The effortless skill of Frank's expert maneuvering isn't restricted only to the opposite sex.
Fours sits up, the smell of fried food wafting through the air. As he gets his bearings he realizes odds are pretty good the teleporter initiated the program he'd created and he had successfully teleported. Trouble was, he wasn't supposed to go anywhere, the virus was. Great. Am probably still infected. Fours rubs his head and pats his empty stomache then coughs. Muttering he affirms, Yup, still infected. Remembering his training, Fours recalls the common side effect of editing documents are the munchies. Teleporting must have a similar effect. Heading towards the fragrant smell of fried food Fours lines up for a plate of yakisoba. As the attendant whips up a plate of dee-lish, Fours casually asks, Say, you know that cute brunette nanophysics tech in the lab on level three? Has she come down for lunch yet? I was thinking of taking her something, I owe her for last night.
Bothered by the irritating wine of fire alarms Jensens slams the manual down on the table, Freak'n alarms, how's anyone supposed to get any work done?! Striding over to the fire suppression panel Jensens inserts his security key and traces his finger down the column of lights, stopping at the blinking lights of the engineering section. Using one finger to reference the correct line code, Jensens types in the appropriate numerical code on the panel keypad to activate the ship's automatic fire suppression system for engineering. To his relief, the wining stops for the time being and he can return to 'work'.
to Fours:
"The nanophysics lab is on level two. Are you the new nanophysicist that is starting today?"
To Fours:
What? You found the new Nanophysicist? I've been looking for you! We need to get you a security badge. Come with me. George Fourman, right? I'm Hazell, HR. Why didn't you show up for your appointment?
She takes him up to the second level in the maze of the HR offices, gets his picture taken and hands him his security badge. This should get you into the level 2 lab, and the sublevel 43 super-super secret lab. You have Orange level clearance. Anything else you need?
She smiles brightly.
Fours turns, a receptive look on his face, Yes. The security officer doesn't elaborate, letting Hazell contently do most of the talking. He nods politely to her open ended questions replying simply regarding his absence from the appointment, My apologies, Gemini is a large station and I was given incorrect directions by personnel in the hanger.
Fours responds to Hazell's last query nonchalantly, I trust there will be someone on hand skilled with this station's isolation and quarantine equipment to assist me?
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Err... you need an assistant? They didn't tell me that. Um. Well, let's see. Who can I...
She checks her Commpad to see who is available.
hmm, wait. There's someone waiting in HR named George Fourman? That's got to be... oh, wait. One of your clones? I'll tell Betty to add him to the roster at half pay (sorry, clone standard), and send him down to assist you, designation Gfourman A. And of course, you are the new supervisor, so feel free to assign anyone in the second floor lab to assist you further, should you need it to accomplish the goals of the company, of course.
She leans in close and says And hey, call me sometime. You're kind of cute. I love the red shirt look. They never show the blood. She eyes your neck hungrily. (She obviously thinks you are a Vampire groupie, willing to be bitten.)
ADM Runs over to the engine room summoning his clones as he goes "OK, current priority is putting out the engine. Who is willing to sacrifice themselves?"
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"Ah, my oldest and dearest clone. I always knew you would sacrifice yourself for the good of all." he then proceeds to grab ADMII and throw him repetitively on the fire to put it out.
The GCU "Hello Sweetie had been looking on at the space station and the odd battle that was taking place in front of it.
It had been quit happy to wait it turn to Dock not once the shooting had started it had flipped up its outer shields to max and say there enjoying the show. As a contact craft it was bound by a sent of self imposed rules about not getting involved but the rules said nothing about sitting there looking on and eating the equivalent of AI popcorn.
V n-space a message popped in.
GSV "Now that worked last time"
Message to Hello Sweetie,
::"Sweetieeee... WhattttttssssUUppppppppppppppaaaaaaaap"::
Sweetie had known Worked last time for a while and even after all this time found its idea of jokes some what child like.
::"Well if you want to know this"::
Sweetie sent a feed of the battle to Worked last time.
