There is no answer from the intercom within the Crane building, but you sense, rather than directly see, that systems throughout the skyscraper are powering on, activating themselves due to some command from central control. All of this is faintly visible at the corners of your eyes in a way you can't quite explain, Seth.
You look to your right to see Chief grinning at you. "Well, if he didn't know who was after him before, he certainly does now," the maestro d' comments. "Stealth only works up to a certain point anyway...can't wait to find out what techno-goodies he's got upstairs, ready to kill us."
Volcano grunts.
"Leave that to me. I've yet to meet Pre-War tech I couldn't tame."
He looks at Dust and Vonya.
"You two ready to make some havoc for our darlin' host?" he says, grinning a bit and revealing a few capped teeth.
Inside the Crane building:
Chief ratchets his weapon and nods grimly at Volcano before glancing down the catwalk in Dust's direction, and then downward toward Vonya.
"We all good to go?" he calls out to them.
Meanwhile, on the road back to Walker's Hold:
Runner's radio crackles to life when Runner speaks into it.
bzscht "10-4 Road Runner, reading you loud and clear. While you were away we had a green Four-Fifteen, and many of our major players - Dust and some of her crew, our head Tinker and that creepy guy with the mask - went off to downtown Minni to investigate the source of the monsters." bzscht
As the younglings storm the lobby and step over the dead muties, Vonya weakly waves up at the others the floor above. He gently presses at the fresh wounds that will soon scar his body.
"Oi, you lot." Vonya wheezes as the one of the braver kids gets close to him to inspect the half-face super mutant. "Got any stims, or any pick-me-ups? I could sure do with some medical 'tension." He pulls back a bloody glove with a wet squelch to reveal an open wound on his shoulder, to prove his point.
tchssssht... "Any clue on their 20?
Keep'n our ears on 'til we get closer, over." ... chtchsssh
Francis keeps his perch crouched on the back of the Jeep, eyes peeled for any hostiles ahead while he tries to make out Runner's radio conversation. He leans in to Pallor and Scarlet in the back seat, talking loud over the rush of the wind and the roar of the engine.
"What's a 'green four-fifteen?'"
"Disturbance. Green is ghouls or supers. Turrets usually stop ghouls so probably supers."
"Also known as a little R and R" grins Scarlet. "Hopefully we haven't missed all the...fun."
Seth waits for the kids to respond to Vonya.
Inside the Crane building, Vonya is sat down by an authoritative-looking young boy with tousled hair that doesn't seem to mind how much taller Vonya is. "Hold still a moment," he orders the Faceless, and issues orders to a few other children while the Power Army general looks on. Your arms are held up as a big tourniquet is wrapped tightly around your chest to keep your insides inside of you.
You're healed for 2 harm, but it takes a good half an hour for the medical treatment to be applied.
Not far away, on the road leading west toward Minneapolis, Runner and the dispatcher back at Walker's continue to hold a barely-intelligible, 10-code laden back and forth as the vehicle bounces along the rough local roads. A few times, as they drive, Runner's driver instincts tell him to veer off on a side street or alleyway to avoid a stretch of road that didn't feel right. In this way you avoid being shot at for the entire journey. With the dispatcher's help, you pull up to the Crane building just as Vonya is finishing his medical examination. Runner honks the horn twice when he recognizes one of Paul Atreides' war rigs parked outside.
Those of you inside the Crane building hear the vehicle pull up and the horn honk twice.
Vonya nods in thanks and grimaces as the pressure on his torso sets in. Sat around, poking the brained mutie with the hilt of the supersledge.
Grunting with pain, he gets up at the sound of the honking and waves at the vehicles inhabitants. "Chief, Volcano, Dust - I think we gots reinforcements!"
"FANTASTIC!" Volcano says.
"Let's fight our way te the door an' let them in! Anyone outside this dark citadel is an ally in my book."
Runner secures his Jeep and grabs the grenades and ammo from the back.
As he approaches the main door where Annie's Army kiddos are bustling about, he searches for a long-barreled weapon he can use.
He then takes up a position to Stand Overwatch for the group.
-
"Where are the greens?" Pallor asks, looking out of place with grenades and guns strapped to him.
