Kevin begins following orders. The AI reports that the delivery was supposed to go to the research garage where experimental vehicles are stored. This is the first time Tosh and/or Channer have been here. The object being delivered is described as an 'external calibrator' whatever that is.
Z: "Where are you?
April: "I'm in my room."
Z: Meet up with Tarantula and contact LC. Suspicious activity occurring."
April: "Yeah, uh, she's here. I'll tell her."
"Kevin, have a team isolate and search the truck. Be careful of traps. It might be nothing, but the timing is too much." Zellgato continues to trot off to the research garage to have a chat. Trying to call anyone more versed in local laws (LC, Scarlet, or if we have a lawyer on tap?)[/ooc] "How often is that mind prison reform crap used? Could these guys have gone through rehab and this is just their new job?"
She tells the guy with the (now-burning) remote, ”I gotta take this call—keep talking to Charles.”
"Look, Charles," stammers the tech-guy whose relay you just burned. "There are a LOT of legitimate reasons to set up an anonymous relay in the middle of a park. I know that it's usually to disguise a signal for some kind of criminal purpose, but, you know, sometimes it's for surprise concerts or something ... So, are you guys going to pay for the datapad you just burned?"
Nissa calls up the team. ”Tasha sent us tracking codes to follow the monkeys. I pay her back with an exclusive, so please—talk to no media peeps.”
She tells Tasha, ”Yes to the story. Gonna clear with my boss on the when, but definitely gonna give you an exclusive.”
Nissa uses her fairy form to follow the monkeys. She’ll board the helicar or ride Charles’ back to engage them.
"I'm coming to you guys. Theo, I'll pick you up on the way."
Henri zips into place to pick up Nissa and Charles - if they wish it - and possibly the relay tech - before zipping off to pick up Theo and follow the tracking of the apes from the drones.
Nissa boards. ”Got a nonlethal gun. And there’s monkey butts.”
She aims. ”I want some butts!”
She fires!
Nissa boards. ”Got a nonlethal gun. And there’s monkey butts.”
She aims. ”I want some butts!”
She fires!
[dice=Shoot]d20+8; d20+8
[dice=NL Fire]2d6+3; 2d6+3
Although the monkey butts are in the distance at the time Nissa fires, two of them seem to have been non-lethally singed. There are about 21 flying apes in the air, followed by 4 of Tasha's camera drones. They are split into three smaller groups of 5 to 8 but flying in roughly the same direction. They're flying towards the 'New Millennium Tower' the tallest building in Boston, a residential skyscraper 900 feet in height with one entire wall devoted to a 'vertical forest'. The other sides have arboretums intermingled with the condo apartments.
The Manticore, a First Responder, is flying after them, but won't catch up with them before they have exited the park and are over more populated areas.
Charles, Nissa, and Henri pursue the flying monkeys in the helicar.
As Theo and the Last Atlantean pursue the flying monkeys on foot, the Boston Theoretical helicar zooms alongside. Charles, Nissa, and Henri are in it. Somehow Henri has persuaded Nissa to let him drive.
"Would that this battle were in water," complains the android 'Atlantean' jogging alongside Theo, "I would easily best our opponents if they were sea monkeys rather than winged apes!"
Theo and The Last Atlantean hop on board.
Henri asks, ”Looks like they are going toward that crazy tower. What do we know about it?”
He notices the Atlantean’s injury and realizes some things, including his membership in the other team, so he changes his next statement. ”You’re damaged. I might be able to help with that later. Are you fully functional? Do your diagnostics indicate any system errors? And do you have a way of communicating with your team members?”
[ooc]Thinking not since they sent him ahead and waited instead of checking via comms.”[/b]
Henri asks, ”Looks like they are going toward that crazy tower. What do we know about it?”
The hovercar can search the infoweb, revealing that New Millennium Tower replaced Millennium Tower, which was destroyed in a battle between two super-groups, The Redeemers and The Young Heretics. The New Millennium Tower incorporates vertical farming and vertical forests to provide residents green space and fresh food.
He notices the Atlantean’s injury and realizes some things, including his membership in the other team, so he changes his next statement. ”You’re damaged. I might be able to help with that later. Are you fully functional? Do your diagnostics indicate any system errors? And do you have a way of communicating with your team members?”
"You speak as if I am some form of magitech or one of these computational devices of your world. I'm an true-blooded Atlantean Prince! The weapons of those eagle-monkeys' carry some kind of cybernetic virus. It is spreading quickly. Be sure to take one of them alive so we can shake a cure out of it."
The mostly naked Atlantean stretches out in the hover car and examines his wound. His torso glistens constantly. He smells nice, if a bit fishy. His wound reveals a cybernetic arm underneath a layer of self-oiling synthetic flesh.
