Captain." She fixes a firm but not angry gaze upon him. "We need to know everything if we are to succeed."
The Sentry smiles at Maggie's concern enjoying the feeling that it brings to him for the first time.
He floats there quietly listening to the history lesson. After a comfortable silence, the Sentry asks, "So, you don't know why Tony Stark sided with the AI against humanity? Why did he hunt down the heroes who could bring hope to the world?"
Maggie continues fixing her gaze on Captain Connor and repeats herself with a slight adjustment, not just in words, but in posture. She straightens herself--she really is tall, ya know--and an ice of fortitude enters her unearthly reddish eyes. She's not trying to scare the Captain but more make him fear the consequences of his silence.
"Captain. Everyone needs to know the plan, or we will not succeed."
Dropping back into her shy slouch, she looks at Beetle. "How should we infiltrate the carrier? Should we all be in the altered Sentinel?"
Maggie is a follower more than a leader. And the tech expert seems to be ideal for leading the charge on this sort of mission.
Ted says, "That was my plan. It worked for the Trojans so there is no reason it can't work for us as well. I wanted to use the Altered Sentinel to sneak some of us in. Then we would do our 'monkey business' and open a back door for the heavy hitters to come on it and tear the place apart."
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John clenches his jaw at Maggie's demand, "The plan: Kate and Abner will move north to make a feint against a factory we know exists. Sentry will go with them to drop some big hits and make things look legit. He is fast enough to rejoin the main strike force once when we need him. Ted, Kyle, Maggie, and I will ride in the Trojan Sentinel, which should get us past the perimeter patrols and air support. Unfortunately, unlike the Trojans, the troops on the Helicarrier don't sleep. Once we are inside, we will call in Sentry. Sentry, your first priority is to take out this:
He points to a concave depression covered in antenna arrays on the bottom of the carrier.
"This is the main communications array. It provides high speed data communication. Without this array, Skullnet will be stuck on the station, unable to transmit itself into alternate bodies off the carrier. Once that is done, the stowaways emerge into the hangar. From there we need to move to the bridge, where we should encounter Stark and Skull-Net. We have to make sure the carrier survives this part of the attack. Once Stark and Skull-Net know they are defeated, they will implement their failsafe. They will send Terminators back in time to kill my mother, me, Kate, my lieutenants, and other targets across time. We need their time machine to send our own soldiers and some of Ted's compromised Terminators back in time to fight those soldiers. And that is the plan.
"What a great plan it is too, other than the fact that Sentry is wasted going into the communications array given that he can't teleport, and I could. Seems like Sentry on overwatch, and me delivering either a scrambler, some lightning, or both into that room while he is covering it from a distance at which he could monitor more action would be ideal. If we can make the payload stealthy enough, I can activate it as I teleport out of there and no one will know why their comms failed until we've eliminiated the rest of the opposition. WITHOUT taking out that room which could ppossibly risk the whole carrier."
Jason smiles.
"Just a thought really. I've had several, thoughts that is, while I was away with Herk. Sorry about that ..."
"Sentry can do an astounding amount of damage in a short period of time, which allows him to take out the communications array quickly. You and Herak are less clear in your participation in this assault, so I haven't factored your abilities into the plan. If you can cut Skull-Net off from its ability to transfer itself, all the better."
The Sentry nods to accept his role in the plan. He arches an eyebrow when Jason offers to change his role in the plan but doesn’t say anything. He does not know this Jason. He resolves to take care of the array of it’s still there when he arrives.
Ted nods in agreement and says, "That is a good plan." He moves off to make any final preparations to the Trojan Sentinel so that when it returns to the Helicarrier it can operate on "Autopilot" so that it will not need his input once inside.
"What a great plan it is too, other than the fact that Sentry is wasted going into the communications array given that he can't teleport, and I could. Seems like Sentry on overwatch, and me delivering either a scrambler, some lightning, or both into that room while he is covering it from a distance at which he could monitor more action would be ideal. If we can make the payload stealthy enough, I can activate it as I teleport out of there and no one will know why their comms failed until we've eliminiated the rest of the opposition. WITHOUT taking out that room which could ppossibly risk the whole carrier."
Jason smiles.
"Just a thought really. I've had several, thoughts that is, while I was away with Herk. Sorry about that ..."
Connor nods, "If you can take out the communications once we are in the hangar before we can get there, go for it. If that works, update us on comms, and we will divert to the bridge to deal with Stark and Skull-Net."
Maggie holds a glare for a moment longer at Connor, but says nothing more. It's not her place.
With the rest of the plan, she simply nods. "We should rest before it's time to go."
With that she goes to find a place to recharge. Preferably a closet with a light or under a table, or other suitably cramped, out of the way spot. And there she reads until she falls asleep.
