IC: Post or Die, Lifelines, and deadlines Options

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

Ferret's squeak draws Professor's attention. As Ferret collapses, Professor rushes to his side.

<<@team: Something got Ferret. Maybe Matrix. Checking him out.>>

An astral scan of Ferrret's aura shows a massive, frightening shock. Must have been some nasty IC. Wait a minute...

Ferret's faint squeak flags a warning in Professor's mind. He shouldn't have made a sound if he was in VR. If he wasn't in VR, this shouldn't have happened to him from IC.

A review of the astral scan shows auditory trauma response. Ferret's ears are still tightened to the point of pain. He must have heard something. But I heard nothing. As Professor pulls out some smelling salts from the first aid kit and waves them under Ferret's ample nose, he queries the team.

<<@team: Ferret seems to have been hit by some kind of sound. I heard nothing. Anything auditory just happen in there?>>

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

The chromed Ferret ran for his life. The crystal tendrils were creeping ever closer but he couldn't find the exit to jack out. Around him icons of programs and other deckers were blinking out as the virus speared them with crystal spikes. He had stripped his running programs back to the bare minimum and was redlining his deck, pushing his system response to the max but it still felt like he was running through treacle.

A tendril snatched at one of his legs, but he tore it away with codesharp digital teeth. Matrix combat had never been his strongest skill but desperation was enough in this case. He zigged and zagged, gaining some distance from the nearest spikes. He panted as his saucer eyes scanned for a way out. All across the horizon, icons were flickering as the crystal virus overwhelmed them.

In the distance, he thought he could see some figures fighting the spikes but he turned away from them and ran. And ran. Until his head was bursting with the effort. He stopped and as he did so, a spike of crystal blossomed through his chest.

//Logic processors online//CRC okay//Connecting to matrix//

"Waaagh!" wails Ferret as he jerks upright. Stubby fingers lock onto the Prof's arms with all the weedy hacker's strength. His eyes are still wide, as though seeing things that are not there.

"Not real, not real" he mumbles, releasing one of Prof's arms to rub at his chest. As his breathing slowly returns to normal, he gives the Prof a weak smile but avoids making eye contact. "The dogs. It was them freaky dogs. I heard them howling. Caught me off guard. I'm okay now, honest."

He releases the Prof's other arm and retrieves his gun from where he had dropped it. "Lucky I had the safety on, neh?"

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

"Glad to have you back, big guy." Professor packs away the smelling salts. Ferret's aura seems to be settling. "Yeah, and I'm glad for once I didn't hear what was going on!"

<<@team: Ferret is back.>>

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

<@ team>Dogogo how-howls, ca-ca-ca-causing shasha shakes..

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

<<@Zo: Hang in there, Zo. Deep breaths. Down into your stomach, not your chest. In through the nose and out through the mouth. Do that a few times and you'll feel better.>>

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

<@ team>Fra..a..a..gin e..e.easy for ya..ya..ya.. to to sa..say....

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55 AM, Inside the Flipped Van


<<@ team: I still don't know what's so scary about these drooling mutts, but if I see any, I'll make sure their brains go flying. Never did like dogs. Find their mindless loyalty repellant.>>

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

Still visibly trembling, Ferret takes a few deep breaths and settles himself back behind cover, watching the street outside the bar. He switches the AR feed from the blimp to video only and pumps up the volume on some electrothrash synth music. While he might not hear any ghouls creeping up on them, he hopes it will drown out the sound of the dog's howls.

He rubs one last time at his chest as his heart rate slows from frantic to simply elevated. The crystal spike that had speared him may just have been a nightmare manifestation of his AIPS but it still hurt like hell.

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

As the shit comes closer to hitting the fan, a corner of Professor's mind wanders, marveling at how time seems to stretch in moments of crisis. Is it more than just an impression? Or is there a physiological reason why it seems as if a month has gone by in a few hours?

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:55 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

Zo Get .....aaaa grippp you drekhead, dammit stupid stupid doogzz!

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58 AM, Crosstown Annex

Time itself seemed to stop in the wake of the Barghests' howls. The moment played out in slow motion to those in the annex as three beasts came charging out of the tunnel at a full sprint, bloody foam slipping from the corner of their open maws. Jade could hardly have moved even if she were still in control of her body, but she was not. The combined spirit-entity formed from the Tiger and her Air Spirit was effected doubly by the howl creating an essential rift between the Tiger's instincts and the spirits alien logic. Before this rift could heal, the dogs were already on her, demonic claws digging through her and knocking her to the ground. Still gripped his shakes Zo couldn't bring his shaking hands to the task of spraying the beasts with bullets before the alpha dog's jaws clamped down on Jade's throat.

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58 AM, Crosstown Depths

Jovan could see two more creatures, burning with hate following after him in the tunnels. They seemed to move like snails to one who could simply think of a place and be there. Still, they pursued as he flitted about.

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

Zo sent his shots trying to help Jade, sending a short bursts into each dog. But from his experience bites to the jugular even if from a devil rat were fatal.

