IC: Post or Die, Lifelines, and deadlines Options

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:23 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

"Frag a trog's dandelion eating breeders son of a bitch. Ferret, we gots some colts brand new in da box assault rifles--we needs ta check the other trucks for da commlinks da Vipers were looking for. That aside we got 15-maybe 20 missing from dis truck. If ya catch my drift.

Zo slots the chip in the case into his commlink, trying to access the specs.

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:23 am, Deep inside the Annex in Redmond

Ferret's grin is hidden by his respirator, but he gives a knowing nod.

"About twenty missing you say. That's a fragging shame. However, if my maths is right and I have the headware to check it, what's in this truck alone is worth way more than we're getting paid, even at street prices. So Mr J should be happy. Let's take a look in the other one and see if the comms gear is there. Do you mind doing the honours again? Just in case. You seem to know a lot more about explosives than I do."

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:23 am, Sewers beneath the Cross-town Warehouse

"I'll do what I can for you, big guy." Professor packs up his gear. "Let's see if you can walk to the exit over there. I hope so, 'cause I sure can't carry you."

As Professor starts toward the hole leading up, he turns to see if Big Daddy follows. "Just so I understand your hurry, have the ghouls been at you?"

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:23 am, Sewers beneath the Cross-town Warehouse

The Troll tries to move his grotesquely large limbs, but he's not getting up yet. He's moving enough to make you think that he can get up, though, given enough time to return the circulation back to his arms and legs. "Yeah. Infected. Still not too late though. Gotta clock in my head, so I know." He sort of coughs and short of laughs. "If you promise to help me to a healer, I'll tell ya how to get them trucks runnin a'gin." He wiggles a bit more, some of the movement coming back to him.


Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

The sound of Oswald's SUV pulling up to the building's door is followed shortly by the cantankerous old man's presence.
"Oh god! Oh! Oh fuck! Grab that damn tarp over there and help me cover up these half-eaten people! God damned savages walking around in a bloody corpse-pile! This is vile. I'm gonna need so much bleach..."

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Ferret had been deliberately not trying to look at the pile of dead bodies, keeping the bulk of the trucks between him and bloody scene. Now, he sidles up to Oz to help him with the tarp, all the while trying not to look directly at the dead.

"Sheesh Oz, they're dead. There's nothing we can do for them. Plus, we don't know how long we got before the ghouls come back. Go help Zo get the trucks running. I'll cover them up."

Taking the utmost care not to get any blood or gore on him, Ferret begins slowly draping the tarp over the dead while trying to keep his last meal down.

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

"Oz get over here to dis one." Zo points to truck he is at. "Its been detrapped. The others I'd need ta take a look at. Anywayz, da lock on da back of dis one is busted, so we'd need ta jury-rig somethin to keep it closed."

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, Sewers beneath the Cross-town Warehouse

"You've been down here a few days. I can see your desire to get to some help. Sure, let us know how to get the trucks going and I'll do what I can to hasten you to some healing." Professor signals the team, <<@team: Big Daddy about to tell us how to get the trucks going again. He's been infected and needs to get to a 'healer' before the virus transforms him. I said I would do what I could, which prompts him to give us the info.>>

"In the meantime, let's see if we can get you moving. Shake those arms and legs while you tell me what needs to be done. Get the blood flowing again."

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

<@Team--I got a .44 Magnum. Dat will stop da disease....oh ya wantz him ta live. I know street doc dat may be able ta help. He got cred?>

[Sephiroth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, Sewers beneath the Cross-town Warehouse

Jovan, who had been listening to the conversation from the astral, manifested discretely inside a nearby sewer pipe so that his disembodied voice could be heard by the two. "My elemental servant can help you walk as well, if it would hasten your trek up to the main level." Spirit, would you be so kind as to materialize and help this large metahuman walk up to the main warehouse floor? No magic should be necessary; he seems to just need something to lean on.

Jovan's voice became more serious now - a bit colder and more predatory as he mentioned the ghoul's name. "Long Legs, I must know where Archer and his companions have fled to. I am not about to permit him and his to escape this place in one piece. You know this building and this area better than we do, and you may know his capabilities better as well. What can you tell me about where he might be heading? Does he have vehicular transportation? Would it be possible to intercept him before he can escape the Crosstown sewers?"