::"O that looks fun, not seen a shooting battle for ages. what's going on":: Worked last time sounded almost gleefull
Sweetie did not need to scan it had been tracking all bands and craft around it in a 2ly radios.
::"It seems some kind of vendetta, party A upset party B and so on. What is interesting is that party B used a WMD which has by pour chance gain selflessness as an AI. It did this by bonding to another life form. Right now its trying to work out what Being is all about and what it wants. Hence me not interfering."
Worked last time did the AI equivalent of going "Oooooo"
::"I have got to pass this on, do you mind if I do?"::
::"Not at all, I'm already sending to contact"::
Soon there was some 1000 AI ship minds all watching the feed from Sweetie. There was a lot of debate and chatter. But they all agreed this was the best thing going on in this area of the Galaxy at the moment.
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With Frank providing a willing distraction, Lucian McAllistair snuggles the ship in under the range of the near still functional guns and manages a comparatively easy lock with the docking hatch.
Engines working and fire engorged with dead clones then slumbered, combined with the lack of gunfire penetrating the hull, an eerie quiet pervades that Angel.
Now all that separates the heroes from their chance at life is a large door that stubbornly refuses to just let them in.
If anyone wants instead to roll a d12, you may, 6 is a success, and just double all penalties.
IV & II Die do they?
Moves in Shadows looks at Gorn with a sincere look of disappointment on her face. "Why I just love Reglarian Ale! But I've got to find Borak, and wait until he's free to make the comms call to my friend, and then broker the deal between them...I'll tell you what, let's try for tomorrow instead." And she reaches over to squeeze one of his large biceps, and leaves.
Going back to her nest, she tries to hack Borak's tablet/cell phone using the station's wireless computer systems :
And she's in! She looks around for any mention of nanoviruses or anything related.
Zak thought Finally. Maybe some of us will live as they finally reached the station. He went to open the door. Figures. Broken.
He made sure the airlock was secure and correctly cycling, and realized that just the latch was broken, so he set in to fix it.
Sapphire looked at the stations air lock, she tried talking to it and nothing. Thing was locked.
She made up her AI mind and knocked on the Air lock.
"Hello we would like to come in"
There was no reply so she used her force field to fix the door wireing.
Zanbabe was standing right behind Zakary, encouraging him to hurry. As soon as they had landed, she had gone to the weapons locker and gotten herself a fully charged phaser and a blaster and a bat, just in case the first two malfunctioned. She was on her way to take out Borak the Insane Evil Nasty Vile Corrupt Murderous Pond Scum Dirtbag who was causing her very bad day. Then everything could go back to normal.
She stopped herself for a minute to see if she could remember any reason why she shouldn't just go beat Borak into the ground as soon as they got through the door.
HelpBot Mk I rolls up to the door. "I AM HAPPY TO ASSIST WITH THE DOOR REPAIRS - PLEASE ALLOW ME!" The little bot trundles up to the door as the crew familiar with Mk I audibly groan.
A welding laser emerges from the front panel on HelpBot and it begins to actually help for a change.
Able stalks the hallways, still smoking slightly, trying to find out what the hell was going on. He reaches the bridge to see all the crew clustered around the doorway. "What's the matter, all you pilots forget how doors work? Get out of the way." The gnome jostles his way through until he can get to an access panel to affect some repairs.
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Zanbabe pauses and remember that, back on the station, everyone said that a general store/food merchant named Gorn Steelbreaker was -the- man to go to for information. Maybe he can help you?
**********************************
Move in Shadows is able to find Borak's IP for his personal comm quite easily. Apparently just getting out of space jail doesn't give you time to shore up your firewall.
She's just started running a file search when a message pops up on her own instant messenger file.
'Debbie? What are you doing in Mr. Borak's personal comm? -AA'
That's the easily recognizable handle of Aardvark, a low-rent, low-grade, low-skills wannabe HAX0R. He must've been running IC defense when you sniffed on.