Maggie finds a disused maintenance/janitorial closet and curls up to recharge. Just as she is settling, the door opens a crack and Dr. Wan's head pokes in. "Maggie, hi, glad to see you made it back safe and sound...Wow, you look tired, you should get some rest. Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I know you would rather be at home. But I also know that you are very important for this mission. Tomorrow, we fight this crazy Skull-Net thing, well, you do. I don't think I'm going. When it comes to fighting giant robots, I've never had too much to offer. Nazis, Communists, the Illuminati, the Thuggee, even the Red Hand of Babylon. But not big robots. Anyway, we finish this mission, and then we get out of here. You can meet The First, and he can send you home. So be like Gloria Gaynor. You will survive."
The Sentry floats near Jason and Herk attempting to trigger a social interaction. His attention is elsewhere listening for threats dozens of miles away and looking through the mountain for anything different than the last time that he was here.
With Sentry's assistance, Kate, and Abner fly north, almost 180 miles. Past Denver where you initially appeared, and deep into the mountains.
Kate wears a battered SHIELD body armor and a rocket pack
Abner, now kitted out as Beetle, wears a green and purple armored suit with a purple mask, bulbous yellow eyes.
Once they arrive high above their target, Abner clicks on his comm to everyone. "Alpha team is in place. Door knocker commencing."
He nods to Sentry, who understands from the briefing that he should smash the massive metal door sealing the bunker.
And at the Hellicarrier:
The Trojan Sentinel engages its rocket feet. The heroes concealed inside sink into their flight seats. The altered robot climbs into the sky, leaving behind a smoky trail. They enter into a flight pattern, various types of flying drones checking them out, doing fly-bys.
The Sentry nods back to Abner and knocks on the door. He punches a hole in the door.
If he needs to destroy the door, he hauls off again and tries again. Punching another hole into door which is looking more like Swiss cheese.
Ted thinks he has thought of everything but monitors the systems of the Trojan Sentinel to see if anything "funny" pops up on the coding to inform him of something he might have forgotten; and he hopes he can fix the coding on the fly.
Technology Hacking
Sentry tears the massive blast door in half with two blows that echo against down the canyon. Beetle and Widow drop from the sky, one on mechanical wings and one on rocket pack.
Abner nods, his expression hidden by his mask (though Sentry could see it easily enough if he wanted). His impressed and just a little scared.
Kate scans the destruction with her eyes and motions with an upraised palm. "After you. Let's make as much noise and cause as much destruction as possible, but don't risk getting ourselves hurt. Remember, this is just a feint."
Sentry hears metal feet on concrete, motors whirring and roaring as the guards inside move to respond.
Ted watches the data feeds as the Sentinel replies to identification queries and security protocols. The robot stands upright in the air and floats down onto the deck. Then something in the deck thuds as an elevator lowers you into a massive hangar full of various Sentinel models and Terminators. The systems of the robot begin to shut down as maintenance drones move toward you. Cables drop from arms attached to the ceiling, umbilicals to recharge and debrief the Sentinel.
Cap puts a finger to his ear, "Jason, if you really are a god, we could use a miracle about now."
Cap puts a finger to his ear, "Jason, if you really are a god, we could use a miracle about now."
"How's that Mister America? Sir. What do you need? Not sure about miracles, but my family was VERY capable. If nothing else, I can be 'unexpected'"
Jason smiles; it's a wistful smile, almost anyone might guess he's thinking of Olympus.
"Call it Cap, I'll try anything."
The Sentry smiles at Kate and Abner before disappearing, speeding toward the source of the sound of the metallic feet. Grabbing the first one and using it to bludgeon in others.
Cap puts a finger to his ear, "Jason, if you really are a god, we could use a miracle about now.""How's that Mister America? Sir. What do you need? Not sure about miracles, but my family was VERY capable. If nothing else, I can be 'unexpected'"
Jason smiles; it's a wistful smile, almost anyone might guess he's thinking of Olympus.
"Call it Cap, I'll try anything."
"We need that communications array shut down so that we aren't swarmed with reinforcements when we hit the bridge. Show us what you've got?"
The array is concave area on the bottom of the Helicarrier that is surrounded by blisters of various types of antennae.
Sentry flies through several titanium alloy endoskeletons as plasma bolts bounce off of his skin. Bits of broken robot clatter against the walls, ceiling, and floor.
Team Blue Beetle, what's Next?
Ted looks to his companions and wonders if he is going to get them all killed. He connects his goggles to the Trojan Sentinel to first, read incoming data and alter it on the fly it need be, and second, to access visual sensors on the Trojan Sentinel to see what is taking place outside. He is hoping the debriefing protocol will free them up soon so they can make it to their next mission point.
Technology to hack outgoing data to not give away their secret plan, and to access visual information.
Ted feeds the Skull-Net systems a carefully prepared diet of manufactured action logs. He makes sure the Trojan Sentinel scans as needing no repairs. The unit is placed into a rack and connected to charging cables. The maintenance drones move on to other patients.
