[002] - Out of the Frying Pan

[Marullus]

Belokurikha, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Monday 14-02-3200
13:44

Some time later, a familiar voice chides Damian. "'Resident scientist and medical officer, offering solutions to get this job done?' Who do you think you're fooling, Dami?" Ivana uses his old pet name, which is a slight improvement from 'Fuck you'. "Why are you really here? And I suggest you choose your words VERY carefully now."

"Because I left things behind that I shouldn't have," he replies in a soft tone. Damian brushes a lock of hair behind her ear. "Verner knew they were coming; we had to flee to keep him and the others safe, to escape in time. But once wasn't enough - we have the power to help and there are others that need saving. We couldn't come back on our own, so we found a benefactor who is fronting the mission to get his loved ones off the planet in our care." He looks her in the eyes. "You know it is the truth."

"I need your help, прижаться медведь." he says, invoking her pet-name. "We need to find Vyrner's ship, Veil of Tears. You remember what it meant to him, and it contains our whole lives. It was impounded to arrest him... it was the trap we escaped. I need you to help find where they took it and for your friends to get it back. We need it to get off-planet again, since they shot down our med-shuttle. Can you help us?"

"We're going to risk our lives in this rescue. We will be breaking into their secure MES-facility and saving lives. We will be risking our lives to give these people a real chance against those assholes. If we don't have the ship for our escape, if we can't get the rescued prisoners off-planet, it will be the end of everyone."

...he spots Damian discuss the upcoming plans with a loyalist Brigadier. He nods politely at Sokolova as the so-called Dr. Stavros introduces him and takes a seat, trying get a sitrep.

The conversation eventually moves to the topic of assaulting Humanity First's base of operations, and Silas quietly nods his approval, before asking the Brigadier:
"I'm more than happy to fly us into certain doom - and not for the first time, might I add - but do you have any idea where could... commandeer... an appropriate HF vessel? Anything less would get us shot down before we could even make our approach, I reckon."

Belokurikha, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Tuesday 15-02-3200
08:13

Whilst Benedict works his magic, Sokolova forwards Damian's destructive proposal to Fleet Commander Andrei Kavelin, and after some small deliberation they identify one clear target.[/i] "The Novo Kalichev Overseer Array," the wizened, barrel-chested Commander states confidently. "The power station keeping the orbital bombardment cannons primed. Taking out the cannons themselves would require an army and cost more lives than I'm willing to sacrifice, but a powerful enough explosion at the Overseer Array would allow us to seize control of the entire system if we broke into the mainframe before the backup generators activate fully. Such an attack would require extreme precision and impeccable timing, but more than it would need a gravtank's weight in нитроглицерин. Aleksandr tells me you can make it happen, and I'm inclined to believe him, but I wonder if you might explain to me how?"

Dr. Stavros sits with Silas and the Commander, reviewing the plans. He cross-references the location of the Overseer Array and that of the MES-prison where their target is being held. He also considers the location of the Veil of Tears and the response he's gotten from Ivana. Are they close enough to allow a combined foray?

"A worthy target. Taking out their orbital cannons also will be important to us being able to escape the planet with the prisoners, getting the MES victims of this war off to safety and out of Humanity First clutches entirely. We're a small crew, which works for and against us. Do you have HF vehicles? Uniforms? Cover? We need to safely infiltrate to get this job done. That requires intel only you possess."

"The best plans use the simplest means. If you have explosive charges that can do this job, we can use our skills to gain access. Cover as authorized individuals - a maintenance crew, a military inspection team, a medical team with orders - would be best. We will need to gain access to the Overseer Array and then also the prison. If you can provide cover but not the explosives, then covert timers would be enough, but it would make it a more complex plan. I can generate the equivelent of a pallet of nitroglycerin if necessary, but it is not simple, nor easy to explain as an answer to your question." He pauses, considering, then continues. "As I said, I am a scientist - I am just one member of this team, bringing skills to support our efforts. For this matter, I'm an expert in temporal-spacial physics, dimensional folding, what you might understand as black holes... suffice it to say that the universe is full of destructive potential. It is far more than I can explain, but I can perhaps demonstrate." Damian taps equations on his datapad for several minutes, adjusting the customized, mysterious-looking sensors he has plugged into it. He motions for the Commander to place his coffee cup by itself on the adjacent table and focuses on it, continuing to type. A tiny mote of pure blackness appears at the coffee cup, visibly bending reality for a half-second, then the coffee cup audibly shatters, collapses into atomized particles.