There's no way your file search is gonna finish in time unless you deal with him.
Of note, you have managed to confirm that the last call made from it came from the cargo area.
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Round 5!
The door pops open with a polite beep. Apparently it wasn't "broken" so much as "locked from the other side". Same difference.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that there are 10 security guards on the other side. Their guns are drawn and pointed in your general direction.
"Just drop your guns and get back in the ship, lepers! Station Commander Gurden's orders!" one calls.
Uh-oh.
When the door opens, Zanbabe stifles her urge to kill Borak long enough to do the smart thing and talk to Gorn Steelbreaker first. She heads to the General Store, and if they have StarBurgers there, she gets one. Mmm. She loves StarBurgers.
(next round if necessary)
Gorn, however, doesn't seem to be very forthcoming. Good thing she has her bat with her. She's sick of people standing in her way. She gets ready to go to town on the store, when she sees that Zak has followed her in.
Zak, seeing that there are ten security guards where there first were none, drags Zanbabe away, getting a few bruises, but preserving their best pilot.
Guess Gorn's a dead end. Too bad. Nice thought though.
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Sampet's words are soft and sweet, and his breath is minty fresh. Alas! Even with a chainsaw you can't get through a steel tree.
From back the same voice from before, probably a sergeant, barks back at him, "We don't give two Vargossin worms if you're cured or not! You just destroyed a door and are threatening a Gemini security squad! One more word out of you that isn't going back into your ship will be dealt with severely!"
That you're not, right now, threatening them, or that words aren't the things that move people into ships, don't seem to be impactful on his part of the conversation.
In the chaos of the resulting explosion, one bot rises to the occasion.
"OH NO, LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A FIRE HAZARD. ALLOW ME TO TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR YOU."
The HelpBot Mk I opens it's fire suppressant panel and proceeds to try to lay a heavy mess of foam about the scene.
Only one of the hoses actually fires, and only a small glob flies out. It doesn't even fly very far.
Lucian, seeing the writing on the wall, allows eons of evolutionary biology to kick in and, heartbeat pumping in his ears like a kick drum, makes a break for it through the security squad in the resulting chaos.
In Able's gnome head, the overall injustice of the guard situation combines with the lingering stress of the engine fires and the immediate surprise of an unexpected grenade to create a perfect mental storm. In his mind, something snaps.
The guards are suddenly facing three feet of Old Testament rage. They have become sinners in the hands of an angry gnome... and that gnome has a blaster and a wrench. He throws himself into their midst like a slightly-smoking wolverine, a frenzy of wrench swings and blaster fire.
Waves at the security men and also herself, for the station has it's own AI The Sapphire Light. They don't say much to other but send a *&$* load of data to each other about the situation.
10011001101010101010110010101010101110....
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[dice=Piloting roll, no whammies]1d6
The effortless skill of Frank's expert maneuvering isn't restricted only to the opposite sex.
The Crotch Rocket provides an effective diversion, and as the Angel docks, all remaining fire concentrates on her night-black shield. Most of the fire goes wide as she's difficult to see and harder to hit, but point-defense guns put up enough fire to land the occasional strike.
While he's in no immdiate danger, he can see three Space Police destroyers inbound. They register on IFF as the Wasp, the Jenner, and the Enforcer, the last one being a heavy sort, and might have enough scanning power to light the Rocket up enough to bring an untenable amount of fire to bear.
You have some time before they're within firing range.
What do you do?
The nerve in his eyebrow still forcing the brow upwards, Fours continues the charade. With little effort to conceal it, Fours leans over in his chair to better check-out Hazell. He decides the girl could definitely use some dental work, braces, a nose job and a little facial cream. Maybe a good tan. Looks aside, the rest of Hazell would make even the hottest pin-up girls jealous. Fours raises his other eyebrow. Yeah, he could live with a nibble or two; sometimes sacrifices need to be made for Queen and country, I just might have to Hazell, you'll have to promise to be gentle though. It wouldn't do to have the company's newest supervisor call in sick due to 'injury', then flips her a wink.
