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Post by Joe Fischer on Mar 29, 2017 20:04:16 GMT -6
"We're keeping our helmets on because we're still on duty, that's why," Joe said. "As for the components, that's a good story, no one should question that."
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Post by Geneenh T'Loris on Mar 29, 2017 20:31:14 GMT -6
"I'm keeping my helmet on because I'm a former Alliance marine who got half of her face burned off by some turians and their government refused to pay reparations," Geneenh said. "I'm also tired of people staring me like some kind of freak."
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Post by Eric Lysander on Mar 31, 2017 7:45:30 GMT -6
Eric considered each of his team member’s responses, nodding. “Hopefully our guests’ll be wearin’ helmets too and it won’t be an issue. Well then,” he adjusted his own helmet and took on an authoritative stance. “Let’s go down and say ‘hi.’”
[Insert responses/comments/final checks between teammates as they move the palettes up to the main cargo entrance, Eric and Joseph leading. By the time they are done they will be at the door which Eric will unseal.]
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Post by Maelstrom on Apr 1, 2017 22:35:13 GMT -6
Maelstrom gave the woefully inadequate armor a final once-over, as he followed Lysander to the main doors. All of its systems were green, but that meant very little to him, with none of his custom systems which tied in with the Vengeance or which allowed him maximized mobility and protection. He felt like he was wearing a balloon and just waiting for some Cerberus grunt to graze it and make the whole thing pop.
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Post by Corwin Havens on Apr 2, 2017 18:27:19 GMT -6
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.
"Acknowledged," Corwin replied to the former N7 before he muted his helmet microphone.
The assassin reached behind his back and slowly unhooked his compressed Banshee assault rifle. The weapon quietly hissed as it expanded, becoming battle ready in the blink of an eye.
"Amonkira, Lord of Hunters."
Corwin began the prayer that he and Benewan prayed before every job they went on. He kept his voice soft and respectful as he took a knee before an air vent.
"Grant that my hands be steady."
His agile fingers gripped the edges of the vent's cover, removing it with practiced ease. Being invisible was not enough for Corwin. He knew any piece of technology could fail. Best be hidden, in case the worst happened.
"My aim be true and my feet swift."
He slid into the vent, pulling the cover with him so it sealed shut the moment he entered.
"And should the worst come to pass, grant me forgiveness."
He laid down on his stomach, aiming his rifle at the vent cover. He stared at the HUD readout and waited....
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Post by Eric Lysander on Apr 5, 2017 7:11:47 GMT -6
Everyone had completed checking themselves over once they reached the bay door. Eric paused a moment to look at his team, exhaled and engaged the lock. Let’s see what dogs Cerberus’ sent to snoop around…
The hatch opened to a well-armed inspection team headed by a mousy little administrative man. His entourage was comprised of four Cerberus Assault Troopers and four Cerberus Engineers also accompanied by one Centurion and one Dragoon.
The little guy must be the one with the gloves, mused Eric to himself. The only one who fits-
"Inspection team, to check the vessel's cargo and confirm the ship itself is in good repair," said the nebbish in a high-pitched, nasal voice, looking down on the infil team despite his stature.
Eric clicked into character, shot a thumb backwards and replied “The captain will be down momentarily to accompany you around the ship, sir. He’s sure you’ll find that everything’s in order.”
Eric stepped back to take his side along the cargo sled and prepared to haul it into the passageway.
The head of the inspection team noted the equipment assembled on the sled. "What is this?" he asked, lifting his chin a bit higher.
“Some personal effects belonging to the captain of the Okinawa, sir,” answered Eric, remaining in place. “Called in a favor to bring them over before heading underway. Apparently some of it got misplaced during transfer...”
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Post by Maelstrom on Apr 5, 2017 10:52:32 GMT -6
[GM Post]
The administrator shakes his head disapprovingly. "Captains..." he nearly hisses. "Think the rules don't apply to them. A bunch of arrogant, preening egotists."