Demonstration is a disguised use of Savage Sorcery. I have described his offensive capability as dimensional science that allows him to create micro-black holes, causing 1d8+2 damage anywhere within 100m. I'm expecting that to be enough to destroy his cup. Since he can do this at-will, the datapad and gear are the smoke-and-mirrors to make the effect explicible to the untrained mind.

Dr. Stavros simply nods, as if this was routine, and folds up his gear. "If you can help us with what we need to build this plan - infiltrate covertly, access both facilities, then get the prisoners to safety - we can help you as well. What can you offer?"

[Faanku]

Belokurikha, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Tuesday 15-02-3200
08:13

A wide array of emotions play on Ivana's face before she snorts an exasperated chuckle. "God fucking damn it. How do you do it?" She sighs after asking the hypothetical question, then seems to relax for the first time since you made planetfall, seemingly the Ivana you knew before. "Sev and Olga are still around, and more importantly still sane. Give me a bit to sort something out; if the Vale's still on Kakimedes they should be able to find out where. And Dami?" She leans in closer to him, whispering into his ear. "If I find out you're playing me this time, I won't just rest at shit-talking you in the пивная." She gives him a playful peck on the cheek as she pulls back, then turns her back on the doctor and begins to walk away, waving one hand as she does so. "I'll be in touch."

---

The military men both look shocked, then impressed as Kavelin's coffee mug shatters, the Fleet Commander responding to the act first. "I have never seen such technology before, Dr Stavros, and would be lying if I claimed not to be concerned with its potential applications, but that can wait for later." He gives a silent signal to his Captain planetside, who continues the conversation. "We have charges." Sokolova affirms. "And enough pull thanks to Gavin's contacts to slip a few civilian trucks through Novo security. Our teams will be disguised or refugees, fleeing the war from further north, come for the security of the capital. We can hide small arms well enough, but explosives in the amount we're using will show on the mandated SecScan our contacts will have to provide central; so you'll use your talents to load up one of the trucks once we're past the checkpoint. We'll take care of the rest." He looks around at your crew then puts a firm hand on Silas' shoulder. "I trust you well enough, but the Overseer is a highly restricted military secret. No civilians allowed, even now. Besides, you'll want to be ready in position for when the Overseer Array goes offline; that will be all the distraction you need to break into where this Katya Novaro is being held." The Brigadier reaches for his hipflask again, then sighs. "We start in twelve hours. Sergeant Makrov will get you looking more local and set you up with Kaki IDs. If you have no questions, I suggest you rest up well."

---

Once the crew, or at least those still conscious from the crash have gathered, Benedict shows them the holoscan of the repurposed MES holding facility where Katya is being held.

The image is several years old, from when the building was still used as a preliminary holding block for smugglers, but there have been no reported changes to the structure. The stairs furthest west lead to street level, the ones further northeast towards the facility's docking pads. The cells in the east of the building are past several securicoded plasteel doors, military grade security, with more of the same being used by the southern offices and the northern interrogation rooms. A small storage warehouse for smuggled goods recovered lies west of here.

[Marullus]

Damian forgoes both his mechanics coveralls and doctor's jacket doing his best to impersonate a refugee with the disguises provided. He tucks the rest of his belongings in his duffel bag; suitable for someone fleeing for their life and carrying what they own. He holds his breath as they make it through security, but the Loyalist bluff is sufficient to get them through. He finally exhales.

When the soldiers open the back of the truck for him, he smiles inwardly at their skepticism. He checks his equations on his datapad, then draws them in the air mumbling to himself, fiddling with some gadgets he has attached to his wrist. There is a distortion of light and space within the truck, the universe folding upon itself in a way that hurts the mind. After a faintly audible pop and a whiff of ozone, they see the truck is filled with stacks and stacks of compact bricks of grey explosive material, pallet upon pallet, all in one organized mass. "Tie that down, cover it until you get there.
You've got two hours before it degrades." He nods succinctly, acting as if he didn't just perform a blatant miracle before their eyes. "Science." He winks at the Sergeant.