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:24 am, Sewers beneath the Cross-town Warehouse

"I don't live in a toxic waste pit because I'm in the habit of trustin people. Recent events haven't done a thing to change my mind." He wiggles a bit more. "Notwithstanding your contributions so far. I do appreciate that." He adds as the spirit helps lift him up so that he's now standing. Well, standing as best a 10-foot tall troll can in a sewer. "I gotta make a condition though. I never gave up those trucks to the ghoulies, and I'm not just handing them over to you for a promise." By this point, the Troll was mobile and headed with Professor back toward the warehouse grate.

"If I end up like that piece of shit, Archer, I'm going to blast the backside of my skull out anyway, so you ain't saved my life till I got a shot at beating this fragging sickness. Meantime, those trucks were my payday, and I can't afford a healer. So, you want those trucks to run again, you need to put me on the line with a healer and pay the fee in advance." By this point, he's squeezed himself up through the grate with a large amount of effort. "Two grand donated to the Bear Doctor Society ain't much to ask, considering the worth of that cargo."

Finally out of the sewer, he spreads out on the floor of the underground passage north of the warehouse. His limbs unfurl like telephone poles as he stares at the few lights lining the ceiling. "I don't know where Archer went. Don't use the sewers, for obvious reasons. I've got some blueprints of the local infrastructure in my system. If you want, I can plug in and send them to you."

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Oz was happy to have something to do with all his energy and immediately forgot the pile of half-eaten bodies by the southern entrance. Looking at the back of the truck, he blinked a couple of times as he scanned the cargo. "Couple of bolt rings and a piece of chain will hold it closed. Won't hold up to scrutiny if we need to pass the trucks off as normal though." Wandering around to the front cabin of the vehicle, he flipped a few things and lifted the hood. "On-board computers have been removed. No wonder the vehicles aren't broadcasting anything. We slap those things back in, and we're out of here." He looks from side to side "Anyone want to help me look for th-"

Just then, a towering woman in ostentatious garb appeared, all wrapped in flame, and screamed "Off with their heads!"

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

"Holy Shit! Flaming spirit over there!!" Professor points with one hand and draws his pistol with the other, knowing full well how futile such a puny weapon is likely to be.

[Notsoevildm]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Just then, a towering woman in ostentatious garb appeared, all wrapped in flame, and screamed "Off with their heads!"

Ferret jerks back from the bloody bodies, the hairs on his neck snapping to attention. While his body is momentarily frozen with fear, the tarp slipping from numb fingers, his mind spins as his logic processors spool up!

What the frag? Did one of the bodies...no, behind me. Red Queen. Alice 2060. End boss, third level. What were her abilities? NO MATRIX ACCESS. Frag, not important.

He peeks over his shoulder at the flaming spirit as the Professor calls out his warning.

Shit, some sort of spirit! <<Prof, tell Jove to get his mage ass down here before that fragging fire elemental cuts off our heads!>> Are they bulletproof like in the original SRO? Or just heavily armored like the patch? NO MATRIX ACCESS Either way, pistol's not going to be much use. FIRE MODE: BURST * GAS VENT: ACTIVE * SAFETY: ON <<Zo, tell me you spotted some clips for those Colts.>>

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Zo while listening to what needs to be done by Oz. A split second before the spirit materializes, the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand up, he quickly readies his Ak-97 and just as Professor gets the first words, and cutting off Ferret mid sentence a spray of gunfire heads towards the spirit.

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Without knowing what was going on, only that it was bad, Oswald drew his pistol and ran towards the safest place he knew, his Rigger Cocoon.

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse
Zo looks at the bullets stopping in mid air and dropping to the floor, with a disappointed look on his face.

Zo yells back over the gunfire "Ferret, dat's not goin ta help. Jovie if your here do something useful!"

[Sephiroth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Noise. Yelling. Surprise. Alarm. Fear. Murderous aggression. Jovan's astral senses suddenly were receiving an unusual spike in emotional input from the surrounding environment. Something was happening, but Jovan's mind couldn't immediately figure out what it was. Then gunfire. ATTACK! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! IT'S THE INSECT SPIRIT AGENTS FROM SAEDER-KRUPP! THEY HAVE FOUND ME! IT WAS A SETUP, THEY MUST HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS WITH THE ORK AND THE HACKER DWARF AND THE OLD MAN, OF COURSE WHY DID I NOT SEE THIS COMING, THEY MUST HAVE PROMISED THE OTHERS AN ENORMOUS SUM OF NUYEN FOR MY HEAD! I HAVE TO FLEE! I HAVE TO FLEE THIS PLACE! SO HELP ME GHOST, I WILL HUNT DOWN EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU TRAITORS AND YOUR FAMILIES AND I WILL FILL YOUR HEAD WITH VISIONS OF PAIN, THE LIKES OF WHICH YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ON THIS EARTH! I WILL ERASE EVERY MEMORY THAT YOU HOLD DEAR, PIECE BY INDIVIDUAL PIECE, UNTIL YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SHELL! THEN I WILL SUCK EVERY LAST DROP OF BLOOD FROM YOUR CORPSES, AND I WILL LAUGH! I WILL LAUGH!