[Replies may be inserted. So long as they are not blatantly offensive to him, no negative reaction will be had.]
He stares at the crates as if longing to tear them open in front of all the men. Snapping out of it and looking back to Lysander, he added, "Still, it's not the fault of you men. Proceed with your work. I'll take this up with Commander McKay. I'm sure the station commander will have a nice, long talk with Captain Crichton about following protocols regarding internal security." Waving a hand dismissively, he adds, "Be on your way."
As they walk unbidden onto the Patroclus, teams of two (one Engineer and one Assault Trooper in each unit) split up and begin searching the ship, with the administrator, Centurion, and Dragoon beginning their own inspections but staying close to the area, awaiting Captain Braxton.
[Round One]
The infiltration team may proceed directly to the Okinawa. As posted previously, it is a straight shot to the cargo elevator, one level up, a few turns, and then less than one hundred meters. There are few Cerberus personnel in the halls, all busy. This round should end with the crew reaching the Okinawa's airlock, guarded by two Cerberus Centurions.
The Patroclus team may begin killing up to two enemies per round, per player. Keep in mind that stealth is paramount. Braxton will, as advertised, come to meet with the administrator and his two guards.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Apr 5, 2017 18:02:53 GMT -6
The administrator shook his head. "Captains..." he nearly hisses. "Think the rules don't apply to them. A bunch of arrogant, preening egotists."
"Just following orders, sir," pandered Eric to the administrator. "If it were up to me I wouldn't even have bothered. I have enough to do without worrying about missing luggage."
[Insert comments by other team members, if any.]
The administrator stared at the crates. Eric studied his expression. Was he going to order him to have the sled's contents opened? Corwin was stationed nearby in case things took a turn for the worse...
"Still, it's not the fault of you men," he said finally, looking back to Lysander. "Proceed with your work. I'll take this up with Commander McKay. I'm sure the station commander will have a nice, long talk with Captain Crichton about following protocols regarding internal security."
Waving a hand dismissively, he added, "Be on your way."
"Thank you, sir..."
Eric took his side of the sled and led his team out into the hallway and straight to the cargo elevator, careful not to seem too rushed or eager yet not too nonchalant. They slowed down in places to allow some dockworkers to pass while others waved them by.
So, Captain Crichton... thanks for the tip, dweeb...
The team soon reached the elevator which opened up immediately. After the former passengers cleared out with their palettes Eric's team boarded and headed up one level.
[Assuming the ride is about 10-15 secs, team members might have brief commentary/remarks but must be mindful that they still could be under surveillance.]
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Post by Joe Fischer on Apr 5, 2017 20:03:23 GMT -6
Joe really wanted to be carrying his rifle as the Cerberus personnel boarded and questioned the cargo, but that would've been too suspicious.
Yeah, we're just one big happy pro-human family, no need to have our guns out...
The inspecting officer bought Lysander's story regarding the components and waved them through.
*****
A quick stroll down the gangplank later, they were in the base proper.
He half-expected them to be walking around throwing anti-alien remarks around, but they seemed more focused on carrying out their duties. He even heard a few of them griping about their duties.
Looks like some things don't change, regardless of the organization...
They boarded the cargo elevator and began the slow ride up.
"I'll be glad when we get the cargo delivered," he said to no one in particular. "Then we can get back to our real jobs."
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Post by Maelstrom on Apr 6, 2017 4:14:24 GMT -6
Maelstrom barely registered any of Lysander's words, as their team-leader talked their way past the men at the airlock. Inside his armor, his knuckles were white from clenching his fists so tightly. That was the only thing he could do to keep from grabbing his gun or knife and making the man pay. Making all of the Cerberus scum standing in front of him pay.
He knew he could do it, and it would be quick. He had, after all, brought grenades. If the rest of the team saw him move, they would go into defensive positions, while the Cerberus personnel would be blindsided by such an attack. That the short, annoying man was unarmored spoke to their confidence. the blast would take care of most of them. A few shots would level the rest. It was all he could do to keep from trembling with the uncontrollable urge to make those men pay.