Even a minimum Life Sciences check would realize this is not just a wound; the Last Atlantean is the only one who cannot see that.
"We'll do what we can, Cousin", Theo said in what he hoped was a comforting tone.
Those who know The Olympian can see an unfamiliar sadness in his eyes when looking or conversing with The Last Atlantean.
"...So, are you guys going to pay for the datapad you just burned?"
"That will be for our lawyers to determine," Charles growls. "Learn to question more closely. The people who contacted you were not who they claimed to be."
He changes back to his smaller bipedal form to get in the hovercar. As they fly, he can't help eyeing the 'Atlantean' suspciously. Is this actually the being that had been revealed previously, or did they have multiple copies of this being?
"I wonder if they're going for the vertical forest? For somewhere that seems like home for them to hide? Now that the... signal that was bothering them has stopped, they may just want to be free?" he suggests, not really sure what the motivations of previously-mind-controlled flying monkeys might be.
"Kevin, have a team isolate and search the truck. Be careful of traps. It might be nothing, but the timing is too much." Zellgato continues to trot off to the research garage to have a chat. Trying to call anyone more versed in local laws (LC, Scarlet, or if we have a lawyer on tap?)[/ooc] "How often is that mind prison reform crap used? Could these guys have gone through rehab and this is just their new job?"
Eager Kevin says, "On that!" and immediately begins contacting personnel and arranging to have the truck searched.
Ron responds, "According to the infosphere, it is rare and requires special approval. We can search legal records for Tosh and Channer ... Here it is. ... Yep, they got approval for 'rapid reform' on the basis of 'future contributions to the public good.' That's supposed to be so mothers can get back to their children or heart surgeons or important people, not CEOs. I doubt these frat bros are paying child support anywhere. What is their 'special contribution'?"
With the help of Eager Kevin who remains in the control booth keeping an eye on the dudebros, Zellgato soon finds himself in the same hallway as the two infiltrators.
Henri looks at the Atlantean and his wound and just replies, ”Yeah, OK. I know quite a bit about lots of life-forms. When we get a chance, I’ll see if I cannot get a read on the… virus.”
He replies to Charles, ”One of the twins was not liking this plan, concerned about the flying apes escaping and breeding with un-modified creatures. The big guy, thinks he’s important? - yeah, he dismissed the worry and said the fail-safe would prevent it. I guess this guy with the illegal tech was the weak link in the fail-safe chain… Anyway, it sounds like letting the apes go on their way might not be advisable.”
With the help of Eager Kevin who remains in the control booth keeping an eye on the dudebros, Zellgato soon finds himself in the same hallway as the two infiltrators.
Breathing out a moment, and steading his breathing. Zellgato and simply walks up and calls out. "Excuse me. Is that one of the delivery for today? Whose it for, I'll have them come sign."
Zellgato half-lies as he walks up, trying to get within a certain range to look at them well and see how they react.
"Oh, f@**," whispers Tosh quietly.
"Play it cool!" whispers Channer less quietly.
"He KNOWS us," whispers Tosh.
"Pretend you don't know him!" whispers Channer.
The Dudebros wave and then point at their ears as if to indicate they are unable to hear Zellgato or perhaps are both hearing impaired. They attempt to walk by Zellgato without answering his questions.
"You...Don't realize I can see your lips move as you talk to each other do you? You can't pretend to be deaf right after you chat with each other..... with a sigh Zellgato does hold his hand up.
"Package down slowly. It is Question and Answer time. What are you doing here? This isn't part of your prison employment program now is it?" His left hand showing the obvious rifle butt to emphisize not over doing it.
"I had a long night, and an existential crisis recently. So don't be annoying. We already clocked you, and I know about your..sentencing. If it can be called that. Why are you here."
"You...Don't realize I can see your lips move as you talk to each other do you? You can't pretend to be deaf right after you chat with each other..... with a sigh Zellgato does hold his hand up.
"Package down slowly. It is Question and Answer time. What are you doing here? This isn't part of your prison employment program now is it?" His left hand showing the obvious rifle butt to emphisize not over doing it.
"I had a long night, and an existential crisis recently. So don't be annoying. We already clocked you, and I know about your..sentencing. If it can be called that. Why are you here."[dice=diplo or initimidate if needed or wanted]1d20-1
They look at each other for a moment and shrug in unison.
"We want Big Red and Blue One back. We got a message saying they were here, in the research garage," says Tosh.
"I miss my baby," adds Channer.
"It's been 67 years since I got to polish her beacons," joshes Tosh.
"That's 24,455 lonely nights without her," joshes Channer in like manner.
