you. Kray, either you fall down between the two elementals, or you and BoT each take 1d4 damage ignoring armor and you reach the ladder together. Which do you choose?
Sona, you take 1d8 damage ignoring armor from the initial blast and you catch fire. Take 2 damage per PC post until you are no longer burning.
Sona, you and 2BR are at the base of the ladder, Rotgut and Omega are charging towards your position and Kray and BoT are airborn.
What do you do?
Kray, you definitely have a flame blankey.... I'm sticking with that typo.
"Waaughaaugughauagh!" says Jamee as the jetpack wobbles dangerously through the air...
The remaining gel in Sona's system fights a losing battle against the open flames. A notification appears for both her and 2BR warning of a reduction of system signal fidelity.
The fluid propellant, commonly a flamethrower, launches a dose of gel at BoT.
I've thought on the DoT mechanic, and I'm changing it right now.
Sona, from here on forget the 2 damage per PC post. Take -2 ongoing to all rolls until you are no longer on fire.
It'd be a fun mechanic for a game where we all knew each other IRL and were posting frantically 50+ times a day - but since we all have individual lives and are just trying to fit 2 or 3 posts in a day sometimes, it doesn't work as well.
Regardless of Kray's choice, Blast-O-Tron will be attempting to guide them both safely to the ladder. The jetpack's energy motor whines in protest as Jamee tries steering it with little success, due to the weight.
I'm going to GMPC Kray for a post to progress the story.
Kray and BoT both take 1d4 damage ignoring armor as they recklessly fly just over the heads of the fire elementals. As they land, Kray pulls out his flame blankey and covers Sona, smothering the fire engulfing her.
Once certain that Sona is relatively safe, Kray begins scrambling up the ladder.
What do the rest of you do?
I'll be standing directly in between the squishes and the pizza, Sona in particular.
Icarus pays for trying to fly too high. Jamee winces in his command chair as more and more damage indicator lights begin flashing on the STATUS display. Blast-O-Tron is significantly damaged after the flight.
Not wanting to trust too exclusively to his jetpack, BoT and RAE will together watch everyone's backs with Toober as Kray climbs the ladder. If he has a clear shot on the garbage monster, he'll take it.
If not, he'll use the RAB's hands (once retracting the blaster attachment) to climb the ladder manually to escape.
Sona disengages from BunkR BustR's back and approaches Jamee's RAB. The design of Blast-O-Tron's chassis does not provide the standardized docking handles Theta models have, so she performs the repairs from the ground between the two hulks.
The structure gel repairs the burnt cable casings and hull damage, but leaves patches of matte plasteel which do not quite match the RAB's chrome motif. The effect was much less noticeable on 2BR's rusted gunmetal chassis.
The party manages to climb up and out of the flaming garbage pit without further fiery harassment. You exit into a dark storeroom, illuminated only by the faint glowing of the various robotic members of the party. There is a thick layer of dust on everything, with no sign of being disturbed.
Jamee winces a bit when Sona mars the paint job, but is nonetheless thankful to have reduced the number of blinking red lights on his display. "Thanks, Sona," he tells her as they climb.
"Just once id like to escape through some tunnel or hatch without running into some kind of freakish forgotten monster in the process." Kray spat as he hauled himself into the room, dropping to the ground and just lying there, breathing heavily. It was of course major hyperbole, but something similar had happened atleast three times before.
"I need a drink." He sighed again.
I'll be taking +2 STR, the moves Fully Loaded for a projectile cannon (handheld objects gain near, far) and stun-wave projector (near, ignores armor, stun) and Seek and Destroy Unit so I can volley with both of those using STR instead of DEX.
Looks like 2BR is out of fuel.
[dice=Resource Acquisition]2d6+2
[ooc] +8, end of session the same as Sona, +2, +1 because I MURDERED PEOPLE AND I LIKED IT. +5 for various 'learning experiences', brings me to 16. -8, -9 for Level 3 leaves me at 1.
Unless I'm misreading your post, I think you are at lvl 2.08 (8xp towards lvl 3). You earned 16 xp in total? You would need 18 to be at lvl 3.01.
Whoops. Maths! I'll fix that. Actually, I am exactly 3.0, as I just missed Welcome to the Machine.