Trying to steady himself, he closed his eyes and breathed slowly, remembering their plan. If all went as intended, Arcus, Thrak, and the others would reduce these men to slabs of meat lying in puddles of blood shortly after they left. A short time later, if Lysander could pull it off, the whole station would become a white-hot nuclear explosion. The thought of such widespread destruction to his tormentors calmed him somewhat.
He opened his eyes again just in time to notice the others moving and not look out-of-place in following them. As they moved through the corridors, courteous to the other people in them, Maelstrom's blood was nearly back to boiling. Every person he passed was another neck he wanted to slit. Another head he wanted to add two holes to.
Recent events had changed him, he supposed. In some ways, he felt more at-ease. Felt he had more people he could trust. On the other hand, it appeared that his lust for Cerberus blood was greater than ever.
"I'll be glad when we get this cargo delivered," Fischer said. "Then we can get back to our real jobs."
"It might be a job for you. It's my passion," Maelstrom said, trying desperately to maintain a level tone and not reveal the extent of the overwhelming urge he felt to end every life on the station personally.
Think calming thoughts, he told himself. An image from his rescue, the body of a Cerberus scientist lying crushed and broken in a puddle of its own blood, as the last breath of life left him came to Maelstrom's mind. He smiled, feeling significantly more steady.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Apr 6, 2017 7:08:26 GMT -6
Even on the short ride up to the Okinawa’s level the team could not afford to let down their guard in case they were being tracked despite being cleared by the inspection team. Nevertheless, some of the tension had to be relieved. "I'll be glad when we get this cargo delivered," Fischer said. "Then we can get back to our real jobs."
"It might be a job for you. It's my passion," Maelstrom said.
Eric could not resist and patted his side of the sled. “… that’s an awful lot of lingerie for a ship’s captain…”
He still did not know if Crichton was male or female and did not really care. Either way Eric hoped his jape would elicit a chuckle from whoever was listening.
Or listening in…
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Post by Geneenh T'Loris on Apr 6, 2017 8:27:29 GMT -6
Geneenh sighed melodramatically.
"I said it before, I'll say it again, I'm not modeling that stuff for any of you," she said.
She looked over at Fischer.
"Get him to do it, that stuff is more his color anyway."
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Post by Joe Fischer on Apr 6, 2017 8:30:37 GMT -6
Joe looked over at the asari.
"I would, but you couldn't handle the sight me of in that stuff," he said.
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Post by Geneenh T'Loris on Apr 6, 2017 8:31:57 GMT -6
"You're right, I couldn't," she said. "I'd die from laughing so hard."
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Post by Urdnot Thrak on Apr 6, 2017 11:32:55 GMT -6
Thrak was gripping the edge of the hatch leading to the cockpit and barely restraining himself from ramming his head into it multiple times, just to vent his frustration at being on this MICROSCOPIC SHIP and at NOT KILLING ANYTHING. It was only his sense of professionalism and his appreciation for the seriousness of the mission that kept him from bellowing out in rage and smashing through the shuttle's hatch to get at the enemies who were surely already on the Patroclus. Bloodrage would be a good excuse to use rather than admitting claustrophobia. After all, both were true, but bloodrage sounded like the stronger reason.
"Excuse me, Thrak?" the turian doctor said, coming up to within a few feet of him. In a quiet voice, she added, "You seem to be in severe discomfort. Do you require medical attention?"
"No, Doctor," he said curtly.
"I am also aware that krogan find confined spaces highly agitating for prolonged periods. I could supply a..."
"I appreciate what you're trying to do, Doctor, but what I need right now is for you... to... back... away," he growled. She was decent enough for a turian, but Thrak was in a violent temperament, and he did not want to be abusive towards any of the others. Making his mood clear, he added, "I'll apologize later."
The doctor straightened with seeming turian indigence and pride, before cocking her head to the side in a gesture of reluctant acquiescence and backing away to return to her seat. Thrak noted that she refused to turn her back to him in doing so.
