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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 10, 2017 12:23:32 GMT -6
[GM Post]
The Patroclus drops out of FTL. Unlike Shepard’s reports of what was on the other side, there is no debris floating near the exit point. Instead, it has been moved well away from the relay in an undertaking that must have taken considerable effort.
What first grasps the crew’s attention are two cruisers within a few dozen kilometers. They are not combat-ready, but their sensors do lock onto the freighter almost immediately. Two wings of three fighters each take up positions flanking the freighter.
The next thing that they notice, as information populates on the HUD, is that rather than a single large structure serving as the shipyard, there are more than a dozen structures dispersed across thousands of kilometers of space. Most have multiple spacedocks on them. Some are building numerous frigates, some building a handful of cruisers, and one building a massive dreadnought- twenty percent larger than the largest vessel in the entire Systems Alliance fleet. A few structures have no docks for construction, a couple appearing to specialize in fighter production, and a couple appearing to be labs working on analyzing the various pieces of alien technology located beyond the cleared perimeter.
[Note that any member of the crew who wishes to be may be on the bridge at this point, so long as they are not right up front by the windows; the visual scans from Cerberus aren’t going to see people deeper in the bridge. At the same time tomorrow, I’ll be putting up the opening hail from Cerberus.]
[Note that the beginning of this chapter may be a little slow in posts, as I will be traveling for about a week and a half (though I will be able to post during that time some), and Fischer will busy part of this time as well.]
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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 19, 2017 13:10:34 GMT -6
Maelstrom fidgeted again with the armor-weave on his right arm. It was a close fit, but not quite perfect, and he was unaccustomed to imperfection in his implements of warfare. He felt a slight lurch, as the vessel dropped out of the relay network.
What filled the forward windows and most of the displays on the bridge was not particularly surprising, though it was not encouraging either. Two cruisers were waiting only a few dozen kilometers away. Two wings of fighters almost immediately took up positions, ready to blow the the barely-armed vessel into a cloud of vapor at the slightest provocation. Maelstrom would have prepared in much the same way, though he suspected he would have laid a mine field too, in order to limit the movement of any ships leaving the relay system.
The thing he noticed next did take him by surprise. He had been expecting a large, heavily armed and protected base, but there was nothing of the sort. The construction facilities were widespread, each one seeming to be designed for creating a different portion of the Cerberus fleet. The spacedocks were many kilometers apart.
"Well," Maelstrom said to anyone who was listening, "I guess that objective is more-or-less screwed." Pointing to the dreadnought, he added, "We should still be able to take that out without a problem, and I imagine the spacedock for it would be irreparably damaged in the attempt. Anybody got a suggestion for what to ram the freighter into?"
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Post by Joe Fischer on Mar 19, 2017 14:47:08 GMT -6
"Ram?" Joe asked from across the bridge.
He had his helmet off, so his look of mock wide-eyed innocence was clear for everyone to see.
"We're not going to ram anything," he said. "We're going to experience a 'problem' in the navigation systems."
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Post by Eric Lysander on Mar 19, 2017 21:38:37 GMT -6
“Caused by a runaway power surge in th’ drive core,” added Lysander, alluding to the dormant ordnance spliced into the drive systems.
He extended an arm and finger, tracing the outline of the dreadnought’s dockyard. He suddenly stopped at one point.
“There – the fuel and power module,” the demolitions expert indicated. “If they’re still hammerin’ it together, the ship’s drawin’ power from th’ yard to run th’ lights and vital systems; it won’t be gassed up n’ under its own power core ‘til launch. We crunch th’ module n’ the ship goes dark along with that section of th' yard. No sensors, no instruments. No callin’ for help. The fuel rupture and explosion should rip out some of th’ moorings as well. And just when they think things can’t get any worse…”
Eric’s hand flexed out all five fingers in imitation of an explosion. “They do.”
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Post by Urdnot Thrak on Mar 21, 2017 11:39:41 GMT -6
Thrak grunted his displeasure, as he paced the small shuttle. He did not like his role in the first part of the mission, being the last line of defense in case Cerberus found the alien crew. It made most sense, though. Arcus and the others could be sneakier than a hulking krogan with a warhammer. They would probably draw all the blood and get all the glory, while he paced this EVEN SMALLER SHIP.
He let out another frustrated grunt, and he noticed some of the alien crew were pushing themselves firmly against their seats. Thrak was not trying to scare them, but he would have been lying if he pretended there was no small corner of his psyche that enjoyed the effect he had on them.
