Log:Overlord - Tranquility, Scene 1

Overlord's Arrival 2018/05/01 	 Indira Bluejay Mechanic Emi Warden Edelheit Harbinger

7

Rolling dunes of sand and rock extend in most directions...the exception being the large black and red pylon, two miles in diameter, jutting out of the ground. The Zu military has cordoned off an area around it a good mile and a half out.

Tranquility: It's about as tranquil as a prison can be, given that escape from the prison is a non-starter for most metahumans. Being stranded on the moon is unappealing for the inmates. There have only been two successful breakouts from the facility in its entire history. Enemy Ace and his immediate crew several years ago, and Syphon in the more recent past. The relative security of the facility and its remoteness made it the suitable location to hold the Harbinger.

The Harbinger is the twelve-foot tall herald for the Overlord, the being currently trying to consume the planet. And in the last couple of weeks, he...it...has been kept unconscious as much as possible.

Warden Simone Edelheit, a five foot tall blonde woman in a SG military uniform, leads the ambassador and her companions down around the circular hallway, "Even with the hot sleep cell we have this Harbinger in, he still wakes up every so often. I suspect we dont' have as much control as I would like."

The Andromedan Ambassador, Indira Paxis, arrived via ship accompanied by the Mechanic and piloted by Sapphire. Indira had tried to gain access to question the Harbinger before the pylon attacks, but was denied. Even diplomatic immunity doesn't grant access to Tranquility. But world-wide attacks do. "It may be late to learn from the Harbinger, but what is it you humans say about lateness? My head of security uses it," she says with an unfamiliar accent. She ponders for a moment. "Ah, better late than forever?" Her translation collar faintly lights up. "Never. Yes, never." Having just been at the Zu invasion shortly before, she is unnervingly calm. "How secure -is- this facility?" she inquires of the Warden as she interlaces her fingers.

Warden Edelheit nods slowly, "It's the most secure prison we have access to. This being is powerful enough that they didn't want to hold him planetside. I know at least SG Delta commander who wanted to just launch him into the sun."

The jet is de-rezzed, in Tron terms. Having flown folks here, Sapphire has reclaimed the energy used to make it and is walking along in what looks to be a blue Starguard uniform. It's just an energy construct made to look that way. Damn, she was self conscious at first only wearing energy and like an underarmor suit. But she's gotten used to it by now. She remains quiet. She's not the interrogator here. She -is- a detective and such but today, she's a taxicab. Oh, and official backup with a Starguard badge. Okay, an FBI badge. But who is counting?

Indira is wearing her space suit with a fabric wrap around her waist that drapes to the side. Space fashion and accessorizing with space suits. She walks with the poise of a noble, and moves without the urgency that such situations demand. Plants are not known for their speed. "Your most secure facility. And this hot sleep, is it like stasis? It does not work?"

The warden nods, "It is somewhat like stasis, yes. Very similar. But more active. There have been some questions about legality, but we didn't worry about it when it came to an intergalactic conqueror type. I don't think the MCLU is goign to throw a fit."

Indira nods. "Has the Overlord's Harbinger said anything when it wakes?"

The Quantum Mechanic follows along quietly, observing everything as they move towards the HArbinger's hot sleep chamber.

He was happy to be the passenger and not the vehicle for once. It was a lovely change of pace and so he is in a good mood despite what they're here to do.

He shrugs at the legality of Hot Sleep chambers- that is something that won't be decided any time soon.

He listens intently for Indira's question to be answered.

The warden shakes her head, "No, not at all. It just looks around, and puts its head down, like it's choosing to nap."

Indira looks concerned about the Warden's explanation. "It sounds like it is waiting," she says ominously.

Inclining her head, Sapphire asks, "He may have communication methods that your sensors are unable to detect. Is it possible that he is waking, communicating with his master, and then going inactive again until the next time he chooses to report in?"

The warden motions to a sealed door on the right. "This is the cell." There's a tiny one-way mirrored window that look into the room. When the heroes look through the window, they can see a tilted platform that the Harbinger is strapped to, holding it at a thirty degree angle, like he's lounging on a rather large adjustable bed. The room is otherwise bare, and hte lighting is bright red.

Mechanic says, "Before we enter, I believe we should connect our minds so we may converse without our subject overhearing." The Mechanic suggests taking a page from Indira's own concern."

Indira stops at the window to observe a moment. "I am unsure of your laws. Would it be legal to read his thoughts? It would be safer if he sleeps if I am to try." She looks to the Mechanic and nods at his suggestion.

The warden takes a deep breath. "Legal? Perhaps not. But I've seen the reports from SG. If you feel that's the best way to get the information that you need, do it."