Tom's whisperings grow more intelligible when Vonya spots Pallor enter. The smaller, strange creature had a weird effect on Vonya's psyche and had a strange hold over the hulking slab of muscle. Vonya grew even quieter seeing Runner. Tom had always sworn that Runner looks exactly like they used to, before the fires.
Seth nods at Pallor's question.
"Everywhere an' nowhere, lad. We surprise-attacked this lot damn good, but there'll likely be more further in. Whoever's runnin' this place has a thing for Pre-War tech the like of which I've never seen. Used a massive drill to tunnel into Walker's, had some freaky Super-Mutant-Ghoul on a chain, an' headsets rigged with nuclear self-destructs. He was after Philopsoprine, the android I got in my workshop, an' I couldn't jus' take that Lyon' down. Plus, we've gotta rescue a girl he's holdin' hostage, an' General Annie of the Power Army'd like som insulin in exchange for helpin' us."
Runner, you're able to secure a basic scoped pipe rifle. It's nothing to write home about - it's crap, actually, like most post-war tech is - but it's enough for you to stand sentry with.
General Annie nods in satisfaction when she sees that Vonya is about as patched up as he's ever going to be. "Good job, Fixer," she comments to the tousled-hair boy that applied the field dressing.
"Now then," the General comments. "I don't see much loot here on this ground floor level. Mostly Super Mutant wasted junk, no use to us. The good stuff's gotta be further in." with her arms crossed over her chest, she peers upward, imagining the arms and medicines that could be found. "Which way forward?"
"Got that covered, Annie," comes Chief's voice, calling down to you all from the command consoles in the nest of technology one level above. "I think I've just about...there!" the Maestro D' knew his way around technology a fair bit, nothing like Volcano could do, but good enough for field work. Those of you down below, which includes everyone but Volcano, Dust and Chief, can hear the whirring sound of a door opening on the upper level.
Francis's stomach sinks as they round the corner and the Crane Cryogenics building looms into sight. He hangs back as the others disembark and began mingling.
Has the stasis been breached? Did I give away it's location to this lot? Have I managed to get the rest of my unit killed too?
He trails behind Pallor, who seems the most reasonable of the trio of his acquaintances, even if the most... alien.
Seth squints at Francis critically as he emerges. He didn't recognize him from the Hold, but obviously he was trustworthy if these other Holders were dragging him along.
"Oi! You lad! This lot pick you up somewhere? What's yer name?"
Ever since the loss of his memory several years ago, Runner had sought answers to his past.
Was he running toward or away from those answers?
-
Who was Johnathan?
Who was Two-Bulls?
He can see his mother's face but cannot remember her name.
-
Now, after the Sphere stole his strong emotions, he just doesn't care anymore.
No love; no hate; nothing to drive him to seek his former self.
Now he is cold inside.
The only thing he knows for sure is what he sees in front of him at the moment.
These people around him were familiar.
They had grouped together for security and support.
He will continue that.
He will continue.
He will.
He.
Francis: You emerged from your stasis pod with Tammy Jackson in the Crane Cryogenics Building's basement. The basement exit dumps you out near the highway, where you were captured by raiders. The door you left locked securely shut behind you when you wandered outside, which is why you didn't think to propose entering the building from that direction. The exit you used is an exit only.
Runner is staring off into space, seemingly lost in thought.
Pallor, this is the Crane Cryogenics building you're standing in, not Walker's Hold. Crane Cryogenics is in the heart of downtown Minneapolis and Walker's is near the outskirts of downtown. Also, you have history with Volcano. In fact, Volcano once helped you repair your silenced 9mm when it was jammed beyond your ability to fix.
Nearby, Dust and Chief are standing at the top of the stairs leading to the second level from the ground floor where the rest of you are.
Scarlet is itching to be off, and scurries to join Dust and Chief.
Pallor is joining the others as well. Are we driving anywhere or on foot into this building?
Seth taps his good foot, waiting on Francis' response.
Francis takes in the lobby of the Crane building as Pallor talks to a hulking masked man and a grease-stained cripple; he finds the recent damage to the otherwise pristine building far more jarring than the ruins of the city outside.