"Bro, good mathing!" whispers Josh.
"Thanks, I had lots of time to practice!" whispers Channer back.
Gives a shrug "So, not here to unknowingly damage Boston Theoritical? What's in the package?" Zellgato will (attempt) to take the package and give it a scan with his chemalyzer and point at the package to the monitors for them to scan in any way they can as well.
"As for the mecha, that's a civil matter ultimately. You'll want to talk to the boss lady about it. I don't actually know but I was understanding they were bought in some way. I have not rode in one since the whole Fish Dicks research mission."
Zellgato will take the pacakage and gesture back the way they collectively came, "Back to your transport. We can chat about the civil matter there. You should be aware... You are borderline violating Massachusetts statute Ch266 Section 120. So just come have a talk, instead of dealing with probation."
Zellgato offers, the two oddly charming idiots who he hopes aren't actually trying something, a better alternative to escalation.
"And yes. Effective math skill use."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Inside the packages are a pair of cakes that read
"Come work for us, Kai!" says one.
"Red Shirt Labs" says the other.
"That was just our cover story in case we got caught," says Tosh.
"Exactly, like we'd just tell you we were sneaking in to recruit your employee," says Channer.
"I'm pretty sure BT pays better than Red Shirt Labs.... A better cover would've been asking to work for Kai instead. Comes with better benefits-and less jail time."
Motioning to come back to their delivery vehicle. Dialing up LC-and presumably others.
"The two guys who made the mecha are here. They were trying to sneak in to get them back. or maybe try to hire Kai. Both. The timing is weird but doesn't seem like a trap." Nodding at the both of them, "Did anyone put you up to this? They are making you a scapgoat if so."
"I'm taking them to their car. What do you want to do boss?" with a sidenote to Kevin. "These two might be distractions. Have the permiter check and everyone check in for me."
Henri looks at the Atlantean and his wound and just replies, ”Yeah, OK. I know quite a bit about lots of life-forms. When we get a chance, I’ll see if I cannot get a read on the… virus.”
He replies to Charles, ”One of the twins was not liking this plan, concerned about the flying apes escaping and breeding with un-modified creatures. The big guy, thinks he’s important? - yeah, he dismissed the worry and said the fail-safe would prevent it. I guess this guy with the illegal tech was the weak link in the fail-safe chain… Anyway, it sounds like letting the apes go on their way might not be advisable.”
The apes are indeed flying towards the heavily forested New Millenium residential complex. What's the play? Attack the apes in mid-air? Deal with them in the forests of the building?
The Patriot, Flora, and Fauna are causing commotion on the streets below as they ride giant squirrels towards the complex. Fauna has obviously been using his powers.
"I'm pretty sure BT pays better than Red Shirt Labs.... A better cover would've been asking to work for Kai instead. Comes with better benefits-and less jail time."
Motioning to come back to their delivery vehicle. Dialing up LC-and presumably others."The two guys who made the mecha are here. They were trying to sneak in to get them back. or maybe try to hire Kai. Both. The timing is weird but doesn't seem like a trap." Nodding at the both of them, "Did anyone put you up to this? They are making you a scapgoat if so."
"I'm taking them to their car. What do you want to do boss?" with a sidenote to Kevin. "These two might be distractions. Have the permiter check and everyone check in for me."
"No one put us up to this; Kai's work is amazing. They'd be welcome at Red Shirt Labs," says Tosh.
"I mean, someone sent us an anonymous message saying our mechas were being kept here and suggesting that you were going to be out of town today, but no one put us up to this," adds Channer.
Zellgato surpresses an urge to face palm as he's seen on the tv shows here. "That is literally what I was referring to. Someone using you to cause chaos as a scapgoat. How was the message sent?"
The apes are indeed flying towards the heavily forested New Millenium residential complex. What's the play? Attack the apes in mid-air? Deal with them in the forests of the building?
The Patriot, Flora, and Fauna are causing commotion on the streets below as they ride giant squirrels towards the complex. Fauna has obviously been using his powers.
Charles observes the monkeys uncertainly. "Maybe one of these times I'll get some talk-to-animals thing," he jokes.
They spread their wings slightly. "If we get ahead of them, I can intercept."
"And show my teeth." They demonstrate.
There are three rough groups of them, each with 5 to 8 members. If you want to catch up, pass, and get in front of a group, make 3 Fly checks. If you beat them on 2 out of 3, you get in front of the group. Everyone who is flying can make this check. The pilot of the helicar can make 3 Piloting checks for the same purpose.
Henri settles into the car, zoning in to become one with the car, feeling each twist or nuance as the car is buffeted by a breeze.