The Mechanic turns to their escort and raises his eyebrow to see if she will be joing the link as well. As he waits for her answer, he connects his mind to Indira's telepathically and activates the Torus's universal translation circuits.

"Your best interrogators have questioned it, yes? Did they learn anything?" Indira asks curiously, still studying Harbinger. "I would not suggest such methods if your world's survival were not at risk. Very few civilizations survive the Overlord. And no planets have."

Warden Edelheit shakes her head, "Not much, to be honest. It just kept talking about how we should evacuate if we want to live. Nothing new."

Indira allows the mind link with the Mechanic. "At least the Overlord still extends this...courtesy," she uses the delicate word reluctantly.

The Mechanic speaks to Indira over their shared link:

(I am ready whenever you are, Indira.)

A warp gate opens above his head and falls straight down around him- and where once was a Mechanic now is a very high tech sphere of almost perfect blackness. Details are next to impossible to make out.

Above that a holographic representation of The Quantum Mechanic appears.

The warden says, "Ddi you want to speak to him directly? Or just read his mind from here?"

"Hm. I can read his mind from here while he sleeps. We can wake him after to talk," Indira suggets, then looks to Mechanic to see his thoughts on the matter.

The Mechanic nods in aggreement. "No I think thats a wise choice." He says as he tries to gain as much data as he can about the Harbinger now that he sees him up close.

In the cell, Harbinger flinches. And the platform it is one shudders briefly.

Harbinger(#2866TOn)

This being stands about twelve feet tall, and is wearing what looks like shimmering armor. At different angles it looks green or purple or chrome. Its helmet has flared sides and two glowing eyes emanate from within. The armor itself is mostly full of clean lines and doesn't have much ornamentation, though it looks vaguely reminiscent of medieval platemail. In its hands is what looks like a halberd formed of energy, sized appropriately for a twelve-foot-tall being.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Indira points to the platform.

"I was about to ask you that very question." The Quantum Mechanic says.

There doesn't seem to be anything t hat might have caused it. The Harbinger himself could have just flinched like one does sometimes during a dream.

Indira keeps her hands interlaced. "Try to keep your own thoughts quiet while I try to delve into his. My people are very sensitive to such things." Telepathy, bioluminescence, speech, and scent are all parts of the Asrani language, making it nigh impossible for any but a true native to master it.

Indira's eyes remain focused on the Harbinger as she tries to discretely read its thoughts without it noticing.

The initial read on the Harbinger's mind just gets its surface thoughts which consist of the following: These humans are stupid. They should be fleeing. At least those ot the planet. Those on this rock will be spared, at least until the rock flings off into space after the destruction of the planet it is orbiting. Perhaps it will find another planet to orbit safely. It should not be long before I am released.

Indira sifts through its thoughts and explains its thoughts to others. "The moon will be safe, for now, but it will be destablized by the destruction of Earth. The Harbinger thinks it will be released soon. And does not know why your people do not flee."

For those in the Mechanic's mindlink, Indira passes on the exact thoughts she picks up.

Indira stares intensely at the Harbinger as she tries to power through its defenses. "Its mind is well guarded," she says in a strained voice.

This time, Indira gets something more. The Harbinger's thoughts show a couple of important extra things. First, there's an outline of the Overlord himself, who is backlit in Harbinger's memories, so details cannot be made out. But...it easily is a good 10 stories tall, and humanoid in shape. Power is surging from the hand of hte Overlord to the Harbinger, and Overlord speaks, effectively in English, as telepathy is doing some translating, more or less, 'Arise my Harbinger. You have defended your planet well, though unsuccessfully. Find more sustenance.' The second piece of information that jumps out is that it knows it won't be let to sit in here while the Overlord feeds on the planet. Something will be dispatched to free it.

...and that's when alarms start to go off in the prison. The Warden checks her comm. "What's going on?" The response back is, "We have an outer shell breach and atmo is escaping on deck 2. Work crews are responding."

Indira closes her eyes a moment in concentration as she sees the silhouette of the Overlord. Her eyes fly open with a sudden surprise of awful realization, just as the alarms break her concentration. "The Overlord will send someone to free it. The Harbinger is a survivor. A defender of the last planet to fall."

Indira turns to the Warden. "Call on your protectors." She taps the collar of her suit, and a field of energy forms around her head, transparent and tinted orange as it creates a sealed atmosphere for herself.

The Mechanic is relayed the thoughts of the Harbinger as Indira receives them. He doesn't get a chance to feel any way about what has been revelaed to him because the klaxxons start alerting everyone to the imminent danger looming overhead.