[eirei]

Silas walks past the truck just in time to see the soldiers marvel at the newly materialised pile of explosives: "Science", he agrees, nodding in appreciation.

"Looking forward to seeing the result of your little experiment, doc.", he says to Damian, grinning.

[Faanku]

Novo Kalichev, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Tuesday 15-02-3200
21:16

So far, so good. The plan to infiltrate the Kakimedean capital has played out as planned, the three vehicles making it past the checkpoint sympathetic to the Loyalists and arriving near the guarded service elevator leading into the Overseer Array. The assault team try to remain nonchalant as they file out of one of the trucks, though even in this tense situation they all seem eager to witness Damian's materialisation of heavy explosives, craning their necks to see into the back of the truck then sounding generally awed and impressed as enough explosives to vaporise a plascrete pillbox appears from thin air. The sergeant thanks Damian, then assures him that the rest of under control; the team's signal to make their way to the holding facility and await the almighty explosion that will signal the start of the attack.

Luckily, the facility is just on the outskirts of an area heavy with refugees, so the crew raise no arrive in the vicinity of the facility without raising any suspicions from the surveillance cameras and tracking drones prevalent in all major postech cities. A brief look over the heavily fenced-off facility spots two guards at the main entrance, armed and armoured in the regalia of the Kakimedean Military, and both wearing additional insignia marking them firmly as advocates of Humanity First; this is definitely the place.

As if sounding a confirmation, the city shakes, and warning klaxons and emergency sirens start blaring soon afterwards from all directions; Damian's volatile science seems to have done its job, and chaos erupts in the background noise of the formerly calm capital. Within a few minutes the guards keeping watch over the main doors of the MES holding facility radio something in, then both dash off in the direction of the Overseer Array; there will likely be more inside, but it seems for now a way in is open...

[greyarea]

Romer looks to the others, his pistol at the ready. Let's head in there, he says. We have a girl to save.

[Marullus]

Damian Stavros (HP: 3/3, AC: 14, Spells: 3/4)

Damian looks over their small, but gun-heavy, crew. "Speed over deception, I suppose... that explosion will draw attention quick enough." He pulls up the map of the facility on his compad and shows directions.

"Let's go - down the stairs, make a left in the main hall. We need to check side rooms to clear our retreat, but the cells are straight ahead, there. Benedict, be ready to handle those cypherlock doors, right?" He looks around at them, armed and comfortable with their sidearms. Despite his bravado, he looks awkward, leaving his own holstered. "Let's go." he repeats, a bit flat.

What plan were we given for extraction? We make it out with the prisoners and... do we know where to steal a vehicle to get to the rendevous, or are they picking us up?

[Faanku]

Novo Kalichev, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Tuesday 15-02-3200
21:17

Moving swiftly, the crew enters the compound via the main gate and heads downstairs, where a third soldier in the same HF military uniform stands before them and the military grade securigate. She raises her mag rifle as soon as she spots them, then demands with a hint of nervousness. "Who are you?! This area is off limits, you need to leave, now!"

So far I'm adding Silas, Damian, Romer and Benedict to the map, assuming everyone else is still unconscious at the base. Did I miss anyone?

As for extraction, the plan was that you could contact the Loyalists once their assault from orbit begins, and Ivana is still looking into where the Vale is.

[Marullus]

Damian is at the back and everyone else has guns out. I'm going to let everyone else post first!

Okay, that means the plan is "radio for pick-up?" We can improvise from there on our way out.

I spoke to Enoch as player-of-Odo. Work has been overwhelming, but he's going to try to jump in to the scene if he can get online this week.

[eirei]

Silas raises his hands into the air and smiles at the guard: "Hey, hey, приятель, no need for violence. Sorry, wrong door."

He turns around, pretending to go back up the stairs, and pulls out his laser pistol, using his coat as cover.

