Feeling a little foolish for not noticing what was what, Manjit listens carefully to the debrief.
Ragon looks at Tatyana. What? oh youre talking about the red queen. Yeah, Smith knew about her and the Three Magi as well.
seeing Tatyana's blank look on incomprehension, he explains
The Three Magi? three wisemen? Melchior, Balthazar, and Caspar? these are the three that actually run the Hive. The red Queen is, as you said, the AI in charge of security. But the three wise men, they manage the inner workings. Data control, file management, assent containment, predictive analysis, gain a function research in lower levels, and who knows what else...
"Ah so that is what they are. I found something that mentioned them but only as the Three Magi and nothing more. There was nothing further on them." Tatyana said as she crossed her arms. "What was going to be Smith's approach? Such a large group trying to move through without coming to some agreement with the AI would have proven difficult. Especially with how much the AI can affect. What would be the SOP for your crew?"
SMith had admin access to the Hive. it was slaved to his comms. Most of the doors in there are rfid control points. He just sends a signal and he's in. The red queen would recognize this level of permission... so long as nothing odd happened to her.
"I do not know the type of decker Smith is, but AIs are dangerous because they learn. If it found out he did not have actual access, then it could have caused them to be in danger. Though if he was good enough then that is less likely. However with the likely contamination in there, it might be possible... they just passed out or... passed on... We do not know what is loss down there. You said two of them mentioned it was powerful, and we know they had been doing something with contaminates. For everything our bodies can take, we do have a limit. Our biology is far more fragile than more would think. I fear what they have been messing with... and why." Tatyana said as she tapped her chin.
"Ragon, would you happen to have a back up of anything Smith had?"
Ragon shakes his head. Sorry, I-
ragon is cut off as a loud beep fills the warm tent. Ragon steps up to a small pop up desk he has set up in the corner. He waves his hand a couple times and then exclaims Marco! Marco! come in marco!
Ragon snaps his fingers at the large display on the wall, and draws your attention to the display with the names of the team members highlighted red.
Before, 11 team members were marked out as mia/kia on the board. But now, along with ragnon's name, you see that marco's name is highlighted a green color.
Marco! Marco! come in! ragon yells again into his comms. the soft sound of static hovers in the air for a moment before it is cut off.
Movement catches your eye. you shift your focus, and see on the horizontal map of the compound and the Hive a green dot resolve in the long tunnel. it inches slowly up the tunnel towards the Wheel house opening.
Marco! Your comms are not working! No sound, no sound! ragon cuts off the broadcast. In that box. cypher code for your comms to connect to. i can track you from here and have direct communication with you.
hurry! He may be injured Ragon pleads.
It takes 15 minutes one way. its a slow mover...Sure, you could get the truck down there. problem is that the trolley runs down the middle of the tunnel....
Hmm... I'm guessing there's no way you could disable the trolley from here? Maybe we could be careful and avoid it... Who is good at driving?
He looks around at the group expectantly.
"Sorry man...not in my wheelhouse."
Manjit looks to the others to see who might be able to take on the task.
Ragon roars at all of you. he throws the keys to the truck at Wraith
Marco! help is on the way he chimes in over the radio
As the team moved, Tatyana pushed on of the breathing masks into Gnossi's hand. "Put this on, I might know biology but you are our actual doctor. You need to wear this. No debating. You could possibly delay anything that any of us catch and that buys time, which is in short supply." She explained when took out another and put it on herself. She'd be the one in the matrix dealing with the AI and other things... but more importantly she was the only one who could reconnect the whole place the fastest.
Warren stands up and starts running out of the tent to the truck. As he passes Wraith he says "You're probably better than I am. Let's go." He then hops in the back and yells back to the others "Let's go! It's freezing out here!"
|
She took the mask with a huge frown. She didnt like the fact the others would be in danger if she took the mask but the deckers point was solid. She wasnt entirely sure what she could do against ingested poisons in the air, but she sould try. one of her spells 'had' an effect to help that she just hadnt really used it that way before.
"Lets roll boys and girl we are on a time hack.... also im not driving... i dont really know how. so lets go."
He clambered in the back of the truck.
Manjit springs into the back of the truck, grabbing onto the roll bar and pounds on the roof twice, once everyone is in the back and holding on.
Wraith catches the keys in mid-air, laughing nervously and rubbing the back of his neck as a fidget.
Don't laugh at me while I get back into practice...