"This Harbinger is just waiting for his allies to shepard him to safety- I can't imagine that the alarms going off is just a conicidence- do you Warden?" The Quantum Mechanic asks aloud.

The Torus begins orbiting slowly around Indira to provide an added layer of protection, but watches from all sides thanks to his quantum sense.

The Warden checks teh screen on her watch. "Oh...it's worse than I thought." She shows the screen to the others. "Some kind of mechanical drones are attacking the exterior. I'm putting a call in to Starguard."

Indira asks the warden urgently, "Tell us how to get there. We'll attempt to delay them if we can until reinforcements come."

The warden nods, "Up one floor. About 100 meters around the ring in that direction." She points down the hall. "There's a lift about halfway there which will take us up there." She starts running down the hallway.

Rolling dunes of sand and rock extend in most directions...the exception being the large black and red pylon, two miles in diameter, jutting out of the ground. The Zu military has cordoned off an area around it a good mile and a half out.

There are 8 players connected.

"Thank you Warden." The Quantum Mechanic says before a tendril reaches out to touch the Ambassador's spacesuit before they both vanish in a blaze of white light, teleporting exactly where the Warden described.

Emissary stares in terror at her phone. "Seriously? They want me to do what!? I-I guess I don't have a choice. Am I going to have to actually fight!?" She pauses her game console and prepares to warp into orbit.

The SG rep on the other end of the line says, "We don't know. I'm sorry. We dont' have many details. Maybe?"

Indira nad Mechanic appear in the hallway, but it doesn't looked like it's entirely breached yet.

The Quantum Mechanic says to Indira when they arrive, .o0(I can reiforce the hallway- or reseal the breach but that will only be a stop gap method. Did you have a plan of ... attack, Ambassador?)

Indira is a pacifist by nature. But these are dire times. . o O (Reseal the breach to stop them from getting in. We may need air for the guards to assist. If these are drones like in Zu, perhaps we can reprogram them.)

Meanwhile...outside, both Bluejay and Emissary arrive at a similar time. Bluejay has been flying, and Emi appears after a long teleport. The ring of the prison looks like it's being ripped open by a series of motorcycle-sized drones. There are sparks and metal being wrenched.

Rolling dunes of sand and rock extend in most directions...the exception being the large black and red pylon, two miles in diameter, jutting out of the ground. The Zu military has cordoned off an area around it a good mile and a half out.

Emissary's ears flatten. o O (Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap.) She spots Bluejay and radios. 

Indira looks to the Mechanic. . o O (We may need to stop them from outside. Can you get us there? Perhaps we can reinforce from outside.)

The drones float about, methodically tearing the metal structure. It's clear that they are unconcerned about creating a hull breach. Whatever they want to get out of the prison likely doesn't need air to breathe.

Bluejay radios to Emi, "You got called in for this too? It's ridiculous. That's a building full of metas. Yes, they are criminals but Earth is their planet too. Many will have families down there. They should be dealing with this. I'm needed in Nipon."

Emissary radios back, 

The Holographic Mechanic nods and another black tendril reaches out for Indira's suit- teleporting them both outside- just outside the hull of the prison and just outsiode the reach of the drones.

The drones continue to work. Alarms can't be heard out here, but lights are flashing. It's a fair bet that there is an SG Delta unit inbound, but much slower. Perhaps too slow.

Overlord Drones(#2947TOnp)

Each drone has a kite-like shape to it, approximately six feet wide, eight feet long, and 2 feet deep. There are obvious red glowing sensors along the front edge, and multiple mechanical manipulator arms that extend from the bottom of that same front edge.

Emissary grits her teeth. . o O (OK, Emi. This is a video game. A really, really immersive video game. That you die in real life if you die in the game. OK, bad analogy. There are four of us, if we're lucky, we have a tank, a healer, and two DPS, or a DPS and a buffer/debuffer.). She radios the others. 

Bluejay radios, "I'm in a battlesuit. Unless anyone else is very tough I guess that makes me the person to go beam the drones out of the sky."

Indira lacks a radio. One of the things psychics forget about. She prepares to impede the drones as best she can, but the ambassador is not one for violence. Today, she may make an exception.

The Quantum Mechanic responds over the EM band, <<"I'm sorry Miss- I believe I've disabled my Universal Translator functions. Can you repeat that?" The Mechanic is not a gamer, but he's trying but way up here he can't fall back on the internet to fill in the blanks for him.

Bluejay's response helps clear some of it up though- enough for his immense intelligence to fill in the rest. <<"Oh- I believe I get your meaning now. I can help engage our quarry." He says in reponse.

Then mentally, he checks in with Indira: .o0(We have two more sets of capable hands- though, their manner of speech is... well its strange. I'll relay over our connection.)