"Do you need me to back away too?" Emily asked innocently, from the co-pilot's seat.
"No, Girlie," Thrak said with strained effort. "You couldn't crowd me if you tried. Little thing like you barely takes up as much space as the bloodflies back home."
She laughed at his remark. Somehow, her naivete eased his stress just a bit. It was enough to keep him from ripping the frame off the door.
"I bet that damned Madknife is loving that I'm stuck in here while he's having all the fun..."
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Post by Eric Lysander on Apr 6, 2017 12:25:18 GMT -6
"I would, but you couldn't handle the sight me of in that stuff," said Joseph. "You're right, I couldn't," said Gennenh. "I'd die from laughing so hard."
“And thank you both for that picture,” Eric squirmed in place as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. “Okay… let’s get this where it needs to go.” As before, there were a few people in the halls to maneuver around but a few more turns as well. On the final stretch to the Okinawa’s entryway, two Cerberus Centurions were seen guarding it in the distance.
‘Kay, just be cool, thought Eric. Got a bit o’ intel on the captain and inspection’s okay so they shouldn’t be a problem…
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Post by Joe Fischer on Apr 6, 2017 15:59:19 GMT -6
"And thank you both for that picture," Lysander said.
"Hey, we're a full service organization," Joe said. "We make sure that humanity is the king of the galactic hill while simultaneously inflicting deep psychological damage on our members."
As the words left his mouth, his gaze settled on Maelstrom and regret washed over him.
Words are out, can't do anything about them now.
The elevator stopped, the doors opened and the group exited.
*****
As they closed in on their target, one last obstacle presented itself: a pair of Cerberus Centurions.
He looked over at the senior N7 and waited for him to work his verbal magic once more.
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Post by Arcus on Apr 7, 2017 3:49:55 GMT -6
The transparent glass HUD that hung over Arcus’ left eye showed a group of four dots split into two at the junction, just as he had anticipated. There was a third group that had hung back near the entrance to the ship, but they could be dealt with later. The two dots that would be his prey were only a room away now. His mandibles fluttered. “Anticipation. Keeping me wai-ai-ai-ting.” Arcus sung quietly to himself just before the door slid open. He heard two sets of boots hitting the deck as his targets entered the room.
“Dammit,” a voice muttered. “ Look at this! What kind of lazy-ass is in charge of maintenance on this ship? There’s what? Five dead lights in here? Five!” Arcus heard a flurry of keying on an omnitool as he saw the back of a helmeted assault trooper step into view, with a helmetless engineer following behind and slightly off center, shaking his head in irritation.
Neither seemed particularly on guard. The trooper held an assault rifle, but his grip and posture showed he was holding it out of protocol and training, rather than out of caution. The engineer’s pistol was holstered. As they reached the far side of the room, the engineer continued his small rant. “There’s got to be some sort of underlying electrical problem in here. I’m gonna make sure the dumbass responsible for ignoring it gets chewed.”
Oh, there’s an underlying problem all right. Arcus smiled to himself. Let me Clarify the cause for you! He unsheathed a blade with a shallowed, sickle-like curve as the fingers in his free hand flexed in a commanding pattern. His suit’s VR controlled medical system activated in response, injecting Clarity into his bloodstream.
Almost instantly, Arcus’ eyes dilated as an adrenal compound flooded his system. The yellow of his irises almost disappeared between the black of his pupils and his turian sclera, forming a narrow, glowing band of gold in a sea of darkness. Sensory neurons all over his body began growing additional neuroreceptors, heightening all of his senses. In his brain, new synapses formed to handle the flood of new incoming sensory information.
For Arcus, time began to slow as his brain began to process information at lightning speed. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply as though experiencing a sweet summer breeze for the first time. His eyes opened with a cold, dead fury, and he stepped quietly from his hiding place, letting a biotic field surround him in a protective shield as he began to stalk his prey. He could almost smell their blood already.