It was just a few days ago that I was in here with the rest of the guys. Just a few days... and a lifetime has gone by. A whole world has gone by... Francis feels a little light-headed as his body finally begins to give up after the roller coaster of adrenaline it's been riding for the past 24 hours. Jesus, the whole f^ckin' ... we're all that's left...
He clutches the back of his head and tries not to hyperventilate as the scratching suddenly grows painful and intense, then sees the tapping foot of the man who smells like an exhaust pipe.
"Wh... What was that? My name? Francis."
Seth marches over and extends his hand to Francis.
"It's an honor and a pleasure te meet ya, Francis. I'm Seth, Seth Hafner, though most call me Volcano on account of my temper."
He pauses as Francis starts looking woozy.
"You all right, lad?"
Getting closer to the kid, Seth could feel something off about him. Even with whatever grime he'd picked up on the way here he seemed too clean-cut for your typical wastelander. Even if you had access to regular clean water for bathing like at the Hold, daily life out here was messy and tended to give you a worn, rough-hewn look at best. And then there was the smell. Some sterile combination of fancy coolant and brine. The kind of smell that you only found in Pre-War labs and facilities.
Chief saunters down the stairs a little bit, sizing up the new arrivals. He stops about halfway down, and calls down to the rest of you.
"I hate to interrupt introductions, as we all know how important a good first impression is. But I'd be willing to bet that the security's only going to lock down this tower more tightly the more we sit here having a conversation. Are you good to go, new blood? You aren't looking so good." the maestro looks over Francis with a look of guarded concern.
"He looks better than I do." Vonya grunts as he gets up to tower over the others. He sets about reloading his magnum, and offers the Super Sledge back to the gruff mechanic. "Gimme a sec to find somethin' good in close quarters, and I'm good to go Chief."
Runner heads toward the sound of Chief's voice which finally shakes him free enough to collect himself and realize what a colossal sh!tshow he just unleashed.
-
His embarrassment is quite evident on his face and when Chief raises and eyebrow of inquiry at him he just shrugs and says, "tell ya later."
-
He then slides up against the wall and tries desperately to blend into it wanting to completely disappear.
Pallor, as difficult to read as always, strides forward with the others, likely as the only one without a weapon in hand.
"Plus, we've gotta rescue a girl he's holdin' hostage, an' General Annie of the Power Army'd like some insulin in exchange for helpin' us."
Francis realizes that most of the people around him are actually children. Jesus, they're all just kids... Memories of his time overseas flood back to him, and it proves too much to bear - the back of his mind collapses once again and his consciousness detonates.
Seth takes the sledge back and checks it over for any damage.
If the others begin to stagnate, Pallor will start to meditate, focusing his mind inward.
"Wake me when you proceed."
... but he is still standing, still as a tree.
Francis, the feeling is unfamiliar to you, but becomes strangely easier with each passing time that you attempt it. This knowledge makes you feel slightly queasy. Still, you feel the truth of the situation revealing itself to you, in a manner of speaking. The Power Army…it’s made of cast-off children from various different tribes around the Twin Cities area that had no room for another mouth to feed. General Annie brought this all together, but she fears for the lives of several in her command that suffer from diabetes. Insulin is thought to be kept here. (If there was something more specific that you were hoping to learn with that roll that I didn’t pick up on, let me know. Otherwise just take +1 forward when acting on this knowledge in some way.)
Pallor the weird brainer is strangely a source of solace for Runner as the driver seeks to avoid the attention of the others, especially Chief. Since Pallor’s attention is focused inward, he spares no scornful glance at the driver that FUBAR’d their last mission. Runner is able to hunker down in his shadow and avoid being talked to while the others clean up and loot the area.
Vonya, you find a pretty sick Steel Pipe Warhammer on the ground and heft it. (3-harm close area)
Volcano, your Super Sledge looks none the worse for the wear for now, and everyone around you appears to be just about ready to go. You see Scarlet practically hopping from foot to foot in impatience, there at the top of the stairs next to Chief.
As a matter of fact, Scarlet got bored of hopping from foot to foot a few moments ago. She is outta there!
What's my enemies true position? And assume that Scarlet is already on her way, come hell or high water.
When Scarlet passes by him, Runner starts tagging along behind, still carrying the overwatch.