As The Sentry is wreaking havoc far away, the corridor in front of him twists and shines with a bright blue light.
Where before there were just the clattering shrapnel of shattered robots, there now stands (floats) a robotic form that appears to be composed of chromed armor plates connected by a bright blue-white glowing forcefield.
Unknown target. Access Temporal Database. Accessing. Identified. Designation: The Sentinel. Native to Earth 99999. Human Kryptonian hybrid. Genetically engineered. Powered by yellow sun. Weaknesses: Kryptonite, Gamma radiation, Genetic Manipulation, Psychological Manipulation.
The robot raises its right arm. Nanites flow across its armored arm, forming a sort of gun with a glowing barrel. A technological whine starts low and moves into a higher pitch as the plasma cannon fires at The Sentry.
The Sentry pauses destroying sentinels and being the distraction. He looks at the new one with curiousity. When its armored arm forms a gun, he puts up his arm to deflect the plasma from the cannon.
He speaks into his communicator, "I've a new Sentinel here, composed of chromed armor plates connected by a bright blue-white glowing forcefield. Engaging." The Sentry approaches and tries to grab the robot to test its strength.
"Friend Maggie, I think you can help me with this communication array thing. My instincts says that you could fold up and animate some watchdogs for us; want to teleport in there with me?"
Jason smiles at his version of genius
"I'm not sure that every storm needs to be a hurricane. I beleive that we can snap our way in there, and I can gently bleed lightning into the system until it frys itself. No flashy bolts, no crack zapple pop, no booming roar of thunder; just me focused on missing my father and passing his power into a bunch of machines that could never match my rage ... or his for that matter."
He chuckles, in itself odd but cute
"Afterwards, coffee ... even if we need to go to Colombia to procure it!
Maggie gives Jason a single nod. "I can do something like that." She brings forward a wolf-like creature who forms from a flurry of paper. She almost smiles. "The symbol on his face is for 'lightning.'"
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The Sentry pauses destroying sentinels and being the distraction. He looks at the new one with curiousity. When its armored arm forms a gun, he puts up his arm to deflect the plasma from the cannon.
He speaks into his communicator, "I've a new Sentinel here, composed of chromed armor plates connected by a bright blue-white glowing forcefield. Engaging." The Sentry approaches and tries to grab the robot to test its strength.
[dice=Unarmed Accurate Attack +11, Damage 9, Fast Grab]1d20+11
Kate replies, "We've never seen anything like that, Sentry. That suggests a level of technology well beyond anything we've seen Skull-Net operate. Engage with caution, or disengage. We've obviously drawn plenty of attention this way."
Ted reads Sentry's message and feels the need to send backup. He sneaks out of his Trojan Sentinel and starts shoots at other Sentinels in their recharging stations. He wants to collect as many Sentinels as possible in the least amount of time as possible. Then he will program them to aid and assist their team to take over this helicraft.
The Sentry pauses destroying sentinels and being the distraction. He looks at the new one with curiousity. When its armored arm forms a gun, he puts up his arm to deflect the plasma from the cannon.
He speaks into his communicator, "I've a new Sentinel here, composed of chromed armor plates connected by a bright blue-white glowing forcefield. Engaging." The Sentry approaches and tries to grab the robot to test its strength.
[dice=Unarmed Accurate Attack +11, Damage 9, Fast Grab]1d20+11
As The Sentry reaches out for the strangely advanced Terminator, his amazing senses are momentarily overwhelmed. He sees all around him a massive spherical metal framework, spinning slowly. Beyond that, a psychedelic swirl of color across visible and invisible wavelengths. He hears a cacophony of susurrations, something like a hurricane might sound like from the center of the eye.
His hand through the metal and force of the Terminator as if they aren't even present. And indeed, perhaps they are not quite Present.
The liquid metal of the arm contorts again, thinning to an infinitely thin needle and lancing out.
The tip of the needle is so small at its tip that it can't be seen. It does no damage, but takes a nano-scopic sample.
Ted reads Sentry's message and feels the need to send backup. He sneaks out of his Trojan Sentinel and starts shoots at other Sentinels in their recharging stations. He wants to collect as many Sentinels as possible in the least amount of time as possible. Then he will program them to aid and assist their team to take over this helicraft.
The Sentry looks down at the nano-needle that drew his blood. He speaks into his communicator. "This blue sentinel just drew my blood with a nano syringe. Disengaging. Going hypersonic. Be there in thirty seconds."
The cables are clearly robotic, they move on their own without anything touching them. They must have some rudimentary intelligence of their own, though they don't look too intelligent or complicated. If you unplug them from a unit, they will almost certainly have some protocol to report that to the overall intelligence running the Helicarrier. You could spark up the fight here if you want.