[IP] Panzerknacker Options

[Gilga]

She texted bnc and the team. >> Cutie! I am trying to buy you time! Trust me! Zola is likely not very far from the door. He cast a spell to lock us in the bank and claims to mind-control Flatline. The alternative is a very large blood tradition spirit out in the open in a populated area. I do not think he would go that far, outing himself as a Blood mage. At any case, there would be SOMETHING there...

[Jack_Spade]

While the furious yet silent conversation went on between the runners, Zola's voice continued to sound - although bnc noted that her sensors did not actually record anything of it:
"Well, I may be an old fool to have fallen for your charms once - but I don't buy your "I'm just a vulnerable girl" routine. You are a shadowrunner - just like your friends here.
And anyway, my offer still stands - your life for that of Mr. Schmitt, plus a little extra.
Oh well, seems like the time just ran out. Alright, so now I say: Whoever in this building kills him gets my favor, the rest will become fuel..."

Slobber noticed the movement through his motion sense just a fraction too late: Suddenly something human shaped but invisible and silent had entered the room with them. Before he could call out a warning a different kind of alarming sound was heard:
The unmistakable hiss of a very sharp blade cutting deep into flesh.

Schmitt turned around in surprise and bewilderment, then began to spurt a torrent of arterial heart blood. Too late the tall German's hand flew to his slashed throat, before he collapsed to the floor.

"Pitty, it seems as if Mr. Ramirez will be claiming my favor..."

As this played out, Anna received a message:

<<Stay away from the doors - I'm coming for you.>>

[SquirrelDude]

Idiot. Of course they're invisible.

"bnc, tend to the doctor"

Slobber immediately started to use his motion sense and bathed the room in smoke.

"Ugh, we'll never find an invisible soldier. Hopefully this smoke will hide us."

"wink"

[ Spoiler ]

Last 3 Smoke Grenades bursted out from the Launcher

Grenade Launcher: 9d6t5 4
Motion Sense [5]: 12d6t5 6

[Gilga]

Anna sighed "Mind you mr. Zola I am quite vulnerable right now and scared shitless. Shadowrunner or not, I am locked in a bank with an ultimatum to become a killer or die.

You want to hear something real?! I cannot kill Schmidt... I did not kill Eve and did not kill a single person in my entire life. I do not have that in me, self-defense perhaps but to kill out of fear? horror? I don't know if I even have that in me. Even if I tried - he is an ex-soldier and I am the one with shaking hands and tears in her eyes.

Seriously though, don't you like me better now that you know that I am a mage and even a showrunner? Do you really prefer boring call-girls? I am a real, fun loving and adventurous woman and I am attracted to you because you are dangerous and exciting and fun. Common, when would I ever meet someone else that can do all this crazy shit? Now, are you really going to murder me because I took a job which was too big for me? Why not form a real connection with an actual person for a change?

No more powerplays, you won! let me and my friends go and lick what remains of our pride and go kill your old rival yourself. He got us into this mess in the first place. I mean - you probably kill people and feel nothing. All casual - but an old rival trying to steal from you? Don't miss out on that - life offers very little that can genuinely please a person like yourself. "

She walked away from the door and signaled Slob to do the same, she tried to find some partial cover in the stairs in case something blows up from the outside. She hoped for some miracle - but had no clue what to do. Texting the team >> I asked Kynos for a rescue, he said to stay away from doors. Not sure how that fits into a plan - but if he has some way to get me out perhaps it is the beginning of a plan for the rest of us. I am not sure how successful I am delaying Zola or convincing him to show himself. I don't feel very helpful and I talk too much when I am nervous... Is there a fire alarm to the bank? Where do they evacuate employees in case of fire? Perhaps we can go to the armory? blow up a wall or something... Does any of that makes sense? The mind is a mess...

[Volker]

[ Spoiler ]

I should have 2 or 3 combat rounds while the conversations going. In the meanwhile, I try to locate Zola. If I can get any visual - from the other drones, the car, whatever, outside, I will prefer those instead. Also, before I start hacking, I command my drone to shoot a window at the side of the bank opposite to where our car and their attention is, as the drone should be able to pass the barrier without problems, and leave the building.