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Scarlet, when you move through the door that Chief opened, gun at the ready, the first thing you notice is that there are two laser beams converging on your chest from two different sources. The ground is a shiny, metallic chrome, and the walls are a blank white in this room, which you can see at a glance is a long corridor that leads deeper into the Crane building. At the far end of the corridor is evidence of an explosion having gone off…but what commands your attention more immediately are the sources of the two lasers trained on your chest. Two turrets greet you, and both of them have antenna poking out of the top of their heads that blinks intermittently with a red light.
The voices are high pitched, innocently inquisitive, and kindly – they wouldn’t sound out of place in a Disney movie. Nonetheless, the words are accompanied by a sudden hail of intense gunfire. Only due to Runner’s successful Overwatch are you pulled immediately to safety as the driver grabs hold of the back of your collar and pulls hard. The bullets whiz by harmlessly for a few more seconds, before one of the turrets asks innocently, ”Are you still there?”
At the sound of the whizzing gunfire, Pallor stalks up to the group.
"Troubles?"
From the floor Scarlet let's out a squeal of delight. "Oh. My god. Volcano! Volcano can we keep them pleeeeeaassse? Ah they're so cute help."
Volcano chuckles a bit at Scarlet's reaction.
"Lemme think, luv. Lemme think..."
He carefully regards the turrets, wondering if they've got some sort of voice override. Not only were they adorable, but they could be useful for covering them, or even help with the Hold's defense.
This time the nuclear blast of Francis's mindscape destroys all but the children around him, and the landscapes of their brief lives stretch out behind them like shadows to the mushroom cloud horizon. One casts an image of makeshift lean-tos populated by filthy, almost feral people; another a series of damp, dark tunnels where fat, pale men and women lurk with bulging eyes and retracted lips and gums. A few of the children seem to be slowly deflating before his eyes, shaking with weakness as their bodies shrink, shrivel, and waste away. Moments later the ash storm mercifully blows back over him, and he finds himself back in the Crane building's lobby, the sound of gunfire coming from above him.
Forget whatever revenge these people are out to get. These children need help.
Francis ignores the signs of combat from above and begins searching the lobby to see if there is a business directory posted anywhere that can provide the locations of different offices, labs, and the like. Their best chance is if I can find a clinic, or even a medical research floor.
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"Ya sure you don't want me to just rush in and smash 'em? Cute, maybe, but they'll tear some pretty holes in ya." Vonya growls to the others. He cared little for machines unless they facilitated death and pain, and only when they didn't do that to him.
While he waits for a decision, he playfully swings his purdy new weapon around, occasionally tossing it up in the air and catching it with a meaty slap.
"Hang on, lad. Lemme think..."
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Francis, putting the gunfire out of his mind for now, quickly runs along the outer walls of the entrance hall, searching for an office directory. With his fresh knowledge of pre-war interior design, he's able to guess where one would most likely be mounted. Fortunately, he does find one. Unfortunately, the intervening years haven't been kind to it. While most of Crane Cryogenics has been seemingly preserved against the damages of war, this bottom level has been granted to the Super Mutants who are enthralled by the owner of the tower, and thus this floor is wretchedly broken and destroyed in most places. Typical Super Mutant hovel.
Swiping away most of the debris with your hand, you're able to discern three floors. Level 2, pharmacy and gift shop, level 15, Human Cryogenics Division, and level 50, Tower Suites.
Seth, I believe you still have 1 hold of Bonefeel, which you rolled at the start of session. Spending that hold would allow you to simply "know" the command word you'd need for this situation, without any clear reason why. Because you rolled well on your Weird I'll allow you to get the benefits of spending 1 Hold without spending 1 Hold.
Without knowing how you know, you somehow get the feeling that whomever designed these turrets would have wanted a verbal failsafe to turn them off in the event of an emergency. It's a truism among defense system engineers that many of them are nerds. You may not be or you may be, but you have met plenty of gearheads that fit the stereotype.
You recall an ancient text you once read called "The Fellowship of the Ring," where a wizard character opened a locked door with a command word, the Elvish word for "friend". What was it again?.....
....
"Mel-lon."
When you shout that word, the turrets chirp an acknowledgement tone and close themselves up again. Cautiously, you peep out around the corner, and they don't fire at you. The antennae that pokes out of the tops of their "heads" flashes a dim green.