"You're going to wear a hole through the plating," the Girlie called from her spot in the copilot's seat. She was the only human still on the ship.
Thrak stopped, genuinely surprised, and stared at the plating. He knew the ship was small, but he did not realize the flooring needed to be THAT thin. His anxiety rose, as he realized he would have to keep still in this RIDICULOUSLY SMALL SHIP.
"it's a human turn of phrase, Thrak," Girlie said. "A joke."
He grunted in irritation again rather than laughing, as he resumed his pacing. One or two of the crew looked forward at the human in disbelief that she had provoked the krogan.
Her innocent comfort with him was what Thrak liked about Girlie.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Mar 21, 2017 18:28:59 GMT -6
Eric lowered his arm, remembering the other explosive surprise hiding within Maelstrom's craft. It could not be helped, unfortunately. If the team was to get close enough to seize the Okinawa, Cerberus could not suspect until the last possible second that there were non-humans aboard. Of all of them, Thrak seemed the most uneasy with the plan.
"If Cerberus wasn't givin' us th' third degree with their scanners, I could check in with our infil team," lamented the mission's executive. "Maybe Geneenh could.. nah. These guys wouldn't happen ta have telepaths on their staff, would they?"
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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 21, 2017 19:24:33 GMT -6
"These guys wouldn't happen ta have telepaths on their staff, would they?" Lysander asked.
Maelstrom raised an eyebrow. "My God, I hope not. They're into some seriously disturbing science, but I've never heard of them having that kind of success of that degree with humans. I can't see them employing any aliens here."
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Post by Eric Lysander on Mar 23, 2017 18:29:18 GMT -6
“Guess we better not chance it, then…”
Eric looked back out on the dreadnought yard and to the forward wing of Cerberus escort fighters. At any moment the ship would be hailed and all aboard would have to put on the performance of their lives. Most of all Eric, who had a lifetime of cons, swindles and interactions with the authorities to fall back on. Could he hold the enemy’s attention long enough to get all team members into position without notice?
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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 23, 2017 21:38:24 GMT -6
[GM Post]
The commander of a Cerberus cruiser hails the Patroclus. Captain Benjamin Braxton manages to use his legitimate security codes to be allowed access to the shipyards. The freighter heads off towards the station building the Okinawa, the fighters and cruisers breaking away. He calls to the crew that docking will take place in five minutes.
[Note that all characters should be ready for docking before the next post. Contact the GM if there are any questions regarding your role on the mission. Captain Braxton's dialogue may be worked in to character posts; please, contact the GM for approval before doing so.]
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Post by Joe Fischer on Mar 25, 2017 0:05:58 GMT -6
Naetilia did not like the human woman she and the others had rescued from the Cerberus facility where Maelstrom was being held.
It was not the woman herself; the turian doctor was slowly learning that unlike her people, most humans often acted differently depending on the circumstances and who they were with.
It was certainly evident in the humans on the team, most notably Lysander and Fischer. Out of combat, they were jokesters and braggarts, but in times of adversity they put their joking aside and acted like professionals, soldiers who could easily match any of the ones she had served with.
No, it was not the woman herself; she had not acted in any way to make the turian think she was anything other than an average human.
It was her effect on Maelstrom.
The biotic had explained the need to bring her along when they freed him from Cerberus, but he also shared his concern that she may not be who she appeared to be.
So far the woman had not acted in way that proved Maelstrom’s concerns about her, but that proved little to her. If there was one thing she knew, adversity had a way of showing one’s true character. The woman had not been among them for long and no dangerous situations had occurred since they freed her, so there was no reason for her to reveal who she really was.
This situation would likely provide her with that opportunity. If she was a Cerberus agent, this mission would provide her with the perfect chance to strike.
Naetilia hoped that she would not have to leave the shuttle, but she also knew that she had no say in the matter. What happened out there would be in the hands of Lysander and Fischer and their ability to deceive the members of the pro-human group.
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Post by Geneenh T'Loris on Mar 25, 2017 5:01:50 GMT -6
Geneenh stood on the bridge, fully dressed as a Cerberus engineer and chafing at the weight of the turret strapped to her back. She was not used to carrying such weight, and if a fight broke out she would deploy it the first chance she got.
She also looked with disfavor at the M-5 Phalanx heavy pistol in its holster on her thigh. It was not nearly as powerful as the Scorpion pistol she usually wore and not nearly as useful. With the Scorpion, she could fire a round into the ground and it would become a small proximity mine, but with the Phalanx all she would do was make a hole in the ground.