Hacking on the Fly: 2#18d6t5 9 7
Trace Icon: 13d6t5 6

As soon as Schmitt gets attacked, I'll patch him up:
First Aid: 17d6t5 4
I assume that I get penatlies because of the bad sight and people screaming and stuff, so this would be 3 hits (unless the penalty exceeds -12 ^^). Thus, Dr. Schmitt is stabilized and gets one point of damage reduced (even with his full body armor). If you decide, that I'll need more hits to save him from a wound to his neck, please tell me, so that I can spend edge. If you decree, he's beyond medical aid, so be it.

After her initial shock, bnc's mind turns again into frantic mode, spinning wildly while she tries to manage several things at once. First, she checks the matrix and finds Dr. Zola. "You're right, he's here. I'll try.", she confirms. Passing on information is crucial.
She then checks for signs of life of Flatline and Kite and tries to access the drones and vehicles outside, basically anything that might be able to geek the blood mage. Simultaneously, she sends her Nissan rotodrone off to escape the building as unseen as possible. This might be the only possibility to kill the mage.

Nothing of this, however, matters anymore, when a spray of blood gushes from Gerhardt's throat. Yuk, this looks bad. Please, trogs, keep me safe. I'm your last paramedic.
"Krestov! Guard me, there's someone! I need to get to Johnson!"
She kneeled down next to Gerhardt, her fingers working almost on their own. She sticks a selfadhesive wound dressing on his neck, knowing that this is nothing more than trying to stop a river with your bare hands. Next, she gets out needles, injecting a strong ansthetic into his system to shut it down to little more than hibernating. All she could do was, after all, preserving him until he got magical aid. Next, she injected blood clotters close to the wound to still the bleeding, hoping that enough of his throat was still left to sustain his brain with blood. "Don't die. Please.", she prayed. A wound like this was beyond medicine. Schmitt was now in fate's hands.

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

Hacking Zola's link is not a trivial task: He has high INT and a good link:

Matrix defense: 14d6t5 2
Matrix defense: 14d6t5 8

So now he has a mark on you as well and could reboot...
I'll let you spend edge if you want to just buy two additional hits

Resist trace: 14d6t5 5

Barely made it.


Despite a Concealment power in effect, Slobber notices the invisible man and can pinpoint him.

Please roll initiative vs.
Ini: 16+4d6 31

Your quarry doesn't know that you can pinpoint him and is getting ready to hit bnc as well. Krestov blocks one avenue, so you know the angle from where he'll be attacking.

First aid is having the following mods:
Bad conditions: Visibility and combat chaos -3
Patient has implants -1
Armor is no problem, as Schmitt doesn't wear the FBA but only an armored suit that you can open easily.

Your first roll was a stabilization test, taking 4 dice away that leaves you with 5 successes

B&B p.14
To stabilize an injured runner, the character rendering
aid must succeed on a First Aid + Logic (variable, Complex
Action) Extended Test. The threshold for this test is the to-
tal number of boxes of physical damage the injured char-
acter has accumulated. This includes any damage from
prior injuries, as well as any progressive damage added
while the Stabilization Test is underway. Apply any dice
pool modifiers from the Healing Modifiers Table (p. 253,
SR4A, or p. 208, SR5). Stabilization of critically injured
characters who have exceeded their Physical Condition
Monitor is handled in the same way. Simply add any ac-
cumulated Overflow Damage to the total number of boxes
for the purposes of calculating the threshold. If a critically
injured character cannot be stabilized before his Overflow
exceeds his Body, he dies.

Schmitt has taken a total of 13 physical damage, his body value is 4, so every 4 rounds he will gain another point of physical damage - unless you beat the threshold
So you need to get another 8 successes within the next 3 rounds to stop the bleeding or he'll be dead.

The drone encounters the same electrical effect as at the other entrance: 10 P(e) damage on a Rotodrone with Body 4 and Armor 4
Soak: 8d6t5 2
Drone takes 8 damage and is destroyed

bnc tries to hack Zola's link and get his physical position. As the trace runs down she has a horrible sinking feeling - then the attack comes and takes her full attention.