He sighs as every last other party member jumps in the back. He steps into the cab, sits down, and sets his weapons on the passenger seat.
Exhaling, he mutters, Here goes nothing.
lucky for everyone, the truck is an automatic.
everyone piles in. wraith jumps into the drivers seat, and after taking am moment to find the key slot, he rams it in and twists.
the truck roars to life, thick black smoke billowing from exhaust stacks!
Wraith smashes the pedal to the floor and the truck shoots off into the white landscape!
Suryo begins driving towards the tunnel they'd been discussing. He's not looking forward to possibly dodging a trolley, but at least it should be on fixed tracks.
Warren shivers in the back and says to the others "I'm going to spend a week in a sauna after this."
Laughing, Manjit slaps him on the shoulder.
"If we make it out of here all in one piece, I might join you. Back home, you could go from freezing temperatures one minute to tropical heat the next...just depending on how high in the mountains you were!!"
the drive to the wheelhouse at the back of the mansion is filled with snow, snow, and more snow! Massive drifts cover the rolling grounds of the property. and worse, it also obscures the large trees that stand silent vigil in the wintery conditions.
a buzz chimes through your comms. Check one two! you all read me?
you recognize the speaker as Ragon.
In between shivers Warren replies "R-R-Read you l-loud and cold!"
"Maybe I can see about boosting the signal for us." Tatyana shouted as she set to work.
I copy someone. Smith, our comms guy, went into the tunnel with signal amplifiers for reconnecting the hive to the matrix. Unfortunately, he, and his backpack full of his amplifiers, are lost somewhere down there. Keep an eye out for it. You'll need it for when you start down the tunnel if youre going to get the Hive back online.
you drive past the mansion, and can only gape in wonder at the sheer size of it! A piece of neo-modern work, large bay windows clad the exterior walls, with lights illuminating the confines of the building. Snow lashed the outside of the uncaring glass walls, and inside you could see strange works of art. A massive painting that looks to take up an entire 20 by 40 foot wall stare back at you, while smaller objects in glass cases, illuminated for the casual, uncaring observer to look upon dots the same hall, and other rooms as well.
you could fit 50 of my apartments in there... someone says involuntarily.
Look ahead at the wheelhouse! wraith chimes back at the group.
everyone's focus shifts forward, to the large barn that stands resolute in this strange blizzard.
Brilliant red paint covers the boards, with equally white paint highlighting runners, rafters, crossbeams, window sills and doorframes. A massive set of double doors stand silently before you, large enough for three trucks stood atop of you to easily drive into, with another 10 trucks wide as well. One of the doors is slide open, giving you all an opportunity to glimpse the inside of this building.
From your distance (40 feet away), and through the thick snow, you catch glimpses of a rich man's garage. an old car on a pale blue floor stands behind the open door, a thick coating of snow beginning to obstruct its surfaces.
"GO,Go,GO!!!!", the ex-Gurka calls out as he sees the door opening to the barn.
Wraith certainly gives the truck some gas, not knowing if the opening door will immediately start to close soon; and after opening how much?
He focuses and peers inside to note any immediate obstacles that impede entry into the tunnel.
Whoa...!
Wraith pumps the breaks in hopes to not arrive too early at a too-narrow opening. He may even slow to an anti-climactic stop.
Tatyana got to work on the comms, it was mostly thrown together, and tweak here and shift there, but sure enough the decker boosted the signal by using her own comm as an amplifier. "That should do it."
Manjit braces himself as he feels the vehicle breaking before slamming into the barn door.
"WOAH!!!"
Warren hops out and moves quickly into the barn and then looks around, just happy to be out of the cold.
With the wind blowing, you move up to the opening to the large wheel house. The wind screams, blowing fat, wet snowflakes down onto your face and body. You feel the harsh grip of winter's angry chill begin to grasp your spine as a slight tremor immediately flows through your body.
you push into the building, through the large 4 foot tall snow drift that has piled snow through the opening
A harsh heat slaps your face, bringing instant relief from the cold and wetness, followed by the sound of heavy automatic gunfire coming from elsewhere within the building.
Wraith hopes for even a little bit of warmth as they move inside.
Stay close together...
He hopes they all think he means for safety, but... human warmth. Of course, like the others notice, it's an almost shock-inducing swing in temperature.
Then the sounds of gunfire.
Where is that coming from? he whispers.
"Well let's find out what and where the party is and move there before it is all over!"