You can do as Charles is doing and stay inside the helicar, but it will only get in front of one of the three groups flying towards the tower.
Charles leaps out of the helicar once they're ahead of the first group of monkeys, shifting to their true form as they do. He bears his teeth and roars, "Where do you think you're going?"
"Or perhaps a more pertinent question--can you understand English?"
Nissa tries to fly out in fairy form to get ahead of a third group.
Henri expertly pilots the helicar and ends up in front of the largest group of flying apes. Charles leaps out and tries to engage with them. They scatter, intimidated. Seven flying monkeys head in seven different directions.
Nissa, in fairy form, gets in front of another group. At this point, they are still curious about this being made of light and more curious than intimidated. They slow their flying and hover in place awkwardly, bobbing up and down clumsily with wings not quite large enough to help them fly smoothly.
There is one more group that continues towards the tower.
Nissa sees the monkeys’ fascination with her. She wonders if she can lure them to follow her.
I can’t fight them like this… and they don’t deserve to be hurt, maybe.
She tries to look adorable. Her pose. Her sweet voice…even if the monkeys don’t understand her, Tasha’s audience will.
”Ohhh, you’re not bad monkeys. You were just forced to do bad things. But I broke the remote control, and now whoever brought you here thinking my friends and would be off-world is unpleasantly surprised by my apparent change in schedule.
“It’s my birthday. How about you all grant me a birthday wish?”
She dances through the air, wondering if the monkeys will follow or mimic her. If so, maybe Charles and Henri can herd the other groups her way.
Seeing what Nissa is doing, Charles tries to herd the fleeing monkeys towards Nissa. They'd rather not kill them if they don't have to, and getting them to follow Nissa seems like the best chance to avoid that.
The flying monkeys in Nissa's group begin to follow her.
Charles can use 'Survival' to 'Handle Animal,' persuading them to follow Nissa. If he's successful, that puts 2 out of 3 groups of flying monkeys on Nissa's tail.
Does Theo want to make some Acrobatics checks to fly in front of and deal with the third group?
Does Theo want to make some Acrobatics checks to fly in front of and deal with the third group?
Theo can't fly (yet), but he can perform some aerial gymnastics to try and bring down the remaining money group.
[dice=Survival]1d20+10
Charles manages to herd a second group of the flying monkeys to follow Nissa. Where is she going to lead them?
There's a third group of flying monkeys that Theo tries to tangle with, but his Acrobatics check wasn't sufficient.
Henri's Life Sciences check tell him that he could easily get the apes to scatter with the vehicle, but they'll be too scared of it to be herded or led easily. If they just had their brains hijacked, they're probably scared now and looking for a place to lay low.
Seven of the winged apes reach the New Millennium Tower residence. The heavily forested exterior balconies are connected by stairs and walkways. The apes begin to run up and down these balconies disappearing into the forests.
Nissa asks Charles, ”Do you know a good place to lead these monkeys? I’m not really an animal expert.”
She keeps her voice soft and soothing as she asks this, and she keeps the monkeys moving away from the chaos.
Over the comms, ”I think, given time to calm down, the seven that reached the tower may be amenable to following me to wherever you take their fellows. I will stay here and monitor the situation. How can I alert the authorities? Is anyone from the office monitoring this channel?”
There's a third group of flying monkeys that Theo tries to tangle with, but his Acrobatics check wasn't sufficient.
There's a third group of flying monkeys that Theo tries to tangle with, but his Acrobatics check wasn't sufficient.
Over the comms, ”I think, given time to calm down, the seven that reached the tower may be amenable to following me to wherever you take their fellows. I will stay here and monitor the situation. How can I alert the authorities? Is anyone from the office monitoring this channel?”
"L.C. here," replies L.C. "Henri, with all the cameras around, just try not to make us look foolish. Try to calm those flying apes down and bring them in alive."
By the time Henri and the helicar reach the residential complex, the apes have disappeared into different levels of the forested balconies and are hooting, excitedly, at the giant squirrels the First Responders used as mounts.
There's a third group of flying monkeys that Theo tries to tangle with, but his Acrobatics check wasn't sufficient.
Theo will jump and leap on foot to catch up with the others, maybe knocking some primate heads on the way.
”Yes, ma’am.
Henri will land the helicar on the roof. ”Theo, I’m going to work my way down. Calm or subdue, we don’t want to kill them.”
Henri will land the helicar on the roof. ”Theo, I’m going to work my way down. Calm or subdue, we don’t want to kill them.”
Calm or sudue?! They have swords!!" Theo asked incredulously.
”Do what you can. We’re the good guys, the apes are innocent pawns. Maybe cousin Namor has a way to stun them.”