As bnc hurries to save Gerhards live, she is hampered by the smoke and the less than calm and sanitary environment. Her first injection brings back a spark of life into Gerhard's eyes but it is fading fast as his heart rapidly tries to compensate the pressure loss, worsening the situation considerably, still his lips move just a bit and bnc being so close to him hears his "B...bianca..." before he closes his eyes...

The drone meanwhile encountered the same electric barrier and the feed cut out - luckily without painful biofeedback.

Slobbertooth meanwhile had pinpointed the attacker. The bastard had doubled back and now was going for bnc. Slobber had the strong suspicion that his opponent had the same magic sense for movement as himself.
Still, that didn't mean the man expected Slobber to be able to perceive him...

Through all the chaos, Zola continued to speak calmly: "Scared you may be, but you did not go for my sincere offer in time. So I'm afraid your potential will be wasted. This building is warded - courtesy of another mage trying to break in before you and destroy... well nevermind. Suffice to say that I upgraded the defenses accordingly and as it seems with sufficient secrecy."

[Gilga]

Anna sighed "This is kind of douchey Zola... Now let me try to fix what you brake." Understanding that the doc was down, and that first aid was not going to cut it. Anna run to help, she stepped in next to bnc and said"You are not dying so quickly..."

[Volker]

[ Spoiler ]

Initiative: 1d6+9 13
Initiative: 1d6+9 15

First Aid: 3#13d6t5 4 6 4
She really doesn't want him to die, it appears (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
That's 10 hits within 2 Complex Action (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
So, I'm finished after one-and-a-half combat rounds.
Not that this leaves us in any better a situation.

"Get off!", bnc snarls as Anna reaches out to interfere while she's drawing up a needle, forgetting even to use the team channel. "Get us the fuck outta here."
Then she returns her full attention to Gerhardt. "Don't you dare giving up on us. You brought us here, you bring us back out, too!" She forces a smile though a hurling mix of emotions - fear, anger, sadness, terror ... affection? - made her cry. She blinked away the tear, relying on the Psyche running through her system to leave her as calm and focussed as possible in a living hell like this.
Her hands wander with the automatic sureness and velocity of one who can read body signals like books. Before he reaches shock stadium 2, bnc sitcks a patch at his neck to counter the effects of the shock. Jeez, you're going to feel so sick after all these drugs wear off. Guess feeling sick beats feeling dead, I suppose.
As soon as the blood starts to clot, the wound is sealed, the effects of the shock negated, bnc lays him on his side, neck bent just a little. "I guess you owe me another date for this, doctor.", she continues talking. A familiar voice might just make the difference between losing the man or not. "And I'll order the god-damn most expensive muesli of the entire west coast, I promise." She tried to make it sound casual, but she finds the very same moment that it sounded much more like a farewell.
She pulls a warm blanket halway over him, then injects an infusion to his arm. A natriumchloride solution with pain relievers and a very, very careful dose of anesthetics now sift into his system, compensating for the blood loss. Once all is done, she pulls the blanket up to his neck.
"Nicht aufgeben. Nicht dieses eine Mal." Nicht das eine Mal in meinem Leben, wo ich jemand anderen beschütze...

[ Spoiler ]

I realize that I'm touched by the scene.

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

Nice work - say, how good is bnc with poisons? *devil*
Make a perception test Threshold 3

Also, don't count your chickens before they are hatched - there is still an invisible stalker around and a very, very capable blood mage...

A tinge of blue surrounded Gerhardt's lips and bnc noted how his heartbeat got quicker again...

[Gilga]

Anna tried - and failed to summon another air spirit...

[ Spoiler ]

rolls in Orokos, she took 1 drain for the attempt...

[Volker]

[ Spoiler ]

You mean, soulless bastard!
To answer the question... I guess, quite good. What would you roll? Chemistry? Medicine? Street drugs?

Perception: 11d6t5 2
There goes my edge... -.-
2/4 edge spent trying to keep him surviving.

Reroll: 9d6t5 5

That's 7 hits in total -.-
Is that worth anything?

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

Jepp, I'll own that title:

bnc smells night shade aka atropine upon the wound. Not a particularly deadly poison but quick acting and tends to quicken your heartbeat - which is really bad if you got stabbed

[SquirrelDude]

"bnc, duck and cover the doc's wound.