Perception: 3 success
"I got our comms working better, but it was at the expense of my own comm." Tatyana said as she looked around. "I wonder what could be fighting them..."
Warren listens to the gunfire and then starts moving down the tunnel as quietly as possible.
1
3
"It sounds like it is right below us, but also in front of us. Come on...let's go down this way...maybe it will somehow connect to the area below!"
The soldier heads off towards where he hears the gunfire.
|
|
Her ears twitched this was already going a bit sideways. military teams already inside and possible failed extra survivors, the god damned tit numbing cold. Her left ear twitched twice as hard. She saw warren crouch ever so slightly and begin to creep forward. good a point man.
"Alright team, Warren take point, Mnajit your right behind him. lets move deeper inside. we are on a time hack people we need to get what we came for here. Everyone keep an eye out for that team. Wrath your with The White Queen. Shes the key to this mission. Keep her safe. Lets move people."
She snapped a big bubble and drew an arrow to her bow following behind Warren and Manjit.
Wraith nods. He looks looks around for Tatyana and moves closer to her to fulfill his obligation. Looking forward to follow Mnajit's advance, he straightens his trenchcoat and draws his AK-97.
Tatyana gave a small wave, a slight half smile hidden behind her mask. She offered Wraith the final mask saying "I've got one more breathing mask, you could quickly talk it over with the other two as to who gets it." She offered.
"Being called a key to a mission that I am physically on does not put my mind at ease..." Tatyana mutter with a dry chuckle following. "Let's go see what awaits us." She said as she took out Lily, her bow, and moved with the group, keeping close to Wraith as instructed.
here is a link to the layout for the wheelhouse
The wheelhouse is massive! with a ceiling over 40 feet in height, exposed wood beams criscross the ceiling, providing support to the large timberframe structure.
On the floor before you, pushed against the walls, you see cars. old cars. The old time movies you watched in your youth would call these cars as "muscle cars", all of them running off of the fuel known as "gasoline". Your mind takes a brief moment and thinks back to the last time you actually saw a location selling gas, and it listed at $50 a gallon.
The sound of an automatic fills the room as you approach the center of the room. In the middle of the large bay, the floor drops down, forming a ramp that extends to a lower level. Several flood lights illuminate a cold environment, devoid of decoration or warmth. Steel panels clad the walls, with polished tile on the floor. The heavy reverb of thunderous explosions from automatic gun fire comes from out of sight, further down in the lower below...
|
|
She looked about for cover as she strained t hear the sound of the automatic weapon. was is the lighter more rapid army based squad automatic weaponry or the heavier former soviet block based heavier rounds.
"damn it... i cant tell if thats friendly army fire or more mercs... or worse. Lets move people keep your heads and eyes up."
As they begin to move towards the ramp, Manjit halts the group with a hand signal anyone with military training would recognize as 'halt'.
He turns to Warren..
"Wait here while I take a quick look below. Watch for my signals!"
..he then silently moves down to the next level and looks around.
Infiltrate: (2 successes)
Perception: (2 successes)
Wraith nods when Manjit indicates that he's scouting ahead.
We won't be far behind if something happens.
He keeps both the way forward and Tatyana in his field of vision.
you sneak down the ramp, towards the sound of thundering automatic gun fire. deep and heavy, it pounds your ears, echoing down the lengthening tunnel off to your right. a steady light, the source hidden, flashes before you, in sync with the gun fire. It illuminates the lower room of the wheelhouse. To your right, you see a lone rail car, riddled with bullet holes, and widows broken.
to your left, you spot the source of the gun fire.
a turret hangs suspended from the ceiling. a small circular dish hangs opposite the barking barrel of a machine gun. a red dot glows brightly in the darkness.
You look again, and see that the gun is firing at something just off to the right-
the gun fire stops, plunging the large chamber into darkness.
you hear the loud hum of eletric motors whirring.
You watch as a red laser is emitted from the turret, and sweeps towards you!
the beam bisects your frame as it cuts from right to left.
Motors scream in protest, halting the glowing red laser!
It snaps back, centering upon your body!
The gun opens fire again! this time, at you!
Warren moves partially down the ramp behind Manjit, giving him time to scout ahead.
"I have a blueprint of the wheelhouse." Tatyana said as she brought it up quickly to glance at it. She wouldn't need long, as she would have it locked in her mind with only a glance.
"I do wonder what is down there..." She admitted as she looked over the plans. "Be safe." Tatyana said to Manjit as he went ahead.