"Holy Shit! Flaming spirit over there!!"

Oh. Perhaps that was a bit premature.

Jovan's disembodied voice yelled back up the tunnel, "Break line of sight! Now!" From where he had nestled himself safely out of sight in an unlit corner above Big Daddy's head, Jovan's faded image moved in a translucent blur towards the warehouse before disappearing completely into the astral, simultaneously launching a powerful wave of magic towards the flame-wreathed spirit.

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Hell, why not.

Professor draws mana into himself and channels it into his muscles. Like they have just been oiled, they respond, and his arms sweep together, holding the pistol steady, aiming for that particularly thick mass of flame in the middle. He squeezes off one shot.

Wonder if Alice ever thought of this.

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25:01 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

As he's taking aim at the burning malevolent entity, professor notices the shine on its crown and figures it for a point of spiritual concentration. His pistol barks out a single bullet, traveling straight through the large fire opal in the center of the crown and producing a burst of flame out the back of the spirit's head. It turns angrily at the foolhardy dwarf and lashes him with a whip of flame.

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25:01 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Professor ducks as the gout of flame hurls towards him, only to stick his face into the blast. Pain sears through him and he stumbles backwards, smoke rising from his armor... and his exposed skin.

Am I to become number nine?

[Warlordtheft]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25:01 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Seeing the spirit focus its next attack on Professor, Zo lines up another shot. Good point, Prof.

"Hey Joygirl, off wit yur head!"


Using the truck as cover Zo aims and shoots his assault rifle at the spirits head, hoping to do something more than waste bullets.

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25:01 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Zo's burst was tight and right on target as it lit up the Red Queen's head. The bullets fragmented explosively on impact tearing chunks out of the spirit's visage until it screamed and dropped to the ground in a puddle of quickly evaporating goop. The volume of the rifle fire served as a stark juxtaposition for the silence that followed. Until Oswald radioed in from inside his car. <<@team: Are you dead or are they?>>

[Saint Sithney]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25:01 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

Zo's burst was tight and right on target as it lit up the Red Queen's head. The bullets fragmented explosively on impact tearing chunks out of the spirit's visage until it screamed and dropped to the ground in a puddle of quickly evaporating goop. The volume of the rifle fire served as a stark juxtaposition for the silence that followed. Until Oswald radioed in from inside his car. <<@team: Are you dead or are they?>>

BDLL, who was mostly immobile for the short exchange managed to get up and lumber back towards the warehouse. He seemed upset.
"Oh you miserable piece of shit! I am going to gouge out your eyes you stupid Ghost-damned breeder!" He wobbled a bit and came down sitting on the hood of a half-chopped car. "I told those idiots to keep a gun trained on that crazy little kraut bastard! I told them he couldn't be trusted!" He started coughing violently and crumpled into a large heap on the ground.

[pbangarth]

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2071, 12:25:04 am, BDLL's Cross-town Warehouse

<<@Oswald: I'm seriously singed but we're all alive so far. The spirit is gone. Zo did it in. Big Daddy seems to think it was the work of the German. Have to admit, even I'm starting to lose track of the players in this game.>>

Professor sees to Big Daddy, pulling some paper towels out of who knows where. "Here. Cough into these."

[Notsoevildm]

Ferret watches the firefight, runnig through plans and discarding them until Zo's burst takes down the spirit.

Thank frag for dumb-ass trogs. All action, no planning.

"Who's the German? And just how many people are after these trucks anyway?" he asks only slightly hysterically.

He hurries over to the Prof and BDLL, pulling out his medkit.

"I don't have any real training in using this thing, but if no-one else does, I can at least follow the instructions it gives. We need to get the trucks started and get the frag out of here before someone else turns up!"