"It's about to get loud."

Slobber quickly raised his rifle, took aim at his opponent's vitals, trying more to be accurate than aggressive.

[ Spoiler ]

Spend Edge. Called Shot Vitals Push the Limit. +3 from Edge, -0 from Recoil. -4 From Called Shot +2 DV. Ex Explosive Ammo +2 DV -1AP

Yamaha Raiden Full Burst: 18d6t5 6 Whoops, didn't include the exploding 6s. Yamaha Raiden Full Burst Exploding 6s: 2d6h5 0

(Also, TIL you can declare this after you roll the test, otherwise I wouldn't have done it) So all of that is wrong because I can't do math and needed to triple check my recoil.

FA Burst. 0 Recoil Penalty Called Shot Vitals. -4 Called Shot. +2DV. Ex-Explosive Ammo. -1AP

FA Burst Yamaha Raiden: 14d6t5 6 Hits.

6 Hits -5 to Dodge. Damage Code 15p+Hits -2AP

Ugh, sloppy from me. Sorry.

[Jack_Spade]

Slobbers rounds impacted on the assassins head just as he was about to strike an unsuspecting bnc. The attack made him swerve, but it didn't seem to have killed him. A bit slower but nonetheless with more than enough speed to be frightening, the assassin charged Slobber.

bnc meanhwhile had made sense from the readings of the bio-monitor: The wound had been contaminated with atropine - the same stuff used to prevent someone from dying through nerve gas like VX. Used like this it was still a very bad poison that made the victim's heart beat faster and worsening the blood loss.

A quick addition of the relevant antagonists halted the poisons effects and finally made Gerhard's life signs stable again, although he remained in critical condition.

Finally, bnc had a half second to read the result of her trace: Zola's commlink was definitely within the building upstairs...

[SquirrelDude]

Perhaps Slobber's size lulled the Jaguar into thinking he was slow. He telegraphed his charge towards Slobber, who nimbly pirouetted to the side with an "OLE!". Slobber planted his feet, raised his rifle to his cheek, aimed and fired another 6 rounds again.

[ Spoiler ]

Defense: 17d6t5 11 WHAT?!

Alright, this time we'll get it right the first time.

Free: Called Shot -4 +2 DV
Simple: Aim +1, resets recoil
Simple: FA Burst -0 -5 Dodge
Ex Explosive +2 DV -1AP

18-4+1 = 15

FA Burst Yamaha Raiden [9]: 15d6t5 9 Accuracy of 9. Damage Code 15 -3 AP. 9 Hits to dodge.

42 rounds left in magazine.

[Gilga]

Next Anna has ordered her spirit to help them overcome their enemies. She readied her gun and looked for some visible queues as to where to shot. It was not easy with all the smoke and, the fact that the attacker was invisible. Heck, she was not even sure exactly who shot who but someone was hit.

[Jack_Spade]

[ Spoiler ]

The guy goes full defense
Defense: 16d6t5 5
19 P AP-3
Soak: 20d6t5 8
Takes another 11 S and goes down

Before Anna's spirit could do anything, Slobber had taken care of the problem with another burst: Having stepped calmly out of the way of the charge, Slobber aimed again and sent another short, concentrated burst of gun fire at his would be attacker's head.
This time he had hit with full force and whatever protection the man had had, had not been enough to keep standing after two full bursts. Still, Slobber sensed the man still being alive, although pretty wounded and likely unconscious.

Meanwhile, bnc had managed the almost impossible feat of stopping the bleading from an arterial wound.

But before the team could start to cheer, Zola's cold voice cut through to them:
"It seems I have underestimated you again. Oh well, seems like I'll have to redecorate the hall anyway. Kynos, kill them all!"

A long moment passed, but nothing happened.
"And once again my personell deems it the right time to dissappoint me. If you want something done you have to do it yourself. I'll be with you in a moment..."

[Gilga]

Anna filled with resolve and a sense of urgency... "Quickly - there is not much time!
Let's do Invisibility spells for everyone - if Zola has to look into the astral or dispell my spells - it'll slow him down. He'll find himself limited by his own astral barriers. We'll also need to position our selves strategically so he does not just cast a huge fireball and get it over with. Suggestions?