Figuring he's playing into her hand, the security officer waits just long enough for Hazell to react then smiles and goes for broke, Listen Hazell, I'll be free for dinner tonight, or more likely dead, do you mind if we finish this up later, say, after hours? I'd like to see what I'm up against down in the lab, there's a lot of work to do I'm sure. Afterwards though, Fours tilts his head suggestively.
Mmmm. Tonight? Okay. I have to check in with, ah... friends tonight though, so you'll have to meet me. Go to the StarBurger in the Gemini mall... next to the Gemini security station. Freaking mall cops. Anyway, tell them Hazell sent you, and they'll let you into the "back room." Remember, Gemini mall... NOT the one that shares a building with the Steelbreaker store. Need me to send a car around, or can you find your way?
When Zanbabe sees the security forces lined up to present YET ANOTHER impediment to her strangling Borak the Poster Child for Whiny Narcissism, she attempts patience, but then when Sampet throws a grenade and Able goes Postal, she shrugs. She didn't want to play nice anyway. She starts to draw the phaser, but then realizes it is too elegant a weapon for her mood, and she starts blasting the guards.
Zakary starts throwing stun grenades at the security forces, hoping to save a few of their lives from his crewmates, but still, of course, get them out of the way.
Jensens slams the manual shut, Excellent! As he'd suspected, it was the distinct ridges on the exterior upper surface which differentiates the plasma from flame thrower. Collecting his weapons the security officer slings his plasma rifle and pockets a few grenades. Remembering the Field Operations Regulatory Equipment Service manual, or F.O.R.E.S. which clearly states on page 52 section 3 paragraph 12 that "only non fragmenting explosives should be used within the confines of a ship"... as ..."the consequences of a bulkhead rupture into the void of space could have catastrophic repercussions for personnel on both sides of the conflict," Jensens ensures he has only the smoke and flashbang varieties. His pockets bulging Jensens heads down the hall as the Angel docks.
Unfortunately, Able, Sampet and that older MK I have already initiated aggressive negotiations. Mustering up a bit of sarcasm, Jensens glowers, No one thought to call?! The security officer points to the red shirt and rolls his eyes - everyone knows the red shirts go in first, that's how the others live long enough to make it to the other side. With his back to the wall he removes a flash bang grenade from his left pocket. Jensens pops the pin with his thumb, pops his hands around the corner and tosses the grenade into the already smoking corridor and the crowd of remaining Gemini guards gathered there. There is a brilliant flash and thunderous boom then Jensens readies his weapon and prepares to walk through the door and out of sight.
Starburger, Gemini mall, Fours nods his understanding then stands to leave, A car would be wonderful, shall we say 7 o'clock?
Sorry I think I'm a little lost, I thought Fours was trying to deal with the obstacle.
As I understand, Fours is in a small office with Hazell as she completes the 'brief' data entry program. Since he could be stuck with her for a while, I was trying to deal with Hazell (the obstacle) by using her flirtations to convince her to let Fours leave. Since he's been having some wicked luck with rolls, his ploy seems to be working.
The only scene changer is this post. It sounds like Fours could have left earlier had I been able to post sooner but I didn't.
Looking at it another way, it seems like Fours is assuming she will take him up on his offer and then making his suggestion to meet later. I meant his leering to be a build up to the suggestion and I made the roll for his suggestion, not checking her out. No wait, that was the first d6 roll. Is that the problem? Rolling for a good body? Rolling her body type wasn't meant to be serious and as it worked out to be the higher roll I figured no harm. I think I'm confusing myself further :P
Anyways, Fours hasn't left the room yet as Hazell hasn't dismissed him, we haven't jumped to another scene and we're still in the office, the obstacle is still an obstacle, albeit a friendly one.
K'kth'ki draws six blasters, specially designed to be held by tentacles, and gleefully opens fire on the guards who were just doing their jobs.
Turns out, it's quite difficult to compensate for recoil when one's limbs don't have any bones.