@Team<Jades gone gone to dog chow. Gesh, and I didn't get a chance to slot her.....fraggggh>

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

Ferret closes his eyes against the scene playing out in the AR window as the dogs pull down Jade. It doesn't help. The images are being played directly onto his retinas by his comm's image link. He feels the bile rise in his throat as he mentally adds another team-mate to the already too long kill list.

This is a fragging suicide mission he thinks to himself. I don't want to die. Frag, I don't want anyone else to die.

He straightens up behind the counter, steadying his pistol with both shaking hands and mentally flicks the fire setting to 'burst'.

<<@team: Zo, get out of there. Let Oz deal with them fragging hounds. Pull pack to our location. We'll cover you.>>

Besides, even if I did make it out on my own, Throgg would kill me if I let one of his bro's get eaten by ghouls.

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

Professor shudders. How many now, in the span of a day? With a sense of utter futility, he tries to distract the Hounds, and fires a shot into each.

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

@Team<FRAGGGGGGGH NO! Ozz Ozz get a drone in here. Dares a bunch of vermmmin dat need ta ta be ge-ge-geeked.>

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58 AM, Crosstown Annex

ZO took a firing position and let loose on the the two smaller dogs from his perch by the west exit. They tried to jump away from Jade's prone form, but still took direct hits, each of them. Meanwhile, down the street, Professor took out his pistol and fired at the brace of dogs before they could scatter. One bullet punched through a dogs ribs, killing it, while the other dog managed to get out of the way, but not of the magnum round that came from Oswald's blimp. Both smaller dogs lay dead next to Jade. The alpha dog raised its eyes at ZO and brought his head up, lifting Jade's body by the neck like a rag doll.

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:59 AM, Crosstown Depths

The dogs had chased Jovan a ways from the room with the ghouls, not thinking much about what it was they pursued. This was an obvious mistake. At his mental command, the massive Air Spirit blinked directly in front of the charging dogs and blasted one of them with a wave of terror. The other dog tried to swat at him, but missed, while the first dog fled through the Spirit's grasp. Jovan turned and took care of the other dog with a similar blast of mental panic. The spirit again couldn't quite connect with the fleeing dog, but he quickly caught up with it and swatted it.

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:15:58 AM, Inside the Flipped Van

The blimp's rifle cycled a fresh bullet into the chamber
<<@team: Another dog down.>>

[Sephiroth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00 AM, Crosstown Depths

Unaware of what was occurring elsewhere in the compound, Jovan watched in mild amusement as the Awakened mongrel dogs and his Air elemental failed to hit each other for a brief second. How comical. It's like there's ineptitude in this place's astral imprints in addition to fear and death. As the two dogs fled in terror, though, Jovan's projected mind followed in pursuit, reaching out to dominate and immobilize the nearest dog so that his Servant could more quickly finish it off.

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00 AM, Crosstown Depths

The terrified dog was moving as in a nightmare. No matter how fast it ran, its attacker was perpetually at its back clawing at its very soul through the fabric of reality. Suddenly though, the very object of its fear appeared in front of it and filled its mind and soul with a single command that it could not help but obey. SUBMIT. The command resonated through its whole being. It froze in place for a moment before the spirit tore through its core in a violent slash of moving energy. The dog's soul was nearly torn to shreds by the blow, something so beyond comprehension that its mind shut down in response.

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

Ferret curses under his breath as he tries to draw a bead on the alpha dog. But between his trembling hands the little machine pistol's limited range, the smartgun target refused to settle on the beast.

I need a bigger gun. Something with range. Like a sniper rifle.

His eyes drift up to where his AR indicates that Oz's blimp should be.

Or maybe a drone with a sniper rifle. Hmm, I need to think about that.

He pulls his attention back to the action just in time to see the big dog's head come up, Jade's limp body still in it's jaws.

Oh, frag!

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

Zo looked at the remaining dog, and noted the dead form or Jade in it's mouth. He quickly lined up the shot as the dog came towards him.

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00, Lusty Wife Bar and Grill, outside Annex in Redmond

Professor lines up the last dog, then it bolts. "Whoa, that thing is fast." He adjusts his aim.

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00 AM, Inside the Flipped Van

Ozzy marvled a bit as the monsterous dog turned and bolted back inside the warehouse to confront ZO.
<<@team: God damn! I get it about the dogs now. That thing was the size of a small horse and made outta nasty.>>

[Sephiroth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:01 AM, Inside the Flipped Van

The floating eyeball turned in place to face the old man. "One of the dogs has been incapacitated astrally, and a second has been terrorized by yours truly and is currently preoccupied. What is the situation with the others? Particularly the female and the ork boy - are they faring well against the feral ghouls?"

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:16:00 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

Zo saw the dog seemingly teleport itself toward him.With the door covering him he pushed it towrds the dog ducking down. The big mongrel dog, caught off guard glanced off the door, spilling itsellf past the staircase.