Then there was the matter of the ship’s captain. She had caught him glancing at her several times, but it was not with the desire so often demonstrated by others when meeting members of her race, nor was it the curiosity or wonder of one encountering her race for the first time either.
That question battled for dominance with her sense of anticipation as they approached the shipyard. Until now, her actions had been against the pro-human group’s holdings—and minor ones at that—but this was direct action against their operations. She was curious to see if what she had learned was enough to help them succeed.
And she was also curious about them as well. Were her identity to be discovered, she wondered if their treatment of her would be as unkind as she expected--or would it be worse?
She sighed with annoyance at them. Their actions were driven by the view that anything alien was to be feared, and the only way the fear could be ended was to control it. But the other races would not allow that to happen; they would resist, and the true believers of their pro-human views would then point to that as proof they were right, not even realizing they were creating the very reality they were desperately trying to prevent.
She pushed those thoughts aside and focused on what lay ahead.
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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 25, 2017 11:44:30 GMT -6
Maelstrom found himself nervous in a way he was unaccustomed to, as their ship angled for the station in which the Okinawa was being constructed. One part was that he worried about what would happen to him again if he we're captured. Another, new aspect was that he feared Emily's reaction... Spy activated, innocent scarred by combat, or victim taken again by her abusers. Along with that, though was the fear that his closest friends could fall victim to the organization which had laid waste to his old life and recast him as the damaged but lethal man he was today.
He took a few steps forward and placed a comforting hand on Lysander's shoulder, as if to express his trust to the man.
Letting his hand fall to the side, he said quietly, "They'll meet us at the airlock and start inspecting the ship. We should take a cargo lift with our disassembled bomb and some components to the Okinawa as soon as possible after they board. If you can assemble it while we hack the ship, we can take out the Okinawa's station after leaving. The frigate should be able to strike the dreadnought quickly enough. That leaves the freighter's course to you. Research station or shipyard, and which one?"
[Insert reply]
Maelstrom nodded.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Mar 25, 2017 15:03:10 GMT -6
Research station...
The Shadow Broker's directive was plain: claim the Okinawa, destroy the dreadnought. Any further damage they could inflict upon the shipyards would send the intended message but the ships were top priority. Maelstrom's last encounter with Cerberus still weighed heavily in the N7's mind. The wrecks, the carnage at the other research bases he was sent to investigate in the past. That there were many still in operation with experiments that broke every Council and natural law to further the aims of the Illusive Man...
"Set course for the research station," Eric said finally. "Cerberus' churned out too many Emilys and Maelstroms."
Maelstrom nodded.
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Post by Joe Fischer on Mar 25, 2017 19:56:02 GMT -6
"And here...we...go," Joe said as he put on his helmet.
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Post by Corwin Havens on Mar 28, 2017 22:34:29 GMT -6
From the moment the Patroclus dropped out of FTL, the assassin activated the tactical cloak on his assassin armor. Streams of data flowed before his eyes, framing his line of sight in his helmet. It displayed everything he needed: temperature, position of known potential targets, analysis of environment, and so much more.
Corwin was a ghost, leaving no hint of his presence as he made his way toward one of the exits for the ship. While moving, he opened up his comm channel to Lysander.
"Havens in position, waiting for orders."
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Post by Arcus on Mar 29, 2017 2:10:43 GMT -6
Arcus glanced at the small map of the freighter displayed on his omnitool, observing the small dots that denoted locations of the various personnel onboard. The good captain had given him the access codes required to link up to the ship’s onboard security system. His suit’s VI had taken care of the rest of the simple task of streaming the desired data to his wrist. The dots were not exact locations, merely precise enough that he would know how many people were in a given room at a time. That was more than enough for Arcus. There was a split in the corridor nearer to the main exit hatch from the room Arcus was in. Depending on the size of the sweep team that would inevitably be boarding the ship, they would likely split off into two or three groups there before arriving at his location He looked around the room. It was cluttered, as one might expect from a frieghter, with various storage and maintenance equipment scattered about. He selected a corner with a large maintenance tool chest anchored near the wall, from there he scanned the room for the appropriate lighting panels to render inoperative. Just enough to cast extra shadows in that corner. It was really a shame how predictably lazy a maintenance team can get on a cargo shipp when it came to the finer details. The room's lighting hadn't exactly been exceptional in the first place, and a gradual change in one area wouldn’t likely be noticed unless someone was specifically looking for such a thing. After disabling the selected lights, Arcus positioned himself in the shadows to wait. He began to sing quietly to himself. in a high falsetto, “Just a little bit lo-onger. Just a little bit longer.” youtu.be/eu-Aczaoa9A
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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 29, 2017 4:31:04 GMT -6
[GM Post]
The Patroclus docks with the frigate construction station. They are docked one level lower than the Okinawa, on the same side of the station. Captain Benjamin Braxton is able to bring up a map of the station, showing the crew how to reach the Okinawa. It is a fairly straight shot to the main cargo elevator, about fifty meters down a straight corridor. One level up, and a few turns, and the crew can reach the Okinawa only about a hundred meters from the cargo elevator.