He aligned himself behind them, off-side of the fatal funnel, with the engineer between him and the trooper. Biotic energy surged through him, propelling him forward in a biotic charge. The sickle blade, in a reverse grip and extended out to his left, connected with the back of the engineer’s neck. The momentum of the charge combined with the slight wedge shape of the blade edge launched the engineers sheared head into the air, a spray of red trailing it.
The angle of approach to the Cerberus soldier was less optimal, and the point of arcus’ blade embedded itself into the man’s armored back, just right of his spine, holding fast as Arcus left the biotic charge. Using his momentum and the now firmly anchored blade as a pivot, Arcus swung around the soldier’s right side, landing on one knee as he spun to face the trooper, with the impact pushing the man forward to meet the turian.
The injured soldier fell into Arcus’ arms, and onto an awaiting omni-blade, his own weight and momentum driving the blade into his chest to the hilt. The Engineer’s head hit the ground about the same time that the tanto edge of Arcus’ ombi-blade drove its way out of the back of the soldier’s armor. Blood splattered the inside of the trooper’s helmet as he coughed up blood with his final breath, shock taking him to the abyss.
Had either of the men had the chance to look into the eyes their killer, they would have said they were fire ringed black pools beyond which lay the devil itself.
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Post by Corwin Havens on Apr 9, 2017 2:28:51 GMT -6
A grizzled, bizarre word flowed from Corwin's lips.
His dark armor dissolved in evanescent wisps, leaving no trace of his dark presence.
Corwin remained close to the infiltration squad, waiting. Listening. Watching.
In and out of the shadows. Moving effortlessly through vents and crawlspaces. He passed Cerberus agent after Cerberus agent. They will never know how close they came to meeting their end to the Devil's knife. Though that did not matter to Corwin. They would all be dead soon enough from nuclear fire.
Plus, it would not be wise to take any kills from Maelstrom.....
Corwin smiled humorlessly to himself, playing the patient observer... watching and waiting for danger...
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Post by Maelstrom on Apr 9, 2017 7:44:45 GMT -6
[GM Post]As the infiltration team arrives at the Okinawa, the two Centurions take immediate notice of the group. The way they stood straight and crossed the trajectories of the rifles at the approach of the group was almost reminiscent of pike-men guarding ancient throne-rooms. They stood in the way of the doors, close enough that even the thinnest salarian could not pass between or to either side without bumping into them. By the shine of their armor, it was clear that they were either extremely diligent or fresh out of recruiting. The several deep gouges and handful of small but noticeable dents suggested the later. As soon as the group stopped in front of them, the man on the right stated, "This is a restricted area. State your name, rank, and cargo." A careful observer would note that the trigger finger of the man on the left is tensed, and the muscles on both men are primed for action. Beyond, the doors were open to a glistening new starship. It was remarkable, clearly state-of-the-art, even if a few panels and wires were still loose. There was ample activity beyond, with voices calling out to one another about this system or that railing. There were the sounds of power tools and commands being entered into the computer and of cargo being moved. ##### The Cerberus personnel on the Patroclus seem to find something of interest. Their radio chatter indicates an anomalous energy signature somewhere in the cargo bay. The teams, all start to converge on the cargo bag, each bringing up scanners and scrutinizing the area. While still paced far enough apart that they cannot see each other, it is evident that will soon change the distance is lessening with each sweep, and they are able to hear each other when yelling to one another. To any member of the guarding team who is present, the source of the energy signature will be obvious by the direction they're moving. Their scanners are picking up the Vengeance. [Round Two]
The infiltration team must progress past the guards in order to get onto the Okinawa itself. Declared actions must be posted in this stage for players attempting to get past, unless the actions and their consequences are confirmed with the GM prior to posting.
The Patroclus team may continue killing up to two enemies per round, per player at this stage. Barring a deliberate action from the team guarding the Patroclus, this will be the last round before all hostiles are in the cargo bay (though the bay is still a maze of crates).
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