Is there anything I can do to Schmidt? how he is doing?"

To Kynos she texted ">> Are you alive big-boy? Don't be shy to yell for help - I can send a spirit.

[Volker]

bnc almost shrieked when two salvos of ammo rushed just a few feet past her. Though she knew how futile it was, bnc dodged whatever attacks were flying in this utmost chaos, then returned her concentration on Gerhardt Schmitt, whose weak pulse seemed to somewhat steady itself.
Did this just happen? Did I just save a man who suffered a wound to his throat with a poisened blade, while an invisible killer still went amok in a room full of smoke? bnc smiled despite the whole mess of a situation she was in. She was just about to let out some clever quip, when she realized she had totally forgotten about Zola's icon she traced just seconds ago. "Gosh!"

"Damn, he's in the building. Here .... I updated the ARO map. Zola's commlink's location is on the map now. Remember, though, that this doesn't necessarily need to be his own location.
Zola might try to mind control either Krestov or Slobbertooth. Protect them at all costs."

bnc checks Gerhardt a last time, then searches the matrix for icons she can put to use.

[ Spoiler ]

The drone's done for, right? Dammit... that was stupid! Do we have any other armed drones inside? What does Zola's PAN show?
Matrix Perception (silent mode): 11d6t5 5

[Gilga]

">>Just keep within my field of vision and I can better your odds with counterspelling. Being at the line of sight of a dangerous initiated Blood mage is very risky. Do you think we can try to sneak out of here - and leave Zola with some grenades on time trigger? If we hide well enough perhaps the grenades would kill him without a direct confrontation."

[Jack_Spade]

The smoke had begun to diminish as the automatic climate control had detected the impurity in the air and began to scrub it.
At the same time, bnc noted that one of the spy drones had picked up movement: A door in the guard room had opened. For a brief moment she had a view of unconscious guards lying on the ground. Only now they were no longer unconscious but pretty certainly dead, considering the amount of blood that had spread on the floor. The camera on the little drone did not catch any movement beside that of the door and neither IR nor Ultrasound did detect anyone passing, yet a moment later the door towards the corridor opened as well, though no sound could be heard...

[Volker]

"Attention, something dangerous is coming from the guard rooms. Killed everyone. My sensors can't detect rien de tout!"

[SquirrelDude]

"Wish I had more explosives on me right about now."

Slobber moved over to where the Jaguar had fallen, groped around to find his head. Moving a helmet or ballistic mask if necessary, slobber jammed his rifle into Ramirez's mouth and pulled the trigger.

One of ours to the hospital; one of theirs to the morgue

[ Spoiler ]

-6 more bullets. 36 remaining

I'll leave it to Jack to decide how long that takes to do. If Slob has actions remaining, I'll also use motion sense to try and get a feel for what's going on.
Motion Sense: 12d6t5 3

[Gilga]

Anna picked up a couple of grenades from Slober and strategically placed them near the entries of the room. bnc - can you wirelessly trigger these when the time is right? We'll need to find a place with enough cover to survive these explosions, quickly, to the stairs. It'll give a superb firing position and places to take cover.

She processed bnc's words and with horror, she figured out... "Killing his own guards? He is completely insane... a lunatic an unstoppable senseless murderer... How can he possibly hide such corruption... " and she started worrying about Kynos, but as none of the others seemed to trust the mercenary, she did not say anything. Slobber using the little time they had left to make sure that Ramirez is dead was also shocked her, but it was nothing compared to Zola that simply seemed to enjoy murdering people - friends or foes...

Or was that Kynos that decided to murder all the fellow guards? Does she even want him to come and rescue her if it was him? If it meant getting out of that place alive, and somehow killing Zola... whoever did that atrocity must die. The Blood mage must have gathered some tremendous power from all these sacrifices there is no telling how much magic he could unleash on them. They needed to run.

[Jack_Spade]

Slobber fealt the form of a man descending the stairs. Leaving the corridor wasn't an option any more. The closest escape was the loo and that door didn't look like it would withstand a grenade blast particularly well.