The team infiltrating the station should be gathered at the main cargo hatch (clear it with the GMs if your character is elsewhere) with all the necessary equipment. When the hatch opens, the team finds one mousy little administrative man flanked by four Cerberus Assault Troopers and four Cerberus Engineers. They are also accompanied by one Centurion and one Dragoon.
"Inspection team, to check the vessel's cargo and confirm the ship itself is in good repair," the man says in a high-pitched, nasal voice. Taking note of the sled of equipment that the team had assembled (including the disassembled bomb in several of the crates), he lifts his chin a bit higher and asks, "What is this?"
[Note that the progression through this round will be determined in part by the actions given by the team members at this point. Declaring actions similarly to in a combat round is advised, though if an individual wishes to plan out an action with its consequences, the GM may be consulted.]
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Post by Urdnot Thrak on Mar 29, 2017 4:44:56 GMT -6
"We're docked," Girlie reported, looking up from the co-pilot's console.
Thrak had not fully understood just how impressive the VI running Maelstrom's little ship was until the past few moments. He did not know a lot about such things, but he imagined the program might even give a geth trouble. Using passive sensors only and not even being tapped in to the Patroclus' computers, it had detected the docking and that the primary cargo port had just opened. Girlie explained that it was mostly using vibrations, subtle changes in momentum, and the like to extrapolate what was happening. He did not understand most of the words coming out of her mouth, but it sounded very impressive.
With a fair bit of self control, he stopped his pacing. He was not certain, but he suspected someone, particularly a person with scanning equipment, might be able to hear his footfalls even inside the sealed shuttle. Instead of the pacing, he removed the war-hammer from his back.
"Will this tangle of circuits be able to tell us if someone makes it into this bay and needs to be dealt with?" he asked Girlie.
"If they make it into this bay? Yes. If they need to be dealt with... that's a judgement call that VI's just aren't set up to deal with."
"I have been programmed with advanced security protocols to help analyze risk of detection," the VI replied. Thrak almost thought it sounded offended.
Thrak squeezed into the cockpit, keeping an eye on readings. He would need to act quickly if their cover was blown. After all, having the ship parked at the center of a small maze of crates was not exactly the most secure means of concealment.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Mar 29, 2017 18:00:59 GMT -6
Captain Braxton kept up his end thus far, using his clearance codes to get them docked on the port one level below the Okinawa and providing them a map of the dockyard outlining the most direct route between ships. Eric saved the information to his HUD via the omni-tool and had it queued for quick retrieval when needed. He then motioned for Joseph and Geenenh to form up with him to head for the main cargo bay hatch as the second team took up positions within the freighter.
"Havens in position, waiting for orders," came a voice over Eric's secure comms. The operation's executive looked everyone over briefly before answering.
"Acknowledged. Keep us covered on th' main hatch while we try n' bluff our way past with the gear. Once we're clear you can try n' link up with us or support the freighter team n' take down the search party's biggest goon once we've been made."
[Insert response/comment by Havens]
Eric next addressed Joseph and Gennenh.
"Okay, showtime. How's this for a cover story? We're hauling parts n' tech and the 'gear' we're smugglin' on to the Okinawa is some of her captain's stuff that got misplaced during his transfer..."
[Insert responses/comments by Joseph and/or Gennenh]
The senior N7 studied Geneenh's disguise. No one outside the freighter could tell that she was asari with her helmet on. Still, it was best to cover as many angles as possible.
"What do we tell our patrol dogs if they ask why you've got your helmet on?" Eric asked of Geneenh. "Have a cold? Germaphobe...? Shy?"
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Post by Maelstrom on Mar 29, 2017 19:08:21 GMT -6
"Mild contageon," Maelstrom spoke up. "Explains why I'm keeping my helmet on too. Just being considerate. Don't want them to get a cold."
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