Silas doesn't have his weapon drawn since it's an on turn action for him. I'm assuming this is going to end in bloodshed, so here's my initiative.

Initiative [1d8+2] = 6+2 = 8

[greyarea]

Romer holds out his hands, wide and inviting to show he means no harm, attempting to belay her itchy trigger finger. He takes up space, partly to help his compatriots hide behind him, but leaves his hands wide so they can shoot past him.

He says, I'm sorry, soldier. We are scheduled to make a delivery and, as my partner said, we have chosen the wrong door. We need to get to the lieutenant and were told this is the way to go. Isn't his office just past you?

I'm attempting to use his Talk skill. Talk [2d6] = 2 Well, that about tears it. I suppose I will have to use his gunslinger skill if he survives this round...

[Faanku]

Novo Kalichev, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Tuesday 15-02-3200
21:17

The soldier, already on edge from the sudden chaos outside, is unreceptive to Romer's obvious lies. "ON THE GROUND, ALL OF YOU! HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!" A small red light on her helmet flashes on and you hear her alert someone as her rifle remains fixated squarely on Romer's forehead. "Krushic, this is MG, go to high alert! 4 at the main gate, apprehending now!"

Returning her attention to the crew, she shouts once more. "FINAL WARNING, ON THE GROUND COUNT OF 3 OR I'LL DROP YOU WHERE YOU STAND! 3.... 2...."

A valiant effort at diplomacy, but I believe it's time for some initiative!
The soldier is wearing a T4 military Combat Field Uniform (AC 16) and is wielding the aforementioned Mag Rifle (2d8+2 damage, extremely dangerous)

[greyarea]

Romer holds his hands high, saying Okay, Okay, no need to be so upset.

He slowly lowers himself to one knee.

[Marullus]

Damian comes down the stairs behind the others. Watching the situation deteriorate, Damian's lips tighten and he gestures with his empty hand. There is a sucking, popping sound as a micro-black hole impacts the molecular cohesion of the guard's physical form...


Initiative [1d8+1] = 3+1 = 4 Entropy Void [1d20+2] = 20+2 = 22[1d8+2] = 4+2 = 6
If the situation, initiative, and critical success allow, I'd like to take out his comms helmet before fully communicating the alarm.

[greyarea]

Romer initiative:
Initiative [1d8+1] = 6+1 = 7, alert 2nd Initiative [1d8+1] = 3+1 = 4 7

[ybn1197]

Benedict Initiative:
Initiative: [1d8+1] = 6+1 = 7

As soon as he can, he will target the soldier with his laser pistol and fire.
Laser Pistol: [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3 Damage: [1d6] = 2
Well that's not good.

[eirei]

Silas spins around, pistol in hand, and tries to disable the guard quickly, before she has a chance to call for backup.

Laser Pistol: Attack [1d20+4] = 11+4 = 15, damage on hit [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5, damage on miss [1d4] = 4

...well, at least the graze damage is almost the same as the real damage.

[greyarea]

As Romer gets to one knee, he draws and fires his laser pistol

attack [1d20+2] = 7+2 = 9, dmg [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5

[Faanku]

Novo Kalichev, Kakimedes, Jodhild System
Tuesday 15-02-3200
21:17

Seeing Romer begin to follow orders, the solider stops her countdown and loudly attempts to contact her allies again. "Krushic, this is MG, respond! Detaining 4 at the main gate, I need help out here! Кусок дерьма! Krushic, jus-" Her voice is cut off as Silas puts a bolt of plasma straight through her throat, the gunslinger effortlessly finding the sweetspot on the combat uniform's armour just below the chin. The soldier flails for a few seconds as the cauterised gunshot wound sends superheated plasma into her lungs, then stops dead. There is no sign of the securidoor opening, making it safe to assume that Damian's attempt to disable the soldier's comms was successful; for now, you maintain the element of surprise.

[Marullus]

Which stairway did we come down, and which door are we outside of?

Time seems to tick audibly, the commotion outside in the distance muffled but still urgent. Damian looks to Benedict. "You got that cypherlock, right?" He looks to the others. "We need to sweep these side rooms while he does that. We don't need trouble coming back out."